Lu Si sat cross-legged in the cave. Xuan'er lay beside him.
He thought, "Only Initial stage, 2nd layer. It's so low. I have to raise my cultivation as soon as possible. "
He took a small rock, drew a character with his blood, and shot it at the cave roof.
Immediately the cave roof shattered and sunlight fell on his face. This time that small stone carried more energy than before.
Lu Si thought, "This technique is weird. I did not see this type of technique in my ten thousand years of life. When I was only in Body Tempering stage this technique could unleash True Foundation-stage equal power, but now it can carry Immortal Ascension-stage strength. But one thing is bad — I have to draw the character every time. I can't even store the stone with characters because it can't hold this destructive power for so long. In a few moments because of this power the substance will explode. "
"Who is that person? Is this type of thing happening because Yang Kai's wives used that array? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is clear: if I want eternal life then I have to get my previous strength as soon as possible."
He murmured, "In my last life I took eighty years to ascend in Tong Xuan realm because I didn't choose the evil path. Because of that useless morality I almost died. If the great demon god settlement had not destroyed in time I might have died in this small world."
He laughed softly. It was a dry sound. This is a long memory. "This life I will not make the same mistake. This time I will be an evil cultivator from the starting point. I remember many evil techniques to raise my cultivation several stages in short time. But most of them are not suitable because in this small world I can't find the necessary resources. Still, I have some evil methods."
He thought of the list and whispered them to himself, as if testing the names in the air:
1. Devouring Blood Art — Absorb one thousand human blood.
Effect: Initial stage to Qi Transformation stage.
2. Yin and Yang Dual Ethereal Flame Art — Must absorb yin and yang energy from a woman and a man body.
Effect: Initial stage to Separation and Reunion stage.
3. Crimson Heart Secret Art — Shallow one hundred children heart below seven years.
Effect: Initial stage to True Element stage.
Number 4 is best because it has several levels. Every level helps me increase one full stage, he thought.
A cold worry touched him. "I don't know what if Yang Kai is reborn fifty years later. Maybe by heaven he will inherit some special technique or make some special method to kill me. So I don't have any time to prepare. Last time I won because he came back from the Universe Furnace World Creation Point. His energy was weak because of that long journey. If not, how could I kill him so easily? But even if I killed him, heaven made Yang Kai's wives activate their incomplete array."
Suddenly he realized something and a smile spread across his face. "Wait a minute. I rebirthed with my Dao blade. Is it not possible he has his space-time river with him when he is reborn? That means I can easily take it from his little child body."
When that thought came, his eyes shone. He looked at Xuan'er, who still read the technique he had given her. Lu Si said, "You are coming with me."
He stood, left the cave, and began to walk. The cave stood on Tai Mountain. Some distance from the cave there was a river. Lu Si's brothers were meditating beside the river. When he called their names, they opened their eyes, rose, and greeted him.
He said, "We are going to raise our cultivation. I have some special technique."
One of his brothers stepped before him. It was Jiang Li. He blocked Lu Si's path and asked, "Brother — wait. I think you must explain something."
Lu Si's tone went cold. "What?"
Jiang Li said, "We don't think you are our brother. Say who you are. I think you are an old master who possessed our brother's body."
Lu Si lowered his posture for a moment, then took a small rock and shot it at Jiang Li. It passed by Jiang Li, grazing his ear. It made a hole through his ear and a great deal of blood fell from him. All the other brothers froze for a second.
Lu Si said, "You shouldn't ask what knowing will take your life. Just focus on your cultivation. I don't think you are qualified to ask me any questions."
This time Lu Si did not pretend to be good with them. A few days ago he had not had enough strength to control them. He had to show a friendly face then. But now he had much strength with him. That was why he did not try to pretend this time.
He gave a cold expression to the others and said, "Maybe I behaved well with you before and that made you confused about what type of person I am. No problem. Just follow me. Today you will understand me."
His words hit like a storm. Everyone felt afraid. Xuan'er, who had felt safe from Lu Si before, now felt an unknown danger. She did not know one thing: Lu Si had already taken half of her life.
[Devil Caress Method]
This method not only took another's strength and cultivation but also their lifespan. Lu Si had already taken half of Xuan'er's lifespan by this. Because the method did not show any visible effect on the body, she did not know. Not only that — she did not know that next time when Lu Si would duel cultivate with her again, she might die at the end of the process.
Lu Si walked on. All of them followed without question. Sometime later they descended into a small village. The village was small and plain. Most of the villagers were not cultivators. So Lu Si and the others were now the most powerful among them. It was daytime, so Lu Si and the others stayed calm and introduced themselves as righteous cultivators.
The village master personally welcomed him. The master was an Initial-stage cultivator. He was not from this village; actually he was a member of a second-class family of the Han dynasty who had become a village master by that family. Lu Si told them they were here because of a sect task. He introduced Xuan'er as his elder sister and the others as his brothers.
They entered Tai Que village with quiet steps. The village master did not know they were in danger. He had only seen their cultivation level from a distance; it did not seem very high. Lu Si was only Initial stage, 2nd layer, while his brothers and Xuan'er were only Body Tempering stage.
People in the village bowed and made room. They trusted travelers in robes and believed in good masters. Children ran around and old men leaned on their sticks to watch the newcomers. A dog barked and soon was shooed away. The smell of wood smoke and boiled vegetables filled the air. No one guessed what lay under Lu Si's calm face.
Lu Si's heart was steady. He looked at the simple houses, the fields, the people working under the sun. He felt no pity. His mind already planned the next steps. For now he kept his face polite. For now he stayed as a righteous cultivator.
But the brothers watched him with new fear, and Xuan'er swallowed her breath while pretending not to notice how pale her hands had grown. The village master chatted, offered food, and asked about their sect, but Lu Si only smiled a little and answered in short sentences. The village felt safe. They had welcomed strangers like him many times. They did not know how wrong they were.
Lu Si stood under the blue sky and felt the sun on his face. He had a small smile, but inside he burned with cold fire. He had a plan, and nothing would stop him from rising fast this time. He would take what he needed. He would not make the same mistake again.