Chapter 257: Chapter 254: The Pig Emperor’s New Appearance

After repeatedly admonishing the Pig Emperor and ensuring it wouldn’t act recklessly in front of Niu Kexin and Liu Ruyan, Mo Qi finally felt at ease.

"Mo Xiao, Hu the Eighth, you two will come out with me. The rest of you will temporarily remain Within the Pass, ready for orders."

Bringing everyone out was obviously unrealistic. The sudden appearance of so many powerful experts together would certainly attract unwanted attention.

For the time being, Mo Qi didn’t want his main body to be exposed before the Empire.

He chose to bring Mo Xiao and Hu the Eighth because Mo Xiao was the strongest, while Hu the Eighth was a woman with a man’s appearance.

After curing her, he could assign her to Niu Kexin and Liu Ruyan’s side as a personal Guard to ensure their safety.

"Brother Wu, are you sure you don’t want to come out with us?"

Mo Qi had originally intended to give Wu the Old Ghost his freedom. After all, he was different from Mo Xiao and the others; he wasn’t a subordinate. But Wu the Old Ghost had refused.

"I’ve gotten used to this place. I have nowhere else to go even if I leave. I will, however, have to trouble you, Mo the kid, to help me find my son."

Mo Qi smiled. "Don’t worry, Brother Wu. I’ve already asked the Qian Family and the Zhu Family to help find your son. I’m sure there will be news soon."

"Thank you."

"You’re too kind, Brother Wu."

As he spoke, Mo Qi activated the Array and stood on the teleportation platform with Mo Xiao and Hu the Eighth.

This was a two-way Teleportation Array from the Chaos Scripture. Within the bounds of the Mountain and Sea Empire, as long as Mo Qi’s calculated parameters were accurate, he could teleport from Within the Pass to any location in the Empire.

At the same time, he could also return to the Pass from any location in the Empire.

"Pig Emperor, we’re heading to the Wolf Fang Sect this time. Zhang Shao has seen you before, so you should change your appearance," Mo Qi reminded it.

"What do you think This Emperor should turn into?"

"A cat, a dog, a chicken, a duck, a bird—anything will do. Just as long as it’s not a pig."

As he spoke, Mo Qi also changed his own appearance. His face contorted, his height increased by half a foot, and he transformed into a young man who was about seventy percent similar to his External Incarnation, looking to be in his early twenties.

The Nine Transformations into Spirit gave him perfect control over every part of his body. This change wasn’t an Illusion Technique; he had genuinely altered the position of his muscles and bones.

Therefore, even if someone were to scan him inside and out with their Divine Sense, they wouldn’t discover anything unusual.

"Ahem... This Emperor’s Transformation Technique isn’t very refined. There might be a small flaw," the Pig Emperor mumbled quietly. "You’re not allowed to laugh."

Mo Qi’s interest was piqued. This was the first time he had ever seen the Pig Emperor so hesitant.

’What happened to your Mysterious Confidence?’

"I promise I won’t laugh. Hurry up and change so I can see."

"Fine, This Emperor is changing now."

The words had barely left its mouth when, with a muffled POOF, a puff of black smoke erupted from the Pig Emperor’s body.

When the black smoke cleared, everyone present was utterly dumbfounded.

’What the hell is this thing?!’

’You call this a *fucking* small flaw?’

’Are you trying to make us die of laughter so you can inherit our stuff?’

The Pig Emperor was still palm-sized.

It had a dog’s head, a pure white one.

But below that was a bird’s body, a jet-black one.

In short, it was a dog’s head on a crow’s body.

It looked as ridiculous as could be.

Under the Pig Emperor’s menacing gaze, everyone lowered their heads, struggling to hold back their laughter.

"WOOF! Must This Emperor recite a poem? WOOF WOOF!"

"Hahaha!"

Mo Qi suddenly burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

He hadn’t wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t hold it in when he heard dog barks coming out of the Pig Emperor’s mouth.

With Mo Qi taking the lead, everyone else began to laugh loudly as well.

"You forced This Emperor’s hand!"

The Pig Emperor flapped its wings, flying into the air with its dog head, and took a deep breath.

Everyone turned pale with fright and scattered.

"Ah~"

A lyrical "Ah~" marked the beginning of the poem, but just as it started, the power of the Teleportation Array descended, enveloping the Pig Emperor and Mo Qi’s group of three and whisking them away from Within the Pass.

It left behind a crowd of people with looks of pure terror on their faces.

"That plague god is finally gone!"

The Old Tomb Digger sighed at the heavens, tears streaming down his aged face, choked and speechless.

He was the only "lucky one" among them to have been the subject of one of the Pig Emperor’s specially composed seven-character quatrains!

Only he truly understood that kind of despair.

...

The layout of the Mountain and Sea Empire was very simple, with the Imperial City located right in the center.

The Wolf Fang Sect was situated north of the Imperial City, flanked by the Void Sect and the Wuji Sect to the east and west, respectively, while the Celestial Sword Pavilion lay to the south.

Therefore, the Wolf Fang Sect bordered not only the Void Sect but also the Wuji Sect.

「On this day, in a small mortal city on the border between the Wolf Fang Sect and the Wuji Sect, the people were thrown into a panic.」

A large group of what mortals considered Immortal Masters descended upon the town. They swept through the city with Secret Treasures, forcibly taking away any young woman who possessed a Spirit Root and was of exceptional beauty.

At first, the chosen mortals thought they had been favored by the Immortal Masters and were overjoyed at the chance to become Immortals and cultivate the Dao.

But when some refused due to their earthly attachments, everything changed.

"Venerable Immortal Master, I beg for your mercy. I still have elderly parents at home who need my care. I pray you’ll permit this humble girl to stay."

"Hmph, parents? As of now, you don’t have them anymore!"

A giant Spiritual Energy Hand descended, crushing the house behind the woman into dust. No one inside survived.

...

"Venerable Immortal Master, this humble girl is to be married tomorrow. They say the path to immortality is boundless, but my ambitions do not lie there."

BOOM!

The next second, the woman’s future in-laws were completely annihilated.

...

"Venerable Immortal Master, please have mercy... Immortal Master... Don’t, don’t kill my mother... No!"

...

"Dad, I don’t want to go, I... Venerable Immortal Master, you?"

...

"You’re not Immortal Masters, you’re a pack of beasts!"

...

"Stop killing them! I’ll go with you!"

...

As time went on, the Cultivators stopped wasting words. To save time, regardless of whether the women were willing or not, they simply slaughtered all their relatives and family members first. Then they herded the women together, preparing to take them away with a Magical Artifact.

The entire city plunged into chaos and despair.

Even if the mortals knew nothing of the Martial Arts World, they could tell that the abducted women would not only miss their chance at immortality but would likely meet a tragic end.

"What a sinful travesty!"

Just then, a blinding light suddenly appeared in the sky above the city.

Three figures stepped out from it.

"Where are we? Why is it so noisy?"

Mo Qi shook his groggy head and, in great displeasure, gave the Pig Emperor’s dog head a sharp rap.

After the Teleportation Array had activated, that damn Pig Emperor had insisted on reciting half a poem during the teleportation process, nearly making Mo Qi sick to his stomach.

Mo Xiao and Hu the Eighth weren’t much better off. Both of them stared at the Pig Emperor with reproachful eyes.

Knowing it was in the wrong, the Pig Emperor shrank its neck and chuckled sheepishly. "Who was it that laughed at This Emperor?"

"Who are you, and why are you here?"

A clear, cold voice rang out. Mo Qi focused his gaze and realized that his group of three had been surrounded.

Surrounding them was a group of Purity Realm Cultivators. Judging by their attire, they all seemed to belong to the same faction.