Volume 3, Chapter 188 – Remember This, My Name is Cheng Hongling

“It really is Yin energy!”

Zhao Li agreed from the side.

“Yin energy? Could there be some kind of ghostly entity here?”

“Impossible! Before the Yuxiao Sect was destroyed, they were still a top-five sect in Yongning Province. How could there be ghosts so close to their territory?”

“Maybe they belonged to the sect? In the cultivation world, every sect keeps some ghosts they can’t immediately deal with. After the Yuxiao Sect was wiped out by that cat demon, it’s only natural these ghosts escaped.”

The female disciples of Shuiyu Valley whispered among themselves.

“These are definitely not ghosts imprisoned by the Yuxiao Sect!”

Cheng Hongling shook her head with certainty.

“Hongling, why are you so sure?”

Mu Ruoyi, standing beside her, asked curiously.

“Take a closer look. The ash on the ground was created by Yin energy corroding everything around it. For the destruction to reach this level, the ghost responsible must be at least at the Fiendish Specter Realm. A malevolent spirit that powerful wouldn’t have been something the Yuxiao Sect could contain.”

Cheng Hongling crouched down, picking up a pinch of ash between her jade-like fingers as she analyzed.

“What?! Fiendish Specter Realm?! How could a demon of that level appear here? Did it come from another region?”

Zhao Li’s expression darkened as she glanced worriedly at the remaining female disciples.

“If that’s the case, this mission is far more dangerous than we imagined. Even an early-stage Fiendish Specter is equivalent to a cultivator at the Divine Realm.”

Mu Ruoyi’s tone was grave.

“Divine Realm?! Gods above! That’s the same level as Elder Wen Jing back in the day!”

One of the female disciples swayed on her feet, nearly fainting from fright. The others paled as well.

The exploits of Mu Ruoyi’s grandmother were well-known among these disciples. She had single-handedly eradicated a cursed land in Nansheng Province, earning the Immortal Alliance’s highest honor—”Eternal Blessings of the Immortals”.

“What should we do now? Press forward or retreat?”

Mu Ruoyi hesitated, instinctively seeking Cheng Hongling’s opinion.

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“You’re the Holy Maiden. The decision is yours.”

On matters like this, Zhao Li didn’t dare overstep.

Mu Ruoyi’s face twisted in indecision before she turned to Cheng Hongling again.

“If you wish to leave, I won’t stop you.”

Cheng Hongling’s tone remained indifferent.

“And you?”

Mu Ruoyi pressed.

“For the sake of the Honghua Sect, not even a Heavenly Tribulation Realm expert could bar my path—let alone a mere Divine Ability Realm specter.”

Cheng Hongling gazed into the distance.

Mu Ruoyi bit her lip, glancing at the disciples before finally turning to Zhao Li.

“Elder Zhao, perhaps you should lead the sisters back first?”

“And you?”

Zhao Li asked urgently.

“I can’t let her face this danger alone!”

Mu Ruoyi shook her head firmly.

“Don’t burden yourself on my account. Leave if you wish.”

Cheng Hongling turned back, then added coldly:

“But I should remind you—we don’t know where that demon is now. Who can guarantee it won’t be waiting on your way out?”

Mu Ruoyi and Zhao Li exchanged startled looks.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Li addressed the disciples:

“Everyone, I know you’re afraid. Some of you may want to retreat. But think carefully—that demon could be ahead of us or behind us. Who can promise safety on the return path? Our greatest risk now is splitting up. Only by sticking together can we withstand the danger.”

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The disciples murmured among themselves, weighing their options.

“Of course, if any of you still wish to leave, I won’t stop you. The choice is yours.”

Zhao Li added.

After a tense silence, the disciples unanimously chose to stay.

Cheng Hongling wasn’t surprised. For these women, the greatest terror wasn’t the unseen demon—it was isolation.

Zhao Li smiled in relief, forcing a lighter tone:

“No need to panic. This is all speculation—there may not even be a powerful fiend here!”

The disciples relaxed slightly at her words.

Guilt gnawed at Mu Ruoyi. She leaned toward Zhao Li and whispered:

“Elder Zhao, should I use the Wooden Exquisite Art to investigate? It might clarify the situation.”

“But you can only activate it once in a short period. If we waste it here, what will we do when searching for the Nine Nether Demon Cat?”

Zhao Li countered.

“If Hongling let me drink her blood, I could replenish it… but that would weaken her.”

Mu Ruoyi hesitated.

“Then forget it. Preserving our strength is paramount now.”

Zhao Li decided after careful consideration.

With their course set, the group pressed forward, nerves taut.

Finally, they reached the foot of Yuxiao Sect’s mountain. If the pattern held, the final obstacle would be the strongest yet.

“They’re here.”

Cheng Hongling halted abruptly, her expression hardening.

Before anyone could react, two figures materialized above them—one tall and thin, the other short and stout. They hovered like deities surveying mortals.

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“A group of women? Judging by their attire, they’re from Shuiyu Valley.”

The short elder spoke first.

“Shuiyu Valley? The largest all-female sect in the Western Radiance Dynasty? Centuries ago, they produced Wen Jing—a peerless genius who single-handedly annihilated one of the dynasty’s top ten cursed lands. It shook the cultivation world, immortalized in poetry and art.”

The tall elder recounted with a lecturing tone.

“Heh. Glory comes at a price. After Wen Jing died, that sect declined sharply. They can’t even rank top three in their own Nansheng Province now.”

The short elder smirked.

“And yet their leader parades around with a Nine Nether Demon Cat? Reckless fools.”

The tall elder glanced dismissively at Mu Ruoyi.

“Given her looks, she must be Mu Ruoyi—reputed to be the cultivation world’s greatest beauty?”

The short elder’s gaze lingered on Mu Ruoyi, a hint of lust in his eyes.

“I disagree. If she’s truly the dynasty’s most beautiful, why is there another girl beside her who rivals her radiance?”

The tall elder eyed Cheng Hongling skeptically.

“You two old men prattle on about others’ appearances like it’s a marketplace. How uncouth.”

Mu Ruoyi cut in sharply.

“Uncouth? The strong rule in the cultivation world. You interrupting us is the true discourtesy.”

The tall elder scoffed.

“The strong? At the mere Incarnation Realm, you dare call yourselves strong? Compared to my grandmother Wen Jing, you’re less than ants.”

Mu Ruoyi sneered.

“Wen Jing was your grandmother? So you are Mu Ruoyi.”

The tall elder’s eyes gleamed.

“Indeed. Got a problem with that?”

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Mu Ruoyi arched a delicate brow.

“Excellent! A Nine Nether Demon Cat and the Holy Maiden of Shuiyu Valley!”

The tall elder chuckled cryptically.

“We merely wish to… collaborate.”

The short elder interjected smoothly.

“Oh? And what kind of collaboration did you have in mind?”

Mu Ruoyi feigned interest. If these two were sincere, an alliance might be beneficial.

“You stay. We’ll hunt Yuxiao Sect’s Nine Nether Demon Cat together. The others leave.”

The short elder stated his terms.

“Collaboration? This is outright robbery! Others only demand the cat—you want the person too?!”

Mu Ruoyi trembled with fury.

“Call it what you will. It changes nothing. You’ll cooperate—willingly or not.”

The short elder’s voice turned steely.

“You seem quite confident. The last person who dared speak down to me like that nearly begged for mercy on his knees.”

Cheng Hongling finally spoke.

“And who are you? When Incarnation Realm experts converse, what right does a brat like you have to interrupt?”

The short elder snapped.

“Remember this name—Cheng Hongling. When you’re crawling away later, don’t forget to spread it far and wide.”

With a cold smile, Cheng Hongling raised her hand—a scroll materializing in her palm.

The Registry of Slaughter.