"Western Envoy Master Yang Bingzhi?"

Jia Ren's expression changed slightly upon hearing the familiar name. His old friend, Yang Bingzhi, had left the Five Elements Marketplace with a promise to meet again in the Western Wasteland Domain. Since then, there had been no news of him. Jia Ren had tried to contact Yang Bingzhi several times using the Communication Bead, but there was never a response. The Western Wasteland Domain was vast, and finding a person there was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The Cultivation World was fraught with danger; for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, safety was not guaranteed, and accidental deaths were not uncommon.

Sometimes... no news is good news. The fact that an Envoy of the Bizarre Alliance shared the same name as his old friend was not good news; it always left him uneasy. The Envoy of the Bizarre Alliance was a Golden Core Cultivator. Without high-quality Elixirs to aid him, it was impossible for Yang Bingzhi to have improved his Cultivation Level so quickly. Still, among the numerous cultivators in the Cultivation World, it wasn't rare to find those with the same name. Encountering someone with the same name wasn't an odd occurrence...

The Insect External Incarnation took out a black jar, unsealed the Soul-sucking Bizarre, and sent it into the twenty-first layer. The two Bizarre Demons failed to fuse successfully; the Soul-sucking Bizarre and the Soul Control Bell Bizarre were incompatible.

The plan encountered an unexpected hiccup, but fortunately, there were other gains.

Remnants of a Bizarre Demon's aura lingered in the black jar, seemingly from the same source as the Soul-sucking Bizarre. If he could find this Bizarre Demon, combined with the Soul-sucking Bizarre, he could obtain a Bizarre Demon for fusion.

If I'm not mistaken, the Soul-sucking Bizarre was intended for Western Envoy Master Yang Bingzhi. Regardless of whether it's true, I must make the trip.

The Insect External Incarnation transformed into a streak of Escape Light and flew towards the Western Wasteland Domain.

Seven days later, he located the Bizarre Alliance stronghold, its location disclosed by the Bizarre Person. It was a plain where waist-high weeds grew wild, transforming into an endless sea of green waves when the wind blew. There were no buildings in sight, nor any traces of Bizarre Alliance Cultivators.

"Go!"

The Insect External Incarnation concealed its presence before approaching the stronghold, quietly releasing ordinary mosquitoes. Demonic Insects would easily draw the attention of Bizarre Alliance Cultivators, causing trouble. The mosquitoes were unable to advance, blocked by an invisible barrier.

There's a Formation here; this is the Bizarre Alliance stronghold!

The Bizarre Alliance was regarded as a destabilizing element by the Guardians, a priority target for suppression. If its hiding capabilities were so poor, the stronghold would have long been eradicated by the combined forces of the Town Demon Alliance and the Great Sects.

"Mirror Flower Water Moon!"

Though it appeared as if nothing had changed, in reality, the Insect External Incarnation had become 'invisible.' A powerful illusionary Divine Skill had essentially become an invisibility technique.

The Insect External Incarnation quietly reached the Formation, using the Earth Listening Technique to confirm if there were any cultivators or guards nearby. He wanted to infiltrate the Bizarre Alliance stronghold, not engage in a direct assault.

There are people!

After changing locations a few times, he finally found a suitable spot. The dim light of the Ban-breaking Finger flickered at his fingertip. The restriction faltered for just a moment, and the Insect External Incarnation seized the opportunity to enter.

It was like two different worlds inside and outside the restriction. A stone house served as the entrance, with a massive underground palace beneath. Four Bizarre Alliance Cultivators patrolled outside the stone house, looking suspiciously at a flicker in the distant restriction, unable to detect the invisible Insect External Incarnation. The Insect External Incarnation confidently walked right past them, completely unnoticed. It truly lived up to its reputation as a rare illusionary Divine Skill—it could create illusions, alter appearances, conceal one's figure, and interchange truth with falsehood... Mirror Flower Water Moon was indeed very useful, a true jack-of-all-trades!

The walls of the underground palace were strengthened with Spells, making them extremely solid. Every thirty-three feet, the hallway walls were adorned with Luminous Pearls the size of fists, their gentle light banishing the darkness. The underground palace was heavily guarded on the outside but lax within, with no internal patrols. If the Restrictive Formations and four Guards couldn't stop an external enemy from infiltrating, then even if internal patrols were ten times stricter, it would be useless.

This was the Insect External Incarnation's first time entering a Bizarre Alliance stronghold. He proceeded cautiously, eventually reaching the core area. This place was no less impressive than a small Sect, with numerous cultivators constantly bustling in and out. The majority of them were Qi Refining Cultivators, handling the Bizarre Alliance's intelligence and miscellaneous tasks. The Bizarre Alliance could not match the strength of the Town Demon Alliance and the Four Great Super Sects, which were guarded by Divine Transformation Cultivators. In a direct confrontation, they stood no chance. If the Bizarre Alliance wanted to survive, it could only hide in the shadows. They sent their members to different territories and Sect forces, stealthily infiltrating them to collect intelligence. Their tendrils spread everywhere, gathering intelligence from all corners.

Only those at the Foundation Establishment Stage could be considered the core strength of the Bizarre Alliance. At this level, they could learn some of the Bizarre Alliance's secrets and handle external affairs. Golden Core Stage Cultivators were part of the Bizarre Alliance's upper echelon; many Envoys were at this level and possessed the qualifications to transform their Bizarre Bodies. The Bizarre Person Jia Ren had encountered was, at the very least, at the Golden Core Stage. After a cultivator transformed into a Bizarre Person, their soul impacted their lifespan. Cultivators who reached the Golden Core Stage were exceptionally talented, and most importantly, they had long lives. Transforming into a Bizarre Person meant they could serve the Bizarre Alliance for an extended period. Depending on the stronghold, a Golden Core Cultivator might be its highest authority. The stronghold wasn't large, and its strongest members were Golden Core Cultivators.

The Insect External Incarnation moved with utmost caution toward the deeper parts of the stronghold. Under the guise of Mirror Flower Water Moon, his path was unobstructed. Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman crafting, Formation arrangement, Puppet making, Sealing, and Transformation... each skill had its respective area, without interference from the others.

The Insect External Incarnation first entered the Alchemy area. Dozens of Alchemists, each with an Alchemy Room, were engrossed in crafting Elixirs. The Elixirs they produced were all ordinary; only three individuals specialized in researching and concocting Mysterious Pills. The Bizarre Alliance Cultivators had not yet found a way to utilize Bizarre Demons, so they couldn't produce true Mysterious Pills, limiting their practical use. Before they created true Mysterious Pills, they wouldn't waste too much effort on them.

What interested Jia Ren the most were puppetry, seals, and transformation. These were not ordinary puppets; the Bizarre Alliance aimed to modify Bizarre Demons into Bizarre Puppets they could control. Yes, that's the Puppeteer Bizarre Technique. The experiments had yet to succeed; turning Bizarre Demons into puppets was no easy task. The Insect External Incarnation thoughtfully considered that perhaps the Puppeteer Bizarre Technique could be added to his list of studies.

The Sealing area was the Bizarre Seal ground within the stronghold. Its security was paramount, akin to the most heavily guarded locations of the Town Demon Alliance, and it was densely fortified with restrictions and formations. An unidentifiable, bizarre aura permeated the air, suggesting a Bizarre Formation had been established here.

The Transformation Area was where cultivators attempted Puppet Reincarnation Body; this was how Bizarre Alliance Cultivators became Bizarre People. This was an experiment that only a few could undertake. Just as the Insect External Incarnation entered, an incredibly mournful wail echoed from within. A Soul Light Orb, glowing with an eerie red light, sank into a distant longbow. This was not a Magic Artifact but a Bizarre Demon, similar to the Broken Sword Bizarre, Mirror Bizarre, or Soul Control Bell Bizarre. The longbow vibrated continuously. Though the Bizarre Demon was suppressed by the special Formation in this place, it could still unleash a unique, lethal power. The possessor's soul was struck by invisible arrows, torn apart repeatedly. Before the possession attempt could succeed, the cultivator's soul was obliterated.

"Possession failed!"

The onlookers took it for granted, already accustomed to it. Ultimately, those who successfully possessed Bizarre Demons were few. Not all Bizarre Demons could be possessed and transformed into Bizarre People. The Bizarre Alliance had conducted numerous experiments and obtained many results; humanoid Bizarre Demons, such as Hair Bizarre, Head Bizarre, and Eye Bizarre, had the highest success rate for possession. A cultivator attempting to possess a Bizarre Demon with similar traits to their own had the highest chance of success. Other types of Bizarre Demons could also be successfully possessed, but success often depended on luck.

"Cultivate the Cultivating Artifice Soul Technique. If the soul form develops towards a bow shape, try that to see if it increases the possession success rate," a voice came from the distance, and a figure slowly approached the Transformation Area.

When the Insect External Incarnation saw the newcomer, he froze on the spot, his face filled with disbelief. The newcomer's face was incredibly familiar, yet his aura felt alien. The stark contrast made him momentarily unsure if this was the real Yang Bingzhi or an imposter.

"Western Envoy Master, your talent is profound! We will implement it immediately!" those still experimenting quickly saluted Yang Bingzhi and respectfully watched him depart.

Yang Bingzhi's Spiritual Power Fluctuation was only at the late Foundation Establishment Stage; he had not reached the Golden Core Stage. His aura was different, but the biggest issue was... he was no longer the Yang Bingzhi he once knew. He had transformed into a Bizarre Person! What had happened to Yang Bingzhi after he left the Five Elements Sect? Why had he joined the Bizarre Alliance? Why had he become a Bizarre Person and the Western Envoy Master of the Western Wasteland Domain?

Time had passed and circumstances had changed; things were no longer as they were. When the two met again, what would the situation be? Would they be able to maintain their past friendship? Or would they end up in conflict, clashing swords?

Yang Bingzhi didn't notice the Insect External Incarnation close by and turned to walk back. The Insect External Incarnation instinctively followed him towards a distant Cultivation Room. This was Yang Bingzhi's personal Cultivation Room. It was a small space, containing only a meditation cushion. Shortly after the Insect External Incarnation entered, the door to the Cultivation Room slowly closed. The Formation and its restrictions activated, sealing off all sound and aura.

Has he discovered me? Is he trying to trap me like a turtle in a jar?!

"Daoist Jia, I never thought we'd meet again."

Yang Bingzhi turned to look in the direction of the Insect External Incarnation, his eyes filled with a smile as he revealed his identity. Before Yang Bingzhi, Mirror Flower Water Moon seemed ineffective, unable to escape his discerning gaze. To be precise, Yang Bingzhi had detected the Insect External Incarnation the moment it infiltrated the Bizarre Alliance stronghold. Recognizing Jia Ren's soul aura, he had chosen not to act. Had it been any other intruder, they wouldn't have made it here alive.

At this point, there was no need for concealment. The surroundings rippled like water, and the Insect External Incarnation materialized out of nowhere.

"The Insect External Incarnation?!" Yang Bingzhi exclaimed, his face full of amazement. "This inconspicuous secret technique, in your hands, has truly been turned from decay into magic."

He had obtained the complete Insect Control Scripture from Qi Yuhu in a trade and later gifted Jia Ren the 'true version,' so he was naturally familiar with the Insect External Incarnation Secret Art. Unfortunately, Yang Bingzhi lacked the aptitude for insect control, and deeming the Insect External Incarnation too perilous, he had not cultivated it.

"It's been decades, and you've changed so much," Jia Ren said, his mind reeling with too many questions. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have recognized you. What on earth happened all these years? Why have you become... like this?"

Yang Bingzhi hadn't attacked him. This implied the Bizarre influence was limited and his mind hadn't been warped. This was somewhat good news. They could still sit down and talk; close friends wouldn't have to become mortal enemies.

"If you wish to hear it, I can tell you," Yang Bingzhi said. "But before that, let me tell you a secret. A great tide of Bizarre Demons is approaching. The cultivators of this world are likely to be annihilated. Joining the Bizarre Alliance is our only chance of survival."

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