Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

The entrance opened once more, and Zhang Ze followed Jin Qiong down the path. Judging by the marks of the tunnel, while it was well-constructed, it was clearly not some relic from ten thousand years ago.

It seems that the Young Master genuinely believed this place to be foolproof, as there were no Restrictions or mechanisms in place here.

After walking for a moment, they arrived at a hall.

The hall was brightly lit, but there were no mystic Arrays or Ancient Giant Divine Soldiers, only chaos.

A few Evil Cultivators and followers of the Outer Path had gathered here, and because the place was filled with their own, they spoke and chatted recklessly.

Zhang Ze wandered around, and soon understood the nature of these people.

Half of them belonged to the Hundred Demons Sect, and the rest were all Loose Cultivators from evil paths.

The Hundred Demons Sect members were divided into two groups; one half was in uniform attire, guarding several corridors, presumably the Young Master's confidants.

The remainder belonged to different factions. Listening to their chatter, they seemed to be remnants of various destroyed branches.

They only spoke to those they were familiar with, boasting about their evil deeds, subtly competing with one another in groups of three to five.

Such behavior was normal, but some individuals were peculiar and anti-social.

For instance, a Cultivator dressed in black, not saying a word, stood alone behind a column, cloak drawn like someone suffering from autism.

Then there were those who practiced the Harmony Dharma Method, who had already agreed on where to go to practice with each other and verify their achievements after the matter was settled.

Perverse, yet reasonable.

Despite their brazen talk, they occasionally discussed serious matters.

From their conversation, Zhang Ze learned that this gathering was for the Ghost Horse Helm's recruitment by the Hundred Demons Sect; after passing the assessment, they could join the sect.

With no new information, and as they started discussing Empress Huang, Zhang Ze returned to Jin Qiong's side.

He was not in the main hall but in a stone chamber, engaged in secret talks.

Jin Qiong was of medium stature, with a Golden Core cultivation, looking like a middle-aged scholar. His Magical Artifact was a pair of walnuts, which revealed their true form while in his territory.

The walnuts transformed into two Ghost Infants, crawling over Jin Qiong's hands, occasionally licking his fingers.

"Jin Qiong, you're as disgusting as ever."

Standing with Jin Qiong were two Cultivators resembling Ox-Head and Horse-Face; the horse-faced one was called Lv You, and the short, stout Daoist was named Hen Hu.

Jin Qiong ignored Hen Hu's rude remark. Having worked together for years, he knew Hen Hu's foul mouth well, along with his pretentious Daoist persona.

He turned to Lv You, "You oversee the larger situation here; I'm going to meet the Young Master."

Lv You cupped his hands towards him, indicating that Jin Qiong could proceed as he pleased.

After taking one step, Jin Qiong turned back, saying, "Be cautious. If you find any interlopers, you may..."

Jin Qiong made a throat-cutting gesture.

Lv You was somewhat impatient, "This place is hidden, and everyone in the hall was brought in by Hen Hu and me. What do you mean by this?"

"Just advising you to be careful. With so much at stake, one can't be too cautious. There are infinite variations in the world," replied Jin Qiong seriously.

Listening from the side, Zhang Ze nodded in agreement. Indeed.

Before Lv You could respond, Jin Qiong added, "It's not that I don't trust you two, but you've been preoccupied with the Spirit Realm matters and haven't traveled outside lately. You don't know that the Sword Sect is not what it once was."

"Do not take me for a fool; what's different?" Hen Hu shook his head in disbelief.

"Recently, I traveled the Cyan Thorn and visited Cang Mountain. The disciples of the Six Sects are different now; they all carry Magical Artifacts from the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion. These items are extremely tricky, and one cannot let their guard down," said Jin Qiong.

Zhang Ze, "?"

"Understood, Hen Hu and I will check once more. Let's not keep the Young Master waiting," Lv You nodded.

This time, Jin Qiong did not linger and opened another secret path, heading deeper.

...

The Young Master Ling Jiao sat in the study, drinking tea while waiting for Jin Qiong to return and report. Standing behind him was an old man with an extraordinary Nascent Soul cultivation.

Yet around his neck was a collar, with a dog chain draping to the floor, the other end held in Ling Jiao's hand.

Though called Young Master, Ling Jiao wasn't young, with gaunt cheeks and a wolfish look about him.

"Young Master" was merely a title given to those adopted by the Hundred Demons Sect Leader as godsons, and they could all be referred to as Young Master.

The number of Young Masters typically fluctuated between one hundred to one hundred and fifty, depending on how many had recently died.

And though they held the title, they lacked significant privilege because since the worldly emergence of the Hundred Demons Sect, there was only ever one Sect Leader.

Moreover, the selection of godsons was so random, with names casually given to the Elders without any review.

The selection method was almost random, with no known basis, even absurdly recognizing elders from the Six Sects unilaterally as godsons at times.

Sect's elders have undergone several generational shifts, but the reputedly immortal and indestructible Hundred Demons Sect Leader's bizarre preference for unilateral adoption hasn't changed.

So, from initially needing to back a Young Master, the Hundred Demons Sect Elders transitioned into a more indifferent attitude, not minding who the Young Master was.

An example like Ling Jiao, belonged to those who fared well, with a Nascent Soul cultivation, not only did he hold the power over a helm but also had a few loyal subordinates.

Ling Jiao's mood had been good lately, only because for a few months now, he felt luck was on his side.

Not only did he scheme to kill his rival for helm leadership, but he also refined him into his Ghost Horse Slave and later discovered this Secret Realm.

This Secret Realm was not only secluded, but what he found inside was extraordinary. Despite the dangers, he believed that if utilized well, it could severely damage the Sword Sect!

Had it not been for the current Main Helm's order to lie low, and his reluctance to report his findings for the time being, Ling Jiao thought he might even have a chance to enter the Main Helm and become an Elder in the future.