Chapter 101: The Unconstant Alliance

"Fellow Daoist, please do not be angry. As for what you mentioned earlier... I myself am not entirely clear about the specifics... I only remember that after my old wound relapsed and I left my last words, I soon lost consciousness... It was not until a few days ago that my spiritual sense suddenly awakened, and I realized that I had already fallen and turned into this wisp of yin soul, attached to this Soul-Birthing Flower..." Luo Meng's yin soul trembled slightly as Han Li questioned him, but then he sighed and spoke.

"Since you awakened a few days ago, why didn't you show yourself and instead skulk hidden in this Soul-Birthing Flower?" Han Li's expression remained unchanged as he continued to ask.

"Well... first, because this wisp of my aura is truly too weak; although it wouldn't last long anyway, if I left the Soul-Birthing Flower, it might dissipate instantly. Second, because... I was somewhat wary of your presence, Fellow Daoist Liu." Luo Meng's yin soul replied with a hint of hesitation.

"You recognize me?" Han Li frowned slightly upon hearing this.

"To be honest with you, Fellow Daoist... since I awakened, I have been able, during the clan members' prayers and worship, to barely connect through the faint residual link with the statue on the island and learn of some recent events on the island... So I know a little about your protection of Wumeng Island." Luo Meng's yin soul paused before answering.

Han Li stared coldly at the small black figure before him, saying nothing, his mind turning over various thoughts.

Based on the current signs, what the other said seemed to be the truth. Most likely, when he fell, some aura of his original soul was inexplicably absorbed by this Soul-Birthing Flower, which possessed soul-gathering power, and became mixed with it, so that he himself had not detected it at all.

Now that the flower had been forced to mature to a certain degree, its soul-gathering ability had increased, allowing this wisp of aura to recondense into this trace of yin soul. Although it had been temporarily stabilized under his reinforcement, judging by the other's intermittent speech, it probably wouldn't last long.

Seeing Han Li silent, Luo Meng's yin soul said somewhat awkwardly:

"My earlier attempt to bluff my way through was a last resort. I hope you won't take offense, Fellow Daoist... I also know that you, Fellow Daoist Liu, intend to walk the path of the Earth Immortal... I dare not hope that you will restore my true body. I only ask that if you agree to continue protecting my clan in the future, I will be willing to tell you everything you want to know, holding nothing back."

"That said, since coming to Wumeng Island, I have received some favors from the Luo family. Within my power, I will naturally protect the Luo family to some extent." Han Li said slowly.

"Luo believes that Fellow Daoist Liu is a man of his word. Please ask any questions you have; I will tell all I know." Luo Meng's yin soul nodded.

"First, tell me about the 'Unconstant Alliance' you mentioned earlier. What exactly is it?" Han Li glanced at the ox-head mask still floating in the air and asked.

"This... the Unconstant Alliance... how to put it... it is an extremely mysterious organization. I don't know the specifics about it either. I joined it by chance back then... However, my later achievements were actually all thanks to this Alliance..." Luo Meng's yin soul seemed to hesitate before answering.

"Oh? How so?" Han Li's heart stirred, and he asked with some confusion.

"My aptitude was originally ordinary. Although I had some opportunities and advanced to the Combined Body stage through many trials, I was thereafter stuck at a bottleneck, with no hope for the Great Dao in this life... Later, with the help of the Unconstant Alliance, I obtained various cultivation resources and guidance on techniques. It was as if a light suddenly dawned; my cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and I broke through to the Great Vehicle stage, eventually overcoming the tribulation and attaining immortality... After that, after countless millennia of arduous cultivation, seeing no hope of comprehending the laws, I embarked on the path of the Earth Immortal with the Alliance's help."

"The Unconstant Alliance supported you generously. It wasn't for free, was it?" Han Li nodded thoughtfully and asked again.

"Of course... After becoming an immortal, according to the agreement, to repay the resources consumed during cultivation, I served the Unconstant Alliance for tens of thousands of years without compensation before regaining my freedom... However, afterward, to maintain my lower-level membership, I remained in the Alliance." Luo Meng's yin soul sighed lightly and continued.

"Could it be that after becoming an immortal, retaining membership in this Alliance brings some other tremendous benefit?" Han Li raised an eyebrow.

"You are right, Fellow Daoist Liu. The mystery and power of the Unconstant Alliance are far beyond what ordinary people can imagine... Moreover, within the Alliance, regardless of status, everyone believes in the principle that everything can be exchanged... After I was severely injured back then, I wanted to reshape my Earthly Deity incarnation, and it was through this Alliance that I was able to exchange for another Soul-Birthing Flower." Luo Meng's yin soul said slowly.

"That is somewhat interesting..." Han Li stroked his chin, pondering.

"It can be said that as long as one is willing to pay the corresponding price, one can obtain almost anything desired in the Unconstant Alliance... Even... one can invite powerful experts to help eliminate enemies." Luo Meng's yin soul seemed to recall many past events, and his tone became somewhat excited.

"I have never believed in a business with no capital and only profit. If staying in the Unconstant Alliance brings so many benefits, the price to pay must not be small, right?" Han Li changed the subject.

"Indeed... The Unconstant Alliance is not a place where one can stay just by wanting to. The rules within the Alliance are strict. To maintain lower-level membership, one must either regularly submit a large amount of resources to the Alliance... or complete certain tasks assigned from above... Otherwise, one would not only be expelled from the Alliance but also pay an incalculable price..." Luo Meng gave a bitter laugh.

"What kind of tasks?" Han Li blinked, showing some interest.

"It is shameful to say, but I only carried out one task from the Alliance... It was extremely dangerous, to say the least. In that task, my Earthly Deity incarnation took a fatal blow for my original body and was destroyed, leaving only a damaged head. My original body was also severely injured, barely escaping with my life." Luo Meng's yin soul shook his head.

"So after that task, you hid in this secret realm, recuperating and cultivating the Soul-Birthing Flower." Han Li thought for a moment and said.

"Yes... Since then, I never participated in any more tasks from the Alliance... For the next several thousand years, I gritted my teeth and barely maintained my identity in the Alliance by submitting resources..." Luo Meng's yin soul replied.

"If that's the case, why did you fall? As far as I know, even if your Earthly Deity incarnation was completely destroyed, it shouldn't have affected your life, especially since your incarnation still had a head left to continue receiving faith power." Han Li said with some confusion.

Upon hearing this, Luo Meng's yin soul recalled past events and fell into silence.

After a long while, he shook his head and said with some sadness:

"My physical injuries naturally healed long ago, but limited by the destruction of my incarnation, I could only wield a limited amount of law power. So I hid in the secret realm for over eight thousand years... But just then, an enemy somehow tracked me down. Helpless, I had to sneak out and fight with my original body. In the end, at the cost of severe injury, I killed the opponent... Although I managed to return to the secret realm, old and new injuries flared up together, and ultimately I could not turn the tide..."

"If the tasks are so dangerous, those who carry them out must be no ordinary people. Could it be that all lower-level members of the Unconstant Alliance are at the level of Ancestral Gods like you?" Han Li frowned and asked.

"This... I am not sure..." Luo Meng's yin soul shook his head.

"Since you carried out a task, even if you had no close acquaintances in the Alliance, you must have seen other members, right?" Han Li asked again.

"You may not know, Fellow Daoist... Members of the Unconstant Alliance only meet during tasks; they have no contact at ordinary times... Moreover, when gathering, everyone must wear a special mask issued by the Alliance." Luo Meng's yin soul explained.

"Is this the mask you mentioned? This object is indeed somewhat peculiar. Your original body has long fallen, leaving only a wisp of yin soul that isn't even a complete spirit. I thought my divine sense was strong enough but failed to detect it, yet this mask could still sense it." Han Li pointed at the ox-head mask and said.

"The peculiarities of this mask do not end there... Not only can it shield all aura and true appearance of the wearer, but it is also a secret treasure for members to communicate with each other... Once the wearer loses membership, the mask will self-destruct." Luo Meng's yin soul replied slowly.

"Regarding what the mask mentioned earlier, what do you plan to do?" Han Li's mind turned and asked.

"You jest, Fellow Daoist. In my current state, naturally I cannot go as agreed... Even if the Alliance comes to investigate, this remnant soul of mine will have long dissipated without a trace... But if... they take it out on my clan, I hope you will keep your promise and do what you can to help." The small black figure gave a bitter laugh, then thought of something and spoke with a sorrowful expression.

"You have quite a plan. If the Unconstant Alliance is as powerful as you say, how could I alone protect Wumeng Island?" Han Li sneered.

"Naturally, I dare not hope that you will confront them directly. I only ask that you preserve some bloodline of the Wumeng Island clan, and I will be endlessly grateful." Luo Meng's yin soul began to plead earnestly with Han Li.

"Perhaps there is another way, though I don't know if it will work." Han Li glanced at him and said meaningfully.

"What way?" Luo Meng's yin soul quickly asked upon hearing this.

"What do you think about me going to this task in your place?" Han Li's eyes flickered as he said slowly.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, as I mentioned before... every task issued by the Alliance is extremely dangerous. Are you really going?" Luo Meng's yin soul was stunned and found it hard to believe.

"I won't hide it from you. From what you've said, this Unconstant Alliance seems very useful to me. So I need an identity to stay in it. Since this mask can shield all aura and true appearance of the wearer, even if I go in your place, I doubt anyone will notice." Han Li pondered for a moment before speaking frankly.