"I hear that the Sky-Moon Sage of the Sun-Blind Tribe possesses a vast hoard of Ten Thousand Poisons Stone. Go and seize it for me. Upon success, I shall promote you to Master of the Ten Thousand Worms Hall in the Demon Insect Sect, putting all crawling things under your command," the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor commanded, a hint of malicious pleasure playing on his lips. "Of course, you must complete this task within ten days, or you will suffer the backlash of the Hundred Worm Souls, resulting in your body being utterly destroyed."

"Mmm." Only upon hearing this did Ye Xiu truly grasp the adage that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The Drought Zombie Insect Emperor presented an imposing facade, yet beneath it lay the inherent treachery characteristic of insects. "Does this mean the Hundred Worm Souls within me..."

"Hahaha, precisely! The Hundred Worm Souls in your body were merely implanted temporarily using my power. To truly possess them, you must enter my Hundred Worm Fierce Domain and subject yourself to the poison of a hundred worms." This was the core of the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor's villainy. "The Hundred Worm Souls bestowed by me will only last ten days. If your body is not infused with the Hundred Worm Poison after this period, they will vanish, and no one will be able to save you then."

"I understand." Ye Xiu's casual reply signaled he grasped the implication: whether in the Mortal Realm or the Nether-Bound Realm, to earn another's trust, one must demonstrate capability, even staking one's life on the gamble.

The Drought Zombie Insect Emperor glanced at Ye Xiu with a hint of encouragement. "For someone of your strength, retrieving the Ten Thousand Poisons Stone should be no great difficulty. Rest assured, when you return victorious, I will personally escort you into the Hundred Worm Fierce Domain to cultivate the true Hundred Worm Souls."

"Hoo..." Ye Xiu bowed deeply. "Since that is the case, your subordinate shall take his leave now. I trust the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor will honor his promise."

"Naturally. The Sky-Moon Sage is secluded in the Flying Heaven Grotto; do not take him lightly," the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor declared, waving his sleeve and turning his back on the assembly, his imposing posture commanding awe.

"Let's go! What are you still staring at?" Ye Xiu scolded Jun Bugu, laced with slight complaint, and led the way out of the main hall. His original purpose in joining the Demon Insect Sect was to investigate the Demon Peak Sect. His neat plan had been turned against him by the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor; now his life was in jeopardy, and he had antagonized the Sun-Blind Tribe as well. He had no idea what to do.

"Let's go. I was bored here anyway," Jun Bugu replied, lighthearted, hands clasped behind his back, humming a tune as he followed Ye Xiu out of the great hall.

"My Lord, your Hundred Worm Souls are so precious; how could you bestow them upon this whelp?" A worm-man fanning himself with a feather fan stepped forward to advise. "And promising him the position of Master of the Ten Thousand Worms Hall! How can a weak little demon fox compare to us true Demon Insects?"

"Heh, Demon Ant, you are unaware. This man easily slew the Judge of Death; his strength should not be underestimated. If he truly dedicates himself to my cause, our Demon Insect Sect will soon dominate the entire Nether-Bound Realm." The Drought Zombie Insect Emperor held a measure of appreciation for Ye Xiu's power, though he remained oblivious that the Judge of Death had actually fallen to the seemingly simple-minded Jun Bugu.

Hearing this, the Demon Ant bowed low in flattery. "It is the Insect Emperor whose foresight is unparalleled; your subordinate is indeed ignorant."

"With the Hundred Worm Souls, I feel like I really can burrow through earth and tunnel through mountains." Ye Xiu tried to channel the power of the souls, concentrating them in his fingertip. To his astonishment, the nail on that hand instantly lengthened. When he gently scraped the dirt on the ground, he managed to lift a large chunk effortlessly. "With this ability, I need not fear the Demon Peak Sect."

"But we don't even know where the Demon Peak Sect is. How can we fight them?" Jun Bugu was inherently naive and simple-minded.

Ye Xiu smacked him on the head, roaring fiercely, "Didn't you hear? If I don't retrieve the Ten Thousand Poisons Stone within ten days, I'm done for! Now, we must track down those Sun-Blind Tribe people. What kind of figure is this Sky-Moon Sage?"

"Ouch, don't hit so hard!" Jun Bugu clutched his head, crying out in distress. "Isn't the Sky-Moon Sage right there in the Flying Heaven Grotto? I'll go with you, but..."

"So you know the way after all," Ye Xiu said, already impatient. He couldn't fathom why the Demon Peak Sect had taken Qi'er. "No buts, hurry up! Let's go!"

"Ah, fine then." Jun Bugu tried to speak further, but Ye Xiu cut him off. Helplessly, he shook his head and ambled ahead to lead the way.

After several twists and turns, traversing mountains and crossing ridges, several days had already passed since Qi'er was taken. Ye Xiu never imagined that in this unfamiliar land, the one accompanying him would be a raving lunatic, not Old Liu. The Nether-Bound Realm held too many mysteries; he was fortunate not to have brought Mei Yi along.

"Are you sure about the path you're taking? It looks like we've been circling the Corpse Demon Forest the whole time. Shouldn't we be looking for the Sun-Blind Tribe?" Ye Xiu had grown accustomed to the sights of forests and vegetation over the past few days, guessing this must be typical scenery for the Corpse Demon Forest.

Jun Bugu replied confidently, "The Flying Heaven Grotto is within the Corpse Demon Forest, not in any Sun-Blind Tribe territory."

"Just what sort of character is this Sky-Moon Sage that even the Drought Zombie Insect Emperor covets him so much?" Ye Xiu couldn't figure it out. The Demon Insect Sect should have many capable subordinates; why dispatch him at this crucial time?

"Shhh... Don't talk, it looks like there are people fighting ahead." At this moment, Jun Bugu showed alertness for the first time. He actually pressed Ye Xiu down into the woods, cautiously observing the scene ahead. "Who are these people?"

Ye Xiu shoved Jun Bugu's hand away and stood up, roaring, "What's the fuss? There's no need to overreact just because there are people fighting!"

"Judging by their attire, those in black are from the Demon Peak Sect. Aren't you looking for them?" Jun Bugu said very seriously, holding his breath to get a clear look.

Ye Xiu's spirit lifted upon hearing of the Demon Peak Sect. He stood up and saw a group dressed entirely in black battling a group clad in various animal hides. The black-clad figures possessed incredible leaping ability; every move seemed to launch them skyward, as if soaring. "That's right. Although these guys haven't taken avian forms, I've certainly experienced their aerial assault techniques. I never expected to run into them accidentally."

"The ones below, shouting incessantly, are from the Demon Beast Sect. Why are the two sects fighting here?" Jun Bugu confirmed the two factions again. "Are they fighting over the Ten Thousand Poisons Stone again?"

Ye Xiu observed but was formulating his own plan. "Let's wait and see what they do. When the time is right, we strike and take care of the Demon Peak Sect members."

"Wait? Watching these scoundrels, do you think I can wait!" At this moment, Jun Bugu's eyes suddenly turned sharp, and a potent aura radiated from his body. His tone grew heavy. "Or, if you prefer, how about you duel me? I'll make sure you die swiftly and painfully."

"It's you..." Ye Xiu felt a chill down his spine. From that voice, he knew the tyrannical Jun Bugu had emerged. The switch in personality between the two was instantaneous and without warning. "What are you trying to do?"

"These low-level trash fight endlessly and haven't even spilled a single drop of blood," Jun Bugu snarled, unleashing his power, instantly causing red maple leaves to swirl all around him.

"Hey, don't cause trouble! At least leave one Demon Peak Sect member alive," Ye Xiu sensed an overwhelming killing intent. This Jun Bugu was utterly bloodthirsty, and he genuinely felt incapable of stopping him.

Jun Bugu flashed a grin, exposing sharp fangs. "Ye Xiu, don't worry. I'm just cleaning up the territory that absolutely belongs to us. Wait for me."

"..." Ye Xiu dared only curse him silently in his heart, unable to show his dissatisfaction to Jun Bugu's face. After watching Jun Bugu plunge into the massive bloodbath outside, he shot out of the woods like an arrow. Indeed, ever since acquiring the Hundred Worm Souls, his entire body felt significantly lighter; a mere leap propelled him several zhang away. Such speed, he believed, even the current Jun Bugu might not catch up to.

Jun Bugu landed, kicking up clouds of dust. The powerful aura emanating from his cultivation was enough to shock everyone into stillness. "Hahahaha, scoundrels, do you need me to add some more spectacular color to your performance?"

"Who dares interfere with the important business of my Demon Peak Sect!" A voice spoke, instantly followed by a strike of the Flying Eagle Claw. A dark streak descended, latching firmly onto Jun Bugu's shoulder. "Those who meddle, die!"

"Want me dead? You'd better have the ability!" Jun Bugu turned his head slightly. As he did, red light flared in his eyes again. In that instant of turning, a maple leaf materialized from nowhere, scattering like dust into the body of that man. With a ping, the speaker's entire body exploded, spraying blood and gore everywhere.

The Demon Peak Sect members were surprised, but more so, they were terrified. For the sake of their sect's honor, they attempted to join forces to attack Jun Bugu. "This guy killed the captain, let's go!"

"Esteemed young hero, have you come to aid my Demon Beast Sect in seizing the Sky-Severing Blade? We don't know you, nor do we need your help. Please stand aside," a ferocious, tiger-like figure representing the Demon Beast Sect stepped forward. "Thank you for your good intentions, but my dignified Demon Beast Sect has not sunk so low as to rely on outsiders."

"Thank you for my good intentions?" Jun Bugu was momentarily startled by the remark. Even as the man spoke, his power had already enveloped the surroundings. Instantly, maple leaves frosted the air, and a crimson tide descended, staining the ground a sea of blood.

"You are..." The Demon Beast Sect members hadn't finished speaking before they felt all sensation leave their bodies; they were numb. Looking around the scene, everyone stood frozen, unmoving. At this moment, all was silent, save for the rustling sound of falling maple leaves. The killing intent wasn't heavy, but a field of crimson blood remained.

"Trash is just trash; they don't even qualify as a warm-up for my blade," Jun Bugu closed his eyes languidly. As the maple leaves drifted away, everyone present dissolved into dust. However, a subsequent clank surprised Jun Bugu.

Jun Bugu felt a brilliant light stab into his eyes. He flew up, unleashing a vortex of wind toward the source of the light. "This light... could it be..."

Jun Bugu walked over slowly and discovered a long, straight blade plunged deep into the earth. Examining it closely, he saw the hilt was slender, the blade elongated, its only striking feature being the serrated edge. Carvings of various birds and beasts adorned the back of the blade. "This sword could withstand my blow; it must be no ordinary object. The thing these scoundrels fought so hard for must be useful."

Without another word, Jun Bugu used an aerial grasp to draw the Sky-Severing Blade into his possession. When he looked back toward the woods, he was filled with disappointment; Ye Xiu had vanished without a trace. He spat forcefully, desperately trying to recall the rumored realm masters, and then he too dissolved into the wilderness.