Chapter 205: The Demon Sect Saintess

Chapter 205: The Demon Sect Saintess

Situ Branch Leader's expression shifted slightly as he said, "I've heard of Yin Evil and Corpse Poison before. These are no trivial matters. Once afflicted, no matter how high your cultivation, you can only wait for death."

The Demon Sect Martial Artists all turned their gazes toward the iron carriage. If Yin Evil and Corpse Poison truly existed, they could only have emanated from within that carriage.

"Come to think of it, their symptoms began the very night strange cries were heard from the iron carriage. It seems Ding Xiaosan's words hold merit—perhaps they really have been afflicted by Yin Evil and Corpse Poison." Duanmu Linger couldn't help but regard Ning Xiaochuan in a new light, not just for his abilities but also for his extraordinary courage.

Most people wouldn't dare risk their lives to save others.

"Little Three, do you have a way to treat them?" Duanmu Linger asked.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "My master once left me a prescription that can counteract Yin Evil and Corpse Poison. It might be able to save them."

Of course, Ning Xiaochuan wouldn't reveal that he could directly neutralize Yin Evil and Corpse Poison—that would be far too shocking. After all, his current identity was that of a Primary Heart Nurturer, not an Advanced Heart Nurturer.

Hearing Ning Xiaochuan's words, the Martial Artists in the caravan grew excited, their admiration for him increasing.

Duanmu Linger gathered all the mystic medicines from the caravan and handed them over to Ning Xiaochuan, fulfilling every request he made without hesitation.

Having once refined antidotes for Corpse Poison, Ning Xiaochuan knew which mystic medicines could suppress its effects. He selected these and ordered them to be brewed into medicinal concoctions.

When mystic medicines were boiled into liquid, ninety percent of their potency was lost.

Of course, Ning Xiaochuan could refine them into Intermediate Elixirs, which would not only preserve their full potency but also enhance their efficacy.

But there was no helping it—his current identity was that of a Primary Heart Nurturer, so he had no choice but to resort to this wasteful method.

In any case, the mystic medicines were provided by the caravan, so Ning Xiaochuan felt no regret.

"Corpse Poison spreads. Everyone in the caravan must drink this," Ning Xiaochuan reminded them.

The brewed medicinal concoction could only counteract Corpse Poison and had little effect on Yin Evil.

To eliminate Yin Evil, there was only one method—using the power of the Demonic Sword to absorb it from their bodies.

This method not only saved lives but also enhanced his cultivation.

Of course, wielding the Demonic Sword's power required discretion; no one could be allowed to discover it.

Thus, Ning Xiaochuan personally fed the medicine to every Martial Artist afflicted by Yin Evil, seizing the opportunity to secretly use the Demonic Sword and absorb the Yin Evil from their bodies.

Ning Xiaochuan first helped the little girl sit up, pressing his fingers against the back of her head. Channeling the Demonic Sword's power, he formed a swirling vortex of energy in his palm, drawing the Yin Evil from her body.

"Gulp, gulp..."

He fed the medicinal concoction to the little girl, laid her gently on the ground, and then moved on to the next patient.

Lin Zhanglao and Duanmu Linger stood beneath the shade of a distant tree, watching as Ning Xiaochuan carried bowl after bowl of medicine, feeding each Martial Artist in turn.

"No one else dared to approach the Martial Artists afflicted by Yin Evil, but he showed no hesitation. Not only did he examine their injuries, but he also personally administered medicine to them. This lad is quite remarkable and deserves further cultivation." Lin Zhanglao rarely praised anyone, yet his eyes now held a look of admiration.

Skilled Heart Nurturers were not uncommon in his experience.

Kind-hearted Heart Nurturers willing to actively treat the wounded could still be found in the world.

But a Heart Nurturer who risked his life to save others? That was exceedingly rare.

"Let’s get through this crisis first. Yin Evil and Corpse Poison are things even Martial Venerables fear. Once contaminated, it’s like being possessed by evil spirits." Duanmu Linger still harbored some worry.

Thanks to the medicinal brew Ning Xiaochuan prepared, no other Martial Artists were invaded by Yin Evil that night, nor did any more cases of Corpse Poison appear.

By the next morning, when the first rays of sunlight fell, the caravan’s Martial Artists were astonished to find that those afflicted by Yin Evil had fully recovered.

Though their bodies remained weak, they were no longer frenzied—their fangs had vanished, and their claws had receded.

"Heavens! They’ve all regained their senses! They’ve all come back!"

"Ding Xiaosan’s medicine saved their lives!"

"That Ding Xiaosan may be timid, but his skills are no joke! Haha!"

The caravan’s Martial Artists were overjoyed, feeling as if they had narrowly escaped death.

Lin Zhanglao, Situ Branch Leader, and Duanmu Linger personally came to thank Ning Xiaochuan.

Duanmu Linger smiled like sunshine after rain and said, "Little Three, we truly owe you this time. If not for you, our entire caravan might have been wiped out, everyone perishing in the desert."

Lin Zhanglao added, "Join our Demon Sect."

Situ Branch Leader clapped Ning Xiaochuan on the shoulder and laughed. "Kid, your attitude suits me. How about sticking with me? I’ll treat you like a brother."

Ning Xiaochuan fell silent for a moment before replying, "Those poisoned by Corpse Poison aren’t fully healed yet. They’ll need to continue taking the medicine. Let’s wait until we’ve overcome this crisis and reached Tianlai Ancient City before discussing anything else."

Lin Zhanglao and Situ Branch Leader didn’t press him further. After a few more words of gratitude, they resumed their journey.

Ning Xiaochuan and Duanmu Linger also boarded the carriage, heading toward Tianlai Ancient City.

Two more days passed, and the Martial Artists afflicted by Corpse Poison all recovered one by one, each coming to express their thanks to Ning Xiaochuan.

Sitting in the carriage, Ning Xiaochuan gazed at the desert’s poplar trees and sand dunes, lost in thought. "Not all Demonic Martial Artists are ruthless villains. It seems my previous views of the Demon Sect were too narrow-minded. There are good people among them, just as there are wicked ones in the imperial court."

As he grew closer to these Demonic Martial Artists, Ning Xiaochuan learned more secrets.

It turned out the iron carriage indeed carried a corpse—and not just any corpse, but that of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao Leader, Shang Pojun.

Shang Pojun was a top figure in the Demon Sect.

His sudden death at home had sent shockwaves through the martial world of the Yulan Empire, with everyone speculating about the cause.

Yet only a handful knew he had died from having his heart ripped out.

When the news spread, it caused another uproar within the Demon Sect. That was why the Demon Sect Saintess had personally rushed to White Dragon City—to investigate the matter.

This caravan was secretly transporting Shang Pojun's corpse back to Nine Death Cliff, intending to have the Demon Emperor personally investigate the cause of his death.

The "Big Miss" mentioned by Duanmu Linger was none other than the Demon Sect Saintess.

Duanmu Linger's identity was also extraordinary—she was one of the six Ghost Envoys under the Saintess, specifically the "Desperate Ghost Envoy."

These secrets were all uncovered by Ning Xiaochuan from Cao Tuzi's mouth.

Cao Tuzi now held Ning Xiaochuan in high regard, treating him like a brother and considering him one of their own.

After learning these secrets, Ning Xiaochuan was deeply shaken.

"If they are all close confidants of the Demon Sect Saintess, getting closer to them might make it easier for me to enter Nine Death Cliff," Ning Xiaochuan thought to himself.

Tianlai Ancient City was the only city in the Moshate Desert and a crucial passage between the north and south of the Yulan Empire.

Legend had it that long ago, there was an ancient kingdom here, once flourishing and known as the "Tianlai Kingdom."

After the Yulan Empire conquered the Tianlai Kingdom, it fell, leaving only this eternal ancient city standing in the desert.

Many Martial Artists who traveled the world would inevitably visit Tianlai Ancient City—it was a paradise for adventurers.

At this moment, a caravan of over 600 people slowly passed through the city gates, entering this ancient city built from massive stones weighing 5,000 kg each.

On the city walls stood a row of Divine Slaying Crossbows, numbering eighty in total, all forged from Crimson Flame Divine Steel and inlaid with Mystic Stones, emitting a dazzling radiance.

"Those are Divine Slaying Crossbows. If drawn by a Martial Artist at the Ninth Level of the Divine Body Realm, they can shoot as far as 400 kilometers, capable of killing even those in the Transcendent Realm. These are truly divine weapons that can kill from a thousand miles away," Cao Tuzi explained, noticing Ning Xiaochuan's gaze fixed on the crossbows and assuming he had never seen such things before.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "The Divine Slaying Crossbow is a restricted military weapon, only appearing on major battlefields at the borders, specifically used to target enemy Mystic Beast chariots and high-ranking officers. Tianlai Ancient City is located deep within the Yulan Empire, far from the reach of war. Why are there eighty of them stationed here?"

Cao Tuzi didn’t ask how Ning Xiaochuan knew this but simply laughed. "The dangers of the Moshate Desert are no less than those of the border battlefields. Without the protection of the Divine Slaying Crossbows, this ancient city would have long been reduced to ruins."

Where exactly did the dangers of the Moshate Desert come from?

Cao Tuzi kept it a mystery, not revealing it to Ning Xiaochuan.

Ning Xiaochuan wasn’t the type to press for answers, so he didn’t pursue the matter further—after all, he might never encounter it himself.

After the caravan entered Tianlai Ancient City, they were greeted by a welcoming party and led to a grand manor.

This manor might not have been considered remarkable in the Imperial City, but in Tianlai Ancient City, it was undoubtedly one of the finest. Many powerful Martial Artists guarded the manor, and the aura emanating from some of them exerted immense pressure on Ning Xiaochuan.

The Demon Sect Saintess had already arrived in Tianlai Ancient City ahead of them and was residing in this very manor.

Duanmu Linger, Lin Zhanglao, and Situ Branch Leader went to report to the Demon Sect Saintess, kneeling outside a pavilion and declaring in unison, "We pay our respects to the Saintess."

The pavilion was veiled by bead curtains and a layer of thin gauze, making it impossible to discern the appearance of the person inside from the outside.

One could only vaguely see a slender woman seated behind the gauze, wearing a golden mask, her fingers resting on the zither strings as she played softly.

As the music flowed, strands of white Profound Qi mist rose from the strings, condensing into small red dragons that darted through the pavilion, emitting low, resonant roars.

The Demon Sect Saintess stopped her fingers, and the music ceased. The dragon shadows shattered one after another, vanishing without a trace.

"Has the coffin arrived?"

The Demon Sect Saintess spoke slowly, her voice elegant and pleasant, yet carrying an undeniable authority.