Land of Sin, Thunder Wuji Goes Live

There was no dawn in the Land of Sin.

The sky here was forever stained as though soaked in blood.

Ash-red clouds hung low and heavy, blotting out the sun. Every so often, scarlet lightning flashed behind them, illuminating the countless mountains of white bones, rivers of blood, and cities of black stone that covered the land below.

This place belonged to no dynasty.

Nor did it accept the laws of any sacred ground.

In the eyes of the cultivators of the Central Continent, the Land of Sin was a paradise for evil cultivators, a den of fiends—a place where the living entered and only their soul lamps came out.

But to the desperate outlaws who lived here, those so-called sacred grounds of the Central Continent were even more hypocritical.

When sacred grounds killed, they first spoke of Heaven’s will.

When demonic sects killed, they acted according to their moods.

By comparison, the demonic sects seemed almost honest.

The Ferrying Calamity Sea-Suppressing Boat came to a stop beside a blackwater river.

Wang Hao put away the small boat and changed into a gray-black robe.

He wore half of a bronze mask over his face.

Yin Jiuyou concealed his aura with a secret technique, then mixed in a trace of Thunder Extremity’s aura and Blood Lotus fiendish energy.

At first glance, he looked like a traitor from the Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground.

At second glance, he looked like a spy from the Blood Lotus Sacred Ground.

Upon closer inspection, he resembled an informant sent by the Sword Mound Sect.

And if one looked even more closely, one might think he was a death soldier raised by the Taiyin Sacred Ground.

In short, the more carefully one looked, the more suspicious he seemed.

Yin Jiuyou stood beside him, his expression complicated.

“Your Majesty, your aura right now…”

Wang Hao asked, “How is it?”

Yin Jiuyou answered seriously, “It’s hard to say.”

The Demon Lord nodded.

“You look like a bastard abandoned by all twelve sacred grounds.”

Wang Hao was satisfied.

“That’s exactly what I’m going for.”

Xue Wuhen said quietly, “Three thousand li ahead lies Blackbone City, the first major city on the outskirts of the Land of Sin.”

“It falls under the influence of one of the Nine Great Demonic Sects—the White Bone Demonic Sect.”

“The White Bone Demonic Sect excels at refining corpse and bone puppets. The sect’s experts enjoy collecting the remains of powerful cultivators.”

Han Shanyue frowned.

“Using human bones to refine weapons—what evil and heretical practice!”

The Demon Lord glanced at him.

“Don’t be so righteous here.”

“You’ll make yourself look like food.”

Han Shanyue fell silent.

Wang Hao looked toward Blackbone City.

From afar, a massive city stood at the edge of the wasteland.

Its walls were pitch-black, but they were not made of stone.

They had been forged from layer upon layer of bones—those of giant beasts, humans, and strange creatures.

Countless banners made of skulls were planted atop the walls.

Some belonged to demon beasts.

Some belonged to humans.

There were even skulls that had once belonged to Martial God-realm experts. Their remains had not decayed after death and had been refined into lanterns, ghostly green flames burning within their empty eye sockets.

People came and went through the city gates.

Some carried blood coffins on their backs.

Some led half-human, half-beast slaves.

Some hacked off a cultivator’s arm in the middle of the street and sold it by weight.

Others sat beside the road, calling out their wares with complete seriousness:

“Fresh hair from a Taiyin female cultivator! Perfect for refining charm arts! Ten strands for one high-grade spirit stone!”

The vendor beside him sneered.

“Fake, surely? How could you pluck hair from a Taiyin female cultivator?”

The man flew into a rage.

“How is it fake? One of my ancestors once worked as a dog in the Taiyin mining veins!”

Yin Jiuyou’s eyelids twitched.

“The local customs are truly… simple.”

Wang Hao nodded.

“Indeed.”

“At least they don’t pretend.”

The group entered the city.

At the gate, two disciples of the White Bone Demonic Sect stopped them.

One was in the Bone Tempering Realm.

The other was in the Meridian Opening Realm.

In a small border city of Great Xia, they would have been important figures.

Here, they were nothing more than gate dogs.

“Entry fee.”

“Ten spirit stones per person.”

The White Bone disciple looked sideways at Wang Hao and the others.

Wang Hao raised a hand and tossed over a bag of spirit stones.

The disciple caught it and weighed it in his hand. Then he suddenly grinned.

“Not enough.”

Yin Jiuyou’s eyelid twitched.

“You just said ten stones.”

The White Bone disciple bared his teeth.

“The price just went up.”

Han Shanyue’s brow sank, but Wang Hao raised a hand to stop him.

He looked at the White Bone disciple and asked in an even tone, “How much more?”

The White Bone disciple held out his hand.

“Another hundred.”

Wang Hao nodded.

“Fine.”

He tossed over a token.

The White Bone disciple caught it instinctively.

The next moment, his expression changed dramatically.

It was a Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground token.

And not an ordinary disciple token.

It was the token of an inner elder of the Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground!

The White Bone disciple’s pupils contracted.

“The Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground?!”

The surroundings fell silent at once.

The Land of Sin was at odds with the sacred grounds.

But sacred-ground tokens were still useful.

Not because anyone respected them.

It was because disciples of the sacred grounds were usually wealthy.

And in the Land of Sin, wealthy people generally had one of two identities.

Guests.

Or merchandise.

Wang Hao said softly, “Don’t look at things you shouldn’t.”

He placed a hand on the White Bone disciple’s shoulder.

The force of the Prison-Heaven Overturning Earth Palm flashed once and vanished.

There was no thunderous crash.

No spectacular phenomenon.

Yet the Meridian Opening Realm disciple’s bones shattered inch by inch in an instant.

His entire body collapsed like a lump of mud.

The other White Bone disciple’s expression changed drastically. He was just about to shout when the New Emperor Sword flashed past and stopped against his throat.

The sword spirit’s excited voice rang out.

“Go ahead. Shout.”

“Shout your lungs out, and I’ll cut those lungs out.”

Cold sweat poured down the White Bone disciple’s face.

Wang Hao bent down and retrieved the Thunder Extremity token.

Then he took the bag of spirit stones back from the collapsed disciple.

He even casually stole two identity tokens of the White Bone Demonic Sect.

His movements were so practiced that it was almost heartbreaking.

Yin Jiuyou watched the scene and muttered, “Your Majesty, this doesn’t look like your first robbery.”

Wang Hao said flatly, “I’m enforcing the law.”

Yin Jiuyou fell silent.

Wang Hao looked toward the city.

“Let’s go.”

A moment later.

In a dark alley within Blackbone City, the White Bone disciple who had been frightened witless by the New Emperor Sword came rolling and crawling into a branch altar.

“Altar Master!”

“Something’s happened!”

Deep within the branch altar, a pale-faced middle-aged man sat upon a white-bone throne.

Three Martial God-realm corpse puppets floated behind him.

Their auras were cold and sinister.

“Why are you panicking?”

The disciple fell to his knees.

“People from a sacred ground have entered the city!”

A flicker of ghostly flame appeared in the White Bone Altar Master’s eyes.

“Which sacred ground?”

The disciple answered in a trembling voice, “The Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground!”

“But there’s Blood Lotus fiendish energy on him as well!”

“Among his companions, one resembles a military expert, while another seems like a great demonic figure.”

The White Bone Altar Master narrowed his eyes.

“Someone from the Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground, carrying the aura of the Blood Lotus Sacred Ground, has entered my Blackbone City?”

The disciple hurriedly nodded.

“Yes! He also killed Senior Brother Chen!”

The White Bone Altar Master sneered.

“Interesting.”

“The Thunder Extremity Sacred Ground has only just earned Ji Wushang’s enmity. Instead of hiding within their mountain gate, they send someone to the Land of Sin?”

“And he dares to kill a disciple of the White Bone Demonic Sect?”

He tapped his fingers against the white-bone throne.

After a moment, he said coldly, “Investigate.”

“If he truly is a hidden agent of a sacred ground, capture him alive.”

“The bones of sacred-ground disciples are worth more than those of ordinary Martial Gods.”

…

Meanwhile.

Wang Hao had already checked into the largest inn in Blackbone City.

The inn had a very plain name.

It was called Don’t Die Tower.

Beside the signboard at the entrance was a line of small text:

This establishment guarantees only that the rooms are clean. It does not guarantee that guests will remain alive.

Yin Jiuyou stared at it for a long while.

“Quite honest.”

Wang Hao sat by a second-floor window.

A pot of blood tea sat before him.

According to the shopkeeper, the tea was brewed with century-old blood ginseng, Nether River water, and resentful-soul fire. Drinking it could strengthen one’s qi and blood.

Wang Hao did not drink it.

But the New Emperor Sword secretly took a sip.

Then it gave its verdict:

“Tastes like dishwater.”

The shopkeeper nearly lost his temper on the spot.

Then the Demon Lord glanced at him.

The shopkeeper silently withdrew.

The Demon Lord’s gaze was very useful in the Land of Sin.

That was because he looked exactly like the sort of person who could hang everyone in the building up and leave them to dry.

Yin Jiuyou laid down a soundproofing array in the room.

“Your Majesty, we’ve already exposed the Thunder Extremity token.”

“The White Bone Demon Sect will be watching us soon.”

Wang Hao nodded.

“That’s not enough.”

Yin Jiuyou froze.

“Not enough?”

Wang Hao looked at Xue Wuhen.

“Is there a black market in the city?”

Xue Wuhen nodded.

“There is.”

“Every city in the Land of Sin has a black market.”

“The black market in Blackbone City is jointly controlled by the Yellow Springs Demon Sect and the White Bone Demon Sect.”

Wang Hao smiled.

“Excellent.”

Half an hour later.

Blackbone City’s black market.

An underground street wound on for dozens of miles.

The shops lining both sides sold all manner of bizarre goods.

Some sold the blood of Martial Gods.

Some sold grotesque severed limbs.

Some sold soul lamps belonging to disciples of the sacred lands.

At one stall hung a sign:

“Last Letters Written to Order. Authentic Handwriting Guaranteed. Tears Included.”

Yin Jiuyou paused as he passed.

The stall owner greeted him enthusiastically.

“Good sir, would you like one written? You’ll find it useful in the Land of Sin.”

Yin Jiuyou’s face turned green.

“No, thank you.”

The stall owner sighed.

“Most people say that at first.”

Wang Hao arrived at the center of the black market.

There stood a massive auction house.

It was built from white bone and black iron, with two rows of half-step Martial God guards stationed at the entrance.

Wang Hao did not go inside.

He merely stopped at the entrance and took out an item.

A torn section of the Blood Lotus Banner.

Its surface seethed with bloodthirsty energy, and its aura of a sacred land was uncannily genuine.

Next, he took out a Lunar Jade Talisman.

Finally, he produced a piece of Golden Palace Armor.

Wang Hao placed the items on a small stall.

Then he hung up a sign:

“Selling Confidential Evidence from the Twelve Sacred Lands. Discounts for Bulk Purchases.”

Yin Jiuyou nearly blacked out.

“Your Majesty, isn’t this a little too direct?”

Wang Hao shook his head.

“People in the Land of Sin don’t like beating around the bush.”

“We need to do as the locals do.”

In less than fifteen minutes, the stall was surrounded.

A cultivator from the Yellow Springs Demon Sect stared at the Lunar Jade Talisman, his eyes cold and sinister.

“Where did you get this?”

Wang Hao lowered his voice.

“I can’t say.”

The man sneered.

“If you don’t say, you die.”

Wang Hao sighed.

“Are all of you from the Land of Sin this impatient?”

The Yellow Springs cultivator was just about to attack when Wang Hao suddenly raised his hand and pressed it down.

Heaven-Imprisoning Earth-Covering Palm, First Form!

Boom!

An invisible force crashed down.

Half of the Yellow Springs cultivator’s body was driven into the ground. His bones snapped and his tendons tore as he spat blood without end.

The surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar.

“A Martial God!”

“He’s a Martial God!”

“And his palm technique is incredibly powerful!”

Wang Hao withdrew his hand and spoke calmly.

“Buying is fine.”

“Stealing is not.”

The New Emperor Sword added from the side:

“Unless you’re stronger than us.”

The surrounding cultivators’ expressions darkened.

In the Land of Sin, that statement made perfect sense.

They could not even argue with it.

At that moment, a cold, sinister voice rang out.

“You’re selling the sacred lands’ secrets, yet you refuse to reveal their origin.”

“Are you looking down on Blackbone City?”

The crowd parted.

The White Bone Altar Master stepped forward.

Three Martial God corpse puppets followed behind him.

Dark Yin energy billowed around them, while a forest of white bones gleamed ominously.

Wang Hao looked at him.

“What price can you offer?”

The White Bone Altar Master narrowed his eyes.

“The price is negotiable.”

“But I want to know who you are.”

Wang Hao fell silent for a moment.

Then he slowly produced a Thunder Extremity Token.

The atmosphere around them instantly froze.

The White Bone Altar Master’s pupils contracted.

“The Thunder Extremity Sacred Land?”

Wang Hao’s voice was hoarse.

“It was. Once.”

A flicker of uncertainty passed through the White Bone Altar Master’s eyes.

“A traitor?”

Wang Hao did not deny it.

He simply put the token away and said coldly:

“Knowing too much will get you killed.”

The White Bone Altar Master laughed.

“You dare threaten the White Bone Demon Sect in Blackbone City?”

Wang Hao looked at him.

“You can try.”

The three corpse puppets behind the White Bone Altar Master simultaneously took a step forward.

Martial God auras erupted from their bodies.

The entire black market trembled.

The surrounding cultivators hurriedly retreated, their eyes shining with excitement.

People in the Land of Sin loved watching a spectacle.

Especially when someone was about to die.

A cold gleam flashed through Wang Hao’s eyes.

Heaven-Imprisoning Earth-Covering Palm, Second Form!

Boom!

The essence of heaven and earth suddenly collapsed.

An invisible palm imprint descended like the sky itself overturning, smashing toward the three corpse puppets.

All three Martial God corpse puppets raised their hands to block it at once.

Crack!

One puppet’s arm exploded on the spot.

Another’s knee shattered.

The third’s chest caved in.

The White Bone Altar Master’s expression changed drastically.

“What terrifying palm force!”

Only then did he realize that the man before him was no ordinary Martial God.

Wang Hao did not continue attacking.

He had not come here to slaughter the city.

At least, not yet.

He said in a low voice:

“Tell your sect master this.”

“The Twelve Sacred Lands are preparing to move against the Land of Sin.”

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

The White Bone Altar Master sneered.

“Why should I believe you?”

Wang Hao looked at him and suddenly smiled.

“Because the people hunting me will be here soon.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Yin Jiuyou and the others followed close behind.

The White Bone Altar Master did not stop them.

It was not that he did not want to.

He simply did not dare.

That palm strike had allowed him to smell death.

After Wang Hao left, the White Bone Altar Master’s expression turned grim. He immediately took out a Bone Communication Talisman.

“Reporting to the sect master.”

“A suspected traitor of the Thunder Extremity Sacred Land has appeared in Blackbone City.”

“He possesses tokens from several sacred lands.”

“He also claims that the Twelve Sacred Lands intend to purge the Land of Sin.”

There was a brief silence from the other end of the talisman.

Then an old, chilling voice came through.

“Keep an eye on him.”

“Also, notify the other demon sects.”

“The people from the sacred lands have indeed been acting strangely lately.”

“Better to believe it than dismiss it.”

The White Bone Altar Master froze.

“Sect master, are you saying…”

The voice let out a cold laugh.

“Ji Wushang has been seriously wounded, and the Twelve Sacred Lands have suffered heavy losses.”

“If they want to reassert their authority, purging the Land of Sin would be the best choice.”

“Treat the warning as real until proven otherwise.”

The White Bone Altar Master bowed his head.

“Yes!”