Chapter 654: Involvement

The Mortal World

The main hall of the Five Insect Gate had been ravaged by a major battle, leaving it severely damaged and stripped of its former grandeur.

The plaza outside the main hall was pockmarked with deep craters and fissures, bearing scorch marks and waterlogged patches—clear evidence of a cultivators' fierce duel.

A chilling silence permeated the hall.

Cui Xuanzi’s expression was grim as he turned his head, silently gazing at the devastated mountain gate outside and the fallen bodies of his sect brothers, his face etched with profound sorrow.

Opposite him stood two middle-aged men, both surprisingly Pseudo-Core Realm experts.

Each wore a waist token bearing the character ‘Li’.

One of them stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an imposing aura that clearly overshadowed Cui Xuanzi’s.

The other was a burly man, but his breath was shallow. He sat on a chair, pressing a hand to his chest and abdomen, his face deathly pale—a clear sign of severe injury.

Both were disciples of the Li Witch Palace: the one standing was Du Xian, and the injured one was Jiushan.

Besides them, an even more unfortunate individual lay unconscious on the ground. Though critically injured, his breathing was stable, and his life was not in immediate danger.

Observing Cui Xuanzi’s mournful demeanor, Du Xian scoffed dismissively. “Master Cui Xuan, why the pretense?” he said lightly. “They were just a few talentless disciples; their deaths are inconsequential. Once my junior brother brings our Master here to capture that old ghost Qin and locate the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit, we, your humble servants, will petition Master to commend your efforts. With you still at the helm, and the protection of our Li Witch Palace, what difficulty would there be in restoring the Five Insect Gate to its former glory?”

At that moment, Jiushan began to cough violently. After recovering with difficulty, he glared at Cui Xuanzi and roared, “How dare you defy the orders of my Li Witch Palace and use a talisman treasure to harm me and my junior brother? Killing only a few of your disciples is letting you off easy! If my senior brother hadn’t pleaded on your behalf, I would annihilate you right now!”

Cui Xuanzi clenched his fist, suppressing his fury. “You used the pretext of the Li Witch Palace searching for someone to trick me into opening the mountain gate and welcoming you in, only to suddenly attack and injure us,” he retorted. “Did you expect me to simply stand by and await death? The Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit was seized by that old ghost Qin long ago! If you had only mentioned your true purpose—to obtain the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit—this great battle, and the needless deaths of so many of my Five Insect Gate disciples, could have been avoided!”

Du Xian and Jiushan exchanged glances, both feeling a pang of awkwardness.

These brothers had come for the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit. There were two Pseudo-Core Realm experts among them, and even the lowest-cultivated individuals were at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. They were also skilled in combined attack techniques, so they hadn’t given the Five Insect Gate a second thought.

However, they hadn’t anticipated that Cui Xuanzi possessed a talisman treasure, which caught them off guard and severely wounded Jiushan and another junior brother.

Fortunately, while Cui Xuanzi was preparing the talisman treasure, they had either killed or captured all of the Five Insect Gate’s Foundation Establishment cultivators, leaving Cui Xuanzi isolated and helpless.

Indeed, had they not used the prestige of the Li Witch Palace to trick their way into the mountain gate, the outcome of that battle would have been uncertain.

But what truly surprised them was Cui Xuanzi’s claim that the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit was no longer in the Five Insect Gate’s possession, having been taken by a Golden Core expert—meaning they had targeted the wrong people.

Du Xian cleared his throat softly, then turned to look outside the mountain gate. “Where exactly is that Golden Core expert’s lover hiding?” he mused. “Why have my junior brother and your people been gone so long without returning?”

Cui Xuanzi snorted. “What’s the rush? Old Ghost Qin has several cave dwellings in the Bear Mountain region. That woman could be hidden in any of them, so we can only have Junior Brother Tong lead the search, checking each one.”

Jiushan narrowed his eyes, fixating on Cui Xuanzi, and suddenly barked, “You old geezer! If you dare to pull any more tricks, I’ll ensure your Five Insect Gate is erased from West Xinjiang today!”

Cui Xuanzi exploded in rage, gritting his teeth. “My Junior Brother Tong is restrained by you, I am trapped here, my sect has been overrun, and our treasured possessions have been plundered clean by you!” he spat. “What other schemes could I possibly use? I am the Five Insect Gate’s only Pseudo-Core Realm cultivator. You’ve seen my natal insect-gu; it’s stuck in its second metamorphosis and has no use for the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit whatsoever. I just took you to Black Wind Valley to see for yourselves: once the Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit ripens, its unique spiritual aroma cannot be concealed. The Thousand-Hand Spider Fruit was discovered and seized by Old Ghost Qin the moment it matured! If he weren’t absent right now, none of you would have escaped!”

“If that Golden Core expert were still here,” Du Xian interjected scornfully, “we wouldn’t have been so reckless as to barge in.”

“That person merely just formed their Golden Core,” Du Xian continued dismissively. “My master formed his Golden Core decades ago and has long since reached a bottleneck; a breakthrough to the mid-stage Golden Core is imminent. Once Master arrives, killing that person will be as easy as lifting a hand. Don’t delude yourself into thinking that person can save you. Just cooperate with us, and you won’t be mistreated in the future.”

Cui Xuanzi suddenly fell silent, ceasing his arguments. He lowered his head, and a profound killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Cui Xuanzi didn’t believe a single word Du Xian uttered!

Cui Xuanzi understood clearly that once Dumb Maiden was found, he would lose all usefulness, and these individuals would surely kill him to sate their fury. Thus, when Junior Brother Tong departed to search for Dumb Maiden, Cui Xuanzi subtly hinted for him to take a circuitous route, hoping to stall for time as much as possible.

Little did he know, this very action by Cui Xuanzi bought Dumb Maiden precious time.

Du Xian seemed oblivious to Cui Xuanzi’s intentions. He turned to Jiushan and said, “Junior brother, where exactly did that person go? We’ll only know for sure after catching their paramour and questioning them thoroughly. If we go searching for the insect, it might take three to five years to return. Remember how Senior Uncle Qiu waited patiently outside a nest for eight years just to catch an an ice toad, and even then he nearly failed. Despite that, it’s better for us to be cautious. It will take at least half a month for you to go invite Master and return. For these two weeks, we’d best find a hidden place to avoid any unforeseen incidents.”

Mentioning this individual, Jiushan’s aggressive demeanor softened, and his expression turned grave.

Though they spoke with brave fronts, they knew in their hearts the vast chasm between the Pseudo-Core Realm and a true Golden Core. Even a newly formed Golden Core expert could effortlessly dispatch all of them.

Just as Du Xian and Jiushan were strategizing, they suddenly felt the ground beneath their feet tremble violently.

All three men’s faces contorted in alarm. They spun around abruptly to look outside the mountain gate, where an incredibly brilliant sword energy cleaved vertically down from the heavens, striking ferociously onto the Lotus Grand Formation.

The sword energy blazed like a bolt of lightning.

The Five Insect Gate’s mountain-protecting grand formation shuddered violently, directly cracking under the force of this single sword strike. The Lotus Grand Formation became as fragile as glass, beginning to crumble.

One sword shattered the formation!

Only then did the thunderous hum of the sword roar through the air.

The mountains quaked, and the sheer power of this sword sent shivers down the three men’s spines.

“This is…”

Du Xian’s face drained of color in utter shock.

Cui Xuanzi’s mind reeled. He had recognized the sword energy, and a strange expression twisted his face as he murmured, “Why now… Why return now… Just give me a few more hours! Only a few hours!”

A bizarre mix of unwillingness and regret contorted his features.

“The Five Insect Gate is doomed!”

Cui Xuanzi cried out in despair, his body pitching backward with a thud as he collapsed to the ground, having severed his own heart meridian and died.

Du Xian and Jiushan were stunned by Cui Xuanzi’s sudden decisiveness. Before they could even react, a second sword strike followed instantly, and the Five Insect Gate’s mountain-protecting grand formation shattered into fragments.