The night was dark and the wind was high, with flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder.

In the deserted village, corpses lay strewn about, blood flowing like a river; all were elderly Wind Hoof villagers with necks twisted off.

A man with white hair and bull horns sat on a blue stone by the roadside, his body constantly exuding a mercury-like black stream that engulfed the surrounding blood and corpses.

His face was aged, his frame robust. Like the people of Wind Hoof Country, he had bull hooves and wore worn armor, exuding a wild and ancient aura, making others wary of underestimating him.

He took a deep breath, and the corpses within the black stream instantly decayed and melted, transforming into energy that was absorbed into his body through the black stream.

After a moment, he frowned in dissatisfaction, black electric sparks crackling between his two horns.

At this moment, a Mid-Stage Golden Core Cultivator wearing a ghost mask leaped out from the woods behind the mountain, throwing two corpses on the ground. He glanced at the bull-horned elder, and upon recognizing the familiar face, the ghost-masked cultivator trembled and hurriedly knelt on one knee.

"Your subordinate Ghost Face greets the Master."

The pressure from the bull-horned elder radiated out, causing Ghost Face to tremble slightly, feeling as if his throat were being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.

"In these years following my good apprentice Shen Huaxi, have your days been comfortable?"

Ghost Face, terrified and anxious, changed his one-knee kneel to kneeling on both knees, bowing heavily.

"Your subordinate always remembers your teachings, loyal to the Ghost Clan, never with a divided heart. These years, I’ve been following your instructions, lurking by the Young Master’s side, assisting him in controlling Iron Feather Country, waiting for your return to reclaim the situation."

Ghost Face was the one who, back in the Land of Azure Flame, took Shen Huaxi away in front of Xie Jingshan and was also one of Qing Nangzi’s most loyal Ghost Clan subordinates.

And the bull-horned elder before him was none other than the ’resurrected’ Qing Nangzi himself.

Qing Nangzi did not tell Ghost Face to rise but instead turned his gaze to the two corpses beside him. The black stream from his body had devoured all the corpses in the village but now avoided these two.

Both corpses were dressed luxuriously, one at Early-Stage Golden Core Cultivation and the other at Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation. They didn’t seem like loose cultivators from the Extraordinary People Country.

"Who are these two?"

Ghost Face maintained his bowing posture, slightly raised his face, and said, "Your subordinate does not know. They were lurking suspiciously in the forest, and fearing they might affect you, I killed them on the spot."

Qing Nangzi raised his brows slightly, lifted his hand to draw their storage magic treasures into his hand for inspection, and extracted a token from inside.

"Baishui Domain Fang Family? Why would they come to this backwater of the Extraordinary People Country?"

"Your subordinate does not know."

Qing Nangzi frowned, ultimately sending a black thunderbolt to blow the two corpses into powder, completely obliterating them.

"This matter must not be leaked. Go into the forest later and erase all traces. Now that Lii Jiuchuan from Heavenly Interence Sect has already set his sights on us, we must not provoke other forces."

"Yes!"

Some movement came from another direction. Qing Nangzi glanced in its direction, lifted his hand to aid Ghost Face in standing up.

As soon as Ghost Face stood up, a large white wolf came running from the other side of the stockade, stopping before the two, its bones cracking as it swiftly transformed into a wild male cultivator draped in white wolf fur, with an aura that nearly reached Late-Stage Golden Core.

"White Wolf greets the Master, forgive my late arrival."

Qing Nangzi’s face was displeased, "Has something gone wrong?"

White Wolf lowered his head, "There was a small hitch, but overall it went smoothly. Lii Jiuchuan from Vajra Platform and Heavenly Interence Sect has already started investigating clues buried in the snowy mountains and won’t come disrupting you for a while."

Qing Nangzi asked in a deep voice, "What went wrong? This wolf body of yours doesn’t seem original."

White Wolf trembled all over, hurriedly kneeling down, while Ghost Face observed the scene quietly.

"Originally, everything went smoothly. I left your corpse in the cave at Snow Valley, with clues pointing to Lii Jiuchuan. As soon as people from Vajra Platform came to wipe out the Wolf King’s men and discovered the cave, everything would have gone smoothly. But..."

"Speak!"

"Your subordinate encountered a few disciples from Heavenly Interence Sect."

Qing Nangzi squinted his eyes, "What a coincidence? Was your original wolf body also destroyed by them? Who were they?"

"It seemed to be... Lii Jiuchuan’s disciple, the Young Master from Mountain and Sea Building, and two Foundation Establishment Female Cultivators I do not recognize."

Qing Nangzi’s pupils shook, "Lii Jiuchuan’s disciple? What is her current cultivation, able to destroy your original wolf body?"

White Wolf swallowed and said, "She and the Xie Family’s Young Master have both reached Early-Stage Golden Core."

Qing Nangzi suddenly rose from the blue stone, "How could it be so fast?! The Xie Family Young Master having the resources of the entire Mountain and Sea Building, rapid cultivation isn’t surprising, but Jiang Yuebai was just an ordinary Five Spirit Roots. During the small competition at Heavenly Interence Sect years ago she just shone with early potential, and by this count she’s achieved Core Formation in less than thirty years?"

Qing Nangzi inhaled sharply, rubbing his fingers and furrowing his brow in thought, "Originally, I was quite interested in Lii Jiuchuan’s body, but now it seems, his disciple is even better, pity she’s a female... where are they now?"

White Wolf knelt and said, "They entered Thunder Marsh and then vanished; they should also be in the Extraordinary People Country."

Qing Nangzi’s eyes shone brightly, turned to ask Ghost Face, "How goes the task I assigned you?"

Ghost Face bowed, "All have been completed."

Qing Nangzi nodded, "If so, this Xie Family Young Master is likely here to investigate the Mountain and Sea Building assault case, perhaps also for Shen Huaxi, excellent, fortune really favors me, Ghost Face."

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I don’t care what method you use, but you must find the whereabouts of these two as soon as possible. In this Extraordinary People Country, the sky is high and the Emperor is far, separated by the Ten Thousand Mountains and Thunder Marsh, making it hard for Central Plains forces to intervene quickly."

"If we can gain the Xie Family Young Master and ally with the Demon Clan, reopening the Netherworld Sea and reviving the Ghost Clan is possible. As for Lii Jiuchuan’s disciple, hmph, I’ll make sure to send Lii Jiuchuan a big gift to avenge the ’kill’ he inflicted on me back then!"

Qing Nangzi raised his hand, motioning for White Wolf to stand.

After White Wolf got up, he asked, "Master, when should we head to the Demon Clan?"

Qing Nangzi said solemnly, "No rush, I must first meet my good apprentice."

At these words, Ghost Face hesitated beside him, eventually plucking up the courage to say, "Master, over the years, the Young Master has been following your instructions, loyal to the Ghost Clan and to you. If there’s anything he didn’t do right, I hope you can be lenient."

Qing Nangzi emitted a dangerous aura, causing Ghost Face to tense up all over.

"It seems he has treated you well over the years, enough that you’re speaking for him."

"Your subordinate dares not! I only..."

"Enough, don’t forget the Gu inside you; only I can remove it!"

Ghost Face trembled, and White Wolf beside him looked equally solemn.

"Hurry and investigate those two people’s whereabouts!"

Qing Nangzi snapped, and Ghost Face swiftly took his leave.

White Wolf cautiously asked, "Master, are we heading to Four Feathers Mountain now?"

Qing Nangzi’s face was grim, inhaling as he said, "This body’s current cultivation is still insufficient. For now... help me give Wind Hoof Country a bloodbath!"

"Yes!"