Chapter 135: Conflict

However!

While there was no outright lie, there were still suspicious points. Based on past experience, a cultivator like Wang Yu, who practiced unorthodox methods, had a high probability of being the culprit. This was a conclusion drawn from experience, not discrimination.

The only thing Chang Xi truly cared about was that Wang Yu's tale of a miserable life as a spiritual slave in the Crimson Kite Demonic Realm during half his life stirred a tiny bit of sympathy, just a minuscule amount.

The situation in the Black Mountain Demonic Land was severe. Not only was Black Mountain Pass corrupted and infiltrated by the demonic path, but many high-ranking officials had secretly entered the Crimson Kite Demonic Realm to acquire rare resources seldom found in the Taihu Spirit Realm. Many demonic secret arts were also among their sought-after items. Most of these efforts were aimed at helping the untalented offspring of upper-class figures achieve a miraculous change in fate, a specialty of demonic cultivators.

The billions of people in the Taihu Spirit Realm were one of the resources the demonic path desired. The two sides immediately hit it off, despite outwardly appearing to be in an eternal struggle, diametrically opposed. In reality, they maintained frequent clandestine contact. It wasn't just the major figures; even middle- and lower-ranking individuals collaborated secretly with the demonic path during peacetime. For a sword cultivator like Chang Xi, who detested evil, this was nothing short of a thunderbolt from the clear sky.

When she learned the truth, her worldview nearly crumbled. Fortunately, such people were rare in the Heavenly Void Sword Sect, and her innate righteous sword heart helped her recover. Over time, she decided that "out of sight, out of mind" was best, and so she came to this borderland to wander the world.

After a moment of contemplation, she finally spoke.

"Fellow Daoist, your entire cultivation was learned from the demonic path. Do you have any intention of abandoning your cultivation and starting anew?"

Wang Yu frowned. Was she joking?

How much effort and painstaking work had he poured into his cultivation? How many dangers had he braved, walking a tightrope among various young masters? How could he possibly abandon it?

"Fellow Daoist Chang, please don't jest. I know the righteous and demonic paths are opposed and engaged in an eternal struggle, but I, Wang, have never harmed anyone in the Taihu Spirit Realm. After I return home to visit my family, I will choose a place to seclude myself and never emerge again."

"Oh?" Chang Xi was somewhat surprised. "Fellow Daoist, at such a young age, you wish to live in seclusion? Why is that?"

"Naturally, it's because I don't have much lifespan left. I intend to find a scenic place to be buried."

Chang Xi was speechless.

She looked at the expressionless Wang Yu. She had almost forgotten the treatment of spiritual slaves in the demonic path. Yes, looking at his lifeless white hair, she had indeed sensed a trace of death aura when she previously observed him. This was often a sign of someone whose lamp oil was running out, with not much life left.

"I apologize for my abruptness, Fellow Daoist. Please don't take it to heart."

A dying person, it seemed, further dispelled her suspicions.

Wang Yu nodded without speaking further.

Overall, this Sword Sect Emissary, with her peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, treated him almost as an equal, which indirectly reflected her character and way of handling things. She possessed both strength and a righteous spirit!

After waiting for nearly another half an hour, Chang Xi took out a blank scroll. After reading the gradually appearing characters on it, she said to Wang Yu:

"Fellow Daoist Wang, your identity has been confirmed. However, the Wang Family of Shihu seems to have undergone some changes recently. If you intend to visit your family, you should hurry."

Upon hearing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"If not for stumbling upon an opportunity while crossing the Black Mountain Demonic Land, I wouldn't have chosen to break through to Foundation Establishment before returning, which delayed me quite a bit. I was just preparing to depart."

As for what had happened in this place, although she had promised to tell him earlier, there was no need to press for details now; escaping was the priority.

Watching Wang Yu pack his belongings and his gradually disappearing figure, Chang Xi felt something was amiss.

"Having just broken through to Foundation Establishment, even a physical cultivator's lifespan would significantly extend. Yet he said he wanted to find a quiet place to wait for death... He lied!" She summoned her Moonlight Sword, about to give chase and clarify, when she suddenly heard a shout from ahead.

"Where did this demonic spawn come from! Full of evil aura, I shall eradicate evil and defend the righteous path today!"

"Oh no, it's Junior Brother Lan."

At this moment, a thousand meters outside the Cliff Rift.

Wang Yu stomped the ground and leaped backward, his face grim as he glanced at his previous standing spot, which had been blasted into a three-zhang wide crater by a spell. His killing intent was becoming uncontrollable.

The mustached middle-aged male cultivator, a Foundation Establishment mid-stage practitioner, floated in mid-air, his eyes filled with disgust.

"Evil cultists are not worthy of life. River Sword Art: A Thread of Water Origin Slash!"

Holding a second-tier high-grade magic artifact in his hand, the man swung it fiercely at Wang Yu. Instantly, the air was filled with the surging sound of rivers and waves. Boundless water spiritual energy transformed into a hundred-meter ocean, like a celestial river overflowing or water meeting the sky on the horizon, rapidly compressing into a single azure sword light.

Only a hundred paces separated them, and the sword strike arrived as soon as it was unleashed! Its formidable power far surpassed anything Wang Yu had witnessed from Steward Xu, or rather, their methods were on entirely different levels.

"What's wrong with you?!" Wang Yu cursed in a low voice, immediately summoning his first-tier supreme-grade bronze bowl magic artifact. Then, to his heartache, it was sliced in half and rendered useless.

However, the azure sword light's speed also slowed, and its power weakened somewhat, allowing Wang Yu to mobilize his spiritual energy and stomp his left foot. Six layers of ice walls, an evolution of the Ice Coffin Spell, stood tall in succession. They collided with the attack, still falling slightly short, but further weakening the sword light. Wang Yu then sharply kicked out his right leg, and the Netherworld Demonic Flood Dragon manifested with spiritual energy, emerging from his main spinal column like a flood dragon from the sea, rushing forth wrapped around his kicking leg.

Boom!

After a mighty roar, both attacks vanished simultaneously. This Sword Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator seemed to possess greater combat prowess than a Blood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation combined with a high-grade sword artifact and advanced sword art made him formidable. Wang Yu had nearly exhausted himself just to barely neutralize this attack.

The Dragon Spine, formed by the Flood Dragon Force, was intimately connected to the Dragon Blood Secret Medicine consumed during the Nine Dragons Meridian Activation stage. Wang Yu had used the essence blood of a dragon-species ice python. Among all dragon-attributed demonic beasts, the "dragon-species" level of bloodline was the lowest. However, it was also mixed with a portion of the original essence from a third-tier flood dragon's inner core. This fortuitous creation, coupled with the mutation caused by the Corpse Demon secret art, resulted in the Netherworld Demonic Flood Dragon Spine, a superior physical cultivation ability!

Among physical cultivators of the same rank, he was not weak, at least in the upper-middle tier. To strengthen this Dragon Spine, the best method was to continue consuming higher-grade dragon blood elixirs. This was equivalent to enhancing his innate divine physical cultivation ability, which could gradually deepen his physical foundation. Before his cultivation technique advanced, elixirs were his only way to improve his body refinement cultivation.

Now, encountering a true major sect cultivator, his previous feeling of self-importance after breaking through to Foundation Establishment had completely vanished. All that remained was the drive and determination to strive harder, fueled by his recent setback.

Of course, at this moment, the most overwhelming emotion in his heart was still killing intent! If he remained timid after breaking through to a new realm, what was the point of his breakthrough? The Taihu Spirit Realm was indeed not suitable for him; he had to return to the Demonic Realm.

"You evil path practitioner, you do have some skill. Remember, the one who kills you is named Lan Boting, with the River Sword Art! Re..."

"Stop!"

The belated Sword Sect Emissary arrived, scattering the accumulated water origin energy with a single sword strike. Chang Xi coldly stated:

"I still have use for this person, Junior Brother Lan. Do not interfere."