Demonic Cultivation: Devouring Ten Thousand Demonic Beasts

Yue Ling spoke in a low and solemn voice, her gaze steady as she looked toward Lang Tian.

"In addition, Elder Guo left behind several precious treasures for us."

From within her Qiankun Pouch, she slowly retrieved a handful of items, handling each with reverent care. She placed them one by one on the flat stone before them.

The first were two ancient books, their covers worn and the edges frayed with age. Though faded, the titles were still faintly visible, written in flowing brushstrokes.

Next, she brought out a small scroll made of beast hide, bound with a red silk cord.

Finally, she placed down a white jade token carved into the shape of a blooming lotus. It was no larger than a palm, but it radiated a soft glow, like morning mist catching the first rays of dawn. Its aura was serene and calming, as though just being near it could slow the racing of the heart.

Lang Tian gazed silently at the items before him.

"These are…?"

Yue Ling gave a faint smile as she explained.

"These two books are from the three secret cultivation techniques from the Crimson Lotus Sect that Elder Guo passed down to us, as mentioned in the Voice Spirit Stone. One of them, the Lotus Heart Sutra of the Tranquil Dao, I've already given you."

She gently tapped the two books.

"So, these are the Ten Thousand Brilliant Lotus Palm and the Lotus Body Refining Art. Today, I'll pass them on to you as well."

With both hands, she carefully lifted the books and offered them to him.

Lang Tian accepted them with reverence, his hands trembling slightly as he held them.

Ten Thousand Brilliant Lotus Palm… Lotus Body Refining Art…

These weren't ordinary manuals. Both were mid-tier Earth-grade techniques, rare and powerful methods reserved only for core disciples of the Crimson Lotus Sect.

And yet, here they were, in his hands, in the middle of a forgotten valley far from civilization.

He bowed his head slightly, unable to find the words to express the gratitude and awe rising within him.

"Don't worry," Yue Ling said, her voice lighter now, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "Unlike the Lotus Heart Sutra of the Tranquil Dao, which can become conflicting with the Demonic Cultivation path, these two techniques are fine."

"Moreover," she added, "after cultivating them myself, I discovered something remarkable. The Lotus Body Refining Art harmonizes perfectly with our sect's Pure Yang Body Refining Technique. It complements its aggressive yang energy, soothing the inner turbulence, balancing yin and yang, and stabilizing the flow of qi and blood."

"Oh? There's such a great benefit?" Lang Tian exclaimed, astonished.

"Indeed," Yue Ling nodded.

"Speaking of which…" Yue Ling continued, tilting her head slightly, "how far have you progressed with the Pure Yang Body Refining Technique?"

"The fourth layer, Senior Sister," Lang Tian replied without hesitation.

"Oh?" Her brows lifted in surprise before a warm smile spread across her face. "That's quite impressive! Aren't you a genius? You're progressing even faster than I did at your stage."

Lang Tian scratched his cheek, slightly embarrassed but pleased by the praise.

The Pure Yang Body Refining Technique was no ordinary method. It was the core body-refinement art of the Mysterious Sun Sect—an ancient technique famed throughout the cultivation world for its raw, explosive power. The technique consisted of seven layers, each one dramatically strengthening the cultivator's physique by drawing upon solar yang energy, as well as medicinal herbs with strong yang attributes.

The technique was said to be the life's work of the Mysterious Sun Patriarch. In his time or even till this day, this technique was hailed as one of the greatest body-refining art of this Kingdom, and can be considered a treasure on par with the Crimson Lotus Sect's Lotus Heart Sutra of Tranquil Dao.

However, the power it offered came with no small cost.

The more one progressed, the more volatile the solar yang energy within the body became. The internal yang fire would grow increasingly difficult to control, often surging unpredictably. If left unchecked, it could overwhelm the practitioner's heart and mind, sending qi and blood spiraling into chaos. The stronger the body became, the fiercer the internal backlash.

There were stories—many, in fact—of promising disciples who had reached the third or fourth layer only to suddenly fall into qi deviation. Some went mad. Others lost all control and destroyed their own meridians in a violent burst of energy.

This was why the Mysterious Sun Sect, despite being a yang-focused sect, built many tranquil lotus lakes within their sacred grounds. They cultivated yin-based spiritual herbs like lotus roots and seeds, using them to brew specialized medicines and suppress the rampaging yang fire within their disciples.

But if what Senior Sister Yue Ling said was true—if the Lotus Body Refining Art could help balance the violent yang energy and harmonize the opposing forces within the body—then that was no small stroke of luck.

It was a life-saving treasure!

"Yes! I'll do my best! I absolutely won't let your trust in me go to waste!" Lang Tian declared solemnly, his eyes blazing with determination.

With that, he promptly stored the two cultivation techniques in his pouch, silently resolving:

'I must start cultivating immediately. The sooner I grow stronger, the better.'

__________________________

"And what about this beast hide?" Lang Tian asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he eyed the tightly bound scroll.

"It's a map," Yue Ling replied, gently untying the red silk cord and carefully unrolling the soft hide across the stone surface.

Lang Tian leaned in to look, unable to hide his astonishment.

"It really is… a map!"

From his vantage point, he could now discern intricate lines, drawn in precise strokes, that revealed the complete layout of the valley. A sudden chill crept down his spine. He hadn't imagined the place would be so immense; apparently, it encompassed numerous areas and layers that plunged deep into the Earth.

"It seems that during his years of wandering in this place, Elder Guo explored the valley thoroughly and meticulously recorded everything here. All the important locations, directions to resources, and even personal notes are included."

"That's incredible!" Lang Tian couldn't contain his excitement.

He bent down to examine it more closely.

As Senior Sister had said, the map not only marked significant locations but also detailed spiritual herbs, demonic beasts, terrain, and even the flow of spiritual veins.

The site of a colossal jiao's remains, the location of the big lake, the underground lava streams… all were carefully annotated.

With this map in hand, he would no longer fear getting lost. Searching for spiritual medicines and resources would be exponentially easier. And also, most importantly, they would be able to avoid dangerous demonic beasts.

"But… don't be too complacent or place complete trust in this map," Yue Ling cautioned.

"Huh? What do you mean, Senior Sister?" Lang Tian asked, furrowing his brow.

Yue Ling let out a soft laugh, then playfully flicked his forehead.

"Silly Junior Brother, have you forgotten? How many years has it been since Elder Guo's time?"

"Oh… right…" Lang Tian froze, then let out a sudden realization.

At the very least… over six hundred years.

This meant the map was likely drawn six centuries ago.

Could the details recorded within still be accurate?

"Actually… I've already explored a few of the marked locations," Yue Ling said with a smile. "Most of them are still correct. But landscapes and spiritual veins shift over time. You should still maintain a cautious mindset."

"Yes… I understand," Lang Tian nodded, his expression turning serious.