17: Chapter 17: Sect Competition

For the next half month, Xiao Ran did not step foot outside his door.

During the day, he practiced the Three-Part Return to Origin Finger, and at night, he operated the Eternal Night Demon Codex to consolidate his Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation.

Occasionally, he would open the System Shop to take a look.

There were truly many good things in the Point Shop, but the prices were also truly expensive.

He had his eye on a bottle of barrier breaking pills—Medicinal Pills specifically used to break through the Golden Core Bottleneck; a bottle of three cost 30,000 points.

There was also an Earth Rank Medium Grade Cultivation Technique, Thousand Illusions of the Demonic Shadow, priced at 80,000 points.

"So poor..."

Xiao Ran looked at his point balance of 5,500 and let out a sigh.

"I have to find a way to earn more."

Just as he was pondering this, Li Changsheng's voice came through the Soul link.

"Xiao Ran, are you there?"

"I'm here, what's up?"

"I just broke through to Foundation Establishment Peak!"

"The effect of the earthly fiend spirit marrow is really fierce; I'm now just one step away from the Golden Core!"

Li Changsheng's voice betrayed his excitement.

"What a coincidence, I'm also at Foundation Establishment Peak."

"What, want to see who breaks through to the Golden Core first?"

Xiao Ran asked with a smile.

This was a habit between the two of them; they often said such things subconsciously.

For example, if the two saw a leaf, they would compete to see who could touch that specific leaf first.

"You're on! Loser treats the winner!"

Li Changsheng replied subconsciously.

"Treat? We can't even meet right now."

"Then... the loser owes a barbecue dinner, to be made up later when there's a chance."

"Deal."

Xiao Ran agreed, seemingly forgetting that this was the cultivation world—where would they find a barbecue?

But it was no big deal.

The two chatted for a few more moments about their recent situations.

Li Changsheng was also consolidating his cultivation while practicing a newly acquired Sword Kinesis Technique.

According to him, this Sword Kinesis Technique could not only be used for flying on a sword, but could also manifest sword light, turning one sword into ten, and ten into a hundred, which was very suitable for group battles.

Since Li Changsheng's Saint Body focused on comprehension, his speed in practicing the Sword Kinesis Technique was simply advancing by leaps and bounds.

In just a few short days, he had already practiced the Sword Kinesis Technique to Major Achievement.

Now he spent every day flying back and forth above the Supreme Dao Palace to show off.

Xiao Ran wanted to laugh upon hearing this; while he was trudging forward under heavy burdens in the Demon Sect, Li Changsheng had completely let himself go in the Daoist Sect.

The two chatted for a while longer before disconnecting the Soul link.

"Next, I must break through to the Golden Core Stage as soon as possible. It looks like I'll have to visit the Scripture Pavilion."

"The Eternal Night Demon Sect has been established for tens of thousands of years; there must be insights from Seniors on breaking through to the Golden Core in there. I should go and learn."

Thinking this, Xiao Ran immediately got up and walked out of the cultivation room.

He happened to bump into Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing returning from outside at the entrance.

Since the last mission, Xiao Ran had officially taken the three of them as his underlings, so they had found a place to stay within the Eternal Night Palace.

Usually, they cultivated using the Devilish Qi of the Eternal Night Palace and helped Xiao Ran with chores.

"Junior Martial Uncle."

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing hurriedly bowed respectfully.

"Mhm. I'm going to the Scripture Pavilion; keep an eye on the place."

Xiao Ran gave a casual instruction and started walking out.

"Wait a moment, Junior Martial Uncle."

"The Deacon Hall just sent word saying that on the eighth of next month, the Sect will hold a minor competition for new Disciples."

Seeing this, Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing quickly called out to Xiao Ran; she had originally come to tell him this news.

"A minor Sect competition?"

Xiao Ran stopped his pace and asked in surprise.

How had he not heard that the Demon Sect held minor competitions?

"Yes, all Disciples who joined within the last three years must participate."

"The rules are all inside. It's said the rewards for this competition are very generous; first place can soak in the Demon Blood Pool for three days."

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing handed over a Jade Slip and spoke respectfully.

The Demon Blood Pool?

Xiao Ran's eyes lit up at the mention.

That was a famous cultivation treasure land of the Eternal Night Demon Sect. The pool contained the essence blood and insights left by powerful experts of the Demon Sect throughout history, and it was especially beneficial for Cultivators breaking through major Realms.

"Understood."

"You three should also prepare. You'll accompany me when the time comes."

Xiao Ran took the Jade Slip and instructed in passing.

"Yes!"

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing lowered her head and quickly complied. When she looked up again, Xiao Ran had already disappeared.

...

Scripture Pavilion.

Xiao Ran left the Eternal Night Palace and came here immediately.

The Scripture Pavilion was located deep within the Demon Sect, a nine-story tall black ancient pagoda.

The body of the pagoda was covered in dense runes, emitting a vicissitudinous and ancient aura.

The guardian of the pavilion was a blind old man sitting by the door dozing off.

When Xiao Ran passed by, he didn't even lift an eyelid.

But Xiao Ran could feel that this old man's aura was unfathomable, at least at the Soul Transformation Stage.

Can't mess with him, definitely can't mess with him.

Xiao Ran honestly handed over his identity token and entered the Scripture Pavilion.

The Demon Seed token allowed free entry and exit below the fifth floor of the Scripture Pavilion without time restrictions.

The sixth floor and above contained Cultivation Techniques that could only be practiced by those above the Nascent Soul stage, and required Sect contribution points to enter.

Xiao Ran's goal this time was not Cultivation Techniques, so he didn't need to pay much attention to that.

The first floor of the Scripture Pavilion was the miscellaneous books section, containing everything from cultivation insights and geographical records to the basics of Alchemy and Artifact Refining.

Xiao Ran walked around, found several notebooks regarding insights on breaking through to the Golden Core, and tucked them into his robes.

Just as he was about to head to the second floor, a System notification suddenly sounded:

[Detected host has entered the core area of the Demon Sect]

[Triggered Task: Insights of the Scripture Pavilion]

[Content: Find at least three sets of insights regarding Golden Core Breakthrough in the Scripture Pavilion and comprehend their essence.]

[Reward: Cultivation Technique comprehension speed +50% (lasts seven days), 1000 System points]

[Failure Penalty: None]

[Accept?]

"Accept."

Xiao Ran thought this task was quite timely.

This kind of task was essentially a free benefit; only a fool would refuse.

He circled the first floor again, picked five of the most valuable-looking insight notebooks, found a corner, sat down, and began to flip through them.

Thirty-Six Methods of Golden Core Condensation, Insights on Demonic Path Core Formation, On the Critical Point of Demonic Yuan Compression...

The authors of these notebooks were mostly Seniors of the Eternal Night Demon Sect from past generations who were at the Golden Core Stage or above; some had even passed away thousands of years ago.

But their experiences were still precious to the current Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran read very quickly.

The Myriad Dao Guixu Body not only allowed for fast cultivation but also high Comprehension Ability.

Those obscure and difficult words were as simple as elementary school math problems in his eyes.

An hour later, he had finished reading all five notebooks.

[Ding!]

[Task: Insights of the Scripture Pavilion completed]

[Reward distributed: Cultivation Technique comprehension speed +50% (remaining time: six days, twenty-three hours), 1000 System points]

Xiao Ran felt his mind become clear; some doubts he had previously held while reading the Golden Core chapter of the Eternal Night Demon Codex were suddenly resolved.

"So that's how it is..."

"The key to Core Formation does not lie in the quantity of Devilish Qi, but in quality and intent."

He murmured to himself; he already understood the mysteries of breaking through from Foundation Establishment to the Golden Core.

The demonic essence must be pure enough; that was quality.

There also had to be a sufficiently firm Demonic Path will; that was intent.

Only when quality and intent were combined could a High Grade demonic core be formed.

"I have the quality; the demonic essence refined by the Guixu Body is ten times purer than those of the same rank."

"Intent... that must be honed through actual combat."

Xiao Ran pondered with his head down; he wanted to find a place that could provide him with rich combat experience.

There was one place that was just right.

It was time to test exactly how strong he, at the Foundation Establishment Peak, currently was.