Chapter 45: Demon Sect

"Who would write to a tiger demon? Doesn't this tiger demon always hide from cultivators, keeping its whereabouts a secret?" The three couldn't comprehend it. Given the tiger demon's cautious nature, no outsider should have known of its existence.

"Nian Nian, what does the letter say?"

Meng Jingzhou cleared his throat and began to read in an expressive tone: "Brother Tiger, long time no see. How have you been lately?"

"Brother Tiger acts cautiously, unwilling to show your face or let orthodox cultivators know of your existence, choosing only to prey on mortals. This step-by-step cultivation method earns my admiration, but such progress is ultimately slow. Now, a great era is approaching, with heroes rising and various factions eyeing the Central Continent. Didn't you also seize this opportunity, Brother Tiger, to leave your homeland, break away from the Qiongqi lineage, and sneak into Songshan from the demon realm?"

"Careful and cautious… Hey, don't you two squeeze me! Can't I just read it to you?" Lu Yang and Man Gu had squeezed Meng Jingzhou between them, trying to read the letter themselves.

"You're reading too slowly," they complained.

"Fine, I'll read faster," Meng Jingzhou retorted, "just move aside."

Meng Jingzhou pushed them away and continued reading: "While caution isn't a major flaw, in this recovering era, boldness is essential to seize opportunities. Only by risking it all can you purify your bloodline and transform into a pure-blooded Qiongqi, thus establishing your place in this grand era."

"Your humble brother dares to suggest that you and your esteemed partner join my Yanjiang Helm. We can hunt cultivators and conspire together for great undertakings!"

"This letter contains my token. Brother Tiger, you can present it directly at the Yanjiang Helm to find me. I can immediately recommend you for a position as an elder."

"Respectfully, your junior brother, Qin Yuanhao."

The letter was brief but revealed a wealth of information. Lu Yang analyzed, "The letter states the tiger demon doesn't let 'orthodox cultivators' know. This isn't a natural way of speaking; usually, one wouldn't explicitly refer to 'orthodox cultivators' unless the writer is on the opposing side. Is this Qin Yuanhao a demonic cultivator?"

This also explained why some cultivators knew about the tiger demon's existence but hadn't reported it. In the Central Continent, the orthodox path held absolute dominance, making demons, devils, and ghosts natural allies. For instance, the tiger demon wouldn't harm people directly; instead, it would use its familiar spirits to lure them. Given the tiger demon's Qiongqi bloodline and its confirmed Golden Core stage cultivation, it made perfect sense for demonic cultivators to try to win it over.

"So, the Yanjiang Helm is a demonic sect stronghold?" Meng Jingzhou nodded. "Demonic sects often use place names for their strongholds. The question is, which demonic sect does this Yanjiang Helm belong to?"

Just as orthodox cultivators had the Five Great Immortal Sects, demonic cultivators had their own factions, known as the Four Great Demonic Cults. These demonic cults were more akin to religions than traditional sects, distinguished primarily by their worship of a powerful entity. The beliefs of the Four Great Demonic Cults varied. Some speculated that their faiths represented four distinct immortals, while others believed the four forms of worship were simply different manifestations of a single immortal. Opinions on the matter differed widely.

Demonic cults revealed very little information, and their movements were notoriously elusive. Despite numerous joint searches by the Great Xia Dynasty and the Five Great Immortal Sects, the main headquarters of the demonic cults had never been found. Whenever orthodox cultivators managed to dismantle a significant number of demonic strongholds, cult members would seemingly proliferate like mushrooms after rain, proving impossible to eradicate completely.

While demonic cults were rumored to be mysterious, insidious, and ruthless, striking fear into the hearts of many, the truth was that the orthodox path was simply too powerful. This forced the demonic cults to operate in secret, resorting to covert tactics rather than daring to show themselves openly. If their main lair were ever located, the Five Great Immortal Sects wouldn't even need to intervene. The Great Xia Dynasty could dispatch its forces and generals, overthrowing the demonic cults in five days and eradicating all their strongholds within a month. This was the unwavering confidence of the orthodox path. Ultimately, the demonic path was something that could not stand openly in the light.

Lu Yang shook the envelope, and a bone token slipped out. A unique aura of true qi lingered on it, a mark left by the demonic cult member Qin Yuanhao, which outsiders couldn't imitate. Man Gu suggested, "Could we use this token to join the demonic cult?" Discovering a demonic cult stronghold would be a monumental achievement, far more valuable than simply eliminating two tiger demons.

Lu Yang shook his head. "No, if we use his token to join the Yanjiang Helm, Qin Yuanhao would definitely know. Besides, we don't even know the location of the Yanjiang Helm, so how would we join?"

"What should we do then?" Man Gu asked.

"Since it's called Yanjiang Helm, it should be in Yanjiang Commandery. We can go there and inquire if anyone named Qin Yuanhao is known. We'd then track him to the Helm. Since he refers to himself as 'junior brother' to the tiger demon, his cultivation shouldn't be higher than the tiger demon's. We can eliminate him, then use the token directly. We'll simply say we're old acquaintances of Qin Yuanhao who came to join him, only to find he had unfortunately passed away."

Meng Jingzhou and Man Gu's eyes lit up. "Good idea," they exclaimed.

"Let's keep looking," Lu Yang urged Meng Jingzhou excitedly, "see if we can find anything else valuable." Meng Jingzhou then discovered a palm-sized, blood-red plant with an ominous aura.

"Emerald Blood Grass? Why are its veins red?" Meng Jingzhou was puzzled. Emerald Blood Grass was primarily used for detoxification, and its leaf veins were typically bluish-green, resembling rivers flowing across the ground. Why was this particular plant red?

Lu Yang knelt down to examine it, then explained, "You've forgotten that for humans, Emerald Blood Grass is primarily a main ingredient in detoxification pills, but its effects are different for demons. Emerald Blood Grass has the ability to refine bloodlines. It's likely the tiger demon has been watering it with its own blood to cultivate it, making it adapt to the Qiongqi bloodline. From the looks of it, in a few more months, once it's fully mature, the tiger demon's Qiongqi bloodline will be further purified upon consumption, allowing it to form its Golden Core."

The "blood" in the name "Emerald Blood Grass" was derived from this very property. Lu Yang had learned about Emerald Blood Grass from the Little Medicine King.

"Now, this Emerald Blood Grass can no longer be refined into a detoxification pill; it can only be consumed by demons to purify their bloodline," Lu Yang stated.

"In that case, you two should keep it," Meng Jingzhou said, handing the herb to Lu Yang and Man Gu, "and sell it at the sect's monthly market on the fifteenth. It should fetch a good price."

Many in the sect raised demonic beasts, so herbs capable of enhancing bloodlines had a considerable market within the Dao Inquiry Sect. Lu Yang and Man Gu politely tried to decline each other's offer, but ultimately, Man Gu accepted the Emerald Blood Grass without further formality towards Lu Yang.

Meng Jingzhou reminded Man Gu, "Don't eat the Emerald Blood Grass. The ancient Barbarians are a branch of the human race, so Emerald Blood Grass would be useless for your bloodline." Man Gu sighed with disappointment.

Legend has it that the ancient Barbarians originated from a rather unconventional courtship. In ancient times, humans lived in scattered tribes, with the strongest individual in each tribe known as a warrior. One day, two tribes encountered each other. A male warrior from one tribe took an immediate liking to a female warrior from the other. He proposed to her by saying, "Give your grandpa a smile, little lady, and if grandpa's pleased, I'll marry you." The female warrior merely chuckled, then picked up a stone and swung it back at him. The two then engaged in a fierce brawl. Ultimately, the female warrior proved superior, dragging the male warrior into a hut where they remained awake all night. Ten months later, the first Barbarian warrior was born.