43: Chapter 43 Undercurrents
Nanyuan Prefecture, which borders Nanshan Prefecture.
Xuanming Demon Valley is shrouded in gray-black miasma all year round.
Even the twilight glow cannot penetrate it at all.
Inside the valley, the rocks are jagged, and cold winds blow in gusts; from time to time, shrill beast howls echo from the depths of the valley, making one's hair stand on end and one's whole body feel cold.
Inside the main hall of the Demon Valley.
Several figures tightly wrapped in black robes stand quietly; each person radiates a thick scent of blood, with Evil Qi lingering and refusing to dissipate, as if even the air in the hall has been frozen.
These people are all the core strength of Xuanming Demon Valley.
There are Golden Core deacons and Nascent Soul Elders, among whom three have auras as deep as the sea, hidden and unreleased; they are undoubtedly the Nascent Soul monsters who can walk sideways in Nanyun Continent.
"Valley Master," a Golden Core Late Stage The black-robed man speaks first, his voice as hoarse as iron rubbing against stone, filled with unwillingness and indignation, "Ancestor Chusheng previously killed two of our Golden Core deacons with his own hands. This blood feud has not yet been settled, so why must we cooperate with them and seek skin from a tiger?"
"That's right! That group from Chusheng Sect cannot be trusted at all!"
Another Golden Core Elder immediately echoes, his tone full of sarcasm, "On the surface, they pretend to be righteous and moral, but their methods behind the scenes are even more ruthless and vicious than us Cultivators of the Demonic Path!"
"Although our Xuanming Demon Valley acts without restraint and uses any means necessary, we still have a bottom line."
"But that bunch of guys from Chusheng Sect have absolutely no bottom line. That Ancestor Chusheng is an even more unscrupulous character who will do anything to achieve his goals!"
The hall is instantly filled with noisy discussions, full of dissatisfaction and hatred towards Chusheng Sect.
The Xuanming Valley Master slowly raises his sleeve and gently presses it down.
Without any extra movement or releasing even a shred of Qi, the hall instantly falls into a deathly silence, and all discussions come to an abrupt end.
His figure is hidden in a wide black robe, revealing only a pair of eyes as scarlet as blood, slowly sweeping across the entire hall, his low, cold voice echoing in the hall: "Ancestor Chusheng has already reached the Soul Transformation Realm."
These seven short words are like a thunderclap exploding in everyone's ears.
All the Cultivators in the hall tremble, the indignation on their faces instantly replaced by horror, and their eyes filled with unbelievable shock.
Soul Transformation!
Nanyun Continent has not produced a Soul Transformation Cultivator for three hundred years!
The last one who dared to challenge the Soul Transformation Realm was the Old Ancestor of the Xinghuo Sect.
He failed the Breakthrough, suffered Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering on the spot, and even implicated the entire Xinghuo Sect, causing it to collapse. Now, it has long since become a third-rate power, struggling to survive.
If Ancestor Chusheng has truly successfully advanced to the Soul Transformation Realm, then Chusheng Sect is undoubtedly the number one Sect in Nanyun Continent, its power crushing all other Sects and Demon Valleys, with no one able to shake its position!
"Previous hatreds and old grudges shall be temporarily set aside."
The Xuanming Valley Master's voice remains cold, devoid of any emotion, "This time, if our Xuanming Demon Valley wants to survive under the pressure of Chusheng Sect, we must join forces with them."
"They need someone to help stir up the situation in Nanyun Continent and hold back other forces; we need the resources of Chusheng Sect to continue our Dao lineage and improve our Cultivation; we are just taking what we each need."
He pauses, a sharp, ruthless look flashing in his scarlet eyes, his tone carrying unquestionable determination: "Nanyun Continent has been peaceful for too long; it is time for the sky to change."
"After the matter is accomplished, everyone here might be able to use this Opportunity to break through the Bottleneck and achieve the Nascent Soul body."
"As for what happens to Chusheng Sect later..."
He hooks his mouth into an obscure cold smile, "Once our Xuanming Demon Valley grows stronger, we can then compete with them using our own means."
Fire burns in the eyes of everyone present—that is the uncontrollable greed, the irrepressible ambition, and the fanatical desire for supreme power.
The Cultivation world of Nanyun Continent is too peaceful, peaceful for too long.
The various Sect forces are intertwined and hold each other in check; no one dares to be the first to break this fragile balance.
Yet, the more peaceful the days, the slower the Cultivation progress of these Cultivators of the Demonic Path.
Demonic Technique is something that relies on slaughter to accumulate Evil Qi and relies on chaos to gather Origin.
With the world at peace, where can they find so much slaughter?
And where can they find enough dense Evil Qi for them to Cultivate?
Regardless of whether this counts as seeking skin from a tiger, Xuanming Demon Valley must completely stir up this pool of stagnant water.
Only when the water is muddy can they fish in troubled waters; only when the world is in chaos do Cultivators of the Demonic Path have a chance to get ahead.
"Valley Master is wise!"
"We are willing to follow the Valley Master and restore the glory of the Demonic Path!"
The shouts rise one after another, getting louder and louder, finally merging into a demonic sound that makes the great hall hum.
The Xuanming Valley Master nods slightly, his scarlet eyes looking at the gray sky outside the hall.
Ancestor Chusheng, after you break through to the Soul Transformation Realm, the first thing you will do must be to clear away "hidden dangers" like me, right?
Using my Demon Valley to stir up the world, and then exterminating Cultivators of the Demonic Path in the name of "acting on behalf of Heaven"—killing two birds with one stone, that is truly a wishful calculation.
Unfortunately, my Xuanming Demon Valley is not someone's pawn to be manipulated.
He hooks his mouth into a cold arc; this game of chess concerning the world's structure has only just begun.
...
On the other side, Nanshan Prefecture, Hongyue City.
Thick black clouds press down extremely low, as if they are about to collapse in the next second.
Gale winds roll withered yellow leaves, crashing wildly on the long street; every household keeps their doors and windows tightly shut, not even daring to leave a crack.
Suddenly, a torrential rain falls without warning, bean-sized raindrops hitting the bluestone road, splashing up circles of fine water spray.
The rain curtain is like a hazy veil, wrapping the entire city inside.
This rain comes quickly and leaves just as quickly.
In less than half an hour, the rain subsides, the dark clouds disperse, and the daylight shines back onto the earth.
The streets in the city are washed clean, the bluestone slabs glistening with moisture, and water droplets fall from the eaves one by one, the tinkling sound crisp and pleasant.
Water still accumulates on the bluestone slabs in the small courtyard, reflecting the newly cleared sky, sparkling with light.
The magnolia tree in the courtyard, after being washed by the rain, has branches and leaves that are even more verdant and bright, with crystal-clear water droplets hanging on a few late-blooming buds, suspended without falling.
The spiritual fog in mid-air has also been diluted a lot by the heavy rain, the view is much clearer, and the towering silhouette of the Hongyue City wall can be seen from afar.
Chu Feng stands under the veranda, looking at the scenery in the courtyard, his state of mind exceptionally peaceful.
Two days have passed since he returned from the wine tasting banquet that day.
That day, a session of "clearing stagnation" with Master Luoli really allowed him to truly experience the mysteries of the Golden Core level.
It was not just mental comfort, but in the process of merging mana, he vaguely touched upon the basics of the Golden Core Dao.
Master Luoli did not waste her efforts either; when they parted, her face was rosy and her eyes were full of radiance. The two also agreed to often spar and help each other in Cultivation in the future; in the end, it could be considered as each taking what they needed.
Chu Feng turns and walks into the talisman-making room.
The room is neatly tidied up, with brand-new talisman paper spread on the desk, and several talisman brushes of different materials hanging on the brush rack.
In the incense burner in the corner, calming incense burns, a wisp of green smoke rising, dispelling all distracting thoughts.
He collects his mind, focuses his spirit, picks up an Earth Rank Low Grade green jade talisman brush, dips it with enough spiritual ink, and steadily lands it on the talisman paper.