Chapter Four: Blood-Patterned Golden Wood

After searching Qiu Yuelian’s body, Ji Feichen found a Universe Sachet. This sachet was Qiu Yuelian’s spatial artifact, containing an independent space to store her belongings. After stowing the sachet away, Ji Feichen dragged her corpse to the center of the cave dwelling, beneath the Blood-Patterned Goldenwood, and then went to search for others.

Typically, in these cave expeditions, a large group would enter, and upon seeing various treasures, they would turn on each other or fall to hidden traps. Ji Feichen only needed to arrive last to collect the spoils. Rather than fighting tooth and nail for a single immortal herb like the others, it was much more in his nature to lay traps from the outset, lying in wait like a hunter.

He proceeded, pausing now and then, until in the distance he saw four people beset by golden-armored soldiers. These soldiers originated from the Eight Desolations Cloudlight Locking Formation, conjured from the formation’s golden mist. As long as the formation persisted, the soldiers would be endlessly replenished, never ceasing.

“These soldiers aren’t particularly intelligent or powerful, but there are too many of them. It’s a drain on my power to deal with so many,” thought Liang Chunming, already considering retreat. “We haven’t seen a single treasure yet and are already trapped. Better to withdraw and gather my brothers for a better-prepared attempt.”

He opened the treasure gourd at his waist, releasing a torrent of yellow sand. With a gesture, he commanded, “Go!” The sand billowed to swallow the golden light, engulfing the soldiers and opening a gap in their encirclement. Liang Chunming then transformed into a gust of sand and fled in a whirlwind.

The other three followed his example, escaping the encirclement in quick succession.

With the four gone, Ji Feichen remained unhurried. The entire cave was his web—no need to rush. All he had to do was close the net at his leisure, sweeping away every last prey.

After everyone left, Ji Feichen stepped forward and pinched a bit of yellow sand between his fingers, hearing faint wailing as if ghosts were trapped within.

“So this is Wailing Ghost Sand? Not his usual Soul-Severing Sand?” Ji Feichen murmured to himself. “He’s refined a new kind of spirit sand?”

He glanced in the direction Liang Chunming had escaped. The speed of his Sand Escape was comparable to Ji Feichen’s Water Escape.

“Liang Chunming’s demonic arts have grown deeper again.”

In the Netherworld Sect, there were five branches. Ji Feichen belonged to the Black Vein, Liang Chunming to the Yellow. The Black Vein specialized in Yin arts, the Yellow in Demonic Sand. When cultivated to perfection, the Yellow Vein’s “Yellow Springs Silent Demon Nether Sand” could slay even Earth Immortals. The Wailing Ghost Sand Liang Chunming used was merely a rudimentary technique from the “Yellow Springs Nether Demon Scripture.”

After a moment’s thought, Ji Feichen set off to follow at a leisurely pace. Soon, he heard screams from the central courtyard and found Feng Zhikang ensnared by the Blood-Patterned Goldenwood, its roots burying him alive in the soil beside Qiu Yuelian’s corpse, draining them both dry.

This spiritual tree, with eight centuries of cultivation, was already a spirit in its own right—a longtime partner of Ji Feichen in the cave. Every victim here had fed the Goldenwood, making their relationship symbiotic.

“There are three left. Get yourself ready. When they come, signal me,” Ji Feichen instructed.

The Goldenwood understood, its leaves rustling in response as it returned to its original state: the jade bricks gleaming, the coiled blood-gold tree adorned with a fragrant, dark blue fruit, luring prey into the trap.

Ji Feichen then set out to find Liang Chunming.

Liang Chunming, sensing hidden dangers in the cave, made for the exit—only to find another group of golden soldiers blocking his way, and a shining gateway rising up.

This was another marvel of the Eight Desolations Cloudlight Locking Formation: eight gates emerging from the mist, with the “Death Gate” now before him. Of all the gates, Death was the fiercest, its domain one of certain demise. Three treasure orbs floated above it, radiating murderous intent. The season belonged to autumn—symbolic of slaughter, punishment, and war.

White-gold clouds swirled about the portal, a chill wind blowing through. Liang Chunming shivered, sensing impending doom.

The soldiers emerging from the Death Gate were far stronger than those before. With the exit blocked, escape was impossible. After a brief attempt, Liang Chunming turned back—only to find a black dragon blocking the corridor.

He paused, then steadied himself. “Which brother of the Black Vein is here?” The “Profound Fiend Demon Dragon Scripture”—this could only be a fellow disciple of the Netherworld Sect.

Ji Feichen stepped out from behind the dragon, which transformed in his hand into a long club.

This Demon Dragon Club was a treasure described in the “Profound Fiend Demon Dragon Scripture,” able to take dragon form and roam the world. Forged from the unique black gold of Black Gold Mountain, it was made of twelve three-inch segments, totaling three feet six inches, plus the handle for a total length of four feet—about 1.2 meters. Each segment bore eight demon dragon patterns, imbued with prohibitions. This treasure was mid-grade, on par with Liang Chunming’s gourd.

“So, it’s Junior Brother Ji.” Seeing Ji Feichen, Liang Chunming was reassured. Their relationship was not close, but Ji Feichen was hardly his match. Back in the outer sect, Liang ranked second; Ji Feichen, sixth. Since joining the inner sect, there had been no word of Ji Feichen achieving any noteworthy feats—he was likely still weaker.

Yellow sand condensed into a shortsword in Liang Chunming’s sleeve, more spirit sand forming armor about him. “When did you come in, brother?”

“We five of the Black Vein entered with Senior Brother Liang,” Ji Feichen replied calmly, glancing at the cave as if in passing. “By now, those two from the Radiant Sun Demon Sect must be dead.”

Five? Liang Chunming was shocked, then considered whether this was a bluff. At that moment, another scream echoed in the distance—clearly one of the Radiant Sun Demon Sect.

He panicked. Dealing with Ji Feichen alone was trouble enough—if five were here…

“Cough… Did you come to win this cave for our Netherworld Sect?” Liang Chunming quickly sought common ground.

“Senior Brother Liang, the five veins of the Netherworld Sect are in constant strife, as you know. Since the Black Vein has the upper hand, we can’t let you go and spread word.”

“I understand. Of course.” Liang Chunming replied, “I’ll cede this cave to the Black Vein and swear a blood oath not to reveal anything.”

“Speaking of blood oaths, how much do you know about our sect’s Blood Parasite Curse?”

“What, you doubt my oath?” Liang Chunming replied hastily, “The Blood Parasite Curse is rooted in our bloodline. As long as the body lives, it cannot be eradicated.”

Ji Feichen’s eyes flickered. “So, if one abandons their flesh and seizes another body, the curse is no more?”

“Possessing another body risks soul backlash. Besides, I’m just a minor disciple—how could I master such advanced techniques? Even Immortal Masters can fail at possession. If I could become an Immortal, this cave wouldn’t matter to me.”

“So, we can’t possess others, and the curse only lifts upon becoming an Earth Immortal?”

“That’s…” Liang Chunming caught himself. “Why do you ask, junior brother? Planning to break the curse and betray the sect?” His voice rose, “Betrayers are hunted by the entire sect—and all ten great sects!”

“You talk too much,” Ji Feichen said darkly. The three orbs above the Death Gate shot down, slamming into Liang Chunming’s sand armor.

“You really intend to betray the sect?” Liang Chunming snarled, defending himself while shouting, “Betrayers are executed! Even if your Black Vein brothers are here, they can’t save you! If you spare me, I can cover for you! You know you can’t kill me!”

Ignoring him, Ji Feichen flipped his hand and recited an incantation. Streams of radiant pearls whirled through the air, besieging Liang Chunming, their white light slashing through his sand armor and striking his body.

“What is this?” Liang Chunming was alarmed. Each of Ji Feichen’s pearls contained power equal to his own gourd.

“This is your hidden card? You’ve been concealing your strength all along?” Now truly panicked, he realized Ji Feichen’s current power was at least equal to his own, perhaps even rivaling the strongest of their generation.

The Pearls of Azure Tide surged like an endless ocean, finally engulfing both Liang Chunming and his demon sand. The pearls pierced through him, leaving his body riddled with bloody holes. When the tide receded and the pearls scattered, only a ruined corpse remained on the ground.

Ji Feichen moved in to collect the spoils. Suddenly, several beams of black light shot from the corpse, striking him in the chest.

With a muffled grunt, he tore open his robes to find several black pellets embedded in his chest.

“Nether Capital Sand!” A deadly poison, lethal at the slightest touch. Fortunately, several black dragon scales had formed on his chest just in time, blocking the poison. The scales fell away, dissolving into toxic smoke on the floor.

The “Profound Fiend Demon Dragon Scripture” trained the body for peerless defense. Though Ji Feichen had only begun, he could already condense a few dragon scales with his power—enough to save his life.

Having survived Liang Chunming’s posthumous trap, Ji Feichen wound black energy around his right hand, letting dragon scales grow densely over his palm as he carefully examined the poison pellets.

The Yellow Vein’s demon sand was said to undergo nine refinements, each step elevating the sand’s power: from Spirit Sand, to Pellet Sand, then Sand Mother. After three refinements, the Sand Mother was equivalent to a Golden Core in orthodox Daoism, granting the status of Human Immortal. The fourth refinement shattered the Sand Mother back into Spirit Sand, the fifth to Pellet Sand, the sixth to a new Sand Mother—already rivaling Earth Immortals. This cycle continued; after nine refinements, one attained the “Yellow Springs Silent Demon Nether Sand Mother.” A single Sand Mother Essence could become a field of poisonous sand, rivaling even a Celestial Immortal.

This “Three-Turn Nine-Refinement” art was the supreme secret of the Netherworld Sect.

The Nether Capital Pellet Sand in Ji Feichen’s hand was the second refinement among the nine.

“A whole gourd of Nether Capital Sand makes just one pellet. Where did he find it?” Ji Feichen searched the corpse, finding other Yellow Vein spirit sands—Blood-Melting Sand, Wailing Ghost Sand, Five Poisons Sand, and several more pellets.

“Lucky for me he spread himself thin. If he’d focused on perfecting a single sand and condensing a Sand Mother, I’d have stood no chance.”

He quickly cleaned up the remains, hauling the blood-drained corpse to the Blood-Patterned Goldenwood. By now, the tree had consumed another, leaving only Sima Kang, who was desperately crawling away.

Sima Kang’s legs were entwined by the Goldenwood, its roots burrowing into his body. Resolute, Sima Kang severed his own legs to escape.

He managed to crawl to safety, only to find a young man in a navy robe standing before him, half smiling, Demon Dragon Club in hand, flicking away his artifacts. “Fellow disciple of the Radiant Sun Sect, may I ask you a question?”

Ji Feichen again inquired about blood curses. Sima Kang knew little of the Netherworld Sect’s curse, instead revealing the secrets of his own Blazing Sun Bloodflame Oath.

Finding no further use for him, Ji Feichen severed Sima Kang’s meridians and dragged him toward the Goldenwood. This time, however, he did not let the tree devour him.

“It’s rare to catch a member of the Radiant Sun Sect. You behave yourself. The others should keep you fed for a while.”

The Goldenwood’s roots recoiled, revealing a dark opening at the base of the trunk. Through the shifting light, steps could be seen leading below.

Ji Feichen tossed the corpses outside under the tree, meticulously cleaning all traces of battle before leading Sima Kang into the underground chamber.

The tree closed its roots, drawing all the bodies into the earth, and on its trunk, a strange, sinister smile slowly emerged.