The Demon Eye of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Chapter 98 Sun Li

In Tianxing City, in the southern district, there is an inconspicuous underground secret room.

This is an extremely secretive trading place under the Miaoyin Sect. The surrounding stone walls are engraved with heavy restrictive arrays, which completely isolate the divine senses inside and outside. It is often used by the sect to handle some shady transactions that cannot be seen in the light.

Inside the hidden chamber, Zi Ling, dressed in a plain-colored long dress and with a light veil covering her face, sat regally in the main seat.

In the shadows opposite her sat a middle-aged man in a gray robe with a gloomy face and a faint demonic aura.

This person was none other than Sun Li.

If the people of Jiyin Island were here, they would be terrified.

Sun Li was originally a capable disciple of the Ji Yin Ancestor. Just half a month ago, he took advantage of the Ji Yin Ancestor's seclusion to cultivate the "Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire" and stole a crucial fragment of the Void Heaven Map from the sect, then defected from Ji Yin Island overnight.

His original plan was to use Tianxing City to escape to the Tongtian Mist Sea in the outer sea and live in anonymity.

The place is shrouded in thick fog year-round, limiting one's spiritual sense. It is a notoriously dangerous place in the Chaotic Star Sea, making it an ideal hiding place for a desperate criminal like him.

What he didn't expect was that his seemingly foolproof movements were actually detected by the vast secret intelligence network of the Miaoyin Sect.

"Senior Sun, let's not beat around the bush."

Zi Ling personally poured a cup of spiritual tea and pushed it towards him, saying, "Extreme Yin Island is currently searching for your whereabouts like madmen. I'm afraid your trip to the Tongtian Mist Sea won't be so easy, senior."

Sun Li slightly raised his eyelids and sneered, "Sect Master Zi Ling is quite well-informed. However, I, Sun, am at least a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, and I'll be breaking through to the late stage soon. I also have four pseudo-Core Formation disciples under my command. If my disciples and I join forces, we can even hold our own against a late-stage Core Formation cultivator. It won't be so easy for Ji Yin Island to capture me."

"Senior's abilities are extraordinary, but being watched by a pack of mad dogs is not a long-term solution. Moreover, resources are scarce in the Tongtian Mist Sea, so it's unlikely that things will be easy for you there."

Zi Ling spoke calmly, getting straight to the point: "This humble woman has a deal that can not only help you safely reach the Heavenly Mist Sea, but also provide you with a wealth of resources to settle down and make a living. I wonder if you would be interested?"

A flicker of greed crossed Sun Li's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it with wariness: "What kind of deal?"

Zi Ling flicked her finger, and a jade slip fell into Sun Li's hand.

"Two foolish elders within the Miaoyin Sect have secretly intercepted a batch of sect resources behind my back, planning to secretly collect them at 'Black Reef Island' in three days. I need you to rob this shipment."

Sun Li scanned the jade slip with his divine sense, and his expression immediately darkened:

"Sect Master Ziling, are you making fun of me? Although I don't visit Tianxing City often, I still know some things. Zhao Zheng and Fu Bai are both from the Star Palace! If I attack them, what if the Star Palace comes after me? Although I have defected from Jiyin Island, I dare not openly oppose the Star Palace."

Zi Ling chuckled lightly: "Senior, don't worry. Now that they've joined the Miaoyin Sect, they have no elders from the Star Palace backing them up. Even if you kill them at sea, no one from the Star Palace will pursue the matter."

"Besides..."

Zi Ling's beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "Senior dared to betray even the Extreme Yin Island, so why should you fear mere peripheral figures from two Star Palaces?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Li's face showed a thoughtful expression.

He was indeed not afraid of one being in the mid-stage of Core Formation and the other in the early stage.

Moreover, he has now offended Jiyin Island and is trying to escape for his life; those with nothing to lose are not afraid of those wearing shoes.

Moreover, traveling to the Tongtian Mist Sea does require a lot of resources for cultivation. When he left Jiyin Island, it was already difficult enough that he was able to take away that crucial fragment of the Void Heaven Map; he didn't have much wealth on him at all.

"Sect Master Ziling, please state your conditions first," Sun Li said, relenting.

Upon hearing this, Zi Ling's eyes flashed with a confident smile: "Thirty thousand spirit stones, plus three bottles of Snow Essence Pills to improve your Core Formation cultivation. Moreover, if things go well, I can send another cargo ship to the Tongtian Mist Sea to provide cover for you, senior, so that you won't be exposed to more people and the news won't leak out."

"Too little."

Sun Li refused without hesitation, saying, "The price of offending the Star Palace cannot be compensated by these spirit stones, pills, and a ship."

He paused, then continued, "One hundred thousand spirit stones, plus those three bottles of pills and the cargo ship, not a single penny less."

"Senior Sun, it's not a good habit to ask for an exorbitant amount."

Zi Ling's eyes turned slightly cold. "The bounty on Ji Yin Island lists your whereabouts as worth 30,000 spirit stones. If I were to 'accidentally' leak your location to outsiders, how many cultivators do you think would rush to capture you and claim the reward?"

Sun Li's expression stiffened, and his demonic energy surged faintly around him, but under Zi Ling's calm and composed gaze, he ultimately managed to suppress it.

After all, this is Tianxing City, so he can't act recklessly here. Besides, Zi Ling dared to come here alone with him, so she must have a backup plan. He has finally escaped the clutches of Ji Yin, so he can't afford to die here.

He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying, "Fifty thousand spirit stones, everything else as usual. Sect Master Ziling, this is my bottom line. Apart from myself, there are probably few people in this Chaotic Star Sea who would dare to risk the Star Palace's wrath for the sake of your Myriad Sounds Sect's internal strife!"

Zi Ling gave him a deep look, knowing that this was the limit of what he could concede, and nodded slightly: "Deal."

Seeing that she agreed so readily, Sun Li narrowed his eyes: "Let me make this clear from the start, the people of the Star Palace have many tricks up their sleeves. If you push them too far, I can't guarantee that I'll leave them alive."

"If there are any casualties, and the Star Palace comes knocking on the Purple Spirit Sect Master's door, I, Sun, will not take the blame."

"This is the second thing I need to tell you."

Zi Ling's expression was solemn: "We'll only rob the goods, not kill anyone. You and your men will corner Zhao Zheng and Fu Bai, making them suffer a great loss. But remember, if any third-party cultivator intervenes, regardless of their cultivation level, you must immediately retreat with your men. I will still pay your reward."

Sun Li was stunned.

Should we retreat if someone intervenes?

Having mingled in the demonic path for hundreds of years, this was the first time he had ever heard such a strange request.

"What's wrong? Fellow Daoist Sun, do you find it difficult?" Zi Ling asked calmly.

"...If you take someone's money, you have to do their bidding. As long as the spirit stones are in place, I, Sun, will comply."

Sun Li suppressed his doubts and put the jade slip away.

Half an hour later, Sun Li left the Dark Pavilion without making a sound.

Zi Ling sat alone in the empty room, her fingertips gently stroking the rim of the teacup, a deep, cold glint flashing in her beautiful eyes.

"Zhao Zheng, Fu Bai..."

She silently repeated those two names in her heart.

"Since you are so greedy, not only lining your own pockets but also trying to swallow up my Miaoyin Sect, then don't blame me for using this villain to curb your arrogance."

Zi Ling stood up, her gaze seemingly piercing through the thick stone wall, looking towards a cave on the other side of Tianxing City.

"Elder Mu, I've set up the stage for you. Now it's up to you to see what you can do."