"I understand,"
Xu Deling replied. "The reason you stopped me from begging First Master to forge a tribulation-transcending dharma treasure before was so we could use it for a trade."
"Constantly asking for favors, especially for the Xu Family, will only wear down the affection between you and your masters. They might willingly do many things for you without expecting anything in return, but they will not endlessly extend their help to our family.
Helping us once or twice out of consideration for you is fine.
But over time, it will only make them resent us."
Xu Chuan said with a faint smile. "Your master Yan Longzi possesses a trace of true flame dragon essence blood and has been stuck at the peak of the Early-Stage Nascent Soul realm. With this six-thousand-year-old Dragon Blood Fruit, he should have a fifty to sixty percent chance of breaking through his bottleneck and stepping into the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm within a few years."
"Grandfather is absolutely right. A trade like this is a win-win situation for both sides; no one would refuse it."
She withdrew from the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.
The moonlight outside was thick and heavy.
She spent the night in quiet cultivation.
The next day.
After refining a few wisps of the morning sun's purple qi, Xu Deling set off.
Seeing her arrive, Yan Longzi asked in surprise, "Little Ling'er, what brings you to your master today? Could it be that you missed me?"
"Where is First Master?"
Right as her words fell.
A voice echoed from the grotto-residence in the rear mountain. "You're looking for me? Do you have questions regarding artificing?"
A figure in yellow robes drifted gracefully out of the grotto-residence and landed beside Yan Longzi. With one hand resting behind his back and the other stroking his beard, he offered a faint smile.
Xu Deling cupped her hands in greeting. "Greetings, First Master."
"I have come today to represent the Xu Family in proposing a trade with my two masters."
Zhen Yangzi and Yan Longzi exchanged a glance, a peculiar light flashing in their eyes.
"What kind of trade?"
"The Xu Family desires a defensive Magic Treasure with eight patterns or more that possesses a certain degree of lightning resistance."
"A defensive Magic Treasure with eight patterns or more," Yan Longzi exclaimed in astonishment. "That is an item that even Nascent Soul Stage cultivators deeply covet.
Little Ling'er, are you certain the Xu Family has something of equal value to offer?"
Zhen Yangzi simply gazed quietly at Xu Deling, remaining silent.
"The item we are offering might not equal the sheer monetary value of an eight-patterned defensive Magic Treasure, but it is incredibly precious to you, Master Yan Longzi. It can help you, Second Master, shatter your bottleneck and step into the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm.
With that considered, is it worth the trade?"
Zhen Yangzi voiced his shock. "An item that can help Yan Longzi break through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm?!"
"If your words are true, then as your master, I can indeed forge this item for the Xu Family."
"A six-thousand-year-old Dragon Blood Fruit!"
"A Dragon Blood Fruit!" Yan Longzi's pupils shrank violently. "And it's six thousand years old at that!"
"For immortal cultivators and demonic beasts possessing dragon blood, this is a supreme treasure for shapeshifting and transformation! To think your Xu Family managed to find such a heavenly material!
I've searched far and wide for decades without finding a single clue."
Xu Deling smiled slightly. "Hasn't your disciple brought the news straight to you now, Master?"
After pondering for a moment, Zhen Yangzi nodded. "Very well, I agree to this matter. As for the materials..."
"My Xu Family cannot afford the materials, so we will have to trouble the Heavenly Foundry Sect to provide them. I believe that once Second Master breaks through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm, he will easily earn it all back."
"You little rascal, are you selling your master out just like that?"
"If you, Second Master, break through your bottleneck sooner, you'll have a chance to aim for the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm in the future, won't you? Although both of you hold great expectations for your disciple...
Reaching that step will still require a very long time, will it not?
There are far too many variables in between."
"For your sake, I agree. However, I am quite curious—why specifically forge a defensive Magic Treasure that resists lightning?"
"That is a Xu Family secret. Please forgive your disciple for being unable to disclose it at this moment."
"Never mind, I understand." Zhen Yangzi waved his hand, not angered in the least. "Collecting the materials and forging this type of Magic Treasure will not be easy. It will likely take several years."
"That is acceptable," Xu Deling replied. "Then your disciple will take her leave."
After Xu Deling departed, Yan Longzi chuckled. "That little girl, Ling'er. Does she really think she can hide it from us?"
"The only beings that need to face a Lightning Tribulation are great demons on the verge of stepping into the Shapeshifting Stage. Still, to think the Xu Family possessed such hidden foundations. That brat Lieyang was completely oblivious to it."
"Among those who act too ostentatiously, how many actually make it to the end? The Xu Family's approach is excellent," Zhen Yangzi said mildly.
Yan Longzi turned his head to look at him. "Then, Senior Brother, what grade of Magic Treasure do you plan to forge?"
"The sect's vault happens to hold a piece of Primordial Magnetism Divine Crystal that can be used to forge this kind of Magic Treasure. Gathering the rest of the materials will be much simpler."
"You want to use the Primordial Magnetism Divine Crystal? That is a material capable of forging a Spirit Treasure!" Yan Longzi exclaimed. "Are you planning to forge a Nine-Patterned Magic Treasure?!"
Pausing for a moment, he continued, "You claim I dote on Little Ling'er, but you're spoiling her even more than I am!"
"Not quite. Rather, I am selling a favor to the Xu Family."
"When the Xu Family grows in the future, their potential will be immeasurable. Ling'er specifically requested an item with eight patterns or more, meaning the Xu Family's minimum expectation is an eight-patterned Magic Treasure.
Providing a nine-patterned one exceeds their expectations. With the Xu Family's shrewdness, they will certainly understand the hidden meaning behind this gesture."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Yan Longzi clicked his tongue. "But no matter what, that peak third-tier demonic beast of the Xu Family is truly blessed.
With a Nine-Patterned Magic Treasure forged from a Primordial Magnetism Divine Crystal, as long as that demonic beast isn't cursed with terrible luck, it has over an eighty percent chance of safely surviving the Lightning Tribulation.
How long has it been? Is the Xu Family already about to leap forward and become a Nascent Soul Noble Family?"
"In an era of great strife where heroes rise from all corners, it isn't something to be too surprised about."
Yan Longzi gave a slight nod.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuan was roaming Greedy Wolf Prefecture under the guise of Daoist White Brows.
He acted as he pleased, striking out without restraint and punishing quite a few demonic cultivators.
Anyone who dared to seek revenge was also killed by him.
His ruthless and merciless methods gradually earned him the title of Old Demon White Brows.
The Yan Family—the clan of the Blood-Robed Ancestor—heard that Xu Chuan possessed three blood corpses, and the thought of stealing them began to fester in their minds.
After all, the Yan Family already possessed secret arts for corpse refining, but the materials were extremely difficult to acquire. If they could obtain ready-made blood corpses, they would only need to use their secret methods to re-refine them and make the corpses their own.
When the Blood-Robed Ancestor initially perished, the Yan Family invited his close friend, Xiao Zhan, to become their guest First Elder.
They had to offer the full power of the clan to support his cultivation before he finally agreed.
Xiao Zhan was a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator with formidable strength. Because of his presence, the noble families who had originally planned to kick the Yan Family while they were down quietly withdrew their claws.
Within the Yan Clan Territory.
"Daoist Friend Danqing, do you truly intend to deal with that White Brows?" Xiao Zhan asked.
"Anyone capable of refining blood corpses is certainly not a benevolent soul. Countless people must have died by his hands. However, my Yan Family is a blood-path corpse refining family. Our origins are cut from the same cloth.
Even if an ordinary cultivator managed to snatch the blood corpses, it would be extremely difficult to control them without the corresponding secret methods, leaving them highly vulnerable to a deadly backlash.
But if I obtain them, with those three blood corpses assisting me, I will have the strength to rival a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator."
"Do not worry, Daoist Friend Xiao. I will not act impulsively. White Brows has killed quite a few people over the past few months, and there are several Golden Core Aristocratic Families who have clashed with him.
If my Yan Family takes the lead, they will definitely be willing to make a move.
Seven or eight Golden Core Stage cultivators, which includes two at the Mid-Stage Golden Core counting myself. If we add a Late-Stage Golden Core expert like you, I refuse to believe we cannot kill a mere Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator.
This is Greedy Wolf Prefecture! How can we allow an outsider to strut around and act like a tyrant here?"
"Do not underestimate any Golden Core cultivator. Do not forget that your Yan Family's ancestor died at the hands of an Early-Stage Golden Core expert."
"How could there be that many figures like True Lord Withered Glory in this world? If we genuinely happen to run into someone of his caliber just like that, then I'll accept my Yan Family's destruction."
Hearing these words, Xiao Zhan gave a slight nod.
He also agreed that a figure like Xu Chuan was someone who appeared scarcely once in several centuries.
"Very well. I will lend your Yan Family a hand."
"Many thanks, Daoist Friend Xiao."
"With this, our success is virtually guaranteed."
Joy flashed through Yan Danqing's eyes. "I will go contact those aristocratic families right away."
Five or six days later.
Five Golden Core experts gathered at the Yan Family. Counting the three from the Yan Family, there were eight Golden Core cultivators in total.
Over these past few days, the Yan Family had also poured all their efforts into tracking Xu Chuan's whereabouts.
"Welcome, Daoist Friends."
"There is no need for such politeness, Daoist Friend Yan. Just tell us where Old Demon White Brows is right now. That beast slaughtered three of my clan's genius juniors. If this old master doesn't kill him, the hatred in my heart will never fade."
"Exactly! This time, we must execute that old demon!"
The others quickly voiced their agreement.
Yan Danqing nodded slightly. "Old Demon White Brows has committed countless atrocities; his death is not worth pitying. My Yan Family has made ample preparations, and Daoist Friend Xiao is also ready to step in and lend us his strength."
Xiao Zhan stepped forward, and everyone stood up, cupping their hands. "Greetings, Daoist Friend Xiao."
"With Daoist Friend Xiao holding the line for us, there will be no chance of error this time."
Shortly after.
The eight Golden Core cultivators left the clan territory, heading toward the Azure Nether Market five thousand kilometers away.
"Hmm?"
In the midst of his quiet cultivation, Xu Chuan suddenly opened his eyes. He performed a quick finger divination calculation, the corners of his mouth curving upward. "More work has arrived."
"If the Heavenly Azure Sect knew that I was helping them eliminate so many Golden Core experts in Greedy Wolf Prefecture, I wonder how they would thank me."
Xu Chuan let out a teasing smile before standing up and leaving the Azure Nether Market.
Trying to ambush and kill an immortal cultivator who practiced the Dao of Heavenly Secrets was virtually impossible unless they willingly stepped into the trap, or if the attackers possessed an extraordinary treasure capable of masking the heavenly secrets.
The moment murderous intent formed, such cultivators would instantly sense it.
'There are eight of them in total, ranging across the Early, Mid, and Late stages of the Golden Core realm. No wonder it gave me a fair amount of pressure. It seems there's even an old acquaintance?'
'However, they've already chosen the path to their own deaths.'
Xu Chuan mused inwardly. 'If I fight with all my strength, I should be able to wipe them all out.'
'I wonder who this old acquaintance is? A demonic cultivator from Greedy Wolf Prefecture that I've fought before? If that's the case, using the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array might easily expose my true identity.
Next time, I need to have Mingxian add a Restriction that blocks all communication.
Once activated, no sound, spiritual sense, or energy fluctuations would be able to leak out. It would completely seal off the heavens and lock down the earth. Only then will it be a truly flawless formation.'
After mulling it over, Xu Chuan made his preparations to deal with them.
It was a pity that his "Minor Star Divination Art" hadn't reached perfection yet. Otherwise, he could have delved deeper and divined parts of his enemies' origins.
In a mountain range a thousand kilometers away from the Azure Nether Market.
Xu Chuan met Yan Danqing and the others head-on.
Yan Danqing and his group were all stunned for a moment.
Was it really such a coincidence?!
The moment Xu Chuan laid eyes on them, he knew these were the people coming to kill him.
He looked at Yan Danqing, noting a slight resemblance to the Blood-Robed Ancestor. He also recognized another person—the last survivor of the one-versus-three battle he had fought in the Thousand Stone Forest.
They could indeed be considered old acquaintances.
Now, both the Blood-Robed Ancestor and True Lord Canglang had passed away one after another.
Was this guy rushing to join them in death?
Xu Chuan couldn't help but complain internally.
Yan Danqing and the others exchanged glances. Their figures immediately blurred as they dashed to all sides of Xu Chuan, tightly surrounding him.
"What is the meaning of this, Daoist Friends? This poor Daoist has no grievances with any of you, correct?"
One of them cursed furiously, "Two months ago at the Jade Visage Market, you slaughtered three genius Foundation Establishment juniors from my Yu Family! How dare you claim there is no enmity between us!"
"That's right! And my Zhuang Family too!"
"The Xiang Family also had juniors die by your hands!"
The entire scene resembled a public denunciation. They eagerly reeled off Xu Chuan's crimes, highlighting every single grudge and grievance.
Only the two from the Yan Family and Xiao Zhan remained silent.
Xu Chuan looked toward them. "It seems you three are the ones who organized this siege. How should I address you? You should at least let this poor Daoist die understanding who killed him."
"Yan Family, Yan Danqing."
"Ah, the Yan Family. During my travels these past few days, I've heard some rumors. You're from that same Yan Family whose Late-Stage Golden Core ancestor was slain by an Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator from Heavenly Azure Prefecture, aren't you?"
Yan Danqing and the other Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator from the Yan Family shrank their pupils, evident fury appearing on their faces.
"Death is right at your door, yet you still boast with your sharp tongue. As expected of Old Demon White Brows!"
"Please do not slander me, Daoist Friend Yan. What this old man cultivates is absolutely not a Demonic Cultivation Method."
"How is your style of doing things any different from the Demonic Dao?!" the Golden Core demonic cultivator from the Yu Family roared.
"Isn't that just the standard conduct in your Greedy Wolf Prefecture? This poor Daoist is merely following the local customs. What wrong have I committed? On the contrary, look at the Yan Family—they are merely using your hands to achieve their own goals.
Their little scheme is ringing quite loudly."
Pausing for a moment, the corners of Xu Chuan's lips curled up as he looked at Yan Danqing. "You want to snatch my Profound Yin Blood Corpses, don't you?"
With his motives seen through, Yan Danqing generously admitted it. "So what if I do? You can only blame yourself for being too arrogant and offending far too many people."
Immediately after, his gaze swept across the others. "Daoist Friends, there's no need to hold back against him anymore. Let's strike together and quickly slay this beast!"
The eight of them rapidly revealed their Natal Magic Treasures, urging them forward with their mana.
Xu Chuan, on the other hand, simply swept a single hand over his Yin Corpse Pouch. Five Profound Yin Blood Corpses shot out, a mysterious aura flowing seamlessly across all five bodies.
The Five Spirits Blood Corpse Formation activated on its own.
One of the corpses gathered the combined strength of the other four and charged directly at Xiao Zhan.
Feeling the blood corpse's aura violently surge until it rivaled his own, Xiao Zhan's expression drastically shifted. He suddenly shouted, "Daoist Friend Yan, aid me!"
Seeing this, the expressions of the two Golden Core cultivators from the Yan Family also twisted in shock.
"To think you don't just have three blood corpses on you, but five! Wait, no... how does one of them possess an aura comparable to a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator?!"
As Yan Danqing attacked the strongest blood corpse, his eyes swept over the other four, and a guess quickly formed in his mind.
"Daoist Friends! These five blood corpses are forming some kind of formation that can elevate an initial third-tier blood corpse's strength to the late third tier!
But in exchange, the strength of the other four corpses is weakened! If you join forces to destroy just one, the formation will be broken!"
The Golden Core cultivators from the Zhuang, Yu, Xiang, and the other two families immediately focused their minds and attacked with all their might.
Sure enough, the blood corpses that should have been incredibly difficult to deal with now seemed remarkably easy to defeat.
"Hmph!"
Xu Chuan snorted coldly. A Soul Banner materialized out of thin air in his right hand. The moment it appeared, it summoned howling sinister winds, and the miserable, agonizing wails of countless ghosts echoed in all directions.
Xiao Zhan was a man of vast experience. He instantly recognized it. "A Ghost Dao Dharma Tool?!"
"To think you are simultaneously cultivating two of the most perilous Demonic Dao secret methods! Aren't you afraid you won't be able to control them and suffer a deadly backlash?"
Xu Chuan chuckled coldly. He gave the Soul-Gathering Banner a light shake, causing the fabric to flutter noisily in the wind.
In the blink of an eye, a cloud of black mist burst out, hurtling straight toward one of the Early-Stage Golden Core cultivators.
"Save me!"
Within the black mist, the Golden Core expert from the Xiang Family only managed to hold on for a brief moment before his life force was abruptly snuffed out.
A chill swept through everyone's hearts.
Xu Chuan raised a hand and made a grasping motion, stowing the corpse away. As for the man's soul, it had already been devoured by the Blood Fiend Ghost King, causing the ghost's aura to surge even further.
The last time it fully digested True Lord Canglang's soul, it had successfully completely stepped into the Late-Stage Golden Core realm.
With its Ghost King divine abilities, slaughtering an Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator was effortless.
A beam of sword light from the Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivator of the Yu Family scattered the black mist, revealing the true form of the Blood Fiend Ghost King. Its Late-Stage Golden Core spiritual pressure instantly drained the color from the faces of several men.
"Old Demon White Brows is only at the Early-Stage Golden Core! Controlling five blood corpses is already demanding enough. To manipulate a late third-tier Ghost King on top of that means his personal strength must be severely lacking!
Everyone, kill him! My Yan Family only wants the blood corpses! His Ghost Dao Soul Banner and all the wealth on his person will be split equally among the rest of you!"
Yan Danqing used the promise of profit to entice them.
At their core, they were gamblers, and they wanted to place a bet on this.
"I'll kill him! Daoist Friend Yan, Daoist Friend Zhuang, help me hold off the remaining blood corpses and the Ghost King!"
Yan Danqing and the other Yan Family Golden Core cultivator immediately flew toward the cultivator surnamed Yu and the others. They joined forces to suppress the threats, freeing up the Yu Family cultivator to act.
Xiao Zhan's brow was locked in a tight frown. The power-enhanced blood corpse kept him entirely occupied, leaving him no choice but to deal with it cautiously.
If he didn't intervene to block this specific blood corpse, the remaining Early-Stage Golden Core cultivators would likely be heavily injured or killed within just a few exchanges.
'Why am I so incredibly unlucky? To run into another freakish Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator!'
'With those two trump cards, even a Golden Core Perfection cultivator would have to retreat to avoid conflict!'
The cultivator surnamed Yu executed a Sword Art. Countless specks of spiritual light converged, instantly forming a massive sword nearly thirty feet long.
However, right at this critical juncture, Xu Chuan's glabella lit up. He condensed his spiritual sense into three silver needles and viciously stabbed them into the Yu Family cultivator's spiritual sea.
"Ahhh!"
The Yu Family cultivator let out a shrill scream of agony. The massive sword, which was almost fully corporeal, instantly dissolved back into scattered spiritual light in the blink of an eye.
Xu Chuan flicked his sleeve robe, and a pitch-black seal flew out.
A terrifying suppressing power crashed down onto the Yu Family cultivator's body, stagnating his mana and making it nearly impossible to channel.
Next, Xu Chuan gathered emerald sword light at his fingertips and pointed forward.
The emerald miniature sword light immediately pierced through the man's dantian.
The Yu Family cultivator's face instantly turned deathly pale, devoid of a single trace of blood.
Xu Chuan naturally had no intention of holding back. He followed up with another pointing gesture, piercing right through the man's heart meridian. Just like that, a Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivator perished in the span of one or two breaths.
Everyone present was horrified.
"A High-Grade Magic Treasure!"
The Zhuang Family cultivators and the others abandoned all illusions of luck. They immediately tried to flee in all directions, but found themselves firmly entangled by the blood corpses and the Ghost King.
At some unknown point, the strength of the blood corpses had grown to be absolutely no weaker than that of an Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator.
Even the blood corpse that had been tying down Xiao Zhan joined the encirclement.
As for Xiao Zhan, Xu Chuan chose to face him personally.
Yet, how could the remaining five possibly be a match for the five blood corpses fortified by the Five Spirits Blood Corpse Formation and a late third-tier Ghost King?
A dozen breaths later.
The Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator of the Yan Family perished, while the Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator of the Zhuang Family was severely wounded.
Yan Danqing detonated a low-grade Magic Treasure. Using the explosive shockwave to force back the blood corpses and the Ghost King, he decisively fled into the distance.
However, this left the rest of the group to suffer.
Caught in the heavy backlash of the exploding Magic Treasure, they were injured on the spot and, within moments, fell one after another.
As for Xiao Zhan, who was being constantly bombarded by the High-Grade Magic Treasure "Heavy Profound Seal," he could not easily extract himself either.
The sheer power of a High-Grade Magic Treasure effortlessly bridged the cultivation realm gap between them.
Seeing people continuously dropping dead on the other side, Xiao Zhan was burning with anxiety.
'I never should have waded into the Yan Family's muddy waters!'
Boom!
With Yan Danqing fleeing and the rest being eradicated, Xiao Zhan's heart sank entirely to the bottom of the abyss.
A High-Grade Magic Treasure, a late third-tier Ghost King, and a grand array of blood corpses working in perfect synergy. Any single one of those trump cards was enough to deal with him.
And with all three stacked together, this man would have the power to fight even against a True Lord level expert at Golden Core Perfection!
Surrounded on all sides, a bitter expression surfaced on Xiao Zhan's face.
"To think that I, Xiao Zhan, who rose from the very bottom and roamed Greedy Wolf Prefecture unhindered for over three hundred years, would end up like this.
I have only ever met one other Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator like you.
However, that person was a true heaven-sent genius, whereas you, Daoist Friend White Brows, have merely relied on the accumulation of endless years to gather such trump cards."
"You are a Rogue Cultivator?"
"What if I am? Do you look down on Rogue Cultivators?"
Xu Chuan balanced the Heavy Profound Seal in his hand and offered a faint smile. "It is far harder for Rogue Cultivators to rise compared to the disciples of aristocratic families and sects. Yet, without exception, those who truly manage to grow into power are absolute geniuses.
They might even possess a higher chance of reaching Golden Core Perfection and aiming for the Nascent Soul Stage than many sect disciples."
Xiao Zhan didn't understand why Xu Chuan was saying this.
"I will give you an opportunity. Become my servant, and I will spare your life."
"What a joke! At your advanced age, despite having absurdly powerful trump cards, you are still only at the Early-Stage Golden Core realm. What qualifications do you have to make me submit as your servant?
I'm afraid you'll face the absolute limit of your lifespan in just a few short decades."
"Oh? And what if this poor Daoist has cultivated for a far shorter time than you?"
"Shorter than me?" Xiao Zhan closely scrutinized him, using his spiritual sense to probe. He could confirm that Xu Chuan's life aura was absolutely over five hundred years old.
"Do you know how long I have been cultivating?"
"Just say it, Daoist Friend Xiao."
"I am not even four hundred years old yet. I still have nearly half my lifespan remaining."
"It seems Daoist Friend Xiao's innate aptitude is quite decent. Could it be you possess Heavenly Spirit Root Aptitude?"
"So what if I do?!"
"Then this poor Daoist wants to take you under his wing even more. If you successfully achieve Nascent Soul Formation in the future, it will be my gain."
"If you're going to kill me, then do it! Why toy with me like this?!"
Still smiling faintly, Xu Chuan flipped his sleeve robe, shooting out several Formation Flags.
Shortly after.
Clouds and mist filled the air.
They enveloped a space spanning several kilometers in radius.
"This formation?!"
Xiao Zhan's pupils contracted sharply. This array gave him a feeling that was simultaneously familiar and foreign.
Several dozen feet to his left, an undisguised Xu Chuan abruptly appeared, speaking calmly. "Does it feel familiar, Daoist Friend Xiao?"
As his words fell.
Dozens, even hundreds, of Xu Chuans closely surrounded him.
"How is this formation possible?! How do you know this array?! Who exactly are you?!"
"Since you already have your suspicions, why refuse to believe them?" Xu Chuan said. "I originally didn't want to display this formation, as it's too easily recognized.
However, I want to establish a layout in Greedy Wolf Prefecture, and I need capable subordinates for that.
As a Late-Stage Golden Core Rogue Cultivator, you, Daoist Friend Xiao, fit the bill perfectly.
After all, if you die, your corpse will merely become material for my corpse refining, and your soul will end up as food for the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
That is far inferior to the vast benefits keeping you alive would bring to my Xu Family."
"What are you planning to do? Make me a spy for Heavenly Azure Prefecture? Have me pass along information?"
"I have never paid any attention to the war between our two prefectures. That matter will ultimately fade into nothingness. What I am focused on is the development that comes afterward."
"Fade into nothingness? How do you know that? It won't be long before Elder Tianluo of the Greedy Wolf Sect successfully forms his Nascent Soul. Once he does, Heavenly Azure Prefecture will undoubtedly face defeat.
And your Xu Family has quite a deep blood feud with the Greedy Wolf Sect. Paired with your immense potential, you will definitely face a brutal reckoning."
"That has nothing to do with you, Daoist Friend Xiao," Xu Chuan replied. "Today, there are only two paths laid out before you. I will only give you ten breaths of time to consider."
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..."
"To think that in such a short period, you managed to obtain another High-Grade Magic Treasure and two peak Demonic Dao trump cards... No, the Blood-Robed Ancestor only possessed three blood corpses!
Were you secretly refining blood corpses this entire time?
And that Ghost Dao Magic Treasure, you clearly had that long ago as well!"
"Four, three, two..."
Xiao Zhan's expression constantly shifted, a flash of deep dread and hesitation passing through his eyes. Finally, he spoke, "I want to live!"
Hearing this, Xu Chuan grinned. "A smart choice. Then open your soul. I will plant a Restriction in its deepest depths."
When standing under someone else's eaves, one must bow their head.
Xiao Zhan complied.
The Restriction Xu Chuan planted was a soul lock recorded in the "Five Elements Creation Scripture". Unless Xiao Zhan reached the Soul Formation Stage, it was absolutely impossible to unravel.
If the mark was tampered with even slightly, it would detonate, obliterating his soul entirely.
"You may simply refer to me as Revered Lord," Xu Chuan said calmly, noticing the troubled look on Xiao Zhan's face.
Revered Lord was far more palatable than having to call him Master.
"Revered Lord, what do you wish for me to do?"
"Establish a merchant group and name it the Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce. Develop and expand it by absorbing Rogue Cultivators. Recruit immortal cultivators skilled in Alchemy, Artificing, Talisman Crafting, and Formations.
You should also take wives and bear children to build a clan of your own, providing the chamber of commerce with loyal and reliable members."
Xiao Zhan frowned slightly. "The latter is simple enough, but the former... A chamber of commerce cannot be founded just because one wishes it. It requires massive financial backing. Furthermore, talents in Alchemy and Artificing are incredibly difficult to find.
Most renowned experts have already joined a faction or are backed by aristocratic families and sects."
"As for financial backing, don't we have six aristocratic families right here?" Xu Chuan replied. "They tried to lay siege to me. Using their entire foundations to compensate me isn't going too far, is it?
As for Immortal Arts talents, send an invitation first. If they repeatedly refuse, then use force.
Isn't that how you demonic cultivators typically handle things?
You surely don't need me to teach you that, do you?"
'Compared to an actual demonic cultivator like me, you clearly act like an absolute, thoroughly evil demonic cultivator.'
Xiao Zhan grumbled in his heart, but he didn't dare manifest any hostility, knowing full well it would trigger the Restriction in his soul.
"This subordinate understands."
"Since there is still a fish that slipped through the net, let us head to the Yan Family first. Daoist Friend Xiao, you must have quite a deep relationship with the Yan Family, yes?"
"The Blood-Robed Ancestor was a good friend of mine. Later, the Yan Family offered to fully support my cultivation as a condition, and I agreed to join them."
"Perfect. With you leading the way, we can pass directly through the Yan Family's clan protection grand array. I assume their grand array is at least mid third-tier?"
"Revered Lord's words are completely correct."
Xu Chuan performed a hand seal, instantly deactivating the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array and storing his Formation Flags.
Then, he followed Xiao Zhan toward the Yan Family.
Yan Danqing had returned to the Yan Family and immediately activated the clan protection grand array, cowering inside the clan like an injured little rabbit.
The other five aristocratic families—the Yu, Xiang, Zhuang, and the rest—were similarly plunged into panic due to the sudden demise of their ancestors.
However, the news was strictly locked down. For the time being, only a select group of family higher-ups were aware of the truth.
Outside the Yan Clan Territory.
"Revered Lord, this is the Yan Family."
Xu Chuan stood tall in the sky, gazing down at the entire Yan Clan Territory.
It spanned roughly twenty to thirty kilometers, with defensive walls built all around, making it look much like a small city.
Xu Chuan observed it for a few breaths. Sweeping his sleeve robe, he formed hand seals to lay down the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array once again, enveloping a fifty-kilometer radius.
"The Revered Lord's formation is truly profound!" Xiao Zhan flattered.
"This is the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array. It combines the essence of four types of arrays: cloud and mist, trapping, illusion, and slaughter. Its greatest function is to seal and trap.
Without locating the formation core, even someone at Golden Core Perfection could never escape."
Immediately after, Xu Chuan released the Blood Fiend Ghost King and the five blood corpses.
"Lead them inside. If you find anyone with Immortal Arts talent, spare them. As for the rest... let them become food.
Fed with the essence blood and souls of the cultivators from six aristocratic families, the Blood Fiend Ghost King should edge close to the peak of the third tier, while all five blood corpses will reach the late third tier.
We might even successfully rear one into the absolute late third tier."
Xiao Zhan stole a glance at Xu Chuan's face, realizing there wasn't a single ripple of emotion as he uttered those words.
This was definitely not his first time doing something like this.
"Revered Lord, strengthening them is a good thing, but whether it's refined corpses or ghostly creatures, both are extremely prone to causing backlash. This subordinate worries that..."
"Relax, I know exactly what I am doing."
"This subordinate spoke out of turn."
By now, Xiao Zhan's reverence and fear of Xu Chuan had skyrocketed to an extreme, even surpassing his fear of the Greedy Wolf Sect.
After that, Xiao Zhan used his Yan Family guest elder Token to open the clan protection grand array, letting the five blood corpses and the Blood Fiend Ghost King inside.
It was an absolute massacre.
The sheer amount of blood spilled was enough to dye the ground a deep red!
No!
Not even a single drop of blood would be left behind.
Whether they were mortals or cultivators, their essence blood and souls would all serve as nourishment for the growth of the blood corpses and the ghostly creature.
Xu Chuan sat cross-legged in the void, thinking deeply. 'Cultivating five blood corpses is sufficient; there may be no need to refine any more. If I feed the essence blood and Golden Cores of the Golden Core cultivators on hand to the blood corpses, I estimate that all five will soon break through to the late third tier.'
This was the stark difference between orthodox cultivation and the cultivation of demonic entities. These reared refined corpses and ghostly creatures only required immense amounts of food to rapidly grow stronger.
If they found themselves stuck at a bottleneck, it only meant they hadn't been fed enough!
However, crossing into the fourth tier would be incredibly difficult.
It was a massive leap.
When a refined corpse advanced to the fourth tier, it would gain genuine intelligence and a high level of autonomous consciousness. A single moment of carelessness could lead to it devouring its master.
The same held true for ghostly creatures.
A fourth-tier ghostly creature was terrifyingly vicious. Their spiritual sense attacks alone were enough to make Nascent Soul Stage cultivators pale in fear.
If one managed to obtain a Ghost Dao Inheritance, they could even walk the path of a ghost cultivator.
The Great Dao had thousands of paths. Even ghostly creatures and refined corpses bred entirely as slaughtering tools possessed a glimmer of life and destiny.
Some corpse and ghost cultivators were originally immortal cultivators who had switched paths, while others were exactly these types of corpses and ghosts who had encountered miraculous opportunities.
'With trump cards, quality is far more precious than quantity.'
'Still, slaughtering six Golden Core Aristocratic Families will surely alert the Greedy Wolf Sect. I'll likely have to lie low for quite a while.
That will also be the perfect opportunity for the blood corpses and Ghost King to properly digest everything.'
Over a hundred thousand living beings were completely massacred in just half a day. It felt as though even the bright moon hanging in the sky had turned into a bloody orb.
The only ones left alive were a dozen or so Rogue Cultivators recruited by the Yan Family, all of whom were at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Trembling from head to toe, they followed Xiao Zhan and arrived before Xu Chuan.
By this time, Xu Chuan had naturally reverted to his appearance as Daoist White Brows.
"Revered Lord, these are all Rogue Cultivators possessing Immortal Arts skills."
They kept their heads bowed deeply, completely terrified to even glance at Xu Chuan.
Xu Chuan gave a mild smile. "There is no need to be afraid. I am actually quite a kind and amiable person, am I not, Daoist Friend Xiao?"
"Everything the Revered Lord says is correct!" Xiao Zhan said, cupping his hands. Inwardly, however, he screamed, 'As if I dare to say otherwise!'
"Are all of you willing to serve my Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce?"
"We are willing!"
"Then open your souls and allow me to plant a Restriction."
None of them resisted, allowing him to do as he pleased.
As long as they could stay alive, what did it matter if they were barely clinging to existence?