The steam from the hot springs curled into the air like ethereal dragons, carrying the scent of sulfur and regular herbs. Tianmo sat on a smooth, flat rock by the water's edge, his eyes closed, the water lapping gently at his waist.
Using too many natural resources to strengthen the body will cause the natural poison so, he dares not rush it. His body may already be at its limit.
"System... Can you analyze the composition of the natural poison currently accumulating in my Dantian and meridians?" Tianmo asked, his mental voice calm.
[Ding!]
[Host possesses Immortal Dantian, it can't be poisoned. And your 8 meridians can absorb all kinds of Fire, Ice, and void poisons. The only natural poison to can affect a Host's foundation that can't be cured with medicines are: Pill poisoning, Fire deviation, Yang deviation, Soul poisoning, Qi deviation, and Heart demons.]
Tianmo opened his eyes, the steam swirling around him reflecting his cold eyes that were now glowing purple. "So, my body is a bottomless abyss for energy, but my foundation is fragile like glass if I rush the structure. I cannot rely solely on external resources to force a breakthrough. I must temper the physical vessel to withstand the pressure of the Immortal Dantian."
He looked at his hands. The skin was smooth, pale, but beneath it lay the Diamond Bones forged by the Star Iron and Void Marrow.
Yet, he knew that without the corresponding muscle and blood cultivation, his bones were just hard sticks inside a soft shell. If he executed the "Heavenly Finger" with full power right now, the recoil would shatter his own muscles before it shattered the enemy, because the power has been further enhanced by Zodaic meridians.
"System, exchange for 'Vermillion Bird True Fire' marrow liquid and a bottle of 'Titan Body Tempering Salve', also keep me updated about my body condition... I might suffer from Yang-related problems consuming such things."
[Processing... 5,000 Saint Grade Spirit Stones deducted. Items acquired.]
[Auto-scan body available one per day. System shall daily scan the host's body]
Two vials materialized on the rock beside him. One pulsed with a scorching red light, the other was a thick, earthy brown paste.
Tianmo uncorked the vial of Vermillion Bird marrow. The heat radiating from it was intense, distorting the air above it. Without hesitation, he drank it.
Gulp.
Boom!
It felt like he had swallowed a volcano. The liquid fire spread through his stomach, rushing into his meridians, seeking his flesh and blood.
Woosh!
His entire body began to burn, the pain was not merely physical but spiritual. The Vermillion Bird True Fire Marrow was not just energy; it was the distilled essence of a divine beast's rage. It sought to incinerate the mortal, to burn away the impurities until only the divine remained.
Tianmo clenched his fist, he was getting used to the pain, the sensation of his blood boiling, his marrow evaporating and reforming. It was a necessary step on the path to immortality.
He then rubbed the Titan body tempering salve over his arms, chest, and legs. The paste was cold, the complete opposite of the fire burning him. It didn't soothe the burn instead it acted as a heavy weight, pressing against his skin, forcing the fire to condense rather than dissipate.
It was like tempering a blade—heat followed by pressure.
"Guhhh..." Tianmo groaned, his muscles twitching violently under the dual assault. The salve seeped into his pores, carrying the fire deep into the muscle fibers. The fibers began to tear, not from injury, but from reconstruction.
It was painful.
They were being shredded and woven back together, denser, tougher, capable of containing the terrifying power of his Immortal Dantian.
His skin turned a deep, angry red, steam rising from his body in thick clouds. The hot spring water around him began to hiss and boil, the temperature spiking dangerously high.
He sat there for hours, enduring the torment in silence.
Finally, the fire subsided, leaving behind a profound exhaustion and a strange, heavy feeling in his limbs. Tianmo opened his eyes. The purple glow had faded, replaced by a calm, abyssal black.
"System, status."
[Muscles Cultivation: Body tempering ( Peak ) ]
[Blood Cultivation: Blood Purification (44%) ]
[Bone Cultivation: Bone transformation- Diamond bones. ]
??
Still Body tempering... He needed his muscles to reach the Body transformation stage so, he could unseal his Immortal Dao Physique.
Tianmo stood up from the now-dried-up hot springs, the steam rising from his skin like a shroud. His body felt heavy, weighted down by the denser muscle fibers, yet there was a terrifying explosive power dormant within them.
"Now... I need to think of what to do?!"
If what that old man at the auction house said is correct then, Bloodmist sect would definitely request help from the demonic sect... That Elder had to kill a disciple, so, it's a matter of FACE for them and it's very unlikely for them to let go of the past.
Nevertheless, Liu Xiu seems interesting, reaching the Golden Core realm at the age of 20.
'Now... Let's think, if I were a demonic sect master, how would I act... Well, I would definitely crush the Wang Family regardless of the power backing them, and run away.'
Honesty is the best policy.
But what if the one making the move isn't the sect master?! The demonic sect has selected a Holy son what does it mean? It means the Lord will now enter the closed-door cultivation. So, most likely the ones making the move would be the Arch-bishops or the great elders
But... The holy succession has just ended. And it's a demonic sect. Logically, the current Holy Son must have killed a few talented disciples, attracting hatred from other great elders. After all, that's the most logical outcome.
So, how powerful are the demonic elders?! That Li Chen in the original story never fought the demonic sect rather fought the sword sect where the great Elder was a powerful Soul Emperor realm.
Since, both sects are a powerhouse of the Eastern region, it's safe to assume that, great elders of the Demonic Sect are Soul Emperor realm as well. But a demonic cultivator should react violently...
'Should I run away...'
He came from another world, and if he didn't have a system and infinite wealth, these women would never be his, at best, they are "accessories" not necessities.
But the demonic Elder is refusing to make a move... Could it be that Demonic Sect got afraid of his dragon court? It's possible they don't want to offend the unknown for a vessel sect and mid-grade earth vein.
However, let's assume they want to test the water before making a move... The best course of action would be to use nearby families like the Li, Chen, and Zhao families... Even if these families refuse to be pawns, it's very likely to control them using Gus, heart-sealing method, heart-controlling method, etc.
So, the powerful threat is the Golden Core Realm?!
Tianmo was comfortable... If trouble is only up to the Goldencore realm then he can handle it. But there is always a chance that Soul formation may come knocking, or at worst soul wandering realm cultivator.
Nascent soul?! There is a possibility.
Since he is not a protagonist, there is even a chance for Soul Emperor to descend, and start genocide. His lips curved upwards... This demonic sect is dangerous, it shouldn't exist or be managed well under his palm. If not he may sleep tonight but never wake up tomorrow.
"Interesting... I need more backing, and more pawns... Or I need to create extreme fear of Dragon Court." Tianmo said in his mind.
However, having more background won't matter if the enemies are only using proxies to attack.
Since the Demonic sect is in chaos, it's better to take control of it before they stabilize. It's always better to take care of them before they take care of you.
And that Liu Xiu—Holy Son, suddenly started to make rapid breakthroughs, unusual aura—Tianmo knows he is the protagonist but just can't prove it.
After all, the system has clearly said 36 protagonists can exist at the same time. Of course, it's completely possible that Liu Xiu is a normal Daoist. It's just names like Liu Xiu, Ye Chen, Yang Kai, and Li Fan, are a little unsettling.
However, how to take control over the Demonic Sect, he doesn't have any foothold within the Demonic Sect, nor can he simply walk there to have a chat. The Eastern region is 10 times bigger than Earth.
Could it be that... The demonic sect will truly eat him alive, without him having any resistance.
Overthinking brings downfall, he can't find any solution. The best possible actions to save oneself are:
1) Use sword enlightenment as a bargaining chip to befriend an orthodox sword sect and secure their protection. If possible, offering a high-quality sword would further deepen this relationship, though it would only bring benefits rather than being strictly necessary.
2) Establish a foothold within a demonic sect and either incite internal chaos or, at the very least, prevent the existing fire from extinguishing.
3) Fabricate an unfathomable background so profound that even the great elders of the demonic sect would retreat in fear. This would require burning through a vast amount of resources, but he was capable of sustaining such a cost, because the last thing he lacked was wealth.
4) or, he could first execute the third option, then proceed with both the first and second plans. In his current state, however, he lacked the qualifications to directly carry out the first two because it's very likely the demonic sect has already made a move.
Is this what happens when Villian goes off script?! The world wants to a hut him down with absolute force? After all, the world is meant for the protagonist to shine.
"How amusing... I like to win when all odds are against me."
His eyes began to glow a deep shade of purple.
"System... Do you have Gu?!"
[Ding!]
[System has Gu but not the ones that can immediately be used. The host needs to cultivate them on his own.]
Cultivate them on his own?! It will take time and he simply doesn't have it.
At best, they would likely test the depth using Golden core families so, he has some time to prepare himself.
At worst, Nascent soul, or higher power descends and it's game over.
Just then,
"Tianmo, a mysterious elder has come to seek your presence..."
The communication token buzzed, the voice belonged to his father.
Mysterious Elder?
Tianmo's eyes narrowed. The timing was impeccable—suspiciously so. He had just finished analyzing the threat of the Demonic Sect and its potential proxies, and now a "mysterious elder" appeared at his doorstep?
Coincidence was a luxury for the weak. For a cultivator, it was usually the harbinger of a well-laid trap or an opportunity disguised as a threat.
Could it be that Demonic Sects are so good that they are directly trying to control him?! It's very unlikely for him to be affected by Gus due to his dragon bloodline, but he can't be too sure.
Woosh!
With a wave of his hand, he donned on purple robe made out of void silk, which was intangible and extremely comfortable, looking like a true immortal untouched by dust.
**
Courtyard, Wang Family Estate.
The atmosphere was heavy, the air pressure significantly lower than in the surrounding areas. Wang Xuhan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture rigid. Facing him was a figure shrouded in a misty gray cloak, the hem of which seemed to blend into the shadows of the courtyard rocks.
Tianmo walked out.
"Father," Tianmo greeted, bowing slightly. His gaze then shifted to the stranger. "And this is?"
Wang Xuhan turned, his expression grave. "Son, he claimed to be Elder Gu from the Blood Fiend group, he wishes to discuss something with you."
Blood Fiend?! The same group that targeted Madam Lin from the Immortal Drunken Pavilion.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Young master Wang..."
Tianmo's expression remained placid, though his mind was rapidly calculating the variables. The Blood Fiend Group... one of the vassal forces under the Heaven-Slaughtering Demonic Sect. For an elder of such a faction to appear personally at the Wang Family, it was either a gesture of supreme diplomacy or a prelude to a massacre.
Given the nature of the Demonic Path, Tianmo leaned heavily toward the latter.
"Let's have a talk, shall we..." Elder Gu said looking at Xuhan. "Patriarch Wang, if you may, please give us some privacy. This matter concerns the younger generation's... unique opportunities."
Wang Xuhan's eyes narrowed slightly. He was a Golden Core cultivator, and while Elder Gu's aura was suppressed to the level of a mere mortal, the underlying stench of blood was unmistakable. To dismiss a guest—especially one from a demonic faction—was a breach of etiquette, but to leave his son alone with a wolf was a dereliction of duty.
He looked at Tianmo. His son stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his purple robes fluttering in the wind, his expression as calm as a frozen lake. There was no fear in his eyes, only a cold, calculating light.
Xuhan nodded slowly. "Very well. I shall be in the main hall if you need anything."
He turned and walked away, his steps heavy.
As soon as he disappeared around the corner, the atmosphere in the courtyard shifted. The playful rustling of the wind died, replaced by a suffocating silence.
Elder Gu didn't waste time with pleasantries. He waved his hand, and a soundproof barrier shimmered into existence, isolating them from the rest of the world.
"This is a soundproof barrier... Let's discuss shall we?!" He smiled.
Elder Gu's smile was a grotesque thing, stretching the skin of his face too tight, revealing yellowed teeth that seemed to have filed to points.
[Name: Gu ]
[Cultivation base: Mortal ( Dantian destroyed, meridians crushed) ]
[ Info: this person has encountered Heaven's wrath ]
'Oh! Heaven's wrath... Quite interesting.'
Tianmo took his seat, his posture relaxed yet exuding an aura of undeniable authority. He didn't look at the tea that had been poured; his eyes remained fixed on Elder Gu, dissecting the man with a gaze that felt colder than the void.
"Elder Gu," Tianmo began, his voice smooth, lacking the tremors of a junior facing a senior. "The Blood Fiend Group usually operates in the shadows, dealing in blood and souls. To see an elder of your esteemed group standing in the courtyard of my Wang family... It is either a sign of great honor, or a prelude to a funeral. Which is it?"
Elder Gu's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, his eyes narrowing as he tried to gauge the depth of the pond he was stepping into. This boy... his aura was wrong. It was too calm, too stable. It felt less like a human and more like a bottomless abyss.
"Young Master Wang has a sharp tongue," Elder Gu said, his voice raspy, like dry leaves skittering over stone. He leaned forward, the smell of old blood and decay wafting from him, though his cultivation base was technically that of a mortal. "In the cultivation world, the sharp tongue often gets cut before the sharp sword."
He paused, letting the threat hang in the air, observing Tianmo's reaction. When the boy didn't even blink, Elder Gu continued, his tone shifting to one of feigned camaraderie.
"However, this old one is not here to quarrel. I am here to offer a path... You see, I am an Old man who is loyal to resources than to than to some forces. I am seeking Spirit awakening fruit and Spirit upgrade fruit for information I will reveal..."
Tianmo's expression remained frozen, a perfect mask of indifference, though his mind began to think, analyzing the proposition with cold precision.
A traitor?! Very likely.
How interesting. The word hung in the air, unspoken yet screamingly obvious. In the cultivation world, loyalty was a currency often spent by those who had none of their own.
Elder Gu, a man with a destroyed Dantian and crushed meridians—a cripple by all definitions—was offering to sell out his current masters for the chance to regain his lost power. Totally possible. But just awakening the spirit root won't heal his dantian and meridians.
A man with nothing to lose is the most dangerous kind of pawn, for he has no stake in the board, only in the pieces he can capture.
"Oh, pray tell me some... As long as the information satisfies me, I shall not be stingy," Tianmo said, his voice smooth as polished jade. He took a sip of the tea that had long gone cold, his eyes never leaving Elder Gu's face.
Elder Gu's smile widened, revealing more of his yellowed, filed teeth. He leaned forward, the stench of blood and decay intensifying, a physical manifestation of his corrupted soul.
"Young Master is decisive. I like that."
He coughed, the wet, rasping sound echoing from deep within his chest, then spoke in a low, measured tone, "The Demonic Sect has already begun its game, and their moves are neither slow nor merciful. The current Holy Son, Liu Xiu, intends to use Gu to strike at the Wang Family, employing the Li, Zhao, and Chen families as expendable blades. Such a method is crude yet effective, and it is not difficult to see through. I trust you have already accounted for this possibility."
"But what if I tell you... The ones attacking would be the Bloodmist sect's patriarch—Venerable Bloodcrown, a nascent soul realm powerhouse."
?
Tianmo remained calm since he had expected of possibility that someone extremely powerful would attack. But to think the bloodmist sect master would test the depth of the sea.
"A Nascent Soul powerhouse... The Bloodmist Sect's Venerable Bloodcrown..." Tianmo repeated the name slowly, letting the syllables roll off his tongue like he was tasting a fine wine, rather than a death sentence. Is there any chance for survival?! Nope.
He placed the teacup down with a deliberate clack, the sound echoing sharply in the silence of the courtyard.
"Elder Gu, you bring me news of a tiger at my door, yet you sit there smiling like a fox in a henhouse. If Venerable Bloodcrown truly intends to make a move, my Wang Family is merely an ant under his boot. Why warn me? And more importantly..." Tianmo leaned forward, his eyes glowing with a faint, predatory light. "What makes you think a cripple with a destroyed Dantian can survive the fallout of a war between Nascent Soul entities?"
Elder Gu's smile didn't waver, but the skin around his eyes twitched. He had expected fear, panic, perhaps a desperate plea for help. He had not expected this cold, dissecting calmness. This boy was dangerous. Perhaps even more dangerous than the masters he sought to betray.
"Young Master Wang underestimates the value of information," Elder Gu said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, though the rasp in his tone remained like grinding stones. "A tiger may be strong, but if it is blind, it is merely a beast waiting to be skinned. I am the eyes that see the strings attached to the tiger's limbs."
He leaned back, steepling his fingers, the gesture incongruous with his ragged appearance. "Don't you want to know why Bloodcrown is the one making a move? After all, there is more to the story than what meets the eye."
"There is a bigger game?! I believe you would require payment to reveal more, or am I wrong?"
"Smart," Elder Gu rasped, the sound like dry twigs snapping. "Very smart. The Spirit Awakening Fruit is useless to me if I am dead, but without it, I am a walking corpse. However... I also require the 'Heaven Unshackling Pill'. With it, I can reconstruct my dantian and meridians. Once I have the fruit and the pill, I will tell you the secret. I believe life is more valuable than wealth..."
Woosh!
With a wave, he pulled out a talisman: it was a telepotarion talisman showing that if Wang Tianmo tried to do anything funny, he would run away instantly. High IQ move.
"Wise... You are indeed correct, life is more precious than resources, but what makes Elder Gu think this one possesses Heaven Unshackling Pill?"
"Ho! Ho! In my entire it was me who had outsmarted others and now you want to outsmart me? Hmph, rookie mistake... I shall overlook this matter once for youthful arrogance, if it happens again, I shall take my leave."
"The one benefiting the most is Young Master here, I believe we can have long-term co-operation," he said, greed flashing in his eyes for a flash before he composed himself.
Truly cunning. However, indeed it would be better to have someone spying on the movement of the demonic sect. But this guy is greedy and opportunistic i.e loyal to resources thus, he is very likely to play a double game, always winning no matter what. After all, how can you lose when you bet on both parties?
"Very well... I can offer Heaven Unshackling Pill first. Spirit awakening fruit will depend on the information..." Tianmo said, his voice calm, betraying none of the caution screaming in his mind. He knew the type: men like Elder Gu were like leeches; once they tasted blood, they would drain the host dry if not kept on a tight leash.
"Insurance?! Very well..."
With a Wave of Tianmo's hand, a small, jade bottle materialized on the stone table, floating gently above the surface. The bottle was simple, unadorned, yet the spiritual pressure radiating from it was dense and heavy, causing the air around it to distort like heat haze.
Elder Gu's eyes widened, his pupils contracting into needlepoints. He could smell it—the scent of pure, concentrated spiritual energy contained within. It was the aroma of rebirth, the fragrance of a second chance at the Dao.
"Heaven Unshackling Pill..." he whispered, his voice trembling with a greed so potent it was almost tangible. He reached out a trembling hand, his fingers brushing against the cool jade.
"Stop," Tianmo said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade of ice.
Elder Gu froze, his hand hovering inches from the bottle. He looked up, his eyes narrowing. "Young Master, surely you are not one to go back on your word? We had a deal."
"I do not go back on my word. But I am not a fool, either," Tianmo replied, his expression unreadable. "Let's deal with information first, shall we," Tianmo said, his voice smooth but carrying an undeniable weight.
Elder Gu's hand hovered over the table, his eyes darting between the pill bottle and Tianmo's calm face. The greed was eating him alive, but so was the caution. He was a survivor, and survivors didn't reach into the fire without knowing they wouldn't get burned.
"Fine," Elder Gu rasped, pulling his hand back. He straightened his posture, the ragged cloak settling around him like a shroud.
"The Holy Son Liu Xiu, seems to be a true demon. Based on my observations, his ring has a strong aura of death and smells of a corpse , I am sure he practices corpse techniques. During the meeting, he was showing us his untraceable Gu, what's more, he even showed an example... During my years of living, the ones who overexplain and give examples are usually the ones trying to gain trust and play bigger games. I believed the Demonic Sect never planned to utilize lesser families but the Sect master of the Blood Mist sect himself."
"After all, Young master if you were in his shoes, how would you attack?! Use the Gus to control the lesser family of the Golden core realm or the Nascent soul realm?! It's purely my speculation but I believe the example Gu Holy lord showed during the meeting was weaker hiding the deeper knife beneath. Being next step cautious, the holy Son demonic sect may have prepared a backup plan in case, Venerable Bloodcrown decided to use a subordinate to plant the Gu..."
Logic.
Doesn't that mean, Holy Son Liu Xiu has cultivated highly powerful Gus?
Elder Gu further added. "Since, Holy Son is sure the Gu can't be traded back, I am sure the ring in his hand is a private world, or a treasure that connects to another lesser world."
'Oh...' Tianmo was genuinely impressed by Elder Gu's analysis, yet his face remained devoid of emotion. Nevertheless, it seems this Liu Xiu is indeed a protagonist, if what the Elder said is correct.
He waved his hand and Spirit awakening fruit materialized before Elder Gu.
Elder Gu merely showed a polite smile. "Thank you for your generosity..."