SWNOVELS Chapter 43 - Arc 4: The Affairs of Chenghuang Kingdom | Chapter 43: Turning Fate
Chapter 43 - Arc 4: The Affairs of Chenghuang Kingdom | Chapter 43: Turning Fate
Translator: Lynn
Yun Lie attentively monitored the events unfolding outside the ring and promptly responded, “This individual is practicing the ‘Blood Mist Life-Taking Origin Method’ from the ‘Blood Demon Great Technique’.”
Xu Ziqing’s expression slightly changed. Just hearing the name of this technique sent a chill down his spine, creating a peculiar sensation of bloodlust.
Yun Lie proceeded to provide a detailed explanation of the origins and usage of this method.
“Those who take the lives of others and plunder their life force can absorb their blood and convert it into their own cultivation. Additionally, their life force can supplement their own, facilitating their path to success.”
Xu Ziqing found it difficult to believe.
If what his friend had said was true, this devil cultivator sought to seize the life force of the entire Chenghuang Kingdom. If successful, he would be able to enhance his own cultivation, like a dazzling… fortune. Furthermore, if he could evade the Heavenly Dao and be shielded by his life force, he would become a formidable figure in the demonic path!
No wonder the Heavenly Dao wants immortal cultivators to battle demon cultivators; it’s merely a test for both sides. While the Heavenly Dao intends to employ immortal cultivation as a weapon, there’s also a saying that the Dao will eliminate the devil. If this devil can truly overcome an immortal cultivator under such circumstances, then the demonic will shall flourish, and the rules will permit it. Even the Heavenly Dao will be powerless to intervene.
Xu Ziqing mentally revisited Jiao Tu’s case from beginning to end.
The devil cultivator transformed Jiao Tu, the ruler of the Lower Nine Continents, into a black auger, absorbing the dragon’s life force. When the black auger became a black dragon, he killed Dong Lizhao, who also possessed the dragon’s life force, thereby placing the life force of the Chenghuang Kingdom in Jiao Tu’s hands.
Subsequently, the devil cultivator would devour Jiao Tu and assimilate his life force.
The devil cultivator employed spiritual possession on Jiao Tu… spying on him and preparing to consume his blood.
Now that Xu Ziqing comprehended the essence of the devil cultivator’s techniques, his utmost concern was the cultivator’s own cultivation level.
Since the devil cultivator had already nurtured his spirit, his cultivation level was at least at the peak of the Yuan Transformation stage.
If the devil cultivator had sustained severe injuries and passively possessed Jiao Tu’s body to recuperate, the situation would be slightly more favorable. Even if his spirit returned to his own body, his strength would be limited. However, if he had specifically arrived here to plunder fortune, then once his Yuan Shen returned… to the peak of the Yuan Transformation stage, he would already be a top expert in the Haotian Small World.
The fact that Xu Ziqing was merely at the seventh layer of Qi refining cultivation rendered him powerless against the devil cultivator’s overwhelming aura.
They worried that the devil cultivator was so formidable that even an immortal cultivator like Xu Ziqing was afraid of him after a single encounter. If Mr. Xu couldn’t withstand him, what chance would they, as mortals, have?
The two brothers were not to blame for their speculation. Xu Ziqing’s furrowed brow as he listened to Yun Lie’s words instigated this apprehensive feeling.
After waiting for a while, Dong Lizhao, who was still young, couldn’t resist calling out again, “Sir, sir!”
Xu Ziqing snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at him, “Yes?”
Dong Lizhao felt slightly embarrassed and asked, “I noticed that you seemed preoccupied. Is something bothering you?”
Xu Ziqing let out a light sigh, “I was just discussing with Brother Yun about the devil cultivator I encountered today, and it left me feeling uneasy.”
Enduring the pain, Dong Lixi and Dong Lizhao had conversed by candlelight at night. Naturally, they had heard about the elusive cultivator named Yun and knew that he preferred minimal interactions with others, leaving everything in Mr. Xu’s hands. Dong Lixi refrained from asking questions but speculated that the current situation might be unfavorable, hence Mr. Xu’s worry. contemporary romance
He then said, “If there are any changes, please inform us. If we are left in the dark, we might unintentionally act in a way that puts us in a difficult position.”
Upon hearing his words, Xu Ziqing realized the truth in them. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to disclose the method of spiritual possession and the concerns that troubled him. Although the two of them were not cultivators, as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
As expected, the prince didn’t disappoint him. After pondering for a moment, he remarked, “Sir, are you suggesting that the key to everything lies in the physical body of that devil cultivator?”
His words struck Xu Ziqing like a bolt of lightning, instantly bringing him back to full awareness!
If it was just the spirit, what harm could a mortal body do? Even if the devil cultivator possessed it to a certain extent, the mortal body wouldn’t be able to sustain him. The devil cultivator intended to utilize Jiao Tu’s body to seize the dynasty’s life force, but before the life force transformed into a dragon, he couldn’t harm Xu Ziqing. Moreover, it’s easy to obtain a mortal body, but integrating with it is difficult, so he wouldn’t prefer using a mortal body instead!
Hence, even if the devil cultivator had a higher cultivation level, what could he do if he wasn’t allowed to return to his original body?
Xu Ziqing’s eyebrows were slightly arched as he was awakened by Dong Lixi’s insights.
However, the matter needed to be considered in the long run. First, he had to determine the whereabouts of the devil cultivator’s physical body.
It was agreed that only Xu Ziqing would be privy to this information since nobody else had knowledge of cultivation. To lure out Jiao Tu and the devil cultivator who possessed him, Dong Lixi would be responsible.
The first step was to ensure Dong Lixi’s recovery before summoning Jiao Tu to their location. Afterward… they would inevitably have to manipulate Dong Lixi a bit to entice Jiao Tu without alerting the devil cultivator about the situation in Jiao Tu’s household.
The truth was that one could encounter many unexpected difficulties. In addition to the need for another ambush, they had to be cautious not to allow the black auger to transform into a dragon… It was truly vexing.
Dong Lixi expressed his gratitude, acknowledging that many people would not have agreed to this plan. The Chenghuang Kingdom had been under the rule of the Dong clan for several generations, and they couldn’t allow it to be ruined by his hands. Hence, they were immensely grateful for Xu Ziqing’s assistance.
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly and didn’t say anything further.
With the plan settled, the three felt slightly more at ease and were about to discuss further details. However, suddenly, there was a commotion outside—the sound of thunder, wind, and fluctuations of spiritual energy that didn’t resemble the work of mortals.
Xu Ziqing was taken aback, but he recognized that this was unmistakably the spiritual energy of an immortal cultivator. It carried an aura of righteousness and propriety, devoid of the wild and sinister sensation associated with demonic cultivators.
However, he was the only immortal cultivator in the Chenghuang Kingdom, so why was there suddenly someone else?
Just as Xu Ziqing was about to go outside and investigate, the door to the bedchamber burst open, and a gust of wind rushed in, revealing a young man with his sleeves rolled up.
The young man appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, with a handsome face adorned with red lips and white teeth. However, his fiery eyes gave the impression of a hot temper and difficult personality. Outside the door, the dark curtain hung heavily, and the scattered stars made him look like an immortal descending to Earth.
Several eunuchs lay scattered on the floor behind the young man, disheveled and in a sorry state as if they had been knocked down.
The young man shouted, “If you Southerners dare to obstruct me again, you will be killed! His gaze swept around the room. “Which one of you is the Prince? Show yourself!”
The intruder stormed in so abruptly that Xu Ziqing only had time to use his powers to move Dong Lizhao to the wall and shield him with a barrier. Meanwhile, Xu Ziqing himself took a step forward and positioned himself in front of Dong Lixi’s bed.
Dong Lixi’s pupils suddenly contracted, but she gathered herself and asked, “Who are you, and why are you trespassing into the chambers of my palace?”
The young man responded angrily, “A mere southerner, how dare you behave so arrogantly in front of me! I know you are Dong Lixi, and if you have any manners left, you should address me as ‘Immortal Master Su’!”
Upon seeing this young man, Dong Lixi recognized him as someone close to his age, despite his youthful appearance. It seemed that he too was a cultivator, barging in so boldly without the air of an immortal that Xu Ziqing possessed. Instead, he appeared more like a spoiled and domineering son in the mortal world. If his cultivation level were high, he would be pretty troublesome.
With this realization, Dong Lixi glanced at Xu Ziqing and noticed his calm and composed demeanor. This reassured him and gave him the confidence to deal with the young man. He immediately bowed and said, “My apologies, I was unaware of your presence, so I didn’t properly receive you. I regret that I cannot rise to greet you due to my injuries.”
The young man named Su Xin let out a “hum” from his nose, only then realizing that there was another young man, dressed in a green shirt, slightly older than himself, standing by the bedside with a gentle and pleasing countenance, which was not at all irritating.
He then asked, “You’re also a cultivator, why are you here?” He further inquired, “I’m a cultivator, what’s your name?”
Xu Ziqing listened to the barrage of questions with a smile and replied, “You may call me Xu Ziqing.”
When Su Xin entered the room, he had already assessed Xu Ziqing’s cultivation level to be at the fifth level of Qi refinement. Although he possessed a difficult temperament, his eyes were still clear, which made him less of an obstruction.
Observing Xu Ziqing’s composed attitude, Su Xin furrowed his brow and lowered his voice, saying, “Fellow Daoist Xu, I have come here to slay demons and eradicate evil to avenge my grievances. Therefore, you must not obstruct my path.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing was once again puzzled. According to reason, since Heavenly Dao had already designated him as the sword to vanquish demons, why did Su Xin appear now? Nevertheless, Xu Ziqing chuckled and replied, “I am also here to eliminate the evil. If Daoist Su doesn’t mind, we can discuss it together.”
Su Xin’s gaze swept over Xu Ziqing, trying to discern his cultivation level, but he found himself momentarily dumbfounded.
He was impulsive, but not foolish, and the fact that he couldn’t gauge Xu Ziqing’s cultivation level alone indicated that Xu Ziqing was above him. Naturally, he couldn’t utter any further contemptuous words.
Suppressing his arrogance, he said, “Um, Senior Xu…”
Xu Ziqing found this slightly amusing and waved his hand, saying, “You and I are close in age, so we can simply address each other as dao friends.”
Dong Lixi listened attentively, his eyes flickering slightly as he realized that Mr. Xu’s cultivation surpassed that of the young man, which brought him some relief.
He noticed a faint blush on the teenager’s smooth cheeks and coughed lightly before saying, “Well, then… Daoist friend Xu, let’s discuss it.”
Su Xin’s previous commotion was too loud, and Dong Lixi was concerned that it might have alerted the devil cultivators. If they were going to take action, they needed to do it swiftly.
Thus, Xu Ziqing initiated the conversation, “Fellow Daoist Su, you mentioned seeking revenge…”
Su Xin, being straightforward, didn’t hold back and replied directly, “I came here to hunt down and kill the Blood Demon. He was severely injured by the Supreme Elder of our Loose Cultivator League, to the point where 90% of his flesh was shattered. He escaped as a mere skeleton, barely clinging to some flesh, transformed into a cloud of blood mist.”
It turned out that this devil cultivator had somehow obtained a yellow-ranked lower-grade demonic technique specializing in harming others for his own benefit. At the time, in order to avoid provoking the reclusive old monsters from major sects and schools, he targeted casual cultivators and paid no attention to the Loose Cultivator League. However, he didn’t realize that the Alliance was not inferior to the larger sects. Moreover, within the Alliance, there was a grand elder who had reached the realm of Golden Core cultivator over a hundred years ago.
Later, when the Blood Demon drained many individuals sheltered by the Alliance, the Alliance leader became furious and called upon the Supreme Elder to exterminate him.
However, the Blood Demon was cunning and had kept a trump card hidden. During their final battle, the Supreme Elder could have apprehended him, but he was caught off guard by the Blood Demon’s sudden explosion of power, allowing him to escape with his physical body using his Qi!
However, after that battle, the Blood Demon could no longer cause havoc, and the Loose Cultivator League did not let news of him slip away. They had been searching for him for decades.
Finally, a few days ago, an elder at the Peak Foundation Establishment stage, who excelled in divination, managed to determine the Blood Demon’s location in the Lower Nine Continents. Thus, he arrived to discuss who should be sent to definitively eliminate the demon.
As a disciple of the Alliance, Su Xin had access to certain classified information. When he overheard the news, he immediately set off to intercept the Blood Demon.
As for why a junior like him held such deep hatred toward the Blood Demon… it was due to a blood feud.
Fifty years ago, during the Blood Demon’s rampage, Su Xin’s grandfather was sucked dry by the Blood Demon, and his grandmother barely escaped because his grandfather shielded her with his body. Only one surviving son, Su Xin’s father, remained.
However, the Blood Demon’s blood energy invaded his grandmother’s body, which in turn affected Su Xin’s father. His cultivation level remained at a mere three levels of Qi refinement, and his lifespan was greatly reduced. He only managed to father Su Xin at the age of 30 and passed away three to five years later, leaving Su Xin alone.
Although the Alliance took good care of its practitioners, Su Xin, as a half-grown boy, faced cold treatment and gossip. It was only when his exceptional aptitude was recognized, allowing him to study under the League’s master, that things improved.
How could he forget such a blood feud?
As Su Xin recounted the story, Dong Lixi, with his wisdom, instantly understood many connections and deduced much about the Upper Nine Continents. His mind wandered, and Xu Ziqing grew more intrigued by the Alliance. However, they needed to establish a plan.
Xu Ziqing spoke first, “Fellow Daoist, as you may know, to eliminate the Blood Demon, we must first locate his physical body.”
But Su Xin interjected, “I intended to kill him directly, but Elder Bai informed me that the Blood Demon is currently possessing a mortal, making this the opportune time to strike.” After a brief pause, he asked, “With less than 10% of his flesh remaining, is it possible that he has already replenished it?” His eyes flashed with fierceness as he continued, “I wonder how many people he has harmed over these years without leaving a trace!”
Xu Ziqing grew even more pensive, realizing that if the Blood Demon had vanished from the Upper Nine Continents, he likely hadn’t killed many cultivators. If he had been nourishing his flesh, it would have been at the expense of the Southerners in the Lower Nine Continents… Suddenly, a memory resurfaced in Xu Ziqing’s mind.
Dong Lixi’s thoughts raced, and his expression turned extremely grim. He addressed Mr. Xu, “Mr. Xu, I heard Zhao’er discussing the incident of the county town burning down. Do you think there’s something suspicious about it?”
Xu Ziqing nodded, his expression serious. “I have some thoughts on that as well.”
Indeed, when I first learned about Jiao Tu’s brutal actions in Chenghuang country, I already sensed his cruelty and ruthlessness, resembling the behavior of a devil. Later, when I discovered it was a possession technique, I realized that the devil cultivator only sought the dynasty’s fortune and didn’t care about the aftermath. The more I pondered, the more clues I noticed.
However, upon reflection, the blood demon didn’t dare to openly attack the Upper Nine Continents. In the Lower Nine Continents, when working with Jiao Tu, he only targeted courtiers and refrained from shedding innocent blood among the people. But when they pursued Dong Lizhao, the blood demon used the opportunity to devour the entire county’s population, burning it down in a fire as if venting his anger to conceal his identity as a devil cultivator.
Xu Ziqing took a deep breath.
Regrettably, there were at least 100,000 people in that county, all consumed as nourishment, with not a single intact corpse remaining. Even though their life energy was nearly non-existent, the sheer number allowed the blood demon to recuperate!
Dong Lixi also felt a surge of hatred. “In the past, Jiao Tu treated his captives well during wars. But during his recent campaign to eradicate the bandits at the border, he killed them all, including the elderly, weak, women, and children. It must have been the work of the Blood Demon!”
Initially, he was displeased, but when he spoke to Jiao Tu at night, he heard him claim that none of the stragglers were innocent, that even his own family members were ruthless and venomous. Dong Lixi didn’t doubt it at the time, but now he realized it was all an excuse. The blood demon was despicable, but those bandits were no better than the innocent victims who perished. They were all his people!
Su Xin, unaware of their conversation’s context, remained silent. When Dong Lixi finished speaking, Su Xin asked, “What do you think? Please tell us.”
Xu Ziqing nodded at Dong Lixi, knowing he had another idea.
Dong Lixi continued, “Originally, I planned to be the bait and lure the blood demon. However, with Immortal Elder Su present, we have a better option.” His voice was weak, but his face reddened, his eyes filled with hostility. “The suspicious slaves and soldiers have witnessed Immortal Su’s arrival, and they won’t be able to enter here. But they will swiftly report this to the Blood Demon.” The blood demon wouldn’t remain oblivious to the commotion and would come as soon as possible. Sadly, Dong Lixi needed to maintain his cover and couldn’t use his magic, but it was a suitable place for discussion.
Both Xu Ziqing and Su Xin nodded, urging him to continue.
Dong Lixi suggested, “Everyone outside knows about Immortal Su’s appearance, except Mr. Xu. Why don’t we capitalize on this opportunity? Immortal Su can go first to confront the Blood Demon while Mr. Xu searches Jiao Tu’s residence.”
As soon as he finished, Su Xin enthusiastically agreed, “That’s exactly what I wanted to propose regarding the Blood Demon.”
Xu Ziqing pondered for a moment and deemed it a good plan. He warmly addressed Su Xin, “Fellow Daoist Su, your cultivation is exceptional, but the blood demon is incredibly cunning. Be cautious and prioritize your own safety in case of any unexpected events.”
First, Xu Ziqing wanted Su Xin to assess the situation.
Xu Ziqing smiled and added, “So, shall we split up?”
Su Xin responded promptly, “Let’s split up!”
Emerging from the gates of the Great General’s residence, a majestic horse burst forth, its hooves pounding the ground. The horse was truly remarkable, its body resembling ink, yet upon closer inspection, it revealed a deep, almost black, shade of red.
Riding atop the horse was a formidable figure, standing nearly nine feet tall, exuding strength and masculinity. His countenance was grim, and his dark, enigmatic eyes flickered with a subtle glimmer of blood.
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