ă€ŠDemon Immortală€‹


 Chapter 1 1 - Cultivation Is All About Stealing

    "You are joking, right?" Duncan asked in a disbelieving tone.

    The old man with a gap-toothed smile looked at him with amusement, causing Duncan to snort. He knew that he may not be the sharpest pickaxe in the mine but even he was not that stupid to buy into the old fool''s bullshit.

    "Look, you old fart, I am not that stupid. Even a hillbilly like me knows that cultivation is not like what you said," Duncan snorted as he started to dig into his lunch.

    Duncan knew that it was his mistake to indulge the old fool''s tall tales while they worked together in the spirit mine. For weeks the old fool has been telling him tales that were too far-fetched to believe.

    Cultivators being strong enough to level cities and even kingdoms! Cultivators with powers to even control nature! Cultivators starting a war over some inane treasures! Don''t even get him started about treasures. Really! Did the old fool really think him stupid enough to believe that there were treasures that could freezend and even change the very climate?

    As if!

    Duncan snorted inwardly as he ate with gusto. Initially, he had indulged the old man because he had found his tales amusing. While others looked at the old man as if he was mad, he simply thought that the old man was inventing outrageous tales so that he wouldn''t feel bored while doing the monotonous job of mining spirit stones.

    And really, being a miner was monotonous work apart from the asional danger due to the cave-in. So, he hadn''t thought much of the old fool''s tall tales. And also the tales were at least interesting to listen to as they worked side by side. It also helped him take his mind off the pathetic life he was living.

    So, he hadn''t bothered much to discourage the old fool''s ramblings. But, there was a limit to everything.

    It was a while after they once more began to work that the old man broke the silence.

    "So, why do you think I was joking?" the old man asked as they started chipping away the earth around the spirit stones.

    "Really, do you even need to ask?" Duncan snorted as he hefted his pickaxe and mmed it on a stubborn patch of dirt. "ording to you, cultivation is nothing but stealing. Do you think anyone would believe you?"

    "What''s wrong with what I said?" the old man spoke agitatedly. "Don''t the cultivators steal the spirit qi from heaven and earth and store it inside them?"

    Duncan leveled the old fart with an unimpressed stare.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Even I know that there is more to cultivation than storing spirit qi. And I am just a miner. And cultivators don''t steal; they absorb and cultivate the spirit qi inside their bodies. That''s why they are called cultivators," Duncan said snidely.

    "Bah, that''s just semantics. No matter how much they spout it doesn''t negate them stealing qi from heaven and earth, does it?" the old man waved his hands angrily.

    "Look, old man," Duncan said pausing in his activity, "if we go by what you say, then eating food wille under stealing too. And I work hard to earn money to eat. I don''t like what you are hinting at here."

    "Exactly!" the old man crowed excitedly, "so you understand right? I mean everythinges under stealing. Whether knowingly or unknowingly we all steal, whether it is from the mere nts or it is from the almighty heavens we steal things to sustain ourselves. That is why the Dao of Stealing is the one true Dao!"

    The old fool rambled on as if he hadn''t heard Duncan''ster sentences. Duncan looked at the old man dumbfounded unable to interject as the old fool rambled on.

    "I mean, apart from the obvious stealing aspect while no one notices you, there are aspects like people robbing you in the streets. Don''t you think it is simr to cultivators fighting each other over treasures? Whoever is the mightiest gets the treasure, just like who has the bigger fist will rob the weak oneˇ­"

    The old man rambled on and on about something called Dao of Stealing until they both finished their job and walked outside of the spirit mine. Duncan didn''t pay much attention to what the old fool was rambling about. And he sure as hell didn''t know what this Dao meant. So, he just nodded at the right intervals as if he understood what the old man was rambling about.

    Atst, the time came for them to split up and head back home and Duncan let out a relieved breath. He sneakily looked at the old man and found the old man was brimming with energy oddly. Usually, the old man would look listless as if he was weighed down by something. But today, something was different about him.

    Just as they were about to part, the old man stopped him and held his hand. Duncan wondered inwardly what the old fool wanted to do now. He dreaded the mere thought of apanying the old man and listening to his rambles into the night. All he wanted now was to head back and have some wine, before resting his body to ensure he was in shape to work tomorrow.

    "Duncan, I am immensely grateful to you. You have unlocked the knot in my heart. Your words have enlightened me immensely and have led me on the correct path of my Dao of Stealing," the old man said emotionally as he held his hands.

    Duncan blinked unable toprehend what the old fool was rambling about now.

    "Old man, don''t take this the wrong way, are you feeling unwell? Did the afternoon food do something to you? I know Granny Jiao who lives two streets down. Why don''t we go there? She can fix you up in an hour. Her remedies may be vile to drink, but they work. I assure you," Duncan said as he looked at the old man.

    The old man in turnughed uproariously causing the passersby to look at the duo.

 Chapter 2 All I Need Is Good Wine And Fine Wenches

    "Ah! The naivety of youth," the old man said smiling and shaking his head.

    "Duncan, oh Duncan, your concern truly touches me. But, don''t worry, I am fine. s, I am afraid that we must part ways here. I am afraid my time in the mortal world hase to an end. With the enlightenment I obtained from your inadvertent words, I am ready to breakthrough into the next realm."

    Duncan squinted his eyes and watched the old fool ramble once again. He was now sure that something was wrong with the old fart now. Until afternoon he only used to tell tall tales, but the old fart was now imagining himself to be an expert in cultivation. Even then, his propensity to tell tall tales didn''t seem to disappear.

    Just because the old fart threw some big words like mortal world, enlightenment, breakthrough, Duncan wasn''t going to be fooled. Gritting his teeth, he became determined to drag the old man to Granny Jiao, so that she could sort him out.

    "Anyways, our time together hase to an end. Regardless of whether you intended to or not, your words had helped me a lot. So, I need to repay this karma. Hmmm, how about this, Duncan, tell me, do you want to be a cultivator?" the old man asked with a severe expression on his face.

    Duncan merely wanted to punch him in the face and drag the old fool to Granny Jiao now. Before he could say anything, the old fart once again went off.

    "You have a strong body; your work in the mines has strengthened your body a lot. Hmmm, the spirit qi in the mines have strengthened your muscles, but you have yet to properly cultivate. And you have also missed the best period to start cultivating. It''s a pity. Your future aplishments will be limited. And the spirit qi here is so low that I can barely feel it. Hmmm what to do?" the old fart rambled on as if he was some expert.

    Duncan felt his eye start to twitch in annoyance.

    "If I belonged to a sect, I can ask someone to take you in. But, I am a loose cultivator. I roam as I please and I do have some formidable enemies. So, bringing you to that world with me would spell your doom. What to do?"

    Duncan couldn''t stand it anymore. He grabbed the old fool who was deep in his thoughts by his shoulders and shook him. At least, he tried to. But, to his amazement, he couldn''t even move him.

    Duncan was really confused. He knew he was stronger than the old man. In fact, very few of the miners could match his strength. That is the reason why he was one of the most productive members of the mine. After all, it took strength to swing your pickaxe from morning to evening.

    ording to his strength, he should have been able to shake the old man. But, strangely enough, Duncan felt as if he was trying to shake a mountain. He looked up at the old man''s face to see him smiling at him amusedly.

    "So, you still think of me as some old fool who rambles, huh?" the old man asked in a self-deprecating tone.

    Duncan wanted to nod, but he didn''t want to hurt the old man''s fragile heart. He didn''t know how the old man would react if he forcefully broke his dream. It would be cruel to do so. As if seeing through his thoughts, the old man began to chuckle mirthlessly.

    "Never mind," the old man said shaking his head, "just answer these questions, Duncan. Don''t think about anything else. Are you interested in bing a cultivator?"

    "Old man, are you seriously ill?" Duncan asked with a frown etched on his face.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Just humor me, Duncan," the old man smiled wistfully. "We can end this sooner you answer my questions."

    Duncan looked at the old man up and down exasperatedly, before letting out a huge sigh.

    "Look, old man, maybe your head has been muddled too much to remember a few things. I will take the liberty to say it to you," Duncan said with an aggravated tone. "You ask whether I want to be a cultivator or not, right? You think bing a cultivator is that easy. Everyone knows that bing a cultivator needs countless resources."

    "Do you think people like us have the time to sit around and meditate to search for qi? If we don''t work, we won''t have money to even eat. Let me see try you meditating and search for qi when your stomach pinches in hunger," Duncan sneered.

    "Is that all that is stopping you from cultivating?" the old man was unfazed as he asked Duncan curiously.

    Duncan took a deep breath to calm himself down.

    "Even if I start cultivating by saving up some money, then what? " Duncan asked challengingly. "Don''t you know it takes countless other treasures to continue to cultivate? How could someone like me acquire them? Look, old man, it is easy to say these things, but the reality is often hard. All I want is some good drink and fine whores to bed. And one day I will marry someely wench and continue to live my life in peace."

    The old man scrutinized Duncan for a few moments, before giving a strange smile. When Duncan saw that smile, he felt something bad creep up on him.

    "Ha ha ha! Interesting, very interesting. I am even more determined to get you to cultivate now. You say you don''t want to be a cultivator. But, I don''t believe you. Ha ha ha."

    The Old man''sughter truly crept out Duncan. Before he could say anything else, the old man pointed his finger at Duncan.

    Duncan felt as if his head would explode any moment now. He was truly scared now. He clutched his head and lowered himself to his knees. But, the headache was blinding and he shut his eyes and scrunched his face to withstand it.

    "You say you don''t want to cultivate, hmmph. So what? I will see whether you will hold on to your view when the temptation is right inside your head. Ha ha ha ha. Remember this Duncan, in this world, might makes right. If you are weak you don''t even get to choose what you do,"  the old man''s voice thundered from above causing Duncan topletely copse as he was unable to bear the pain any longer.

    As Duncan copsed, he felt himself fainting. Before his consciousness could truly shut down, he once more heard the old man speak.

    "The karma you have with me ends now, young one. Whether you use what I gave you or not, it doesn''t matter anymore. My time here is done. If fate wills it, we will see each other one day."

 Chapter 3 Aftermath

    Duncan woke up from his groggy state after a long time. His head felt dizzy and heavy. It was an unusual feeling he hadn''t ever felt before. Even now, it felt as if he had a stone atop his head. Not to mention that he also felt like fainting.

    With great effort, Duncan opened his eyes to take stock of his surroundings. He saw that he was in the same ce he had been talking with that old fart. Strangely enough, no one paid him any attention.

    Unknown to Duncan, the old man had immediately isted both him and Duncan from others'' perceptions midway through their conversation. Even now that the old man had gone, the effects lingered causing passersby to ignore Duncan, who had fainted.

    Duncan slowly made it to his feet still clutching his head. He staggered off towards his home and fell on his bed, unable to do anything else. Even in his state, he knew that he was lucky that no one decided to kill him and loot his belongings. So, he didn''t want to chance his luck more.

    Just as he drifted off to sleep, Duncan muttered.

    "Damn old man, tomorrow I am going to bash your head in with my pickaxe. What the hell did that old fart do to me?"

    As he slept, Duncan had a strange dream. He couldn''t make any sense of it as images whizzed past his mind. All the while, his mind was in a hazy state unable to make sense of anything. It was truly both confusing and difiting. Duncan''s sleep was restless. He tossed over and over in his sleep. In the end, his body went into a seizure as blood began flowing from his nose.

    The next morning, Duncan woke from his groggy state. He felt as if his entire body was weighed down by some huge rock. He couldn''t even move his muscles at the beginning. He hadn''t felt this way in a long time.

    Duncan remembered the first day he worked in the mine. His body had felt simrly then. After all, working in a mine when he had just turned ten was not a wise option. It took him almost a month to get ustomed to hardbor.

    But, after working for eight years, his body had gradually be ustomed to the heavy workload. To suddenly feel like this once more, truly scared Duncan. With a mulish attitude, Duncan roused his body from the bed with great difficulty. He didn''t know what the old fart did to him, but it was nothing good.

    "Old fart, don''t let me get my hands on you. I will split open your stupid skull with my pickaxe for sure," Duncan mumbled as dragged his tired body to the small section that had been partitioned off to act as a bathroom.

    With great effort, he came before the tub containing water and looked at his reflection in it. The more he looked at it, the more he felt his anger towards the old man grow.

    His face was no longer healthy. It looked sunken. There were traces of blood flowing from his nostrils. His eyes looked way too tired to be normal. His hair was matted with sweat. All in all, his appearance even worried him.

    Gritting his teeth, he washed his face and scrubbed the bloodstains present on it with his feeble hands. Slowly, the stains were removed. With some water, his hair even looked normal. But, his eyes and face were still sunken as if he hadn''t eaten for ten days.

    Letting out a huge sigh, he stood up, promptly his legs gave out and he fell on his ass. Cursing the old man once more, Duncan staggered once more to his bed and fell on it.

    While he didn''t sleep once more, he felt way too weak to even dredge up his strength to move from here. He rested for a long time and only got out of his bed when the sun was at its zenith.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He slowly walked out of his house and made his way towards the nearest food stall. He promptly ordered arge amount of food and gorged them until he felt some energy flowing through his body. He exhaled a huge sigh and leisurely ate the remaining food.

    His good mood soon evaporated when the time came for him to pay for the food. He felt ck lines forming on his face as he paid what amounted to a week''s worth of his usual spending money.

    "Ha ha ha, Duncan, you sure ate your fill. What happened to cause you to be this hungry?" the uncle manning the stall asked in a happy mood.

    Duncan squeezed out a smile while inwardly bleeding in his heart. Only he knew that this put arge dent in his savings. Still, he didn''t want to lose his temper with the uncle.

    "Nothing, I guess I was really hungry," Duncan said awkwardly.

    "Ha, isn''t that the truth? You sure ate as if you were going to die. Mind you, I am d that you look healthy now that you had your fill. When you came in, you looked as if you would keel over and die," the uncle said as he patted his back.

    Duncan bid him goodbye and walked away from the stall. His bad mood only furthered as he made an ounting of his savings in his head and realized that his savings will onlyst for a few more days if he didn''t go to work tomorrow. Not that he had any thoughts of quitting his work.

    In fact, he was looking forward to going to work tomorrow. He had a score to settle with one old fart. Duncan didn''t know what that old fart did to him, but he sure as hell was going to bash that old fart''s skull open when he went to work tomorrow.

    The more Duncan thought about that old man, the more he felt his anger grow. In the end, he decided to forget about his situation by doing what he did usually. Drinking away his problems and concerns.

    Duncan made a sharp turn on his way to his home and headed towards the small bar where he often drank. He didn''t know when he became addicted to wine. All he knew was that when he turned fifteen, one day he went to the bar with fellow miners and drank a little.

    The habit continued for a few weeks before Duncan began to frequent the bar on his own. Something about drinking really appealed to him. He didn''t exactly know what it was.

    Maybe it was the way that he forgot about his troubles when he drank, or maybe it was the way that the pain in his body subsided when he drank, or maybe it was the atmosphere present in the bar. Hell, it might be something else apart from these two.

    All he knows was that he liked drinking. He didn''t care much about the why''s and how''s. In the end, getting drunk was the only thing that mattered. So, he didn''t care about the reason behind it.

    After walking for some time, he stood before his favorite ce in the entire Starsinger Town ¨C The Fallen Leaves Bar.

 Chapter 4 Bessa

    The Fallen Leaves Bar was one of the hotspots in the entire Starsinger Town. It is a melting pot of humans from different walks of life. Situated in the outskirts of the town, a little ways away from the road that led to the spirit mine located outside of the town, it was the ce where everyone from miners to farmers met in the evening to spend some time.

    While the bar was open from the afternoon till midnight, the crowd truly flooded the ce when it was evening. As it wasn''t evening yet, Duncan was able to find a ce to sit rtively easily. He ordered his favorite pot of wine and rxed in his seat.

    As Duncan began drinking, his body rxed further causing him to let out a sigh of contentment. He felt his worries melting away as he indulged himself in the taste of the wine. Even his anger towards the old fart was gradually forgotten as he got intoxicated more and more.

    Duncan drank without a care for more than two hours. Even then, he was only slightly tipsy. Duncan had learned long ago that his body had a high tolerance for alcohol that some might even say that it was inhuman. It was one of his proudest features.

    By the time he was sixteen, he could drink several old coots under the table. Ever since he discovered his body''s high tolerance for alcohol, he began to enjoy the process of drinking more and more. It was one of the few pleasures Duncan indulged in his dull life.

    As Duncan lost himself in the beautiful world of drinking, a voice interrupted his bliss, causing Duncan to look up and scowl.

    "Oi Duncan! What are you doing here at this time cad? Didn''t you go to work?"

    The moment Duncan saw the owner of the voice standing before him, his scowl morphed into a lecherous smile.

    "Ah Bessa! Come join me. It has been a long time since I saw you," Duncan said with enthusiasm.

    "Hmmph, at least you remember that," Bessa snorted as she sat opposite to him.

    Duncan merely hummed as he took in Bessa''s bountiful breasts. In his inebriated state, they looked particrly mouthwatering. Not to mention, how Bessa had dressed particrly to emphasize that particr asset of hers.

    "What happened? Why haven''t you visited me in a long time? By the way, why are you drinking here all alone instead of going to work?" Bessa asked as she poured herself a cup of wine from Duncan''s pot nonchntly.

    "Huh, don''t mention it," Duncan said waving his hands. "Even thinking about brings my mood down. No need to think about such bad things when you are near me."

    "You haven''t lost your job, have you?" Bessa asked with narrowed eyes.

    "Howe? I was merely tired to go to work. I will be back to work tomorrow. You don''t need to worry about it."

    Duncan waved his hands anxiously. He knew that Bessa was a whore. The moment she thought he had lost his work, she would turn her face and walk away from him without a second nce.

    It is well known in themunity that Bessa''s legs only opened if your purse opened and spilled its coins. Despite her atrocious attitude, Duncan had a soft spot for Bessa as she was the one to whom he lost his virginity.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As they say, the first experience is always special.

    Despite his awkwardness at the age of sixteen, Bessa was patient with him and taught him a lot during the few times he had shared the bed with Bessa. It had helped him a lot when he had sweet-talked the crofter''s daughter into his bed at the age of seventeen. For that, he was always grateful to her.

    In fact, most men visiting The Fallen Leaves Bar had a soft spot for Bessa, as she was the besty avable here. In the bed, Bessa was truly a wild cat. Unlike others, Bessa truly enjoyed her profession. She was what one would call a veritable slut.

    Duncan licked his lips as he recalled his memories with Bessa. He decided that whileying with Bessa would once more put a huge dent in his savings, it would also be a good way to end his horrible day. So, with a sweet smile, he gently grabbed Bessa''s hands.

    Bessa''s eyes narrowed at his action, but it onlysted for a moment before she gave Duncan a winsome smile.

    Emboldened by her smile, Duncan spoke, "So, Bessa, what do you say? We haven''t met for a long while. How about we rectify that with a heart-to-heart conversation in your room?"

    Bessa giggled like a besotted girl before replying, "Oh Duncan, I have missed your sweet tongue a lot. I would be d to apany you this afternoon."

    Even when he knew that Bessa''s giggles were fake, Duncan''s heart couldn''t help but quicken. He felt his little brother stand up in his pants eagerly.

    "Oh, I too have missed everything about you Bessa. Especiallyˇ­" Duncan''s eyes zeroed in on her magnificent assets that were shaking from her giggling.

    ''Damn, the wench really knows how to drive men mad'' Duncan said inwardly as he brought Bessa''s hands to his lips and kissed them.

    "Ah, ah, Duncan," Bessa giggled once more, "you know the rules don''t you?" Bessa asked as she leaned forward showing her ample cleavage leaving little to the imagination.

    "Of course, of course," Duncan replied with a smile before searching his pockets for his coins. He took out Bessa''s regr rate and ced them on the table.

    Without any shame, Bessa swept the coins in her hand and stood up. She closed the distance between them and nted a kiss on his lips, before turning around and walking towards the back with her hips sashaying.

    As Duncan''s eyes zeroed in on her ass, he couldn''t help but gulp. He stood up and took arge gulp from his wine pot, before following her ass towards the back. He saw Bessa deposit her coins to Big Rock, before continuing through the door. When Duncan followed her, Big Rock gave him a knowing smile before motioning him to go on.

    Big Rock is the reason that no one made trouble with Bessa. It was rumored that he was a cultivator, so none of the townsfolk wanted to have him on their wrong side. And Big Rock was pretty reasonable. He never interfered until they paid the money. Apart from protecting the whores working in the bar and collecting money, Big Rock rarely made trouble for anyone.

    With anticipation building inside him, Duncan made his way toward Bessa''s room. He could hardly wait to eat her up.

 Chapter 5 Coiling Dragon Sutra (R18)

    Warning: The below chapter contains mature scenes that aren''t suitable for underage readers. If you are underage or not interested, you can skip this chapter.

    Just as Duncan closed the door, Bessa jumped his bones. She was all over him as she pressed him against the door and gave him a hot searing kiss. Her hands were already rubbing against his member wantonly.

    Duncan indulged in her kiss and brought his hands around her body. He pulled her closer, before cupping her round ass and massaging them. Bessa moaned into his mouth as Duncan groped her behind wantonly.

    Duncan didn''t pause his actions, but he made sure his mouth wasn''t idle either. He necked her with abandon causing Bessa''s breath to hitch. After ying with her ass for a few minutes and necking her, Duncan grabbed her by the hips and lifted her making his way towards the bed.

    The moment Bessa wasid on the bed, he started attacking her breasts with kisses and squeezes. Bessa let out a loud moan as she whimpered under his tender mercies.

    Duncan was truly in a haze now. He yed with her breasts by squeezing and groping them roughly while peppering her with kisses all over her face and neckline.

    But, before he could proceed further, Bessa rallied and pushed him away. As Duncan looked at her hungrily, Bessa smirked at him saucily, before beginning to remove her dress slowly.

    Just as Duncan wanted to pounce on her and rip the remaining dress to continue to feast on her, Bessa waggled her fingers at him with a gesture to wait. With a supreme effort, Duncan restrained himself and enjoyed the show that Bessa was putting on for him.

    Duncan felt as if the room''s temperature was suddenly raised to a hellish level. There was an evil fire burning inside him that made him want to devour the sexy wench showing off in front of him. He gulped audibly as Bessa finally finished removing all her garments.

    Bessaid there on her bed in all her naked glory. Her tits were magnificent with perky nipples standing upright causing him to salivate. As his eyes devoured her, Bessa slowly trailed a finger starting from her mouth to her pussy in a provocative manner causing the little restraint Duncan had in him to snap.

    With a low guttural roar, Duncan pounced on her and buried his face into her tit heaven. Bessa moaned wantonly as he took her nipples into his mouth and sucked on them. Her fingers threaded his hair as she pressed him closer further.

    Duncan alternated his attention between her two nipples equally, while his hand went to work downstairs. The moment his fingers brushed her pussy, Bessa''s breath hitched before she moaned louder. Duncan rubbed her pussy while sucking on her tits like a hungry child.

    Duncan suckled to his heart''s content while inserting his fingers into her wet pussy. He slowly started finger fucking her causing Bessa to writhe in pleasure. He continued this action for a few minutes leaving Bessa breathless, whimpering in pleasure.

    After a while, Duncan paused his actions as he felt the evil fire in him subside a little. rity once more returned to him as he took a step back. The loss of attention brought Bessa out of her haze as well. She let out a disappointed whine before looking at Duncan pleadingly.

    Duncan felt the fire in him rage once more. But, this time he had enough control over his body. He slowly undressed as he feasted on Bessa''s body. Seeing that Duncan wasn''t baited by her look, Bessa took it a step further.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As Duncan watched, she started ying with herself while shooting him a provocative look this time. Duncan merely paused for a second, before hurrying to divest the clothes of his body.

    Bessa chuckled seeing his urgency. Her voice was like that of a demon causing him to work faster. He almost tore his dress in his hurry to get back to enjoying the feast that wasid out before him.

    ? Atst, Duncan stood naked in front of Bessa with ascivious smile on his face. He greedily took in her body before moving towards her. Bessa paused her actions and sat up eyeing Duncan''s lean body hungrily. Her hands automatically reached out to grab his member.

    Duncan let out a pleased sigh as Bessa began working her magic with her hands. Duncan stood before her as she pumped his little brother. She paused her actions, before recing her hands with her mouth.

    This time Duncan outright moaned as Bessa swirled her tongue around his member expertly. She took his little brother deep in her mouth before she started sucking it earnestly. Duncan felt pure bliss as he stood there like a lifeless doll.

    Bessa worked her magic on Duncan''s cock causing him to moan in pleasure. As Bessa''s speed increased, Duncan let his head fall back as he indulged in his pleasure. Her expert mouth almost made him cum, before Duncan pulled himself together.

    With an iron heart, Duncan stopped Bessa before pushing her down onto the bed. Bessa giggled as she saw Duncan''s hungry eyes. She knew Duncan couldn''t help himself anymore. She wiggled on the bed, before provocatively opening her legs and inviting him in.

    "Come, Duncan. Take me," she whispered in a slutty manner causing Duncan''s cock to jump up.

    Duncan didn''t need another invitation as he stepped forward and grabbed her hips and pulled her towards him. Bessa let out an excited squawk as Duncan loomed over her and eyed her hungrily.

    Duncan met Bessa''s eyes and her desire clearly. Without further ado, he positioned himself right in front of her wet pussy and mmed forward. His thrust was hard and his cock went deep into Bessa''s pussy.

    Bessa let out a shrieking moan as she let her head fall backward. Duncan''srge cock was buried deep in her pussy. She could feel her pussy walls greedily sucking in his cock and tightening around it.

    The moment he speared into Bessa''s pussy, an explosion happened in Duncan''s head. He stood there buried deep in Bessa''s pussy dazed. His eyes lost focus as he felt his head fill with sudden knowledge.

    ''Coiling Dragons Sutra''

    Duncan mumbled inwardly as he stood in a daze due to the sudden influx of knowledge in his mind.

 Chapter 6 Cultivators Are Dickheads (R18)

    Duncan''s head was suddenly filled with information about something called Coiling Dragons Sutra. Duncan was shocked by this new event that he stopped in his tracks trying to figure out what this was all about.

    As Duncan''s mind worked, he quickly summarized what Coiling Dragon Sutra entailed. Of all things, it was a cultivation technique that was used to cultivate by having sex.

    As Duncan perused the technique, he understood how it was done. The technique involved circting the qi in your body in a certain way while having sex. It was incredible. Duncan never knew such a thing could be done. For a moment, he stood there dazed not knowing what to do.

    "mmmm Duncan, what are you daydreaming about standing there? Didn''t I teach you how to do it the first time? You haven''t forgotten, right? Do you want me to give guidance once more?" Bessa chortled as she looked at Duncan standing there in a daze.

    Duncan snapped out of his daze hearing her voice. When he heard what she said, he became embarrassed immediately. His face med up in embarrassment as he averted his eyes from her face.

    He knew who the culprit was this misfortune to fall upon him. The shame of being teased by a beauty about guiding him to have sex burned inside him. He wasn''t a sixteen-year-old boy anymore. He was eighteen and a man now.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan channeled all his anger and once more speared into Bessa hardly.

    Just as Bessa wanted to tease him again, Duncan''s dick speared into her rough and hard causing her to see stars. Before she could recover, Duncan once more mmed into her with abandon. Bessa''s eyes rolled up as Duncan''s dick felt as if it would tear through her womb.

    Duncan''s relentless assault took Bessa off guard. With each thrust, she felt her pussy stretch, causing her to moan and get lost in pleasure. She had never seen Duncan behave this roughly with her. In a strange way, Duncan''s new behavior turned her on more. She began moaning and writhing under him with reckless abandon.

    On the other hand, Duncan was bing more and more angrier as he came out of his embarrassment.

    ''What the fuck is wrong with that old fart? Even if he is really a cultivator, can''t he give me something that was normal? What kind of shit technique is this? Goddamn it! I can''t even use this shit technique. It needs me to circte qi in a certain manner. The problem is, I don''t even know how to do it. Not to mention that I don''t even have qi inside me. Is that old fart mocking me by giving me this technique?'' Duncan roared inwardly.

    First, the old fart had given him a severe headache causing him to almost die. Then, that fool had left him a technique that activated in the worst possible moment possible causing his embarrassment. He was even mocked by a beauty asking if he forgot how to fuck. How could a man stand that kind of humiliation?

    Not to mention that this technique was totally useless to him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. At that moment, he decided that all cultivators were dickheads who needed to be beaten up in the worst way possible. Especially that old fart! When he sees him tomorrow, he is going to bury his pickaxe right through his skull.

    Duncan channeled all his anger into his ravishment of Bessa. He wasn''t enjoying the pleasure ay with Bessa brought him usually. Instead, he was venting his anger onto her.

    ''Yet another thing that old fart had ruined!!! Old fart, when I see you again, you are dead!!!'' Duncan roared angrily.

    Meanwhile, Bessa was like a lone boat being battered inside a stormy sea. The pleasure she was in was unlike anything she had experienced. Duncan''s relentless assault made her mind go nk as she thrashed under him in absolute bliss. Her entire body was on fire as she quailed under him. Even her breathing becamebored.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Even if Duncan had endless anger inside his heart, his body could only handle so much. Especially his little brother. Despite Duncan''s reluctance, his little brother finally sumbed to nature''s effects and discharged his load deep into Bessa''s womb.

    The moment Duncan felt his seed spill, a mysterious energy enveloped his body. The rush of that energy was so great that he felt as if he was in heaven. His endless anger was washed away with pure bliss and he felt his entire body refreshed as the mysterious energy flowed into him.

    His knees gave out as he slumped on Bessa, who was a quivering mess under him. The feeling that came with sex this time was something indescribable to Duncan. His mind took a long while to calm down.

    Meanwhile, Bessa was experiencing the pleasure of a whole new level. Duncan''s relentless assault of her pussy gave her something she had never experienced before. It awoke something within her that craved being used like that again. In all her life, she had never known thatying with a man can be this good.

    Duncan for his part felt as if his body was no longer weighed down by a mountain. He feltpletely energized and even the headache he had been nursing since yesterday was gone.

    The mysterious energy inside him was nourishing his whole body, taking away the pain, clearing hidden injuries, and boosting his vitality. His entire being felt as if he waspletely reborn. Duncan had never experienced such a thing in his entire eighteen years of life.

    As Duncan woke from his stupor, he looked down at Bessa who was looking at him with hooded eyes filled with contentment. Just as he shifted his body, he recognized that his little brother was still hard and buried in Bessa''s body. With a wicked smirk, Duncan moved his hips again.

    Ba''s eyes snapped open as she stared at him in astonishment. She couldn''t believe that Duncan wasn''t done yet. This had been the best fucking she had ever had in her entire life and yet it was not over.

    Normally, she would push the man away. For once the man spilled his seed, her work was done. But, she couldn''t bring herself to push Duncan away at this moment. For the first time in her entire career as a whore, Bessa decided to do it for free. This would be her return gift to Duncan. And if he fucked her like he had fucked her earlier, then it would be all the better.

    Meanwhile, Duncan didn''t wait for any indication from Bessa. Instead, he once more pounded into her with renewed vigor. His re-energized body gave him all the needed energy to once more send Bessa into thend of bliss.

    As Duncan''s rhythm increased, Bessa''s moans increased in intensity too. The second round of fucking wasn''t anyway milderpared to the previous one. While the first one was driven by Duncan''s anger, the second one was driven by this newfound energy inside him.

    When Duncan was truly done with spilling his seed once more, Bessa was all the way in merrnd. She waspletely non-responsive when Duncan was done.

    With a newborn pride, Duncan stepped out of Bessa''s room and walked out of The Fallen Leaves Bar with a swagger in his steps. Big Rock merely raised an eyebrow at Duncan when he passed by him, but he didn''tment anything.

    Duncan reached his home and once more settled into his bed. Compared to how downtrodden he had been when he left, he now had a big goofy grin stered on his face.

 Chapter 7 Greed Is Truly Endless

    As Duncan calmly went through the cultivation technique in his mind, he fully understood the intricacies of the Coiling Dragons Sutra.

    Coiling Dragons Sutra was a dual cultivation technique that required the user to circte the qi in his body in a certain manner during sex. The advantage of this technique is that it could be practiced by cultivators at any stage of the cultivation.

    If one analyzed objectively, Coiling Dragon Sutra was not the type of cultivation technique that could be used as a stand-alone technique. Rather, it was a kind of supplementary cultivation technique.

    For one, it didn''t help a cultivator to absorb spirit qi from the surroundings. One could only use this technique with the help of spirit qi already present in their body.

    Another sticking point with this technique was that this technique could only be used for cultivation during sex. These two points made it so that this technique could never be used as a stand-alone cultivation technique by anyone.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, this was the old man''s petty revenge against Duncan since Duncan refused his goodwill. The old man wanted Duncan to see the light but yet be unable to truly grasp it, until another fortune appeared in his life. Surely, that old man wasn''t a good thing.

    However, since this was the technique the old man gave to Duncan to wash his karma, there were bright points within it as well. The technique was one of the top-tier dual cultivation techniques that were present in Duncan''s entire world.

    As long as one ran this technique while dual cultivating, their realms will get much more stabilized than normal and also see an increase in their qi density. To normal cultivators, this technique would be a god-sent treasure as they don''t need to spend their time stabilizing their realms.

    And the higher density of qi meant that the cultivators will be stronger than other normal cultivators in the same realm. Which cultivator wouldn''t want to practice such a technique that gave them a tremendous advantage over their peers? And this one was a dual cultivation technique to boot.

    And the benefits don''t end there either. Every time a cultivator who practices this technique coptes sessfully, once the deed is done, the technique will help the cultivator by nourishing his body with vital yin-yang qi.

    Vital yin-yang qi is one of the rarest types of qi that can only be generated when a male''s yang energy mixes with a female''s yin energy. The techniques that are able to harvest such a qi are very rare.

    Vital yin-yang qi has innate properties to enrich the vitality and nourish the body of a cultivator. They even have the property to heal hidden damages to the body that cultivators umte throughout their course of cultivation. From pill toxins to hidden injuries, vital yin-yang qi is able to heal them all.

    So, one could only imagine how rare such a cultivation technique is.

    Even Duncan, who had not stepped foot in the path of cultivation ended up benefiting by merely perusing this technique while having sex. One could only imagine the effect it will have when two cultivators engage in dual cultivation while using this technique.

    If Duncan knew how much the old man had screwed him over by not providing even a trash cultivation technique to go with this technique, he would be apoplectic.

    However, Duncan was currently only feeling great with the increased energy he had. Even his anger towards the old man had subsided a little. He even had the idea of apologizing to the old man and plead for some technique to cultivate along with this after experiencing the energy surge.

    As the next day rolled over, Duncan set off towards the spirit stone mine he worked in high spirits. He didn''t know how to face the old man. It was now clear that the old man was a cultivator, even if he had been tooting his own horn for a long time.

    Duncan was undecided as to how to deal with the old man. His anger towards the old man had subsided, but it didn''t mean he was resentful towards him. If only the old man had given a cultivation technique along with that Coiling Dragon Sutra, then Duncan would have been truly grateful.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The feeling of being able to experience the benefits of the cultivation without actually stepping foot on the path of cultivation was indescribable to Duncan. It was akin to an itch that he couldn''t scratch no matter how he tried. It was really ufortable.

    As Duncan stood before the mine, he mumbled towards himself in a low voice.

    "All right, I didn''t know cultivation could feel this good. That said, the old man had already proved his point. When I see him, I am going to act kindly towards him. I will even praise that old fart if I had to. All I need is a proper cultivation technique to practice normally. I will even forget the humiliation and hell that old man put me through. He he heˇ­"

    Humans are always like that. Two days ago, Duncan had no wish to cultivate. Now that he had a taste of it, he wanted more. If it meant acting kindly towards the old man to obtain the cultivation technique, he would do it.

    After all, greed is truly endless.

    With steady steps, Duncan walked into the mine. Before he began his work, he searched for the old man. However, despite searching high and low, Duncan couldn''t find the old man.

    Despite the old man''s absence, Duncan didn''t feel down. He was riding off the high he had experiencedst evening. So, Duncan went to work as usual. As time passed, Duncan realized that he wasn''t feeling tired like he usually did.

    By the time lunch rolled around, he could confidently say that he was way more strong than he was usually. It showed in his productivity. The amount of work he used to do in a day had already been done and yet he wasn''t feeling the least bit tired.

    When the day ended, Duncan had made up for his absence yesterday by showing double the amount of results. Duncan really felt good. The only fly in the wheel was that he wasn''t able to find the old man. His inquiries revealed that the old man hadn''te yesterday too.

    Despite that bit of unfortunate news, Duncan was still happy when he returned home. He went about his work as usual and awaited the next day eagerly hoping that he would meet the old man the next day.

    Days rolled by and weeks passed over, yet Duncan had seen neither hide nor hair of the old man. As weeks passed, the small hope that Duncan was nursing in his heart began to die down. He began to realize that the old man might be truly gone.

    The only silver lining in Duncan''s otherwise dull days was that he had multiple encounters with Bessa in the following weeks. With his increased productivity, Duncan was earning more and thus was able to afford Bessa much more frequently than he used to previously.

    He left Bessa mewling like a puppy at the end of each visit. His body became more and more powerful and he felt as if he had an unending amount of energy wellspring in his body.

    But, with each visit, he began to really understand what kind of opportunity he had passed by. As he understood the severity of theck of proper cultivation technique, he truly realized how cruel the old fart had been to show him the light, yet not allow him to grasp it.

    If he had been ignorant of the benefits of being a cultivator like he had been earlier, Duncan would have been content with his lot in his life. But, having experienced a tiny amount of that world, Duncan began to yearn to truly be a cultivator.

    s! The old man had been truly petty when he gave Duncan a glimpse of the cultivation world. He left Duncan salivating at the door steps as he watched others feast inside the hall.

 Chapter 8 Get Married!!!

    As the days rolled by, Duncan felt as if he was going mad. He was bing desperate to obtain a cultivation technique as time passed. To feel the rush of energy each time heid with Bessa and to not be able to step further drove him insane.

    Hell, even Bessa was bing more and more radiant these days. Feeling the effect in his body was one thing, but seeing Bessa bing more and more radiant made Duncan burn with anger.

    By now, he truly hated the old man who had shown him the glimpse and shut the door in his face. He even braved himself to ask about cultivation with the overseers who were overlooking the spirit mine.

    Unfortunately for him, cultivators were a truly arrogant bunch of assholes. They viewed him like a vermin or shit on their shoes. While being brushed off hurt, the worst was those little sadistic shits who took pleasure in humiliating him and beating him up.

    Truly, it was not the beating that bothered him much. No, it was the look of disdain and careless cruelty they showed that chilled his heart. Duncan''s opinion of cultivators truly fell to the bottom with each and every incident.

    Months rolled by as Duncan began to nurse this budding hatred towards the cultivators. All his free time was spent trying to obtain any information regarding the cultivation world and drinking away his constant disappointment and humiliation.

    Bessa was the one bright spot in his life. Even the time he spent with her was marred by the fact that he could never truly enjoy what cultivation felt like as he was now.

    Eventually, even his time in the mine became hard to bear when he realized how valuable the spirit stones he mined were to cultivators. To constantly touch something that the cultivators fought over, and yet unable to use them made Duncan very sullen and short-tempered.

    His personal rtionships became tense and brittle. He could hardly bring himself to care about some insult or the other he delivered unwittingly. Soon, the people around him started avoiding him.

    Duncan didn''t know how to bring himself out of this quagmire that he had been stuck in. As much as he tried to forget about the Coiling Dragon Sutra, he just couldn''t do it. Especially when its effects were shown to him clearly in his daily life.

    Duncan knew that he had to do something. Anything. He knew he couldn''t just keep going like this. But, the trouble was that he didn''t know what he should do. It was frustrating to him to the point of insanity.

    "Well, look what the cat dragged in," Granny Jiao''s hoarse but affable voice greeted him as he stepped foot into her home. "Are you sure you are at the right ce, Duncan? You haven''t drunk too much wine to know where you are at, do you?"

    "Come on Granny Jiao, not you too," Duncan huffed exasperatedly.

    "What else can I say, boy? You have been off your rockers for a while now. Picking fights everywhere, roaming around the town listless, searching for something that no one knows what it is about. I say you are one small step away from being deranged."

    Duncan huffed without answering. Granny Jiao was kind of like a mother figure to him. Being an orphan who grew up on the streets, he didn''t really know who his parents were. He had no one that could be called family, to look after him when he was young.

    Granny Jiao was the one he came to when he came down sick with something. Having no one to take care of him meant that he had to sometimes spend weeks in her hut to get better. While he and Granny Jiao weren''t rted, she still took care of him during those troubled times.

    So, naturally, Duncan had arge amount of respect for her. While he hadn''t truly visited her since the incident with the old man, he would still drop by to check on her asionally and buy her things that she needed.

    Granny Jiao didn''t mind Duncan''s aloof attitude much. She busied herself in the kitchen for a few minutes before walking out. As she neared him, she took his hand and felt his pulse without even asking for permission.

    Duncan was used to it, so he didn''t mind it much. Granny Jiao hummed and nodded with a satisfied smile before letting his hand go.

    "You are healthy as an ox. No need to worry about it. Dare I say that this is the healthiest I have found you! Even your cheeks are bing radiant. Hmmm, so you weren''t suffering from anything I know of," Granny Jiao stated as she made her way back to the kitchen.

    "I know," Duncan grumbled.

    "Then, what''s got you in a twist, boy? I can see that you are restless. Your feet have been dancing ever since you stepped in," Granny Jiao said from the kitchen.

    "Nothing, nothing," Duncan shook his head not knowing how to exin his predicament to Granny Jiao.

    "Hmmm, anyway stay for tea. I have already put the teapot on heat," Granny Jiao said as she emerged from the kitchen.

    Duncan could only nod as refusing will be too rude. He would never be disrespectful to Granny Jiao if he can help it. Sitting in the house, Duncan debated whether to ask advice from Granny Jiao as she went around the house preparing her medicines.

    In the end, Duncan didn''t hold out for long. While silence in the house was something he was ustomed to, he was chomping at the bits to figure out what to do.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Say, Granny, I feel kind of, you know. Ahhh, I don''t know how to exin this," Duncan said scratching his head causing Granny Jiao to look up from where she was pruning some herbal leaves.

    "You know, it''s justˇ­ I feel kind ofˇ­" Duncan once again trailed off not knowing how to exin his situation.

    "ˇ­restless," Granny Jiao supplied calmly.

    "Hmm, you can say that. But, it is not exactly that. I don''t think you will understand," Duncan frowned.

    "Bah, don''t be a silly fool boy. Do you think I haven''t seen young ones like you behaving like this before? You are not that special Duncan," Granny Jiao chortled shaking her head.

    "What? You have seen others acting like me?" Duncan asked in surprise.

    "Of course," Granny Jiao smiled mysteriously before chuckling. "As I said, you are not special Duncan. I have seen countless young ones acting like you. Wait, let me bring the tea. We can chat over the tea."

    Granny Jiao walked into the kitchen andter emerged with two steaming cups of tea in her hand. Duncan took one cup from her hand and sipped it as Granny Jiao sat opposite to him.

    They drank tea in silence for a minute or two before Duncan broke the silence.

    "Granny, what do you mean that others have acted like this before me?" Duncan asked.

    "Hmmmph, of course, I have seen other young ones acting like you. It is a kind of affliction that normally appears in young ones when they be men," Granny Jiao said with a mischievous smile.

    "Huh, didn''t you say that I am healthy?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    "Oh no, this is not a physical affliction, my dear boy. But, this is a mental one," Granny Jiao chortled.

    "What!?" Duncan shouted in surprise. "I am mentally afflicted. Then, will I be like Old Joe who had survived the cave-in a few years back?"

    "Oh no, it''s nothing like that. Old Joe''s affliction is different from yours," Granny Jiao waved her hands as if she was batting away that thought. "Don''t be too excited. This is not bad, per se. But, it does often ur in young ones."

    "Oh," Duncan let out a relieved breath.

    "Well, this affliction usually starts in young ones who had just turned into men. Usually, it happens after they experience something unusual causing them to start to feel restless and invoking in them a desire to do somethingˇ­"

    "Exactly," Duncan crowed eagerly, "Thank the gods I have you here Granny Jiao. That is exactly how I feel. I can barely concentrate on anything these days. It feels as if I need to do something, anything. But, I don''t know what to do."

    "Aha, then the affliction is at its final stage then. Tell me, do you feel like you are being caged, and is there some kind of suffocating feeling in you that you couldn''t exactly point out?" Granny Jiao asked with a benign smile.

    Duncan could only nod in reply.

    "You don''t need to worry about this much boy. It usually gets down after some years. But, if you feel like you can''t wait that long, I can give you some suggestions," Granny Jiao said patting Duncan''s hands.

    "What do you think I need to do?" Duncan asked eagerly.

    "Get married," Granny said with an impish smile causing Duncan to rear back in shock.

    "What???" Duncan cried out in surprise.

 Chapter 9 Setting Off

    "Granny, stop joking," Duncan shook his head in clear exasperation.

    "I am not joking boy," Granny Jiao admonished by bonking his head before continuing. "You are at that stage in life where you are yearning for something new. Nothing in this town interests you and you feel as if being suffocated. What you are looking for is excitement, boy. And the best way to find it is to search for aely wench and marry her. I heard that you took the crofter''s daughter to bed. Pity, she had already marriedst year."

    "Granny!!!" Duncan huffed in exasperation.

    "Don''t Granny me boy. I have seen countless younglings like you enter this state. Marriage usually calms them down. By the time a year or two rolls by they will have a little sprog of their own and the itch to seek something new wears out," Granny Jiao said admonishingly.

    "I don''t wanna get married," Duncan said mulishly before draining the rest of the tea in his cup with a single gulp.

    "Ah, it''s a pity. I would have like to see your little sprog," Granny Jiao chortled good-naturedly before finishing her own cup of tea.

    "Anyway, if you don''t want to get married, then the only thing you can do is to leave this town," Granny said with a small smile. "You have seen everything in here. A little bit of travel wouldn''t hurt. You are young yet, and traveling to the nearby towns or even to the Starmist City would help you get the itch out of the way."

    Duncan sat there weighing Granny Jiao''s words. This suggestion sounded good. He had already exhausted all the avenues he had in this town. With the cultivators treating him like shit and all his inquiries ending up in vain, there wasn''t anything else he could do in the town anyway.

    "But, you have to be careful if you choose to travel. The world isn''t a kind ce. There are lots of dangerous things out there. Wild beasts and demonic beasts will be the least of your worries. The truly dangerous things are other humans and cultivators," Granny Jiao cautioned him with worry in her eyes.

    "Cultivators?" Duncan asked eagerly.

    "Indeed, our Starsinger Town is just a frontier town. In fact, if not for the spirit mine there wouldn''t even be a town here. There are other bigger towns out there and not to mention the cities. I heard that even the Starmist City is only a small city."

    "I could hardly imagine how anything could be bigger than Starmist City. After all, Starmist City is already very huge. It would take you an entire day to walk from one end of the city to another. Can you even imagine that?"

    "Tell me about the cultivators," Duncan urged not caring about how big a city truly was.

    "Why do you want to know about them? If you know what''s good for you boy, you would stay far away from them. If you think the cultivators here are bad, then you don''t even know how bad they could be. Compared to those people outside, these ones are tame."

    "Howe?" Duncan asked in shock.

    Duncan''s experience with cultivators was anything but good. They were rude, disrespectful, and had sadistic tendencies. Even the better ones looked at you as if you were vermin. How could it be much worse?

    "Hmmmph, you are truly na?ve boy if you think these ones are bad. At most, the ones here will only humiliate you. That is because they couldn''t kill the people here. If they did, there will be no one to work for them in the mines. Not many people are willing to work in a mine, you see. That is the only reason, why some of the worst ones here haven''t gone on a killing spree."

    Granny Jiao''s face was entirely grave by now.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Remember Duncan, in the eyes of cultivators we are nothing better than livestock. Outside of the Starsinger town, they would kill you in a blink of an eye. They don''t even need to have a reason to do that. They would kill us on a whim. So, stay away from the cultivators at all cost," Granny Jiao finished grimly before rising up and leaving towards the kitchen.

    Duncan sat there stunned as he digested Granny Jiao''s words. He already had a low opinion of cultivators, but Granny Jiao described them as something akin to monsters. He truly didn''t know how to feel about that.

    "Granny, how do you know all this?" Duncan asked rousing himself from his stupor as he saw her emerging from the kitchen.

    "Hmmmph, did you think that I spent all my life here? When I was young, my old man and I traveled even to Starmist City. If you go traveling, you should definitely visit there beforeing back here," Granny Jiao preened causing Duncan to smile.

    "Anyways, I am sure a young man like you has lots to do. So, get going. If you decide to travel,e see me. I will arrange some safe passage for you. It is better to go in a group than travel alone. That way it will be much safer," Granny Jiao shooed him away.

    Duncan rose from his seat and bid her goodbye. He walked out of Granny Jiao''s house deep in thought thinking about what Granny Jiao had said. While his situation wasn''t exactly the same, it was identical enough for him to start considering traveling as an option.

    On weekter, Duncan was determined to travel. Anyway, he had nothing left to lose with seeing more of the world. If what Granny Jiao said was true, the world was much bigger than he had initially thought.

    Who knows, he might even find some solution to the problem that had been guing him somewhere out there. With his mind made up, he visited Granny Jiao and informed her of his decision. She merely gave him a knowing look, before telling him toe see her one week from then.

    Meanwhile, Duncan began to settle his affairs in the town. He informed the supervisor in the mine. The man grumbled and dragged for a few days, before eventually agreeing to his request. Duncan even sold off his house to one of the new miners who had been in dire need.

    He bought himself a travel sack and even upgraded his clothes to something respectable. Since he had been a miner for a long time, he had never cared about his clothes much as they would all eventually be dirty. Now that he was going to travel, he needed something clean to at least start off with.

    He even settled down in a small inn for the remainder of his time in the town. He visited Bessa twice and enjoyed her until he had his fill. Bessa was a little reluctant to see him leave, but in the end, she sent him off with onest mind-blowing sex that even tired him out.

    Big Rock learned of his decision and gave him some goodmon sense advice like hiding money in different ces, buying some small knife for protection, and even teaching him some tips on how to wield it properly. He warned Duncan of showing his money in public ces where it might invite a cmity on him and even gave him a sendoff with arge pot of wine.

    Duncan arrived at Granny Jiao''s house at the appointed time. Granny Jiao brewed him a cup of tea and informed him that he will be joining the merchant caravan that usually brought her medicines to the other towns as a guard.

    Considering his big stature and hard muscles, it wasn''t much of a problem ording to her. She also gifted him with an old sword that belonged to her old man. Duncan embraced Granny Jiao with tears in his eyes and bid a hearty farewell to her.

    As Duncan was leaving the house, she once more stressed that he should stay away from cultivators for his own good and advised him toe back only after sating his wanderlust. Duncan smiled in reply, before gifting her with a forehead kiss that earned him a swat in his ass as Granny Jiao chortled merrily.

    Duncan walked towards the town square to meet the merchant caravan with steady steps andrge anticipation in his heart. Little did he know that this was the start of his journey towards things that were far bloodier than anything he had prepared himself for.

 Chapter 10 The Wider World

    "Ah, you are the one Old Jiao asked me to look out for, huh," Merchant Wang called out amicably.

    It had been half a day since they began their journey. When Duncan arrived at the town square he was promptly assigned a cart to guard along with an old timer by the name of Tang De.

    Tang De was a gruff man with dark hair and greying beard. He looked as if he was nearing thirty-five. Being a veteran caravan guard, Tang De took him under his wings and exined their responsibilities in his usual gruff manner.

    Duncan didn''t mind his gruff tone as he had prior experience with dealing with gruff miners. As the day progressed, Tang De told him about what kind of things to watch out for and even gave him some tips on how to act.

    Their conversation from there flowed towards their life experiences. Tang De regaled him with the few battles and confrontations he had been in and Duncan, in turn, told him about his mining days.

    As Duncan greedily listened to Tang De''s tales, Tang De had a rather good opinion of Duncan. Duncan would asionally ask some questions causing Tang De to exin further. The more the veteran talked, the less gruff he became.

    By half day, it could be said that Duncan had developed a tiny amount of rapport with the veteran. His experiences in the mine also paved a way for a good impression as Tang De realized that Duncan was no stranger to hard work.

    "Your Granny was right, unless you haven''t stepped foot in the Starmist City, you will never know how big the world is. I myselfe from the Painted Star Town, that''s north of Starmist City. I started working as a guard when I was a little bit older than you. Let me say, the first time I say Starmist City, I was blown away because of how big it was," Tang De had said sometime into their conversation.

    "But, guess what, the Starmist City is said to be only a small city. There are bigger cities out there if you know what I mean. Those things are called Provincial Cities. As far as I know, each Provincial City rules over ten big cities. And each big city has two or three small cities under itsmand. Can you even imagine how big those Provincial Cities are?"

    Tang De told boggling Duncan altogether. He could hardly imagine how big they could be when he was told even small cities were dozen times bigger than the Starsinger Town he hailed from.

    As they talked noon rolled around and the caravan was halted so that they could eat and stretch their legs a bit. Halfway through the meal, Merchant Wang came over to talk with Tang De.

    Merchant Wang was a rotund man decked in fine garments. His mere appearance screamed wealth to Duncan. He was affable enough as he joked with the guards and always had an easy-going smile on his face.

    "Yes, Merchant Wang," Duncan replied when Merchant Wang noticed him for the first time.

    "What do you say, Old Tang? Does the boy have any promise?" Merchant Wang asked Tang De.

    "He is alright. At least, he has themon sense to bring a sword. Not like those imbeciles that think a small dagger would save them. And that sword is a good one too. If I am right, it had seen some action too. The kid has potential, however, he isn''t a guard material," Tang De said in his usual gruff tone.

    "Oh, why do you think so?" Merchant Wang asked not bothering to pay attention to Duncan.

    "When I talked about Provincial Cities, I could see the sparkle in his eyes," Tang De shrugged. "This one''s got wanderlust. A very bad case of one I ever saw. Maybe when he settles down a bit he will have the proper mindset to be a guard."

    "Ah, I see. It''s a good thing for young people to have wanderlust. Make sure you don''t lose yourself in thatd," Merchant Wang said patting Duncan''s back.

    "I will, Merchant Wang," Duncan replied humbly.

    Merchant Wang moved on without any further dy. Duncan watched the merchant talking and smiling as he enquired about the day''s events and gauged the people guarding the caravan. Later he moved towards the tagalongs who had joined the wagon and conversed with them.

    It was an eye-opening experience for Duncan to see people from different towns mingle and travel together. On the second day, they reached a small vige where they sold off some of their wares. Duncan was given some free time to roam around the vige, which he took to dly.<novelnext></novelnext>

    When it was time to leave, Duncan returned and the caravan once more set off. It was on the third day that Tang De started to be serious. Duncan took note of it and prepared himself for a possible conflict by unsheathing his sword and readying himself.

    Tang De nodded in approval as he saw Duncan''s actions.

    "We will be entering a stretch of grasnds a few miles from here. It willst for half a day. If we are lucky we will not run into any bandits roaming around the grasnds. The grasnds are big and we will only be passing through a small part in the outer region," Tang De whispered to Duncan causing him to nod.

    "Apart from bandits, you need to look out for wild beasts too. Some of them roam around in this area. If they see the caravan then they will definitely attack it. We can manage wild beasts easily, so no need to worry about them," Tang De said as he took stock of the surroundings.

    "What about demonic beasts?" Duncan whispered back.

    "Pray that we don''te across them. Normally, they will not roam around this region. They can be found only in the interior regions. We are in the outermost regions. So, the chance of meeting them is close to zero. But, if our luck is bad and if we end up meeting one, there is only one result ¨C death."

    Tang De said in a grave tone.

    "Say, wild beasts, demonic beasts, and bandits, among this which is the worst?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Definitely bandits," Tang De said grimly. "We can handle wild beasts easily unless they are in a pack or a horde. Even then, we can defend ourselves and the caravan from them. If a demonic beast appears, then we are all going to die. There are no two ways about it," Tang De huffed.

    "On the other hand, bandits are a different matter. They aren''t the most dangerous, but they are the most vicious. If beasts attack us, it is simple. Either we die or they die. But, bandits are something very bad."

    "Even if a Demonic Beast attacks us, some of us may escape it. But, bandits will hunt you down, torture you and y with you until you die. That is why meeting bandits are very bad."

    "Can we defend against bandits?" Duncan asked.

    "Of course, we can, but it depends on the number of bandits present in a group and the level of the bandits. Some experienced bandits are no less dangerous than Demonic Beasts."

    "I seeˇ­" Duncan murmured.

    Just then, Duncan noticed grasses rustling in the distance. He pointed it out to Tang De, who squinted at it before turning serious. He gave Duncan a jerk of a nod and began hollering.

    "Wild beastsing from the left ahead, prepare to defend," Tang De hollered and jumped off the cart.

    The caravan was brought to a halt and the guards including Duncan rushed towards the front to defend the caravan from the wild beast''s attack. Duncan wiped the sweat in his palm off by using some gravel and sand present in the earth and tightened his grip on the sword. Taking a deep breath, Duncan prepared himself to face off against the wild beast.

    "ROAR"

    The wild beasts have arrived.

 Chapter 11 First Kill

    A total of fifteen guards stood arrayed between the arriving wild beasts and the caravan. Of those fifteen guards, eight were veterans who had been in countless battles like this. Five were amateurs who have some experience but not really much. Duncan and one more youth were the true novices that were present.

    Unlike Duncan, the other one was not used to hard work. Throughout the journey, he had beenining about how ufortable it was to ride in the cart all day while having to be on guard. His persistent nagging had really irritated a lot of other guards. And Duncan''s calm eptance of his duties in contrast to him earned him a good amount of goodwill.

    As seven wild wolves emerged from the undergrowth, growing and snapping at the guards, Duncan heard a whimper beside him. Duncan took his eyes off the wolves to nce at the sound and found the other novice was shivering in fear. His eyes were wide open and his hands were trembling. The small knife in his hands looked akin to a toothpick in this situation.

    "Stay back and guard the merchant," Tang De snapped at the other novice before rushing to attack the wolfpack.

    Duncan followed him cautiously as he had no idea what to do in this situation. All he knew was that he had to guard the caravan. No one had said anything about killing the wolves. So, Duncan decided to err on the side of caution and stood rtively back while he watched Tang De and another veteran attack the wolf in front of him.

    As the veterans paired off or went alone at attacking the wolves, the amateurs followed them cautiously and guarded their backs. They made sure that none of the wolves had any chance to nk them and attack the caravan. Duncan ced himself a little back to ensure that none slipped the encircling.

    The battle raged for a while and for the first time in his life, Duncan saw men battling wild beasts in a brutal manner. It was truly do-or-die. Kill or be killed. Both the humans and wild beasts attacked viciously without any reservation. With their experience in battling wild animals, the guards soon began to dominate the battle.

    Even then, there were several near misses as the wild beasts attacked savagely. They never went down easily. One time, one amateur made the mistake of taking his eyes off an already wounded wolf and paid for it with a bite on his legs.

    Screaming in agony, Duncan watched the man swing in desperate anger and chop off the wild beast''s head in one blow. The veterans didn''t make such mistakes; they calmly bled the wild beasts to their death one cut at a time. Soon, the number of wild beasts dwindled and Duncan took over the additional duty of guarding the injured man too.

    Just before things were going to end, one of the three remaining wolves shook off the encirclement at the price of a heavy cut to its torso and lunged towards the injured man. Duncan was the only one standing in its way.

    Duncan swung in front of the wolf causing it to jump back. The other guards were catching up to the wolf by now and they were only a few tens of meters behind it. The wolf once more tried to get past Duncan, but Duncan once more swung the sword in its face.

    This time the wolf didn''t jump back. Instead, it bit down hard on the sword and jerked its head from side to side. If it were anyone else, the jerking would have knocked out the weapon in their hands. However, Duncan was used to working with a pickaxe all day long. So, he held on to his grip tenaciously.

    However, Duncan''s footsteps were messed up costing his bnce. The wolf saw the opportunity and let go of the sword causing Duncan to stumble awkwardly from the loss of pressure on the other end. Just as Duncan recovered, the wolf was already nearing him. It jumped towards Duncan intending to bring him down with its weight.

    At thest moment, Duncan shifted his head and interposed his sword in between him and the lunging wolf. Unable to stop its momentum, the wolf impaled itself on the sword. Despite that, its huge weight bore down Duncan to the ground.

    Driven by sheer instinct, Duncan let go of the sword and embraced the wolf''s head, and put it in a headlock. Even though the wolf was already dying, it wanted to bite off Duncan''s neck in its death throes. Duncan''s actions saved him as the wolf couldn''t muster enough energy to shake off Duncan''s grip.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan felt as if a mountain was ced over his body. He could hardly move and his entire body ached from the impact. But, he knew it was not the time to rx. So, he tightened his hold around the wolf''s neck and started squeezing it for all it was worth.

    Normally, the wolf would have shrugged off this headlock and escaped. However, with its body being impaled and already suffering from various wounds, the wolf was at the end of its rope. Combined with the fact that Duncan was already stronger than an average mortal due to his body being nourished with the vital yin-yang qi, the wolf''s final struggle amounted to nothing.

    Within a few moments, the guards caught up and finished off the wolf. If not for Duncan''s actions that brought him a few precious moments, the wolf''s death struggle would have at the least severely scarred him.

    Duncan let out a huge breath in relief when the wolf''s body was finally lifted off his body. Heid there gasping as he breathed the air greedily down his lungs. Even though the wolf was gone, Duncan didn''t feel like getting up anytime soon. At that moment, he felt as if he had escaped the jaws of hell itself.

    "Nice instinctsd," Tang De''s gruff voice sounded from above. "I was right about you, you do have promise. But, your swordwork is atrocious."

    Duncan merely grunted in acknowledgment. Tang De was right. He hadn''t paid much attention to practicing with his sword in the past three days. He had thought his experience in the mine would help him, but it was sadly inadequate. The only thing it helped was to prevent him from overswinging his sword. He would need to rectify that soon.

    Several minutester, after the guards cleared up the carcasses of the wild beasts in an efficient manner, the caravan set off once more into the grasnds. Duncan was sitting alongside Tang De indulging in a bit of wine as they rode, to take the edge off the pain he was feeling due to the wolf falling on him.

    As Duncan savored the wine, he could feel a new indescribable taste in it now. Duncan concentrated on the new taste, trying to feel out the difference. He could feel a few things were different, yet he was unable to properly put them into words. All he could tell was that the wine somehow tasted fuller now. Before he could chase the feeling further, Tang De interrupted his musings.

    "Tell med, was that your first kill?"

    Duncan paused realizing that it was indeed his first kill. He expected to feel something, but as far as he could tell it really didn''t matter much to him. Maybe it was the heat of the moment thing or maybe it was something else. But, Duncan was sure that he didn''t feel anything particr about his first kill.

    Duncan merely nodded in return to Tang De''s question causing Tang De to pat him on his back.

    "Don''t worry about it,d. You will get used to it soon," Tang De consoled in a sympathetic tone.

    Duncan could only nod in eptance inwardly wondering what Tang De was talking about.

 Chapter 12 Arriving At Starmist City

    Two weeks rolled by and the merchant caravan passed through a few towns and viges. They sold their wares and bought what was needed to be bought. Duncan was beginning to get ustomed to this life on the road.

    A week ago, after a few days since the run-in with the wild beasts, Tang De approached him one day and gave him two teeth from the wolf he had helped to kill. He told that it would be a fine souvenir to remember his first kill with. Duncan thanked him profusely and took the souvenir.

    He took another day to drill a hole through them with Tang De''s help and used thick twine to join them together and made a ne out of it. Duncan felt that the new ne made him look more of a man nowpared to earlier.

    Apart from the skirmish with the wild beasts, they didn''t run into any other problems during their journey. And if Tang De is to be believed, they were approaching the Starmist City. Apparently, the city was a mere day''s ride at the speed of the caravan.

    Duncan could believe that as he looked around. There was very little wilderness in this part of the road now. He could also sight a lot more travelers traveling to and from the city along the road now. He figured that as the city was dozens of times bigger than Starsinger Town, it was only natural to have more traffic going in and out of the city.

    As the caravan ambled along the road towards the city, he could feel the guards around him rx. He also noted that the small amount of tension that was always present on Merchant Wang''s face was gone now. The amount of chatter among the caravan also rose a bit.

    When he enquired about it, Tang De said that as they were nearing the city, the chance of something happening to them was small. Apparently, the city administration made great efforts to make sure the surrounding area of the city was free of any disruptive elements to trade.

    While an ident urring couldn''t bepletely ruled out, the possibility of it urring was minimal at this distance from the city. If Tang De was to be believed, the only problem that could ur now would be due to a cultivator. If a cultivator decides to cause an ident, then no matter what they did, it would all amount to nothing.

    So, in short, there wasn''t anything that the guards could do now. Duncan could only nod at that pragmatic point of view. However, this was the first time Duncan had heard Tang De speak about cultivators. So, he started probing Tang De to know what he knew about them.

    Tang De looked around shiftily and started speaking in hushed whispers.

    "If you are interested in cultivatorsd, I advise you to keep your inquiries down low. They don''t like people like us talking about them. Some might just ignore you, but some might take offense. If they indeed took offense, you will end up in a bad way," Tang De warned in a hushed whisper.

    "But, I am merely curious about cultivation, you see," Duncan hedged a little. "I could hardly find any information about it in my town. And my town had quite a few cultivators."

    "I suppose I can understand your curiosity," Tang De whispered rubbing his chin. "Tell you what, I will tell you what I know about it. And, in turn, you will keep your head down and not ask foolish questions when we enter the city. There are a lot more cultivators in the city. In fact, they would probably upy one-third of the people in there."

    "One-third, huh! Howe? Aren''t cultivators rare?" Duncan asked in shock.

    "Heh, what do you know? It is true that cultivators are rare. But, it is in the towns and viges wee from. Here in the city, they are present inrge numbers. For example, take the grasnd we crossed example. The Demonic Beasts may seem rare to us. But, if you go deep into the grasnds, they will be much moremon."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I understand, it is kind of like our towns and viges are the outer parts of the grasnds," Duncan replied nodding his head.

    "Good, at least you have a quick mind. And also cities are ces where a lot of people get together. That includes cultivators. Mind you, that includes both the good and the bad. To us, all of them are the same. If you offend a righteous cultivator, he will simply kill you. If you offend an evil cultivator, he will torture and kill you. That''s the only difference between them as far as we are concerned. That is why it is better to stay away from all of them."

    "Righteous and evil, huh? What''s the difference between them?"

    "How would I know?" Tang De shrugged in response. "Anyways, from what I know cultivation is divided into different levels and realms. I know only about two realms ¨C Qi Condensation and Spirit Sea. It is said each realm is further divided into different levels. I know that Qi Condensation has nine levels. As to the Spirit Sea realm, I have no idea."

    "Hmm I see," Duncan said as he fell deep into thought. "Anyway, how do you know all of these things?"

    "Simple, there is a ce called Blue Wind Society Hall in the Starmist City. It is said they have branches in every city. I don''t rightly know. They are like the merchants of cultivators. There you can buy a lot of information. If you want to know more about cultivation, it is the best ce to find it."

    "They say that as long as you have enough money, you will be able to get any information. If you truly want to know more about cultivation and cultivators that is the ce to go. But, whether you will be able to purchase the information you need or not is something I don''t know."

    "Oh, ok, ok. Thanks, Tang De. I owe you one," Duncan said enthusiastically as he began to see some hope regarding the dilemma he was facing for the past few months. "If there is anything I can help you with, let me know."

    "Forget about it kid, just make sure you don''t offend anyone there. That is a ce that is crawling with cultivators. If you visit, be humble and listen to every instruction they give. Don''t end up dead," Tang De waved Duncan off.

    Duncan nodded his head in return.

    As the caravan crossed the city gates close to the night, Duncan was already quivering in his seat with anticipation. His journey with the caravan hade to an end as they had reached the Starmist City. When the caravan reached the destination, Duncan would part ways with the caravan and truly be alone in this city.

    With a small smile etched on his face, Duncan hopped off the caravan when they finally reached their destination. He got his pay from Merchant Wang and bid them goodbye after enquiring about an affordable inn in the locality.

    Duncan was sure that the Starmist City will bring him towards a new beginning and he was eagerly looking forward to it.

 Chapter 13 Starmist City

    Starmist City was truly gigantic.

    That was the only conclusion Duncan coulde to after staying in the city for two days. It was really dozens of times bigger than the Starsinger Town. Even after two days spent exploring, Duncan was sure he hadn''t even covered even one-tenth of the city in his explorations.

    There were multiple factors that constituted it. First was the gigantic size of the city itself. Second, was the different quarters that were cordoned off against unwanted people in the city. It was a novel experience for sure to learn that he couldn''t just walk into a particr section of the city.

    The city guards had point nk refused to even allow him to step foot into the wealthy section of the city which was mostly upied by important people. Not to mention those npounds that were as big as the entire Starsinger Town itself that Duncan didn''t even dare to try entering.

    Then came those poorer sections of the town that were downright dangerous to step into. From the conversations he had heard, Duncan was astonished to note that murders were amon phenomenon in such ces. He didn''t even know how to feel about that.

    Starsigner Town was a peaceful ce. Sure, there were some drunken brawls and asional altercations between people in the street. But, murder was practically unheard of. That gave him a whole new perspective on how truly safe this city was.

    Knowing that he would stand out like a sore thumb in those ces, Duncan avoided them altogether. He still hadn''t lost his mind that much to wantonly seek death.

    Starmist City was enclosed in high walls with four gates that were being manned day and night. The east and the south gate were located in the affluent part of the city, with the north and west gates acting as themon entry point for people like Duncan.

    Considering the sheer distance between the two gates essible to him, Duncan wisely didn''t explore the area around the west gate. The north gate was the one through which Merchant Wang''s caravan came through. If his guess was right, then Merchant Wang''s caravan would continue on through the west gate leading to other viges and towns under themand of the city.

    Duncan settled himself in an inn a few miles away from the north gate. The area was good enough, with minimal fuss overall, and had a nice atmosphere overall. Considering that this was near to the north gate in general, Duncan also saw arge marketce a few miles off to the south, where merchants and other shops sold their wares.

    Exploring the marketce alone took up much of his time. But, Duncan didn''t regret it one bit. He saw a multitude of shops selling various goods there. The sheer amount of variety present there alone was mindboggling enough. Duncan had to curb his urge to buy something on several asions.

    And the wineˇ­.

    Seriously, the wine alone was worth spending so much time in this city. In Starsinger Town they served the same wine everywhere. If one could even call that swill wine after drinking what the Starmist City was offering.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Here in Starmist City, he had drunk more than four different varieties of wine in the two days he had spent here. Two kinds in the same bar even. That alone, ording to Duncan, was enough to boggle his mind on this city''s extravagance. And not to mention that he had heard that the wine he had drunk was the lowest of the low this city had to offer.

    Just thinking about the possibilities was enough to keep Duncan salivating. He made a resolution to only head back to his hometown after drinking every kind of wine that was avable in this city. Even if it was impossible, Duncan was willing to give it a try.

    Unfortunately, the amount he had saved and brought from his hometown was akin to a pittance in this huge city. So, Duncan found himself facing a huge crisis just after entering the city for two days. And his extravagant spending to taste the different wines hadn''t helped him in that matter either.

    So, Duncan was left with a ring problem that was staring in his face. The biggest question he was facing was not to find a cultivation technique at present. But, to find a way to sustain his living in this damnable city for some time.

    Being a miner was all well and good, however, this city had no mines for him to work, and unfortunately for Duncan, he had no other skills to earn a living by. This left Duncan in a precarious position where he had the unfortunate luck to find a job with no proper skills.

    Hence, from the third day onwards, Duncan began to search for a job to earn some money. Something like that was easier said than done. With no proper skills, Duncan soon began to face rejection at every turn he took. With no one to give him a proper introduction, it soon became evident that living in this city was not as simple as Duncan thought it to be.

    He had initially paid the innkeeper for a month to continue living there. Thus, his living situation was easily taken care of. Despite having a roof over his head for a month, Duncan was now in an unenviable position to find some money for his food and other expenditures in the city.

    The money he had left was only enough to sustain him for a week. And that too only if he stopped spending them on wine. Duncan was loath to do this. Initially, he thought that he would be able to find some work to keep up with his drinking expenditure, but the harsh reality gave him a punch to the guts.

    He even began to roam the city to find ces with cheap food, so that he could eke out more of his savings. But, by the time a week rolled around, he was almost destitute apart from the old sword he carried with him, alongside the few daggers in his possession.

    The daggers were the first to go. He sold them to earn a few silvers so that he could put money in his stomach a bit more. Strangely enough, he also began to notice that his body needed a lot of food to keep it energized properly. This also began to cause some unforeseen burden to his already tight liquidity.

    He was offered a good sum for his sword. But, Duncan refused to part with it as it was not his to give away. While he knew that Granny Jiao wouldn''t begrudge him if he sold this sword, even he was unwilling to do that.

    That is how Duncan found himself in front of therge building, with an arch reading as Mercenary Association, at the end of his second week in the city. If the word on the street was to be believed, then this was the ce that had the solution to all his problems.

 Chapter 14 Mercenary Association

    Mercenary Association, or as it wasmonly called MA, is a ce where a lot of mercenaries gathered together to find some jobs and earn a living as a mercenary. The work of a mercenary was both perilous and highly rewarding.

    They need to brave dangers that normal people usually shied away from, and in return, they are paid handsomely for their efforts. Being a mercenary was a life that was fraught with dangers.

    Very few people dare to be in this line of work for a long time. Usually, people do mercenary work for some time and earn some money, before bidding the mercenary life goodbye to settle down with the money they earned. That is if they survived their line of work.

    So, due to the high mortality rate, mercenaries were usually understaffed and are always in need of fresh blood. That was the reason Duncan had decided to try his luck here.

    Mercenary Association was established by the City Hall to protect the interests of mercenaries in the city. Considering how dangerous the jobs that usually a mercenary was employed to do, and the kind of people who survive such things, any kind of shenanigans in the job posted or the money promised will usually result in violent aftermath.

    City Hall, being the ones responsible for maintaining thew and order in the city, wanted to avoid such circumstances. Hence, the creation of the Mercenary Association. Due to this, MA had a huge backing in the city. It is even said that several cultivation ns have ties to MA, not to mention the City Lord himself.

    The City Lord himself was the strongest cultivator in the city. If the rumors are to be believed he is stronger than all the cultivation ns present in the city. His strength was supposedly in the realm that was beyond the Spirit Sea realm. Hence, no one made things difficult for MA in the city.

    That being said, not all the mercenaries in the city were treated equally. Only the most veteran mercenaries had some rights and privileges that normal people are not given. Even then, they must make way for the cultivators present in the city. Cultivators were truly above any kind of ordinary people present in the city.

    After learning about all these things, Duncan decided that being a mercenary was the only option he had at present. Sure, the job was said to be dangerous, but it was also said that the pay was higher. If anything, the amount of wine he could indulge himself with that money alone made it worth it for Duncan.

    When Duncan arrived at the Mercenary Association, the lobby was full of people from all walks of life. He could hear rowdyughter and enthusiastic conversations all around.

    Duncan took in the scene a bit as he made his way to the counter to enquire about how one starts his mercenary career. When he reached the counter, a kinddy in herte forties greeted him.

    "Good morning you man, are you here to post a job?"

    "No mam, I am here to enquire about bing a mercenary," Duncan replied in a calm manner.

    He had learned from experience that being calm in front of people in power often boded well. Any kind of nervousness will lead to causing unnecessary mistakes that wille back to bite his ass in the future.

    While the receptionist wasn''t usually someone with power, he spied even fierce-looking men talking to the woman in cordial tones when he approached. So, Duncan decided to err on the side of caution when dealing with her.

    If thedy had any misgivings regarding Duncan, she didn''t show it openly. She merely smiled in return and went on to ask him questions.

    "First timer huh? What kind of work have you been engaged in before?" thedy asked calmly.

    "I used to be a miner in Starsinger Town mam. I also worked as a caravan guard when I left my town and came here. I am new to the city, you see, and I don''t have any other skills apart from my strong body," Duncan replied.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Hmmm, I can certainly see that you have a strong body, young man. So, what''s your name?"

    "Duncan, mam,"

    "Here, fill this form out. I hope you know your letters," she asked squinting her eyes.

    "I do, mam," Duncan replied with a smile.

    "Good, you will have to pay one silver as a registration fee. You will in turn be given a small batch identifying you as a member of the Mercenary Association. Apart from that, any job you take from here, the association will deduct fifteen percent service fee."

    "You can take jobs from the job board over there. You will have to register them with me or anyone else manning this desk. Usually, we don''t limit anyone from taking any kind of job. But, I will advise you to be very careful and choose group missions at the beginning."

    "That way, you will have experienced mercenaries to rely on during the job and not be thrown headfirst into danger. Once youplete the job, you can receive your payment directly from here. And if it is a group mission, you will be allocated a fixed percentage of the job ie based on the number of people present."

    "If you don''t have any other questions, you can fill out this form and get your badge now. Once done, you can head to the job board," the receptionist said in a practiced calm tone.

    Duncan filled in the details requested in the form and handed it back to her. The receptionist in turn gave him a badge that had the letters MA on the front and a number carved in the back.

    "That is your mercenary number. We will note it down to mark the missions you take. Do not lose the badge and if you do while on the job, rece it when youe back. We will deduct one silver for every badge that is reced," the receptionist exined after handing him the badge.

    Duncan nodded his head to indicate that he understood and walked towards the job board in search of his first job as a mercenary.

    As the job board was crowded with various mercenaries perusing it, it took some time for Duncan to see the contents of the job board. As he wasn''t in any hurry, Duncan took his time to check out the job board thoroughly.

    "Hmm, it looks like there are more group missions than individual missions. Most missions are simr to guard duty. Guarding merchant caravans; guarding wealthy folk as they travel from one ce to another; even guarding wealthy residences. But, the duration of these missions is a bit long. It would be ideal if I had time, but I am in a hurry to earn some coins. I will leave them forter," Duncan mumbled as he took in the job board.

    "Uh, this looks like something that would suit me, but something tells me that this one isn''t simple. If it is so, people would have already volunteered. After all, the number of individual missions is really too few. Being a sparring partner sounds simple, but it is that simple nature of the missionbined with an extremely high reward that worries me."

    "Apart from guarding missions, hunting criminals is the next big thing. Unfortunately, I don''t think I should take this. These men are notmon criminals. There are even entire bandit gangs that have bounties here. Better avoid them," Duncan shook his head wondering if there are any jobs that might suit him.

    "Collection missions, but I don''t know anything about medicinal herbs, so rejected. Hmmm, this one looks promising. I do have some experience in this. Let''s check this out," Duncan said as his eyes zeroed in on one particr mission.

    With a determined gait, Duncan made his way toward the reception counter.

 Chapter 15 Hunting Mission

    Yo folks...

    There has been a steady uptick in readership to this fic. It is gratifying to see my story getting a good response. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in thements and vote for this story with power stones.

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    "It looks like everyone is here. Let''s not waste time, the sooner we start, the sooner we can return. Let''s go!" a burly middle-aged man said before boarding a cart that had the letters MA written on the side.

    Duncan hopped into the cart along with others without giving any response. Not that it looked like it was needed. Within moments, the cart set off from the Mercenary Association building at a brisk pace.

    The mission Duncan had chosen was a hunting mission. To be precise, it was a daily mission that involved hunting wild beasts. ording to his information, wild beasts were sought after in the city for their various parts.

    Meat was one of the major goods that were needed by practically every restaurant and inn in the wealthy quarters. Apparently, the wealthy folk had a habit of consuming wild beasts as they provided good taste and ample energy to them.

    Other parts like furs, ws, and teeth were also sought over by various craftsmen for their needs. Hence, a lucrative job had been created for daring men and women who put their lives on the line and killed these beasts.

    The hunting job was one of the stable jobs for mercenaries avable on the job board. However, it was not simple for any mercenary to obtain this job. As this was a regr job, there were already several teams in charge of fulfilling it on a regr basis.

    Only when the demand is high during the festive season or for some other reason would the job quota increase providing opportunities to mercenaries. As the restaurants and craftsmen had regr teams that supplied them with their needs, they wouldn''t sour rtions with them by buying from someone else, unless under exceptional circumstances.

    The only other way for a mercenary to get this job was if any of the members of an established team died or withdrew from the team for some reason. Luckily for Duncan, the job vacancy he saw was one of this kind.

    Two of the previous members of the team he was currently traveling with had quitst week because they were going to get married to each other and wanted a stable life. So, the team was short on two people easily allowing Duncan to join.

    Even then, he had to show the wolf teeth that he used as a ne as proof of his abilities. Initially, the one who interviewed him for the job was skeptical of his ability to handle a wild beast.

    Since the mission was a dangerous one and the team didn''t want any freeloaders, the selection process was a bit vigorous. They only took people who had previously killed a wild beast or were well-known in the circle.

    Showing proof of his kill solved this issue and Duncan had to exaggerate a bit about how he truly fought the wolf in a one-on-one situation. He didn''t falsify the ount but just fibbed enough to make them think that his killing the wolf was not an ident.

    After convincing the team, Duncan joined them immediately as they set off to hunt beasts in the nearby area where the beasts usually roamed. Duncan had even made it clear earlier that as he still was a newbie despite killing a wolf, he will follow the team''s instructions and will let them decide how they will use him.

    This act ofing off as humble and knowing his ce endeared him to the team a lot. The team surely didn''t want someone to act arrogantly and put everyone in danger and him telling them that he will follow their lead eased a lot of tension and made the team let out a relieved sigh.

    The same couldn''t be said for the other member who joined alongside him. Mo Hong was what one would call an extremely arrogant and self-assured man. He acted as if he knew everything about hunting and often tried to make himself look important.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This particr behavior was rubbing the entire team the wrong way. There were seven members on the team in total including Mo Hong and Duncan. The leader, the burly middle-aged man, was called Ren Schimdt. He was a veteran hunter who had been in this business for years.

    Apart from him, there was a duo of brothers Logan and Morgan Redcloud who were the exact opposite of each other. Logan was wiry and looked as if he could run circles around everyone else. Morgan, on the other hand, was muscr and looked as if he would split you into two.

    Then came Leia, a cheerful and rambunctious woman, who Ren introduced as an expert in tracking and even capable of performing emergency medical aid in dire circumstances if anyone got injured. And she was also the only woman on the team currently. Apparently, her father used to be a herbalist and had taught her a lot about wounds and woodcraft.

    Finally, the team was rounded up by an average-looking man who had bloodshot eyes. His face was covered in scars and he looked really fearsome. He looked the scariest amongst the entire team. Ren had informed Duncan that Qin Rong had truly pulled the team out of several dangerous situations.

    Qin Rong''s choice of weapon was a spear, while Morgan went with a greatsword. Logan used a bow and arrows and Leia used a short sword. Mo Hong used a mace in contrast. He could be seen boasting about his prowess with that asionally.

    Ren was like Duncan, preferring to use a sword. Only his was a single-edged sword. He also had arge on his back. This way the team had a wide variety of weapons to use ording to the situation. Duncan thought that the team was pretty well-rounded and was d for it.

    The total duration of the mission was estimated tost ten days. It was the usual cycle in which Ren''s team operated. They hunted every other ten days barring any idents and had kept up the routine for more than two years.

    There was arge forest at the distance of day''s travel on the cart. And it was the hunting ground for all the mercenaries in the city. With travel taking up to two days, the remaining eight days will be spent tracking wild beasts and hunting them.

    Even with eight days of hunting, the team would be lucky to kill more than four animals if all went well. And there was also the problem of transporting the beasts that are hunted down. Due to theirrge size, it was hard to carry them for a long distance.

    As a result, the area they would be able to cover in their hunt was really not much. Luckily, the members of MA could hire carts to take them to the edge of the forest for a discounted price. Usually, the carts don''t venture into the forest. The driver would wait for the team for a fortnight before he would return to the city.

    And having carts also allowed the mercenaries to hunt a good amount of prey if fortune favored them and transport them effortlessly. If not, they would need to haul the carcasses of the beasts to the city manually and it would waste a lot of time and energy.

    Hiring a cart at Mercenary Association not only came with a discounted price for members, but it also helped them avoid them being robbed of their hunt by other unsavory characters. While the truly mad men would still create problems, a lot of sensible people will not hinder them much due to not wanting to draw the ire of MA.

    After a long day of the journey, their cart reached the edge of the forest and dropped them off. Duncan alighted from the carriage and looked around to see that there were lots of people entering and exiting the forest. It clearly showed him how much activity happened in the forest.

    When people saw them exiting from a cart with MA written on it, they cleverly made way for them and exchanged wary looks with each other. Duncan even saw some shifty-looking fellows lose interest in them after seeing their cart. He was sure that these men would create problems if not for the cart they alighted from.

    "Well, let''s get moving. I want us to reach our usual resting spot before night truly sets in. I don''t fancy moving in the night with two new members," Ren said to the team causing others to nod.

    Duncan took a deep breath and set off with others into the forest.

 Chapter 16 Dangerous Attack

    "We usually hunt wild boars and deer," Ren said in a subdued tone as they made they rested for the night in a clearing that was some ways in. "They are easier to hunt. Things like rabbit and other small game we don''t focus on them much. We hunt them when we see them, if not," Ren shrugged indicating his disinterest in them.

    "We rarely go after prey like bear or other dangerous animals. While the market price for them is high, the risk is also higher. So, it is not worth it. If we run into them, we prefer to escape as tangling with them will cost us both time and energy."

    "What if they attack you first?" Duncan asked.

    "Then, there is no way to ignore them. We will try to escape, but if it something like a tiger or leopard, we have no choice but to fight back. If we put up a good showing, then the animal might lose interest and retreat thinking we are not worth the trouble," Ren said in a serious manner.

    "And if we run into a pack or something simr, then pray that their numbers are smaller or someone is near. If not, then we will focus on defending and hope that they leave us alone after a while," Ren said somberly.

    "That''s coward talk," Mo Hong snorted from the side earning a stink eye from other members.

    "I will rather live as a coward than die as a hero. You haven''t seen what a pack of wolves could do. You will not speak like this if you have run into them," Ren said nonchntly as if he didn''t care much for Mo Hong''s opinion.

    Mo Hong frowned but refrained from speaking. But, a hint of dissatisfaction could be seen clearly in his eyes. He let out a snort and left the ce. The others shot a troubled look at his back, but refrained frommenting.

    Finally, it was Leia who broke the silence, "Ren, we need to watch out for him. If that idiot invites trouble, we better cut him loose."

    Ren looked troubled for a moment, but his eyes firmed up as he replied.

    "I won''t go out of my way to leave him behind. I am the leader and I am responsible for every one of you," Ren said in a firm tone. "However, I won''t put all of us in danger to satisfy one person''s ego either. You can be rest assured of that."

    "Is it that serious?" Duncan asked in bewilderment.

    "Yeah," Ren nodded in reply.

    "You told us that you ran into a pack of seven wolves where you killed one, right? Tell me, how many people did it take to kill them?" Leia asked Duncan.

    "It took fourteen of us," Duncan replied as he recalled that incident.

    "It took fourteen of you to kill seven wolves. Even then I am sure that veteran guards are the ones who did most of the killing. I guess others just assisted them. Am I right?" Leia asked once more.

    Duncan merely nodded in reply.

    "That is because only the most experienced couldnd a blow and escape before the wolf retaliates. Even a small injury will turn fatal both during the fight and after. It is not just about swinging the sword. You need to time it right and also be agile."

    "And I am sure that you guys were all well rested before the fight," Ren said with a small smile. "We, on the other hand, will be hunting wild beasts without proper rest. We will be more or less tired if and when we run into them. When you are tired it is easy to make mistakes."

    "And also a normal wolf pack will have a minimum of seven to eight members and we are only seven. Leia is not that good with sword to face off against a lone wolf. Logan speed will be negated by the wolves. While I, Ren, and old Qin can fend off and even kill one, it will take time. We don''t know much about you or Mo," Morgan said with a bright smile that took away the edge of hisst statement.

    "Survival is our goal. Not throwing away our lives for pride. Trading off our members for more prey will only weaken us and can in turn kill us if our number is reduced," Qin said in a somber tone causing Duncan to nod.

    "So, we stick to what we can hunt easily. We kill as many as possible and return to the city to cash in our reward. Enjoy life," Ren said giving a small smile.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan was fine with this setup. He didn''t mind it much. He hardly had any experience, so he would not begrudge his team for being careful. He indicated his eptance with a nod causing other to smile.

    The next day dawned and the hunting team moved through the forest with a purpose. As they traveled, Qin Rong and Logan acted as the scouts. Ren took the point with Morgan bringing the rear, Mo Hong took the left and Duncan was assigned to the right. Leia acted as the center.

    Throughout the journey, Duncan learned a lot about how to move in the woods, how to notice tracks, what to eat if he was hungry, what not to eat, and even how to move silently from Leia. Frankly, Leia was a well of knowledge as she exined a lot as they traveled.

    At midday, Qin Rong returned with news of tracks of a deer herd. The team set off towards the tracks as Qin Rong went in search of Logan to bring him back.

    "Wild deer is very sensitive to sound. They are skittish and even a single rustle of leaves could spook them into running. Ideally, bow and arrow is the best weapon to hunt deer," Leia exined as they made their way. "That is why old Qin has gone to get Logan."

    "But, we can''t stay idle. What we will do is encircle the herd as much as possible. Then, if and when they get spooked, we will try to down one or two of them," Ren continued exining the n.

    "Watch out for their legs and horns. They hurt like hell," Morgan grunted as they neared the location. "Now, spread out and stay silent. Logan''s arrow will be the signal. The moment an arrow is loosed, the deer will try to run. If theye in your direction, don''t panic. Just be patient and try to attack the most isted deer and let the others pass."

    Duncan nodded his understanding and slowly made is way towards the side. He tried to be as silent as possible. But, he wasn''t having any sess with that. So, he tried hard to not move as he reached an ideal spot to the side. He crouched down on the spot and waited patiently for the signal.

    WHOOSH!

    After what felt like years, a sudden sound came from the opposite direction to where he was waiting. The sound spooked the deer into running. And they ran towards Duncan''s right.

    Duncan didn''t waste any time as he sprinted towards the deer herd with his sword. Just as he started, he saw something long fly towards one of the deer and impale it through on of its legs. Only then he was able to identify it as spear.

    "Probably, Qin''s" Duncan muttered to himself and increased his speed.

    By the time he reached the herd, most of the deer had already escaped. Only the stragglers were running near him. Without wasting a moment, Duncan swung his sword at the one that was passing near him. The deer danced out of the way, but it wasn''tpletely sessful.

    Duncan''s sword scored a gash along its side causing the deer to stumble. That moment was enough as Duncan closed the distance and thrust his sword. The sword went through the side and got struck. Before Duncan could react, he felt a hard m to his side.

    The deer had headbutted him during the struggle. Duncan felt his vision turn ck as stars exploded in his head. He found his entire side burning in pain and his grip on the sword cken as he was pushed to side from the momentum.

    Duncan gritted his teeth and held on to the sword. The m from the side had enough momentum to send him to the ground. But, since Duncan refused to let go off the grip, the sword carved an wound as it exited the deer''s body. Duncan skidded sideways and rolled twice to stop the momentum, before getting up.

    The deer tried to run once it was free of Duncan, but the wound dealt by Duncan was fatal and it copsed after taking a dozens of steps. Duncanid on the ground panting as he felt his side burning in pain. He could hear shouts of his team membersing towards him, but he didn''t care about it much.

    Even moving was proving difficult at this point. He idly wondered if the deer had gored him with its horns, but he couldn''t feel any blood flowing out of his body. There was only fierce pain towards the side.

    With great difficulty, he sat up and looked around. Leia was rushing towards him. Qin was retrieving his spear after killing the deer that had been impaled. Logan and Morgan were standing next to another down deer. It looked as if it was killed by an arrow.

    Ren and Mo Hong were running towards a deer that was downed a few dozens of paces from where he was. He felt as if his head was swimming in a muddy pool. His breathing wasbored, but all in all he felt fine.

    So, he slowly stood up pressing his side and looked down to see his hand still holding on to his sword. That sight brought a small smile to his face.

 Chapter 17 Say That To My Face, I Will Punch You Into A Pulp

    "This is going to bruise," Leia said pursing her lips. "That too badly. Even with my poultice you will need a week for the bruise to fade away. You are incredibly lucky that the deer didn''t gore you."

    Duncan rested with his back to a tree as Leia administered her poultice to his body. His breathing was back to normal now, but the fiery pain in his side still continued.

    It had been an hour since the hunt. Ren and others were processing the animals to be transported to the side. Duncan gave her small smile in reply causing Leia to bonk his head in displeasure.

    "Don''t do something foolish for the rest of the hunt. I advise you to stay back and let the others attack first. This time you were lucky. Next time you will not be so," Leia grumbled as she fiddled with her bag.

    Duncan merely nodded in reply. Despite the pain in his body, Duncan only felt tion. Something about the fight brought him happiness. He didn''t know what it was, but the feeling was something new to him. So, he savored it in his mind as he halfheartedly listened to Leia''s nagging.

    Initially he thought that it was his first sessful hunt that gave him the giddy feeling. But, he soon discarded as he felt no emotion towards the downed deer when Ren had dragged it back. No, it was something else and he had a vague inkling of an idea as to what it was.

    Duncan looked down and saw that he was still clutching his sword as if it was his lifeline. Something about holding the sword gave him an euphoric feeling. He didn''t know what it was, but he knew the giddy feeling he felt was associated with not losing his sword when the deer had headbutted him.

    Duncan wasn''t sure why he felt that way. It was an instinct to be honest to not let go off his sword when the deer had headbutted him. Just like how he had acted when he downed the wolf, this time was the same when the deer headbutted him. His instincts always guided him to act in the right way when he was in life and death situation.

    Duncan decided that he needed to think about it more when he returned to the city as this wasn''t the right ce to think about it. He was sure if he had let go off his sword, the deer would have run off. It might have been dead, but it would have also escaped before sumbing to its wounds.

    So, in a way, Duncan''s actions prevented it from happening. Just like when he had choked the wolf on an instinct thest time. He wasn''t entirely sure about it, but he felt that this was something important that had never been exposed until he was in life and death situation.

    So, he decided to study it more when he had more time.

    Once the processing was done, Ren decided to end the hunt for the day and find a ce a settle down in the night. Only Mo Hong looked put out by the decision, but no one cared about his whining as they were all pretty much exhausted at that point.

    "This time our luck is good," Morgan said chugging his wine. "We were able to down three beasts within a day. I say we continue and see how much we can hunt by the end of the week."

    "No," Ren shook his head negatively, "I think we should hunt for another day or two and see if we can bag another game. If so, then it is best we return early. If not, we can continue until the end of the week."

    "Isn''t hunting more beasts the better?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    "Not necessarily," Qin Rong said shaking his head. "The more animals we hunt, the more load we have to carry. It will slow us down and even cause an ident. If we run into strong predators, then our load will be our burden."

    While Duncan nodded in understanding, Mo Hong snorted in disagreement.

    "We came here to hunt. Even if it is a predator we must hunt it," Mo Hong said righteously.

    Leia snickered behind her hands causing Mo Hong to shoot her an angry look.

    "Don''t take this the wrong way, do you think you are some cultivator? You are acting like them without any consideration for your situation. That kind of arrogance can only found in them. Do you see Duncan''s injury?" Leia asked Mo Hong, who merely squinted his eyes.

    "That was caused by a single deer. And he is lucky that it wasn''t the horns that made contact with his body. Even a single deer can kill us if we are not careful and you want us to hunt to a predator like a Mountain Tiger. Sorry, we don''t have death wish," Leia said in a cold tone causing Mo Hong to shift his eyes.

    "He is just week," Mo Hong mumbled halfheartedly.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Say that to my face and I will punch your face into pulp," Duncan growled in reply causing Mo Hong to shoot him a venomous look.

    "Guys, don''t start insulting each other," Ren mediated in a calm tone. "And Mo Hong, if you are not satisfied with our approach you can finish this mission and find a new team with the same mindset as yours. We won''t object that. But, when you are under my team I expect you to follow my orders."

    Mo Hong held Ren''s eyes for some time before letting out a snort. He once again left the gathering to return to his tent not giving any respect to others.

    "That one is trouble," Qin Rong said in a grave tone.

    "I will give him more work tomorrow. When he is tired, he won''tin much," Ren shrugged his shoulders not minding Mo Hong''s attitude.

    "Anyways, be careful," Qin Rong grumbled as he took a chug from his wineskin. "I don''t want to end up dead because one guy was too arrogant to listen to sense."

    "Don''t worry, I will take care," Ren cated causing Qin Rong and others to nod.

    The next day, Ren sent off Mo Hong with Logan to scout as they once more resumed their search for other animals to hunt. The day was peaceful and only by the end of the night that Logan returned with Mo Hong, who was looking dishelved.

    "We found some tracks of boar. We will pick it up tomorrow and see if it is possible to track it down," Logan said as he settled in.

    "A boar huh, then we will go with our usual method," Ren said nodding at the information.

    "Do you want me to lead it into the trap as usual?" Logan asked in return.

    "No one else is as fast as you. But, wait a second," Ren said looking thoughtful before turning towards Mo Hong. "You wanted to prove your strength right. Here is an opportunity. Do you think you will be able to lead the boar into the trap?"

    Before Mo Hong could reply, Logan butted in.

    "I am not sure if he is fast enough, Ren. It is a risk," Logan said causing Mo Hong to scowl.

    "He is fast enough to keep up with you. So, his speed is not an issue. But, whether he will be calm enough to lead the boar to the trap is another matter," Qin Rong said shaking his head.

    "I can do it," Mo Hong interjected loudly.

    Ren paused as he looked at Mo Hong seriously for a minute. No one interrupted Ren as he made the decision. After taking stock of Mo Hong''s determined look, Ren merely nodded.

    "You will be the bait then," Ren said in a decisive tone causing Qin Rong and Logan to frown a little. But he recovered their expression soon enough.

    "Logan will tell you what to do. Don''t panic. Logan will follow you with his arrows to make sure nothing bad happens to you. You just need to lead the boar to the trap. If you are fast enough, it will be a piece of cake. But, remember to be cautious. If you feel winded, stop immediately and try to hold it off until Loganes to help you," Ren said seriously.

    Mo Hong looked as if he was going to object, but in the end he merely nodded in response.

    Duncan somehow felt a bad feeling welling up in his stomach as he watched the interaction. He wondered if Mo Hong was really reliable to base the n on him, but he held his tongue in lieu of his teammate''s agreement.

 Chapter 18 Sudden Change

    Logan was not able to track the boar until sundown the next evening. It was decided that they will try to lure the boar the next morning as Ren wasn''t keen on battling a wild beast during the nighttime.

    Even then, it took one entire day before they were able to track the boar and arrive in its vicinity. However, the veteran hunters didn''t mind it much. Morgan told him that it was amon urrence as even as they tracked the boar, the boar wouldn''t stay idle in a single ce.

    While Duncan nodded in understanding, Mo Hong looked put out with the dy. He seemed to be ming Logan for falling for a false track and wasting half a day while he followed it. Logan merely shrugged his shoulders saying that it was amon urrence and didn''t mind it much.

    However, when the discussion came to when to lure the boar into the trap there was a severe disagreement. Logan didn''t want to risk their safety as it was already nearing dusk now. But, Mo Hong, being the bait, didn''t want to hear what he called pussyfooting and insisted that they lure the boar now.

    His argument was that Logan had already lost the track once and what''s to say that he won''t lose it again if we decided to go for the next day? Logan looked angry at Mo Hong''s tant disrespect, but he held his tongue waiting for Ren''s decision. Ren took a stock of his surrounding before informing his decision.

    "While I would usually go with Logan''s option as he is the one who works as a bait usually and has more experience, it is also a fact that we wasted an entire day for this boar. We are also carrying arge amount of game with us as we travel the forest," Ren paused looking towards the three deer that were being carried by Morgan and Duncan.

    "Until now we have been lucky that the smell of the game hasn''t brought any predators to us. But, I don''t want to bank on luck for long. So, I say that we will finish this hunt, rest the night, and start back tomorrow."

    "I don''t have a problem with that as long as the one acting as bait is not afraid," Qin Rong grunted.

    "Good, it has been tiring to carry these around," Morgan said with arge smile.

    "I have no opinion," Duncan shook his head.

    "I am fine with this," Mo Hong said in a superior tone as he looked toward Logan.

    Logan had a troubled expression on his face. It was clear to Duncan that he didn''t like to take this risk much, but Ren''s valid points made him hesitate. In the end, he let out a huge sigh and looked at Ren.

    "I am fine with this as long as we take proper precautions. As much as I think he is a pain in the ass, I don''t want anything to happen to him," Logan said nodding towards Mo Hong who looked vaguely offended.

    "If that is so, then don''t waste time. I will guard the game with Duncan. Rest of you go and do your stuff," Leia said in a bossy manner causing the team to smile and nod.

    Duncan guarded the game they had previously hunted with Leia while others left to hunt the boar. The moment the others were out of sight, Leia began to start taking out the medical herbs she had collected on the way. Duncan watched curiously as she went about her way in making poultices in a hurry.

    "Don''t look at me like that," Leia huffed. "If it was Logan who was doing the luring, Morgan would have opposed the n as well. Logan has a good head on him. He is not greedy or in a hurry. Both will lead to carelessness during a hunt. The most important thing in a hunt is to bide your time and wait patiently for an opportunity."

    "Mo Hong looks way too eager to finish the hunt. I have a bad feeling about this. Ren is a good leader, however, he always thinks along the lines of profit and loss. Right now he is worried that the game we have hunted will be too spoiled when we reach the city to fetch a good price. That is why he is in a hurry."

    "So you think something might go wrong?" Duncan asked seriously.

    "Not sure, it''s just a feeling. But my old man had always told me to listen to these things when you are in the wild. It had saved me trouble a lot of times. With both Ren and Mo Hong in a hurry, there is a high chance that something might go wrong."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan nodded his head in understanding. Even he had felt some niggling doubt when Ren had assigned Mo Hong to be the bait. He hadn''t raised any objection because this was his first hunt. Unlike Mo Hong, he knew to keep his mouth shut when he didn''t have enough experience.

    Many times he has seen eager miners working on a seam without taking proper precautions only to end up injured or dead when a cave-in urs. Experience is more important than other things when dealing with dangerous situations. His experience in hunting was truly limited and hence he didn''t say anything.

    "You seem to ept my words without much opposition," Leia asked raising her eyebrows.

    "I really don''t know much about hunting. So, I keep my mouth shut in regard to it. As far as your talk about feelings is concerned, I think that I can understand that. I too get them when I am in a dangerous situation. Several times I have escaped a cave-in in the mines due to them," Duncan shrugged his shoulders in reply.

    Leia merely grunted in acknowledgment before beginning to grind the herbs in her possession to create a poultice. Duncan silently watched her work as dusk arrived.

    The duo spent the time waiting for the others to return in silence as they went about their own work. After watching Leia for a while, Duncan began to practice his sword by performing repeated swings and trying to reduce the awkwardness present in his actions.

    This was a new routine he had picked up after his first fight. He had some help from Tang De and other veteran guards while traveling with the merchant caravan. They had taught him how to swing his sword properly and told him to keep practicing it. He had been doing it diligently ever since then.

    Time passed by and night truly came down in the forest. Leia and Duncan prepared the clearing for the night and waited for the others to arrive. Leia went about setting small traps around their site as Duncan followed her learning the basics. These traps could be used both to trap some animals and guard a camp in the wild.

    After a while, sounds came from a distance causing Duncan and Leia to look up from their work. Their face changed as they heard it rushing towards their camp. The sounds seemed as if someone was running towards them in a hurry, neither lost their vignce as it would be a fatal mistake to do so.

    Duncan motioned for Leia to hide and took up a guard stance in the middle of the clearing. Leia hid in a tree with a bow hoping to surprise the approaching party if they were somewhat less cordial. Meanwhile, Duncan acted as a distraction in the clearing.

    Duncan had heard all about hunting teams attacking each other for the game, so he didn''t want to take any chances. If he too hid, then seeing no one at the campsite would increase the vignce of the intruder. It is best to have them drop the guard if they were indeed hostile.

    The duo waited in silence for a few minutes. After about five minutes, there was movement in the trees. Duncan could see two figures rushing towards the clearing at breakneck speed. He squinted his eyes trying to determine their identities. After a few moments, he let out a relieved breath and rxed his guard.

    ? It was Morgan and Logan that was rushing toward them. Morgan was also carrying someone on his shoulders. And the blood that was dyeing his shoulders indicated that he was bringing someone that was wounded. Just as he felt like calling out Leia, she made her appearance too.

    "What do you think happened?" Duncan asked Leia.

    "My guess is that someone got injured. And it looks serious. Otherwise, Morgan and Logan wouldn''t be rushing in this fast," Leia grunted with a worried expression on her face.

    Duncan thought it made sense. Just then Morgan hollered as he approached them.

    "Leia, quickly get your supplies. This one is a bit serious."

 Chapter 19 Self Inflicted Injury

    A/N: Yo Folks...

    I have a few update notices to dole out. So, make note of them.

    1) The update schedule will be 6 chapters per week.

    2) The update time has been shifted to 10:00 AM for the convenience of the readers.

    3) The story will be picking up the pace as the current arc is nearing its end. By the end of this arc, the MC will begin his cultivation.

    4) Last but not least, one of my other books has been selected for a contract with Webnovel. The process is ongoing. And I will give you an update regarding it when the contract is signed.

    If you like thepetitive sports genre, kindly check out the book as it has five chapters already uploaded.

    Book name: Booking Glory

    Genre: Competitive Sports

    Tags: Wrestling, Slice of Life, Transmigration, Comedy.

    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Duncan watched dispassionately as Leia began working on the wounded Mo Hong with a sense of urgency.

    From what he had learned from Morgan and Logan, everything had been going well until the boar had been lured into the. Mo Hong had yed his part perfectly by baiting the boar into the trap they had set for it.

    But, it was the moment that the boar had be trapped that things went downhill. ording to Morgan and Logan, before others could arrive to truly encircle the boar and kill it, Mo Hong deviated from the established n and attacked it, even before the was secure.

    It was clear from their description that Mo Hong wanted the glory of killing the boar all to himself. Normally, it would have only left to a few grumblings from others if he had seeded.

    Mo Hong would have then gone on to brag about luring a boar into a trap and solo killing it for months. That kind of prestige was hard toe by among the hunters and it would open doors to more powerful hunting groups that usually hunt ferocious beasts.

    It was clear from Morgan and Logan''s chatter that it had been Mo Hong''s n all along. To join a mediocre and safe hunting group and make a name for himself before leaving for better pastures.

    Unfortunately, he had been a little hasty in his execution.

    As the had not been properly tightened, when Mo Hong had attacked the boar, the boar retaliated with its tusk in a desperate bid to get away. It had resulted in him being severely injured before others coulde to his aid.

    While the rest of the team had killed the boar in quick order, the damage had already been done. So, leaving Roy and Old Qin to take care of the boar; Morgan and Logan rushed toward their location to find Leia to treat Mo Hong.

    After hearing the entire story from the twins, it became clear to Duncan that Mo Hong had never cared to get along with the team in the first ce. In his mind, he was only using the team to find better pastures.

    Since his n was all along to make a name for himself, he had never truly listened to the safety instructions Roy had been preaching for the past few days. His mind had been solely focused on killing beasts, even to the extent of ignoring the veteran''s advice.

    Moreover, Roy''s rtively conservative approach had also soured Mo Hong a bit. He had been expecting glory during the hunt, but all he had to show for until now was to run around the forest in search of beast tracks.

    As the reality had been far from what he had imagined, he had wanted to obtain quick results. The end result was that he was now seriously injured and being treated by a grim-faced Leia.

    Duncan also deduced that his presence too didn''t help the matter much. First Duncan had a history of killing a wolf and then he showcased his prowess once more by killing a deer all by his lonesome.

    Coupled with the fact that he was also a neer to the team like him, this had pushed Mo Hong to take dangerous actions to make himself look good in front of others.

    When he realized all this, any amount of sympathy Duncan had for Mo Hong vanished like smoke. This was a self-inflicted wound. No one was responsible for Mo Hong''s current condition apart from himself.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan also realized that being too greedy or prideful would only lead to a path of ruin. If Mo Hong had calmed down and listened to what experienced hunters like Roy had told, he would have not been in such a miserable situation.

    Duncan was d that he had enough self-awareness to know his shorings and act ordingly. If he had been foolish and willful like Mo Hong, this might have been his fate too.

    He also realized that he was somewhat akin to Mo Hong in a few aspects. When he attacked the deer, he only cared about killing it. He had not paid enough attention to self-defense.

    Luckily, his body had been strengthened due to Coiling Dragon Sutra. If he continued on this path, then he would one daynd himself in the same situation as Mo Hong. And it would be all his fault.

    The realization that the old fool had saved his life, albeit inadvertently, brought a bitter taste to Duncan''s mouth. Ever since he had stepped out of the Starsinger Town, he had truly understood what kind of a sick game the old fool had yed with him.

    So, his opinion of the old fool had hit the bottom. Having to owe his life now to the old fool was not something Duncan wanted to think about. These conflicting thoughts made Duncan''s headache somewhat.

    "I have done everything I can. But, this is beyond my expertise. We need to take him back to the city if he has to have any chance of survival," Leia spoke tiredly as she rose from treating Mo Hong.

    "Good, anyway it is not our fault that decided to be an idiot and forgot the instructions," Logan said gloomily shooting a dark re towards Mo Hong. "Roy told me to start packing. With the boar, we have enough haul to get back to the city early. Maybe, he will survive until then."

    "The thing that irritates me is that we have to fork our share to put in his medical cost," Morgan grumbled beside Logan. "I say we leave the fucker here. He deserves it."

    "Shush, Morgan, don''t say that. He is our teammate after all," Leia swatted his head.

    "Wasˇ­ not is. Roy made it clear that he wouldn''t be weing such an idiot once again into the team," Logan grunted from the side.

    "So, we are once again short of members, huh?" Leia shook her head in displeasure.

    "I will rather be short, than have a cunt like him with us," Morgan grunted shooting an angry re at Mo Hong.

    "Enough, let''s start packing. We can make good time once Roy returns," Leia gently ordered causing the twins to snort and move away.

    Duncan assisted the trio in packing the stuff. Soon, Roy made his appearance along with Qin Long in tow transporting a huge boar. After enquiring about Mo Hong''s status, Roy''s face turned even more gloomy.

    But, he didn''t express his displeasure much. He merely grunted and ordered the team to leave the forest.

    Duncan came out of the forest with the rest of the team after traveling for two days. When the cart driver saw them bringing an injured member along with their goods, he made haste towards the city.

    They reached Starmist City in good time owing to the condition of Mo Hong. Roy once more took charge. He ordered Morgan and Logan to sell the beasts, before telling Duncan toe see him in two days for the payment.

    Once he fixed a meeting spot with Duncan, he left with Qin Long, Leia, and an injured Mo Hong. Duncan watched them go with aplicated feeling in his heart.

    Even though his experience with the hunting team had ended on a sour note, he had a good opinion of the team in general. While he learned a lot about hunting wild beasts in the forest, he also realized that he couldn''t be on Roy''s team for long.

    In a way, he was also simr to Mo Hong. While he wasn''t a glory-seeking fool like Mo Hong, he too wanted to earn more money. If he wanted to earn enough money to enquire about cultivation, a team who was cautious and stable in its approach was not the right ce for him.

    While he may be safe and sound in Roy''s team, it would only be merely surviving in his opinion. He had not stepped out of Starsinger Town to merely survive. He wanted to know more about cultivation and find a way to be a cultivator in the future.

    There was an old fool that needed severe thrashing waiting for him. If he wanted to merely survive, he could have stayed in the mine itself. There was no need for him to travel to Starmist City and even risk his life by hunting wild beasts. He had done all this to pursue his goal of cultivation.

    Hence, Roy''s team wasn''t a good fit for him. However, he would be with them until he stabilized his living situation. It was really hard for him to find a job in the city. Being a mercenary was his only option.

    While he would go on hunts with Roy''s team, he will also pick up other missions so that he could earn more money easily. It would cut short the time he needed to save enough money to obtain information from the Blue Wind Society Hall.

    With his mind made up, Duncan walked back towards the inn.

 Chapter 20 Great Tribulation Begin!!!

    Neb City, Capital of Star Empire, Imperial Residence

    "Are you sure that Liu Kong has entered our Star Empire?"

    A young man with a robust body and fierce appearance looked at his subordinate in inquiry. His two eyes were fierce, there was a bloodthirsty aura emanating from his whole body. The subordinate didn''t dare to raise his head as he replied.

    "Reporting to the Third Prince, our reports confirm that Liu Kong has been seen heading towards the Starmist City. If our analysis is right, this might involve the matter that urred inside the Grasnds near the city two years ago. We suspect that he might have obtained some special information regarding it."

    Xing Wukong, the third prince of Star Empire, narrowed his eyes in thought. As a member of the Imperial Family, he naturally knew about the great disturbance that happened in the Grasnds two years ago.

    A strange heavenly phenomenon had appeared in the interior of the Grasnds at that time causing countless experts to take notice of it. The phenomenon had onlysted mere moments before being abruptly suppressed, but it was enough to attract the notice of experts.

    At that time, countless experts flocked to the interior of the Grasnds only to be fertilizer to the sand there. Who knew that there was a Level 7 Demonic Beast living in the interior of the Grasnds?

    They should have known that something was amiss when the Heavenly Demon Sect, which was located in the Grasnds, had stayed quiet instead of involving themselves in it.

    Regardless, the Grasnds became a burial ground for a myriad of cultivators during that time. Since then, the interior region of the Grasnds has be a forbidden zone for cultivators to step foot in.

    The Imperial Family had taken swift action following it by hiding any evidence regarding it and surrounding the entire area with loyal soldiers. After one year, when nothing more hade out of it, the soldiers had been reallocated leaving the few officials present in that area to monitor the situation.

    Now, Liu Kong, the Holy Son from the neighboring kingdom''s Seven Clouds Sect has been spotted near that area. Even if he used his foot to think, he would understand that things were going to change in the Grasnds soon.

    But, he wasn''t worried about it much. Not to mention the Level 7 beast that was guarding the area, even the Heavenly Demon Sect wasn''t something that could be easily dealt with.

    If the Heavenly Demon Sect can be easily dealt with, the Star Imperial Family would have already done it. So, there was very little he could do before things came to a head.

    "Ry my order, I want every official near the Grasnds to be on high alert. If they see any movement from either the Heavenly Demon Sect or any other major sects near that area, they are to immediately report back."

    "And inform the Heavenly Dog General, Great Bear General, and Heavenly Wolf General to be ready to move at any time. Last time we lost Bewitching Fox General and Stubborn Bull General in the Grasnds. This time I want no idents," Xing Wukong said as a strange light flickered across his eyes.

    The subordinate received the orders and hastened to carry them out. Xing Wukong paced the room deep in thought. He looked as if he was seriously considering something. After a while, a fierce expression passed through his eyes.

    "Liu Kong, there is a way to heaven and you have walked right into hell. Despite our efforts, somehow news had leaked regarding the happenings in the Grasnds. Since then, there have been several people who have been testing us both directly and indirectly."

    "This has even alerted my imperial brother, the Crown Prince. My imperial brother has ordered me to do everything in my power to send a strong statement. Does your Seven Clouds Sect think our Star Empire soft permission to pinch whenever you want? If I don''t teach your Seven Clouds Sect a good lesson, I will not be able to face my imperial brother in the future."

    The moment Xing Wukong thought about bearing the anger of his imperial brother, his body couldn''t help but shiver in fear. Even though he was the Third Prince and could be considered a top expert in Star Empire, he knew that his status was nothing in front of the Crown Prince. Not to mention, his imperial brother''s unfathomable cultivation alone was enough to make him surrender.

    The only reason he could enjoy his privileges that were equal to a Crown Prince was that both his First Brother and Second Brother disdained to even care about it. If nothing else, he would seed his father as the next Star Emperor if he had the support of both his brothers.

    So, he knew that he needed to do things in a satisfactory manner not to incur their displeasure. In that case, just dealing with Liu Kong alone won''t be enough. He needed to deal with other experts who will arrive after that too.

    As for offending the powers behind them, Xing Wukong didn''t worry about it much. With the backing of his two brothers, there isn''t much that Star Empire couldn''t handle. As long as he didn''t poke the ho nest that was the Heavenly Demon Sect, things would be fine.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Once he made his decision, he ordered his maids to fetch all the details regarding the regions around the Grasnds. As he perused the details, a n began to form inside his mind.

    "Whoever it may be, if you want to trespass into my Star Empire''s territory then you will need to pay a corresponding price. This time I will let the Grasnds be your burial ground, hmmph," Xing Wukong snorted coldly with an evil smile on his face.

    *****

    Heavenly Demon Sect, Grasnds.

    At the same time, several miles from Starmist City, in a part of the interior regions of the Grasnds, there was yet another discussion happening in the Grand Hall of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    "Sect Leader, if our calctions are right, the time will be right for us to act in two months," the Grand Elder spoke in a serious tone.

    "Don''t we have to worry about the Level 7 beast acting up likest time?" an elder asked the question that has been guing all the other elders in the hall.

    "You don''t need to worry about it," the Sect Leader said in a domineering tone. "I and the Grand Elder will personally step forth to deal with it. It is high time we ended its puny life."

    "In that case, we will start our preparations Sect Leader," another elder with an evil aura spoke in a sinister tone.

    He looked as if he was looking forward to the bloodbath that was going to happen in two months. Not only him, but even the others present in the hall also looked eager for the mayhem that was going toe soon.

    "Hmmph, did these guys think our Heavenly Demon Sect is easy to bully? Just because we have beenying low for a few decades now, everyone dares to enter the Grasnds with no impunity," the Great Elder harrumphed angrily.

    "Even so, I want the Head Elder of the Punishment Hall and Head Elder of the Blood Hall to keep an eye on the Star Empire''s movement. You can authorize the Shadow Hall to move. I am sure that the Star Empire will also be plotting something."

    "As long as they don''t reach their grubby hands too far, you can let it go. It is still not yet time to move against them. Their First Prince and Second Prince are connected to existences we can''t offend. But, if they are not obedient, you can teach them a lesson as well. It is time that my Heavenly Demon Sect''s name once more resounded in the world again," the Sect Leader said in a domineering manner causing others to sit up straight.

    As they all shared a nce with each other, uncontrolledughter erupted from the hall causing those who heard the sound of it to shiver in fear.

    With these demons getting ready to set out, there was going to be hell unleashed in the surrounding areas soonˇ­

    *****

    Meanwhile, several realms above, in the Heavenly Court yet another majestic voice sounded out.

    "Let the Great Tribtion begin!!!"

    The myriad beings who heard the statement felt fear crawl through them. The Heavenly Emperor has announced the beginning of a Great Tribtion. And thest time a Great Tribtion was announced, countless immortals have perished and even the Heavenly Court had almost copsed.

    Now that it was beginning again, the peaceful days in the nine realms were going to be over.

 Chapter 21 Lost In Wine And Women...

    An Unknown Locationˇ­

    "Sigh! So, it has truly begun," an old man sitting on a mountain top said with heavy emotion. "This generation''s Heavenly Emperor is sure ruthless. He did not waste much time in calling the Great Tribtion. If he had only waited for a few years, our n would have beenplete."

    "Now, we have to improvise ording to the situation. What a drag!!! What a drag!!! It was my mistake to miscalcte some things. If I had been a little more careful, we could have avoided this predicament."

    "Still, the Heavenly Emperor is a bit na?ve to call upon Great Tribtion like a willful child. Sure, it did hinder my ns a lot. But, the thing about Great Tribtions is that no one is safe from them. Be they be the Heavenly Emperor, Dao Ancestor, or even a Dao Lord. Not even me," a strange smile flickered across the old man''s face,

    "A Great Tribtionsts for 100 years. That is 100 years in the realms at the top of the cosmos. Ha ha ha, with how these arrogant immortals act, they would never consider beings from the lowest realms to be a threat during these times. They would be politicking among themselves to try and bring down their enemies far too much to even think about these little nuances."

    "This is also the time where countless Heaven''s Chosen would emerge among the myriad worlds. To the Great Dao, all these things are immaterial. It treats everyone equally."

    "As they say when Heaven closes one door, it will open a window in the back to ensure that there is always a possibility of a miracle. I will bet on that miracle. After all, time flows differently among the different realms. Heavenly Emperor, the game has just begun. Don''t be toocentˇ­"

    With that, the old man beganughing madly causing the surroundings to shake from the might that emitted from his body. After several minutes of derangedughter, the old man vanished into thin air, leaving a calm breeze ruffling the mountaintop.

    *****

    Meanwhile, two months passed in a blur for Duncan.

    Every alternate ten days, he went out to hunt with Roy''s team. He had to say that being a mercenary hunter truly brought him an ample amount of money to live a leisurely life in the Starmist City.

    With ample pay, Duncan began to once more indulge in his two true vices. By the end of the first month, he had almost tasted every vor of wine that was present in the Starmist City that was avable to non-cultivators.

    He had even made a schedule for wine drinking as he went about spending most of the money he earned by doing that. One would be astounded as to the levels of length Duncan went to ensure that he tasted all the wine vors present in the city.

    In his room, there was a crude map of the city marking various kinds of wine avable in the different parts of the city. He had meticulously made it after multiple sojourns through the city.

    Apart from hunting, Duncan''s one true job was to suss out what kind of wine was sold where in the city. He made it an almost daily ritual to go to the bar and talk with various locals about the wine in the city.

    First, he would regale them regarding the different wines he had drunk. Which would inevitably lead to one hot-headed fellow or the other refuting his statement over which wine was best. Then, he would ply the information about the new wine that the person was talking about with drinks.

    Once done, he would set his sights on the new wine and make his way to taste it the next day. Duncan almost made it an art form with the way he sussed out this information from unwitting fellow drunkards.

    By the end of three months into his stay in the city, Duncan had tasted most of the wine avable tomon people in the city. The only few holdouts were wines that was in the hands of the wealthier ss that couldn''t be bought with money.

    This also made Duncan realize yet another thing about life in general. Money was important, but sometimes it was not just enough to attain certain things. Status was yet another prerequisite to enjoying finer things in life.

    Even if Duncan agreed to pay twice the price for a jar of wine in their hands, these wealthy people would only scorn him for his ignorance. To them, the amount of money Duncan paid was negligible. Unless Duncan could help them somehow, they would never share their wine with him.

    For that, Duncan needed some sort of status or influence that could only be obtained slowly.

    Duncan was not dejected learning this. In fact, it only motivated him to know that despite having enough money, he was not qualified to taste a jar of wine. In that case, he needed to get these qualifications to taste those wines. It was simple.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Moreover, he had also learned that the cultivators also had their own brand of wines of increasing potency. Unless one was a cultivator, one can only dream about obtaining them.

    Initially, he had been lost in the haze of his wine drinking. After all, the city had arge variety of wine vors to offer. Until he had met a wall in the form of insufficient status, Duncan had been content to taste the multitudes of wine vors to his heart''s content.

    However, once he ran headfirst into the wall, he sobered up and realized that he had deviated from his original n of finding answers to his questions regarding cultivation.

    The worst thing was that he had yet to go to the Blue Wind Society Hall that Tong De had told him about. Not that he didn''t want to go there, but the tricky thing was that the Blue Wind Society Hall was located in the wealthy quarter of the city.

    Once more Duncan was stymied in his desire by the issue of status. The more he realized it, the more he understood how hard it is for somemoner like him to truly rise up in the world.

    It only made him more determined to find a way to move up in the world.

    As for his other vice, it can be said that Duncan was enjoying the bounties of the city very much. Compared to Bessa, the girls here were even more voracious and voluptuous.

    Duncan could hardly resist their charms. If there is another thing that Duncan did apart from drinking wine and going on hunts, it was the fact that he sampled a wide variety of women during his stay in the city.

    As a result, Duncan''s experience in pleasing the opposite gender had gone through the roof. He had learned multiple ways to enjoy his time with a willing female for a few coins.

    Moreover, unlike wine drinking, his escapes into the pleasurends of the city also brought immense benefit to him due to the Coiling Dragon Sutra in his mind. The yin-yang vital qi that he obtained from his escapades nourished his body to a whole new level.

    In short, Duncan''s pure physical power was just shy of reaching the level of an entry-level cultivator. If Duncan was to fight against an entry-level cultivator, he might not necessarily lose at this moment.

    Not that Duncan knew of it. He just assumed that he was far stronger than normal humans at this point. In his mind, cultivators were still all-powerful beings. The various warning Granny Jiao and Tang De had given him had instilled a firm belief in his mind.

    Even though he kind of had a very poor opinion of them, in his mind, he was still wary of offending them due to the warnings. Duncan also harbored a little resentment towards the cultivators as they didn''t share their wine with him, but that was whole another matter.

    However, like with the wine, his other vice also met a roadblock. Lately, Duncan had begun to feel that he wasn''t getting stronger anymore. He felt as if there was a barrier in his body that was hard to break. It felt as if he had reached the peak of his strength in this body.

    This, along with the fact that there wasn''t any more wine he could get his hands on, was the impetus that pushed Duncan to seek an opportunity to make a breakthrough at this moment.

    However, despite Duncan''s efforts, he still fell short in this aspect.

    In the end, Duncan decided that it was time he went back home for a while before continuing his journey somewhere else. In a way, he missed Granny Jiao''s wisdom and felt as if he was lost in this huge city unable to make any progress.

    So, Duncan bid his farewell to the hunting team and came to the Mercenary Association to do onest mission. The one mission that has been always there but no one had the balls to ept.

    "Need a sparring partner."

    Duncan read the mission details and the corresponding high payout posted. He fell into silence for a moment as he thought furiously as to what to do, before ultimately deciding to see what the mystery behind this mission was all about.

    With firm steps, he walked towards the reception counter in MA.

 Chapter 22 I Am Not Beating Up A Kid!!!

    "Are you sure that you want to take this mission?"

    Thedy at the reception counter asked Duncan with a raised eyebrow. From her reaction, it was clear to Duncan that she was skeptical about his ability toplete this mission.

    "I am sure," Duncan said with a pleasant smile on his face.

    "Sigh, why do young men always overestimate their abilities," thedy said with a resigned sigh.

    She rearranged the papers on her desk into an orderly pile before beckoning Duncan to follow her. Duncan was confused as to what this was all about. In the deepest part of his heart, he knew that something was fishy about this mission. But, thedy''s reaction to his request made it even queerer.

    Duncan followed thedy into an anteroom with confusion etched across his face. Once he entered, thedy beckoned him to take a seat opposite him. Duncan took a seat with curiosity burning in his heart.

    "Usually, we don''t interfere with mercenaries taking any kind of mission from the Mercenary Association job board," thedy spoke as she started pouring tea from the teapot present on the table between them. "However, this mission is kind of special."

    "While we have no responsibility towards your life or death, I wouldn''t be able to live with myself if I didn''t exin the dangers regarding the mission clearly to you."

    Thedy offered him a cup of tea. Duncan epted the tea while his mind began churning. He vaguely felt that something about this mission was incredibly dangerous. However, his danger instincts that have been honed for the past three months weren''t ring up.

    This gave him a bit of hope.

    "Do tell me," Duncan said in a cautious tone.

    "There is nothing to tell. The job description on the board is self-exnatory. We don''t skimp out on those details as it concerns the reputation of the Mercenary Association. This job is true as it is described. You need to act as a sparring partner. Howeverˇ­"

    Thedy paused her words and took some time to sip her tea. Duncan also sipped his tea waiting for thedy to continue on. He was not in a hurry to take this job.

    "Howeverˇ­ This job was posted by a cultivation n," thedy said eyeing Duncan in a weighing manner. "And they need a sparring partner to fight against a low-level cultivator."

    "What!!!?"

    Duncan''s eyes narrowed in shock. This wasn''t something he had thought about. It was a well-known fact that the cultivators generally disdained working with normal people. To have someone ask for a normal person to act as a sparring partner was unprecedented.

    "Yes," thedy nodded before continuing in a solemn tone. "You see, normally it is impossible for normal people to act as a sparring partner for a cultivator. Even for a low-leveled one. However, the situation here is a bit special."

    "The Wang n''s Young Master has stepped foot into the path of cultivation. It is said that he is a genius that is rarely been seen in ten thousand years. At the tender age of five, he is already at the second level of Qi Gathering realm."

    "The Wang n wants to nurture him to the utmost level possible. Even though the Young Master is a child, they want him to experience the feeling of battle. It is also said that the Young Master himself requested the patriarch to approve this as he has high ambitions."

    "You got to be kidding me!!! You can''t expect me to fight a five-year-old kid!!!" Duncan said in anger as he processed the words thedy had told him.

    While he wanted to make money, he wasn''t a sadist to earn money by beating up a five-year-old kid. Cultivator or not, that kid was only five years old. He would be cursed by everyone out there if they knew what he had done.

    "You seem to be misunderstanding something young man," thedy retorted in a frosty tone. "Fight with the Young Master of the Wang n? You sure are dreaming. Are you even worthy? Did you not hear me clearly? That kid is already at the second level of Qi Gathering."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Thedy snorted angrily causing Duncan to stop in his train of thoughts.

    "So what? He is still a kid, isn''t he?" Duncan asked in a perplexed tone.

    "Hmmph, ignorant fool," thedy huffed in annoyance. "Do you think the difference between you and him could be bridged just because he is a kid? Ha ha ha, don''t make meugh."

    Thedy shook her head in annoyance.

    "You shouldn''t be worried about fighting the kid. What you should be worried about is how to survive that kid. Even though he is a kid, he is a cultivator. Not to mention that he is a once in ten thousand years genius. I called in here to warn you about the dangerousness of the job. Not for you to look down on it," thedy said in a serious tone causing Duncan to pause in confusion.

    Is the gap between a cultivator and a normal person like me that big? Can a kid in the Qi Gathering realm really overwhelm me? I have battled wild beasts solo for thest few months. Hell, I have even killed a boar all on my lonesome justst week. Can a kid be able to withstand me?

    "I can see that you are not taking this seriously, young man. But, let me make this clear. This mission is even more dangerous than killing a wild beast. Wild beasts don''t think. What you will be facing is a cultivator. If the age of the cultivator was above ten, this mission wouldn''t even be avable."

    "The only reason this mission was approved was due to the young age of the Wang n''s Young Master. As his body has not yet matured, he wouldn''t be able to exert the full strength of his cultivation level. But, that doesn''t mean that this will be easy money."

    "I have told you what I have to tell. Now, it is in your hands to decide what you will do. Knowing that you will have to fight a cultivator, are you willing to take this mission?" thedy asked in a solemn tone.

    Duncan didn''t even pause to think. He had always been hearing about the terror of cultivators. Yet, he had never seen them in action. So, he had always been curious about the difference in strength between them and him.

    This was a good opportunity to learn first-hand about the power of cultivators. And he wasn''t willing to let go of this. Moreover, if the information that was provided was right, he would need to go into the wealthy quarter for this mission.

    That meant, he will, atst, have a chance to step foot into the Blue Wind Society Hall. He would be a fool to let go of this opportunity. And he was being paid to do this.

    This was like killing three birds with one stone.

    "I am willing to take this mission," Duncan replied without any hesitation in his voice causing thedy''s eyes to narrow in displeasure.

    "Hmmph, this is your funeral," thedy snorted and stood up. "Follow me, I will write up a pass and give you the directions to the Wang n. I hope you are in a good state to collect your reward at least."

    Duncan could only smile wryly. In fact, he didn''t have any ill feelings about thedy''s attitude. If it was any other mercenary, they would have been d for the warning. However, Duncan''s needs were different from others.

    Whatever thedy may have said, he couldn''t wrap his head around the fact that thedy was scaring him with a five-year-old kid. The kid may be a cultivator, but he was still a kid, wasn''t he? How strong could he really be?

    Shaking his head in iprehension, Duncan followed thedy and waited in the side for her to give him the needed permit to go into the wealthy sector. When thedy gave him dis documents, she didn''t even deign him to look him in the eye. Duncan could only silently get the documents and make his way towards the gate where the Wang n was located.

    As usual, the guards stopped him at the entrance to the wealthy sector. However, with a permit in his hand this time, he was quickly allowed to walk inside the wealthy quarter of the city.

    The moment Duncan stepped foot into the wealthy quarter, he couldn''t but inhale in shock at the sheer level of cleanliness and opulence on disy.

 Chapter 23 Wang Clan

    In these past three months, Duncan had toured around Starmist City a lot. He had even asionally stepped foot into several high-ss restaurants in the city to taste their wine.

    But, he had never once stepped foot into the wealthy quarter of the city. There was a high wall that separated the wealthy quarter from the other parts of the city. So, Duncan had only seen finely dressed men step out of the wealthy quarter to conduct business.

    Every time he neared the gate that led into the wealth quarter, he had been turned around by the guards present there. Without proper reason and identification documents, he had never been allowed to step foot in here.

    Forget stepping foot inside, all Duncan had ever seen was a huge wall that obstructed his vision. This was the first time he had been let inside the wealthy quarter and the vision he was greeted with surely stunned him.

    The streets were so clean that Duncan felt as if he was hallucinating. It was paved in stone and far wider than the streets present in the rest of the city. Despite looking around a lot, he couldn''t see garbage littering the street. One has to know that seeing garbage was amon sight whether in the viges, towns, or the rest of the city.

    Meanwhile, in perfectbination with the cleanliness, there was an abundance of opulence on disy. Just looking around, Duncan could already deduce that items that were put on disy in the shops at the side were something he could never afford even if he worked as a mercenary for years.

    Duncan usually didn''t care much about jewelry or weapons that most other people cared about. His mind was always on wine. But, it didn''t mean that he was ignorant of the various top-rated items present in the world.

    From musical instruments to weaponry, everything Duncan could imagine was on disy as if they weremonce items here in the wealthy quarter. From usual practice, Duncan knew that only a few items that were on disy were valuable. The true treasures will always be kept inside by the storeowners to both overawe customers and also to protect them.

    To see items that he had until now thought of to be treasures ced so carelessly on the shelves of shops lining the street, the mental impact Duncan had was something that couldn''t be described.

    "Stop gawking and get moving," the guard who had let him in growled causing Duncan to break out of his stupor. "There is a reason you lot aren''t allowed in here. Go straight to the Wang npound. If I find you loitering anywhere else, I will throw you straight into jail."

    Duncan scowled at the guard causing him to sneer back at him.

    "Get going dog, don''t waste our time," another guard shooed him as if he was an inconvenience.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan shot a fierce look at the duo before walking toward the Wang npound as per his given instructions. He heard the guards snickering behind him at his expense, but endured it and walked on.

    His initial mood of surprise and bewilderment had turned sour by now. After living in the city for three whole months, Duncan felt the disdain for the poor for the first time in his life.

    Until now, whether it be his life in his town or his stay in the Starmist City, both have been amongst his peers. Even the wealthy in his eyes were not that much loaded with money as an average person.

    But, just stepping into the wealthy quarter, Duncan realized the divide for the first time. What was a peerless treasure in his eyes was justmon stuff here. What he thought of opulence and wealth might just well be spending money an average person possessed here.

    In that case, Duncan didn''t even dare to venture a guess on how filthy rich the truly wealthy people were. Even if he wanted to, Duncan was sure that his wildest imagination would only be short of the real wealth these people possessed.

    As Duncan made his way toward the Wang npound, his mind received shock after shock as he took in the riches that were lying around in the street. He saw a musical instrument that would have sustained him to drink for an entire decade ced carelessly on a stool by a storefront.

    Even the dress that was worn by the servants tending to the shop looked countless times better than the best dress he had on him. Walking amidst these people, Duncan felt as if he was a beggar walking in the streets.

    It was very ufortable for him.

    So, he stopped looking around and made haste towards the Wang npound. After several minutes, following the instructionsid out by the receptionist, he found his way to the gate leading into the Wang npound.

    Being a cultivation n, Duncan knew that the Wang n enjoyed a unique status in the city. It is said on the streets that the Wang n was even more influential than several other cultivation ns present in the Starmist City.

    It was rumored that the patriarch of the Wang n was an existence even the City Lord has to pay heed to. He was said to be at the pinnacle of the Spirit Sea realm. When Duncan initially learned about the cultivators present in the Starmist City, the Wang n''s patriarch was mentioned to be one of the top experts in the city.

    So, naturally, thepound of the Wang n looked more imposing than the other ces present in the city. Even the guards present near the gate had the aura of cultivators causing Duncan''s mind to be filled with trepidation.

    Having lived in the city for three months, Duncan had heard a lot of rumors regarding the overbearingness of cultivators. Combined with the advice from Granny Jiao and Tang De, it only reinforced the belief of not getting in the way of cultivators.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Still, Duncan was unable to quench his thirst for learning more about cultivation. It was as if an evil fire had been lit inside of him that wouldn''t just die down without knowing more about cultivation and stepping foot on that path.

    While Duncan was confident with his body strength, it was only when it came to facing ordinary mortals like him. His experience in the wild had honed his instincts a lot and they were ring right now, warning him to tread carefully.

    "What do you want?" the guard scowled at Duncan with disgust evident in his eyes as he looked at him up and down. "This isn''t a ce you can be around. Beat it, or else, I will let you know why the sky is blue."

    "Forgive me, I am part of the Mercenary Association. I came here due to a job posted by the Wang n," Duncan said meekly as he handed over the documents from MA to the guard.

    "Why would we need the help of weaklings like you?" the guard sneered and grabbed the documents straight out of Duncan''s hands with no regard.

    Duncan felt stifled but endured as he knew that mouthing off now would not end well.

    "Hmmm, it really looks like you are telling the truth," the guard hummed in disbelief.

    Duncan didn''t know why such a thing caused this much suspicion from the guard. But, he merely nodded in reply.

    "Oh, it''s the request of the Young Master," the guard''s face stiffened as he read further.  By the time he finished reading, his face looked ashen.

    "Why didn''t you say that before, you imbecile?" the guard roared in anger. "And it takes this long for your Mercenary Association to fulfill this simple job. You guys are sure bold."

    Duncan could only smile stiffly at that. He was sure that without the document, the guard would have bashed him into a pulp if he had used the Young Master''s name earlier. But, he couldn''t say it outright either. So, he merely endured it.

    "Come with me," the guard ordered, "when you meet the Young Master be sure to be humble. And don''t speak nonsense if you know what''s good for you."

    Duncan nodded in agreement as he had no thoughts about reporting the guard''s behavior. He knew that it would only invite trouble.

    The guard guided Duncan to a rtively peaceful courtyard that was located in the interior of thepound. Along the way, Duncan was subjected to looks of disgust and ridicule. While their expressed their doubts about his qualification to be here, they held it in as they saw the guard guiding him with an urgent expression on his face.

    "You, inform the Young Master that the person he requested from the Mercenary Association is here," the guard yelled at a servant when they reached the courtyard.

    The servant looked dubious for a moment, but decided to be smart at the moment and ran off to inform the Young Master.

    Duncan watched the servant run off with a cid expression on his face. He had calmed down by now. While initially he was agitated with the looks he received as he made his way here, he knew that none of it mattered to him at this moment.

    Even though he was a little apprehensive about sparring with a kid, he knew that he can''t usemon sense to deal with cultivators. Keeping the warning of the receptionist in mind, he decided to face it in his best state. So, he calmed down and began to concentrate more on the present than dwell on the looks.

    "Hmmph, what good is the Mercenary Association if they take four months to fulfill such a simple request? Let that person in, I will see him now," a young but arrogant voice sounded out from the courtyard.

    Duncan frowned at the apparent disrespect towards the MA in the child''s tone. But, he also made note that the job had not been taken by anyone else despite the huge reward. This made him more cautious as he began to wonder if he had made a mistake.

    While he understood the child''s displeasure, he can''t help but think that the child sounded way more spoiled than the rich children he came across earlier. So, he decided to be more cautious as tangling with such idiots usually caused more trouble than necessary.

    "Come," the servant ordered brusquely before turning around and leading Duncan in.

    The guard followed him as if to make sure he didn''t run away. Duncan vaguely felt as if he was being herded like a prisoner. It did displease him, but he endured and made his way into the courtyard.

 Chapter 24 How Dare You Lay Your Hands On Me?

    Duncan was unceremoniously herded towards the backyard without leaving him time to see anything else. The route that they led him through was a side path that Duncan inferred to be reserved for servants.

    As he made his way in, Duncan noticed that even the servants here were dressed better than him. It made him realize how truly poor he waspared to the people living here.

    But, Duncan didn''t mind it that much as he was currently more eager to see the strength of a cultivator. Albeit being a child, the receptionist had told him that the Young Master of the Wang n was in the second stage of the Qi Gathering realm.

    This was someone who had stepped foot onto the road of cultivation that Duncan yearned to walk. By checking out the difference between them, Duncan could roughly grasp an idea of how strong a typical cultivator could be.

    While his estimates could be wrong, he will not be searching blindly anymore. And if he can make a good impression, he would be able to rify his doubts regarding cultivation. Who knows, he might even obtain a cultivation manual.

    Just thinking about this made Duncan''s mood soar. He was determined to showcase his abilities to the best so that he would obtain at least some benefits from this mission apart from the promised reward.

    Whenpared to this, Duncan didn''t have time to think about his poor status. So, when he stepped foot into the backyard, Duncan was way more determined and focused than he had ever been in his entire life.

    But, the Young Master didn''t immediatelye out to meet him. Rather, the servant who led him in started enquiring about his achievements in MA.

    Initially, the servant looked a little angry when she learned that he had been a mercenary only for three months. But, when he had started exining his battles with the wild animals and his kills, the servant''s face was somewhat mollified. Still, she looked a little put out by his rtively low experience.

    Then, the servant vanished inside leaving him alone in the courtyard. Duncan waited patiently for more than an hour before there was movement from the inside getting closer to the backyard.

    Out came a young child who looked not even five years old.

    If Duncan was being rtively objective, he would describe the child to be cute and very handsome in a childish sort of way. His skin looked unblemished and his face was really beautiful.

    For a child, he looked way more gorgeous than the other kids Duncan had seen in the streets. His rich dress and well-kept appearance only entuated the cuteness the child possessed.

    However, Duncan couldn''t help but sigh as he saw this cute child. Sparring with such a child looked entirely alien to Duncan at this point. He didn''t know whether tough or cry at this moment, because Duncan''s thoughts earlier were too na?ve and it was clear he couldn''t get anything out of this child.

    When the said child posed arrogantly in front of him, Duncan had to try very hard to notugh. While it was very cute, Duncan couldn''t help but be disappointed with what he saw considering his expectations.

    "What was I thinking? A child is a child. No way can he be something else. I will just gently apany the kid for some time. Looks like this avenue will also be a bust," Duncanmented to himself in his mind.

    "You," the child, Young Master, pointed at him arrogantly, "I heard that you have battled wild beasts before and even killed a wolf on your own. Are you sure you aren''t lying? Because, if I find out that you have been lying, I will whip you until you beg for death."

    Duncan merely squinted his eyes in exasperation. No matter how he saw, this Young Master didn''t have any overbearing aura that a cultivator usually possessed in Duncan''s mind.

    Letting out a huge sigh, that echoed his exasperation with the situation, Duncan merely nodded in reply to the child.

    While he did find this whole scene hrious, he didn''t want to create trouble for himself by insulting the Young Master of the influential Wang n. So, he endured it and decided to just apany this Young Master for a while.

    At least, the pay was good. With it, he could enjoy more wine and even have some money left over to visit Granny Jiao.

    "Good, then prepare yourself," the child once more stated arrogantly, "I will test your strength now. If it is unsatisfactory, hmmph, I will show you what happens to someone when they lie to me."

    Duncan''s eyes couldn''t help but twitch by this point. A part of him wanted to beat this unruly child into a crying mess by now, but he knew that he couldn''t actually do that. So, he merely gestured for the child to attack.

    Duncan stood there calmly as he saw the child preparing for his attack. He watched the child start doing some martial arts movements to initiate his attack, but the entire thing looked ridiculous to Duncan at this point.

    When the child threw a punch, Duncan couldn''t help but sneer in his heart as he realized that there was nothing special about it. He calmly sidestepped the attack and looked at the child.

    The child looked perplexed for a moment before he followed it with a roundhouse kick. Duncan had to say that he was impressed by the child''s flexibility. He could even perform such a maneuver despite his young age. It was indeed impressive.

    When he was the child''s age, Duncan could hardly string together such fluid movements. All he had known at that time was to throw a punch and kick someone''s shin. If worsees to worst, he would bite.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan stepped back smoothly letting the leg pass him by. Normally, he would close in and attack his opponent at this time, but doing that might be bullying this child. So, he refrained from his actions and watched the child once more attack.

    Duncan effortlessly evaded the several attacks the child made. By now, he was wondering why the receptionistdy had been so worried about this job while evading the attacks easily. It was clear that the child needed the most now was instructors who will guide him not sparring partners.

    Just then, the child jumped back with an unsightly look on his face. It was clear that he hadn''t expected to miss all his attacks. He gritted his teeth and looked at Duncan angrily.

    "Is evading like a coward all you know? Why don''t you face me like a man?" the child asked angrily.

    Duncan felt like bonking the rude child on his head. But, he held back his urges and merely motioned him to continue. The child let out an angry snort and attacked once more.

    This time, Duncan didn''t evade. He gently tried to block the blow. However, his eyes immediately shrunk as he made contact with the child''s fist.

    The moment he made contact, the power that came from the fist was something that he didn''t expect at all. It was way more powerful than an ordinary man''s fist. It truly stumped him for a moment.

    As a result, his block was ineffective and the fistnded squarely on his arm. The arm stung as Duncan quickly jumped back to assess the peculiarity. He could clearly see that the attack looked the same. But, there was a strong power within it.

    While the attack was rtively faster than normal attacks by children and had a fluidity to it that came with training, the speed and technique weren''t something that he needed to worry about as they were inferior to his standards.

    However, the power contained in the attack was entirely another matter. It was more than what an ordinary person could produce. In fact, if his body hadn''t been strengthened for the past three months, he would be barely able to resist it.

    One had to know that Duncan had been working in the mine for most of his life. The harsh conditions there caused his body to grow stronger to adapt to the lifestyle. So, he was rtively stronger than an ordinary mortal.

    The mere idea of a kid having the same strength he did from working in the mines for over eight years was baffling to him. While the kid wasn''t in his league at present, the power he exhibited was enough for Duncan to take a second look at him.

    "What? Did you get injured just from my mere punch?" the Young Master sneered.

    "No, you just caught me off-guard with your power, Young Master," Duncan replied with a smile. "You are really a mighty figure."

    "I really am. I am not some mortal like you. I am a cultivator at the second stage of the Qi Gathering realm. My power is not something you can withstand," the Young Master stated arrogantly.

    "No need to worry Young Master," Duncan replied with a smile. "I am sturdier than ordinary men. I have even battled wild beasts. I am sure I will be able to handle your power."

    "Ignorant fool, let me show you the difference between you and cultivators like me," the Young Master sneered and once moreunched an attack.

    This time, Duncan was ready. So, when the attack arrived, he blocked it with his full force and gently nudged the body of the child back causing him to lose bnce and stumble.

    Duncan calmly watched the child stagger and regain his bnce. He was looking at Duncan with an unsightly expression on his face.

    "You!!!" the Young Master said angrily. "How dare youy your hands on me?"

    Duncan frowned as he realized that this mission might be more difficult than it was on the surface. While he might prevail, the problem would be that he might end up offending the Young Master of the Wang n who was not mature enough yet.

    And offending the Young Master might result in the entire Wang n is out for his blood. Even if it was just a mere wealthy family, it wasn''t something he could bear. Not to mention a cultivating n like the Wang n.

    He should have listened to the advice of Granny Jiao and stayed away from the cultivators. He should have known better when this job hadn''t been picked up for four months despite its high pay. Sure enough, there was trouble.

    Right now, the Young Master was looking at him with murder in his eyes. It was clear that he didn''t expect Duncan to fight back. Duncan knew that he couldn''t let the situation escte. If needed, he needed to get beaten up by this child to escape this cmity.

    Just as he wanted to say something to diffuse the situation, another voice sounded from the side.

    "Enough, you asked for a sparring partner. Now, that he is here, you better hone your skills," an imposing voice came from the side causing both the Young Master and Duncan to look over.

 Chapter 25 Sparring With The Young Master

    "Father," the Young Master looked at the man who was standing on the sidelines in shock.

    Duncan looked at the man in trepidation. He didn''t even realize that there was someone else apart from the guard and the servant present in the backyard. He was sure that the man hadn''t been there when he came in.

    That left only one possibility.

    The man had arrived silently sometime after they had begun the sparring. Even so, his instincts that have been honed with hunts in the wild should have picked up his presence. However, the reality was entirely different.

    The man had appeared silently. Duncan hadn''t been able to even detect his presence. Furthermore, he had been watching them spar for a while now and Duncan had been none the wiser for it.

    It brought a shiver down Duncan''s spine.

    For the first time in his life, Duncan realized how scary cultivators could be.

    As he eyed the man, Duncan noted the simrity between the child and the man clearly. They had the same nose and eyebrows. Although the man looked middle-aged, Duncan felt as if he was even younger and healthier than him. The strange dissonance made him even warier.

    "Yun-er, while you may be a genius when ites to cultivating, you are indeed a novice when ites to battle. You have not honed your battle instincts. In this turbulent world, cultivation alone is not enough. What truly matters is your battle strength," the man said in a doting voice towards the Young Master.

    "When you asked for a mercenary to spar with, I was really delighted. But, I knew that no sane mercenary would take up the mission. So, when I learned from the guards that a mercenary hase to meet you, I first worried if it was a cultivator with evil intentions," this time the man''s gaze bored into Duncan, causing Duncan to squirm.

    "But, it looks like there is indeed such a stupid mercenary. Being a mortal and willing to go against a cultivator is suremendable, but also a very foolish notion. If Yun-er had been a grown-up, he would have killed you with a simple punch."

    "But, it is also good. I can see that your body is just shy of being as strong as a Level 1 Qi Gathering cultivator. It is indeed a miracle to find a mortal with such a strong body," the man eyed Duncan with a gleam of interest in his eyes.

    The gaze made Duncan feel cold. He was sure at this moment that he should never reveal the existence of the Coiling Dragon Sutra as long as he was here. He knew that a poor man possessing a treasure was a crime. So, no matter what, the technique must not be revealed.

    "I have been working in the mines since I was 9, my lord. I have always been stronger than other kids my age," Duncan replied with his practiced lie.

    "Hmm, that makes sense. It is good that you are stronger than the average mortal. It will help Yun-er grow strong," the man said nodding before turning towards the Young Master.

    "Yun-er, listen well. It is not that he is stronger than you. At most, he is only a little bit stronger than you. However, with your martial arts, you should be able to bridge that gap."

    "But, you have never learned to channel your power properly. By sparring with him, you will not only hone your battle instincts, but you will also be able to learn to channel your power properly. Use this opportunity to your advantage and rise above yourself," the man said causing the Young Master to smile and nod.

    "You," the man turned towards Duncan with a predatory smile on his face, "I want you to stop holding back and start attacking Yun-er. Garden flowers will never survive the wild. While Yun-er may suffer a bit, he will grow strong because of it. Do you understand?"

    Duncan nodded hesitantly. It is one thing to block and evade, it is entirely another thing to attack the child in front of him. He didn''t know if some ident might happen. That would be disastrous for him.

    "Don''t worry, Yun-er''s body isn''t that weak. He will be able to handle it. Unless he faces serious pressure he wouldn''t be able to improve himself," the man said as if he knew what Duncan was thinking about. "Moreover, I will be here supervising the spar. With me present, nothing will happen to Yun-er."

    Nothing will happen to the child, but what about me?

    Duncan grumbled inwardly and prepared himself. As he looked at the child standing in front of him, he began to think about the previous spar. The child had good power, but his speed was really mediocre. He should be able to use that to his advantage.

    Opposite him, the child also readied himself. Duncan could see that the child looked more serious than he initially behaved. It looked like having his old man motivated the child a lot.

    Without further ado, the child once more approached him as he began using his martial art tond a hit on him. As usual, Duncan sidestepped the attack. However, this time he retaliated with a leg trip causing the child to fall hard.

    Duncan didn''t pursue the child. He merely backed off and waited.

    "That is what you will get when you are eager to attack Yun-er. Don''t underestimate him just because he is a mortal. He had fought with wild beasts in the wild. No one walks out of there without a bit of skill," the man advised from the side.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The child looked gloomy as he once more took up a stance.

    This time, the child began to channel some martial art right from the get-go. Duncan could feel the atmosphere around the child change. He became even more guarded as he watched the child seriously.

    "Mountain Shattering Fist!!!"

    The child yelled in his cute voice before jumping up and trying to punch Duncan.

    This time the child was faster than before, but he was still very slowpared to Duncan. Duncan hastily evaded and prepared to counterattack once more, however, the moment the child''s fistnded, the ground below their feet cracked.

    Duncan''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the carnage caused by the child. His steps were unsteady, but he recovered quickly and jumped back to assess the situation once more.

    The child smiled at him triumphantly. Duncan couldn''t help but gulp. He wasn''t sure if he would be able to survive if that fistnded on him. At the least, he would end up with heavy bruising and internal bleeding if that hitnded on him.

    Wincing at the image of him being smacked by that fist, Duncan decided to be more careful in the future. As he watched the child warily, Duncan wondered what a proper cultivator could unleash if this was caused by a mere child.

    "Heh, are you scared now?" the Young Master sneered. "This time, I will beat you up ck and blue."

    The child howled and rushed at Duncan once more. Duncan was in no mood to get beaten up passively. The man had given Duncan permission to counterattack, so Duncan did the same.

    As the child rushed once more, Duncan stood his ground and watched his movements. Just as he saw the child prepare to unleash the same martial arts move, Duncan charged in causing the child''s eyes to go wide in panic.

    Before the child could fully prepare for the move, Duncan closed in and delivered a kick to the child''s midsection. Luckily, his sanity prevailed and he still held back his strength at thest moment.

    While the man might be fine with Duncannding a hit, Duncan wasn''t sure how he will react if he really beat up the child. So, to be on the safe side, Duncan restrained his strength at thest moment.

    Still, the strong momentum was enough to send the child back flying. The childnded a few yards behind and somersaulted a few times beforeing to a stop.

    A hush filled the backyard as Duncan looked at the man with trepidation. The man was stone-faced, however, the reactions on the servant and guard''s faces were enough to let Duncan know that he might have messed up this time.

    There was a mixture of shock and surprise on both their faces. He could feel the outrage pouring out of the servant''s body from here. The guard''s face was ugly and he stared fiercely at Duncan.

    However, the man was looking at the downed child in an impassive manner. When the servant and guard looked at the man, they realized that the man didn''t seem to be angry much.

    Confused, they could only look on, digesting their anger.

    The child took a few moments to get up. He was disshelved. His perfectlybed hair was in disarray. His clothes were messy and there was a pained grimace on his face. It was clear that he had not expected to be hit and had never experienced such pain.

    The child looked as if he was going to cry. But, at thest moment, the child managed to calm down and looked at Duncan venomously. His anger was palpable at this moment.

    Just as Duncan felt that the child was going to demand someone to beat him up, the man spoke from the side.

    "Did you know that your opponent held back at thest moment? If he had not, you will be vomiting blood at this moment," the man stated in a hard tone causing the child to rear back as if he was stuck.

    "Did you think you were performing a martial art? You were sparring. Do you think an opponent will give you time to prepare yourself? Did you think he will wait for you to attack him? If you have this kind of mentality, you will die in your first battle outside," the man said harshly causing the child to look down in shame.

    "But fatherˇ­"

    "What do you want to say? That he shouldn''t attack you when you prepare your martial arts. That he should simply stand there and let you attack. No one will do that. No one is fool enough to let you attack without attacking back," the man said in a critical tone causing the child to look down ashamed.

 Chapter 26 Powerless...

    Duncan watched the exchange with guarded eyes. He knew that the man was using him as an example to teach the child a very important lesson. However, he didn''t feel d.

    Instead, he only felt a deep chill in his bones.

    Right now, the child didn''t know how to mobilize his power. But, when he does, it will be Duncan''s turn to be careful. And Duncan was sure that the child will begin to adapt quickly to the man''s advice.

    But, what worried him the most was the amount of hate the child would feel for him when he was done with this mission. He should have known better. He should have listened to the receptionist''s advice and not taken this mission.

    He was sure that the man wouldn''t even lift a finger if the child decided to avenge him once the mission ended. It made him wonder how stupid he had been to think that this would be easy money to swallow.

    Soon, the so-called spar resumed.

    Duncan immediately began to only dodge the attacks the child sent his way, fearing the consequences ofying a hand on the child. However, the man stopped the spar immediately and warned Duncan to fight properly or face his displeasure.

    With no other recourse, Duncan began to fight the child properly. One couldn''t even call that a fight as the child was sent back tumbling repeatedly. Even Duncan winced at the amount of beating the child took.

    However, Duncan had to give it to the child.

    The child never rested. He stood up every time ready to go. Soon, the child fell into a defensive state trying to avoid injuries.

    It worked well for Duncan.

    He attacked the child relentlessly and caused the child to guard arduously. While he didn''t use his full strength, he did use his full speed to his advantage. As time progressed, the child soon became fatigued.

    "We will end this spar for today. From tomorrow, you will start to spar with this man for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. You will go back and reflect on your mistakes," the man ordered ending the spar.

    Duncan''s mind nked. He had been nning to make a run for it once the spar ended. He never expected the man to issue such an order. Regardless, he decided to leave this ce once and for all, before making an escape.

    But, man proposes, heaven disposes.

    "Wang Chen, lead this young man to a room in guest quarters. Take care of his need. For the foreseeable future, he will be a guest in ourpound," the man ordered to the guard causing Duncan''s ns to copse.

    "My lord," Duncan couldn''t help but say as heard the order, "I need to return to the inn tonight, my lord. If not, the innkeeper would throw my stuff away. I will be back tomorrow."

    And he would be a fool to do that.

    Duncan nned to leave the city the moment he collected his valuables. If not for the sword Granny Jiao had given him, he would leave the city directly without even going to his inn.

    "No need," the man said domineeringly, "You will stay here for the foreseeable future. You don''t think I will allow a mercenary to go out and wag his tongue about beating my kid, do you?"

    "My lord, I will do no such thing. I have a few valuables present in my room, my lord. I will bring them with me tomorrow and stay here until Young Master''s training isplete," Duncan told as sincerely as he could.

    "Wang Chen, get his stuff from the inn and send it to his room," the man said nonchntly. "You don''t have any other concerns now, do you?"

    Duncan could only mutely shake his head by now.

    "Don''t look at me like that. I will pay you the amount mentioned in the mission after sending the cut for the Mercenary Association tomorrow. And from tomorrow, I will pay double the amount. You will not be wronged helping my son."

    Duncan now had absolutely nothing to refute with. He could only meekly nod and ept his fate. Maybe the man wouldn''t kill him off by the time the sparring was over with.

    He could only me himself for being too greedy now. If he had been a little smart about things, he would have never taken such a job.

    Duncan was once more shepherded into avish room under the guard Wang Chen''s careful eyes. He knew that there was no way for him to escape now. So, he gritted his teeth and endured.

    The room looked rich and even had a bed that was so soft that Duncan felt as if he was floating on clouds. Never in a million years had he dreamed of upying such a vast room to himself.

    But, none of this brought joy to Duncan. He was essentially a prisoner now and he knew that the chance of him ending up dead by the time this mission was over was high.

    For the first time in his life, Duncan felt like he was a puppet dancing under the string of others. It was very ufortable for him.

    Even when he had been a poor, malnourished miner in his town, he hadn''t felt this way. While what he could do with his situation had been limited, he had never felt as if there was no other choice for him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But now, he felt that he had no choice. He was entirely powerless in the face of a powerful cultivation n like the Wang n. He could do nothing but what they told him to do.

    Even his life and death weren''t in his hands.

    Whether the Wang n would let him live after the training was done was entirely up to them. Even if he had only done as asked, he didn''t think the young child would be able to understand that.

    And with a simple order, the child could kill him!

    When Duncan thought about this, he felt apletely new feeling upying his heart. As the feeling began to persist, Duncan realized that the world around him had somehow lost its luster.

    The lights looked dimmer, the breeze felt deste, the sounds he heard were muffled, and even what he felt with his senses seemed muddled. Duncan didn''t really understand why the world suddenly feltckluster.

    However, he feltpletely powerless for the first time in his life. And something within him waspletely against such a feeling. He didn''t like it one bit. But, he could do nothing about it either.

    Theseplex feelings brought a gloomy atmosphere into his life for the first time.

    *****

    Meanwhileˇ­

    Twenty miles northwest of Starmist Cityˇ­

    A youth with extraordinary temperament was looking in the direction Grasnds was located. His clothing was elegant, his face was refined, and the atmosphere around him looked tranquil.

    His back was firm, but none could see that from his posture as he appeared to be a gentle refined man, sporting an elegant smile. If one looked at him from afar, one would feel entirely refreshed.

    However, if one were to look into his eyes, one could see a bloodthirsty gleam present in there. That bloodthirsty aura was hidden deep inside the calm appearance the youth had.

    His name was Liu Kong ¨C the Holy Son of Seven Clouds Sect that was located in the neighboring kingdom.

    Just then, a dark shadow shed and a figure clothed entirely in ck, from head to toe, materialized behind him.

    "Holy Son," the figure addressed him respectfully.

    "Report," Liu Kong''s tone was gentle in ordance with his appearance.

    "Our information suggests that there is a high possibility that what you seek might be what really caused themotion in the Grasnds two months ago, Holy Son," the figure reported.

    "However, since none of the experts who ventured inside the Grasnds were able to make it back alive due to the Level 7 beast''s rampage, we can''t be entirely sure."

    Silence ensued the statement. The figure shifted a little ufortably as Liu Kong contemted the information for a while.

    "Hmmm, it looks like I should head there personally," Liu Kong murmured after a few minutes.

    "Butˇ­" the figure said hesitantly.

    "Hmmm," Liu Kong turned his head to look at the figure.

    The figure lowered his head hastily.

    "Forgive me, Holy Son," the figure said hurriedly, "with Level 7 beast guarding the area, it might be really unwise to go there. Moreover, our informants from Neb City have brought news that the Third Prince has been nning something in regards to the same."

    "There have been experts stationed all over the boundary of Grasnds. Even the Heavenly Wolf General, Heavenly Dog General, and Great Bear General have been sent out. This time, there is a high chance that his actions may target you, Holy Son. We are afraid that your movements may have been leaked."

    Silence once more engulfed the area as Liu Kong stood there pondering the information for a few moments.

    "Ha ha ha," Liu Kong beganughing uproariously all of a sudden causing the tranquil atmosphere present to shatter into million pieces.

 Chapter 27 We Dont Need Justification

    "You think I am afraid of that little brat? What Heavenly Dog General, Heavenly Wolf General? In my eyes, they are little cubs that could be dealt with a swing of my fist. Just because they name themselves after the Heavenly Stars can they be formidable figures? What delusional fools!!!"

    Liu Kong said domineeringly causing the figure to shake in fear. At that moment, a cruel bloodthirsty aura burst out of Liu Kong causing the figure to kneel down in submission.

    "If it is the Crown Prince of the Star Dynasty, then he might be my match. As for that trash who is the Third Prince, he will be walking towards his death if he wants to deal with me," Liu Kong snorted arrogantly.

    "As for that Level 7 beast, I have no ns to tangle with that. I am pretty sure that the Heavenly Demon Sect will be making their move as well. And that beast is only at the early stage of Level 7."

    "With Heavenly Demon Sect making their moves, I just need to let the rest of the experts thate for the treasure entangle with them. I will act as the fisherman that reaps the benefits," Liu Kong said with a cunning gleam shining through his eyes.

    "You don''t need to worry about my safety. However, I want you to start chaos in the three cities closest to the Grasnds three weeks from now. Even though I am confident about obtaining the item, it would be beneficial for my escape if the Star Empire is forced to deal with internal problems."

    "If needed, you can expose some of our less useful assets in these cities. Just make sure that the Star Empire is sufficiently distracted when the timees. It would be better if things could be used to deal an insidious blow at the same time," Liu Kong said with a vicious smile causing the kneeling figure to nod.

    "It will be done as youmand, Holy Son," the figure replied in a solemn tone.

    "Remember, this matter is very important to me. If any negligence caused me to lose out on this opportunity, I will personally hold you responsible. I don''t care what you have to do, just make sure that the Star Empire''s forces are in disarray three weeks from now. You are dismissed."

    Liu Kong waved his hands as he once more restrained his bloodthirsty aura. The figure once more turned into a dark shadow and left the ce.

    Liu Kong stood alone once more as he stared in the direction of Grasnds. The calm breeze once more picked up and the tranquil atmosphere returned.

    "Three weeksˇ­ three weeksˇ­ If all goes well, I will take that crucial step in my cultivation. Xing Siukong, just wait! Once I am sessful, I will show you why some tears are bloody in color."

    Liu Kong mumbled to himself before setting off in the direction of Grasnds.

    *****

    Neb City, Imperial Pce

    Xing Wukong''s face looked very ugly as he stared at the servant who was kneeling in front of him. He very much wanted to st the fool into million pieces at this moment.

    "What do you mean that you lost track of Liu Kong?" he asked in a deadly voice causing the servant to shiver in fear.

    "Our apologies, Third Prince. Liu Kong never arrived in Starmist City. We lost him somewhere from fifty miles to the city. I am afraid that he realized that our people were keeping tags on him," the servant reported with a quiver in his voice.

    "You useless pieces of shits!!! Can''t you do one thing without bungling it up?" Xing Wukong seethed in fury. "Get lost!!! I don''t want you in my sight!"

    The servant quickly scurried away leaving Xing Wukong to seethe in silence. Xing Wukong knew that things were getting out of hand by now. He really didn''t expect whatever had happened in the Grasnds to attract so much trouble.

    In the past two months, several experts have made their way into the Star Empire quite brazenly. They were acting so callously that it made his teeth ache. It was as if they didn''t even ce the Star Empire in their eyes.

    It had started in ones and twos in the beginning. He hadn''t bothered about it much. He knew that these experts aren''t the type to listen to others. So, he had let them roam around as they pleased.

    After all, with the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Level 7 beast present, these idiots would soon end up dead after entering the Grasnds. So, it hadn''t mattered much in the beginning.

    But, when these idiots start to create trouble wherever they go and even swagger around in Neb City, then it became his headache. It was clear that didn''t respect the Star Empire much.

    As he ran around putting down the fires these imbeciles left in their wake, he had less and less time to devote to the matter that was going to happen in Grasnds. It literally drove him mad.

    He was very close to snapping and ordering the entire army to move out to hunt these bastards down.

    But, he preserved.

    It wasn''t very wise to create so much enmity with all powers standing behind these people. After all, these are dead men walking. And if he were to hastilysh out, then the Star Empire will have to face pressure from a lot of powers.

    While neither he nor the empire was afraid of them, it would be troublesome to deal with a whole bunch of these people. But, if he let the Heavenly Demon Sect clear these rubbles, he would benefit in both ways.

    If all these powers joined hands, they might even trouble the Heavenly Demon Sect for a while. So, it would be naturally advantageous for the Star Empire to let those two sh.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, the thing that worried him most was the appearance of all these people at the same time. The incident urred a few months ago, but these people are appearing now as if they all had received some valuable information.

    This reeked of someone manipting things from behind.

    Now, what he wanted to know most was who their target is. Is it the Star Empire? Or is it the Heavenly Demon Sect?

    There are no coincidences in this world.

    The fact that a Level 7 beast appeared in Grasnds was somewhat believable. However, its appearance to coincide with that strange disturbance was a little worrying.

    To add to that, several high-level experts of the Star Empire had perished in the initial wave of the incident bringing the fighting power of the empire down. And a few monthster, several experts from outside of the empire are appearing inside it.

    Strangely enough, the Heavenly Demon Sect has been silent until now. It didn''t match their domineering style at all. Perchance, did they know something? Are they staying out of it because this plot was aimed at the empire?

    Xing Wukong was not sure about anything at this moment. He had questions upon questions. But there were no answers for them. He dare not act rashly, lest he walked into a trap.

    So, he could only grit his teeth and wait it out.

    But, he had been sure of one thing. Liu Kong and the Seven Clouds Sect were behind at least some of the problems. So, he had increased his surveince over Liu Kong for the past two months.

    Now that he had lost him, Xing Wukong was beginning to feel a little uneasy.

    With a heavy sigh, Xing Wukong decided to do the smart thing. After all, if he miscalcted, things might turn for the worse. As of now, in the entire empire, there was only one person who could tackle this matter.

    Decision made, he abruptly stood and began walking towards the interior of the pce.

    *****

    Great Hall, Heavenly Demon Sect, Grasndsˇ­

    "Sect Master," the Head Elder of the Blood Hall spoke in a solemn tone, "something about this entire thing seems fishy. I fear that someone is stoking the fire from the dark."

    The Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect sat on his throne deep in thought for some time. He had underestimated the situation earlier. He had thought that only shrimp soldiers and desperados of other sects would step foot inside the Grasnds when the time came.

    However, the reality proved itself different. The people who were making their way into the Grasnds were not some expendable idiots. They are the experts for whom their respective sects have high hope.

    shing with them will only invite more headaches than necessary. Even if it was the Heavenly Demon Sect, they couldn''t singlehandedly go against the entire world.

    Meanwhile, remaining silent would also be perceived as a weakness by the enemies of the sect. Being a demonic sect, the Heavenly Demon Sect has flourished until now because of the fear the righteous sects have towards them. If it is lost, then soon they will be besieged and eliminated.

    "Even if we fight with all these experts, I am afraid we will also be wounded a lot. It would drag down our power and our enemies might take advantage of this," the Head Elder of the Blood Hall said with an unsightly face.

    "Hmmph," the Sect Master snorted angrily. "When have we Heavenly Demons cowered in our sect when micee dancing before us? I can understand what you mean, but does it matter? We are demonic cultivators. Not those righteous morons. From when did we need a justification to attack anyone?"

    "I have told this before, and I will tell this now. We have been silent for a long time. So, these imbeciles have forgotten the fear we induced in them. I think it is time for them to remember the terror we can bring."

    "But, Sect Master, what if this is exactly what the perpetrator wants?" the Head Elder said in a worried tone.

    "Doesn''t matter," the Sect Master waved his hands impatiently. "I am done keeping quiet. I and the Vice Sect Master will hold the fort down. Meanwhile, mobilize our elites. I want the entire Grasnds to be hell. Hunt down anyone who steps foot into the Grasnds. Let''s see who dares to step foot into our area after that."

    "In that case, what about the Level 7 beast?"

    "Why should we waste our efforts hunting it down? Can''t we hunt it down after things have been calmed down? Let those idiots face it''s rage. Meanwhile, let us show the world what we Heavenly Demons are capable of."

    "As youmand, Sect Master."

 Chapter 28 Bloodbath In Grasslands

    As the week progressed, the Grasnds became a zone of bloodbath, unlike anything anyone has witnessed before.

    Several reports of experts from various factions running into experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect emerged one after the other. Inevitably, when the two sides met, battles erupted all over the Grasnds.

    The experts of various factions were beaten up until only an inch of their lives remained. This caused the tension to ramp up inside the Grasnds. For the entire week, sounds pertaining to the battle were heard all over the Grasnds.

    Some fightssted mere minutes, while otherssted for hours on end.

    One by one, the experts from various factions were beaten up and driven out of the Grasnds in a brutal manner by the Heavenly Demon Sect experts. Those who listened to the warnings were left alive.

    However, if they failed to heed the warnings, the experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect didn''t bother much with them. They started killing indiscriminately causing a mass panic to envelop the Grasnds.

    Not just them, but even the demonic beasts inside the Grasnds seemed to be in a frenzy. At least, if they met experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect, they had a chance to escape alive.

    But, if they met demonic beasts, it was either they killed the beast or they became food for the beast. Such an uproar sent shockwaves throughout the entire cultivationmunity.

    Despite these events, there were several people who were keen to step foot into the Grasnds. Earlier, there had been no substantial evidence to indicate that there was a Heavenly Treasure inside the Grasnds.

    However, with the firm stance of the Heavenly Demon Sect and the frenzy of the demonic beasts, many people were now convinced that there was something very rare and important present in the Grasnds.

    Thus, the experts who have been waiting on the sidelines and looking to see if there was anything worthwhile for them to act, began to act as well. This invariably sent the tension and conflict inside the Grasnds up a notch.

    Even then, the experts from outside the Grasnds were in a miserable position. Heavenly Demon Sect also adopted a tough stance and started killing indiscriminately causing several factions to lose their experts.

    This caused an uproar of unexpected proportions throughout the surrounding regions.

    After all, each expert was someone any faction spent countless treasures and wealth to nurture. Having them dying in droves inside the Grasnds sent the entire world into a tizzy fit.

    Demands on Heavenly Demon Sect to stop massacring people were sent over. However, the Heavenly Demon Sect only sent one sentence in response to those demands.

    If you step inside the Grasnds, be prepared to leave your life here.

    No one expected the Heavenly Demon Sect to be so stubborn. While many factions were indignant about it, they could do nothing in response. With most of their experts already beaten until they were within an inch of their life and losing several others inside the Grasnds, they were left with nothing to do but fume in anger.

    However, the same couldn''t be said for the real experts who have stepped foot inside the Grasnds. They battled countless demonic beasts and experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect and made steady progress toward the interior region.

    Liu Kong was one of these experts.

    ording to his initial analysis, the Heavenly Demon Sect should have capitted once demands from several factions were aired. However, he never expected the Heavenly Demon Sect to be so stubborn.

    This created a huge problem for him as his ns were now moot. If everything had gone as per his n, he would only reveal his presence at the end and sneak away with the treasure while others were fighting amongst themselves.

    But, with the Heavenly Demon Sect conducting such a bloodbath, things changed and he was forced to take action far sooner than he had originally nned.

    And the most worrying thing of all was that the Heavenly Demon Sect looked like they didn''t n to confront the Level 7 beast present in the interior region.

    This meant that others who were interested in the treasure like himself will be forced to confront the Level 7 beast. That wasn''t something Liu Kong wanted to do.

    With all his ns foiled, Liu Kong was left seething in anger. He currently had no other recourse. He had to step into the limelight and lead the charge. Because, if no one else did, then the other experts might leave thinking that this was too much of a hassle.

    If such a thing happened, then he would be left alone to fend off both the demonic beasts and the Heavenly Demon Sect. Any one of them alone could crush him easily. So, that must never happen.

    Still, he held out hope that someone else might take the lead instead of him.

    *****

    As a bloodbathmenced in the Grasnds, the entire Starmist City was on high alert.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Not just Starmist City, but rather, all the cities, towns, and viges bordering the Grasnds were on high alert. The Star Imperial family had issued strict orders on rooting out any unsavory elements that tried to stir up trouble at this time.

    Xing Wukong, the Third Prince of Star Empire, was like a man possessed. He ordered each and every expert inside the Star Empire to stay put. Anyone refusing to listen was summarily executed in a brutal manner.

    Several old timers, thinking themselves to be above the rest, had tried to challenge the decree. However, the prompt and swift reprisal had sent them reeling. Those who listened were forgiven, but those who were still obstinate were made example of.

    And Xing Wukong was really brutal in his examples.

    Not just the experts, but even the factions and families behind them were implicated in Xing Wukong''s reprisal. The moment any expert from Star Empire stepped foot inside the Grasnds, their n/faction/family was surrounded and pummeled by the Generals and other experts from the Imperial n.

    No one had expected such drastic action from the Star Imperial family. Their brutality left chills down the spine of several experts who were beginning to think that they were above the rest of the empire.

    Jian Wufeng was one such expert.

    Being a Level 5 cultivator, he had always considered himself to be invincible inside the Star Empire. Under his auspices, the Jian family had grown into a local tyrant that controlled over two prefectures.

    When the scramble for the treasure inside the Grasnds began, Jian Wufeng was also one of the experts that had been waiting in the wings. As a local near the Grasnds, he had ample amount of experience in navigating the terrain.

    So, he decided to wait and see the situation beforemitting himself to the treasure hunt.

    When several experts from other regions appeared and asked him toe along with them, he refused stating that he had received orders from the empire to not move. While displeased, these experts could do nothing regarding Jian Wufeng''s excuse.

    So, they left him and traveled onwards.

    However, Jian Wufeng was really a crafty old fox.

    The real reason that he didn''t join them was that he didn''t want to create a wedding dress for others to wear. Rather than joining these rabbles, he wanted to obtain the treasure for himself.

    While he used the Star Empire''s decree to shake away these unwanted flies, he was also preparing secretly to head into the Grasnds.

    When he received word of the Heavenly Demon Sect''s fierce response, he was rather ted than worried. He knew that the Heavenly Demon Sect would not make such a ruckus if there isn''t anything truly valuable.

    This proved to him that the rumored treasure inside was indeed true and it also seemed to be very valuable. Obtaining such a treasure can help him a lot in his cultivation.

    So, Jian Wufeng had prepared himself to set off into the Grasnds.

    However, his intention had however been leaked and a missive from one of the Generals stationed nearby came. The General ordered him to stand down and threatened severe consequences if the order was not obeyed.

    Jian Wufeng was not deterred. He knew that the Star Imperial family could not do much to him. Being a Level 5 expert, there are truly very few people who could stop him in the entire Star Empire.

    No sane monarch would create an issue with an expert like him over some trivial matter like this. So, Jian Wufeng was not worried much. The Jian family might earn Imperial disfavor, but if his strength increased, it would be all worth it.

    So, he put the missive aside and slowly began making his way into the Grasnds.

    But, who knew that the Star Imperial family really went crazy? The moment they confirmed that he had left his family, several Generals and experts from the Imperial n joined forces together and began to attack his Jian family.

    Angered beyond belief, Jian Wufeng returned hastily to stop their attack on his family. After all, the Jian family was something he had taken countless years to cultivate. And his own sons and daughters were present there.

    Jian Wufeng thought that the experts would give him a face and stop the attack once he returned. However, the reality was entirely different. When he returned, he was besieged from all sides and attacked ruthlessly.

    Unable to believe that the Star Imperial family was really ruthless enough to attack him, Jian Wufeng had been a little sluggish in the beginning. By the time he realized that this was real and the Star Imperial family was hell-bent on killing him, he was already severely injured and unable to escape.

    Once the experts from the Imperial n and the Generals dispatched were done with Jian Wufeng, they summarily executed the entire Jian n to warn others not to test the Imperial family''s patience.

    This incident sent shockwaves throughout the entire Star Empire and even beyond. Several forces which were looking to stir up some trouble were really disturbed by this cold-blooded action by Xing Wukong.

 Chapter 29 A Stubborn Desire

    A/N: Yo folks...

    It has really been a while since Imunicated with you. And I apologize forst week''s absence. I have a bit tied up creating a stockpile for my other book Booking Glory.

    If you have time, do check that out.

    Anyways, I would really like to extend my sincerest appreciation and thanks to some of my loyal readers who have been supportive of me despite my absence.

    TheInsaneKid! JEriEl_snow! Kanna_Gopn! Daoistzp9FIX! Sr_Yy! Animesh_Tewary! VenerableDemon! neymar_jr_2990! Naruko_Naruko! Omar1303! Corbok! ckmojo!

    Thank you for your unflinching support. I am immensely grateful for it and your encouragement keeps me going. Without further ado, let''s get back to the story...

    *****

    Meanwhile, things have been rtively calm as far as Duncan was concerned.

    True, he was being treated like a virtual prisoner by the Wang n. But, there wasn''t anything Duncan could do about that. Having been stupid enough to get caught in such trouble, Duncan wisely kept his head down and performed the duty he was hired to do.

    For the past week, Duncan has been sparring with the Young Master of the Wang n twice daily. Each sparring sessionsted for two hours and after that Duncan was left to his own devices.

    Apart from being held in the Wang npound against his wishes, Duncan had nothing toin about the hospitality that he was provided with. He even got to drink several high-priced wines daily.

    If not for the proverbial sword hanging above his neck, Duncan would have truly enjoyed his stay in the Wang n. Unfortunately, every time he stepped out of the room he was allocated, he was reminded of his status as an unwilling prisoner.

    As for the Young Master, Duncan was really surprised by the rate of progress that the child was exhibiting. For the first two days, Duncan wailed at the Young Master as he could only defend himself from the onught of Duncan''s attacks.

    Even then, Duncan was careful enough to not go overboard. While the man who supervised the spar didn''tment on the beating the Young Master was taking, he knew that one slip-up might just result in his death.

    So, Duncan nevermitted fully during the spars.

    Still, the Young Master''s progress was nothing short of astounding to Duncan. From the third day onwards, the Young Master asionally counterattacked. The timing of these attacks was spot on and it proved to be a little hindrance to Duncan''s usual rhythm.

    But, Duncan''s ample experience in battling wild beasts prevailed and he was always able to extricate himself from trouble easily. This continued for another two days before the Young Master once more changed his strategy.

    For thest three days, the Young Master switched his tactics and went on the offensive against Duncan.

    If it was a life-and-death fight, Duncan would have killed the Young Master countless times by now. While the spirit of the Young Master was something to be apuded for, the child didn''t have an ounce ofbat experience.

    Even Duncan, who had only battled against the wild beasts, was able to spot his attacks very early and take appropriate evasive measures. This frustrated the Young Master to no end.

    And Duncan not striking back during those times only added salt to the Young Master''s fragile ego.

    But, the child learned quickly. He never tried to attack Duncan the same way twice. He always switched his tactics and tried to corner Duncan with his moves. This learning rate was really astounding to Duncan to watch.

    While the child was never a true danger to him, Duncan realized that with the rate of improvement the child was showing, he could easily take on normal wild beasts without any trouble.

    The only reason the child had problems with Duncan was that Duncan was not a wild beast. He was able to outthink and outmaneuver the child easilypared to a wild beast that just attacked.

    There was also another curious thing that Duncan began to notice when he sparred. The power that the Young Master projected in his attacks was truly rising at an rming rate.

    Before this week, Duncan could easily take multiple blows from the Young Master and walk it off. But, with the constant sparring for a week, the power that the Young Master showcased was really something dangerous for Duncan to take head-on.

    To see a mere child outdoing him in the power department within a week gave Duncan a very ufortable feeling. If even a child who could cultivate was able to match him power for power, then what kind of threat a grown adult would possess?

    Just thinking about it made Duncan realize the true terror of cultivators for the first time in his life. Until now, he had heard about how powerful the cultivators were, but Duncan had not truly realized their terror until that moment.

    To see a child blowing up chunks of the earth whilending punches on the ground truly made Duncan realize the vast disparity between mortals and cultivators. This once more ignited his desire to start cultivating.

    However, having been stuck in the Wang n, Duncan had no way to see thate to fruition.

    Initially, he had wanted to visit the Blue Wind Society Hall and learn information regarding cultivation. But, now that he was stuck in the Wang npound, Duncan had no way to visit the Blue Wind Society Hall.

    This created resentment towards the Wang n in Duncan. Nevertheless, he was powerless to do anything regarding them. As for visiting the Blue Wind Society Hall after being let go, Duncan was not foolish enough to stay in the city when such a time came.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He was really determined to leave the city once and for all the moment the Wang n let him go. With the money earned from this job, Duncan thought that it would be prudent to visit some other city and enquire about cultivation rather than staying here and being an eyesore to the Wang n Young Master.

    *****

    Duncan skidded on the ground a few paces and steadied himself.

    Before he could put his guard up, a shadow shed and he had to hurriedly duck under the shadow''s swing. He retaliated with a kick, that was promptly blocked. But, the shadow was midair, giving Duncan enough time to once more deliver a vicious kick to its chest.

    Duncan didn''t hold back any of his power at this moment. When the kicknded, the shadow was thrown away for a few meters. Duncan breathed heavily. He was sweating all over by now.

    The shadow groaned from the ground causing Duncan to look over. Despite knowing who it was, Duncan''s eyes couldn''t help but twitch at the sight of the Young Master of the Wang n heaving on the ground.

    Duncan''s kick was vicious enough to heavily wound an average wild beast. However, the Young Master merely looked winded from the kick. When the Young Master looked over, there was pure unadulterated rage radiating from him. Duncan had to forcibly curb the emotion to flee from the Wang n at that mere sight.

    "Again!"

    The Young Master angrily stood up dusting himself.

    Duncan winced at the sight. It had been two weeks since the sparring sessions began. In thest week, the Young Master of the Wang n had improved tremendously. Compared to what he was earlier, the Young Master looked like a beast ready to rampage now.

    Currently, Duncan wasn''t indulging the Young Master of the Wang n any longer. Now, he was truly fighting the child. A single mistake could lead Duncan to get bashed very easily.

    To anyone with sense, such a turn of events meant that they better get beaten up easily and allow the child to vent his anger a bit. After all, they were truly stuck in the Wang n as a prisoner, so there wasn''t anything they could do.

    However, to Duncan, allowing the little twerp to beat him up didn''t sit right. He didn''t care that he was being held as a prisoner against his wishes. He didn''t care that he might lose his life at any moment. And he really didn''t care that the twerp was a cultivator.

    All Duncan cared about was his dignity.

    He could never walk with his head held high after this if he allowed a little twerp like the Young Master of the Wang n to beat him up. That was something uneptable to Duncan.

    If he was truly powerless, then that was another matter. However, he currently had the power to stand toe to toe with the twerp. So, allowing the twerp to beat him up was not something Duncan wanted to do.

    So, despite several hints from servants and guards, Duncan remained obstinate and always tried to have the upper hand in their spars. The man who was supervising the spar didn''tment on it much.

    Luckily for him, this was thest day that the spar was happening.

    Sometime duringst week, the entire Starmist City had be highly vtile. Tensions were really high all over the city. Especially, the cultivation ns and other cultivators present in the city were very nervous.

    As a side effect, the man had decreed that the sparring woulde to a temporary stop and Duncan will be allowed to leave after today. He also told that it would motivate the little twerp to try harder to beat Duncan.

    So, without even consulting him the sparring session came to an abrupt halt just like that.

    Not that Duncan wasining. He knew that the longer he stayed here, the more dangerous it was for him. And getting released from this prison meant, he could skip the city as soon as possible.

    So, Duncan concentrated on only one thing ever since the man announced the end of sparring. His only goal was not to get beat up by the little twerp during thest few days.

    Simultaneously, the little twerp''s goal was to beat him up.

    So, thest few sparring sessions were notched up in intensity a lot. He had been getting hints from the servants and guards to let the little twerp beat him up ever since then.

    But, Duncan had ignored all those hints. ording to him, if the little twerp had the skills, then he was wee to beat him up. However, there was no chance of him throwing the towel willingly.

    Something about the little twerp rubbed Duncan the wrong way.

    He didn''t know whether it was the fact that the little twerp was handed things that Duncan had to fight for or whether it was the fact that he was imprisoned for two weeks to entertain the little shit or something else. Something, just rubbed Duncan the wrong way.

    So, he wasn''t willing toy low no matter the future consequences for it.

    All Duncan had to do was survive two more hours, and then he would be free to walk away.

    To hell with these cultivators and their expectations.

 Chapter 30 Leaving Wang Clan

    "You have done a great service to our n. The Wang n is immensely grateful to you. Here are your earnings. You are now free to go. However, we will once more resume these sparring sessions once things were settled down in the city. I hope you will be avable at that time," the man said in a genial tone causing Duncan to squint his eyes.

    He wasn''t convinced by the act they were putting out.

    Sure, the Wang n had paid him and let him go as they promised. But, it didn''t negate the fact that they had held him, prisoner, for the past two weeks. And if that isn''t enough, the sheer amount of anger radiating from the Young Master who was standing beside him was enough for Duncan to skip the city the next moment.

    Despite his ardent efforts, the little twerp hadn''t managed to beat him up. Sure, he didnd a punch or two in the final hour of the spar. However, Duncan responded in a timely manner and beat up the little twerp in retaliation.

    Currently, the Young Master of the Wang n was sporting multiple bruises and cuts all over his body thanks to Duncan. And Duncan would be a fool to once moree face to face with him without bing a cultivator himself.

    So, Duncan wasn''t swayed by the genial act that was being put on. He calmly thanked the man and left the sparring grounds with haste. He was really eager to get going. With the money he had earned, there was no reason to stay in the city and invite the wrath of the Wang n.

    Once Duncan left, the Young Master looked sullenly at the man. Even the guard who always shadowed Duncan was looking at the man with questions etched on his face.

    As a guard of the Wang n, Wang Yun knew that this wasn''t the Old Lord''s usual style. While he maye across as fair and genial, no one became in charge of arge cultivation n without being ruthless. And the Old Lord was one of the most ruthless men the guard had evere across.

    "Father, are we letting that little peasant walk away just like that?" the Young Master asked in indignation.

    The man calmly looked at the child and snorted.

    "It was you who was really inept enough to get beaten up by a lowly mercenary. You still have face to ask me such a question?"

    The Young Master''s face looked hideous when he heard his father''s question. He clenched his hands in anger and looked at his father with an unwilling expression.

    "Master, do you have any instructions for me?" Wang Yun, the ever dutiful and wily servant asked cautiously.

    "Do nothing," the man snorted in displeasure. "Things are not that easy in the city currently. The Star Imperial family has gone crazy. They even eradicated the entire Jian n. That''s the Jian n. Not just any n."

    "Patriarch has ordered me to tread lightly until things settle down. We have had inquiries from the Mercenary Association regarding this job for the past week. I don''t want to bring the City Lord''s attention towards our n just to deal with a lowly mercenary."

    "So what if he walks away from this unscathed? Can he really escape our grasp in this city? We will let him think that we are benevolent. And when hees again, we will make sure that he stays here forever," the man said in a vicious tone.

    "But, will hee back again, my lord?" Wang Yun asked in suspicion.

    "We have given him enough gold tost a year. Mercenaries like him are willing to die for a mere fraction of such gold. Why would he be any different? Still, we should do something to keep his interest in us. Do you have any idea?"

    "My lord, apart from sparring, the man didn''t seem to have any other activities these whole two weeks. The only thing I could note was that he really indulged in the wines we served him," Wang Yun replied dutifully.

    "I see," the man nodded thoughtfully. "Here, give this wine gourd to him. Tell him that it is a token of my appreciation. And also hint to him that there will be more such rewards if he is willing to take this job again."

    "My lord, this wine is only suitable for cultivators to drink," Wang Yun asked in confusion.

    "Exactly," the man said in a strong tone. "He will not get such wine anywhere else. If he is truly fond of wine, he will once again return here to get a taste of this wine. Even with all the gold, some things can''t be just bought. This will lead him back here."

    "What if the energy inside this kills him?" Wang Yun asked in trepidation.

    "Then, it is none of our business. We only gave him a wine gourd in good faith. If he dies from indulging in it, then we can''t be at fault, right? Moreover, it would only cause his death if he drank the entire gourd in one go. For a mortal, his body is sure sturdy."

    "I understand, my lord," Wang Yun gave a servile smile in return as he understood the scheme of his old lord.

    If the mercenary drank the wine, he would be hooked on it and wille back to get its taste again. And if he died drinking it, that is also good as the Wang n would have taken care of him without exposing themselves.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Go, and keep an eye on his activities," the manmanded Wang Yun.

    Wang Yun left the yard in short order leaving the Young Master and Old Lord of the Wang n alone.

    "You need not feel discouraged. You will defeat that man one day. For the past two weeks, you have been improving at a tremendous rate. I am truly proud of you. But, I am sure that you also noticed that the man was able to prevail despite being weaker than you. Do you know why?"

    "He has more battle experience. Even though I am stronger than him, he was able to use my own strength against me. He found weak points in my attacks and exploited them," the Young Master said sullenly.

    "Good, at least you are aware of your problems. Take note, you would have prevailed over any other mortal simply by virtue of your strength. However, that man''s strength is only a little worse than yours.

    In such a situation where you don''t have overwhelming strength, thebat experiences will trulye into y. In a fight, it is not always about cultivation levels. If your strength is not too far apart, you will have to rely on your martial arts and battle experience. I hope you understand this.

    Never ever think that the cultivation level is everything in a battle. A true warrior will be able to fight with opponents above his level. That is the mark of a true genius. I hope you learn this lesson early."

    "I will father," the Young Master said in a determined tone.

    "Rest now. I will arrange for you to travel to the forest nearby and battle wild beasts. That way, your battle experience will grow and you will have faced true danger. I don''t want you to grow into a flower from greenhouses. I want you to be a true genius. Our n''s fate will rest in your hands in the future," the man said fondly ruffling the child''s hair.

    "I will not disappoint you father," the Young Master once more vowed, causing a smile to bloom across the man''s face.

    *****

    Duncan didn''t dilly dally for long in the city once he stepped out of the Wang npound.

    After two weeks of imprisonment, just walking across the streets without any true destination in his mind was enough for Duncan to realize how precious freedom was to him.

    At that moment, Duncan vowed to himself that he would always remain free and not end up in such a situation again.

    With his bag weighed down with the amount of gold he earned, Duncan realized that going to his usual ces with such an amount of gold on his body was truly unwise.

    Apart from his bag, the only things Duncan carried were his old sword and the wine gourd he had been gifted by the Wang n. Just taking a whiff of that wine made Duncan realize that it was priceless stuff.

    So, Duncan initially wanted to go to a secure ce and have a taste of that wine. But, his reason prevailed and he knew that the time window he had to escape the city might close at any moment.

    He didn''t know why the Wang n let him go, but he would be a fool to still stay in the city. He realized that the tension in the city might have been partly responsible for the Wang n to be lenient toward him.

    So, the smart thing is to escape from here before those tensions resolved themselves.

    Having made the decision, Duncan decided to do the smart thing. Instead of going to his usual haunts, Duncan marched straight to a merchant stall selling horses. He bought a fine stallion for a high price and purchased a few trinkets that looked expensive but was really cheap, before heading straight to the city gates.

    From his time in the city prior to this, he knew which gate led towards his town. Jumping upon the purchased horse, Duncan left the city without bothering to look back. He knew that he needed to be gone as fast as he could.

    The Wang n servants who were watching him from the shadows were surprised by the speed Duncan left the city. The information was soon forwarded to Wang Yun who was tasked to keep an eye on Duncan.

    Wang Yun''s face became unsightly when he learned of Duncan''s departure. He knew that this would displease the Old Lord as he was hoping for Duncan to return. Being a guard himself, Wang Yun knew that Duncan would never return willingly.

    "You think you can escape our clutches just because you leave the city? How na?ve? Do you think the Wang n is that inept? Let me show you that earning our money is not that easy," Wang Yun sneered and sent a message to one of his contacts.

    Soon, a bandit group by the name of Reavers received information about a lone traveler traveling from Starmist City to Starsinger Town with a lot of gold in his possession.

 Chapter 31 Under The Bandits Eye

    A/N:

    Hey Folks!!!

    I am really happy that this story has received 100 collections in thest month alone. While this may sound too little, I consider this to be a milestone event.

    Thank you all for your support!!!

    *****

    Duncan''s exit from the Starmist City was nothing glorious. He knew he was running away with his tail tucked behind his back. He knew that if he stayed, he would one day never wake up.

    So, Duncan realized inwardly that it was the smart thing to do.

    However, despite such realizations, there was something deep within him that chomped at his bits for running away like this. He knew that unless he had enough power, staying in the city will only make it easier for the Wang n to kill him off.

    After all, he had beaten up the Young Master of the Wang n despite being a normal mortal. Duncan knew that the fact that said beating took ce during sparring would be inconsequential to the Wang n.

    So, his only option was to leave the city and find his fortunes elsewhere. From his stay in the city, Duncan got to know a bit about the world he had been living in for the past 18 years.

    He knew that if he traveled for a week in the opposite direction from Starsinger Town, he would reach another small city by the name of Starlight City. And that city too had a Blue Wind Society Hall located within.

    With the money he had earned from the Wang n, he would be able to get the required information about cultivation from there. And once he became a cultivator and grew in power, he would visit the Wang n and its Young Master and pay back this unpleasant breath.

    Duncan knew that he wasn''t someone who had a broad mind. While it was true that he forebeared due to circumstances and kept his head low, there was a part of him that wanted to smash the entire Wang n for keeping him a prisoner. And, he vowed to one day repay the insults the Wang n heaped upon him.

    Treating him like a prisoner, making him run away like a coward, and much more. The Wang n will answer these crimes if he had anything to say about them. Not just the Wang n. That old coot too.

    He had been peaceful in the Starsinger Town. Minding his own business with no big dreams to burden himself with. But, the old coot had ruined that life for him by giving him a taste of the superhuman strength the cultivators possessed. And now, he was running around between different cities trying to get such power.

    Duncan''s mood was really foul as he urged the horse he had bought. The horse ran like the wind, eating up miles with its long legs. Pretty soon, the Starmist City was only a blip behind him.

    Having already traversed the route between Starmist City and the Starsinger Town, Duncan knew that he would reach the town within three to four days if he maintained his current pace.

    As he had no baggage or extra goods to transport, his pace was fasterpared to the travel time it took for him to reach the city with the merchant wagon. The only problem he had to worry about was running into wild beasts while he entered the Grasnds.

    He had been hearing rumors that there was some kind ofmotion within the Grasnds. However, the information he received stated that themotion was in the interior regions and didn''t affect the outer regions much.

    Hoping that no ill luck would fall on him, Duncan rode towards the Starsinger Town with haste.

    *****

    "You sure that he has the gold?" a man with a sinister vibe demanded the man who was lying down next to him.

    "Youngd, with a true-bred stallion, has a sword, and a pack," the other man spat to the side as he looked at the distant figure that was slowly making his way towards their hiding location. "If our information is right, then that pack contains enough gold to supply a merchant caravan."

    "Is that so?" the first man squinted his eyes. "But, why would someone be foolish enough to travel with such arge amount of gold on him?"

    "I heard that our bloke there offended a cultivation n in the city. He had to skip the city in haste. So, he probably didn''t have time to hire some guards," the other man stated calmly as he eyed the distant figure with a hungry gleam in his eyes.

    "Sssh! Don''t tell me he stole something from a cultivation n. I don''t want theming after us," the first man hissed.

    "Nah, you think they would let some thief run away if he did that? No, he probably wasn''t smart enough. Look at him, young and vigorous. It is the age where they think that the world is theirs. Probably did something stupid and only realizedter that he had fucked up," the other man said calmly.

    "On your head, be it then. We will inform the boss. We shall not let such a juicy meat slip through our mouth," the first manughed sinisterly.

    "You go ahead and inform boss. I will keep watch. Thed must rest a bit in a while. We will make our move then," the other man said nodding along.

    "Ok, I will head to the hideout first," the first man said with a smile and slinked away from his hiding spot leaving the other man to watch over their target.

    *****<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan felt strangely uneasy as he made his way into the Grasnds. Due to the difficulty of the terrain, he had to slow down to a trot and lead the horse carefully once he entered the Grasnds.

    If the horse he had was a Demonic Horse, then it wouldn''t have mattered much. However, even if it was a fine-bred stallion, the terrain in the Grasnds didn''t allow a normal horse to gallop. After all, the road here was really uneven and filled with holes.

    If Duncan tried to gallop here, there might be a chance that nothing would happen. However, there was also an equal chance that the horse might break its leg in one of the holes that are littered all over the ce.

    So, Duncan was left to move in a trot.

    Duncan''s uneasy feeling didn''t emerge from this, however. Ever since he made a few miles into the Grasnds, he couldn''t help but feel that he was being watched. His experience in the forest have hones his senses a lot and Duncan knew that someone was watching him for a long time.

    This made him feel a little bit anxious as he didn''t know why someone would keep watch for him. His trip to Starsinger Town was made in haste and there wasn''t much information regarding him for two weeks prior to that.

    So, no one should actually be keeping track of his whereabouts. Still, here he was all alone in the Grasnds and someone was trailing him rather skillfully too. He knew what this meant.

    Bandits!!!

    He had heard tales about their exploits when he was a merchant guard and his brief stint as a mercenary. So, he knew how vicious these people could behave. And he also knew that someone should have tipped them regarding the wealth he had because their staking out for him didn''t make sense if not for that.

    After all, no sane bandit would target a lone traveler.

    For one, the risk of exposure was high and if someone traveled alone, then it meant they had the confidence to take care of themselves. And taking such a risk without enough reward was incredibly foolish on a bandit''s part.

    So, the bandits normally left lone travelers alone. They usually preferred to go against merchant caravans as they had enough gold, goods, and sometimes very wealthy passengers too.

    And Duncan was sure that it was bandits.

    If it had been wild beasts, they would have attacked him by now. Wild beasts normally didn''t have enough patience to stalk their prey for hours. They would attack the first moment they felt the prey had let its guard down.

    And it has been hours since the feeling of being watched began.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan began to think about how to solve this predicament. He knew that travelling further was really a foolish idea. He would bet his right foot that there was possibly an ambush waiting for him in the next couple of miles.

    That meant, moving forward was not an option. Even though he was strong, he wasn''t foolish enough to fight off an entire bandit group by himself.

    And he was also sure that turning back and making his way to Starsinger Town through some other route was also out of question. These bandits would not allow him to walk away freely.

    Duncan felt a headacheing.

    He knew he could escape if he abandoned the gold and rode off. The bandits would probably not chase after him once they found the gold. Even that was a long bet as he didn''t know their true purpose.

    Also, this money was important to him as well. Without this, he wouldn''t be able to acquire information regarding cultivation in the Blue Wind Society Hall.

    He didn''t know how long it would take him to earn such an amount again, as earning even this almost made him lose his life. So, abandoning the money was not an ideal option for him.

    As he racked his brain hard, a seemingly very dangerous idea popped into his mind. Duncan felt that it was both incredibly stupid and reckless to do that. But, he had already done such a thing when he went to the Wang n, so doing it again wasn''t anything new to him.

    So, with a cunning smile, Duncan began to plot his escape.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book Booking Glory and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 32 Escape Into The Grasslands

    "What do you mean that he is not heading this way?" the leader of Reavers roared in anger at the bandit in front of him. "You told me that this is a fat sheep that has wandered into the Grasnds. You told me that he is getting to Starsinger Town with a wagonload of gold in his pack. And now, you are telling me that he is not heading this way!"

    ? The bandit shuddered in fear as the leader pressed upon him.

    "I have mobilized the entire camp just because you promised me that this prey was worth it. Now, after I have set everything up, you have the gall to walk up to me and say he is noting. Do I look stupid to you?"

    The leader roared as he grabbed the bandit by his shirt and pulled him towards him.

    "Tell me, do I look stupid to you? Do all these men look stupid to you?" the leader sprayed his saliva on the bandit''s face.

    "Boss, we don''t know what happened. He was really heading this way. Trust me, I wouldn''t lie about it even if I ate bear''s gall. I don''t know what happened, but that brat had turned direction and is heading towards the interior."

    The bandit simpered in fear. He knew that if the leader didn''t believe him, then his life would be toast. He cursed Duncan inwardly for doing something like this.

    "Then, you must have messed up somehow," the leader spoke calmly eyeing the bandit with disgust. "No one decides to take a walk into the interior of Grasnds on a whim. You guys must have tipped him off."

    "Boss, I swear we didn''t do anything. We would never reveal ourselves without your approval," the bandit whimpered and pleaded.

    "So, that brat decided to go into the interior just like that, huh? I ask you again, do I look stupid to you?" the leader once more roared in the bandit''s face causing the bandit to merely whimper.

    "Tch! You disgust me. I hate people like you. You don''t do your job well and youe speaking bullshit. And most of all, you think I am stupid enough to believe you," the leader said in a menacing tone causing the bandit to gulp in fear.

    "Boss, Iˇ­ Iˇ­"

    Whatever the bandit wanted to say stopped short as he found a de buried deep in his guts. He looked down in bewilderment not knowing when he was stabbed.

    Just then, the bandit leader grabbed him by the face and pushed him down.

    "I hate people who think I am stupid," the leader said viciously and spat on the bloody corpse at his feet. "All right you bastards, giddy up. This little prey wants to y hide and seek in the Grasnds. I will show him how stupid that notion is. The outer area of Grasnds is our territory. No one escapes from our grasp here!"

    The surrounding bandits hollered their eagerness for the hunt. As for the bandit who brought news, his corpse was cold by now and no one even bothered to clean the ce.

    Pretty soon, the entire bandit group left the ce in the direction of Duncan. They hollered and whooped as they rode hard to catch up with him.

    *****

    Duncan knew that either traveling onwards or backward was not something possible. So, he decided to head into the interior of Grasnds a little and try to lose these bandits.

    Once decided, he turned his horse and started galloping towards the interior leaving his tails cursing. There were three bandits who were keeping track of Duncan in the shadows.

    As one of the bandits went to report the news, the other two abandoned all pretense of stealth and followed Duncan on their horses. Unlike Duncan''s horse, the horses the bandits had were well ustomed to the terrain here.

    As a result, once they abandoned stealth, they were able to close in on Duncan fast. They began shouting at him to stop and even started threatening him with dismemberment.

    But, Duncan paid them no heed. He snorted inwardly as he cursed bandits for being so shameless. Even if he did stop, there is no guarantee that they would let him live. So, why should he stop or heed any of their threats?

    However, Duncan also realized another problem. His horse was not really ustomed to the terrain here. If he continued on like this, he would be caught up eventually.

    While Duncan didn''t take the two that were following him seriously, he knew that the rest of the bandits might catch up soon. And if that were to happen, he would be in dire straights by then.

    So, the smart thing to do would be to take care of these tails first and if possible loot one of their horses. That way, he would have a proper mount that suited the terrain and also escape the pursuit easily.

    Once, such an idea formed in his mind, Duncan decided to act on it post haste. He didn''t want the other bandits to catch up and ruin his n. So, he slowed down immediately pretending to heed their threats.

    "Take everything you want, just leave me alone!" Duncan tried to act frightened, but he was never really fit to act.

    When the bandits listened to what Duncan considered to be a scared voice, they felt as if Duncan was trying to fool them. This enraged them a lot and the duo didn''t slow down as they raced toward Duncan.

    Duncan cursed his luck once more and had to jump off the horse as he saw one bandit taking a swing at him without even slowing down. Just as he righted himself, the other bandit swung his saber at him from atop the horse.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan hastily used the pack as a shield. The stop in momentum staggered the bandit for a bit. Duncan capitalized on that mid-second pause and shoulder-checked the bandit''s horse.

    The bandit yelled in fright as the horse staggered a bit. Meanwhile, the other bandit had already turned around and was galloping back towards Duncan. Duncan tossed the pack to the side and unsheathed his sword.

    The moment the first bandit recovered from Duncan''s shoulder check, Duncan was upon him with his sword. Duncan didn''t try anything fancy. He straightforwardly stabbed his sword at the bandit.

    The bandit blocked the sword with his saber in a hasty manner, leading the block to be insufficient. His bnce was skewed and he tipped over the other side. Duncan turned and saw the other bandit rushing him with a swing of his sword from atop the horse.

    He rolled away and came up on the second bandit''s side. Without pausing, Duncan stabbed the passing bandit in the side causing the bandit to gasp and fall off. The horse kept running not realizing that its rider was already down.

    Not wasting a second, Duncan approached the downed bandit and swung his sword at his neck. The bandit tried to roll away, only to get hit in the back. The bandit yelled in pain as Duncan''s sword bit into his back.

    Duncan heard movement from the side and turned to see the first bandit rushing at him with his saber. The bandit swung wildly and Duncan danced away nimbly causing the swing to miss.

    Duncan followed it with a sh of his own. The bandit blocked it with his saber and tried to shoulder-check Duncan. He should have known better after seeing Duncan shoulder-checking a freaking horse.

    As a result, it was the bandit who staggered back. Duncan didn''t waste such a great opportunity. He stabbed at the staggering bandit and punctured a wound in his guts. Before the bandit could recover, Duncan chopped off the bandit''s head with a single swing.

    Duncan heard a shuffling sound from behind him and turned to see the second bandit trying to run away with his wounds. Duncan didn''t show any mercy towards him as he approached him and stabbed him right through his back.

    The bandit fell down with a thud causing Duncan to sigh in relief. The moment the fight ended, the adrenaline coursing through Duncan''s body came down as well. Duncan looked around cautiously and took note of the situation.

    Two bandits were dead. One of the horses had run off. Duncan''s horse was to the side along with one of the bandit''s horses.

    Duncan didn''t waste any time. He knew that he needs to be gone before the entire bandit group made their way here. So, he ran towards the sack he had discarded earlier and tried to lift it.

    Unfortunately for Duncan, there was a tear in the sack from when he used it to block the bandit''s sword. Duncan frowned in displeasure. But, there was nothing to be done regarding it.

    He looked around in haste trying to see if there was anything around that could be used to fix it temporarily. His eyes fell upon the two bandits. They had nothing with them apart from their weapons. But, Duncan thought their clothes might be of use.

    The one who was stabbed through the back had multiple tears on his clothes, so Duncan discarded him. He went to the one whose head was chopped off and ripped the shirt off his body unceremoniously.

    Duncan used the shirt to plug in the tear in his sack and found it fitting somewhat correctly. Not willing to waste any more time, Duncan approached his horse and swatted it''s behind causing it to take off.

    Duncan sat upon the bandit''s horse and headed off in a different direction away from the site. He hoped that the bandits chased after his horse and went the other way. While the horse was really expensive, it didn''t suit his needs now. If it could lure the bandits away, then it was well worth its price.

    As for what happened to the horse, Duncan didn''t care about it one bit. He neither had the inclination nor the luxury to care for the horse when his own life was at stake.

    *****

    Several minutes after Duncan left the area, multiple riders on horseback arrived at the scene. Looking at the dead bandits, the bandit leader''s face ckened in anger. He snarled wordlessly and looked around for the tracks of the brat that has escaped his clutches.

    When he noticed three different horse tracks heading in three different directions, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He didn''t know which direction Duncan took.

    "Split into three groups and follow the tracks. Whoever finds the brat, signal others," he ordered his underlings and headed following the tracks that looked different from the other two.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book Booking Glory and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 33 Gathering Of Old Friends

    Duncan''s mind raced as he urged the horse he had acquired after ying the bandit. He knew that the amount of time he bought for himself with his actions was not that much, to be honest.

    But, what he valued was the time that he had gained in being unsupervised. With bandits trailing after him, any kind of ns he could make would be right under their eye and they would be able to thwart it easily.

    After all, their numbers were higher than him considerably. Quantity was a quality of its own if the difference wasrge. Andparing his lone self with an entire bandit crew was just foolish.

    No matter how powerful he was, he would be ground down by the sheer tide of numbers. But now, things have changed. If the bandits wanted to chase after him, they would need to split up. This would in turn lead to Duncan taking on them a bit more manageable.

    That was the true purpose of Duncan''s n.

    He wasn''t worried about fighting bandits, but the numbers they would be able to bring down on him. Duncan''s goal always has been to reduce it. The fact that the distance between them increased and he was left unsupervised was only an additional bonus in Duncan''s mind.

    With the experience he had from hunting for wild beasts in the forest, Duncan knew how people tracked their prey. Leia had been a godsent help in that aspect. During his time with the mercenary group, Duncan learned a lot about tracking prey and hunting them.

    So, he knew that the bandits would be tracking him with the hoof prints of the horse he was riding on. That was the reason he sent the three different horses in three different directions.

    Now, if the bandits have to be sure, they should track all three horses and determine which one was the one he was on. He knew that it wouldn''t take much time for the bandits to figure out which horse was he on.

    After all, an experienced tracker could easily identify horse tracks that carried the load and horse tracks that didn''t. Even if the bandits didn''t have someone that experienced, they would catch up with riderless horses soon.

    These riderless horses would initially run fast with the impetus Duncan provided them. But, after a while, they would inevitably slow down and stop when they realized that no one was on top of them urging them.

    The duration couldn''t be determined easily as each horse had a different range of senses. If Duncan had to guess, he would say that the other two horses would stop after five minutes or so.

    Those five minutes and the additional distance he would cover at the same time were the trump cards Duncan had with him that would help to escape. Even then, he knew that the bandits would catch up to him within the hour if he continued like this.

    So, Duncan had yet another twist to his n.

    After riding his horse for around seven minutes, Duncan prepared himself and leaped off the horse when it passed a particrly bushy area. While to others this might sound foolish, Duncan felt that this was the safest way he had to escape the bandit''s pursuit.

    With his estimation, the horse he had been riding on would run for another five to six minutes before eventually slowing down. When the bandits caught up to it, they would only find a riderless horse.

    Meanwhile, Duncan had ns to escape back to the road that led to Starsinger Town. After all, heading deep into the Grasnds was just to lure the bandits and escape them. His destination had always been Starsinger Town.

    So, trying to escape on the horse deep into the Grasnds never urred Duncan. Furthermore, the rumors he had been hearing about the unrest in the interior regions meant that area wouldn''t be any safer either. So, it was best to use what he was proficient in.

    Being a hunter of wild beasts in the forest for three months, Duncan learned a lot from the hunts he went on. He knew how to identify tracks of wild beasts, move without leaving his tracks despite carrying weight in forests, and avoid wild beasts with ease.

    With his experience in this area, all he needed to do now was escape the pursuit and return to the road without alerting the bandits. Right now, he had already aplished half of that.

    He had escaped the bandits'' pursuit, and if he can return back to the road and continue on his way, things would end smoothly. After all, he didn''t know much about the geography of the Grasnds. So, losing track of his whereabouts here would be highly inconvenient.

    The best way to avoid this is to be near the established path. And the deeper he headed inside, the more likely the probability of him being unable to return to the path. So, Duncan had no other option than to head back.

    Luckily, the bandits will also be searching for him deep in the Grasnds. That way, he could escape their notice easily. The only hurdle Duncan could foresee was him running into chasing bandits as he made his way back.

    Once he bypassed them, then his route would be clear.

    Unlike the forests near the city, the Grasnds didn''t have an abundance of ces for him to hide. The Grasnds were home to tall grasses that grew up to the height of the hip of an adult man.

    If one remained close to the ground, the Grasnds provided ample cover to hide their presence. However, if one stood up or ran around, it would be easy to spot them.

    So, Duncan was forced to keep low and move cautiously as he made his way back to the road.

    After about ten minutes after abandoning his horse, Duncan heard the sound of horsesing in the opposite direction to him. He moved quickly out of their way and fell t on the ground to hide under the grasses.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As he looked from the grasses, he saw around seven bandits racing towards the direction he came from with purpose. Duncan watched them coldly as they bypassed him and went forward.

    He was careful enough to not make any undue noises as the horses passed by his hiding location. He watched them disappear from his eyesight slowly and only sat up after they were gone.

    He was extra careful for the next few minutes as he made his way back to the road. He didn''t want to alert them to his presence. The longer they went in search of the horse he abandoned, the more time he had to make his escape.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, there was something else happening deep in the interior regions of Grasnds that would both aid and hinder him a lot.

    *****

    Liu Kang was truly livid by now.

    His entire n was in shatters and he was already forced to reveal his presence long before he desired to. Not to mention the fact that the Demonic Beasts present in the Grasnds were making it very difficult for him to make his way to the interior region.

    After two weeks of hard work, Liu Kang, atst, reached the region where the strange energy was originating from. As he paused a bit to feel out the energy, he felt the bottleneck his cultivation had fallen into loosening up slightly.

    The moment Liu Kang felt that his eyes couldn''t help brighten. There was a sharp light to his eyes now. His guess had been right. Whatever this treasure was, it was very useful for his cultivation.

    And there was no way he was going to walk out of the Grasnds without it in his possession.

    After months of nning and weeks of frustrations, Liu Kang was d that he had trusted his intuition and carried on with his n. If not for that, he wouldn''te across such an opportunity this soon.

    Initially, he estimated that it would take him one to two years to break through this bottleneck. But, standing in the outer range of the treasure''s surroundings was enough to slightly loosen up his bottleneck.

    This was a heaven-sent opportunity!

    He knew that the final trump card he had nned for was going to go into effect any moment now. With that, he wouldn''t need to worry about the elders or the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect interfering in his n.

    But, he had miscalcted slightly.

    If everything had gone ording to his n, the Sect Master and the elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect would have already taken care of the Level 7 Demon Beast residing near the treasure''s location.

    s! It was not to be so!

    Those demonic cultivators have acted smarter for once and had concentrated on removing the intruders into the Grasnds, instead of fighting the Demon Beasts. This has led to the Demon Beasts having unhindered range in the Grasnds causing several deaths and fights of epic proportions.

    There were several people he had instigated who had already fled the Grasnds unable to bear the rampage of Demon Beasts. This indirectly affects his progress into the Grasnds too.

    He had to fight multiple Demon Beasts to reach this location. Even then, he wasn''t confident enough to steal the treasure right under the nose of Level 7 Demonic Beast.

    Just then, the wind stirred near his location and Liu Kang looked towards that ce. A cold maiden with breathtaking beauty appeared at the location. Liu Kang raised his eyes in surprise.

    "Bai Qingling, I didn''t expect you to participate in this asion as well," Liu Kang said causing the cold beauty to look at him.

    "Liu Kang, you are still arrogant thinking that your intelligence is higher than others, I see. Haven''t the Heavenly Demon Sect already taught you a lesson?" Bai Qingling snorted.

    Liu Kang''s face twitched. As much as he wanted to wipe the floor with Bai Qingling''s body, he knew that making a move against someone like her at this moment was inadvisable.

    "My, my, I didn''t expect this to be a gathering of old friends. Liu Kang! Fight Me!"

    Just then, another voice echoed from the distance causing both Liu Kang and Bai Qingling to turn their attention toward the voice. When Liu Kang and Bai Qingling saw the figure rushing at them, their face became solemn and Liu Kang even cursed inside his heart.

    "Peng Xiaoli!" Bai Qingling said with a displeased expression on her face.

 Chapter 34 Plans

    "Bai Qingling, I didn''t expect to meet either you or Liu Kong here," Peng Xiaoli''s loud voice boomed. "Senior brother Xing was right. I am really d that I listened to him and came here."

    Liu Kong''s eyes shrank hearing the name Senior Brother Xing. His mind began racing as he tried to decipher the meaning behind Peng Xiaoli''s words.

    "Peng Xiaoli, I really didn''t expect that you would be Xing Wuchen''s errand dog," Liu Kong ridiculed. "Have you truly lost your pride as a genius?"

    "What did this have to with being someone else''s dog? I wanted to test myself in battle and Senior brother Xing pointed me here. And Senior brother Xing was right, this ce is indeed great for battles," Peng Xiaoli said in reply with a confused tone.

    "Don''t bother talking with this blockhead. He only has fighting on his mind," Bai Qingling snorted in contempt looking at Peng Xiaoli.

    "Bai Qingling, have you truly forgotten what happened when we fought against each otherst time," Peng Xiaoli roared in anger. "If you don''t shut your mouth I will smash your pretty face up!"

    "Hmmmph, you don''t even know when someone is using you as a tool," Bai Qingling said in contempt. "So what if you defeated mest time? I am sure you will one day die not even knowing why you died. I don''t need to bother with blockheads like you."

    Peng Xiaoli looked bbergasted being despised openly. He really didn''t understand why both Liu Kong and Bai Qingling are looking at him with such contempt.

    "Looks like Xing Wuchen once more has your number Liu Kong," Bai Qingling didn''t forget to needle Liu Kong either.

    "Shut up!" Liu Kong said angrily looking at Bai Qingling.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ you really thought you were really smarter than everyone else. You created so much trouble in the Star Empire and even lured so many experts here so that the Heavenly Demon Sect would be forced to fight. But, look at what''s happening now."

    "You nned for the Heavenly Demon Sect to fight the Level 7 beast, they didn''t do as you wanted. Instead, they focused on the experts who came here. Meanwhile, Xing Wukong didn''t even send anyone here. He has started to move against all your supporters in the Star Empire."

    "And now, Xing Wuchen has sent this blockhead over to block your path. Looks like you truly underestimated your enemies Liu Kong. And just so you know, I ran into Yang Dangli a few days as well. I am sure he was sent here by Xing Wulong by now."

    "Not to mention that the Heavenly Demon Sect will be sending some experts over when the timees as well. With the Level 7 beast added to the mix, the chance of this treasure belonging to you is bing slimmer by the minute," Bai Qingling didn''t show any mercy to Liu Kong as she eviscerated him verbally.

    Liu Kong grit his teeth and looked at her angrily. Peng Xiaoli, who was to the side, was sporting a surprised face. Seeing his truly surprised face, Liu Kong felt his patience thinning a lot. He had to try hard to keep hisposure.

    He knew that Bai Qingling was only trying to anger him. If he fell into her trap, then he would be tied down fighting others while she would make away with the treasure.

    So, Liu Kong controlled his anger and shot a searching look at her. He never figured Bai Qingling would be so insidious. This was truly a revtion. He needed to raise her threat a bit from now on.

    "Yang Dangli is also here. That bastard owes me a fight!" Peng Xiaoli crowed from the side. "Last time we met, he ran away pretty fast. I will see where he will run off to now."

    "Do you think everyone is stupid like you looking for fights everywhere," another voice approached them from the distance causing the trio to look over.

    Yang Dangli was walking over while fanning himself. He looked like some kind of schr with a calm temperament. He had a pretty face with a serene atmosphere around him. His smile was mild as he looked at Peng Xiaoli as if he was looking at a particrly fascinating animal.

    "Yang Dangli! Fight me!" Peng Xiaoli shouted and raced towards Yang Dangli.

    Just when Peng Xiaoli reached Yang Dangli, Yang Dangli vanished from the spot he was in. This caused Peng Xiaoli to roar in frustration as he turned around angrily to see where Yang Dangli had gone to.

    "Too slow," Yang Dangli appeared beside Liu Kong and Bai Qingling. "I assume you both came for the treasure as well. In that case, why don''t we form a temporary alliance till we deal with the Level 7 beast?"

    Liu Kong squinted at that and scrutinized Yang Dangli. While he was confident that he would be able to beat Yang Dangli, he didn''t want some new variables cropping up when he was close to obtaining the treasure.

    While Yang Dangli''s strength was not really a threat to him, his speed was another matter. Being someone who cultivated the Wind Dao, even Liu Kong would have a hard time catching up to Yang Dangli if he was given a head start.

    "You coward, stand and fight me!" Peng Xiaoli''s shouts reached the trio once more as he ran back trying to attack Yang Dangli.

    "If this blockhead didn''t have a ridiculously powerful body, I would have ended him a long time ago," Bai Qingling snorted angrily.

    "Not just that," Yang Dangli said calmly fanning himself, "I know that he has cultivated the Dao of Power. Fighting him head on, there are very few people who could aplish such a feat."

    "Is that so?" Liu Kong looked at Peng Xiaoli with interest. "I never knew he had cultivated the Power Dao. I was under the impression that he cultivates Earth Dao. He is widely known for mastering the Sundering Earth Sutra."

    "He is a dual cultivator," Yang Dangli said looking at the approaching Peng Xiaoli. "He practices Battle God''s Ten Transformations. He has already cultivated it to the Sixth Transformation. That''s why very few people are able to fight him head-on."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Ah, I see," Liu Kong nodded in understanding.

    "But, I am sure you will be able to do it," Yang Dangli said with a strange smile looking at Liu Kong. "In fact, if my information is right then none of us here are your match."

    Bai Qingling''s eyes sharpened as she looked at Liu Kong.

    "It is not often that one cultivates the Nine Dragons Divinity Sutra to thepletion stage. Especially to the fifth ring. In fact, you are the second one to do so after its creator. Isn''t that right Holy Son Liu Kong?" Yang Dangli asked calmly.

    Bai Qingling hissed in surprise as she realized that if what Yang Dangli said was true then not even all three of thembined will be a match for Liu Kong. She didn''t know about this particr information. She was still under the impression that Liu Kong was at the perfection stage.

    "You seem to be very well informed of me, Yang Dangli. I wonder where you got such information," Liu Kong smiled but there was a menacing edge to it.

    "You must be joking, Holy Son. No one would be foolish enough to tell others their sources of information," Yang Dangli said calmly as if he didn''t see the threatening look Liu Kong gifted him with.

    "Anyway, we need to deal with this blockhead before nning for the Level 7 beast. Even if you managed to cultivate Nine Dragons Divinity Sutra to thepletion stage of the fifth ring, you won''t be able to take on a Level 7 beast."

    "Don''t worry, I have dealt with this blockhead," Bai Qingling said looking at the arriving Peng Xiaoli. "Peng Xiaoli, you better stop there. We are nning to join hands to deal with a Level 7 beast. Do you want in or not?"

    Peng Xiaoli came to a sudden halt. He looked at the trio as if they were trying to fool him. Liu Kong merely snorted seeing such a look. Yang Dangli waved his fan nonchntly.

    "Level 7 beast? You must be joking Bai Qingling!" Peng Xiaoli spoke atst.

    "If you had bothered to collect some information beforeing here, you would have known that. Why do you think none of us dared to go any further?  However, that Level 7 beast has just stepped foot into that realm. If we allbine our strengths, we might be able to defeat it. Do you want in or not?"

    Bai Qingling said impatiently.

    "Count me in," Peng Xiaoli didn''t even pause to think.

    Yang Dangli and Liu Kong looked at Peng Xiaoli as if they were looking at someone stupid. They couldn''t fathom how someone like him had cultivated to their level.

    "See, I told you," Bai Qingling snorted as if knowing the result already. "As long as you promise him a fight, this blockhead will be willing to do anything."

    "Quit your chatter, woman," Peng Xiaoli said waving his hands. "What are we waiting for? Let''s go and find that Level 7 beast."

    Bai Qingling spluttered being disrespected so brutally in front of her peers. She looked as if she wanted to cut Peng Xiaoli into a million pieces. Yang Dangli tried hard not tough, but it was a losing battle and he couldn''t help himself.

    Liu Kong looked at the three of them and a vague n emerged in his mind. He was confident of emerging the final victor if a battle erupted amongst them after taking care of the Level 7 beast.

    However, he still needed to be wary of Yang Dangli.

    "Before we move on, do we at least know what kind of treasure is being guarded? While I am confident of its worth, I am not keen to fight a Level 7 beast for a treasure that has no use to me," Yang Dangli said looking at Liu Kong.

    Liu Kong''s eyes squinted as his mind began to race. They all were nearing the treasure area and all of them will know what it was before long. So, it didn''t matter revealing what it was currently.

    The only problem was that the treasure was too valuable.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 35 Seven Colored Soul Lotus

    A/N: Hey Folks...

    Bted Navratri and Ayudha Pooja wishes to everyone out there...

    This week has been crazy so far and I have been unable to connect to the web until now. So, I apologize for the break in the updates. My other story had some stockpile so, it was being published automatically unlike this...

    Anyway, thank you all for your love and support for this fic. Here is a chapter for today, enjoy.

    *****

    As much as Liu Kong didn''t want to tell the other what the treasure was, he also realized that these people wouldn''t agree to team up with him without him revealing what it was.

    If that were to happen, he would be without any allies while confronting the Level 7 demonic beast. That was not something he wanted to do. If he had been confident enough to do that, he wouldn''t waste time with them anyway.

    No one present here was stupid.

    Maybe Peng Xiaoli was stupid enough to fight with him against the Level 7 demonic beast, but the other two wouldn''t let Peng Xiaoli make that decision. And of the people present here, Bai Qingling was the one who knew him best.

    As for him, Liu Kong was worried that Peng Xiaoli would pick a fight with him, just on principle. There was no way he could predict the decision such an idiot would make.

    Not to mention Xing Wuling''s shadow looming behind.

    This put Liu Kong in a difficult position. Once he revealed what the treasure was, there was no way he could talk the others into letting him take it. But, if he didn''t reveal the window of opportunity might close too.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Kong spoke, "It''s a Seven Colored Soul Lotus."

    Silence engulfed the field following his statement. Bai Qingling, Yang Wangli, and even Peng Xiaoli looked shocked upon hearing it. Liu Kong didn''t speak either. He knew the lure of such a treasure.

    Seven Colored Soul Lotus is a peculiar treasure that was born amidst heaven and earth. No one really knew the exact conditions required for it to bloom. But, everyone knew that it was a heavenly treasure to anyone below the Nascent Soul realm.

    One of the peculiarities of Seven Colored Soul Lotus is that it never bloomed in an area abundant with water energy. Unlike other lotuses, it bloomed over thend. Especially, in the wilderness and ces where one would least expect it to be there.

    The other peculiarity of Seven Colored Soul Lotus is that it would help anyone that consumes it to form a perfect Nascent Soul and ascend to that realm in a peaceful manner.

    There were countless experts who have been struck in the Golden Core stage for life. Only a handful few could ascend to the next level by forming their Nascent Soul.

    Being a Golden Core expert was enough to lord over an entire area. Many secr sects didn''t even have Golden Core experts in their ranks. It was that rare to find Golden Core experts outside the top-tier powers in this continent.

    And the Seven Colored Soul Lotus was a treasure that was on an even higher level.

    One could easily imagine how difficult it was toe across this treasure. If this news had leaked out, the bloodbath that happened in the Grasnds would have been considered tame.

    For a treasure of this level, top factions will go to war with each other. Because having one more Nascent Soul expert in their ranks meant they will have yet another trump card when facing difficulties.

    "No wonder the Level 7 beast is this territorial," Yang Dangli mumbled dazedly.

    "If this information is true, then we might be in big trouble," Bai Qingling had a different viewpared to others. "There is no way that the Nascent Soul stage experts of Heavenly Demon Sect would allow this treasure to slip through their hands."

    "You don''t need to worry about them. I have arranged for them to be intercepted," Liu Kong spoke looking ahead. "Now, only the Level 7 beast stands in our way. I will not ask any of you to relinquish the treasure. That would be foolish."

    "However, I ask you all to work together to finish off the Level 7 beast first. Then, it would be between us. The one with the best skills will obtain it," Liu Kong said looking around. "What do you say?"

    "If any of the Nascent Soul experts appear, then I will withdraw from it," Bai Qingling was decisive.

    "Hmmph, no wonder your progress has been so slow," Liu Kong Snorted.

    "I''m in. I have confidence in my Wind Dao," Yang Dangli said fanning himself.

    "If I get that treasure, I can finally challenge Senior Brother Xing. I am in," Peng Xiaoli said without any fear.

    "What about you Bai Qingling? Are you in or out?" Liu Kong demanded.

    His patience was already running thin. He didn''t want to waste time anymore. He didn''t want someone else to appear and steal the treasure away. He had nned this for months and yet things have derailed from his original intentions. He didn''t want to take risks anymore.

    "Hmmph, I will join you guys in confronting the Level 7 beast. But, I will say the ugly words first. If the Nascent Soul experts appear, do not expect me to lend you any hand against them. I am confident of ascending to the next stage myself. I will not lose my life pitting it against someone I am clearly no match to," Bai Qingling said without looking at any of them.

    "Then, let''s not waste any more time. ording to the divination I performed, it will bloom in a few hours. I want us to deal with the Level 7 beast before that," Liu Kong grunted.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Let''s move," Yang Dangli agreed and took off in the direction of the treasure.

    "Hah, I am going to fight to my heart''s content today," Peng Xiaoli shouted taking off after Yang Dangli.

    Liu Kong didn''t speak, he followed the duo soon after.

    Only Bai Qingling was left alone in the ce. She waited till others left her sight and turned around to look at the tree in the distance. She waited for a bit, but no one came out of it.

    Bai Qingling''s face distorted as she sent a venomous look at the tree. She snorted and turned around to catch up with the others.

    A minute after Bai Qingling left, a shadow emerged from the tree.

    "Ke ke ke, you guys don''t respect my Heavenly Demon Sect enough. How is it possible for such a treasure like Seven Colored Soul Lotus to slip through our hands? Ke ke keˇ­"

    *****

    Duncan was now close to reaching the ce where he had split off from the road toward Starsinger Town. He had run into two more groups of bandits heading in his direction.

    Every time, Duncan had hidden amidst the grasses and waited for them to pass.

    He didn''t fight with them even though he could take them all out. His main priority was now to return to the road. He didn''t want to confront the bandit group like some stupid hero.

    As time passed, it became clear to Duncan that the bandits were now truly on his trail. He estimated that the other two horses have been found and the bandits had determined his direction.

    Luckily he had done a detour and returned the way he came. So, now the bandits were behind him, trying to find him amidst the huge sprawling Grasnds.

    From what little experience he had with tracking prey in the wild, Duncan knew that this was a hard task to aplish. Not to mention that the prey has now doubled back and was heading the other way.

    Just as he was beginning to feel safe, Duncan felt a strange thrum rush out from the interior of the Grasnds. It was kind of a weird feeling, to be honest. His mind cleared up a little and his thinking began to be uncluttered.

    The phenomenonsted for just a few seconds before it faded away. Leaving Duncan confused as to what it was.

    *****

    Meanwhile, the leader of the Reavers was angrily searching for Duncan''s trail in the Grasnds. His group had caught up with all three of the horses, only to find no one atop it.

    It made him feel stupid as he realized that the prey had slipped through his fingers. With the time spent chasing after the horses, the prey now had more than an hour of lead, meaning that he could be anywhere now.

    And he didn''t like feeling stupid one bit. In fact, he hated others treating him like he was just some dumb brute.

    He aimlessly kicked a lump of grass in frustration.

    He vowed that if he caught up to this prey, he would torture it to alleviate his anger and frustration. No one treated him like he was stupid and got away with it.

    Just as he was working himself into a frenzy, a strange thrum went through the entire Grasnds. For a few moments, the anger and frustration he was feeling were cleared away and his mind became clear.

    That feeling didn''tst long. But, it was enough for the bandit leader to grasp an important point.

    "You," the bandit leader pointed at one of the bandits causing the bandit to pale. "Where did they say that the prey was bound towards?" the bandit leader snarled.

    "Stˇ­Starsinger Town boss," the bandit stammered in reply.

    "Then, there is no use searching for him here. Move out, we will head back and scour the road between Starsinger Town to here. I am sure he is headed there. And when we find him, I want to pluck out both his eyeballs and feed it to him," the leader growled leaping up on his horse.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 36 Effects Of A Seven Colored Soul Lotus

    At the same time, everyone inside the Grasnds felt the thrum for a few moments. Whether it be demonic beasts, cultivators, normal people, or even the wild beasts, everyone felt their minds clear up for those few moments.

    While the cultivators all over the Grasnds realized that this was not an ordinary treasure, the same could be said for the demonic beasts as well. However, the hierarchy of the demonic beasts was pretty rigid.

    Thus, the lower-level beasts whimpered and stayed put. But, the higher-level beasts were more bold and their nature made them reckless. They wanted that treasure at all costs.

    So, every one of the demonic beasts started flocking toward the direction of the treasure. The cultivators looked at this new development with grim faces. They were already facing heavy pressure just trying to reach the interior regions, now that the demonic beasts were also flocking towards that direction, it would be suicide to go ahead if one didn''t have enough strength.

    Many experts also knew that such a treasure couldn''t be obtained by them. In fact, owning such a treasure might invite cmity to them. So, they wisely began to withdraw from the Grasnds entirely.

    Meanwhile, over at the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Sect Master and the Vice-Sect Master had displeased expressions written all over their faces. Three Nascent Soul experts with amicable smiles on their faces stood before them.

    "I didn''t expect all three fellow daoists from the Seven Clouds Sect to visit us at the same time," the Sect Master said in a clipped tone.

    It was obvious from his expression that he didn''t like this one bit. The Seven Clouds Sect was the only sect that was on par with the Heavenly Demon Sect in the nearby region.

    For all the three Nascent Soul experts from the Seven Clouds Sect to visit them at this time, there could be only one reason for it. The Seven Colored Soul Lotus.

    The Heavenly Demon Sect didn''t know how the news leaked outside. After the Level 7 beast had gone on a rampagest time, they had moved secretly to ensure that no one actually knew what the treasure that appeared in the Grasnds was.

    One of the defining natures of the Seven Colored Soul Lotus was that it would create amotion a few months before it actually bloomed. This made sure that it was always harvested immediately by someone once it bloomed.

    Considering the rarity of the treasure, it was no wonder that the Heavenly Demon Sect went through great pains to keep the information secret. It was them who instigated the Level 7 beast and caused it to go on a rampage.

    It was they who finished off the leftover who had actuallyid eyes on the treasure. They even hunted down everyone who was near the treasure just to make sure that no one knew of its existence.

    Even the Star Imperial Empire had no idea what the treasure actually was.

    Unfortunately, some fish must have slipped through the. And they had found someone that was on par with the Heavenly Demon Sect in power to restrain the Nascent Soul experts of the Heavenly Demon Sect from acquiring the treasure.

    "Why, fellow daoist, you act as if we are not wee in your sect," one of the Nascent Soul experts said yfully as he yed with his beard.

    The Sect Master could only grit his teeth in reply. They both knew what was at stake here. The fact that the Seven Clouds Sect sent over three of their Nascent Soul experts was enough to prove that.

    Normally, no sect would send three of their top experts to enemy territory in case something went awry. However, a single Seven Colored Soul Lotus meant that there would be another Nascent Soul expert guaranteed if they could obtain it.

    And no sect would be foolish enough to let someone else take that opportunity away.

    Just as the Sect Master was ready to blow his top, the Vice Sect Master sent him a mental message.

    "Sect Master, I have sent Hui Wanren to retrieve that treasure. It is better that these three old coots are here. We can make sure to keep an eye on them. That way, apart from the Level 7 beast, no other variable would be present there."

    The Sect Master analyzed the information calmly. Compared to the Vice-Sect Master, he wasn''t that optimistic about the result anymore. If these three old men came here, then it meant they had absolute confidence in obtaining the treasure as well.

    Otherwise, only two of them would havee here.

    Not to mention the presence of the Level 7 beast that was near that area. By now, the Level 7 beast would have noticed the presence of the treasure and would be guarding it ferociously.

    Hui Wanren may be an expert, but he wasn''t enough to deal with the Level 7 beast. People who were in the Golden Core realm often didn''t understand the qualitative difference between the Nascent Soul realm and the Golden Core realm.

    Once one forms his Nascent Soul, the power they possessed would be in a different league altogether. Very few Golden Core realm experts could skip a level and defeat a Nascent Soul expert.

    And a Level 7 beast was equivalent to the Nascent Soul realm of humans.

    So, the Sect Master wasn''t assuaged by the words the Vice-Sect Master said. In fact, it only gave him a bad premonition. Still, he had been the Sect Master for a long time.

    He knew that sometimes there isn''t much that could be done. And one has to be content with the hand that fate dealt them. Sometimes things wouldn''t happen how someone nned them to ur.

    Knowing this, he calmed down quickly enough and gestured for the three to enter. He motioned for a servant to bring them tea and settled down to have a boring but unavoidable conversation with these three old coots.

    *****<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan reached the road a few miles from where he strayed into the Grasnds.

    Looking back, he could see a small canyon behind him. The moment he saw the canyon, Duncan knew that this would have been where he would have been ambushed if he had continued on without straying off the road.

    Thanking his lucky stars, Duncan set a brisk pace. He didn''t walk on the road, but rather got off the road and walked beside it, not wanting to lose it once more.

    As he made his way back to his hometown, Duncan began to hear wild beasts growling from the distance. It was as if something had happened to spook them badly and they were acting out.

    Luckily, the sound wasing from the interior region. The cacophony was so loud that it was being heard over here. He wondered what the hell was happening in the interior region to cause such amotion all over the Grasnds.

    *****

    Liu Kong punched the head of a bull demon causing it to burst into a gory shower. He wiped off the blood that was sttered across his face and looked around.

    Liu Kong and his group were now in big trouble. They not only had to face the Level 7 beast, but the other demonic beasts were going mad around them. They had no self-preservation instincts as they began to attack anything in sight.

    The moment that the thrum went out, the demonic beasts started attacking their group left and right with no regard for their life. And the worst part was that there were more demonic beasts rushing in from the distance with each moment that passed.

    "I should have never agreed toe with you guys," Bai Qingling''s aggrieved voice could be heard as she beheaded a spider demon that had attacked her from behind. "And for your information, I fucking hate spiders!!!"

    Bai Qingling viciously chopped the legs of the spider demon to further demonstrate her words. It was really a rare sight to see the ice beauty acting like this. However, none of them were in the mood to appreciate it.

    Liu Kong didn''t fault her one bit. No one expected the blooming of the Seven Colored Soul Lotus would attract suchmotion. And the worst part was that only half the lotus had bloomed till now.

    Already, Liu Kong could see the pandemonium raging around. The only constion was that the Level 7 beast was also tied up because of this new madness among the demonic beasts. Liu Kong can already see the Level 7 beast some distance ahead, fighting off several Level 6 beasts in the distance.

    Yang Dangli wasn''t faring any better. His spotless appearance was gone as he tangled with a bunch of flying demons with the help of his Wind Dao. None of them were exactly enjoying the predicament they had found themselves in.

    "Shut the hell up woman," Peng Xiaoli crowed from beside her. "This is the most fun I have had in a long time. Don''t ruin it."

    Then again, not everyone had the same thought.

    *****

    Duncan had already traveled a few miles when he heard the sound of horses in the distance. He paused and looked back to see if it was a merchant wagon. Getting a lift with them would ensure that he got out of this stretch of the road faster.

    Now that he had lost his horse, Duncan has been using his physical strength and stamina to keep traveling. He didn''t want the bandits to return and find him idling somewhere nearby.

    There was half a day''s journey left in this stretch before he got out of the Grasnds. With Duncan''s speed, it would be well into the night when he reached the next vige. And it would make it hard to find a suitable ce to stay for the night.

    So, getting on with a merchant wagon would ensure that he would be able to spend the night in a warm bed. Now that he had experienced the dangers of the Grasnds, parting with some money to get out of here quickly didn''t seem much of a problem to Duncan at this time.

    Duncan squinted his eyes and tried to see who it was that wasing in the distance. Duncan could tell from the dust cloud that there wasn''t just one horse making its way. There should at least be a dozen of theming.

    As Duncan watched, his face became grave.

    Whoever it was, they were traveling fast. Either they were running from something or chasing something. And neither of the options boded well for him. Duncan decided that standing here and waiting to be spotted would be a foolish option.

    With a curse, he began to run hard trying to find a good spot to hide.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 37 The Monkey Demon

    Duncan was lucky that he was off the road. If not, the other party would have definitely seen him by now. Regardless of whoever it was, nothing good woulde out of it.

    With the knee-high grasses as cover, Duncan easily spotted a knoll of grass that was both bushy and high. He made his way over there with urgency and hid inside it, just as the horses came into sight.

    As he watched the horses rush by, Duncan once again thanked his lucky stars that he hid without any hesitation. From their looks, Duncan was sure that it was not a merchant group that passed him by.

    As the group passed by him in a rush without concealing any of their passage, Duncan noted that they all had either sabers or swords as weapons. A few even had bows slung across their shoulders.

    With their menacing expressions and hungry looks, Duncan decided that they were definitely not merchants and their guards. That left, only one possibility for Duncan toe realistically.

    These were the bandits he had slipped by earlier.

    And now, they were ahead of him and would probably be waiting for him somewhere. Duncan also realized that unless they knew where he was going, they wouldn''t be able to regroup and chase after him this soon.

    Now, Duncan was left in an untenable position. He could not proceed onward as he didn''t know where the bandits would beying in wait for him. As for going back, that was even more difficult as he didn''t have his horse with him now.

    He was back to square one. And he needed toe up with something sooner rather thanter. The night was falling in and he was all alone without much provision in his pack.

    Camping in the Grasnds was a viable option, but the problem was how long he could camp there. He knew with his experience in the forest, he would be able to hunt a few wild animals and sustain himself.

    But, the problem was how he was going to go back to Starsinger Town. It would be easier if he followed the road as he didn''t have much information regarding the other possible routes he could take.

    Even if he spent a few weeks here in the Grasnds, unless he could indefinitely avoid the bandits, he would be caught up by them sooner orter. Not to mention the troubles lugging this much gold along with him would bring him.

    Duncan was currently in a dilemma. He didn''t know how to proceed after this. He had never experienced such a situation and had no idea how to react.

    Did he need to ditch the gold and find a way to slip past the bandits? If so, how long would it take for him to earn this gold back? If he hid it here in the Grasnds, would someone else stumble over it while he was away?

    If he doesn''t ditch the gold, can he slip past the bandits with suchrge luggage with him? Even then, can he fight off the bandits while also protecting the gold?

    Countless questions rolled around his mind as Duncan worriedly looked at the direction the bandits have gone towards.

    Little did he know that all the questions that were running around his mind would not matter much. There were events happening far away from him that would change the course of the next few days inside the Grasnds.

    And the only question he would need to ask himself at that time would be, can he survive?

    *****

    Liu Kong sted away a tiger demon with one punch and walked onward with purpose. He was so close to his goal that nothing would be able to stop him at this moment.

    The Seven Colored Soul Lotus was just a few steps away. However, making those few steps and harvesting it would not be such a simple matter. His very life was in peril at every moment.

    He nced around to see if anyone else was close enough to the lotus. Peng Xiaoli was in a fierce fight with three demonic beasts to the side. That stupid brat didn''t even pay attention to the situation here as he immersed himself in battle.

    Bai Qingling was soon bing a non-factor as she was close to being overwhelmed by the tide of the demonic beasts. Even if she wanted to, there was nothing she could do.

    Yang Dangli might prove to be trouble. He was holding his own against the demonic beasts in an able manner with the use of his Wind Dao. His speed which was enhanced by the Wind Dao was really proving to be more trouble than Liu Kong had first thought.

    But, the biggest issue was the Level 7 beast which had defeated all its opponents and was bounding towards the treasure. If Liu Kong had been a littlete, the Level 7 beast would have be the final winner of this melee for the treasure.

    The difference between demonic beasts and cultivators was that cultivators need to harvest the treasure in a careful manner and then process it slowly to bring out its best effects.

    On the other hand, the demonic beasts could merely swallow the treasure and let their body do the work for them. So, if the Level 7 beast was the first to reach the treasure, then his efforts would be all in vain.

    And there was also someone else in the distance making his way over to the location of the treasure in a hurried manner. The speed of their approach was faster than anyone else apart from him.

    It was enough to indicate that the person would indeed be a formidable adversary. If Liu Kong fought him, their fight wouldst a while giving others the opportunity to obtain the treasure.

    Liu Kong frowned as he realized that even if he approached the treasure, there wasn''t enough time to harvest it. It only left him with only one option ¨C to dy the Level 7 beast until his reinforcements arrived.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Without any hesitation, Liu Kong threw a punch in the direction of the Level 7 beast. A fiery dragon formed around his fist and pounced on the Level 7 beast. The punchnded right in the face of the Level 7 beast pushing it back a few yards.

    Liu Kong cracked his knuckled and geared up for the important fight. The Level 7 beast was a monkey-type demon. It had rippling muscles chiseled all over its body. And Liu Kong''s punch which was enough to shatter the heads of ordinary Level 6 beasts was nothing but a light tap to it.

    The Level 7 beast sized up Liu Kong as well. It didn''t expect that the human would be bold enough to attack it first. Hence it was surprising when the punchnded. However, with its thick hide and strong muscles, the punch was nothing like a child tapping it.

    The Monkey Demon roared in anger. Its visage twisted into one of menace and bloodlust as it eyed its challenger. The surrounding beasts tried to move past it, only for it to smash them angrily and throw them away nonchntly. It looked at Liu Kong provocatively as if taunting him for being foolish enough to challenge it.

    Liu Kong smirked in return.

    "What are you showing off for? Did you think I am some mindless beast like them?" Liu Kong snorted.

    The Monkey Demon roared once more. This time it didn''t stop there. It pounced on Liu Kong with a savage gleam in its eyes. Its palm pped down on Liu Kong''s location as if it wanted to smash him into a pulp.

    The speed of the Monkey Demon was way higherpared to when it attacked the other beasts. To many present there it was akin to a blur. But, Liu Kong vanished from the spot and threw back a punch at the Monkey Demon.

    The punchnded and the smash missed.

    The Monkey Demon roared in frustration and turned to look at Liu Kong. This time, it didn''t rush forward. Although it was a demonic beast, being a Level 7 beast gave it enough wisdom to understand that this wouldn''t be an easy fight.

    Just then, another figure appeared beside them and looked at the duo with a strange smile on his face.

    "Ke ke keˇ­ looks like I am on time for the final fight," Hui Wanren said licking his lips.

    Liu Kong narrowed his eyes at the sight of him.

    "Hui Wanren, Heavenly Demon Sect," Hui Wanren mock saluted Liu Kong and introduced himself. "The Sect Master sends his regards to Liu Kong, the Holy Son of the Seven Clouds Sect."

    The Monkey Demon roared angrily at this apparent dismissal of its presence. It pounded its fists on its chest in a show of its anger and attacked both Liu Kong and Hui Wanren at the same time.

    The duo retaliated with their own moves. Liu Kong with a fist, this one had twin dragonsing out instead of a single dragon, and Hui Wanren with a w attack. Unfortunately, their strength was no match for the enraged Monkey Demon.

    They both were sent flying off by the Monkey Demon''s power.

    "Tch," Hui Wanren said dusting off some dirt, "looks like this will be a tough one."

    "What did you expect? This is a Level 7 beast," Liu Kong snorted getting up from where he had fallen.

    The Monkey Demon responded with a resounding roar to their banter. It didn''t waste any time. It bound forward immediately closing on them.

    "Let''s take this beast out before deciding who gets the treasure," Liu Kong said.

    Hui Wanren merely nodded before both of them went ahead to engage the Level 7 beast.

    Just as the trio was ready to engage in fighting, a strange fragrance wafted from distance. The fighting all around stopped as both demonic beasts and cultivators turned to look in the direction of the lotus.

    The Seven Colored Soul Lotus finally bloomed at this moment.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 38 Beast Tide

    Duncan looked up from the temporary shelter he had found for the night. There was a weird feeling up in the air. Every part of his body was screaming danger.

    Duncan looked around to see where this feeling wasing from and found nothing. He didn''t see anything around. Even the grass around him wasn''t rustling. The only movement he could see was the wind.

    Yet, countless encounters inside the forest have taught him better. He knew deep down that he was in danger. But, he didn''t know from where it wasing or to who it was referring.

    Deciding to not take any chance, Duncan hurriedly packed his belongings. The area he had decided to camp in was a bit off the road. He didn''t want to lose sight of the road yet.

    While he hadn''t decided on what he was going to do now that the bandits were ahead of him, Duncan felt that it would be a good idea to be in sight of the road always.

    Otherwise, he would lose his bearings in this endless grass and mistakenly wander somewhere he shouldn''t. With that in mind, he had traveled a bit before night came in and found a ce that could serve well in the darkness as his hideout for the night.

    But with this weird feeling up in the air, Duncan wasn''t feeling confident anymore. He felt as if he was somewhere he shouldn''t be and getting out of there would be the best idea for now.

    And yet, he was worried about the bandits as well. He knew they wouldn''t stop hunting him that easily. Moving at night will definitely expose some of his tracks and if the bandits ran into it, they might once more track him down.

    With the bandits on one end and this weird feeling on the other end, Duncan felt huge pressure to make the right decision. But, the problem was that he didn''t know what the right decision was at this moment.

    So, he decided to do as he always did. His gut was telling him to get out of this area, and that was what he was going to do. Even if the bandits found the trail, that was a problem forter.

    Once done packing, Duncan picked up the direction towards the nearby town and started walking without looking back. He was afraid that if he looked back, he would change his mind and decide to remain in the Grasnds.

    With no moon shining its light, the trek was arduous. Duncan stumbled a few times, but he remained safe. He didn''t hurt himself by stepping into some hole ornding awkwardly.

    Not long after Duncan began his trek, he heard a howl from somewhere in the distance. It was hard to tell which direction it wasing from. But, what froze Duncan on the spot was that the howl was answered by several howls from different directions.

    And it didn''t just stop there, roars followed by several other animal noises that wouldn''t be usually heard at the night. The situation was so unusual that Duncan froze on the spot.

    At that moment, something within Duncan told him that he needed to get out of the Grasnds this moment.

    Duncan didn''t waste any time. He began sprinting in the direction of the next town with haste. He didn''t worry about his tracks being exposed or any other shit. He just wanted to be away from the Grasnds at this moment.

    Duncan''s path wasn''t any easier now that he was in a hurrypared to earlier. This caused him to fall over several times and tumble a bit here and there. So, Duncan threw caution to the wind and headed to the road.

    Once he reached the road, Duncan took off without turning back.

    He could hear the entire Grasnds going crazy behind him. There was a cacophony of soundsing from behind him, towards the side, and even the front. It was as if every wild beast and the demonic beast inside the Grasnds were creating a huge ruckus.

    During his time with the merchant caravan on the way to Starmist City, Tang De had told him about this. This was the beginning of the beast tide. And one of the worst ces to be in when a beast tide urred was the Grasnds.

    There hadn''t been a beast tide near this region for the past fifty years. And now, out of nowhere, a beast tide was urring with little to no warning. In the tales that Tang De told, there were always warning before a beast tide urred.

    However, tonight seemed to be an exception to the norms.

    Duncan hadn''t experienced a beast tide in his living memory. Granny Jiao has talked to him about it, however. Whether it was Granny Jiao or Tang De, they both agreed on one thing.

    Beast tides were the most devastating things that could happen to any town or vige situated near the Grasnds. The devastation the beasts leave in their wake wasn''t something easy to recover from.

    Usually, before a beast tide began, the surrounding viges and towns would migrate to a safe distance under the guard of cultivators and nearby city officials beforehand.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, no such information had been sent earlier. Duncan knew this. After all, he was in the city not even a week before and the few viges he had passed by were operating normally as well.

    So, the urrence of this beast tide was truly something no one expected.

    Duncan didn''t know what the reason for this beast tide was. But, he knew one thing for sure. He was right in the middle of a beast tide. It would be a miracle if he could make it out alive of the Grasnds.

    Even then, he might not be safe. No one in the surroundings will be safe from the beast tide. Because it wasn''t just wild beasts that would appear in the beast tide. There will be demonic beasts from deep inside the Grasnds appearing as well.

    And to add further fuel to the fire, the humans had no knowledge of the urrence of this beast tide. They will be taken totally unaware. With no warning signs, the humans living in the surrounding area will be caught totally unprepared.

    As he ran, Duncan''s mind raced trying to figure out what he could do to escape from this predicament. The bandits were no longer his concern. The beast tide was the only thing upying his mind.

    Even then, he didn''t lose his pack. A part of Duncan didn''t want to part with his hard-earned money that he had ns for. So, he was carrying the pack and running as hard as he could.

    Just as Duncan turned a corner, he ran into a pack of wolves that were rushing in the same direction he was running. The moment the wolf pack smelled him, they started howling and growling.

    Duncan knew that he couldn''t escape this fight. He hurriedly discarded his pack and unsheathed his sword standing his ground. He didn''t have to wait for long. One of the wolves pounced from the grass onto his shoulders.

    Duncan cleaved the wolf in half and turned to find three more wolves rushing at him. He knew standing here and being defensive wasn''t going to work in his favor with the numbers the wolves had.

    So, he rushed one of them and tried to cut it. The wolf jumped back hastily trying to avoid the sword. Duncan took the opportunity he was presented with and ran past the wolf without looking back.

    His pack was left in the dust for the wolves to y with. Duncan figured that at the least, the meat and other stuff would dy a few of the wolves froming after him.

    The reason he rushed out was that he didn''t want to be encircled by the wolves. When the wolves hunt, they mark their prey''s position, circle them, and then attack them. So, when the first wolf attacked him, the others would already have made to circle around him.

    Being encircled by wolves was not a good way to die. They will slowly rip you into pieces and then, only then, go for the kill. The best way was to fight out of the circle and find a ce to have your back against.

    Unfortunately for Duncan, there was no ce near where he could ce his back against. So, the only option left to him was to run. And that was what he did.

    Duncan took off with a bunch of wolves nipping at his heels. Now that Duncan had cast off his pack, he could elerate without much effort. And being on the verge of life and death gave him enough adrenaline to truly pick up his pace.

    With Duncan''s body that was close to a cultivator''s body, he effortlessly outpaced the wolves and created some distance between them. In normal times, the wolves would have realized this was a futile hunt and went in search of other prey.

    Unfortunately for Duncan, this was a beast tide. So, the wolves chased him relentlessly. Duncan ran for a long time with the wolves at his heel. Even though the distance between them was increasing constantly, with the road being what it was, Duncan didn''t have any way to lose the wolves.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 39 Deepest Desires

    Duncan huffed and puffed as he brandished his sword at the encroaching wild beasts. By now, he was truly ruffled up and was feeling very tired.

    It had gone well for an hour or so. With the wolves at his heel, Duncan ran as if his ass was on fire. With his life at stake, Duncan didn''t mind spending more energy to increase the lead between them

    Somewhere around the tenth or twelfth minute, he had escaped from the wolves and was slowly making his way toward the next vige. While he didn''t have much hope for the vige''s safety, he figured that heading towards it was a good option as any other.

    So, he had set forth in the direction of the vige and was slowly making his way over. But, luck was not with him. He heard the wolves howling from the distance again after another ten minutes.

    They seemed to have picked up scent probably from one of his resting spots where he stood for a few minutes to gather some stamina back. And the chase was back on.

    Duncan lost them after another ten minutes of non-stop running. He knew what he was doing was futile. With the beast tide forming up, the wild beasts would inevitably make their way to the surrounding viges.

    But, still, he refused to give in. Giving in at this stage meant he would die. And Duncan didn''t like the thought of dying one bit. He wanted to roam around the world drinking wine and bedding wenches.

    He wanted to cultivate and possess inhuman power as those cultivators did. He wanted to go back to Starmist City and take care of the Wang n with his own power.

    He wanted to find that old coot and give him a punch to the face for igniting his desire to cultivate and making his life hard. If not for that old coot, Duncan wouldn''t be running for life in this god-forsakennd while a beast tide was forming all around him.

    He wanted to see Granny Jiao one more time and pay her back for the help she had provided him growing up. He wanted to find those cultivators who looked down on him in his vige and smack their faces.

    Most of all, he didn''t want to die.

    He didn''t want to die without tasting all the wines in the world. He didn''t want to die without bedding at least a hundred wenches. He didn''t want to die without exacting his revenge on those who wronged him.

    He didn''t want to die and let that old coot off for ying with his mind. He didn''t want to die without seeing Granny Jiao at least one more time.

    Especially, he didn''t want to die and be food for these wild beasts. He didn''t want to die in this Grasnds where no one could be seen or heard for miles. It would really be a shitty ce to die if he had to.

    And Duncan had no ns of doing that.

    When one is on the verge of life and death, their heart reveals its true color. Duncan was a greedy man like most people. He had his preferences, but at the end of the day, he was just like everyone else.

    Cherishing Life!!!

    This moment, when he was running for his life in the Grasnds, a seed of hunger was born in him. This wasn''t simr to the hunger he had for cultivating. This was much more primal and intense.

    He hungered to see the next dawn. He hungered to walk out of this situation alive and realize his deep desires. He hungered to live through this ordeal and make his way back to Starsinger Town in one piece.

    Most of all, he hungered for power. Power to determine his own destiny. Power to kill these wild beasts that were chasing him for nearly an hour. Power to be unrestrained and free.

    Duncan knew that if it was a cultivator who was in his situation, he wouldn''t have much trouble escaping out of there before the beast tide fully formed. That knowledge distressed him more than anything else.

    If only he was able to cultivate, then he wouldn''t be in such a bad situation. He would have easily taken care of the bandits and would have reached the nearby vige by now.

    He wouldn''t need to y hide and seek with the bandits and roam across the Grasnds in a timid manner. He could just waltz past these wild beasts and bandits without much worry.

    And the bandits wouldn''t have the guts to challenge him at all.

    This knowledge twisted Duncan''s insides as nothing else did. Even the chance of him dying in this Grasnds didn''t inspire as much emotional hatred inside Duncan as this knowledge.

    He hated everyone who was responsible for him being put in such a situation. The Wang n, the old coot, the bandits, and whatever had caused this beast tide to erupt suddenly, Duncan hated each and every perpetrator at this moment.

    As Duncan ran for his life with a sword in his hand, this hatred began to simmer deep in his heart. A strange phenomenon started forming around him as a ck aura started emanating from him.

    Duncan was oblivious to this change in him. Even if he noticed, he wouldn''t be able to actually see the aura emanating from him. Only a cultivator above the Spirit Sea realm would be able to notice this.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan ran and ran until his legs started to ache. Considering how powerful his body waspared to a normal mortal, one could tell that he was truly nearing his limits by now.

    And yet, Duncan refused to give in. There was a voice in his head urging him to live. His eyes were bloodshot and his lips were parched. All he cared about now was to escape this situation he was in and live through this beast tide.

    But, luck was not on his side for long.

    After about another half an hour of on-and-off chase, Duncan''s speed began to g. Despite being strong enough to be on par with someone who started cultivating, Duncan was truly at his limit at this moment.

    His breath was heavy, he was sweating all over. His bloodshot eyes were focused only on the road ahead of him as he stubbornly ran without even looking back. Yet despite all this, he held on.

    However, when he came up a hill and started running downside, trouble found him on the road. A Yellow-Stripped tiger was standing down at the slope and looking towards him.

    Duncan''s steps faltered seeing such a fearsome beast standing in front of him. He could hear the wolves already ascending the hill from behind. Now he was struck between two different predators who were treating him as their prey.

    Even when he hunted in the forest, Duncan had never run into a top predator like a Yellow-Stripped tiger. Yellow-Stripped tigers were known for their ferociousness and unparalleled strength. They were the apex predators below the demonic beasts present in this area.

    And Duncan was truly unlucky enough to run into such a beast here.

    The Yellow-Stripped tiger roared and bounded towards him up the hill. Its roar was so loud that Duncan''s hearing was lost for a moment. However, Duncan wasn''t in the right state of mind to notice that.

    Any other time, Duncan would have done the smart thing and ran back down the hill. He would have tried to lure the Yellow-Stripped tiger toward the wolves and try to create chaos among the wild beasts.

    In his mind, Duncan knew that Yellow-Stripped tigers were very territorial and wouldn''t stand other beasts interfering in their hunt. It would sooner kill everyone than try to work together with some other beast.

    Simrly, the wolves wouldn''t back down from the prey they were hunting for this long just because of the Yellow-Stripped tiger. They had the numerical advantage and they would try to kill both the tiger and their prey.

    This would be an ideal situation to engineer chaos and slip through if Duncan was quick and smart enough. While the window of opportunity wouldn''t be big, if Duncan was quick, he would be able to slip through the chaos with some difficulty.

    However, Duncan wasn''t in the right mind now.

    He was just persisting on pure stubbornness and will to live. In his mind, anything that stood in his path was his enemy and needed to be dealt with. He hated everything to the core. He wanted to kill everything within sight.

    So, Duncan did the most stupidest thing possible to do at this moment.

    He roared back angrily and rushed at the Yellow-Stripped tiger downhill. The Yellow-Stripped tiger was angered by its prey''s audacity to roar in front of it. It felt that its dignity as an apex predator was insulted and growled in anger as it made a beeline for the prey.

    The moment Duncan roared and charged at the tiger with the intent to kill, the ck aura around him surged. To anyone who could see, it was almost like a maelstrom.

    Bloodlust permeated Duncan''s brain as he rushed at the Yellow-Stripped tiger. Duncan felt all his tiredness vanishing and a strange power rushing through him. His confidence surged and Duncan knew that this little beast was going to die under his sword at this moment.

    With one final roar, both of them smashed into each other without any regard for defense.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 40 Treasure Obtained

    All that ran through Duncan''s mind was to kill everything that stood in his way. And a Yellow-Stripped tiger was currently in his way. So, he smashed into it with his sword like a crazy man.

    Bang!

    The impact threw both Duncan and the tiger a few steps back. The tiger''s paw had already scored a hit on Duncan''s shoulder. The sword in Duncan''s hand however didn''t make much of an impact on the tiger''s body.

    It barely left a nick on the tiger''s body. The tiger''s body was so thick and enfolded in rippling muscles that the sword with which Duncan chopped a wolf mere hours ago was unable to damage it. The tiger noticed this and became more emboldened.

    When Duncan swung, he put his entire weight behind the swing, holding nothing back. It was this weight and power that actually sent the tiger back a few steps.

    Seeing that his attack didn''t have much impact on the tiger, Duncan became even crazier. He relentlessly attacked the tiger with his sword. Swing after swing was batted away by the tiger with its powerful paws.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, his crazy act increased the ck aura that was emanating from his body. It was the desire to kill everything that stood in front of him that fueled the ck aura. The more Duncan refused to back down, the more the ck aura emerged.

    The ck aura slowly started flowing out of Duncan''s body and started covering the sword as well. The sword which was already covered in nicks due to continuous usage began to emit a visible red aura.

    When the red aura filled sword hit the tiger, the tiger howled in pain and retreated a few steps. There was a cut that opened in the tiger''s paw at this moment. The tiger was also feeling fear for the first time since it saw Duncan.

    The tiger warily looked at Duncan wondering what was different nowpared to earlier. When it saw the red aura emanating from the sword in Duncan''s hand, a primal fear took hold of it.

    On the other side, Duncan didn''t even realize his sword was emitting a red aura. All he focused on was killing the beast in front of him. Seeing a wound finally appear on the tiger''s body, Duncan redoubled his efforts.

    He roared loudly and started swinging his sword in a crazy manner. The tiger didn''t want anything to do with the sword in Duncan''s hand. It dodged wildly trying to stay away from the creepy sword that was giving it a very bad feeling.

    Just when it looked like the tiger would retreat, the howls of the wolves started echoing from all around. Duncan and tiger both paused in their actions to look at the new intruders in their fight.

    When Duncan saw the wolves, the resentment he had towards them for chasing him for the past hour boiled over. The tiger roared unhappily at the wolves for intruding upon its hunt.

    Emboldened by their numbers, the wolves howled in return at the duo. They began circling both the tiger and Duncan. They tried to rush a bit as a test and when the tiger roared angrily at them, they ran a few paces back and started circling them again.

    This pissed off both the tiger and Duncan.

    "Come you mangy mutts, I will kill you all. I will kill this tiger, I will kill all you mutts, and I will kill everyone who stops me," Duncan roared crazily toward the wolves brandishing his sword.

    The tiger merely roared expressing its outrage.

    Thus, a three-way dance began at the bottom of the hill

    *****

    Liu Kong was escaping from the Grasnds with a proud smile on his face. He had atst obtained what he came for. The Seven Colored Soul Lotus was finally his after a hard-fought victory over others.

    That bitch Bai Qingling had left midway not even bothering to inform them. It had increased the pressure others faced with the demonic beasts. Yang Dangli who had been having a rtively easy time with his Wind Dao, suddenly found himself facing twice the number of beasts he faced before.

    So, he decided to be smart enough and booked it out of there as well. Peng Xiaoli was the sole exception. That mad idiot relished the opportunity to have a crazy fight and fought to his heart''s content.

    Luckily, none of the demonic beasts even tried to butt into his fight with the Level 7 beast. The devastation their fight left in its wake was too scary for them to even think about interfering.

    The only bug in the ointment was that Hui Wanren.

    However, without him, Liu Kong wouldn''t have been able to face the Level 7 beast on his own. With his help, they were both giving as hard as they were receiving from the Level 7 beast.

    But, Hui Wanren had been too engrossed in the fight to even protect himself from being backstabbed. Liu Kong had nned this for a long time. How could he overlook the possibility of facing the Level 7 beast?

    So, he had prepared some trump cards for this exact situation earlier. With a single trump card, he had managed to wound both Hui Wanren and the Level 7 beast. He had waited until it was the most ideal moment and unleashed his trump card.

    The effect was as he had hoped.

    While he couldn''t take out the Level 7 beast by himself, his trump card could at least deal it a severe blow and give him some time to escape. It was, after all, given to him by one of the Nascent Soul elders of his family.

    The attack had paralyzed both Hui Wanren and the Level 7 beast for a few precious moments. Liu Kong had used that moment to collect the Seven Colored Soul Lotus and flee.

    But, what he didn''t expect was the Level 7 beast to initiate a beast tide in its rage.

    It didn''t matter much. Apart from the Level 7 beast, no other demonic beast could actually be a challenge to him in this Grasnds. As for the others who got implicated in it, Liu Kong didn''t care about them one bit.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After all, he got what he wanted to obtain. As for the coteral damage he caused, Liu Kong didn''t even bother to think about it. At most, a bunch of idiots would pay for it with their lives.

    Why does it even matter?

    Which cultivator hasn''t had blood on his hands? Which high-level cultivator hasn''t walked out of a sea of blood? Which treasure''s birth has not shed some bled? So, it didn''t really matter.

    The only thing Liu Kong would say to them was that they were too weak to even be alive. And it is their own fault for being too weak. This was a world where the strong ate the weak. And being weak, they could only serve as cannon fodder.

    Now, all he had to do was to escape the Level 7 beast''s pursuit. And he had a n for this as well. One doesn''t decide to steal food from the mouth of a beast without a proper n.

    Luckily that nuisance from the Heavenly Demon Sect was nowhere to be seen. If he too was hounding him, things would be a little problematic.

    *****

    In a spacious hall deep within the Heavenly Demon Sect, five people were discussing the dao in an amicable manner. These were the three Nascent Soul experts from the Seven Clouds Sect and the Sect Master and the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    The atmosphere looked very harmonious despite their differences. They all acted as if the three experts from the Seven Clouds Sect weren''t here uninvited. They spoke to each other warmly, engrossing themselves in discussing the wonder of dao.

    Just then, a knock was heard disturbing the harmonious atmosphere. The Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect frowned at the interruption. But, the others didn''t seem that bothered.

    "Enter," the Vice-Sect Master ordered in a displeased tone.

    The Head Elder of the Blood Hall entered with a disturbed expression on his face. This caused the two leaders of the Heavenly Demon Sect to sit up and pay attention.

    They knew that the Head Elder of the Blood Hall wouldn''t interrupt the gathering of Nascent Soul realm cultivators for ordinary affairs. With the current situation of the Grasnds, they were truly worried that he would have some dire news.

    It was indeed the case.

    "Forgive me, Sect Master. We have an urgent situation that would require your oversight," the Head Elder said respectfully and bowed.

    "What is this urgent situation you speak of?" the Sect Master asked in return.

    "There are signs of a beast tide forming up in the Grasnds, Sect Master."

    "What!!!?" both the Sect Master and Vice-Sect Master stood up in shock hearing it.

    "A beast tide doesn''t form out of nowhere. There were no indications for it," one of the experts from Seven Clouds Sect said a little suspiciously.

    "It is indeed so. However, we don''t know what urred this time to cause a beast tide to begin without any indication. We need the Sect Master to confirm the situation so that we can prepare for it."

    The Sect Master didn''t speak. His mind raced as he considered the numerous possibilities that could be the cause of the event. Finally, his mind settled on the treasure that was currently being contested.

    "Lead the way, I will take a look myself," the Sect Master said decisively.

    "Fellow daoist wouldn''t mind if we tag along, do you?" one of the experts from the Seven Clouds Sect asked getting up.

    "Be my guest," the Sect Master said brusquely and walked out of the hall.

    However, no one minded the tone of the Sect Master. Everyone present knew what a beast tide was. And if it indeed was urring, the Heavenly Demon Sect would be in dire straits now.

    The group appeared at the gates of the Heavenly Demon Sect soon. They could hear a cacophony of beastly noisesing from the distance. Their faces turned grave.

    The Nascent Soul experts present spread out their senses trying to assess what was going on in the distance.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 41 The Heavenly Demon Sect Moves

    The Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect looked out from the sect gate with a grave expression on his face. A beast tide was currently forming in the distance with little to no warning.

    When the Seven Colored Soul Lotus bloomed in the Grasnds, he had been both excited and worried for an equal measure. While it is a great opportunity, it might also bring cmity upon their heads as well.

    And that worry has manifested itself outside the sect at this moment. There had been no warnings or indications as to the formation of this beast tide. He never expected such a thing to happen.

    Heavenly Demon Sect was located in the interior region of Grasnds. The founder of the sect had been of the impression that only constantbat would be ideal to create a true cultivator.

    Hence, while establishing the sect, he searched for a rtively dangerous environment to be the sect''s location. Finally, the Grasnds and its abundant demonic beasts had satisfied his picky heart and the Heavenly Demon Sect was established in the interior regions of the Grasnds.

    And it had worked in general.

    The cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Sect were feared across the entire region for a reason. Their constantbat with the demonic beasts had allowed them to be far more dangerous than other experts at the same level.

    Moreover, the cultivation techniques the Heavenly Demon Sect practiced weren''t righteous in nature. They followed the Demonic Dao more. This made the Grasnds an ideal location for the Heavenly Demon Sect as well.

    By the time the Heavenly Demon Sect had truly grown, the righteous cultivators weren''t able to threaten them much. And they had no interest as well. Heavenly Demon Sect''s location acted in itself as a defensive barrier for it.

    However, there was one huge thing that the founder overlooked while establishing the sect. Beast Tide.

    Whenever beast tides urred in the Grasnds, the Heavenly Demon Sect would endure heavy pressure from the demonic beasts. They will have to weather the entire tide all by themselves due to their location.

    This, in turn, became the proving ground for the youngsters and bloodthirsty individuals in the sect. The members of the Heavenly Demon Sect were monsters who truly fought their way out of a river of blood.

    Having been subjected to a number of beast tides, the Heavenly Demon Sect''s expertise in recognizing the signs and indications that lead up to them was second to none.

    But, this time there has been no warning. Several of the disciples were outside training and performing various duties for the sect. The Sect Master didn''t know if they will be able to make it back.

    To make things moreplicated, the Heavenly Demon Sect usually relied on their entire strength to fend of beast tides. With its manpower reduced, it was in a very disadvantageous situation right now.

    After all, the demonic beasts normally attacked whatever was near to them first. While the areas around the Grasnds would be facing attack as well, they would be nowhere near the level of intensity that the Heavenly Demon Sect will be facing. They were like the vanguard of stemming the beast tide.

    It was also one of the reasons why many righteous powers didn''t band together to eliminate the Heavenly Demon Sect when it started rising in prominence. They figured that the beast tides would do the job for them.

    And generation after generation it worked for them as well. While the Heavenly Demon Sect was truly powerful, they would never be able to take on the righteous side without severe consequences for themselves as well. The beast tides generally trimmed the manpower the Heavenly Demon Sect had in a brutal manner.

    This established a strange state of equilibrium amongst the top powers in the region. Righteous sects were definitely wary of the Heavenly Demon Sect, but they never were truly worried.

    However, for the Heavenly Demon Sect members, the beast tides were considered to be a rite of passage. Only when someone survives a beast tide and walks out of it alive will they be considered an expert in the sect.

    Having such a grueling rite of passage also made the members of the Heavenly Demon Sect a force to be reckoned with. When other experts met people from the Heavenly Demon Sect, they would retreat voluntarily not willing to provoke these maniacs who treated beast tides like proving grounds.

    In a way, it was both blessing and a curse that the Heavenly Demon Sect had to bear. And until now, they had borne it admirably well.

    "If the purpose of your visit is done with, I will bid the fellow daoists farewell here. We have to prepare ourselves for the beast tide and no time to idle around," the Sect Master gruffly spoke to the three experts from the Seven Clouds Sect.

    "Unless you three are nning to participate in this exercise as well," the Vice-Sect Master snidelymented from the side.

    "We would never dream of interfering in your sect affairs, Vice-Sect Master. We will take our leave now so that you can concentrate on your affairs. We are happy that fellow daoists were able to entertain us until now and don''t want to overstay our wee," one of the three experts smiled amicably.

    "Hmmmph, then get going," the Sect Master didn''t give the trio any face. "I will be activating the Sect Defense Formation soon. It will be unwise for you to linger here at that time."

    The faces of the three experts from the Seven Clouds Sect stiffened, but they smoothened it out with practiced ease. The trio smiled and bid their goodbyes as if they didn''te here to hinder the Heavenly Demon Sect. Once done, they vanished into thin air.

    "Bunch of hypocrites, cowardly currs!" the Vice-Sect Master spat to the side.

    "Forget about them, inform the disciples to return to the sect immediately. Make it the highest priority order. They should know what to do when a beast tide urs. I will activate the Sect Defense Formation," the Sect Master ordered gruffly. "Let''s hope our losses aren''t too big this time."

    "Yes, Sect Master," the Vice-Sect Master nodded.

    "Once you are done with that, inform the Head Elders to wake up a few elders from their retreat and request them to oversee the sect for some time. You will head out and find Hui Wanren. I am afraid that this beast tide is the act of a Level 7 beast," the Sect Master said gravely.

    "You meanˇ­"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "The only reason for the Level 7 beast to initiate this beast tide would be that it lost the treasure. If it ended up in Hui Wanren''s hand, then bring him and the treasure back safely. If not, then there is no need to chase after the treasure. Regardless of what it is, Hui Wanren will be in grave danger. So, we don''t have time to waste."

    "Yes, Sect Master."

    "Let''s hope this beast tide doesn''t bring any more surprises to us," the Sect Master said gravely looking into the distance.

    *****

    Hui Wanren was indeed not doing well.

    Liu Kong''s indiscriminate attack had wounded him badly. He was really in a bad shape. His entire body was bloodied and hey there in the middle of nowhere trying to bring back some feeling into his body.

    His regeneration was kicking in. But the speed it was operating was not optimal. The only reason he was even alive now was that Liu Kong''s attack had also wounded the Level 7 beast and killed many more Level 6 and Level 5 beasts.

    Not many strong demonic beasts were left standing after that attack.

    And following that, both Liu Kong and the Level 7 beast took off into the distance. Hui Wanren knew that Liu Kong now had possession of the treasure. It would mean that the Level 7 beast was in pursuit of him along with other stronger demonic beasts.

    That left only the weaker ones below Level 5 here. It was a blessing in disguise for Hui Wanren. In the distance, he could see both Peng Xiaoli and Yang Dangli recovering from the aftereffects of Liu Kong''s attack as well.

    He eyed the duo for a moment, before deciding to leave this ce. There was still some chance for him to obtain the treasure. If the Level 7 beast caught up to Liu Kong, a fight would definitely ur.

    This time he was going to watch and wait for the opportunity. He had made the mistake of trusting a righteous snake, like Liu Kong once, and he wasn''t going to do it again.

    Without further dy, he vanished from the spot.

    Yang Dangli, who just recovered from the attack, saw Hui Wanren vanishing and immediately guessed his intention. He knew that trailing after Liu Kong and the Level 7 beast would be dangerous, but this entire venture was a dangerous one.

    So, he didn''t mind some additional danger. He had confidence in his Wind Dao. If he could get his hands on the treasure, no one here would be a match for him if it came to escaping.

    This was a very rare opportunity. There were no Nascent Soul experts apart from the Level 7 beast around. The Monkey Demon wasn''t known for its speed. He would be able to outpace it and escape from it easily. He just needs to find the right opportunity toy his hands on the treasure.

    And this particr treasure was worth every bit of the danger.

    Seven Colored Soul Lotus could help him be a Nascent Soul expert. That was basically the top powerhouse of this region. There was merely a handful of Nascent Soul experts present in the region. This would make him a top expert throughout the region.

    So, he didn''t need to consider much. Yang Dangli left the site as well trailing after Liu Kong and the Level 7 beast.

    Peng Xiaoli looked around and saw the devastation left in the wake of Liu Kong''s attack. It really scared him a bit. Whatever Liu Kong had unleashed had decimated a number of demonic beasts present in the entire region.

    Only his powerful body had helped him resist the attack. That was when the attack wasn''tunched in his direction. He was merely on the outskirts of the attack range and he was bleeding.

    Even then, it had left him battered and bruised all around. If that attack was aimed at him, Peng Xiaoli didn''t have the confidence to say that he would survive.

    "So, that is the power of a Nascent Soul expert, huh? Amazing. I can''t wait to be that powerful. No wonder I wasn''t able to put up a fight in front of Senior Brother Xing," Peng Xiaoli mumbled to himself.

    "Should I follow them now? Or should I retreat?" Peng Xiaoli asked himself in confusion. "That bitch sure ran fast. If I am not wrong, she would be already out of the Grasnds by now."

    "Well, I am insulted you think of me that way," Bai Qingling emerged from the side with a displeased expression on her face.

    "You!" Peng Xiaoli spluttered.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 42 Too Far Gone...

    "Well, you stupid moron, why are you standing there in a daze? We need to get moving. We can''tg behind too far. We need to be in the right ce at the right time to have an opportunity to steal that treasure. Come on, let''s go!"

    "What?" Peng Xiaoli asked in confusion.

    "You didn''t think I would leave without contesting for such a treasure, did you? I just didn''t want to fight these beasts," Bai Qingling snorted.

    "So, you left me alone to fight the beasts?" Peng Xiaoli asked in outrage.

    "Well, you did seem to be enjoying it," Bai Qingling said shamelessly.

    "Yeah, I did enjoy it," Peng Xiaoli said smiling as he reminisced about the hearty fight he had. "But don''t think you can change the topic that easily."

    "Well you blockhead, neither you nor me are a match for Liu Kong or Hui Wanren. Not to mention the Level 7 beast. Why should we work hard so that one of them could obtain the treasure?"

    "Now, the situation has changed. We need to follow them and wait for an opportunity. When ites, we can steal the treasure. Come on, we are alreadygging behind," Bai Qingling said impatiently.

    Peng Xiaoli scowled but nodded.

    He knew he wasn''t very smart. But, he had trust in his power. And he hadn''t used his trump cards yet. With these, he had the confidence tost a little while against others who will be vying for the lotus.

    He knew that while Bai Qingling wasn''t as strong as him, she had a sharp mind. She would be able to find the ideal opportunity. And he was sure that she had a few trump cards of her own that she hasn''t revealed yet.

    Partnering with her would only be beneficial. As for who ended up with the lotus among them, Peng Xiaoli didn''t care much. He and Bai Qingling had an unusual rtionship. And the biggest reason he trusted her was that he knew her secret identity.

    The Seven Colored Soul Lotus may be a rare treasure in this world, but Bai Qingling had the connections to obtain it easily if she wished. Teaming with her would only bring him benefits. So, he wasn''t against the idea.

    Pretty soon, the duo left the ce as well.

    *****

    Duncan chopped off a limb of a wolf that tried to attack from behind and turned to face the Yellow-Stripped tiger. The tiger had taken the opportunity presented when Duncan''s back was turned and pounced on him.

    Duncan turned around to only see a hundred pounds of flesh falling toward him. The tiger bowled over Duncan andnded atop him. It tried to take a bite out of Duncan, but Duncan moved his head,

    Duncan retaliated by trying to stab the tiger''s abdomen. The tiger skipped away and once more started watching him warily. The moment the tiger skipped away, the wolves rushed in trying to take advantage.

    If it were any other time, Duncan would have been done by now. However, Duncan was far past the point of caring. He didn''t even get up, instead swung his sword wildly catching one wolf by the neck.

    The sword cut through the neck of the wolf cleanly. It was as if the sword was chopping a watermelon instead of a wild beast''s neck. However, another wolf had got hold of Duncan''s leg and was trying to rip it away.

    Duncan howled in fury and sat up. He punched the wolf right in its jaw, cracking it. He freed himself and stood up waving his sword trying to discourage other wolves from approaching him.

    Luckily, the tiger was also being osted by the wolves, splitting its attention. Duncan limped a little and looked around warily.

    By now, his body was full of injuries. If he was in the right mind, he would have passed out by now. There were numerous bite marks all over his body. His body was bleeding profusely from these wounds.

    But, those were not the only severe wounds Duncan had obtained from the fight.

    His ribs were broken and he was breathing heavily as well. His right leg looked close to being mangled as he limped around with his guard up.

    Duncan, however, realized none of this. His mind was long gone and he only wanted to kill as many things in his sight as possible. Still, a part of his sanity remained to prevent him from rushing into the wolf pack.

    Duncan''s sword hade in handy a lot during this fight. His sword was sharp enough to fatally injure the wolves even prior to this. But now, with the red aura emanating from it, it became a deadly weapon.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan''s sword had killed three wolves by now. He had injured two more and the tiger was still circling around him warily not willing to meet his sword.

    Duncan limped to the wolf whose leg he had cut off earlier and drove his sword through its skull. He roared and sent the wolf''s carcass flying at the wolf that was moaning with a broken jaw.

    The wolf skipped away and howled at him aggrievedly. Duncan tried to chase after it, but his leg didn''t help him much in that endeavor. So, he stopped and turned to face the tiger once more.

    The tiger had now dealt with the rest of the wolves that were harassing it. It had ripped into them savagely and left their carcasses lying around. There were just two more wolves left by now, with the rest falling to either Duncan or the tiger.

    The one with the broken jaw howled at the other wolf. This wolf was bigger than the others. If Duncan was of the right mind, he would realize it as the pack leader. However, to him currently, it was just another thing that he had to kill.

    The tiger eyed Duncan warily and slowly approached him. Duncan also warily headed towards it, keeping an eye on the two leftover wolves. Duncan looked at the tiger and found it eyeing his sword more than him.

    This displeased Duncan somehow, and he swung the sword at the tiger. The tiger jumped away not willing to meet the sword. Duncan had anticipated it and was ready with a punch in his off-hand.

    The punchnded and the sound of bones breaking could be heard. Normally, Duncan''s punch would only hurt the tiger, but not injure it. However, the ck aura emanating from Duncan was coiled around the fist when it connected with the tiger''s flesh.

    The moment the ck aura touched the tiger, it flowed through the skin and weakened the tiger''s bones. As a result, when the punchnded, the bones broke easily.

    The tiger really didn''t expect such a thing to ur. It retreated further howling in pain. Duncan wanted to chase after it, but his leg was not cooperating with him. He could walk around fine, but couldn''t run in his state.

    If Duncan''s mind was in the normal mindset, the sheer pain alone would have caused him to faint. But, he was not feeling the pain even one bit at this moment. Duncan watched the tiger with anger etched across his face.

    The wolves slowly started to back away as well seeing Duncan injure the tiger so easily. They hesitated for a bit, before turning around and running away. Duncan watched them go with killing intent in his eyes.

    He didn''t want to let any of them go. He wanted to hunt them down. But, his body wasn''t in the right shape to aplish that. It prevented him from doing what he wanted to do.

    Duncan growled in anger as he turned his attention toward the tiger standing in front of him. With a determined mindset, he began slowly approaching the tiger. The tiger tried to intimidate Duncan with its roars and waving its paws. However, Duncan approached it undeterred.

    The tiger roared angrily at Duncan''s apparent disrespect and started growling at him. Duncan still marched forward with his sword ready. He wanted to carve the tiger into pieces by now.

    This time, Duncan was the one to initiate the attack. Duncan swung the sword causing the tiger to leap back and then pounce forward before Duncan recovered from his swing.

    The tiger''s forelegs smashed into Duncan''s chest as we he was brought to the ground once more. Duncan didn''t care for anything at that time. He used his other hand to rain punches on the tiger.

    Already knowing the danger of these punches, the tiger skipped away before any true damage could be done. It warily circled him and tried to go for his leg. Duncan knew that he couldn''t allow the tiger to get hold of his leg. So, he tried to kick the tiger away, it caught the tiger right under its abdomen.

    As Duncan had kicked with his good leg, the impact was a bit big. The tiger howled in pain and leaped away from Duncan. Duncan followed up by getting back on his feet as well.

    By now, bothbatants were wary of each other. They circled each other slowly trying to gain an advantage. In the end, it was Duncan who got that slim chance. The tiger''s attention strayed from Duncan''s sword a bit as if it was looking into the distance.

    Duncan capitalized on it and hacked at the tiger with his de.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 43 Cave

    Duncan''s de bit into the tiger''s back with a vicious gleam. As much as Duncan tried to cleave its neck, the tiger moved at thest moment sensing danger. So, Duncan was only able tond a hit on its back.

    Even then, Duncan''s sword wasn''t able to sink deep. The tiger''s thick muscles hindered its progress and Duncan didn''t have the required strength to just cleave into the tiger.

    The tiger roared and backed away a few steps. It watched Duncan warily, but its attention wasn''t entirely on Duncan. It kept looking into the distance as if it was sensing something.

    Duncan also felt an unprecedented sense of danger emanating from deep within him. Even when the beast tide began, he hadn''t felt such a danger. It aroused Duncan from the state he was in as his survival instinct kicked in.

    Duncan shook his head and looked around. He didn''t exactly remember what he was doing, but he had some impressions of it. Those impressions were like hazy images spread amidst a mist.

    Duncan can clearly identify them, but he couldn''t exactly understand what he was thinking in that mind. It was as if he was in a strange stupor until now and just now woke up from it.

    And with it came the pain that Duncan hadn''t been feeling until now.

    Duncan''s body sagged as he felt his entire body emanating pain. He realized that he might have fallen into a berserker state or something simr to it. He had heard about them from other mercenaries when he was out drinking in Starmist City, but he never imagined that he would fall into it as well.

    Duncan warily looked at the tiger that he was supposed to be battling. Neither Duncan nor the tiger was in the mood to battle. All their survival instincts were ring out telling them to escape this ce.

    And these instincts were pretty powerful in the beastspared to humans. As a result, the tiger was the first to bolt. It didn''t even pause or look back, it just bolted outright without any indication.

    When the tiger began moving, Duncan was worried that it would attack him. Right now, he was in no shape to continue to fight. However, Duncan''s worries didn''te to fruition.

    The tiger bolted away from the location as if its tail was on fire. Duncan was confused for a bit at first, thenter when his instincts also started urging him to leave, Duncan decided to heed them.

    After seeing the tiger which had the upper hand flee, Duncan knew he would not be a match for whatever it was that had spooked the tiger into running. Duncan''s mind theorized that it might have been a demonic beast. It was highly possible as the beast tide was urring.

    Duncan knew he was no match for any demonic beast. So, he too decided to escape from this location. However, the problem was that his right leg was mangled badly by the fight he had been in.

    So, Duncan knew that he couldn''t run away like the tiger. He searched around to see if there was any hiding ce nearby. Luckily for Duncan, he saw a small cave-like structure in the distance. Duncan started limping his way towards it but paused to pick up the wine gourd that was knocked away from him during the fight.

    He knew that drinking this wine might not be a good solution, but needed something to numb his pain at that moment. So, Duncan did the only thing he could do and took a gulp of that wine.

    Duncan felt a strong energy rush into his body when he swallowed the wine. His body felt like it was entirely on fire. Duncan couldn''t stop but roar loudly in pain as the wine started burning his insides.

    Luckily, the wine also numbed his mind from feeling the pain in his legs. Duncan quickly made his way toward the cave. He could feel the sense of danger increasing with each passing minute. He knew that he was running out of time.

    Duncan didn''t hesitate much and started running despite the pain that was once more beginning to shoot from his legs. He gritted his teeth and urged on without pausing to check up on his leg.

    He wondered idly if his legs would be dysfunctional after this.

    Just as he neared the cave, he heard a roar from behind him that shook Duncan''s mind. Duncan felt as if he was surrounded by bloodthirsty beasts all around and it became difficult for him to even breathe.

    His entire body was locked up in fear as he felt the roar echo all around him. Duncan knew that he needed to move, but his legs weren''t cooperating. So, he did the only thing he could do. He stabbed his other leg with his sword and tried to use the sudden pain to rouse himself.

    Luckily it worked, Duncan staggered forward to reach the cave. But, with both his legs hurt he couldn''t push himself fast. As he tried to go faster, his legs gave out and fell forward on his face.

    Duncan didn''t stop however, he slowly started dragging himself to the cave with the help of his hands. The stones cut into his hands and they started bleeding. As he dragged himself through the ground, his entire body began to be covered in rashes.

    Duncan didn''t mind any of this. All he could think about now was to take shelter in that cave. He didn''t want to see what the source of that roar was or whether it wasing in this direction.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan slowly crawled inside the cave and breathed a sigh of relief. His entire body was on fire, both inside and outside. The wine was burning his body from the inside and the rashes and injuries he sustained were burning from the outside.

    Duncan could hardly keep control of his mind. He felt like roaring out in pain. But, he knew that it would be suicidal to do so. He didn''t want the attention of whatever wasing in this direction. He knew that it would only end in his death.

    So, he bit his cheek and endured the pain.

    In order to get his mind off the pain he was enduring, Duncan looked around at the cave. The cave was not that big. It was a small cave. Duncan could already see the end of the cave from where he was resting.

    As it was night, the visibility was really low. But, Duncan could make out a few things. The cave didn''t look like someone had lived in it for long. It looked as if it was created recently as well. From the cuts running around the roof and the side, Duncan deduced that someone had manually created this cave not long ago.

    Duncan idly wondered how much power it would take to do something like that. He was also sure that a cultivator must have created the cave to rest for a night or so. Duncan inwardly admired the power to create a shelter whenever one wished to.

    Having experienced camping in the wild, Duncan knew that this was a very handy skill to have. A shelter normally gave peace of mind to someone who was in the wild. It needn''t be something big or very defensive, just its presence was enough to help you rest your mind a bit.

    Duncan also once more realized how easy it was for cultivators to obtain that bit of security he usually craved while in wild. Even today''s disaster wouldn''t be much if he was a cultivator, to be honest.

    Whether it was the bandits, the wolves, or even the tiger, they wouldn''t be a match for cultivators in general. Duncan yearned deep inside his heart to possess such power. His experience today had made it clear to him that without power he would be nothing but a fish on the chopping block in this world.

    As his mind started wavering and Duncan started to rx from his tense state, Duncan realized that theing from his body had lessened a bit. Both from inside and outside.

    Duncan became curious and sat up to check what the reason for this was. ording to his estimation, he would need some time to even recover from the rashes he suffered trying to get into this cave.

    Duncan looked down and saw the rashes he suffered were gone a little by now. He didn''t know how it had happened and was baffled by the sudden change in his body.

    Duncan looked around to see if there was anything in the cave that would have been the cause for it. Unfortunately, the night was too dark for him to get any clear visual. Duncan had heard about some miraculous treasures that will be able to cure people''s ailments easily, he wondered if he had stumbled upon something like that.

    As his mind thought about the treasure, Duncan also realized that the rity he had for a moment while escaping the bandits wasn''t natural either. He theorized that a treasure must have been born in the Grasnds and it was probably a very rare treasure for it to have such an effect despite the long distance.

    This also revealed why the Grasnds had been in turmoil for some time now. Duncan also realized that the birth of the treasure might be the cause of the beast tide as well. He didn''t know what kind of treasure would cause such amotion, but he was sure that it must something rare.

    When he realized this, Duncan knew that he couldn''t head out anytime soon until the Grasnds calmed down. After all, if the treasure was the reason behind the beast tide, there might be some fight over the treasure happening outside right now as well.

    And Duncan didn''t want to get caught in that.

    He had been barely able to keep his life facing wild beasts, against demonic beasts and cultivators, he would be like an annoying fly that they would be able to swat to death with nonchnce.

    As if to prove his guess right, Duncan heard someone fighting in the distance.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 44 Stupor

    As if to prove his guess right, Duncan heard someone fighting in the distance.

    The impact was so big and the sounds were so loud that the entire cave started to shake. Duncan worriedly looked up at the cave and wondered if he would die here in a cave-in. That would be a really bad way to go.

    Still, he didn''t get out of the cave. Duncan knew that with his both legs injured, he would be easy prey to any beast or man out there. The best thing for him to do was to hide now. And this cave provided that to him, however minimal it may be.

    Looking up and seeing the cave shake from the impact of the fight in the distance, Duncan felt aplicated emotion well up in his heart. He searched and found the wine gourd he had carried with him and hurriedly took a sip.

    He knew that the wine might harm him, but he didn''t care about it at that moment. He just wanted to numb his mind at this moment. He didn''t want to think about whether he would die from a cave-in or in the beast tide that was urring all around. He just wanted to hide and ride this out.

    If the wine was going to harm him, it wouldn''t make much of a difference either. Whether it was the cave-in or the beast tide, both were far more dangerous than this wine and he was currently in the middle of it.

    At least, there was thefort that this was the best wine he had consumed to date. And if it knocked him out into a stupor, he would be d to die in that stupor not needing to feel thest moments of his death.

    With a small smile, Duncan nced at the sword he was holding in one hand and took a bigger sip from the wine gourd in his other hand. He rxed and let his mind rest.

    Whatever happened from now on, he had no control over it. Instead of sweating about it, it would be good to enjoy this wine and let go off all his worries.

    The wine burned as it went down his throat in a familiar way that Duncan was beginning to get ustomed to. He was beginning to like this feeling of rxation as well.

    "It would have been better if I had a woman serving me right now. What a way it would be to die!!!" Duncan chuckled a little inebriated.

    The smell of the wine, the sword in his grip, and the rxed mindset of not caring about anything else began to make a strange change deep within Duncan unknown to even himself.

    *****

    Hui Wanren winced as he saw Liu Kong crash into the distance. As powerful as Liu Kong was, he was no match for the Monkey Demon. Especially when he had no one else to back him up.

    Hui Wanren inwardly rejoiced to see Liu Kong in such a pitiful state. He hadn''t forgotten how Liu Kong had attacked him as well when he was fighting alongside him against the Monkey Demon.

    Even though he knew that Liu Kong might have another one of those one-shot attacks up his sleeve, Hui Wanren still enjoyed seeing the Monkey Demon toy with the Holy Son of Seven Clouds Sect.

    And just as he expected, Liu Kong unleashed yet another powerful attack that grievously injured the Monkey Demon further. Liu Kong had caught it unprepared when the beast had closed in without being wary of Liu Kong''s counterattack.

    The Monkey Demon roared in pain as it got back up. This time the Monkey Demon''s torso was filled with heavy wounds as it struggled to stand up. The freakish recovery ability the demonic beasts had thanks to their insane regeneration rate wasn''t able tobat the wounds left by Liu Kong''s attack.

    Hui Wanren gave it one more attack to tank before it would be too injured to chase after Liu Kong. This was advantageous for him as well. With the attention of both Liu Kong and the Monkey Demon upied, he could easily find an opportunity andunch his own attack at the right moment.

    And if Liu Kong ended up using all his trump cards, then it would be even better. But, Hui Wanren didn''t have much hope for it. He knew that someone as smart as Liu Kong will not reveal all his trump cards if they were not near death.

    Liu Kong looked like he could still fight for a long time. So, it would be unlikely that the chase woulde to an end here. Most probably, Liu Kong would lure the beast further and use hisst trump card at thest possible moment to take care of the Monkey Demon.

    They were already at the outskirts of the Grasnds and soon they would be reaching nearby viges. Usually, this area would be a hotbed for demonic beasts during any beast tide. However, the presence of Monkey Demon dissuaded any demonic beast toe near.

    It worked in Hui Wanren''s favor as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    If the beast tide was raging on, he would be hard-pressed to sneak around. But, with the wild and the demonic beasts avoiding this ce like a gue invested area, he knew that he wouldn''t face much trouble in following them.

    The same could be said for others as well, though.

    Hui Wanren turned towards his left and frowned. He could feel another energy signature in that area. And it too looked like tailing Liu Kong and the Monkey Demon.

    He wondered if it was Yang Dangli. If it was, then things would getplicated soon. He didn''t have much hope for Bai Qingfeng and Peng Xiaoli to appear anywhere near here.

    They weren''t a threat to him at all. Much less to Liu Kong or the Monkey Demon. In a fight like this, they could only act as cannon fodder. Still, he felt that things didn''t seem to be that simple.

    He had noticed for a while now that Liu Kong was heading in a particr direction. Most probably he had some sort of backup waiting for him there. And he would unleash it only after reaching that ce.

    Hui Wanren decided to take his time and check out what sort of backup n Liu Kong had. If someone else rushes in and gets caught in a trap, it was none of his business.

    He slowly got out of his hiding ce and watched Liu Kong once more lead the Demon Monkey in a specific direction. He crossed the small hill and once more started trailing them leisurely. He didn''t even notice that the hill had a small cave at the foot.

    *****

    With more seconds that passed, Duncan was able to hear themotion outside intensify in effect. The cave around him started to shake badly and it almost copsed on his head a couple of times.

    Duncan started drinking the wine sip after sip hoping that he would live through this day. The noises that wereing from outside were truly horrendous to listen to.

    He heard the roars of a demonic beast that shook his heart. From its roar, Duncan realized that it might have been the reason for the tiger to scamper away in a hurry. It was most probably a very strong demonic beast.

    But what worried him most was that such a demonic beast that was able to shake him with just its roar was actually roaring in pain. Someone outside was dealing heavy damage to the demonic beast and Duncan couldn''t even fathom how that was possible.

    Each of the attacks he heard was apanied byrge bangs and earthquakes all around the region. He idly wondered if he would see the same hill after walking out of here. He was sure that those attacks will change the veryndscape outside.

    As Duncan started to drink more and more, he soon lost track of his surroundings. The fear deep within him subsided and began to truly rx. The sounds stopped after a while, but Duncan didn''t care about it even once.

    His mind was now fully upied by the wine that was in his hands. Duncan slowly drank himself into a stupor despite the conditions he was in.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 45 Treasure?

    Roarˇ­

    Howlˇ­

    Screechˇ­.

    Noises assaulted Duncan''s ears rousing him from the drunken stupor he was in. Duncan blinked nkly trying to tune out the noise that he was hearing all around. Duncan''s head was pounding like a drum as he sat up and looked around.

    Duncan didn''t exactly remember where he was. The wine had done a good number on him. He didn''t even finish it before he had fallen into a stupor. For the first time in his life, a wine had gotten the best of Duncan.

    It truly deserved to be called a cultivator''s wine.

    Memories rushed back into Duncan''s mind as he slowly gathered his wits. Duncan shot up to his feet in rm as he realized what the noises he was hearing meant. The Beast Tide was in full force outside.

    And he had failed to make it out of the Grasnds.

    There were still a few miles to go to get truly out of the Grasnds. Duncan knew that trying to do so now would be suicidal. Just a pack of wolves and a tiger beast was able to truly put him through a ringer. The injuriesˇ­

    Duncan''s thoughts paused as he realized that he wasn''t feeling pain any longer. He was sure that he was gravely injured before he passed out due to his drunkenness. His memories also said the same.

    And yet, he didn''t feel pain anymore.

    Duncan hurriedly looked down at his body. The rashes that were supposed to be present on his arms and torso were nowhere to be found. His entire body had been filled with them as he had dragged himself into the cave by crawling here.

    While he knew his regeneration capabilities were strongerpared to normal humans, it was one of the perks of having an almost superhuman body; he had never seen his body recover this quickly from these kinds of injuries.

    It would have normally taken him a week or so for him to recover from it. Now, he wasn''t even sure how long he had been in his stupor for. But, he was sure of one thing. It was just nearing dawn now. At most, a couple of hours would have passed and he was already clear of any rashes.

    This boggled Duncan''s mind.

    Duncan hurriedly took a look at his legs. His legs were the area that had suffered numerous injuries. The wolves had almost chewed through them during their melee. And he had even stabbed it with his sword to rouse himself from his fear whileing towards this cave.

    Normally, it would have been too difficult for him to even get up with such injuries, but he was now able to stand without any pain. It was so abnormal that Duncan had to check to make sure that it was true.

    Duncan''s legs were not as clear as his hands and torso. The bite marks were still there and they looked as if they were half cured. And the stab wound looked as if it was a week old. Strangely enough, the cut on it never closed like the bite wounds.

    But, Duncan''s mind was not on that. He was already surprised to note that his wounds have cured to this extent. As if reminded by something, Duncan felt the back of his shoulders, where one of the wolves had lodged themselves earlier during the fight.

    The wound was simr to the bite marks on his legs. They had cured halfway as well. Duncan tried to swing his arm and found it moving along without any pain. He just couldn''t put too much strain on that shoulder as the wound stood.

    This bedazzled Duncan so much that he even forgot about themotion that woke him up. Duncan was now sure that there must be some sort of treasure present in the cave. If not, he wouldn''t have been cured this much.

    Immediately, Duncan set about scouring the cave to see what the treasure was. With the size of the cave being small, Duncan was confident that he wouldn''t miss it even if he didn''t recognize it.

    Duncan slowlybed the entire surface of the cave with his eyes and found nothing but rocks and gravel. There was some moss present there as well, but Duncan ruled it out after determining that it was normal moss.

    When his eyes failed, Duncan didn''t be disappointed. The visibility inside the cave wasn''t that great. So, Duncan knew that there might be a chance that his eyes would have missed the treasure. He had heard stories about some treasures even having the capability to stay invisible.

    So, he searched the cave with his hands. He started feeling each and every inch of the cave in the hopes that his hands would stumble upon the treasure. Duncan was so immersed in his search that hepletely tuned out the noisesing from outside.

    As time passed, Duncan was beginning to get frustrated with theck of result. The cave was really not thatrge. It was just a temporary shelter that had been erected on the mountainside. So, the person who did it didn''t widen it much.

    The cave was just enough for one or two people tofortably rest in. Even the ceiling wasn''t sculpted or anything. It was just a ce someone had created to rest their feet for the night.

    But, the fight that had urred nearby a few hours ago has truly shaken it. There were cracks all over the ceiling and debris and gravel were littered all around the ground.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan had to clean the debris first and then set about checking the cave manually each nook and corner. And with so many cracks in the ceiling, Duncan had to carefully inspect each and every one of them hoping that the treasure was there.

    By the time he did aplete round of the entire cave for the third time, Duncan was beginning to feel dejected. No matter how he searched, the treasure eluded him. He didn''t know where it was or if it was even there.

    Only his guess that without being in the proximity of a treasure, his body wouldn''t have healed so fast, kept him going. Duncan knew that this was a rare opportunity for him and didn''t want to let go because he was toozy to search one more time.

    But, the dejection was still there.

    Despite his attempts to convince himself that the treasure was present, the evidence suggested the opposite. Duncan didn''t know what to do at this moment. He could only stubbornly carry on with the search despite his misgivings.

    Duncan was so engrossed in his search that he failed to notice some noiseing from the entrance to the cave. The entrance was not wide, but it was enough for a man of normal size to enter easily.

    While Duncan was searching for the treasure, the blood trail he had left when he crawled inside the cave was spotted by a pack of hyenas. One of the hyenas split off from their pack and started sniffing toward the cave.

    If Duncan was alert, he would have heard iting. But, he was so engrossed in the search that hepletely forgot about the beast tide that was urring outside.

    Even without a beast tide, leaving a blood trail was tantamount to inviting hunters into his location. So, it was only natural that one such hunter had caught his trail and followed it to the cave.

    Duncan had a split second to react as his body screamed danger. He ducked and rolled away just in the nick of time. The hyena had pounced towards Duncan''s neck from behind. If Duncan hadn''t moved, it would now betching on to his neck.

    Duncan cursed inwardly at his stupidity and rose up to face the hyena. His sword was on the ground where he had left it while cleaning the debris. He was weaponless and most importantly still injured while facing a predator.

    If Duncan had his sword, he wouldn''t worry about the hyena much. He was confident enough to cleave it into two within a minute. However, he was now weaponless and very vulnerable.

    And he was trapped in an enclosed ce as well.

    The hyena jumped at Duncan, sensing the prey''s weak state. This time, Duncan didn''t dodge. He caught the hyena''s jaws in his hands and tried to hold it at bay. However, the hyena''s pawsnded on his chest a momentter sending them both crashing down.

    Duncan rolled around not letting go of the hyena''s maw. He tried to twist it but had limited sess. The more he twisted, the more his grip became loose. The hyena''s twitching legs weren''t any help either.

    So, Duncan pressed the hyena to the floor with one hand on its face and started searching for somethingˇ­ anythingˇ­ nearby that could give him an edge. His hands brushed across a block of ceiling that had fallen down.

    Duncan lifted it without hesitation in one hand and brought it smashing down on the hyena''s head. He bashed it repeatedly, even going as far as to use both his hands to add some power to his blows.

    The hyena''s head was crushed by the repeated blows to its head. Duncan let out a sigh of relief and rolled away. The hyena hadn''t been quiet while he was bashing its head. Duncan knew that hyenas always traveled in packs.

    So, it was most likely that other hyenas woulde searching for it. And the sounds the hyena had let out in its death throes would surely bring them to his cave.

    Duncan hurriedly picked up his sword and rushed to the entrance to see if he could escape. At this moment, Duncan''s mind didn''t register he couldn''t escape anywhere as there was a beast tide surging outside. In the heat of the moment, Duncan forgot about that one vital piece of information.

    Unfortunately, Duncan had toe to an abrupt halt before even getting out of the cave. At the entrance, a pack of hyenas was standing looking at him with hunger in their eyes.

    Duncan knew that he was in for another fight for his life at that moment.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 46 Birth Of A Demon

    Hey Folks,

    Bted Diwali Wishes to all!!!

    After having no updatesst week, I am sure most of you are eager to know the reasons behind it. The reason behind the miss in the schedule is that I was busy with the festivities and entirely forgot about this in all the hubbub.

    As for the constant updates my other book has been receiving, I enrolled it in the Win-Win program at the start of the month and scheduled the updates for the entire month for it. So, it didn''t suffer from the same fate as this one.

    I know saying this doesn''t make it better or change anything, but I wanted to be upfront with you. Moreover, I havee to a sobering realization that this rate of one-chapter update a day is not realistically sustainable for me.

    And looking back, the entire first volume hasn''t turned out exactly as I envisioned. I had rushed in a few ces and had not taken care of the pacing properly as I should have. While this helped me grow as an author, as a reader, you too bore the hardships of enduring my learning curve.

    Now that I have had a week off and had some time to digest these learnings, I have decided to cut down on the rate of updates for both books possibly. Know that, in no way am I abandoning these books as I am very much interested in telling both these stories.

    But, I don''t want to rush it and capsize the entire boat too. I am also nning to have a good pile of backlogs in store so that such a situation likest week doesn''t ur again.

    If any of you are disappointed, I apologize and I promise to deliver quality content on a consistent basis from now.

    And that''s it from me...

    Once again, bted Diwali wishes to all...

    *****

    Duncan shed with his sword at the pack of hyenas. He knew that showing any kind of fear at this point would mean his doom. So, he stepped forward and shed with his sword.

    The lead hyena backed away while howling at him.

    Duncan swung the sword at the hyena beside the first one, making it back up as well. As he moved forward, his eyes swiveled trying to find an escape route. But, the hyena pack had covered all his exits. He knew that fighting was the only way left.

    So, Duncan doubled down on making threatening swings at the hyenas. One of the hyenas tried to go around him, but Duncan was smart enough to realize that he couldn''t allow it.

    So he swung at it viciously.

    The sword found purchase and cleaved into the hyena''s front leg. The hyena howled in pain. However, the others sensed that the sword was struck and tried to attack him at that moment.

    Duncan immediately backed a bit and once more made threatening swings at the approaching hyenas. As his whole mind concentrated on killing these hyenas, the ck aura which had been absent on him started emanating again.

    Duncan was as usual unaware of it. But, he did notice when his sword took on a red hue this time. However, his mind wasn''t in the right ce to wonder about it. But, he did notice that the hyenas seemed to fear and avoid this red hue.

    Emboldened by the change in the situation, Duncan bravely advanced nning to be dealt with the hyena pack before some other beast came hearing this ruckus. Now that he was near the cave entrance and was a bit more aware of his surroundings, Duncan realized that the beast tide hasn''t yet abated.

    And he was in the fucking middle of it.

    So, with urgency in his steps, Duncan for the first time since he began this fight, took the fight to the hyenas. The hyenas were under the thrall of the beast tide. While they feared Duncan''s sword and were aware enough to realize the danger, they didn''t have the sense to run.

    When they saw Duncan stepping out to attack them, they all immediately pounced toward Duncan. Duncan was ready for it and swung his sword in a wide arc.

    The arc cleaved into the midsection of one hyena and sent another flying sideways. The hyena that was sent sideways crashed into yet another creating a cascade effect.

    Thus the simultaneous attack of the hyenas was equalized. But, Duncan already paid the price too. One of the hyenas was smart enough to entirely avoid the sword by going low.

    It had caught onto Duncan''s foot and was trying to rip it off. Duncan put an end to it by bashing it right in the head with his free hand. With the ck aura supporting it, his hand went through the hyena''s skull like it was a y figurine.

    Even Duncan was surprised by the strength he was putting out. But, he didn''t have the luxury to marvel at it. Now that the hyenas were attacking in groups, Duncan began to wildly swing his sword, kick them away and even punch asionally.

    The meager swordsmanship lessons he had learned from others were no use now. It was clearly a full-on chaotic melee with the bodies of hyenas flying around. The ruckus caused already started drawing other animals toward their location.

    Duncan wasn''t in a position to care about all this.

    He was swinging his sword, bashing the heads of hyenas and kicking them away with wild abandon. The only thing he cared about was killing these animals. He didn''t even have an ounce of self-preservation instinct in him at this moment.

    Pretty soon, a chaotic scene began to emerge just out of the entrance to the cave. Duncan had advanced way beyond the cave''s entrance by this point and he was killing the hyenas left and right with no regard for the damage that he was being dealt with.

    The other animals that came over hearing themotion, joined the melee willingly and started attacking Duncan as well. Luckily there was no coordination between the beasts. Otherwise, Duncan would have been killed by now.

    The beasts most often hindered other beasts and even attacked them in a frenzy, in a bid to get a shot at Duncan. This created a huge free for all with beasts going mad and Duncan starting a killing spree all around.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The entire ce became a literal hell with dying beasts and roars all around. Duncan was in the middle of it hacking away one beast after the other. If he couldn''t hack, he would punch them. If that was also not possible, he would kick them, m his body into them.

    In short, Duncan was also fighting wildly amidst the beast horde.

    However, it would be untrue to say that Duncan was fighting. What Duncan was actually doing at this point was killing the wild beasts in droves. And the ck aura that emanated from him was rising with each heartbeat.

    The more beasts Duncan killed, the more the ck aura rose in density surrounding him. The red hue now covered his entire body as Duncan was using his entire body as a weapon at this point.

    And with it came a scene that was the embodiment of true carnage.

    Duncan''s sword in particr was chopping through the wild beasts like they were melons. With each of his swings, Duncan decapitated or dismembered a couple of beasts that were attacking him.

    And the beasts weren''t idle either. They were, in turn, ripping and biting Duncan with abandon. However, the problem was that they could never finish or truly injure Duncan with their strength.

    Duncan''s body was way too powerful for them to injure or rip apart in seconds. And by the time that second was done, Duncan would reap their lives easily. So, the massacre became one-sided as time moved on.

    However, Duncan wasn''t uninjured either.

    His entire body was bleeding profusely as he fought like a savage beast killing its enemies. Multiple wounds were bleeding across his entire body. The wounds he had suffered prior to this were also reopened and they too started bleeding.

    Duncan stood amidst the sea of beasts, bleeding all over and yet still killing left and right with reckless abandon. By this time, he was truly away from the cave as the fight had moved away from it.

    With each beast joining in, the sea of beasts surrounding him only increased. It looked like the tide might ovee Duncan and drag him under at any moment. But, Duncan fought on like a lone vessel on the sea.

    The more he killed, the more his ck aura grew; the more his swings became proficient; the more he learned to use the energy he had proficiently; the more honed his instincts became; the more his desire to live grew.

    The sheer number of beasts Duncan had in in the past ten minutes was more than three times the ones he had killed all these months ever since setting off from the Starsinger Town.

    Duncan never knew that he would be stuck in such a situation when he stepped out of his town. If he knew, he would have never stepped foot outside. But, fate makes fools of everyone and Duncan was now in this situation.

    Duncan wode through blood and killed relentlessly. If it was normal time, the beasts would have fled by this time seeing the number of dead bodies piling up behind Duncan''s advance.

    s, it wasn''t so. And this was when the beasts were in a frenzy. Opposition only gave them more madness. The madness in them increased further if there was some obstacle in their path.

    And Duncan was proving to be one hard obstacle.

    As more and more dead bodies piled up in his wake, something within Duncan changed for good. His heart became engulfed in the joy of killing and he started to truly enjoy the rush he felt at this moment of life and death.

    Duncan''s psyche had never been normal. He hadn''t felt much when he made his first kill. He hadn''t felt much when he killed his first human. While it was true that people wouldn''t notice these things in the heat of the moment, the problem with Duncan was that he never felt any sympathy for the beings he killed.

    While Duncan wasn''t someone who enjoyed it, he wasn''t also someone who wallowed in the fact that he had killed someone. To Duncan, it was just that. He killed someone or something. It wasn''t a big deal for him.

    This mindset that had existed previously, began to be more twisted as he started killing with abandon. If there was a reprieve during the killing and Duncan was allowed time to process what he did, mayhaps things could have been different.

    But, Duncan didn''t have that luxury. The more he killed, the less the meaning of life became to him. And even his life started losing meaning at this point. It can be seen how little self-preservation he was having at this point.

    Duncan was willingly battling a group of wild beasts during a beast tide without thinking of a way to escape. He was killing them in droves and leaving their body behind with each step he took forward.

    The more he killed, the more Duncan started enjoying the feeling too. With each kill, his confidence swelled. With each kill, the value of life lessened. With each kill, Duncan became a demon in all but his appearance.

    The thick ck aura was like a miasma that was floating behind him as he moved. And even the wild beasts that had gone crazy started to be a little hesitant to approach Duncan at this point.

    However, Duncan didn''t let them go. He took the fight to them willingly and startedughing loudly as he chopped off their heads with each swing of his sword.

    This was the scene that the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect stumbled upon while searching for Hui Wanren.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 47 Liang Tianye

    Liang Tianye has been a demonic cultivator for most of his life. He had initially started out as a righteous cultivator, but the amount of hyprocrisy that involved in being one didn''t sit well with his Dao Heart.

    So, he eventually went rogue and started cultivating Demonic Techniques. Only when he did that did he realize that his Dao Heart was truly aligned with the demonic cultivation path.

    Ever since then, he hadn''t looked back.

    Sometimes, when he was deep in his wine and feeling particrly mncholic he would reminisce about those early days when he had roamed the world with righteousness in his heart and wouldugh loud at how na?ve he had been then.

    He truly believed in the creed that in front of power everything else is useless. No matter the schemes or connections, in front of true power they will all be broken and stomped under the foot.

    That is why he truly believed that the path to power was the one true dao for any cultivator to cultivate.

    Cultivators, in essence, chase after power. Whether it be power over time, age, another person, an entire sect, or even the world, the truth was that cultivators always chased after power.

    It had been countless years since he joined the Heavenly Demon Sect. And the Heavenly Demon Sect was the ideal ce for someone like him to grow and flourish.

    When he had initially joined the sect as an inner disciple, he had initially been suppressed by the other disciples there and was not even able to lift his head. But, he slowly but surely grew.

    He wasn''t a genius that cultivated fast or had extraordinary power in them. He wasn''t a genius who was blessed by the heavens. He was just an ordinary cultivator who found his true calling in the demonic dao.

    As he grew into his power slowly, he watched countless geniuses rise and fall like meteors. People who tormented him died while traveling outside leaving him stunned. People who he thought unbeatable faced defeat and lost their dao hearts in the outside world.

    This left him wondering what was the true and safest path to power. It took him decades, but the knowledge came with experience. By the time he figured out the answer, he was already a Sect Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    His cultivation which had been stagnating for years saw a tremendous rise after that particr epiphany. As his cultivation began to skyrocket, he began to make breakthrough after breakthrough.

    The geniuses whom he had envied in the past were left either dead or in the dust in his wake. Liang Tianye, slowly but surely, rose in the ranks and eventually became the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    Ever since then, he had remained mostly in the sect. He oversaw most of the sect affairs and cultivated them in his free time. Right now, he was one of the most powerful members of this generation of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    Personally, he was a simple man who loved to do as he pleased. Things like morality and other aspects that the righteous cultivators concern themselves with never bothered him much.

    If he wanted something, he would take something.

    And right now, he wanted that mortal who was exuding such a dense amount of killing intent. But this killing intent was different than what cultivators usually possessed. It wasn''t honed or refined among countless battles.

    This was raw, primal, killing intent that exuded from the depth of someone''s heart.

    Such killing intent was rare.

    Usually, cultivators cultivated their killing intent by participating in life-and-death battles. Theybine their desire to kill with their formidable will and cultivated spirit to exude killing intent.

    That''s why pure killing intent like what that mortal possessed was rare. Without utilizing qi, only a rare few could utilize the killing intent in their body. Especially, mortals would normally be consumed by such dense killing intent without qi to augment their bodies.

    Indeed, with his cultivation, Liang Tianye was easily able to identify that the man going on a killing spree amidst the wild beasts was indeed a mortal. He could sense no cultivation emanating from that man''s body.

    While Liang Tianye could tell that the mortal over there possessed an incredibly strong physique for mortals, he was also sure that the man possessed no cultivation.

    For one thing, if that man over there possessed even a small amount of cultivation, then this horde of wild beasts wouldn''t be alive now. If such dense killing intent was unleashed bybining even a small amount of qi, then the attacks would be devastating.

    That is why seeing such a scene made him stop.

    Whoever this mortal was, he was extremely suited to cultivate the Demonic Dao. Especially, if his guess was right.<novelnext></novelnext>

    While such pure killing intents were rare toe by, it wasn''t unheard of either. There are scrolls depicting how one can identify such things back at the sect. And one of the tell-tale signs of it was the transformation of the ck killing aura into the red ughter aura.

    Such a situation can only arise if the individual in question had an embryonic form of Heart of Killing or Seed of Destruction inside them. It was truly a rare phenomenon toe across as no one knew the exact conditions to condense it.

    Several demonic dao practitioners have tried to replicate the Heart of Killing, only to end up in failure. While they would be able to create the dense killing aura, they could never form a true Heart of Killing or Seed of Destruction.

    If the right cultivation technique was matched with the Heart of Killing, the practitioner would soon see his cultivation skyrocket within months. And those who have the Heart of Killing will always have a far easier time grasping their dao if it was based on killing or destruction.

    As much as he wanted to rush toward the direction Hui Wanren had left, Liang Tianye couldn''t bring himself to leave this mortal alone. This mortal was like an unpolished gem, waiting for the right person toe along and unearth it.

    If he could be roped into the Heavenly Demon Sect, then this mortal would surely be a true demon in the future. And if he doesn''t die prematurely, there is a high chance that this mortal would rise above most people in the cultivation world.

    However, Liang Tianye didn''t rush to rescue the mortal from the horde either. It would be child''s y for him to do that. With a mere flip of his hand, Liang Tianye could obliterate everything in the surroundings.

    It would be too easy for him to rescue the mortal, y the beasts, and move on with his original mission. But, doing so would hinder the progress of the mortal over there.

    For an embryonic form of Heart of Killing to form and stabilize, it doesn''t just need a heart that has true killing intent deep in it. The person must voluntarily indulge in it and kill living beings for it to truly stabilize.

    Right now, the mortal was truly indulged in the killing. This was the stage where the embryonic form truly stabilized. Until it did so, it couldn''t be considered a true Heart of Killing. So, this was a rare opportunity for the mortal as well to aplish something that most demonic cultivators can only dream about.

    Interfering at this moment may save the mortal''s life, but it would stop the embryonic form of Heart of Killing from truly stabilizing. If not for the Heart of Killing, Liang Tianye wouldn''t even spare a look towards the mortal.

    So, he merely observed from the side and watched the chaos below rage further.

    While observing, he also kept an eye on the two figures that had hidden themselves in the distance and watched this event unfold as well. He could easily deduce that they were two juniors who had tried to obtain the Seven Colored Soul Lotus, only to lose out.

    He was curious as to their motives as well. If it was a normal time, Liang Tianye would have tried to capture them. But, things were a little dicey at this moment and they both were soft permissions either.

    Trying to mess with them with his higher cultivation would bring about untold problems for the sect and himself in the future. So, he just kept an eye on them and didn''t do anything.

    He wouldn''t act unless they did something to spoil the event that was happening below. If he even suspected them to harbor some intent to disrupt the chaos below, he would step up and stop them unceremoniously.

    Finding a talent with the Heart of Killing itself was rare and finding that said talent at the moment his Heart of Killing stabilized was indeed as rare as finding the presence of Seven Colored Soul Lotus.

    Liang Tianye was sure that those two juniors were also waiting to see if the mortal below would seed. And if he did, they would most probably try to rope him into their faction.

    And if the refusal was presented, they would most probably kill the mortal and end a serious threat in the bud itself. He couldn''t fault them for their thinking. But, unfortunately for them, he was here now and he would never allow such a seedling to be destroyed and led astray by those imbeciles of the righteous faction.

    Just then, a deafening roar was heard from the distance causing Liang Tianye to look over.

    In the distance, a true demonic beast was charging toward the mortal. It was bowling over the wild beasts that blocked its path, and was making a beeline for the mortal with madness in its eyes.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 48 On The Cusp...

    Liang Tianye frowned seeing the demonic beast heading directly toward the mortal.

    Although the mortal was decimating the wild beast horde down there, there wasn''t a big chance for him to survive an attack from the demonic beast. Demonic beasts are inherently differentpared to wild beasts.

    A demonic beast can easily overpower any mortal or wild beast. With qi strengthening their body, they will be able to exert more force and power in their attacks which could not be fended off by ordinary people.

    Unless one was a cultivator, facing off against a demonic beast was a sure-death situation. While the mortal down there was currently in a strange state, he would never be a match for the demonic beast.

    Liang Tianye exhaled a heavy sigh and decided to interrupt the proceedings below. While this might cost the opportunity for the mortal to stabilize his Heart of Killing''s embryonic form, if he didn''t interfere, the mortal might truly die.

    To find such a rare seedling and have him die facing an opponent that was far out of his league would be a huge shame. As long as the mortal survived, the Heart of Killing could be cultivatedter.

    But, before he could take a step, a bizarre scene happened to cause Liang Tianye''s eyes to widen in surprise.

    The reason for that was that the mortal was now roaring in defiance and heading directly toward the demonic beast. The wild beasts down there had quickly made a path for the demonic beast to approach and the mortal was rushing toward it without an ounce of self-preservation.

    Liang Tianye couldn''t help but be stunned seeing this.

    "Is he too far gone into his killing spree to not recognize the danger? If that is the case, this wouldplicate things a lot. Someone who has indulged too far in his killing intent may not necessarily be a good seedling. Those people are like beasts that can''t be controlled at all," Liang Tianye frowned and looked toward the direction of the impending sh.

    *****

    Duncan was beginning to get bored killing these wild beasts. He felt as if something was trulycking as he chopped off the leg of a leopard beast and backhanded its skull to pieces.

    Initially, it had been hard for him to face off the entire horde by himself. But, as time passed, he got used to it and began to relish in the sheer adrenaline that was pumping through his body.

    Duncan was in a strange zone. To him, nothing mattered at the moment apart from killing these beasts. His injuries felt nonexistent, even his body became an afterthought to him.

    It was just him, his mind, and his sword.

    With every swing of his sword, blood flowed like a river. With every swing of his sword, limbs and heads flew apart. With every swing of his sword, one more beast ended up howling in despair.

    He didn''t even pay attention to the wild beasts he was facing. He moved on instinct alone. He swung his sword on instinct alone. He attacked based on instinct alone. And his instinct became more and more prominent as the melee progressed.

    He didn''t even need to see towards his back to know when an attack wasing. His body moved on its own ord. Even the follow-up attack heunched was done automatically. Soon, being surrounded became more of a chore than a burden to Duncan.

    Hepletely lost himself to the fight in front of him as he went about killing each and every wild beast that came up to confront him. The more he killed, the more sinister his sword work began to be.

    The unnecessary flourishes and grand sweeping motions were all discarded as Duncan began to realize that they hindered his ability to kill fast. He felt that the sword in his hand was made to kill and therefore no matter how he used it, the intention should not stray away from that original purpose.

    So, he stopped using his sword to block or bat away an iing limb. Instead, he began to limit the movements of his sword. With every thrust, swing, sh, and cut of his sword, he aimed to kill.

    And kill he did.

    He began to be so proficient in it that the wild beasts started to look like a bunch of sheep standing there for him to butcher as he pleased. And his progress eventually teaued.

    Duncan knew deep in his heart that he needed a bigger challenge at the moment to hone his swordwork to an even finer degree. He felt as if he was on the threshold of something momentous, but didn''t actually know what it was.

    And this threshold required just a little more push.

    Unfortunately, the pressure exerted by the wild beasts around him was nonexistent to him at this moment. And it meant there was no true danger to his life at the moment.

    Due to that, the rate at which he progressed slowly evened out and he began to reach the highest peak he could in his current situation. The only way for it to once more start rising was if the pressure on him increased.

    But, these beasts were inherently incapable of it. And this began to draw Duncan away from that zone he had been in slowly but surely. Duncan''s mind also realized this and he began to growl and roar.

    He didn''t know what it was that he was feeling at this moment. His knowledge of these things was severelycking. As he didn''t even know what he was seeking, he wasn''t able to find any answer to his predicament as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, Duncan''s heart knew that this was going to be a missed opportunity. It knew that if Duncan could just push himself a bit, he will be able to reach a whole new level that he hadn''t even known about before.

    So, it was naturally unwilling to see it happen.

    As the restlessness within his heart grew, Duncan began to be irritated as each second passed. Gone was the joy of fighting he was indulging himself in, in its ce was something that was needling his heart.

    However, it seemed that the heavens were aware of Duncan''s predicament and decided to aid him by sending a helping hand. When the roar of the demonic beast echoed in his ears, Duncan wasn''t afraid. Rather, he was overjoyed.

    His swings, which had slowed down a bit imperceptibly by now, once more were induced with vigor. The energy that was beginning to drain from his body and mind received a boost out of nowhere.

    And Duncan rejoiced in it.

    He knew what he had to do now. He didn''t know why he needed to do it, but he knew that he needed to confront the demonic beast now. With his next target locked on, Duncan began to progress toward the direction he heard the roar from.

    His heart was overjoyed by the prospect of a worthy challenge, and he started roaring back and killing indiscriminately in an effort to reach the challenge. And luckily for him, the dumb beasts had enough sense to step out of his path.

    Now, a path opened up directly in front of him leading to his next opponent.

    The battle lust in him boiled over and Duncan roared toward the demonic beast. The demonic beast roared back angrily. Duncan started rushing towards it with reckless abandon.

    Hepletely forgot that he was in the middle of a beast tide, surrounded on all sides by wild beasts. All his eyes could see, ears could hear, and his mind could perceive was the demonic beast standing in the distance.

    So, he started running towards it without even bothering to defend himself from other attacks that might emerge from the side or back. He paid the surrounding wild beasts no attention as he rushed toward the demonic beast.

    The one good thing about the beast culture was that when two strong beings chose each other as their opponents and went ahead to fight, other animals would not interfere in it. They might surround them, but they won''t attack them until a clear victor had emerged.

    As Duncan rushed recklessly toward the demonic beast, the demonic beast was also rushing toward him angrily. Duncan could see the bloodthirstiness and malevolence in the eyes of the demonic beast clearly. Instead of frightening him, it only excited him more.

    Unlike the other beasts he had faced until now, there were signs of intelligence in the eyes of the demonic beast. It was clear from its eyes that it didn''t take him seriously and was only angered because it thought he wasn''t at its level. Someone weaker than it challenging it was an affront to it and the demonic beast wanted him to suffer for it.

    The more Duncan looked into its eyes, the more angrier he became. He couldn''t stand the thought that this mere beast dared to think less of him.

    So what if it was a demonic beast?

    So what if it had qi in it?

    So what if he hadn''t cultivated till now?

    The sword in his hand was made to kill and it will kill whoever and whatever he wanted it to kill. It was a weapon made to ughter and he would use it to ughter this imbecilic demonic beast for standing in front of him.

    No matter who or what it was that stood in his path, they need to die. They need to be killed. They need to be punished for their audacity to stand in his way.

    Duncan roared angrily and crashed into the demonic beast like he was a savage beast himself.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 49 Conviction

    Liang Tianye tutted in displeasure when he saw that the foolish mortal was going head-to-head with the demonic beast.

    This was the problem with the ones that were truly lost in their killing intent. Their battle IQ dropped tremendously and they will begin to act as if they were savage beasts themselves.

    This increased the likelihood of them falling into a trap, ending up injured, or even dying. It was a pathetic disy of bravado and recklessness.

    A true cultivator is someone who was in control of his emotions at all times. Only when one can control himself can he control this world. And cultivators who lose themselves to rage, battle lust, and whatnot are never true cultivators ording to him.

    Provided, that the mortal over there was yet to step foot in the path of cultivation, his tendency to act like this lowered his value in Liang Tianye''s eyes. He didn''t know how such a person could even condense a nascent form of Heart of Killing.

    The world truly worked in mysterious ways.

    And as he expected, the sh resulted in nothing but pain for the mortal. The moment the crash happened, the demonic beast indeed staggered back a few steps. However, in return, the mortal was sent flying away amidst the group of spectating wild beasts.

    Now that the wild beasts had sensed that the mortal was the weaker one, they will pounce on him for sure. And indeed it happened right before his eyes. The wild beasts which had been silent and spectating until now were turning on the mortal trying to kill him.

    Liang Tianye wasn''t worried about the wild beasts killing the mortal. The mortal was strong enough to take them on easily. But, this also provided the opportunity for the demonic beast to regroup and once moreunch its attack.

    Meanwhile, the mortal would be fending off wild beasts all around.

    Liang Tianye''s eyes couldn''t help but twitch as his expectations became reality right before his eyes.

    However, what happened next truly surprised him. It made him put away his contempt for the mortal and take the uing sh seriously.

    *****

    Duncan rose from the spot he had been thrown towards with a savage grin on his face. This was exactly what he wanted. He wanted one such opponent so that he could hone his sword skills and take it to the next level.

    However, these wild beasts were a nuisance to him. With irritation rising in his heart, Duncan ruthlessly dispatched the few wild beasts that were brave enough to attack him.

    The way in which he disposed of them was cold-blooded enough to stop the other wild beasts from approaching him.

    Duncan found the path to the demonic beast once more open up before him. The demonic beast was now roaring in anger and growling at him. However, Duncan could see a bit of caution in its eyes.

    But, Duncan didn''t care about it. All he wanted was a fight and there was a worthy opponent before him. Smiling savagely, Duncan began to walk towards the beast with purposeful strides. There was no fear in his body facing something that was out of his league.

    Instead, there was only anticipation and excitement rushing through him.

    This time, Duncan didn''t sh with it head-on. He swung his sword viciously at the demonic beast''s head causing it tosh out and defend itself with its limb. When the limb and the sword met, Duncan was forced to grit his teeth. The force that came from the demonic beast was totally on another levelpared to his fights with wild beasts.

    Duncan settled into a simple stance and started attacking the demonic beast relentlessly. His attacks were like the fury of a storm. There was no pause in between or any slowing down. Duncan put his heart into each and every attack trying to chop the limb of the beast.

    The beast was game enough to meet his every strike with a block of its own. It used its limb to block Duncan''s sword effortlessly. And even with the continuous blocking, the beast didn''t even have a single scratch on its body.

    Anyone else might have felt despair at this moment, but not Duncan. Duncan was too far gone to even notice that his sword wasn''t effective against the beast. He channeled 100% of his strength with every swing of his sword.

    There was no doubt in him that his sword wouldn''t cleave the beast. There was no doubt in him that he wouldn''t be able to kill this beast. There was no doubt in him that he was fighting way above his league.

    The only thing in his mind was a conviction.

    His conviction was simple. He was going to kill anything that stood in his way. He was going to cut anything that stood in his way. His sword was made to cut. His sword was made to kill. And it will cut and kill this obstacle before him.

    Duncan lost himself to that conviction and began to lose track of everything else. He was relentless as if he didn''t know what the word tired meant. He was persistent in his belief that he would kill this beast. He was ruthless putting every ounce of his energy into each swing.

    Above all, he was unyielding.

    He refused to believe that his sword can''t cut this beast. He refused to believe that his sword can''t kill this beast. He refused to believe that he can''t defeat this beast. He refused to believe that he can''t injure this beast.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This refusal to believe was a powerful force. Duncan''s mind couldn''t even fathom the idea that it wasn''t possible. With such strong conviction, the ck aura emanating from his body became denser as the fight progressed.

    In turn, the red hue engulfing his de and body became sharper and sharper as time passed. Right now, the red hue was covering the entirety of Duncan''s body. It wasn''t dense like before. It now had a sharpness to it. It was akin to a tall sword if one viewed it from distance.

    *****

    Liang Tianye squinted his eyes unable to believe what he was seeing. The ughter aura engulfing the mortal''s body was bing sharper with each second. Not to mention the killing intent emanating from the mortal''s body. It was turning denser and denser with each attack.

    He had already been prepared to intervene if things went downhill. But, from the looks of it, his intervention might not even be needed. The mortal was somehow battling the demonic beast with only a slight disadvantage.

    However, Liang Tianye knew that no matter how hard the mortal tried, it would all be useless if he couldn''t pierce the hide of the demonic beast. Unless he could injure it, there was no chance for him to win at this point.

    But, the toughness of a demonic beast''s hide wasn''t something that could be pierced by ordinary weapons. Moreover, as the demonic beast strengthened its body and skin with qi and the mortal had no qi at his disposal usually meant only one oue for this fight.

    Death to the mortal.

    Still, Liang Ti''anye didn''t intervene because he needed to know how far this mortal could go. He needed to know if he could bring any more surprises to him. Not many seedlings have impressed Liang Tianye with their will and perseverance.

    And this mortal was bing one of the rare ones who did it.

    *****

    "Is that killing intent?" Peng Xiaoli asked scratching his head. "I have never seen killing intent transforming into ughter aura like that."

    Bai Qingling didn''t reply. She merely stared at the distance where the mortal was battling a demonic beast. A freaking demonic beast!

    Sure, a pitiful demonic beast like that one was nothing to her or Peng Xiaoli. But, the scene of a mortal battling a demonic beast wasn''t something that one came across often.

    While they two could have annihted this entire cadre of wild beasts and the demonic beast with a flip of their hands, it was a monumental task for a mere mortal to actually fight them head-on.

    "I have never seen such a phenomenon either. However, I have heard the elders mention something like this. Even they didn''t have full knowledge regarding it," Bai Qingling replied in an absent-minded tone.

    Her attention was now entirely focused on the battle that was happening in the distance.

    "So, it is possible? Why didn''t I know about this? This would have helped me greatly," Peng Xiaoli frowned.

    "As I said, it is notmon to see such a thing. Even the elders haven''t actually seen such a scene. They have only heard about it. Why did you think I stopped here?" Bai Qingling said in an annoyed tone.

    "Tch, who knows how your mind works? One moment you were rushing after Liu Kong and the Monkey Demon, and the next you were watching a childish fight between a mortal and a bunch of wild beasts," Peng Xiaoli groused.

    Bai Qingling''s lips twitched upon hearing his statement.

    "If I hadn''t stayed, we would have never known such a thing existed in this world," Bai Qingling said snootily.

    "True, I didn''t even know that Killing Intent can be converted into ughter aura and used to augment your attacks. Once this battle is over, I must ask how that guy did it," Peng Xiaoli said looking hungrily in the direction of the battle.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 50 Bai Qinglings Schemes

    "Is your head really made of a block of wood?" Bai Qingling asked in an annoyed tone.

    "What? Watch your mouth woman, why would you say something like that?" Peng Xiaoli growled.

    "Then what, that man is a mortal. He has zero cultivation. Frankly, I think he might not even know much about cultivation. And you want such a man to exin to you the intricacies of transforming killing intent into ughter qi, huh?" Bai Qingling asked in a tone that conveyed how stupid she thought that idea was.

    Peng Xiaoli scowled and looked over at the battle in the distance. His face flushed as he realized how erroneous his thoughts were. Yet, he didn''t want to ept that. Especially, to this particr woman. Someone, whom he had defeated prior.

    "Hmmph, then how do you think he is doing it? He must have a secret technique. If I can get my hands on it, my battle prowess will rise to a whole new level."

    "I doubt it, I think that man is doing that instinctively. I don''t think he knows what he is even doing. The best option will be to rope him into our faction and get the secret out of him slowly," Bai Qingling said frowning.

    "I don''t have that much patience," Peng Xiaoli growled. "If he refused to hand over that secret technique, I will smash him into a pulp."

    "No, you will do no such thing. This man may not have an ounce of cultivation in him. But, what he is doing is special. The higher-ups in our sects would be very happy if we can rope him into our faction. That way, we can figure out his secrets slowly and try to replicate them," Bai Qingling said sternly.

    "Hmmph, whatever, this is bing boring already. At least tell me that you have a n to rope him into our faction," Peng Xiaoli said somewhat dissatisfied.

    "I do have one. Who do you think I am? Do you think I have wood for brains like you? Haven''t you noticed that despite all these special things about him, he doesn''t have cultivation at all? That means a man like him will be eager to cultivate. All we needed to do was to offer him a ce in our sects," Bai Qingling said looking into the distance.

    "Oh, then it doesn''t matter. My sect wouldn''t ept someone who has no cultivation despite being nearly 20. It must mean that the boy''s cultivation talent must be really low for no one to take him in until now," Peng Xiaoli frowned.

    "Don''t worry about it, my Blue Wind Society Hall will take him in," Bai Qingling said confidently causing Peng Xiaoli to look at her suspiciously. "I will personally make sure of that."

    "A rmendation from you is more like an order," Peng Xiaoli snorted. "Why do you even want to go that far for a mere mortal?"

    "I have my reasons," Bai Qingling said sinctly looking hungrily at the direction of the battle.

    "What if he refuses?" Peng Xiaoli asked after a while.

    "Don''t be stupid," Bai Qingling snorted. "He won''t be in a position to do that. I am not telling you I will be forcing him. That would only create trouble in the future. No, by the time I am done, he will be willingly groveling at my feet to get epted into my Blue Wind Society Hall."

    Peng Xiaoli looked into the distance and saw the man battling a demonic beast head-on without even a bit of cultivation. He sincerely doubted that such a valiant man would grovel for anything.

    "You don''t believe me," Bai Qingling said in a superior tone tinged with pride. "Haven''t you noticed that despite his efforts he has not yet made a single scratch on the demonic beast? If this continues, he will be exhausted soon. I will waltz in decimating all the beasts including the demonic one and he will be grateful for it."

    "Moreover, with my beauty, it would be incredibly easy to charm him as well. And with a small hint here and there, he would be putty in my hands. He will want to follow me and grow stronger. Then I will grudgingly ept him to be my follower. This way I will earn both his adoration and loyalty."

    Peng Xiaoli looked shocked upon hearing Bai Qingling''s n. He never knew that even saving someone can be leveraged like this. He preferred to be straightforward and all these convoluted approaches made his head ache.

    "Is that how you earned most of your followers and pursuers?" Peng Xiaoli asked curiously.

    "Mostly, some fell for my beauty. Some want me for the power they will get if they get me. Some pursue me because their elders asked them to. But, most men I have as followers and pursuers are someone I helped out just like this," Bai Qingling said shamelessly.

    "And here is the interesting part, I wouldn''t even bat an eye if they died. And these morons will eagerlyy their life down to get a smile from me," Bai Qingling said with a proud smile.

    Peng Xiaoli could only shake his head. Good thing he preferred battle then. He didn''t know if he wouldn''t be one of these morons as well. After all, Bai Qingling had both power and beauty. Which man wouldn''t covet her? Not to mention the rise in status they would obtain by marrying her.

    "So, are you interested in pursuing me as well?" Bai Qingling asked in a mischievous tone.

    Peng Xiaoli snorted and looked away. Who would pursue her after hearing how she treated her other pursuers? He, Peng Xiaoli, did have his pride. He wouldn''t fall to such a low level.

    Still, it would be even more powerful to conquer a beauty like Bai Qingling, whom no one had ever managed to make an impression. Just obtaining her alone would dere to the world that he was a cut above the rest of the masses.

    It is not as if she wasn''t a beauty either, right?

    Peng Xiaoli''s eyes sneaked a few peeks at Bai Qingling''s breathtaking figure. He couldn''t help but lick his lips as desire stirred inside him. His pants felt tight for a moment before heported himself and looked away.

    Bai Qingling noticed this and had a small smile of victory on her face. One of her objectives ining to the Grasnds was close topletion. And if she could rope in this strange mortal as her follower as well, this entire trip to Grasnds could be considered a huge sess.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As for that Seven-Colored Soul Lotus, she didn''t have much interest in it from the beginning. Sure, she was shocked to hear that such a rare treasure was found in the Grasnds. But, that was it.

    If she wanted, she could obtain much better treasure with a simplemand. Her status in Blue Wind Society Hall was such that, all its resources could be used by her on a whim.

    But, that alone wouldn''t help her in her goal.

    She needed allies and helpers who are strong or had the potential to be stronger. That was why she came to the Grasnds. And roping in Peng Xiaoli was an unexpected surprise.

    Pretty soon, he will be eating out of her hands. With that, she would have a connection directly to Xing Wuchen. And Peng Xiaoli himself wasn''t half bad. While his mind didn''t work like a normal human being, filled with battles and whatnot, he was a good support to have in battles.

    And if this Peng Xiaoli ended up falling for her, it would be even easy to manipte him into doing her bidding, all the time being unaware. Her mother was right, a cunning mind is a power of its own. And if one was cunning enough, one could rule the world while enjoying it as well.

    As for Liu Kong whom she had set her eyes upon first, she didn''t think befriending him would be a good idea. Liu Kong was too selfish and only cared for his interests.

    Such a man would never bow to someone else''s authority. While in any other era he would be a formidable opponent to have, this era was not destined to be his. So, he would most likely end up dead.

    Such a man had no use for her. Sure, if Liu Kong would be infatuated with her, she might find some use in him. But, even that will bring more problems than it was worth.

    The rivalry between Liu Kong and the Xing brothers is well documented. The Xing brothers were the top geniuses of this era. Even with this Seven-Colored Soul Lotus, Liu Kong would only be able to be on par with Xing Wuchen.

    And Xing Wuchen wasn''t even the strongest of them.

    Satisfied with the way the events had unfolded, Bai Qingling smiled inwardly looking at the direction of the battle. It was clear that the mortal was beginning to feel exhausted. But, he still persisted in attacking the demonic beast like he was a savage himself.

    While personally she loathed men like that mortal and looked down upon them, Bai Qingling realized that there must be something special about him to create this rare phenomenon of which she had no knowledge of.

    Knowledge is power. In this wonderfully beautiful world filled with strange and wondrous things, without enough knowledge, you wouldn''t even know how you died of one of the strange events.

    So, knowledge is essential if one wanted to survive in this world. And it had a power of its own. Her mother had taught her that. So, she had been educated in the most mysterious of the world since she could read.

    Toe across a phenomenon that she didn''t even know what it was and could only vaguely recognize based on some old tales that her elders scoffed about was truly jarring for her.

    And a man capable of creating something like that must have something incredible either in him or on him. So, roping him in was just for her. If she could learn the secret, then she could use or leverage it ording to her ns in the future.

    So, Bai Qingling was pretty interested in the mortal who was battling the demonic beast down there. She decided to give him a few more minutes before rushing in to save him and earn his gratitude and if possible, undying love as well.

    With a victorious smirk on her face, Bai Qingling watched the battle near the end. The mortal, despite his gantness and defiance, was no match for a demonic beast. It was time she interfered.

    Just as she prepared herself, a shocking event came into sight causing her to be stunned. She exchanged a nce with Peng Xiaoli and he too was stunned as well. His eyes were literally bugging out.

    Not even in her dreams did she think such a thing could happen. How in the world did a mortal aplish it? Many cultivators would give up their left arm to aplish what the mortal did at that moment.

    And he, a mere mortal with no cultivation, was able to do it when many other cultivators failed to even grasp its threshold.

    This mortal was bing more and more interesting for herˇ­.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 51 All-Consuming Rage

    Liang Tianye was about to interfere when the mortal shocked him once more. He couldn''t believe his eyes at the sight that was in front of him. If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn''t even believe that such a thing was possible.

    Now, the desire in him to obtain this seedling began to burn brighter than ever before.

    All along, he had prepared himself to interfere in the battle when the madness that took over the mortal left him and he ended up exhausted. But, from what was happening at the moment over there, it looked like the mortal didn''t need him at all.

    A smile formed on Liang Tianye''s face as he looked at the mortal and the demonic beast which was now in a standoff. It looked like the mortal''s actions not only surprised him but the beast as well.

    In that caseˇ­

    Liang Tianye looked over at the distance and found the two juniors were still present. He scoffed at their shocked expression and turned his attention towards the battle.

    This was turning out to be a very surprising trip for him. And he was liking it more and moreˇ­

    *****

    Duncan felt as if he was a kid bashing against a wall. No matter how hard he hit, the strength exhibited by him was just not enough to do any damage to the beast. His sword was suddenly like a blunt object, unable to cut through the beast''s thick and powerful hide.

    And the impact from each collision jarred his bones more than anything. As for the damage he did to the beast, it was pitifully low. For the first time, he truly realized the terror of a demonic beast for a mortal like him.

    The demonic beast was stronger, tougher, and faster than him. Many times he had barely escaped its ws. Earlier, while battling the wild beasts, Duncan had felt that the beasts weren''t that fast and his reaction time was enough to handle them easily.

    Even the little kid from the Wang n had better speedpared to the wild beasts he faced earlier. That was one of the reasons for him to kill them effortlessly despite being surrounded by them.

    But now, the demonic beast''s speed was far faster than the wild beasts he had faced. It was not just an increase in a straight line. The demonic beast was able to evade all his attacks easily. Its reaction time was also a lot faster than his.

    This proved to be a huge challenge for Duncan. He had to increase the speed at which he attacked without sacrificing his attack power. Even his full attack power wasn''t enough to damage the beast, not to mention if his attack power lowered.

    However, such a challenge was what Duncan needed to take the next step.

    His whole body was bleeding profusely. He was battered, bruised, and bleeding. But, he still kept going not willing to concede. His reaction time improved tremendously as he knew that being hit by the beast would mean his death.

    So, Duncan dodged and also attacked without backing down at all.

    It seemed as if the beast was taking it easy on him initially. But as time progressed, it began to disy its true strength. Each time they collided, Duncan was the one that was sent flying away.

    The beast was ragdolling him, to be honest. But, Duncan wasn''t idle either. Duncan fought back with everything he had. He wasn''t just taking the beating. No, he was dishing out attacks as well.

    But, the problem was that none of his attacks made an impact on the beast.

    Its thick hide and powerful body made sure that Duncan''s attack bounced off and did very little damage. It was honestly frustrating for Duncan to repeatedly see his attacks bounce off the beast''s hide leaving not even a scratch.

    It was truly disheartening to anyone. But, Duncan wasn''t just anyone. He was someone who thought it would be a good idea to wade into a beast tide all alone. He was someone who rushed towards a demonic beast eagerly.

    In short, the Duncan that was fighting at this moment wasn''t any ordinary man. He was much more. His conviction was much more than what an ordinary mortal possessed.

    That was the reason he could form the ck aura that was emanating from his body. The more setbacks he faced against the beast, the more Duncan''s conviction to cut this beast open and kill it grew.

    He refused to believe that his sword couldn''t cut a mere beast in front of him. Be it demonic or wild beast, nothing mattered to him. All he wanted to do was to cut open the beast and kill it.

    That refusal to believe, that desire to split open the beast''s skin, that conviction that he could kill the beast, allbined to provide fuel for Duncan. And with it, his rage at himself grew in leaps and bounds.

    Duncan was angry that he couldn''t cut open the beast; that he had to get stuck in this shitty beast tide; that the bandits made him unable to pass through the grasnds safely.

    Duncan was angry that someone had tipped off the bandits; that he had to flee the city to escape the clutches of the Wang n; that a mere kid was able to truly push him to the edge during that spar.

    Duncan was angry that he was stupid enough to walk into the Wang n; that he needed money so badly that he ignored his instincts and took on a job that almost had him killed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan was angry that cultivation resources weren''t avable to normal people like him; that he had a fixation on cultivation; that the old coot yed a trick on him that led to this moment.

    Duncan was angry that he didn''t have a drink now; that he hadn''t bedded a woman in a month; and his sword wasn''t cutting the beast.

    In short, Duncan was angry with every little thing in the world. Everything that happened to him since he met that old coot angered him. It was as if the entire world offended him.

    This all-consuming rage took over his already insane mind, and Duncan truly lost any semnce of coherent thought. All he wanted to do was cut open the damned beast and feast on its insides.

    As this rage took over Duncan''s mind, two things happened.

    Duncan stopped trying to escape or dodge the beast''s attacks. He didn''t care anymore about getting injured. His entire thought was focused on one single thing ¨C making that beast bleed.

    Also, as the rage took control, the ck aura he emanated underwent a qualitative change. It didn''t increase in density; rather it started condensing further and formed a single thinyer all over his body.

    The red hue emanating from the de also changed into a slightly ckish hue tinged with red all over. The new aura condensed entirely on his sword leaving the ck aura to be the only one covering his body at the moment.

    Deep in his heart, the embryonic form of Heart of Killing stabilized itself, and change happened all over Duncan''s body. The ck aura that was emanating from his body now had a sinister aspect to it.

    It was as if Duncan was a true demon who was emanating a demonic aura instead of a killing aura. If one were to take a deep look at his ck aura, one would feel as if they were being watched back by a sinister demon with a malevolent appearance.

    The ck aura now had an air of malevolence to it. It was as if anything that came into contact with it would be torn into shreds and annihted.

    And the next attack Duncan executed with a roar carved into the demonic beast like its hide was made of paper.

    The demonic beast howled in surprise and pain and backed away from Duncan fearfully. It watched Duncan warily from the distance with confusion present in its eyes.

    Its eyes also had a slight fear in them.

    Duncan growled menacingly at the demonic beast and the surroundings went entirely silent. The wild beasts that were spectating started to whimper and rush away from the scene in droves.

    Duncan stood right in front of the demonic beast with a ckish-red hue emanating from his sword and looked at the demonic beast hungrily.

    Duncan''s stare now had a predatory quality to it. When his eyesnded upon the cut that had opened on the hide of the demonic beast, a sinister smile formed on his face.

    He smiled in a deranged way at first, but that smile turned into a chuckle, which, in turn, became full-blownughter. Duncanughed loudly and proudly looking at the demonic beast''s bleeding shoulders.

    "Not so tough now are you?" Duncan mocked the demonic beast.

    Duncan''s voice now had a menacing edge to it. There was an innate sinisterness to the sound that emanated from his mouth. It was hoarse, yet incredibly maic in the silence that was engulfing the duo.

    The demonic beast growled in reply.

    "Come, you pathetic worm, I am going to carve you into million pieces and roast you in my campfire," Duncan said in a deranged manner before rushing at the demonic beast.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 52 Killing The Demonic Beast

    Bam!!!

    The demonic beast flew into the distance andnded with a thud. Duncan was not on his feet as well, he too had been sent flying by the impact. He slowly stood up from where he had fallen and looked over.

    The demonic beast was struggling to get up as well. There were several cuts along its thick hide now. Unlike how it was previously, the change in Duncan had somehow sharpened his sword and attacks. This has resulted in the demonic beast getting injured as well.

    Duncan wasn''t in a good state either. His entire body was bleeding from the repeated shes with the demonic beast. There were several cuts all over his body, courtesy of the demonic beast''s ws.

    Some were deep, some were mere surface wounds. But, the strange thing was that Duncan''s regeneration aspect was working overtime and the small scratches that he had sustained earlier were closing up.

    Despite that, it wouldn''t matter much if he bled out from the new wounds.

    Likewise, the wound he had inflicted on himself before this entire fiasco was refusing to heal fast as well. That made it hard for him to put weight on his left leg. But, Duncan didn''t care about it that much. Battle was the only thing that upied his mind now.

    It had been five minutes since the nascent form of Heart of Killing had been established in Duncan''s heart. And it had been a brutal five minutes since then. The fight between Duncan and the demonic beast had been one-sided until then with the demonic beast ying around with Duncan.

    However, since the stabilizing of the nascent form of Heart of Killing, the fight had turned pretty even. Duncan''s speed and offensive abilities had increased sharply since then.

    Earlier, he had to try very hard to keep up with the demonic beast. But now, he was easily able to match its pace and react swiftly as well. Earlier, no matter what he tried, Duncan was unable to pierce the thick hide of the demonic beast. Now, he was able to inflict severe wounds on the beast as well.

    Duncan''s favorite strategy of forgoing defense to concentrate on offense entirely seemed to work like a miracle now. The demonic beast had obviously been spooked by Duncan''s apparent ability to hurt it now and was behaving very defensively.

    Earlier, the demonic beast never even bothered to defend. Why would it? Duncan''s sword didn''t have the power to harm it. This caused it to y around with Duncan to its heart''s content.

    But, the demonic beast was regretting its actions now.

    Ever since the change in Duncan, the battle had turned miserable for it. Duncan had already been used to the demonic beast''s speed and strength. While it obviously hurt him to take a hit, he was like a maniac that only focused on killing now and obviously didn''t mind taking a few hits to injure the opponent.

    Not to mention that the increase in his speed and offense meant Duncan can now easily anticipate the demonic beast''s attack and evade it while delivering a return blow effortlessly.

    By now, Duncan''s subconscious mind had managed to note down the demonic beast''s attack pattern and was able to react ordingly. Unlike the demonic beast, Duncan''s attack, while pretty straightforward, had a sinister quality to it along with some unpredictableness.

    Duncan always attacked in a straightforward manner. He didn''t use any convoluted techniques to create an opportunity to attack. That was because he didn''t know any. Even if he knew any, he wasn''t in the right state of mind to execute it patiently.

    On the other hand, while he did attack straightforwardly, he never targeted a specific ce. He would attack any part of the demonic beast that was within his reach. There was no n to it.

    Just sheer instinct.

    So, the demonic beast was unable to predict where the next attack would target.

    This made it hard for the demonic beast to be continuously on the offensive. With speed and offense neutralized, the demonic beast had to fall back on its innate strength advantage and try to beat Duncan into a pulp.

    However, that n wasn''t exactly working in the demonic beast''s favor either.

    Somehow, Duncan always managed to move at thest moment to minimize the impact of any attack the demonic beast made. Even when they shed head-on, the demonic beast found itself battling against a slippery foe who changed the trajectory of his attacks at thest moment.

    With the attack trajectory changed, the position of the attacker will also change ording to it. This made it hard for the demonic beast to pin down its target and bring forth its full force. It was like swatting a fly and finding it always missing by inches.

    And this fly wasn''t weak either.

    Duncan''s powerful body came into good effect here. He already had a body that could take the punishment the demonic beast dished out easily. Now, that he was not facing the full impact, the burden on his body was reduced dramatically.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Still, each impact jarred Duncan''s bone and reopened the wounds he had suffered during the course of the fight.

    Duncan gritted his teeth and slowly made his way toward the stumbling demonic beast. The sword in his hands was dripping blood as he dragged his tired and injured body toward the demonic beast.

    The demonic beast saw Duncan approach and roared in defiance. Duncan didn''t bother to reply. He knew that the fight between them wasing to an end. Either he gave up and died, or he held on and killed the demonic beast.

    He wasn''t nning to die any time sooner. He had a lot of wine and women to enjoy in his life and he wouldn''t let this puny demonic beast stop him from that. And he also needed to pay a visit to the Wang n.

    There were a lot of things in his life he wanted to do. He had just realized the power the cultivators possessed and it was intoxicating. Not to mention the battle rush he felt when battling a powerful opponent.

    There was no way he was going to give that up and die at the hands of this demonic beast.

    Even though Duncan wasn''t in the right state of mind, a part of him realized that what he was doing was something impossible for a normal human being. His mind obviously equated it to a cultivator as they were the only ones he knew that could do stuff like this.

    While his mind was clouded with the desire to kill, the thoughts behind the cloud were filled with his base desires. Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Revenge, Domination, and several more.

    Duncan''s current state of mind was a ce where all his basest desires dominated. It was a ce rife for a demon to thrive. Unbeknownst to him, Duncan had truly stepped into the path of Demonic Dao.

    The demonic beast roared angrily and tried to rush toward Duncan in an intimidating manner. Duncan wasn''t afraid of it. In fact, he weed it. So, seeing the demonic beast rush toward him, Duncan started running toward it as well.

    As he ran towards the demonic beast, Duncan spied a small rise in the terrain in the form of a high ridge in the way. The terrain around this area was already a hilly region in the first ce. But, with the battle that Duncan had waged with both the wild beasts and the demonic beast, it had been splintered into cracks and rocks.

    Duncan raced up the ridge and jumped off it with the sword in both his hands, aiming to cleave the demonic beast into two for good this time. The ck aura surrounding him thickened with Duncan''s contempt for the demonic beast and his desire to annihte it.

    The demonic beast didn''t expect Duncan to confront it head-on as Duncan had always been avoiding that for thest five minutes. So, its attention had been focused on which angle he would use this time. But, the moment it saw Duncan jump off a high ridge ande directly at it, its mind nked for a moment.

    Not to mention the sinister aura that Duncan was emanating at this moment. It had always been wary of the ck aura that was emanating from Duncan even if it couldn''t see it. It was like something was crawling on its back.

    Even the reddish hue it has been wary of until this moment was looking sharper at this moment. This rooted the demonic beast in fear at that exact moment. The demonic beast whimpered and tried to turn around and flee.

    However, the time had truly run out for it. The moment it whimpered, Duncan was already above its head cleaving his sword with all the force he could muster. The reddish hue elongated along the de and it cleaved the entire body of the demonic beast into two.

    The demonic beast fell dead, cleaved into two, as its bodynded on either side of a kneeling Duncan, who was heaving heavily and clutching his sword.

    There was a sinister smile of satisfaction on Duncan''s face as he looked at the cleaved body of the demonic beast on either side of him.

    Duncan stood up and looked ahead proudly. With two pieces of a demonic beastid out on either side of him, one hand holding a sword that was dripping with blood, bleeding all over his body, and a proud but sinister smile on his face, Duncan looked like an incarnation of the devil at that moment.

    And it was at that exact moment that the sun decided to rise in front of Duncan, casting an even more sinister image into the minds of the three people that were watching the battle from the distance.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 53 You Are Trespassing...

    Bai Qingling felt her heart stir a bit looking at the mesmerizing sight in the distance.

    It wasn''t like the mortal over there was powerful or anything. She could easily wipe him out with a single finger. But, there was something about that sight that made her heart twitch.

    Whether it was from excitement or from fear, she didn''t know. And it was something new to her. She knew that it couldn''t be from fear as the mortal was not a threat to her at all.

    But, even if it was excitement, it didn''t make sense to her. She had seen scenes that were even more spectacr and wondrous. She had seen men annihte entire vige in a bid to impress her of their prowess. She had seen beautiful sceneries that simply took her breath away.

    Yet, the scene of that mortal standing in front of a rising sun with a demonic beast at his feet, sword dripping blood, seemed to stir her heart. And it confused her to feel her heart stir.

    Meanwhile, Peng Xiaoli, who was beside her, was also feeling something in his heart. The battle lust that constantly apanied him due to his cultivation technique seemed to rear its head again seeing the mortal standing over there.

    He too was confused as to why such a thing happened.

    Normally, his battle lust only stirred when he came across powerful opponents. And this mortal wasn''t one. Sure, he had killed a demonic beast while still being a mortal. But, that was it.

    Peng Xiaoli knew that he could kill this mortal ten times over within a moment without even lifting his entire hand. Such was the disparity between them. And yet, his battle lust was stirring.

    "Was that sword beam at the end?" Peng Xiaoli asked in confusion.

    A sword beam was unique to sword cultivators. It took a long time for a sword cultivator to produce something like that. A sword cultivator needed to attain a certain state of mind and be one with his sword before a sword beam could be produced.

    So, he was really confused to see a mere mortal executing it.

    "No," Bai Qingling said softly as if she wasn''t sure either. "At least, I don''t think so. Do you know how difficult it is to produce a sword beam even if one was a sword cultivator? You think, that mortal over there could do it?"

    "If it isn''t, how was he able to cleave the beast into two?" Peng Xiaoli asked scratching his head.

    "I don''t know either," Bai Qingling shook her head. "I don''t think it is a sword beam. But, I am sure it had something to do with the ughter aura that was emanating from the sword."

    "I reckon, it needs certain conditions to activate as well. It can''t be produced easily. If you were to ask him to perform it again, he wouldn''t be able to do it. More like a pinnacle attack of a certain state."

    "Hmmm, that makes sense," Peng Xiaoli nodded knowing that certain attacks required a lot of prerequisites to be able to be executed.

    "So, what do we do now? Can we go after Liu Kong now? The mortal is safe, and your help wasn''t needed at all. So, your n to rope him in would be difficult to realize. It is time we concentrated on our actual task instead of wasting time on this mortal," Peng Xiaoli said looking at Bai Qingling.

    "Not yet," Bai Qingling said frowning a little.

    She was upset that her perfect n hadn''t been of use. The mortal had killed the beast on his own and there were no other beasts in the surrounding. They had all been frightened away by the transformation the mortal experienced.

    So, her n to save him and make him indebted to her was now a bust. She needed to do something else. And she wasn''t willing to let go off this mortal either. Something about him was different.

    Her gut was telling her that the mortal over there could be a great ally or a fearsome foe. She had always relied on her gut to make such critical decisions in the past and she wasn''t going to stop now.

    "We need to rope him into our alliance. We can''t let someone else get their hands on him. Something about him is different. You can feel it, right? Despite being a mortal he was able to kill a demonic beast. And he is also powerful beyond reason for a mortal."

    "There must be some secret to him. Not to mention that ughter aura and killing intent he emanates despite having no cultivation at all. It is not normal. We need to know his secrets. We can''t let someone else take him in," Bai Qingling said with a serious look in her eyes.

    Peng Xiaoli had to admit, he was curious about this mortal as well. There were secrets probably on the mortal''s body. Either a special physique or a certain body mutation. He wanted to know what it was as well.

    "Alright," he nodded looking towards the mortal who was still standing near the dead beast.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I am afraid, I can''t allow that, my children," a soft voice sounded causing both Bai Qingling and Peng Xiaoli to turn around in rm.

    In the distance a lean man with average looks was standing nonchntly looking at them dispassionately. His eyes often trailed towards the mortal in the distance and Bai Qingling could see a desire in them.

    She realized that his person too had the exact intentions as them. However, she didn''t recognize who this was. She knew all the geniuses in the continent. Her status made sure of that. But, she had never seen this person.

    However, with cultivators trying to determine one''s age was always a foolish quest. Cultivators could keep their bodies in their prime for a long time. It would only change if they went through a tremendous change in their dao heart.

    So, this person could also be an old monster.

    Was he the one secretly protecting the mortal? Was he linked to the special phenomenon that the mortal was exhibiting? If so, what was the background of the mortal?

    While her mind raced with questions, Peng Xiaoli had prepared for an attack beside her. His pose was defensive and he was watching the neer warily. The neer nced towards him, but didn''t react in any way.

    It told Peng Xiaoli that the neer didn''t put the two of them in his eyes. He probably considered them not to be a threat to him. It also made him aware that there would probably be old monsters roaming around in the Grasnds during this time.

    However, neither Bai Qingling nor Peng Xiaoli were afraid of the neer. They knew if push came to shove, they could always escape and they had enough treasures to ensure their lives at the minimum.

    "Who are you?" Bai Qingling asked the neer in a hostile tone.

    "What a disgraceful young brat? Have the standards for the younger generation fallen so low these days? Whatever, I am afraid I can''t allow you to harm or coerce that mortal over there. I need that mortal, my sect needs him, so if I were you, it would be high time to activate your escape treasures," the neer said nonchntly looking at them.

    The disrespect in his voice irritated Bai Qingling a lot. She almostshed out. While this man might be an old monster, she was confident that she could atleast injure him and escape this ce. However, reason prevailed and she bit her tongue before she could utter something that would initiate a fight.

    "May I know who you are senior? And what sect you hail from?" Bai Qingling asked sweetly. "I am sure that the powers behind us canpensate you handily for allowing us to take this mortal. Something could be arranged between us if senior amodates our request."

    "Neither your Blue Wind Society Hall nor the power behind him can give me anything that could equal someone like that mortal. No need to waste our time little girl, it is time you left this ce," the neer didn''t budge.

    Bai Qingling''s face turned unsightly.

    "While you know who we are, you haven''t introduced yourself senior. Is this the manners of the old generation?" Peng Xiaoli spoke challengingly atst unable to hold it any longer.

    The neer squinted his eyes and looked at them. While Bai Qingling didn''t want to start a fight, the way the neer dismissed her and the power behind her irritated her a bit.

    Normally, she would try to smooth things over. But, the neer had made it clear that no ord could be reached between them. So, she didn''t mind Peng Xiaoli challenging the neer.

    "Youngsters these days," the neer sighed. "It seems that my name has been forgotten in the world as ofte. No matter, let me tell you who I am. My name is Liang Tianye. I am the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect. And currently, you are both trespassing in my sect''s territory."

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 54 Assassination Attempt?

    "And currently, you are both trespassing in my sect''s territory," Liang Tianye said looking at the two juniors in front of him.

    Normally, he would have just killed them off, and be done with it. It would have been better if the news of the mortal didn''t spread to the other factions. However, it wasn''t doable with these two.

    He knew that for these two to remain in the Grasnds despite the Heavenly Demon Sect going after the intruders, it either meant they were powerful or they had treasures that helped them stay. And at this time, it could be both as well.

    Thatbination only applied to people who had higher status among their respective powers. And no small sect would be bold enough to disrespect their Heavenly Demon Sect when they had made their stance clear.

    So, it probably meant that these two were the future of the sect that was grooming him. Going after people like them would invite the wrath of their respective sect. And he knew exactly the powers behind these two.

    Hence, he decided not to kill them on the spot.

    While the sects behind them would be aware of the Heavenly Demon Sect obtaining such a seed, they wouldn''t make an issue out of it right at this moment. However, if he attacked these two without due cause, then they would make a mountain out of a molehill. The righteous sects were especially proficient in that.

    So, to spare the headache, he decided to warn these two juniors off.

    He saw their expressions harden the moment he revealed his identity. The female was the first one to recover from the shock and fear. The male was still wary of him. He knew that the male would be the hardest to deal with as he looked like a blockhead who itched for a fight.

    "You are the Wind Demon Liang Tianye," the male said adjusting his posture so that he could be ready.

    Liang Tianye smiled upon hearing his epithet.

    "Looks like my name still resounds after this many years," he said with a slight smile which he was sure felt creepy to the juniors in front of him.

    "I am not afraid of you," the male said with a bravado he had seen in many men before theirst moments.

    "You should be," Liang Tianye said simply causing the male to re at him. "I am sure that you have several treasures that could help you fend me off or escape from here. But, the thing with treasures is that they are very precious because they could be only used once or twice. What about the third time?"

    Liang Tianye asked calmly causing both juniors to stir a little uneasily.

    "That is why I advise you to leave this ce. You have had your entertainment, now leave. The Heavenly Demon Sect will not tolerate any of you still roaming around this area," Liang Tianye said authoritatively.

    "If that is the case, then I am sure the senior wouldn''t mind us taking that mortal with us," the female said sweetly as if her honeyed words could sway him.

    "Then I am sure that the Blue Wind Society Hall would receive your corpse in several pieces," Liang Tianye replied with aplomb causing the female to nch,

    "Do not test my patience," Liang Tianye continued. "I have indulged your willfulness until now. But, there is a limit to it as well. And that mortal is above discussion. I will be taking him with me."

    "So, that mortal isn''t a member of your sect," the male said astutely.

    "Not yet, but by the end of the day, he will be," Liang Tianye said as he had nothing to hide.

    He despised lying when it was not needed. Neither of these juniors could do anything about it if he wanted to take the mortal with him. So, he didn''t see the need to lie about the mortal.

    "I am afraid, we can''t allow such a talented mortal to fall into your evil clutches," the male said righteously causing Liang Tianye to crack up.

    "You seriously believe the bullshiting out of your mouth?" Liang Tianye asked mockingly. "My patience is running thin, boy. If you don''t leave this ce at the count of five, I will show no mercy."

    Liang Tianye announced leaking a bit of his killing intent into the air. He could clearly see both juniors tremble a little as their soul felt his killing intent. He knew that they knew that he wouldn''t budge at this point. So, he felt no need to beat around the bush.

    Either they left or he made them leave with their tails tucked behind.

    The male and female looked at each other andmunicated with their eyes. He knew the exact moment they came to a decision and what decision it was. He didn''t want to do it, but if these juniors didn''t have enough presence of mind, he didn''t mind teaching them a profound lesson either.

    "Then, you leave us with no choice," the female gritted her teeth as if she was making a difficult choice.

    The moment her words came out, the male attacked him with a punch. However, Liang Tianye knew that the attack was a mere distraction. The real attack came from the female and she didn''t attack him either.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The female vanished from the spot she was in and appeared beside the mortal in the distance. The mortal was stunned to see a beautiful female suddenly appear out of thin air. However, the Heart of Killing in him still sensed the killing intent within the female.

    Just as he readied to defend himself, the female attacked him with her finger. At thest moment, a figure materialized between them holding that finger between its fingers.

    And it was Liang Tianye.

    Liang Tianye was furious at the moment. This silly bint actually thought that she had a chance to actually kill someone that he wanted to take in. The audacity and the arrogance of it really infuriated him.

    This time he didn''t hold back. He unleashed his killing intent entirely causing the female to knell involuntarily on the ground. By this time, the male had also realized that Liang Tianye was not within his attack range and had moved to support the female.

    But, it was no use.

    Liang Tianye waved his hand sending forth a burst of wind energy that sent both of them flying away. The wind energy hidden within his wave manifested in the form of small des that couldn''t be seen with the naked eye and battered at the duo, sending them flying.

    The duo got up from their debacle and found themselves bleeding across their body. Their faces became unsightly as they immediately crushed their escape talismans, escaping from the ce for good.

    Liang Tianye watched them vanish with a murderous re present in his eyes. He felt that he had let them off easily. Every fiber of his body wanted him to chase after them and kill them for disrespecting him.

    However, his mind prevailed and he knew that he can''t do that now. He slowlyposed himself and turned to look at the mortal who was the cause of this entire incident.

    The mortal was in a defensive posture. His eyes were defiant. And wonder of wonders, his body was still emanating the killing intent and the ughter aura was present in his sword as well.

    Liang Tianye squinted his eyes seeing that. The mortal hadn''t been spared when he unleashed his killing intent. Yet, despite that, this mortal was still standing his ground.

    The Heart of Killing was truly a wondrous thing. It was even able to shield the mortal from his killing intent. Liang Tianye sighed realizing how fortuitous it was for him to run into this mortal.

    He was sure that this mortal would make this world tremble in fear if he was allowed to grow up. And with it, his Heavenly Demon Sect would once more reach the top spot in this continent and rule over everything.

    "Hmmm, the legends were true. The Heart of Killing is truly wondrous. It even allows you to stand despite by aura suppressing you. What a wonder?" Liang Tianye said looking at the mortal.

    "What? Who are you? What is this Heart of killing stuff, you keep talking about it? Are you a cultivator?" the mortal asked in confusion.

    Thest question however came in a different tone. There was an edge to it and a demand as well. Liang Tianye''s eyebrows rose in surprise upon hearing it.

    "Yes," he replied sinctly.

    The change was immediate for Liang Tianye to notice. The mortal who had been merely wary of him until now was truly taking a defensive stance and there was even a little bit of hatred in his eyes now.

    Liang Tianye was confused now. While he wasn''t someone unustomed to such reactions, he had yet to tell the mortal that he was an evil cultivator. Despite not telling it, the mortal was showing such a reaction. He wondered what had happened to him to feel such hatred towards cultivators in general.

    Liang Tianye knew that hatred didn''t need to have a very serious grudge. A small grievance was sometimes enough to birth hatred. So, he was curious about which category this mortal fell into.

    But his mind told him that as someone with the Heart of Killing, the mortal would take every small grievance personally. The Heart of Killing would nurse it into something bigger as well. This level of animosity towards cultivators, in general, needed a particr type of care, lest it burnt the Heavenly Demon Sect down on its way.

    Just as Liang Tianye was pondering how to handle this, a new figure materialized in the distance. Liang Tianye looked over and found Hui Wanren standing there with an unsightly look on his face.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 55 Old Legends

    "It is good that you are back, the sect master has ordered me to bring you back. What is the status of the Seven Colored Soul Lotus?"

    "Liu Kong took it. The three elders from the Seven Clouds Sect interfered at thest moment. One of the held off the Star Empire, while the rest took care of the Grade 7 Beast. It allowed Liu Kong to escape with it," Hui Wanren said gritting his teeth.

    "As expected," Liang Tianye nodded without much expression. "What is the status of the Grade 7 Beast?"

    "The beast escaped back into the Grasnds. The two elders were unable to do anything to it," Hui Wanren said dejectedly.

    "Hmmm more like unwilling to do anything to it," Liang Tianye snorted.

    "Vice Sect-Master, you mean,"

    "Yes, they willingly let the beast back into the Grasnds. They wanted it to act as our counterweight and keep us on our toes," Liang Tianye spat to the side.

    "It doesn''t matter, we can take care of itter. Now, we need to return to the sect. And we aren''t unlucky either. Something more precious than the Seven Colored Soul Lotus has appeared," Liang Tianye said gesturing towards the mortal to the side who was looking at them with a confused expression on his face.

    "Is thatˇ­ killing intent? Butˇ­ how? He had no cultivationˇ­ Unless, unlessˇ­" Hui Wanren said in shock and turned to look at Liang Tianye.

    Liang Tianye merely nodded to indicate that his guess was probably right.

    He could see the greed and desire shine through Hui Wanren''s at his confirmation. He knew that every Demonic Dao practitioner yearned for such a thing to happen to them. It would be of immense help to their cultivation.

    Unfortunately, by the time they learned about these things, they would already have started practicing cultivation. Thus making it impossible for them to attain such a gift. Even with high-level techniques, no one has been able to reproduce an artificial way to obtain such gifts.

    The knock-offs created from observing these were indeed powerful to an extent. But, they never gave the full benefit of the gift that was formed naturally. This made such things very coveted in their circle.

    He could understand Hui Wanren''s emotions currently. To others, he may be a genius in the Demonic Dao. But, only very few know about the trials he went through to reach that state. And seeing something impossible for him to achieve to be present in a mere mortal would naturally induce greed and anger.

    Unlike the Righteous Dao, the Demonic Dao didn''t believe in repressing one''s emotions and being in control of themselves. Demonic Dao, in essence, was about being unrestrained. And that applied to the desires and matters of the heart as well.

    "Do not dwell much on it. It is no use trying to lust after it. It cannot be attained in an artificial manner. So, don''t do something stupid," Liang Tianye warned sternly causing Hui Wanren to frown and nod a little dejectedly.

    "Who are you guys?" the mortal who had been silent till now spoke up causing Liang Tianye and Hui Wanren to look over.

    Seeing him readying for a fight, they both snorted in unison.

    "Knock him out and bring him with you. We need to leave this ce. If those old coots from the Seven Clouds Sect learned about him, they would surelye trying to sabotage this good fortune," Liang Tianye ordered nonchntly and turned away from the mortal.

    "Hey, what do youˇ­"

    That was how far the mortal got before Hui Wanren knocked him out with a chop to the back of his head. As the mortal fainted, Hui Wanren looked at his hand that was bleeding.

    "You knew about the legends and yet you didn''t protect your hand with qi," Liang Tianye said disappointedly. "Looks like you have becent ofte. No wonder Liu Kong was able to get the upper hand and leave with the treasure."

    Hui Wanren scratched his head sheepishly.

    "Just bring him over," Liang Tianye said shaking his head in disappointment.

    "Our sect suffered a loss this time, Vice-Sect Master. Are we going to do something about it?" Hui Wanren asked as he fell in line with Liang Tianye carrying the mortal.

    "If it was before running into this mortal, I would have advocated for it as well. However, we need to groom this mortal until he could defend himself. So, we need toy low for a while."

    Liang Tianye said thinking a bit.

    "Moreover, the Sect Master is close to breaking through the Soul Severance stage. We need to wait for it before we can make any moves."

    "What about you Vice-Sect Master? Can you reach the next level soon?"

    "Who told you that I haven''t already reached it?" Liang Tianye asked causing Hui Wanren to miss a step. "Do not be fooled by what we show outside. Our sect is stronger than you think. You might not even make it to the top ten of our strongest fighters as you are now."

    "Howe? I am close to stepping half a foot in the Nascent Soul Realm," Hui Wanren said shocked.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Indeed, but you aren''t at the level of the elders yet. We are preserving our strength waiting for a chance. If the righteous sects knew our true strength they would band together to bring us back under their control. Especially, that sect. We know that the three old coots from the Seven Clouds Sect came over just to probe our strength in reality," Liang Tianye said looking into the distance.

    "We decided to sacrifice the Seven Colored Soul Lotus so that we can hide a bit longer. One more Nascent Soul cultivator isn''t going to make much of a difference at this level. So, we decided to bide our time."

    "Don''t be fooled by the old monsters in the sect. Even someone who is only half a foot in the Nascent Soul realm can kill real Nascent Soul cultivators. So, concentrate on improving your strength," Liang Tianye said looking at Hui Wanren.

    "Moreover, you will be getting somepetition soon," Liang Tianye said looking at the passed-out mortal.

    "I will, Vice-Sect Master," Hui Wanren nodded stiffly.

    "Don''t worry, it will take some time for him to grow up. If you don''t ck of in the meantime, you will be able to still dominate him. It is all up to you," Liang Tianye said consolingly. "However, I have to warn you to keep the matter regarding his potential hidden. We don''t want enemies to take out our trump cards before the war actually begins, do we?"

    "Don''t worry, Vice-Sect Master. I know how to keep a secret," Hui Wanren promised earnestly as he was able to hear the hidden threat in that statement.

    "Good," Liang Tianye smiled and they both vanished from the spot.

    *****

    "Report," Xing Wukong said in an exhausted tone.

    His face looked tired and he was truly feeling the same as well. His n to capture Liu Kong hadn''t fared well. While they were able to encircle him, they never expected one of the Nascent Soul elders of the Seven Clouds Sect to show up and help him escape.

    Just thinking about it made Xing Wukong''s blood boil. Not to mention that mishap, but there was also the fiasco with the bordering towns near the Grasnds being subject to a beast tide with little to no warning.

    It was truly chaos raging all around.

    And the reason for that was a fucking Seven-Colored Soul Lotus.

    If he had known that such a treasure was present, he would have not minded offending the Heavenly Demon Sect as well. A Seven-Colored Soul Lotus meant one extra Nascent Soul cultivator in their ranks.

    It could have increased his cultivation to be on par with his second brother. Then he needn''t have to worry about displeasing him. Now, with things entirely fumbled, he was receiving report after report about the rising death toll and the constant fighting to repel the beast tide.

    The beast tide would have reached the cities, if not for the Level 7 Beast turning tail and running away from the two elders of the Seven Clouds Sect. Now he had to send his gratitude to those swines for that as well.

    Just thinking about it made Xing Wukong''s blood boil in anger.

    "The beast tide has been brought under control, your highness. We have also received that the turmoil in the Grasnds has alsoe to an end. It is estimated that things would turn back to normal within the next few days and the merchants will be able to travel from the next week," the servant reported.

    "Good, any news about the damaged towns?"

    "We have lost a lot of bordering towns near the Grasnds. The Starmist City was the only city to be hit by the beast tide. But, with the help of the cultivation ns and officials posted there, we were able to bring it under control easily," the servant replied.

    "Still, this much amount of damage to our kingdom is unforgivable. I will not let Liu Kong off easily," Xing Wukong gritted his teeth angrily.

    *****

    End of Volume 1

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 56 Black Heart

    "Hmmm, this is truly wondrous," the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect spoke as he rxed back from examining the prone mortal on the table. "Who would have thought that our legends wille alive in such a pitiful mortal? The heavens sure have their own humor."

    The Sect Master chuckled causing the other elders who were present there to chuckle as well. They had all checked out the mortal who was reported to have the Heart of Killing and it was clear to every one of them, that apart from the heart, nothing about the mortal looked different.

    However, his heart now looked pitch ck to their senses. Every time they tried to probe it with their spiritual sense, the ck heart ended up shredding their senses ruthlessly despite the mortal still unconscious.

    It was really a wondrous thing for them to experience.

    "I have always thought that the ck heart referred to in the ughter Demon Sutra as a metaphor for doing evil deeds and attaining a stained heart. But, now I know why I can''t ever reach the pinnacle of it," an elder said with an unsightly expression on his face.

    "The techniques we practice came from the demon world. Obviously, there are going to be some techniques that required special requirements to achieve the peak. At least, you know now. You can switch to a new technique and that way you will be able to clear the bottleneck you are stuck in now," the Sect Master said consolingly.

    "Yes, Sect Master," the elder nodded a little unwillingly.

    "Do not lose heart. You still have a long life ahead of you. Most of the techniques from the demon world are aligned with ughter dao. So, you won''t have much issue regarding it," the Sect Master smiled causing the elder to look thoughtful.

    "Tianye, does anyone else apart from you and Wanren know of this brat''s existence?" the Sect Master asked looking at Liang Tianye.

    "Two juniors from the righteous faction were also present. I would have killed them, but their status in their respective sects was not simple. If I had killed them and they somehow got to know that someone from the elder generation killed their juniors, things wouldn''t be good. So, I had to let them escape," Liang Tianye said a little unwillingly.

    The Sect Master frowned upon hearing that.

    "Well, let''s not dwell on it. While the juniors might not realize the signs, those old coots will surely do. So, let''s operate under the assumption that they knew we have such a seedling," the Sect Master said causing others to nod in agreement. "Now, I assume you have warned Wanren of speaking outside about this matter?"

    Liang Tianye nodded sharply.

    "Good, that makes this easy for us to move with. I do not want the spies hidden inside to report the brat''s progress to the outsiders. Here''s what we will do, Liang Tianye, as the person who found him, you will be the one overseeing his progress. Let him cultivate the ughter Demon Sutra. It is the most appropriate technique for him. How you go about it, it is up to you."

    "The ughter Demon Sutra needs a lot of ughter qi to be umted to progress to the next level," Liang Tianye frowned. "Can''t we start him off with something easy to cultivate to a certain level? With his innate gifts, he will be able to reach the required level soon."

    "You are looking at in short term. No, I do not want him to be a demonic cultivator like us. I want him to be a true demon that terrorizes this continent. We will need the likes of him in the future. The righteous sects are beginning to stir," the Sect Master said rising up.

    "You have all seen how they came poking around this time. If you think they were satisfied with it, you are na?ve. I have been fighting those bastards for a long time. I know how they operate. They came to check on us because they are nning something," the Sect Master said looking towards the distance.

    "I want every one of you to increase your strength in the next five years. I am sure they wouldn''t sit still after that. When theye poking around next time, it is time to teach them a lesson," the other elders and Liang Tianye grinned in anticipation.

    "Before that, I need to step into the Soul Severance realm. Unless I seed, we will not have any chance with that old coot still hanging on. The day I step into the Soul Severance Realm, we can take the fight to them."

    "And this brat here is also part of my n, I want him to be a true demon. A killer like no other. Tianye, I leave him under your care. There is news from the central continent. There seems to be some disturbance among the righteous sects over there. Several old monsters are starting to stir again. We need to be careful of it as well," the Sect Master warned seriously.

    "Sect Master, will it affect us?" one of the elders asked anxiously.

    "We do not know for now. But, be careful. Whatever has stirred the hos'' nest there can''t be anything simple. Those old monsters wouldn''t step out until THAT opportunityes around. So, getting in their way now will be disastrous. Let the righteous sects take the brunt of it. We will lie low and see how the wind blows," the Sect Master said in a grave tone causing everyone to nod.

    "The Five Continent Summit will happen in another seven years. Let our disciples prepare well for it. This time we need to have a firm foothold in it. I have information that some truly rare opportunity might present itself after that. So, we need to have adequate preparations to grasp that opportunity," the Sect Master said solemnly.

    "Will it be rted to Them?" Liang Tianye asked sharply.

    "Most probably," the Sect Master said causing everyone to inhale sharply. "There is no reason for those old monsters to stir now. If they areing out, it only means They or That is involved. Nothing else will interest them."

    "Then, this brat?" Liang Tianye said looking at the mortal who was still asleep.

    "Let''s leave it to fate," the Sect Master didn''t exin much,<novelnext></novelnext>

    Liang Tianye knew at that moment that the Sect Master would sacrifice this mortal if he didn''t show sufficient improvement before that time. And he understood why such a decision was needed as well.

    After all, no sect would needlessly shelter a useless waste of space. If this mortal hadn''t reached a certain level by then, then the Sect Master wouldn''t offend Them to safeguard this mortal.

    ? If he didn''t have enough value, he would be ruthlessly sacrificed.

    This was the norm of the world. Only those who were strong and of use had a ce in the cultivation world. The rest are all food for the bigger predators to prey upon. Liang Tianye had known this for a long time and once more it was being proved true.

    "I will try my best to guide him," Liang Tianye also didn''t say much seeing that the Sect Master had decided.

    "Good, then let''s all take our leave. We have our duties to attend to," the Sect Master said dismissing the gathering.

    One by one the elders filed out of the room behind the Sect Master leaving Liang Tianye alone with the mortal. As the mortal stood now, apart from the curiosity that gued them about the legendary phenomenon, he was no use to them. So, they wouldn''t waste any time being at the bedside of a mortal.

    If not for the task assigned, Liang Tianye would have also taken his leave. He looked down on the mortal with aplicated expression on his face. His fingers twitched a little before he took a deep breath and looked away.

    There was conflict present in his eyes as he looked away from the mortal into the distance.

    *****

    "Are you sure that it was a mortal?" an old man asked furrowing his brows.

    "Yes, Master," Bai Qingling replied seriously. "That person didn''t have any cultivation emanating from him. Also, when he fought a Level 1 demonic beast initially, he was at a severe disadvantage. I am sure that he had no cultivation whatsoever. However, his body seemed to be more powerful than ordinary mortals."

    "A body refiner? But, it doesn''t make any sense. Most body refiners would have been able to overpower a Level 1 demonic beast easily. In that caseˇ­" the old man trailed off. "Hmmm, this seems to be quite a mystery. It would have been better if you had brought him here. We could have analyzed the phenomenon slowly."

    "I tried Master," Bai Qingling said a little disgruntledly. "However, Liang Tianye, the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect interfered and I had to escape from there in a hurry with Peng Xiaoli."

    "You say that the Wind Demon interfered, huh," the old man''s eyes sharpened a little. "This just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. I am now tempted to take a walk to check on this little fellow. But, the Seven Clouds Sect had just stepped on the Heavenly Demon Sect quite severely. And me,ing to knock on their door would just incite more trouble."

    The old man sighed and looked at Bai Qingling.

    "I am sure you have some guesses and merely want me to confirm. Why don''t you tell me what your guesses are Little Qingling? Maybe, I will be able to tell whether it is right or wrong," the old man smiled benignly.

    Bai Qingling stuck out her tongue in a cute manner eliciting a chuckle from the old man.

    "I do have some guesses, Master," Bai Qingling said bashfully. "But, they seemed very improbable that I wanted to consult you first."

    "Oh, do tell," the old man said indulgingly.

    "I have read about such urrences in the scrolls in the sixth floor of the Scripture Repository, but they seem to always corrte with demons," Bai Qingling said a little embarrassedly.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 57 Kidnapped?

    Hey folks,

    I am happy to announce that this novel has been picked up by Webnovel as a contracted work. It will most probably go premium from next week.

    Your relentless support of this novel has been the reason that it has reached such a stage. This wouldn''t be possible without your love and support. So, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart sincerely.

    After due consideration, I have decided to keep whatever I have updated till the end of this week as free chapters and will only put chapters after this week into premium as a show of my appreciation to you all.

    I am incredibly proud and happy to announce this to all my loyal supporters.

    Once more, thank you all for your love and support.

    Kirupakaran

    *****

    "I have read about such urrences in the scrolls on the sixth floor of the Scripture Repository, but they seem to always corrte with demons," Bai Qingling said a little embarrassedly.

    "Oh those old stories," the old man said thinking a little hard. "It does seem like there are mentions there. But, as you pointed out, it always refers to identifying True Demons. A mortal couldn''t be a True Demon anymore than you could be a Demoness. They are both inherently different."

    "Such a thing is not impossible, however, but those things have only appeared in legends. What I find most usible is that the mortal might have stumbled upon a demonic treasure and it might have activated during a struggle of life and death."

    "If that is the case, then he might have already died. Even if he didn''t die from the demonic treasure''s usage, the Heavenly Demon Sect would have killed him by now and harvested the treasure for themselves."

    "The Wind Demon might have recognized it and it was probably why he interfered. Such a thing is useless to you, so don''t fret much about it," the old man said smiling softly.

    "So, there wasn''t anything special about that mortal?" Bai Qingling asked a little disappointedly.

    "No, if he didn''t fulfill the prerequisites, the demonic treasure might have never activated in the first ce. And demonic treasures are notorious for that particr reason. So, I am sure that the mortal had some potential. But, even if he had, it is now useless to think about it as he is already in the clutches of the Heavenly Demon Sect," the old man stated causing Bai Qingling to rx a little.

    "If you were able to save him, then he might have been of use to you and our faction. But, that time has passed, don''t worry your head about it. You need to concentrate on the Five Continent Summit happening soon. I have information that those who get selected will have an incredible opportunity," the old man guided Bai Qingling seriously.

    "An incredible opportunity?"

    "Indeed so," the old man said seriously. "I won''t say what it is now. But, know that this is indeed a rare opportunity that you would do well to not miss. It can shorten your cultivation path tremendously and help you improve leaps and bounds. So, you put these silly thoughts aside and better concentrate on shoring up your strength."

    "I will, Master," Bai Qingling said earnestly.

    "If that is all, you may take your leave."

    The old man dismissed Bai Qingling amicably and turned towards the tea he was brewing when Bai Qingling arrived.

    "Can it be true? Are the legends walking this world again? And that information I had received from the central continent is also something I had not thought to see in my life."

    "If this is true, then this world is in for interesting times soon. Thess is far too curious for her own good. If she went poking into such things without proper strength, she will die without even knowing why."

    "Looks like the Heavenly Demon Sect has gained another piece on the board. It is clear they are biding their time. To think that such a bunch of demons could be contained by three mere Nascent Soul cultivators, what foolishness!!!"

    The old man shook his head in exasperation.

    "Let''s see how things fall in the Five Continent Summit. I can make a decision based on the situation at that time. If needed, I can use thess''s curiosity as a proper bait to stir the pond."

    The old man hummed to himself as he once more indulged in brewing the tea.

    *****

    Duncan woke with a splitting headache. It was as if he had indulged himself too muchst night with some cheap wine. His head felt like someone was beating drums right next to his ears.

    He slowly tried to open his eyes, but the sunlight streaming in from the window somewhere irritated his eyes as well. So, he gave up that act and tried to get his mind to work.

    Slowly, the events that happened before he passed out started trickling back into his memory. When he recalled the fight he had with the wild beasts, Duncan didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    He had never intended to confront the wild beasts head-on. Taking on such a horde was suicidal. Only an idiot would actually do it. And he had been one such idiot. The mere fact that he is still able to think after performing such an act was indeed a miracle in itself.

    He was both amazed and dumbfounded to recall how he had moved through the wild beast horde as if they were nothing. He knew that if he had been in the right mind, he would have turned tail and run instead of fighting like that.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Still, it felt vaguely satisfying to recall how he had killed a lot of wild beasts as if they were mere animals on the chopping block. Hemented the fact that he didn''t have the time to collect their carcasses as they would have fetched a great price in the market.

    But when the memories about his fight with the demonic beast trickled in, Duncan paled in fright. What the hell was he thinking running towards a demonic beast like that? Had he truly gone around the bendst night?

    What he did was something suicidal. Not to mention the sheer stupidity of that act. He never knew he could act in such a stupid way. Just the mere thought of the demonic beast sent shivers down his spine.

    He wondered if he had drunk too much of that cultivator wine and was currently hallucinating. There seemed to be no other exnations for his actionsst night. He would never do such a reckless thing.

    Especially after fighting wild beasts with a team behind him for the past few months. Even then, it had been a very demanding job. One small mistake could have ended his life. So, he knew how crazy what he did was.

    "It must be a hallucination. For fuck''s sake, a demonic beast? Really? A demonic beast? My dreams are getting weirder and weirder. I should have never drunk that cultivator wine. Looks like the stuff is too strong for me to handle. It might also exin this killer headache I have," Duncan mumbled to himself trying to open his eyes.

    He was sure that he was currently in that cave back in the wilderness.

    "I don''t think what you remember is a hallucination," a voice interrupted his attempt to open his eyes, surprising him.

    Duncan''s eyes shot open in an instant. He jumped up in panic searching for his sword as his eyes roved to find the owner of the voice. A lean man was looking at him with an unimpressed expression on his face.

    The moment Duncan''s eyesnded on that man''s face, the rest of the memories ofst night mmed into his mind with a ton of force. Duncan clutched his head in pain and groaned as his mind processed the new memories in the next few seconds.

    "You!" Duncan said with obvious feat in his voice.

    If his memories are real then this was a man that sent two people flying with a wave of his hand. This was a man who was a genuine cultivator like in the legends.

    "You are real?" Duncan croaked unable to believe his memories.

    "Yes,"

    "Then, I really fought against the beast tide and killed countless wild beasts?" Duncan said in obvious surprise.

    "I wouldn''t call that fighting against the beast tide and I don''t actually know about it either. I came only at the end of your fight."

    "I really ran towards a demonic beast!!!" Duncan paled as he voiced his next thought not actually listening to the man''s words.

    "Yes," the man''s voice had an obvious hint of amusement to it now.

    "I really fought a fucking demonic beast and killed it," Duncan whispered plopping down hard on his bed unable to even believe himself.

    "Yes," the man''s voice had mirth in it.

    "Andˇ­ andˇ­ a female tried to kill me?" Duncan said in confusion.

    He was sure he had never even seen that female before that moment. Why would she want to kill him? He couldn''t find an answer to it.

    "ˇ­and you saved me; before some other guy came and knocked me outˇ­" Duncan mumbled confusedly.

    Duncan really didn''t know what to believe anymore. The man''s presence was enough to indicate that his memories were real and he had indeed killed a demonic beast in a valiant battle.

    But, the things that happened after that made no sense to him. Why would that female try to kill him? Why would this man save him? And who was the other guy who knocked him out with such ease? Was he a cultivator too? He wasn''t able to even react to that.

    "And you kidnapped me," Duncan stated, finally calming his mind down, and looked at the man in front of him.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 58 Shocking News

    "And you kidnapped me," Duncan stated, finally calming his mind down, and looked at the man in front of him.

    He knew panicking over his actions was not important at this moment. He needed to know why this man saved him and also kidnapped him. It was the most important thing to find out at this moment. The rest can wait.

    "I wouldn''t call it kidnapping," the man said nonchntly. "I merely ensured your safety. You were too weak and that was the only way I could protect you."

    "Why would you protect me? I am sure I haven''t seen you before this morning," Duncan asked warily.

    "I took a liking to you," the man stated simply causing Duncan to feel dumbfounded.

    Duncan was prepared for some evasive answers or even outright refusal, but such a ze answer truly stumped him. He didn''t know how to react to that, to be honest.

    "Who are you?"

    Duncan decided to put the other questions to rest and decided to know about the man first.

    "My name is Liang Tianye. I am the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect," the man stated curtly causing Duncan''s mind to once again enter into turmoil.

    "Heavenly Demon Sect? Like those sects with cultivators?" Duncan asked to confirm.

    "Not exactly, but, in essence, you are right there," the man replied.

    "What do you mean?"

    "We are not your regr sect. We are a demonic sect. In fact, we are the strongest demonic sect on this continent. As a matter of fact, you are also a part of this sect since you arrived here. I have taken a liking to you and I will be your Master from now on," the man exined inly.

    "What?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    "I do not like to repeat myself, boy. You are now a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect, the premiere demonic sect on this continent," the man said a little irritatedly.

    "Can I opt out?" Duncan blurted without thinking at all.

    The man eyed Duncan for a bit and then smiled sinisterly.

    "Sure, you can," the man said sweetly causing Duncan''s hair to stand up, "however, I feel that I need to remind you of one thing. The only way you stop being a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect is when you die. Do you want to stop being a member of our sect?"

    "No, no, I am fine with it," Duncan replied in haste.

    "Good, then from now on, you will refer to me as Master. Rest, for now, I will be back in an hour. Meanwhile, a servant will provide you with food and other necessities. Once I return, I will take you to your new dwelling," the man said turning around and walking away.

    Duncan sat numbly on his bed unable to believe what was happening to him. He felt as if he had jumped from the frying pot into the fire. He didn''t know what to do now as he was sure he didn''t have any option but to join this sect.

    "What in the hell have I gotten myself into now?"

    *****

    "This is where you will be staying from now on, get used to it. If you are used to luxury, then get stronger. In our sect, there is no room for weaklings. As you are currently, you are not even a match for servant disciples in the sect," Liang Tianye said nonchntly as he introduced Duncan to his new dwelling.

    "I am used to living in a small ce. Luxury is not something I am used to," Duncan said looking around his new dwelling.

    If he had to describe it, the only word that came to his mind was small but adequate. His new dwelling had a small hall, which was enough to seat three to four peoplefortably. There was another room adjacent to it that had futons, which Duncan figured to be his bedroom.

    And there was a small kitchen area as well, but it didn''t have any utensils in it. Duncan saw a door leading to the back. He reckoned that there was a backyard as well.

    It was more than adequate for him to live by.

    "I would caution you to be careful when dealing with your fellow disciples. The members of our sect are not best known for theirˇ­ let''s say tempers. They are mercurial in nature and can be hostile in the time it takes you to breathe," Liang Tianye said not focusing much on it.

    "Oh," Duncan said stupidly not knowing how to react to such a statement.

    His stay in the Heavenly Demon Sect has so far been pleasant enough. He knew he couldn''t escape this ce. Not that he wanted to anyway. He had been searching for a cultivation method for the past few months and here he was in a cultivation sect all of a sudden.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This was like his wildest dreamsing true. Despite the manner in which he was brought here, Duncan didn''t mind staying here. Sure, he would have liked to see Granny Jiao once beforeing here for the rest of his life. If he had the gold he left the Starmist City in hand with him now, that desire would have been even bigger.

    But, now that he had lost all his gold, he wasn''t keen on returning to the Starsinger Town as a beggar. He had way more pride in him to allow that. Duncan figured it would be better if he became a cultivator andter visited Granny Jiao.

    And Bessa tooˇ­

    Surely she would love to be with a cultivator more than a mortal, wouldn''t she? Just thinking about it had brought a smile to his lips. Hence, he had been in a rtively happy mood since he calmed down and analyzed his situation.

    Even the servants who brought him food looked far more beautiful than Bessa. And they were respectful towards him as well. With great hospitality, a good future waiting for him, and no life threat hanging above him, Duncan was happier than when he had been staying in the Wang npound.

    As far as his material possessions went, he merely had the clothes he wore on his back and his sword with him. Whoever that person that knocked him out had been, he was at least considerate enough to bring his sword along with him.

    Not that he minded it much. He wasn''t someone who got fixated on material things. The only issue was that they didn''t serve him wine with the meal. It was a bummer, but he could manage not drinking any wine for a while.

    So, all in all, his experience in the Heavenly Demon Sect so far has only been positive. And now, to hear that his fellow disciples might not be amicable fellows stumped Duncan a bit.

    "We are a demonic sect boy. There are only three rules in this sect. Obey the sect''s orders, respect your elders and seniors, and do not kill your fellow disciples. Apart from that, here, might make right. No one will take pity on you and hold your hand. If you want something, you need to be able to fight for it," Liang Tianye said seeing Duncan''s expression.

    Duncan turned thoughtful upon hearing that statement. It wasn''t as if he didn''t know about the policy of might makes right. He was familiar with it. But, for an entire cultivation sect to operate based on that was something he wasn''t prepared for.

    "Anyway, you don''t need to worry about it. I have ns for your training and you will be upied with it to even worry about these petty issues. By the way, what is your name?"

    "Duncan,"

    "Duncan what?"

    "Just Duncan. I am an orphan, I don''t have a family name. Never even knew who my mother or father was."

    "You don''t know who your parents are then?"

    "No, ever since I could remember, I was brought up with other kids in the town orphanage."

    "Hmmm, which town?"

    "Starsinger Town."

    Liang Tianye paused and turned to look at Duncan seriously.

    "You are from the Starsinger Town?"

    "Yes, is anything the matter?"

    "Boy, you are one lucky kid. Until now I have been thinking that you should have tremendous bad luck to get stuck in Grasnds during a beast tide. But, it seems that you are the one with actual luck," Liang Tianye said shaking his head.

    "What do you mean?" Duncan asked anxiously.

    "Starsinger Town is no more, boy. The entire town got razed in the fight between the two Nascent Soul cultivators from the Seven Clouds Sect and the Level 7 Beast. The mine blew up into cinders unable to withstand their powers leveling the entire town down," Liang Tianye said looking away.

    Duncan paled hearing that. He felt something in his heart crack hearing that statement. His mind went back to his earlier thoughts of going back to meet Granny Jiao and Bessa. He felt his legs lose strength as he felt a little faint.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 59 Finding A Reason

    Liang Tianye noticed Duncan''s reaction and turned towards him. He saw Duncan''s expression and deduced something.

    "Had loved ones in there, did you?"

    Duncan didn''t know how to reply to that statement. Neither Granny Jiao nor Bessa could be considered his loved ones. But, they were people he knew. It wasn''t as if he was particrly close to anyone apart from Granny Jiao. But, nevertheless, that town had been his whole existence until a few months.

    And Granny Jiaoˇ­

    Granny Jiao had been the person he went to when he wanted some wisdom. She was the one who took care of his orphan self with her meager earnings. She always had something for him to eat or drink when he visited her.

    She was also the one who nagged at him to settle down. She was also the one who encouraged him to step out of town and look for his calling when he was confused.

    And now, she was no more.

    Duncan felt as if someone had mmed a huge hammer on his head. The revtions of this day kepting at him relentlessly. First, he learned that he had killed countless wild beasts singlehandedly in what could be called a berserk state.

    Then, he learned that he had battled and killed a demonic beast, something that was even impossible for other mortals to even dream about. Then someone tried to kill him. And someone else saved and kidnapped him.

    Now, he was in a cultivation sect and had effortlessly be their disciple. He had even felt everything was going well for him apart from small hitches, for the first time in his life.

    But, this news about the destruction of Starsinger Town was something that was truly unexpected for him. He had never even dared to imagine such a thing. And it had happened.

    Suddenly, everything felt too much for him to handle. It was not any single thing, but it was these things that kept urring to him in the span of 24 hours. And for a moment, he felt like his head was spinning.

    He didn''t know how to answer the man''s question. He merely stared nkly at the ground hoping that this was all a dream and he would wake up in that cave. He preferred being hunted by wild beasts and bandits to this any day.

    "Looks like this news hase as a huge surprise to you. I will leave you now. You rest for the day and I will send someone to provide you with food and water for the night. I will send someone to fetch you tomorrow," Liang Tianye said calmly before walking out of Duncan''s dwelling.

    Duncan stood there like a statue for a long time. He didn''t know how to react. Was he supposed to rage and swear revenge on someone? Was he supposed to break down and bawl his eyes out? Was he supposed to even feel anything?

    Duncan felt truly disconnected from the world at that moment.

    Starsinger Town was all he had known until a few months ago. To be honest, he didn''t like most of the people in it. If not, he would have never left the town on short notice like that.

    So, he couldn''t say that he was sentimental towards that town as a whole.

    But, it was the ce he grew up in. Those were the people with whom he had shared wine and bread with. Those were the people who had been around him for almost two decades.

    Even if he filtered out Granny Jiao, there were still a few people whom he considered to be decent folk. Bessa, while a whore, was someone to whom he had lost his virginity.

    He couldn''t say the same about any other woman. Duncan could admit now that he had a soft spot for Bessa in his heart since that moment. Until now, he had never even stopped to think about it.

    And then, there was Big Rock, who had taken him under his wing and had exined to him the dangers of the outside world. He didn''t get anything out of it. He had shared his knowledge because they were from the same town.

    And there were the people who worked in the mines with him. They were family men, withmon worries and no aspirations apart from raising their children. They were simple folk, to be honest.

    Now, all of them had gone. Annihted. Destroyed.

    For what? Duncan didn''t know. It didn''t look like they had anything to do with this stuff. They had no interaction with cultivators or demonic beasts. But, they had died as a byproduct of their struggle.

    Duncan felt truly for the first time how dangerous it was to be a mortal in this world. This was a world in which might made right. The strongest ones lived and the weakest wouldn''t even know how they died.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He didn''t think any of the townsfolk knew why they were annihted. From what the man had said, it seemed like a struggle between the Demonic Beast and two cultivators.

    He didn''t even know what a Nascent Soul cultivator meant. And he was the one who had more information on cultivators and how they livedpared to any other townsfolk.

    "Remember Duncan, in the eyes of cultivators we are nothing better than livestock."

    Granny Jiao''s words echoed in his mind, causing Duncan to plop unceremoniously to the ground. He sat there dazed as he realized that Granny Jiao was right. These cultivators didn''t care whether the townsfolk lived or died.

    They fought near that region knowing full well that their powers would kill those mortals who are near them. Their fight had been so big that the mine had exploded unable to endure the pressure.

    The very mine in which he had been working until a few months ago. The very mine in which he would have been working if he had not set out from the town. The very mine which could have be his graveyard if he hadn''t chased after cultivation.

    Duncan imagined being in the mine when it exploded with enough force to level the entire town and shuddered a little. That would be a bad way to die. Even if he didn''t somehow die in the explosion, he would be buried under the rubble and suffocate to death.

    Duncan had never imagined how he wanted to die, but he was sure that wasn''t the way he would have wished to go. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl and his heart shudder.

    "To cultivators, mortals are like livestock. I do not want to be livestock anymore. I do not want to die without knowing why I died. I can only hope that Granny Jiao passed away in her sleep. From now on, I want to be a cultivator. Someone who has the power to decide his own life and death," Duncan mumbled plopping down on the ground.

    He didn''t bother to go to the bedroom or grab the futon in there. His mind was now in a mess trying toe to terms with how his entire past was now gone. He was truly alone in the world.

    And the strangest thing was that he was only feeling the shock of the news. There was no anger, relief, or any other emotions mixed in there. His heart was like a void unable to truly hold any emotion at this moment.

    "Until now, I wanted to be a cultivator just to clear that itch in my heart. I never truly wanted to be one. Cultivation was something for me to search after. It was something interestingpared to my mundane life. But nowˇ­"

    "But now, I want to be a cultivator so that I could decide my own life and death. I don''t want to be livestock anymore. I don''t want someone to dictate my life and death on a mere whim."

    "I want to be a cultivator so that I don''t need to bow to anyone else. I want to be able to freely roam the world savoring all the wines and women it has to offer. I don''t want to be tied down to somece that I don''t want to be in."

    "I want to live like the wind, freely. Going wherever I want and doing whatever pleased me. For that I need strength, I can''t even escape from this Heavenly Demon Sect as I am now. Without sufficient strength, I will not be able to live as I want," Duncan mumbled looking at the ceiling.

    "So, I will first learn all that this Heavenly Demon Sect has to teach me. I will truly be strong so that no one would think of even diforting me. Then, maybe then, I will go after these people who caused the destruction of the Starsinger Town," Duncan said without much mirth.

    "At least, I should do that for Granny Jiao''s sake. After all, I owe her a huge debt. Without the sword she gave me, I wouldn''t even be alive now. I will carry the sword she gave me and exact my revenge on the people who killed her. I think it would be a fitting repayment for Granny Jiao."

    "If I know her right, then such a prospect might tickle her funny. She had always hated cultivators. Now I am bing one. And I am going to kill her killers with the sword she gave me. Somewhere in there, there is an irony," Duncan cracked a sad smile at that.

    "Granny Jiao''s killers, the Wang n, that female who tried to kill me, and that old coot," Duncan said looking at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Looks like I have enough motivation to keep going on this quest for power."

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 60 What Is Cultivation?

    "What do you know about cultivation?"

    That was literally the first question Liang Tianye asked Duncan when he met with him the next morning.

    ? Duncan had stayed awake all night long unable to sleep, just staring nkly at the ceiling from his spot on the floor. When the servant hade in to fetch him the next morning, it was the position the servant found him in.

    The food that had been deliveredst night was still not eaten. Duncan literally didn''t move the entire night. It was the summon from Liang Tianye that finally made him move.

    When he had reached Liang Tianye''s dwelling he understood what Liang Tainye said yesterday. The dwelling was far more spectacr and grander than Duncan''s. It was filled with paintings, trophies, silk, luxurious chairs, and whatnot.

    Duncan realized that in the world of cultivators power equaled wealth. It reaffirmed his decision to be powerful, not because he wanted live luxuriously like this, but because he wanted to have the option if he wanted to.

    So, when Liang Tianye''s servant had directed him to the backyard, Duncan shook his mind off the cobwebs that had been inhabiting his body since thest night and decided to focus on learning as much as he could from the man.

    When he was brought in front of Liang Tianye, Duncan noticed that Liang Tianye''s dresses werevish and he could spy a few girls giggling in the background. He had to try very hard not to stare at them.

    It was as if Liang Tianye knew his struggle, he motioned for the ce to be empty of everyone apart from him and Liang Tianye. The yard emptied itself out pretty soon, leaving Duncan alone with Liang Tianye.

    "Not much, to be honest. I have been trying to enquire about it for thest few months, but I only learned a few things. Cultivation is about cultivating the qi inside one''s body and bing stronger. And there are two kinds of cultivators in general. Righteous and Demonic. Also, there are different levels of cultivators. I only know about the Qi Gathering realm," Duncan answered honestly.

    Liang Tianye frowned upon hearing such a vague answer. After a while, he sighed and spoke.

    "You are both right and wrong. It is clear that you have no idea what cultivation is. It is a miracle that someone like you can attain such a state," Liang Tianye said shaking his head.

    "What state?"

    "The state you were in when you battled that demonic beast. But, we will get back to thatter. Cultivation, in essence, is pursuing a higher realm or longer lifespan.  To put it simply, cultivation is about cultivating the qi that is present in the world inside one''s body in order to make oneself stronger, tougher, and live longer."

    "Nowes the question of why cultivators are stronger, faster, tougher, and live longer than ordinary mortals. The answer lies in the qi. The qi is a form of energy that is present in the world. That is why it is called heaven and earth qi. There are many varieties of qi, as qi, in general, is nothing but energy."

    "Think of it like this. Someone who eats meat will be stronger than someone who only eats vegetables. Likewise, someone who partakes in qi will be stronger than ordinary mortals."

    "We will get back various kinds of qiter. I will tell you what this qi does in general first. The qi will purify your body, strengthen your muscles and unlock the hidden potential in your body. When your body is rid of impurities, it will be easier for it to function."

    "Breathing will be easier, your blood will flow faster through your body, and some special qi will even help you activate your hidden bloodline powers. This will, in turn, make you stronger, faster, and tougher than ordinary mortals. This will also slow your aging."

    "Cultivation is basically an act that defies heaven. By heaven, I mean the order set up by this very world. So, cultivators are particrly suspect to heavenly punishments. It is both a warning and a means employed by the world to destroy anything that might disrupt the bnce."

    "That is why when you cultivate to a certain level, you will always face the punishment of heavenly tribtions. It is a hurdle set by the world based on your strength to determine whether you are worthy enough to escape the constraints that were put on you as a mortal."

    "Anyone who passes that hurdle will be immortal. Until then, we are all mortals who are more durable and strong than ordinary mortals. So, the word immortal is not just a word but a title for someone who has escaped the constraints put on them by the world."

    "Cultivation is actually a process of a mortal trying to shed the constraints put on him by the world. In order to do that, we need to partake in the world''s energy and purify ourselves and strengthen ourselves constantly."

    "Am I being clear till now?"

    Duncan nodded mutely as he tried to wrap this idea around his head. He didn''t essentially understand it at that moment, but he memorized the words so that he can think back on it at ater time.

    "Usually, there are three types of cultivation in general. The first is the path of body refining. Body refiners are cultivators who cultivate their physical bodies. This path is both arduous and dangerous. However, in return, they are provided with tremendous strength and recovery ability. They can be quite hard to put down in a battle."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Next, there is the path of soul cultivation. Soul cultivators cultivate mental energy as opposed to physical energy like body cultivators. While not many cultivators tread this path, a soul cultivator is always a difficult opponent to deal with as they mostly use soul attacks from distance instead of engaging directly. However, this path is not suitable for someone like you."

    "Only those who have tremendous soul energy since they were born can even embark on this path. And soul cultivators are physically weaker than other types of cultivators since they don''t focus much on their physical bodies. But, make no mistake, it is better to take on ten body refinerspared to battling one soul cultivator."

    "Last, and most important, path of cultivation is the path of qi cultivation. This is the mostmonly used path by cultivators. The reason for this is that qi cultivation can be considered the foundation of the cultivation world. Hence, the resources and techniques avable for those who tread this path are abundant."

    "So, which one am I suitable for?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "You are suitable for both qi cultivation and the path of body refinement. However, I advise you to choose the qi cultivation path. While your physical body is strongerpared to a normal mortal, you are already too old to begin cultivation. If you choose the body refinement path, it will take decades for you to reach a decent level."

    Duncan mulled over those words and found them agreeable. His main motivation to cultivate was to be strong and have the power to decide his own life and death. If he chose body refinement now, then it will take decades for him to have that kind of power.

    "So, if I chose qi cultivation, will I be able to be powerful soon?"

    "It depends, both on your dedication and the other factors that are beyond your control as well. Take the demonic path for example, why most people chose the demonic path is that it is easy to cultivate in the earlier stages. However, when you reach a certain level, the progress will be much harder than choosing the righteous path."

    "So, only the most desperate and stubborn people are able to stay on this path for a long time. Unlike the righteous path, the demonic path focuses on bing powerful more than cultivating your mind. Hence, for individuals who seek power at all costs like you, it is the most ideal path of cultivation."

    "I don''t think I seek power that badly," Duncan said in confusion.

    "As if," Liang Tianye snorted. "Tell me, why do you think you were able to kill the demonic beast despite being a mortal?"

    "I don''t know. I don''t exactly remember how I did it. My mind is foggy regarding the finer details of that night," Duncan admitted readily.

    "Good, at least you are not trying to create an exnation out of thin air. Remember this, being true to your heart is the most important thing when ites to cultivation. Most people start to forget it once they start cultivating and gaining some power."

    "Most people will try to convince themselves that they are really a good person. In fact, no one is really entirely good. Humans are selfish beings at their core. The very fact that they cultivate and seek a higher realm is for their thirst for power and to live a long life. That notion in itself is born of selfishness."

    "However, most righteous cultivators will never acknowledge this. They will weave brilliant rhetoric and convince themselves that they are good at heart. That is the reason that despite being the predominant force of the cultivation world, they are always weaker than individuals who walk the demonic path."

    "I am d that you didn''t try to weave some story out of thin air to justify your actions that night. What you exhibited that night was a rare phenomenon in the cultivation world. For that to ur, one must reach a certain state in the mind, body, and soul. Unless they achieve that state, they will never be able to exhibit that phenomenon."

    "For now, you don''t need to know much about it. You will learn about it in due time. However, I will tell you the reason you achieved such a state. You hungered for power deep down in your heart. The reasons for it may vary, but such hunger and yearning will remain the same. Only because of that you were able to kill that demonic beast that night."

    "Never forget this. A cultivator''s journey is filled with temptations and detours all around. As long as you remain staunch in your goal and don''t fool your heart, you will be able to be powerful no matter what."

    Duncan nodded gratefully towards that pearl of wisdom. He can see that Liang Tianye wasn''t leading him astray. He was telling him solid advice that could be used for a long time. Such things are rare toe by.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 61 Levels In Cultivation

    "Good, now let us move on to the cultivation stages that you wille across in qi cultivation. We have already established that qi cultivation is the best approach for you. So, let''s discuss the journey you must go through following this path," Liang Tianye said motioning for Duncan to pour some tea for him.

    Duncan obliged by pouring a cup of tea for Liang Tianye without any hesitation. He had been thirsting for such knowledge for some time now and if the mere act of pouring tea will give him more information, he will dly do so without anyint.

    Liang Tianye nodded in satisfaction when Duncan gave him the tea. He seemed to approve of Duncan''s mentality at the moment.

    "A qi cultivator normally starts by absorbing qi into his body and slowly cultivating it. This stage is called the Qi Gathering realm. This absorbed qi not only strengthens your body but also rids you of any impurities present in it."

    "Once you have gathered a certain amount of qi into your body, the qi in your body will undergo a qualitative change. This is the indication that you have stepped into the next level."

    "There are nine stages in the Qi Gathering realm or officially known as the Qi Condensation realm. The qi you gather in your body will be in a gaseous state in this realm. When the gathered qi reaches certain quality and your entire body is cleansed of impurities for the first time, the qi will then change into a red gaseous cloud."

    "This transformation is the beginning of the next level. The next level is called the Spirit Sea realm. The Spirit Sea realm is where you will expand your qi sea in your dantain."

    "Dantain?"

    "I forgot that you arepletely ignorant about cultivation," Liang Tianye sighed and looked at Duncan with aplicated look on his face. "A dantain is where the qi that you gather in your body will be stored. It is both physical and also illusionary. You can learn about itter in the scripture pavilion. Now, don''t interrupt me."

    "As I was saying, the color of the qi sea will change from red to orange, to yellow, and so on. It will finally be violet in color. Having a violet qi sea is the peak of this realm. There are seven such transformative stages in this realm."

    "When the qi sea''s color bes violet, it will start to be semi-solid. That is the indication that you are ready to step into the next level. For now, let''s not discuss those things. It will take you a while to reach this stage."

    "If you cultivate diligently and practice hard, it will not be difficult for you to reach such a level within a year or so. Who knows, you might even surprise me by reaching it sooner than I think."

    "After leaving here, a servant will take you to register in the sect. You will be provided with sect clothes and the basic things one needs to have to cultivate for a year. Then, you will be taken to the scripture pavilion."

    "Normally, new disciples are allowed to choose a cultivation technique from the lowest level there. However, your case is special. You are already past the prime age of starting your cultivation journey. There is a reason that sects usually only ept young ones as disciples. That is the age where you will cultivate at an optimal speed."

    "But, that doesn''t matter for now. I have chosen a cultivation technique for you that suits your temperament and special state of mind. You are lucky that I spent some time in choosing this as new disciples usually have to muddle through and find the optimal technique for themselves."

    "So, don''t waste my consideration. Since you already have a cultivation technique, you can choose two martial arts from the lower level of the scripture pavilion. I will give you two weeks to familiarize yourself with those martial arts and your cultivation technique."

    "Aren''t cultivation techniques the same as martial arts?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    "That is a foolish belief that mortals have. How can a cultivation technique and a martial arts technique be the same? A cultivation technique essentially allows you to gather qi in your body. There are various ways in which this can be done. Hence the wide variety of cultivation techniques present."

    "Some qi amidst the heaven and earth are special and you need tailored cultivation techniques to cultivate them. On the other hand, a martial art technique will allow you to use that gathered energy in an optimal way. A simple attack and an attack utilizing a martial arts technique are entirely different."

    "A martial arts technique will amplify your attack speed, strength, or some other aspects based on what its creator intended for it to do. A cultivator who has cultivation but no martial arts technique is like a paper tiger. He will never be able to showcase the full power of his cultivation."

    "That is why both are essential for a cultivator. There are also special techniques and secret techniques that specifically target a certain aspect. You will slowly learn about them in due time. I advise you to spend some time in the scripture pavilion and get to know the various ins and outs of the cultivation world."

    "I will," Duncan said seriously.

    Already he felt like his head was spinning from the absurd amount of information that Liang Tianye had delivered to him. He had never thought cultivation to be so broad. He had always imagined cultivation to be easy once someone obtained a cultivation technique.

    But now, it was clear that cultivation was not that simple. There are various branches and intricacies present in it. And one had to be knowledgeable of all these things to be a true cultivator.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Good, from now on, you will address me as Master. You are my sixth direct disciple," Liang Tianye spoke seeing that Duncan was taking this seriously.

    "Direct disciple?" Duncan asked once more confused.

    Liang Tianye raised his eyebrow and looked at Duncan seriously. Duncan felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up when Liang Tianye''s eyes fell on him. He nervously swallowed and said.

    "Direct disciple, Master?"

    "Good," Liang Tianye nodded his head hearing Duncan''s words. "Know this, I hate repeating myself. And I absolutely loathe being disrespected. If you want to live long, do not make the mistake of disrespecting me even on ident, ever again."

    Duncan nodded hurriedly.

    "When someone joins a cultivation sect, they will be graded ording to their potential and assigned a rank ording to it. There are the servant disciples who have the most inferior talent and potential. Then the mediocre ones, who be the outer disciples. And the good seedlings that be inner disciples."

    "Usually when someone joins a sect, they start out as outer disciple, unless they are really talented. This rank is not fixed as you can move up in rank based on your performance and improvement in your cultivation level. After the inner disciples, there are the core disciples, whom the sect has high hopes for and nurtures with care."

    "Alongside this, there are disciples who would have worshipped some powerful cultivator as their master and will be acknowledged by them. They are called acknowledged disciples. Then there are disciples who have been taken under the wing by an elder or seniors in the sect. They are called direct disciples."

    "Oh, then why am I bing a direct disciple at the start when I should be enrolled as an outer disciple? Not that I amining master, but I am curious to know the reason," Duncan asked Liang Tianye.

    His past experiences have made it clear to him that being selected for a specific position was never a good thing. It either meant one will be exploited the most at that position or there was something else going on. So, he wanted to know what was up with him being offered such a lofty position right from the get-go.

    "Interesting," Liang Tianye said smiling a little. "Most people would rejoice that they don''t have to start from the bottom and leave it at that. Some might even let such a thing go to their head. But, your first response is to ask why you were taken under my wing."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ you are indeed different from others. You are not na?ve like them. You are cynical. And it is a good quality to have. Always look for the danger if something seems too good to be true. Especially, in the cultivation world."

    "However, you don''t need to worry much this time around. The reason you were enrolled as my direct disciple is because of what happened during your fight with the demonic beast."

    "You being able to battle a demonic beast alone would have seen you granted an inner disciple position in the sect. However, you did something that has been only heard in the old texts. You attained a state that was very much sought after but never truly attained by most people in the world."

    "The state you were in while you killed the demonic beast is called "Heart of Killing". It is a very rare and unique phenomenon. Many powerful cultivators have strived to achieve it all their lifetime only to fail in the end."

    "That is the reason, I am taking you in as my direct disciple. And, it is also the sect master''s wish that I guide you personally. One doesn''t cross the sect master and live to tell the tale."

    "Heart of Killing?"

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 62 Little Wan

    "Heart of Killing?"

    "Heart of Killing is a state that is only attainable when a person''s killing intent mingles with his soul and the only thought their mind has at that moment was to kill anything and everything in their path,"

    "It is pretty rare for someone to achieve that. You do not need to worry about it now. As you are, you are too weak to even harness its power. And the Heart of Killing in you is only at the nascent state now."

    "The cultivation technique that I have chosen for you is especially aimed to nurture your nascent Heart of Killing. Combining this cultivation technique and your unique situation will give you twice the result of practicing a normal cultivation technique."

    "I understand, master," Duncan said thoughtfully as he engraved the words Heart of Killing in his mind.

    If time permits, he would try to read up on it in the scripture pavilion. As his master was saying, he didn''t need to know much about it at the moment. Right now his priority was to increase his strength as soon as possible.

    "Here, take this," Liang Tianye passed a scroll to Duncan, which Duncan took confusedly. "That scroll contains the cultivation technique that I have chosen for you. Make sure you don''t misce it or let someone else gain ess to it. Leaking a cultivation technique without the sect''s permission will result in your death. So, be careful."

    Liang Tianye warned causing Duncan to nod hastily.

    "Then, you can leave now. The servant will take you to fill in the formalities," Liang Tianye said dismissing Duncan. "You have two weeks, after that, I will personally oversee your cultivation. Get settled by then."

    "Yes master," Duncan said hastily and bowed toward Liang Tianye.

    Liang Tianye had already looked away, not paying any attention to Duncan''s actions. Duncan hurriedly pocketed the scroll and left the yard. He found a servant waiting for him outside the yard.

    "Hi, my name is Ming Wan. You can call me Little Wan. I will serve you to the best of my ability. If you need anything, I mean, anything, you can call me," the servant said fastly.

    Duncan was taken aback by the attitude shown by the servant for a second. He had never seen anyone be as subservient to him like this man was now. However, he felt that the name Little Wan was a huge misnomer.

    Little Wan stood around seven feet tall. He was also fat. Contrary to his name and guileless smile, Little Wan looked nothing like a harmless guy. If Duncan had run into him outside the sect, he would have probably stayed away from him on principle.

    And it wouldn''t be in vain either. While Little Wan''s face was smiling, the smile failed to reach his eyes. There was a coldness to his eyes that sent shivers down Duncan''s spine.

    Duncanposed himself and replied.

    "Thank you,ˇ­ um Little Wan," Duncan said a little hesitantly.

    But the big man in front of him beamed like he had been given the biggestpliment. Duncan felt that it would be better to stay away from such a guy. However, he wasn''t sure how this would work out either as most of the people in this sect were hardened killers.

    "Can you bring me to the registration desk? Master has asked me to finish the formalities needed to be an official member of the Heavenly Demon Sect. And can you also show me the way to the scripture pavilion?"

    Duncan asked adopting a smile of his own.

    "Sure, it will be my pleasure," Little Wan nodded seriously. "Follow me."

    Saying that Little Wan turned and started walking away from him. Duncan looked around for a second before letting out a huge sigh and following the huge man that was walking in front of him.

    *****

    "So, can you tell me a few things about the sect and the general conditions here? I am rather new around here and I don''t want to make a mistake because of my ignorance," Duncan asked Little Wan as they began walking toward the outer regions of the sect.

    "Well, the Heavenly Demon Sect is obviously a demonic sect. I think you would know that by now. However, what you might not know is that we are the strongest demonic sect on this entire continent," Little Wan said proudly as he lead Duncan onto a cobblestone path.

    "You mean the world, right?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    Little Wan stopped for a moment and turned to look at him.

    "No, the continent. I am sure you at least know what a continent is, right?" Little Wan asked hesitantly.

    "Never heard of the word. Until a few months ago, I haven''t even stepped out of my town. And the only city I have ever visited until now is Starmist City. Even that looked pretty big to me," Duncan replied without any hesitation.

    During his stay in the city, Duncan realized that he was living a pretty ignorant life. From the tales he had heard from the drunken men over the wine, he knew that Starmist City, despite being huge in his opinion, was actually not that big of a citypared to several of the cities out there.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Ever since then, he had adopted the policy of being frank with his ignorance. He didn''t think it was a big deal if someone mocked him over it. After all, gathering more information was more important than some foolish pride.

    Also, the men who usually mocked him will then proceed to tell him a lot about the wider world in the form of insulting him. If he tuned out the insults they threw and their snide derisions, the information he would obtain from them would be worth their weight in gold.

    So, Duncan had already been inundated by the variety of looks he would get when he exposed his ignorance. That was why when Little Wan''s eyes bulgedically in surprise, Duncan didn''t mind it one bit. He waited patiently for Little Wan to speak.

    "You are serious," Little Wan asked in surprise.

    "Yes," Duncan replied sinctly. "That is why I am asking you to know more about these things."

    "Butˇ­ butˇ­ these are allmon knowledge," Little Wan said speechlessly.

    "Maybe to you, but to me, these are all new information. You should have also learned it from somewhere right? So, I see no harm in learning this stuff from you," Duncan shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.

    Little Wan looked at him in surprise.

    "I have never seen a direct disciple who is both ignorant and willing to expose it like you," Little Wan mumbled.

    "Hey, I was just a miner a few months ago. My entire life revolved around mining spirit stones, drinking wine, and chasing after women. So, it is only natural that I don''t know about it. As for all this stuff about direct disciple and all that rot, I have no clue regarding them as well," Duncan said casually shrugging his shoulders.

    "Now that you have reminded it, do you know where I can get some wine? Any wine is fine with me. I just need some to quench my thirst," Duncan asked Little Wan a little eagerly.

    "The first thing you need to get rid of is your ignorance. I can''t believe you joined this sect without even this basic knowledge," Little Wan said a little disturbed.

    "Didn''t have much of an option. I fought a demonic beast and fell unconscious. When I woke up, I was here and I was told that I am a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect. They told me that the only way to leave is as a dead body. So, I figured why not join, and now here we are," Duncan told his backstory in simple sentences not willing to dwell much on it.

    He specifically downyed the battle with the demonic beast and the wild beast horde. He knew what he did might not be considered a great achievement here amidst cultivators, so didn''t feel like bragging about it much.

    "What!!? You only fought one demonic beast and they let you join. That too as a direct disciple!!! How could such a thing happen? Even those who enter the outer sect are capable of killing several demonic beasts. In fact, one of the essential tests to qualify to be a sect disciple involves killing at least ten demonic beasts," Little Wan said agitatedly.

    "Hey, don''t ask me. I am as confused as you are. If you have questions, you can go and ask my master," Duncan shrugged his shoulders.

    "You are joking right!!! Me, a mere servant disciple, go and question the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect!!! Are you looking to get me killed? I don''t have a death wish," Little Wan snorted.

    "So, my master is the Vice-Sect Master of this sect. Nice," Duncan said thoughtfully.

    "Howe you didn''t know that?"

    "Well, my master never told me what his position in the sect was. But, I figured he must be a higher-up to directly enroll me as a disciple. Never thought he was the Vice-Sect Master," Duncan said shrugging his shoulders once more.

    Little Wan looked as if he didn''t know whether tough or cry at this moment. His entire brain shut down as he tried to process Duncan''s exnations. It was obviously hard for him to wrap his head around such a strange situation. He stood there silently not knowing how to react.

    "Hey, don''t freeze on me. If you don''t want to exin that''s fine as well. I will go and ask someone else. Just take me to the enrollment center, so I can get things done," Duncan said patting Little Wan on the shoulders, trying to rouse him from a state of shock.

    Little Wan turned and looked at him strangely. The next moment, his eyes rolled up and he passed outpletely shocking Duncan.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 63 Why Didnt You Just Say That?

    Duncan looked down at Little Wan, who had passed out just like that and let out a huge sigh. He didn''t know why Little Wan passed out so suddenly. He didn''t think he had spoken anything serious for Little Wan to show such a serious reaction.

    Confused, Duncan decided to wake up Little Wan first and then ask about itter once he calmed down. Duncan bent over Little Wan''s prone body and pped him in the face trying to wake him up.

    "Hey buddy, wake up. Wake Up! WAKE UP!!!"

    Duncan shook Little Wan rigorously causing Little Wan to wake up with a start. Little Wan looked around in confusion for a bit until his eyesnded on Duncan. Duncan could clearly see myriad emotions running through his eyes the moment his sightnded on him.

    "Are you alright?" Duncan asked Little Wan.

    Little Wan shook his head as if he obviously didn''t believe what he was saying. But when he opened his eyes again the concerned visage of Duncan was once more looming on him.

    "Heavens help me!" Little Wan sighed and stood up. "The sheer incredulity of your story is just too much for me to handle. I don''t want to talk about it much. Let me answer your questions and we can move on from there."

    Little Wan said a little disgruntledly and turned away from Duncan. Duncan shrugged his shoulders and looked at Little Wan''s back.

    "Well, to start off, I assume that you know what a town, vige, and cities are right?" Duncan nodded. "Above normal cities, there are provincial cities. Above them is the capital city. And it is where the ruling family is located. The country we are in now is called Star Empire. And it is governed by the Star Imperial Family or the Xing n, to be precise."

    "Xing n, huh," Duncan nodded to indicate that he understood Little Wan so far.

    "The Star Empire is one of the few first-rate countries in this continent. This continent is called the Dragon Scale continent. It is named so because thendmass is simr to a dragon''s scale. There are a few other first-rate countries on this continent apart from our Star Empire. There are other lesser countries on this continent apart from the first-rate countries."

    "The world we live in consists of five continents. There is our Dragon Scale Continent which is located towards the southwest. There is the Northern Continent that is located in the extreme north. There is the Heavenly Dance continent that is located to the southeast. Our rtionship with them is the worst. And there is also the Golden Firmament Continent located in the west."

    "Last but not least, we have the Central Continent. It is slightly to the east, but it is predominantly near the central region between all these continents, hence the name Central Continent. All these continents are separated by the oceans, which basically is arge body of water and some scattered inds among them."

    "So, a continent is basically a hugend mass, huh? Why didn''t you just say that?"

    Little Wan almost stumbled upon hearing Duncan''s words. He glowered at Duncan and turned around to continue walking. Duncan stood there not knowing what Little Wan was actually mad at him for, but he soon shrugged away that thought and started following Little Wan.

    "So, we are the strongest demonic sect in this continent. Then, what about the other continents?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "As far as I know, our Heavenly Demon Sect is actually a branch established by a strong cultivator from the Central Continent. We still pay homage to the original sect and most of our promising disciples eventually leave to join the original sect. Not just us, most of the promising disciples in other sects, whether they be from the righteous path or the demonic path, eventually leave for the Central Continent."

    "They say the qi there is much denser and it is easier for cultivators to cultivate there. So, once people reach a certain stage, they will leave for the Central Continent. Not just us, all the other continents do this as well. This, in turn, makes the Central Continent a gathering point for all the top talents. Usually, the levels of cultivation there will be higher and it is filled with strong cultivators as well."

    "I see," Duncan said nodding. "It is simr to merchants migrating towards the cities."

    Little Wan turned and shot Duncan an odd look. His face was as if he was baffled by Duncan''s analogy, but couldn''t refute it either.

    "Sure, if it makes it easy for you to understand," Little Wan said shaking his head. "Now, let''s talk about the sect in general. There are 7 halls in our sect. The Punishment Hall oversees the enforcement of sect rules and upholds what little order that is present here. So, the disciples of the punishment hall are really monsters. Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not provoke them."

    "Then, there is the Blood Hall, which consists of battle maniacs. They are mostly outside of the sect, picking fights all over the ce. Then, there is the Shadow Hall which breeds assassins. We also have a Medicine Hall, it is where we go to treat our wounds and the alchemists also reside there. They are a bunch of greedy bastards. If you are not careful, they will swindle you out of even your loincloths," Little Wan said spitting to the side.

    "And medicine hall also creates poisons, so there you go. It is better to stay away from that group as much as possible. Then, there is the Nether Hall. Bunch of creepy bastards the whole lot. They y around with ghosts and stuff that normal people will run away from. Then, there is the group of weirdos who love beasts more than anything. They have a hall to themselves known as the Beast Hall."

    "What do these members of Beast Hall do?" Duncan asked curiously.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "They go around and try to tame powerful beasts instead of killing them. It is a waste of good meat, I say. But, they prefer such things. Once they tame the beasts, they will then nurture them. Like I said, a bunch of weirdos. Andst but not least, we have the Administrative Hall, the sanest bunch in this hellhole," Little Wan said proudly.

    "The Administrative Hall takes care of the scripture pavilion, allocates missions, distributes rewards, oversees the daily needs of the sect, assigns servant disciples like me, and overall manages the sect''s affairs," Little Wan said beamingly. "I am a member of Administrative Hall, you see. Without us, you guys will all be like headless chickens."

    Hearing Little Wan''s description of the Administrative Hall, Duncan wasn''t very sure if he wanted to join them even if an offer came from them. They looked like glorified workers to him. However, seeing Little Wan''s obviously proud appearance, Duncan decided to keep that thought to himself.

    "Right now, we are going to the administration building. Enrolling of new sect disciples is done by them as well. Like I said, we are the people who keep this sect running. Not that the other halls pay proper respect to us, but I assure you, we are the backbone of this sect," Little Wan said scowling a little.

    "I can see that." Duncan smiled trying to not let his inner thoughts show.

    Duncan could easily understand why the administrative hall wasn''t respected much. This was a demonic sect and most of the disciples here are not very pliant people.

    And, to them, the administrative hall was merely a division filled withborers. In a world where fists spoke louder, it was only natural thatborers are considered to be beneath them.

    "Each hall is led by a Head Elder, and below him, there will be several elders and deacons in charge of the stuff. Only inner disciples and above are permitted to be a member of a hall. Outer disciples can only join them if they are personally invited by a deacon or elder."

    "Usually, the disciples choose which hall they want to go to when they are promoted to Inner Disciples. And also, I forgot to mention that gold and other valuables mortals use are not very valuable here. I am sure you know this, but just wanted to be thorough," Little Wan said casually, but this confused Duncan further.

    "What do you mean by gold not having any value? How will people trade for stuff then?"

    "We use spirit stones. We don''t have any use for gold unless you have a need for it specifically. So we trade using spirit stones. Dead useful stuff. You can use it to cultivate, you can use it to buy items in the marketce, and you can do a lot of stuff with it here."

    "Marketce?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Yeah, forgot to mention the spots in the sect, right? Don''t worry, I will give you a tour after registering in the administration building. That way, I can take you to the scripture pavilion as well. Anyway, we are almost there. Look at that" Little Wan said pointing to a massive building in the distance. "That''s the administrative building. Come, let''s get you registered first."

    "Thanks," Duncan said looking at the massive building.

    He had never seen such a big building in his life until now. Even in Starmist City, the buildings weren''t this big. So, he took in the huge building with wonderment in his heart as he walked behind Little Wan towards it.

    Just then, a disharmonious voice interrupted their progress.

    "Hey Big Wan, where are you going?"

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 64 Sudden Escalation

    "Hey Big Wan, where are you going?" a rough voice interrupted causing Duncan to turn around and look at the owner of the voice.

    The owner of the voice was a man of average height. His face looked to be simr to a rat''s which almost caused Duncan tough, but he held it in not wanting to offend someone for such a silly reason.

    The man swaggered over to them with an arrogant smile etched on his face. Duncan could spy a few rotting teeth in his mouth already. He didn''t get a good feeling about the man in general.

    Little Wan turned towards the man and scowled. It looked like Little Wan and this man were not on good terms. Duncan wondered why the man was stopping them if they were on bad terms, they surely didn''t even notice him until he decided to bring attention to himself.

    "Well, look here, Big Wan, the big servant disciple. Do you think you were too good to greet me now that you were assigned to serve the Vice-Sect Master?" the man sneered.

    "Rattie," Little Wan grit his teeth and replied. "Mind your own business. And how many times have I told you, my name is Little Wan? Don''t call me Big Wan."

    "Who would believe you if you told them your name was Little Wan?" Rattie sneered. "Ah, I get it. Is your dick too little? Is that why you go by the name of Little Wan?" Rattie cackled as if he had cracked a huge joke.

    Duncan didn''t think it was that big a joke. Looking at Little Wan, he too seemed to be of the same mind. Unlike Duncan who was rolling his eyes inwardly, Little Wan seemed almost exasperated with the man.

    "Can''t youe up with something new to insult me with? It is as if your mind couldn''t move past that one insult that is too childish to even make me mad," Little Wan said with irritation clearly present in his eyes.

    "Oh, looks like someone grew some balls now, eh? Just because you are now serving the Vice-Sect Master, it doesn''t mean you are better than me," Rattie got in Little Wan''s face aggressively.

    "Your breath stinks," Little Wan said clutching his nose.

    Duncan watched Rattie''s eyes bulgeically at that. He looked as if he couldn''t believe the fact that Little Wan had insulted him. He started breathing heavily as he looked at Little Wan angrily.

    "Listen here, you piece of shit, it doesn''t matter whom you serve now. If you insult me one more time, I am gonnaˇ­"

    "Do what?"

    Little Wan stepped up to Rattie without any fear and looked down on him menacingly. The obvious height advantage Little Wan had over the fellow lookedical to Duncan. He had to try hard not tough at the scene.

    It looked as if Rattie had just realized how big Little Wan was actuallypared to him. Obviously, he didn''t expect Little Wan to act so aggressively toward him. His bravado failed to withhold, and he backed away a few paces.

    "Fine, fine, it looks like you have grown too big these days. I will be waiting for you in your dwelling. I will see where you will run off to after talking to me like this," Rattie spat angrily and tried to walk away.

    However, Little Wan was having none of that. He reached out and caught Rattie''s cor and lifted him up to his height. Rattie tried in vain to get out of Little Wan''s grip as he thrashed mid-air.

    "Big Wan, don''t forget who you are dealing with. If youy a single hand on me, I will let my big brother take care of you. He will break all your bones and make you beg for my forgiveness," Rattie threatened in fear.

    Duncan felt that this was ridiculous. He had never seen anyone make such a threat in such apromising position. Moreover, this entire incident was something that was initiated by Rattie. If Rattie didn''t have the power to bully Little Wan, why in the hell did he insult Little Wan in the first ce?

    "I hate being called, Big Wan," Little Wan growled and mmed a punch right in Rattie''s face unceremoniously.

    Rattie flew away from Little Wan andnded a few paces away with a thud. However, Little Wan didn''t stop there. He went forward and started to punch a prone Rattie over and over again.

    Duncan watched Little Wan''s rampage with a strange fascination. Things have escted far beyond Duncan''s expectations. And that too suddenly. Never in million years would he have thought that Little Wan could be so vicious for such a simple matter.

    By the time Little Wan was done, Rattie wasying on the floor with blood sshed all over his face and moaning in pain. Duncan was sure that Little Wan had broken at least a few bones in Rattie''s body during his rampage.

    "Listen up, you little worm. I beat up your big brother just yesterday. So, don''t think I would keep quiet like I usually do when you threaten me with him. If you went to the Medicine Hall, you will find your big brother in a bed next to you. Now get lost, before I do something even more drastic," Little Wan said mercilessly and spat on Rattie.

    With that done, he turned and beckoned Duncan to follow him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Little bastard didn''t know that I had my breakthrough earlier in the week. Now, his shit brother is not a match for me," Little Wan said nonchntly as he led Duncan to the administrative building.

    "These shits are used to running roughshod around here. Not that they have the gall to pick a fight with inner disciples, but they pick on us servant disciples the most. Luckily, I had my breakthrough. I had been meaning to teach these shits a lesson for a long time."

    "Ummm, wouldn''t you get in trouble for beating up someone like that?"

    "Where do you think, you are? This is a demonic sect. If anything, fighting is encouraged here. As long as you don''t kill someone or permanently cripple someone, anything else is allowed. And I didn''t even use any martial arts on him," Little Wan snorted.

    "So, fights aremon here?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Of course, it is," Little Wan said as if Duncan was an idiot for asking such a question.

    "I see."

    "So, the best thing you could do here is to keep your head down and get stronger quicker. I don''t think you will face too many problems, after all, your master is the Vice-Sect Master. However, there will always be crazy ones who wouldn''t care about your status," Little Wan advised as they neared the management building.

    "I don''t think you are the kind of person who would walk away from a fight or someone who would call upon their senior brothers to take care of their problems," Little Wan said looking at Duncan onest time.

    "It is in the eyes, you see. Normally, people would retreat a few steps when a confrontation happens to make it clear that they aren''t involved in it. You never stepped back or averted your eyes during my entire run-in with Rattie. I can tell you are not a person to back down."

    "But, know this, you have entered a different world. In this world, power is absolute. Unless you have power, either yourself or in the form of some backing, you will be preyed upon by others in this world."

    "This is a world where power reigns supreme above all else."

    With that final statement, Little Wan entered the administration building causing Duncan to follow him as he mulled over Little Wan''s words.

    Duncan was sure of one thing. The words uttered by Little Wan weren''t some scary warnings. In fact, from Little Wan''s eyes, Duncan realized that Little Wan really believed in what he said. Especially, when he said power reigns supreme in this world.

    While he had known that the world of cultivators was a different one and one that is based on a strength-based hierarchy before this, the impact of such a change hadn''t sunk into his mind yet.

    But now, with Little Wan''s words, that truth was slowly beginning to sink into Duncan''s mind. He realized that while he had not yet seen the ugly side of this world yet, a person who is at the bottom like Little Wan was the ideal one to have experienced it most.

    Duncan wondered idly what kind of things Little Wan had seen to have such a viewpoint so firmly entrenched in his mind. It was as if Little Wan would do anything to increase his power.

    That thought disturbed Duncan more than anything. The unease he had been feeling around Little Wan when he first met him seemed to have doubled now. While he knew that he wasn''t in danger with Little Wan at present, Duncan vowed to keep his distance away from him in the future.

    Letting out a huge sigh, Duncan marched up to the counter Little Wan was waiting beside to register himself in the Heavenly Demon Sect. He didn''t know what his future held, but he felt as if things have been moving too fast for him to actually digest currently.

    He could only wish things slowed down a bit after this.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 65 Troubling Thoughts

    Duncan''s enrollment into the sect was a quiet affair.

    Once Little Wan informed the person behind the counter that Duncan was the newest direct disciple of Vice-Sect Master Liang Tianye, the processing was done at a breakneck speed.

    Duncan felt as if he was spun around by a cyclone with how fast things moved after that. He vaguely felt that his enrollment wouldn''t have been so smooth if not for Little Wan informing the person in charge of his direct disciple status.

    Nevertheless, he didn''tin much.

    The only snag in the entire process was when they asked him hisst name and cultivation. As a homage to his destroyed town, Duncan decided to adopt ast name for himself in the form of taking the name of the town as hisst name.

    So, he would be going with the name Duncan Starsinger after this.

    As for the bit about cultivation, both Little Wan and the person in charge were surprised when they got to know that Duncan wasn''t a cultivator yet. The looks they gave him were inscrutable and Duncan felt as if Little Wan was trying to dissect him with his eyes.

    However, it didn''t stop them for long. They both tacitly didn''tment on it, but rather acted as if they haven''t heard that information. However, Duncan was sure that it was significant information for these two from their immediate reactions.

    The person at the desk gave Duncan a small bag containing a few essential things containing the sect rulebook, a booklet about the various parts and aspects of the sect, a bottle of pills that was apparently used for cultivation, and a few spirit stones that looked like something he would have mined a few months earlier.

    Duncan took the bag graciously and nodded at him. Once the formalities were taken care of, Little Wan once more took charge and took him on a tour throughout the sect introducing him to the various spots in the sect like the training grounds,bat arenas, and much more.

    Initially, Duncan had been worried a little that Little Wan''s attitude towards him would change since it has been revealed he was not a cultivator yet. Contrary to his belief, Little Wan was even more friendlier towards Duncan during the tour. This surprised him a bit, but he took it in stride not willing toment on it.

    Their tour finally ended at the scripture pavilion where Little Wan dropped him off and left to do some other work he has been assigned to. Duncan watched him go for a few moments and turned to look at the building in front of him.

    The scripture pavilion was a seven-story building. It looked both tall and intimidating to him. He had never been inside buildings that were more than three stories tall and the new experience was beginning to turn him anxious.

    Duncan transferred the cultivation technique in his pocket into the small bag that was given to him at the registration desk and took a deep breath, before walking into the scripture pavilion.

    The interior of the building was warm and cozy. Duncan assumed that it was kept in such a manner to amodate the books present. He felt a good vibeing from the ce the moment he stepped in.

    The first person heid eyes on was an old man sitting behind a desk and apparently dozing. There was a cordon separating the bookshelves that were lined up behind him.

    The desk lookedpletely non-assuming and the old man looked even more so. But, Duncan didn''t dare to walk inside without the old man''s say so. So, he waited patiently for the old man to open his eyes.

    Meanwhile, he began eyeing the stacks and stacks of books that were adorning the bookshelves. Duncan had never imagined that so many books can be ced inside a single room.

    And it was not just this room, Duncan could see sections splitting off into another room or a pathway in the distance as well. To make things even bigger, there were seven stories of this building that were filled with books.

    Not just any books, but books on cultivation to be precise.

    The sheer amount of books that could possibly be present in this room just boggled Duncan''s mind. Where he grew up, a shop with more than five or six shelves of books could be considered a big shop.

    However, his view had altered a little when he visited the shops in Starmist City. But, this building was putting all those to shame. And these were not books on general subjects, but cultivation to be precise.

    Before this, he had never even seen a single book on cultivation. Now, he was seeing a building bigger than any other shop he has seen containing books, filled with books on cultivation.

    He felt that it was really unfair that these cultivators could hoard such a vast amount of knowledge, while he had to struggle very hard to find even a single book on cultivation.

    The scroll in his bag felt heavier all of a sudden.

    Duncan gulped a little and averted his eyes from the bookshelves. He tried to check out any other interesting stuff in the building but only came up in vain. So, let out a sigh and decided to wait for the old man to open his eyes.

    Duncan wasn''t angered due to the dy. Rather, he was d for it. When he had met his master, the amount of information that had been piled on inside his head from that brief conversation was more than enough for him to ruminate on for days.

    Just the mere concept of cultivation felt so vast to him. As he was thinking about the conversation he had with his master, Duncan suddenly realized that his master never answered his final question at all.

    When he had asked why he was being treated special, his master had merelyplemented him and changed the topic smoothly. He hadn''t even realized that his question was not answered until now.

    This brought a frown to Duncan''s face. However pretty he wanted to paint it, the truth of the matter was, he was now stuck inside the Heavenly Demon Sect. While he wasn''t averse to the idea of learning about cultivation in one of the famed sects, it was ultimately a choice that was forced upon him.

    He couldn''t just walk away from this as it would mean it would be his death. His master had been very clear on that aspect. And now that his whole town has been razed to the ground, there wasn''t anything else he could do currently.<novelnext></novelnext>

    However, the mere thought that he was being essentially forced to join the sect rankled him a bit, to be honest.

    Duncan felt like he was being set up for some big scheme. He didn''t know what it was or why he was special to warrant such special treatment. He had his suspicions that it was probably due to his change in the Grasnds. But, he couldn''t be entirely sure about it because he didn''t have enough information to formte his opinion on it.

    But, one thing was clear to him.

    Why was he now forced to follow the pathid out by his apparent master? It is because he was powerless in front of them. If he had some decent power, then he was sure that the sect wouldn''t be so tyrannical from the beginning itself.

    He had seen merchant guilds that operate in Starmist City. They would never force a wealthy person to do some things. In fact, they will try to win them over instead of threatening them.

    Likewise, if he was powerful, the sect wouldn''t have taken such an approach. Rather, they would have tried to win him over. They would have tried to get him beholden to them and would slowly work their way up.

    Duncan frowned the moment such a thought popped up in his head.

    His experience in life so far had taught him that everything has both good and bad attached to it. There wasn''t something that was entirely good in this world. The world is not made of rights and wrongs, there was a lot of stuff that fell in the middle.

    As he started pondering about it seriously, he began to notice a change in his thoughts recently. His desire for power had been prominent ofte. He didn''t know why his mind had started to think about only attaining the power ofte.

    He couldn''t exactly pin down when it began, but as he went through his experience in the past few months, more and more things started to pop up. Starting from his abrupt departure from the town, his actions have always been of someone chasing after power.

    First and foremost, why was he so hell-bent on chasing after cultivation? He had been content with his life until the moment he passed out while talking to that old coot.

    Why would he all of a sudden cast aside everything he wasfortable with out of nowhere and chase after cultivation? Was that even normal? Duncan couldn''t understand why he did such a thing.

    In the Starmist City, he had been ready to abandon the mercenaries whom he had faced life and death with. He hadn''t even stopped to think if he was abandoning them out of nowhere. All he cared about was that they weren''t ideal to help him obtain more power and he was ready to leave them.

    Then, he wandered into the Wang n with no sense and got stuck there. He normally would have been much warier about the job seeing the reward money for it. But, his mind had only cared about earning enough money at that moment so that he could learn about cultivation.

    Then, his actions in the Grasnds weren''t any better. He could have probably thought a bit more and found a way to escape the encirclement. Instead, he had baited the bandits and had somewhere deep in his heart wanted them to chase after him.

    Not to mention his whole episode with the wild beasts.

    It was as if he was getting more and more into ridiculous situations in his chase for power. It was as if something inside him was pushing in that direction time and time again.

    He didn''t know what it was, but it didn''t sit well with him. Even now, after learning about the destruction of his entire town, all he could think of was bing more powerful.

    And he wasn''t grateful that these people from the Heavenly Demon Sect had saved him from that woman. Instead, he was nowining that if he had been powerful then the sect would have treated him differently.

    What more did he want? They have rescued him; admitted him into their sect; given him a chance to cultivate, which was something he had wanted; even made him a direct disciple when he couldn''t even be an outer disciple on his merit.

    And after all this, he still felt dissatisfied with his treatment.

    This wasn''t how he would usually react.

    The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. Duncan was truly troubled now. He didn''t even know why his thoughts have changed as ofte. There was something sinister going on, and he couldn''t exactly pin down what was happening to him. And it freaked him out a bit.

    "Calm down, young one. Whatever you are thinking isn''t doing you any favors," an old voice floated into his ears causing Duncan to snap out of his downward spiral.

    Duncan looked around frantically for the voice and found the old man, who had been dozing till now, was looking at him scrutinizingly.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 66 Choosing Martial Arts

    "Greetings senior," Duncan greeted the old man politely.

    "Who might you be young man? I have never seen your face before here. I remember each and every one of the faces that walked into this pavilion. I can assure you that I haven''t seen you here," the old man said softly, but there was an underlyingyer of firm conviction in his speech.

    "My name is Duncan, senior. I recently joined the sect. I have been sent here to obtain martial arts techniques to cultivate," Duncan replied.

    "There weren''t any sect entrance examinationstely. And that is the only time we take in mortals. Moreover, you look too old to participate in it. So, I ask you once again, who are you? Why are you here?" the old man said looking at Duncan suspiciously.

    "Like I said senior, my name is Duncan. I was just enrolled in the sect. I am the sixth direct disciple of Master Tianye," Duncan introduced himself with his master''s name this time.

    "You say you are that brat Tianye''s sixth disciple, huh? Give me your identity token, let me confirm it," the old man said looking at Duncan sharply.

    Duncan fumbled a bit but eventually handed him the token that he was given when he was registered. The old man took the token in his hands and looked at it hard for a few moments, before nodding his head.

    "It seems you are indeed speaking the truth," the old man said looking at Duncan appraisingly. "I wonder what made you special enough for Tianye to take you in as his disciple despite your mortal status."

    Duncan didn''t know how to respond to that. He didn''t want to tell everyone about his circumstances. He believed that the fewer people who knew about it, the better it would be for him.

    "Nevermind, it is not my ce to ask such questions. Consider it an old man''s gaffe born out of his nosiness. You will begin to realize that as you get old very few things interests you. And a mortal bing a direct disciple is interesting enough to pique my curiosity," the old man said waving off.

    "You said you wanted to pick martial arts techniques. Not a cultivation technique?" the old man asked looking at Duncan doubtfully.

    "My master has chosen a cultivation technique for myself. He told me that it is the mostpatible technique for me to cultivate in," Duncan replied without giving away much.

    "Fair enough," the old man nodded. "Anyone below Spirit Sea realm is only allowed to take two techniques from the pavilion. You can choose any two techniques from the shelves on the first floor and bring them to me. But beware to stay on the first floor. If you get too greedy and tried to step into the second floor, you wouldn''t even know how you died."

    Duncan gulped upon hearing that warning. As much as he was curious about the other floors, he didn''t want to die for that curiosity. Duncan nodded in understanding to that warning causing the old man to sigh and wave his hands.

    Duncan felt as if the wind brushed past him, but there were no visible changes he could see. He looked around curiously but wasn''t able to see what had changed after the old man waved his hands.

    "You can enter," the old man said waving Duncan in.

    "Senior, do you have any advice on what kind of techniques I should choose?" Duncan asked respectfully.

    "Didn''t your master advice you on that?" the old man said arching his eyebrows.

    Duncan shook his head to indicate his answer to that question.

    "Always choose something that you need and have an affinity with. No matter the cultivation technique, what matters the most while choosing martial arts technique is what they could bring to you personally."

    "A same martial arts technique can be used by different cultivators for different purposes. So, the most important thing is what you gain from it, not what is suited for your cultivation technique."

    The old man replied in a slow tone. Duncan took in his words and nodded gratefully.

    "Enter," the old man didn''t say much after that.

    Duncan watched the old man once more doze off, before entering the pavilion proper. As soon as he stepped foot inside the cordoned-off section, he felt something brush past him. Duncan looked around to see what it was and once more found nothing.

    Steeling his heart a bit, Duncan took another step tentatively. He let out a heavy sigh when nothing happened. Once he confirmed that he was safe, Duncan began to stroll amongst the bookshelves aimlessly.

    Wherever he turned, there were a bunch of books on one topic or the other. There were cultivation manuals, martial arts techniques, and books on varied topics like nts, wild beasts, weapons, pills, furnaces, and whatnot.

    He truly felt lost in there.

    For a few moments, Duncan stood there in a daze looking at the myriad books that were surrounding him. Each and every one of these books contained something that he couldn''t normally get his hands on. Right now everything that happened to him looked like a dream.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan snapped out of his daze and started browsing the shelves for something he could practice. He already knew what one of his choices was going to be.

    He had a thing for swords. It was clear to him by now. He had learned the sword fast. Not that he had experience in handling any other weapon. But, if the only thing he knew was how to fight with a sword, then it only made sense to Duncan to choose a martial art that focused on swords.

    So, Duncan searched the shelves trying to find out where sword-based martial arts were located in. During his browsing, Duncan had already figured out that books on the same weapon or subject were grouped together. That meant, there was a section dedicated to martial arts based on swords.

    Duncan''s search soon found purchase as he located the shelves dedicated to martial arts based on swords. Once he found the shelves, Duncan started pursuing the manuals one by one trying to figure out which one best suited him.

    <Mountain Breaking Sword> - ideal for body refiners and cultivators with a powerful physique.

    <Cloud Chasing Sword Art> - ideal for cultivators who pursue speed and unpredictability.

    <Wave Breaking Sword Technique> - ideal for cultivators who pursue flexibility.

    As Duncan began pursuing, he came across a myriad of martial arts focused on swords. They ranged from something that could sunder the mountain into two to something that was quick and flexible like a snake.

    Duncan truly felt lost reading all the descriptions. He felt as if all these martial arts had something to offer and had a really hard time trying to decide which one to choose from.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Not only that, he also came across various books detailing the process of forging a sword or what kind of materials a good sword contained. The sheer amount of information present there truly boggled Duncan''s mind.

    And it was just shelves dedicated to martial arts based on swords.

    There were even some truly disturbing sword techniques that made Duncan feel a shiver down his spine. One particr sword technique required the cultivator to impale females in their private parts to nurture the sword.

    Duncan almost felt repulsed seeing that technique.

    In the end, he decided to set aside sword techniques that he actually had a liking for and decide on one among themter. He didn''t know what he should look for in a sword technique, to be honest. He could only choose something that he liked.

    Thus Duncan started piling up a few books that liked better than others onto a side. Once done, Duncan didn''t immediately choose one amongst them. Rather he decided to choose his second martial arts technique so that he couldplement it with his sword technique.

    Instead of choosing two techniques with the same attributes, Duncan decided to diversify his techniques to spread out the advantages they offered to him. Duncan didn''t know if doing something like that was right or not. But, since no one gave him any advice, he decided to go with what his gut told him to do.

    However, it was at this exact moment that Duncan hit a snag.

    While he knew that he wanted a sword technique as one of his martial arts techniques, he didn''t know what he wanted the other one to be. As he recalled the various techniques he hade across, Duncan realized that he had seen way too many varieties to easily choose from.

    There were fist techniques, palm techniques, finger techniques, and even w techniques. To round up the other end, there were leg techniques, axe techniques, saber techniques, body techniques, agility techniques, and a lot more.

    Not to mention the books on alchemy, weapon making, pill making, artificing, formations, talismans, and a whole bunch of other varieties as well.

    Duncan felt truly dizzy just thinking about them. He almost gave up on choosing a second category and simply choose two sword techniques and be done with it. However, he knew that doing so would be foolish.

    So, reluctantly Duncan tried toe up with a way to choose the second category. Since he had already chosen his weapon of choice, Duncan decided that it didn''t make much sense to choose other weapon techniques.

    So, he omitted them from consideration first.

    That still left him with a lot of choices. So, Duncan once more narrowed down the categories by excluding auxiliary professions like an alchemist, talisman master, weapon forger, and so on.

    He figured that if he needed to pick up a professionter, he could choose one among themter. Right now, he needed to concentrate on increasing his power and not being crushed under the boot by someone else like how Little Wan beat up Rattie.

    So, he omitted them from consideration as well.

    He repeated the process a few more times before settling upon a movement technique for his second martial arts. A movement technique or agility technique helped the cultivator to move faster and in an unpredictable manner during a battle. There were different types among them as well.

    The first was what is called a movement technique. It helped a cultivator to travel a longer distance with the assistance of qi in their body. Duncan felt that such a technique would havee in handy when he was escaping from the bandits and running away from the wild beasts.

    The second type was called the agility technique. An agility technique helped the cultivator to move in a mysterious pattern while in battle thus avoiding hits and surprising the opponents with a sudden attack from their blind spots. They also helped in evading attacks.

    The drawback of this technique was that these could only be used within a limited distance. They could never be used outside of battle for travel or other purposes. This was a huge bummer for Duncan.

    Duncan realized that he usually preferred to engage his opponent in a direct manner. Which, in turn, meant that techniques of this variety were next to useless to him.

    His style was such that either he fought head-on or he booked it without looking back. So, Duncan felt adding a movement technique to his arsenal was the ideal thing to do now.

    He knew that he was not very powerful. That meant, he would most likely be running away from powerful people for the foreseeable future. So, a technique that could aid him to do that would be a great thing to have up his sleeve.

    Once he sorted out his priorities, Duncan was able to pick up a movement technique that truly suited his needs just like the old man in the front said. Then, he walked over to the pile he had picked out earlier and tried to select a sword technique thatplimented the movement technique he had chosen.

    After going back and forth for a few minutes, Duncan finally settled on his sword technique as well. Duncan took the two booklets and put the other away, before making his way to the old man at the front.

    The moment Duncan neared him, the old man''s eyes opened and he looked down at the books that Duncan presented him.

    "<Wind Chasing Steps> and <Absolute Cut Sword Art>, interestingbination. Take note that these are merely the first levels of these martial arts techniques. You can obtain the next levels once your cultivation reaches the next stage," the old man said looking at the books Duncan presented him.

    "I have to say that you have truly chosen a uniquebination. I have never seen such abination before. It is clear that you have spent some considerable time choosing these. If you think these fit you well, who am I to gainsay that? However, make sure you are open to switching to other techniques as well if these didn''t fit you as well as you have hoped," the old man nodded as he made note of it on the paper in front of him.

    "You must return these booklets in fifteen days. Make sure to memorize their contents by then," the old man said dismissing Duncan.

    Duncan bowed to the old man and walked out of the scripture pavilion, putting the two booklets into the same bag as the one containing his cultivation technique as well.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 67 <Slaughter Demon Sutra>

    Duncan opened the bag and poured out its contents on the ground as he sat in his dwelling aftering back. He didn''t waste much time checking out the contents as he didn''t have anything else to do at the moment.

    Duncan had to admit that he was really curious to see what a real cultivation technique looked like. He wanted to see if there were any simrities between it and the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> the old coot had given him.

    However, he decided to keep it forst. The first thing he perused was the book containing the rules of the sect. He didn''t want to create some blunders just because he didn''t read the rule book.

    The rule book listed out the few rules that generally governed the sect. Duncan was really surprised to see such loose governance. He was expecting the sect to be much stricter in their governance, but they were pretty lenient as long as someone followed the basic rules.

    The basic rules were simr to what his master had said to him. Respect the seniors, be loyal to the sect, and don''t kill fellow disciples. It was easy enough for him to understand.

    He was d that he didn''t have to figure out someplex stuff. There were simple tenants he could follow up with. Then came the responsibility part of the rulebook.

    And they too were very simple as well.

    Basically, the responsibility of a disciple included standing up for the sect, being willing to die for the sect if a need arose, and not betraying the sect in any manner. Duncan didn''t feel that the sect was unfair to ask him of that after providing him a way for him to cultivate.

    He then turned his attention to the next section. The one where how things actually worked in the sect and what are the important things he ought to know. After pursuing it for some time, Duncan gradually got a clear picture of how the sect operated.

    Duncan made notes mentally about some key points that he needed to remember. As for the parts that applied to him, Duncan was really fine with them.

    Basically, a new disciple like him would have to do some chores in the sect and cultivate diligently. Other than chores within the sect, the new disciples were also required toplete two yellow-rank missions by the end of the year. If not, they will be kicked off.

    By now, Duncan knew that the only way for someone to leave the sect was as a dead body. So, he clearly understood what the phrase kicked off meant here. But, he didn''t see much of an issue here.

    Duncan figured doing some chores and a couple of missions were absolutely fine as he would be getting room and board from the sect for an entire year. Duncan also realized that each disciple will be assigned a chore to keep the sect running and he needed to present himself to the administrative building tomorrow to get his assigned.

    Once he was done with that booklet, Duncan wasn''t in the mood to read any more about the sect or its rules and such. He was already itching in his heart to check out the cultivation technique that his master had selected for him.

    So, Duncan eagerly opened the booklet that his master had given to him. Taking a deep breath he started to read the first page of the book.

    [ughter Demon Sutra is a true demonic technique that has been handed down by our ancestors for hundreds of years. If you have chosen this technique to practice, I congratte you for having a bold heart and being unflinching in the face of difficulties. For it is said that only a true demon could really bring out the full potential of this cultivation technique.]

    Duncan frowned as he read the first paragraph. He hadn''t actually chosen this technique for himself. It was his master who chose this for him. He wasn''t exactly sold on thatst warning bit.

    If only a true demon could unleash the full potential of this technique then it didn''t seem ideal for him to cultivate this. However, this was the technique that his master had chosen for him. There had to be a reason for it. Being a novice in cultivation, Duncan didn''t have the balls to question the judgment of an expert like his master.

    So, he decided to read further and see what this technique was all about. He had a vague feeling that this technique was chosen because of the special state he supposedly entered during his battle two nights ago.

    [However, if you aren''t a true demon, you don''t need to be disheartened. While the full potential of this technique can only be exhibited by a true demon, any demonic cultivator who practices this is bound to obtain unimaginable benefits as well. This is the reason ughter Demon Sutra is considered to be one of the top-tier cultivation techniques to exist amongst the demonic path.]

    Duncan nodded as he realized that he might have judged the cultivation technique a bit hastily. If this was one of the premier cultivation techniques present in the sect, then it was no wonder that his master chose it for him.

    [State of Mind ¨C One of the prerequisites to cultivate this technique is that you need to have a proper state of mind. Without it, it is very hard to even sessfully reach the firstyer of this sutra.

    It is naturally ideal that you switch to this cultivation technique after exploring others as the state of mind required for this technique is highly difficult to attain. For a cultivator to reach the ideal state of mind to cultivate this technique effectively, they need to have a jaded worldview and a thirst for power.

    They need to be remorseless in their quest to power as this cultivation technique, true to its name, is based on the path of ughter. A cultivator who cultivates this technique to higher levels will naturally be predisposed to understand the secrets behind the ughter Dao.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As its name suggests, the ughter Dao is a dao thatprises of finding the true meaning of ughter. In order to do so, a cultivator must truly immerse himself in ughter and experience it in a profound way. A cultivator who practices this particr sutra will not be afraid of getting blood on their hands.

    On their path to power, these cultivators will ughter millions of lives and peek at the secret behind the ughter dao. However, if a person practices ughter Demon Sutra, they will be able to easily perceive the insights into ughter Dao easily.

    However, there is no free food in this world. In order to reach the higher levels of this technique, a truly demonic mindset is needed. The cultivator in question must have power as their ultimate goal and should be willing to do whatever it took to achieve it.]

    Duncan took in a deep breath and fell into deep thought. He could see why this technique suited him now. He wanted power beyond any other thing in this world. Maybe, his master had sensed it and had prepared such a technique that waspatible with his goal because of this reason.

    However, he wasn''t sold on the idea of being a remorseless killer. And the part about truly immersing himself in ughter sounded vaguely like what he had experienced in the Grasnds. This unsettled him a bit. But, Duncan bravely soldiered on.

    The next segment talked about how to draw in the qi of heaven and earth into his body. The entire process was exined in a very detailed manner, allowing even a novice like him could understand how to actually perform it.

    After reading it, Duncan decided to go ahead and give it a try before he read any further. Frankly, he had been waiting for a long time to experience how cultivation felt. It was like an unbearable itch within his heart. And he could no longer suppress the chance to scratch it.

    Duncan closed his eyes and calmed his mind. He went through the process of how to draw in the qi onest time and started breathing in and out in a manner specified in the manual.

    At first, Duncan was incredibly disappointed when nothing seemed to happen. However, Duncan decided to not worry about oues and soon started to concentrate entirely on the breathing rhythm.

    Time flew by as Duncan started to truly lose himself in meditation. As his entire mind was focused on how to regte his breathing, he forgot about his surroundings soon.

    He breathed in and out in a strange rhythm that was specified in the manual and lost himself to it. As time passed by, Duncan began to feel something registering in his senses that he was sure he wasn''t able to see with his eyes open.

    Maintaining the rhythm, Duncan switched his focus towards that something. Slowly bright colors started to blossom inside his mind as they slowly moved toward him.

    After what felt like an eon, these bright spots reached his body and his mind shook as they made contact with him. Duncan felt as if a thin paper door was separating him from them. So, he tried to pull them in past the paper door desperately.

    The moment that paper door broke down, Duncan felt something rush into his body and settle just below his navel in the stomach region. His entire body felt fresh and his fatigue was magically washed away.

    He felt as if something that was absent from him all this time was atst reunited with him. He could feel the existence of that something within his body now. It felt brighter than anything he had seen so far in his life.

    Duncan slowly opened his eyes and mumbled thoughtfully to himself.

    "So, that is the effect of qi, huh?"

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 68 Difficulties

    "So, that is the effect of qi, huh?"

    Duncan sat there immersed in the euphoric feeling that he was experiencing for the first time in his life. It took him some time, but he eventually got out of that euphoric feeling and looked at the booklet that he had abandoned.

    Duncan was of two minds currently. He both wanted to start reading more about the technique and also wanted to start cultivating immediately. After yearning to cultivate for months, Duncan wasn''t content to just read about it anymore.

    However, he didn''t know what the next step was. He had only read until the section where it exined how to draw the qi into his body. He didn''t know what to do next. That meant, he had to start reading again.

    With a heavy sigh, Duncan decided to finish the booklet first before starting cultivation again. Once decided, he dived into the booklet with gusto. He dedicated his entire mind to just absorbing as much as possible from the booklet as he knew that he didn''t have the kind of memory that grasped everything just from reading once.

    However, Duncan''s enthusiasm soon hit a snag. Duncan felt as if he couldn''tprehend the words that were written in the booklet. Especially, the section where it described how to circte the qi inside his body and which meridians should be used.

    Duncan drew a nk on all this medical stuff. He knew a few meridian points that weremonly known, however, the technique started listing out various unknown meridians for him to send qi through and form a cycle. It was at that moment realized how ignorant he was to think that he could just start cultivating with just a manual.

    Duncan realized that he needed to have basic knowledge of his body at least before he could start cultivating. However, Duncan wasn''t deterred due by this difficulty.

    His confidence was at an all-time high after drawing qi into his body and he wasn''t willing to concede yet. He decided to check out the other books just in case there were descriptions within them.

    Just then, his stomach started rumbling loudly indicating that he hasn''t eaten since he woke up from being knocked out. It was almost two days since then and he needed to have some food in him.

    Scowling a little, Duncan stood up and went outside. The moment he stepped outside, Duncan blinked his eyes in surprise. The sun was already nearing the horizon in the west by now.

    Duncan vividly remembereding back from the scripture pavilion before it was even afternoon. That meant, he had been cultivating for the entire afternoon. However, he hadn''t felt like that. While he was cultivating, the time had flown by in a rush.

    "I think I can understand why cultivators spend weeks sitting in meditation now. No wonder. I only drew a bit of qi into my body, but an entire afternoon was spent on it. Not to mention that I didn''t even feel the time moving by," Duncan said to himself thoughtfully.

    "I think, I should take note of the time when I cultivate from now on. If not, I might miss out on some important stuff due to that. It would be embarrassing if I turned upte to my master''s abode," Duncan chuckled and set off in the direction of the mess hall.

    The mess hall was open at all times as cultivators rarely kept track of time. Some cultivators may truly not know which day it was aftering out of a cultivation session. Let alone the time.

    Duncan quickly ate until his stomach was full and made his way back to his dwelling. He felt a little full after eating a good meal. Azy feeling took over him as he looked at the booklets that were present in front of him.

    With great difficulty, Duncan moved himself to start reading the remaining booklets as well. He did a quick read on the two martial arts techniques he had chosen and found them to be everything he had hoped for. However, they too were littered with the detailed flow of qi through his meridians causing Duncan to give up on them for now as well.

    Then his eyesnded on the other booklet the sect had provided. The person at the registration desk had said that it contained information regarding the various ces in the sect. However, the booklet looked far bigger than it had any right to be now that he thought of it.

    After Little Wan''s tour, Duncan hadn''t been keen to more about the other spots in the sect. So, he had unknowingly put this booklet into a corner while pursuing others. Now that he had nothing more to do, Duncan decided to give it a read as well.

    This way he could also corroborate whatever Little Wan had told him while giving him a tour. Duncan slowly perused the booklet without much interest in it. But, soon he found berating himself for being such a moron.

    At the back of the booklet, there was a section that described the basics of cultivation in simpler terms. There was also a set of diagrams marking the different meridians present inside a person''s body.

    Duncan felt as if he was the biggest fool in the whole world. Of course, the booklet they gave him during registration contained the basic information that a normal personcked. It was so obvious in hindsight.

    The little bit of lethargy that Duncan had umted so far fled within moments as he hungrily devoured the various information that was pretty basic for a cultivator to have.

    After memorizing the meridian diagram, particrly the routes through which the qi flowed in the ughter Demon Sutra, Duncan hurriedly once more got into a meditating position.

    He cleared his mind away again and tried to enter the state he was in when he drew the qi into his body. It was a difficult process as he kept losing concentration constantly due to his excitement. However, Duncan reached the state at the end and once more drew in qi into his body.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Now, he knew what to do next.

    So, Duncan tried to visualize the qi in his body. The bright characteristics of the qi already present in his body made it easy for him to visualize them. He felt that the bright lights were like two strands of energy present in his body.

    While he couldn''t see them with his naked eyes, he could feel them within himself. Duncan slowly concentrated on a single strand of qi that he had umted so far. Soon, he felt some connection began to form with that qi strand.

    Duncan slowly guided that strand of qi from his stomach region through the route that was mentioned in the technique. It was slow going at first. Duncan could finish one cycle in a single go. It always felt as if he was missing some key point there.

    No matter how much he tried, he could neverplete oneplete cycle. His concentration would falter in some moments. In some moments he would have rushed the qi strand not minding the consistency, causing it to disperse halfway through.

    After some time, Duncan let out a frustrated huff and looked up at the ceiling in anger. No matter how much he tried, he could neverplete one cycle. Duncan spied outside and found that it was nearing dawn at this moment. He knew he should get a hang of this as soon as possible.

    His master had only given him two weeks to himself. After that, his master told him that he had a training n. Considering the kind of sect he was in, Duncan didn''t have high hopes for the training to be a simple affair.

    Duncan realized that if he didn''t get a hang of this and increase his cultivation to even a minimum level, then he would really be having huge troubles during the training session. And his master didn''t look like someone who tolerated failure.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan tried to calm his mind once more.

    He decided to practice drawing in the qi more as circting it was turning out to be more difficult than he had anticipated. Duncan cleared his mind and went about drawing in qi from heaven and earth with a focused mind.

    Duncan slowly entered the ideal state and started attracting qi from the atmosphere into his body bit by bit. He noticed that he entered this state lot sooner than he first attempted and realized that this would be more and more easily if kept on practicing like this.

    Just when Duncan was beginning to draw in the qi from the atmosphere, a strange idea popped up in his mind. Deciding to give it a go, Duncan went ahead and tried to steer the qi that was entering his body through the meridian route specified in the book.

    This time, it was a lot more easier to do.

    Duncan didn''t have to worry much about the consistency as qi was pouring into his body in a steady stream. He guided the qi into the pathway, keeping the ce other qi strands have been stored as the final destination.

    Despite having a steady supply of qi, Duncan felt that it wasn''t easierpared to when he had first tried. Duncan slowly pushed the qi through the pathway and directed it back to his dantain.

    A single strand of qi emerged as a result. But,pared to the other strands, this was even more brighter. Duncan felt the quality of the new qi strand was much higher than the old ones.

    Deciding to give the other two qi strands a try as well, Duncan guided them out of his dantain and tried to direct them through the pathway one by one. With his body still absorbing qi, Duncan didn''t run into the same problems that he faced the first time, apart from his concentration issues.

    By the time he was done, three brand new qi strands of simr quality were sitting in his dantain. Duncan let out a satisfied smile as he checked them out. He was feeling giddy at that moment as he hadn''t thought he could start cultivating within a single day.

    Duncan looked outside through the window and found the sun rising in the east. He felt that the sunlight was extremely beautiful at this time of the day.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 69 Surprises

    Duncan looked outside through the window and found the sun rising in the east. He felt that the sunlight was extremely beautiful at this time of the day.

    Duncan felt his vision was a lot more clearer than it had been the previous day. The image that was visible to him currently was sharper, rich in colors and with more details. It was a unique experience for him as he had never seen things this clearly before.

    This brought a smile to his face.

    Duncan realized that this was the side effect of absorbing the qi. He wondered what the vision of cultivators, who had been cultivating for a long time, was like. If cultivating for a single day could improve his vision to this degree, he didn''t even want to imagine the level of rity someone like his master possessed.

    He didn''t know if it was his delusion or not, but he felt as if he waspletely energized and stronger than he had ever felt before. Clenching his hands Duncan punched the air twice and heard crisp sounds from his fists.

    Duncan smiled hearing those sounds.

    With a small smile on his face, Duncan decided to get done with the things he needed to do beforeing back to cultivate. His master had given him two weeks. Duncan was determined to make it count.

    Both for his own safety and not to disappoint his master.

    He didn''t know what he would do if his master decided that he wasn''t sincere enough and revoked his direct disciple status. After chatting with Little Wan yesterday, Duncan could was clear on one thing.

    The reason he was being respected by Little Wan and the person manning the registration desk was that he was a direct disciple of his master. Without his master''s protection, he would be bullied everywhere in this sect.

    That was the naked truth. The only reason they even bothered with him was because of his status. Not because of him, or his strength. To them, he was like an ant. Their reaction to his cultivation level made it clear. But, they didn''t dare to step on this ant because of the elephant that was standing behind him.

    So, Duncan knew that his biggest supporter and the tree that he depended on was his master. It was only prudent not to disappoint him by beingzy. Once he settled with his normal affairs in the sect, he need toe back and concentrate on cultivation. Only then, could he impress his master with his dedication and gain more favors from him.

    Duncan was not some little kid who hasn''t seen the world. While his knowledge of the world, in general, and cultivation werecking, he knew how things functioned in reality.

    Knowledge could be gained slowly. He hadn''t needed such knowledge while being a miner, so it wasn''t a big issue. He could slowly learn about these things. But, for him to have enough time to learn that, he needed someone to protect him in this sect.

    And that someone currently was his master.

    He had seen Little Wan''s reactions and the way the person manning the registration sped up his process at the mere mention of his master. He also knew that his master was the Vice-Sect Master of the entire sect now. That meant Duncan was under the good graces of one of the most important people in the sect.

    While working as a miner, he had seen how being in the good graces of the guards or the supervisor hade in handy a lot of times. Those people who managed to do that will be given more leeway and even less strenuous jobs in the mines.

    He knew that the same principle applied here as well. Being in his master''s good graces can amplify his chances to not be bullied and always act as an advantage inside this sect. And he knew that he needed all the advantages he could get.

    After all, many people have made it clear that he was startingte in the path of cultivation, including his master. That meant, he was alreadygging behind everyone and he needed to put in double the effort to reach the same standard as someone else.

    If he could put in that needed effort and gain back some acknowledgment from his master, then it was a win-win in his book. Only a fool would waste such an opportunity. Whatever he may be, Duncan was no fool.

    When Duncan stepped out of his dwelling he felt the air around him was fresher than it was yesterday. He didn''t know if it was because he was a cultivator now. But, he weed the change dly. He also felt it was easier for him to breathe currently.

    Duncan felt that this day was teeming with a lot of surprises. Just cultivating for a day alone made him feel as if the world around him was much more than he had imagined previously. From his vision to the very air, everything felt different to him.

    And Duncan''s surprise didn''t stop there.<novelnext></novelnext>

    When he arrived at the administration building where he was told to report for task assignment in the booklet that was handed to him, he was surprised to find out that the direct disciples didn''t need to do any work around the sect. It was one of the privileges afforded to direct disciples.

    Things didn''t end there. Duncan was then advised to go to the weapons pavilion to pick up a weapon. Apparently, it wasmon knowledge that sects provided a low-grade weapon to new disciples along with basic pills needed for cultivation like fasting pills.

    As he had been with Little Wan, the person at the desk had failed to inform him. Duncan figured that the person was more shocked to realize that he had been made a direct disciple without any cultivation and thus forgot to mention that tidbit.

    As for Little Wan, the person in the administration building informed him that servant disciples aren''t given that privilege, so Little Wan wouldn''t know apparently.

    Duncan thanked that disciple for the information and went about collecting theplementary things the sect provided for joining new disciples. He first visited the medicine hall and obtained fasting pills.

    If he had these pills with himst night, he wouldn''t have needed to get dinner and could have cultivated without a break. Duncan felt such a pill was handy and decided to always stock up on it.

    He also learned that once someone broke through the Spirit Sea realm, they wouldn''t need to eat. Thus, these pills were useless to cultivators above the Spirit Sea realm. This made these pills not that high in demand. Duncan asked how he could buy these pills and was pleasantly surprised to find out that these pills could be exchanged in bulk for gold coins as well.

    Enquiring further, Duncan understood that low-level pills can be exchanged for gold coins, but the ration for exchange was really horrible. On the other hand, high-level pills could never be exchanged for gold coins bar some special circumstances. The default currency was the spirit stones that he had been provided while registering yesterday.

    Also, the pills that were given to him yesterday while registering were called the Qi Gathering pills. They were low-level pills that were also only usable till the Spirit Sea realm. Their function was intriguing to Duncan as he learned that they helped a cultivator to refine qi in their dantain faster.

    He made a note to try them out when he returned to his dwellingter. Duncan then made his way to the weapons hall. After showing his identification badge, he was then led into a small storeroom filled with a lot of weapons.

    Duncan learned from the disciple apanying him that these were all low-grade weapons. Apparently, even the weapons cultivators used had different grades to them. Cultivators would usually exchange their low-grade weapons for higher-grade ones or buy new onespletely when they rise in their realms.

    When asked why it was so, the person apanying him replied that as one increases in their realm, the power that was in their attacks multiplied several times. Hence, lower-grade weapons will not be able to handle them for long. This, in turn, made the prospect of owning a higher-grade weapon a much-desired option.

    Initially, Duncan was of the mind to choose some other weapon other than a sword as he had a sword already. But, after listening to the exnation, he choose a sword that was identical to the one he owned fearing the original sword he had would break down soon, now that he was a cultivator.

    When Duncan stepped out of the weapon hall, he was in aplicated mood. He was kind of attached to the sword Granny Jiao had given him. That sword had saved him countless times in thest few months. Learning that it might not apany him for much longer in his journey made him feel a bitplicated.

    While he understood the reasoning and exnations, his heart still felt troubled abandoning the sword that had been with him through several battles. He didn''t know what he was going to do, but he was really reluctant to part with the one item that he had that was connected to his past in a meaningful way.

    Duncan returned to his dwelling and once more immersed himself in his cultivation. Duncan liberally used the fasting pills in a bid to cultivate diligently. Initially, things progressed smoothly for Duncan.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 70 Martial Arts Techniques

    For the first three days, Duncan cultivated diligently and umted qi in his body in a slow but steady manner. He would also take some time to practice the martial arts technique he had borrowed from the scripture pavilion. Duncan noticed that his rate of improvement slowed down with each day, but didn''t mind it much.

    Whenever he felt that he wasn''t making any progress, he would pop in a qi gathering pill and continue to cultivate on. He realized why such a pill was needed as improvement became harder with each day. Duncan wondered why it was so, but didn''t have anyone to whom he could enquire things about. He decided to wait till meeting his master to ask that question.

    However, when nine qi strands were umted in his dantain, he was surprised to find out that it was already full, and no matter what he tried to do nothing worked. He wasted more than three Qi Gathering pills in an effort to improve slightly, but they all ended up in vain.

    Frustrated, Duncan left cultivation aside for a bit of time and decided to focus on the martial arts techniques he had with him. When it came to cultivating <Absolute Cut Sword Art>, Duncan progressed very fast.

    Just reading once, Duncan was able to understand what was written in the manual clearly. Even practicing it came easily to him. He was able to understand the essence of the sword technique easily.

    <Absolute Cut Sword Art> worked on the principle that a well-ced cut is more efficient than several shes and ineffective parries. The technique aimed at delivering the maximum damage with minimal attacks.

    Thus the sword technique didn''t have any defensive maneuvers. It was a pure attack-focused technique. The aim of the technique was something Duncan could get behind easily as he too thought the same.

    Cut your enemy before he injures you.

    A sword is meant to cut. So, use it to cut. Forget about everything else.

    Duncan felt that those few sentences summed up the whole sword technique. The technique didn''t have flourishes or breathtaking moves to it. It concentrated on finding effective pathways to deliver a cut from every possible angle.

    The technique empathized performing each cut with the same strength and determination. The sword art spoke more about mindset than the various tactics that could be used with it. It was direct, simple, and very effective in Duncan''s opinion.

    It was the ideal fit for his fighting style. He was someone who didn''t think much about strategy and tactics. Duncan had seen mercenaries who guided their attacks to set up their final blow three or four movester. He had never had the aptitude for such things.

    When he fought, Duncan only concentrated onnding the blow. He didn''t worry much about positioning or feints. Thus, the <Absolute Cut Sword Art> seemed like something that was right up his alley.

    The qi in his body, when channeled as per the sword art''s pathways would amplify the amount of attack power he could bring forth. The sword art made his sword both sharper and stronger, in exchange for flexibility.

    However, if a person was naturally flexible, they would be able to offset such a disadvantage as well. What truly came down to it with this technique was how fast you could swing with your full strength behind the blow and how fast you recovered from it. If one had good dexterity, then one wouldn''t be burdened with the disadvantages of the sword technique.

    As he practiced the sword technique, Duncan also realized why this wouldn''t be a good sword technique for other people. Most people preferred their sword technique to be versatile in its application. To most people, this sword art mighte off as something brutish.

    But, Duncan felt the principle behind it was sound. If he could chop off the head of the beast that was attacking him in one blow, then he didn''t need to worry about defending himself. This was something that felt as if tailored to him.

    While Duncan was progressing quickly with the sword technique, the same couldn''t be said for the movement technique. Duncan felt as if this particr movement technique was really hard to cultivate.

    He repeatedly kept making mistakes during the cultivation of the movement technique. He felt as if he had no inclination or talent toward these kinds of techniques after a few days of trying.

    But, Duncan knew that he needed such a technique to travel long distances and also be agile during battle. So, he persisted on. He even cut down on his sword practice to cultivate at least the initial stages of the movement technique.

    He felt that the need for movement technique was very essential and didn''t want to ck off in that area. If he didn''t have enough talent for it, then he would use his hard work as a substitution for the talent. If practicing ten times was not enough, then he would practice 100 times. If that didn''t cut it, then he would do it 1000 times.

    The reason Duncan felt the need to practice so hard was that he knew that having such a technique in his arsenal will allow him to escape from some untenable situations.

    And it was not as if the movement technique was bad.

    <Wind Chasing Steps> actually tripled his speed when moving in a straight line. If it is a chaotic movement, then the technique doubled his speed. Such a huge increase in speed was really a lifesaver in Duncan''s opinion.

    So, he diligently practiced it without uttering anyint. He knew that he had only two weeks before he had to both return these booklets and present himself before his master. He felt that he had no time to waste.

    So, he started cultivating like a maniac trying very hard to master the two techniques.

    *****

    Duncan let out a foul breath as he rose from cultivation. He feltpletely rxed these days. There wasn''t really much to do for him other than to cultivate diligently.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He didn''t have any chores or tasks to do like other newly joined disciples. He didn''t have to go in search of work like he used to do when he was in Starmist City.

    He figured once his master allowed him to take missions that would change. But, for now, he was really free to cultivate to his heart''s content. And Duncan loved it without any reservations.

    Today was the day he was supposed to meet up with his master for his master''s instructions. When Duncan thought about it, he couldn''t help but frown a little. No matter how much he toiled in thest seven days, he was unable to progress further than umting nine qi strands in his dantain.

    It was as if something essential wasn''t present there. He could feel a thinyer blocking his dantain from expanding further and allowing him to cultivate more qi strands. But, no matter what he tried, he was never able to break that thinyer.

    Apart from that, things had gone well for him for the past two weeks.

    He had achieved initial sess in both of the martial arts techniques he had chosen. Martial arts techniques followed the path of mastery simr to the martial arts practiced by mortals. The path of mastery was as follows, initial sess, partial sess,pletion, and perfection.

    Once one reached the perfection stage, they would be able to utilize the martial arts technique in whichever way they saw fit. Attaining initial sess is the most basic requirement for learning a martial art.

    Right now, Duncan was nearing partial sess with his sword technique and had passed initial sess in his movement technique a few days ago. He knew that this was just the basics and he needed to cultivate them further to truly master both techniques.

    Yesterday, he had run out of fasting pills. He had used fasting pills more frequently than Qi Gathering pills. Thus, their consumption rate was higher. He didn''t know if it was advisable for him to do that in long term though.

    When he had run out of fasting pills, Duncan had ventured into the mess hall and had his first meal in nearly two weeks. The amount of food he consumed even left him speechless. Strangely, none of the servants batted an eye when he devoured such a huge amount of food.

    While no onemented orined, Duncan felt that he needed to restrict his usage of fasting pills from now on. After all, he didn''t have much to his name currently and if he was not in the sect, he would be truly in trouble when his appetite reared back.

    He had also stopped using Qi Gathering pills after he figured out that it had no effect on his current predicament. So, Duncan had spent the remaining days cultivating in the night and using up the cultivated qi in the morning by practicing martial arts.

    Yesterday, he had gone back to the scripture pavilion and returned the booklets he had taken from there. He had spent the rest of the day there trying to learn as much as possible about the cultivation world in general.

    After reading for an entire day about different topics, Duncan felt that he had a clear grasp of cultivation in general. He had learned about the mostmon medicinal herbs used by cultivators and had also noted down some rare and precious herbs that could be chanced upon in the wild.

    He also learned about different qis, the mostmon mistakes cultivators usually made, weapon grades and their divisions, medicinal pills and their levels, various side professions that cultivators usually took up, and a lot more.

    Granted, he had only learned about the basics and hadn''t dived deeper into them, but Duncan felt that he had some idea about the cultivation world in general. Especially, that one book detailing the types of demonic beasts found in the world and their characteristics was really an eye-opener to him.

    But, amongst everything he had read, the one thing that piqued his curiosity more than anything was the small booklet about the profession of winemakers. Apparently, cultivators had their own winemakers. These were people who dedicated their life to exploring various wines and creating new wines.

    Duncan had been fascinated to learn about such a profession. He even dreamt about finding one such winemaker and befriending him so that he could get free wine constantly.

    All in all, his two weeks of time to settle down were at an end and it was time for him to meet his master and learn more. Duncan didn''t know what his master had nned for him, but he decided that being prepared for it was somemon sense stuff.

    He didn''t trust his master much when it came to his safety. He knew that the sect wouldn''t baby him and an evil sect like the Heavenly Demon Sect would not hesitate to execute him or throw him into dangerous situations.

    So, when he stepped out of his dwelling, Duncan had his two swords sheathed to his side. The bag that was given to him by the sect was adorning his hip as well. There was the [Scarlet Demon Sutra] and his remaining qi gathering pills in them along with his spirit stones. He didn''t have anything else to him to take, if it was there, he would have taken it along as well.

    Having prepared the best he could, Duncan set off towards his master''s residence.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 71 Unacceptable

    Duncan didn''t know if he had to wait for his master to summon him or if he had to present himself to his master. He didn''t want to make any mistake because of such confusion, so he decided to be proactive and made his way toward his master''s residence.

    If worsees to worst, he could always wait there for his master''s summon.

    When he reported to his master''s dwelling, a servant told him that his master was currently busy and he had asked him to wait. With nothing else to do, Duncan decided to wait in the courtyard patiently.

    After almost an hour of waiting, the servant came back and asked Duncan to follow him. Duncan followed the servant and came to the same backyard where his master had introduced him to the cultivation world. The servant stopped at the entrance and gestured for Duncan to go in. It was clear that the servant wouldn''t be following him in into the backyard.

    The moment Duncan stepped into the backyard, he felt heavy pressure press down on him. Duncan struggled to maintain his footing but somehow managed to stand steady.

    There was panic in his heart as he had never felt something like that before. He looked around furtively trying to see what was causing such a reaction and didn''t find anything remotely rted to it.

    He had known there were various methods cultivators normally used to exert their dominance on others. Some were direct, and some were indirect like arrays and stuff. Duncan didn''t know what was causing such a huge pressure on his body.

    "What you experienced now is what happens when someone at a higher cultivation level exerts it to pressure down on you," Liang Tianye spoke nonchntly causing Duncan to look up at him.

    "It is indeed admirable that you can still stand. However, know this, I only exerted the pressure of a Spirit Sea realm cultivation. If it was anything higher, you wouldn''t even be able to stand. Even this pressure has immobilized you," Liang Tianye continued as he looked at Duncan in a scrutinizing manner.

    "If you are unable to move, how do you think you would fare against someone like that in a fight? Do you think you would be able to swing your sword? Do you think you would be able to even run away?" Liang Tianye''s questions hammered into Duncan like hammer blows.

    Duncan didn''t know how to respond. The answer was clear. He would be like a fish on a chopping block. All his efforts for the past two weeks seemed incredibly pitiful. What was the difference between him and a mortal at this moment?

    "Now you understand why the cultivation realm matters in the cultivation world, don''t you? You can have more battle tactics; you can have superior battle sense; you can have superior cultivation technique; your martial arts could be exquisite and be a real difference maker in a fight, but all these will be moot once you meet someone out of your league. You wouldn''t even be able to move, let alone fight," Liang Tianye said mercilessly.

    Duncan didn''t reply. He merely thought hard on his master''s statements. In a way, it made sense to Duncan. If he couldn''t even move, how could he fight? But, he felt that it was not the entire truth, however. He felt there must be something else that his master is not telling him. However, he didn''t feel like questioning his master currently.

    "You are at the age where you should be in the Spirit Sea realm at the minimum. While it is not your fault that you have just started cultivating, the outside world wouldn''t be so generous enough to understand that. Your counterparts will always be stronger than you."

    "Even mere children will be stronger than you. When someone who is a child challenges you to a fight, you can''t obviously cite your low cultivation and back out of it. It would be disgraceful to you, your sect, and especially me."

    Liang Tianye stood up and walked towards Duncan slowly.

    "That is uneptable to me."

    Liang Tianye neared Duncan and ced a hand on his body. The next moment, Duncan felt something foreign intruding into his body. Duncan tried to fight it, but it was able to easily overpower him and sweep through his body.

    Liang Tinaye frowned slightly as he took in Duncan''s body condition. To be honest, he had expected a little bit more from the boy. He at least expected the boy to have broken through one level by now. However, the boy was only at the peak of the first level of the Qi Condensation realm.

    "Did you run into any trouble during your cultivation?" Liang Tianye asked Duncan.

    "Yes master," Duncan replied as the pressure on him abruptly vanished. "I followed the methods described in the cultivation technique. However, no matter what I tried, I wasn''t able to expand my dantain. I was struck at the point of only being able to umte nine qi strands."

    Liang Tianye frowned a little, but he soonposed himself.

    "Your understanding of the technique is wed," Liang Tianye said ruthlessly and walked away from Duncan. He once more took his seat and looked at Duncan disappointedly.

    "What is the name of the technique you are practicing?"

    "<ughter Demon Sutra>, master."

    "How many people have you ughtered since you started cultivating?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan stood dumbfounded. He had never thought about the technique in such a way. Liang Tianye sneered seeing Duncan standing there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

    "Did you think you would be able to cultivate just by hiding in your dwelling and practicing? How na?ve? Where do you think you are at? Some righteous sect, where people smiled at you politely and patted you on the back? What kind of cultivation technique are you practicing? Did your puny brain even think about it?"

    Liang Tianye''s barrage of questions made Duncan feel a little ashamed. He never thought about the technique in such a manner. He had been so overjoyed by receiving the cultivation technique that he had forgotten about the nature of the technique entirely.

    Coupled with the fact that he didn''t have much interaction with the other disciples, Duncan hadn''t thought much about the kind of environment he was in. The people he had met were courteous to him based on his status, but that didn''t make this ce a harmonious sect.

    "I am sorry, master," Duncan said lowering his head.

    "It is not your fault. I shouldn''t have taken an imbecile like you as my direct disciple. Obviously, you have befortable with your status in this sect. You even forgot about the nature of the technique you are cultivating and where you are," Liang Tianye didn''t let Duncan off.

    "If it was any other disciple in your ce, they would have gone out and found a ve or a wild beast and tested out their prowess. But you, you werefortable enough to sit in your dwelling and cultivate as if we are some righteous sect practicing righteous techniques," Liang Tianye sneered once more.

    "This wouldn''t do," Liang Tianye shook his head and looked at Duncan angrily. "I had nned something for you to grow faster. However, it seems that is a waste of effort. You obviously need a different approach."

    Liang Tianye abruptly stood up and grabbed Duncan by the back of his neck like he was a chick. Before Duncan could even register what was happening, Liang Tianye vanished along with Duncan from the backyard.

    The next moment, Liang Tianye arrived at a mountain region filled with caves. He dropped Duncan unceremoniously on the ground and looked at a particr cave. The disciples standing guard around it saw Liang Tianye and hurriedly paid their respects.

    Liang Tianye didn''t even bother acknowledging it. He stared angrily at Duncan, waiting for him to find his bearings. Duncan didn''t know what happened to him. One moment his master was berating him for being a fool, the next moment he felt someone grabbing his neck. Before he could even register what is going on, he was thrown unceremoniously to the ground.

    Duncan cleared his head and looked around. He was taken aback to see that he wasn''t in his master''s backyard anymore. He turned and looked at his master fearfully.

    "It is time you started epting what you are meant to be. You aren''t a mortal anymore or a righteous cultivator. If righteous cultivators came across you, they will kill you without much thought. If you carried on with thiscent attitude, you will not live long. If that is the case, why should the sect spend its efforts to groom you," Liang Tianye said angrily causing Duncan to shrink in further.

    "I am going to send you into that cave. Your task is to survive a week in there. If you managed to do that, I will take you back in as my direct disciple and continue to nurture you. If not, you will be already dead so there is nothing that could be done about that," Liang Tianye said ruthlessly turning away from Duncan and looking at a faraway cave.

    "Master, I am sorˇ­" Duncan tried to plead, but Liang Tianye kicked him hard.

    "I don''t need a groveling worm as my disciple. To be my disciple, you need to be able to inspire fear in others. Your current state is disgusting. You there," Liang Tianye shouted at a nearby guard. "Open the gates."

    The guard''s face nched a little, but he held his tongue under Liang Tianye''s hard stare.

    "Yes, Vice-Sect Master," the guard saluted and hastened to obey Liang Tianye''s order.

    "Just so you know, the entrance to that cave will open again seven days from now at noon. Your task is to survive for those seven days and be at the entrance when the gate opens. If you fail in either of those, you can rot in there for all I care," Liang Tianye said ruthlessly and kicked Duncan hard once more.

    Duncan, who had merely stood up by that time, was sent flying through the opened gates. The moment Duncan passed the gates, the gates started closing once more. By the time Duncan recovered his wits after being sent flying, Duncan heard the gates close with a heavy thud.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 72 Cave

    A/N: Hey Folks,

    Before we move ahead with the story, I want to thank each and every one of you who has supported this novel so far.

    Last week has been a huge week for this novel. Not just because the novel went premium, but because of the huge increase in the statistics for this novel in the past week.

    We have reached several milestonesst week and I am excited to share this with you all. We have officially crossed 100K+ Reads, 500+ Collections, and 100K+ Words. The novel has also received its first Golden Ticket and 100+ Powerstone count for the week.

    As much as I would like to include the names of people who supported the novel here, I feel the list would be too long to put down. Hence, I take this opportunity to thank everyone who read or supported this novel in some form or way from the bottom of my heart.

    On a rtive note, this novel will participate in Win-Win Program next month. Hoping to have your support for that too.

    With that said, let''s move ahead with the novel...

    *****

    Duncan heard the gates close with a heavy thud.

    Duncan felt his heart drop hearing that sound. He didn''t know what to do now. He frantically looked in the direction from which he heard the sound of gates closing. All he saw was a thick iron gate that looked locked shut.

    Duncan swallowed nervously and looked around the ce he hadnded. There were bones littered all around the ce making Duncan''s heart almost shrivel further. He looked around frantically trying to make sense of his surroundings and found them to be filled with bloodstains and filth all over.

    Duncan rose up from the ground and let out a heavy sigh. This wasn''t how he imagined his meeting with his master to go. He had known that this was a demonic sect and that expecting care and concern should be thest thing. However, he had deluded himself into thinking he was special.

    It was the truth. He had let being a direct disciple go to his head. He had rxed his vignce and had not taken the fact that he was in a demonic sect seriously. He had heard how demonic cultivators were ruthless and crazy when in Starmist City. But, at that time, he thought all cultivators were like that and hadn''t paid much attention.

    Now, things were beginning to make sense. If this was a righteous sect, he would be reprimanded and asked to take things seriously instead of half-assing. But, in a demonic sect, a single mistake could lead to danger. And he was experiencing it firsthand now.

    Duncan scowled as he realized that this was his own fault. He had let being treated respectfully get to his head. He had rxed a little and let down his guard. If he had been thinking properly, he would have thought about the words ughter demon in the cultivation technique.

    Not to mention, the fact that <ughter Demon Sutra> was supposed to be a demonic cultivation technique in the first ce should have made him be wary. He had also read that it was a premier demonic cultivation technique from the booklet. How na?ve was he to think such a technique didn''t requiremitting evil deeds?

    Now that he thought about it, he had been an utter fool. He had forgotten to delve deeper into the technique because he had been content to learn about cultivation. He was beginning to realize that in order to be a demonic cultivator, you must never be content with anything. Being content was a recipe for disaster in this sect.

    Duncan scowled as he got up and unsheathed his sword.

    Just because he understood his master''s intentions, it didn''t mean that he was pissed about it. In fact, Duncan was getting really angry now. He didn''t ask to be a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect. They basically forced him to be one. And when his ideas about cultivation differed from what they espoused, they punished him by throwing him into this cave.

    He didn''t know what kind of cave this was. While he was recovering from his master''s kick, he had seen the guard pale at the mention of opening the gates. That definitely meant this ce wasn''t some safe ce. In fact, Duncan was sure that this ce was anything but safe.

    His instincts were screaming at him to keep moving. Something about this ce rubbed him the wrong way. It was not the dull atmosphere, or the bones littering the floor. Something else was bothering him deep down and he didn''t know what it was exactly. Ever since he had recovered, he was feeling a bit irritable in this ce.

    Duncan clutched his sword tightly and scanned the ce for any sign of its inhabitants. The darkness inside did no favors to him. While his eyesight has improved a lot in recent days, it still wasn''t enough for him to pierce through the darkness inhabiting this cave.

    He could barely see a few meters ahead of him.

    Duncan raised his sword and slowly took a few steps in the direction away from the gates. He knew that the gates wouldn''t open until the specified time. None of the guards would dare to disobey his master. So, there was no sense in waiting here for the allocated time.

    He would be a sitting duck in this ce. The smart thing would be to find a ce andy low for the week. His master didn''t tell him what he should do inside. The only requirement was to survive and be present at the gate when the appointed time came.

    Hence, Duncan decided to find a ce nearby toy low and wait out the duration. Taking a few steps, Duncan cursed himself for being not prepared. He should have obtained some fire-making goods and other essentials after he was given free time by his master.

    Every mercenary knew that proper equipment would save lives nine out of ten times. He had forgotten that lesson learned from experience in his joy for cultivation. He had forgotten to save up essentials like food, ropes, and other stuff that he usually needed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    His old tools were now rotting somewhere in the Grasnds. He had lost them along with his gold while being chased by the wild beasts. There was no use bemoaning about them currently.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan readied himself for any sudden attacks and made his way inside slowly. He used his experience from hunting wild beasts in the forest and moved cautiously not making any sound. He didn''t want whatever that was lurking in here to have a free go at him.

    Soon, Duncan came across what seemed like amon tunnel splitting into different directions. Duncan realized that this cave was littered with several tunnels and it would be hard for him to find the exit once he left this ce.

    This caused a dilemma in him.

    As far as he knew, there wasn''t anything near the tunnel that led toward the gates. This ce was safe for the moment. That couldn''t be said for the other tunnels. Who knows what was hiding in there? It would be smart to stay here and not venture further.

    It also gave him the added benefit of knowing where the tunnel that led toward the gates where. If he went exploring and lost his way around here, then he would be losing his only opportunity of getting out of here. He didn''t think that his master would care if he lived or died, if he didn''t walk out of this cave at the appointed time.

    But, staying here also meant that he would be not doing anything for a week. Even that is not certain. Who knows when the danger here would appear? If he didn''t explore and know they of thend beforehand, he might end up disadvantaged when the timees.

    That would make him incredibly passive if danger arises.

    Duncan knew that being passive in a dangerous situation was a recipe for disaster. So, he wasn''t keen on being passive. Moreover, it wasn''t his style. He always met the danger head-on.

    Furthermore, Duncan didn''t have any supplies with him. He hadn''t seen anything that could be used around this ce either. There wasn''t even a ce for him to hide in this tunnel. He would be both exposed and vulnerable here.

    Whether it be food or other essentials, Duncan was devoid of all those things. The fasting pills would have been a great addition to have right at this moment. Too bad, he had already consumed them all when he could have gone out and eaten a hearty meal, like an idiot.

    As for the remaining Qi Gathering pills and the three booklets in his bag, they weren''t going to be of much help to him if he wanted to survive this week. The only things that were even remotely helpful were the two swords he had on him at this moment.

    Duncan knew that his body would get weaker as the days progressed and it would be hard for him to find sustenance at that time. On the contrary, he was currently in full health and it was the right time for him to check out the surroundings, forage for some kind of food that could be present in this cave, and find shelter and some supplies for him toy low for the week.

    As these thoughts ran through his mind, Duncan knew what he must do now. This wasn''t the time to be timid or cautious. He needed to be bold here. If not, he wouldn''t survive the danger present in this cave. The first order of business was to find some food and shelter.

    But, before he went about it, he needed to make sure he would be able to identify the tunnel that led towards the gate when he got back. Otherwise, all his efforts will be moot. Even if he survived the week, if he wasn''t able to get away from this ce when the time came, it would be disastrous.

    So, Duncan started looking around in a bid to find something that could be used as a visible marker in this dark atmosphere. As this ce was likely to be filled with danger, Duncan was sure that his stay here wouldn''t be peaceful. If he was running from danger, he wouldn''t have time to check every tunnel carefully. So, he wanted it to be something easily recognizable, even from a distance.

    Duncan looked around for a while and found a rock a small distance away from the entrance to the tunnel. The rock wasn''t big but had a unique shape to it. It was tall, and wide enough for someone to hide behind it, with jagged edges at the top.

    Duncan figured that it would do for now. He was sure that he would be able to notice it if it was near the entrance. It would also serve as a temporary safe ce if he wanted to hide urgently.

    He sheathed his sword and neared the rock, intending to move it to the entrance. He bent down and picked the rock up. He didn''t want to move it on the ground and create noise. Noise in closed ces would attract unwanted things easily. It was already a miracle that the opening of the door hadn''t brought in any unsavory surprises.

    Duncan slowly moved the rock near the entrance and let out a sigh. The rock was heavy, but it was something he could have lifted easily with his natural strength. Let alone now that he was a cultivator. So, it didn''t pose much of a difficulty. Duncan wiped his hands on his clothes and smiled brightly.

    He turned to take onest look at the route that led to the gates before going further in, and came face to face with someone who was looking at him hungrily with wide eyesˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

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 Chapter 73 Clash

    He turned to take onest look at the route that led to the gates before going further in, and came face to face with someone who was looking at him hungrily with wide eyesˇ­

    Duncan backpedaled fast in surprise. His back mmed into the rock that he had just ced at the entrance. Duncan blinked furiously as he saw the person standing in front of him opening his mouth.

    The person, or whatever the hell it was, that was standing before him looked at Duncan up and down and drooled. Duncan wasn''t sure whether he should call the one standing before him a person or not. There was something odd about the one standing before him.

    While Duncan could dismiss the wide eyes, drooling mouth, disheveled hair, and overall filthy appearance as a result of living in this cave, he couldn''t dismiss the long nails, sharp teeth, crazy hunger in the eyes, and other aspects that bothered him.

    Furthermore, Duncan hadn''t even heard the person''s breathing or any other noise before he came face to face with him. As for the rotting stench that wasing off the person, Duncan was bewildered that he hadn''t smelt it until that moment. One had to understand how truly revolting that smell was to know why Duncan was surprised.

    The smell that wafted from the person''s body almost made Duncan gasp. It wasn''t just bad breath, sweaty smell, or something inane that could be dismissed as the byproduct of the living environment here. It was truly revolting. Duncan felt as if his gut was churning violently just looking at the person.

    However, Duncan wasn''t given much time to think about these things. Just as the revolting smell assaulted him, the person lunged at Duncan with a crazy glint in his eyes.

    Only Duncan''s repeated practice of <Wind Chasing Steps> these past two weeks helped him avoid the person''s lunge. Just as Duncan disappeared from the spot he was in, the crazed person mmed into the rock behind Duncan with a thud.

    Duncan took in a deep breath and noticed that he was able to breathe freely now without that nauseating smell assaulting him. Duncan figured that the smell only assaulted someone if they were in close proximity to the person. He had nevere across such a weird phenomenon before in his life.

    The person didn''t give Duncan much time to ruminate over that strange event. The moment heposed himself, he saw the person push off from the rock and change direction toward his location. Duncan once more executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and escaped from the person''s attack.

    Duncan saw from the side of his eyes how the nails in the hands of the person pierced through the stone at the spot where he was standing previously and shivered. Seeing that, Duncan knew that he could never let those nails near him.

    Duncan hastily unsheathed his sword and blocked upwards. Duncan''s sword met with the nails that were descending to pierce him. Duncan heard the sh from where his sword met with the nails and gulped nervously. Duncan reaffirmed his decision to never let those near him and looked at the person who was attacking him.

    Immediately he was once again assaulted with the rotting stench emanating from that person. The person was looking at him with a crazy glint in his eyes now. The moment their eyes met, the person growled angrily. The sound that came out of that mouth grated Duncan''s ears.

    Duncan scrunched his eyebrows and swung his sword again. This time he performed the <Absolute Cut Sword Art>. The person dodged away and looked at Duncan warily for the first time since they met. Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and steadied his mind.

    The attack had truly taken him by surprise. He hadn''t even known that there was someone else hiding in the vicinity. If he had let his guard down earlier, he would have been dead by now.

    Duncan scowled at his assant and took in the assant''s form clearly for the first time. Until now, he hadn''t been able to see his assant clearly due to low visibility and constant attacks.

    Now that he took in a good look, Duncan couldn''t help but frown at his assant''s features. The person was deformed in several ces. His body wasn''t like that of a typical human to be precise.

    There were several scars running across its torso. There were scratch marks on his face and legs that looked to be caused by simr weapons like his nails. The left ear of the person was half gone. It looked as if someone had bit it and torn it. Apart from the obvious filthy look, the person who was standing before him was naked as well.

    Duncan calmly assessed the situation, while warily circling his assant. He knew that a fight was inevitable and it would be a fight to the death. His assant didn''t seem like someone who understood the concept of retreat. The way his assant was assessing him indicated that the person considered him a threat as well.

    While Duncan was confident of walking out of this fight alive, he wasn''t so sure about walking out without taking any damage. From the few instances they had shed earlier, Duncan knew that he had a slight advantage in terms of speed and reactions. However, he didn''t know if the person was stronger than him.

    It was probable that his assant was stronger than him. After all, even if he used his sword, Duncan wasn''t confident in making a dent in the floor. But, the assant''s nails were able to chip away the floor easily.

    So, he needed to keep moving and use his advantage in speed. He shouldn''t get tied down in a contest of strength. And the rotting smell that emanated from the person made Duncan wary of getting injured. What if those nails were poisonous as well? He wouldn''t rule out that possibility.

    To make matters worse, he didn''t have any medicine to treat the wound if he was poisoned or infected with whatever was creating that rotting stench on his assant''s body.

    Above all, the thing that worried Duncan most was the noise that had been generated during their sh. It was really loud in this silent cave. If there was anything else that was lurking around here, the noise would have attracted their attention as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As Duncan realized this, he knew he had to end this confrontation as soon as possible. If not, he will get mobbed by a lot of whatever this person before him was.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan pushed off the ground and swung at his assant, intending to end this confrontation quickly.

    <Absolute Cut Sword Art> was a technique that was devised with pure attack as the focus. In order to bring out the best effects of the technique, a cultivator must be decisive and aggressive in their approach when they battle.

    Duncan''s current actions were in-line with the core edicts of the technique. Hence, Duncan''s attacks were amplified to a small degree as he engaged his assant. The assant confidently blocked Duncan''s sword with his nails with the assumption that Duncan''s attack was the same as thest one.

    However, unbeknownst to both, Duncan''s actions of decisively engaging his opponent without holding back amplified Duncan''s attack strength. The moment the sword shed with those nails, Duncan''s assant wailed in pain and jumped back hastily.

    Duncan paused hearing that ear-piercing sound for a bit. The sound was causing him a headache, but Duncan wasn''t in a position to care about it. As Duncan paused, he spied green blood oozing out of his assant''s hand.

    Duncan was stunned for a moment. He had never seen someone with such a blood color. Even the wild beasts he had fought against had red blood in them. This green blood confirmed Duncan''s suspicion of his assant was not a human being anymore.

    Seeing his assant clutch his hands and wail in pain, Duncan didn''t stop for even a single moment. If not for anything else, Duncan wanted to skewer his assant to stop those ear-piercing wails. Both for his sanity and to prevent drawing the attention of the other inhabitants of this ce.

    Duncan redoubled his efforts and once more attacked his assant without any mercy. His assant dodged while still wailing like a stuck pig. Duncan only became more and more irritated hearing those wails. His head started to pound, causing Duncan to grit his teeth and execute <Wind Chasing Steps> once more.

    This time, his attack bore fruit as Duncan''s sword pierced through his assant''s arm, severing it cleanly. The wails intensified as Duncan''s assant tried to stem his stump. Duncan didn''t him any more opportunities as he was getting sick of hearing those wails.

    Executing <Wind Chasing Steps> again, Duncan closed in on his opponent. This time he aimed for the opponent''s throat in a bid to silence him. Duncan''s sword was swift with no hesitation, hardly leaving any time for his assant to react.

    A severed head flew some distance away andnded with a loud thud.

    Duncan took in the sight before him. His assant''s prone body was twitching violently as blood sprouted from the two ces he had cut through. In the distance, a severed head rolled around leaking green blood all over the ce. Luckily, there were no wails anymore.

    In its ce, a rotting stench assaulted Duncan''s nose. Duncan''s nose had grown more sensitive as ofte. It was hard for him to ignore such a stench. He felt his gag reflex activate and he almost doubled down vomiting.

    Duncan didn''t feel like he had achieved any victory in this fight. He was more disgusted by the smell than he was previously. Scrunching his nose, Duncan looked around vigntly. He knew that the wails his opponent made earlier would have definitely drawn some attention.

    Spying no one around the ce, Duncan decided to leave this ce for good. He wasn''t nning toe here until thest day. If not the wails, this stench would definitely attract some other dangers lurking in this cave to this ce. So, staying here would be foolish.

    Decision made, Duncan used <Wind Chasing Steps> and hurried away from the spot. Duncan chose a random direction and headed inside the tunnel leading deeper into the cave.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

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 Chapter 74 Cannibals

    Using <Wind Chasing Steps> made Duncan''s speed increase twofold. The real effects of <Wind Chasing Steps> were only visible when travelling long distances. While using the technique could increase mobility in short distances, the increase in speed wasn''t anything impressive. However, if it was travelling in a straight line for long distances, then <Wind Chasing Steps> truly shined.

    Duncan travelled at his maximum speed intending to put some distance between him and the site of his battle as soon as possible. After travelling for some time, Duncan came across another pathway leading to multiple tunnels.

    Duncan felt his head ache looking at the myriad of tunnels that were leading in different directions. He figured that there was aplex system of tunnels running throughout the mountain. And the cave was apparently the entrance to this whole system.

    Duncan knew that he needed to be smart here. If he got lost, then finding his way back would be difficult in this maze. This time, Duncan didn''t waste much time thinking. He neared a wall and used his sword to carve out his initials on it.

    While this wouldn''t help him identify the right tunnel from a distance, he would be able to identify it as long as he spent enough time checking out every tunnel. It was time-consuming for sure, but Duncan wasn''t going to sheathe his sword anytime soon after thest encounter.

    Now that he was away from the entrance, Duncan wasn''t ambivalent anymore. He already had a list of priorities for his survival in this cave for a week. First and foremost was to be vignt at all times. Then came food, shelter, and whatever supplies he could forage here.

    Right now, he needed to find food and shelter soon. All these tunnels looked like passageways leading to some ce deep inside the cave. If there was any kind of food or shelter in this area, then it was most likely to be at the location where the tunnels were leading towards.

    Without further hesitation, Duncan picked another random tunnel and started walking.

    *****

    Duncan was vignt as he traversed the tunnels. He made sure there were no blind spots for someone to sneak up on him as thest one did. He had been incredibly lucky in that encounter and he wasn''t keen on repeating that.

    The tunnel that he was traversing started tapering off a bit once he went in a bit. Duncan could see that there was a slight reduction in space for him to move horizontally the further he went in.

    While it wasn''t like a tight fit or anything, Duncan was d that it reduced the horizontal space that he needed to take care of. He could just care about the front and not worry about someone ambushing from his side.

    With no light, Duncan''s progress was slow. The further he traversed toward the interior of the cave, the less light was avable for him to see. Right now, he was only able to see a few feet ahead of him.

    This made for a tense journey as Duncan headed in.

    After what felt like half an hour, Duncan saw the tunnel widen a bit ahead. There were noisesing from the direction he was travelling towards as well. Duncan gripped his sword tightly and made sure he wasn''t making any sound as he inched his way towards the wide space.

    There was a slight bend in the corner in the direction he was heading in. The corner was obstructing his view of whatever it was that was making the noise. Duncan frowned a bit and decided to be a little careful in his approach.

    He put his back to the sidewalls and inched his way forward, making sure to keep his steps as quiet as possible. Duncan reached the end of the corner and struck his head out slowly trying to assess what was making that noise.

    There was a figure that was hunched over something. It was mumbling and moaning as it rocked back and forth. Duncan could see that the figure was feeding out of whatever was in front of him.

    Seeing that there was only one figure in the area, Duncan rxed a little and angled his body so that he could get a better view of the situation there. His mind was wondering if he could kill this being and steal its food.

    Duncan''s view broadened as he had now shifted to the best possible position that both allowed him to see things and also hid most of his body. Duncan frowned as he saw the figure that was feeding was akin to the one he encountered at the entrance. He wasn''t worried about its strength, rather he was worried about killing it without creating anothermotion.

    Duncan shifted his sight from the figure that was feeding to the item it was feeding from. The moment Duncanid his eyes on that, Duncan felt his hair rise in rm. A shiver ran through his body as he tried very hard not to gag.

    Because the item that the figure was feeding from was a corpse. Not just any other corpse, but the corpse of something that was simr to it in appearance. It was as if it had hunted its own kind and was feeding on it.

    Duncan knew what he was seeing at that moment. He had read about them but had thought that they were merely legends or something that only urred in very remote ces. He never imagined running into something like this here in a prominent sect.

    After all, who would expect the Heavenly Demon Sect, a premier sect in the cultivation world to have a cave full of cannibals? And even better, who would expect their master to throw them into that said cave?

    *****

    Meanwhile, a figure suddenly blurred into appearance at the entrance of the cave and looked around angrily. The anger that was emanating from that figure was palpable to everyone who looked at her.

    When her eyesnded on the guards, they trembled in trepidation. They prayed to whoever would listen to damned souls like them and hoped that she didn''t take out her anger on them.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Thest time one of the guards had made a mistake and had allowed one of the inhabitants of the cave to escape, the end result hadn''t been pretty. She had skinned that guard alive and tortured the guard until he begged for death.

    It had to be known that for a person to be eligible to join the Heavenly Demon Sect, one must have a strong heart and perseverance. The atmosphere in the sect fostered and nurtured a kind of will that defied even the heavens. If not, that person would have been driven away from the sect and hunted down for sport.

    So, if someone like that was left begging for death, one could imagine how cruel the torture was. And that wasn''t even the worst part. The sadistic bitch had beenughing all the while she tortured the guard.

    That scene left a deep impression on the leftover guards. Hence, they didn''t want to offend this crazy bitch, who didn''t have anypunctions in torturing someone to death. While killing was prohibited in the Heavenly Demon Sect, it only mattered when both parties were at a rtively equal status. If not, it was the fault of the one who died to offend someone way stronger than them.

    The female looked around angrily and finally found the person she was looking for. She angrily marched over to the man who was sitting calmly and sipping his tea and stood before him.

    Liang Tianye looked upzily from his position to take in the woman and calmly nodded at her. Apart from that, he didn''t have any indication to acknowledge her presence.

    The female fumed angrily and stomped her feet causing Liang Tianye to raise his eyebrows.

    "Liang Tianye, you may be the Vice-Sect Master of this sect. But it doesn''t give you the right to use the area under my control whenever you see fit," the female said angrily.

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply. He merely snorted and continued to drink his tea. Seeing his reaction, the woman became even angrier. Killing intent started to leak out of her causing the nearby guards to tremble.

    "If you don''t give me an exnation, right now, I am going toˇ­"

    The female trailed off as an even more oppressive killing intent mmed into her causing her to go mute. Her fingers started twitching nervously as she eyed the man in front of her.

    "You are going to do what?" Liang Tianye asked calmly as he surveyed her.

    "Iˇ­ Iˇ­ Iˇ­" the female wasn''t able to reply.

    The mountain-like pressure that was emanating from Liang Tianye was pressing down on her ruthlessly. The guards who had been trembling until now were now on the ground whimpering in fear. The killing intent that emanated from Liang Tianye was like a knife that was pressing down on her throat.

    She knew that if she uttered one wrong word, she would be killed mercilessly by the man before her. There was a reason that people called Liang Tianye the Wind Demon. While many may have forgotten his deeds in the past, the female had not.

    She knew howwless and rampant Liang Tianye had been in the past. He had terrorized the entire continent and the Heavenly Demon Sect with his actions when he was a bit younger.

    It was only in the past century that he had mellowed out a bit and reduced his anger. If not, she would have been dead by now for having the temerity to even leak killing intent in his presence.

    While others might have been afraid or angered by the straightforward putdown, it had the opposite effect on the woman who was standing in front of Liang Tianye. She rubbed her legs discretely and looked at Liang Tianye with hooded eyes as he stared at her dispassionately.

    "Tch, you are no fun, Vice-Sect Master," the woman''s voice turned sweet as she flipped her posture within a second.

    She stretched her body in a sexy manner and walked towards him despite the oppressive pressure boring down on her. Liang Tianye saw the change in her and snorted. He reeled in the pressure he was exhibiting and went back to sipping his tea.

    The female, for her part, paid no heed to the presence of guards, who were breathing heavily from the ground, and neared Liang Tianye in a seductive manner.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

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 Chapter 75 Feng Feixuan

    Despite the alluring sight that was presented before him, Liang Tianye didn''t even bat his eyes. He calmly sat there sipping his tea and allowed the female to get near to him.

    The female didn''t sit in front of him. Rather, she walked to his side and made sure her body touched his, as she sat beside him. The way she sat, every time Liang Tianye raised his hands to sip his tea, his elbow brushed past her tits. Her hands wandered yfully across Liang Tianye''sp, as she stared at him hungrily.

    "Well, Vice-Sect Master," the woman rubbed her tits against Liang Tianye''s arm and whispered into his ears in a seductive manner, "how are you going topensate poor little Feixuan for her loss?"

    Liang Tianye paused in his actions and nced sideways at her. Seeing Liang Tianye nce at her, Ferixuan licked her lips in a seductive manner and met his eyes with a hungry gleam in her eyes.

    Liang Tianye had to admit, Feng Feixuan was one of the most beautiful women he hadid his eyes on in his entire life. She wasn''t the kind of beauty that made him want to gobble up. Rather, she had something primal in her that appealed to him a lot more than other types of beauty.

    But, he knew very well what kind of a woman she was.

    Feng Feixuan was the kind of woman who would fuck you as she strangled you. She was the kind of woman who enjoyed inflicting pain on others. She truly enjoyed making others scream and struggle.

    But, that was just one aspect of her.

    Feng Feixuan sought power over anything else. She was cruel, sadistic, vindictive, and petty, but above all else, she was someone who was truly power-hungry. She would do anything to obtain more power. There was no limit that she wouldn''t cross and no evil deed she wouldn''tmit if it benefitted her.

    Unlike most women whom he hade across who seemed to be turned off by killing intent or got afraid, Feng Feixuan got turned on by killing intent and overbearing pressure. This made her a nightmare to deal with for many righteous cultivators.

    She had seduced several righteous cultivators to the evil side and had killed them once they outlived their usefulness. It is rumored that many powerhouses from the righteous factions had wanted to conquer her, but ended up bing ves to her will.

    Buddhists ran away from her and considered her to be the true embodiment of the devil. Female cultivators hated her with a passion and hungered to rip her into pieces. Male cultivators thirsted after her and wanted to make her theirs, but always ended up getting off worse whenever they met her.

    Her list of enemies, lovers, and worshippers was truly long.

    But this was all outside. Inside the Heavenly Demon Sect, ordinary disciples feared her more than they feared the punishment hall. They trembled in fear whenever she was in their vicinity.

    Her mercurial nature and ever-changing attitude made her one of the most feared persons in the sect. She would beughing along with you one second, and the next second, she would be torturing you for some made-up slight.

    So, it is with good reason that people avoided her usually. Of all the different demons that were present in the sect, she was one of a kind and always made it ufortable for people to deal with her.

    The only reason the sect tolerated her presence was her strength and her efficiency inpleting tasks. It was made easier when she decided to farm her own ythings and stopped harassing the members of the sect for her enjoyment.

    The cave he had thrown his disciple inside was one of the areas where she farmed her ythings. The people who had been locked up inside that cave were not cannibals when they were locked up. However, with her deliberate maniption and careful guidance, she had turned the people who had been locked up inside into cannibals who ate others to survive.

    No one knew how she had done it. And people were smart enough to not ask her directly either. As this focused most of her destructive tendencies away from other sect members, the sect also turned a blind eye to her actions.

    It is not as if everyone here was a paragon of virtue. In fact, the opposite was true. Most members of the sect had their own perverted hobbies or some form of practice that would be usually frowned upon outside. That is the reason, Heavenly Demon Sect was considered to be a truly demonic sect in the cultivation world.

    "Feng Feixuan, you do not need to worry. I willpensate you for your loss," Liang Tianye said turning away from her.

    "Hmmm, while that may be true, you have interrupted my ytime, Vice-Sect Master. You wouldn''t want me to be bored and start ying with the other members of the sect, would you?" Feng Feixuan leaned in further and blew hot air into Liang Tianye''s ears.

    "If you are not averse to it," Feng Feixuan rubbed her body shamelessly on Liang Tianye''s arms and whispered in his ears, "I may have a solution for you to help me out with my boredom. It is your fault that I can''t y with my ythings. You need to take some responsibility."

    Feng Feixuan said sliding her hand up Liang Tianye''s thighs and fondling the region near his manhood. Liang Tianye nced down at Feng Feixuan''s hands and snorted slightly.

    The next moment, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and lifted her upon his shoulders. Feng Feixuan shrieked for a moment, but that shriek turned into delightedughter as Liang Tianye vanished from the spot with her secured atop his shoulders.

    Her fadingughter made the guards stationed at the gate heave a sigh of relief. Until the moment she disappeared, they had been worried that she would change her mind and turn her attention toward them.

    They were d that Liang Tianye took her away. As for what both of them got up to, the guards knew very well that it was safer for them to not even think about it. They looked at each other a little relieved to have dodged a disaster and went back to guarding the cave once more.

    *****

    Inside the caveˇ­<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan almost vomited seeing the gruesome scene in front of him. He had to try very hard not to make any sound, despite how revolting the scene was to him. It made him want to puke.

    As he took in the scene before him, he recalled the hungry gaze the person who attacked him had and felt a shiver go down his body. At that moment, he had merely thought the person attacking him was hungry. But now that he thought about it, the person was indeed hungry.

    And the thing he hungered after was his flesh.

    Recalling that incident made Duncan shiver from head to toe. It wasn''t from anger or fear, it was from disgust. While he had been prepared to encounter some kind of horrifying things in the cave after his master had kicked him inside, after all this was a cave under the control of a demonic sect, he was definitely not prepared to encounter cannibals of all people in here.

    The disgust in Duncan rose as he saw the cannibal crunch on the leg of his victim. The anger that had been suppressed by his sudden encounter with his assant came roaring back as he looked at the cannibal feasting before his very eyes.

    Without much thought, Duncan executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and appeared behind the cannibal. The cannibal was alerted to his presence and tried to turn around.

    However, Duncan was faster. He swung his sword to behead the cannibal even as the overpowering rotting stench assaulted his nose. The cannibal''s head flew away from his body andnded with a thud.

    Green blood sprouted from his severed body like a fountain. Duncan hastily stepped back and took in the scene that was dyed green. The cannibal''s headless body was twitching on the floor beside him. Duncan scrunched up his nose and immediately vacated the area.

    He didn''t want to stay a single moment more than necessary at that ce. Even as he escaped from the gruesome sight, his eyes captured the mutted carcass that the cannibal was feasting on.

    The sight of the carcass truly revolted him. He couldn''t hold on to his stomach anymore and stopped his desperate escape to puke on the ground some distance away from the scene.

    Duncan didn''t care if the sounds he was making were attracting any more of these cannibals. Right now, he wasn''t in the right frame of mind to care about anything else. All his eyes could see was something he wished he could unsee.

    Duncan''s pukingsted for a long time. Every time he finished puking, and prepared to move, the sight of the carcass would once more haunt his mind. He would end up puking again. Thissted for some time causing Duncan to bonelessly slump against the wall nearby.

    Duncan cursed his master inwardly for making him see such depravity. He had never thought he woulde across such a thing in his entire life. It made him sick to even think about the cannibals.

    Duncan clenched his sword angrily and got up from the ce he had been slumped against. He had a look of determination in his eyes as he looked ahead into the dark tunnels that were littering the cave.

    Duncan knew that he was truly lost in this maze now. He had fled from the gruesome site in haste not actually thinking about the direction he was traveling in. He could most likely trace back to the location where he had killed the cannibal. But, the mere notion of returning to the site made him want to vomit.

    With no markers, he didn''t know which direction he was moving in or through which tunnel he was moving through. He didn''t know if he was facing the interior or the exterior anymore. He was truly lost inside this maze.

    But, it didn''t matter to Duncan at this time. For the first time in his life, he was motivated and determined to do one thing he thought he would never do.

    Start a massacre!

    That''s right. Duncan was determined to scour these tunnels and put to death every cannibal that caught his eye. After seeing them feasting on another person''s carcass, he just couldn''t let them live.

    He had one week to ughter these cannibals like the pigs they are. And he was done wasting any more time. He didn''t care about whether he would be ganged up by them or whether he would miss the deadline to exit this cave anymore.

    All he had in mind was to hunt these cannibals to extinction.

    With determination shining in his eyes, Duncan picked a random direction and walked purposefully. He didn''t try to mask his sound or hide his location. Instead, he walked bold as brass in the hopes that the noise he made attracted some of these fuckers to him.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 76 Hunting

    Duncan marched through the tunnels with a mission in his mind. He wanted to hunt and kill every cannibal that inhabited this ce. He knew that he didn''t have much time. He only had a week to scour this tunnel and get rid of these filths.

    While a week might sound long, the reality of the matter was that it was really short if Duncan wanted to scour all the tunnels present here. The tunnels ran throughout the mountain and often branched off into different pathways. This made hunting these cannibals into extinction a difficult proposition.

    Still, Duncan wasn''t deterred by the difficulty of the task.

    He was highly motivated to rid the world of this scum. Merely thinking about them made his stomach revolt and his blood boil. Duncan traipsed along the tunnels aimlessly making as much noise as possible to attract them to him.

    Half an hourter, Duncan''s efforts bore fruit. Just as he turned a corner, he came face to face with a cannibal that was heading in his direction. Duncan and the cannibal both paused for a split second before the cannibal roared at Duncan and ran in his direction.

    Duncan didn''t back off either. He dly weed the cannibal''s attack and ran forward to meet him angrily. The cannibal tried to w Duncan''s face with its nails. Duncan smoothly ducked under its attack and opened up the cannibal''s stomach from side to side in one sh.

    Duncan''s actions didn''t have a single ounce of hesitation in them. He acted like a well-oiled machine. His movements were so smooth as if he had practiced such a maneuver countless times. In reality, this was the first time he attacked in such a way.

    As Duncan bypassed the cannibal and opened up its stomach, the cannibal staggered to its knees with green blood pouring out of its stomach. Despite such a heavy injury, the cannibal didn''t look to be intimidated by Duncan. It roared angrily and turned to stare at Duncan.

    Only to be met with Duncan''s sword heading straight toward its neck. A brief moment of panic appeared in the cannibal''s eyes before its head was lobbed off with a smooth cut.

    Duncan nced at the cannibal dispassionately and started walking away without paying much attention to the body. The cannibal''s body fell down with a thud as green blood started pouring out once more from the severed neck.

    Duncan realized that these cannibals weren''t actually strong. Their strength was on the same level as his. However, they attacked in a savage manner with no thoughts on tactics or how to fight. It was as if they didn''t know any martial arts. Their weapons of attack seemed to be primarily their ws and their mouth.

    If this was the case, Duncan didn''t see much problem in eliminating this lot and gifting them with well-deserved death. But something told him things wouldn''t be this easy.

    If things were like this, his master must have known that he would be able to survive without much trouble. In order for his master to tell him that his task was to survive for a week, Duncan knew that the danger level of the cave must be something that he couldn''t handle.

    His master didn''t look like someone who exaggerated things. In fact, Duncan suspected that the truth was the opposite. So, he decided not to let his guard down during his stay in this hellhole.

    *****

    After his encounter with the third cannibal, Duncan met with a few more of those detestable things in the next half day. He dispatched them without much trouble. But as half a day had gone by, Duncan was beginning to get a little hungry. His anger had faded away a little and the motivation to kill them all wasn''t able to sustain him for a long time.

    Duncan knew that finding edible food in this cave must be something hard. If not, these cannibals wouldn''t have resorted to eating others. Thus, Duncan faced the biggest problem of his stay in this cave now.

    While Duncan''s determination to kill these detestable things hasn''t lessened, the motivation and anger that fuelled his wandering for half a day had subsided a little. He knew that he couldn''t go on like this realistically.

    As for the issue of food, Duncan knew that it wasn''t a big problem right now. But, he also understood that it would y a decisive factor in his survival. Duncan wasn''t someone who was a stranger to hunger, but there was a limit to his body. He couldn''t fight in his optimal condition as days went by if he didn''t find some food soon.

    Now that his anger had subsided a little, Duncan was able to think rationally. He knew that roaming around these tunnels aimlessly like he was doing currently was not an ideal solution. It not only didn''t let him encounter these things as much as he liked. It also sapped his energy a lot.

    He needed to be smart about this and think of a solution that worked for him. He needed to think like a hunter instead of roaming around aimlessly like an idiot. His experience with the mercenaries had taught him that in order to hunt wild beasts, one needed to somehow lure them into a trap or find a ce they frequented.

    Like how the area around the water was a ce that beasts would frequent. Even beasts needed to drink water and finding such a ce would him an ideal hunting ground. But there were also inherent risks attached to that strategy.

    If someone ran into a beast that they couldn''t fight, then it would be disastrous. Finding an ideal hunting ground was not as easy as finding a body of water. If the beasts that frequent that ce were something that was hard to handle with their manpower, then it was of no use to the party.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Furthermore, Duncan didn''t even know if these things needed water. So, such a ce wasn''t a sure shot either. The only option left to him was to lure them into a trap in an effective manner.

    Duncan walked through the tunnels thinking of a solution to his problem and soon came upon one. If he could execute it properly, then it would both save his energy and act as the ideal hunting ground for him.

    Having thought of a solution, Duncan decided to act on it. The first step in that was to find an ideal hunting ground. These narrow tunnels didn''t make a good hunting ground. He needed to find a ce that was wide enough for him to engage in battle freely.

    So, Duncan went about in search of it.

    Pretty soon, he came across a ce where multiple tunnels met. It was wide and had several exit points if he needed to make a quick getaway. After all, who knew what kinds of dangers lurked in this cave?

    So far he had been lucky enough to run into cannibals that were simr in strength to him. Coupled with their single mindset and savage way of fighting, he had been disposing them offfortably. But, it didn''t mean a stronger existence didn''t exist in these tunnels.

    If he ran into one such thing, having multiple exit points would help him a lot. It could both aid him in his escape and confuse his opponent if he wanted to follow him as well.

    Having found an ideal ce, Duncan set about fulfilling the next part of his strategy. He moved a little distance away from the ce and started making a ruckus.

    All the while he kept an eye on his surroundings waiting for one of these detestable things to show up. After creating a ruckus for about ten minutes, Duncan heard someone approaching his location hurriedly.

    ? Duncan smiled a crafty smile and continued to make a ruckus. He didn''t want to alert his enemy at this time. Even though these cannibals looked simple-minded and only had a single-track mind, Duncan didn''t want to alert them.

    Two cannibals rounded the corner and ran towards him with a hungry gleam in their eyes. Duncan smiled at them and escaped from their attack at thest moment.

    Before the cannibals could react, he chopped off one of the cannibal''s head and started attacking the other. This time he didn''t go for a decapitating blow right off the bat.

    Rather, Duncan yed around with it for a bit and targeted its limbs. Duncan made sure that this one wasn''t able to run away first and foremost. Once he was confident about his ability to subdue the cannibal, Duncan showed his true colors.

    Within the next thirty seconds, Duncan put out a hailstorm of attacks at the cannibal and incapacitated itpletely. He made sure that none of his attacks hit its vital spots and controlled his power so that it only wounded the cannibal instead of truly injuring it to death.

    Once done, Duncan grabbed the cannibal by its hair to the ce he had selected earlier, leaving a trail of blood. The cannibal was wailing in pain as Duncan dragged it through the rough floor of the tunnel.

    Arriving at his selected location, Duncan tossed the cannibal unceremoniously in the center of the area and looked at it with a predatory smile.

    Now that he had his bait, he could truly get to work.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 77 Hidden Danger (Slight R-18)

    The tactic that Duncan employed in his hunt for the cannibals was a truly tried and tested tactic used by the hunters.

    First, one injured a beast severely, but not mortally, and then put them out in an open field. The cries of the injured beast would attract other predators, who would sense its weakness and rush to kill it. When the predators entered the hunting zone, the hunters will kill it with an arrow or a spear from the distance.

    This was an effective method to hunt in the wild. The only problem wasing across powerful beasts that would be able to escape the arrows and spears. Usually, this tactic was not ideal to hunt cautious beasts or beasts that specialized in speed. The moment they sensed something wrong, these beasts would escape without looking back.

    However, if this was used to hunt the cannibals, Duncan had confidence that it would work. This way, he didn''t need to search for these detestable things. They would deliver themselves to him.

    This saved both his energy and his need to find these things.

    And when theye, Duncan would be waiting on the sidelines to make their stay here permanent. Smiling victoriously, Duncan found an ideal spot for him to hide and waited for the things to take the bait.

    The only downside was that the cannibal''s wails were irritating to his ears and that rotting stench that apanied them. However, Duncan had now be used to the stench and his nose was almost desensitized at this point. The ear part was a necessary sacrifice thoughˇ­

    *****

    Liang Tianye sat on afortable sofa sipping wine in his abode. He waspletely naked and had a rxed smile on his face. There was contentment in his eyes and a special glow on his face.

    Feng Feixuan sat on hisp as she too sipped a chalice of wine in her hands as well. She was also naked like Liang Tianye. As she sipped the wine, she enjoyed the rough manner in which Liang Tianye''s free hand was groping one of her tits.

    Her thighs were rubbing against Liang Tianye''s manhood and teasing it yfully. The lust in her eyes was visible to anyone who had the guts to look at them. Despite her disheveled hair and a content glow on her cheeks, it seemed as if she wasn''t done ying with Liang Tianye yet.

    The duo didn''t have a care in the world as they sat tasting their wine. In any righteous sect, such an interaction between an elder of the sect and the Vice-Sect Master would have seen them banished.

    Even daopanions, who are true couples in all shapes and forms, would never act this boldly with each other in a righteous sect. The pair had no sense of shame in them.

    However, this was a demonic sect.

    And over here, indulging in carnal pleasure or any other kinds of perversions was something that others wouldn''t bat an eye on. After all, if the entire sect was filled with people who took lives at the drop of a dime, such things could be considered tame inparison with what most would get up to in their free time.

    Liang Tianye groped Feng Feixuan''s tits wantonly as he sipped his wine. Meanwhile, Feng Feixuan wasn''t idle either. Apart from teasing Liang Tianye''s manhood, her other hand was tracing the contours of muscles that Liang Tianye sported with her nails.

    "Vice-Sect Master, you truly know how to take care of a woman like me,"Feng Feixuan purred as Liang Tianye pinched her nipple and yed with it. "I am d that you decided to use my yground to train your disciple. Who would have imagined that such a good thing woulde out of that?"

    "Not me," Liang Tianye chuckled and threw the wine chalice in his hand away.

    He turned around and buried his face into Feng Feixuan''s tits causing her to scream in excitement. The chalice in her hand almost slipped, but she managed to hold on to it.

    Feng Feixuan emptied the chalice in her hand and threw it away as well. With both her hands free, Feng Feixuan directed them towards Liang Tianye''s manhood as she arched her back and enjoyed his ministrations.

    "Ssshhh ah,,,, I hopeˇ­. sssssˇ­you don''t regretˇ­.ahˇ­.ummmmmˇ­sending that bratˇ­.ahˇ­. ahˇ­. ahˇ­..there," Feng Feixuan worded out her thoughts amidst Liang Tianye''s mouth attacking her nipples relentlessly.

    Liang Tianye took his sweet time to answer that. To him, sampling those luscious nipples were more important than worrying about his disciple. If not for the need of the sect, he wouldn''t really care about that brat after his disappointing performance.

    "You do realize that some of my ythings there are in theter stages of Qi Condensation realms, don''t you?" Feng Feixuan asked yfully when Liang Tianye was done with his feasting.

    Liang Tianye merely raised his eyebrows at that.

    "I heard that your disciple only recently started cultivating. Is it smart to send him into such danger?" Feng Feixuan purred in Liang Tianye''s ears and nuzzled him.

    "If that brat dies to a mere Qi Condensation realm cannibal, then he is truly trash. I do not need a burden like him," Liang Tianye grunted as he felt Feng Feixuan''s hands envelop his manhood.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The moment Liang Tianye said that, the entire body of Feng Feixuan stilled for a second. The next moment, she looked up at him with hooded eyes that were radiating hunger.

    "When you say stuff like that, it really arouses me," Feng Feixuan whispered and smashed her luscious lips on Liang Tianye''s mouth unceremoniously.

    Liang Tianye enjoyed the sensation of Feng Feixuan''s lips on him. However, that didn''t mean that his hands were idle. They grabbed the back of her head and held her there as he went tasting those lips to his heart''s content.

    Just like that, another war between the pair began.

    *****

    Duncan''s n went without a hitch initially.

    With the perfect bait set up at the ideal location, Duncan soon found himself killing the iing cannibals with rtive ease. The cannibals had a one-track mind. They didn''t pause to think why the other one was wounded so badly, yet still living.

    They only saw the delicious meal waiting for them and forgot to check their surroundings. That proved to be a fatal mistake as Duncan used that opportunity to chop their heads off with rtive ease.

    By now, he was feeling a little bored with this method of hunting. Sure, the number of cannibals who had fallen at his hands had increased drastically. Especially, once the corpses started piling up, they started luring more and more cannibals.

    But the flip side was, he wasn''t feeling any challenge in hunting them, to be honest. Not to mention the stench that was emanating from all the bodies. Just the rotten smell of one cannibal was enough to nauseate Duncan. With more than ten bodies piled up, Duncan was almost on the verge of quitting this hunt just because of the stench alone.

    Not everything was a loss, however. Analyzing the iing cannibals, Duncan was able to confirm at least two things. One, their range of hearing was reallyrge as they seemed to be able to hear the wailing of the wounded cannibal from a long distance.

    The other important discovery that Duncan found was that these cannibals had very sensitive noses as well. They were able to sniff out his hiding ce just from the smell that came from him several times, despite the stench emanating from the other rotting corpses.

    However, it was toote for them at that moment as Duncan would already be in action. Even a split second was enough to determine the winner in a fight between cultivators. And Duncan had more than a second''s advantage with his tactics.

    But, all things weren''t meant tost forever.

    Just as Duncan was contemting ending this hunt, due to the stench and permeating boredom, Duncan ran into a big problem. Duncan didn''t know if it was the rotting stench from the corpses was too strong or any other reason, but as time passed, the iing cannibals were beginning to find him faster and faster.

    Eventually, one of the cannibals that were lured was able to spot him immediately as soon as it stepped foot into the area. The moment it identified him, instead of retreating or roaring angrily as other cannibals were acting, this particr cannibal made a beeline for him.

    Duncan was initially taken aback that his surprise opportunity was taken away and was unable to react immediately. By then, the cannibal had neared him. Duncan had to hastily dodge its attack as a result of his negligence.

    But Duncan wasn''t fazed for long. He redoubled his efforts and attacked the cannibal. Much to his surprise, the cannibal was able to easily able to avoid his attack and came back with a retaliatory swipe.

    Duncan dodged it and took a step back to assess his opponent. But, the opponent didn''t give him that time. The cannibal once more attacked him causing Duncan to block using his sword.

    The moment the cannibal''s attack connected with his sword, Duncan knew that this one was different than the others that hade before.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 78 Water Source

    The moment the cannibal''s attack connected with his sword, Duncan knew that this one was different than the others that hade before.

    The force behind the blow that he was experiencing was stronger than what came from the other cannibals. Normally, his sword would have cut clean through the nails or hand when he attacked, but this time the sword was rebuffed with force.

    Duncan had to struggle a bit to regain his footing from the sudden resistance he experienced. The same was true for the cannibal as well. The cannibal roared in challenge and once more attacked Duncan.

    Duncan hastily evaded the blow and came up with a cut to its back. However, the cannibal was quick to react and it blocked the blow once more. Duncan frowned as he realized that this would be a long fight.

    Looking around, Duncan realized that this ce wasn''t the ideal one to battle a cannibal for a long time. If he got bogged down by this cannibal, the others that would arrive could easily overwhelm Duncan.

    Duncan immediately fled the scene after escaping the cannibal''s next attack. He wasn''t surprised when the cannibal left the corpses and came after him. While hunting these cannibals, Duncan realized that these cannibals preferred him over the corpses of their kind.

    Each and every time a cannibal smelled him or identified him in some form, they would not hesitate to move towards him, abandoning the corpses. It was as if Duncan was more delicious than their usual fare. Duncan didn''t know why and had no ns of finding out either.

    All he knew was that he was their preferred meal and they would go after him every time. This further deepened his determination to hunt these abominations down.

    Duncan fled as the cannibal chased after him. By now, Duncan had gotten used to the low level of light present in the cave. While his eyesight wasn''t what it could have been outside of this cave, it was far betterpared to when he came in, after getting ustomed to the atmosphere here.

    Duncan used the <Wind Chasing Steps> to get away from the cannibal, but the cannibal was still able to follow him. This made Duncan realize that the chances of losing this particr cannibal inside the tunnels were slim. He also realized that his normal speed was slower than the cannibal''s.

    If not for the <Wind Chasing Steps>, the cannibal would have caught up to him by now. Combined with their ability to hear and smell him far better than he was able to do them, Duncan knew that his chances of escape were slim. That meant the only option avable to Duncan was to kill this cannibal.

    As Duncan fled, his eyes roved to find an ideal battleground that he could use to his advantage. Pretty soon, Duncan turned a corner and came upon another one of the pathways filled with tunnels. This was an area he had never ventured forth. There were signs of frequent movements across multiple tunnels in this area.

    While Duncan noticed those things, his mind was not focused on these oddities now. He was desperately searching for a good battleground where he could face the cannibal in.

    By now, Duncan was also running low on qi. Continuously using <Wind Chasing Steps> was a little draining on him. He could also feel the cannibal closing in fast. He knew that it was time for him to make a stand. After all, if hepletely exhausted his qi, he would have no chance against this particr cannibal.

    Duncan slightly altered his path to angle a bit towards the wall present on his left side. While battling with the cannibals realized that the cannibals only used qi to strengthen their bodies. Their application of qi was limited in their usage and they preferred to be a little more straightforward.

    Duncan suddenly veered to the left and ran up the wall using his momentum and qi. He flipped over the pursuing cannibal using qi-enhanced strength andnded behind its back.

    Before the cannibal could stop its forward momentum, Duncan shed it from behind and sent it rolling forward with a kick to its ass. The cannibal fell forward and rolled a few times beforeing to stop. It roared angrily and turned to face Duncan.

    However, Duncan wasn''t idle. By the time it turned around, Duncan was already running up the wall to build momentum and jumped from it with a horizontal cut toward the cannibal''s head.

    The cannibal hastily ducked under Duncan''s de. Its reaction time was enough to escape Duncan''s attack in a hurried manner, but when Duncan followed it up with a sh to its midsection, it wasn''t able to avoid it.

    Duncan''s sword scored yet another injury on the cannibal''s body causing more green blood to leak out. Duncan didn''t give the cannibal any reprieve. Running his <Absolute Cut Sword Art>, Duncan once more delivered a vicious cut.

    This time the reaction of the cannibal was a tad bit slow. So, Duncan was able to cut off the cannibal''s right arm and send it flying. The cannibal wailed in pain and looked at Duncan hatefully.

    Duncan merely smirked at the cannibal and motioned it toe after him.

    But, the cannibal didn''t move. It looked around anxiously for a few seconds and immediately fled the scene causing Duncan to be a little surprised. So far, this was the first time one of the cannibals had acted cautiously toward him. Its act of fleeing the scene was entirely unexpected, causing Duncan to stand there surprised for the moment.

    By the time he came back to his senses, the cannibal was already far away, making a chase a moot point at this time. Duncan looked around in confusion to see if there was anything else that had scared away the cannibal. He knew the cannibals were more akin to beasts in their nature than humans and beasts have good instincts for danger.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan decided to move away as well, just in case the danger the cannibal felt was not from him. Without dy, Duncan once more executed the <Wind Chasing Steps> and left the area.

    A few minutester, another cannibal sniffed at the ce Duncan and the first cannibal had been fighting. It sniffed for a few moments before turning and roving its eyes to see if anything was still present there. Seeing no sign of thebatants, the cannibal leisurely walked towards the severed arm and ate it in one gulp before loitering away from the area.

    If Duncan had been still present there, he would have realized that this new cannibal''s presence was way stronger than the one he had been battling a few minutes ago. If the cannibal that lost its arm could be considered a hill with its presence, the new one felt like a mountain.

    *****

    As Duncan traveled further away from the ce he had been battling in, he slowly realized that he was now heading deeper into the cave. The air felt even more gloomier down here and the light in the surroundings was practically non-existent. He had to squint his eyes to even make sense of the path he was traveling in.

    As much as Duncan wanted to head back, there was one particr sound that has been drawing him into the interior for the past few minutes. Duncan could hear the sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance in the direction of the path he was traveling.

    Duncan knew that he has spent quite a bit of his qi in thest fight. He needed to find a ce to hole up and cultivate currently. Duncan figured that finding the water source and making a camp near there would be ideal.

    ? With no food or rations with him, Duncan felt that it would be better to find the water source that he had been hearing about for some time now. That way, he would at least have water to sustain himself for the week. If not, then he would only get tired as the days passed on.

    As for the probable danger he might encounter there, Duncan wasn''t in the mood to care about it. He was moving as stealthy as he could currently, but simply turning away was not an option. He was ready to face whatever challenge awaited him there.

    Navigating a bend in the pathway, Duncan came upon arge spacious ce connected to the pathway. The area was rugged as the pathways, but the space was really wide. Duncan spied another pathway leading away from the ce on the far end.

    However, what grabbed his attention was the moonlight shining through a hole that was present in the ceiling. The moonlight fell on arge rock that was in the center. A few paces away from the site where the moonlight fell, Duncan saw a tall reef-like structure jutting out. The source of the water drops was that structure.

    There was water dripping from the reef onto the rock below in a steady stream. It wasn''t anythingrge, but the water was trickling down in a consistent manner. The water at the bottom was collected in a shallow hole. The overflowing water seemed to drain some distance away.

    The scenery was quite ethereal if Duncan had to be honest with himself. It had a mesmerizing beauty to itself. But, Duncan was not lost in the beauty. His eyes were vignt as he scanned the area for any kind of danger.

    After searching for a while and not finding anything, Duncan slowly made his way to the reef and cupped his hands to collect some water. Testing it a little, Duncan felt that this water was drinkable, as he couldn''t find any problem with the taste. Despite that, Duncan decided to wait a while to drink his fill.

    If there were any subtle side effects, then they would make themselves known soon. A cultivator''s body had a faster metabolism than a normal human''s. And ever since he started cultivating, Duncan had been intuitively aware of the state of his body. So, if a side effect showed, he would be able to determine that the water was not safe.

    Likewise, if there were no side effects, Duncan decided that this was the ce he could make his base in. Looking around for a while, Duncan noticed several footsteps leaving anding toward the small hole that collected water on the ground.

    He figured that this ce was acting like a water source for several cannibals in this vicinity. That meant it wouldn''t be ideal for him to stay on the ground here. Duncan looked around and decided to check the reef the water was dripping from. After all, there must be a source for this water.

    The best way to find that out was to retrace the stream''s path.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 79 Changes

    Duncan nimbly climbed the reef and stood atop it.

    He saw a small stream of water trickling downwards to the reef from the other end and falling off the reef. Duncan cautiously made his way tracing back the stream of water. He didn''t want to make camp and then find outter that he had intruded upon some other cannibal''s territory.

    Duncan wasn''t keen on engaging in another fight before he restored his qi. And if there was a cannibal here, then it was probably stronger than other cannibals to upy such a nice ce. So, it was imperative that he figured out if there was any danger here.

    Following the stream, Duncan came to a tunnel of sorts that wasn''t visible until the moment he came near to it. Duncan saw the streaming through it. After hesitating a bit, Duncan decided to check it out and stepped into this hidden tunnel, and made his way inside.

    Duncan made his way in warily, ready for trouble to pop up any moment. Luckily for him, there was no other presence inside the tunnel. The tunnel ended in a dead end. There was a small opening to the side through which the stream wasing in.

    The opening wasn''t taller than his knee, so it was hard for him to check it outpletely. Still, to be on the safer side, Duncan got down on his knees and looked into it. The opening seemed to go on for a distance. He could see some light at the end of it, but Duncan didn''t feel the need to check it out right now.

    Duncan once again scanned the ce for any signs of other beings present here and came up empty. Breathing a sigh of relief, Duncan decided to make his camp here. Not that he had any equipment to erect a proper camp, but considering his situation, this ce looked like the perfect hideout for him to spend his week.

    Moreover, the water level here was a little bit higher, making it ideal to have a drink from. After drinking his fill, Duncan moved a few paces away from the stream and took up his meditation position. Even then, Duncan was careful to keep his sword on hisp so that he would be able to retrieve it at a moment''s notice.

    Taking onest look at the spot, Duncan closed his eyes and began to restore his qi.

    *****

    Duncan opened his eyes, after a short session of meditation to restore his qi.

    There was a bit of confusion present in his eyes. Usually, meditation cleared away the excess thoughts a practitioner would have to give them serenity. Duncan had experienced this whenever he cultivated prior to this.

    But, this time, Duncan felt a little restless.

    The reason for it was the changes that his cultivation technique had gone through. When Duncan began the meditation session, he didn''t expect any such changes. Even the booklet hadn''t described anything simr to what was happening inside his body.

    Initially, Duncan didn''t even notice the change in his body. But, as time passed, Duncan was able to see a slight change in his cultivation technique. Duncan''s cultivation technique required him to cycle the umted qi in his body through his body.

    ? That meant, the qi would travel through major meridians and other paths that were specified in the cultivation technique. One such ce his umted qi had to pass through was his heart.

    Until now, Duncan had not seen any kind of changes taking ce. However, during this session, the qi that cycled through his heart came out of it with a different hue attached to it.

    There was a reddish-ck hue attached to the qi that came out of his heart. It was really different from the pure white qi that he had been circting before this session. It made Duncan confused a bit.

    He knew that he hadn''t done anything differently. He had just cultivatedst night and the result had been what it was before that. But, this time, the hue of his qi had changed.

    Normally, this should have freaked out Duncan. But, he was only confused because he had noticed that the new qi that came out of his heart was somehow better in qualitypared to the old qi he had been ustomed to.

    Not to mention, the thin membrane that had been preventing him from expanding his dantain broke through the moment the new qi touched it. Duncan knew that if he wished, he could break through to the next realm easily. This prevented Duncan from being rmed by this sudden change.

    But that didn''t mean he was confused as to the reason for this change. The only thing he had done differently was to kill a few cannibals in between his two cultivation sessions. Apart from that, everything was the same as before.

    As Duncan mulled over the issue, his master''s words from earlier resonated in his heart.

    "How many people have you ughtered since you started cultivating?"

    Duncan felt that he had understood what his master was asking the first time around. But, with hindsight, he felt that his understanding had been only superficial to this point.

    Duncan had merely thought that since the name of the technique he cultivated was <ughter Demon Sutra>, then he should kill a few people. But, he had never thought that there would be a link between the killings and the changes in his cultivation technique.<novelnext></novelnext>

    One couldn''t fault Duncan for thinking like that. How was Duncan supposed to know that his technique would undergo such a change after he killed someone? He hadn''t known much about cultivation before this month after all. So, it was only natural to assume such things.

    At that moment Duncan realized that cultivation was not simple. There seemed to be hidden conditions and transformations that have never been recorded in the scrolls. He didn''t know why people forgot to mention this kind of critical information. But, he was clear that this was the right path for his cultivation technique.

    One might ask how Duncan came to such a conclusion. In that case, Duncan would point out a few of the obvious indicators. One, his qi had changed dramatically in quality ever since the change. Two, the block he had found while cultivating to the next stage was nowhere to be found.

    Andst but not least, there was an intrinsic knowledge that came from deep in his heart that this was the correct way. He didn''t know how to articte that feeling. But, it was there nevertheless.

    To add to all this, Duncan felt that it was easier to cultivate currentlypared to his earlier sessions. The speed at which his qi replenished was several times faster than when he had practicedst night.

    Earlier, it would take him half the night to restore the qi he had spent. But now, all it took was a single short session of meditation. The difference was too huge. The rate at which he absorbed qi was simply unimaginable.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, the reason why no one mentioned this change in the booklet was that no one encountered such a problem before. Usually, <ughter Demon Sutra> was reserved for only disciples who have proven their worth. Being a premier cultivation technique of the demonic path, not everyone could get their hands on this.

    By the time people got the opportunity to practice this technique, they would have umted ughter aura quite a bit. And the hue of the qi changing to suit the temperament of the technique was a widely known fact in the cultivation world.

    Unless someone was entirely new to cultivation like Duncan and got the opportunity to cultivate this technique right at the beginning, they wouldn''t run into such a problem.

    The reason Liang Tianye was able to immediately identify that Duncan''s usage of this technique was wed was, one, because of his vast knowledge, and two, because he found clear attribute-less qi in Duncan''s body.

    Being a leader of the Demonic faction, Liang Tianye knew very well what kinds of attributes aremon with demonic techniques. Seeing none of them made it easier for him to extrapte on a probable reason and quiz Duncan on it.

    However, what even Liang Tianye didn''t expect was Duncan''s qi to be of such a high quality after transformation. This could be attributed to the nascent Heart of Killing that Duncan has.

    And there was another misceneous reason for Duncan to feel that he could absorb qi faster that he wasn''t aware of. This cave had been a breeding ground for cannibals for countless years.

    All the killings, feastings, and misery that this cave had been witness to, had made this cave rich in the demonic aura. So, the qi present inside this cave was slightly skewed to the demonic path. It made it easier for people practicing demonic techniques to cultivate here.

    Regardless of the reasons, Duncan felt that he was blessed to experience such a change. He knew that if he was to survive this week inside this hellhole, then it was essential for him to be stronger.

    He had alreadye across one cannibal that was near to him in power. And he was pretty sure that cannibal wasn''t the strongest one in this cave. So, it was imperative that he became stronger sooner, rather thanter.

    And now, not only did his qi be more purified, it even had some kind of an attribute to it. The only problem he had faced that prevented him from stepping into the next level was also now gone. That meant, he could easily step into the next realm.

    Grinning madly, Duncan decided to just do that.

    "It is time for me to feel the real effects of cultivation atst. The introductory booklet told that only when someone breaks through for the first time will they get the real benefits of cultivation. It is time to check it out," Duncan smiled happily and once more entered the meditation session.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 80 First Breakthrough

    Duncan circted the <ughter Demon Sutra> calmly, repressing his enthusiasm a bit. It took him some time to get into the proper mental state required for the cultivation, but he did it eventually.

    The qi in the surrounding soon started to move toward Duncan slowly. Pretty soon, a tiny vortex formed above Duncan''s head. The suction from the vortex sucked in the surrounding qi at a faster rate and sent it to Duncan''s body.

    Duncan felt as if he was enclosed by a warm andfortable nket. The feeling was both cozy and peaceful. It helped him to concentrate more and try to absorb more qi to break through to the next level of the Qi Condensation realm.

    Soon, Duncan started to feel his body greedily sucking in the qi from heaven and earth at an rming rate. His dantain started to feel bloated as a tenth strand of qi entered it.

    Even though the membrane that had been preventing him from absorbing more qi has gone, Duncan felt as if his dantain would not expand anytime soon. The tenth strand of qi forced its way inside his dantain making him fear for a moment that his dantain was going to explode.

    Luckily, nothing like that happened.

    The moment the tenth strand of qi entered his dantainpletely. The bloated feeling in his stomach increased severalfold. His dantain started to automaticallypress the qi strands present inside to fit them.

    Suddenly, out of nowhere, Duncan felt something within his body break. The next moment, he felt even more qi rushing into his body madly. The tiny vortex above his head revolved crazily as it worked overtime to provide Duncan''s body with more qi.

    Before Duncan could make sense of this or react to the bloated feeling, the ten qi strands in his dantain rushed out and spread throughout his body. This time they were not guided by the cirction technique. They were rabidly moving across his body as if they were searching for something.

    Duncan felt lightheaded for a moment. However, he regained his bearings and tried to concentrate more on his body to see what the qi strands were up to. What Duncan saw made him mesmerized and fall in love with cultivation.

    Wherever those qi strands passed, they nourished the body part they came into contact with. It was unlike anything he had seen before. The qi strands gave a new vitality to his body parts as they rampaged across his body.

    Duncan felt as if his entire body was being remade from the inside out.

    Fearing that the qi strands would run out, Duncan turned his attention to circte the <ughter Demon Sutra> more urgently. This processsted for about a minute or so before Duncan''s entire body glowed slightly.

    Following that, ck filth started oozing out of his body. The stench would have disturbed Duncan''s concentration if he wasn''t fully devoted to circting his cultivation technique non-stop.

    Soon, Duncan''s entire body was covered in ck filth. His clothes were drenched in ck filth and a sticky sort of feeling started to appear all over his body. Duncan didn''t care about any of these things currently.

    His only focus was to circte the cultivation technique without any mistakes. As time passed, Duncan felt the rampage in his bodye to a standstill and he was once more able to control the qi strands.

    Duncan circted the technique while keeping an eye on the qi strands. He gently guided them through the cultivation pathway that was described in the technique. The vortex above his head had stopped its crazy spinning and was once more back to normal.

    However, Duncan was pleasantly surprised to note that the amount of qi he absorbed with each breath had increased double-fold. Earlier, he was only able to absorb so much of the qi from the surrounding in a single breath, despite the rich density of qi in his surroundings. Now, that wasn''t the case.

    Likewise, the tiny vortex above his head had also increased in size.

    As Duncan cultivated non-stop, he was able to refill the qi he had spent quickly. He was also surprised to note that the tenth strand of qi that he had obtained was now able to sitfortably inside his body without shing with the other nine strands.

    Duncan also realized that the quality of qi in his body had also increased slightlypared to earlier. Despite the sticky feeling he had all over his body, Duncan was feeling pretty refreshed and calm.

    Duncan opened his eyes slowly and looked around. He was pleasantly surprised to note that his eyesight had improved as well. The areas which had been dark to him earlier were clear now. Not just his sight, Duncan felt as if all his senses have increased as well.

    However, there was a flip side to the increased senses as well. The stench that was emanating from his body was unbearable to Duncan. He scowled at that and got up.

    Looking at his arms that were caked with ck filth, Duncan couldn''t help but show a disgusted expression. Just realizing that all this filth was present in his body made him a little ufortable.

    He also realized that his body was not done clearing itself of its impurities yet. The introductory booklet has stated that a cultivator will undergo nine times such cleansing, once for every level they move up in the Qi Condensation realm. That meant, he had to undergo such purification nine times topletely rid himself of any impurities in his body.

    To be honest, Duncan couldn''t wait to get rid of these impurities in his body. He was already feeling more energetic andfortable in his body now that one such cleansing wasplete.

    He couldn''t wait to feel how it would be topletely rid himself of these impurities. Just extrapting from the current feeling alone was enough for him to yearn for that.

    And this was just the beginning.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He had merely moved up a level in the Qi Condensation realm. Duncan couldn''t wait to see the changes in his body once he moved up a major realm. He was sure that the difference would be earth-shattering for sure.

    Letting out a breath of stale air, Duncan rose from his position and swung his sword experimentally. He could feel that his strength had increased twofold now that he had moved up to the Second Level of the Qi Condensation realm.

    Duncan began to test his reflexes and speed for a bit and found himself smiling from ear to ear in giddiness. His body was moving far more smoothlypared to how he was moving earlier.

    He also noted that he need to practice a bit more with his martial arts techniques as the increase in his body attributes meant he had to recalibrate his style to amodate them. Nevertheless, Duncan was d for the extra work. This meant he was bing more powerful. And it was fine with him.

    What wasn''t fine with him though was a dilemma he was facing currently. Duncan frowned as he realized that he didn''t have any spare clothes to get into while cleaning the current ones he was wearing.

    That meant, he had to remain naked for some time, until he cleared his clothing of the stench and filth that his body had expelled. Luckily, he had decided to camp near a water source. This would enable him to get things done quickly.

    Imagine traversing these tunnels with such horrible stench and filth adorning his body. That would have been a nightmare in itself. Not to mention the cannibals that would be drawn in by the stench he was putting out.

    Letting out a huge sigh, Duncan hastily got out of his clothes and started to clean himself in an urgent manner.

    *****

    Duncan spent the next two days, after cleaning himself, cooped up in that space he had made his camp in. Not that he could identify the time in this ce anymore. The only indication of the day-night cycle was the beam of light that wasing through the hole in the roof nearby.

    However, he wasn''t idle.

    Duncan was diligently practicing his martial techniques during that time so that he would bebat-ready whenever it was needed. He noticed that the time he was able to practice had increased drastically because of the breakthrough.

    His practice with the <Wind Chasing Steps> had reached the partial sess stage. Just increasing his cultivation level allowed Duncan to practice his techniques for a long time. This, in turn, tranted into acquiring increasing mastery over the technique he practiced.

    Any martial arts technique was divided into four stages. Initial sess was the stage where one had a basic grasp of the technique. Partial sess is when they became proficient in the technique. Attaining a full sess stage meant they had mastery over the technique. Above that was the perfection stage.

    Duncan had learned that most cultivators never attain the perfection stage in their techniques. They would stop at the full sess stage after attaining mastery over the technique. The perfection stage can only be obtained when the cultivator could easily execute the technique wlessly, not wasting any qi, andpletelyprehending the essence of a technique.

    Every single martial arts technique was derived from a concept. Each concept is inspired by the things in nature or by observing powerful beings and their habits. That''s why the progression of technique at the initial stages was far easier than it was in theter stages. Because to attain perfection, one mustpletelyprehend the essence of nature or the powerful being.

    It was a tall order to attain.

    Duncan''s practice of the sword technique was progressing rapidly on the other hand. While practicing <Absolute Cut Sword Art>, Duncan felt as if he was nearing a certain stage. He wasn''t able to actually pinpoint it, but deep down he knew he was closing in on a threshold. And his gut told him, reaching it would be immensely beneficial for him.

    As for his cultivation, Duncan used the remaining Qi Gathering pills in his hands generously making great strides in that area as well. He felt as if he was nearing the peak of the second level of the Qi Condensation realm. But, he felt as if something was missing from it.

    From prior experience, Duncan knew what exactly was missing. He knew that he couldn''t fall back on thosezy behaviors of hiding away and cultivating. It was what led him here. And to break through to the next level, he needed to ughter more people. It was as if each level of progression needed Duncan to ughter more.

    Letting out a deep sigh, Duncan stood up from his position and started walking out of the tunnel he had holed himself in. He knew what was needed for him to break through and this ce was the ideal area for him to indulge in it.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 81 Mobbed

    Duncan slowly walked the passageway without any aim or particr direction in mind. He had already lost his way, so it was useless to try and find a route back to the entrance.

    However, it had already been more than three days by his count. He had been given a week to survive and return. He was halfway there. It was time he went back towards the entrance and rode this entire ordeal out.

    Currently, Duncan was in the interior regions. So, Duncan was heading toward the direction he thought the outer regions were in. Duncan knew that he would obviously run into cannibals on his way out. In fact, he was looking forward to it. Killing them could increase his ughter qi and that way allow him to progress to the next level.

    But, it was easier said than done. He had no clue as to where he was at. Hence Duncan had decided to walk in a random direction in the hopes that his luck held true and he came across somece he could identify.

    Having passed through numerous pathways in the outer region, Duncan was confident to recognize them at least vaguely if he came across them. That way, he could at least get a little bit of bearing and proceed from there.

    Before walking away from his camp, Duncan had filled his stomach with water. He had been using that water in there to sustain his hunger for days now. And he knew it would be days before he saw light again as well.

    While he didn''t feel weak or lethargic from hunger, the pangs were still present there. However, one of the advantages of breaking through was that he was able to function for a lot longer without food in general.

    Cultivators usually had stronger bodies. That meant they could function normally for a long time without needing to take sustenance. With every realm they moved up, their need for food and even air dwindled drastically.

    While Duncan was nowhere near that level, his body had been strong for a mortal before he even started cultivating. Now having tasted the fruits of cultivation, it wasn''t a problem for him to function normally for days without food.

    But, that didn''t mean he was exempt from hunger pangs.

    Those were realities of his body. He could no more control them or avoid them. It was basic mortal yearning. That was the reason for the existence of fasting pills. Unfortunately, Duncan had consumed the ones given to him in a foolish manner before this ordeal began.

    Duncan was someone who learned from his mistakes. He was never going to run out of fasting pills after this episode. He was going to stock up on them and use them only when it was really necessary hereafter.

    Likewise, this ordeal had taught him another lesson as well. To be prepared for anything at any time. He will not forget that lesson anytime soon after this debacle. The thing that irked him most was that he didn''t even have a water skin to gather water from his camp.

    As Duncan meandered through the pathways, he looked around for any signs that he might recognize. With his eyesight improved, it was easy for him to see in the dark at the moment.

    But, it was not an easy task as most pathways inside this cave looked simr.

    *****

    Duncan cursed inwardly as he ducked under the swipe of a cannibal. He kicked the cannibal away and pivoted bringing his sword down on another one that was going for his legs.

    His sword cleaved through the cannibal, splitting him into two. The cannibal died with his eyes wide open. Duncan didn''t even pay attention to the corpse as he was forced to backpedal fast and guard himself against another cannibal that wasunching himself at him.

    The rotten stench wafting from the cannibal made Duncan swear profusely. He unceremoniously headbutted it and sent it staggering back. Before Duncan could deliver the killing blow, he had to once more pivot and block the iing attack from another one.

    If Duncan had to me someone for his current situation, he could me no one but himself. After wandering the pathways for a few hours, Duncan had inevitably gotten bored.

    An idle mind is a devil''s workshop.

    And for a demonic cultivator like Duncan, it was even worse.

    Bored out of his mind, Duncan started whistling an old tune he had heard in his younger days to take his mind off of the dreary situation he was in. He was also hoping that some cannibal would hear it ande searching for him.

    Only, the n worked too well.

    Instead of one, Duncan was mobbed by more than a dozen of them at the same time. That was the reason he was currently in such a melee. And these cannibals were of simr strength to the one he failed to kill a few days ago. If they had been weak like the ones he hade across initially, he would have moved through them by now.

    But, s! Duncan can only wish for such good luck.

    The absolute worst part of this, themotion they were creating was sure to attract more cannibals. It was not as if these cannibals were fighting him silently. They were grunting, moaning, wailing, and roaring, creating a cacophony of noises all around and irritating Duncan mightily.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan''s sword cut through the neck of another cannibal, but he was forced to duck and roll with his sword amidst the spilling green blood by the attack of another one.

    Duncan came up grimacing. He didn''t like the fact that he had to roll through that rotten blood to escape the attack. His anger peaked and he roared back at the cannibals in challenge.

    Hefting his sword, he started toy waste on the nearby ones. Giving into his rage, Duncan swung his sword fiercely cutting down one cannibal after another. Soon, a ckish aura started emanating from his body, propelling him to go on a ughter.

    But, the damage was already done. The disturbance here had already attracted the attention of a lot of cannibals. They were pouring in droves trying to get to him. Duncan had no other means other than to go on the full-on offensive. He abandoned defense to cut down as many as possible in a short time.

    For a short while, it worked.

    Duncan''s sudden ferocity took the cannibals by surprise. This allowed Duncan to mow through them with abandon. The invisible ck aura emanating from his body was increasing more and more, but it didn''t extend to his sword and create the visible reddish aura like it did while Duncan was fighting against the beasts.

    As the aura emanating from him was invisible unless one was at a certain cultivation stage, Duncan had no idea that he was emanating it. Hence he didn''t notice this change at all.

    But, all things were meant to end.

    And Duncan''s rampage amongst the cannibal horde came to an end when he ran into a bulkier cannibal. The cannibal''s strength was vastly superior to any other cannibals Duncan faced until then.

    While Duncan wasn''t at a disadvantage, shing with it halted his momentum abruptly causing him toe to stand still. This created the opportunity for the rest to mob him.

    Soon, Duncan began to sustain injuries from their nails, and some even bit and tried to tear his flesh. Every time that happened, Duncan would immediately retaliate and kill the perpetrator.

    But, soon Duncan began to realize that if he stayed in this ce he would get bogged down by sheer numbers alone. Gritting his teeth, he went on a short rampage, clearing the area around him.

    Once some adequate space appeared, Duncan executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and fled from the scene. However, how could it be possible to escape from the horde of cannibals that easily?

    Especially, the bulky one that had been a headache to Duncan for the past few minutes was deceptively fast on its feet. It was able to chase after Duncan with rtive ease.

    Thus, a chase began in the pathways, with Duncan running away using all his might and the cannibals chasing after him. Duncan was d that he chose to run away. Because, while he was escaping, he came across several more cannibals heading toward the location of their fight.

    Some he dispatched without prejudice, some he evaded, and some he shoved in the path of other cannibals that were chasing after him. In this way, Duncan somehow managed to escape from the horde after some difficulty.

    One of the main reasons for his escape was that the cannibals hated each other as much as they wanted to eat Duncan. So, whenever he pushed a cannibal onto the path of the others, it created a conflict between the two, which soon escted into an all-out bloodbath.

    Only the bulky one had been persistent for some time. But, Duncan''s <Wind Chasing Steps> became more useful the longer distance he used it to travel. Soon, Duncan outpaced the bulky one and disappeared amidst the multiple pathways present in the cave, causing the bulky one to roar angrily in frustration.

    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and took a look at himself. His clothes were torn in several ces, there were bite marks all over his body. Several gashes ran over his torso as blood dripped from them profusely.

    Duncan did a double take seeing the amount of damage he had taken. He hadn''t been in a ce to analyze his injuries earlier, but apparently, he was nearly overwhelmed by the horde at this point.

    Letting out a deep sigh, Duncan set out to find a hidden ce and recover his wounds. This time, he didn''t dare to be cocky. He walked cautiously taking every precaution to remain as silent as possible.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 82 Fervent Cultivation

    Duncan opened his eyes slowly and let out a breath of foul air.

    Looking down, he frowned slightly at the still open wounds on his body. By his estimate, the wounds on his body must have closed, if not healed by now. But, the wounds that covered his body were refusing to heal properly.

    These were the wounds he had sustained while getting mobbed by the cannibal horde. This wasn''t the first time Duncan had gotten injured and he had been injured far more severely than this.

    But, Duncan had learned that his body''s vitality was stronger than many others after he started practicing <Coiling Dragon Sutra> during sex. With how fast his body healed, even before he started cultivation, the wounds he had sustained during the mobbing must have closed.

    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.

    The wounds across his body were closing slowly and it was taking him some concentrated effort to even heal them to this level. This was something that made Duncan a little irritated.

    One of his biggest confidences in engaging the enemy head-on was the fact that he healed faster. Since he was able to heal faster, the injuries he would sustain didn''t have that much of a threat to him, unless they were fatal or in areas that were pretty important. This allowed him to fight the enemy head-on without many scruples.

    However, the injuries he had sustained earlier were proving to be a stubborn bunch. Duncan could feel a kind of rotten energy radiating from these injuries when he meditated earlier and it gave him a bad feeling.

    He had to circte his qi, target the injured areas, and nourish them constantly to even keep them from aggravating. If not, his situation would have worsened further. He had never expected these cannibals to have such an ability.

    Before this fight, he hadn''t sustained any injuries from the cannibals in a significant manner. But, after this fight, Duncan had to reevaluate his fighting style if he came across these cannibals once more. He can''t afford to get injured in this manner any longer.

    Scowling at this unexpected development, Duncan looked around the spot he had selected for his cultivation. The area he had holed himself in was filled with cobwebs indicating that it hadn''t seen human presence for some time.

    He hade across it while searching for a ce toy low and recuperate after escaping from the cannibal mob. Initially, he hadn''t even noticed this ce as it was tucked into a corner, hidden from view. But, since he was searching for a hideout, he had paid particr attention to blindspots and hade across this location.

    Compared to the ce made he made his first camp, this one was really shabby. Thest one had good water, a well-hidden location, and a cleanyout. This one didn''t even tick off one of those features.

    While this spot was hidden from in sight, it wasn''t hidden like thest one in a true sense. This spot was actually located in the blind spot between two connecting pathways making it difficult to find. Apart from that, nothing of note was here.

    But, this would do for his purpose now.

    Duncan''s current mindset was to heal himself and break through the next level of Qi Condensation realm. After thest fight, Duncan was sure that he would have fulfilled the requirements needed for him to progress in his cultivation to the next level.

    Initially, he had thought to recuperate a bit and breakthrough after that, but things didn''t go as nned. The injuries on his body were refusing to heal at a faster rate giving him a headache.

    "Looks like it will take a while for me topletely recover. There is nothing that could be done here. I don''t know what this rotten aura that is emitting from the wounds, but I can guess they are the cause for the slow pace of healing," Duncan murmured looking at his injuries once more.

    "In that case, I better breakthrough first. Maybe, it will elerate the rate of healing as well. And it would also give me enough confidence to fight a mob if I once more get pulled into the same situation," Duncan shook his head slightly in disappointment and closed his eyes once more.

    Time passed slowly as Duncan started to cultivate. He soon lost himself in the bliss of cultivation. The rate at which his body absorbed the surrounding qi increased significantly as time went by.

    Just when everything seemed to be going well, Duncan suddenly opened his eyes and frowned. He started mumbling to himself as he fell into thought. After a while, he popped thest Qi Gathering pill in his possession into his mouth and closed his eyes once more.

    While meditating, Duncan realized that the rate at which he was absorbing qi was not enough for him to reach the peak of the second level anytime soon. It would probably take him an entire day to do that.

    However, he wasn''t in a position to sit around and calmly cultivate. The ce he was in was not an ideal cultivation spot and he could be discovered at any moment. That meant, if he wanted to break through, he should expedite the process as much as he could.

    The only item within his belongings that could do that was the Qi Gathering pills. Unfortunately, he had also wasted them a bit during the previous week. Luckily, he had onest pill with him. So, Duncan didn''t waste much time consuming it as well.

    For over half an hour, Duncan cultivated as calmly as he could in an environment where he would need to fight for his life if someone found him. After eating the Qi Gathering pill, he felt the rate at which he sucked in qi from the surroundings elerate to the desired level.

    The qi strands that he had umted were purified over and over with each cycle and new qi strands were added as well. The Qi Gathering pill showed its efficiency when it truly mattered making Duncan happy.

    But, when it was close to an hour, Duncan realized that reaching the peak wouldn''t be a problem with the Qi Gathering pill''s effects, but he would be hard-pressed to break through. He would need to consolidate further and take more time to do that.

    The problem was that Duncan felt that he needed to break through as soon as possible. He had already gotten close to being killed in this cave once. If he didn''t increase his cultivation, he didn''t know if he could walk out of this cave alive.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The cannibals must have realized that he was in these pathways by now. After tworgemotions he had created in the past few days, he would be surprised if they did not.

    Until now, he had been able to fend them off. But, it didn''t mean the cannibals he fought were the strongest of the bunch here. There might be other ones who are far stronger than the ones he had fought until now.

    If he ran into them while searching for the exit, then he would be hard-pressed to escape or kill them. So, it was imperative that he increased his strength urgently. Duncan knew that he couldn''t progress much in his swordsmanship or movement technique in a short time. That left only the avenue of increasing his cultivation to the next level.

    Furrowing his brows, Duncan thought anxiously about how to increase his chances of breaking through in the shortest time possible as he furiously circted his technique, in the hopes to wring out more qi before the effects of the pill disappeared.

    He knew from experience that the pill wouldst for 90 minutes. And he was already nearing one hour. He needed to do something, but he didn''t know what he could do now.

    Suddenly, Duncan thought about the spirit stones that were in his bag. He had heard that cultivators used spirit stones to cultivate. But, he hadn''t used his spirit stones in that manner till now.

    He had been saving them up as he didn''t have any other means to earn more currently. With the spirit stones being the default currency of exchange between cultivators, Duncan had felt that it was prudent to have some in reserve in case he ever needed to buy something urgently.

    Without another thought, Duncan opened his bag and took out a spirit stone. The moment his hands engulfed the spirit stone, fresh qi poured into his body in a continuous stream.

    Duncan was surprised to note that the effect of cultivating using a spirit stone was much more desirable than cultivating normally. It made him understand why cultivators would go after spirit stones that much and even make theirmon currency.

    Smiling widely, Duncan banished all other misceneous thoughts and began to concentrate on his cultivation. He only had half an hour of the pill''s effect left and he had to use them wisely.

    *****

    As Duncan cultivated diligently in his hiding ce, amotion was taking ce in the pathways.

    There were several cannibals who were now aware of a delicious meal wandering the pathways. They wanted to hunt it down and devour it to enrich their essence and move toward the next level.

    The cannibals can be ssified under the same category as demonic beasts. They didn''t have any cultivation techniques to aid them. They grew strong by devouring others. Whether it be their own kind, humans, beasts, or anything else that had blood essence in them, they were all their food.

    Especially, cultivators and demonic beasts were their favorite kinds of food. The blood essence present in them was rich and also acted as good nourishment for the cannibals.

    While they hunted and ate others of their kind, they weren''t their preferred meal. If not for being locked up inside the cave and not being able to hunt freely, they wouldn''t hunt their own kind as a first choice. Hunger drove people to do crazy stuff and there is little a cannibal wouldn''t eat.

    Duncan''s fight with the cannibal horde had created a trickle-down effect. While there were several cannibals that were hunting for the escaped prey, the real reason it caused amotion was that Duncan was injured during that fight.

    As a result, he had bled in that ce a bit before he came to his senses and escaped. The spilled blood was rich in qi and essence causing the cannibals that came across it to abandon everything else and make hunting Duncan their priority

    As time passed, various powerful cannibals present in the cave also came to know about Duncan''s presence and decided to join the hunt. After all, it wasn''t every day they get to have such a sumptuous meal.

    Thus, the group that was hunting Duncan increased in size and they all had one single goal...

    To hunt down Duncan and feast on him.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 83 Seven Clouds Sect

    Duncan felt as if his dantain was exploding when the neenth strand of qi mingled with the already present 18 strands in his dantain.

    After diligently cultivating for another hour with the aid of the spirit stone, Duncan finally reached the necessary umtion to break through to the next level. While the effects of the Qi Gathering pill had faded away midway, Duncan was able to break through with the help of the spirit stone in his hand.

    A qi vortex formed atop his head and sucked in as much qi as possible from the surroundings the moment Duncan felt an explosion happening in his dantain. This new vortex had increased in size a littlepared to thest breakthrough, thus sucking in more qi.

    The spirit stone in Duncan''s hands crumbled into dust as the vortex sucked the remaining qi present in the stone. However, Duncan didn''t notice this. His concentration was currently focused on operating the <ughter Demon Sutra> to the utmost speed it was possible.

    There was an urgency in his heart and Duncan always listened to his gut feelings. The neen qi strands in Duncan''s dantain exploded out of their location and once more ravaged Duncan''s body.

    Having already experienced this phenomenon once, Duncan wasn''t surprised by the happenings. He remained unfazed as he circted his cultivation technique. As the qi strands ravaged his body, Duncan noticed the areas they covered this time were much moreprehensive than the first time.

    Duncan once more experienced the feeling of being remade and cleansed of the filth that was inhibiting his body. As his body was once more cleansed of the filth that he had umted, Duncan felt much more lighter and energetic than he had been for the past few days.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, the ravaging of the qi and their enrichment of Duncan''s vitality had an added benefit to him this time. When those qi strands attacked and remade the areas where Duncan''s previous injuries were present, they drove out the greenish aura that was inhabiting those wounds and preventing them from healingpletely.

    As a result, Duncan''s wounds also started healing at an elerated rate. Duncan, who had his eyes closed, felt this change in his body and was surprised a little. Still, he didn''t break his concentration. He focused on circting his cultivation technique to the utmost and drawing in more qi from the surroundings.

    *****

    As Duncan was immersed in his breakthrough, the cannibals searching for him started noticing the change of qi in the air around them. While the ones at the lower level of strength didn''t notice this change, that wasn''t the same with the ones at the higher level.

    They felt the qi in the air being sucked toward a particr direction and turned their gazes in that direction. They didn''t know it was Duncan who was creating this phenomenon. But it didn''t matter to them, to be honest.

    As the cannibals were more akin to beasts, they had an innate urge to check out what was causing such amotion. The instincts in them were telling them to head in that direction, lest they miss out on a good opportunity.

    It was well known among the cultivationmunity that beasts were very sensitive to the movement of qi in their surroundings. As the level of cultivators increases, they too will begin to notice the changes easily.

    In fact, when a natural treasure is born, the beasts are drawn towards it because of their qi sensitivity. To birth a natural treasure, arge amount of qi is needed. As the treasure starts sucking in qi to enable its birth, the beasts will feel it and gravitate toward it.

    This process can be both instantaneous and gradual. The differentiation didn''t matter much for the beasts in general. They gravitated towards areas saturated with qi in general.

    That is the reason cultivators normally use formations to hide qi activity in their locality if they cultivated in wild areas. It was done in order to not alert beasts and other beings which were sensitive to the qi movements.

    Duncan, who was new to cultivation, didn''t realize this and wasmitting yet another basic mistake due to his inexperience.

    While Duncan was oblivious to his plight, several strong cannibals were beginning to gravitate toward his location.

    *****

    Duncan opened his eyes with a bright smile on his face.

    He had done it. He has finally broken through the third level of the Qi Condensation realm. It had taken him some time, but he had done it atst.

    Even the filthy stench that was emanating from his body didn''t deter him from being happy. He knew that his current power was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. But, he was just happy to know that he was much stronger than he was a few hours ago.

    He now had to confidence to take on the mob of cannibals if he encountered them again. The reason for his shameful state earlier was that he ran into cannibals that were simr to his power level and got bogged down, allowing the rest to mob him.

    Now that he had increased his power, he could easily tackle them if he wanted. Looking down at his robe, Duncan let out a helpless smile. He had just cleaned this robe a few days ago of these filthy extracts from his body. And now, it was once more contaminated with filth.

    And this time, there wasn''t a water source near that was readily avable for him to clean his clothes.

    Letting out a helpless chuckle, Duncan got up and dusted himself off. Most of the filth that had settled on his clothes fell off, but the stench refused to go. Duncan also noted that there were small green vines running through his clothes near his injured areas.

    "I guess this is the reason that my wounds refused to heal fast, mmm," Duncan muttered to himself in curiosity. "What is this? Is this some kind of poison? Are the nails and teeth of these cannibals poisonous?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan didn''t know the answers to his question. But, he inwardly made a decision to stay alert to the possibility of being poisoned via injury. It would be a bummer if he survived this ce only to end up getting poisoned because he wasn''t careful or took medication on time.

    "Looks like I need to watch out for these things when I engage them the next time. I now have two options, either to head out and search for the exit or to cultivate a bit more and searchter," Duncan muttered to himself looking at his surroundings.

    "I still have some time to search for the exit. However, if I ran into someone stronger and got once more held up, it would be undesirable. Thest time I had been a little overconfident, I shouldn''t make the same mistake again," Duncan reasoned.

    "There is still more than two days before the deadline. With the increase in my cultivation, I could search more areas and be a little faster in my search as well. So, it would be better if I cultivate a bit more and stabilized my level before heading out. No one has found this spot so far, I guess it would do for now," Duncan determined and once more sat down to cultivate.

    "I think I will use these spirit stones to elerate my cultivation speed. I have no time to waste. The stronger I can get, the easier it will be for me to survive and escape this ce," Duncan spoke to himself looking at the spirit stones in his possession.

    "As much I need them to live in the sect, it wouldn''t make much sense if I died here because ofcking strength. I have alreadye across increasingly strong opponents two times. I can''t always rely on luck or escape from the situation. I need to prepare myself for the possibility of facing even stronger opponents. There is nothing more to think about this," Duncan said with a sh of determination shining through his eyes.

    Duncan once more started cultivating holding a spirit stone in his hand.

    *****

    Meanwhile, a long distance away from the Grasndsˇ­

    A range of mountains that almost pierced through the clouds stood tall and proud. These mountains were serene and had an almost holy vibe to them. The qi in these mountains was richer than anywhere else in the Dragon Scale Continent.

    Countless cultivators flocked towards these mountains in the hopes of being permitted to live here, not just for the abundance of qi these mountains posed. It was because they knew that being allowed to live here meant that their life had undergone a dramatic change and they will soon transform from a chicken into a phoenix.

    It was because this mountain range was the location of the Seven Clouds Sect.

    Seven Clouds Sect was one of the premier sects that can be found in the Dragon Scale Continent. It had countless smaller sects that paid homage to them and reigned supreme throughout the continent.

    Since no one apart from the members of the Seven Clouds Sect was allowed to be in this area, being allowed to live here meant that one was epted into the Seven Clouds Sect.

    It was the dream of several youths who were cultivating all over the continent.

    But, the Seven Clouds Sect rarely opened their gates to recruit disciples directly. They usually searched for promising candidates and offered these candidates discipleship in their sect.

    Geniuses from lower-tier and mid-tier sects yearned to be recruited by the Seven Clouds Sect. After all, the Seven Clouds Sect was one of the strongest existences in the entire continent.

    They boasted a rich history, had a lot of top-tier cultivation techniques, and upied arge number of resources. Being a disciple of the sect allowed these geniuses ess to this huge treasure load.

    That was the reason geniuses all over the continent salivated at the thought of joining the sect.

    Usually, the mountain range where the Seven Clouds Sect was located was serene and had a peaceful atmosphere. After all, who would dare to cause amotion in this area and offend one of the strongest sects on the continent?

    But today, this mountain range was anything but peaceful.

    Thunder cracked and the air was filled with heavy pressure. The clouds hanging above the mountain range were dark and menacing. Bolts of lightning mmed into one particr peak causing the earth to rumble and the air to crackle.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 84 Solitary Sword Mountain

    Thunder cracked and the air was filled with heavy pressure. The clouds hanging above the mountain range were dark and menacing. Bolts of lightning mmed into one particr peak causing the earth to rumble and the air to crackle.

    The people who resided in this mountain range watched the dreadful scene with their hearts palpitating. Even though they were cultivators and could be termed as geniuses among geniuses, after all the Seven Clouds Sect never recruited ordinary people, they couldn''t help but gulp seeing the fury of the heavens themselves.

    These geniuses usually strutted around the continent with arrogance and rarely put anything or anyone in their eyes. Today, they stood humbled before the might of the heavens and watched it rage with awe and fear in their eyes.

    The phenomenonsted for some time, before ultimately fading away.

    Just when they thought everything was over, onest lightning of terrible might formed within a blink of an eye and mmed towards the peak. However, this time something was different.

    A small figure rose from the peak and flew towards that lightning valiantly. It shed with that lightning strike head-on and even emerged victorious. As the lightning dissipated, the clouds rumbled as if they were dissatisfied with the result. Nevertheless, the dark clouds that were covering the range of mountains started dissipating as well.

    A loudughter boldly echoed throughout the mountain range causing the people who heard it to look at the figure that was floating above the peak in awe and wonder.

    This was a world that revered the strong and worshipped the ground they walked on. To see the heavens rage had made people feel small and inconsequential. But, seeing a man stand up to the heavens and emerge victorious, made their blood boil.

    "Looks like our Holy Son has stepped into the next realm. I can''t imagine how strong he isˇ­"

    "Senior Liu Kong is mighty and valiantˇ­"

    "My heart melts whenever I see our Holy Son. I want to serve him and devote my entire life to himˇ­"

    "How mighty is our Holy Son? Even the heavens had to retreat in front of himˇ­"

    "To face the heaven''s fury head onˇ­ Senior Liu Kong is the only one that has such bravery. No wonder he is our Holy Sonˇ­"

    Praise flowed from all around as people looked at the mighty figure that wasughing loudly in the sky.

    *****

    Sometimeter, Liu Kong sat in his residence with a bright smile on his face as he enjoyed the adtions of his fellow disciples. The arrogance that was present in him earlier in the Grasnds had increased tenfold and it was wafting off him.

    While normally people would have been put off by such arrogance, at this moment, the people present here felt that Liu Kong had to capital to be this arrogant. It was not arrogance if one had the strength to back it up.

    Several female cultivators giggled whenever Liu Kong''s eyes passed over them. They sent out sultry signals and acted coquettishly in front of him, in the hopes of catching his eyes. However, Liu Kong ignored all their signals and chatted with the people around him merrily.

    These were the men who could be termed his inner circle. Liu Kong didn''t have any opponents or rivals in the Seven Clouds Sect. As the Holy Son of the sect, he had ensured that no one that could threaten him would live long enough to be a threat.

    Hence, he was always surrounded by people who curried favor with him and bootlickers. Among them, he had a selected group of people that were handpicked by him to be his inner circle.

    While Liu Kong was arrogant and had the power to back it up, he knew that if he wanted to seed in the position of Sect Master, he need to have his own followers who were bothpetent and powerful enough in their own right. These followers would be the next generation of elders of the sect and help him manage the sect.

    So, he had groomed a select group of people who werepletely loyal to him and would always support him in the sect. There were the people who suppressed the dissidents, made sure that there were no potential rivals, and always worked in the interests of Liu Kong even above the sect''s interests.

    Suddenly one of the men turned serious and sent a mental message to Liu Kong.

    "Holy Son, I have enquired about the task you gave me. I know the reason Xing Wulong wasn''t present in the Grasnds and instead sent Peng Xiaoli there," the man spoke.

    Liu Kong''s smile stiffened a little and turned to look at the man who had sent him the message.

    "What is the reason?" Liu Kong sent back a mental message.

    "Xing Wulong had gone to the Solitary Sword Mountain," the man replied a little fearfully. "He sent Peng Xiaoli over to harass you and distract others, while he paid a visit to the Solitary Sword Mountain."

    Liu Kong''s good mood evaporated as his eyes shrunk. The people around him felt the change in him and stopped theirughter.

    "Did he seed?" Liu Kong asked softly.

    "No, Holy Son. He failed just like his brother did," the man replied sweating a little.

    "Ha ha ha haˇ­ ha ha ha haˇ­." Liu Kong startedughing uproariously out of nowhere causing the others present to look at him in surprise.

    But, Liu Kong didn''t care about the reaction of the others one bit. He felt as if everything was happening in his favor. First, he obtained the Seven-Colored Soul Lotus. Next, he broke through the Nascent Soul realm. And now, Xing Wulong had suffered the same defeat his brother had encountered.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This made him feel joyous. He couldn''t contain the emotions in him anymore. He knew that if Xing Wulong had seeded, the chance of catching up to him would be minuscule. He needed toe across another heavenly opportunity to even have a chance.

    But, Xing Wulong had failed.

    That meant, while Xing Wulong stagnated, he, Liu Kong, had progressed and closed the gap between them with a mighty leap. If Xing Wulong encountered yet another setback, he would be on par with him soon.

    And then, it would be time to surpass those detestable Xing brothers and prove to the world once and for all, that he was the top genius and not them. Just imagining such a scenario made him want tough heartily.

    "Just wait Wulong, I will one day make you kneel before me and beg me for mercy!!!" Liu Kong roared inwardly as heughed loudly amidst the confused guests in his dwelling.

    *****

    "Senior brother, how are you?" Peng Xiaoli asked in concern as he looked at the mncholic youth before him.

    The mncholic youth was garbed in white clothes. He had a schrly air around him. His temperament was refined and gentlemanly, unlike Peng Xiaoli''s rough temperament.

    That youth was Xing Wulong, the second prince of the Star Empire and the current Holy Son of the Myriad Heavens Sect.

    "Xiaoli, you don''t need to worry about me," the youth smiledfortingly and spoke softly. "My dao heart is not that fragile. I have already prepared myself for the possibility of failure before even setting out. I have learned from my big brother''s mistake and wouldn''t fall into the state he fell in because of this failure."

    Peng Xiaoli felt a little ufortable. He was here to enquire about his senior brother''s state of mind and he was the one who ended up beingforted instead. His senior brother was truly a rare genius. Who among the top geniuses in the Dragon Scale continent currently possessed such a refined temperament and broad heart?

    "Senior brother, there is no need to worry. Didn''t your brothere out of the shadow of that failure and grew even stronger? I have full confidence that you will be stronger too," Peng Xiaoli stifflyforted his senior brother.

    "Ha ha ha," Xing Wulongughed softly. "I will. I will indeed be stronger. You don''t need to worry about me, truly."

    "That''s the spirit, senior brother. After you be stronger, you can once more challenge the Solitary Sword Mountain," Peng Xiaoli encouraged enthusiastically. "Next time, I am sure you will seed."

    "No," Xing Wulong said tly causing Peng Xiaoli''s mouth to drop open in surprise. "Solitary Sword Mountain is behind me. There is no use in trying again. I know deep in my heart that I won''t seed."

    "Senior brotherˇ­"

    "Xiaoli, do you know why no swordsman tried to challenge the mountain a second time?" Xing Wulong asked calmly.

    Peng Xiaoli shook his head to indicate that he didn''t know.

    "Unless you are a true swordsman, you wouldn''t understand why no one tried it again. If you were meant to seed, you would have seeded the first time. There is no use in trying repeatedly," Xing Wulong said shaking his head.

    "Butˇ­ butˇ­"

    "The test the mountain poses isn''t one of power, wit, or knowledge. It is a different kind of test. One will know whether they will seed or not on the first try itself. There is no need to waste any more time challenging it again," Xing Wulong said with a small smile.

    "As for this failure affecting me negatively, I was already warned by my brother that there is a high chance of failure. If the test at Solitary Sword Mountain could be ovee so easily, what is the meaning of such a test? There is a reason Solitary Sword Mountain is considered the holy ground of sword cultivators. It can be only experienced by sword cultivators."

    "And it isn''t as if I didn''t gain anything from the test, is it? I now have a clear view of my future path of cultivation. Several of the questions that have been guing me had been answered. If I am not wrong, I will not face any bottleneck anytime soon, just like every other swordsman did after they got over their failure," Xing Wulong said with a slight smile.

    "It is amon misconception that the failure at the Solitary Sword Mountain would destroy a swordsman. That is true only if the swordsman was obsessed with passing that test. Instead of that, if you learn from the failure and absorbed the lessons imparted, your cultivation will progress smoothly for a long time."

    "If that is the case, doesn''t it mean that Liu Kong wouldn''t have any advantage over you, senior brother?" Peng Xiaoli asked curiously.

    "Indeed, if anything, the gap between us has widened further," Xing Wulong smiled mischievously and patted Peng Xiaoli''s back.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 85 Trapped

    "Indeed, if anything, the gap between us has widened further," Xing Wulong smiled mischeviously and patted Peng Xiaoli''s back.

    "I know that you think you had failed me by not stopping Liu Kong from obtaining the Seven-Colored Soul Lotus. But, it doesn''t matter. You don''t need to beat yourself over it."

    "While he had his opportunities, I have mine. And it would be a long time before he would even pose a challenge to me. So, don''t worry about it. By the way, did you get any more information on the mortal you came across along with Bai Lingling?"

    "No, senior brother," Peng Xiaoli shook his head sadly. "Even Bai Lingling is searching for more information. But the elders are not revealing anything. They are only asking us to concentrate on the uing summit in seven years."

    "Is that so?" Xing Wulong said falling into deep thought.

    "Are you interested in that mortal as well, senior brother?" Peng Xiaoli asked in curiosity.

    "Indeed, I am a bit interested in that mortal. After all, how many times do youe across such a unique phenomenon?"

    "Indeed," Peng Xiaoli agreed nodding. "If not for the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, we could have figured out what caused a mortal to exhibit such dense killing intent." Peng Xiaoliined not reconciled.

    "Xiaoli, I think you should be d that he was more interested in protecting that mortal and noting after you. Take it from someone who lived near the Heavenly Demon Sect, that entire sect is bad news," Xing Wulong chuckled. "Now, if there isn''t anything else, you can leave. I heard that you are intending to head to a danger zone. Be careful out there."

    "I will, senior brother," Peng Xiaoli nodded in gratitude and left the ce leaving Xing Wulong alone.

    Xing Wulong watched Peng Xiaoli go with a small smile across his face. While his face was calm and neutral, his eyes were flickering nonstop as if he was deep in thought.

    "Something about this mortal troubles me a bit. I better send a message to Wukong and ask him to keep a close eye on any news rted to that mortal. For the Heavenly Demon Sect to go so far to protect that mortal, there must be something brewing," Xing Wulong mumbled after some time.

    "As for Solitary Sword Mountain," the smile fell off from Xing Wulong''s face.

    As much as he liked to act as if the failure didn''t sting much, he knew himself very well. The opportunity at Solitary Sword Mountain was his one chance to surpass his big brother and be more powerful.

    Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

    To a proud son of heaven like him, such a failure had a bigger impact than others realized. The same had happened to his big brother as well. After his big brother had faced his defeat at the Solitary Sword Mountain, he had be listless and disheartened for some time.

    Even though his big brother eventually climbed out of that pair of despair, Xing Wulong knew that the failure to acquire that treasure still stung his big brother. If he had acquired that treasure, then it would have meant his potential was higher than his big brother''s. It was a kind of recognition he craved so desperately.

    Xing Wulong had always been in the shadow of his big brother. Whatever he aplished, his big brother had already done it, so it wasn''t something special. Growing up, he had always beenpared to his big brother. It drove him mad and almost made him hate his big brother.

    It was then he saw his big brother''s listless form after experiencing a failure at the Solitary Sword Mountain. His hatred for his big brother lessened and his curiosity about the treasure at Solitary Sword Mountain increased at that moment.

    And now he stood here, yearster, experiencing the same failureˇ­.

    Xing Wulong grit his teeth in anger.

    As much as he wanted to rage and let out his pent-up frustration, he knew he could never indulge in it. If he did, he would end up like his big brother did. Slipping now meant that his enemies andpetitors might catch up to him. He can''t afford that.

    So, he can only bury this thing deep in his heart and proceed further. The five-continent summit was going toe soon. Seven years would pass by in a blink of an eye for a cultivator.

    Moreover, this time''s summit was somewhat different. The news he had heard from the central continent indicated that something momentous was brewing and it would probably be revealed during the five-continent summit. Even his big brother had confirmed the same.

    So, he didn''t have time to bemoan his failure. He had many other things to look after. And what he said to Xing Wulong wasn''t false either. The test at Solitary Sword Mountain wasn''t something ordinary.

    The only trouble with the entire test was the test taker being unable to move away from that failure. His brother had warned him about it and asked him to be prepared to lose even before he stepped foot inside the mountain for the test.

    Initially, he had been a bit indignant that his brother would give such a piece of advice. He felt that his brother looked down upon him and felt that since he couldn''t aplish something even he failed. He had vowed to make his brother eat his words before setting out.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, in hindsight, it was good that his brother nted such a thought in his heart. If he had been too obsessed with the treasure, he wouldn''t have been able to notice the gains he acquired from that ce. He would waste his remaining life trying to obtain that treasure again and again like countless others did and would eventually fall into cultivation deviation or have their dao hearts crumbled.

    Even though he failed, the benefits he obtained were enough to help him progress tremendously. Each and every swordsman who had failed that test and had gotten over that failure had gone on to create an impact on the world.

    And he wouldn''t be any different.

    *****

    Duncan felt a sudden sense of unease creep into his heart while cultivating diligently.

    So far, he had already stabilized his level and was umting more qi with the help of the spirit stones he had in his possession. Three spirit stones have already turned into dust and the air around Duncan''s location was saturated with qi.

    It was only natural that his progression toward the next level had made tremendous strides and he was nearing the limit of what he could progress toward by now. Duncan knew that if he continued on like this for another few hours, he would hit upon his next bottleneck as well.

    But, the sudden sense of unease that welled up inside him, made Duncan frown. He could feel his instinct screaming at him to open his eyes and get out of his meditative trance.

    Listening to his instincts, Duncan opened his eyes and looked around sharply. The sight that greeted him made his eyes shrink in surprise. Duncan hardly had any time to contemte how this coulde to pass and had to hastily move back from the spot he was cultivating in.

    Just as he moved, long nails mmed into the exact spot he was upying not even a moment ago.

    Duncan took in the cannibal that was looking at him hungrily and felt his scalp tingle. This cannibal had somehow found his hiding spot, approached him sneakily, and almost taken him by surprise.

    If not for his instincts screaming at him, Duncan would have been severely injured by now at the least. Duncan gulped arge amount of saliva and looked at the cannibal angrily.

    Now that his concentration wasn''t upied and his life wasn''t in any danger, Duncan began to notice the oddities about this particr cannibal. This one was lean and looked very nimble. Apart from the crazed hunger in its eyes, it almost had no resemnce to the other cannibals he had encountered earlier.

    The speed at which it attacked was also faster than what he had seen from other cannibals. But, the biggest thing that made Duncan''s eyes widen was that this cannibal was somehow able to dampen the rotten stench emanating from it.

    By all logic, Duncan should have smelled this cannibal before it sneaked up so close to him. His nose had been cleared of impurities and his sense of smell had improved tremendously in the past few days.

    Moreover, the rotten stench that wasing out of this cannibal was far stronger than the ones he hade across earlier. So, by all logic, with his increased sense of smell and the cannibal''s much stronger stench, Duncan should have known about its presence far sooner than this.

    The operative word here was should have.

    The cannibal had somehow learned to mask and dampen its smell while approaching Duncan. Duncan didn''t know that cannibals could do something like that. Their stench was one of the things with which Duncan had been nning to hunt, but now it didn''t look like a sure-shot idea anymore.

    The cannibal sneered at Duncan and pounced at him once more. Duncan hastily used his sword to block the cannibal. The impact sent him staggering backward and his back mmed hard across the wall behind him.

    Duncan felt his scalp numb as he realized that this cannibal was probably stronger than him. And to make matters worse, he was trapped at the end of the pathway with the cannibal standing in the only route that allowed him to escape.

    He was truly trapped in every sense of the wordˇ­.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 86 Turning Tables

    BANG!

    Duncan once more mmed hard into the wall with his back as he came up short in his sh with the cannibal.

    Duncan rose up, gritting his teeth in anger and frustration. He was now trapped in this small space, with the cannibal standing between him and the exit. The area around here didn''t favor Duncan''s style of fighting much.

    He couldn''t freely use his martial arts techniques in the way he desired. Every time he tried to execute his sword art, the cannibal interrupted him causing him to defend himself in haste.

    As for using <Wind Chasing Steps>, Duncan can forget it as he was now trapped in a small space.

    Thus both his techniques were not able to be used to their full potential in this confrontation. And to make matter worse, the enemy was stronger than him. Duncan already had suspicions of strong cannibals lurking in these pathways, but to have it confirmed in this time and ce was the worst thing that could happen to him.

    The one saving grace was that the enemy wasn''t ridiculously powerful. It gave him a chance to fight back. But, without his techniques to boost his attacks or speed, Duncan was having a hard time aplishing that.

    Duncan didn''t rush toward his enemy this time. He knew that the best option was to escape from this ce and take the fight elsewhere. And he had toe up with a n to do that.

    With the cannibal blocking his way out, Duncan wasn''t confident in overpowering it and escaping. If he could overpower it, then there was no need to escape. So, he had to use his brain here instead of his muscles.

    Duncan closed in on the cannibal slowly, noting down each and every aspect of its actions in his mind. Duncan noticed that this cannibal wasn''t in a hurry to attack him. It was letting him attack and retaliated at the right moment. The only time it initiated its attack was when Duncan tried to use his sword arts.

    That meant, while this cannibal was confident in dealing with him as he is, it wasn''t sure about his techniques. And this cannibal was also smart to realize that it had him trapped and wasn''t rushing in to finish him off.

    It was almost as if this cannibal understood the notion of tactics.

    Duncan grimaced as he realized that this fight was going to be a tough one. He would have preferred if the cannibal was as brain-damaged as the other cannibals, but his luck seemed to finally run out.

    Nearing the cannibal, Duncan swung his sword intending to make the cannibal step away from him a bit. But the cannibal calmly parried his swing with its nails, causing Duncan to stumble backward a little from the force.

    However, Duncan was prepared for such an oue as well. He retreated a bit and went low this time aiming for the cannibal''s legs. The cannibal jumped over Duncan''s swing and tried to hit Duncan back with a w attack.

    Duncan dodged the strike without giving ground and tried to shove the cannibal back with his shoulders. However, the cannibal tanked his shove without even flinching and tried to bite Duncan''s neck in retaliation. Duncan had to hurriedly move away and swing his sword in defense.

    The cannibal roared angrily when Duncan''s sword grazed its shoulders and moved aggressively to box Duncan in. Duncan was having none of that. He used one leg to steady himself and pivoted to add extra momentum to his follow-up swing. The cannibal had to back away in fear of his sword a bit.

    Having created some room, Duncan executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and tried to decapitate the cannibal with a blitzkrieg strike. However, the cannibal wisely ducked under his swing and punched Duncan hard in his stomach.

    Duncan almost doubled over from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and rolled away when the follow-up w attacknded on the spot he was in. Still gasping from the earlier blow, Duncan swung his sword once more at the cannibal''s legs, causing it to dance away in a hurry.

    Duncan once more followed his attack with a chop toward the cannibal''s neck region. The cannibal reacted to it by arching its head back and bending backward. While the cannibal was able to escape the swing, Duncan however capitalized on its situation by vigorously stomping on the cannibal''s thigh.

    Duncan felt as if he was stomping on the ground itself when his leg connected with the cannibal''s thigh. The cannibal grunted in pain as his leg buckled under him, and brought him to one knee. Duncan followed up it up with an elbow strike to the kneeling cannibal''s face.

    The cannibal however was smart enough to realize its predicament and used its hands to block Duncan''s elbow. Duncan felt his bone jar a little when the connection was made.

    Luckily for Duncan, the force behind the blow sent the cannibal backward, causing its center of gravity to tilt a bit. The result was that the cannibal lost his bnce and fell backward.

    Despite the pain emanating from his elbow, Duncan didn''t waste any more time. Seeing the cannibal down on its back, Duncan knew that this was his chance to change the course of the fight. He advanced bravely and tried to chop the cannibal into several pieces.

    However, the cannibal was ready for him. It used its legs to block Duncan''s swing. And grabbed Duncan''s shirt. Before Duncan could react, the cannibal pivoted and threw Duncan over its head using its legs as leverage.

    Duncan rolled a few paces and stood up and looked at the cannibal which was already on its feet. The duo eyed each other and the cannibal smirked at Duncan and licked his lips.

    Duncan smiled calmly in response and waved it goodbye.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Before the cannibal could react, Duncan used the <Wind Chasing Steps> and booked it from that ce. When the cannibal threw Duncan over its head, it effectively shifted both their positions in regard to the exit. When Duncan stood up, his back was towards the exit.

    This allowed Duncan to escape from the ce easily. He knew that his fight with the cannibal wasn''t over yet. The cannibal would most probably chase him down. But, Duncan wasn''t afraid of it. The problem with fighting the cannibal earlier was the enclosed space they fought in.

    The cannibal didn''t have any weapons and preferred to engage in closebat. So, an enclosed space was an ideal ce for it to disy its full strength. However, that wasn''t the case with Duncan. He couldn''t effectively use his techniques, thus bringing his fighting power to half of what it could have been.

    Now Duncan can find an ideal ce for him to engage with the cannibal and fight against it.

    Duncan heard the cannibal roar in anger and follow after him. He didn''t even need to turn to look at the cannibal. From the sounds that wereing from behind him, Duncan knew that the cannibal was following him angrily.

    Duncan''s mind raced as he tried to form a n to deal with this cannibal as quickly as possible. Duncan didn''t know why this cannibal was so strong or how it found his position. But, he knew that prolonging a fight with it would lead him to get mobbed by more cannibals once more.

    Already a single one was giving him so much headache. If more cannibals arrived, then he would be truly fucked. Not to mention that there was only one more day for him to reach the entrance.

    Even if the cannibal didn''t arrive, Duncan was nning to end his cultivation session and go in search of the entrance soon. He didn''t fancy being locked up inside this godforsaken ce. There was no food here and it was filled with cannibals. Pretty soon, he would exhaust himself and be weak.

    Then, only one fate awaited him.

    As Duncan raced through the pathways, he came across a wide space that acted as a connecting spot between different tunnels. He figured that this ce was good to engage the cannibals and pivoted to the side suddenly.

    The cannibal raced past the spot he pivoted from and stopped to turn. It was expecting Duncan to flee after changing directions. Unfortunately, Duncan didn''t have any such ideas.

    Duncan executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and appeared near the cannibal. He channeled the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and swung at the cannibal''s neck viciously. The cannibal had enough reaction time to understand what was going on and raised its hand to guard its neck.

    Duncan''s sword cut through the cannibal''s arm easily. However, unlike what Duncan had expected, it didn''t cut through entirely. It got stuck in the cannibal''s bone and came to a screeching halt.

    Duncan gritted his teeth and pulled the sword back. He immediately executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and retreated back into some distance. It was good that he retreated because the cannibal''s retaliatory strike from its other hand passed through the region where Duncan''s head was mere moments after Duncan disappeared.

    Duncan had a displeased look on his face as he watched the cannibal intensely. He was expecting his sword to do much more damage than what was dealt out. He knew that another such opportunity to take out the cannibal wouldn''t manifest easily.

    Unfortunately, he had overestimated his power and underestimated the durability of the cannibal. The cannibal recovered from the shock of the attack and looked at Duncan angrily. Its left arm hung uselessly below his shoulders. Green blood poured from the cut Duncan had dealt it like a river.

    The cannibal looked at Duncan hatefully and roared.

    Duncan was neither fazed by the setback nor taken aback by the hatred. He was calm and was already prepared for the cannibal''s anger. He didn''t waste a single moment as he heard the cannibal''s angry roar echo across the tunnels.

    Duncan didn''t give the cannibal any chance to recuperate. He once more executed his techniques and attacked the cannibal relentlessly. The cannibal now found itself on the receiving end of the barrage of Duncan''s furious attacks.

    Duncan''s mindset was that if he couldn''t cut through the cannibal in a single stroke, then he would carve its flesh away bit by bit. So, Duncan never delivered any finishing blows. He went after the cannibal''s legs and arms in a targeted manner. His goal was to make the cannibal immobile and not pose a threat to him. Only when it was incapacitated was he nning to go for the kill.

    The cannibal never expected the tables to turn so suddenly. Before it could bounce back from its arm being made useless, Duncan was upon it with the ferocity of a tornado.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 87 Young Man

    Duncan never stayed in one ce. He moved from one ce to another. One moment, he would be in front of the cannibal attacking its thigh, the next moment he would disappear and reappear behind it and sh its back. Duncan''s relentless assault made the cannibal unable to mount anyeback. It tried desperately to protect its vitals with its remaining arm.

    However all its efforts were moot, as once Duncan incapacitated its other arm, he truly went in for the kill without pausing to even give the cannibal a breather. Duncan appeared behind the cannibal and swung his sword in a savage manner, not holding back even an ounce of his strength, aiming for the back of its neck.

    The cannibal''s instincts screamed at him to duck and move, but it was toote. The cannibal had already lost a lot of blood from the several wounds Duncan had inflicted upon it. Its both arms were incapacitated and its entire body was in a world of pain.

    Apart from roaring unwillingly, the cannibal couldn''t do anything else.

    Duncan''s sword cut through halfway into its neck causing its roar toe to a halt. Duncan jerked his sword back and kicked the cannibal to fall downwards. To be safe, Duncan swung his sword downwards and chopped off the little bit of head that was hanging on with the body.

    Seeing the head roll away, Duncan smiled satisfactorily. Taking a look around, Duncan vanished from the ce into one of the tunnels.

    *****

    A few minutes after Duncan escaped into one of the tunnels, a young man with deformed features arrived at the location.

    The young man''s eyes were red and his right arm looked like a bird''s w. There were warts all over his face and his ears looked oddly bent in different directions. Apart from that, there were green patches all over his body.

    The truly strange thing about him was that he was clothed unlike other cannibals inside the cave. If Duncan was here, he would have felt a tremendous pressure the young man was exuding. Luckily, he had already escaped far away.

    The young man looked at the dead cannibal and snorted. He bent down and ripped off one of the arms from the dead body and started snacking on it as if it was a chicken leg that had been prepared with delicious herbs.

    The young man leisurely walked around the area as if looking for something in particr. He didn''t hurry. He just walked around snacking on the arm of the dead cannibal leisurely, without any care in the world.

    As he examined the area, he stopped at one particr spot and sniffed twice, trying to get a sense of the smell that was exuding from there. He frowned slightly as he felt the smell a little familiar, but couldn''t put the smell to the face he felt he should remember.

    Scratching his chin idly and chewing on the arm, the young man thought deeply for a moment.

    Suddenly, he stopped chewing and trembled all over. Green sweat drops started forming on his face as his hand shook involuntarily. The arm he was chewing on fell to the floor as the young man''s eyes shrunk in fear.

    Thissted only for a few moments before the young man frowned and shook his head. He tentatively sniffed the ce again to ascertain whether he had smelled correct. But the smell remained the same.

    The young man had a confused look on his face as if he couldn''t believe what he smelled. He got down on his knees and put his face close to the ground and sniffed once more.

    "Same smell, but different," the young man mumbled in a garbled tongue. "Is her? But not same?" the young man scratched his head in confusion.

    A few strands of hair came off and fell beside him. But, the young man didn''t pay any attention to it. He was fully immersed in decoding the mystery behind the smell.

    "Ah, like that and I," the young man said after a while looking at the corpse. "So different. Also same," the young man reasoned out and nodded to himself. "I hunt different. Eat different."

    The young man suddenly said loudly and stood up in a hurry.

    "Her pain. I give pain different."

    The young man stated in a firm tone and started sniffing again. He soon found the trail of the smell he was searching for and looked at the tunnel in front of him. Smiling savagely, the young man started walking towards the tunnel in a hurried manner.

    It was the same tunnel through which Duncan had escaped several minutes ago.

    *****

    Duncan felt increasingly frustrated as he roamed the tunnels not knowing which direction the entrance was in.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He felt his mood sour due to multiple reasons as he searched for the entrance. It was not just the confusing maze of pathways that was irritating him, he was also feeling hunger pangs. Not to mention the several cannibals he hade across so far.

    Duncan felt as if these tunnels were teeming with cannibals as ofte. It was not just their number that had increased now; their strength had also increased as well. He was constantly running into cannibals as strong as the one that attacked him while he was cultivating.

    He didn''t know why this ce was teeming with so many powerful cannibals, but he knew what they were all searching for. It was him. That meant that the cannibals have somehow gotten wind of his presence and were now actively hunting him.

    For now, he was able to kill these cannibals in a one-on-one fight with rtive ease. Sure, he had to take some time to do that, but they didn''t pose much trouble to him in an overall sense.

    What irritated him the most was that these cannibals always popped up around the corners when he least expected them. If not for him remaining vignt, they would have gotten to him easily. These new cannibals were not making any noises and they were also adept at keeping their rotten stench in check.

    This meant the cannibals were able to sneak up on him easily. Their eyesight in this environment was better and they were also able to move soundlessly in these pathways. This made it ideal for them to sneak up on him.

    But, it didn''t mean that Duncan was truly helpless though. His instincts were now working overtime and they always warned him before any attack happened. Once he evaded their attack, he would then fall on the attacking cannibal with much more ferocity and finish them off quickly.

    While these cannibals were smart and powerful, they didn''t have the necessary battle experience. They always engaged him head-on and didn''t use any kind of martial arts or tactics. This allowed Duncan to dance around them and kill them using the same trick he used on the cannibal that attacked him while he was cultivating.

    But, Duncan also realized the hidden danger in that.

    While he was able to take care of them with ease when it was one on one, Duncan wasn''t sure how he would fare if he had to go against more than one of them. His strategy worked well until he wasn''t bogged down by numbers. But, the moment he got bogged down, their greater strength wille into y and it would leave him at a disadvantage.

    So, Duncan had been extra careful to finish all his fights as soon as possible. He was also vignt of his surroundings so that he didn''t get bogged down by them like he was some time ago.

    However, this also made sure that Duncan wasn''t able to freely roam through the pathways as he wished. He had to avoid a few areas that were filled with these cannibals.

    If he spied more than one in the vicinity, Duncan always fled without engaging them. He didn''t want to start a fight and then find out that he couldn''t kill them quickly.

    As Duncan was taking out his frustration on yet another lone cannibal that he hade across, his instincts started screaming at him to flee all of a sudden. Duncan stopped ying with the cannibal and beheaded and put the sword through its head, preparing to flee.

    But, the next moment he knew that his chance to escape was over.

    Duncan felt a dreadful aura emanating from his behind and turned around. He came across a lean young man who had warts all over his face and red eyes. The young man was clothed, unlike any other cannibal, he had seen before.

    Duncan gulped as he felt the pressure emanating from the young man. Seeing the young man looking at him with madness in his eyes, Duncan knew that this wasn''t a fight he could run away from.

    Before Duncan could even get himself together, the young man spoke in garbled words.

    "You! Found! I Pain You!" the young man shouted at Duncan and started advancing towards him.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 88 Tough Fight

    "You! Found! I Pain You!" the young man shouted at Duncan and started advancing towards him menacingly.

    Duncan furrowed his brows and backed up a little. The young man''s strength was clear for him to see. The young man was obviously way stronger than Duncan, and the only logical thing for Duncan to do would be to escape. But, the problem was, Duncan didn''t know if he could escape.

    So, before he could figure out the speed of his enemy showing his back to him would be a really stupid idea. So, Duncan stayed put and decided to engage the enemy first and see how far apart they were in strength.

    "Her You Same! Her You Different! Her! Pain I! I Pain You!" the young man said angrily causing Duncan to be baffled.

    He didn''t know what the young man was getting at with his words. But, he could understand the gist of his speech from his body posture. This cannibal hade with a purpose. And unlike other cannibals that looked at him with hunger, this one had madness in his eyes, as well as some form of hatred. So, it wasn''t that difficult to figure out that this cannibal had targeted him specifically.

    But, the thing that baffled Duncan was why he was being targeted. This cannibal was obviously more powerful than him and it didn''t seem like he had offended him personally. But, the cannibal was making a beeline for him and looked like he was going to take out a personal grudge. This dichotomy confused him a lot.

    Still, it didn''t matter what the cannibal''s reasons were. The only thing that mattered to Duncan was getting out of this situation alive. If the cannibal''s speed was simr to his, then he would flee without much thought. If not, then he was fuckedˇ­

    As Duncan readied himself, the young man vanished from his spot and reappeared before him causing Duncan''s eyes to shrink in surprise. He hastily blocked the young man''s punch with his sword and found himself sent flying like a ragdoll into the distance.

    Duncan groaned in pain as his back once more mmed into the walls. He had actually lost count of how many times his back mmed into walls today. It was beginning to look like a recurring urrence.

    The thing that worried Duncan more was that the young man in front of him was way more powerful and faster than him. A simple punch from him had sent Duncan flying and Duncan could barely catch his actions.

    Duncan rose as he watched the young man vigntly. He knew that he had to give his everything in this fight. The chances of escaping from this enemy were way too slim for Duncan to gamble on that. Showing his back to him would only expedite his demise.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan once more assumed a guard stance and looked at the young man vigntly, not willing to miss any of his actions. The young man smiled in a satisfactory way, while his eyes gleamed in sadistic pleasure. It was clear to Duncan that this young man was enjoying hurting him.

    The young man vanished from Duncan''s sight the next moment. On instinct, Duncan pivoted to his left and blocked with his sword. The young man''s w-like hand emerged out of nowhere going for Duncan''s side.

    CLANG!

    Duncan''s sword shed with the young man''s w in a resounding manner. The impact jarred Duncan''s body and made his bones shake. Duncan gritted his teeth and held on.

    But the power behind the blow was too much for him to withstand. He was sent skidding sideways from the impact. Duncan''s heart palpitated as he imagined what would have happened if he hadn''t blocked on instinct.

    The young man frowned a bit but shook his head the next moment. A yful smile emerged on his face and he looked at Duncan with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. He once again disappeared from Duncan''s sight.

    Duncan didn''t have much time to think. He knew the next attack wasing. While he couldn''t see the young man, he listened to his instincts and blocked the young man''s attack once again. This time he stumbled backward and his arm felt heavy from the impact.

    Duncan''s heart sank as he realized that this was going to be the toughest fight he had fought so far in his life. Every blow that the young man delivered to him managed to rattle his insides despite Duncan blocking the majority of the force with his sword.

    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

    Duncan repeatedly blocked the young man''s attack solely based on his instincts alone. And every time he blocked, his hands would turn numb and his insides would revolt a little.

    Unlike Duncan who had been using his sword, the young man was alternating between punched and w attacks in a rxed manner. He looked as if he wasn''t in any hurry and was content to watch Duncan suffer under his attacks. He never once went for a vital spot or increased the power of his attacks.

    Duncan knew that this was not the full power of the young man. He was already having trouble coping with these. He shuddered to even think about what the young man''s full power would look like.

    He also noticed that even when his sword made contact with the young man''s skin, it failed to pierce through his skin. It made his heart go numb as he realized that his chances of injuring this young man were little to none. It was clear to Duncan that the enemy he faced was far above his caliber and he was only ying around with Duncan for his perverse enjoyment.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But, Duncan was helpless to do anything about it. He didn''t have enough time to use any of his martial arts. He was barely fending off the young man as it is. He didn''t think the young man would give him enough time to use his martial techniques.

    Unfortunately, Duncan hadn''t attained full mastery in any of his martial techniques. Attaining full mastery meant being able to use the technique whenever he wanted in whatever manner he wanted. If he had attained full mastery in his sword arts, he could change the blocks he did into cuts. That was the difference between experts and amateurs like him.

    It was not as if attaining full mastery was an easy prospect. One must have understood the technique on a deeper level and should also be proficient enough to use it at a moment''s notice.

    Duncan was obviously not at that level in either of his techniques.

    Duncan blocked desperately as he tried to fend off the attacks from the young man. The rate at which the attacks came towards him was increasing slowly but surely. It was clear that the young man was slowly increasing the intensity of his attacks. Duncan was akin to a frog atop boiling water.

    Even though he knew that there was no use in fighting against this opponent, he refused to give up. He kept on blocking the attacks from the young man in a desperate manner.

    As the intensity of the attacks increased, Duncan forgot about everything else and concentrated solely on the iing attacks. With each attack, he felt his insides jar and blood started leaking out of his mouth from internal injuries.

    Despite all this, Duncan held on. He didn''t waver. He maintained a stable footing despite the impact of the attacks. His legs, which wobbled initially after taking each attack, now stood still like a pir and tanked the impacts admirably.

    Duncan minimized his body movements and only used the minimum amount necessary to shift his bnce and guard. With the increasing ferocity of the attacks, Duncan had little time to stabilize himself after each attack.

    So, Duncan abandoned the notion of stabilizing himself after each attack and dug his feet into a single spot. He nted his feet firmly and pivoted his upper body in different directions trying to guard himself. This action put tremendous pressure on his hips and lower body.

    Duncan''s face was now like a stone mask. He acted solely on instinct alone and blocked the attacks in an increasingly rapid fashion. Despite the blood leaking out of his nose and mouth, Duncan didn''t even utter a single sound and stalwartly defended himself from the young man''s frenzy.

    Seeing Duncan holding on for some time without any apparent injuries in his body, made the young man angry. He wanted to see Duncan bleed, moan in pain, and grovel on the ground. But, Duncan wasn''t giving him that satisfaction. It drove him insane.

    Snarling angrily, the young man increased the strength he put behind each blow causing blood to leak out of Duncan''s mouth, ears, and nose more and more. It was clear to anyone else that the internal injuries Duncan suffered were getting worse with each passing minute. But, Duncan stubbornly refused to make any sound.

    This infuriated the young man to no end.

    The cycle continued for a while. But, all things muste to an end. It was neither Duncan nor the young man who broke this stalemate. It was the sword in Duncan''s hand that put an end to this.

    One particrly vicious strike from the young man''s w-like hand was the final straw that broke the sword. The moment the attack connected, Duncan''s sword shattered into pieces and fell off.

    The sound of the shattering sword was entirely different from the constant ngs that had echoed until now. It made the young man pause in his actions and look at Duncan.

    Duncan, for his part, blinked uprehendingly at the shattered sword in his hand.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 89 First Blood

    The sound of the shattering sword was entirely different from the constant ngs that had echoed until now. It made the young man pause in his actions and look at Duncan.

    Duncan, for his part, blinked uprehendingly at the shattered sword in his hand.

    Before Duncan could fully react, the young man took the opportunity to punch Duncan right across his ribs. Duncan doubled over in pain as he heard his ribs crack.

    The young man followed up with a kick to Duncan''s face that sent Duncan flying. Duncan''s back once more crashed into the walls and he slid down groaning painfully.

    The problem with getting kicked by a cannibal was that the nails on their toes were as tough as the nails on their fingers. As a result, Duncan''s face was scratched up pretty badly. There were three scratches that ran from Duncan''s cheek to the upper side of his head along the right side.

    Fortunately, the scratches had barely missed Duncan''s right eye. But, it didn''t mean that there weren''t consequences. Blood flowed out of those scratches and covered the right side of Duncan''s face in no time.

    By the time, Duncan stood up from where he fell, his entire face on the right side was bloodied and the bleeding didn''t look like it would stop any time soon. However, Duncan had far more problems than a bloodied face to care about now. His breathing was shallow as the punch to his ribs had broken them.

    As Duncan stood up, he vomited some blood on the ground. There were pieces of flesh mingled with the blood causing Duncan to be in a daze for a moment. The sudden breaking of Duncan''s sword had now put him at a severe disadvantage.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan unsheathed the other sword he had in his possession. This was the sword that he had obtained from Granny Jiao. Until now, he had been using the sword that the sect gave him.

    Duncan didn''t know how long this sword was going tost if even a low-grade sword given to him by the sect couldn''t hold on to the force the young man had unleashed. As much as he would like to keep this sword from Granny Jiao undamaged, he knew he didn''t have any other option at present.

    While Duncan was no stranger to fighting with his fists, after all, he had been brawling with his fists before he set out of his hometown, he knew clearly that brawling and fighting were entirely different concepts.

    While he knew how to throw a punch, it didn''t make much of a difference if his opponent was more powerful than him. If even a sword couldn''t make a dent in his skin, what was his measly punch going to do? It was not as if he had learned some fist arts to maximize the power that came from his fists.

    So, the only option left for him now was to use the sword that Granny Jiao had given to him. Duncan felt his heart ache just imagining this sword cracking and shattering into pieces just like the other one did. It made him feel angry for the first time since this fight began.

    Duncan ground his teeth angrily and stood up holding his old sword. He eyed the young man who was leisurely watching him from the distance and enjoying his pain. Something deep within him snapped at that moment and Duncan decided that if he was going to die here, then he was taking down this bastard with him.

    Spitting out a wad of blood that had umted in his mouth, Duncan eyed the young man with anger in his eyes. Looking at the young man standing there unfazed and having no indication of being in a fight, Duncan felt his anger rise more.

    There was nary a scratch on the young man. Even after hitting his sword for such a long time, there wasn''t even a nick on his body. It irritated Duncan more than anything.

    He had lost several fights while growing up, it was bound to happen when you are younger and weaker than the older kids around the block. But, even then none of his opponents looked as if they took no damage at all. Even if he was beaten ck and blue, he would always leave his opponent with a ck eye at the least.

    Duncan knew that the chances of walking out of here alive were really slim. He was on the verge of death here. And the person who was going to kill him having no damage at all rankled him more than he cared to admit.

    It meant, he hadn''t put up much of a fight. And that was a no-no in Duncan''s book. He was fine with losing, and even dying. But, to die in such an ignoble manner wasn''t something he was fine with.

    Duncan decided to throw defense out of the book and concentrate solely on offense. Anyway, he was going to die here, it didn''t matter how long it took for him to die. All that mattered to him currently was to make his opponent bleed at least once.

    Snarling at the young man, Duncan executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and went into full attack mode.

    The young man saw this and sneered in his heart. Even if he stood here and let this prey attack him repeatedly, the prey wouldn''t even be able to make a scratch on him. To him, this was the final struggle of dying prey.

    But, it didn''t mean he would let his prey die that easily. No, he was going to make his prey cry out in pain and beg him for mercy just like he did under her. Just thinking about that demonic witch made his blood boil.

    Duncan didn''t hold back even an ounce of his strength when he attacked the young man. He used the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> to its maximum effect and swung at the young man.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Even though Duncan was angry, he had enough presence of mind to understand that holding back even a little was foolish at this point. And his attack point was also carefully selected.

    Duncan didn''t go for any vital spots knowing full well that it would be protected. His goal was to make his enemy bleed and if possible injure him severely. For that he had to connect with his attack. But, the opponent wouldn''t just sit there and let him attack as he wanted.

    He would definitely block or retaliate. So, why bother going for hard-to-ess parts when the opponent was going to willingly use a part of his body to block? While it looked like Duncan was aiming for the opponent''s head, he was actually aiming for the hand that was going to block him.

    The follow-through of any attack and the amount of pressure put forth would change depending on the distance between the target and the attacker. Even a small difference mattered. So, Duncan was essentially feinting while not feinting.

    BANG!

    Duncan''s sword shed hard with the young man''s hand. The effect caused Duncan''s bones to rattle a bit. But, Duncan gritted his teeth and pulled away. As he retreated, Duncan noticed that there was a slight impression of Duncan''s sword on the opponent''s skin. While it hadn''t broken through the skin, the attack had made an impression at least.

    Duncan smiled inwardly and once more attacked in a simr manner. The young man blocked each of Duncan''s attacks in a nonchnt matter. He didn''t care much for the attacks and was only indulging Duncan to break his heart.

    This continued for a while. With Duncan putting in his everything to attack, the young man and him blocking Duncan''s attack nonchntly. It made a strange sight. However, even after a while, Duncan wasn''t relenting even a single bit.

    The young man frowned impatiently as he was getting bored of this game. While he wanted to y with Duncan, he wanted it to be on only his terms. He didn''t feel like indulging Duncan any longer.

    Just as he made the decision to end this charade, his eyes suddenly widened in shock after blocking thetest attack from Duncan. Duncan retreated with a triumphant smile on his face. Duncan sneered at the young man and grinned madly.

    A drop of green blood rolled from the young man''s hands and fell on the ground. This drop looked much thicker and was wafting with a rotten smell that was even greater than the ones Duncan had spilled in his cave.

    The young man''s eyesically widened as he looked at the wound on his arm. There was a small cut running across the back of his arm that he used to block Duncan''s attack.

    If one were to pay proper attention, then one would be able to note that all of Duncan''s attacks were concentrated on a single area of the young man''s arm. Duncan had repeatedly attacked the same area and applied enough pressure to break the skin in that area. When damage umted to a certain point, there will always be a tipping point.

    And Duncan''sst attack was that tipping point.

    The young man''s initial surprise turned into rage. He looked down at the spilled blood angrily and the yfulness in his eyes was no longer present. The sadistic gleam had only intensified now. He was done ying around with Duncan.

    Never in a million years did he expect such a weak prey to be able to injure him. It was a huge insult to him. And he wasn''t going to stand for that. He was going to hurt this prey so badly that the prey would wish that it was dead.

    Duncan looked at the angry young man before him and smiled at him provocatively. Seeing the young man bleed, only made Duncan more determined to injure this cannibal who had driven him to the edge of the cliff.

    With resounding roars both of them vanished from their spot and shed midair, holding nothing back.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 90 True Meaning Of Heart Of Killing

    Duncan crashed through the walls and rolled a little bit beforeing to a halt.

    Duncan groaned in pain as he stood up and wiped some blood that leaked out of his mouth. The young man he was facing currently was really strong. Duncan was no match for him regardless of how he tried.

    After shing countless times with the young man, it became clear to Duncan that he wasn''t going to injure the young man any further. That single drop of blood that spilled was the only thing Duncan was able to obtain until now. After that, it has continuously been his blood that was spilled.

    The young man had wizened up to Duncan''s strategy of aiming for the same location pretty quickly. Ever since then, every blow the young man had delivered was like a mountain smashing into him.

    Duncan felt his insides shake from the impact with each blow. His arms were sore and every inch of his body ached in pain. Despite all that, Duncan didn''t feel like giving in and dying. He could see that the young man wouldn''t be merely satisfied with his death from the young man''s eyes.

    Those eyes were the same as a few sadistic individuals he had met in his town. He knew how these sick bastards acted. The moment a prey showed fear or the thought of giving up, they would increase the hurt they dealt to the prey. Thinking of being toyed with by the young man made Duncan snarl in his heart.

    Rather than feeling fear or despair, Duncan only felt irritated that his sword wasn''t doing anything to the young man. Despite all his efforts, his sword was simply unable to injure the young man at all. It was a miracle that it had stayed intact till now, despite Duncan''s repeated usage.

    Duncan snarled and once more entered the fray. He knew that there was no backing down from this fight. It was either he walked out alive or the young man. And Duncan refused to concede before his time was up.

    If only his sword could deal some damage. If only he could fight back evenly instead of being tossed about like a ragdoll. If only he could cut that bastard into million pieces. If onlyˇ­

    Countless thoughts flew through Duncan''s mind as he once more shed with the young man. He was executing his martial arts to the best of his abilities, he wasn''t just defending as he did earlier. Despite his best efforts, the bastard''s skin was so tough that Duncan was beginning to get frustrated. And that frustration was soon turning into anger for Duncan.

    Snarling at the young man, Duncan''s sword once more connected with his punch. There was a perverse pleasure in the young man''s eyes as Duncan once more flew back from the impact. Duncan smashed into yet another wall and slumped down.

    This time Duncan didn''t get up immediately like the previous time. Duncanid still causing the young man to look at Duncan in surprise. The young man knew that he hadn''t truly killed Duncan.

    The young man had controlled his strength to the optimal level so that he could injure Duncan but not kill him. That way he would be able to y around with his prey for a long time. So, he knew that Duncan wasn''t dead. But, Duncan''s current state made him twitch in annoyance.

    It seemed as if his prey''s will to fight back was fully obliterated. If that was the case, then he didn''t need to drag this on further. He could go ahead and torture his prey now.

    Just as the young man decided to stop ying, he paused to see Duncan rising up from where hey. However, something was different about the prey now. The prey usually rose up fast and would start to attack it relentlessly. But, this time the prey was rising up in a slow manner.

    Just as the young man was conflicted about what to do, his prey looked up at him with a sneer on its face. The moment the young man made contact with the prey''s eyes, he couldn''t help but shiver. Something was different about it altogether.

    Those eyes were devoid of any kindness, doubt, or anger. There was only mocking and pity in it. The young man had seen eyes like that before and it angered him to see such a thing on what he considered to be his prey. Those eyes told him that he wasn''t the predator but rather the prey.

    The young man snarled angrily and rushed to pummel that face into the ground. Only to stop midair as the prey swung its sword and stopped his attack nonchntly.

    The young man didn''t know what was happening as he looked up in shock and confusion. He hadn''t held back his strength while delivering this blow. By all rights, his prey must have been beaten to a pulp with his attack. But, the reality waspletely different.

    Before the young man could clear his mind, what he was considering as prey till now started chuckling. The sound was so horrifying that it sent shivers down his soul. His hair stood on the edge and he felt a primal feare from deep within his heart.

    "I understandˇ­"

    The prey said with a sinister smile that made the young man''s heart palpitate.

    *****

    When Duncan flew back once more after being hit by the young man''s attack, his mind nked from the impact. The moment he mmed into the wall, his head hit the wall hard and Duncan fell into a daze as he slumped down.

    Lying there, Duncan''s mind was filled with images.

    These weren''t some normal images. These were images of him ughtering the wild beasts during the beast tide. These were images of him fighting against a demonic beast despite being a mortal like a madman. These were images that he had subconsciously repressed in his mind for the sake of his own sanity.<novelnext></novelnext>

    While describing it took too long, this happened in just a moment as Duncany there in a daze. The memories of his fight with the wild beast horde filled Duncan''s mind as hey there stunned by the impact.

    It wasn''t just the memories he had repressed that filled Duncan''s mind. Duncan somehow intuitively understood the state he was in at that moment. He grasped something that was indescribable but made perfect sense to him at that moment.

    The moment heprehended it, Duncan''s rage, irritation, frustration, and anger at the situation vanished. He now knew the difference between how he fought currently and how he fought the wild beasts. With that knowledge, he could only pity this puny cannibal that had been beating him up for the past half a day.

    He looked at the cannibal with pity and sneered at him. From what he understood, he realized why most demonic cultivators failed to cultivate a Heart of Killing. A single Heart of Killing was enough for his master to take him in as his disciple despite him being a mortal.

    So, it was clear how powerful a Heart of Killing was.

    If that were the case, then it is only logical that other people will also yearn to obtain it. But, none of them had been able to cultivate it so far. Why was that? The secret was now bare to Duncan and he intuitively understood what was different in him.

    The cannibal couldn''t hold his anger anymore and attacked Duncan with his full force. However, Duncan''s heart wasn''t fazed by that. While he couldn''t follow the cannibal with his eyes, his instincts told him where the cannibal''s attack came from.

    He moved his sword. Not to cut, but to block. While he moved the sword, Duncan felt his actions and his heart''s intentions merging in a mysterious way. It gave him the needed strength to block the cannibal as he knew he would be able to.

    Feeling the cannibal''s attack being blocked by his sword, Duncan finally confirmed what he hadprehended. It was true, Heart of Killing was a powerful tool. It increased his control over his qi and strengthened his body to a ridiculous degree.

    What would have normally blown him back for a long distance was nothing in his eyes now? He was able to resolve the cannibal''s attack easily. And this was not even his full power.

    Duncan chuckled the moment he realized that.

    "I understandˇ­" Duncan muttered.

    ''The secret to Heart of Killing lies in the mindset. How could a mere rage or anger be enough to create something so wondrous as Heart of Killing? No, it needed more. My desire to kill can be a powerful motivator. My anger at my situation can be a great motivator. But, in the end, those were all human reactions.''

    ''It can never bepared to what a demon thinks. A demon is called a demon because its methods are different from typical human behavior. It is foolish to measure a demon''s thoughts at the same level as a human''s. There is a vast differenceˇ­''

    ''To even activate Heart of Killing, I need to desire for something more than killingˇ­''

    ''True Destructionˇ­''

    Duncanughed weirdly and punched the cannibal in his face sending him flying.

    "I am going to kill you. I am going to annihte youˇ­ I am going toˇ­ destroy you in every sense of the wordˇ­"

    Duncan said sinisterly and pounced at the cannibal who was just standing up. As he pounced, a ck aura started to waft from his body and when it reached his sword, it created a reddish hue that gave a baleful air to it.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 91 Soul Token

    BANG

    The young man flew away and smashed into the wall at the other end. His body folded in half as he gasped for his breath. There was a sword cut running horizontally across his stomach and from it came green blood that was much darker in color.

    Duncan''s arms trembled from the impact, but he withstood the impact by gritting his teeth. He lowered his eyes and saw a reddish hue emanating from his sword. The sight of it aroused the bloodlust in him more.

    Duncan calmly walked towards the young man. His pace was neither fast nor slow. He walked as if he was taking a leisurely stroll across the countryside. The sword in his hand glowed red from the hue and it created a macabre sight.

    The dull and dark cave, the destroyed surroundings, the bloody earth formed by the death of the previous cannibal, and the wheezing sounds of the young man, made Duncan''s leisurely stroll a scene out of nightmares. It was only entuated when Duncan stepped atop the dead cannibal''s head and crunched it into cinders on his way toward the young man.

    The young man rose, gasping for breath. There was fear and iprehension in his eyes. He couldn''t believe that the prey he had been toying with so far could actually injure him now. It scared him, to be honest.

    Looking over, he saw his prey walking towards him calmly. The impact of that sight on his mind was something unbearable. He couldn''t believe that such a weak prey could injure him. He felt ashamed that he felt fear when facing this prey. The shame made him angry and all reason within the young man snapped.

    The young man roared at the ceiling angrily to express his anger and rage. The two front teeth in his mouth erged into something akin to fangs as he snarled at the approaching figure.

    The next moment, the young man vanished from his ce with a bang. The floor under his shattered a little from the impact and formed some cracks. The young man became a blur and appeared before Duncan within a moment.

    Duncan weed the attack with a snarl of his own. He didn''t back down. He didn''t use any kind of fancy technique. He merely circted his <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and delivered a vicious hack in retaliation without defending.

    BANG!

    Duncan''s body trembled from impact and he had to take a few steps back to stabilize his footing. The young man wasn''t in any better shape either. He had attacked Duncan with his w. The impact caused his entire arm to tremble and he too staggered back a few steps.

    They both recovered at the same time and looked at each other. Unwilling to give in to each other, they both snarled once more. Once more they mobilized all their energy and shed. Neither came out as a victor in that sh too. Thus, they started shing again and again.

    *****

    Liang Tianye appeared in front of the cave entrance with Feng Feixuan in tow. The moment the guards saw her, they started to tremble deep in their hearts. They prayed that whatever had caused her toe would end soon and this devil would leave this ce soon.

    "Vice-Sect Master, do you think your disciple is still alive?" Feng Feixuan asked curiously as she looked at the entrance of the cave.

    Liang Tianye flipped his hand and a small token appeared in his hand. Looking down, he saw that the token was still glowing. While the light wasn''t strong, it was giving off a weak glow.

    "He is still alive," Liang Tianye said simply.

    "How naughty of you Vice-Sect Master?" Feng Feixuan giggled. "You actually made your disciple insert a strand of his soul into this Soul Token."

    "He didn''t, I did," Liang Tianye said nonchntly.

    "Ah, then you are definitely naughty," Feng Feixuan giggled further. "Does your disciple know?"

    "It is none of his business," Liang Tianye replied with a smirk. "I am his master. He should be honored that I even deigned to make a soul token for him."

    "But, it isn''t the only reason a soul token is made for is it?" Feng Feixuan said with a mysterious smile. "With this, you can always track your disciple wherever he goes. He can never escape your clutches."

    "Moreover, our sect has several arts that can be used inbination with a soul strand. A powerful cultivator like yourself can even make someone weak like your disciple as their ve with it. Does the Sect Master know about this?"

    "The Sect Master has given that brat to be trained under me. I see no reason to inform him of each and every bit of my actions," Liang Tianye smiled back at Feng Feixuan.

    "I am sure, what the Sect Master doesn''t know wouldn''t hurt him much," Feng Feixuan smiled sweetly in return.

    "Indeed," Liang Tianye chuckled while his hand was on Feng Feixuan''s ass and squeezing it.

    Feng Feixuan merely giggled at his actions as if he had heard him speak something dirty. While the guards weren''t privy to the conversation, they were sweating buckets seeing the devil giggle. ording to them, anything that excited this mad woman wasn''t anything good.

    "It''s been seven days, there are only a few hours left for the appointed time. Let''s hope the brat doesn''t disappoint me," Liang Tianye said looking at the gates eagerly.

    *****

    Duncan fell back once more unable to bear the impact of the young man''s blow. They have been going at it for a few hours now. Neither he nor the young man was able to make a difference. Their power currently canceled out each other. Thus this battle became a thing of endurance.<novelnext></novelnext>

    There were currently several scratches all over Duncan''s body. The young man''s w had injured him several times during these shes. There was ck smoke wafting out of these injuries currently, but Duncan paid no attention to it.

    The young man wasn''t in better shape either. Duncan''s sword had injured him in several ces as well. However, neither was able tond a decisive blow on the other that could determine the oue of this match.

    The ground around them was littered with both green blood and red blood creating an eerie look. The duo panted looking at each other as if they wanted to tear each other apart.

    Duncan felt as if he was back in the Grasnds when he fought against the demonic beast. The situation looked simr to how he was unable to injure the demonic beast back then. He knew that he was missing something.

    Thest time he had been in this situation, he had been able to exert a burst of great strength and kill the demonic beast in one blow. However, no matter what he tried, he wasn''t able to produce that burst of strength right now.

    It bothered him a bit to know that he had more power, yet was unable to unleash it. Duncan cleared his mind of these misceneous thoughts and once more concentrated as the young man attacked him.

    There was no time for him to dwell on such things in the midst of the battle.

    BANG! BANG! BANG!

    They went at it once again. Duncan didn''t want his efforts till now to be wasted. So, he pushed away everything that might disturb his state of mind and solely focused on cutting the opponent in front of him into two.

    As time passed, Duncan entered a mysterious state. He forgot about the hunger pangs he was experiencing. He forgot about the deadline to return to the gate. He forgot about his worries and frustrations. His entire consciousness was focused on destroying his opponent.

    The moment Duncan entered that mysterious state of mind, he felt a strange power flowing within him. It was as if his body had gained a second wind and his blows became more powerful than they were before.

    Until now, the duo had been equally matched. But, the moment Duncan entered that mysterious state, he began to push back the young man slowly. The young man became more and more furious with each step Duncan gained. His heart began to get flustered and there was panic in his eyes.

    However, Duncan was oblivious to all these changes in his opponent. His mind contained only his sword and his opponent. He wanted to cleave his opponent into two with his sword.

    Duncan''s body subconsciously started to operate <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and began to exert more pressure on his opponent. The martial arts technique executed in that mysterious state gave Duncan a new feeling.

    The hazy fog that was covering Duncan''s mind cleared a bit and he began to understand the martial arts technique more and more intuitively. He began to feel the marvel that was contained within the sword art he was executing.

    It wasn''t him guiding the martial arts technique anymore. It was the martial arts technique that was guiding his body. His mind was like a nk sheet of paper that only contained a single line within it.

    The single line was like a cut from a sword. The more Duncan concentrated on it, the more clear it became. Duncan felt as if he was reaching a new state with his sword. This was something he hadn''t felt before while executing his sword arts.

    The single line began to turn from an illusion in his mind to a reality that was slowlying into existence. The clearer it grew, the firmer it was entrenched in Duncan''s mind.

    Raising his arms without any hesitation, Duncan unleashed a cut in ordance with the line in his mind and roared out.

    In the outside world, the young man''s eyes were trembling in panic. He didn''t feel like a predator anymore. Something has changed within his prey and his prey had turned into the predator that wasing after him.

    His heart was flustered and he was barely able to take on the power of blows that wereing from his opponent. Just when he felt totally exhausted and utterly defeated, he felt an unprecedented amount of danger emanating from his opponent.

    His body trembled. The hair on its body stood up. An extreme feeling of danger rose up in his heart. His instincts screamed at him to run.

    Before he couldprehend what was going on, a dazzling light came from his opponent''s sword causing his eyes to widen. He didn''t even have time to process what was going on.

    The next moment, he felt faint as if something integral to him was lost. His thoughts became muddy. He wanted to shout out in fear and confusion. But, before he could do that, he felt as if he was sliding down a slippery slope. His eyes grew dark.

    Thest thing his eyes registered before his consciousness turned dark was a body without a head stumbling around. Strangely enough, the body looked very simr to his. Before he could understand what his eyes saw, he fell into darkness and knew no more.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 92 Surrounded... Once More

    Duncan panted in exhaustion.

    He felt as if his entire body was drained of energy. He couldn''t support his body anymore. He slumped down and looked at the corpse of the young man before him.

    Fortunately, hisst strike had decapitated his opponent. He didn''t have any more energy to even lift his sword, let alone fight. If that strike hadn''t killed his opponent, Duncan knew that he would be dead by now.

    Duncan closed his eyes and recalled thest strike he had performed. Something was entirely different about it. The more he recalled the details of that strike, the more he marveled at the sheer beauty of it.

    He felt entirely intoxicated by that strike. Even now, he couldn''t believe that he had performed such a strike. That sword cut was otherworldly. It had a unique charm that kept tugging at his heartstrings.

    Duncan didn''t care about anything. Not his recovery, not the dead cannibal in front of him. He entered a strange state ofprehension as he remembered that strike. He was soon lost in it.

    The more he looked at it, the more he realized that he wouldn''t be able to repeat that strike anytime soon. It was something that his presentprehension could only aspire to.

    However, Duncan wasn''t dejected. He was rather excited at the thought of being able to perform that sword cut once more. While he could notpletelyprehend the beauty of that strike, several questions that had been guing him about his sword arts were answered at that moment.

    As Duncan entered a state ofprehension, his body started to subconsciously operate the <ughter Demon Sutra>. A strand of red qi emanated from the young man''s body and entered Duncan''s body at that moment.

    His cultivation technique started to automatically refine that strand of red qi, unbeknownst to Duncan. Duncan was in a strange state. He paid no attention to his surroundings as he absorbed as much as he could from the sword cut he had unleashed prior to this.

    Meanwhile, arge number of cannibals had long ago surrounded the ce the fight between Duncan and the young man was happening. Even small noises would attract these cannibals, let alone themotion the battle between the two had caused.

    So, it was only logical that arge number of cannibals made their way into the surrounding. But, being so caught up in the fight, Duncan hadn''t realized this tidbit. He was now fully immersed inprehending the sword cut he had unleashed.

    The only reason these cannibals hadn''t rushed in earlier was that they were afraid of the young man. The young man had been the iron-fisted ruler of these caves. Any cannibal that caught his sight would be hunted down and devoured. So, the cannibals had long learned to avoid the region around him.

    While the cannibals couldn''t be considered smart, even they had basic instincts and some learning capacity. Just like they learned to survive by eating each other, they learned to live by avoiding the young man.

    So, they stayed hidden in the surroundings for a long time. The only reason that they haven''t fled was the alluring temptation that was Duncan. Duncan''s living blood was a great temptation to them and the vor of the blood attracted them more than their desire to stay away from the young man.

    Yet, they didn''t dare to barge in.

    However, now that the threat had gone, these cannibals started to emerge from the surroundings they had hidden in. They cautiously came towards the area Duncan wasprehending his sword arts and searched for traces of the young man.

    When they saw the decapitated body of the young man, these cannibals couldn''t help but rejoice. A few of the brave ones came forward cautiously and smelled the head to make sure that the young man wouldn''t rise and devour them.

    When there was no movement from the head, the other ones also slowly started trickling in. Soon, the area in which the battle had urred was surrounded by these cannibals. They all looked at the delicious prey that was on its knees and licked their lips in hunger.

    Despite their desire to devour Duncan, none of them wanted to be the first one to attack him. They were slightly wary of this prey and were also wary of others attacking them. Hence, they all surrounded him and watched him hungrily.

    Initially, Duncan didn''t notice any abnormality. He was engrossed in the sword cut that he had made. But, as more and more cannibals started to surround him, Duncan began to feel uneasy. His mind couldn''t rest andprehend the marvel of the sword cut.

    Soon, goosebumps started appearing on his body causing him to shiver. Duncan slowly opened his eyes and was stunned to see that he was surrounded by the cannibals.

    Even though his body had unconsciously started to refine the red stand qi, he still hadn''t recovered from his previous fight. So, Duncan was really frightened to see that he was surrounded by arge number of cannibals.

    He gripped his sword tightly and looked around in dismay. Where ever his eyes fell, there was a cannibal standing there looking at him hungrily. To see such arge mass of eyes staring at his body hungrily made Duncan shudder.

    Duncan rose to his feet and cautiously looked around to see if there was any escape route. Unfortunately for him, there was no such thing. Still, he took little heart in the fact that these cannibals hadn''t attacked him yet.

    There was a silly hope in his heart that these cannibals might be afraid of him after seeing him kill the young man. After all, the young man had been the strongest cannibal he hade across until now. If there were any stronger existence, then Duncan wouldn''t be alive right now.

    Slowly, Duncan took a step forward cautiously to see how the cannibals were going to react. He felt his heart shudder as he saw all those eyes tracking every bit of his movements. Stealing his heart, Duncan took another step forward. This time the cannibals started to growl at him in a threatening manner.

    "Come on, can''t you guys give me a break," Duncan shouted exasperatedly.

    But the cannibals didn''t move or show any indication that they were going to retreat. Rather, the growls started growing in volume causing Duncan''s face to sink.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Fine," Duncan said angrily. "I killed that bastard to stay alive. And I am not going to die at your hands either. I have long wanted to destroy you lotpletely. This just saves me time."

    Duncan stared at them with murder in his eyes. He wasn''t willing to die in this cave. He wasn''t willing to die after surviving the young man. The young man had been ridiculously powerful, but he had managed to kill him. And these cannibals wouldn''t be any different.

    The desire topletely annihte every one of these cannibals took root in Duncan''s heart and the ck aura started to emerge from his body. It connected with Duncan''s sword and a reddish hue starteding out as well.

    Duncan growled under his breath and his eyes started turning crimson. The cannibals weren''t to be outdone. They started roaring in anger and hunger. They wanted to devour this delicious prey and the prey fighting back only angered them further.

    With a roar, Duncan pushed off the ground and ran straight into the mass of cannibals surrounding him with his sword in his hand.

    *****

    "It''s time, open the gates," Liang Tianye said nonchntly.

    The guards ran to obey hastily. They didn''t want to offend the duo that was in front of them. The gates began to open with a loud rumble. And the guards soon took up a guarding position to prevent any cannibals from leaving this ce.

    While they knew that the chances of a cannibal escaping under the eyes of Liang Tianye and Feng Feixuan were nil, it wouldn''t behoove their health to make them kill the cannibals.

    As the guards of this ce, it was their duty to prevent that. If not, the devil in the female body would torture them until they begged to die. So, under no circumstances were they going to allow the duo to make a move.

    "Vice-Sect Master, your disciple may be hiding somewhere to stay alive," Feng Feixuan said snidely. "Aren''t you going to send a few people in to check for him and rescue him?"

    "If he indeed did that, then he would wish the cannibals had killed him and devoured his body," Liang Tianye said coldly. "I don''t tolerate trash under me."

    "What if he is injured?"

    "None of my concern," Liang Tianye said calmly. "Either he makes it out of that gate on time, or he dies inside that cave."

    "My, my, you really are ruthless, aren''t you Vice-Sect Master?" Feng Feixuan tittered. "I almost feel pity for your disciple. After all, he is just a mortal."

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply. He merely stared at the gates not deigning to give any answer to the vixen near him. He knew full well that if it was the vixen who was in charge of the brat, then the brat wouldn''t even survive a week under her.

    One of the reasons Sect Master gave the brat to him to train was that other elders in the sect were not people who could be trusted to nurture something so important. The brat would die before he could even realize his full potential under them. Even if the elders didn''t make a move on him for the Heart of Killing within him, the rest of the disciples wouldn''t stay still.

    After all, death during sparing or being plotted against was prettymon in this sect. A mortal who doesn''t even have cultivation wouldn''t stand a chance if he was thrown into that nest of vipers.

    Which disciple of the sect isn''t someone who would kill without blinking an eye? Those who joined the Heavenly Demon Sect aren''t people who knew rules and restraints. They were demons who killed countless people in the outside world. A na?ve little brat would be gobbled up by them for their cultivation. To them, he was a delicious treasure that could be refined to increase their cultivation.

    Even if they were afraid that the sect would pursue them for it, these demons would only make sure to not leave traces. Hence, it was imperative that the brat learned to kill and defend himself soon.

    The only ones who could be rtively trusted are the disciples under him. While his disciples indeed cultivated the demonic dao, they walked a different path from others in the sect. Even then, it wasn''t a certainty. So, Liang Tianye already had a headache regarding how to groom the brat further.

    He had initially thought of a n to train up the brat. But, seeing how rxed the brat was, he knew that something must be done in regard to that. Hence, he had thrown him into the cannibal cave to give him a rude awakening.

    He could only hope that the brat opened his eyes before he died miserably.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 93 A Demon Emerges

    The danger within the cave was only minimal. If the brat was smart enough, he would not venture far from the entrance and would stay in the outer parts. After interacting with the brat, Liang Tianye knew that the brat had some smarts, so he was confident about it.

    The soul token in his hands also told him the same. For the brat to survive until now, he must not have ventured to the interior. So, Liang Tianye had some hope. If the brat could survive this experience, then there might be hope for him.

    Time passed slowly and the hour was almost at an end. Yet, there was no sign of the brating out. This made Liang Tianye feel a little disappointed. He wondered if he had to go in and search for the brat if he didn''te out but immediately gave up on that idea.

    If the brat couldn''t evene out of this cave, then there was no use in training him up. It was better if he died in there. At least, the sect would be able to devise other strategies instead of relying on him.

    The five-continent summit this time was a different affair. The Heavenly Demon Sect had been preparing for it for centuries. Mistakes aren''t allowed this time. To rely on someone as unreliable as this brat, would be a huge setback if something went wrong. So, it was better for that brat to die there.

    Just as the hour was about to end and the guards were going to close the gates, heavy footsteps began to echo in the entrance. From the dark and gloomy cave, a figure was walking towards the entrance steadily without hurry.

    The figure slowly walked out of the dark and the noon light started to shine on it. The moment the surrounding guards looked at the figure, their hearts couldn''t help but tremble a little.

    In their eyes, it wasn''t a human that came out of the caveˇ­

    It was a young demonˇ­

    A young demonpletely covered in blood and ughter aura!

    The surrounding guards couldn''t help but gulp at the sight of the young man who was emerging from the cave. The young man''s body waspletely drenched in blood. It wasn''t just red either. There was a lot of green blood mixed in there as well.

    There was a dense ughter aura that was emanating from the young man. Not just that, there was ck smoke wafting out of the injuries present in his body making his entire being lookpletely sinister. The crimson eyes and ck substance that was present all over his body only further deepened this impression.

    Even Liang Tianye felt his heart stir a little as he looked at his disciple.

    The brat that he had kicked into the cave was gone. In his ce, was a young demon full of blood thirst, and viciousness. The moment he crossed his gaze with his disciple, Liang Tianye knew that the brat had lost his naivety.

    He could also see the influence of the Heart of Killing in his disciple''s body clearly. There was a slight madness in the brat''s eyes. Moreover, he could feel that his disciple was different currently.

    Earlier, the brat rarely made eye contact with him. But now, he was staring at him with defiance in his eyes. Even his realm has risen sharply to the fourth level of Qi Condensation.

    Seeing his disciple''s state, Liang Tianye knew that at least some of the rumors about the Heart of Killing were true. Legends state that the Heart of Killing was actually a double-edged sword.

    While cultivating a nascent Heart of Killing was indeed rare, those who did will see a sharp rise in their cultivation. But, that wasn''t all. The Heart of Killing will also start to gradually influence the thinking of the person.

    If one didn''t have a strong mind and a firm dao heart, then there was the danger of the personpletely falling under the influence of the Heart of Killing and losing their original self. Such people will only have to desire to ughter left in their minds after that.

    Currently, he could already see that his disciple was beginning to get influenced by the Heart of Killing. The ughter aura emanating from his disciple was a testament to that fact.

    Instead of hiding and surviving, it looked like his disciple hadmitted a ughter in that cave. The rationality of his disciple was beginning to shift. It would only grow more and more from now on every time his disciple used the Heart of Killing.

    None of this could escape from his eyes.

    But, he didn''tment on thistent danger. What the sect wanted wasn''t a demonic cultivator. No, they wanted a true demon. So, even if his disciple didn''t fall into that pit, Liang Tianye would be d to arrange situations that would make him fall sooner orter.

    Now that his disciple was already walking a preordained path, Liang Tianye only felt relief instead of apprehension. As for this sword turning against the sect, that''s where the soul token came in. With that in his hands, this demon wouldn''t turn against him.

    Meanwhile, Feng Feixuan looked ashen as she watched the young man in front of her. She could deduce from the ughter aura emanating from the young man that he had destroyed countless of her ythings.

    Her face contorted as she struggled to rein in her anger. These were ythings she had painstakingly reared. To see them be ughtered like this made her belly burn in anger.

    But, one look at Liang Tianye''s pleased face told her that she couldn''t make a move against the young man. She knew of the sect''s ns. But, never did she imagine that her ythings would be the first sacrifice for that.

    She wasn''t a broad-minded person in the first ce. So, how could she tolerate this happening? However, she was powerless at the moment to do something about it. But, in her mind, she was already nning how she was going to torture this brat when the sect was done with him.

    "Liang Tianye, you better be prepared topensate me for my loss," she sent an irate mental transmission to express her anger.

    Right now, she didn''t care about the enjoyment she had shared with Liang Tianye for the past week. Her only goal was to getpensation for her loss. She didn''t care about tearing her face with the Vice-Sect Master for it.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t shortchange you," Liang Tianye sent a mental transmission back.

    *****<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan felt as if he was in a haze.

    Everything looked gloomy to him. From the moment he began to fight against the cannibals surrounding him, a red haze covered his mind. He could still see what was in front of him. He could feel what he was doing. But, somehow everything felt a little gloomy.

    The only time he could feel his heart or blood stir was when he killed someone. It was really addicting to feel that way. It was as if he felt truly alive at that moment. Something deep within him roared in approval as he went about massacring the cannibals that had surrounded him.

    Somehow, midway through the massacre, he began to break through from the third level of the Qi Condensation realm to the fourth level. And when he broke through, the speed of the massacre only increased.

    He didn''t even let those escaping cannibals live.

    When the cannibals had seen how he had begun to massacre them more quickly, some had tried to run away. But, Duncan had hunted them down and killed them without anypunction.

    By the time he was done, he realized that he was already near the entrance pathway. Only then he remembered that it was time to exit this cave. So, he had made his way out still in that hazy state.

    As he stood staring defiantly into his master''s sight, Duncan didn''t feel fear or trepidation. Rather he was angry that he was powerless to kill his master. It was a strange emotion to feel for him.

    A small part of him wanted to throw away the consequences and attack his master. But, somehow he intuitively knew that he wasn''t a match for his master''s power. So, he restrained that part that wanted to attack his master, but it didn''t mean that he was going to act subservient in front of his master.

    At that moment, Duncan knew that if had the power, he would definitely kill his master. There was a certain kind of certainty to that thought that made Duncan confused.

    Until this moment, he had never thought about attacking his master. Sure, he had felt a little resentment and anger toward his master for throwing him into the cannibal cave. But, he had never wanted to attack him.

    This rmed Duncan so much that, he broke out of the state he was in.

    The moment Duncan broke out of that state, Duncan shivered a bit. His nose was burning from the rotting smell that was wafting from his body. At the same time, the ughter aura that was emanating from him started to subside rapidly.

    Duncan scrunched his nose and checked up on his state. To his dismay, he found that he waspletely covered in filth. His breakthrough resulted in more ck impuritiesing out of his body. Coupled with the amount of blood that was sshed all over his body, he felt iparably dirty.

    He could feel that the qi in his body was currently vaporizing the poison that was umted in his body due to his injuries. He felt relieved to know that these injuries would heal soon. But, even that created an unbearable stench all over his body.

    Thedy who was standing next to his master sported an ugly look that made Duncan feel a little embarrassed. It made him more self-conscious as he thought that thedy''s ugly face was a result of the stench wafting from his body. He wanted to dig a hole and hide his face at this moment.

    As he sneaked a nce at thedy, he felt that she was really beautiful. There was a kind of wild charm to her body that tugged Duncan''s heartstrings. However, seeing his master''s hand around her waist made Duncan banish any thoughts about thedy to the back of his head. He didn''t want to offend his master with his roving eyes.

    Still, he felt a little jealous that his master had such a beautifuldy as hispanion. He wondered why he hadn''t seen her before in his master''s residence. After all, he wouldn''t forget such a beautifuldy if he had seen her before. He could onlyment that he wasn''t the lucky fellow that was hugging this beauty.

    Even then, he couldn''t help but sneak a couple of nces at the beauty.

    "Good, your realm has improved well in the past week. You haven''t disappointed me," Duncan heard his master say and brought his eyes back into his control with a lot of difficulty.

    If his master was offended by his roving eyes, he didn''t show it. Rather, he seemed to be pleased with his improvement. So, Duncan reigned in his thoughts and bowed toward his master.

    "Disciple is happy that he hadn''t disappointed master," Duncan said humbly.

    "Here," his master waved his sleeves and a couple of bottles appeared in his hands. "Take this and stabilize your realm. Come and report to my residence in two days. You are dismissed."

    Duncan thanked his master for the grace and a guard came to escort him back to the sect.

    As he walked away, he couldn''t help but sneak a nce at thedy near his master once more. He felt another pang of jealousy seeing where his master''s hands rested.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 94 Feng Feixuans Anger

    The guard who was walking beside Duncan couldn''t help sweating as he saw Duncan''s sneaky looks.

    ''This little demon seems to be too bold. He even lusts after that devil woman,'' the guard thought shivering inwardly. ''If that woman finds out, she would dig his eyes and feed them to him. It is better if I stay away from this little demon.''

    "Senior brother, do you know the way to mess hall from here?" Duncan asked calmly as he walked beside the guard.

    "Aren''t you going to wash first?" the guard asked curiously.

    "Nah, I am way too hungry. I need to eat something soon. If not, I will faint. I don''t have the patience to wait," Duncan said shrugging his shoulders.

    Duncan didn''t pay any more attention to the guard beside him. He took out the bottle of pills his master had given him and started checking them. His eyes couldn''t help but twitch when he realized that both bottles of pills only contained Qi Gathering pills.

    While these were indeed useful, he felt that his master was stingy to not even provide him with a few of the fasting pills. After going hungry for the past week, Duncan valued fasting pills more than Qi Gathering pills at this moment.

    Letting out a sigh, he put the bottles in his bag and walked dejectedly.

    Meanwhile, the guard looked at Duncan''s appearance for a moment and sighed. The bloodlust emanating from him was thick. Not to mention the rotten stench. Even in such a situation, this little demon was more worried about feeding himself. No wonder he was bold enough to eye that demon woman.

    Usually, cultivators took meticulous care in grooming themselves. It was a way for them to establish themselves as different from ordinary mortals. Even the most entric cultivators, who dress in an odd manner, would always keep their appearance clean. After all, all it took was a single application on their qi.

    So, the guard couldn''t fathom why this little demon liked to still keep his bloodied appearance. Regardless, he didn''t want to speak his mind and make a mistake. For the Vice-Sect Master to take this little demon as his disciple, there must be something unique regarding him.

    Such characters would quickly rise in cultivation and outgrow mediocre talents like him soon. He had been in the sect for more than a decade. His talent was only mediocre and thus he could only work as a guard.

    The guard knew that if he could hug this little demon''s thigh, then he could ascend to a higher position soon. But, he was a little reluctant to do so. He felt that the little demon''s character was strange and that he would surely offend a lot of people soon. If that was the case, then hugging his thigh might not be beneficial.

    Rather than providing an opportunity, this might turn into a cmity. So, it was better, if he stayed away from him. As for offending this little demon, only a fool would do so. If this little demon indeed grew strong, then he would be killed. So, the best way for mediocre talents like him to live long in this sect was to be neutral and always keep their head low.

    Thus, the guard didn''t speak any other words as he escorted Duncan to the Mess Hall.

    *****

    Feng Feixuan slowly walked inside the cave where she had stored her ythings. The fire in her belly only grew more and more as she passed by the dead cannibals in the pathways.

    Her face turned gloomier as she ventured into the deeper parts of the cave. She couldn''t help but grit her teeth in anger at the destruction of her ythings by that brat.

    When Liang Tianye had bid farewell outside of the cave, she had immediately rushed in hoping to salvage at least a few of her ythings from the wreck that the brat would have left in his wake.

    The bloodlust and ughter aura that wafted off that brat told her clearly that the brat had massacred her ythings inside the cave. But, she never expected the brat''s massacre to be so thorough.

    With anger clouding her thoughts, she, atst, reached the spot where Duncan had fought the young man andter began the massacre. Seeing the countless dead bodies strewed around, Feng Feixuan couldn''t help but shudder in repressed anger.

    At this moment, if Duncan was in front of her, she would beat him up until he his bones broke and then extract his soul to torture it for years. She had never liked anyone tampering with her things. And she had always been the one that destroyed other people''s things.

    "How dare the brat destroy my ythings!!!? Liang Tianye, even if he is your disciple, he must pay for his crimes! This is uneptable!" Feng Feixuan gritted her teeth angrily.

    Iparable power spread out unrestrainedly from her body destroying all the corpses around her and turning them to dust. When her eyes fell on the head of her favorite toy, her mouth couldn''t help but snarl.

    Walking towards it, she took the head and looked at the toy that had given her so much pleasure andmented its destruction in her heart. Along with thement, came iparable anger.

    Looking at the head of her favorite toy, she felt absolutely enraged and disgusted at the same time.

    "What use are you? You can''t even kill a brat that is in the lower level of the Qi Gathering realm despite being in theter stages of the Qi Gathering realm. You are absolutely a disgrace!" Feng Feixuan screamed at the head in her hands,<novelnext></novelnext>

    BANG!

    The head in her hands exploded into a shower of blood and gore. The remaining pieces were soon ground to dust as well. Just as she nned on leveling down this whole cave, she felt something in her hands and looked at it closely.

    "Eh! This sword cutˇ­ there are traces of sword light in them. How could this be possible? That brat has just learned to cultivate," Feng Feixuan eximed in surprise.

    Immediately she waved her hands and the body of the young man that was lying a distance away floated into her hands. She once again focused on the cut on the neck and found traces of sword qi along the severed area.

    "This is really sword light," Feng Feixuan murmured in surprise. "But, that brat has only been cultivating for three weeks. How could this be possible? Even several inner disciples are yet to master sword light. How could this brat aplish it?"

    Looking around, Feng Feixuan tried to find any other traces of the sword light, but only came up in vain. Still, she wasn''t disheartened. With a wave of her hand, all traces of the sword light vanished into thin air.

    "This little brat seems a little interesting. I guess I will wait and see how he matures into. If possible, he could helpˇ­" Feng Feixuan stopped her words and her eyes started flickering rapidly.

    After a few moments, she let out a charming smile and waved her hands to destroy any evidence left in the wake of Duncan''s fight. The area where Duncan had fought with the young man had been littered with corpses thanks to Duncan''s massacre. But now, each and every corpse in that region was turned into dust by her.

    "He he he, let this Big Sister help you hide your actions little brother. If you grow up to be strong, I will help you in the futureˇ­" Feng Feixuan said mischievously and giggled to herself.

    Just as she rose to leave the cave, she saw a cannibal making his way toward this region cautiously. With an evil smile, she disappeared and appeared behind that cannibal, catching him off guard.

    "He he heˇ­ Today, you shall help me relieve my boredomˇ­" Feng Feixuan snickered.

    Soon, heart-wrenching screams began to echo around the cave. The guards who were at the entrance heard it and started shivering. They looked at each other and gulped nervously. They studiously avoided looking at the cave and acted as if they didn''t hear anything.

    *****

    Starmist City, Wang nˇ­

    "We are honored by your presence esteemed master," the Patriarch of the Wang n said in a humble manner as he greeted the elder before him with all smiles.

    "Patriarch, as much as I would like to indulge in your hospitality, I am afraid I have other matters to take care of. I havee this time to take a look at your young master."

    "While I have heard a lot from others about his talent in cultivation, I would like to take a look at myself," the elder replied calmly, not affected by the Patriarch''s enthusiastic wee.

    "I understand," the Patriarch of the Wang n smiled and signaled the guard present in the room to bring his son.

    Soon, a young boy came in from the door apanying the guard who was sent to fetch him. If Duncan were here, he would have identified this young boy as the kid that he had sparred with just three weeks prior.

    However, the difference between the kid he had sparred with and the young boy was not smallˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 95 Crisis Of The Wang Clan

    The young boy who walked into the room along with the guard didn''t look like the kid who had sparred with Duncan at all. He sported a serious look. His eyes were as if he had learned a lot about the world.

    There was a change in the kid''s temperament as he stood beside the guard with no haughty pride or any change in expression at seeing the elder who was scrutinizing him. His eyes were tranquil along with his heart. Despite the great opportunity present before him, he didn''t feel flustered.

    "Truly a good seedling," the elder murmured in surprise. "I didn''t expect the Young Master of the Wang n to have already stepped into theter stages of the Qi Gathering realm."

    "Patriarch, a young boy who is not even ten years old, but has already stepped into the seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm is not an ordinary talent," the elder saidposing himself and looking at the patriarch of the Wang n.

    "If I am not mistaken, with such a talent, you can easily send your son to the Holy Lands to be nurtured. So, I am a little curious as to your thoughts. Why are you sending him to be nurtured by our sect?"

    "Esteemed master is indeed right, Shuang-er''s talent would even be appreciated by the Holy Lands. However, distant waters couldn''t quench my thirst, can they? I am the Patriarch of the Wang n. I must think of the Wang n as well as my son," the Patriarch of the Wang n said with a difficult expression.

    "As you may know, the recent beast tide that erupted in the Grasnds even affected the Starmist City. The City Lord of the Starmist City took this opportunity to weaken the ns inside the city. He sent us to the frontlines and reserved his strength in order to weaken us," the Patriarch said angrily.

    "All the cultivation ns in the city lost most of their strength in this beast tide. It was doubly so for our Wang n. We have lost a lot of our members in this beast tide. We need a lot of time to recover from this catastrophe."

    "But, it isn''t just the City Lord that we need to be wary of. There are other factions and powers in the city that are targeting my Wang n as well. I do not know how long it will take for us to tide through this difficulty or if it is even possible."

    "The reason I am sending Shang-er to be nurtured by your sect is twofold. If the unthinkable happened and our n was wiped out, I do not want Shang-er to be a victim as well," the Patriarch said with aplicated look on his face.

    It was clear to the Elder that this wasn''t a decision that the Patriarch of the Wang n came up with overnight. Despite his unwillingness, the Patriarch had decided to submit to a higher power to preserve their future. The Elder couldn''t help but have a high evaluation of the Patriarch of the Wang n.

    "As you know, the tree that is the tallest will the one to be culled first," the Patriarch continuedposing himself. "Shang-er''s talent is a huge threat to them and they would never let him live. This way, at least he will be safe and have time to mature."

    "I still don''t see the reason for you to be sending your son to our sect, Patriarch. You could aplish the same by sending him to a Holy Land to be nurtured," the Elder smiled benignly, but there was a calctive look in his eyes.

    The Patriarch gritted his teeth after seeing the Elder''s smile. He knew that inviting these people in is akin to letting wolves through the door, but he had no other option presently.

    "The second reason is we would like to obtain the support of your Iron Mountain sect, esteemed master. If we can tide through these difficulties with the patronage of Iron Mountain Sect, we would be forever loyal to the sect for generations toe."

    "My son being fostered under your care is both an opportunity for him and a gesture of mymitment to your sect. With Shang-er''s talents, I am sure your sect can nurture him into one of the top experts in the empire. This way we both would benefit," the Patriarch said with a smile.

    The Elder smiled in return. Both he and the Patriarch knew what it would take to invite Iron Mountain Sect to help. Inviting them might be simple, but the sect would then sink its hook into the n and the n would be a subordinate soon.

    But, the sect wouldn''t act without assurances. Sending the Young Master as a hostage, disguised as a disciple, will be one of the minimum requirements to make the sect act.

    What the Patriarch said was true. Distant waters would never quench your thirst. Moreover, if a Holy Land got involved the Star Empire wouldn''t look kindly upon them either. So, the best option was to invite a first-rate sect within the empire to take action.

    The Patriarch had thought it through. The Iron Mountain Sect was one of the few first-rate sects present within the Star Empire borders. Only the Star Imperial family and the Heavenly Demon Sect stood above them.

    Star Imperial family was the power behind the City Lord. Without their tacit agreement, the City Lord wouldn''t have taken measures to beat down the cultivation ns in the city like that. Moreover, the fate that befell the Ji family also made the cultivation ns wary of the Imperial family.

    As for the Heavenly Demon Sect, they were considered to be one of the foremost demonic sects on the continent. The danger of inviting them was severalfoldpared to inviting another righteous sect. Hence, the only recourse was other sects at the same level as Iron Mountain Sect.

    The Ancestor of the Wang n had a good friendship with the Elder before him before he died. During their younger days, they had both shared life and death with each other. Their friendship was one forged of blood amidst various dangers.<novelnext></novelnext>

    So, instead of inviting an outsider, it was better to invite someone they already had a rtionship with. With the rtionship of the Elder with the Ancestor, the Elder might even have a favorable view of the n.

    Moreover, the talent of Wang Shang was truly noteworthy. So, the Elder will probably take him in as a direct disciple. If that is the case, both Wang Shang''s future and Wang n''s survival could be taken care of in a single move.

    "Patriarch, you don''t need to say more. You understand the principles that govern the world well. In honor of my old friendship with your ancestor, I will take this young one as my direct disciple," the Elder smiled amicably.

    Hearing those words, the Patriarch put down the heavy weight in his heart. His Wang n was saved for now. Other powers wouldn''t dare to encroach Wang n''s properties if they knew that Wang Shang had be a disciple of an Elder of the Iron Mountain Sect.

    "Wang Shang greets master," the young boy immediately kowtowed toward the Elder causing the Elder to smile.

    "The child has learned well," the Elder smiled and waved his hands.

    A gentle power lifted the young boy up. With another wave of the elder''s hand, a spirit fruit with dense energynded in the young boy''s hands.

    "Take this as my greeting gift," the Elder smiled at the young boy. "From today on, you are no longer the Young Master of the Wang n. You will be the fifteenth direct disciple of me, Elder Tiang Buchen."

    "Thank you, master," the young man bowed in gratitude.

    The Patriarch of the Wang n had aplicated look on his face, but he let out a sigh and smiled at his son. He knew that the future of his son was not in his hands anymore. But, as the person in charge of the Wang n, there wasn''t any other course he could see for the survival of his people.

    "Patriarch, let''s retire to a more rxing location. This ce isn''t fit for our uing discussions. Shang-er, go refine this fruit. This is an Earth Aeon Spirit Fruit. The energy in it is gentle and it will help you reach the peak of the Qi Gathering realm soon."

    The young boy nodded and retreated along with the guard. Walking out of the room, his eyes shed with aplicated look. He turned to look at the closed door behind him.

    "Young Master, you need not worry. Patriarch has his own ns. All you need to do is to concentrate on increasing your strength. Our n will definitely tide through these difficult times," the guard said solemnly.

    The young boy let out a deep sigh and turned away from that door. The things that happened this past month were like a dream to him. First, there was a mortal who he had been unable to defeat while sparring. Then there was the beast tide. And finally, there were the attacks in the dark from various powers following the beast tide.

    His entire life had been turned upside down in a single month.

    "Father, hang on, I will definitely be strong and help you relieve this burden. Those who dared to touch our Wang n will die without mercy. I will make the City Lord whimper and fawn over us when I be strong. Even the Imperial family will have to give us face," the young boy muttered determinedly.

    "I have the strongest talent in the history of our n. I will be strong and make everyone tremble before me. No one will dare to even think about touching the Wang n as long as I am alive," the young boy''s eyes shined in determination as he walked away from the area.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 96 [Bonus ] Foodie Chen

    Duncan bid farewell to the guard at the entrance of the mess hall and entered inside. The mess hall was unusually crowded inside. During the few times Duncan hade to the mess hall, the ce hadn''t been bustling like it was now.

    Seeing the scene, Duncan was a little curious about why it was so. Before he could ask someone the details, a loud rumble came from his stomach reminding him about his hunger.

    Scratching his head sheepishly, Duncan made his way to the food counter and started piling up food on his te. He got some curious and irritated looks from his fellow disciples who were inside the mess hall. But, none of them stopped him from putting food on his te.

    After piling up a lot of food on his te, much to the awe and disgust of the people around him, Duncan ran into a small problem. With the mess hall bustling, there was no ce for him to sit and eat. Few of the disciples were even waiting for others to vacate their spots.

    Duncan searched for a spot in the back seeing the front being too full and finally found a small table at the end in which only one bulky guy was sitting. Duncan made his way over there and sat in the opposite seat, before starting to wolf down his food hungrily.

    As Duncan''s whole being was concentrated on satisfying his hunger, he didn''t notice how the entire mess hall turned silent the moment he sat in the seat. The other disciples in the mess hall had disbelieving looks on their faces.

    "Who is that idiot? He dares to sit across Chen Wangjie?" one of the disciples whispered in both fear and awe.

    "I haven''t seen him here before. He must be a new one. If not, he wouldn''t have dared to sit across Chen Wangjie," another disciple near him muttered.

    "Then he is a goner," the first disciple said pitying Duncan. "Thest time someone dared to disturb Foodie Chen while eating, Chen Wangjie beat them up until they were bleeding from all orifices."

    "It''s a pity," the second disciple muttered mockingly. "But, it serves him right though. Didn''t he even stop to think why no one took that seat?"

    "Looks like this newbie is a little dense. There will be a good show to watch," the first one said as if he couldn''t wait to see Chen Wangjie beat up Duncan.

    Meanwhile, Duncan was oblivious to all these noises. He was eating as if this was hisst meal. He had been fighting, running, and hunting non-stop for thest week and it had taken its toll on his body.

    Even though his body was sturdier than a typical low-level cultivator, he hadn''t cultivated to the level where he didn''t need to consume food. So, after being hungry for one week, Duncan had lost himself to the foodpletely.

    If he had been a little self-aware, he would have noticed that the person in front of him had stopped eating and was looking at Duncan with anger in his eyes. The person''s nose started twitching as the unbearable stench on Duncan''s body started to irritate him.

    Chen Wangjie, ormonly known as Foodie Chen, was at the seventh sea of the Spirit Sea realm. In the outer court, he was a well-known existence. It was not because of his martial prowess. It was because of his infamy in the mess hall.

    Any disturbance during his meals will cause Foodie Chen to flip out. He was usually an amiable person who always had a smile on his face. But, if someone disturbed him while eating, he would turn into a raging monster.

    The strange thing about Foodie Chen is that when he is enraged, he could even battle with practitioners above the Spirit Sea realm. This made him a veritable terror in the mess hall.

    Foodie Chen only cared about two things. Eating and hunting beasts to eat. He never cared about the status of someone else. As long as no one disturbed him while eating, he wouldn''t mind if they even spit on him. But, disturbing him while eating was his reverse scale.

    This was a truth learned by the other disciples who were in the outer court and inner court after several painful lessons. Duncan, who didn''t know all this, was currently doing the one thing that Foodie Chen hated ¨C disturbing him while eating.

    "He he heˇ­ This junior brother looks really hungry," Foodie Chen chuckled as he eyed Duncan malevolently.

    Hearing Foodie Chen''s words, the people at the nearby table started quickly vacating the nearby spots. This was yet another lesson that the disciples had learned from painful encounters.

    When Foodie Chen flipped out, he would smash people away. If that urred, it wouldn''t be a big issue as this was a demonic sect originally. So, people were naturally used to seeing people fight for even the tiniest reasons.

    The thing that made Foodie Chen a terror was the fact that when he flips out and sends people flying, if the nearby people didn''t protect their food and let it spill or go waste, they would be done for as well.

    The one thing Foodie Chen abhorred was wasting food. If the bystanders couldn''t protect their food, they would also be in for a beating from Foodie Chen. He would beat them up for not protecting their food.

    This created a huge headache for anyone who was in the vicinity when he flips out. With Foodie Chen being unusually strong when he gets angered, it would be hard for outer court disciples or servant disciples to fight him.

    Anyone who broke through the Spirit Sea realm would already have moved to the inner court and inner court disciples rarely came to eat in the mess hall. Once an inner court disciple did evene to mess with Foodie Chen, but he ended up getting thrashed ck and blue for disturbing Foodie Chen while eating.

    From then on, no one in the outer court dared to disturb Foodie Chen while eating.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan swallowed arge mouthful and looked up at the person sitting in front of him.

    "Yes Senior Brother, I haven''t eaten for a week. I am very hungry," Duncan said chewing his food and gulping it down.

    "I seeˇ­" Foodie Chen''s eyes softened a bit.

    Just then, Duncan''s eyesnded on the wine pot beside Foodie Chen. The moment his eyesnded on it, Duncan couldn''t help but salivate. Just not eating for a week had already eroded most of Duncan''s awareness, but seeing a wine pot after three long weekspletely destroyed any reservations or cautiousness he might have in his heart.

    "Senior Brother, I haven''t brought my wine with me. I need some to wash down my food. I will thank you in advance," Duncan said hurriedly and grabbed the wine pot before Foodie Chen could even react.

    In the split moment Foodie Chen looked towards his vanished wine pot, Duncan was already guzzling down the wine hurriedly. Foodie Chen''s eyes froze as he realized what had happened and he looked at Duncan with a disbelieving expression on his face, only to see Duncan lowering the wine pot with a satisfied expression on his face.

    The moment the surrounding disciples saw this, they immediately started vacating the mess hall. They knew that Foodie Chen would never tolerate someone stealing food from him. It was another one of his taboos. And Duncan had just vited that as well.

    "Hmmmˇ­. Ahˇ­ That hit the spot! This is a great wine brother," Duncan said rxing entirely.

    The moment the wine hit his tongue, the pent-up tension in Duncan''s body vanishedpletely. His mind rxed and he felt afortable feeling enveloping him.

    He felt as if he was truly once more in the embrace of his lost lover. Drinking wine was something Duncan never got tired of. Even when struggling to live in Starmist City in his initial days, Duncan never went without wine.

    In fact, he worked extra hard so that he could sample every variety of wine he could in the city. Such was his passion and desire for wine. So, going without wine for three weeks has been a huge torment for Duncan.

    The moment he saw the wine pot beside Foodie Chen, Duncan lost control of his actions. The words he uttered were perfunctory things he used to tell while scamming wine from other patrons in his town. They just came out of his mouth before his brain could even engage.

    By the time Foodie Chen reacted, his hands, which had had countless practices in grabbing wine pots had acted automatically. Only when he had a mouthful of wine in his body did Duncan''s brain once more engage.

    Before he could even think further, a heavy fistnded on Duncan''s face. Duncan felt as if he was being attacked by a savage beast at that time. He had no time to react as he was sent flying back across tables.

    "Bastard!!! How dare you steal my wine!!!"

    An angry roar echoed across the mess hall. Even before that angry roar came or Duncan was sent flying by Foodie Chen''s fist, the disciples present in the mess hall had made their escape. When they heard Foodie Chen''s angry roar, they knew that they had made the right decision.

    The only people remaining in the mess hall were the servant disciples who were serving food, Duncan, and Foodie Chen.

    Just as he angrily got up from his spot, Foodie Chen''s eyes froze looking down on the table. His eyes couldn''t help but twitch seeing that the wine pot was not on the table or near it.

    "You shameless bastard!!! Put down my wine!!!"

    Foodie Chen''s angry roar shook the hearts of the disciples outside.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 97 Jade Jasmine Wine

    Duncan''s head felt groggy as he blinked whileying in the rubble.

    Luckily, Foodie Chen hadn''t punched him using any qi. The punch Foodie Chen had thrown him was a pure physical punch. Even then, Duncan''s head was a little addled due to that.

    The wine he had drunk was only now just taking effect. Combined with the punch, Duncan felt as if the whole world was rotating non-stop in his head. The feeling almost made him puke out. But, Duncan gritted his teeth and endured it not willing to let go of any wine he had drunk.

    He sat up slowly and cleared his head a bit and looked over. He saw the man who was sitting in front of him ring at him angrily. But, Duncan couldn''t help but be bewildered seeing his actions.

    While the man was indeed ring at him, his hand was busy stuffing his face as well. The sight was so bizarre that Duncan almost felt likeughing out loud. But, a small part of his sanity prevailed and he only looked at the man curiously.

    "Senior Brother, is this any way to greet your junior? Can''t you be magnanimous and excuse this junior," Duncan asked with a bright and shameless smile as he hugged the wine pot.

    The man''s eyes narrowed and his gaze fell on the wine pot Duncan was hugging.

    "I don''t share food," the man growled out in reply.

    Seeing him stuffing his face still, Duncan actually believed the man. But, this was the first wine he had got his hands on after three long weeks. There was no way he was going to give up on it so easily.

    "Senior Brother, don''t be angry. Haven''t you heard that sharing is caring? Think of this wine pot as your greeting gift to your junior brother," Duncan said shamelessly causing the man''s eyes to twitch uncontrobly in anger.

    "You shameless bastard, not only did you steal my wine, you now want me to give you the whole pot as a gift, huh? How despicable! I have never seen a shameless person like you," the man roared as he finally stopped stuffing his face.

    "Come on, Senior Brother. If you don''t want to give this as a gift, then consider this aspensation?" Duncan said cheekily as he stood up staggeringly.

    "Compensation? Whatpensation? Why do I need to give you that? That punch was your punishment for stealing my wine!!!" the man said agitatedly and started walking towards Duncan angrily.

    "Ahemˇ­ Senior Brother, you actually ate my food as well," Duncan said sheepishly looking behind the man.

    Foodie Chen froze in his ce and turned to look at Duncan''s te as well. The moment he saw the te, he knew he had been tricked. When he turned around, he couldn''t find Duncan as he expected. Looking into the distance, he saw Duncan speedily making his getaway.

    "You shameless bastard!!! You dare steal my food and run away! I will find you and beat you to a pulp," Foodie Chen roared in anger and gave chase.

    The disciples standing around to watch themotion winced in sympathy. Even they had been fooled by this junior brother''s shameless lie. Actually, it wasn''t their fault either.

    It was amon urrence to see Foodie Chen stuffing his face when he was angry. And when Foodie Chen was angry, his hands would automatically start to stuff his face not minding where the food wasing from.

    So, in the throes of his anger, Foodie Chen has stuffed other people''s food into his mouth many times. So, it was only natural for both them and Foodie Chen to be deceived by such a base lie.

    Also, no one expected the junior to be that shameless.

    It didn''t take long for Foodie Chen to actually catch up to Duncan. After all, the difference between their realms was too huge. Within a few minutes, Foodie Chen reached Duncan and sent him crashing down with a vicious kick to Duncan''s behind.

    Duncan was sent flying and wine pot also escaped his grasp and flew into the air. Foodie Chen jumped high into the air and caught hold of the wine pot, not paying much attention to Duncan.

    The moment he caught the wine pot, Foodie Chen''s expression stiffened further. From the weight of the pot in his hands, it looked as if Duncan had already consumed half of the wine in the pot while running away from him.

    Duncan knew that he had no chance of outrunning this senior brother. So, the only reason he ran away was to give him enough time to drink some more wine. As for the consequences, Duncan wasn''t in the right mind to care about them.

    He only cared about drinking the wine. And the more he tasted the wine, the more intoxicated he became. So, his actions became even more unruly and he started to guzzle it down with abandon. Thus, when Foodie Chen caught up, there was only half a pot left.

    "You despicable bastard!!! How can you be so shameless?!!!" Foodie Chen raged seeing only half a pot of wine remaining. "You actually drank while running!!! What if you wasted this wine?"

    "Hicˇ­ Hicˇ­ No wine got wasˇ­ hicˇ­ ted," Duncan said drunkenly as hey on the floor.

    "You!!!"

    Foodie Chen was really angry when he saw Duncan sprawled out on the floor drunkenly.

    For the first time in his life, he felt at a loss on what to do with this person before him. He didn''t know how to react. As much as he wanted to beat up this junior brother, he was also reluctant to beat him up while he was drunk like this.

    As a foodie himself, Foodie Chen always respected every kind of food or drink. He felt that beating up a drunken person would be like someone picking on him while he was in a fooda. He absolutely despised it happening to him. So, he didn''t want to be the person doing it.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Moreover, the wine in his pot was truly potent.

    This wine was called Jade Jasmine Wine. It was potent enough to even send him into a stupor. Not to mention this little junior brother who was only at the middle level of the Qi Gathering realm.

    While he was running, Duncan hadn''t paid much attention to the potency of the wine. His entire mind was concentrated on drinking as much as possible before this senior brother caught up. So, he hadn''t taken time to savor it and explore its taste.

    As a result, when the potency truly burst forth, he was almost on the verge of passing out from drinking. Apart from the one time he had drunk in the Grasnds while escaping from the wild beasts, Duncan had never tasted cultivator wines.

    And Jade Jasmine Wine was not some low-quality wine like the one Wang n had given to him. As a glutton, Foodie Chen only went after the very best item that could be avable to him. Hence, the potency of the wine was not something Duncan could contend with despite how much of an experienced drinker he was.

    So, it was only natural that Duncan passed out after drinking such a potent wine.

    Foodie Chen felt his heart bleeding when he looked at the passed-out Duncan. This was the first time he had suffered a loss when it came to food-rted issues after he stepped foot inside Heavenly Demon Sect. Duncan''s peaceful snores almost made him discard his principles and beat up Duncan then and there.

    "He he heˇ­ When have I, Chen Wangjie, suffered such a loss? Junior Brother, I will let you sleep for now. When you wake up I will show you why no one messes with me when ites to food," Foodie Chen grit his teeth angrily.

    With a whoosh, he picked up Duncan and left the ce.

    *****

    Duncan had a peaceful sleep with the aid of the wine.

    He hadn''t slept properly ever since he was thrown into the cave. While cultivators at the higher realm can forego sleep and use meditation in its ce, his body hasn''t strengthened to that level yet.

    Moreover, Duncan had been wound up tightly for the past week. Constant battles, hunting, and evading cannibals in the cave had taken their mental toll on them. Even though Duncan looked energetic on the outside, he was actually exhausted mentally and physically from his ordeals in the cave. Especially, thest few days have been really tough on him both physically and mentally.

    So, drinking the Jade Jasmine Wine provided him the much-needed rxation. Moreover, Jade Jasmine Wine wasn''t some ordinary wine. It was made with countless valuable herbs and had a mystical quality to it. The spirit energy within it was really abundant.

    As Duncan slept peacefully, a lot of changes were happening in his body. With the aid of the spirit energy in the wine, Duncan''s regenerative system automatically started healing his body while he slept. Even before drinking the wine, Duncan''s vitality was top-notch among the people at the same level. After drinking the wine, with its aid, Duncan''s body quickly repaired itself.

    That wasn''t the only change that happened in Duncan''s body. Duncan''s foundation was really shaky. He had broken through four levels of the Qi Condensation realm within a single week.

    Even though it was only the Qi Gathering realm, and one can break through it as long as they umted enough qi strands, the rate of Duncan''s progress was a bit too fast. So, it was only natural that the foundation wasn''t properly established.

    Furthermore, demonic cultivation techniques were not known for their stability. While they gave immense power and allowed people to progress easily at the earlier stages, they left a shaky foundation in their wake. This only became apparent when one progressed further in their cultivation.

    That was the reason that there were always several powerful demonic cultivators in the lower and medium levels of cultivation realms. But, when it came to higher levels the number of demonic cultivators would never match the orthodox path.

    While those who reached the higher levels were powerfulpared to normal cultivators at the same stage, they would never be able to match up with peerless geniuses of the righteous path as well. This left a void at the apex for a truly demonic cultivator.

    This was the reason for the righteous path always having an edge over the demonic path.

    Those demonic cultivators who actually reached theter stages of Golden Core will always take a long time to stabilize their foundation before trying to break into the Nascent Soul stage. It was one of the major things that held back demonic cultivators from truly flourishing.

    As Duncan slept, the abundant spiritual energy from the wine started cleaning the foundation of his cultivation and patching up the drawbacks in it as well. As a result, Duncan''s foundation became truly stable.

    This whole thing made Duncan who was in deep sleep feelpletely rxed and light.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 98 Foodie Chens Revenge

    As Duncan''s qi started getting purified slowly, the impurities in his body started being forced out by the dense spirit energy in the wine. Duncan''s qi began to be more and more dense and refined as time passed.

    The shaky foundation in his body stabilized as time passed. But, the dense spirit energy in the wine wasn''t done yet. As Duncan slept, his cultivation also started to rise slowly and settled halfway to the fifth level.

    Unbeknownst to Duncan, he gained a lot from consuming the spirit wine.

    Meanwhile, Foodie Chen looked at Duncan, who was sleeping peacefully and snorted in dissatisfaction. While Duncan might not know the benefits he obtained from consuming the spirit wine, Foodie Chen was well aware of it.

    When the injuries on Duncan''s body started closing and the impurities in his qi were being forced out, it was very evident to Foodie Chen that this junior brother had taken advantage of him.

    This arose some dissatisfaction in his heart. Furthermore, he couldn''t stand the fact that someone actually took advantage of him when it came to food. That was something he wasn''t truly able to digest.

    So, as Duncan slept, Foodie Chen was preparing his own n to get back at this junior brother. Initially, Foodie Chen was nning to beat up his junior brother ck and blue once he woke up. But, before that, he wanted this junior brother topensate him well for his stolen while.

    Unfortunately, while going through Duncan''s bag, Foodie Chen came across Duncan''s sect token and was rmed. After learning that this junior brother was a direct disciple, Foodie Chen didn''t want to get entangled with him much.

    Even if he was able to beat up this junior brother, he would not be a match for other direct disciples under the same master as this junior brother. He didn''t fancy getting beaten up by others for beating up a junior.

    Still, he wasn''t reconciled in his heart to leave this matter as it is.

    He wanted to teach a lesson to this junior brother that his food was untouchable. He didn''t want this junior brother to get some ideas about stealing food from him every time he came across him.

    So, he thought hard and came up with a n.

    As Duncan slept, Foodie Chen rolled him up in a sheet and carried him out of the sect. Normally, in ordinary sects, if someone was carrying someone and leaving the sect, the guards would stop and enquire about him.

    As this was a demonic sect, people disposing of bodies were a prettymon sight. Moreover, the sect was situated in the midst of the Grasnds. Disposing bodies in the wilderness for beasts to feast upon was a prettymon tactic used by the disciples and servants as a whole.

    So, the guards didn''t even bat an eye when Foodie Chen exited the sect with Duncan''s sleeping body. Foodie Chen traveled a little distance away from the sect into the surrounding wilderness. His speed was fast and he traveled for a few hours beforeing to a stop nearby a bush.

    "He he heˇ­ Junior Brother, this should teach you a good lesson. When you wake up and see where you are, you will know not to mess with my food," Foodie Chen chuckled evilly.

    "Don''t worry, there are only small demonic beasts around here. Nothing a direct disciple can''t handle. It will take one day for you to return to the sect from here," Foodie Chen patted Duncan''s head as if he was petting a dog.

    Foodie Chen had his own measure. He knew that the region near the sect didn''t have any beasts above Level 1. Any beasts above Level 1 would usually migrate away from the sect as outer disciples regrly hunted in this area to temper themselves.

    The sect also took special care to kill off any beast above Level 1, so as not to have some demonic beast cause chaos in the vicinity of the sect. So, leaving this junior brother here wouldn''t cause much of an issue.

    This way, he would have his revenge and would also escape retaliation from other disciples of this junior brother''s lineage. ording to him, this was a good win-win situation.

    Smiling evilly, Foodie Chen started to make his way back. Suddenly he stopped as if he was having second thoughts. He struggled for a bit, before heading back to the ce where he had hidden Duncan''s sleeping form.

    "Junior brother, forgive me, I have been negligent," he said smarmily to Duncan''s sleeping form and opened Duncan''s bag.

    Chuckling evilly, he took all the spirit stones in the bag and one bottle of Qi Gathering pills as well. Then, he paused for a few moments and took the other bottle as well.

    "Junior brother, I will take this aspensation for my wine. You will only be burdened by this in this wilderness. But, don''t worry, I will not wrong you. You can take this remaining pot of wine as my greeting gift," Foodie Chen chuckled at Duncan''s sleeping form and once more left the ce.

    *****

    Duncan woke up feeling extremely fresh.<novelnext></novelnext>

    While he was awake, he didn''t want to open his eyes yet. He was feeling kindazy at this time. He felt that deserved toze around a bit after the hecticst week.

    Thest week had been a brutal experience for him. From hunger pangs to fighting for his life, it had been a very eventful week. He didn''t want to go through that again anytime soon.

    Just as he was feelingzy and indolent, he felt the sun scorching his face. His eyes scrunched up and he revealed an irritated expression on his face. Duncan was still unaware of where he was. He didn''t even know where he went to sleep.

    Opening his eyes, Duncan was greeted with sunlight filtering through green leaves. The sunlight was harsh and it didn''t look like the early morning sun. Duncan figured it was noon at the least.

    As he slowly got his bearings, he found that he was sleeping under the bush. Duncan was a little embarrassed as he realized that he wasn''t in his abode. Squinting his eyes hard against the sunlight, Duncan recalled what he was doing before going to sleep.

    Slowly, memories started surfacing in his mind causing him to be a little dumbfounded. Thest thing he remembered was being attacked in his back by that senior brother. Sheepishly, Duncan recalled how he had scammed wine from that senior brother.

    "Yikes, looks like I need to pay back that senior brother," Duncan mumbled softly as he sat up. "Still, it was pretty decent of the senior brother to at least throw me into a bush to sleep instead of leaving me in the roads. Looks like the senior brother is a kind-hearted person, deep in his heart."

    Duncan stretched a little and found his sword and bag near him.

    "The senior brother was even kind enough to gather my stuff for him. I am really embarrassed to have scammed wine out of him. If I had asked him for some, I am sure he would have given it to me," Duncan mumbled shaking his head.

    "Unfortunately, I lost myself the moment I smelled that wine. That was really some strong wine. I had slept for almost a day from the looks of it. Still, it was the best wine I have had till date. I must ask senior brother where I can get such wine the next time I see him," Duncan said rising up.

    The moment Duncan took in his surroundings, his face froze. His mouth couldn''t help but twitch as he looked at the tall trees all around him. Chancing a nce around, Duncan found that his surroundings didn''t look like any area that belonged to the sect at all.

    Duncan hurriedly checked his bag and found that all his pills and spirit stones were missing as well. Seeing that, Duncan''s face couldn''t help but turn ck. There were only the three manuals, his sect token, and a half-pot of wine in there.

    Duncan retrieved the three manuals and checked them. The moment they came out of the bag, the three manuals caught fire and turned to ashes before Duncan could react.

    Duncan stood there dumbfounded with their ashes in his hands. For a moment, he panicked. While the loss of the other two booklets wasn''t an issue, the booklet of <ughter Demon Sutra> was entirely something else.

    Before he could loseposure, he breathed a sigh of relief as a line from the introductory manual came to his mind. Apparently, the sect had security measures against their manuals being leaked outside.

    One of the measures was that the booklets would turn to ash the moment they were taken out of the sect. Until now, they had been in his storage bag, so they weren''t affected. But the moment they were taken out, those manuals turned to ash. Duncan figured that his master must have put a simr restriction on the <ughter Demon Sutra> as well.

    Luckily, he had already memorized the contents of the sutra. If not, he will be in big trouble if he asked for another copy from his master. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Duncan took out the sect token and pocketed it.

    Looking at the wine pot in the bag, Duncan''s gaze was a littleplicated. He was both attracted to it and fearful of it. By now, he realized what had happened. That senior brother wasn''t kind enough to leave him in a bush nearby. He had tossed him into a wilderness and stolen all the goods from him, leaving him with a sword, his sect token, and a half-finished pot of wine.

    ck lines formed all over Duncan''s face as he recalled how he had praised that senior brother just moments ago.

    "Bastard, you could have at least given me a hint as to where I am!!!" Duncan bemoaned aggrievedly looking at his surroundings. "When I find my way back, I am going to teach you a lesson you wouldn''t forget!"

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 99 Midnight Battle

    Duncan wandered in the wilderness without any direction.

    It had been half a day since he had been dumped here by his senior brother and he wasn''t sure where exactly he was. The areas he had passed through were dense with vegetation making it hard for him to orient and walk.

    He didn''t even know where he was, much less anyndmarks in this area to orient himself. His prior experience in hunting wild beasts in the forest helped him a lot currently. The lessons of woodcraft he had learned from Leia were the only thing that was keeping him fed at this point.

    If not for that, he would have consumed some poisonous fruit and suffered a bit. While normal poisonous fruits wouldn''t affect him much, at most they would give him indigestion, he was still wary of consuming something that would turn out to be lethal.

    Duncan could already perceive that the fruits in this ce had some spiritual energy in them. It was a wee find as they helped him to tide over his hunger. Even at the mess hall, Duncan hadn''t really eaten his fill. He had merely satiated some of his hunger before getting attracted by the wine.

    So, by the time he woke up, Duncan was once more hungry. Luckily, he hade across some spirit fruits and had harvested them for consumption. Unlike ordinary fruits, spirit fruits had rich energy in them. They not only alleviated his hunger but also helped him to maintain his energy.

    Speaking of the wine his senior brother had left him with, Duncan took a single sip and found it already too potent for him to handle. Currently, he was only using to wet his throat when it became parched.

    Even then, the spirit energy in the wine gave him a pleasant feel.

    The richness of spirit energy in it was higher than the energy present in the spirit stones he had in his possession. So, Duncan considered it to be a huge bargain to have the wine with him.

    After all, spirit stones could neverpare to wines, in his opinion.

    He much preferred wines, to be honest. They had multipurpose use as far as he was concerned. See, he was currently using wine in ce of water to wet his throat. Spirit stones could never do that. As far as the spirit energy was concerned, the wine had more than the spirit stones as well. It was a win-win in his opinion.

    As he wandered aimlessly, Duncan''s mind started to drift. He was thinking about random things wondering what he was going to do now. He didn''t have any idea as to how to get out of this predicament.

    The region around him didn''t look too dangerous. As far as Duncan knew only the outer region of Grasnds was free of danger. And the Heavenly Demon Sect was in the interior regions of the Grasnds. He knew that Grasnds were a dangerous region.

    So, he was indecisive as to what to do now.

    With his strength, it was impossible for him to traverse across the Grasnds and reach the Heavenly Demon Sect. For a moment, he was tempted to turn around and go for the nearest city.

    The temptation was really huge.

    He had initially joined the sect because he had no other option. Him joining the sect wasn''t really something he wanted to do. But, he was forced at the pain of death to join the sect by his master.

    The only thing he had wanted so badly was to get to know about cultivation and he had already obtained it. So, there wasn''t anything actually tying him to the sect. After all, he had been there for only three weeks.

    But, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to escape the grasp of his master. The moment he thought about his master''s callous disregard while throwing him into the cave filled with cannibals, Duncan knew that his master would definitely send someone to hunt him down.

    After all, his master had repeatedly tried to instill in him that being a demonic cultivator was different from righteous cultivator. And from what he knew of his master he wouldn''t let someone go just like that.

    Moreover, he was now a demonic cultivator. Even if he didn''t know much about cultivation in general, he knew that righteous cultivators would never tolerate him. The moment someone finds out that he is a demonic cultivator; he would be hunted down by the righteous sects, in addition to his sect as well.

    Duncan knew clearly that he wasn''t powerful enough to escape such a hunt. Even the servant disciples in the sect were more powerful than him. So, it would be suicidal to run away from the sect at this point.

    As for hiding and living as a mortal, Duncan didn''t want to do that either. He had some goals to aplish. Destroying Wang n, taking revenge for the destruction of his town, and tasting a wide variety of wine and women. Being a cultivator was the only way to aplish that.

    So, he had no other option other than to go back.

    But, the problem was he didn''t know how to get back. So, the only thing he can do as of now was to wander around aimlessly and hope that he came across some other disciple of the sect who could guide him back.

    Not that Duncan didn''t like wandering like this. In fact, he even enjoyed this much morepared to being cooped up in the sect. Wandering around the wilderness with wine in hand was truly a rxing experience if he had to say.

    Thus, when night fell, Duncan had already found an ideal spot to camp and prepared himself to get some shut-eye, despite being in the wilderness. His earlier experience with mercenaries had helped him out a lot in finding the ideal ce to rest. He had also double-checked to make sure there weren''t any beasts nearby as well.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The spot Duncan picked was atop arge tree.

    He had found a thick enough branch to amodate him. With the canopy of leaves hiding him from sight, the only thing he had to worry about was some animal in the tree making trouble.

    He had already checked the tree for any beasts and found it to be free of them. Even then, he only selected a branch that was rtively high but not at the top. Staying at the top was a clear invitation for flying beasts that hunt at night. It would be akin to waving a red cloth to a bull.

    As Duncan settled down to sleep, the wilderness around him also fell silent. There was hardly any sound, making the night a bit creepy for Duncan''s taste. But, he knew most forests and wilderness were like this at night, so he didn''t mind it much.

    After taking arge gulp of the wine, Duncan rxed on the tree branch amidst the cool breeze that came through the trees. With nothing to do, Duncan started recalling the <ughter Demon Sutra> and tried to gleam more insights into it.

    With his recent rise in cultivation, his mind was more active. The rxed atmosphere aided him as well. As Duncan tried toprehend the mysteries in the <ughter Demon Sutra>, time passed by in the wilderness.

    Just when Duncan was getting deeply immersed inprehending the <ughter Demon Sutra>, he was broken out of his meditative state by a loud bang in the distance.

    Duncan was irritated at first, but soon his face revealed joy and he started climbing to the top. Duncan''s mindset was simple. If he could find which direction the noise wasing from, he could try to link up with whoever was there. They would most likely know how to get back to the sect.

    Just as Duncan climbed the top, another bang came from the distance. This bang was followed by arge gust of wind that almost threw Duncan off the tree. Duncan clung to the tree with much hardship and somehow managed to reach the top branch despite a strong wind buffeting him.

    Looking ahead, Duncan saw a mushroom-like cloud rising in the distance. As strong wind impacted him from that direction, Duncan saw a huge palm m into the ground from above which made him feel both scared and excited.

    Just as it looked like the palm wouldnd, Duncan heard a loud roar in response. Wind gathered together and impacted the palm sending it back. The roar was so loud that the sound almost made Duncan deaf even at the distance he was watching from.

    When Duncan heard that roar, he felt as if he was being targeted by a bloodthirsty beast. His body shivered involuntarily and his mind nked for a moment. He felt as if the beast was right before his eyes.

    "Insolent creature!!! I am going to roast you with my fire and feast on you," a bold voice thundered in reply to that roar.

    Following that, a fist materialized and mmed into the area where the roar came from. Duncan saw arge paw materialize and attack the fist. But, the fist was obviously stronger and it smashed through the paw.

    Duncan shivered uncontrobly seeing the battle raging on in the distance. Both the man and the beast were both incredibly powerful. And the fight didn''t stop for a long time.

    Fist images, palm images, paw images, beast head, all kinds of images formed one after another as the battle raged on. Along with the battle, the area that was destroyed was also steadily increasing.

    Duncan foundrge trees being uprooted and smashed into pulp by the impact of the energies raging on between twobatants and felt his scalp tingle. This was the kind of power that he had never seen cultivators exhibit.

    Until now, he had never known how strong cultivators could actually be. Seeing the range of destruction that was being showcased, Duncan could only watch the battle in awe.

    Suddenly, Duncan''s eyes shrank.

    Next moment, Duncan hopped down from the tree hastily and started fleeing with all his might.

    The battle that was raging in the distance was slowly moving toward the area Duncan was in. And the destruction that was being dealt was also slowly erging along with itˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 100 Pivotal Moment

    A/N: Hi folks,

    This chapter marks the 100th chapter of this novel.

    I thought it would be a nice moment to take some time to thank you all for your love and support for this novel.

    This novel has amassed over 250K reads, 1K collections, and 150K words as of now. I consider this to be a huge achievement and we are just getting started with this novel.

    A shoutout is in order for [Velliolx] and [jomenvist] for their kind hearts and unflinching support of this novel. Your gifts made my day :)

    I would also like to thank [cullen_c], [TJ_Crux], [Ali_Alnajar95], [David_Reed_0727], [Tony_Meras], [Tk22], [matthieu_catherine], [AlfansoCorrleon], [LazyCant], [KrisHK], and countless others for their support for this novel.

    A big thank you to [Kuro_tepes], [omeroford], and[KrisHK] for being the Top 3 Golden Ticker contributors as of this writing.

    And a special thank you to [SwordCreator] for taking the time toment on each and every one of my updates. Your love always makes me smile :)

    As much as I would like to continue this, I feel that I have tarried for too long. Let''s head into the chapter.

    This chapter is kinda special in how it turned out overall. I swear I never nned for this, but I am also d that this chapter made a pretty impressive checkpoint both literally and figuratively as well.

    *****

    Duncan hastily escaped from the ce he watching the fight from, as the battle slowly started moving towards him.

    He knew that if he was caught in the aftermath of this fight, then his body would be torn to shreds just like those unwitting trees. So, Duncan ran with all his might not paying attention to where he was going.

    As he ran for his life, Duncan remembered that his town was destroyed just like this. The aftermath of the attacks from several strong fighters had blown up the mine and destroyed his town. While he could run away from this battle, his fellow townsmen didn''t even have the time to do so.

    He now understood why the cultivators present in the mine escaped without paying any mind to the safety of the mortals like Granny Jiao. He knew that the cultivators that were guarding the mine couldn''t be any higher than the Spirit Sea realm. So, if they came across a peak battle like this, the only thing they could do was run for their lives.

    While he understood their actions now, it didn''t mean that he wasn''t angry with them. Just imagining Granny Jiao standing and looking at her doom approaching made his heartache.

    "This is the power I need to possess. No, I need to be even stronger than this if I want to take revenge for Granny Jiao. Right now, I am nothing but an ant for people like them," Duncan muttered to himself as he ran for his life.

    "My sword must be able to cut through those palms, fists, and paws if I want to take revenge. As of now, I can''t even stand still in front of such terrifying power. I need to grow stronger," Duncan''s eyes shed with resolve as he turned to look back at the battle that was raging.

    Just then, Duncan felt danger approaching him from the side. With a smooth tug, Duncan''s sword came free off its scabbard and Duncan shed without even looking in that direction.

    A snake''s head was cut from its body and fell to the side.

    As much as Duncan wanted to stay and harvest the snake, he knew this wasn''t the time for that. So, he controlled his desires and fled further. Beside him, several demonic beasts were running away as well.

    The entire region had turned chaotic as both beasts and men ran for their life.

    Duncan ran for a long while before stopping to take a breather. Looking into the distance, he saw that the battle was still raging on. While he couldn''t make out much from the distance he was in, he still saw the terrifying destruction that was being dealt out.

    Even at this distance, he could feel the terrifying waves of power emanating from that battle. Duncan etched the scene in his mind as he knew that this was the goal he was striving towards. In order to aplish his goals, he needed to be stronger than this. His sword needs to be sharp enough to cut this.

    The battle raged on for hours before it ended with a pitiful whimper from the beast. The man''s victorious roar shook Duncan to the core and made an indescribable impact in his heart.

    Right now, there was a kind of hunger in Duncan''s eyes. A hunger to be as strong as that man there. No, a hunger to be even stronger than that man who yed that beast.

    Duncan clenched his hands in determination as he stared at the same direction for a long time.

    *****

    Duncan cautiously made his way toward the site of destruction once the sun came up.

    During the battle, he had seen several demonic beasts running in the same direction as he was. Before that, he didn''t know that there were so many demonic beasts in this locality.

    Ever since he woke up, he had onlye across a few demonic beasts. While he evaded them mostly, the few he dared to face had run off after shing with him once. Duncan didn''t know if it was because he was strong or were they wary of other beasts.<novelnext></novelnext>

    So, he had always been cautious and looking out for signs of demonic beasts yesterday after he woke up. But, he hadn''t known that there were so many beasts in the area surrounding his camp.

    It was really an eye-opener for him to see how many demonic beasts were present in the vicinity. This made him extra cautious as he approached the battle site. Strangely enough, the demonic beasts hadn''t taken the opportunity to fight each other once the battle was finished.

    When the battle ended, he had been prepared to fight with his life on the line. But, the surrounding beasts hadn''t paid any attention to him and had started to return. They split off and went back to their dwellings once the battle was done.

    However, Duncan didn''t follow themst night. He had found yet another tree and meditated for a bit, waiting for the sun to rise. Duncan knew that even if a demonic beast wasn''t nocturnal, their eyesight during night trumped his. This was a lesson he had learned during his mercenary days.

    So, he stayed put and waited for the sun to rise.

    When the sun rose, Duncan made his way back to the battleground hoping to see whoever it was that killed the demonic beast. However, his luck wasn''t that good. When he reached the battleground, he found devastatedndscape and broken trees. Apart from that, there was nothing else to see.

    It seemed as if the cultivator who battled the beast had left a long time ago. Most probably, after the battle. Still, looking at the devastatedndscape, Duncan''s heart couldn''t help but tremble a little.

    The devastation was truly massive. There were gouges all over the ground andrge holes that seemed akin to fingertips were littered all around. Countless trees were destroyed in the surrounding. There was even arge valley in the shape of a fist print.

    Hearing about cultivators having the power to topple cities was one thing, to see the evidence of one such sh was entirely another thing. It made Duncan''s scalp tingle a bit. The devastation extended for miles showing how ferocious the battle truly was.

    After taking in the devastation for a bit, Duncanposed himself. He realized that he had a long way to go if he wanted to be this powerful. Duncan didn''t even know the cultivation levels after the Spirit Sea realm, but he realized that the cultivator who dished out this damage must be above the Spirit Sea realm.

    It made him realize how weak he was currently.

    Duncan looked around the site of devastation and found the wilderness hade back to its usual state. It was as if the battle that happened in this cest night was really amon urrence. The demonic beasts didn''t pay much attention to this devastatednd.

    Duncan knew that if he wanted to be stronger, the only option he had was to fight with his life on the line. The technique he was cultivating was geared toward ughter. When he had engaged in ughter, his cultivation seemed to rise non-stop.

    He had seen the evidence of it in the cave. Beforest week, he had been struggling to break through the first level of the Qi Gathering realm. After engaging in continuous fights and killings for thest week, his cultivation had soured to the fourth level of the Qi Gathering realm at tremendous speed.

    This told him that this was the ideal way to cultivate the <ughter Demon Sutra>. And right now, he was in a location where fights to the death weremonce. He hadn''t paid much attention when shing with demonic beasts yesterday, but deep down he knew that he could kill them if he chased after them.

    Only his cautious nature had prevented him from doing so.

    But, after seeing the kind of power higher-level cultivators possessed, there was a fire burning in Duncan''s heart. He wanted to be like them. Roaming freely and killing whoever opposed his path. That was the way he wanted to live his life.

    Being cautious and avoiding fights were all well and good, but it didn''t help him to be powerful. Even when his master told him that he didn''t have the right mindset to be in the sect and threw him into the cave filled with cannibals, Duncan only fought out of desperation.

    He hadn''t actually embraced the way of life that involved fighting and killing non-stop. But, the current Duncan who had seen what powerful cultivators and demonic beasts could do was different.

    He realized that he didn''t want to be normal anymore. He wanted to be like them. Powerful beyond belief. Swatting mountains and demolishing opposition with ease. It was the way he wanted to live from now on. Once he saw what a truly powerful cultivator could do with his eyes, Duncan wasn''t willing to be ordinary anymore.

    Deep within his heart, a yearning to be as powerful as them bloomed slowly.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan took onest look at the devastation left behind after the fight. Determination flooded him as he stepped into the wilderness with the goal to be as powerful as possible.

    If it took putting his life on the line and battling constantly, then that is what he would do. He would either be powerful or die trying. There was no middle ground for Duncan anymore.

    Yearster, when others asked Duncan when he realized that he wanted to be a powerful cultivator, he would recount this day and the burning fire that was born in his heart after watching the devastation a powerful cultivator could leave behind.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 101 Duncans Transformation

    Duncan jumped through the bush and swung his sword in a vicious manner.

    The demonic beast that was fleeing from him let out a mournful cry and died, as Duncan''s sword cut into its body with ease. Hot blood sshed across Duncan''s face as he calmly wiped it away.

    Grabbing the bleeding beast''s body, Duncan lifted it above his head and drank its blood hungrily. When his hunger was satiated, Duncan produced a gourd made of wines from his bag and collected the remaining blood nonchntly.

    It had been ten days since he had been left in the wilderness by his senior brother.

    During these ten days, Duncan had gone through an earth-shattering transformation both physically and mentally. He no longer shied away from fights. Rather, he weed them with gusto.

    Even if he could feel that the demonic beast in front of him was stronger than he was, Duncan readily engaged in a fight against the beast these days. Sometimes he would eke out a victory, sometimes he would have to flee with his tail tucked behind.

    Regardless, he never shied away from a fight.

    Duncan had a few goals these days. If the demonic beast he came across was stronger than him, he would fight until he wounded it and then flee from it. If the beast was weaker, then he would hunt them down and kill them no matter where they tried to flee.

    With these two creeds in mind, Duncan''s time in this wilderness became a constant slew of battles. There would rarely be any time from battling one beast to another. By the time he was done with one beast, he would have wandered into the territory of another beast and it would also attack him.

    Duncan never cared about doing things discreetly. He never hid and found an appropriate time to assassinate a demonic beast. He preferred to engage them head-on and fight it out with them.

    With such an attitude, Duncan almost lost his life multiple times in these ten days.

    To anyone else, such a reckless manner of cultivating would be a huge danger. But, to Duncan, this was the ideal way to cultivate his <ughter Demon Sutra>.

    By putting his life on the line and battling non-stop he had made tremendous progress in the past ten days. Every time he had been forced into a corner, he somehow found himself breaking through and escaping his predicament one after the other.

    His cultivation has been on the rise continuously for the past ten days. He was close to reaching the seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm by now. The seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm is also called as Advanced Qi Gathering stage. Form being a novice in cultivation to reaching the Advanced Qi Gathering stage, Duncan has spent at most 20 days in total.

    This showed how suited this cultivation technique was to cultivate in such a manner.

    It was not just that. Duncan''s increase in cultivation was just one of the effects of his arduous training regimen. Along with his cultivation realm, his martial techniques have also reached a new level in these ten days.

    Constant fighting had seen his <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> increase in proficiency to a tremendous degree. These days, any casual sh from Duncan had the profundity of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> in them.

    Not just his sword art, the <Wind Chasing Steps> movement technique Duncan had cultivated had also reached a near-perfection proficiency due to his constant run-ins with powerful demonic beasts.

    Every time he came across a powerful demonic beast, Duncan would sh with them for a while and suffer various injuries in a bid to injure it. The moment he injured it, Duncan would try to escape from the beast''s clutches with all his strength.

    After being injured by a weaker opponent, the demonic beasts weren''t willing to let him run that easily. So, they would chase after him for a long time. Thus, his desperate bid to escape them made Duncan use <Wind Chasing Steps> to the ultimate level he could.

    Several times, he hadprehended a bit of the essence of the martial arts technique while escaping and increased his speed tremendously to shake off the demonic beasts.

    Thus, Duncan''s proficiency in using the <Wind Chasing Steps> had almost reached the perfection stage. Currently, there was a thin film that was stopping him from reaching his full potential with this technique.

    Duncan was beginning to feel thesest few days that he was close to opening the door that was holding him at bay when it came topletely mastering this martial art and achieving perfection in it.

    During these days, Duncan also intuitively realized that any martial arts had the potential to be a very strong technique. As long as one grasped the basic truth in which the martial art operated, one could further develop the technique by exploring that truth deeply.

    For example, his <ughter Demon Sutra> is made to thrive in ughter. It was where the full effect of his cultivation technique showed its might. Without engaging in ughter, it is impossible to cultivate this technique.

    Likewise, his <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> acted on the principle that a sword could cut absolutely everything. As long as the sword was sharp, it cut through anything in this world.

    But, these days, Duncan began to realize that the sword mentioned in the booklet is not a physical sword or a treasured weapon. The sword was a metaphor. It actually referred to a kind of mindset. As long as a person understood this and explored this, their strength would increase tremendously.

    Likewise, the cut mentioned wasn''t just a sword cut. It was also a concept. As long as the user understood this concept, they could increase the power of their strikes multiple times, regardless of what weapon they held in their hands.

    Unfortunately, Duncan has only been able to glimpse into these secrets from far away. Those concepts were cloudy in his mind. He didn''t entirely understand the meaning behind them. While he knew what they represented, he wasn''t able to understand them even a single bit.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Right now, he hasn''t even scratched the surface with his techniques. He was like an outsider standing in the distance and looking enviously at the drunken reverie that was happening some distance away.

    Only when he joined this drunken reverie would he be able to see, feel, and understand the reverie in an intimate manner. Standing at a distance and knowing that a reverie is happening was of little help to gain true understanding.

    However, even knowing these things has increased Duncan''s power considerably. Just being an outsider who knows about the reverie was enough to boost his strength to a whole new level.

    Duncan could only imagine how ferocious his strength would be once he understood these things.

    However, Duncan''s improvements didn''t just end there.

    As an added bonus, Duncan''s constant battles have honed his instincts to a ridiculous degree. Being constantly hunted or chasing after prey had made his danger sense to be developed to a high degree. Duncan could perceive even a falling leaf 100 meters behind him with his eyes closed.

    Such terrifying battle awareness was no joke. For someone like Duncan, who was rtively weak in the grand scheme of things, to have such great instincts was almost demonic in nature. Such instincts can never be obtained easily. They can only be cultivated through countless battles. That is why those with great battle instincts will always be powerful seniors.

    And with each difficult battle, his instincts were only improving constantly.

    Not just the instinct, Duncan''s eyesight, his hearing, his sense of smell, his body control, qi control, and every other aspect that would differentiate him from a typical cultivator were also improving at a tremendous rate.

    These things are the factors that differentiate ordinary cultivators from powerful cultivators. As they say, a flower that was grown in a ss garden can never be as tenacious as a flower that blooms in the wild. While Duncan might not know this, these formative experiences will one day help him out of troubling situations.

    Moreover, battling different demonic beasts came with its own perk. No two demonic beasts were simr in nature. Ever since they gained sentience and are able to cultivate, demonic beasts will differ from each other.

    Whether it be personality,bat style, cunningness, or any other factor that allowed them to survive in the wild, these demonic beasts would have gone through different experiences and would have grown ordingly.

    By battling against a variety of them, Duncan also began to learn to adapt hisbat style ordingly. While he wasn''t a great strategist, Duncan learned to adapt ording to the needs of the battle midway through the fights.

    If he realized that a particr demonic beast had a high physical resistance, he would try to find its weak spot and target it. If he realized that a particr demonic speed excelled in speed, he would try to oust its endurance and kill it afterward.

    Likewise, Duncan''s battle tactics also began to evolve constantly through battles and he began to have an instinctive knowledge as to what to do in battle and when to do it. He began to hone his ability to capitalize on the openings and learned to identify feints from weakness after suffering a few times.

    Having gone through a grueling tempering experience, Duncan''s body also started to show the effects of such experiences physically. Duncan''s body was no longer without any blemish. There were scars all over his body from half-healed wounds.

    His clothes were in tatters and his temperament had gone through a drastic change. Earlier, there was a bit of naivety and inexperience radiating from Duncan''s body. But, these days, a bloodthirsty aura seemed to permeate his body constantly.

    Having been through numerous near-death encounters, Duncan''s mentality also began to change. No longer was he struck with fear and rooted in his spot while facing powerful demonic beasts. These days, he was able to calm down and face their imposing presence without flinching much.

    Such a steady mind can''t be obtained by cultivating in the sect. One needs to go through a tempering of thousand battles to achieve it. While Duncan hadn''t gone through thousand battles, his mindset was slowly moving toward that realm.

    Above all, the biggest change to Duncan wasn''t something that others could see physically or perceive upon seeing him. Only the most observant people would notice that almost subdued fire burning deep in Duncan''s eyes and heart.

    The biggest benefit Duncan obtained from these ten days was a kind of confidence in himself. It could be only noticed in his subtle gestures like the way his eyes always stared straight, his shoulders stood rxed and high, and his walk became steady and measured in a mysterious way.

    This confidence he began to have in him also gave birth to a kind of unflinching will that had a root in his desire to be a powerful cultivator.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 102 Blood Wine

    Duncan drained the blood of the demonic beast and collected it in a gourd he had fashioned himself.

    The reason for Duncan to do such an odd thing was not as simple as quenching his thirst or nning to sell the blood of the demonic beast when he returned to the sect. No, there was a more sinister reason for that.

    Duncan had stumbled upon a secret regarding the <ughter Demon Sutra> by ident two days into his new routine.

    At that time, the wine his senior brother had given him had almost been consumed. There was only less than a quarter of the pot left in it. Duncan was naturally reluctant to go without any wine for the remainder of his time in this wilderness. He didn''t know when he would once more taste wine again.

    So, faced with a dilemma, Duncan decided to experiment a little.

    By that time, he had collected a few gourds of demonic beast blood in his bag. As Duncan hadn''te across any water source till then, he had been using the blood in these gourds to wet his throat asionally.

    Duncan came up with the idea to dilute the wine left in the wine pot. As it was already potent, Duncan didn''t mind diluting it much and having more to drink. To him, wine was an important apaniment to the experience.

    He didn''t care about the potency or the level of spirit energy in it much. He just wanted some to drink asionally. So, diluting it was the most logical choice in his mind.

    However, with no water source in sight, Duncan decided to dilute it with a bit of demonic beast blood and see if it tasted right. His experiment became a huge sess when the demonic beast blood hebined with the wine didn''t affect the spirit energy in the wine much.

    While the potency was lessened, the spirit energy was retained despite the diluted nature of the new wine. The demonic beast''s blood produced a strange reaction when used to dilute. It became richer in energy and had a great taste as well.

    Duncan considered this to be a sess and didn''t pay much attention to that for some time. However, things took a drastic change when one day he did something different.

    While cultivating during the night, Duncan took a small sip of the blood wine casually before beginning to run his cultivation technique. When the <ughter Demon Sutra> came into contact with the energy-rich blood wine during cultivation, the effect that came out of it was a huge surprise to Duncan.

    Duncan''s cultivation technique not only ran more smoothly, it even exhibited signs of getting faster. Curious, Duncan drank some more blood wine to see if there will be any more changes.

    The effect was immediate. Thebination of the blood wine and the <ughter Demon Sutra> created a miraculous change in his body. Within the next few moments, Duncan actually broke through the fifth level of the Qi Gathering realm in almost an overbearing manner.

    Duncan wasn''t prepared for such an intense reaction. Before that, he had been a little distance away from reaching the breakthrough point. So, such a sudden increase was unexpected by Duncan.

    He almost went into qi deviation as he was not able to control the berserk state his qi was in during that moment. But, as time passed, the effect became less and Duncan was able to manage to get the qi in his body under control.

    After repeated experiments, Duncan came to the conclusion that fresh blood, especially blood with spirit energy in it, was the ideal supplement to cultivate <ughter Demon Sutra>.

    Higher the spirit energy in the blood, the better effect it had on the <ughter Demon Sutra>. The blood of demonic beasts that were more powerful than him was the ideal supplement he could get.

    However, the spirit energy in them was too much to consume directly. But, if he mixed it with the wine drops in the wine pot and consumed them, there were no problems with it.

    This makeshift diluted blood wine he had created in an effort to make the winest longer had somehow turned into a huge supplement for his cultivation technique. Paired with his cultivation technique, it helped him to break through to the sixth level of Qi Gathering realm in the next two days.

    Right now, Duncan was just shy of breaking through the advanced stage of the Qi Gathering realm. The Qi Gathering realm ismonly divided into three stages. Lower stage which constituted the first to the third level of the Qi Gathering realm, middle stage consisting the fourth to the sixth level of the Qi Gathering realm, and advanced stage featuring the seventh to the ninth level of Qi Gathering realm.

    The difference in power between each stage was huge and it is difficult to break through between stages. However, Duncan''s luck has been good so far. His fight with the young man in the cave and his subsequent massacre had helped him to break through from the lower stage to the middle stage easily.

    Now, this makeshift wine of his was helping him to break through from the middle to the advanced stage within ten days. Such a speed was top-notch among all the geniuses in the Dragon Scale continent. Even Duncan''s master didn''t expect him to progress this fast.

    But, all was not roses with using this makeshift diluted blood wine in cultivating <ughter Demon Sutra>. This method had a side effect to it. Consuming this diluted blood wine and using it to cultivate, left a bloodthirsty aura permeating out of Duncan''s body constantly.

    Moreover, Duncan also noticed that his view of things was also being changed imperceptibly by the influence of the cultivation technique. His ideals on what was eptable and what wasn''t were beginning to change slowly.

    Duncan who had stepped out the Starsinger Town would have been horrified to know about cultivating in such a way. However, the current Duncan wasn''t bothered by the thought of using blood to cultivate even a single bit.

    The change in mentality was clearly noticeable from that. Duncan had always been self-aware and he had begun to notice that he was beginning to change for a long time. But, the strange thing was, he wasn''t bothered by it.

    Even if he notices, Duncan didn''t mind it much. His thoughts were on how to be strong quickly. As for doing something uneptable like using blood to cultivate, Duncan didn''t care about it one whit.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The level of perversion in Duncan''s thoughts was such that, he was even beginning to theorize that human blood would be more effective than beast blood. While he hadn''t acted on it yet, to an observer, it was clear that Duncan was beginning to walk a slippery slope already.

    Grabbing the carcass of the demonic beast, Duncan vacated the area he was in and came to a makeshift camp he had constructed out of some scrap items he had repurposed.

    After skinning the beast, Duncan lit the pit and put the demonic beast''s carcass over the fire to roast it. Sitting back and watching the fire flicker across the beast''s body, Duncan began to rx as he sipped the diluted blood wine he had made.

    "Dinner''s taken care of," Duncan muttered looking at the distant sky. "The demonic beasts in this area are getting weaker. I think it is time for me to move ahead from this region."

    Duncan''s n of action was actually simple.

    ording to what he knew, he was in the outer regions of the Grasnds. Moving towards the interior region where the Heavenly Demon Sect was, he would definitelye across stronger beasts.

    So, if he followed that logic, he could slowly fight and increase his power against the stronger demonic beasts in session and move forward, he would reach a ce where other Heavenly Demon Sect''s disciples would frequent.

    This way he could both temper himself and also move toward the sect. It was a win-win in his book. He knew that he would never be able to traverse the entire way on his lonesome. He only had to maintain this style till he came across another disciple.

    Then he can tag along with them and return to the sect.

    He didn''t know the way toward the Heavenly Demon Sect. After all, thest time he was taken there, someone had made him unconscious. So, there was no way for him to remember the way. Therefore, it was better to follow someone who knows the way and get back to the sect.

    Duncan knew that his master would be furious by now. He was supposed to meet him after two days. Unfortunately, he was now stuck here in the wilderness. When he returned there might be repercussions for him to face.

    Knowing his master, that wouldn''t be something that he would like. Most probably, his master would force him to go through some other horrifying experience. So, it was better for him to increase his strength.

    That way, his master''s wrath might be slightly alleviated. From what he understood about his master, his master was someone who respected strength. And showing him that he had improved a lot might earn him more consideration thanining about the senior brother who put him in such a position.

    Even though he was a little miffed with that senior brother, Duncan wasn''t angry with that senior brother. He knew that if the senior brother wanted, he could have killed him in the wilderness after spiriting him away from the sect.

    He had been absolutely defenseless and it was he who scammed the wine out of senior brother first. He had all the right to be heavy-handed with him and the ability to do so.

    But, the senior brother had been magnanimous enough to put him in a region where there are no strong demonic beasts and even leave him half pot of wine. As for the spirit stones and the Qi Gathering pills were considered, Duncan didn''t care about them at all.

    "Even though I am not angry, when I return, I am going to punch that senior brother in the face. After that, I am going to scam more wine out of him," Duncan said with a small smile on his face as he bit into the roasted demonic beast meat and looked at the starry sky in a rxed manner.

    *****

    Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Demon Sect, one particr senior brother who was responsible for Duncan''s absence in the sect was currently sweating bullets as he stood before the Vice-Sect Master Liang Tianye.

    "Chen Wangjie, I will give you one chance. Spill! What did you do with my disciple?"

    Liang Tianye asked angrily as he looked ready to skin Foodie Chen alive.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 103 Blood Blossom Fruit

    Chen Wangjie trembled in fear as he looked at the angry Vice-Sect Master.

    He had never expected the small prank he yed on the junior brother to turn out this way. This was the reason he hadn''t beaten up the junior brother in the first ce.

    While dealing with direct disciples wasn''t that much different from dealing with ordinary disciples in the heat of the moment, the real headache came from dealing with the aftermath.

    His anger hadnded him in hot water a few times when he had beaten up one direct disciple of an elder or the other. Even then, he knew what level of heat he could handle.

    That''s why when he saw that the junior brother was the direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master he decided not to beat him up and be circumspect in his revenge. But, who knew that even that could backfire like this?

    "Vice-Sect Master, I didn''t do anything. I merely left him half a day''s journey away from the sect entrance. I even checked up for any dangerous beasts in the vicinity. There weren''t any demonic beasts in the vicinity," Chen Wangjie said a little fearfully.

    Chen Wangjie saw that the Vice-Sect Master''s eye started twitching once he answered. He felt that there was something wrong with his answer. But, he didn''t know what he said that could be perceived as wrong. So, he merely kept silent.

    "You fool, my disciple doesn''t know the directions to the sect," Vice-Sect Master''s irate tone was like a thunderp to Chen Wangjie.

    He felt as if his soul had already left his body when he heard that. He didn''t know about this bit of information. He knew that to be a direct disciple, the seedling must have tremendous potential.

    Even he, who had a powerfultent bloodline, couldn''t be a direct disciple in the Heavenly Demon Sect. So, he at least had an idea on what kind of monster potential it was required to be a direct disciple. And to be Vice-Sect Master''s direct disciple, the requirements were even stricter.

    If such a disciple was killed because of the prank he yed, he knew that the sect wouldn''t let him off easily. Just imagining the variety of horrible punishments the sect would impose on him almost made him faint.

    Luckily for Chen Wangjie, a knock was heard on the door before the Vice-Sect Master could berate him further for being an idiot. Chen Wangjie saw one of the direct disciples under the Vice-Sect Master enter the room and whisper something into the Vice-Sect Master''s ears.

    The Vice-Sect Master''s face slightly turned surprised and one of his eyebrows rose in ordance with the news he received. Chen Wangjie saw the Vice-Sect Master nod and then the disciple left in a hurried manner.

    Before he could dwell on that bit of information further, the Vice-Sect Master addressed him.

    "Chen Wangjie, it looks like I will not have to refine your soul. You are incredibly lucky. Despite your blunder, it seems that my disciple is still alive and has even progressed from the misfortune," the Vice-Sect Master said grudgingly.

    Hearing that, Chen Wangjie let out a sigh of relief in his heart. He knew that the fate awaited him would not be mere refining of his soul if something had happened to that brat.

    "Don''t be overjoyed. While this might be considered a fortunate encounter for my disciple, the fact remains that your actions put him in considerable danger. Hence, I have decided to issue you a mission. If youplete it, you will be rewarded with this," the Vice-Sect Master flipped his hand and blood-red fruit with immense spiritual energy appeared in his hands.

    "Blood Blossom Fruit!!!"

    Chen Wangjie cried out not able to restrain himself.

    "Indeed, it is. I know that you need this fruit very much. I can see that you are close to breaking through the Spirit Sea realm and stepping into a higher stage. If youplete this mission perfectly, this would be your reward," the Vice-Sect Master smiled seeing Chen Wangjie''s reaction.

    "With this fruit, you can easily step into the next realm. Furthermore, this fruit is very beneficial for your bloodline. It will purify your bloodline and help you to upgrade it to the next level. So, do not disappoint me."

    Chen Wangjie knew that everything that the Vice-Sect Master said was true. Blood Blossom Fruit was a type of spiritual fruit that only grew in areas where there is dense blood energy.

    To anyone else, Blood Blossom Fruit was merely a spirit fruit with abundant spiritual energy. But, to people like Chen Wangjie, who had the potential to awaken their Ancient God Beast bloodline, a single Blood Blossom Fruit was better than ten-thousand top-grade spirit fruits.

    The fruit can only grow amidst arge amount of blood with high spiritual energy. This made the fruit a rarity among the treasures of Heaven and Earth. Because, for the basic conditions to be met, a battle between several powerhouses must first take ce.

    Following that, blood must flow inrge amounts from such a battle and no one must have collected the blood of powerful practitioners that was spilled for over 100 years.

    Only when the blood energy doesn''t dissipate after hundred years will a Blood Blossom Fruit form. Then it will take another decade to mature. During this process, the blood energy must not be drained away by anyone.

    Even after that, the matured Blood Blossom Fruit will only be avable for a week. It must be harvested within a week. If not, the fruit will disintegrate and turn back into blood energy once more.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Thus, finding a matured Blood Blossom Fruit was almost impossible. It was more of a lucky encounter than something that could be obtained via proper nning.

    A treasure of Heaven and Earth that is hard to obtain will always have some unique features about it. The same is true for the Blood Blossom Fruit. Just the spirit energy stored in the fruit alone is enough to help someone breakthrough. Not to mention the other properties of the fruit.

    The most important property of the fruit is that it helped cultivators with atent bloodline like Chen Wangjie to awaken their bloodline abilities. Furthermore, the dense blood energy in the fruit can help a cultivator to upgrade their bloodline and make it closer to their origin bloodline.

    Having even 10% of origin bloodline was enough for someone to be a direct disciple of an elder in the Holy Lands like the Heavenly Demon Sect and Seven Clouds Sect.

    The reason for that is simple.

    The term origin bloodline refers to the bloodline of Ancient God Beasts. There are always rumors that some families or ns in the world were long-lost descendants of these Ancient God Beasts.

    Rumors im that a long time back a war that shook the heavens and sundered earth happened amidst the starry skies in the heavens. During that time, Ancient God Beasts were very prevalent. They also procreated with humans to increase the poption of their ns.

    Due to the dangerous nature of that war, these beasts sent their human descendants to the lower ne to give them a way out. After a million years, the bloodlines in these people dwindled over time and there were no more descendants with pure bloodline any longer.

    These days, finding someone with a bloodline potential was even a rare thing. Not to mention, finding someone with even 10% purity of their original bloodline. When sects find such seedlings, they will nurture them with their whole heart.

    The power of the bloodline of Ancient God Beasts isn''t something small. If someone awakened even 10% of that bloodline, they would be one of the strongest cultivators without even trying much. The advantages that these bloodlines give them were of such huge proportions.

    So, the sects were willing to do that.

    But, the scarcity of finding treasures like the Blood Blossom Fruit and other treasures that could help someone with a bloodline improve alone made it impossible to produce these monsters on a continuous basis.

    Coupled with the continuous generational degradation of bloodlines, these days it is hard for someone to have a bloodline in their body. Only a few individuals like Chen Wangjie havetent potential bloodlines in their bodies.

    As long as Chen Wangjie awakens his bloodline, even if it is just 1%, he will be made a direct disciple or at least a core disciple within the next day. And his status in the sect would go through arge change.

    If he consumed this fruit, Chen Wangjie was sure that he would awaken more than 1% of his bloodline. The rich blood energy that was radiating from the fruit was already tempting him to take a bite out of it.

    So, this fruit was a must-have for Chen Wangjie. He was ready to do anything to obtain that.

    "Vice-Sect Master, order this disciple. I will fulfill any task you set upon me," Chen Wangjie said solemnly.

    "I am sure you would do it," the Vice-Sect Master chuckled and spoke further.

    The more he described the task that was assigned to him, the more Chen Wangjie felt confusion in his heart. He didn''t know what was the reason for this task. But, with the Blood Blossom Fruit hanging above as a reward, he could onlyplete the task to the best of his abilities.

    "Junior brother, I am sorry that you have to go through this. I feel pity for you. Your master is sure ruthless to make you go through this. Your senior brother has no other option. I want that Blood Blossom fruit very much. I willpensate you with more wine in the future," Chen Wangjie mumbled in his heart as he felt pity for that wine-stealing junior brother of his.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 104 Grotto Heaven

    Chen Wangjie''s pity for that wine-stealing junior brother of hissted only till he reached the spot he had left his junior brother at. When he reached there and looked for the signs of his junior brother, his eyes couldn''t help but twitch in annoyance.

    From what he saw, Duncan had turned right in the opposite direction of the sect and had wandered off from there. The most irritating part was that he didn''t even turn back and check the surroundings.

    "That brat didn''t even turn back after going the wrong way. Didn''t he stop and wonder where he was? If he had climbed the mountain that way and looked further, he would have seen patrolling disciples," Foodie Chen grumbled.

    "Just because of his antics, I was almost scared out of my wits in the presence of his master. Still, I will have to thank this junior brother of mine. If not for his mistake, I would never get a chance to get close to that Blood Blossom Fruit. He he he," Foodie Chen drooled as he imagined munching on that precious fruit that was going to be his reward.

    Once he ascertained the direction Duncan went in, Foodie Chen set off from there and traced back Duncan''s path. When he came across the site of devastation left behind after the fight, his expression became solemn.

    Whoever it was that fought here was way more powerful than he was. If he came across that person and got into a conflict, there was no guarantee that he could escape alive from that person.

    As far as Foodie Chen knew, there was no need for such a cultivator or a strong beast like what was yed here to be in this vicinity. That didn''t make any sense. Even demonic beasts had their own rules and territories.

    For such a strong beast to appear here and get into a conflict with a powerful cultivator, something unusual might have happened in this vicinity. Unfortunately, the traces of his junior brother ended at this ce as well.

    "Crap! The devastation that was left behind from the battle was too vast. It had erased any traces of my junior brother. Moreover, these marks that were left behind don''t seem to belong to any member of the Heavenly Demon Sect!"

    "These marks have the traces of an orthodox cultivator. If they belonged to the righteous path and if my junior brother ran into them, then things would be dire."

    "Furthermore, why does a strong orthodox cultivator like this guy is skulking around this region? This region is close to Heavenly Demon Sect and the sect wouldn''t allow some righteous cultivator to snoop about this close to the sect," Foodie Chen mumbled as he eyed the site of the battle.

    "Looks like something else is happening," Foodie Chen mumbled uneasily. "I better not get caught in whatever is going on. I better find my junior brother first. I can''t let him get dragged into this either. If some mistake urs, then I can forget about staying alive, let alone dreaming about that precious fruit."

    Foodie Chen rose from the battle site with a serious look on his face and vanished from the spot.

    A minute after Foodie Chen vanished from the spot, two figures in grey cloaks appeared near the spot he was in a minute ago.

    "Junior brother, you are right. Shen Wulong has been here. I can clearly see the imprints of his martial arts. He must have gotten into a fight with some strong beast in this region," one of the cloaked figures said in a melodious voice.

    "Senior sister, what are we going to do now? I think the Heavenly Demon Sect has also noticed some signs. There was someone else checking this site earlier. His presence was far stronger than the one who left currently. I had to hide my aura carefully to not be discovered by him," the other cloaked figure said anxiously.

    "We have been tracking Shen Wulong for months now. Only he has the coordinates for the Grotto Heaven. It is rumored that the Grotto Heaven belonged to an existence that was way above the Nascent Soul stage," desire was evident in the voice of the female as she said that.

    "Shen Wulong is crafty. He knows that the Heavenly Demon Sect is near. So, he must be prepared to face them as well. While the Heavenly Demon Sect isn''t something we need to be afraid of, the existence of the Grotto Heaven will surely make them hostile to us."

    "If we are to fight, I don''t have the confidence to win against their elders. So, we must move discreetly just like Shen Wulong does. If worstes to worst, we can reveal our identity and split some benefits with the Heavenly Demon Sect. But, before that, we must trace Shen Wulong''s whereabouts."

    The female said in a frosty voice causing the cloaked figure near her to nod along.

    "Senior sister is right," the other cloaked figure said gravely. "Shen Wulong is crafty. He actually used the turmoil in the Grasnds a month ago and gave us the slip. We need to find him first."

    "Don''t worry, my Icy Nether poison has seeped into his soul. He can''t get rid of it that easily. If he hasn''t been severely injured this pitiful beast might never be his opponent. I know Shen Wulong very well. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he shouldn''t have revealed his tracks to us like this," the female smiled mysteriously.

    "I think that Shen Wulong was chased in his wounded state by this beast. Having no other option, he was forced to kill it and reveal his whereabouts. If not for that, we might not have found his tracks at all. It''s a pity. Now that I know he is in this region, I can use my soul to sense the Icy Nether poison. He can''t escape my senses anymore."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ Senior sister sure is mighty. No wonder even the famous Shen Wulong suffered in your hands," the other cloaked figure praised her generously.

    "But, be careful. Do not underestimate Shen Wulong. Even after falling into my meticulous trap, he escaped from it sessfully. He even killed several of my subordinates during that escape leaving me alone to deal with him."

    "So, don''t let your arrogance cloud your senses. We will track him and wait till he enters the Grotto Heaven before making our move," the female warned sternly causing the other cloaked figure to nod seriously.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Come, I am sensing a remnant of my Icy Nether poison in that direction. Let''s head there," the femalemanded and quickly left with the other cloaked figure.

    A few minutester another figure appeared at the sight. He was wearing the robes of the Heavenly Demon Sect. His face was long and there was a long scar across his jaw, which gave him a sinister look.

    If Foodie Chen was there at this time, he would have recognized this figure as the direct disciple who reported to the Vice-Sect Master while he was being interrogated about the condition of his junior brother.

    "Visitors from the Central Continent, huh? They sure are arrogant to treat our Heavenly Demon Sect as if we are some small sect. Forget the elders, can you even take me on? You didn''t even notice my presence. Still, I would like to see where this Grotto Heaven is," the man murmured with a small smile and looked in the direction that the two cloaked figures have vanished into.

    Suddenly, he started coughing blood out of nowhere. His face turned pale and his hands trembled a little. His eyesight became blurry and he felt lightheaded for a moment.

    The man looked surprised to see his blood and he immediately concentrated on his body to see what the problem was. His face turned grave as he realized what had happened.

    "How insidious! I didn''t even know that I was poisoned. She already knew I was there but acted as if she didn''t see me to lure me in. She nted her poison in the ground. When I came down, I contacted the poison and it traveled into my bloodstream without me even being aware. She surely has some ways," the man gritted his teeth angrily.

    "But, if she thinks that this tiny bit of poison would scare me, she is dead wrong. I will let you go now bitch, but once I take care of this poison, I am gonna hunt you down and pay you back threefold," the man muttered viciously and left the spot.

    In the distance, the female turned back and looked at the direction she came from prompting the cloaked figure near her to ask.

    "Senior sister, is anything wrong?"

    "Nothing, a fly just didn''t know its own strength and tried to follow us. I merely poisoned it as a warning. If he doesn''t learn, then I will crush him like a bugter."

    "Senior sister, from when have you be so merciful?"

    "We are in the region of Heavenly Demon Sect. It wouldn''t be nice to poison their disciples to death. Furthermore, Shen Wulong is the priority now. I don''t want to waste time by dealing with annoying flies," the female said nonchntly.

    "You seem like you are a little wary of the Heavenly Demon Sect, senior sister," the cloaked figure said hesitantly.

    "The Heavenly Demon Sect is not simple. You will learn about it when your power reaches a certain level. But, we don''t need to be afraid of them either. I just don''t want to create an enmity beforehand when we might need their helpter on," the female advised the cloaked figure seriously.

    "I see," the cloaked figure nodded solemnly.

    "Come, the traces I sensed seemed to be getting stronger. I think we have neared Shen Wulong''s location," the female said unceremoniously and flew forward bringing the cloaked figure along.

    As they passed by above, they didn''t notice that below them there was a youngster fighting against a tiger demonic beast in a ferocious manner.

    And that youngster was Duncanˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 105 Night Guest

    Duncan let out a murky breath as he sat near the beheaded demonic tiger.

    It had been a hard battle for him. The demonic tiger he had battled was way stronger than he had assumed it to be at first. It had craftily hidden its strength and only revealed it when Duncan let down his guard.

    As a result, he had been injured heavily halfway through the fight.

    Duncan knew that he couldn''t outrun the tiger with how injured he was. That left him with only one option. To kill the tiger before it killed him. So, he desperately fought on and managed to kill the tiger before it killed him.

    "I need to be wary of tricks like this," Duncan grumbled looking at his shredded left side. "As the cultivation level of these demonic beasts increases, they are getting craftier too."

    Duncan used what was remaining of his shirt to tie up his injured side and let out a wan smile. He hadn''t expected the fight to leave him in such a weak state. Ever since he woke up in the wilderness, he had been cautious enough to not be put in such a weak state.

    His experiences during his mercenary days had made it clear to him that beasts could sense a weakened prey when they saw one. So, he had always been careful not to be injured heavily like he had been now.

    But, the demonic tiger was craftier than he had expected. Thus, he was left with not even half of his fighting power. This was truly a lesson learned with blood.

    "I need to move before other beasts start appearing in this region. Now that the fight is over, some other beast might get curious ande to check out the situation. Two beasts fighting and a third beast taking advantage of their weakened states is a prettymon thing in the wilderness," Duncan huffed and got up to his feet.

    His vision blurred slightly from pain and he had to grit his teeth to not utter any sound. He knew from experience that a cry of pain might attract more beasts in the vicinity.

    "I really don''t know how long it would take for me to see another disciple in this region. Is this ce too far for any of them to appear? It is almost a dozen days now since I woke up," Duncan grumbled as he hobbled over to the demonic tiger''s corpse.

    Duncan hummed a simple tune he had heard in his childhood while he harvested the tiger. It was a simple trick he had learned from his mercenary days. Acting nonchntly in the wilderness as if you didn''t fear anything always helped to avoid scavengers.

    Even if a scavenger had the idea to attack someone, if they saw that person acting carefreely, they might have second thoughts. It was doubly true for demonic beasts as they had more intelligence.

    Sometimes being more intelligent might not be a good thing. If it was a wild beast, it would attack regardless of the scenario when it sees an injured person. But, a demonic beast would hesitate if it saw a person covered in blood acting nonchntly.

    They would wonder if the person was truly unafraid and was merely luring them in with their behavior. They would also worry about being lured into a trap. This would make them hesitate in attacking an injured person.

    After harvesting half of the meat from the demonic tiger, Duncan left the ce promptly. This was yet another trick he had picked up in these past ten days. If he left some remains behind, any scavenger that came sniffing would be distracted by the remains and remain behind to consume them, instead of chasing after him.

    This helped him to get away from the area without much hassle. The best thing to do after a fight in the wilderness was to switch locations. Themotion caused during the fight would surely attract a few demonic beasts over.

    By leaving something behind, he would have left something for the beasts that gather to fight over. It would also prevent them from chasing after him. While his bag could hold more meat, it wasn''t essential to him at the moment.

    As for the precious parts that the demonic beasts had, not collecting them might be a little wasteful, but it also made sure that he got away free. His goal was to engage inbat and raise his power. Not to earn money. Duncan had his priorities straight in his mind.

    If he got carried away by greed and started collecting valuable parts, there might be a chance that one day it would lead him to his death. It was better to stick to what had helped him survive.

    "I need to find a ce to recuperate a bit. This injury seems really serious. The tiger really got me good," Duncan mumbled to himself as he eyed his bleeding wound. "I can''t fight for long in my current state. So, finding shelter is my priority at this moment. After I rest for a bit, my injury will heal. I can once moree out and try to find other disciples."

    Duncan had absolute confidence in his body''s regeneration ability. After going through countless battles in these ten days, Duncan noticed that his body seemed to heal his wounds if some time was given to it.

    Even serious injuries on his body needed only one day for it to heal to a reasonable degree. That was the reason he had been able to fight constantly for this long in the wilderness without getting overwhelmed by injuries.

    He didn''t know if this was amon phenomenon among the cultivators. He didn''t know anyone personally to ask them about this. He hadn''t seen anyone recovering from injuries like this either. However, Duncan counted this as a blessing and didn''t think too much about it.

    He had a vague notion that it was rted to his cultivation technique. While there was no such mention in the booklet, Duncan always felt that the injuries healed faster while he was cultivating. Especially, when he cultivated after drinking the diluted blood wine.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Before long, Duncan found a nice ce to rest. It had good cover and didn''t have any unwanted beasts lurking nearby. Once he settled down, Duncan took the blood wine and tried to drink a bit. But, after a few drops, the gourd dried up causing Duncan to furrow his brows.

    "I have run out of wine now. I can''t make the blood wine either. And this was thest gourd of the blood wine I had," Duncan mumbled unhappily looking at the gourd.

    Letting out a frustrated sigh, he concentrated on healing his injuries. Duncan figured that if this was thest blood wine he could consume in the near future, it was better to use it to heal his injuries. Especially now that he was seriously injured.

    Duncan felt his body slowly regenerate as he mediated calmly. Running his cultivation technique, he drove the qi strands present in his body to the injured region and tried to mend it as much as possible.

    Soon, the effect of the wine was over and Duncan was left with no other recourse than to let the remaining injury be. He opened his eyes and saw a long gash running through his side. The wound had not closed yet, but he can see that it was not as bad at it was earlier.

    He could also feel that the wound was also starting to heal passively, but he knew that it would take a long time for it to healpletely. If he wanted to elerate his healing, then he need to find another source that had simr effects to the blood wine he had stumbled upon earlier.

    Duncan knew that his chance of stumbling upon another such idea was really low and didn''t pay much attention to it. The practical thing for him to do currently was to find another disciple soon and see if he had some wine or medicine.

    "Looks like I have to stop my battles for now. Until now, I haven''t searched for other disciples wholeheartedly. I wandered in the wilderness hoping to see another disciple. If I came across a beast, then I would fight it. From now on, it is better if I avoid needless confrontations," Duncan sighed looking at the sky.

    "The funny thing is that I really like fighting. I like the rush of energy that I get when Ie across a beast. I like how it feels when I fight with no concerns and concentrate only on that. I guess I will have to stop that now for some time. What a bother!" Duncanmented and rxed in his hiding spot.

    The day passed and darkness soon nketed the wilderness as Duncan recuperated in his camp. As night came about, Duncan took out some smoked demonic beast meat and started munching on it leisurely.

    While the taste of the meat wasn''t ideal, Duncan didn''t mind it much. Even if the meat was hard to chew upon, he felt that having it was better than going hungry. After his one-week escapade in the cannibal cave, Duncan didn''t like being hungry any longer. So, he was fine with anything as long as it satiated his hunger.

    "Hmmm, if only I had some wine to go with this meat, it would be truly wonderful," Duncanmented and let out a wistful sigh.

    His mind went far away as he dreamt of eating delicious meat in one hand and fine wine in the other hand to wash it down. In his dream, there was a female head that was bobbing up and down in front of him as well.

    As lewd thoughts floated through his head, Duncan didn''t pay much attention to his surroundings. That''s why when someone replied to hismentation, it came as a huge shocker to Duncan.

    "I am willing to share my wine with this young brother if he is willing to share his meat with me," a cultured voice replied causing Duncan''s dreams to shatter and rm to flood in his head.

    Turning his head slowly, Duncan watched a young man walking toward his location with a small smile on his face. The young man had a handsome face that made Duncan want to hide his face in shame. He had a refined aura about him that told Duncan that he obviously had a good background.

    As Duncan watched, the young man walked towards him calmly. Even when he noticed Duncan''s grip on his sword, his step never faltered. As he came near, Duncan felt all his danger senses ring in rm. Without even testing the young man''s strength, Duncan knew that the young man was definitely dangerous.

    Very dangerousˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 106 Sharing Meat And Wine

    "Fear not, my young friend, I am merely a passerby. I got lost in these wildnds and am just looking to rest my feet. Like I said, if you are willing to share your meat, I am willing to share my wine with you," the young man saw Duncan''s tense posture and remarked calmly.

    The young man''s rxed manner only confirmed Duncan''s suspicions further. The thing that rmed him the most was that the young man had gotten within striking distance of him without him even noticing.

    The distance at where Duncan noticed the young man was nothing to cultivators. The current Duncan was not the same one who woke up in the wilderness ten days ago. After battling non-stop for ten days, his senses have been honed to be deadly sharp. So, to see the young man appear behind him without his knowledge unsettled Duncan more than anything.

    Duncan realized at that moment that if this young man wanted him dead, he wouldn''t even know how he died or why he died. The young man could have killed him a hundred times and over before he even knew that the young man was there. With that realization, calmness returned to Duncan.

    "Can I share your meat?" the young man asked calmly after taking a seat opposite to him.

    "Feel free," Duncan said bringing out more of the meat he had stored away. "And stop calling me young friend. It sounds weird. You don''t look that old to me."

    "True, I am merely in my early twenties. But then, you can never tell that with cultivators. What about you?" the young man asked taking a bite of the meat Duncan offered.

    "I turned eighteen earlier this year," Duncan shrugged biting into the meat on his hand.

    "Hmmm, you are even younger than me. So, I don''t think what I said was wrong?" the young man smiled winningly.

    "I didn''t say you were wrong. I said that it sounds weird," Duncan replied calmly and took his hand away from his sword.

    "It is a nice sword you have," the young man noted Duncan''s actions.

    "It is just an old one. I get by with it," Duncan replied not minding his words.

    "I can see. I feel that it has a connection with you," the young man said looking at the sword. "It feels as if it has bonded with you."

    "Bonded?"

    "Sometimes weapons that share life and death with their wielder bond with the wielder. A kind of connection is formed between them. What kind of connection is only known by the wielder and the weapon. There are records of it, however. Some weapons have a mental connection with the wielder. Some have obscure effects. It depends," the young man exined calmly.

    "Looks like you read a lot," Duncan grunted not willing to think about it much.

    "I like to read. Knowledge is power!"

    "I see," Duncan said not having any opinion of it whatsoever,

    "What about you? Do you read a lot?"

    "Never had the chance. I was working in a spirit mine until a few months ago," Duncan said nonchntly.

    "I see," the young man said a little sadly. "It''s a pity."

    "I don''t think so. I think experience teaches more than anything else."

    "Ah, that''s a good point. I don''t think I can counterargue that. But, reading will help you go through less and still learn more. After all, it is someone else''s experience that is written down," the young man smiled charmingly.

    "Whatever," Duncan shrugged. "Where''s the wine?"

    "How silly of me! Here, thank you for sharing your meat with me," the young man produced a gourd from somewhere surprising Duncan.

    Duncan noticed that the young man didn''t have any bags with him. So, it was really weird to see him produce a wine gourd out of nowhere.

    "Haven''t seen a space ring before?"

    Duncan shook his head negatively.

    "A space ring is a type of ring cultivators use. It is hard for us to carry stuff when we go out. Sometimes we will be engaged in a fight for our lives. Carrying a bag would be a hindrance. We might even lose our belongings while escaping. That''s why cultivators use space rings."

    "A space ring is an enchanted ring that will have runes and array formations carved in it. It can contain a set amount of space within them. Cultivators can use their qi to ess them easily. You can put in your stuff and take out what you want with your mind and a small bit of qi," the young man exined patiently.

    "Huh, it sure is handy. I lost my stuff once while escaping from a beast tide a month ago. This ring would have been handy at that time," Duncanmented examining the ring on the young man''s finger curiously.

    "Ah, that''s bad. Hope you didn''t lose much," the young man said in sympathy.

    "Nothing much, all the money I earned in my life. Still, I preserved my life. It is what is important," Duncan waved the young man''s sympathy off.

    The young man nodded.

    "It''s true. Your life is the most important thing. As long as you are alive, you can reim whatever you lost. The same goes for things like revenge and stuff as well," the young man said philosophically.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan didn''t reply to that statement. He merely smiled in acknowledgment. As Duncan opened the gourd and got ready to take a sip, the young man produced another gourd and opened it as well. Duncan paused in his actions a little and eyed his gourd spectively.

    "I haven''t poisoned your wine," the young man smiled. "It''s just that our cultivations are too far apart. The wine I drink might be too potent for you to handle."

    "Oh, how big is the gap between us?" Duncan asked taking a sip of the wine in his hands.

    "Very big," the young man said sinctly causing Duncan''s eyes to twitch a little.

    "It''s not that I am belittling you," the young man said sipping his wine. "I am merely stating the truth. You are merely in the Qi Gathering realm. That too not even at the advanced stage. However, I am in the Nascent Soul stage."

    "I will enter the advanced stage tomorrow," Duncan grumbled mulishly and took arge sip of the wine as he had already ascertained there weren''t any negative effects.

    "You seem confident," the young man smiled.

    "I know," Duncan replied sinctly.

    "Interesting, I can see that you aren''t lying. At the minimum, you believe it to be the truth. I have never seen someone be so confident in breaking through stages like you are."

    "Well, you have seen one now."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ true, true, true," the young manughed happily and nodded in acknowledgment.

    "Nascent Soul realm? Is that whates after Spirit Sea realm?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Ahem," the young man coughed hard and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, your question took me by surprise. No, there are a few more levels after the Spirit Sea realm before the Nascent Soul realm. They are nowhere near."

    "Oh!"

    Silence reigned for a few minutes as they both sat sipping their wines and gorging on the meat in between them after that interaction. Duncan was a little embarrassed with his question.

    While he knew that he didn''t know much about cultivation, he didn''t like toe off as a total idiot. So, he kept his gob shut and let the silence continue for a while hoping that the young man would talk about something else. Luckily for him, the young man did exactly that.

    "How do you like the wine?" the young man asked after some time.

    Duncan thought for a while before replying.

    "Strong, sharp, and feels like someone holding a dagger to my throat," Duncan shrugged not knowing if what he said was correct.

    The young man raised his eyebrows upon hearing that statement.

    "Interesting, you can actually perceive that while being at only the Qi Gathering realm," the young man sounded impressed. "I didn''t expect you to feel so much."

    "Is that something special?" Duncan asked in confusion while scratching his head.

    "Yes, it is special. Wines brewed by cultivators aren''t like normal wines. When a cultivator brews his wine, they will incorporate the essence of their martial arts cultivation into them. The stronger the sense of the drinker, the more he would perceive."

    "This particr wine was created by a senior uncle of mine. While he doesn''t have great cultivation, his attainments in martial arts are really strong. He is an assassin. His preferred weapon is a dagger."

    "For you to perceive this much while being in the Qi Gathering realm means that you have strong senses and your martial arts cultivation is definitely above the level of your qi cultivation."

    Duncan frowned upon hearing that exnation.

    He didn''t understand the different types of cultivation the young man was talking about. This wasn''t like what he had read or heard his master talk about. This young man was talking about something entirely different.

    Regardless, Duncan felt that his horizons were too small. So, he wasn''t able to grasp what the young man was saying clearly. He felt that knowing this mighte in handy for him. So, he did what he always did when he wanted to know something.

    "What do you mean by martial arts cultivation? How it is different from qi cultivation?" Duncan asked frankly.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 107 Martial Arts Cultivation

    "What do you mean by martial arts cultivation? How it is different from qi cultivation?" Duncan asked frankly.

    "How do I put this? Let''s see, your qi cultivation is the cultivation realm like the Qi Gathering realm, the Spirit Sea realm, and so on. However, martial arts cultivation is different."

    "When ites to martial arts cultivation, your qi cultivation doesn''t have much effect on it. Martial arts cultivation is about how much of the essence of the martial arts you practice that you have grasped. There are several stages to it. When you go to higher stages, you would be even able to perceive thews that govern the world."

    "When two cultivators battle, the oue is decided by several factors. Just the qi cultivation realm alone doesn''t determine the victor. There are things like qi density, qi purity, battle experience, qi control, and several others that will determine the oue."

    "Among them, martial arts cultivation ys a major role. When you get to higher realms, the kind ofw you have gained insight into ys a major role. Somews might be weaker. Somews might be stronger."

    "Even someone who hasprehended a weakw can defeat someone whoprehended a strongw if the first person haspletely grasped the weakw and the opponent has only gleaned a little insight on the strongw. Things like this are too difficult to exin urately," the young man smiled a bit apologetically.

    Duncan didn''t mind. Even this small exnation the young man said now had broadened his horizons.

    "So, cultivation realms aren''t really that important," Duncan asked in confusion.

    "No, they are important. No matter what kind ofw you haveprehended, you can''t beat me. The difference in our realms is too big. Think of cultivation realms like the amount of strength you put behind while swinging the sword."

    "The higher the cultivation realm, the more power you could exert. Even if you know beautiful martial arts, if there is no strength behind your swing, then the martial arts wouldn''t hurt anybody, will it?"

    "Ah, I understand," Duncan nodded getting some of his doubt cleared away.

    "But, if the difference is strength isn''t that big, your martial arts can make up for that deficiency. It''s all a careful bncing act. You can''t just concentrate on one thing," the young man said a little excitedly.

    Suddenly, the young man started coughing and blood came out of his mouth shocking Duncan. The young man spit out the blood in his mouth and smiled apologetically at Duncan.

    "Sorry, I got a little excited. The poison within me acted up," the young man said calmly causing Duncan to raise his eyebrows.

    "Poison?"

    "Indeed," the young man smiled wanly. "I ran into my former fianc¨¦ and her bootlickers on my way here. We haven''t been on good terms for some time now. This is her greeting gift."

    "Looks like she wants you dead," Duncanmented ndly.

    "No, if she wanted me dead, I would be dead by now. She has a way with poison. She is truly gifted with using them. I don''t think my continued existence is a coincidence. She left me alive so I can guide her here," the young man said with a sardonic smile.

    "You guys have a twisted rtionship," Duncan grunted. "Really, here? This ce is a wilderness. There is nothing here."

    "Wait a few days and say that to me again," the young man said mysteriously.

    "Whatever," Duncan shrugged. "Be careful. You have given me wine so I am advising you to be clear in your head. You look like you still have some feelings for her. But, it looks like she doesn''t care. That kind of thing only leads to your death."

    The young man looked surprised to hear Duncan say that.

    "Why do you say that I have feelings for her?" the young man asked curiously.

    "It''s the way you smile when you mention her," Duncan pointed at the young man''s face. "People in my town used to smile just like that when they talked about Bessa. Even I used to be like that when I was very young. But, I wised up."

    "Why? Didn''t you love her?" the young man asked curiously.

    "Nah, I didn''t love her. I lusted after her. Bessa was the number one whore in our town. She yed people on her palms. She could make even the toughest man sing with her eyes. But, I knew better. Unless your purse opens, her legs stayed shut. If you want to have her, just bring coins. Roses and feelings don''t matter to her," Duncan chuckled causing the young man to turn red.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "My former fianc¨¦ isn''t a whore," the young man said indignantly.

    "There are all kinds of whores. Granny Jiao used to tell me that. Some whores like gold, some like honeyed words, some like status, some like power, it all depends on what gets their legs to open," Duncan chuckled.

    "Granny Jiao was wise beyond her years. I listened to her and woke up. You better learn before you be like one of those men who died in the streets pining after Bessa, while she fucked in the bed with someone else," Duncan shook his head.

    The young man looked thoughtful hearing Duncan''s words. Duncan didn''t interrupt his thinking. This young man may be powerful, but hecked a lot ofmon sense in Duncan''s opinion. If he was left in the streets without his power, he wouldn''t even survive a single day.

    "You said was when you talked about Bessa and Granny Jiao. I take it that they are dead?" the young man asked trying to change the topic.

    "Bessa, Granny Jiao, and everyone else in my town are dead," Duncan grunted taking arge sip of the wine. "They died a month ago. Some scuffle between a demonic beast and a few powerful cultivators. Their fight blew up the spirit mine I used to work in. The entire town went down in mes."

    "Oh!" the young man looked a little guilty for bringing up such a subject.

    "You don''t need to feel sad. Their time is over, and they left. But, I am alive. I will find those men responsible and make them pay. It may take ten years, a century, or even more than that. But, I will find them and kill them with this sword Granny Jiao gave me," Duncan said looking up at the night sky.

    "Do you think revenge and vengeance are the way to go? Wouldn''t it form a killing cycle?" the young man asked softly as he was merely talking aloud.

    "I don''t know anything about that. All those questions are too far for me to think about. Only the loss I suffered is near in my heart. Killing them would make me feel good. So, I am going to do that. Whateveres after that, I will take care of it then," Duncan shrugged.

    The young man didn''t reply. He looked deep in thought after hearing what Duncan said. Duncan didn''t feel like interrupting the young man either. He could see that there was some personal stuff going on in the young man''s mind. So, he kept silent and sipped his wine.

    The silence between the duosted for a long time. Finally, Duncan wasn''t able to hold on anymore. He looked at the young man and asked some stuff that has been bugging him for some time since the young man spoke about it.

    "You said something aboutws. Are they the highest realm of martial arts cultivation?"

    "No, there is something called dao above that. As for the highest, no one in this world knows for sure," the young man shook his head and answered with a small smile.

    "Dao? As in like Heavenly Dao, Demonic Dao, or the Righteous Dao?" Duncan asked in confusion.

    "Not exactly," the young man scratched his chin and pondered for a moment before exining. "The righteous dao and demonic dao are not actually daos. They are paths. A path is a way of life. Righteous path is about living upright and standing for good. Demonic path is about taking whatever you want with your strength."

    "As for the Heavenly Dao, you can call it a dao, but I am not entirely sure about that. The Heavenly Dao we normally refer to it is a set ofws that regte this world we live in. If you go to other worlds, the Heavenly Dao there would be different. So, it can''t be exactly called dao," the young man replied calmly.

    "There are other worlds out there?" Duncan blurted out unable to contain his surprise

    "Ha ha haˇ­ there indeed are other worlds. I have been to a few of them. Some worlds might be small, some might not even beplete, and some might be about the same size as us. There are countless worlds out there my friend. When you get stronger, you will get in touch with those kinds of information. Telling you about them now will only harm you," the young manughed aloud driving away the gloom that has upied the duo.

    "I see," Duncan mumbled as he tried to wrap the concept of other worlds being present around his head.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 108 Concept, Domain, Law, Dao

    "Well, let me give you some simple exnations so that you understand how martial arts cultivation works. It would be easy to exin in this way. The martial arts mortals practice is simple and doesn''t have much value or intricacies in them. However, every martial art a cultivator practices will be based on some principles or universal truths," the young man said excitedly.

    "When you master low-level martial arts to the utmost, you will kind of grasp the concept behind its creation. That is the most basic form of martial arts cultivation. When you master higher level martial arts, things you will grasp will be far broader than a mere concept."

    "First there is a concept. Then the concept will be a domain. From domain, you will start to peer intows. There are countlessws that govern the world. When the same kinds ofws are grouped together, they will form a dao."

    "I don''t understand thest bit," Duncan said scratching his head.

    "Well, think of it this way, take wind dao for example. The wind dao is formed of multiplews that govern the wind in general. There will be aw of wind''s sharpness. There is also aw of wind''s freedom. Likewise, you will have manyws that shape what is wind as a whole. You with me so far?"

    Duncan nodded his head.

    "Let me give you a better example. Tell me one of the martial arts you are practicing currently," the young man asked excitedly.

    "Hmmm I practice a movement technique called <Wind Chasing Steps>," Duncan answered without thinking much.

    "Hah, this is even better. From its name, I guess this <Wind Chasing Steps> might be based on the speed of the wind. If youpletelyprehend this martial art, you might grasp the concept of wind''s speed."

    "But, is speed exclusive to the wind? There is also light and several other natural phenomena that might rte to speed right?"

    Duncan nodded his head in eptance.

    "Likewise, is speed the only aspect of wind? What about its ferocity? What about its sharpness? What about its formlessness? Aren''t they aspects of wind as well? Low-level martial arts are based on these numerous aspects of things like wind, fire, water, earth, ice, and so on."

    "If you move to a higher level, we have domains. A domain is basically abination of two or more aspects or concepts. Take the wind''s speed you will haveprehended by practicing your <Wind Chasing Steps> andbine it with some other concept, you will get a domain. A weak domain is made up of two concepts. A strong domain will have more concepts."

    "Medium-level martial arts will directly allow you toprehend a domain directly. There a variety ofbinations of concepts, so there are a lot of different types of domains out there."

    "But, when you reach an even higher stage, you will have to glean insight into thews that govern the world. The next step after domain is aw. Take wind, for example, wind''s speed is a concept. A tornado or a storm is a domain. Thew of formlessness is a wind typew. You get the picture?"

    Duncan nodded in understanding. A vague outline was beginning to form in his mind after hearing the young man''s exnation.

    "Likewise, when you raise to a higher level, you will need to grasp more than one type ofw. Wind''s speed, formlessness, ferocity, sharpness, and many other windws willbine to form a wind dao. A dao is a kind of universal truth. How much you grasp regarding that truth will determine the strength of your dao."

    "That''s why it is hard to put Heavenly Dao under daos. Heavenly Dao changes from world to world. It isn''t a universal constant. Hence the confusion."

    "Is there something above dao?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "There may be, I don''t know," the young man said shaking his head. "Grasping a daopletely is already beyond human power. Only immortals can do that. A novice cultivator can''t grasp a domain orw. Only when your cultivation increases will your increased perception allow you to grasp more. They say cultivation is an endless journey. No one knows where the end is."

    "I think I can understand your words. But, these things are too vague for me to wrap my head around," Duncan said sheepishly.

    "Like I said, you need higher perception. That can only be achieved by increasing your cultivation level," the young man smiled assuringly causing Duncan to feel d. "If you have any other doubts, feel free to ask."

    "I do have one doubt," Duncan said scratching his head. "I have heard stuff like sword dao, saber dao, and others being mentioned. How do they rte to universal truths like wind, water, fire, and others?"

    "Hah, nice question," the young man smiled genuinely. "That is the marvel of dao. You see, in the beginning there were only primordial daos like chaos, time, space, yin-yang, and so on. Getting insight into them is tremendously difficult. Among the daos they are the most powerful and ancient ones."

    "Then, Ancient God Beings were born. They had full control of natural elements like fire, ice, water, wind, and so on, from the moment of their birth. These daos are called natural daos or ancient daos. The difficulty in obtaining insights into them was hard but manageable."

    "The important part about natural daos is that they are much more suited for demonic beasts and descendants of Ancient Godly Beings. However, we humans do not have a great affinity with them in general."

    "But, when humans were born and they started to develop, material daos starteding into being. Daos like sword dao, saber dao, spear dao, business dao, music dao, and countless others came into being due to that. We humans in general have a high affinity for these types of daos."

    "But the type of daos doesn''t end with these. There are special daos like ghost dao,her dao, ughter dao, annihtion dao, cloud dao, and whatnot. The truth of the matter is, there is no end to the type of daos you can cultivate. It all depends on your perception and your ability to grasp the truth of things."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "As they say, cultivation is endless. I do not know all the kinds of daos in the world. Actually, no one knows. It is all about your perception," the young man said smiling slightly.

    "So which dao is the strongest?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ no one knows. People have been searching for an answer to that question for a long time. But, they can never get others to agree. The fight for daos is more brutal than anything you could imagine," the young man smiled as if he was remembering something.

    Duncan too was reminded of the old fart who kept harping on about how the dao of stealing was the one true dao of the world.

    "If you want a scale of measure, I can tell you about the general consensus in the cultivation world. Primordial Daos are considered to be the rarest. Their strength is also really high. You won''t find a weak cultivator who has grasped primordial dao. As they are the origin of all things, they are considered to be the strongest by many."

    "Thenes natural daos, followed by materialistic daos. Other kinds of daos fall below them in general consensus. But, never ever think that having a special dao makes a person weak. It is all aboutˇ­"

    "ˇ­how much you can perceive and grasp individually," Duncan smiled and finished the sentence.

    "Very true," the young man nodded in satisfaction.

    The duo''s discussion raged throughout the entire night. By the time morning arrived, the young man bid goodbye to Duncan and walked away. As he was leaving, Duncan remembered that he didn''t even know the name of the young man.

    "Brother, what''s your name?"

    "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Shen Wulong."

    "Shen Wulong, great name. I am Duncan."

    "Duncan, alright. Duncan, let me tell you a secret. Hang around this region for a few more days. You will be in for a surprise. What you gain out of that opportunity will depend on your luck and strength," Shen Wulong''s voice echoed in Duncan''s mind shocking him.

    Before he could react, the young man had already vanished. Duncan didn''t know what kind of opportunity that was going toe. But, he decided to wait and see. He felt that Shen Wulong wouldn''t send him to danger knowingly.

    So, he decided to wait for a while in this same region and check out the opportunity Shen Wulong mentioned. Quite frankly, he wouldn''t mind a little helping hand here and there.

    His goal was far away and he would need every bit of help to reach that stage as soon as possible. If this opportunity could help him to get stronger, Duncan didn''t mind checking this out.

    However, before that, he needed to do one thing. He needed to break through the advanced stage of the Qi Gathering realm first. From talking to Shen Wulong, Duncan realized that his cultivation realm was the basic foundation upon which his strength can be built upon.

    So, it would behoove him to increase his realm as soon as possible. Duncan could already feel that he just needed a little push to reach the seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm. And now he had everything he needed to do that.

    Looking down at his hand, Duncan saw the extra wine gourd Shen Wulong had given him. A small smile crept across his face as Duncan opened his bag and retrieved a blood gourd.

    With this wine and the demonic beast''s blood, Duncan can once more create arge number of blood wines and use them for cultivation. As for the location, this ce was just ideal to sit down and cultivate calmly.

    With arge smile on his face, Duncan sat down and started mixing wine with demonic beast blood.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 109 More Visitors

    Duncan''s breakthrough from the middle stage of the Qi Gathering realm to the advanced stage of the Qi Gathering realm went without a hitch.

    After creating the diluted blood wine, Duncan found that the potency of the wine Shen Wulong had given him was less than the wine he had gotten from his senior brother. It almost made him waste a bottle of beast blood.

    But luckily, the process of creating the blood wine wasn''tplicated. It was just diluting the spirit energy present in it with beast blood. So, he was able to salvage it by adding more wine to the blood.

    If the wine he obtained from his senior brother required a few droplets, the wine he obtained from Shen Wulong required to be poured a quarter of the gourd. The difference was a littlerge. This made Duncan realize that he had to get the ratio right or the blood wine wouldn''t work as it does with his cultivation technique.

    After a few tries, he figured out the ration and finally ended up with only four gourds of blood wine in his hands. Initially, he was a little worried that this might not be enough for him to break through to the seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm.

    Fortunately, it only took him three gourds to break through the sixth level and reach the seventh level of the Qi Gathering realm. When he opened his eyes, Duncan realized that the amount of qi he could control now was really much higher than what he could control at the sixth level.

    His attacks became much more powerful and the difference between the middle stage and the advanced stage was clearly visible to him. It made him realize that not every breakthrough produced the same amount of increase in strength.

    There was an exponential increase in strength at the advanced stage of the Qi Gathering realm. He could only wonder how strong he would be if he broke through the Qi Gathering realm and entered the Spirit Sea realm. He couldn''t wait to feel that kind of power coursing through his veins.

    Duncan''s gains fromst night just didn''t stop there.

    After listening to Shen Wulong talk about martial arts cultivation, Duncan''s horizons have broadened a lot. Right now, he could see far and even had a vague idea of how to proceed in his martial arts cultivation.

    Some things that have been hazy to his understanding became clear and Duncan was forced to look at the two martial arts techniques that he was practicing in a new light.

    He didn''t look at the shape and form of the techniques anymore. It was clear to him that the ultimate goal was to understand the essence and grasp the elusive concept that the martial arts technique has been based on.

    When it came to <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>, the concept that the technique espoused was very clear to Duncan. His attainments when it came to sword techniques have always been top-notch.

    After applying what Shen Wulong told him yesterday night, Duncan began to vaguely understand the concept that the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> was based upon.

    The sword technique focused on the concept of cutting. While it was only a normal action, the symbolic meaning behind the action when ites to the usage of the sword made Duncan realize something very important.

    A sword that couldn''t cut can never be called a proper sword.

    From learning martial arts as a mortal, Duncan had known that there were ten basic movements of a sword that one needs to be proficient in before learning techniques.

    They are cut, stab, skim, slice, sweep, hook, chop, raise, parry, and intercept. Each of these sword moves performs a particr function that is essential in handling a sword. If someone doesn''t know these, then they are more likely to hurt themselves than others while wielding a sword.

    These ten basic moves, whenbined and arranged in a particr sequence, create a particr set of movements that could be called techniques. Each and every sword-based martial art is built upon this. Duncan knew this.

    From what he understood about the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>, this sword technique took the cut sword move of the basic fundamentals and elevated it to a whole new level. The concept of cutting with the sword is one that is hidden in the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>.

    While he understood it, Duncan didn''t know how to proceed further. He knew the direction in which he needed to proceed further, but he didn''t know how he was going to do it. It was as if he was rooted in a spot and staring into a hazy mist.

    There was a thin veil that was covering Duncan''s eyes and he needed to get rid of it. Only then will he be able to grasp the concept behind his sword technique.

    Likewise, the same could be said for his other martial art. <Wind Chasing Steps> focused on speed purely. It was the reason Duncan had chosen it over other movement techniques.

    Unlike other movement techniques that tried to be mysterious in their application, <Wind Chasing Steps> was simple and straightforward. It focused purely on speed and didn''t bother about fancy footwork. It was one of the major reasons for Duncan to choose it.

    After all, if he was running for his life why would he worry about his footwork? As long as he was fast enough, he could escape from the enemy. Such was Duncan''s mindset at that time.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The essence of <Wind Chasing Steps> can be summed up in a simple sentence. One needs to be fast enough to chase after the wind and be surefooted enough to seed.

    Duncan ran into the same problem with this technique as well. He understood the idea behind the concept, but he didn''t know how to grasp it and make it his. It maddened Duncan to know that he was on the verge of figuring out something and increasing his strength, but was unable to do so due to something inexplicable.

    Duncan ended the day in frustration after repeatedly trying to tear down the thin veil that obstructed his vision and failing constantly. He didn''t have the heart to roam around after that and decided to spend one more night in his current location, as no beasts havee calling for an entire day despite the ruckus he made while practicing his martial arts.

    Soon, the night fell and Duncan was once more enjoying his time in the wilderness with smoked meat in hand. This time it was better because he had an extra gourd of blood wine in his hand to go along with it.

    As Duncan rxed, he wondered if Shen Wulong would make another appearance this night. After vanishing at daybreak, he hadn''t found a single evidence of Shen Wulong''s presence in the vicinity after that.

    Just as Duncan was enjoying himself with wine and food, a fragrant smell wafted through the air causing Duncan to look in a particr direction. While there was no one there, Duncan trusted his senses more than his vision at this time of the night.

    He wondered if there was a beast that was trying to lure him. In the past ten days, he had seen demonic beasts hunting other beasts in a wide variety of manners. The smell could be from a spirit flower that was stimted by a demonic beast hoping it would lure in some unwary prey. So, Duncan was naturally cautious.

    While he was preparing himself to hide from whatever demonic beast was in that direction, he saw two silhouettes walking through the night in his direction slowly. Seeing them, Duncan squinted his eyes and affirmed that they were humans. Despite that, he didn''t let down his guard.

    The two figures wore grey cloaks that covered most of their features. Still from the way they walked confidently, Duncan determined that they must be strong enough not to be threatened by the demonic beasts in this region. One of the figures had a feminine charm in its walk and the other one walked a step behind as if it was subservient to the one in the front.

    Duncan knew that he couldn''t escape them if they wanted to hunt him down. His strength wasn''t high enough to walk through the region brazenly during the night. If these two figures were walking in such a manner, then they must be stronger than him as well.

    So, he waited patiently for them to approach him.

    "Huh, looks like a junior brother is residing here. I wonder if he would share his space with us," a melodious sound came out of the figure in lead confirming Duncan''s guess that it was female.

    The moment Duncan heard that voice, a fire started burning deep in his gut. It almost made him agree to the request of the voice unconsciously. He felt as if he could die peacefully if he took one look at that hidden face.

    Before he could do something stupid, Duncan regained control of his bearings. A sense of unease shed through his mind and it made him more cautious. He had almost been influenced by just hearing the voice of the female in the lead. Duncan felt that this female was truly dangerous and raised his guard up in his heart.

    "This is a wild ce, you both don''t need my permission to spend the night here. That is, if it is what you want," Duncan replied calmly as he prepared himself to use his sword.

    While he knew that it wouldn''t be of much help, he felt a little safe having the sword in his hands. The leading figure noticed his stance and chuckled softly almost causing Duncan''s mind to copse from the melodious sound.

    "Junior brother seems very interesting. I will be honored to spend the night in his presence," the female said softly as she came and upied the same spot Shen Wulong had upied yesterday.

    Duncan didn''t believe one word that came out of the female''s mouth. His guard was always up and he didn''t n to let it down anytime soon.

    He merely smiled and rxed as the other figure came and took a seat beside the leading one. Duncan once again noted that the other figure sat a little distance away from the leading female as if it was subservient.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 110 Testing Waters

    "Junior brother seems a little tense. Why? Aren''t you happy to share the night in the wilderness with this sister?" the female asked charmingly.

    Just as Duncan prepared to reply, the female opened the cloak and showed her facepletely. Seeing her beautiful face in the moonlight, Duncan was struck dumb. The words that were supposed toe out of his mouth came to a halt and his mind nked.

    The woman in front of him was truly a nation-toppling beauty. He had never seen someone who was as beautiful as her. Even the beauty he had seen in his master''s arms whileing out of the cannibal cave couldn''t hold a candle to this woman''s beauty.

    So, it was only natural that Duncan was dumbstruck by her beauty.

    Her skin was milk-white and smooth without any blemishes. Her lips were full and lush. Just looking at her made an evil fire grow in Duncan''s loins. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight with mischief. And her face was the most beautiful thing Duncan has seen in his entire life.

    Duncan felt as if words couldn''t do justice to describe her beauty.

    Duncan almost felt as if he couldn''t breathe at the moment. Her beauty was breathtaking and beyond words for him. It was the first time he came across such a woman. Just uncovering her face was enough for Duncan to get mesmerized.

    As he sat there in a daze unable to extricate herself, a snort from the side broke his immersion in her beauty.

    "Who do you think you are to ogle my senior sister like this? You puny ant, know your worth. Or else I will be forced to teach you a lesson in respect," the other cloaked figure said angrily causing Duncan to break his gaze and look at him.

    Near the beautiful female was a handsome young man who was around his age. While Duncan was mesmerized by the woman''s beauty, the young man had also shed the cloak of his face. He was currently looking at Duncan unhappily.

    "Forgive me," Duncan apologized to the woman. "Your beauty truly made me speechless. I have never seen someone as beautiful as you."

    The young man beside the woman let out a displeased snort.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ don''t mind my junior brother. He is a bit protective of me," the young womanughed easing the tension in the air.

    "He has reason to be," Duncan smiled in reply and looked at the young man.

    He could feel that the young man was stronger than his senior brother who gave him wine. And that too not by a small margin. He didn''t know how such a young person could be that much stronger than his senior brother. But, this broadened his horizons further.

    As for the woman before him, Duncan surmised that she should be stronger than the young man based on how subservient he has been towards her until now. After she had spoken, the young man hadn''t made any sound. It was enough for Duncan to realize who was in charge of the duo.

    "I have wine and meat. Unfortunately, I don''t think it would appetizing for people like you. Forgive me, for I am but a poor person living in the wilderness at the moment," Duncan said smoothly trying to initiate a conversation.

    He knew that these two people must have approached him for a reason. It would be better for him if the conversation maintained at least a feigned civility. If it came to blows, he wouldn''t evenst a second against this duo.

    "Ah, junior brother must be working hard in the wilderness here. I admire your courage to venture into the wilderness in such a bold manner," the woman smiled.

    "Yeah, if I was as weak as you, I wouldn''t even step out of my house," the young man mumbled beside her causing her to shoot a look at him.

    "Nah, I am just lost in the wilderness. One of my senior brothers yed a prank on me and I am stuck here. I am searching for a fellow sect mate in this area so that they could show me the direction back to the sect," Duncan said candidly whileying out the smoked meat he had in his bag.

    "You are lost?" the woman asked in surprise. "Your senior brother must be really cruel to y such a prank on you."

    The woman''s voice wasced with false sympathy that almost made Duncan roll his eyes. He had heard a simr tone from Bessa a lot when she tried to fleece off some unwary stranger. To hear the same tone from this woman was bewildering to him.

    "Nah, it''s fine. I deserved this. I was the one who first scammed a pot of wine from him. It was only natural that he retaliated. Unfortunately, I am lost in the wilderness. I am sure my senior brother didn''t mean for this to happen," Duncan said shaking his head.

    "Which sect are you from?" the young man asked rudely.

    "I belong to the Heavenly Demon Sect," Duncan said guardedly gauging the reaction of these two people.

    He knew of the rivalry between righteous sects and demonic sects in the cultivation world. If these two belonged to a righteous faction, then he might be doomed. The reason for Duncan announcing his affiliation despite that danger was the status of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    If the strength of the sect behind these two people wasn''t higher than Heavenly Demon Sect, they might not do anything. After all, inviting retaliation for killing someone as weak as him would only be detrimental to them. And this region was under the Heavenly Demon Sect''s power. So, they might think twice about harming him if that were the case.

    When Duncan told them that he belonged to the Heavenly Demon Sect, surprise colored their faces. It was the young man who couldn''t control himself and blurted out their thoughts first.

    "Why would Heavenly Demon Sect recruit a weakling like you?" the young man said causing the woman to throw a sharp look at him.

    The young man hung his head in shame but still looked up at Duncan from time to time. It was clear that while he felt chastised by the woman, he was also curious why the sect would recruit Duncan.

    "Don''t know for sure. My master gave me two options. Join the sect or die. I joined the sect as I like my head a bit much," Duncan chuckled causing the female to raise her eyebrow.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Who is your master?"

    "Liang Tianye, the Vice-Sect Master of Heavenly Demon Sect," Duncan replied nonchntly. "I am histest direct disciple."

    The moment Duncan told his master''s name the woman stiffened a little. Her expression became a little cautious as she looked at Duncan in a new light.

    "You are lying!" the young man said heatedly.

    "Why would I do so? Here, this is my sect token," Duncan fished his sect token from the bag and threw it to him.

    The duo checked the token and a dignified look appeared on their faces.

    "You are really the Wind Demon''s new disciple, huh," the female said a little surprised.

    "Wind Demon? Is that what others call him? He is a demon all right," Duncan mumbled to himself.

    "You didn''t even know your master''s epithet? Which hole did you crawl out from?" the young man said displeasedly.

    "I was just a spirit stone miner a few months ago," Duncan replied nonchntly causing both their eyebrows to rise in surprise.

    "Looks like you indeed are a talented young man, junior brother. To go from a mortal to being in the advanced stage of the Qi Gathering realm in a few months is indeed decent progress," the female praised Duncan to smooth things out.

    "Passable," the young man grunted begrudgingly.

    It was Duncan''s turn to be surprised. Since he didn''t mention it clearly to them, their assumption that he had used a few months to progress so far was only logical. What surprised Duncan was their evaluation of his progress. He wondered idly what their reaction would be if he told them he had only been cultivating for just over a month.

    As much as he felt like rubbing it in the young man''s face and showing off in front of the female, Duncan felt that it was unnecessary to divulge that information. Something about the woman made Duncan a little cautious.

    "So, what brings a beautiful woman like you and your junior brother here into the wilderness? And don''t tell me that you both are from my sect. I am not stupid" Duncan asked, hoping to get the conversation going.

    "Junior brother seems intent on driving us away. Have we displeased you?" the female asked charmingly.

    "Nah, it''s not that. I have already offered you two my meat. And you both haven''t touched it yet. So, it is clear that you aren''t here for the meat. Then, there must be some other reason for you to approach me. I think it is better to discuss it openly," Duncan smiled in reply and bit into his meat looking at the duo.

    "Where are your manners? Is this the way to talk to your betters?" the young man said angrily as he looked ready to reprimand Duncan once more.

    "Weren''t you listening? I was a spirit stone miner before and I am currently wandering in the wilderness. Manners are thest thing you should expect from me," Duncan said shaking his head. "I don''t know flowery words like you. And I am not really the kind of person who beats around the bush. So, it is better if we discuss things openly."

    "Junior brother''s tongue was really flowery when he praised me earlier," the female said soothingly causing Duncan to turn and look at her. "Anyways, junior brother is right. We dide here to enquire about a person. As for the meat, I am afraid that I have better food in my ring. If junior brother isn''t averse, we can chat while sharing the food."

    "I am not one to turn down free food," Duncan smiled in return and packed his smoked meat with a wave of his hand. "And that too in thepany of beautiful fairies like senior sister."

    "Uncivilized bastard," the young man muttered angrily under his breath causing Duncan to smile at him in an infuriating manner.

    Duncan had by now realized that this duo wouldn''t trouble him much if he doesn''t step over the line. They were obviously wary of his master and don''t want his master''s attention to turn towards them. So, he didn''t have much to fear against this duo at present.

    So, Duncan was being a little bold at the moment. But, it didn''t mean he didn''t have self-preservation instincts. He knew that if he didn''t answer the woman to her satisfaction, then he would be in trouble.

    As he wasn''t nning on hiding anything, Duncan didn''t mind having some food with a beauty in the moonlight while answering some questions. The fact that it infuriated the young man was only an added bonus.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 111 Insidious Woman

    Duncan was a little dazzled by the extravagant spread the woman rolled out once space was cleared.

    There was everything Duncan could think of when it came to food in the spread. There was meat, fruits, wine, and whatnot. And every single one of them contained dense spiritual energy. Just smelling them was enough for Duncan to feel ravenous hunger.

    For Duncan, who hadn''t eaten a proper meal in over three weeks, this much amount of food was both heaven-sent and a torture. As much as he itched to try them out, he held back allowing the duo to first start off.

    The woman seemed to understand Duncan''s hesitation and started off by eating a little of everything. The young man paid no attention to Duncan and started to eat in a refined manner as if he was at a banquet.

    Duncan watched them eat for a while before taking a small bite out of the meat present on the spread. Dense spiritual energy washed through his body and Duncan almost felt full just by eating that small amount.

    Duncan''s eyes shrunk as he noticed this and his mind started working rapidly. While the woman''s generous behavior seemed genuine at the first nce, Duncan soon realized the hidden danger present in the spread before him.

    It didn''t matter how much food was present before him. The thing that really mattered was what he could consume properly. And from the looks of it, it didn''t look like Duncan could eat much of anything in the spread.

    Just taking a small bite was enough to fill his body with spirit energy. If he ate too much, there is a huge chance that he might not live to see the sunrise. The woman was truly insidious to pute up with such a scheme in such an innocuous manner.

    While both Shen Wulong and the woman shared their stuff with him, Duncan felt that this woman was the most dangerous of the two. Shen Wulong took Duncan''s strength into consideration and gave him a wine that he could drink. But, this woman didn''t care about Duncan''s state one bit.

    Duncan didn''t know if this was a show of force or just a test for him, but he felt that he needed to be careful while dealing with the woman. When he looked up, the woman was smiling benignly at him. If he wasn''t careful, this woman might make him believe that all this was construed in his imagination.

    "Senior sister is really generous," Duncan smiled softly palming a spirit fruit. "Unfortunately, my strength is too weak to enjoy such generosity."

    "At least you know your ce now," the young man snorted from the side and went back to eating.

    "I am afraid I do not have anything milder that might be ptable for junior brother. Forgive me, I didn''t pack properly since I left in a hurry," the woman said in a charming manner that almost made Duncan let down his guard.

    "No worries, senior sister. I am not ustomed to such rich meals. I am a coarse person, I prefer my smoked meat and blood wine," Duncan replied with a smile and took out a smoked leg, and started to munch.

    If he was left to watch them eat this spread without partaking in it, he would really die of frustration. It was better to stick with his meat and watch them eat.

    "So, senior sister wanted to ask me about someone?" Duncan prompted wanting to get this visit over with.

    "Yes, we are tracking a deserter from our sect and were led to this ce. Does junior brother perchancee across him?" the woman asked softly.

    "I dide across a strangerst night," Duncan said as he realized they had already tracked their quarry to this ce. It was probably Shen Wulong. And it would be better if he didn''t hide much from this duo.

    "Do you know his name?" the young man asked rudely causing the woman to shoot him a nce.

    The young man grumbled and went back to eating.

    "Indeed, the stranger left me his name while leaving. We discussed things about cultivation for much of the night and he left the next morning," Duncan told them frankly.

    "What is the stranger''s name?" the woman asked politely.

    "Shen Wulong," Duncan stated and watched for their reaction.

    While the woman didn''t react much apart from the triumphant gleam that came into her eyes and the small upturn of her lips, the reaction of the young man was much more prominent.

    The young man stopped eating and looked at Duncan eagerly as if he wanted to hear more. The change in him was way too prominent that even the woman noticed it and sent him a nce, causing him to go back to his food.

    "I wonder if this Shen Wulong told you anything, junior brother," the woman asked casually causing rm bells to ring in Duncan''s head.

    "Nothing much. Our strengths were too far apart. He wanted to share my meat, and in turn, shared his wine. We met as strangers in the wilderness and parted the same way. Apart from discussing cultivation, we didn''t discuss much as we didn''t have anything inmon," Duncan said casually making sure that his tone was as normal as possible.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Is that so? I wonder what you discussed about cultivation," the female asked with a small smile.

    "Nothing much. I am entirely new to cultivation. So, Shen Wulong talked about the different levels of martial arts cultivation and how they are split up. I asked many doubts and he was gracious enough to clear them up," Duncan spoke the truth not hiding much.

    "You should be d you got a chance to discuss even that with Shen Wulong. Shen Wulong has another name. Martial Schr. Most young geniuses would be willing to die to hear some pointers from him," the young man grumbled seeing Duncan talk about discussing cultivation with Shen Wulong as if it was amon thing.

    "Oh, is that who you are after?" Duncan asked innocently.

    Before the young man could retort, a single nce from the woman silenced him once more.

    "It''s none of your business," the young man mumbled dejectedly and went back to eating.

    "Indeed, we are tracking Shen Wulong. He is a criminal and a deserter. If junior brotheres across him again, he must remain cautious. Did you get any idea where he was going next? Was there something that he let slip while speaking with you? It would be of great help to this sister if you could help her with this," the woman batted her eyshes in a shy manner.

    Duncan was almost won over by her actions. If he hadn''t raised his guard up against her previously, he would have spilled the beans immediately seeing her batting eyshes.

    "Now that you mention it, I do remember Shen Wulong saying to me that his destination was a day away while he requested to rest his legs here at the beginning, senior sister. I am sorry that I didn''t realize that bit of information would be useful to you sooner," Duncan said smiling warmly.

    "Is that so? Which direction did he leave in?"

    "That way," Duncan pointed to the opposite direction Shen Wulong had vanished towards, "I only caught a glimpse, he vanished before I could notice more. His strength was way higher than mine. I am sure senior sister would understand it."

    "I see, thank you for your time, junior brother. I will have to leave now to catch the criminal before he does something terrible once more," the woman smiled amicably and started packing her spread.

    The young man stood up and looked at Duncan haughtily before turning to look at the woman once more. The woman bid her farewell and they both started walking in the direction Duncan had pointed out.

    Duncan watched them leave while munching on his smoked meat. He didn''t feel guilty for pointing them in the wrong direction. After all, Shen Wulong had guided him in cultivation and even shared his wine with him. How can he rat out Shen Wulong to this woman?

    He had long realized from her actions that this was the woman Shen Wulong had called as his former fianc¨¦. When she entered the area, her eyes had zoned in on the spot where Shen Wulong had vomited blood at. That was the reason she took the exact spot that Shen Wulong had sat at.

    Initially, he hadn''t been sure. But, when she did her trick with the spread, Duncan realized who she was. From the way Shen Wulong had talked about his fianc¨¦, he knew that she was really devious. The woman''s actions only affirmed that fact.

    That was the reason he wanted to get things over with her as soon as possible. Who knew if she would have poisoned something if he had given in and started eating? Trying to remain stoic in her presence and before the spread was a monumental task in itself. He didn''t need to extend his torture further by remaining civil with her.

    Shaking his head, Duncan looked at the spiritual fruit in his hand. The reason he had palmed this was to try out a sudden thought that hade to him while seeing them. He wanted to see if he could mix this with demonic beast blood as well.

    Both the spirit fruit and the wine had an abundance of spiritual energy within them. It was worth a try in his opinion. If not, he wouldn''t have lost much. He couldn''t anyway eat this spirit fruit as it contained way too much spirit energy in it for him to digest.

    "Let''s hope this experiment works out. I suddenly feel very weak after running into strong cultivators like this again and again," Duncan shook his head and went back to munching on his smoked meat.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 112 Need To Vacate This Spot

    "Let''s stop here," the woman in the grey cloak said after traveling some distance away from Duncan''s spot.

    "Why, senior sister?" the young man beside her asked in confusion.

    "There is no use in continuing further," the woman shook her head. "The information he gave was false."

    "What? Who gave him the guts to lie to us? Let me go back and beat him up. Let''s see if he dares to lie to us again!" the young man raged as if someone had punched him in his face.

    "There is no need for it. He didn''t have any valuable intel. He just wanted to inconvenience us," the woman said as her eyes shed slightly in anger.

    "Are we going to let that little punk get away with that, senior sister?" the young man asked aggrievedly.

    "Our mission is more important than teaching an impudent junior a lesson. Let him be for now. If wee across him after we finish our mission, we can teach him a lesson. I don''t want to create conflict with Heavenly Demon Sect at this point," the woman said furrowing her brows.

    "This isn''t like you, senior sister," the young man grumbled.

    "Don''t worry, we don''t even know if he will live to see the next sunset," the woman said a little deviously. "Did he think taking my stuff is that easy? The spirit fruit I have left him with has a unique fragrance. It is highly desirable to Level 2 demonic beasts. By this time tomorrow, he would be food in the belly of a demonic beast."

    "That''s the senior sister I know," the young man smiled happily. "I can''t wait to see him being hunted by Level 2 demonic beasts."

    "No, we will not be in this vicinity when that happens. I don''t want anyone to link us to his death. After all, he is the disciple of the Wind Demon. That old monster is difficult to deal with," the woman said decisively causing the young man''s smile to dim.

    "What if he somehow survives?" the young man said a little petntly.

    "Then, it is even better. We can y around with him on our way back. We just need to make sure we don''t kill him outright," the woman chuckled causing the young man to smile happily.

    "What are we going to do about Shen Wulong, senior sister?" the young man asked after a few minutes.

    "I don''t know," the woman muttered indecisively. "He had somehow managed to suppress the poison I left in him. I didn''t think he would be able to do that. The only trace I found was the blood we found in that spot."

    "What if we go in the opposite direction that uncouth barbarian indicated?" the young man asked eagerly.

    "There is no need for that. When the Grotto Heaven appears, it will be surely visible. It is best if we enter immediately before the Heavenly Demon Sect is alerted. That''s the reason I left the poison in Shen Wulong. I wanted to track him and find the opportunity to enter the Grotto Heaven before other variables appear," the woman said thinking aloud.

    "Right now, we are near the entrance. We just don''t know the exact spot like Shen Wulong does. When he opens the Grotto Heaven, we would be able to sense it at this distance. We can enter immediately after him before other variables appear. So, let''s find a ce to rest for now and prepare ourselves. We need to be careful. This Grotto Heaven might be dangerous. So, it is better to be prepared."

    "Senior sister is right," the young man nodded.

    Suddenly he paused as if he thought of something and looked at his senior sister in confusion.

    "Senior sister, what if that barbarian also managed to enter the Grotto Heaven? After all, he is also in the vicinity," the young man said a little unwillingly.

    "Don''t worry about him. If he survives tomorrow, he better stay away from the Grotto Heaven. In there, I don''t need to worry about the Heavenly Demon Sect. I will kill him the moment Iy my eyes on him," the woman said with a dangerous glint in her eyes causing the young man to smile widely.

    "If wee across him in there, leave that barbarian to me, senior sister," the young man said hurriedly. "I have long wanted to teach him a lesson."

    "Whatever,e let''s find a ce to rest," the woman said nonchntly and moved. The young man followed her like a lost puppy.

    *****

    A few hours after the grey-cloaked duo left in the direction he pointed to them, Duncan felt another presenceing toward his spot. Duncan opened his eyes from meditation and looked in the direction of the presence and muttered.

    "This spot seems to attract a lot of people. I better vacate this region and go somewhere else."

    The approaching presence was unlike his two previous visitors. Unlike them, this person was radiating his presence in a dominating manner as he approached his location.

    Whether it was Shen Wulong or his fianc¨¦, they had kept their presence restrained and didn''t even leak a bit of their aura when they approached him. This person was doing the exact opposite.

    Soon, the person came into view. Duncan was surprised to see that he was wearing the Heavenly Demon Sect uniform. For a moment, he was stunned and joy started blooming in his heart.

    Duncan was d that he had found another disciple of the sect atst. By tagging along with this person, he can head back to the sect. He could finally find his way back. He was already fed up with running into strong existences that made him feel really weak.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Senior brother," Duncan greeted the man amicably once he came near him.

    "Don''t call me that. I am ashamed to call a weakling like you my junior brother. I don''t know what master was thinking taking such a weakling as his disciple," the man grunted as he neared Duncan.

    The amount of hostility in that man''s voice almost made Duncan rear back in shock. He however controlled his reaction to a mere flinch and looked at who was supposedly his master''s disciple clearly in the moonlight.

    The man had a long scar that was running across his face. It made him look really sinister. Coupled with the blood on his robes, the man painted a ghastly picture in the moonlight.

    Not that Duncan had much toin about. His shirt was already being used as waste cloth and he was bare-naked with his upper torso. The number of scars he had umted recently wasn''t small either.

    "Did you see a grey-cloaked duoing this way?" the man asked gruffly.

    "Yes, they came asking about another stranger I had met a day earlier," Duncan replied sinctly.

    "Oh, which way did they go?" the man asked eagerly.

    "That way," Duncan pointed in apletely different direction to which he had sent the grey-cloaked duo at.

    "Good, I am leaving. Get stronger soon and don''t embarrass our lineage," the man said impatiently and prepared to set off.

    "Senior brother, I am lost. Can you point me back towards the sect?" Duncan asked hurriedly.

    "Of course you are lost," the man snorted. "Master knows about your predicament. He will send someone. Until then, survive here. This will at least teach you a lesson."

    The man said carelessly and prepared to set off once more.

    "Senior brother, are you going to chase after the grey-cloaked duo? They felt really powerful," Duncan cautioned a bit.

    "Everyone will feel too powerful to a weakling like you. I am a Golden Core cultivator. You and I aren''t on the same level," the man said bitingly.

    "Oh, is Golden Core above the Nascent Soul realm?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "What are you bbering about? Of course, Nascent Soul is above Golden Core. What are you, dumb?" the man said irritatedly.

    "Oh nothing," Duncan said smiling at the man. "I was just a little confused. Senior brother, since you are busy, can you spare me some of your wine?"

    "Didn''t stealing winend you in this predicament? Haven''t you learned anything from that? Here, take this. Be careful, this is a bit potent," the man said throwing a gourd over.

    "I hope you die out here. Instead ofing back and embarrassing our lineage," the man muttered and walked toward the direction Duncan had pointed at.

    Duncan watched him go with a scowl on his face.

    "I should have sent you in the right direction," Duncan grumbled opening the wine gourd and taking a sniff. "Shen Wulong is at Nascent Soul realm. Even he suffered at the hands of his fianc¨¦. If you run into her, you will surely die."

    "Look how much of a good junior brother I am. I am even saving your life after you insulted me. If master asks I can tell that I purposefully sent you in the wrong direction to save your life."

    "Anyway, I got a good wine out of this ordeal. I need to change ces soon. If I stayed here one more night, I don''t know who I will run into," Duncan grumbled and took a sip of the wine.

    "Ah, this stuff is as good as the one the other senior brother gave me," Duncan mumbled happily as he savored the wine. "Now I can create more blood wine. Finally, something good is happening to me."

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 113 Strange Events

    A/N:

    Hey Folks,

    Wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!

    That''s it. That is all I wanted to say...

    *****

    Duncan started the next day by vacating the ce he was in as the first order of business. He was really worried that he might run into some other powerhouse, who would make him feel weak if he stayed in that spot one more night.

    It really wasn''t a good feeling to have.

    Duncan didn''t even venture far from the ce before he was best by a rampaging demonic bear. At first, Duncan tried to avoid the bear and slip by it. However, the bear directly made a beeline to his location causing Duncan to have no other option than to fight against it.

    The truly weird part of that encounter was that the demonic bear was weaker than him. It was just a middle-stage Level 1 demonic beast. With the senses of the demonic beast, it should have avoided Duncan at all costs.

    However, the reality was different.

    The bear looked hell-bent on killing Duncan, causing Duncan to reluctantly put it out of its misery. If it had been before he entered the seventh level of the Qi Condensation realm, Duncan might have had to exert some effort to kill the bear.

    However, after breaking through, Duncan''s strength waspletely different from how he was before. With a simple swing of his sword, Duncan beheaded the bear and drained its blood.

    Duncan was perplexed by the event as he knew that this was a bit uncharacteristic for the demonic bear to send itself to its death. By all logic, the bear shouldn''t have even chased after him and should have been d that he didn''t find a fault with it.

    But, things werepletely different from what logic dictated.

    Shaking his head in bewilderment, Duncan walked away from the site of the bear''s dead body not even pausing to collect its corpse. Duncan had formed a weird habit after being in the wilderness for a dozen days now.

    He would only collect the corpse of the beasts that truly gave him some challenge while battling. Only the meat of those beasts will be smoked or roasted by him and consumedter. As for the nuisances that he could easily dispatch like this bear, he only collected their blood for his wine.

    Little did Duncan know that his encounter with the bear was the first in a long string of strange events that happened throughout the day! All through the day, he was constantly challenged by a lot of demonic beasts, causing him to be embroiled in one battle after the other.

    The thing that irked Duncan the most was that even lower-level demonic beasts would challenge him. Only when he exerted a bit of his cultivation pressure would they turn tail and flee.

    One particr time, Duncan had a really huge headache when he was set upon by a group of monkeys who were at the middle stage of Level 1. If it was before he broke through, he would have no other option but to flee for his life after being chased by so many demonic beasts at the same level as him.

    But, with his breakthrough, Duncan wasn''t afraid of these monkeys. He dispatched the first few brutally and intimidated the others into retreat. But, that reprieve onlysted for a small time.

    For the next few hours, he was constantly being hounded by this bunch. As time passed, their number only seemed to increase causing a hugemotion to erupt wherever he went.

    Despite trying to leave them in dust multiple times, these monkeys would somehow find their way back to him as if they had something that could track him through the wilderness.

    As for getting rid of thempletely, Duncan could only dream about that. The moment he stopped and killed one monkey, the rest would flee into the distance. They would watch and wait until Duncan left before once more following him. This happened a few times causing Duncan to feel a little aggrieved.

    The most annoying part was not them following him. It was the fact that they would create amotion any ce they went causing other beasts to take note as well. The moment these beasts took note, they would rush to challenge Duncan as if they were obsessed.

    If he was a little careless while dealing with these other beasts, these monkeys might use that opportunity to steal his stuff. Several times, these monkeys have tried to steal Duncan''s bag causing him to kill a few of them in retaliation. But, nothing seemed to intimidate them for a long time.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan felt really aggrieved after being harassed like this by this bunch of hooligan monkeys. But, there was really nothing he could do to deal with these monkeys effectively.

    He didn''t have anyrge area of effect attacks in his arsenal to decimate a bunch of them with one swing. He fought with his sword. That meant, he was someone who engaged in closebat most of the time. His manner of killing is to cut his opponent.

    Duncan felt that he was at a severe disadvantage in dealing with these hooligan monkeys, who only harassed him instead of fighting him. If only he knew some kind of attack that could damage arge area, then he could have taken care of these nuisances in one go.

    So, by the time midday rolled around, Duncan was really not in a good mood. He was pissed off and seething with frustration.

    Finding a tree with arge shade, Duncan rested his legs a bit and refreshed himself a bit. The distant sounds of the monkeys creating a ruckus caused Duncan''s eyes to twitch a bit.

    "Looks like I need to get off this regionpletely. The beasts here are around the strength of middle stage Level 1. If I venture further in, I mighte into the territories of advanced stage Level 1 beasts. Let me see if these monkeys dare to enter their territories," Duncan let out a vicious smirk and nced in the direction of the ruckus.

    "I don''t whose bad luck that rubbed off on me. Things have been going well until yesterday. Maybe it was meeting Shen Wulong that caused this. Ever since I met that guy, I have been running into one trouble after the other. Even my senior brother refused to help me, sigh! This fellow Shen Wulong''s luck seems to be really bad," Duncan muttered irritatedly.

    Suddenly, his eyes twitched in annoyance. Unsheathing his sword, Duncan shed it behind him causing a head of a monkey to fly out andnd with a thud. Turning around, he saw a few monkeys scurrying into the distance. This has be a familiar sight to him throughout this morning.

    "These things are getting more and more craftier. While most of them created a ruckus and diverted my attention, some of them sneaked behind my back and tried to steal my stuff," Duncan grumbled.

    "If not for my hones senses, I would have fallen prey to their deviousness long back. Driving other beasts to fight me while they tried to steal my stuff, creating ruckus and diverting my attention, repeatedly harassing me non-stop, these things really have some means," Duncan let out a murky breath and got up from his resting position.

    "I need to get rid of them soon. Or else, these things might just drive me nuts," Duncan gritted his teeth and set off into the interior regions hoping to cow these abominable nuisances with the help of other demonic beasts.

    After traveling for a while, Duncan reached a spot where the wilderness gave way torge grass fields. True wilderness inside the Grasnds was only limited to certain regions. Most of the area in the Grasnds was filled with tall grasses. That was the reason this region was called Grasnds.

    And the area these grasses grew in was truly vast. Duncan had heard from merchants in Starmist City that the region of Grasnds wasrger than several provincesbined. Seeing the geographical maps featuring Grasnds as a whole in the sect has truly opened Duncan''s eyes as to how vast the region that was called Grasnds truly was.

    Duncan stopped at the region where the wilderness met the grass fields and turned to look back. He saw the monkeys tailing him from a distance. They were hanging in the trees and using the leaves as a cover. But they were truly doing a pitiable job of it.

    Letting out a murky breath, Duncan stepped into the grass fields hoping this new area might put an end to these nuisances. Within moments, he used his movement technique and vanished into the distance.

    "Let me see if they truly dare to venture into the grass fields," Duncan muttered to himself and continued on his way determined to put as much distance between him and those damn monkeys.

    A few moments after Duncan vanished into the distance, arge group of monkeys came to the same spot he had stopped and looked ahead with worried faces. They screeched at each other for a long time and came to a consensus.

    Half of them turned around and vanished into the wilderness, while the other half looked at the grass fields in trepidation for a bit and followed the delicious scent of fruit that was left in the wake of the human they were tracking.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 114 [Bonus ]A New Goal

    Duncan''s journey into grass fields was rtively peaceful for a while.

    He didn''te across any demonic beasts for some time. He also didn''t hear the ruckus of those damn monkeys for a long time. Peace finally returned to Duncan''s mind as he enjoyed the temporary sound of the wind rustling through the grasses and felt it caress his face.

    Letting out a bright smile Duncan slowed down his pace and took in the scenery around him. Wherever his vision passed he only saw grasses. It was like being in a desert, only the sand was reced with grasses.

    Duncan hadn''t actually seen a desert in his life. But, he hade across a depiction of it in the sect scripture hall. Seeing mounds and mounds of sand piled together that they even made a hill impacted Duncan in a strange way. Ever since then, that image has been imprinted in his eyes.

    Looking at the grass fields that stretched into the horizon, Duncan was reminded of it. He wondered what it would feel like to stand on a hill made of sand, instead of being amidst these tall grasses.

    At that moment, Duncan gave birth to a strange goal in his life. Until now, he had only had taking revenge, enjoying wine and women as much as possible as his only goals in life. Now, he wanted to see the world with his own eyes.

    With all the beauty that the world had, he wanted to visit them. From the ciers in the cold region to the deserts in the hot region. From the tallest mountains in hilly regions to the deepest caves under the ground. Duncan wanted to see all of them with his own eyes. Not just as a depiction in a booklet, but as something he could see and feel.

    Duncan didn''t want his life to be all about taking revenge. Enjoying wine and women were things he did before he became a cultivator. Since he had be a cultivator, he must have something else to do as well as a cultivator. Duncan felt that seeing and experiencing all that the world has to offer was a goal worthy of a cultivator.

    To many, bing powerful and gaining immortality is all they think about when bing a cultivator. To Duncan, it felt like pursuing something without even nning to do something with it.

    A cultivator had a long life span. From what he had learned until now, Duncan knew that cultivators lived for thousands and thousands of years if they don''t die in one struggle or the other.

    While the life of a cultivator is filled with constant struggles and battles between life and death, Duncan felt that it was only a small part of what cultivation had to offer.

    With a lifespan of over several thousand years, most cultivators rarely use it for anything. As a person''s cultivation increases, their abilities increase as well. From being able to travel dozens of miles as a mortal to be able to cross thousands of miles as a cultivator, the rise in ability was really big.

    Duncan felt that most people wasted such abilities by living in a small region and not venturing further. Even if it was a Sect Master level existence, they rarely ventured out of their territory. Most of the time, they were tied up with one work or the other. They spent the rest of their time cultivating to improve their realm.

    Duncan didn''t want to live like that. He wanted to see the world in all of its glory. From ciers to deserts, from mountaintops to deep sea caves, he wanted to explore them all. He wanted to see them all and feel them with his very own senses.

    That was the life he wanted to have.

    As Duncan realized his new goal with cultivation, a kind of sublimation happened in his soul. It was like a transformation. Duncan felt as if he had shed his mortal coil at this moment and be a cultivator entirely.

    He now had a realistic goal that confirmed with his desires. Revenge, women, and wine were things that were born out of his desires and experiences as well. This was also a goal he set for himself.

    Duncan felt that his life had a new direction after setting this goal. He didn''t like being cooped up in the sect and cultivating arduously. He much preferred wandering the world like this and experiencing new things. This kind of cultivation suited his tastes much better than the one he did in the initial two weeks.

    No to mention the drastic increase in his strength he had been having ofte. Something about this way of cultivation felt just right to Duncan.

    Duncan felt the irritation that had been guing him ever since the monkeys set upon him vanish. He felt the worry of being weak that had subconsciously taken root in his heart after meeting powerful cultivators like Shen Wulong and his fianc¨¦ melt like morning dew upon sunlight.

    He felt the agitation in his heart when he heard his senior brother call him an embarrassment settle down. He felt the needless anger he had been carrying in his heart ever since he heard about the destruction of his town subside.

    At this moment, Duncan felt totally rxed and content with his life.

    This was a feeling that even many powerful cultivators in the world have never felt. Cultivators in general are people who never felt content. They would be gued with one worry or the other. Even powerful cultivators always had something that is bothering them in the back of their minds. They rarely felt true serenity like Duncan did at this moment.

    Letting out a loudugh, Duncan unsheathed his sword and performed a cut. A streak of sword light emerged from his sword and vanished into the distance. The tall grass in the region that the sword light passed through was cut into two and gently fell down.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I have been really an idiot until now," Duncan chuckled sheathing his sword back. "How can mortals grasp the profundity of heaven and earth? It is basically impossible. If I had persisted in my thinking like a mortal and tried to judge cultivation arts from a mortal perspective, I would never achieve the insight required to grasp a concept."

    "A mortal can only affect things physically. They can never alter heaven and earth with a thought. How can someone like that grasp the intricacies in the concepts of nature?"

    "A cultivator has the qi of heaven and earth in his body. They can affect heaven and earth with their thoughts and actions. I needed to stop thinking like a mortal. With a single cut, I can level mountains and split rivers. This is the essence of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>. A mortal can never do this. I have been trapped with thinking like a mortal for too long," Duncanughed carefreely.

    "No more, I say. I have shed my mortal coil. I am a cultivator in every way it matters now. I can see the profundity of nature. I can feel the intricacies that shape them to be what they are. And with this, I can affect them the way I want."

    "I have only gleaned a small insight into the act of cutting. I can already cut grass that is a hundred feet away by staying in this spot and swinging my sword. And when I improve, I will be able to even cut mountains and split rivers. Who knows I might go even further than that if I walk this path to the end," Duncanughed happily.

    "The same is true for <Wind Chasing Steps>. It is not just the speed of the wind I need to worry about. I need to be able to chase that wind. Haˇ­ Haˇ­ Haˇ­ I think it is time I stopped trying and truly chased the wind," Duncanughed heartily and vanished from the spot he was in.

    The next moment he was seen far away. His speed was truly eye-catching. Before this, Duncan''s speed was nothing spectacr. But now, his speed had even tripled. This was a huge increase in his speed.

    "When I chase the wind, the very air, and even water is my stepping stone. Why do I need the earth to catch my footsteps? I am someone who chases even the wind. How can I be restricted by a measly thing as a stable ground? Haˇ­ Haˇ­ Haˇ­" Duncanughed euphorically as he stepped into the air and started running through the air.

    Within moments, Duncan vanished into the horizon by traversing the very air in the atmosphere. He was running across the sky with loudughter ringing everywhere. He didn''t have a care in the world as he used the air as his tform and ran across the sky.

    *****

    In the distance, Chen Wangjie felt a cold sweat forming on his back as he saw his junior brother''s reckless actions. After searching for a long time, he finally found his junior brother with the help of the ruckus created by the monkeys.

    All morning he has been watching from the shadows and enjoying his junior brother''s predicament. He felt that the situation was way too hrious and didn''t have the heart to interfere. After all, he was a little miffed with this junior brother of his. So, seeing his junior brother suffer only brought him joy.

    "This junior brother of mine looks to be a little fierce. It has only been two weeks since I saw him, he had already improved this much. This is truly something. But, this junior brother seems a bit silly as well. I don''t know what gave him to courage to be so brazen in the Grasnds with his strengthˇ­"

    Just as Chen Wangjie finished saying his thoughts, he saw his junior brother swatted out of the air by the tail of a demonic snake, causing him to fly off in the distance.

    "Ah, as expected," Chen Wangjie smiled. "Crap! I need to make sure he is alive. If he dies, my Blood Blossom Fruit will vanish as well. Not to mention the mission the Vice-Sect Master gave."

    Soon Foodie Chen vanished into the distance.

    Groans came from the region where he was standing a moment ago. Several demonic monkeys whimpered on the ground. They looked as if someone had used them as punching bags.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 115 Level 2 Beast

    Duncan groaned in pain as he felt his entire body throb in anguish.

    Being swatted out of the air wasn''t an experience he would rmend to someone else. His entire body ached as he sat up slowly. Duncan had to check his teeth to make sure they were still in ce. His ears were ringing as well.

    "That''s it, I am going to find that snake, skin it, and use it as my belt," Duncan grumbled angrily and got up from the ground.

    Dusting himself off, Duncan set off in the direction where the tail of that demonic snake came from. He knew that he was being a little impulsive at the moment, but he didn''t care. He was really pissed off about the actions of that snake and really wanted to murder it.

    He was really enjoying himself at that moment. He had never felt anything like this before. Wind rushing in his ears, as his feet stepped on the very air as if it was stable ground was something he had never experienced before.

    Running through the air was the kind of stuff he had heard in stories about what cultivators could do. He was living a moment that stories got told about. It was an iconic moment in his life.

    To be smacked to the ground like that while he was enjoying being a cultivator felt a little petty to Duncan. He really wanted to find that snake and give it a piece of his mind.

    Grumbling under his breath, Duncan marched toward the direction where the tail came from in an angry manner. Duncan unsheathed his sword and walked amidst the tall grasses searching for that demonic snake.

    Pretty soon, he heard some rusting sounding from the distance. Squinting his eyes, Duncan peered through the grasses and found that the demonic snake was actuallying towards him.

    "Good, let ite, I am gonna skin it alive," Duncan grumbled as he felt the snake approach.

    Firming his stance, Duncan prepared to unleash the new technique he has grasped just a few minutes ago. Duncan centered himself and found that elusive feeling of being able to cut through distance and readied himself to unleash his cut.

    Suddenly, Duncan''s face turned stiff as he felt the strength radiating from the distance. Even at this distance, he felt that the strength of this demonic snake was truly horrific.

    Duncan''s eyes twitched and he sheathed his sword and tried to slowly back away. He didn''t want to alert the demonic beast to his presence. The thing that it was already toote didn''t even cross his mind.

    As he took a few steps back, the demonic snake felt Duncan retreating and increased its pace.

    Duncan abandoned all pretense of retreating and booked it from there. He used the <Wind Chasing Steps> and created a trail of dust in his wake as he ran as fast as he could.

    The demonic beast senses Duncan''s actions and hissed angrily. Duncan turned to look at it and found two cold eyes staring at him in hunger. The look gave him chills and he increased the speed further.

    The demonic beast sucked in a huge breath and spat out a cloud of poison targeting Duncan''s running form. The poison took the form of an arrow and zoomed in on Duncan''s location.

    Duncan felt danger approaching and looked back. When he saw the poison arrowing in his direction, his scalp tingled. Without thinking about anything else, Duncan changed directions and ran faster.

    The arrow passed by Duncan and impacted the ground to his side. The next moment, the entire vegetation in that area turned green and crumbled into ashes. Duncan saw the state of the vegetation and swore under his breath.

    This was the first time he was facing a beast that was capable of long-distance attacks. Duncan felt that even with his new technique, he stood no chance against this beast. Normally, he would have tried to fight it and injure it. But, the feeling that he got from the beast was so dreadful that he knew that he had no chance of injuring it.

    That left only one recourse. To escape and never look back.

    Duncan did exactly that. He ran with all his might. With his increased speed he soon left the snake in the dust. The snake''s speed was only mediocre whenpared to its strength. It mostly relied on stealth and poison to hunt its prey.

    Moreover, Duncan''s speed has increased tremendously after grasping a little bit of the <Wind Chasing Steps> concept. While to Duncan it might look like a natural progression of his martial arts cultivation, it was anything but so.

    Normally, only those in the Spirit Sea realm were able to get a basic grasp on concepts. It is really hard for those in the Qi Gathering realm to understand it. Only geniuses among geniuses were able to aplish such things.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The reason behind that is the limited perception of Qi Gathering realm cultivators. One needs acute mental strength and perception to grasp even a tiny bit of concept hidden in a martial art.

    If not for Duncan''s soul undergoing sublimation, he would have never been able to perceive these concepts even if he tried for a long time. However, Duncan was able to, fortunately, use the time his soul sublimated to enter the realm of concepts rtively easily.

    Hence, even if his cultivation was only at the Qi Gathering realm, his speed wasparable to a Spirit Sea realm cultivator. The only drawback Duncan had was that he couldn''t run for long with the amount of qi he had in his body.

    On the other hand, the Level 2 demonic snake that chased after him was not known for its speed. Its speed was really mediocre among Level 2 beasts. Furthermore, it hasn''t touched the realm of concepts yet. Apart from its poison and robust cultivation, it had no advantage over Duncan.

    So, its speed was no match for Duncan.

    Duncan ran for a long time without caring about anything. The only thing on his mind was to put as much distance as possible between him and the beast. When he turned back to see the beast chasing after him, Duncan had taken note of the size of the beast.

    He could tell that it would easily be over twenty feet in length. If not for that, the beast couldn''t have smacked him out of the air. Once he got within range, Duncan knew that he would be done for. Not to mention those poison arrows that couldpletely annihte the vegetation within seconds.

    Duncan didn''t want to test his body against the beast''s poison. Moreover, the beast must be way above Level 1 ording to what he sensed. There was no way that such a powerful beast was only at Level 1. The baleful aura it emitted was just too much to be just a Level 1 beast. The beast was likely a Level 2 beast.

    Duncan didn''t have the confidence to deal with Level 2 beasts currently. Maybe if he was in the Spirit Sea realm, he would give it a try. Going against a Level 2 beast with his strength was purely suicidal. Unless he was forced into a corner, Duncan didn''t want to fight such a beast.

    Little did Duncan know that the spirit fruit he had palmed from Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ had already left his trail for the demonic snake to follow. Any beast below Level 2 in the vicinity, that could smell the fruit, would hunt down Duncan and wouldn''t stop until they obtained the fruit.

    That''s the reason that those monkeys seemed keen on stealing Duncan''s bag. Duncan, who was unaware of this fact, slowed down a little and started walking slowly. He was confident that he had shaken off the beast and didn''t see any need to run at his full speed anymore.

    After all, using <Wind Chasing Steps> constantly was a huge drain on his qi reserves as well. So, it was only natural that Duncan stopped using it once he escaped danger. However, the reality was different.

    He was not yet out of the danger.

    Duncan could already see that the sun was about to set. His mind was now currently on finding a ce to set up camp. He didn''t know what kind of beasts hunted at night in this region. He had already run into a Level 2 beast now. Duncan didn''t want to take chances during the night.

    So, Duncan reluctantly decided to clear out a small region and use it as a temporary camp. Unsheathing his sword, Duncan cut away all the grass at a certain distance from where he stood and created a temporary camp for himself.

    While he could have just rested amidst the grasses, Duncan was wary of the tall grass aiding a predator to conceal itself and making him vulnerable to sneak attacks. By clearing out the grass for a certain distance, he had some region that could act as the buffer zone.

    Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the cleared region, Duncan slowly got into a meditative state. Circting his <ughter Demon Sutra>, Duncan felt it flowing a little more smoothly this time.

    Above his head, a bright full moon started to shine down on the grasnds creating a very tranquil scene if one were to look from afar.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 116 Grotto Heaven Opens

    Some distance away from where Duncan was meditating, Shen Wulong walked out of his hiding spot and looked up at the full moon shining brightly in the sky with aplicated expression on his face.

    "The book that my ancestor left said that he had stumbled into a Grotto Heaven that was a remnant from the past era. ording to the ancestor, the owner of this Grotto Heaven was probably above the Nascent Soul realm."

    "The restricting he had left behind was operating five hundred years ago and no matter how hard my ancestor tried, he wasn''t able to break through it and chance upon the wonders of the ancient cultivation world."

    "That had been his biggest regret before ascending to the higher realm. Two hundred years ago, my ancestor had found a simr ruin and obtained a token that could allow someone to unseal such an ancient ruin one time. He was hunted down like a dog for this token," Shen Wulong muttered sadly looking at an ancient-looking token in his hand.

    "However, my ancestor had somehow managed to send this token to the lower world before his death. Ever since then, all of my family has revered this token as a sacred object and had kept it hidden from the eyes of others. They knew that if the news was leaked, then doom woulde for them. They had been afraid to use it as well," Shen Wulong said as he a somber look.

    "In the end, what must happen will always happen. Someone had somehow found out about this token and news was leaked. My entire n was annihted to thest men, women, and children leaving me the only one alive. I had escaped with this token three years ago from the central continent on thest order of my n''s patriarch."

    "And now, here I stand, before the biggest regret of my ancestor, with the thing that caused the doom of my entire n from the ancestor to little children. I hope this thing will be worth their sacrifice. I hope this will give me enough strength to avenge them. Please, don''t disappoint me," Shen Wulong prayed sincerely and threw the token high into the air.

    The token flew high into the air and came to contact with a kind of sealed space causing formation markings to start appearing in midair. The scene was so dazzling that everyone in the vicinity was attracted by it. Even Duncan who was meditating seriously was alerted by the change in heaven and earth.

    Several beasts that were in that region started fleeing in a panicked manner. Meanwhile, several beasts in the distance hurried toward the region in an overwhelming manner.

    Roars and screeches filled the air as powerful demonic beasts converged in the area causing a ruckus. Duncan''s eyes were filled with weaker demonic beasts running away and stronger demonic beasts rushing toward the restriction.

    Meanwhile, the token slowly rose further and further up. As it rose, it started thrumming with vigor in mid-air causing a violent sound to start emitting throughout the region. Everyone in the vicinity felt their head throb in pain from the sound emitted by the token. Several demonic beasts that were in the air fell down unceremoniously

    The feelingsted for a few moments before the token was set aze.

    Shen Wulong''s heart thumped anxiously as he saw the token on fire. He didn''t know what he would do if this token didn''t open this restriction. He had nothing else to live for if the token turned out to be a bust.

    Some distance away, two grey-cloaked figures looked at the distant phenomenon with desire in their eyes.

    "Senior sister, is this the phenomenon of the Grotto Heaven appearing?" the man asked the female anxiously.

    "It looks like Shen Wulong had indeed seeded. We need to enter the Grotto Heaven before others enter it as well. These kinds of Grotto Heavens are left over from the past era. After millennia of being sealed in dense spiritual energy, arge number of heavenly treasures would have been born inside that region. We need to move fast if we want to avoid beingte," the female said with desire naked in her voice.

    "Then, why aren''t we going over now?" the man asked in confusion.

    "Until the Grotto Heaven''s restriction is lifted, only a fool will try to enter it," the female snorted. "You can''t barge into them with brute force. We will wait for the restriction to be lifted before heading over. There is no hurry."

    "Looks like there is a fool heading there already, senior sister," the man said with glee as he saw a dark figure rushing towards the restriction from some distance away.

    "It''s a pity. Heavenly Demon Sect is going to lose a Golden Core realm disciple," the female snorted.

    "It wouldn''t be a big loss if they lost such a stupid disciple," the man shrugged.

    At that moment, the dark figure rushed toward the restriction and tried to break through it. The next moment a brilliant sh emitted from the area and his body was minced into pieces.

    Several demonic beasts, that were a little slower than the figure, saw this scene and immediately fled far away in fear. The man''s lingering cry echoed through the night causing everyone''s hair to stand erect.

    ? "That looks like my senior brother. Pity, he wasn''t able to keep his life even if I saved him once," Duncan muttered nonchntly as he watched the restriction slowly fade away.

    BANG!<novelnext></novelnext>

    Arge explosion happened in midair nketing everyone''s vision with bright light. When the light faded, tworge gates seem to appear out of thin air. The gates opened slightly causing dense spiritual energy to descend into the region.

    The area around the restriction was bathed with dense spiritual energy and the vegetation in the area became lusher. Shen Wulong stood under the gates and looked up. Excitement filled him as he watched the gates open slowly.

    Of all the beings in the region, he was the one closest to the gates. Thus, he could feel their heavy pressure and the dense spiritual energy wafting out of those gates more acutely than anyone.

    The next moment his figure vanished and he entered the gates through the small opening.

    Shen Wulong''s actions were like opening the floodgates. The next moment, every powerful demonic beast that was running away in fear turned and rushed towards the gates.

    The two grey-cloaked figures rushed to the gates as well. Within moments a massacre began in the sky in front of the gates as everyone who wanted to enter tried to clear their way.

    Arge demonic eagle screeched in anger and unleashed a devastating attack against other beasts that were in its way. A tiger demon roared intimidatingly and sprinted through the air. Any unfortunate demonic beast that was in its way was swatted away without a second thought.

    Predictably enough, a melee began in midair as the strong demonic beasts in the region jockeyed for position. While the gates were big, the space that had opened up was not reallyrge enough to amodate multiple demonic beasts at the same time.

    The gates were still opening, so the space to squeeze through was really limited. However, every demonic beast wanted to be the first to enter the gates after Shen Wulong. This created a struggle, which ended up driving away weaker beasts from the vicinity.

    Just then, icy winds blew freezing a lot of demonic beasts in front of the gates. Duncan watched Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ bring her junior brother and unhurriedly walk towards the gates. Any demonic beast that barred her path was dealt with viciously in a swift manner. An icy whip manifested out of thin air and smacked away those demonic beasts.

    Any demonic beast that stood in her way was whipped by the icy whip. When the icy whip made contact with a demonic beast, the demonic beast''s entire body froze and shattered into million pieces causing pandemonium to ensue. Duncan felt his soul chill watching Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ massacre strong demonic beasts while walking towards the gates as if she was taking a stroll.

    The demonic beasts vacated the area in short order and allowed her way. Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ took her time and walked unhurriedly through the gates while establishing her dominance in the area. Several demonic beasts watched the grey-cloaked duo with fear etched deep in their eyes.

    The grey-cloaked duo vanished into the gates and the invisible pressure that has descended onto the area dissipated. Just as the demonic beasts were preparing to enter the gates once more, a deep roar sounded from the distance causing the demonic beasts to tremble in fear.

    Duncan felt his heart skip as he watched a huge demonic ape saunter over leisurely. The moment his eyes fell upon the demonic ape, Duncan knew this beast was the overlord of the Grasnds and was also probably one of the culprits in the destruction of his town.

    Duncan watched the demonic ape intensely as other demonic beasts gave way to it. When the demonic ape passed over Duncan''s head, not even bothering to look below, Duncan felt a mountain-like pressure m into him. He felt his knees go weak and his legs tremble, as he struggled to stand still.

    The moment passed and the demonic ape had already reached the region near the gates. Duncan had yet to recover from the dreadful baleful aura that had impacted him. Duncan knew that the demonic ape hadn''t been targeting anybody in particr. It was merely walking by and Duncan already couldn''t stand.

    If he wanted to take revenge for his town, he needed to not only withstand the pressure emitted, which would be horrible when directed at him directly, and fight this demonic ape to death. This wasn''t a small task. It would take him years or decades, or even centuries to grow to that level. And these people will not be staying idle either.

    Duncan could feel his weakness very clearly at this moment. To that demonic ape, he was a mere ant at this moment. It could kill him by solely directing its pressure in his direction. And the people who fought it were probably as strong as the demonic ape to send it fleeing back into the Grasnds.

    If he wanted to kill them all, Duncan had a long way to go. And Duncan realized the immensity of his task for the first time. He felt his derations of taking revenge for his town were childish in face of this absolute power. Unless he had equal power, he can forget about doing anything.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 117 Secrets Of Grotto Heaven

    As Duncan was immersed in deep thought, the demonic ape had already entered through the gates and the scramble to enter once more began in earnest among the demonic beast.

    Duncan watched the scramble with a serious look on his face. To him, it embodied the cultivation world as a whole. The struggle to stand out amongst peers and have the strength to challenge someone at a higher level was the core of the cultivation world.

    Only very few top existences could saunter through the cultivation world like Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ or the demonic ape did. Others had to scramble amongst themselves to find their footing at the top.

    Duncan didn''t want to be like these demonic beasts that were scrambling for position. He wanted to saunter through like that demonic ape. For that, being good wasn''t enough. Even being a cut above the rest wasn''t enough. For that, he must be iparably strong and be head and shoulders above everyone.

    Just then, Duncan saw several light streaks rush from the distance. The moment they arrived, they started a massacre in front of the gates and killed almost every demonic beast that hadn''t either slipped through the gates or fled far away.

    Blood flowed from the sky like a river as a great battlemenced. The demonic beasts stopped their struggle against each other and concentrated on defending against the neers.

    Duncan could vaguely identify Heavenly Demon Sect uniforms in the sky. He figured that his sect was also alerted by themotion and they were also participating in the struggle to enter. Duncan was a little confused as to how his sect was able toe here so soon after the restriction opening considering their location was deep in the Grasnds.

    By now, the gates were almostpletely open. The demonic beasts decided it was a waste to fight to the death and en masse escaped into the gates causing the figures in Heavenly Demon Sect clothing to follow after them.

    The area in front of the gates became empty in a short time with all the powerful demonic beasts and strong cultivators from Duncan''s sect entering the gates one after the other. The area became rtively peaceful atst.

    Even though no one was in front of the gates, the weaker demonic beasts were still scared off. They didn''t want to stick their heads out and get killed. So, they hid in the vicinity and waited for someone else to make a move.

    Duncan was a little tempted to make a move himself. But, he felt that his strength was too weak to actually enter that ce. After all, the people and beasts who have entered so far were incredibly powerful. Even the slightly weaker demonic beasts were waiting in the vicinity and not daring to enter now.

    "Junior brother," a shout from behind caused Duncan to turn and look at his senior brother who was approaching him in a leisurely manner.

    Seeing this senior brother of his, Duncan had the urge to throw a punch. But, he restrained his emotions and greeted him back.

    "Senior brother."

    "Good, I thought you would punch me the moment you saw me," Foodie Chen chuckled jovially. "It is good to have control over your emotions. As for the matter regarding the prank, I apologize. I didn''t know that you didn''t know the way to the sect."

    "It''s alright, senior brother. I know I deserved that. My only gripe is that you left me so far away from the sect. But, I also understand your motive. If you hadn''t left me in the outer region, I would find it hard to survive," Duncan said with a small smile.

    Duncan''s words caused Foodie Chen''s eyes to twitch.

    "Junior brother, you merely slept for a single day. Do you think that with my strength, I will be able to traverse the entirety of Grasnds and leave you in the outer regions and head back to the sect in a single day?" Foodie Chen asked gritting his teeth.

    "But thenˇ­"

    "Even with my strength, it will take me more than a week of nonstop travel to reach the outer regions. The region you are in is the periphery of the sect. That is the reason that the demonic beasts here are weak. Our sect regrly takes care of strong beasts in this region, leaving only the weak demonic beasts as a tempering ground for outer disciples."

    "If you had turned back instead of heading away from the sect, and traveled for half a day from the spot I left you in, you would have reached the sect easily. The path back didn''t have many demonic beasts," Foodie Chen said with a mocking smile causing Duncan to be embarrassed.

    "Because of your wandering, I had to endure the anger of your master and almost got killed. Now, tell me, what should I do with you?" Foodie Chen asked a little reproachfully causing Duncan to look at the ground sheepishly.

    "I am sorry, senior brother. I didn''t do it intentionally. I didn''t know where I was," Duncan said scratching his head.

    "That is the only reason I am not teaching you a lesson," Foodie Chen harrumphed and looked ahead. "Looks like your luck is good, junior brother. Your first venture out of the sect, and you have already stumbled upon a Grotto Heaven opening."

    "Grotto Heaven?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Yes," Foodie Chen grunted and took out his wine gourd. He took arge sip and answered Duncan calmly. "ces like this are called Grotto Heavens. A Grotto Heaven is the dwelling of a powerful cultivator where they enter seclusion to break through. Normally, when the cultivator breaks through, they will leave a few opportunities in the region behind and leave the ce."

    "Why would they do that?" Duncan asked in confusion.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Karma," Foodie Chen answered simply. "Cultivation is the act of going against heaven''s will. The heaven''s will doesn''t look favorably on cultivators in general. It doesn''t want immortals appearing. That is the reason you encounter heavenly tribtions when your breakthrough higher cultivation realms."

    "So, in an effort to lower the strength of these heavenly tribtions, cultivators usually cultivate good karma whenever they could. If you have good karma, the heavens will be slightly appeased and lower the power level of your heavenly tribtions. So, it is amon practice to leave behind a few opportunities for juniors after breaking through to a higher realm."

    "I have a doubt," Duncan asked a little hesitantly. "If the heavens generally look down on cultivators, wouldn''t it be better to leave behind opportunities for mortals instead of us?"

    "Good question," Foodie Chen sipped his wine and answered, "There is a reason for that as well. You can''t simply give away opportunities. It isn''t as effective as leaving behind a testing ground and rewarding the winner. The heavens have their own rules. If you grant an opportunity to someone like that, you are merely enabling more people to go against the heavens."

    "But, if there is a test and someone passes it, heavens look at it like you imparting knowledge. That way you can circumvent heaven''s will. Moreover, cultivators in general are not generous people and they have their own egos," Foodie Chen said with a small smile.

    "So, they want only the best to obtain what they leave behind. Thus, the chance of a mortal obtaining the reward is pitifully low. Hence, it became and of opportunities for cultivators like us," Foodie Chen said chuckling a bit.

    "What''s to stop from a cultivator increasing the difficulty of the tests if that was the case? They can make the tests so hard to pass, that no one will be able to obtain something right?" Duncan asked.

    "True, some cultivators indeed do that. But, the general idea is to leave behind opportunities and cultivate good karma. Take this Grotto Heaven for example, if you enter and obtain a technique from there. You practice it diligently and one day use it to y a bunch of bandits preying on mortals," Foodie Chen said casually.

    "From the good karma you achieved there, a small amount will be given to the cultivator who created this Grotto Heaven. In the grand scheme of things, it will be a mere trifle."

    "But, you won''t be the only one who will get something in there and those bandits won''t be the only people who you will y with your technique. Over time, it will be a substantial amount of karma to the person who left behind this Grotto Heaven."

    "That is the idea behind leaving such things. You will stealthily umte karma in small amounts so that you won''t draw the heavens'' notice. If you increase the difficulty to an unbearable level, then there is no use in leaving something behind, is there?"

    "I understand," Duncan nodded getting a clear picture now.

    As they both stood in silence and watched the gates, Duncan took out his blood wine and started drinking along with Foodie Chen. Foodie Chen noticed the unusual smell wafting off the wine, but didn''t raise any questions regarding it.

    "Senior brother, why aren''t you heading over?" Duncan asked after some time.

    "I don''t have a death wish," Foodie Chen snorted. "That Grotto Heaven over there isn''t simple. Did you see the formation markings that appeared while the Grotto Heaven opened?"

    Duncan nodded in reply.

    "That indicates that this Grotto Heaven is probably from the past era. Grotto Heavens from that time are incredibly dangerous to explore. When a Grotto Heaven is created, the cultivator will seal the space in the region and trap everything in the region inside the sealed space," Foodie Chen said calmly.

    "This is done not to let the spiritual energy that umted flow away. Have you noticed that when you break through the spiritual energy beside you will be a little richer?" Foodie Chen asked causing Duncan to nod.

    ? "Imagine someone hundreds of times more powerful than you breaking through. The spiritual energy that will gather in that region will be really vast. Now, imagine all this spiritual energy trapped in a small space for a thousand years or millennia. This spiritual energy will grow and make that ce a paradise for cultivation."

    "All the little beasts in that region would have be terrifying demonic beasts by now. Even the nts in that region would have obtained sentience. People like you and me will only be walking to our death if we go in there now," Foodie Chen poured cold water on Duncan''s head.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 118 Forced To Enter

    "In that case, why are these demonic beasts intent on going there? Even some of our sect disciples rushed over," Duncan asked confused.

    "In cultivation world, danger always apanies opportunities. You are only thinking about demonic beasts and nts that gained sentience. What about the fruits that are born in a region that is covered in such rich spiritual energy? What about the herbs that are growing there? Wouldn''t they all have matured and mutated into spirit herbs and spirit fruits?" Foodie Chen asked sarcastically.

    "In that case, there will be a lot of herbs over 100 years or even a thousand years in there," Duncan said as he realized the crux of the issue. "No wonder those beasts fought over who entered first. The beast that entered first will have arge variety of options to choose from."

    Duncan''s heart started beating faster as he realized how incredible this opportunity was. If he could get his hands on two or more 100-year-old herbs, then his cultivation will increase drastically. The medicinal properties and spiritual power in them would aid him greatly.

    "You will only die if you only think about it that way," Foodie Chen snorted causing Duncan to look at him suspiciously. "Don''t look at me like that, when is a spirit herb or spirit fruit not apanied by a guarding spirit beast? Sometimes, even demonic beasts take to guarding a particr herb that will help them advance when they are not yet mature enough."

    "The situation there isn''t different from what is out there. So, right now, there will be a ferocious fight going on inside there for the top spirit herbs and spirit fruits. Things are never simple in the cultivation world. Before looking for opportunities, look for dangers apanying them. You will survive longer that way," Foodie Chen advised seriously.

    "Thank you, senior brother," Duncan bowed gratefully as he knew what his senior brother said was right. "I will keep your advice in my mind."

    "I kinda like you," Foodie Chen chuckled. "Otherwise, I wouldn''t waste so much saliva on you. No one has ever scammed food from me like you did. So, consider this my reward."

    "Thank you," Duncan''s eyes twitched slightly.

    "You can call me Senior Brother Chen. My name is Chen Wangjie," Foodie Chen said magnanimously.

    "This junior''s name is Duncan, senior brother," Duncan introduced himself.

    "I know, your master was kind enough to remind me several times," Foodie Chen said with a fake smile causing Duncan to cough awkwardly.

    Silence ensued the duo as they both stood there drinking wine and watching the gates closely. There was no moment for a long time before one of the bolder demonic beasts moved slowly towards the gates. Seeing it move, several demonic beasts in the surroundings started moving as well.

    "I don''t know why these beasts are going there. I understand the temptation is huge, but aren''t they seeking their own death by doing this?" Duncan asked confusedly.

    "Not exactly," Foodie Chen said chugging his wine. "What is actually happening is these beasts are allowing some time for stronger existences to head a little deep inside the Grotto Heaven. Once the stronger beasts are no longer in the vicinity of the gates, these beasts will go over as well."

    "Hmmm, but why? If all the spirit herbs or spirit fruits are already harvested by the stronger demonic beasts and the disciples who came from our sect, isn''t it just a waste of time?" Duncan asked.

    "Simple, the kind of herbs that will be useful for me won''t be useful for the disciples that went in earlier. Our power levels are different. They will only look at spirit herbs above 1000 years old. On the other hand, spirit herbs that are not yet 1000 years but above 100 years will be very useful to me," Foodie Chen exined calmly.

    "In that case, what about this spirit fruit senior brother?" Duncan asked taking out the spirit fruit he had palmed from Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦.

    Foodie Chen squinted his eyes and sniffed a little.

    "No wonder those monkeys were alwaysing after your bag," Foodie Chen chuckled causing Duncan to be stunned a little. "This spirit fruit is called Daylight Fragrance Fruit. This fruit emits a unique aroma when it is daytime. It will draw spirit beasts of Level 2 and below to your location."

    Duncan''s face turned pale as he realized that this spirit fruit could possibly have led him to his death. If a situation like with the monkeys happened with Level 2 beasts, he would be done for.

    Duncan also realized that Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦ must have known about this. Duncan had indeed been a little surprised when she didn''t evenment on him palming this spirit fruit. He thought that she felt it was too petty toment and left it at that. But, who knew that this spirit fruit had such a hidden danger?

    That insidious woman must have known the effects of the fruit in daylight and had not warned him at all. She most probably wanted Duncan to be hunted down by demonic beasts.

    And that was the thing that actually happened as well. He had been hounded by demonic beasts all through the day. This spirit fruit was most likely the culprit behind that.

    "If I were you, I would consume it soon. Because, when daylight arrives, this spirit fruit will attract a lot of Level 2 beasts in this region towards you. Then, you can only run for your life," Foodie Chen said casually not paying much attention to it.

    Duncan thought what his senior brother said was indeed right. He didn''t want to experience another day like the one he did yesterday. Apart from the few minutes when he broke through in his martial arts, the entire day had been miserable.

    And this time, it will be Level 2 beasts that will being after him. Duncan had already experienced the terror of a Level 2 beast in the form of that demonic snake. He wouldn''t live past the day if he held onto this fruit one more day.

    But, the spirit energy in this fruit was a bit too much for him to consume directly. Duncan didn''t know if using it to create blood wine will cause some other problems. He didn''t want to experiment with his life on the line. Suddenly a thought shed in his mind and his smile brightened.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Senior brother, is this fruit valuable to you?" Duncan asked with a bright smile.

    "Not much, I am at the peak of Spirit Sea realm. This fruit isn''t valuable to me at all," Foodie Chen said mercilessly. "Why don''t you consume it yourself?"

    "I am afraid, I will be unable to handle the energy in this. Can senior brother help me with this issue? Can you trade a gourd of wine for this fruit?" Duncan asked revealing his true motive.

    "Hmmph, you really are audacious. You want to scam another gourd of Jade Jasmine Wine for this measly spirit fruit. Dream on, I have not settled ount with you for scamming my first gourd, you have designs on getting more from me, eh? You really are bold, junior brother," Foodie Chen snorted angrily.

    "Umˇ­ is your wine really expensive?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "The Jade Jasmine Wine is made up of high-grade spirit fruits. One gourd of this wine is practically equal to that of fifteen of those spirit fruits in your hand," Foodie Chen sneered.

    Duncan felt his heart throb hearing his senior brother''s words. Even though the wine that was gifted to him by the senior brother who dies earlier was potent enough, its taste couldn''t match the wine he had scammed first. So, Duncan had always been looking for an opportunity to scam more from this senior brother of his ever since heid eyes on him again.

    However, the reality looked like it didn''t favor him much. This senior brother was being a little cautious of him and it would be hard to scam anything further from him.

    "Senior brother, show this junior brother a path of life," Duncan asked humbly realizing that he couldn''t scam any more wine out of this senior brother.

    "Simple, either throw away the spirit fruit or enter those gates before daylight. In there, the fragrance of this measly spirit fruit wouldn''t do much among the multitudes of herbs and spirit fruits," Foodie Chen enjoyed watching this junior brother of his bash his head a bit.

    "So, are we entering there, senior brother?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "We? Even if I enter what makes you think I will bring you along?" Foodie Chen asked snidely.

    "Ummmˇ­ we are fellow disciples from the same sectˇ­ I could probablyˇ­" Duncan dragged a little with a sheepish smile.

    "You thought you could tag along with me and gain something, huh? Junior brother, you really are a sly one. Don''t worry, we will enter, but just not now," Foodie Chen said looking ahead.

    "Right now, demonic beasts at Level 4 are entering the gates. If we go in now, we will be attacked by them and will probably die a miserable death. Let''s wait until the end of the next batch, I will bring you in. After that, it is up to your luck," Foodie Chen said as his joking demeanor vanished.

    "Wouldn''t you be beside me, senior brother?" Duncan asked hastily.

    "Even if I want to, I can''t. There will be a space restriction in these types of relics from the past era. Once we enter, we will be separated. Everyone who enters will be sent to different ces. Unless you have insight into space, you won''t be able to control where you are sent to," Foodie Chen said seriously.

    "If your luck is good, then you will be sent to a safe area. If not, you will be transported in between two demonic beasts fighting. Pray that your luck will be good enough," Foodie Chen said causing Duncan to gulp in fear.

    "In that case, I better stay out here senior brother," Duncan said hastily.

    "You have no choice but toe in with me," Foodie Chen said nonchntly. "This region is surrounded by Level 2 demonic beasts. The moment I leave, you will be attacked by them en masse. It would have been a possibility if you haven''t taken out that fruit. But now, it is a surety."

    Duncan''s face ckened upon hearing that statement.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 119 A Plan That Spans Centuries

    "Don''t be so glum, it is not all bad," Foodie Chen assuaged seeing Duncan''s expression. "Once you get transported inside, you can find a ce and hide. Cultivating in there is ten times more effective than cultivating out here."

    "In six months, everyone inside there apart from the fated one will be sent out automatically. I will help you escape when that timees. Who knows, you might have enough power to escape on your own after cultivating in there for six months."

    Duncan felt that six months was too long to be stuck in there with demonic beasts and cultivators far more powerful than him. It looked like his only option was to find a hidden ce and cultivate in peace.

    "Senior brother, will Level 1 beasts also enter?" Duncan asked hoping that was the case.

    "No, Level 1 beasts will not enter easily unless they are desperate. Even Level 2 beasts below the middle stage will hesitate to enter," Foodie Chen said nonchntly. "It would mean that you will be the weakest existence in there. So, it will be easy for you. Anyone youe across will probably be stronger and all you need to do is run away."

    Duncan heard that and felt a little dejected.

    He was hoping that Level 1 beasts will also enter so that he could find a few and increase his cultivation by ughtering them. But now, it looked like he will have to work very hard to increase his cultivation in there.

    Duncan didn''t fault his senior brother for not knowing that his cultivation technique required him to engage in ughter to advance. The suggestion he gave was the best one from his standpoint. However, things were different for him.

    "Senior brother, why don''t you clear a path for me and allow me to escape from here now? I will head back to the sect and await your arrival?" Duncan asked casually.

    "If I make a move now, I will be attacked by every Level 2 beast in the vicinity. Level 3 beasts may join in as well," Foodie Chen said not even deigning to look in Duncan''s direction. "There is a fragile peace established now, if I break it, this region will be like the area in front of the gates before the gates werepletely opened."

    Duncan remembered the massacre that urred in front of the gates and shuddered. He knew that any stray attack might kill him if such a melee urred. So, he came to terms with his situation and kept quiet.

    Foodie Chen watched Duncan sulk from the corner of his eyes and felt a little bit of pity. As much as he wanted to send this junior brother away, he had his mission. Compared to Blood Blossom Fruit, letting his junior brother suffer for a bit was only a small trade. So, he didn''t say anything more.

    He didn''t know how the Vice-Sect Master knew that a Grotto Heaven will be opening in this region soon. His mission was to send this junior brother into the Grotto Heaven safe and sound.

    As for what happened afterward, it wasn''t his responsibility.

    *****

    Meanwhile, some distance away from the entrance to the Grotto Heaven, the Sect Master of Heavenly Demon Sect stood calmly and watched into the horizon with his sharp gaze.

    "Sect Master, our Golden Core disciples have been sent over to retrieve the treasures inside the Grotto Heaven. Strict instructions have been given to not enter the main hall," Liang Tianye said walking up to him.

    "Good, then everything is in order. This is the sixth and final Grotto Heaven situated in the Seven Primes Hexagon Formation that is suppressing the Aghori Path in this world. In six months, this Grotto Heaven''s restrictions will lift. Within next year, the Aghori Path will start to appear," the Sect Master smiled a bit satisfied.

    "Is that wise, allowing the Aghori Path to descend? Wouldn''t that endanger this world?" Liang Tianye asked a little hesitantly.

    "The Buddhists in the central continent have established a connection with the Buddhist Heavens already. The righteous faction has made contact with the Dao Court already. At this rate, we are the only ones who are left behind. So, it is necessary for us to have a final trump card."

    "In seven years, we need to be ready for whatever wille our way. It had taken us a lot of trouble and centuries of nning to lift these restrictions right under the righteous factions'' noses. If even a single whiff of this n was smelled, the entire world would have descended on us on righteous fury."

    "The reason the Heavenly Demon Sect was founded in this fringe continent instead of in the central continent was exactly the Aghori Path. Our inheritances and foundations aren''t lesser than the top factions of the righteous path. Why did we establish our sect here instead of upying a prime location in the central continent?"

    "This is the exact reason for that. Liang Tianye, don''t tell me that you are getting sentimental about this world. The Liang Tianye I knew would never be so soft-hearted," the Sect Master asked with suspicion.

    "Hmmph," Liang Tianye snorted angrily. "Sect Master, you don''t need to doubt my loyalty. I was merely concerned about the impact of the Aghori Path. The moment it descends, things will change forever in this world. There is a chance for this entire world facing destruction."

    "Simrly, those powers wouldn''t sit idly by seeing Aghori Path descend as well. They wille at us with the intention to wipe us out. I was merely wondering if the risk was worth it. Do you have a n if things spiraled out of our control and we end up losing?"

    "Ha ha haˇ­ This is the Liang Tianye I know. Don''t worry, if the worst happens, we can retreat with our most promising seedlings into the upper world. I have already established our retreat path. I wouldn''t take such a gamble without making proper preparations," the Sect Master said with a slight smirk.

    "Then, I am not worried. I have already grown tired of this world. I would have already ascended if not for this n," Liang Tianye smirked in reply.

    "It has been hard on us. To pose as mere Nascent Soul cultivators and remain in these barrennds despite our strength. But, this is the will of those above us. We need to see this through. The struggles that happen at that level are something we can''t affect yet. Once the Aghori Path descends into this world, our merits will be huge. We will be groomed by the higher-ups and you should know how beneficial it is for us," the Sect Master sent a secretive smile at Liang Tianye.

    "I know," Liang Tianye smirked. "By that way, I wonder if I can bring in another member of the sect into the fold."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I hope it is not that new disciple of yours," Sect Master said warily. "You should know that we need him as a distraction from our true goals."

    "No, it is not him. I never cared for these imbeciles who are my disciples. Frankly, I feel that they are a waste of my time. If not for the appearances that need to be kept up, I wouldn''t even bother to take them in as my disciples," Liang Tianye said a little irritatedly.

    "Then who was it that has moved your heart? Ah! I did hear a rumor that Elder Feng finally managed to obtain her long-cherished goal. Is it her?" the Sect Master asked with a small smile.

    "Indeed," Liang Tianye smirked. "I feel that she has good potential. She can be groomed to serve our faction in a better way."

    "Serve the faction or serve you?" the Sect Masterughed.

    "Is there a difference?" Liang Tianye said cockily.

    "No, no, you can bring her in as someone under your care. Her strength is decent. Whatever you do with her is up to you," the Sect Masterughed jovially. "By the way, we need to tighten the perimeters from now on. We can''t allow the news about Aghori Path to slip out."

    "Even those arrogant idiots who think themselves as the backbone of the sect don''t know the existence of Aghori Path or our true affiliations. What are you worried about?"

    "It is better to be careful. Make it look like we are taking a firmer stance on intruders after the recent debacle with Seven Clouds Sect. Do not allow any intruders into the Grasnds. Those righteous sects will buy that excuse," the Sect Master ordered seriously.

    "I will do that," Liang Tianye nodded.

    "What about the preparations for the other n?" the Sect Master asked.

    "I have already sent someone to escort the brat to the Grotto Heaven. The records are right. ughter Demon Sutra can only be cultivated with enough ughter aura. I left him alone for two weeks. He had basically no progress."

    "But, after sending him to the cannibal cave for a week, he broke through continuously four levels. Currently, he is at the peak of the middle stage of the Qi Gathering realm from the reports I received. Sending him in there will help him increase his cultivation fast."

    "If we are going to use him as a proper distraction, his strength must be at least somewhat decent for them to be truly fooled. So, we need him to increase his cultivation fast," Liang Tianye said in a bored manner.

    "How about giving him some resources?" the Sect Master asked frowning a bit. "I think the time we have left is inadequate to let him grow on his own."

    "We can''t do that," Liang Tianye said shaking his head. "Someone will start to suspect if we piled all our resources on him. Furthermore, we need him to be a distraction. Facing small adversities now will allow him to be the right weapon when required."

    "True, greenhouse flowers can''t survive a storm. Even if he doesn''t survive, we need him to give us enough time," the Sect Master nodded.

    "It looks like things are progressing well. But, to be on the safe side, create a few more ns and let them be implemented. Let those elders in the secte up with some ns and be a general nuisance to those righteous factions. Let them loose and make them cause chaos," the Sect Master said thinking for a bit.

    "That''s doable, as long as the attention of the righteous faction is focused on them, we win," Liang Tianye smirked. "Well, senior brother, I have a fox to tame in my abode. Do you wanna join?"

    "No, carry on, and make sure she ispletely tamed before bringing her into the n. I don''t want anyst-minute surprises," the Sect Master warned sternly.

    Liang Tianye''s face turned dignified upon hearing that and nodded solemnly.

    "Don''t worry, I know my priorities," Liang Tianye said seriously.

    "Good, let''s hope everything goes right," the Sect Master murmured looking into the distance at the Grotto Heaven that was visible.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 120 Entering The Grotto Heaven

    Time passed fast, and the time for Duncan and Foodie Chen to enter the Grotto Heaven arrived.

    Currently, thest stragglers of Level 3 demonic beasts were going through the gate. By logic, Duncan and Foodie Chen must wait a few moments and then only approach the gates. But, it looked like Foodie Chen''s patience had run out at this moment.

    "Junior brother, let''s go," Foodie Chen grunted and started walking towards the gates with Duncan in tow.

    Several growls started emanating from the surroundings causing Duncan''s scalps to tingle. When the demonic beasts sensed Duncan''s strength, they were dissatisfied with Foodie Chen''s actions.

    A demonic eagle which was stronger than average demonic beasts present in the vicinity screeched in outrage and swooped in from distance aiming for Duncan. When Duncan felt the demonic beast''s baleful aura lock on to him, he felt his legs stiffen from the pressure.

    The pressure onlysted for a moment before Foodie Chen unleashed a punch at the approaching demonic eagle. Duncan saw an image of a bull form atop his senior brother''s fist and fly directly toward the demonic eagle.

    The demonic eagle screeched and unleashed an attack with its wings. Several air des formed and shot out from its wings. But, when they met with the bull image unleashed by Foodie Chen''s fist, they crumbled into nothingness. The bull image didn''t even pause beforending heavily on the demonic eagle.

    "Impudent beast, you haven''t even gleaned your own concept you want to challenge me, hum," Foodie Chen snorted and walked as if it wasn''t a big thing at all.

    Duncan watched idly as the demonic eagle was sent flying into the distance. It was clear to Duncan that if his senior brother wanted, he could have killed the beast with a single punch.

    However, considering the fact that they were in the midst of several disgruntled demonic beasts, it was better he didn''t kill the demonic eagle. The volume of growls lessened after that incident causing Duncan to walk freely behind Foodie Chen.

    They reached the gates with no other challengesing their way. Duncan turned to look and found a few demonic beasts following them from a distance. He reckoned they would be the next to enter.

    As Duncan stepped below the gates, he could feel dense spiritual energy wafting from the area behind the gates. He felt a strange power pressing down on them. The power wasn''t overbearing like the pressure from a strong cultivator. It was trying to epass them both without being intrusive.

    "Don''t fight it," Foodie Chen reminded. "It is the transportation restriction enveloping you. If you fight, you will only suffer. Let it do its job. Remember to stay safe once you are transported after you step in. You are on your own out there. Even if you hide and cultivate, the dense spiritual energy will help you progress faster. Use this six months wisely."

    "Thank you, senior brother," Duncan said nodding along.

    "Don''t bother. Just be safe. Remember, you are on your own. And don''t trust even our own sect disciples in there," Foodie Chen said seriously as they stepped past the gates.

    Before Duncan could ask what he meant, he felt his surroundings blur. The strange pressure that has been enveloping him suddenly felt tangible. He could feel it hold his body tightly causing his instincts to act up and struggle.

    The more he struggled the tighter the restriction around him became. Before he could panic or do something, he felt the power fade away and the surroundingse into focus once more.

    Duncan heaved a deep breath and looked around to find thend he was standing upon didn''t look like what he saw behind the gates at all. As he looked around frantically, he saw his senior brother was no longer with him.

    He was currently atop a small hill. Large trees that looked as if they would require three men to encircle the trunk were present sparsely on the hill. The terrain was a little rocky, with a lot of gravel mixed in it, and the breeze that caressed his face was a little stiff.

    Duncan was amazed by the change in location within a split second. He looked up and found no sun or moon present in the sky. It was coveredpletely with clouds making it hard for him to see through.

    "Is this the effect of transportation formation senior brother told me about?" Duncan mumbled uncertainly looking at his surroundings in wonder. "This ce lookspletely different. And I didn''t even feel that I was being transported. There was only a small tightening of the restriction around my body. This is amazing," Duncan mumbled.

    Duncan bent down and touched the gravel in his hands and felt it carefully. He sniffed it a little and let it flow through his hand and watched it scatter in the wind slightly.

    "Everything here is real. If this is an illusion, then it is above my level. I feel this ispletely real," Duncan said shaking his head. "I guess, senior brother was right. I was transported to a random location in the Grotto Heaven. I better find a ce toy low now."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan stood up and surveyed the surroundings. As this was a hill region, Duncan had confidence in finding a good spot toy low. It would be good if he could improve his cultivation a bit before venturing out.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan felt the dense spiritual energy rushing through his body. The spiritual energy was thrice that of what he had felt in the wilderness near his sect. It was twice that of the spiritual energy concentrated in his sect.

    He could feel his cultivation technique begin to operate automatically as it sucked in this dense spiritual energy and replenished what he had wasted earlier. Duncan could feel that his qi would be restored back to its peak within an hour at this rate.

    "Good, I don''t need to worry about the consumption of my qi while using my techniques here. With this refill rate, I think I can continuously use my <Wind Chasing Steps> and explore this area," Duncan mumbled to himself a bit happily.

    As for hiding in a ce and cultivating as his senior brother advised, Duncan threw that to the back of his head after feeling the dense spiritual energy in this ce. He knew that even without trying, his cultivation would begin to increase and he could break through the Qi Gathering realm within a few months.

    But, for that to happen, he needed to collect some ughter qi as well. If not, he would never be able to progress to the next level. Currently, he was at the seventh level of the Qi Condensation realm. It wouldn''t be a problem to reach the peak of this level with the dense spiritual energy present here.

    But, if he wanted to advance, then he must engage in a battle and try to draw in some ughter qi. If not, he could only feel stuck at the peak of this level.

    Also, Duncan''s heart started throbbing looking at the surrounding regions. He felt the wanderlust created by his new goal activate and he wanted to explore this region that has been sealed for millennia.

    Duncan didn''t care about the spirit herbs or spirit fruits that were supposed to be abundant in this region. No, what he cared about was the untread paths and millennia of dust that has been umted here. It was something he wanted to unveil with his own legs and eyes.

    So, regardless of the reasons, he couldn''t stay put and cultivate. Whether it be for safety, for cultivation, or to scratch the new itch in his heart, Duncan felt that it was better to stretch his legs a bit and see what this region has to offer.

    With a bright smile on his face, Duncan secured his bag and checked his sword onest time before using <Wind Chasing Steps> and vanishing from the spot.

    Soon Duncan''s figure blurred through the hillside and he started exploring this region. He didn''t use his full pace as it would mean he wasn''t appreciating what was around him at any moment. He merely moderated his speed and made sure that he didn''t miss anything while walking past.

    After grasping the concept of speed in the <Wind Chasing Steps>, Duncan''s mastery of the technique had reached a new peak. He could effortlessly control his own pace and travel at what kind of speed he wanted.

    Duncan fixed his gaze on arge hilltop, which looked as if the highest peak in this region, and started making his way over there. There were dozens of hills between his spot and therge hill in this range giving Duncan enough time to get assimted to the region.

    As he made his way, Duncan idly noted down a few hiding spots he came across in the hills that he crossed over. In case he needed to make a hasty getaway, these spots coulde in handy. Even while traveling, Duncan opted to keep his feet on the ground. The lesson he had learnedst time courtesy of that demonic snake was enough for him to not to be so brazen.

    Duncan traveled for about two hours and arrived at the foot of his destination. Looking up, Duncan saw something shiny glinting halfway up the mountain. Seeing that, Duncan''s heart throbbed. He wanted to check out what that glint was.

    With arge smile, Duncan increased his pace hoping to reach the spot soon.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 121 Strange Steps

    Duncan made good time and within fifteen minutes he neared the region where the glint came from.

    Duncan slowed his pace as he neared the region. He remembered his senior brother''s words about looking for dangers apanying an opportunity before seeking the opportunity. He didn''t want to end up dead because he rushed in like an idiot.

    After making sure that there was no danger in the vicinity, Duncan stepped out of the shadows and approached the region where the glint was emitting from. Going through a couple of trees, Duncan''s eyes saw arge archway with paved steps leading upwards to the hilltop.

    Duncan was a little intrigued by this setup. He closely examined the archway and found various depictions of strange beasts that looked like hybrids of known beasts present. After checking it for a bit, Duncan acted on an insane thought and tried to insert some of his qi into the archway.

    Duncan put his hand on the archway and channeled some qi into it. The moment Duncan''s qi entered the archway, the archway thrummed in response. Before Duncan could take away his hands, arge amount of his qi was sucked in by the archway.

    Duncan was left gasping and feeling weak when the archway was done. The next moment, the steps leading to the hilltop started emitting strange light. The light eventually dimmed and a section of the steps remained lit. The other ces turned dull and remained normal.

    Duncan was a little intrigued by these lit-up sections of steps. But, his experience with the archway made him a little warier. Before this, Duncan was like a newborn calf, fearing nothing. But after suffering a little, he remembered where he was and decided to curb his erratic thoughts a bit.

    Duncan picked up a twig from the wayside and threw it upon the lit section. The moment the twig crossed the lit-up area, the twig was violently pulled down and mmed into the steps. The next moment, the twig snapped in two causing Duncan''s eyes to twitch.

    Duncan felt that he was a little lucky that he didn''t test it out with his body. Thinking a little, he picked up another twig and threw it over the normal section. The twig flew and ttered on the steps normally causing Duncan''s eyebrows to raise in surprise.

    It was clear that whatever was happening only urred in the lit-up section. He could traverse the normal section easily. But, the lit-up session had some kind of phenomena that he wasn''t aware of.

    As much as Duncan wanted to y it safe and traverse the normal section, his curiosity couldn''t help but be piqued by the lit-up section. Duncan felt that this archway and steps weren''t simple and they had some use.

    The reason he felt that the archway wasn''t simple because, the archway had sucked in his qi and used it to light up a section of each step. If he could squint a bit, he can clearly see some squiggles etched on the steps. While they looked eroded with time, their function looked to be fine.

    Scratching his jaws, Duncan tested out the lit-up section with a few more twigs. The same phenomena happened over and over. Duncan even threw a twig into the distance to see if there was any change in the function farther. The result was the same.

    Having concluded that no more nasty surprises waited for him farther up the steps, Duncan then tested the normal steps. He found it no different than walking on steps anywhere else.

    Duncan looked at the lit-up section seriously for a long time before deciding to give it a try as well.

    Duncan steeled his heart and put one leg in the lit-up section. Nothing urred causing Duncan to be a bit confused. Scratching his head, Duncan put his other leg on the lit-up section as well and stood on the step. He didn''t feel any change. This caused him to be a bit confused.

    Duncan looked down andter up, to see if the section was still lit and found them lit as it was earlier. Turning around and searching for any indication that something was wrong, Duncan found no clue. In the end, he shrugged and started walking up via the lit-up section.

    The first few steps were fine. Duncan didn''t feel any different. However, when Duncan was taking the ninth step, he felt a small pressure on his body causing him to frown a bit.

    This pressure was nothing. It was like someone was pressing down on his shoulders. Duncan shrugged that off and continued. When he reached the seventeenth step, Duncan felt a sharp increase in pressure once more.

    This time, it felt like someone was applying a little pressure to have him sit down. Duncan shrugged this off as well and continued. When he reached the twenty-fifth step, the pressure once more increased.

    Only then did Duncan realize that the pressure has been growing minutely with each step. However, the increase in pressure was so slow and gradual that Duncan''s body automatically adopted not giving any indication.

    However, after every eight steps, there is a sharp increase in pressure. That was the time someone would feel a bit different. Having figured out the mechanism, Duncan understood that this was a test of some sort.

    Duncan was ted to know that. From what his senior brother said, these tests will have rewards at the end if he passed. Duncan was curious to see if he had a chance in passing this test. The best part was that anytime he felt unable to bear the pressure, he could step sideways and enter the normal region making it easier for him to escape.

    With a bright smile, Duncan continued to walk upwards. By the time he reached the eightieth step, Duncan was beginning to realize that the increase in pressure with each step was getting harder to bear.

    However, he wasn''t at the end of his rope yet. So, Duncan decided to continue further. After all, he could already see the end of the archway ahead. There were only about forty more steps left. The biggest reason for Duncan''s confidence was that he had yet to use his cultivation to resist this pressure.<novelnext></novelnext>

    So far, Duncan had been bearing the pressure with his physical body alone. So, Duncan felt that he could pass this test easily if he could unleash his cultivation to bear the pressure.

    However, the reality gave a huge blow to Duncan''s thoughts in the next step.

    The moment Duncan stepped foot on the eighty-first step, immense pressure assaulted him. It felt like someone strong was forcefully pressing him down to kneel. Duncan realized that this was the beginning of the next set of eight and the pressure would increase drastically at this moment.

    Duncan decided to unleash his cultivation and bear the pressure. The next moment, Duncan''s eyes bulged in astonishment as he could not unleash his cultivation at all. He could feel that his cultivation wasn''t gone. He could feel it deep within him, But, he couldn''t just unleash it.

    Duncan felt that there was a restriction on his body causing his cultivation to be sealed. He didn''t know when it appeared. But, he figured it was there from the moment he stepped foot in the lit-up area. As only that would make sense.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan pushed himself straight and ced his other leg on the eighty-first step as well. Duncan''s body endured the pressure as he struggled to stand straight.

    For a moment, Duncan thought about giving up by stepping to the right and ending his torment. But, he looked up to see the remaining forty or so steps and the end in his sight.

    Closing his eyes, Duncan decided to see how far he could go.

    Duncan opened his eyes, let out a small shout, and took a step forward. The pressure increased slightly. Hunching his shoulders and gritting his teeth, Duncan started ascending the steps slowly.

    Until now, it felt like a leisurely stroll for Duncan. However, right now, he felt like walking through mud. However, Duncan felt that he could walk a bit more. So, he slowly ascended the steps, one foot in front of the other.

    When the next checkpoint came, Duncan almost got down on his knees. This made Duncan a little angry. Roaring at the sky, Duncan pushed against the pressure with all his might and straightened his body.

    Slowly, he took one step after the other. The increase in pressure felt drastic with each step he ascended. Duncan wondered why each step now had a tremendous increase in pressure. But, deep down, he knew that the pressure was just increasing gradually and it was his body that could not withstand the pressure.

    Duncan''s posture was no longer straight. His shoulders have turned inward and his body had contorted a little to better withstand the pressure. His back was no longer straight. And his legs were bent at the knees as well.

    However, Duncan didn''t pay attention to any of this. He just wanted to ascend as many steps as possible and see how far he could go. He wanted to at leastplete three-fourths of the way before he gave up.

    But the reality was brutal.

    When the next checkpoint came up, Duncan''s leg buckled and hended hard on his knee. The pressure on his back was so huge that he almost felt suffocated. Duncan wanted to escape from the pressure by moving sideways but felt his body was rooted to the spot in the undignified posture he was in.

    Duncan felt shame welling up in him as he grit his teeth. The pressure was pressing him ever downwards as if it wanted to push him down until he prostrated in surrender.

    Duncan could handle being unable to pass this test, but he didn''t want to prostrate and end up shamed like this. With an unwilling roar, Duncan pushed with all his might and rolled sideways.

    The moment Duncan''s body exited the lit-up section, the pressure vanished, allowing him to breathe normally.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 122 Strengthening The Body

    Duncany there on the steps gasping for breath. His cocky confidence was now gone from his face and sweat marred his entire body.

    All in all, Duncan gave off a pitiful sight if there would be any onlookers around the area.

    Duncan''s breathing returned to normal soon. While his entire body was permeated with sweat, there wasn''t any injury on his body. He looked absolutely fine as hey there looking at the cloudy sky.

    While Duncan''s body was fine, his mind was in huge turmoil. Duncan felt absolutely humiliated by his showing on this test. Even when he was kept a virtual prisoner at the Wang n he hadn''t felt this way.

    Duncan realized where this feeling of humiliation emerged from. From a young age, he had always thought that he had a strong body. It was true in a way too. If not, he would not be given work in a spirit stone mine.

    When he received the effects of <Coiling Dragon Sutra> and eventually started cultivating, this feeling has only grown stronger. Even when he was a mortal, his physical strength had been on par with a first-level Qi Gathering realm cultivator.

    The thing that helped him save his pride in the Wang n was his body. But today, that belief had been broken brutally. However, a small sliver of hope remained in Duncan''s heart.

    Wasting no time, he ran up the stairs as fast as he could through the normal section and came to the top. As he expected, the steps ended after a while and arge tform was there. Duncan saw another archway and another set of steps leading away from the tform.

    But, what grabbed Duncan''s attention was therge stele present in the center of the tform. Duncan walked towards it and saw some words written on it. Duncan read them slowly and the small sliver of hope in his heart vanished causing Duncan to chuckle mirthlessly.

    From what was written, Duncan could understand the purpose of the archway and the steps. The archway is used to determine a person''s cultivation. The steps were used to test the body of a person.

    After the archway determines the cultivation level of the person, it would adjust the pressure on the steps in regard to their cultivation realm. So, what Duncan experienced was the pressure rted to the Qi Gathering realm.

    Below that description, there were a set of measurements listed. When Duncanpared his results, he couldn''t help but chuckle at his thoughts.

    Below 80 steps ¨C Trash.

    80 to 100 steps ¨C Below Average.

    101 to 112 steps ¨C Average.

    113 to 120 steps ¨C Above Average.

    121 to 125 steps ¨C Strong.

    126 and 127 steps ¨C Very Strong.

    128 steps ¨C Exceptionally Strong.

    Duncan''s result was 96 steps. It was ssified as below average by the test. To Duncan, who had always thought he had a strong physical body, an estimation like that was a huge blow to his mind.

    Duncan could have epted being average at the minimum. But, being estimated below average stung his pride a bit. He felt like raging at the test, but he also realized that this was an impartial assessment.

    There was no one to enforce the assessment or prevent people from deceiving themselves. The test was purely performed by the person himself. The only thing the archway and steps did was adjust the pressure ording to the level of cultivation. And even they were standardized for everyone.

    Duncan knew that raging at the test was stupid and counterproductive. What he needed to do was sit down and reflect. That was the only way for him to progress.

    Taking out his blood wine, Duncan walked down the steps and sat at the bottom. He started thinking about what the test said about himself. It was undeniable that his body had been ssified as below average.

    By all logic, he should have at least gotten an average evaluation. Why was the evaluation different? After all, before beginning cultivation, Duncan already had the physical strength of a first-level Qi Gathering realm cultivator.

    By mortal standards, his body had been exceptionally strong. In that case, the problem only arose after he started cultivation. When Duncan came to this conclusion, a sudden realization came to his mind.

    Duncan had stopped exercising his body once he started cultivation. The feeling that cultivation gave him was rxing and soothing. On the other hand, increasing the strength of his body was an arduous process. It was only natural he forgot about the efforts needed to be put into having a strong body after he started cultivating.

    Moreover, cultivating qi increased his strength severalfold. With each advancement, the power that Duncan could bring out increased drastically. Furthermore, he had seen impurities in his body be cleaned out while breaking through.

    This created a misconception in Duncan''s mind. Duncan had mistakenly identified his internal strength rising as his body strength rising as well. He knew many cultivators didn''t even care about their body strength due to their increase in cultivation.

    Cultivation strength was cultivation strength and body strength was body strength. Confusing this two was what led Duncan to this miserable situation. While his cultivation had increased, his body had only been strengthened slightly.

    Duncan recalled the first sentence written in the stele above. A strong body is a base upon which one''s cultivation was built. It was true. The proof is evident to Duncan. When his cultivation had been sealed, his body strength was the only thing he could rely on in those steps. And the test found his strength wanting.

    Duncan rubbed his chin a little unhappily and started thinking about how to improve his body strength. Duncan didn''t want to cultivate his body like body practitioners. He also didn''t want to let go of his natural advantage over other Qi Cultivators.<novelnext></novelnext>

    What he wanted to do was to increase the strength of his body to at least above average level. Duncan knew he had found what he was going to do for the next few weeks.

    For the next few weeks, he was going to forget everything about cultivating and start to strengthen his body in the way he knew to do as a mortal. While it may not be that effective, even a small increase will help him reach the average evaluation.

    Deciding upon a course of action, Duncan started to search forrge rocks that he could use for exercise and arge area where he could exercise and rest in. He decided to not use his qi at all for the remainder of his stay in the region as well.

    This way, he was back to his old days when he had to work hard to increase his strength. The only problem he could think of was theck of good food. But, looking around the hill, Duncan didn''t think it would be a big problem.

    Any fruit he could forage from here would be countless times better than the average meat in the mortal world. He could also use them to increase the intensity of his exercises. Eating a spirit fruit and running up and down this hill sounded like a good enough exercise routine for Duncan.

    *****

    A weekter, Duncan stood before the archway with a solemn look on his face.

    He had trained like a maniac for a week. After foraging some fruits and finding some rocks, he had gone back to his old days as a young kid ying with other townsfolk.

    Lifting rocks, throwing rocks, and running up and down the hill with a rock on his shoulder. Duncan derived the exercises from the things kids did to be strong when they were younger as games.

    He didn''t have a manual or something to increase his physical strength. So, he used these primitive methods to increase his strength. While a week of exercise wouldn''t normally show any changes, Duncan felt that his body''s ability to adapt to increasing weights has strengthened severalfold after he started cultivating.

    Today, Duncan wanted to test if his efforts had any effect. While he could already see the thin contours of his old muscles once more emerging, Duncan wanted an unbiased opinion on his efforts.

    And the best way to do that was to use these steps to test his body strength.

    After channeling the qi, the steps lit up on a section as usual. Duncan took a deep breath and started walking up the steps calmly. His face didn''t show any emotion as he ascended one step after the other.

    As he already knew the mechanism behind the steps, Duncan was far better prepared this time than he wasst time. His mindset waspletely focused and he didn''t have any stray thoughts in his mind at all.

    With ascending the steps as his singr goal, Duncan marched on. Pretty soon, he crossed 60 steps and he came upon the dividing line of 80 steps. Duncan calmly passed it with no ripple in his heart.

    Last time his thoughts had wavered at this spot after realizing that he couldn''t use his cultivation. This time, he walked ahead stoically. Soon he came upon the checkpoint of the eighty-ninth step.

    His legs wavered a bit from the pressure, but Duncan grit his teeth and steadied his footing. After steadying his posture, Duncan reduced his speed and ascended one step at a time. He allowed enough time for his body to get used to the pressure and walked ahead in a steady manner.

    When he reached the spot where he was dealt a severe blow to his ego, Duncan hesitated slightly. Gritting his teeth, Duncan put his right foot on the ny-seventh step. His knees almost buckled, but Duncan grit his teeth and straightened his legs with an almighty roar that echoed across the hills.

    Duncan nted his feet firmly and brought his other feet over. His body trembled from the pressure and Duncan stabilized it after some time. In the end, he stood atop the ny-seventh step that defeated himst time with a savage smile.

    Slowly, Duncan moved forward. One step at a time.

    Ny-Eight!

    Ny-Nine!

    One Hundred!

    And finallyˇ­

    One Hundred And One!

    The mark of average body strength. Duncan let out a content smile and fell sideways unmindful of the steps.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 123 Challenging The Steps Again

    One monthter, Duncan stood before the archway once more.

    There was a remarkably marked difference in the Duncan who currently stood before the archway. His posture was different, the way his body looked was different, and even the temperament he exuded was different.

    For the past month, Duncan has been training non-stop on the hill. In the morning, Duncan would work on his body with his primitive exercises. He only added more and more weight to his routine. Apart from that, he did exactly the same thing.

    At night, he would meditate and try to cultivate his qi. The rich spiritual energy in the environment aided him greatly and he was currently just shy of reaching the eighth level of the Qi Gathering realm.

    Even when taking rest, Duncan would try to sit and meditate with his sword. He would try to glean more about the elusive concept of cutting with a sword and ponder over his thoughts nonstop.

    He would cut grass and would look carefully over the severed parts and try to glean some insight from them. He would asionally cut a rock and try to glean some insight from the broken parts as well. Like this, he spent even his resting hours meditating on the concept of cutting with a sword.

    He didn''t just stop there. When he was done cultivating during the night, he would sit and ponder over the other basic sword moves and wonder how those can be made into a concept as well.

    As for his movement technique, Duncanrgely ignored it for most of the month. However, in the past week, he has been experimenting with just using his body to perform the concept of chasing the wind. No matter how much he tried, it always ended in failure. Without using qi, Duncan''s body wasn''t strong or agile enough to step into the air and chase the wind.

    The only thing that increased as a result of his experiments was that his speed increased drastically. With the increase of his body strength, the base speed and explosive power his body contained had increased to huge heights.

    Likewise, his body had also undergone a huge change. Even though Duncan had an average body type prior to this month, this month of non-stop exercising has given a toned definition to his body.

    His muscle lines were back and his body was no longer smooth. There were contours of muscles running across his body and Duncan''s abdomen in particr looked as if it was chiseled.

    Duncan actually liked this new body of his very much. Prior to this, he had only considered the unblemished, smooth body type the ideal one for a cultivator. However, after he obtained his current body, Duncan felt that those cultivators werecking something integral.

    His muscles hadn''t bulged out of proportion or his body hadn''t hit any exponential growth. What his body had gone through was streamlining. With no shirt on him, Duncan''s body screamed power and masculinity to anyone who saw him.

    Duncan felt that most cultivators he hade across had a feminine sort of effect on them, even if they are male. He felt that as a male, it was only natural for him to feel a little ufortable seeing those body types.

    The other end of the spectrum was the body cultivators. Their bodies looked bulky and had a dumb brute quality to them when one looks at them the first time. Duncan liked neither of these body types. He preferred his current streamlined body more.

    Not just the body, Duncan''s entire aura had undergone aplete change in this one month. After Duncan started bingfortable in his own skin and liked how his body looked, a strange sense of confidence started budding in his heart.

    To cultivators, this kind of confidence is essential. While this can''t be shown visibly, this immaterial change actually had a profound effect on every cultivator. Itpletely changes the way how a cultivator walks, talks, and behaves. As a result, the perception of the other person who sees the cultivator is also slightly influenced.

    And Duncan''s confidence wasn''t baseless arrogance. It had a root. And as long as this root remained, Duncan''s confidence in him will remain as well. The charm of someone being confident like this was slightly different from the one that a cultivator exudes based on his power.

    This was a subdued kind of aura that had the effect to attract people''s eyes to a person. Moreover, after constant exercise, there is a remarkable difference in Duncan''s posture as well.

    Even when standing casually, Duncan''s back no remained upright. Duncan no longer slouched like he used to. After working for countless hours in a mine, Duncan adopted a slightly slouched posture in his body before this. While it hadn''t been starkly visible earlier, it was still there for keen observers to take note of.

    But now, that slouch was gone.

    Duncan currently stood ramrod straight in front of the archway. He calmly pressed his palms and injected his qi into the archway. The archway did its usual job and Duncan waited calmly for the steps to start glowing.

    Duncan had already set a goal. As long as he reaches it, he would check out what is behind the stele and leave this ce. He had already spent one month in this ce. He felt like exploring other parts of the Grotto Heaven as well.

    A section of the steps lit up and Duncan began to climb the lit-up section calmly. Pretty soon he passed the eightieth step mark and didn''t even frown while stepping on the eighty-first one.

    Duncan''s body stiffened slightly from pressure when he reached the ny-seventh step. But, he walked on as if it didn''t matter. His pace slowed when he reached the hundred and first step. This was the highest he had climbed till date.

    Duncan didn''t stop there either. Even though his pace was now slow, he steadily advanced forward with small grunts and flinches. Duncan reached the one-hundred-and-tenth step and came to aplete stop.

    His legs were trembling, his face was sweaty and his entire body looked stockstill. Only his eyes were staring ahead fiercely. Gritting his teeth, Duncan took one more step.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He felt a mountain of pressure ced on him. He was reminded of the heavy load he had carried while running up and down the hill for the past month. The pressure seemed as if double the biggest weight he had hauled until today.

    Letting out a hoarse yell, Duncan ced the other foot on the one-hundred-and-eleventh step. Duncan remained in that spot for more than fifteen minutes trying to get ustomed to the pressure.

    He can already see his goal in front of him. Just two more steps. He won''t be average anymore. He will be above average once again. Just two more steps and he could leave this ce happily.

    He could already feel that he was close to breaking through to the eighth level. All he needed was a fight to advance. And he will be close to reaching the pinnacle of the Qi Gathering realm.

    But, he didn''t want to leave this ce as an average cultivator. He wanted to step above average and reach the next stage. He knew training for one month isn''t going to make him strong magically. But, he refused to be average when ites to his body.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan moved one more step. The pressure increased tremendously. His knees started bending slightly. Duncan let out a hoarse cry of defiance and ced his other feet on the one-hundred-and-twelfth step.

    Duncan''s body almost buckled. But, he refused to bend. His eyes bulged and his breath became ragged from the pressure, but Duncan just refused to bend. Slowly, his body got ustomed to the pressure on this step and he started straightening his legs.

    Half an hour passed and Duncan stood withstanding the pressure with a small smile on his face. He was currently at the pinnacle of average. And all he needed to be above average was one step.

    The most logical thing to do now was to step away ande back a weekter and challenge the trial again. But, Duncan wanted to prove he was above average today itself.

    Time slowly passed and after a while, Duncan''s feet slowly rose, and stepped on the next step. The step that differentiated average from above average. The step that Duncan had set as his goal. The step that served as the demarcation line between excellence and mediocrity.

    All Duncan had to do was put two feet on that step and withstand the pressure.

    Saying that was easy, but actually aplishing that was very difficult. Duncan understood it intimately at this moment. But, he refused to budge. His eyes turned red and his mouth started bleeding. Yet, Duncan ced his foot firmly on that step.

    Duncan''s whole body trembled as Duncan stood there withstanding the heavy pressure. One leg in excellence and one leg in mediocrity. Itsted for almost an hour and finally, Duncan let out a resounding roar that was filled with all his aspirations and put the other foot forward.

    BOOM!

    Duncan felt as if someone was trying to crush him into paste at that moment. He grit his teeth and endured. The images of Granny Jiao, Bessa, and his townsfolk all shed by. The image of his hardship for the past month appeared in his mind as well.

    All he had to do now was to withstand this pressure for some time. He can''t falter at this moment. Duncan felt unbearable pressure on his body. He could hear his bones letting out anguished sounds. But, he bit his teeth and persisted.

    One moment turned two. Two turned ten. And one whole minute passed. Duncan let out a triumphant smile and started turning his body to the side. Thest two times his exit has been pitiful. This time he was going to walk out on his own two legs.

    It was just two steps. But, to Duncan, it felt like crossing a mountain of des barefoot. Every part of his body ached. Trying to turn his body, or even move a single muscle under this pressure was unimaginable to Duncan. But, he had already aplished his goal. Now, the only thing left was to exit with his dignity.

    It took almost ten minutes, but Duncan managed to withstand the huge pressure and step out of the lit-up section on his own two feet. The moment the pressure vanished, Duncan''s body slumped to the ground.

    He could feel his mouth, ears, and even his eyes bleeding. His skin had cracked in multiple ces and blood was flowing freely. But, he felt content. He felt entirely peaceful at this moment.

    Duncan closed his eyes and rxed on the steps contentedly.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 124 Two More Trials

    When Duncan opened his eyes, it was already night.

    The blood on his body had be dry and sticky. The split skin had caked over and he felt incredibly hungry. But, his face contained a huge smile as he ruffled through his pack and retrieved thest blood wine he had in his possession.

    By logic, Duncan should use this wine to break through to the eighth level of the Qi Gathering realm. But, Duncan didn''t care about anything else at this moment. He opened the gourd and started drinking happily.

    After indulging in his wine for a bit and Duncan opened his bag and found some spirit fruit he had foraged during the past month. He had filled his bag with them as he didn''t know when he would get something to eat again.

    Duncan bit into the flesh of a fruit and its juice flowed into his mouth. The taste of the fruit was rich and it had ample spirit energy in it. The fruit restored his dried-up energy reserves rapidly. One fruit was enough to satiate his hunger.

    Duncan sat there rxing for a bit and then once more packed his bag and started walking to the top. This time when he saw the stele, he was in a good mood. His eyes lingered on the words Above Average for a bit and he passed the stele toe upon the next set of stairs.

    These stairs and the archway looked simr.

    This time, Duncan didn''t activate this archway. He climbed the steps leisurely and reached the next tform soon. There was another stele situated in the center of this tform as well. Duncan came near it and read the words in it.

    From what was written he understood that the below set of stairs tested the mental power of a cultivator. Duncan was a little bit intrigued by the concept. He put his bag near the stele and came down the steps and stood before the archway.

    He never had an opinion of his mental strength. Today he was determined to walk out of this hill regardless of his results. His goal was already achieved. Right not, he merely wanted to test his mental power. He was determined to not overdo it and end up staying here longer.

    No matter the result, he was leaving this hill today.

    Activating the arch, Duncan waited calmly for the section of the steps to light up. Once it was lit-up, Duncan stepped foot on the first step. Nothing untoward happened. He tried to unleash his cultivation and found it restricted as usual. It told him that the test was working normally.

    Slowly he walked up the stairs. Even when he reached the eighty-first step nothing felt different. Duncan was a bit surprised by this. But he schooled his features and steadied his mind, before climbing once more upwards.

    When he reached the eighty-ninth step, he felt a ripple in his mind. There was a vague pressure pressing down upon his mind. His body felt fine, but his mind felt a little pressure.

    Duncan stopped and felt out the sensation a bit. He felt that this one would be dangerous if he pushed past his limits. So, he once again determined not to push past his limits as he did with his body.

    As Duncan continued ascending, the pressure on his mind increased bit by bit. By the ny-seventh step, he was sweating profusely. However, he still felt fine. So, Duncan continued further. When he reached the one-hundred-and-fifth step, a sharp pain came from his mind.

    It was like driving a spike into his head. Duncan winced and rubbed his head. He felt a little groggy. But, he still continued on. The pressure in his mind increased continuously and Duncan felt as if a spike was being slowly pushed into his head.

    By the one-hundred-and-thirteenth step, Duncan''s vision began to swim. He felt his eyes turning blurry and everything looking foggy. Duncan grit his teeth and ascended two more steps.

    On the one-hundred-and-fifteenth step, his vision turned nk and his mind shuddered as if something was battering at his head. His head ached iparably and even the worst of hangover felt tame at this point.

    Duncan wisely stepped away from the lit-up path and breathed heavily. His entire body had be drenched in sweat unknowingly and Duncan had a lingering fear in his mind.

    Even though the pressure vanished immediately after he stepped away from the lit-up section, he could still feel phantom pains assaulting his mind. Duncan sat down for a bit and regted his breathing.

    He entered a meditative trance and slowly recovered from the ordeal. Duncan was relieved that he didn''t press on with this test as he did with his body. If he had pressed on, who knew what would happen to his mind?

    Duncan also didn''t know any way to increase his mental strength. He had only heard about stuff like mental strength until now. This was the first time he had experienced a mental attack and he was a little wary of it now.

    However, he figured that this test might be really beneficial to beast hall disciples back at the sect. He had heard that one needed strong mental strength to be a beast master.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan was already content with his results. His mental strength was above average and it was enough for him. Something about this test didn''t sit well with him. The pressure was formless and he could only feel it in his head. It scared him a bit, to be honest.

    Duncan quickly vacated the spot and reached the stele at the top. He picked up his bag and refreshed his energy a bit. Once done, he started walking towards the next set of stairs present behind the stele. Duncan didn''t know how many such sets of stairs existed but was determined to give a try on every test.

    Duncan did exactly like what he did with the mental strength test and walked directly up the stairs without activating the arch. He soon came upon a tform again and another stele was present in the middle of the tform.

    After reading the exnation, Duncan''s face turned a bit weird. He looked at the stairs below uneasily. From the words, Duncan had learned that this test was about the soul strength of a cultivator.

    Apart from reading about souls a little and knowing that they are tangible parts of a cultivator in the cultivation world, Duncan had no other knowledge or experience with souls.

    He was still the ignorant kid who had walked out of Starsinger town. While he may have be a cultivator, his knowledge or experience had not developed in a broad manner. So, he was still leery about stuff like soul.

    Hearing about cultivators using souls to cultivate or using souls in some kind of attack always felt creepy to Duncan. If possible, he didn''t want to go through this test. But, Duncan had nned to take all the tests.

    Even the mental strength he took just an hour ago, let Duncan know his own mental strength and gave him an idea as to what an attack felt like in a mental ne. So, Duncan didn''t want to waste this opportunity.

    This was a safe way to get introduced to attacks that target the soul. If he knew what they felt like, he would be a little more prepared when he runs into such attacks in the future. So, letting out a tired sigh, Duncan dropped his bag and walked down.

    Activating the arch with a bit of trepidation, Duncan waited for the section of stairs to light up.

    The section of stairs lit up and Duncan mentally prepared himself for all possibilities before stepping up on the first step. As usual, there was no change. Duncan only felt a little ufortable. Apart from that, he felt nothing unusual. And as usual, his cultivation was sealed.

    As Duncan started walking up the stairs, he felt the uneasy feeling in his heart increase steadily. Duncan already knew that the attacks have begun, but he hadn''t seen any indication or know where it wasing towards. He didn''t even know the target region, how was he supposed to prepare?

    Duncan climbed further and the uneasy feeling morphed into fear of the unknown. He could feel something happening to him, but he couldn''t pinpoint what was happening or where he was attacked. It was kinda eerie and he had only reached the sixtieth step.

    Duncan felt that it would be safer to escape from this sensation as he didn''t like it one bit. But, he grit his teeth and reminded himself that this was the safest way he could identify an attack against his soul.

    Duncan consoled himself and started ascending further. When he stepped foot on the eighty-first step, he felt the fear he was feeling multiply tenfold.

    "Is this fearing from a soul attack?" Duncan asked confusedly. "Is all I have to do is withstand these fears?"

    Duncan felt the test was simple if that was the case. He had faced far more terrifying situations than this and walked out alive. But, he remembered crossing eighty steps only meant his strength wasn''t trash. So, he didn''t feel overconfident and started to keenly feel out the changes in his heart carefully.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 125 Hidden Surprises

    Duncan''s caution proved right.

    As he ascended further, the fear became increasingly gripping. However, Duncan was also beginning to feel a strange sense of irritation. He wanted to find this thing that was causing him fear and strangle it ruthlessly.

    His mind started having dark thoughts as his irritation spiked.

    When he stepped foot on the one-hundred-and-first step, Duncan felt both his irritation and fear reach unprecedented heights. He fell into a sort of trance as he didn''t like feeling this fear much and wanted to end itpletely.

    As the irritation in Duncan''s heart reached a tipping point, killing intent began manifesting in Duncan''s heart. Along with the killing intent, a ck aura invisible to the naked eye started wafting out of Duncan''s body.

    Duncan''s hesitant steps became firm as he narrowed his eyes and started walking confidently up the steps. With each step, the fear that gripped Duncan became increasingly strong, however, in retaliation, Duncan''s killing intent and the ck aura were soaring as well.

    By the time he reached the one-hundred-and-thirteenth step, an illusion formed in Duncan''s mind of three vague figures and a demonic ape. With a wave of their hands, a town below them toppled and turned to dust. Seeing this scene, Duncan''s mind lost reason and Duncan started walking faster with a billowing ck aura as if he wanted to reach those illusory figures.

    With each step Duncan took, his killing intent soared and reached unprecedented heights. The illusory figures however remained at the same distance. However, the aura they exuded became more and more dreadful.

    With the increase of their aura, they tried to force Duncan to step back. But, Duncan only stepped forward with red eyes and a billowing ck aura. The immaterial ck aura started to coalesce above Duncan and it formed a vague image of a face.

    At the same time, Duncan''s killing intent nketed the entire hill and it was starting to affect the physical world slowly. ckish-red streaks of dreadful intent started to leave marks across the rocks and trees.

    By now, Duncan had already reached the hundred-and-twenty-fourth step. The next step he took would have a really profound effect. But, Duncan''s eyes were only fixed on those illusory figures. He wanted to get his hands on those four images and tear them apart.

    Duncan took the next step and the scene in his mind changedpletely. He saw the four figures sitting in a bar with arge number of wine pots lining the tables. He felt as if they were inviting him to drink with them and were promising every wine known to men for him to sample.

    Before Duncan could even think through the feelings, the killing intent that had almost materialized and was affecting the physical worldshed out and the picture of wine pots became distorted. Seeing this, Duncan''s anger only spiked further and he stepped forward to teach these imbeciles a lesson.

    The next step Duncan ascended showed him a different view. Right now, Bessa was lying on a bed naked and it was not just her. The woman he had seen beside his master when he came out of the cannibal cave was also lounging there. So was Shen Wulong''s fianc¨¦. Leia and countless other women he knew were also spread around the bed naked.

    And they were all inviting him to bed.

    Just as Duncan''s heart was going to stir from the scene, he saw the four illusory figures watching from distance. Duncan''s anger spiked seeing them and his killing intent once moreshed out tearing through the female images present and distorting them.

    Duncan paid no attention to these distorted images and stepped forward once more. This time the vision that greeted him was different. He was standing in the starry sky. Everywhere he turned he saw countless wonders of the world beckoning him to explore.

    He could see heavenly maidens lounging on the bed naked and inviting him toe down. He saw countless faceless people inviting him to drink some with them. He saw a variety of free-spirited people asking him to join them in exploring the world.

    The offers that were presented to him were tempting to say the least. One particr offer from a Heavenly Maiden almost made Duncan''s heart tremble. She was offering to join him on a tour over the world, where they would collect various herbs and she would concoct different wines for him to taste. She was even willing to indulge in all his carnal fancies.

    But, just behind her, Duncan saw those four figures once more and Duncan didn''t wait for his killing intent to act this time. He pushed the Heavenly Maiden aside and stepped forward angrily.

    The moment Duncan did that, the world turned dark and a huge pressure descended on him. However, his killing intent battled with the pressure and brought it to a standstill. The stalemate continued and Duncan''s killing intent really started materializing in the physical world.

    The face on the ck aura behind Duncan also started to be tangible. Suddenly, the formless eyes on the visage formed of ck aura opened and a beam of ck light struck out from it. It joined the materialized killing intent and pushed the formless pressure back with a mighty shove.

    The darkness covering Duncan liftedpletely and he was able to see once again clearly. Duncan realized that he was standing at the top step in a daze. He didn''t know how long had passed as he stood there in a daze.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The pressure on him has vanished and so did the killing intent in his heart. But, Duncan instinctively knew that his killing intent had materialized in the physical world along with a ck visage behind his head.

    Duncan turned and looked, but saw nothing behind him. The entire thing confused Duncan. As Duncan was standing there confused. A streak of light came from the stele on the tform and mmed into Duncan''s head.

    Duncan was unprepared for such an attack. He staggered where he stood and his mind fell into a daze. It took a while for him to return to normal. When he opened his eyes, they had a surprised expression on them.

    "That wasn''t an attack. That was the reward for passing this trial," Duncan mumbled in surprise. "I actually passed this trial!!! Who knew? My soul was my strongest point. Definitely not me," Duncan chuckled softly and came towards the stele.

    Duncan opened his bag and settled down in front of the stele. Retrieving the leftover blood wine, he wet his throat slightly. Thisst test had made him feel incredibly drained.

    "I learned a lot from this trial," Duncan said to himself. "Not just what a soul attack feels like, but I also learned a lot about myself. I have a strong soul. That was really unexpected. But the most important thing is that I learned that killing intent can actually materialize in the physical world and affect it."

    Duncan shook his head not able to believe what he was saying.

    "If I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn''t believe this. Themon consensus is that a killing intent can mentally affect an opponent. It can induce fear and even paralysis if it was particrly strong, but to physically affect the worldˇ­" Duncan shook his head and chuckled sardonically.

    "Not just that. What was that ck aura that looked like a face behind me? It even performed an attack. I still have a lot to learn about this. Regardless, it is good that my soul is strong. I can rest easy," Duncan said sipping some wine.

    "And the reward for this trial is a soul art. I have yet to go through itpletely, but I can already see how it can be used," Duncan said with a brilliant glow in his eyes. "If I can cultivate this and unleash it at the unexpected moment in battle, I can be incredibly deadly. This stuff is dead useful to me."

    "Regardless, I wonder how many more trials are there on this hill. I don''t think I will walk out of this hill soon," Duncan said looking at the sky.

    Duncan rested for a bit and recuperated. He felt strangely drained after thest trial. Even eating one of those fruits couldn''t restore the feeling of being empty. Duncan stood up after a while and made his way toward the next set of stairs.

    When he came near the stairs, he was surprised to see no arch present. Confused a little, Duncan checked around and confirmed that there really was no arch. Duncan started ascending the steps fast and found that the steps were directly leading to the top of the hill.

    Duncan increased the pace and within ten minutes he was at the top.

    Looking around, Duncan saw that the top of this hill was cleared out by somebody. There wasn''t anything noteworthy on the top apart from a lone statue. Duncan walked forward and reached the statue.

    The statue belonged to a handsome cultivator who looked to be in his middle ages. His chin was sharp and he had a small goatee. In one hand he had a ruler and the other hand held a scroll. He gave off a feeling of a wizened master.

    Looking at the statue and the words carved, Duncan realized this was the ancient cultivator who had left behind those three trials. Respect and gratitude bloomed in Duncan''s heart and Duncan gave the statue a bow.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 126 Huo Tengs Masterstroke

    After bowing to the statue, Duncan started reading the words carved below it.

    [As a Heavenly Teacher of the Radiant Sun Empire, I received the order from the Celestial Court to head down to this barren wastnd and seal the descending Aghori Path.

    I was sent as support by the Radiant One himself to aid the Seven Primes to finish the task. However, things weren''t easy. The Demons, who descended through the Aghori Path, were stronger than we anticipated.

    After an arduous struggle, we finally established the Seven Primes Hexagonal Formation at the cost of near decimation at the hands of Demons that descended. I sincerely doubt that this barren world was worth sacrificing so many immortals. But, the order from the Celestial Court must be seen through no matter the cost.

    I can already see that the Radiant One is going to be displeased with the losses. What makes my heart bleed is that for this formation to hold back the Aghori Path, the Seven Primes need to sacrifice their life as well. When can our Radiant Sun Empire recover from this loss?

    After all, Primes aren''t that easy to groom. It would take millennia for the Radiant Sun Empire to recover from this. That is if our enemies let us recover. I advised the Radiant One to not be involved with the Heavenly Tribtion.

    s, the Radiant One didn''t heed my warning and here we are.

    The thing that pains me is that the Demons had anticipated our strategy and have prepared six tokens with the power to damage the formation outer circle. If the formation only has the inner circle left, it wouldn''t be able to hold back the Aghori Path for long.

    While I couldn''t destroy the tokens in my weakened state, I tore open the space and sent these tokens to different locations to prevent the possibility of these tokens ever being found. I even sundered this world to prevent any possibility of the Demons figuring out the location of tokens through destroyed space.

    I further erected Grotto Heavens to make sure that the formation wouldn''t degrade. This way, even if it is a millenniater, the formations will hold. Let no one besmirch the name of the glorious Radiant Sun Empire. If we take up a duty, we will give our all to fulfill it.

    Still, my heart doesn''t rest easy.

    Something within me tells me that all our efforts will be in vain. I can see fateughing in my face. I may have dyed the inevitability, but it will definitelye true one day. I can feel that in me.

    So, I left this monument with a small test behind, in a remote corner of one of the Grotto Heavens.

    If you are reading this, then I am afraid that my fears havee true. The tokens that were refined by the Demons have been found and at least one of the Grotto Heavens has been broken through.

    If you are someone who has passed any of the tests I left behind, for I know you won''t be able to read this without acquiring an inheritance after passing one of my tests, then, I hereby bind you by karma to make sure that the Aghori Path never descends in this world.

    You might wonder what binding by karma would entail. If the Aghori Path descends and you fail to withhold your end, you will be burned alive by karmic mes. Even your soul wouldn''t escape from their scorching heat.

    Thus, there are only three ways to ensure that you don''t die miserably. One, you finish the mission I have assigned to you. Two, if you are a powerful cultivator who is just a level below me, then you might be able to break it. If not, you will be bound by the karmic mes for eternity.

    Lastly, if you ever ascend from this barrennd, you can go to Radiant Sun Empire and find me to report the current situation of these Grotto Heavens. If you do so, I may take pity on you and free you from the binding.

    Honestly, I feel that option one is your most promising path to not dying miserably. I have even made some preparations to make it easy for you.

    Fear not, considering how barren thisnd is, I know that your puny strength wouldn''t be enough to aplish it. I have taken that into ount and refined a master token that could reactivate the formation and restore it to its full strength.

    When you exit this Grotto Heaven, the token would appear in your soul preventing the Demons or their servants from being aware of it. This was once more done to protect you from being targeted by them. Am I not magnanimous?

    All you need to do is to reach the center hall of any of the six Grotto Heavens when the Aghori Path descends, and use this token to activate the hidden formation I haveid out. Then, your mission would beplete and you will be free of this karma.

    Take heart, righteous warrior, this is not a thankless job either. Each of the arts I have given you is a top-tier art that can reign supreme in this barren world. Moreover, if you prevent the Aghori Path from descending, Heaven''s Will of this world will also give you a huge merit.

    With how barren thisnd is, you might even be able to break through and be an Immortal with the aid of that merit. This is a great opportunity for you. So, don''t hesitate to act when the timees.

    Sincerely,

    Huo Teng,

    Heavenly Teacher of the Radiant Sun Empire.]<novelnext></novelnext>

    Duncan felt like puking blood when he read the contents that were carved below the statue. He never expected to fall into such a trap in this remote region.

    Seriously, for almost a month, Duncan had not even seen a single demonic beast in this region. Now he realized that this was by design. Most probably this ck-hearted senior Huo Teng must haveid out a restriction to only allow cultivators to enter.

    And it was his rotten luck that he was the one who ended up arriving at this ce and passing this madman''s test.

    With an angry growl, Duncan unsheathed his sword and swung at the statue, decapitating its head. Duncan wasn''t satisfied with that, he performed another sh and sted apart those offending words into smithereens.

    Breathing heavily in anger, Duncan raged at the remains of the statue for a bit, before calming down.

    "Fuck, why is my luck so rotten? How did I end up in such a position? Goddamn, I feel like throttling the guy if only his real body came here," Duncan huffed angrily and looked at the remains of the statue and sneered.

    "This old thing is so crafty. He knew that there is a high chance a demonic cultivator might also receive his inheritance, so he bound anyone who passes the test with karma and made them unwilling participants in his n."

    "I don''t think that the binding would take effect if he didn''t pass on any cultivation technique or art. Fuck, why do I run into these insidious bastards again and again? Isn''t the Grotto Heaven supposed to be left behind by cultivators after they break through for gaining karma? Can karma be even used like this? Whom should I ask about this?"

    Duncan felt his head exploding as he realized that he was now embroiled in something way over his head. He knew any other practitioner in his ce would be feeling the same currently.

    The first person he thought of asking for rification was his master. However, he immediately ruled that out after thinking about it for a moment. The Heavenly Demon Sect was the topmost demonic sect on this continent. They qualified to be the perfect servant of the so-called Demons.

    Asking his master about this would be akin to gifting his life away. His master would kill him to ensure that the n progressed smoothly if the Heavenly Demon Sect was involved in this.

    Moreover, he didn''t understand the situation entirely. Was this the first Grotto Heaven that formed the Seven Primes Hexagonal Formation that was breached? If not, how many of these so-called Grotto Heavens were already breached? He needed to know more about this before doing something in haste.

    Right now, his biggest ace was that no one would expect a mere Qi Gathering cultivator like himself to pose a threat. That too he would be immediately ruled out of any suspicion based on his identity as a demonic cultivator.

    He couldn''t squander it willy-nilly. He needed to lie low and increase his strength. If he was asked to enter the Grotto Heaven and reach the central hall, then he would absolutely fail with his current strength. Without sufficient strength aplishing this mission would be an impossibility.

    Above all, he only had the words carved here to base his knowledge on. It was never good to trust and act on a single source. He needed to see if a token appears in his soul when he exits this ce. That could at least guarantee that the words were true.

    It was a good thing that he had demolished the words as well as the statue. This way no one would know what was written here. If this secret could be held by just him, that would be fine in Duncan''s opinion.

    Just thinking about his actions of feeling reverence and gratitude for this insidious thing and bowing to him, made Duncan want to puke. He felt as if demolishing this insidious thing''s statue was too light of a punishment for what this old donkey had dragged him into.

    "From now on, I am never going to bow to any of these old things, no matter what the reason is," Duncan fumed irritably. "Who knows what these old things will put me through? First that old fart, now this Huo Teng. Are all old things really this hateful?"

    "Tch, there is no use crying over spilled milk. I should have known that something must be up with receiving such a mysterious soul art. Luckily, I came up and read about it, if not, I wouldn''t even know how I would die. When the token appears, I would be probably confused as well," Duncan grumbled looking at the debris that was on the ground.

    "Let''s not worry about it now," Duncan said scanning the range of hills present. "If I am not wrong, then this ce is devoid of demonic beasts. That means, I can explore this ce to my heart''s content without any worry. I wonder if any natural treasures appeared in this region. I need to act before someone else stumbles upon these hills."

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan utilized <Wind Chasing Steps> and vanished from the hill.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 127 Strange Valley

    ?

    "Huh, my harvest is good. I have found arge number of spirit herbs and spirit fruits in this region," Duncan said eyeing the bag stuffed to the brim before him.

    It was the same bag the sect had given him when he joined as a disciple. Currently, he had taken out everything that was in there and filled it to the brim with the spirit herbs and spirit fruits he had collected in this region.

    It had taken him one week to scour the regionpletely and find as many spirit herbs as possible. He had even taken spirit herbs that were not even a hundred years old.

    Usually, the ssification of the spirit herbs was a little different from spirit fruits. Fruits are only considered for consumption when they ripen and they usually fall off within a week or so. So, if they are not harvested within that time period, they would be absorbed back by the soil.

    The maturation time for each spirit fruit varies and with longer time, the more spirit energy contained within it. However, when ites to spirit herbs, things are a bit different.

    A normal spirit herb takes from thirty to fifty years to mature. It must absorb the spirit energy constantly and then integrate the energy into it to be mature. However, unlike spirit fruits, spirit herbs have an inherent quality of increasing their potency as time passes.

    Thus the same spirit herb is much more potent when it is hundred years old, thousand years old, and so on. Unlike spirit fruits, spirit herbs could be harvested at any time after their maturity. The only drawback being the younger ones have lesser potency than the older ones.

    Only some special treasures like the Seven-Colored Soul Lotus need to be harvested immediately upon maturity as they take over thousands of years to do so. Even then, only when specific conditions are met will they even bloom or mature.

    The spirit herbs that Duncan collected were ordinary ones, hence the age wasn''t much of an issue for him. In his mind, the lesser maturity they had the better it was for him. That way, he could consume them.

    Hence, he had thrown away all the gourds he had fashioned from the wild materials and stuffed the bag that the sect provided him with all the mature herbs. As for the ones with lesser maturity, he found some reeds in the wild and fashioned himself a small bag with them and filled it.

    "Right, that''s it. I am done with this region. I need to explore the other regions as well. I also need to find another storage bag," Duncan muttered indecisively. "I can''t obviously lug all these things with me. It would be too bothersome and these herbs are not useful to me currently."

    "My cultivation couldn''t be consolidated anymore. As long as I engage in some battle, I can advance. My main aim in venturing outside is to see the sights. But, I should also use this opportunity to advance in my cultivation," Duncan said as the idea in his head firmed up. "I will hide them for now. I cane back and pick them up while leaving this realm. With my strength, lugging these mature herbs can only invite trouble."

    Decision made, Duncan immediately found a well-hidden spot in the hills and put the storage bag in it. As no demonic beast would be trespassing here, he feltpletely safe in hiding his loot here. As for the cultivators, most cultivators didn''t have the keen sense of demonic beasts to ferret out the harvested loot. So, he wasn''t worried about it.

    In any case, he could only take the loss if it came, unwillingly. After all, his senior brother''s words of him being the weakest person in the Grotto Heaven was indeed true and he didn''t need to doubt it. Without strength, he could only swallow hisints.

    Once his loot was secured, Duncan immediately began to make a beeline toward the valley at the far end of the hilly region. He figured that crossing the valley would lead to other regions in the Grotto Heaven.

    Initially, he had assumed the Grotto Heaven to not be that big. But, after exploring the hilly region for a week and not even seeing a single soul, Duncan was beginning to realize how big the Grotto Heaven truly was.

    With the reed bag tied behind his back, two empty gourds on his hips, and a sword in his hands, Duncan began to make his way to the valley at a rxed pace. He didn''t rush as he knew that it wouldn''t matter much with his strength.

    Duncan was also not using any qi. He was using this opportunity to practice <Wind Chasing Steps> with his body strength alone. It was proving to be a difficult chore, to be honest. Duncan felt as if a barrier stood in his way in properly utilizing <Wind Chasing Steps>

    Duncan''s understanding of <Wind Chasing Steps> wasn''t at an elementary level now. He had already grasped the concept of the speed of the wind. So, by any logic, he should be able to use it to the best of his ability. However, as he was only using body strength, the speed he disyed was that of an elementary user.

    Even then, Duncan was beginning to feel as if the haze in his vision was beginning to clear slowly. By only using his physical strength and his understanding of the technique, Duncan was close to gaining more mastery of the technique.

    Just a thin line separated him from being able to walk on air like he could do when utilizing qi. But, this small step seemed miles long and he was only now beginning his journey. Also, this also constituted as a good exercise for his whole body.

    Duncan didn''t tire easily as he made good progress across the hills to reach the valley. He could see the spirit energy in this region was much richer than the hilly region he had been in for the past month and a week.

    He knew that progressing in cultivation with this rich spiritual aura would be a piece of cake as long as he could find some ughter qi. And for that to happen he needed to engage in battles constantly.

    He could only hope that the beasts in this region weren''t too strong for him to handleˇ­

    *****<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The geography of this Grotto Heaven seems really weird," Duncan muttered looking into the distance.

    He was currently at one end of the valley. Looking ahead he saw arge valley that was filled with barren sand mounds and a few ces with vegetation. Looking back, he found verdant hills filled with trees, nts, and herbs. The contrast was bit much for him to wrap his head around.

    "Guess, the trek across this region is not going to be easy," Duncan mumbled and started walking slowly into the valley.

    Within five minutes, he could feel the scorching heat of the sun almost roast him alive. Sweat started pouring out of him in buckets and he even began to feel a little thirsty.

    "The hilly region didn''t have any sun. It was covered in clouds and the valley beside it is scorching hot. I do not know what to think about these changes," Duncan shook his head and a few drops of sweat from his hair fell on the sand below and vanished within seconds into the sand.

    Duncan reached behind and brought out a juicy fruit that had just barely matured. It didn''t have much spirit energy in it. Biting into it and feeling its juices flow through his mouth, Duncan felt a little bit more refreshed.

    Duncan quickened his pace and began to use <Wind Chasing Steps> without qi to get out of this valley as quickly as possible. After hours of traveling, he stopped at a sand mound and looked ahead.

    Even after traveling for hours, he had yet to see the exit. With his speed, he should have covered several tens of miles by now. To think that the valley was stretching for this long was unfathomable to Duncan.

    "Did I get caught in some kind of a weird special formation? I have read about them in the sect. Because it definitely looks like I am in one. I can''t even head back now as everything almost looks the same from here," Duncan grumbled looking behind.

    "The night is going to fall soon. At least, I can look forward to the sunset. This ce looks as if it would be beautiful during a sunrise or a sunset," Duncan said looking around. "Let me rest here for a while."

    Duncan rested for a bit on the mound as he trained his eyes toward the sunset. When the time arrived, he felt that his wait and struggles in this region were worth it.

    As the sun set, its orangish rays shined upon the barren sand and formed a beautiful picture. Duncan felt a strange sense of calm engulf him as he watched the beautiful scenery. He felt as if he was looking at something profound and beautiful. However, the beauty captivated him too much to lock into that profound feeling he was experiencing.

    So, he shrugged it off and enjoyed the sunset with a bright smile.

    "If only I had some wine in my hand," Duncan said looking wistfully at the empty gourds hanging in his waist. "Next time I get some wine, I need to save some for emergency situations like this. This beautiful sight feels iplete with some wine to drink as I watch it."

    Duncan stayed at the same spot for the entire sunset, appreciating its beauty and enjoying the magical scene.

    When the sun was about to set, its reddish glow permeated through the entire valley and casting itself into a beautiful kingdom of sands. The vegetation that was few and far away glistened in the setting sun, giving off a magical vibe to the moment.

    Duncan watched the sunset with a content smile on his face. The irritation he had felt with being conned into epting the duty of saving this world when the Aghori Path descended faded away. He felt more energized than he had been for the past week.

    The night fell slowly in the valley. Duncan didn''t find any moon rising up in the valley causing him to be a bit confused. The entire valley was permeated with darkness soon with no light source causing Duncan to be surprised a little.

    Looking up, Duncan didn''t find any stars in the sky as well.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 128 Ambush!

    ?

    "What''s going on? Why are there no stars? Where is the moon? Even when clouds covered those hilly regions, there were indication of stars hidden behind them. That ce never became this dark. Something feels off," Duncan mumbled looking around warily.

    Suddenly, his danger sense started screaming and he acted on instinct. He vanished from the spot he was in and appeared a few paced above the ground and looked down. Duncan was currently executing <Wind Chasing Steps> with his qi, enabling him to step on air and be safe for the moment.

    As Duncan looked from above, the mound he had been sitting upon split into two suddenly, causing Duncan''s eyes to widen in shock. In the exact spot, he had been sitting until a moment ago, a tail with a pointed end pierced into it with force. There was no sound or indication as to the arrival of the tail.

    Duncan''s hair stood on end as he saw the origin of the tail.

    A humongous scorpion was currently shaking away the sand and revealing itself! And from its aura, it was clear that it was a Level 2 beast at the least.

    Duncan swore not believing his own eyes. The ce where the scorpion appeared was just right behind Duncan and beside the mound, he had been sitting for the past few hours. And from the looks of it, the scorpion was emerging from underground.

    Either it traveled to his location silently and burrowed itself underground, or the beast had been underground at this ce all along. Duncan felt that the second one was the most likely case, considering how sharp his senses are.

    The most worrying part was that he hadn''t felt the beasting this near to him in both cases. If it was the second as he suspected, then it was even more rming. The beast had given off no aura or made any noise causing Duncan to be unaware of its existence the entire time until it attacked.

    Only when it attacked did Duncan feel its bloodlust and his senses started acting. Before that, the beast had beenpletely hidden right under his nose. After being in the wilderness for two weeks, Duncan''s senses have be very sharp.

    He was able to sense any ill intent or bloodlust easily. Not just his mental senses, but even his physical senses like eyesight, hearing, and other aspects have also been honed to the maximum possible limit due to his experience in the wilderness.

    Someone who couldn''t perceive danger will notst long in the wilderness. Too many beasts excelled in stealthily killing their prey in the wilderness. Most importantly, his cultivation technique being so closely linked to ughter, Duncan has always been able to sense bloodlust easily.

    If not for that, then his reaction time wouldn''t be enough to escape from this scorpion''s attack. This was a deadly attack that didn''t leave much room for the prey to escape. Being so close to the predator, it would be hard for any other prey in his ce to escape alive.

    SCREECH

    The scorpion shouted in anger at missing its prey and looked up at Duncan. Duncan could feel the malice radiating from the beast up in the air. It was like a physical thing that could hardly go unnoticed.

    The scorpion freed its stinger, which looked more like a long tail with barbed ends, from the mound causing it to copse easily, and waved it at Duncan angrily. Duncan could already feel the threat of this beast clearly.

    The baleful aura the beast gave off almost froze Duncan on the spot. However, it was far lesser than the aura given off by the demonic snake he met in the past. That gave Duncan an estimate of what level of strength the scorpion was at.

    Duncan used the <Wind Chasing Steps> to step constantly on air and hover above the beast. The beast and Duncan looked at each other. The beast looked a little indignant that it wasn''t able to kill Duncan easily. It was clear from the beast''s agitation that it had expected to kill Duncan with its sneak attack.

    Duncan sneered at the beast thinking he was safe from it. In response, the scorpion stinger shot off an arrow aiming at Duncan, causing Duncan to hastily avoid it in a hurry. Duncan stabilized himself once more and curse himself for forgetting that Level 2 beasts and Spirit Sea realm cultivators were able to use qi attacks to perform long-range attacks.

    That was one of the major differences between cultivators in the Qi Gathering realm and the Spirit Sea realm. A Spirit Sea realm cultivator can project their qi outside of their body and shape it ording to their will to attack long-distance targets. The same could be said for Level 2 beastspared to Level 1 beasts.

    This made the prospect of jumping cultivation levels and fighting a ludicrous affair. Only the rarest of geniuses can perform it. It can be only done if the cultivator in question had grasped a concept or was able to close in fast and kill the Spirit Sea realm cultivator in closebat before they could attack.

    Usually, cultivators are only able to perceive concepts once they step in the Spirit Sea realm, this made it nigh impossible to fight on even footing against a Spirit Sea realm cultivator as a Qi Gathering realm cultivator.

    In a closebat scenario, the reactions, power, and qi of a Spirit Sea realm cultivator would trump the one on the Qi Gathering realm easily. Thus, only the demonic geniuses who were blessed with either an innate advantage via a physique or some abnormally freakishprehension ability can contend with and possibly fight above the level disadvantage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Duncan was only able to perceive concepts due to his soul sublimation. If not, he would already be killed at this moment. If he hadn''t gained the concept of chasing the wind, he would already be under the fierce attack of the beast on the ground.

    Duncan''s face turned solemn as he mulled over his options. He could either duke it out with this beast by using his absolute cut sword concept, or he could just retreat. Duncan was confident that the beast wouldn''t be able to follow him if he escaped using the <Wind Chasing Steps>

    While the concept of fighting the beast was tempting, Duncan realized that his qi levels would never allow for a prolonged fight at this stage. Even using the <Wind Chasing Steps> constantly to hover in the air was already eating up a lot of his qi. If he ran out of qi, then he would be forced to fight with the beast on the ground.

    Looking down, Duncan wasn''t really sure that area was safe. The scorpion hade out of the ground and he didn''t know if there were any other dangers lurking below to capitalize on him and sneak attack him.

    As Duncan was mulling over his options, the scorpion got enraged seeing Duncan escape its attack once more. It waved its stinger madly and started shooting off qi arrows in dense quantity trying to cover the area with its arrows.

    Duncan let out a curse and immediately retreated from the area. He didn''t want to fight a battle with the scorpion without having sufficient confidence in emerging as a victor.

    Seeing Duncan escape, the beast tried to give chase. But, Duncan''s <Wind Chasing Steps> almost made him the embodiment of wind. So, he soon escaped from the region and ran away in a hurry, causing the scorpion to fall behind very soon.

    Duncan heaved a breath of relief after putting some distance between himself and the scorpion. He felt vexed with the situation and was even wondering how such a weak Level 2 beast came through the gates. As per his senior brother, those beasts would not enter as their strength wasn''t enough.

    Just then, Duncan''s eyes shrunk and he swung his sword downwards deflecting an attack from below. Duncan watched the stinger of another scorpion whizz past him and looked below.

    Another scorpion was looking up at him from below with hunger in its eyes. This one felt a little bit stronger than the first beast causing Duncan to feel a bit troubled. However, Duncan swore the next moment as he realized that there were several other scorpions emerging from the sand from below and all of them had locked onto him as well.

    Duncan knew that his situation wasn''t ideal. He couldn''t escape if he was busy fending off attacks from every direction. As if on cue, all the scorpions from below started shooting qi arrows at him from all directions.

    Duncan hurriedly activated his movement arts and tried to escape from the encirclement. But, it was a hopeless endeavor. He couldn''t run away from the area as he had to repeatedly deflect the qi arrows with his sword to stay uninjured.

    Despite Duncan''s efforts, a few managed to get past his sword and injure him. A burning feeling came from the injured regions causing Duncan to take note that these scorpions had fire qi embedded in their qi arrows to hurt their opponents and give them pain.

    Letting out a deep breath, Duncan prepared himself for battle mentally. He knew that there was no use in dying anymore. He couldn''t escape without taking care of at least a couple of these scorpions.

    Duncan channeled <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and unleashed a blinding sword light in an arc at the iing qi arrows.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 129 Battle Through The Night

    ?

    Duncan''s sword light was like a lone beacon of light in the darkness of the valley.

    It smashed through the qi arrows andnded on a couple of the scorpions on the ground causing them to screech in pain. Duncan noticed that these scorpions were averse to light and they fled from it in a hurry causing him to see a little bit of hope in this situation.

    What Duncan didn''t know was that these scorpions are beings that usually dwell in mountain caves. They are known as Dark Scorpions and they are incredibly sensitive to light. They excel in digging and prefer a dark environment as their habitat.

    While this wasn''t their preferred habitat, the unique phenomenon of this area allowed them to grow unhindered in this region. They have had over a millennia to multiply and develop as a species in this region.

    Until now, no one had been able to step foot into the hilly region because of their presence. While their level is low, they were incredibly deadly when it came toying out ambushes.

    Ever since the Grotto Heaven opened, several people and demonic beasts have tried to explore the barren valley. Unfortunately, several of the demonic beasts and cultivators who came in after Duncan have lost their lives to these scary scorpions.

    Even those who had the power to escape the scorpions and their attacks didn''t see it worthwhile to continue to be in this region or traverse the valley as they didn''t want to waste their time here.

    Considering how long the valley was and how barren it looked, they felt that remaining in this region was a waste of their time. Furthermore, they all knew that this Grotto Heaven would only be open for a month.

    Instead of spending time in a barren valley and being ambushed by Dark Scorpions every night, it would be better to seek their chances elsewhere. Even if they could deal with the scorpions, being attacked every night with nothing to show for only made people irritable.

    Most people considered the valley to be the end of the Grotto Heavens as the hilly region was not even visible from the other end of the valley. Duncan was the only one to traverse from the other end of the valley, heading towards the center.

    This also provided a sort of cover to the test left behind by Heavenly Teacher Huo Teng.

    When Huo Teng left behind the token, he took great pains to conceal the presence of the token. This barren valley was created in particr to keep people away from the location.

    When someone with adequate qualifications to pass through one of the tests stepped foot into the Grotto Heaven, the space restriction would send them to the hills directly.

    As for what happens if the person didn''t seed or whether such a test was ced in other Grotto Heavens, it was also a mystery. The level of secrecy that Huo Teng had gone through to make sure his ns weren''t discovered was not small.

    Duncan, who was an unwitting pawn in this great game of chess, was unaware of all these. He was currently battling the level 2 Dark Scorpions, trying to escape from their encirclement.

    Sword light shed repeatedly as Duncan performed <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> to the best of his ability. Wherever the sword light passed through, the qi arrows that were sent by the Dark Scorpions were annihted.

    Moreover, Duncan wasn''t standing still and performing his sword technique either. He was utilizing the <Wind Chasing Steps> to keep moving about. He didn''t want to be cornered by the Dark Scorpions.

    Whenever a Dark Scorpion tried to attack physically with its stinger, Duncan would escape from the location and appear elsewhere using his movement technique. He tried hard to get out of the predicament that he was in.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As the battle progressed, the Dark Scorpions became more and more irritable with the shes that emitted from the sword lights. This caused them to attack Duncan more aggressively.

    However, this became the turning point that Duncan needed to escape his predicament. Earlier, these Dark Scorpions had surrounded Duncan making it hard for him to escape. As a result, Duncan had no other choice other than to end up fighting with all of them.

    Only his movement technique was keeping him alive, as he dodged their attacks and stayed in the air. If he was on the ground or went head to head with their physical attacks, he would have been killed by now.

    As for the qi attacks, Duncan''s sword lights had a trace of concept embedded in them, thus they overpowered the normal qi attacks of the Dark Scorpions. In the end, a kind of stalemate had been achieved.

    However, as soon as the Dark Scorpions became irritable and started moving around aggressively, a gap appeared in the encirclement Duncan faced. Duncan, who was already worrying about the amount of qi that was being consumed, used this chance and charged out of the encirclement in a hurry.

    The moment Duncan escaped from the encirclement, he took off without turning back. He shed across the sky using his movement techniques and evaded most of the attacks that were aimed at him.

    The few that he couldn''t, he used his sword to defend against them. Duncan didn''t make the previous mistake of running around blindly this time. He controlled his panicking heart and found regions that didn''t have Dark Scorpions below to escape from the region.

    The chasested for a while, but after a few hours of non-stop escape, Duncan managed to reach a region that didn''t have any Dark Scorpions. This gave him some time to take a breather.

    As he recovered, Duncan was reminded of his flight from the wild beasts during the beast tide before he started cultivating and scowled hard. All his tion regarding improving his strength fled as he realized that even if he had started cultivating, he was no better than when he was a mortal with his current strength.

    Still, Duncan knew that he didn''t have much time. The Dark Scorpions that were chasing after him would have given up by now. But, it didn''t mean there are no other dangers in the region.

    Moreover, due to his hurried escape, he had already lost his bearings in the dark night. He didn''t know where he was currently or which direction he needed to head towards to leave the valley. The entire valley looked the same at night.

    Scowling, Duncan sat down crosslegged and started to cultivate.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 130 Perilous Breakthrough

    ?

    Duncan sat crosslegged and started cultivating in a hurry.

    He knew that he needed to increase his strength as soon as possible. If he didn''t, then he wouldn''t walk out of this valley alive.

    Prior to entering the valley, Duncan was already close to breaking through. His efforts for the past month in increasing his body strength and the abundance of spirit qi inside the Grotto Heaven had already taken him to the peak of his cultivation realm.

    However, his cultivation technique needed ughter qi to break through. It didn''t mean that he had to ughter for every level. However, the ughter qi he had umted so far had already been used to break through prior to this. Without additional ughter qi, he couldn''t break through anymore.

    Duncan knew that the power he could exert at the eighth level of the Qi Condensation realm wouldn''t be much of a deterrent to the Level 2 beasts, but it would significantly bridge the gap.

    Moreover, it would also give him more qi reserves to work with. With more qi, he could remain in the air and battle for a long time. He knew that as long as he remained in the air, then things would be easier to handle.

    But, he couldn''t very well continue to cultivate in the air. It needed concentration and any slip would send him crashing down, disrupting his cultivation as well. So, he had to cultivate on the ground.

    And the ground was the most dangerous ce in this valley at night.

    This made Duncan feel tremendous pressure as he cultivated frantically. Even while battling the young man in the cannibal cave, Duncan hadn''t been under such pressure mentally. It was a test of his fortitude andposure.

    He needed to break through fast, but he couldn''t also remain on the ground for long. While both sounded simr in terms of goals, their inherent nature made it difficult for Duncan to cultivate normally.

    Cultivation required a stable mind and a ce of peace. However, being on the ground was anything but safe. This created a sense of urgency in Duncan''s mind. Cultivating in such a state was like walking on a thin edge.

    Duncan had heard about cultivators making mistakes during cultivation and entering qi deviation. It was very dangerous for a cultivator. It would have longsting adverse efforts. Cultivating with a troubled mind was one of the reasons cultivators suffer from qi deviation.

    Duncan felt as if he was walking a thin line between life and death, even though there were no beasts attacking him. Regardless, he steeled his mind and ruthlessly suppressed his concerns.

    While his battle with the beasts so far involved him escaping from them, the fight gave him what he needed the most. In his battle to escape the encirclement, he had injured some beasts.

    ughter qi is not something that is only obtained from ughtering beasts. It was already present amidst heaven and earth. However, a cultivator who has a low level like him can only touch upon them while engaging in battle.

    Luckily, Duncan didn''t need a lot of ughter qi to break through. He just needed a slight nudge to break through. And that small bit of ughter qi had already umted on his body during the battle.

    Now, all he had to do was to make that small bit of ughter qi into his and merge it with qi rushing through his body. His qi already had a ughter attribute. As long as he was able to merge this newly obtained ughter qi, he would be able to increase its grade and break through to the eighth level of the Qi Condensation realm.

    Minutes passed tensely as Duncan cultivated seriously.

    Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through Duncan''s body causing his qi to rush throughout his body. This was the indication that a breakthrough was imminent. While Duncan was ted, he was also worried about being attacked at this critical juncture.

    He knew the movement of qi in the atmosphere would surely draw those level 2 beasts that were in the vicinity. It was how he had been found in the cave earlier. And demonic beasts were far more sensitive than cannibals to the movement of spirit qi in the atmosphere.

    A small vortex formed on top of Duncan''s head causing the qi around the area to rush into his body. With a loud bang echoing in his body, Duncan broke through to the eighth level of the Qi Gathering realm.

    However, before Duncan could rejoice, he felt an immense sense of danger approaching him.

    Without giving any more thought, Duncan shed away from the ce where he was sitting. At the same moment, a stinger mmed into the spot he was upying.

    As sand rose from impact, Duncan hovered midair and turned to look at the spot. Suddenly, his face paled and he coughed up blood and staggered midair, before recovering his footing.

    His sudden movements before consolidating his realm caused the qi in his body to rampage uncontrobly. As a result, Duncan''s insides were injured, resulting in him coughing up blood.

    Before Duncan could recover himself midair, the scorpion swung its stinger catching Duncan across his back and sending him flying into the distance. Duncan coughed up more blood as the attack aggravated his injuries.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Duncan crashed into the sand some distance away from the creature. He knew that he was in trouble at the moment. The abundant qi that he had acquired during the breakthrough was already rampaging through his body.

    However, he wasn''t in a position to take control of it. He needed to escape soon. Without bothering to think anymore, Duncan used his movement techniques to once more get onto the air.

    Not a momentter, the scorpion''s stinger crashed into the spot he hadnded. As Duncan utilized more qi to speed up his escape, the qi in his body became more and more uncontroble.

    This resulted in Duncan coughing up more blood.

    However, the scorpion wasn''t willing to let its prey escape. Qi arrows shot from its stinger in an effort to injure Duncan and bring him down from the air. Duncan didn''t have the time to unsheathe his sword or defend himself against it.

    He could only rely on his movement technique at this moment to escape. Despite Duncan''s prompt reactions, he was injured further and had to endure it to run away. A couple of qi arrows prated his body and brought an icy sensation throughout his body.

    Duncan could do nothing but grit his teeth and run away in a hurry. He wasn''t in a position to battle or stabilize his steps. Duncan pushed himself on and once again disappeared into the horizon.

    The scorpion wasn''t about to let go of its prey after injuring it. So, it chased after Duncan in a ferocious manner across the sand. Sand flew in all directions as it increased its speed to catch up to Duncan.

    Fortunately, the Dark Scorpions aren''t known for their speed.

    This gave the much-needed reprieve for Duncan to escape. Still, his escape was a miserable one. His insides were severely injured. There were several holes across his back where the qi arrows had prated through. Andst but not least, there was a hugesh across his back where the stinger had made contact when the beast had caught him off guard.

    Duncan didn''t stop for the next ten minutes as he ran blindly through the dark night to escape from the creature. All that time, Duncan endured unimaginable pain throughout his body.

    After about ten minutes, Duncan managed to shake off the scorpion and was able to take a breather. His insides being ravaged by the uncontroble qi gave him incredible pain. So, Duncan hurried to take care of it as his first priority.

    Coughing uprge amounts of blood, Duncan finally managed to reign in his qi inside his body after wrangling with it for several minutes. Only when he pacified the qi did he feel even remotelyfortable.

    That didn''t mean that his body was free of pain. The icy sensation that came from being prated by the qi arrows gave off a sensation of being repeatedly prickled by needles. Along with that, a sort of numbness also spread across those wounds, making it hard to feel them.

    The gash on his back burned, causing fiery pain to shoot all across his back. And the pain that came from damaged insides almost made him see stars, even after the qi was pacified.

    The only sce in all that is that Duncan was able to break through to the next level. That gave him more spirit qi to work with. Even if the breakthrough was perilous, and his experience during it was miserable, Duncan was d for the breakthrough.

    While his condition was more miserable than when he was at the seventh level, Duncan knew that the added qi reserves will reallye in handy if he had to survive through this night.

    "This night is going to be really miserableˇ­"

    Duncan muttered gloomily, as he looked at the darkness all around him.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks!

    Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.

    You can also check out my other book [Booking Glory] and see if it is to your liking.

    Reviews andments are truly appreciated.

 Chapter 131 Hard Decisions

    ?

    THUD!!!

    Duncan crashed into the sand unable to sustain his movements anymore.

    Luckily it was day already and he didn''t need to escape from those infernal scorpions. The entire night had been one long miserable stretch of time. He wasn''t able to rx much or even close his eyes for a bit.

    Moreover, the injuries he had sustained from the breakthrough didn''t seem to have faded as well. His regenerative powers were working fine when ites to his outer body. However, internal injuries were another matter.

    Considering that his injury was caused during the hasty breakthrough, those internal injuries were still making it difficult for him to circte his qi. He had to grit his teeth and circte the qi to perform his movement art to escape all night.

    This, in turn, aggravated his injuries further and made it hard for him to recover from them. The other injuries he had sustained through the night from fighting or fleeing from the scorpions were somewhat healed making Duncan feel a bit of relief.

    Despite the pain from his internal injuries, Duncan was d that he took the time to break through in the middle of the night. If not for that, he wasn''t sure that he would be able to sustain his qi consumption throughout the night.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Duncan looked around the empty valley as his mind started churning. Currently, he had two options going for him. One, he could use the reprieve from the daylight to make haste and leave this valley.

    However, there was a problem with this option. He didn''t know which way to go or how long it would take for him to exit the valley. With his constant movements throughout the night, he was now utterly lost and waspletely directionless in the valley.

    Two, he could stay in the valley and use the pressure from the scorpions to increase the proficiency of his movement arts, while trying to use the constant battle to try and break through a few more times.

    Breaking through wouldn''t be much of an issue for him at this rate because there was abundant qi in the Grotto Heaven and the constant battles would give him the required ughter qi as well.

    He just needs to make sure that he breaks through during the day. Apart from that, there wasn''t much of an issue for Duncan. If he was careful, it was just doable. He just need to consider this valley as a training ground - a potentially fatal one, but he knew the best kind of training was the one where you put your life on the line.

    Didn''t he do the same thing at the cannibal cave? It helped him to rapidly advance in levels after all. Moreover, the qi here was abundant and he didn''t have to worry about food or water due to his preparations.

    However, it would also mean that he would lose a lot of time in exploring the Grotto Heaven as well. After all, he had just spent one entire month in the hilly regions trying to improve his physical body.

    Duncan was leery of spending any more length of time to improve himself in this valley as well. A part of him wanted to exit this valley as soon as possible and check out the other ces in the Grotto Heaven as well.

    It was not as if he had infinite time in the Grotto Heaven. He only had six months before he would be sent out. If he didn''t use this time to explore the Grotto Heaven within these six months, he would lose out a lot.

    Who knows when he will get another opportunity to explore another such Grotto Heaven? It isn''t as if a Grotto Heaven opens every other day. ording to what he had heard from his senior brother, Grotto Heavens were pretty rare and are heaven-sent opportunities.

    If he missed these opportunities trying to use it as a training ground that can be found everywhere else, then he would lose out big time. Right now, he wanted to increase his strength as fast as possible.

    He knew that he was already at the lower rung of the totem pole in the cultivation world. Any cultivator or demon beast who had stepped foot in this Grotto Heaven could crush him like a bug.

    That made it imperative for him to find opportunities to increase his cultivation inside this Grotto Heaven as much as possible. Moreover, he wanted to teach the Wang n a lesson for driving him to his near death as soon as possible as well.

    So, increasing his cultivation was the first priority for him.

    That said, he was also leery of running into other cultivators or demonic beasts. While he could manage these scorpions, he wasn''t sure what he would do if he run into others after leaving the valley.

    Duncan''s face twisted as his mind ran a mile a minute trying to figure out which one was the best option for him. Both options had their own merits, now he had to make sure he chose the right one for him at this juncture.

    In the end, after mulling for ten minutes, Duncan let out a heavy sigh.

    "Sighˇ­. It doesn''t matter if there are other opportunities in the Grotto Heaven. Without sufficient strength, they might be disasters. It is always about whether I have sufficient strength to grab hold of any opportunities that appear," Duncan said as his face firmed up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "For good or ill, it is foolishness to throw away what is in my hand for something that might only be a probability outside this valley," Duncan mumbled closing his eyes.

    Having made the decision, Duncan focused on soothing his internal injuries with a calm mind. Moreover, it wasn''t as if he would be losing out by staying in this valley.

    As for these scorpions, well they would act as a perfect training partner to hone his skills in the uing daysˇ­

    *****

    CHI!

    A sword light cut through the shell of a scorpion, causing it to twitch in pain. Above the scorpion, Duncan stood eyeing it with disdain in his eyes. The scorpion screeched angrily causing Duncan to frown a bit.

    "You should be d that you get to experience my <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>. Tch, what are you screeching for? You were the one who attacked me," Duncan snorted angrily and sent another cut toward the scorpion.

    The scorpion scrambled away from the sword light and burrowed back into the sand once more. Seeing this, Duncan couldn''t help but grunt irritably. This wasn''t anything new. Such things have been happening more and more ofte.

    It had been two weeks since Duncan had his perilous breakthrough. Ever since then, he had been using this barrennd as his training ground. Every morning Duncan would rest and travel in a random direction hoping to walk out of this valley.

    And at night, he would gear up to fight hard. Duncan would willingly seek out these scorpions that have been ambushing him and would fight them. Initially, things weren''t that good for Duncan.

    With internal injuries guing him, Duncan wasn''t able to fight to his true potential in the first week. Even then, he didn''t run away from the scorpions anymore. He would try to attack the scorpions with his sword light and injure them as much as possible before he was forced to escape due to being encircled.

    The pattern continued for a week and eventually, Duncan''s internal injuries subsided. During the week of constant fighting, both his movement technique and his sword technique grew in leaps and bounds.

    With more abundant qi residing in his body, Duncan wasn''t worried about running out of qi anytime soon. While the qi in his body wasn''t enough for him to sustain an entire night of fighting, he was able to make do with it.

    And his persistence paid off.

    One weekter, Duncan once more broke through to the ninth level of Qi Condensation realm. This increased his qi reserves further. The next few days consisted of Duncan enacting a massacre in the valley with lower Level 2 scorpions.

    Soon, Duncan''s actions began to have an effect on the barren valley he was in. These days, whenever he injured a scorpion to a certain level, they would retreat from the fight, rather than continue to fight.

    This change in the atmosphere gave Duncan a much-needed reprieve. This also gave Duncan a bit of inspiration. Whenever he ran into a scorpion, Duncan would do everything possible to injure the scorpion in the shortest amount of time. And when they retreated, he would rest and recover his qi a bit.

    This strategy worked wonders. Especially, his sword technique reached a new level with this approach. As his sword cuts now had no hesitation or semnce of holding back, the true essence of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> was disyed.

    As the name suggests, the true essence of the sword technique Duncan uses is in its finality. The cultivator must be willing to decimate the opponent with his sword shes. There must be no hesitation or holding back. Such a mentality was required to bring out the full power of the sword technique.

    Only when Duncan''s mentality improved to the next level did the true glory of the sword technique revealed itself to Duncan.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks check out my other stories and let me know what you think.

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 132 True Might Of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>

    ?

    Only when Duncan''s mentality improved to the next level did the true glory of the sword technique revealed itself to Duncan.

    <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> was one of the mainstay martial arts techniques of the Heavenly Demon Sect. What many members of the Heavenly Demon Sect didn''t know was that this technique was added by the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    The founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect obtained this sword technique from a troublesome rival he yed. Considering the reputation of the founder, any sword technique that could enter his eye is bound to be a bit profound.

    Most cultivators of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> never realized its true potential. This sword art wasn''t aplete technique. It was a single part of arger technique that was present in the scripture pavilion of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    When they saw that this technique only talked about using the sword to cut, they gave up on it. Instead, they began to pursue other sword techniques that were shier and looked mighty.

    Since they gave up the first volume, they never bothered to check the contents of the other volume. They deemed it to be rtively basic and forgot about it most of the time.

    Those who checked the volumes at the higher level felt that this technique was quite mundane for practitioners of their level. Unless one pursued all the volumes from start to end, one wouldn''t realize how incredible the sword technique is.

    Most disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect came from their sub-ordinate sects or from a cultivator family. Even those who didn''t fall under this category came from the group of martial artists who had prior knowledge of other martial arts techniques.

    In their eyes, <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>, which only showed how to cut with a sword became a bit dull. Their pursuit has always been something showy or grander. This sword technique that talked about cutting was a bit nd to them.

    This, in turn, paid off. With Duncan left with no other choice but to use this technique or get killed in the cave and wilderness, he began to use it with all his heart. Not knowing any other martial arts techniques also helped Duncan out here.

    Duncan, who had no prejudice, became an ideal practitioner for this sword technique. Since he wascking in knowledge regarding the cultivation world or other martial techniques that existed, he clung to this technique with all his might.

    <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> was a sword technique that instructed the basics on the surface. However, how could something so mundane enter the eyes of the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect?

    Only when someone persisted in using <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> to the maximum will they realize that this technique was not that simple. Yes, it talked about only the basic action of cutting with the sword.

    But, the goal of every martial arts technique is to go from simplicity toplexity and revert back fromplexity to simplicity in the end. The two simplicities were entirely different.

    And this sword art talked about thetter. And this was the true might of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>.

    In fact, this sword art can be considered to be a hidden gem in the scripture pavilion. It directly touched upon the profound truths of the Sword Dao. Only when someone reached a high enough level will they understand this.

    Duncan was not an exception to this. He didn''t understand that the technique he practiced touched upon the true meaning of Sword Dao. To him, this simple technique that instructed him on how to cut with his sword was perfect for a novice like him.

    Hence, he didn''t think much about it and continued to explore it more and more. Duncan never considered himself to be a genius or someone special. So, he was content as long as the martial arts technique he practiced was useful to him.

    This mindset and his recent experiences provided the much-needed impetus for him to grasp the vague meaning behind the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>.

    Furthermore, Duncan never realized that in order to make powerful attacks, a low-level cultivator like him must expend a lot of qi. When his sword cuts became powerful he didn''t think about it much. He never wondered why the expenditure of his qi hadn''t risen along with the power of his sword cuts.

    The reason behind this was that Duncan had already touched upon the door of Sword Dao with his mastery of <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>. He has already grasped the concept of cutting things clearly. However, to an ignorant bumpkin like Duncan, such thoughts didn''t even exist.

    To this date, he didn''t even have a faint understanding of what a Dao is. His discussion with Shen Wulong wasn''t enough for him to do so. To him, those were vague concepts that were far beyond his scope at the moment. So, he never thought about them deeply. He only concentrated on cutting with his sword.

    This pure mentality and his recent increase in confidence after his fightsbined to let him touch the illusory state that is required to understand the concept of cutting clearly.

    So, every cut Duncan made with all his heart brought him closer and closer to the essence of pure swordsmanship. Unknowingly, Duncan''s ignorance yed a huge part in his advancement.

    *****

    "This isn''t working anymore?" <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Duncan mumbled a bit dissatisfiedly one weekter.

    He was now on the verge of breaking through the Ninth level of the Qi Gathering realm. Initially, due to his rampage over the lower tier Level 2 scorpions, he had been steadily umting the ughter qi needed for his next advancement.

    However, with the scorpions now bing cannier, he was left in a lurch. The amount of ughter qi he collected began to be sparse. Every time a scorpion was injured beyond a certain limit, it fled into the sand.

    Duncan didn''t have any techniques to chase after them into the sand. He also didn''t have enough power to kill the scorpions despite them burrowing into the sands. That caused him to let his prey escape more often than not.

    As a side effect, the increase in his ughter qi also came to a halt.

    Moreover, this time, Duncan''s breakthrough was not a minor realm breakthrough. He was going to break through a major realm. From Qi Gathering to the Spirit Sea realm, the chasm between them isrger than any of his previous breakthroughs.

    Duncan needed a lot of ughter qi to aplish that. And his umted ughter qi was not going to be enough for him to break through. To furtherplicate things, staying in this barren wastnd has reduced the amount of food Duncan had in his storage.

    "Either I hunted down some higher tier Level 2 Demonic Beast or I leave this wastnd," Duncan muttered sullenly as he watched yet another scorpion scurry away after sustaining injuries. "There is no other option for me here."

    "My progress has stagnated. Fighting with these lower-tier Level 2 scorpions is not doing anything for me," Duncan mumbled. "So, I need to make a choice now."

    Duncan knew deep in his heart that being the weakest cultivator in this Grotto Heaven was hampering him a lot. He needed to urgently umte strength. From what he had read, advancement in the early stages of cultivation was rtively easy. And if he got stuck here for a long time, his advancement time will be dyed.

    That wasn''t something Duncan wanted to experience. Remembering how his master treated him for being weak, Duncan knew that if his progress didn''t satisfy his master, he might very well die when he leaves this Grotto Heaven.

    But, it didn''t mean that he wanted to foolishly seek out higher tier Level 2 scorpions in this wastnd. That miserable night he had experienced before he broke through the eighth level of the Qi Gathering realm was still vivid in his mind.

    He had no desire to experience it again. And it was foolish to fight against a demonic beast that was way beyond his level. Already being able to fight against lower-tier Level 2 scorpions was good enough in Duncan''s opinion.

    After all, he wasn''t in the Spirit Sea realm yet. He was already battling beasts that had higher cultivation than him. That was enough for him now. No need to seek out a stronger opponent and end up dead.

    That meant, his only option was to leave this valley and seek out other opportunities to break through the next level.

    But, Duncan was a bit reluctant to step out of this valley. This ce may be a barren wastnd. But, it was absolutely safe for someone like him. Going out of this ce will only bring uncertainty to his current existence.

    The smart thing to do would be to preserve for some more time and make another breakthrough here. But, Duncan was running out of time. He had already wasted one month trying to hone his body. If he wasted any more time, the time left to explore other opportunities would be short.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan made a decision in his heart. He had no other option than to go out of this wastnd. He could only hope that he wouldn''t run into strong cultivators outside. Or even worse powerful Demonic beasts.

    Decision made, Duncan decided to act on it without hesitation. Due to his recent sublimation in mental aspects, Duncan had be more and more decisive ofte. And there was also the ever-present wanderlust in his heart.

    Thebination was enough to influence Duncan''s actions.

    While Duncan may be a little cautious in his heart, he also was a bit of an adventurer. If not for that, he would not have stepped out of his vige at the beginning. Practicing cultivation has only increased this aspect of Duncan''s character.

    "It is decided," Duncan mumbled to himself. "I will leave this wastnd tomorrow and seek out other opportunities to increase my strength."

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks check out my other works and let me know what you think.

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 133 Time Is Running Out...

    ?

    "Whew! I didn''t expect the valley to be this big,"

    Duncan mumbled as he stepped into the first shade he came across after crossing the barren wastnd he had been in for the past two weeks.

    Looking around, he saw a very different scene from what he has been experiencing for the past two weeks. Duncan''s eyes couldn''t help but twitch looking at the scenery around him.

    "First a hilly region, then a valley, followed by a forest," Duncan said letting out a huge sigh. "The geography of this ce makes no sense. Looks like that bastard Huo Teng had a lot of fun setting up this Grotto Heaven."

    Still, the sight that greeted him gave some reassurance to Duncan. Compared to the barren wastnd of a valley he had spent thest two weeks in, Duncan feltfortable looking at the surrounding trees.

    There was a reason for it as well.

    Duncan was someone who was very familiar with the forest. His days as a mercenary were spent in forests where he hunted wild beasts. He learned a lot about navigating inside a forest even as a mortal during that time.

    He also knew what kind of dangers infested forests like these. This gave him some confidence in surviving this region. The biggest worry he had when walking out of the valley he was in was his ability to survive in the next region.

    Duncan knew clearly that he was the weakest existence who entered the Grotto Heaven this time. If not for those lower-tier Level 2 scorpions he came across, he would have never been able to advance further inside this Grotto Heaven.

    In order for him to advance in his cultivation, he needed the ughter qi. And he could only obtain them by engaging in ughter. So, he was truly in a pickle when he first entered this ce.

    Even now, he wasn''tpletely clear of his predicament. He still hadn''t entered the Spirit Sea realm. From the words of his senior brother, Level 2 beasts were the weakest existence in this Grotto Heaven.

    That meant he had to at least kill one more Level 2 beast before he could enter the next major level in his cultivation. He could manage if it was a lower-tier beast. But, if it was a higher tier or middle tier Level 2 beast, then he would be in trouble.

    This created a scenario where Duncan has to skulk around keeping a low profile until finding the right demonic beast and kill it. And a forest was the perfect region for him to do that.

    Sure, the dangers in the forest were higher than the dangers in the valley. The trees and overgrown vegetation would prevent Duncan from seeing his enemies from afar. But, it also aided him in hiding himself better.

    He had hunted in a forest region while he had no cultivation. Compared to other cultivators, he knew how to move around in a forest region. This may be the trump card he needed to eliminate his sorry situation.

    If he could skulk around this region and slowly increase his cultivation level, he wouldn''t need to worry about bing fodder for others in this Grotto Heaven. As for finding opportunities or treasures, Duncan didn''t care about them much.

    Duncan understood the truth that wealth is the precursor of disaster in the cultivation world. One needed to look at one''s strength before deciding to fight for any treasures. If they aren''t sober, they would end up dead easily.

    The same went for opportunities. Only those with strength could grab hold of the opportunities presented to them. If not, they wouldn''t even know how they died. Duncan didn''t want to lose his life fighting for something he could never grab onto.

    He was sensible and clearheaded regarding this matter.

    Sporting a big smile, Duncan moved inwards into the forest region. Within moments, his figure vanished into the shrubbery that was present everywhere in this region.

    *****

    Duncan crouched low as he stalked his prey.

    His prey was a boar demon that was at the lower tier of Level 2. And it felt far more powerful than the scorpions he had dealt with before. Duncan assumed that it was on the verge of advancing. This made him a bit nervous.

    The boar was currently munching on a spirit fruit oblivious to his existence. Its concentration waspletely on the spirit fruit. Duncan was very careful as he observed the boar.

    He emptied his mind and didn''t have any malicious thoughts toward the boar. He knew that demonic beasts were capable of detecting bloodlust. He didn''t want to tip it off.

    Normally, Duncan wouldn''t have chosen this boar as his prey. He would have preferred to find something that was weaker than this boar and attack it. A lower-tier Level 2 beast on the verge of advancing to the middle tier was not his ideal target.

    Unfortunately, it had been threeplete days since he entered the forest region and this was the weakest beast he hade across. Most of the beasts he ran into were far stronger than this boar demon. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Only then did Duncan realize the dire predicament he was in. The abundant spiritual energy in this Grotto Heaven had an impact on most of the demonic beasts living inside it.

    Their cultivation was higher than the demonic beasts present outside on average. The chances of him running into some beast that had just been promoted to Level 2 were really low.

    Even those Level 2 beasts that came in with him would have advanced further in the short time the Grotto Heaven had been opened. With the abundant spiritual energy and arge number of spirit fruits present inside, there was no doubt regarding their advancement.

    That left him in a big dilemma. He can give up on this boar demon. But, the chances of running into a weaker demonic beast were not that great. And with each passing day, the demonic beasts would only grow stronger inside this Grotto Heaven.

    Duncan even felt that within a month or two, most of the beasts would advance to Level 3. Not to mention the other cultivators whose cultivation would advance rapidly in this rich environment. If that happened, his life would be miserable. The chances of him living out six months would be nonexistent in that case.

    So, the only thing he could do now was to advance rapidly in his cultivation. That was the only way to at least survive this situation. However, unlike others, his cultivation technique required him to engage in ughter. That made it both easy and hard for him to advance.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan readied his sword.

    This might turn into a bitter fight. But, if he could kill this boar demon and use the ughter qi he obtained to advance, he would have taken the first step to change his predicament.

    Without uttering any sound, Duncan unleashed a sword cut from where he was hidden. Duncan didn''t y around. His aim was truly insidious at the moment. The moment he unleashed the attack, he aimed for the neck of the boar demon hoping to kill it with a single blow.

    Unfortunately, the qi fluctuations caused by Duncan''s attack alerted the boar. The boar looked up to see the attack near it. It hastily evaded. But, it wasn''t able topletely evade the attack.

    Duncan''s luck extended as far as injuring the boar demon. It wasn''t a shallow injury either. Duncan''s sword cuts had unusual power for his cultivation level. As a result, a long gaping wound was left on the boar''s side.

    But, the unfortunate thing was that it didn''t hit any vital spots. While the boar was injured, it was also enraged by the attack. The moment itid its eyes on Duncan, it roared angrily and charged toward him with murder in its eyes.

    Duncan was already prepared for it. He didn''t hesitate. He unleashed another sword cut. The boar evaded the attack and tried to close in. Duncan used <Wind Chasing Steps> to maintain the distance and once more attacked the boar.

    The boar somehow dodged the attack and neared Duncan. It used its head as a weapon and attacked Duncan. The smart thing at the moment would have been to evade the attack of the boar.

    However, Duncan didn''t do that.

    By now, Duncan knew his situation was truly dire. He could evade. He could escape the boar demon. He could run away to fight another day. But, then what? The overall situation demanded Duncan increase his strength as quickly as possible.

    So, he knew that he must kill this boar today. Regardless of the price he paid, he must obtain enough ughter qi to advance to the Spirit Sea realm. He felt that he was currently running out of time.

    If he didn''t advance soon, he would never leave this Grotto Heaven alive. When he was in the valley or the hilly region, he hadn''t felt like that. There were no truly powerful demonic beasts roaming in that region.

    However, after stepping into this forest region, he hade across several demonic beasts. He had no hope of fighting them at all. So, it was imperative that he increased his strength.

    As for retreating to the valley or the hilly region, Duncan felt a little uneasy about that. While it was true that no other cultivator had ventured there yet, as time progresses and other opportunities dwindle, some stubborn cultivators might go into that region.

    And when they found those tests, there will be more cultivators and demonic beasts gathering there. So, the idea of using that region as a retreat didn''t sit well with Duncan at all.

    That meant he must increase his strength quickly. And the only way to do it is to engage in killing. So, this beast must die today. There are no two ways about it.

    With a determined gaze, Duncan met the head of the boar with his swordˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks, check out my other works and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 134 Entering Spirit Sea Realm

    ?

    Duncan met the head of the boar with his sword.

    He put all his strength into the blow. The moment the head of the boar met his sword, the impact jarred him. Duncan grit his teeth and exerted more pressure. The boar did the same.

    In the end, Duncan was no match for the strength of a Level 2 beast.

    Duncan went flying as the boar shook its head. However, Duncan wasn''tpletely powerless either. He somersaulted in midair andnded on his feet some distance away and looked at the boar.

    The boar snorted angrily and once more charged. Duncan could see a faint line of blood that was trickling on the boar''s head. The moment he saw it, the slight trepidation in his heart vanished.

    He knew that he could never go head-to-head with the boar after thest sh. That meant he needed to fight smarter here. Duncan''s eyes scanned the rushing boar. He could see that the boar was losing a lot of blood at the moment.

    The wound he had dealt with the first attack was big. If he couldnd another such attack, then the boar''s speed would be hindered by injuries. Then, he could slowly chip away at the boar.

    But, there was also the problem of themotion attracting other beasts.

    Deciding to take a risk, Duncan utilized <Wind Chasing Steps> and charged the boar to its surprise. Seeing a weakling attacking it brazenly made the boar even more angrier.

    Its eyes became red as it increased its speed. Just when both parties were about to sh, Duncan used the <Wind Chasing Steps> to alter his direction slightly. Instead of shing head-on, Duncan sidestepped the boar and swung his sword at the exact location of the wound that was caused by his first attack.

    His aim held true. Duncan''s sword bit deep into the wound. Further aggravating the injury. With the sword buried deep into the side of the boar, Duncan used the momentum of the <Wind Chasing Steps> to widen the injury.

    The boar roared in agony. Duncan''s attack had truly injured it. Its steps faltered as it struggled to stay afoot. Duncan didn''t give it any chance to recover. While the boar was in agony, he retreated a bit and used <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> to deal yet another heavy blow.

    From that moment, the momentum of the fight changed. Once the boar understood that it had no chance of winning the fight, it tried to run away. But, Duncan didn''t give the boar any opportunity to do so.

    Three minutes of frantic attacks from Duncan''s end finally decided the fight. The boar died under Duncan''s sword after suffering numerous injuries. Duncan didn''te out of the fight unscathed either.

    The boar''s death struggle injured him a bit as well. However, the injury was still manageable. Duncan didn''t hang around to harvest the parts of the boar. He knew that he was in a dangerous situation.

    Any beast or cultivator who came to investigate themotion can kill him easily. So, Duncan did the smart thing and abandoned the carcass. He quickly vacated the area and escaped from there.

    *****

    Duncan felt his insides churn as the qi in his body underwent a qualitative change. This time, his breakthrough wasn''t explosive. It was entirely different. There was no increase in the amount of the qi in his body.

    However, the abundant qi in his body began to shrink. He could feel it undergoing a qualitative transformation. Everywhere the qi made contact, ck ichor oozed out of his body from its pores.

    Duncan felt as if he was being cleansed from the inside out. Thick ck stuff coated his body as the qi in his body condensed into a refined state. The qi in his body still felt gaseous, but there was a density to it.

    The spirit energy in Duncan''s body now contained a red hue. The process wasn''t instantaneous or anything. It was gradual. All the qi in his body slowly condensed into a gaseous cloud that was red in color.

    Duncan remembered his master Liang Tianye''s exnation regarding the next level. The Spirit Sea realm contained seven levels. With each level, the qi in his body was refined further. It was indicated in the color that they sported.

    Red was just the beginning. He must refine the qi in his body till it became violet in color. Only then he would reach the top of the Spirit Sea realm. With each advancement in this realm, the color of his spirit sea would change.

    Duncan couldn''t help but let out a satisfied smile as he felt the qi in his body sublimate. Even the stinky smell he was covered in couldn''t dampen his mood. He was finally at the Spirit Sea realm.

    When he was in the Starmist City, the Wang n patriarch, who was in the Spirit Sea realm, was considered to be an indomitable existence. While the patriarch had been at the peak of the realm, it didn''t make much difference to Duncan at that time.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    At that time, he was a puny mortal. He could be killed at the whims of the Wang n. Why was it like that? It was because the Wang n had an existence like the patriarch.

    And now, he had stepped into the Spirit Sea realm. It hadn''t even been six months since then. He was already catching up to an existence that made him feel heavy pressure. And soon he would be able to equal the Wang n patriarch in strength.

    This was significant to Duncan.

    True, in the grand scheme of things, the Spirit Sea realm didn''t matter much. It was at the lower end of the power spectrum. After joining the Heavenly Demon Sect, his horizons widened. He had also met with existences that were at the fabled Nascent Soul realm.

    But, to Duncan, this breakthrough was a momentous asion. It marked a particr dividing line in his life. So far, he has been prey. Cultivators had ruled over him until now.

    However, things wouldn''t be the same soon. This breakthrough proved to him that he can be stronger if he worked hard and cultivated well. This breakthrough was proof that his efforts weren''t in vain. This breakthrough showed him that he didn''t gamble with his life for nothing.

    Today, he was closing in on the Wang n. One day, he would reach the same level of strength as the people who destroyed Starsinger Town. One day, he wouldn''t need to worry about Heavenly Demon Sect.

    He was progressing. He was catching up to existences that once stood above him. And it is what mattered. When he reaches the apex, then no one would be able to control him. He can live freely.

    That is what he cultivated for. Power, position, respect, longevity, and all the other things cultivators yearned for didn''t matter to Duncan much. He just wanted to be free to do as he pleased.

    This breakthrough told him that he was on the right path.

    Maybe it was silly of him to think so. But, it didn''t change the fact that an unknown shackle in his heart was released with this breakthrough. If he walked into Starmist City now, he would be considered to be an average expert. It waspletely different from how he escaped from the city to save his life.

    Duncanposed himself after indulging in the euphoria a bit. He quickly got rid of the nk gunk that was all over his body and refreshed himself. Duncan knew that while he was happy, he couldn''t get ahead of himself.

    The important thing now was to survive the Grotto Heaven he was in. For that, he needed to be stronger. Spirit Sea realm was just the start. Not to mention that he had only entered it. If he got ahead of himself, forget about the Wang n, he wouldn''t even get out of here alive.

    Duncan repressed the surging emotions in his heart and concentrated on what to do next. Now that he was at the Spirit Sea realm, he had some confidence in battling middle-tier Level 2 beasts present in this Grotto Heaven.

    From the top of the Qi Gathering realm to the early stage of the Spirit Sea realm, the difference wasn''t huge. But, this breakthrough swept away all the morose thoughts in his head. Currently, he didn''t feel the impending doom he felt when he was in the Qi Gathering realm.

    Just a small breakthrough was enough to change his mindset. From this side of the breakthrough, he could feel that things were not that bad. The advantage of his cultivation technique was that as long as he obtained ughter qi, he wouldn''t face a bottleneck anytime soon.

    And with the increase in strength, he now had the confidence to steadily raise his cultivation level. Looking back on his fight with the boar, Duncan realized one important thing.

    He didn''t need to harvest the body parts or the blood of the demonic beasts he killed. The only thing that mattered was obtaining the ughter qi. As long as he did it, his progress will be smooth.

    As for the normal qi, the spirit energy in this Grotto Heaven was abundant. The only thing that had been hampering his cultivation progress was his inability to obtain the ughter qi.

    Now that was taken care of, Duncan had enough confidence to walk out of this Grotto Heaven alive, barring any misadventures. He now had a good n. As long as he executed it steadily, he would be able to progress rapidly in his cultivation.

    *****

    A/N: Hey folks, check out my other works and let me know what you think...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 135 Undercurrents

    ?

    "Do you know what is happening in the forest region?" Mo Shen asked his fellow disciple curiously.

    "I am not exactly sure," Han Longjing said scratching his head. "I heard that someone was ughtering all the Level 2 beasts in that region. But I don''t understand which of our sect members would be so idle to do something that boring."

    Mo Shen could only nod upon hearing that statement.

    This time, the Heavenly Demon Sect only sent out Golden Core disciples as their main force. Even the disciples who entered after them were all in the Violet Pce realm at the minimum.

    Level 2 beasts were like a nuisance to them. So, he couldn''t understand who was bored enough to go on a killing spree with Level 2 beasts as their target. Especially at this time.

    It has been three months since the Grotto Heaven opened. Several of the nearby sects had gotten the news by now and hade over to search for their destiny. The news that flowed from outside indicated that several Righteous sects banded together and forced the Heavenly Demon Sect to allow their disciples inside.

    Initially, the Heavenly Demon Sect had refused outright to allow entrance. But, the Righteous sects had invited the Three Holy Lands, causing pressure to mount. In the end, the Heavenly Demon Sect conceded.

    But, not before sending a secret message to all its disciples.

    The Heavenly Demon Sect had simply told its disciples to teach a good lesson for the righteous path disciples. They also allowed entry to its subordinate sects creating a true bem inside the Grotto Heaven.

    The tension between the two factions was at an all-time high now. Most of the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples were indignant that their sect capitted to the Righteous sects'' demand.

    They didn''t like the righteous cultivators. And having to agree to their demands didn''t sit well with them. But, the free pass given by the sect assuaged their hurt. Right now, they wanted to teach the disciples of the righteous factions a memorable lesson.

    When ites to being unruly and acting like hooligans, the cultivators of the evil path were expertspared to the righteous path disciples. The Heavenly Demon Sect may have allowed the righteous path disciples to enter the Grotto Heaven due to thebined pressure of the three Holy Lands, but it didn''t mean they have to be gracious about it.

    By the time the righteous sects stepped foot in, most of the treasures from the outer region have been stripped bare by the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Only the central region and a few other isted ces had any more treasures left.

    While the righteous cultivators were a bit peeved seeing this, they couldn''t fault the Heavenly Demon Sect for their actions. So, most of the righteous sect disciples rushed toward the central region in a hurry. Still, what was happening in the forest region has caused a lot of talk recently.

    "Instead of hunting demonic beasts, I would rather hunt down those pompous asses from the righteous sects," Mo Shen grumbled.

    "Well, I don''t care much about that anyway. If not for it spooking a lot of female cultivators from the righteous faction, no one would have cared about it," Han Longjing said curling his lips.

    "So, any news from the central region?" Mo Shen asked.

    "There are strict orders from the sect to not enter the main hall. Apart from it, we are allowed to explore other ces. But, some of the geniuses of the subordinate sects don''t seem to care about it. Right now, they are working together with righteous sect disciples to disable the restriction in the main hall," Han Longjing said a little cautiously.

    "Damn those bastards!" Mo Shen cursed. "Aren''t they afraid we will teach them a lesson?"

    Han Longjing didn''t reply immediately. He looked troubled for a few moments before replying.

    "There have been some rumors," Han Longjing said shifting ufortably.

    "What kind of rumors?"

    "There has been some talk regarding how Heavenly Demon Sect is slipping up recently. The fiasco with the Seven-Colored Soul Lotus and now allowing entry to the righteous sects, some of the subordinate sects feel that we don''t have what it takes anymore to lead the evil path," Han Longjing said a little quietly.

    "What! They dare!"

    "Lower your voice, Mo Shen. Why wouldn''t they dare? We are not the righteous path. Might makes right amongst us. And we have behaved like weaklings in recent times. So, obviously, someone wants to test us."

    "Damn! Looks like we have been quiet for too long!" Mo Shen muttered angrily.

    "I talked with some of our seniors. They said that there is some talk regarding creating a big ruckus in the near future. But, for now, they have told me to keep my head down and behave normally," Han Longjing shrugged.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Why can''t we teach those bastards a lesson right now?"

    "I don''t know. But, the word is that the order came directly from the Sect Master. Even some of the elders are not happy. But, they are willing to swallow it due to some reason," Han Longjing said looking around furtively.

    "It doesn''t look like how those old demons behave," Mo Shen shook his head. "Do you think they are brewing something big?"

    "Who knows? I am not eager to stick my head out and find out. Let''s just keep our heads low in the Grotto Heaven and see how things change after exiting here," Han Longjing said pursing his lips.

    "Whatever," Mo Shen said dissatisfiedly. "I think I need to vent some of my displeasure. Finding a few righteous path idiots and killing them can do that. I will take what I can get at this time."

    "Don''t do something rash, Mo Shen," Han Longjing warned. "Outsiders may not know the strength of those old monsters. You and I are clear about them. Let us wait and see what happens."

    "Don''t worry, I am not stupid."

    *****

    Heavenly Demon Sect, Liang Tianye''s Quarters

    "Why are we allowing those fools from the righteous path to walk over us? I can''t stand it," Feng Feixuan said a little dissatisfiedly.

    Currently, she was lying naked in Liang Tianye''s bed. Moonlight filtered through the window and made her body shine with ephemeral beauty. It made the sweat present on her contain mesmerizing charm.

    Her sexy figure looked very inviting at this moment. Her tired and disshelved appearance,bined with the small glow that was present on her face, made her very alluring. Any man who could see her at the moment couldn''t help but gulp in desire.

    "You don''t need to worry about these things," Liang Tianye said from beside her without bothering to look at her. "You just need toplete the task I gave you."

    He too was currently naked. Only a small sheet covered his lower body. There were small beads of sweat on his forehead as well, indicating the arduous exchange they both have been involved in recently.

    "Hmmph, Liang Tianye, you act as if I am your subordinate. I am an elder of this sect. It is natural that I am worried about the Sect Master''s behavior in recent times. Not just me, several other elders are dissatisfied as well."

    Liang Tianye''s body stilled for a moment. A dangerous aura emanated from his body making Feng Feixuan to be startled.

    Before she could react, Liang Tianye''s hand shot out and grabbed her hair. Feng Feixuan didn''t have the time to protest his actions. The next moment, Liang Tianye yanked her out of the bed and threw her to the floor.

    Feng Feixuan''s breath hitched. A small sliver of fear emerged in her chest as she airborne. The next moment, shended on the floor. Anger and indignation rose up within her immediately.

    When had she been manhandled like this? She was Feng Feixuan. Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect. An existence that sent shivers through countless cultivators. Even the other elders in the sect never dared to treat her in such a disrespectful manner.

    But, before her anger could boil over, a heavy pressure mmed into her body making her unable to rise up. rm shot through her heart as she felt the pressure emanating from Liang Tianye who was currently getting up from the bed leisurely.

    What was pinning her down was the cultivation pressure exerted by Liang Tianye. As an elder of the preeminent demonic sect on the Demon Scale Continent, Feng Feixuan was already at thete stages of the Nascent Soul realm. There were very few existences that could make her unable to move just from pressure alone on this continent.

    And they were all doubtlessly above the Nascent Soul realm. From the information she knew about Liang Tianye, his cultivation should not be that much different from hers. At most, he should only be at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. But, this pressure was definitely above the Nascent Soul stage.

    Lifting her eyes she looked at Liang Tianye who was currently sitting on the bed and looked down at her calmly. The sheer pressure emanated from him at the moment, made her heart palpitate. Feng Feixuan licked her lips unconsciously as the sight of Liang Tianye''s casual appearance made her feel tingles in her stomach.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other works and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 136 Cease To Exist

    ?

    "Tch, tch, tch," Liang Tianye said shaking his head. "I think I need to teach you the true difference between you and me. You think those trash you call fellow elders of this sect mean anything to me or the Sect Master?"

    Liang Tianye asked with a yful look on his face. It made Feng Feixuan be a little disturbed in her heart. If Liang Tianye was looking down on the elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect this much, then it probably meant that their power didn''t enter his eyes at all. If so, what was his true strength?

    It was definitely above the Nascent Soul realm, that''s for sure. But, was it just that? Did he have any more secrets? How powerful was he in reality? Feng Feixuan''s mind spun rapidly.

    "Little Feixuan," Liang Tianye came close and fondled her chin. "You just need to follow my instructions. As for other things, you don''t need to worry. Sect Master and I have ns that you can neverprehend at your realm. Be obedient, you will reap great benefits. Do you understand?"

    Feng Feixuan can only nod at the moment. She knew that she was no match for Liang Tianye. And Liang Tianye''s actions didn''t rouse her anger or disgust. Rather, it only made her excited.

    She always believed in the power of the strong. Only the strong deserved to be on top. Weaklings all deserved to die in her opinion. Liang Tianye''s method of exerting his authority over her met her approval. This was how a strong cultivator behaved. They didn''t need to be restrained. This suited her.

    "So eager," Liang Tianye chuckled seeing her nod. "There was a reason I chose you. You don''t disappoint me. Still, I think I should teach you to be more obedient to me in the future."

    Saying this, Liang Tianye grabbed Feng Feixuan''s hair and made her rise. Feng Feixuan''s body was immobile from the targeted pressure exerted by Liang Tianye. So, she could only follow his actions, even if she was unwilling.

    But, Feng Feixuan wasn''t unwilling. Rather, this disy of power from Liang Tianye excited her more. When Liang Tianye unceremoniously smashed his lips on hers and brutally kissed her, she weed his tongue with enthusiasm.

    However, Liang Tianye wasn''t satisfied with this little action. He had made up his mind topletely make Feng Feixuan obedient to him. His Senior Brother''s words have been brewing in his mind for three months.

    Feng Feixuan must bepletely tamed by him and be an obedient pet for him. There was no other option. It is that, or he killed her. She was beautiful enough to waste by killing her. Her talent wasn''t bad either. Most importantly, she had a devious mind that piqued his interest.

    He didn''t want to kill her. That would be a waste of potential. If she could bepletely controlled by him, then she can be used in a lot of ways. And sex with her is also fun.

    However, it didn''t mean that he could allow something uncertain to appear at this critical juncture. There was just a year left for the Aghori Path to descend. Noplications can be allowed at this moment.

    He can''t jeopardize a grand n that has been in the making for several centuries for a beauty. If anything went wrong, even he couldn''t guarantee his safety. What use was a beauty at that time? He had always been pragmatic.

    So, in his heart, he decided topletely break this proud woman in front of him tonight and remake her into his obedient pet.

    With a decision made, Liang Tianye acted. Just as he kissed her, his other hand grabbed one of her breasts and started to squeeze them roughly. The moan she elicited made hisid cock stir.

    With a devious smile, he threw her on the bed and climbed atop her. He didn''t immediatelyvish her with kisses like he usually did. No, this time, it was going to be different. This time, he was going to break her down systematically.

    When he was done, she would be his puppet in all but name.

    With a nasty smirk adorning his face, Liang Tianye went to workˇ­

    *****

    Three dayster, Liang Tianye sat in his abode sipping spirit wine.

    Feng Feixuan, who had been a proud elder of the premier evil sect in the Dragon Scale continent, sat on his knee content with her ce. There was a marked difference between the woman now and who she was three days ago.

    Right now, her eyes were hooded. There was a content expression on her face. It was as if she couldn''t want anything more in this world. For a woman who had terrorized the entire Heavenly Demon Sect with her vicious ways to sport such an expression, it can be only said that Liang Tianye had seeded in his mission.

    The lethargic atmospherested for a while as Liang Tianye sat content enjoying the spoils of his victory. In the past three days, he had broken down the proud woman who now sat on his knee and was cuddling into him.

    If anyone saw how docile the vicious Elder Feng of the Heavenly Demon Sect was behaving currently, they would never believe it. Feng Feixuan was someone who made strong cultivators from the righteous sect dance to her tunes. She was called the Demonic Seductress for a reason.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Now, it appeared as if the tables had turned.

    Liang Tianye ced the wine goblet on the nearby table and pped Feng Feixuan''s butt, motioning her to get up. Feng Feixuan obediently rose from her content state. Three days ago, she might have grumbled a bit. But now, she was entirely subservient to Liang Tianye.

    Looking at her obedient posture, Liang Tianye let out a derisive smile. Deep within his heart, she didn''t believe this woman''s current state at all.

    "Do you know what you have to do?" Liang Tianye asked nonchntly not caring about the fake act.

    "Yes, I know. I will carry out your orders without any error," Feng Feixuan said with an adoring expression on her face. "Butˇ­"

    "You are wondering about the need to do so?" Liang Tianye asked guessing Feng Feixuan''s apprehension.

    Even though he had tamed the woman in front of him, Liang Tianye knew that a proud woman like Feng Feixuan will never truly belong to him in body and soul. The obedient look she now sported was merely an act to fool him.

    But, it didn''t mean that he hadn''t conquered her. She waspletely loyal to him now. However, loyalty among demonic cultivators was really a fickle thing. Liang Tianye knew this and he too never trusted her entirely.

    To a woman like Feixuan, watching others suffer brought her pleasure. If she could participate in that suffering, it would be even better. This was the chink in her armor. And Liang Tianye knew this.

    Right now, she may act obediently in front of him. However, if his position changed from being strong to being weak, Feixuan wouldn''t hesitate to put a dagger in his back. Liang Tianye knew this well.

    And he liked that about her.

    After all, what is the fun in taming an obedient woman? Taming a poisonous snake like Feixuan gave Liang Tianye a greater sense of aplishment. So, he didn''t truly mind her hesitation.

    Once she started to do his bidding, he was confident that she would eventually bepletely loyal to him. After all, women like Feixuan craved powerful men. And when she realized the extent of the gap between them while doing his bidding, she would submit to him wholeheartedly.

    "Within the next two years, Heavenly Demon Sect will be no more in this Dragon Scale continent. Not because it would be obliterated by the righteous path. It is because the reason for the Heavenly Demon Sect to exist will be over. When that timees, you need to choose what you want to do next," Liang Tianye said cryptically causing Feng Feixuan''s eyes to widen.

    "Didn''t expect that, did you? There are things in motion that far surpasses yourprehension. If you remain obedient and do what I tell you to do, you will reap unimaginable benefits when the timees," Liang Tianye coaxed her with a devious smile.

    "I trust you toplete the task I assigned to you," Liang Tianye said not minding the bewildered expression on Feng Feixuan''s face. "Once the loose ends are tied up, your future cultivation path might take a huge leap. Do you want to waste your life in this wastnd? Or do you want to see the truend of cultivation?"

    "You meanˇ­"

    "Ahˇ­ ahˇ­ no, my dear. Some things are better not to be mentioned aloud. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So, are you willing to grab this opportunity or be mediocre for the rest of your life?"

    "I am willing to follow you anywhere, my lord," Feng Feixuan leaned forward showing her ample bosom in a tempting way and curtseyed.

    Liang Tianye shot her a knowing smile in return but didn''tment on her actions.

    *****

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 Chapter 137 Duncans Dilemma

    ?

    Within the past three days, there have been numerous battles in the Grotto Heaven. Geniuses fought each other to prove their superiority over their peers. Righteous faction shed against evil cultivators in a bid to gain dominance.

    As battles were waged, blood flowed like a river within the central area of the Grotto Heaven. Earth-shaking shes were staged causing the atmosphere in the central region to be more and more vtile with each passing hour.

    Especially, the region around the main hall was filled with crouching dragons and hidden snakes. The body count has risen through the roof in the past three days. Only a select few absolutely strong individuals were able to remain without injury at this time.

    But, none of this mattered to Duncan.

    He was currently cultivating in the forest region arduously. In the past month, his cultivation had once again risen sharply. Currently, he was at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm.

    Violet qi raged around his body as he calmly circted the qi in his body and guided it to break through. But, after a long time, he let out a frustrated huff and opened his eyes.

    Maybe it was because he had beencking ughter qi, or maybe it was because his cultivation had been rising rapidly, or maybe it was something else entirely. Regardless of the reason, Duncan was currently at a bottleneck.

    And this frustrated Duncan who was looking forward to exiting this region and looking for some more opportunities. In this one month, he had continuously broken through six minor levels. This rate of advancement can only be considered phenomenal in the Spirit Sea realm.

    As per general logic, the Spirit Sea realm didn''t have any bottlenecks. It can be considered that breaking through levels at the Spirit Sea realm was even easier than in the Qi Condensation realm.

    Unlike the Qi Condensation realm, where a cultivator needs to prepare his body toy a firm foundation, the Spirit Sea realm only focuses on refining the internal qi present in one''s body.

    When a cultivator enters the Spirit Sea realm, the qi present in his body is already in a liquid state. In the Qi Condensation realm, a cultivator usually strengthens his body along with umting the qi inside his body. But, in the Spirit Sea realm, there is no body-strengthening process.

    This is the reason that advancement in the Spirit Sea realm is considered to be easier than it was in the Qi Condensation realm. But, there was arge caveat present. For a cultivator to advance through the minor realms in the Spirit Sea realm, there is a need of abundant qi.

    Usually, this is the reason normal cultivators spend a lot of time in the Spirit Sea realm. The qi needed to refine the liquid qi present in the body in each stage is not small. The cultivators need to spend a lot of time umting enough qi to break through each level.

    But, Duncan''s luck was such that he was stuck in a ce where there is abundant qi. The amount of qi present in the Grotto Heaven can be described as limitless in a manner. After all, this was an umtion of several centuries in a sealed area.

    So, it was only natural that Duncan didn''t face any obstacles when breaking through the minor levels of the Spirit Sea realm inside the Grotto Heaven. His speed of breakthrough this time was really phenomenal.

    If other cultivators took several months to refine their qi from the Red Sea to the Violet Sea, Duncan only took several days at most to break through each level. Hence, within one month, he had already refined all the qi in his body to violet color.

    As for the ughter qi required for him to advance through each level, the forest region he was currently in was popted with a lot of mid-tier and high-tier Level 2 beasts. Even Level 3 beasts are not a rarity in this region. So, how could Duncan face any bottleneck while advancing through minor realms?

    But, heavens always have a way to block a cultivator''s path. And Duncan wasn''t an exception either.

    "Sigh," Duncan let out a frustrated breath, "it looks like I can never break through the Spirit Sea realm and enter the Violet Pce realm inside this Grotto Heaven. No matter what I try, there is no way for me to do that."

    "Now that I know this, I better forget about fighting for opportunities against other cultivators," Duncan sighed. "Even if I go over, I can only get beaten up by others. With such a low cultivation level, it is tantamount to suicide to fight for opportunities."

    There was a pertinent reason for Duncan''s negative attitude. It is not that Duncan had encountered an insurmountable roadblock in his cultivation. In fact, his conditions were perfectly suited for his cultivation technique. It was as if this cultivation technique was tailor-made for him.

    There is abundant qi in the Grotto Heaven. Countless demonic beasts and other cultivators were avable if Duncan needed ughter qi. His body is in its prime state. And Duncan''s understanding of his cultivation technique was above the required expertise as well.

    But, even with all these advantages, Duncan was stuck in the peak of the Spirit Sea realm because of one simple reason.

    He didn''t have the third chapter of <ughter Demon Sutra> to cultivate further.

    When Duncan''s master instructed him on the cultivation technique, he never foresaw that Duncan would be locked up inside the Grotto Heaven like this at a crucial stage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    So, Liang Tianye never imparted him with the third chapter of <ughter Demon Sutra>. He only instructed Duncan on the first two chapters. Without the third chapter, Duncan was unable to convert the liquid qi in his body to a semi-solid state.

    In order to break through to the next realm, Duncan must be able to transform his qi into a semi-solid state. Even if he had enough ughter qi in his body, it is useless unless he knew the method to transform his qi.

    The Violent Pce realm is considered to be a watershed that differentiated those with potential and those without. The reason for this is that, without proper technique and good enough talent, it is impossible to transform the liquid violet qi into semi-solid pirs thaty the foundation for the Violet Pce in a cultivator''s body.

    This transformation not only requires proper technique, but it also needs the cultivator to have above-average control of his qi. And talent and perception are also a must. To add to that, if one doesn''t have an adequate body foundation, the established pirs will crumble before they are formedpletely.

    That''s why this realm is the watershed that separates the ones with potential and the ones without. The reason Wang n Patriarch is still at the Spirit Sea realm is also due to this.

    Thus, without the third chapter, Duncan was now stuck unable to progress any further. Regardless of how much time passes, Duncan can only wait until he exits and ask his master for the next chapter of the cultivation technique.

    If Duncan didn''t want to wait, then he must change to another cultivation technique. That might cause him some severe bacsh due to conflicting properties of the cultivation techniques and also reduce his cultivation drastically.

    Duncan could only helplessly scratch his head due to his situation. If there was one thing Duncan had never been worried about in his cultivation journey, it was the cultivation technique.

    In a way, Duncan had been quite spoiled from the start. While other cultivators would shift through multiple cultivation techniques from the moment they began to find the right technique, his cultivation technique was directly granted to him by his master.

    This also limited Duncan''s vision. And his journey had been pretty smooth sailing so far. Regardless of the numerous dangers he faced, Duncan had never been worried about his cultivation technique so far in his journey. This made him a bitcent.

    Now that he encountered his first setback, Duncan was quite confused as to what he should do. Even though he knew that this situation was only temporary, Duncan was a bit miffed.

    He knew that he would never receive such a good opportunity to cultivate in peace once he stepped out of the Grotto Heaven. Not to mention the environment that was quite rich in qi. In a way, this Grotto Heaven was Duncan''s shortcut to catch up to his peers.

    And he had used this opportunity to shorten the distance quite admirably. But, Duncan was greedy for more. He didn''t just want to catch up, he wanted to overtake his peers and stand above them.

    Unfortunately, such a situation arose casting a stumbling block in his path. Now, Duncan was stuck at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm for the next three months.

    "It is no use to bash my head regarding his," Duncan let out a sullen breath. "My increase in cultivation hase to an end. I have to ept that fact. There is nothing else to do. Now, I have to concentrate on other things."

    It is not that Duncan didn''t think of obtaining some other cultivation technique from a few inheritance sites present in the Grotto Heaven. But, unlike the other cultivators present in the Grotto Heaven, Duncan had experienced first-hand the convoluted background of this Grotto Heaven.

    Furthermore, this Grotto Heaven was left behind by righteous cultivators. As a demonic cultivator, Duncan was quite leery of things left behind by those cultivators for the future generation.

    Who knows what kind of effect it would cause if he cultivated another technique? Will the ughter qi inside him sh with the new technique? Would it cause any adverse effects? Since he didn''t know the answers to this question, Duncan decided to obediently wait.

    It was far better than running into someplications. He was still a cultivationyman after all. It hadn''t even been six months since he started cultivating. Hadn''t he already got himself stuck in a tricky situation already? Only an idiot would further meddle in things he didn''t know of.

    "Since I couldn''t make any progress in my cultivation, I need to do something else to make my time here useful. Either I concentrate on my martial arts techniques or I choose to cultivate that new soul art I received. What should I do?" Duncan frowned thinking hard.

    Just then, arge bang echoed across the region causing Duncan to stand up abruptly.

    *****

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 Chapter 138 Fated Encounter

    ?

    Just then, arge bang echoed across the region causing Duncan to stand up abruptly.

    Duncan used his movement technique to immediately rush up one of the trees and looked into the distance. Arge cloud of dust was barely visible in the distance. The distance between that location and the region Duncan was in was too far for him to see even a glimpse.

    Even with Duncan''s enhanced senses, he could only barely see the dust cloud. Even that was like a speck. As for what actually caused it or who was involved, Duncan didn''t have a clue.

    Duncan couldn''t believe that the sound traveled this far out. Something huge must have happened at the location of the dust cloud. If not for that, there was no way that such amotion would have appeared.

    From the looks of it, the sound was audible throughout the Grotto Heaven. Duncan could already see several silhouettes rushing toward the origin of the sound. It looked like the sound had disturbed a lot of people.

    For a moment, Duncan entertained the idea of rushing over as well. But, the moment such an idea formed in his mind, an ominous premonition urred to him. Duncan had never experienced anything like that until now.

    "What was that?" Duncan asked himself as he looked at the distant speck of dust cloud. "Did I somehow feel a warning sensation rush through me? In that case, is it dangerous for me to head over?"

    Duncan had no one beside him to enlighten him regarding this. If someone was near, they would have told him that it was natural for cultivators to sometime feel some ominous premonitions.

    As a cultivator progressed through his cultivation, his perception of the world would increase slowly. This perception would sometimes manifest in the form of warnings. Any cultivator would learn to take heed of these warnings as it was their inner subconscious that was telling them that something was wrong.

    Duncan had never experienced such a thing. Moreover, he didn''t have anyone close to him to advise him on such a thing. His cultivation knowledge was also low. But, Duncan wasn''t an idiot.

    He already knew some things about the Grotto Heaven that nobody knew. Considering the history and the grudges behind the establishment of Grotto Heaven, Duncan knew it was only prudent to stay away from whatever it was happening over there.

    Moreover, he didn''t have enough strength even if he wanted to head over. He would only be a fodder if he rushed into that situation. So, Duncan wisely chose to stay away from themotion.

    "Forget about that, I don''t think I can gain anything by heading over there. It would be a miracle if I can walk out alive if I got caught up in that stuff. Whatever is happening over there is really not a good stuff," Duncan consoled himself.

    "Anyway, now I have to decide on what to focus on for the next three months. My sword technique is adequate. And my movement technique is also at a good enough stage. But, I don''t have any trump cards," Duncan calmly analyzed his situation.

    "Until now, I have been battling beasts. Even though demonic beasts are strong, they aren''t known for their cunning. And once I get out of the Grotto Heaven, I will have to face humans from the righteous path as well," Duncan squinted.

    "Heh, if there is one species that is known for their treachery, then it would be us humans. And quite a lot of people are cunning. I am just an ordinary spirit stone miner before this. My cunning would never be enough to tangle with these men who grew up on schemes," Duncan said self-deprecatingly.

    "I can''t go on like this. It was fine when I battled beasts, but if I want to take my revenge on the Wang n, I will need to have some trump cards with me. This Soul Art that asshole gifted perfectly suits to be my trump card," Duncan said grinning slightly.

    "Even in the Heavenly Demon Sect, not many people have cultivated in Soul Arts. No one would expect me to cultivate such a thing. This is perfect for me. If I ever run into a very dangerous situation, I can use this to get out of trouble," Duncan decided after analyzing the pros and cons.

    "So, let''s check out what kind of miraculous soul art that asshole has given me," Duncan sat down calmly in his spot. "Since that asshole thought it would be enough to tie me with karma, this art couldn''t be a lower-level technique. I am curious what a high-level technique in that asshole''s eyes looks like."

    Duncan closed his eyes and started recalling the soul art he had obtained recently. As the soul art was directly imprinted in his mind, it was easy for Duncan to recall the contents of the technique.

    After three long hours, Duncan opened his eyes with aplicated look on his face. Even after pursuing the technique for three hours, Duncan couldn''t even understand the basics of the technique.

    The technique was so obscure that Duncan felt his head aching just recalling the contents. Duncan was sure that this technique requires high talent toprehend itpletely. This was an absolutely top-notch technique.

    Even someone who has never cultivated soul arts before like him could tell how extraordinary this technique was. No wonder that man had thought that this would be enough to tie him down with karma strings. Duncan felt that with this technique alone, someone could establish a medium-tier sect.

    Normally, obtaining such a technique should have made Duncan jump with joy. But, in fact, Duncan''s reaction was the opposite. While he did feel happy that he got such a technique as a reward, the consequences that came with it made him feel a headache. Furthermore, he didn''t even know whether he could cultivate this technique properly.

    This scenario only frustrated Duncan further.

    But, Duncan was never one to give up. He was someone who endured the hardship of being a spirit stone miner. Compared to that, this bit of difficulty was nothing to him. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "If I can''t understand this technique immediately, I will take as much time as I need to. I will cultivate this technique without fail. I have already paid a lot for this and I am not going to stop because of a small difficulty," Duncan muttered in a determined tone and closed his eyes to meditate on the technique again.

    *****

    Duncan wasn''t the only one who was shocked by themotion.

    Shen Wulong stood in front of the main hall of the Grotto Heaven with a wry smile on his face. He too was obviously shocked by themotion that urred a few hours prior.

    But, his reason was entirely different.

    While Duncan didn''t know what caused themotion, Shen Wulong knew exactly what or who caused it. Themotion happened because he broke through the restriction of the main hall.

    But what he didn''t expect was the level ofmotion it would cause. When the restriction broke, the sound it generated reverberated throughout the Grotto Heaven. This was a very abnormal behavior.

    Especially, for a Grotto Heaven that has been sealed for centuries. Usually, restrictions like this faded over time or became weaker. But, the restriction present in the main hall defied normal behavior and rather became strengthened.

    Shen Wulong didn''t know this. He was rather perplexed due to themotion it caused. It was the reason for his surprise. As the person who opened this Grotto Heaven, it took Shen Wulong a lot of time to break through the restriction.

    He originally thought that he had seeded without anyone being aware of the fact. But, who knew that this would cause such a hugemotion? Currently, not only his location was exposed and everyone else was running into the main hall as well.

    "It looks like I can''t defy fate. Mu-er our fated encounter is sure to happen in this main hall. I wonder how you would treat me when you see me," Shen Wulong whispered to himself thinking of his former fianc¨¦.

    It took him a lot of time to solve the Icy Nether poison that was gifted by his former fianc¨¦ Qing Mu. The poison had seeped into his soul. Only his vigorous cultivation was able to suppress it.

    Luckily, he knew the effects and remedies rted to this poison very well. In fact, he had once put his life at risk to get a major resource required to cultivate this poison. He had done this to help Qing Mu when they were betrothed.

    At that time, he had researched about this poison quite well to understand it. He had been a little bit confused to see his gentle fianc¨¦ cultivate such a ruthless poison then. But, now that he knew her true face, he wasn''t that surprised.

    The poison fit her well. It was too insidious. Just like her. If not for her betraying him and leading him into an ambush, how could a Heaven''s Chosen like him end up in such a state? Furthermore, she even weakened him by poisoning him while he had let his guard down.

    But, the Heavens indeed have eyes. He not only escaped the encirclement but also escaped to the distant Dragon Scale Continent. But, this woman was really relentless. She even followed him here.

    Normally, she should have been able to kill him in his weakened state. He had always wondered why she didn''t do so. He had deluded himself into thinking that she still had some feelings for him.

    But, onlyter did he realize that he had once talked about this secret realm to her. Now that he had opened this, he was of no use to her at all. But, luckily he had entered before anyone and hid himself well.

    He had even found a few precious herbs to treat the poison in this Grotto Heaven. It took him some time to regain his former strength. Following that, he was busy breaking the restriction of the main hall. He had never truly spared a thought about her presence until now.

    But now, things havee to a head. The main hall will be the location they would meet once more. And when they do, it was time for him to take his revenge on her.

    "Qing Mu, prepare yourself. No one betrays me and lives," Shen Wulong muttered as a vicious light flickered across his eyes.

    *****

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 Chapter 139 Lets Rob Them

    ?

    It wasn''t just Shen Wulong and Qing Mu entering the main hall in the central region at this moment.

    Most of the higher-level cultivators were rushing in from different directions at this moment. Both the righteous faction and the demonic faction were eager to obtain the treasures and opportunities present in the main hall. Even the demonic beasts that entered the Grotto Heaven and who were already present in the Grotto Heaven were rushing in.

    All through this, there was one faction that wasn''t rushing in like the others.

    The disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect stood in the distance and watched the main hall with aplicated gaze. Elite disciples could even see cultivators who were weaker than them rushing into the main hall.

    Such a scene made them feel really sullen.

    Chen Wangjie stood amidst the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect and watched themotion in the distance with a nonchnt gaze. If Duncan were to see him at present, he would be surprised by the changes Chen Wangjie had undergone.

    This senior brother of Duncan, who took the secret mission to escort Duncan into the Grotto Heaven, lookedpletely differentpared to when he entered. The Blood Blossom Fruit that was promised as a reward for his actions was delivered to him when the next batch of disciples entered the Grotto Heaven.

    After consuming it and refining it, his dormant bloodline has been awakened a slight bit. But, this was the bloodline of an Ancient God Beast. How can this bepared to other bloodlines?

    As a result, there was an aura of viciousness that now surrounds Chen Wangjie. This made his fat body emit a dangerous aura around him causing others to stay a few steps away from him at all times.

    Also, his cultivation had skyrocketed in the past three months as well. The rich qi present in the Grotto Heaven was an ideal element for him to increase his cultivation. With the activation of his bloodline, Chen Wangjie''s cultivation soared in a short period of time.

    "Damn it, are we going to watch these clowns plunder the treasures without doing anything?" one of the elite disciples cursed.

    "Our orders were clear. We are to never enter the main hall," the leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples said frowning.

    "Then, what about robbing the treasures from whoeveres out?" another elite disciple asked with a cruel glint in his eyes.

    The moment he asked the question, everyone present quieted. They all stared at the leader with scorching gazes daring him to say something negative. The leader gulped inwardly and cursed the disciple who asked the question inside his mind.

    While he maintained a fearless demeanor outside, inwardly he was sweating bullets. He knew that he could take out any one of these disciples if it was one on one. But, the Heavenly Demon Sect was not a righteous sect and its disciples weren''t righteous cultivators either.

    The moment things turned sour, they would all gang up on him and beat him up. Even he would be hard-pressed to remain alive under all their attacks. These evil little shits wouldn''t even bat an eye when doing such a thing.

    Not that he was any better.

    "There were no instructions regarding it. So, I guess that would be fine. As long as we don''t enter the main hall, the sect wouldn''t make things difficult for us," the leader said pondering a bit.

    "Heh, that''s more like it," one of the elites grinned evilly. "I have been dissatisfied with those clowns from the righteous sects for a long time. This time I will teach them why they shouldn''te over to our territory."

    "Not just them," another elite spat. "Some of the geniuses from the subordinate sects are also acting up. It is time we taught them how high the heavens are."

    "That''s right! When have we disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect been disrespected this much? It is a miracle if we don''t go over and bully them. But, these little shits are acting up as if they are the strongest," another elite said angrily.

    "We will teach them all a very good lesson," everyone nodded.

    "In that case," the leader said while smiling cruelly, "surround the main hall from every side. Drive away or kill anyone who objects. We will teach these bumpkins a cruel lesson."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ leader, your idea is brilliant," the disciplesughed without feeling any shame or guilt.

    "Come on, let''s do it," everyone shouted in agreement.

    "I think I might take a pass on that," Chen Wangjie said slowly causing everyone to turn towards him angrily.

    "Chen Wangjie, what the hell are you doing? Don''t act as if you haven''t done such things before. Do you think you are special?" one of the elites asked angrily narrowing his eyes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, I am special," Chan Wangjie said arrogantly not bothering to hide his pride. "But, I am withdrawing not because I am looking down on your actions. No, I have other missions to fulfill. I can''t spend all my time here."

    "What mission?" the leader asked narrowing his eyes.

    "I have a mission from Vice-Sect Master. I escorted his recent direct disciple into the Grotto Heaven. I need to go check up on him. I don''t want to incur his anger because I was stuck here waiting for a bunch of clowns toe out," Chen Wangjie said shrugging his shoulders.

    "Is that true?" the leader asked not able to believe Chen Wangjie''s words.

    "It is true. I brought the reward for Chen Wangjie directly from the Vice-Sect Master," a disciple at the Golden Hall realm said nodding at the leader.

    "Then, you can leave," the leader was mollified. "But, everyone else go form a perimeter around the main hall. Let''s see how these morons walk out of our encirclement."

    The rest of the disciples roared in approval and moved out in unison. Chen Wangjie watched them go with a derisive smile on his face.

    "Idiotsˇ­" Chen Wangjie muttered and left the area as wellˇ­

    *****

    Duncan let out a muddled breath and opened his eyes in frustration. The soul art that the bastard Huo Feng gave him was very mysterious. Even after struggling for one whole day, Duncan was barely able to scratch the surface of it.

    ording to Duncan''s understanding so far, <Spirit Transcendence > was one of a kind of soul art that is absolutely top-notch in terms of cultivating a cultivator''s soul. It was neither an attack technique nor a defense technique in itself.

    But, if one was able to reach the advanced level of <Spirit Transcendence>, then they can use it to both attack and defend. At the initial levels, this technique focused on strengthening the soul. The true might of the technique can only be shown at the advanced level.

    Even though this wasn''t what Duncan wanted exactly, even ayman like him can understand the brilliance of this technique. From reading between the lines, Duncan could even guess that this technique would be highly beneficial when breaking into the Nascent Soul realm.

    But, that was far away for Duncan. What he needed currently was a technique that could act as his secret weapon. But, <Spirit Transcendence> only strengthened the soul at initial levels. This disappointed him a bit.

    Furthermore, it wasn''t as if he understood the entirety of the technique. He had barely grasped the surface and the technique''s properties as of now. It was clear to Duncan that he would need to spend a lot of time trying to cultivate this technique.

    If it was anywhere else, Duncan would have put this technique aside for some technique with immediate gains. But, as he was stuck in the Grotto Heaven with no way to cultivate further, he could only reluctantly concentrate on cultivating this technique.

    To make things worse, Duncan couldn''t entirely understand this technique at all. There were a lot of gaps in his understanding. Some parts of the technique were so obscure that Duncan felt like ripping his hair off.

    "I think I better leave this technique forter," Duncan mumbled in a dissatisfied tone. "There are approximately three months left for me to give it a try. I can find some time for itter. Let me concentrate on my martial arts techniques for now. That way, at least I will be making some notable progress."

    Duncan unceremoniously gave up cultivating the troublesome technique and switched his focus elsewhere. Right now, both his <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and <Wind Chasing Steps> have reached a good progress level. But, Duncan felt that he could push his understanding of these two techniques further.

    He had already barely grasped the concepts involved in the two techniques. Whether it be the cutting concept of the sword or the speed of the wind, he has some preliminary understandings and was even able to infuse them while performing his actions.

    For most Spirit Sea realm cultivators this level of progress in their martial cultivation was enough. But, Duncan didn''t feel so. He felt that there was still a lot of potential development he could induce within his cultivation realm.

    "Right now I have a vague understanding of the cutting concept of sword and the speed of the wind. ording to Shen Wulong, the next stage of martial cultivation is a domain. A domain is simply abination of the same kinds of concept," Duncan muttered to himself.

    "But, I don''t have any understanding into any other concepts from either wind or sword. That makes it difficult for me to progress further to create a domain. But, what aboutbining concepts from different daos? Will there be some effect?" Duncan asked himself curiously.

    *****

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 Chapter 140 Young Calf Knows No Fear

    ?

    When Shen Wulong was exining things to Duncan, he didn''t have that much understanding of cultivation. So, he wasn''t able to ask such pertinent questions. But, now that his cultivation and understanding of concepts have risen, his mind was beginning to churn with new ideas.

    It was not as if Duncan was the first to think of such things. But, most cultivators useplementary concepts of two daos to create some domain. Likebining the concept of revolution and pressure to form a whirlpool, orbining rotation and speed to form a pration point.

    Duncan however has nevere into touch with other concepts until now. So, he was only left with the option of two concepts he knew. As they say, a young calf knows no fear.

    Squinting a little, Duncan smiled eagerly, "Let''s try and see what happens."

    Duncan felt a bit mischievous as the idea emerged in his mind. Calming himself down a bit, Duncan began to theorize how tobine his understanding of speed of the wind and cutting form of a sword.

    Time passed in rtive silence in the forest as Duncan immersed himself in trying to find something that could increase his prowess further. Countless simtions ran through his mind as he tried tobine the two concepts he had knowledge of.

    s, while Duncan''s mind was willing, his understanding of the intricacies of the forces involved in the universe was reallycking. As a result, no matter how Duncan tried tobine the two concepts, Duncan came up with no solution.

    "How do Ibine speed of the wind with cut of the sword? What could the final form be? Will my sword cut at the speed of the wind? Or will my cut be sped up by the wind? Regardless, it doesn''t make much sense," Duncan mumbled incoherently.

    Creating something was never a simple matter. It is easy to follow the steps of a creator and understand the intricacies involved. But, it is always difficult to tread a path that has never been walked upon.

    Duncan had overestimated himself at this juncture. Whether it be a cultivation technique or a martial art, creating something unique has never been easy. Only those peerless geniuses and old monsters will usually do such things.

    In his eagerness to increase his power, Duncan had tried to do something that was beyond hisprehension. If anyone couldbine two concepts and create something new, how canprehending the dao be an eternal pursuit?

    Duncan was neither a genius nor someone who has deep understanding of the universe. It was only pipedream for him to think about creating something new. Days passed by before Duncan woke up from his ponderings.

    "Damn, I nearly became obsessed withbining the two concepts," Duncan said shivering once he woke up. "If this persisted, I would end up wasting my time by doing something that I have no hope to aplish."

    Duncan grimaced as he finally understood that he didn''t have enough understanding to do something outrageous asbining two vastly different concepts. With his level of understanding, it was impossible to do something like that.

    If he had persisted with his actions, he might even end up suffering from qi deviation. Luckily, he woke up in the nick of time. Or else, he would have wasted away caught up in his ponderings.

    "I heard that sometimes cultivators would get caught up in pondering the mysteries of the dao and would end up bedraggled. No wonder. I merely tried tobine two concepts that I have a small understanding of, and I already entered such a state. If this was rted to daosˇ­" Duncan shivered in fear just thinking about it.

    "Have I grown arrogant ofte? Why did I think I could do something like this? My cultivation has been rising fast recently. I even got past the test in that archway. Maybe, my head has been swollen because of that," Duncan muttered self-reflecting a bit.

    "Luckily, I ran into such a situation. If not, I would have thought I was someone invincible and would have ended up dead somewhere. It is better I suffer some setbacks like these that don''t have much negative impact, rather than making a mistake while wandering outside and ending up dead."

    "But, it isn''t as if I didn''t have any gains. My understanding of both the cutting concept and the speed of the wind concept has risen sharply due to this mishap. Trying tobine them together made me understand a bit more about the inherent nature of these two concepts," Duncan smiled slightly and got up.

    Squinting his eyes, Duncan unsheathed his sword and performed a cut without any hurry. The next moment a couple of trees in the distance were cut horizontally and fell down with a huge thud.

    "As I thought, with my new understanding of the cutting concept, my sword technique has improved further. And right now, I didn''t even inject my qi into the attack. This was performed using pure swordsmanship," Duncan mumbled admiring his handiwork.

    The next moment, Duncan disappeared from his spot and reappeared some distance away in midair. Duncan walked calmly above the ground with no pressure. His steps were light and he was able to stroll for a while before he was forced to use qi once more to remain midair.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Both my speed and maneuverability have increased as well. Before this, I can never walk midair without using qi. But now, things have changed. I don''t need to expend much qi while traveling. And if I use qi, I can travel half a mile within the blink of an eye," Duncan pondered further.

    "This is almost like an escape technique. With this, I don''t need to learn any escape techniques. I can run fast and cover arge distance using this alone. How wonderful! Is this the charm of dao? I can feel the wind itself assisting me while I move. This is really something," Duncan mumbled while feeling the wind that was passing by near him.

    As Duncan felt the wind passing by, he felt as if he had returned to his carefree days when he had been a mere mortal. Enjoying the sensation for a few minutes, Duncan walked back down to the ground with a content smile on his face.

    "When I visit the scripture hall next time, I need to find some martial arts that have someplementing concepts. Either ones that deal with wind or the ones that deal with swords. This way, I can see if I canbine them together," Duncan muttered looking deep in thought.

    "Shen Wulong was right. The martial cultivation is as vast as an ocean. There are a lot of things I need to learn. If I don''t increase my knowledge, I would never be able to progress."

    Duncan sighed realizing that he had been a bit neglectful of his time spent in the scripture hall. When he was in the sect, he used the scripture hall to increase his understanding of the world.

    Duncan didn''t think it was a mistake. If not for that bit of knowledge he gained, he would be dead already. Those seemingly ordinary books in the scripture hall had saved him while being in the wilderness.

    But, it didn''t mean that he didn''t use the scripture hall properly. Only when he learns a lot about the martial arts techniques can he create something. He needs to know what was the usual method ofbining concepts. He needs to know how to create a domain.

    If not, he would never be able to progress in his martial cultivation. Just like qi cultivation, one needs to put effort in order to progress their martial cultivation. Imagine having a Nascent Soul realm of cultivation and yet being only able to use concepts in attacks. That would be terribly shameful.

    Duncan shook his head and a wry smile formed on his face. Such a Nascent Soul realm cultivator was barely better than the Violet Pce realm cultivator. Usually, cultivators understand and form their domains during the Golden Hall realm.

    In that case, any Golden Hall realm cultivator would be able to fight with that Nascent Soul realm cultivator on equal footing. It would be a terrible disgrace to encounter something like that.

    At this moment, Duncan realized how important it was to increase his martial cultivation as well. If he doesn''t progress in that, he would be left behind by his peers easily.

    Remembering an old sentence he heard in the Starmist City when he was a mortal, Duncan was enlightened further. It was said that technique,panion,nd, and resources are the four cornerstones for cultivation.

    Duncan understood why technique was the first cornerstone at this moment. Without proper technique, whether it be cultivation technique or martial arts technique, it is hard to be powerful. The importance of the other threebined together might not be equal to the importance of technique.

    Duncan sighed as he realized this aspect of cultivation. Just then, his eyes fell on the sword in his hand. Duncan couldn''t help but be surprised seeing it. This was the sword that was given to him by Granny Jiao.

    "How peculiar, even the sword I brought in Starmist City was shattered during the fighting. But, this ordinary sword I was gifted with by Granny Jiao still seems to be fine. I have killed even Level 2 beasts with it, but nothing has happened to this ordinary sword," Duncan mumbled focusing his attention on the sword for the first time.

    "How can an ordinary sword handle that much stress? There is a reason cultivators often switch weapons while adventuring outside. Only artifact swords are capable of withstanding the amount of qi channeled through by cultivators."

    "Is there something special in regards to this sword?"

    *****

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 Chapter 141 Chen Wangjies Thoughts

    ?

    "Is there something special in regards to this sword?"

    Duncan frowned looking at the sword. As far as he knew, this sword belonged to Granny Jiao''s husband. From Granny Jiao''s words, he knew that her husband was once a mercenary. Apart from that, there was nothing special about him.

    No matter what, a mercenary can never obtain an artifact sword. A passing by cultivator would kill him just to rob him of the sword. No moral who has some understanding of cultivators will own something like that.

    But, if this wasn''t an artifact sword, how did itst this long?

    Duncan was confused. He wondered if there was some secret regarding this sword. If so, did Granny Jiao know? And if this is indeed an artifact sword and Granny Jiao knew, then what was she doing with holding onto this?

    Several questions shuttled through Duncan''s mind as he looked at the sword in his hands. Did he misjudge Granny Jiao? Or was he overthinking things? Duncan was lost in a daze for several moments looking at the sword in his hands.

    "Junior brother, why are you looking so lost staring at your sword?" a jovial voice boomed causing Duncan to snap out of his thoughts.

    Turning around, Duncan saw his Senior brother Chen standing some distance away and looking at him quizzically.

    "Ah, I just performed my martial arts. I was amazed by the prowess I was able to exhibit, Senior Brother," Duncan lied smoothly.

    "Heh," Chen Wangjie smiled in a ridiculing manner. "You are amazed with your puny strength? Then, watch this."

    Chen Wangjie''s hands became wlike and he performed a move. The next moment, the several trees in the distance were violently crushed. A vague shadow of a w emerged while Chen Wangjie attacked.

    Duncan was stupefied seeing the attack. This was very simr to the fist image he had seen from a distance a few months ago. While it was still some distance away from exhibiting the majesty of that fist, the power he could feel from the w was nothing to scoff at.

    At the minimum, he knew that he would be dead if he got hit by such an attack. Duncan couldn''t help but gulp looking at the destroyed trees in the distance. He turned back to see his Senior Brother looking at him with a smug smile.

    Duncan rolled his eyes and shook his head.

    "Senior Brother, you are showing off," Duncanined.

    "Damn right, I am," Chen Wangjie said puffing his chest.

    "Did you need to scare me so much? We both know that you are stronger than me," Duncan said shaking his head.

    "Ha ha ha haˇ­ but it feels good to see your shocked face," Chen Wangjieughed.

    Duncan could only grit his teeth seeing his fat Senior Brotherugh. The fat all around his senior brother''s body jingled causing a strange scene. Duncan didn''t want to see it any longer. So, he averted his eyes immediately.

    "Senior brother, your entire temperament seems to have changedpared to when I saw you three months ago," Duncan noted.

    And it was true. When Duncan nced at Chen Wangjie just now, he seemed to exude a violent aura. Compared to the foody he had met earlier, this new version of Chen Wangjie made a sense of danger emerge in Duncan''s heart.

    Duncan couldn''t exactly put his finger on what was different about his senior brother apart from the violent aura he emitted, but his instincts told him that there was something inherently different about this Chen Wangjie and his old senior brother.

    But, before he could pay more attention, his senior brotherughed and Duncan had to avert his eye. There are some things Duncan never wanted to see ever again. And his senior brother''s fat jingling all over was one such thing. One time was enough to scar his mind.

    "And you too have advanced in your cultivation far faster than I predicted," Chen Wangjie said smiling.

    That smile reminded Duncan of a predator eyeing prey. But, Duncan dismissed the strange feeling and nodded back.

    "I was lucky enough to enter a region where no one was around," Duncan replied. "Thus I was able to slowly umte my cultivation."

    "Still, going from the advanced Qi Gathering realm to the peak of the Spirit Sea realm in just three months is not a small matter," Chen Wangjie said eyeing Duncan.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In his heart, Chen Wangjie was really surprised to see Duncan''s progress. When he awakened his bloodline, Chen Wangjie had given birth to a superiorityplex deep in his heart.

    Even though he was only at the Violet Pce realm when he awakened the Ancient God Beast bloodline, Chen Wangjie felt that he could battle Golden Hall realm cultivators with the aid of his bloodline without any problem.

    And since then, he had only been growing strong as ofte. He had killed several Golden Hall realm righteous cultivators in thest few weeks. This had made him feel a bitcent.

    He thought that as long as he progressed, he would be able to take on any kind of genius with the aid of his bloodline in the future. He even thought that he would be able to catch up to those geniuses soon and trample on them in the near future.

    But, seeing Duncan''s progress gave him a much-needed wake-up call. There was a reason geniuses are called geniuses in the cultivation world. Duncan''s rate of progress was simply eye-catching.

    Now, Chen Wangjie felt that Duncan being the direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master made sense. After all, such cultivation potential can only be exhibited by geniuses. With his rate of progress, it wouldn''t be long for this junior of his to catch up to him.

    So, Chen Wangjie was understandably rmed by this. The superiorityplex that had grown recently came crumbling down and Chen Wangjie woke up from his delusions.

    "It was the resources present in the Grotto Heaven that made it possible Senior Brother," Duncan said humbly.

    But, Chen Wangjie didn''t believe it one bit. In his eyes, this junior brother of his was a veritable bastard. First, he swindled a jar of wine from him. Next, he blundered and caused a crisis to fall on him. And now, he was acting as if breaking through one major realm and multiple minor realms were just a casual thing.

    If there ever was a tiger in sheep''s clothing, then this junior brother of his would be it.

    Chen Wangjie decided that he must always be careful from now on while dealing with this junior brother. As of now, he had a good rtionship with this junior brother. And with the rate at which the junior brother progressed, he would be a top expert in the future as long as he lives.

    So, it was imperative that he maintained a good rtionship.

    "Be careful junior brother," Chen Wangjie advised in an amicable tone. "You may think that breaking through minor realms is not a major issue. But, if you rush too fast, then your foundation will be weaker. This will lead you to spend more time while breaking through higher realms. You will also encounter bottlenecks that you won''t be able to ovee easily."

    "So, don''t be in a hurry to break through to the next realm. Instead, you should consolidate your realm further and strengthen your foundation. One of the major drawbacks of demonic cultivation techniques is that theyy poor foundations. Don''t get caught in that trap."

    Duncan listened seriously to his senior brother''s words and found that it was indeed true. He knew that his foundation wascking a lot. If not for that, he might have seeded in his endeavor to merge the two concepts. And his senior brother''s words also confirmed that.

    "Thank you for your advice, Senior Brother," Duncan replied nodding. "I too feel that my foundation iscking. I will listen to your advice."

    Chen Wangjie nodded happily seeing that this junior brother of his was willing to listen to his words. After all, the Heavenly Demon Sect is a demonic sect. Respect between seniors and juniors is not strictly adhered to in the sect.

    If a disciple feels he is strong enough, he can even beat up the Elders. Let alone juniors listening to seniors. Things like that are very rare toe by. So, Chen Wangjie felt pretty good seeing Duncan''s reaction.

    If Chen Wangjie knew that Duncan agreed because he wasn''t able to fuse two concepts, then he would vomit blood. Such stuff is difficult even for him. Chen Wangjie was talking purely about Qi Cultivation.

    "Is there a reason for Senior Brother to find me?" Duncan asked curiously.

    Just then, Duncan thought of something and added, "I think it is better if we talk over some meat and wine, senior. Let me fetch some meat I have stored away."

    Duncan''s hospitality wasn''t anything pure. He was just coveting the spirit wine his senior had once more. Since his medicinal wine ran out, Duncan has been bereft of wine for months now. Seeing Chen Wangjie, Duncan''s alcoholism couldn''t help but emerge once more.

    *****

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 Chapter 142 Tiger In Sheeps Clothing

    ?

    In the distance, Chen Wangjie''s face became gloomy hearing this. He too figured out Duncan''s scheme. As a foody, how can he fall for such a low-level scheme? Share wine and meat, my ass!

    Since you said we shall share wine and meat, why are you only offering meat? Isn''t this an excuse to swindle me out of my wine again? I was right. This junior brother of mine is the true tiger in sheep''s clothing.

    Before he could object, Duncan had already gone to fetch meat. Chen Wangjie could only curse Duncan inside his mind and reluctantly put out yet another spirit wine from his collection.

    Duncan came back with some demonic beast meat with a broad smile. Chen Wangjie felt disgusted seeing that smile. Even though he was reluctant, as a senior he had to maintain his bearing and etiquette. So, he reluctantly opened another spirit wine jar and ced it beside the meat.

    Duncan didn''t hesitate to take hold of the spirit wine in its entirety. He took arge gulp and let out a satisfied burp causing Chen Wangjie''s face to twitchically. Duncan didn''t have any shame regarding his behavior. When ites to drinking alcohol, Duncan had no shame at all.

    "Junior brother," Chen Wangjie called with a smile. "Put down the wine and have some meat. Don''t fill your stomach with wine. Eat some meat too."

    "Ah, senior brother, it is only natural that a senior feasts before the junior joins. You can eat first. I am fine eating your leftovers," Duncan smiled broadly.

    Eating my leftover, my foot! You just want to drink my wine. Why bothering up with such shameless excuses?

    Chen Wangjie grumbled in his heart and bit the meat that was presented to him. It was from a Level 2 mid-tier demonic beast. The taste was not bad, butpared to the wine his junior brother was drinking his fill with, it tasted like ash in his mouth.

    "So, why did youe over senior brother?" Duncan asked seeing Chen Wangjie''s face be stone-like.

    "I just came over to check up on you. I haven''t seen you since we entered, so I tracked you down to see if you were doing fine," Chen Wangjie said sullenly.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ you are very responsible senior brother," Duncan saidughing and taking arge gulp of the wine. "I am touched by your care for me."

    Who is caring about you, brat? It is just that the Vice-Sect Master tasked me to keep track of your cultivation and wanted me to reportter if you were cking. But, it is also good that I came over. If not, I wouldn''t know how far your cultivation had grown.

    Chen Wangjieined internally. On one hand, he rejoiced in his luck. Having a good rtionship with such a good junior brother would only help himter on. But, on the other hand, he wasmenting about the loss of his spirit wine as well. Every time he saw this junior brother of his, he would lose something. This feeling was really frustrating for him.

    "Don''t mind, it is my duty as a senior," Chen Wangjie said magnanimously.

    "I thought you would have headed over to the area where themotion came from, senior brother," Duncan asked curiously, still gulping down the wine.

    "I came from there only. Themotion urred in the main hall of the central region. I think our time here would be ending soon now that the main hall had been opened," Chen Wangjie said suppressing the twitch that formed on his face seeing his junior gulp down the wine.

    "Main hall, central region," Duncan''s eyes flickered slightly upon hearing those words.

    Right now, Duncan was remembering the contents of the steele that he had destroyed. Duncan knew that the main hall was only a part of the n. There were six more Grotto Heavens like this.

    As long as they remained unopened, Duncan would be d to live the rest of his life forgetting that damned steeled and that bastard Huo Feng. And when his cultivation reaches a certain level, he would find a way to deal with that damned karmic tie.

    "Anyways, how did you find me in this vast Grotto Heaven, senior?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Your actions weren''t subtle. You upied this forest and went on a hunting spree. Of course, people noticed. It''s just that they didn''t know who was doing the killing. But, I know someone whose strength was just right to test himself against the beasts at Level 2," Chen Wangjie smiled.

    Duncan scratched his head embarrassedly. He didn''t know his actions had caused such amotion. Luckily, no righteous cultivator came after him. If not, he would be dead by now.

    "From there, it was easy to locate you. You have indeed hidden well, but since I know you were in this region, I can search the entire region slowly and find you," Chen Wangjie shrugged.

    "Thank you for taking care of me, senior," Duncan said bowing. "I will drink this jar of wine as a penance for troubling you."

    Duncan said and started gulping down the wine fast. Chen Wangjie stared at Duncan as if he had seen something incredible. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    You are just swindling my wine. Why are you acting so contrite and righteous? And what is it with drinking the entire jar? Normally people only drank a bowl. Aren''t you too shameless to use this as an excuse?

    Chen Wangjie didn''t know how to respond to this. He could only write off this jar of wine with a heavy heart. There was no way he is going to get an opportunity to drink any of that wine after such a deration. So, it is better to forget about that wine jar.

    "Why are you remaining here when everyone is rushing to the main hall?" Chen Wangjie asked a bit sullenly.

    Duncan gulped down the wine he was drinking and replied, "Senior, with my strength, I would only die if I participate in such an event."

    "Good, at least you are sensible," Chen Wangjie grunted.

    "What about you senior? Why didn''t you go over?" Duncan asked curiously.

    "Not just me, no one from the Heavenly Demon Sect will be entering the main hall. The sect has ordered us to stay clear of that area," Chen Wangjie shrugged.

    Duncan''s heart skipped hearing that statement.

    "Why senior? Isn''t the main hall where the most important treasure is located?" Duncan asked masking the fear in his heart.

    "Usually, it is where the best treasures are located. From cultivation techniques to martial arts, even Heaven-Grade weapons will be avable there. But, there were strict orders from the sect this time. No one is to enter the main hall. We do not know why, but no one is going to disobey the sect," Chen Wangjie said with a serious expression on his face.

    "Oh," Duncan replied not knowing what to say. "Are the disciples not dissatisfied? I mean, are they fine with others taking away the best treasures?"

    "Didn''t seem like something us a bunch of bastards would agree to, did it?" Chen Wangjie chuckled. "The disciples are not really content. But, this was a nket order from the sect. Who knows what those bunch of old demons would do if you disobeyed them? It is fine if no one else is present. After all, as long as you don''t reveal what you gained, who is going to bother you?"

    "But, it is different. If even a rumores out that you disobeyed the sect, then your life will be over. I am not talking about death. There are more horrifying things those old demons can do to you even after you died. And with so many people from the sect here, who dares to enter? If someone bs, you wouldn''t know how you will even die," Chen Wangjie chuckled.

    "I understand," Duncan said figuring out the mindset of the disciples.

    Even though they were dissatisfied, they didn''t want to disobey the sect openly. Or rather, they didn''t want to provide someone an opportunity to snitch on them. While on the surface they were obeying sect orders, they are more concerned with no rumorsing out implicating them.

    "Still, how can those bunch of bastards sit still when other people loot the treasure," Chen Wangjie said smiling sinisterly.

    "What do you mean senior?" Duncan asked in curiosity.

    "Every Heavenly Demon Sect disciple is now currently in the vicinity of the main hall. They have established a perimeter of sorts and driven away others from the area. Those bastards are nning to rob whoeveres out," Chen Wangjie chuckled happily.

    Duncan felt his scalp tingle hearing that. His fellow sect members looked more like bandits by doing these. Aren''t they worried about being condemned by the world? Wait a minute, they are demonic cultivators. Why should they care about the world?

    Still, even Duncan felt that this was going too far. They set up a perimeter on the outside and were openly going to bully those who exit. This bunch of banditsˇ­ Duncan didn''t know what to say to that.

    "Then, why are you here Senior Brother? Wouldn''t you miss the opportunity to get some rare treasure? You don''t need to take care of me this much," Duncan said after recovering from his stupefaction.

    "Hmmmph, what do you know? It is better to stay away from that area," Chen Wangjie snorted biting off the meat from the leg of a boar demon. "That ce is not safe at all."

    *****

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 Chapter 143 Allow Me To Apologize...

    ?

    "Why do you think so, Senior Brother? Who can stand up against the entirety of the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples present there?"

    "He he heˇ­ did you forget that woman who entered when we were waiting? She is definitely at the Nascent Soul realm. What can these bunch of bastards who are at the Golden Core realm do to her?" Chen Wangjie asked causing Duncan to be surprised.

    His senior brother was right. Hepletely forgot about that insidious woman. That woman would decimate the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect within a blink of an eye.

    "You remember that ape that passed by us when we were waiting outside? You think that it is a soft permission as well," Chen Wangjie asked mockingly. "And I ran into another person a month ago. He was all polite and calm, but my instincts were telling me not to piss that guy off. Who knows how many other bastards like that are inside that main hall right now?" Chen Wangjie said shooting a dry look at Duncan.

    "So, you cleverly escaped?"

    "Ptuiˇ­ clean your mouth. I didn''t escape. I just didn''tmit any robbery," Chen Wangjie said puffing his chest. "I have bottom lines that I won''t cross."

    Duncan looked at his senior brother in a strange manner. Sure enough, my senior brother is no slouch either. He conveniently found a very righteous reason to cover up his escape. He still was a novice when it came to shamelessness. He needs to learn more from his senior brother.

    "Junior brother, the fight in that region is going to be extremely miserable. Even if I hung out there, do you think I have any chance of acquiring a treasure? The moment I get my hands on a treasure, I will be attacked by my own sect mates as well. So, it is better to stay away from that quagmire. You get my point?" Chen Wangjie waggled his eyebrows causing Duncan to look at him appreciatively.

    "Senior brother, you really are a genius. Such cunning does you credit. I shouldn''t have doubted you at all. Only you were able to see through things clearly. I really want to apologize to you by drinking another jar of wine. Do you have some wine? Let this junior brother express his apologies," Duncan said righteously and looked at Chen Wangjie eagerly.

    Chen Wangjie''s proud face turned ck as he stared at his junior brother. Sure enough, this junior brother is the real tiger in sheep''s clothing. Not only did you swindle away one jar of wine. But now, you want me to give you yet another jar. How shameless can you be?

    "Forget about it junior brother," Chen Wangjie smiled while gritting his teeth inwardly. "You have apologized enough. I am satisfied with your sincere attitude."

    "But seniorˇ­"

    "I don''t have any more wine on me," Chen Wangjie rushed to cut Duncan off fearing that he woulde up with some other excuse.

    Duncan who wanted to try a bit more felt stifled hearing his senior brother''s words.

    ''Tch, it looks like I acted a bit over the top this time. I should have left at least a little for my senior brother to taste. Now, he has put up his guard. I guess I won''t be able to swindle any more wine from him,'' Duncanmented inwardly and nodded with a reluctant heart.

    "If you say so, senior brother."

    "I am indeed saying so," Chen Wangjie said with murder in his eyes.

    If Duncan dared to utter one more word rted to wine, Chen Wangjie would definitely beat him up. Duncan knew at that moment that his senior brother was really dissatisfied with his actions, so he didn''t press either.

    "So, what are you nning to do next, senior brother?" Duncan asked trying a different tact.

    Hearing his question, Chen Wangjie became a little more alert. Initially, he had been thinking of spending a few days with Duncan. But now that he has seen his junior brother''s swindling behavior, he wanted to stay as far away from him as possible.

    "Oh, I am nning to search for some other opportunities in the central region. Now that I have checked up on you, I can put my heart at ease and search for other opportunities," Chen Wangjie said with a brilliant smile.

    "That''s great senior brother, why don''t Ie along with you? I can also obtain some small benefits under your care," Duncan smiled and said enthusiastically.

    "Ah, I don''t think that''s a good idea," Chen Wangjie said cursing Duncan''s shamelessness inwardly.

    Heh, as if I would believe you. You just want to drink more of my wine. Don''t think I am a fool. There is no way I am allowing you near me after this.

    "Senior, what can trouble me when I am by your side?" Duncan asked smiling even brighter.

    "Ah, junior brother, you are still a little na?ve. I am not that powerful to guarantee your safety yet. Furthermore, I will be heading to inheritance sites in the central region. There are inherent dangers in inheritance sites. So, I don''t think it will be safe for you there," Chen Wangjie smiled even brighter than Duncan.

    Seeing his senior''s smile, Duncan felt his teeth ache a bit. He knew that Chen Wangjie had seen through this tactic as well. Looking at his senior brother, Duncan knew that swindling away any more wine out of him was an impossibility. So, Duncan could only smile and nod.

    "Senior brother is wise," Duncan nodded. "I never thought about this. I would like to apologˇ­"

    "No need, it is the duty of this senior. Anyway, I have already checked up on you. I will take my leaveˇ­"

    By the time the sentence ended Chen Wangjie''s figure was nowhere to be seen. Duncan blinked in confusion for a bit before his face turned sullen. It was fine when he didn''t taste alcohol for months. But after tasting his senior brother''s wine, he had a craving for alcohol.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was like an itch that couldn''t be scratched. And it kinda made him very ufortable. Duncan felt that his recent life has be a bit dull. He wanted to find and drink some more alcohol.

    "Let''s head out of this forest region," Duncan mumbled to himself. "I will see if I can find someone else from whom I can swindle some alcoholˇ­"

    *****

    A group of cultivators from righteous sects were discussing heatedly.

    "Those Heavenly Demon Sect disciples are a bit too much. Those demons not only surrounded the main hall and established a perimeter, but they also drove us all away from the region," one of the cultivators said angrily.

    "What can we do? We werete and all our seniors have already entered the main hall," another cultivatorined morosely. "We can''t beat them. We can only run away."

    "It is fine if we are driven out of the region near the main hall, but those bastards just didn''t stop there. They even ganged up and started robbing people who were present in the central region. Now we can only wander around the outer region," the first cultivator gnashed his teeth in anger.

    "Forget about that," another cultivator said from the side. "Now I am worried about our seniors. Will they be able to leave with these demons surrounding the main hall?"

    "What''s the big deal? Our seniors would remain in the main hall until the Grotto Heaven closes. By then, we will all be transported outside the Grotto Heaven," another cultivator shrugged.

    "Huh, I didn''t think of that. But, this leaves us alone to wander in the outer region," the second cultivator once moreined.

    "So what? All of us are in the Violet Pce realm. We won''t have many issues in the outer regions. Moreover, all the powerful spirit beasts have also entered the main hall. Only the Level 4 beasts and below are remaining outside," the first cultivator said bluntly. "Are you even afraid of them?"

    "None of us could take on a Level 4 beast," the second cultivator worried.

    "But, if webine our strength, we will be able to fend it off," the third cultivator said pragmatically.

    "I guess," the second cultivator sighed. "So, what''s our n now?"

    "There must still be a few ces in the outer region that hasn''t been stripped bare by that bunch of hooligans from the Heavenly Demon Sect," the first cultivator spoke agitatedly. "We can search for them."

    "Huh, do you remember that forest area?" the third cultivator asked suddenly.

    "You mean that ce where someone was hunting down demonic beasts in drove?" the fourth one said raising his eyebrows.

    "Exactly," the third cultivator said nodding excitedly.

    "There were so many demonic beasts killed there," the second cultivator worriedly bit his lips.

    "But they all were Level 2 beasts," the third cultivator replied with a smile on his lips.

    "That means, the person hunting is only at the Spirit Sea realm. We can easily defeat him. Moreover, Senior Sister Bing was distraught when she got to know about those killings. She said it was senseless and wanted to head over there and teach that person a heavy lesson," the first cultivator said excitedly.

    The moment the words Senior Sister Bing came out of his mouth, all four cultivators were energized.

    "That means we can take care of that person and get some appreciation from Senior Sister Bing," the fourth cultivator said excitedly.

    "Exactly, what are we waiting for? Let''s head over there. Who knows if some inheritance site is present there? We can check it out as well," the first cultivator said energetically.

    All four cultivators agreed within a short moment and set off toward the forest region in high spirits.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 144 Destruction Of The Soul Token

    ?

    Even though Duncan wanted to head out of the forest region initially, once he became a bit sober his reasoning kicked in and he canceled the n immediately.

    While he was indeed yearning to drink more wine, he wasn''t stupid enough to go into a turbulent region where the tensions are high, just to drink some wine. He still had somemon sense.

    If his strength was enough, then it wouldn''t matter. He would have gone over in search of some alcohol. But, with his Spirit Sea realm cultivation, he would only be walking to his death if he went over.

    So, he ruthlessly suppressed his desire for wine and obediently stayed in the forest region. After his senior brother left, Duncan has been trying toprehend the soul art a bit more.

    Days passed and Duncan lived peacefully in the forest region. Since Duncan started cultivating <Spirit Transcendence>, peace came over the entire forest region. Demonic beasts also found some reprieve from his hunting and used this rare moment of time to take some rest.

    After two weeks of arduous ponderings, Duncan figured out how to cultivate this mysterious soul art. While the soul art indeed strengthened his soul, it also provided some auxiliary effects that woulde in handy for Duncan.

    One, Duncan would no longer be controlled by simple illusions. With his soul growing in strength, it would be easy for him to break through ordinary illusion techniques.

    Duncan who had already experienced the horror of illusions during the trial was overjoyed to know this. Even though he wouldn''t be able to break through high-level illusions at his current strength, Duncan was quite happy with this result.

    If he ever ended up getting caught in a high-level illusion, he would have other problems to worry about. Duncan knew that high-level illusions can only be performed by Golden Core cultivators and above. So, it would mean he was being targeted by a Golden Core cultivator at the minimum.

    With his strength, there is only one oue of such a thing. So, Duncan ignored that little tidbit happily.

    Moreover, all kinds of low-level charm techniques and other techniques that would affect a cultivator''s psyche would be ineffective on him once he attained small sess in <Spirit Transcendence> technique.

    From these two things alone, Duncan was able to guess how mysterious this soul art was. But, once he cultivates this technique further, he could even suppress someone by releasing pressure from his soul.

    Duncan would have to reach the Nascent Soul realm for this. But, Duncan was overjoyed to just know about the potential. And the effects wouldn''t just stop there. There were other misceneous effects that came as a byproduct of a strong soul avable to him as well.

    Once he understood these things, Duncan began to diligently start cultivating this soul art that he had obtained.

    Another week passed by peacefully.

    Duncan was currently meditating deeply. He was currentlyying the foundation to cultivate the soul art. Unlike other techniques, <Spirit Transcendence> required Duncan to have some basic requirements to sessfully cultivate it. Duncan was trying to satisfy these requirements currently.

    Suddenly Duncan opened his eyes with a gloomy expression on his face.

    "Which bastard took away a small bit of soul? Was it that old geezer? Or is it that Huo Feng? Whoever it is, don''t let me find you," Duncan grumbled angrily and let out a huge sigh.

    "No wonder I haven''t been able to start cultivating this technique. Someone has stolen a small soul strand of mine. And this is preventing me from cultivating this technique," Duncan grumbled furrowing his brows.

    "I don''t know anything about the soul. The only thing I have rted to the soul is this technique. I need to check if this technique has some method to recover lost soul strands. If not, I am doomed," Duncan frowned not willing to believe that his luck was so rotten.

    Without aplete soul, one wouldn''t be able to practice <Spirit Transcendence> at all. Duncan knew that Huo Feng was not the culprit. Huo Feng''s entire karmic tie with him was based upon this soul art.

    If he did something to prevent him from practicing the soul art, then the karmic tie between them will be severed. He at least had this level of knowledge about karma. You can''t sow karma when you actively sabotage the process. So, it wouldn''t be Huo Feng that did it.

    Duncan''s suspicion now resided with that old geezer who set him on the path of cultivation. Duncan didn''t know where he was currently, but if he was running around with a strand of his soul, then Duncan wanted to recover it from him immediately.

    Now, he could only put his hopes on the <Spirit Transcendence> technique having a way to recover lost soul strands. Gritting his teeth, Duncan began to go over everything he knew about the technique and the different methods involved in it.

    After half an hour, a small smile formed on Duncan''s face.

    "There it is," Duncan yelled happily. "There is a way to recover lost soul strand. But, it can only be done if the person involved didn''t voluntarily give away the strand. And I surely didn''t do anything to my soul at all. So, this method must be feasible, right?"

    Duncan sharpened his focus and went over the method with a fine-toothedb. He examined each and every part of the method and double-checked his findings. He didn''t want to y with his soul. But, the thought of someone holding on to his soul thread was even more unbearable for Duncan who yearned to be free.

    After going through all the details and double-checking them thoroughly, Duncan did as the methodmanded.

    First, he visualized his soul as a ball of yarn. There were multiple strands crisscrossing through it. Duncan then focused on connecting his soul with the image of the yarn ball.

    It took him some time, but he eventually managed to do it. In his mind, his soul was now a ball of yarn. Each soul strand looked like a thread. They were crisscrossing with each other forming a ball of yarn in total.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Just then, he saw that one of the threads was ckened. He mentally prodded and found it unresponsive. If it did respond, he didn''t have any feeling. Duncan saw the ck thread extend into the distance and disappear into the void.

    The moment he saw that Duncan knew that this was the strand he needed to recover. Duncan grabbed the ck thread mentally and started pulling it back. If someone asked him how he aplished that, Duncan would never be able to exin it to them.

    But, every one of his actions just felt right to him. So, he continued.

    As he pulled the ck thread, he felt as if something was being dragged through the void by the thread. He redoubled his efforts and soon his efforts were rewarded.

    Color started returning to the ck thread bit by bit.

    Duncan knew that his approach was right. So, he persisted. He could feel a pressure building in his mind. But, he ignored it and concentrated on pulling the thread slowly but surely.

    Half an hourter, Duncan felt that most of the color had returned to the thread. Now the entire ball of yarn was looking multicolored to his eyes mentally. There were no ck spots present.

    But, Duncan could still feel a connection through the void to a distant ce. Gritting his teeth, Duncan grabbed mentally where the connection was and tugged on it hard.

    The next moment he heard something snap. With that, the feeling of connection faded away rapidly. Duncan could only let out a sigh of relief after that. The moment he rxed he felt great fatigue envelop his mind.

    Before Duncan could even open his eyes, he cked out and fell unconscious.

    *****

    In the distance, Liang Tianye felt the Soul Token he had refined from Duncan''s soul thread burst into mes. He looked at the Soul Token in bewilderment for a second before sighing.

    "Looks like the brat didn''t make it," Liang Tianye sighed. "He showed some promise. But, it was just that. I didn''t expect his life to be cut short so soon."

    Liang Tianye stood up with a put-upon expression.

    "I have to report to Sect Master about this," Liang Tianye muttered in annoyance. "He will be disappointed to know that one of his chess pieces had been swept off the board before it could perform its role. Let''s hope he isn''t disappointed too much."

    Soon, he entered the Sect Master''s abode and came before him.

    "Junior brother, what brings you here?" the Sect Master asked not looking up from the scroll he was perusing.

    "That brat with Heart of Killing is dead," Liang Tianye said simply, not bothering to waste time on greetings.

    "Are you sure?" the Sect Master asked raising his eyebrows.

    "Yes, I had refined a Soul Token using a soul strand of his. It burst into mes a few minutes ago."

    "Sigh, I had some brilliant ns in regards to him," the Sect Master sighed. "Where did he die?"

    "In the Grotto Heaven," Liang Tianye said shrugging. "I sent him there to increase his cultivation rapidly. There was always a chance of him dying."

    "Do you think you were a bit hasty? He hasn''t even cultivated for six months. You already sent him into the Grotto Heaven," the Sect Master asked curiously. There was no judgment in his tone.

    "When the timees, there is no ce for weaklings on the board. What use is nurturing him if he is too weak at that time?"

    "Fine," the Sect Master nodded. "If not him, we can always use someone else."

    *****

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 Chapter 145 Escalating Situation In The Grotto Heaven

    ?

    Duncan woke two daysterˇ­

    His head still throbbed with pain. Duncan felt as if someone was driving a nail through his skull. His eyesight was blurred. Even his body was aching all over. Duncan groggily sat up from his position and looked around.

    "I am d that I found a hidden spot to cultivate," Duncan grimaced. "If I was not hidden, I don''t know what would have happened to me while I was unconscious. Who knows, a passing by demonic beast would have taken me for a snack."

    Duncan didn''t know why he felt so tired despite not doing anything for some time.He didn''t know how long he had been unconscious. But, he vividly remembered being full of energy when he started his seclusion to deal with the missing soul strand.

    So, it was a surprise to him that he was feeling so tired now.

    "Let me get something in my stomach first," Duncan mumbled rummaging through his hidden stash and finding some demonic beast meat. "I hope this alleviates my tiredness. Whichever the bastard did this to me better hope I don''t find out who you areˇ­"

    Half an hourter, Duncan felt his stomach was full. Yet, the tiredness he felt didn''t seem to alleviate any bit. This made him sport a helpless expression. He was currently feeling both full and very tired. It was as if he was both filled with energy and not. The sensation was ufortable to experience.

    However, Duncan wasn''t a fool either. He understood why he was feeling tired. Since he meddled with his soul, this tiredness muste directly from the soul. Nothing else made sense to him. After all, there wasn''t any trouble with his body as far as he could tell.

    But this also made Duncan a bit helpless. If his body needed nourishment and energy, he knew how to solve it. But his body was brimming with energy. His stomach was full as well. It was his soul that needed nourishment currently.

    Duncan knew that there were some spirit herbs that could be used to nourish the soul. But, they were all incredibly rare and highly sought after. It wasn''t as if he could just go out and buy it somewhere. He was currently in the Grotto Heaven, after all.

    Even if he was in the sect, Duncan didn''t think he could easily get ess to the herbs that nourish the soul. No cultivator would give it up. Furthermore, those kinds of herbs were in high demand for Nascent Soul cultivators. Who was going to grant him ess to such rare herbs?

    Say that he somehow got his hands on one, then it was most likely that a disaster would fall on him. Even his master wouldn''t hesitate to grab that herb from him. Let alone other cultivators whom he had no connection with.

    That was the reason no low-level cultivator would advertise possessing such a thing. In fact, if they ever got hold of such things, they would immediately consume it before anyone could find out about it.

    So, Duncan can only dream about getting his hands on such a resource.

    As for finding it somewhere in the Grotto Heaven, those kinds of precious herbs could only be found in the central region. Rarely do they grow in the outer region. Even then, it would have a demonic beast at a high level to guard it. So, it wasn''t something Duncan could get his hands on by strolling for a while.

    That meant, Duncan must find another way to nourish his soul.

    If not, he could only wait for his soul toe back to normal slowly. Until then, he would be feeling this tiredness. Just thinking about it made Duncan have a headache. The tired feeling inside him was also making him listless.

    "I guess there is no other way," Duncan mumbled. "I can only use <Spirit Transcendence> to nourish my soul. Wasn''t one of its effects strengthening the soul, let me give it a try."

    It wasn''t that Duncan didn''t think about using <Spirit Transcendence> before. But, he was a little wary of cultivating that particr technique with how tired he felt. This tiredness was a direct result of trying out one of the methods recorded in it. If he cultivated it without any thought and endured some bacsh, Duncan was sure his suffering would be far worse than this.

    Typically, when a cultivator tries to practice a soul art, they would usually have a few herbs that nourish the soul as an emergency response at hand. Even for cultivators, meddling with something metaphorical like the soul was not an easy thing.

    That was the reason only Nascent Soul cultivators and those with high soul energy cultivate soul arts. When Liang Tianye exined cultivation types to Duncan, he never went in-depth regarding this type of cultivation because of a reason.

    When Liang Tianye checked up on Duncan, he found that Duncan''s talents in soul were just average. So, it would be impossible for him to expound more on soul arts due to Duncan having no need to know about it at his level.

    Only when he reached the Golden Core realm did Duncan need to know more about this kind of knowledge. However, ording to the ns of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Duncan reaching the Nascent Soul realm was not needed at all. If things went as per n, Duncan''s use would be over by then.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    So, Liang Tianye never bothered even educating Duncan on these basic things. All the knowledge Duncan had on soul arts and the herbs that could nourish the soul were due to his time spent in scripture hall in his early days.

    "Now that my soul is not missing any soul strands, I should be able to cultivate this soul art, right?" Duncan mumbled to himself and closed his eyes. "Let''s hope this works."

    *****

    While Duncan was recovering from the ordeal of retrieving his soul strand, things in the Grotto Heaven began to get more and more heated.

    Initially, a few righteous cultivators, who obtained some small benefits from the main hall, came out thinking that things in there were beginning to turn turbulent. But, when they were blocked and robbed by the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples, the news spread fast.

    As a result, the righteous cultivators decided to just wait it out by staying in the main hall itself. This created more confusion and chaos inside the main hall. With more and more people staying behind, the fights and disputes inside the main hall soon came to a boiling point.

    Those who had lost the opportunities initially got a second wind and wanted to rob others of their opportunities. Those who won treasures were being hunted by others to grab their treasures. This made the main hall not very safe for cultivators who weren''t at the high level.

    Even then, those cultivators refused to walk out. Their thinking was that, since they will robbed by the Heavenly Demon Sect, it was better to stay here and try to find some ce to hide themselves. Compared to dealing with the entire Heavenly Demon Sect, dealing with a few jealous cultivators was a bit easier for them.

    This also inadvertently created a phenomenon where any fight for treasure inside the main hall was done to the death. Since leaving someone alive woulde back to bite them back in the ass, the cultivators inside were ruthless to their opponents.

    The Heavenly Demon Sect disciples who waited outside in vain were enraged by this cowardly behavior of the righteous sect disciples. They never thought that they were doing anything wrong. Robbing other people was just a casual matter to them.

    However, with no one walking out of the main hall and them being unable to enter due to the sect''s order, they all sported a belly full of rage. This, in turn, made them turn their attention to the cultivators who remained outside.

    Thus a series of cascading effects began to appear. The Heavenly Demon Sect disciples started hunting righteous sect disciples outside the main hall to vent their anger.

    As it happens, those disciples who were outside were not very strong, so they could only run and hide in hard-to-ess ces in the Grotto Heaven. Thus, the outer region also began to be chaotic during this time.

    Duncan, who was hidden away and dealing with his soul issue, was unaware of all this. Right now, the forest region where he had been living for the past month was teeming with a lot of righteous cultivators who had run away from the Heavenly Demon Sect''s persecution.

    If they got to know that a weak disciple of that hated sect was near them, they would surely hunt him down to vent their anger. It wasn''t just those four cultivators who came to the forest region, there were others who had the same thought as well.

    And those evil cultivators from the other sects, who chased after them, entered the forest as well. In the end, fights between practitioners and evil cultivators weremonce during this time in the forest region.

    The recent events only added fuel to the originally chaotic situation in the Grotto Heaven.

    Duncan was lucky that he hadn''t poked his head outside for some time now. But, how long he could remain hidden is yet to be seen. In short, Duncan was at the most perilous situation since he entered the Grotto Heaven.

    And he didn''t even know his situationˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 146 <Spirit Transcendence>

    ?

    <Spirit Transcendence> was as mysterious as it was described.

    Duncan can firmly attest to this. Initially, Duncan hadn''t been very confident that this technique could help him. Even though the description said it could strengthen the soul, Duncan was a bit suspicious about it.

    It was only natural. After all, anything that had to do with the soul is not something that could be obtained easily. Furthermore, Duncan''s knowledge regarding the soul was truly at the basic level. How can he be sure that his understanding of the technique was right?

    To make things worse, his first try with a method mentioned in the technique caused him bone-deep fatigue. Even though the method seeded, Duncan was hit by the side-effect. So, Duncan wasn''t sure there were any more side effects that he needs to be aware of.

    In such a situation, it is understandable that Duncan wasn''t highly favorable towards this particr technique in his heart.

    But, things turned out to be better this time.

    Cultivating <Spirit Transcendence> was differentpared to how Duncan cultivated the martial arts technique. As per the instruction left behind by the inheritance he received, visualization is the core of cultivating <Spirit Transcendence>.

    When Duncan used the method mentioned in <Spirit Transcendence> to recover his lost soul strand, he used this aspect as well. When he recovered his soul strand, the image he needed to visualize was that of a ball of yarn.

    That was a rtively easy thing for Duncan to do.

    But, when he wanted to cultivate <Spirit Transcendence>, Duncan needed to visualize apletely different image. The image he needed to visualize would change gradually as Duncan begins to progress in his cultivation of the technique.

    Right now, Duncan needed to visualize a lone mountain.

    Duncan initially thought that this would be an easy thing. But, when he tried, he found that it was not that simple. The image was indeed that of a lone mountain, but there were severalyers hidden in it.

    When Duncan first managed to visualize a lone mountain, he thought this mysterious soul art was pretty easy to cultivate. But, things took a turn when he tried to imprint that image on his soul.

    The moment Duncan tried to imprint the image on the soul, the image he had visualized shattered. This baffled Duncan. He didn''t know what he did wrong for the image to shatter this fast.

    As far as he could discern, the image he visualized and the image that was present in his memory were the same. But somehow, the lone mountain he visualized shattered inexplicably.

    Duncan was a little confused with this phenomenon for a while. Even after trying a few more times, Duncan couldn''t imprint the image on his soul no matter how careful he was.

    Initially, he thought this might be a scam. But, having utilized the method mentioned in the technique to recover his lost soul strand, Duncan discarded that notion immediately. He knew deep down that this technique was legit.

    So, Duncan''s mind turned elsewhere. He began to analyze where things were going wrong and what are the effects that resulted from it. That was when he realized that the tiredness he was feeling had subsided a little.

    This caused Duncan to realize that he was on the right path. If that was the case, then there must be something defective in the image he visualized. So, Duncan once more started toprehend the inherited memory a bit more closely.

    This time, he didn''t concentrate on the technique as a whole. This time, he only focused on the image of the lone mountain in his memory. After trying hard for a long time, Duncan found a small clue.

    While the image he visualized was right, there was no substance to it at all. It was just an image he visualized in a hurry. Compared to it, the image imprinted in his memory felt as if it was a real lone mountain.

    The lone mountain in his memory had a presence that was indescribable to Duncan. There was a kind of feeling in it that made Duncan''s scalp tingle a bit when he looked closer. He could feel his soul being pressured just looking at it.

    This gave Duncan a real clue as to why his mountain image shattered.

    The image he visualized was just a shell. Compared to the one in his memory, it had no substance at all. The mountain was weightless like a feather. So, it was only natural that it shattered upon contact.

    Even though Duncan didn''t know much about soul arts, he knew what imprinting meant. It meant forcibly burning an image somewhere. And here, he was burning it in his soul.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    How can something that doesn''t have any substance force his soul to imprint? Even though it was done willingly on his behalf, the image must have its own characteristics to imprint itself on his soul.

    Having figured out where the problem was, Duncan became a little more rxed. He understood what he had to do to seed. He needed to add substance to the image in his mind.

    But, saying it is easy, doing it was something else.

    *****

    "It doesn''t work," Duncan shook his head in dejection. "No matter what I try, the image I can visualize is only superficial. How is this different from the ball of yarn I visualized? I didn''t even know this stuff when I tried it out the first time. Why did it work then and why doesn''t it work now?"

    Duncan scratched his head unable to find an answer. It had been a week since he woke up. Since then, he had remained hidden and was cultivating <Spirit Transcendence> diligently. But, there was nothing to show for it.

    This made Duncan feel as if he was stupid. It wasn''t a good feeling to endure. If not for the paltry gains he had obtained in the past week, Duncan would have stopped cultivating this technique altogether. He wasn''t masochistic to repeatedly suffer defeat and humiliation.

    The one thing that Duncan gained during this week was his soul being nourished. The tiredness that came from his soul was gone by now. He could even feel the world around him more clearly.

    Duncan knew that this was because of the nourishment his soul received. Typically, Duncan would have been d about this alone. But, right now, Duncan was very determined to cultivate this technique.

    Even if he couldn''t fully manage to cultivate this technique, the side effects alone were wonderful enough to make him salivate. What other benefits would he receive if he actually managed to cultivate this technique? Just thinking about it was enough for Duncan to be determined to cultivate it.

    But, even though he was willing, Duncan realized that hecked a crucial aspect when it came to visualizing the lone mountain. Now he was wondering what he could do to change it.

    "Ball of yarn. Lonely Mountain. What is the difference? Is it the size? But, the size was rtively irrelevant in my mind. So, it can''t be that. Then, what is it? Why can I manage to do one but not the other?" Duncan pondered deeply.

    "Ball of yarnˇ­ ball of yarnˇ­ hmmmˇ­ wait, I think I got it," Duncan eximed suddenly. "Could it be that simple? I was able to visualize a ball of yarn because I know it pretty well. But, the lonely mountain is different. I have nevere into intimate contact with something like that."

    "I have handled a ball of yarn in my hands. I know how they feel and how they look. I know what it is made of. When I visualized a ball of yarn, my subconscious was there to provide me with these details. I never noticed it at that time. But, now that I think about it, it was indeed true," Duncan said standing up in excitement.

    "Since I know how a ball of yarn feels intimately, I was able to visualize it without any problems. But, as I don''t know much about the lonely mountain, the image I visualizees up as a paper tiger. It has no substance at all," Duncan muttered pacing rapidly.

    "In that case, I need to understand the core of the lonely mountain to form that image. Understandingˇ­ it all hinges on it. No wonder. Come to think of it, it is my understanding that made me use the concepts I learned. Looks like understanding the core of things is really important in cultivation," Duncan mumbleding to a stop.

    "Then, as long as I find a lonely mountain and strive to understand its characteristics, I will be able to form this image in my mind. And this is only the entry-level. I wonder what kind of image I will be required to form when I reach higher levels in this technique," Duncan muttered in a daze.

    "Right," Duncan shook his head to clear away his dazed state. "I think it is time for me to step out and try to see more of this Grotto Heaven. Didn''t the first region I entered have some hills?"

    "Hills are nothing but small mountains. Let me head over there and try to understand their characteristics. Even if I can''t visualize a lonely mountain, adding my understanding of the hills will only aid me to have more substance in my image."

    "Furthermore, I can only retrieve the loot I had stashed there. And the meat I have with me is running out as well. Well, it is time to head out," Duncan dered enthusiastically with a bright smile on his face.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 147 Why Are You Asking Me To Help?

    ?

    After he figured out how to progress in cultivating <Spirit Transcendence> technique, Duncan was full of energy. He wanted to head out immediately and start understanding the mysteries that gave substance to the hills.

    So, Duncan didn''t dy any longer. He packed up his things and ate the remaining meat with gusto, before walking out of his hidden spot. The moment he walked out of his hidden spot, Duncan stopped abruptly.

    It was not because he forgot something. But his intuition was telling him that he was in danger. Duncan didn''t dare to ignore it. So, he hesitated whether or not to head out or go back to his hiding spot.

    That moment of hesitation cost Duncan his opportunity to avert disaster.

    Just then, a female cultivator broke through the treeline in the distance and ran towards the location where Duncan had been standing in a daze, in a hurry. It was clear from her disshelved state that she was injured and was fleeing from someone.

    Before Duncan could even process the situation, the woman had already neared Duncan. It was only then she saw Duncan standing by the side. The moment her eyes fell on him, her eyes lit up and she rushed towards Duncan quickly.

    "Senior Brother, I am a disciple of Wind Blossom Sect. A demonic cultivator from the Nine Yin sect is chasing after me. Please, save me," the woman begged without even pausing to breathe.

    Duncan blinked at the sudden change in the situation. One moment he had been wondering why his instincts were warning him of danger. Then in the next moment, a righteous sect disciple was begging him to save her.

    That''s right. Wind Blossom Sect was one of the numerous righteous factions that came to explore the Grotto Heaven. Duncan, who had known about the entry of righteous sects into the Grotto Heaven from his Senior Brother Chen, obviously knew the names of various righteous sects that have stepped inside.

    It is not that Chen Wangjie had told him about all the righteous sects that entered. He only casually mentioned a few righteous sect names to Duncan to let him know that they were inside as well. He never even mentioned the Wind Blossom Sect to Duncan,

    But, Duncan knew of the Wind Blossom Sect because of one particr reason. Wind Blossom Sect had a sect leader who was very proficient in sword techniques. It was said that she was one of the foremost experts of the righteous path currently.

    When reading about the cultivation world, Duncan made note of this sect because of this reason. Even though there were many sword cultivators, only a few among them could be called experts.

    For a female to im that title, she must indeed be extraordinary. While cultivators never discriminated against females like mortals did, the path of sword can only be traversed by someone very dedicated.

    What made this female sect leader special was that she created her own sword art even before stepping into the Golden Core realm. Currently, she was at the peak of the Golden Core realm and was rumored to be even go toe to toe with Nascent Soul cultivators for some time.

    Not just that, the sword art this female sect leader created was also something very unique. It was called Nine Severance Sword Art. It was said to be very deadly and even capable of dealing a lot of damage.

    Duncan obviously made note of this while reading about the state of affairs in the cultivation world. So, he was surprised to hear that a female from that woman''s sect was running away from a cultivator from a demonic cultivator.

    If there was one thing that the Sect Leader of Wind Blossom Sect hated the most, it was the existence of demonic cultivators. It was rumored that she was cheated out of her Vital Yin qi by a demonic cultivator in her youth. This caused her to be heartbroken for a while.

    But, her tragedy just didn''t end there. There is a spection that theck of her Vital Yin qi is the reason for her to still remain at the Golden Core realm. So, when it came to dealing with demonic cultivators, the Sect Leader of Wind Blossom Sect can be said to be very ruthless.

    This was something every one of the disciples of the Wind Blossom Sect had inherited as well. As long as they see a demonic cultivator, they would try their level best to injure or kill the demonic cultivator.

    So, for a disciple like that to run away in fear from a demonic cultivator, Duncan knew that the other party wouldn''t be someone easy to deal with.

    But, when he heard who the other party was, Duncan understood this female''s fear. Nine Yin Sect was one of the top most demonic sects on the continent that was just below the Heavenly Demon Sect in standing. Any disciple that came out of there was really powerful.

    Duncan figured that this woman ran into an iron board when trying to explore the forest. From the looks of it, it seemed as if herpanions were all dead and this person was the only one left from her group. And even she was severely injured.

    But, what puzzled Duncan was why this woman was asking for his help. After all, he wasn''t from a righteous sect. So, logically this woman should be running away from him or even attacking him.

    Asking a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect to help a righteous cultivator, is this a joke?

    Duncan''s lips couldn''t help but twitch.

    But, he also understood why this woman was acting so outrageously. The Nine Yin Sect had a reputation on the continent. The disciples they churn out was the most perverted bastards that could ever be a cultivator.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    When ites to atrocitiesmitted towards the opposite gender, even the Heavenly Demon Sect must stand aside when it waspared to Nine Yin Sect. One of the signature techniques of the Nine Yin Sect was to refine the yin qi present in the body of female cultivators.

    If it was just that, it wouldn''t be bad.

    Female bodies naturally produced more yin qipared to male bodies. So they were always at risk when it came to practitioners who cultivated yin qi. Stealing vital yin qi was only a small method. But, the methods used by Nine Yin Sect were really ruthless.

    Those maniacs from the Nine Yin Sect wouldn''t even leave the corpse alone. After sucking the females dry of yin qi, they would reanimate the corpse of the female and refine the corpse yin qi present in them as well. As for what they do to female corpses, Duncan didn''t even want to specte.

    In short, if a female cultivator fell into the hands of a disciple from the Nine Yin Sect, even her body wouldn''t be spared the humiliation. So, female cultivators all over the world had an innate fear and disgust towards any Nine Yin Sect disciples.

    As Duncan recalled these things, he figured out the ins and outs of the situation. This female and herpanions must havee across a Nine Yin Sect disciple. And when they did, they must have initiated a fight.

    However, the fight went poorly for them and she fled the region to escape from being used by the Nine Yin Sect disciple for cultivation. When she came across Duncan, she thought of him to be a disciple of a righteous sect and implored him to help her out.

    Figuring this out, Duncan couldn''t help but curse the female inwardly. It was not that Duncan didn''t want to help a beautiful woman and y the hero. But there were several reasons that it was a bad idea.

    One, he himself was a demonic sect disciple. Why the hell should he save this woman? Duncan wasn''t someone who stuck his nose in other''s business. And if the womanter realized who he was, considering what sect she came from, she would kill him off as well.

    Who knows, she might even find some righteous excuse as to why she did it. She would even use him of trying to trick her and kill him off without much worry. Duncan didn''t have the confidence to bet his life on that.

    Furthermore, if she and herpanions could not defeat this guy with all their mightbined, what makes her think that Duncan could do it? She was just simply dragging him into her troubles. There was no consideration for his well-being at all.

    Duncan was the one with the least cultivation in the Grotto Heaven. Duncan knew this well. He had always been mindful of this fact. That was the reason he never went outside of this forest region.

    Asking him to take care of someone who was in a higher realm was reallyughable. Duncan wasn''t an almighty genius who has cultivated mysterious techniques and could fight above levels. So far, including <Spirit Transcendence>, he had only cultivated three techniques.

    In that, both <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and <Wind Chasing Steps> were just normal techniques. Only the <Spirit Transcendence> can be said to be somewhat mysterious in nature. Even that, Duncan has only started to cultivate.

    So, no matter how he thought about it, Duncan knew that he was no match for this woman''s pursuer. If he stepped in now to help this woman, who could probably stab him in the back, against someone who was stronger than him, Duncan will be the ultimate fool.

    As these thoughts passed through Duncan''s mind, his face became ugly to behold. By now, the woman had already reached his side and was looking at him anxiously.

    Just as Duncan was thinking about what to do, the woman eximed suddenly.

    "Ai, there is a hidden region here," the woman said in surprise.

    Before Duncan could even turn and look at her, the woman had already stepped inside the hidden region and entered Duncan''s hiding spot.

    "Senior brother, I am currently in a bad state. I have been infected with the despicable Nine Yin Poison. I won''t be able to help you. Let me clear this poison out first. You take care of that despicable demonic cultivator. I will thank youter," the woman said in a hurry from inside.

    Hearing this, Duncan felt like vomiting blood.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 148 Nine Yin Poison

    ?

    "Wasn''t it enough that you dragged me into this?" Duncan mumbled to himself in disbelief. "Are you even nning to abandon me now? What a ruthless bitch!" Duncan cursed anxiously.

    "Wait, did she just say she was infected by Nine Yin Poison?" Duncan eximed inwardly as a strange emotion fluctuated across his eyes.

    But before Duncan could follow that thought process, a figure broke across the tree line in the distance and rushed forward in a ferocious manner.

    Looking at the man who was dressed in ck robes and had an air of ferociousness around him, Duncan immediately knew that this was the disciple of the Nine Yin Sect that was chasing after the woman.

    Duncan immediately realized that he had no hope of besting this man. The aura that came from him alone was enough for Duncan to realize that he would just be sending himself to death if he intervened in this matter.

    The man had an ominous aura surrounding him. His eyes were bloodshot and there was a savage gleam in his eyes. The moment the manid eyes on Duncan, a sneer adorned his face and his eyes sharpened.

    "Seni.." Duncan didn''t even finish greeting the man before the man attacked Duncan savagely.

    All of Duncan''s danger senses went haywire the moment the man moved. The man formed a w with his hand and swiped at Duncan, without giving Duncan a chance to exin himself.

    Duncan barely got his sword out in time and defended.

    The attack was fast and ruthless.

    The man one shotted Duncan away.

    The impact of the blow was not something Duncan could defend himself against. Duncan''s arms broke with a click and the sword he used to defend himself with mmed into him, cutting deep.

    However, the attack made by the man was really ruthless. He attacked Duncan with full power. If not for Duncan getting out his sword, the attack would have injured Duncan fatally.

    Even so, Duncan was sted away without any mercy. Duncan felt his eyes cken, as he was sent flying. Duncan felt his body smash through multiple trees before rolling to a stop.

    "Tch, even trash like this dares to stand in my way," Duncan heard the man sneer as his consciousness flickered.

    *****

    Inside the cave, the woman who told Duncan that she was going to meditate to remove the poison looked up. There were no fluctuations in her eyes. Rather, a trace of annoyance appeared on her face.

    But, she didn''t pause in her actions.

    Waving her arms, she set up the final steps of a defensive formation in a hurry. From these actions, it could be inferred that the woman never thought Duncan would be able to stop the person who was chasing her.

    Rather, she just dragged him in to dy her pursuer.

    The mere moments that the person who was after her was dyed, dealing with Duncan, was enough for her to arrange a defensive formation around the entrance of the cave.

    The woman knew Duncan''s realm at a nce the moment she neared him. That was the reason she never put her faith in Duncan. She merely used him to get some time.

    Her actual target was the hidden cave that Duncan emerged out of. When she entered the Grotto Heaven, she was dropped off near this region. She once passed by this cave on her way toward the central region and even spent a night here.

    She knew the exact location of the cave. That was the reason she ran here. The defensive formation in her hand was not a top-notch one. It can only guard a certain region. The bigger the region it must guard, the lesser the effectiveness of the formation.

    So, when she was running away, she had already nned to use this cave as a location for her formation. What she didn''t expect was to find someone using this cave already. Luckily, it was a mere junior at the Spirit Sea realm.

    After pushing forward the unlucky junior, she entered the cave immediately and started setting up the formation. All her words from the moment she saw the junior were to confuse the junior and use him to buy her some time.

    Luckily, she was sessful in her goals.

    With a hum, the formation activated just in time for her pursuer to halt in his tracks.

    "Bitch, you think you can escape my hands with a measly formation like this?" the man from the Nine Yin Sect roared angrily.

    The woman didn''t reply, she concentrated on operating the formation with a grim face.

    "Hmmph, let''s see how long youst. I am definitely going to break open this formation and refine you," the man roared angrily.

    "Hmmph, we will see," the woman snorted angrily.

    "Heh, so you are still holding on? How''s the effect of my Nine Yin poison? Pretty soon, you will be begging me toe in," the man sneered and attacked the formation angrily.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The woman''s eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. She took out a pill from her belongings and swallowed it.

    "I have Heavenly Fragrance Suppression pills with me," the woman snorted in reply. "If you think I will let you in, you are dreaming."

    Hearing those words, the man stopped attacking for a moment. He knew what the effects of the Heavenly Fragrance Suppression pills were. They were created specifically to counteract any aphrodisiacs and suppress their effects.

    "Huh, no wonder you were able tost this long," the man said frowning a little. "You Wind Blossom Sect bitches sure are well prepared."

    "Hmmph, our sect master is wise. She knows how you despicable bastards like to act," the woman said arrogantly.

    "He he heˇ­ But, even those pills will only be useful if you meditate to suppress and expel the poison with your cultivation. Without doing that, the pills you took can only suppress the poison temporarily. You think I will give you time to meditate?" the manughed obscenely.

    Hearing those words, the woman''s face became a bit gloomy.

    "What''s more, the more you suppress the poison in your body instead of eliminating it, the fiercer the effects will be when you are no longer able to suppress it. He he heˇ­ I am looking forward to your appearance when you run out of those Heavenly Fragrance Suppression pills," the man cackled before attacking the formation again.

    The woman''s face paled when she took in the man''s meaning. However, before she could retort, she was forced to operate the defensive formation as it was attacked once more.

    She knew that she was in a difficult position right now. As long as she could suppress the effects and run the formation, she would be safe. The formation would only fall when it runs out of qi to operate it.

    Neither she nor the man was strong enough to break the defensive formation when the formation was running. She thought by exposing that she had the Heavenly Fragrance Suppression pills, the man might be forced to move on somewhere else for another prey.

    One has to know that defending usually only costs less qi than attacking. Moreover, she was currently using a formation. The cost of her qi expenditure will be less than his. That meant she would be able to hold on until her qi runs out.

    But, who knew that this bastard would be this crazy and decide to y attrition strategy with her? This was not what she expected. If she had more time, she would be able to remove the poison within her with the help of Heavenly Fragrance Suppression pills. But, it didn''t look like this bastard would give her that time.

    In this case, she could only wait it out. She and the Nine Yin Sect disciple were currently deadlocked. All she can do currently is hope that someone else came across this ce and dealt with that bastard.

    If not, her situation would be even direr.

    *****

    Duncan felt his consciousness float in a void. He felt strangely free of everything. Almost everything around him felt dull. His consciousness was like a candle wisp that was close to running out.

    Just then, a strange fluctuation urred in Duncan''s heart.

    Badumpˇ­

    The ck heart that Duncan possessed beats loudly. And strangely enough, Duncan''s consciousness was able to hear that sound very clearly in that dull void. Soon, the tempo of Duncan''s heart increased.

    In his consciousness, Duncan heard the sound be more rapid. There was a strange tempo to the beating of his heart. It was as if some war drum was starting to beat. Duncan felt the surroundings in his consciousness suddenly start to be vivid slowly.

    The tempo of Duncan''s heartbeat became faster and faster. It was as if the war beat was reaching a crescendo of sorts. The surroundings in the void began to shine blood red as the pace of the tempo increased.

    Right when Duncan felt as if he couldn''t bear the increase in pace anymore, the sounds abruptly stopped for a moment. Everything became quiet and Duncan felt incredibly ufortable in his consciousness.

    At that moment, an obscure sound echoed throughout Duncan''s being. Duncan''s entire being underwent a strange transformation at the moment. The ck heart that Duncan possessed underwent a kind of sublimation.

    Thump!

    Duncan''s consciousness heard his heartbeat sound again. But, there was strange rhyme to it. The void became red at the momentpletely and it was as if his consciousness was submerged in a red haze.

    Everything felt very vivid to Duncan in his consciousness. He could feel his broken body and the pain that came with it in his consciousness at that moment. The void shattered and he felt as if he was being shoved back into his body unceremoniously. Blinding pain exploded all over his body at that moment.

    Just then, Duncan''s eyelids fluttered slightly.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts.

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 Chapter 149 The Black Heart Awakens...

    ?

    Duncan opened his eyes after a great struggle.

    He felt great pain all over his body causing him to gasp audibly. He could feel clearly that the bones in his arms were broken. The blinding pain from his body let him know that he was injured severely.

    The sticky feeling on his chest and abdominal region let him know that he was bleeding profusely. As he tried to move, he felt his muscles scream in pain. Especially, his chest region felt as if it was on fire.

    Duncan struggled to look down but eventually did so.

    What was presented to him was not a nice sight at all. There was arge cut running from his left shoulder to his right hip diagonally. The moment he saw it, he knew that he was injured very badly.

    Duncan deduced that it had urred due to his sword mming back into his body from the impact. His injuries didn''t just stop there. After smashing through several trees, Duncan''s back was in severe pain too.

    Duncan suspected that his back must at least be severely bruised from the impact and thending. Not to mention his other injuries. Duncan was sure that there were some internal injuries in his body as well.

    Given the severity of the cut, Duncan wondered how he was still conscious for a second. He must be near death given the state of his injuries. But, somehow he was conscious at the moment. This puzzled him a bit.

    At that moment, the strange experience he underwent in his consciousness shed across his mind. The moment where the obscure sound echoed in his consciousness, Duncan felt himself stiffen.

    Life Amidst Deathˇ­

    He could only deduce those three words from the sound. But, Duncan felt as if the sound contained more words. No matter how he tried, he could never hear clearly what the other words were. They were kind of obscured to his hearing.

    The moment he recalled those three words, Duncan felt a strange energy flow from his heart. The energy passed through his body entirely and wherever it went, he could feel his body mending back.

    Duncan''s eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He couldn''t believe that his broken body was currently being mended without any medicine or spirit herb. It was something inconceivable for him.

    Duncan felt his broken bones click and snap back into ce. He felt his arms be stronger and lost feeling from them returning. The pain in his back submerged. And he could feel injuries heal rapidly.

    Looking down, he saw the cut on his chest heal rapidly at a rate that was visible to the eye. But, it just didn''t stop there. When the cut was healed, he could feel his insides being immersed in that strange energy.

    Duncan rolled over and opened his mouth.

    The next moment he vomited blood and chunks of injured organs. Stars danced in his eyes for a bit and Duncan felt the energy rush to his head. By the time, the energy was done with its work, Duncan felt as if his entire world had be much sharper.

    Taking in a deep breath, Duncan savored this new feeling. He was sure that he was somehow stronger than before. Something about the energy remade his entire body in a strange manner.

    Just then, he noticed that his hand was still clutching the sword.

    Seeing it, he couldn''t help but chuckle. Somehow, even when he gets injured, he never loses the sword in his hand. It was the same when he was a mortal and it was the same when he was a cultivator. This made him happy in a strange way.

    Duncan didn''t know what happened to him. He knew he was injured fatally by that bastard who was chasing after that woman. And it wasn''t even a fight. He was smacked aside like a bug. There was no denying it.

    But, something within him had healed him.

    Duncan didn''t know what it was, but he was grateful for it. His mind was currently in chaos. He didn''t know how he got healed. He didn''t know what the strange power inside him was.

    It was all very confusing.

    At that moment, he heard a boom in the distance.

    Looking over, Duncan could vaguely see someone attacking a cave in the distance. The next moment rity flooded in and Duncan realized that it was the cave that he had been residing intely.

    That meant that the issue that almost made him die was not resolved yet. Duncan didn''t know how long it has been since he had been sted away by that bastard who was attacking the cave. But, he didn''t expect things to be not yet over.

    Duncan frowned seeing that the man was attacking the cave wantonly. There was a frenzied appearance to the man. He was attacking the cave continuously as if he was possessed.

    Seeing that man, Duncan felt very ufortable.

    Looking at him, Duncan couldn''t help but be annoyed. The bastard didn''t have any reason to attack him so fatally. If not for the mysterious energy that came from within his body, Duncan would have died due to that attack.

    If that bastard had just stopped for a moment and listened to his words, Duncan would have made it clear that he had no intention of getting into this mess. But, the man hadn''t even given him any chance to exin himself.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He had swatted Duncan away as if he was a fly. That kind of disregard made Duncan incredibly angry. Ever since he stepped foot on the path of cultivation, he had never suffered such a thing.

    Even as a mortal, such things have never happened to him. Sure there were people who treated him badly or even humiliated him. But, no one has ever treated his life like it was nothing. No one had ever attacked him with the intent to kill just for convenience.

    It made Duncan''s blood boil. Anger rose within Duncan''s blood as he saw the man attacking the cave from the distance. Something within him didn''t like the sight of the man still breathing.

    But, Duncan didn''t lose his sense of self immediately.

    The rage in him became cold and Duncan reined it in as he knew that there was nothing he could do. After all, he was not as powerful as the man who almost killed him. No matter what he wanted to do, he must swallow it for now and pay it back when he was stronger.

    He didn''t even know the level of his opponent''s cultivation. He had barely escaped death due to some miracle. Since that was the case, how can he do anything about it? In the end, it all amounted to his strength being weak.

    Duncan didn''t like the feeling one bit. He felt suffocated. Normally, when someone escaped a fatal ident, they wouldn''t think of revenge first. They would always think of escaping far away first.

    But, Duncan''s mind was not working normally at this moment. There was a kind of intent to kill that was brewing deep in his heart. Thest bit of rationality in him was the only thing that was keeping him from going there and attacking the man.

    Duncan grit his teeth and decided to walk away at this moment. Even though he wanted to kill the man, Duncan knew he wasn''t a match for him at the moment. But, he had already decided that he would kill this man regardless of the cost when he bes strongerter.

    With great effort, Duncan turned around and started walking away.

    *****

    "Ha ha haˇ­ bitch, are you afraid now?" the man cackled in a mad manner. "You are running out of qi aren''t you?"

    "You are crazy!" the woman eximed in anger and disbelief. "You not only wasted all your qi, but you also made me waste my qi!"

    "Ha ha haˇ­ guess what bitch," the man smiled sinisterly. "I don''t care. When both our qi runs out, you won''t be able to operate this defensive formation or suppress the poison in you. At that time, all I need to do is wait for you to run into my arms."

    "Don''t be so smug," the woman sneered. "I can operate this formation with spirit stones."

    "He he heˇ­ if you can use spirit stones, you would have already used it. I guess, you don''t have any spirit stones, right?" the man sneered.

    The expression on the woman''s face flickered a bit. In the end, she sighed and produced a couple of spirit stones in her hands. These were thest spirit stones she had in her possession.

    Since she wasing into the Grotto Heaven, she didn''t think there would be any need for spirit stones. After all, Grotto Heavens were known to possess abundant spirit qi. So, she didn''t prepare many spirit stones for this trip. And this became her Achilles heel.

    The moment the woman fed the spirit stones to the formation, the formation began to brighten and became powerful once more. This caused the man to be slightly astonished. But, his expression recovered quickly.

    "He he heˇ­ I will see how long these spirit stonesst," the man sneered and stopped attacking.

    Both the man and the woman were clear on what is happening. The man was waiting for the energy of the spirit stone to run out before he started attacking. This put the woman in a very delicate situation.

    If she stopped using the spirit stones and didn''t feed her own qi, the formation would copse and the man would enter the cave. But, if she continued, it is only a matter of when things fell apart. Time was surely on the man''s side. So, he was perfectly content to wait for a while.

    "What do I do? If I don''t do something quick, time will run out and I will fall into the hands of this bastard. Should I wait and hope for someone to pass by? Or should I fight to the bitter end?" the woman mumbled to herself with a bitter face.

    "Regardless, let me deal with this poison first. The spirit stones wouldst for a while. Before they run out, I must eliminate this poison. Only then, I will have a chance," the woman gritted her teeth and started meditating.

    Time passed, both the man and woman were in a stalemate. Inside the cave, the woman was desperately trying to eliminate the poison in her body. Outside the cave, the man was recovering the qi he spent.

    No matter how one looked, it was clear that the man was in the dominant position at the moment. Even before all this, the woman was not a match for the man. Let alone when he freshly recovered and she spent time and qi eliminating the poison in her body.

    Things indeed looked bleak for the woman.

    *****

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 Chapter 150 Seeking Death...

    ?

    After walking for half an hour, Duncan felt incredibly ufortable.

    Something within him told him that he was making a huge mistake. And once he made this, there would be no going back. It made him feel increasingly uneasy.

    This feeling haunted Duncan with every step he took.

    "Ah, fuck it," Duncan spat angrily. "I am going to kill that bastard one way or another. I am not taking this lying down," Duncan growled and suddenly turned back.

    The moment he turned back, he felt the uneasy feeling go away.

    "Huh," Duncan mumbled recognizing it.

    He didn''t know why this was important to him. But, since the uneasy feeling was now gone, Duncan knew what to do. For some reason, he couldn''t back away from this fight. Something within him warned him of that fact.

    Duncan didn''t know why or what. But, he knew that this was important. So, he didn''t think anymore. Moving in fast strides, he started to make his way back to the region the cave was located.

    With each step, his resolve to face death strengthened.

    He knew that he had no hope of winning this fight. The most probable oue was his death. But, those words from the obscure sound began to haunt his mind as he made his way back.

    Life Amidst Deathˇ­

    Duncan didn''t know what the true meaning behind those words was. But, he could vaguely infer something regarding it. There were countless questions that kept popping up in his mind regarding it. But, Duncan had no clear answer to any of that.

    He only knew that he must fight this battle regardless of the oue. He couldn''t walk away at this moment. So, Duncan did exactly that, even though he knew that the chance of his death was very high.

    As he made his way, he started recalling all the experiences where he put his life on the line.

    In the Grasnds, before he even started cultivating, he had faced off against the wild beasts during a beast tide. He even fought against a demonic beast and emerged victorious.

    Wasn''t that seeking Death?

    Sure, he did that because he had no other option. He was cornered and surrounded at that time. But, Duncan had felt strangely alive at that moment. It was as if his life had a purpose and meaning. It had been glorious at that moment.

    And that feeling beckoned Duncan once more.

    Likewise, facing that youth in the cannibal cave also made him feel alive like nothing else had. He didn''t have a chance to run either of those times. But, he did fight for a slim chance of survival amidst death during those times.

    The only difference at this moment was that he now had a choice.

    A choice to run away. Walk away from this fight and live a bit longer. But, Duncan was skeptical of it. The world of cultivation wasn''t peaceful. Who can guarantee that he can always be safe?

    Even top powerhouses die periodically in the cultivation world.

    So, life wasn''t guaranteed to him. If he always sought a safe path, why did he begin cultivating? Mortal life was far safer than cultivator life. He chose cultivation because he wanted to be strong and have a say in his fate.

    Since that was the case, why can''t he walk to his death of his own volition and fight for a chance of survival? Others might argue that this was needless. Cautious people might think this was pure foolishness.

    But, Duncan didn''t think so.

    He wanted to be free. He wanted to be able to do anything he wanted anywhere he wanted. That was the life he yearned for. A life with no chains. A life with no limitations. A life where he can do whatever he wanted to do.

    For that, he must ovee his fear of death first. Rather than living a life where he was always safe and cautious, Duncan would dly die doing what he wanted. He didn''t want to swallow his breath at all. He wanted to befortable in his heart.

    If he walked away now, he will always feel ufortable when he thought of this moment. Moreover, a habit will form causing him to swallow his breath whenever someone powerful humiliated him.

    He was someone who should have died along with his vige, unaware of the moment of his death approaching. But, by some fortunate events, he was alive. So, if he died today, he had already lived longer than he had to.

    When these thoughts settled in Duncan''s mind, his heart became clear.

    He knew what he wanted to do. He knew how he wanted to live from now on. He knew why he did what he did. That was enough for Duncan. He didn''t yearn for immortality like other cultivators. He only yearned to be free in this world.

    As he realized this, Duncan felt invisible fetters in his heart fade away.

    He was going to go back there and fight that man. Even if he died, Duncan wanted that man to remember him. He didn''t want to swallow the breath of being swatted away like a fly.

    He might get hurt. He might die. He might somehow eke out some victory.

    But, none of that mattered. He wanted to stand up for himself. Living or dying didn''t matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was to carve that man with his sword.

    As Duncan made up his mind, his steps firmed unconsciously. His back straightened. A fierce gleam came over his eyes. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    *****

    Meanwhile, in the region near the caveˇ­

    "Die!" a hoarse sound sounded causing the silence in the area to be broken.

    Following that, a strong sword aura shed toward the man who was standing in front of the cave. The man had a mocking smile on his face as he retaliated with a w attack.

    The next moment, the sword aura was torn apart by the w that the man sent and a figure was pushed back a few meters. The woman had a serious look on her face as she stabilized her footing.

    When she finally took care of the poison in her body, the woman decided that it was better to fight it out. After all, her situation was really tragic. Even she didn''t fight now, she would have to fight for her life soon.

    So, she decided to try her luck when she waspletely rested.

    Thus, even before the power of spirit stones ran out, she tried to attack the man when he least expected it. However, the man had been waiting for such an asion. He knew the woman wouldn''t stay idle once she recovered.

    Thus, such a scene came into being.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ I knew you couldn''t resist sneak-attacking me, bitch. I have already prepared for it. I knew you righteous sect disciples talk about morality and righteousness all along, but when ites down to the line you are even more despicable than us," the man cackled sending another w attack towards the woman.

    "Shameless!" the woman shouted angrily and swung her sword.

    But, the w attack batted aside the sword attack easily. This caused the woman to start sweating anxiously. She could already see that this man was ying with her. When her first sneak attack failed, she knew that her life was over. This was just her desperate struggle.

    Compared to the attacks the man once uses, his current attacks werecking in power. The power of the attacks was just enough to solve her attacks. It was as if the man was a cat ying with a mouse. The perverted smile that appeared on the man''s face only confirmed this fact.

    "Hmmph, I will let you get it all out of your system," the man sneered. "When you are exhausted, I will inject you with the Nine Yin Poison once again. Let''s see how you will handle that."

    Hearing the man''s words, the woman felt a chill envelop her heart. She felt as if she was plunged into an ice-cold abyss. The perverted smile on the man''s face only made her worry more.

    "<Nine Severance Sword First Chapter: Cutting all ties>" the woman roared in desperation and sent out a sword attack.

    Hearing her words, the man''s expression became dignified. Even though the man was far stronger than the woman, he didn''t dare take this attack with a yful attitude.

    <Nine Severance Sword> was the sword art created by the Sect Master of the Wind Blossom Sect. The man knew that he couldn''t take this attack lightly.

    <Nine Severance Sword> had nine attacks in total. Cutting All Ties was the first move of the sword art. From its name, it can be easily concluded that it wasn''t an ordinary sword move.

    However, the person performing this attack wasn''t the Sect Master of the Wind Blossom Sect. If that was the case, the man would have died before even knowing it. The woman might have learned the sword art, but she didn''t capture the essence of the sword art that well.

    Thus, the attack that came out was far weaker than the potential it boasted. Even still, it was the strongest attack the woman had disyed so far. The man understood this as well.

    The moment the woman attacked a dazzling sword light was formed and hacked at the man with murderous intentions. The man''s face became dignified seeing this scene and he too responded by unleashing his full power.

    "<Ghost w Art>" the man yelled and retaliated back.

    The moment the man attacked, an eerie w image formed. There was a wail apanying it as well. The man''s attack collided with the woman''s attack. But, something unexpected happened.

    The sword light cut through the w attack after a bit of struggle. But, the resultant light was far dimmer as it attacked the man. The man performed another attack and neutralized the sword light.

    But now, the man''s face was a bit gloomy. He knew his <Ghost w Art> was defeated by the woman''s attack. It was only due to his powerful cultivation that he was able to neutralize this attack.

    "It is a pity," the man said with a gloomy expression. "Your sect''s <Nine Severance Sword> is indeed stronger than my <Ghost w Art>. But, my cultivation is higher. You have no chance of winning against me."

    The woman was breathing heavily at this moment. When the sword light defeated the w attack, the woman had been happy for just a second before it turned into despair. The attack she performed was the ultimate attack technique she had. Even that wasn''t enough to defeat the man.

    Furthermore, this attack took a lot of qi to perform. Just a single attack had drained one-tenth of her qi. At most, she would be able to perform a few more attacks like this. But, the woman knew that this wouldn''t be enough to defeat this man.

    Gritting her teeth, the woman once more shed out with the same attack. The man''s face turned gloomy seeing the attack. He mobilized his cultivation entirely and desperately sent out three w attacks one after the other.

    In the end, he was able to both neutralize the attack and send the woman flying.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other works and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 151 I Must Kill You Today...

    ?

    Bang!

    With a resounding thud, a body fell to the ground raising dust from the impact.

    In the distance, the disciple of Nine Yin Sect stood with a disshelved appearance. There were a few injuries on his body. His breath was ragged and his clothes were ripped. It was clear from the man''s looks, he had not fared well in the fight.

    As the dust faded, the Wind Blossom Sect disciple''s body became visible. Her state was far worse than the man''s. There wererge injuries all over her body. She was currently unconscious.

    When the fight began, the man never expected this woman to put up such a determined fight. When it became apparent that she couldn''t beat him, the woman even dared to burn her life to continue fighting.

    This eventually made him go through a tough battle. He was almost spent and there was very little he had left in his tank. The woman''s crazy behavior had put him in an embarrassing state currently.

    "Damn, this bitch really burned out her life to fight me. Luckily, I was able to subdue her. If not, I can only use some forbidden technique to turn the tide around. If that was the case, I would have lost out a lot. Fortunately, her struggle ended. I don''t think I have much left in me," the man muttered sullenly looking at the unconscious woman with anger in his eyes.

    "But, I finally subdued this bitch. I can''t let her die easily. I need to make her yearn for death. Even after she dies, I am going to refine her corpse and consume her yin," the man mumbled to himself angrily and walked towards the woman''s body.

    As he neared the female''s body and got ready to poison her, the man felt his danger senses tingling a bit. Frowning a bit, the man turned vignt and backed off from the female.

    But, after a few moments, nothing happened. This caused him to wrinkle his brows. His danger senses were still tingling and it wasn''t the woman that was the reason for it as he initially thought.

    Just then, he heard footstepsing from the distance. The footsteps were measured and had a certain surety in them. Turning around, the man saw a figure walk towards the location he was in.

    The dusk was almost up. With the sun behind the figure''s back, the man couldn''t see the face that was covered in shadows clearly. However, rm bells began to ring in his mind the moment he set his eyes on the figure.

    The figure approached him slowly in measured steps. There was no hesitation or rashness in those steps. Rather, the image the figure cast on him made him frown harder.

    The figure''s face was still not visible clearly, but a strange kind of familiarity tickled his brain. Seeing the figure walking towards him with the backdrop of a setting sun, an unsettling feeling rose in the man''s heart.

    Warily, he prepared himself and concentrated his attention on the figure.

    There was something eerie about the figure. A sort of red haze had enveloped the figure and it made the figure look fearsome. Such a sight made the man''s instincts scream. He could feel a kind of oppressive environment engulf the area the closer the figure came. Such a strange thing made the hairs on his neck stand up.

    But, the man was no stranger to eerie things. He was a cultivator of the demonic path. So, he wasn''t that worried about the atmosphere. It was just that his danger senses started tingling which made him a bit apprehensive.

    "Who are you? What is your business here?" the man asked putting up a brave front.

    There was no response. By now, the distance between the figure and the man had shortened and he could vaguely see the outline of the face of the figure. The figure''s clothes were torn and bloody. There was a sword in its hand and it didn''t look as if it came in peace.

    But, all these thoughts came to a stop when he identified the face clearly. Seeing the puny ant he had swatted aside earlier walking towards him in such a manner made the man feel confused a bit.

    "What the hell? Why aren''t you dead, kid? Furthermore, shouldn''t you be running away after the injury Iˇ­"

    The man''s voice faltered as he realized that the figure didn''t have any injury on it. He was very clear on what kind of damage his attack did earlier. It would be incredibly lucky if this kid had survived after such an injury.

    But, there was no injury visible. And what''s more confusing was why the kid wasing towards him. One must know that he had one-shotted the kid with ease when they met earlier. Any sane cultivator would have fled far away by now if they survived such an attack.

    However, this kid was walking towards him.

    Compared to what he saw earlier, there was a marked difference in the kid at the moment. When he first saw the kid, the kid hadn''t been this confident orposed. But now, the demeanor of the kid had made aplete turnaround. And it made the man a bit wary.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You should be dead," the man said gloomily. "I don''t know what kind of treasure you have on your body that saved you from my attack. But, you should have done the smart thing and fled from this ce."

    His words didn''t seem to deter the kid at all. The kid came to a stop in front of him at a distance and was eyeing him as if he was prey. This irritated the man very much. He brushed away the intuition that was telling that there was some danger and looked at the kid in a sullen manner.

    "It is a miracle you survived my attack," the man continued. "Instead of fleeing for your life, you dare to appear before me now. Good! Good! I have never seen such a suicidal idiot like you. Why did you evene here? Was it to rescue this bitch?" the man spat angrily.

    "To kill you," the kid''s voice was hoarse.

    But what captured the man''s attention was that there were no emotional fluctuations in the tone at all. The words came out t as if the kid was talking about something that everyone knew. It was a strange feeling to be honest. But, the man didn''t take it seriously.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ Kid, are you dreaming? Haven''t you woken up from your stupor yet? Did my blow addle your brains? With your strength, you think you can do anything to me. Don''t make meugh," the man said sullenly.

    "I must kill you today," the kid once more spoke without any fluctuation.

    "I may not have much qi in me, but it is definitely enough to crush a bug like you hundred times over. Get lost from here before my temper runs short," the man thundered atst unable to bear it any longer.

    Rather than running away or retorting, the man saw the kid brandish his sword and sh at him from the distance. Seeing his action, the man''s patience ran thin. It was already a good fortune that he didn''t st away the kid at first sight, but the kid even had the audacity to attack him like this. This waspletely intolerable.

    The man sneered and nned to casually crush the attack. But, the next moment his eyes widened in disbelief. As soon as the kid shed, a sword light burst from the kid''s sword and rushed toward him with unparalleled momentum.

    Even though he was shocked for a moment seeing the sword light, the man was a veteran cultivator. He wasn''t dazzled for long. His battle instincts kicked in and he angrily retaliated with a full-powered w attack.

    The man was expecting his attack to rip the sword light into pieces. But, what happened next made him dumbfounded. The sword light cut through his w attack easily and rushed towards him without even slowing down.

    The man''s eyes almost popped out seeing such a scene. But, he rallied soon and threw another w attack in session. In the end, he was barely able to deal with the sword light.

    But, when he looked over, his heart almost jumped out in shock. At that moment, another sword light came towards him. The man hastily attacked once more only to get pushed back from the impact.

    Seeing this situation, the man began to panic. He never thought that the ant he had squashed earlier would turn around and be able to drive him into a desperate situation.

    His earlier fight with the Wind Cloud Sect disciple had already made him run low on qi. And this new unexpected development wasn''t doing him any favors. He hadn''t even recovered his qi back, but he was already onset with another attack.

    If he was in his prime state, handling this new threat wouldn''t be impossible. It would be difficult, but he could have managed it. But now, the situation had changed and there was little he could do.

    Before the man could think further, three more sword lights came towards him in session causing him to pale in fright. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to cope and was injured severely within seconds.

    "Damn it!" the man cursed angrily and decided to escape first.

    But before he could execute his escape technique, a figure shed before him causing him to look up. Next moment, all he saw was a sword light.

    The man''s head dropped beside his body as the sword light cut through his neck unceremoniously.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 152 Decisive Killing

    ?

    Duncan felt rity return to him as he watched the head of the Nine Yin Sect disciple roll on the ground.

    The red haze that had enveloped his sight and mind seemed to recede back slowly as Duncan stared at the head. He could once more hear his surroundings clearly and feel the breeze on his face.

    On his way back, Duncan fell into a strange state where his only thought was to kill the man who had fatally wounded him. Nothing else mattered to him at that moment. A sort of murderous rage enveloped his mind and he stayed in that state until the deed was done.

    In that strange state, all his senses were very acute. They were heightened to levels he hadn''t imagined before. He could see, hear, and feel far better than he was ever able to.

    But soon, that state faded and he could only hear the beating of his heart. It was like a hypnotic drum that was beating to a weird rhythm. The strange thing was that his mind was ensnared in that rhythm and he was unable to extricate himself from it.

    This caused him to fall deeply into that red haze that was clouding his mind and sight. Everything he saw became tinged with red. From trees to tiny insects, everything that appeared in his field of vision became red.

    However, Duncan''s mind disdained paying attention to this new situation. All his thoughts were upied with taking revenge on that man who had fatally wounded him. As for whether he would survive such an action, that wasn''t in consideration at all.

    When he made his way to the cave region, he could already feel a big battle happening in the distance. But, he neither slowed down nor sped up with his steps. His steps were steady like a mountain and he approached the battle heedless of the danger he was walking into.

    When he reached the site of the battle, the woman was already beaten down and the man was standing over her. It was clear to Duncan who was the winner. Naturally, this should have deterred him.

    But, the moment Duncanid eyes on the man, there was a change in the red haze that enveloped him. The man was the only one who was different in his vision. Bizarrely, he was shining like a beacon that was beckoning Duncan.

    When the man noticed him and spoke to him, all Duncan could hear was the increasing tempo of his heartbeat. The mysterious rhythm which his heartbeat followed seemed to reach a peak at the moment.

    And the moment he brandished his sword, his surroundings became silent.

    And now, seeing the man''s head roll on the ground, the haze that enveloped Duncan receded. Moreover, he could once more perceive his surroundings clearly as well.

    Duncan knew, that the sword attack he performed earlier was something he was incapable of producing normally. He felt as if he had totally exhausted all his energy delivering the sword attacks against the man.

    He felt hollow.

    As much as Duncan wanted to sit down and meditate on the sword attack he unleashed, he knew he had to take care of one more matter. Turning his head, Duncan''s eyes found the woman who had been the cause of all his misery in the past hour.

    A vicious gleam entered Duncan''s eyes.

    Next moment, Duncan used <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> and shed at the woman''s unconscious body. His attack flew true. Blood sshed in the setting sun. Another head rolled on the ground.

    Vindictive satisfaction flowed through Duncan seeing the rolling head of the woman. Duncan didn''t know the woman''s true purpose in dragging him into this conflict. But, he didn''t care why she did it. All it mattered to him was that he almost died because of her actions.

    What you sow, so you reap!

    Since the woman''s actions caused him fatal danger, he felt that it was only appropriate that she paid for it with her life. As for whether what he did was right or wrong, Duncan didn''t bother to even think about it.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan controlled his impulse to cut both corpses a few more times. He didn''t want to lose himself in his murderousness. True, he did hate these two people for almost causing him to die, but there was no need to be excessive regarding his retribution.

    The murderous aura that enveloped Duncan so far started to recede as Duncan reigned in his impulse to cut the corpses. The surrounding area once more became silent as Duncan sheathed his sword.

    Bending down, Duncan searched the body of the disciple of the Nine Yin Sect. Soon, he came found a storage ring among the possessions of the man and smiled slightly. It was a good find that he needed urgently.

    So far, he had been only carrying the bare minimum with him due to not having any storage items. The backpack he had been using had be too burdensome and he didn''t want to encumber himself while exploring the Grotto Heaven.

    He had a few hidden caches in various parts of the forest to store things. He had been using them until now. Even the meat he carried along with him was mostly freshly hunted.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    This storage ring would eliminate most of his problems.

    Duncan checked the body once more and didn''t find any other valuables present. He frowned a little thinking that this disciple of Nine Yin Sect was too mediocre. There were no weapons or artifacts that he used on the body.

    Walking over, Duncan did the same with the female corpse. There was a moment seeing the woman''s ample bosom Duncan felt it was pity that he had killed her. The next moment Duncan shook his head and banished that thought away.

    He knew that his abstinence for the past few months was the reason for his thoughts straying at the moment. When he was in the Starmist City, he had heard of several mercenaries who got lost in feminine charms and were unable to extricate themselves.

    Duncan knew that lust was one of his biggest weaknesses. He wasn''t a saint to proim he wouldn''t be moved by a beautiful female. But, he had enough awareness to know that thinking with his dick would get his head chopped off sooner orter.

    So, he had already determined not to think with his little head during crucial moments. He was d that he had followed that principle at this moment. If not, he would have fallen for some trapter.

    The woman was obviously far stronger than him. But she had been cunning enough to push him forward and let him face her pursuer. Whether she did it knowingly or not, didn''t matter.

    But, what mattered to Duncan was the woman''s behavior of hiding in the cave and letting him deal with the disciple of the Nine Yin Sect. Duncan would never tolerate things like that. He wasn''t anyone''s fool.

    He may not have had a woman after taking up the Wang n mission, but he wasn''t going to bet his safety to satisfy his lust. Safety always came first. If he walked out of this Grotto Heaven alive, he would have a hundred women who will be willing to serve him.

    He knew what kind of allure a cultivator had for normal women. If a cultivator showed up at Bessa''s ce, she wouldn''t even smile in anyone else''s direction until the cultivator left. He had seen that happen multiple times in the past.

    So, Duncan wasn''t worried about not getting women.

    If he wanted to enjoy such things in the future, he needs to control his little head now. Getting ensnared in a woman''s beauty and losing his head inside this Grotto Heaven was a stupid thing to do.

    Granted, the woman before him looked more charming than mortal women he hadid eyes upon even after her death. But, that didn''t mean he was going to bet his safety on that.

    Suddenly, Duncan paused and looked at the female head on the ground once more. He could feel something stir in him at that moment. The woman did indeed look more beautiful than the whores he had frequented.

    Was this due to cultivation? In that case, will experiencing female cultivators differ from experiencing mortal women? Duncan felt that his conjecture was right. In that case, he must try out female cultivators when he stepped out of Grotto Heaven at least once.

    Nodding his head, Duncan went about retrieving another spatial ring from the woman. Pocketing it as well, Duncan checked out the woman''s corpse for any other valuables. Apart from the sword she owned, she too didn''t have any valuables on her body.

    Duncan shook his head to get rid of his dissatisfaction. It was already a miracle that he lived through this fight. If these two people hadn''t exhausted each other, he wouldn''t have any chance to even live through this day.

    Obtaining two spatial rings was good enough. When he broke through the restriction on it, he might even gain some good benefits. No need to be greedy. He needed to vacate this ce first. It''s already a miracle that no one had approached this ce despite the ruckus these two had made.

    Decision made, Duncan took off without looking back. He had a lot of thoughts on his mind now. From surviving a fatal encounter to the strange phenomenon within his body, there were a lot of things he need to ponder about.

    Likewise, the attacks he made in his haze-induced state were also something to ponder over. He needed to find a calm ce to think things over. His earlier idea of returning to the ce he had stashed some of his gains first looked very appetizing now.

    But, before that, he needed to scour the forest region and retrieve the things he stashed there. It would not do well to lose his lootˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thought...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 153 Dilemma

    ?

    "Are you sure he escaped in this direction?" a young man in fine clothes asked angrily.

    "I am sure, Young Master," one of the men assembled before him said in a shaking tone.

    Young Master Han''s face distorted hearing that. Never in his entire life had he been fooled like this. Just thinking about it made Han Shindong''s face be a bit gloomy.

    "Are all of you trash? Can''t you stop a single cultivator at the Spirit Sea realm?" Han Shindong berated angrily.

    "If it was killing him, we are confident Young Master. But, Young Master''s instructions are to catch him alive. And that person''s movement technique is very good," another subordinate exined in a fearful tone.

    Although they all had higher cultivation realms than Young Master Han, no one dared to refute him strongly. The Han family was a colossal cultivation n from the Wei Empire. And they were all subordinates of the n who were dispatched to protect the Young Master this time.

    "Kill him?" Han Shindong sneered. "Why would I do such a stupid thing? If I kill him who would lead us to the rest of his caches? He is like a hen thatys golden eggs. Do you think I am stupid enough to kill him?"

    "But, that young man''s movement technique is quite fast, Young Master. If we attack with the intention to kill, we might be able to overwhelm him with our cultivation bases. However, since we are trying to capture him, his chances of escaping are quite high," the first subordinate grumbled a bit.

    "I don''t care," Han Shindong raged.

    He had been feeling really suffocated ofte. When he entered the Star Empire to tour, he had expected to be treated with high respect by everyone who met him. Initially, that had been the case.

    But, ever since they entered the Grotto Heaven, he had not been having a good time. Inside the Grotto Heaven, no one cared about his n''s prestige. Even if they feared his n, they didn''t fear him or his subordinates at all.

    He knew this was because of his impulsiveness. If he hadn''t willfully entered the Grotto Heaven along with his subordinates when he heard about the news, he would have never suffered such disrespect.

    In the outside world, if anything happened to him, his n''s experts would be able toe and seek redress within a few days. But, in this Grotto Heaven, where they had been cut off from the outside world for six months, no one took the power of his n seriously.

    His subordinates had warned him of such a situation arising when they had tried to persuade him to not enter the Grotto Heaven. But, he had been adamant and didn''t want to listen to them. Moreover, he didn''t think the situation would be this serious after entering the Grotto Heaven.

    For a young man who had been praised wherever he went, admitting that it was his mistake was an anathema. He didn''t want to face his mistakes. The more he tried to use his n name, the more he had been disabused of that notion.

    Especially, by those stupid, idiotic cultivators from the demonic path.

    Some of them had evenughed at him openly and proceeded to attack him afterward. Only his use of precious lifesaving talismans and the sacrifice of several of his subordinates had kept him alive until now.

    He grew further dejected when the Heavenly Demon Sect initiated a blockade around the region near the main hall. He had never been barred entry in his entire lifetime. Everything he had experienced was really different from what he had thought earlier.

    So, when he found a mere Spirit Sea realm cultivator roaming the forest, all his pent-up frustration boiled over. Initially, he had wanted to ambush that person with his subordinates. But, just as they were going to ambush, he found that the Spirit Sea realm cultivator was excavating a hidden cache.

    Intrigued, he had stopped others from attacking the cultivator immediately. What they saw him extracting from the cache was really eye-opening. Initially, they had been bbergasted by the situation.

    How can a mere Spirit Sea realm cultivator obtain so many valuable spirit herbs? Even with his subordinates, he hadn''t been able to obtain so many benefits from the Grotto Heaven.

    While he was confused, one of his subordinates provided a possible exnation. This cultivator was probably one of those few who never ventured outside of a particr region. It was also likely that he had entered this forest region earlier than others.

    In that case, it would make sense that he had been able to collect a lot of herbs while everyone was rushing toward the central region. And it made sense considering his strength as well.

    Now, that this region had be chaotic, this person was hurriedly excavating his caches. They didn''t know how he came into possession of a spatial ring. After all, if the person had it in the first ce, they wouldn''t have used the caches. But, they didn''t care about those insignificant details.

    In their eyes, this person was a treasure trove. If they can kill him and get his spatial ring, then their harvest this time would be substantial. So, they decided to capture him first and interrogate him about the other hidden cachester.

    But, who knew that this person would be so slippery? His movement technique was really fast. When they were unprepared, this person escaped their encirclement and ran off.

    "Young Master, I have a suggestion," another subordinate spoke.

    "What?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "If we can''t capture him, then we track him from a distance. Let us wait until he empties all his caches, then we can kill him and obtain his spatial ring," the subordinate answered.

    "Hmmm, this sounds good as well. It will also eliminate the need to make him confess. I approve," Han Shindong nodded.

    The subordinate beamed hearing that the Young Master had approved of their n.

    "Then, what are you waiting for? Go, track him down and follow him from a distance," Han Shindong ordered impatiently. "If you guys lose him, don''t me me for being ruthless."

    ""Yes Young Master""

    The subordinates replied in unison as they shivered. They knew that this Young Master of theirs was not someone whom you wanted to run afoul of. They disbursed in a hurry, leaving only two guards with Han Shindong, who followed him everywhere.

    *****

    Duncan felt a sharp pain at his side as he executed <Wind Chasing Steps> and hurried away. He could feel that the injury he suffered was really troublesome this time.

    He never expected that he would be caught while excavating one of his caches. At that time, he had been in a hurry and hadn''t been paying attention to his surroundings.

    It had been a mistake.

    A mistake that was currently biting him in the ass. Escaping from the encirclement of those cultivators had been tricky. If he hadn''t been decisive enough, he would have been caught by them.

    Even then, he couldn''t escape without injury. One of the attacks from that group of cultivators had injured him quite badly. All he could do was grit his teeth and escape as soon as possible.

    Duncan could see that the cultivators who surrounded him all were stronger than him. For a moment, he thought he would really die at their hands. But, luckily, he had been decisive enough to escape the moment he sensed danger.

    If not, things would have been really bad. What he didn''t expect was that these men, despite their higher cultivation base, weren''t able to catch up to him when he solely concentrated on escaping. It was a wee surprise to Duncan.

    Duncan figured that it was probably because their cultivation arts or movement techniques weren''t as good as his. Duncan understood that as the preeminent demonic sect on the continent, the Heavenly Demon Sect''s cultivation arts and martial arts could never be shabby whenpared to others.

    He was d that the movement technique he chose was of a higher tier than his opponents''. If not, he couldn''t have escaped this time. Even still, he knew that he hadn''tpletely shaken off their pursuit.

    It was highly likely that they were chasing after him at this moment. That was the reason, he didn''t stop to even assess the level of damage he had sustained. It was better to escape first and then think of healing himself.

    Among the numerous spirit herbs he had stashed all around the forest, he knew there were a few herbs that were highly medical in nature. If he could collect them and find a quiet ce, he could recuperate without any worries.

    However, he was currently in a dilemma. It was clear that he had been targeted by someone. Those people''s actions were not something that was done on a whim. Duncan was clear that they were trying to capture him instead of killing him outright. That was the only reason he was able to escape.

    Since that was the case, should he retrieve his other stashes or escape first? Just thinking about abandoning all those spirit herbs he had collected, made Duncan''s heart ache in pain.

    Duncan knew that there wouldn''t be another opportunity to get these many spirit herbs. He was a poor cultivator. He didn''t have much to his name. These spirit herbs would probably be his first windfall.

    But, should he lose his life for that? Was the windfall worth it? If he dyed his escape to collect these caches he had stored, wouldn''t that be likemitting suicide?

    But, if he escaped, what of the herbs he had collected so far? Can he collect them all and still escape from this group?

    Duncan didn''t know what to chooseˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 154 Risks And Benefits

    ?

    Duncan felt that he was really in a quagmire currently.

    On the surface, it was a really simple decision to make. Life or wealth? The choice to make can be summed up with just these two words.

    Duncan could already feel several people watching from the dark. He knew what they all wanted him to do. It wasn''t hard to extrapte given how and when he came into their sight.

    These people are currently waiting for him to unearth more of his caches. So that, when they dealt with him atst, they will be able to obtain the maximum benefit possible. It was easy to think of.

    That left him with two options. One, go along with them and find himself embroiled in an inescapable slowly. Or two, try to escape now before the was closed and have a chance at life.

    However, things weren''t that simple. Duncan can easily guess that the people staring at him were more powerful than him. His only advantage against them was the techniques he practiced.

    Even though Duncan practiced higher-tier techniquespared to them, Duncan didn''t think he could go against them head-to-head. He had seen their attacks. They were powerful enough to overwhelm him if he wasn''t careful. And there wasn''t just one cultivator he had to contend against.

    His only advantage was his speed. To be precise, his movement technique allowed him to be faster than them. Since that was the case, if he escaped now before the closed, he could make it.

    But, doing so would also rm them.

    These people are letting him be because he hadn''t shown any signs of noticing them. If he tried to escape and rmed them, then they might probably lose all caution and chase after him relentlessly.

    Since that was the case, whether he escaped now orter didn''t actually matter. He will be chased by them sooner orter. But, if he escaped now, he would lose out his caches.

    To a poor guy like Duncan, that was like cutting a piece of him.

    Those caches not only represented his path to wealth, but they were also future cultivation resources. He can''t expect to find and enter another Grotto Heaven any time soon in the future. These resources would pave the way for his future cultivation.

    He may be a direct disciple of his master, but Duncan didn''t think his master would dote on him with resources. His master''s idea of cultivation was something simr to throwing him into the cannibal cave. So, expecting his master to take care of his cultivation resources didn''t sit well with Duncan.

    However, if he could bring out the spirit herbs he had secreted so far, he would be able to sell those that weren''t useful to him for the resources he needed. Duncan may be new to cultivation by most people''s standards, but he wasn''t someone who didn''t know the value of having resources.

    He didn''t have any notable family behind him to provide him with endless resources. He definitely didn''t have resources of his own. Even the spirit stones he had were already running out.

    As for the two spatial rings he broke the restriction of, they had a lot of misceneous items. But, there weren''t any treasures or spirit stones in them. The few resources he found in them left him more confused than anything.

    Duncan knew his knowledge of the cultivation world wasn''t very extensive. Maybe the stuff he found in those two rings was valuable. Maybe not. But, Duncan didn''t feel like betting his future on items he didn''t know the value of.

    Since that was the case, it was better to cling onto the wealth he had personally acquired so far. Duncan knew the herbs he had collected would definitely sell well. If he got cold feet now and abandoned them, then he wasn''t sure when he would get another windfall.

    So, it was clear what he wanted to do deep in his heart.

    Convincing himself to take that risk was what he needed to do at this moment. While Duncan wasn''t a coward, he wasn''t a reckless idiot either. He had once gone after wealth in Starmist City without thinking ahead much. That hadnded him in a very dangerous situation.

    Like they say, once bitten twice shy.

    As much as his heart told him to take the risk, Duncan was finding it very difficult to convince himself of the necessity of it. This dilemma has been guing Duncan for the past few hours.

    He wasn''t keen to put his life on the line just after doing it once. That time, he felt like he had to do that. But now, he didn''t feel the urgent necessity he had at that moment.

    When he walked back to the cave region to face his death, he felt that he needed to do that. Moreover, Duncan felt that he would have gotten cold feet at thest moment, if not for the haze that had enveloped him.

    Now, he wasn''t feeling that need. Either choice had its own merits. He could escape now and find some other way to get resources once he gets out of the Grotto Heaven. Or he could take the risk and find a way to escape theter. Either way felt fine. There was no pushing need to choose one way or another.

    If these men had tried to kill him or capture him at all costs, Duncan would have escaped with no burden. He wasn''t a fool to sacrifice his life for this small bit of wealth. But, their hesitation was giving him ideas. Now, he needed to think if he should try these dangerous ideas and the cost of it.

    Duncan''s eyes flickered rapidly as his thoughts churned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In the end, his eyes firmed up as he reached a decision. Risk was an inherent part of his life. It was nothing new to him. His very nature was risk-taking. If not for that, he wouldn''t have stepped out of Starsinger Vige; he wouldn''t have ridden into the Grasnds decisively while being chased by bandits; he wouldn''t have walked out of that cannibal cave either.

    So, Duncan decided to take the risk and see how the situation developster. Furthermore, there was that trump card he had newly acquiredˇ­

    Decision made, Duncan firmed up his resolve and left the ce he was resting in.

    *****

    "How many caches has he unearthed so far?" Han Shindong asked breathlessly looking at the distant figure.

    The distant figure was now digging on a particr spot on a small mound very seriously. Just looking at the figure made Han Shindong shiver in anticipation. He never expected he would gain this much by letting this little fry go about his business.

    "Four, Young Master," one of his subordinates whispered.

    "Four? Was he a squirrel in his past life?" Han Shindong asked mockingly.

    "More like a mole Young Master," the subordinate said a little happily. "He had hidden stuff under the ground in a lot of ces."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ well, he is ugly in this life as well," Han Shindongughed contemptuously.

    "That''s right, Young Master. No matter, he can''t ever be as handsome as you," the subordinate fawned. "Should we attack him now, Young Master?"

    "No hurry, no hurry. I will let this little mole dig out all the holes. When we are sure that he has no other hidden stuff, we can attack him. We have already surrounded him. There is no way he could escape from our grasp," Han Shindong said arrogantly.

    "Young Master is wise. Your wisdom is like a beacon of light in the dark to this lowly one," the subordinate once more bootlicked shamelessly.

    Hearing those words, Han Shindong puffed up his chest in pride. He loved hearing such praise from his subordinates. It always brought him pleasure to hear people praise him.

    "Once his use is over with, gift him a swift death. He has helped us a lot, after all," Han Shindong chuckled.

    "He must be blessed to receive your mercy, Young Master," the subordinate said with a fawning smile once more.

    *****

    Duncan, who was excavating the buried cache in the distance, smiled malevolently as he finished emptying the cache. He knew that it was time to enact his n. The time hase and so far things have gone as he imagined.

    He only had one more cache left to excavate. However, he didn''t have any intention of allowing these men to know that location. He had chosen the order of caches to excavate very carefully.

    And thest one was the most dangerous one to do so.

    If everything went ording to his n, he would get rid of these morons very soon. And then, he could retrieve his buried loot and leave this region for good. He only hoped that things would be as he imagined.

    Looking around furtively, Duncan popped a green-looking small fruit and smeared its juice on his hands. Soon, the green color faded leaving his hands spotless as ever.

    But, if someone was near him at the moment, they would be able to smell a strange smell that was unique to the fruit. This little fruit had an important role to y in his escape in the near future.

    After confirming that no one had seen him use the fruit, Duncan straightened and nonchntly started to travel toward the region where hisst cache was located. And if this route went through a particr patch of forest, it can only be called coincidence.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 155 Night Blossom Peaches

    ?

    The little green fruit that Duncan smeared on himself was called Night Blossom Peach. Night Blossom Peach has a unique characteristic that it contains a special fragrance to it that is undetectable to normal people.

    This wasn''t something known to many people. Even Duncan didn''t know about it until he encountered trouble due to it. This particr spirit fruit wasn''t very useful to cultivators. So, Duncan had never learned about Night Blossom Peaches in the texts he read in the scripture pavilion. He merely knew the name of the spirit fruit.

    If not for him having a run-in with this particr fruit during his one-month stay in this forest region, Duncan would have never known this spirit fruit to have such a unique characteristic.

    Unlike other spirit fruits that are very desirable to demonic beasts, most demonic beasts often ignore this particr spirit fruit. They don''t care much about it, to be honest. All, except for one particr demonic beast.

    While Duncan was staying in the forest region during the past month, Duncan ran into a fierce high-tier Level 2 tiger demon once. During that altercation, Duncan had smashed into a bush of Night Blossom Peaches. This led to him being smeared with the juice of this fruit.

    Duncan hadn''t noticed anything unusual initially. After killing the tiger, Duncan was on his way to his hideout when disaster struck. There was a little-known fact that Spirit Monkeys absolutely loathe the fragrance emitted by this fruit.

    Duncan, who was unaware of this fact, had passed by a region inhabited by a group of high-tier Level 2 Spirit Monkeys. Even though Duncan avoided intruding on their territory due to their numbers, these monkeys didn''t let him off.

    As a result, he was chased continuously by this group of Spirit Monkeys until he came across a river and plunged into it. This washed away the smell he had on his body, allowing the monkeys to calm down and him to escape.

    Initially, Duncan didn''t know that it was because of the fruit juice that was smeared on his body that these monkeys attacked him. He was merely vexed and very curious regarding their unusual aggressiveness.

    Spirit Monkeys are known for their mild temperament among the demonic beasts. Their diet being vegetarian, they don''t actuallye into contact with other beasts or cultivators much. As long as no one provoked them, they were content to stay out of any trouble.

    The unusual aggressiveness piqued Duncan''s interest a bit. Coincidentally, Duncan was a bit tired after hunting demonic beasts for a long time in the forest region. So, he decided to take a small break and investigate this bit of unnaturalness a bit.

    Initially, he thought that he might have strayed into their territory a bit. But, when he retraced his steps, it was clear that the Spirit Monkeys were the aggressors of the conflict. Hence, Duncan began to think of various things that could have made them aggressive.

    He ruled out the possibility of a treasure after some snooping around. If a treasure had been born or present, other demonic beasts would have sensed and attacked the Spirit Monkeys. Furthermore, they would behave aggressively towards him all the time instead of just that once.

    That''s when Duncan remembered reading about how some nts could make certain demonic beasts aggressive. The Beast Hall of the Heavenly Demon Sect has done extensive research on this subject. So, Duncan had read about some of them.

    This turned his line of query toward the nts he came into contact with on that day. After some trial and error, Duncan eventually figured out that it was the Night Blossom Fruit that made them aggressive.

    The few Night Blossom Peaches he had in his cache were the leftovers of his tests. Duncan had actually stored them to study about themter in his free time. He never expected them toe in handy at this moment.

    He knew that in the past few days the around him has tightened a bit. He could feel this group of cultivators keeping a steady watch on his movements. So, the only way he could escape their encirclement was if he created some diversion.

    And an attack by a horde of angry Spirit Monkeys seemed a perfect fit for Duncan''s needs at the moment. If he could give them the slip during themotion caused by the Spirit Monkeys, then he would be able to reach the river and escape from there easily.

    Duncan also knew that handling a group of Level 2 Spirit Monkeys would dy this group of people. It was easy to handle one of two Level 2 beasts. But, when attacked by a group of them, it would be difficult to deal with even if the people following him had a higher cultivation level.

    Duncan had realized that the group that was monitoring him was at most in the mid stages of the Violet Pce Realm. If their cultivation was any higher, he wouldn''t be able to escape their clutches easilyst time.

    Since that was the case, getting them entangled with the group of Spirit Monkeys seemed to be the ideal way to escape their clutches. With his speed, he can lose them pretty quickly if he got out of their sight soon when they were entangled with Spirit Monkeys.

    *****

    Arriving at the region near the territory of Spirit Monkeys, Duncan nced sideward to check if those who were following him were still there. From his peripheral vision, he saw a shadow move and disappear within the trees.

    After confirming their existence, Duncan''s lips curled up. He knew that it was only a matter of minutes before the Spirit Monkeys were roused. He needed to be patient until it happened. Preparing himself to be chased by a horde of Spirit Monkeys, Duncan started circting <Wind Chasing Steps> in advance. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Just then, he heard the telltale sound of Spirit Monkeys being roused to anger.

    Skreech! Skreech! Skreech!

    The silent atmosphere of the forest was disturbed as the enraged Spirit Monkeys rushed towards him in anger. Having expected their arrival, Duncan didn''t waste even a single second.

    Already having nned out his course of action, Duncan immediately set off by changing direction and rushing towards the river in the distance. The other cultivators in the surrounding were unprepared for the aggressiveness disyed by the Spirit Monkeys and were taken aback by their attack initially.

    The enraged group of Spirit Monkeys didn''t differentiate between who had the abominable smell and who didn''t. They attacked everyone in the area regardless of their cultivation.

    Pandemonium ensued.

    Duncan, who had already been prepared, didn''t fight off the Spirit Monkeys. He used <Wind Chasing Steps> and ran towards the direction of the river in a hurry. He knew how important it was to get the smell of him.

    The Spirit Monkeys were very determined to eradicate that abominable smell. Until it was eradicated, they would not calm down or give up chasing. Duncan had already experienced this. So, he knew his first priority should be to get rid of that smell.

    If not, even if he escaped these cultivators, he would be chased by the Spirit Monkeys. And it would reveal his position to the cultivators as well. Hence, he ran toward the river the direction of the river with all his might.

    Compared to the first time he was chased, Duncan''s cultivation level had risen greatly. This gave him the much-needed boost to put some distance between him and the angry Spirit Monkeys.

    On the other hand, the cultivators from the Han n who had been caught unawares decided to fight it out with the Spirit Monkeys first. They weren''t able to escape as it would mean leaving their Young Master to fend for himself.

    Their first and foremost priority was to secure the safety of their Young Master. So, they didn''t hesitate to engage inbat with the Spirit Monkeys. Han Shindong had never experienced such an attack from a group of demonic beasts in the first ce.

    When the attack urred, he froze not able to think of anything. Luckily for him, the bodyguards beside him took care of the attacking Spirit Monkeys in short order. Only then did hee out of his stupor.

    However, he was enraged by the audacity of the Spirit Monkeys. So, he soon joined the battle and started to kill the Spirit Monkeys with the help of his bodyguards.

    Seeing their Young Master battling the Spirit Monkeys, the rest of the cultivators from the Han n were left with no choice but to join the battle. Within a short amount of time, they wiped out the remaining Spirit Monkeys with theirbined effort.

    But, by the time they finished dealing with the Spirit Monkeys, Duncan was long gone. When they all realized that the cultivator they have been monitoring was missing, their faces became unsightly.

    Han Shindong in particr became very angry. On their way here, some of his subordinates had voiced their opinion that it was safer to kill the cultivator immediately.

    Their argument had been that they already had followed him to unearth four caches. So, killing him immediately would eliminate any idents that might happenter.

    But, being greedy, Han Shindong refused them and ordered them to wait. Now, the prey they have been encircling and following for the past week was nowhere to be seen. And all the wealth that was in their grasp was gone as well. This made him very ufortable.

    "I don''t know what you are all going to do. But, you must find him. Even if he is dead, I must see his dead body," Han Shindong bellowed. "Don''t stand here morons. Get going. I must capture him today!"

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 156 Back To Barren Valley

    ?

    Duncan shed out of the forest region and saw the beginnings of the barren wastnd. Looking at the familiar sight, Duncan''s lips couldn''t help but curl up in a smile.

    He never expected that he would be d to see this barren wastnd. After his experience in this region, he never expected to rejoice seeing this familiarndscape.

    After giving the slip to that group of cultivators and getting rid of the fragrance by diving into the river, Duncan quickly emptied hisst cache and headed straight towards the direction of this valley.

    He didn''t even waste time trying to recuperate his spent energy. He knew that his pursuers would be enraged and would be searching for him all over by now. So, staying any longer in the forest region was not wise.

    He didn''t have the strength to take them on. His only advantage was his speed. But, if he was encircled once more, he would never be able to escape them. So, he did the prudent thing and got out of the forest region as soon as possible.

    Duncan knew how hard it is to find something in this valley from experience. Even finding the right direction would be a hassle. Last time, the reason he took a lot of time to cross this region was due to how simr every region looked. There were nondmarks or any other distinctive elements here to guide people.

    It was all barren wastnd.

    And when the night came, this wastnd would be a ce that was murderous to the highest extent. If he escaped into this region, even if those people had trackers capable of finding his tracks, they would never be able to find him.

    Looking back at the forest filled with shades, Duncan let out a wistful sigh and started walking toward the barren wastnd. Luckily, he knew how the conditions in this region were from first-hand experience. This time, he had prepared adequately to endure this region as much as possible.

    If those cultivators chased after him into this region, then they were in for a rude awakening. They would be battling for their lives day in and day out. Let alone finding him, if they were able to escape from here, then can consider themselves lucky.

    *****

    "What happened?" Han Shindong asked with a gloomy expression looking at his subordinates.

    "Forgive us, Young Master," one of his subordinates replied with a bowed head. "We have searched this areapletely. We can''t find any trace of him. He has most likely fled out of the forest region."

    "Trash! Trash! All of you are trash!" Han Shindong raged. "You can''t even deal with a single Spirit Sea realm cultivator! What use are you all?"

    No one replied to his questions. Rather than cating him, their obeisance only infuriated him further. Han Shindong''s face turned ugly looking at them. He really wanted to kill them all. If it was in the outside world, he would have really killed them. But here, killing them would only reduce his strength further.

    "Now what? What are we going to do? Are we going to let a single Spirit Sea cultivator humiliate us like this?" Han Shindong asked scowling at his subordinates.

    "Young Master, it is hard to find someone if they hide from us deliberately. This Grotto Heaven is truly vast. We can''t really search the entire Grotto Heaven. Moreover, there are other experts present as well. If we run afoul of them, things will be a little tricky," one of his subordinates cautioned.

    "So, what do you mean? That we will wait for him outside the Grotto Heaven?" Han Shindong asked in irritation.

    "Thatˇ­ might not be prudent Young Master," another subordinate said hesitantly.

    "What do you mean?" Han Shindong''s face turned gloomy.

    "From the level of techniques he used, I am suspecting that he is from a great power. We can''t expect them to hand over their disciple to us. It would make it very embarrassing for them," the subordinate murmured.

    "Heh, then you expect me to let him go, eh?" Han Shindong snorted.

    But, the surrounding silence answered him clearly. Han Shindong never expected his subordinates to advise him to let go of that puny Spirit Sea cultivator. When he asked the question, he had meant it sarcastically. But, his subordinate''s being silent only enraged him further.

    "Ha, good, good, good. You useless trashes let him escape and are even advising me to forget about him, eh? When have I Han Shindong experienced such humiliation? No matter what, I will kill that person with my own hands," Han Shindong said glowering at his subordinates.

    "Young Master, we aren''t saying anything like that. But, the reality is like this. If we can find him in the Grotto Heaven, then we can eliminate him directly. Outside the Grotto Heaven, we must check about the situation before doing something," one of the subordinates hastily replied trying to calm down his Young Master.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Young Master, we can check out his background when we go outside first. If it isn''t anything impressive, we can just kill him. Even the people backing him would never make a peep if we do that."

    "What if he has some heavy background? You said his techniques were advanced right? Not everyone can learn such things," Han Shindong frowned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Then, we look for a suitable opportunity and deal with him. Anyone who angers our Young Master can''t be let off. But, we aren''t in Wei Kingdom now. So, we need to be a little prudent in our actions," the subordinate exined.

    "Moreover, we can send for more powerful experts once we exit the Grotto Heaven," another subordinate piped in. "This way, even if his backing interferes, we can have the confidence to deal with him."

    "Hah, so all your advice is to swallow my anger, is it?" Han Shindong sneered. "You bunch of useless trash! To think you all would dare give such advice to me," Han Shindong grit his teeth.

    None of his subordinates spoke up hearing his words. Han Shindong felt incredibly ufortable seeing all their expressions. In fact, he too realized what they said was right. With no option to track down that cultivator, they really couldn''t do anything more. But, he felt unresigned to do such a thing.

    "Right, you said that he had probably escaped this region, right?" Han Shindong asked causing his subordinates to nod. "Then, what is the region near to this area."

    "There is a barren valley to the west of this region, Young Master. Most people think that it is likely to be the end of the Grotto Heaven," one of the subordinates reported.

    "End of Grotto Heavenˇ­ Hah, a rat like him will probably hide in such a region. Then, it''s decided. We will hunt him to the end of this Grotto Heaven. We can see if he can evade us. If he can, then we will deal with him outside. If notˇ­" Han Shindongughed cruelly.

    "Young Master, are we to leave this lush forest region for that barren wastnd?" one of the subordinates asked uneasily.

    To them, leaving this resource-rich region to hunt down a Spirit Sea cultivator inside a barren valley seemed really a waste of time. With the main hall now open, no one knows when the Grotto Heaven would close. This was the time to plunder all the leftover resources in this lush forest.

    "He he heˇ­ How can I swallow my anger that easily? Furthermore, if we can catch him, wouldn''t all his belongings be ours? He had more than four caches we personally saw him excavate. Who knows how many he excavated before we noticed him? Wouldn''t all that wealth fall into our hands?" Han Shindong sneered.

    "Instead of fighting with other experts for the pitiful leftovers, hunting him down is rather profitable in my eyes. I can also vent my anger. This is a really good option. Moreover, every region in the Grotto Heaven had some ancient ruins and legacies. Why would that barren valley be different?"

    "Since so many people consider it to be the end of Grotto Heaven, not many will be willing to go there. This way, we can avoidpeting with other cultivators and also hunt down that guy. Talk no more. It is decided. We are going to the barren valley," Han Shindong spoke with finality in his tone.

    ""Yes, Young Master""

    *****

    Heavenly Demon Sectˇ­

    "Sect Master, why have you invited all of us here?" one of the elders asked suspiciously looking at the assembled men.

    They were all the elites present in the sect at the moment. Outer Elders, Inner Elders, Hall Masters, Grand Elders, and other important people, all were present. None of them were missing. Such a grand lineup made them feel that something momentous was going to happen.

    "It is naturally for a reason," the Sect Master replied cordially. "For the past few months, our Heavenly Demon Sect has been disrespected by the righteous faction too much."

    Hearing the Sect Master speak, all the elders'' faces turned ugly. When have they been restrained in this Dragon Scale continent? It was others who usually restrained themselves in front of them.

    These past few months were however different. They had been asked by the Sect Master not to create too much fuss and had to repeatedly give way to the righteous sect. Even the standing of the Heavenly Demon Sect has been significantly reduced among other demonic sects recently.

    There were even rumors that other demonic sects were very dissatisfied with their attitude and were intending to rece them as the top hegemon of demonic sects in this continent. How can they feel good hearing about such a sore topic?

    "I endured it until now because I was at a critical moment in my breakthrough," the Sect Master smiled. "Now, there is no need for that. I called you all today to tell you to prepare yourself. Soon, we will let this world once more know what the true strength of the Heavenly Demon Sect is."

    "Sect Master, you meanˇ­" one of the elders asked in a voice that was barely containing his happiness.

    *****

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 Chapter 157 Lets Start A Massacre

    ?

    "Yes, I broke through. And yes, you don''t need to hide your cultivation anymore. It is time for you all to let loose and create mayhem. Moreover, there is word from Central Continent. The opportunity we have all been waiting for will arrive within seven years. We need to seize this chance. For that, we must show our strength early and upy a favorable position before other factions react."

    Hearing those words, everyone''s eyes widened. The chance they have all been waiting for hase. They all felt a jolt of adrenaline running through their systems hearing those words. All their eyes turned red in eagerness.

    "When do we start, Sect Master?" one of the elders asked with a trembling voice.

    "We will start once the Grotto Heaven closes. You don''t need to care about anything. I want everyone to know that they can''t walk into our domain and exit whenever they pleased," the Sect Master said with iron in his voice.

    At that moment, the entire meeting hall felt oppressed by the aura that was emitting from the Sect Master. Many elders gasped feeling such oppressiveness. Only very few maintained their image. Even they were shocked inwardly.

    "Sect Master, it seems your breakthrough has gone well," the First Grand Eldermented causing the oppressive environment to be lifted.

    "Yes, Grand Elder," the Sect Master replied retracting his aura.

    The First Grand Elder looked at the Sect Master deeply and nodded. A strange look passed through his eyes as he noticed the Vice-Sect Master Liang Tianye''s face hadn''t changed expressions much.

    "You can all go and make your preparations. I want this entire Grasnds dyed in blood when the Grotto Heaven closes," the Sect Master instructed and ended the meeting.

    ""Sure, Sect Master!"" the elders chorused energetically.

    Soon, the entire hall emptied. The First Grand Elder was thest one to go. He stopped at the door and nced at the Sect Master and Vice-Sect Master who had remained behind with a deep look and walked away.

    "Senior Brother," Liang Tianye said looking at the First Grand Elder. "Looks like that old fossil is suspecting something. Is it wise to rush things along at this critical moment?"

    "Don''t care about that idiot," the Sect Master scoffed. "He can suspect all he wants. By the time he realizes our real purpose, it would be toote for him to stop us."

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply. He merely grunted his acknowledgment.

    "Initially, I didn''t n to start this soon. I was actually nning to use yourtest disciple to create mayhem at first and then escte slowly. But, who knew he would be useless and die so soon? I actually had to improvise due to it," the Sect Master sighed.

    "Moreover, when that timees, there will be a lot of people who will feel the Aghori Path descending into this world. At that time, we need to have as much buffer zone as possible. Grasnds alone is not enough. I intend to have the entire Star Empire and Wei Empire in my control by then," the Sect Master said solemnly.

    "Thatˇ­ will one year be enough?" Liang Tianye asked doubtfully.

    "That is why I am starting a massacre in the Grasnds. We already culled some people during that Nine Leaf Lotus incident. And now, these fools have all gathered together in our region likembs waiting to be ughtered. Wouldn''t it be a shame to let them down?" the Sect Master chuckled.

    "You really intend to kill all of them?" Liang Tianye asked in surprise.

    "Indeed," the Sect Master said in a solemn tone. "We need to cull people as much as we can. We need to move before others suspect we are up to something. That incident in Central Continent is a good pretext. We can use it to stir up trouble in the following year. The morend that is immersed in the demonic aura, the easier it would be for the Aghori Path to descent."

    "In this way, even if we can''t capture both empires, the constant killing in the next year would naturally generate a demonic aura around thesends," Liang Tianye said realizing the brilliance of the n. "And no one would suspect our true purpose. It would look like we are honing people for the opportunity that will appear soon."

    "Exactly," the Sect Master smiled.

    "Senior Brother, your means are truly unfathomable. Even I would have been misled by you if I don''t know the real reason," Liang Tianye sighed.

    "When the timees, you need to go out and create some mayhem as well. I want the demonic aura to be as thick as possible. Don''t hold back. As long as you don''t reveal your true strength, then everything is fine," the Sect Master instructed.

    "Don''t worry," Liang Tianye chuckled. "The Wind Demon hasn''t taken a walk for a while. I will definitely make those who forget about me remember me well."

    "Good," the Sect Master smiled. "I am looking forward to your performance. But remember, our true purpose isn''t to kill those idiots. We need to create as much demonic aura as possible."

    "I understand," Liang Tianye nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hmmm, how is your new peting along?" the Sect Master changed the subject casually.

    "She has a lot of promise. She is not on our sidepletely even though she acts as if she is. But, as long as we are strong, she would obey us willingly," Liang Tianye chuckled.

    "We can''t expect anything more from a demoness like her," the Sect Master chuckled. "As for strengthˇ­ he he heˇ­ apart from the few old foggies who are hidden away and waiting for that chance, we won''t face any opposition. And they won''t act as well. The more direr the world is in, the more beneficial for them."

    "That''s trueˇ­ those bunch of self-serving idiots would not make a move easily. Still, we need to be careful of the First Grand Elder, Senior Brother."

    "Don''t worry, I am personally taking care of all the preparations," the Sect Master nodded.

    Seeing him nod, Liang Tianye put down his heart. Making the Aghori Path descend was a very important mission given to them both. He didn''t want to imagine the price of failure.

    *****

    The next day, in the First Grand Elder''s abode, a few of the powerful elders in the Heavenly Demon Sect were gathered together. They all had a solemn look on their faces.

    "I can understand flexing your muscles for a bit. But, from the way the Sect Master speaks, he really intends to wipe out all those gathered near the Grotto Heaven. That will make us a lot of enemies," one of the elders said furrowing his brows.

    "You are right. But, I can understand Sect Master''s actions. That opportunity is not easily obtained. How many of us old fossils have been waiting for such a day? And the allocation of those opportunities is based on the strength of the faction," another elder said solemnly.

    "Ahemˇ­" the First Grand Elder cleared his throat and everyone fell silent.

    They all watched the First Grand Elder in trepidation. They all knew that they only had to courage to voice their opinions because of the First Grand Elder''s support. For the past few years, the First Grand Elder and several other elders have long been dissatisfied with the way the Sect Master was steering the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    As a hegemon of the demonic faction, the Heavenly Demon Sect had a unique role to y in the entire Dragon Scale Continent. However, the Sect Master''s recent actions have made them uneasy.

    Even before the incident with the Nine Leaf Soul Lotus, there have been some actions taken by the Sect Master that had made it hard for them to sincerely listen to. Only the Sect Master''s strength had restrained them from outright conflicting with him.

    But the actions taken during the Nine Leaf Soul Lotus debacle and this Grotto Heaven incident only made them further dissatisfied. The Sect Master''s actions might have looked tough at the beginning, but he repeatedlypromised with other factions in the end.

    That wasn''t the behavior of a hegemon. What does being a hegemon mean? It means to be absolutely dominant in their actions. In their area, they must rule with an iron fist. But, the Sect Master had repeatedly given ground.

    As a hegemon, how can the Heavenly Demon Sect do that? That''s why there were several other demonic factions on the continent that were currently eyeing their status as the hegemon. They have grumbled about this numerous times, but the Sect Master had remained firm in his decision.

    In the end, they could only direct theirints to the Grand Elders. Of the three Grand Elders present in the sect, the First Grand Elder was the one who was truly troubled by theirints. The Second Grand Elder had merely grunted and told he would look into it. But, there were no actions taken regarding it.

    As for the Third Grand Elder, very few people know where he was currently. He was always roaming outside and very rarely appeared in the sect. Thetest information was that the Third Grand Elder was currently in the Central Continent. So, they had no way to contact him.

    Thus, the First Grand Elder became their backbone.

    "I think, the Sect Master''s n to massacre all of the experts near the Grotto Heaven is very harmful," the First Grand Elder said mildly causing everyone to listen with rapt attention.

    "I don''t know what the Sect Master is thinking in recent years. He has been very guarded with me. That''s why I asked one of you to get close to the Vice-Sect Master," the First Grand Elder spoke looking at a particr figure among the assembled cultivators.

    "Any information you wish to share with usˇ­Elder Feng."

    *****

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 Chapter 158 Precarious Predicament

    ?

    Feng Feixuan''s body stiffened hearing the First Grand Elder point out her specifically. Even though she agreed to do the job, she never expected the First Grand Elder to expose her status this publicly.

    ''Ruthless old coot, who knows how many of these elders are truly loyal? Now that you have exposed me, wouldn''t Liang Tianye guard against me from now on? Are you forcing me to choose a side in this way?'' Feng Feixuan grit her teeth and snarled mentally.

    "From what I know First Grand Elder, the Sect Master had ordered Liang Tianye to be mobilized as well. If they have any ulterior motives, they are keeping it to themselves and Liang Tianye isn''t willing to share with me yet," Feng Feixuan stressed thest word to let him know that the possibility became even slimmer after her public exposure.

    And what she shared was indeed true. Liang Tianye had told her that he would be participating in the uing massacre as well. As for anything else, he had never shared the ns with her. He had only asked her to do certain things in the uing months.

    How her actions would y into their ns was still a mystery to her. She was merely an errand runner to Liang Tianye at the moment. The way both Liang Tianye and the Sect Master treated the opposition of the elders made her realize one thing. They both never truly cared about the opposition.

    This also caused her to be cautious. If shepletely betrayed them, who knows what fate awaited her in the end? Since they were turning a blind eye to this much opposition in their inner circle, they must have some means to guard against the opposition. Until she figured it out, she wouldn''t side with the First Grand Elder''s factionpletely.

    "I see," the First Grand Elder nodded. "You don''t need to worry about any of these people exposing you. They are all loyal to the sect."

    ''To the sect,'' Feng Feixuan sneered.

    She noticed how the First Grand Elder stressed thosest words. And it made it clear to her that if she betrayed him, her actions would also be unraveled. She felt a little stifled realizing that she was currently caught between two tigers.

    But,pared to the First Grand Elder, she was cautious of offending Liang Tianye the most. His careless words about the Heavenly Demon Sect having no more reason to exist made her realize that there was something big at y here.

    "Elder Feng," the First Grand Elder smiled serenely. "Continue monitoring Liang Tianye. He is still young and vibrant. And young people are arrogant. Someone as talented as Liang Tianye would have more arrogance. And arrogant people slip up. Compared to Sect Master, I think it is highly likely that Liang Tianye would slip up the most."

    "As you order, First Grand Elder," Feng Feixuan smiled and nodded while wondering if the old coot was really senile.

    No matter how she looked, neither Liang Tianye nor the Sect Master was easy to deal with. And the First Grand Elder''s opinion of Liang Tianye being young made her want to scoff.

    Sure, Liang Tianye was considerably younger than both the Sect Master and the First Grand Elder. But, he was also a recognized genius. You can''t expect geniuses to make mistakes that normal people make.

    Furthermore, Liang Tianye was hundreds of years old now. Any kind of immaturity would have been ground out due to cultivation and time by now. If not, he could have never be the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Thinking he would slip up was like groping blindly with all your senses cut off. She didn''t think it would happen anytime soon.

    "First Grand Elder, may we know why you think the Sect Master''s order is harmful to the sect?" one of the elders asked cautiously.

    "On the surface, the Sect Master''s order seemed very suitable for our current predicament," the First Grand Elder said serenely. "But, is it really?"

    "First Grand Elder, why do you think it is not? We all know that the allocation of the opportunities that would being soon will determine the fates of a lot of people, including you. Since that is the case, shouldn''t we show our strength now and assert our im?" the elder asked in confusion.

    "He he heˇ­ how can those opportunities be easy to earn. Sure, the allocation is based on strength. But, it is based on personal strength. In front of such a huge opportunity, factions have no meaning. It will all depend on the individual''s strength," the First Grand Elder said coldly.

    "This is the world where might speaks higher than right. The allocation is both fair and unfair. If you don''t have enough personal strength, even if you get the opportunity it would be useless. So, don''t be misled by such words."

    The First Grand Elder''s eyes bored into every one of them with unstoppable sharpness. The elders shifted uneasily hearing that statement. Deep down they knew what the First Grand Elder said was indeed true. But, they all still hoped to rely on some luck.

    "First Grand Elder, ording to old rules, every top faction should be allocated some quota, right? That means, asserting our dominance would still result in a good oue, right?" one of the elders asked.

    "It is indeed true. But, for that to happen, your faction must remain at the top. As of now, we are indeed at the top. But, if we act as per the Sect Master''s wishes, and start a massacre, who can guarantee that we wouldn''t be wiped out in a year?" the First Grand Elder sneered.

    "Making enemies out of so many factions is not a small thing. Even with our strength and heritage, we would be hard-pressed to fight the entire world by ourselves," the First Grand Elder warned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Butˇ­"

    "But, if we do nothing, wouldn''t we be considered weak?" Feng Feixuan asked what others didn''t dare to voice out.

    "Indeed, we can''t continue like this. But, making enemies out of everyone is really not the right move. Numerous factions are currently coveting our title as the hegemon. Do you think if the Sect Master remained strong that no one would covet our position? Na?ve!" the First Grand Elder looked at everyone mockingly.

    "This opportunity will cause blood to flow like a river in the next few years. Everyone will be trying to rearrange the pecking order. Some hegemons will decline and new hegemons will appear. The arrival of this opportunity has always brought turmoil to thend. And it is that turmoil we must grasp," the First Grand Elder said looking at everyone.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Foolish children, the Grotto Heaven is just the start. There will be other wonders that will soon open in all thends. This is the way of the world to weed out the weaklings and create powerhouses. Most factions would not send out their geniuses easily. They will only send them out when something irresistible appears."

    "You meanˇ­"

    "Like I said, a chaotic time always precedes the arrival of the opportunity. During ordinary times, it would take hundreds of years for geniuses to grow and be powerful. But, in these chaotic times, their growth will be monstrous. Those who survive and thrive in these times will catch up to that opportunity and benefit from it."

    "The world will establish a new order. Don''t remaincent because of your high cultivation realms. Those juniors whom you look down on now will grow very fast in the next few years. Numerous heroes and demons will rise all over thend. If you are not careful, you might even die before that opportunity arrives."

    The First Grand Elder''s words were like thunder in the ears of the assembled elders. They never even thought of such a possibility to exist. They had been confident that they would be the ones to get such an opportunity. But, if new geniuses would be born and they would grow to their level, then things would be very tricky.

    Whether it was in the past or in the future, opportunities were always reserved for the talented. Compared to old people like them who have been cultivating for hundreds of years, those kinds of opportunities will always fall to talented geniuses that emerge.

    It is widely known in the cultivation world that the older you are the lesser your chance to gain a breakthrough. Cultivators like them have exhausted their potential and hit the bottleneck. But, the geniuses who would emerge are different.

    They are young, vibrant, and brimming with potential. It was only natural that opportunities would fall to them. This shook the assembled elders to the core. They have been waiting for such an opportunity for hundreds of years. Now, the situation didn''t look good.

    "First Grand Elder,"

    "I know what you all are thinking. But, the situation is not that hopeless. How can heroes and demons emerge easily? They need to walk out of a sea of corpses and a river of blood. They need whetstones to sharpen them. They need enemies to motivate them to work hard and obtain breakthrough after breakthrough. That is why I am telling that Sect Master''s move is harmful," the First Grand Elder said solemnly.

    "If we start a massacre now, then it would be akin to acting as whetstones for those geniuses who would emerge. Revenge is a powerful emotion. It would motivate those geniuses to work hard. I simply do not want to give our heads on a tter to those heroes and demons."

    "But, if we remain silent, others would target usˇ­"

    "Good, now you all are thinking. This is indeed a tricky situation. Our position is not stable. Both our allies and enemies want to topple us. If we do nothing, we will embolden them. But, if we massacre them, we will create a reason for them to unite against us. And the other hegemonic sects will join them. Now, you understand our position."

    "Thisˇ­"

    *****

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 Chapter 159 Establishing Prestige

    ?

    Everyone didn''t know how to react to those words. They never expected the Heavenly Demon Sect, the hegemon of the demonic sects, to enter such a predicament. Even though they wanted to deny it, they knew the First Grand Elder''s words had merit.

    No one who had cultivated to their level was a fool. They all were people who had seen countless intrigues and schemes. They all have walked out of many dangerous situations that surprised them. So, they know that sometimes things appearing calm are just a prelude to a storm.

    "How did we end up here?" one of the elders asked with an ashen face.

    "I am still investigating that," the First Grand Elder sighed heavily. "We have made a lot of enemies over the year. But, with our prestige and strength, we have suppressed them until now. But prestige and strength alone will not be enough in theing days."

    "The Sect Master''s actions have caused us to suffer a loss of prestige in recent years. I do not know whether it is intentional or not. Earlier, I didn''t worry much because the situation wasn''t critical. But, with the arrival of that opportunity, things have taken a drastic change."

    "But, why would the Sect Master do this?" one of the elders cried in rm.

    At that moment, Feng Feixuan remembered Liang Tianye''s words. The need for Heavenly Demon Sect''s establishment has ended. It was what Liang Tianye had said. Just remembering it made her shiver inwardly.

    "As I said, I am not sure whether the Sect Master did it intentionally. It is only natural to keep a low profile when you are about to make a breakthrough," the First Grand Eldermented calmly. "The situation and the Sect Master''s response would have been fine in ordinary times. But, these aren''t ordinary times. The next few years would definitely be turbulent. Thus, we are in this predicament."

    "What do you think we should do, First Grand Elder?" one of the elders who hadn''t spoken until now spoke in a calm voice quelling the emerging murmurs.

    "Ah, Little Xu, you have always had a steadfast personality. No wonder you remain calm even at this moment. Right now, it is imperative that we don''t do things hastily. As they say, haste makes waste. This is the time for us to be cunning," the First Grand Elder said solemnly.

    "Confronting the Sect Master before we know his true intentions would be disastrous. His strength has just broken through and I am not sure I will be able to take him on even with the help of Second Grand Elder. After all, the Sect Master is in control of the defensive formation," the First Grand Elder analyzed causing others to nod.

    "I will send for the Third Grand Elder to return. With his help, we three old men would be able to suppress the Sect Master even if he has the defensive formation to aid him. But, that is only if he did these things intentionally. If not, then there is no need to make an enemy of a powerful cultivator like him."

    "I agree," Elder Xu nodded in agreement.

    The other elders nodded as well.

    "Now, we have two important tasks ahead of us. One is to establish our prestige back. Two, we need to figure out the Sect Master''s motives. Leave figuring out the Sect Master''s intentions to me. Me and old Second will take care of it. What you all need to do is to reestablish our prestige," the First Grand Elder said solemnly.

    "What are your orders, First Grand Elder?" Elder Xu asked.

    "While we can''t massacre the experts gathered near the Grotto Heaven, we must show a strong front to them. We must not back down on this. And we have a very good opportunity for that as well," the First Grand Elder''s eyes twinkled merrily.

    "I don''t understand, First Grand Elder," Elder Xu said in confusion.

    "First Grand Elder is asking us to intimidate the gathered experts," Feng Feixuan said catching on to the old man''s thoughts.

    "Exactly," the First Grand Elder smiled happily. "Elder Feng, you have always been smart. I know you have figured it out. Can you exin it to the rest of them?"

    "We all know how our disciples are," Feng Feixuan said smiling. "They are very arrogant and care little for the rules. They would be feeling indignant right now because of the entry of the disciples of the righteous sects. Moreover, the Sect Master had ordered them not to enter the main hall. Can you all guess how thesewless louts will react?" Feng Feixuan asked snickering.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ they would be causing all kinds of chaos in there," one of the eldersughed.

    "Exactly," Feng Feixuan smiled. "There are no rules inside the Grotto Heaven. Our disciples would obviously not be obedient. They would be creating as much chaos as they could get away with. It is only normal."

    "Indeed, our disciples are not the best examples of people abiding by rules," one of the elders smiled.

    "Heh, we are from the demonic path. What rules are you talking about?" another elder sneered.

    "It is most likely they would be killing and robbing those idiots from the righteous sects," another elder snickered.

    All the eldersughed uproariously hearing that. They would have done the exact same thing. For demonic path cultivators, rules are mere hindrances to be discarded. Apart from the Sect Laws, nothing else needed to be obeyed.

    "I know," Feng Feixuan smiled mockingly. "It should be the case inside. But, once those righteous path disciplese outside and get back up from their elders, things would be a bit tricky."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Indeed," Elder Xu nodded. "Those disciples would seek their elders to get justice after being bullied inside. I can foresee tensions running high when the Grotto Heaven closes."

    "Exactly," Feng Feixuan nodded. "Obviously, some of these elders would want to stand up for their disciples. That is exactly where wee in. This is our territory. We can''t give them an inch here. At that time, the First Grand Elder wants us to kill a few chickens and warn some monkeys."

    "Indeed," the First Grand Elder said nodding. "Well said, Elder Feng. While we can''t massacre everyone present like the Sect Master wanted us to do. We can kill a few people to establish our prestige first. As long as we don''t cross the line, the hegemons of the righteous path wouldn''t stir. Without them, we can crush all the others like a bug."

    "Ha ha haˇ­ Indeed. This looks like a great n," one of the eldersughed aloud.

    The rest joined him and nodded happily. They agreed with this n. This was how things were done for centuries. As long as they stayed within the line, they would be able to do whatever they wanted. The problemes only when they cross the line.

    Usually, they wouldn''t care about crossing those invisible lines. After all, they are from the demonic path. They didn''t care much about the rules that those righteous sects abide by. But, the situation was different. The First Grand Elder''s words had enlightened them.

    None of them have lived this long by not taking ount of the situation. They were all old hands in acting as per the situation. A demonic cultivator who doesn''t know when to retreat wouldn''t live long in this world.

    This world had far more righteous sects than demonic sects. One who causes too much noise will be hunted down. They know the principle of practicing prudence. So, they weren''t averse to toning down their actions and acting ording to the situation.

    "However," the First Grand Elder warned in a solemn tone. "You all must remember. You can never back down. There will be people probing us for weakness. You can never show it."

    "What about the experts from other big sects? What if they want to interfere?" one of the elders asked anxiously.

    "Kill them," the First Grand Elder said ruthlessly causing everyone to widen their eyes. "The Sect Master was right about one thing. We must show them who we are. It doesn''t matter if they are silent. But, once they try to interfere, you must show no mercy. This world must remember why they shouldn''t provoke us."

    The First Grand Elder''s eyes were cold as he instructed them. There was a ruthless gleam in it that caused several elders to shift ufortably. The aura that emanated from the First Grand Elder almost suffocated them at that moment.

    "I have said what I wanted to say. You all know what to do. Do not back down no matter what happens," the First Grand Elder dismissed them all with his final piece of advice.

    Elder Xu hesitated a bit as everyone filed out of the abode.

    "Little Xu, do you have something to say?" the First Grand Elder asked coldly.

    "It''s just that Sect Master hasˇ­"

    "No need to say anything else. I am still the First Grand Elder of the sect. The Sect Master must listen to me when I make my stance clear. I will deal with the Sect Master," the First Grand Elder harrumphed and waved everyone off.

    *****

    "Senior Brother, it looks like that old coot has spoiled your ns," Liang Tianye said with an amusing tilt to his voice.

    The Sect Master nced at him and looked away. He didn''t reply. But, he looked to be in deep thought as he watched the First Grand Elder walk away after issuing his new orders.

    "Who knew that just after hearing about the opportunity, this old coot would act so decisively," Liang Tianye chuckled. "I can almost recognize why he was selected to be the Grand Elder now. He still has a sharp mind."

    The Sect Master merely grunted in reply but didn''t speak.

    "So, what are we going to do now?" Liang Tianye asked with a sharp glint in his eyes.

    *****

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 Chapter 160 Yun Shinjie

    ?

    "It is not yet time to show our hands. We will follow the First Grand Elder''s orders for now. I thought by escting the conflict, I can use the other sects to destroy the Heavenly Demon Sect when the timees. But, it looks like I need to personally take care of some things," the Sect Master spoke in a cold tone.

    "True, by starting a massacre we could have created enmity with everyone. But, who knew that this old coot would interfere? Now, we can only create some animosity. Tch, what a missed opportunity," Liang Tianye said sarcastically.

    "Are you mocking me, Junior Brother?" the Sect Master asked in a soft tone.

    "Bah, I don''t dare. Senior Brother, you are Yun Shinjie. From the famed Yun family. The family that''s known to create geniuses who can create schemes and bring down even dynasties that had been established for several centuries. And you are the best of this generation. That is why this task was assigned to you," Liang Tianye said looking at his Senior Brother.

    There was a trace of vignce in Liang Tianye''s eyes a bit at this moment. Even though he and his Senior Brother had the same mission, it would be foolish topletely trust any member of the Yun family.

    People in this world might not know about the Yun family much. But, he knew the background of his Senior Brother well. Causing the descent of the Aghori Path was a very important matter. Not any cultivator could be in charge of it.

    His Senior Brother was dispatched to this world to ensure that the work went well. His Senior Brother had descended as a kid and joined the sect as an outer disciple. He had slowly climbed his way from the bottom to be the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    For such an important matter to be handed over to a little kid, one can imagine how cunning the kid must be. Almost no one from the Heavenly Demon Sect had knowledge about the descent of the Aghori Path. This was a n that spanned several centuries as per his knowledge. And he might even be wrong about how long this has been in the works.

    Liang Tianye was personally recruited into the sect by his Senior Brother. At that time, he had just been an inner disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect. He hadn''t known the terror of his Senior Brother then.

    But, as he came into contact with the n and the sect, he gradually realized how transcendal his Senior Brother''s status was in the sect. The Yun family is not something that can be easily provoked. Their mere name brought fear into countless factions in the Upper Realm.

    His Senior Brother was the most outstanding genius of the Yun family in this generation. In thest century, he has seen his Senior Brother''s means with his own eyes.

    That was the reason he was wary of his Senior Brother. He knew that his Senior Brother cherished his talent and was grooming him to be his subordinate when they return to the sect.

    But, he also knew that his Senior Brother wouldn''t hesitate to sacrifice him if needed. His Senior Brother was a ruthless individual. He might look imposing and scare these Heavenly Demon Sect members. But, none of them knew the true terror of his Senior Brother.

    If any of these people knew his true face or even had an inkling of what his Senior Brother''s name meant, then they would be quaking in boots. But, as someone who knew his Senior Brother well, he knew not to provoke his Senior Brother. So, he had always been a little careful while dealing with his Senior Brother.

    He might act as if he didn''t care, but every interaction with his Senior Brother caused him to be highly vignt. Until he returns back to the sect, he knew that he was under his Senior Brother''s mercy. So, provoking him was thest thing he wanted to do.

    "Hah, I am sure you already have several backup ns for that. That is the reason you were in charge of this operation. Who doesn''t know that Senior Brother Yun Shinjie is the best at concocting schemes in our sect? Just let me know what to do. I will act ording to your will," Liang Tianye chuckled.

    "I do have a task for you. Didn''t yourtest disciple die?"

    "I do not care about that brat much. If he had survived and can be used in our ns then fine. But, why should I care about trash who got killed?"

    "Oh, Junior Brother, you do care. At least, that is what you will show others. And no one will fault you for going berserk after learning about the death of yourtest disciple. Just make sure that your actions stir a lot of chaos," Yun Shinjie said smirking.

    Liang Tianye widened his eyes in surprise for a moment beforeughing loudly.

    "Senior Brother, you can evene up with a quick countermeasure at such short notice. You really are a genius," Liang Tianye praised Yun Shinjie.

    Yun Shinjie merely smiled in reply.

    *****

    "My lord, we have investigated the matter you entrusted to us thoroughly. Here is the report," a beautiful buxom maid presented a jade slip to the young man who was sitting on a futon and sipping tea calmly.

    The young man was wearing white attire with a small star-shaped emblem embroidered near the heart. He had a mild temperament and looked calm and collected as he sipped his tea.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The young man reached out and started reading the information on the jade slip. As he read, his eyebrows couldn''t help but rise higher. Some of the information presented confused him a lot.

    "Are you sure that the information in this is right?" the young man asked lowering the jade slip and looking at the maid.

    The maid flushed scarlet having the young man''s eyes upon her. But, she had gotten used to feeling like this whenever the young man nced at her. So, sheposed herself soon and replied.

    "Yes, my lord. I personally double-checked all the information. We sent our best spies to root out the information. Some of the information avable are top secrets that we had to pay a lot to get," the maid replied in a hurry.

    "Interestingˇ­ who would have imagined that it was Liang Tianye, the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, to be the one to leak the news about the Nine Colored Soul Lotus," the young man mumbled.

    "And my brother got yed for a fool. Heh, I always knew he was useless, unlike my Second Brother. No wonder he is only eligible to control an empire. Are you sure about the strife between the upper echelons of the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

    "Yes, my lord. One of our spies is well-ced to learn about such information. However, he merely knows that the elders are dissatisfied with the Sect Master and the Vice-Sect Master. But, he assured us that there seems to be trouble brewing," the maid replied.

    "The elders have forced the Sect Master to rescind his order to start a massacre near the Grotto Heaven. For this, they even asked the First Grand Elder to intervene. There might be some turmoil in the Heavenly Demon Sect soon. A power struggle might emerge between the Sect Master''s faction and the Elder''s faction," the maid borated further.

    "A power struggle in the Heavenly Demon Sect," the young man hummed in delight. "This might be the opportunity I have been waiting for. I need to see my master and get his opinion on this. You are dismissed."

    The young man rose and immediately left the abode. The maid had a forlorn look on her face as she went about cleaning after him. After all, it was her luck that she became the maid of the Crown Prince of the Star Empire. Even if she longs to serve him in other ways, she knew her ce and was very conscientious in her actions.

    The young man appeared near a small cottage by the riverside and bowed his head respectfully.

    "Master, disciple hase to pay his respects," the young man greeted.

    "Little Siukong, I thought you would be secluding yourself in preparation for the event that will ur in seven years. Why have youe here?" an elderly voice came from inside the cottage.

    "Master has ordered me to keep an eye on any unusual behavior from the Heavenly Demon Sect. I have some news regarding that," Xing Siukong said respectfully.

    Silence followed his words for a while. This didn''t bother Xing Siukong. He waited patiently for his master to reply. After a few minutes, an elderly man walked out of the cottage and appeared near Xing Siukong.

    The man didn''t look anything special. In fact, he looked as if he was an ordinary old man who could be seen everywhere in the world. But, the more he was like this, the more respectful Xing Siukong became.

    Cultivators who cultivate will usually radiate auras around them even when they don''t disy their cultivation openly. Any being that has power will radiate aura unknowingly. Be it a demonic beast, a mortal emperor, a cultivator, or even a lowly soldier who is proficient in wielding spears, they all would radiate some of their aura in the surroundings.

    That was something that can''t be helped at all. After one cultivates to Nascent Soul realm, they could easily differentiate such people from ordinary people due to their aura leakage. Even when cultivators don''t reveal their cultivation, their bearing will give them away.

    And Xing Siukong was currently in the final stages of the Nascent Soul realm. So, for his master to hide his aura and everything about him in front of him, Xing Siukong knew that his master''s strength was bing unfathomable. Thest time they met, his master still leaked out some aura. But, there was nothing to see now.

    The old man casually took the jade slip and started pursuing it. The more he read, the more his expression became confused. His brows furrowed and his eyes became lost in thought soon.

    "Something is not right," the old man murmured suddenly and his gaze sharpened.

    *****

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 Chapter 161 Foundation! Transformation! Ascension!

    ?

    "Master, what do you mean?"

    "Something about this feels off. I think we should take a personal look into the situation with the Heavenly Demon Sect," the old man said in a grim tone.

    "Master, is that necessary? If you need anything, you can tell me. I will ask my Xing Empire to make sure that everything is satisfied. There is no need for you to make a trip," Xing Siukong said anxiously.

    The old man looked at Xing Siukong deeply and sighed. Shaking his head, he beckoned Xing Siukong to follow him and started walking.

    "Little Siukong, I have always wanted to tell you this. But, your obsession with destroying the Heavenly Demon Sect was one of the things that motivated you to progress in cultivation this fast. So, I have never said these things," the old man said causing Xing Siukong to have a bad feeling.

    "Master has always known about your ambition to eradicate the Heavenly Demon Sect and establish full control over the Xing Empire. But, taking out the Heavenly Demon Sect is not something you or your empire can aplish," the old man sighed.

    "What do you mean master?" Xing Siukong asked in agitation.

    "The Heavenly Demon Sect is not something you or I can take on. Even the top factions of the Central Continent are wary of them. Do you know why?"

    "The top factions of the Central Continent are wary of the Heavenly Demon Sect? I don''t understand, master," Xing Siukong asked in a hurry. "They are just a hegemonic sect in the Dragon Scale Continent. There are countless factions in the Central Continent that have Ascension Beings among them. Not to mention the top factions," Xing Siukong said in confusion.

    "Sigh, I never wanted this day toe. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. You have benefitted from being ignorant until now. But, if you want to step into a higher realm, you must open your eyes and see the truth inly. I think knowing about the Heavenly Demon Sect would be good for your cultivation in your current state. This will let you know how vast this world is."

    "This matter is considered as a top secret among the top factions in the Central Continent. Not many people know of them. The establishment of the Heavenly Demon Sect and its true purpose was lost to time amongst today''s cultivators. But, there are some old foggies like me who remember the secret behind the Heavenly Demon Sect," the old man said in a grim tone.

    "What do you know about the Descent of the Aghori Path from the histories?"

    *****

    "Where is he? Did you find any information about him?" Han Shindong raged at his subordinates.

    He wasn''t having a good time currently. Ever since they stepped inside this barren valley, they have been attacked constantly every night. Some of his subordinates have lost their lives in this treacherous wastnd despite being in the Violet Pce realm.

    Han Shindong had almost lost his life a couple of times too. If not for the quick reactions of the bodyguards beside him, he would have been buried under the sand just like some of his subordinates. This made him feel incredibly frustrated.

    The scorpions in the valley ambushed them time and time again. This caused their progress to be slowed down and thus made it difficult for them to obtain information about their prey. Every night was a nightmare for the people present in the valley.

    And what irked him most was that these scorpions were not stronger than them. There were hardly any Level 3 scorpions present. Most of those that attacked them were only at Level 2. Despite that, the casualties in his party have been piling up as time went on.

    If it was in any other location, his subordinates could have mowed down the lot of them with extreme prejudice. Unfortunately, this barren wastnd was an ideal ce for these scorpions to ambush them every night.

    "Young Master, the people we met indeed saw someone like our prey. However, we are not able to pinpoint where he is now. As this valley is pretty much filled with sand and scorpions that ambush at night, everyone is concerned about their life and does not pay attention to the whereabouts of a Spirit Sea realm cultivator," one of his subordinates sighed miserably.

    They all felt that their Young Master has be more and more erratic ofte. Before entering the Grotto Heaven, their Young Master would at least pretend to listen to their opinions. But, these days, their Young Master was only focused on tracking down that Spirit Sea realm cultivator and wasn''t thinking about anything else.

    "So, he did indeede to this region," Han Shindong said with a cruel smile on his face. "Ha ha ha, then it is good. We can search this entire area and root him out slowly. Let''s see where he will escape to after this."

    "Young Master," one of the bodyguards beside him suddenly spoke causing Han Shindong to look over. "You are losing your calm. You need to think about it more."

    Han Shindong frowned hearing the bodyguard''s words.

    The two bodyguards beside him were personally selected by his father to apany him. Unlike his other subordinates, they were in the Golden Hall realm. Such experts are highly valued in the outside world. He couldn''t ignore his words as he did with his other subordinates<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Cultivators in this world could easily be segregated into three demesnes. No matter what kind of cultivation technique they used, everyone would fall under these demesnes.

    Foundation! Transformation! Ascension!

    Cultivators at Qi Gathering, Spirit Sea, and Violet Pce realms are called Foundational Cultivators. Those at Golden Hall, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul realms are called Transformational Experts. And those in Spirit Severance, Dao Transformation, and Earth Immortal realms are termed Ascension Beings.

    Whether it be a sect, an empire, or a faction, the demesne of the top cultivator present in them determines their status. If they are headed by a Foundational Cultivator, then they can only be a low-level faction. Medium-level sects and factions need a Transformational Expert and the top factions have Ascension Beings holding the fort down.

    A Golden Hall expert can easily establish a medium-level sect and prosper. As Transformational Experts, their words have a lot of weight in the cultivation world. Han Shindong''s family has an Ascension Being as their patriarch. He knew far more about cultivation than an ordinary Foundational Cultivator.

    Foundational Cultivators are considered to be beginners on the path to immortality. There are countless people who can be found in these three realms. Breaking through the Spirit Sea realm to the Violet Pce realm was not considered to be a huge obstacle.

    But, the breakthrough between the Violet Pce realm and the Golden Hall realm is considered to be the first true test for a cultivator. The chasm between the two realms is very big and countless people fail at this juncture.

    In the Qi Gathering realm, a cultivator gathers his qi inside his body and uses it to temper his body and release the impurities present in the body. The qi gathered in the body is in a gaseous state at this stage.

    To break through to the Spirit Sea realm, a cultivator must condense this gaseous qi into a spirit sea that is in a liquid state. This gives a form to the ethereal qi present in a cultivator''s body.

    Only when the qi bes a liquid sea can one channel their qi into attacks and attack long range. The cultivator also gains an extra 60 years of lifespan due to the qualitative change of qi in their body.

    As a cultivator moves up in the Spirit Sea realm, they will slowly refine this liquid qi. Apart from absorbing more qi in each realm to increase the quantity of the qi present, a cultivator must also refine the qi present in one''s body during the Spirit Sea stage.

    The level of refinement can easily be identified by the color of the aura they emit. When one breaks through the Spirit Sea realm, their qi sea would be in red color. With each advancement, the color will change and finally arrive at violet color.

    In the following breakthrough to the Violet Pce realm, the gathered qi is further condensed into a semi-solid state to establish a violet pce in a cultivator''s dantain. This breakthrough will boost a cultivator''s strength tenfold and will increase his lifespan by another 100 years.

    But, breaking through from Violet Pce to the Golden Hall realm is not that easy. In order to break through from the Violet Pce realm to the Golden Hall realm, apart from the increase in cultivation level, one must also be able to grasp an intent.

    The breakthrough between the Violet Pce realm and the Golden Hall realm is considered to be the first barrier because of this. For a cultivator to break through, not only their cultivation, but their martial arts must also progress to a certain level.

    Most cultivators will be stuck at this level due to their inadequate martial dao level. This is the first watershed that differentiates between low-level cultivators and those with the potential to progress further.

    Earlier, when they were chasing after the Spirit Sea realm cultivator, both of Han Shindong''s bodyguards haven''t acted. Their only job was to safeguard him. Even their Han family didn''t dare to ask too much of Golden Hall level figures. If they had acted, that Spirit Sea realm cultivator would have stood no chance.

    Golden Hall cultivators can walk away and establish their own faction easily. This made making unreasonable requests out of them very hard. A cultivator who is at Golden Hall level has already grasped a martial dao intent and they would be weed by other factions with open arms.

    When his father gave these two men to him to act as bodyguards, he warned Han Shindong to not go overboard with his requests to them and to always listen to their opinions while doing things. Even though he was arrogant, Han Shindong knew when to draw the line and wouldn''t cause too much trouble for a mere Spirit Sea realm cultivator.

    The person who spoke right now was called Long Rongchen. He was someone who had watched him grow up. He mostly didn''t interfere with Han Shindong when he did things.

    So, Han Shindong knew to listen to his words when he spoke up.

    *****

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 Chapter 162 Misplaced Priorities

    ?

    "What do you mean, Uncle Long?" Han Shindong asked politely.

    "Young Master, your thinking has been clouded after that Spirit Sea realm cultivator escaped your grasp. You even came to this barren wastnd to search for him. But, you seem to be forgetting two important things," Uncle Long said in a serious tone causing Han Shindong''s face to turn ghastly.

    Uncle Long didn''t pay much attention to Han Shindong''s reaction. He continued on serenely as if lecturing his junior. As a person who had seen this Young Master grow up from childhood, he knew well what kind of person Han Shindong was.

    Han Shindong might act arrogantly and be a little reckless during normal times. He was even willing to bully others with his background. But, he had one redeeming point. He listened to people he respected.

    "One, the most precious thing here is not that Spirit Sea realm cultivator. Cultivation resources are something that can be easily acquired with money. To you, they aren''t a big problem at all. But, the most precious thing here is the opportunity left behind in the Grotto Heaven. Those kinds of things can''t be acquired by money," Uncle Long said in a grim tone.

    "This ce is not explored much due to the barren state it is in. You can also see that most people here aren''t keen on remaining in this area. That means, someone has yet to unearth the opportunity left in this region. Your focus must be on that. Not on some Spirit Sea cultivator," Uncle Long admonished Han Shindong seriously.

    Han Shindong''s face changed upon hearing Uncle Long''s statement. What his Uncle Long said was indeed true. He had misced his priorities after entering this region.

    Compared to a legacy technique or a cultivation art from the Grotto Heaven, the matter of spirit herbs was nothing. If he could obtain cultivation art from the Grotto Heaven, his prowess would rise dramatically and he might even break through to the Violet Pce realm.

    Not to mention that these legacy techniques will pave a clear road for him to grasp martial dao intents. This would not only boost hisbat power but also help him in breaking through to the next demesne.

    So, his priority should always have been on these things. He wasn''t a poor cultivatorcking spirit herbs. His Han family was one of the major families in the Wei Empire. Resources are not something hecked.

    "I understand, Uncle Long," Han Shindong said lowering his head.

    "Two," Uncle Long continued as if he hadn''t heard Han Shindong. "Are you even sure that the Spirit Sea realm cultivator is still alive? Ever since we entered this region, we have been under constant attacks from these Sand Scorpions. Even Violet Pce realm cultivators have sumbed to their ambushes."

    "That person is a Spirit Sea realm cultivator. Unlike you, he doesn''t have people protecting him. So, what are the chances of him still being alive? If he is dead, you would only be wasting time searching for him. The main hall region is open and the main legacy can be obtained by someone very soon. You shouldn''t waste your time like this," Uncle Long said directing a frown at Han Shindong.

    Han Shindong nodded. He understood what his Uncle Long was trying to say. And he didn''t think he was wrong. Yes, he was a bit frustrated and humiliated by being not able to catch a mere Spirit Sea realm cultivator. But,pared to that, his future was more important.

    Even if that Spirit Sea realm cultivator survived this barren wastnd somehow, he would be able to find him outside. Then, he can act as per the situation. For now, it was important for him to concentrate on unearthing the opportunity present in this region.

    "Uncle Long, you are right. This is indeed my mistake. Thanks for guiding me. Let''s move out and search for the legacy site. If anyone has found it, I want to know about it as soon as possible. If not, we willb this ce down and find it out," Han Shindong ordered causing his subordinates to brighten up.

    Long Rongchen looked at the surrounding people and sneered in his heart. He was gratified with the way Han Shindong was conducting himself. He may have gone down the wrong path, but when reminded, he immediately corrected his path. This kind of temperament to change would bring him benefits down the line.

    Long Rongchen also knew what these subordinates were thinking. He couldn''t help but sneer at their pitiful mindset. The most important thing should be to make an impression on the Young Master for these subordinates.

    Instead, these morons were lusting after the opportunities present. Even if they found any opportunity, it would not be their turn to obtain it. If they didn''t know their ce, he wouldn''t mind reminding them of it. Sneering inwardly, he looked away from them.

    However, none of the subordinates were privy to his thoughts. Compared to searching for a Spirit Sea realm cultivator, they would dly search for a legacy site. Even if they capture that Spirit Sea realm cultivator, they wouldn''t obtain any benefits. But, a legacy site can benefit them as well in their minds.

    ""Yes, Young Master!""

    *****<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Finally," Duncan let out arge breath and looked around the surrounding hill region with relief etched in his eyes.

    It had taken him one entire week to traverse the entirety of the barren valley to return to this ce. And that was only because he knew how to orient himself and traverse the valley due to his prior experience. If not for that, he would still be lost in that valley currently.

    "Heh, who knew that I would feel relieved to return here? I left this ce thinking that I would need to increase my cultivation faster. Even though my cultivation increased, I also ran into a lot of danger in thest month," Duncan sighed looking at the first region he was transported into.

    "I never expected the barren valley to have so many cultivators roaming around. This only shows how turbulent the situation is beyond the forest region. Luckily, I changed my mind and didn''t go over," Duncan said with aplex emotion shing through his eyes.

    "In the end, my strength is only on the lower end of the spectrum inside this Grotto Heaven," Duncan chuckled to himself self-deprecatingly. "Without enough strength, roaming around the Grotto Heaven and seeing other sights could only be a pipedream. If I want to live my life as I wish, I need to get stronger."

    Duncan''s eyes firmed up as he looked at the distant hill before his eyes.

    "My martial arts have progressed as much as possible in the past five months after I entered this Grotto Heaven. My cultivation has also reached a bottleneck. I can''t progress any further without the next volume of the <ughter Demon Sutra>. I can only practice my soul art now. It is the only thing that I haven''t even started on," Duncan said tightening his fists.

    "My visualization wasn''t up to par when I tried the soul art previously. I need to use thisst month inside the Grotto Heaven to obtain at least a basic mastery of this soul art. And this is the perfect region for that. I need to excavate my hidden stash first. Then, I will find a quiet ce with a good view of the hills and meditate on them," Duncan loosened his fists and started walking toward the ce where he had hidden his first stash.

    Duncan knew clearly that it was only a matter of time before someone entered this region as well. As of now, everyone was struggling in the barren valley unable to find their bearings. But soon, someone will figure out the trick and will reach here.

    His first-mover advantage wouldn''tst long. He was able to traverse the valley when he wasn''t even in the Spirit Sea realm. Now the barren valley was filled with people at the Violet Pce realm and Spirit Sea realm.

    Duncan didn''t fancy himself to be a one-of-a-kind genius. If he could figure a way out with his low cultivation, then others would figure it out eventually too. Once they figured out the trick in handling the sand scorpions, the barren valley wouldn''t pose much of a hindrance to them.

    Before they alle over, he should find a remotely quiet ce and enter meditation. If theye over and saw all the spirit fruits plucked out, they would search for people in this region.

    The Steeles might distract a major part of them. So, that would reduce the number of people searching. But, there will always be a few people who would search for resources first. And they would bebing this region for the culprit who plucked out all the spirit fruits.

    It was only prudent to hide out and enter meditation before that timees. The defensive formation that was in the hands of the female from Wind Blossom Sect woulde in handy to hide behind. Duncan was d he looted that female.

    It''s just that the number of spirit stones present was not really much. Evenbined with the number of spirit stones he found in the Nine Yin Sect disciple''s spatial ring, Duncan wasn''t sure that the formation couldst until the Grotto Heaven closed.

    Granted, with no one attacking the formation continuously, the spirit stones wouldst for a long time. But, even then, the consumption would be huge. Duncan didn''t think the spirit stones will be able tost for that long.

    So, it was imperative that he find a perfect ce that has a small region that needs to be defended. These hills have a lot of hidden ces. He had found them while exploring this region previously. But, only a few were well hidden and among them, only three or four spots had a view of the hills in front of him.

    He needed to find the ideal spot and enter meditation before people started pouring into this region. Duncan knew the importance of this aspect. So, he didn''t waste any more time and immediately set forth to aplish his goal.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 163 Perceiving The World

    Chapter 163 Perceiving The World

    Duncan spread his consciousness and enveloped the surrounding region as much as possible. He was currently seated in the middle of a cave that was hidden behind a hedge of overgrown wild nts.

    Initially, he had tried sitting at the bottom of a hill or looking at it from a distance. But, soon Duncan found out that he wasn''t able to elicit any feelings regarding the hills in front of him.

    As a cultivator who was at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm, Duncan could extend his consciousness and perceive the surroundings easily. But, the range his consciousness could perceive was really limited.

    The hills were big. They spanned miles in every direction from top to bottom. His meager consciousness couldn''t envelop them and perceive them. This caused a huge issue in his effort to understand the qualities of the hill.

    Duncan was forced to adopt another method in order to perceive the wonders of nature in front of him. No matter what he tried, he just couldn''t get a clear picture of the feeling of what a hill entailed. Let alone a mountain.

    This made him realize that cultivating this soul art wouldn''t be an easy issue. Considering that this was legacy art imparted as a reward, Duncan was already prepared to face failure. But, he never expected to fail so miserably.

    But, Duncan wasn''t discouraged. He knew that there were multiple sides to an issue. Since he can''t perceive the might of a mountain by looking at it from the outside, he decided to go inside and try it out.

    Thus, he found this cave that was in a remote location and decided to give it a try.

    Moreover, the cave entrance also gave Duncan the right location to set up the defensive formation he had obtained from the spatial ring. While Duncan didn''t have any aplishments in formation crafting or understanding their mysteries, setting up an already prepared formation wasn''t difficult for him.

    After setting up the formation, Duncan sat in the middle of the cave and decided to perceive the surroundings without any goal in mind. Duncan''s thought process was simple. Since he couldn''t gain anything by focusing on a particr aspect, he would let go and let nature guide his way.

    He wanted to perceive his surroundings initially and see if he could gain anything from them. With him present in a cave inside a hill, Duncan figured that his chances things.

    01:37

    Even though Duncan had lived in a cave and meditated in it for some time before this, of gaining something would be doable.

    The first time Duncan tried to perceive his surroundings inside the cave, Duncan was pleasantly surprised to note that there was a marked difference in his perception of things.

    Even though Duncan had lived in a cave and meditated in it for some time before this, he had never tried to perceive the surroundings as a whole. Earlier, he only used his perception to stir the qi between heaven and earth and attract them toward his body.

    This time, it waspletely different.

    The first change Duncan noticed was that he was able to sense each and every grain that was under him easily. He concluded that being in direct contact with him, these were the first things he could perceive easily.

    And the grains and gravel he could perceive under him had a different kind of feeling from what he usually had when he saw them normally. This wasn''t just something he saw anymore. They had a feeling of weight and some unexinable things attached to them.

    Initially, Duncan was engrossed in this new kind of feeling for a long time. Only after a day or two did he snap out of it. There was a multitude of things roaming around in his perception at that moment. It was like a new world waiting in front of him.

    The only problem was that his consciousness wasn''t able to enter this new world at all. His consciousness was stopped at the most superficial level and he couldn''t prate to learn the mysteries anymore.

    Duncan realized that his soul wasn''t yet powerful enough to study the mysteries that were present around him. During his discussion with Shen Wulong, Duncan heard him say that the power of the soul will aid him greatly in the future.

    Until now, he hadn''t fully realized the impact of that statement.

    This wasn''t the power of the soul to attack or defend itself. Rather, this was the power of the soul to perceive the hidden meanings and mysteries present in the nature around him. This was the power of the soul to perceive that elusive Dao that Shen Wulong spoke about.

    During that chat with Shen Wulong, Duncan''s cultivation and martial techniques were merely at the bottom-most level. So, he wasn''t able to understand most of the things that Shen Wulong talked about.

    Concept! Domain! Law! Dao!

    When Shen Wulong had talked about them, he had given Duncan a bare minimum exnation of the nature of these things. With that Duncan had grasped the initial stages of two concepts so far ¨C Windspeed & Swordcut.

    Duncan was able to do so because of the martial arts he practiced. But, at this moment, Duncan realized that there was another way to grasp concepts. From perceiving the grains and the gravel beneath him, Duncan vaguely felt that they might give him some inspiration into another concept.

    While Duncan was excited about this discovery, he wasn''t carried away by it. He was here to perceive the hills and cultivate the soul art legacy he had received from the tests. He knew very well trying to learn everything at the same time would only be detrimental to his growth.

    But, Duncan was also not willing to let go of this opportunity. It was rare for him to find such things. He didn''t know when he would get another time like this to sit around and calmly perceive things.

    The atmosphere in the Heavenly Demon Sect wasn''t really suited to this type of cultivation. Even though he only stayed in the sect for two or so weeks, Duncan can easily perceive that the Heavenly Demon Sect didn''t believe in the philosophy of gradual development.

    His master''s actions were a clear example of the Heavenly Demon Sect''s thinking. The sect was a gathering ce for demonic path cultivators. Fights and ruckus were reallymon in that ce. Duncan didn''t think that anyone there would allow him to sit and quietlyprehend these kinds of profound mysteries.

    Even the cultivation technique he practiced didn''t allow for such things. Unless he engaged in ughter and collected enough ughter qi, he wouldn''t be able to progress any further in his cultivation.

    Duncan felt that he mustn''t miss out on this opportunity. His gut feeling was telling him to capitalize on this opportunity and increase his strength. Gaining insight into another concept can only aid him further in increasing his strength.

    So, Duncan didn''t proceed immediately after waking up from his meditation.

    *****

    Duncan contemted on what he should do for the next two days in silence.

    He didn''t meditate immediately after that. Rather, he recalled and savored the feeling he had when he meditated during the two days. He was like someone who had just gotten the taste of alcohol and was intrigued by it.

    Sometimes he would take out his sword and practice his <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>, sometimes he would sit there in a daze and look at the ceiling of a cave for hours, sometimes he would empty his mind and try to perceive try out the visualization, sometimes he would simply eat to his heart''s content andze around thinking about trivial things.

    Like this, two days passed and Duncan''s eyes suddenly sharpened.

    "I initially thought that there can be no improvement in my martial techniques in a short while. But, after meditating for two days, I feel that I can still improve if I was able to deepen my understanding of the concepts I have grasped," Duncan said rising up and swinging his sword.

    A faint light formed along the sword''s surface and it flew towards the distant cave wall. When it made contact, there was a sharp sound followed by a small cut on the side of the cave wall.

    "I didn''t use any cultivation while swinging my sword. Even then, my attack can cut through the walls of this cave easily from a distance. This is because I instilled the concept of Swordcut I have grasped in my swing," Duncan mumbled looking at the small cut in the distance.

    "This is simr to how I was able to run on air without using my cultivation. That time, I used the concept of Windspeed to run on air. Both my techniques can be said to be attained initial mastery of the concepts they were based on," Duncan said thinking aloud.

    "But, how do I raise my understanding further? I don''t think I can do that by practicing my martial arts anymore. I have mastered the techniques a hundred percent. The only difference is the level of insight I have in the concepts they are based on," Duncan mumbled walking around the cave in a daze.

    "How can I raise the insight level? Practicing repeatedly is no use. I need to try a different approach. Can I meditate on these concepts and see if my level improves?"

    "But, I feel that it would take some time for me to raise my insight level. What I need right now is to increase my battle power immediately. These few months in the Grotto Heaven made me realize that without enough strength, I can''t even walk freely. If the situation is like inside this Grotto Heaven, then what will be the situation outside of the Grotto Heaven?"

    "With my strength, do I even have the qualification to roam the world? I decided some time ago that I should roam the world and see all the sights it could offer me. But, without strength, I can''t do it. Moreover, I still want to eliminate the Wang n in Starmist City. Without enough strength, how can I do it?"

    "I''m currently at the peak of Spirit Sea realm. Since I can''t break through, I must focus now on improving my battle strength. How should I do it? I initially thought cultivating the soul art would be a good method. But, it looks like it is too difficult to do at my current level."

    "But, it doesn''t mean I must abandon it fully. Until now, I have only been seeing the forest in front of me and not looking at the trees that create it. Instead of focusing onprehending the essence of a mountain or a hill, I must study other effects. This can also aid me in increasing my battle strength."

    "That said, how should I do it? How do Ibine the cultivation of both the soul art and my martial arts? I must find the intersecting point first. Only then, I can do itˇ­"

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 164 Initial Enlightenment

    Chapter 164 Initial Enlightenment

    Duncan could feel the boundless might of the earth that was radiating under him with his senses clearly. Each and every grain that made up the earth that was in direct contact with his body was clearly perceived by him.

    This wasn''t an in-depth perception.

    Duncan knew his limits. His soul strength wasn''t strong enough to do that. Rather, his perception was only at the most basic superficial level. He wasn''t even able to sense 1% of the mysteries behind them.

    But, Duncan wasn''t disappointed.

    In the past week, after constant meditation and perceiving the surroundings around him, Duncan was gradually able to feel out a few possibilities for him to increase his battle strength in the immediate future.

    He had even found a few interception points where both his martial arts and soul art can be said to have an intersection. This discovery only energized him further.

    Duncan wasn''t afraid of hardship or monotonous work. As a spirit stone miner, he had already been ustomed to doing repetitive monotonous things. It wasn''t a difficulty for him at all.

    Furthermore, the perception of the surroundings and figuring out the mysteries in them wasn''t boring. Every new discovery brought Duncan countless inspirations and another new line of thought.

    When cultivators firste in touch with the mysteries of the world, their growth rate would be shocking at the initial stages. This was considered a milestone in martial cultivation.

    After some time, the growth would teau out and the insights and inspirations gained by a cultivator would dry up. This was a normal urrence in the cultivation world. And only those with high talent would be able to perceive further and improve in the future.

    Duncan was currently in this stage. Even though he perceived the concept of Windspeed and Swordcut, he never truly entered this zone previously. Now, with the meditation, Duncan had, atst, arrived at this step.

    Initial Enlightenment was a special state in the cultivation world. A cultivator can 01:38

    obtain enlightenment at different moments in his life. When a cultivator''s knowledge, His first contact with the mysteries of the world around him was currently giving him countless inspirations. This was a qualitative growth every cultivator experienced when they reached a certain stage and had the right opportunity.

    Duncan didn''t even perceive the time he was immersed in this state. He waspletely immersed in this state, enjoying all the benefits it was giving him currently. This state was also called as Initial Enlightenment in the cultivation world.

    Initial Enlightenment was a special state in the cultivation world. A cultivator can obtain enlightenment at different moments in his life. When a cultivator''s knowledge, experience, and other factors arrive at a certain stage and they meet a corresponding opportunity, they will obtain enlightenment on their own.

    These opportunities may vary widely. It can be a master''s lecture, it can be a lucky encounter, it can be an artifact, it can be a legacy, or even a casual conversation. In short, there were no bounds in regard to it.

    The first time a cultivator achieves such a state was called the Initial Enlightenment. There is no fixed time as to how long an Initial Enlightenmentsts. It varies from person to person. From a day to even a year, the duration isn''t fixed at all.

    During Initial Enlightenment, a cultivator would firste in touch with the mysteries of the world around him. Since this is the cultivator''s first encounter, his mind would be broadened and he would undergo a qualitative change. As a result, a cultivator''s strength would jump leaps and bounds in a short period of time after the Initial Enlightenment.

    But, after this state ends, a cultivator would face the first important hurdle in his journey to immortality. During Initial Enlightenment, a cultivator would be inundated with a lot of information regarding the various mysteries of the world. So, when hees out of the state, he would have a lot of information swimming in his brain.

    The test a cultivator faces at this moment is whether they can pull themselves out of this sea of information and maintain a clear mind. A lot of cultivators get usually lost in the sea of information they gained and would waste their time going after everything.

    Ultimately, a human''s time is limited.

    Even a cultivator who has a longer lifespan than a mortal is not an exception to this rule. Those who try to dabble in everything can never be experts. Expertise in any area requires dedication and unmitigated effort. There must be long hours of work put into it. Only then, a cultivator can excel in a certain field.

    Whether it be alchemy, weapon forging, formations, or talisman refining, every path and dao a cultivator takes will require a monumental effort to reach the top. Only those at the top can be called experts.

    Thus, the Initial Enlightenment can also be said to be a process that weeds out the weak from the strong. Those who get lost in the sea of information will never be able to progress further.

    Even if a cultivatores to his sensester, he would have spent a lot of time on other things while he was immersed and would have wasted valuable cultivation time. This would always leave a shadow in their heart and shake their dao heart at critical moments.

    Second-guessing oneself andmenting on missed opportunities are allmon phenomena amongst people who get lost after Initial Enlightenment. The nature is vast and the dao is immesearuble. Only those with firm dao heart can climb further and further. Getting lost in misceneous things will only lead to mediocrity.

    Only when a cultivator''s level reaches a certain stage will they be able to perceive everything in the world and gain insight easily. Ordinary cultivators will only get lost and be dyed in their cultivation journey.

    This is the test of Initial Enlightenment. And this was the test that Duncan currently faced at the moment.

    *****

    Duncan''s Initial Enlightenmentsted for ten days.

    Duncan opened his eyes in a dazed manner and found his head swimming with a lot of misceneous thoughts. There were all kinds of inspirations and insights into a lot of things that Duncan had never dreamed about.

    These insights and inspirations felt as if they would vanish the next moment if he didn''t pay enough attention to them. This left Duncan in a lurch. He didn''t know what to concentrate on.

    Everything felt important to him. For example, there was some insight into how a formation was created and how to use the interaction of nature to increase its might. There was another insight that gave him some idea on mixing what herbs he had picked up would help him create what kinds of effects in pills.

    The really devastating thing to Duncan was, all these insights and inspirations he had obtained were based on the knowledge he had umted so far. He felt that it would be a pity not to pursue them. But, he was hesitant as to which one he should try.

    This was the really terrifying thing about Initial Enlightenment. All the insights and inspirations gained are based on a cultivator''s knowledge umtion. This is what makes it harder for them to let go. No one wants to let go of things that they have umted with hard work.

    How many people can be clearheaded at this time?

    How many people can tell that they would willingly sacrifice some knowledge when the entire cultivation knows that the more you know the easier it will be for you to progress further in cultivation?

    This was a test of a person''s dao heart. The firmer someone''s dao heart is, the easier it will be for them to extricate themselves from this predicament. Even though Duncan knew earlier that he can''t try everything and decided to only focus on increasing his battle strength, right now he wasn''t far from getting lost.

    That is the true terror of Initial Enlightenment. It is easy to discard things when you don''t have options or very few options to pursue. But, when someone is presented with everything they could think of, they would naturally hesitate in the face of overwhelming rewards and would like to get everything.

    Only someone who has a stable dao heart will be able to stop himself from biting off more than he could chew. This isn''t a matter of knowing oneself. This is the true nature of all beings. Only by practicing restraint and being true to your goal can one extricate themselves from this predicament.

    If Duncan had stepped into the Spirit Sea realm outside of the Grotto Heaven, then he would have been advised by his master Liang Tianye regarding this. Because it is generally known that the Initial Enlightenment only urs to people after stepping into the Spirit Sea realm.

    There is a reason for this as well. For a cultivator to enter Initial Enlightenment, they need to be able to perceive their surroundings and have some idea regarding concepts. A cultivator in the Qi Gathering realm doesn''t have enough soul strength to perceive the world around them. So, it is generally epted as such.

    However, with Duncan breaking through to the Spirit Sea realm inside the Grotto Heaven, there was no one to instruct him on the dangers of this situation. When Liang Tianye instructed Duncan, he was just someone who was beginning cultivation. Naturally, Liang Tianye didn''t put enough effort into educating Duncan in a wholesome manner.

    As a result, Duncan now faced a precarious predicament of getting lost in the vast amount of insights and inspirations he had gained recently. And there was no one else to guide him out of this predicament.

    Duncan sat inside the cave in a daze trying to figure out what to do nowˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 165 Concepts Of Slaughter

    ?

    "What should I do? What should I concentrate on first? If I don''t concentrate then I would lose out on these inspirations. These are like fleeting thoughts. Which should I focus on first?"

    "Argh! If I concentrate on one thing, I feel like I would forget the line of thought in another thing. This is maddening! I don''t want to lose anything. I don''t know when I would get so many inspirations like this againˇ­"

    "No, no, no. I can''t underestimate formations. With a single defensive formation, I can withstand a lot more power, a single offensive formation can allow my strength to rise to a higher level. I can''t give up on thisˇ­"

    "Pills! Pills! Pills! Even a newbie like me knows an alchemist earns a lot. This is the best way to earn a lot of money. With money, why should I be afraid of not being able to increase my strength? Oh my! Can these herbs be linked in such a way? All of them contain vitality, if I canbine themˇ­"

    "What! Howe no one tried this out before? If this is realized, the sharpness of a sword can be increased multiple times. And the durabilityˇ­ damn it, why haven''t any weaponsmith realized this until now? Are they all moronsˇ­"

    "Earth! Boundless! It can suppress anything! It can contain anything! Isn''t the suppression effect really simr to that lonely mountain image I need to visualize? Should I give this a goˇ­"

    "Howe I feel the sword to be so profound? Isn''t it just a weapon? Why can I feel so many things from it?"

    "Is there a ce where the wind can''t go? Being formless it has an innate advantage in being agile, isn''t it? Moreover, can wind be used for assassination? There seems to be great potential hereˇ­"

    "What? Windspeed can be used like this? I can evenbine it with my Swordcut to create a domain in this manner. This really looks ingenious. I can''t give up on thisˇ­"

    "No, no, my thoughts on pill refining are fading. All those money, damn it! I need to concentrate. I shouldn''t ck offˇ­"

    "Hmmm, what did I think about hereˇ­ Arghˇ­ didn''t the formation act in this way? No, no, it doesn''t seem right. Something feels off. What did I miss? What did I miss? I feel that if I try harder that I can almost grasp this thought. This is so elusiveˇ­"

    Duncan was like a madman trying to grab everything. The Initial Enlightenment affected him deeply and he felt like he was obtaining an understanding of a lot of things. He felt that if he put a little more effort he would be able to push forward and get a clear idea.

    In fact, this was an illusion that was created by Duncan''s subconsciousness. It wasn''t necessarily wrong. The Initial Enlightenment doesn''t give out misleading paths. But, rather the effort needed to be spent was where the illusiony.

    If one gets carried away and tried to gain insight on all the things, then they would be doomed to pursue their line of thought for a long time. And each line of thought they gained enlightenment on needs them to spend countless hours to gain clear insight. And this duration was determined by a person''s talent in that particr aspect.

    For example, if someone is talented in alchemy, they can easily obtain benefits by focusing on the line of thoughts aboutbining spirit herbs and making pills. Likewise, if one has talent in say, Earth Dao, they can easily obtain a lot of benefits if they concentrated on the Dao of the Earth and its intricacies.

    No one is talented in everything.

    By trying to grasp insights into everything, a cultivator would be mediocre in everything. This would also dy their progress in cultivation. So, whenever someone enters into the Spirit Sea realm, their masters and seniors who cared about them will advise them to focus on the enlightenment obtained in the aspect they are talented in.

    This is the advantage of being in a sect or a faction. It was mostly loose cultivators who would be caught up trying to grasp everything. Even if they didn''t make the best out of it, sect members would adviseter to focus on one thing alone and steer people to the right path.

    But, the moment after the Initial Enlightenment was when all kinds of insights would be bursting inside a cultivator''s head. Only a cultivator can restrain himself at that critical moment. No external help can be avable at that moment.

    That is why, Initial Enlightenment is considered to be a test of dao heart. One''s dao heart determines their determination to pursue a particr dao. Those with stable dao heart will make the best out of Initial Enlightenment. And in turn, it will make their path toward dao a lot easier.

    Duncan had no one guiding him in such a way for various reasons. His master wasn''t anywhere near him when he broke through to the Spirit Sea realm. The only Senior Brother he had a good rtionship with didn''t care enough to let him know about it. Thus, Duncan was currently in such a predicament.

    Just as Duncan was about to waste that precious moment, he suddenly felt his heart throb echo in his head in a resounding manner. The echo was both forceful and carried a certain kind of innate weight to it.

    "Eh, what''s this? Is thising from my heart? The ck Heart. It is like how it was described in the <ughter Demon Sutra>ˇ­"

    Duncan was immediately mesmerized as he focused on his heart. He felt strange as all kinds of insights began appearing in his mind. These lines of thought were already in his head. But, at this moment, they were brought to the forefront.

    At that moment, Duncan''s attention was entirely focused on his ck heart and <ughter Demon Sutra>. He fell into a trance as he startedprehending the deeper meanings of his cultivation techniques.

    Each heart throb was like a gong echoing in his mind. As time passed, Duncan began to peek into the mysteries of the ck heart as well. At Duncan''s level, he couldn''t understand anything profound. Even then, scratching the surface was enough for him to understand a few things that had puzzled him for a long time.

    Meanwhile, his <ughter Demon Sutra> was also beginning to evolve slowly as Duncan''s understanding of the technique deepened in this state. Duncan''s eyes began to turn blood red as he lost himself in the mysteries of his cultivation technique and the ck heart that was in his body.

    Thump!

    THump!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    THUmp!

    THUMp!

    THUMP!

    THUMP!

    THUMP!

    Duncan felt his blood boil as the sound of his heartbeat began to pound in his head. His eyes turned red and a reddish aura began to envelop him. The aura was slightly tainted with ck color at the edges, but unlike the previous time, the aura seemed to emanate from deep within his body.

    Instead of enveloping him as usual, this time the aura seemed to emanate from him. There was a qualitative change in the aura. And as usual, Duncan was unaware of the existence of the aura or the change that has taken ce in it.

    He was fully engrossed inprehending the line of thought that has emerged in his mind. As heprehended further and followed the line of thought in his mind, time seemed to pass by rapidly. Duncan was totally unaware of the passage of time. In fact, Duncan was unaware of anything that was happening outside.

    His entire being was currently pursuing the line of thought that has emerged in his mind.

    "ughterˇ­"

    "ughterˇ­"

    "ughterˇ­"

    "So, this is the truth about ughterˇ­"

    "It isn''t mindless. Only the truly inept see ughter as mindless. Those who understand even a little bit about it know the truth behind it."

    "ughter isn''t about killing indiscriminately."

    "ughter is about domination. ughter is about being ferocious. ughter is about wading in a pool of blood. ughter is about waging war with the world. ughter is about showing your rage. ughter is about sating your thirst for revenge."

    "In this wild world, the ughter Dao is the true personification of the strong eating the weak. Humans ughter chickens because they are stronger than them. Demonic beasts ughter mortals because they are stronger than mortals. Likewise, in front of a ughterer, all opposition is moot."

    "In this world, might makes right. What better Dao can truly showcase the reality of the world than the ughter Dao?"

    "ughter is a dao that epasses killing, suppression, blood, war, ferociousness, and a lot more."

    "Heh, why didn''t I think of this before? I have used my martial techniques toprehend the concept of Windspeed and Swordcut. If I can do that, why can''t I use my cultivation technique toprehend the concept of ughter."

    "ughter isn''t just a concept. It is a major dao. I can feel the boundlessness and magnitude of it. I can feel its wildness and rebelliousness. I can feel its madness and righteousness. It is just like earth, fire, water, lightning, wind, and other major daos. There are a lot of concepts that could be integrated into it."

    "ughter can epass a lot of things. Revenge, Rage, Ferociousness, Domination, Suppression, Killing, Blood, War, and a lot more. These all could be further cultivated into the ughter Dao. These concepts can be integrated further as they progress."

    "Or even better, can ughter be a stand-alone conceptˇ­"

    "ughterˇ­ ughterˇ­ ughterˇ­"

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 166 Mysteries Of The Black Heart(1)

    ?

    "ughter isn''t just a concept. It is a major dao. I can feel the boundlessness and magnitude of it. I can feel its wildness and rebelliousness. I can feel its madness and righteousness. It is just like earth, fire, water, lightning, wind, and other major daos. There are a lot of concepts that could be integrated into it."

    "ughter can epass a lot of things. Revenge, Rage, Ferociousness, Domination, Suppression, Killing, Blood, War, and a lot more. These all could be further cultivated into the ughter Dao. These concepts can be integrated further as they progress."

    "Or even better, can ughter be a stand alone conceptˇ­"

    "ughterˇ­ ughterˇ­ ughterˇ­"

    Duncan immersed himself in figuring out the concept of ughter first. He felt as if a new world had been opened to him. There were a lot of thoughts bouncing around in his head and he felt he would be able to grasp a concept of ughter if he followed these thoughts to their end.

    So, he didn''t hesitate in doing so.

    However, all through this, his heartbeat was like a background observer in his mind. Those beats echoed in his mind constantly as if they were trying to tell him something. But, Duncan was preupied with his desire to learn something about ughter first.

    Even then, a part of his mind was focused on the ck heart and its heartbeat.

    Time passed slowly and the reddish aura around Duncan seemed to be hazy. Duncan''s inspirations into ughter were gradually reaching a dead end and he still couldn''t grasp any of the concepts he had felt earliet.

    Duncan felt as if he just needed a little push to grab onto it. But, all his understandings so far were just superficial and weren''t profound enough to grasp a martial dao concept.

    Duncan felt that his inspirations were running dry and needed a new stimtion to once again broaden his mind. Deep down he knew that if persisting on this wouldn''t help him at this moment.

    After a few seconds of hesitation, Duncan decisively gave up concentrating on grasping the concept of ughter and switched his focus. The thing he decided to concentrate on was the heartbeat he had been hearing in the background.

    The moment Duncan''s concentration shifted towards his ck heart that was pounding in a strange rhythm. He felt his consciousness dragged into an unknown ce.

    Duncan blinked at the abrupt transition of his consciousness and looked around the ce he had arrived in. The sky was red in color and everything around him carried a tinge of red within them.

    Duncan didn''t know how to react to this strange scene. However, this visual also reminded him of the state he was in while walking back towards that cave where he killed the Nine Yin sect disciple.

    Duncan''s curiosity was aroused and he began to concentrate hard on his surroundings. A strange thought rose in his mind. Duncan felt that if he could figure out the mystery between the red color, he would gain immense benefits.

    So, he curiously tried to examine his surroundings.

    The ce he arrived in wasn''t barren. Even though there was a tinge of red all around him, it didn''t look like a desert or a wastnd. Rather, the surroundings looked simr to the Grasnds.

    Tall grasses were present everywhere. The location was almost simr to the Grannds. Everything had a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The only difference being that everything was tainted with some red color.

    Duncan stepped forward and broke some grass stalks to examine them clearly. Looking closely at the red color, Duncan felt that the redness was like a wisp of blood. The thickness and feeling brought out the same feeling. However, there was something different about this blood that he was touching currently and normal blood.

    There wasn''t any difference when seeing with naked eye. But, when Duncan touched it, he could feel the difference very intuitively. There was a sense of madness present in the blood.

    Duncan could feel an innate feeling present in the blood that resonated with him very much. Duncan didn''t know what it was. It felt like excitement, madness, determination, and joy allbined in one.

    The feeling almost overwhelmed Duncan. But, Duncan was able to shake his head and clear the intrusion of that strange feeling from the blood. Next moment, Duncan retrieved his hand from the blood. He looked at the blood warily and stepped back a little.

    This new feeling made him feel a little puzzled. He had read about several things that influence a person''s mind. Most of them are substances used by demonic cultivators. There were a lot of records regarding them in the scripture hall in the sect.

    But, this blood was entirely new. The kind of feelings that it gave off actually resonated with him a lot. He felt as if he had finally found something that entirely suited him pretty well. This made Duncan wary.

    In the cultivation world, these kinds of things that can lull a person into a particr mindset or a feeling are very dangerous. They often bring untold troubles to a cultivator. And anything new that wasn''t discovered yet brought two possibilities ¨C great danger or great opportunity.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Duncan didn''t know what kind this blood fell under. Considering that his consciousness had been transported here after he concentrated on the ck heart in his body, Duncan was predisposed to trust it. But still, this new phenomena made him a little bit cautious.

    Deciding to not touch anything before he understood the nature of this ce, Duncan looked around seeking any clue as to why his consciousness was here. Seeing nothing near him that stood out, Duncan decided to explore this ce a little bit.

    Walking slowly though the tall grass, Duncan eventually reached a slightly elevated region that overlooked a bloody ground in the distance. Throughout his walk, Duncan hadn''t found anything that could be considered standing out. This bloody ground was the first thing that stood out.

    Taking wary steps, Duncan walked towards the bloody ground and looked at it from afar. There was nothing different or unique about it apart from the bloody stench that was wafting from there. Apart from the soil and earth beingpletely covered in bloody, nothing seemed to be different about it.

    Deciding not to waste any more time, Duncan cautiously ced a foot on the bloody ground.

    BOOM!

    Duncan''s mind nked for a second.

    The next moment he was transported into battle scene. The entire figure was hazy and there weren''t many details to observe. All he could see was a blood pumping battle taking ce in the distance.

    A youngster was battling a horde of beasts with reckless abandon. With every swing of his sword, he was chopping beasts as if he was chopping vegetables. Blood ran thick and limbs flew with abandon.

    Duncan felt that the scene was strangely familiar. He could feel his soul resonate with the scene before him. Even though he couldn''t identify the youngster or the beasts present, be could feel that the scene was connected to him somehow.

    Suddenly arge howl echoed.

    The beasts ran away leaving the youngster to battle the newly arrived beast. This beast felt faster and stronger. Duncan felt that the youngster wouldn''t be able to withstand the new beast''s attack.

    And then it clicked to Duncan.

    Duncan saw the youngster being sent flying away by the new beast. Duncan saw the youngster rising up once more as if he didn''t believe he could be defeated. Duncan saw the youngster and the beast square off. And finally Duncan saw the youngster kill the beast after a single sh.

    Duncan felt as if he was stuck by a bolt of lightning. He understood why he felt familiar seeing this battle. He understood why he felt the strange resonance while seeing this battle. He understood why this ce looked familiar as well.

    This was the Grasnds. And that youngster was him. And that battle was the one he fought during the beast tide.

    It was him. And thisnd was like the Grasnds because of him.

    This was the battle that awakened his ck heart. This was the battle where he put his life on the line and came out on top. There can be numerous battles in his life, but this battle had far more significance than other ones to him.

    This battle was where he was reborn. This battle was where his true self emerged. He may have changed his habits and actions after this. He may have behaved entirely different before this. But, in that battle, his true self had emerged.

    And the ck heart was guiding him toward his true self. And this is what he needs to be in order to rise higher.

    This is what he was and he needed to find his way back toward this version of himself that dared to bet his life ande out on top. And this is where his pathy currently...

    *****

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 Chapter 167 Mysteries Of The Black Heart 2

    ?

    Duncan felt his mind tremble as he realized the truth.

    The fact that the ck heart was guiding him toward his true self came with a lot of other implications as well. And the most important implication was that he was currently straying away from his true self.

    This wasn''t good at all.

    Unlike righteous path cultivators, one of the core ts of the demonic path was to be true to your self. Righteous path cultivators pursue righteousness and being in harmony with the world.

    Even if they weren''t righteous or harmonious, their actions tend to be righteous. Even when theymit crimes, they would use a righteous excuse tomit them.

    Like the Buddhist monks stating that they are suppressing devils and establishing virtue. Like the saying that there is no gain without paying. There were all kinds of philosophical arguments used by the righteous cultivators while doing something.

    And there is an underlying reason for it.

    The righteous path doesn''t mean that everyone who cultivates is righteous. Who doesn''t have some evil thoughts lurking in their mind? Who doesn''t have some hidden desires in their heart?

    The reason the righteous cultivators try to act righteous is that it is a form of dao heart training. All those evil thoughts and hidden desires are what hidden demons were made of. By training their righteousness with actions, righteous cultivators will be able to deal with them easily.

    As they say, saying a lie one time is a lie. But, if you repeat a lie enough times it would be truth. That is the principle behind such behavior by righteous path cultivators.

    If they truly believe in their facies, then they would eventually be righteous themselves in their own mind. By convincing themselves that they are righteous, righteous path cultivators will be able to battle their inner demons easily during tribtions.

    Everything in cultivation is based on how to advance easily to the next stage. And this practice is no different.

    Contrary to the righteous path, the demonic path believes in cultivators being true to their inner selves. They need to immerse in their negative emotions and truly ept themselves to advance to a higher level.

    These were two contrasting approaches thatplement each other in reality. With demonic cultivators immersing themselves in their indulgences, the righteous cultivators are needed to keep the world in bnce.

    And nature is all about bnce.

    The difficulty faced by demonic cultivators was far higher than righteous cultivators when they reach higher realms. Due to repeated immersion into their negative emotions, the mindset of demonic cultivators would eventually distort. And it will begin to affect their dao heart.

    This is a dangerous sink-or-swim method.

    With such extreme methods, there would naturally be great rewards. That''s why demonic cultivators have far more gains in the earlier stages. But, as time progresses, the rewards be mediocre and the difficulty increases severalfold.

    Nevertheless, the basic principle remains the same.

    A demonic cultivator should remain true to his inner self. They must indulge in their desires and take care not to sink into thempletely. That is the way demonic cultivators sharpen their dao hearts.

    Duncan''s straying away from his true self was a serious mistake that could bite him in the back as he advances to higher levels. Right now, the problem may not be that big. But, as he advances in cultivation realms, the importance of dao heart bes more and more significant.

    Duncan had read about this in the scripture hall while browsing themon knowledge of the cultivation world. And this revtion was like a bolt of lightning to his head at this moment.

    Duncan knew that he must embrace his true self sooner orter. If not, there will be huge problems in the future. Moreover, the ck heart''s guidance was also telling.

    Duncan recalled his actions since he joined the Heavenly Demon Sect and found that he was indeed drifting away from his true self. He had be more and more cautious and wasn''t willing to take risks if things were not in his favor.

    Duncan frowned as he realized this. But, there was nothing he could do about it currently. He could only try to act in ordance with his true self in the future. That was the only way he could see to get out of this tricky situation.

    Looking ahead at the youngster who was leaping above the monster, Duncan felt an innate kind of satisfaction emerging from within. He knew that this was what he always wanted to be.

    There was a hint of recklessness and madness emanating from the youngster''s figure when he decisively confronted the demonic beast. This kind of heroic demeanor was absent from him these days. Duncan could only shake his head at that thought.

    No, it wasn''t heroic. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    That was a wrong assumption. Duncan knew very well he wasn''t a hero. So, the heroic demeanor wasn''t the core. The real reason that youngster''s figure resonated with him was because there was a kind of unruliness deep in that attacking figure.

    Duncan vaguely felt as if he understood something. But, it still wasn''t clear yet. He knew what he must do. But, the why evaded him. What about that figure resonated with him was something he needed to think deeply upon.

    Shaking his head, Duncan turned around and walked away from the battle scene. The next moment he was outside the bloody ground. Duncan looked around and found that the rest of the areas were looking pretty normal. Something told him that he wouldn''t gain anything else even if he searched around now.

    So, Duncan decisively gave up and walked towards a nearby grass stalk.

    Duncan looked at the grass stalk deeply and a determined expression crossed his face. Reaching out, Duncan once again touched the blood that was present on the grass stalk and concentrated on figuring out the mysterious feeling it gave to him.

    After realizing that the ck heart was guiding him towards his true self, Duncan let go of his wariness towards the things present in this area. He was now sure that everything present here was to guide him in one direction or the other.

    Feeling the drop of blood in his fingers, Duncan concentrated on unveiling the mysterious feeling within them. Concentrating hard, Duncan could feel a kind of pulling from the blood. He could feel it connecting with something deep within him as well.

    Duncan closed his eyes and forgot about everything else. All his concentration was on the blood that he was touchingˇ­

    *****

    Meanwhile, in the barren valleyˇ­

    BOOM!

    Arge cave-in appeared causing the surroundings to be filled with dust.

    WHOOSH!

    A gust of wind blew past the area driving away the dust and revealing the scene to the eyes of everyone present.

    "Hah, no wonder, no one was able to find any ancient relics in this region. These relics were all underground," Han Shindong said in a triumphant tone. "Uncle Long, your guess was right. Luckily, we weren''t fooled like the others."

    Before their eyes stood arge underground pce of sorts that was filled with numerous pirs. There were mysterious patterns carved all over the pirs. Just one look at it was enough for the people present to know that there was some hidden mystery present in them.

    "Uncle Long, take a few men and secure this area. Until we leave here, no one is allowed to disturb us," Han Shindong announced arrogantly.

    Hearing his words the expressions on his subordinates'' faces twisted unnaturally. Han Shindong''s words right now might have sounded prudent and sensible. It would have been the case if it was uttered outside. However, inside the Grotto Heaven, these words showed his naivety and cluelessness.

    Indeed, outside the Grotto Heaven, a relic like this could have been blocked off and cordoned off. But, here, no one would give face when facing such an opportunity. Moreover, who among his subordinates didn''t wish to obtain their own lucky encounters?

    It could already be considered a miracle if they were willing to guard you against others inside the ruins, but expecting them to guard outside and fight against desperate cultivatorsing to obtain their own fortuitous encounters can only be called stupidity.

    Uncle Long noticed the change of expressions on the subordinates'' faces and cursed Han Shindong internally. However, this young master of his was used to such things and didn''t know how to read the situation.

    "Young Master, I think it would be prudent to bring all of our men inside. We don''t know what other traps are waiting inside. We might need manpower to dismantle them. Moreover, did you forget about the scorpions? Their preferred mode of attack is to ambush from underground. And we are heading underground. This is their hunting region. So, I think it is better to be cautious," Uncle Long advised in a roundabout manner.

    "Ha ha ha, Uncle Long, you are indeed very experienced. Since that is the case, let''s not waste time. We can head inside," Han Shindongughed merrily and dly epted the suggestion.

    The subordinates looked at Uncle Long in gratitude. He merely nodded at them and led their group into the underground region.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 168 Mysteries Of The Black Heart 3

    ?

    Duncan felt as if he was immersed in a raging river.

    As he concentrated on unraveling the mystery present in the blood that was held in his hands, he could feel something far grander from it. Now that he had let go of his apprehension regarding the blood, he could feel it more intuitively.

    Thus a picture emerged in his mind.

    In that picture, he was immersed in a raging river. The flow of the river was ferocious enough to destabilize him. He could feel its power intuitively. The river raged all around as he tried to stay afloat in it.

    Furthermore, he could hear the various roars in his ears. There was a different feeling rted to each and every roar he heard. He felt as if these roars were issued by different people. It was as if he was hearing people roar majestically across time and space.

    With each roar, Duncan could feel the river raging even more fiercer. It was as if the river was drawing sustenance from these roars. The more roars that echoed in his ears, the more fiercer the pull of the river was.

    Feeling this, Duncan could only conclude that these roars were stimting the river. Frowing lightly Duncan felt as if he was in a bit of a predicament at this moment.

    Even though he knew that nothing here would harm him, his heart and mind were agitated a bit. Especially, as the river raged fiercely, he couldn''t help but want to stay firm on the spot. Something told him intuitively that he could not be careless and be swept away by the river.

    And it was only bing harder with each roar that echoed in his ears.

    As time went on, the roars Duncan heard were bing more and more clear. Conversely, the fierceness of the river felt more and morefortable. Duncan''s eyes began to turn red unknowingly as he gritted his teeth and stood his ground.

    Duncan didn''t know how long he stood in that fierce river. All he could concentrate on as time passed was to stand firm and not be swept away. The increasingly louder roars were beginning to irritate him a bit.

    If Duncan had to describe those roars, then he would say that they were akin to generals roaring orders to soldiers on a battlefield. Even though he hadn''t seen such a scene in reality, he had heard about such stuff in Starsinger Town. He had imagined countless times about such scenes and could only rte these roars to them.

    He didn''t know if it was the right way to describe these roars. But, a part of him told Duncan that he wouldn''t be far off. All these roars had one thing inmon ¨C defiance.

    Yes, these roars all personified defiance in one way or another.

    Duncan tried to not let these roars affect him much. But, it was a task in vain. He was bing increasingly irritable as time passed. He felt as if something was stuck in his chest.

    A belief was beginning to emerge within himself that it would be good to go and get carried away in those roars. But, Duncan didn''t want to do that. He didn''t know which thought of him was right or wrong. He didn''t know even if these were his thoughts.

    Everything felt confusing as time passed. Nothing made sense. It was as if everything was random and very sudden. Duncan didn''t like that feeling one bit. His chest ached as if something was trying toe out. But, Duncan didn''t know what it was.

    All through these hazy impressions and incoherence, there was one thought that remained passive in the background. And all Duncan could do was to grab hold of it and cling onto it with sheer stubbornness.

    I must not be carried away by this river.

    That was the only thought he could trust to be his. Everything else felt like both his and not his. It was confusing him a lot. So, Duncan could only grab hold onto that one sane thought he had and persist.

    He felt as if his body was battered by the raging river a lot. It was as if the river was trying its best to throw him off. Waves of blood-colored liquid buffeted Duncan relentlessly causing his footing to be unstable.

    As time passed, Duncan didn''t know why he was doing what he was doing. The original intention had long gone into the myriad of roars and hazy thoughts that were forming randomly in his mind. He only knew that he should stand firm. Nothing mattered to him.

    As much as Duncan tried to resist, he felt as if he was nearing his limit and couldn''t hold on any longer. But, he was unwilling to be swept away. He felt that since this was inside his mind, he should be the one deciding stuff.

    In the end, Duncan''s irritability became hard to ignore. The physical difort didn''t matter to Duncan much, but these random roars and the ensuing thoughts made it difficult for him to hold on to the one thought he felt like he should hold onto.

    Atst, Duncan tossed his head back and let out a howl of unwillingness and anger to vent his irritability. As his voice overwhelmed the echoes he heard, his mind cleared a bit and he held onto to the original thought of not being swept away in this river.

    Duncan shouted out his defiance when he realized that he could use his own voice to counter those roars. He shouted against the raging river. He shouted against those echoes that were driving him mad. He shouted against anything and everything that wanted to sweep him away.

    The next moment, everything became eerily quiet. He could feel the river still for a second. He could feel those roars pause for a moment as if taken aback by his answering shout. He could feel his body stabilize like a pir in the turbulent river.

    The momentsted for a short while.

    Then, came chaos.

    It was as if the river was infuriated by his defiance. The river raged as it had never done before. The roars weren''t idle either. They roared back even more as if they felt disrespected by Duncan''s defiance.

    This time, those roars weren''t echoes.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    On the contrary, they felt as if they wereing from around him. Duncan''s mind nked immediately. His head felt dizzy and then he cked out without any further action.

    BOOM!

    Duncan''s eyes shot open inside the cave. Next moment, he spurted out blood from his mouth and began to cough hard. He couldn''t sit still anymore. He slipped sideways and fell down.

    His entire body shook. Immense pain wracked all over his body as he began to convulse. Blood sprayed out of all his orifices as if he had suffered heavy internal damage. Duncan twitched on the floor uncontrobly for a long time.

    *****

    Several hourster, Duncan''s bloodshot eyes shot open as rity returned to him.

    Duncan looked at the bloody floor beside him and suppressed a shiver that came over his body. In his entire life, he had never felt such pain. It was as if something within him was being torn apart.

    Just imagining itself was enough for Duncan to shiver in fear. Duncan wasn''t someone who wasn''t unustomed to pain. Being a spirit stone miner meant enduring long hours of arduous work that was both monotonous and stressful.

    He had been in several situations during his time as a miner that caused him serious pain. After he left his hometown, he had been constantly fighting as well. So, he wasn''t a stranger to pain. But, this one was very different from anything else he had ever felt.

    Just looking at the blood sttered on the floor was enough to make his scalp tingle.

    Duncan slowly dragged his body towards a corner and used the support of the cave to sit up. Struggling to breathe, Duncan took inrge gulps of air to relieve the ufortable situation.

    Slowly, the fear in his eyes subsided and Duncan began to calm down. He never expected that trying to resist the roars would bring him such a disaster. His pale face still contained traces of blood that had leaked out of his orifices.

    Duncan knew that this time he had made a serious error. He was worried about the state his body was in currently. He hadn''t yet checked upon the status of his body and was worried about what he would find.

    But, he also knew that he needed to repair his body as quickly as possible. If these kinds of internal injuries are left to linger they would be hidden dangers in his cultivation journey. So, gritting his teeth, Duncan forcefully calmed himself down and started concentrating on his body to figure out how much damage he had sustained right now.

    Duncan closed his eyes and sent his consciousness inward trying to assess the damage he had incurred due to the bacsh. Time passed slowly and Duncan''s focus waspletely inwards during this time.

    After a long time, Duncan opened his eyes with a confused expression on his face. His face showed puzzlement as he started mumbling to himself incoherently.

    "What the fuck? My body is even more robust than it was before. What happened? Didn''t I encounter bacsh due to a cultivation mishap? Why is my body fine?"

    Duncan frowned as he searched his body for any injuries. Strangely enough, Duncan wasn''t able to find anything. The pain he felt was like phantom pain. He had no internal injuries in his body and he couldn''t figure out why certain regions were in pain.

    This confused Duncan utterly.

    Common logic dictated that he must have suffered severe internal injuries due to the bacsh from resisting those roars. However, his current situation was anything but that.

    If not for the pain and the blood on the floor, Duncan would have even believed that he had hallucinated everything. His body felt even more stronger than ever before. He didn''t know how to ssify this mysterious event.

    Did he really suffer bacsh? If so, why are there no internal injuries? Duncan knew he had above-average healing abilities. But, even they wouldn''t be capable of repairing his body to this level.

    But, if he didn''t suffer bacsh, howe there is so much blood on the floor? Not to mention that mind-numbing pain he had felt earlier. Even now there are some phantom pains across his body.

    What the hell was happening?

    Duncan knew that there was only one thing that could answer this question. The answers to his questions probablyy with the culprit of the event. And it was the only region he had avoided while trying to check on his body.

    The ck Heart!

    *****

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 Chapter 169 Two [Slaughter Demon Sutra]S

    ?

    Earlier, when he checked up on his body, Duncan had avoided checking his ck heart due to some residual fear. He didn''t want to experience such pain one more time. He was like a kid who had been burned by fire. There was an instinctive aversion towards turning his attention towards the ck heart.

    But now, the situation was really bizarre. And the only ce he could find an answer was his ck heart. Duncan already knew that his ck heart wasn''t like ordinary hearts. There was something mysterious about it. If there was one ce answers could be found, then it would be at his ck heart.

    However, Duncan felt a little apprehensive after thest episode. So, he wasn''t keen on doing such a thing so soon. But, the situation was bizarre enough that Duncan had no other option but to check the ck heart out sooner than he wasfortable with.

    Duncan wasn''t willing to neglect internal injuries. He knew their effects and how they can be disastrous for a cultivator. So, with no other option left, he could only grit his teeth and check it out.

    He only hoped that there would be some answer and no more pain due to this. Gritting his teeth, Duncan sent his consciousness to probe the ck heart. He didn''t dare to immerse himself entirely just yet. This was just a probe to figure out the situation.

    The moment Duncan''s tentative probe entered the ck heart, Duncan''s whole body stiffened. His posture became rigid and his face became ck in surprise.

    Meanwhile, a deluge of information entered Duncan''s mind in a neverending stream. Duncan''s mind swelled as the huge overload of information he received directly made his head ache a bit.

    Thissted for a few minutes before Duncan''s eyes opened.

    There was a bit of confusion mixed with surprise evident on Duncan''s face currently. The information he received was something very valuable, but Duncan didn''t know if he could trust its authenticity.

    "Huh, there is aplete cultivation technique for [ughter Demon Sutra] in my mind currently. Not just for the first two levels, but for even levels above Nascent Soul realm is there," Duncan mumbled as he reviewed the information he received.

    "But, anything above Nascent Soul realm looks vague and blurry. Even if I concentrate, I am not able to understand them at all. Even so, the technique up to Nascent Soul realm is very useful. Howeverˇ­"

    Duncan trailed off as he pursued the information that appeared in his mind. A strange look appeared on his face. He looked as if he had encountered something bizarre again.

    "Howe there are certain differences in this [ughter Demon Sutra]? There aren''t many, but some key points have been slightly altered. Why is this? Among the two I know, one came from my master, and another is from the ck heart. Which one is the right one?"

    Duncan scratched his head in confusion as he tried to figure out which one was the right one. Thinking for a bit, Duncan opened the spirit ring in his possession and took out the manual his master had given him to practice for the first two levels of [ughther Demon Sutra].

    Duncan spent the next hourparing the [ughter Demon Sutra] he received from the ck heart and the one that was in the manual. Afterparing the two several times, Duncan began to see a kind of pattern that made him a bit speechless.

    The [ughter Demon Sutra] he obtained from the ck heart felt more profound and mysterious than the one in the manual. While there weren''t any major differences between the two techniques, the few altered wordings and a few additional sentences gave a whole new meaning to the cultivation technique entirely.

    "Fuck! How can this be possible? The [ughter Demon Sutra] I obtained from the ck heart is even more sinister than the one from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Comparatively, the ck heart one looks more and more authentic as I analyze?" Duncan cursed.

    "Does that mean that the [ughter Demon Sutra] I practiced so far is not the authentic version? Did I practice some knock-off version? Wait a minute; did my bastard master give me a substandard version? No, no no, I can''t think like that. There must be something missing hereˇ­"

    Duncan fell into more confusion the further he analyzed the two techniques. No matter how he analyzed it, the version from the ck heart seemed more true. With the addition of those few sentences and recing certain words, the whole technique felt like it was upgraded several times.

    The mysterious quality he could perceive from it was far more than what he had cultivated so far. Moreover, there were a lot of sinister elements in the technique provided by the ck heart. They looked more demonic than the technique he obtained from the sect.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Let''s put aside the matter of my master deceiving me for now. I don''t know if the manual I received was altered or if the manual in the sect was different. I can only check it outter once I return to the sect. I could easily use the excuse of getting the manual for advanced levels to verify it," Duncan said sighing.

    "Even if I find out my master had yed tricks, what can I do to him? I am just a puny antpared to him in status and power. There is no way I can seek justice for it. Moreover, seeking justice in a demonic sect soundsughable even to me," Duncan shook his head.

    "But, from analyzing the two techniques, I can see two major points of difference. One is whenever the technique mentions the ck heart. This isn''t something symbolic. I can tell that it clearly refers to the ck heart like the one I have. There are even some references that state the ck heart as the dark heart. So, there must be something here," Duncan said narrowing his eyes.

    "The other major point of difference is also rted to the ck heart. These added sentences mostly discuss the evolution of a ck heart. The one I got from the sect doesn''t talk about such stuff. It was as if these things were redacted and the entire technique was altered topensate for it. This has brought the mysteriousness of the entire technique a notch down," Duncan furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought.

    "Huh," Duncan looked up sharply after some time. "There might be a clue here. These mentions of evolutionsˇ­ they seem to rte to something I had read about in the sect. What is it?"

    Duncan once more wracked his head trying to jog the memory of his readings. In his short stay in the sect, Duncan had memorized a lot of things that weremon knowledge in the cultivation world in a bid to expand his knowledge. At that time, he had just memorized a lot of stuff and had even nced at some very interesting but obscure things. Not everything was on the top of his mind.

    After wracking his head for a while, Duncan finally recollected what he had read about techniques allowing evolution. As he recalled those writings, a strange expression crossed his face.

    "That seems to be a bit impossible, isn''t it? I am just somemoner who was lucky enough to step into cultivation. But, if this is true, that may not be entirely correctˇ­"

    Conflicting emotions warred within Duncan as he tried to make sense of his finding. He felt very difficult to believe his thoughts. Things like that were not verymon. He didn''t know how to feel about it if his conjecture was indeed true.

    "But, if it is true, things would make a lot of senseˇ­" Duncan mumbled. "Wait a minute, let me check the technique I obtained for higher levels. I may be able to ascertain if they are true."

    Duncan once more delved into his memory and pursued the remaining information of the [ughter Demon Sutra]. If his guess was indeed right, then there would be mentions of it in the higher levels of the technique.

    But, Duncan didn''t dare to believe in such a wild thing. If his conjecture was right, then everything about him will change one way or another. It would also mean that there was something in his past that was hidden.

    Duncan didn''t like it one bit. He was content with who he was and he didn''t want to change. This new revtion was very unwee. He could only hope that his conjecture was wrong and he was simply thinking wildly.

    After some time, Duncan opened his eyes with a dignified look. There was aplicated expression on his face as if he couldn''t believe the result. Letting out a deep sigh, Duncan stood up and looked at the ceiling of the cave. He stood in silence for a long time before uttering the words that he didn''t want to believe.

    "I have a bloodlineˇ­"

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 170 I Have A Bloodline?

    ?

    "I have a bloodlineˇ­"

    Duncan didn''t know how exactly he should react to this revtion. To anyone else, knowing that they have a bloodline would be cause for joy. After all, in the cultivation world, having a bloodline meant that they were a special existence.

    Bloodlines, spirit bodies, constitution, and other innate talents could be considered as special existences in the cultivation world. Among 10000 cultivators, one would possess such things. It can easily be seen how rare this is.

    After all, for every 100000 humans present, one would be a cultivator. And being 1 in 10000 even among cultivators can be considered pretty rare. That''s the reason every cultivation sect or family would be d to wee these special existences into their fold.

    Moreover, even among these special existences, there would be several grades based on how powerful their individual abilities are. Duncan didn''t know the grade of his bloodline yet, but having a bloodline alone should have brought him joy.

    Unfortunately, it wasn''t joy that Duncan received at this moment. To be precise, confusion was the thing that upied Duncan at this moment. Unlike other special talents, a bloodline is somewhat different when ites to how it emerges.

    Any cultivator may be born with an innate constitution, spirit body, or talent. That is entirely up to luck. On the other hand, a bloodline is something that is passed down through blood rtions.

    In order for someone to obtain a bloodline, there are several prerequisites that must be met. First and foremost is that they must be a descendant of a powerful cultivator. The more powerful the ancestor is, the more concentrated the bloodline would be.

    Even then, things aren''t that simple. Having a bloodline meant having some innate powers in their blood. But, if one doesn''t activate these powers they wouldy dormant and eventually fade away.

    The conditions to activate a bloodline aren''t uniform either. Every bloodline will have its own conditions to activate its bloodline ability. These may range from being benevolent to incredibly harsh. And the most important factor is that these conditions are only known to the family and will never be leaked out.

    If one doesn''t activate their bloodline power within a certain period of time, these powers wouldy dormant for the rest of their life. They may be passed down on to future generations or bepletely absent as time goes by. Sometimes, they will skip generations before reappearing. This is ultimately decided by luck or what is simply called providence.

    However, there was one thing certain about having a bloodline. Any family that has a bloodline would be a powerful one.

    Hence, for Duncan, having a bloodline meant he must have an ancestor who was incredibly powerful at some point in time. His bloodline must have originated from that particr ancestor.

    But, Duncan was an orphan. He didn''t even know much about his parents, where could he go and find this elusive ancestor? Moreover, if there was indeed an ancestor, why was he left to toil in the spirit mines in his early days?

    Even if his family couldn''t provide him with cultivation resources, couldn''t they have at least made sure he led a normal life? Moreover, was his family even alive to this day?

    Families bing exterminated is a verymon thing in the cultivation world. Once his powerful ancestor died, it is very likely that his family might have faced a cmity. There were countless stories like this.

    So, Duncan didn''t mind that much. But, the fact that he had a likelihood of having a powerful family made Duncan reel. There were a lot of conflicting emotions present inside him at this moment.

    Duncan knew that only by researching the origin would he have answers to these questions. But, Duncan didn''t want to know about these things. He was content being a lone wolf. He wanted to be free. After the disaster of Starsinger Town, he didn''t want to be tied down to anything.

    Now that this possibility of a powerful family hase to his attention, it was only natural that his mind was in turmoil. He knew that only by learning more about his family could he evolve his bloodline further. But, he was also worried about unnecessary troublesing for him due to this.

    Duncan remained silent for a long time. In the end, he banished all the messy thoughts in his head and let out a loud sigh.

    "Among the cultivation techniques, there is a special kind of cultivation technique called Bloodline Techniques. Only by practicing these Bloodline Techniques will a cultivator be able to unleash the full potential of their bloodlines," Duncan mumbled looking ahead.

    "These Bloodline Techniques will help a person''s bloodline to evolve further and be more and more stronger. However, these techniques are useless for other cultivators without the bloodline to cultivate."

    "Even among the Bloodline Techniques, those that can be stored within a descendant''s body can be called as transcendental techniques. For this to happen, the bloodline must be very powerful. If not, a bloodline wouldn''t be able to hold the technique within it. And only the ancestor of the technique would be able to engrave this technique into the very bloodline he createdˇ­"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Seeing how [ughter Demon Sutra] was able to be engraved inside the ck heart and even possessing the techniques for above Nascent Soul realm, I can only conclude my ancestor was incredibly powerful."

    "But, how did the Heavenly Demon Sect acquire the altered version of this technique? And the alteration was also ingenious. They had altered a Bloodline Technique into a high-grade cultivation technique that just requires special condition like the ck Heart."

    "This can''t be done by an ordinary person. It is most likely that my ancestor is someone who is very powerful. But, the way he had done this also hints at some hidden motive and intrigues. There must be a reason for my ancestor to spread this technique and also disguise it. And this reason couldn''t be something simpleˇ­"

    "Sighˇ­ looks like my life is getting more and moreplicated. Why was my powerful ancestor hiding that this is a cultivation technique rted to his bloodline? What exactly was he afraid of? Should I be worried about getting dragged into things I don''t have knowledge about?"

    "I think I should keep quiet about this change. It looks like my master doesn''t know the secret behind this cultivation technique. That means I can''t confront him either. He might be really ignorant. But, things have be far murkier because of this. Does my origin have some special significance? I can only keep my head down and continue to search for clues about my bloodline discreetly."

    "Sigh! What a drag!!! Who knew that I would activate a bloodline, eh?"

    Duncan sighed and shook his head in disbelief. He never expected such a thing to happen to him. He only wanted to cultivate his soul art, but things had spiraled out of his control and he had been led into several things one after the other.

    When he entered this cave, it was to gain enlightenment on the concept of a mountain. But now, he had learned things about ughter dao, improved tremendously in strength, and even activated his bloodline.

    Once Duncan realized that he had a bloodline, the reason for his injury became very clear. Activating a bloodline power is a brutal process. Usually, it involved fulfilling a lot of hidden conditions and even enduring unimaginable pain while his bloodline activated.

    When a bloodline activates, it would reshape a cultivator''s body to be in line with the power it gave a cultivator. During this time, a cultivator must endure unimaginable pain as the bloodline reshapes their body. This was what happened to Duncan. Since this was a special phenomenon, the injuries caused by it will also be healed by the bloodline before the activation ispleted.

    Duncan didn''t know what kind of hidden conditions he had fulfilled. He didn''t even know he had a bloodline prior to this, how can he fulfill hidden conditions consciously?

    But, he was able to infer that he had activated his bloodline from the clues left behind during the transformation. His body had been reshaped. He now had an entire cultivation technique that led up to the Nascent Soul realm. And he was feeling far more powerful than he was before.

    Now that his phantom pains were receding and he wasn''t focused on figuring out what happened, Duncan can already feel the power that was coursing through his body. He could hear his strong heartbeat and now had increased rity of mind. Even his soul felt a bit more denser than before.

    And this was only the beginningˇ­

    Duncan had a vague idea that the conditions needed for activation might be rted to the ck heart he possessed. Until now, he had unknowingly fulfilled them. But, he didn''t need to search in the blind any longer.

    He now had a direction to focus his bloodline evolution upon. Furthermore, with the improved [ughter Demon Sutra], Duncan was confident that he will be able to easily evolve his bloodline further and further.

    With this new change, Duncan''s self-confidence rose to new heights. Not only did he feel that he was twice as powerful as he was before, but he also had hope for future advancement as well.

    At this moment, Duncan felt that his future shined brightlyˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 171 Grotto Heaven Closes...

    ?

    Two weeksterˇ­

    Outside the Grotto Heavenˇ­

    Arge group of experts were currently standing outside the gates with solemn expressions on their faces. Currently, there were signs of the Grotto Heaven closing down soon and everyone was eager to see the results their disciples had in the past few months.

    Since the Grotto Heaven opened, this region has be very very active. Experts from the surrounding regions havee here to both protect their juniors and look for other opportunities that might inevitably ur soon.

    With signs of Grotto Heaven closing down appearing, everyone had assembled to take a look at the results. It is inevitable that there would be some conflicts once the disciplese out of the Grotto Heaven due to some disagreements inside.

    There might even be opportunities to fish in troubled waters or pick up a bargain due to the chaos that was going to erupt soon. So, every expert was both anxious and eager at the moment.

    Despite all these, everyone''s eyes were trained on one particrly conspicuous group that was standing to the one side. Everyone knew that since these bastards hade over in strength, they would be looking for a fight.

    So, everyone was wary of that group of people and were keeping a close eye on their movements. If it was possible, none of the experts wanted to fight with these lunatics right here at the doorstep of their sect.

    Yes, the group everyone was worried about was the one from the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    "Why do you think those lunatics havee in such strong numbers? Do you think there is something fishy?" one of the experts asked his friend in a worried tone.

    "I am not sure. Usually, I would be confident that no one would be mad enough to take on the entire world. But, when ites to these lunatics, I am not very sure about thatˇ­"

    "Should we prepare?"

    "It is better to be prepared. Do not provoke them no matter what. Once our disciplese out, we will leave this ce as soon as possibleˇ­"

    "Don''t care about othersˇ­ we will evacuate once our disciples appear. The situation looks turbulentˇ­"

    "Should we call for reinforcementsˇ­"

    "Have those figures from the hegemonic sects arrived?"

    Numerous conversations were conducted mentally as the experts looked at the distant group with growing apprehension.

    Even though they strongarmed the Heavenly Demon Sect and forced them to allow their disciples to enter the Grotto Heaven, none of the righteous cultivators wanted a fight to ur with these lunatics at the moment.

    On the contrary, other demonic sects were quite eager to see if the Heavenly Demon Sect still had the qualifications to he be the hegemon amongst them. So, they were quite ready to stir the pot and see the strength of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    But, they were also aware of the precarious situation currently. They knew that the Heavenly Demon Sect was looking for an excuse at the moment. Their strong lineup made it clear to them that the Heavenly Demon Sect was looking to showcase its power.

    At this moment, if they miscalcted, the Heavenly Demon Sect would end up turning on them and exterminating them as well. So, they need to move delicately and not expose their true thoughts.

    "Sect Master, when the timees I will try to goad the Heavenly Demon Sect a little. We can see from their response how confident they are?"

    "Don''t be foolish. Do not stand out. Let others test them out. What are we to do if those lunatics turned around and bit us?"

    "We have instructed our disciples to not listen to the orders of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Let''s see how that panned outterˇ­"

    "Do you think we can start the conflict by attacking those cowards from the righteous sects?"

    "Ah! Demoness Feng looks very sexy. I want to have her under meˇ­"

    "Concentrate idiotˇ­ this is not the time to let your needs go out of controlˇ­"

    "Who cares, if we can kill all these bastards, wouldn''t Demoness Feng be our ything? What do you say, old man? This is a good opportunityˇ­"

    "Didn''t you see the Wind Demon present there? Moreover, there are also several elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect present. Do not create too much trouble. It looks like they are also looking for a fightˇ­"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Damn! Do they need to mobilize this many experts? Are they preparing for war or somethingˇ­"

    The current situation was really delicate with multiple hidden undercurrents flowing. The righteous sects didn''t want a fight. The demonic sects wanted to check the strength of the Heavenly Demon Sect. As for what the Heavenly Demon Sect wanted to do, no one was clear about it.

    This was truly a powderkeg waiting to explode.

    *****

    Liang Tianye stood amidst the Heavenly Demon Sect cultivators and eyed the myriad experts who were watching their group a little apprehensively. He almost sneered looking at their pitiful postures.

    None of them dared to look at the group from the Heavenly Demon Sect directly. Seeing their flitting eyes almost made himugh. He didn''t know how these useless idiots had the courage to intrude into their sect''s territory boldly.

    Now that the Heavenly Demon Sect had responded aggressively, these sheep were fidgeting nervously. It was almostical to even think about why his Senior Brother gave ground to such a bunch of cowards.

    Just thinking about it made him a bit irritable. Even though he knew about the numerous calctions his Senior Brother performed in order to ensure such a state, he couldn''t help but feel aggrieved a little.

    It''s a good thing that this farce woulde to an end soon.

    Looking around, he could see several elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect were also itching to let loose. All they needed was a little push. Once a conflict erupts, it would soon escte. He would make sure of it.

    As he looked around, his eyes passed over Feng Feixuan as well. She was back to her usual self that both captivated and tormented cultivators of the opposite sex. Looking at the way several righteous cultivators were shooting her discreet nces, he couldn''t help but smile.

    Just knowing that a woman who everyone wanted to tame was already tamed by him, brought him an immense sense of satisfaction. In recent days, her actions have given him a lot of confidence in conquering herpletely one day.

    Right now, he was content with the level of loyalty shown by her. He knew from Feng Feixuan''s information that several elders were dispatched this time to keep an eye on his actions. If he started a fight without proper justification, he might be the one that would end up being suppressed.

    It looked like the First Grand Elder was really worried about him stirring things up. Therefore, he has dispatched a lot of elders to suppress him and even kill him if needed. It showed him how worried the First Grand Elder was about his Senior Brother.

    While he wasn''t afraid in dealing with this bunch of ants, he knew that it wasn''t time for him to reveal his true strength. There is still time for the Aghori Path to descend. Tipping his hand now would arouse the vignce of the righteous sects and people from the Central Continent would be alerted that something fishy was going on.

    Liang Tianye knew that was something that his Senior Brother wanted to avoid at all costs. His Senior Brother was very firm on that. As much as his Senior Brother wanted chaos to ur, he had also stressed the importance of keeping their real cultivation levels hidden until the Aghori Path started descending.

    When the timees, their hidden strength would be the trump card needed to perform crucial roles. So, he couldn''t expose them at this moment. This meant that without proper justification, he must not create chaos right here, right now.

    But, Liang Tianye wasn''t worried.

    He already had a good n in his mind. When the Grotto Heaven closes and his disciple fails to exit, he would create a ruckus and kill a few righteous cultivators to sow chaos. What happened after that wouldn''t be his problem.

    This way, he would have a clear reason to go berserk. It didn''t matter if anyone believed it. The people sent by the First Grand Elder might be suspicious, but they can''t gainsay him when he uses the reason of taking revenge for his disciple. That would make the sect look weak and he knew that the First Grand Elder was worried about it as well.

    Smirking at the assembled men, Liang Tianye waited for the Grotto Heaven to close. In the distance, the Grotto Heaven showed signs of destabilizing. Looking at the destabilizing Grotto Heaven, Liang Tianye couldn''t help but grin widely.

    Once this Grotto Heaven destabilizes, the final node of the formation preventing the descent of the Aghori Path will be eliminated. And within a year, the Aghori Path will descend into this world and their long mission woulde to an end.

    Liang Tianye felt his blood boil with anticipation as he looked ahead at the gates of the Grotto Heaven.

    In the distance, cracks started appearing on the majestic gates of the Grotto Heavenˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 172 Trap?

    Chapter 172 Trap?

    The cracks on the gates of the Grotto Heaven started erging at a rate visible to naked eye. Everyone''s attention turned towards the gates and they all eyed it with both anticipation and dread.

    The moment of truth was hereˇ­

    The lunatics from the Heavenly Demon Sect haven''t done anything so far. But, no one trusted them to act peacefully once the gates closed. After all, if they wanted to be peaceful, why would theye with such a lineup?

    So, everyone was naturally worried about them.

    Grotto Heavens were a unique existence in the cultivation world. They were independent spaces created by powerful cultivators. When their restrictions are broken and they are opened, there would be a small-scale disturbance in the surroundingnds.

    However, the biggest disturbance would only appear when they close after the restriction had been broken. When the gates of a Grotto Heaven close, the independent space that had been sealed will gradually merge with the broader world.

    Some aspects of the Grotto Heaven will remain in the independent space, while some would integrate into the surrounding space. The space around the region would not be stable for a month or so.

    At this time, every living being within the Grotto Heaven will be evicted. No matter what state they would be in, everyone inside the Grotto Heaven will be sent out. Whether they be demonic beasts, cultivators, or other special existences, every living soul will be evicted.

    Sometimes this would create an opportunity for people who are waiting outside. If there was some special creature that hadn''t been seen in the world for a while, they would be the target of every faction present here.

    So, the closing of a Grotto Heaven will always have some kind of struggle associated with it. This is one of the reasons for every faction to appear during the closing of the Grotto Heaven.

    Right now, every cultivator was anxiously waiting to see if any kind of special creature would be sent out. Not to mention the inheritances obtained by lucky cultivators from the ruins. If someone obtains an inheritance but doesn''t have the corresponding strength or background, then they could only obediently cough out their gains.

    So, this location would also act as a ce that was ideal for recruiting talented and lucky disciples who have some immortal fate. Thus, every faction in the surrounding area would be interested in situations like these.

    This was one of the reasons for the righteous sects to band together and pressure the Heavenly Demon Sect. While they had seeded initially, right now they were a little apprehensive about the Heavenly Demon Sect''s response.

    Just then, a cracking sound echoed and the gates of the Grotto Heaven shattered into million pieces. The next moment, numerous lights emitted out from the Grotto Heaven. Inside these lights were every living soul that was currently inside the Grotto Heaven.

    Whoosh!

    Whoosh!

    Whoosh!

    The people inside the Grotto Heaven were evicted one after the other. They were in all kinds of states causing confusion to rage around in the area. Some were in a state of fighting, some were meditating, some were walking, and some were even simply waiting.

    In the end, no one escaped from being evicted.

    Just then, an enraged shout came from a group that was evicted.

    "Shen Wulong, you shameless bastard! How could you be so sinister as to attack your fianc¨¦ from behind!?"

    Everyone''s attention turned toward a woman who was injured heavily. Her breathing was ragged and it was clear to everyone that the injury she sustained was really serious.

    "He he heˇ­ Did you remember that I am your fianc¨¦ only now? How about the time you ambushed me with your sect members and poisoned me with Icy Nether Poison, bitch?"

    Another voice scornfully retorted causing the young woman''s face to contort in rage.

    "Qing Mu, you vile bitch! You not only ambushed me, you all caused the destruction of my entire family. Why did you do this? Don''t you know? Isn''t this all because I had the token to open this Grotto Heaven? Isn''t this all because of your greed? Don''t act righteously now, bitch!"

    A young man stood in the distance and cursed Qing Mu, causing everyone''s eyes to change. Seeing the surrounding people''s usatory eyes, Qing Mu almost felt like bursting into mes due to shame. Her emotions surged and the injury she suffered worsened as a result.

    Unable to hold on anymore, Qing Mu vomited blood from her internal injuries. Looking at a beautiful woman vomiting blood in anger, everyone''s heart softened. However, there was one person who wasn''t swayed.

    "You are lucky that you moved at thest moment bitch. But, don''t worry. I will finish what I startedˇ­" Shen Wulong said with a frosty look on his face and prepared to finish her off.

    Everyone sucked in their breath seeing such a ruthless young man. This young man didn''t just injure the woman but also wanted to kill her in front of so many people. How deep must the hatred between the two run?

    "Senior Sister!!"

    Just then a young man rushed out of the crowd towards the young woman and tried to assist her. Seeing this junior brother''s actions, most people''s hearts softened a bit. However, Shen Wulong wasn''t among them.

    Seeing the boy helping his fianc¨¦ up, Shen Wulong realized that this was yet another victim who had been bewitched by this bitch. It hadn''t even been six months since she attacked me, now someone else was ready to die together with her. This only further steeled his resolve to kill his conniving ex-fiance.

    Since you wanted to rush out and save that bitch at this moment, then there is no need for you to live either. I will send both you lovebirds to the afterlife togetherˇ­

    Shen Wulong''s rage rose to the peak and he didn''t bother about anything else. Arge fist shadow formed in the sky and the next moment it came down on the heads of both Qing Mu and her junior brother.

    Just as the fist shadow was going to pulverize the duo, a strange golden shield flickered into life and resisted the attack.

    GONG!

    A loud sound echoed causing everyone to shut their ears. In the distance, Shen Wulong''s fist shadow was blocked by a golden shield that stood before Qing Mu and her junior brother.

    "Shen Wulong, you wicked man, do you think it is easy to kill the disciples of Icy Nether Hall?" Qing Mu roared angrily.

    The moment her voice faded, amotion erupted amongst the cultivators present in the surroundings.

    "Wait, did she say she was a disciple of Icy Nether Hall?"

    "Icy Nether Hall from the Central Continent?"

    "What are the people from Central Continent doing here?"

    Countless discussions broke out the moment Qing Mu''s identity was revealed. Shen Wulong''s face became cold seeing the situation turn. He knew what kind of a status Qing Mu''s faction had in the cultivation world. Especially, the words Central Continent was magical to cultivators in this continent.

    Every cultivator in the Dragon Scale Continent yearned to reach the Central Continent. However, even though they wanted to practice there, they can''t stand there without a big faction to support them. And Icy Nether Hall was one of the top factions of the Central Continent.

    He clearly understood that there was no chance for him to kill this bitch now. People looking to curry favor woulde up and protect this bitch from him once her identity was revealed.

    Still, he was unwilling to let her go like this.

    "Last time you took advantage of my carelessness and injured me severely. But, you don''t have that option anymore. You can forget about harming me and my junior brotherˇ­" Qing Mu wheezed and stared at Shen Wulong fiercely.

    Even though Qing Mu''s stare was fierce, there was a calm air about her. She didn''t look like someone who was on the verge of death mere moments ago. Her entire demeanor screamed that everything was under her control.

    Looking at her state, Shen Wulong''s eyes narrowed suddenly. His understanding of his fianc¨¦ was really at a high level. Looking at her calm face, Shen Wulong realized that there must be something wrong with the situation.

    Then, his brain clicked and he figured out what was odd. ording to her nature, Qing Mu would never draw attention to her while she was injured. She always maintained an indomitable fa?ade.

    But, right now, she had drawn the attention of everyone here by using him of attacking her from behind. This was really uncharacteristic of her. And that golden shield in front of her informed him that she was already prepared to be attacked by him.

    In that case, why did she draw attention?

    Shen Wulong cursed her mentally as he realized that this was trap sprung for him and he had let his emotions towards her lead him astray. What the hell was he doing here and waiting for others to gather around?

    He has already obtained the inheritance from the main hall. There were several powerhouses vying for it at that moment. Right now, they were all transported outside and would be searching for him. At this moment, he should act low key and escape first.

    But, here he was creating amotion and drawing a target on himself. If not for this bitch''s shout, he would have already escaped from here. So, this was this bitch''s n all alongˇ­

    The moment he realized this, Shen Wulong didn''t hesitate any second. He would have other opportunities to settle his grudge against Qing Mu. His first priority was now to escape from this ce.

    The next moment, Shen Wulong vanished from his spot and started escaping.

    *****

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 Chapter 173 Where are the hotheads?

    Chapter 173 Where are the hotheads?

    The next moment, Shen Wulong vanished from his spot and started escaping.

    Seeing this everyone was confused for a moment. Everyone could clearly see that he had the advantage, but he suddenly escaped. This didn''t make any sense. What was happening?

    "Don''t let him leave. He is a wanted criminal by our Icy Nether Hall. Moreover, he obtained the main inheritance from the Grotto Heavenˇ­"

    Seeing Shen Wulong''s decisive escape, Qing Mu shouted anxiously.

    BOOM!

    What? That was the one who had obtained the main inheritance? Are you stupid? Why are you only saying this now? Stupid Woman!

    Everyone cursed Qing Mu internally for being too wordy. The next moment, several experts immediately vanished from the vicinity and started chasing Shen Wulong''s distant figure.

    Just thenˇ­

    Roar!!!

    A ferocious roar erupted from the distance and arge ape started rushing in the same direction as the experts. Seeing therge ape, the rest of the experts who wanted to follow immediately gave up their idea.

    They knew that this was a Level 7 beast. And for it toe up short in the fight in the main hall, then the strength of the one who came out on top would not be simple. Right now, they hadn''t actually gauged the situation clearly, so they were a bit muddleheaded.

    If they chased after someone who can fight against a Level 7 beast, then they would only be sending themselves to their death. So, they decisively gave up their greed and restrained themselves.

    Among the experts present, a few already figured out the details behind the situation and they all shot suspicious looks at the injured Qing Mu. Anyone who could cultivate to this level wasn''t a fool. They all smelled something strange about the situation.

    This woman had not only survived a sneak attack by such an expert. But, she also dyed the expert from escaping with her words. This woman was by no means someone simple.

    Even though they felt sorry for her state, they didn''t want to get involved in the struggles between powerhouses. How can a criminal chased by the Icy Nether Hall be useless? There must be more to this story.

    Seeing everyone''s restraint, Qing Mu cursed them internally for being a bunch of cowards. She knew that no one would buy her act now. She only felt that it was a pity that she was currently injured and wouldn''t be able to chase after Shen Wulong.

    "Senior Sister, what do we do now?" Qing Mu''s junior brother also figured out that their ruse will not work anymore and asked anxiously.

    "What are you worried about? No one here will dare touch us. Let''s see the situation here first. We can cooperate with some First Tier sects to track Shen Wulongter," Qing Mu saidposing herself.

    Qing Mu''s junior brother nodded.

    In the distance, the expressions of the experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect changed slightly. The moment the woman revealed herself as a disciple of Icy Nether Hall, they knew that things have be murky.

    With such an identity, if anything happened to her, things would be tricky. None of the experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect wanted to offend the Icy Nether Hall.

    Even Liang Tianye furrowed his brows a little. He knew that his Senior Brother didn''t want the attention of the Central Continent to be shifted toward their sect at this juncture. So, he needed to tread this problem carefully.

    "Vice-Sect Master, what are we supposed to do now? With that woman''s identity, things would be a little difficult," one of the elders asked a little worriedly.

    "What are you afraid of? As long as we don''t kill her, Icy Nether Hall wouldn''t have anything toin about," Liang Tianye snorted dissatisfiedly. "Moreover, we aren''t here to kill people, are we?"

    Liang Tinaye asked with a smile causing the elder to frown a bit.

    Seeing his reaction, Liang Tianye confirmed in his heart that this elder was one of the people who were sent to monitor him by the First Grand Elder. That probing question now was to check his motives. If he had said something else, then it might have tipped off this old man about his motives.

    Liang Tianye sneered at the elder''s pitiful attempt of fishing for information. He wasn''t that na?ve. Moreover, there wasn''t a need for him to act yet. Once his disciple''s death was confirmed, then he could act with proper justification. Why would he rush to pick a fight now?

    "Assemble our disciples and gather information on what happened inside," Liang Tianye ordered nonchntly and looked at the gathered experts with a dismissive eye.

    No matter what happens, today he would create chaos.

    *****

    "They did what?"

    "Absolutely despicableˇ­"

    "How dare they?"

    "What! They are really audacious toˇ­"

    "Despicable! Absolutely despicable!"

    Countless sounds of outrage erupted soon amongst the gathered experts causing amotion in the area. The experts who had gathered with their disciples were all wearing an enraged expression as they looked at the Heavenly Demon Sect group.

    Whether they be from righteous sects or from demonic sects everyone was outraged after hearing what happened inside the Grotto Heaven. They never expected even the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect to act so outrageously. Such a thing was simply unimaginableˇ­

    Meanwhile, the elders from the Heavenly Demon Sect wore proud expressions and wereughing heartily as they chatted with their disciples. They didn''t expect these little rascals to act in such a manner.

    Stripping everything in the outer region before others came in!

    Surrounding the main hall and robbing everyone who came out!

    What a demeanor! These little rascals didn''t throw away their face. Initially, they were worried about how to establish dominance among the experts present here. But, they never expected their disciples to give them an opportunity on a silver tter.

    These little rascals didn''t even let other demonic sect disciples get awayˇ­

    Looking over, they can see that the disciples from other factions were alreadyining about their actions to their elders. The elders from the Heavenly Demon Sect gleefully watched the other experts getting enraged as they heard about the actions of the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    They knew that there was no way no one would question this conduct. It is very likely someone would stand up and ask for an exnation. All they needed to do when someone asks is to stand firm on the side of their disciples and not budge an inch.

    If these idiots wanted to fight, then they would crush them. As long as they didn''t give in, their dominance would be established. They didn''t need to pick a fight. The fight was already prepared, they only needed to wait for someone to jump onto the stage.

    This reduced their burden a lot.

    Now, it wasn''t the Heavenly Demon Sect that needed to prove themselves. Their juniors have already done it. Now, it was the time for the other sects to ask for justice.

    He he heˇ­ justiceˇ­ They are demonic cultivators. Who are you asking? Are you out of your mind? You should be grateful that we don''t surround you and rob you as well. Don''t talk to us about some shit justice.

    The elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect proudly watched the other experts daring them to voice anyints. Even the other demonic sect elders were aggrieved by such an action.

    The disciples from all the other factions had a look of anger and unwillingness on their faces. They also had heavy expectations on their seniors, hoping they would stand up for them.

    But, the reality was far from differentˇ­

    Even though many experts were angry about the actions of the disciples from the Heavenly Demon Sect, they also knew that the lunatics from the Heavenly Demon Sect were actually waiting for someone to jump out.

    No one wanted to be the first one to jump out. Everyone knew what fate awaited the first one to jump out. Since these demons were already itching for a fight and hade over with such a strong line-up, who would be stupid enough to provide them with an excuse?

    A strange silence stretched across the entire region as everyone waited for someone else to make a move.

    Liang Tianye saw this bizarre scenario and couldn''t help but chuckle inwardly. He didn''t know how to react to the actions of these little demons. Their actions had actually aided him a lot. He was actually waiting for someone to stand out and use their sect.

    However, even though the strange atmospherested for a while, no one actually came up asking for justice. Liang Tianye couldn''t help but curse this bunch of bastards for being sensible at this moment.

    Shouldn''t there be a hothead at this moment?

    What happened to the elders from other demonic sects?

    What about those righteous warriors moring for justice?

    Shouldn''t someonee out?

    Liang Tianye cursed everyone internally and decided to not wait any longer. He just needs to ask about his disciple and then find an excuse to kill a few people. No need toplicate things.

    "Chen Wangjie!" Liang Tianye said suddenly causing everyone to look at him.

    Foodie Chen was currently talking with a few fellow disciples animatedly. When he heard the Vice-Sect Master''s call, he didn''t know what was wanted of him. But, he knew that he should not dally any longer.

    "Vice-Sect Master!" Foodie Chen ran towards Liang Tianye and bowed.

    "Did you aplish the mission I gave you?" Liang Tianye asked not bothering to lower his voice.

    "I did, Vice-Sect Master," Foodie Chen nodded in a hurry.

    "Where is my disciple? Bring him here, let me get a look at himˇ­" Liang Tianye said nonchntly causing Foodie Chen to be taken aback a little.

    "Vice-Sect Master, thest I saw junior brother was two months ago. I haven''t seen him since then," Foodie Chen hurried to reply.

    "What do you mean?" Liang Tianye shouted with fake anger. "Where is my disciple?"

    "I am here, master," a voice came from amidst the assembled Heavenly Demon Sect disciples causing Liang Tianye to be taken aback.

    "What!?" Liang Tianye said in reflex as he saw histest disciple walking out of the crowd and hurrying towards him.

    Looking at his disciple standing hale and healthy right before him, Liang Tianye felt as if the world had yed a joke on him.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 174 Aftermath I

    ?

    "So, you did nothing?"

    Liang Tianye sat before his Senior Brother with arge scowl on his face. What happened outside the Grotto Heaven was like a thorn in his heart. All his ns had been for moot. His countless preparations ended up in vain as nothing progressed as he expected.

    "What could I do at that juncture, Senior Brother? All our preparations ended up for nothing. The situation at that time didn''t favor us at all. Moreover, those elders sent over by the First Grand Elder were watching me like a hawk. If I dared to start an incident with no excuse, then it would end disastrously," Liang Tianyemented.

    "Disastrous! Disastrous! We are the demons Junior Brother! We bring disaster! Does a demon need an excuse to cause disaster!?" Sect Master Yun exploded suddenly in anger.

    Liang Tianye was shocked to see his Senior Brother lose his calm. He had never seen his Senior Brother loseposure like this ever. Thankfully, his Senior Brother''s rage onlysted for a few moments.

    Liang Tianye watched apprehensively as his Senior Brother calmed himself quickly. He never expected such a small thing to trigger his Senior Brother this much. In his opinion, this wasn''t a big issue at all.

    What if those experts walked away? Sheep are always destined to be sheep. If not now, they could kill them whenever they wanted. It wasn''t difficult for them at all. So, he didn''t really think his Senior Brother''s overreaction was warranted.

    Yun Shinjie calmed himself down forcefully and put on a pleasant smile that he often wore. It wasn''t benevolent or anything. But, it put people at ease while hiding his true emotions. This was a mask that he had cultivated for a long time.

    Looking at his Junior Brother who still didn''t understand the repercussions of his failure, he felt like ripping out his Junior Brother''s soul and torturing it for fun. However, he didn''t show any such emotion outwards.

    This was a n that had been brewing for centuries. As a member of the famed Yun family, if he seeded in executing it, his standing amongst his family would rise up a notch.

    In the Yun family, it wasn''t martial prowess or cultivation realm that determined the status of the individual. The status of an individual was determined by the value of masterns they meticulously crafted and executed. Their family valued individuals who are able to n and execute things that were impossible. That is how their family derived their fame.

    This n to make the Aghori Path descend into this world was originally not his to execute. His father had pulled a lot of strings to allow him this opportunity to showcase his talents. The amount of favors his father had exchanged to provide him with this opportunity was simply mindnumbing.

    That was because this wasn''t a simple n to destroy a small world.

    The descent of the Aghori Path into this world wasn''t a simple matter. There were a lot of secrets and conspiracies behind this event. And this wasn''t just a single standalone event.

    This was the first lynchpin in a myriad of connecting ns that spanned several worlds. The importance of such a step couldn''t be emphasized enough. If there was a mistake in the execution of this event, the consequences could be disastrous for his family and everyone involved.

    Those who were waiting for it wouldn''t tolerate failure.

    Looking at his clueless Junior Brother, Yun Shinjie felt like bashing his head on the table between them. His Junior Brother was a smart one. He was both meticulous and ruthless. Furthermore, he didn''t have those pesky things like moralities and other irritating stuff.

    It was the reason he had selected him to be his right-hand man. It was the reason he had rmended him to his sect and cultivated him into a powerhouse that could stand above almost everyone in this world.

    But, right now, his Junior Brother wasn''t acting up to his expectations. How can a master n be simple? For a master n to bepleted, every step must be interlocked and precise. One misstep would end up alerting their enemies. That was something he didn''t want to see at all.

    "Liang Tianye," Yun Shinjie said in a serious voice causing his Junior Brother to look up at him, "your failure to execute my instructions has created several problems. I told you Junior Brother, right when I recruited you to be my right-hand man, that I don''t tolerate mistakes or failure. Even if I do, the people we are working for wouldn''t tolerate things like this."

    Liang Tianye nched upon hearing his Senior Brother''s words. An uncharacteristic fear appeared on his face as he process his Senior Brother''s words. If anyone had looked at his current state, they would be shocked to see the ever-dominating and arrogant Liang Tianye showing naked fear.

    "Do you think this was something minor? If there is no conflict with other sects at this juncture, how are we to drain the strength of the Heavenly Demon Sect? Do you think no one is capable of stopping us?" Yun Shinjie asked harshly.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Senior Brother, there was nothing there I could do," Liang Tianye said in a hoarse voice that was still filled with fear. "We can''t tip our hands while the First Grand Elder is watching us closely. Moreover, there were people from other hegemonic sects as well. Not to mention those juniors from the Central Continent. Creating an incident without proper cause will draw all their attention and..."

    "Excuses!" Yun Shinjie cut his Junior Brother off unceremoniously. "So, what if your disciple walked out alive unexpectedly? What if there was no one willing to stand out and mor? What if you were being monitored by the people sent by that old foggie? Don''t even talk to me about those juniors from the Central Continent. Do you think I care about all these trivial matters?"

    Yun Shinjie asked in a soft voice that was akin to someone sliding a de through silk. Liang Tianye shut his mouth and looked at his Senior Brother fearfully. He knew at this moment that his Senior Brother was really angry with his conduct. He just didn''t know what else he could have done at that moment.

    "I gave you a simple task. Cause a fight to emerge between the Heavenly Demon Sect and other forces in the continent. But, you couldn''t even aplish that simple thing. Moreover, you are spouting all these excuses. Liang Tianye, the people we work for aren''t some righteous cultivators who can be swayed by arguments. You must know this clearlyˇ­"

    Liang Tianye gulped and nodded. Seeing his Junior Brother''s reaction, Yun Shinjie let out a small sigh.

    "Let me tell you how badly you have screwed up. Why do you think I facilitated for this particr Grotto Heaven to be opened as thest one? It was because it was near the Heavenly Demon Sect. This was at the doorstep of a demonic sect. How can there be no confrontations and fighting when dealing with such a thing? This was the biggest opportunity to push the Heavenly Demon Sect into a fight with other powers."

    "But, what have you done? You have missed such a golden opportunity. Now, if I need to create a fight between the Heavenly Demon Sect and other powers in this continent, I will need toe up with another n. I can''t be hasty about it either. If I leave some handles, then those old foggies in the Central Continent will be alerted."

    "This would take at least a few months to operate. Now that the First Grand Elder is already suspecting us, do you think he won''t scrutinize my actions after this? Furthermore, there are only a few months left for the Aghori Path to descend. The more chaos that surrounds the region, the easier it will be for the Aghori Path to descend. How else do you expect me to create chaos at that level within the next few months?"

    Yun Shinjie spoke and looked at his Junior Brother calmly. Liang Tianye had a ghastly expression on his face as he realized what kind of blunder he had done. He had been too worried about leaving clues, that he forgot about the reasons for his Senior Brother''s instructions.

    "Sigh," Yun Shinjie shook his head. "There is no use crying over spilled milk. We have missed out on a golden opportunity. Now, we must concentrate on how to induce as much chaos as possible in a short amount of time without being too tant about it."

    "However," Yun Shinjie paused and looked at Liang Tianye. A cold gleam shed through his eyes causing Liang Tianye to straighten his spine. "Remember this, Junior Brother. I will not tolerate another blunder like this. This is yourst chance. Do not test my patience."

    Liang Tianye gulped and nodded solemnly.

    "There must be no mistakes after this. As for worrying about exposing your tracks, you can forget about it. The situation has be critical. I once thought things would develop smoothly as I nned and we can simply ensure things progressed in the right way from behind the scenes."

    "But, it looks like we must get our hands dirty soon. Prepare yourself, these next few months will be the most important time in both our lives. Failure is not an option for both of us, do you understand?"

    Liang Tianye gave a curt nod and sat up straight.

    "What are your instructions, Senior Brother?" Liang Tianye asked humbly without any of his arrogance present.

    "Let me thinkˇ­"

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 175 Aftermath II

    ?

    Duncan frowned as he sat in his cave abode and thought about the events that happened to him recently. No, he wasn''t thinking about his experience in the Grotto Heaven or the ones that urred before he entered the Grotto Heaven,

    On the contrary, his mind was currently mulling over the events that urred in regard to him from the moment he exited the Grotto Heaven. There were several things that happened to him in session that left Duncan a little bit disquieted after he came out of the Grotto Heaven.

    It had been a week since he came out of the Grotto Heaven. And this feeling has only grown more as ofte. Something within him was urging him to move out of the sect as soon as possible.

    The moment the Grotto Heaven started copsing, Duncan was also sent out from the cave he had secluded himself in just like everyone else. It was then these events started urring causing Duncan to be a little disturbed.

    The first thing that happened to him that shocked Duncan was that there was now a token that was residing inside his soul. It was a small token made out of an unknown metal with the word "Huo" engraved upon it.

    There was a mysterious formation carved on the backside of the token. Just looking at it was enough to drain Duncan''s soul power and give him a heavy headache. Duncan didn''t know when it appeared inside his soul but only knew that it wasn''t there before he came out of the Grotto Heaven.

    Remembering the words written on the steele he had seen at the top of the hill, Duncan knew what exactly this token was and who was responsible for it to appear in his soul.

    This was the handiwork of that bastard Huo Teng, the so-called Heavenly Teacher of the Radiant Empire. This token was the result of the forced transaction that he had entered into after seeding the steele trial on the hill.

    Now Duncan was sure that the karmic mes that the bastard had threatened him with were not some idle threat. The possibility of being inflicted with them was now real and it was now a major cause of concern for Duncan.

    Even though Duncan had epted his fate after what happened on the hill, he hadn''t thought about it. Apart from his anger towards the bastard Huo Teng, he hadn''t spared much attention to the situation.

    But now, his priority has shifted.

    It was not that he wasn''t angry with that bastard Huo Teng or wouldn''t strip his bones if he saw him. Duncan''s rage and anger were still present. But now, his attention has shifted towards these so-called karmic mes.

    From what Huo Teng had said, Duncan knew that this wasn''t something that he could escape from easily. This was a headache-inducing thing. And the most important thing was that he didn''t know when this supposed Aghori Path will descend.

    This was like a huge sword hanging above his head. There was no escaping it. Duncan wasn''t na?ve enough to think that he could somehow weasel himself out of this predicament. Even what little he knew of karma binding was enough to tell him that there was no escape.

    Initially, Duncan wanted to consult his master after seeing this token suddenly appear inside his soul. His distrust towards his master wasn''t strong enough yet for him to hide such a thing from his master.

    He even fantasized for a few minutes that his master would be able to solve this issue easily. However, those fantasies flew away the moment Duncan met his master after exiting the Grotto Heaven.

    When he hade out of the Grotto Heaven, the sudden appearance of the token had stunned him for a minute causing him to enter into a stupor. By the time he figured out the cause and effect and his subsequent actions in regard to that, the drama between Shen Wulong and his fianc¨¦ hade to an end and he had escaped.

    After that, Duncan saw the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect being herded together and went along. When his master had called out to know his whereabouts, he had been ted initially.

    For a moment he had even thought abouting clean with him about both the steele and that missing soul thread. However, his master''s reaction to his appearance made him go cold.

    His master had fallen into a small stupor upon seeing him. It was as if he was seeing something he hadn''t expected to see. That was incredibly bizarre. During his master''s unguarded moment, Duncan glimpsed something like rage sh past his master''s features before he controlled himself.

    This immediately caused him to be wary of his master.

    His master had no reason to have such a reaction. From Foodie Chen he had been able to glean a little that it was on his master''s instruction that Foodie Chen helped him enter the Grotto Heaven.

    Even though Foodie Chen didn''t outright say it, he was able to match Foodie Chen''s actions with that thought easily. If not for that why would someone like Foodie Chen make a specific trip to see him?

    If Foodie Chen had real concern for him, he wouldn''t have left him in the forest region right when things were bing hectic. He could have taken Duncan along with him. But, Foodie Chen didn''t do that. His actions were akin to checking up on him. Unless someone instructed, Foodie Chen wouldn''t do such a thing.

    No one from the Heavenly Demon Sect was a benevolent person. So, someone showing concern made him think of other motives immediately. Since his master was the one who arranged for Duncan to enter the Grotto Heaven, he had no reason to react in such a manner seeing him.

    Unless his master had some other reason for arranging him to enter the Grotto Heaven.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Until he knew the reason for his master''s actions, Duncan didn''t think it was prudent to reveal what happened to him to his master. Duncan wasn''t being rmist here. He had heard tales about demonic cultivators plotting against each other and everyone else a lot during his stay in Starmist City.

    So, Duncan decided that the best approach was to be cautious.

    And it paid off as well.

    His master then proceeded to subtly interrogate him about his near-death experiences. When he told that he had only one such experience, a small gleam passed through his master''s eyes.

    If Duncan wasn''t looking for it, he would have missed it. But, Duncan could clearly see that his master was interested in his near-death experience. When he recounted the entire encounter, the frown on his master''s face only furthered. It was as if he couldn''t make sense of something.

    Duncan didn''t know why his master was acting like this, but it made him a little bit wary of his master. Unless he knew the reasons, he wasn''t going to confide in his master.

    That currently left him in a bind.

    Without going to his master, there wasn''t much Duncan could do about the appearance of the token or that bastard Huo Teng. He even scoured the scripture pavilion after he returned. But, the information on karmic mes was pitifully little in the scripture pavilion.

    The only thing every scroll mentioning karmic mes agreed upon was that it was incredibly dangerous for demonic cultivators to be afflicted with them. This only made him feel more uneasy.

    Speaking of uneasiness, there was also this strange uneasy sentiment that had been brewing in Duncan''s heart ever since he returned to the sect. It was as if his intuition was telling him that something major was going to happen and he needed to increase his strength as much as possible in a short time.

    Duncan didn''t know why he felt like this. But, his careful observation of people in the sect for the past week had only furthered his suspicions. There was an undercurrent of violence that was now present in the sect that not many were aware of.

    Something had spooked several of the elders in the sect. When they were returning from the Grotto Heaven, Duncan had chanced upon the sight of an elder eyeing his master warily. He hadn''t thought about it much at that time. But now, with the atmosphere present among the elders in the sect, Duncan was a little worried that his master was involved in something that would cause him a lot of trouble.

    If he wasn''t his master''s disciple, Duncan wouldn''t have worried much. But, being the disciple of his master, his sensitivity towards this undercurrent was increasing as days passed by.

    There were even people who were secretly monitoring him. Duncan had felt their eyes upon him on several asions. But, he never showed them that he was aware of their existence.

    Right now, he was hurriedly cultivating the two martial arts he had picked up after returning to the sect. Something told him that he would need them pretty soon in the future.

    Every disciple who was able to advance in his cultivation was eligible to choose a new martial art. As a direct disciple, he had the privilege of choosing two martial arts.

    Duncan didn''t waste such an opportunity. He had chosen the next set of sword techniques called <Absolute sh Sword Art>, which was a rted sword technique to the one he originally chose, along with a <Blood Escape Technique>.

    Right now, he had two sword arts, one movement technique, and one escape technique in his possession. As for the cultivation technique, even though Duncan didn''t need it, he still maintained the fa?ade and asked his master to provide the technique for the next two levels.

    His master had graciously provided him with that and asked him toe to meet him after a week of consolidating his gains. He had informed Duncan that he had a mission for him.

    Duncan didn''t know how to feel about this mission. On one hand, the undercurrent in the sect made him a little worried. On the other hand, he would be d to escape from this stressful environment.

    Regardless, Duncan knew that there wasn''t much he could do about the situation. He was just a small ant. If there was really some incident involving the elders and his master, he could only hope that he wouldn''t be implicated by itˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 176 Blood Pearl World

    ?

    "Have you found any more information about him?" Han Shindong asked impatiently causing his subordinate to sweat slightly.

    "Young Master, we have found the information you requested. But, there isn''t much to be honest. Not many people know about him. The information we have been able to grasp is sparse."

    "Go onˇ­"

    "His name is Duncan. He was a spirit stone miner in Starsinger Town six months ago. He came to Starmist City and ended up working as a mercenary. Later, he got caught up in the Beast Tide that erupted six months ago and somehow ended up bing Wind Demon Liang Tianye''s direct disciple."

    "You mean he didn''t even start cultivating six months ago?" Han Shindong asked gloomily.

    "Yes, Young Master,"

    "How could someone with no cultivation be the direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect?" Han Shindong asked incredulously.

    "From the information we gathered, it is rumored that his physique is uniquely suited for cultivating the [ughter Demon Sutra], one of the six major cultivation techniques of the Heavenly Demon Sect. We guess that is why Liang Tianye chose him to be his direct disciple."

    "Huh? Unique physique, huh? What kind of physique is it?"

    "We don''t know Young Master. What we know is the information that can be considered as general knowledge. Apart from that, we don''t know much about him. However, it is said that Blue Wind Hall has been keeping a keen eye on him for some time."

    "Does the Blue Wind Hall have any animosity with that brat?" Han Shindong asked curiously.

    "We are not aware of it, Young Master. We enquired about him with Blue Wind Hall, but they refused to provide any more information. They also outright stated that this is all they have got as well. They imed that unless this person ventures out of the Heavenly Demon Sect, it would be hard to gather any more useful information."

    "Why is that? With Blue Wind Society Hall''s power, it shouldn''t be difficult, right?"

    "This person hasn''t traveled away from the territory of the Heavenly Demon Sect ever since he entered the sect. Furthermore, it is rumored that he is heavily favored by his master Liang Tianye. Thus, the Blue Wind Society Hall doesn''t want to probe further in case they run afoul of the Wind Demon."

    "Hmph, no wonder that kid dared to deceive us," Han Shindong snorted angrily.

    "Young Master," Uncle Long spoke suddenly causing Han Shindong to look at him. "I think we should be careful when dealing with this kid. It is best not to leave any evidence behind if we make a move on him."

    "Uncle Long," Han Shindong frowned a little dissatisfiedly. "Is that necessary? He is just a bug in the Spirit Sea realm. Even if his master values him, he wouldn''t break face with our n for someone at that level right?"

    "You aren''t thinking deeply, Young Master," Uncle Long exined patiently. "This person wasn''t even a proper cultivator six months ago. But, currently, he has advanced to the peak of the Spirit Sea realm within six months. With his physique, the Heavenly Demon Sect will definitely nurture him well."

    "Furthermore, there are some rumors that the Heavenly Demon Sect is preparing for something big as ofte. So, we shouldn''t be cannon fodder for others to pick advantages off. So, we need to be smart about it. If we do take action against him, we must never leave any handles behind for the Heavenly Demon Sect to catch."

    Han Shindong frowned upon hearing Uncle Long''s words.

    He really was a little bit dissatisfied to let that bug go. That person had made him look like a fool inside the Grotto Heaven. If he doesn''t do something, there will always be bad breath in his heart.

    When they got out of the Grotto Heaven, he had wanted to pick a fight with that kid. But, seeing the number of experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect waiting outside, Uncle Long had stopped him from provoking something at that moment.

    Uncle Long had sensed something was wrong with the atmosphere when they emerged and had urged him to not cause any issues. And it was a good thing as well. When it was revealed that he was the disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, he had no other option other than to swallow his breath.

    Who knew that the young man had such luck?

    "Even if we are going to make a move, I advise that we do it when he ventures outside," Uncle Long said sternly. "This way, we will have a higher chance of sess."

    "Fine," Han Shindong grumbled. "Keep an eye on him. I want to be notified the moment he appears outside of the Heavenly Demon Sect''s territories. Things this Young Master had his eyes on will always belong to him. Even if he is the direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, he must pay a price for offending me."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    The subordinate nodded in acknowledgment.

    *****

    Amidst the vast starry sky, there was a high-level world that exuded a bloodthirsty aura. The entire world exuded a bloody aura that made even immortals fear it and avoid it.

    This world was a paradise for demonic cultivators. Unlike the immortals, demon immortals that roamed the starry skies considered this ce to be a great boon. Even though the Heavenly Court saw this world as a thorn in their flesh, they didn''t dare to take action against it.

    And this was called the Blood Pearl World.

    The Blood Pearl World was bigger than an average high-level world. Immortalws and daos can be easily perceived in this world. But,pared to other worlds, most of thews and daos that can be easily perceived in this world were demonic in nature.

    The Blood Pearl World was also known among the starry skies as the one true bastion of the demonic cultivation. Throughout the ages, the Blood Pearl World had never been under the control of the Heavenly Court.

    Inside the Blood Pearl World, there existed an ancient pce that was situated deep in the western hemisphere of the world. This pce was huge and sprawled over several mountain ranges making it a colossal sight for anyone to look upon. There was a thick murderousness that exuded from the pce that caused even demon immortals to shiver in fear.

    This pce was called the War Demon Pce.

    As the name suggests, War Demon ce was the home of demon immortals who were known for their savagery and conquest lust. Unlike other powers in the Blood Pearl World, the War Demon Pce didn''t have arge number of demon immortals. However, what theycked in quantity, they made up in quality.

    Being extended an invitation from the War Demon Pce can be considered to be a high honor among the demonic cultivators who upied this. Even amidst the starry skies, the cultivators from the War Demon Pce were universally feared.

    Deep in the War Demon Pce, there existed a plot ofnd that was covered in murderous air. At this moment, a savage-looking man was shuttling through it in a hurry.

    The thick murderous air didn''t bother him much. Rather, he felt as if he had returned to home at this moment. He felt incrediblyfortable to be in this area. To others, this may be a forbiddennd. But, to him, this was the best ce to cultivate.

    If not for his errand, he would spend more time in this ce.

    The savage man shuttled through the forbidden region in haste and appeared before an unassuming mound. The moment he touched down, he immediately bowed his head and saluted toward the mound with respect and reverence in his eyes.

    "ve Cang Tian pays his respect to the His Majesty! This ve has rushed as fast as he could after receiving His Majesty''s summons! What are your instructions, my lord!"

    There wasn''t any reply to his words. But, the man didn''t seem to be bothered by it. He held on to his pose with respect and reverence in his eyes. He didn''t move a single inch despite the suffocating silence that engulfed the region.

    "Cangˇ­Tianˇ­."

    Suddenly a hoarse voice sounded from the mound causing the man to look up. There was nothing majestic or fearful in the voice that echoed out of the mound. But, hearing the voice, Cang Tian''s spirit lifted and he became even more subservient. There was an eagerness in his eyes that couldn''t be mistaken for anything but devotion.

    "I have a very important but arduous errand for you. Are you willing to take it?" the hoarse voice sounded again.

    "This ve will obey any order given by His Majesty. No matter the task, this ve would be willing to pay with his life to see it through," Cang Tian said without any hesitation.

    *****

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 Chapter 177 Mission

    ?

    "Heh, don''t be so eager to ept this task. I have told you many times to never be eager to volunteer yourself without knowing the full information. But, it looks like this message hasn''t sunk into your mind, yet!" the hoarse voice sounded a little disapprovingly.

    "Replying to His Majesty, this ve has always followed your instructions and teachings. However, as it is His Majesty that is issuing the task, the ve dares not think too much. This life was given to this ve by His Majesty! Even if I lose my life in service to His Majesty, this ve would be willing. So, there was never a need for me to think much," Cang Tian said solemnly.

    "He he heˇ­" the hoarse voice chuckled. "Looks like you have learned to speak eloquently in the past few centuries, eh, Little Tian? Nevermind that. The task I am assigning you is very important to me. In fact, if I am not imprisoned here, I would have handled it myself personally."

    Cang Tian''s face changed upon hearing those words. With the identity of His Majesty, the task that he wanted to handle personally wouldn''t be something trivial. This showed how important this mission was. Cang Tian''s face couldn''t help but be solemn.

    "This task is simple. It can either be easy or incredibly difficult. I don''t know how long this would take. This might take even centuries for you to aplish. This might even end up in failure or put your life at risk. Are you willing?" the hoarse voice didn''t hide anything.

    "This ve is willing, my lord!"

    "Hmmm, in that case, listen carefully," the hoarse voice sounded unusually serious. "I want you to find a person. I don''t know where this person is at the moment. He may be in the countless higher worlds or even in a lower world. He may be even in a nar world, for all I know. But, I want you to find this person and bring him to me as soon as possible."

    "This ve will see it done, my lord. How will I identify this person? Are there any special things I need to take note of?" Cang Tian asked seriously.

    There was no reply to his questions. Even for someone like Cang Tian, finding a single person amidst countless worlds will be like searching for a needle in a haystack. This was no ordinary feat. And the owner of the hoarse voice knew it too.

    "Sighˇ­ I never thought my life would be so miserable, hehˇ­" the hoarse voice said a little self-deprecatingly causing aplex emotion to sh through Cang Tian''s face. "Cang Tianˇ­ a sessor has appeared in my bloodlineˇ­"

    The hoarse voice didn''t say anything else. However, Cang Tian''s face showed incredible shock at this moment. He knew how big this matter was. No wonder His Majesty said he would have gone out personally if he wasn''t imprisoned here.

    "I want you to find him and bring him to me. You should know how many people will not want that to happen. If this information is leaked, then there will be a hunt across the worlds for my sessor. You should know the seriousness of the task now," the hoarse voice said a little mncholically.

    "My Lord, even if I die, I will bring the Young Master home!" Cang Tian vowed solemnly.

    "Be very careful. No clue of this must be leaked. My sessor''s bloodline has just awakened. This is just a preliminary awakening. Only when he undergoes a few sessive awakenings will others start paying attention to him. Right now, he will be beneath their eyes. But, this wouldn''tst for long. You need to hurry and find him before others realize."

    "I will, my lord. But, how will I identify Young Master?"

    "This will help youˇ­"

    Suddenly a small drop of blood floated out of the mound and shot into the forehead of Cang Tian before he could even react. The next moment, Cang Tian cried in shock.

    "My lord, thisˇ­"

    "Be silent!" the hoarse voice said calmly. "This is both the tool that will help you and my contingency n. It can also be the payment for this mission. This will help your cultivation further."

    "The Heavenly Emperor has called the Great Tribtion. I do not know what will happen in the future. But, I am not willing to be a pawn in others''s games. If I was in my prime, I wouldn''t care about them. But nowˇ­"

    "This will guide you to where he is. This will be a long process. Don''t expect instant sess. It will take years for you tob through all the worlds. Unfortunately, you will never be able to pinpoint my sessor''s location with this. All it will give you is a general direction. The rest will be upto youˇ­"

    "Don''t worry, my lord. I will aplish this mission!" <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Cang Tian, make sure my sessor stays alive. The future of the War Demon Pce may probably rest on that person''s shouldersˇ­"

    "I will, my lord. Do you have any other instructions?"

    "Do not trust anyone else with this mission. The traitors in the War Demon Pce are yet to be found out. So, don''t make a bigmotion. As for my familyˇ­" the hoarse voice sighed. "They are more likely to kill my sessor than embrace him. People in power will never be willing to give it up. They have enjoyed status and power due to being my descendants all this time. They won''t give it up."

    "But, my lord, this is your bloodline!" Cang Tian said in shock.

    "Heh, The Du family has long lost its way. If not, how can there be no one who has awakened my bloodline in the past few generations? I have watched my family degenerate with every generation. Luckily, I didn''t give them all the powers rted to the War Demon Pce. If I had done, they would have thrown its face long ago."

    "Just select two more members whom you absolutely trust from the Battle Hall. The juniors in the Battle Hall aren''t as gone as the ones from other Halls. Make sure, the ones you select know the stakes. I have a bad feeling about the Great Tribtion. So, be on guard!"

    "I will, my lord," Cang Tian said solemnly.

    "If anything happens to me before youe back, ask my sessor to absorb my blood essence. He will know how to do it after his bloodline awakens a few times. This way, it can be said I have left a seed for the futureˇ­"

    "My lord, if that happens, you will never recover," Cang Tian said a little unwillingly.

    "Little Tian, do you think I can ever be free after falling into such a state? The only reason my enemies haven''t killed me yet is because the price they will pay will be steep. But, with the Great Tribtioning, there will be a lot of changes in the Heavens. So, I am not that optimistic about my survival."

    "My lord!" Cang Tian cried in shock.

    "Heh, don''t worry. I will protect the War Demon Pce as long as I am alive. But, with such descendants, I don''t think I can hold on for long. So, if you want me to survive, you should bring my sessor to me as soon as possible," the hoarse voice chuckled.

    "I will, my lord. I will do it even if I sacrifice my life," Cang Tian vowed.

    "You are still the sameˇ­" the hoarse voice said a little mncholically. "Go, make sure this is done in absolute secret. Even if you die, no information regarding this must be leaked out."

    "I will, my lordˇ­"

    Cang Tian soon left the ce leaving thend to once more be silent. As a breeze flew through the region, a soft coughing sound could be heard inside the mound. From the sound, one could tell that the person who coughed was in extreme pain.

    "I hope that giving away my origin blood would benefit my sessor. Heavenly Emperor, you are really ruthless enough to call upon the Great Tribtion. Ha ha haˇ­ those old foggies will be flustered by now. Nice move. But, can you hold onto your advantage for a long time? A single mistake could cause the Heavenly Court to be destroyed. Only time can tellˇ­. Sigh!"

    XXX-End of Volume 2-XXX

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 178 Severing Karma With Slaughter

    ?

    Duncan let out a turbid breath and exhaled softly.

    It had been one month since he came out of the Grotto Heaven. Ever since his excursion into the Grotoo Heaven, his strength has increased by multiple levels within a short time.

    It was not just him. Everyone who entered the Grotto Heaven had their strengths increased severalfold. And thus, for the past month, most of the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect were cultivating in seclusion in order to stabilize their foundation.

    And Duncan wasn''t an exception to this either.

    While other disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect had to do some odd missions to fulfill their responsibilities, direct disciples like Duncan didn''t have much pressure regarding it. So, for the past month, Duncan''s life had been very simple.

    Cultivate. Consolidate your foundation. Go to scripture hall and enrich your knowledge. Practice the two new martial arts he had acquired. And repeat the process.

    Simple, monotonous, and without any excitement.

    Duncan was fine with that. He didn''t want to go out of the sect anytime soon either. After awakening his bloodline, the [ughter Demon Sutra] he practiced was different from the original one he practiced.

    This meant that Duncan had to rectify the differences and deficiencies present in the original. So, for the past one month, Duncan had been concentrating on it and establishing a firm foundation.

    Currently, Duncan''s foundation has be iparably firm and he could advance to the Violet Pce realm anytime. But, Duncan didn''t do it because of the changes to his cultivation technique.

    Unlike the original [ughter Demon Sutra] he practiced, the new and improved version had several other requirements for him to advance to the next major level. In the original version, Duncan needed to amass enough ughter qi to break through to the next level. Duncan had already done this in the Grotto Heaven.

    As early as when he was in the forest region, Duncan had already amassed enough ughter qi to advance to the Violet Pce realm. However, he didn''t have the corresponding technique for the breakthrough to the Violet Pce realm. Hence, he had put it off.

    From the looks of it, Duncan was d that he had done that. If not for that, he wouldn''t be able to establish a firmer foundation that was required by the new version of the cultivation technique he practiced.

    The new [ughter Demon Sutra] had further requirements for a practitioner to advance to the Violet Pce realm. That is because the Violet Pce realm was very important for cultivators in establishing a firm foundation.

    In the Violet Pce realm, a cultivator will establish eight pirs and create a pce with them as the foundation in the early stages. While this wasmon for every cultivator, the quality of the foundational pirs they established will determine their future aplishments.

    Hence, it is not umon for cultivators to spend more time at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm and increase the quality of the foundational pirs they will establish.

    The quality of foundational pirs is determined by the patterns that will be formed on them. The quality of these patterns is based upon martial arts, cultivation techniques, and other factors.

    In the cultivation world, the foundational pirs are separated by grades. The higher the grade of the patterns in the foundational pirs established, the more powerful a cultivator will be on the same level.

    If the pirs contain three or less patterns engraved in them, then it can be called the lowest grade foundation. Three to six patterns engraved in the pirs will lead to a middle-grade foundation. Seven and eight patterns represent high-grade foundation. If the foundation pirs contain nine, then it will be a peak foundation.

    With that said, there is another grade of foundation that is only mentioned in legends. Nine patterns aren''t the absolute end. Sometimes, a cultivator will be able to establish pirs with more than nine patterns. This kind of foundation is incredibly rare and requires extraordinary lucky circumstances. It is called the legendary foundation.

    Legendary foundations cannot be simply established due to high-grade cultivation techniques or martial arts. They require cultivators to fulfill special requirements before they establish their foundation pirs.

    The quality of the cultivation techniques and martial arts may determine the number of patterns ordinarily. But, for the legendary foundation, esoteric things like luck, fate, karma, and other aspects are needed.

    Luckily, the information he gained during his bloodline awakening let Duncan know how to establish a foundational pir that exceeds nine patterns. Duncan was confident that his martial arts level and the cultivation technique he practiced are enough to establish a peak foundation.

    The Heavenly Demon Sect is one of the hegemons of the Dragon Scale continent. [ughter Demon Sutra] was one of the core cultivation techniques avable in the Heavenly Demon Sect. That meant that any foundation established using it was determined to at least be at high grade.

    Right now, Duncan had already grasped the concepts of Windspeed and Swordcut. Most cultivators at the Spirit Sea realm will have only glimpsed into such things. Only geniuses from major sects would have been able to grasp them before entering the Violet Pce realm.

    With these two things in his corner, Duncan was confident that he could easily establish a high grade or peak grade foundation at the bare minimum. But, Duncan wasn''t satisfied with this. Now that he knew how to exceed the peak grade and establish a legendary foundation, Duncan wanted to give it a try.

    ording to the information he gleaned, one of the ways to establish a legendary foundation while cultivating the [ughter Demon Sutra] was to sever karma with ughter. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Severing Karma With ughter!

    Duncan had a vague idea of what it meant. While he wasn''t sure, Duncan wanted to give it a try. ording to his understanding, he must sever his karmic threads by means of ughter to aplish it.

    Duncan''s understanding of things like karma and fate isn''t profound. He only had a superficial understanding. If it is possible, he wanted to discuss it with his master first or consult some elder in the sect regarding karmic ties.

    Unfortunately, he couldn''t get more information without disclosing information about the improved [ughter Demon Sutra]. No matter who he went to for further rification, they would be curious as to why he would need such knowledge. This was uneptable to Duncan.

    Duncan knew clearly that a poor man having wealth was a crime. And a weak cultivator like him having secrets will definitely lead to disaster. Duncan wasn''t foolish enough to go and court disaster wantonly.

    So, he could only grit his teeth and carry with whatever shallow understanding he had. He knew karmic ties were about cause and effect. Since this was rted to his advancement, then the karmic ties in question wille from him.

    So, Duncan thought about his karmic ties for a long time and came up with one feasible solution.

    The Wang n.

    It is true that he and the Wang n had some cause and effect. No matter how he looked at it, Duncan knew that his contact with the Wang n was pivotal in leading him onto the path of cultivation.

    And Duncan had always wanted to go back and teach the Wang n a poignant lesson. Since that was the case, the Wang n might as well act as his stepping stone in the path of cultivation.

    Severing Karma With ughter

    Since he had karmic ties with the Wang n, he will sever those ties by eliminating the Wang npletely. This way, this particr karma of him can be severed using ughter.

    Furthermore, Duncan wasn''t averse to this idea either. At that time, Duncan was someone the Wang n didn''t even need to look at. He was weak and a bug to them. They could trod on him as they pleased and kill him if he displeased them.

    While Duncan didn''t know clearly if the Wang n was indeed responsible for him to be attacked by the bandits, Duncan didn''t feel that he needed hardcore evidence. This world was ruled by the strong. There is no need for the strong to argue with the weak.

    Since Duncan was now strong enough to exterminate the Wang n, then there was no need for him to search for evidence. It was enough if he thought that the Wang n was guilty. As for evidence, he wasn''t a righteous cultivator to care about it.

    Duncan had some dissatisfaction with his treatment in the Wang n. Now that the opportunity hase, he can vent his dissatisfaction and eliminate this eyesore, while using it as a stepping stone for his cultivation path.

    Duncan knew that the patriarch of the Wang n was someone at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. The entire n''s strength wouldn''t be that much different. If they had the power of the Violet Pce realm, they wouldn''t be stuck in this small city on the edge of the Grasnds.

    In his eyes, the Wang n was the perfect target for the present him.

    As early as a week ago, Duncan had already determined to kill off the Wang n after serious consideration. Right now, all that was left for him was to get permission from his master and set out.

    Duncan rose from his seated position with a determined look and walked towards the exit of his abode. An unknown sense of exhration engulfed him at the thought of exterminating the Wang n.

    A small smile hung on his face as he exited seclusion and made his way to see his masterˇ­

    Little did he know that his actions will soon trigger a series of violent events across the entire Dragon Scale Continent.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 179 Ruins Of Starsinger Town

    ?

    Duncan stood before the ruined wreck withplicated emotions in his heart.

    This was Starsinger Town.

    The town he grew up in. Even though he didn''t have much attachment to this town in general, his heart couldn''t help but wince seeing the devastationid out before him. Anger, sorrow, and grief mixed up in his heart, making it heavy.

    When he stepped outside of the Starsinger Town one year ago, Duncan didn''t think he would never see it again. His life in this town wasn''t anything majestic or heartwarming, but this town had been his home.

    To see it be a ruin like this, Duncan felt an undescribable irritation in his heart. Duncan knew that in this world, entire viges being exterminated overnight wasn''t a rare scene. Even kingdoms fall overnight, let alone a small town like Starsinger Town.

    But, that didn''t mean it didn''t affect him. Ever since he became a cultivator, he had never felt such aplicated feeling in his heart. This town wasn''t the paradise where he grew up loved. He was an orphan and a spirit stone miner, what was there to talk about love? There was only suffering in his past.

    Duncan knew that iming he loved this town and the people in it will only be self-deceiving. Duncan didn''t feel much towards the town in general. However, regardless of all this, it had been his home for seventeen years. To see it all vanish like this, didn''t make himfortable either.

    As for the sorrow and anger, the only person in this entire town who could elicit such feelings in him was Granny Jiao. Granny Jiao was the only one who showed him even an ounce ofpassion. She was the only one whom he missed in this entire town.

    Even Bessa wasn''t an exception to it. He may have given his virginity to Bessa at the tender age of fifteen, but his rtionship with her wasn''t that deep. The Fallen Leaves Bar in its entirety was just a ce for him to socialize. At most, it was on par with the town in his heart. But, that''s it.

    It was Granny Jiao that Duncan missed. It was Granny Jiao''s death that made Duncan a little angry. Looking at the ruins in front of him, Duncan didn''t know what he should feel.

    Was he going to take revenge on the people responsible? Sure. He had already decided to do it. But, his impetus to take revenge wasn''t that strong. It was just a reaction to what happened here. The desire wasn''t something burning. If not for Granny Jiao, even this desire wouldn''t have been sustained for almost a year.

    Duncan stood staring nkly at the ruin trying to sort out his emotions clearly. His hand unconsciously fell on the sword he was carrying. As he stood there trying to sort his emotions, a huge crater fell into his eyes.

    Duncan stared at the crater nkly. He knew what that ce was. It was where the spirit stone mine had been located. From the looks of it, it is clear that the explosion had radiated outwards with it as the center. The attack hadnded on the spirit stone mine causing it to explode and in turn, wipe out the entire town.

    Duncan frowned as he realized that it wasn''t exactly the cultivators who were careless, but it was because of the explosion of this spirit stone mine that the town was destroyed. Was it because of a stray attack? Or was it intentional? Duncan didn''t know and didn''t care either.

    None of this mattered. The Starsinger Town was gone and as thest survivor of the town he had to live with it. Taking onest look at the crater, Duncan closed his eyes and stabilized his mind.

    His journey to the ruin of the Starsinger Town this time was on a whim. His initial destination had been the Starmist City where the Wang n was located. But, as he made his way out of the Grasnds, Duncan felt like visiting his former home. So, he followed that whim and came here.

    And it was good that he came here. Right now, his mind had been stabilized. He knew himself well after facing this ruin. He wasn''t fooling himself with some desire to revenge anymore.

    Maybe he was a bit heartless. But, it didn''t matter. Right now, he only had one thing on his mind. Exterminate the Wang n and establish a legendary foundation. As for other matters, he didn''t care about them much.

    As for his journey away from the sect this timeˇ­

    If he was being honest with himself, Duncan would readily admit that he was feeling apprehensive at the moment. His apprehension wasn''t about the strength of the Wang n or any other matter. It was because of the atmosphere in the sect at this moment.

    When he had gone to his master to seek permission to head out and experience the world, his master had been rather happy to let him go. He didn''t even ask him much about his intended destination or his reasons. He had simply sent him off with a few essential pill bottles and a smile on his face.

    His master''s smile made Duncan a little bit ufortable. It was as if his master knew about something that he didn''t know. The smile his master sent him off with wasn''t a farewell smile or a good wish smile. It was a smile full of meaning. Duncan didn''t know how to describe it.

    The atmosphere in the sect had be very subtle in the past one month. Ever since he came back from the Grotto Heaven, Duncan felt as if the sect was on the verge of a bloodbath. There seemed to be some sort of undercurrent flowing through the sect that he wasn''t privy to. It made Duncan''s hair stand on edge.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Something wasn''t right!

    Even for a demonic sect, the atmosphere in the sect was wrong. It was as if everything was on tinders and only needed a spark. He didn''t know where the spark woulde from, but he knew that when ites there will be a bloodbath in the sect.

    The Sect Master and his master currently had the support of most of the disciples. On the other hand, the elders and a few disciples were looking at them with worry and anger in their eyes.

    Duncan didn''t know the reason for it. But, from what he heard from others, it was clear that the Sect Master and his master wanted to showcase their power to the outside world. But, the elders had been against it for some time now.

    His master happily sending him off at this time without even questioning what he was going to do, didn''t sit well with Duncan. There was something fishy in it. He himself knew why he came out. And his actions would be anything but peaceful.

    Did his master know of his intentions? If so, how? If he knew, shouldn''t he prevent Duncan from heading out? Considering the situation in the sect, his actions would be in line with what the Sect Master and his master wanted to do. Is that why his master didn''t forbid him from leaving? In that case, was his master using him to light the tinder?

    Duncan felt that things weren''t that simple. There was something else in the works. He was worried that he would be an unwitting pawn in his master''s hands. He still remembered his master''s look when he came out of the Grotto Heaven alive. So, he was worried about his master''s intentions toward him.

    But, he needed to do this. And he needed to do this quickly.

    This was for establishing a firm foundation in his cultivation path. If it was just for revenge, Duncan wouldn''t mind waiting for a while. But, he couldn''t afford such dys when it came to his cultivation path. He was alreadygging behind most disciples of his generation in the sect.

    His identity as the direct disciple will only give him leeway for a while. Right now, people are waiting for him to slip up. His performance so far had been good enough that no one hade to trouble him yet.

    Even if he was the direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the sect, that identity would only give him leeway to a certain extent. Right now, his master was favoring him due to his rapid progress in cultivation.

    But, if he dyed his cultivation path or became less useless to his master, Duncan knew his master''s favor would run out. It would mean that he would be a salivating target for others in the sect.

    Duncan also knew that his master''s favor was like a double-edged sword. The more he was favored, the more he would be envied. And one day, this favor would end. Duncan was clear about his master''s personality. A man like his master wouldn''t favor someone who isn''t useful. He knew that much at least.

    And when this favor runs out, if his strength wasn''t upto par, he would be living a life of a dog in the sect. None of his Senior Brothers were fuel-efficientmps. They would pounce on him the moment his master''s favor ended. When that happens, without sufficient personal strength, Duncan knew he would be in trouble.

    So, whether it was to increase his personal strength or to be in his master''s favor, Duncan knew that his decision to exterminate the Wang n was the right one. His master may have ulterior motives while sending him out. But, so what?

    As long as he was useful, his master would protect him.

    So, Duncan let go of all the distracting thoughts that were bouncing around in his head and took a deep breath.

    "Power, it is all about power. And the Wang n will be the first sacrifice on my road to power," Duncan muttered softly.

    At that moment, the aura around his body slightly changed into something more mysterious. Taking onest look at the town that was now a ruin, Duncan turned around and started walking in the direction of Starmist City.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 180 What Is Enlightenment?

    ?

    Duncan didn''t rush towards the Starmist City.

    Rather, he walked calmly on the road to Starmist City without any hurry. With a sword in his hip and a wine gourd in his hands, he walked leisurely towards the Starmist City, as if he was going for a walk.

    He didn''t care about the sun that was beating down on him. As a cultivator, his body was stronger than ordinary mortals. So, a little bit of sun didn''t bother him much. As for the dust that blew on his face and body, Duncan felt that it would be too bothersome to expel them with qi. Such a wastage of qi was stupid in his mind. So, he didn''t bother about it either.

    Even though he walked leisurely, his speed wasn''t that much different from the speed of a caravan. He would asionally stop and admire the sunset or sunrise, appreciate the beauty of the world, and indulge himself in passing fancy without any scruples.

    As a cultivator, Duncan didn''t need to sleep much. So, even at night, he would walk slowly in the moonlight on the dirt path leading toward the city. Walking in the moonlight as he chugged wine, gave Duncan a very novel feeling. He liked it very much.

    Throughout the journey, several merchant caravans passed by him on the road to Starmist City. Seeing the guards who were protecting the caravans, Duncan felt a little bit mncholy. When he initially stepped out of the town he had lived his life in, he too acted as those guards.

    Full of vigor and expectation for life outside of his town. It can be said that his cultivation journey wouldn''t have started if he hadn''t stepped out of Starsinger Town. To Duncan, the action of agreeing to be a guard for the merchant caravan can be said to be a life-changing decision.

    Now that he saw those guards, Duncan couldn''t help but recall the time he spent as a guard on the road to the Starmist City. In a vague sense, it can be said that Duncan was retracing his steps right now.

    This allowed him toe to terms with several things in his mind. Thinking about how he performed his first kill, Duncan couldn''t help but smile a little. Even the act of rushing forward to meet the wolf beast during the attack brought a smile to his face.

    If it was the current him, he wouldn''t even need to raise his sword. A mere flick of his fingers would kill the wolf. But, at that time it had been a struggle of life and death. Within one year, he had changedpletely.

    This gave him a poignant evaluation of his own increase in strength.

    As for rushing to kill the Wang n, Duncan wasn''t really in a hurry. The Wang n was rooted in the Starmist City. They wouldn''t run off anywhere. If the Patriarch of the Wang n hadn''t broken through the Spirit Sea level and reached the Violet Pce realm after all these years, a few days of difference wouldn''t help him much.

    Even if he broke through, Duncan had the confidence to kill him. The cultivation technique he practiced wasn''t ordinary. The martial arts he cultivated were also top-tier. And his progress in them had been far more than several Violet Pce realm cultivators could boast.

    So, Duncan didn''t feel any urgency in dealing with the Wang n.

    On the other hand, the only thing he was currently concerned about was what to do after exterminating the Wang n. He could either return to the sect or continue traveling outside.

    When it came to returning to the sect, Duncan wasn''t very keen on that matter. The atmosphere in the sect made him want to avoid it as much as possible. So, the best option for him was to travel the world and gain experience.

    But, the question was, where does he want to travel next?

    He didn''t have any clear idea at the moment. There was no clear-cut destination in his mind. So, Duncan didn''t know what to do after dealing with the Wang n. With no destination in mind, Duncan could only decide to do things on a whim. He figured that he would reach Starmist City first and then deal with that bit of decision-making.

    *****

    Two weeks passed and a travel-worn Duncan stood before the entrance to the Starmist City. The first time he entered the city, Duncan had been part of a caravan guard. The caravan had hurried to reach the city gate without giving him any opportunity to take in the sight of the city gates.

    Now, Duncan stood before the city gates and watched it from a distance. After seeing the gates of the Grotto Heaven open, watching the city gates seemed veryckluster. There was no majesty to these gates in Duncan''s opinion.

    There is no harm withoutparison. Unless one traveled, their view would be limited to their surroundings. Now that he has experienced things that only a cultivator could experience, Duncan found the mundane world a bit boring. In a way, Duncan understood why the cultivators rarely paid attention to mortals.

    Compared to the things a cultivatores into contact with, the world of mortals and their activities looked pale and boring. It didn''t bring out any sort of curiosity in the heart. Since that was the case, who would waste time taking note of boring things?

    Even if someone loves to watch ants scurrying in the ground, it is only because those things interest the said person. Humans are beings made of curiosity. Whether they are cultivators or mortals, people only take note of things that arouse their curiosity. No wonder cultivators seldom pay attention to mortal affairs.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    It wasn''t arrogance. It was indifference in its purest form.

    This also let Duncan know the difference in thinking between cultivators and mortals. Once upon a time, he had scorned this indifference thinking cultivators were very arrogant and had been contemptuous of their behavior. But, now that he is standing on the other shore, he understands the reason for their actions.

    Letting out a wry smile, Duncan shook his head. He didn''t expect the sight of the city gates to give him such enlightenment in the matters of the mind. In a way, this can also be said to be a form of cultivation. He had read about strong cultivators experiencing mortal dust in order to break through.

    At that time, Duncan didn''t understand why they did such pointless things. But, now that he had obtained enlightenment by watching the gates of the Starmist City, Duncan can say he understood what those cultivators were striving for.

    It is said that experience shapes the person. It is indeed true. Everyone experiences different things in their life. And naturally, the enlightenment everyone gets from things they experience will be different.

    If he hadn''t once entered this city as an ordinary mortal and if he hadn''t seen the gates of the Grotto Heaven, his viewing of these ordinary gates wouldn''t give him such enlightenment.

    What is enlightenment?

    Everything a cultivator experiences would slowly umte. These umted experiences would build up to a point and then burst out into a lot of insights at a particr moment. This process is what is called enlightenment.

    There is nothing mysterious about it. The fact that it is highly valued among cultivators is because of the unique nature of it. Enlightenment can''t be taught. It can''t be passed down. Even if the two different people undergo the same experiences, the things they take note of and how they react to the situation would be different.

    Hence, there is no way enlightenment could be tailored for a person. It depends on the thoughts and actions of a person. And the value of this enlightenmentes from the burst of insights that a person figures out at that moment. These are rare things that could only belong to that particr cultivator. No one can snatch them away or use it apart from the cultivator who gained those insights.

    That is exactly why enlightenment can be said to be a precious opportunity.

    This moment of enlightenment let Duncan know that he wasn''t that different from a mortal. Sure, he was way more powerful than them. Sure, he was different from them in his thoughts and actions. But, when ites to the core essence, a cultivator and a mortal are one and the same.

    Only their interests and pursuits are different.

    This also let Duncan know that the emotions he had weren''t a hindrance to his cultivation. Rather, they are an integral part of him. Cultivation didn''t mean severing emotions and living far away from the mortal world. It meant the pursuit of higher strength.

    For that, the things Duncan does and thinks about will be different from mortals. That was the fundamental difference between them. But, in every other way, he wasn''t that different from a mortal without cultivation.

    He didn''t know how others cultivated. But, Duncan knew what his cultivation was all about. This would help him escape from detours in the future. The lesser detours he took on his path to the top of the world, the earlier he would arrive there. Duncan knew that this bit of enlightenment was very timely and it would help him a lot in the future while making decisions.

    When Duncan realized this, a bright smile bloomed on his face. His entire being felt free and there was a lightness in his heart. Taking a deep breath, Duncan felt the breeze softly brush his face. It felt very refreshing at this moment.

    With a bright smile, Duncan walked forwards and stepped into the Starmist City with his travel-worn clothes. He didn''t even mind the contemptuous look shot toward him by the guards.

    At this moment, nothing in the world could dampen his spiritsˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 181 Sudden Urge To Kill

    ?

    The Starmist City had changed a lot since hisst visit.

    Duncan keenly felt that things were different from when he rushed out of the city on a horse. While nothing was different on the surface and people went about their work in the usual manner, anyone with a sharp eye can tell that the city had undergone some change since theirst visit.

    Not to mention Duncan who was now a cultivator.

    Duncan decided that it would be best to gather some information before he set out to do what he came to do. So, Duncan fixed his destination to a bar, whose wine he had been wanting to try out for a long time, and made his way over.

    The guard at the entrance took one look at his travel-worn clothes and tried to stop him from entering. But, the moment he met Duncan''s eyes, he froze and took a step back without speaking anything.

    Duncan merely smiled at him and walked inside without saying anything. But, the guard had goosebumps all over his body due to a simple gaze from Duncan. His legs shivered and he only let out a breath after seeing Duncan enter.

    Duncan didn''t care much about the state of the guard. In his mind, it was only natural that the guard was afraid of him. With his strength, Duncan would have taught the guard a severe lesson if he had dared to speak any nonsense.

    When he didn''t have any money and was weak, the guard would have beaten him up for daring to enter here. Even if he didn''t beat him, he would have at least humiliated him for thinking about entering this bar.

    Now that his strength was above the guard, why couldn''t he beat him up if he dared to speak nonsense? Should he still bow his head and smile at the guard? That was pure nonsense.

    This is the world where the strong ate the weak. There was nothing wrong with the guard preventing him from entering if he was weak. But, if he dared to prevent him when he was strong, then the guard can only be called ignorant. If such an ignorant person isn''t taught a lesson, when will he learn?

    What is power? This was power. Once, he wasn''t even eligible to enter this bar. Now, he can waltz in without any worries. Even if someone wanted to stop him, they couldn''t. This was the purest expression of his increase in power.

    Duncan liked this feeling a lot. He suddenly had the urge to show off a little. In the sect, most of the senior brothers and other members of the sect were more powerful than him. He didn''t dare act arrogant there. But here, he was feeling a bit empowered and wanted to feel this power a little bit more.

    With such a thought, Duncan chose a table close to the bar and sat down. He leaned back and made himselffortable. He didn''t care about the dust on his clothes dirtying the upholstery. He arrogantly put his legs on the table in front of him and rxed without paying attention to anyone else.

    Duncan''s actions didn''t escape the eyes of the others present in the bar. A few of the patrons frowned seeing Duncan''s antics, but they didn''t say anything. It was as if they were waiting for the owner to kick Duncan out.

    But, Duncan didn''t care about these strange eyes one bit.

    Soon, a middle-aged man with a severe frown appeared before Duncan. He looked at Duncan with disapproving eyes. Rather than speaking, he tried to pressure Duncan with his eyes, as if wanting to see Duncan reduce his arrogance.

    Duncan nced at the man and sneered inwardly. However, when Duncan saw the contempt and disapproval in the man''s eyes, something within him stirred a bit. Even though he didn''t care about this man''s opinion, it just didn''t sit well with Duncan.

    "Bring me your best wine and some spirit beast meat," Duncan ordered nonchntly.

    "Ahem," the middle-aged man coughed and looked at Duncan in anger. "I am the manager of this bar."

    "So, aren''t you here to serve customers? If this isn''t your job what the hell are you doing here? Send someone who can bring me what I ordered," Duncan replied flippantly not giving any face to the man.

    "Mister, we don''t serve your kind here," the middle-aged man said arrogantly. "We have certain standards for customers. Not any ignorant roadside bum could eat here. I don''t know how you fooled the guard outside, but I thinkˇ­"

    The middle-aged man''s voice faltered suddenly. His entire body started sweating as Duncan used targeted pressure to envelop the middle-aged man. The pressure formed due to the release of his entire peak Spirit Sea realm cultivation mmed into the man and made his knees go weak.

    "What did you call me?" Duncan asked softly looking at the man as if he was daring the man to say it again. The feeling deep within him stirred even further when the man called him a roadside bum.

    The manager gulped in fear. The manager was a cultivator at the peak of the Qi Gathering realm. It was this capital that allowed him to be in charge of this well-known bar in Starmist City. In Starmist City, this level of cultivation can be said to be above average in general. Hence, he hadn''t paid much attention to customers usually.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Even though he was a bit neglectful of the customers, he knew that his major backing was the family behind him. And this bar was one of their top businesses in the city. So, any issue in the bar will be dealt with severely by him. With the virtue of his cultivation and family backing, he was used to acting arrogantly in the bar.

    He knew very well who can be offended and who couldn''t be. Most of the regr customers of the bar are wealthy people and a select few cultivators who rarely drop in. He knew each and every one of them. A person like Duncan who came from out of town will never enter such a bar with such shabby clothes.

    Hence, he didn''t think much. Seeing such a shabby person upying the bar, he hade over to deal with him severely. Even if that person was an independent cultivator, he wasn''t afraid due to his family background. But, when Duncan exerted his pressure, it became clear to him that this wasn''t some ordinary loose cultivator.

    He had only felt this kind of pressure in the presence of his patriarch. He never expected such a young person to possess this much power. Hence, he miscalcted and used some loose words at the beginning. Now, he didn''t have the guts to answer Duncan''s question at all.

    "Esteemed guest, kindly forgive me for my ignorance. I will ask someone to serve you immediately," the manager stammered out in a hurry.

    "No," Duncan said looking at the manager squarely. "You will serve me personally."

    The manager hesitated a bit. He didn''t mind serving Duncan. But, the loss of reputation that would follow was not something he is willing to bear. If Duncan was dressed better, it wouldn''t be much of an issue. This was the world where strong reigned supreme. So, it wasn''t a big deal.

    But, Duncan was currently dressed in shabby clothes filled with dust and grime. If he served such a person, then his reputation would take a huge hit. However, there was no good way to refuse it either. He had already offended the man who was sitting arrogantly with his words earlier. If he refused, then who knows what this cultivator would do.

    "Heh, so am I unworthy of your service as well?" Duncan pressed with a mocking smile.

    However, there was a cold glint in Duncan''s eyes. If the man dared to say something stupid, Duncan was ready to kill him on the spot. Apart from the City Lord''s mansion, there wasn''t anyone he was afraid of in the city. So, Duncan wasn''t worried about creating an issue here.

    The man had already called him a roadside bum. He should feel lucky that he only used his pressure to intimidate him until now. If he spoke nonsense even after this, then there was no need to be polite. Something about this man''s earlier disdainful eyes had already irritated Duncan. Right now, he really had the urge to kill.

    The man''s face became chalk white when he felt Duncan''s killing intent. The moment he met Duncan''s eyes, the man knew that any negative answer will result in his death. In those eyes, he only saw death.

    Lamenting his bad luck, the man assured it wouldn''t be a problem and ran off to bring the items Duncan ordered. Duncan watched him go with cold eyes. The surrounding people felt surprised seeing the scene and they all hurriedly vacated the bar, not willing to be in the vicinity of Duncan.

    Duncan didn''t pay them much attention. But, there was a frown on his face. Right now, the thought of killing the man hade to him suddenly. He didn''t know why he reacted so strongly to those contemptuous eyes. His temper wasn''t this bad originally. Was it some side effect of his cultivation?

    Duncan pondered with a frown.

    He didn''t dare to neglect this. He knew that some cultivation techniques have very bad side effects that might be a serious problem down the line. So, he was a little bit concerned about his sudden behavior.

    Soon, the man came over with Duncan''s order. Looking at the empty bar, the man''s heart pained a little. But, he didn''t dare to show his distress in front of Duncan. He obediently served Duncan his order and retreated into the distance.

    Duncan didn''t pay attention to him. His thoughts were filled with his sudden behavior change. He wanted to know why he reacted so strongly to that man''s contempt. He wasn''t someone who lost his temper easily. And this kind of bullying wasn''t something new to him either. As a spirit stone miner, he had experienced far more than this.

    So, why did he react so stronglyˇ­.

    *****

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 Chapter 182 Shadow Pavillion

    Duncan spent the next ten minutes mulling over his sudden change in behavior.

    Duncan didn''t care about the emptied bar. However, the manager of the bar wasmenting his bad luck for running into this devil star. He knew from the frown on the man''s forehead that he was currently not in a good mood.

    Earlier, when the pressure hadnded on him he felt as if he was going to be crushed. Thus, even though he suffered a huge loss, the manager gritted his teeth and remained silent not wanting to anger the man.

    But soon, as the wine flowed, Duncan''s brows eased and he lost himself in enjoying the wine and meat. After having a hearty meal, Duncan''s irritation seemed to have been smoothed over and he left the bar without making any more fuss.

    However, he didn''t forget about his sudden urge to kill. Duncan made a note of it and decided to pay special attention to intense emotions like these that came to him suddenly. This wasn''t normal and he knew that he needed to figure it out sooner rather thanter.

    If not, these kinds of strange emotions will one day lead him to his death. In the cultivation world, one wrong move could spell disaster. Duncan knew his strength may afford him to run roughshod in this tiny city, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn''t much.

    Until he became powerful enough, he should be wary of being led astray by his emotions. He still hadn''t grown powerful enough to do whatever he wanted to do, whenever he wanted to do. Until then, it was better to keep a low profile.

    After themotion he created in the bar, there was no opportunity for him to learn about the changes in Starmist City recently. So, Duncan decided to go to the seedier part of the city and try his luck.

    Leaving the bar, Duncan made his way into the seedier section of the city. The ce wasn''t far off from the area where the rich and powerful lived. Both ces were divided from the poor sector that was used by themon people.

    While the area where the rich and powerful lived was guarded by the gates, the seedier parts sort of seamlessly merged back into themon area covering them as well. Duncan had ventured a bit into the seedier area in themoners'' section when he was working as a mercenary. A mercenary was originally a job that dealt with things for money.

    It was undeniable that some of the jobs that were posted would be somewhat shady. Even though Duncan didn''te into contact with such things while he lived in the city earlier, he knew of them due to his status as a mercenary.

    Moreover, Duncan had haunted almost all the bars in themoners'' section during his first stay. The things he learned at that time naturally included some details on shadier things as well. He knew where to go and who to approach.

    So, without any hesitation, Duncan made his way into arge building in a gloomier neighborhood. The building he entered was three-storied and didn''t look that much different from other buildings in the neighborhood. But, very few people entered it due to the notorious nature of its inhabitants.

    The building he entered was rted to a lurking power known as Shadow Pavillion. Shadow Pavillion undertook missions rted to information brokerage and assassination. It can be called as the home of assassins and people who lived in the dark.

    If Blue Wind Society Hall were the merchants of the cultivators with branches all over the world, then Shadow Pavillion can be called as an assassin organization scattered across the world.

    Wherever there is a Blue Wind Society Hall, there will be a Shadow Pavillion. These two organizations struggled both openly and covertly vying for domination. From the notes present in the sect, Duncan knew that both these powers had backings that originate from the Central Continent.

    It was their reliance to operate in every city in this vast world. Due to the deterrence of their backing, not many powers want to tangle with these two parties.

    However, these two powers were also sensible enough. They never tried to be dominant powers regardless of their power. They both tended to stay away from the center of power and did things that were in line with their original intention of establishment.

    When ites to Shadow Pavillion, things were a bit different. They will assassinate and provide information on anyone as long as their price can be met. They had no taboos and were willing to bloody their hands.

    However, the price that the Shadow Pavillion set was way higher than normal. This acted as deterrence. Moreover, they also had the policy of not acting against Sect Heads of First-tier Powers and Monarchs of a Kingdom. With these two policies, they didn''t create chaos and maintained stability.

    Duncan naturally knew of these things after his stay in the sect. He wasn''t as ignorant as he was before. He knew that if he paid enough, he could order the Shadow Pavillion to wipe out the Wang n without much hassle.

    But, this was personal for Duncan. And this was also important for his cultivation. So, he had no intention of doing such a thing. Moreover, the spirit stones he had wasn''t abundant either.

    Right now, Duncan came here because he wanted to know the current power structure of the city. In the bar, Duncan realized that soliciting information frommon people might seem easy, but they would be unreliable.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Most people wouldn''t know the behind-the-scenes power struggles between cultivation ns in the city. The power structure and the hierarchy of ns are often hidden frommon people. Especially, the trump cards and interwoven rtionships of each n.

    Those kinds of information was only avable in two ces. Blue Wind Society Hall and Shadow Pavillion. Compared to Blue Wind Society Hall, obtaining information from the Shadow Pavillion was a lot more secretive. Duncan didn''t want to alert the Wang n of his movements yet. So, he came to the Shadow Pavillion to obtain information.

    *****

    Duncan frowned a bit as he walked out of the Shadow Pavillion.

    The information he had obtained from the Shadow Pavillion was a lot more detailed than he first anticipated. And it was good that he spent precious spirit stones to enquire these details.

    As he had suspected, the Starmist City he left and the Starmis City he arrived in were entirely different. On the surface, there weren''t many changes. However, the power structure of the entire city had shifted in recent months causing a shuffle in the status of several powers in the city.

    During the beast tide, the City Lord''s office had moved their hands and feet secretly and gave a severe blow to several ns present in the city. Earlier, even though the City Lord''s office was the most powerful, there were several powerful ns in the city who were able to restrict the City Lord''s power.

    But, after the beast tide, this situation had changed drastically. The Ling n and the City Lord''s office had colluded together and caused huge damage to the power of the other ns during the beast tide.

    Ling n was originally a medium-level power in the city. They didn''t have any presence one year ago. Even the strongest person in the n, their patriarch, was only at the Blue Sea level of the Spirit Sea realm.

    However, the patriarch of the Ling n was lucky enough to have a beautiful daughter who gained the appreciation of the City Lord. With this rtionship, the Ling n colluded with the City Lord''s office and started rising in power in a short time.

    Moreover, the Star Imperial Family, the Xing n had also secretly ordered the officials to reduce the power of cultivation ns in their jurisdiction. This coincided with the beast tide that erupted. As a result, several cultivation families lost their most powerful members to the beast tide, causing their power to deteriorate rapidly.

    On the surface, everything was calm. But, under the surface, the Ling n had been muscling in on the declined ns with the support of the City Lord''s office. Currently, almost all the ns were suppressed by the alliance of the Ling n and the City Lord''s office.

    The Wang n wasn''t an exception to this either.

    The Wang n was one of the top powers in the Starmist City, one year ago. However, they were also the ones to suffer huge damage during the beast tide. Immediately after that, the Ling n annexed most of their assets and be the top power in the city.

    If not for the Wang n Patriarch''s shrewd move that was executed immediately, the Wang n might have been swallowed up immediately. Luckily, the Wang n had a prodigy in the form of the boy who had sparred with him. Using him as the lynchpin, the Wang n had earned some breathing space.

    After knowing this, Duncan couldn''t help but twitch his lips. He never expected that kid he sparred with would be epted by a first-rate power as a disciple and thus bing the savior of their n. This was an unexpected surprise for him.

    And the thing that made him frown a little was that this little kid was currently practicing in his sect and wasn''t in the n. Duncan knew that leaving out weeds like this woulde back to haunt him in the future. But, there wasn''t anything he could do about it now.

    This was an unexpected hitch in his ns.

    *****

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 Chapter 183 Destined Calamity

    183 Destined Cmity

    If that is all Duncan could ept it, however, things seemed to deviate from his original n a bit. Thetest information from the Shadow Pavillion pointed out to Duncan that he still has a lot to learn in the world of cultivation.

    ording to the Shadow Pavillion, a week ago, several members of the Wang n were suddenly sent away from the city in an urgent manner. The direction in which they fled was also different from each other. In total, eight teams were dispatched with each going in different direction.

    Each team dispatched by the Wang n contained several promising members of the younger generation and a few important family members of the n. This sudden move of the Wang n had agitated both the City Lord''s mansion and the Ling n.

    Several other powers in the city have also be vignt after realizing what the Wang n had done. It was clear that the Wang n Patriarch was trying to minimize the loss and prevent the extermination of the bloodline.

    No one knew why the Wang n patriarch did that. But, it was clear to every power in the city that something had spooked the patriarch of the Wang n. And this has caused everyone to be on edge.

    When Duncan realized this, he couldn''t help but frown. With his power, it was easy for him to kill the members of the Wang n if they were all in the same location. He still had such confidence in him.

    However, if he had to chase after these eight teams and kill them all, then Duncan didn''t think that he would be capable of it. These teams were dispatched a week ago. By now, who knew where they have traveled to? Searching for them and eliminating them singlehandedly would be a strenuous task.

    And looking at the timing, Duncan''s lips couldn''t help but twitch. It seemed he had forgotten about cultivators having powerful intuition. It was most likely that the patriarch of the Wang n sensed dangering and acted decisively.

    Duncan didn''t know whether to apud the patriarch or curse him. If he went through with his n of killing the Wang n, then he would leave a lot of hidden dangers behind. And these people would being for him sooner orter.

    Duncan''s brows furrowed as he realized his mistake. He had beencent in thinking that nothing would change. But, it seemed that the reason for people attacking immediately once they determined to kill someone was most likely rted to this. It was his inexperience with the cultivation world that had caused him to make such a low-level mistake.

    It wasn''t as if he had exterminated a n before. So, it was only natural that he made such a mistake. But, does he regret causing such a situation? Duncan thought about it hard and felt that he didn''t feel like it.

    It is true that he wanted to use the Wang n to build a legendary foundation while stepping into the Violet Pce realm. And it is true that he had some enmity towards the Wang n. If not for that, he wouldn''t have chosen them to perform Severing Karma With ughter.

    But, his enmity was only because of how he was treated and almost forced to death due to their mechanizations. It couldn''t be said that the enmity was severe enough to exterminate the entire n. Only a few people in the Wang n were responsible for his predicament and his enmity was with them.

    The matter of exterminating the n came about because of its convenience. He didn''t want to leave behind some hidden dangers. So, he decided to exterminate the entire n. However, now that some of them had fled, he didn''t have that much motivation to hunt them down and kill them.

    As long as the patriarch, that little kid, and that steward were killed, his enmity with the Wang n can be said to be concluded. But, the little kid was currently in a safe ce where he couldn''t kill him. That meant, as long as the steward and the patriarch were present, he doesn''t need to chase after the remnants and kill them off.

    When Duncan figured this out, his furrowed brows loosened. His leisurely arrival to the city may have let the others escape from death, but Duncan didn''t regret it. Rather, he had obtained a lot of benefits because of his slow travel. If not for the travel he experienced by retreading his path, the enlightenment at the gates wouldn''t havee.

    There are gains and losses in everything. No need toment about the loss. He can just be satisfied with the gains. He did what felt right to his heart. If there are any disadvantages due to that in the future, he could only face it calmly.

    As for that kid or the other members of the Wang n taking revenge, Duncan didn''t care about it. In fact, he weed that kid toe after him. It would prevent him from searching for him.

    Maybe, he should leave some clues and let people figure out who killed the patriarch of the Wang n. It would make that kide after him and rid him of the problem of searching for the kid.

    With a small smile, Duncan decided his course of action.

    Now that he had figured out everything, Duncan felt that he should head over to the Wang n and finish his job. Since he was going to kill someone, then it is best to be done with it as soon as possible, lest some other variables started appearing.

    Duncan''s footsteps turned and he started heading in the direction of the Wang n without caring about anything else.

    *****

    The patriarch of the Wang n sat within the main hall with his brows furrowed. A month ago, he vaguely sensed a premonition of danger. No matter how he enquired, he wasn''t able to find what the reason for it was.

    At first, he thought that some member of the n had offended a big shot while traveling outside and it would cause a cmity. But, after enquiring about it, it became clear that the Wang n members have been pretty lowkey for the past few months after the beast tide.

    This confused him a bit. He didn''t know where the premonition of danger came from. But, Patriarch Wang was an experienced practitioner. He knew that he must not dismiss such premonitions. So, he became restless trying to figure out the cause and effect of this sudden feeling.

    Days rolled by and out of nowhere, a huge sense of dread enveloped him two weeks ago. Patriarch Wang knew that whatever wasing for him and the Wang n was inevitable. The only thing he could do was to face it head-on and fight for an opportunity for survival.

    He even pondered about leaving the n and escaping on his own. But, the sense of dread didn''t diminish at all. So, Patriarch Wang knew that running was useless. Instead of leaving a strong position, he was better off defending from the n.

    The n had several formations that were umted due to countless ancestors. With these formations, he even had the confidence to face the Violet Pce realm cultivators. So, he decided that he was better off defending with the help of n resources.

    After waiting for a week, Patriarch Wang could still feel the sense of dread that was approaching him. He initially expected the danger toe within a short time. But, this kind of feeling of being in constant dread was really unbearable. He didn''t know when the danger would arrive or in what form it woulde. He only knew it was unavoidable.

    In the end, he decided to do something useful.

    A week prior to Duncan''s arrival in the Starmist City, Patriarch Wang called some promising juniors and sent them away with some important members of the n. He hoped that at least a few of them would survive and carry on the Wang family line.

    Then, he called his brother, who had the second highest cultivation in the n, and ordered him and his family to head towards his son''s sect with most of the umted treasures of the n. He didn''t want whoever that came to kill him to gain from the umted wealth of the n. He also ordered his brother to follow his son in the future.

    This way, he arranged most of the affairs and waited for the inevitable toe knocking. For this past week, several n heads have inquired about the movements of the n. But, he didn''t say anything to them.

    What can he tell them? He himself didn''t know what kind of danger was approaching. How can he let others know? So, Patriarch Wang kept mum about his uneasy feeling and turned deaf ears to all the inquiries.

    As for offending these people, Patriarch Wang didn''t think much about it. If he survived this disaster, then he would think about how to make amends. If not, it was no skin of his back. Right now, all he could do was prepare himself to be in the best state and manage to survive this cmity that was approaching him.

    He even had a vague premonition that if he survived this cmity, his cultivation would break through to the Violet Pce realm. His cultivation had stagnated at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm for a long time. Maybe, this was his chance to break through the bottleneck and reach the next level.

    So, Patriarch Wang waited patiently in the main hall of the Wang n awaiting the arrival of his cmity. Just then, his heart shook and he knew immediately that the destined cmity had arrived on his doorstep.

    At that moment, Duncan stood before the Wang n''spound and looked at the defensive formation that was already activatedpletely.

    *****

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 Chapter 184 Attacking Wang Clan Compound

    ?

    Duncan looked at the defensive formation that was activatedpletely in front of him and twitched his lips.

    Sure enough, any n with centuries of umtion couldn''t be taken easily. For a n like the Wang n, having middle-tier second-level defensive formation could be said to be not bad.

    However, the formation in front of him was a high-tier second-level defensive formation. Formations were also divided into grades. Each level corresponds to an equivalent cultivation level. They are further divided into four grades ¨C low, middle, high, and top.

    With each grade, the power of the formation differs at each level. Low-tier formation corresponds to the lower end of the corresponding cultivation level and top-tier means the strength of perfection in the corresponding cultivation level. It was lucky that the Wang n didn''t have a top-tier defensive formation.

    That would have made things tricky.

    But, it didn''t mean that high-tier defensive formation was easy to deal with. With the high-tier defensive formation and a cultivator at the peak of the Spirit Sea level overseeing it, they would be able to fight evenly with early-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators.

    If it was before awakening his bloodline, Duncan wouldn''t have been able to break this formation at all. Not to mention themotion it would cause during the attack. It would have meant Duncan''s attack on the Wang n would have ended in failure.

    Who knows, he might have even died here.

    On the contrary, things weren''t that bad since Duncan had already awakened his bloodline. Ever since the preliminary awakening of his bloodline, Duncan had realized that his strength had undergone a drastic change.

    Now that he had the original [ughter Demon Sutra], practicing it had only increased Duncan''s strength once again. If not for this, Duncan wouldn''t have the confidence in dealing with the Wang n.

    With a smirk adorning his face, Duncan unsheathed his sword and looked at thepound in front of him. The guards who were guarding the door saw his actions and became enraged.

    "Hey, don''t you know where this is?" one of the guards yelled angrily. "How dare you act so presumptuously in front of the Wang n Compound? Kneel down and repent, or else even your life will not be enough to pay for your crimes!"

    Duncan''s lips twitched hearing the guard''s yelling. As much as he wanted to mock the guards and let them know that it was their lives that would end tonight, Duncan didn''t feel like wasting his time talking to these arrogant fools.

    Without speaking anything, Duncan used the <Absolute Cut Sword Art> and cut at the formation.

    A small sword light emerged from his sword and traveled towards the formation within the blink of an eye. The guard who had been yelling at Duncan angrily was shocked still by Duncan''s audacity for a moment seeing Duncan''s actions.

    The next moment the guard felt the terrible power contained in the sword light and paled. His knees weakened and his breath hitched. The other guard directly fell on his ass with sweat across his forehead.

    Before the guard could think anything more, the sword light from Duncan''s sword arrived. The moment the sword light met with the defensive perimeter, a deafening sound was emitted and the entire formation undted trying to resist the attack.

    BANG!

    Duncan saw that the formation was still holding still and snorted. He didn''t know anything about formations. Things like formations need a lot of umtion to learn and understand. He had only entered the cultivation world for one year and he didn''t understand even the basic principles that governed them.

    Thus, he would be only dreaming to find the weak spots or solve the formation to enter thepound without making a fuss. As for mingling in and entering into thepound in a low-key manner, Duncan would only be a fool to do such a thing.

    Once he enters the formation, breaking out of it under the siege of the Wang n patriarch would be very difficult. Duncan would lose all initiative and be passive at that stage. Duncan didn''t want such a thing to happen.

    Thus, the only way he could gain an advantage was to break the formation first and then attack the people inside. Duncan knew he couldn''t break the formation with conventional means. He didn''t have that much knowledge or skills. The only method he could think of was to break the formation with overwhelming force.

    A high-tier second-level formation like this could only be broken with the strength of the middle stage of the Violet Pce realm. But, with his strength, several consecutive blows would be enough to shatter the formation.

    And his calction was indeed correct.

    The formation was barely holding on under his onught. A few more blows like this would be enough to shatter the formation in a short time. This was in the middle of the city. The more time he took to finish his deeds, the more variables would emerge.

    He didn''t want to get entangled with the City Lord''s mansion. The City Lord was a Violet Pce realm cultivator. He was in the middle stages of the Violet Pce realm. Duncan didn''t know his exact cultivation level or whether he broke through recently. He didn''t want to take such a gamble.

    So, it was best to deal with this as fast as possible.

    Just then, a majestic roar came from the inside of thepound. Duncan immediately knew who that voice belonged to. It was the patriarch of the Wang n.

    "Who is it? How bold of you to attack my Wang n!"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Duncan smirked but didn''t bother to reply. There was no use bandying words with the patriarch of the Wang n. He wasn''t here to argue. He was here to kill and dying time by arguing with the patriarch about the cause and effect would only be detrimental to him.

    Without hesitation, Duncan sent out another sword light.

    BANG!

    This time the formation''s undtion was even stronger. It was clear that the formation wouldn''t be able to hold on for long. The two guards who were at the door were sweating bullets at this moment seeing the formation struggling to defend against Duncan''s blows.

    "Stop! What is your enmity with our Wang n? We can discuss everything peacefully!" the patriarch''s roar came from inside and it was clear from his tone that he was panicking as well.

    Duncan didn''t stop. He must break this formation as soon as possible. Without this, the Wang n patriarch wouldn''t be his opponent. But, with this, the Wang n patriarch would be able to put up a fight. And that would extend the time he spent.

    BANG!

    Another sword light fell on the formation causing the formation to start to flicker. Seeing this, Duncan''s eyes brightened. There was an eager gleam in his eyes as he saw the formation barely holding on. It would take at most one or two more blows.

    "Fine! You leave me no choice! Let''s fight it out!" the Wang n patriarch shouted angrily.

    The next moment, the flickering formation stabilized and it was evenly vaguely strengthened. Duncan frowned seeing this. Immediately he understood what happened.

    He had initially thought that someone was already managing the formation since it was already activated. But, it looks like no one was managing it. No wonder the formation almost crumbled within three blows.

    The Wang n''s patriarch had most likely taken charge of the formation. Duncan''s eyes narrowed as he figured this out within a few moments. After taking charge of the formation, the Wang n''s patriarch''s strength would be equal to that of the Violet Pce realm.

    What he least wanted to see had indeed happened. But, Duncan wasn''t discouraged. Rather, the battle lust in him only increased. Duncan had never exchanged blows with anyone after awakening his bloodline. He wanted to see how much his strength had increased after that. And the patriarch of the Wang n looked like the right person to test it out.

    Just then, a figure appeared on the top of thepound and looked down at Duncan coldly. It was the patriarch of the Wang n. His face was gloomy and there was anger and fear in his eyes.

    Duncan looked up at the figure calmly. But, deep within him, the fighting intent was burning brightly. As they exchanged eyes, the Wang n patriarch frowned slightly. The figure in front of the door looked a bit familiar to him, but he didn''t know who it was clearly.

    "Who are you?" the patriarch asked gloomily.

    Hearing his question, Duncan felt a bit irritated. It looked as if the patriarch didn''t even remember the puny mortal he sentenced to death. This kind of made Duncan a bit unhappy. He didn''t reply to the question. He merely stared daggers at the patriarch of the Wang n.

    "Who are you? Why are you attacking my Wang n?" the patriarch asked again with a little anger.

    "You don''t remember me. That''s fine. But, I remember you and your n very well. You once almost drove me to my death. I am merely returning the favor," Duncan said softly.

    "I don''t remember my Wang n offending you. Do not try to fool me. You don''t even dare to tell me who you are. That''s fine as well. Heh, I can see that you are only at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm just like me. I might be wary of you if it was outside. But, with my Wang n''s defensive formation, I don''t think you will live to see the sun tomorrow," the Wang n Patriarch sneered seeing Duncan''s cultivation level.

    "Is that so? Then, let''s test that statement!" Duncan smirked and readied himself.

    On thepound wall, the patriarch''s expression also became dignified. Looking at the vaguely familiar figure, the patriarch knew that this was the cmity that he had been feeling uneasy about. However, the cultivator standing below was only at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm like him.

    If the opponent was at a higher realm, then he would have been afraid. But, at the same level, the patriarch felt that he had a chance. Despite the opponent''s cultivation level, the level of danger he sensed from the opponent was higher than usual. So, he didn''t take the uing fight lightly at all.

    He knew that today he must fight with everything he had. If not, he would most probably dieˇ­

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 185 <Breaking Earth Fist>

    ?

    As the patriarch of the Wang n prepared himself for a fight to the death, Duncan too was priming himself for a good fight.

    Before he even awakened his bloodline, he was able to kill that cultivator Nine Yin Sect in that strange state. At that time, the other party''s cultivation was clearly above the Spirit Sea realm.

    And it wasn''t the first time he killed someone who was unbeatable before after falling into that strange state. That demonic beast in the grasnds was killed by him before even he started cultivation. That youth in the cannibal cave was killed after entering the strange state.

    Duncan knew he was capable of killing opponents far stronger than him once he entered the strange state. But, that wasn''t feasible to him. If he failed to enter the strange state at some point, then he could only die. He still hasn''t figured out the requirements to enter that strange state.

    All he knew was that the strange state had something to do with his bloodline.

    Since it was rted to his bloodline, Duncan wanted to see if he would be able to stimte himself and enter that state voluntarily. The only thing he knew for sure was that he always entered that state when his opponent was unbeatable but he was unwilling to give up.

    Currently, with the help of the formation, the power of the Wang n Patriarch was equal to that of the early-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator. Duncan wanted to see if the Wang n Patriarch could help him enter that state.

    With a determined gaze filled with fighting intent, Duncan mobilized his qi and swung his sword toward the patriarch with full strength. The blow he delivered was still the same <Absolute Cut Sword Arts>, but now he was mobilizing his entire power.

    "Break!"

    Duncan shouted loudly as he sent the sword light that was generated from his attack toward the patriarch. As early as when he exited the Initial Enlightenment in the cave in the Grotto Heaven, Duncan had been enlightened with the usage of his sword and how to create sword light.

    Until now, he had never had the opportunity to test out its power. For a sword to emit sword light, the connection between the person and the sword must be profound enough. If a person couldn''t unify his consciousness with the sword and treat it as a part of his body, then it would be impossible to generate sword light no matter how high their cultivation was.

    Like concepts, this was unique to martial cultivation. This had nothing to do with cultivation levels. Granted, those with high cultivation realms will be able to mobilize their powerful consciousness and enter this state easily, Foundational Cultivators are usually unable to enter this state without talent.

    After Duncan had undergone the Initial Enlightenment, he understood that he had some talent for swordsmanship. So, he hadn''t cked off his training in this regard after exiting the Grotto Heaven. With a month of diligent practice, Duncan was now able to emit sword light at will.

    When ites to swordsmanship, the martial cultivation rted to sword dao was divided into several stages. First was the unity of man and sword. And sword light is the sign of achieving this stage. Further above, there is the unity of sword and heaven, the unity of sword and soul, and so on.

    When the patriarch of the Wang n saw the sword light that emerged from Duncan''s sword, his expression became dignified. He knew immediately the person who was attacking the Wang n was not some ordinary cultivator.

    Feeling the sword light approaching himself, the patriarch didn''t dy any longer. He mobilized the power of the defensive formation to augment his strength and punched towards the sword light with a fierce shout.

    The Wang n were known for their fist techniques. The highest martial arts the Wang n possessed was called

    . The fist technique was domineering and very aggressive in nature.

    Now, the Wang n Patriarch mobilized the power of the defensive formation and circted his own power, and performed the attack he was most proficient in the fist technique. Naturally, the effect was astonishing.

    Boom!

    A loud sound emerged from the direction of the patriarch. Followed by that, a fist shadow emerged from the ce he was standing. The fist shadow looked firm and brought a lot of momentum with it.

    A suppression formed from the momentum emerged outwards and the air in front of the fist oscited. The pressure formed from the fist shot out and attacked the approaching sword light, causing it to stagger a bit.

    Immediately following that the fist arrived and fell on the sword light.

    Chi!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    The sound of collision echoed in the surroundings. The next moment the sword light and the fist shadow copsed together after consuming the power present in each other.

    Duncan''s eyes narrowed as he saw this phenomenon. It was as he expected. Without integrating any concepts, he wouldn''t be able to do anything just by relying on the sword light alone. At most, he would be able to fight even with the Wang n Patriarch. But, that''s all.

    Moreover, this was just the beginning. Duncan didn''t think that the Wang n Patriarch would not have any trump cards of his own. How can a n that has been operating for centuries in the Starmist City not have any other trump cards apart from a defensive formation?

    On the other side, the Wang n Patriarch frowned seeing the situation. He could clearly feel that the attack that was executed by the opponent was just a probing attack. But, even that was enough to fight a standstill with his Breaking Mountain Fist.

    With a dignified expression on his face, the Wang n Patriarch decided to go all out and end this battle immediately. The situation of the Wang n in the city was not very optimistic. The City Lord''s office and the Ling n were eyeing them from the shadows.

    Even if he earned a hard-fought victory, the City Lord''s office might take this opportunity to exterminate the Wang n and consolidate more power. So, the longer this fight dragged on the more dangerous it was for him as well.

    He didn''t know what the stance of the City Lord was regarding this battle. Themotion that was caused would surely alert the people in the City Lord''s faction. Will he uphold thew and interfere with the fight or will he rx a little and watch from the sidelines was yet to be determined. Until then, it was better to be prudent.

    With a fierce glint in his eyes, the Wang n Patriarch decisively took the initiative to attack this time. Duncan was slightly surprised by the proactive approach of the Wang n Patriarch. He thought that the opponent would drag time and be defensive. So, he was a little taken aback by this aggressive demeanor.

    But, Duncan didn''t mind it much. He weed it and retaliated with another sword light. This time, the fist of the patriarch had a slight edge in the sh and it had a tendency to break through Duncan''s attack. Duncan immediately realized that the patriarch was not just taking initiative, he also wanted to end this fight quickly.

    If that was the case, then it was fine with him as well. Duncan immediately mobilized his qi and attacked the patriarch with a different attack this time. The attack he just now used was a new move he had created by himself after his trip to the Grotto Heaven.

    <Swordcut: Absolute Severance>

    This attack integrated the concept of Swordcut he had realized from the <Absolute Cut Sword Arts> andbined it with the sword light he had been enlightened with. The attack power of this move was several times higher than Duncan''s ordinary attacks. The only drawback it had was the high consumption of qi in his spirit sea.

    Seeing Duncan''s attack, the patriarch''s eyes shrank in fear. He could vaguely sense that the attack that came towards him now was more dangerous than the other attacks so far.

    Gritting his teeth, the Wang n Patriarch mobilized everything he had with the intention of resisting the attack at all costs. He knew that if this attacknded, he would not only be injured but the formation might also be damaged.

    This was the ultimate move in the Breaking Earth Fist technique. The Ten Fists of Breaking Earth was incredibly hard to execute. This move required the cultivator to throw ten consecutive fists in a short time.

    The power of each fist would be higher than the previous one. And all these fists would bebined and have a cumtive effect on the moment of collision. In order to perform this technique, one must have enough qi and also have higher body strength to withstand the impact caused during execution.

    Without the help of the defensive formation, the patriarch wouldn''t be able to execute this technique on his own. While the power in this fist was farrger than what was present in previous moves, the toll it took on the user''s body was also terrible enough.

    Ten fist shadows merged and formed a menacing fist shadow as they traveled across the air and met with the sword light that was rtively dull.

    BOOM!

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 186 Hidden Calamity

    ?

    BOOM!

    The collision between the two attacks wasrge. The impact from the collision sent air waves exploding in all directions. Duncan, who was standing in the street, was immediately affected and had to take two steps back to negate the impact.

    On thepound wall, the patriarch of the Wang n wasn''t any better either. However, luckily he had the defensive formation to offset the impact and was able to remain rtively unharmed.

    But, inwardly he was groaning in pain. He had notpletely mastered the essence of the Ten Fists of Breaking Earth. Executing it without the help of the formation was really hard for him. With the formation helping, he was able to barely execute the attack.

    However, this caused a huge strain on his body. Normally, this would at most cost him some difort in the veins. But, immediately after that, the rebound impact of the collision of two attacks came. Even with the formation, the strain it put on his body was really unbearable.

    But, the patriarch knew that he shouldn''t show an embarrassing posture at this moment. Apart from the opponent, all the guards and members present in thepound were currently watching this battle. If he became embarrassed after a few rounds, then the morale will plummet.

    Hence, even though he wanted to curl up in pain, he put on a posture of not being affected and forcefully withstood the impact. This only further intensified the pain he endured. He could only hope that this would demoralize the attacker. If not, everything would be in vain.

    Duncan looked up at the patriarch who remained unaffected and narrowed his eyes. He thought that even if the move was negated, his opponent would also be affected by the impact like him. Unfortunately, it didn''t seem to have much effect on the opponent.

    However, this only roused Duncan''s fighting spirit further. Earlier he had been a little worried that the Wang n Patriarch would be too weak and not be able to withstand his blows. If that were the case, then his intention of taking this opportunity to enter the strange state would be impossible to realize.

    Now that the opponent was able to withstand his blows, then it meant that he must dig deep and find that strange state if he wanted to win. This was exactly what he wanted. He could also take this opportunity to hone his moves further.

    The Absolute Severance sword attack he delivered was conceived by him by integrating the concept of Swordcut with the Absolute Cut Sword Art. Even though he had practiced it for a long time, he had never utilized it in a real battle. Without an opponent, he had never been able to find the various ws within the sword attack.

    Now that he had found an opponent that could go toe to toe with him, this was the right time to hone his sword attack. As Duncan realized it, the bursting desire to test his sword ignited and his eyes burned with fighting spirit.

    "Again!"

    Duncan roared and sent out another Absolute Severance attack.

    The eyes of the patriarch twitched seeing this scene. He had obviously hoped that after seeing the power of the Ten Fists of Breaking Earth, the opponent''s resolve to fight it out would be diminished. However, it seemed to have the opposite effect on this attacker.

    The patriarch had heard of cultivators like this. They were called Battle Maniacs amongst the cultivators in general. These people all had one unique quality to them The stronger the opponent the higher the fighting power they disyed.

    The Patriarchmented that he was unlucky enough to run into such a stubborn stubble. He knew there was no going back now and if he was careless for even a moment he would be finished.

    Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain in the veins, the patriarch sent out another Ten Fists of Breaking Earth. Just like before, both attacks canceled out each other. However, unlike thest time, the patriarch didn''t endure the rebound impact forcefully. He transferred the impact throughout the formation and spread it out to minimize its intensity.

    The formation wavered a bit and a few cracks formed within it. But, its integrity was notpromised and it withstood the impact. After spreading out the impact, the amount of force the patriarch had to endure was also reduced and became bearable.

    Duncan took three steps back this time. The blood in his body was roiling and he almost spit out a mouthful of blood from the bacsh. But, in his eyes, only the cracks formed on the formation were visible.

    Seeing those cracks, Duncan''s eyes brightened. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before he broke this formation. After that, he didn''t think the patriarch of the Wang n will be able to hold him back.

    With a brilliant smile, Duncan spat out a wad of blood and attacked again.

    "Again!"

    Hearing those words, the patriarch of the Wang nmented his bad luck. He could clearly see that his opponent was enduring more bacsh than him. But, for some reason, this madman was only bing fiercer with each attack. And his attacks were also increasing in power every time.

    BOOM!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Another round of collision. This time Duncan staggered back four steps. But, the brilliance in his eyes didn''t dim. There were more cracks in the formation at this moment.

    Naturally, the Wang n Patriarch also noticed this.

    "All members of the Wang n! Support the formation with your qi!" the patriarch roared not willing to take any chances.

    "Yes, Patriarch!"

    The members of the Wang n who had been watching the fight from inside the formation also realized the gravity of the situation. They didn''t hesitate to input their qi into the formation to strengthen it.

    They knew that if the formation broke, it would be hard for them to remain alive. So, none of them skimped in inputting the qi this time. They only hoped that their patriarch would be able to resist this madman until the people from the City Lord''s office arrived.

    Outside thepound, Duncan heard the patriarch''s shout and saw the cracks in the formation begin to repair suddenly. He knew that everyone in the Wang n at present was strengthening the formation. Rather than being discouraged, the fighting intent in Duncan''s heart only rose seeing this situation.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ That''s more like it. Come on! Again!"

    Duncanughed loudly and attacked once more.

    With so many people strengthening the formation, the power of the formation rose to a new level. The patriarch sighed in relief. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to perform the Ten Fists of Breaking Earth continuously like this. If not for the increased power of the formation, there would be no way to resist the continuous attacks that came one after the other.

    Luckily, with the power of the formation increased, he could solve the oing attacks with Breaking Mountain Fist alone. The increased power inputted was able to contend with the Absolute Severance Sword and cause a stalemate.

    In the next few minutes, all everyone could hear was the sounds of a collision and Duncan''s maniacalughter. Duncan was really enjoying himself at the moment. Hepletely let go of everything and attacked to his heart''s content.

    Duncan''sughter was like theughter of a devil in the ears of the Wang n members. They shivered every time they heard it. From time to time, some of the weaker members present would vomit blood and fall down. By spreading out the impact, the amount of impact everyone had to resist was also spread out. The weaker ones fell down one by one unable to bear the impact.

    The patriarch turned a blind eye to this situation. He didn''t care about the life and death of these people. Right now, all his thoughts were focused on how to pass this cmity. He had no sympathy to spare for the other members of his n when even his personal safety was at risk.

    He too knew that the power of the formation wasn''t inexhaustible. At some point in time, the formation would surely break under the onught of the attacks from the madman. When it does, the patriarch knew that he would never be the opponent of this madman.

    Even now, amidst his maniacalughter, the patriarch could perceive that the strength of his blows was increasing in a slow but consistent manner. It was as if the madman was honing his attack against the formation. Even though he felt it was inconceivable, he couldn''t dispute the facts presented in front of him.

    Right now, all he could do wasment that his n had provoked this evil star and led to this day. He didn''t know how his n had provoked this madman. That vaguely familiar figure tickled his memories a bit. But, he wasn''t in the mood to pay attention to it.

    Despite his calmposure in front of his nsmen, the heart of the patriarch was cold inside. Even though the madman''s increasing power worried him a lot, what made his heart go cold was the fact that no one from the City Lord''s office had arrived yet.

    With such a bigmotion, it was impossible for the City Lord''s office to not notice. By all rights, the cultivators from the City Lord''s office must have arrived by now and driven off this madman. However, it looks like the City Lord was waiting and watching on the sidelines.

    This let him know that even if he survived this madman''s onught, he wouldn''t be able to escape the greedy eyes of the City Lord and the Ling n. This day was indeed bing a huge day filled with cmities.

    The patriarch vaguely realized that the premonition of danger he had wasn''t just from this madman. But, it was because of the overall situation. He understood deep in his heart that the City Lord was taking this opportunity topletely remove the Wang n from the Starmist City.

    *****

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 Chapter 187 Ling Yue

    ?

    The moment the patriarch realized the gravity of the situation, a deep chill arose in his heart. He knew that the Wang n would not survive this disaster no matter what.

    He also realized that the power structure of the city would undergo a huge change after today. The City Lord had been waiting for such an opportunity. He would never let go of this. The City Lord''s office and the Ling n would surely swallow the power that was in the hands of the Wang n. It would in turn pressure other big ns present in the city.

    The Wang n Patriarch also realized that the other ns will not have a good time in the city after this. More and more power would be swallowed and the ns would eventually bend and pay allegiance to the City Lord. The earlier bnce and checks present in the city would be gone and the City Lord would be the undisputed despot of this city.

    However, none of this had anything to do with him. His n was going to end today. There was no other recourse. Fortunately, he sent away some members of the n earlier and his Wang n would not be exterminatedpletely. He could only leave the revival of the n to his son who was currently practicing in the Iron Mountain Sect.

    But, before his Wang n was removed, he wanted the enemies of the n to pay some prize as well. He wouldn''t be able to do anything to the City Lord. But, this madman in front of him was different.

    He was the reason for this cmity. The patriarch didn''t know whether this man was instructed by the City Lord to take revenge or he came over voluntarily. He didn''t care about the details behind it much. It didn''t matter if there was collusion between the City Lord and this madman.

    Now that his n was facing disaster, he wanted to drag this madman with his n to hell. Since there was no hope for the survival of his n, then there was nothing else to be done. He could only make sure that the attacker of the n will be dead along with them.

    Cold light shone in the patriarch''s eyes as he stared at Duncan murderously.

    *****

    In the City Lord''s Mansionˇ­

    A woman who was dressed in exquisitely embroidered robes stood on the balcony and stared at themotion in the distance. From where she stood, she had a clear view of the battle that was going on in the distance.

    Just then, one of the servants in the City Lord''s mansion walked urgently to her and whispered something in her ears. The woman''s eyebrows rose and a mocking smile appeared on her face.

    "Bring him here," the woman ordered nonchntly.

    The servant bowed and retreated. Soon, a middle-aged man with a steady temperament walked towards her under the guidance of the servant. Looking at the young woman who looked to be in her twenties, the man''s emotions wereplicated.

    "Madam Ling Yue," the man greeted stiffly.

    "You are wondering why the City Lord had ordered you to wait for a while before acting," Ling Yue spoke without even turning to look.

    The man remained silent.

    "Captain, as a member of the City Lord''s office, you need to understand a very important thing. Your responsibility is to act as the City Lord ordered. Not toin or wonder about the reasons behind his order," Ling Yue turned around and looked at him with a small smile.

    The man''s eyes narrowed.

    "Forgive me Madam, but as the Captain of the City Guard, one of my responsibilities is to maintain the order in the city. Such a tant disruption of peace should be dealt with promptly," the Captain insisted.

    "Heh, Captain, you are still na?ve," Ling Yue chuckled. "This world isn''t fair. Talking about fairness and justice is moot. The strong determine what fairness and justice are."

    "Ling Yue," the Captain said agitatedly. "What happened to you? You were not like this before."

    Ling Yue turned and faced him fully. There was a nostalgic look in her eyes. But, it onlysted for a few seconds. It was gone immediately. A cold look reced nostalgia as she snorted.

    "Don''t you know what happened to me? Why are you asking me?" Ling Yue said in a frosty tone.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "I admit what happened to you was unfair. But, that is no reason for you to behave like this. I have watched you grow up. However, I don''t even recognize the woman in front of me now. No matter how unfair this world has treated you, there is no reason to watch the death of a whole n from the sidelines," the Captain implored.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ nsˇ­ what a funny thing! So what if the Wang n got exterminated? What does it have to do with me? When I was in despair did the Wang n help me?" Ling Yue sneered.

    "Ling Yue, what happened to you was an internal matter. No other n could interfere in other n''s internal affairs. There is no need to me the Wang n or the other ns for what happened to you. I implore you, kindly inform the City Lord of the situation. This is not good for the city."

    "He heˇ­ why should I implore the City Lord? Furthermore, do you think the City Lord doesn''t know already? Your orders came directly from the City Lord. It is just that you are not willing to obey it and are begging me to intercede."

    "So be it," the Captain took a deep breath and spoke again. "For old time''s sake, help me convince the City Lord to mobilize the City Guard and help out the Wang n."

    "Do you think the City Lord will listen to me?" Ling Yue asked with a vague smile.

    "I know he listens to you. Do this for me," the Captain bowed and said solemnly. "The City Lord''s actions will only reflect poorly on him. The other ns would petition the Imperial n condemning the City Lord if the Wang n perishes."

    "Uncle Yu, I told you that you are na?ve. This is the reason. You think that everyone is as righteous and heroic as you," Ling Yue shook her head. "Even if I went in, the City Lord will not revoke the order. There is more at y here."

    The Captain stood stunned. He knew how influential the words of Ling Yue were in the City Lord''s ears. Even though their marriage didn''t have a good beginning, it was known to everyone in the mansion that the City Lord doted heavily on her. If she was willing to intercede, these things could be handled easily.

    Without her support, how could a lowly n like the Ling n be a prominent n in the city? It was all because of her influence on the City Lord. He didn''t understand why Ling Yue refused to intercede at this critical moment.

    "Looks like Uncle Yu still doesn''t understand," Ling Yue sighed. "More than a year ago, an order came directly from the Imperial City. It came directly from the Third Prince himself. You should know how important this order is. Do you know what the order was about?"

    "What?" Captain Yu asked with trepidation in his heart.

    "Break the power of ns in all cities," Ling Yue looked at him squarely and conveyed the seriousness of the issue.

    Captain Yu stood aghast. He didn''t know how to respond to such an order. He always knew that the Imperial n was not fond of the ns within the empire. However, it was how things were for several centuries.

    The City Lord''s office had the backing of the Imperial n. The ns in the city had the backing of the various cultivation sects. There was always a tacit understanding between the Imperial Power and major sects within the Star Empire. Now, the Third Prince intends to break this tacit understanding.

    Ling Yue watched as the implications registered in the mind of Captain Yu and sighed. She turned away from the Captain and looked at the fight happening in the distance.

    "In this generation of Royal Princes, the First Prince has extraordinary achievements and has be a direct disciple of a Sect Ancestor in the Central Continent. The Second Prince is no slouch either. He is the Holy Son of one of the hegemons in the Dragon Scale Continent."

    "Now the Imperial family wants to bring the entire Star Empire under their control. Whether they be other sects or ns present in the Star Empire, the Imperial family wants to subdue them. The Third Prince is the person who is in charge of this entire thing."

    "After the beast tide, the power of some ns and sects was broken. In the dozens of border cities surrounding the Grasnds, only a few cities like the Starmist City have ns and the City Lord''s office with equal power. The Third Prince has been dissatisfied with the situation for some time now."

    "This is a good opportunity for the City Lord to umte more power in the city. Do you think he would give that up and incur the wrath of the Third Prince because of a few words from me?" Ling Yue asked mockingly.

    *****

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 Chapter 188 Grabbing Power

    ?

    "Do you think the City Lord would give that up and incur the wrath of the Third Prince because of a few words from me?" Ling Yue asked mockingly.

    The question stunned Captain Yu for a bit. He knew that the City Lord was a ruthless man. Apart from doting on Ling Yue a bit, all his actions were always pragmatic. Captain Yu knew that no matter how much the City Lord doted on Ling Yue, he wouldn''t jeopardize his standing with the Third Prince because of that. Still, he felt a little stifled by the current circumstances.

    "Butˇ­ shouldn''t the City Lord''s office protect themon people in the city? If not, the prestige of the City Lord''s office will take a huge hit. Moreover, if the City Lord''s office doesn''t take any action, what will the other ns think?" Captain Yu asked worryingly.

    "Heh, the ns are all self-serving. Do not worry about them. Do you think that the Wang n doesn''t have any good rtions with other ns? Why don''t you see any of them rushing to help?" Ling Yue asked sarcastically.

    "Thisˇ­"

    "That''s because they too are waiting and watching from the shadows. The enemy that came to Wang n''s gate this time is very powerful. No one wants to incur the wrath of such an enemy on themselves by standing out. The destruction of the Wang n is a foregone conclusion. What Uncle Yu should be worried about is the aftermathˇ­"

    "What do you mean?"

    "What do you think will happen after the Wang n is destroyed? These so-called righteous ns will be vying for the power that the Wang n upied until now. But, this power must not fall into their hands."

    "Then what? Do you want the Ling n to take that power over as well?" Captain Yu asked mockingly.

    "No, this time it is different. Patriarch Ling Yan has already rushed to discuss this with the City Lord. But, I don''t think he will get what he wants. I am sure he will being to me asking to intercede as well," Ling Yueughed a little coldly.

    "But, this power will only belong to the City Lord''s office. The City Lord will not allow any mishaps. Any mistake will incur the wrath of the Third Prince. Does Uncle Yu want to hear my advice on how to deal with this without damaging the prestige of the City Lord''s office?"

    Hearing that the Ling n will not seed made Captain Yu''s attitude soften a bit. He really disliked the Patriarch of the Ling n. That man was like a slimy snake. He didn''t want him to hold more power.

    "So, what do you think I should do?" Captain Yu asked a little softly.

    "Uncle Yu, it is time for you to be a little proactive this time. While interfering in the destruction of the Wang n might incur the wrath of the City Lord, he will be happy with you if you can make sure that there is no more unrest because of other ns fighting for power," Ling Yue smiled softly.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Be ready to head over with the City Guard. As soon as the battle is finished, give another five minutes for the situation to calm down and rush over to the Wang npound. Take control of the shops and other regions that Wang n originally had power over," Ling Yue said with a small smirk.

    "This way you can maintain the peace of the city and also show the prestige of the City Lord''s office. I am sure Uncle Yu might have some grudges or unhappiness with some people, but was not able to act on them because of the power behind them. You can use this opportunity to deal with them as well."

    Captain Yu''s mouth twitched upon hearing Ling Yue''s words.

    "Why do you want me to wait for five more minutes? Wouldn''t dying five minutes allow the culprit to run away? Wouldn''t catching him would bring more prestige to the City Lord''s office?" Captain Yu asked a little dissatisfiedly.

    Ling Yue shot him a look that told him that he was stupid to have such a thought. Seeing the derision in her eyes, Captain Yu paused.

    "Heh, Uncle Yu, you still want to catch someone who can wipe out the whole Wang n relying on your City Guards. Are you sure you are sober? If he can tten the entire Wang n, your City Guards would not even be enough for him to chew on."

    Captain Yu''s fist clenched hearing that. Even though he wanted to refute it, he knew that it was indeed the truth. Without the City Lord personally making a move, there was likely to be no one present in the City that could fight with that culprit. Trying to attack or detain him will be like sending his loyal guards to their death. He didn''t want to do such a thing.

    "I understand," Captain Yu sighed.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "That is all I can tell you, Uncle Yu. How you handle stuff is left up to you. Remember the stakes here. The City Lord will not fault you if you step on a few ns'' toes as well. This time, the City Lord''s office must issue a strong statement," Ling Yue said seriously causing Captain Yu to nod.

    "Little Yue, you have truly grown up," Captain Yu sighed. "I always knew you were an intelligent one. Even though your marriage to the City Lord was done under ill circumstances, I am happy to see you embrace your marriage and think on behalf of the City Lord like this. Leave the rest to me. Uncle Yu will do a good job. You just go apany the City Lord."

    "Thank you, Uncle Yu," Ling Yue smiled, but it didn''t reach her eyes at all. "If there is anything, send a message to the City Lord. I will go and see how the discussion between the City Lord and Patriarch Ling is going on."

    "Don''t worry, leave it to uncle," Captain Yu saluted and immediately left the ce.

    Ling Yue remained on the balcony for a bit longer staring at the battle that was reaching the end and let out a deep sigh. Her eyes turned cold and she turned around to walk towards the City Lord''s study.

    As she walked through the mansion, everyone who came across her saluted her with a little fear and trepidation in their eyes. Ling Yue didn''t care about any of their actions and walked passed them calmly.

    In the end, she reached the end of the corridor and stood before therge door that led to the City Lord''s Study. The guards on duty rxed seeing her. They saluted her and waited for her orders.

    "Has the discussion between Patriarch Ling and the City Lorde to a conclusion?" Ling Yue asked one guard.

    "Mydy, it looks like the discussion is still going on. Neither the patriarch nor the City Lord hase out yet. Do you need me to announce your presence, mydy?" one of the guards asked respectfully.

    "No need, I will announce myself in," Ling Yue shook her head with a small smile. "It looks like Patriarch Ling had run out of luck this time."

    "Mydy is sharp," the other guard ttered. "Without mydy''s help, the City Lord wouldn''t even stop to look at someone like Patriarch Ling. Maybe, he will need your help again this time."

    "No, I know my duties. Helping my parental n a little bit is fine, but I can''t put my husband''s welfare behind theirs. A married woman must know when to speak and when to remain quiet," Ling Yue smiled at the guard and shook her head.

    "To have such a dutiful wife, the City Lord is surely blessed," the guard said with arge smile. "Go on in, mydy. The Lord has told us that his study is always open to you."

    "I know," Ling Yue smiled with a small blush on her face and nodded at both guards. "Carry on with your duty."

    Ling Yue opened the door and entered without hurry and closed the door behind her smoothly. The guards on either side smiled at each other and shook their heads. They knew that the City Lord doted on his wife a lot. It looks like thedy''s icy heart was also beginning to thaw from the City Lord''s repeated efforts.

    Inside the study, Ling Yue closed the door and the smile on her face vanishedpletely. A cold, indifferent look came over her face as she walked into the study with confidence.

    "Reporting to master, your instructions have been carried out. The City Guard would be busy trying to take over the power left behind by the Wang n and no one would look for the City Lord for at least a day."

    Ling Yue bowed and reported solemnly. Across the table, an enchanting figure sat in the seat of the City Lord and was casually ying with two eyeballs in her hand. A smirk emerged on her face and she looked at Ling Yue with approval.

    Below her, a whimper could be heard clearly. Hearing the sound, a trace of displeasure emerged on the woman''s face and she snorted. If Duncan was present at this moment, he would have been clearly shocked to see Elder Feng of the Heavenly Demon Sect sitting in the seat of the City Lord.

    *****

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 Chapter 189 Enchanting Spirit Physique

    ?

    "Here," Feng Feixuan threw the two eyeballs to Ling Yue nonchntly and spoke, "I have left these two alive for you to y with. Do not take too much time. I have another mission for you. Your time in this city is at an end now."

    "I understand master," Ling Yue bowed her head in gratitude, barely repressing the excitement and joy in her heart. "I will not take much time."

    "Good, your progress is somewhat passable. However, you have worshipped me as Master for more than a year and have only reached the Blue Sea realm. This is indeed somewhatcking. With the essence of these two people, you will at least reach the peak of the Spirit Sea realm," Feng Feixuan spoke calmly.

    "Thank you, master," Ling Yue replied humbly.

    "But, this is not enough," Feng Feixuan said unceremoniously. "Regardless, you will have a new mission. The following year is very important. Do not becent. You will understand some things soon. Have my other instructions carried out as well?"

    "Yes master," Ling Yue replied obediently. "I have taken the amount from the treasury and used it to order the assassination of three n patriarchs in the city in the next few days. The order has been ced under the Wang n Patriarch''s name as well."

    "Good," Feng Feixuan smirked. "With this, the entire Starmist City will be chaotic in short order. When they realize that their precious City Lord is dead, things would unravel soon enough. Let''s see how the sects behind those ns will react to such sudden chaos."

    Just then, a loud boom was heard from the distance. Feng Feixuan looked into the distance and smirked slightly.

    "Interesting, he had grown to such an extent within a short time. This brat gives me surprise after surprise," Feng Feixuan stated with a meaningful smile on her face.

    "Master knows the attacker?" Ling Yue asked cautiously.

    "That should be your Junior Brother. He joined the sect after you. Look at him now," Feng Feixuan said with a small smile. "He can already destroy the entire Wang n. What about you?"

    Ling Yue didn''t reply. She only clenched her fists in frustration. If not for the fear of being discovered by the City Lord, her cultivation would have risen a level or two further. But, she didn''t dare to do it. If she got discovered and sabotaged the n of her master, her master would be dissatisfied.

    Ling Yue felt that she owed everything she had to her master. If not for her master, she would have be a cultivation cauldron for the City Lord and be drained of her essence due to her special physique.

    Ling Yue was neen years old now. Until she was sixteen years old, she had been very na?ve and willful. Her father and mother doted on her the most. They treated her like a treasure. Anything she wanted can be obtained easily with the help of her parents.

    Unfortunately, good times didn''tst. Three years ago, both of her parents were killed while traveling outside. Her uncle, who was the patriarch of the n, immediately took back all the welfare of the n and brought her under his control easily. Ling Yue, who has never cultivated seriously due to the doting of her parents, didn''t have the necessary power to withstand her uncle''s means.

    For the next year and a half, Ling Yue became a recluse and dedicated her whole being to cultivation. She wasn''t na?ve anymore. She realized that in this world only those who had strength had the luxury of living freely. So, she poured her heart and soul into cultivation.

    However, the reality was cruel. No matter how hard she tried, her cultivation barely increased. She was still in the mid stages of the Qi Gathering realm after the relentless efforts she put forth. This devastated her severely.

    That''s when she came into contact with Uncle Yu''s nephew. Uncle Yu''s nephew was someone who was in the Spirit Sea realm. They both liked each other and even decided to get married. But, another disaster stuck in her life.

    Under the matchmaking of the Ling n Patriarch, Ling Yue suddenly fell into the eyes of the City Lord. Once upon a time, before meeting Uncle Yu''s nephew, Ling Yue would have dly embraced being the wife of the City Lord. But, she was in love with Uncle Yu''s nephew. So, she refused the marriage proposal and wanted to marry Uncle Yu''s nephew.

    The Patriarch of the Ling n was furious. He had undergone painstaking efforts to facilitate this marriage. He didn''t want to ruin this chance of increasing the Ling n''s power by climbing the City Lord''s thigh due to some stupid thing like a young wastrel''s love.

    But, he didn''t dare to oppose it openly. The City Lord was a prideful man. He also had a good opinion of Uncle Yu''s nephew who was rising fast in the ranks. So, the Ling n Patriarch plotted with others and attacked Uncle Yu''s nephew when he was away from the city on an errand.

    Uncle Yu''s nephew was surrounded and killed as a result. Ling Yue was devastated. She knew this must be the handiwork of the patriarch. Apart from him, she had never revealed to anyone about her love. She went to Uncle Yu andined.

    A furious Uncle Yu went to seek revenge, only to be suddenly stopped by the City Lord. City Lord stated that since there was no evidence, he can''t allow Uncle Yu to act. Uncle Yu was also powerless to do anything. In the end, he reluctantly epted the order and was heartbroken.

    However, within the next month, the news about City Lord''s marriage to her had spread. Uncle Yu thought that the City Lord was helping her get away from the Ling n and wholeheartedly supported it. Even Ling Yue was initially fooled by the narrative spun by the City Lord.

    But, it was at that time that Ling Yue met her master. Her master took one look at her and asked her if she wanted to be her disciple. Initially, she was skeptical. She informed her master of her talentlessness and reluctantly refused the invitation.

    Only, her masterughed in her face and called her stupid. It turned out that she had a rtively rare physique called Enchanting Spirit Physique. Those with this physique will have a slow cultivation start until they reach the age of eighteen.

    Once they be eighteen, their physique will be awakened and their cultivation will skyrocket within the next few months. Even after that, they will have a high cultivation talent. That was the reason her master wanted her to be her disciple.

    Initially, she was overjoyed and wanted to share this news with the City Lord and ask him to cancel the marriage. She thought that if she became a disciple, there was no need for the City Lord toe forward and help her get away from the Ling n.

    Who knew that when she told the City Lord, heughed in her face and called her a silly girl? He even ordered one of his subordinates to find the master and kill her. It turned out that the City Lord had already seen through her physique even before her parents died. The death of her parents and Uncle Yu''s nephew were all his handiwork.

    The reason he did this was because he wanted to absorb the virgin yin qi her body produced after awakening the physique. That vital yin qi of a newly awakened Enchanting Spirit Physique was very helpful to cultivators. That''s why even the marriage date coincided with her eighteenth birth date.

    Ling Yue, who realized the mastermind behind all her sorrows, was devastated. The City Lord even imprisoned her after that iming to protect her. Luckily for her, fate was on her side for once. The person who was sent after her master died in her hands.

    The City Lord had thought that it was some wandering cultivator or a knowledgeable cultivator from a small sect who recognized her and wanted to take her as a disciple. But, the master''s strength was not something he or the person he sent could contend against. The man sent after her master died a miserable death.

    Her master then immediately sneaked into the City Lord''s mansion one night and rescued her as well. Ling Yue was grateful for her master''s actions and was willing to dedicate her life to her master as long as her master killed the City Lord.

    But, her master didn''t ept that. Her master asked if she was willing to follow her and would do everything she was ordered to do. Ling Yue epted without any hesitation.

    So, under her master''s n, she married the City Lord one year ago. As for the City Lord plundering her essence, her master gave her a treasure that was suitable for the Enchanting Spirit Physique. With its help, she was able to ensnare the mind of the City Lord and made him believe that her physique wouldn''t awaken until she was twenty.

    From then on, the City Lord doted on her and she became the wife of the City Lord who ruled the city. With her power and influence, she was able toplete the tasks assigned by her master easily. Even though she wanted to follow her master and cultivate, her master told her that it was meaningless for her to practice like ordinary cultivators.

    People with special physiques will have their own special cultivation techniques. Enchanting Spirit Physique cultivated by ensnaring people''s minds and absorbing their consciousness. The more people she ensnared, the more powerful she would be.

    After learning this, she let go of her desire to follow her master. But, she still remained clear of her debt of gratitude to her master. She knew that with her special physique, her master treated her differently from others.

    She had seen how vicious and ruthless her master was to others. Compared to them, her master''s treatment of her waspletely different. It was like the difference between heaven and earth.

    Ling Yue had been initially squeamish regarding her master''s viciousness. But, after hearing master speak about the ruthless struggle in the world of cultivation, she realized that only the strong had the right to speak in this world. Things like righteousness, fairness, and justice were all used by strong people to control the weak.

    From then on, she let go of her worries and began to practice sincerely to be strong. She didn''t have any scruples regarding ensnaring other people at all. Soon, her cultivation rose leaps and bounds and entered the Spirit Sea realm.

    Initially, she was overjoyed with her progress. However, soon aplication rose. With the increase in her power, the suspicion the City Lord had regarding her began to increase. It became increasingly difficult to control the City Lord. In the end, she had to slow down and make sure her master''s n came to fruition.

    If not for that, how could she be still stuck in the Blue Sea realm?

    *****

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 Chapter 190 Grand Event

    ?

    "Looks like your junior brother has already broken through that lousy formation the Wang n used. Soon, it will be time for us to leave this city," Feng Feixuan said looking at Ling Yue.

    "What about the junior brother, master? Are we to join up with him?" Leng Yue asked cautiously. "However, the junior brother has created a hugemotion. We can only meet up with him outside the city to escape from prying eyes."

    "Why would I join with that idiot?" Feng Feixuan snorted contemptuously.

    "Huh," Ling Yue was surprised by her master''s words. "Isn''t junior brother acting on your orders, master?"

    "Ha ha haˇ­ no. That idiot is not acting under my orders. His actions were all done by him," Feng Feixuan smiled mockingly. "People like him are brutes who don''t use their brains. They don''t think long-term. They fight whenever they want. There are countless idiots like that guy in the sect. Don''t be surprised. These brutes don''t have any long-term ns. They do something just because they want to."

    "Thatˇ­" Ling Yue felt a little dazed hearing that.

    She never expected someone so stupid to exist in the Heavenly Demon Sect. Heavenly Demon Sect was the hegemon of the demonic cultivation sects in the Dragon Scale Continent. How could such stupid people enter a sect like Heavenly Demon Sect? Furthermore, if the master''s words are true, this is actually the norm for the disciples in the sect. Ling Yue couldn''t believe such a thing.

    "You think he is stupid, right?" Feng Feixuan said looking at Ling Yue meaningfully. "Don''t bother to deny, I too think so. But, most demonic cultivators are like this. They don''t have any long-term ns. They indulge in their desires whenever they want. They may have some brilliant ideas sometimes and even do some great things. But, they will all never be able to n for something long-term with patience."

    "But, how can such people enter a sect like ours master?" Ling Yue asked confusedly.

    "Heh, girl, don''t underestimate these people just because they can''t n for the long-term like you and me. In the world of cultivation, it is the strength of the cultivator that speaks the most. In front of overwhelming strength, all schemes and plots can be shattered in one blow," Feng Feixuan said seriously.

    "And these people are exactly the kind of people who can achieve such overwhelming strength after going through countless life-and-death battles. The potential in a cultivator''s body will be excavated in situations where they put their lives on the line. You better take note of it. When you encounter a bottleneck in the future, you can use this method to stimte your potential."

    "Disciple understands," Ling Yue nodded seriously.

    "Take that idiot for example. He too has a special physique like you that is suited for cultivating one of the best arts avable in the Heavenly Demon Sect. [ughter Demon Sutra] cultivates the ughter qi that exists between heaven and earth. By engaging in ughter, his cultivation will rise quickly."

    "Oh, I understand," Ling Yue nodded as if realizing the reasons behind the actions of her junior brother.

    "But, this method is not without its drawbacks. By immersing in suchrge-scale ughter, he will be hunted down by righteous cultivators all over the world once his identity is known. If he can survive these pursuits, he will be a powerhouse. If not, he will die pursuing a higher realm," Feng Feixuan said seriously causing Ling Yue to nod.

    Ling Yue took note of this aspect and wondered whether she could use this method as well. As her master said, the disadvantages were clear. But, if she can survive the endless pursuit, her strength would rise faster as well. Her junior brother was already far ahead of her, she didn''t want tog behind.

    "This way of cultivation is not suited for you at all," Feng Feixuan suddenly poured cold water on Ling Yue''s thoughts.

    How can she not understand her disciple''s desire for power? It is exactly because she saw a shadow of her in this disciple that she took her in. Her unique physique was all well and good, but if she didn''t have the heart to pursue power, then all is meaningless.

    Those who don''t pursue power will be trampled under the heels of other powerful people. She didn''t want to guide a waste. Luckily, her disciple''s desire for power was indeed quiterge. Even though she hides it well, her disciple yearned to hold more power just like her.

    "Yes, Master," Ling Yue mumbled as if not convinced.

    "The cultivation technique you practice focuses on cultivating soul power. Your Enchanting Spirit Physique is known to be one of the best soul bodies. Do not take the wrong path. Soul cultivators have weak bodies. If you follow that idiot''s method, you will end up dead pretty soon," Feng Feixuan snorted.

    "Disciple understands," Ling Yue nodded engraving those words into her heart.

    "Your advantage lies in your rtively rare physique. You don''t need to take such risks. You only need to enchant people and devour their consciousness. The current Star Empire will soon be chaotic. There are other ns in motion as well. It is better for you to avoid this region for the next year," Feng Feixuan spoke seriously and threw a jade slip to Ling Yue.

    Ling Yue caught the jade slip and looked at her master in confusion.

    "For the next year, the attention of powerful cultivators will be focused on the regions near the Grasnds. Our sect is going to make a big move soon. Things will be chaotic. What happened today was only a prelude. Just like this Starmist City, the surrounding regions will soon be chaotic," Feng Feixuan stated calmly while looking into the distance.

    "With your current power, you will be nothing but cannon fodder in the days toe. Your special physique will mean nothing if you can''t protect yourself. Thus master has taken the liberty to send you away from this area. Inside that jade slip is your next mission," Feng Feixuan turned and looked at Ling Yue sharply.

    "Coincidentally, this mission will also be a great help to your cultivation. You are to head to some third-rate countries on the periphery of the Dragon Scale Continent and incite them to war with each other. This mission ys to your strength well."

    "With the treasure I have given you, you will be able to easily ensnare most cultivators in the foundational realms. You can also use them to supplement your cultivation easily. In those peripheral regions, most cultivators are only in the foundational realms. You will rarely run into cultivators in transformational realms," Feng Feixuan exined calmly.

    Ling Yue couldn''t help but be a little happy hearing these words. It was true. She will be like a fish in water in those regions. There will be no one capable of contending with her in those regions once she absorbed the essences of the City Lord and Ling n Patriarch.

    Excitement bloomed within her and she became breathless soon. She always knew that her master had a soft spot for her. It looked like it was true. If not for that, why would her master send her away from this chaotic region and arrange such a good mission for her?

    "Masterˇ­ thank youˇ­" Ling Yue mumbled in gratitude.

    "Don''t think too much," Feng Feixuan snorted. "Things in the Dragon Scale Continent will be more and more turbulent as time passes. Your current strength is pitiful. Do not waste too much time. Even if you have to show your hands, make sure you increase your strength soon."

    "Disciple understands," Ling Yue nodded seriously.

    "Furthermore, I do not know whether I will be in this world after one year. So, if I don''t contact you again, you don''t need to worry about it. I have my own arrangements."

    "Master!" Ling Yue eximed in shock. "In that case, can''t I see you again?"

    "If you want to see me again, you increase your strength soon and participate in the grand event that will be held in the Central Continent after seven years. If you can obtain a good ce, you might have a chance to see me," Feng Feixuan smirked.

    Waves arouse within Ling Yue''s heart hearing her master''s words. She vaguely understood that there must be some incredible secret within her master''s words. She didn''t want to pry. But, the determination to be strong only became firmer in her heart.

    "I will definitely get a good ranking in the grand event, master," Ling Yue said solemnly.

    "Will you?" Feng Feixuan''s lips twitched a little. "Oh, I forgot to mention. You need to be in the Nascent Soul stage to even participate in that grand event. Good luck with your cultivation," Feng Feixuan''s figure vanished suddenly after saying those words.

    Boom!

    Ling Yue''s mind shook hearing her master''s words. She wanted to know what grand event required entry qualifications to be at the Nascent Soul stage. However, her master had already left leaving her filled with doubts.

    Ling Yue knew her master''s temperament very well. It is very likely that this was thest time she saw her master in the near future. If not fot that, her master wouldn''t have spoken so much to her. She even told her the secret behind the cultivation of the Enchanting Spirit Physique.

    If she wanted to see her master again, then that grand event was the easiest route. But, she only had seven years to be a Nascent Soul cultivator. If not, she couldn''t even enter such a grand event.

    Ling Yue''s eyes firmed up and her gaze travelled to the two bloody figures that were on the floor. With a determined gaze, she moved towards them. Looking at them, Ling Yue felt like vomiting. She could see her master''s handiwork all over. A small smile appeared on her face.

    *****

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 Chapter 191 Shattered Hopes

    ?

    The two figures gazed back at her.

    Their throats were ripped. They couldn''t make any sound. Both figures had only one eye. The other eye was ripped out by her master. Those weren''t the only thing done to those two figures. From disfigurement to dismemberment, everything that could be thought of has been done.

    Ling Yue''s lips twitched. It looks like she left her master for too long and she decided to y with these two men. She knew that those who became a ything for her master rarely survived. Even those who survived will have traumas for their life. It would be a mercy to give them death.

    She didn''t want to grant mercy to these two figures. But, she needed their consciousness to be more powerful. Only by devouring their essence and soul can she progress fast in the short term. Her desire to both torment them and be stronger warred within herself.

    In the end, she gritted her teeth and enveloped both figures with her soul power. Next moment a vortex appeared on her brows and the essence of the two figures was devoured by her at a rapid pace. Both figures aged rapidly and soon became a husk.

    The City Lord and the Ling n Patriarch died miserably.

    "You guys are surely lucky," Ling Yue sighed.

    Even now she was a little unwilling to let these men die that easily. However, her time in this city hade to an end. She had another mission to aplish and be as strong as possible in the next few years.

    Seven years. Nascent Soul.

    She really wanted to give it a try. Gritting her teeth, she turned around and came face to face with her master who was smiling wildly. Shocked, she took a step back and the husk behind her was shattered under her footsteps.

    "Good, I didn''t choose wrongly," Feng Feixuan smiled widely and licked her lips.

    "Master," Ling Yue asked in confusion.

    She didn''t know when her master had returned or what she was doing watching her devour her two enemies. Her sudden appearance had frightened her a little bit. She struggled hard to bring her racing heart under control.

    "In the path of cultivation, there will be countless temptations that will try to distract you. For example, you now clearly had two choices. Either to prolong the agony of your enemies and gain satisfaction. Or to let go of your hatred and use them for your cultivation. Your choice now makes me happy," Feng Feixuan stated excitedly.

    "Master, I don''t understandˇ­"

    "A cultivator must have a clear goal. She must not be swayed by other emotions like wanting revenge or prolonging the agony of her enemies. You must always be clear about your priorities," Feng Feixuan said calmly putting away her smile.

    "If you had chosen to let them live and prolong their agony, I would have understood you. But, I would also have given up on you. Those who don''t have a strong desire to progress will never be strong enough. I do not need such people. They will only be a drag."

    "Your choice to kill them and use them for your cultivation, despite your desire to make them suffer more, shows your strong desire to pursue strength," Feng Feixuan exined calmly. "For the next few days, you will follow me. I will teach you everything I know in the way of cultivation. Whether you can grasp it or not will only be determined by your talent."

    "Disciple is willing," Ling Yue nodded solemnly.

    "Good, then let''s get going. That idiot has finished his work. I just went over and took a look. Tsk, tsk, he really is the disciple of Liang Tianye. He didn''t even leave anyone alive," Feng Feixuan shook her head and vanished from the room with her disciple.

    The gruesome death of the City Lord and the Ling n Patriarch was not discovered until the next day. Captain Yu, who came back after receiving no further orders, discovered their corpses and was shocked.

    When he learned that Madam Ling Yue was missing as well, he became heartbroken. He realized that the disaster of the City Lord was most likely because of her and after seeing the dead bodies, he didn''t know how to react at all.

    That innocent young girl back then was now deadpletely along with his nephew. He wept for the death of that innocent young girl uncontrobly. However, pretty soon, he wasn''t able to indulge in his grief. Following the Wang n Patriarch and the Ling n Patriarch, three more patriarchs were assassinated.

    With no City Lord to preside over the situation, the Starmist City soon became a chaotic ce where people fought for power in the streets. Captain Yu was run ragged trying to control the situation. Only when the person appointed by the Provincial Governor came did the situation stabilize.

    But, even that onlysted for a few daysˇ­

    *****

    With each attack, Duncan''s proficiency in using the Absolute Severance sword attack was increased. He had found several ws in his attacks after each collision and was adjusting his attacks constantly trying to make up these ws.

    To Duncan, this battle was like a great whetting stone. His sword light became more and more condensed with each attack and he was able to intuitively feel the ces hisprehension of the sword wascking.

    Currently, he was able to attain the unity of the sword and man constantly. By constantly unleashing such attacks, he was able to feel the ces where hecked while executing such attacks.

    The Absolute Severance sword attack was based on the concept of Swordcut. However, tranting this concept to be the foundation of his attack and integrating it with the sword light was no easy matter.

    With each attack Duncan performed, he was able to slightly alter and adjust the fusion of the concept and the sword light. The sword light was a sword cultivation realm. And Swordcut was a martial cultivation realm. Each had a different state of mind.

    Integrating a martial dao concept with a sword cultivation realm needed repeated usage and deeperprehension of each state. Only by fusing these both states together can he create a proper sword attack. His earlier technique was rusty and filled with holes. Only by constantly polishing it can he perfect this move.

    As his improvement rose sharply, Duncan realized that his approach was indeed right. As time passed, he was already nearing the perfection of the move he had created with his own unique insights into martial dao and sword dao. The power exuded by each attack was increasingly constant.

    BOOM!

    In the end, Duncan''s attack overcame the fist attack performed by the patriarch of the Wang n andnded heavily on the formation. This time, it wasn''t just the impact from the collision. This time, it was the entire attack.

    Understandably, the impact withstood by the formation was heavier. Everyone below the Spirit Sea realm in the Wang n wasn''t able to withstand this attack at all. They sprouted blood and fainted right away.

    On top of thepound wall, the patriarch''s eyes were red. His whole body was injured internally due to withstanding constant attacks. As the primary controller of the formation, the amount of impact he had to withstand with each attack was really high.

    Now that the attack hadnded directly on the formation, the impact he withstood was naturally higher. Even though he was at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm, he wasn''t able to withstand this attack without any injuries.

    The moment the attacknded, Wang n Patriarch sprouted blood. His insides roiled and he could feel that his meridians were on the verge of breaking. Looking at the madman who brought the destruction of his n standing in front of thepound panting in exertion, the patriarch''s eyes naturally reddened.

    He wanted to rip that madman into pieces with his very own hand. Unfortunately, he wasn''t powerful enough to aplish such a thing. On the other hand, there was a burgeoning fear deep in his heart. The power of thest attack was easily above the early Spirit Sea realm.

    He didn''t know why this madman can exert such power at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. If this man could still perform one or two attacks with this level of power, then there would be no hope for the formation at all.

    Despair engulfed his heart. He was really unwilling to die like this. His son had just joined the Iron Mountain Sect. He recently received news that his son had already stepped foot in the Spirit Sea realm. A month ago, he was dreaming about the rise of the Wang n with the help of his son.

    But, all these things can not be realized now.

    His Wang n would be destroyed today. There was no other course. Even now, he still had some small hope that some of the ns who had a good rtionship with him wille out and face the enemy together with him. s, none of them came to his aid.

    All his living until now had been in vain. Those friendships he cherished, those ambitions he harbored, those hopes he had, everything had crumbled into ashes right before his eyes.

    It was all because of this madman.

    *****

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 Chapter 192 Duncan, Heavenly Demon Sect

    ?

    The patriarch didn''t know how his n offended such a character. He was really unwilling. Right now, he didn''t even want his son to seek vengeance. He would be d if those who escaped carried on the Wang name and prospered with the help of his son.

    He could only hope that his son would be smart enough to realize that vengeance was not really possible in the current circumstances. Even if his son''s cultivation exceeded this madman, he wasn''t confident that his son could walk out alive if he confronted this madman.

    He had heard about men like this madman. Those rare cultivators who could leapfrog levels and kill opponents who are stronger than them. He never expected to meet such a person in this situation. Unless his son was blessed with extraordinary luck, vengeance can only be a pipedream.

    The patriarch gritted his teeth and looked ahead at the next attack that wasing. He shouted out all his frustration and unwillingness to the heavens and mobilized everything he had to resist the attack.

    s, it wasn''t enough.

    The moment the attacknded, he was thrown back into the courtyard of thepound. The formation that had been operating until now broke into million pieces and shattered. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the other Wang n members fall down heavily injured without the ability to move.

    Looking over, he saw the door of thepound shatter. A sinister figure walked through the shattered door and stepped into the Wang npound. The figure swaggered in with bright eyes and arge smile on his face. At that moment, the figure looked very familiar, but he still didn''t know who it was that brought the destruction of his n.

    He knew that the end was here. His eyes began to darken. Mobilizing his power and maintaining the formation for such a long time had consumed all his energy. The injuries he had suppressed so far had erupted as well. He didn''t even have the energy to stand up.

    Just then, he heard the sound of a sword. Then he knew no more.

    *****

    Duncan watched dispassionately as the head of the Wang n Patriarch rolled on the ground. His eyes were calm as if he had done something that was not important. He didn''t even have the heart to say anything to the Wang n Patriarch.

    There was some dissatisfaction in his heart.

    Therge smile on his face receded and his eyes dimmed a little. The fighting spirit that had been burning within him was put out immediately. He felt as if he was cheated. It was really ufortable.

    When he broke through the formation and stepped inside the Wang npound, he had been eager to fight a hearty fight. He knew that there would be no oneing to disturb them.

    Since the City Lord''s office hadn''t moved so far, he knew that they wouldn''t move until he was done with his fight. Most likely this was a result of the power grab. If not, how can no one interfere after the fight dragging on for this long?

    So, Duncan was looking for the Wang n to put up onest desperate struggle. He wanted to fight a hearty fight and hone his sword move further. Unfortunately, his Absolute Severance sword move was still a little bitcking. He wanted to perfect his sword move by using the rest of the Wang n as his whetstone.

    Who knew these useless pieces of trash would all faint from internal injuries? There was no opponent to face him once he entered thepound. This really irritated Duncan a lot.

    Scanning with his spiritual consciousness, Duncan can easily tell that there was no one apart from these men in thepound. The women and children were all evacuated earlier and sent off by the Wang n Patriarch a week ago. Only the servants were left huddling in their quarters.

    Duncan didn''t want to interact with these mortals at all. He knew they would be shivering in fear and moring to serve him in exchange for life. He didn''t want to face them right now.

    What he actually wanted was someone to fight him.

    s, it didn''t look like he will get his wish. Irritated by the turn of events, Duncan cut off the head of the Wang n Patriarch without even uttering a word.

    "I will give everyone present five minutes. Leave thepound within five minutes or else you will all be buried here with the members of the Wang n," Duncan''s dispassionate voice sounded causing the mortal servants to scramble in fear.

    Within moments, they all started running towards the entrance without even pausing to look back. Duncan watched them depart dispassionately and looked around at the unconscious Wang n members. His lips twitched a little.

    Spreading out his consciousness, he tried to find his next target. The next moment Duncan''s face became even more gloomier. A strong sense of irritation rose within him. That steward of the Wang n whom he wanted to kill with his own hands was lying some distance away. He was already dead. He had died from bleeding out in all orifices.

    Duncan felt as if he was cheated out. He didn''t get the hearty fight he had been wanting. Even the person he wanted to kill with his own hands was now dead. Duncan took a deep breath and picked up the space ring in the hands of the Wang n patriarch.

    He unceremoniously broke through the restriction and looked at what was present inside. Duncan felt his mood sink further. There were a lot of spirit stones and a few bottles of pill present in the ring. However, this amount was definitely less than what a patriarch of a cultivation n would have.

    Unwilling to believe that he was that unlucky, Duncan killed the other Spirit Sea realm cultivators present and checked their rings as well. There really wasn''t much in their storage rings.

    Gritting his teeth, Duncan spread out his consciousness. A n like Wang n would surely have a treasury to store important items. Soon, he found the location of the treasury due to the restriction present outside it.

    Duncan vanished from the spot and appeared before the restriction. He really wasn''t in the mood to be dyed any longer. He shed with his sword and the mid-tier protective formation shattered into pieces. Duncan sneered and walked into the treasury.

    As expected, Patriarch Wang had indeed sent away most of the resources umted by the n. The items left behind were pitifully low. With a gloomy expression on his face, Duncan swept his hand and put away everything in the room.

    Duncan walked out of the mansion with a gloomy expression. His luck was really bad. He didn''t know what bad luck he stepped on that he didn''t get much from destroying the Wang n. Looking around at the fainted members of the Wang n, Duncan sneered.

    He originally didn''t want to waste time dealing with these ants. But now, his mood was not good. He really wanted to make an example of the Wang n. Suddenly, a thought rose in Duncan''s mind.

    The patriarch had most likely sent away the wealth of the n to his son who was the most promising member of the n. Will he be able to stimte that boy enough that he woulde in search of him? That way, after killing him he will be able to obtain the leftover wealth as well.

    But, Duncan didn''t have much hope for that n.

    It was most likely that the boy would use the resources to increase his strength beforeing after him. Duncan knew that not everyone was brainless and impulsive. Even if the boy wanted toe, his sect wouldn''t allow him.

    Still, it would be worth a shot.

    With a small smile on his face, Duncan used the <Wind Chasing Steps> and appeared above the Wang n. The five minutes deadline he had given the servants was over. If they still remained, it wasn''t his fault.

    With a demonic smile on his face, Duncan took out his sword and looked down at the Wang n Compound below that didn''t have any movement at all. Next moment, he sent out two sword lights towards the Wang npound.

    <Swordcut: Absolute Severance>

    The two sword lights fell on the Wang npound and absolutely devastated everything. When the dust settled, there was no Wang n mansion standing. Everyone who was injured and fainted was dead as well. It was like a mass burial of the entire Wang mansion.

    Duncan let out a satisfied smile. He felt as if the bad breath within his heart had been expelled. A liberating feeling came over him. Destroying the Wang n and killing its patriarch really made him feel a lot better. He felt as if he had touched something profound. He wanted to find a quiet ce andprehend it a little better.

    Duncan waved his sword a few more times toward the direction of the destroyed Wang n ruins and let out a satisfied smile. He suddenly felt as if someone was watching him and turned to check it out. But, he didn''t find anyone. A small frown appeared on his face.

    He turned and looked at the City Lord''s office. He could vaguely see some figures mobilizing from there. He didn''t want to get entangled with them at all. He wanted to retreat andprehend the profound feeling a bit more.

    Duncan''s figure vanished the next moment without any trace.

    Captain Yu was the first to arrive on the scene. He looked at the destroyed Wang mansion and frowned. He could clearly see the four words carved with a sword on the ruins. Those words wererge and very eye-catching. It was as if the person who did this was afraid no one would know it was him that did it.

    But, considering the words written, Captain Yu only felt that this was natural. No wonder that person was both powerful and arrogant enough to destroy the entire Wang n within the city. If the words were true, then Captain Yu was d that he didn''t get tangled with this situation.

    Soon, a crowd formed and everyone saw the words written. They all wore a dignified expression on their faces. Below them, four words shined brightly as if taunting them all.

    Duncan, Heavenly Demon Sect

    *****

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 Chapter 193 Barging Into Greenwood Forest

    ?

    Duncan left the city without any dy.

    He didn''t think it was wise to remain in the city longer than he needed to be present. After all, the City Protecting Formation has not been activated yet. The City Lord''s office was most probably using his attack to grab more power from the ns.

    This struggle between the ns and the City Lord''s office gave him enough leeway to escape without being hunted down. The City Protecting Formation can only be deployed by the City Lord. And it is only deployed when facing strong enemies.

    Duncan right now had the confidence to go toe to toe with the City Lord. His recent improvements let him know that he had severely underestimated the increase in his strength after the bloodline was awakened.

    Right now, fighting someone in the middle stages of the Violet Pce realm even seemed doable. However, Duncan wasn''t sure about going against a middle-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator backed by a City Protecting Formation. Moreover, this time, he would be trapped inside the formation.

    Even if Duncan was able to manage to break out of the siege, the fight wouldn''t be without injuries or any other worries. Even a strong elephant can be killed by ants if the circumstances are right. Right now, he had already annihted one n. If the other ns join hands, then he would end up in a sorry state.

    But, those were all the reasons he said to justify his hasty exit from the city.

    The real reason was that he wanted to find a secluded spot and meditate for a while. After the fight with the patriarch, Duncan felt as if he had touched upon some profound truth. He urgently wanted toprehend it further. He can fight anytime he wanted, but moments like this were rare.

    Duncan didn''t want to miss such a thing.

    Duncan traveled fast as if he was running away from something. He didn''t care about how this looked to anyone who was watching. Rather, he was currently impatient to find a quiet ce to retreat and meditate.

    Suddenly, Duncan thought of the forest region he used to hunt beasts in while working as a mercenary. That ce felt ideal to retreat for a few days. Duncan changed his direction and hastened his ce. Within the next hour, he reached the outskirts of the forest region.

    There were a lot of people waiting at the entrance of the forest region. Duncan didn''t pay any attention to them. As he approached, two men wanted to bar his path as if wanting to say something.

    Duncan was already running thin on his patience. He didn''t have the mindset to stand and listen to these people. He knew that most of these men were mercenaries who sometimes surrounded the entry point of the forest and exhorted some entry fee or waited for someone toe out and rob them.

    With a wave of his hands, those two men were sent flying. Duncan didn''t even pause to look whether they were alive or not. He bypassed the blockade in front of him and traveled to the interior of the forest in a hurry.

    He knew that the outer regions will be filled with mercenaries hunting beasts and they are bound to cause somemotion. It was best to avoid them. He had never been to the interior regions of the forest because of his low strength at that time. But still, he felt it would be easier to find a quiet ce in the interior regions.

    Duncan crossed the outer region in a hurry and vanished into the interior regions without dy.

    *****

    Few minutes after Duncan entered the interior regions two men came to the spot Duncan had entered with an angry look on their face.

    "That person entered very swiftly. He is likely to be a cultivator with high strength. We received information from the ones guarding the forest outside and rushed over to intercept him, but I didn''t think he would be this fast," one man said with an irritated look on his face.

    "Be d that we didn''t run into him," the other man was more practical. "This kind of news can''t be hidden. Someone would surely b. With the way the man directly dashed into the inner region, he is most probably here for that treasure as well. From the looks of it, we are not his opponents at all. It is best to avoid such people."

    "What are we going to tell the Elders? They asked us to guard the perimeter and not allow anyone inside," the first man said a little anxiously.

    "What else can we do? We will report that we failed to intercept the man and he had already rushed into the inner regions. The Elders can''t me us for that," the other man said nonchntly and used a message talisman to send his report.

    "What now?"

    "What else? We guard. That is all we can do. We are not his opponents let the Elders deal with him," the practical one shrugged and went back.

    *****

    Deep in the inner region of the forest, an old man suddenly opened his eyes and frowned a little. There were three more old men who were sitting alongside him and waiting patiently. They saw the old man''s frown and asked curiously.

    "Old Seventh, what''s the matter?" Old Third asked.

    "Someone barged into the inner regions. The guard we posted outside wasn''t able to intercept him at all. The report said that the man''s speed was fast and was most likely heading here," Old Seventh said with a sigh.

    "It is expected," Old Sixth said calmly. "We blockaded the entire forest. Someone is bound to notice. Even if they don''t know what is in here, they would be curious enough toe. That''s why I said we shouldn''t make such a bigmotion."

    "Hmmph," Old Seventh snorted. "If we don''t block the area, everyone would soon find out the news of the treasure. Then it would be a bitter struggle. That''s why everyone agreed to blockade the entire forest. Are you ming me now that someone has barged in?"

    "I was never in favor of the blockade. It was tacky. No matter whoes, only the ones with strength would be qualified to hold the treasure. No use in putting up that blockade at all. Wasn''t it broken just like that now?" Old Sixth retorted angrily.

    "Enough," a soft voice came from the side causing the two old men to subside. "There is no need to argue. What is done is done. Old Sixth is right. Only those with power can hold the treasure. With the four of us here, who in the surrounding regions will be qualified to vie with us for the treasure?"

    "First Elderˇ­" Old Seventh said anxiously.

    "Seventh, I understand why you did it. I don''t me you for that. It also has some uses. It would prevent other misceneous people from muddying the water. Whoeveres for the treasure, we will fight it out with them. With our four elders from the Little Heaven Sect present, I want to see who dares to fight with us for the treasure," the First Elder said in a calm manner.

    The other three old men nodded and let go of this matter soon. They all closed their eyes and once again entered a meditative state waiting for the treasure to be born.

    *****

    While Duncan retreated to cultivate, the situation in the outside world deteriorated rapidly.

    Within two days, the death of the City Lord and three more patriarchs in the city caused a huge sensation. Including the Wang and Ling n patriarchs, there were a total of four patriarchs dead. The City Lord was also dead and Captain Yu was struggling very hard to control the unrest among the ns.

    The situation was further exacerbated by the arrival of various sect envoys on the third day. The Iron Mountain Sect was the first to arrive in the Starmist City. The Young Master of the Wang n was not present in the entourage. However, the envoy from the Iron Mountain Sect was really angry with the situation.

    "What do you mean that there was nothing you could do?" the envoy roared angrily at Captain Yu. "As the City Lord, aren''t you responsible for keeping the peace in the city? How can you let someone murder a whole n in broad daylight? Furthermore, you haven''t even caught the culprit yet."

    "Envoy Ming, I understand your anger. However, as a mere Captain of the City Guard, there is really nothing I could do at that moment. The City Protecting Formation is always in the hands of the City Lord. We can''t do anything regarding it," Captain Yu was also a little vexed with the situation.

    "How convenient that your City Lord is dead, eh?" Envoy Ming sneered. "Now that there is no one for me to question, you can easily shirk off all the me on your dead City Lord."

    "Envoy Ming," Captain Yu frowned lightly. "I am sure you have heard about the recent happenings in the city already. The city is already in turmoil. Four patriarchs and the City Lord are all dead within three days. I have a lot on my hands. I assure you that I or my City Guards are powerless in this matter."

    "Hmmph, then what about the culprit? Do you know where he is?" Envoy Ming asked a little dissatisfiedly.

    *****

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 Chapter 194 Request To Entry

    ?

    "Hmmph, then what about the culprit? Do you know where he is?" Envoy Ming asked a little dissatisfiedly.

    "We have some luck on that front. When we were deployed, the culprit was already done with the deed. He immediately escaped after seeing us arrive. The City Protecting Formation wasn''t activated and the culprit''s cultivation was high. So, we lost track of him soon."

    "But, luck is on your side. Some mercenaries who returned to the city told us that a man matching the culprit''s description had barged into the Greenwood Forest," Captain Yu said with a weird look on his face.

    "Since you know where he is, why haven''t you captured him yet?" Envoy Ming asked hastily.

    "First, this sighting was three days ago. We don''t know where he is currently. All we know about the culprit is that he had some issues with the Wang n and he is currently a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect. His name is Duncan," Captain Yu said and watched the myriad emotions y on the envoy''s face.

    The moment he heard that culprit was from the Heavenly Demon Sect, Envoy Ming felt a headacheing. He really didn''t want to deal with those lunatics. They never acted as permon sense. In a way, he understood Captain Yu''s reluctance to get involved in this matter.

    "Moreover, even if we want to, we can''t get into the Greenwood Forest right now," Captain Yu shrugged nonchntly causing Envoy Ming to look at him. "The Little Heaven Sect has blockaded the entire forest and isn''t allowing anyone to enter. If the City Lord is alive, I can use that token and forcefully enter. Butˇ­" Captain Yu spread his hands to indicate that this was out of his hands now.

    "What do you mean?"

    "It is exactly what I said. The mercenary remembered the culprit because he broke through the blockade of the Little Heaven Sect. If possible you can go over and talk with them. Maybe, they will be willing to help," Captain Yu spoke calmly.

    "Hmmph," Envoy Ming snorted angrily.

    Everyone in this region knew that his Iron Mountain Sect and the Little Heaven Sect didn''t see eye to eye. Asking them for help was impossible. But, this matter was rted to Wang Yunlong.

    The Young Master of the Wang n had made tremendous progress after entering the Iron Mountain Sect and was even taken in as a disciple by a Nascent Soul elder. His cultivation had grown leaps and bounds and was already at the level of the Green Sea realm.

    Everyone in the Iron Mountain Sect knew that Wang Yunlong would soon enter the transformation stages and be one of the pirs of the sect. The entire sect had high hopes for that boy. So, half-assing this assignment will only bring him endless trouble.

    Envoy Ming looked at Captain Yu coldly. He snorted once, waved his sleeves, and left angrily. Captain Yu watched him go with a small smile on his face. He was d that he was able to transfer the target to the Little Heaven Sect. Let these unruly sects bang their heads against each other. He can concentrate on maintaining the order of the city.

    Soon, envoys from several more sects also arrived in session after hearing about the death of the other three patriarchs who were assassinated. Everyone learned of the ins and outs of the matter. In the end, all their attention turned towards the Greenwood Forest either because of Duncan or the Little Heaven Sect''s blockade.

    They all wanted to enter the Greenwood Forestˇ­

    *****

    "The information has been verified, my lord," an attendant said politely causing Envoy Ming to turn and look at him. "Thest location of Duncan, who murdered Senior Wang''s n, is recorded to be at Greenwood Forest. The Blue Wind Society Hall confirmed this matter."

    "What about the news regarding the Little Heaven Sect?" Envoy Ming asked frowning a bit.

    "The Little Heaven Sect had indeed blockaded the entire Greenwood Forest for a week now. The murderer probably didn''t know this. He barged into the Greenwood Forest without bothering to stop. It is reported that at least four elders of the Little Heaven Sect are present in Greenwood Forest at the moment. As for other transformational experts, we don''t know."

    "Huh, what caused four of those old foggies toe out for a stroll as a group? From our information, the murderer was only at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. Those old foggies are Golden Core experts. To make them move, whatever is inside the Greenwood Forest must be something very valuable," Envoy Ming muttered.

    A gleam of interest shed across his eyes and he looked up sharply.

    "I am sure the other sects will also have heard about the matter by now. They too will be eager to know what caused these monsters in the Golden Core realm to move. Send back the information to the sect. Request for them to dispatch backup immediately. I will visit the other envoys and try to unite them. Whatever is inside the Greenwood Forest, we need to take a look at it as well," Envoy Ming said decisively.

    The attendant nodded and retreated.

    Soon, Envoy Ming visited other envoys present in the city. They too were of the same mind. They decided to use the pretext of searching for Duncan as an excuse and enter the Greenwood Forest.

    As for the Little Heaven Sect refusing entry, the envoys were sure that they wouldn''t dare to do such a thing. Refusing entry to one or two sects was doable. But, with more than five sects present, they didn''t think the Little Heaven Sect was that bold.

    So, they swaggered their way over to the entrance of the Greenwood Forest and stated their intention to search the forest for a murderer boldly. The disciples guarding the entrance were a little flustered to see these envoys. All these envoys were at least in the Violet Pce realm. They didn''t dare to fall out with them. So, they sent the information over and asked for further guidance.

    Deep in the inner regions, Old Seventh''s eyes shed.

    "What is it this time?" Old Sixth asked in annoyance.

    "Several envoys from other sects are moring for entry into the forest. They im to be searching for a murderer and want us to lift the blockade so that they can search the forest. They say the person who barged in three days ago was the murderer," Old Seventh stated.

    "Envoys, eh? Aren''t envoys usually in the Violet Pce realm? Do those ants in the Violet Pce realm really dare make trouble for us these days? Don''t they know how to cherish life?" Old Sixth asked dissatisfiedly.

    "What are the sects they im to be from?" First Elder interrupted calmly.

    "They are from Hundred Rivers Sect, Five Seasons Sect, Red Sword Manor, South Heaven Sect, andˇ­. the Iron Mountain Sect," Old Seventh said a little irritatedly.

    "Hmmm, four second-tier sects and the Iron Mountain sect," the First Elder hummed. "No wonder they are daring. They know that we can''t kill them because they have a legitimate reason. So, they dared toe and make trouble. They most probably want to spy on what caused us to move. As for searching for the murderer, that''s just their excuse."

    "How dare they!?" Old Sixth roared angrily. "First Elder, allow me to head out. I will deal with those pests. I have long been restless. My sword is itching to drink some blood."

    "Go, butˇ­" First Elder paused. "Do not kill anyone. If they don''t listen, it is fine to injure them. But, keep note of moderation. It is most likely that they will have called reinforcements from their sects. If theye, don''t allow them inside easily."

    First Elder''s eyes turned towards the treasure that was sucking qi violently in the distance.

    "When the treasure is born, the natural phenomenon will let everyone know about it. There is no use in hiding it. But, we have the advantage of being here first. The longer you dy entry to others, the easier it will be for us to obtain this treasure. Keep them upied until the treasure is born. Old Seventh, you also head over. But, remain in distance. If Old Sixth needed assistance, you can jump out."

    "We will do as you say, First Elder," Old Seventh nodded and stood up.

    "First Elder, don''t worry. I will not let anyone inside," Old Sixth thumped his chest and rose up as well.

    The First Elder watched them go and waited for a while. Then he turned towards thest old man and spoke.

    "Old Third, you also head over and guard the entrance to inner regions. If youe across that junior who they are searching for, kill him and throw the corpse over so that they can shut up. I will guard here," First Elder ordered.

    "First Elder, will you be fine dealing with the guardian beast alone?" Old Third asked doubtfully.

    "Don''t worry about the issues here. Make sure no one trespasses into the inner region. Once the treasure is born, you can rush over here," the First Elder thought for a while and spoke.

    Old Third nodded and immediately left. The First Elder watched him go and turned to look at the treasure that was being born. He could perceive the strength of the guardian beast nearby. It was a peak sixth-tier demonic beast. It would be a hard struggle to deal with it. But, he had confidence in himself.

    Right now, the treasure wasn''t born yet. So, both sides didn''t want to make any moves. However, once the treasure was born, all bets were off. Their Little Heaven Sect needed this treasure very urgently. No matter who stood in their path, there is only one result ¨C death.

    Still, he decided to be extra cautious with this affair. This treasure was too precious to lose because of an ident. He took out a message talisman and injected his spiritual consciousness.

    "Little Ninth,e quickly to the Greenwood Forest. Make sure to conceal yourself and only act when necessary."

    After sending the message, the First Elder closed his eyes and once more started meditating calmly.

    *****

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 Chapter 195 Understanding The Past

    ?

    The five sect envoys didn''t expect the Little Heaven Sect to refuse entry outright. They would have barged in disregarding their attitude, however, the Sixth Elder of the Little Heaven Sect was watching them from a distance. If they made a wrong move, they would probably be beaten ck and blue.

    So, they could only grit their teeth and retreat.

    But, their desire to know what caused these four old monsters to take action unitedly was only further heightened. They knew that for the Little Heaven Sect to be willing to fall out with the other sects this decisively, whatever was in there must be something special.

    Envoy Ming was the one who was most irritated by this turn of events. He didn''t expect the Little Heaven Sect to act this decisively. They didn''t even think twice before falling out with five sects.

    This matter was rted to Junior Wang Yunlong. He didn''t want to make any mistakes. If not, his future in the sect would be hard. There are thousands of cultivators in the Foundational realms of the cultivation world. Only one amongst a hundred would be able to enter the Transformational realms.

    The level of talent and potential showcased by Wang Yunlong even got the attention of the Nascent Soul Elder in the sect. He willingly came down and took Wang Yunlong as his disciple. Such things were rare. Even for a first-tier sect, there are only six or seven Nascent Soul level elders. One can imagine how bright the future of Wang Yunlong was at present.

    Thus, it was imperative that he dealt with this matter properly. Unlike the other envoys, he wasn''t delusional enough to think that he would have a chance at the treasure. The other envoys were hoping to luck out. Even if luck favored him, Envoy Ming knew that such a level of treasure will only bring him misfortune and it would only belong to Inner Court Elders in the sect.

    So, he had always been sober-minded. He knew that the matter of the murderer was the thing he needed to focus on. Only by executing this matter in a good manner will he gain the appreciation of Wang Yunlong. Gaining such appreciation will only benefit him in the long run.

    Wang Yunlong''s cultivation might be lower than his right now. But, at his age, this level of cultivation can only be seen in top geniuses across the continent. It is most likely that Wang Yunlong would be the Young Master of the Iron Mountain Sect. Climbing this thigh was the most important thing at the moment.

    If only he was allowed to enter the forestˇ­

    *****

    Meanwhileˇ­

    Beneath a small waterfall inside the inner region, arge cave was present. Inside the cave, the floor was littered with blood. Arge Four-Winged Leopardy dead near the entrance.

    In the interior region of the cave, Duncan sat calmly deep in meditation.

    Right now, Duncan had entered a mysterious state. He had no clue as to what was happening outside. He waspletely immersed in the numerous thoughts that were bouncing around in his mind.

    Numerous questions rose in his mind, questioning a lot of things he has experienced so far. The whos, the whats, and the whys shed with each other as they formed a clear picture of what happened to him, who was responsible for it, and why it happened.

    It was a totally immersive experience where he got to know his own past intuitively. Right now, he can clearly trace the events of his past and the reasons behind it most of the time. This also allowed him to understand himself and his actions at a deeper level.

    For example, in regard to cultivation, Duncan had always thought that the desire to cultivate was actually awakened in him because of his run-in with the old man. However, Duncan was beginning to realize that even without the old man''s interference, he would have left his hometown within the next two years.

    Duncan realized that even before meeting the old man, he had be jaded with the life of a spirit stone miner. He had always felt a little dissatisfied with his lot in life and had wanted to change. He had been jealous of the cultivators who guarded the mines and wanted to be powerful like them.

    He had always been a little depressed with being cooped up in the gloomy dark mines. His desire to explore the world and see the sights of the world can actually be traced back to this depression of his.

    Likewise, Duncan had known deep in his heart that he would one day leave his hometown in search of something new. Even though he didn''t consciously realize it, he had known it subconsciously for a long time.

    That''s why he didn''t have much attachment to the people who lived there or the ce in general. That''s why he resolutely left his hometown without much reluctance once he decided to search about cultivation. To him, his hometown had always felt like an invisible cage that he had longed to break out of.

    These were stuff he had never realized about him before. They sort of made more sense to him. He began to understand why he did some things and what the reason behind it was. Actions that looked impulsive once had a new meaning after this kind of understanding to Duncan.

    There weren''t just answers. There were many questions as well.

    For example, why did the old man choose him of all people? Did the old man see his restlessness and decided to give him a push? Did his ignorant words help the old man as he imed or was it all premeditated from the beginning?

    Why did that woman try to kill him just before his master took him in as a disciple? Why did his master defend him from the woman despite knowing her status? There was no need for his master to make enemies for a mere mortal. Were his actions when he was in that strange state indicate some profound things? Was this the reason his master interfered and took him in as a disciple?

    If that was the case, what ulterior motives did his master have? He had always known his master wasn''t someone kind. There must be some reason for his master to act for a mortal. Moreover, his master''s look when he walked out of the Grotto Heaven was telling as well. There was most likely to be something fishy regarding his disciplehood. What was it?

    Answers to his past actions. rity regarding his decisions. Countless questions regarding new things he encountered. New mysteries regarding him that he wanted to find out about. All things emerged in Duncan''s mind one after another.

    It was like a cleansing of a soul. Duncan experienced something very rare. He became more and more sure about his identity in general. This caused the confidence he had in himself to receive a boost.

    Doing something because he was prodded on by someone was one thing. But, if you realized that your actions were always going to happen and ept the fact that you only advanced the natural course due to someone else''s prodding, then your confidence in your actions will increase.

    At most, due to the interference of the old man, his life trajectory had altered a bit. If he hadn''t left his hometown, maybe he would have died along with others. Maybe, he would have left a little bitter and experienced some other things. Maybe, he wouldn''t have gotten trapped in a beast tide and got into the eyes of his master.

    There was no measure to know what would have happened to him if he wasn''t instigated by the old man to search for information about cultivation at that particr time. In short, he could only ept what happened and move on.

    As Duncan figured out his past more and came to terms with it, his soul began to be more and more condensed. It was as if some impurities that were present in his soul were being expelled and it became more pure. It wasn''t anything physical, but it was something Duncan could feel clearly.

    Duncan felt that his thoughts had be far more clear and his heart has be far more decisive. He could keenly feel the difference in himself. Right now, he didn''t care much about other people''s opinions of him. He had enough confidence in himself and was bing somewhat assertive in his decision-making process.

    Decisions that he would have agonized over in the past felt very easy to make now. It was as if he had seen through several misceneous things and was able to make up his mind easily. Duncan kinda liked this new change in him. He had never felt so clear-headed before.

    It took Duncan a week to sort out all these thoughts. He wasn''t in a hurry at all. Right now, Duncan felt this state was far more beneficial to him than rushing toprehend the things he had felt when fighting with the Wang n Patriarch. Duncan didn''t rush to concentrate on the profound feeling. He leisurely sorted out the clutter in his mind and decided to sharpen his soul before turning towards it.

    After one week, Duncan felt that his heart was clear and his soul was light. He felt that it was time to actually do what he wanted to do. So, he turned his attention toward the feeling he had glimpsed after killing Patriarch Wang.

    As his mind turned, he recalled the events that led to it.

    *****

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 Chapter 196 Understanding Ones Nature

    ?

    Duncan wasn''t impatient. He calmly recalled the experience he went through in the city one week ago. He didn''t rush directly to try andprehend the feeling he glimpsed upon. Rather than doing that, he calmly let his mind recall all the details from the moment he stepped into the city.

    When the time came for his battle with the patriarch, Duncan dispassionately recalled his thoughts and mood at that time. Looking back now, Duncan felt that he was a little impulsive to attack the Wang n in broad daylight. But, he somehow felt that it was the right thing to do.

    He didn''t want to cover in the shadows and plot to murder people. That didn''t suit his nature at all. He still preferred throwing down his arms directly if he felt the need to do it. His approach to attack the Wang n in broad daylight was quite in line with this nature of his.

    This made Duncan realize something.

    There was an old saying in his hometown. The higher your status the more you cherish your life. Duncan felt that his desire to remain alive has grown since he started cultivating.

    Compared to when he was a spirit stone miner, he had more scruples these days. He was worried about a lot of things. If it was before, having a disagreement in the mine, he would try to vent his dissatisfaction as soon as possible. He wouldn''t forbear for a long time. The amount of time he had gotten into trouble was quite high.

    As an orphan, Duncan had known that unless he projected a strong front and an intimidating posture he would be suppressed by others. These were lessons he learned early on in his life. Even among themon people, the one who was willing to make a scene always had fewer people troubling him.

    The only people whom he was truly afraid of were cultivators. And that too was because cultivators and mortals like him lived in different worlds essentially. The power that a cultivator possessed wasn''t something a mortal could contend against. Being tough in front of them can only be called stupidity. It was his self-preservation instincts that made him afraid after recognizing the gap.

    But, after bing a cultivator, Duncan had been a bit more cautious. He had always wanted to y it safe. Even in the Grotto Heaven, he didn''t step outside of the regions that he wasfortable in. The only time he was truly brave was when he was attacked and almost left to death.

    Even after reaching the peak of the Spirit Sea realm, he didn''t dare to venture out of the forest region in the Grotto Heaven. When he faced encirclement from others, he retreated back to hide. He may have used that opportunity to increase hisprehension, it was undeniable that he had be cautious.

    Such an attitude wasn''t in line with his nature. Now that he was gradually beginning to understand more about cultivation on his own, Duncan realized that acting against his nature would be detrimental to his cultivation journey. He may be able to save his life now, but in turn, his future prospects would be narrower.

    Duncan had heard a lot about how cultivation was about going against heaven. Especially, demonic cultivators are people who break all kinds of rules. Considering the path he had chosen, Duncan realized that his cautious behavior would only back to bite him in the behind sooner orter.

    If he did not want his future path to be narrower, he must act as per his heart. Just like how he attacked the Wang n despite being in broad daylight. That was the kind of thing he must do. His action must be in line with his own nature. If not, one day he wouldn''t even recognize the person he had be. And that day would be the end of his progress in cultivation.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan further analyzed his experience. He could feel his thirst for battle and fighting intent clearly. Especially when he was contending against the defensive formation headed by the patriarch, Duncan could feel that burning desire to be better and stronger.

    He kind of liked that feeling. Instead of doing things that didn''t make him feel good, it was better to do things that he liked. At worst, his actions would backfire and he would have to escape. Duncan wasn''t thin-skinned to consider such a thing a shame. He knew that sometimes situations are stronger than people.

    Duncan didn''t have scruples about running away. When facing a stronger opponent, it was only natural to run away. If he can''t beat someone, he will escape first, be stronger ande back for a rematch.He can ept things like running after kicking iron boards. What he can''t ept is not even having the courage to kick the iron board.

    As he realized these things, Duncan felt as if his soul had been sublimated further. He knew that this type of thing was rtively rare to experience in a cultivation journey. Recently, he had been experiencing such things quite a lot. But, he knew that this good luck wouldn''tst for long.

    Maybe it was because he started cultivatingte and was immersed in the secr world for a long time that these types of epiphanies were happening quite often after he obtained certain strength.

    This was him shedding his secr skin and embracing his life as a cultivator. He had lived as amon man for eighteen years. Only in thest year has he started cultivating. The stark difference between the two lifestyles had given him countless inspirations so far.

    As they say, experience shapes a person. His experience as an orphan and spirit stone miner had shaped his life so far. In the past year, he had undergone a drastic change in his lifestyle. The sh between the two had provided him with countless epiphanies.

    But, this kind of thing will fade with time.

    As he spends more and more time as a cultivator, his life in the secr world will be meaningless. He would most probably not have much interaction withmoners and he would also be like other cultivators. When this happens, there won''t be any drastic change in his life. Without some intense change, the chance of getting these epiphanies would be very rare.

    Duncan vaguely felt as if he had grasped onto some important secret at this moment. However, he didn''t understand it clearly. He knew with time, one day, he would understand this. So, he didn''t pursue it too much. Right now, he had already reviewed the battle until he broke through the formation.

    He could already see his progress in integrating sword light and his Absolute Severance sword. It was apletely different feeling to watch as a bystander. His constant adjustments during battle and the steadily increasing power of his attacks let him know how effective his method was.

    Duncan felt gratified that he decided to do something stupid at that moment. What he did was indeed stupid. He took his concentration away from the fight and used it to integrate his techniques and improve them.

    Such a thing would be fatal if he had faced someone who was strong. In a battle, it would be seeking death to split your concentration. But, he was d he did that at this moment. Watching his attack power and proficiency rise gradually made him feel a bit heartened.

    But, he also realized the pitfall of this method. This method of honing his attacks against an opponent was really effective. But, it can only be used when he was absolutely sure of victory. If he tried it any other time, he would most probably die before he could stop his mistake. Duncan decided to take note of this.

    As they say, the battle is a great ce to increase your strength. His strength had increased sharply after his battle with the Wang n. The Wang n had been weaker than he had imagined. The patriarch didn''t dare to take the initiative to attack him. This gave him the opportunity to hone his sword.

    Duncan didn''t know what would have happened if the patriarch had taken the initiative to attack, instead of only defending constantly. By not taking initiative, the patriarch had ceded the battle''s tempo to him entirely. This was a fatal mistake.

    Duncan noted this as well. He can''t always remain on the defensive. Even if the opponent was powerful, only by taking the initiative to attack will he have a chance to defeat his opponent. As long as he didn''t have an impregnable defense, this way of battle will only lead to a dead end.

    Moreover, constantly being battered down like the patriarch didn''t suit his nature. Duncan also realized that he preferred to attack instead of defending. His nature was more suited to attack. He must not deviate from this approach in the future.

    As the formation shattered, Duncan recalled the hearty feeling he had at the moment. He had been still brimming with fighting intent. The feeling of breaking down an opponent''s trump card gave him a heady feeling. He kinda liked it.

    Currently, he was nearing the moment when he glimpsed that profound feeling.

    Duncan paused slightly and cleared his mindpletely. He felt as if this was very important to him. Something within him told him that this would be pivotal in his life. So, he didn''t dare to be careless at this moment.

    With a deep breath, Duncan recalled his emotions and experience when he kicked open the door of the Wang npound.

    *****

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 Chapter 197 Understanding Slaughter

    ?

    He had been filled with fighting intent when he kicked open the door.

    He had wanted to fight. He had wanted to break the attacks of his enemy with his sword. He had wanted to ughter his enemy with his sword. He had wanted to dominate them and make them look at him in despair.

    But, he had been cheated when he saw the unconscious members of the Wang n.

    That. Had. Been. A. Let. Down!

    So, naturally, his fighting intent had disappeared and he had wanted to end this farce as soon as possible. So, he killed the Wang n patriarch without even bothering to speak a single word.

    Duncan felt his emotions at that moment. There was disappointment. There was anger. There was even a sense of dissatisfaction. And then, there was a numb feeling. Seeing those defeated by him, he had only felt contempt at that moment.

    Was he arrogant?

    He was. But, he had the capital to be arrogant at that moment. He had annihted an entire n. One year ago, this n was a behemoth he didn''t dare offend. Now, the situation had reversed. Since he progressed so much, why can''t he feel arrogant about it?

    That didn''t matter much. And it wasn''t the feeling he was thinking about either.

    Duncan cleared his mind once more and immersed himself in that moment once again. He knew that it was at this moment he had felt something profound. He just needs to grasp it once more andprehend it slowly.

    Time passed slowly. Duncan felt as if he had touched upon that feeling several times, but he was never sure. It was like an inspiration. A sh of lightning in the sky. A small glimpse of the sun hiding behind the clouds. It was only a moment. But, it was something profound that would take him a long time to understand.

    Now that he had missed that moment, recalling it was bing hard.

    Duncan put away his impatience. He put away all his distracting thoughts and went over that moment again and again. He knew that this was the moment he felt it. It was just that his current mindset wasn''t right. He was being too objective now.

    So, Duncan let go of his senses and immersed himself entirely in that momentpletely.

    Slowly his awareness of the surroundings faded. Slowly, his consciousness became light. He didn''t deliberately pursue it. He just drifted in that moment once more hoping to catch that glimpse again.

    Duncan didn''t know how long he remained in that state. Suddenly, his heart stirred. He looked around at the bodies that were lying everywhere around him. He looked at the blood of the Wang n Patriarch. And there it was.

    It was like a bolt of lightning!

    Suddenly, two sentences appeared in Duncan''s mind as if they always existed in his mind.

    ughter is the beginning. ughter is the end.

    Boom!

    Duncan''s mind shook and those words engraved itself into his soul. Duncan''s surprised eyes opened for a moment. He felt that profound feeling again when he saw those words.

    "ughter is the beginning. ughter is the end."

    Duncan spoke softly and savored those words. ughter was both the beginning and the end. What did it mean? He knew that he shouldn''t take those words at face value. There was something hidden in those words.

    Beginning and end.

    Didn''t people say that dao is the beginning and end of everything?

    Why did those words mention ughter as the beginning and the end? ughterˇ­ ughterˇ­ does it refer to the ughter dao? Duncan felt that his thinking was right. But, he didn''t think that it was the right thing to focus on.

    Duncan trusted his instincts and focused on the meaning behind each sentence.

    ughter was the beginning. That would mean all things begin with ughter. How can that be? That didn''t feel right. So, what did it mean? ughter as beginning to something perhapsˇ­

    Duncan suddenly felt his instincts stir at that moment. So, he paused and pursued that line of thought. ughter as beginning to something. It meant ughter was the origin point for something. No, that was too absolute. There are no absolutes in the world. Even heaven always leaves some path open.

    Can it be rephrased?

    ughter can be the beginning of something. Hmmm, this felt right. ughter can act as the beginning. Hmmm, how can this apply to his situation? He needed to savor it slowly.

    Likewise, ughter can also be the end of something. Huh, didn''t my ughter of the Wang n end my feud with them? No that is too general. There was something he was not connecting here. Duncan felt as if he had truly touched the core point.

    Suddenly, another sentence shed past Duncan''s mind.

    Severing Karma With ughter.

    Wasn''t the reason he went to annihte the Wang n because of this? What about applying this here? If I applied it here, then the sentences would beˇ­

    ughter is the beginning of karma. ughter is the end of karma.

    Duncan suddenly felt enlightened.

    ughter can both be used to form karma and end karma. He used ughter as a means to end his karma with the Wang n Patriarch. This was severing karma with ughter. This can also be called ending karma with ughter.

    But, didn''t he also sow karma with his actions?

    Duncan smiled as he realized this. His actions had made him an enemy of that kid. That kid would never forgive him. From his point of view, he was the demon who annihted his n. This kind of enmity can''t be forgotten or forgiven.

    One day, that kid wille in search of him seeking vengeance. The karma he sowed by ughtering the Wang n members will lead to a confrontation in the future. This was what was meant by ughter is the beginning.

    His action of ughtering the Wang n members both severed his past karma and sowed future karma. ughter was both the end and beginning of everything. Whatever happens in the future, it will be because of this karma sown.

    Duncan felt as if his mind became more clear at this moment. Suddenly, he felt his cultivation at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm sublimate. Even before this, he didn''t have a bottleneck to break through to the Violet Pce realm.

    He had been long ready to take that step. But, he had felt that it wasn''t time yet. It was as if something was missing. Something integral. So, even though he knew that it was possible to establish top-tier foundational pirs, Duncan hadn''t broken through to the Violet Pce realm.

    Now, with the sublimation of his spirit sea, Duncan knew that the time hase. The feeling he had at present was one of utter stillness inside his dantain. Duncan knew that with just a thought he can start establishing the foundational pirs for his violet pce.

    The restlessness in his spirit sea had calmed down. It was the right moment to advance. Duncan knew intuitively that the foundation he would establish would be the legendary foundation. But, Duncan wasn''t in a hurry. What was his will always be his.

    Rather, he focused his attention on his ck heart once again.

    The moment he understood the meaning of those words, Duncan felt his heart throb once more. After awakening his bloodline, this was the first time Duncan had felt this feeling again. So, Duncan sent his consciousness toward his heart.

    The moment his consciousness enveloped the throbbing heart, the heart calmed down and his consciousness was once again engulfed in a vision. Duncan felt as if he was freefalling somewhere.

    The moment he neared thend, his figure slowed down and he alighted softly.

    He wasn''t in the red grasnds he visited first. This time he was on top of a small hill. Arge valley spread out below him. Duncan scanned the surroundings from his vantage point and found two armies camped at either end of the valley.

    Both armies were already mounted. Their preparations were already done. It was as if they were waiting for the signal. A battle was imminent. Duncan watched calmly. He knew he was in a vision. There wasn''t anything he could do to affect the oue. He was a bystander.

    Roar!

    Roar!

    Hearty roars echoed from each side. The next moment, both armies dashed toward each other. The battle began. Duncan watched the battle from his vantage point. He wasn''t biased toward any of the sides. He dispassionately watched the ughter that was happening below.

    Compared to what he had experienced so far, the battle below was far more brutal. Heads and limbs were flying all around the battlefield. The ground was covered in blood. Both armies fought as if they didn''t have the intent to stop at all.

    Soon, one side emerged as the victor.

    The leading general of the victorious army beheaded the general of the losing army. The vision froze at this point. Duncan had a panoramic view of the entire battlefield. He felt as if this was a true ughter.

    Soon, the surroundings blurred.

    The next vision showed the prosperous kingdom headed by the victorious general. The kingdom flourished. Time passed. Soon the kingdom became bloated and people started to indulge themselves. Corrupt officials and inept nobles were everywhere.

    Unrest followed. People wanted change. But, those in power wanted to maintain the status quo. Contradictions rose. The unrest among the people began to fester more and more. People began to be violent.

    Soon, a rebel army was formed. A general emerged among the rebels. He led them to victory after victory against the kingdom. Finally, the two armies once again met in the same valley where the first battle had urred.

    Things havee a full circle.

    This time the rebel general won.

    A new prosperous kingdom was born.

    *****

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 Chapter 198 Is This Dao?

    ?

    Duncan stood there watching the new era flourish in a daze.

    Duncan felt as if a light had been shined on his soul. The previously dark path had been illuminated. This light wasn''t very bright or covering the entire path. However, even this little light was enough for him to glimpse the tip of the iceberg that had been hidden from his eyes so far.

    Slowly, he began to understand the meaning behind the vision.

    ughter wasn''t a mindless thing. It was simply there just like other natural things. It was neither good nor bad.

    In this vision, a new kingdom arose because of the ughter. Likewise, an old kingdom fell. When the new kingdom became decadent, ughter bought in the change so that things didn''t be stagnant. Now, a new and more prosperous kingdom had risen in the back of the second ughter.

    ughter was neither good nor bad. It was both the beginning and the end. It paved the way for change. It kept things from bing stagnant. It advocated progress in its own way.

    ughter was natural.

    Just like rain, wind, thunder, and other natural phenomenon, ughter was a natural thing. How one used it depended on their ownprehension of this phenomenon.

    Duncan felt as if some shackles that bound his mind had vanished at that moment. He felt as if his vision had been broadened. There was a whole new world in front of him. Until now, he had been like a frog at the bottom of the well. He had just climbed out of that well at this moment.

    And the sky he could see at this moment was vast and boundless.

    It was said that both misfortune and fortune coexisted. Chances and disasters exist in the same ce in the cultivation world. What corresponds to someone is based on their own talents and power. Likewise, ughter can be used for good and bad. How one used it was up to the cultivator in question.

    As Duncan realized this, the vision faded and he came back to his senses. At present, Duncan felt as if he had understood something profound. The feeling in his heart was both heavy and light at the same time.

    Duncan remained idle for a long time, trying to digest what he hadprehended. It was as if a new window had been opened in his soul. Until now, he had always thought about ughter as something only demonic cultivators did. Now, his entire view had been upended.

    Since ughter wasn''t inherently evil, it could also be used by righteous cultivators. A righteous cultivator canmit ughter to annihte evil and bring in a glorious new beginning. Likewise, a demonic cultivator couldmit ughter and bring an end to a prosperous time.

    Duncan felt a little emotional at this moment. He didn''t know why this affected him this much. But, he couldn''t just control the myriad of emotions that cycled through him that easily. Calming down just seemed impossible.

    "Is this dao?" Duncan whispered hoarsely.

    No wonder cultivators chased after Dao. This feeling like being in the bottom of the well was really ufortable. It was kinda suffocating to know that the sky you think of as an entirety was not even one-tenth of it.

    As they say, ignorance is bliss. If he had continued his life in an ignorant manner, not knowing that he was a frog at the bottom of the well, then his life would have been fine. However, now that he knew, the desire to see the true sky was burning deep within him.

    Duncan knew what he had understood wasn''t even the tiniest portion of the actual dao. But, even glimpsing the tip of the iceberg had upended his worldview.

    "Ha ha haˇ­ I never believed when some cultivators said that they will die happily in the evening if they can see the dao in the morning. I always called them self-important fools. But now, I am not so sure."

    "What won''t I give to not feel like the frog at the bottom of the well? That feeling was really suffocating. This pursuit of constantlyprehending the truth about things and experiencing the boundaries being widened again and again was the reason cultivation is so wonderful. Is this what the pursuit of Dao is all about?"

    Duncan mumbled softly with a lost look in his eyes. He sat there listlessly not bothering to even cultivate. The impact he had received at that moment had shaken him a lot. All kinds of snippets he had heard about cultivation shed through his mind.

    Some things that he looked down upon and belittled felt very profound right now. Some sayings he pursed his lips towards were beginning to look very insightful and broad-minded. Duncan didn''t know how to react at this moment.

    Cultivating and breaking through the Violet Pce realm was far away from his mind at this moment. He didn''t want to do anything. Duncan opened his space ring and took out a jar of wine.

    He suddenly felt the urge to drink. His throat felt thirsty all of a sudden. His lips felt parched. Duncan took a swig of his wine and savored it slowly. The same wine he had drunk some time ago felt different today.

    Duncan drank the wine without any hurry and lost himself in his thoughts.

    This new realization had indeed shaken his mind. Duncan can feel it clearly. Before this, he had primed himself to be more decisive and assertive. But, after this revtion, that kind of mentality he had primed himself for began to shake a little.

    How can one be decisive and assertive when they actually know very little? If he was ignorant of things, then wouldn''t his hasty decisionse back to bite him in the backter? Duncan felt as if he had entered a quagmire. No matter how hard he tried to form an opinion or thought, doubt seemed to drag him back.

    In the cultivation world, the dao heart of a person is mysterious. Cultivators term it as their dedication to seeking dao. Only when someone has a firm dao heart, can they be able to progress further in cultivation.

    This dao heart wasn''t anything visible. If it was visible, more than 90% of problems that arose because of it can be settled easily. The dao heart was ethereal. It was something unique to each and every cultivator. It can''t be guided by others. It can only be realized by the individual.

    This makes the problems that arise because of it hard to deal with. Whenever a cultivator receives a blow to his dao heart, their cultivation would stagnate and rarely improve. Only when they sort out their thoughts and beliefs, will they be able to progress further.

    Duncan wasn''t the first cultivator to be listless after glimpsing the enormity and abundance of the Dao. Many cultivators like him had be disheartened or lost their purpose, due to sudden understanding of some truths regarding dao.

    The world is always fair. The rules of heaven are always impartial. In order to gain something, one must lose something. The gain-loss proportion may vary, but the order of things will never change.

    How can it be easy to be enlightened on Dao? After all, dao is the source of everything. Can such enlightenmente without a price? The price that the heavens often levy upon cultivators who get enlightened upon dao is usually a test of their dao heart.

    For someone like Duncan, who hadn''t even cultivated for a year, enlightenment regarding dao was incredibly risky. That is because new cultivators would have not formed a firm belief regarding Dao. Their dao hearts at the initial stages will usually be fragile.

    When these new cultivators run into these tests, discussing dao with experienced cultivators or their masters can help them sort out their thoughts and make them get out of this quagmire soon.

    Unfortunately, Duncan didn''t have anyone near him at this moment. He couldn''t talk to others about dao and gleam their understanding to supplement his questions. So, it was only natural that Duncan became suddenly listless and started to drink without any proper aim in his mind.

    Duncan''s listlessnesssted for a few days. During this time, apart from drinking the wine he had stored, Duncan didn''t feel like doing anything at all. Even when some change happened to the surrounding spirit qi, he didn''t notice it. He sat there inside the cave lost in thought. Even his whole body became decadent at this moment.

    However, suddenly a change urred causing Duncan to stir.

    BOOM!

    A loud sound came from outside the cave, causing Duncan to wake up from his stupor slightly. Before he could clear his head, he felt a sudden danger. On instinct, Duncan rolled sideways.

    The next moment, a sharp object broke through the cave walls and passed through the region he had been sitting in before. Duncan''s eyes widened as he realized that if he had been a little slower, he would at the least be heavily injured now.

    Before he could process further, the object bounced off the other end of the cave and shot back. Its speed at this moment wasn''t much of a danger to Duncan. The danger had already passed. So, Duncan didn''t react.

    But, while it wasn''t dangerous to Duncan, the same couldn''t be said for Duncan''s wine gourd. The object mmed into Duncan''s wine gourd and broke through it. Duncan, who still had no clue regarding what was happening outside, watched the gourd shatter and his wine spill on the floor.

    Looking at the spilled wine, Duncan felt irritated all of a sudden.

    *****

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 Chapter 199 Again!

    ?

    Duncan looked at the spilled wine, along with the broken gourd, and scowled.

    Irritation shot through him as he stirred himself a bit. He never liked spilling wine. It was his one constant habit. He considered it to be a waste. As a qualified drunkard, Duncan had strong feelings regarding it.

    And this was his wine that was spilled.

    He could forgive the fact that he was almost killed, but he couldn''t forgive someone who wasted his wine. With irritation etched on his face, Duncan rose. The listless feeling he had until now receded and Duncan felt that he could deal with itter.

    For now, he wanted to head out and smash the face of the idiots who wasted his wine. Duncan unsheathed his sword and walked out of the cave angrily. He passed by the decaying carcass of the beast he had yed and didn''t even nce at it.

    The entrance of the cave was covered by a small waterfall. Duncan passed through it and looked outside. He was too angry to investigate with his spirit sense first. Looking over, Duncan saw two cultivators fighting near the waterfall.

    Immediately, Duncan understood what happened. It was most likely that their fight caused the ident. But, Duncan wasn''t in a forgiving mood at all. With a snarl, Duncan shed his sword toward both of them angrily.

    The two cultivators had obviously noticed Duncan the moment he stepped out of the waterfall. Their spirit sense had long been covering this area. Initially, when Duncan stepped out, they had been on guard a little. They didn''t know who this fellow was.

    However, the moment they perceived Duncan''s cultivation, they didn''t care about him much. As Violet Pce realm cultivators, they didn''t pay much attention to a youngster in the Spirit Sea realm. So, they had rxed their vignce towards Duncan a little and decided to carry on with their fight.

    Who knew this youngster would be so arrogant as to attack them both at the same time? This was a man who didn''t know the heights of heaven. Normally, they wouldn''t pay much attention to an attack from a Spirit Sea realm cultivator.

    However, they were in the midst of a battle. Any variable may result in life and death. So, seeing Duncan''s attack, both of the cultivators became furious immediately.

    "Get lost!"

    Both cultivators roared as they pped a palm toward Duncan in the distance. Duncan''s eyes narrowed seeing their disregard. He didn''t like that one bit. The mere irritation he had grew into anger at the moment.

    When those cultivators pped a palm each toward Duncan, they thought that the matter would be over. If the young man got injured because of overestimating himself, it wasn''t their fault. However, what happened next shocked both of them. Duncan''s sh nullified both attacks and petered out.

    The two cultivators paused in their actions and looked at Duncan. Duncan also looked at them angrily. Seeing the anger in Duncan''s eyes, the two cultivators felt annoyed. Just now, they had pped out without inputting much of their strength into it. But, that didn''t mean the ignorant young man could dare to be angry at them.

    "What are you looking at?" one of the cultivators got annoyed and yelled. "Get lost before Ie over there and teach you a lesson."

    "Hmmph, you are lucky we are too busy to deal with you," the other cultivator snorted.

    Duncan eyed them both carefully. This time he used his spirit sense and was easily able to figure out that these two were in the early stages of the Violet Sea realm. The moment he figured it out, the little bit of apprehension he had vanished.

    "Your fight spilled my drink. I will leave once you both apologize," Duncan stated calmly with a ridiculing look.

    Seeing Duncan''s look and hearing his words, both cultivators got annoyed.

    "Impudent!"

    "Audacious!"

    They both yelled and attacked Duncan.

    Duncan''s lips twitched. He didn''t back away from the attack. Rather he weed it. After being listless for several days, Duncan felt like stretching his limbs a bit. And these two bastards hade at the right time.

    With a smile, Duncan retaliated with an Absolute Severance sword. Sword light exploded from Duncan''s sword and traveled toward the attacks of the two cultivators.

    Boom!

    The three attacks collided together and created an enormous ruckus. Duncan was forced to take a step back because of the bacsh. The two Violet Pce realm cultivators were rtively fine. However, the resulting bacsh had ruffled them as well. They both looked at Duncan in shock.

    Duncan took a deep breath and looked at the two cultivators. A strange smile appeared on his face. For days, he had been a little listless after realizing the enormity of Dao. He couldn''t bring himself to do anything. Cultivation seemed pointless.

    If one knows that their journey is going to be a neverending and futile attempt, it is only natural that the interest in the journey would diminish. Duncan wasn''t masochistic to actually do things that looked impossible. He had always been a goal-oriented person.

    Hence, after realizing that searching for the true meaning of dao and cultivating hard was a neverending journey, he couldn''t drum up the motivation to actually indulge in it. He became a little directionless and began to drift.

    But, currently, looking at the two cultivators who were in front of him, Duncan felt something deep in him stir once more. Logically, he knew that he had gotten into a predicament after realizing the truth about cultivating immortality. He knew he needed to get out of that despairing mindset. But, knowing is one thing, and doing it is another thing.

    The stirring within him at this moment was like a third party trying to wake up Duncan. He could feel it within his bones. He wanted to grasp onto it and climb out of the quagmire he had ended himself in.

    "Again!"

    Duncan muttered softly and attacked again.

    The two cultivators were indeed shocked that Duncan could take on both of them at the same time. But, they weren''t actually worried. The attack they delivered was only at 50% of their power.

    They both looked at each other and came to a tacit agreement with a single look. They decided to take care of this ignorant young man who was crazy enough to attack both of them at the same time and then get back to their fight. With a sneer, they both attacked back. This time they increased the power they put in their attacks.

    Boom!

    The bacsh from the collision wasrger than the first one. This time, the two attacks obliterated Duncan''s attackpletely. However, their power was also spent. By the time the remnants reached Duncan, only a strong gust of wind remained.

    The wind threw Duncan back unceremoniously. Duncan felt his back connect hard with the wall to the side of the waterfall. The impact jarred him and made his insides churn. Blood leaked from his lips.

    Duncan got up and spat a glob of blood in his mouth without much care. There was a small fire burning deep within Duncan''s gaze. He could feel the stirring in his heart more clearly. A crazed smile appeared on his face.

    "Again!"

    Duncan uttered loudly and once again attacked.

    Irritation shed across the eyes of the two cultivators. This time they decided to not show any mercy and attacked with 80% of their power. The sword light was thoroughly annihted and the rest of their attacks fell on Duncan sending him flying away.

    Duncan rolled on the ground and started coughing blood. However, along with his coughing, a burst of strangeughter began to echo around the region as well. Theughter wasn''t loud. It was more like a chuckle. But, the thing that was strange was that it was emanating from Duncan.

    The two cultivators looked that Duncan and felt that he was crazy. They were willing to admit that he had some potential. But, he wasn''t on their level yet. It was clearly apparent with the difference in power that was exhibited. Right now, Duncan was coughing up blood.

    And yet, he was chuckling.

    Duncan, on the other hand, didn''t care about their strange gaze. His eyes were shining brightly now. He could feel his heart beating strongly. He finally figured out what the stirring in his heart was. It was battle lust. A desire to battle. The stronger the opponent, the more his battle lust would be ignited.

    If it was just one of them, Duncan was sure that they wouldn''t be able to ignite his battle lust. But, with two Violet Pce realm cultivators attacking him, Duncan once again felt the feeling he had when he was attacking the Wang npound.

    Duncan stopped chuckling as he stood up and closed his eyes. He could feel the confusion and the despair he had felt receding like a tide. Right now, he was in the middle of the battle. Only one thing mattered now. Fighting to his heart''s content.

    He put away the confusion and despair in his heart regarding the Dao. He would figure it outter. Right now, the only thing that mattered was to beat these two people up. They dared to spill his wine. They needed to spill blood to pay back for it.

    Duncan wiped away the blood leaking down from his mouth and opened his eyes. There was a fierce fighting intent in his eyes. His back straightened. His grip on his sword tightened.

    "Again!"

    Duncan growled and attacked once more.

    *****

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 Chapter 200 Looks Like Im Famous

    ?

    The two cultivators took in the bizarre transformation Duncan had and narrowed their eyes.

    They weren''t stupid. They could easily figure out from Duncan''s posture and aura that the person who faced them before and the person who faced them now werepletely different.

    Duncan''s aura had undergone a shocking transformation at this moment. The two cultivators could feel a kind of malice and bloodlust emanating from Duncan at this moment. To them, he felt more like a beast than a cultivator. The ferocious air exuded from Duncan really took them aback.

    But, they weren''t afraid of Duncan.

    Even though Duncan''s sudden transformation gave them pause, they didn''t really think that he would pose a threat to them. However, they didn''t dare to take Duncan lightly either. This time, they both exchanged a look and retaliated with their full power.

    The sword light that was emitted from Duncan''s sword was dull and didn''t look that different from before. However, both cultivators felt a little bit of danger from it. So, they didn''t hesitate to attack with their full power.

    BOOM!

    The collision of the three attacks created a tremendous ruckus. The impact from the collision sent the two cultivators staggering back. Their eyes widened. The small stream began to surge from all the aura that was surging through them.

    Duncan was directly sent flying away this time. He tumbled a few times over and mmed into a tree in the distance. Duncan groaned in pain. He felt as if his entire body was beaten up ruthlessly. But, the shine in his eyes only increased.

    This time he felt his entire body protesting as he stood up. But, the fighting intent in his heart seemed ready to burst. Duncan felt as if the cloud of depression and despair that had engulfed him vanishing.

    A sudden rity appeared in his mind. The dao was vast. It seemed to be a road that is neverending. Just gazing at it was enough to send one into despair. It was like trying to find a waterdrop in a sea. These were all true.

    Butˇ­

    So what if Dao was vast and unfathomable?

    He had just started his cultivation journey. Those things are truly too far away from the current him. Duncan was sure that as his power grew and cultivation progresses, what seemed like a vast ocean in front of the current him would then be a sea, then ake, then a pond, and eventually be something that he can drink and digest.

    Before he became a cultivator, the Wang n had been a behemoth he dared not offend. But, within a year, he had annihted the entire Wang n that remained behind in the city. As his power grew and cultivation progressed, what seemed impossible will be something attainable.

    Once he used to be a mortal who would have died by the mere shock emanating from these two cultivators'' attack. But now, he was able to barely contend against these two. One day, he would be so powerful that these two people will look like ants in front of him.

    Cultivation is all about progress. He just needs to walk firmly by putting one foot in front of another until he reached his destination. As for his destination, that was not even determined yet.

    So, what was he worrying and despairing about?

    Isn''t that foolish? Instead of worrying about the enormity of the Dao, it was better to concentrate on increasing his cultivation. If he had entered the Violet Pce realm by now, these two cultivators wouldn''t even stand a chance against him.

    His actions in the past few days were just foolhardy. He had drifted away from reality and gotten caught in a quagmire of his own creation. As a low-level cultivator, he must have the awareness of a low-level cultivator. Some things are truly too far away from him now for him to be concerned.

    Just let it go...

    Duncan felt as if the weight that had been weighing on him for the past few days had been lifted. He felt liberated. Looking at the two cultivators who were watching him from the distance, Duncan felt a burning desire to battle engulf his heart.

    Meanwhile, Duncan''s unstable dao heart stabilized and his aura became far more firm. Combined with the battle intent that was emanating from him, the two cultivators widened their eyes in disbelief as they looked at Duncan.

    "AGAIN!"

    Duncan shouted heartily as if he was trying to shrug away the listlessness that had engulfed him for the past few days. With that shout, Duncan felt as if his mind and soul had undergone a cleansing. With a mad grin on his face, Duncan activated <Wind Chasing Steps> and dashed towards the two cultivators.

    "I. SAID. COME. AGAIN!"

    Duncan shouted and executed the most powerful Absolute Severance sword he had ever executed until now. The sword light that had always been dull as if something was missing so far, became dazzling all of a sudden.

    Within a blink of an eye, the sword light dashed towards both the cultivators with a menacing air about it. The eyes of the two cultivators shrunk in shock and they retaliated with their own trump cards without any reserve.

    BOOM!

    The next second a mighty collision urred, causing air and pressure to billow outwards from the zone of the collision. The sword light that came out of Duncan''s sword this time seemed to be able to contend and even slightly overpower the two attacks.

    Duncan slid backwards for a few feet trying to stabilize his body. But, his eyes were always on the collision of the attacks that were happening. The same was true for the two cultivators. They were also pushed back a few steps.

    Duncan''s eyes shined brightly as he saw that his attack was able to contend against two attacks. He felt a surge of pride deep in his heart. It wasn''t because he was able to fight even with two cultivators who had stronger cultivation than him.

    No.

    Duncan felt that the Absolute Severance sword he executed at that moment was the perfect one. He felt as if the attack had gained something very fundamental to it. Until now, he hadn''t noticed such a thing being absent. But, the moment he sent out this attack he realized the iparably full feeling the attack had.

    Duncan was very satisfied with his attack. He felt proud in creating such a sword move. Duncan''s lips split into a wide smile and he couldn''t help butugh loudly looking at the sky. The depression he had been in the past few days waspletely absent from his figure at this moment.

    The two cultivators felt their scalp tingling hearing Duncan''sughter. They never expected this youngster whom they had looked down on earlier will be able to contend and even have a slight advantage against both of them. The duo exchanged a troubled nce and looked at Duncan warily for the first time since the altercation began.

    Duncan stoppedughing and looked at the two of them with scorn. There was a tinge of arrogance in his gaze. He looked at them as if they were not on his level. In fact, Duncan was actually only considering these two as sharpening stones for his attacks. He didn''t regard them as a threat even before. And now, he didn''t even regard them as worthy or being his sparring partners.

    "Heh, I am in a good mood now," Duncan stated waving his sword casually. "Be obedient and apologize. I will let bygones be bygones."

    The faces of the two cultivators turned nasty. They felt indignant. They were wary of Duncan, but that was because of Duncan''s increasingly powerful attacks. However, it didn''t mean that they would apologize to a Spirit Sea realm cultivator. Their pride wouldn''t allow for that.

    "Hmmph, I admit you have some talent. But, do not overreach yourself," one of the cultivators snorted.

    "A mere cultivator in Spirit Sea realm must know hisˇ­" the other cultivator suddenly trailed off and looked at Duncan sharply.

    The cultivator''s sudden change in expression caught the attention of both Duncan and the other cultivator. However, the cultivator didn''t exin much. He was currently scrutinizing Duncan''s face as if he had just recognized something.

    "You are Duncan, from the Heavenly Demon Sect," the cultivator stated firmly and looked at Duncan with a bit of hostility for the first time since the altercation began. "No wonder you are so arrogant. You even dared to annihte Junior Brother Wan Yunlong''s n. Envoy Ming has been searching for you all this while."

    Duncan''s eyebrows rose in surprise. Hearing him address Wang Yunlong as junior brother, Duncan realized that this cultivator must be from the Iron Mountain Sect. However, he wasn''t worried much. This cultivator didn''t have the strength to do anything to him. So, Duncan didn''t mind the hostility shown toward him.

    "Heh, looks like I am famous," Duncan chuckled causing the Iron Mountain Sect cultivator''s face to darken. "So what? Yes, I am Duncan. What are you going to do about it? Instead of talking shit, you better apologize to me for spilling my wine. That way, I don''t need to use your blood aspensation."

    "Youˇ­"

    The Iron Mountain Sect cultivator was furious hearing Duncan''s words. But, he knew that he was no match for Duncan despite thetter''s lower cultivation. So, he could only grit his teeth in anger. Suddenly, as if a thought ured to him he stared at Duncan balefully and sent a message to Envoy Ming about his discovery.

    Within moments, a reply arrived.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 201 He Must Have Bluffed A Lot

    "Got it. I am on my way. Keep him upied. I won''t forget your contribution while reporting to Junior Brother Wang."

    Envoy Ming''s reply came quickly as well. Hearing this, the Iron Mountain Sect cultivator became happy. However, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to keep Duncan on his own. So, he turned towards the other cultivator and spoke solemnly.

    "Fellow Daoist, this person is a murderer our sect has been hunting for. I request your assistance in trapping him here. My Senior Brother, Envoy Ming is on the way. He willpensate you fairly. Moreover, I will also willingly give up and admit defeat," the Iron Mountain Sect cultivator spoke sincerely.

    The other cultivator''s eyes flickered. He wasn''t ignorant of the recent happenings in the Starmist City. He knew the reason behind the other party''s sudden change in attitude.

    "Don''t worry, Fellow Daoist. Eradicating evil is the duty of all cultivators. I will help you restrain this evil cultivator," the other cultivator smiled heartily and nodded.

    Duncan watched the two of them perform and felt like sneering. What duty of all cultivators? Before he came out, weren''t these two fighting to the death? He didn''t believe such a conflict could emerge without appropriate benefit.

    Now that the cultivator from Iron Mountain Sect was willing to retreat, this fellow immediately became friendly and acted all righteous. Such a double-faced character almost made Duncan puke.

    "You two seem confident of handling me, huh? So, I guess the apology isn''ting. Then, in that caseˇ­"

    Duncan''s eyes sharpened. He immediately targeted the other cultivator and attacked. Duncan knew that if he fought both of them together, it would be hard for him to finish the battle quickly.

    With both sides evenly matched, he didn''t think the battle woulde to a conclusion soon. If it was a normal time, Duncan would have chosen the long battle in order to hone his battle skills. However, he was a little wary of this so-called Envoy Ming arriving and tilting the scales.

    In that case, it was imperative to finish the battle as soon as possible. Since attacking two of them wouldn''t yield results, he will attack and dispose of one person first. Then, he will take care of the other one.

    As for why he chose the other cultivator instead of the one from Iron Mountain Sect, he just didn''t like his face-changing character much. Duncan felt that this person was an eyesore. So, decided to get rid of him first.

    Since this guy wants to jump into Duncan''s business with the Iron Mountain Sect, then let him have a taste of his wrath. Duncan was very decisive. Once decided, he didn''t hesitate at all.

    Seeing the attacking towards him, the cultivator''s eyes widened. He thought that it would be the Iron Mountain Sect disciple who will be fighting hard and he would just provide support. However, the sudden change of events shocked him and he was unable to react immediately.

    "Aargh!" the cultivator screamed in fright and tried to retreat.

    However, by then the attack had arrived. Even the Iron Mountain Sect disciple didn''t expect to attack one of them immediately after his speech. So, even though he tried to help the other cultivator, he wasn''t fast enough as well.

    Seeing that retreat wasn''t an option, the other cultivator grit his teeth and resisted hard. Unfortunately, Duncan''s attack was far too sudden and very powerful as well. In the end, despite resisting hard, the cultivator was injured severely.

    A long gash that was very deep appeared on the cultivator''s torso. Blood sprouted from it nonstop. The wound also had a mysterious power within it that tried to burrow deep into the cultivator''s body. With a scream, the cultivator fell down on the ground injured heavily.

    Duncan smiled at the injured cultivator in a derisive manner. He turned his eyes towards the Iron Mountain Sect disciple with a sneer on his face.

    "Well, now that he had paid with his blood, you are the only one left. By the way, what did you mean about detaining me?" Duncan asked casually as he walked towards the Iron Mountain Sect disciple.

    "Despicable!" the Iron Mountain Sect disciple roared angrily and looked at Duncan with murder in his eyes. However, he didn''t dare to attack Duncan. His eyes suddenly became a little ambiguous as if he was thinking hard.

    "Despicable? Why do you say that? I beat him fair and square. It is not my fault if you righteous cultivators spend more time talking than cultivating to increase your power," Duncan chuckled.

    "Hmmph, only a murderer like you would think attacking someone while talking isn''t despicable," the Iron Mountain Sect disciple snorted and looked at Duncan vigntly. "But, don''t be too happy. There are many of my sect members currently searching this forest for you. Now that your location has been leaked, you will be hunted down like a dog."

    Duncan paused suddenly and tilted his head. He looked as if he couldn''t understand what the Iron Mountain Sect disciple told. He hummed a little and looked at the Iron Mountain Sect disciple with a strange gaze.

    "Interestingˇ­" Duncan hummed.

    Hearing Duncan''sment, the rage on the Iron Mountain Sect disciple''s face exploded. He looked ferocious as he stared daggers at Duncan.

    "You heathen, you think you can escape the pursuit of my sect members? Ha ha ha, Envoy Ming is on his way here. Let''s see how you will be arrogant after he arrives. Your only option is to flee while you still have time," the Iron Mountain Sect disciple sneered.

    Duncan looked at the Iron Mountain Sect disciple for a long moment. Then he stared at the injured cultivator who was hurriedly taking pills by the side to restore the injury. Then he once again stared at the Iron Mountain Sect disciple. Suddenly Duncan startedughing uproariously.

    Seeing Duncanugh, the Iron Mountain Sect disciple furrowed his eyebrows. He bit his lips angrily and stared indignantly at Duncan. He couldn''t believe the audacity of this man. Even after knowing that he was going to be hunted, he still had the mood tough. If it was him, he would have escaped as soon as possible.

    Suddenly, Duncan''sughter stopped, and the next moment a fierce glint appeared in his eyes. Without saying anything, Duncan sent out another Absolute Severance sword.

    The disciple from the Iron Mountain Sect widened his eyes. He hastily tried to defend himself. But, he had let his anger get his guard down a bit. Moreover, the distance between him and Duncan had been lessened. So, by the time he reacted, the attack was already in his face.

    In a fight between cultivators, one moment of carelessness would spell death. Duncan''s attack was fast and without any indication. He had beenughing one moment and the next moment he had attacked.

    Before he could mount any defense, the Iron Mountain Sect disciple''s head flew off. Duncan watched the rolling head dispassionately. The Iron Mountain Sect disciple didn''t even have the chance to scream.

    The same couldn''t be said for the other cultivator. He gasped in disbelief seeing Duncan''s ruthless attack. He immediately tried to get up and run. Even though he was injured, at this moment he burst out with a strong sense of crisis and tried to escape.

    Another sword light appeared. Another head rolled.

    Duncan sneered at the duo. He waved his hand and collected the two people''s storage rings.

    "I really couldn''t understand why the idiot was running his mouth when he was facing death. I initially thought he was trying to buy time or have some trump card to resist me. He obviously realized that he wasn''t a match for me. So, it was only logical," Duncan muttered derisively.

    "But, the idiot actually tried to intimidate me. He must have bluffed with the power of his sect too many times in the past. There can be no other exnation for it. What an idiot!"

    Duncan turned and operated his <Wind Chasing Steps> the next moment. His figure vanished from the area the next moment. He knew that lingering in this forest was really not ideal at all.

    Even if that idiot was bluffing about the entire sect hunting for him, hismunication with that Envoy Ming had been seen by Duncan. Seeing the confidence that idiot had towards his senior brother, Duncan didn''t fancy meeting him.

    He had lingered in this region for too long. It would be fine if his tracks weren''t exposed. Now that his tracks were exposed, he must leave immediately. Initially, he didn''t think it would take this much time to digest his epiphany. But, someplications have risen during his retreat.

    Duncan didn''t know why this ce was teeming with cultivators. He could sense several powerful auras fighting in the distance. He hadn''t noted it earlier, but he could feel their auras shing in the distance clearly now that he was concentrating.

    It made him uneasy. He could tell from the scale that some heavy struggle was happening deep in the inner forest. With so many powerful cultivators around, it wasn''t appropriate for him to linger in this area. Moreover, people from the Iron Mountain Sect were looking for him specifically as well.

    So, Duncan didn''t hesitate. He directly activated his movement technique and fled at a fast pace. Suddenly, a thought urred to him and he paused midair. He turned to look in the direction he came from.

    "Something that could cause two people in Violet Pce realm would not be a simple item. I forgot about it after killing them. Should I go back and search?" Duncan mumbled.

    A trace of indecision appeared on his face as he looked at the direction he came from.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 202 Have You?

    ?

    Duncan stood still in midair. His face showed fierce struggle.

    Greed and caution warred within him. He knew that it was dangerous to go back. Who knew when this Envoy Ming would arrive? If he got dyed searching for this object, then it would be like inviting disaster himself.

    However, danger and opportunities always coexisted. He knew that some treasure could be used to heavily shorten the cultivation journey. Some treasures were even miraculous that they aid in breakthroughs. He was currently holding back on a breakthrough. If the object could help in obtaining breakthroughˇ­

    Just when it looked like Duncan would turn back and search for the object, he took a deep breath and looked into the distance. He could feel numerous auras, one stronger than the other, shing with each other in the distance.

    It gave him a severe foreboding. His instincts were screaming at him to get out of this region. It had been just like this before the beast tide erupted in the grasnds. Now that he was a cultivator, the feeling was several times stronger. Something felt incredibly wrong with this incident.

    The moment that thought appeared, Duncan''s pupils shrank. When has Greenwood Forest be this popr among cultivators? Duncan was someone who had spent some time in this forest.

    While the inner region of this forest was something cultivators frequented, that was only low-level cultivators. The forest didn''t have anything that was attractive to people who are at the Violet Pce realm. Even the beasts here were only able to contend with Qi Gathering realm cultivators barely.

    But, looking at the auras shing in the distance, the cultivators who are fighting are definitely above the Violet Pce realm. How can this small forest contain something worth fighting for to those people? Something about this seemed very fishy to Duncan.

    During incredibly rare circumstances, something very valuable might appear in such low-level ces. When they appear, they would easily fall into the hands of the destined people. This phenomenon was somethingmonly known in the cultivation world. They called it fortunate encounters.

    Looking at it that way, this might be one of those fortunate encounters.

    However, there has never been such a high-level struggle for things appearing in these low-level regions. The way of heaven would never do something like that. Duncan''s face hardened as he realized that something was indeed not right with this whole situation.

    He had dashed into the Greenwood Forest because it was a low-level region and it wouldn''t have dangerous creatures. When one enters seclusion, one must be certain about the area around the ce they would seclude themselves in. Even in his haste, Duncan hadn''t forgotten such basic things. He chose Greenwood Forest for that exact reason.

    If this was not a fortunate encounter that somehow suddenly became out of control, then it must mean that it was something that was done deliberately. In that case, there must be some conspiracy behind it.

    Suddenly, Duncan thought of the vague atmosphere in the sect. His mind immediately jumped to the Grotto Heaven that appeared inexplicably. The next moment it jumped to the beast tide. Duncan vaguely felt that some invisible hand was guiding things.

    The moment that thought rose, Duncan''s instincts stirred once more. His eyes widened. He couldn''t believe his guess. He had no proof, but it was only a vague feeling. But, something within him told him that he had guessed right. Then, it would mean that this would be the next step in that big game.

    Duncan felt as if someone had doused him with a bucket of cold water. He shivered uncontrobly. He didn''t want his guess to be true. But, he wasn''t confident enough to think it wasn''t either.

    Duncan''s body stiffened. The next moment, the indecision in his heart vanished. A firm expression appeared in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Duncan vanished from the spot without even turning back to look at the direction he hade from.

    "No matter what, I don''t want that object. I better get out of here soon," Duncan muttered as he raced away from the forest.

    *****

    "Vice-Sect Master, I really didn''t think your n woulde to fruition. I can''t believe all those experts haven''t figured out that something fishy was happening," Feng Feixuan said a little disbelievingly as she looked at Liang Tianye.\

    "No, you are wrong," Liang Tianye said calmly.

    "What do you mean?" Feng Feixuan asked curiously.

    "They know something is fishy. But, even if they know something is fishy, they still fall into my trap because they can''t resist the lure of the treasure I have provided," Liang Tianye said simply as if he was speaking about something trivial.

    Feng Feixuan''s eyes narrowed.

    "Indeed, if I haven''t known about the lethal trap hidden behind the incident, even I might have been tempted to join in the fun," Feng Feixuan sighed and spoke in a strange tone. "Who could resist something that could help them achieve a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm? Even I am not immune."

    Liang Tianye shot her a mocking look.

    "You speak as if you haven''t already broken through to Nascent Soul realm?" Liang Tianye asked nonchntly.

    Hearing his words, Feng Feixuan''s eyes shrank in shock. She looked at Liang Tianye with an unconcealed look of worry. She didn''t think anyone apart from the Sect Master and Grand Elders would be able to tell that she had broken through to the Nascent Soul realm.

    Most elders in the sect were at the Nascent Soul realm. Only the Grand Elders and the Sect Lord have stepped into the next realm. The concealment art practiced by the higher-ups of the Heavenly Demon Sect was top-notch.

    Since most of the elders and promising disciples of the sect often hid their cultivation to lull their enemies, the concealment art required to aplish this had always been one of the top-notch techniques in this entire world. Even the sects in the Central Continent will not be able to crack the technique.

    Feng Feixuan knew that she hadn''t made any mistakes when ites to practicing the technique. That meant, there weren''t any issues with the technique she practiced. Then the only reason Liang Tianye knew about her cultivation level would be because of the only weakness of the technique.

    The concealment technique the Heavenly Demon Sect practiced had one major weakness. It was impossible to conceal the true cultivation level from anyone who was one major realm above the person who used the concealment technique.

    So, as a Nascent Soul level cultivator, it was only possible for Spirit Severance level cultivators to ascertain her cultivation level. For a moment, Feng Feixuan thought that Liang Tianye had already entered the Spirit Severance level. That was why she was shocked.

    However, she immediately regainedposure and thought of another possibility. Considering the rtionship between the Sect Master and Liang Tianye, it was most likely that he had spilled the beans to Liang Tianye.

    Gritting her teeth, Feng Feixuan only smiled a little strainedly. She knew that there was no use covering it up. So, she didn''t bother much about it. The First Grand Elder had been very worried about the progress of her mission. She couldn''t get distracted right now.

    "Looks like your rtionship with the Sect Master is still strong," Feng Feixuan smiled coyly and looked at Liang Tianye. "I thought he was angry with you regarding the incident at the Grotto Heaven."

    "Hmph, the Sect Master is indeed disappointed with my actions," Liang Tianye snorted throwing a piercing look at Feng Feixuan. "However, he only wants results. Since a mistake was made during the closure of the Grotto Heaven, I willpensate for it in other ways."

    "So, this ham-fisted attempt at inciting violence between the sects was your way of making things up?" Feng Feixuan asked curiously.

    A strange emotion passed through Feng Feixuan''s eyes. She didn''t think the Sect Master would be d with such an obvious ploy. This reeked of desperation. This wasn''t Liang Tianye''sposed style. Maybe, it wasn''t just displeasure as Liang Tianye stated. It was most likely that the Sect Master was furious and Liang Tianye was scrambling to make things right.

    In that caseˇ­ maybe she can use this to her advantageˇ­

    "Ha, you think that is all there is to my scheme?" Liang Tianye asked scornfully causing Feng Feixuan to be a little confused.

    "If you are talking about the poisoning of the treasure so that whoever bes a Nascent Soul cultivator will be your puppet, I already knew it. Didn''t I say that I already know of the trap," Feng Feixuan snorted in return.

    "If that is the only trap I have sprung," Liang Tianye smiled meaningfully.

    Feng Feixuan''s heart started beating rapidly the moment she saw Liang Tianye''s smile. That smile had a lot of deviousness in it. It made her loins itch. She wanted to go another round with Liang Tianye. But, she still kept her sanity and focused on her task.

    "What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

    "Like I said, the time for you to choose your stance is nearing. You just need to follow my instructions. Do not think too much," Liang Tianye smiled mysteriously.

    "Haven''t I already chosen?" Feng Feixuan said a little dissatisfiedly.

    "Have you?" Liang Tianye asked meaningfully causing Feng Feixuan''s heart to stop beating for a moment.

    *****

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 Chapter 203 Startling Revelations

    ?

    "Haven''t I already chosen?" Feng Feixuan said a little dissatisfiedly.

    "Have you?" Liang Tianye asked meaningfully causing Feng Feixuan''s heart to stop beating for a moment.

    But, she recovered quickly and shot a coy smile at Liang Tianye. Licking her lips in a provocative manner, Feng Feixuan leaned into Liang Tianye''s ears and whispered hotly.

    "Even if I didn''t, wouldn''t you show me the error of my ways?"

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply immediately. He looked at her with a calm smile and nodded softly. There seemed to be some inner meaning to his smile that made Feng Feixuan worried a little bit.

    "Anyways, I forgot to tell you. Yourtest disciple has barged into that area as well. After I set things up, I spent a few weeks in Starmist City. I ran into your disciple who had paid a visit there to decimate the Wang n. I saw him run into Greenwood Forest after the deed. He still hadn''t emerged from there until I left the area," Feng Feixuan tactfully changed the topic.

    Surprise colored Liang Tianye''s face for the first time since they started conversing. He suddenly fell into deep thought. Feng Feixuan watched his reaction and wondered how he would react.

    Suddenly, Liang Tianye startedughing heartily. This caused Feng Feixuan to be a little intrigued.

    She looked at the happy Liang Tianye and asked, "Aren''t you worried about his safety?"

    "Why should I?" Liang Tianye snorted.

    "What do you mean?"

    "When that idiot came to me and asked to travel, do you know why I agreed?" Liang Tianye asked looking at her. He didn''t wait for her answer, but readily answered his own question, "When he came, I could smell the bloodlust wafting off him a mile away. One look was enough to let me know that he was going to take revenge or something like that."

    "Do you know why I let him go? It is because it is in my best interest. I don''t care where he goes or whether he is alive, all I care about is that he creates a ruckus wherever he goes. Him running directly into that storm is even a surprise for me," Liang Tianye shrugged.

    Feng Feixuan looked at Liang Tianye deeply and nodded. While she liked his ruthlessness, she felt that it was a pity for the brat to have such a master. However, none of this had anything to do with her. So, she didn''t care about it much.

    "Fine, then I will take my leave. I took some other mission from the sect to hide my activities. I need to go and report as well," Feng Feixuan nodded once more and prepared to leave.

    Liang Tianye watched her go. Just as Feng Feixuan was reaching the threshold of his abode, Liang Tianye sent a message directly into her ears causing Feng Feixuan to stop for a second rigidly and turn to look at him.

    Seeing her state, Liang Tianye shot a mischievous smirk and turned around. Feng Feixuan stood at the threshold with waves rising in her heart. She had always thought that she would have some upper hand when dealing with Liang Tianye. But, only now did she realize that all her actions were under the other party''s eyes. He was merely indulging her until now.

    Recalling Liang Tianye''s words just now, Feng Feixuan felt a tremble in her heart. She didn''t think Liang Tianye was lying. However, if this was true, then it would mean that this was thest chance for her to choose a side. If she chose wrongly, then it would end in a disaster for her.

    Only one sentence, and it had created waves in her heart. The meaning and the implications behind that sentence were enormous. She realized for the first time that she couldn''t see the depths of the river she had gotten herself into.

    "It wasn''t the sect master who told meˇ­"

    The meaning behind these words was enormous. What did Liang Tianye mean? Did he mean that he has other aplices? In that case, only those who were Grand Elders in the sect were at the Spirit Severance stage. If that were the case, did they also have a Grand Elder in their midst? This would severely reduce the threat the First Grand Elder could pose.

    Feng Feixuan shuddered as she identified the likely candidate. The Second Grand Elder had been very low-key during this time. If Liang Tianye didn''t tell her this now, she would never think he would be in cahoots with the Sect Master and Liang Tianye.

    The alliance of the Sect Master, Liang Tianye, and the Second Grand Elder was very strong. They can effectively neutralize the First Grand Elder and take control of the sect anytime they want. If that is the case, why haven''t they done so yet? The only possible reason would be that they are waiting for the right time.

    Feng Feixuan''s eyes shrank in surprise. She realized that unless the Third Grand Elder came back from the Central Continent and stood in line with the First Grand Elder, things were already set in stone. Even then, things would be very chaotic. And if there was one thing Liang Tianye was proficient in, then it was to navigate chaotic waters and emerge on the other shore.

    She felt that safety was in danger all of a sudden. If she didn''t show her attitude clearly to Liang Tianye soon, her life will be in danger. Gritting her teeth, Feng Feixuan walked out of Liang Tianye''s abode with aplicated look on her face.

    *****

    Envoy Ming stood before the two beheaded cultivators with a grave look on his face. The fresh blood near the corpses indicated that it hadn''t been long since the deed had been done.

    He wasn''t worried about the death of his fellow disciple or the other one. Things far more important were happening in the distance and there will likely be more corpses buried in this Greenwood Forest. With such a ruckus, the death of two Violet Pce realm cultivators wouldn''t make much of an issue.

    What troubled him now was apletely different issue.

    He hadn''t reported the presence of the murderer from the start to the others. He had wanted to take the credit for the capture. It was not just him that was eager to curry favor with Junior Brother Wang.

    Currently, there were a lot of people who belonged to the Iron Mountain Sect in this Greenwood Forest. No one expected the treasure that appeared here would be something that would allow someone to break through to the Nascent Soul realm. The Core Formation experts were all in hot contention for the treasure.

    Naturally, the fight had also enveloped other cultivators in the region. No one knew when people began finding other cultivation treasures in the forest, but soon word has been spread and everyone knew a few people have already obtained these opportunities.

    This entire forest was a mess.

    Even he had forgotten about his purpose to hunt for the murderer and was contending with others for a treasure that would help him to break through to the Golden Hall realm.

    However, his junior brother''s call hade in and had cleared his mind. Contending with others for the treasure was no easy feat. Everyone was currently red-eyed when ites to snatching the numerous treasures that have suddenly appeared in this region.

    Thus, apprehending this murderer sounded more possible and rtively easy. So, he had ditched his opponent and had rushed over here to apprehend the murderer. He hadn''t even hesitated a little bit. The time taken for him to arrive at this location was the shortest time possible.

    Even then, he had beente.

    He didn''t know how a Spirit Sea realm cultivator could escape from the encirclement of two early-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators. Furthermore, he had left after killing them.

    Envoy Ming''s experienced eyes were able to find out that these two cultivators hadn''t struggled much. It looked to be a one-sided affair. How can this be possible? Did the murderer break through to the Violet Pce realm?

    Envoy Ming pondered a bit. He was really reluctant to go in search of the murderer and leave these opportunities behind. But,pared to fighting for treasures, this looked to be a pretty easy task.

    Even if the murderer had entered the Violet Pce realm, Envoy Ming didn''t think he would be able to contend against him. However, searching for and apprehending this criminal would cause him to lose some precious time when others will be fighting for opportunities. He had already given up on one, should he give up on others as well?

    Envoy Ming was torn.

    Gritting his teeth, he turned away from the two corpses and looked around for any other clue as to the direction the murderer had headed in. In the end, he could see some vague signs of someone hurrying in a particr direction from this ce.

    "Even if I fight with others, there is no guarantee that I will be able toe out victorious," Envoy Ming sighed looking at the forest. "But, if I can apprehend this criminal and bring him before Junior Brother Wang for him to exact justice, I would be appreciated by him a lot."

    "Junior Brother Wang has be the priority target of training for the sect. If possible, they would even dere him as a Holy Son. Only the thought of angering the hegemons had stopped the sect from doing so. Otherwise, there is no difference in status. A person like him will obtain a lot of cultivation resources as he grows up. He will be cared for by the sect and groomed by it meticulously."

    "If I can climb this tree, then my future would be bright. I may lose out on some opportunities in the short term. But, thinking long term, I think it is better to hunt down and capture this murderer. Moreover, this looks far easier than the fight for resources."

    "Not to mention the bizarre raise of high-level cultivation resources in this forest. Right now, everyone is red-eyed and selectively ignoring the odd circumstances in favor of snatching treasures," Envoy Ming muttered looking around warily.

    "But, what will happen after these resources are all gone? Something is not right. It is better to hunt down this murderer from Heavenly Demon Sectˇ­ Wait, why did someone from Heavenly Demon Sect appear in this region? By all logic, he should stay away from this region since a lot of righteous cultivators with more cultivation have appeared."

    "So, why did he appear here?"

    *****

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 Chapter 204 Suspicion

    ?

    "Moreover, this person has been invisible for over a week now. Why did he suddenly appear after all the treasures havee out? Was he somehow connected to this as well?" Envoy Ming''s heart started beating loudly as he voiced out his thoughts.

    He knew that if his conjecture was true, then whatever happening here was rted to Heavenly Demon Sect. Nothing good came out of those lunatics. It was better to be cautious whenever they are involved.

    Likewise, if his conjecture was true and this murderer was somehow connected with these bizarre events, then apprehending him was of utmost priority. Who knew what kind of information woulde out of him?

    The moment such a thought appeared in Envoy Ming''s mind, he decisively started traveling in the direction he had found traces in. Envoy Ming felt a sense of exhration and urgency as he chased after the murderer with all his speed. He knew this was his chance to do a meritorious deed to the sect and earn the favor of an influential Junior Brother.

    Such an opportunity would note by often. Compared to these treasures, he needed to grab hold of this opportunity more. This would probably be a life-altering decision for him. There was no time to waste now.

    Soon, Envoy Ming vanished from the location and ran in the direction of Duncanˇ­

    *****

    Meanwhile, Duncan was unaware that someone was already suspecting him regarding the strange events that happened in Greenwood Forest. If he had known, Duncan wouldn''t know how to react.

    Listening to his instincts, Duncan had already escaped from the Greenwood Forest with haste. He didn''t even dare to stop and linger in the surrounding regions after escaping the forest. Duncan felt that therger the distance between him and the events that are happening here, he would be safer.

    Unfortunately, he had already be a suspect.

    As Duncan dashed out of the inner forest, he came across several cultivators who were in the Qi Gathering State and Spirit Sea realm standing outside without daring to go into the inner regions.

    When they saw Duncan''s cultivation, they were surprised that he had trespassed into the inner regions. Initially, they all wanted to stop him and enquire about the news. However, Duncan wasn''t in the mood to indulge their curiosity.

    He didn''t pay attention to their hailing and kept moving out of the forest. Those cultivators who had seen him were only left to stare at his disappearing form with frowns of displeasure on their faces.

    They wouldn''t have dared to show displeasure in the face of cultivators who had higher cultivation than them. However, these were all cultivators who thought themselves to be proud sons of heaven and future prodigies who had tagged along with the experts to widen their horizons.

    Seeing someone who was in their level disregard them, made them a little sullen. If Duncan was any slower, they would have demanded an exnation out of him. Unfortunately, or fortunately for them, Duncan didn''t stop to exchange pleasantries with them.

    They could only snort and mumble their displeasure seeing Duncan''s disappearing form. Even then, no one dared to block or attack Duncan. They knew whoever it was, that person wasn''t someone they could trifle with.

    "Hmmph, how arrogant! If not for my seniors telling me not to create any trouble, I would have not let such an arrogant person off," one of the cultivators sneered unhappily.

    "Exactly, if not for that reason, I wouldn''t have let him pass either. No one has disrespected me like this so far," another cultivator said a little angrily.

    Like this, several murmurs were left in the wake of Duncan''s departure in the outer region of the Greenwood Forest. Duncan didn''t know about this, nor did he care about these posers. He felt staying in this region was trouble.

    So, even after leaving the forestpletely, Duncan didn''t stop. He picked a random direction and started heading away from this region of trouble.

    Ten minutes after Duncan left the Greenwood Forest, Envoy Ming came out of the inner region hot on his tail. He was determined to catch Duncan and find out why he was present in the Greenwood Forest.

    As he exited the inner regions, he too came across those juniors from various factions that were waiting in the outer regions for news. Seeing them looking at him, he stopped and looked at them as well.

    "Senior, is there any news on what kind of treasure is present inside?" one of the Spirit Sea realm cultivators asked Envoy Ming respectfully.

    Envoy Ming frowned. Even he didn''t know what the actual treasure was. He wasn''t qualified enough to enter the region near the treasure. Even Golden Hall realm cultivators were not allowed near that region. How could he know about the identity of the treasure? This was like poking his sour spot.

    "Hmmph," Envoy Ming snorted. "Do not interfere in matters that have no concern with you. Let me ask you, did you see any cultivator who exited the inner region in a hurry recently?"

    The cultivator who asked the question trembled hearing Envoy Ming''s initial response. However, Envoy Ming''s question was like a saving grace for him. He perked up hearing the question.

    "Reporting to senior, one person did exit the region in a hurry ten minutes ago. He didn''t even stop to address us. As he didn''t even stop to identify himself, we don''t know which sect he belongs to."

    "Good!" Envoy Ming crowed happily. "Quick tell me, which direction did he head in?"

    "Forgive me senior, as much as I would like to tell you which direction he headed in, unless I know the identity of the person, I can''t divulge such secrets," the cultivator replied a little hesitantly.

    The cultivator wasn''t a fool. In the inner regions, several cultivators were fighting for treasures. Suddenly someonees out and asks him to tattle on someone who recently left in a hurry. No need to think much. There must be a treasure involved. If he spilled the beans without knowing that person''s background, then he will be in troubleter.

    "You!"

    Envoy Ming was immediately angered. He wanted to st the fool who was dying his important work. But, he knew that this wasn''t the right ce to unleash his anger. Right now, the most important thing was to get the information. If the identity was the only worry, he would dly reveal it.

    "Forgive me, senior," the cultivator replied humbly, but he wasn''t deterred by Envoy Ming''s anger.

    He wasn''t worried about Envoy Ming attacking him either. Everyone present in the surroundings was someone who was brought along by other stronger seniors to widen their horizons. If Envoy Ming bullied him with his high cultivation, there would naturally be someone waiting for Envoy Ming in the future to bully him with even higher cultivation.

    The rules among the sects were rtively fair. Some unspoken rules can''t be broken willy-nilly. Bullying a junior using higher cultivation would both invite scorn and anger from others. So, the cultivator wasn''t too worried. If he was alone, he would have capitted. But, there are witnesses now. So, he knew Envoy Ming will not take out his anger on him. As long as he maintained a respectful attitude, Envoy Ming can do nothing to him.

    "Don''t worry," Envoy Ming took a calming breath and spoke in a serious tone. "That person is a murderer who my Iron Mountain Sect is searching for. He had earlier barged into the Greenwood Forest aftermitting a heinous sin in order to avoid pursuit. You don''t need to worry about his identity either. He is an evil cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Sect."

    Hearing Envoy Ming''s words, a buzz arose in the surroundings. Everyone was enraged to learn that the arrogant fellow was an evil cultivator. If they had known, they would have never let him off either.

    "Envoy Ming, are you sure? How can this person be the one we are searching for all this time," one of the disciples from the Iron Mountain Sect stepped forward in a hurry and asked seriously.

    "I am sure. I have been tracking him. He ran away from me. Now, quickly tell me in which direction did he leave?" Envoy Ming finally lost his patience and shouted at the Iron Mountain Sect disciple angrily.

    He might have scruples regarding showing displeasure with juniors from other sects. But, if it was a junior from his own sect, he had no reservations. At most, he will im to teach a lesson to the junior if this guy didn''t reply.

    "He went this way," that disciple from the Iron Mountain Sect was quick to reply seeing Envoy Ming''s displeasure.

    Just then, a disharmonious voice spoke up.

    "Hang on, how can someone at Spirit Sea realm escape your pursuit senior? Are you ying us for fools?" the voice asked dissatisfiedly. "Others may be afraid of your Iron Mountain Sect, but we disciples from White Plume Sect are not."

    Envoy Ming stared at the junior from the White Plume Sect a little dissatisfiedly. He huffed in irritation and shot him a stinkeye. However, his eyes widened as he realized the question asked by the disciple from the White Plume Sect. He looked around to see no objected to his question either. That meant, that the murderer was still in the Spirit Sea realm.

    "Are you sure he is at Spirit Sea realm?" Envoy Ming asked in a rush.

    "Yes, senior. I can attest to it as well," this time the disciple from the Iron Mountain Sect proactively reported.

    "Senior, what do you mean? Don''t you even know the cultivation level of the murderer you pursue?" the one from the White Plume Sect added fire at the perfect time.

    "Hmmph," Envoy Ming snorted. "I don''t mind enlightening you. Our Iron Mountain Sect has been searching for him for a week now. I received a voice transmission from a junior brother of mine about his whereabouts. Before I rushed there, both my junior brother and another cultivator were killed. Both of them were at the early Violet Pce realm. I followed his tracks here and hence my urgency to enquire about him. I am leaving, you guys carry on."

    Envoy Ming left the region in the direction Duncan had disappeared in hastily. He didn''t pay much attention to the impact caused by his parting words. He was solely focused on hunting down this murderer.

    Meanwhile, his parting words sent a storm through the entire crowd of cultivators left behindˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 205 A Hunt Begins...

    ?

    "That would mean that the murderer killed two Violet Pce realm cultivators while in the Spirit Sea realm," one of the cultivators spoke atst after a while.

    With those words, the silence that followed the departure of Envoy Ming broke into a million pieces. Fierce denials and arguing ranged all around as everyone put forth their disbelief and other opinions hastily.

    "I don''t believe it. He must have used some tricks. If not, how can he aplish what he did?" the one from the White Plume Sect said a little agitatedly.

    As a proud son of heaven who had been heavily nurtured by the White Plume Sect, he had always been arrogant. Even he wasn''t capable of handling two early-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators together. He refused to believe that someone else could do what he couldn''t.

    White Plume Sect was a first-tier force. To be the key target of grooming in such a force, he had always felt that his talent was no less than those so-called Holy Sons in the hegemonic sects. To him, this waspletely absurd. He would rather believe that some underhanded tricks were used than believe that he wasn''t as strong as a contemporary.

    So, he stated his opinion quite loudly.

    "I agree," another burly cultivator said a little angrily. "I don''t believe Envoy Ming''s words at all. Furthermore, Envoy Ming only arrived after both cultivators were dead and the person left. He may not know everything about how they died. Moreover, Envoy Ming didn''t even know his cultivation level."

    "Exactly," another thin cultivator chimed in.

    "But, I heard that this person was really ferocious," another cultivator suddenly piped up. "If I am not mistaken, that person is the one who annihted the Wang n all on his own. Maybe, he really has the power."

    "Bullshit!" the disciple from the White Plume Sect shouted as if someone had stepped on his tail. "What Wang n? I can also annihte ten ns like those ns without any foundation. How can thatpare to killing elites a major cultivation realm from famous sects?"

    "Exactly," the burly one affirmed.

    "You know what," the disciple from the White Plume Sect suddenly said with a strange glint in his eyes. "I am going to prove you all that he isn''t that strong. I will find him and defeat him to prove that he really used some underhanded methods to aplish his killings."

    "You think, you are the only one capable of doing that," the burly one asked angrily.

    "Exactly," the thin cultivator snorted. "How about this? We are all doing nothing here. We are just wasting time as our seniors battle for treasures. I am bored out of my mind. I am sure you guys are too. So, I have a novel idea,"

    "What?" the burly one asked angrily.

    "How about we all head out and hunt down this guy? We can determine who amongst us is the strongest by this. Whoever hunts down this guy and defeats him will be acknowledged by us all as the strongest. What do you guys think?"

    "Hang on, this is my idea. Why are you all joining in?" the disciple from the White Plume Sect asked angrily.

    "What?" the burly one asked slyly. "Are you afraid that you will lose if we all join in the hunt?"

    "Dream on," the one from White Plume Sect snorted. "Fine, let''s all decide who is the strongest by this means. I just hope you are all prepared to lose."

    "We shall see," others snorted.

    "Wait a minute," the disciple from the Iron Mountain Sect suddenly spoke causing everyone to turn towards him. "Did you all forget that Envoy Ming is already hunting this murderer?"

    "So what? Your Envoy Ming''s cultivation may be a major realm ahead of us. But, it doesn''t mean he will be able to catch up with the murderer before his trace vanishes. That guy was running fast. You Envoy Ming also wasted some time talking to us. There is no guarantee he will be able to hunt down this murderer," the one from White Plume Sect snorted.

    "Exactly," the burly one smiled mockingly. "We all have the same starting point. This is a fair way topare all our resources and talents. This is a hunt. Whoever gets the prey first and defeats it will be the winner."

    "What if Envoy Ming can really find the trail?" the Iron Mountain Sect disciple didn''t relent.

    "Then, it can be only our misfortune. But, I sincerely doubt that is possible," the thin cultivator stated calmly.

    *****

    A few miles out of the Greenwood Forest, that was exactly the case.

    Envoy Ming stood with a gloomy look on his face. The trail suddenly ended at this point. He didn''t know where his target was now.

    Duncan didn''t know that his random switching of direction had helped him avoid a cmity. Right now, he was rushing away from Greenwood Forest with all his might.

    As fate would have it, the random direction he picked out didn''t have anyone present. Duncan subconsciously avoided any intersections with random travelers journeying around the Star Empire. Whenever he came across someone, he would switch directions and head off based on his instinct.

    This was the thing that helped him avoid Envoy Ming''s pursuit. After losing Duncan''s trail outside Greenwood Forest, Envoy Ming resorted to asking travelers whether they had seen someone. Duncan''s random switching of directions without any premeditated n and avoidance of travelerspletely stumped Envoy Ming''s ns entirely.

    When Envoy Ming learned from his junior about the contest they had all chosen to partake in, he almost flipped out. Losing his chance to move up in the cultivation world was one thing, but for others to make a contest of it was something else. It almost made him cough blood.

    Still, he sneered as he realized how na?ve these idiots were. Could someone who could kill two cultivators at the early Violet Pce realm while still being in the peak of the Spirit Sea realm be easy to hunt and capture? He didn''t think so.

    Envoy Ming was aware of the arrogance these heaven-blessed talents have. He had witnessed it firsthand in his sect. In his long life, the times these talents ended up dying because of overestimation were not small in number.

    Of these heaven-blessed talents, only one in a hundred reached the level of Transformational Experts. The rest inevitably died on the road due to their arrogance andcency.

    These heaven-blessed talents always seem tockmon sense. They would always try to outdo each other and try to gain fame by every means possible. For someone of mediocre talent like Envoy Ming, this behavior of courting death didn''t seem very bright.

    He oftenmented the fact that the heavens had blessed these idiots with great talent, while he still struggled to break through the Foundational realms after several decades of cultivation.

    However, he also realized one thing. Of those heaven-blessed talents who indulge in these whims, the ones that survive their stupidity and learn from their experience would usually be a veritable powerhouse in the future. Their future wouldn''t end after being Transformational Experts. They will most likely be Ascendant Beings as well.

    This time, he realized, a ho''s nest had been stirred. These heaven-blessed talents from various sects were now moring to hunt down the murderer he had his eyes on.

    Envoy Ming knew very well that the first couple of these talents wouldn''t survive the encounter with the murderer. While he was willing to sit back and watch these idiots rush to their deaths like moths to me, he wasn''t willing to let go of this opportunity to rise up in status.

    He had the confidence that the murderer would easily dispatch these arrogant fools who were also at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. But, what he was worried about was the aftermath of such a thing. Envoy Ming knew that all these talents were the main group of disciples whom their respective sects had poured countless resources into.

    Their deaths would surely anger the sects behind them. As a result, other experts like him wille out to deal with the murderer. And these men will be hispetition. He should hurry to find and deal with this murderer before thesepetitorse out in numbers.

    As much as he would like to take this opportunity to weaken the future of other sects, he couldn''t afford to y the long game. So, Envoy Ming, reluctantly grit his teeth and sent a call to the Iron Mountain Sect disciple who was in Greenwood Forest.

    After instructing the disciple to keep tabs on those idiots and stressing him to contact him immediately if any trail of the murderer was found, Envoy Ming took a deep breath and looked in the direction of Greenwood Forest.

    The fight in Greenwood Forest was raging. Now that he was outside of the forest, he could clearly see that something was very wrong with the events happening there. Even though he had been aware of the issues while he was inside the Greenwood Forest, he didn''t feel this strongly about the issues.

    Now that he thought about it a bit, rm bells started ringing in his head. It was clear to him that his vignce and decision-making capabilities were being stifled while he was inside the forest. Only after stepping out did he feel the difference keenly.

    Things like this are the most troublesome. Every cultivator often prides themselves on their instincts. If the instincts were being muted, cultivators would most likely be like blind men in a city. Things that interfere with the decision-making capabilities of cultivators aren''t somemon things. They are incredibly rare.

    He would need to report this to the sect. Several higher-ups in the sect were now inside Greenwood Forest. Any mishap would cause severe damage to the sect. With a put-upon sigh, Envoy Ming took out a message talisman and sent his findings directly to the Sect Lord of the Iron Mountain Sect.

    He only hoped that whatever was being cooked in that forest wouldn''t damage the Iron Mountain Sect too much.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 206 Checking Out The Haul

    ?

    Duncan was currently unaware that a group of busybodies had decided upon him to be their prey.

    Currently, he was seated atop arge tree and drinking wine merrily. Even if he knew about the hunt, he wouldn''t care about it. He was currently feeling rxed and wouldn''t waste time thinking about useless stuff.

    Duncan didn''t recognize the region he was in. Then again, being someone who hadn''t even stepped out of his hometown until a year ago, it was only natural he didn''t recognize the region where he had decided to take a rest at.

    Sitting atop therge tree, Duncan checked out the two storage rings he had obtained from the two Violet Pce realm cultivators. After hastily leaving Greenwood Forest, Duncan had hurried for a while, before deciding to take a rest atop a random tree. Until now, he hadn''t had a chance to check out his haul.

    Opening the storage ring, Duncan saw a lot of pills and spirit stones piled in one corner of both rings. There were some weapons, jade slips, herbs, and other misceneous items present in the rings as well.

    He took out the pills first and checked them out. Sniffing a little, he identified them to be the pills that are usually taken by Violet Pce realm cultivators after establishing the foundation.

    Duncan concluded that since they were only at the early stages of the Violet Pce realm, both cultivators were still using these pills to consolidate their foundation further.

    From the general know-how he got from his fellow sect members, pills like this were used by righteous cultivators a lot. The Heavenly Demon Sect didn''t have any such pills.

    Most of the pills that were used by his sect members were the kind that is personally refined aftermitting some massacre and extracting the essence. The Heavenly Demon Sect members actually looked down on people who relied on pills to cultivate.

    There is a reason for that as well.

    During his discussions with his fellow sect members, they were very derisive of these so-called pill cultivators. Taking too many pills not only resulted in umting pill toxins in one''s body, it also made them incredibly weak at the same cultivation level.

    For demonic cultivators who pursue power at all costs, such a thing is a huge disadvantage. Most demonic cultivators felt that increasing cultivation by taking pills would result in an unstable foundation and would leave behind arge amount of hidden dangers.

    As a demonic cultivator, Duncan knew that his progress at the initial stages would be far faster than righteous cultivators. However, the drawback was that his cultivation would begin to be incredibly difficult as he reached higher levels. Knowing this, demonic cultivators would never willingly take on pills that can aid in cultivation.

    Leaving an unstable foundation will end their cultivation path far sooner than righteous cultivators. Hence, demonic cultivators stayed away from taking pills a lot. The only kind of pills they take in apart from their self-created pills are healing pills.

    There were a few bottles of healing pills present as well. Duncan was able to easily identify them. It brought a smile to his face. He knew that he would be using them a lot in the near future. He didn''t recognize a few pills present, but he wasn''t bothered about it much.

    And there were also those herbs that were piled up.

    Duncan couldn''t help but salivate looking at them. Only after exiting the Grotto Heaven did Duncan realize the utility of herbs to demonic cultivators. Herbs were far more important to demonic cultivators than to righteous cultivators.

    Demonic cultivators were like demonic beasts when it came to spirit herbs. Most demonic cultivators will directly consume herbs instead of pills. Taking in the herbs directly will make the effects of the herb more domineering. But, it will also strengthen their bodies.

    While directly consuming herbs may have some adverse effects and wreck their body internally, demonic cultivators were willing to endure thatpared to taking pills that leave hidden dangers in the future. As for the internal injuries and side effects, those were all child''s y to demonic cultivators in general.

    Cultivating a demonic cultivation technique in itself is a huge risk. If one doesn''t have a strong mind, they would lose themselves in the cultivation technique and be uncontroble. So,pared to such problems, side effects thatst for a day or two are nothing to worry about for demonic cultivators. Furthermore, they would obtain gains as well from the experience.

    Compared to pills, Duncan was more satisfied with the herbs he obtained. Those he couldn''t use will alsoe in handy. As for the unidentifiable pills and those that he wasn''t willing to use, Duncan had ns for them as well.

    In the ck market, these pills would fetch a hefty price. Not all cultivators have the means to obtain such pills. Loose cultivators in particr don''t have any means of obtaining such precious pills made from several herbs. So, there is always a demand for such things.

    While leaving the sect this time around, Duncan had not only enriched his knowledge regarding the cultivation world, but he also learned of some usual haunts where he could sell off unwanted gains he had obtained.

    Once he could reorient himself, Duncan could find the closest ck market location and sell off this stuff. As for the spirit stones, even though they were low-level spirit stones, Duncan knew they woulde in handy during his breakthrough into the Violet Pce realm.

    Duncan wanted to find a quiet ce this time and seclude himself for a bit after selling this stuff. The information he learned from the Iron Mountain Sect disciple before killing him let him know that he was being hunted down for annihting the Wang n.

    Duncan had already expected such a thing to happen. It was only logical that someone woulde after him. He had even prepared himself mentally for it. In a way, Duncan was actually looking forward to the pursuit from the Iron Mountain Sect.

    After realizing that the essence of his cultivation technique centered around ughter, Duncan knew that only bymitting ughter would he be able to advance steadily in his cultivation.

    Pursuits like these will give him enough pressure to strengthen himself and progress in his cultivation. Duncan wanted to use this chance to hone himself in battle and understand his bloodline further.

    In his initial n, he would seclude himself and break through to the Violet Pce realm after dealing with the Wang n. So, when the pursuit urs, he would be able to stave off their attempts to bring him in for some time. He could hone himself in fights and escape if needed.

    Duncan knew that most sects rarely sent out Transformational Experts to chase down people in the Foundational realms. Unless it was necessary, Transformational Experts rarely made a move against cultivators in the Foundational realms. This was an unwritten rule in the cultivation world that all the sects had agreed to, even demonic sects.

    So, as long as he was in the middle andte stages of the Violet Pce realm, he would be able to save his life if he was careful. So, Duncan had been nning to break through to the Violet Pce realm as soon as possible and then use the pursuit to practice his cultivation further.

    Unfortunately, things didn''t work out per his n.

    His sudden epiphany ended up helping him clear his mind and settle down a lot. It made him understand himself more thoroughly. It made him realize what kind of a person he was. But, the one thing it didn''t help was to improve his realm.

    So, he urgently needed to seclude himself and break through to the Violet Pce realm now. If not, the pursuit he would suffer will make things very hard for him to survive.

    Even though he had made ample preparations to break through to the Violet Pce realm, Duncan had a nagging feeling that his breakthrough was going to be different. He only realized this aftering out of his fugue state that he had been in inside the cave.

    Duncan didn''t just want to establish a top-tier foundation. He wanted to go a step further and establish a legendary foundation. For that, the spirit qi needed would be immense. Once he started to build the foundational pirs, he wouldn''t be able to stop. So, some precautions need to be taken.

    Right now, he hadpleted all his preparations. These spirit stones were a timely help as well. But, something told him that his breakthrough wouldn''t be very smooth. He had a feeling that the resources he had piled up weren''t enough to establish a legendary foundation.

    So, Duncan wanted to umte some more resources and go into seclusion as soon as possible. These things he obtained will be very helpful in gathering resources. Duncan knew that both his mindset and the cultivation realm had reached a peak. The only thing needed was enough spirit qi to transform his spirit sea into a legendary foundation.

    But, he didn''t know how much spirit qi would be needed. He wasn''t in the sect anymore. The spirit qi wasn''t as rich here in the world as it was in the sect or the Grotto Heaven. So, he will have to use the spirit stones topensate for it.

    Either that, or he will need to find a ce with rich spirit qi.

    Duncanmented his circumstances and pursued the contents of the two storage rings further. Apart from the pills and spirit stones, there were a couple of martial arts present in the storage ring as well. The content of those jade slips looked somewhat interesting.

    There were a couple of fist techniques and a somewhat average sword technique present. The feeling they gave him wasn''t profound. Duncan figured that these weren''t top-tier techniques. They wouldn''t be of much help to him. He might learn a fist technique from the pile, but the others wouldn''t be much of a use.

    However, Duncan didn''t want to sell these off either. The ck market would give a satisfactory price, but Duncan didn''t want to get rid of them. After talking to Shen Wulong, Duncan realized his knowledge of martial arts was still limited. Maybe, learning these techniques and filtering out their essences would help him progress further in his own techniques.

    After creating the Absolute Severance sword attack, Duncan quite liked the feeling of creating his own sword technique. He wanted to create his own sword art and use it. Even though he knew that it would be a long timeing, he wasn''t deterred.

    Creating a sword attack was one thing. But, if he wanted to create an entire martial art by himself, then his knowledge of martial arts shouldn''t becking either. He would use these martial arts to enrich himself further first, before tackling that problem.

    The misceneous items didn''t have any value in Duncan''s eyes either. He decided to see if they could be sold in the ck market as well. Maybe some of this stuff is valuable to others. Right now, the most important thing is to umte enough spirit stones and breakthrough.

    Satisfied with his haul, Duncan stood up and started moving in a random direction againˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 207 The City Of Masks

    ?

    Duncan entered the Dark Star County City with a mask covering his face.

    The Dark Star County City was the closest county city near the Grasnds. Due to its proximity to the Grasnds and the frequent visits by demonic cultivators to the city, the city had a reputation for violence.

    Moreover, the Dark Star city''s location made it a hotspot for all kinds of cultivators to gather together and mingle. The city was frequented by all kinds of cultivators. Its proximity to the main entrance of the Grasnds also made it a market hub for goods thate out of the Grasnds.

    From demonic beast pets to rare herbs, everything could be obtained here in the Dark Star City. Such a city would obviously have a ck market in it as well. In fact, the ck market of the Dark Star City is considered to be one of the biggest ck markets in the entire Dragon Scale Continent.

    With such a reputation, it is inevitable that several unsavory characters usually frequent the city. A long time ago, there used to be several shes between cultivators of both the righteous faction and the demonic faction in the city. Due to frequent shes, the order of the County City was really in disarray and even became very dangerous to live in.

    A century ago, one enterprising County Governor who took office in the city, prohibited all fighting in the city. He supported neither the righteous faction nor the demonic faction. He simply wanted the cultivators to not fight within the city.

    If it was anyone else, then the cultivators would have not bothered to listen to the County Governor. However, this particr County Governor had the surname of Xing. The Xing n was the imperial family n. Offending them would be tantamount to suicide for cultivators in the Star Empire.

    Moreover, this particr County Governor didn''t just bank on his n''s status. Righteous cultivators might be wary of offending the Imperial family, however, it wasn''t the case with the demonic cultivators. Even some loose cultivators will be willing to offend the Imperial family if the benefits are enough.

    The County Governor knew that it would be impossible topletely eradicate such things with the backing of his n alone. Fortunately, he was also strong. He imposed the ironw in the city with no fear of offending any factions. The emperor at that time was the County Governor''s brother.

    With the full backing from the Imperial family and his own strength, the County Governor sessfully wrangled the situation into control after years of bloody conflict. Things began to calm down and some order was established in the Dark Star County City.

    However, the problems didn''t just stop there.

    Due to the location and other factors that are unique to the city, a lot of murderers and criminals began to use this ce as a haven. Due to his own principles, the County Governor was unable to root them out entirely after these criminals started creating a ruckus in the city.

    This led to a lot of dissatisfaction from the righteous factions. In a bid to soothe the wounded pride of the righteous factions, the County Governor decreed that anyone who enters the city from outside should wear a mask. Those who were not native to the city and were found without a mask would be kicked out of the city unceremoniously regardless of their affiliation.

    Initially, the cultivators were skeptical about how much thew would be imposed. But, the County Governor once again showed his determination and proved to everyone that his words were thew. On one particr asion, the County Governor even kicked out a Holy Son of one of the hegemonic factions to prove his point.

    Ever since then, non-natives of the city have been required to wear masks to enter the Dark Star City. With the identity of the murderers and criminals masked, the righteous factions were left without much cause toin about. Since there was no identification, they couldn''t put pressure on the County Governor.

    Across the Dragon Scale Continent, the Dark Star city was also called the City of Masks. The County Governor who brought peace to the city was revered by the residents as the Blood Mask Governor. Still now, no one has dared to vite these rules while entering the Dark Star City.

    Even though the Blood Mask Governor had retired from the official position, it is rumored that he is still living in the Dark Star City. A century ago, the Blood Mask Governor was at the Nascent Soul realm. Now, no one knows his current cultivation. He was rumored to be one of the few Ascendent Beings present on the Dragon Scale Continent. Hence, no faction wants to test things out by viting the rules.

    It was said that the Blood Mask Governor had a violent temper. He was afforded the title of Blood Mask Governor because of his bloody methods and implementation of masks. Even now, there are horror stories regarding the bloody methods employed by the Blood Mask Governor while bringing peace to the city.

    After Duncan learned that he was in the vicinity of the Dark Star City, he let go of his concerns and immediately made his way over there. After traveling for two days non-stop, Duncan entered the Dark Star County City with a simple in mask, he had fashioned from a tree bark, on his face.

    The guards at the city didn''t make an issue regarding Duncan''s mask. It was a pretty normal thing. First-time visitors to the city often more simple masks. However, they would eventually buy masks that were more borate and meticulously designed.

    The rule of non-natives wearing masks in the city has evolved into a cultural thing of the city in thest few decades. Masks that were exquisitely designed and refined by several craftsmen have be a trend in the city. The business of the masks was one of the most lucrative businesses present in the city.

    A properly refined mask that has several additional features like defense, identity obscuration, and other aspects would fetch a high price in the market of the Dark Star City. These days, having a proper mask is considered to be a status symbol in the city. Even natives who live in the city have joined in the fun.

    Thus, the guards didn''t pay any attention to Duncan''s simple mask.

    Walking into the city, Duncan saw a lot of cultivators roaming around with all kinds of masks on their faces. Even female cultivators had exotic masks on their faces. Animal prints, ancient writings, menacing designs, beautifully modeled masks, colorful masks that brought out vibrancy, and several other kinds weremonce on the streets.

    Duncan watched the various kinds of masks for a while before making his way to a nearby bar. The Dark Star city had been on his ces-to-visit list for some time now. The unique culture of the city really interested Duncan a little bit.

    It was said that some masks that were refined by artifact crafters even had the ability to obscure one''s cultivation level from prying eyes. Duncan wanted to see if he could grab hold of one such mask. It would definitelye in handy.

    After entering the bar, Duncan chose a corner seat and sat down leisurely. He ordered the most valuable drink that was being served and rested casually while listening to the talks all around.

    It was a habit he had picked up in his youth. When drinks went in, people''s tongues started wagging ceaselessly. If one listened to these talks carefully, they would glean a lot of information from casualments.

    In his hometown, Duncan had used this trick to pry out information several times. Moreover, in that mortal town, the people were rxed and had no filter for their mouth when they started drinking. Even his interest in Bessa began because of one drunken man praising her skills to the sky.

    As Duncan sipped his wine and listened to the conversations, he began to gather some much-needed information about both the city and the recent events in the cultivation world in general. Bars like this were ces that were frequented by loose cultivators a lot. They exchanged their views on current events with each other.

    Soon, Duncan''s tactic paid off and he was able to glean several key information that he needed urgently. For one, there was going to be an auction held in the Blue Wind Society Hall in the next week. This auction was touted to contain several rare treasures. People from all over the Star Empire were flocking to the city to participate in the auction.

    What surprised Duncan the most was that the Blue Wind Society Hall was auctioning a rare treasure by the name of Millenium Spirit Milk as one of its main attractions. And it wasn''t just a few drops either. This time the Blue Wind Society Hall was auctioning aplete bottle of spirit milk that contained around a hundred drops.

    Duncan had learned about Millenium Spirit Milk in the annals of the sect. It was one of the rare heaven-grade treasures that could only be chanced upon and not searched after.

    Millenium Spirit Milk is basically the essence of condensed spirit qi that is in the form of a crystal white liquid. One drop of it is enough to raise the cultivation level of low-level cultivators severalfold. For Transformational Experts, they have even more of a miraculous effect.

    While the cultivation realm of a Transformational Expert wouldn''t increase drastically after consuming the spirit milk, it would help them condense their cultivation further and aid in their transformation to be Ascendant Beings. Even Ascendent Beings find spirit milk useful if they are older than several centuries.

    A Millenium Spirit Milk is exactly the kind of thing all sorts of forces would lust after. Hearing that such a treasure was going to be auctioned made Duncan''s heart pound. While he knew that it wasn''t his turn to enjoy such rare treasures yet, he couldn''t help but salivate about the possibility of it and dream about it.

    One of the reasons Spirit Milk was sought after was the rarity of their existence. Until now, no one is clear about the conditions required for the spirit qi in ce to condense into spirit milk. The older the spirit milk, the more powerful it is. Millenium Spirit Milk is as old as it could get.

    Auctioning one drop of it was bound to attract attention. However, the Blue Wind Society Hall''s willingness to take out an entire bottle containing a hundred drops was really monumental.

    Duncan knew that this would create shockwaves soon. No wonder all the loose cultivators were discussing it in broad daylight. He wouldn''t be surprised if all the major forces made an appearance at the auction.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 208 Sudden Infamy!

    ?

    Sighing at the extravagance of the Blue Wind Society Hall, Duncan shook his head to clear the depressive feelings and longing that emanated from deep in his heart and focused on the other bit of information that he had gleaned due to his eavesdropping.

    It was this that piqued more interest to his current self.

    ording to the discussions, several young talents from the righteous sects had gathered together and had initiated a hunt to chase him down. Apparently, The Dark Star City was one of the ces where they have based themselves out of.

    Duncan didn''t know when he offended so many people. The news really took him by surprise. His name was in the mouths of various parties. His poprity was currently just a step below the bottle of Millenium Spirit Milk that was going to be auctioned next week.

    Having so many young talents searching for him had be a hot topic to discuss amongst onlookers in the past two days. This group of prodigals had announced extravagant rewards to anyone who gave valid information about his whereabouts.

    Hearing about the rewards, even Duncan was a little tempted to turn himself in.

    Furthermore, these young talents from various forces didn''t even have the decency to list out his crimes. They just stated that they were hunting him and asked for information outright. Such a behavior made not only Duncan but also the onlookers speechless.

    Right now, most of the discussion amongst the loose cultivators was about what he did to incur such universal wrath. Hearing about the various spections, even Duncan was a little dumbfounded.

    Their reasonings ranged from spoiling multiple fairy maidens to stealing heavily guarded treasures. Some of them went further ahead and said that he had done something so unspeakable that the young talents were unwilling to disclose despite their anger towards him.

    Duncan didn''t know whether tough or cry about this pot of bad water that had been sshed on him. He didn''t know what caused all this. He waspletely clueless as to why these cultivators from the righteous factions were searching for him.

    After his actions in Starmist City, he had at most expected to be hunted down by the Iron Mountain Sect. But, this big of a hunt was really not something he had even dreamt of happening. And it had only been two days since he came out of seclusion.

    As a result of the extravagant rewards and the mystery of why he was being hunted down by the young talents of the various forces, Duncan had be very infamous in the entire Star Empire.

    As one of the organizing points for this hunt, Duncan''s infamy in the Dark Star City can be said to be at an all-time high. Almost everyone was specting about his supposed deeds and the lucrative rewards.

    From the time he entered the bar till now, several search parties have been formed amongst the loose cultivators to hunt down information about him. The only reason a nket search hadn''t been conducted so far to unmask his identity was that the security in the Dark Star City was at an all-time high due to the auction that was going to be held next week.

    However, Duncan wasn''t worried about the hunt at all. From what he had gathered, these so-called young talents were all at the Spirit Sea realm. With his current prowess, Duncan didn''t feel the need to be cautious unless the person hunting him down was in the middle stages of the Violet Pce realm.

    Even though Duncan wasn''t worried about being hunted down by these so-called young talents, he didn''t think it would be prudent to stay for long in the Dark Star City. Things escting within the blink of an eye are prettymon in the cultivation world.

    With so many people looking for him, it would only be a matter of time before his identity would be exposed. Once exposed, these so-called young talents would constantly hound him without giving him enough rest. Who knows when someone who is of higher cultivation will also take part in the hunt? Till now, he doesn''t know why he was being hunted. So, being cautious was the best option for now.

    Duncan wanted to be done with his errands and leave the Dark Star City as soon as possible. While he wasn''t worried about the exposure and subsequent hunt, Duncan felt that it was a needless risk. The only thing that mattered to him currently was to umte enough resources and break into the Violet Pce realm as soon as possible.

    Everything else can be postponed for a while.

    So, Duncan decided to not waste any time and head to the ck market directly to get rid of his ill-gotten gains. Rising up from his chair, Duncan calmly paid the tab and walked out of the bar with his mask on without any strange behavior.

    Turning right from the bar, he soon came towards the entrance of the ck market present in the city. In most cities, ck markets were mostly located in impoverished regions.

    ck markets are things that belonged to the dark. While everyone was aware of their existence, people usually didn''t talk openly or care about it due to the low-key behavior exhibited by the people managing the ck market.

    However, in Dark Star City, the entrance to the ck market was arge store that was both grand in appearance and extravagant in its design. In Dark Star City, the ck market always had an important position. They were like the Shadow Pavilion and Blue Wind Society Hall.

    The unique culture of the Dark Star City enabled the ck market in the city to operate openly. With most people wearing masks to hide their identity, the people behind the ck market didn''t feel the need to hide like they usually did and operate in the dark.

    Here, the ck market operated openly and above board. Even the shops present in the ck market looked no different from the regr shops that were present in the city elsewhere.

    Duncan walked into the ck market and made his way towards a shop that specialized in dealing with the kinds of ck goods he had after some enquiry. Stepping into the shop, Duncan handed over the items he wished to sell in a storage ring to the shop attendant.

    Looking at the attendant while he evaluated the value of good, Duncan was a little startled to see his cultivation was in the Spirit Sea realm. Even the attendant manning the shop was at the Spirit Sea realm. This refreshed Duncan''s view about the background of the ck market.

    The ck market wasn''t an official organization. But, it had its own structure and power hierarchy. There wasn''t any single force behind the ck market. However, that only made it scarier. Therge number of intertwined interests made sure that no one messed with the ck market openly.

    There was an infamous sect from the righteous path known as the Jade Star Sect. A higher-up of the Jade Star Sect once came into conflict with the ck market due to some bad business. He didn''t put the ck market in his eyes and dered that he would eradicate all traces of the ck market if he wasn''tpensated for his loss.

    At that time, the Jade Star Sect was a well-known first-tier force. There were several Nascent Soul level cultivators sitting in the sect. When the representatives from the ck market tried to negotiate with the Jade Star Sect, they arrogantly refused to back down and announced theirplete support to the cultivator hailing from the Jade Star Sect.

    Within two days, the entire Jade Star Sect was decimated. Its orthodoxy was cut off and every disciple belonging to the sect was killed. Even servant disciples weren''t left behind. Everything was annihted within two days.

    The scariest part was that no one knew who was behind such culling. No faction came forward to take credit. Everyone from the ck market acted as if nothing happened and carried on with their activities.

    This caused a huge uproar. While several righteous factions were dissatisfied, they didn''t dare to shout out. The water behind the ck market was very murky. No one knew all the powers associated with it. From then on, no one dared to cause trouble in the ck markets across the Dragon Scale Continent.

    Even though no official force took credit, that incident was enough for people to understand the inconspicuous ck market that they used to look down upon had its own backer.

    From then on, the power behind the ck markets spread across the Dragon Scale Continent was called the ck Market Syndicate. However, the ck Market Syndicate was unique in a way that no one knew who the actual in-charge was. Everyone could only agree that the water here was too murky to figure out the dynamics between the various powers who have a foothold here.

    Ever since then, the ck market has been one of the ces where no one dared to cause trouble. Even members of Blue Wind Society Hall and Shadow Pavillion will follow the rules when they visit the ck market. The three hegemonic sects and even Duncan''s Heavenly Demon Sect weren''t an exception to it either.

    However, despite this, the ck markets across the continent only acted in a low-key manner. Only in the Dark Star City can the real power behind the ck market be glimpsed slightly.

    After the attendant finished evaluating the worth of the goods Duncan had given to him, the attendant returned with an appropriate amount of spirit stones. Duncan collected the spirit stones and turned around to leave, only toe up short the moment he exited the shop.

    Right before him, a familiar figure was being led with a leash towards the interior of the ck marketˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 209 Renting A Courtyard

    ?

    Right before Duncan''s eyes, a familiar figure was being led on a leash toward the interior of the ck market.

    very wasn''t a very prominent thing in the Dragon Scale Continent. However, Duncan had heard that it was very prevalent in the Central Continent. Seeing such a scene happening to someone he knew was a little jarring to Duncan.

    Duncan knew that there were different kinds of very practiced by cultivators in the cultivation world. Some cultivation ns often raised cultivators who wouldter be ve warriors who performed very dangerous tasks for the n. Some demonic sects bought mortals as ves for various cultivation purposes. Some young masters of powerful factions raised beautiful women as their ves and cauldrons.

    While this wasn''t anything surprising, such unsavory business was always kept on the low end of public visibility. However, this being the Dark Star City, such things were not taken into consideration.

    Moreover, with the auction for the Millenium Spirit Milking up, Duncan realized that some enterprising individuals had taken up this chance to sell ves of various varieties to the visiting bigshots. Still, seeing a person he had interacted with just a year prior end up in such a situation made Duncan a little conflicted.

    Watching the familiar figure being led into the interior regions of the ck market where the ves were sold, Duncan was a little hesitant about what to do. He didn''t know why he felt a sudden urge to follow them and take a look.

    He knew that with his puny strength trying to create a ruckus in the ck market is akin to seeking death. Even if he wanted to help, Duncan didn''t think he would be able to do it. The only way he could help was to buy the ve at an auction andter set them free.

    Duncan didn''t even know if he wanted to do that. However, that familiar figure struck a chord inside him. Once he had seen the familiar figure bubbling with energy and liveliness. Seeing the same person downtrodden and very despondent, Duncan felt a little unhappy.

    Duncan debated for a few moments before turning around and heading towards the interior regions of the ck market where the ve auctions were held.

    Following the familiar figure, Duncan soon saw them enter an auction house. Looking at the signboard near the entrance, Duncan realized that an auction would be held two dayster for interested parties.

    Duncan stared at the auction house for a long moment and turned away.

    *****

    "Wee esteemed customer, how can we be of help to you?"

    An attendant enquired in an ingratiating tone looking at the cultivator who was wearing a in mask. The cultivator in in mask nodded slightly and spoke in a brisk manner.

    "Get me a courtyard," Duncan spoke his intentions directly.

    "Sure. We have different kinds of courtyards that can be rented out. What kind of courtyard is the customer interested in?" the attendant asked with a smile.

    "Nothing extravagant, something in where I can retreat to," Duncan spoke before pausing slightly. "It is better if it is able to house two people."

    "If the customer wants to seclude himself, I suggest renting one of our earth-grade courtyards. While they aren''t that different from yellow-grade ones, they have an additional Qi Gathering formation along with the usual defensive formation. The amenities present there are also good enough if you prefer to live inly," the attendant replied with a smile.

    Even though earth-grade courtyards aren''t big business, the attendant didn''t lose his smile. Many cultivators shunned extravagance once they stepped into the path of cultivation. So a hidden expert residing in in but useful courtyards is verymon in the Dark Star City.

    Especially now that the city was filled with visitors who were there for the auction that was going to take ce next week. With the influx of visitors, most of the heaven-grade and immortal-grade courtyards were already booked in advance. Most cultivators preferred to save up their money to participate in the auction. So, the attendant didn''t dare to slight Duncan because of his request.

    Hearing the attendant''s words, Duncan paused considering. He was of two minds. Ideally, he should have left the Dark Star City before his identity was exposed. However, after running into the familiar figure, he wanted to see if he could help that person out. So, Duncan decided to stay for two days and check out the situation first.

    It was not that he wanted to meddle. But, he was really curious about the circumstances that led his acquaintance to end up here. After his recent epiphany, he had some basic understanding of karma. So, he was a little curious about this particr bit of karma he had with his acquaintance.

    But, that didn''t mean that Duncan had be a busybody and muddleheaded all of a sudden. Duncan was sober enough to realize that he couldn''t do anything to prevent his acquaintance from being auctioned as a ve.

    What he wanted to do was to see if he could buy his acquaintance without much trouble. If there was some big trouble, Duncan would decisively walk away. He wasn''t that familiar with this acquaintance of his. He would try to help. But, if it was beyond his abilities, he would walk away without much guilt.

    Now, after hearing the presence of the Qi Gathering formation, Duncan was slightly moved to breakthrough within the Dark Star City itself. He wasn''t yet sure about the amount of spirit qi needed to break through and establish a legendary foundation. Having additional insurance will always be worth it.

    Moreover, the security in the city was really tight currently. Absolutely, no mishaps were allowed. Duncan didn''t need to be worried about someone disturbing his breakthrough if he established the foundation in the city. Such a thing coulde in handy as well.

    Now that he was being hunted, the best option was to retreat into a safe ce and increase his strength first. Duncan figured that he might as well go to retreat in the Dark Sea City now that safety was guaranteed due to the uing auction.

    "Fine. Give me an earth-grade courtyard. I am going into retreat. I do not want to be disturbed if there is no important matter," Duncan instructed.

    "How long is the customer nning to rent the courtyard?" the attendant asked consideringly.

    "Let me first rent it for a week. If I rent for more time, I will payter," Duncan stated after thinking about it for a bit.

    "As the customer wishes," the attendant bowed and took out a small map. "These two earth-grade courtyards can amodate up to three people. The formations in these two ces are two of the best present in our hotel."

    Duncan looked at the two locations pointed out by the attendant and nodded inwardly. After thinking for a bit, he chose the courtyard that was a little remote among the two.

    "Book this one for a week," Duncan said gruffly and tossed the required spirit stones to the attendant.

    "Thank you, customer," the attendant smiled. "If you will follow me, I will lead the way."

    Duncan nodded and followed the attendant towards his temporary residence.

    *****

    After sending away the attendant, Duncan sat in a meditative position and started recalling his interactions with the familiar figure he had seen recently.

    It was clear to Duncan that bad luck had befallen his acquaintance in the past year. What was once used to be a vibrant and energetic face was now dull and devoid of any joy. From the looks of it, it was clear that his acquaintance had lost the will to livepletely.

    Duncan knew that ordinary hardships were not enough to drive away the energy of his acquaintance. What his acquaintance must have experienced should have been a very harrowing incident. If not for that, how can the will to live be extinguished so easily?

    From a vibrant figure to such a despondent husk of the former self, the transformation his acquaintance had was really drastic. Even then, Duncan didn''t believe that everything was fine with the situation. He was confident that his acquaintance must have offended someone very badly to end up as a ve that was going to be auctioned.

    This was yet another indicator to Duncan about the way this world functioned. Those who were strong dictated the lives of those weaker than them. Even mortals weren''t immune to such things in this world. Let alone cultivators who are in the thick of things.

    If Duncan had sufficient strength, he could waltz into the auction house ande to an arrangement with them easily. But, he wasn''t strong enough. And the auction house wouldn''t even entertain him if he came to the door now.

    This reiterated to Duncan the importance of strength. His desire to break through only grew stronger. Taking a deep breath, Duncan took out the umted spirit stones from his storage ring.

    Since there were two days left for the auction to ur, Duncan decided to break through before going and checking out the situation. Even if he found a way to help his acquaintance, if his strength wasn''t enough, it would only invite further trouble.

    "Hang in there, Leia. I will see you in two days," Duncan mumbled and closed his eyes decisively.

    It was time he established the foundational pirs.

    *****

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 Chapter 210 Complications In Breakthrough

    ?

    Two daysterˇ­

    Duncan let out a huff of bad breath and opened his eyes. His face was a little distorted as if he had tasted something bad. There was tiredness in his eyes and his entire body screamed exhaustion.

    His attempt to establish the foundational pirs had been a monumental failure.

    Duncan was irritated with the state of things a little bit. He didn''t properly think this through. As a result, he had wasted away two days in the Dark Star City. If he had known that things would turn out this way, he would have made appropriate ns for it.

    It was not that there was anything wrong with Duncan''s assumption that he could breakthrough with just a little effort. ording to Duncan''s estimation, all he needed was sufficient amount of spirit qi to establish his foundational pirs and enter the Violet Pce realm.

    And it wasn''t wrong either.

    Both his mind and body had far exceeded the requirements for breaking into the Violet Pce realm. Duncan''s martial arts cultivation had also reached the necessary realm as well.

    Duncan was already able to integrate concepts he hadprehended into his attacks. Not many cultivators have been enlightened in an entire concept before breaking through the Violet Pce realm. Duncan was already enlightened with two concepts and even had a basic idea about another. He was able to use the concepts he hadprehended as easily as he could breathe.

    His cultivation had already reached the peak of the Spirit Sea realm and had settled down firmly. He had also Severed Karma With ughter and fulfilled the requirements for establishing a legendary foundation.

    By all ounts, Duncan was already overqualified to break through to the Violet Pce realm. Duncan''s strength was currently far ahead of his peers at the same cultivation realm. Unless someone fromte stage Violet Pce realm took action, it would be hard to contain him. To possess such power even before entering the Violet Pce realm showed how firm Duncan''s foundation was.

    So, the only thing required for Duncan to establish his foundation was the necessary spirit qi. Thus, it was only natural that Duncan had miscalcted this bit of key point.

    Furthermore, Duncan had already realized where he had miscalcted. It wasn''t as if he had damaged his foundation or anything. In fact, the spirit qi he drew in flowed freely throughout his body without any issues.

    It''s just that the spirit qi didn''t induce the breakthrough at all.

    No matter how hard Duncan tried for thest two days, he was never able to induce the breakthrough to the next realm. Duncan had realized what the necessary key ingredient was after a few tries. But, he had been adamant to see if he could work around it.

    Unfortunately, it didn''t look to be the case.

    The problem arose from the one thing Duncan had taken for granted. His main cultivation technique. That''s where the problem was. After practicing the new <ughter Demon Sutra>, Duncan realized how much more powerful it waspared to the old one. His awakened bloodline was also very in tune with his new cultivation technique. So, Duncan hadn''t thought about the issue from this angle.

    But, as fate would have it, the problem arose from exactly this angle. And the solution to the problem was also a simple one. One that was within his reach. But, Duncan hadn''t been willing to settle for it and had tried to circumvent for the past two days, only to end up in failure.

    What Duncan needed currently was indeed arge amount of spirit qi. However, not just any spirit qi would do. What Duncan needed was ughter qi. And arge amount of it as well.

    This means, Duncan had tomit arge-scale ughter and collect that ughter qi to enter the Violet Pce realm.

    This caused a new round of headaches for Duncan. While he wasn''t averse to ideas or not without any opportunity, Duncan also realized that suchrge-scale ughter would inevitably have repercussions as well.

    Moreover, Duncan was also worried about his realm.

    Right now, he was very close to breaking through to the Violet Pce realm. What he was afraid of was the possibility of breaking through while he was in the midst ofmitting ughter. That was something Duncan wasn''t keen to experience at all.

    Establishing the foundational pirs was no small matter. A slight bit of carelessness can ruin his future. Duncan would ideally prefer to establish his foundational pirs in a peaceful ce. If he started breaking through while in the midst of a fight, then things would be unpredictable as hell.

    That was the reason Duncan was intent on using normal spirit qi to induce breakthroughs for thest two days. Unfortunately, his n didn''t seed and he was currently in a bind.

    Letting out a sigh, Duncan rose from his position and walked out of the courtyard. Looking at the setting sun in the distance, Duncan realized that it was time for him to head towards the auction house. As for the ughter, he already had some ns regarding it. So, he wasn''t worried about it.

    The next moment, Duncan''s figure vanished from the spot.

    *****

    Duncan entered the auction house with a wolf mask he had purchased on the way here.

    Even though no onemented on someone wearing a simple wooden mask, Duncan could feel curious eyes and spiritual senses probing him as he walked down the street. These rude gestures only stopped after he purchased a new mask that was crafted within the city.

    The crude mask he was wearing earlier drew a lot of eyes on him. Duncan wanted to keep a low profile in the city until he wanted to act. Hence, he decided to do what everyone did in the city.

    With the wolf mask, Duncan became yet another ordinary cultivator who had nothing interesting in regard to him. The wolf mask helped him blend into the crowd pretty easily.

    Arriving at the auction house, Duncan paid the entry fee and entered the auction room. Duncan was handed a jade slip that acted as the brochure for the auction house. It listed all the ves who were auctioned tonight.

    Taking a seat at the back, Duncan sent his spiritual sense into the jade slip and read the information provided by the auction house. Sure enough, the auction house was very professional in its approach.

    The various ves who were going to be auctioned off were listed clearly. Their background information and their base prices were also listed. Furthermore, some of them had some unique features regarding them as well.

    Duncan pursued the information leisurely. He eventually found Leia''s name as well. Looking at the information provided, Duncan couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

    Leia''s profile wasn''t anything different from other ves in the market. It listed her background as a mercenary who got into debt to take care of her father. After being unable to pay off, she was sold by the debtor to the auction house.

    The auction house pegged her to be suitable for low-level servant stuff for cultivation ns. Her knowledge of woodcraft also made her a good candidate for alchemists to buy her. Apart from that, Leia''s profile didn''t have any notable information.

    But, what made Duncan''s eyebrows raise was the exorbitant price that was listed as her base price. No matter how he looked, her profile didn''t look any special to warrant such a high price. Her base price was almost twice that of simr females sold into very.

    Duncan felt that something was fishy about this whole thing. Moreover, Duncan couldn''t help but be surprised to see the amount that was marked as her debt. Usually, these kinds of debt ves will have a certain extra amount as the transaction amount that was going to be the cut of the auction house for the transaction.

    The amount of debt in Leia''s profile was really high. Duncan deduced that was the reason her base price was higher as well. What stumped Duncan though was thest time he met Leia, she didn''t look like someone who was burdened by debt.

    Moreover, Leia''s old man had died a few months prior to Duncan joining their group. By all rights, such arge amount of debt shouldn''t be in Leia''s ount at all. However, that was the exact situation here.

    Impoverished mortals bing debt-ridden due to circumstances was a prettymon urrence. Things like these were normal in the Dragon Scale Continent. Unless someone knew Leia prior to her misfortune like he did, no one would question such things.

    Duncan also didn''t think Leia would be unable to pay off such debt. The team he had been part of had been earning pretty decently. And Leia''s cut wasn''t small either. As the resident medic of the team, her cut was quite hefty. Even if the debt was true, it wasn''t as if Leia couldn''t pay off them.

    Duncan frowned as he realized this.

    The next moment, his expression smoothened and he hid his thoughts. Even though no one could see his face due to the mask, Duncan instinctively hid his displeasure out of habit.

    Duncan realized that there was no use in thinking about such things now. Now, the only thing that mattered was to see if he could buy out Leia''s ve contract during the auction.

    Luckily, the possibility of such a thing was really high.

    Duncan realized that the auction tonight wasn''t a high-end one. There wasn''t even a single cultivator in the midst of the ves that were being auctioned. Most likely the auction house was keeping back the premium goods to sell them next week when all the forces were in the city.

    The amount presented here as the base price for Leia might be high for mortals. But, for cultivators, this amount was not that high. Furthermore, he also had acquired a windfall recently. The amount of spirit stones in the storage ring of the two Violet Palce realm cultivators he killed was reallyrge.

    Combined with his saved spirit stones and the amount he obtained after selling the misceneous stuff he had collected so far, Duncan had umted arge amount to help in his breakthrough.

    But, now that these spirit stones were basically useless in helping him break through, Duncan was not under financial pressure. Worstes to worst, he would empty his storage ring and see if he could purchase Leia.

    Just then, the doors of the auction room opened and a middle-aged man entered the room with a bright smile on his face. Unlike others, he wasn''t wearing any masks. He went up the podium in the center and bowed to everyone.

    "Good evening to all the esteemed customers who had graced us with your presence. Without further ado, let''s head to what you are all here for. I am Ming Shen. I will be your auctioneer for the night," the middle-aged man introduced himself calmly.

    With that, the auction began.

    *****

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 Chapter 211 Same Target

    ?

    Duncan watched as one ve after another was auctioned sessfully.

    By the time the count reached above ten, Duncan began to get a little uneasy. He had thought things to be simple. But, the situation at the auction house proved it was anything but so.

    The normal conversion rate for currency in the Dragon Scale Continent was pretty straightforward. 100 Gold equates to 1 low-grade spirit stone. 100 low-grade spirit stones equate to 1 middle-grade spirit stone. 100 middle-grade spirit stones can 1 high-grade spirit stone.

    In theory, the conversion rate was pretty straightforward. However, in practice, no cultivator would be willing to exchange 1 middle-grade spirit stone for 100 low-grade spirit stones. The quantity of the spirit qi in both spirit stones might be equal, but the quality was something else.

    In general, no cultivator would exchange low-grade spirit stones for middle-grade spirit stones. The spirit qi in middle-grade spirit stones were higher in grade and were very pure. This was the case with middle-grade spirit stones, so there was no need to talk about high-grade spirit stones.

    Only during emergencies do such transactions happen. Furthermore, cultivators have no need for gold. That made the exchange for gold a moot point as well. The de facto currency that was used for trade by cultivators was the low-grade spirit stones.

    When Duncan saw the base price of 10 spirit stones for ves, he had beencent. With the recent windfall he had, he wasn''t worried about it much. However, things were different once the auction started progressing.

    10 spirit stones were the base price. With every call, the minimum requirement was to increase the bid by at least one spirit stone. The amount may be huge to mortals. But, to cultivators who were here to buy ves on behalf of their factions, this amount was basically nothing.

    This led to bidders bidding extravagantly for each spirit stone. Until now, the lowest price that a ve was sold for was 25 spirit stones. And it was a middle-aged man who was looking very weak.

    Young women and strong men were being sold for more than 40 spirit stones each. Especially beautiful-looking females were being sold at the price of 100 spirit stones. To Duncan, who had always spent his spirit stones cautiously, this kind of extravagance really opened his eyes.

    For the first time, he realized the enormity of spirit stones umted by ns after multiple generations. For a moment, he was worried whether his recent windfall would be enough to tide things over.

    Duncan immediately sent his spiritual sense into his storage ring and did a rough count of the spirit stones in his possession. Only after learning that he had more than 4,000 low-grade spirit stones in his storage ring did he breathe a sigh of relief.

    Considering that there was something fishy regarding Leia''s current circumstances, Duncan was really worried that he would run into someone who was determined to get her. If such a thing arose, then he can only outbid that person.

    Seeing how these prodigals were spending spirit stones like water, Duncan didn''t want to enter a bidding war with anyone. Moreover, Duncan was also beginning to realize that the amount set as the base price for Leia might have some hidden reasons that he wasn''t aware of yet.

    So far, the auction house was selling ves in the order of the base price set for them by the auction house. If things remain normal, Leia will undoubtedly be the finale auction sale for tonight. If there was nothing special regarding Leia''s situation, such a thing would never ur.

    Duncan could already list out a few ves who looked to have more potential than Leia among those who were sold today. With even them being ced below Leia, there must be some important reason behind the cing that he wasn''t privy to.

    So, Duncan didn''t want to end uping up short.

    Now that he knew he had more than 4,000 spirit stones, Duncan was confident in bidding for Leia. No representative from any n would be foolish enough to offer such an extravagant price for a mortal.

    Breathing out a heavy sigh, Duncan once more turned his attention towards the stage. This experience was a real eye-opener for Duncan. He couldn''t fathom the rates the ves who had cultivation would go far in the subsequent auction that would take ce next week. No matter what, it was Leia''s luck to be ced on sale tonight. If not, there was no way he could afford to buy her.

    As the auction progressed, even the bids rose. Some females who looked cute and very beautiful even fetched a price of over 200 spirit stones. Seeing these women, Duncan felt his lower regions stirring as well.

    Duncan even had the crazy idea of spending some spirit stones to take one of these women home. It had been almost a year since he had fucked anyone. Ever since he left the Starmist City for the first time in a hurry, he had never had the opportunity to indulge in his urges.

    Seeing women whom his past self could consider to be peerless beauties auctioned off one after another, almost made it impossible for him to hold on. The measly amount of 200+ spirit stones didn''t seem much to him as the auction progressed further.

    Still, he restrained himself and merely appreciated the various beauties that were being auctioned off.

    *****

    As Duncan struggled with himself in the auction house, a slightly bug-eyed man was looking at theplementary jade slip provided by the auction house seriously in one of the private rooms.

    "Are you sure that this is the person that was wanted by the Young Master?" the bug-eyed man asked the apanyingdy.

    Thedy rolled her eyes in response. It wasn''t as if she was going to make such a stupid mistake. She knew whom her Young Master desired. His Young Master had taken meticulous efforts to hide his intentions toward the said female from other people in their n.

    How can she mess up such an important thing?

    "Why? Are you doubting my abilities?" thedy asked a little coldly.

    "No," the bug-eyed man replied shortly without even looking up from the jade slip. "The information provided here doesn''t make her stand out at all. I wonder what about her caught our Young Master''s eyes."

    "I too don''t know. But, the Young Master was insistent on getting her. And it doesn''t look like he wants to use her as his cultivation cauldron. Young Master had meticulously arranged things so that the female would be rolling in despair when he extended the helping hand. It looks like the Young Master wants the girl to bepletely dependent on him," thedy said sounding a little serious.

    "Hmmm, but whatever it is, the auction house has also got a whiff of it. If not, they wouldn''t arrange for her to be at the finale. From the information provided alone, there are more than three candidates who are more suitable to be the finale candidate than her," the bug-eyed man said scratching his chin.

    "Eh, I didn''t notice that," thedy became dignified. "Looks like we can''t take this easily. While it is not important to buy her currently, it is better to not cause any trouble. The Young Master will emerge from seclusion in two weeks. Before that, we must aplish this task."

    "How about letting her be bought by someone else and then saving her afterward?" the bug-eyed cultivator asked narrowing his eyes.

    "Did you forget where we are? This is the Dark Star City. If it is any other city, I won''t mind doing that. Once our Young Master emerges from seclusion, it would be easy to use his name to get things done. But, it is hard to exert influence in this city," thedy said furrowing her brows a little.

    "Hmph, I too don''t want to do that. But, the amount of spirit stones in our possession is very little. Our main target this time is the auction that will be held in the Blue Wind Society Hall. This is just an errand we are running for the Young Master."

    "I know," thedy furrowed her brows slightly. "Since the Young Master doesn''t want the n to know of his activities, I think we should keep a low profile. If not for that, how can we be worried about running out of spirit stones."

    "Whatever," the bug-eyed man huffed. "We can buy her from here as long as the price is reasonable. You might already consider the Young Master to be your only superior in the n. But, I can''t. The Young Master is only the Young Master at this moment. He too has opponents. I can''t jeopardize my future by betting on him heavily."

    "I know, I am d that you are willing to help. I will let the Young Master know of your contributions," thedy sniffed a little haughtily and looked away.

    The bug-eyed man curled his lips and looked back at the jade slip. He didn''tment on the woman''s attitude. He knew that the dynamics of power in a big n like theirs were never simple.

    And her master was only one of the candidates for the future. Nothing was certain yet. He wouldn''t stick his neck out before everything was finalized. If things were simple, he would lend a helping hand and reap some benefits. If not, it was no sweat off his back. He wouldn''t jeopardize his main mission for something like this.

    Curling his lips, the bug-eyed man looked at Leia''s picture on the jade slip and sneered.

    *****

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 Chapter 212 Potential Entry-Level Alchemist

    ?

    Author Announcement:

    Hey folks,

    A happy announcement for both the readers and myself. I am nning to churn out more chapters in the uing month. The nned amount is at least double the rate I am uploading now.

    The past month I uploaded 40 chapters. My current goal is to upload 90 chapters at the minimum in the uing month. The book will also participate in the September Win-Win contest.

    So far, I have been happy with the way the novel has progressed. I feel that this book is not just another cliched cultivation story and has unique things going for it. I do not want to stray from it. Thus, I assure everyone that I will not sacrifice quality for quantity.

    Seeking everyone''s support and encouragement in the forms of subscriptions, collections, power stones, golden tickets, and any other way you feel up to.

    *****

    Time passed in a blur and the auction was nearing the end.

    Duncan watched calmly as the time for the finale approached. As of now, the highest a ve was auctioned for was 520 low-grade spirit stones. Unlike Duncan''s expectations, the ve who was auctioned was not a female with impable beauty.

    Rather, the person who fetched the highest price was a strongman with vigorous blood. Despite the ve cor that he wore, the man was arrogant and had a bursting vigor. One of the cultivation ns bought him after a heated bidding war. From the conversations he overheard, Duncan realized that strongmen like the ve were in high demand due to their extraordinary physical strength.

    While the ve had left the podium in high spirits, thinking that he would be valued greatly due to the high price he was bought for, the conversations revealed a rather sinister side of the trade.

    The ves who had high physical strength were often bought at high prices so that they could be used to mine minerals and spirit stones by cultivation ns. Duncan knew from experience that mining was a high-intensity job and it was not a good life to live. He could only smile bitterly thinking about the strongman''s bright smile that was going to be ruthlessly crushed under constant work in the mines.

    On the other hand, Duncan also realized another phenomenon. When it came to female ves, beauty was only secondary to the buyers. What they looked for was the usefulness of the ve. If a ve had knowledge of herbs or other aspects that often coincided with auxiliary professions among cultivators, they were bought at exorbitant prices.

    Considering how Leia had a vast knowledge of herbs and woodlore, Duncan began to realize that there was a reason for the auction house to put her as the finale sale. Luckily, with the amount of spirit stones he had, he didn''t need to worry about being outbid.

    Thus, when Leia was brought to the podium to be auctioned, Duncan wasn''t nervous at all. Till now, the highest a ve had been sold for was 530 spirit stones. Even if Leia garnered double the interest, Duncan was confident that he could buy her tonight. So, he was pretty rxed when the auctioneer started to speak.

    However, Duncan''s rxed posture didn''tst for long.

    "Esteemed customers, it is my honor to announce to you our finale auction sale for tonight. This ve whom you see beside me is a healthy female ve who is in the prime of her life. As you can see, her beauty isn''t small either and I dare say that many customers are already thinking of buying her to warm their beds," the auctioneer joked and chuckled causing the atmosphere of the room to rx a lot.

    "However," the auctioneer raised his hand to calm the chuckles that erupted from his joke and put on a serious expression. "Is being a beauty alone enough to be the finale ve that is going to be auctioned?"

    The auctioneer paused and looked at everyone calmly.

    "I am sure some of you have already thought about this question. After all, among the ves auctioned tonight, there have been some ves more beautiful than the ve standing near me. So, there must be something special about her right?"

    Duncan sneered at the auctioneer''s posturing. But, he didn''t mind it much. At most, this would cause the price to rise a bit higher than his original estimations. Still, the auctioneer''s calm fa?ade made him a bit uneasy.

    "This ve here is well-versed in the knowledge of herbs. Her father used to be a mortal medicine man. Her knowledge of herbs and their effects is not lesser than entry-level alchemists. This, the auction house can guarantee. If she could cultivate, we are sure that she will already be an alchemist by now," the auctioneer smiled mysteriously.

    The moment he stopped speaking, countless discussions arose in the auction hall. Duncan cursed inwardly seeing how worked up the crowd was already. Even someone who had some knowledge about herbs was sold for over 400 spirit stones earlier. That person could at most act as a helper to alchemists.

    But, the introduction given to Leia waspletely different from hers. If the auction house was guaranteeing that Leia''s knowledge was no less than an entry-level alchemist when it came to herbs, they must have tested it. They wouldn''t y around with their reputation without proper guarantee.

    Even someone new to these types of auctions like Duncan knew this. Not to mention others who were in this business. It only showed how confident the auction house was in the ve''s knowledge. This would raise the price sky-high in a matter of minutes.

    Buying someone who knows about herbs was one thing, but buying someone who had the potential to be an entry-level alchemist was an entirely different matter. Duncan had known that Leia''s knowledge regarding herbs was vast. But, he hadn''t expected her knowledge level to reach the standards of an alchemist.

    Alchemists are respected professionals among cultivators. In order to train an alchemist, every faction must spend a fortune. For an alchemist to enter the entry level, they must have knowledge of vast amounts of herbs along with how they interact with each other. It wasn''t as simple as throwing a few herbs into a furnace and condensing a pill.

    An alchemist must know what the effect of each herb was and how tobine them to get the desired result. Following pill forms to condense alchemy was only the basic, if you don''t know the herbs you handle intimately, several side effects would ur in your pills. Those kinds of pills are very dangerous.

    Such people who only follow pill forms wouldn''t be recognized as proper alchemists.

    Today, the auction house was guaranteeing that Leia''s knowledge of herbs was on par with entry-level alchemists. It can be inferred from their speech that only the cultivation was the impeding factor in allowing her to condense pills like an alchemist.

    Compared to training a new alchemist, buying someone who has the potential to be an alchemist and using them can be considered to be a very cost-effective approach. As for the problem regarding cultivation, there are several ways for cultivators to induce mortals to cultivate forcefully.

    While the future of such cultivators wouldn''t be long and promising, they would be able to enter the Spirit Sea realm at the worst with careful grooming. Cultivation ns and sects were capable of performing miracles like that easily.

    So, the problem of cultivation wasn''t a big one at all for most people who were present in the auction house. In short, as long as they buy Leia, and induce her to cultivate, they have a ready-made ve alchemist for them to control and drag value out of for several years.

    Duncan''s face became gloomy as he listened to the surrounding discussions. It was clear to him that several representatives of various factions were slightly moved to buy Leia and give things a try. As Duncan was fuming at the unexpected change, the auctioneer went for the finishing blow as well.

    "But," the auctioneer had to raise his voice to make sure that everyone heard him amidst themotion. The hall immediately turned silent. "But, that is not the most valuable thing regarding this ve."

    Everyone''s eyes condensed a little hearing that. Even Duncan was a little intrigued hearing this bit of dramatic revtion. He too was curious to know what more could make Leia very valuablepared to her status as a potential alchemist.

    "The most valuable thing regarding this ve is not her beauty or her vast knowledge of herbs. Neither her potential to be an entry-level alchemist with little grooming is the most important factor. What makes her more valuable to those who are able to discern is this,"

    The auctioneer waved his hands towards Leia. The guards who stood behind Leia held her suddenly and turned her around. They removed her shirt and disyed her back to the crowd.

    In the beginning, the people in the hall didn''t see anything important. However, soon mutters began to arise. Duncan was ignorant of what caused the people to be agitated like this. He felt as if ants were biting his soles. Unable to calm down, he spread his spiritual sense to see if he could glean anything.

    There was no need for Duncan to really do anything like that. The auctioneer was there to exin to everyone. With a smile, the auctioneer pointed towards the lower back of Leia, causing everyone''s eyes to focus there.

    "Do you see that mark on her lower back, near the spine?" the auctioneer asked causing Duncan to focus hard.

    There was a small mark on Leia''s lower back where the spine ended. It was very small. Duncan didn''t know the significance of such a mark. But, it was clear that this was the reason for the mutters minutes before.

    "For those who don''t know what the mark signifies, let me rify it for you. The mark you see here ismonly known as a spirit mark. This mark is not seenmonly among cultivators. In fact, no cultivator in our world possesses such a mark."

    "However, they are marks that are found among mortals. Mortals, who are the descendants of a certain group of cultivators who have a special bloodlineˇ­"

    *****

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 Chapter 213 Descendant Of The Spirit Clan

    ?

    "Mortals, who are the descendants of a certain group of cultivators who have a special bloodlineˇ­"

    Duncan felt as if his head was rumbling hearing that statement. Special bloodline! Leia had a special bloodline as well. Duncan didn''t know how to react to that revtion. But, this information caused a storm of emotions in his heart.

    "To make things clear, allow me to inform those who aren''t aware of the significance of the mark, the history behind it," the auctioneer spoke a little dignifiedly and looked at the crowd.

    "Eons ago, our world became a battleground between powerful forces that live beyond these heavens. The cultivations of beings who participated in this battle are far above our cognition. That battle wrecked the heaven and the earth. Even the remnants of this battle are so dangerous that the region of the battleground has been called a forbidden ground by all cultivation forces in our world."

    "That''s right; I am exactly talking about the forbidden region of the Ancient Battleground that exists south of this city. I am sure that all of you all are aware of how dangerous venturing into that area is. What we see now are the remnants of the attacks that were exchanged eons ago," the auctioneer said solemnly.

    "You might wonder what exactly is the connection between the Ancient Battleground and the special bloodline that this ve possesses. Allow me to exin. Among the beings who fought on that battlefield, there were also members of the Spirit n who participated. The descendants of this Spirit n, who are mortals, possess these kinds of marks on their body."

    "As far as we know, these descendants with these identifying marks have innate difficulty in starting on the road of cultivation. Even if they start cultivating, the purity of their bloodline is very thin and they don''t progress much. Either due to ipatible cultivation techniques or various other reasons, the members of the Spirit n have much more difficulty in establishing their foundational pirs."

    "However, if someone establishes their foundational pirs and forms their Violet Pce their cultivation will see a drastic increase in the short term. But, the possibility of that happening is less than one-thousandth. Hence, they are not valued much by first-rate sects."

    "But, what those sects do value is their offspring. Due to some strange reason, an offspring that is born between these Spirit n descendants and cultivators who have established their Violet Pce will be darlings of heaven. Their cultivation talent is rumored to be tremendous."

    "Now that you all know this information, I invite you all to bid. Do not miss this rare opportunity. The starting bid for this ve is at 100 spirit stones. And every bid must see an increase of ten spirit stones," the auctioneer announced grandly and waved his hand tomence the bidding.

    "110 spirit stones,"

    "120"

    "140"

    "170"

    Duncan watched the crowd mor to bid with a sour expression on his face. He really didn''t care about Leia''s potential to bear children who would be the darlings of heaven. Neither did he care about the possibility of her starting to cultivate and establish the Violet Pce realm.

    However, the same couldn''t be said for the others. They obviously valued this aspect of Leia more than anything else. Duncan understood their reason for it as well. Future generations are the cornerstone of cultivation ns. Especially talented future generations who can potentially be the darlings of heaven.

    To a cultivation n, having a promising future generation meant that their prosperity for the next generation would be guaranteed. A talented cultivator can single-handedly raise the status of the n. This was a world where a single person can make or break things. So, their enthusiasm was understandable to Duncan.

    What made him unhappy though was the wrench that was thrown in his ns because of this. Seeing the rabid bidding that was going on, Duncan felt a headacheing. All of a sudden, the spirit stones he possesses didn''t seem to be much. This made him a little aggrieved.

    Meanwhileˇ­

    In the private booth, the bug-eyed cultivator looked at the cacophony of bidding going on downstairs and shot a re at thedy near him. Even the female cultivator looked to be at a loss seeing the sudden interest in the ve they had their eyes on.

    "What a good Young Master!" the bug-eyed man sneered at thedy. "He even dared to conceal such a thing from the n. Isn''t he afraid that this incident wille back to bite him in the back?"

    Thedy remained silent not willing to answer. She too was a little taken aback by the fervent bidding that was going on below. She never expected the puny mortal her Young Master had eyes on to be this capable. Unlike the other cultivators here who had just learned of the importance of the mark, she had more knowledge regarding the descendants of the Spirit n.

    Even she knew that the n wouldn''t turn a blind eye to this matter. It was fine if the Young Master was able to obtain the ve. If not, things will be a little bit difficult. The old monsters in the n would not let go of such a potential breeding stock. They would also begin to interfere in the matter.

    "It doesn''t matter," thedyposed herself and said stiffly. "If we are able to purchase this ve, wouldn''t she be part of our n? No one can fault the Young Master. This only shows his broad vision."

    The bug-eyed man snorted a little displeasedly.

    What broad vision? All he only saw was the scheming mind of the Young Master. The Young Master had obviously found out about this female a long time ago. However, he had never informed the n about this. He had intended to swallow this woman by himself.

    The Young Master had already broken through the Violet Pce realm. If he can obtain this ve and get her pregnant, with his power and the future offspring''s potential, the n would make him the n Leader without much hassle. The entire n was based on that.

    But, it wasn''t that easy either. As a member of a premier cultivation n, the bug-eyed man knew more than others present below about the details regarding the descendants of the Spirit n. He didn''t think it would be an easy task for the Young Master to aplish his goals.

    However, what he didn''t understand was why the Young Master had gone about this in a roundabout way. It wasn''t as if he couldn''t make this woman his concubine with his power and influence directly. That would have been less risky and very easy to aplish.

    So, why did the Young Master go about this in such a convoluted manner? Didn''t he even think for one second that the auction house would be able to see through the secrets of the woman? If that happened, the possibility of the woman slipping out of his hands was really big.

    And looking at the below ruckus, the exact same thing was happening.

    The bug-eyed man felt a little confused. He didn''t think that the Young Master would be this careless or stupid. No one who could contend for the role of Young Patriarch of the n can be stupid or without sense. This kind of behavior didn''t make sense to him at all.

    "What were the Young Master''s precise instructions? You better not hide it from me," the bug-eyed man growled at thedy.

    Even thedy was a little taken aback by the sudden turn of events. So, she wasn''t really sure as well. Hearing the bug-eyed man''s question, she too fell into thought. If the bug-eyed man can find the ws in the situation, she can too. So, she was also a little puzzled by the Young Master''s actions. She was also worried that she probably misinterpreted the Young Master''smands.

    "The Young Master asked me to keep an eye on the woman and make sure she ends up in our hands. Other than that, he didn''t say much," thedy said a little hesitantly.

    "So, as long as she ends up in our hands, then it will be fine, isn''t it?" the bug-eyed man''s mind started whirling as well.

    "Yes, that''s why I wanted to buy the ve and prevent any unforeseen incidents from urring," thedy said a little agitatedly.

    "Hmmph, the Young Master didn''t ask you to buy her, did he? You came up with it all on your own," the bug-eyed man sneered.

    "Is there anything wrong with that? Once we buy her, she will be in our hands. Such an approach can eliminate a lot of unforeseen problems," thedy shot back a little hotly.

    "Hmmph, you are too na?ve. The only useful thing in your body is your big boobs," the bug-eyed cultivator sneered. "How can things be so simple? Do you think the other contenders wouldn''t learn about your actions? Do you think they will sit back and watch as the Young Master steals thepetition? Heh, no wonder you are only a servant till date."

    Thedy''s breathing became flustered and her face became flushed. The bug-eyed man''s remark hit her exactly in her sore spot. It was not that she hadn''t tried to seduce the Young Master, but even though she had taken the Young Master to the bed, their rtionship was still that of a servant and a master.

    It was one of her pet peeves. She didn''t know why she had never been considered by the Young Master to be even taken in as a concubine when she took care of all his duties meticulously. To be poked in such a sore spot, she almost lost her temper. But, she gritted her teeth and shot a re at the bug-eyed man.

    "Am I wrong?" the bug-eyed man snorted arrogantly. "Don''t look at me like that. It will be fine if this woman is not bought by you publically. But, once you buy her publically, the other contenders for the position of Young Patriarch would start to move. By then, I can guarantee you that this woman wouldn''t reach the n alive."

    Hearing the bug-eyed man''s words, thedy''s eyes bulged in shock.

    *****

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 Chapter 214 Hidden Rules

    ?

    "780"

    "800"

    "830"

    The bidding was in full swing. Those who had the idea of trying out had exhausted their resources and couldn''t keep up with the rise in the bid amount. Gradually, they all began to opt out one after the other.

    By now, only the representatives of cultivation ns were bidding for Leia. Despite the fervent bidding that was happening because of her or rather because of it, there was no ripple of emotion in Leia''s eyes. Only despondency engulfed her heart.

    She never expected her life to take such a strange turn. One year ago, she had been happy and content with her life. Within a year, everything had changed. One betrayal after the other had made her question life a lot. Now, even being a ve, didn''t seem to elicit much reaction in her heart.

    Just then, a domineering voice echoed in her ears like a bolt of lightning.

    "1300"

    Silence engulfed the auction hall after the bid. Currently, the bid has just crossed 900 spirit stones. Even some cultivation ns were beginning to hesitate. While the promise of a talented future generation was incredibly attractive, the members of these cultivation ns have some knowledge that wasn''t disclosed by the auction house.

    The possibility of a Spirit n descendant conceiving a child with a Violet Pce realm cultivator was abysmally low. If not for that, how can there still be descendants of the Spirit n roaming freely in the world?

    While the presence of the mark wasn''t in a region that could be easily seen, it wasn''t as if the cultivators didn''t have other means to locate these people. Centuries ago, when this was first found out, the cultivation ns went mad searching for the descendants of the Spirit n.

    At that time, the entire world was scoured and almost all the descendants were rounded up. After forcefully trying to use them for breeding, the cultivation ns found a few rare phenomena that urred only with the descendants of the Spirit n.

    For one, only the female descendants bore the mark. The mark was absent amongst the males. While this facilitated the search a lot, the phenomenon made people realize that some hidden rules were in y.

    Next, the possibility of such a female either breaking through the Violet Pce realm or conceiving a child with a Violet Pce realm cultivator was abysmally low. Only on rare asions, such things happened. Even then, said child would only inherit the cultivation talent if they were female.

    This caused the fervor to die down quickly. All kinds of bizarre unknown rules were in y when it came to descendants of the Spirit n. So, the cultivation ns gave up on the venture and let nature take its course.

    While they wouldn''t give up on descendants who actively came to their doors, they wouldn''t seek them out personally either. Furthermore, only those first-rate cultivation ns had some in-depth knowledge of the various hidden rules that applied to the descendants of the Spirit n.

    Once, a Nascent Soul cultivator studied the mark for several years and came out with the conclusion that the mark was some kind of bloodline lock. Only when the lock was unlocked will the descendant be able to break into the Violet Pce realm or give birth to a child with a Violet Pce realm cultivator.

    As for how to break the bloodline lock, several experiments were carried out and yet everyone came up with no permanent solution. Hence, the interest in the descendants of the Spirit n faded away. Right now, the descendants of the cultivation ns were considered to be some passing curiosity.

    Nothing more, nothing less.

    The representatives of these cultivation ns were willing to give it a try. But, the premise was that they didn''t spend much. This was like a gamble and no one wanted to invest more. Even the price of 900 low-grade spirit stones was already reaching their bottom line.

    The only reason they were still interested in her was because of her potential to be an entry-level alchemist. They were willing to gamble on Leia because she had something else going for her other than being a potential breeding stock. However, the sudden bid of 1300 spirit stones really threw them off.

    The sharp increase of almost 400 spirit stones really made them hesitate a lot. Even with her added qualification, the representatives of the cultivation ns didn''t think this was a sound investment. They all looked at the cultivator who was wearing a wolf mask, who just bid, with a little wariness.

    Duncan felt the numerous gazes on him. But, he didn''t think about them much. He too knew that his initial worries may be a little overboard. By now, he had already realized that there was something wrong with the information given by the auction house.

    If Leia had that much potential, then she wouldn''t probably be auctioned tonight. She would have probably been auctioned a weekter during their Grand Auction. There must be other information that he didn''t know. Duncan was sure of that.

    While he didn''t think that the auction house necessarily lied, Duncan realized due to interest in bidding for Leia fizzling out midway that there may be some hidden difficulties in this as well.

    Duncan keenly noticed thatpared to the initial fervor, the interest the representatives of the cultivation ns had towards Leia was only minimal. It was those people who didn''t know what the mark was all about who were fervent at the initial stage.

    Realizing this, Duncan saw an opportunity. The moment Duncan bid was precisely calcted. He had already noticed the trend of those unaware cultivators dropping out one after the other due to insufficient wealth. Right now, only the representatives of cultivation ns were vying for Leia. And the interest they had wasn''t as fervent as those who were not in the know.

    So, at the exact moment of the transition, Duncan sharply increased the price. The reason was two-fold. Duncan wanted to intimidate those who were not in the know and make thempletely give up their thoughts. He also wanted to showcase his desire to obtain Leia to the cultivation ns.

    Just like Duncan predicted, his gamble paid off. The representatives of the cultivation ns began to oscite in their hearts. Those who were not in the know and didn''t have enough wealth were also hesitant to bid further.

    But, it didn''t mean that the bid ended there. Even though Duncan''s sharp increase scared off a lot of potential bidders, there were still a few stubborn men who were bidding for Leia. Duncan didn''t participate back immediately. He calmly watched them increase the price slowly.

    While Duncan was immersed in the new thrill of dismantling the biddingpetition, there was a ripple of emotion in Leia''s eyes for the first time when she heard his voice.

    She vaguely recognized this voice to be a familiar one and was a little flustered hearing it. She didn''t know who it was, but she was grateful that at least one of her acquaintances was trying to get her out of her current predicament.

    The past year had been hell. She had been repeatedly betrayed by people she trusted and considered to be her friends. It was their betrayal that had led her into this ditch of debt very. No one in the Starmist City had been willing to help her at all.

    So, when she heard a vaguely familiar voice, her despondent heart couldn''t help but stir. She didn''t know who it was that was trying to acquire her. She didn''t care about their motives either. The fact that someone she knew was trying to acquire her and spare her the humiliation of being sold as a ve was enough for her.

    For someone who had lost all hope in humanity, that voice was like a drizzle on dry sand. Even though it wasn''t enough to quench her needs, the fact that it was present was enough for her at this moment.

    "1470"

    "1500"

    Duncan watched like a hawk as the bid rose slowly and several cultivation n representatives withdrew from thepetition. He could have increased the bidding price at any time and intimidated a lot more people, but he didn''t want to be too high-profile.

    While Duncan had enough spirit stones looking at the current predicament, he didn''t think it was prudent to poke the egos of these cultivation ns. Who knows, his rampant bidding may dissatisfy some prodigals and wouldter create a bidding war. Duncan wasn''t frivolous with his money.

    So, he decided to y it safe and waited till most of the bidders were beginning to vacite. When he felt the moment was right, Duncan once more shouted out his bid and increased the price sharply to curb the thoughts of several bidders.

    "1750"

    Duncan stated in a domineering manner causing everyone to look at him in askance. Duncan paid no heed to those looks. He could understand their incredulity.

    It was clear that the bid was already high ording to their calctions. Duncan sharply increasing another 150 spirit stones was just wasteful in their opinion. They also began to realize that this man in the wolf mask was determined to win the ve.

    "2000"

    Just then, another domineering bid came from one of the private VIP rooms causing everyone to be silent. Duncan furrowed his brows and looked at the room from where the bid came. He couldn''t see who was in it, but he could feel that the other person was also interested in Leia from the tone of the bid.

    Since things havee to this stage, there was no use in hiding it. Duncan''s face rxed and he increased the bid without giving much thought.

    "2200"

    "2300"

    "2500"

    This time, there was a pause. Duncan directly raised another 200 spirit stones causing the other party to know that he was very serious. The silencested for a while before the other party bidded again.

    "2550"

    Duncan could hear the other party''s frustration clearly. It was clear to him that the other party was at their limit. So, Duncan decided to strike while the iron was hot and end the auction in a domineering manner.

    "2750"

    This time, no one bid in the end. As a result, Duncan finally obtained the ve deed for Leia without much struggle.

    *****

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 Chapter 215 Return To The Courtyard

    ?

    In the private booth, thedy sat beside the bug-eyed cultivator with a nasty look on her face.

    It was her who bid against Duncan and acted as his finalpetitor. The private booth was facilitated with a function that could distort the voice of the bidders and protect their identity. Hence, Duncan didn''t even know that his finalpetitor was a female.

    Right now, there was intense displeasure on the face of thedy. Her displeasure wasn''t directed towards Duncan. Rather, it was all directed towards the bug-eyed man who was sitting nearby and sipping tea calmly.

    Despite the bug-eyed man''s warnings and persuasions, thedy decided that it was better to err on the side of caution. She decided to acquire Leia first and then think about other thingster.

    Furthermore, there was a sinister intent hidden deep in her heart as well. She didn''t want a mortal to obtain the concubine seat she had been eyeing. So, while trying to secure Leia''s ve deed, she was also hoping that her actions would cause the other contenders toact and get rid of her for her.

    The bug-eyed man''s pointed questions and derision had caused her to think a bit ande up with such a n on the fly. This way, while she couldplete the job given to her by the Young Master, she could also get rid of this mortal who came from nowhere to grab her position.

    As they say, a jealous woman is a dangerous woman. Leia had never evenid eyes on this woman, but this woman was already plotting Leia''s demise while trying to shirk responsibility.

    Unfortunately for her n, the number of spirit stones on her was limited. She wasn''t the Young Master of the n. She was just one of his errand runners. Thus, no matter her status in the outside world, the wealth she could carry along wasn''t much.

    In the end, her wealth couldn''t match up to Duncan''s plundering.

    Even then, she wasn''t willing to give up. When Duncan raised the bid to 2,500 spirit stones, she knew that she had reached her limit. So, she even asked the bug-eyed man for help.

    But, the bug-eyed man t out rejected her. He didn''t want to get involved in the business of choosing a Young Patriarch for the n yet. Right now, his status in the n was detached enough and veryfortable. Why should he bring trouble for himself?

    If it was any other thing, it wouldn''t matter much if he provided some aid to help out the servant of the Young Master. But, this involved the descendant of the Spirit n. And anyone with little knowledge knew what the primary use for them was.

    So, interfering in this matter and arranging a promising breeding partner for the Young Master would mean that he had sided with the Young Master. The other candidates wouldn''t take that lightly. His rtionship with them would be turbulent as a result.

    Hence, he t out rejected the request from thedy. Thus, thedy''sst bid barely rose by 50 spirit stones. When Duncan called the final bid by raising 200 spirit stones more, thedy could only concede unwillingly.

    Right now, all her displeasure were directed at the bug-eyed man.

    "Good, good, good! I will make sure the Young Master knows of your actions this day. Do not becent. When the Young Master beats everyone and bes the Young Patriarch, you will regret not helping him today," thedy said angrily.

    "Hmmph, go and threaten someone else. This isn''t my job. My job is to secure the interests of the n in the uing auction. We both may be servants in the eyes of the candidates for the position of the Young Patriarch, but our status is different. I am sure the Young Master would understand my actions. Rather than threatening me, you better keep track of that female," the bug-eyed man snorted and rose to leave, leaving thedy fuming in the private booth alone.

    Thedy watched him go with a distorted expression on her face. Right now, she hated everything to do with that ve. It was because of her that this man dared to despise her. She couldn''t stomach such a thing.

    "Aaargh!"

    A scream of rage echoed in the private room.

    *****

    When Leia was led outside the auction house and handed over to her new owner, she couldn''t help but take a long look at her new owner.

    Even though the face was covered by a wolf mask, she could sense a vague familiarity with the figure that stood before her. There was a hazy image in her memories that seemed to coincide with the figure in front of her.

    She knew that the person who purchased her was her acquaintance. Compared to being sold to an unknown person, Leia actually preferred this situation. While the humiliation and shame were there, she felt as if she could deal with itpared to the unknown.

    Even though the person in front of her hadn''t revealed his identity yet, Leia knew that the final bidder was the familiar voice. As a result, she was also slightly looking forward to seeing who the acquaintance was and what his motives were.

    The moment she became a debt ve, Leia had already lost any hope of living a normal life. Even if this acquaintance of hers only bought her to use her just like others, she felt that she could live with it since the person who was her new owner was an acquaintance from before.

    Despite her assurances to herself that she quite liked this arrangementpared to the other options, she couldn''t help but feel a little embarrassed and humiliated in her heart as well.

    One part of her didn''t want any of her old acquaintances to see her like this. Another part felt that being owned by someone she knew would be a better fatepared to being owned by a stranger. These conflicting thoughts almost upied her entire mind as she waited for her new owner to acknowledge her.

    Conflicting emotions roiled inside her as her new owner handed her a long ck robe along with a mask. She didn''t expect to be greeted. So, she didn''t mind the way she was being treated. Still, a part of her was disappointed by the cold greeting. Furthermore, the make of the mask almost made her want to bury her head in shame.

    She donned the cloak and mask and looked at her new owner. The ve cor on her neck was weighing heavily. It was a reminder to her of her new status in life. From this moment on, her likes and feelings didn''t matter. Whatever her new owner decided, she could only learn to be content with it.

    Duncan didn''t know the numerous thoughts that were running through Leia''s mind currently. What he was now focused on was how to take her back to the courtyard without letting everyone know about their whereabouts.

    The mask and cloak for Leia were just the basics. Duncan had also purchased another mask for him. Everyone knew that the one in the wolf mask was the one who bought the descendant of the Spirit n. By ditching it, Duncan hoped to avoid probing eyed that were interested in them.

    He also didn''t greet Leia for the same reason. No one knew that he and Leia were acquaintances. It was better to act like he bought her because he was interested in her. This would give them some anonymity as well.

    As for the ve cor, Duncan didn''t think much about it. This was a ve auction house. No one would look twice if someone walked out of here with a ve in tow. It would also help them blend in with others who were leaving the auction house.

    Finishing the formalities, Duncan gestured at Leia to follow him. He calmly walked out of the auction house and started walking towards the courtyard he had rented without much hurry. He even took a roundabout route to throw off some tails.

    Unfortunately, even when he entered the ce where his courtyard was located, he could feel a pair of eyes watching them from the crowd. Duncan didn''t let the other party know he was aware of their surveince. He acted as if nothing urred and he didn''t notice anything.

    Entering the courtyard, Duncan turned around and looked at Leia who was standing behind him obediently. For a moment, he became dazed a little. He was at a loss on how to address the situation.

    While he wanted to help her out, Duncan hadn''t thought about how to handle the situation after buying her. Sure, he wasn''t interested in keeping her as a ve. He didn''t want to be responsible for someone else as well.

    It was clear that he was going to give her back her freedom. But, the thing that stumped Duncan was how to address the issue. He didn''t know how Leia was currently feeling. He didn''t know how to approach her either. So, he stood there at a loss causing Leia to start fidgeting.

    Duncan coughed slightly to alleviate the awkward atmosphere and looked at Leia. He could clearly see that she was nervous as well. That''s when it hit Duncan that as her new owner, he had absolute control over her. It was only natural that Leia was nervous.

    Moreover, Leia didn''t know who he was either. He hadn''t revealed his identity to her either. Her nervousness was understandable. Taking a deep breath, Duncan looked at Leia''s face and immediately nked.

    The mask he had chosen randomnly for Leia was shaped like a masquerade with some borate designs. Most female masks were like that. Moreover, the masks provided by the auction house for sale had some over-sexualized features on them. Since most female ves ended up being bedwarmers, the auction house catered to the client''s needs by making the avable masks overly sexualized.

    The mask Leia wore was like that of an angel moaning in pleasure. Furthermore, for some bizarre reason, the mask fits perfectly with Leia''s face as well. So, currently, it was as if Leia was moaning in front of him.

    Looking at Leia, Duncan felt his heart skip a beat. The raging libido he had been controlling for a while after seeing all those beautiful ves that were being auctioned off came back in full force.

    Duncan felt his cock twitch a bit at that moment.

    *****

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 Chapter 216 Let Me Pay You Back For Your Generosity, Master!

    ?

    "Ahem!"

    Duncan coughed trying to get rid of those distracting thoughts in his head. Leia stood before him obediently. She hadn''t moved a single inch since they came here and her obedient posture was making it very hard for Duncan to form coherent thoughts at this moment.

    "Ummm, Leia, Iˇ­" Duncan didn''t know how to broach the subject that it was he who bought her off the ve market.

    Hearing him acknowledge her name, Leia''s heart skipped a beat. She nervously fidgeted anticipating his next words. Unfortunately, Duncan was also at a loss and was struggling to form the right words at this moment.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan took off his mask and let out arge sigh.

    "Take off the mask first, let''s getfortable," Duncan decided to take the plunge directly instead of trying to ease into the subject.

    Hearing his words, Leia felt as if a stone weighing in her heart had finally been removed. Seeing his unmasked face, Leia couldn''t help but be surprised as well. Never did she think it would be this erstwhile teammate, whom she hadn''t met in a year, to be the one to buy her.

    In a daze, Leia removed the mask and stood in front of Duncan apprehensively. She didn''t know how to react at this moment. Duncan wasn''t any better either. He desperately struggled to keep his roaming eyes away from her figure.

    Looking around the room, he found a couple of futons in the corner. Duncantched on to them like a drowning man grasping at straws. He went over and quickly brought the two futons for them both to sit.

    Once seated, silence once more engulfed the duo. Duncan took this time to take out some normal wine he had in his storage ring and poured it down habitually, before realizing that giving a girl wine in the night might not be an appropriate thing to do. His movements paused as he realized how his actions maye across.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan looked at Leia''s reaction. Unfortunately, there were no emotions on her face. She looked nk and kept staring at her hands not willing to meet Duncan''s eyes.

    Duncan felt that things weren''t going as per his earlier thoughts. He was clear that things were off to a bad start already. Deciding to take a gamble, Duncan retrieved the ve deed from his storage ring and presented it to her.

    "Ahem, Leia, I don''t know what to say. But, I guess you are in the same situation as well. Anyway, here is your ve deed. You can tear it up. With this, you will be free," Duncan sighed not knowing how else to approach this awkward situation.

    Hearing Duncan''s words, Leia looked up quickly and verified that Duncan wasn''t lying. Her ve deed was indeed presented to her. She didn''t know how to react to Duncan''s act of generosity. She felt as if she would cry at any moment now.

    Seeing Leia only staring at the ve deed in shock, and not saying anything, Duncan didn''t know how to proceed either. Looking at Leia''s trembling shoulders, Duncan decisively pressed the ve deed in her hands. Once done, Duncan felt as if a huge burden had been lifted.

    Duncan immediately grabbed a cup of the wine he had poured and downed itpletely trying to alleviate the awkwardness. The normal wine didn''t do anything to him. His body constitution had be stronger and normal wines didn''t induce any drunkenness to him at all.

    The moment the ve deed was pressed into her hands, Leia shuddered. She had never thought that she would obtain her freedom this easily. Even when she knew that it was her acquaintance who had bought her, she didn''t even dare to hope for such a thing.

    No one would be d to part with a ve they have acquired. It should be known that ves can be used for all kinds of work. Especially, female ves like her who had been bought by male owners often ended up bing their bed warmers. The cor on her neck was no joke. It made sure that the ve couldn''t disobey their master.

    So, even when she was bought by an acquaintance, the most she had hoped in the dark corner of her mind was to be treated fairly. Never did she expect to be handed her ve deed within mere hours of being bought.

    Leia clutched the ve deed like a lifeline. She knew with this deed gone, she could start over and carry on with her life. This time, she wouldn''t be na?ve enough to put her trust in other people and end up in such a desperate situation. The lessons she had learned in the past few months were very impactful.

    Still, Leia didn''t tear up the ve deed immediately.

    Her trembling hands calmed down and she looked up at her savior. Looking at Duncan, who was drinking cup after cup to relieve the awkwardness, a strange sense of fondness came over her at this moment.

    It was clear to her that Duncan was still that brash dreamer who wanted to go through the entire day in a drunken haze. But, it was this man whom she hadn''t had much interaction with apart from the times they spent as teammates that came to her aid when she most needed it.

    Thinking about their time on the team, Leia''s face became a little gloomy. Her downfall had begun from there as well. She should have been like Duncan and walked away from the team as soon as possible.

    Leia took a deep breath and banished those thoughts away. This wasn''t the time for her to think about what-ifs. Looking at Duncan who was eyeing her sneakily Leia''s lips couldn''t help but twitch. It was clear that his eyes were straying to ces that would have earned a bonk on his head a year ago.

    Still, she couldn''t help but find the entire thing funny. Duncan literally owned her as of this moment. The ve deed hadn''t been torn up yet. He could do anything to her. There was no need for him to be eyeing her sneakily.

    However, it didn''t look like such a thought even urred to him. Even if he had taken some liberties before giving back her ve deed, Leia would have only had gratitude towards him in his heart. The graciousness he gave her was like a heavy mountain.

    This only showed her that Duncan never had the idea of owning her at all. His purchase of her was to set her free. Thinking of the exorbitant sum of money that was used to purchase her, Leia felt a little heavy. Moreover, those were spirit stones. Not gold!

    Leia felt her breathing be heavy as she realized how much Duncan had actually spent to buy her deed. 2750 low-grade spirit stones were not some small amount. That''s almost 3 million in gold. Just imagining that number was enough for her to be a little faint.

    And he had just thrown it away as if it was nothing.

    Moreover, spirit stones were only used by cultivators. She was clear of the identity of the people who came to purchase her. This meant that Duncan had somehow be a cultivator as well. From the looks of it, he wasn''t doing shabby as well.

    "Looks like you became a cultivator, just like you desired," Leia spoke hesitantly not knowing how else to start a conversation.

    Duncan''s lips twitched hearing that. It was true. He had indeed be a cultivator like he desired when hest met Leia. But, he would have been d if the process didn''t involve him almost losing his life several times. Moreover, he still didn''t know if bing a cultivator in such a way and being affiliated with the Heavenly Demon Sect was good.

    Right now, he was mostly going along with the flow.

    "Yes," Duncan smiled and nodded. "Compared to mine, your life looks like a storm has passed through. Anyway, you are free from now on. I hope you don''t get caught into someone else''s scheme again."

    "Are you so confident that I didn''t get into debt myself?" Leia asked with a little twitch of her lips.

    "As if," Duncan snorted. "Leia, I have experienced stuff that people can barely even dream about in this past year. I have alsoe into contact with things like schemes and conspiracies. Some things I know will blow your mind away. Let''s just say that I have good instincts and I know you wouldn''t have ended up in such a situation by yourself."

    "Hmmm," Leia hummed with a slight nod of her head. "I believe you. Unlike others, even drunk you never had the habit of exaggerating stuff."

    "Heh, I was a fool then," Duncan shook his head. "I am still a fool now. Only, I have grown a lot more stronger. So I can afford to be somewhat foolish these days."

    "I can see that," Leia mumbled. "It must have cost you a fortune to get my ve deed. I don''t know how I will repay you for that."

    "It was mostly an ident," Duncan waved his hands nonchntly. "I ran into you being taken to the auction house by ident. Since I was near, I thought of buying you off. As for the amount, don''t worry about it either. I will soon get a windfall."

    Duncan smiled mysteriously as if he had a huge secret. Leia looked at him with hooded eyes. Duncan''s nonchnce and his confident demeanor made it hard for her to disbelieve him. His mysterious smile even made her breath hitch a little.

    Looking at Duncan who was sitting on the futon casually and drinking as if he hadn''t done a major thing, Leia felt a little breathless. She realized thatpared to his current status as a cultivator, what he did indeed may be something trivial to him. But, to her, it was entirely different.

    She didn''t know how she could repay him. She didn''t know if it was even possible to repay him with her status as a mortal. But, she wanted to do something. Looking at him still taking sneaky nces at her, Leia''s lips twitched.

    She knew that he was interested in him. Maybe, this would be a good way to repay him. She knew that this wouldn''t be even worth one-hundredth of what he had given to her. But, she felt that she should at least give it a try.

    Without speaking another word, Leia rose from her futon and approached Duncan. She watched him pause for a moment and be alert for a split second before rxing. In that split second, a dangerous breath came from him that almost made her freeze.

    That dangerous breath was incredibly attractive to her. Combined with her earlier gratitude, all thoughts of backing away anding off as too forward were shunned. Right now, she only had one thought in her mind. She wanted to pay him back in a small way that was possible for her.

    Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on his shoulders and looked at his confused face. Looking directly into his eyes, she whispered softly to him.

    "Let me pay you back for your generosity, master. This ve is yours to use."

    To further entuate her words, Leia leaned forward pressing her body into his.

    *****

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 Chapter 217 With Thought, Came Action (18+)

    ?

    "Let me pay you back for your generosity, master. This ve is yours to use."

    Duncan felt his blood throbbing in his ears.

    Leia''s sudden action hadpletely taken him by surprise. He never expected her to offer herself like this. Hell, he didn''t even think about asking her to pay back like this.

    The moment she whispered those words, Duncan felt his cock throb with purpose. His libido which he had been controlling so far was like a rampaging monster at this moment. He could feel a heady rush all over his body.

    Still, a part of his sanity prevailed.

    "Leia, you don''t need to do this."

    He bit out hisst struggle.

    If anything, this seemed to only further motivate her. The body that had been pressing into his was now grinding on him. Duncan could only barely restrain himself from devouring her at this moment.

    "Leia is not here, master. The only one here is your ve. You can use her like you want."

    That did it!

    Duncan''s restraint broke and the next moment with an animalistic growl he grabbed Leia''s ass in a possessive manner. There was no gentleness to his action. Her repeated addressing of herself as a ve drove away thest bit of restraint in his mind.

    For the past few hours, Duncan had been fantasizing about how good it would be to buy a ve and use her for his pleasure. Combined with the ambiguous atmosphere that prevailed between him and Leia earlier and his long dry spell, Duncan''s libido was at an all-time high.

    Duncan''s thoughts at this moment were simple and very primal. Since she wanted him to use her like a ve, he would give her that and more. He would treat her like his property and use her to sake his lust without any care for her opinions.

    With thought, came action.

    Duncan''s rough grabbing of her ass elicited a surprised shriek from Leia. But, Duncan wasn''t in the mood to appreciate it at all. Right now, he was like a hungry bull let out to pasture.

    Grabbing her ass and groping them hard, Duncan pressed her hard against his body. He took in her womanly scent and relished in it. Without further ado, he kissed her neck roughly as if trying to suck them away.

    Within moments, Duncan''s new strength was revealed in a profound manner. The ass he had been groping was showing bruises despite the clothing present between his hands and her ass.

    His lips were ravaging her neck and throat region, leaving love bruises all over. Pain and pleasure shot through Leia in a whole different manner than what she had experienced so far.

    Leia was by no means a virgin. She had her own share of escapades. As a former mercenary, there were times she had indulged in carnal pleasure to blow off some steam or get rid of some emotions that were induced during dangerous encounters. In short, she was no pretty flower.

    However, never had she experienced such abination of pain and pleasure. This made her breath hitch. The difference in strength aroused Leia severely. She could hardly contain her moans within moments of Duncan''s assaults.

    To Duncan, these moans were like heavenly music. Spurred on, he took his hands away from her ass and grabbed her tits. Dissatisfied with the clothing that was in his way, Duncan exerted a little more strength.

    RRRRIIIIIPPPPˇ­..

    Duncan tore the clothes on Leia with seeming ease and grabbed her tits without even a slight pause. Before Leia could get ustomed to her clothes being torn, her tits were squeezed roughly causing her to be assaulted with a myriad of emotions.

    She was like a lone boat amidst a raging river. She felt like she was being tossed this way and that way without any care. The pleasure and pain that were coursing through her body almost made her nk out.

    She could only bite her lips and endure the pleasurable torment that Duncan inflicted on her body. Never had she experienced such intense sensations in all her life. It was as if she was being molded by Duncan''s hands into his ything.

    Shame and arousal warred within her.

    Shame for being treated in such a way. But, she was the one who asked him to treat her like a ve. She just wanted to spice things up a bit. But, it was clear to her at this moment that she had bitten off more than she could handle.

    His manhandling of her tits and other parts of her body brought her intense shame. Leia had always prided herself on being a strong woman and being able to keep up with her lovers in bed. She had been a mercenary and had been with several strong men in the past. But, this waspletely new.

    This time, she realized, that it wasn''t a mortal who was using her.

    The difference in power was so enormous that Leia felt like a littlemb for the first time in her life. The disparity between her and Duncan aroused her tremendously. The nonchnt and almost absent-minded disy of power by Duncan made her loins wet more than anything.

    Everywhere his hands and lips went, a mark of their passing was left on her body. Leia felt as if Duncan was iming her as his own property and leaving his marks all over her body. And she was powerless to stop it. That brought an intense sense of humiliation to her. Along came an intense desire to be conquered by himpletely.

    As Leia reeled from the torrent of emotions that were induced by Duncan''s manhandling of her, Duncan was oblivious to all these things. He was eagerly sucking away at her tits and fondling her pussy wantonly.

    Leia felt as if she was a ything for Duncan to satiate his lust. She wasn''t able to give back anything to him. It was all him taking so far. And it hadn''t even been long since Duncan''s handsnded on her ass in a possessive manner.

    For a moment, she felt like struggling back. Exactly at that moment, Duncan sank his teeth in on one of her nipples causing her entire body to arch in pain and pleasure. Her mind nked and she surrendered herselfpletely to be used by Duncan.

    *****

    It took a few minutes for Duncan''s sanity to return.

    After indulging his lust for a few minutes, the lust-induced haze in Duncan''s mind cleared a bit. Looking at Leia''s writhing form under his hands, Duncan realized that he may have gone overboard a little.

    The difference in strength between a mortal and a cultivator was too big. The marks and bruises he had left all over Leia''s body were testament to it. Duncan knew that he hadn''t exerted much strength. Despite that, Leia''s body was covered in marks and bruises.

    But the strange thing was that Leia was enjoying herself being manhandled like this. Seeing her moaning and writhing under his hands, Duncan''s lips couldn''t help but twitch a little.

    Now that his mind was clear, Duncan realized that he couldn''t be too rough with Leia. Her mortal body wouldn''t be able to take his strength at all. Her body was already covered in bruises all over from his enthusiastic lovemaking. If he became purposefully rough, she wouldn''t be able to take it.

    Duncan tried to clear his head further by taking a deep breath. Unfortunately, the heavy smell of Leia''s womanly scentbined with the sweat that was the result of their previous actions only further stoked his lust. Gritting his teeth, Duncan looked at Leia who was panting under his hands.

    His fingers were already inside her and pumping her insides relentlessly. Even when he had regained his rity of mind, his body was acting on its own. His fingers were pumping in and out of her on their own ord, causing her to gasp and writhe with each thrust into her insides.

    Her tits were bouncing in rhythm to her hips gyrating on his hands. Every time her body writhed, those tits jingled causing a beautiful sight toe into his eyes. Those perky nipples were now standing erect and hard.

    Duncan consciously started easing his strength and his approach to her became a lot softer. He caressed her face and traced out her tits with one of his fingers while still pumping her pussy relentlessly.

    Leia''s moans began to be frequent and it was clear that she was nearing her climax. Duncan continued his ministrations and slightly increased his pace. Duncan felt her body stiffen all of a sudden and began to thrash uncontrobly after that.

    He knew that her moment was near.

    With a wicked smile on his face, Duncan wriggled his thumb and pointed it directly at her asshole. Just when he felt that she had neared her climax, Duncan thrust his thumb into her ass roughly as well.

    Leia''s eyes opened wide and she saw his evil smirk. Her entire body stiffened due to the unexpected intrusion. But, it barely evensted a moment before she started climaxing. Her entire body convulsed as she writhed on his fingers.

    The feeling of her two holespletely filled almost made her cream. Her juices flowed unabatingly and her eyes closed unwillingly. She suddenly felt as if she had never experienced a true orgasm until now. What happened to her at this moment was mind-blowing.

    Duncan watched her climax with a smirk on his face. He had half a mind to continue fingering her holes without stopping. He wanted to see if he could make her cum repeatedly with his fingers alone.

    But, his twitching cock reminded him that this night was about his pleasure and he had yet to obtain anything. Duncan removed his fingers from her holes causing a moan of protest to elicit from Leia. But, Duncan didn''t mind it.

    Looking down at her spent body, Duncan smiled a little evilly thinking about what other things he was going to do tonight. With a smirk on his face, Duncan grabbed Leia''s hair and yanked slightly causing her to open her eyes.

    "ve, it is time for you to fulfill your purpose," Duncan stated harshly looking into her wide eyes.

    The next moment, he unceremoniously thrust his cock into her still-surprised mouth and started fucking her face.

    *****

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 Chapter 218 Sudden Changes

    ?

    The face was just the beginning...

    Leia felt as if her insides were turned out as time went on. Duncan was like a rampaging monster who didn''t know the meaning of the word gentle in her opinion. He took her for everything that could be taken.

    The face was only the beginning. From that moment, Duncan used all her three holes in a manner that hadn''t been used before. Leia felt as if Duncan had explored every part of her body, even those that weren''t easily essible, as time passed by.

    Throughout the duration, all she could feel was pain mixed with pleasure causing her to oscite from one end of the spectrum to another within moments and back. The constant whish of feelings that she experienced almost hollowed her out. Her entire mind was a mess.

    Duncan didn''t really think much about what Leia was feeling at all. He went ahead and imed her as if he owned herpletely. Her provocative words before it all began were enough to light a fire inside him. Combined with his unquenched desires for a long time, Duncan really went to town on her showing no ck.

    With his considerably higher physical strength and endurance, Duncan continued tormenting Leia for hours. After using one part of her body for some time, he switched ces and tried out other parts of her body as well.

    Even though he didn''t think much about Leia''s needs and only focused on using her to relieve his sexual frustrations, Duncan was also mindful of her weak strength. So, he never prolonged his use of a certain part of her body for a long time. He tried to change ces as frequently as possible.

    However, this seemed to backfire spectacrly. While Duncan thought he was going easy on her and not trying to hurt a certain part of her body, the random switching of ces of focus and constant changing of areas made Leia heady. A few ces Duncan focused on for a long time almost opened new windows in her soul.

    Leia had never thought that certain ces in her body can be the focus of someone fucking her. Duncan''s focus on these parts and their various usage of them widened her view of her own body infinitely. She didn''t even know that some of these parts could hold the interests of the opposite sex like this.

    Under Duncan''s constant usage of her body, Leia felt wrung out from inside to outside. There were new ces in her body that she wasn''t even aware of until today that ached tremendously. It was as if she was growing new body parts.

    Leia''s awareness of the surroundings faded out a long time ago. Right now, all she could do was to cope with the various feelings emerging within her and try to stay afloat atop the rush of euphoria.

    In the end, she passed out unable to hold on any longer.

    Unfortunately for her, Duncan wasn''t done with her. He didn''t stop even after fucking her into unconsciousness. While shey motionless, Duncan further excavated her holes and took out all his sexual longings.

    At some point in time, Duncan noticed that she had passed out. But, he was enjoying himself immensely and didn''t want to stop. So, Duncan kept plumbing her depths until he emptied his seeds into all three of her holes multiple times.

    When Duncan stopped, Leia waspletely covered in his juices. Her juices had dried up long ago and she was unconscious for some time as well. Afterpletely relieving his frustrations, Duncan happily took out one of his best wines and started rxing near her.

    *****

    When Leia came back to consciousness, she felt as if every part of her body ached. Bruises were all over her body and she couldn''t even sit up from theck of energy in her body.

    Looking around blearily, Leai found Duncan meditating some distance away from her. She didn''t know how to react to the bizarre night she had. Even though she realized that it was primarily her fault that things turned out that way, she never expected such a marked difference in things between a cultivator and a mortal.

    She was ruined for life.

    Leia was sure that she would never be satisfied with a mortal after this experience with a cultivator. She wondered idly if every cultivator had such monstrous strength and endurance. Not to mention the never-ending libido.

    Despite all this, Leia didn''t regret her actions of egging on Duncan. If not for that, she would have never known how much better sex could be. After surrendering all control to Duncan and allowing him to use her as he saw fit, Leia felt that her horizons had been truly widened.

    The only drawback was the bone-piercing pain all over her body. She felt as if her entire body had changed somehow afterst night. While she couldn''t figure out exactly what it was, she knew that she was just feeling the aftereffects of being used so thoroughly.

    As she struggled to sit up, the noise she made caused Duncan to open his eyes and look at her. They both held each other''s eyes for a moment before looking away. Both of them were incredibly content with how things had gonest night. But, they both were too embarrassed to address the topic as well.

    "Ahem, I think you need to wash up," Duncan said a little sheepishly.

    Leia felt her lips twitch hearing that. Her entire body felt sticky and sore all over. All of a sudden, she felt incredibly dirty and wanted to refresh herself. But, the problem was that her legs weren''t listening to her at the moment. Even if she could stand up, Leia wasn''t sure that she could make her way to refresh herself in her current state.

    Embarrassed and not willing to call for help, Leia tried to ignore the bone-numbing pain and stand up. Gritting her teeth, she tried to raise herself, only to end up falling straight on her ass.

    The stinging pain that resulted from it let her know that Duncan hadn''t left her ass alone either. Groaning at her predicament, Leia closed her eyes trying to adjust her breathing.

    She felt inadequate for the first time in her life. She was no garden flower. She was someone who always prided herself on having above-average body strength and endurance. But,st night showed her that a mortal could never be equal to a cultivator when it came to physical capabilities.

    Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted and opened her eyes to check. Duncan was carrying her like a princess and was walking towards the partition where she could refresh herself.

    Leia felt embarrassed to be in such a situation. She couldn''t bring herself to look at Duncan at all. She merely closed her eyes and let him carry her over. Unknowingly, she began to nestle into Duncan''s arms as well.

    Once they reached the partition, Duncan let her down gently and walked away. His current behavior was in contrast to how he treated herst night. Last night, he hadn''t shown any mercy to her. It waspletely different from how he treated her currently.

    Then she remembered that it was she who asked to be treated in such a way. Since she wanted him to treat her like her property, he had exactly done that. Flushing to her cheeks, Leia concentrated on washing herself.

    She wondered idly whether Duncan would make an appearance and continue ravaging her in here. But, she immediately shook away such thoughts. Even if he was willing, her body couldn''t handle another round of tossing like what happenedst night. It was better that Duncan didn''t walk in currently.

    As she washed herself, Leia felt the pain in her body receding slightly. Even then, she felt powerless inside. It was as if something had sucked her dry. She wondered who the culprit truly was.

    Leia felt refreshed despite the bone-deep pain in her body after washing away the juices on her body. She felt as if she had returned to the old days before everything went wrong with her life. She felt tears threatening toe. Even the ve cor that hadn''t been removed yet couldn''t dampen the relief she felt at this moment.

    As she washed her back, Leia suddenly felt as if something was different. She couldn''t exactly pinpoint the source of such a feeling, but something about her back felt different to her.

    At first, she thought it was the bruises that were present all over her body. But, after carefully feeling it out, she didn''t think it was the bruises. Something about her back felt a little different to her.

    Unfortunately, there weren''t any mirrors present in the partition. Thus, she couldn''t take a look herself. Still, the nagging feeling persisted for a while. Leia ignored those feelings and washed herselfpletely.

    After she felt like her legs had enough strength, she walked out of the partition and approached Duncan. She still had no clothing on her body and only had arge towel on her body that she used to dry herself.

    Approaching Duncan, she remembered that bizarre feeling that she had while washing her back.

    "Duncan, can you check my back? I feel as if something is different. There are no mirrors here," Leia asked a little hesitantly.

    Duncan looked at her in confusion before nodding. Inwardly, he was wondering if he had gone a little overboard and reshaped her entire back in his enthusiasmst night.

    When Leia dropped the towel, Duncan''s eyes immediatelytched onto her plump red ass that was bruised all over. He gulped loudly and tried to avert his eyes away. Looking up, her back came into view.

    After checking out her back, Duncan let out a relieved sigh. There were no irreparable damages to her back. Luckily, he hadn''t gone that farst night. Sure, there were bruises aplenty, but taking some medicine would clear them all within an hour.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Duncan replied.

    "It looks fine Leia. I don''t see anything diffˇ­"

    Duncan trailed off suddenly and his eyes narrowed. It had been evident at first. Considering its size and proportion, Duncan hadn''t noticed it immediately. But, now that he noticed, it was like a ring hole in front of him.

    "Leia, your mark is goneˇ­"

    *****

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 Chapter 219 Obtaining News

    ?

    "Leia, your mark is goneˇ­"

    The mark that denoted her as the descendant of the Spirit n was nowhere to be seen. Duncan hadn''t noticed it till now. He didn''t know when it disappeared, but there was no trace of it on Leia''s back currently.

    "What?" Leia asked in confusion.

    "Your mark. The one that was on your back that caused such a fuss in the auction house. It is gone. There is no trace of it," Duncan said solemnly causing Leia to turn around and look at him in bewilderment.

    "What do you mean?"

    "You don''t have the mark anymore, Leia. It has vanished as if it hadn''t been present before at all. Your back is in apart from the bruises you have all over your body," Duncan said furrowing his brows.

    "So?"

    "I don''t know much about it. I too heard about it for the first time in the auction house. Do you have any knowledge regarding it? Has your father said anything about it?"

    "No, my father never even cared much. Even I didn''t care much about it until someone from the auction house identified it. I don''t know anything about it either," Leia frowned.

    "Are you sure you always had that mark? What if the auction house put it on you to increase the price?" Duncan asked a little confused about the disappearance of the mark.

    "No, I have always had it. I just didn''t know what it was or care much about it," Leia replied with a frown. "Do you think it is important?"

    "I don''t know," Duncan sighed. "You said you felt different, right? What did you mean by it?"

    "I don''t know exactly. I felt as if something had changed while I washed my back. I thought it was the bruises at first. But, it somehow didn''t feel like they were the reason. That''s why I asked you to check."

    "Hmmm, do you feel something is different with your body?"

    "Apart from some pain, I don''t feel any different either. Considering what you didst night, some pain is to be expected," Leia said a little embarrassedly.

    Duncan coughed not knowing how to respond to Leia''s words.

    "Don''t worry about it," Duncan hastily replied. "I have some medicinal pills. If you take them, those bruises will fade away quickly. As for that mark, let me see if I can find some information regarding them. Here, take this," Duncan handed her a small portion of the medicinal pill he had.

    Looking at the small portion Leia didn''t have much confidence in Duncan''s words. She didn''t care about the bruises much. But, she couldn''t bring herself to believe that this small portion could cure them all. Despite her skepticism, she readily took it and ingested it,

    "The pill is for cultivators. The power inside it is really strong for mortals like you. Unfortunately, I don''t have any pills that mortals can consume. This is the weakest pill I have. Anyway, the medicinal effect will be reduced and I am sure you will be able to cope with it," Duncan exined looking at her skepticism.

    "You recuperate for now. I will head out and see if I can find any information on your mark. I somehow feel that its disappearance is significant," Duncan said and gestured for her to go recuperate.

    Leia obediently followed his instructions and sat on the nearby futon to recuperate. By now, the medicinal energy in the pill had begun to spread. She could feel its tyrannical nature. Her initial skepticism turned to seriousness and she concentrated on refining it.

    Duncan watched her refine the medical energy in the portion of the pill he gave her for a while to ensure that nothing untoward happened. Once he confirmed that Leia was fine, his thoughts turned towards the disappearance of the mark.

    Duncan''s suspicion regarding the disappearance of the mark being significant wasn''t a random guess. He had his reasons for it as well.

    Last night, while coupling with Leia, he had used the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> that he hadn''t used for a while. When hest used the <Coiling Dragon Sutra>, he had yet to embark on cultivation. This was the first time he used it after he began his cultivation.

    The effects of the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> were very profound. The differences between the effects in the two different usages were really startling. Moreover, now that he had embarked on cultivation, Duncan could feel that the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> wasn''t some ordinary technique.

    The profoundness in the scripture really astounded Duncan. This was the first time he actually noticed that the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> was different from the one in his thoughts. Until now, he hadn''t paid much attention to it.

    After his coupling with Leia ended, he had been immersed in meditation trying to feel out the improved effects of the <Coiling Dragon Sutra>. He could feel that his body had strengthened considerably afterst night.

    As a cultivator, Duncan knew how hard it was to improve one''s body. The effect produced by the <Coiling Dragon Sutra> was very remarkable. He never thought that the random sutra that the gap-toothed old geezer gave him would be so profound.

    Among the techniques he cultivated, only the new and improved version of his cultivation technique was as profound as the <Coiling Dragon Sutra>. It let him know that the origin of this technique was indeed extraordinary.

    So, Duncan had been trying to figure out the changes within his body until Leia woke up. Now that other surprising phenomena had appeared, Duncan wasn''t willing to dismiss it easily.

    He wanted to know why the mark on Leia''s back vanished.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan walked out of his residence with a new destination in his mind. If anyone had information regarding the descendants of the Spirit n and their mark, then it would be the Blue Wind Society Hall. Duncan headed towards the Blue Wind Society Hall seeking answers regarding the bizarre disappearance of the mark.

    *****

    Duncan entered the Dark Star City branch of the Blue Wind Society Hall with the wolf mask on his face.

    This was the first time he had stepped into a branch of Blue Wind Society Hall. As early as when he was a mortal looking for information regarding cultivation, Duncan had wanted to step into the Blue Wind Society Hall seeking knowledge.

    Now, one year has gone by and he has embarked on his cultivation journey as well. This time, when he entered the Blue Wind Society Hall, he was at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. A marked difference between then and now.

    Theyout of every branch of Blue Wind Society Hall was the same. Each branch had seven floors. There will be five floors dedicated to serving customers normally. On the ground floor, mortals and Qi Gathering cultivators will be served. The first floor is the location where Spirit Sea realm cultivators and Violet Pce realm cultivators gathered.

    The above three floors were further divided to serve cultivators who were in the transformational stages of cultivation. Golden Hall, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul level cultivators were respectively served on the third, fourth, and fifth floors of every branch.

    The sixth floor was reserved for Ascendant Beings and esteemed VIPs who were personally invited by the Blue Wind Society Hall. As for the seventh floor, the qualification required to be served on that level still remained a mystery to the general public.

    On each floor, there were several sections dedicated to particr kinds of requests. Intelligence, Weapons, Pills, Formations, Bounties, and various other sections were portioned off to make a customer feelfortable.

    Duncan walked into the Blue Wind Society Hall and climbed up the stairs to the first floor. The moment he neared the stairs, he could feel a spiritual sense sweeping past him trying to determine his cultivation level. Duncan frowned slightly but didn''t do anything else.

    While such a tant sweep was rude, he understood the necessity for it. Duncan idly wondered how they would deal with cultivators who practiced techniques that allowed them to hide their cultivation levels. But, he chucked away that thought and walked up to the teller at the intelligence section.

    "Wee, what kind of intelligence do you need?" the teller asked briskly.

    His tone was neither subservient nor overbearing. It was businesslike. Duncan didn''t mind it. He looked around to ensure that no one was near him and whispered his request to the teller.

    "I need all the information that is avable on the descendants of the Spirit n," Duncan said in an equally brisk tone.

    The teller''s eyebrow rose, but he didn''tment. He nodded his head and busied himself with something behind the counter. Five minutester, he looked up and addressed Duncan.

    "Basic information regarding the Spirit n and its descendants would amount up to 300 spirit stones. If you need further information that is only known to various ns, the price would rise up to 500 spirit stones. Anything that is not within the scope will cost you 1000 spirit stones," the teller quoted his price frankly.

    Duncan frowned as he contemted on what level of information he required. The basic information would be worthless. So, he didn''t even think about it. He was stuck between enquiring about the information that is known only to ns and asking for more specific information.

    Deciding to first check out the information that the ns knew about the descendants of the Spirit n, Duncan forked out 500 spirit stones immediately and requested them.

    If he couldn''t find the information he needed within the information that was provided, then he could choose the final option. The teller nodded and once more busied himself for a bit.

    After a few minutes, the teller delivered a jade slip to Duncan. It was the kind of jade slip that would destroy itself after a single use. Duncan collected the jade slip and walked towards a private booth present near the counter.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 220 Playing To The Strengths

    ?

    Duncan opened his eyes and a slight glimmer shined in them.

    He had just pursued the information provided by the teller. After inducing his consciousness into the jade slip, a deluge of information appeared in his mind. Duncan had pursued them calmly after the jade slip destroyed itself.

    Luckily for Duncan, he didn''t need to get higher-level information. The question he needed the answer to was already present in the jade slip that was provided to him.

    Duncan got to know that the mark on Leia''s back was called the spirit mark. A Nascent Soul cultivator had once researched the spirit mark and found out that it was a kind of bloodline lock. The only time the spirit mark will vanish will be when the bloodline lock was unlocked and the descendant in question achieves enough bloodline evolution.

    When this happens, the descendant will be able to cultivate rapidly and be strong in short order. Every descendant of the Spirit n who embarked on cultivation always looked forward to such an urrence.

    Due to some strange hidden rules, as long as the spirit mark was present, the descendant would never be able to step into the Violet Pce realm. The descendant must undergo bloodline evolution and awaken their bloodline at least to a certain extent for them to open the bloodline lock and vanish the spirit mark.

    The conditions required for it were really random. There had been no two cases documented achieving sess trying out simr methods. Apparently, the evolution of the bloodline was heavily dependent upon the cultivator in question.

    Some had an easy time unlocking the bloodline lock. While some always met with failure no matter what they tried. This randomness has caused the interest of cultivators in the sects and ns to wane regarding these Spirit n descendants.

    Duncan didn''t know what caused Leia''s bloodline lock to be unlocked. The vanishing of the spirit mark was an unexpected event. He had his suspicion that it was the work of <Coiling Dragon Sutra>, but there was no definitive proof.

    However, the why and how didn''t matter much to Duncan. If the information provided was right, then this meant that Leia would be able to cultivate rapidly from now on. With some effort, she could reach above the Violet Pce realm as well.

    Even though Duncan had nned to set Leia free, he had been slightly worried about how she would cope with her freedom. It was clear that someone had plotted on her and had caused her to end up in such a situation.

    Furthermore, he too had his own things to take care of. He couldn''t remain alongside Leia for a long time. That meant, that once she was freed, Leia would need to take care of herself without any aid. He had been slightly worried about this aspect.

    But now, things have changed.

    With her being able to cultivate, and even faster than other people, Duncan let go of the worry in his heart. As long as he provides the starting help, he was sure Leia will be able to grab hold of this opportunity and be a strong cultivator in a few years.

    As Duncan let go of the hidden worry in his heart, he rxed slightly. The next moment, his mind started thinking about how to make the cultivation journey of Leia easier.

    Considering how he had treated herst night, Duncan felt that he owed it to her to make her cultivation journey as smooth as possible. He originally didn''t expect any payback from Leia. Now that he had indulged a lot with her and had even obtained several benefits by dual-cultivating with her, Duncan felt it was only right that he took care of Leia''s cultivation journey at least at the beginning.

    With a thought, his mind moved and began plotting out Leia''s cultivation journey.

    Duncan wasn''t the same person who searched for information regarding cultivation a year ago. In this one year, he had enriched his knowledge regarding the cultivation world and was very knowledgeable regarding the basic stuff.

    So, Duncan didn''t rush to n Leia''s cultivation journey.

    First, he considered Leia''s strengths. Leia was like him. She was starting the cultivation journey veryte. Taking inspiration from his experience, Duncan figured that having a cultivation technique that suited her would help her avoid a lot of shortcuts.

    There was not much information regarding the Spirit n or the kind of bloodline they had. So, thinking in that way wouldn''t be ideal. Hence, Duncan decided to focus on aspects that Leia herself was strong in.

    The first thing that came to his mind regarding Leia was the auction house''s remark regarding how she had the potential to be an entry-level alchemist. Alchemists have a unique position in the cultivation world.

    They may not be strong personally, but their connections are much stronger than ordinary cultivators. Almost every cultivator needed to ingest pills on their cultivation journey for one reason or another. Whether it was to heal themselves or to attain a breakthrough, pills can be used for multiple purposes.

    This made alchemists very essential part of the cultivation world. Their status reflected it as well.

    However, even though the profession of an alchemist can bring a lot of money, not everyone was suited for that path. Luckily, Leia already had all the qualifications apart from cultivation to enter the path. If the cultivation technique she practiced was suited for alchemists, then she could avoid a lot of detours.

    So, the cultivation technique must be rted to an alchemy inheritance.

    Then, next came the ce of practice.

    Technique and ce of practice almost determined the type of cultivator one will be. As the ancients say, technique,nd, wealth, andpanionship are the four cornerstones of a person''s cultivation journey.

    As a potential alchemist, Leia wouldn''t need to worry about wealth in the long term. If she can tide over things short term, she will easily be able to obtain all the resources she needs by herselfter.

    As for thepanion, Duncan didn''t have any idea in interfering with that matter. Even though they experienced a blissful night yesterday, Duncan knew himself very clearly. Moreover, right now, he was being hunted by righteous practitioners. So, he didn''t want to get mixed up with anyone else. That meant he couldn''t n out such a thing for Leia.

    What he could n was the technique andnd aspect.

    Duncan thought for a few moments and concluded that as a potential alchemist, the right path for Leia to embark on was the righteous one. Demonic cultivators rarely needed the help of alchemists. Strength was the only factor that spoke among demonic cultivators like him.

    Moreover, the kind of pills that demonic cultivators used may not befortable for Leia to get herself involved in. It was better for her to take the righteous path and be an alchemist of a righteous sect.

    Thinking up to this, Duncan felt slightly lost for a moment. It was then he realized that the next time he met Leia would be under different circumstances. Taking a deep breath, Duncan pushed away those ufortable thoughts and focused on helping out Leia in the present.

    Once a clear idea formed in Duncan''s mind, he immediately walked out of the private booth. Walking up to the section that sold cultivation techniques, Duncan ryed his request.

    While the cultivation techniques obtained from ces like the Blue Wind Society Hall might be very generic, they are also easy to get started on. Right now, the most important thing for Leia was to get started on a cultivation journey. She was already ate bloomer, and dying further would only harm her.

    After collecting the cultivation technique from the counter, Duncan didn''t immediately leave. He went over to the sections where weapons and materials were sold and bought an alchemy furnace along with somemon materials that were used for low-level pills.

    After spending a few more spirit stones and obtaining everything he thought Leia would need, Duncan stepped out of the Blue Wind Society Hall and made his way back to the courtyard he rented.

    Entering the courtyard, he saw Leia was still immersed in meditation. The medical power of the portion of the pill he had given her seemed a bit more domineering than he had estimated. It was taking a long time for Leia to resolve itpletely.

    However, the results were evident as well.

    Right now, there were no bruises on Leia''s body. Her beautiful figure was clearly visible. Seeing her calm expression, Duncan realized that she might be finishing up soon. As he wasn''t in a hurry, he waited for her to wake up.

    As he did so, he also took the liberty of secretly ogling at her and remembering the perverted things he had done to her bodyst night. A perverted smile appeared on his face unknowingly.

    When Leia woke up from her meditation, the first sight she came across was Duncan standing at a distance and watching her with a perverted smile on his face...

    *****

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 Chapter 221 Are you leaving?

    <h4>Chapter 221 Are you leaving?</h4>

    Leia flushed in embarrassment seeing Duncan''s hot eyes on her body.

    It made her feel incredibly self-conscious. She couldn''t help but think about the state she had been inst night. It was fine if she didn''t think about the various perverted things Duncan did to her. But, the moment she thought about it, she felt her face burning in shame.

    Evading her eyes, Leia coughed slightly.

    The cough woke up Duncan from his reverie. He too realized how his actions came across and couldn''t help but be sheepish. An awkward atmosphere once more engulfed the room.

    In a bid to relieve the awkwardness, Duncan immediately spoke changing the topic.

    "Ahem, I just came from the Blue Wind Society Hall. I think I have an idea on what caused the mark on your back to disappear suddenly," Duncan spoke fast trying to negate the awkwardness.

    "What''s the reason?" Leia asked curiously.

    While she wasn''t that worried about the significance of the mark vanishing, it was hard not to care about it entirely. When she didn''t know the meaning of the mark, it was just a thing that had been on her body from birth. But, now that she knew the history behind it, she was also curious about any of the changes it encountered.

    "Don''t worry, it''s good news for you," Duncan forestalled her running thoughts with a slight smile.

    Duncan then exined what he knew about the Spirit n and its descendants. The importance of the mark and the study conducted by the Nascent Soul realm cultivator was also revealed.

    To Leia, most words out of Duncan''s mouth sounded like heavenly scripture. She didn''t even understand half of it. All she could gather was that with the mark gone, she would now be able to cultivate smoothly.

    She never imagined herself as a cultivator in the first ce. She had long given up on the thought of bing a cultivator. After years of disappointment, she had sobered up and moved on. But, Duncan''s news was a bolt of lightning in a dark night to her.

    A day ago, she was a debt ve that was going to be auctioned off. One dayter, she now had the potential to be a cultivator. Even though Duncan had given her ve deed back, till now she hadn''t torn it up or removed the ve cor. To her, this change in situation was really something she could only dream about.

    However, she also realized an undercurrent in Duncan''s speech.

    "Wait, are you going to leave?" Leia asked the one question that bothered her much, not even thinking about the implications of what Duncan had told her.

    Duncan arched his eyebrow and slowly nodded.

    Seeing him nod, a strange sense of panic engulfed Leia''s heart. It was not that she had suddenly be dependent on Duncan. However, Duncan''s rescue of her was very important to her. Moreover,st night was something she had never even dreamt about.

    Unknowingly, within a single night, Leia had equated Duncan''s presence to security. If it was her a year ago, she wouldn''t be this emotional. But, after undergoing a lot of stuff in the past year, she couldn''t help but yearn for stability in her heart.

    That''s why she hadn''t still torn up the ve deed. Even without her knowing, her heart had be shy and the independence she had developed in her life had been eroded.

    She didn''t want to miss the feeling of security that came with having Duncan around. Right now, all she wanted was stability. Her mind automatically equated having Duncan around with stability and security for various reasons.

    "Butˇ­ butˇ­ I thoughtˇ­" Leia didn''t know how to exin the panic in her heart.

    "Leia," seeing her flustered face, Duncan understood what she meant. "Leia, look at me. It was an ident that I ran into you. I am not the right kind of guy for you to depend upon," Duncan sighed lightly.

    "Right now, I am being hunted by almost all the juniors of righteous cultivation sects. I am a demonic cultivator who is wanted by a lot of people in the cultivation world. Having me near you will only bring you endless troubles," Duncan exined slowly.

    Leia couldn''t believe that Duncan was a demonic cultivator. It was not that she didn''t know what being a demonic cultivator meant. It''s just that she couldn''t believe the person who brought her out of misery could be someone so evil.

    Seeing Leia''s disbelief, Duncan let out a chuckle.

    "Leia, do you know that I annihted the entire Wang n in the Starmist City just a couple of weeks ago? I have killed people. My hand is stained with blood. As for whether they are innocent or not, I don''t care much. My life is different now. The Duncan you knew and the Duncan you see now arepletely different people," Duncan said looking at her seriously.

    "If you are someone so evil, why did you help me? You didn''t even want my ve deed," Leia still refused to believe.

    "Heh," Duncan shook his head. "Good and evil are in the eyes of the beholder. Do you think every evil cultivator thinks of himself as evil? No, most of us consider us to be the heroes of our own story. Very few cultivators are evil for evil''s sake. Once you start on your journey of cultivation, your morals, values, and thoughts will change irrevocably."

    "I am not going to defend my actions. It is a waste of time. I did what I did because I felt like doing it. Did I have my reasons for annihting the entire Wang n? I did. But, does it matter to the various sects in the cultivation world? No. There is no right and wrong in the world. Everything is rtive," Duncan let out a huge sigh.

    "Moreover, the cultivation technique I practice is based on ughtering people. I need to kill people and collect the ughter qi to progress in my cultivation. No amount of goodness will change the nature of what I do. Even if I only kill evil people, the technique I cultivate is still based on killing. How can those self-righteous sects ept someone like me? I am bound to be hunted down by them. My life is going to be a dangerous one."

    Leia didn''t know how to react to Duncan''s words. She felt like nothing made sense anymore. Despite Duncan''s words, she wasn''t disgusted by him. All she cared about deep in her heart was having the stability and security Duncan exuded. But, before she could speak further, Duncan again forestalled her.

    "Leia, think about it. I am being hunted. Every moment you spend with me will bring you closer to danger. As for why I rescued you, I have my own standards on grudges and friendships. We two can be friends. But, such a friendship will not be epted by the world. It is best you let go of any thoughts you have with me. Like I said, I didn''t do it for that. I just felt like doing it, so I did it," Duncan spoke firmly but softly.

    "Right now, you have a great chance to reshape your life. I would be a poor friend if I dragged you into danger at this moment. I may not be a good guy, but I cherish the few rtionships I have left. I don''t want you to end up in trouble because of me," Duncan implored sincerely.

    Leia didn''t know what to say for a long moment. Her mind was still reeling with all the information Duncan had dropped on her. She knew the power of the Wang n in the Starmist city. As someone who hailed from there, how can she be ignorant of it?

    When she became a debt ve and was transported out of the city in disgrace, the Wang n was still one of the most powerful ns in the city. And it hadn''t been long since that time. Now, Duncan was telling her that he had annihted the entire Wang n.

    Both the incident and the kind of power required to aplish that made her shocked. All these talks about being hunted down by the world also made her tremble. She couldn''t even imagine how such a life would be.

    As she was still reeling from the overload of information, Duncan spoke further.

    "Look," Duncan put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them to make her look up, "I am not telling you that I am leaving immediately. I will leave soon. But, before I go, I will set you up and make you embark on your cultivation journey. Once you start cultivating and be powerful yourself, you will not need me to be around to experience that feeling of securityˇ­"

    Duncan paused slightly at the end of the sentence and a twitch appeared on his lips. The so-called feeling of security was absent from his life as well. Even after bing a cultivator, he had never felt secure with his life.

    In contrast, after bing a cultivator, he got to know how pitiful his actual existence was to the powerful people in the world. Any random Golden Core cultivator can smash him like a bug. So, he was even more insecure about his life than when he was a mortal.

    However, telling that to Leia currently might not be the right idea. So, he buried that line of thought deep within him and focused on calming her down first.

    "So, you aren''t leaving immediately," Leia only heard that bit and caught hold of it.

    Duncan''s lips twitched seeing her actions. He shook his head.

    "Never mind, you first get rid of this ve cor. It looks unsightly," Duncan said a little teasingly.

    "Hmmph, you didn''t think it was unsightlyst night, eh? You seem very keen on reminding me about my status as a ve," Leia jested back trying to lighten the mood.

    "Ahem," Duncan coughed awkwardly.

    He wanted toin that it was her idea. But, considering how much he enjoyed using her for his pleasure, he still couldn''t bring himself to say it. So, he looked away from her and pretended to be ignorant.

    The two stood in front of each other with awkward postures and flushed faces. An ambiguous atmosphere engulfed both of them.

    *****

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 Chapter 222 Changes In Greenwood Forest

    ?

    Just as Leia and Duncan were engulfed in an ambiguous atmosphere, many miles away from the Dark Star City, an event that will mark the beginning of chaotic times on the Dragon Scale Continent urred.

    The Greenwood Forest, which has been recently filled with the sounds of countless battles, ushered in some temporary peace as the treasure that everyone fought for finallynded in the hands of the old man from Little Heaven Sect.

    Even though many fights haven''t reached a decisive conclusion, the First Elder of the Little Heaven Sect bravely performed a forbidden technique and temporarily raised his power to the Nascent Soul stage.

    As a result, he single-handedly found some breathing room for himself and his sect members and retreated from the chaotic Greenwood Forest with the treasure in hand. Many Golden Core cultivators were dissatisfied with the result and were unable to swallow their frustrations.

    While they knew that the old man had sacrificed most of his remaining lifespan to gain a chance to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, who amongst them was willing to let this chance go by?

    However, dissatisfaction was only dissatisfaction. It wasn''t like they could knock on the doors of the Little Heaven Sect and demand the old man to hand over the treasure. Hence, most Golden Core cultivators unwillingly left the region with reluctance in their hearts.

    But, this was just rted to the fights at the Golden Core realm.

    While most Golden Core cultivators returned to their respective sects reluctantly, the experts at the Golden Hall realm and Violet Pce realm didn''t retreat immediately.

    No one knew when it happened, but sometime during the fight, the peaceful Greenwood Forest transformed into a treasurend. Numerous hard-to-obtain treasures kept resurfacing all over the forest causing every faction to scramble to obtain these treasures.

    Very few had the presence of mind to realize that something was wrong with the whole thing. Most cultivators were overtaken by greed and lethargy. They didn''t care about these small details much. All they wanted was to loot the forest as much as possible.

    With most Golden Core realm cultivators retreating from the stage, the fights amongst the remaining cultivators became even more brutal. Blood seemed to seep into the grounds of the Greenwood Forest deeply as conflicts rose with each resource that was discovered.

    The strange thing about the entire event was that only one resource seemed to surface every time. Only when it was harvested did the next one pop up in some other ce.

    Not knowing whether the treasure before me was thest one avable, the fights for the treasure became very hard. Several Golden Hall realm experts were seriously injured during the fight causing them to rest and recuperate within the forest.

    On the other hand, the Violet Pce realm cultivators were showing far more dangerous signs. Conflicts between them arose without even the presence of a treasure. Most of these fights were fought to the death.

    Within a few days, the entire atmosphere in the Greenwood Forest became menacing. There were fights to death happening all around and no one was willing to walk away from the forest as well.

    Since it hadn''t been that long since the Golden Core cultivators retreated from the region, no one suspected the bizarre things that were happening at the Greenwood Forest initially.

    However, from the fourth day onwards, the soulmps that were within various sects began to break down one after the other continuously causing every sect to be rmed. Even Golden Hall realm experts started dying one after the other. This created a hugemotion in the various sects.

    rmed and suspicious, the Golden Core experts who just retreated from the region were once more dispatched to check out the situation. This time most of the Golden Core experts took a cautious attitude and wanted to probe the situation inside carefully.

    Only when they neared Greenwood Forest did they realize something was very wrong with the entire forest. This time, they weren''t even able to step into the Greenwood Forest. There was arge array present that prevented them from entering the forest altogether.

    The entire Greenwood Forest was covered in a red haze. A strong bloody odor emanated from there causing those who came near to flinch and change their expression drastically.

    When the Golden Core experts of various sects got together and tried to probe the situation inside with their consciousness, they were assaulted spiritually as well. The moment their spiritual senses entered the array, they were assaulted with images of demons and ghosts. Their spiritual sense was swallowed in short order causing them to reel back in pain and shock.

    No matter how they attacked or what weapon they used, nothing seemed to work against the array. The Golden Core experts were at a loss. They were locked outside the array and had no clue what was happening inside.

    Meanwhile, the soulmps in the sects were breaking off at frequent intervals causing the entire righteous path to be rmed. As they struggled to get in, the disciples and elders of their sects were perishing inside the Greenwood Forest one after the other.

    Greenwood Forest, which had been an unremarkable forest two months ago, had suddenly be a monster that was akin to a forbidden zone. No matter what they tried, the entire forest was engulfed in a bloody haze that refused to be moved.

    In the end, these Golden Core experts finally gave in and decided to contact the few Nascent Soul realm experts who were present in various sects, asking them to take action. That''s when the next bad news came.

    Most Nascent Soul experts and promising Golden Core cultivators were all currently headed to the Dark Star City for the major auction that was going to be held in the next few days.

    To them, the matter at Greenwood Forest seemed trivial. The treasures present there weren''t enough to enter their eyes. However, the treasures that were going to be auctioned this time were another matter. They informed their sects to wait and watch for any development until they returned from the Dark Star City.

    Moreover, while there were deaths of Golden Hall experts inside the array, it was rtively rare. Most of the deaths were from the Violet Pce realm cultivators. To experts who were busy in the Dark Star City, Violet Pce realm cultivators weren''t too important. Hence, they didn''t pay enough attention to this event at the beginning. Right now, all their focus was on the major auction held in Dark Star City.

    Not knowing what else to do, most Golden Core experts ended up surrounding Greenwood Forest and waiting for the more powerful members of their sects toe back. As for the Golden Hall experts and the Violet Pce realm cultivators, they could only fend for themselves inside the array.

    Meanwhile, inside the Dark Star Cityˇ­

    The atmosphere had be festive and the entire city was filled with cacophony of jubnt voices. The fell matters that were happening in the Greenwood Forest seemed irrelevant to those who were present in the city. The entire city felt like it was preparing for a carnival.

    Duncan didn''t go out for the rest of the week.

    He remained behind in the courtyard he had rented and was instructing Leia about everything he knew in the cultivation world. Duncan was trying to cram as muchmon sense about the cultivation world into Leia''s head in the little time he had left with her.

    Their routine was pretty simple.

    Each morning, Duncan would guide Leia in introducing qi into her body as per the cultivation technique he had picked out from the Blue Wind Society Hall for her. After that, he would talk to her about various taboos regarding cultivation and how to avoid them. Each day he would talk about a few and try to exin the whys and hows with some practical examples.

    To Leia, these things were very easy to memorize. While she didn''t understand much currently, memorizing them was not hard in itself. She was also very diligent in regards to bing a cultivator.

    After her recent experience and Duncan''s passionate speech about how power ultimately decided their safety in this world, she also began to pursue power in her own way. While she didn''t want to dominate everyone and stand above others like Duncan, she wanted enough power to protect herself. Hence, her interest in cultivation was also genuine.

    After that, Duncan would retreat to meditate while Leia would read up on the alchemy-rted information Duncan had given her. When it came to things rted to alchemy, she was like a duck to the water. She would often be engrossed in it for hours until Duncan once again came back to guide her on martial arts in the evening.

    When it came to martial arts, Duncan had a few of the various types in his collection. Duncan didn''t overwhelm Leia with various martial arts. He went through the various martial arts in his possessions and picked out a rtively soft-natured sword technique called <Flowing River Sword Art> and instructed her on it.

    The <Flowing River Sword Art> was a typical soft sword art. It focused on movements and timing, rather than power. Comparatively speaking, Duncan found the sword artcking in several aspects. Compared to his <Absolute Cut Sword Art> and <Absolute sh Sword Art>, he felt that there was a major difference in attack power and martial arts conception in the <Flowing River Sword Art>.

    At night, they both indulged in carnal pleasure. Even though Leia knew that Duncan would leave within a week, she didn''t want to distance herself. Rather, she took the initiative to start things. Duncan wasn''t a saint either. Since Leia didn''t have any scruples, he also indulged himselfpletely.

    In the morning, they were like a teacher and a student. When night arrived, Leia assumed the role of a dutiful ve whose only value for existence was to please her master. She went as far as to refuse to take away the ve cor she wore until they parted.

    With Duncan running <Coiling Dragon Sutra> every time they indulged in carnal activities, Leia''s body also imperceptibly strengthened every day. Duncan was also reaping benefits when it came to strengthening his body and foundation to a new level every night.

    Under Duncan''s careful and meticulous instruction, Leia introduced qi into her body in just four daysˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 223 Duncans Conjecture

    ?

    When Leia introduced qi into her body, Duncan was meditating nearby.

    The stirring of surrounding qi caused him to open his eyes and look at Leia. Leia was deep in meditation while the qi in the surrounding area rushed into her body. At that moment, a strange pattern appeared on Leia''s forehead.

    Duncan was taken by surprise and wanted to take a closer look. But, the pattern which appeared strangely, disappeared in a sh as well. This made Duncan a little intrigued.

    Even though the pattern only appeared for an instant, Duncan was at the right ce and time to capture its appearance. It shed past and became invisible within moments. He had never seen such a strange pattern. It almost looked as if it blended into Leia''s body.

    As Duncan was immersed in contemtion regarding the strange pattern, Leia opened her eyes and practically jumped up in joy. Seeing Duncan watching her, she blushed profusely and informed him that she had introduced qi into her body.

    Duncan merely smiled at her and nodded. His mind was upied with the strange pattern that shed by. Duncan realized that Leia''s bloodline was not some ordinary bloodline. If even introducing qi was enough to trigger the appearance of the pattern, it was most likely that she would be incredibly strong in the future with the help of her bloodline.

    While Duncan was happy for Leia, he was also a little bit concerned. Without proper strength, any tree that stands tall in a forest will bear the anger of the wind. Leia was only beginning her cultivation journey now. It would take time for her to be strong.

    In the near future, she would be essentially defenseless if someone had malicious intentions towards her. Thinking back on how she ended up as a ve and that final bidder who wanted to win her ve deed at outrageous cost, Duncan became a little apprehensive.

    Moreover, he still remembered the feeling of being watched while he brought Leia back to his courtyard. It was most likely that they didn''t make a move because of the strict security implemented by the Dark Star City due to the uing auction.

    Duncan didn''t think that he was much of a deterrence. He was only at the Spirit Sea realm. While his actualbat power was higher, not many people knew of it. Even his master didn''t know about his bloodline being awakened.

    Without that knowledge, a Spirit Sea realm cultivator wasn''t much of a threat. So, the other party either must have other goals or they must be waiting for the security measures in the city to rx before making a move.

    Considering that Leia was sold at an auction house, Duncan didn''t think it was the second reason. If they had scruples making a move in the Dark Star City, they could have attacked the convoy that transported Leia and could have kidnapped her earlier.

    That meant, the most likely reason for them holding their breath was for some other unknown reason. The other party most likely didn''t expect his interference. They didn''t want to raise a fuss trying to kidnap Leia. So, they had acted low-key and had wanted to buy her during the auction.

    His sudden appearance might have derailed their ns. Considering that they lost to him in a bidding war, Duncan didn''t think the other party had a very influential background either. Duncan knew his weight very well. He wasn''t a wealthy cultivator. Most of his wealth came from robbing others.

    It can''t be said the same for a n. If the other party had some influential background, they could have outbid Duncan easily. But, that wasn''t a guarantee either.

    Leia''s selling price was already outrageous. He had jacked up the price to a whole new level to deterpetition. Even then, they had tried to make a y. But, they could have also backed down not wanting to cause a scene.

    Regardless of whether they had status or not, one thing was clear to Duncan. They didn''t want others to notice their actions. That gave some breathing room for Leia. Even then, Duncan was a little apprehensive about leaving such a hidden danger to Leia.

    If he was powerful enough, he could have hunted down these people and made sure they wouldn''t be a hidden danger to Leia. But, he wasn''t that powerful yet. Still, something about leaving these vipers stalking Leia didn''t sit well with him. He very much wanted to take his sword and cut through them like he did with the Wang n.

    Even though he and Leia weren''t in a serious rtionship, she was the only woman whom he had some rtionship to speak of at present. Moreover, in these few days, they have gotten a lot closer as well. Duncan felt a little protective towards her in his heart.

    Unknown to him, Duncan''s face turned cold as he began to think about this matter. Leia who had wanted to show off to Duncan and share her joy, saw his face bing colder by second and became a little hesitant to approach him.

    "Duncanˇ­" Leia called hesitantly.

    Hearing Leia calling him, Duncan came out of his morose thoughts and looked up at her. Seeing her looking at him hesitantly, he shed her a reassuring smile and congratted her on introducing qi into her body.

    After sharing her joy with her and instructing her on basic precautions she needed to take, Duncan broached the topic of her safety in a hesitant manner. Duncan never thought Leia to be a weak flower. For someone who can work as a mercenary and brave danger with others in the forest, danger wasn''t a new thing. Still, he wanted her to remain vignt.

    "Leia, listen carefully," Duncan spoke in a serious tone causing Leia to perk her ears up. "No matter what, you need to ensure that you are in a secluded ce every time you undergo a breakthrough. Do not ever attempt to break through if you can''t guarantee your privacy."

    "Why? Is there anything worrying?"

    Leia wasn''t a fool either. She knew that whatever Duncan wanted to tell was very important. If not, he wouldn''t be this serious.

    "When you introduced qi into your body, a strange pattern appeared on your forehead," Duncan exined after taking a deep breath. "Don''t search for it. It is gone now. It only appeared for a moment. But, it gave off an ancient feeling. I think it is most likely rted to your bloodline."

    "In the next few days, I will monitor you while you cultivate. We will see if it reappears. If not, it will most likely only appear while you undergo a breakthrough and progress in your strength. This is not unheard of. But, things like these are rtively rare. So, unless you are in imminent danger, do not do anything that might cause you to reveal this pattern," Duncan exined calmly.

    Leia nodded seriously hearing Duncan''s words. She wasn''tpletely na?ve. The little bit of naivety she had waspletely ripped away after her recent experience. She had been a mercenary for some time. She knew the saying of those who had treasure but were weak only had themselves to me.

    "Furthermore, there is another thing that I want to talk to you about. Forgive me, if Ie off as prying into your privacy. But, I don''t think you got sold as a vepletely because of your bad decisions. I think there is someone who has their eyes on you," Duncan spoke frankly causing Leia''s eyes to widen a bit.

    "You shouldn''t have been sold for such a high amount. No disrespect to you, but you were really not worth that much. But, at the auction, there was someone else apart from me who was interested in buying you despite the outrageous price. That needs to be taken note of."

    "Moreover, on the way back to the courtyard, I felt someone keeping tabs on us. I didn''t feel that feeling when I went outside a few days ago. So, I think they are keeping tabs on you," Duncan said causing Leia''s eyes to shrink.

    "You mean, they are interested in me because of something," Leia asked in a worried voice.

    "I don''t know. But, my guess is that it is rted to your bloodline. The pattern that emerged now only confirms my suspicions. However, you don''t need to worry about them making a move forcefully," Duncan patted her head trying to calm her down.

    He then went on to exin his analysis of their motives and his guess regarding them not wanting to cause a scene in order to reassure her. Duncan also pointed out that they would most likelye to contact her in the future to bring about whatever nefarious scheme they had been hatching in the dark.

    Leia vaguely understood what Duncan was trying to tell her. She wasn''t ignorant of sweet poisons. She had roamed the world for several years before this. She too knew of people with ulterior motives keeping tabs on people who they are interested in.

    Leia''s expression became hard and she began to review the events that happened to her from a whole new angle. As she slowly sorted out her thoughts, she began to see someone puppeteering her life from the dark. She didn''t know what they wanted, but it was clear that they didn''t want to kill her.

    She obviously had some use for them. While she didn''t know what it was, she was confident that they wouldn''t kill her right away. If they wanted to kill her, they had countless chances. However, they only wanted to control her so she remained alive until now.

    Once she figured out that her life wasn''t in immediate danger, Leia calmed down considerably. Her mind started to whirl and she began to realize how timely Duncan''s intervention was.

    With how broken she was at that time, any random helper would have earned her life-long loyalty. If the maniptor behind the scenes wanted to control her, then it might have been the perfect time to do something. They most likely had some other n, but Duncan''s arrival had derailed them it seems.

    Her gratitude towards Duncan only increased as she realized this. She thanked her lucky stars that Duncan decided to join their mercenary team when he came to Starmist City.

    If not for him, she wouldn''t even know how she got sold. And what would be the worst was that she would even be counting the money for them after they sold her. The despair in her heart vanished as she realized that she wasn''t unlucky, but had been plotted at.

    The maniptor may hide behind the scenes for now. But, they would surelye out into the open after some time and try to get in touch with her. Now that she knew about this, she would be warier in her future dealings with people.

    Deep in her heart, a fire seemed to ignite at this moment.

    *****

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 Chapter 224 Leias Thoughts

    ?

    Duncan watched as various emotions slid across Leia''s face.

    Watching her panicking at the beginning to calming down soon, and then thinking deeply about her experiences in the past year, Duncan realized that he didn''t need to worry about Leia much.

    Leia wasn''t someone soft. It was true that the recent events had broken her down. But, with a little help, she had bounced back from it in a firm manner. Now seeing that firm look on her face, Duncan knew she could take care of herself pretty well.

    Especially when Leia sported a slightly murderous look at the end, Duncan knew that she waspletely back to her normal self by now. That murderous look on her face didn''t disturb him at all. Rather, it only endeared her to him more.

    Shaking his head, Duncan left Leia to her thoughts.

    Leia''s thoughts were on a whole different tangent at this moment. After realizing the implications of Duncan''s words and knowing that her life wasn''t in immediate danger, Leia''s thoughts turned towards the maniptor who had been ying with her life from the shadows.

    While she wasn''t someone who wanted to kill people for small quarrels, the quarrel she had with this person was very personal. The maniptor had almost made her into a puppet. They had broken her downpletely and had made her wallow in despair for weeks.

    She didn''t want to let whoever it was to get off easily. She wanted the maniptor to pay a heavy price. Now that she knew their intentions, she would be waiting for them to deliver themselves to her door. And when the timees, she would stick her knife deep in their back as well.

    Taking a deep breath, Leia came back from her thoughts and saw that Duncan was already back to meditation. She felt a sh of disappointment in her heart. But, she didn''t want to push Duncan to obtain more. He had already done enough for her. Without him, she shuddered to even think about her current situation if not for him.

    Leia calmed herself and began thinking about what she would do after Duncan left. Initially, she didn''t want Duncan to leave her. So, she didn''t want to think about her future after Duncan left. But, Duncan had been firm in his opinion that he was a danger to be around. So, she could only let go of her unrealistic thoughts.

    In the past four days, Leia had also begun to realize how big of a power gap existed between cultivators. Before this, all cultivators almost looked the same to her when it came to power ¨C unimaginable and mythical.

    However, after listening to Duncan''s words in the past few days, she realized that the difference between cultivators at different cultivation realms was infinitely magnified. The more deep their cultivation, the more mysterious their powers became.

    Duncan had once shown her an example with the help of his martial arts cultivation. That''s when she realized that even among cultivators at the same level there were differences in power. Hearing Duncan speak that he could take on even cultivators at the early-stage Violet Pce realm, Leia understood that Duncan had the potential to be a very strong cultivator in the future.

    After realizing that, Leia also began to look inward. From her experience, she knew any unequal rtionship would never have a proper ending. She also realized that her feelings for Duncan might run very deep.

    Logically, Leia knew that Duncan''s actions were very coincidental and he didn''te for her particrly. But, even then, his actions gave her a new lease on life. It was enough for her. Somewhere in the past week, her feelings for Duncan had changed into something different.

    She wouldn''t call it love yet. But, there was deep affection towards Duncan within her heart. Moreover, Duncan was incredible in the bed. If possible, she wanted to keep him all for herself and enjoy the way he used her for a long time.

    But, she knew that a man like Duncan would never settle for a single woman. Even when he was mortal, Duncan was a lusty beast. It was clear to her that with the increase in his power, Duncan''s bestial nature had only grown even more stronger. And from what she could see, it would only grow stronger in the future.

    When she realized this, she began to think about how to keep hold of Duncan as much as possible. Leia understood that for that to happen, she must be more memorable than other women that Duncan took to bed. That''s why she yed up the ve aspect and tried to give Duncan something only she could give.

    But, Leia also gradually recognized that her body was too weak. Whenpared to the mortals she had been with, Duncan''s superhuman strength almost broke her. And Duncan''s strength would only grow as time progressed. If she didn''t be stronger in the future, then even if Duncan wanted he wouldn''t be able to use her at all.

    That thought almost sent her into a panic. Leia could only smile deprecatingly at that. She never expected that she would change so much. But, her feelings were true and her heart didn''t lie. She wanted to hold on to Duncan as much as possible and for as long as possible.

    Then, the only way for that to happen was for her to be stronger.

    The difference in power levels between mortals was rtively manageable. But, when it came to the difference between a mortal and a cultivator, they changed drastically. She didn''t want Duncan to make gentle love to her. She wanted him to use her. Take her forcefully like he did the first time and shatter her mind. After experiencing such a thing, she didn''t want to settle for a tamer version.

    After figuring these things out, Leia dedicated herself to cultivation wholeheartedly in the morning. She dutifully absorbed everything Duncan told her about cultivation. And the results were evident as well. She could feel her progress intuitively whenever she entered meditation.

    She also realized that Duncan was also helping her secretly in some other way. Her body strength had almost doubled sincest week. Every time she woke up with bruises and took a portion of the medical pill to resolve them, she could feel her body strengthening more and more. The time taken for her to resolve the power of the medical pill portion was also beginning to shorten.

    Even though she could feel her strength beginning to rise drastically every night, she realized that the gap between her and Duncan was already huge. She didn''t want the gap to widen further. So, she worked hard to introduce qi into her body.

    The moment she felt qi enter her body, she immediately realized how big the gap was. From being a mortal to someone who only introduced qi into her body, Leia felt as if a whole new world had opened.

    Her senses felt sharp. She could feel the qi entering into her body and traveling through the route Duncan had instructed on. Everything felt surreal. She even felt that her entire body possessed much more strength while holding qi.

    The first thought that came to her mind at that time was how much difference would it make to have such sharp senses when indulging in carnal pleasure with Duncan. That thought almost made her break out of her trance. She really wanted to try that at least once before Duncan left.

    As she sat in her futon and drew more qi into her body, Leia realized that she rather liked the feeling of having such sharp senses. She didn''t if everyone experienced such a sharp increase in their senses after cultivating, but she kinda liked it. She didn''t want to ever let go of this feeling.

    Guiding the qi she drew into her body into the pattern that Duncan taught her, Leia felt the desire to be more and more powerful for the first time in her life. Not to keep hold of Duncan, not to make that maniptor pay, but just to see how sharp her senses could get as she progressed in her cultivation.

    To each their own.

    While others wanted power to destroy or dominate people, Leia wanted to see how much better her senses could be with more power in her body. What she didn''t know was that the people of the Spirit n were blessed with sharp senses due to their bloodline. Their typical senses are five times stronger than an average person''s.

    This sharp increase came because of the increase in their spirit power. This was unique to their n. Members of the Spirit n always had a stronger spirit than other people. When they begin to cultivate, the spirit power they possess will grow by leaps and bounds. Those who haven''t unlocked their bloodline will never experience such a sharp increase in their senses just by introducing qi into their body.

    That is one of the reasons that fail to step into the Violet Pce realm. To establish a proper foundational pir, the spirit power requirement for Spirit n members wasparatively higher than ordinary cultivators. This was something unique to their bloodline.

    This higher spirit power made the Spirit n members masters of auxiliary upation in the cultivation world. Whether it was artifact crafting, pill concocting, beast taming, talisman crafting, array creation, or any other auxiliary profession in the cultivation world, the requirements of spirit power are very high.

    The higher the spirit power one has, the easier it will be for them to practice these professions and progress faster in them. This caused the Spirit n members to be very influential in the upper realms. This was something that was inherently unique to her.

    It was no wonder she got lost in such a feelingˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 225 Blue Wind Society Halls Shocking Announcement

    ?

    When one indulges in cultivation wholeheartedly, one wouldn''t notice time flying by. With both Duncan and Leia concentrating on cultivation, the remaining days until the auction began went by quickly.

    After the increase in her senses, Leia got her wish of experiencing Duncan''s ministrations under heightened senses the very night she introduced qi into her body. What she felt at that time was so wonderful and fulfilling that Leia was even more motivated to cultivate further.

    Even her improvement in understanding the principles that governed alchemy also rose sharply. It was like being injected with chicken blood. Leia fell in love with cultivation and just couldn''t get enough of it.

    If not for Duncan forcing her to practice swordy, she wouldn''t even waste time with martial arts. Alchemy was where her interestsy. That and improving her senses. But, Duncan refused to listen to her and made her practice martial arts regrly.

    Duncan, on the other hand, was bemused by how involved Leia had be with alchemy. He realized that with such interest, it would only be a matter of time before she could be a certified alchemist. And he didn''t think she would take that long for that as well.

    The material he had bought for her to study was only at the entry-level. Even though she had enough knowledge of herbs to satisfy entry-level requirements, that was only up to the initial grade of entry-level. There were different grades even among entry-level alchemists.

    The material he had brought to her could satisfy the knowledge required topletely master all grades at the entry-level. She also only had knowledge regarding herbs and how to mix them. Apart from that, there are other knowledge requirements to be an alchemist like heat control, pill concoction, material processing, and so on.

    So, Duncan wasn''t worried that Leia would run out of material to study any time soon. But, looking at her enthusiasm, Duncan didn''t think it would take long for her to master everything he had given her. At most a year, Duncan didn''t think she would need more time than that.

    But, Duncan also knew that it wasn''t just enough to be proficient in alchemy. This world was inherently dangerous. If you don''t have enough abilities to defend yourself, you can only end up getting bullied. Moreover, there was someone in the shadows eyeing her as well.

    So, Duncan didn''t allow her to ck off in martial cultivation. Strength was the foundation of everything. He could only hope that she doesn''t stop practicing after he leaves. It was clear to him that unlike him, her heart was never in martial techniques.

    Apart from forcing Leia to practice, Duncan was also consolidating his foundation further. He had assumed earlier that his cultivation couldn''t be consolidated further anymore. But, he had been wrong.

    After utilizing the <Coiling Dragon Sutra>, Duncan realized that there was a blindspot in his cultivation. He didn''t strengthen his body to the maximum. His focus has only been on his qi cultivation. He had never thought much about his body.

    Normally, it wasn''t much of an issue. Most cultivators rarely focused on increasing their body strength to the maximum at each level. Unless they are body cultivators, most cultivators were content with the strength of their body and never focused particrly on increasing their body strength.

    However, Duncan wanted to establish a legendary foundation while stepping into the Violet Pce realm. So, he didn''t want such an obvious blindspot to exist in his cultivation.

    Furthermore, Duncan remembered the time when he had used that steele in the Grotto Heaven to test his body strength. At that time, he had tried to increase his body strength to be above average. And it had aided him well during his battles in the Grotto Heaven.

    Remembering that tidbit, Duncan wanted to increase his body strength as much as possible in theing week. Unfortunately, he didn''t have a technique to increase his body strength. The various methods he used to increase in the Grotto Heaven were already outdated and had no impact on his current body. The only thing he could use currently to increase his body strength was the <Coiling Dragon Sutra>.

    Duncan wasn''t shy of using it either. Because of this reason, he took as much time as possible each night to increase the duration of cultivating <Coiling Dragon Sutra>. It was Leia who bore the burden of his increased practice. But, it didn''t look like she wasining about it.

    After practicing <Coiling Dragon Sutra> all night, Duncan used the morning to consolidate his cultivation regrly. Apart from instructing Leia and consolidating his gains from the night, Duncan also spent some time trying to understand the various martial arts he had in his possession.

    After enriching his martial arts knowledge, Duncan nned on giving these techniques to Leia. So, he was pretty busy every day as well. Duncan also took some time one day and tried to test his theory about people still keeping tabs on Leia''s location.

    He took her out one evening and roamed the city hiding their identity under the masks. Sure enough, he could feel someone watching them from a distance. Duncan didn''t tip the other party off. He calmly spent the time with Leia and returned to the courtyard.

    After confirming his guess, Duncan let go of his worry about Leia''s safety after he leaves.

    As for when he was nning to leave, Duncan initially wanted to leave on the day of the auction. But, after heading out and listening to the news in pubs one night, he realized that showing himself when all these bigshots from various sects are gathered was not an ideal thing to do.

    The situation in the Greenwood Forest had changed drastically that, it had rmed almost every sect in the region. They were all keeping an eye on the situation. His presence there had been an ident, but by now every faction would know about his presence in that area before things went to shit.

    He didn''t want some random Golden Core elder of some sect to be suspicious of him and take action. His n for obtaining enough ughter qi hinged on luring away those so-called young talents and ughtering them. Getting noticed by the elders will only be detrimental to him.

    He already had a very simple but effective n in ce. He didn''t want to jeopardize it by being hasty. So, he decided to wait for a few more days for all these big shots to leave the city and head towards the Greenwood Forest.

    After all, everyone was now currently concerned about the development of the issue at Greenwood Forest. If not for this auction that already announced Millenium Spirit Milk as one of the products that was being sold, Duncan was sure that the elders of various sects would have gone there already.

    Once the auction ends, these people will surely head towards the Greenwood Forest. Once they are away from the city, he will implement his n and slip through the cracks.

    So, Duncan postponed his departure by a few days and waited patiently for the auction to end. It was not as if he wasn''t enjoying his stay in the city either. Leia was simply incrediblepany to have. If possible, he wanted to stay for some more time as well.

    Thus, the day of the auction arrived and the entire city was in a festive atmosphere.

    Meanwhile, Duncan and Leia acted as if all the excitement outside had nothing to do with them. They went about their day like they usually did. Neither wanted to break their schedule and join in the fun outside.

    Only when the evening came did Duncan take Leia outside to stroll the city and collect news. While he knew that the auction had nothing to do with him, Duncan was also curious as to what other surprises were unveiled during the auction. Moreover, he wanted to know if the big shots had left the city as well.

    The major auction that everyone had been talking about ended smoothly without anyplications. Not that anyone ever doubted the auction would go off without a hitch. After all, the power of the Blue Wind Society Hall was there and even the Dark Star City had a vested interest in ensuring the sess of the auction. So, no problems arose with the auction.

    However, a piece of major news came from the auction hall and ended up being the biggest talking point that everyone discussed. Even the auctioning of rare treasures like Millenium Spirit Milk, heaven-grade weapons, and other eye-catching news was overshadowed by a single announcement made by the Blue Wind Society Hall during the auction.

    At the end of the auction, the Blue Wind Society Hall announced that simr grand auctions will be held henceforth in major cities all over the world every month. That single announcement shook the hearts of everyone who heard the news.

    One has to understand how rare it was for the Blue Wind Society Hall to hold such a major auction. But now, they announced that simr auctions were to be held every month in all the major cities all over the world.

    The amount of treasures that were required to hold auctions of such level alone made everyone''s heart beat erratically. Moreover, if a faction had such arge amount of treasures, why did they even need to conduct auctions like this? Wouldn''t it be better to use it to increase their own power?

    Such a strange announcement made everyone break their heads trying to understand what was going on. Even Duncan''s eyes shrank in surprise and his mind started whirling after learning about this news. He found it hard to believe that Blue Wind Society Hall was being generous with no purpose.

    While everyone broke their heads trying to figure out what caused such a change, the news gradually broke that this was the joint effort of all the hegemonic sects and major powers from all over the world. The reason for them to do such a generous act was because of the Grand Event that was going to be held in seven years.

    This was the first time Duncan heard about the Grand Event that was going to be held in seven years. He was really curious to know more about what kind of event would cause all the major powers in the world to unite and be this generous. Even his master hadn''t mentioned such a rare event that was going to happen soon.

    Seven years wasn''t long for cultivators.

    Duncan wanted to know about this Grand Event very much. s! There wasn''t any more information about the Grand Event forting. All everyone knew was that the major powers across the world paid great importance to this event and this was one of their ways to prepare for that event.

    Regardless of everything else, Duncan noted down this Grand Event in his mind. If possible, he wanted to see what kind of Grand Event could cause such an uproar in the cultivation world.

    *****

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 Chapter 226 Departure

    ?

    Soon, the time for Duncan to depart from Dark Star City came.

    "You can remain safe here in the Dark Star City. The city''s rule stating every non-native must wear a mask is advantageous to you. Once I leave, leave this courtyard and find a quiet ce to stay and cultivate," Duncan said looking at Leia seriously.

    Leia had a downcast look on her face. Despite that, she seemed to be listening intently to Duncan''sst-minute instructions.

    "I will leave all the spirit stones I have in my possession with you. You don''t need to be burned. This may look a lot, but in essence, you will realize that I am not leaving you much, as you progress in your cultivation," Duncan said handing a storage ring to her.

    "In this ring, there are all the herbs that are not of use to me. I have also ced all the spirit stones I have in possession along with some martial arts manuals I have collected so far. The history of where it came from is not pleasant. They were collected from cultivators that I have killed, so be careful about their origins. If anyone asks, tell them you bought them from a loose cultivator," Duncan stressed looking at Leia, causing her to nod.

    "The spirit stones I have given you will be enough for you to get by for a year or so. Your cultivation has just reached the first stage of Qi Gathering. You can use these spirit stones to cultivate and progress faster. They aren''t that useful to me due to my cultivation technique."

    "On the other hand, you can use them to buy materials for your alchemy practice and also use them to cultivate. They can also be used for taking care of living expenses. With this, you won''t have any need to go out and earn spirit stones for cultivation."

    "Once you be stronger, by that I mean to be in at least theter stages of the Qi Gathering realm, you can head to the Alchemy Association and take their alchemy examination. Do not showcase your full talent. Just show them enough to pass the exam. You can reveal your talent in alchemy slowly."

    "Once you start to reveal your talent, you will attract countless eyes. Alchemists are the most coveted type of cultivators for sects and ns to win over. Do not join any n. The ns may offer higher joining conditions, but in reality, that will be just a dead end. No matter how talented you are, you can never be one of them. Thus, you will never have true power in the ns if you are an outsider," Duncan said looking at Leia.

    "Can''t I remain a loose cultivator?" Leia asked in doubt.

    "You can, but only those who are talentless will remain so. Being a loose cultivator might look to be a very attractive option. You think you can roam around freely and do whatever you want, but the reality is far harsher than that," Duncan sighed.

    "As a loose cultivator, you will not have the necessary resources to progress in your cultivation. The cultivation technique I gave you is just a basic one. With that, you can enter the Spirit Sea realm at the most. What are you going to do after that? Can you obtain a cultivation technique that ispatible with alchemy cultivation on your own?"

    "Moreover,rger sects contain inheritances from experts. If you can obtain an inheritance from an alchemy expert, you will be like a tiger with wings. With your talent in alchemy and passion, it will only be a matter of time before you soar. But, the prerequisite is that you have apatible cultivation technique and wouldn''t run out of resources," Duncan instructed carefully.

    "You can''t obtain them by being a loose cultivator. The difficulty of such a possibility to ur is incredibly low. However, ns and sects already have them in their scripture halls. By joining them, you can take advantage of their resources and be stronger with fewer detours."

    "Why are you telling me not to join a n? Apart from holding true power, I don''t see any disadvantages there. I don''t care much for power either. So, shouldn''t I be considering them as well?" Leia asked curiously.

    "Whether you care for power or not, you should not close down that road. In a sect, the background of everyone is different. People from all walks of life will be present. Your presence wouldn''t make much of an impact there. However, it is different in a n. You will stand out like a sore thumb. Moreover, the highest you can rise to within a n is to be a Guest Elder. That is like a paper tiger in front of true descendants of the n," Duncan shook his head.

    "They will use you to their benefit and wouldn''t care about your progress truly. They will also use you as a shield and cut you off when a situation turns dire. That''s like sending yourself to the door of a butcher. In my opinion, such an act is incredibly foolish," Duncan said shooting a stern look at Leia.

    "In a sect, you may not obtain more privileges in the start. But, the upside is that, as long as you are talented, you will rise up and upy more resources as you progress in your cultivation. Your bloodline is unique and your talent in cultivation is not bad. So, a sect is the best destination for you. The higher the grade of the sect, the better it will be for you," Duncan exined his reasonings seriously causing Leia to nod contently.

    "Do you have any other questions?" Duncan asked looking over.

    "When will I meet you again?" Leia asked causing Duncan to pause and look at her scrutinizingly.

    Leia flushed involuntarily under his gaze. Duncan wasn''t unaware that Leia was reluctant to part with him. But, he had his own things to do. Moreover, his presence would bring Leia into trouble as well. While he had enjoyed his time with her, Duncan knew that such leisurely days couldn''tst long.

    This was like the calm before the storm in his life. He knew what he was going to do would surely cause great hatred towards him amongst most sects in the continent. But, this was the path he had determined for himself. He had no one else to me.

    Once he stepped out of this city, his life would be filled with blood and death. He will be constantly hunted down by righteous cultivators after this. Unless he became truly powerful like his master, he could never rx his guard.

    As for obtaining sanctuary in his sect afterpleting his deed, Duncan felt uneasy even thinking about his sect. The events in the Greenwood Forest haven''t been concluded yet. No one knew the perpetrator. But, Duncan felt in his gut that his sect was involved in some way.

    Duncan didn''t want to go back to the sect unless there was no other option. He thought it would be prudent to stay away from the sect for now and watch how the wind blew. If things turn sour for the sect, he can escape rtively unscathed. If the sect prevailed with their madness, he could always head back.

    It was better to avoid the chaos for now.

    But, no matter the end result, what it meant for him now was that he had nowhere else to go for sanctuary at least in the short term. He would need to live in the wild and act more or less like a loose cultivator while being hunted by the righteous sects.

    He didn''t want Leia to be involved in such a life. He wanted her to have a peaceful life unlike him. That''s why he decisively left her behind. As for Leia''s question on when they can meet next, Duncan didn''t have a clear answer.

    "Cultivate well," Duncan patted her head and looked away. "If there is fate, we will definitely meet again."

    Leia heard his words and felt heavy in her heart. But, before she could voice anything, Duncan took out the ve deed and sent a burst of qi into it. The deed was torn into shreds.

    At that exact moment, the cor on her neck clicked and sprang open. The cor fell off Leia, causing her to stand there in a daze.

    "Leia, you are free now," Duncan smiled at her and moved closer to kiss her onest time before his departure. "What you make of your life is now up to you."

    With those words, Duncan decisively turned away and walked out of the courtyard without looking back at her. Leia stood there in a daze and watched him go without uttering any sound. She looked transfixed watching him walk away from her in the evening sun.

    As Duncan walked out of the ce he had rented his courtyard, he felt determined to do things his way. He knew Leia was reluctant to part with him. But, this was the path he had decided to walk on.

    On his face was the same nk wooden mask he had entered the city with. In his hands was his trusty sword that was eager to drink more blood. In his heart, there was an intent to ughter to his heart''s content.

    Even if the heavens fall tomorrow, they can only do so after he had bathed to his content in blood. No one and nothing could stop him from establishing the legendary foundation anymore.

    *****

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 Chapter 227 Duncans Provocation

    ?

    At the city gates of the Dark Star Cityˇ­

    A long line of people stood before the gates as they discussed the recent auction that was held in the city. Countless exmations were heard as people marveled over the various treasures that were auctioned.

    The Blue Wind Society Hall''s announcement and the major factions joining together to promote the Grand Event that was going to happen in seven years was in everyone''s mouth. Even when they didn''t know what the Grand Event entailed, everyone couldn''t help specting about it.

    The long line of people waiting to enter the city was rowdy at the moment.

    On the other end, there wasn''t anyone conspicuous that was waiting to get out of the city. Due to geographical reasons and political reasons, the Dark Star City only had one gate.

    Whenever a beast tide urred, the Dark Star City would bear the heaviest burden while defending against the tide. Hence, due to safety concerns and other rted concerns, the Dark Star City only had one gate.

    Hence, there was always traffic on the road that led to the gate.

    But, with Dark Star City bing more prominent after the recent auction, there weren''t many people waiting to go out. Most wanted to spend time in the city and check out the various rumors they had heard.

    At this moment, a lone figure walked towards the gate, from inside the city, in a conspicuous manner. The figure had a nk mask on its face and it was carrying nothing but a sword.

    However, the murderous aura that was emanating from the figure was enough to cause several people to look over. As they watched, the figure approached the gates and stopped. Seeing this, everyone became anxious.

    Everyone knew that the security in the Dark Star City was really tight. The City Guard of the Dark Star City was no joke. Provoking them was tantamount to signing a death warrant. Seeing someone dare to do such a thing really made people anxious.

    The figure didn''t make any moves. But, the murderous aura and its presence alone was enough to cause chaos among the people present. Those who were waiting in line to enter the city, backed away slightly not willing to get entangled in these issues.

    The figure merely nced at them and looked away. It looked as if it was waiting for something. Soon, the entire area around the figure had be deserted. The City Guards were watching this as well.

    Unlike others, they weren''t in a hurry to distance themselves. Even then, they frowned slightly seeing this person standing there exuding a murderous aura. Most of the guards were in the Spirit Sea realm. They intuitively felt that the figure was very dangerous, but they weren''t really worried. They were waiting for their captain toe over.

    The captain soon noticed this incident and quickly made his way over. He was in the early stages of Violet Pce realm. He could clearly see the cultivation of the figure. The figure was only at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm. However, even he felt dread looking at the murderous aura emanating from the figure.

    While he knew logically that a Spirit Sea realm cultivator creating a ruckus in the city was akin to asking for death, the primal part of him didn''t care about it. Even if more powerful members of the City Guard came over and subdued the figureter, if something happened to him, there would be nowhere to cry.

    Everyone was selfish. No one wanted to put their lives on the line. Moreover, this city was frequented by not just righteous cultivators. Even demonic cultivators frequented the city. Looking at the murderous air, even if he thought with his foot, he would be able to identify the figure''s affiliation.

    But, he also realized that this was causing a scene already and people were looking at the figure. The other guards had the excuse that the figure''s cultivation level was higher. But, he didn''t have such a convenient excuse.

    If he didn''t step up and let the scene prolong, he would be severely reprimanded and would never obtain another promotion. So, he gritted his teeth and walked up to the figure to enquire why he was creating a scene.

    Just as he neared the figure, he felt the figure''s eyes train on him. His feet froze. His knees started trembling a little. Being stared at by the figure, the captain felt primal fear course through him.

    In that moment, he knew instinctively that he would die if the figure made a move. Despite the difference in cultivation levels, he didn''t think he couldst even one round with that figure.

    "I heard that a bunch of imbeciles want to hunt me down," the figure spoke in a calm tone that sent shivers across the captain''s spine. "As much as I would have liked to rip them apart and crunch their hearts under my boot, I respect the precepts set forth by the Blood Mask Governor. So, I won''t take care of them in the city."

    The figure paused and removed the nk mask he wore gently.

    "My name is Duncan. I am from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Tell that imbeciles who are looking for me toe find me. I will wait for them for two days on the hill, fifty kilometers from here in the southern direction. Talk is cheap. Let them prove to the world they aren''t a bunch of cowards."

    The figure threw the nk mask at the captain and calmly walked out of the gate in the southern direction. Until the figure disappeared in everyone''s vision, no one spoke. But, the moment the figure disappeared on the horizon, chaos broke out immediately.

    The news of Duncan''s challenge traveled like wildfire throughout the city. Those interested parties who had been looking for information regarding Duncan in the city were stunned.

    They sent over Duncan''s challenge to their respective superiors quickly not daring to hide one bit. Within the hour, every young talent who had been looking around for Duncan to make a name heard about Duncan''s challenge.

    They couldn''t believe this person''s audacity and courage. Duncan hadn''t said much, but those short sentences he had said were like thorns in their eyes. They were all arrogant people themselves. But, this guy seemed more arrogant than them.

    Recalling how he had behaved dismissively towards them in the Greenwood Forest, everyone''s eyes turned red. They couldn''t tolerate such disrespect. Words like talk is cheap seemed to sting their hearts directly.

    These young talents were all like cats whose tails were stepped on. They immediately set off in the direction Duncan had told them that he would be waiting for them in haste.

    *****

    Duncan''s n had been simple.

    Since all these people wanted to hunt him down, then he would release his location publicly. They wanted to hunt him down. He wanted to kill them. There was no need to talk too much and discuss about why they wanted to hunt him down.

    Anyway, he would figure it out when they came to the location he specified and ran their mouth. As for why he used such provocative words, Duncan knew well about the pride these so-called young talents possessed. By needling them a bit, they would rush out to clear their name.

    Duncan didn''t want to waste any more time. He had already postponed his breakthrough to the Violet Pce realm for a long time now. One thing after the other came up preventing him from breaking through to the Violet Pce realm.

    He was slightly worried that if he dyed even for a small time, something else would happen putting a stop to his schemes. He wanted to kill these so-called young talents and collect the ughter qi from massacring them. He wanted to bathe in their blood and let the entire world know that they couldn''t target him willy-nilly.

    If they dared to target him, then they must be prepared to bet with their lives. Duncan didn''t like being eyed like a steak on a roadside stall by every righteous cultivator. Only by making a name for himself can he deter those who weren''t strong enough from having designs on him.

    Hence, he had been prepared tomit a brutal massacre to let everyone know that he wasn''t easy to mess with. Provoking these hotheads toe after him was part of his n as well.

    He had prepared everything meticulously for this to go off without a hitch. Even the location he had picked out was carefully chosen. The timing he chose was also when most of the senior cultivators of the sects were camping near the Greenwood Forest.

    Once he was done with his deed, he even had his exit route prepared. Everything was in ce. All he needed now was for those arrogant brats toe to him and get ughtered.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan climbed to the peak of the small hill he had chosen as his location and waited for his prey toe knockingˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 228 Why Dont You All Come At Me Together?

    ?

    Dark Star City was a prominent ce in the Dragon Scale Continent.

    Due to its proximity to the Grasnds, the locality around it is not unknown to people. If you travel east from the Dark Star City, you will enter the ins that will merge into the Grasnds if you travel further. This route was rtively barren and had very few ces to hide.

    On the west, is the road that leads to the Star Empire interior. This route can be used by those who enter from the Grasnds if they want to head into the Star Empire further. The route will directly lead one to the heart of the Star Empire ¨C its capital city.

    If one headed north from the city, they would reach other cities that border the Grasnds like Starmist City. Traveling further would lead directly to the border between the Star Empire and Wei Kingdom.

    The southern direction was filled with wilderness. The reason for that was because of its proximity to the Ancient Battleground, a forbidden zone that very few dare to enter unless absolutely necessary.

    Duncan had chosen this hill in the south exactly because he knew the terrain around the city pretty well. Heading towards the Grasnds might look to be the safest bet for him. But, everyone would be expecting him to retreat back to the Grasnds andy low.

    Moreover, Duncan didn''t want to enter the Grasnds anytime soon. He wanted to avoid the turmoil in the Heavenly Demon Sect. The best way to aplish that was to be not present in the area.

    As for heading west, Duncan wasn''t a fool to try that. The west was where the various sects were located. Things like hiding right under their nose would sound great and exciting to hear about, but the danger level was pretty high. So, that route was never under his consideration at all.

    Thus, Duncan was left with two options. Either travel north, cross the border between the Star Empire and the Wei Kingdom and disappear into the Wei Kingdom. Or travel south, lose the pursuers in the wilderness, skirt around the edges of the forbidden ground, and enter the numerous small kingdoms present on the other side where the average cultivation level was low.

    To Duncan, it was a no-brainer. He was clear on his choice. If he traveled north, he must cross the border of a first-rate kingdom first and then try to lose his pursuers in an unfamiliarnd, where they would have help from their counterparts in the Wei Kingdom. That was not easy.

    On the other hand, losing people in the wilderness can be done easily. Moreover, Duncan always feltfortable in the wilderness. He felt that his experience in the wilderness would aid him a lot as well.

    As for these sects getting from the small kingdoms after he entered that region, Duncan wasn''t worried about it at all. The rtive strength of sects and ns in the small kingdom was only at the Violet Pce stage. Duncan was confident of dealing with them.

    Hence, he selected the southern direction to escape in. That''s why he picked this hill in the south direction of the city to stage his massacre. Duncan''s speed had always been top-notch.

    After exiting the city, he had rushed here to wait for his pursuers. He already had a one-hour lead against his counterparts. Moreover, he knew the exact ce he wanted to go.

    They, on the other hand, had to search the surrounding region and finally arrive here. Thus, it took his pursuers some time to catch up to him. Duncan passed time leisurely with wine in his hand waiting for the fish to enter the.

    *****

    When the young talents of every sect who were residing in Dark Star City at the moment heard about the provocative words uttered by Duncan, they were all enraged.

    They immediately dropped everything they were doing and set off in pursuit of Duncan. As most of them heard the news at the same time, some were even chatting together when the news arrived, they started to run into each other within a few miles out of the city.

    Knowing that they all had the same destination and goal in mind, they grouped up with whoever they came across and headed toward the mentioned location. The City Guards and those who were standing in line saw arge number of young talents exit one after the other from the city and couldn''t help but be curious as well.

    Some busybodies started following them, while others entered the city and spread the word around. By the end of the second hour, the topic of Duncan from the Heavenly Demon Sect challenging all the young talents on the continent became the hottest topic in the city streets.

    While the discussions in the city raged, several groups that were formed spontaneously rushed towards the destination with a single goal in mind. The young talents of the sect were all gnashing their teeth and chomping at their bits as they searched for their prey in the vicinity of the area Duncan had mentioned.

    Even though they all wanted topete with each other in order to determine who was the strongest among them, they had all set their sights on Duncan to be their priority target. For them, deciding who was the strongest can be postponedter. First, they wanted to grab hold of Duncan and not allow him to leave.

    It had been more than a week since they all collectively decided to hunt down Duncan in the Greenwood Forest. However, no matter how they enquired, there hadn''t been any news about him at all.

    The first time they had news, it came with a provocative statement causing all of them to fume internally. They knew that they couldn''t let this guy go about unchallenged. If they did, none of them could hold their heads high.

    Words like talk is cheap seemed to be hounding them as they made their way towards the hill mentioned by Duncan in haste. As they traveled in groups, they were also sizing up theirpetition as well.

    There were histories and grudges between several people in the groups as well. But no conflict arose as everyone had a united opinion of teaching Duncan a lesson first before determining who was superior.

    It didn''t take long for them to find Duncan when they arrived in the vicinity of the location Duncan had announced. Seeing the figure in the distance, they were all taken aback slightly. Most of the talents expected Duncan to have slipped away by now.

    Seeing his silhouette in the setting sun, the young talents from the sect were both relieved and slightly apprehensive. After realizing that Duncan wasn''t going anywhere, they stopped at the distance warily and wanted to check out the situation before heading in.

    Duncan sat conspicuously on top of a small hill, waiting for their arrival while drinking wine. His nonchnt behavior only increased their guard. Several young talents discussed among themselves wondering if there was some kind of trap set up in the location.

    They absolutely refused to believe that Duncan wasn''t scheming. They couldn''t fathom why Duncan would say such provocative words and wait for them to arrive like this. Something about the entire thing felt off to them.

    So, they began to deploy all sorts of arts to see if any formation or other forms of ambush were present in the region. Duncan watched all their actions coldly. While he could have greeted them already, he was waiting for the crowd to swell before harvesting all their lives.

    Duncan knew that to be a young talent from a sect, every one of these individuals was one of the best of their generation in cultivation talent and mental fortitude. He was eagerly anticipating his sh with them as well.

    However, he didn''t immediately address them when he saw them arrive. Duncan had his own considerations for doing such a thing. He didn''t want anyters to take note of the massacre and retreat. He wanted to harvest as much ughter qi as possible.

    One didn''t be a young talent from a prestigious sect by just the virtue of their luck or strength. Each of these people also had smart minds as well. If not, no power would invest resources in them.

    If he didn''t catch as much as possible in the first wave, then he would end up scaring theters away. That was something Duncan didn''t want to see. To him, they were all meat on the chopping block. He didn''t want to lose the chance to harvest more by being hasty.

    So, he waited until the crowd had surged to a certain extent before rising from his position. By now, all those who went out to check whether the area was filled with traps had also returned. They found the matter of no trap waiting for them even more surprising.

    However, they didn''t rx their guard because of this. Rather, it only heightened their vignce towards Duncan. In their mind, Duncan was already mad to provoke all of them with his words. Him standing there audaciously and looking at them without even preparing any traps for their arrival let them know that he was incredibly arrogant as well.

    "Well, it looks like almost every one of you little pests are here," Duncan spoke as he gave a once-over to everyone who was present here. "As much as I would like to beat your sorry asses one by one and personally teach you, that will take a lot of time. Frankly, I am in a hurry. Why don''t you alle at me together? That will make sure that you all don''t lose too badly."

    *****

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 Chapter 229 Righteous? You?

    ?

    Silence reigned in the area following Duncan''s words.

    The pursuers who came after Duncan were all surprised and furious hearing Duncan''s words. While they expected some arrogance and were even warier of running into an ambush, the level of arrogance and indifference disyed by Duncan''s words was astonishing.

    "I am in a hurry. Why don''t you alle at me together?"

    Those words clearly depicted Duncan''s arrogance and confidence in taking them all at once. They weren''t some run-of-the-mill cultivators. They were all elites of their respective sects. They were the ones on whom the future of their sects rested. Even seniors in their sects gave respect to them.

    However, this demonic cultivator was disregarding them casually. He didn''t even think they could all win against him even after ganging up. It was reflected in his words as well.

    Telling them that by ganging up they wouldn''t lose too badly was akin to pping each and every one of their faces. The level of insult hidden in those ordinary words almost made them vomit blood.

    Which of them wasn''t a heaven-blessed genius? Which of them hadn''t defeated countless others to rise to their position? Which of them hasn''t been showered with praises anduded to be the future pir of their respective sects?

    For this demonic cultivator to look down on them in such a casual manner, they all felt their dignity trampled upon. They felt their blood boiling. If they wanted to contain Duncan first and not allow him to escape when they came over in a group, now they all wanted to tear him into pieces and see what gave him such courage to utter those outrageous words.

    The atmosphere in the area became incredibly tense. One could cut the tension with a knife. However, Duncan didn''t seem to perceive such things. He looked at the group of idiots that had delivered themselves to his door with a mocking smile. To add insult to injury, he didn''t even stop drinking his wine as he looked at them provocatively.

    *****

    At a distance from the hill, a group of people watched the proceedings with grave looks on their faces. Among them, one person in particr stood out. His mere presence was enough to signify that he was the leader of this group and the rest were his followers.

    Jiang Chen, the premier young talent of the White Plume Sect looked at the events unfolding in the distance with a frown. He was the one who initiated this hunt by announcing his desire to find this demonic cultivator and defeat him.

    Unfortunately, things have changed drastically since then. First every other premier young talent from various sects forcefully joined the hunt causing the hunt to be far bigger than he had wanted it to be.

    Next, there was no trace of their prey. The prey had seemingly vanished without any trace causing them all to be stumped for a week. Then, when the prey came out, it didn''t have the consciousness of the prey.

    The bold provocation at the city gates almost made them all lose face. Every premier talent had rushed out of the city to find and teach this guy a lesson in order to assuage their pride. These events have led to this current situation.

    Even though Jiang Chen was also angry in his heart, he didn''t rush over to join the fun. In his opinion, if the prey he wanted to defeat was defeated by these talents from second-rate sects, then he wasn''t worthy to be his prey.

    Even among the premier young talents, there is a difference between them. The legacy and umtions of a first-rate sect can''t be matched by the other sects at all. There is a fundamental difference between being the next chosen one of a first-rate sect and being an elite of a second-rate sect. They are iparable.

    Even at the same realm, the techniques they practiced, the teachings they received, and the resources they utilized differed greatly. While the elites of second-rate sects could defeat normal disciples of first-rate sects easily, the same couldn''t be said for the chosen few on whom the first-rate sects have poured countless resources into.

    In a fight between them, very rarely would an upset be created.

    If this demonic cultivator can''t handle these elites from the second-rate sects, then there was no meaning in defeating him. Jiang Chen didn''t want to do such a thankless job. His time was precious. If needed, he could crush the one who defeated the demonic cultivator and move on.

    However, he was a little worried about the sudden change in the situation right now. The demonic cultivator didn''t just provoke them all, he was also tantly insulting them in front of their peers. Asking them all toe together was akin to seeking death in his opinion.

    Arrogance is natural among the elites. Jiang Chen knew this. If you can''t be arrogant after achieving what numerous others have failed to achieve, then you have the right to be arrogant. But, overdoing it will only lead to disaster. Having confidence in one''s strength was one thing. Seeing death voluntarily was an entirely different matter altogether.

    The demonic cultivator''s actions right now were the second in Jiang Chen''s opinion. Still, a part of him was worried about the manner in which the demonic cultivator seemedpletely sure of his sess. Even he wouldn''t be confident enough to take on more than ten elites at the same level of cultivation.

    So, what gave this guy such confidence?

    "Eh, Jiang Chen, you are here as well," suddenly a call from the side caused Jiang Chen to turn around and look at the speaker.

    The speaker was the thin man who had sabotaged his original n. Seeing him, a sh of irritation came and went in Jiang Chen''s heart. This thin man was the premier disciple of Eternal Sword Pavillion, another first-tier sect in the region. His name was Lu Tianxin.

    Lu Tianxin was a sword cultivator like most disciples in Eternal Sword Pavillion. It was rumored that he had already gained an initial understanding of a martial dao concept a year ago when he was in the mid stages of the Spirit Sea realm.

    One yearter, he was currently at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm just like him. His understanding of the concept must have also progressed as well. This made him one of the few who could stand toe-to-toe with him. Who among them would emerge as a victor if they shed was yet to be determined, but Jiang Chen knew that he was a formidable opponent.

    If it had been anyone else who interfered in his matter like that in the Greenwood Forest, Jiang Chen wouldn''t have shown any courtesy. But, with him and the burly cultivator speaking out, he had to take a step back. If they two joined hands, even he wasn''t confident of emerging victorious.

    "Where else would I be? This hunt was supposed to be mine alone. Howeverˇ­" Jiang Chen pursed his lips and looked at Lu Tianxin.

    "Ha ha ha, Jiang Chen, you are still sore about that," Lu Tianxin chuckled. "If anything, you should thank me. We both know that you didn''t speak out because of some desire to establish your prestige. For people like us, we don''t have the need to prove ourselves to other people," Lu Tianxin said turning serious.

    Jiang Chen''s eyes narrowed. It was true that he didn''t need to prove himself. He was secure and confident in his own position to not do such crass things. The decision to hunt down the demonic cultivator was born on a whim. However, the reason for that was something that only he knew. He never talked about it to anyone else. How can Lu Tianxin know?

    "Don''t need to be surprised that I figured it out," Lu Tianxin said waving his hands nonchntly. "In fact, I too had the same desire."

    Lu Tianxin spoke those words and turned to look at Jiang Chen. There was an iparable brightness in his eyes. A fierce fighting spirit emanated from them. For the first time, Jiang Chen recognized the heart and passion required to be a premier disciple of a first-rate sect within Lu Tianxin.

    "Heh, if you had the same idea as well, then what you did wasplicate matters for us. You could have hunted him down on your own and be done with it. This is just a waste of time," Jiang Chen snorted and turned away.

    "On the contrary," Lu Tianxin smiled, "I think I did the right thing. Without an audience, how can we establish ourselves? Only those who are not confident enough will need to move in the shadows. My sword heart is upright and unwavering."

    "We both want topare our strength against a disciple from a hegemonic sect. It is they who can stand as our opponents in this cultivation world. Since we have the intention topare our strengths, we need to do it before everyone," Lu Tianxin said confidently shooting a superior look towards Jiang Chen.

    Jiang Chen clenched his hand hearing the hidden dig at his confidence. But, the next moment he sneered. What upright and unwavering? Who was Lu Tianxin trying to fool? Wasn''t he using those fools in front of them to test out the demonic cultivator before confronting him?

    "Don''t act so righteous," Jiang Chen sneered. "You wanted to use those people to test that disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect and learn about his weakness before confronting him. What kind of righteousness is it that deceives fellow brethren and even opponents?"

    Lu Tianxin''s smile dimmed for a moment and he shot Jiang Chen a nasty look. But, Jiang Chen merely smirked in reply causing Lu Tianxin to snort and look away. A tense silence emanated between the two for a few moments before the arrival of the burly cultivator made them both look over.

    *****

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 Chapter 230 Differing Motives

    ?

    In the distance, the confrontation between the two sides was nearing its peak. At any moment now, the attacks were going to be unleashed.

    Duncan had riled up the crowd enough for them to attack him without remorse. His dismissive attitude and constant backhanded insults were really vicious enough to stir anger in everyone.

    "Wu Dongmin," Lu Tianxin spoke looking at the burly cultivator arriving with his entourage. "You are here as well."

    "Why wouldn''t I be here? You two are already here, aren''t you?" Wu Dongmin snorted in response.

    Jiang Chen smiled looking at the open animosity between the two. Wu Dongmin belonged to Splitting Heavens Saber Sect. Everyone from Splitting Heavens Saber Sect cultivated saber arts. The rtionship between Eternal Sword Pavillion and Splitting Heavens Saber Sect was verypetitive. They were contemporaries in every aspect.

    The Eternal Sword Lord, who established the Eternal Sword Pavillion, and Splitting Heavens Monarch, who founded the Splitting Heavens Saber Sect, were both rivals and contemporaries before they both settled down to establish their sects. The rivalry andpetitiveness between the two ancestors even transferred to the disciples causing them to be at odds every time they met each other.

    While they werepetitors and rivals in every sense, the two sects boasted a very amicable rtionship deep down. Due to their respective ancestors'' closeness, the sects advanced and retreated together. Countless generations havee and gone, but these two first-tier sects always acted in unison.

    Apart from them, there were three other first-rate sects in the region. His own White Plume Sect, the Iron Mountain Sect, and the Little Heaven Sect. The Little Heaven Sect has been in decline for the past few generations. Due to various idents, their power at the higher realm has fallen drastically. They were on the verge of being demoted to a lower level currently.

    Themotion in the Greenwood Forest was mostly rted to the Little Heaven Sect at the beginning. If not for the Iron Mountain Sect forcefully interfering along with several other second-rate sects, things wouldn''t have gotten out of hand. The rivalry between the Iron Mountain Sect and the Little Heaven Sect was really bad.

    His own White Plume Sect was the one who acted as the intermediary between these four sects whenever a conflict arose. So, their status was slightly higher. But, that was only among the upper echelon. When ites to disciples, there was no quarter given.

    "So, we all are here. I don''t think the Iron Mountain Sect wille anytime soon," Wu Dongmin said bluntly causing Jiang Chen and Lu Tianxin to nod in eptance. "As for the Little Heaven Sect, they have been irrelevant for some time now. Moreover, themotion at the Greenwood Forest has caused them to go into retreat. I don''t think any of their younger generation wille over as well. That leaves, only us three to be in the vicinity."

    "I expected the Iron Mountain Sect to take charge in this matter. But strangely, none of their elites have stepped out to take charge. After all, this is a criminal they have been pursuing," Lu Tianxin said derisively.

    "I heard that Envoy Ming had ordered everyone to not interfere and is taking the matter under his own hands. He is currently not in the Dark Star City. I am sure, he will make haste once he hears the news," Jiang Chen chuckled.

    By then, whether the demonic cultivator would be alive or not was not something they wanted to discuss. They all had the same tacit understanding of the situation. If they could disgust the Iron Mountain Sect and make them owe them a favor, they would dly do it. After all the rtionship between the first-rate sects was bothpetitive and cooperative at the same time.

    "Good, then we are all on the same page," Wu Dongmin said smiling broadly.

    "And this happened at the right time as well," Lu Tianxin said shooting a meaningful look at each of them.

    Hearing that, both Jiang Chen and Wu Dongmin became serious as well. All three exchanged nces and gave a solemn nod at each other. That nod contained countless thoughts between the trio.

    The reason that Lu Tianxin said such words was because of the timing of this matter. While the higher-ups in their sect had known about the matter of the Grand Event that was going to take ce in seven years, the news hadn''t been disclosed to them.

    Only after the announcement from the Blue Wind Society Hall did they even know about such an event going to take ce. Sects all over the world were preparing to take part in it. Naturally, they informed their prized disciples regarding the matter.

    However, for those who haven''t even taken a step into the Violet Pce realm, this matter came as a huge blow. The entry requirement of being in the Nascent Soul realm alone was enough to make them despair.

    Breaking through multiple major realms in the time span of seven years was a monumental task to aplish. It has to be known that such things only rarely happen. One needed countless opportunities and rare encounters to aplish such a thing.

    Naturally, Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin knew about this as well. Even their sect elders who always epted their requests told them to not think wildly and to concentrate on cultivation. They advised them to let nature take its course. If they had fate, then they would break through the Nascent Soul realm before the event took ce. If not, then can only me their low cultivation.

    How can geniuses like Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin ept such advice? They were incredibly reluctant to let nature take its course. If they didn''t actively fight for it, how can they call themselves geniuses among geniuses? They all wanted to have a shot at that Grand Event.

    For that, they need to be in the Nascent Soul realm in seven years.

    This had maddened them for a few nights recently. They couldn''t let go of this obsession easily. While they didn''t know what the event entailed, such grand preparation by the entire world was enough for them to know the seriousness of the matter. They all realized that this was a very rare opportunity. They didn''t want to ept defeat at the onset.

    So far, their cultivation has progressed smoothly and quickly due to the resources poured into them by their sects. If they wanted to maintain this speed and even increase it, then they must obtain more resources from their sects.

    How do they aplish that?

    Only by showcasing their brilliance to their sects and doing meritorious service will they be afforded an increased amount of resources in their favor. Knowing this, they all had wracked their brains to try and figure out how to increase their worth in their sects'' eyes.

    Luckily, the matter of this demonic cultivator hade at the right time.

    They have enquired about this demonic cultivator. At first, they just wanted to see if they could defeat this demonic cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Sect. The Heavenly Demonic Sect was after all a hegemonic sect. There were only four hegemonic sects in total in the Dragon Scale Continent. That alone is enough to prove to status of a hegemonic sect in the cultivation world.

    Like the elites from ordinary sects and second-rate sects wanted to prove they were better than the elites of the first-rate sects, the eyes of the elites of the first-rate sects were always trained towards the elites of the hegemonic sects.

    If any elite from a first-rate sect defeated an elite from a hegemonic sect, then the attention the first-rate sect would give the said elite would be drastically different. At first, they thought Duncan was just a normal disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect. So, their interest in them was just curiosity about his strength and a desire topare themselves with Duncan.

    However, after learning that Duncan was thetest disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, things changed in perspective drastically. Elite disciples are all named disciples of elders at the minimum. The direct disciple of a Vice-Sect Master was even above them.

    If they could defeat this guy, then the resources poured into them by their respective sects would be far greater than before. With that, they will have a chance at breaking through to higher realms faster.

    So, in their eyes, Duncan was the chip they needed to secure their own future. In order to have a brighter future, they must defeat Duncan here and now. Only by showcasing that they were powerful enough to take on an elite disciple of a hegemonic sect can they make their sects voluntarily invest more resources in them.

    "We may have countless differences amongst ourselves," Wu Dongming said looking at the other two. "But, now we are all in the same situation. I propose a temporary alliance between us. For our bright future, this demonic cultivator must die today under our hands. What do you two say?"

    Lu Tianxin and Jiang Chen exchanged nces and nodded solemnly.

    "However, let''s first wait and see if he has what is required to make us act. If not, this entire thing can only be a farce. If he can defeat those people by himself, then he is qualified to make us all act together," Jiang Chen said looking over at the distance.

    "True," Lu Tianxin nodded along. "If he couldn''t even defeat them, then there is no use in him. If that is the case, I promise that he won''t have a good ending. I will make him regret his words by showing him how life is worse than death."

    The vicious side of Lu Tianxin came out suddenly causing a bloodthirsty aura to emanate from him. Neither Jiang Chen nor Wu Dongminmented on it. They too had the same idea in their mind.

    "Let''s see how powerful an elite from a hegemonic sect is?" Jiang Chen muttered causing the other two to nod in agreement.

    While Duncan had his own ns for these cultivators, the others weren''t different either. They all had their own motives and thoughts as well. Those who currently confronted Duncan wanted to steal the limelight away from the first-rate sect disciples.

    As for the first-rate sect disciples, they were using these people as cannon fodder to test Duncan''s cultivation and power. They too wanted to use Duncan, but their motives werent simple like the ones who were confronting Duncan right now.

    As they say, the height determines the vision. Each had their own ns.

    Just then, the first sounds of the sh began in the distanceˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 231 I Am Just Getting Started

    ?

    BOOM!

    Arge cloud of smoke and shockwaves spread through the region as Duncan emerged from the aftermath with a sneer on his face. Three cultivators stood on the opposite side with aghast expression on their faces.

    Their faces had unwillingness and shock written clearly. It was clear to Duncan that these people didn''t think he would be able to take them on with nothing but the strength of his physical body.

    Duncan felt the advantages of having a strong physique for the first time. It was immensely gratifying to see these cultivators stand there in shock and gape at him with their mouths open.

    As Duncan predicted, their collective egos couldn''t take his dismissive attitude for a long time. They may have been cautious about traps or other things at first. But, the more he acted as if they were beneath him, these so-called young talents couldn''t take it for long.

    Duncan felt that their mentality was reallycking. They never even thought about what to do if he was stronger than them. They all had arrogance bred into their bones and were used to looking down on people.

    Now that the situation had changed, they couldn''t maintain their calm for long.

    After he had told them toe at him together, these so-called talents from various sects were obviously displeased. They had tried to belittle him and intimidate him by telling him how powerful they were and how awesome their cultivation techniques were.

    Duncan hadn''t cared about it and had told them to shut up and get ready to be beaten into a pulp. That statement had triggered yet another round of posturing from these people. This almost made Duncan lose his temper.

    However, he kept a lid on it because he could sense a group of people watching from a distance. It was clear to him that these people were using the crowd in front of him as a test for him. Duncan felt a little insulted looking at their attitude. But, he threw away his displeasure to the back and continued riling up these so-called young talents more and more.

    After the usual exchange of barbs, where they all pretty much said that Duncan was arrogant and needed to be taught a lesson in varying words and he countered them by saying they weren''t worth his time, the situation between Duncan and this group of people escted just like Duncan wanted.

    Unable to hold onto their tempers anymore, a cultivator from the group had tried to attack him. Duncan figured that there would always be a hothead in any group. By riling up the opponents, he could cause the hotheads present in the group to take action first. In the end, the events transpired exactly as he wanted.

    But, there was a small hitch in his ns.

    These so-called young talents were weaker than he imagined. It looked like none of them even had a basic understanding of a martial dao concept. He didn''t know if it was amon thing. But, he knew that these people wouldn''t even be able to hurt him even if he didn''t turn serious.

    This was such a big letdown for Duncan who had been suppressing his desire to kill to his heart''s content. Seeing the weak attack that came at him, Duncan had sneered in response and swatted away the attack without much effort.

    His actions didn''t mean much to him. He was merely irritated by their thinking that he would be inconvenienced by such a weak attack. However, in the eyes of these young talents, Duncan''s actions were obviously because he was looking down on them.

    This caused two more people to join hands with the first one to suppress him. They shot at him with three simultaneous attacks causing the surroundings to be abuzz with discussion.

    Unfortunately for them, Duncan didn''t even think that those attacks as something threatening to him. He received the three attacks with his bare body with the intention of seeing how far he could use his physical body in fights.

    The result was naturally satisfying to him.

    "That''s it? You all came to hunt me with such little power!?" Duncan sneered derisively and looked at the group in a mocking manner.

    "You, don''t be too cocky. Just because they couldn''t hurt you, it doesn''t mean we are as weak as them as well," an angry voice came from the crowd causing Duncan to look over.

    "Heh, then why don''t you all give it a try? I already said that taking you all one by one is a waste of my time. Don''t waste my time. Come! Let''s see if your fists can back up the spiel your mouths spew!!!"

    Duncan roared and threw a punch towards the group without even a pause.

    The sheer disregard Duncan showed the assembled young talents rankled them a lot. If they were angry at him earlier, now that Duncan had indiscriminately attacked everyone, they were all pissed off.

    Duncan wasn''t a blockhead either. He didn''t reveal his sword yet because he knew if he did, then it would be a one-sided ughter. He didn''t want tomit to that too soon and have others running away. His main priority was to collect enough ughter qi to advance to the next level.

    That''s why he decided to use his physical body to tank the attacks that were sent towards him. He hoped that by taking the damage directly, these attacks would hurt him a little and create a false image for the assembled cultivators.

    If any cultivator knew that the fight was hopeless, their first instinct would be to flee. Duncan wanted to lull them into hoping that they could take him on by allowing them to injure him slightly. But, the reality was different. These bastards were too weak to actually hurt him even if he stood by idly.

    In that case, let''s take things up by a notch. Since three of them couldn''t hurt him, how about he drag more people into the fight? Duncan''s mind was working at the most basic level at this moment. And yet, he retained his sanity and didn''t use his sword.

    The fist attack he threw was something that he had learned from one of the manuals that he had pilfered from his in foes. Among the martial arts manuals that he went through to pick out a suitable one for Leia, only this one interested him a little bit.

    The fist art was called

    . The name wasn''t much toment on. However, the uniqueness of the

    stemmed from the fact that it was used by body cultivators to mobilize their physical energy into a domineering attack.

    Duncan had never tried out any fist art before this. He didn''t really understand the profundity that was involved in executing the fist. However, Duncan''s physical body had been strengthened far above ordinary cultivators. Currently, his body was on par with a body cultivator in the second realm.

    Duncan knew this very well. The benefits provided by dual cultivating with Leia for the past week had been umted in his body. Now, he needed to digest these benefits.

    does exactly that. By practicing this fist art, one can digest the power umted in one''s body and mobilize them to attack easily.

    To others,

    may not be of much use. But, to Duncan, it fit his requirements perfectly. He had been ruminating about this fist art for the past week. He had tried out its posture and had even practiced it without actually putting in full effort to mobilize his physical energy.

    But, when he attacked this time, he mobilized his physical energy to the greatest extent and sent it forward along his fist. The resulting attack took the shape of a rampaging bull that was reddish in color.

    Seeing the red, bull-shaped attack approaching them, the shocked group of cultivators hastily put up their defense. With more than fifteen cultivators at the peak of the Spirit Sea realm defending together, the attack was nullified easily.

    Still, the aftermath sent the group staggering back a few steps.

    Duncan smiled seeing that.

    "Only this," Duncan sneered. "You all better go back and suckle your mother''s teats! Don''te out and start spewing nonsense like hunting me down!"

    "You!!!"

    Several cultivators shouted angrily. Duncan smirked at them and beckoned them to attack him by spreading his arms wide and showing a non-threatening posture. This only further aggravated those cultivators.

    Enraged by Duncan''s antics, the group of cultivators angrily started attacking Duncan in pairs. Duncan''s eyes narrowed slightly and a look of seriousness appeared on his face. Even though their attacks couldn''t hurt him, the sheer number of consecutive attacks would be a pain to deal with.

    Duncan wasn''t careless. He took a deep breath and used his body to tank the first two attacks. He punched out another fist attack to eliminate three more iing attacks. By then, his entire body had been encased with the lights from all the attacks.

    The group of cultivators watched anxiously as their attacks swallowed Duncanpletely. In the distance, the faces of Wu Dongmin, Lu Tianxin, and Jiang Chen also turned serious. Even they weren''t confident enough in dealing with all these attacks that were delivered together. Even if it was them, they would feel miserable after being targeted by such arge number of attacks.

    Just as everyone began to think that Duncan wouldn''t be able to take the attacks on, the smoke cleared and Duncan emerged from the smoke with his clothes in tatters. There was blood on his lips and he looked as if he had been wrung out.

    However, his eyes were shining brightly. He was looking at the group of cultivators with hunger in his eyes. It was as if some beast had woken up within Duncan. Everyone could feel that the Duncan they faced before and the one who emerged was different.

    Duncan smirked at the stunned crowd and said in a hoarse voice.

    "That almost hurt me," Duncan spat out some blood and locked his eyes on the group of cultivators. "I hope you all can do better than that. Because... I am just getting started."

    With a diabolicalugh, Duncan rushed towards the group like a tigering down the mountain. The next moment, the group of cultivators scattered to surround Duncan in the middle.

    Duncan didn''t care about the kind of tactics they used. Even with theirbined power, they could barely hurt him. So, he wasn''t worried about being overwhelmed by them.

    On the contrary, he wanted them to suppress him as much as possible.

    *****

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 Chapter 232 Smashing Attacks Into Smithereens

    ?

    The

    was a martial art that was practiced by body cultivators.

    It was fundamentally different from the martial arts practiced by qi cultivators in the world. Apart from mobilizing physical energy, the

    was also capable of molding one''s physique with prolonged usage.

    While Duncan hadn''t reached such a level yet, he was already starting to feel the difference in his body. Compared to earlier, the usage of

    allowed him to use more of the physical energy that was hidden in his body.

    When ites to martial arts practiced by cultivators, no matter what type they are, they have a fundamental quality that''smon across all types. The amount of time one practices a martial art doesn''t actually mean anything.

    If that was the case, then only those who practiced a particr martial arts for a long time can bring out its effectiveness. However, the progress of an individual in a martial art can never be defined by time alone.

    Every martial art that was created has a concept, idea, or symbol as its base. When those who practice martial arts understand the underlying idea behind the martial art, they can showcase most of the potential the martial arts contains. Even if they haven''t practiced for long, they could bring forth tremendous power with the martial art if they can understand the underlying idea behind the creation of the martial art.

    Duncan had been thinking about this fist art for a week now. He could already vaguely understand the direction and phenomena from which the martial art stemmed from. Even though his understanding was vague, he could easily mobilize his physical energy and try to implement the idea he had glimpsed as the core of the martial art.

    Naturally, the effect was satisfying.

    After being encircled, Duncan didn''t panic. He knew that as long as he wasn''tpletely careless, he would be able to stand toe-to-toe with these so-called young talents.

    Duncan was a bit disappointed with the level of power showcased by these people. Even with their sects backing these people these guys were very average. Duncan could currently take on cultivators at the Violet Pce realm. He had already exceeded the power cap for the Spirit Sea realm.

    Only the rare geniuses and those who could fight above realms can even manage to hurt him at this point. These young geniuses who are used to dominating people in their cultivation levels feltckluster to him.

    As Duncan smashed the pitiful sword attack sent by a cultivator, he inwardlymented about the difference in cultivation between these guys and him at the same level. Until now, Duncan had neverpared his strength with those of the same level. Most of his fights were against demonic beasts and a few cultivators who were a level above him.

    He had expected disparity. After all, he was someone who was trying to establish a legendary foundation. Compared to the sublimation his cultivation had undergone, these cultivation levels boosted by pills and spirit stones were indeedcking.

    However, even with all of these guys joining in, they were able to barely hold on against him. While singlehandedly smashing all these so-called young geniuses felt great, Duncan also wondered if there was anyone at the same realm who could pose a challenge to him.

    The current strength these people who were supposed to be elites of various sects showcasing was really not that great. Most of their attacks were sted away by the fists he sent out. Even when he hadn''t cultivated the

    for long, the power his attacks posed outright defeated thebined attacks of several people.

    Duncan really liked the feeling of dominating people with his fists. He didn''t even need to unsheath his sword to deal with these wall flowers. He enjoyed smashing their attacks apart a lot. A childish glee engulfed his heart as he went about breaking apart their attacks with his bare fists. It felt powerful. There was a primal feel to it.

    As Duncan threw punch after punch in all directions trying to smash as many attacks into smithereens as possible, the attackers were beginning to despair as well.

    No matter how hard they attacked, most seemed to not even make it to the body of their enemy. What meager attacks that were missed,nded on Duncan''s body and were shrugged off by him nonchntly. Apart from ruining Duncan''s robes, the attacks didn''t do much to him at all.

    They were like raindrops entering an arid desert. There was no reaction from Duncan towards those attacks thatnded on him. Soon, it became clear to everyone that unless they all took out their trump card, it wouldn''t even be enough to injure this prey they were hunting.

    Thinking back to their arrogance and self-confidence, several people in the group felt incredibly unwilling to let things stand as they were. They tried to attack in every possible way and increase the power of their attacks in order to not lose face.

    As time passed, and their various attacks failed to make any impact, Duncan decided to end things before these people got disheartened and ran away. While enjoying the rush given by the

    was indeed great, he needed to make sure he collected enough ughter qi.

    Just as he was about to kick things up a notch, a particrly bright sword attack came towards him. A small sense of danger emanated from the attack causing Duncan''s eyebrows to raise higher.

    Turning towards the bright sword attack, Duncan felt that this attack was different from the previous ones that came at him. He immediately ignored the other attacks and threw his fist towards the iing attack. Duncan put all his physical power into that fist making it loomrger.

    The sudden change in the situation caused everyone who was attacking Duncan madly to stop and see what was going on. Duncan''s fist met the bright sword attack with a resounding bang. However, the expected scene of his fist smashing the sword attack didn''t happen at all.

    To Duncan''s surprise and everyone else''s as well, the sword attack cut through Duncan''s fist image andnded on Duncan. After going through Duncan''s fist, the sword attack was rtively dullpared to its earlier brightness. But, when itnded on Duncan, a small cut appeared on Duncan''s body causing it to bleed slightly.

    Duncan looked at the cut that had appeared on his body in a daze and looked up to see the cultivator who had sent out that particr attack breathing heavily in the distance.

    Seeing the cultivator''s obviously haggard appearance, Duncan smiled slightly. Duncan pressed his fingers on the sword cut and felt the blood that was seeping out. As everyone watched, Duncan scooped the blood with his finger and looked at it closely.

    The next moment, Duncan licked that blood and looked at the cultivator in an approving manner.

    "Good, at least one of you can injure me," Duncan smirked slightly at the man causing everyone to have nasty looks on their faces.

    The cultivator who injured Duncan scrunched up his face in anger and shame. He was a sword cultivator who pursued the motto that offense is the best defense. He had always focused on honing his sword to be more sharper. To see his ultimate attack only causing a small wound, the cultivator felt a little indignant.

    "Don''t rejoice too soon, you demon!"

    The cultivator shouted in anger. His entire face turned red and his eyes turned bloodshot. There was hatred and intent to hurt on his face. He looked at Duncan as if he wanted to kill him.

    Duncan perceived the killing intent emanating from that cultivator and nodded in his heart. All this time, while he was fighting with these guys he felt as if something was missing. He didn''t know what it was, but he felt its distinctck of presence very keenly.

    Now, feeling the killing intent from the cultivator, Duncan knew atst what was missing until now. So far, all his fights were fought against opponents who wanted to kill him for various reasons. This group of idiots was the first to attack him without any killing intent in them.

    They had wanted to humble him and use him as a stepping stone. They didn''t really want to kill him. To them, he was merely some arrogant evil cultivator who needed to be taught a lesson. So, they never fought with full conviction or desire to eradicate him.

    To Duncan, such kind of fighting was anathema. He approached every fight with the intent to kill the other party. Even during spars with his fellow sect members, he never held back anything. Duncan intuitively felt the difference between demonic cultivators and righteous cultivators at this moment.

    "Everyone, do not hold back anymore. It is true that he is powerful. But, he can''t hope to defeat all of us by himself. He is just an evil monster who needs to be put down. We can''t shame our sects and friends by letting such an evil being walk atop this earth. We need to eradicate him right here. Only then, he wouldn''t grow up to be a scourge," the cultivator with the sword spoke passionately trying to rile up others as well.

    Duncan watched him rile up others with a detached gaze. He knew that at some point these people would forget that they chased after him and hunted him down and speak as if they were doing the world a favor. After all, it was how the righteous cultivators operated. So, he had been expecting such a thing to happen sooner orter.

    So, he didn''t see much value in interrupting the spiel that the cultivator was spewing. He silently watched him whip the group into a frenzy. Soon, the entire group was riled up and was out for blood. Their entire posture had changed from despair to one of determination. Duncan saw their determination to kill him in their eyes.

    Duncan narrowed his eyes and decided that it was time to enter the next level in this fight.

    *****

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 Chapter 233 You Call That Killing Intent!?

    ?

    In the distance, Lu Tianxin, Wu Dongmin, and Jiang Chen watched the transpiring fight with a serious look on their faces. Unlike the anger on the faces of the men who were fighting Duncan, they had a dignified look on their faces.

    "Are you sure he isn''t a body cultivator?" Wu Dongmin asked with a slight frown on his face.

    "He is a qi cultivator just like us," Lu Tianxin said in a more subdued tone.

    "Then, this fight is not going to be easy at all. Even if we join hands, I don''t think he would go down that easily," Jiang Chen said with a grimace.

    There was reason for their discussion.

    Everyone who knew the basics of cultivating knows the difference between the two types of cultivators. Body cultivators in essence cultivate the physical power of their body. They put their body through unimaginable torture and by doing that they ustom their body to have higher pain tolerance and create more vitality in their body.

    By repeatedly forging their body with intense exercises that are akin to torture, they get higher physical power in exchange for it. This makes their body hard to injure and very difficult to put down as well.

    When a body cultivator is injured, the vitality that is in his body will automatically repair it before it could even start bing an injury. The vitality in the bodies of qi cultivators can never match that speed. This made the task of putting down a body cultivator very difficult and time-consuming.

    In a one-on-one fight between a qi cultivator and a body cultivator, it is the body cultivator who would win most of the time. Their vitality is that scary to contend with.

    But, in nature, all things are in bnce.

    Even though body cultivators have tremendous advantages in a fight, not many people walk that path because of three reasons. One, cultivating the body is akin to willingly undergoing torture repeatedly. Not everyone could withstand the constant reforging of their bodies from injury. The physical and mental toll it took to aplish that is enormous.

    The second reason is the amount of resources needed for body cultivation. When one reforges their body, the amount of nutrients their body needs is simply astonishing. Unless one has a prominent background, it is hard for anyone to go further in the path of body cultivation. This has made a lot of people give up body cultivation in the early stages.

    Thest reason is that the techniques and conditions needed for one to forge their body at higher realms are simply unimaginable for even first-rate sects. That has almost created a ceiling for a cultivator''s cultivation level when it came to body cultivation.

    Without adequate resources, proper technique, right environment, and incredible willpower, a body cultivator can never go far. On the other hand, qi cultivators can use the energy of heaven and earth to slowly make up for differences in strength by increasing their realms.

    Seeing Duncan''s powerful body, the three premier disciples from first-rate sects knew that putting him down was going to be incredibly difficult. They weren''t like the others who were raring to hurt Duncan. They were sober enough to realize the difficulty posed by Duncan.

    "Thatst sword attack was really something. I think, that person is close to reaching the swordlight realm. No wonder he was able to injure that person from the Heavenly Demon Sect," Wu Dongmin furrowed his brows andmented seriously.

    "Indeed," Lu Tianxin nodded in a guarded manner. "Don''t forget that our prey has good instincts as well. The moment he felt the sword attack, he immediately concentrated on defending himself from that and ignored all the other attacks."

    "That means he has an ample amount of fighting experience as well. That kind of instinct can only be developed after several life-and-death encounters," Jiang Chen said with an unsightly face.

    "Moreover, he hasn''t used his full power yet," Lu Tianxin said in a worried tone.

    "What do you mean?" Wu Dongmin asked sharply.

    "Didn''t you read the information about his battle with the Wang n Patriarch in the Starmist City?" Lu Tianxin rolled his eyes.

    "Didn''t pay much attention to it," Wu Dongmin shrugged.

    "If you had read it carefully, you would have known that our prey is a sword cultivator as well," Jiang Chen said with a slight grimace. "Rumors even state that he had already attained the swordlight realm."

    Hearing this, Wu Dongmin''s face changed a lot. As someone from Splitting Heavens Saber Sect, he knew the terror of the swordlight''s equivalent saber gleam. He had worked hard for a long time and he had yet to attain that level.

    For someone from his generation to already master sword light, it was like a p in the face to him. He had always thought that he was qualified to be arrogant among his peers. But now, this guy was making it look bad.

    "He can use sword light," Lu Tianxin stated calmly. "Why do you think I agreed to team up with you two? If it is just those fists that he threw, I have the confidence to defeat him head-on. But, sword light is entirely something else."

    "He could already take care of all those guys without needing to unsheathe his sword. Looks like these people are fucking useless pieces of trash. They can''t even force him to take out his sword," Jiang Chen snorted dissatisfiedly.

    "Heh, I never knew that a qi cultivator could utilize

    to this extent. This was really eye-opening to me," Lu Tianxin snorted.

    wasn''t a very rare fist art. They all knew about it as well. However, it had never be prominent because of one simple reason. It needs physical energy to be wielded properly. And the fist art was designed for body cultivators.

    So, even though

    was a really good fist art, it hadn''t been practiced by any mainstream practitioners. Without a proper person there to bring out its effectiveness, the technique had fallen out of favor and had ended up being passed around to train disciples who hadn''t started cultivating yet.

    "Looks like things are about to escte, let''s see how he handles them," Wu Dongminmented suddenly causing both to turn their eyes in the direction of Duncan and other cultivators.

    *****

    After deciding that it was time to kick things up a notch, Duncan didn''t immediately attack. He watched the murderous group of righteous cultivators prepare themselves to attack him with everything they had calmly and spoke.

    "You call that pitiful thing you exuded killing intent!?" Duncan sneered. "Let me show you all what a real killing intent looks like," Duncan said and unleashed his killing intent without any reserve.

    Now that he had decided to take things up a notch, Duncan wasn''t shy about revealing his murderous intentions. A strong aura of bloodlust started emanating from Duncan at this point.

    He felt his heartbeat slow down and his vision be sharper. His entire body entered a mysterious state where all his senses became incredibly sharp. Duncan let out a contended hum and directed his bloodlust towards his opponent.

    The moment the killing intent was unveiled from Duncan, the cultivators who were surrounding him felt their knees go weak. Duncan could smell their uneasiness and fear very clearly. Their faces were enough for him to realize that these guys had never been in a life-or-death situation at all.

    Duncan felt that he could knock these people out just with the help of his killing intent if he focused on them particrly. Violence and malevolence were emanating from Duncan in waves causing the surrounding atmosphere to sizzle slightly.

    For their part, the cultivators surrounding Duncan felt fear for the first time since the fight started. Being locked at by Duncan''s killing intent, they felt it hard to breathe properly, let alone fight. Duncan''s unleashing of his killing intent had broken the final barrier he had erected to fool these people till now.

    With a sneer on his face, Duncan started walking towards the front with a strut in his walk. He was exuding sheer arrogance and willfulness at this moment. After letting go of his murderous intentions in the open, Duncan felt as if he had entered a different world.

    These young talents of the various sects looked like ants in his vision. He felt that he could crush them any moment he wanted. He didn''t want to waste any more time dealing with this riffraff.

    He had already noted the three groups that were watching from the distance. He knew that those men were using the first batch like cannon fodder. They are using those guys to test out his strengths ande up with a proper strategy to deal with him.

    However, Duncan didn''t care about it one whit.

    In front of absolute power, all schemes will be smashed into pieces. Duncan had enough confidence in himself to not be worried about them. Moreover, he hadn''t unsheathed his sword yet.

    With a desire to ughter the gathered cultivators, Duncan roared at the crowd.

    "

    "

    With a loud shout, Duncan threw a sharp punch in the direction of the cultivator who had injured him earlierˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 234 Playtimes Over

    ?

    "

    "

    With a loud shout, Duncan threw a sharp punch in the direction of the cultivator who had injured him earlierˇ­

    The

    has seven acts in total. The power of each attack increases sharply. The first act of

    was called the

    .

    The first attack is a rtively simple attack. It mobilizes the physical energy of a cultivator and forms a fist image in the shape of a bull. The concept behind the fist attack was dominance.

    Just like how a primal bull asserts its dominance over the earth by trampling on it with its hooves, the attack mainly focuses on suppressing other attacks through sheer dominance of physical energy.

    Compared to qi, physical energy is far more domineering in its aspect. It isn''t mild or very easy to channel. Physical energy in its essence is filled with a wild attribute. The first attack uses the wildness of the physical energy to suppress the opponents.

    That was what Duncan had been using until now. The very nature of Duncan''s fist attack was to dominate and suppress the opponents. So far, it has done a good job. However, Duncan''s needs were different now.

    Duncan wanted to kick things up a notch after seeing that the group had atst begun to harbor killing intent toward him. So, the attack he sent out this time was rtively different as well.

    While Primal Bull Trampling The Earth was an attack that focused on domination and suppression, Primal Bull Piercing The Heavens focused on sharpness and killing.

    When executing the Primal Bull Piercing The Heavens, a cultivator will sharpen his physical energy to the utmost and send it out in a concentrated burst like a spear being thrust out to meet the enemy.

    As a result, the image formed from the attack is also slightly different. The in image of a raging bull would be reced with the image of a bull goring its enemy when one executes the second act of the

    .

    The moment Duncan threw his fist at the sword cultivator, a small, but distinct image of a bull rushing towards the enemy with its horns pointed towards them was sent out. The suppressive force that the attack exuded also became a little bit harder to resist.

    The cultivator who had sent out the sword attack saw the image of the bull rushing towards him and felt danger immediately in his heart. He wanted to move away from the attack and let it pass by him.

    Unfortunately, the suppressive effect of the fistbined with the killing intent that Duncan had unleashed earlier made him unable to move immediately. He was rooted to the spot for a split second by thebined suppressive effect unleashed by Duncan and his martial art. By the time he fought off the suppressive effect, the fist was already in front of his face.

    Sword cultivators are very good at offense. But, it can''t be said the same in defense. That''s why swordsmen rarely try to defend. They usually avoid the iing attacks or meet them head-on with their own attacks, trying topare which attack was the strongest one.

    That split second it took for the cultivator to escape from the suppressive force became his undoing at this moment. As he watched the fist arrive before his face, the cultivator tried hard to mount his defense.

    As a swordsman, even when he is already prepared, the nature of defense would becking. How could a hastily mounted defense be enough to withstand something that was far more powerful than all the previous attacks he had endured so far?

    Without exception, Duncan''s fist broke through the hasty defense of the cultivator and mmed into him like a pickaxe burying itself in a stone. With a pop, the head of the cultivator exploded into pieces, sending blood and brain tissues all over the surrounding region.

    Duncan felt immense satisfaction when he felt his attack connect with the cultivator. The resulting gory explosion of the cultivator''s head was riveting to him as well. He was pleasantly surprised by the attack power of the fist he had thrown out.

    With a sadistic smile on his face, Duncan took a deep breath and inhaled the lingering bloody scent in the air.

    "Do you feel that? Can you smell it? Thatˇ­ is fear. I can smell all your fears," Duncan said diabolically looking at the surrounding cultivators. "ytime''s over kids. Wee to the real world. In this world, a single mistake can kill you. Your mistakeˇ­ hunting me!"

    The surrounding cultivators had not yet recovered from the shock of one of their numbers dying just like that. The intensity of the fight had only been upped a little and already there was a casualty in their midst. Moreover, the one who died was the only one to injure the monster in human flesh in front of him.

    Fear gripped their heart and they started regretting their decision to join this hunt. Their brains started shutting down from stress and fear, making them unable to reactpletely to the gory death of theirrade.

    Just when they were still processing the fact that one of their own had been killed, Duncan''s words came over. Looking at Duncan relishing the kill and dering their death in such a twisted fashion, their legs couldn''t help but tremble.

    These so-called young talents were groomed by their sects meticulously. They never had to fight for their lives until now. Even when they fought against beasts or other cultivators, they always had the dominant position due to careful selection and other factors.

    But now, the tables have been reversed.

    Here, instead of being the hunters, they have be a group of prey. Compared to their earlier fights where they had superior strength, this one made their hair rise in fear and despair.

    Even after trying so hard, they haven''t even managed to scratch Duncan''s skin. They were at a loss on how to confront Duncan further. The only one who had any braggable moment was the one who just got killed like a trash.

    Before the surrounding cultivators could recover from their stupor and make a run for it, Duncan seized the opportunity and went berserk amidst the group. He attacked anything and everything. He left no directions to hide for them. Punch after punch was rained down on the collective mob that was surrounding him a few moments ago.

    Duncan was like a tiger that entered into a flock of sheep. These cultivators had absolutely no defense against his ferocious attacks. They were like fish on the chopping block. Before they knew it, punches with power they couldn''t cope with started raining down on their heads.

    "No, no! Stop! I am the.."

    Bang!

    "I surrender! I surrˇ­"

    Bang!

    "Please! Sparˇ­"

    Bang!

    "Ah!!!!!"

    Bang!

    "Take anything you want! Spaˇ­"

    Bang!

    Bang!

    Duncan showed no mercy towards this group of idiots. It was their fault that they came after him. They even began to form killing intent towards him. He wasn''t a saint. He was a demonic cultivator for crying out loud! How can he show mercy to these imbeciles who thought they could defeat him?

    As for their pleas of surrender, promations of who they are, screams of despair, and negotiating with their possessions, Duncan didn''t even deign to hear them out. Only stupid people would stop and listen once they decided tomit ughter.

    What a joke!?

    Wouldn''t all their possessions be his after he killed them? Wouldn''t letting them go will be akin to releasing the tiger back into the mountains? Didn''t they think about mercy and tolerance bullshit when they tried to hunt him down? Will their sects leave him alone if he didn''t kill these morons?

    Status, wealth, mercy,passion, and all the other stuff paled inparison to power. Power was the only real currency in this cultivation world. Those who are powerful can do anything they want without repercussions.

    If these people were more powerful than him, it would be him who would be dying here today. Without enough power, there was no guarantee that he would walk out of here alive. So, why should he waste his time humoring these delusional morons?

    Moreover, Duncan was also aware that the ones in the distance might be still in shock at this moment. However, when they snap out of it, they would rush to rescue these people and act as the heroes. Even though they used these fools as cannon fodder to test him out, the fools will only feel grateful after being rescued from certain death.

    Who knows which one of these idiots might shift the bnce in the uing fight? Duncan knew that this sh was just a warm-up. The real fight was waiting for him next. Leaving hidden dangers that could potentially disrupt the situation in the future was not Duncan''s style at all.

    So, he went the extra mile in smashing the heads of all these fools and eradicating as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. Furthermore, it wasn''t as if all his attacks were connecting. Once they realized that they were being killed indiscriminately, these cultivators started to evade the attacks instead of meeting them.

    Some even went as far as to push the neighbors onto the path of the attack. Duncan only sneered at their behavior. These fools spoke about righteousness and eradicating a demon like him just a few minutes ago.

    Look at them now!

    They were throwing other people into a sure-death situation to save their own lives. For the first time, Duncan really understood what his master had said about righteous cultivators all being hypocrites of the highest order.

    *****

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 Chapter 235 You Are Not Qualified!

    ?

    Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin were initially taken aback by the sudden turn of events. But, they were elites for a reason, they recovered pretty quickly. They didn''t know how Duncan could start butchering people like this so easily. Even though they understood the reason deep in their hearts, they instinctively denied it.

    Along with their group, they immediately sprang into action. Wu Dongmin and Lu Tianxin went ahead to attack Duncan and deter him from continuing his massacre. Jiang Chen took the role of defense and tried to minimize the damage caused by Duncan''s attacks.

    The others in their entourage also unleashed several attacks trying to deter Duncan and keep him at bay. The sheer number of attacks made Duncan back off a bit and provided the fleeing cultivators time to regroup with the entourage of the three.

    Just then, the first batch of those who had followed these young talents out of the city gates rushed towards the site. The first vision that fell into their eyes was Duncan massacring a group of young talents and the trio of premier disciples from a first-rate sect rushing to save them from Duncan.

    Seeing this scene, they felt their scalps numb. Their heart was gripped in terror. Their legs started shaking. Especially, the figure of Duncan which was sshed heavily in blood looked akin to a demon to them at that moment.

    They all visibly gulped and swallowed their salivas not willing to utter even a soft cry. Who knew what kind of disaster it would bring onto their head? What if the demon who had been killing those young talents turned his eyes towards them?

    Can''t you see even the elites of various sects being ughtered like pigs? How dare you utter a fart at this moment and cause the demon to turn his attention towards you? Do you have a death wish?

    They had initially rushed after the young talents hoping to see the various demeanors of the heroes. They wanted to see with their own eyes how the young geniuses of the various sects in the region suppressed evil and killed the demonic cultivator.

    Duncan''s bold words at the city gates not only riled up these so-called young talents, somemon cultivators also got riled up because of it. Even when they knew that they couldn''t do anything to Duncan with their strength, they wanted to see someone else taking a stand and putting down this arrogant demonic cultivator.

    Hence, they rushed after the young talents to get their perverse pleasure. Their cultivation level was not high and they didn''t have the resources of these elites. So, they had been dyed on the road and were only able to arrive now.

    However, what greeted them on arrival wasn''t something they hadn''t even dreamt about. The demonic cultivator, whom they wanted to see humbled, was standing tall on the battlefield. He was like a demon reaping the lives of the elites of various sects. Each fist of his ended the life of a promising young talent.

    If not for the trio of premier disciples from the first-rate sects taking action, none of these young talents would have been spared from death. How brutal! This demonic cultivator was like those demons they heard about in passing from other cultivators. He absolutely had no regard for life. He didn''t cherish life at all.

    Even though they were angry with Duncan''s brutal ughter of promising talents, they didn''t dare to let out a sound. They could only watch the elites from various sects regroup in the distance away from Duncan.

    Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin were standing in front of all the elites from various sects and their entourage as if they would protect them from Duncan. Duncan watched this scene and twitched his lips.

    They didn''t even know if they could take him on, but these three were already acting like heroes who protected the innocents from evil beings. Duncan felt the entire situationical and couldn''t help butugh out loud.

    Hisughter was loud in the silent battlefield. It was grating on the ears of everyone who was present in the vicinity. To those observers who just wanted to watch the fun, Duncan''sughter was akin to a devil''sughter. They shivered inwardly and prayed that the righteous cultivators would prevail in the uing confrontation.

    As for the fairness of a group of elite disciples fighting a single demonic cultivator, no one cared about it naturally. In their minds, they already had a side. They didn''t want Duncan to walk out of here alive. They wanted just retribution to be exacted on the evil cultivator at the hands of their heroes.

    So, they were fine with anything as long as Duncan died.

    Duncanughed uproariously looking at the assembled group of elites. Duncan knew that this uing fight would be different. But, he wasn''t worried too much.

    When he retreated earlier after being overwhelmed by the volume of attacks that were headed toward him, it wasn''t because he couldn''t rush through them or take them on. It was because he wanted to take a step back and analyze the new threat.

    These men had been monitoring his fight with the first group for some time now. They know what he had already shown during the fight. They should have already gauged his strength by now. And yet, these people were willing to step up and stand in his path.

    Duncan didn''t think these three were fools like the first group. That meant that these three had something to rely on as well. Duncan didn''t want to make a mistake in haste.

    His only goal was to collect enough ughter qi.

    The earlier ughter hadted him a small percentage of what he needed already. As long as these people didn''t run away, he didn''t care about anything else. If lulling them intocency meant taking a step back, Duncan would dly do it. He didn''t have any mental burdens regarding it.

    With a wave of his hand, Duncan mobilized his qi and collected all the belongings of the cultivators he had in so far. His act of nonchnce was incredibly disrespectful to all the cultivators who were assembled in front of him and watching from the distance. But, Duncan didn''t mind them one bit.

    They were his spoils. He killed them all legitimately. That meant everything they owned now belonged to him. This was the rule of this world. The only pique was that his way of doing it was too disrespectful to the dead ones and their friends. But, as their killer, Duncan had no mental burden regarding it either. Moreover, he wasn''t in the habit of sharing his spoils.

    "Do you think there is no one in this world who can stop you?" Lu Tianxin stepped out first and berated Duncan after witnessing his act of looting the corpses.

    Duncan turned away from the corpses and looked at Lu Tianxin. He felt a familiar kind of vibe emanating from him. Concentrating hard on it, Duncan realized that the cultivator opposite to him was also a swordsman.

    "Nah," Duncan shook his head dismissively and spoke, "I know there is a sky beyond the sky, heaven beyond heaven, and all those bullshit. I know there are people in the world who can crush me like a bug. Butˇ­"

    Duncan looked at the assembled young talents up and down as if taking stock of them one more time. He paused on the three men who were spearheading the group. Then his lips twitched into a smile.

    "Butˇ­ I don''t think anyone among you can do that. In fact, I feel that none of you even have the qualifications to stand in front of me. Let alone hunt meˇ­"

    Hearing Duncan''s words a mixed bag of emotions appeared on the assembled cultivators''s faces. Those who had barely escaped with their lives couldn''t help but remember Duncan''s massacre and gulp in fear. The entourage that had followed the trio was also a little apprehensive.

    However, the faces of Jiang Chen, Lu Tianxin, and Wu Dongmin became ugly. They didn''t like what they heard. While they knew that they wouldn''t be a match for Duncan individually, Duncan''s dismissal of all three of thembined with other cultivators behind them made them look like they have sucked a lemon.

    "Hmph," Wu Dongmin sneered. "Don''t be socent. Until we fight, no one knows for sure who will win. We aren''t like the ones you faced before. We are the real elites under the Violet Pce realm. If we three fight together, even a Violet Pce realm cultivator could be defeated by us easily."

    "I suggest you unsheathe your sword now. If not, you will not even have the opportunity to do soter," Lu Tianxin said a little arrogantly.

    "Alone, we might not be your opponents. But together, you aren''t a match for us either," Jiang Chen stated simply as if it was a fact. "While it is shameful to gang up on a cultivator, I think this situation is an exception. You are nothing but a scrouge that has upied this earth. You have already annihted the entire Wang n of the Starmist City. If we let you leave here alive, we don''t know how many other people will fall under your sword."

    "So, for the peace of the entire cultivation world and to uphold the righteousness that holds together this earth, we have decided tomit the shameful act of teaming up together to put an end to a scrouge like you," Wu Dongmin continued the narrative wlessly without a hitch causing Duncan''s eyebrows to raise.

    Seeing the determined expression on the faces of the trio, Duncan understood that the three had made a deal amongst themselves to take care of him together. Knowing this, Duncan let out a sigh inwardly.

    If these three wanted to escape, Duncan wasn''t sure he would be able to kill all three of them. Sure, he might be able to intercept and kill one or two. But, all three was a tall order for him. Duncan had been worried about such a possibility a little bit after the massacre hemitted. He still hadn''t gathered enough ughter qi. Them leaving would hamper his ns severely.

    However, since they didn''t want to leave, but instead wanted to kill him, Duncan felt that things were fine. Looking at the trio with a mocking smile, Duncan shook his head in a dismissive manner.

    "I will tell you onest time. Unsheathe your sword. If not, you will not have any more opportunity to do so," Lu Tianxin said domineeringly and unsheathed his own sword.

    Duncan squinted his eyes slightly and looked at Lu Tianxin provocatively.

    "You," Duncan pointed directly at the trio and spoke, "are not qualified for me to use my sword. Let me tell you something, since you seem intent onparing your sword skills with mine, how about you make me unsheathe my sword? Do you think you can do it?"

    Duncan looked at the trio provocatively and started walking towards the group in a fearless manner.

    *****

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 Chapter 236 One Vs Three

    ?

    As Duncan walked towards the group of cultivators led by the trio, murmurs began to appear in the distance among the audience.

    They thought that with the arrival of the three great talents from first-rate sects, there might be some change in the situation. But, looking at it now, it was clear that the demon didn''t care about the arrival of those three geniuses at all.

    While many in the crowd wanted to see the demon brought low and even fervently hoped that the demon had underestimated the trio, they all knew clearly that underestimation on this level of fight was incredibly rare.

    Only novices underestimated their opponents and got their asses beat. None of the people present on the battlefield were novices. Especially, the demon who was acting domineeringly. The bloodlust emanating from the demon was enough to tell them that.

    With a heavy heart, they watched the demon approach the righteous cultivators.

    Seeing Duncan walking towards them with no fear, the trio exchanged a look and nodded at each other. Lu Tianxin stepped out first as if intending to test out Duncan. Wu Dongmin also followed him as if he was going to assist him if needed.

    Jiang Chen, on the other hand, didn''t immediately step out. He turned and looked towards the cultivator who was right behind him. That man was like Jiang Chen''s shadow. He looked at Jiang Chen and nodded solemnly.

    They all knew the real purpose of this battle. This had nothing to do with righteousness. But, this particr demonic cultivator''s death meant increased resources from the sect to the trio. Naturally, as Jiang Chen''s loyal follower, the man also knew that.

    However, appearances need to be kept.

    Thus, the trio would try to test the demonic cultivator first while the rest retreated. If they can''t handle it, then the man must lead the followers and other cultivators to interfere in a crucial moment and provide an opportunity for the trio to change the tables.

    As elite disciples of first-rate sects, they had their own trump card. Not just them, even the ones who battled Duncan before this had their own trump cards. However, the situation on the battlefield turned suddenly causing them unable to take them out. Following that, Duncan never gave the rest any chance to unleash their trump cards either. He had been relentless in his pursuit.

    Jiang Chen and the other two had watched this from the sidelines. They knew that trying to find an opportunity to use their trump cards would be hard while battling Duncan. Duncan was like a force of nature who never relented once he started going. Trying to keep up with his tempo alone was hard enough for them.

    That''s where the man and the others came into the picture. By attacking Duncan at an opportune moment and providing them enough time to unleash their trump card, they would be able to deal with Duncan''s relentlessness easily.

    The man and the other cultivators was the backup n that the trio relied on. Duncan was unaware of this subtle bit of strategy that had been formed with mere eye contact. However, he was always on the lookout for changes. The current act of the trio stepping forward to test him made him a little wary.

    But, it was just that.

    Duncan had his own arrogance. He wouldn''t back down because of things deviating from his expectations slightly. He looked at the approaching Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin and quirked his eyebrows.

    "Have you two thought about this?" Duncan asked mockingly.

    "Cut the crap! We will show you that this world doesn''t tolerate demons like you," Lu Tianxin shouted righteously and attacked Duncan without any preamble.

    Duncan wasn''t surprised by the sudden attack. In fact, he never trusted the trio. If you asked him, Duncan would say that these three were akin to vipers lying in ambush amidst the grass in the Grasnds.

    With a derisive snort, Duncan threw a punch as well.

    BANG!

    A loud sound echoed and the resultant force from the sh spread everywhere. Duncan withstood the force with his body and smiled at the swordsman. On the other hand, Lu Tianxin had to take a few steps back to negate the impact.

    Just as Duncan wanted to needle the swordsman a bit, he felt another attacking from a different direction. Using the previous sh as the cover, the saber wielder of the trio had shifted his position and attacked him from a blindspot.

    Duncan unhurriedly turned around and threw another punch at the saber wielder.

    BANG!

    The two attacks once again canceled each other. Duncan smirked at the saber wielder who was trying to steady himself. Just as Duncan wanted to attack him again, he felt a sense of danger emanating from the ground.

    Duncan immediately sprang away from the location. The next moment a maw of dog formed of sand closed itself at the ce where he had been standing. Duncan''s eyes narrowed a little and he looked into the distance at the attacker.

    It was Jiang Chen who made thest attack. Compared to Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin, Jiang Chen''s attack was more sinister and silent. He didn''t proim his intent to attack Duncan. He used the distraction provided by the other two to try and trap Duncan with a spell.

    Duncan immediately realized that Jiang Chen was the one who was more dangerous of the trio. It was not because his attacks had more power. It was because of how versatile he could be.

    Cultivators like Jiang Chen are called spell cultivators. They are gifted in manipting the five elements into attacking and defending as per the need. They can switch things on the fly and are very versatile in a fight.

    Normally, taking on such a person would not be difficult for Duncan. He could escape the spells and close the distance within a short time and dispose of him. However, there were two other cultivators who were also acting in concert with such a treacherous foe. They would surely not allow him to close the distance between the two.

    Even though the trio had only formed the team recently, they all knew each other''s strengths and weaknesses like the back of their hands. So, when they fought together, they seamlesslypensated for each other''s weaknesses. This made the trio a very formidable team.

    Seeing Duncan escape his attack, Jiang Chen wasn''t deterred. He made another set of symbols and motioned his hands. The next moment, the maw reformed and chased after Duncan.

    Duncan narrowed his eyes and threw a punch at the approaching maw. The maw was sted into smithereens. However, the other two had recovered by then and started attacking him without much of a pause in their actions.

    While telling this might take a long time, things happened on the battlefield very quickly.

    This caused Duncan to try and fend off the two in a hurried manner. Meanwhile, Jiang Chen kept harassing Duncan with more earth constructs. Duncan was quickly forced to be passive, causing the trio to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

    Duncan didn''t like being passive at all. He wanted to st all three attacks and take the initiative once more. So, when the next attack came, Duncan tanked the attack from the swordsman and took a shot at the spell cultivator.

    Jiang Chen was forced to evade causing ag to appear on the seamless teamwork the trio had exuded so far. As for the attack from Lu Tianxin, Duncan''s body now bore a small wound near his hip causing blood to leak slightly.

    But, Duncan wasn''t in the mood to care about it. He had tanked an attack not to send Jiang Chen running. He wanted to take back the initiative. So, the next moment, Duncan threw two punches at the saber wielder and tried to close the distance between him and the swordsman.

    Most swordsmen dedicated their life to sword cultivation. They rarely cared about other aspects of cultivation like agility, speed, and several others. This caused them to be weak when it came to closebat. Duncan tried to use that to his advantage.

    Seeing Duncan advancing towards him, Lu Tianxin decisively retreated leaving Wu Dongmin alone to fend off Duncan until Jiang Chen joined the fight again. The back-and-forth dance between the four continued for some time.

    And as time passed, Duncan''s body began to umte small injuries here and there. While Duncan wasn''t as passive as he was in the beginning, he wasn''t able to take active control of the battlefield like he wanted to. The trio worked together impably and used the strategy of draining Duncan''s energy.

    Duncan also knew their strategy very well. He may have a strong body and be able to use physical energy, but he wasn''t a body cultivator. That meant his endurance level couldn''t stand up to their levels as well. Duncan was also clearly aware of the shorings of using physical energy to battle for a prolonged time.

    Thus, when the next gap presented itself after a couple of back-and-forths, Duncan took decisive action and kicked things up to the next level. With a loud shout, Duncan changed his attack and delivered the second act of

    .

    The attack flew directly towards Jiang Chen who had been a pain the ass of Duncan throughout the battle. Seeing a more ferocious attacking towards him, Jiang Chen hastily tried to evade.

    However, the delivery time of the second act of

    was shorter than the first act. Primal Bull Piercing The Heavens was sharper and faster than the first act of

    .

    As a result, Jiang Chen was sent flying into the distance under Duncan''s attack.

    *****

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 Chapter 237 Reigniting Battle Lust

    Jiang Chen rose from the rubble in the distance with a grimace on his face.

    He had somehow managed to evade the direct attack at thest moment. However, the impact of the fist still did a number on him. He felt that he had escaped being heavily injured by a hairsbreath.

    Looking at Duncan in the distance, Jiang Chen saw him attacking the other two without any reserve immediately after sending him flying. The sudden increase in the power of the fists caused Jiang Chen to be unprepared. However, that was not the case with the other two.

    Seeing Jiang Chen being sent flying all of a sudden, the other two managed to be cautious and avoided being sent flying as well. However, it didn''t mean that they didn''t have a hard time either.

    Duncan''s random switching of attacks had disrupted the established tempo. After erecting a hasty defense, the other two were able to weather Duncan''s attack. But, they were also sent striding back a few paces trying to negate the impact of the attack.

    The trio looked at Duncan seriously and found that they didn''t have a clear gauge of Duncan''s true power. While they had watched Duncan take out the group of cultivators earlier, they weren''t able to notice the minute differences like the increase in speed and strength between the two different attacks.

    Now that they had experienced it personally, their expressions have be very dignified. Unlike the previous attacks, this one was far faster and stronger as well. If they hadn''t mounted a proper defense in the split second, they might have also died under a single punch just like the others.

    Duncan watched the trio regroup calmly. After switching to the second act of the

    , he had already gained an advantage in the fight. He wasn''t passive any more and he now had the confidence to break out of the situation of the trio teaming up and bogging him down with continuous harassment.

    If the trio wanted to take back the initiative, they needed to up their games as well. If not, one single stray punch can decide the oue of the battle in a decisive manner. Right now, the progression of the fight rested on how the trio reacted to Duncan''s esction.

    "Hmph!" Wu Dongmin snorted as he straightened his robes. "You have some skills. But, don''t think this alone could save you. Take this!"

    With a mighty shout, Wu Dongmin took the lead in attacking Duncan once more.

    "<Splitting Heavens: First Heaven!>"

    Arge shadow of a saber emerged in front of Wu Dongmin and shed toward Duncan at an incredible speed. It almost looked as if it was going to split Duncan from head to toe. The level of oppression brought forth by this attack could never bepared to the previous attacks executed by the saber-wielding cultivator.

    Duncan''s face took on a solemn expression. He mobilized all his energy and punched out with a small shout. An image of a primal bull goring towards the enemy emerged and shed with therge saber in the distance.

    The moment the two attacks met, arge bang sounded in the ears of everyone. The impact of the attack sent both of them reeling backward. Duncan took a couple of steps to steady himself and looked at the saber wielder before him with a look of seriousness.

    Sure enough, he couldn''t take any elite from a first-rate sect easily. Right now, when the two attacks shed, Duncan felt that the opponent''s attack had signs of martial dao concept integration. That could mean only one thing. The saber wielder in front of him had grasped a martial dao concept while still in the Spirit Sea realm.

    While the level of integration wasn''t high, achieving this alone was enough to prove Wu Dongmin''s talent when ites to wielding sabers. True to his personality of being domineering, the concept he had gained insight into was also rted to suppression.

    The moment the attacks met, Duncan felt that his fist was being suppressed by an unknown power. If he was someone with no knowledge of martial dao concepts, he would have been shocked to feel such a phenomenon.

    Unfortunately for Wu Dongmin, Duncan already had insights into his own martial dao concepts. Furthermore, his understanding of the integration of a martial dao concept into an attack was far superior to Wu Dongmin.

    Wu Dongmin had been expecting a little bit of surprise from Duncan. But, apart from the slight narrowing of eyes, Duncan didn''t react much to the presence of the martial dao concept.

    Rather, deep in his heart, Duncan was beginning to feel the desire topete once again. The battle lust that had been hidden deep in his heart seemed to be burning once more. His eyes shined brightly and a broad smile overcame his face.

    If there was a reaction that Wu Dongmin had been expecting, it definitely wasn''t this. Duncan''s sudden change in demeanor didn''t go unnoticed by the trio. While the rest may not be aware, the trio could keenly feel the change in Duncan''s demeanor.

    "Again!"

    Duncan whispered hoarsely and punched out without waiting for Wu Dongmin to react or reply. Seeing Duncan''s actions, Wu Dongmin was forced to attack, lest he be killed by Duncan.

    Duncan felt as if he was back to the time when he fought with the Wang n Patriarch and his defensive formation. With each attack he exchanged with the saber-wielding opponent, he felt as if his understanding of the

    was growing at an unprecedented level.

    Duncan''s interest in

    was purely because of its usage towards his body strength. He didn''t have the time and patience to appreciate the intricate details and profoundity present in the martial art. He still preferred to use his sword whenpared with his fists.

    However, it didn''t mean Duncan''s ability to understand a martial art wascking. After all, it only took him one week to obtain minimum proficiency in the fist art to use it topete with elite disciples of the various sects.

    When he shed using the

    , the feedback he got from each collision let him know where his attack wascking. Duncan once again entered the state where he constantly adjusted the attack in order to fine-tune his martial arts.

    So, as the number of collisions between the two increased, Duncan felt his understanding of the

    increasing rapidly. He could feel that he had only scratched the basic surface of the

    clearly. He also understood that it would take long hours of contemtion and constant practice for him to be proficient in this fist art.

    But, what little he could grasp, he utilized in the uing attacks. His

    became more and more refined as time passed. From initially being able to barely contend with the saber image, right now the bull image was butting heads with the saber image equally.

    As he improved more and more, Duncan fell into a frenzied state. The rate at which he attacked Wu Dongmin was simply breathtaking. Wu Dongmin felt really suffocated and almost overwhelmed by the sheer volume of fist images rushing towards him. He too felt great pressure and a desire to ovee them.

    It is often said that a great enemy could motivate and help you break through your own shackles. Wu Dongmin felt the shackles that had been restricting him from understanding his martial arts start to loosen as he struggled to stay afloat under the pressure exerted by a frenzied Duncan.

    But, there was a limit to everything. No one could reach the top with a single step. If such a situation had happened in a friendly spar, it would have been of great benefit to Wu Dongmin. Unfortunately, this was a life-and-death fight and his opponent wasn''t inclined to show mercy or stay his hand.

    Pretty soon, Duncan''s frenzy almost overwhelmed Wu Dongmin. He was struggling hard to stay on the same level of tempo exuded by Duncan. Unfortunately, his cultivation wasn''t deep enough and he wasn''t strong enough to contend at that rate for a long time. Even though he felt unwilling to concede defeat and wanted to break through the shackles restricting him, he ultimately came up short.

    Just as it looked like Duncan would overwhelm Wu Dongmin, Lu Tianxin stepped in to aid him and relieve the pressure he faced.

    "<Eternal Sword: First Chapter ¨C Opening Heaven!>"

    Arge sword image broke through the blockade established by Duncan''s fist images and aided Wu Dongmin just as he was about to be overwhelmed by Duncan.

    Wu Dongmin was both d and irritated with Lu Tianxin''s help. He knew clearly he couldn''t havested for a few more moments without Lu Tianxin''s help. However, the pressure from his opponent was an incredibly rare opportunity for him to break through his shackles. Such an opportunity, once lost will nevere by again easily.

    Even though he was dissatisfied with the oue, Wu Dongmin wasn''t a fool to not take the overall situation into consideration. So, he buried the discontent in his heart and joined forces with Lu Tianxin to deal with Duncan.

    Duncan snarled seeing the prey in his eyes escape with the help of someone else. He refused to believe that he wouldn''t be able to beat the saber wielder with his fists. He went almost mad when he saw that the victory that was within his grasp was taken away by the inclusion of another party.

    With two elites attacking him together with their favorite martial arts, the pressure turned around and came at Duncan now. Even though he was able to contend and overwhelm one opponent, adding another made him struggle to hold on.

    Duncan felt incredibly aggrieved. His heart refused to be suppressed like this. The anger and passion in his heart ignited and he lost track of everything apart from exchanging blows with the two people in front of him.

    "Aaargh!"

    Duncan screamed venting out his frustrations and started punching at the duo madly.

    *****

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 Chapter 238 Sneak Attack!

    ?

    Jiang Chen watched the events transpire from a distance.

    He took the opportunity provided by the fierce fighting in the distance to recuperate his internal injuries and assess the state of the fight from an unbiased viewpoint. Watching the progression of the fight, he couldn''t help but frown heavily.

    Their opponent was a true madman. He was a battle maniac. His improvements during the battle were simply mindboggling. He was fighting like a cornered animal with everything he had. Such a style of fighting was creating more pressure on them.

    When he had been in the midst of the fight, he had a feeling that they were suppressing their opponent with unrelenting attacks. But, after watching the fight from a distance for a few minutes, he didn''t have the same feeling.

    To those who might not have an intuitive feeling regarding the battle, both sides looked equal on the surface. Hell, even he thought the same. But, now that he watched the back and forth between the two parties from an unbiased view, things were looking bleak for them.

    To others, the fight looked pretty even. Both trading dominance for a few minutes before the other partyes up with a countermeasure and negating it. It was akin to a sea-saw battle with equal possibility for either side winning. That was the impression the fight gave to the onlookers.

    But, Jiang Chen disagreed with it vehemently.

    From the moment it started to till now, they had never seriously inconvenienced their opponent. All the attacks they had dealt so far were easily resolved by the opponent. They had to team up to keep him from dominating them. Even the slight advantage they had in the beginning was bing slim as time passed.

    Jiang Chen felt uneasy for the first time since the fight began. There was a niggling thought in the back of his head that was worrying about what would happen if they couldn''t suppress and kill this demonic cultivator.

    He once thought that with the three of them teaming up, it would be easy to subdue the demonic cultivator and kill him. However, the reality gave him a different answer. And now, with so far into the fight, they were still equal.

    Both Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin had already started using their trademark attacks. Usually, fights didn''tst long after they started using their signature techniques. These techniques weren''t some random run-of-the-mill techniques. They were powerful ones that helped cultivators to suppress their generation and establish flourishing sects.

    Even after pulling out these techniques, their opponent was able to go toe to toe with them while still fighting one against two. That meant, their strength was far below than their opponent. The difference between the two sides was very clearly seen from this.

    What made Jiang Chen''s heart go cold was that their opponent was only using amonly looked down technique to fight against them now. Their opponent was someone from a hegemonic sect. The techniques and skills he had ess to would be far better than theirs.

    There is a reason that sects were differentiated in grades. It all came down to the inheritance of techniques and resources. People in the same cultivation level can exhibit differing power while fighting due to the different cultivation techniques they practiced.

    The hegemonic sects reigned supreme because of the longsting inheritance and powerful techniques they carried. How can a direct disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of a hegemonic sect not practice powerful techniques that the sect had in their library? That was something unthinkable.

    That means, their opponent was still holding back even now.

    The fight might look intense. The battle might seem as if it had reached a crescendo. But, was that the truth? The three of them were being led around by their noses by their opponent. Jiang Chen felt that something must be done.

    He didn''t want to y fair any longer.

    Righteousness and fairness in a fight are all well and good. But, it wasn''t as important as their lives. Only when they have their lives could they possibly enjoy the rewards of killing this demonic cultivator. What use are the rewards if the injuries they sustain prevent them from utilizing them fully?

    With how the fight was progressing, it was clear to Jiang Chen that even if they won, it would be a hard-fought victory. There was a high chance of them being seriously injured and halting their cultivation progress. Such a result wasn''t what he wanted.

    With a determined look, Jiang Chen looked at the distant fight and waited for the right opportunity.

    Within a few minutes, an opportunity arose. Not wasting a single moment, Jiang Chen waved his hands and arge circr seal appeared on his hand. He injected his qi and sent the seal flying toward Duncan without pausing even slightly.

    Duncan had just fended off two attacks from his opponents. Even though he wanted to smash those attacks apart with his fist, his fist technique hadn''t reached that level yet. As a result, the most he could do was fight to a standstill.

    Creating a break, Duncan wanted to take the initiative and find some way to break through the current stalemate that had been established. However, the moment he steadied his feet, a sense of danger shot through him causing him to look up in haste.

    The next moment he saw arge seal flying towards him with iparable speed. The moment heid eyes on that seal, Duncan knew that he wouldn''t be able to contend with it in his current situation.

    For the first time since the fight began, Duncan went into full defense mode. Until now, he mostly tanked the attacks that came at him. Duncan crossed his arms in front of his face and protected his vitals, just in time for the seal to smash into him. It was an instinctive reaction. He didn''t even have time to evade. The chosen opportunity had been perfect.

    The seal mmed into Duncan with the weight of a mountain. Duncan felt his insides rolling. The blood in his body almost flowed in reverse due to the suppression exuded by the seal. Naturally, he was smashed into the distance without any hurdle.

    Duncan felt as if his entire body was on the verge of being crushed. He smashed into the ground and couldn''t stop rolling for a long time. The bruises and scratches that he had umted so far suddenly started to ache all over. His entire body felt as if it was being pressed and demolished. He groaned in pain for the first time since the fight began.

    Silence engulfed the battlefield as even Jiang Chen''srade looked at him in surprise. Jiang Chen didn''t bother to look at them at all. His eyes were on their opponent in the distance.

    As the dust cleared, Jiang Chen''s eyes narrowed. He couldn''t believe that their enemy could take a head-on attack from his seal and still move about. But, reality was telling him differently. The groans of pain and coughs that spew blood were indicative that their opponent had been injured.

    But, that was it.

    He could already see their opponent slowly getting back to his feet. The seal he used as a weapon was given to him by his master to use in emergencies. When used in defense, it could tank hits fromte-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators.

    It had the offensive power of a mid-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator as well. Even after taking a direct hit from such an attack, their opponent was already getting back to his feet.

    That meant even the offensive power of a mid-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator wasn''t enough to keep their opponent down. That was disastrous news for them. Right then, Jiang Chen recalled how this all began in the first ce.

    He had initially refused to believe that their enemy could kill Violet Pce realm cultivators easily. Bothmon sense and his ego told him that wasn''t possible. Since he couldn''t do it, no one else could do it either.

    At that time, Envoy Ming had looked at him as if he was a fool. He hadn''t taken it seriously then. But now, standing in front of naked truth, he couldn''t help but panic a little. He didn''t really even think about what would happen if he were to lose.

    He had been too sure of his victory. After teaming with Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin, that thought never even shed past his mind. But, now he had woken up to reality. It was hard not to after seeing their opponent stand up after a sneak attack that should have killed him by all ounts.

    "What was that?" Wu Dongmin interrupted Jiang Chen''s spiraling thoughts a little angrily.

    "What do you mean?" Jiang Chen snapped back at Wu Dongmin.

    "Why did you sneak attack him like that?" Wu Dongmin asked a little dissatisfiedly.

    "Hmph," Jiang Chen sneered. "If I don''t sneak attack him now, when do you think I should attack? After he killed both of you?"

    "What do you mean?" Wu Dongmin asked angrily as if Jiang Chen had stepped on his tail.

    "What do I mean? Do you think you both were winning? Wake up! He is ying with us," Jiang Chen said a little dissatisfiedly.

    "Let me stop you there. I don''t think the difference between us is that huge," Lu Tianxin interrupted angrily. "If you had joined forces with us, we could have suppressed him now. He was barely hanging on there. There was no need for a sneak attack like that. Did you forget the people watching us from a distance?"

    Lu Tianxin hissed in displeasure and looked furtively toward the distant group. Jiang Chen sneered at Lu Tianxin''s righteous fa?ade. Unlike Wu Dongmin who was genuinely dissatisfied with his interruption in what he perceived as an even fight, Lu Tianxin only wanted to maintain his righteousness in front of the crowd. Looking at him now, Jiang Chen felt a little disgusted.

    *****

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 Chapter 239 True Pride

    ?

    "Do you think that''s all he has? My Three Mountains Seal has the power of a mid-stage Violet Pce cultivator. He took a direct hit from it. And yet, he is moving around already. Do you think you would be able to beat him without using all your tricks?" Jiang Chen sneered at Lu Tianxin.

    "And you, did you forget our motive?" Jiang Chen turned towards Wu Dongmin angrily. "We need to kill him. Not injure or drive him away. We need to kill him. Only then all our ns coulde true. This is not the ce for you to hone your fighting skills."

    "Do you think only you are improving? Don''t make meugh. Compared to his progress, yours is at a snail''s pace. By the time, you progress enough to make an actual difference in the fight, he would have killed us all multiple times," Jiang Chen poured cold water on Wu Dongmin.

    "And you, you think you are so powerful eh?" Jiang Chen mocked Lu Tianxin. "Are you kidding? It is clear that he is so far above our league. With both of youbined and fighting together for so long, he has yet to even unsheathe his sword."

    "You have already used your signature techniques. What about him? Did you see him use any other technique other than what he used to deal with others? In his eyes, we and them aren''t that different," Jiang Chen didn''t leave any face for Lu Tianxin either.

    The faces of the duo became purple from embarrassment. Looking at their angry but embarrassed expression, Jiang Chen realized that he too had lost his temper. Taking a deep breath, Jiang Chen spoke again.

    "Forget about everything. All our ns rest on killing him. It is time we stop holding back our trump cards. We need to kill him and do it as soon as possible. Who knows if he might reach a breakthrough while battling? He is already hard to deal with, we can''t allow any chances," Jiang Chen said in a somber tone.

    Hearing Jiang Chen''s words, the anger and embarrassment in the hearts of the duo dissipated. They were elites for a reason. They knew when to put emotions in the front when to swallow things and work for themon good. Soon Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin regained their demeanor. They both looked at each other and nodded at Jiang Chen.

    "Then, be ready. We will give our all. Just remember, if we can''t defeat him, none of us will be able to leave here alive. So, don''t hold back anything," Jiang Chen said solemnly and looked into the distance.

    Exactly at that moment, Duncan rose to his feet with bloody wounds all over his body.

    His entire body looked heavily injured. He was bleeding from several ces. His breathing was ragged. He couldn''t even stand properly for the first few moments. But, as time passed, Duncan''s posture straightened and he began to stand tall.

    Even though he looked heavily injured on the outside, Duncan knew his body well. Due to him protecting his vitals at thest moment, he was able to minimize the injuries he sustained. Most injuries he had were superficial in nature.

    It was just that the seal really did a number on his inner organs with its suppression effect. The reversing of the blood flow almost caused him severe damage. Luckily, he was able to prevent it from spreading. Moreover, his heart wasn''t a usual heart in the first ce.

    Spitting out a glob of blood from his mouth, Duncan started chuckling.

    Duncan felt he deserved this beating. He had be too cocky and arrogant as ofte. If not for this beating, he would have continued being arrogant even after this fight. It was good to sober up quickly.

    These were the elites of various sects. Just because he could kill them easily didn''t mean they were defenseless. If he had used his sword at the earliest opportunity and killed these imbeciles by now, they wouldn''t have been able to hurt him like this.

    But, what did he do?

    He let his ego make decisions. He wanted to show off. He wanted to act domineering and arrogant. As a result, he hadn''t even unsheathed his sword. He had wanted to win this fight with a technique that he had only been practicing for a week.

    How arrogant of him!

    No wonder, he almost lost his life.

    Duncan decided to use this incident as a lesson and take every fight he came across after this seriously. What about pride and other such stuff? Compared to living, they didn''t amount to much. He didn''t want to lose his life because he let his pride get in the way of a sure victory.

    Pride was good. But, too much of it was a danger as well. Duncan realized it at that moment. Thinking about how this sorry state of his was his own making, Duncan couldn''t help but chuckle at himself.

    On the other hand, those who had just watched Duncan take on a sneak attack that was more powerful than any of the attacks that were delivered head-on and sent smashing into the distance felt a chill in their hearts hearing Duncan chuckle.

    They just watched this man be smashed into the distance with no defense by a powerful weapon. They saw how much damage his body had suffered. They saw how hard it was for him to stand up initially after the attack. And yet, they were hearing this madman chuckling as if everything was fine.

    None of them could maintain a smile when they thought about this. Uneasiness grew in their hearts as they watched Duncan walk step by step towards the trio in a calm manner. Only those who were very observant noticed that this time Duncan''s hand was on his sword as he approached the trio.

    The mere change of where he ced his hands let his opponents know that their enemy was going to be serious from now on. They couldn''t help but gulp loudly and look at each other in askance.

    Just now, they decided to kill this man while he was still ying around with them. However, before they could implement it, their opponent had turned serious and is walking towards them with a purpose in mind.

    Duncan''s eyes were like burning torches at this moment. There was a brimming sense of malevolence all over his body. A bloodthirsty aura started emerging as Duncan came near to the trio. The trio didn''t miss any of this. Their expressions turned grave.

    "Again"

    Duncan didn''t shout. He didn''t roar. He didn''t even try to project his voice. He looked at the trio and calmly, but assertively said that word. The moment Duncan delivered that word, the trio seemed confused initially, but the next moment their faces turned white.

    Whether they turned white in anger or fear, Duncan didn''t care. He stared at the trio without blinking. His hand was on his sword. He wanted to have another go at the seal. But, this time he wanted to see if his sword could withstand it.

    A small part of Duncan felt insulted by the fact that these imbeciles whom he had looked down upon earlier managed to hurt him to this extent. He couldn''t stomach it. He wanted to prove to himself that it was only because he was arrogant and not careful that he got injured.

    And it was true as well.

    Hepletely lost track of the third opponent while he was immersed in trying to contend with the other two. He wanted to defeat the two so badly with an inferior martial arts technique to prove his superiority that he didn''t even care to think about the third person he was supposed to be watching out for.

    He knew from earlier that Jiang Chen was the sneakiest of the lot. He knew from earlier that Jiang Chen was the one who was the most dangerous of the trio. His instincts had told him that. He had even tried to take him out first.

    But, somehow, he forgot about such a big threat in his pursuit to prove his strength. That was uneptable to Duncan. That was sheer idiocy. That was not something he should have done. So, he paid the price for it.

    Now that he paid the price, he wanted to see if his sword could handle the attack that made him bleed. Duncan had absolute confidence in his sword. He didn''t think even a magic weapon with such attack power wielded by a Spirit Sea realm cultivator could beat it. The sword was where his true pridey.

    So, he wanted another go at the seal. This time, with his trusty sword in his hand.

    On the other hand, Jiang Chen was the one who was affected by Duncan''s calm demand for a rehash of his sneak attack. Looking at the confidence exuding from his eyes, Jiang Chen felt suffocated for no reason. He almost didn''t want to believe what he was seeing.

    This person was a madman. No one got injured this heavily and walks up to the attacker and demands for a repeat. Jiang Chen gnashed his teeth and looked at the confident Duncan in disbelief. He wanted to know what gave this madman the confidence to demand a repeat.

    That''s when he realized what Duncan''s hands on his sword meant.

    *****

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 Chapter 240 Trump Cards Revealed

    ?

    Jiang Chen''s face became dignified when he realized the nature of Duncan''s demand.

    Compared to Lu Tianxin who acted righteously all day long and secretly schemed, a sword cultivator like Duncan was someone worthy of his respect. Jiang Chen didn''t have any illusions that he was a good guy. He knew he was opportunistic and tended to look out for himself most of the times.

    But, it didn''t mean he didn''t understand the type of pride a true cultivator must have. He had even tried to foster that pride within him. Unfortunately, his innate character made it hard for him to be like those cultivators.

    Even though Duncan was his enemy, at this moment Jiang Chen respected Duncan a lot more than his two allies. He didn''t look down on Duncan because he was an evil cultivator. This kind of respect was something that was born deep in the heart. No one can instill it within someone else.

    Jiang Chen understood the nature of the request and the pride hidden behind it. He knew what Duncan was asking for. He could feel Duncan''s pride in his sword cultivation in that simple word. It made him realize that this fight was going to be incredibly hard even if they allbined all their trump cards.

    "Fellow Daoist, My name is Jiang Chen. I am the first disciple of the White Plume Sect," Jiang Chen said solemnly. "I will fulfill your request."

    Duncan looked at Jiang Chen and nodded slightly, "Duncan, Heavenly Demon Sect!"

    The two exchanged a nod. Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin by the side looked at the strange exchange between the duo and frowned slightly. Wu Dongmin''s very nature made it hard for him to understand these subtle things.

    He was someone very straightforward in his approach. He loved fighting and was brash to a certain extent. While he understood how to navigate the cultivation world and gain advantages, these subtle things flew right over his head.

    Strangely enough, this made him an ideal fit to cultivate Saber Dao. Saber Dao had an innate feature of rigidity and stubbornness to it. His character suited such a dao well. His cultivation of the Saber Dao was the best in the current generation of young talents.

    On the other hand, Lu Tianxin was someone who yed tricks a lot. Unlike Wu Dongmin, he understood the hidden significance of the exchange between the two. It wasn''t an exchange of greeting between equals. But, it was an acknowledgment of sorts between the two.

    That underlying exchange of respect made him frown a bit harder. Of the three of them who were fighting Duncan, it was him who disliked Duncan the most. The news that Duncan could generate swordlight was something he couldn''t stand. His dislike stemmed from his jealousy of Duncan.

    Seeing Jiang Chen give a nod of respect to Duncan, he felt incredibly ufortable. He scowled at Jiang Chen but didn''t say anything. He wasn''t foolish enough to alienate Jiang Chen at this juncture. Right now, they all were in the same boat. Respect or not, only one side could walk away with their life. So, there was no use in digging deep into this.

    But, he would remember this. He wouldn''t forget how Jiang Chen approved of Duncan. One day, he would make Jiang Chen pay for this bit of disrespect towards him. Sneering inwardly, Lu Tianxin waved his hands.

    A small sword that was not muchrger than his palm appeared in his hand.

    The moment the sword appeared, Duncan felt his eyes prickle. He could feel a tyrannical sword energy emanating from it. Duncan''s eyes narrowed as he realized that this small sword was most likely this swordsman''s trump card.

    Even Jiang Chen and Wu Dongmin''s faces became dignified upon seeing the small sword.

    "This is a small token my master had gifted me with," Lu Tianxin boasted proudly looking at Duncan. "It has the attack power of peak Violet Pce realm. Do you want to try this as well?"

    Duncan narrowed his eyes. He could hear the ridicule in the sword cultivator''s words. He also understood the significance of the attack power mentioned by his opponent. Obviously, it wasn''t something he was confident of taking on.

    But, looking at the sword cultivator''s smug face, Duncan didn''t want to retreat. Duncan''s hand on his sword tightened. The battle intent in him surged and his eyes became brighter. A small smile graced his lips.

    "Why not?" Duncan replied simply and unsheathed his sword.

    Brandishing his sword at the sword cultivator, Duncan smirked and spoke,"I told you that you weren''t qualified to make me use my sword. However, that sword is qualified enough. Come, let''s see whose sword is sharper."

    Hearing Duncan''s words, Lu Tianxin flushed in embarrassment and shame.

    "You will regret this!" Lu Tianxin shouted angrily and prepared to attack Duncan.

    Just then, a strong saber aura exploded from beside him causing Lu Tianxin to look over. Wu Dongmin was holding a small saber ideal to Lu Tianxin. The saber aura that came out of it was no lesser than the sword aura from Lu Tianxin''s small sword.

    "Count me in as well," Wu Dongmin smirked and looked at Duncan provocatively.

    Duncan looked at the two small weapons in the hands of his opponents and became serious. Combined with the seal that had almost killed him, he knew that this uing fight was going to be far tougher than he anticipated.

    This also let him know that fighting elite disciples who had their sects backing them was no small matter. He didn''t have any such incredible weapons. His master wasn''t as generous as theirs. He would have to use his own skills to contend against these weapons.

    Seeing the trio looking at him with serious expression, Duncan felt a strange sort of determination flood his mind. His heartbeat started to rise rapidly for a small moment before bing subdued. A slow throbbing started emanating from his heart. A yearning filled his soul as if he wanted to test himself against this.

    Duncan''s eyes slowly started to be red. A red hue began to envelop him as the battle intent in his heart soared to unprecedented heights. He didn''t want to justpete. He didn''t want to just test if his sword could take this on.

    No!

    He wanted to smash these things with his sword. When he was in the Greenwood Forest, he was already able to contend with attacks at mid-stage Violet Pce realm. The difference between him then and now was also big. His cultivation had be sublimated to an unprecedented degree. His body had been strengthened as well.

    So, what was his limit now?

    Duncan wanted to see it. Duncan wanted to smash these things and prove to everyone present here that he doesn''t need these external helps to emerge victorious. With a grunt, Duncan fixed his determined eyes on the trio and spoke.

    "Let''s begin!"

    The next moment, Duncan vanished from his spot. He was like a red blur in the eyes of the assembled cultivators. Even the spectators watching from the distance couldn''t see Duncan''s figure clearly when he started moving.

    Duncan utilized <Wind Chasing Steps> and rushed towards the trio. He wanted to take them off-guard and gain an advantage in this battle. This battle was the real deal. Duncan didn''t take it likely.

    The trio had been on guard the moment a red hue started emerging from Duncan''s body. They figured that this might be Duncan''s trump card and were already vignt towards him.

    So, unlike the other cultivators, the trio weren''t caught off-guard by Duncan''s speed. Even then, Duncan was far faster than they expected. His speed made him almost a blur in their eyes as well.

    The first to bear Duncan''s attack was Wu Dongmin. He swung his saber and unleashed his signature technique. Duncan smashed through it without any effort and sent the saber wielder flying into the distance.

    By now, Jiang Chen had already attacked Duncan with his seal. He didn''t dare to take Duncan lightly at all. So, when he attacked, he attacked with full power. Just as Duncan sent the saber wielder flying, the attack from the seal came.

    Duncan didn''t even hesitate this time. With a small roar, he unleashed an Absolute Severance sh towards the seal. Swordlightbined with his own martial technique rushed towards the heavy seal that was approaching him.

    BANG!!!

    Arge sound echoed across the battlefield and Duncan went skidding back a few steps from the impact of the blow. But, there was a bright smile on his face. He was able to contend with the seal that almost took his life. This made him more confident and giddy in his heart.

    Jiang Chen, on the other hand, groaned and took a few steps back. He looked at Duncan in fear and shock. He never expected Duncan to be able to withstand the attack after he unsheathed his sword. Deep in his heart, he still believed that Duncan wouldn''t be able to do that.

    The bacsh from using the seal was making him sweat as well. The seal was a weapon at the stage of the Violet Pce realm. Operating it when he was in the Spirit Sea realm was incredibly difficult. It ate a lot of spirit qi and extracted a toll on his body.

    Calming the internal turmoil caused due to the bacsh, Jiang Chen took a look at the fight. The moment he looked over, his eyes shrank.

    Taking advantage of the sh between Duncan and him, Lu Tianxin attacked with his trump card. A bright sword light engulfed the entire battlefield as the small sword in Lu Tianxin''s hands moved across the battlefield with the intent to cut down Duncan.

    Duncan had only barely recovered from his sh with the seal when he felt the sword lighting at him. He turned and looked at the sword light with a fierce glint in his eyes.

    With a roar, Duncan shed continuously at the sword light three times in session.

    *****

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 Chapter 241 Surround Him!

    ?

    Duncan didn''t hold back even a single percent of his strength when he shed at the sword light.

    He knew that the sword light emanating from the short sword was dangerous. Sword attacks are inherently more offensive than other kinds of attacks. They had a sharpness to them that was hard to replicate even by saber attacks. Combined with the presence of the sword light, this attack was really dangerous to the current him to defend against.

    Hence, Duncan didn''t even think of defending. He attacked back with Absolute Severance sh multiple times, hoping to negate quality with quantity. He didn''t know if the attack by the small sword was as powerful as the sword cultivator boasted. However, the sword aura emanating from the small sword gave him a bad feeling. So, he didn''t ck off with his response.

    And just like he expected, the sword aura from the small sword was indeed domineering.

    The small sword cut through Duncan''s first two shes and then finally got bogged down by the third one. Even then, it wasn''t enough to stop the small sword. The small sword cut through thest sh atst andnded on his torso within the blink of an eye.

    Duncan felt the sharp aura of the small sword intuitively. He felt the sword digging into his body. Duncan was sent staggering back several paces as the small sword returned to its owner.

    Duncan had to get down on one knee to keep his bnce by the time he negated the impact from the small sword. He looked down and found a long cut running across his torso from one end to another.

    Even though the small sword was only the size of a palm, the attack it delivered was not less than an actual sword. Duncan felt as if he had been shed by a regr sword.

    Blood dripped down from the cut and Duncan felt a stinging sensation across his torso. Taking a deep breath, Duncan looked at the sword cultivator in the distance. The sword cultivator was sporting a frown at the moment.

    It was clear that he expected to heavily injure Duncan in one blow. But, Duncan was able to mount some defense at thest moment causing the injury to be far lighter than what the sword cultivator would have wished.

    Duncan sneered at the sword cultivator and got back to his feet. Even though he was injured, Duncan was happy deep in his heart. It was fine as long as he could defend himself. He was not worried about getting injured. He didn''t care about it actually. What he was worried about was the possibility of being unable to defend himself.

    Right now, it became clear to him that wasn''t the case. Sure, the weapon of the sword cultivator was powerful. He will admit that. But, it wasn''t so powerful that he would not even have a chance of defending himself.

    Even with a sneak attack, the sword cultivator was not able to injure him seriously. This was just a flesh wound. Duncan didn''t care about such things. His body had a high regeneration rate. Already the bruises and scratches he had sustained were fading away. That was one of the advantages of having a powerful body.

    Just as Duncan felt like going after the sword cultivator and gifting him back a sh, he felt another attacking for him. This attack also felt no less dangerous than the one from the attack from the small sword.

    Turning around, Duncan was confronted with arge saber beam hurtling towards him with a small saber. Duncan immediately mounted his defense without a second thought.

    This time he sent out five Absolute Severance shes and finally repelled the small saber. By now, delivering an Absolute Severance sh was like breathing air to Duncan. It was an instinctive thing. So, he didn''t exert himself much while using it.

    The same couldn''t be said for his two opponents either. The toll it took on their body for them to unleash such attacks that were far beyond their level was not small. Their breathing had already be ragged. Duncan knew that these two weapons couldn''t be used for long by these two people. Since that was the case, all he had to do was hang in there until these two ran out of energy and go on the offensive.

    Just when Duncan was breathing a sigh of relief, all three of his attackers joined hands and attacked him together. Duncan''s face became grave and he had to hastily mount his defense, lest he became heavily injured.

    Duncan didn''t have the confidence to negate all their attacks together. At this moment, Duncan realized a w in his martial art. While he had top-grade attack techniques for his level, he didn''t have any true trump card that would aid him at a critical moment. This was a big w that he hadn''t realized until now.

    So, Duncan could only madly send out one sh after another, trying to keep those three weapons at bay. After sending out countless shes, Duncan felt drained. Even then, his attacks weren''t enough to negate all three weapons.

    Arge seal mmed into his body and sent him flying into the distance once again.

    "Surround the region," Jiang Chen shouted anxiously. "Do not let him escape. Keep him entangled if he tries to escape."

    Jiang Chen ordered his subordinates. The man who had received Jiang Chen''s eye signal earlier, immediately set off with the rest of the group to surround the areapletely and prevent Duncan from escaping this ce.

    Seeing the change in the situation, the onlookers became excited. Ever since the three prodigies brought out their trump cards, the demonic cultivator wasn''t able to gain the upper hand anymore.

    The spectators rejoiced seeing that the chances for the righteous cultivators to prevail over the demonic cultivator were high from their point of view. As they say, amateurs watch the show, while only experts understand the intricacies. In their mind, the oue of the fight was already decided.

    They couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief seeing how dominant the three prodigies were at the moment. They didn''t think that the demonic cultivator would turn the tables and obtain dominance after the unveiling of trump cards.

    Duncan felt his entire body ache as he came to a stop.

    He had a split second to make a decision during the final moments of the sh. Even though he had sent out countless shes to rebuff the three weapons, the attack power of these weapons wasn''t something to be taken lightly.

    The three weapons crushed through his attacks. The only thing his attacks did to help was that they were able to reduce the power of the three weapons and make it more bearable for him to tank.

    In the end, when the final sh he had sent out was crushed, he had a split second to make a decision. With the three weapons approaching him from different directions, he could only evade two at most in the time avable to him. So, Duncan took the decision to take on the seal instead of the sword and saber.

    Duncan rather preferred tanking blunt force attackspared to sharp attacks delivered from swords and sabers. With a blunt force attack, the impact was spread across a region, unlike sharp attacks.

    Duncan hoped that by spreading out the impact of the weapon, he would be able to withstand more. And he bet on it. Luckily, for Duncan, his bet paid off and he was able to easily negate the impact from the attack with his strong body.

    As far as the pain he experienced and being sent flying away, Duncan felt it was a better exchange. Gritting his teeth and withstanding the pain emanating from all over his body, Duncan stood back up with a determined expression on his face.

    Looking at the trio, they seemed to have expected it and were already advancing towards him to attack him. Duncan noticed that the trio were not looking at this moment. While tanking attacks from those three weapons was incredibly hard, using them also seemed to be hard for the trio as well.

    He also noticed that they had put away those weapons and were attacking him with their techniques now. Duncan deduced that they wanted to wear him down first before using the weapons to finish him off. Duncan felt that he shouldn''t give them such a chance.

    The movements of these people who were eager to surround him also fell in his eyes. Duncan felt likeughing looking at their efforts. He wasn''t going to run away. If he did that, all he worked for until now would be a waste. The price was too high for him to pay. So, no matter what, he wouldn''t retreat from this ce without collecting enough ughter qi.

    Letting out a huff of derision, Duncan gripped his sword and rose up to meet the trio. It was time for him to show these imbeciles how sharp his sword was. Just because his sword couldn''t handle the three weapons they had, it didn''t mean it couldn''t take on these three without the support of those weapons.

    Just as the trio arrived in front of him, Duncan attacked them without showing any restraint. Three Absolute Severance shes greeted the trio causing them to defend using their signature moves.

    "<Absolute Severance!>"

    "<Splitting The Sky!>"

    "<Mountain Cleaver!>"

    "<Three Mountain Seal: Heaven And Earth Seal!>"

    BANG!!!

    Arge plume of dust engulfed the area causing the spectators in the distance and the ones surrounding the area to look at the dust cloud in anticipation.

    *****

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 Chapter 242 Is He Dead!?

    ?

    As the crowd watched the dust cloud eagerly, three lights shot out of the dust cloud and were sent flying into the distance.

    The dust cleared and all anyone could see was a lone figure standing in the center of the dust cloud with a sword in his hand. The figure''s back was straight and there was murderousness exuding from it in waves.

    The onlookers couldn''t help but gulp in fear looking at the figure.

    In the distance, the trio rolled to a stop and sat up groaning. Even though they had utilized their best attacks, none of them were a match for Duncan''s sword without their trump card. It disheartened them massively and they couldn''t help but be afraid of the direction the fight was heading in.

    The moment the sh urred, they could intuitively feel the difference in power between them and Duncan. Duncan wasn''t like a Spirit Sea realm cultivator at all. They all felt that he was akin to a Violet Pce realm cultivator.

    If it was any other fight, they wouldn''t have been this disheartened. They had initially thought that they could take on Duncan individually. Then, after seeing Duncan''s power, they changed their strategy and decided to fight him by ganging up on him. They did that because this fight was very important to their future.

    But now, Duncan had dismantled all their attacks and rebuffed even their trump card. They, at best, had one another shot with their trump cards. They wouldn''t be able to use it continuously. Their bodies wouldn''t be able to take it. And their qi reserve was also running low. This has already spelled their doom.

    Jiang Chen, in particr, felt aggrieved. He had used everything he had and had onlye up short. Furthermore, the premonition he had earlier about the fight would not go their way seemed to being true. They were all out of cards. And he didn''t know if anything more was possible.

    Lu Tianxin was more irate than disheartened. He couldn''t believe that Duncan had mastered swordlight to this degree. After shing with Duncan multiple times and seeing him using sword light so casually, made him seeth in anger.

    He didn''t know how Duncan was able to do something he couldn''t. He refused to believe that Duncan was more talented when it came to sword cultivation than him. He refused it even after seeing it with his own eyes.

    All his life, he had been hailed as a prodigy of the sword. Now, someone hade along and pped him in the face. He felt humiliated and insulted beyond anything else. He just couldn''t stand Duncan at all. What was once a desire to kill had now be an obsession to destroy.

    Wu Dongmin wasn''t any better either. He had always been arrogant and domineering. Duncan had trod upon his pride repetitively ever since they began to fight. While he wasn''t as obsessed as Lu Tianxin, Wu Dongmin still harbored some resentment towards Duncan.

    Silence engulfed the entire battlefield as everyone saw the trio rise up with varying states of injuries on them. Strangely enough, Jiang Chen was the only one who was injured a little less. The states of the other two were really bad.

    Multiplecerations and wounds were dotted all over their body. Their body was covered in blood everywhere. They were even vomiting blood as they struggled to stand up. They looked very miserable to look at.

    Jiang Chen, being the least injured, was the first to steady himself. Duncan watched the trio rise to their feet with varying emotions on their faces. The viciousness that was deeply hidden in the hearts of Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin was visible to everyone. They looked at Duncan as if they wanted to cut him into a million pieces. Lu Tianxin, in particr, looked spitting mad.

    Duncan watched them calmly without any particr emotion on his face. Looking at their states, he knew the fight was over. Taking a deep breath, Duncan decided to end this fight and do what he should have done in the first ce ¨C collect ughter qi.

    Just as Duncan prepared to attack the trio, a sudden scream of rage and anger interrupted everyone and made everyone look over.

    "Aaargh!"

    With a primal scream, Lu Tianxin dashed towards Duncan with a mad look on his face. His resentment for Duncan had reached its peak and he wasn''t thinking anymore. The only thing he wanted to do was to kill Duncan and split his body into a million pieces.

    Jiang Chen was taken aback and tried to stop him. He knew that none of them were a match for him. But, he was toote and Lu Tianxin had already dashed toward Duncan like a madman. What took him by surprise was what Wu Dongmin did immediately following that. He expected such behavior from Lu Tianxin, but Wu Dongmin was not like this in his opinion.

    "Kill him! Everyone! Attack him and kill him! We can''t let this demon walk away after killing so many good men!"

    Wu Dongmin screamed inciting the crowd.

    When a person is afraid there are two things he is most likely to do. Either fight with all he had or flee with everything he had. Under Wu Dongmin''s incitement, the resentment the other cultivators had towards Duncan was stoked to a new height.

    With a collective roar, those who were surrounding Duncan to prevent him from escaping immediately started attacking Duncan. When the numbers favor people, a strange sort of courage is born and it would make people act in a way that they wouldn''t do normally.

    Hearing Wu Dongmin''s shout, everyone was incited and wanted to kill this demon who was bing a nightmare to them. Everyone knew that if they didn''t take care of Duncan today, he would be their heart demon after this. They didn''t have the courage to face the heart demon and ovee it.

    What it meant was that their cultivation path would end after this. Their breakthroughs will be harder until they defeat their heart demon. For people who have bright futures, how can they let something like that happen?

    If they were alone, they would have tried to escape at all costs. However, they now surrounded the demon. They had a numerical advantage over their opponent. And the opponent wasn''t unbeatable either. He was already injured. If they didn''t take this chance, were they going to defeat the heart demon on their own?

    With the courage provided by the group, fueled by the resentment towards Duncan, and incited to further heights by Wu Dongmin''s words, the surrounding cultivators started attacking Duncan collectively.

    Duncan''s face became dignified. He understood that this was the most dangerous moment he faced in today''s battle. How he handled it will determine his fate. Without a second''s dy, Duncan began to utilize his <Wind Chasing Steps> to the utmost to evade most of the attacks.

    Just then, Lu Tianxin reached Duncan with a sword in his hand.

    "DIE!!!"

    Lu Tianxin roared madly and shed at Duncan. Duncan squinted his eyes seeing the iing attack. He knew that if he got dyed by dealing with this attack, he would be bogged down by the surrounding cultivators.

    So, Duncan evaded without hesitation and closed in on Lu Tianxin. Lu Tianxin seemed to have expected this. He was waiting for Duncan to close in on him. The moment Duncan got close, he mobilized his qi and sent the small sword to attack Duncan onest time.

    Duncan cursed himself for falling into the trap. There wasn''t much he could do at this moment. He braced himself and defended with his sword. But, the attack unleashed by the small sword was not something that he could defend against easily.

    The attack mmed into Duncan like a boulder running down a hill. Duncan felt his breath escape. His entire torso burned unbearably. He could feel small sword lights wreaking havoc on his body. Duncan was sent flying once again without exception.

    Duncan''s body rolled several times and came to a stop at a distance. Hey there unmoving for a second before coughing out a lot of blood. He felt pain course through every inch of his body. The attack he had taken head-on was very powerful. If not for his strong body, he would have been cut down at the very instant the sword light connected.

    Even now, he was severely injured. The sword lights were digging into his flesh and burrowing deep in them. Duncan felt as if his entire body was being sliced by a sword repeatedly. He groaned in pain and barely was able to roll over and lie on his back.

    "DIE!!!"

    Another shout echoed and Wu Dongmin appeared with his small saber. The saber beam from the small sabernded right on Duncan burying him deep into the ground. Saber beams joined the sword lights in wreaking havoc in his body.

    At thest moment before the saber beamnded, Duncan instinctively curled up causing him to evade death by a hairsbreath. No matter how strong his body was, it wouldn''t be able to tank two attacks that were an entire realm higher than his cultivation. By curling up, Duncan took the saber beam on other parts of his body causing the damage to be limited.

    Still, Duncan''s body was seriously injured by taking the two attacks head-on. Duncan felt as if his entire world was filled with pain. He felt his body being hacked and pierced over and over by the residual sword lights and saber beams. Duncan gritted his teeth refusing to cry out in pain. His eyes turned bloodshot as he struggled to stay conscious.

    "Is he dead?" Lu Tianxin spat and looked at Wu Dongmin who was near Duncan.

    Everyone seemed to wait for Wu Dongmin''s confirmation.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 243 The Cacophony Of Slaughter

    ?

    "Is he dead?" Lu Tianxin spat and looked at Wu Dongmin who was near Duncan.

    "No," Wu Dongmin said causing Lu Tianxin to frown. "But he seems to be heavily injured. Looks like even his strong body can''t handle our attacks." Wu Dongmin sneered.

    "Fucking bastard! Why won''t he die!?" Lu Tianxin raged and walked towards Duncan''s location with malevolence on his face. "It''s fine as well. I haven''t had my fill of hearing him scream. I want him to beg for mercy before I grant him death."

    At this moment, all Duncan could think of was not to waste the chance he had created for himself. He didn''t know if he would be able to acquire ughter qi quite easily after this. After this battle, people would know his name. His reputation would be widespread. There will be no fools delivering themselves to him like this.

    As for being injured heavily and being on the verge of defeat and death, Duncan''s mind blocked them outpletely. In his mind, the matter of defeat was non-existent. He didn''t believe that he could lose. More exactly, he refused to lose. So much so that Duncan didn''t think of how battered his body was currently.

    When it came to the fight, all he could think of was that those imbeciles would not be able to use their trump cards after this. He had seen the toll it took on their body. They probably had one more use left in them before thest sh. And now, they had already used it. Duncan felt that there was nothing more standing in his way to acquire the required ughter qi.

    So, he refused to think about anything else. In his mind, he had already won this fight. What was left was to collect the ughter qi that he required. That belief was firmly etched in Duncan''s heart. The pain, the wounds, the battle, nothing mattered. All he wanted to do was ughter these sheep and collect what he was due.

    As this thought echoed repeatedly in his mind, his heart started beating in the strange rhythm that it sometimes did. His defiant will bloomed slightly at this moment causing unknown changes to appear in his bloodline. The blood that was flowing out of the body was rapidly reced with more blood that was darker in color and nature.

    Duncan breathed heavily as his body slowly started repairing itself. His eyes shot open and he looked at the distant sky. The sky looked red in his vision. Duncan was reminded of the time he had fallen into that illusion where everything had been red. As his thoughts wandered, he recalled how he had killed a demonic beast as a mere mortal.

    Thinking back to that moment, Duncan realized what made that moment special. He had refused to die. He had refused to give in. He didn''t care about the result. He only wanted to fight and y the demonic beast in front of him. The concept of such a thing being impossible for a mortal man never even crossed his mind at that moment.

    Duncan let out a turbid breath and blinked his eyes.

    At this moment, a sudden sense of enlightenment engulfed his mind. His mind became clear. He vaguely understood what made his bloodline tick. The bloodline in him didn''t care about cultivation levels. The bloodline in him didn''t care about techniques. The bloodline in him didn''t care about what everyone knew as normal.

    The only thing it cared about was that he didn''t give in. The more defiant he was, the more his bloodline awakened. This was a bloodline that gave the cultivator an undefeatable will. Such a will can only be forged with ughter and oveing difficulties.

    Duncan twitched his fingers and found that he could feel them once more. The blood flow in his body had be stable. There was still blood flowing out of his body. His regeneration wasn''t that magical yet. His wounds were still open. The sword aura and the saber glow were still wreaking havoc in his body.

    But, all that mattered to him was that he could move his body now.

    Just as Lu Tianxin was approaching close, Duncan''s figure twitched causing both Wu Dongmin and Lu Tianxin to look over. Under the surprised eyes of everyone, Duncan began to move. He struggled to sit up at first. But aplished it soon. Then he started to climb up from the pit he had been buried in.

    Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin watched with disbelief etched on their face as Duncan climbed out of the pit slowly. The blood was still flowing down Duncan''s body freely as he breathed harshly. It was clear to everyone watching that even a small movement was sending excruciating pain throughout Duncan''s body.

    But, despite the heavily injured state he was in, Duncan managed to climb out of the pit, slowly but surely. His entire body was dyed red in blood. There were sword wounds and saber marks all over his body. Even after climbing the pit, Duncan wasn''t done.

    Duncan struggled to stand up and fell to his knees a couple of times, before nting two feet firmly under his body and looking at the surprised cultivators in front of him.

    "Isˇ­ ahemˇ­ isˇ­ thatˇ­ allˇ­ ahemˇ­ you got?" Duncan asked in a hoarse voice while coughing blood to the side.

    No one answered him. Duncan took a look at everyone present. He could see the disbelief on their faces. Duncan''s lips twitched. He nced down at his hand. His sword was still in his hand. Even through that harrowing attack and resulting pain, he hadn''t relinquished his sword.

    Duncan''s mind went back to the time when he didn''t relinquish his sword after being gored by a wild beast when he was a mortal. He recalled the tion he had felt at that moment. He recalled the pride he felt at that moment. He couldn''t help but smile at that memory.

    To others, Duncan''s small smile at this moment looked like stuff that came directly from their nightmares. They didn''t know how to react to Duncan. All they felt was incredible fear in their hearts. But, Duncan didn''t let them wait for longer.

    "I think it is time to wrap this up!" Duncan whispered softly before vanishing from everyone''s vision the next moment.

    Sshhhrrriiiinnnggg!

    The sound of a sword being swung echoed and Lu Tianxin''s head slid to the ground.

    His face still had a bewildered look on it. There wasn''t even a register of pain in his face. All he could do at that moment was to react in surprise. But, that falling head felt like a huge stone that made waves in the hearts of everyone present.

    "Hmmph," Duncan snorted. "You really think you are someone eh? You wanted to hear me scream! Hmmph! What a joke!"

    Duncan kicked the head away and vanished from the spot the next moment. Before anyone could react, they heard the sound of a sword being swung again. Wu Dongmin''s head rolled at Duncan''s feet this time.

    "Without those weapons, you didn''t even stand a chance," Duncan spat a glob of blood right on Wu Dongmin''s face.

    "Aaaahhhh!!!!"

    Everyone collectively eximed in shock and horror seeing the two prodigies who almost brought the demon to their knees be killed one after the other. Duncan picked his ears nonchntly and looked at the surrounding crowd.

    "Now, it''s your turn. Try tost as long as possible eh? I get really bored if the fight isn''t interesting," Duncan chuckled devilishly and vanished from the spot.

    What followed was a cacophony of ughter.

    Duncan dashed between the surrounding cultivators swinging his sword left and right without any care. With each sh, a couple of heads were harvested. Countless heads started rolling around on the floor as Duncan absolutely ughtered everyone present.

    Naturally, there were those who tried to run. But, whenever Duncan saw anyone who was running a little away, he targeted them first. As a result, none of the young talents from the sects were able to escape Duncan''s massacre.

    Blood flowed like a river in that region as Duncan chopped heads like cutting melons. A never-before-seen sight of ughter was gifted to those spectators watching in the distance. They could neither take their eyes off it nor enjoy the bloody spectacle Duncan created for their enjoyment.

    Only fear remained in their heart. Their bodies refused to obey them as they stood and watched Duncan ughter the young talents from various sects in horror. In the end, the final head rolled down causing Duncan to stop and turn to look at them.

    "Now, what do I do with you lot?"

    Duncan asked casually causing the crowd to piss themselves in fear.

    "We just came to watch. We aren''t with them. We have no quarrel with you at all. Esteemed expert, please pardon us. We will atone for our mistake by spreading your great deed far and wide," one of the quick-witted spectators overcame his fear and begged for his life rather eloquently.

    Duncan smiled at the man and shook his head in disbelief.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

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 Chapter 244 Constant

    ?

    Duncan never imagined that someone could be so wordy while begging for their life. It opened Duncan''s eyes to the level people were ready to stoop to when ites to saving their lives.

    Seeing Duncan smiling and shaking his head, the man let out a relieved sigh. Since the demon wasn''t angry anymore, they would probably be spared. He decided to reward his quick-wittedness with some nice wine once he went back to the city. Sighs of relief echoed in his ears as everyone gradually calmed down.

    It was true that they didn''t have any quarrel with the demon. They just came to watch the excitement. They didn''t have any desire to participate in this struggle. Would they have been happier if Duncan died? Absolutely.

    But, it didn''t mean they would step out and try to finish the deed. That was the job of heroes of the world. They were just ordinary cultivators that were beneath the eyes of these sect disciples. Neither side cared about them very much.

    Once they all understood this fact, the crowd rxed slightly and began to thank the heavens for their good luck. Just as they all felt a little bit relieved, Duncan''s figure vanished from the distance.

    Before they could be rmed, Duncan was in the midst of them as well. He began swinging his sword and lopping off heads with the same efficiency he did it with the young talents who came to kill him.

    Screams of fear and pain echoed all around causing mayhem to engulf the area. Several people tried to escape after realizing that Duncan wasn''t going to let them off. But, how could they do that when even the young talents from various sects couldn''t escape Duncan''s sword?

    Duncan left the quick-witted man for thest. He ced the sword on the man''s neck and looked at him up and down. The man was already a quivering mess. Duncan could only hear him blubber nonsense and plead for his life.

    "You are a disgrace to all cultivators," Duncan sneered. "You think you can just stand by and watch us fight? Even mortals suffer when cultivators sh!" Duncan said and stopped for a moment.

    Strangely enough, Duncan kept remembering the things he had experienced so far after getting close to death. His mind started to constantly draw patterns and unearth memories rted to the present situation. Just like how he was reminded of the state of his hometown when he went back to see it now.

    Compared to what happened in that ce, what he did today was nothing. The world might think he was a true demon after this incident. But, Duncan felt he was far off from the true demons that walk thisnd.

    Cultivators are people who have already forsaken mortality and pursuing immortality. Every cultivator who stepped into this world knew that achieving immortality was a road filled with thorns. If they did not, they would understand it soon.

    Death and despair waited at every turn. A cultivator needs to fight against the heavens and other cultivators to stand on top and taste the fruit of immortality. Unlike mortals, they all were aware of the taboos in the practice.

    If an innocent vige that had nothing to do with a fight can be easily decimated by two fighting cultivators as an aftermath, then what right did this guy have to beg him for mercy? He was a cultivator unlike that vige filled with mortals.

    Did this man think he didn''t know what ran through their minds when the battle ensued? Did this man think that he would turn a blind eye to the supporters of these righteous factions? When a tree falls, the birds that rested on it will not be spared. How can he let these people go and not exact some price from them?

    Actions have consequences.

    He didn''t see anyone among them stand out and call out the righteous cultivators regarding their hypocrisy. He didn''t see anyonementing on how it was unfair to gang up on him. All he saw in their eyes were fear and hatred. Fear and hatred towards him.

    Judgement and wariness were visible in their eyes. They didn''t know the history. But since the righteous faction was hunting him, they judged him to be guilty. They wanted him to die. They wanted their heroes to exterminate the demons. Never mind the fact that demons existed on both sides. They all had preconceived notions about right and wrong. And he was the one who was wrong in their minds.

    This world wouldn''t tolerate him after what he did today. They would brand him to be a demon. Even though he had known the consequences, Duncan felt the full weight of them at this moment looking into the fearful eyes of the man in front of him.

    Duncan took a deep breath to calm his racing thoughts. Killing these people had been a decision made out of impulse. He just didn''t like them watching him fight others and stand back toment as if they were detached from this world. So, he had killed them.

    Since they had already determined him to be a demon, then he will be a demon. Let''s see how they liked it. With a snarl, Duncan moved his sword, and the glib-tongued man''s head was chopped off in one go.

    Duncan looked at the blood-covered sword in his hand.

    This was the only thing that had survived that vige. This was the only link he now had to that rtively peaceful and ignorant past. This was the only item that had been with him during all his experiences.

    From the moment he stepped out of his hometown to pursue cultivation, this sword had apanied him. It had seen his struggle. It had seen his triumphs. It had seen his effort. It had seen his less-savory moments. It had apanied him through everything.

    This sword had been a constant in his life.

    The only thing that had stood by him and had not judged him for his actions.

    By all ounts, this sword must have broken down a long time ago. The amount of power he channeled through this was simply insane for this sword to bear. He had once wondered why this sword, which was supposedly a mortal weapon, could withstand so much pressure and still function under his hand.

    Until now, he had never found an answer for it. It was not that he sought the knowledge purposefully. But rare things like this must be noted down somewhere. He just hadn''t found the right ce yet.

    Nevertheless, this sword shouldn''t have survived what it had survived. This sword should have broken into pieces by all ounts. It shouldn''t be able to tangle with those high-grade weapons.

    And yet, this sword had done all that.

    It had remained faithful to him. It hadn''t betrayed him like the other sword in his moment of need. It had been his constantpanion through all his ups and downs. It had seen him bleed. It had helped him kill. It had even saved him on asions.

    Duncan felt slightly moved as he looked at his sword.

    "Let me call you Constant from now! You are the only constant in my life ever since I stepped on this road. Everything else is like moving clouds."

    Duncan muttered in a dazed manner. At that moment, the sword in his hand shed with a slight glow and settled back to being the normal sword. There was no evidence of the glow at all after that brief moment.

    He looked at his sword in surprise. He didn''t know what it meant for his sword to emanate such a glow. But, he knew that for the sword to glow at this moment, it must be something significant. Duncan looked over his sword thoroughly for a few moments hoping to catch some change. But, there was nothing to it. It was just a regr iron sword like it had been before.

    Lamenting hisck of knowledge, Duncan looked around to see the entire field shrouded in a bloody aura. He could feel the resentment of the cultivators he had in in thend. It felt as if he could hear their anguish and anger if he concentrated. However, Duncan didn''t have any intention to do such a thing.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan felt refreshed. His wounds have already stopped bleeding by now. While the injuries he suffered had not healed by now, Duncan realized that his bloodline awakening had taken the next step today. As a result, the blood flowing in his body was being slowly reced with higher-tier blood.

    Duncan didn''t know what the benefits of this new blood coursing through his body were. But, he felt as if he had be somewhat stronger with this round of awakening of his bloodline. Compared to his body, it was his mindset that had be more firm in this round of awakening.

    He was no longer worried about being a decent cultivator. His mindset shifted from being someone who could be stronger and live to someone who didn''t care much about the power of others. A defiant streak had been born in his body today.

    Looking at the surroundings, Duncan''s eyes suddenly narrowed.

    Duncan immediately started searching the battlefield for a particr sight. But, no matter how he searched, he wasn''t able to find what he wanted. He frowned slightly and thought deeply for a few seconds before looking around into the distance as well.

    Still, the sight he wanted to see was not presented to him. Duncan''s frown became more pronounced. He couldn''t help but shake his head in disbelief. Despite his best efforts, two fish have slipped his.

    "So, he really escaped huh? I wonder how he did it," Duncan muttered and looked into the distance.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 245 The Power Of A Proper Mindset

    ?

    Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief as he looked behind.

    His right-hand man was sweating profusely near him as well. They both exchanged looks and couldn''t help but gulp. They felt incredibly lucky to escape the massacre that had urred in the distance.

    "I never expected someone to still create such a massacre after being injured so much," Jiang Chen''s right-hand man shook his head in disbelief.

    "There is always a sky beyond the sky. A heaven beyond heavens," Jiang Chenmented in a grave tone.

    His subordinate could only nod to that. There wasn''t an argument to put forth here. What they had witnessed was like the birth of a demon. They both didn''t know how to react to it even now.

    When both Lu Tianxin and Wu Dongmin attacked Duncan along with others, Jiang Chen felt that something was incredibly wrong. He had immediately called over his subordinate while Duncan was buried in the pit.

    Even though what he saw suggested victory for their team, his every instinct was screaming at him to get away. Jiang Chen had always followed his instincts. So, he didn''t hesitate to leave the area secretly along with his subordinate while everyone was preupied with Duncan''s status. For that, he didn''t even hesitate to use a precious escape talisman that was gifted to him by his master.

    It was lucky that they did what they did at that time. In mere minutes, a massacre was unleashed. If they had stayed behind, Jiang Chen didn''t have the confidence to escape from Duncan''s clutches.

    They had not traveled far when the screams and sounds of the ughter came to their ears. Jiang Chen was tempted to go back and take a look. But, his subordinate had persuaded him to stay away from the battlefield.

    It was their good fortune that they did it.

    "I have never seen a fight change so suddenly and so drastically," Jiang Chen''s subordinate said with fear evident in his voice. "It didn''t take him even a few minutes to kill them all. Was he always this powerful?"

    "I guess so," Jiang Chen said with a severe frown on his face.

    "It''s a good thing you ordered me to leave with you, my lord. But, we are the only survivors of the group that went to attack him. How are we going to exin it to the others?"

    "What''s there to exin?" Jiang Chen snorted dissatisfiedly. "We lost. It is as simple as that. No need to harp about the details."

    "But, the sects wouldn''t take such a loss lying down. This matter is going to blow up. Furthermore, your reputation will take a huge hit after this," the subordinate worried.

    "Heh," Jiang Chen shook his head. "Gao Song, you have followed me for a long time. You must know what we witnessed today was something very rare. That guy was close to death at one point. Taking two direct attacks from peak Violet Pce realm weapons and still reversing the situation within seconds is not something ordinary people can do. Mark my words, we will one day be legends for escaping this massacre."

    "Furthermore, what else are we supposed to do? He killed those cultivators with such ease that there was nothing I could have done. Remaining behind would only cause our deaths as well. As for the reputation, I don''t care about it much. Today, I gained far more than I lost. I think I am close to a breakthrough."

    "Once I return to the sect, I will enter closed-door training to breakthrough to the next level. The shackles on my cultivation had been loosened considerably. Right now, my only priority is to make sure I am not left behind by this guy. As for that Grand Event, let nature take its course. We will see how things turn out," Jiang Chen shook his head and replied.

    "Congrattions, my lord," Gao Song spoke sincerely looking at Jiang Chen. "After you step into the Violet Pce realm, your future in the sect will be boundless."

    Jiang Chen didn''t reply to his praise. In his mind, the demeanor exuded by Duncan when he demanded to face his weapon again shed past. He knew what a real cultivator should look like after this moment.

    There had always been a thin fog covering his thoughts when it came to acting like a true cultivator. It was something one must innately understand. No amount of exnation can help others with it. It wasn''t a skill or a technique. It was a mindset one needed to possess as a cultivator.

    After witnessing Duncan''s actions, Jiang Chen felt his confusions regarding cultivation clear up a lot. Cultivation is always about the perusal of higher realms. But, that doesn''t mean it is the same as pursuing strength. There was a fundamental difference between the two.

    Obtaining higher realms in cultivation might result in gaining more strength. But, the reverse wasn''t essentially true. A true cultivator would be invincible at the same realm. Just like how Duncan was practically invincible against anyone below the Violet Pce realm.

    There are even freaks in the cultivation world who could jump realms and fight against cultivators at a higher cultivation realm. It was clear to Jiang Chen that Duncan was already on his way to bing one such freak.

    The reason they are so strong despite their low cultivation has to do with their mentality. Duncan''s actions showed a glimpse of that mentality to Jiang Chen. Right now, he was inspired to cultivate such a mentality. To challenge the status quo and fight for dominance.

    Taking a deep breath, Jiang Chen came out of his thoughts. He felt a fire being ignited deep in his heart. He knew clearly that the sects wouldn''t stand still after such a massacre. But, if Duncan was able to survive the following hunt, then he would be a monster that would terrify cultivators all over the world.

    If he didn''t improve, then the next time he met with Duncan he wouldn''t even be qualified to sh against Duncan''s sword. Even today, they shed with their true powers very rarely. And every time they did it, Jiang Chen hade up short. He didn''t want to watch from the distance as Duncan flipped the entire cultivation world around in the future.

    This sh was just a fight between the juniors. In the grand scheme of things, they were just ants. Their antics wouldn''t affect the world much. But, it wouldn''t remain the same in the future. The future would belong to them. And he wanted to fight with Duncan for dominance in the world stage.

    Clenching his fist, Jiang Chen sported a determined look as he looked behind into the distance.

    "Today, I may havee short against him," Jiang Chen stated to Gao Song. "But, it wouldn''t be the same in the future. Let''s go. We should head back to the city. As for how the sects react, that has nothing to do with us. You just report everything that happened to the sect without hiding anything."

    Gao Song nodded and the duo left the ce towards the Dark Star City in a hurry.

    *****

    Several miles away from the Dark Star City, yet another world-shaking event was going to transpire at this moment. Compared to the ruckus Duncan''s actions were going to cause, this was going to have far more serious repercussions.

    The assembled high-level cultivators of various sects stood in front of the formation covering the Greenwood Forest sporting heavy frowns on their faces. No matter what they tried, the formation before them refused to break.

    Several Nascent Soul realm cultivators were sporting an ugly look as they looked at the red mist covering the entire Greenwood Forest. There was no movement visible inside the forest at this moment. It somehow gave them an uneasy feeling.

    "What do the formation experts say?" the Nascent Soul cultivator from the White Plume Sect asked in a heavy tone.

    "What else can they say? This formation is beyond their level. It would take a higher-tier formation master to break this. The only way to open it is by brute force," the Nascent Soul cultivator from Iron Mountain Sect scowled.

    "Useless bunch of trashes," the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Eternal Sword Pavilion sneered. "Do they think we haven''t tried it? What use are they if they can''t help us in this time of need?"

    "The bigger question is, how could such a formation exist in this region? Someone had clearly tampered with the surrounding areas to trap the cultivators who entered inside to fight for treasures. The real question now is why they did it," the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Splitting Heavens Saber Sect asked in a worried tone.

    "I have a bad feeling regarding this," the Iron Mountain Sect elder spoke gravely.

    "Not just you," the others muttered under their breath.

    "Is there any news from the Little Heaven Sect?" the Iron Mountain Sect elder asked a little dissatisfiedly.

    "That old coot from the Little Heaven Sect is refusing to disturb their First Elder. They im that they have no knowledge regarding the formation and refuse to talk further," the elder from Splitting Heavens Saber Sect sneered.

    "Heh, as if we would believe that?" the elder from Iron Mountain Sect snorted.

    "There is no use debating that now. Now, we must know who did this and what their motives are. Such a grand scale operation is definitely worrying," the elder from White Plume Sect mediated to calm things down.

    "I have already sent the information over to the Seven Clouds Sect. One of their elders will arrive soon. Let''s hope they have some information regarding this formation. If not, we can only pray for our sect members inside," the Iron Mountain Sect elder said in a grave tone.

    "So, what do we do now?"

    "Wait, there is no other option for us. Let''s blockade this area first. Then, we shall deal with things depending on the situation."

    "I guess, we could only do that."

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 246 Heavenly Dao Is Impartial

    ?

    Just as Duncan was fighting with the group of young talents from various sects, a flying boat was approaching the Dragon Scale continent from the Central Continent.

    Xing Siukong stood in the front and watched the passing scenery below with a thoughtful look on his face. It had been several years since he returned to his homnd. In these years, a lot of things have changed.

    Among them, the most important thing was his desire to inherit the throne of the Star Empire. He once dreamt of inheriting the Star Empire from his father. Making it flourish and subdue every power in the surroundings to reign supreme.

    Now, his thoughts were no longer on the imperial throne.

    Once upon a time, imperial power looked majestic and absolute in his eyes. As the first prince, he had enjoyed the power and status that came with being the imperial n of an empire. To say the least, he liked wielding such power.

    Then, his master hade across him and had offered to take him in as his disciple. While he was initially reluctant to give away the power he had enjoyed so far, his father had persuaded him to ept the offer and be his master''s disciple.

    Looking back, Sing Xiukong had long realized that imperial power wasn''t the most powerful thing in this world. He was also certain that his father had seen through that as well unlike his youngest brother, who still yearned to inherit the throne.

    It was because of this that his father had persuaded him to be his master''s disciple. At that time, Xing Siukong didn''t even know his master''s cultivation level or status in the cultivation world. He epted just because his father asked him to ept.

    Now, he was d he had epted the offer at that time.

    His mindset had been changed a lot after his discipleship began. After learning about his master''s status in the cultivation world and his level, he couldn''t help but thank heavens that he hadn''t been blind and rejected such an offer.

    In the end, under his master''s tutge, he had grown to be one of the great talents of the younger generation in this world. Very few across the five continents in this world could stand toe to toe with him at his level.

    "Kong-er, you look to be in deep thought," his master''s words made Xing Siukong turn around.

    "It has been a while since I came back to my homnd, master. My mind is upied with how far I have grown since I stepped out of Dragon Scale Continent," Xing Siukong replied respectfully.

    "Retrospection is important for a cultivator. Only when we know who we are can we break through to higher realms with ease. Only those who know themselves can stand a chance at attaining dao," Xing Siukong''s master said amicably and smiled.

    Xing Siukong dutifully listened.

    "Have you ever wondered why I never allowed you to step into the Spirit Severance stage? After all, you have already reached the peak of the Nascent Soul realm for several years now," Xing Siukong''s master asked looking at him.

    "I have sometimes wondered master. But, I know that there must be a reason for it," Xing Siukong replied truthfully.

    "If you had told me that you hadn''t thought about it, I would have known that you lied. After all, all those people whom you trampled upon in the early days are already catching up to you. It is in human nature to seek progress. However, a smart person will know when to progress and when to stay still."

    "What do you know about the world we live in, Kong-er?"

    "The world we live in is a middle thousand world, master. It contains five continents and is one of the few middle thousand worlds that doesn''t have a small world under itsmand."

    "So, you have been curious about it as well, huh? Well, I think it is time for me to tell you some secrets about this world," Xing Siukong''s master let out a soft breath and looked ahead into the clouds.

    "The middle thousand worlds are collectively known as Middle Heavens in the cultivation world. Unlike a small world or a ne, the heavenlyws in the middle thousand worlds are rtivelyplete. That''s why Ascendant Beings are able to roam in this world."

    "The universe we live in is divided into several levels depending upon the level of heavenlyws present in them. I am sure you know about this by now. The universe we live in doesn''t have just one or two worlds in it. There are countless worlds at various levels and innumerable nar worlds in it. There are also dead worlds, stars, and the void that epasses everything in it."

    "The lowest level of a world that could be sustained inside the universe is called the nar world. A nar world doesn''t even have a fully formed heavenlyw governing them. A world like that can at most house Foundational Cultivators among them. A Transformational Expert will automatically be rejected from these worlds."

    "Then, there is the small world. Here the highest realm of cultivation that the world could sustain is the Nascent Soul realm. The realm you are in now. If you go to a small world now, you can be the king of that world. But, you will never be able to progress further by staying in such a world. Do you know why?"

    "The heavenlyws in a small world are rtively iplete, master. For a Nascent Soul cultivator to be an Ascendant Being, he must grasp the power ofws," Xing Siukong answered promptly.

    "You are right, and you are also wrong. It is not just about the understanding ofws. The amount of spirit qi a world could sustain is also a factor in it. In a small world, once a cultivator enters the Nascent Soul realm, their cultivation speed will be drastically reduced."

    "Even if they have an outstanding understanding ofws, they will never progress faster. Because the spirit qi in that world will becking for him to practice," Xing Siukong''s master patted him on the shoulder and looked at him seriously. "The world will never allow one person to monopolize everything. The heavenly dao of the world is a consciousness that is inclusive of everything. It will never allow one entity to monopolize its resources."

    "You must understand this point very clearly. If you don''t, you will always be ignorant of the rules that govern this world or any other world. The Heavenly Dao is not kind or righteous. It is something that is impartial to all."

    "But master, then what about merits and sins? If the Heavenly Dao is inclusive of everyone, why does it punish evil cultivators while they try to break through?"

    Xing Siukong''s master didn''t answer him immediately. He smiled at Xing Siukong and nodded appreciatively.

    "Good, you are able to see the crux of the issue quickly. There are reasons and exnations for everything. It will be your journey to figure it out. I can only show you the door by asking you the proper questions. It is your journey to explore and find your answers."

    Xing Siukong stood there dazed a little, unable to form a reply. Seeing his state, his master chuckled.

    "Have you ever wondered why even the most benevolent master doesn''t give all the answers to his disciples? After all, it will be easier to transmit all their understanding and knowledge directly into their disciples'' minds. They certainly have the power to aplish that. So, why do they ask questions and point out the direction of the answers?"

    Xing Siukong shook his head.

    "It is simple. Everyone is different. The same event can always be interpreted in multiple ways. How a person perceives something and what he understands from it is all rted to their own mind. As masters, we can only direct you to ask the right questions."

    "What you understand and figure out will always be different from us. Imparting wisdom directly will even be a hindrance to a disciple''s cultivation. That''s why most masters avoid it," Xing Siukong''s master smiled and shook his head.

    "I understand, master," Xing Siukong said respectfully.

    His master looked at him scrutinizingly andughed loudly.

    "No, you don''t. But, you will one day."

    Xing Siukong could only sheepishly nod seeing that his master has seen through him.

    "The Grand Event that will happen in seven years is a very important turning point in your cultivation. To obtain the greatest benefit from it, you will need to be in the Nascent Soul realm. Do not be hasty. Don''t be discouraged by your peers walking past you. Don''t be frustrated with those who you looked down upon catching up to you. Be patient, and concentrate on polishing your cultivation to the utmost. Your master has your best interests at heart."

    Xing Siukong didn''t know how to reply. Was he frustrated and angry that those he had left behind were catching up to him? Yes. Was he indignant that a few of his peers were striding past him? Absolutely yes.

    But, his master had always had the best interests towards him. The reason that he had be a veritable powerhouse right now was due to his master''s tutge. So, he could only grit his teeth and endure.

    Now, his master had broken this topic. He wanted to ask the reason behind his master''s order. But, looking at his master''s face, it was clear that it wouldn''t be revealed to him yet. So, he could only sullenly nod.

    "Ah, little kid, I can see that you are dissatisfied with theck of information. But, I dare not vite this. Even for me, the consequences will be disastrous. So, be patient. Haven''t you noticed that all your truepetitors have not broken through to the next level just like you?"

    Xing Siukong had indeed noticed it. That was one of the things that had kept him from bingpletely frustrated.

    "If I know those old coots well, then they would have advised their disciples just like I did to you. Everything will be revealed in time. Be patient. Now, what we need to focus on is the Heavenly Demon Sect and their actions recently. Something tells me that things aren''t as simple as they seem."

    "What do you mean master?"

    "This matter travels back to the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect. To tell you the truth, he wasn''t someone who was born in this world. His background isn''t simple at all. He came to this world with a particr mission from the Upper Heavens!"

    "What!!!?"

    "You are confused why the Upper Heavens would be interested in our world eh?" Xing Siukong''s master shot a sideways look at him. "Our world might not have a small world under it. But, we are one of the most important Middle Heaven worlds in the universe. This rtes toˇ­ eh!"

    Xing Siukong''s master stopped speaking suddenly and squinted into the distance. Soon, his face became serious and he watched the sky in front of him with a wary expression on his face.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 247 Interception

    ?

    Xing Siukong turned to look in the direction his master was looking. At first, he couldn''t see anything. However, soon a pinprick-sized shadow started appearing in the distance. As they moved closer, the shadow was revealed to be a figure standing in front of their way.

    The figure was that of a man. He was wearing ck all over. A cowl covered his face as well. The aura he emanated also made the hair on Xing Siukong''s body stand up all over. There was something evil about it.

    The man stood in their way nonchntly. His arms were folded and ced on his front and he looked as if he was out for a stroll. He made no motion to step out of the way as they approached, making it clear that he was there to block their way further.

    Looking at the figure, Xing Siukong felt fear in his heart. He immediately knew that this wasn''t an opponent he could face. When Xing Siukong looked at the figure, he felt as if he was being sucked into a dark hole full of malevolence. No matter how he tried, he couldn''t extricate himself from the dark hole at all.

    Fear and panic engulfed his heart as his consciousness was drawn towards the dark hole at an rming speed. He instinctively knew that if his consciousness entered that dark hole then it would be very bad for him. Xing Siukong struggled to extricate himself from the suction, but it was in vain.

    The force of the suction was really somewhat beyond his ability to extract his consciousness. In all his years as a cultivator, he had never experienced such a thing. A single look was enough to be drawn into that dark hole. Sweat began appearing on his face as Xing Siukong thrashed mentally trying to extricate his consciousness.

    "Hmmph!"

    Xing Siukong''s master snorted loudly allowing him to break out of the dark hole. In response to his master''s snort, the figure that was blocking their way chuckled heartily.

    "Fellow Daoist! I am afraid I can''t allow you to head any further!" the figure spoke calmly, but his words thundered into Xing Siukong''s ears.

    Xing Siukong''s ears bled from the impact of the words. The cowled figure hadn''t attacked them at all. He had just spoken while inducing his cultivation into his words. That alone was enough to make him bleed from his orifices.

    "How shameless are you to attack your juniors so tantly!!!" Xing Siukong''s master raged.

    "He isn''t my junior, is he? Then Fellow Daoist''s usation is not proper. I must express my disagreement on that," the cowled figure still spoke the same way causing Xing Siukong to vomit blood.

    "You!!!" Xing Siukong''s master became angry and unleashed his cultivation to shield him. "Shameless!"

    "Heh," the cowled figure chuckled and didn''t speak.

    "Why are you blocking our way?"

    "The mission given to me was to prevent any Earth Immortals from stepping foot in the Dragon Scale Continent. I hope Fellow Daoist is understanding and will retreat from here. I understand that for the Grand Ancestor of the Starry Heavens Sect to travel here is a rare event. Unfortunately, your timing is not good."

    "If I don''t?"

    "Then I can only be more forceful. I hope we don''t get into a scuffle. But, I am not afraid of you either," the cowled figure answered calmly.

    "Heh, I can see that. And I don''t doubt it either," Xing Siukong''s master snorted. "But your mere presence here proves my conjecture. I guess the Heavenly Demon Sect is ready to make their move, eh?"

    "We all have our duties Fellow Daoist. Don''t make this harder than it has to be," the cowled figure didn''t even deny his association with the Heavenly Demon Sect. "It would be better if you can turn around now. If not, I will be forced to turn you away."

    "The Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect is indeed as domineering as the rumors say. But, Daoist Zu should know that turning me away will not be an easy job to aplish," Xing Siukong''s master spoke causing Xing Siukong to look at the cowled figure in rm.

    He never expected that the Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect had already stepped into the final realm. Thinking about his ambitions to eradicate the Heavenly Demon Sect, Xing Siukong felt likeughing.

    "Daoist Wen''s prowess is well-known. But, I don''t think you are a match for me yet," Daoist Zu spoke calmly causing Xing Siukong''s master to narrow his eyes.

    "That remains to be seen," Daoist Wen spoke and stepped out of the flying boat into the air.

    "If Fellow Daoist insists," Daoist Zu spread his hands and shot into the upper sky immediately.

    Daoist Wen looked at Daoist Zu''s vanishing figure and turned toward Xing Siukong.

    "Stay here. Do not move around!"

    With that, Daoist Wen also shot into the upper sky.

    Xing Siukong watched his master vanish into the upper sky to confront the Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect and felt heavy in his heart. He realized that the Heavenly Demon Sect must have some big event nned and didn''t want his master to interfere with it.

    Just then, the upper sky shed causing Xing Siukong to look up. The sky above him was filled with shes of various phenomena. Bright and dark clouds shed causing the entire sky to be dyed in color.

    A battle between Earth Immortals was happening right above him. It made Xing Siukong apprehensive. This trip was born out of a sudden whim from his master. No one apart from the two of them knew where they were going. He didn''t even bring servants like he usually did.

    But, somehow, the Heavenly Demon Sect was able to notice them and intercept them. It showed how important the uing event was to the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    With a heavy heart, Xing Siukong looked at the shing upper sky in worry.

    *****

    Duncan stood amidst the ughter field he had created and took a deep breath.

    He felt his cultivation beginning to break through without him doing anything. Duncan knew immediately that this ughter field he had created with his own hands was the perfect ce for him to break through to the Violet Pce realm and establish his legendary foundation.

    For a moment, the thought of this being not isted and remote shed past his mind. But, Duncan shook his head and banished those thoughts away. It was true that in order to break through to the next level, a cultivator will always find a remote ce to go into retreat.

    Especially when breaking through to an important major realm like the Violet Pce realm. Establishing the foundational pirs was a time-consuming and very intricate job. No disturbance can be allowed to ur during this stage.

    However, his cultivation technique was tailored towards ughter. There can be no ideal ground other than this for him to establish his foundational pirs. Duncan felt that this ce might aid him in establishing a legendary foundation far more than any other ce in the entire world.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan waved his hands and collected the belongings of those he had ughtered. Going through them, Duncan found a few defensive formations and obscuring formations.

    Their grades were really low. They wouldn''t even be able to take a single attack from his sword. However, they were ideal for the purpose he had in mind. While Duncan didn''t have any problem with breaking through in this ughter field he had created, the worry about being disturbed was indeed true.

    He could only hope that his luck held true and allowed him to break through quickly. Still, to be on the safer side, he decided to put out some defensive formations and obscuring formations to prevent as much trouble as possible while breaking through.

    If those two fish hadn''t slipped his, Duncan wouldn''t have worried much. However, since those two escaped, the sects would have gained the needed information by now and would soon start to hunt him. The first ce they would look would be here.

    So, the time he had was really not that much.

    Duncan didn''t waste time deliberating on what-ifs. He immediately set up a few of the defensive formations and obscuring formations to iste the area. If he had some knowledge about formations, he could have increased the defense and obscuring effect of the formations by linking them properly.

    Unfortunately, Duncan didn''t have any such knowledge. So, he randomly set up the most powerful of the avable formations and finished the work in a hurry.

    Following that, Duncan came to the center of the ughter field and sat down cross-legged. It was time to establish the foundational pirs andy the foundation for his Violet Pce.

    Meanwhile, some distance to the west of Dark Star City, two groups of cultivators rushed towards the city with all haste. They had just obtained the information regarding Duncan''s appearance in the Dark Star City and were hurrying to enquire about news regarding it.

    Envoy Ming sported a serious look on his face as he rushed towards the Dark Star City in a hurry. He was alone without anyone to assist him. Hemented his luck of not being present in the Dark Star City at the time when news spread. One of the subordinates of the Iron Mountain Sect had forwarded that information with all haste, but it had still taken time for him to get hold of it.

    By now, the confrontation between Duncan and other Young Talents would have urred. Envoy Ming had no delusions regarding the end result of that sh. But, he didn''t count out the Young Talents either.

    The ideal result would be for Duncan to kill a few of them before escaping their encirclement. Some of the Young Talents had trump cards that even gave him pause. So, it was highly likely that Duncan was injured as well.

    This was the perfect time in his opinion to hunt him down and do a meritorious deed. He couldn''t let others take away the credit. So, he rushed towards the Dark Star City in a hurry.

    A few miles behind him, another group was rushing in the same direction. Han Shindong, whom Duncan ran into in the Grotto Heaven, was also rushing towards the Dark Star City with his entourage intent on teaching Duncan a lesson he wouldn''t forget.

    Duncan waspletely unaware of these two approaching dangers as he concentrated on building a legendary foundationˇ­

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 248 Secrets Of Violet Palace Realm

    ?

    When a cultivator breaks through to the Violet Pce realm, there is a certain process he needs to follow.

    The reason the Violet Pce realm is known as the watershed in separating cultivators from experts is rted to this process. Unlike breaking through from the Qi Gathering realm to Spirit Sea realm, where the qi is converted into a liquid state from gaseous state, the break through to the Violet Pce realm involves a lot of things to be done.

    The first and foremost requirement for a cultivator breaking through to the Violet Pce realm is that their Spirit Sea must grow to the fullest extent. Throughout the Spirit Sea realm, a cultivator condenses their liquid spirit qi further and further and refines them.

    Each stage of refinement in the Spirit Sea realm is denoted by the color the spirit qi takes after refinement. The initial liquid spirit qi obtained after converting it to a liquid state will be filled with impurities. The red color of the Red Sea is an indication of it.

    As a cultivator refines the spirit qi in his body and umtes more spirit qi, the color of the spirit qi will change as per the cultivation level. With this refinement, the impurities will be filtered out and the liquid qi bes more and more condensed as time progresses.

    From the Red Sea to the Violet Sea, there are seven stages of refinement. These seven stages are known as the rainbow state as well. When the cultivator''s spirit qi is refined and takes on the violet color, it is an indication that the spirit qi in the cultivator''s body is free of impurities and ready for the next stage of refinement ¨C a semi-solid state.

    After attaining the Violet Sea, a cultivator will amass more qi so that the Violet Pce they build will be bigger and stronger. This is where the different cultivation techniquese into y. The better the cultivation technique, the stronger the resulting Violet Pce will be.

    However, it doesn''t mean that a cultivator can directly condense the Violet Pce from the Violet Sea. There are several stages to it. The first stage in condensing the Violet Pce isying the foundational pirs.

    The foundational pirs are a key part of the strength of a cultivator''s Violet Pce. The kind of foundational pirs one establishes will determine the level of foundation one has built in the Foundational Realms as a whole.

    There are four stages in the Violet Pce realm. The entry stage is where the Foundational Pirs are established; followed by the mid stage where the six walls are built; thete stage where the four gates are set up; and the peak stage where the lotus pond blooms.

    These are collectively called the Eight Pirs, Six Directions, Four Gates, and Lotus Pond. Thebination of these four will determine the strength of a Violet Pce of the cultivator.

    Once a cultivator establishes their foundational pirs, they will need to slowly umte more qi and build the remaining parts of the Violet Pce while being in the Violet Pce realm. This process can be done within a short time or really take a long time.

    The Violet Pce realm is also known as the Consolidation Realm due to this. This is where one consolidates their foundation. The better the foundation of a cultivator, the faster their Violet Pce will take shape.

    Duncan was currently in the process of establishing his foundational pirs. In order to establish a legendary foundation, a cultivator must fulfill certain requirements.

    They need to have attained the right mental state that is in line with their cultivation technique. They need to have umted enough qi. They need to have grasped at least one martial dao conceptpletely and integrated it.

    These three conditions seem simple on the surface but they are anything but that. A typical cultivator will focus only on their cultivation technique. With the cultivation technique only one of the conditions rted to umting enough qi will be fulfilled.

    Geniuses will also focus on martial dao cultivation alongside their cultivation technique. Even among them, there will be differences. Understanding a concept is one thing, But, integrating it and making it your own will take it to a whole new level. Only very few geniuses will be able to reach this level.

    Thenes the esoteric requirements regarding mindset, dao heart, luck, and other factors that are not usually known to most cultivators in the lower realms. That''s where the cultivation techniquese into y.

    High-ranked cultivation techniques will let the cultivator know what kind of mindset they need to reach and how to aplish that. While lower-rank techniques omit these pieces of information in favor of faster cultivation speed at the foundational levels.

    Things like proper mindset, dao heart, luck, and other such esoteric factors are too profound to be expounded in low-level cultivation techniques. This causes the foundation that a cultivator builds to have weak points thus hindering their progress as they cultivate to higher realms.

    As a side effect of establishing a faulty foundation, the cultivator will see his cultivation speed drastically drop at higher levels. Before bing an Earth Immortal, they wouldn''t have another chance to reshape their foundation. Cultivators with faulty foundations will find it very hard to even reach the entry stages of bing an Ascendant Being, let alone an Earth Immortal.

    If a cultivator establishes their foundational pirs with just their cultivation technique as a base the most they could reach would be a mid-level foundation. If they canbine their cultivation technique with their martial dao cultivation, then they can at most establish a peak foundation.

    In the Dragon Scale Continent, the highest level of cultivation techniques avable can only allow a cultivator to establish a peak foundation, that too if they are able to integrate their martial dao concepts with their cultivation. If not, then even the best cultivation technique can at most establish a top foundation due to the nature and the profundity of a cultivation technique.

    That is why those who were able to grasp concepts in the early stages of the Spirit Sea realm are remarked as geniuses. By being able to grasp concepts in the early stages of the Spirit Sea realm, they have ample time to integrate those concepts into their cultivation and establish a top foundation at the minimum.

    The cultivation speed of cultivators will vary based on the type of foundation they establish. The speed of those who establish a top or peak foundation will be several times faster than those who establish mid or low-level foundations. The time taken for them topletely build their Violet Pce will also be shortened dramatically.

    If a cultivator with a low-level foundation requires several years to build their Violet Pce, then those with a peak-level foundation can build their Violet Pcepletely within six months. That is the level of difference that is usually seen in the cultivation world.

    Hence, the type of foundation you establish will determine your future prospects as a cultivator. Those with potential will never settle for establishing low or mid-level foundations. This is akin to sharpening the axe before taking it to the woods. The time spent on sharpening can drastically reduce the effort put into cutting the wood.

    Duncan had been rtively lucky in that aspect. His entry into the cultivation worldnded him right in one of the hegemonic sects in the Dragon Scale Continent.

    The Heavenly Demon Sect may be evil, but they are a legitimate hegemonic sect. This meant that the exercises they possessed from cultivation techniques to martial arts were all the best avable ones in the Dragon Scale Continent.

    Any random exercise from the Heavenly Demon Sect will be highly sought after by cultivators outside the sect. The profundity and concepts they had can only be matched by the other three hegemonic sect exercises.

    And, Duncan''s cultivation technique was handpicked by his master and the Sect Master of his sect.

    It was no wonder his cultivation technique was able to establish a top foundation without much effort on his part. Moreover, Duncan''s bloodline was aligned with the cultivation technique he practiced. This further aided Duncan in his cultivation in the early stages.

    The time Duncan spent cultivating was rtively shortpared to others. However, with the right exercise and a perfectly fit bloodline for it, his progress during the early stages had been astronomical.

    To add to that, Duncan''s master had ns for him. That meant he needed to grow stronger as soon as possible. So, his master took action to make sure that Duncan was in the ideal environment to cultivate faster.

    Whether it be throwing him into the cannibal cave or arranging for Chen Wangjie to lead him into the Grotto Heaven, Duncan''s master worked behind the scenes to ensure he grew up faster than others. With these advantages, his cultivation speed was simply mindblowingpared to normal cultivators who had to search for opportunities like this.

    In a simr manner, Duncan had also lucked out when it came to martial arts cultivation. Unlike other cultivators, Duncan was rtively clear-headed while choosing his martial arts. He didn''t try to cultivate several martial arts from the get-go. Rather, he stuck to his strengths.

    Duncan''s heart towards his sword was rtively pure. He didn''t get distracted by other martial arts techniques. He wholeheartedly cultivated his sword art. The only exception to it was the movement art he cultivated. But, Duncan also used it as only an aid. He didn''t base his martial arts cultivation based on the movement technique. Such a thought never even bloomed in his mind.

    Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

    Duncan''s rtive ignorance of the cultivation world made sure that he didn''t waste time trying out other avenues. His experience as a mercenary made him go after attack power the most. This type of mindset was very suitable for sword cultivators.

    However, this also had a shoring.

    Duncan''s overall knowledge of martial arts had been stunted because of his single-minded focus on his sword art. His vision was narrower. This made it a potential problem with his martial arts cultivation.

    However, his fateful meeting with Shen Wulong, from Central Continent, opened his eyes to this fact while he was still in the Qi Gathering realm. Following that, he experienced a lot in the Grotto Heaven. Even then, his martial arts knowledge was stillckingpared to most sect disciples. There was no variety in his martial arts.

    This problem still persists to this day.

    But, as a sword cultivator, Duncan didn''t find these much of an issue. So, he was able to rtively get by. His pure heart also allowed him toprehend and integrate two martial dao concepts into his cultivation with rtive ease.

    All these factors made it so that Duncan could easily establish a peak foundation.

    But then, his bloodline awokeˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 249 Establishing The Foundational Pillars

    ?

    When Duncan''s bloodline awoke, Duncan was gifted with the original version of his cultivation technique from his bloodline.

    This changed thendscape drastically.

    Armed with an archaic cultivation technique that had the potential to be even more profound than the one his sect had, Duncan''s path to establishing a higher-tier foundation was set.

    Duncan also put in the right efforts after that to even fulfill the conditions required to establish the legendary foundation. After fulfilling the esoteric needs, Duncan had to stillmit a massacre to obtain the required ughter qi. None of this was an easy thing to aplish for a normal Spirit Sea realm cultivator.

    Duncan was now all set to establish his foundational pirs.

    Taking a deep breath, inside the ughter field he had created himself, Duncan sat down crosslegged and started revolving his cultivation technique. The cultivation technique acquired from the bloodline had a new qi route for the Violet Pce realm.

    This time, the route the qi traveled through his body, moved with his dark heart as the center. The qi that entered his dark heart and the qi that came out of it werepletely different in properties.

    First Step: Converting Liquid Spirit Sea into Semi-Solid Spirit Qi!

    The first step in breaking through to the Violet Pce realm was to condense the liquid Spirit Sea into a semi-solid state. Duncan first initiated this transformation as he cultivated inside the ughter field.

    As time progressed, the surrounding area near Duncan became turbulent as Duncan''s body devoured the ughter energy that was in the ughter field at a crazy rate. The insides of the defensive formation he had set up began to be a red hazy mist in color.

    Despite the red mist pervading the area, Duncan felt incrediblyfortable as if he was back in his mother''s womb. The ughter energy in the surroundings poured into his body, which in turn moved through his heart and came outpletely changed. There were a lot of profound qualities in the semi-solid qi Duncan condensed.

    After about half an hour, Duncanpletely converted the liquid spirit qi in his dantain into a semi-solid qi that had a lot of profound qualities. The qi in question was deep scarlet in color that was akin to Duncan''s blood.

    This color was not like that of the state his spirit qi was in when he entered the Spirit Sea realm. This red-colored qi was devoid of impurities and had an innate profundity from Duncan''s bloodline in it.

    Duncan took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The first step was nowplete. Duncan knew that the next part was the most important aspect of establishing a legendary foundation. He shook away distracting thoughts in his mind and focusedpletely on the next step.

    Second Step: Refining Foundational Pirs

    Duncan slowly gathered his thoughts and directed them towards his dantain. The semi-solid red qi that had been converted recently rested in the dantain peacefully. Duncan concentrated hard and began to refine them slowly into eight pirs.

    Refining the spirit qi into the pirs was really hard work. It was exhausting and took a lot of time for Duncan to even form the shape. These pirs needed to be in a semi-solid state that was close to being a solid thing. So, Duncan had to condense the refined semi-solid spirit qi into an almost solid state further before building the foundational pirs.

    Time passed and Duncan became immersed in refining the pirs slowly. He was not in a hurry. Hepletely forgot anything outside and solely concentrated on making the foundational pirs very firm.

    After a long time, Duncan opened his eyes...

    He was done with refining the foundational pirs. In his dantainy eight almost solid pirs that were scarlet in color. Duncan looked at the scarlet-colored pirs with deep emotion in his heart.

    Now, it was time for the next stepˇ­

    Third Step: Raising The Foundational Pirs!

    While the eight pirs had already been formed, it was now time to raise them. There is a particr order in which the pirs need to be raised. It depends on the cultivation technique one cultivated.

    The locations of the eight pirs were rtively fixed. However, the order in which they are raisedbined with the cultivation technique will have unique effects on a cultivator''s foundation.

    Duncan''s cultivation technique was rtively titled towards ughter Dao. So the first two pirs he raised will have a profound effect on his future cultivation. Based on the dao a cultivation technique favors, the arrangement of the establishment would vary.

    Duncan needed to raise the entry pirs first and foremost. Duncan''s Violet Pce was going to be akin to a ughterhouse. So, the pirs for the gates need to be established first. If for example, Duncan''s cultivation technique was tilted towards Earth Dao, then he should have raised the stabilizing pirs first. Each cultivation technique had unique needs in establishing a unique Violet Pce for a cultivator.

    Duncan slowly raised each and every pir in the order that his cultivation technique required. Here he noted the difference between the cultivation technique that his sect provided and the one his bloodline provided. Duncan didn''t even hesitate. He resolutely raised the pirs in the order specified by the one his bloodline provided.

    Duncan had a hunch that this arrangement of his pirs would have profound effects on his future cultivation. He carefully raised the pirs with a lot of effort and started to construct the arrangement mentioned in his cultivation technique.

    The process was easy to describe, but it took a long time for Duncan to raise the pirs in a specific arrangement. While Duncan raised the foundational pirs, there were intense changes in the surroundings. The qi in the surroundings started roiling like nothing before.

    The red hazy mist that engulfed the surrounding region began to shift and change as if it was responding to the pirs being established. If Duncan''s eyes were open, he would have been stunned by the changes in the surrounding area. If anyone had been watching, they would have opened their mouth in surprise as well. Unfortunately, no one was able to notice it.

    As Duncan established the pirs in his dantain, the surrounding red hazy mist became corrosive in nature. The dead bodies that were littered in the ughter field began to be eroded by the corrosive mist. They were like wood feeding fire to burn ever brighter. The more the dead bodies got corroded, the faster the dposition became.

    The surrounding area began to roil in a strange manner causing everything to be very intense. The bodies started dposing at an rming rate the closer Duncan came to establishing all his pirs.

    However, strangely enough, the surrounding corrosive mist didn''t have any effect on Duncan at all. He was rtively undisturbedpared to the gory events that were happening right beside him. Even his dress was rtively undamaged.

    Duncan waspletely unaware that the process of establishing his foundational pirs had caused the surrounding qi to be corrosive and dpose all the bodies of the cultivators he had killed.

    When Duncan opened his eyes after establishing his pirs, he was stunned to see the entire region free of any corpses. There wasn''t even a single bone left causing him to be incredibly surprised. Duncan was bbergasted by these eventspletely.

    As much as he wanted to desperately look into this phenomenon, Duncan didn''t want to stop his advancement. So, he could only endure and start the final stage of breaking through to the Violet Pce realm.

    Final Step: Ennobling The Pirs!

    *****

    While Duncan was in the process of establishing his foundational pirs, Envoy Ming reached the Dark Star City in a hurry. He had rushed all the way to enquire news about Duncan''s fight with the Young Talents.

    When he reached the city, he came to know that there were only two survivors who had returned to the city. Everyone else had been killed. This news was currently making everyone in the city talk vividly.

    Envoy Ming''s face became gloomy when he heard this news.

    Even he didn''t expect Duncan to be so domineering. He had thought that Duncan would at most kill a few and send the rest fleeing. This wanton massacre was really not in his calction at all. This changed things drastically.

    Envoy Ming knew full well how this might affect the situation. The sects in question will never be able to digest this. They would surely want Duncan''s head on a tter. That meant he would need to quicken up his hunt.

    Deciding to enquire the news directly from the horse''s mouth, Envoy Ming directly set forth to meet with Jiang Chen and Gao Song. He was determined to obtain all the news they knew about Duncan.

    Hunting this person, whomitted such a ughter without any fear of repercussions, without knowing everything will only be detrimental to him. He needed to know everything about Duncan and the person who was able to escape from him would be the right person to enquire such details.

    With a determined heart, Envoy Ming changed direction and headed towards the residence of Jiang Chen.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 250 Entering Violet Palace Realm With Legendary Foundation

    ?

    A/N: Hey Folks!

    Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone from India. This weekend has been absolute chaos all around. I am still finding it hard to write with all the stuff that is happening around me. So, bear with the reduced updates for a while!!!

    *****

    Final Step: Ennobling The Pirs!

    After a cultivator establishes his foundational pirs, thenes the most important part in breaking through to the Violet Pce realm. In this part, apart from initiating and finally stabilizing oneself, a cultivator had no control over the events that would transpire in his dantain.

    Ennobling the pirs is said to be a step that was half consolidation and half supplication. The pirs erected in a cultivator''s body willmune with the world and the world''s will bless the pirs during this step. The level of blessing usually determines the grade of the foundation a cultivator hasid.

    Duncan knew that this was a crucial step. He didn''t get distracted at this moment. Obviously, the events that urred while he established his pirs made him a little wary. But, this was not the time for him to be worried about it. So, Duncan put away all the distracting thoughts and concentrated on his dantain.

    Revolving the spirit qi in his body as per the new route that had been supplied to him by his bloodline, Duncan felt a quiver go through his body the moment the qi in his bodypleted one cycle.

    His eight pirs started to buzz in his dantain and he felt them establishing an ephemeral connection with the world in general. He also felt a heavy presence in his soul and mind. The presence seemed as if it would invade his body and dantain as well. Duncan waspletely powerless to stop the invasion.

    Steeling his heart, Duncan waited for the judgment of the world''s will without any resistance. He had already done everything that needed to be done to establish the legendary foundation. Now, he was at the final step and it rested in the hands of some other entity. There wasn''t a thing to do about it.

    Duncan felt the presence invade his body, mind, soul, dantain, and every other inch of his being. He felt as if there could be no secrets before the presence at all. The presence had a weight to it that made it difficult for him to breathepletely.

    Duncan felt a buzz go through his being after some time and the presence began to retreat. He looked at his soul and found that the token that had been resting peacefully so far in his soul was beginning to rotate and give off a dazzling glow.

    Duncan cursed inwardly wondering what the hell was this token going to do now. The fading presence paused for a second and the next second he felt it concentrate solely on the token. It felt as if the presence was scrutinizing the token. The token also started glowing brightly.

    The next moment, Duncan felt the presence m into the token as if it was displeased with its behavior. The token struggled hard, but it was quickly subdued and made to be obedient again in his soul. The presence buzzed and retreated as if in triumph.

    Duncan didn''t know what the confrontation between the token and the presence was all about. He only knew that the token, that he had never paid much attention to, might not be as simple as he thought. Duncan felt a headacheing as he looked at the once more docile token.

    Just as Duncan was specting on the presence of the token in his soul and its implications, he felt his pirs starting to revolve at increasing speed. Duncan moved his concentration back to the dantain and was greeted with a bizarre sight.

    The eight pirs were revolving in a strange rhythm and they were beginning to exude scarlet light all over. Patterns began forming on the pirs that Duncan had no knowledge of. Duncan tried to investigate these patterns and found them very profound.

    Moreover, he could also feel the world resonating with these patterns in a mystical manner causing him to be surprised. He didn''t want to interfere in such phenomena. He felt as if the world wasmunicating with his pirs through these patterns. So, he kept his thoughts on a tight leash and watched the proceedings in interest.

    Themunion between the world and the pirs in his dantainsted for a long time. Duncan didn''t know how long he sat watching those two interact through the patterns that appeared on the pirs. As time passed, more and more patterns began forming on his pir.

    With each pattern being formed, the pirs in his dantain began to visibly shine like never before. The scarlet glow they cast made his entire dantain to be dyed red. Duncan could only watch this all helplessly.

    Suddenly, he felt his soul starting to resonate with the glow. More patterns began appearing as well. His mind started buzzing and the spectator mode he had been until now was forcefully demolished.

    Duncan suddenly started remembering everything he knew about his martial dao cultivation. He recalled the concepts he had grasped and their uses. He recalled how he went aboutprehending them and the enlightenment he had received at that moment.

    Duncan was lost in those thoughts when his blood started boiling as well. Duncan felt as if his entire being was on fire. His mind constantly recalled a lot of hisprehensions and enlightenments, and his blood boiled at a crazy temperature. Duncan felt that his insides were being burnedpletely, and yet there was only the sensation and no pain.

    After what felt like a long time, themunion between the world and the pirs ended and Duncan felt his brain start to slow. At that moment, his spirit sense started evolving as well.

    Just as themunion ended, endless qi poured into Duncan''s dantain from the surroundings. The qi that was roiling inside the defensive formations became too turbulent for the formations to handle anymore.

    In the end, all the defensive formations broke with a pop and allowed more qi from the distance to rush towards Duncan''s dantain. As for the obscuring formation, there was no effect from it as well.

    If one looked at it from a distance, Duncan would be like a ck hole sucking in the red-colored mist that was surrounding him like there was no stop to it at all. The suction power his body exhibited at this time was really very strong.

    With this, Duncan truly stepped into the Violet Pce realm atst. And he had fulfilled his wish of establishing a legendary foundation as well.

    At the same time, in the sky, a rare phenomenon started appearingˇ­

    *****

    Walking out of Jiang Chen''s residence, Envoy Ming had a gloomy look on his face.

    Jiang Chen hadn''t been very forting with his information. If Envoy Ming had to say, he was almost cagey in his mannerisms. He didn''t know what Jiang Chen was ying at, but he didn''t like it one bit.

    However, it wasn''t in vain toe here to enquire. Right now, Envoy Ming had some basic understanding of Duncan''s powers. He knew that Duncan had a very strong body that was akin to a body cultivator''s. He could tankte-stage Violet Pce realm attacks with his body.

    Moreover, the regeneration that was gifted to him by his body also meant that it would be hard to pin him down. Moreover, Duncan was a sword cultivator who had integrated his own concept and sword light together. That was a pretty significant thing.

    Even the young geniuses in the first-rate sect were not that advanced in their martial dao cultivation. This was news to Envoy Ming. He obviously knew about Duncan''s sword light and his cultivation level from Duncan''s exploits in Starmist City. However, the matter regarding his body cultivation and the extent to which his martial dao cultivation had progressed was not something he was aware of.

    If he had treated Duncan like an ordinary peak Spirit Sea realm cultivator, then Duncan might have escaped his clutches. The strong body Duncan had alone would pose a lot of problems to him.

    Envoy Ming still felt as if Jiang Chen wasn''t very forting regarding the events. He had been brusque in his exnation and had also told him that he would be entering seclusion after this, so he preferred not to be disturbed regarding anything henceforth.

    That was a pretty clear statement in his opinion.

    Jiang Chen now wanted no part in the hunt against Duncan. He hadn''t been seething and looking for revenge. He had very clearly stated that he had nothing to do with this anymore.

    Why did a heaven-blessed like Jiang Chen retreat from the fun? It was almost as if he knew something that no one else knew and considered this to be a futile endeavor. Considering how Jiang Chen and his subordinate were the only ones to escape from the ughter, Envoy Ming felt that there was some basis to that conjecture.

    Frowning heavily, Envoy Ming looked towards the distance. Apart from Duncan''s various cultivation levels, Jiang Chen hadn''t shed any light on the kind of trump cards Duncan might possess. This made him a little wary of continuing this quest.

    Still, his visit to Jiang Chen had not been in vain. He had gained some valuable information. As long as he was cautious, things wouldn''t turn out too badly. If things turn awry, he could escape anytime he wanted.

    He knew that a storm was brewing in the Dragon Scale Continent and didn''t know if he would survive the uing days. Being cautious at this time was the only way he could ensure his survival. Survival was more important than any illusory favors gained.

    There was a lot of stuff happening in the continent as ofte. From the various skirmishes among ns and subordinate sects to the fiasco at the Greenwood Forest, things have be more and more chaotic ofte. Right now, the only priority was his safety. Still, chaotic times are the best times to climb up in the world.

    Letting out a deep sigh, Envoy Ming set off in the direction that Duncan had massacred the young talents of various sectsˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 251 Vision Of The Slaughter Palace

    ?

    Envoy Ming was nearing the site, where Duncan had ughtered the young geniuses of various sects, when he saw the sudden appearance of a vision in the sky.

    The vision was even visible at a distance, causing the color of the entire sky in the region to change. Looking at the vision, Envoy Ming was reminded of an event that happened several years ago in his sect.

    Several years ago, a peerless genius appeared in the Iron Mountain Sect. The genius didn''t have the guidance of a master. After he joined the sect, he painstakingly cultivated on his own and didn''t make much of an impact during his early days.

    However, after he cultivated past the Foundational Realms and entered the Golden Hall realm, he began to trulye into his own. When he broke through the Golden Core realm, a simr vision appeared in the sky rming the hidden Nascent Soul monsters who resided in the sect.

    A Grand Elder took the genius as his personal disciple after witnessing the vision in the sky that was caused by the breakthrough. The genius had been in seclusion for the past few years causing his name to be forgotten amongst the same generation of cultivators.

    The reason Envoy Ming remembered this incident at this moment was because Envoy Ming was just appointed as the Envoy of the Iron Mountain Sect when the genius broke through to the Golden Core realm. Themotion that urred amongst the upper echelon of the sect due to the vision was still vivid in his mind.

    Seeing such a scene appear in this ce shook his heart a little bit.

    Envoy Ming knew that such visions were only possible when someone broke through to the Golden Core realm. He didn''t know which senior was the one who broke through to the Golden Core realm in this locality.

    But, he didn''t dare to act recklessly.

    Envoy Ming knew that not every cultivator breaking through to the Golden Core realm is blessed with such a vision. Only when a cultivator creates a core that has the potential to be an Immortal will the vision in the sky appear.

    The vision was the world''s way of acknowledging the potential a cultivator had. Those who were blessed with such visions were monsters in human form. They are peerless geniuses who could fight across realms. Such people are incredibly rare in the cultivation world.

    Envoy Ming had no intention of barging into the ce where such a person was breaking through. A slight distraction during a breakthrough could cause severe damage to a cultivator. If his entry caused a bacsh, then no amount of begging on his part would cause the genius to let him go.

    Envoy Ming hated and feared geniuses deep in his heart. Unlike him, who was just average in cultivation, these people progressed at a much faster rate. Even though it is the norm in the cultivation world to decide seniority based on cultivation, he absolutely hated addressing those who were younger than him as seniors. It was like a fishbone stuck in his throat. Envoy Ming felt very ufortable during those situations.

    The only reason he addressed themselves as seniors was because any perceived disrespect could result in them killing him off with a mere flick of their fingers. He had seen countless examples of cultivators punishing those who were weaker than them because of ack of respect. He didn''t want to be on the receiving end.

    Envoy Ming was of two minds currently.

    He knew that it would be hard to track down Duncan at this moment. Duncan must have left the scene leaving some other senior passing by to upy the location and break through.

    That meant, heading in that direction was of no use to him.

    But, the only clue he had regarding Duncan was that location. Ignoring that will cause him to go through a lot of detours before he can find Duncan again. By then, who knows if the other sect representatives would have caught up as well?

    This put him in a dilemma. He didn''t know what to do.

    However, Envoy Ming''s eyes brightened the next moment as a new thought emerged in his mind. If the senior was benevolent enough, then he might point him in the right direction to pursue Duncan. Those who breakthrough to the higher realms will always be in a good mood immediately after that.

    Exining his situation and his mission to track down the demon who massacred an entire n andmitted the ughter of the young talents of various sects would be to his advantage as well. If that senior has a good impression of him, then it might benefit him as well.

    That said, he shouldn''t barge in. He should wait a while for the phenomenon to be over before dropping by to congratte the senior. Then, he could broach the topic and gain benefits.

    Having decided, Envoy Ming chose to wait a while before approaching the senior in the distance.

    *****

    Meanwhile, Duncan was unaware that Envoy Ming had mistook him for a senior cultivator who was breaking through to the Golden Core realm. Even if he was aware, he would only thank his lucky stars and not pay much attention to it.

    He was currently immersed in a sense of wonder within his mind.

    The moment the vision started appearing in the sky, Duncan felt as if his entire body was being bathed in light. His entire body felt free and he felt liberated all of a sudden. His mind was enthralled with the countless information that was flooding through his mind.

    Just then, the vision became clear and Duncan felt his blood boil. His pirs started resonating with the vision in the sky causing the surrounding qi to rush into his body wantonly.

    Duncan didn''t even have time to guide the qi in an orderly fashion. His heart throbbed causing the qi that entered his body to be docile and easy to control. His cultivation technique was activated on its own causing the qi to revolve in his body without much hassle.

    Duncan''s cultivation began to rise from just entering into the Violet Pce realm to the peak of the lower level of the Violet Pce. While he hadn''t reached the peak yet, it was only a matter of time with this much spirit qi pouring into his dantain and strengthening his pirs.

    As this happened, the vision in the sky finally became clear.

    Duncan looked up to see a menacing Violet Pce appearing in the sky. The pce was like no other he had seen so far. Not that Duncan had much experience in visiting pces. But, just looking at it was enough to cause dread to bloom in Duncan''s heart.

    Duncan''s eyes widened as he realized that this vision was the final version of his Violet Pce going to be. After he reached the peak of the Violet Pce realm, he would be able to create a miniature of this pce in his dantain. That thought alone was enough to agitate him.

    The pce had everything that could please Duncan''s aesthetics. He didn''t know if this pce was rted to him, hence it became like this, or it was just a coincidence that the pce satisfied his aesthetics very well.

    The pce hadrge front gates that were adorned with skulls and swords. It was a clear message. This pce was the pce of a ughterer. Below the gates, blood could be seen seeping out of the pce from under the gates.

    The gates opened and Duncan could hear the wailings and screams of countless souls. That was like music to his ear. He could feel his blood boiling just looking at the pce. Duncan felt as if this pce was perfect for someone like him.

    The mere sight of it caused dread. However, there was an air of freedom present in the air as well. Duncan could feel it with his soul. He didn''t know if anyone else could perceive that small bit of detail, but his soul registered it cleanly.

    His consciousness entered the pce on its own ord and rushed through it as if it were taking a quick tour. Murals hung on the walls depicting various battles. A man and a sword dominated all the battles. Whether it was against a demonic beast or against cultivators, neither the man nor the sword showed any hesitation in those murals.

    Entering the inner sanctum, Duncan''s consciousness identified familiar smells permeating the air. It was his two most-liked smells in the world. The smell of sex and the smell of wine. Duncan felt as if he was in heaven at that moment.

    Arriving at the Lotus Pond, the pond wasn''t filled with water. Rather, it was filled with blood. Even the lotus that bloomed in the pond had sword lights radiating from them. Their petals were like the des of a sword. The stem was like the body of a sword. All in all, Duncan could only describe such a lotus as a sword lotus.

    He didn''t even know if such a thing existed in the world. But, he liked the idea of a sword lotus very much. Inspiration seemed to flow through his mind as he watched the sword lotus in a mesmerized fashion.

    However, Duncan''s consciousness didn''t linger there for long. It shot through the roof from there presenting him with an overhead view of the Violete Pce. Just looking at it was enough for Duncan to once again feel the dreading back into his heart. His jubiliation from obtaining information was promptly overshadowed and his heart began to feel heavy.

    Just as Duncan seemed to perceive from that visual, an angry roar echoed causing him to snap open his eyes and look into the distance.

    In the distance, a blurred figure was approaching his location at a fast pace. Duncan realized that he might have overstayed his wee in this spot. It looked like the sects had moved faster than he thought.

    Looking around, Duncan found that the defensive formation he had erected seemed to be smashed apart by the riot of the spirit qi earlier. Letting out a deep sigh, Duncan looked up at the vision.

    The vision was fading now. He could feel it sending a mystical energy into his body just as it faded. It wasn''t visible or anything, but Duncan could feel it clearly. Duncan looked at the fading Violet Pce onest time with a wistful look and turned his eyes towards the approaching person.

    Without a pause, Duncan unsheathed his sword and swung at the approaching figure not even bothering to see who it was. If it had been before breaking into the Violet Pce realm, Duncan would have been cautious and would have wanted to know what the strength of the other party was.

    But, after witnessing his Violet Pce, Duncan feltpletely fine attacking first without even determining the strength of his opponent. Both his psyche and mind had undergone a sublimative change during the establishment of his foundational pirs.

    Right now, Duncan didn''t feel like backing away from this fightˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 252 Inspirations

    ?

    Envoy Ming''s eyes shot open in surprise seeing the vision in the sky.

    When he had looked over earlier, the vision hadn''t been fully formed. He didn''t know the nature of vision. He just knew that this was a vision that a cultivator obtains during a breakthrough.

    However, when the vision fully formed, his expectations were shattered. The vision was not that of a Golden Core. Rather, the vision was that of a Violet Pce. He had never even heard of such a thing in existence.

    This stumped him for a moment before his brain reconnected.

    Envoy Ming realized that this was most probably a vision that was the result of someone breaking through to the Violet Pce realm. Even though it was hard for him to digest that, he could only reluctantly admit it after seeing it with his own eyes.

    A cultivator must be true to himself first and foremost. Denying things that you know full well to be true can only lead to the formation of heart demons in the long run. So, he could only reluctantly admit it.

    This was like a p to his face. Thinking back on his earlier apprehension and fear of barging into that region, Envoy Ming''s face blushed in shame and anger. It was only further entuated after realizing the identity of the person undergoing the breakthrough.

    Envoy Ming wasn''t a fool. Even though hecked hard evidence, considering the breakthrough level and the area from which the vision came, it was easy to point out that it was Duncan who was undergoing a breakthrough.

    To think he had been afraid of disturbing the very person he came to hunt down wasughable to him. He couldn''t swallow such an embarrassment. His rage ignited as he looked at the clearly formed vision in the distant sky.

    Gritting his teeth, Envoy Ming decided that enough was enough. He had already made a mistake and lost out on a precious opportunity. Duncan receiving bacsh was only to his advantage. So, he didn''t want to stand here in the distance anymore.

    Furthermore, one look at the Violet Pce was enough to let him know how much of a disaster it would be to let such a person live. The Violet Pce in the sky was a macabre thing. Just looking at the gates alone was enough to cause a revolt in his heart. He couldn''t let such a person live.

    Enraged beyond belief and armed with a righteous cause, Envoy Ming threw subtlety out of the window and rushed towards Duncan with a primal scream. What greeted him was a sword sh, unlike anything he had faced before.

    Envoy Ming had to hastily throw up a defense. Even then, he was sted back several paces by the sword sh. Envoy Ming could feel a sharp sword light present in the sh. There were also traces of concepts present in the sh.

    Grimacing at the progress of his opponent, Envoy Ming gathered himself and smoldered his rage. With a grim determination etched on his face, Envoy Ming once again rushed towards the location from where the sword sh originated.

    No matter what, this demonic cultivator mustn''t leave this ce alive!

    *****

    Duncan merely raised his eyebrows when he saw the attacker returning with even more gusto. It was clear to him that this person wasn''t a friendly visitor in any manner. With a slight smirk, Duncan steadied himself and looked at the approaching figure hungrily.

    Ever since he broke through, Duncan felt unprecedented strength coursing through his body. Both his body and mind had been fundamentally changed during the breakthrough. Even now the fading vision was sending him some mystical energy in the form of blessings.

    The blessings from the vision were also strengthening his body as well. Duncan felt that his body was far stronger thanpared to thest fight he had been in. Right now, he felt as if he could tank the attacks that injured him in the earlier fight. This level of difference was pretty remarkable.

    Moreover, as his attacker got near, Duncan was able to perceive the strength of his attacker as well. Duncan felt as if the attacker was only slightly stronger than the two cultivators he ran into after exiting seclusion in the Greenwood Forest.

    Right now, he was hungry for battle. He also wanted to test out his new power. A sharpening stone has offered itself willingly. How can Duncan be willing to let it go?

    Envoy Ming arrived before Duncan with his trusty spear in hand. He had always preferred using long-range weapons that had put some distance between him and his opponent. His cautious style of fighting was revealed in how he used his spear.

    Envoy Ming swung at Duncan with his spear as he approached Duncan. His aim was to suppress Duncan with his spear first before attacking him. Unfortunately, Duncan had already anticipated such an attack and immediately countered with an upward sh with his sword.

    Unlike when he was fighting against the young talents, Duncan didn''t extend his sh further away from his sword. He contained it within his sword and met with the spear attack head-on.

    During his breakthrough, countless inspirations burst forth in him. Using the sword in such a manner that it reverted back to its original use of fighting at close range was one of his inspirations at that time.

    After he became a cultivator, Duncan often attacked with long-range shes while attacking someone. This form of fighting had its advantages. However, a sword was a personal weapon that was suited for close-rangebat more than long-rangebat. Thus, using it in this way minimized the advantages it presented to him.

    Duncan''s mastery of his Absolute Severance sh was really high. He could use it however he wanted with just a change in the way he wielded his spirit qi. So, Duncan thought of testing this approach out first.

    And the result didn''t dissatisfy him at all.

    With a ng, the sword met the spear and both parties were locked in. Envoy Ming tried to overpower Duncan with his superior cultivation. However, with his both feet firmly on the ground, Duncan''s body strength came into y clearly at this moment.

    Duncan looked across the weapons at his attacker with a slight smirk. He felt thatparing power with him in such a way was very foolish of his attacker. But then, he might have not known about his powerful body. His powerful body had only be stronger after his breakthrough.

    With a mighty heave, Duncan sent his attacker spinning into the air. Duncan didn''t waste such a prime opportunity. He sent out aerial shes to follow up on his heave. And then, he stepped out with <Wind Chasing Steps> and closed the distance with his attacker.

    This was a vague idea he had while massacring the young talents of various sects. Combining his movement technique with his sword attacks will give him more mobility and will also aid him in avoiding attacks that he couldn''t or didn''t want to face head-on.

    During the breakthrough, this thought was also opened up and he now had several methods he wanted to try out. Taking this opportunity to experiment with his style a little bit, Duncan executed his movement technique and closed the gap between him and his opponent.

    Envoy Ming was immediately put in a sorry state. After being sent spinning into the air, he had to hastily avoid the following shes. Before he could breathe some air, his opponent was already closing in on him with his sword.

    Envoy Ming felt a little frustrated with this turn of events. Even if his opponent had a body that was rtively strong, he never expected his opponent''s strength to reach this level.

    Weaving his spear in a circle, Envoy Ming tried to create some distance between them. Unfortunately, Duncan ducked under the swing and closed in on Envoy Ming. Envoy Ming had to backpedal a bit to get enough room to use his spear. This further frustrated him.

    Ever since the battle began, his opponent had been pressing him relentlessly. He also felt that he couldn''t execute his martial arts to their fullest potential due to the closeness of his opponent. It was an aggrieving feeling to experience.

    The duo exchanged several blows in midair in this manner. Sounds of weapons hitting each other echoed across the region as a brutal fight ensued. Duncan never gave enough room for Envoy Ming to execute his spear art proficiently. He relentlessly pressed after him making him be passive as time passed.

    Envoy Ming knew that he was beginning to get passive in the fight. But, there was nothing he could do. Duncan was like a storm, unleashing shes continuously causing him to defend constantly.

    If you give a cultivator a split second, they would be able to capitalize on it. They could regroup and attack by creating more space or changing their tactic. The reaction time of a cultivator was miles above the best martial arts practitioner among mortals.

    However, if the opposite person is also a cultivator, then the fight will be more intense once they start engaging in closebat. Very few cultivators prefer closebat. Most usually used their qi to attack at a range.

    Duncan got hold of this seemingly unknown weakness in his opponent and started pressing relentlessly. Pretty soon, his effort paid off and Envoy Ming wasn''t able to block a sh towards his torso in time.

    Blood sttered across the sky as Duncan''s sword cut into Envoy Ming''s flesh. Duncan didn''t even pause after that. He rotated in midair and sent out a Primal Fist right towards the sternum sending Envoy Ming reeling back with a harsh shout of pain.

    Envoy Ming mmed into the ground from midair causing dust to fly everywhere.

    *****

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 Chapter 253 Battle Style

    <h4>Chapter 253 Battle Style</h4>

    Duncan looked at the downed Envoy Ming and shook his head.

    Sure enough, cultivators seemed to forget the basic martial arts training they received as mortals after being cultivators for a long period of time. Looking at Envoy Ming''s bloodied form to emerge from the rubble below, he couldn''t help butment about it inwardly.

    Envoy Ming emerged from the rubble with blood dyeing his robes. He had a dignified look on his face. He looked at Duncan with hatred in his eyes. But, deep in his heart he was relieved that Duncan didn''t press on.

    The sh from Duncan had scored a gash across his torso. But, it was the punch that hurt him the most. His sternum ached even now. Seeing Duncan looking down on him from above, Envoy Ming felt indignant in his heart.

    He had never liked the prodigies thate into the cultivation world. They had no respect for the natural order. With their immense talent, they reordered things as they saw fit and left others to scramble in their wake. It was apletely insensitive way of doing things.

    He had never liked them at all.

    This was not how the world should work. There is a proper order of things. That order must be respected. Disrespectful behavior like entry-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators going toe to toe with ate-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator should be stamped out. This waspletely unnatural and it must be eradicated by root and stem.

    With fire in his eyes, Envoy Ming once again attacked Duncan. This time, he didn''t close in. He gave full y to his martial technique and also used his superior cultivation to attack Duncan.

    Envoy Ming''s spear swished in the air and an image of a spear materialized in front of his attack. The spear sported a suppressive effect and approached Duncan in a domineering manner.

    Duncan narrowed his eyes and gripped his sword tightly. With a mighty shout, he executed the new technique he had obtained after returning from the Grotto Heaven at the sect.

    <Absolute sh Sword Art!>

    Arge sh formed in the air and thundered towards the spear image. Even though Duncan was able to integrate his sword light into it, he was still unable to grasp the concept of the sword artpletely. Even then, the attack power of this attack was rtively high.

    While battling with the young talents from various sects, Duncan noticed that he had arge number of gaps when it came tobat. His attacks were monotonous. He didn''t have a very good defensive technique. Even a passable one would have sufficed. If he had such a technique, he wouldn''t have ended up in such a sorry state in the previous fight.

    Duncan had noted these things down during that fight. However, rectifying them would take some time. It wasn''t as if he could cultivate new techniques whenever he wanted. Even the

    that was tailored to mobilize physical energy took some time for him to get the hang of.

    So, he wanted to see the effect of his new technique first before deciding on how to approach this fight further. Right now, he had the advantage in the fight. He could try to experiment a bit.

    The sword shnded right on the tip of the approaching spear. A screeching sound echoed in the surrounding region causing Duncan to grit his teeth. The two attacks came to a halt and dissipated causing both Duncan and Envoy Ming to be surprised.

    Envoy Ming grit his teeth and started attacking Dnncan continuously. He absolutely couldn''t stand the fact that Duncan was able to nullify his attack. His pride refused him to yield. He wanted to prove that even geniuses must respect natural order. Hence, he wentpletely mad and started attacking with abandon.

    Duncan weathered the storm with a calm heart. He felt that his confidence had risen to new levels when it came tobat after his breakthrough. Duncan didn''t even have an iota of doubt as he swung his sword repeatedly and negated all the attacks sent out by Envoy Ming.

    Duncan felt his control of the battle had be absolute as he calmly dealt with the various attacks sent towards him by Envoy Ming. He didn''t panic at the sheer madness that was inherent in his opponent''s assault. He calmly withstood that burst of passion and looked for an opportunity to counterattack.

    Pretty soon, such a chance presented itself when Envoy Ming left his right side open in his madness. While in the throes of passion, Envoy Ming''s spear art became more and more sharp. But, the consequence of it was that his defense waspromised.

    Sword cultivators are naturally proficient in attacking weak spots. Duncan wasn''t an exception either. With a tilt of his wrist, Duncan''s posture turned from enduring to attacking.

    Like a viper, Duncan sent out a quick cut towards Envoy Ming''s right side causing him to scramble to defend. Within moments, the situation changed. Duncan became the aggressor now. He didn''t hold back either.

    Duncan used his movement technique to attack from various angles causing Envoy Ming to scramble to defend. He pressed relentlessly and put Envoy Ming on backfoot quickly. Envoy Ming''s burst of passion ended causing Duncan to once again regain offense and take control of the direction of the fight.

    Duncan didn''t hasten to defeat Envoy Ming. He slowly whittled away at Envoy Ming without giving him any room to counterattack. Even then, Duncan didn''t attack monotonously like he usually did. He varied his attacks and infused them with sword light.

    One time he attacked with Absolute Severance, and then he followed it up with an Absolute sh. Sometimes he used basic sword movesbined with sword light. Sometimes he merely swung his sword with pure physical strength. This caused Duncan''s attack to vary in strength making Envoy Ming unable to predict any pattern to Duncan''s attack at all.

    Even though the strength of the attacks varied, every attack of Duncan was pointed towards a vital spot causing Envoy Ming to dare not let them pass. He didn''t have Duncan''s confidence when ites to tanking attacks.

    So, Envoy Ming was forced to meet every attack of Duncan with his full power. Duncan''s sword began to mix soft and hard attacks in an unpredictable manner. Duncan didn''t bother with forcing Envoy Ming to the maximum. He just kept enough pressure causing him to dare not retaliate lest he ends up being injured in a vital spot.

    As Duncan fought with Envoy Ming, his own battle style ofbining movement techniques with his sword attacks began to take shape. He also began to touch on the embryonic concept of a domain without even realizing it.

    A domain is a region where a cultivator has absolutemand over everything. Duncan was already on the threshold ofprehending it. However, he still had some ways to reach it. Once he realizes his own domain, then his strength will multiply severalfold.

    While Duncan honed his own battle style, Envoy Ming was incredibly frustrated with the turn of events. He was always on the defensive causing him to be aggrieved. He desperately wanted to break this cycle, but Duncan was relentless in his attack.

    His only n now was to tire out Duncan and then shift the tables. Unfortunately for him, his n was doomed to fail. Normally, Duncan''s way of fighting bybining his two aspects into a single entity would have consumed a lot of qi.

    But, due to the legendary foundation he had established, the qi in his body was lot more robust and abundant than an ordinary cultivator''s. Furthermore, his qi was also of higher qualitypared to the normal cultivator.

    This meant that Duncan could carry this for a while without breaking even a sweat.

    As time passed, Envoy Ming began to get flustered. Seeing that Duncan was not even breathing heavily, his heart began to sink. In a desperate gamble, he tried to break through the situation by trying to exchange injury for injury.

    But, Duncan had never been afraid of doing that.

    In the end, Envoy Ming took a chance and attacked Duncan unmindful of the attacking at his left elbow. He aimed his spear to pierce through Duncan''s eye. His aim was simple. Either you embraced death or you took a step back allowing me to escape unscathed as well from your attack. This was the manner in which he wanted to take control of the fight back.

    At thest moment, Duncan shifted his weight and leaned to the left slightly allowing the spear tip to brush past his cheek. A thin line of bloody streak appeared on Duncan''s cheek where the spear passed by.

    But, in exchange, Duncan''s sword cut into the left elbow of Envoy Ming with ruthless precision. Duncan''s sword went through the joints and elbow of Envoy Ming like a knife through butter.

    Envoy Ming''s left hand was chopped off cleanly at the elbow causing him to howl in pain.

    Duncan didn''t even nce at the chopped off hand. He directed his next attack towards Envoy Ming''s throat. Envoy Ming had to hastily parry with one hand leaving his torso open. Duncan took advantage of it and used his physical strength to kick in Envoy Ming''s guts.

    Envoy Ming was sent flying into the distance.

    Just when Duncan thought of following up on his attack, the situation at the field reversed with new arrivals on the scene.

    *****

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 Chapter 254 Han Shindong Arrives!

    <h4>Chapter 254 Han Shindong Arrives!</h4>

    After hacking off Envoy Ming''s left arm and kicking him in the gut, Duncan tried to follow it up with a sh with his sword.

    Just then an attack arrived from distance blocking his way. Duncan squinted into the distance and found a group hastily making their way toward the battlefield. Duncan didn''t know who this was, but he knew that his chance of killing Envoy Ming was now gone.

    Duncan debated for a moment whether to continue with this confrontation. It was clear that he had spent a lot of time in the same location where he had ughtered countless young talents from the nearby sects. It was high time he moved from here.

    While Duncan was confident in escaping from the encirclement of the approaching people, he didn''t know if he would be able to kill any of them. There is a power in numbers. These men didn''t seem to be like those young talents who were eager to make a name.

    Taking a deep look at the approaching cultivators, Duncan recognized a few of them. These men were the ones who had followed after him in the Grotto Heaven. He had slipped their at that time. He didn''t know why they wereing after him, but this gave Duncan a new headache.

    By now, several sects would have learned about the demise of their prized younger generation. The uproar this would cause can only be imagined. They would surely send out people to hunt him down. Lingering in the same ce where he killed their younger talents would be akin to walking up to their doors and pping their faces.

    While Duncan wanted to do that and see how they reacted, he was sensible enough to not court death in stupid ways like that. If not for the required ughter qi, he wouldn''t have tantly killed off all the young generations of various sects. Moreover, they provoked him by issuing that hunt.

    That''s why Duncan ughtered them all and used them to advance to the next level.

    But, it didn''t mean that he would mindlessly stay and fight everyone who came. By now, the sects would already have some idea of his fighting power. The people they send out will surely be those who they believe will be able to kill him.

    Moreover, among the young talents that died, there must be one or two of the younger generation present in their numbers. Surely, the older generation wouldn''t sit back and watch him strut. Staying at this ce was akin to killing their offspring and dancing on said offspring''s graves.

    Even the most even-tempered and principled cultivator wouldn''t tolerate such behavior. So, Duncan knew that he must vacate this spot sooner rather thanter. But, he had already dyed and people hade knocking on his door. To dy further will only make things worse.

    Just like how he didn''t expect this group of cultivators toe knocking, who knew what other group would join in the hunt as well? Duncan looked at Envoy Ming who was busy trying to stabilize his blood flow after he chopped off his hand and at the approaching cultivators and came to a decision immediately.

    Duncan turned around and vanished from the spot without any hesitation.

    *****

    Envoy Ming watched Duncan vanish with a fire burning in his eyes.

    As much as he wanted to stop Duncan, he didn''t know if such an action would be beneficial to him. It was already a miracle that he didn''t lose his life here. If the fight had continued for another five minutes, he was sure that he would have lost his life here.

    Initially, he only thought of Duncan as a stepping stone for future prosperity. But now, he absolutely hated Duncan. Watching him leave after chopping his hand off felt like someone digging out his heart while he was conscious.

    A few moments after Duncan vanished from the spot, two cultivators rushed toward the location with serious faces. Looking at Envoy Ming''s state, the expressions on their faces changed drastically.

    Envoy Ming wasn''t an unknown figure to them. To be the Envoy of a first-rate sect like the Iron Mountain Sect, one needs to have the required strength. Even though Envoy Ming was only at thete stage of the Violet Pce realm, it was widely rumored that he could fight against peak-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators.

    Seeing someone who was well-known in the cultivationmunity end up in such a state against the person whom they were hunting was shocking for them to witness. While they were prepared to see Envoy Ming having a tough time, they never expected him to lose so badly.

    The change in their reactions naturally fell into Envoy Ming''s eyes as well. This only furthered the hatred in his heart. He felt embarrassed and angry to be seen in such a situation. He looked at the duo and snorted in a dissatisfied manner.

    "What are you two gawking at? Quick, go chase him down. We can''t let someone like him live even for a day," Envoy Ming said in a dissatisfied manner.

    Hearing Envoy Ming''s harsh words, the faces of the duo changed a bit. But, they didn''t dare to speak back harshly. They could only swallow their dissatisfaction. After helping Envoy Ming fend off his attacker, it was fine if Envoy Ming didn''t thank them, but he rather ordered them in such a harsh manner. The duo didn''t like such a thing naturally.

    However, they knew Envoy Ming''s status. And their status as retainers was not obviously a match for it. If their Young Master was here, they could mouth off. But, picking a fight while being on an errand can only have bad consequences for them. So, they could only swallow their dissatisfaction and look at Envoy Ming in an unkind manner.

    Envoy Ming didn''t take the reactions of these clowns to heart. He was actually wondering which of the sects had responded so fast. By his estimation, it would take at least another day for the other sects to react. But, from the attitude of these Violet Pce realm cultivators, it was clear that some power had already gotten wind of the events and was hot on the trail of Duncan.

    He knew that Violet Pce realm cultivators would not be dispatched for things of this significance by the sects. So, there must be a Golden Hall realm cultivator behind these men. Hence, he knew that these people must be the ones doing the legwork for the Golden Hall cultivator. So, he didn''t think that his order to them was an issue at all.

    After all, if they miss Duncan, then they would be the ones at fault. In fact, in his mind, Envoy Ming felt that he was giving pertinent advice. Seeing these cultivators not reacting as he expected, Envoy Ming became a little dissatisfied with them.

    "Chase after him, you buffoons! Will you be able to answer whoever sent you over if you lose his trail?" Envoy Ming shouted at the duo.

    The pain from his hand was already making him irritable. And things not going as per his expectations only furthered his frustrations with the recent turn of events. Envoy Ming red at the duo seeing them still not moving.

    "We are here on our Young Master''s orders. We are to scout the location and wait for him to arrive. We don''t take orders from you, Envoy Ming. So, mind your words when you speak to us," one of the duo couldn''t hold back anymore and replied snidely.

    "And a thank you would be good as well," the other snorted from the side eyeing Envoy Ming with disgust written inly on his face.

    Envoy Ming''s face flushed scarlet.

    "Who is your Young Master? I will speak to him. You go and track that damned demon down first," Envoy Ming spoke urgently not willing to be deterred.

    "Our Young Master is on the way. We will wait here for him just like how he instructed. If Envoy Ming feels that strongly about hunting down the person who chopped off his arm, then we won''t prevent you from doing so," one of the cultivators spoke snidely again causing Envoy Ming to grit his teeth in anger.

    Don''t make himugh. His earlier hunt was the reason he was in such a situation. Even if he ate leopard''s guts, he wouldn''t track down Duncan alone after this. So, Envoy Ming could only look at the duo balefully and sit down. Not willing to watch the duo''s faces, Envoy Ming used the time to meditate and stabilize his injury by taking medicinal pills.

    The duo watched Envoy Ming recuperate with scornful smiles on their faces. However, inside their heart, they too were rmed by the recent turn of events. They obviously had more experience in dealing with Duncan and knew how slippery he could be once he entered the wilderness. They still vividly remembered their experience in the Grotto Heaven.

    What surprised them the most was how Duncan was able to injure Envoy Ming to this extent. They knew Duncan''s cultivation realm very well. They had enquired about Duncan from multiple sources as well. They know how powerful he was. At least, they thought so.

    But, it looked like there was a gross miscalction when it came to their estimation of Duncan''s power. Elder Long had already thought so. That''s why, he only asked them to check out the location first and wait for him.

    It was fortunate that Elder Long had already thought about it. If not, they wouldn''t have known how they died if they had chased after Duncan. After all, their strength was below Envoy Ming. Seeing even Envoy Ming end up in such a state, they were naturally apprehensive about hunting Duncan after this.

    Luckily, they didn''t need to wait with such thoughts for long. Han Shindong arrived with Elder Long and two other retainers within a few minutes. The moment they arrived, all four of them were surprised to see Envoy Ming recuperating from his injuries.

    *****

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 Chapter 255 Does he have a treasure!?

    <h4>Chapter 255 Does he have a treasure!?</h4>

    "What happened?" Han Shindong asked anxiously.

    "When we came, Envoy Ming was fighting with that cultivator. We saw him almost overwhelming Envoy Ming and attacked from a distance. He saw us and immediately fled," the one who spoke snidely to Envoy Ming spoke without his usual snide remarks.

    "We waited here for Young Master''s arrival. Even if we had given chase, we don''t think any of us would be a match to him individually. We all know how slippery that person can be in the wilderness, Young Master. A few kilometers from here, the wilderness that surrounds the Ancient Battlefield begins. Hunting him down with our strength alone will be suicidal," the other one reported respectfully.

    "What!!!?"

    Han Shindong couldn''t believe what he heard. He never expected the person he had looked down upon a few months ago to progress this much in such a short span of time.

    Thinking back on what he knew about Duncan''s cultivation experience, Han Shindong became more dignified. His face became serious as he realized that the person he was hunting was now more powerful than either him or his subordinates. The only one who could take on him in his entourage was Elder Long and the other Golden Hall realm cultivator who were sent to guard him by his n.

    "How could this be possible?" Han Shindong asked no one in particr as he digested this new revtion.

    "Looks like that person has nned these things all along. He knew his best bet to avoid the heat was to vanish into the wilderness aftermitting the ughter. While we don''t know why he was dyed, he escaped the moment he saw troubleing. A smart thing to do," Elder Long spoke suddenly causing Han Shindong to look over.

    "What do we do now?" Han Shindong asked anxiously.

    While he and Duncan didn''t have any enmity, the possibility of Duncan recognizing his subordinates was indeed high. He had once tried to drive Duncan to his death in the Grotto Heaven. Combined with the past animosity, Han Shindong felt that Duncan wouldn''t let things rest after he became powerful.

    Duncan might not know his identity now. But, it wouldn''t remain the same for the future as well. The rate at which Duncan grew truly frightened him. A few months ago, he had almost driven Duncan to death with the help of his subordinates at the Violet Pce realm. But, after a few months, Duncan was already strong enough to injure someone like Envoy Ming.

    Han Shindong felt a sense of danger out of nowhere.

    "Don''t worry, Young Master. I will go ahead myself and try to track him down. You wait here for Elder Wen to join you from the Dark Star City. You cane join me after Envoy Ming recovers and Elder Wen joins you," Elder Long spoke in a solemn voice and gave a grave nod to Han Shindong.

    They both knew that Duncan couldn''t be left alive. It was fine earlier when their enmity wasn''t much. But, now that they had interfered in this situation, Duncan and them couldn''t co-exist peacefully after this.

    So, the priority now was to make sure that Duncan didn''t get a chance to grow in the future. As a retainer for the Han n of the Wei Kingdom, Elder Long was well-versed in how such things yed out. He had personally ended the lives of several promising juniors to make sure they didn''t be a problem in the future.

    So, this wasn''t new to either him or Young Master Han.

    "Do not let him escape. He can''t be allowed to grow up. He will be a scourge on this world if he bes powerful in the future," Envoy Ming spoke suddenly causing Elder Long and Han Shindong to look at him in unison.

    Envoy Ming was looking at them both with such seriousness that it made them both feel pressured. They could feel Envoy Ming''s deep hatred and fear towards Duncan in his words. They exchanged a nce that spoke volumes and nodded.

    "Envoy Ming, you don''t need to worry. I will do my best to track him down. Meanwhile, you recuperate under the care of Young Master Han here," Elder Long nodded toward Han Shindong, who smiled at Envoy Ming amicably.

    "We just heard the news about his massacre. The sects wouldn''t let someone like this walk free. He might be the personal disciple of the Vice-Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, but what he had done has crossed everyone''s bottom line. The sects wouldn''t let someone like that live for long."

    "You stay here under the care of my Young Master. When the representatives from the sect arrive, it would be good for them to have a familiar face around. We have personally experienced his slipperiness in wilderness regions. We can all coordinate and make sure he doesn''t slip through us this time."

    Envoy Ming nodded in response to that and closed his eyes. Elder Long looked at Han Shindong and gave a curt nod to him. Following that, he looked at the other retainers with a meaningful look.

    With a final nod to Han Shindong, Elder Long departed in the direction Duncan had vanished in. Employing his Golden Hall realm cultivation, he soon vanished into the horizon as well.

    Han Shindong watched Elder Long vanish in the distance and became thoughtful inwardly. He couldn''t believe even now that Duncan was able to progress at such a fast pace in such a short time. It was unbelievable to him.

    Suddenly a thought passed through his head causing his eyes to light up.

    Han Shindong felt certain that Duncan must have encountered a rare opportunity in the Grotto Heaven. If not for that, there was no other exnation regarding his furious pace of development.

    Thinking back to how Duncan was able to save so many spirit herbs and hide them all over the forest in the Grotto Heaven, Han Shindong felt that his conjecture might be right. It might be an inheritance, a weapon, or some treasure that aided cultivation. Any such thing could have aided Duncan''s fast development.

    Han Shindong looked at Envoy Ming from the corner of his eyes. After seeing that Envoy Ming was recuperating via meditation, he let out a slight breath and motioned for his retainers to guard the area.

    Moving away from the group, he reached a remote location and sent over a voice transmission to Elder Long with his guess. Han Shindong felt certain of his guess. It wasn''t just Duncan who had progressed at a faster rate aftering out of the Grotto Heaven.

    He too had obtained a legacy in the Grotto Heaven. With its help, his cultivation speed in the past few months had been phenomenal. If he could get his hands on another such legacy or some treasure that aided cultivation, he would be like a tiger with wings.

    So, Han Shindong wanted to find Duncan no matter how hard it was. With Elder Long and Elder Wening with him, he wasn''t afraid of not being Duncan''s match currently.

    However, he must keep an eye on the representatives from the sect as well. With a thoughtful frown, he started on his way to their temporary camp.

    *****

    While Duncan was fighting with Envoy Ming, the situation in the Greenwood Forest ushered in a new development.

    Huang Muyang, the Spirit Severance cultivator, whom every sect in the region was waiting for, arrived from the Seven Clouds Sect in an ostentatious manner. Huang Muyand arrived in arge boat that was filled with female servants causing everyone to look over at him in jealousy.

    He looked down from the boat at the assembled cultivators from all the nearby sects in an imperious manner for a short while before deciding to even step out of the boat and discuss the issue with the assembled Nascent Soul cultivators.

    Even though most cultivators in the ce were in a hurry to get rid of the array formation, they didn''t dare to voice their displeasure towards Huang Muyang''sckluster attitude. Moreover, Huang Muyang was over seven centuries old making him a senior in their eyes.

    Both cultivation-wise and age-wise, Huang Muyang dwarfed every one of the cultivators waiting for his arrival. So, the respect he demanded was something very normal in the cultivation world.

    It is just that, Huang Muyang''s actions were so inconsistent with people''s cognition that people always felt weird when discussing things with him. The assembled Nascent Soul Cultivators showed a put-upon expression as they never expected the one dispatched by the sect would be this person.

    If they had known earlier, they wouldn''t have had their hopes up. Among every Spirit Severance stage cultivator in the three hegemonic sects, the one with the most difficulty in getting along was Huang Muyang. Unless you are a female, Huang Muyang rarely dealt with male cultivators in an enthusiastic manner.

    After alighting from the boat, Huang Muyang didn''t immediately enquire about the situation or what assistance he needed to provide. He began to talk about random things with the Nascent Soul cultivators who were assembled there. The Nascent Soul experts were forced to listen to his droning for a long time with reluctance in his heart.

    In the end, just when everyone''s patience ran thin and couldn''t take anymore, Huang Muyang finally arrived at the topic. After wasting everyone''s time for an hour or so, Huang Muyang finally asked what he should have asked in the first ce.

    "So, what seems to be the problem here?"

    *****

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 Chapter 256 Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation

    <h4>Chapter 256 Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation</h4>

    The assembled Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged looks. They didn''t think that Huang Muyang would be this ignorant of the problem. They could only conclude that Huang Muyang was establishing his authority in a roundabout way.

    "Reporting to Your Eminence," a Golden Core cultivator who escaped earlier from the forest spoke first. "The entire forest before us is covered in a formation that even Nascent Soul experts couldn''t break. There are several talented cultivators from various sects trapped inside. Some of their soulmps had already broken. We request your help in breaking the formation and opening up the forest again, so we can go inside and take a look."

    "Hmmm, I see," Huang Muyang fondled his long beard and looked ahead at the forest. "Was this formation present in this forest before this? I have never heard of such a powerful formation covering a rtively unknown ce like this before."

    "No, Your Eminence," the Golden Core cultivator hastened to reply. "The forest was just a barrennd without any resources before a few months. But recently, several valuable herbs were found and this caused a struggle between cultivators to ensue. There were even treasures that could help people break into the Nascent Soul realm found."

    "Truly! How fascinating!?"

    "The Grand Elder of the Little Heaven Sect has obtained the treasure and is currently breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm using that. After that, all the Golden Core experts vacated from the region allowing those of lower cultivation to vie for other treasures. But, soon their soulmps started breaking. When we came to check, we were stymied by this formation."

    "I see, how intriguing that a wastnd suddenly produces rare treasures! Heh, let''s see what kind of formation is it first," Huang Muyang spoke nonchntly and began waving his hands like a showman.

    Spreading out his divine sense, Huang Muyang engulfed the entire forest within it. His divine sense could extend up to several thousand miles. Engulfing a small forest like the Greenwood Forest was nothing to him.

    After a few moments, Huang Muyang''s nonchnt expression became serious. His eyes narrowed and he concentrated further. Even his demeanor changed entirely and it could be seen that he was really serious in this endeavor now.

    After probing the forest with his divine sense for fifteen minutes, Huang Muyang retracted his divine sense with a frown on his face. He was no longercent. He looked ahead at the forest with an intense expression.

    "From when did these valuable herbs start appearing here?" Huang Muyang demanded suddenly causing everyone to gulp.

    At this moment, Huang Muyang''s cultivation was ring out from his body. The coercion and pressure he exuded made everyone sweat. Even the Nascent Soul elders from various first-rate sects were not doing well.

    "Reporting to your eminence," the Golden Core cultivator spoke with difficulty. "Two months ago, low-level cultivators of the Little Heaven sect came upon a mysterious treasure being birthed in the interior regions of the forest. The Little Heaven Sect immediately blockaded the area and controlled entry into it. However, the news got leaked leading to the current situation."

    "As time passed, more and more valuable herbs started appearing in the surrounding regions. This caused the cultivators inside the region to engage inpetition for these herbs. Initially, no deaths were reported. However, ever since the mysterious treasure was taken away, there have been multiple deaths inside the forest. No one knows the current situation inside either."

    "Fools, did none of you wonder why there wasn''t even a single wild beast or a demonic beast present in the region while you roamed in there? How could there be such a treasure without necessary nourishment?" Huang Muyang snorted angrily.

    "How can there be treasures growing up randomly? There must be nourishment for them to mature. Did you all wonder where the nourishment wasing from? I guess, you all saw treasures and forgot about questioning their origin, huh?"

    The assembled cultivators looked troubled hearing Huang Muyang''s question. They looked at each other in dismay and shook their heads.

    "One of my sect envoys reported some peculiarity in the region. He was one of the first to enter the forest after the Little Heaven sect blockaded the region. He came out earlier than everyone hunting down a disciple from Heavenly Demon Sect. He noticed that there was something wrong about the forest and reported to us that his senses and mind were being influenced inside there," the Nascent Soul elder from Iron Mountain Sect reported in a hurry.

    "Moreover, while vying for the treasure, there was also a guardian beast near the treasure. We battled with it before the First Grand Elder of the Little Heaven Sect obtained the treasure," the Golden Core cultivator replied in haste as well.

    "Hmmph," Huang Muyang snorted. "Where is that envoy of yours?"

    "He is still hunting that disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect. If I am right, then he must have headed to the vicinity of the Dark Star City. That disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect had recently resurfaced in that area," the Iron Mountain Sect Elder spoke up seeing Huang Muyang''s attention was on him.

    "Hmmph, recall him back now. I need to talk to him about what he felt differently," Huang Muyang said with a frown before turning to look at the Golden Core cultivator. "Did youe across any other beasts inside the forest while you were inside it?"

    "No, Your Eminence!"

    Huang Muyang didn''t seem pleased by that information. He looked ahead at the forest and started muttering to himself. This caused a disturbance in the hearts of everyone present.

    Meanwhile, the Iron Mountain Sect elder immediately sent a message to Envoy Ming ordering him toe back. However, Envoy Ming didn''t reply immediately. The reply came after some minutes with the news about Duncan and his deeds.

    Hearing this, the Iron Mountain Sect elder''s face became ugly. The only sce he could find in that news was that there weren''t any Iron Mountain Sect young talents who had participated in the hunt.

    Looking around, he shot a pitying look at the other Nascent Soul elders in the vicinity. Seeing his look, the hearts of the Nascent Soul elders began to beat faster. They didn''t know what happened yet, but the look on theirpatriot''s face was part gloating and part pitying. This made their hearts beat wildly.

    Just then, Huang Muyang came out of his contemtion and looked at the Iron Mountain Sect elder.

    "What happened? Why is your face looking like that?"

    The Iron Mountain Sect elder didn''t dare to hide anything. He reported the information he had obtained from Envoy Ming about the hunt and Duncan''s response to the hunt. He even spoke about the vision that Envoy Ming saw while Duncan broke through, causingmotion to spread amongst the assembled people.

    Never have they heard about anything like that. Even Huang Muyang''s eyebrows rose. When the Iron Mountain Sect elder narrated Envoy Ming''s defeat at the hands of Duncan, everyone present was both surprised and startled.

    "Should I order him toe back, Your Eminence? He is currently waiting along with some cultivators from the Wei Kingdom for the representatives of other sects to join them. They n on hunting this criminal down so that he can''t cause any more chaos in the world," the Iron Mountain Sect elder asked respectfully.

    "No need," Huang Muyang waved his hands disdainfully. "Let him put that little demon to death first. The events here are far above his cultivation level. He would not be of much help here."

    Huang Muyang turned to look at the forest in front of him.

    "The formation that epasses this forest is called the Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation. It is a very ancient formation that even I do not understand much. This formation was used in the early days by demonic sects to choose disciples and conduct sectpetitions. But, after the incredible amount of death rate that resulted from it, the demonic sects discontinued it."

    "As you can all guess from the name, this formation is both an entrapment formation and sacrificial formation. The formation has three stages called prisons. Each stage of the formation is activated using the umted sacrifice in the previous stage."

    "With each sacrifice, the strength of the formation is boosted. As the sacrifices umte, the upper stages of the entrapment formation will be unleashed opening the next level of the prison. This red mist that is enveloping the forest right now is an indication of the formation having entered its final stage."

    "In every stage, a cultivator who is trapped in it will have his will eroded and judgmentpromised constantly. The degree of the erosion their mind faces will increase in respect to the stages."

    "They will be easier to provoke and fights are bound to happen without much reason as time passes. You said earlier that there were more treasures popping up as time went on. If I have to take a guess, then I think that those treasures were nurtured into maturity using the deaths that urred in the formation."

    "If I am not wrong, the Envoy who escaped earlier would have only felt the effects of the second stage of the prison. Because, as far as I know, unless the controller of the formation allows, no one can escape from the formation after it reaches the third stageˇ­"

    "My, my, my! I didn''t expect someone to still have so much knowledge regarding the Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation in this day and age. Your knowledge of this ancient formation impresses me very much," a rude voice suddenly sounded interrupting Huang Muyang''s impromptu lecture on the formation.

    As everyone looked over, a lone figure emerged from the forest that was covered in the formation with a broad smile on his face. Looking at the person who emerged from the formation, everyone''s face turned grim.

    "Liang Tianye! Is this your handiwork!!!?"

    *****

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 Chapter 257 You have walked into a trap!

    <h4>Chapter 257 You have walked into a trap!</h4>

    "Liang Tianye! Is this your handiwork!!!?"

    Huang Muyang spoke harshly looking at Liang Tianye. Liang Tianye looked at the assembled cultivators with a secretive smile and didn''t reply at all. He merely nced at them as if they didn''t matter at all and looked at Huang Muyang directly.

    "Now that you have told these idiots what this formation is, allow me to exin the function of this wonderful formation. After all, as the one who set it up, shouldn''t I be the one answering such questions?" Liang Tianye asked provocatively and looked at the assembled cultivators.

    "Any cultivator or even a living being that dies in there will be considered as a sacrifice by the formation. It doesn''t differentiate between a friend and a foe. The only person who can walk out alive after the Third Prison is activated is the controller of the formation. And that would be me," Liang Tianye pointed at himself and smiled at everyone.

    "That may not be entirely true," Huang Muyang interrupted causing Liang Tianye to look over. "Any formation can be broken in two basic ways. One is by understanding the underlying principle behind its setup. Another is by brute force. Unfortunately for you, I am here."

    "So, why would it matter?" Liang Tianye asked jovially as if he didn''t take Huang Muyang seriously.

    Huang Muyang''s eyebrows rose at that.

    "Liang Tianye, you may look down upon these Nascent Soul experts from various sects. You have the capital to be arrogant towards them. But, are you sure you can take on a Spirit Severance being like me?" Huang Muyang asked directly not beating around the bush at all.

    "Heh, you do realize that this formation isn''t a joke, right? As its controller, I can manipte this formation at will. With its strength, I can go toe to toe with you easily," Liang Tianye chuckled. "After all, the difference between me and youˇ­"

    "You are bluffing!" Huang Muyang spoke suddenly causing everyone to look at him. "It is true that you can use a formation to strengthen yourself. But, can you use this formation to strengthen yourself? I don''t think so. Did you think I wouldn''t know the actual reason this formation was created in the first ce?"

    Liang Tianye stopped speaking and looked at Huang Muyang in the eye.

    "So, you know even that, huh?" Liang Tianye asked calmly.

    "The Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation was developed in ancient times to nurture powerful weapons with sacrifice. Even though most demonic sectster used the formation as tests for their disciples, the underlying motive remained the same."

    "The reason the formation was discontinued from usage was because one of the weapons that was being nurtured once took control of the formation andmitted a massacre to nourish itself. It didn''t leave any of the cultivators alive causing a huge loss to the sect that nurtured that evil weapon," Huang Muyang spoke in a serious manner looking at Liang Tianye.

    "I don''t think you will use the formation recklessly. If you do so, then the weapon you are nurturing inside will not get enough nourishment from the formation. The sacrificial power umted in the formation will be wasted in that way. That would defeat your entire purpose of employing this formation," Huang Muyang spoke confidently and stepped forward.

    "The way I see it, you can only hunker down and defend once I take action. So, you are trying to bluff me and confuse me. Unfortunately for you, I know the mechanics of this formation enough to see through your bluff."

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply immediately. He looked at Huang Muyang seriously as if trying to see his true colors. Tension prevailed in the surroundings as the other cultivators looked at the duo squaring off with a heavy heart.

    All of a sudden, Liang Tianye started chuckling. He shook his head in disbelief and looked at Huang Muyang. The moment heid eyes on Huang Muyang, hisughter erupted again causing everyone to be confused.

    Even Huang Muyang didn''t know why Liang Tianyeughed suddenly. He was also confused by the behavior of Liang Tianye. He looked at Liang Tianye in displeasure and furrowed his brows. He somehow felt that something was wrong with this situation.

    "What are youughing at?" Huang Muyang asked angrily.

    "I amughing at you. You, who is ignorant of the fact that you have walked into a trap," Liang Tianye stoppedughing and smiled at Huang Muyang sinisterly. "Oh, poor Little Muyang doesn''t know that he had stepped into a trap. He still thinks that he is in control. Howughable!"

    Liang Tianye switched to a baby-like voice and mocked Huang Muyang. Huang Muyang felt increasingly disturbed seeing Liang Tianye''s actions. There was also an anger growing deep in him as well.

    He hadn''t been called Little Muyang in a long time. Thest time someone called him that was when he was in the Golden Hall realm. That was his master. Ever since his master died and he stepped into the Golden Core realm, no one had ever dared to call him Little Muyang in three centuries.

    Seeing Liang Tianye mocking him andughing at him made him angry. But, he was also slightly wary regarding why Liang Tianye was so confident in dealing with him. As for thement about walking into a trap, he didn''t believe it.

    This was a sect assignment that came at thest moment. The person who asked him to take a look was one of the core pirs of his sect. And it was a direct request as well. No one would have known that it was him who came. So, he didn''t believe Liang Tianye''s statement regarding it.

    Moreover, he didn''t have any enmity with the person who asked him to take a look at this incident. In fact, their rtionship was very amicable. The fellow Elder who asked him toe over was very low-key and got along well with everyone. So, he didn''t think that person would set him up.

    "I can see your mind spinning, Little Muyang! You are wondering how this was a trap huh? Don''t worry your pretty head over. I will exin things to you naturally. But, before that, let''s get rid of these trash first. They shouldn''t be privy to secrets of that magnitude at all," Liang Tianye spoke in a chilling manner and looked at the assembled cultivators.

    The moment the assembled cultivators saw Liang Tianye looking at them, they all took a step back involuntarily. The exchange between Liang Tianye and Huang Muyang had both confused and rmed them. They didn''t know what to believe anymore.

    Even the Nascent Soul Elders of the various sects felt apprehensive at this moment. Nothing needed to be said regarding Golden Core cultivators who were present. Seeing their apprehensive looks, Liang Tianye smiled at them in a menacing manner.

    "I am sorry, you all might think of yourselves as some bigshots in this world. But the truth is, you are just not relevant at all. In this instance, you are all just bait to bring this big fish over here," Liang Tianye smiled in a mysterious manner and motioned his hands up.

    "Raise!"

    The next moment a hidden formation rose up. It enveloped the entire surrounding region along with all the cultivators from various sects present near the forest inside it. The cultivators who were trapped inside were rmed by this new development. Even Huang Muyang was taken aback.

    Just as they panicked, they saw several Heavenly Demon Sect disciples and elders walk out of another hidden formation that was hiding them all before this. Huang Muyang''s heart began to race seeing them standing there.

    Earlier, when he probed the Three Prisons Sacrificial Formation, he had checked the surrounding regions with his divine sense as well. However, he hadn''t found any clue regarding the existence of this hiding formation. This let him know that this hiding formation was one of the top-tier hiding formations in existence.

    Looking at Liang Tianye''s confident posture, he began to get a bad feeling. Doubts started sprouting in his heart causing him to worry. Just as he was preparing to unleash his cultivation and break through the formation, he felt a sudden attack from his back. Before he could react, the attacknded on him and injured him heavily.

    Huang Muyang turned to look at his attacker and was shocked to his core.

    The one who had attacked him was his long-timepanion and woman, whose advice he listened to frequently. She was the first one who was brought into his harem of women and had been with him since his early days. He couldn''t believe that she would betray him like that. Even the other women by her side were taken aback by this brutal backstab.

    "Jing Yon!!! You!!!" Huang Muyang shouted in disbelief.

    "Yes, me!" Jing Yon sneered at him. "I have been wanting to do this for a very long time. The look on your face was something I had dreamt of seeing for a long time. Did you think I would not retaliate when you humiliated me again and again by taking these hussies to your bed?"

    "Sister Jing! How can you say that about us!?" one of the women asked in shock and anger.

    Jing Yon didn''t even reply. She vanished from her spot and appeared beside the woman who had spoken out. She grabbed the hair of the woman who had spoken out and yanked her to face her.

    "Hmph! You dare call me your sister!!!?"

    With a roar, Jing Yon punched her in the throat. The punch was so strong that it went through the woman''s throat causing her to die in seconds. Jing Yon sneered at the dead body and threw it away.

    "Yue-er!!!" Huang Muyang cried in anguish.

    *****

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 Chapter 258 Huang Muyangs Anguish

    ?

    "Yue-er!!!" Huang Muyang cried in anguish.

    Ming Yue was histest collection in his harem. She was cute and very coquettish. He pampered her since he got his hooks into her. He always treated her gently and acquised all her demands. Seeing her die like this in front of his eyes, and that too by the woman he trusted most, hurt him more than anything.

    "Hmph! Are you crying over not being able toy with that bitch after she died? Don''t worry, you will soon be with your Yue-er in the afterlife. Not just her, I will send all these bitches who embarrassed me with you to the afterlife," Jing Yon sneered at Huang Muyang.

    Hearing her words, the surrounding women started to panic and cry for help. Huang Muyang was still reeling from the heavy-handed attack from Jing Yon. So, help from him was not going toe anytime soon.

    Moreover, Jing Yon was already at the Nascent Soul realm. She was the strongest one in Huang Muyang''s harem. The other women didn''t have the courage to go against her. They only felt deep fear and despair.

    Just then, Jing Yon spoke.

    "Sisters, it is time for us to clean up these bitches. What are you waiting for?" Jing Yon asked causing Huang Muyang''s eyes to widen in disbelief.

    In the next moment, three more women started attacking the women who were near them with more brutality. One cut the heads of three women in front of her. Another one stabbed two women in the heart in quick session. Thest one was the most brutal one of them all.

    That woman looked like an amicable middle-aged woman. Near to her was a younger woman who looked almost simr to her. The middle-aged-looking woman grabbed the younger woman and scratched her face with fierce hatred.

    After that, she ripped the dress of the younger woman amidst her screams of pain and cries for help. Following that, she took a small dagger from her space ring and stabbed the younger woman right in the spine causing her to go limp.

    The younger woman was still alive, but she couldn''t move anymore. Her entire naked body was visible to everyone present in the vicinity. The middle-aged woman didn''t just stop there. She then bent over and started carving the young woman''s face with her dagger viciously.

    "Stop them!!!" Huang Muyang cried desperately.

    "Ah! Ah! Ah! Let''s not be hasty everyone. You better see if you can manage to escape this formation before I deal with Huang Muyang instead of wasting your time trying to stop these women. After all, this is their personal issue, isn''t it?" Liang Tianye spoke jovially and started walking toward the cultivators who were staring at the unfolding events in shock.

    Even if Liang Tianye didn''t remind them, they didn''t n on interfering with the actions of those women at all. After all, all three women who attacked Huang Muyang and his harem were already at the Nascent Soul realm.

    Even the Nascent Soul elders felt that this wasn''t something they could step into. Let alone the Golden Core cultivators. So, no one wanted to make a move until now. Furthermore, the brutality shown by the middle-aged women made them transfixed in ce.

    "Huang Muyang! Huang Muyang! Where do I even begin? Didn''t anyone tell you to manage your women properly? By the way, they all are Nascent Soul experts for heaven''s sake. Do you have to humiliate them byying with Foundational Realm cultivators right before their eyes?" Liang Tianye shook his head in disappointment.

    "You may have had the cultivation level of Spirit Severance realm, but you should have also taken their feelings into consideration. Or," Liang Tianye paused and looked at Huang Muyang mockingly, "you should have at least fucked them all properly. See, how your shoddy performance has resulted in this massacre."

    Liang Tianye gestured to the side and everyone saw that Jing Yon and the other two Nascent Soul experts mowing through the other women with purpose. As for that middle-aged woman, she had no one else in her eyes other than the young woman who had looked simr to her.

    Huang Muyang felt his heart aching to see his harem being murdered brutally by his own women right in front of his eyes. He could care less about the usations and veiled insults that Liang Tianye sprayed at him. What he couldn''t digest was how his perfect life had such a hidden danger that he wasn''t aware of.

    He could only watch and cry helplessly as Jian Yon and the other two killed all his harem with such vehemence. He couldn''t fathom why he had never seen this much hatred present in these three women when it came to his harem. If he had known, he would have taken steps earlier to cull this threat.

    Looking over at the middle-aged woman, he feltplex emotions rising in his heart. That was Su Xiaomo, who was one of his favorite harem members when she still had her beautiful figure. Unfortunately, she lost her beauty after getting injured in a fight to save him. If there was one woman whose anger he could understand, it was hers.

    When Su Xiaomao got injured in her core and lost her lifespan in order to save him during a fight, he was initially saddened. But, she hadn''t taken it to heart. She had truly loved him and was willing to die for him. So, he in turn helped her break into the Nascent Soul realm after that.

    He didn''t know when he stopped caring for her that much after that. It was probably the time when heid eyes on Su Xiaomao''s cousin. She looked mostly simr to Su Xiaomao and it caused his heart to oscite. He had taken her in and reced Su Xiaomao with her.

    He understood Su Xiaomao''s anger. But, he didn''t think her hatred for her cousin ran this deep. He didn''t know when her love for her turned into such hatred. Not just her, even Jian Yon and the other two who weremitting the massacre at the moment were willing to give their lives for him at one point in time.

    But today, they had turned against him and were filled with such hatred for him and his women. This caused him to question himself. When he was young and struggling, he had been true to his lovers. He had taken care of them and they had taken care of him in turn. They had fought back to back against enemies and even saved each other multiple times.

    However, once his cultivation began to eclipse them and he began to grow at an exponential rate, he stopped caring about their feelings too much. He was being showered with praise and gifts. Many women whom he took into his harem were girls sent over by affiliate families to forge good rtionships with him.

    He had always been a lustful person. But, he had controlled his lust in the early days. However, when his strength began to increase, his lust also increased. The limits he put upon himself had vanished into smoke. There wasn''t anyone to gainsay him. Everyone wanted to please him.

    From then on, he took every woman who caught his eye. He didn''t care how the other women whom he had been with for years felt about it. All four of them were people who were with him before he became strong. They had been with him for most of his cultivation journey.

    Theters came to upy most of his time these days that he didn''t have enough time to enquire about how these women who stood with him during tough times felt. And it has nowe to bite him in the back. Truly, their timing couldn''t be more worse.

    At this moment, Huang Muyang realized that this was indeed a trap for him. Someone has meticulously nned and even suborned the women close to him to turn on him. With such borate schemes, he didn''t know what their motives were. But, he felt that this wasn''t a simple thing at all.

    Moreover, now that he thought about it, the elder who sent him to check out the situation and these four women of his were in good terms. Was the elder aware of the trap or was he also hoodwinked by these women? After all, it was Jian Yon who first suggested for him toe here.

    If the elder was aware, then the entire Seven Clouds Sect was in grave danger. If that elder was in cahoots with the Heavenly Demon Sect, then the consequences would be disastrous for the entire Dragon Scale Continent as a whole. He felt that the Heavenly Demon Sect was going to make a big move soon. He didn''t think they would show their hands without enough reason.

    Huang Muyang looked over at Liang Tianye who was standing in front of him and looking at him mockingly. He wanted to ask if the elder knew about the trap, but he knew that none of this mattered anymore.

    At this moment, Huang Muyang suddenly felt enlightened. He had always been troubled recently that his cultivation hadn''t progressed much after entering the Spirit Severance realm. He thought that this was because of the location he was in. But now, he understood that even if he had gone to the Central Continent, he wouldn''t have progressed much.

    He didn''t have the same drive or motivation to cultivate anymore. He was already one of the strongest cultivators in the Dragon Scale Continent. He had gotten used to the des and other benefits it brought him. He had lost himself in worldly pleasures.

    How can his cultivation progress further when his dao heart was filled with dust?

    *****

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 Chapter 259 Its Time For A Showdown

    ?

    Unfortunately for Huang Muyang, this realization came toote.

    His women were massacred. His lovers had betrayed him. He was heavily injured by the woman who once loved him. Furthermore, the people whom he came to help were being ughtered as well.

    Sometime during his internal contemtion, the elders and the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect had moved out and started engaging the cultivators from the various sects. Even though their numbers were less, they seemed to be possessed with some purpose causing the cultivators from the various sects to not even stand a chance against them.

    One side was focused and highly motivated. Another was afraid and only cared about escaping. He could easily see the oue of such a fight. Huang Muyang felt like a failure for the first time in his life at this moment.

    "As much as I would like to enlighten you on how you were lured into this trap, I don''t think it is very necessary. I''m not in the habit of revealing my secrets to even dead men. All I have to say is that you are pretty lucky to obtain the legacy from that Grotto Heaven. Unfortunately, it also sealed your fate," Liang Tianye spoke softly into Huang Muyang''s ears causing his eyes to fly open.

    "You are trying to kill me because of that!? I can share that legacy with you. Just let me die in peace. Kill those bitches for me and I will give that legacy to you," Huang Muyang spoke agitatedly.

    "What am I going to do with that legacy?" Liang Tianye asked mockingly. "You still don''t understand. It isn''t the legacy that got you killed. It is the fact that you walked out of the Grotto Heaven as the biggest beneficiary that got you killed."

    Huang Muyang looked at Liang Tianye in confusion. He didn''t understand Liang Tianye''s words. Liang Tianye also noticed the confusion in Huang Muyang''s eyes. He shook his head in disappointment.

    "Looks like you don''t even have a clue. But, things have already gotten this far, so I can only kill you now. I told my Senior Brother, these things are just a waste of time. But, he wouldn''t listen. He doesn''t want any variables to appear at thest minute. Can you believe that man!?" Liang Tianye asked shaking his head.

    Huang Muyang still looked confused. Liang Tianye''s words made no sense to him. He didn''t have the necessary context to understand the subtext in those words. To him, those all sounded like a madman''s ravings.

    "Oh, by the way," Liang TIanye smirked evilly at Huang Muyang, "Jian Yon is pretty wild in bed. She told me that you never were able to satisfy her at all. Don''t worry, I took care of it."

    Huang Muyang''s eyes widened upon hearing those words. In that moment, Liang Tianye struck without any mercy. Before he could even register, Huang Muyang''s heart was pierced through with extreme prejudice.

    However, things didn''t end for Huang Muyang there. Liang Tianye grabbed with his hand and the Nascent Soul baby of Huang Muyang was extracted from his body and flew towards Liang Tianye''s hand. Even the Nascent Soul of Huang Muyang was looking dazed at the moment.

    Liang Tianye tutted and looked to the side. Jian Yon approached him with her two sisters. Su Xiaomao was still torturing her cousin causing painful screams to elicit from her.

    "He took you sleeping with me pretty hard," Liang Tianye said nonchntly. "Here, this is your part of the deal. I didn''t expect things to go over so smoothly. I barely had to lift my fingers."

    "Did you have to tell him that?" Jian Yon frowned as she grabbed the struggling Nascent Soul baby of Huyang Muyang.

    "What? Can''t I have a little fun? Moreover, you didn''t seem like you minded when you were screaming your head off," Liang Tianye snorted.

    "Hmph," Jian Yon snorted back, but there was no heat to it. "You only care about having fun."

    "Ah, don''t be like that," Liang Tianye chuckled. "Anyway, are you sure that you and your sisters don''t want to join our sect?"

    "No thanks," Jian Yon rolled her eyes. "Our coboration this time was mutual interest. Furthermore, we are all righteous cultivators. Our enmity with Huang Muyang and his posy of hussies doesn''t make us a demonic cultivator like you. Your sect is not right for us."

    "How would you know without trying it?" Liang Tianye smirked suggestively. "Who knows you might enjoy being a demonic cultivator more. There aren''t many rules for you to follow. You can do almost anything you want to. As long as you want toˇ­"

    "Hmmph," Jian Yon snorted. "All you men care about only that!"

    However, there was a slight smile on her face that meant that she didn''t really mind Liang Tianye flirting with her. She shook her head and looked at her sisters. They exchanged messages through eye contact and Jian Yon smiled widely.

    "We can spend one night with you as appreciation for your help. After that, we will be leaving the Dragon Scale Continent. What happened here would surely spread. Us sisters can''t stay in this continent for long."

    "You don''t need to worry about that. Allow me to convince you and your sisters tonight. We can see what you say tomorrow," Liang Tianye smirked confidently.

    "No need," Jian Yon shook her head. "We have already made contact with some sects in the Heavenly Dance Continent. We feel that it would be better to have a fresh start in a new location. With the cultivation of us sisters, it wouldn''t be hard for us to establish ourselves in this world."

    "What about your future?" Liang Tianye asked curiously.

    "That''s what this is for," Jian Yon shook the Nascent Soul of Huang Muyang in her hand. "With his Nascent Soul in our possession, we can extract that legacy from him. It is enough for all our sisters to break through to the next stage. Moreover, we have some unfinished business with him."

    Just then, one of Jiang Yon''s sisters whispered in her ear causing her smile to be even brighter. She looked down at the Nascent Soul in her hand and looked at Liang Tianye with a hungry look.

    She moved closer to Liang Tianye and whispered in his ears.

    "What do you think about fucking us four and making his Nascent Soul watch tonight? Do you think you can put on a good show?"

    Hearing those words, Liang Tianye only smirked in reply.

    "We will see if you four can keep up. Last time, you didn''tst long!"

    Liang Tianye''s words caused bell-likeughter to echo in the area. Theughter along with the screams of Su Xiaomao''s cousin caused a strange apaniment to the massacre that was unleashed in that ce.

    Little did the four sisters know that this moment marked the beginning of world-changing events that will take ce soon. By the time they realized this, several years would have already passed by and they would have already stepped into the Spirit Severance realm by then.

    *****

    Just as Liang Tianye revealed himself to the cultivators present near the forest, Sect Master Yun looked at the approaching First Grand A in a solemn manner in the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    He knew that this was one confrontation he had to face before he began executing all his ns. If not for that, he wouldn''t have agreed to this meeting at all. He knew that the person he needed to convince the most to step aside wasn''t the other elders or disciples. It was this old man who was making his way here.

    Taking a deep breath, he reviewed his ns for making this old man capitte. He double-checked the ns in his mind and found them really solid. Furthermore, he still had the trump card he had yet to use.

    Looking at Feng Feixuan and Elder Xu who were apanying the old man, Sect Master Yun felt his lips twitching. A bizarre emotion shed past his eyes. He took a deep look at Elder Xu and stood silently for a moment.

    Then, his eyes shed toward Feng Feixuan.

    Looking at her, Sect Master Yun didn''t know whether tough or be angry. His Junior Brother had been meticulous in his actions all along. Apart from that one mistake he made near the Grotto Heaven, he hadn''t done anything to jeopardize the ns much.

    However, his Junior Brother''s fixation on Elder Feng made him a little irritated. As a member of the illustrious Yun n, he had been trained to look at everyone as potential enemies or allies from a young age. There was no middle ground and sentiments to be had when it came to people.

    He really couldn''t see what his Junior Brother saw in Elder Feng. The woman was pure and pure scorpion. Cold-blooded and vicious to boot. She was someone who hid her stinger very well. However, when the time came she was way too brutal to her enemies and allies alike.

    If it had been him, he wouldn''t have picked such a woman to make his subordinate. But, his Junior Brother liked her way too much and had even assured him that he had her handled well.

    But, her recent actions were sending contradictory messages to him. He had thought that she hade to their side after she went out and helped her disciple go to a remote location to develop. But, soon after that, she wasing to his ce in thepany of the old man. He didn''t know what kind of message was she sending to him. It both irritated him and intrigued him in equal measure.

    Still, the time has alsoe to see where her loyalty lies. If she was going to stand with the First Grand Elder and wouldn''tply, he wouldn''t mind taking this headache out of the board himself. This might cause some dissatisfaction with his Junior Brother, but the overall n was far too important to give way to sentiments.

    "Well, old man, I hope you are sensible. If not, you can''t me me either. The time hase for us to have a showdownˇ­"

    *****

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 Chapter 260 Accusations

    ?

    "First Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun greeted the old man with a nod and looked at the two Elders following the old man with an inscrutable look as they walked into his abode.

    "Spare me the greetings, Sect Master," the First Grand Elder grunted taking a seat opposite to him, as Elder Feng and Elder Xu stood behind him. "I have to acquire an exnation for the actions the Vice-Sect Master Liang Tianye has beenmitting. I was never informed of the fact that he had taken along several Elders and Senior Disciples to pick a fight with righteous sects until now. Do you have any answer to that?"

    Sect Master Yun''s eyebrows rose hearing the clear hostility in the voice of the First Grand Elder. When the meeting had been scheduled, he thought that the First Grand Elder was already aware of this fact. After all, Elder Feng was the one who set up the entire ambush in the first ce.

    But, from the looks of it, it didn''t seem like he knew about it until recently. This spoke volumes to him. As much as he wanted to check Elder Feng''s reaction, he didn''t nce at her. He merely smiled at the First Grand Elder.

    "We are merely reiming our prestige that we lost in recent times," Sect Master Yun waved his hands nonchntly. "Doesn''t the Grand Elder want to see our sect''s prestige increase further?"

    "Hmph, don''t try to paint me with your words, Sect Master. I saw you grow up and know what kind of tricks you are fond of pulling. What I am asking is why wasn''t I informed about such a major movement?"

    "Is there a need? After all, Liang Tianye is only doing what should be done. I thought you would like such actions considering how you used toment about the waning prestige of the sect."

    "But, have you thought about the consequences of your actions?"

    "Grand Elder, I am not a child. Neither is Liang Tianye. We have already considered the consequences and have nned for them as well. We needed to do something major after we took stepbacks in thest two incidents."

    "Incidents that you perpetrated,"

    "Ah, the incident with the Soul Lotus was my mistake. However, the Grotto Heaven had nothing to do with me," Sect Master Yun smiled brightly.

    For the first time since the conversation began, the First Grand Elder shot him a quelling look. He made it clear that he didn''t believe those words one bit.

    "Don''t take me for a fool, Sect Master. You had people ready to enter the Grotto Heaven immediately after it opened. It was as if you knew that it would be opened. More importantly, you even gave out specific instructions to those who entered," the First Grand Elder spoke in an using tone causing Sect Master Yun''s smile to fade a bit.

    "The instructions I gave were the ones that every Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect gave. I have followed what our ancestors did. I don''t see why you are faulting me for that," Sect Master Yun retorted calmly.

    "I see that you are avoiding answering the question of how you came to know about the opening of the Grotto Heaven. Fine, so be it. I won''t press. But, you conveniently went into seclusion when the other sects came demanding entry into a Grotto Heaven that was in our sect''s region of authority. I won''t even ask about it, but I want to know why you and Liang Tianye nned a massacre during the closing of the Grotto Heaven."

    Just as Sect Master Yun wanted to speak, the First Grand Elder raised his hand to interrupt him.

    "Don''t deny it. Of the six Grotto Heavens in the vicinity of our sect, we have acquired the legacy of none of them. Every time they opened, every Sect Master of this sect had ordered that none should enter the Central regions of the Grotto Heaven. I find that intriguing."

    "Do you know what else I find intriguing? Three of the cultivators who ended up acquiring the legacies from these Grotto Heavens were hunted down and killed by our sect in thest fifty years. One ascended. Thest one has gone back to Central Continent, leaving only one person present in Dragon Scale Continent who has acquired the legacy."

    "And that person is Huang Muyang! Funnily enough, your target this time is the same Huang Muyang. You have worked with our moles inside the Seven Clouds Sect and almost exposed them in order to lead Huang Muyang into the trap. I don''t know if our moles inside the Seven Clouds Sect can withstand scrutiny after this. But, as the Sect Master, you didn''t seem to care about this at all."

    "Furthermore, you and Liang Tianye are acting in a manner that''s more worrying. You have sabotaged our rtionship with our subordinate sects in thest decade severely. You have also caused tensions to erupt between us and the two hegemonic righteous sects as well. Now, you have targeted a Spirit Severance realm cultivator from the Seven Clouds sect. Do you even know the value of a Spirit Severance cultivator Sect Master?"

    "Sects have gone to war for targeting Nascent Soul experts. You have gone a step further ahead. Do you understand the consequences of your actions? From where I am sitting, it looks like you are picking a fight with the entire cultivation world of the Dragon Scale Continent. A fight we can''t afford to fight because all our rtionships with our subordinate sects are already damaged. Tell me, Sect Master, are you trying to end the sect under your regime?"

    The First Grand Elder spoke lengthily and looked at Sect Master Yun sharply.

    Sect Master Yun didn''t react to the First Grand Elder''s usations immediately. He looked at the First Grand Elder in a calctive manner and raked his eyes over the emotions disyed on Elder Xu and Feng''s faces.

    Elder Xu sported a worrying look on his face. He looked as if he wanted to butt in into the conversation. But, he was able to somehow refrain himself. On the other hand, Elder Feng was looking at both him and the First Grand Elder in a calctive manner.

    The First Grand Elder had revealed some darning details regarding the actions of himself and Liang Tianye in the recent decade. The information about them hunting down and killing off the three loose cultivators who had emerged with legacies from the Grotto Heaven wasn''t known widely. However, this information had been somehow obtained by the First Grand Elder.

    Moreover, their ploy to deal with Huang Muyang had also been revealed. The fact that they have prepared an ambush for Huang Muyang was pretty wild in itself. If these words hadn''te out of the mouth of the First Grand Elder, no one would believe it. But, it was this old man who was unmasking all their activities. So, it held credibility.

    As for his usation regarding his nning the demise of the sect, Sect Master Yun could only marvel at the intuitiveness of the old man. That was the kind of information that very few people knew. Even the other elders who went out with Liang Tianye didn''t know their final motives. They all thought that they were only establishing the prestige of the sect.

    Looking at Elder Feng, Sect Master Yun felt his irritation rising a bit. There was no shock or disturbed expression on her face. There was only calction writ upon it. It was clear that their n to end the Heavenly Demon Sect was not news to her at all. Sect Master Yun cursed Liang Tianye in his heart and moved his eyes back to the First Grand Elder who was waiting for his response.

    "I think you are being an rmist here, Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun calmly replied. "Like I said, we have taken steps regarding the consequences of our actions. You don''t need to be worried about it much."

    The First Grand Elder snorted in Sect Master Yun''s face and gave out a derisive chuckle. He shook his head and looked at the Sect Master Yun as if looking at a fool.

    "Do you think that I am that easy to fool? I wonder what gave you the confidence to act so brazenly. Is it that idiot Grand Elder Sun? I don''t see him here, do I? What have you sent him out on? Do you think you can contain me without the Third Grand Elder present?" the First Grand Elder asked domineeringly.

    "Grand Elder, there is no need to badmouth Grand Elder Sun here," Sect Master Yun chuckled. "It is true that I have sent him out on an errand that is very essential to the sect''s future. As for the Third Grand Elder, he has already returned to the Dragon Scale Continent two years ago. Right now, he is out on an errand as well. Apart from you, everyone else is on board with our ns."

    For the first time since he sat, the First Grand Elder''s face showed surprise. It was clear to Sect Master Yun that the news about the Third Grand Elder returning to the continent two years ago was an unpleasant surprise to the First Grand Elder.

    "Grand Elder Dong has returned to the continent, huh? That''s news to me. No wonder you have been bold in thest two years. Still, it doesn''t change the fact that he isn''t here at all. So, what gives you the courage that you could contain me without them here?"

    The First Grand Elder recovered quickly from his surprise and looked at Sect Master Yun in a pressurizing manner. Their eyes shed and sparks emitted midair. Sect Master Yun''s jovial expression changed and he became serious as well.

    "What makes you think I would need their help to contain you, old man?" Sect Master Yun sneered and unleashed his cultivationpletely without hiding it anymore.

    The pressure that emanated from the Sect Master Yun sent both Elder Feng and Elder Xu reeling. They couldn''t stand still anymore. Their faces changed drastically as they realized that the pressure that the Sect Master exuded was way too stronger than a Spirit Severance realm cultivator.

    They both vividly remembered Sect Master Yun unleashing his pressure just a month ago during a sect meeting. At that time the domineering aura that erupted from his cultivation wasn''t this much.

    Everyone in the sect knew that the Sect Master went into retreat to break through to the Spirit Severance realm when the Grotto Heaven opened. But, the pressure he exuded at this moment was far higher than that.

    "Dao Transformation Realm!!!"

    Elder Feng and Elder Xu eximed in unison as they knelt down from the pressure.

    *****

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 Chapter 261 Attachments

    <h4>Chapter 261 Attachments</h4>

    "Dao Transformation Realm!!!"

    Elder Feng and Elder Xu eximed in unison as they knelt down from the pressure.

    Seeing Elder Feng and Elder Xu kneeling before him didn''t bring the necessary satisfaction to Sect Master Yun. Because the person he was most concerned with didn''t seem to be fazed by it.

    The First Grand Elder looked at the Sect Master calmly without any ripples in his emotions. Seeing that calm look, Sect Master Yun felt a little disgruntled in his heart. He shook his head inwardly.

    As expected, the First Grand Elder seemed to have thought of this possibility as well. If he had only banked upon the First Grand Elder''s ignorance of his true cultivation level, then this meeting would have been for naught. Luckily, he had his trump card as well.

    "When did you figure it out?" Sect Master Yun asked withdrawing his cultivation back into his body.

    Elder Feng and Elder Xu breathed heavily in relief. They were almost unable to bear the full impact of the pressure unleashed by the Sect Master. Their limbs almost froze up from the domineering aura that exuded from the Sect Master.

    "When you revealed your cultivation during thest sect meeting," the First Grand Elder replied nonchntly. "When you released the pressure at that time, Liang Tianye didn''t seem to be affected much. Moreover, it felt like you didn''tpletely unleash your cultivation. I have been in the Dao Transformation realm for a long time. It was easier to notice the signs after I started paying attention."

    "The real reason you went into retreat was to break into the Dao Transformation realm. I have to give it to you. You almost had everyone fooled with your cultivation level at the Nascent Soul realm for years. None of the Elders or even I suspected that you had already stepped into the Spirit Severance realm for decades."

    "But still, I wasn''t able to fool youpletely," Sect Master Yun chuckled causing the tense atmosphere to ease up a bit.

    "If I am not wrong, Liang TIanye has already stepped into the Spirit Severance realm as well, isn''t it? If not, you wouldn''t be sending him out to deal with Huang Muyang. No matter how good your trap is, it will be hard to contain a Spirit Severance realm cultivator if he wants to escape."

    The moment the First Grand Elder finished his words Elder Feng looked up sharply. She nced at the Sect Master and at the First Grand Elder with an inscrutable look and looked away. Inwardly, she was cursing herself for not even thinking about this possibility.

    After all, Liang Tianye had pretty much hinted at it very clearly during theirst conversation. She had mistakenly thought that his information came from the Second Grand Elder. She felt aplicated emotion in her heart as she realized the true distance between Liang Tianye and herself.

    "Ah, that would be telling," Sect Master Yun shook his head. "That''s not my secret to tell. Suffice to say, that there are ns in ce that would ensure that Huang Muyang wouldn''t be walking out of that trap alive. Now, why don''t we stop with this posturing and discuss the real issue."

    Sect Master Yun suddenly looked at Elder Xu and Elder Feng.

    "Why don''t you two leave? This is a discussion between two Dao Transformation beings. I don''t think you can do much here. After all, a slip from either of us could end your lives pretty quickly," Sect Master Yun smiled widely.

    While Sect Master Yun smiled widely, both Elder Xu and Elder Feng felt a chill go up their spine. They didn''t mistake the warning and dismissal for anything else. Moreover, what the Sect Master said was true. If a fight broke out, they wouldn''t be of much help at all.

    So, they both turned their eyes towards the First Grand Elder seeking his opinion. Seeing them looking at him, the First Grand Elder pondered for a moment and nodded his eptance. He too knew that these two wouldn''t bring much to the table for the uing discussion. The matter of the Third Grand Elder being back on the continent shifted things drastically.

    The Third Grand Elder was the person who introduced the Sect Master to the sect. He had always been protective of the Sect Master. No matter what the Sect Master did, the Third Grand Elder always had his back. Their rtionship was a bit unusual.

    The First Grand Elder didn''t take the Third Grand Elder lightly. While he was in theter stage of the Dao Transformation realm, the Third Grand Elder had already stepped into the Earth Immortal realm many years ago. Having the backing of such a person surely added a lot of weight to Sect Master Yun''s position.

    Seeing the First Grand Elder nod, Elder Xu and Elder Feng breathed a sigh of relief. A mere ncing blow from a Dao Transformation being will be able to annihte their body and turn it into dust.

    Dao Transformation realm was very unique in the cultivation world. At that stage, a cultivator was straddling the divide between being a cultivator and an immortal. The power they possessed was immense and not even Spirit Severance realm cultivators cane close to them.

    As a person''s cultivation progressed, the difference between the realms became more and more vast. The difference between a Dao Transformation realm being and a Spirit Severance being was like that of the chasm between Nascent Soul and Golden Hall.

    Let alone Nascent Soul cultivators like them interfering in matters between two Dao Transformation beings. Even Spirit Severance beings weren''t qualified to butt into such a matter.

    Paying their respects to both the Sect Master and the First Grand Elder, they both took their leave hastily. Sect Master Yun watched them go with a calm face. The First Grand Elder only had eyes for Sect Master Yun and didn''t even nce at them.

    Silence ensued following the departure of the duo.

    Neither Sect Master Yun nor the First Grand Elder broke the silence immediately. They both looked at each other and held their gazes for a long time before the First Grand Elder broke the silence.

    "Looking at you, I am a little envious. You haven''t even crossed your first century. You have already be a Dao Transformation being. Look at me, I am in my third century. And I am still at theter stages of the Dao Transformation realm. Unlike Grand Elder Dong, I don''t have the talent to break through to the Earth Immortal realm before I hit the fourth century of my lifespan."

    Sect Master Yun shook his head and was about to reply when the First Grand Elder spoke over him.

    "Let me finish," the First Grand Elder leaned forward and said with a small smile. "Unlike you talented people, cultivators like me who climbed up the cultivation realms with hard work are pretty attached to the things we have. For you, attachment is detrimental to progress. The speed at which you all progress makes it hard for you to grow attached to certain things."

    "In my life, there are only two things I am attached to. My life and this sect. I joined this sect as an entry-level disciple and slowly climbed my way up over three centuries. That is three centuries of my life spent in this ce."

    "Obviously, I am very attached to this Heavenly Demon Sect. I will allow no one to cause its demise. Including you," the First Grand Elder spoke with conviction and looked at Sect Master Yun with a serious expression.

    "I don''t know your ns. I don''t know what you n to do after you aplish them. I don''t know what kind of benefits you will receive for dismantling this sect. I don''t know who promised such a thing to you. And I don''t care about these things either. This sect will not fall until I live."

    "Grand Elder Dong might be able to take me on, but even with the Sect Protecting formation you have control over, you who have just stepped into the Dao Transformation realm will not be able to hold me back. And don''t even think that idiot Grand Elder Wen could help either."

    The First Grand Elder paused and looked at Sect Master Yun confidently.

    "He is a beastmaster, not an actual cultivator like you and me. His strength lies in controlling beasts. I can take both of you on without much hassle even if you both are aided by the Sect Protection formation."

    "With Grand Elder Dong out on an errand, I don''t think there is anyone avable to stop me. If you don''t give me a satisfactory exnation, then we can only tear our faces here and now. I''m not a patient person at all," the First Grand Elder smiled calmly and leaned back in his seat.

    Sect Master Yun didn''t reply to that immediately. He looked at the First Grand Elder long and hard. He began to realize that unless he took out his trump card, no resolution could be reached between them. However, he was reluctant to use it.

    As a member of the famous Yun n, he prided himself in his ability to negotiate and move people with his ideas and words. He had the capital to back it up as well. He could offer most people what they wanted. If not, he could use his own strength toplete the deed despite the opponent''s disagreement.

    However, the situation was different here. There were a lot of things riding on this n. This n was one that was hatched several centuries ago. It wasn''t just him who had worked for it and now that it was close to fruition, no stubbled could be left behind. He couldn''t put his ego in front here.

    Taking a deep breath, Sect Master Yun decided to make a final gamble. If this doesn''t work, then he could only use the trump card.

    "Let me tell you something upfront, Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun leaned forward and spoke sincerely. "You call my cultivation speed fast. But, I disagree. From where Ie from, a Dao Transformation being that is nearing a century is just mediocre. I am talented, but the environment I am in has slowed down my progress."

    "I am not someone from this world at all. Ie from the upper world. There, my cultivation level at my age can only be called average!"

    Sect Master Yun spoke causing fierce reaction to appear in the First Grand Elder''s face for the first time since he came in.

    *****

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 Chapter 262 Tempting Offer

    <h4>Chapter 262 Tempting Offer</h4>

    The First Grand Elder looked shocked after the revtion from the Sect Master Yun.

    And there was a reason for it.

    As far as he knew, very few really came down from the upper world. Even cultivators who ascended from this world to the upper world didn''te back to this world unless it was pretty important. And even if they came down, they would leave as soon as possible.

    Sect Master Yun had been in the sect for several decades. He joined as an inner disciple and slowly climbed his way through the ranks before bing an elder and then the Sect Master. No one who came from the upper world would remain so long in this world.

    There are several reasons for this as well.

    One, the spirit qi in the upper world is more abundant than in this world. This made the cultivation speed there faster than it was in this world. With abundant spirit qi, a cultivator could break through easily as well.

    Two, thews that one needs toprehend after reaching a certain stage are moreplete in the upper world. Those whoprehendws in the upper world will have deeperprehensionpared to those in this world normally.

    Three, the treasures and lineages in the upper world are far better than the ones that could be obtained in this world. There may be exceptions like the one in the Spirit Sword Mountain, but they were called exceptions for a reason. So, a cultivator''s basic strength and foundation will be far stronger if they cultivated in the upper world.

    And there are several more reasons apart from these three as well. The important thing here is that the cultivators normally yearned to go to the upper world. They don''t travel to lower worlds like this one and spend decades in it.

    So naturally, the Sect Master''s revtion shocked him.

    "Don''t be surprised, Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun smiled broadly. "There is a reason for my stay here. And it deals with the n I am executing currently. So, what I am executing is not just my own thought, but it is also the desire of people in the upper world."

    "Earlier, you spoke about how Grand Elder Dong was talented enough to break through to the Earth Immortal realm. But, I have to say your talent is far higher than his. The only reason he could break through decades before you was because of the resources that were provided to him by the power that supports me. If you can step aside, then I will make sure that you will obtain the same resources as well."

    "What do you say? After all, every cultivator needs these kinds of resources once they cultivate to a certain stage. None of us n to remain in this world forever. We all are seeking immortality. With just a nod, you would obtain the most favorable resources that can be given to you."

    "Moreover, these resources are just the beginning. If you are worried about your power and prestige, then you don''t need to be. I can introduce you to the power that is behind me and facilitate a connection between them and you. While you won''t have the same level of power you held here, you will at least have a brighter future in your cultivation path. Who knows, with those resources you might step into the Earth Immortal realm within a few years. What do you say?"

    Sect Master Yun put forth his offer and gave the First Grand Elder something he couldn''t normally refuse. Looking at the First Grand Elder who was shocked into silence, Sect Master Yun feltcent in his heart.

    He knew that no one in this world could refuse his offer. After all, everyone wanted to obtain more resources and better cultivation techniques. Even Dao Transformation beings weren''t an exception to this rule. So, he knew that the First Grand Elder would definitely be tempted by this offer.

    Now, all he had to do was to wait and see the old man nod.

    Sect Master Yun knew that for cultivators who are getting on in age, any opportunity to break through was precious. Only by breaking through and advancing in their cultivation continuously can they escape from the limited lifespan that was imposed upon them.

    Even though the old man before him wasn''t on his deathbed, Sect Master Yun knew that bing an Earth Immortal was one obsession this old man hadn''t let go of in these past years. So, with him giving a chance to fulfill his obsession, the result couldn''t be any simpler.

    As if to prove his thoughts right, the First Grand Elder murmured softly, "Earth Immortal!!!"

    The First Grand Elder''s eyes lost focus as he entered deep thought. Sect Master Yun''s eyes shed triumphantly after seeing the First Grand Elder''s reaction. It was clear to him that his offer had moved the First Grand Elder significantly.

    Leaning back in his seat, Sect Master Yun calmly observed the First Grand Elder''s face. Things seemed to be progressing as he expected at this moment. Even though he still had his trump card, he felt ted seeing that he didn''t need to use it. The entire thing was negotiated with his power and eloquence alone. This was how a Yun n member should act.

    Just as Sect Master Yun was crowing in victory inwardly, the First Grand Elder shook his head in a self-deprecating manner. He chuckled softly causing Sect Master Yun to look at him in surprise.

    "That was a very good offer, Sect Master," the First Grand Elder sighed. "I was almost tempted to ept it. If it was any other scenario, I would have epted it without much inward struggle."

    "But," the First Grand Elder paused and sat straight in his seat, "you haven''t answered my original question yet. What are you nning to do with this sect? This sect is dear to me. I will not give it up for anything easily."

    The smile in Sect Master Yun''s eyes faded upon hearing the old man''s words. He felt a little irritated with the First Grand Elder''s obstinate approach. He had offered everything the old man could want and yet he seemed fixated on the sect.

    "Old man," Sect Master Yun lost his patience and looked at the First Grand Elder in an unfriendly manner, "are you sure you want to go down this road? I have several contingencies to deal with you. Don''t think just because your cultivation is higher you can stop me."

    "Contigencies? You mean, how you have already suborned Elder Feng using Liang Tianye? Or do you mean how Elder Xu is nothing but your puppet? Do you think I wouldn''t recognize someone affected by the Heavenly Puppet Art? After all, that is one of the sect''s legacies, isn''t it?" the First Grand Elder chuckled merrily causing Sect Master Yun''s face to change.

    "Do you know why I brought those two along with me instead of the other Elders who haven''t been corroded by you? I wanted to end them along with you if a fight broke out between us. Your actions of sending them away only saved their lives. Young man, don''t think you can win me with these tricks," the First Grand Elder smiled sharply causing Sect Master Yun to be a little shocked.

    "Do you know the actual meaning of a demonic cultivator? A demonic cultivator doesn''t rely on anyone at all. He isn''t bound by morals or other constraints that society put into ce. He does whatever he wants to do and whenever he wants to do. The only thing he answers is to his heart. Not to the heaven, not to the masses, and definitely not to the world."

    "I have been a demonic cultivator for a long time before you were even born. Do you think I would depend on them? Don''t joke. If I had started to depend on others, I wouldn''t be sitting here as the First Grand Elder of this hegemonic demonic sect. In front of power, all schemes will be broken into pieces," the First Grand Elder spoke confidently and unleashed his cultivation.

    The pressure he exuded almost made Sect Master Yun to sweat a little. The difference in strength between them was very huge. Sect Master Yun knew instinctively that it would be a tough fight if he went to war with this old man. He might even be seriously injured before the n was put into motion. He absolutely couldn''t afford it.

    And that was only if he won. If he lost, then the repercussions would be a lot more heavier. While he knew that his death wouldn''t be in vain and the people he had roped in would kill the First Grand Elder following that, it didn''t mean that it was what he wanted. He had toiled for decades to obtain this fruit.

    The one who causes the Aghori Path to descend into this world will receive unimaginable benefits. He didn''t want to create wedding gowns for others. He had worked so hard to obtain this opportunity. His n had spent several centuries to make sure that they were the ones who caused the descent of the Aghori Path into this world.

    This matter was far bigger than either him or this old man.

    Several powers in the upper world were keeping a keen eye on the situation here. A failure here will doom his cultivation journey. His n had spent a boatload of resources on this venture. And they wouldn''t tolerate his ipetence either.

    Gritting his teeth in anger and frustration, Sect Master Yun could only reluctantly use the final trump card he didn''t want to rely upon. His hatred towards the First Grand Elder rose sharply as he looked at the old man and sneered.

    "Oh, then, what do you think about this? Is this enough to change your mind?"

    Sect Master Yun sneered angrily and waved his hands. A small pale box made of ancient beast bone emerged. The First Grand Elder looked at the box curiously. The box was opened and in ity a small token-like si ring.

    The moment he saw the engraving on the si ring, the First Grand Elder''s heart palpitated. His eyes bulged out and he couldn''t believe what he was witnessing. He tried to examine the token closely by taking it in his arms.

    The moment he touched the token he knew that it was indeed authentic.

    "This token!!! How are you in possession of this!!!?" the First Grand Elder asked in shock and reverence.

    *****

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 Chapter 263 The Lost Token

    ?

    "This token!!! How are you in possession of this!!!?" the First Grand Elder asked in shock and reverence.

    Sect Master Yun sneered in response.

    "Does it matter? You know what this represents. You im to be someone who has a deep attachment to this sect. What are you going to do now? Are you going to follow the sect precepts or are you going to oppose me?"

    The First Grand Elder remained silent for a long time without replying to anything. He was obviously conflicted in his heart. He knew what the right thing to do here was. But, the sect precepts were clear. Anyone who had that token must be obeyed unconditionally.

    That token represented the authority of the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect. That token has been lost for centuries even before he became an elder. It was rumored that this token was lost after the founder of the Heavenly Demon Sect ascended to a higher realm. It has never resurfaced after that.

    Now, this particr token was in the hands of the Sect Master. The First Grand Elder didn''t know how to react to this situation. He didn''t know how the Sect Master got hold of this token. But, this changed things drastically.

    While the primary function of that token was to denote the authority of the holder, it also had an auxiliary function. With that token, anyone could activate a forbidden hidden formation in the sect grounds. That formation was rumored to have the power to kill Earth Immortals in minutes. It was with this formation as a base that the founder established the prestige of the Heavenly Demon Sect in his early days.

    Stories from sect annals have narrated that the founder killed several Dao Transformation realm cultivators and Earth Immortals who came to pick trouble after the sect was founded initially. The bloodbath that was created using this formation was the base on which the hegemony of the Heavenly Demon Sect was built on.

    After the token was lost, this matter was never publicized. Most Sect Masters tended to ignore the issue entirely and act as if the token hadn''t been present in the first ce. The only other alternative way to activate the hidden formation was for the three Grand Elders, the Vice-Sect Master, and the Sect Master to use all their identity tokens together.

    As much as the First Grand Elder wanted to oppose the Sect Master''s ns, he didn''t have the courage to go against the holder of this token. This was a sure way to court death within the grounds of the sect.

    Moreover, with this token in hand, the Sect Master''s prowess would be multiplied as well. Going against such a formidable opponent who has such a trump card was foolish in the First Grand Elder''s opinion.

    Still, he couldn''t bring himself to say what needed to be said.

    Seeing the First Grand Elder in such a serious dilemma, Sect Master Yun''s anger faded a bit. The irritation in his heart was reced with respect for the old man. Without sects, cultivators wouldn''t get the peaceful environment required for them to advance. Likewise, without cultivators, a sect wouldn''t prosper as well.

    They existed interdependent in the cultivation world. Excluding the loose cultivators, a sect or an organization''s prosperity is tied to having loyal members in it. Seeing the old man''s loyalty to the sect even after the situation had be this clear, Sect Master Yun birthed some respect for him in his heart.

    Unlike other demonic ns, the Yun n was a n that focused heavily on understanding the essence of a person or a thing. They were the strategists of the demonic cultivation group in the upper world. Every member of the Yun needed to understand the dynamics between people and the other entities that popted the cultivation world. Even their cultivation technique was biased towards such a path of enlightenment.

    So, Sect Master Yun knew how valuable such a loyal person could be.

    There have been countless sects that were annihted in the course of the times. Sects rise and fall periodically in the cultivation world. No single sect has held dominion since ancient times. It was like a cycle in the cultivation world.

    However, there were only a rare few who remained loyal to their sects when times turned tough. Especially, among the demonic cultivators, such a behavior was pretty rare. Neither Liang Tianye nor the other people he had suborned so far were this loyal to the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    It was only natural that he respected such loyalty.

    Aliong with it, the desire to acquire such a loyal person and make them loyal to himself was also birthed in the Sect Master''s heart. Sect Master Yun sensed an opportunity in the air. If he yed this right, the First Grand Elder and him need not be enemies. He could even possibly get the loyalty of the First Grand Elder down the line.

    "Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun spoke in a calm manner, "maybe if I narrate the history and the details that were known only to a select few in this world, you will be able to make a decision clearly. I implore you to listen to me first. Then, you can take your time to decide."

    The First Grand Elder looked at Sect Master Yun with aplicated look. He let out a deep sigh and motioned for Sect Master Yun to continue. The Sect Master nodded back graciously and started speaking.

    "Let me start with some ancient history so that you can understand what is happening clearly. To start off, first, you need to know what kind of world this is. This world is called as the Heavenly Prison World among the three thousand worlds in the universeˇ­"

    *****

    Duncan felt an increasing sense of danger engulf his heart as he moved through the wilderness.

    He didn''t know why, but his heart was beginning to be heavy as time passed. Logically, he should be well and clear of any pursuers that were chasing after him. But, he had been feeling uneasy for some time now. And that feeling was only increasing as time passed.

    Duncan didn''t think that the two cultivators who had approached his battle site would be able to track him through this wilderness easily. He had learned about moving through the wilderness from Leia when he was just a mortal.

    Even without cultivation, he knew how to cover his tracks. Now that he had cultivation, that only became much easier. With increased cultivation, one of the side effects is that it has be much easier to control one''s body.

    With increased body control, one can easily not leave behind any tracks as they moved through any terrain. That is why tracking down and hunting a cultivator needed some special tracking techniques. Gu bugs and scent powders were employed for this reason.

    Duncan hadn''t found any evidence of such things being employed to track him down. Furthermore, he was even more clear that he didn''t give his opposition any opportunity to employ them on him. The only ways someone could track him down was by his qi signature, smell, and visual tracking.

    With no one following him behind, the problem of visual tracking was easily evaded. As for tracking through scent, Duncan didn''t think that the arriving cultivators had any beasts with them. So, that possibility was also minimal.

    That left only one option for anyone to track him down ¨C via qi signature.

    When a cultivator employed qi to aid their movements, the residual qi from them will linger in the atmosphere for a bit before dispersing itself naturally. If a cultivator could grasp the qi signature of another cultivator, they could track him by that qi signature.

    However, the demands for it are very stringent.

    First, a cultivator must know a technique that could identify any qi signature. Then, that qi signature must be matched with that particr cultivator. Following that, the one who tracks must be fast enough so that the remaining qi doesn''t dissipate naturally into the atmosphere hiding the tracks.

    Only when all these things can be aplished can one track another cultivator.

    Considering the fact that his speed had more than tripled since he broke through, Duncan didn''t think Violet Pce realm cultivators could track him down with his qi signature easily.

    That meant it could only mean one thing. The one who was tracking him wasn''t a Violet Pce realm cultivator.

    Duncan wasn''t aware of the different changes a cultivator would undergo when he entered the transformational stages of cultivation. His master didn''t tell him anything regarding it. As he didn''t need the cultivation technique provided by the sect, Duncan hadn''t bothered to talk to his master about these kinds of things.

    Furthermore, the ones who attacked him earlier were Violet Pce realm cultivators. Duncan was confident of giving them the slip using the wilderness in the area near the ughter field he created. He had picked this exact spot for a reason after all.

    However, since the uneasy feeling is still present, Duncan knew for sure that the person who wasing after him was definitely not a Violet Pce realm. That meant the hunt had picked up steam early itself.

    At the minimum, a Golden Hall cultivator was on his tail.

    Realizing this, Duncan didn''t panic at all. He had expected such a thing to happen sooner orter. However, this was far sooner than he expected. He didn''t think that Golden Hall experts would be able to catch up to him this fast.

    That meant that either of the sects had reacted far faster than he had anticipated. Envoy Ming''s presence can be an indicator of that. Or it could also mean that the situation had changed and someone else had stepped in as well to hunt him down. Duncan didn''t need to be a genius to figure out who that third party could be.

    He had already seen those two cultivators who saved Envoy Ming. They were definitely not from any sect. They belonged to the group that hunted him in the Grotto Heaven. Duncan frowned slightly as he realized that new yers were also entering the arena.

    Still, it didn''t faze Duncan. Rather, it only made him behave more cautiously.

    With a thought, Duncan began to mask his presence as much as possible and began to employ everything he had learned from Leia about moving in the wilderness. He minimized the trail he left behind and hoped that it would be enough to buy him enough time to vanish into the wildernesspletely.

    "Whoever you are, I won''t make it easy for you toe after me," Duncan murmured under his breath and increased his speed.

    *****

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 Chapter 264 Seeds of war

    <h4>Chapter 264 Seeds of war</h4>

    Elder Long frowned slightly as he realized that his prey''s presence was beginning to wane bit by bit.

    He had been tracking Duncan with his qi signature for some time now. As a Golden Hall expert, the range at which his consciousness could perceive was far wider than the range a Violet Pce realm cultivator could perceive.

    And the details he could perceive were also very minute as well. If it had been a Golden Core cultivator who was chasing after Duncan, they would have already caught up with him. Even still, he estimated maybe about five or six more minutes before he could catch up with Duncan.

    Unfortunately, his prey had begun to get smart.

    Elder Long couldn''t help but marvel at Duncan''s instincts a little bit at this moment. It was clear that Duncan was nowhere in sight. He had only been tracking via his qi signature. But somehow, Duncan had realized this and started to mask his qi signature.

    The rate at which the qi signature was being masked meant that he would lose the trail in a few minutes. He was also sure that Duncan wouldn''t stop before he was very far away from this region. Losing Duncan''s trail was uneptable to Elder Long.

    Frowning a bit, Elder Long came to a stop.

    There was no use in continuing this hunt as of now. Tracking Duncan down was going to end in a failure. With Duncan masking his qi signature, it would be hard once he lost the trail to pick it back up. That meant this method would not work for sure.

    Furthermore, he wasn''t a gu cultivator or knew any technique to track via scent. The scents lingered long in the atmospherepared to qi. It would be easy to track with them, but they needed special techniques to be employed as well.

    Elder Long also realized that Duncan knew how to travel in the wilderness. This wasn''t that evident when they were hunting Duncan in the Grotto Heaven. Only when he gave them the slip did they realize his proficiency and cunning when it came to the wilderness environment. And now, that proficiency has only increased.

    With the new breakthrough Duncan had made, he was able to control his body further resulting in himpletely erasing his tracks while moving through the wilderness. This made it almost impossible to track him without any specialized techniques.

    Taking a deep breath, Elder Long''s mind began to spin. The entire knowledge about the surrounding regions shed through his mind as he tried to anticipate where Duncan would be traveling.

    Within moments, he discarded several options. Duncan would definitely not travel towards any popted ces in the beginning. He would mostly move through the wilderness and try to escape from the pursuit.

    That meant the wilderness was the region Duncan was going to be in for the considerable future. But, Elder Long wasn''t satisfied with that conclusion. He was pretty certain about Duncan traveling in the wilderness considering his proficiency in it. But, the big question was, which direction will he travel in?

    Checking with the geography of the surrounding regions, Elder Long began to rule out the possibilities one by one. He immediately ruled out the direction towards the Dark Star City. He was pretty certain Duncan wouldn''t linger around in this area after the ughter he had created.

    Then, there was the region that led directly to the Ancient Battlefield. Elder Long ruled that out as well. That region was termed to be a forbidden ground for a reason. Even Nascent Soul experts walking in would not emerge alive. So, he didn''t think that would be the direction Duncan would travel to.

    That only left two other directions for Duncan to travel towards mainly. One led to the Meng Empire, a second-rate kingdom, which was under the territory of the Seven Clouds Sect. The other route led back into the interior regions of the Star Empire. Either way, Duncan must retreat back to the popted regions to lose the pursuers.

    After figuring the major directions out, Elder Long started to analyze how Duncan might respond in this situation. The Meng Empire looked to be the safest bet. If Duncan can enter the periphery of the Meng Empire, travel in the wilderness around the area near the Ancient Battleground, and cross the border to enter the few small kingdoms on the other side of the Ancient Battleground, then he would truly be free of pursuit.

    In the surrounding regions in between the Ancient Battleground and the small kingdoms, there were few cities that were popted by wanted criminals. The region in that area was half-wilderness and half-city. It was ideal for someone like Duncan to escape to.

    It looked like an ideal scenario to bet toward.

    Or, Duncan could go around and bypass the cities in the surrounding region to enter the Grasnds where his sect was located once more. Both options seemed feasible to him.

    After thinking long and hard, Elder Long came up with initial ns. The first priority now was to not let Duncan re-enter the Grasnds. If they could close down that avenue, then Duncan would be forced to travel toward the Meng Empire and cross the border while hugging the Ancient Battlefield as closely as possible.

    Once his route back to Grasnds was eliminated, then the prey will be far easier to hunt down. After all, once the news about this hunt spreads, the experts from the Heavenly Demon Sect will also try to save him as much as possible. He didn''t think the Heavenly Demon Sect would be willing to lose out on such a promising seed.

    Promising geniuses like these are the backbones of the sect. Every faction in the cultivation world will try to find out and eliminate promising geniuses before they can trulye into themselves. It was the norm. Likewise, every faction will try to protect their own promising geniuses.

    What Duncan had shown today was that he was a monster in the making. He had tremendous potential. While just entering the Violet Pce realm, he could already defeat a seasoned cultivator like Envoy Ming. Such potential is rare and can only be seen in generational talents.

    Whenever a generational talent appears, the other factions will do their damndest to kill them off, while the faction they belong to will safeguard them. These talents had the ability to dominate an entire generation. Any sect that has them will definitely prosper.

    Apart from Huo Wanren, no generational talent hase out of the Heavenly Demon Sect in recent times. For a hegemonic sect, it was somewhatckluster. The rumblings in the evil faction also stem from this.

    If the other sects in the demonic faction realized Duncan''s potential, they would also make sure that Duncan wouldn''t live to grow into his own. After all, as long as these kinds of talents keep popping up in the Heavenly Demon Sect, they could never get out of their control and will have to listen to them for eternity. So, they wouldn''t look upon Duncan kindly as well.

    Furthermore, demonic sects were known for their ruthlessness. They would seize any opportunity to gain an advantage. Things likeradery, righteousness, and morality will not be in their vocabry at all.

    The only ones who will do everything to protect Duncan at present would be the Heavenly Demon Sect. Moreover, Duncan was the disciple of the Wind Demon. Surely, the Wind Demon wouldn''t want such a promising disciple to die early, right?

    So, the important thing right now was to prevent Duncan from entering the territory of the Heavenly Demon Sect and make sure he didn''t contact any sect disciples for help.

    Though this news might not be ignored for long, any time that could be gained meanwhile would be a bonus to hunt this damned demon down. Deciding on the most important matter, Elder Long immediately sent out messages.

    He sent out instructions to the other sect to block off the route between the wilderness and the Grasnds and put their people in the border cities. That way, they would make sure Duncan doesn''t slip back into the Grasnds.

    Then, he thought about the message sent by his Young Master, and his eyes shone a murderous light. His heart became coveteous and he plotted on how to take the first mover advantage.

    Surely, the sects will not sit back and let him deal with Duncan. Their representatives would soon be arriving to take care of Duncan. They might agree with his overall strategy, but who gets to kill Duncan would be still up in the air.

    Elder Long wanted to be the person who did the deed. Young Master Han''s timely message gave him the motivation to do that. If there is indeed a treasure in Duncan''s possession that could aid in cultivation, then it was of paramount importance that enters their hands. So, he couldn''t allow others to kill Duncan and im his spoils.

    Taking a deep breath, Elder Long turned in the direction in which Duncan''s qi signature registered in his consciousness and vanished on the spot. He was determined to hunt Duncan down before someone who specialized in hunting and tracking techniques came over and disrupted the field.

    Little did he know, that by the time the sect representatives arrived and his instructions were delivered, the news about Duncan''s master Liang Tianyemitting yet another massacre woulde to light as well.

    With that, the entirendscape of the Dragon Scale Continent would be changed forever. A huge war between the Heavenly Demon Sect and the righteous faction as a whole would be initiated.

    And the seeds for that war would be these two massacresmitted by this pair of master and discipleˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 265 What a pair of master and disciple!!!

    <h4>Chapter 265 What a pair of master and disciple!!!</h4>

    Han Shindong''s face became ashen as he listened to the information narrated by his subordinate.

    Near to him, several representatives of the sect who had arrived in haste after learning about the massacremitted by Duncan stood by listening as well. As the subordinate finished his report, even their faces became very ugly.

    "This is preposterous!" one of the Golden Hall cultivators raged.

    "This is madness! What do they hope to aplish by this!?" another asked in disbelief.

    "They are insane!!!"

    The various representatives of the sects mored in disbelief and anger. They had never heard of such a wanton ughter beingmitted by a sect in such an open manner. They really couldn''t believe what they heard.

    "Are you sure that no one survived?" Envoy Ming asked agitatedly looking at Han Shindong''s subordinate.

    The subordinate looked at Envoy Ming angrily. Even if he had eaten leopard''s guts he wouldn''t dare to lie about such a thing. To question him like this meant that Envoy Ming didn''t trust him. His face became ugly.

    Nearby, Han Shindong''s face also became ugly. Envoy Ming''s rude manner of questioning left him with no face. Envoy Ming might be a representative of a first-tier sect, but questioning his own subordinate in front of other sect representatives like this was really crossing the line.

    The subordinate looked at Han Shindong and gritted his teeth. He knew Young Master Han couldn''t stand up for him openly, but it didn''t mean that he couldn''t retaliate to this disrespect. Envoy Ming had been enjoying their hospitality for the past few hours when Elder Long had gone searching for Duncan.

    In these few hours, this wasn''t the first time he had been insensitive. Even though their Han n couldn''t measure up to the Iron Mountain Sect, the way in which Envoy Ming treated them all like his own retainers had been grating at them for a while now. And this show of tant distrust in front of other sect representatives was thest straw for the subordinate.

    "Why don''t you contact the elder whom you sent a message earlier? You will know whether I am telling the truth or not," the subordinate snorted without hiding his anger.

    Looking at the subordinate''s face and hearing his reply, Envoy Ming flinched slightly. He merely grunted angrily and looked away not willing to tangle with him. All around him, the representatives of the other sects were furiously discussing the situation as well.

    If it was before his hand was lost, he would have put the subordinate down ruthlessly without much effort for disrespecting him. However, with his hand lost, the confidence he had in his strength had taken a huge hit.

    Envoy Ming had been irritable for the past few hours. He didn''t want to report his loss to the sect this soon. But, the Elder''s message had directly enquired about where he was and what he was doing. If others weren''t near him, he could have somehow evaded mentioning getting beaten by a newly promoted Violet Pce realm cultivator.

    However, the subordinates of Han Shindong didn''t give him much space. They seemed to follow him wherever he went. It was as if they had received some order to keep an eye on him. It was clear to him that Han Shindong''s group didn''t trust him much and were only tolerating him.

    So, he had toe clean about the situation. He might have exaggerated Duncan''s potential threat a little more than necessary to make him look good, but he didn''t dare to hide his loss.

    When the Elder replied to him about staying here and coordinating with the other sect representatives to hunt down Duncan, there was displeasure evident in his voice. So, Envoy Ming had been sitting on pins and needles for the past hour.

    Just an hourter, news about yet another massacre, this time by the Master, hade. And this time, it wasn''t just Nascent Soul Experts. Even a Spirit Severance Being was ughtered along with various people who were the backbones of various sects.

    He just couldn''t believe such news.

    All the frustrations, anger, and dissatisfaction that he had been holding deep down in his heart boiled to the surface and he had asked the question without much thought. But, it looked like this had dissatisfied the other party.

    Before he lost his hand, even if the other party was dissatisfied, they wouldn''t openly question him back like this. But, after he lost his hand, even mere retainers of ns were looking down on him. This made Envoy Ming inwardly furious.

    He med Duncan for all this. Duncan, and his master, Liang Tianye.

    The duo had disrupted the somewhat delicate bnce that existed between the various sects. Envoy Ming didn''t know if they had colluded together tomit such massacres back to back. It was entirely possible considering the rtionship between them.

    What Duncan had done was to hurt the foundation of the sects. Killing so many young talents had hurt the future of the sects they represented. With a single person damaging the future of various sects, the sects were naturally enraged.

    If Duncan had hurt the future, then his master had hurt the present. Nascent Soul experts were the backbones of any sect. Killing one was akin for a sect to losing an arm. Losing so many Nascent Soul experts at one go suddenly will surely hurt all the sects. The power structure of the entire continent might shift due to this.

    Most sects had one or two Nascent Soul experts amidst them. Even first-rate sects like the Iron Mountain Sect only had four Nascent Soul cultivators as far as Envoy Ming knew. Losing one had essentially reduced their strength by one-fourth. Their sect had at leaste out of these massacres rtively fine.

    When he thought about the situation of sects like Eternal Sword Pavillion and Splitting Heavens Saber Sect, Envoy Ming felt a chill in his heart. The position these sects had enjoyed would soon plummet.

    Taking a deep breath, Envoy Ming looked around at the assembled representatives. Most of those who hade were at Golden Hall realm. By cultivation logic, they were seniors to him. He should heed theirmands and act ordingly.

    However, the situation was not that easy to unravel at the moment.

    Before this news was disseminated, the person who had the highest authority in the group was Envoy Ming. Even though his cultivation was low and he had already been defeated by Duncan, the order from Huang Muyang asking him to coordinate and eliminate Duncan made him pretty important. Moreover, his own position as an Envoy from the Iron Mountain Sect secured his position.

    Now, with this information spread out, there will soon be people who would question his authority. That was why Envoy Ming had reacted so badly. Just like he thought, even a retainer from a subpar n like the Han n was mouthing off to him. This didn''t bode well for Envoy Ming.

    Envoy Ming realized that he needed to do something right now. Or else, he would be useless in this group and no one would respect him. So, he didn''t hesitate to take the plunge and rile up the group further.

    "This is absolutely uneptable!" Envoy Ming suddenly shouted causing everyone to look over. Han Shindong looked at Envoy Ming with hooded eyes and gestured for his subordinate to remain quiet.

    "Hear me out," Envoy Ming said looking at the assembled representatives. "We can''t let this go unanswered. I am just a Violet Pce realm cultivator. Most of you are all Golden Hall experts. It isn''t my ce to advise you all. But, Senior Huang had asked me before his untimely demise to hunt down this demonspawn and exterminate him with extreme prejudice."

    "The disciple kills our juniors. The master ughters our seniors. What a pair of master and disciple they are!!! We as righteous cultivators need to answer these killings by exterminating these two scourges on earth. While we can''t stand a chance against the demon Liang Tianye, we can take care of the demonspawn that is his disciple," Envoy Ming spoke passionately causing all the representatives to look at him seriously.

    "Trust me when I say that this demonspawn is not any less bloodthirsty than his master. The Wind Demon had used the entire Greenwood Forest as his ughter ground and had used the death of our seniors as a way to nurture his weapon. What about his equally bloodthirsty disciple?"

    "This is the exact location where hemitted ughter of our juniors. But, do you see anything of their bodies left behind? Our senses are being assaulted with their anger and woe right now. But, apart from it, what else is left of them? Nothing!!! There is nothing left of our juniors!!!"

    "Why? Because this demon had utilized their death to break through to the Violet Pce realm. What kind of twisted cultivation technique requires so much blood sacrifice to advance to the Violet Pce ream? Furthermore, what amount of blood sacrifice will be needed for him to advance further? Will hemit massacres like this every time he advances? Can you even imagine the scale of ughter that will be required for him to reach Nascent Soul realm at this rate?"

    "I think Senior Huang understood this clearly. That is why he ordered me to coordinate with all of you to eliminate that demonspawn. We can''t let a demon like this live. While we can''t do anything to the master, we can surely hunt this demonspawn down and eliminate a future headache for all of us. So, what we need to do is to stick to our mission and put an end to this menace on earth!!!"

    Envoy Ming spoke passionately. His hatred for Duncan started leaking into his speech as he spoke further and further. It sure did rile up the assembled representatives.

    Envoy Ming didn''t think that these representatives were fools. He was sure that some knew what he was doing. But, they seemed to let him do it because everyone was afraid of taking the lead. Envoy Ming grasped onto this and pushed himself to the front.

    The reason that no one wanted to take the lead on this hunt was very simple. After the Wind Demon''s massacre near the Greenwood Forest, a single mistake from either side would result in a war between two factions. To take an aggressive stance right now and hunt down Liang Tianye''s disciple would be akin to dering war against the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    While everyone wanted to do that after the atrocitiesmitted by those two, no one wanted to be the first one to step out and take the name. Envoy Ming also knew what he was doing was very risky, but he didn''t think about the consequences much.

    Right now, what he wanted to do was to kill Duncan. But, he was unable to do it alone. So, he could only use these representatives to finish the task. He didn''t trust Han Shindong''s people. He felt that they had some ulterior motives. So, he didn''t want a mistake to happen at thest minute.

    By riling up everyone and using their anger as a tool, he would seed in killing Duncan for sure. This method wasn''t without its disadvantages though. He knew that if the situation reversed due to some reason and their sects wanted to have a peaceful situation, the person who initiated this hunt would be offered up as the sacrificial peace offering to cool the anger of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

    But, Envoy Ming only wanted revenge on Duncan at this moment in his heart. So, he didn''t care about the future repercussions. So, he took the bold step and wanted to use the mission of Senior Huang as an excuse to drive his own agenda.

    Even though everyone knew the ins and outs of the situation, none showed it on their face. Even Han Shindong didn''t react much overtly. Only his subordinates looked a little displeased seeing Envoy Ming putting himself in a ce of authority.

    "You are right! What a pair of master and disciple!!! They both must die!!!" the representative from Splitting Heavens Saber Sect spoke out first.

    "What a pair of master and disciple!!! They both must die!!!"

    "What a pair of master and disciple!!! They both must die!!!"

    "What a pair of master and disciple!!! They both must die!!!"

    "What a pair of master and disciple!!! They both must die!!!"

    The words echoed in the region as everyone came to an understanding of their own. Envoy Ming smiled broadly seeing his ning to fruition. He looked in the distance and showed a sinister smile.

    *****

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 Chapter 266 Sudden Hunger

    ?

    Duncan was unaware that the person whom he had left alive earlier had riled up a group of strong cultivators toe after him with vengeance in their minds.

    Maybe if he had known he wouldn''t be as free as he was now and would be making haste in his travel through the wilderness. Right now, he was sitting and counting the spoils he had obtained from the ughter he had caused.

    Duncan had a bright smile on his face as he looked at the small mound of spirit stones he had obtained from all the young talents and spectators he had killed. His spoils were not just that, there were other items like spirit herbs, pills, weapons, techniques, and other misceneous items that were piled up as well.

    One of the biggest concerns he had when he decided not to go back to the sect any time soon was how to obtain resources. Resources were an integral part of a cultivator''s progress in his cultivation journey.

    Even though his cultivation technique was tilted towards ughter, it didn''t mean that the other resources weren''t helpful to him at all. Duncan felt incredibly happy at this moment looking at the pile of loot he had obtained.

    Especially, the mound of spirit stones he had in his possession was bringing him great joy. Duncan didn''t think that killing could bring him this much wealth. The ughter he had justmitted had not only helped him advance in his cultivation, it also gave him immense wealth. Duncan couldn''t stop smiling as he looked at it.

    "This is more than ten times the amount of spirit stones I had in possession before entering the Dark Star City. These prodigals were surely living well," Duncan tutted shaking his head.

    In his head, he felt that these idiots having these resources were a waste. If he had this many resources with him, he wouldn''t wantonly go out and create trouble for himself. For a moment Duncan felt like finding a remote location and calmly cultivating for some time, then he shook his head remembering the essence of his cultivation technique.

    "It''s a pity that I couldn''t use most of these resources. If I had an orthodox cultivation technique that could be practiced by consuming these resources, I wouldn''t even need to head out to search for opportunities," Duncan shook his head.

    "Items that increase perception, cultivation speed, body strength, and whatnot. There are even items that could help one breakthrough. These prodigals surely had everything with them. Why did they have toe and hunt me down? Isn''t this seeking death!?" Duncanmented aloud and looked at the pile of loot he had obtained.

    "The spirit stones can be used by me, so I am definitely keeping that. Of these herbs, only those that can aid the body can be used by me. Then, there is that single stalk of soul grass that I obtained. With it, I can cultivate the soul technique I got in the Grotto Heaven," Duncan mumbled looking at the items spread out before him.

    "I think the biggest harvest is the two stalks of sword grass that I obtained from that idiot who hurt me. With it, I can try toprehend more of my sword cultivation. Not to mention those two higher-grade weapons that I obtained from those two. They still have one more usage in them. They will surelye in handy," Duncan said eyeing the small saber and small sword he had obtained after killing those two cultivators who had almost defeated him towards the end.

    "This saber crystal is useless to me. There is also a bunch of other mediocre weapons. They are just clutter at this point. I have no intention of using any other weapon than my sword," Duncan shook his head looking at the pile of weapons he had separated out.

    "I think I need to make a visit to the ck Market and sell these to them along with the herbs that aren''t that useful to me. Still, I really feel reluctant to sell spirit herbs constantly. The ones I got from Grotto Heaven were exchanged for spirit stones as well in the sect. These herbs are hard to find, but they have limited use for me," Duncan mumbled looking a little bit hesitant.

    "I should find another use for them soon. It doesn''t make sense to always sell the spirit herbs I obtain," Duncan shook his head and looked at the pile of manuals that he had obtained.

    "Right now, the biggest use I have is for these manuals. During my fight with those idiots, I realized that I had several deficiencies when it came to martial arts techniques. I didn''t have a good defense technique. I didn''t have any variety. I need to shore up that bit soon," Duncan mumbled looking at the pile of manuals in front of him.

    "I should take some time and see if there is anything that could be used by me in these manuals. Who knows, I mighte across some pretty rare technique like the

    that was entirely suitable for me."

    Duncan looked at the manuals with desire in his eyes for some time before shifting his eyes away. His gaze fell on the various materials that were present amidst the loot.

    "Hmmm, I have nevere into touch with materials," Duncan frowned slightly. "Even though I know the usage of some of them, most of them are rtively unknown to me. I will need to get them appraised in a treasure house sometimeter. Luckily, I know of the materials that a sword might require to upgrade itself. But, that only works if the sword has a spirit."

    Duncan frowned realizing that while he might be attached to this mysterious sword, it didn''t mean he knew much about it. He didn''t know what grade it was, the resources required to upgrade it, and how it should be upgraded either. That meant that he couldn''t easily upgrade his sword or sell off any of these before knowing the basic requirements.

    Duncan took out his sword and looked at it in a scrutinizing manner. He had read a little extensively on swords and their characteristics during his recent return to the sect. So, his knowledge of swords wasn''t reallycking.

    However, it didn''t mean that he knew the requirements for his sword to be upgraded. He wasn''t a swordsmith or a weapons refiner. Without them taking a look at his sword, he wouldn''t know where to begin or if it is even possible for his sword to be upgraded.

    Right now, he didn''t even know if his sword had undergone some mutation from an ordinary sword or whether it was a graded sword from the beginning itself. The only person who knew about the history of the sword was Granny Jiao and she wasn''t alive any longer for him to enquire.

    "Let''s shelve this for now," Duncan mumbled a little dejectedly. "I will get someone to take a look at it first. Only then, can I figure out what is happening with it."

    Duncan''s hands moved to sheathe his sword but stopped as he felt it trembling very slightly. He could feel a sort of hunger being transmitted by the sword. It was very very weak at this moment, but the sensation was one he was intimately familiar with.

    During his early days in the spirit mine, he had worked while being hungry for a long time before he grew into his own strength. So, it was a familiar emotion to him. Suddenly, feeling the same sort of emotions inside him evoked old memories in Duncan a bit.

    Startled by the sudden sense of hunger he was feeling, Duncan looked at his sword a bit more closely. The sword seemed to be hungry and was craving for something. Duncan was intrigued by this new development.

    He had read a few texts in the scripture hall regarding situations like these where a sword birthed artifact spirit due to special circumstances. But, those were incredibly rare and required very esoteric requirements to be met. He had never thought that it would happen to him.

    Still, he was a little bit happy. He didn''t even know if his suspicion about an artifact spirit being birthed was indeed right. But, Duncan was willing to give it a go. So, he decided to do something stupid.

    On a whim, Duncan took his sword and started cing it on each of the materials he had obtained. The first few tries didn''t elicit any reaction to his efforts. However, when the sword was ced on a bloodred stone, he could feel the trembling intensify for a moment and the hunger fades.

    Duncan looked at the bloodred stone curiously and wanted to see if he could figure out what it was. It was an unknown material to him. So, he took it in his hands and probed it with his consciousness.

    There wasn''t anything different about the stone apart from its color at first look. But, when his consciousness scoured the stone, he could feel a sense of something that was rted to ughter in it. Duncan had be incredibly sensitive towards anything rted to ughter Dao after his breakthrough.

    He didn''t know if it was because of his breakthrough or it was because of the legendary foundation he established, or it was because of his bloodline, or it was because of thebination of all of them. However, one thing he was sure about was that his sensitivity to ughter dao had increased tremendously recently.

    And right now, it was clear to him that this stone had some association with ughter and his sword was interested in it!

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 267 Trinkets

    <h4>Chapter 267 Trinkets</h4>

    While he was escaping through the wilderness, Duncan had sometimes sensed locations where one animal had killed another pretty urately. He could feel a sense of kinship in those ces when he crossed them. As he was escaping in a hurry, he hadn''t investigated these new feelings carefully.

    Now that he was alone, Duncan''s curiosity had been piqued and he was open to investigate a little bit. The bloodred stone in his hands emanating a slight ughter aura intrigued him a bit.

    Duncan didn''t know if this was the only change he had experienced ofte. He was still finding out new effects the breakthrough had on his body. He clearly understood that histest breakthrough was a qualitative one and it had altered his body slightly. He attributed this change to the mysterious energy flowing from the vision in the sky into his body.

    Duncan looked thoughtful for a moment, before piercing the stone in his hand with his sword. The moment the sword entered the stone, it started absorbing the bloodred aura present in the stone. Duncan watched it happen with fascination in his eyes.

    As time passed, the sword absorbed the bloodred aura in the stonepletely. The moment his sword absorbed all the bloodred aura, the stone crumbled into dust and fell off his hands. He could feel the satisfaction emanating from the sword as well.

    Duncan squinted his eyes and probed his sword with his consciousness. This was the first time he was investigating his sword in such a deep manner. Duncan''s consciousness didn''t find anything unusual in the sword. But, his instincts were telling him that something was afoot with his sword.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan retrieved his consciousness and looked around. He spied a few more bloodred stones avable among the loot he had acquired. But, Duncan didn''t immediately use his sword on them.

    Rather, he began to test out the other materials one by one. Without fail, the sword reacted to none of the materials present in the loot. Duncan frowned seeing this situation.

    It was clear to him that his sword wasn''t interested in any of them. That either meant they were useless to his sword or they didn''t have what the sword hungered after. Duncan took out another bloodred stone and redid the experiment.

    This time, the sword started vibrating in hunger and began to absorb the bloodred aura very quickly. It was as if a starving beast was provided with a feast. The sword didn''t hold back at all.

    After the next stone also turned into dust, Duncan probed his sword with his consciousness. There wasn''t any change at all. Rather than getting disappointed, Duncan began to get intrigued a bit more.

    Duncan thought seriously for a while, before taking a drastic decision. He took out just one bloodred stone and started feeding the other stones to his sword without hesitation. He only kept one because he wanted to understand what kind of material this stone was.

    Soon, all the stones were devoured by his sword.

    Duncan watched his sword absorb the bloodred aura from the stones one by one calmly. He wasn''t in a hurry to be done with. Throughout the process, he kept his consciousness engulfing the sword, trying to figure out if there was indeed an artifact spirit being nurtured in the sword.

    But, no matter how much he concentrated or probed, there was no reaction from his sword. If not for seeing his sword devouring the bloodred aura with his own naked eyes, Duncan wouldn''t have believed it to be happening.

    The only indication he received that there was something going on within his sword was that he could feel a slight sense of satisfaction emanating from the sword every time one stone was turned into dust.

    When everything was over, there wasn''t even a slight change in the sword. Duncan began doubting his own hypothesis at this moment. But still, he wasn''t dissatisfied with the turn of events. He was happy to just know that his sword was strengthening itself in some bizarre manner.

    Duncan expected the sword to react again when he sheathed it. But, to his disappointment, the swordy there without any kind of reaction. So, he reluctantly sheathed it and looked at the remaining materials.

    He had a hunch that none of these materials were needed for his sword. If not, his sword would have done something by now. Still, he decided to learn about them first before selling them off. Anything that was even remotely rted to swords would be kept. As for others, it would depend on their value and how much it can provide value to them.

    Duncan slowly turned his eyes towards the small pile to the side. This was the one that he was both apprehensive and excited about. There was nothing in it but misceneous trinkets. But, for the young geniuses of various sects to carry them with all the other resources, these items must contain some value.

    Duncan eliminated all the sect tokens in the pile first. He didn''t know if any of the sect tokens had a tracking function, but he didn''t want to find it out by the hard way. After eliminating the tokens, Duncan started checking out the trinkets one by one in curiosity.

    Most looked like stuff that was kept for sentimental reasons. But, among the trinkets, there were also some bizarre things present. There was a bone that exuded some kind of domineering aura that made Duncan''s heart beat faster. Then, there was another trinket that looked simr to a token but didn''t have any engravings on it.

    Duncan went through them one by one calmly.

    He wasn''t in a hurry. He had made sure that he was in a secure ce in the wilderness before he even took time to sort these things out. Among the trinkets, most didn''t have any value in Duncan''s eyes. Most of them were clutter that was left behind.

    After probing them with his consciousness for some time, Duncan eliminated most of the trinkets as rubbish. However, among the trinkets, there were some rare and interesting finds as well.

    There was a straw hat that Duncan found quite to his liking. He tried it out for a few minutes before putting it away. Then, he found another trinket that was shaped like a sea slug. When Duncan probed it with his consciousness, he could feel something different about it. So, he kept it aside.

    There were a few pieces of jewelry that didn''t interest Duncan much. But, they looked as if they would fetch some good price, so Duncan kept them as well. Like this, Duncan went through the entire pile one by one without haste.

    In the end, he destroyed the waste that he didn''t feel like carrying around and grouped the rest of the trinkets into a single pile. Three more trinkets he left to the side as he was intrigued by them the most.

    Donning the straw hat, Duncan looked at the three trinkets that he had separated from the pile. One was an old parchment that looked very archaic. It was faded out mostly, but he could see somendmarks on it. Duncan figured that it was some kind of treasure map and wanted to have a second look at it.

    The next was the sea slug-like trinket that gave off a weird vibe when he probed it with his consciousness. Duncan felt that this trinket was somewhat unique and didn''t want to sell it to others. His gut told him that this trinket mighte in handy one day. So, he kept it away from the pile that he was going to sell off.

    Thest trinket was a bit special in his opinion. The trinket looked like arge pearl ne. But, something about the ne made Duncan''s hair stand straight. The ne gave off a weird energy that both intrigued and irritated him.

    He didn''t know why such a weird ne would be in the hands of a righteous cultivator. Duncan felt that the vibe this ne gave off was somewhat familiar to him. But, he couldn''t pin down the feeling no matter how he tried to recall.

    Duncan decided to let it rest for now and packed the stuff into separate storage rings. After removing the imprints present on them, Duncan put on a storage ring that had more space than what he originally had. He took in all the items that he didn''t feel like selling into it.

    He used his original storage ring to collect the spirit stones that were in arge pile. He used one another storage ring to collect all the items he intended to sell in the ck marketter.

    Then, Duncan looked at the small pile of empty storage rings that were not going to be of much use to him and felt a headacheing. The only drawback of looting his victims was that, he was now left with arge number of unwanted storage rings. The items he had could be fitted in three storage rings at most. The remaining thirty or so storage rings had no use at all.

    He couldn''t collect them together like he did with the trinkets. Destroying them also felt like a little waste. He knew that there was always a demand for storage rings in the market. So, he was reluctant to destroy them as well.

    But, selling off so many storage rings at the same time will only draw unwanted attention to him. Duncan waspletely stumped on how to dispose of them in the future. Letting out arge sigh, he collected them in a small cloth and tied it to his hip.

    Now that he had dealt with the misceneous stuff, Duncan felt that it was time to concentrate on what was important. He needed to shore up his deficiencies quickly. If not, it might lead to his demise sooner orter.

    It was time for him to go through the avable martial arts manuals and find something appropriate for himˇ­

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 268 Broaden your mind

    <h4>Chapter 268 Broaden your mind</h4>

    Liang Tianye walked out of the tent he had been upying with a satisfied expression on his face.

    Inside the tent, four naked bodiesy in a clump together. These were the four women who had betrayed Huang Muyang. By now, the news about the massacre of everyone present there had spread and everyone was under the impression that these women were dead.

    "Vice-Sect Master," Huo Wanren greeted Liang Tianye with a knowing look and a slight smirk.

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply. He looked around and saw that no one was within earshot and nodded at Huo Wanren to continue. But, he didn''t stay idle. He walked away from the tent towards a nearby hill.

    "Are you nning on silencing these women, Vice-Sect Master," Huo Wanren asked looking surreptiously at the tent. "After all, they did refuse your offer to join our sect. Now that they have outlived their useˇ­"

    "You are just thinking about things too narrowly. If you want to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, your mind should be broader. Do you think we will gain any advantage if we kill these women?" Liang Tianye asked raising his eyebrows.

    Huo Wanren furrowed his brows and didn''t speak immediately.

    "By now, the Seven Clouds Sect and all the other sects will have noticed the broken soulmps of all the people who were killed. Only five soulmps will be left over. Even though Huang Muyang''s body is dead, his soulmp wouldn''t have shattered yet because his Nascent Soul is not crushed yet. At most, his soulmp will be flickering heavily," Liang Tianye said walking up the hill.

    Huo Wanren followed behind him.

    "Do you think that a sect like Seven Clouds Sect wouldn''t have any artifact to track where the Nascent Soul of Huang Muyang is? They do. And they will do it soon. A Spirit Severance being is one of the foundations of the Seven Clouds Sect. Along with four Nascent Soul realm experts whose soulmps hadn''t been shattered yet, they will be obligated to track it. And the person who will track it will be another Spirit Severance being," Liang Tianye smirked.

    "By letting these women go, we will make the Spirit Severance being that is sent out to track Huang Muyang''s soul follow them. These women n on escaping the continent altogether. I don''t really care whether they aplish it. All I care about is that they drag the Spirit Severance being sent out by the Seven Clouds Sect as far as possible from here," Liang Tianye smiled broadly.

    "While the hunt is ongoing, the information about these four Nascent Soul experts betraying Huang Muyang will be passed back to the sect as well. This will also relieve the pressure on the mole we have ced there. With Huang Muyang''s long-timepanions betraying him, the sect wouldn''t probe deeper into our mole," Liang Tianye turned to look at Huo Wanren with a critical look.

    "Do you see how many advantages I gain from allowing these women to leave? Then tell me, why should I kill them for momentary pleasure? Was I disappointed that they didn''t join our sect? I am. But, should I do something about it? Probably not."

    "As a cultivator, you should not think about momentary gains and instant gratification for your jilted emotions. Take note of this as a pertinent lesson. The reason you still haven''t touched the boundary of Nascent Soul realm is probably because of this."

    "You have been at the peak of the Golden Core realm for a long time now. Your cultivation and martial arts have already reached the level required to break through. But, your mindset hasn''t reached that level yet. Reflect on this, you might gain more benefits than you can imagine," Liang Tianye looked at Huo Wanren causing him to fall into deep thought.

    Huo Wanren stood there for a long time trying to digest the pointers given to him by Liang Tianye. Liang Tianye didn''t disturb him. He made his way back to the tent and looked inside. He could see the four women stirring.

    "I think it is time for you to four to set off. If you are not joining our sect, then it is better if you leave this ce as soon as possible," Liang Tianye said while stepping into the tent.

    "How heartless! You truly are a demon!" Jian Yon pouted at Liang Tianye and stood up from the bedroll that they had usedst night. "You are driving us away after enjoying us. Isn''t this really despicable?" Jian Youlong asked snarkily.

    "I am not a righteous cultivator, Jian Youlong. You know it very well beforeing into my bed. The only thing I care about is whether I gained gratification and whether I left you all senseless. I know the answer to that. So, you don''t need to try to guilt me here," Liang Tianye snarked back.

    "Hmmm, I can see that," Jian Yon stretched showing off her ample body. "Still, do you need to drive us this quickly?"

    Liang Tianye didn''t reply. He could see that the other women had also risen by now. Cultivators were like that. Even small disturbances near them will alert their minds. Let alone a discussion where neither he nor Jian Yon kept their voice low.

    "If you lot n to escape the continent, then you need to get a move on quickly," Liang Tianye shrugged. "By now, the Seven Clouds Sect will have reacted. They will be sending someone to track Huang Muyang''s soul. This Nascent Soul you guys torturedst night and used it for your own amusement will spell your death, if that person catches up to you."

    "Hmmph, don''t deny that you didn''t enjoy tormenting him as well. He deserved it anyway. We are just getting started on our revenge against him. We will make him regret jilting us for years toe," Jian Yon spoke with venom in her voice.

    "Yes, I really enjoyed the look of anguish on his face. His impotent anger made my heart soar. I didn''t think I would enjoy tormenting him this much," another of Huang Muyang''s concubines chimed in.

    "I still haven''t had my fill. Last night was only the start of his torment. We are going to make him regret ever humiliating us," another chimed in enthusiastically agreeing with the former two.

    Only Su Xiaomao remained silent. She didn''t speak much. But, Liang Tianye knew how much she enjoyed tormenting Huang Muyang very clearly. Last night, it wasn''t Jian Yon or the other two women who tormented Huang Muyang the most. It was this unassuming Su Xiaomao. She really relished humiliating Huang Muyang to an unhealthy extent.

    Liang Tianye merely raised an eyebrow at the vengefulness of this group of women. He didn''t really care about how badly Huang Muyang was going to be tormented. Compared to what Feng Feixuan would have done if she had been presentst night, these women were tame. So, he didn''t think much about this.

    "I see you all have no intention of extracting the information from him and crushing his Nascent Soul immediately. Then, so be it. Who am I toe in-between you and your vengeance?" Liang Tianye smiled broadly causing the four women to smile at him.

    "Moreover, I am not a saint either," Liang Tianye continued with a shrug. "But, I have to remind you that the Seven Clouds Sect will probably have techniques to track the Nascent Soul with the help of the soulmp. So, you better get a move on quickly."

    "Won''t you protect us for the sake of our passion-filled nightst night?" Jian Yon asked perfunctorily while the four women got up and readied themselves.

    "I can, if you will join our sect," Liang Tianye countered while squeezing Jian Yon''s breast shamelessly as she got dressed.

    "Dream on, you pervert!" Jian Yon batted his hands away.

    But, Liang Tianye didn''t even bat an eye and shifted to grope the ass of another of Huyang Muyang''s concubines shamelessly. She moaned slightly before moving away from his hand.

    "Stop it, you are dying us," Jian Yon pouted seeing Liang Tianye trying to kiss and y with Su Xiaomao''s tits.

    Liang Tianye moved a step back with a broad smile. He didn''t look apologetic for one second. Seeing his perverted gaze still raking over their bodies hungrily, Jian Yon''s back straightened unconsciously. She showed him her best profile before bidding him goodbye.

    "If you manage to get out of the madness your sect is keen on inflicting,e find us in the Heavenly Dance continent," Jiang Yon smiled broadly at Liang Tianye. "We can see if you canst another night with us sisters."

    "As far as I remember, it was you four who lostst night against me," Liang Tianye smirked in reply.

    "Hmmph," Jian Yon harrumphed and began to sashay her way out of the tent.

    Her sisters too followed her. However, they took their time to give a lingering kiss to Liang Tianye on their way out. Liang Tianye followed them out and found Huo Wanren waiting to the side and looking at them hungrily. He smirked but didn''t say anything else.

    Within moments, the four sisters vanished into thin air.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 269 I donâ€™t care...

    <h4>Chapter 269 I don''t care...</h4>

    Liang Tianye turned to look at Huo Wanren and asked, "Did you gain anything?"

    "Many thanks to the Vice-Sect Master for guiding me. I feel that most obstacles that were preventing me from further advancing have been cleared. I am sure I will gain more benefits if I keep an open mind in the future," Huo Wanren spoke sincerely.

    "Nascent Soul is when your soul matures to a whole new realm. It is when you sever the mortal links and step into the path of ascendancy truly. Remember this, the further you travel in your cultivation, the higher the requirement for your mindset will be. Do you think these women will escape the pursuit?" Liang Tianye asked non-chntly.

    "With their speed, they will most probably be halfway across the continent before the person from Seven Clouds Sect sets off. So, there is a high chance they will escape," Huo Wanren guessed.

    "Not all of them," Liang Tianye smirked. "Last night, I felt that Jian Yon and Su Xiaomao were closer to each other than the other two. And Jian Yon is not a broad-minded person. She will definitely not be willing to share this legacy with the others," Liang Tianye said calmly.

    "You mean?" Huo Wanren asked in shock.

    "If my guess is right," Liang Tianye said looking into the distance, "then, Jian Yon and Su Xiaomao will ambush the other two women sometime during the escape and sacrifice them to buy them more time. Do not underestimate the speed at which a Spirit Severance being can travel."

    Huo Wanren nodded seriously and didn''t speak for a few moments. Suddenly, something urred to him and he looked at Liang Tianye in shock. Unable to hold the thought, he openly asked the Vice-Sect Master.

    "Vice-Sect Master, do you think Jian Yon nned for this from the start?"

    "Of course," Liang Tianye chuckled. "Only she knows who the mole from our sect is. She made sure that everything was nned by her. Su Xiaomao is her confidant. Su Xiaomao has lost her beauty. She is no threat to Jian Yon''s vanity. But, the other two are different," Liang Tianye said looking serious.

    "Why did Jian Yon attack Huang Muyang? She was one of his first confidants. She had shed blood for him and him for her. They have gone through ups and downs for a long time. She betrayed him because she couldn''t stand him bringing other women to their bed. She felt humiliated. Do you think she would allow these two women to live when she killed off the others?"

    "But, why wait till now?" Huo Wanren asked curiously.

    "Because they both had entered the Nascent Soul realm as well. She wanted to deal with Huang Muyang and the other women first. So, she enlisted them to help her out. In truth, her only true aplice in this matter is Su Xiaomao," Liang Tianye said with his eyes twinkling a bit.

    "After dealing with the others, she would lull these women intocency. For that, she used mest night. After seeing her sharing me without muchint, the other two women will have lessened their vignce towards her," Liang Tianye smirked. "Then, she would use them as a sacrifice to escape from the Spirit Severance being that will hunt them down."

    "That woman is very dangerous. But, I have a feeling that the truly dangerous one is Su Xiaomao," Liang Tianye chuckled. "Who knows, these two women might help us more than we thought."

    Huo Wanren alsoughed along for a bit before turning serious.

    "A news came inst night," Huo Wanren spoke, "it pertains to yourtest disciple. The one we picked up from the beast tide."

    "Him? What about him? Feng Feixuan told me that he was inside the forest as well. Did he die off as well?" Liang Tianye asked not caring much.

    "No, he escaped and was hunted down by several Spirit Sea realm cultivators. Thetest news is that hemitted a ughter near the Dark Star City, almost obliterating everyone who came after him, and escaped into the wilderness near the Ancient Battlefield," Huo Wanren spoke with a broad smile.

    Liang Tianye merely raised his eyebrows to it.

    "I also heard that he has broken through to the Violet Pce realm. He can already tangle with seasonedte-stage Violet Pce realm cultivators. He injured Envoy Ming from the Iron Mountain Sect before escaping into the wilderness. Right now, the righteous sects are hunting him near that ce," Huo Wanren reported. "Should we do something regarding this?"

    "What is there to do?" Liang Tianye snorted.

    "I meanˇ­ he is your discipleˇ­"

    "Hmmph, did you forget why I took him in as a disciple? The only reason I paid attention to him was because I wanted him to be a disruptor on the ying field. And it looks like he is doing his job admirably. Apart from that, he has no use."

    "Understand this, anyone below Golden Core realm is of ultimately no use to us in the grand scheme of things. That''s why I asked you to secure the loyalty of all the Golden Core realm disciples," Liang Tianye spoke in a hard tone causing Huo Wanren to flush.

    "I have tried. But, some of them are too belligerent to change their minds," Huo Wanren said a little dejectedly.

    "Then, you should have arranged their deaths," Liang Tianye said bluntly. "This is not the time to be soft-hearted. You were given a great task. But, I found your executioncking. Do you think the Sect Master will care about your excuses?"

    "No, I will arrange for their deaths soon," Huo Wanren said determinedly.

    "Good, if everything goes to n, then the Sect Master will ask us to proceed to the next level soon. As for mytest disciple, let him be a nuisance for those righteous cultivators. It would be good if he kept those low-level pests upied. This way, our task will be smoother. Apart from that, no need to waste our time on him," Liang Tianye waved his hands and started returning to his tent.

    "I understand," Huo Wanren replied obediently and left the ce with a severe frown on his face.

    Once he returned to the tent, Liang Tianye started frowning a bit as well. He really didn''t expect histest disciple to create such amotion. Their n had been based upon them inciting dissatisfaction and creating some suspicions among the righteous sects at this juncture.

    The war between the righteous faction and the demonic faction still needed some time to brew. But, Duncan''s actions were like pouring oil into a burning fire. The sects may be dissatisfied and angry if the Heavenly Demon Sect took out the top powerhouses of their sects. But, they may hesitate to take concrete action.

    However, now that the Heavenly Demon Sect members have killed both the future generation and top powerhouses, the sects may not be willing to sit idle. This is like cutting off their future. They will retaliate for sure. The Heavenly Demon Sect wasn''t yetpletely ready to wage a war singlehandedly against all the righteous sects on this continent.

    They had to stabilize their internal situation first. The First Grand Elder''s faction didn''t actually have much power left. He and his Senior Brother had worked tirelessly over thest decade to slowly suborn them to their side.

    However, the First Grand Elder''s faction still had some rtively powerful people among them and it would be hard to wage war externally while dealing with these people internally.

    He could only hope that the Sect Master''s chat with the First Grand Elder which should have happened by now would have some good news. If not, things will be dicey for their ns soon. He felt like throttling his errant disciple for his actions at this moment.

    But, he had to agree that histest disciple had a knack for surprising him more often than not. He still didn''t know how Duncan''s soul got liberated from his grasp. He had been a little preupied with things ofte, causing him to not probe into it deeper. By the time he remembered again, his disciple had already left the sect to enact his vengeance.

    Even then, he didn''t expect his disciple to create such a ruckus this soon. Duncan was supposed to be a nuisance to the righteous sects, not a priority target. As his master, his reputation will also take a hit if Duncan is captured and killed by the righteous sects easily. He could only hope that his disciple had the wherewithal to escape the pursuit andy low for now.

    Taking a deep breath, Liang Tianye took out a message talisman and sent a message to his Senior Brother about this new development. After that, Liang Tianye started pacing the tent deep in thought.

    Ten minutester, his message talisman glowed causing Liang Tianye to look at it in anticipation. Probing it with his divine sense, he couldn''t help but be surprised by the content of the message. His bewildermentsted for a minute before arge smile began to adore his face.

    "Looks like it is time to move to the next step of the n. I think it is time that the demonic sects realized who the real hegemon of the faction is. Their disobedience has been tolerated so far. Now, it is time to eradicate a few of them," Liang Tianye let out a bloodthirsty chuckle and walked out of the tent.

    "The world shall once again tremble when they hear the name of the Wind Demon!!!" Liang Tianye crowed inwardly as he sent out his instructions rapidly.

    *****

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 Chapter 270 Closing encirclement

    <h4>Chapter 270 Closing encirclement</h4>

    Duncan felt like cursing himself as he rushed through the wilderness in a hurry.

    After sorting out his spoils, Duncan had spent some time going through the acquired manuals. However, before he could even decide on which martial art to practice, his instincts started ring causing him to rise up in surprise.

    Before he could fully process the situation, an attack almostnded on him from a distance. Duncan could feel the power behind the attack very intimately due to his proximity to itsnding.

    Only then did he realize that his pursuer had already caught up to him and was intent on killing him. Duncan didn''t hesitate even for a single second when he realized that it was a Golden Hall expert who was chasing after him. He immediately executed <Blood Escape Technique> and got away from that region.

    However, he soon began to realize that he was being herded like a goat into a certain area. There were signs of Golden Hall experts searching for him in most regions making it very hard for him to travel.

    Even then, luckily for him, they were blockading the direction that led back towards the Grasnds. Duncan realized that his pursuers didn''t want him to head back in that direction and re-enter the Grasnds. It was fine with him as well. He didn''t n to travel in that direction from the start.

    So, he was able to obtain some breathing room.

    With that as a base, he had been heading deeper into the wilderness, using all his knowledge on how to move through it. Still, he could already feel the closing in from the other directions as well.

    Duncan realized that it wasn''t just a single Golden Hall expert or a few more of them. There seemed to be a legion of them hunting him. And they were also adamant in killing him off.

    He once spied a Golden Hall expert searching for him from a distance. Looking at him, Duncan realized that the expert was oozing murderous intentions all around scaring the wildlife away as well. He had sneakily retreated from that region and continued on with his travel.

    It was bing more and more clear to him that all these Golden Hall experts wanted him dead. Duncan felt a little overwhelmed for a few moments when he realized that.

    Being hunted by those in the same realm was nothing to him at all. But, being hunted by those who had higher cultivation than him pressured him far too much. Duncan didn''t know if he would survive this hunt, but he felt that his life wouldn''t be lost in this wilderness.

    He felt at that moment that there was a bigger calling waiting for him. He didn''t know from where that feeling came. But, Duncan took sce in that feeling and decided to do everything to escape his current predicament.

    Duncan realized that while the Golden Hall experts initially operated in the belief that we would try to circle around this region and re-enter the Grasnds, now they had somehow wisened up. He figured that they might have found some clues in regards to the direction he was moving towards and realized that he wasn''t nning to re-enter Grasnds.

    "I initially nned to skirt the edges of the Ancient Battlefield and enter the region near the lower-tier countries that existed before vanishing into the numerous small kingdoms at the other end of the Ancient Battlefield," Duncan mumbled to himself while resting on top of a tree.

    "But, it seems that my pursuers have also figured my n out. They are beginning to tighten their encirclement in that region. I have alreadye across three or four Golden Hall experts searching for me in that direction," Duncan said while frowning hard.

    Duncan realized that heading in that direction might be safe currently, it wouldn''t be safe for long. If they had already realized his destination, then they would surely block him off sooner orter. If more and more Golden Hall experts concentrated in a single region, he wouldn''t be able to slip past them easily.

    That meant, traveling in that direction wasn''t a viable option in the long run. If this continued he might get caught sooner orter. Duncan didn''t want such a thing to happen obviously.

    "Looking at the situation, it isn''t ideal for me to stick to my original n. I need toe up with something surprising to throw them all off my tail," Duncan said as his confusion cleared up somewhat.

    Suddenly a daring idea entered his mind. He looked conflicted for a moment before deciding on it. Duncan immediately started acting on his decision. He turned around from the direction he was heading in and decided to go back the way he came a little bit and see if his thoughts were viable.

    *****

    Envoy Ming felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

    Even though he had convinced the assembled representatives from the sect to hunt down Duncan, he didn''t get what he quite wanted out of it. Right now, he was being treated as a mere figurehead by all the Golden Hall experts.

    Even Young Master Han, who had been keeping track of him, had left him alone for the past hour. After they reconnected with a frowning Elder Long, that Young Master Han had up and vanished along with Elder Long and his other subordinates, leaving him alone in the wilderness.

    None of the sect representatives were with him either.

    They have all gone ahead to search for Duncan alone without any kind of proper coordination between them. It was like trying to control a group of demonic beasts. Envoy Ming felt like bashing his head looking at how the Golden Hall experts were acting.

    It was clear that there was no direction to their search apart from preventing Duncan from entering into Grasnds. This left a lot of wilderness free for Duncan to slip by. Envoy Ming felt that unless they all banded together, they wouldn''t be able to catch Duncan in the wilderness.

    He never knew that Duncan was this experienced in traversing the wilderness. Even if they found tracks of him taking a rest somewhere, those tracks would soon vanish within a short period of time once they tried to follow it. Such expertise in traveling the wilderness almost astounded him. He didn''t know where Duncan learned such a technique, but it was something he had never seen employed before.

    Envoy Ming was not to me for hisck of knowledge.

    Cultivators usually despised the knowledge that mortals possessed. Their inherent superiority in them made it hard for them to gain any kind of deep knowledge from the mortals.

    And mortals weren''t useless either. To survive amidst this brutal world, they need to possess some skill. While their skills may inevitably be useless against demonic beasts or cultivators in general, when a cultivator starts employing those skills with his own knowledge of how to avoid being tracked by cultivators in general, unless one had some special tracking technique, they would be hard to detect.

    Envoy Ming didn''t know any special tracking technique. As an Envoy of a first-rate sect, it was never his turn to hunt down criminals. He was someone who visited the subordinate sects and ns to convey orders and act as an extension of their authority. The times when he slogged through the wilderness were long over. So, he was at a disadvantage currently.

    But, Envoy Ming had one advantage that the other Golden Hall experts didn''t have. He was the only one who had interacted with Duncan face-to-face. Even though the time was little, he had a clear idea of what kind of guy Duncan was.

    Even Young Master Han''s group didn''t have that advantage. While they understood how Duncan moved to an extent, they never shed with him head-on. So, they didn''t understand how crazy Duncan could get. Especially, after his mind underwent a shift during his recent breakthrough. The only person to have that privilege was Envoy Ming.

    In Envoy Ming''s mind, Duncan was someone who was crazy enough to attack ate-stage Violet Pce realm cultivator just after breaking through to the Violet Pce realm. Combined with the kind of ughter he hadmitted and the way he hadmitted it, Envoy Ming thought Duncan to be someone who was willing to take chances.

    With that in mind, he began to think about where Duncan could possibly be going after this encirclement that was constantly shrinking. Immediately two options sprang to his mind. One was far too crazy to even consider. The other was somewhat executable.

    So, with that in mind, Envoy Ming started searching for Duncan alone. Even though Envoy Ming didn''t have the confidence to face Duncan, he didn''t think that Duncan would attack him and create a ruckus at this juncture. If he did that, then he would soon be surrounded by Golden Hall experts and executed like a dog.

    Envoy Ming knew that there was a slight possibility of Duncan doing exactly that in a bid to bring him down as well. But, this time, he was way better prepared. During theirst fight, he didn''t have the time to use his trump cards. Even before that, Duncan had begun to dominate the fight and start pressuring him.

    If he came across Duncan this time, he would definitely use his trump card and create as much ruckus as possible. So, with that bit of heartening sentiment, Envoy Ming began searching for Duncan with a single-minded focus.

    And eventually, his search paid off.

    There seemed to be a patch ofnd filled with muddy ground that gave some clue as to the direction Duncan was headed in. That was the longest trail Envoy Ming hade across in searching for Duncan.

    Overjoyed, Envoy Ming began to calcte the direction and thendmarks nearest to that ce. He wanted to figure it out and let others get there before Duncan reached that spot.

    But, when he realized where the trail was headed, Envoy Ming couldn''t help but be stunned.

    "Is he crazy? Why is he headed towards the Ancient Battlefield? Even Nascent Soul experts die there!!!" Envoy Ming eximed in surprise.

    *****

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 Chapter 271 The Ancient Battlefield

    ?

    "Are you sure he is headed in that direction?" one of the Golden Hall experts asked Envoy Ming rudely.

    Envoy Ming didn''t mind the rude tone. Even he was surprised by his findings. And he knew how much Duncan liked to take chances. Let alone this Golden Hall expert who knew very little about Duncan.

    "Why would I lie?" Envoy Ming asked calmly. "If you forgot, I lost my hand to that demonspawn. This is the longest trail of his I have found so far. And if you take a look, you will see why I came to that conclusion."

    The Golden Hall expert frowned and looked at the trail pointed out by Envoy Ming. He hade across a few patches like this prior to this. He knew Envoy Ming was telling the truth. None of the trails he had found went on for this long.

    Moreover, Duncan hadn''t tried to hide his trail deliberately. It was as if he was daring them toe after him. This displeased the Golden Hall expert a bit. If it was any other location, he would have barged in without thinking much.

    But, the Ancient Battlefield was a different story.

    The Ancient Battlefield was a well-known forbidden ground for a reason. Even Nascent Soul experts going in will not be able to make it out alive. The dangers in there are wide and varied. If it was just demonic beasts, then it would be fine. But, the dangers inside that region were really difficult to describe.

    The history of the Ancient Battlefield is far longer than the hegemonic sects on this continent. Even cultivators from the Central Continent are afraid of stepping in there. There are rumors that some upper-realm cultivators would sometimese down for the sole purpose of exploring the Ancient Battlefield.

    The Golden Hall expert felt suffocated in his heart knowing that Duncan was heading there. Even he didn''t have the courage to step foot there. In his mind, it was pure madness to walk into that death trap.

    The Ancient Battlefield epassed arge region. It bordered dozens of small kingdoms on one side and a first-rate kingdom and a second-rate kingdom on the other side. Even the first-rate kingdoms and sects in the continent didn''t dare toy im to the Ancient Battlefield, despite the numerous advantages it brought forth.

    To anyone below the Nascent Soul realm, entering the Ancient Battlefield was almost a death sentence. It is not as if no one had emerged alive from there. But, those who came out always had debilitating injuries on them. Some lost their cultivation, some their minds, and some became even too fearful to hold a weapon after that experience.

    Likewise, there are those who benefitted as well. Those who benefitted from the Ancient Battlefield saw their cultivation rise by leaps and bounds after emerging from there. Some obtained very powerful legacies and mystical weapons. But, in the end, these were only in the minority.

    The Golden Hall cultivator could guess Duncan''s thought process now. Duncan was most probably trying to cut through the Ancient Battlefield and reach the other side towards the small kingdoms before vanishing into the masses present there.

    However, such a thing was easy to n and almost impossible to execute. For that to happen, one must traverse through the Ancient Battlefield and reach the other side. This was a rtively impossible affair for anyone below the Nascent Soul realm.

    The reason for this dates back to even before the cultivation world as they know it came into existence in this world. It is rumored that the Ancient Battlefield was present even before the first cultivator appeared in this world. No one knows for sure when the Ancient Battlefield appeared, but everyone could agree on one thing. The Ancient Battlefield existed for as long as one can remember.

    Some experts even argue that the first cultivator came into existence in this world because of obtaining a legacy from the Ancient Battlefield. Thus, it can be considered as the origin of this world''s cultivation culture. However other experts refuse to ept it and say that the existence of the battlefield alone proved the existence of cultivators prior to that in this world.

    These kinds of contrasting information and rumors have created a myth about the Ancient Battlefield. Every cultivator yearned to explore this forbidden ground and see for themselves what could be the truth. So, the interest in the Ancient Battlefield has always been high.

    However, interest was just interest. No one dared to go inside due to the various mystical events that happened in that region. If one stood at the entrance to the battlefield and listened keenly, one could hear various sounds echoing from the battlefield to this date.

    War cries, moans of despair, angry promations, and whatnot. Anything and everything that could be heard on the battlefield could be heard if one stood by and listened patiently for some time.

    There were trenches that extended from one end of the region to the other filled with sword intent. There were ponds that created mirages and bewitched the drinkers. There were boneyards that raised chill in the hearts of everyone who saw it. Even the bones present in that boneyard exuded a domineering aura that caused people to be unable to move.

    And these were just the things that people have heard others say about the region.

    "What are we supposed to do now?" Envoy Ming asked anxiously.

    "Hmph, if he enters the Ancient Battlefield, it will be his death sentence. What more do you want us to do?" the Golden Hall expert snorted. "Inform the others as well. This is a waste of time. I am leaving."

    The Golden Hall expert didn''t waste any more time. He vanished from the spot within the blink of an eye causing Envoy Ming to stare at the empty air and gape. He was beginning to realize that apart from him, not many people were really invested in hunting down Duncan.

    Still, Envoy Ming didn''t want to give up. Just looking at the Ancient Battlefield made him shiver in fear, but his hatred for the person who took away his arm was not small either. He wanted to see Duncan''s dead body before his eyes. So, he reluctantly sent out the message to the other Golden Hall experts as well and waited for them to arrive.

    It didn''t take long for the other Golden Hall experts to arrive. They were already in the vicinity searching for Duncan. So, when they received the message about Duncan''s trail being found, they immediately came here in a hurry.

    But, when they realized where the trail led, not many were willing to brave the danger. They did really want to kill Duncan and send a message to the Heavenly Demon Sect, but going into the Ancient Battlefield wasn''t on their agenda for that. Very few Golden Hall experts were willing to give chase to Duncan after realizing the direction he was headed in.

    "We have already driven him to his death, why bother?" one of the Golden Hall experts from a second-tier sect mumbled dissatisfactorily.

    "Hunting that miscreant is one thing. Stepping into the Ancient Battlefield ispletely another. I am not that stupid," another Golden Hall expert replied shaking his head.

    "If he is headed there, then we have aplished our goal. Even if he survives, who knows what state he will be in after exiting the Ancient Battlefield? As for trying to hunt him down in there, are you insane!!!?"

    "Even protecting ourselves will be hard once we step into the Ancient Battlefield. How can we hunt down someone there? Unless you are Spirit Severance being, forget about hunting people in there," another Golden Hall expert shook his head and smiled wryly.

    As each Golden Hall expert spoke, Envoy Ming became more and more anxious. He really wanted to see Duncan dead. But, he didn''t have the courage to chase after him into the Ancient Battlefield. However, he was also reluctant to let Duncan go.

    "What if he emerges from the Ancient Battlefield even more powerful? Do you think he will let you all off? We need to cull this bad crop right at the beginning. If we let him grow, then we would never know peace in the future," Envoy Ming argued passionately.

    "He came back and annihted the entire Wang n for a small slight. He massacred all the young talents just because they hunted him down. Do you think he would leave us alone after hees back? He will definitely not..."

    Even though Envoy Ming spoke passionately, no one was willing to listen to him at all. First, they didn''t have such unresolved grudges with Duncan. They only chased after him because they were internally scared about the prospect of leaving such a person alive with the example of Liang Tianye''s mad actions in front of them. As for the juniors they lost, the sect might feel angry as a whole, but it didn''t affect most of them personally.

    Driving Duncan towards a literal dead end was an eptable situation to them. They didn''t have the pressing need to enter the Ancient Battlefield in search of Duncan to exact vengeance. Even their sect couldn''t fault them for their actions when it concerned the Ancient Battlefield.

    So, they were naturally unwilling to chase Duncan any further.

    However, there was also a group of experts who were keen on killing Duncan just like Envoy Ming. These were the experts whose progeny had been killed off by Duncan during the ughter near the Dark Star City. They wanted revenge and were willing to at least listen to Envoy Ming.

    "What do you propose, Envoy Ming?" one of those who yearned to see Duncan dead asked pointedly looking at him.

    Envoy Ming realized that he was at a turning point here. If he lost these cultivators as well, then his wish to see Duncan dead can only be left alone to simmer. So, he chose his words carefully.

    "I don''t suggest we enter the Ancient Battlefield. However, we can try to intercept him before he enters the Ancient Battlefield and kill him off. Why leave things to chance? We can kill him before he enters the forbidden ground," Envoy Ming persuaded softly.

    "Hmmm, you make sense," a grizzled old man who was at the peak of the Golden Hall realm agreed. "Let''s not waste any time. We will follow the trail immediately and see if we can kill him off before he enters the Ancient Battlefield."

    The others who wanted to see Duncan dead naturally agreed to it. This heartened Envoy Ming a bit. He also noticed that Young Master Han and Elder Long were in the group who stayed behind. He didn''t think Young Master Han had that much enmity with Duncan. So, his presence intrigued him a bit. But, he didn''t probe into it at this moment.

    "Let''s head off and intercept that miscreant as soon as possible," the grizzled old man harrumphed and immediately set off.

    Envoy Ming followed the group in eager anticipation as well, while the rest retreated back to the Dark Star City.

    *****

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 Chapter 272 Entering the Ancient Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 272 Entering the Ancient Battlefield</h4>

    Duncan stood in front of the region that acted as the buffer between the Ancient Battlefield and the wilderness looking ahead.

    If there was no other choice, he too didn''t want to step foot in that ce. He had read several ounts of the various dangers encountered by Nascent Soul seniors of his sect in that region that, it cast arge shadow in his heart.

    So he didn''t enter the region immediately.

    He was waiting and hoping at this moment. He was waiting to see if his pursuers dared toe after him after knowing where he was headed towards. It would be a test of their determination to kill him off.

    At the same time, he was hoping that they would call off the hunt and retreat. That way, he wouldn''t have to step into this cursed ce. Just looking at the Ancient Battlefield from a distance alone gave him goosebumps.

    He could see the chaotic air currents whizzing in that area even from this distance. The asional shes of light emanating from the distance also didn''t bode well for his confidence in stepping into that region.

    All the ounts he had read in the sect had described this Ancient Battlefield in one word ¨C chaotic. As per the records, there was no constant weather or temperature in that region. One moment it snowed, then the next moment it rained. It was as if even after all these years, the damage being done to that region still remained unabated.

    The experts who had ventured into that region ande out had noted that the powers that were used during that battle several eons ago still remained without copsing. They had formed a somewhat co-existing rtionship with each other.

    Any slight changes to the environment like a stone falling or some other inane thing could set off a chain reaction of those powers. This made the region incredibly dangerous to traverse.

    Duncan didn''t know why he felt like walking towards that region deep in his heart. The moment he learned that his path forward was being blocked by his pursuers, Duncan''s mind immediately came up with the idea of traversing through the Ancient Battlefield.

    Why he had immediately set off in this direction, he wasn''tpletely sold on this idea either. That''s why, even without him realizing he had left his tracks exposed in a bid to deter his pursuers. That was the work of his subconscious mind that recognized the danger he walking into.

    Duncan didn''t have confidence in traversing this forbidden ground. He didn''t think he was someone who was extremely lucky or ungodly skilled to do that. He just had changed his direction towards the Ancient Battlefield on a whim.

    And right now, he was hesitating a lot to even step foot in there.

    It was only natural. While Duncan hadn''t thought much about it during his travel here, the moment he had looked at the distant battlefield, all the stories he had read about it came pouring back into his mind causing his feet to stagnate.

    While Duncan''s mindset had been altered after he entered the Violet Pce realm, the inherent cautiousness in him still remained dormant. And at this juncture, it was rearing its head and making him hesitate.

    Just then, Duncan heard a sound behind him and looked behind.

    In the distance, several shadows were rapidly approaching his ce. Duncan cursed the stubbornness of his pursuers mentally. He really didn''t think this through. And now, he was caught between a rock and a hard ce.

    He knew that with the eyesight of the Golden Hall experts in the pursuing party, they would have already recognized him by now. If even he could see their silhouettes in the setting sun, then they could definitely identify him from this distance.

    And the distance was rapidly shrinking as well.

    Duncan gritted his teeth and looked behind. He knew that even if he had established a legendary foundation, taking on so many Golden Hall cultivators with other cultivators mixed in was not something he could do. Hell, he didn''t even know whether he could take on one Golden Hall expert, let alone a bunch of them together.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan''s eyes firmed up.

    In the front, there was the Ancient Battlefield. If he entered that region, there is a very high chance that he wouldn''t walk out alive. To his behind, his pursuers were closing in. He had no chance to stay alive if they caught up to him.

    There was a sliver of possibility that he could possibly emerge alive if he entered the Ancient Battlefield at this moment. Any further dy will only lead to his death. So, Duncan decided to gamble on that sliver of chance.

    Without wasting any time, Duncan immediately utilized <Wind Chasing Steps> and headed towards the Ancient Battlefield in the front. He could already hear the shouts of anger and denial from his back, but he paid them no heed. In his mind, entering this ce was the only chance he had to stay alive.

    Just as Duncan was near to the Ancient Battlefield, he hollered at his pursuers.

    "Pray that I die inside. If I emerge alive, I will make your lives hell!!!"

    Duncan shouted onest time, before entering the Ancient Battlefield without waiting for the inevitable angry shouts that woulde from behind.

    *****

    "Damn! He really entered the forbidden ground!" one Golden Hall expert eximed as the party came to a stop after seeing Duncan enter.

    Envoy Ming didn''t know how to react to that statement. Duncan''sst words were still echoing in his ears causing him to be a little flustered. He didn''t really believe it until he saw with his own eyes that Duncan entered the Ancient Battlefield.

    "What do we do now?" Envoy Ming asked looking around.

    Just like him, all the cultivators who chased after Duncan had an ugly look on their faces. Duncan''sst words almost made them spit blood. They didn''t think Duncan would be still crazy enough to warn them before entering the Ancient Battlefield.

    "Should we stay for a few hours and make sure that he doesn''t double back?" Envoy Ming asked dejectedly.

    "No need," the grizzled old Golden Hall cultivator spoke with a somber tone. "You might not know this. Entering the Ancient Battlefield is easy enough. Exiting it is an entirely different matter. There is an invisible boundary-like existence engulfing the entire battlefield. That is the only reason that the powers there haven''t expanded further in causing their damage."

    "So, he won''t be able toe out?"

    "Not necessarily," the old man sighed. "If one can find the exit points in the Ancient Battlefield boundary, they can easily walk out. But, the problem is that the exit points keep constantly shifting. That is the reason why many people die in there."

    "The ever-changing nature of the Ancient Battlefield and its inherent danger are only a part of the problem a cultivator might face inside. The biggest issue is finding exit points of the boundary. Without them, you will be constantly under the mercy of the powers that were unleashed eons ago."

    The surrounding cultivators nched hearing that. The Ancient Battlefield sounded more and more like a prison to contain those powers as the information about it was revealed. They couldn''t fathom being under the constant mercy of the powers just because they couldn''t find the exit points in the boundary.

    The mere thought of it made them shiver. If any of them had any intention to follow after Duncan to finish the job and retreat, then none of them had such intentions any longer.

    "It is no use guarding here," the old man told as he straightened up. "The exit points appear randomly. Even if he finds an exit point immediately after entering that region and walks back out, he could appear in any location where there boundary exists. So, we would only be wasting our time here."

    The surrounding cultivators looked at the old man in surprise. They didn''t know he had such intimate knowledge regarding the Ancient Battlefield. The old man was only at the peak of the Golden Hall realm now. So, having such detailed information shocked everyone.

    "Don''t look at me like that," the old man smiled wryly. "My entire family is long dead. I only had my grandson as my descendant to carry on my family legacy. He too died at the hands of that miscreant. My grandson was my pride and joy. His talent in cultivation was far higher than mine."

    "I originally nned to wait till he broke through to the Violet Pce realm before entering the Ancient Battlefield to seek a chance for a breakthrough. My lifespan ising to an end. So, I nned on using the Ancient Battlefield as ast resort to break through and collected all the information I could on it."

    "Now, my grandson is dead. My family legacy is gone. I don''t have anything to live for. Even my lifespan is running out. Right now, all I want to do is to take revenge on the bastard that killed my grandson and didn''t even leave me his body to bury," the old man said with rage simmering in his eyes.

    "Now, even the chance for vengeance was taken away from me," the old man sighed and looked at the spot Duncan had vanished in with hatred.

    The surrounding cultivators didn''t know how to console the old man. They too were here because their progeny was killed. But, unlike the old man, the person who died was just the most talented junior in the family to them. If not that person, another will soon rise up. Their situation was entirely different from that old man''s.

    "Don''t worry about me. You all leave. I am amp that is running out of oil. But, I still have onest me in me. I will not let the culprit of my grandson''s death get away that easily. I will follow him and enter the Ancient Battlefield," the old man said straightening up. "I will make sure he doesn''te out alive!"

    With that, the old man started walking towards the exact same spot where Duncan had vanished from sight.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 273 Changing Terrain

    ?

    Duncan felt the atmosphere shift the moment he entered the boundary of the Ancient Battlefield.

    Even though he was prepared for this phenomenon after reading the ounts in the sect, Duncan couldn''t help but shiver as he felt the atmosphere change. It was decidedly unnerving to experience such a vast change within a single step.

    An eerie silence engulfed the region, cutting off the sounds from outside of the region. The setting sun wasn''t visible anymore. The temperature dropped drastically as well. With the change in the atmosphere, it almost felt as if the Ancient Battlefield waspletely separated from the outer world.

    It felt as if the Ancient Battlefield was a separate entity from the outer world. It kind of made it hard for Duncan to breathe for a moment. Duncan breathed deeply and looked around.

    He knew that there was no going back after entering the Ancient Battlefield. Since he had stepped foot in here, he knew the biggest challenge for him currently was to navigate this treacherous terrain filled with powers that were beyond his imagination.

    Looking back, Duncan was stunned to find that the wilderness that surrounded the Ancient Battlefield had vanished. There was only a hazy mist engulfing the region behind him. It exuded a pressure that Duncan didn''t dare to test out.

    Duncan was unaware of the exit points that appeared randomly in the Ancient Battlefield. Such information was never recorded in the sect annals. What the sect annals mostly talked about was the varying dangers of the terrain in the region and the experience of the seniors. He hadn''t researched much thinking that he wouldn''t be stepping into this ce for a long time toe.

    Duncan frowned seeing that the way back was blocked. He didn''t really like the feeling of being trapped. It made him uneasy. Duncan began to realize that perhaps he had very little knowledge regarding the Ancient Battlefield and he may have gotten into waters that were way above his head.

    Seeing that the way behind was blocked, Duncan realized that the only way for him to proceed was in the front. Duncan turned his eyes towards the front and examined the terrain.

    The terrain looked simr to the wilderness outside, but the sand grains were far more coarser and very rugged. There weren''t any nts or animals in sight. Even grass couldn''t be seen. It looked akin to a desert, only if the desert was made of grains and not sand.

    Wherever he looked, Duncan felt a feeling of destion engulfing the area. It almost suffocated him. Considering his narrow escape from the Golden Hall experts who were chasing after him, the mood only affected him much more than it usually did.

    "Just standing in this ce is already affecting my mood," Duncan mumbled to himself and looked around warily. "The deste feeling I could feel in the surroundings is starting to creep into my heart as well."

    Duncan shook his head and began to move. He hoped that by keeping his body moving, he would be free from the deste feeling at least in his heart. But, the reality was very different from what he expected.

    Duncan could feel the sense of destion he felt only be more and more prominent as he made his way inwards. Even his thoughts were beginning to turn slightly deste at this juncture causing his heart to be a little listless.

    Duncan increased his speed in a bid to escape the feeling of destion that was creeping into him. He wanted to get out of this region before he would bepletely listless. He could feel the influence of the atmosphere affecting his thoughts and heart more and more as time passed.

    *****

    The old man stepped into the Ancient Battlefield with a serious expression on his face.

    The next moment he felt scorching heat engulf him. He immediately circted his qi to regte his body temperature. Yet, the heat seared him despite his precautions. The old man frowned slightly and looked behind him.

    As he expected, a hazy mist covered the region behind him. Seeing it he couldn''t help but sigh. Even though he knew that the boundary existed, it was still something to experience personally like this.

    The old man tried to move backward and out of the Ancient Battlefield.

    The next moment, he felt a pressure pushing him away from the mist. The moment his body made contact with the mist, he was sted backward. The old man rolled around and got up from the ground. He coughed slightly emitting some blood. It was clear that he had been slightly injured internally while testing the barrier.

    "It was a good thing that I wasn''t too forceful. If not, I don''t know what I state I would be in," the old man mumbled taking a few medicine pills from his space ring and popping them into his mouth. "Now that the legends have been confirmed, it is time to hunt down that rat that killed my grandson. After killing him, I can search for a breakthrough here."

    The old man looked around and found himself in a region that was filled with rocks and boulders. The scorching heat that was shining down on the rocks only made it even more unbearable.

    Grimacing a little, the old man scoured the region for Duncan''s presence. However, after a few minutes, he began to frown. No matter how he searched, he couldn''t find any trace of Duncan. Even his spirit consciousness wasn''t able to notice any trace of Duncan.

    "Sigh," the old man frowned, "It is as I expected. I was worried this might happen. There is no trace of that rat. I clearly entered from the same location he did, but he is nowhere to be found here. It looks like a minor teleporting formation is engulfing the battlefield as well. But, I didn''t feel any teleportation around me thoughˇ­"

    The old man frowned unable to make heads or tails of the situation he was present in. But, one thing was clear to him. Teleportation or not, the region he entered and the region that his prey entered were clearly different. That left only one thing to do.

    "It looks like I need to hunt him down in here as well," the old man said a little sullenly and looked up at the bright sun that was shining down on him. "From dusk to midday. From wilderness to rocky terrain. The Ancient Battlefield surely lives up to its mysterious nature."

    "But, it doesn''t matter. Even if I have to scour the entire battlefield, I will find that rat and kill him. Xin-er you don''t need to worry. Grandpa will avenge you. As long as he carries around the palm sword I gave you, I will be able to find him no matter where he goes."

    The old man dered to himself and started traversing the rocky terrain with determined strides.

    *****

    Some distance away from the Ancient Battlefieldˇ­

    "Young Master, what are we supposed to do right now?" one of Han Shindong''s subordinates asked him anxiously.

    Han Shindong frowned slightly hearing that question. Even he was a little unsure of what their next actions should be. Even though he had left the vicinity of the Ancient Battlefield along with the other sect representatives and Envoy Ming, he felt as if he was cheated out somehow.

    Thus, after being separated from the sect representatives, he gathered his subordinates and advisors to discuss about Duncan. Being asked so directly what their next step was, he didn''t have a proper answer.

    "Forget about following him into the Ancient Battlefield. You all saw how many Golden Hall experts wanted to kill that person. However, only one dared to enter the Ancient Battlefield after him. And too because he had some unresolvable grudges with that person," Elder Long said in a no-nonsense tone causing everyone to nod along.

    "What does it say? It means, even Golden Hall cultivators are afraid of that ce. I am not an exception to that either. I too am afraid of stepping in there before I reach the Nascent Soul realm. If you n to follow him into the Ancient Battlefield, you will only be courting death with your cultivation, hmph!" Elder Long ended his speech with a harrumph causing everyone to sheepishly look away.

    While the others let out a relieved sigh, Han Shindong alone looked a little reluctant. His thoughts kept circling around the possibility of Duncan obtaining some treasure in the Grotto Heaven.

    After Duncan had entered the Ancient Battlefield boldly, this thought had only strengthened. He didn''t think Duncan would dare to enter the Ancient Battlefield without any insurance to ensure his survival.

    Considering the level of danger that the Ancient Battlefield boasted, Han Shindong felt the possibility of Duncan relying on a treasure to survive that ce was far higher than the other options he had considered prior.

    And this evoked his greed more than anything.

    Any treasure that could help people navigate a treacherousnd like the Ancient Battlefield will be rare and powerful. Considering Duncan''s actions after exiting the Grotto Heaven and the way he repeatedly defied the odds to emerge victorious, Han Shindong felt that the only possibility was a treasure in his hands.

    Elder Long watched the struggle on Han Shindong''s face and understood what he was thinking. They were the only two in their group to be aware of the possibility of Duncan possessing a valuable treasure.

    "Young Master," Elder Long called causing Han Shindong to look up. "I understand your thoughts. But, the Ancient Battlefield is very dangerous. None of us are strong enough to enter there."

    Elder Long paused and shot a meaningful look at Han Shindong. Han Shindong''s mind quickly deciphered that look. While it wasn''t impossible to hunt Duncan in the Ancient Battlefield, it meant asking for help from his n.

    However, if he did that, the suspicion regarding the treasure couldn''t be hidden. He needed to provide a valid reason for the n to provide help. In that case, on whose hands the treasure would end up ultimately will not be in his hands.

    As soon as he realized that, Han Shindong''s face became dignified.

    "I understand," Han Shindong nodded at Elder Long. "I will try to see if my Elder Brother is willing to help. If not, let''s wait for him to emerge out of the Ancient Battlefield and go after himter."

    Elder Long nodded in an approving manner. Young Master Han had grown up a lot in recent times. He was beginning to witness it very clearly. Earlier, Young Master Han would only be concerned about the treasure and wouldn''t think much about theplications in acquiring it. Now, he was beginning to think a little ahead and n for it. It showed his maturity.

    "I will get my hands on that treasure one way or another," Han Shindong mumbled and gestured for his subordinates to move out.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 274 Lethargy

    <h4>Chapter 274 Lethargy</h4>

    Duncan felt the despondency in the air affecting him more and more as time passed in the region.

    He could feel his thoughts be stagnant. The desire to walk was slowly beginning to wane. A kind ofziness was seeping into his body. His heart became unmotivated as well. It was a bizarre feeling to describe properly.

    His mind started thinking about various incidents in his past where he personally experienced loss and became disheartened. The day he realized that as an orphan he had no one to support him in the world shed through his mind.

    The day he figured out that Ba only slept with him because of money and not because she had any affection towards him also reappeared in his mind. The days he spent toiling in the mines day after day, trying to earn the meager coins that were awarded were also remembered.

    Duncan began to feel as if he had experienced a tragedy that had left him despondent. No matter how he tried to move past it, it seemed to cling onto him. He could barely rouse the motivation to walk across the region.

    Duncan looked at the dark sky and felt even more dejected in his heart. He knew that this was the effect of the environment around him. But, it didn''t make it any easier. The dark sky above him clung onto him like a dark cloud breeding thoughts of despondency in his heart.

    He didn''t know how much time passed. His lips became parched, but he felt toozy to open his spirit ring and drink anything from it. He knew he had all the required food. He knew he had prepared for it. But, something prevented him from taking them out. It was as if eating or drinking didn''t matter to him at all.

    Duncan''s legs felt like lead. He had to drag them to make them move. It took tremendous willpower on his part to just make his body move. Countless times the thought of just sitting down and resting appeared in his mind. But, Duncan stubbornly forced his body to move with a dogged determination.

    He knew that if he took a rest even for a minute, he wouldn''t get up at all. If his body began to rest and his will began to waver, he would never be able to muster the motivation to move afterward. It was as if the surroundings were sucking away all his energy.

    Looking at the dark sky above him, Duncan wondered how long it had been since he had entered this region. To him, it felt like several weeks at present. But a sane part of his mind rebutted it and kept reminding him to walk out of the region at any cost.

    Just then, Duncan''s foot slipped. His feet tripped over a jutting bone causing him to fall down. Duncan felt his mind clear for a second before the lethargy once more upied his mindpletely. Hey there on the ground without any intention to turn over or get up.

    Even turning his head felt like a huge effort.

    Duncan didn''t know what prompted him, but he somehow wriggled until he could see what had caused him to fall. The vision of the jutting bone from the ground came to his eyes.

    Duncan stared at the bone nkly. His stare didn''t have any emotions in it. He felt that even feeling emotions was too much hassle at this moment. No anger or disappointment emanated from his heart. He merely stared at the jutting bone for a while without any thought passing through his mind.

    Right now, he felt like sleeping here and forgetting about anything and everything. His mind which had been on constant alert and operation since he left Leia weed the reprieve and began to shut down slowly.

    Duncan feltpletely at peace at this moment. There were no worries about what his master and the sect were nning. There were no pursuers to be ahead of. There was no immediate need to do anything. There was no motivation to be stronger so that he could roam freely.

    In short, nothing felt like a burden anymore. He realized that these burdens were things that he took it upon himself. He realized that he needn''t care about them at all. They only affected him if he paid attention to them.

    Here and now, none of those things mattered.

    He could finally rest his body and pass away the time. It had been ages since he had a proper sleep. Just this once, having a good sleep wouldn''t be much of an issue, right? He could just sleep first. Later, he could wake up and worry about all these things. Everyone deserved some rest.

    Just as Duncan''s eyelids began to close, he heard a voice from a distance yelling at him to not close his eyes. The voice was so irritating that he couldn''t help but frown. No matter how he tried to evade the voice, it kept echoing in his mind. Duncan just didn''t want to deal with that voice at this moment.

    Every time his eyelids closed slightly, the voice appeared causing him to be irritated. So, Duncan kept his eyes open just to appease that voice but did nothing after that. Hey there on the ground with his eyes wide open for a long time.

    Duncan didn''t realize the passage of time.

    To him, everything felt the same. There was no difference between this moment and the next moment. He was kind of in a limbo. His brain had begun to shut down as well. No thoughts appeared in his mind as he stared nkly at the jutting bone andy there limply.

    After a long time, Duncan''s eyelids started itching from the effort of having to keep it open. Duncan began to close his eyelids once more to relieve the itch. But, that infernal voice once more appeared causing him to be irritated.

    It was peaceful here. No worries. No pressure. He could just rest here for a while. But, this infernal voice kept disturbing this peace for a long time. He couldn''t help but be irritated with it.

    Duncan tried to shake his head, even though he was face down on the ground. What resulted was his twisting unnaturally and assuming a strange position where his eyelids remained open and his entire body twisted into itself.

    Due to his recent movement, Duncan''s field of vision had changed slightly. So, after getting rid of that infernal voice, what Duncan saw this time wasn''t a jutting bone. Rather, what appeared to him was a pile of bones that were littered in front of his eyes.

    Duncan watched the pile of bones without blinking for a while. He didn''t feel anything. Normally, he would be curious as to the pile of bones that appeared in his vision suddenly. But, right now, his mind had shut downpletely and no thoughts appeared in it.

    Duncany in his unnatural position for a long time.

    Suddenly, out of nowhere, a thought appeared in his mind to investigate the pile of bones. Duncan lifted his head with lethargy and looked at the pile of bones. They all seemed to belong to some kind of animal. To be exact, they looked like the remains of a dead animal.

    Duncan felt uneasy looking at them. His mind seemed to be telling something to him when his eyesnded on that pile of bones. But, no words seemed to be forming in his mind. It was still nk, but the uneasy feeling existed for no reason at all.

    Duncan didn''t like it one bit.

    So, with great effort, Duncan turned his head and tried to not look at that pile of bones. But his movements destabilized his unnatural position, causing him to flip over and lie on his back.

    Now, his vision was filled with the dark sky. Duncan didn''t like that either. But,pared to the uneasy feeling the pile of bones gave, he preferred this and thusy therezily not moving his body.

    Looking at the dark sky for a long time didn''t seem very difficult either. It didn''t make it hard on his eyes as well. So, Duncan rxed as he looked at the dark sky hanging above him.

    The dark sky gave him a sense of peace that no other visual had given him. The slow thoughts that were beginning to form in his mind were soon extinguished as Duncan forgot everything around in looking at the dark sky.

    Time passed. Duncany there staring at the dark sky in a daze. He had no movements. Even his heart started beating slowly. It was as if his entire body began to shut down slowly.

    Duncan was unaware of the danger he was in.

    Right now, all he could think of, that too even if he could form thoughts in his current situation, was that of how peaceful everything looked and felt. He had no clue as to the dire situation of his body beginning to shut down.

    As time passed, Duncan''s body began to shut down slowly. His limbs turned limp. His muscle movements stopped. His breathing grew shallower. Even his heartbeat became slow and irregr. Only his wide-open eyes and the light of life left in them were indications of him still being alive. That too, for now.

    More time passed and Duncan''s eyelids began to close as well. This time there was no voice to warn him of it. His eyelids began to slowly descend and with time theypletely closed.

    Duncan''s breathing became non-existent as well. His heartbeat was nowhere to be found. Duncan''s mind entered a state that was just a step above that of death. It began to slowly move towards the state of death as well...

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 275 Combating despondency

    <h4>Chapter 275 Combating despondency</h4>

    Just then, a lone thought whizzed through Duncan''s mind causing his stagnant mind to be active for a second.

    In that second, Duncan grasped the thought. The moment his mind processed the thought and its implications, his heart started to beat as well. Duncan''s closed eyes shot open in panic.

    The thought that whizzed through Duncan''s mind was simple. That pile of bones belonged to a beast that tried to rest just like himself. Just like it, he would never get up.

    And the implications it brought forth caused panic to emerge in Duncan''s mind.

    Dire emotions cause excess activity in a person''s body. Cultivators were not an exception to this phenomenon. This startled Duncan so much that his body automatically started functioning in a bid to escape this situation.

    His eyes shot open in panic. His heart started pumping more blood into his body. His brain tried to remain active. His mind became chaotic in his fear of death. When Duncan realized that he had almost entered a state of death due to the lethargy he was feeling, his fear of death overcame the despondency that was invading his body and his body began to fight it instinctively.

    Duncan''s body started twitching uncontrobly.

    Even though he had regained consciousness a little, the effort he needed to ovee the lethargy that had invaded his mind and soul was enormous. Duncan wasn''t in a state to quickly make that effort and take control of his body.

    However, the primal instincts in his body were now working overtime tobat the lethargy even with Duncan''s conscious input. They were fighting back against the lethargy causing the nerves in his body to spasm uncontrobly.

    Duncan slowly regained control of his body and it stopped twitching. He wriggled his toes, moved his fingers, blinked his eyes, and tried to make a sound. He concentrated on performing the most basic actions as of now.

    Even though he understood the state of rest he was in currently could lead to his death, Duncan wasn''t immediately able to jump up and start moving out of this region. So, he concentrated on keeping his body and mind active in order to fight the lethargy in his body slowly.

    Once he feltfortable, he began to move his arms, then legs and finally tried to sit up. Even that felt like a huge task to him. His mind didn''t have any aim. Whenever he tried to form an aim in his mind, the lethargy crept in and made him feel like that it was too much effort.

    But, Duncan wasn''t deterred easily.

    He slowly tried to form coherent thoughts first. Then he concentrated on keeping his body active by only thinking about what to do next. Like this, Duncan slowly fought back against the lethargy that had invaded his body.

    Feeling Duncan''s distress, both his mind and body started producing the signals andponents that were required for a body to function in excess. His heart started pumping more blood. His mind secreted the hormones and otherponents that kept the body functioning in excess as well.

    Atst, Duncan with a flushed face sat up and looked around.

    Earlier, he hadn''t paid much attention to the surroundings due to the lethargy that invaded his body. His mind and soul were despondent. Nothing really mattered at that time. Duncan could only focus on keeping his body moving.

    But now, as he looked around at the surrounding region, Duncan was able to see the various piles of bones that were buried beneath the gravel. Some were jutting out and some were partially hidden in the gravel. But, more often than not, everything was mostly covered by the gravel.

    Looking at the piles of bones that were littered in the surroundings, Duncan felt a chill envelop his heart. He never imagined that his first life-and-death fight would ur in such a bizarre manner after stepping foot into the Ancient Battlefield. Moreover, he hadn''t even traversed the Ancient Battlefield for that long.

    While the time felt far longer than it actually was, Duncan was able to have a vague sense of it by gauging the distance he had traveled. Even though he had been constantly moving, it didn''t mean that he had covered arge area.

    What made Duncan feel fear was that this kind of thing was entirely new to him. He didn''t have any chance to fight before almost tasting death inside this region. This made him realize that the dangers inside the Ancient Battlefield wouldn''t alone be from other people or beasts roaming inside. There were esoteric powers he couldn''t fathom here at work as well.

    One small slip-up might cause his death.

    Duncan''s face became dignified as he came to this realization. He slowly climbed to his feet. The jolt of near death he had experienced had jarred his soul awake as well. Right now, he only wanted to get out of this region alive first. He didn''t even care about whether the Golden Hall experts came into the Ancient Battlefield to search after him.

    Making a decision, Duncan began to slowly once again move. This time, he was very careful not to make his earlier mistakes. He took care where he stepped and he kept thinking about a lot of things that he usually avoided thinking about to keep his mind active.

    He also kept constantly mumbling under his breath to make sure that his mind stayed active. He waved his hands and performed some martial arts haphazardly in a bid to keep his body active as well. Even though there were no forms in those martial arts, just punching and waving his arms in the empty air made the blood flow through his body more actively.

    Now that his body had gotten ustomed to the lethargy that had invaded him and his soul was actively fighting against the despondency that was creeping in, Duncan felt a little more confident in making his way across this cursed region.

    As time passed, Duncan began to think of the times when he was working monotonously in the spirit mines. That experience aided him a lot inbating the despondency that invaded his soul.

    He had experienced such emotions in his earlier days. While it wasn''t to this degree, he had experienced being dejected and losing the will to live earlier. Drawing from that experience, Duncan began to think of a way to beat this invasion of his soul.

    The lethargy in his body was not a big issue. While the despondency in his soul might havesting effects if he didn''t take care of it now. Duncan realized this and began to search for ways tobat it.

    He knew that this was the atmosphere of the Ancient Battlefield that was causing this. He didn''t know why or how it was being perpetrated. But, he knew that this kind of feeling was very invasive as time passed. He had almost lost the will to live earlier. So, Duncan was very afraid of such a thing repeating again.

    His bid to get rid of the despondency led him back to think about the times he had felt this emotion and how he hade out of this. Duncan realized the despondency that the atmosphere induced in his heart and soul also magnified the amount of such feelings in his heart.

    He could vividly remember that he wasn''t so despondent when he went through these experiences. What he had felt at that time was now being magnified severalfold. These magnified feelings were bombarding his heart and soul constantly making it hard for him to put in the effort tobat these feelings.

    Thinking back on the time when he suffered from these things, Duncan realized that his go-to option while experiencing such things was to drink to his heart''s content and forget about the entire thing. However, Duncan realized that it might not be an option right now.

    After all, if he got drunk and forgot his purpose, then he would end up dead in this region. Only the purpose of wanting to get out of here was keeping him moving at this moment. Furthermore, Duncan realized that he hadn''t dealt with his emotions properly in the first ce.

    By getting drunk and forgetting about these things, he had merely numbed himself to these feelings. Now that they were being magnified by this environment, Duncan was feeling the magnified effects of them as well. The best way to deal with it was to deal with his own original memories that evoked despondency in his heart.

    However, saying it was easy, but doing it wasn''t.

    Emotions areplicated things. They are interlinked with his memories and experiences in this world. Each event that happened in his life had a corresponding emotion attached to it. The first step was to identify it and then he had to resolve it.

    Duncan didn''t think the task would be an easy one.

    After thinking long and hard, Duncan decided on a stop-gap approach. Instead of trying to resolve these emotions, Duncan figured that he could try to shift the emotions of these events to a new emotion.

    For example, he could try to change the despondency in his heart when he had learned of Bessa''s true intentions towards something angry or relief. In that way, the despondency he had experienced in his heart can be resolved without trying tobat the underlying reasons behind it.

    Decision made, Duncan began to act on it while traversing the region.

    *****

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 Chapter 276 Great Changes

    <h4>Chapter 276 Great Changes</h4>

    Emotions in itself are aplicated minefield.

    Duncan didn''t have much experience with dealing with them. He was blunt man by nature. He didn''t have the nuance or the wide range of emotions. So, he didn''t have much exposure whening to dealing with them.

    However he understood base emotions like anger, frustration, happiness, relief, sadness and so on. So, the first step he tried to do when trying to alter the emotion associated with his experience was to try to attach another emotion to it and let it dominate the despondency that was being magnified severalfold.

    Duncan tried to work with positive emotions like happiness and joy first. However, the inherent emotion of the memory was that of a negative light. He had been feeling pretty down and out during those times. That''s why he tried to forget them by drowning them in wine. Trying to alter such a baseponent was not possible for him at this time.

    So, Duncan had to settle for other negative emotions that could aid him inbatting the despondency that was being magnified. The first emotion that came to Duncan''s mind was anger. Anger was something he was very familiar with. So, Duncan felt that he could attach that emotion to the memories that brought forth despondence and let it dominate the original emotion of the memory.

    Duncan first picked the memory where he was feeling down and out because of not having any support when he was working as a spirit stone miner. He picked it because most of the memories attached to that period were filled with despair and a kind of numb feeling to the world.

    He had gotten out of it somehow in theter days, but those early days when he was just a little teenager who was trying to survive this world as an orphan were too many to count. And these memories were the ones that were majorly affected by this region.

    So, Duncan began to try to add anger to those memories. He thought of how helpless he had been at that time and how no one had extended a helping hand. Apart from Granny Jiao, no one had cared for him at that time. Duncan used that feeling of being ignored by the world to nurture the anger in his heart.

    He began to slowly me that emotion of being angry due to negligence. Miraculously, it seemed to work too well. Duncan was taken aback a little bit, but he nevertheless continued the process.

    He tried to attach the anger that was inherent in him to these emotions. Slowly, the anger began to dominate his mind and he started moving away from the despondency induced by the environment here.

    Just thinking back on how no one had helped him during that time brought forth a me of rage that seemed to be burning bright in his heart after some time. He felt unnecessary anger towards the world in general. He looked down on those people who had left him to muddle along without helping him.

    He didn''t care about why they needed to help or what they could have helped with. All he knew was that no one helped him when he had struggled as a mortal. He had worked like a ve under the tyranny of cultivators who supervised that spirit mine.

    He had been yelled at, shoved around and even sometimes pped in the head for being too weak and too slow toplete the tasks. These weren''t stuff he made up either. They were always there. It had actually happened to him when he was just starting out in the spirit mines.

    Until now, Duncan hadn''t thought about these things much. He had simply shrugged them away. But, when the emotion of anger was attached to it, these memories were shed in a new light.

    All he could see was how badly he was treated then.

    Duncan wanted to do something about it. At that time, he didn''t have any cultivation to speak of. So, he had toy low and act meek. But now, his cultivation far surpassed those cultivators. He wanted to give back a severalfold of what treatment he had received at that time.

    But, there was a problem with that sentiment.

    All those men were dead or gone after the destruction of his vige. He didn''t know where they lived currently. This made it impossible for him to enact his revenge on them. And this made Duncan angry as well.

    The embers he had fanned so far started burning bright with a mad desire to consume everything. The rage that came upon Duncan when he realized that he couldn''t take revenge for his treatment made him swear angrily.

    Duncan hated the people who destroyed his vige. He loathed them like no other in this world. He decided to nurse this hatred slowly and find those people one day and take revenge. Furthermore, they had killed Granny Jiao, the only person who cared for him to a certain extent.

    Duncan felt that Granny Jiao was very precious to him. She was the only one who had even cared about an orphan like him. These people have killed her as well. Not only did they take away his chance for revenge, leading him to not know where the cultivators who were present were, but they also took away the only soul to show him kindness.

    Duncan felt his rage burn just thinking about these people. Even though his heart realized that he wouldn''t be able to do anything to these people with his current strength, the desire still became rooted in his heart more firmer than ever at this moment.

    Like this, every despondent moment he experienced shed through Duncan''s mind. In a bid tobat the magnified emotions due to the environment, Duncan constantly attached anger and rage to those memories.

    What Duncan didn''t know was that these artificial altering of the emotions he experienced and attaching anger and rage to his memories were also having a profound effect on Duncan''s psyche at this moment. He was unaware of the potential problems this altered psyche could bring to him.

    Before entering this region and experiencing the magnified emotions, Duncan was pretty level-headed. He understood the simple truths of the world due to his experience as a mortal for eighteen years and hade to terms with that.

    However, he had forcefully altered the emotions attached to those memories in a bid tobat the current crisis. While it did help Duncan to ovee the current problems he faced, he was unaware of the potential detrimental effects of it as well.

    Memories are the building blocks of a person''s psyche. They and the emotions that were attached to them will determine how a person will react to a certain situation that urs currently.

    They basically determine a person''s personality in loose terms.

    There is a difference between a person who experiences a loss and gets dejected and a person who experiences a loss and still moves forward. The emotions and how one processes these events will determine the basic personality of a person.

    Duncan had a pretty healthy personality until this moment. Sure, he was a bit cautious, but he wasn''t a coward. Sure, he was a bit blunt, but that didn''t mean he didn''t understand nuances. His upbringing had shaped him up to be so.

    But, right now, Duncan had altered one of the building blocks of his upbringing.

    And this naturally had a profound effect on him as well. It is just that, Duncan wasn''t aware of what he was bing currently. Duncan''s mind was solely concentrated onbating the despondency that he was unwittingly walking a slippery slope.

    Anger in small doses is good. Anger in appropriate ces is even important to possess. Anger in excess might only bring unwanted and unsolicited trouble to a person''s door.

    Anger and rage were termed as negative emotions for a reason. They are like a fire that devours the very person who thrives on it. They will twist making them be short-tempered. They will make them seek out violence as an outlet. They will make a person cruel and sadistic. And there are several more detrimental effects.

    That is why bnce among emotions is required.

    Duncan, in his ignorance, had made himself a ball of anger. Anger at everything and towards everything. This altered the basic personality that he had cultivated so far. It made him impulsive and short-tempered.

    Duncan, at this stage, was nothing but a ball of anger deep in his heart. Even he didn''t know what word would set him off at this point. While the anger fueled him currently, and made himbat the despondency induced by the surroundings, it also left behind several dangerous traps for him to fall into.

    Duncan, who was unaware of these hidden dangers, only rejoiced at the moment as he felt the despondency in his soul and the lethargy in his body were being neutralized. Due to his constant anger-induced state, Duncan''s eyes started turning red.

    While Duncan became far more active in this state and his body started cooperating more with him due to the inherent anger stemming from his heart, it also had some adverse effects on his soul and body.

    Nevertheless, Duncan felt that he had seeded in his endeavor. He could already feel that his control over his body had increased and his mind had cleared up a bit. Looking at the surroundings that almost caused him death, Duncan felt rage burn in his heart. He wanted nothing to do with this damned ce.

    He didn''t know what caused this region to be so cursed. His cultivation hadn''t been raised to such an extent yet. He couldn''t perceive the world in such depth yet. This impotence on his part only angered him further.

    He knew he wouldn''t be able to pursue the root cause behind this phenomenon. Hisck of cultivation made sure of it. He still didn''t understand how such a region could exist in the first ce. But, Duncan vowed in his heart that he would return to this ce once again when his cultivation was high enough and solve this riddle.

    Taking onest look at the surroundings, Duncan began trekking across the region with increased vigor. He now had a new purpose in his heart and this one suited him more than the passive one he had earlier.

    Duncan smiled brightly as he made his way unaware that the region had already damaged his psyche to a great extent.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 277 Beautiful Garden

    <h4>Chapter 277 Beautiful Garden</h4>

    Duncan stepped out of the region with a proud smile on his face.

    He looked behind at the region that had caused him such trouble with a mocking sneer on his face. Even though this region had tried its best, Duncan felt that he had handled himself admirably and sessfully walked out of this damned ce without much damage to his soul.

    With an uncharacteristic sneer, Duncan turned his back to the region and looked at the new region he had stepped in. Unlike the previous one where there was nothing as far as his eyes could see, Duncan could see beauty everywhere he looked in this region.

    Walking out of a barrennd filled with animal bones all over and arriving at a peaceful garden almost made him smile. It relieved his tense heart and rxed his mind which was constantly on alert earlier.

    The region in front of him was filled with blossoming flowers. Petals danced all around creating a peaceful atmosphere. Just looking at it was enough to refresh his heart. Duncan couldn''t help but sigh looking at the beautiful garden that was spread in front of him.

    Seeing such a beautiful garden made Duncan let his guard down a little. Only a little though, he wasn''t a fool topletely let go of his vignce. But, he couldn''t fathom such a beautiful ce containing any kind of hidden murderousness like the previous region either.

    And the breeze that was blowing past his face made him feel nostalgic for a moment.

    Duncan shook away his wandering thoughts and stepped carefully into the region. He was on the lookout for any danger that could be present here. Looking at this ce that was able to remain untainted in this murderous Ancient Battlefield, Duncan felt a little vignt as well.

    But, the vignce in his heart wasn''t very high.

    The idyllic scene in front of him rxed his heart and soul a lot. The tense posture his body had been maintained rxed as well. As the tension left his body, Duncan felt at peace after a long time.

    He licked his parched lips and looked at the scenery in wonder.

    In front of him was a gardenprised of various flowers. Their smell tingled his nostrils and made him want to take a sniff of them. Just inhaling the air present in the region was enough to let him feel the freshness in it.

    In the previous region, even the air in that region was tainted with a sense of despondency. It almost made it difficult for him to breathe for a long time. However, this fresh air was just the thing he needed to let go of that horrible experience in his mind.

    Duncan didn''t enter the garden immediately. He felt that disturbing this garden''s serene atmosphere with his rude approach would be akin to profaning something beautiful. So, he stood and watched the beautiful scenery for a long time without blinking. He was just taking it all in with a rare thirst in his eyes.

    Duncan was sure that he had never witnessed such beautiful scenery in his life. His life was filled with mines, grasnds, and wilderness so far. Even in the cities, the scenery wasn''t this beautiful.

    Sure, the cities he had visited so far were very few. But, Duncan had at least glimpsed at the opulent andvish decorations in those ces. Despite the artistry and all the other stuff that thosevish decorations boasted, they could never beat this scenery in front of him.

    Those decorations had a sense of artificial feeling to them. It was as if someone was imposing their aesthetic sense onto him. But here, the garden blended in with nature perfectly. Everything was natural. From the flowers that were spread before him to the breeze that blew threw them to reach him, every aspect of the scenery felt natural, perfect, and refreshing to Duncan.

    Even the petals that danced on the breeze had a strange rhythm to them that almost made him mesmerized. His eyes couldn''t help but be drawn in by them either. Duncan felt like rxing in this region for a bit.

    The only thing he couldpare this scene was with the naked form of a woman who was in her pleasure throes. Duncan had always been fascinated by it. Watching this scene reminded him of those asions.

    Duncan smiled heartily and took in the scenery in a hungry manner. Suddenly his mind went back to those nights with Leia he had experienced recently. Her lithe body and dexterous movements shed through his mind. The beauty and passion she exuded while in the throes of pleasure were always a treat to watch for him.

    With a smile, Duncan sat down nning to rx in the midst of this beautiful scenery for a bit. He took out a wine jar and sipped it as he enjoyed the beautiful scenery. With wine in one hand and a feast of beauty before his eyes, Duncan felt fulfilled all of a sudden.

    The rage in his heart cooled considerably and the irritation he had also subsided.

    Duncan took sip after sip in a leisurely manner and wet his lips with his favorite drink in the world. His entire body rxed at this moment as he watched the petals dancing in the wind with a calm mind.

    Duncan felt his mind clear a bit as he watched those petals mesmerized. He felt as if those petals were trying to tell him something. His eyes and soul were both attracted to them as he watched them swirl aroundzily in the air. He could feel that the petals also followed a certain path in their movements, but he could never grasp it.

    This didn''t cause dejection to Duncan. It only made him feel intrigued. He was hooked by their mysterious movement and wanted to decipher the secrets behind them very much. Duncan rxed on the ground watching the mysterious dance of the petals avidly.

    After experiencing such a brutal struggle for his life in the previous region, Duncan felt that he deserved some rest and leisure. And this ce, in his opinion, was perfect for it. It had everything one could ask for to rx. The only thing missing was a woman to spend time with.

    For a second there, Duncan even doubted that this region was simr to the previous one, where it lulled a person into carelessness and then pounced on him. But, no matter how he tried to perceive it, Duncan didn''t feel any ill intenting from the region.

    There were no foreign emotions that crept into his soul and made him feel one way or another. Every emotion he had experienced after stepping here has been his. The beauty and peace exuded by this region wasn''t a lie either.

    So, Duncan didn''t mind it much and decided to rest here for a bit before continuing on with his journey.

    That was another thing he noticed. This region didn''t want to influence him to stay either. It was just like every other ce he had experienced in his travels. It was just there present amidst this brutal battlefield. That alone made it a rare ce to chance across.

    By now, Duncan had figured out certain characteristics of the Ancient Battlefield. While he didn''t know the secret behind the varying atmosphere or what caused them, he understood that the Ancient Battlefield was littered with such things all over.

    Some were inherently dangerous, some were quite harmless like this garden, and some might even be a mix of both. Duncan didn''t think this region was harmful to him. It had already aided him a lot by helping his body and mind rx after his ordeal in the previous region.

    So, Duncan decided to let go of his suspicions for now and rx a little in this beautiful garden first. Who knows when he wille across such a scenery once more in his life?

    Duncan watched the petals drift through the garden sipping his wine and enjoying the idyllic atmosphere a lot. He felt a sense of peace as he gazed at the beautiful scenery before him.

    Just then, a lone petal drifted away from the cluster of petals in the garden and started approaching his location. Duncan tracked its movement with his eyes with no apparent interest in it at first.

    But, as the petal approached him, Duncan felt something within it attracting him a lot. So, he reached out with his hand and tried to grab it. The moment Duncan grabbed the petal he felt a slight sting of pain that confused him a bit.

    Duncan looked at his fingers that had sped the petal and found a small wound appearing on the finger that had touched the edge of the petal unwittingly. Intrigued, he brought the petal closer and looked at it closely.

    The petal didn''t look any different. It''s just the edges were very sharp. The wound had been caused by that sharp edge when he grasped the petal. The membrane of the petal felt like a flower, but the edges were just unnaturally sharp.

    It was almost like aˇ­ sword.

    Duncan''s eyebrows rose as he looked into the distance at the cluster of petals dancing in the breeze.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 278 Sword Intent

    ?

    A/N: Hey folks,

    Let me take this moment to let you guys know that I am immensely grateful for all the appreciation you have shown mest month. Last month, all stats for this book atleast doubled. While I delivered over 75 chapters from my end, you guys showed due appreciation for it as well. This made me immensely happy and proud.

    That being said, we will be continuing to participate in the Win-Win Event this month as well. I will be putting out two chapters a day starting from tomorrow. Hope to have all your support through this month as well...

    That''s it from my end folks... Once again, I am grateful to all the readers of this book!!!

    *****

    Duncan''s eyebrows rose as he looked into the distance at the cluster of petals dancing in the breeze.

    Considering how many petals were drifting in the region, Duncan realized that this area wasn''t with its own dangers either. Compared to the soul-creeping despondency, the danger here was very physical, but hidden.

    Looking closely at the lone petal in his hands, Duncan felt a trace of something rted to swords present in it as well. While it was akin to his sword light, it was more condensed and advanced than his sword light. Duncan had a vague guess on what it could be.

    "Is this sword intent?" Duncan mumbled to himself in disbelief.

    He could feel that the feeling that was associated with swords was very potent. Even a small petal was able to make him bleed. It can be seen how powerful it was for such a thing to happen.

    Duncan''s body had be far more powerful than when he was at the Spirit Sea realm. The mysterious blessing from the vision of his Violet Pce had strengthened his body as well. His body had be more tough as well. However, a mere petal was able to injure him this deeply. Duncan knew it wouldn''t be something possible if the petal was ordinary.

    The only thing he could associate with swords that could cause such deep damage was sword intent. Duncan had read about them a lot but had never experienced it in a clear-cut manner. This is the first time he hase into contact with sword intent in real-time.

    Duncan looked at his bleeding fingers and frowned slightly.

    By all logic, his injury must have been healed by now. His regeneration speed wasn''t slow at all. He had seen his body heal cuts that were still bleeding a second ago. However, his regeneration didn''t seem to work when it came to this wound.

    Apart from the small cut that bled, there seemed to be something present in his wound that was keeping it open. Duncan could feel a sharp sword aura in the wound that was more domineering than his sword light.

    Duncan was immediately intrigued by this and tried to probe it with his spirit consciousness. The moment his spirit consciousness touched the sword aura inside the wound, it was shredded into pieces as well.

    Duncan reeled back in shock and hissed in pain. He cradled his head a little and looked at the small wound with shock written across his face. He couldn''t believe that this small wound would be able to get rid of his spirit consciousness that easily and that thoroughly.

    Duncan took a deep breath. He had a new understanding of the danger represented by the petals. Looking into the distance, his face became dignified. Everywhere he could see, there were petals drifting in the air. Duncan hadn''t paid much attention to their distribution until now. But, after experiencing the cut dealt with by a lone petal, Duncan realized the gravity of the situation.

    If he wanted to cross this region, then he would need to step amidst these drifting petals. And it has already been proven to him that his body wouldn''t be able to tank these petals. Since that was the case, how was he going to get across this region?

    Compared to the previous region, the danger in this region was far more visible. Each and every petal drifting in the air was a danger to him if he wanted to cross this region. Moreover, the petals in the region were innumerable as well. This made it nearly impossible to cross this region without running into them.

    Moreover, these petals drifted through the air in a mysterious rhythm. It might look like there was a wind carrying all these petals around randomly. But, it was anything but the truth. The petals moved very deliberately in a certain rhythm. Trying to cross without understanding it will only let him get surrounded by them one moment or the other.

    And, if that happened, he would not be able to escape out of the encirclement alive.

    Just imagining being cut all over by a thousand petals made Duncan shiver. Duncan''s wine-addled brain sobered up as he realized the problem in this idyllic ce.

    Beneath the beautiful scenery here in the garden, there was such a hidden danger lurking. If he had stepped into the region without knowing this, instead of taking time to appreciate the beauty, he might have ended up in a dire situation. This thought made Duncan frown.

    It wasn''t that Duncan hadn''t thought about the next region being as dangerous as the region that induced despondency in his soul. In fact, he had been prepared to face something simr. But, what made him frown was that he couldn''t find any way to walk through this garden region no matter how hard he tried.

    The petals were everywhere. And their edges were sharp enough to be well-honed swords. Walking through this region will be akin to walking through a region filled with swords everywhere. Getting cut by them was a thing that was going to happen no matter what.

    If the petals weren''t sharp enough to harm his body, then this would be nothing. But the sword aura in the petals was domineering and sharp enough to slice through his skin and muscle easily. The only reason that his wound was shallow was because it was an idental cut. His fingers were lucky that they were actually sping the center, instead of the edges.

    If not, Duncan was sure that he would have lost a finger without even knowing how. The petals in the garden were that sharp. Duncan realized thatpared to the earlier region, the possibility of death or dismemberment in this region was very high. The danger may only be physical and visible here, but the degree of danger in this region was very highpared to the earlier region.

    Duncan looked at the petal in his hand with a frown and tried to think of some way tobat this scenario. No matter what his idea entailed, he couldn''t see him surviving his trek across this region at all. The sword aura in the edges of the petals was too sharp for him to dare to even try them.

    Duncan grimaced realizing his predicament. He was currently stranded in this location. Without figuring out how tobat this sword aura, he wouldn''t be able to pass through this region easily. He also had no intention of stepping back into that region where the surroundings yed tricks on his emotions. That was both mentally and emotionally draining to him.

    Duncan didn''t know how long his peace wouldst in this location either. While there were no petals that were drifting into his area yet, he also realized that it would only be a matter of time before such a thing urred.

    Hence, he needed to find some way to walk through this region. If not, this beautiful region might just be his deathbed.

    Duncan squeezed his brain trying to find a loophole. First, he thought about trying to understand the pattern of the drifting petals and make his way after it. But, the reality proved him wrong very soon. The pattern that the petals followed was too mysterious for him to grasp. Causing that to be a dead end as well.

    Then, Duncan tried a few more of his thoughts, only for every one of them to fail without exception. Duncan felt frustrated seeing all his efforts end in vain. He almost flipped out and wanted to destroy the garden. But, his sanity prevailed and he stayed his hand at thest moment.

    Just then, a thought shed through his mind causing Duncan to pause and look at his surroundings in a new light.

    "Why am I being so intent on walking out of this region? I don''t have any pressing business to see to. Moreover, I wanted to stay away from the sect currently. If that meant staying here for a while, it wouldn''t make much of a difference does it?"

    "Staying here or roaming the small kingdoms on the other side of the Ancient Battlefield, all I need to focus on is to stay away from the sect and cultivate well. Sure, this ce is dangerous, but wasn''t the Grotto Heaven dangerous for me as well? Didn''t I cultivate there and grow in strength?"

    "Likewise, instead of being in a hurry to exit, I can cultivate in this region peacefully. Moreover, this ce isn''t bad either. I have always been attracted to swords. This ce is filled with petals that contain sword intent. I can try to cultivate here itself."

    "If it was the previous region, hurrying through might make sense. Here, I have beautiful scenery, good sword cultivation resources, and enough food and wine to get me by for months. So, why should I not use this location as my cultivation spot?"

    Duncan asked himself and startedughing merrily.

    Moments ago, this region looked very dangerous in his eyes. He wanted to find a way to get out of here. But now, Duncan felt that this was the best spot for him to cultivate.

    With a chuckle, Duncan sat crosslegged in the garden and turned his concentration towards the petal in his hand.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 279 Treasure Box Without A Key

    <h4>Chapter 279 Treasure Box Without A Key</h4>

    Duncan''s mind slowly concentrated on the lone petal in his hand.

    The sword aura hidden in the edges was very sharp. Earlier, he had tried to probe them with his spirit consciousness and had ended up getting his consciousness shredded within moments.

    So, Duncan didn''t try to probe the sword aura in the petal directly.

    What he tried to do was to perceive the mysteries behind it by establishing a symbiotic connection with it. So, Duncan enveloped his consciousness with his own understanding of the sword and tried to make it resonate with the sword aura in the petal.

    It didn''t work immediately.

    But, Duncan wasn''t deterred at all. Rather, he became more adamant in figuring out the sword aura in the petal. Moreover, it wasn''t as if he didn''t gain anything while trying to make initial contact with the sword aura.

    During the few moments his consciousness tried to establish a connection and got ultimately shredded, Duncan was able to figure out a few things. Despite his consciousness getting shredded to pieces within moments after making contact, Duncan''s impression of these things still remained.

    First, his understanding of the sword and the sword aura infused in the petals were very different. Duncan wasn''t just talking about the varying quality between the two. He felt that the sword aura in the petal was different from his in a fundamental way.

    The nature of the sword aura in the petal and his own understanding of the sword werepletely different. That might be the reason that they were ipatible even when he tried to only establish some connection.

    While his understanding of the sword was hard and dominating, the sword aura in the petal was unassuming and hiding its edge. But, it didn''t make it any less lethal than his. They were like twopletely different aspects of the same thing.

    Secondly, even though he could continuously mask his consciousness with his understanding of the sword and supply it for a long time, it wouldn''t even be equal to one percent of the purity exhibited by the sword aura in the petal. They were in different leagues altogether.

    While he could spam in quantity, the quality of the sword aura in the petal beat his by miles. Duncan understood that this was because he didn''t have a proper understanding of the sword yet. He had only scratched the surface as of now. This sword aura contains a core concept making it qualitatively superior to his own understanding of the sword.

    This also let him know that his approach would not benefit him in any way. No matter how long he tried, the qualitative superiority of the sword aura in the petal meant he would never be able to establish a connection with it. So, trying to form a symbiotic bond will never work.

    This made Duncan reess his approach.

    He realized that it was possible for him to understand the sword aura in the petal in its entirety. His own understanding of the Sword Dao hasn''t reached that level. It will be like an ant trying to eat a whole elephant in a single bite. That was impossible.

    If his understanding of the sword had reached the same level as the sword aura, he would have been able to establish a connection and understand it. Even then, there were other factors to take into consideration as well.

    For one, the very nature of his sword style and the style contained in the petals were contradictory. His took the route of domination and aggression. The sword aura in the petal took the route of subtlety and unassumingness. These contradictory natures might not gell well. So, even that was a big problem to face.

    Duncan frowned as he realized he didn''t know how to cultivate with the ever-present sword aura in the garden. It was like having a treasure box, but not having the right key to open it. And he was naturally not strong enough to crack it open either.

    Hisck of cultivation knowledge was once againing to bite him in his rear. Even though he had tried to supplement his knowledge by reading a lot of information from the sect archives, Duncan realized that this kind of information on how to cultivate was too personal to be written down.

    The only way the method to decipher this can be obtained was either from self-realization or being guided by a mentor or master. Duncan twitched his lips as he thought about his master.

    His master''s way of instruction was to chuck him into a cannibal cave and let him figure it out. He didn''t give pertinent information to Duncan. He rather took an approach of sink or swim.

    While Duncan had benefited from it so far, he didn''t think highly of such a teaching method. In his mind, his master was obviously not inclined to share his knowledge with him. So, Duncan had long lost the hope of getting help from his master.

    Even now, when he was being hunted by righteous cultivators, Duncan didn''t even think about asking for help from his master even once. His mindset had been that it would be fine if he stayed away from his master and the sect. With such a mindset, one can easily imagine the level of trust Duncan had towards his master.

    With such a level of trust, Duncan would even do the exact opposite of what his master advised him to do in his paranoia. Shaking his head, Duncan wondered idly whether his master had heard about his deeds and how he reacted to them. He also wondered if his master woulde to his rescue.

    Duncan had a feeling that his master already had the cultivation of the Nascent Soul realm or higher. Even though the general knowledge to most sect members was that he was at the peak of the Golden Core realm, Duncan refused to believe such silly things.

    Not just him, most cultivators in the sect never took anyone''s outright spoken cultivation level to be the truth. As a demonic sect, the trust factor in the sect between members was very low. It was par of the norm in demonic sects. Almost every demonic cultivator cultivated a technique that could hide their true cultivation level.

    In such an atmosphere where everyone hid their true cultivation, trust is a hard thing to foster. Even Duncan didn''t fully trust his Senior Brother Fatty Chen. And Senior Brother Fatty Chen had helped him out a lot of times. So, the level of trust he had in his master''s cultivation level can be imagined easily.

    Duncan''s only reference of his master''s strength came from his knowledge of other sects in the region. He knew that to be an Elder in a first-rate sect, one needed to be at the Nascent Soul realm. And theirs was a hegemonic sect that ruled over first-rate sects. So, having only Golden Core cultivation and bing a Vice-Sect Master didn''t make much sense to him.

    Sure, his master wasn''t an elder. But, in a demonic sect, the respect people give you is determined by your strength. If his master didn''t have the right strength, then he could never be the Vice-Sect Master.

    Duncan shook his head to clear his thoughts regarding his master and the sect. He turned to look at the garden in front of him with a frown. No matter how he tried, he couldn''t find a way to capitalize on the treasurend in front of him. This bothered Duncan a lot.

    "It looks like I can only explore bit by bit. I need to rely on myself from now on. I can''t expect someone to show me the way. Not that I haven''t done it earlier. Didn''t I try to cultivate a soul technique on my owˇ­"

    Duncan trailed off as his mind shed with an image of him sitting and trying to perceive the immensity of the mountain in the Grotto Heaven. Duncan felt enlightened immediately.

    This situation wasn''t that different from him trying to understand the immensity of a mountain. At that time, he had no clue regarding how to create an authentic visual for his soul to focus on. But, he had somehow ended up finding a mountain and enlightening himself.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan focused on that particr thread of thought. He began to list out the simrities between the previous scenario in the Grotto Heaven and his current situation. To his surprise, he found it to be very identical. But, the only difference between the scenarios was that he wasn''t in a dangerous location at that time. Here, the garden he was in was dangerous in itself.

    "This entire garden is filled with sword petals. Instead of concentrating on a lone petal, I can try to meditate on the garden itself. This way, I might end up benefitting from something," Duncan mumbled looking around.

    And it was true.

    There were petals everywhere in the garden. The ce he was sitting was on the outskirts. Inside the region, the petals were present in all ces. Theyzily drifted through the breeze hiding their sharp edges.

    The more he thought about it, Duncan felt it was indeed suitable to try this out. After all, he was only taking a shot at the dark. If he failed, he would be back to square one. However, he wasn''t in a hurry currently. He could easily spend months here without worrying about food or anything else.

    Even though he hadn''tpletely gotten rid of his dependence on food, Duncan had ample food stored within his ring to sustain him for a long period of time. So, Duncan felt that he could try to meditate on the lingering sword aura in the garden as a whole. Who knows, this might bring him some unexpected benefits.

    With a direction in sight, Duncan immediately decided to try it out.

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 280 Garden of Swords

    <h4>Chapter 280 Garden of Swords</h4>

    Duncan emptied his mind and tried to re-enter the same state he was in when he tried to grasp the immensity of a mountain in the Grotto Heaven.

    He had some initial troubles in clearing his thoughts. His mind was upied with some random thoughts for a while, but Duncan somehow managed to clear them away. Following that, a strange sense of irritation was present in his heart. Duncan had to calm it down and let it enter a peaceful state.

    Trying to calm down his thoughts and put away the irritation in his heart took him some time. Duncan was a little bbergasted by this situation as he hadn''t run into such a thing before. His mind had never taken this long to calm down.

    Duncan chalked up the strange event to his constant stress in the past few days. Fighting with a group of young talents, breaking through to the Violet Pce realm, evading pursuit from angry Golden Hall experts who were out to kill him, and escaping sessfully from the region that made him despondent, these things had taken some invisible toll on his mind.

    His mind had been in a constant state of stress. Earlier, after entering the garden, he thought he had rxed a bit. But, it seemed like it wasn''t enough. His mind and heart were still stressed out. So, Duncan had to rxpletely first to re-enter that strange meditative state where he was able to perceive the immensity of the mountain.

    Duncan somehow managed to calm his thoughts and soothe the irritation in his heart. He slowly entered the meditative state and began to perceive his surroundings calmly. The first time Duncan perceived the garden in a meditative state, Duncan was taken aback by what he sensed in his perception.

    The seemingly peaceful garden in his eyes was anything but peaceful in his senses at that moment. He could feel a hidden sense of murderousness enveloping the area in front of him. It was like a viper lying in wait. The moment the prey appeared, it would pounce.

    Duncan opened his eyes in disbelief and looked at the peaceful garden in front of him. It was still the same beautiful garden he had seen earlier. But, fresh from having his senses assaulted with hidden murderousness, Duncan didn''t want to take any chances.

    Duncan took out a spare weapon he had found amidst his spoils and decided to use it to check the situation ahead first. Even though he hadn''t stepped foot inside, Duncan had been toying with that idea for some time now.

    He had even wondered if it would be more beneficial to enter the gardenpletely and meditate. He just hadn''t tried it. There was no particr reason to it. Now, sensing the hidden murderousness, Duncan wanted to check it out at the first opportunity and see what would happen if something truly entered the range of the garden.

    Duncan took onest look at the weapon trying to confirm its authenticity. It was a well-crafted spear. The body of the spear was long and straight. It was gleaming brightly in the sun. The tip of the spear was sharp as well.

    One look at it was enough for Duncan to determine that it would fetch a very good price in the ck market. But, Duncan didn''t get distracted from his objective. Losing a spear wasn''t much of an issue. He needed to find out what would happen if something entered the peaceful garden in front of him.

    Duncan took aim in a random direction andunched the spear into the garden. The moment the spear entered the garden, it pierced through the petals driftingzily in the garden. Duncan was taken by surprise at how easily those petals parted.

    Duncan even had a thought, at this moment, that it wasn''t that difficult to navigate the region if that was all it held. Sure, the petals were deadly, but he could use the spear to make sure they didn''te into contact with him.

    If that was the case, then he didn''t need to worry about traversing this region at all. Duncan smiled slightly looking at the progress of the spear without taking his eyes of it. However, the next moment his heart jolted and his lips became dry seeing what happened to the spear.

    The spear didn''t travel very far. The moment it parted the petals and traveled a little distance in, a tornado made of petals formed surrounding itpletely. Within moments, the tornado of petals cut through the entire spear with no blockage.

    Duncan''s eyes bugged out seeing this. He never expected such a thing to happen. And the worst part was that the spear wasn''t visible anymore. The tornado literally ground the entire spear into basic fments and let it disappear into the region as dust.

    Duncan gulped looking at the spear that was vanishing into dust. Within moments, the tornado lost its purpose and began to dissolve as well. Soon, the garden returned to its idyllic state once again causing Duncan to marvel at the speed of the transition.

    If he hadn''t been watching the entire thing carefully, he wouldn''t even know how terrible the beautiful garden in front of him was. Duncan''s physical body will never be able to stand against the murderousness of the tornado of petals as well.

    He was incredibly d that he didn''t mistakenly step into the region for anything. This region now looked more deadly than the one he came out of. Let alone traversing it, Duncan didn''t think he wouldst even a minute under such an attack.

    Duncan looked at the beautiful scenery in front of him with apprehension in his eyes. He didn''t think this region would hide such murderousness inside the seemingly idyllic scenery.

    For the first time since he entered this region, he saw the beautiful garden in front of him with fear in his eyes. Duncan wasn''t na?ve to not understand how dangerous this region was. Hepletely understood the severity of the danger present in the garden at this moment.

    Thinking back to the hidden murderous feeling he had felt, Duncan was d that he did not enter the region. He didn''t think his body would be an exception. Most likely it would be minced into a million small pieces by the time the petals were done with it.

    At this moment, Duncan decided that unless and until he found a way to negate the sword aura in the petals, he would not enter the region. He would rather have another walk through that region filled with despondence than try his luck here.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan shook away the terror of the beautiful but deadly garden before him and reentered the meditative state. Slowly his thoughts quietened and all he could perceive was the sword aura in the garden in front of him.

    Duncan soon forgot about everything and concentrated solely on the sword aura. Whether it was due to his innate talent or due to how determined he was to find a solution to the sword aura in the petals, he soon began to perceive the intent engulfing the entire region in front of him.

    His mind slowly separated the murderousness in the region from the pure sword intent. Casting away the murderousness, Duncan meditated on the sword intent present in the garden.

    For a long time, all Duncan could perceive was a sharp sword that was stinging his mind. He endured the torture for a long time before he could perceive anything other than the stinging sensation.

    Slowly, a vision started to appear in his mind.

    The garden before him was not filled with petals. The petals were just euphemisms of the intent enveloping the area. The area was filled with nothing but countless swords in his mind. Duncan took a sharp breath the moment the vision appeared in his mind.

    This was the true face of the garden in front of him.

    A garden of swords.

    The flowers, the wind, the petals, the fragrance, and whatnot. Everything that upied the garden before him was nothing but a sword. The breezing wind was also a type of sword attack. The flowers that were blooming colorfully were nothing but various sword moves. The petals that drifted through the wind were nothing but the mechanism to hide the murderous edge of a hidden sword that roamed the region.

    The garden was nothing but a murderhole made of swords.

    Duncan felt his mind shiver just visualizing that image that he perceived. He didn''t know who would be crazy enough to walk through this murderhole made of swords. It would take immense willpower and strength to aplish that.

    His desire to walk through this region was eroding rapidly. Duncan didn''t think he could walk through this muderhole made of swords with his current strength. But, there was a part of him that wanted topete with this region and walk through it as well.

    Duncan took a deep breath and concentrated further on the interaction between the various sword attacks in the regions. He had never seen such an intricate setup made of sword attacks. This wasn''t a formation or anything like that. This setup was fundamentally different to a formation.

    However, it still had some simrities to formations as well. The entire region operated on a strange set of rules. The sword attacks that formed the breeze guided the sword attacks that made the petals in a particr rhythm. The flowers on the ground acted in concert with them making it a very chaotic entanglement between all the attacks.

    Despite the chaotic nature of the entanglements between the sword attacks filling the region, they had a sense of rhythm to them. It was almost like they were following a certainw. But, Duncan didn''t think it was a hard and fast rule that enveloped this region. The rhythm that worked in the region was ever-moving and ever-changing making it very unpredictable as well.

    But, regardless of the type of sword attack, there was one thingmon throughout the region. There was lingering sword intent in every sword attack present in the region. It was the only constant in this bizarre murderhole made of swords.

    And it was the thing that made all these sword attacks very dangerous to tamper with.

    Looking at the entire setup, only two words came to Duncan''s mind.

    Intent Domain!

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 281 Stages of Sword Dao

    <h4>Chapter 281 Stages of Sword Dao</h4>

    Duncan had read extensively on how a cultivator progresses in Sword Dao, due to his interest in it.

    Especially after he had performed the sword light consciously for the first time, Duncan had tried to read as much as possible on the various stages of sword cultivation.

    A sword cultivator can be differentiated in strength based on the stage at which his Sword Dao has progressed to. There are basically five stages of Sword Dao that are known to cultivators in this world.

    The first stage is the Sword Light.

    This is the stage Duncan was at. Duncan had already achieved this state due to his innate talent even before entering the Grotto Heaven. However, only during the fight with the Wang n Patriarch did he truly grasp and began controlling. The true mark of control for a cultivator is to manipte the sword light in whichever way they saw fit.

    Either by adding the concepts they have understood to it or by manipting how the shape of the sword light came out, a cultivator can be said to have mastered the sword light stage. Duncan was currently at this level now.

    The next one was Sword Qi.

    When a cultivator manages to condense the light of their sword andpress it to a certain extent, he will be able to form a qi unique to his own sword style with it. This qi is called sword qi. The sword qi is not something naturally avable. It was condensed from the understanding of a cultivator.

    After Sword Qies the Sword Domain.

    A sword domain is formed of the sword qi of a cultivator. A domain is simply a certain region. Inside that region, the cultivator is in control of everything. A sword domain will be formed of the cultivator''s sword qi. That entire region will be filled with a cultivator''s sword qi.

    Nextes the Sword Intent.

    This is where the cultivation focuses on the esoteric elements of the Sword Dao a lot. Like any martial arts dao, every technique, and every attack has its own intent in it. When a cultivator reaches the utmost perfection level in their understanding of the martial art or gainsplete proficiency in the usage of a weapon, they will be able to recreate the intent of the original attack or the weapon it was based on.

    This stage in martial dao cultivation is called the intent stage. The intent stage is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. While many people could obtain an initial understanding of concepts and gain some enlightenment on them, only the best amongst them would be able topletely understand anything, whether it be a martial art or a weapon usage.

    The intent stage is also termed as the realm of simplicity.

    Whether it be martial arts or weapons techniques, they will always start simple and thenter beplex in their usage. However, in the final stages of any technique, theplexity will once again transform into simplicity. The goal of this transformation is to go back to the roots.

    For any technique or weapon usage, the root that determines its potential is the intent from which it was created. Reaching this intent level is the stage that was known as the intent stage.

    When a cultivator reaches the intent stage, their every action will carry the intent along with them. From mere looks to gestures, anything can be induced with intent and cause heavy damage. For sword cultivators, this stage is where the decent and extraordinary persons will be divided.

    Unless a sword cultivator achieves sword intent, their Sword Dao will not progress further. This made the fact that it is required for the sword cultivators to achieve sword intent a very important eligibility to pursue the Sword Dao.

    As an aspiring sword cultivator, Duncan knew about the importance of the intent stage very well. It was one of his goals in the path of cultivation to achieve sword intent.

    The stage after one achieves the sword intent is called the Intent Domain stage.

    From what Duncan had heard, Intent Domain is the highest realm of achievement anyone in this world had achieved with Sword Dao. In this stage, the sword intent isbined with a sword domain to create an intent domain.

    Only Ascendant Beings were capable of achieving this feat. Hence, the opportunity toe across an intent domain is a very rare one. Especially, the intent domain of a sword cultivator can be said to be even more rare.

    When Duncan realized that he was on the border and looking at an intent domain established by a sword cultivator, his heart throbbed in agitation. On one hand, there was this giddiness formed due to the pleasant surprise of running into such a rare thing.

    However, on the other hand, he couldn''t help but be afraid. He had almost stepped into an intent domain without even knowing about it. The intent domains of sword cultivators were known for their lethality. As the dao with a great potential for attack, an intent domain formed from a Sword Dao can deal easily thrice the damage of other intent domains.

    Duncan felt incredibly lucky that he hadn''t mistakenly stepped into this region. If he had done that, he would never walk out alive. It was a miracle that he didn''t step into the region directly and only enjoyed the scenery from the border.

    Furthermore, he also realized what about this region hooked his interest. As a sword cultivator, he could intuitively feel the pure sword energy in the region. This pure sword energy formed from the intent domain was what hooked him in. It was the source of his attraction towards this ce.

    After realizing this, Duncan let go of any thoughts rted to testing himself against the region.

    *****

    As time passed, Duncan''s apprehension towards the intent domain in the region slowly vanished. His natural curiosity and interest towards the intent domain dominated his mind causing him to spend time meditating on it for a long while.

    As Duncan continued to meditate on the intent domain in the region, his understanding of the Sword Dao was also beginning to see improvement. Duncan had already reached the threshold of creating a domain. But, his cultivation towards it wasn''t extensive or orthodox.

    Duncan''s innate talent and bloodline might have facilitated his mindset to reach that stage, but his knowledge of Sword Dao was really not that extensive. Moreover, the time he had cultivated is also very little.

    One year ago, Duncan wasn''t even a cultivator. Now, he was at the stage of sword light. This in itself is a tremendous achievement. However, Duncan wasn''t the only one to do so. There are geniuses all over the world who were able to achieve this feat.

    However, only a very few were able to progress further within a year.

    Every stage is like a teau when ites to dao. Every time a cultivator reaches a certain stage, they will need to spend a lot of time and energy to step into the next stage. The progress during the initial stages might be fast, but with every stage, the time and energy spent will only increase exponentially.

    Duncan''s good fortune is that he was able to progress through the initial stages of Sword Dao very quickly. His bloodline was tilted towards ughter andbat. This gave him a unique advantage when it came to understanding his chosen weapon. This made Duncan progress very fast till the threshold of the sword domain stage.

    However, due to hisck of systematic knowledge or orthodox cultivation, Duncan''s knowledge was filled with a lot of holes. Hence, he wasn''t even able to enter the sword qi stage despite reaching the threshold of the sword domain stage in ability.

    Thisck of knowledge can only be taught from a master to a disciple. If not, it will take several years and the right opportunities for someone to progress with their own self-realization.

    Devouring books and records regarding this subject won''t be much of a help either. A cultivator will need to experience the change for himself and walk the path by himself. If there was a caring master or a mentor, they might guide a cultivator through the minefield of detours and eliminate the possibility of traveling through a wrong path.

    If not, one can only rely on themselves.

    However, where there is a disadvantage, there will also be advantages. Achieving sword qi through one''s own self-realization will make it more powerful than achieving it through someone else''s guidance.

    Cultivation is a journey of self-exploration and self-improvement. What one realizes and achieves is what stays with that person the most. The impact of such things is deeper and will have more profound changes in a person.

    If someone guides another person, by taking no detours, a cultivator might reach the destination faster, but their understanding will be a lot more shallower than the person who explored it by himself. That''s why, the mark of a good teacher is always the ability to bnce these both aspects.

    This is also the reason why a loose cultivator who had understood his own sword dao will always be far more powerful than generic sect-produced geniuses. There are exceptions to this as well. But, the general trend is like this all over the world.

    Duncan''s situation was a little different than the other sect disciples. Even though he had a master, his master didn''t have any interest in guiding him. That almost made him simr to a loose cultivator who explored things by himself. Only, he had the resources of the sect to back his cultivation, unlike a loose cultivator.

    So, in terms of understanding, Duncan was more simr to a loose cultivator. The gaps in his knowledge can only be filled if he finds a rare opportunity. And right now, one such rare opportunity was in front of him.

    Naturally, Duncan didn''t let go of it.

    As Duncan meditated beside the intent domain enveloping the region, the gaps in his knowledge began to get filled. Time passed without much change. Duncan forgot himself entirely and immersed himself in understanding the Sword Dao with the intent domain near him as a reference.

    Days passed by in a blur.

    On one fine day, Duncan''s body began to emit sharp radiance all over. Sword qi emanated from every pore of his body as his understanding of the sword rose by leaps and bounds.

    Duncan''s dress turned into shreds unable to bear the sharp qi that was emanating from his body. Duncan remainedpletely unaware of everything. Despite having broken through to the next stage in Sword Dao, he wasn''t done.

    He was directly aiming to reach the sword domain stage.

 Chapter 282 Inspirations

    <h4>Chapter 282 Inspirations</h4>

    Duncan''sprehension of the Sword Dao improved at an incredible rate.

    The knowledge gap that existed within him was like a ck hole that was devouring everything it could from the intent domain in the region. Countless inspirations and ideas arose in his heart regarding the Sword Dao.

    Profound questions regarding the usage of the sword, the way of the sword, the characteristics of the sword, and a lot more arose in Duncan''s mind as he meditated on the intent domain.

    For every question that arose in his mind, Duncan was able to obtain some kind of answer or some inspiration from the intent domain. His breath of mind was being broadened at an incredible rate when it came to Sword Dao.

    During his cultivation, Duncan would sometimes encounter some doubts regarding martial arts. While his discussion with Shen Wulong had cleared most of his doubts, still there were some doubts that were left uncleared when it came to Sword Dao.

    There was no one to guide Duncan when it came to Sword Dao. Duncan had been exploring it on his own. Currently, those doubts were being cleared one by one causing his understanding of the way of the sword to rise rapidly.

    However, it wasn''t like being directly spoonfed.

    While meditating on the intent domain, Duncan would think about some of his doubts. He will try to draw parallels with how the intent domain operated. Sometimes, things will be clear. Sometimes, it will be vague.

    Regardless, whatever he could think of was already incorporated inside the intent domain. This made Duncan''s progress smoother. Even if things weren''t clear-cut, he would be able to perceive some kind of meaning from the intent domain which will cause some inspiration to bloom.

    For example, while Duncan had heard about the sword domain and how it operated, he didn''t know how to bring it to fruition just by reading about it. When he tried, he faced several problems that indicated that his knowledge wasn''t up to par or hecked enough experience.

    However, with the intent domain right beside him to draw inspiration from andpare his own understandings, Duncan obtained most of the information he sought after. This made him easily reach the Sword Qi stage within a few days.

    Sometimes, some inspiration will make him want to try it out immediately. Sometimes, the urge to try out will not be there. The kind of experience he got varied depending on things. However, one thing remained constant ¨C enlightenment.

    When the urge to move took him, Duncan didn''t hesitate at all. He would stand up and perform his sword shes without any hesitation. However, he took care not to disturb the intent domain. He only practiced away from it in fear of the consequences of disturbing it.

    Duncan would test out his sword moves constantly and try to verify the deductions that he obtained due to the inspiration that was springing forth within him. His mind was like a fountain of inspiration currently, causing Duncan to test out and discard unwanted results.

    Like this, Duncan honed his way of the sword for weeks.

    Even after reaching the sword qi realm, Duncan wasn''t able to smoothly step into the sword domain realm. The major problem he faced wasn''t theck of knowledge or inspiration. It was hisck of exposure to the sword qi and his inexperience in handling it that kept him at bay.

    Duncan wasn''t deterred, however.

    He constantly practiced his sword moves using the sword qi. As he integrated the sword qi to be a part of his attack repertoire, he was able to see the increased effectiveness of his attacks very easily.

    Duncan''s cultivation in <Absolute Cut Sword Art> reached perfection pretty soon and he was on the verge of establishing a domain based on it. His proficiency in using the <Absolute sh Sword Art> also increased tremendously.

    For weeks, Duncan acted like a madman trying to obtain the sword domain stage in one go. In those weeks, Duncan honed his attacks to a ridiculous level by constantly practicing them without rest.

    He also began to touch on the concept behind the <Absolute sh Sword Art> as well. Duncan felt that the <Absolute sh Sword Art> was far more effective in unleashing long-range attacks.

    Unlike the <Absolute Cut Sword Art> which was very good to use in close quarters, the long-distance attack capability of <Absolute sh Sword Art> was very superior.

    The sh attack that was executed by it was naturally inclined towards supporting long-range attacks. Duncan realized this while cultivating as well. He began to seek to incorporate his understanding of the way of the sword and the concept behind the sword technique together.

    Whenever a cultivator understands the true intent from which a martial art is created and incorporates his own unique insights into it to augment the attack, the attacking power of the technique will be doubled at the minimum. Duncan had done the same thing with the <Absolute Cut Sword Art>. And now, he followed the same trend with his <Absolute sh Sword Art>.

    As Duncan slowly improved his own existing attack techniques, he also began to touch upon the integration of sword techniques and forming his own attacks. He also began to glimpse into other sword techniques that could be derived from a sword technique.

    For example, the <Absolute Cut Sword Art> and <Absolute sh Sword Art> were interlinked. The creator of the two techniques was the same person. It can be seen from the name itself. This sword art was also special in a way that it focused purely on sword techniques.

    While Duncan hadn''t obtained other techniques from the sect that were rted to this sword art, he was already beginning to extrapte on his knowledge and connect the dots. Duncan felt that these two sword arts were from a set of the same sword art that based its roots on mortal sword techniques.

    Duncan has some knowledge regarding the mortal sword techniques. The sword arts he now practiced were derived from the basic sword moves and wereter expanded to include cultivation elements. Duncan was able to glimpse into that process of creation byparing the mortal sword techniques and the two sword arts he had on hand.

    With the help of the intent domain, aplete set of sword art thatprised of several sword moves was beginning to form in his mind as well. While he didn''t know whether his own understanding of this sword art would be simr to the original creator, he felt that he wouldn''t be far off as well.

    Among the sword techniques in the sect, these set of sword techniques were looked down upon because they didn''t incorporate any other concepts in them. They were pure sword techniques that only sword cultivators would be fond of.

    Unfortunately, the sect was a demonic sect. And, most sword cultivators came out of the righteous faction. So, the technique couldn''t be spread out to the sword cultivators in general. This has caused this sword art to remain hidden till now.

    Duncan wanted to make this technique shine by his hand. He felt that a pure sword art was more powerful than the ones that incorporated other concepts into them. For example, the Eternal Heaven sword art executed by that young genius whom he had in didn''t have the same feeling as the sword technique he hadprehended right now.

    The sword technique might look shy and imposing, but it wasn''t pure. Duncan wanted that pureness to remain in the sword art he was creating. These series of Absolute Sword Arts gave him ample inspiration regarding that goal. Combined with the intent domain to check and verify his own findings, Duncan felt that he was in cultivation heaven at this time.

    *****

    Meanwhile, outside the Dragon Scale continent, a lone spirit boat wobbled in the air as it made its way into the continent.

    Inside the spirit boat, Xing Siukong, the first prince of the Star Empire looked at his master worriedly. Daoist Wen was breathing heavily. His entire body was heavily injured. It was clear that the fight he had with the Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect had caused him severe damage.

    "s! Kong-er, I didn''t expect to fail despite reaching my current cultivation in this world. Take this as an important lesson. Do not becent like your master in the future. There is always a heaven beyond heavenˇ­ ugh!!!"

    "Master!!"

    Daoist Wen vomited blood. His face paled and it took him some time to stabilize his body again. Xing Siukong could only look at his master with worry in his face. He didn''t know what he could do to help at this moment.

    "Don''t fretˇ­" Daoist Wen spoke with a pained face. "Even though I was injured heavily during our fight, I didn''t let Daoist Zu get off easily as well. I was able to injure him back as wellˇ­"

    "Once we reach the capital of your Star Empire, I will go into seclusion to treat my injuries. But, I do have a task for you as well. I want you to collect every little piece of information that is avable on the Heavenly Demon Sect''s recent movements. Do not neglect even a small thing. I want to know what they are up to recently."

    "To try so hard to force me away, they must be nning something big. I fear that they have already begun and are worried about my interference. That''s why the Third Grand Elder came personally to turn me away. If not for the formations in this boat, we wouldn''t have been able to hold on," Daoist Wen said in a grim tone.

    "I will master. Don''t worry master. Once we reach the Star Empire, I will have many more subordinates to work with. My father will also support us fully. I will also ask my younger brothers to aid usˇ­"

    "Also, send the information to both the hegemonic sects in the Dragon Scale Continent. I want them to be on alert as well. This is not the time to move silently. Make sure you don''t end up dying by looking into this. Your life is more precious than this affair. This affair is far older than you or me. I guess, the Heavenly Demon Sect is finally showing its fangs. The future of the Dragon Scale Continent won''t be peaceful at all," Daoist Wen frowned and looked in the direction of the continent with a heavy heart.

    Xing Siukong didn''t know how to respond to that. Even he didn''t think that the Heavenly Demon Sect would be so daring. Furthermore, the true power of the Heavenly Demon Sect was also hidden from him as well.

    He didn''t know what was going to happen, but he had a feeling that the continent wouldn''t remain the same ever again after all is said and done.

    *****

    A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...

    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 283 Pure Heart Sword Art

    <h4>Chapter 283 Pure Heart Sword Art</h4>

    Duncanpletely forgot about the mortal peril his life was in inside the garden region.

    He only cared about creating his own sword art as time passed. By slowly perfecting his own findings, Duncan began to form an embryonic sword art of his own creation.

    In this, he began integrating all the insights and knowledge he had learned so far. Duncan wanted to create a sword art that would shine as the pinnacle of the Sword Dao. Even though he knew that it was a tall order for him to aplish, Duncan didn''t hesitate at all.

    He wanted to create a sword art that only contained concepts of swordsmanship in it. A pure sword art that didn''t integrate anything from other daos. A pure sword art made by a heart that had the pursuit of the ultimate of sword dao as his ideal.

    For that, he even abandoned the insights he had in ughter and only focused on integrating sword principles that he hade to understand in sword dao. He used the basic moves of the sword as a foundation and tried to create a sword technique that only contained the concepts in regards to the way of a sword.

    "I shall name this sword art

    . Only those who want to understand the way of the sword with no reliance on other concepts will be able to learn this," Duncan mumbled with his eyes burning brightly.

    "I know that this sword art might not contain all the concepts of Sword Dao in it presently. But, one day, learning this sword art alone will be enough to traverse the way of the sword to its pinnacle."

    "I will slowly and surely refine this sword art as my understanding and cultivation grows. From the basics to the pinnacle of Sword Dao, this sword art will contain everything. This sword art I create will one day shake the entire universe," Duncan said loudly with burning passion in his heart.

    Right now, Duncan knew his cultivation and insights were limited. However, his desire to pursue the Sword Dao to the ultimate level can be seen from his deration at this moment.

    Earlier, Duncan was like a rootless lotus floating through the cultivation world without much aim. Even though he wanted to be free and powerful to do what he wanted, Duncan never had a particr goal in his life when it came to cultivating dao. Hence, his dao heart always came up a little short whenpared to other aspects of him.

    For a cultivator to obtain a strong dao heart, they must pursue the dao to the ultimate. Very few cultivators are able to attain this. Most cultivators get lost in the lure of power, freedom, lust, mortal emotions, and other such things on their cultivation journey.

    Duncan didn''t have a particr goal until he started creating his sword art. His aim of living freely, roaming wherever he wanted to go, and doing whatever he wanted to do came from his desire to get rid of the shackles he had experienced in his life. His desire for power was also a reflection of it.

    But, right now, at this moment, Duncan truly took a step into the cultivation world with his own goal. A goal that was purely rted to a dao. Right now, Duncan''s heart was very dedicated to pursuing the Sword Dao.

    To state simply, Duncan was like a casual drinker who got hooked on a rare wine and wanted to be a drunkard for the rest of his life. Whether he would sober up and give that up as a lost cause is unknown. But, his appreciation of the wine at this moment was at its peak.

    In this scenario, the intent domain was like the rare wine that hooked Duncan into pursuing the Sword Dao to the pinnacle. As he was intoxicated and enthralled by the countless principles he sensed inside the intent domain, Duncan wanted to explore them to the utmost.

    Duncan didn''t entirely understand all the principles that enveloped the intent domain. He has yet to form his own sword domain even. But, it didn''t stop his heart from yearning to learn everything about the way of the sword and create an unparalleled sword technique at this moment.

    As they say, a young calf knows no fear. Those who don''t truly understand the immensity of a thing will boldly try to learn everything about it. Duncan was like a young calf. He had no fear or doubts inside him at this moment.

    While others may think of him as mad to put out such a deration, it was a rare thing to achieve such a state of mind. Duncan''s heart had been lit and the fire of ambition had been ignited in him.

    Till now, Duncan wasn''t that different from other cultivators. He wanted to be powerful and do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. There were countless other cultivators in the world who had the same desire as him.

    Their reasons may vary. Some might want to be powerful due to hunger for power. Some for greed. Some for revenge. And some like Duncan will want to be powerful because they want to be free of all the shackles. But, their pursuit was the same ¨C be powerful.

    This was the state of the cultivation world in general.

    Any cultivator who steps onto the path of cultivation will have such an ambition. Some might soon lose them due to circumstances. Some might hang on to them more tightly and do everything they can to make it be real. It all depended on how deeply they wanted to fulfill that desire.

    At this moment, Duncan had truly stepped onto the path of the pursuit of dao at all costs. Having such a grand ambition was the first step one needed to do to hone their heart to pursue the dao. Without such an ambition, even without any blockades, their cultivation wille to a stop at one point or another.

    On the other hand, those who have such ambition will never settle for it. Their focus is not on cultivation stages. They only care about dao. With such pure devotion, they will somehow find a way to reach higher cultivation levels in the pursuit of their ambition. This was how powerhouses were truly made.

    Duncan didn''t know all these nuances.

    He was currently immersed in creating his own sword art.

    "Then let the first move be based on the first sword concept I grasped," Duncan stated vigorously. "Swordcut was the first sword-based concept I grasped. I had already created a sword technique based on it. With the new insights that I have gained, I canbine the old sword technique I had created with the insights and create an even more outstanding sword techniqueˇ­"

    Duncan''s mind whizzed as he thought about the old sword technique he had created on his own. The Absolute Severance sh was created based on the Swordcut concept by imitating the <Absolute Cut Sword Art>. As new insights poured into his mind, Duncan altered the <Absolute Severance sh> drastically to amodate his new insights as well.

    "This move shall be named Severance. It is both apt for the concept of Swordcut and it will also pay homage to my old technique," Duncan mumbled as he tested out his new sword move on a distant rock.

    The moment Duncan attacked, a light brighter than his previous sword attacks emerged from his sword and cut the rock cleanly into two. The rock didn''t even shift or copse. The cut went through it like a knife through butter without any hindrance.

    Even his old Absolute Severance sh didn''t have this much of a clean cut. There were no blemishes or even indications that an attack had been performed. The rock looked as it was before Duncan performed the attack.

    Duncan nodded in satisfaction and walked towards the rock. He gently touched the rock to confirm that his attack had indeednded. The rock split into two halves and copsed on either side making Duncan smile brightly.

    "Severance is more powerful than the Absolute Severance sh. If I had this technique when I faced thatte-stage Violet Pce cultivator whose arm I chopped off, I would have been victorious with a single attack," Duncan said to himself proudly and beamed down at the two pieces of cut rock before him.

    "Moreover, the sword qi is more powerful than the sword light as well," Duncan mumbled to himself exploring the edges of the two pieces of the rock he had cut down. "It surely packs more punch on contact. The pration power of the sword qi ispletely different than the sword light I possessed earlier. I can only imagine what a sword intent will do."

    Duncan sighed and looked towards the intent domain wistfully.

    "Let''s not get ahead. I had already created a new sword art based on myprehension of the sword dao with the blessings of this intent domain," Duncan shook his head and looked at the sword in his hand.

    "What is severance? It is the process of cutting everything in existence and severing itpletely. Ideally, this sword attack of mine should be able to cut the myriad things in existence and even other esoteric concepts like karma, time, and space. But, this sword attack is not at that level yet."

    "It doesn''t matter. It will one day reach that realm. I will hone it slowly. As my cultivation and insight into the sword dao increases, I will be able to aplish such a feat. If something exists and can be manipted by other cultivators, then I can also cut them with my sword."

    Duncan looked determined as he said that. Mad ambition burned in his eyes at this moment.

    "Let''s not stop here. Let me try to meditate on the intent domain a bit more and try to see if I couldprehend either the sword domain or the concept of Swordsh. Both will help mee up with another move for my sword art," Duncan said with determination in his eyes and walked back to his original spot to meditate again.

    Soon, Duncan once again entered a meditative state and tried to gain more insights into the way of the sword with the help of the intent domain that existed before him.

    *****

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 Chapter 284 Attaining Sword Domain

    <h4>Chapter 284 Attaining Sword Domain</h4>

    Weeks passed in a blurˇ­

    When a cultivator enters the state of enlightenment, time and other things hold no meaning to them. Duncan wasn''t an exception to that either. Hepletely lost himself in figuring out his sword moves that he lost track of time.

    A small beard also began to grow on his face, due to him not taking care of himself for several weeks. Duncan waspletely unaware of his state as he immersed himself in figuring out his sword moves.

    However, Duncan soon ran into a problem.

    The intent domain in front wasn''t a pure sword-based intent domain. It wasbined with other aspects as well. Like the masking of sword techniques in the form of petals, flowers, and wind, the intent domain wasn''t pure. It also had some aspects of Dao of ughter and assassination mixed into it.

    What this meant was that, ultimately what Duncan could gain from the intent domain was still limited. It wasn''t a neverending fountain. Once Duncan perceived as much as he could from the intent domain, his insights started running out.

    Moreover, with Duncan''s cultivation level, the amount of things he could perceive was also limited. It too made for a roadblock to him when it came to figuring out the way of the sword.

    Last but not least, the nature of the intent domain was also different from Duncan''s straightforward approach in regards to the way of the sword. What he could glean from it and use it for his own Sword Dao was also limited.

    Thus, one fine day, Duncan woke up from hisprehension with a sigh on his lips.

    Duncan understood clearly that this was his limit when it came to figuring out the way of the sword with the help of the intent domain. No matter how he tried, Duncan didn''t think he would be able to obtain any more insights from the intent domain at his present stage.

    "While I am still not satisfied, I really did understand a lot from this intent domain. I had already understood how to condense sword qi. I have also reached the threshold of creating a sword domain. I have taken inspiration and created my own sword art as well from this intent domain."

    "Whatever else I obtained were mere fringe benefits. Now, I need to sort out these insights I have obtained and try to create my sword domain first. I couldn''t truly grasp the concept behind <Absolute sh Sword Art>, but I do have a direction in which I can travel next in my cultivation of the sword art," Duncan said closing his eyes.

    "Regardless, there is nothing more to be gained here. Now, I need to consolidate my insights and see where they lead," Duncan mumbled to himself and opened his eyes.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan once more closed his eyes and tried to consolidate the knowledge and insights he had gained from his recent enlightenment regarding the way of the sword.

    *****

    Two daysterˇ­

    Sword aura started emanating from Duncan''s body all around.

    A dome-like structure was being created from the sword aura enveloping Duncan''s body in it. Countless crisscrossing sword qi swam through the dome making it look as if Duncan was going to be shredded into pieces.

    However, none of that qi harmed Duncan one bit. Even his remaining pants were undamaged from the sword qi that was present everywhere in the dome-like structure.

    Duncan''s eyes opened and he took in the sword qi swimming in front of his face with fascination in his eyes. There was a small amount of surprise and satisfaction in his eyes as well.

    "So, this is how a sword domain is formed, huh?" Duncan mumbled looking at the countless sword qi roaming inside the dome. "A domain is a collection of sword qi that is operating under a certain principle. In this region, I am the king. I can control any sword qi and attack anyone inside it however I want."

    Duncan muttered to himself as if he was in a trance while looking at the dome-like structure. However, he soon began frowning seeing the size of the domain.

    "What is this? Why is my domain so small? Is this rted to my cultivation? Or do I not have enough knowledge to expand it to a bigger size? This size is really pitiful. It is not even reaching one meter outside of my body," Duncan said frowning a bit.

    "How can I attack someone with my domain like this? This isn''t practical at all. The domain should at the minimum cover ten meters from my body. At least this will give enough room for me to engulf my opponent in this," Duncan said thinking out loud.

    "I should concentrate on figuring out how to increase the size of this domain. But, that''s forter. I need to name this domain first. So, what should I name it? Should I name it based on the characteristics of the domain? Or should I follow the pattern of other cultivators and name it based on the original intention of the domain?"

    "I didn''t create this domain from any martial art. This is purely made on my understanding of the Sword Dao. I need to figure out how to name this first. I can''t go ahead calling it a sword domain. That will be ludicrous. Moreover, anything I create must have an awesome name as well," Duncan frowned and dismissed the sword domain that was engulfing him.

    "Let me get back to thatter," Duncan shook his head and decided not to bother with it currently.

    With the current state of the domain, he would be hard-pressed to use it in realbat. No enemy will be foolish enough toe so close and get enveloped in this domain. For now, this domain could only be used defensively to negate other attacks that came towards him.

    Duncan turned and looked at the garden with a curious glint in his eyes. He wanted to see if his sword domain could stand against the countless sword intents in the intent domain in the garden.

    Deciding to check it out, Duncan took a small twig from the ground and tried to epass it with his sword domain. The first process ended in failure as the sword domain obliterated the twig without any mercy.

    Duncan''s lips twitched seeing this.

    He had indeed taken inspiration from the garden''s intent domain. The way in which the intent domain obliterated the weapon was the inspiration for him to create such a sword domain that was very aggressive.

    Unlike the intent domain which acted passively, the sword domain he created was very active in attacking as well. This also ensured that the twig wouldn''tst for a moment inside his sword domain.

    Duncan also realized that his control over his sword domain was abysmal. He was barely able to form it at this moment. He had no control over its state and the actions it took. The domain had a basic purpose and acted on it without even his prompt.

    This was uneptable.

    A cultivator must have full control over his domain. If not, the domain will be a burden for the cultivator. It can even harm allies and other things that the cultivator would want to be preserved. Even an unintentional exposure will cause damage to whateveres into contact with the domain.

    Duncan shook his head as he realized he was trying too hard. Even though he had obtained arge amount of knowledge regarding the way of swords, the extent of it is limited as well. There are still a lot of things he needed to understand about the way of swords.

    Duncan also recognized the fact that trying to enter the garden with this little piece of sword domain would be idiocy at its peak. Even though he had modeled his domain after the intent domain engulfing the garden, the quality between the two is on different levels.

    The intent domain was enveloped by sword intents that were formed from sword techniques. His was just sword qi that he had emanated from his own understanding. So,paring them would be likeparing an ant and an elephant.

    Just because both ant and elephant ended with the same letters, it wouldn''t mean that they were in the same league. Duncan recognized this fact and put away the idea of entering the garden with his sword domain as a shield.

    "Let''s not be hasty. This intent domain had remained here for several eons. It is not going to go anywhere. I can always give it a shot afterprehending my own sword intent. That way, I won''t be immediately shredded into a mincemeat," Duncan chuckled and took out a jar of wine.

    "I think I better rx here for a while before going back the way I came and finding another way through the battlefield," Duncan took a swig from his wine jar and sighed.

    "Somehow, I have the feeling that I will be taking a lot of detours just to save my life in this Ancient Battlefield. Anyway, I don''t have any pressing matters to attend to. Let me rx here for a bit. The scenery is very nice hereˇ­ haˇ­ haˇ­ haˇ­ "

    Duncanughed heartily taking more and more sips of his wine. He was really in a great mood currently. After rxing for a while, he would once again march on the road and try to find a way to exit this Ancient Battlefield.

    For now, only the wine in his hand and the beautiful scenery matteredˇ­

    *****

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 Chapter 285 Ancient Battlefield Terrain

    <h4>Chapter 285 Ancient Battlefield Terrain</h4>

    Duncan looked around at the new region he had arrived in with vague amusement on his lips.

    After gaining as much as he could from the garden region, Duncan decided not to try his luck by entering the intent domain in that region. He knew clearly that his cultivation in the way of the sword hadn''t reached a point where he could walk across that intent domain and emerge intact.

    So, without wasting any time, he backtracked his way and chose a different direction to walk through the region that filled him with despondence. By now, he was beginning to gain some insight into the topography that filled the entire Ancient Battlefield.

    The Ancient Battlefield was filled with leftover intents and domains that were caused during the war in that time eons ago. When those powerhouses battled, they had thrown around various intents and domains in this region causing the entire region to be filled with them.

    What makes the region dangerous is that these intent domains will attack anyone who enters them. The despondency he encountered was something of a byproduct of an attack left behind by a powerhouse. It was the same with the intent domain he had gained enlightenment from in that beautiful garden.

    These attacks have literally changed thendscape and are still influencing the atmosphere around it. Such a ce was both a treasure trove and a dangerous minefield to navigate through.

    Unless one has their own domain to counter these intent domains, they will be eradicated without any mercy. And the intent domains in these regions are varied. If a cultivator had a defensive domain, he would be able to withstand the assault of a sword domain or an attack domain. However, it might not be the case with other domains that influence the soul and mind like the one he entered first.

    This also made it hard for a single person to navigate the region easily.

    Domains are things that only transformational experts are skilled in. So, by logic, anyone with a Golden Hall cultivation can walk inside the Ancient Battlefield and have a chance to emerge alive.

    But, the problem is that not every Golden Hall expert could wield a domain. Only when they reach the Golden Core realm will they be able to control their domains easily to defend.

    Even though Duncan had already learned how to create a sword domain, it didn''t mean he would be able to use it effectively. The same logic applied to Golden Hall cultivators as well. Thus, normally Golden Hall cultivators didn''t step into this region.

    Only when a person has understood and created their own domain will they be able to step in here. Even then, it will not be a guarantee for them to remain alive due to the varying types of domains avable in the Ancient Battlefield.

    And this was only the edge of the Ancient Battlefield.

    Duncan didn''t know what kind of phenomena and things he would get to witness inside the Ancient Battlefield as he traveled further. He was both excited and apprehensive about it.

    Even though he obtained huge benefits by encountering the sword garden, he also almost lost his life while dealing with the region he first entered. Even while making his way back, Duncan didn''t have it easy.

    He had to constantlybat the despondency creeping into his heart and soul. Even with prior experience, it wasn''t an easy task to aplish. Duncan felt that when he stepped out of this Ancient Battlefield, he would have both his horizons widened and his knowledge enriched.

    As for the thought of dying inside here, Duncan didn''t give it much importance. He understood clearly that this Ancient Battlefield would be his test through fire. If he dies, then that''s it. If not, then he would be stronger than he was before.

    Now that he was inside this region, thinking about dying was pointless.

    The only thing he could do now was to take on things that came one by one and manage to stay alive. Even if this experience leaves him with a broken body, he will need to crawl out of here alive to have any chance of a future.

    But, that didn''t mean everything was a loss.

    Just like how he had gained great benefits in the sword garden, he mighte across other opportunities as well. Who knows, he might find some ancient treasure or legacy to make his cultivation path smoother.

    This Ancient Battlefield was dangerous, but it was also rewarding.

    *****

    The new region Duncan entered boasted scorching heat. It was filled with a burning sensation that even created a burning sensation in Duncan''s soul. Duncan couldn''t help but marvel at the prating power of this new domain.

    The heat was so unbearable that he even felt his soul burning. It was as if he was present inside ava mountain. Looking around, he could see molten rocks andva spread out across the entirendscape causing him to feel a bit thirsty just after stepping into the region.

    Duncan didn''t know what awaited him in this domain. So, he didn''t recklessly trek through the region. The first domain he encountered affected his soul and mind. The next one was a sword domain. This one, looked as if it was formed of a fiery fire intent.

    Duncan didn''t want to take chances.

    After understanding the danger level of these domains, Duncan decided to be as careful as possible while trekking through them. If he found any dangerous domains like the sword garden, then he would take a detour after gaining as much as possible from it.

    At least, that was his n at this moment.

    His ns might change as his cultivation and power increases in here. But, Duncan didn''t think he would be able to obtain enough power to walk through these domains unhindered. His current cultivation was way too low for such stuff to ur.

    Squinting his eyes, Duncan looked into the distance and found the entire area covered in magma that emitted burning heat. Duncan groaned as he realized that trekking through this region would be incredibly difficult.

    He really didn''t like the fact that he had to get through this region that stretched for who knows how long. Still, it was still undetermined yet to see if he was walking through this region or turning around.

    Duncan picked a rock from nearby and chucked it directly into the region. The previous lessons from interacting with the sword garden let him know that it would be unwise to assume there aren''t any immediate dangers just because a ce looked peaceful.

    This region was already looking dangerouspared to the two regions he had been to earlier, so Duncan wasn''t letting down his guard anytime soon. He decided to check first before deciding on crossing this region.

    The rock he chucked into the region didn''t meet any untimely demise. It bounced through the magma terrain causingva to ssh across the ce. Duncan frowned as he saw that the area where theva sshed was eroding quickly.

    Looking at the stone, he saw that it was mostly intact.

    Duncan took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh. It was clear that while the region was still dangerous, the physical damage was highest only when theva was touched. Otherwise, the region looked somewhat navigable.

    Duncan then concentrated hard on the surroundings while keeping track of the kind of emotions he felt. He looked for any kind of influence on his emotions in the atmosphere. Luckily, he didn''t find any as well.

    However, this didn''t reassure Duncan.

    Duncan was like a man who got a snake bite at this moment. He was afraid of anything that even remotely looked like a snake. He kept searching for hidden dangers for several minutes before ultimatelying to the decision that this region was navigable.

    "Well, it looks like there wouldn''t be any hidden dangers here," Duncan mumbled aloud and looked around furtively hoping to catch some kind of hidden danger. "Then, I guess I shall walk through here."

    Duncan hesitantly took the first step into the region feeling out the atmosphere carefully, while still being ready to backpedal. When nothing happened, Duncan''s heart soared a bit and he took the next step confidently.

    Duncan took a few more steps beforeing to a stop. He looked around the region that was emanating a kind of noxious smell and frowned slightly. Even after checking for some time, Duncan didn''t find any hidden threats.

    Duncan jumped slightly and bounced in the ce a few more times testing the terrain as well. He didn''t want to walk through the region, only for thend to copse under his feet and send him to a fiery death. After checking that thend under his feet was stable as well, Duncan finally smiled slightly.

    "That''s it, I guess," Duncan chuckled and began walking through the region boldly.

    *****

    On the other end of the magma terrain, a grizzled old man stepped foot inside looking around at the surrounding terrain with vignce in his heart. His clothes were scorched, his face looked bloody, and one of his arms hung limply to the side. But, there was a mad determination emitting from his eyes.

    He looked at the magma terrain and mumbled under his breath.

    "I hope I find that demonspawn in this region at least. Thest few regions have been a bust. But, it doesn''t matter. I will find him even if he goes to the end of this world. Even if he is dead, I want to see the remains of his body to be sure of itˇ­"

    *****

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    Support me at patreon/kkephemeral

 Chapter 286 Underground Path

    <h4>Chapter 286 Underground Path</h4>

    Duncan felt his insides experiencing a burning sensation the more he traveled through the terrain.

    He hadn''t noticed it earlier, but the heat that was being generated by the magma rocks and the overflowingva in the region was causing some noxious fumes to be emitted into the air. Inhaling these fumes might not have affected his health immediately, but constant exposure to it was making his breathing hard.

    Moreover, the very air that he inhaled also contained some fire qi mixed in it. The region was dominated by heat and fire so much that it would have been a paradise for a fire cultivator.

    Unfortunately, Duncan wasn''t one.

    Thus, the fire qi he had breathed inside his body was making him feel mightily ufortable. It was shing with the ughter qi in his body. While the ughter qi in his body remained dominant, these shes within his body were making him very ufortable.

    Furthermore, it was also making it hard for him to circte his qi internally. This caused his qi to be slightly stagnant. Duncan didn''t think he would be able to walk through this region without the protection of his qi. If not, a mortal could have walked through this region.

    The scorching heat emanating from the rocks almost burned of his skin when it came in direct contact. Even the soles of his footwear were showing signs of bing unusable as time passed.

    If the first region he entered tested his heart and mental strength, then this region tested his body and physical strength the most. Duncan felt sweaty all over as he climbed over the crest of a small mound and looked into the distance.

    Flicking away the sweat that was forming on his forehead, Duncan looked into the distance and found the region empty, except for the magma-covered terrain. He frowned slightly and looked around to see if this region contained any other mysteries or interesting sights.

    Duncan didn''t believe that the region covered in such fiery fire qi would be devoid of rare materials. There are some special treasures that require this kind of environment to grow. So, Duncan wanted to see if he coulde across anything of such a nature.

    Picking a random direction after confirming that there were no traces of any valuable treasure, Duncan began walking amidst the scorching heat.

    *****

    "Really, fire pearls!? Just these pitiful things, eh!?" Duncan eximed in irritation and surprise.

    A couple of hours earlier, he hade across some signs of rare treasures being in the region and had headed towards the area where the fire qi was the richest. Who knew he would only find fire pearls here?

    As the name implies, fire pearls aremon items that can be found in ces that are rich in fire qi. When the fire qi in the atmosphere constantly invades the stones in the region, a kind of metamorphosis happens causing the structure of the stone to alter internally causing such pearls to be produced.

    While this was not amon item that could be found everywhere, Duncan had high hopes for this region. Seeing that only these fire pearls were avable, he couldn''t help but get disappointed.

    Even though he was disappointed that there was no rare treasure for him to collect, Duncan didn''t let go off the fire pearls either. He started collecting them as he knew that they would fetch a pretty good price in the ck market.

    Suddenly, Duncan''s eyes narrowed as he found histest cracked open a covered crevice and showed him a path to the underground region of the area.

    "Huh? What is this?"

    Duncan''s curiosity was piqued as he found the path that led deep underground. The path was mostly covered and wasn''t visible from his angle at all. However, when he picked out the fire pearl from the rock on top, the surrounding regions crumbled slightly to reveal a hidden path behind the rock.

    "This path looks as if it is leading underground. Even though I will have to squeeze in through the gap here, I can see it bing wider as it travels further. Should I go for it?" Duncan mumbled examining the crevice carefully.

    From his vantage point, he could see the path widening and heading deeper into the ground. He didn''t know what awaited him inside, but Duncan wanted to see it for himself. Traversing this barrenndscape became tiring after a while with nothing else for him to see. So, Duncan decided to head inside and take a look.

    Duncan used his fist to widen the gap in the crevice and entered the path carefully. Unlike above ground, he could feel the heat inside wasn''t that unbearable. There was still heat in the path, but the obnoxious fumes weren''t present causing it to be more bearable for him.

    He hadn''t even traveled a few steps, but Duncan already liked it more than the terrain above ground. The path he traveled wound down after a few meters and turned sharply. Duncan looked around carefully before walking through it.

    Within a few meters after the turn, the path began to head even deeper inside causing Duncan to take a wary look at the surroundings. He could feel the heat emanating from the rocks even after using his qi for protection. So, he was pretty sure that if he got buried in here, he would be in for a hard time.

    Still, his curiosity to explore the path won him over and he headed inside.

    The downward trajectory of the path didn''t end quickly. Duncan traveled at least several miles inside before the path ultimately evened down. What took Duncan by surprise was that the path widened more and more as it headed deeper below ground.

    There were also signs of creatures passing through in the path causing him to be more vignt. While he didn''t know the strength of the creatures inhabiting thisnd, he didn''t think they would be tame considering the environment they lived in.

    The first two regions he stepped into were inhospitable for anyone to live in. But, this region didn''t look to be so. If there were indeed creatures residing in this region, then they would be the first type of living beings he woulde across after entering the Ancient Battlefield. And their rtive strength will let Duncan know the possibility of him tangling with them in the future.

    As Duncan''s thoughts raced, he reached a fork in the path he was following so far. One route led deeper underground. There was only the slight glow of theva flowing through the rocks to illuminate it. The path looked eerie in Duncan''s eyes.

    The other had creature tracks all over it. It looked as if it was frequented by the creatures in the region. Duncan''s face became serious as he realized that even the creatures that resided in this area were avoiding the path that headed deeper underground.

    Taking a deep breath, Duncan decided to abandon the path that was heading deeper inside and chose to explore the path that was frequented by the creatures present in the area. He first wanted to see the strength of the creatures before deciding on his future ns.

    Heading deeper on the new path, Duncan began to see signs of the creatures more frequently. There were remains of what appeared to be Fire Rats littered on the path causing Duncan to breathe a sigh of relief.

    Fire Rats are only dangerous when someone gets caught in the middle of a swarm. The strength of the typical Fire Rat was in the Spirit Sea realm, with only the Fire Rat King reaching the Violet Pce realm.

    Seeing such creatures inhabiting this ce, Duncan let go of the concern in his heart a bit. If these Fire Rats could roam this region, then this area in particr was pretty safe for someone with his strength. If there were any powerful creatures to be found, he would naturally need to be a bit more careful. But, with his strength, he could typically handle them normally.

    So, Duncan''s confidence in exploring the new path grew a little bit and his steps became more surer. Duncan traveled through the path for some time beforeing across an opening that directly led to a cavern that was located below,

    Duncan slowly inched his way and checked out the cavern below.

    The moment his eyesnded on the cavern below, he couldn''t help but be ted. From the location where he was peeping out, the path entered a sharp drop and headed towards arge cavern in the underground area.

    The dim red glow of theva was the only illumination in the region causing the entire cavern to be bathed in a glowing red light. In that red light, Duncan could vaguely see a few figures scurrying along below.

    But, what caused Duncan''s eyes to shine were the glistening red threads that ran through the region in varying shapes and lengths. The moment his eyesnded on them, Duncan''s eyes couldn''t help but shine greedily.

    Even at this distance, Duncan was clear about the nature of those threads. In fact, they weren''t threads at all. They were silk that was spun by the Red Spotted Spiders that typically resided in such regions.

    The Red Spotted Silk that could be obtained from these spiders were known for their durability under extreme temperature. Due to the nature of their habitat, the silk that was spun by these spiders contained innate resistance to extreme temperatures.

    This silk was highly soft after for making robes and dresses by wealthy cultivators. This silk was practically a raremodity in the outside world. Seeing such arge amount of silk lying around, caused the greed in Duncan''s heart to arise.

    With a small smile, Duncan excitedly made his way towards the silk strands in a hurry, throwing caution to the wind.

    *****

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 Chapter 287 Battling The Spotted Spider Queen

    <h4>Chapter 287 Battling The Spotted Spider Queen</h4>

    Red Spotted Spiders lived in groups. They were the kind of animals that didn''t act alone. They had a Spider Queen which ismonly known as the Spotted Spider Queen among cultivators.

    It controlled the colony with an iron grip. No spider will disobey its orders and they would all follow it with blind obedience. Only when the Spotter Spider Queen dies, will another take its ce. And only with its direction will the other spiders attack or withdraw.

    The Red Spotted Spider in general had the strength of a Violet Pce realm cultivator. With the Spotted Spider reaching the pinnacle of the Violet Pce realm. Duncan had read about these rare breeds of spiders while scouring the sect annals for information about the cultivation world. That is how he knew the value of the Spotted Spider Silk as well.

    So, he had no worries about attacking the entire colony brazenly. He knew that at most the Spider Queen would have reached the pinnacle of the Violet Pce realm. Even before entering the Ancient Battlefield, Duncan was able to fight toe to toe against ate-stage Violet Pce cultivator.

    With his recent enlightenment in the sword garden and his attainment of an embryonic form of sword domain, Duncan had the confidence to go one-on-one with the Spider Queen directly.

    When it came to confronting these kinds of colony beasts that had a collective mind, cultivators had already worked out how to defeat them easily. Once the king or queen dies, the colony beasts will devolve into infighting to determine the next leader. Unless they aplish that, they wouldn''t be attacking anyone else.

    So, the best way for Duncan to deal with this was to assassinate the Spider Queen, collect the Spotted Spider Silk, and slink away before the new queen or king was determined. That way, he would avoid getting dragged into fighting the entire colony by himself.

    However, Duncan didn''t have the patience to act so cautiously at present. Right now, he wanted to get his hands on the Spotted Spider Silk in the most direct manner ¨C taking on the entire colony and killing them. He didn''t even stop to consider which way was more suitable.

    Duncan obviously knew the right method to approach this problem due to his knowledge of the beasts. But, he preferred to just steamroll over the colony instead of slinking around. He didn''t think it was necessary at all.

    Moreover, Duncan was currently very eager to test his recently obtained sword skills. He wanted to test out his new creation and see its handiwork with his own eyes. So, he didn''t hesitate to step out and approach the crevice with a confident posture.

    As Duncan neared the colony, his presence was noticed by the sentry spiders quickly. They tried to warn away Duncan by waving their mandibles and hissing at him. But, Duncan didn''t take them seriously at all.

    In front of such a horde of treasure, Duncan didn''t care about these useless threats. If it was the Spider Queen in front of him, he might have paused for a bit. But, ultimately, he wouldn''t have backed out.

    It was pretty rare for cultivators like him toe across such a rare opportunity to acquire wealth. Even though many know or have heard of the Red Spotted Spiders, the chance of a cultivator running into them is very rare as well.

    One of the important factors for the Spider Queen to build its colony underground is that they prefer the kind of ce that is brimming with magma andva. The amount of fire qi required for the colony to prosper was enormous. Ordinary environments will not sustain them for long.

    Thus Red Spotted Spiders can only be found in regions that are simr to a volcano. Even then, some sects have acquired these volcanoes and prevented other people from essing them willy-nilly.

    They had also begun farming these spiders in a bid to have more money by grooming them. Even with such heavy-handed measures, there is always a demand for more Spotted Spider Silk. The scarcity of such an environment and the spiders themselves have made it a very lucrative trade for some sects.

    So, very rarely did a cultivatore across such a golden opportunity. And Duncan wasn''t nning on missing it.

    Duncan paid no attention to the spiders that were hissing at him. He brazenly walked towards the silk strands that were hung all over the cavern and began collecting them excitedly.

    Seeing this, the spiders became even more agitated and started chattering among themselves. Duncan knew that it was only a matter of time before the information about his deeds reached the Spider Queen prompting it to issue some sort of response. And that response will most likely have these spiders attacking him.

    So, Duncan didn''t n on wasting time. He began collecting the silk strands with even more gusto. The chattering in the surroundings increased severalfold as the spiders began making threatening gestures and surrounding him.

    While the spiders wouldn''t attack him, they would also not let him act wantonly. They tried to limit his movement space by forming a circle around him and forcing him to stay put.

    This pissed off Duncan.

    To him, these spiders were blocking his way to be wealthy. He never even considered them to be beasts of the Violet Pce realm. He knew he could mow through them easily.

    But, the important thing right now was to collect as many silk strands as possible before the Spider Queen came out. So, he didn''t want to get into needless fights. Duncan immediately employed his movement technique and escaped the encirclement easily. He once again went on with his collecting spree causing the spiders to be more animated.

    It was clear to Duncan that the information had already been passed to the higher-ups in the colony''smand structure. And it will only be a matter of time before the Spider Queen makes its appearance.

    As Duncan expected, the Spider Queen did show up within a few minutes causing the surrounding chatter to die immediately. Duncan looked over and found a slim and sleek spider looking at him with anger in its eyes.

    Duncan cockily smiled back at it and went about collecting the silk strands once more.

    The Spider Queen hissed causing all the other spiders to immediatelyunch at him. Duncan had been ready for such a moment even before the Spider Queen appeared.

    He evaded most of the pounces from the spiders and went about his job easily. If he couldn''t evade a pounce for some reason, he simply swatted these spiders away with his qi-infused hand, causing the Spider Queen to be even more enraged.

    What followed was a cat-and-mouse game all over the cavern. Duncan''s movement technique provided him with far more flexibility and mobility causing most attempts by the spiders to be a mere nuisance.

    The spider queen saw all this and becamepletely mad. Duncan wasn''t collecting mere silk strands. These silk strands were woven by its colony for their benefit. They used it to hunt, kill, and even store food. It was an important resource to the colony.

    So, naturally, the spider queen wasn''t going to allow a cocky stranger to obtain them without a fight.

    Even though Duncan was anticipating such a reaction, the spider queen''s speed really took Duncan by surprise. If not for his reflexes, he would have been hit by it already.

    The moment the spider queen made the move, the surrounding spiders stopped attacking him as well. Duncan looked at the spider queen which had just now tried to ram into him. He could see that the spider queen was ready for a battle at the moment.

    Duncan didn''t waste his time either. He took out his sword and started attacking it back as well. The fight between the duo began in earnest. Both sides came at each other with the intent to kill.

    Duncan''s sword shes were easily negated by the Spider Queen''s strong body. It tanked the attacks without even flinching much. This caused Duncan to increase the level of damage he was inflicting on it.

    When the new attacknded, the spider queen received it with his mandibles and attacked back by shooting out a thread of fiery red silk toward Duncan. Duncan naturally avoided these threads with his movement technique.

    Another cat-and-mouse game began immediately after that as Spider Queen tried its damn best to contain Duncan. However, Duncan wasn''t going to sit by idly either. He cut through the silk strands that wereunched at him with ease and created enough breathing room for him.

    Their dance took them all over the cavern causing severe damage to be inflicted on the spider silk that was present. Duncan''s heart ached to see such a waste. The spider queen wasn''t feeling any better. Even after attacking for so long, only its home was getting damaged.

    The Spider Queen and Duncan stared at each other for some time, before the Spider Queen once more started to attack Duncan with increased fervorˇ­

    *****

 Chapter 288 Fight against the horde

    <h4>Chapter 288 Fight against the horde</h4>

    Duncan shed with the Spider Queen with even more ferocity.

    He swung his sword wantonly chopping away the silk strands shot out by the Spider Queen. With the addition of sword qi, Duncan''s attacks were incredibly sharp. He cut through the sticky strands without much effort causing the SPirder Queen to retreat continuously.

    Just as Duncan closed in on the Spider Queen, a hair-rising screech emanated from it causing every other spider in the vicinity to rush madly towards Duncan and attack him with abandon. Duncan was immediately immersed in the tide of attacks that came at him.

    Duncan didn''t hesitate and immediately employed the sword domain he had grasped recently. The moment the sword domain came out, a dome-shaped structure stretched out of his body for a few meters apart.

    Any attack that entered the dome was shredded to pieces by the countless sword qi swimming in that region. None of the attacks by the surrounding spiders even managed to touch him.

    However, Duncan also realized that the qi in his body was also being depleted in a rapid manner. This was the first time Duncan had employed sword domain in an actual fight. Till now, he had only tested it in safe conditions.? So, Duncan experienced the rapid decline of the qi in his body for the first time.

    The rapid consumption of the qi in his body while employing the sword domain wasn''t that noticeable to Duncan before this. He had never needed to keep track of the consumption before this. But, the situation was different now.

    He was still surrounded by arge number of spiders. Duncan didn''t take them seriously. But, getting swarmed by them was not a good thing to experience. Moreover, there was still the Spider Queen to deal with. She was the only creature in this cavern that had the ability to defeat him. So, not taking her into ount would be suicidal.

    Duncan frowned as he realized the predicament he was in. While employing the sword domain will negate all the attacks by the other spiders, it will also reduce the qi in his body at a rapid rate. He couldn''t keep going on like this.

    If he ran out of qi, then he would be akin to a sitting duck amidst this horde of spiders and the Spider Queenmanding it. So, Duncan had a decision to make. Either to tank the attacks that were iing and rush toward the Spider Queen while not employing the sword domain or to find another alternative soon.

    Duncan didn''t think much. He decisively retracted the sword domain and started attacking the spiders in his vicinity with the intent to kill. Earlier, he didn''t attack back as he was intent on collecting as many silk strands as possible. But, this time, he decided to take care of these nuisances first.

    Duncan didn''t use the new sword art he created. He still kept to the old attacks that had worked for him so far. Absolute Severance sh after Absolute Severance sh was sent out after the spiders in his vicinity in quick session.

    However, there was a difference between the Absolute Severance sh he used prior and the one he used now. Earlier, his Absolute Severance sh was integrated with sword light. This time, it had sword qi integrated into it.

    And the results were not disappointing either.

    Wherever the sh passed by, severed limbs and heads of the spiders can be found. Some spiders had their entire body cut into two. Duncan was very brutal towards the spiders that were attacking him.

    He swung his sword relentlessly and reaped lives without any burden. He also employed <Wind Chasing Steps> to not get bogged down by the numbers. Pretty soon, a gap started forming around him with no spider daring toe any further.

    Duncan breathed deeply and looked into the distance.

    The Spider Queen was raging in the distance. It was clear to anyone it saw that it waspletely mad at him and wanted to tear him from limb to limb. Duncan looked at the surrounding spiders onest time and started walking towards the Spider Queen.

    The Spider Queen waspletely enraged by now. It screeched madly and dashed towards Duncan as well. This time it joined the other spiders and attacked him while taking the task of meeting him head-on.

    Duncan wasn''t deterred by this new strategy employed by the Spider Queen. He eagerly shed with it, while still reaping the lives of other spiders in the vicinity. Duncan''s sword was like a death reaper''s scythe. Wherever it passed by, a spider lost its life.

    Soon, the number of spiders surrounding him also began dropping as well.

    But, what amazed Duncan slightly was the kind ofmand and control the Spider Queen had over its subjects. Any creature had an inherent instinct to save its life. Even in such a situation, none of the spiders who were being killed turned their tail and ran away.

    And the Spider Queen itself wasn''t looking very well either. It had several sword marks on its body as well. Its tough hide provided it with enough protection for it tost long in the fight.

    Duncan frowned slightly as he realized that such a scenario couldn''t be maintained for a long time. The qi he had avable in his body was running out rapidly. He had been performing Absolute Severance sh nonstop for a long time now.

    Even though it was very effective in reaping the lives of the spiders that surrounded him and injured most of the spiders as well, the numbers on the other side meant that he would be the first to run out of qi soon.

    Duncan gritted his teeth and retreated.

    While Duncan felt unwilling to retreat, he also knew that he needed to change his way of attack. Getting entangled with the horde was not the best option currently.? He needed to find a way to end this fight and not think of prolonging it.

    Duncan escaped the encirclement swiftly and retreated back to a higher ground in the cavern and looked down on the assembled spider horde in front of him. The horde parted to the side right before his eyes and the Spider Queen emerged to the front looking at him venomously.

    They both eyed each other for a few moments before Duncan realized that he had been going about this the wrong way. The best option was always to kill the Spider Queen and let the horde start fighting to crown the new queen.

    He knew this. And yet, in the heat of the moment, he had forgotten about this tried and tested strategy. Taking a deep breath, Duncan contemted how to aplish that.

    Duncan knew that the Spider Queen also knew its importance to the horde. If not, it wouldn''t have retreated and ordered the horde to attack him together earlier. So, trying to kill the Spider Queen first wouldn''t be something easy to aplish.

    What he should have done after finding the cavern and the Red Spotted Spiders inside it was toy low and assassinate the Spider Queen first. But, he had already shed with the horde. So, trying assassination right now was not going to pan out as well. The Spider Queen will be on guard after this.

    While he could retreatpletely with what he had gained for now ande back to assassinate the Spider Queenter, Duncan didn''t want to do such a thing. He didn''t like the idea at all. Neither retreating nor resorting to assassination appealed to him. In his mind, it was the coward''s way.

    Duncan preferred fighting head-on. He didn''t like things like ambush and assassination. He felt those avenues were beneath him. In his mind, a true cultivator shouldn''t be so cowardly.

    Clenching his fists, Duncan checked the condition of the qi inside his body. Only a little more than a quarter of the total qi in his body was left. Looking ahead, Duncan found more than half the horde still remaining alive. He knew he wouldn''t be able tost long if he followed the previous approach.

    It was fine as well. Duncan wasn''t out of cards yet.

    Duncan''s twitched and he sneered at the horde arrogantly. He felt that it was time for him to use his own sword art and see its effect. Duncan gripped his hand, narrowed his eyes, and looked at the horde and the Spider Queen leading it with determination and anticipation in his eyes.

    Seeing Duncan not retreating and preparing to attack once more, the Spider Queen got enraged as well. With a loud screech, its sleek body started bulging rapidly. The surrounding spiders immediately retreated as if they were afraid of whatever the Spider Queen was doing.

    Duncan noticed it in the corner of his eyes and waited patiently for the Spider Queen to attack. He wanted to see what more the Spider Queen could do after this. The Spider Queen didn''t disappoint him either.

    The Spider Queen spat out arge mass of web made out of the very silk strands he wanted to obtain. However, unlike the other silk strands, this one was gleaming green and was glowing eerily as it came out of the Spider Queen.

    Duncan didn''t like the look of the green web one bit. An uneasy feeling emerged in his heart as he saw the Spider Queenunch the web towards him. Duncan didn''t hesitate one bit. He didn''t want to witness what this web could do to him.

    "Severance!!!"

    With a loud shout, Duncan swung his sword and unleashed his self-created sword art for the first time inbat. A thin streak of sword sh, which gleamed brightly in juxtaposition to the eerie green web, rushed out of Duncan''s sword towards the green web and the Spider Queen.

    *****

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 Chapter 289 Shredding Weakness

    <h4>Chapter 289 Shredding Weakness</h4>

    "Severance!!!"

    Chiiiii

    A bright sword sh emerged out of Duncan''s sword and traveled toward the horde of spiders. The moment it met with the eerie green web that came from the Spider Queen, the sword sh cut through the web with rtive ease and looked as if it would travel past it initially.

    However, the speed at which the sword sh traveled slowed down dramatically as it got caught in the green web''s strands. Even though the sh was cutting through the web, the sticky nature of the web was entangling the sword sh a lot more than Duncan expected.

    Ear-piercing sounds arose as the sword sh slowly cut through the web bit by bit, despite the stickiness that tried to keep it entangled. Duncan breathed heavily as he watched the sword sh finally cut through the web and emerge on the other side.

    By then, the energy spent in the sword sh had also been spent mostly. Still, the attack strength of the sword sh was operating very efficiently. The next moment, relieved of the entanglement from the web, the sword sh raced ahead andnded amidst the horde in the distance.

    BOOM!

    Arge cloud of dust erupted the moment the sword shnded. Duncan narrowed his eyes as he watched the aftermath of his attack from his vantage point. He hoped that his attack really did damage the horde. If not, he would be out of options when it came to battling the horde currently.

    His qi was running low. Just thisst attack had drained one¨Ceighth of his remaining qi. He could at most deliver a few more attacks like this. If he couldn''t deal with the horde by then, then he would have no option but to retreat.

    The dust cloud cleared rapidly under Duncan''s eyes.

    What he saw inside the cloud heartened Duncan a lot. An arrogant smile appeared on his face, as Duncan cackled loudly. Looking below, he could see the extent of the damage his attack had caused. And it gave him immense pleasure and happiness to witness how damaging it was.

    This was his own self-created sword art. The attack power it possessed had not been tested so far against live opponents. Even though he had tested it against the rock in the stone garden, nothing beat testing it in an actual battle like this.

    In the cavern, arge portion of the remaining spider horde were twitching on the ground. Duncan''sst attack had really devastated the remaining horde. More than one-third of the remaining spiders were chopped up by the attack Duncan just performed. And this was after his attack went through the eerie green web shot out by the Spider Queen.

    Duncan was overjoyed to see such a result. He immediately jumped down below into the cavern and started to walk boldly toward the horde that was scrabbling aimlessly in fear. He sneered looking at their pathetic states and rejoiced in hearing their painful cries.

    A part of Duncan was immensely ted to see the damage he could inflict if he willed to do so. It relished in hearing the painful cries of his enemies and wanted to hear more.

    Duncan didn''t notice such a change in his behavior. To him, everything felt natural. Whether it was rejoicing in the pain of the other creatures or wanting to cause more pain, everything felt natural to him.

    Duncan saw the rtively less harmed Spider Queen chittering at the horde in the distance. He immediately knew that the Spider Queen was galvanizing the remaining spiders to attack him. Seeing such a scene, he onlyughed out aloud.

    Even when they had more numbers on their side, they weren''t able to do anything to him. Currently, he had more than culled one-third of them and had simultaneously taken on the best shot of the Spider Queen as well. So, Duncan didn''t even have an ounce of caution towards this horde of spiders. Rather, he despised them for being too weak.

    Seeing Duncan approaching the horde arrogantly, the Spider Queen let out a loud screech and rushed towards him to attack him. Duncan weed it with an arrogant smirk on his face.

    Looking at the approaching Spider Queen, Duncan felt like chopping off its head and showing it off to the horde. He didn''t know where such an idea came from, but he liked it very much. So, without pausing in his strides, Duncan unleashed yet another Severance directly at the approaching Spider Queen.

    This time, the sh went through the Spider Queen before it could even react to its approach. Duncan''s handling of the attack had improved after the first usage. And it caused the speed of the attack to elerate as well.

    With no green web to block its path, the sh traveled quickly and cut through the Spider Queen within the blink of an eye. The severed body parts of the Spider Queen slid down to the floor and skidded before his legs.

    The attack didn''t just stop after cutting through the Spider Queen. It traveled further into the horde and wrecked more havoc. The group of spiders, which were standing directly behind the Spider Queen, were chopped into several pieces as well.

    Duncan stepped on the cut-open carcass of the Spider Queen arrogantly and looked at the remaining spiders in the vicinity. The control that the Spider Queen had over them was waning already and they were preparing to go ahead and fight amongst themselves.

    Duncan looked at the aggressive behavior of the remaining spiders towards each other and frowned slightly. He felt slightly offended seeing the rest of the spiders nning to attack each other.

    He was the biggest threat here. And these idiotic spiders were going to fight amongst themselves right before him. Such neglect of his presence didn''t sit well with Duncan at all. Even though he knew that this was the habit of the Red Spotted Spiders, he didn''t like it one bit.

    Duncan looked at the remaining spiders angrily. Murderous thoughts filled his mind and his killing intent exploded out of his body. This was the first time, Duncan actually used killing intent consciously.

    Every time he used killing intent before this, he was under the grasp of the madness induced by his blood. He had never employed killing intent in such a manner before to deter others.

    Duncan''s killing intent mmed into the remaining spiders like a ton of rocks causing them to be paralyzed in fear. They had never experienced such a thing before. The moment Duncan''s attention was ced on them, they couldn''t control the innate fear that rose in their body to escape.

    And yet, none of them moved.

    Duncan eyed the remaining spiders distastefully and muttered lowly.

    "Since you all want to fight amongst yourself, allow me to send you all off to follow your bellowed queen as well," Duncan sneered and unleashed another Severance attack without any mercy.

    What followed was aplete one-sided ughter. The rest of the spiders which were frozen in fear had no chance against Duncan''s mad attacks. Duncan shed out several Severance attacks in a rowpletely decimating the horde.

    When his qi ran out, he personally made the effort to kill off every spider he could find in a merciless manner. There wasn''t an ounce ofpassion in Duncan at the moment. He simply indulged himself in ughtering the defenseless spiders.

    When Duncan came out of his fugue and looked around, the entire cavern was littered with severed limbs and heads of the spiders. Blood pooled in the cavernpletely covering the ground.

    Looking at the scene, Duncan didn''t even bat his eyes. He merely snorted and went ahead to collect the remaining Spotted Spider Silk strands that he entered the cavern for.

    After collecting the silk strands, Duncan climbed out of the cavern and looked behind. Seeing the cavern no longer glittering and filled with blood, he became slightly thoughtful.

    "In this world, only the weak cry out for mercy andpassion. The strong do whatever they want. The original sin any creature in this world couldmit is to be weak. If they are strong, they would be the onesmitting such atrocities," Duncan mumbled looking below at the blood-sshed floor of the cavern.

    "I was hunted down and forced to enter this Ancient Battlefield because I was weak. Even low-level cultivators whom I ughtered near the Dark Star City only dared to n to hunt me down because they thought of me as someone weak,"? Duncan mumbled and looked up at the magma-enfused rocks that were glowing with red light.

    The light felt apt for the atmosphere he was in. He may have lost control of his temper and indulged himself a little while eradicating these spiders. But, he had also gained a lot bymitting this ughter.

    The ughter qi he had obtained from killing the spider horde currently ran through his body in an active manner. His body had been nearly empty when he started ughtering these spiders. And now, it felt full of energy. He felt even more powerful than he had felt before.

    "I don''t want to be hunted anymore. I don''t want to run for my life anymore. Sects, friends, and rtionships are all meaningless in this world. Only strength matters. I will be strong no matter what happens. I will be someone everyone fears," Duncan said determinedly looking towards the exit and started walking.

    In this cavern, a true demon was born. The world just didn''t know it yet.

    *****

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