The demon cultivators of the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect were notoriously difficult to apprehend.
For one thing, they did not cultivate their physical bodies, but only their souls. As a result, they would possess different people from time to time, making it extremely difficult even to determine their whereabouts. For another, every possession they carried out brought about tremendous chaos, leaving those around them constantly on guard and filled with loathing.
That was why capturing a single demon cultivator from the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect brought one tremendous renown.
To put it simply, capturing ten infamous demon lords out in the world would not earn as much prestige as capturing one demon cultivator from the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect.
Thus, after the Myriad Dao Sect confirmed that the Hu family had colluded with a demon cultivator from the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect, Qu Yougu, the Daoist heir, immediately sought out his martial uncle and worked with him to devise a plan to capture the demon cultivator.
However, the plan required someone to make a sacrifice and serve as bait in a ruse of self-injury. The Grotto-Heaven True Persons within their own sect all had boundless prospects and complicated connections behind them, so they naturally could not be sacrificed. Their gaze therefore fell upon their affiliated sects. Yuan Xinmei and her senior brother had been chosen under precisely these circumstances.
Of course, Yuan Xinmei and the others did not necessarily have to die. If they captured the demon in advance, or if their investigation proved mistaken, they would instead have the opportunity to establish a connection with the important figure that was the Daoist heir.
“Demon, you’re on death’s door, yet you still dare to be arrogant?”
“Everyone, put down your weapons and await the judgment of the Myriad Dao Sect.”
With two powerful cultivators of the Immaculate Realm taking the field, everything was settled in an instant.
Forget the Soul-Possessing demon cultivator—even the Hu family and the cultivators who had pledged themselves to the Hu family were as pale as sheets of paper. Yet in their hearts, they could not help but seethe with resentment.
If cultivators of the Immaculate Realm were accompanying them, why had they not come out sooner?
If they had known that the Myriad Dao Sect had sent Immaculate Realm cultivators, how could they possibly have betrayed the Myriad Dao Sect and attacked its Daoist heir by siding with the Hu family?
“It’s over. This time, it’s truly over.” The two Grotto-Heaven Realm cultivators of the Fan family nearly suffered a collapse of their Dao hearts.
They had killed their nephew in order to pledge themselves to the Hu family, only to be caught red-handed by people from the Myriad Dao Sect.
Even if the Myriad Dao Sect spared their lives on account of the large number of people involved, once their family learned that the two of them had betrayed them, it certainly would not let them off easily.
From now on, they could only change their names and identities, keep their heads down, and live the unsettled lives of wandering cultivators outside.
“Bah! Myriad Dao Sect, you’re even more disgusting than I am, and I’m the demon cultivator here.” “Yuan Xinmei”—who had realized that the tide had turned—could no longer maintain the transcendent composure she had displayed earlier. Instead, she seemed almost hysterical. “Two cultivators of the Immaculate Realm deliberately ambushed a junior like me. You truly stop at nothing!”
“Demon cultivator Wei Yiming of the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect.” Qu Yougu coldly regarded the demon cultivator possessing Yuan Xinmei’s body and exposed him without the slightest courtesy. “You were one of the previous generation’s core disciples of the Soul-Possessing Demon Sect, and you have already completed three possessions.
“Five hundred years ago, during your first possession, you took over the body of a clan patriarch from a prominent family in a city. You used his body to kill his wife and children, betrayed his family, and then turned every member of that family into blood food for vicious beasts. In the end, you released your possession and caused that clan patriarch to kill himself after his Dao heart collapsed. You used the resentment surrounding his death to refine him into an external incarnation, which took your place and died in your stead after you fled the last time.
“Four hundred years ago, during your second possession, you took over the body of an outer disciple from one of our Myriad Dao Sect’s affiliated sects. You displayed exceptional cultivation talent and coaxed the sect master into pouring every resource he had into you. Yet you turned around and colluded with wandering cultivators, overran the sect’s mountain gate, and carried off all of its resources.
“After releasing your possession, you slaughtered all of that sect master’s disciples and grand-disciples in front of him. You even raped and murdered his daughter, who had yet to embark upon the path of cultivation, attempting to refine him into your external incarnation. You were forced to stop midway when you were discovered by a patrol elder of the Myriad Dao Sect, after which you began your flight.
“Three hundred years ago, after being wounded by one of our sect’s patrol elders, you escaped and joined forces with the Hu family. From then on, you concealed your identity and hid for three full centuries, all while waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on the Myriad Dao Sect.” Qu Yougu’s gaze was icy as he looked at him. “A demon like you deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces. Some sacrifice was unavoidable in order to capture you. As for compensation, the Myriad Dao Sect will naturally provide the sect to which Yuan Xinmei and the others belong with enough cultivation resources to nurture two more Grotto-Heaven Realm cultivators.”
Yuan Xinmei—no, Wei Yiming—had never expected his background to be laid bare so completely. The final trace of hope in his heart vanished as well.
He looked around and saw that all the surrounding cultivators had obediently put down their weapons as the Myriad Dao Sect had ordered. He grew even more frantic.
If the Myriad Dao Sect took him back, what awaited him would likely be endless suppression and imprisonment.
Since that was the case, he might as well risk everything and fight.
“Keep watch. This demon is about to make a desperate move.” Shu Xin hurriedly warned the Sword Spirit. “He’s already completed a perfect possession, and demonic energy has seeped into his bones. That should be enough to cleanse your blade.”
【I’ll do my best. With two cultivators of the Immaculate Realm watching, if I perform too well, they’ll become suspicious of you. I can’t exactly chase after this demon cultivator and kill him, can I?】 The Sword Spirit also found the situation troublesome. Unless Shu Xin was willing to cut down those two Immaculate Realm cultivators as well.
“You fool. I’m telling you to make this demon target me.” Shu Xin spoke irritably. The Sword Spirit had followed her for so long, yet it still was not clever enough.
Sigh. Forget it. If the Sword Spirit were too clever, it would be harder for her to manipulate.
There were advantages to having a somewhat foolish Sword Spirit, after all.
With that thought, Shu Xin suddenly gripped the sword in her hand and shouted at the demon cultivator, “Everyone, be careful! This demon is about to attack. I am willing to slay this fiend for all of you!”
Wei Yiming had yet to make his move when Shu Xin called out his intentions. Fury immediately surged within him.
It was one thing for the people of the Myriad Dao Sect to provoke him. At present, they indeed held the advantage and had him surrounded. But this female cultivator actually dared to taunt him at a time like this?
This was intolerable!
Since he had to attack, he might as well strike at her first.
Wei Yiming no longer held anything back. He immediately launched an attack at Shu Xin.
“Wretch, how dare you?” The two Immaculate Realm cultivators had not expected Wei Yiming to still attempt a desperate struggle. They attacked at once.
Qu Yougu, who was standing nearby, had also not expected Shu Xin to make the first move and failed to react for a moment.
But Shu Xin was exceptionally skilled at seizing opportunities.
At the instant the Immaculate Realm cultivator unleashed a finger technique toward Wei Yiming, the sword in her hand had already pierced into his body.
“Martial uncle, please withdraw your divine ability.” Qu Yougu froze for a moment. He had not expected his martial uncle to make no effort to hold back, attacking Shu Xin and the demon cultivator together.
“She rushed in on her own.” The Immaculate Realm cultivator who had struck frowned.
“Xu Guan has always been fiercely protective of his disciples. This is someone he went to great lengths to snatch from the Longevity Dao Sect. You should withdraw your attack first,” the other Immaculate Realm cultivator kindly reminded him.
“Xu Guan? Hmph.” The Immaculate Realm cultivator who had spoken had no choice but to withdraw his divine ability.
Sometimes, one could hardly blame Qin Rushan for developing a heart demon over Xu Guan. Over the past three hundred years, practically every cultivator in the Wugou Realm had developed one because of Xu Guan.
“Although I’ll withdraw my divine ability, I can’t guarantee what condition Shu Xin will be in.”
If she ended up missing an arm or a leg, they could just give her some spirit stones and consider it a favor to Xu Guan.
Yet once the divine ability was withdrawn, what appeared before their eyes was a perfectly unharmed Shu Xin—and a demon cultivator on the verge of death.
“On the verge of death” was practically an understatement when it came to this demon cultivator.
No one knew what had happened, but the demon cultivator’s body had withered almost completely. A primordial spirit in the form of a middle-aged man was being held by the throat in Shu Xin’s grasp, looking as though it might dissipate in the wind at any moment.
At that moment, the Sword Spirit was screaming at the top of its voice.
[Shit, that damned Wugou Realm cultivator did it on purpose. He went straight for a killing blow. If we hadn’t dodged in time, we would’ve taken it head-on.]
[Wait, how did you know he was going to attack at that exact moment?]
The timing had been perfect.
Just as the Wugou Realm cultivator unleashed his divine ability, Shu Xin had moved one step ahead, draining the demon cultivator’s flesh and blood while seizing his primordial spirit.
With a simple soul search, she would be able to find the whereabouts of the Mirrorbright Divine Water.
After all, this Soul-Possessing Demon Cultivator had been severely wounded after completing his possession. His primordial spirit was at its weakest and most defenseless.
“Of course it’s because these Wugou Realm cultivators are all incredibly arrogant. They can’t stand anyone provoking them in front of their faces. I admit there was an element of gambling involved, but it looks like I bet correctly.” Shu Xin smiled. “The more powerful a cultivator is, the easier it can sometimes be to guess what they’ll do next. They’re already strong enough that they no longer need to think things through. They can simply let their emotions guide them.”
Besides, once someone reached the Wugou Realm, so long as they did not commit some unforgivable offense, every sect would forgive their minor mistakes.
Take the Lin family ancestor, for example. He had brought a suspected Mahayana-stage demon cultivator to the Longevity Dao Sect, yet didn’t the Longevity Dao Sect merely give him a token punishment?
Only relatively weak cultivators like her, who also carried the secret of an Immortal Sword, needed to take things one step at a time and use every bit of their intelligence to survive in this world.
“You’re completely unharmed?” The Wugou Realm cultivator looked at Shu Xin, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Shu Xin merely smiled. “This junior has a few protective treasures as well.”
With that, Shu Xin coughed twice and spat out two mouthfuls of blood. “It’s only a minor injury.”
She had to pretend to be injured, otherwise how could she ask them for compensation?
Qu Yougu and True Person Rongyun also came over. After confirming that Shu Xin was not seriously hurt, they took the opportunity to ask for the demon cultivator’s primordial spirit.
“Fellow Daoist Shu, thank you for lending us your aid. However, this demon cultivator has opposed our sect several times. I need to take him back to the sect, so please hand over his primordial spirit to me,” Qu Yougu said politely.
“I just came to see what this Soul-Possessing Demon Cultivator looks like.” True Person Rongyun blinked. “I really was only passing by out of simple curiosity.”
Shu Xin glanced at Qu Yougu and immediately nodded. “Of course. We only managed to capture this demon cultivator thanks to your help. However, there are a few things I’d like to ask him as well. Would you please let me conduct a soul search first when the time comes?”
Qu Yougu hesitated. The demon cultivator’s primordial spirit looked as though it was about to dissipate. Who knew whether it could withstand a soul search?
Yet just as he was still wavering, Shu Xin suddenly let out a cry of alarm. “The two of you, catch me! I…I can’t hold on anymore.”
With that, Shu Xin swayed unsteadily, rolled her eyes back, and fainted.
The two swords beside her caught her securely.
[…You’re pretending to faint again. Are you really that afraid they’ll refuse you?]
Hmph. Pretending to faint worked, didn’t it?
