Chapter 226: Chapter 18: Do Not Seek Your Own Demise
 

Long Xiaoqi had no objections to everyone’s decision not to join the expedition team.

After the meeting disbanded, she planned to report everyone’s decision to the Sect Leader, only to find out that the Sect Leader had already gone out on business.

Standing outside the main hall, Long Xiaoqi thought hard for a long time.

“…Forget it, such a hassle.”

“Never mind.”

She leisurely made her way back to the guest quarters, only to see Wei Dongliu leaning against the railing on the corridor, apparently waiting for her.

“Fellow Daoist Long,” he turned around and cupped his hands in greeting.

“Just call me Xiaoqi,” Long Xiaoqi said softly, “that’s what Sister Li An calls me.”

Sister Li An? It took a moment for Wei Dongliu to realize she was referring to Jiang Liyan.

Probably because Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi were quite close, they had a different way of addressing each other in private. Now that Long Xiaoqi sensed Jiang the Witch’s attitude towards Wei Dongliu, she intended to include him in their intimate little circle.

“Xiaoqi, there’s still some time before the Hundred Thousand Mountains opens. I am bored alone in my guest room; is there any chance I could find some books to read here?” Wei Dongliu asked with a hopeful smile.

“Sure,” said Long Xiaoqi, with no guile whatsoever, “we have a Scriptural Repository that visitors are allowed to enter. I can take you there.”

Wei Dongliu was overjoyed. He had thought that he would only manage to borrow some books with Long Xiaoqi’s help, but to his surprise, he was allowed to go in and search for them himself!

This Eastern Emperor Sect, truly a ragtag group within the Demon Cult’s Six Paths, had such a lax management system! How delightful and commendable!

Long Xiaoqi led Wei Dongliu to the Scriptural Repository, only to see the vast attic empty, not a soul in sight.

Even the Shushan Sword Immortal, who was not fond of reading, had one or two people in the Scriptural Repository. It seemed that Demons probably didn’t like being bookworms.

“You can’t go into the inner chambers there,” Long Xiaoqi pointed out, “you can look at any of the books outside, but you can’t take them away.”

“I understand,” Wei Dongliu said sincerely, “thank you, Miss Xiaoqi.”

“No need to thank me,” Long Xiaoqi said, looking down and seeming a bit embarrassed, “I’ll leave first, you remember the way back, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“Mhm.”

Long Xiaoqi then turned around and left, while Wei Dongliu strolled around the Scriptural Repository, searching carefully through the scriptures.

The characteristic of Scriptural Repositories from the later periods of the Intercepting Cult, as opposed to the Clarify Cult, had become quite distinct, the most typical being “technique over magic,” placing the more powerful and quicker-to-master Daoist magic scriptures within easy reach.

As for the profound and difficult magic, which requires a long time to cultivate, they were mostly neglected in the corners of the deeper parts of the repository.

Wei Dongliu guessed that this was rooted in the survival crisis felt by the cultivators after the Intercepting Cult’s defeat in the great war, placing “preserving life” as a higher priority.

When it came to quickly enhancing combat power, the simplest and most effective method was “commanding external forces.”

From the scriptures in this Scriptural Repository, it was clear that three schools had developed in the later period of the Intercepting Cult: “commanding Heavenly Demons,” “commanding Nether Ghosts,” and “commanding Demonic Beasts,” corresponding to the later Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Beast Taming Path.

With such classification, Wei Dongliu quickly found the section with books on commanding Demonic Beasts.

According to the records of the Intercepting Cult’s cultivators, Demonic Beasts were divided into five categories: “Shell, Scale, Fur, Feather, and Insect.”

“Feather” referred to birds, “Fur” to mammals, “Scale” to fish and amphibians, “Shell” to smooth-skinned mollusks, and “Insect” to crustaceans.

After searching for a long time in the “Insect” category, Wei Dongliu found many scriptures related to the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu.

Unfortunately, most of the contained records extolled how incredibly powerful the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu was, while the scriptures discussing its cultivation, nurturing, and commanding were pitifully few, and those that existed were brief, almost the same as the scriptures in the Heavenly Craft Workshop.

Wei Dongliu suddenly had an ominous premonition: Could it be that the methods for using the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu were traditionally passed down orally from master to disciple within the Intercepting Cult, not committed to writing?

That would be terrible! Now that the Intercepting Cult had fallen and the Beast Taming Path was in decline, where would I find someone to ask!

“`

“Are you looking for this?” Suddenly, a voice came from the side.

Wei Dongliu turned his head and saw Marquis of Mount Tu standing opposite the bookshelf, smilingly handing him a jade slip.

What a surprise, it was the Great Demon he had met before, [but] not recognizing her at first glance after she changed into women’s attire!

Accepting the jade slip, scanning it with his divine sense, Wei Dongliu felt a surge of joy, yet his face remained impassive as he said:

“Yes, thank you, senior.”

“Why are you unwilling to join the expedition team?” Marquis of Mount Tu pressed curiously.

“May I ask who the senior is?” Wei Dongliu parried with a question instead of answering.

“Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, Hu Li.”

Hu Li, a fox… although Wei Dongliu pretended to be oblivious, he said:

“Senior Hu. The tree that stands out in the forest is the one that is most likely to be blown down.”

“They have a forest, but you do not.” The female cultivator, now calling herself Hu Li, said with a smile, “The Mortal Life Path is just a loose sand, whom are you afraid of tempting the envy of?”

“Caution never led to any harm,” Wei Dongliu replied nonchalantly.

Of course, he couldn’t possibly reveal to her the plethora of secrets he bore.

Even just the existence of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, once exposed, the Nether Ghost Path would come calling for his head, regardless of whether he was from the Mortal Life Path or not.

“Being too cautious is also no fun,” Hu Li chuckled behind her hand, then abruptly asked, “How do you know the Qilin?”

“I don’t,” Wei Dongliu was not fazed by her sudden assault, simply responding steadily, “It was my first time meeting the Qilin senior as well.”

“It wouldn’t casually take note of a nobody’s name,” Hu Li’s smile was fraught with implication.

“Why doesn’t senior ask it directly?” Wei Dongliu countered.

“If it were willing to pay attention to me, I would have asked already,” Hu Li waved her hand nonchalantly and turned around to leave.

“Really not considering joining the expedition team?” She suddenly turned back, “I’m also in the team and could look after you.”

“Thank you for your concern, senior,” Wei Dongliu bowed, “I have no way to repay you.”

Having no way to repay meant that he dare not accept, so Hu Li finally left with a light laugh.

Wei Dongliu watched her leave until she was far away, then his expression turned grave as he began to ponder.

Why would Marquis of Mount Tu appear here?

Since she claims to be a Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, the rumors of the Eastern Emperor Path being infiltrated by demons were almost certainly confirmed.

From the perspective of demons, weakening Shushan was definitely more important than weakening the Demonic Path, so the expedition team was unlikely to be a trap.

Even so, Wei Dongliu did not want to deal with a bunch of big shots from the Demonic Path.

Isn’t Jiang the Witch, who can help me increase my Synchronization Value, adorable?

Having copied the entire contents of the jade slip through the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu left, content.

When he reached the door to his room, he suddenly heard a cry of alarm from the other end of the corridor.

It seemed to be Jiang the Witch’s voice.

He went over to take a look, just in time to see Jiang Liyan toppled to the ground, covering her cheek, eyes brimming with tears, and a bright red slap mark on her face.

The one who had just slapped her was an unfamiliar female cultivator with upturned triangular eyes and sunken cheekbones, her countenance suggesting a mean and sinister character.

“The Heavenly Demon Path is handling an internal affair!” The moment Wei Dongliu looked like he might approach, she glared at him and coldly shouted, “Outsiders, stand back! Don’t seek your own death!”

“`