On Fierce Wind Island, three figures arrived one after the other. Their sects and families had been annihilated, and now they gathered on this island, where the spiritual Qi was sparse, to discuss their dire situation.

The bearded cultivator, Yao Hui, was the first to speak, his voice filled with frustration. "Myriad Islands Lake has reached a precarious point. The Hundred Refinements' demonic cultivators are so aggressively oppressive! Do they intend to dominate the Southern Wilderness entirely?"

The elderly cultivator, named Lu Qingsong, spoke with a heavy tone, "Alas... Myriad Islands Lake only ever had two Nascent Soul ancestors. One has already fallen to that Miao Zizai and the other is still in secluded meditation..."

"With the current state of affairs, my friends, I think we should flee. The world is vast; why hang ourselves in this noose when we can preserve our lives and roam freely?"

Yao Hui frowned, "Flee... I can't bear it. I've left over three hundred years of foundation here; I cannot let go..."

The young cultivator who had remained silent until now suddenly burst out angrily, "I also want to flee, but I can't bear it! That Black Heart Old Devil massacred my family and destroyed my sect! If I don't kill him, I'll never be at peace!"

His name was Ouyang Zheng. At forty-nine, he had condensed his Golden Core, making him one of the outstanding Golden Core cultivators in Myriad Islands Lake.

Recently, his family and the sect he founded, the "Righteous Dao Faction," had been annihilated by the Black Heart Old Devil.

Among the three, Ouyang Zheng had suffered the most. Yao Hui and Lu Qingsong glanced at him and then lowered their heads. They were older and could let go of their vendetta and flee.

But Ouyang Zheng was still strong and likely to advance to the mid or even late Golden Core stage. If he retreated now, he might develop a heart demon that would hinder his cultivation in the future.

Lu Qingsong whispered, "Brother Ouyang, what do you plan to do? Before we leave, we'll help you one last time."

Yao Hui nodded in agreement. The three had a close private relationship. Since Ouyang Zheng was set on revenge, they would help as much as they could.

Ouyang Zheng suddenly looked at them, "A friend passed on a demonic technique to me that can absorb Golden Cores to quickly enhance one's power. If you truly want to help, why not help me thoroughly and give your Golden Cores to me?"

Yao Hui and Lu Qingsong were shaken, instinctively feeling uneasy.

"Ouyang Zheng, have you gone mad?" Lu Qingsong tried to activate his defensive magic treasure subconsciously, only to find his spiritual sense and Qi extremely sluggish, making it impossible to activate his defenses.

Yao Hui immediately thought of escaping but found his legs unbearably heavy, as if they were filled with lead, unable to move.

Yao Hui, in a fit of rage, roared, "We are all cultivators of Myriad Islands Lake, and yet you attack us like this! How are you any different from that Black Heart Old Devil who destroyed your family and sect?"

At this moment, the sorrowful expression on Ouyang Zheng's face vanished, replaced by a sinister sneer. "My family, I killed them. My sect, I destroyed it. Sometimes I am Ouyang Zheng; sometimes, I am the Black Heart Old Devil!"

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Yao Hui and Lu Qingsong's eyes widened in horror. They had never imagined that Ouyang Zheng could bring himself to harm his own kin to such an extent. This was ruthlessness beyond measure, actions unthinkable for a righteous cultivator.

"Both of you, I need your help to advance my cultivation!" Ouyang Zheng declared with a cruel laugh as he lunged at Yao Hui and Lu Qingsong.

Screams echoed through the chamber, soon followed by the chilling sound of greedy chewing.

Moments later, Ouyang Zheng emerged from the chamber. Waiting outside was a figure cloaked in a black robe.

Ouyang Zheng tossed two storage bags to the figure. A gnarled, purple-black hand, wrinkled and rough, reached out and swiftly grabbed the bags. Ouyang Zheng dared only to glance briefly, his eyes filled with wariness.

A raspy, aged voice came from beneath the cloak, "Good. According to our agreement, within five days, use the identity of the Black Heart Old Devil to eliminate the Ice Point Sect."

Ouyang Zheng frowned, "I have already alerted He Liang. Acting again so soon might draw him directly to me."

The cloaked figure chuckled eerily, "Are you afraid of him? You have consumed two Golden Cores; your power must have surged tremendously. He Liang is merely a body cultivator, what is there to fear?"

As he spoke, the cloaked figure tossed a vial to Ouyang Zheng, "This poison is particularly effective against the robust vitality within a body cultivator."

Biting his lip, Ouyang Zheng conceded, "Alright, I'll do as you say."

His ability to poison Yao Hui and Lu Qingsong had been thanks to the drugs provided by the cloaked figure. He had immense trust in this person's concoctions.

After Ouyang Zheng departed, the cloaked figure remained in place. Moonlight fell upon his face, revealing a ghastly visage.

"He Liang, heh," the figure mused. "Isn't that the qi-refining disciple from the Infinite Sect? His actions and manner are very much like those of us from the demonic path.

Kills and erases sects, taking all the bodies with him, undoubtedly for crafting corpse puppets... who really is this person masquerading as He Liang?"

...

"Hmm, are there transmission talismans?"

Chu Xuan, having just returned from Blue Star to Mystic Azure Star, discovered two transmission talismans flitting about like headless flies within his formation.

With a casual gesture, one of the talismans landed in his hand. As the Spiritual Qi stirred, a raspy voice emanated from the talisman.

"The Black Heart Old Devil will appear at the Ice Point Sect in five days."

Chu Xuan frowned. This voice was unfamiliar to him. It belonged to neither Yuan Zichu nor Zhu Yuqiao.

Yet, this stranger had divulged such crucial intelligence. It seemed too significant to dismiss.

To go or not to go?

"No."

Chu Xuan scoffed.

Who could say whether this was a trap set by the cultivators of the Thousand Islands Lake?

Even with his physique refined thirty-layer and his Golden Core at the seventh level, robust beyond compare, falling into a pre-set killing formation could still spell his doom. Thus, he would never trust such an unreliable transmission talisman.

Chu Xuan reached out and summoned the other talisman into his hand. After infusing it with Spiritual Qi, the same aged, hoarse voice spoke again.

"You are using the name He Liang of the Infinite Sect— who are you?"

Chu Xuan was taken aback. The name He Liang was almost unknown. Even within the Infinite Sect, perhaps only those disciples who had interacted with He Liang would have some recollection of him. He had casually used this name when accepting an invitation from the Hundred Refined Sect.

To think it would be recognized?

Chu Xuan immediately concluded that the speaker must also be a demonic cultivator, likely one within the Infinite Sect.

"To approach my cave dwelling undetected, fearing not discovery... this person must have spies in the Treasure Ship Market, and his strength is at least at the Golden Core stage."

After much deliberation, Chu Xuan could only guess it to be Wan Wuying. But hadn't that unfortunate master entered the Ghost Palace and never emerged again? Could he have found another way out?

Chu Xuan scratched his head. It seemed he had no choice but to visit the Ice Point Sect. Not to mention, the impostor had dared to tarnish the reputation of the Black Heart Old Devil!

He must be eliminated. As for this old acquaintance from the Infinite Sect...

Chu Xuan smacked his lips, "I must prepare thoroughly. When a demon meets a demon, a stab in the back is all too common."