Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 396 Internal and external cooperation

As the first rays of dawn climbed towards the eastern sky, Zhu Wuyao, who was meditating in the wooden house, opened his eyes.

My intuition was stirred.

Countless tiny, fragmented, and scattered fluctuations of spiritual energy emanated from the divine sense that permeated the area around the wooden house and was vigilantly observing the surroundings.

Zhu Wuyao got up and pushed open the wooden door.

She saw countless fluttering butterflies, weaving together a dreamlike tapestry of light and shadow.

Emerging from its cocoon in the radiant light, it dances gracefully and beautifully.

These lives are so delicate and fragile that even if hundreds or thousands of them gather together, their presence in one's consciousness is nothing more than a sky full of fine sand.

But Zhu Wuyao could not have imagined the strangeness and danger of this situation.

This means... I've cleared the level?

If Gu Yiguan and the others had attacked yesterday while this mysterious woman was in seclusion, wouldn't they have had a better chance of winning? Now that she has broken out of seclusion, her cultivation is probably even more profound.

Wu Guihong was indeed an ally of this mysterious woman.

Even after she's dead, he still sacrifices his own soul to elevate her strength to a higher level!

Seeing this scene before him, Zhu Wuyao was so worried that his hair turned black, but he still said something that didn't mean it:

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on your further advancement in strength!"

"If the two of us work together to conquer the world, it will be just around the corner!"

That being said, Zhu Wuyao had already figured it out—this mysterious woman had no feelings for Wu Guihong at all.

Just by looking at the treatment he received these past few days, one can see the extent of his problem. This person is not even willing to put in any effort to appease "Wu Guihong".

Who knows, one day when I want to continue to improve, I might treat myself as a tonic.

And now-

It's all about who can betray you faster!

The most urgent task is to appease the mysterious woman and await the arrival of the righteous alliance for rescue tomorrow.

Zhu Wuyao decided to cultivate a good relationship with her, hoping to glean any further information before tomorrow evening. Without waiting for the woman's reply, he continued:

"Such a beautiful view is truly unforgettable, reminding me of a poem I once wrote!"

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Wu can also compose poetry?"

"Yes, I can."

You can copy it.

Zhu Wuyao lowered his head in deep thought, then looked up at the thousands of butterflies dancing before him and recited—

"The butterfly flutters its wings, startled from its dream; its two wings soar in the east wind."

After reciting the first line, the mysterious woman uttered an "Hmm?" sound, seemingly surprised that Wu Guihong's poem actually had some merit.

Zhu Wuyao received feedback and was greatly encouraged.

She knew that although this person was accompanied by butterflies, he would not like overly delicate and pretentious poetry; it had to be gentle yet spirited.

This perfectly matches her spirited and triumphant state of mind, having just broken through her barrier!

Zhu Wuyao smiled slightly, and recited the last two lines with slight modifications:

"Eight hundred famous mountains, all emptied after mining!"

This is a poem that Zhu Wuyao read in his previous life, titled "Ode to a Large Butterfly." With slight modifications, it is used here, which is appropriate for the time and place!

However, the air fell silent for a moment.

Then came the mysterious woman's cold laughter:

"Ah!

"Fellow Daoist Wu... are you mocking me?"

Wishing you no invitation: ?

This is clearly a compliment, praising the butterfly's swiftness and ability to sweep across mountains in the blink of an eye. How did it become a mockery?

She hurriedly said:

"Fellow Daoist, please let me explain!"

"Ha, what are you trying to explain? What you're trying to say is that the butterfly problem has caused unrest in the mountains?"

Zhu Wuyao was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening—

So that's why she couldn't perform divination for the mountain, and there's also the reason behind this mysterious woman. We don't know what the connection is...

Seeing the atmosphere becoming awkward and the friendship between the two steadily declining, Zhu Wuyao decisively and solemnly said:

"What are you saying, fellow Daoist?"

"Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. They should not be concerned with eight hundred famous mountains or even eight hundred cities!"

“We who are bad people should be aware of what it means to be bad people, we should have the dignity of being evil people, and we should do evil in a dignified manner, even if it means being abandoned by everyone!”

"How can one be two-faced, doing things that incur the wrath of heaven and the hatred of the people on one hand, and still want a flawless reputation on the other?"

Despite his lack of justification, Zhu Wuyao delivered a passionate speech, expressing his awareness as a villain.

At the same time, he was also thinking to himself—

If the unusual features of this place are all related to this woman, then is the so-called "Land of Chaotic Fate" the Star Seven Illusion Sect?

All those who perished still remain in the world as mere shells.

The Blood Erosion Curse was used to forcibly create the entire sect.

If this isn't called a "land of chaotic fate," Zhu Wuyao really can't think of any place that deserves that title.

With this guess in mind, Zhu Wuyao's gaze towards the sky changed.

We'll just have to wait until tomorrow, when the three sects join forces to attack. I'll then coordinate with the reinforcements from within and without to catch her off guard!

Then ask about the origin of the "strangeness" of this place.

Perhaps we can follow the clues and find a lead on Ji Yuezhang.

The next day.

Zhu Wuyao discovered that the sect had come to life, and suddenly there were many lifelike fellow Daoists.

She pretended to be used to it, dutifully playing the role of Wu Guihong with a cold face.

Wait until evening to betray the sect leader.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Taibai Sect's headquarters.

Hu Sanlang found Gu Yiguan and hesitated for a long time before saying:

“Fellow Daoist Gu, the more I think about those butterflies these past two days, the more I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before…”

"On that day, when Fellow Daoist Ruan came to pay his respects at the mountain, he saw those butterfly shadows when the two faced each other."

"If that's the case, wouldn't that evil cultivator have known about our plan to switch places and have Daoist Wuyan impersonate Wu Guihong long ago?"

Gu Yi nodded.

She was skilled in the art of observing qi, and could see the qi of mountains, rivers, cities, and even the overall fortune of the land.

The reason why they delayed entering Tongzhou and lingered outside the city for several days was because they noticed something unusual about the place and wanted to find out the details of Tongzhou first.

Now, the origins and development of the Ghost Sorrow Mountains are clear.

Sensing Hu Sanlang's worry, Gu Yiguan said:

"Don't worry, the surrounding mountains are all her territory, your plans can't be hidden from her."

"Huh?! This... how can I not feel at ease?" Hu Sanlang's eyes widened.

Gu Yiguan explained:

"If it really is Wu Guihong, he won't survive if he falls into her hands."

“Fellow Daoist Hu, I have observed that your conduct is quite righteous, and I deeply respect you; Fellow Daoist Rong, who is traveling with you, also has the demeanor of a chivalrous knight, and I hit it off with her at first sight.”

“The Ghost Sorrow Mountains may have lingering misfortunes, making them unsuitable for establishing a sect or school.”

"Since you are close friends with Junior Sister Zhu, you are also my friends, Gu Yiguan. Why not come to the Star-Picking Tower and establish your relationship, so as to fulfill this rare friendship?"

Hu Sanlang naturally understood the implied meaning.

He scratched his head, feigning naivety, and said:

"Fellow Daoist Zhu hasn't been rescued yet, so how can I have time to think about sect matters? My little mountain is nothing special; it's just a bunch of guys who got together randomly. If we go to a major sect, I'm afraid I won't know the proper etiquette and will make a fool of myself. Just thinking about it makes me anxious, and I'm too embarrassed to go."

"Why was it Wu Guihong who was spared?"

Gu Yiguan readily accepted good advice and said:

"You all aspire to travel far and wide. It was my rashness to confine several heroes of the martial world to the territory of a single sect."

"Unfortunately, there are several small sects in the north of the Star-Picking Tower's territory that are too unruly. Although they are not strong, our Star-Picking Tower has always been benevolent and righteous, so we can only tolerate their nonsense."

"If there were a sect like Illusion Butterfly Mountain that followed the rules, it would save us a lot of trouble."

"This matter will be discussed later."

"The most urgent task is to rescue Junior Sister Zhu."