Chapter 120: The Suitable Identity

At that moment, a voice sounded from ahead: "Forgive our lack of a proper welcome for such distinguished guests."

As soon as the voice rang out, the demonic insects and creatures all around seemed to receive a summons. Regardless of their form, they began leaping and scurrying in place, and even the branches of the nearby trees started to twist violently. A cacophony of sounds flooded Hong Jian’s ears, and the phrase "a dance of demons" immediately came to mind.

Two figures emerged from the darkness ahead, one following the other. The one who had spoken was a man dressed as a farmer, wearing a coarse linen tunic with his trousers rolled high, his bare feet encased in tattered straw sandals. Behind him walked the man she had encountered on the road, who had now removed his bamboo hat and was holding it in his hands.

So, they were finally willing to show themselves?

Compared to the man’s polite formalities, Hong Jian’s response was markedly cold: "I am not a guest."

The man paused for a moment before asking, "Then who might you be, miss? Speak plainly. In our Cheng Family Village, our men do not venture out, and our women do not marry out. From where could you possibly be a distant relative?"

Hong Jian maintained an aloof air, carrying herself with an innate sense of authority: "Where is Elder Cheng? Where is he? Send your elders out to speak with me."

The young Qi-refining apprentice trailing behind could not help but remark, "Uncle Seven, this woman has a lot of nerve. Why don’t you test her and see what real skills she has?"

The farmer, addressed as "Uncle Seven," was initially tempted, but as he peered through the night, he noticed that the woman remained expressionless, not even a muscle in her brow twitching at the suggestion. He immediately dismissed the thought.

His spiritual sense had already probed her, yet he had found nothing. If it weren't for the fact that his eyes saw her, his ears heard her, and the demonic creatures of the village were reacting to her presence, he would have doubted there was even a person standing there.

Furthermore, the aura that had surged from her moments ago was both powerful and carried a familiar, ancestral quality—a sensation he had only ever experienced from the Core Formation elders. How could he dare to strike a stone with an egg?

He swallowed hard, secretly thinking, "How could it be a woman? If she really is from 'that side,' surely she wouldn't try to establish her authority by making things difficult for me right upon arrival, would she?"

With that thought, "Uncle Seven" decided it was better to leave the headache of dealing with this woman to the elders. He ignored the young man behind him and, without further pretense, asked Hong Jian directly, "Since you’ve come to find the village head, you surely have some proof of identity. Let us see your token."

This was an admission of their true identities as cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Sect, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

But Hong Jian had no such token. Fortunately, she knew that when the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect had descended upon them, he had mentioned nothing of tokens. She replied with a calm expression, "Due to the limitations of crossing the 'Heavenly Veil,' I could not carry any items bearing the sect’s seal. You need only take me to the Great Elder of your branch; do not ask anything else. I will explain everything to him myself."

"This... very well. Follow me." Seeing that she was alone, the farmer did not hesitate long before agreeing.

He ordered the young man behind him to return to guarding the village perimeter, then let out a whistle. The surrounding swarm of insects and monsters ceased their clamor and slowly dispersed, vanishing into the shadows until the village fell silent once more.

Hong Jian stood quietly, waiting for him to finish. She knew the first hurdle had been cleared, but a more severe trial was yet to come.

The farmer gestured for her to follow, explaining, "There are Taoist cultivators everywhere. To survive, we sect disciples must be this cautious."

As Hong Jian walked with him through the village, she asked a question to which she already knew the answer: "Why is everyone not living here?"

The farmer chuckled, a hint of pride in his tone: "A few days ago, we caused a major disturbance for the Taoists. Being conspicuous, it is best to be careful in case they track us down."

Hong Jian nodded without further comment.

She followed the farmer through the center of the village. After walking for the duration of a stick of incense, the sound of water reached them, and they arrived at the edge of a lake.

The lake was small, nestled against a hill. There were no boats on the water, which shimmered beautifully under the moonlight as the wind stirred its surface.

"We must travel by water for a stretch," the farmer said. He stepped into the water first and submerged toward the lakebed.

Because of Jing Xiaoyun’s betrayal, Hong Jian already knew that all the experts of this Heavenly Demon Sect branch, along with the captives they had taken, were hidden in a small valley on the other side of the lake. The valley was extremely well-concealed, and with the careful arrangements made by the sect members, it had become an excellent hideout accessible only from beneath the water.

She felt no surprise and followed him into the depths.

Soon, Hong Jian saw the same demonic creatures she had encountered in the deep seas of the Far North glaciers. Black vines had curled into spheres, floating in the water near the lakebed.

As the farmer led her past them, the black spheres did not attack; they even shifted aside when they blocked the path.

Hong Jian knew that Jing Xiaoyun and the demonic insect Xiao Hei were working behind the scenes. If any other Taoist cultivator had tried to intrude, the lake would have been turned upside down long ago.

The two successfully found the entrance to the cave. The farmer entered first, and after hearing him speak to someone inside, Hong Jian followed him into the residence.

Leaving the lake water, the view suddenly opened up. The Heavenly Demon Sect had carved out a vast space beneath the lake, where large plants grew, adorned with unknown, exotic flowers. Their fragrance was intoxicating.

Hong Jian’s mind wavered for a split second; had her spiritual sense been any weaker, she would have revealed her flaws the moment she stepped inside.

Several demonic cultivators, dressed similarly to the farmer, stared at her without blinking, their gazes filled with both hostility and curiosity.

The news had clearly spread. Within moments of her arrival, shadows flickered, and seven or eight people suddenly stood before her.

In the center stood an old man whose exact age was impossible to determine. Hong Jian knew at a glance that this was Jing Xiaoyun’s grandfather; his features, save for his eyes, were remarkably similar to hers.

The elder’s eyes bulged like those of a goldfish, revealing a large amount of white, which looked somewhat frightening at first glance. Combined with his large hands and feet, he was a man who would draw stares even while working in the fields. Yet he was not short; it was a mystery how he had sired a dwarf daughter.

In a brief moment, Hong Jian had sized up all seven of them, including Jing Xiaoyun’s grandfather and three other elders.

To her secret relief, Jing Xiaoyun was indeed present, standing at the very back, trying to remain inconspicuous.

The members of the Heavenly Demon Sect were both surprised and uneasy to hear that someone from the sect had arrived. They were surprised that so soon after the Sect Master had descended from ten thousand miles away, a disciple had truly crossed the "Heavenly Veil" to find them—and that this direct disciple was a woman. They were uneasy because their peace had been shattered, and they did not know whether this portended fortune or disaster.

The farmer who had brought Hong Jian stepped forward to report. Great Elder Cheng stared at her with his goldfish eyes, suspicion gradually clouding his face. "May I ask how to address you, miss?"

In the presence of these powerful demonic cultivators, Hong Jian no longer maintained her previous aloofness. She bowed slightly and said, "My surname is Qi."

Great Elder Cheng’s long eyebrows knit tightly, and a fierce look involuntarily appeared on his face. "Miss Qi, which Taoist sect are you from? Who gave you the information that led you to come here and attempt to deceive us?"

An old man in earth-yellow robes beside him laughed, "Ha!" and cut in, "Does it need to be said? Who has been running off frequently lately? If I recall correctly, the girl Duo has been missing all day." Having said this, he turned to the young men nearby and ordered, "Why aren't you going to check? Perhaps a large group of Taoist cultivators has already arrived and surrounded us."

Jing Xiaoyun’s expression changed.

Another elder, standing on the other side of Great Elder Cheng, had a black birthmark the size of half a palm on his face. His hair was messy and tied into a small ponytail, and his demeanor seemed somewhat wretched. "Third Brother, I say that girl Duo wouldn't collude with outsiders against us. Although her father is a disgrace, she is still Xiu Gu’s daughter. I believe she is just like Xiu Gu—naive—and was deceived by this young woman."

So, these must be the "Third Grand-Uncle" and "Fourth Grand-Uncle" Jing Xiaoyun had spoken of. Living with such people day in and day out, it was no wonder she had pinned all her affection on the father she had never met, determined to rescue him and flee.

Hong Jian had no time to pity Jing Xiaoyun. If she did not speak now, she knew that, given Jing Xiaoyun’s temper, the situation would soon spiral out of control.

To impersonate a direct disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s Sect Master, Hong Jian’s cultivation, techniques, and even her appearance were all potential flaws. She had anticipated this situation before arriving and had already prepared a narrative to convince them.

So, amidst the hostile gazes of the group, Hong Jian chuckled calmly, cutting off whatever Jing Xiaoyun was about to shout.

"Hehe, it seems everyone still has doubts about my identity. This is understandable, as Elder Cheng must have already discovered that I have built a Taoist foundation. But consider this: if not for this foundation, how could I have survived crossing the 'Heavenly Veil' to meet you all? Allow me to introduce myself. My surname is Qi, and my given name is Xiuning. Thirty years ago, I was a Qi-refining apprentice at the Dan Ya Sect. When the three Great Transformation Realm masters of the Taoist sects came to the Huan Hua Hall of the Dan Ya Sect to take on disciples, I was selected by Dai Mingchi, the Sect Master of the Fu Tu Sect, and taken under his wing."

The expressions of the demonic cultivators opposite her changed drastically. This "Qi Xiuning" had actually admitted to being a disciple of the Transformation Realm master Dai Mingchi. If she had come here so fearlessly, what was her intent? Even Jing Xiaoyun widened her eyes in astonishment, looking confused.

Great Elder Cheng stopped the restless men beside him and barked, "Speak plainly, what is your intention?"

Hong Jian smiled slightly. "Elder Cheng, please let me finish. I wonder if any of you have heard of a cultivation technique called the 'Sutra of Great Calamity'?"