But now that Han Li had said this, the hearts of the Four Friends of Meng Mountain naturally grew much calmer.
“Could Senior tell us a few things? When we interrogated Steward Wang, he didn’t have the slightest idea about the Black Fiend School Master’s cultivation!”
“Fourth Brother, what nonsense are you speaking? Since Senior Han has said this, it must be completely true.” The dark-faced old man fiercely rebuked the youth with a serious expression.
When Han Li heard their words, he slightly smiled and calmly said, “This isn’t some kind of secret! This information came from the fact that the school master requires Foundation Establishment cultivators to conduct blood sacrifices.”
Han Li’s relaxed voice slowly explained this.
“Although our Yellow Maple Valley isn’t very involved with Devilish Dao cultivation techniques, we do have some understanding of blood sacrifices, this impatient and destructive evil magic. This devilish art works by taking in other cultivator’s blood essence and using it to boost their own cultivation. This was once a common occurrence in previous devilish sects as it is able to greatly increase a cultivator’s magic power in a short period and skip a great amount of time spent in meditation, bitterly cultivating. As a result, there was a time in the cultivation world when not only the Devilish Dao but even Righteous Sects had many people secretly cultivation this technique.”
After Han Li said this, he coldly laughed, and a slight sneer occurred at the corner of his mouth. Then he continued, “However, this insane cultivation technique not only required the vicious and merciless slaughter of many other cultivators, but it also had a fatal flaw. It is only effective at the level of Foundation Establishment and below. In addition, those who use blood sacrifices are doomed to stay at Foundation Establishment for the rest of their lives without any hope of reaching Core Formation. During that time when so many cultivators secretly cultivated this devilish art, not a single one of them was able to reach Core Formation.
“What’s worse is that as they consumed the blood sacrifice’s magic power, they would often experience backlash. If one was not careful, he or she would encounter Qigong Deviation and die. Obviously, the main reason as to why this cultivation technique disappeared without a trace was because it became a taboo amongst all cultivators to consume another’s blood essence. Thus, both the Righteous and the Devil Dao gradually eradicated those who practiced this devilish art.
“However, it was later said that the Devilish Dao had hated to part with this method of hurriedly increasing their cultivation and instead created a cultivation technique that was known as blood sacrifice. However, this method didn’t directly consume another’s blood essence. Instead, it would use a cultivator’s soul. Although I’ve heard the rise in cultivation wasn’t as sudden or quick as the original blood sacrifice, it shared the same restrictions, preventing Core Formation and containing the same danger of backlash. It was aptly named soul sacrifice. With regards to soul sacrifice, my sect’s ancient records didn’t mention much of it. I only know that once it was established, it was only grasped by a few higher echelon experts of the Devil Dao and wasn’t widely circulated, preventing a massacre in the cultivation world! Furthermore, there are also many other restrictions in other areas.”
In a single breath, Han Li had spoken of many secrets with regards to blood sacrifice. As rogue cultivators, this greatly widened the perspective of the Four Friends of Meng Mountain. At the same time, they also knew why Han Li was certain that the Black Fiend School Master was only at Foundation Establishment. It was very obvious that that Black Fiend School used the first method of blood sacrifice.
“We have already acquired a rough understanding of the internal circumstances of the Black Fiend School. However, that large bald man escaped, so by now, the Black Fiend School should know of our circumstances as well. They might immediately abandon their nest and flee. As such, if they’ve hidden themselves again, we would be at a disadvantage.” The second brother suddenly thought of something and voiced his concern with worry.
“Impossible! It is currently unlikely for the Black Fiend School to immediately flee. From what I learned from the young prince, the Black Fiend School Master is currently in a crucial point in secluded cultivation at some cave within the Imperial Palace. I’ve heard that the School Master had prepared this secluded cultivation for several years and absolutely wouldn’t give it up halfway through. It’s most likely that they are gathering their forces and guarding against us.” Han Li’s tone of words held ridicule toward the Black Fiend School.
Hearing these words, the four friends’ spirits were roused, and they revealed slight excitement.
“Senior, then next we must...” After the dark-faced old man calmed down, he probingly asked this.
“We don’t have to do anything next except calmly wait for reinforcements! Although the other party knows of our circumstances, they don’t know where we are hiding. Furthermore, the people taking care of their business in Yuejing are none other than the two captives in our hands. If the Black Fiend School wanted to go find us, they wouldn’t be able to send any capable men. However, everyone must be a bit careful. In the coming days, stay and properly cultivate within the residence. When reinforcements come, we will then make our decision.” Han Li massaged his nose with his hand as he said this with the corner of his mouth slightly raised. His eyes had already become narrow slits.
With a mysterious smile on his face, Han Li caused the others to feel greatly perplexed.
……
The Imperial City of the State of Yue occupied one-fifths of its land. However, a third of the Imperial City was occupied by the glorious and magnificent Imperial Palace.
Layers of perfectly cut jade bricks formed the palace floors along with countless elegant corridors in addition to many decorative gardens with rarely seen flowers and plants. Even eunuchs and palace maids who had lived in the palace for years would often lose their way, a testament to how extensive the Imperial Palace was!
It was currently almost midnight. The original bustling of court eunuchs and palace maids had long exchanged for a heavy guard with sentries posted every few meters.
But under these circumstances, there was still a person whose entire body was tightly covered in a wide cloak swaggering through the layers of sentries with a gold medallion in hand, walking toward the depths of the cold palace hall.
This person was extremely tall!
Looking at the sinister palace gate, the mysterious man suddenly shed off his cloak and exposed his massive bald head. This was precisely the large bald man who had escaped from Han Li.
At this moment, he no longer had his demonic appearance and seemed quite normal. However, his face was pale and seemed lacking in blood; it appeared his origin Qi had been greatly depleted.
“Who is it?”
Just as the large bald man walked two steps forward, an extremely cold voice came from within the palace hall.
“Ice Demon, it’s me.”
The large bald man replied without a trace of politeness. He walked through the gate without stopping.
“So it was Tie Luo! You came back from your mission! But wait, why are your footsteps so weak and your Qi so lacking? Could it be that you, who claims to be seldom harmed by magic tools and impenetrable to ice and fire, suffered quite a bit?” the ice-cold voice asked with some shock. But soon after, the speaker took joy in the bald man’s misfortune.
“Humph, what does an ice-cold fellow like you know? The person I encountered this time was a formidable fellow. Let alone me, even if us two worked together, I fear we wouldn’t be good enough! Were it not for the quick-witted fiend demon transformation I planned in advance, I fear I would have lost my life there,” The large bald man replied with a cold smile.
“You used the fiend demon transformation? No wonder your origin Qi has been injured. It seems that without a month of bitter cultivation, you won’t have any hope of recovering! However, being able to pressure you
like this, your opponent must truly be exceptional. Tell me about him!” This ice demon held great curiosity in his words.
“After I first beg the School Master for forgiveness, I will return and tell you this in detail! The School Master’s in-name disciple was captured by the enemy, so right now I don’t have time to deal with you. I don’t know what punishment I’ll receive for this blunder!” The large bald man impatiently answered.
“Old Tie, you might not know, but unlike the others. It’s as if we are all of one heart with the School Master. How could the School Master punish you? At most, he would rebuke you!” The ice demon replied with objection.
But these words soon lagged behind as the originally shut palace hall doors opened by themselves with a creak. An incomparably dark gateway was revealed, similar to that of a demonic beast opening its mouth to devour its chosen prey.
When the large bald man saw this, he couldn’t help but walk forward hesitantly.
“Qing Wen and Ye She?”
When the large bald man walked forward through the doors, he immediately asked the white silhouette to the side.
“They went to the blood prison to cultivate! For the time being, only I remained to take care of things.” The image of the white silhouette erratically swayed in the shadows. His body was emitting faint white Qi from all over, preventing the bald man from seeing his true appearance.
“Humph! That Qing Wen is already at mid Foundation Establishment but yet he still cultivates so diligently. Could it be he isn’t afraid of true essence backlash? And that brat Ye She, when has he ever been so hardworking?” The large bald man revealed an expression of astonishment and asked this, puzzled.
“When you hear this, don’t be envious! That Ye She said he felt that he was about to enter mid Foundation Establishment. Who gave this guy such good aptitude? He can still keep up with us even without cultivating. What can be done!” Although the ice demon advised the large man to not be jealous, his own words were filled with a sour tone.
Chapter 312: Reinforcements and Peace
“Ice Demon, it isn't because you find this guy displeasing to the eye but rather that you want me to pick a fight with Ye She!” The large bald man coldly said, glaring at the ice demon.
“Heehee! That could be true! Regardless, don’t you want to go see the school master? It would be best to go now. The school master has yet to start refining Qi from his latest blood sacrifice!” The white silhouette addressed the worry on the large man’s mind, changing the subject without care.
The large bald man clearly understood that the other party’s words were a slight towards him, but he simply snorted and walked into the darkness with large strides.
After turning several corners and walking through six or seven courtyards, the large man arrived at an extremely remote but expansive rock garden. At the sight of it, an expression of reverence had appeared on his face.
“Subordinate Tie pays respects to School Master!” The large man loudly greeted with a bow.
“So it’s Tie Luo! How were you wounded?”
A middle-aged man’s magnetic distant voice came from the rock garden where the Black Fiend School Master had secluded himself. It was likely that this was completely unthinkable to Han Li and the others.
“Many thanks for School Master’s concern, but this subordinate simply used the demon transformation technique. There is only a bit of damage to my vitality.” When the large bald man heard the school master’s words, he gave a careful reply.
For a moment, the school master didn’t immediately give a reply. After a long while, he faintly said, “From what I can see, this mission was a failure! Otherwise, my in-name disciple should have followed you back for the mission debriefing.”
“Please forgive me, School Master. This subordinate didn’t do his best to protect the young master and Protector Wang, both of whom fell into the enemy’s hands. This subordinate willingly receives the School Master’s strict punishment!” The large man gritted his teeth and said this with an appearance of shame.
“Punishment? Why would I punish you? Since you’ve already used the demon transformation technique, it clearly shows that this enemy was truly too strong. It wasn’t because you didn’t try your best. Besides, they were only a disciple and a protector, so losing them isn’t anything too terrible. If you, on the other hand, were to fall into the enemy’s hands, then I truly would have a headache!”
“Many thanks for School Master’s forgiveness. This subordinate will certainly do his utmost for School Master in order to make up for this failure!”
The Black Fiend School Master had skillfully won over his subordinate’s heart, stirring up emotions from the large bald man with his words. In response, the bald man immediately made a great display of loyalty.
“En, very good! But before anything else, tell me about the fight that occurred. I want to know which sect this cultivator came from. He is unexpectedly so fierce!” The Black Fiend School Master was clearly very satisfied with the large man’s words, but he still asked about Han Li with great curiosity.
“As you bid!” The large man hastily agreed.
“The techniques of the Foundation Establishment cultivator who we wanted to capture were extremely peculiar. He was unexpectedly able to control mechanical beast-like figurines. Furthermore, his strength was not lacking. At the time....” The large bald man thoroughly narrated the events of his fight with Han Li and how he used the demonic transformation technique when the situation turned sour.
After the large man finished, the rock garden was quiet for a moment. The Black Fiend School Master seemed to be thinking of something.
After a while, a clear and cold voice spoke.
“Based on the description of this cultivator’s control of figurines, this should be the puppet technique of the Thousand Bamboo School, and thus, he is likely a cultivator from this school. I heard earlier that a few Thousand Bamboo School cultivators had appeared within the borders of Yuan Wu. He is probably one of them. However, your intuition to immediately flee after your demon transformation was a very wise decision. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be speaking here with me now,” the Black Fiend School Master said indifferently.
“That can’t be! Although I am not confident that my transformed demonic body would be able to truly withstand his treasure talisman, were it not for the fact that I was unable to control my own body after the demonic transformation, I would have actually wanted to fight him! Even if I wasn’t his match, I would’ve completely been able to flee without harm,” the large man replied with some refusal.
“Tie Luo, I know that you were able to withstand a treasure talisman once before and came out unscathed. However, talisman treasures greatly differ in power from one another. Even if two treasure talismans were refined from the same magic treasure, their strength wouldn’t necessarily be the same. Also, with this treasure talisman’s strange appearance, I can conclude that you wouldn’t be able to endure his attacks even with your fiend demon transformation. If it were Qing Wen’s wood devil transformation, there may have been some chance of victory.” The Black Fiend Sect Master smiled warmly and gave the large man an explanation.
“Many thanks for School Master’s advice!” Still somewhat unconvinced, the large man still expressed his thanks with acknowledgment.
“School Master, how should we respond to this cultivator? Since the opponent isn’t a cultivator from the Seven Sects, should us four Blood Servants be dispatched to capture him alive and present him for School Master’s cultivation?” the large bald man eagerly asked. It was obvious he planned to find Han Li and settle the score.
“There’s no need! It was only a guess that he was a Thousand Bamboo School cultivator. I’m not completely certain, and he may have other helpers. Also, I am at a crucial point of my secluded cultivation and do not wish to provoke any great enemies. Confine all the disciples within the capital in the coming days and have them all remain at the Imperial Palace. These matters will be put off unti
l I reach great success stage in my cultivation. Even if there are no Foundation Establishment cultivators to serve as blood sacrifices, it will only delay my progress by a few months. At that time, apart from Core Formation cultivators, no Foundation Establishment cultivator will be my match.” As the Black Fiend School Master said this, his originally flat tone became filled with excitement.
The Black Fiend School Master’s thoughts happened to be just as Han Li had anticipated.
“This subordinate wishes good fortune for School Master’s cultivation breakthrough to the great-success stage. This one will immediately arrange for the school disciples at the Imperial Palace to fortify the number of guards. We won’t allow them to disturb the School Master in the slightest,” the large man loudly declared with tact.
“Good, carry out the arrangements!”
After the Black Fiend School Master finished saying this, he seemed to be somewhat tired and didn’t say anything further. Thus, the large bald man respectfully took several steps back, turned around, and departed.
This location once again became an unremarkable corner of the cold palace.
……
Time passed by quickly. It was half a month since Han Li passed on the newly acquired intelligence.
At this moment, the Black Fiend School and Han Li had taken the same action and withdrew.
Since the Black Fiend School didn’t dispatch their troops to search wide for the Han Li's hideout, Han Li didn’t dare to break down the stalemate and rush into the Imperial City, showing his usual calm restraint. It appeared that nothing happened to both sides during this time.
It would be reasonable to say that the Devil Dao should have already shown themselves, but no information of them had appeared, causing Han Li to let out a great sigh of relief.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 169