4: Chapter 4: Are there so many brainless villains in the Demonic Sect too?

Three days later, the Eternal Night Demon Sect's Investiture Ceremony.

Xiao Ran stood on the high platform of the square in front of the Eternal Night Palace, wearing the self-fitting black robe. The dark patterns on the robe flowed faintly under the sunlight like living shadows.

Below the platform was a dense, dark mass of people.

There were likely over ten thousand people, including Disciples of the demon Sect, Elders of various halls, and representatives of Demonic Path Sects who had traveled from all over the Northern Territory.

Everyone's gaze was like a knife, scraping up and down Xiao Ran, trying to see something special about his Myriad Dao Guixu Body.

Xiao Ran remained expressionless.

He hadn't done anything else these past three days but two things.

First, he had memorized the first three layers of the Eternal Night Demon Codex from that Jade Slip until he knew them by heart.

Second, through what he had seen and heard, as well as the Soul link, he had gleaned basic cultivation knowledge of the Dao Palace from Li Changsheng, making his current situation much clearer.

For example, he now knew that cultivation Realms were divided into Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Refining, Body Integration, Mahayana, and Undergoing Tribulation.

For instance, he knew that the Eternal Night Demon Sect he was in was the leader of the Northern Territory's Demonic Path, and the Sect Master, Sect Master Li Jiuyou, was a Body Integration Stage powerhouse whose actions could make the entire Northern Territory tremble.

Furthermore, he knew that there wasn't just one Demon Son in the Eternal Night Demon Sect, but nine.

He was the Ninth Demon Son, the very last one.

Of the first eight Demon Sons, even the one with the lowest cultivation was at least at the Golden Core Stage.

In short, the waters in this world were very deep!

"Why does today's scene feel like a company's annual meeting..."

Xiao Ran looked down from the platform, muttering inwardly.

Directly in front of the high platform, Sect Master Li Jiuyou sat on a massive black throne, surrounded by demonic flames.

He spoke a few simple words, nothing more than clichés like "Heaven blesses the demon Sect" and "The demonic gate shall rise."

Then, with a flick of his hand, a streak of black light shot into the space between Xiao Ran's eyebrows.

"This is the Eternal Night Demon Codex, from the Qi Refining chapter to the Golden Core chapter."

"Xiao Ran, since you are a Demon Son, you must Cultivate diligently. The position of Demon Son is extraordinary; if you do not live up to the name, you will suffer misfortune instead."

"I give you three months. If you cannot reach Foundation Establishment, your position as Demon Son will be automatically stripped, and you will be demoted to a True Disciple."

Sect Master Li Jiuyou's voice echoed throughout the entire palace.

A buzz of discussion broke out below the platform.

Foundation Establishment in three months?

Even for a Cultivator with Heavenly Spiritual Root Aptitude, going from a Mortal to Foundation Establishment would take at least a year or two.

Three months? Isn't that requirement a bit too harsh?

[Ding!]

[Ultimate Demon Lord Cultivation System, dedicated to creating the world's number one Demon Venerable.]

[Mission Issued: Foundation of the Demonic Path]

[Content: Successfully reach Foundation Establishment within two months to stabilize your position as Demon Son.]

[Reward: Profound Rank High Grade Demonic Technique "Essence Devouring Art," 500 System points.]

[Failure Penalty: None]

[Accept?]

"Accept."

Xiao Ran thought to himself.

Almost simultaneously, he bowed and said, "This Disciple obeys the command."

He knew this was a test set for him by Sect Master Li Jiuyou.

The demon Sect did not nurture trash; even with a Myriad Dao Guixu Body, if he didn't show enough value, he wouldn't be qualified to hold this position.

The investiture ceremony ended quickly.

After Sect Master Li Jiuyou disappeared, the atmosphere in the square relaxed.

Just as Xiao Ran was about to leave, a figure blocked his path.

It was a youth in a blood-red robe, about twenty years old, with an arrogant expression, followed by several Disciples in similar attire.

On the token hanging from his waist, the character "True" was engraved.

This was the mark of a True Disciple.

"Are you Xiao Ran?"

"A newcomer who hasn't even entered the Qi Refining stage actually became a Demon Son?"

The blood-robed youth looked him up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny.

Hearing this, Xiao Ran stopped and looked at the other party. "Who do you think you are?"

Since the other party was being rude, he wasn't a pushover either.

Xiao Ran didn't believe that anyone would dare to make a move against him right after his Demon Son Investiture Ceremony.

This clearly wasn't just looking down on him; it was a blatant slap to the Sect Master's face.

"I am Lu Qing, a True Disciple of the Blood Fiend Hall."

"My older brother, Lu Yan, is a deacon under the Seventh Demon Son. I heard you're the Myriad Dao Guixu Body that hasn't appeared in three thousand years?"

The youth raised his chin, looking incredibly proud.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the Demon Son and Xiao Ran was the True Disciple!

"That's right," Xiao Ran responded indifferently.

Lu Qing snorted in derision upon hearing this.

"Whether a Saint Physique is real or fake isn't determined by words."

"Moreover, a Demon Son's monthly allowance is one hundred Medium Grade demon crystals, ten bottles of blood soul pills, and the essence blood of a third-rank Demonic Beast... Isn't it a waste to give these things to a newcomer who isn't even at the Qi Refining stage?"

The Disciples behind him also burst into laughter.

"Senior Brother Lu is right; resources should be given to those who truly need them."

"Exactly. Someone at the Qi Refinement Stage can absorb at most one demon crystal a day. Giving him a hundred? He'll burst!"

Xiao Ran looked at Lu Qing and suddenly smiled.

He finally understood why Lu Qing had come; he was here to collect protection money!

What a hothead.

"True Disciple Lu, is it? According to the Sect rules, a Demon Son's status is equivalent to an Elder. True Disciples must salute upon meeting them."

"You seem to have... forgotten just now, haven't you?"

Labeling first, then taking a stand—a powerful and modern approach.

Xiao Ran didn't bother with Lu Qing's provocation at all, directly escalating it to a matter of rules and attitude.

Lu Qing's face stiffened.

Although the demonic gate offered a high degree of freedom, the hierarchy was also very strict. If this matter were truly pursued, he would indeed be punished.

"Also, whether my resources are given to me or whether they're wasted is a rule set by the Sect and personally approved by the Sect Master."

"If True Disciple Lu has an objection, you can go to the Deacon Hall to appeal, or... speak directly to the Sect Master?"

Xiao Ran continued his verbal assault, using an old-school approach that maximized the suppression effect.

Lu Qing's expression became even more unsightly.

Speak to the Sect Master?

As a True Disciple of a branch hall, he didn't even have the right to see the Sect Master.

"Sharp-tongued."

"If you can't reach Foundation Establishment in three months and fall to the rank of True Disciple, I'll see if you can still be this arrogant!"

Lu Qing could only grit his teeth and retort.

"Then I won't trouble True Disciple Lu to worry about it."

"Instead, you should be saluting me now, and preferably asking for my forgiveness, or else..."

Xiao Ran smiled slightly, threatening him in return.

"You!"

Lu Qing was furious, and blood-red baleful Qi surged around him.

Right at that moment.

"Lu Qing!"

"Private fighting is prohibited in front of the Demon Crystal Hall. Violators will have their resources for the month deducted and be sentenced to three months of solitary meditation. Do you want to try?"

A deacon Disciple walked over quickly and said with a cold face.

Seeing this, Lu Qing could only take a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and glared fiercely at Xiao Ran.

"Fine, very well. Xiao Ran, I'll remember you. In three months, I'll be waiting for you to come crawling out of the Eternal Night Palace!"

After saying that, he led his people away.

Xiao Ran looked at his back and sighed inwardly.

As expected, trouble comes quickly.

The investiture ceremony had just ended, and people were already starting to refuse to accept him.

And those Demon Sons higher up...

Xiao Ran looked up at the towering viewing platform at the edge of the square.

It was empty, but he could feel several gazes that had been fixed on him just now.

Cold, scrutinizing, as if looking at an interesting object.

[Ding! Potential hostile target Lu Qing (Foundation Establishment Mid Stage) detected.]

[Triggered Hidden Mission: Battle to Establish Authority]

[Content: Defeat Lu Qing in a formal setting to establish your authority as a Demon Son.]

[Reward: Earth Rank Low Grade Escape Technique "Blood Shadow Escape," 300 System points.]

[Failure Penalty: None]

[Accept?]

"Of course I'll accept a mission; we're already enemies anyway."

"But I'll have to wait; I can't beat him right now."

Xiao Ran responded in his heart.

[System Prompt: The mission has no time limit. The host may choose the timing freely.]

Not bad, this System is quite user-friendly.