Chapter 65 - Inner Sect Mission
Chapter 65 Inner Sect Mission
The three of them kind of looked to the female cultivator as their leader.
The female cultivator was wearing a plain hemp dress. Her head was wrapped in a white cloth, and she was dressed as if she was in mourning. Her features were very exquisite, but if one looked carefully, she did not have any human aura around her. She looked like a moving female corpse.
She was smaller than an ordinary woman, but she carried an exquisite coffin on her back.
It was unknown what material that coffin was made of. It was completely black and judging from its size, it could hold at least three people. The coffin was covered with amulets and was tightly locked with a few chains.
Even so, when the female cultivator approached, Pei Ling could still hear dull slapping sounds coming from the black coffin. One, another, and another. There was also the sharp sound of fingernails scratching the coffin. It made him feel suffocated in his chest and he almost got up to escape.
The two male cultivators were dressed in green and blue respectively.
The green-robed cultivator was slightly younger and had fair skin. The blue-robed cultivator had an older face and looked honest.
Zheng Jingshan raised his hand to excuse himself. After he called out, he introduced them to Pei Ling. “These three are disciples of my faction.”
The female cultivator’s name was Ouyang Xianxing. She was at the middle-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm and ranked among the top in the inner sect. She was Jingshan’s right-hand person. The blue-robed male cultivator’s name was Fang Ji. He was at the early-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm and cultivated both medicine and poison. The blue-robed cultivator was Xue Ying. He was at the early-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm and was good at array formations.
“I have already informed Xianxing about the specific mission situation.” Zheng Jingshan glanced at the three of them and said in a low voice, “Recently, the inner sect has not been peaceful. There will definitely be obstacles during this trip to the underground. You must be careful!”
The three of them cupped their fists in response.
Zheng Jingshan continued, “It’s fine if the mission fails, but Pei Ling’s life cannot be lost. If you meet with danger…” Ouyang Xianxing immediately said, “Rest assured, Branch Master. As long as the three of us have a single breath, nothing will happen to Junior Brother Pei! Even if the three of us can’t do it, we will definitely sacrifice ourselves to cover for Junior Brother Pei!”
Pei Ling glanced at her and thought to himself that he must be wary of this senior sister.
After all, he had already witnessed the so-called camaraderie between fellow disciples of the Deep Sea Sect. When it came to escaping, if Ouyang Xianxing did not throw him out to cover her own retreat, he would consider her kind.
“Alright!” Zheng Jingshan looked at Ouyang Xianxing in admiration and said slowly, “I’ll leave the mission to you. I’m assured.”
Then he waved his hand. “In that case, there’s no time to lose. You guys leave immediately!”
At the same time, an ethereal voice sounded in Pei Ling’s ears. “Junior Brother Pei, I placed a Hundred-Mile Evasion Talisman in your sleeve. If things don’t go according to plan, retreat to a safe place immediately.”
He glanced at Zheng Jingshan quickly from the corner of his eye and saw that this senior brother did not even look at him. He was looking at Ouyang Xianxing and the other two expectantly. His expression was sincere and his eyes were burning with trust in them.
Without batting an eyelid, Pei Ling reached into his sleeve. His fingertips quickly touched an unfamiliar talisman.
He heaved a sigh of relief. Indeed, no matter how extravagant his words are, his treatment of a genius is different!
Zheng Jingshan was urging them anxiously. The group did not dare to delay. After bidding farewell hurriedly, they turned around and left the small courtyard of Kulan. Ouyang Xianxing instructed Xue Ying, “Go to the abyss first.”
Xue Ying nodded slightly and took out a square matrix. A black light flashed and a crack opened not far away, summoning a huge ghost shaped like a beast.
The specter glanced at them fixedly and suddenly opened its mouth. With lightning speed, it swallowed the four of them!
Pei Ling was shocked at first, but seeing that Ouyang Xianxing and the other two were unmoved, he suppressed the urge to do anything else.
As expected, after being swallowed by the spirit, a strange and unusual scene appeared around him. There was nothing beneath his feet, but he felt grounded. He could only hear the sound of wind beside his ears, as if it was moving rapidly.
Ouyang Xianxing and the other two sized up Pei Ling. Seeing that he did not panic, they had different expressions.
After Ouyang Xianxing narrowed her eyes slightly, she immediately began to make arrangements for her two companions. “The main goal this time is the Cold Marrow Fire. After we reach the place, we’ll carry out and complete the mission quickly. Fang Ji, distribute the Poison Dispelling Pills first and give Junior Brother Pei two more. His cultivation level is too weak. Xue Ying, you don’t have to show yourself publicly this time. Just stay at the back and watch out for Junior Brother Pei.”
Xue Ying agreed obediently.
Fang Ji looked at Pei Ling with a faint smile and said, “Senior Sister Ouyang, since the Branch Master values this mission so much that he doesn’t hesitate to let you lead the team, why did he only send me and Senior Brother Xue to help? It’s not that we’re afraid, but this Junior Brother Pei’s cultivation level is really too low. If we’re unlucky when we venture to the Abyss Prison, we might lose him if we make the slightest mistake. How are we going to answer to the Branch Master?”
“Branch Master has his own plans.” Ouyang Xianxing glanced at him and said calmly, “Speed is important in war. With fewer people, we can catch Branch Master Miao off guard. With more people, it’s easier for things to change. Why, do you think that if you can think of something, Branch Master can’t?”
Fang Ji lowered her head quickly. “I wouldn’t dare. I’m just afraid of delaying your orders.”
“This is something I’ll consider,” Ouyang Xianxing said bluntly. “You just have to listen to my orders.”
“… Yes.” Fang Ji paused and bowed.
Ouyang Xianxing ignored him and turned to Pei Ling. “My faction’s situation hasn’t been very good recently. Under such circumstances, Branch Master still wants to snatch the Cold Marrow Fire mission by force and make enemies among the Five Factions. Not only is Fang Ji puzzled, but I also think that Branch Master is too tolerant of you. I don’t know why Branch Master would take such a big risk for you, but I hope you don’t disappoint Branch Master!”
“I will definitely not disappoint Senior Brother Zheng’s hard work,” Pei Ling replied seriously, but he tightened his grip on the Hundred-Mile Evasion Talisman in his sleeve. He decided that if anything went wrong later, he would leave immediately.
He was feeling quite anxious. Previously in Deer Spring City, when he saw Zheng Jingshan’s impressive appearance, he thought that he was a strong and sturdy person. But now he seemed to be different from what he had imagined.
Should I shake Zheng Jingshan off and find another backer? Pei Ling pondered. The problem is that I’ve only been in the sect for a short time and don’t know much about the situation in the entire Deep Sea Sect… Forget it, I’ll take it one step at a time. If I meet someone more suitable next time, it won’t be too late to change my family.
At the thought of this, he cursed the system in his mind. He had kept a low profile in the Pei residence for so many years. If not for the fact that the system had caught him off guard time and time again, he would not have led such a miserable life.
Ouyang Xianxing closed her eyes to rest after giving Pei Ling a pep talk. Fang Ji and Xue Ying did not have the intention to speak either. The spirit fell silent for a moment as the wind howled.
After some time, the wind stopped and the scenery around them became distorted. Soon, the four of them appeared at the edge of a huge abyss.
This abyss was extremely vast. Standing where they were, they could not see the other side at all. They could only see the bare ground and rocks beneath their feet. These rocks were different from the rocks in other places. They had the color of ashes and seemed lifeless.
For some reason, wherever he looked, there was not a single blade of grass. There were only a few withered trees that were twisted like demons, nearby and far away.
There was a kind of crow perched on a branch with wings that were suffused with dark blue flames. Its blood-colored eyes looked particularly scary when it looked over quietly.
Pei Ling looked into the abyss. After descending for less than 100 feet, black fog billowed and blocked his vision.
The black fog became denser the closer they got to the center. It was like a pillar of fog that rose up into the sky, obscuring the Golden Crow above their heads.
The exposed abyss walls were barren too. Through the black fog, one could see the black and red earth which looked like scars.
Pei Ling sized up this scene in astonishment and instinctively asked, “This… is still in the sect?” After all, ever since he left the Dust Severing Platform, he had seen that although his fellow disciples and the rules were very shady, at least the environment was not bad whether it was the outer or inner sect.
There were luxuriant plants and flowers everywhere.
At this moment, on this side of the abyss, there was a dead silence like the end of the world.
It was a stark contrast to the mountains scattered in the vast sea of clouds in the outer sect or the quiet little courtyard surrounded by orchids in the inner sect.
“What a coincidence.” Ouyang Xianxing and the other two ignored Pei Ling. “The next wave of Gu worms is almost here. Take the Poison Dispelling Pill first. Don’t delay!”