Dao of The Demonic Cultivator

Several days later, two figures approached together. One was the white-haired Jian Yitong, and the other, a spirited young man exuding the aura of a Golden Core cultivator.

"Elder He! I am Jian Yitong, may I have a moment of your time?" His voice echoed across Black Dragon Mountain, yet there was no sign of Chu Xuan, nor were Song Junjie and Qian Tang visible.

Jian Yitong scratched his head in confusion. Where is everyone? The vast Black Dragon Mountain seemed devoid of any host.

After dozens of breaths, a Qi Refining disciple, soaring on a flying sword, ascended into the sky.

The disciple bowed respectfully, "I am Liu Qing, a disciple of Black Dragon Mountain, greetings, elder."

Jian Yitong frowned, "Where is your grandmaster? Where are the two Foundation Establishment cultivators of Black Dragon Mountain? This is quite the neglect."

Liu Qing bowed, "Elder Jian, the grandmaster is elusive, and both my master and Uncle Master Qian have left. May I know your business? Once my master returns, I will relay your message."

Before Jian Yitong could respond, the young man sighed, "This is my first visit and I do not even get to meet Elder He. To be received by a mere disciple, does Elder He think little of a newly ascended Golden Core like me? Never mind, Elder Jian, I'll return to my Thousand Hammer Peak. I have much to attend to and shall not waste more time here."

With that, the young man rode the wind away, disappearing from view.

Jian Yitong managed a wry smile, turning to Liu Qing, "Liu Qing, was it? Remember this. The one who left is the newly ascended Golden Core Elder, Yuan Zichu, who has established his Daoist hall at Thousand Hammer Peak.

Fellow daoist Yuan, barely past thirty, has already reached the Golden Core phase, promising a boundless future. I brought him here specifically to pay respects to your Black Dragon Mountain's ancient master, to form a good connection, alas...

Ensure no discord arises between the two. When your master returns, make sure you relay my exact words to fellow daoist He."

Liu Qing nodded, "Yes, I will report everything to the master as you said."

After Jian Yitong departed, Liu Qing returned to his cultivation chamber to resume his relentless training.

Had it not been for the arrival of a Golden Core cultivator, whose voice permeated Black Dragon Mountain and with no one appearing to welcome him, he would have preferred not to leave his chamber at all.

With the rule that failing to advance to the late stage of Qi cultivation within five years results in transformation into a corpse puppet, his life was at stake—where would he find the time for other concerns?

Song Junjie and Qian Tang, busy capturing Foundation Establishment and Qi cultivation practitioners around the world, had even less time to spare. Each time they returned to Black Dragon Mountain, they only had time to drink some spiritual tea and eat some spiritual food before they had to leave again to continue capturing cultivators.

Empowered by the magic tools bestowed by Chu Xuan, they moved without restraint. Unless a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator intervened, no other Foundation Establishment practitioners could challenge them.

Within a month, the two of them astonishingly captured eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators and over two hundred Qi cultivation disciples!

Such results greatly pleased Chu Xuan, who immediately rewarded them with various pills and talismans—items he found redundant but were highly useful for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, the actions of Black Dragon Mountain had incensed Thousand Hammer Peak.

A few days later, Yuan Zichu arrived at Black Dragon Mountain in a fury. His booming voice erupted, resonating throughout the mountain, "He Liang, come out!"

His Golden Core cultivation unfurled recklessly, instilling genuine fear in every disciple on Black Dragon Mountain.

At that moment, Song Junjie and Qian Tang, who had just returned with a few captured Foundation Establishment cultivators, quickly positioned themselves at the mountain gate.

"Who goes there, and why do you address my master with such disrespect?" Song Junjie demanded sternly.

Yuan Zichu, incredulous and further infuriated, retorted, "You don't even know who I am? Your Black Dragon Mountain is truly discourteous! Accusing me of rudeness while being rude yourselves!"

"He Liang! Come out! Your Black Dragon Mountain has raided my spiritual seedlings, five times!" Yuan Zichu's tirade was abruptly cut off as his pupils dilated in alarm. He swiftly dodged to the side.

A massive black python shot out from somewhere in Black Dragon Mountain, narrowly missing him. Had his reaction been any slower, he would have been struck solidly by the black python.

Upon closer inspection, Yuan Zichu realized that it wasn't a python at all, but a magic treasure radiating a fierce, chilling light.

"Such a ferocious magic treasure!" he thought, shocked. He had not expected He Liang to possess such a formidable magic treasure, and his initial bluster diminished significantly.

Before Yuan Zichu could speak again, a figure sped toward him at an incredible pace. The fist of this figure magnified rapidly—only a breath ago, it was still at the mountain gate, and the next, it was inches from his nose!

Yuan Zichu's heart pounded violently. From this unadorned fist, he sensed an immense threat—a threat of death!

He couldn't fathom why such a thought occurred to him, but clearly, there was no time to dodge; he had to block this strike!

Yuan Zichu swiftly formed a seal, and immediately, a tri-layered water-blue protective shield appeared in front of him, consisting of pale blue, azure, and deep blue layers.

He slapped his storage bag, summoning three talismans that burst into flames and formed three layers of defense. Then, with a surge of his Spiritual Qi, he activated a small shield-shaped magic treasure to guard his face.

Renowned as a prodigy within the Hundred Refinements Sect, Yuan Zichu had been nurtured as if born with a silver spoon. He was laden with an abundance of magic treasures, spells, and talismans.

Had he not insisted, the sect master of the Hundred Refinements Sect would never have assigned him to establish his Daoist hall at Thousand Hammer Peak, preferring instead to keep him safe in the rear to continue his cultivation.

Yuan Zichu thought to himself, "With so many defensive measures, I should be able to block this strike—"

However, before he could finish his thought, the fist, as large as a pot, smashed through the small shield magic treasure, shattered the talismans, and breached the spell defenses, aiming straight for his head!

Yuan Zichu's eyes nearly bulged out in shock. He only had time to shield his face with his life-bound magic treasure.

Boom!

The fist instantly cracked the life-bound magic treasure. Yuan Zichu's body was hurled backward, spewing blood mid-air. His life-bound magic treasure dimmed and emitted mournful whines.

Just as Chu Xuan was about to follow through with his punch to obliterate Yuan Zichu's head, a streak of light approached from afar, shouting, "Elder He! Please refrain! Yuan Zichu is one of our own, an elder of the Hundred Refinements Sect!"

Chu Xuan frowned and held back his strike. He had thought Yuan Zichu was merely a courier delivering treasures. Unbeknownst to him, the man was actually a Golden Core elder of the Hundred Refinements Sect. Thus, a direct killing was no longer an option.

Jian Yitong rushed over to help Yuan Zichu up, inwardly dismayed by the growing rift this incident might cause.

Yuan Zichu, clutching his chest and looking at Chu Xuan with fear, heard Jian Yitong begin to explain, but he quickly interrupted, bowing to Chu Xuan, "Elder He, I was presumptuous."

"This fault is mine today. I should not have rushed to Black Dragon Mountain and questioned you without explanation." He then produced a magic treasure, "This treasure is called the Imperial Sky Mirror, a mid-grade flying magic treasure. I hope you will accept it."

He bowed deeply to Chu Xuan, "May we consider the matter of the spiritual seedlings resolved, and I ask for your understanding and forgiveness."

Jian Yitong's eyes widened. Yuan Zichu was known for his pride and vengefulness. Why was he backing down today? And why was he offering a treasure so readily?