Chapter Forty-Eight: A Glimpse of the World

Hearing that Old Mou actually claimed he would look after him, Wang Changsheng was both amused and exasperated.

They were both sacrificial offerings, and Old Mou was just the kind of offering that had already started to rot a bit—lucky to have survived this long, and yet he dared to say he would protect him?

How could Wang Changsheng not laugh?

If Old Mou’s luck turned for the worse, he might be sent off as tribute as soon as tomorrow—who could say for sure!

Alright, even if we take a step back, even if this weren’t the Corpse Refining Sect but another ordinary sect, someone from the servant quarters would never hold much status. Let alone the inner core disciples, even the outer disciples would outrank him!

Wang Changsheng truly had no idea where Old Mou got the nerve to declare he would cover for him.

Still, Wang Changsheng didn’t bother to argue. After some careful observation, he was certain Old Mou’s mind was not all there, so he might as well let him boast as he pleased.

He returned to his room to continue his cultivation. The offerings Old Mou brought back last time were of even better quality than before; among them was a medium-grade spirit stone. Even though Wang Changsheng set the spirit stone aside and didn’t use it for training, just the spiritual herbs and lower-grade stones were enough for his needs.

Several days passed in cultivation. Timing his practice, Wang Changsheng exhaled a long breath, a grave look in his eyes. “Live or die, today I must see for myself!”

With that, he slowly stepped out of his room, as if embarking on a journey with no return.

No sooner had he crossed the threshold than he saw Old Mou emerging from his room as well.

“Old Wang!” Old Mou greeted him.

Wang Changsheng nodded in response and followed Old Mou out of the small courtyard.

The moment Wang Changsheng stepped out, he was struck by a sense of clarity and relief, as if leaving a cage behind. Even the true qi within his body began to surge.

“A breakthrough?” Wang Changsheng was instantly alert.

Suppressing the urge, he glanced back at the courtyard, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.

After a brief restlessness, Wang Changsheng realized the reason for this feeling: ever since being captured, he’d hidden in the courtyard, too afraid to step out. To leave it now was an act of courage—a breakthrough in his very state of mind.

“Old Wang, why are you following me?” Old Mou, walking ahead, sensed the fluctuation of qi from Wang Changsheng and turned, his face puzzled.

Wang Changsheng was speechless.

Apparently, Old Mou had already forgotten!

“Old Mou, isn’t today the day to collect provisions?” Wang Changsheng prompted.

Old Mou nodded.

“Then, how do you know today’s the day for provisions?” Wang Changsheng seized the opportunity to ask a question that had bothered him for some time. Last time, he hadn’t gotten an answer; today, with the handout upon them, he was determined to find out.

“That’s right...how do I know?” Old Mou furrowed his brow, puzzled.

That was that—Wang Changsheng realized he’d asked in vain again.

“So is today actually the day for provisions?” After a moment’s thought, Old Mou ended up asking Wang Changsheng, “Do you remember?”

Wang Changsheng was exasperated, replying through gritted teeth, “Yes!”

“Well then, that’s settled!” Old Mou waved him off. “You can head back; I’ll go collect the provisions.”

Wang Changsheng stared in disbelief as Old Mou turned to leave.

So Old Mou had truly forgotten!

“Wait, Old Mou!” Wang Changsheng quickly called out.

“What now?” Old Mou frowned. “Old Wang, why do you have so many questions?”

Wang Changsheng sighed helplessly. “Old Mou, did you forget? Just a few days ago, you said you’d bring me along to get the provisions this time…”

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“You also said you’d show me the world…”

“You said that in this area, just mentioning your name would make anyone treat me with respect…”

“You even said you’d always look after me from now on…”

“What? Old Mou, did you forget all the things you promised?”

One after another, Wang Changsheng listed Old Mou’s boasts, and the more Old Mou listened, the more confused he became.

“Stop!” Old Mou had to interrupt as Wang Changsheng went on. “Did I really say all that?”

“Yes!” Wang Changsheng answered seriously. “Otherwise, how else would I know today’s the day for provisions?!”

“Well, that makes sense,” Old Mou muttered, clearly having forgotten everything he’d said before.

Completely forgotten.

Wang Changsheng had never met anyone like this before—he could only stare at Old Mou, unable to beat him in a fight, otherwise he might have pummeled him out of sheer frustration.

Seeing Old Mou still not agreeing, Wang Changsheng grew anxious. He’d finally summoned the courage to leave the courtyard and follow Old Mou to see the Corpse Refining Sect—surely he wouldn’t have to turn back without even glimpsing a single sect cultivator?

“Old Mou, I finally made up my mind to do this. Don’t you think you owe me something for such courage?” Wang Changsheng said coolly.

He didn’t dare get angry, so he could only look at Old Mou with earnest, searching eyes.

“Fine, let’s just say I said all that!” Old Mou finally relented under Wang Changsheng’s gaze. “Since I said it, I can’t just pretend it was wind! Come on, I’ll take you to see the world. From now on, I’ll look after you!”

With that, Old Mou led Wang Changsheng off in a certain direction.

No matter the process, at least Old Mou was now willing to take Wang Changsheng along—that was enough for him. As he followed, Wang Changsheng’s mind was full of thoughts.

Old Mou didn’t walk fast. The two of them crossed a low hill, and at once, a sprawling complex of palaces appeared on the mountainside beyond.

Below the palaces was a vast plaza, which Wang Changsheng found oddly familiar—he realized this was where he’d first seen Elder Yun after being captured.

But now the plaza was empty.

From a distance, the entire palace complex seemed shrouded in deathly silence, as if covered by a pall of gloom.

“Let’s go,” Old Mou said, and with a leap, flew across toward the other side.

Damn, Wang Changsheng thought in dismay.

Didn’t Old Mou realize that at his level, he couldn’t fly at all?

Sure enough, a few breaths later, Old Mou reappeared in front of him.

“Old Mou…” Wang Changsheng was just about to complain when Old Mou waved a large hand, enveloping him in a surge of true essence.

In an instant, he was carried along, flying toward one of the palace halls.

Before long, they landed at the entrance.

No sooner had they touched down than Wang Changsheng looked around, feeling a chill run through his heart.

Old Mou had brought him straight into a crowd—and these people were anything but normal. Their eyes glowed green now and then, and their bodies radiated deathly energy, with an occasional burst of vitality that was instantly suppressed.

He did a quick count—there were about a dozen people.

---

“Old Mou… about this…” Wang Changsheng’s voice trembled.

These people stared at him with greedy, green-lit eyes, as though he were a steaming bun fresh from the steamer. No wonder he was nervous!

He couldn’t understand it—weren’t the two of them sacrificial offerings? Offerings for the Corpse Refining Sect! How could Old Mou think it was a good idea to land them right in the middle of this crowd? Wasn’t this just waiting to be torn apart?

But Old Mou remained unruffled. Looking at the group, he suddenly bellowed, “What are you looking at? Get lost, all of you!”

Wang Changsheng was stunned into silence by Old Mou’s display of dominance—he honestly didn’t know what to say.

Since when did sacrificial offerings act so arrogantly?

Was the world changing? Was he falling behind?

He shrank further behind Old Mou, swallowing hard as the unfriendly stares from a dozen cultivators bored into him.

“Fatty…”

“What a big, fat one…”

“His energy’s a bit lacking…”

“Where’d this fatso come from?”

A barrage of comments from the crowd left Wang Changsheng sweating bullets.

He’d mentally prepared himself, but facing these cultivators in person felt like staring death in the face.

Wang Changsheng was truly frightened.

“Disobeying, are you? Is Old Mou’s word no longer law?” Old Mou growled.

With a surge of true essence, Old Mou’s aura sent the crowd scattering.

Even Wang Changsheng, hiding behind him, could only stare in disbelief.

“So forceful?” Wang Changsheng gaped, stunned.

Despite being a sacrificial offering, Old Mou acted with no such awareness—he was domineering, even daring to challenge the Corpse Refining Sect’s own cultivators.

Wang Changsheng suddenly felt that, though Old Mou’s mind was muddled, at least he treated Wang Changsheng rather decently.

“Old Mou? Wait—he’s Old Mou?”

“Did I hear that right? He said… he’s Old Mou…”

“Skin and bones, hair in tangles—it’s him, no mistake! Run!!”

As Wang Changsheng stood stunned, the dozen or so Corpse Refining Sect cultivators, on hearing Old Mou’s name, reacted with disbelief.

In less than three breaths, the crowd vanished—there wasn’t a single cultivator left in sight.

“What… what on earth just happened?” Wang Changsheng was utterly bewildered.

He even edged a few steps further away from Old Mou.