Heretical Sects

The injured wild wolves had clearly gone berserk. Three of them lunged at Ye Qingyun simultaneously, creating an immediate predicament.

Despite his fierce resistance, he was overwhelmed by their coordinated assault.

One wild wolf sank its fangs into his arm, while another clamped down on his shoulder. The combined might of the three beasts pinned him ruthlessly to the ground.

The third wild wolf, however, found its attack parried by the sword he held before him.

“It hurts so much!” A searing agony flared from his shoulder and arm, filling Ye Qingyun with profound dread. ‘Is this some kind of mistake? This pain feels far too real, utterly unlike a mere simulation.’

Blood welled up, staining his shoulder and arm crimson.

The system promptly issued a warning to Ye Qingyun.

[Player, be warned: your Health Points are rapidly depleting. Should they reach zero, your player data will be wiped. This is not a mere game over; a data wipe signifies true death.]

These ominous words intensified Ye Qingyun’s panic. In his distress, a crimson radiance suddenly emanated from his blood-red eyes.

The three wild wolves, witnessing this eerie glow, momentarily faltered.

Ye Qingyun instantly perceived a new status effect lingering over the beasts.

[Soul Absorption: The wild wolves are currently under the primary restriction of Ye Qingyun’s ocular technique.]

The moment this status manifested, Ye Qingyun realized his Blood Spirit Demonic Eyes had activated. Yet, he was astonished that such power could affect even wild beasts.

A strange mix of elation and bewilderment washed over him.

The three wild wolves had momentarily lost their senses. Seizing the chance, Ye Qingyun lifted his leg and forcefully kicked away the beast that had him pinned.

Then, gritting his teeth against the agony, he shoved off the wild wolf still clinging to his arm.

He had only five precious seconds.

Ye Qingyun knew he could not squander a single moment of those five seconds. Without a word, he raised his sword and plunged it towards the wild wolves’ eyes, aiming to inflict the greatest possible damage with swift, decisive strikes.

After blinding the wild wolves, a new prompt appeared above their heads, indicating they had entered a ‘Blind’ status. These creatures truly felt like something from a game, yet the realism was startling.

Stripped of their sight, the wild wolves’ combat effectiveness plummeted by more than half, leaving them almost entirely devoid of offensive capabilities. The three beasts writhed and howled like rabid dogs, consumed by agony.

Understanding the adage “strike while the iron is hot,” Ye Qingyun surged forward, unleashing a flurry of wild slashes upon the three wild wolves.

Their health bars plummeted, and soon, they collapsed into the growing pools of their own blood.

Once the wild wolves were slain, the system issued a new notification.

[Notification: Player has successfully completed the novice battle. Rewards: 10 Cultivation Conversion Pills, 100 Primary Hemostatic Powder.]

This was precisely what Ye Qingyun had been anticipating. Moments later, a package materialized from the void and landed before him.

With a joyful smile, Ye Qingyun eagerly opened it, confirming that its contents perfectly matched the promised rewards.

[Warning: Player is currently suffering from a bleeding status. Please apply hemostasis immediately, or your life will be in severe peril.]

Upon receiving this urgent message, Ye Qingyun hastily grabbed a packet of hemostatic powder and sprinkled it over his wounds. The bleeding quickly ceased, though a dull ache still persisted.

Nevertheless, it was a significant improvement compared to the searing pain he had felt moments ago.

“Heh, all done. Time to get moving again.” Ye Qingyun exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, then resumed his trek.

As he continued his journey, Ye Qingyun abruptly halted. A streak of obsidian light descended from the heavens, materializing directly before him with terrifying suddenness.

The unexpected appearance made Ye Qingyun jump.

Yet, the information displayed about the newcomer left him even more utterly flabbergasted.

[Warning: Player has encountered an unknown powerful entity. Exercise extreme caution in any interaction, or your life will be in severe peril.]

Ye Qingyun inwardly bemoaned his terrible fortune. The black-clad figure before him was simply labeled ‘Mysterious Person,’ and their danger rating was displayed as a full, ominous twelve stars—the absolute maximum.

This meant the individual presented a one hundred percent fatal threat to Ye Qingyun.

While a name was conspicuously absent, its color was a chilling, unsettling crimson.

In this game where anything was possible, Ye Qingyun couldn’t help but wonder if he had just stumbled upon another grand opportunity.

“Oh? Esteemed Senior, may I ask why you’ve chosen to block my path?” Ye Qingyun feigned an expression of utter fright as he addressed the figure.

The eyes concealed within the black robe intently observed Ye Qingyun, growing notably more silent after their gaze fell upon his peculiar eyes.

“You… your eyes. Why are they this color?” The black-robed figure finally spoke.

It was undeniably a woman’s voice.

“Ah? These… they’re natural. Is there a problem?” Ye Qingyun responded with extreme deference. He had no choice; dying was not an option.

As Ye Qingyun’s demeanor grew increasingly submissive, the ominous danger rating began to recede.

“Natural? How intriguing.” The mysterious woman chuckled softly. “Heh, little girl, what is your name?”

“Ye Qingrou. My name is Ye Qingrou,” Ye Qingyun promptly answered.

“Hmm, Ye Qingrou? I shall remember that. Tell me, Ye Qingrou, do you know who I am?” The mysterious woman inquired, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Ye Qingyun was no fool. This woman was clearly no ordinary individual; to descend from the sky indicated she was a true master within this game world, and most certainly not another player.

“This junior is unaware,” Ye Qingyun replied. Even if he possessed knowledge, he would never reveal it.

He understood that handling this situation correctly could lead to a grand opportunity, but a misstep could easily spell his demise.

“Heh, I am a Protector of the Five Poisons Sect. I’ve observed your innate, unusual eyes, and you don’t appear to be an ordinary individual. Thus, I wish to invite you to join the Five Poisons Sect. Are you interested?” The woman asked, a sly smile gracing her lips.

The moment her words left her lips, the familiar chime of a system notification echoed in Ye Qingyun’s ears.

[Notification: Player has encountered an opportunity to join an unorthodox sect. Do you agree to initiation?]

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyun was momentarily overcome with joy. He had truly stumbled upon a martial arts sect!

With this initiation quest now available, Ye Qingyun had the choice to accept or decline. He would, of course, never refuse.

This was a game, and when opportunity knocked, one simply had to answer.

Aside from Jiang Mofeng, Ye Qingyun hadn’t heard of anyone else joining a sect. He might very well become the second player to do so.

“Yes, Senior, I am willing,” Ye Qingyun affirmed, nodding his head without hesitation.

The mysterious woman immediately smiled. Then, she reached up and removed the hood covering her head, revealing a face of striking, almost sinister, allure.

Her lips were a deep, unnatural black, and her heavy makeup was unsettlingly bizarre. One glance was enough to tell Ye Qingyun that this woman was trouble.

“Very well. I am Sheling, a Protector of the Five Poisons Sect from Xichuan, within the Song Kingdom. On behalf of our sect, I formally invite you to join our ranks,” the unorthodox woman declared with a subtle smile.

Ye Qingyun froze once more. He hadn’t anticipated that the sect he encountered would be an unorthodox, even demonic, faction.

Yet, Ye Qingyun didn’t refuse. Experiencing the unorthodox path might prove to be an interesting adventure.

Thus, he agreed to join the Five Poisons Sect.

“Very well. I am willing to join the Five Poisons Sect,” Ye Qingyun confirmed with a nod.

The instant he gave his consent, a system notification chimed, broadcast across the entire world channel.

[Congratulations, Player Ye Qingrou! You have successfully joined the Xichuan Five Poisons Sect, becoming the second player across the entire server to enter a martial arts faction! For this achievement, you are rewarded: 1 Fragment of the Seven Emotions Six Desires Art, 20 Cultivation Conversion Pills, and 30 True Qi Pills.]

[Congratulations on joining a martial arts sect! The Martial Arts Survival System is now active!]

A cascade of messages flooded Ye Qingyun’s mind, while simultaneously, his new rewards automatically appeared within his spatial storage ring.

Ye Qingyun merely gave them a quick glance, a wide smile spreading across his face.

“Come with me. My Five Poisons Sect is currently conscripting able-bodied individuals in the town ahead. I shall rendezvous with them first, and then we will return to the sect proper,” Sheling stated calmly.

Ye Qingyun nodded. The very next instant, Sheling’s hand clasped his shoulder, and Ye Qingyun felt himself swept up by an invisible force, soaring into the sky with the wind.

This sensation was utterly exhilarating! While the initial feeling of weightlessness was disorienting, he gradually grew accustomed to it.

Ye Qingyun, making use of the flight time, began to examine the newly activated Martial Arts Survival System.

Carried aloft by Sheling, Ye Qingyun soon found himself hovering above a bustling town.

The situation within the town, however, was far from ideal. Panicked commoners scurried everywhere, desperately trying to escape the black-clad figures who were relentlessly rounding them up.

Ye Qingyun understood immediately that this was the Five Poisons Sect conscripting labor. Unlike righteous sects, unorthodox factions typically engaged in activities that were met with widespread disdain and opposition.

Ye Qingyun merely cast a glance before averting his eyes. These matters held no relevance to him.

Moreover, it was just a game; if he harbored any moral qualms, he might as well just self-destruct.

After assessing the town’s chaos, Sheling guided Ye Qingyun to the outskirts, where a contingent of black-clad figures stood guard near the exit.

As Sheling and Ye Qingyun descended, the assembled figures immediately bowed in deference.

“Greetings, Protector!” they chorused, bowing low.

“Hmm, how fares the task?” Sheling inquired.

The black-robed individuals cast a quick glance at Ye Qingyun before responding.

“To answer the Protector, most of the town’s populace has already fled. Few remain,” a disciple of the Five Poisons Sect reported.

“Alright, then simply capture as many as you can. Oh, and by the way, this is a young girl I encountered on the road. Her aptitude is quite good, so I’ve brought her along,” Sheling explained, gesturing towards Ye Qingyun.

The Five Poisons Sect disciples were momentarily stunned. For Sheling to take an interest in someone meant they were no ordinary individual.

When they saw Ye Qingyun’s blood-red eyes, expressions of astonishment immediately appeared on their faces. Innate unusual eyes surely meant she was extraordinary.

“Is that so? Someone favored by the Elder must certainly be far superior to those we haphazardly capture,” a male disciple remarked with a chuckle.