The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

The old blind man asked anxiously.

Another silence followed, then the faint sound of fingers tracing across the rough ground.

"friend!"

The old blind man's voice trembled violently, his tone filled with near-collapse-like astonishment.

"Holy Maiden, do you know what you are doing? Is that human cultivator trustworthy?"

The sound of paddling began again, this time with an even longer pause.

"A very good friend?"

The old blind man's voice suddenly rose.

"Are you insane? If the clan leader finds out—"

"Shut up."

Ah Gui suddenly spoke, making everyone afraid to have even the slightest thought of disobeying him.

"My affairs are none of your business."

Jiang Chuan's hand, pressed against the wall, trembled slightly.

He should have realized it sooner; the innate pressure emanating from Ah Gui, the aura that made even the ghost guards retreat in fear…

But at this moment, he felt no anger at being deceived; instead, he wanted to take her away even more.

"time is limited."

Jiang Chuan's figure disappeared into the shadows once more.

Passing through layers of stone walls, the river flows through the darkness like a swimming fish.

The structure of the demon clan's dungeon appeared clearly in his mind—the result of his secret observations over the past few days.

The guards' patrol routes, shift changes, and every possible blind spot—all the details are etched in my memory.

He came to a shadowy spot on the outermost edge of the dungeon.

From here, the outline of the demon territory appeared even more sinister under the blood-red moonlight.

Jiang Chuan closed his eyes and sensed, quickly detecting three familiar auras in the southeast direction.

The warmth of black jade, the sharpness of the demon prison, and the weight of the spirit armor.

"Thank goodness it wasn't put into a storage bag..."

Just as he was about to act, a pale hand reached out from behind and suddenly covered his mouth!
Jiang Chuan froze, his internal energy surging instantly, but he forcefully suppressed the urge to retaliate when he heard that voice.

"Don't make a sound, it's me."

The hand loosened its grip, and Jiang Chuan slowly turned around, meeting a familiar face—Lin Xiao, but not entirely him.

His face was paler, his eyes colder, and a faint spatial fluctuation lingered around him.

"Clone?"

Jiang Chuan lowered his voice.

Lin Xiao's clone nodded.

"My main body sensed the fluctuations of the Immortal Gate Token and specially separated a wisp of my divine soul to find you."

He looked Jiang Chuan up and down.

What happened to your injuries?

"There was an accident."

Jiang Chuan glossed over it lightly.

"How will you be here?"

"Transforming Grass".

Lin Xiao said briefly.

"Traces of the Transformation Grass have appeared in the Cold Water Stream, which is crucial to Fifth Senior Brother's injuries."

"But what about you? How did you get involved with the Ghost Clan? And even become entangled with the Demonic Sect?"

Jiang Chuan raised an eyebrow.

"You knew Shi Chaoyuan was here?"

"Not only did he know, but he also witnessed his secret conversation with the Ghost Clan Chief."

Lin Xiao's eyes were filled with a cold light.

"But now is not the time to deal with him. The fifth-tier magical beast in Cold Water Ravine may wake up at any time, and I must get the Transformation Grass first."

Jiang Chuan pondered for a moment.

"I need to retrieve my magical artifact, and... save someone."

"That demon girl?"

Lin Xiao suddenly asked, and seeing Jiang Chuan's surprised expression, he pointed to his eyes.

"I saw it all."

"She is the Holy Maiden of the Ghost Clan, do you know what that means?"

All I know is that she's my friend.

Jiang Chuan spoke earnestly.

Lin Xiao stared at him for a long time, then sighed.

"Suit yourself. But remember, the magical beasts in Cold Water Ravine are not easy to deal with. Once it awakens, I may not be able to provide immediate support."

"I have my own sense of proportion."

Jiang Chuan nodded.

"By the way, you said there's a Transformation Grass in Cold Water Stream, what else?"

Lin Xiao's expression suddenly turned serious.

"Sword Qi of the Immortal Sword".

he whispered.

"I sensed the aura of a celestial sword left there at least five hundred years ago. After the Nine Provinces were sealed, only..."

"Land deity".

Jiang Chuan instinctively held his breath and fell silent.

"You mean, immortals have been here?"

"Not only that."

Lin Xiao's voice lowered even further.

"The Ghost Clan may possess some kind of extraordinary treasure that can disrupt spacetime. Once caught up in it, even a seventh-realm cultivator would find it difficult to escape death."

Jiang Chuan suddenly remembered that murderous aura, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

"what do you mean……"

"Proceed with caution."

Lin Xiao patted him on the shoulder.

“I will resolve the matter at Cold Water Ravine as soon as possible, and then I will come to find you. Until then…”

He took out a jade slip from his bosom.

"Take this and crush it when it matters."

Jiang Chuan took the jade slip and sensed the powerful spatial force contained within it.

"Thank you."

"Don't die."

Lin Xiao's clone began to become transparent.

"Fifth Senior Brother is still waiting for your elixir."

Before he could finish speaking, his clone had already vanished into the night.

Jiang Chuan gripped the jade slip tightly, his gaze once again turning to the southeast—his magic weapon was there, while A Gui was still waiting in the dungeon.

Flames engulfed the western warehouse of the demon territory, and thick smoke billowed into the sky, turning half the sky gray-black.

Jiang Chuan hid in the shadows of an abandoned watchtower, the lingering aura of fire-type runes still present on his fingertips.

"Burn it, burn it even brighter."

He sneered, his eyes reflecting the flickering firelight.

Screams echoed from afar as the demon guards fled in all directions like headless flies, passing buckets and sandbags haphazardly, unable to contain the spread of the fire.

Jiang Chuan made a hand seal with his right hand and chanted softly.

"Azure Frost, Crimson Flame, Black Armor, return to your positions!"

A rainbow of light pierced the sky, and in an instant, a long sword as blue as autumn water, a short sword as red as blood, and a black soft armor with a metallic sheen adhered to his body.

The Azure Frost Sword emitted a clear, melodious hum.

"The dungeon must be in chaos by now."

Jiang Chuan touched the hilt of the Qing Shuang sword.

"It's time to go and meet that old friend."

Meanwhile, inside a stone house in the core area of ​​the Ghost Clan, Ugly Ghost and Shen Ghost were counting the supplies they had just plundered from a human caravan.

As the rainbow streaked across the sky, the two looked up simultaneously, their expressions changing drastically.

"Swords and armor fly together!"

The ugly man's scarred face contorted in pain.

"It's the work of human cultivators!"

Shen Gui's rat whiskers trembled.

"The dungeon...something's going to happen in the dungeon!"

The two ignored the jewelry scattered on the table, burst through the wooden door, and rushed out.

They didn't notice that the shadow under the eaves shifted slightly before returning to stillness.

In the Black Stone Palace at the highest point of the territory, the Ghost Clan leader, Tian Gui, stood with his hands behind his back.

He was tall with an unhealthy bluish-gray complexion and two curved horns on his forehead.

Behind them stood a young woman dressed in a coarse linen robe, her snow-white chin peeking out from under her hood.

"Chief, this fire is suspicious."

The saint's voice was like a clear spring striking a stone.

"Could it be related to the human race?"

Tian Gui snorted coldly.

"A mere small fire is nothing to worry about. With Mr. Shi's help, the sacred land's restrictions will soon be broken. At that time, the Night Demon Clan will rise, and not only this small territory, but the entire Northern Territory will grovel at our feet!"

The saintess's slender fingers tightened around the hem of her dress. "That Mr. Shi... is he truly trustworthy?"

"Only those with the bloodline of the Ghost Clan can retrieve the items within the restriction."

The demon turned around, its scarlet pupils staring directly at the saintess.

"No matter how strong the human race is, they are nothing more than the key to open the door for us."

After a moment of silence, the saintess spoke softly.

"I heard... the former Holy Maiden has returned?"

The demon's expression changed slightly.

"Yes, locked in the dungeon."

"I want to see her."

"Now is not the time."

The Heavenly Demon frowned, but relented after seeing the Holy Maiden's determined gaze.

"Alright, let her go. Remember, keeping her around might be useful—in case Mr. Shi fails..."

As the saintess bowed and left the hall, a jade talisman in her sleeve felt slightly warm.

She pressed it subtly, and the jade talisman went silent again.

Deep within the dungeon, Jiang Chuan's figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

He moved along the damp wall, carefully avoiding the sight of the patrolling guards with each step.

The commotion caused by the fire, which had put the dungeon under heavy guard, resulted in confusion regarding the movement of guards.

"The third floor, the innermost room."

Jiang Chuan silently recited the intelligence report as he swept past the prison cells.

He heard heavy footsteps ahead and immediately disappeared into the darkness of the corner.

The executioner strode in with six elite guards, their waists adorned with jingling instruments of torture.

"Increase patrols!"

"Especially that woman's cell!"

As the footsteps faded into the distance, a cold glint flashed in Jiang Chuan's eyes.

"As expected, security has been strengthened..."

He formed a hand seal, and his body gradually became transparent, with subtle distortions in the air visible only when one got close.

At the end of the third level of the dungeon, the specially made black iron prison door is covered with runes that suppress spiritual power.

Through the small window, you can see a disheveled woman sitting quietly in the corner, the chains on her hands and feet broken.

In the next cell, a hunched old man was humming a tune with his legs crossed.

"The old blind man is quite leisurely."

Jiang Chuan revealed himself, a wisp of sword energy gathering at his fingertips, which he gently slashed across the door lock.

The sound of the prison door opening startled the group of executioners.

"what sound?!"

The executioner suddenly turned around.

"Go check it out!"

When Xing Gui led his men into the innermost area, they saw an open door. The old blind man stood at the door stretching, and the former Holy Maiden A Gui calmly watched them. Jiang Chuan, who should have been locked up, was nowhere to be seen.

"Who unlocked the chains?!"

The single eye of the executioner was filled with shock and rage.

Ah Gui slowly got up, her tattered clothes unable to conceal her figure.

"Locks are things that cannot confine people."

"court death!"

The executioner drew his serrated knife and was about to step forward when he was interrupted by a strange laugh.

"Hehe, Little Xingzi, you're still as irritable as ever after all these years."

The old blind man picked his nose.

"Didn't your father teach you to bow to your elders?"

The demon was enraged.

"Old thing!"

The serrated knife, carrying a foul stench, slashed down, only to stop abruptly just above the old blind man's head.

A slender hand gripped his wrist.

"You dare to touch my people right in front of me?"

Jiang Chuan appeared beside Xing Gui.

Isn't that a bit impolite?

Xing Gui's pupils contracted sharply; he tried to draw his sword but couldn't move.

Only then did he see clearly that the "prisoner" before him no longer had any sign of dejection. With his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and his imposing aura, he was no ordinary spy!
"You are... from the Xuanyu Sect..."

Before Xing Gui could finish speaking, he was struck in the chest with a palm strike.

The seemingly light blow produced a sickening cracking sound.

He spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs and flew backward, crashing into the wall.

Jiang Chuan shook his wrist.

"So much nonsense."

Just as the remaining guards raised their weapons, a loud "clang" rang out in the confined space.

The sound waves caused them to bleed from all seven orifices and collapse to the ground.

The old blind man had somehow produced a palm-sized bronze bell, which he was now shaking with a grin.

"Striking the Heavenly Bell?"

Ah Gui raised an eyebrow.

"You stole the sect's most treasured artifact?"

The old blind man quickly hid the clock in his bosom.

"Borrow! It's a loan!"

Jiang Chuan ignored their bickering and swiftly broke open all the cell doors.

"There's no time, come with me."

As soon as the three disappeared into the shadows, a large number of guards rushed in.

Upon seeing the mangled corpse of the executioner, some people vomited on the spot.

Ugly Ghost and Shen Ghost arrived late, and seeing the empty cell, their faces were even more ashen than those of the dead.

Search! Turn the whole territory upside down to find them!

The ugly demon's roar echoed through the dungeon.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chuan and his two companions had already reached the ground using the Shadow Cloak technique.

Taking advantage of the chaos, they blended into the crowd of people fighting the fire.

Jiang Chuan flicked his fingers, and three talismans were pasted on the backs of each person, instantly making them look no different from ordinary ghosts.

"Lin Xiao made good arrangements."

Jiang Chuan lowered his voice and pointed to an inconspicuous wooden house.

"There."

Inside the wooden house, the three members of the demon family were huddled together in terror.

Before they could even cry for help, the old blind man flicked out three wisps of wind from his fingers, knocking them unconscious.

Ah Gui deftly shoved the person under the bed and casually set up a soundproof barrier.

"It can only be concealed for two hours at most."

Jiang Chuan checked the effectiveness of the talisman.

"Enough time to wait for backup."

The old blind man slumped into a chair.

"I'm exhausted. Kid, don't forget what you promised me."

Jiang Chuan took out a jade box from his bosom.

"The thousand-year-old blood ginseng is yours once you leave the territory."

Ah Gui stood by the window, observing the commotion outside through the crack.

"They went east to pursue them."

She turned and looked directly at Jiang Chuan.

"Now, tell me why you saved me, right?"

Jiang Chuan met her gaze and suddenly smiled.

"Because you need revenge, and I... need to enter the Ghost Clan's sacred ground."

Deep within the sinkhole, ominous black mist swirls above the Ghost Clan's territory.

Thirty miles away in a dense forest, a dozen elite members of the Ghost Clan stood in front of a precipice, looking at each other in bewilderment.

The leader of the demons had a livid face and slashed his bone knife fiercely at the ancient tree beside him.

"Damn it! I chased him all the way here, how could he suddenly disappear?"

The tree trunk snapped in two, sending wood chips flying.

The demon warriors behind him all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze. One of them whispered.

"Lord Xu Gui, those three, along with the former Holy Maiden and Ding Gui, shouldn't have been able to run away so quickly..."

"Shut up!"

The ghost turned around and kicked the speaker to the ground.

"How are we going to explain this to Lord Tiangui? Are we to say that we had dozens of people chasing three people, and they still managed to escape right under our noses?"

Everyone fell silent, trembling with fear. The demon scratched its menacing bone horns in frustration and gritted its teeth.

"Withdraw! Go back and report first. Send men to block all exits from the mountains; not even a fly should be able to get out!"

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Heavenly Ghost's dwelling, the Ugly Ghost, the Monkey Ghost, and the Rooster Ghost knelt on the bluestone slab, their foreheads pressed against the ground, cold sweat soaking through their clothes.

"Keep your head up."

The voice of the Heavenly Demon came from above, as cold as ice. (End of Chapter)