CHAPTER 71: 67. FIRST KILL (4.1K WORDS - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE)_2

’High-level magic mutations, their effects far surpass the ordinary. Now, this "Condensing Evil and Controlling Profound Technique" and "Torrential Rain Evil", except for some remaining Qi Concealment effect by the former, can basically be completely eliminated.’

Upon finishing, Song Yan made a sign for the White Snake Sword Technique, transformed into a rainbow, broke through the mist, and returned to the mountaintop where the Cave Mansion was located.

Little Lady Yuzhuang had already risen, slowly stewing rice porridge in front of the fire under the eaves.

Although Song Yan had taken a Fasting Pill, he still cherished a taste for mortal delicacies, so Little Lady Yuzhuang made sure to prepare breakfast.

Snow fell continuously, the beauty kneeled, steam rose, and the cold air carried a fragrance.

Song Yan put on the Bone Jade Bracelet.

The moment he put it on, he suddenly felt an inexplicable "neuropathic spasm" on his left wrist, a pain that came and went.

He frowned slightly and immersed himself into the ’Cold Prison Floating Life Bracelet’.

In an instant, he found himself overlooking the "Ice Cage", observing the prisoners of all ages within stretching their hands upward, their faces twisted in savage agony, crying out for help.

Strands of Divine Soul Power flew out from those prisoners, converging toward him, nurturing his Divine Soul.

The surrounding was covered in dense gray fog, but at this moment, the fog seemed to slightly disperse due to some movement, revealing a thick, black object not far away.

It appeared to be an iron pillar of the cage!

Just now, it was a strand of his dissipating Spiritual Power that touched that iron pillar, causing the "neuropathic spasm", like an octopus tentacle accidentally touching a hot iron rod.

Now, as the Spiritual Power retreated,

the gray fog closed in again, concealing everything beyond once more.

Everything returned to normal.

Song Yan looked up, yet saw nothing.

Such a scene was something a disciple at the Refining Profound Level shouldn’t have been able to notice, because although his power was mentioned, his spirit was weak.

The weakness of spirit should not allow him to notice the surrounding gray fog, let alone its dispersal or the appearance of the black pillar.

As his spirit grew with nurturing, even though his spiritual power slowly expanded, he could only notice "the struggling people in the Ice Cage" and "the fact that his Divine Soul’s nurturing came entirely from those prisoners", leading to either secret delight or disgust, never producing other emotions.

But now he not only used the "Cold Prison Floating Life Bracelet" to nurture his Divine Soul but also visualized Sword Intent with the "Profound Transformation Sword Manual", thus naturally able to perceive many things.

’Gu Huangzi... this old demon truly harbors ill intentions.’

’Besides the Tracking Spell on my left arm, this "Cold Prison Floating Life Bracelet" indeed harbors deeper traps.’

’I also roughly understand why Puppet Sect disciples aren’t taught the complete "Profound Qi Guiding Technique" at low realms.’

’As expected... from the Demon Sect.’

Song Yan’s expression was icy.

Suddenly, he began to realize that the situation he was in might be more dangerous than he had imagined.

Once Gu Huangzi completed his use of Song Yan’s "spy identity in Nanwu Sword Sect", once he acquired the complete Shadow Puppetry Inheritance, he would most likely make his move.

At that time, Song Yan might indeed become one of the "prisoners" in some "cage", providing Divine Soul nurture for the old demon, or end up as a blood-soaked paper, transforming into a flesh corpse...

The Demon Sect recruited many new people each year, yet the number remained relatively fixed.

It seems not only due to battle deaths but also because some... became "food".

"Master, breakfast is ready."

A timid voice of the young lady came from the side, Song Yan composed himself and responded, "Prepare an extra set of bowls and chopsticks, let’s eat together."

...

...

In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.

Little snowflakes fell continuously, covering the thousands of palaces and halls of the Imperial City.

The glazed tiles and hidden black ridges were all dyed white.

Surprisingly, there were many people on the streets of the Imperial Capital, the markets were bustling, taverns and tea houses, incense and medicine shops, each lit with lights, the lamp designs novel, not just lanterns...

Occasionally, joyous laughter from passersby came from various places, as if this Imperial Capital was truly the capital, not a city plagued by demon disasters.

Song Yan and Su Canli were waiting for news at an inn, while Fu Shirong had ventured alone into the Imperial Palace.

If all went well, she would bring out a young eunuch or palace maid in a few days.

Needless to say, the young eunuch or palace maid would inevitably be someone monitoring her, at that time, Song Yan and Su Canli would perform a Soul Search.

Then Song Yan would transform into that young eunuch or palace maid and enter the palace with the Empress.

After that, they would seize the opportunity to clarify the connection to the Fox Grandmother.

The Fox Grandmother needed to be served, and there were surely many people along that line.

At that time, Fu Shirong would strive to uncover the contacts and means of communication with Prince Wei and those people.

After figuring all this out, she would decisively kill Prince Wei, then have Song Yan disguise as him, and thereafter... arrange for the "Assassination Alliance" to come in and kill the Fox Grandmother.

Su Canli stood with hands behind his back, looking at the people walking on the street below, not speaking, he glanced at Song Yan.

Without a Purification Technique, he truly couldn’t tell if the people on the street were humans or demons.

But as a "high-level Fox Demon", Song Yan naturally had the advantage in Illusion Techniques, thus seeing that there were many beasts in disguise among the people on the streets.

In brocade robes, carrying oil-paper umbrellas, walking upright like humans, but the heads protruding from the collars were fox heads with sharp snouts, long whiskers, and grinning teasing.

Those fox heads carried rich facial expressions, chatting and laughing with the people beside them, yet the people were completely unaware.

Song Yan sighed lightly.

Su Canli instantly understood, he snorted coldly, his eyes like lightning, shooting into the distance, brimming with sharpness, mixed with a bit of confidence.

Song Yan saw his confidence and immediately guessed: Ten to one, there was a powerful figure from the Nanwu Sword Sect involved.

And that figure hidden in the shadows, unknown even to the "Fox Stabbing Alliance", was the source of this Master Su’s confidence.

Just as he was thinking, Su Canli suddenly said, "Brother Hua, there may be many times when language might be inconvenient in the future, how about... we agree on some signals to pass messages?"

Song Yan nodded, and said, "That would be good."

...

...

Fu Shirong only breathed a sigh of relief after returning to Fengning Palace.

Today, she had already met Prince Wei.

After one round of description, she managed to temporarily muddle through.

After all, the Empress Dowager, currently recuperating in the Shu Land, had once had an experience similar to hers.

Prince Wei was deeply disdainful of the Puppet Sect, and upon learning the name of the Puppet Sect disciple who violated her, Fu Shirong, to prevent slipping up, candidly mentioned the name "Song Yan".

As a result, Prince Wei froze in place for a while, and then astonishingly did not pursue questions like "how did you escape".

He became furious, wielding his sword wildly in a rage before sending someone to take her back to rest in Fengning Palace.

Fu Shirong felt that Prince Wei’s anger was not only because she was taken to the Puppet Sect as a Furnace, but also for other reasons.

But in any case, she finally returned to Fengning Palace, successfully completing the first step.

After bathing and changing clothes, she sat quietly for a long time, with her heart pounding.

Thinking of the plan and the people of the Northern Land, she once again found courage, and swiftly began calculating the next steps of the plan.

Cold winds wrapped in snow approached dusk, growing stronger.

The snow seemed to whirl, mixing with ice crystals, swirling rapidly around the palace, creating wailing sounds, as if weeping and complaining.

A surging sea of snow, a pale vortex...

Bang!

Suddenly, a window was blown open by the wind.

The cold swept in, dispersing the warmth from the dragon heater.

Fu Shirong was momentarily stunned, quickly getting up to close the window.

Once shut tight, she rubbed her hands, turned around.

Swish... swish swish swish...

Inside Fengning Palace, all the lit branched candleholders abruptly went out.

She was astonished to see a small shadow standing behind her...

The shadow slowly and weirdly expanded, Fu Shirong’s pupils gradually enlarged, her small mouth gaped open in shock.

The air was silent for a moment, and Fu Shirong suddenly turned, dashing toward the window she had just closed at her fastest speed, attempting to escape!

However... she stopped several inches before the window, then slowly, slowly... merged into the encroaching shadow behind her.

An intense pain engulfed her body, her senses rapidly fading, her mind beginning to swirl into chaos...

Even though she was prepared, at this moment, Fu Shirong realized how laughable it was to think a mortal could contend with the mighty...