Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

217: traces of demonic cultivatorsOn the chaotic rocky beach, the dark red soil seemed to have been repeatedly soaked and solidified by countless fresh blood, then soaked again, emitting a nauseating, sweet, fishy, and putrid smell of decaying matter.

The pervasive Evil Qi and Death Qi in the air had almost solidified, like countless cold, invisible tentacles, coiling around everyone, trying to burrow into their pores.

It eroded the spiritual power flowing within their bodies, and a seductive whisper, luring people to fall, faintly echoed in the depths of their Souls.

Feng Xixi’s face was as calm as water, her exquisite features covered with a layer of frost. Her slender jade fingers glowed with a faint icy blue light, resting steadily on Xu Li’s vital acupuncture point at the back of his heart.

The pure and vast ice-elemental spiritual power, no longer the sharp and fierce energy used in combat, transformed into a gentle stream, carrying an undeniable surge of vitality and gentle strength.

It cautiously entered Xu Li’s almost collapsing Meridians and Dantian, guiding the immense medicinal power of the Six-Revolving Soul-Returning Pill to clear blockages and nourish the parched areas.

The immense vitality of the Medicinal Pill clashed fiercely with the sinister Demonic Qi that had invaded Xu Li’s Meridians and internal organs, like a collision of ice and fire, causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.

Fine beads of cold sweat, mixed with wisps of dark Demonic Qi, seeped from his forehead, and his teeth clenched, making soft clicking sounds.

Xu Li laboriously lifted his heavy eyelids. His Sword Eyes, which had originally appeared somewhat unfocused and dim due to severe injuries and Demonic Qi erosion, now stubbornly re-condensed with a sharp, eagle-like brilliance.

His gaze slowly swept over Feng Xixi, Lin Jingyu, and every other face around him, which was solemn, filled with concern and vigilance.

His throat bobbed, and his voice was as hoarse as a broken bellows, yet it carried a heavy, almost tangible gratitude and an unprecedented solemnity as he thanked them again:

”Shopkeeper Feng... Young Friend Lin... Fellow Daoists...”

Every word he spoke seemed to exhaust his strength, requiring him to pause and gasp for breath.

”This time... this great life-saving kindness... Xu Li... is deeply grateful... For this life... I will never forget it... If not for all of you... coming to my aid in time... my Senior Brother and I... would probably have already had our Souls Flying Away and Spirits Scattering... becoming two wronged Souls... under that Demonic Sect’s evil banner... our Dao Foundation completely destroyed... our bodies dead and Dao extinguished...”

He suddenly took a deep breath, wanting to calm his churning Qi and blood, but instead, it triggered more severe internal injuries, causing a series of heart-wrenching, violent coughs.

Several mouthfuls of dark red blood, mixed with unsettling wisps of black Demonic Qi, spilled from the corners of his mouth.

After this bout of coughing subsided slightly, the last trace of color drained from his face, but his eyes became even more resolute. He continued, his words slow but much clearer:

”The person who seriously injured me... and stole the ancient Secret Realm key obtained from the Liu Family... is definitely not an ordinary Demonic Path Loose Cultivator. That person wore a dark purple robe with demonic dragon patterns.

His aura was sinister and bizarre, and although his cultivation was also at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, his Cultivation Technique was extremely malicious. The ’Myriad Ghost Devouring Soul Banner’ in his hand...

was even more terrifyingly powerful. When the banner moved, ten thousand ghosts wailed, capable of polluting spiritual light and corroding one’s Dao Foundation. It was truly formidable...”

A trace of unconcealed humiliation and deep, unyielding resentment flashed in his eyes. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the effort:

”If I were at my peak, with a clear Sword Heart and man-sword unity, I would have naturally cut him down with one strike!

But alas... alas, that vile person from the Liu Family ambushed me, causing me internal injuries. My strength was greatly reduced, and in the fierce battle, my ’Cracked Wind Sword Intent’, which I had cultivated for many years, was actually suppressed by his Demonic Technique, making it difficult to unleash its full power.

The Sword Intent circulated sluggishly. If not for the last moment, when I feigned an attempt to self-detonate my Sword Heart to perish together with him...

causing him to become wary and temporarily slow his offensive, I probably... probably wouldn’t even have had the chance... to escape to this place...”

Xu Li sighed.

His eyes held an unresolvable hatred.

For someone like him, there was no fear of death.

But to die in such a humiliating way, he absolutely could not accept it.

”Netherworld Holy Sect? Seventh True Disciple?”

Feng Xixi’s delicate brows were tightly furrowed, her exquisite face shrouded in an unyielding frost. She repeated these two terms, her eyes revealing contemplation and shock.

”This name... I seem to have seen sporadic records of it in an ancient Incomplete Manual gathering dust in the Sect’s secret archive... It is rumored that this Sect worships a Netherworld Evil God, acting ruthlessly and mysteriously, feeding on the essences of living beings and endless Evil Qi.

As early as the ancient war between righteous and demonic cultivators thousands of years ago, it was jointly annihilated by various Sects, its mountain gate overturned, and its heritage should have been severed... If its successor truly reappears in the world... what they plot is probably far from being as simple as ordinary Secret Realm Treasures!”

Her tone carried a hint of imperceptible alarm, clearly this discovery had put immense pressure on her as well, as if she had touched upon a terrifying secret buried by time.

Xu Li nodded heavily, his tone as solid as ten thousand-year-old cold iron, with the certainty of personal experience:

”Absolutely no mistake! That Standing for Fierce Blood Sun was extremely arrogant, viewing me as an ant and a blade of grass.

When the two of us were besieged, on the brink of despair, and our consciousness was blurry, I vaguely heard fragments of their conversation... mentioning that they needed to quickly rush to the core of this Secret Realm — ’Soul Burial Mountain’.

To activate the ’Myriad Soul Altar’ left behind from ancient times in the mountain, to summon a wisp of the so-called ’Holy Ancestor’s’ Divided Soul to descend upon this realm.

Thereby completely controlling this Secret Realm and transforming it into a bridgehead and Foundation for the ’Holy Sect’s’ return to the world!

Their objective is absolutely not ordinary treasure hunting and exploration, but to... recreate a Demonic Land and bring disaster to all living beings!”

As soon as these words were uttered, it was like a thunderclap from the nine heavens, reverberating in everyone’s ears, and their faces all changed abruptly. The tension in the air instantly rose by several Ranks.

Summoning an ancient Devil Head’s Divided Soul? Recreating a Demonic Land?

The implications of these words were too shocking.

Once spread, it would be enough to shake the entire cultivation world, drawing the attention of even Nascent Soul Old Ancestors who had been in seclusion for thousands of years, and even Soul Transformation Old Ancestors.

This had already far exceeded the scope of ordinary Secret Realm resource contention.

Once the Demonic Sect’s conspiracy succeeded, this Secret Realm would instantly turn into a hell on earth.

The terrifying Demonic Qi and evil spirits contained within it could very likely erode the spatial barrier, spreading disaster to the outside world, which would then inevitably lead to a catastrophe sweeping across the world!

”Demonic Land? Is that true?” An impatient Ouyang Family Disciple exclaimed in shock, his face filled with fear.

”Ancient Devil Head’s Divided Soul... how... how is that possible?” Another Baili Family Elder also murmured, incredulous.

Even Vice President Gu Yue, usually composed, couldn’t help but gasp, his white beard trembling slightly:

”If what he says is true... then this matter is no longer a local dispute for us, but concerns the well-being of all living beings!”

However, after the initial shock, a trace of doubt quickly flashed through Lin Jingyu’s mind. He frowned slightly, pondering to himself:

’The calamity of a Demonic Land is a huge disaster capable of threatening the entire cultivation world. Its formation conditions are extremely harsh, often requiring countless living sacrifices and drastic changes in the Laws of heaven and earth.

Relying solely on a few demonic cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, at most the Foundation Establishment Stage, even if they are True Disciples, to carry out such a shocking plan, it sounds a bit... incredible, more like an exaggerated threat, or perhaps they themselves are being deceived and used by a higher-level existence?’