Half-Step More.

A waypoint that floated between the world of the living and the Yellow Springs Path.

The living could enter the underworld from here, and the dead could also step into the realm of the living through this place.

CREAK—

The old, dilapidated door was pushed open, and billowing fog, accompanied by a biting cold wind, swept into the waypoint. Two figures stood at the entrance.

Inside the waypoint's main hall, a dozen or so tables were scattered haphazardly.

A group of gloomy, aged cultivators slowly raised their heads, glancing toward the entrance.

This is Half-Step More?

Stepping into this hall, which was filled with a dense, cold Yin energy, Qi Xiu calmly scanned his surroundings. The purplish hues within his eyes observed the seated cultivators.

Their vital energies were withered, their spiritual radiance patchy.

Almost all of them were old individuals approaching the end of their lifespans.

Huh? And... a few Demonic Cultivators?

His gaze landed on a table in the corner, around which sat two hunched men with ghastly pale skin, jet-black fingernails, and an aura tinged with bloody malevolence.

"Are there Demonic Evil Cultivators coming and going here too?"

Retracting his gaze, Qi Xiu asked Tian Mingtang, who followed closely beside him, his face slightly tense.

"No demons, but there might be some Demonic Cultivators," Tian Mingtang answered, forcing himself to appear somewhat composed.

"Does no one deal with them?"

With a raised eyebrow, Qi Xiu's right hand, concealed within his drooping sleeve, slowly formed a spell.

"Most who come here are aged and near death, seeking methods to extend their lives. Fighting with others could lead to injuries. Thus, most people adopt the mentality that less trouble is better than more."

"Oh, is that so?" Qi Xiu nodded thoughtfully, turning to look at the two Demonic Cultivators.

At this moment, the two Demonic Cultivators also felt a faint, ominous sense of unease.

Just as they were about to turn and look, two streaks of Lei Mang flashed and vanished in an instant.

BANG!

Before they could even utter a scream, the two Demonic Cultivators were struck by the Lei Mang and reduced to a pair of charred corpses.

The intensely Yang and firm, overwhelming presence instantly evaporated the chill within the waypoint.

No one expected Qi Xiu to deal a lethal blow immediately upon arrival, and with such terrifying Thunder Magic. The cultivators in the main hall all rose in unison, looking at him with shock and fear.

Having carved a bloody path through the entirety of Dianchuan Province, Qi Xiu's presence was now at its peak.

With a flicker of his killing intent, the murderous aura enveloping him transformed into a raging surge of power, making the very void tremble—an incredibly terrifying sight.

"Is the manager here?"

Walking slowly to the center of the main hall, Qi Xiu spoke.

The gloomy old cultivators had all retreated to a corner by now, warily and curiously observing this mighty Thunder Magic cultivator who had suddenly appeared.

"Here... here..."

From behind the counter in a corner, a trembling hand rose. A short man, less than 1.2 meters tall, wearing a short jacket and a skullcap, his face covered in pockmarks, walked out with an obsequious smile.

"I... I am the Second Store Manager here. Your Excellency, what are your orders?"

"I wish to go to Hundred Coffin Mountain. Could I trouble you to lead the way?"

Glancing down at the Second Store Manager of Half-Step More before him, Qi Xiu's gaze shifted slightly.

A dead person? An aberration?

He couldn't see a trace of the vitality that a living being should have on this Second Store Manager. Qi Xiu's eyes shimmered with a deep purple as he pierced through the dense vital energy concealing the man's true nature.

So, it turned out to be a Fenghu...

It was recorded in the *Yi Ming Bai Wen Lu*.

In the Huangquan Sha Hai, there is an aberration known as Fenghu. It resembles a Copper Pot with a human face. It lies dormant by day and emerges at night. If encountered, one can learn the length of one's life...

"It's said that Fenghu can divine a person's lifespan. Come, take a look—how long does Qi Someone have to live, eh?"

Raising his hand, Qi Xiu grabbed the Fenghu-disguised short man before him and said with a light laugh.

"Alright, alright! I'll look for you. Just don't hurt me."

Although it was an aberration from the Yellow Springs, the Fenghu itself had extremely poor combat strength. Faced with this cultivator before it, whose killing intent soared to the heavens and whose aura was as deep as an abyss, the Fenghu nodded frantically, terrified that any sign of displeasure might lead to it too being blasted to cinders.

With a mere thought, the Fenghu shed its human form and transformed into a grotesque, all-bronze Copper Pot with a broadly grinning face on its front.

Activating its innate Divine Marvel, the Fenghu's grinning face's eyes suddenly flashed with a dim yellow light.

The next instant!

ARGH!

A piercing wail echoed throughout Half-Step More as the Fenghu's eyes burst, blood spraying, and it screamed wildly, "Lamp... Lamp! Such a huge lamp!"

Hearing this, Qi Xiu was momentarily stunned, then he realized.

Damn it, I forgot. I am protected by Human Path Merit, which obscures and counters all forms of deduction and divination. It seems this lifespan viewing technique is also included. The Fenghu's attempt to view my lifespan triggered a backlash from the Human Path Merit.

After screaming for a moment, the Fenghu's eyes gradually began to recover, and the piercing cries slowly subsided.

And now, the Fenghu looked at Qi Xiu with eyes filled with even greater terror and panic.

Just moments ago, when it had activated its lifespan viewing power and looked at the great cultivator before it...

In that instant, a boundless golden light had erupted before its eyes. An ancient, simple, yet brilliantly glowing lamp stood within it. The supremely dazzling radiance was like ten thousand needles simultaneously piercing its eyes.

Initially, Qi Xiu had just wanted to check his own lifespan. He hadn't expected such an outcome and reluctantly released the Fenghu.

"Since you can't see it, then forget it. It's still the same question as before: could you please take me to Hundred Coffin Mountain?"

"Not now. The route to Hundred Coffin Mountain is known only by the Store Manager. He took the previous batch of guests there two days ago and won't be back for at least another five days."

After quickly explaining, the Fenghu shifted its body, distancing itself somewhat from Qi Xiu.

"Five days?"

Frowning slightly, Qi Xiu pursed his lips.

"Then do you remember if these two people came here some time ago?"

With a sweep of his sleeve, Qi Xiu condensed ethereal images of Wei Wujie and Nangong Qingxiu from water vapor.

If Eldest Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister were truly gravely injured and came here to prolong their lives, and if they have indeed already entered Hundred Coffin Mountain, then these five days don't matter much.

Under Qi Xiu's menacing pressure, the Fenghu sat up and squinted, carefully examining the likenesses of Wei Wujie and Nangong Qingxiu.

Then, after a moment of contemplation, it nodded with certainty.

"They came. About a month or so ago, those two came to our Half-Step More together. At that time, this man was gravely injured, already at death's door. The woman was slightly better off, but she seemed to have been affected by some Secret Technique. Her mind was in disarray, and she couldn't even speak a complete sentence. I only managed to understand what she wanted because she wrote it down."

Hearing this, Qi Xiu's pupils abruptly narrowed.

"And then?"

"Then the woman left some netherworld currency, asking us to send the man into Hundred Coffin Mountain. After that, she left in a great hurry..."

Feeling the sudden surge of murderous intent from the Thunder Magic cultivator before him, the Fenghu's voice grew quieter and quieter, afraid of drawing his ire.

"When she left, did she leave any words or make any particular gestures?"

Suppressing the rage in his heart, Qi Xiu continued to question the Fenghu.

"Your Excellency, I really didn't pay attention to that. Many guests pass through Half-Step More every day; I only recall that they came."

Forcing a pained smile, the Fenghu explained in a low voice, its teeth chattering.

"When that young lady left, she seemed to be constantly muttering the words 'Wu Hui Gu'..."

Just as Qi Xiu's gaze was turning cold, and he was preparing to perform a Soul Search to see if this Fenghu aberration was lying, an old cultivator with a withered appearance and disheveled hair and beard suddenly spoke up weakly from the side.

"Wu Hui Gu? Are you sure?"

Flashing before the old cultivator, Qi Xiu's gaze was piercing, his vast pressure sweeping over the man as he scrutinized his expression.

"I... I'm sure... There were hardly any people in the main hall that day. Apart from me, everyone else had gone to Hundred Coffin Mountain. From the moment she entered, the young lady kept muttering 'Wu Hui Gu,' as if she were trapped in a nightmare. Her eyes were vacant, and she seemed to be struggling. Last I saw, as she was leaving, I happened to glance out the door. It seemed someone had struck her on the back with a palm; the palm print bore the marks of a beast's claw..."

"This is your reward." Tossing the old cultivator a flask of Spirit Pills and a stack of Cloud Seal Talismans, Qi Xiu's eyes flickered as he found a chair and sat down.

Considering the current clues, the sequence of events is becoming clearer. Eldest Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister must have discovered something critically important, leading to them being attacked by a Demon King of the Dao Body Realm. Eldest Senior Brother was on the verge of death, and Second Senior Sister was also severely injured, her consciousness even clouded. No wonder the Magic Letter she sent me had such chaotic handwriting and confused sentences, only repeatedly mentioning Hundred Coffin Mountain. This was to remind me to rescue Eldest Senior Brother. Wu Hui Gu... another place not recorded on the Dianchuan map. The priority now is to rescue Eldest Senior Brother first. Perhaps only he knows where this Wu Hui Gu is, and where Second Senior Sister has gone.

Having made his decision, Qi Xiu abruptly stood up.

Seeing the great Thunder Magic cultivator rise, the cultivators in the main hall grew tense again.

"When your Store Manager returns, tell him to wait here for me. He is not to leave. If I do not see him when I return, I will tear down this Half-Step More!"

Picking up the Fenghu, Qi Xiu produced a handful of Elixirs and roughly forced them all into its mouth.

"I know you're an aberration, with a resilient Life Force, not easily killed. But what I fed you are top-grade Elixirs designed for torture. They won't kill you, but they will make you wish for death. So don't even think about running."

After doing all this, Qi Xiu called back the gloomy old cultivators, giving each of them some Spirit Pills and a few Cloud Seal Talismans.

He instructed them to watch the Fenghu closely. If it made any suspicious moves, they were to immediately use the Talisman Scripts to destroy it. Afterward, he would give them enough Elixirs to break through their cultivation Realms.

Responding to Qi Xiu's demands, the old cultivators nodded repeatedly, assuring him that they would complete the task without the slightest error.

Having arranged everything, Qi Xiu handed Tian Mingtang a Sword Gourd Talisman and gave him a knowing look.

"Rest assured, Benefactor."

Understanding Qi Xiu's meaning, Tian Mingtang nodded. "I'll stay right here, not moving an inch."

With everything set, Qi Xiu pushed open the door of Half-Step More and returned to Dianchuan.

Eldest Senior Brother's injuries must be extremely severe. With my own abilities, I'm afraid it will be difficult to heal him; I must return to the Shenxiao Sect and ask Master for help. Five days should be just enough for a round trip to the Shenxiao Sect.

Forming a spell with one hand, Qi Xiu transformed into a bolt of Lei Mang and shot into the sky, speeding towards the Shenxiao Sect.

...

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