I risked my life, using the butterfly effect to shatter the immortal realm.

Midnight, in the Valley of Broken Souls.

The yin energy is accumulating, and ghostly fire flickers eerily.

Behind the old locust tree, Yu Liang, in order to cover up the smell of living people, mixed the old mud that Pig Master had accumulated for half a year with the juice of corpse mushrooms and smeared it all over himself and Liu Bo.

The smell was even stronger than stinky tofu that had been pickled in a latrine for three years.

Liu Bo's face turned green. He felt like vomiting but dared not open his mouth, afraid of inhaling more. He could only roll his eyes and endure it, his face turning a liverish color.

"S-senpai."

Liu Bo, his teeth still chattering, transmitted his voice secretly, "That's the black market's 'Ghost Shadow,' a ruthless character in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, a killer who doesn't blink an eye. There are only two of us... plus a pig, isn't that a bit too hasty?"

Yu Liang ignored him, his rusty sword trembling uncontrollably, as if he had caught a whiff of karma.

"What's there to be afraid of?"

He chewed on the wormwood to suppress the dizziness, a gray mist churning deep within his pupils. "If this job goes well, our Eclipse Moon Cult will have funding for the whole year. If it fails... remember to burn some paper money for me this time next year."

【Causal Perspective】, open.

As darkness fades, lines intertwine.

In the mist, two gray lines rapidly approached each other.

A line connecting Baihua Peak's confidante, Hua Nongying, is dotted with black spots, the result of long-term medication use causing erysipelas.

Another line connects to a ghostly figure, taut and bloody.

Connecting the two is a pair of dazzlingly red "tokens"—the Mother-Child Heart Gu.

"That old hag Liu Ruyan is quite cautious."

Yu Liang spat out the grass scraps.

The token itself cannot be faked, but the person holding it can.

"They're here."

Yu Liang snorted softly.

Liu Bo shuddered and shrank his head into his crotch, not daring to breathe.

The ghostly figure landed, and divine sense instantly spread out.

Fortunately, the pig mud was remarkably effective at concealing the flow of qi, and he did not notice anything unusual.

From the direction of Hundred Flowers Peak, the sub-Gu in Hua Nongying's hand vibrated, and the mother Gu in Guiying's hand responded, the rendezvous was imminent.

"Now!"

Yu Liang gripped the rusty sword tightly, his fingertips throbbing with pain, and a lock of hair at his temple instantly turned white.

[Causal fraud and forced association]!

He didn't touch the pair of Gu worms; the karmic consequences were too heavy, and they might explode.

He didn't touch Hua Nongying's flying sword either; a Golden Core cultivator's natal magic weapon is not so easy to interfere with.

What he severed was an extremely hidden "balance line" within Hua Nongying's body.

That was the spiritual energy node that suppressed the poison in her body.

A hundred meters away, Hua Nongying, who was about to break through the mist, felt a sharp pain in her dantian, spat out black blood, and her spiritual power collapsed. She fell headlong into the bewildering array below and spun around.

Yu Liang covered himself with a black cloth and strode out of the shadows.

"Who?!" The ghostly figure gripped the bone-corroding nail with its fingertips, locking onto it with murderous intent.

"Idiot!" Yu Liang lowered his voice, his tone extremely impatient. "You didn't even know you were being watched? You dared to show your Gu worms? If you want to die, don't drag Hundred Flowers Peak down with you!"

The ghostly figure paused, not firing the poisoned nail: "Who are you? Where is Hua Nongying?"

"That good-for-nothing?"

Yu Liang closed in to within ten steps, saying, "Your greed for kickbacks has long been noticed by the Enforcement Hall, and they're currently tailing you. The Peak Master was worried about trouble, so he sent me to pick up the goods."

The ghostly figure sneered: "Words are meaningless. If you're a trusted confidant, why are you a stranger?"

Yu Liang stopped, his greyish-white eyes staring directly at the ghostly figure: "Unfamiliar face? You've messed up your 'Yin Sha Palm' technique, and every midnight you suffer excruciating pain, only able to survive thanks to the Peak Master's 'Suppressing Evil Pill.' Who knows about this besides the Peak Master?"

The ghost's pupils contracted sharply.

This is his Achilles' heel.

Yu Liang then casually tossed out a discarded pill: "The peak master said that if we take the goods back, the antidote will be doubled next month."

The ghostly figure caught it; though it was a discarded pill, it was surrounded by the fragrance of "Hundred Flowers Demon" pills, which was ten times stronger—this was the result of the rusty sword amplifying the causal aura.

"The Peak Master has ordered that there is a mole tonight, and the deal is canceled."

Yu Liang reached out his hand, "I'll take the goods back and destroy them. If you don't believe me, just wait for the Enforcement Hall to catch you in the act."

The secret was exposed, the aura was unmistakable, and the ghostly figure was completely shaken.

Just as he was about to hand over the wooden box, the mist surged, and Hua Nongying rushed out with disheveled hair and blood at the corner of her mouth.

"Ghost Shadow Senior! Don't give it to him! He's a fraud!"

The ghostly figure withdrew its hand, its eyes filled with ferocity.

Yu Liang remained expressionless, pointing at Hua Nongying with a look of utter disappointment: "See that? That's the 'tail.' Listen to what's making that noise behind it!"

In the distance, Liu Bo was frantically shaking tree branches and crushing explosive talismans to create the sound of a large group of people approaching.

"Enforcement officers are handling a case! All unauthorized personnel, please stand aside!"

The ghost was thrown into a state of utter confusion.

"I don't believe it!"

Hua Nongying cried out in desperation, holding up the Zi Gu (a type of magical artifact), "I have a token! The Zi Gu is my proof!"

The offspring gu hissed, and the mother gu trembled violently.

This is irrefutable evidence.

The killing intent in Ghost Shadow's eyes instantly shifted to Yu Liang, and he was about to shoot out the poisoned nail from his palm.

Life or death hangs in the balance.

Yu Liang suddenly made a hand seal behind his back and pointed at Pig Grandpa hiding in the bushes.

Pig Grandpa rolled his eyes. Although he was extremely unwilling, he was willing to do it for the sake of food.

It didn't fart.

It opened its mouth wide and made a silent swallowing motion in the direction of Hua Nongying.

Innate Divine Power: Devouring Spirits!

It doesn't absorb spiritual energy, but rather the frequency of the "sound waves" at that instant.

The hissing sound of the Gu in Hua Nongying's hand was abruptly cut off as if by a pair of scissors.

The connection with the mother Gu was instantly severed.

The entire room fell silent.

Ghostly Shadow's expression changed drastically. When he looked at Hua Nongying again, his eyes were like those of someone looking at a dead person.

In his view, it was clear that Hua Nongying had been taken into custody by the Law Enforcement Hall, and the Zi Gu had been tampered with. The shout just now was merely a trap signal, and the fact that the signal had been cut off meant that the encirclement had been closed!

"Damn it! It was definitely a trap!"

Those who operate in the black market hate being entrapped the most, and they hate traitors even more.

boom!

Without hesitation, Ghost Shadow raised his hand and unleashed a torrent of black energy that hurtled straight toward Hua Nongying.

"Senior Ghost Shadow, you..."

Hua Nongying never expected that "her own people" would make a move. Already seriously injured, she was hit so hard that her sternum collapsed, she spat out blood, and flew backward and fainted.

"Tell Peak Master Liu, this is the last time!"

Ghost Shadow slammed the burning hot storage bag to Yu Liang, his eyes filled with resentment.

"You can't even keep your own business clean, and you still want to do business? Don't come looking for me again!"

After saying that, he burned his essence blood and turned into a wisp of black smoke, disappearing into the mountains and forests. He was fleeing for his life, afraid that if he was even a step too slow, he would be surrounded and killed by the Law Enforcement Hall.

Yu Liang caught the heavy storage bag, his palms sweating profusely.

But he didn't leave.

His eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the unconscious Hua Nongying.

The play must be performed completely.

This blame needs to be placed on someone of sufficient influence, someone Liu Ruyan would absolutely not dare to offend.

Yu Liang gripped the rusty sword tightly once more, another strand of his hair turning white.

He mobilized a wisp of sword intent that he had previously stolen from Xiao Wufeng at the foot of Shenji Peak using the "Take Advantage of the Situation" technique.

That was the sword intent of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

Only a trace.

But that deathly stillness, coldness, and even a touch of fastidiousness is unique.

hum-

The sword intent erupted, leaving a deathly, icy silence.

As the flowers and shadows swayed and I awoke, I felt a chill that seemed to pierce my bones.

The gray-clad figure in my line of sight was backlit by the moonlight, his posture as sharp as a sword, with the grass and trees drooping low.

"Such demons should not exist in this world."

The voice was cold and flat.

He looks just like that legendary man.

Hua Nongying's pupils trembled violently.

Xiao Wufeng?!

The chief of Tianjian Peak, that sword fanatic who is indifferent to women and untouched by worldly affairs.

Why would he bother with such dirty business?

He seemed to see through her doubts.

The figure turned its head, revealing half of its face, and said with a disdainful tone, "That pink undergarment... is dirty. It needs to be washed with these Blood Spirit Pills."

After speaking, the figure disappeared into the darkness, concealing his merit and fame.

……

Half an hour later.

Baihua Peak Palace.

In front of a huge bronze mirror, Liu Ruyan was applying makeup.

"Click."

The finest snail-shaped inkstone was broken in two in her hands.

Hua Nongying knelt on the ground, trembling, and recounted her ordeal, especially the last sentence.

"Peak Master...he said it himself...the pink undergarment is dirty, and he needs to use the Blood Spirit Pill to wash it..."

Liu Ruyan looked at her stunningly beautiful face in the mirror.

There was no outburst of anger.

Instead, he revealed an extremely complex, even somewhat distorted, expression.

Did Xiao Wufeng intercept the goods?

impossible.

Given that man's personality, he would only cleave Broken Soul Valley in two with a single sword strike; he would never resort to double-crossing.

Moreover, it has too many flaws.

So many that it seemed like he was deliberately trying to let people know he did it.

"Someone is setting a trap."

Liu Ruyan's eyes were cold and sinister.

"Are you trying to sow discord between me and Heavenly Sword Peak? Or are you trying to... blackmail me?"

She waved away the flowers and shadows, picked up the broken eyebrow pencil, and tapped it lightly on the table.

If the intention is financial gain, the other party will definitely contact you.

If it's for something else...

Regardless of the purpose, that sentence struck a nerve—it was her biggest secret.

"No matter who you are, if you dare to touch that taboo, you'll be skinned alive."

……

Purple Bamboo Peak, Secret Chamber.

The lamplight was dim and dim.

Yu Liang emptied the contents of the storage bag onto the table.

Ten scarlet jade bottles.

Even before the bottle was opened, a strong, nauseating stench of blood filled the air.

Pig Lord leaned over and took a sniff, then immediately gagged and retreated three meters.

"Infant Blood Youth-Preserving Pill" is made from the heart blood of virgin boys.

Liu Bo turned pale with fright and huddled in the corner.

"S-Senior, this is a forbidden drug! If the sect finds out, we'll all be burned alive!"

Yu Liang picked up a bottle and twirled it between his fingers.

His eyes were cold.

It was even colder than when I was imitating Xiao Wufeng earlier.

"This thing can keep you young forever, or it can ruin you forever."

Although he was greedy for money.

Although shameless.

Even if it means sacrificing one's integrity for survival.

But some money is hot potato.

Some things are dirty.

"I will not sell this kind of man-eating drug."

Yu Liang suddenly exerted force with his palm.

Click.

The jade bottle turned into dust.

The rusty sword emitted a joyful hum, completely devouring the evil drug's power.

"I will not return it to Liu Ruyan, so that she can continue to harm people."

Yu Liang brushed the powder off his hands and turned to look at Liu Bo.

His face revealed that familiar, shrewd businessman's smile.

"I want to make money off her, and I want to ruin her medicine."

"We need to make her... suffer in silence, and even kneel down to thank us."