Chapter 6: The Whereabouts of the Xuanming Sect
“Wait, heroine!”
Doctor Sun was startled; he hadn’t expected this heroine before him to have such a fiery temper.
“I was merely joking earlier. I noticed your spirit and body seem unstable. May I apply acupuncture to treat you?”
“Nonsense! Trying to fool me?”
“Everything I say is true. Have you recently experienced any symptoms of soul separation, such as sleepwalking, trance, or out-of-body experiences?”
Liu Yifei furrowed her brow. Come to think of it, she had indeed undergone a kind of time-space traversal—would that count as soul separation? With that thought, she sheathed her sword.
“How would you treat it?”
“Heh, consider yourself lucky. I have a special set of acupuncture techniques specifically for soul separation!”
“Please follow me to the inner chamber for treatment!”
Liu Yifei examined the consultation room but found nothing amiss. This old man truly seemed intent on acupuncture!
“Can it really cure me?”
Doctor Sun smiled wryly. This time, he was serious. “Of course!”
“Hmm, take a look at this first.” Liu Yifei produced the Netherworld Token.
Doctor Sun was taken aback. He felt no information from the token, indicating its level was higher than his!
Upon closer inspection, there was a tiny character for ‘Immortal’ at the bottom of the token, and just one glance sent a tremor through his mind.
“I am Sun Simiao, steward of Kaifeng, greeting the Celestial Lady!”
“Can you still treat this condition?”
Sun Simiao was momentarily stunned but quickly replied, “I dare not hide the truth. Your soul and body are indeed unstable, likely due to recent cultivation breakthroughs.”
Liu Yifei nodded. It was more than just a breakthrough—she had inexplicably gained a whole new set of powers!
In that case, she wouldn’t waste time here. “Do you know why I have come?”
“Of course, it must be about the theft at the Duke of Tang’s mansion!”
“Correct. But was this the doing of your people?”
Sun Simiao hurriedly protested, “Impossible! Since the passing of our old sect leader and the disappearance of the young leader, we have not received any orders for years. We dare not act without command!”
“Do you have any information about the Duke’s mansion incident?”
“To my knowledge, it was the work of the Xuanming Sect. They often operate under the name of our Netherworld Sect and have recruited many talents.”
Liu Yifei was unfamiliar with the Xuanming Sect and felt puzzled.
“You may not know, but the Xuanming Sect was established ten years ago after our Netherworld Sect was destroyed. Their leader, Emperor Ming Zhu Yougui, is known only by name in the martial world—no one has seen him. Since their founding, they have frequently acted under our name, and now the world finds it difficult to distinguish between the two sects.”
“Uh, you just let them do this with no one to stop them?”
Sun Simiao sighed helplessly. “Our headquarters were wiped out, the sect leader passed away, the three kings and six immortals were all killed, and over half of the seventy-two hall stewards were dead or injured. The rest either barely survived or defected to the enemy. Our Netherworld Sect is but a name now.”
Liu Yifei was amazed. Above the six immortals, there were actually three kings?
That meant, besides that kid Gao Wu, there were three others above her?
No, she must ask that kid once back—he might know something!
“Do you know where the Xuanming Sect hides in Kaifeng?”
“The Ghost Market!”
When Liu Yifei returned to the inn, her expression was clearly grim.
Gao Wu, unaware of the details, assumed their mission had gone poorly and they had failed to gather useful intelligence.
“Do you know the structure of the Netherworld Sect?”
“No, I really don’t!” Gao Wu looked confused. How was this related to the Netherworld Sect’s hierarchy?
“The Netherworld Sect, beneath the sect leader, has three kings, six immortals, and seventy-two halls. The three kings stand above the six immortals!”
Gao Wu blinked, still not understanding. And then?
Liu Yifei said angrily, “Well, you’ve become the sect leader, while I’m only one of the six immortals—and above us are still three kings!”
Oh… Gao Wu finally understood. Liu Yifei was complaining about her low status.
Heh, that was so like Liu Yifei. The real Liu Yifei probably wouldn’t care about such things!
“Or should I promote you to king?”
Liu Yifei’s eyes brightened. “You can?”
“No.”
“Bah! So fake!”
Gao Wu felt something was off, but joking aside, business must proceed.
Liu Yifei began to recount all the information he had obtained. Gao Wu was only seven or eight years old ten years ago; even if he retained memories from a past life, they were fragmented and he knew nothing of the Netherworld Sect’s destruction.
“So, our next stop must be the Ghost Market!”
“But you still haven’t told me how much you know about the Xuanming Sect.”
“I know nothing about the Xuanming Sect in this world,” Gao Wu emphasized before continuing, “But judging by the people we’ve met—Li Cunxiao, Li Cunzong, Li Xingyun from Kaifeng, and what Sun Simiao said about Zhu Yougui—they must be the same Xuanming Sect from the ‘Villains’ story.”
“Their masters include Emperor Ming Zhu Yougui, Ghost King Zhu Youwen, Meng Po, Water and Fire Judges, Wang Dian Yanjun, and the Black and White Impermanence.”
“As for their cultivation levels, except for Zhu Yougui and Zhu Youwen, none of the others should be a match for you!”
That night, the two donned the night-traveling robes they had prepared long ago, covering their faces completely, and slipped quietly from the inn.
The entrance to Kaifeng’s Ghost Market was an underground river; without a guide, ordinary people could hardly find the way in.
They cautiously followed the river’s winding course, passing various strange inhabitants, who peered at the two outsiders through windows.
Inside the Ghost Market, the light was dim, and the atmosphere cold and damp, evoking a sense of eerie dread.
Gradually, they saw a variety of buildings—stone houses, cave-style shops, all with peculiar architecture distinct from the surface.
They also saw more people, most cloaked in black, exuding mystery. Those who revealed their faces were pale, clearly from long-term underground living.
Both newcomers were at a loss where to begin when suddenly a childlike figure approached, bowing respectfully. “You two are here at the Ghost Market for the first time, right?”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Wu Hai from the Ghost Tower, known as Brother Hai. You may just call me Brother Hai. Are you here to appraise treasures or search for someone? How may I assist you?”
Ghost Tower? An intelligence organization existing in all the Ghost Markets across the Great Zhou, all-knowing yet notoriously demanding exorbitant fees. This information flashed through Gao Wu’s mind.
“Brother Hai? Nice name! But we’re just poor folks—we can’t afford the Ghost Tower’s help!”
“Haha, it seems you young master know something of our Ghost Tower, but not much. Our transactions aren’t just about money!” Wu Hai’s voice grew mysterious.
Gao Wu shook his head. “We have nothing to offer. Let’s forget it.”
“Ah, I see you’re young but sturdy. Some experts like people like you!”
Gao Wu suddenly felt a tightness at his rear, his mind filled with question marks.