After many years, old friends reunited.

One was a Demon Cultivator from the Blood Demon Sect, Ninth Level of Qi Refinement, exuding a potent Blood Demon aura. The other, a Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator, was present as an Insect External Incarnation.

"Brother Yang, what on earth happened?"

"How did you end up in such a state?"

Jia Ren remembered the other as a person with a sense of justice, who never thought of killing and looting even when in dire straits. He had also been deeply caring and protective towards Jia Ren. Little did he expect that after a few years of not seeing each other, his friend would fall into such a plight.

Yang Shengwu opened his mouth and tried to speak several times, but he didn't know where to begin, his face bitter.

"I left the Market with the Iron Horse Caravan. Halfway through, we encountered cultivators from the Five Elements Sect. They suspected the caravan of colluding with the Demon Sect, secretly supplying materials to them."

"The Five Elements Sect Cultivators, adhering to the principle of 'better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one go,' attacked. Many innocent Loose Cultivators were caught in the crossfire... All of this was just them killing and plundering under the guise of legitimacy!"

"In the chaos of battle, Yun Niang and our unborn child were killed by the Five Elements Sect Cultivators..."

"I hate it! I hate that my own strength was insufficient, that I was unable to exterminate every executioner from the Five Elements Sect!"

"I must make those beasts pay a thousandfold!"

Yun Niang was dead? And their unborn child, killed by Five Elements Sect Cultivators? Anyone facing such a tragedy would feel as if their world had shattered.

Was the caravan really involved with the Blood Demon Sect? Yang Shengwu had survived and joined the Blood Demon Sect; Jia Ren had already guessed the answer. He wants revenge!

How could a Loose Cultivator possibly stand against a behemoth like the Five Elements Sect? There was no chance for revenge, not even in death.

Late Stage Qi-Refining Loose Cultivators were highly sought after. The Blood Demon Sect cultivators took the opportunity to extend an olive branch, inviting Yang Shengwu to join their sect.

Moreover, he had no choice. The fact that Yang Shengwu had survived proved the Blood Demon Sect was superior in strength; they wouldn't allow a knowledgeable survivor to live. Join the Blood Demon Sect or die.

With his partner and unborn child tragically murdered, he was utterly devastated. All that remained in his heart was the thought of revenge. He was coerced by the Blood Demon Sect cultivators and drawn into their ranks.

The outcome was far from what I had guessed...

"The Five Elements Sect are nothing but beasts! The Iron Horse Caravan wasn't colluding with the Demon Sect. It was only because they acquired some precious medicinal herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pills that word got out, leading them to be targeted..."

"Colluding with Demon Cultivators? I personally witnessed Five Elements Sect Cultivators using melted Blood Burning Pills to contaminate the Spiritual Power of Loose Cultivators, just to frame them as... Demon Cultivators."

"They plundered the Iron Horse Caravan's wealth for themselves, branded them as Demon Cultivators after death, and traded the heads of Loose Cultivators for rewards!"

This plot twist was beyond Jia Ren's imagination. He had initially thought the Iron Horse Caravan truly conspired with Demon Cultivators, never expecting this outcome. They framed the Iron Horse Caravan as Demon Cultivators, seized the opportunity to plunder, then falsified evidence to brand them as Demon Cultivators and trade their heads for rewards. One must admit, this move was indeed vicious. Base and shameless!

It wasn't surprising that the Five Elements Sect harbored so many vile individuals capable of such deeds.

"I escaped using the Featherweight Talisman you gave me. Unfortunately, I didn't have many Talismans, and my Spiritual Power was drained. I was still caught by the Five Elements Sect Cultivators... Just when I thought I was done for, I unexpectedly encountered a Blood Demon Sect cultivator."

"He saved me from the Five Elements Sect Cultivators and invited me to join the Blood Demon Sect."

"The righteous path treated me as an enemy, while the Demonic Sect treated me as a brother."

"From then on, the Loose Cultivator Yang Shengwu was dead; only Yang Shengwu of the Blood Demon Sect lives!"

"I will make the Five Elements Sect pay for what they have done!"

As Yang Shengwu finished speaking, an intense bloody light surged from his body, exuding a nauseatingly strong stench of blood.

Demonic Techniques offer quicker gains than ordinary Cultivation Techniques, emphasizing rapid progress. His Cultivation Level had progressed swiftly; he had already advanced to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement.

"Sigh..." Jia Ren let out a long sigh, lamenting Yang Shengwu's experiences. It truly was tragic.

Life is a series of choices, and a single wrong one can lead down an unpredictable path. If the Spirit Stone Vein hadn't been discovered, their cooperation might have continued. What would his fate have been then?

"The Blood Demon Sect is not a righteous place, and dangers abound. You haven't delved too deeply into Demonic Arts; there's still a chance to turn back."

"Leave the Blood Demon Sect. Don't continue to sink deeper."

After practicing Demonic Arts, it's very difficult to switch back to righteous Cultivation Techniques. Jia Ren still had a batch of high-quality Spiritual Medicines. With proper care, although Yang Shengwu couldn't be restored to his peak state, Jia Ren could help him maintain the Qi Refinement Seventh Level after switching his Cultivation Technique. Whether he could continue on the path of cultivation was another uncertainty...

"Don't try to persuade me!"

"You have your brilliant Great Dao, and I have my solitary log bridge."

"A Loose Cultivator doesn't easily come by cultivation resources. I won't accept your gift."

"Moreover, switching to Demonic Techniques has ruined my foundation. Even if I switched back, I'd have no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment!"

"Without strength, how can I take revenge on the Five Elements Sect?!"

Once one enters the Demonic Sect, it's like entering a sea, deep and vast, making it nearly impossible to return to the righteous path. It's easy to switch from ordinary Cultivation Techniques to Demonic ones, but attempting to revert is as difficult as reaching for the heavens. From the moment the Cultivation Technique transformed into a Demonic one, the foundation had already changed. Besides, having experienced the far superior cultivation speed of Demonic Techniques compared to ordinary ones, how many would be willing to switch back?

Yang Shengwu's resolve for revenge was strong; he wasn't likely to change his mind easily. His eyes burned with a longing for power and an undisguised hatred for the Five Elements Sect. In the past, he could tolerate being exploited by the Five Elements Sect because he had light and hope by his side. Now, everything he cherished had perished at their hands, and the fires of vengeance could not be extinguished.

"Revenge is my affair, and it has nothing to do with Brother Jia. Seeing that you're still alive, I'm content. I won't drag you into this quagmire."

Even without Golden Core Cultivators, the Five Elements Sect was still a formidable force—a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Yang Shengwu didn't want to drag Jia Ren onto his doomed path.

"I hope we meet again someday." In the future, he would sink deeper and deeper into the path of a Demon Cultivator; falling into darkness was a journey for one alone. Knowing Jia Ren was still safe was the best news he had heard in years.

"We've just reunited, old friend. Are you in such a hurry to leave?"

"Knowing what happened to you, how could I not offer some help?"

Jia Ren wasn't looking to fight the Five Elements Sect to the death. His grudge against them hadn't reached that point, nor would he risk his life for the deceased Yun Niang. However, offering Yang Shengwu a little help wasn't a problem.

"I still have some Spirit Enhancement Pills here. Take them." He had plenty of Spirit Enhancement Pills left over that were of no use to him anymore; it was better to use them to do a favor.

Yang Shengwu shook his head in refusal. "You should keep them for yourself to increase your strength, so your Cultivation Level doesn't fall behind mine."

The cultivation progress with the Blood Demon Scripture was astonishing, far outpacing any Cultivation Technique he had practiced before. He had already broken through to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement and would soon reach Qi Refining Completion.

???

"Ahem, you probably won't get the chance! You should be thinking about how to catch up to me..." To avoid detection by Demon Cultivators, his Insect External Incarnation had been using the Turtle Breath Technique to conceal its aura, which was why Yang Shengwu hadn't noticed its true strength. A flicker of Foundation Establishment Stage Spiritual Power Fluctuation appeared and was instantly suppressed.

Yang Shengwu: ??? Foundation Establishment? How did he reach Foundation Establishment?! So quickly?! Unbelievable!

Demonic Techniques are indeed known for their rapid progression; otherwise, they wouldn't tempt so many cultivators to the Demonic Path. Many cultivators, stuck at cultivation bottlenecks and unable to break through for decades, eventually succumb to the allure of Demonic Techniques for their cultivation speed and become Demon Cultivators. It had to be said, after becoming a Demon Cultivator, one's cultivation speed increased by leaps and bounds.

After switching to the Blood Demon Scripture, Yang Shengwu felt his previous cultivation speed was like a turtle's crawl. He had thought his cultivation progress had just caught up to Jia Ren's and that he would surely leave him behind. But now... he was the one left far, far behind.

Who's the one actually cultivating Demonic Techniques here?! The Blood Demon Scripture offers such pathetic cultivation speed for such a huge price! What's the point of practicing it?!

Yang Shengwu took a deep breath, his emotions churning, and it took him a long time to calm down. He looked at Jia Ren, his eyes filled with envy, amazement, and other emotions he himself hadn't quite recognized.

"Congratulations, Brother Jia—no, I should address you as Senior Jia from now on."

"Please take back the Spirit Enhancement Pills! After cultivating the Blood Demon Scripture, the effects of ordinary elixirs are greatly diminished. They're far inferior to the special elixirs and Demon Beast Blood of the Demon Sect."

Jia Ren put away the Spirit Enhancement Pills. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Let's stick to our old way of addressing each other."

"Since you've decided to practice the Blood Demon Sect's techniques, you'll certainly need Demonic Blood—the higher the quality, the better. I can provide you with a batch."

Jia Ren had plenty of Demonic Blood obtained from killing Second Order Black Dragon Fish. It didn't have many other uses for him, its primary purpose now being food for his Sonic-Thief Mosquito King. Yang Shengwu was determined to seek revenge and wanted to improve his strength quickly; how could Jia Ren not help? Donating some Demonic Blood was a simple matter for him. He hadn't brought any Second Order Black Dragon Fish blood due to the urgency of his departure, but he could bring it next time they met.

"By the way, do you have any information about the other Great Sects?"

"Is there any news about the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre?"

Jia Ren had lived in seclusion in the Poisonous Miasma Lake for over a year. His cultivation had progressed steadily, and he had enough resources for the near future. His stockpile of Consolidating Yuan Pills (Modified) would allow him to cultivate for another year and a half. The problem was that living in isolation, away from others of his kind, he inevitably lacked current information. This was a gap he needed to fill. Meeting Yang Shengwu provided a channel to obtain such information.

"I don't know much about the other sects; I've only been focusing on the Five Elements Sect. No powerful Bizarre Demons have appeared in the Five Elements Sect's territory, so it's relatively stable," Yang Shengwu said.

"As for the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre you mentioned... I've never heard of it."

Never heard of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre? Jia Ren immediately doubted the information's veracity. The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre is incredibly powerful and grows astonishingly fast. It's not a disaster the sects in the Barren Extreme Land could handle. A year and a half is enough time for the Barren Extreme Land to fall completely and become the domain of the Heart Demon Bizarre. And yet, no information on such a powerful Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre? The Five Elements Sect still exists peacefully. Either Yang Shengwu's information is false, or he's unaware of the truth. Or, the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre has already been eliminated or resealed. Who could have done it? The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Heavenly Feather Gate? Or... Jia Ren thought of the Bizarre Alliance. Could the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre have fallen into their hands?

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