Chapter 109: Bewitching Ghost Fog! Senior Sister, Are You Sleepwalking?

As the four-person party pushed deeper into Kugu Forest, the light grew increasingly dim.

The grayish-white mist seemed almost alive, so thick it wouldn't disperse.

It not only blocked vision, but even compressed Divine Sense exploration down to a range of ten feet.

"This fog… isn't right."

Hongxiu, walking in the middle, suddenly stopped, her brows knitted tight.

She waved her hand in front of her, and the fog actually pulled out viscous strands like spider silk.

"This doesn't seem like ordinary miasma… Is it mixed with the scent of Soul-Bewitching Powder?"

"Soul-Bewitching Powder?"

Hearing this, Lvluo panicked, quickly covering her mouth and nose, speaking in a muffled voice:

"Then will we get poisoned? Will I turn into an idiot?"

"Don't worry, with Senior Brother here, even if someone turns into an idiot, it'll be—"

Gu Lan was about to turn around and tease her,

only to discover that Lvluo's eyes behind him had suddenly grown dazed.

Her hand, which had been grabbing his hem, slipped away, and she swayed on her feet, a silly smile spreading across her face.

"Hehe… chicken leg… such a big chicken leg…"

She stared at Gu Lan's arm, drool practically dripping, opening her mouth to bite down.

"Holy crap!"

Gu Lan acted fast, grabbing her cheek so her little canine teeth stopped a mere 0.01 centimeters from his skin.

"Wake up! I'm your Senior Brother, not braised pig trotter!"

However, Lvluo seemed entirely unable to hear him, smacking her lips intently.

"Not good! This fog can trigger Heart Demon illusions!"

Gu Lan was startled in his heart and abruptly looked at the other two.

He saw the usually cold and distant Lanyu actually draw her longsword.

Except the tip of her sword pointed at the ground, and amidst her blurred eyes was a trace of… despair?

"Don't go…"

She muttered to empty air, her voice filled with an unprecedented vulnerability.

"I can become stronger… I can protect you… Don't leave me behind…"

Saying so, she actually reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to grasp at something ethereal, a crystal tear sliding down from the corner of her eye.

This girl, cold as ice on ordinary days, really was hiding things in her heart.

Gu Lan's heart softened.

Before he could comfort Lanyu, a fragrant breeze suddenly assailed him from the side.

"Junior Brother…"

Hongxiu wrapped around him like a beautiful serpent.

Her hands hooked around Gu Lan's neck, her scorching body pressed tightly against him, her eyes so alluring they practically dripped water.

"It's so hot here…"

"Let's take off our clothes… to cool down, okay?"

As she spoke, her hands were already restlessly trying to untie Gu Lan's belt.

She even yanked at her own collar, revealing a large expanse of snowy skin.

"Senior Sister! Calm down! This is an illusion!"

Gu Lan felt like Tang Monk who had fallen into the Cave of the Silken Web.

On his left was Lvluo gnawing on him like a chicken leg, on his right was Hongxiu stripping him like a body pillow, and in front of him was Lanyu crying at thin air.

This team was impossible to lead!

"Looks like this Yinsha Sect really has some skill."

Gu Lan took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in his heart.

Although this mist was powerful enough to catch even Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators unaware,

to him—someone who possessed two Heavenly Flames and a Divine Sense comparable to the Golden Core Stage—it was basically useless.

"I originally wanted to let you girls get some practice, but I didn't expect you all to be wiped out right at the start."

"In the end, it still falls on me, your Senior Brother, to save the day."

Gu Lan shook his head helplessly.

He wasn't in a hurry to break the illusion, though.

Instead…

He first reached out to help pull up Hongxiu's slipping clothes, casually taking an "accidental" measurement of whether Senior Sister had grown bigger recently.

"Mm, indeed quite well-endowed."

Then he wiped Lvluo's drool and pinched her chubby little cheeks.

"Feels nice."

Finally, he walked over to Lanyu, gently wiping away the tear at the corner of her eye.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother won't leave."

Only after finishing all this did Gu Lan put away his playful mood, his eyes turning sharply fierce.

"Break!"

He shouted in a low voice.

At his brow, a burst of intermingled blue and red flames abruptly erupted!

Boom—!

Centered on Gu Lan, a scorching wave of air instantly swept across the surroundings.

The viscous, eerie mist, upon encountering this Heavenly Flame fluctuation containing pure Yang Qi, melted like snow under a blazing sun, letting out a sizzling scream before rapidly dispersing!

"Ugh…"

The mist dissipated.

The three women, who were previously immersed in illusions, trembled, their eyes gradually regaining clarity.

"Where… where am I?"

Lvluo blinked in confusion, finding herself hugging Gu Lan's thigh with her mouth opened wide.

"Huh? Where's my big chicken leg?"

"What chicken leg? That's my leg!"

Gu Lan knocked her on the head in annoyance.

On the other side, Hongxiu also returned to her senses.

She looked down at her disheveled collar, then looked at Gu Lan, who was staring at her with a mischievous smirk, instantly realizing what had happened.

In that instant, this "seasoned driver" who usually took pleasure in teasing her Junior Brother blushed furiously.

"Just now… did I…"

"Yes."

Gu Lan nodded, looking like he was savoring the memory.

"Senior Sister was so enthusiastic just now, insisting on taking off her clothes, I couldn't even stop you."

"If not for outsiders being here, your Junior Brother would have… yielded."

"Ah! I want to die!"

Overcome with shame and embarrassment, Hongxiu covered her face and squatted on the ground.

As for Lanyu…

After regaining her sanity, her first instinct was to look at Gu Lan.

Seeing Gu Lan looking at her gently, she seemed to remember what she had said in the illusion, an extremely rare flush surfacing on her cold face.

She flusterly sheathed her sword and turned around, turning her back to everyone.

"J-Just now was an illusion."

"I didn't say anything."

This kind of self-exposing explanation only made her even more adorable.

"Alright, don't be shy."

Gu Lan clapped his hands, pulling the attention of the three back.

"This fog is controlled by someone."

"When I broke the formation just now, I sensed the location of the formation eye."

He turned to look towards the pitch-black dense forest on the right, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold smirk.

"After watching the show for so long, aren't you coming out?"

"Do I really have to invite you out?"

As soon as his voice fell,

Gu Lan casually pointed a finger.

A fiery red Sword Qi shot out, going straight toward that huge withered tree.

"Boom!"

The withered tree exploded instantly.

A black-robed figure tumbled out of the trunk with a miserable scream, crashing heavily onto the ground.

It was a haggard old man wearing a black robe, holding a damaged Formation Flag in his hand.

Right now, he was looking at Gu Lan in terror, dark blood dripping from his mouth.

"Heavenly Flame… You actually possess a Heavenly Flame?!"

"You're a Core Disciple of Qingyun Sect?!"

The old man struggled, wanting to crawl up and escape, but Hongxiu, who arrived right after, stepped heavily on his chest.

"Was it you, old fogey, who made me embarrass myself just now?"

Hongxiu was currently brimming with rage with nowhere to vent; putting a bit of force into her high-heeled boot, she directly snapped two of the old man's ribs.

"Aaargh–!! Immortal Lady, spare my life! Spare my life!"

The old man let out a pig-slaughtering scream.

"Speak!"

Gu Lan walked forward, his fentian sword pressed against the old man's neck, the intense heat scorching his skin with a sizzling sound.

"What is your Yinsha Sect doing in Kugu Forest?"

"Why are there so many Iron Corpses? And this soul-bewitching formation, who is it guarding against?"

"I… I'll speak! I'll speak!"

Scared out of his wits, the old man spilled everything like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

"We are… refining a 'Blood Corpse King'!"

"The Sect Master captured over a hundred Loose Cultivators and is conducting a blood sacrifice in the 'Yin-Gathering Pit' ahead… As long as another two hours pass, the Blood Corpse King will be born!"

"When that time comes, let alone Qingyun Sect, even Golden Core Stage Cultivators will die!"

"Blood Corpse King?"

Gu Lan frowned.

This kind of evil creature was nurtured with the blood of living people. Once created, it possessed immense strength, invulnerability to weapons, and its own toxic Domain, making it truly difficult to deal with.

"What else?"

Gu Lan pressed his sword down slightly. "Is Saintess Ji Wushuang there?"

"S-Saintess Lady?"

The old man froze for a moment, then nodded frantically.

"Yes! She is!"

"Saintess Lady just arrived yesterday, saying… saying she came to supervise."

"However…"

The old man peeked at Gu Lan's handsome face and swallowed hard.

"Saintess Lady also brought a portrait and told us to keep an eye out for the person on it."

"That portrait… looks… exactly the same as you, young hero."

Gu Lan: "…"

This woman really was lingering like a ghost!

"Senior Brother…"

Lvluo poked her head out from behind, her face full of curiosity.

"Why is that Demon Cult Saintess looking for you?"

"Could it be… you owe her a romantic debt too?"

Hongxiu and Lanyu's gazes instantly grew sharp, like two daggers stabbing into Gu Lan.

"Ahem!"

Gu Lan knocked the old man unconscious with his sword, speaking with righteous severity:

"Nonsense!"

"She's definitely jealous of how handsome I am and wants to disfigure me!"

"Let's go! We're heading to that 'Yin-Gathering Pit' to see!"

"I'd like to see what kind of waves this Yinsha Sect can pull off!"

Gu Lan turned and left, his back carrying a hint of… fleeing in panic.

Looking at his retreating back,

Hongxiu licked her lips, a glint of slyness flashing in her eyes.

"Disfigure?"

"Looks to me like… she wants to snatch him back to be her bandit husband, right?"

"Sisters, seems like we need to keep a close eye on him."

"We can't let the Demon Cult's cabbage root up the pig of our Nuanxiang Pavilion!"