"This is…?"
Yue Qing raised her head.
She stared at the abnormal changes in the sky.
What had originally been clear weather had transformed into something terrifying.
Moreover—
the desolate, oppressive atmosphere around her made even someone like her, a member of the Demonic Sect from Heaven Beyond Heaven, shiver uncontrollably.
"Has some expert broken through?"
"But how could a normal breakthrough produce such an omen?"
"This looks more like… the phenomenon of entering demonic cultivation."
Yue Qing had once heard a senior from Heaven Beyond Heaven say—
The phenomena accompanying an ordinary breakthrough and those of entering demonic cultivation were completely different, the latter being far more domineering.
In severe cases,
corpses would litter the land for a hundred li,
mountains and rivers would reverse,
all vitality wiped out.
Yet the scene before her eyes was even more terrifying than what that senior had described!
Originally—
the bamboo forests covering the mountains had now become barren wastelands,
while the blood-red clouds overhead exuded a thick, nauseating stench.
No matter how one looked at it, this was the sign of a terrifying demonic overlord!
"Just who is it that's entered demonic cultivation?"
"In all of Nanjue, someone capable of causing such a disturbance…"
"I'm afraid it could only be Nanjue's number one expert—Yusheng Mo."
"But wasn't he already injured?"
Yue Qing thought for a moment, then immediately quickened her pace.
Her purpose for coming to Nanjue this time was only one—
to provoke Ye Dingzhi, deceive him, and lure him into Heaven Beyond Heaven.
Only if Ye Dingzhi, this genius with a Heavenly Innate Martial Vein, joined Heaven Beyond Heaven
and became nourishment for her father, Yue Fengcheng,
could her father end his closed-door cultivation,
and only then could Heaven Beyond Heaven truly be saved!
"I need to hurry."
"If I haven't even met Ye Dingzhi yet and get discovered by this demonic senior…"
"Then I'm finished."
Yue Qing lowered her head and continued on her way.
...
On the other side.
Nangong Chunshui—
also known as Li Changsheng, having removed the Great Chun Technique—
was sitting inside a carriage.
As if sensing something,
he lifted his head and gazed into the distance.
He murmured softly,
"It seems… an old friend has departed."
That "old friend" was none other than Yusheng Mo.
He and Yusheng Mo could be said to have grown acquainted through battle—
they had fought three times in total, and each time Yusheng Mo was defeated and left.
One could say—
he was Yusheng Mo's heart demon.
Even a foe Yusheng Mo pursued his entire life,
to the point of overdrawn lifespan,
all to defeat him.
Since ancient times, longevity was accompanied by loneliness.
Yusheng Mo had been one of the brighter moments in his long, tedious river of years.
Someone he could fight.
Someone he could talk to.
In a sense—
a close friend.
Thus,
regarding Yusheng Mo's passing,
Nangong Chunshui couldn't help but feel a trace of melancholy.
But soon—
his relaxed brows suddenly knit together.
"This is… entering demonic cultivation?"
Nangong Chunshui could clearly sense it—
far away in Nanjue,
there was a familiar yet youthful aura.
Falling into the demonic path.
Ye Dingzhi.
"How could it be him?"
His heart was filled with complicated emotions.
Back then, he had promised Yusheng Mo to look after Ye Dingzhi and safely escort him out of Tianqi City.
Yet who would have thought—
one moment of negligence,
and he had fallen into demonic cultivation.
"Fate truly toys with people… truly toys with people."
Nangong Chunshui shook his head and sighed.
Perhaps Yusheng Mo's departure
had dealt Ye Dingzhi too heavy a blow.
At this moment,
a complaining voice sounded beside his ear—Baili Dongjun:
"I say, Master,"
"why are you muttering to yourself again?"
"Last time you didn't let me catch up with Brother Yun—I still remember that!"
"Oh right."
"You said before that in half a year, I'd be able to see Brother Yun again."
"Was that true or not?"
Faced with Baili Dongjun's questioning,
Nangong Chunshui froze.
Half a year later—
Ye Dingzhi would return to seize a bride.
Those were his own words.
At the time,
Nangong Chunshui had even used this matter to spur Baili Dongjun on, telling him not to slack off in his cultivation.
But now—
Ye Dingzhi's fall into demonic cultivation
had already exceeded his expectations.
Half a year later,
if a true demonic overlord really appeared in Tianqi City,
causing havoc at the Prince Jingyu's Residence—
what should he do then?
"Little Dongba,"
"let me ask you something."
"If this Brother Yun of yours… were to become someone else, someone you no longer recognize."
"And if…"
"the two of you stood on opposite sides."
"What would you do?"
...
Baili Dongjun was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
"Master,"
"what nonsense are you talking about in broad daylight?"
"Brother Yun is Brother Yun. We're good brothers—how could he ever stand against me?"
"And even if he did,"
"as my brother, he'd never do anything that would disappoint me."
"Otherwise—"
"I'd be the first to refuse!"
...
Hearing this, Nangong Chunshui nodded and smiled.
Perhaps he truly was worrying unnecessarily.
Matters of the younger generation
should be left to the younger generation.
There was no need for an immortal who had lived a hundred and eighty years to fret over them.
...
Elsewhere.
Nanjue.
[Congratulations to the host for entering demonic cultivation.]
[Activating the Demonic Path Leader System.]
[Would you like to open the starter gift pack?]
"Open it!"
[Reward: Comprehension of the Formless, Boundless Art!]
[Reward: Comprehension of the Great Kāśyapa Palm!]
[Reward: Full mastery of the Immortal-Demonic Sword Art!]
[Reward: A lifetime of cultivation from Yue Fengcheng!]
[Reward: Demonic secret technique — Soul Seal!]
"Use it directly?"
"Yes!"
[You have devoured a lifetime of Yue Fengcheng's cultivation!]
[Host: Ye Dingzhi]
[Techniques: Formless Boundless Art (Minor Mastery), Immortal-Demonic Sword Art (Great Completion), Great Kāśyapa Palm (Minor Mastery), Immovable Wisdom King Art (Demonized, Great Completion)…]
[Realm: Half-Step Lordly Evil Realm]
"Half-step Lordly Evil…"
Ye Dingzhi quickly understood.
Ordinarily, the Lordly Evil Realm lay between Half-Step Divine Wanderer and Divine Wanderer Profound Realm.
A Half-Step Lordly Evil Realm lay between those two once again.
In short—
with his current strength,
among the younger generation, no one could rival him!
[This system will forge the host into the true ruler of the Demonic Path.]
[Now issuing the first task of the Demonic Path Leader.]
[Shake Nanjue!]
[Defeat one hundred Nanjue experts; kill ten.]
[Reward: Void Thought Art!]
"Void Thought Art?!"
Ye Dingzhi's eyes lit up,
the corner of his lips curling into a smile.