"Heavenly Dao Migrants?" Su Yan peered at the stone city, curiosity deepening.
Migrants meant people moved here by the Heavenly Dao itself. But from where? And why?
The procession advanced. The villagers stopped their work and stared, clad in ancient Qin-Han style clothing, taller than ordinary folk, with broad hands and large feet.
Su Yan activated his Heavenly Eye. These people possessed a strange power that had naturally opened their tailbone pass. They were born at the Gate-Breaking stage—without any cultivation at all. Their Xiyi Domains showed no training marks.
Outside the village lay enormous beast skeletons. Children played with hundred-pound bones as toys, swinging them like toys. One frail-looking boy was knocked flying by a bone strike, cracked his skull on a boulder—and the boulder split while the boy bled, then kipped up and charged back.
A woman called him back and led him to an earthen altar at the village center. There grew a spirit grass one foot seven inches tall, nine leaves spreading like fingers.
As she chanted, one leaf trembled. Visible light flowed into the boy's wound, healing it completely.
The adults gathered their children, watching the Guo and Zhu procession with wary eyes.
"They must feel weak," Yuan Qi whispered.
Big Bell hummed. "Seventh Master, do you think those beast skeletons at the entrance were killed and dragged here by these villagers?"
"I think so." Yuan Qi shivered.
Su Yan studied the village. The houses were built around beast bones, spacious and sturdy. These marsh beasts had not died of natural causes.
"A fierce people," Li Yingzhu muttered, ordering the Guo nuo masters to keep their distance.
Zhu Hongyi did the same.
Suddenly the prison cart creaked. The old immortal's voice emerged: "Zhu Zhongquan, that grass on the altar is a Crimson Immortal Plant from the Heavenly Dao world, nourished by immortal qi. These villagers don't cultivate—they simply grow strong from its influence."
He chuckled. "It breaks through bottlenecks. With this treasure, cultivation barriers barely exist."
Zhu Zhongquan's eyes lit up. "If I consume it, I'll reach Dual Refinement and forge a golden core?"
"More than that! One leaf would suffice. But that would be waste. Its true value is breaking the Jade Pillow pass—the final barrier to Ascension!"
"Seize it!" Zhu Zhongquan ordered.
A dozen Zhu nuo masters charged the village.
* * *
A young villager met them at the entrance. He struck them down one by one with his fists, then stood at the threshold, righteous and furious. "How dare you steal our treasure? This plant protects our—"
A sword flash.
The young man touched his neck. Blood covered his hand. He tried to speak, but only blood bubbled from his throat.
"Fool." A Zhu nuo master kicked him in the chest. "You had the chance to kill me and showed mercy. Idiot."
Other villagers rushed out with bone spears and bows. The wounded youth was dragged to the altar.
The Zhu master laughed, activating his sword-box. But the villagers' bone weapons glowed with ancient符文, deflecting every blade of light.
A great nuo strode forward. "Out of my way."
He opened Mud Pill, Crimson Palace, and Jade Pool grotto-heavens. Roots burst from the ground, wrapping the villagers. Their weapons sprouted flesh. Their bodies扭曲—extra faces, extra hearts, swollen limbs.
It was the Zhou family's Mud Pill nuo art, now in Zhu hands.
"Kill them all!" the great nuo commanded, walking toward the Crimson Immortal Plant. "Leave no witnesses!"
At the altar, the wounded youth was healing. He rose to face the great nuo.
The great nuo smiled. "Throat cut, yet you heal. Impressive. But what if I remove your head?"
A hair-thin blade of light swept across the youth's neck. His head flew.
But before it hit the ground, the head reversed course. Flesh sprouted from the severed neck, reconnecting to the body. The youth lived again.
"Who?" The great nuo spun around.
Su Yan stood between the Zhu masters and the villagers. Every sword of light hung frozen in midair.
"Su Yan the Demon King!" The great nuo sneered. "This is Zhu family business."
The frozen swords spun back, sheathing themselves in their boxes. The Zhu masters collapsed, dead.
Su Yan turned to the great nuo. "You dare use the Zhou family's Mud Pill art? Let me show you the true law."
* * *
The Zhu masters charged, great nuos and elders hidden in the crowd.
But the leading attackers suddenly withered, turning skeletal and white-haired, collapsing where they stood.
At the same time, the village houses shook. Stone fell away, flesh sprouted, and the houses transformed into colossal ancient beasts charging the Zhu cultivators.
To strip life and grant life—that was the true Mud Pill Inner-Realm Longevity Art.
Zhu Zhongquan rushed forward, dropped to his knees, and raised his hands. "Brother-in-law! A misunderstanding! Sister, explain!"
Zhu Hongyi stepped forward, pale.
Su Yan walked past her to the prison cart. "Old immortal, you're a prisoner. Best not stir trouble."
Laughter erupted from the cart. The black cloth tore apart. A white-haired, blood-stained old man stood, chains rattling, his face twisted.
"Little thing, you're speaking to me?"
His aura exploded. Thunderclouds gathered. Lightning flashed.
Su Yan felt hooks pierce his shoulders and kneecaps, lifting him into a cage. The old man's face grew enormous, swallowing the sky.
"I'll erase your soul-sight. Be a blind man who doesn't recognize his betters."
Two fingers plunged toward Su Yan's eyes.
Su Yan realized: *This is a soul illusion. He attacks my spirit.*
"You nuo masters cultivate body but not soul. How can you block my soul art?"
The fingers struck Su Yan's spiritual eyes—and shattered like porcelain against iron.
"Ah!"
The illusion broke. Su Yan stood by the cart while the old immortal rolled inside, screaming, clutching his hand.
"I spare you because you're a prisoner. Next time, I take your head. Understand?"
Su Yan walked back to Yuan Qi and settled on the serpent's brow.
"Seventh Master, did I use 'prisoner' correctly?"
"This time, yes. Your vocabulary improves daily."
Su Yan smiled. "You taught me well."