Xi Fu—or rather, Cui Yuhua, who was currently using Xi Fu’s body—released his divine sense, taking in every corner of the Unthought Manor, as well as the situation outside, with perfect clarity.
Inside the manor, things were exactly as he had anticipated. Aside from a few cultivators capable of resisting the Heavenly Demon Soul-Attracting Smoke, nearly everyone else had become nourishment for the Blood Spirit Pearl. And without exception, those who had resisted were disciples of prestigious orthodox sects.
Even Xi Shuangshuang, who claimed to be Xi Fu’s daughter, was a cultivator from the Joyous Union Sect.
There was something strange about her.
Cui Yuhua frowned slightly.
Situ Jian, Qu Yougu, Xie Xianzhi, and Pei Qiyun were all disciples nurtured by orthodox sects. They were no different from the disciples he had seen in the past. The disciples from hundreds of years ago had been the same, and so were those from hundreds of years later.
Only Xi Shuangshuang was truly peculiar.
While everyone else was trying to protect themselves or escape, she had chosen to hide in a corner and engage in petty theft.
Had the Joyous Union Sect really fallen into such dire straits?
In the end, however, she was merely an ant concealing her cultivation. Although Cui Yuhua found her somewhat strange, this was not the time to concern himself with it.
What drew his attention even more were the cultivators outside the Unthought Manor.
The Pure Realm cultivators from the Longevity Dao Sect and the Myriad Dao Sect had all arrived.
Cui Yuhua knew exactly what these cultivators were waiting for. They were all waiting for his Blood Spirit Pearl to finish refining.
Using the Unthought Manor as his nest, he had secretly refined the Blood Spirit Pearl for quite some time. However, if he wanted to raise the pearl to another level and increase its power, he needed the vital essence of these exceptionally talented cultivators.
From a certain perspective, the Heavenly Dao was quite fair.
Those cultivators with outstanding aptitude who had not yet grown strong were easily turned into other people’s supplements. Countless traps awaited them.
By contrast, as long as cultivators of average aptitude were not too exceptional, few people would deliberately scheme against them.
Every gain came with a loss, and every blessing with a curse. Whether something was fortune or misfortune was impossible to predict.
“Disciple Cui Yuhua humbly begs the Ancestor to intervene and lend me his aid.”
Near Cui Yuhua’s true body, various formations had already been arranged, along with all kinds of heavenly treasures. The spiritual energy there was so dense that it seemed almost tangible.
As a demon who had survived to the present day and achieved great cultivation, Cui Yuhua could absolutely be called cunning and calculating. He understood that the more critical the moment, the less room there was for arrogance and complacency. Instead, one had to be cautious—extremely cautious. Especially when both orthodox sects had their eyes fixed on him, there was no reason for him to feel proud. The proper course was to hurry and ask the Ancestor for help.
Cui Yuhua’s original best-case scenario had been for the Blood Demon Ancestor to bestow upon him a divine ability or a magical treasure, allowing him to escape safely after the Blood Spirit Pearl was completed.
He had never expected that when he prayed for the Blood Demon Ancestor’s assistance, not only would the Ancestor respond, but he would also send a message through his divine sense, saying that one of his external incarnations would come to help refine the Blood Spirit Pearl.
What?
Cui Yuhua himself was stunned.
The Blood Demon Ancestor had already reached the Earthly Immortal realm. Even one of his incarnations was far beyond what an ordinary Pure Realm cultivator could compare with.
Was a mere Blood Spirit Pearl really worth the Ancestor’s personal intervention?
Could it be that the Ancestor was bored staying in the sect and wanted to come out for some amusement? Or did he have some other plan that Cui Yuhua was not qualified to know?
Cui Yuhua did not dwell on these questions now.
As long as the Ancestor was willing to help, he could set his mind at ease.
Inside the Unthought Manor, some of the elders and cultivators from the Profound Spirit Dao Sect had gone to attack Xi Fu, while several others were attempting to rescue Pei Qiyun from the platform.
As for the other cultivators present, Situ Jian, Qu Yougu, and the others were currently using magical treasures to protect themselves, preventing their vital essence from being absorbed by the Blood Spirit Pearl. Meanwhile, under the influence of the Heavenly Demon Soul-Attracting Smoke, the others on the scene had turned on one another. Their blood and spiritual energy were almost entirely absorbed by the Blood Spirit Pearl suspended in the air.
Before long, the cultivators inside the Unthought Manor whose cultivation was below the Dao Infant realm had nearly all been drained of their vital essence. Their bodies had been reduced to piles of bones scattered across the ground. Only a dozen or so cultivators remained standing, and even they probably would not last much longer.
In stark contrast, the Blood Spirit Pearl—which had originally been no larger than a grain of rice—had grown to the size of a soybean in a very short time.
“No wonder he went to such lengths to send invitations to so many cultivators. He even gave up a manor he had spent years running. Just look at this—the speed at which cultivators make materials is incredible. The Blood Spirit Pearl grew this large in no time,” Shu Xin exclaimed. “How big could the Blood Spirit Pearls refined from mortals and low-level cultivators possibly be?”
[Your evaluation of mortals and cultivators really is completely different.]
“Mortals are people. Cultivators no longer count as people,” Shu Xin said with a smile. “Once you set foot on the path of cultivation, you’re destined to fight with all kinds of cultivators. That’s something every cultivator knows perfectly well. If you take some heavenly treasure to aid your cultivation, then somewhere, a cultivator who failed to obtain that resource will surely die. Cultivators don’t need my pity. Let them die for all I care.”
A person’s heart could only hold so much. She had already exhausted herself protecting herself, the people she cared about, and a small number of mortals. It was unreasonable to demand that she become a savior as well, wasn’t it?
Unfortunately, she could not be a savior. But she could certainly try her hand at being a destroyer of worlds.
Worried about being caught in the crossfire, Shu Xin had stopped slacking off halfway through and found a corner where she lay down and pretended to be a corpse. In any case, none of the cultivators would pay attention to her.
She was more than happy to watch the show with the Sword Spirit and offer commentary on the battle between Xi Fu and the cultivators of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect.
“My nominal adoptive father is fairly lucky. Although his body has temporarily been possessed, his soul hasn’t been taken over, so his mind is still clear. Once the Blood Spirit Pearl is nearly finished, Cui Yuhua will naturally withdraw his divine sense.”
What difference was there between this and switching characters in a video game?
Xi Fu was only a Dao Infant cultivator. Under normal circumstances, there was no way he could fight the elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect to a standstill.
However, with Cui Yuhua’s divine sense possessing him, he could use the spells of a Grotto-Heaven cultivator. Moreover, because he was located at the center of the formation, he could borrow the formation’s power and briefly unleash the strength of the Pure Realm.
This unique experience would help Xi Fu accelerate his breakthrough. Once everything here was over, he would probably be able to enter the Grotto-Heaven realm and become one of the most promising cultivators in the Blood Demon Sect.
[Why has Cui Yuhua withdrawn his divine sense?] the Sword Spirit asked curiously.
Could it be that the arrival of that enormous fellow outside was the reason Cui Yuhua had stopped using Xi Fu’s body?
Without Cui Yuhua’s assistance, Xi Fu immediately fell onto the defensive in his battle with the elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect.
“Martial Nephew, recover quickly.”
Taking advantage of the opportunity, one of the elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect rescued Pei Qiyun and handed her a bottle of pills.
Pei Qiyun immediately sat down and began cultivating.
Xi Fu had just been struck in the chest by one of the elders and staggered several steps backward.
“Cough, cough.” Xi Fu coughed twice, feeling rather helpless. Why had his master suddenly withdrawn his divine sense for no apparent reason? Surely he couldn’t expect a Dao Nascent Peak cultivator like him to fight several cultivators in the Grotto-Heaven Realm alone?
Fortunately, those Grotto-Heaven elders had also been badly wounded in their struggle with his master. He could just barely hold his own against them.
However, the formation on the battlefield showed no sign of slowing down after Cui Yuhua’s departure. Instead, the refining process accelerated.
Boom!
A tremendous, earth-shaking rumble came from the rear mountains of the Unsought Manor.
Countless streams of blood-colored aura transformed into enormous dragons, winding and flying through the mountains as they loyally guarded the area.
The Blood Spirit Pearl seemed to have been drawn toward the blood dragons as well. While absorbing the blood essence of the many cultivators within the manor, it slowly drifted toward the mountains.
“Not good! The true body of that Blood Demon Sect fiend is about to emerge!” one of the elders from the Profound Spirit Dao Sect cried out. “We’ll split up. You go deal with that fiend first. I’ll stay here, kill this demonic cultivator brat, and destroy the formation refining the Blood Spirit Pearl.”
They had already been beaten into such a state by Xi Fu while he was possessed by the fiend. If the demon’s true body emerged, how could they possibly survive?
Xi Fu threw his head back and laughed. “You’d all better obediently become fuel for the Blood Spirit Pearl. At least then, you’ll die more comfortably.”
“Impudent demon! Don’t get carried away!”
“Friends Situ, Qu, and Xie, please lend us your assistance!” The elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect were also quite helpless. Although they had the advantage in numbers, under such carefully laid-out circumstances, there were hardly any allies they could actually rely on.
The people they could truly count on were the few young Grotto-Heaven cultivators who had yet to make a move.
“If you keep waiting, we’ll all die once the demon’s true body emerges!” Pei Qiyun said. “Do you intend to die here in the manor alongside me?”
“If the three of you are willing to help, the Profound Spirit Dao Sect will be deeply grateful. Afterward, we will personally visit your sects to express our thanks.” The elder of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect applied both pressure and persuasion. “But if you insist on standing by, then I’ll have to ask whether you are colluding with this fiend and plotting against our sect!”
Now that they had been called out by name and forced into such a position, Situ Jian and the others could no longer continue standing by.
“Daoist sects are all branches of the same family. How could we refuse to help?” Situ Jian rose to his feet. Behind him appeared a diagram of the opposing Yin and Yang poles. His many magical treasures revolved around his Dharma idol, instantly dispersing the blood-colored aura nearby.
Qu Yougu drew his long sword. As the sword light split into countless strands, the surrounding area became a vacuum.
Xie Xianzhi formed two hand seals and took the opportunity to rescue her senior brothers and sisters, placing them safely to one side. She then assumed a battle stance as well.
With that, three young Grotto-Heaven cultivators had joined the battlefield, and the situation immediately reversed.
In an instant, the Blood Demon Sect cultivators surrounding the Unsought Manor were annihilated beneath the overwhelming attacks of the three young Grotto-Heaven cultivators.
The lives of those ordinary Blood Demon Sect disciples were then transformed into nourishment for the Blood Spirit Pearl, continuously drawn in by the formation.
“This won’t do,” Qu Yougu said at once. “If we can’t destroy the formation, the more demonic cultivators we kill, the stronger the Blood Spirit Pearl will become.”
“It seems the sects’ reinforcements have been blocked.” Situ Jian frowned. “There’s someone outside holding them off. Who could possibly stop the Immaculate Realm cultivators of two sects single-handedly?”
Could it be that the Blood Demon Sect had brought along a great expert above the Immaculate Realm?
【There’s an incarnation of some big shot outside. It has blocked quite a few Immaculate Realm cultivators.】 The Sword Spirit spoke to Shu Xin. 【Is this Blood Spirit Pearl really that precious? It looks pretty ordinary to me. Why would someone like that show up?】
Someone whom even the Sword Spirit regarded as a “big shot” was surely no ordinary person.
“It’s fine. I’ll keep playing dead.” Shu Xin had still been somewhat tempted to act, but after hearing the Sword Spirit’s words, she immediately decided to keep pretending to be dead until the very end.
It was only common sense not to provoke someone even the Sword Spirit found troublesome.
If the sky fell, the major sects could hold it up first.
As the mastermind behind everything, Shu Xin achieved a perfect reconciliation with herself at that moment.
Well, sometimes giving up was also a form of survival intelligence.
Near the Unsought Manor, a young cultivator dressed like a schoolteacher was smiling as he looked at the cultivators from the Longevity Dao Sect and the Myriad Dao Sect.
“Everyone, there’s no need to be anxious. It won’t be too late to act after the Blood Spirit Pearl has finished being refined. I merely happened to have a sudden inspiration and came here to take a look.”
The incarnation of the Blood Demon Ancestor had appeared, and several Immaculate Realm cultivators began to hesitate.
The old demon’s reputation was fearsome. If they truly fought him, they might not be his match.
With the appearance of the Blood Demon Ancestor, quite a few cultivators outside the Unsought Manor also began to watch from the sidelines.
Whenever an Earthly Immortal went out into the world, even if only through an incarnation, it was enough to stir a premonition in countless cultivators.
In the Divine Inquiry Sect, Xu Guan had been training several of his disciples when he suddenly sensed that something was amiss.
Likewise, the cultivators of the Longevity Dao Sect and the Myriad Dao Sect also began to sense something unusual.
A demon in the Earthly Immortal Realm had suddenly emerged from seclusion. Even if he merely went out for a stroll, no other cultivator could afford to harbor even the slightest bit of wishful thinking.
Although Xi Fu had the support of the formation, his cultivation was ultimately too low. It was extremely difficult for him to hold out until Cui Yuhua appeared under the assault of so many people.
Fortunately, Cui Yuhua was occupying most of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect cultivators in the rear mountains. Otherwise, the pressure on Xi Fu’s side would have been even greater.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Watching these cultivators tear each other’s hair out was still the most entertaining thing.
Just as Shu Xin was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, Xi Fu, who had already regained control of his own mind, suddenly called out, “My dear daughter, you’ve been watching for so long. Do you still not intend to make a move?”
【There you have it. That’s what you get for slacking off all this time.】 The Sword Spirit gloated.
Shu Xin’s body, which had been pretending to be dead, stiffened at once.
Could she still bury her head and pretend she hadn’t heard him?
Clearly, it was too late.
The elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect and Pei Qiyun all turned toward a certain direction.
When Qu Yougu heard Xi Fu’s words, he seemed to realize something and immediately looked over as well. A helpless expression appeared on Situ Jian’s face.
Sister Shu really was unforgettable wherever she went.
“Who is that?” Xie Xianzhi asked curiously.
“Someone very formidable,” Qu Yougu replied.
“Someone who likes watching the show,” Situ Jian added.
Xie Xianzhi looked back and forth between the two of them, puzzled. She felt that something was not quite right.
Under everyone’s gaze, Shu Xin could no longer continue slacking off. She could only sigh inwardly that gold would shine wherever it went—even in the stronghold of demonic cultivators.
“Godfather.” With everyone watching, Shu Xin climbed up from the ground. After deliberately dusting herself off and standing upright, she gave Xi Fu a formal bow. “I never thought that, even at a time like this, Godfather would still remember me.”
Situ Jian and Qu Yougu both recognized the disguised Shu Xin.
But she had only changed her makeup, after all, so she was still recognizable.
Situ Jian’s gaze lingered for a moment on the hairpin in Shu Xin’s hair, and a flicker of amusement passed through his eyes.
Qu Yougu was also caught between laughter and tears.
He had spent so long searching for Shu Xin, yet she had been right there below, staying among the corpses without revealing the slightest trace of her presence.
Well, that was indeed Shu Xin’s style. She had never been one to take the usual path.
Situ Jian’s gaze fell upon Qu Yougu’s unconsciously smiling face. In an instant, the magical treasures circling him burst into light far more dazzling than usual, sending all the Blood Demon Sect cultivators crashing to the ground.
“Of course.” Xi Fu smiled at Shu Xin. “My good daughter, I know you came for the Blood Spirit Pearl as well. We’re both demonic cultivators. If you want to leave this place alive, you’d better help us. My master is Cui Yuhua of the Blood Demon Sect. As long as you’re willing to lend us a hand, once my master emerges from seclusion, his appreciation for talent will ensure that you receive no shortage of benefits.”
“Then I’ll be happy to oblige.”
Shu Xin flew up and soon came to stand beside Xi Fu.
“A mere Core Condensation cultivator…” The elder of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect had not even finished speaking when he realized that the seemingly ordinary female cultivator before him had undergone a dramatic change in both aura and cultivation.
Core Condensation.
Dao Infant.
Grotto-Heaven Realm!
Shu Xin’s cultivation surged higher and higher. Even her previously gentle and harmless expression had become sharp and formidable.
The smile on Xi Fu’s face gradually stiffened.
Pei Qiyun’s expression changed several times as well.
Another Grotto-Heaven cultivator!
Since when had Grotto-Heaven cultivators become as common as cabbages?
Xi Fu and Pei Qiyun had originally assumed that Shu Xin was, at most, a Dao Infant cultivator. Never had they imagined that a Grotto-Heaven cultivator would lower herself so far as to call them adoptive father and adoptive mother, without caring in the slightest about her dignity.
“…For someone at the Grotto-Heaven Realm to pretend to be my adoptive daughter, you’re truly lowering yourself,” Xi Fu said, his expression already somewhat twisted.
How could he possibly have a daughter who was a Grotto-Heaven cultivator?
It was obvious that this cultivator had deliberately come to toy with him.
“Not at all, not at all.” Shu Xin waved her hand with a beaming smile. “You’re clearly a disciple of the Blood Demon Sect, yet you’ve hidden yourself in Busi Manor all these years, accepting all kinds of instruction from the Profound Spirit Dao Sect. Wasn’t that difficult for you too?”
With Shu Xin’s addition, the situation on the battlefield changed once again.
“Who is that?” Xie Xianzhi’s confusion deepened. “Daoist Situ, Daoist Qu, do you know her?”
Xie Xianzhi’s eyesight was excellent. He could tell that this female cultivator who had suddenly appeared was stronger than Pei Qiyun—and seemed younger as well.
Was there really a Grotto-Heaven female cultivator in the Daoist sects whom he had never heard of?
“Who exactly are you? You’re not a female cultivator from the Hehuan Sect, are you?” The elder of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect had a sharp eye. At a glance, he could tell that Shu Xin was definitely not the Hehuan Sect disciple Xi Fu had claimed her to be. “The demonic arts cultivated by the Hehuan Sect are easy to identify. Your aura is full of immortal Daoist energy—you’re clearly not a demonic cultivator.”
Demonic cultivators had always acted according to their whims. The karmic burdens and sins clinging to them were countless, and the demonic arts they cultivated generally carried distinct auras of their own.
Blood Demon Sect cultivators carried an inescapable aura of blood, while Hehuan Sect cultivators naturally exuded an alluring charm. These sensations came from their cultivation methods, and changing them was extremely difficult.
Xi Fu also regarded Shu Xin warily.
Shu Xin rubbed her nose. At this point, she could no longer keep up the act.
“Trying to slack off is impossible. These aren’t the loose cultivators you used to deal with. Anyone who’s survived until now is no fool,” the Sword Spirit mocked.
“Shu Xin of the Wenshen Sect greets you all.” Shu Xin sighed and had no choice but to reveal her identity.
“You’re from the Wenshen Sect? Then you’re a fellow Daoist of our sects. I’ve met your master, Xu Guan, once before. If you can help us vanquish these demons, the Profound Spirit Dao Sect will certainly remember this favor to the Wenshen Sect,” the elder immediately said.
Pei Qiyun looked at Shu Xin, unable to stop herself from comparing her with the person in her memories.
Shu Xin?
The female cultivator from the Wenshen Sect who had broken through so rapidly in such a short time?
If she was the person Pei Qiyun remembered, then it did seem to fit.
“Isn’t the Wenshen Sect bullied by your Daoist sects year-round?” Upon hearing Shu Xin’s identity, Xi Fu also began trying to win her over. “You’ve surely heard of my master Cui Yuhua. Once the Blood Spirit Pearl is successfully refined, my master will be able to return to the Wugou Realm. I can swear an oath to you: as long as these cultivators die here, you may take all the magical treasures on their bodies. And once these favored geniuses of heaven are dead, you’ll be the strongest among the younger generation of cultivators. Just like your master Xu Guan, you’ll be able to suppress all your peers until they can barely breathe. One sect, two supreme talents—that will be enough for the Wenshen Sect to rise again and restore its glory.”
Xi Fu’s voice painted an exceedingly tempting future.
“Think about it. Do you really want these disciples of the great sects to keep their feet on your neck, or do you want to become the strongest existence among the younger generation? I think the choice is obvious.”
The Grotto-Heaven elders of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect had been injured, while Situ Jian and the others had three Grotto-Heaven cultivators among them. If Xi Fu wanted to protect himself, his only option was to win Shu Xin over.
“Our Daoist sects have always acted openly and honorably. How could we ally ourselves with demons? Little Friend Shu, you’d better not tarnish the reputation of the Wenshen Sect,” the elder of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect hurriedly said. “Once the Blood Spirit Pearl emerges and that old demon Cui Yuhua returns to his former strength, do you really think you’ll be able to leave alive?”
Both sides made compelling arguments. It all depended on which side Shu Xin chose.
Sigh.
What a headache.
“I’ve been watching you fight back and forth, yet not one of you is willing to let your attacks land on the Blood Spirit Pearl. Since it’s such a harmful object, why don’t I help you destroy it?”
Shu Xin threw her head back and laughed. She pulled the two hairpins from her head, and in the blink of an eye, they transformed into two swords.
The swords flew from their sheaths like two astonishing dragons, instantly streaking toward the Blood Spirit Pearl.
“Don’t!”
“Stop!”
For a moment, the cultivators of the Profound Spirit Dao Sect, Xi Fu, and even Cui Yuhua—who had yet to emerge from seclusion in the rear mountain—all seemed to stand united. Every attack came rushing toward Shu Xin, yet each one guarded the Blood Spirit Pearl more securely than the last.
It was as though Shu Xin were the demon everyone wanted to see destroyed, while this demonic pearl, which had absorbed the essence, blood, and lives of countless people, was the very hope of salvation.
“Hahahaha!”
The two flying swords merely circled the Blood Spirit Pearl once, blocking all the attacks, before flying back to Shu Xin.
One on her left and one on her right, they stood firmly at her side, guarding her.
Shu Xin burst into laughter. It was as if she were watching a comedy sketch packed with terrible punch lines.
“See? If you want the Blood Spirit Pearl, just say so!” Shu Xin planted one hand on her hip, looking utterly relaxed, her face full of sarcasm. “Why wrap it up in all that nonsense? Moral coercion, the struggle between righteousness and evil… Don’t any of you feel ashamed of yourselves?”
“Hypocrites!”
This is painful. Everyone, please—never take the grassroots civil service exam.
I’m More Afraid of Holidays Than a Pig Is of New Year’s QAQ
