Everyone looked at Qin Yun as if they were looking at a dead man.
The Blood Demon Pool—what kind of place was that?
It's practically a deathtrap!
Within lies immense terror, but also great opportunity. It's a forbidden land of the Demonic Sect and one of its core foundations.
Generally speaking.
If a Qi Origin Realm expert of the Demonic Sect nears the end of their lifespan, they may voluntarily request entry into the Blood Demon Pool. If they manage to come out alive, there's an eighty to ninety percent chance they can step into the Heaven-Man Realm, extending their life by four hundred years. But most dissolve within, becoming nourishment for the pool.
After generations of this cycle, even people of the Demonic Sect themselves don't truly understand how dangerous the Blood Demon Pool really is.
Qin Yun was very young and had only just stepped into the Qi Origin Realm. Yet now, he actually intended to enter the Blood Demon Pool voluntarily—this was something no one could comprehend.
Suddenly.
Someone recalled a rumor.
Qin Yun had burned his lifespan using a supreme secret art to reach the Qi Origin Realm.
Many eyes turned to Qin Yun's drooping white hair. Coupled with his decision to enter the Blood Demon Pool today, it instantly made the rumor more believable.
"If you can make it out of the Blood Demon Pool alive, I will personally petition the Sect Master to nominate you as a candidate for our Holy Sect's Holy Son!" Ghostface laughed heartily and made the promise. He believed that Qin Yun had exceptional talent. If he could transform further through the Blood Demon Pool, he could stand at the pinnacle of the world.
At these words.
Everyone's spirits lifted.
Now that the position of Holy Son in the Holy Sect was vacant, if Qin Yun could survive the Blood Demon Pool, he would become a prime contender.
But no one objected.
Everything would depend on whether Qin Yun could return alive from the Blood Demon Pool. Within the pool, one must comprehend the true meaning of the Holy Sect and rely on it for protection. Otherwise, death was inevitable. If Qin Yun returned safely, it would prove his loyalty.
Naturally, no one would doubt him then.
Qin Yun bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Deputy Sect Master!"
He lowered his head, his gaze complex.
He had already done everything he could to buy the Zhenwu Sect three years of time. That was his limit. It was still better than enduring a full-scale attack from the Demonic Sect now.
If he died in the Blood Demon Pool, then so be it—everything would end there. He couldn't worry about more than that. But if he did manage to survive, and even lead a team out, there might be another chance yet. ꞦаꞐŏ𝖇Ёŝ
Ghostface's cold voice echoed throughout the great hall:
"Operations are to be paused. Heaven-Man Realm experts are to rest and refrain from action. All forces and branches under the Holy Sect may act freely, as long as they are Qi Origin Realm or below."
"Yes, sir!"
As the great hall doors slowly closed.
Ghostface sat upright upon his throne and suddenly asked slowly:
"What do you think of this boy Qin Yun?"
"Decent talent. He matches the White Hair Secret Art you passed down to him, but his loyalty seems questionable. From what he said earlier, it seems he still has some attachment to the Zhenwu Sect?" The voice responded with an exaggerated eerie laugh, chuckling 'hehehe' between every sentence.
Ghostface smiled.
"No matter. Once he comes out of the Blood Demon Pool, both body and mind will belong to our Holy Sect."
"By then, letting him personally destroy the Zhenwu Sect—he might truly become worthy of the Holy Son title!"
Of course he could see Qin Yun's minor schemes.
But to him, the Zhenwu Sect was a small player. The Holy Sect's grand plan was what truly mattered.
He wasn't refraining from destroying the Zhenwu Sect because of Qin Yun's plea.
It was because the recent movements had already caused enough commotion.
Ultimately, the real reason was the overwhelming deterrence of the Great Yan Martial Saint.
Though the Martial Saint rarely took action, the Demonic Sect dared not act too brazenly.
Ghostface gazed into the darkness and sighed softly:
"Let's hope the Sect Master can achieve success soon..."
…
A storm had begun.
It started with General Shenyu annihilating the Demonic Sect's Deadfire Abyss branch, sparking massive turmoil between the Great Yan court and the Demonic Sect.
After the attacks on Zhenwu Mountain and the Wang Clan, tensions reached a critical point.
Just as everyone thought the conflict would escalate further—
Surprisingly, both factions fell into a strange silence, as if bound by an unspoken agreement.
Of course.
It wasn't complete silence.
Clashes between Heaven-Man Realm experts gradually diminished until they ceased altogether.
But the violence below the Heaven-Man Realm intensified drastically.
News of Demonic Sect martial artists causing havoc continued to spread.
The entire martial world began to stir restlessly.
Some rose to fame after slaying demons, while others joined the Demonic Sect to seize resources and grow stronger.
Inside the Mingwu Pavilion.
Ning Qi was deep in thought as Daoist Longshan spoke:
"So, it seems the Great Yan court and the Demonic Sect have reached a tacit understanding. Heaven-Man Realm experts won't intervene. Only those below will clash. That gives us some temporary safety."
Daoist Longshan nodded and said:
"That's right. Heaven-Man experts are too destructive. If a real battle broke out, countless lives would be lost—something the Great Yan Dynasty doesn't want to see."
Ning Qi understood.
Though the Great Yan court held the upper hand, with greater strength and the Martial Saint as their pillar—
They had a fatal weakness: their vast territory and billions of citizens.
If the Demonic Sect feared the Martial Saint and refrained from going too far—
Then the Great Yan court feared the Demonic Sect going completely mad.
If that happened and they began indiscriminate slaughter, the court wouldn't have the resources to defend against every Heaven-Man Realm attacker.
Though the Demonic Sect sought to overturn Great Yan and considered the land and its people their spoils, they usually didn't attack civilians.
But if cornered like a rabid dog, who could predict what madness they might commit?
Over the years, the Demonic Sect earned its 'demonic' title precisely because their actions often leaned toward the extreme.
But what puzzled Ning Qi was—
"Why does it seem like the Martial Saint of Great Yan is holding back? Logically, someone of his strength should be able to suppress all non-Martial Saint opponents."
Though Ning Qi had never seen the Martial Saint act personally.
He'd read fragments from ancient texts and inferred from the might of the North-Stabilizing King—ranked ninth on the Heaven-Man Ranking—that Martial Saints were far beyond compare.
"Is it that he doesn't want to act, can't act, or is there some hidden reason?"
Faced with Ning Qi's question, even Daoist Longshan was unsure.
Perhaps no one in the world truly understood—only a select few might know the truth.
"Maybe the complete Zhenwu Inheritance contains secrets of the Martial Saint, but what I obtained back then was incomplete."
Daoist Longshan, for once, mentioned his own past with the Zhenwu Inheritance.
His eyes reflected a trace of nostalgia.
"When I was young, I mistakenly entered the Zhenwu Underground Palace. Relying on my photographic memory, I obtained part of the inheritance. Then I fell unconscious, and when I awoke, I was in a desolate wilderness. The underground palace had vanished without a trace."
"These years, I've secretly revisited the old location many times, but never saw it again. Perhaps I'm fated never to see it again in this life."
Daoist Longshan sighed lightly.
Ning Qi, however, was deeply astonished.
"Is the Zhenwu Underground Palace really that mysterious?"
"Could it be hidden by a formation? Or maybe the palace is... alive? It moved elsewhere?"
He voiced all sorts of guesses.
Daoist Longshan slowly shook his head, dismissing the first idea:
"Shouldn't be a formation. I had a friend skilled in such arts inspect the place. It was completely empty."
Seeing Ning Qi's keen interest, Daoist Longshan smiled:
"I'll take you there someday. You'll see for yourself."
Ning Qi nodded slowly.
He was truly looking forward to uncovering the secrets of the Zhenwu Underground Palace.
…
Time passed quietly.
With the Heaven-Man War gradually ceasing, Ning Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Things were better than he had expected. Even his False Core had only consumed thirty percent of its energy.
He could now cultivate in peace again.
Each day, he read scriptures, comprehended the Dao, and refined his Qi—living in leisure.
Inside the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi was focused on alchemy.
Yesterday, after some experimentation and deduction, he successfully combined relic beads and Luminous Pearls to create a new pill formula that accelerated Qi refinement.
He named it the Golden Jade Pill.
Ning Qi's movements were smooth, almost embodying the Dao through his technique.
The White Ape watched beside him, fascinated and immersed.
But alchemy wasn't really his calling.
He had tried it once and ended up a mess. Still, he continued working hard, hoping one day to become a qualified alchemy assistant.
The Qi in Ning Qi's hands shifted with ease.
If other alchemists saw this—
They'd probably be stunned speechless.
Finally.
As Ning Qi finished, the pill furnace began to glow with golden light.
Ning Qi looked inside.
Six golden, longan-sized pills quietly lay within.
"Let's test the effects."
Without hesitation, Ning Qi entered the house.
The White Ape cleaned up the mess.
He swallowed one Golden Jade Pill.
Instantly, a powerful medicinal force surged—
Yet it was incredibly gentle.
It settled in the Dantian without any violent eruption.
Ning Qi entered a state of Heaven-Man Unity.
The power of heaven and earth formed a grinding force that enveloped him.
Only he could hear the deep rumbling as the medicine infused his body.
Strands of white mist Qi became thicker and more refined—far faster than before!
An hour later.
Ning Qi stopped cultivating and sensed the changes.
A smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
"This Golden Jade Pill isn't for rapid boosts—it's for long-term refinement. One pill can sustain a month of cultivation."
"With six pills, I can reach the Jade Liquid Realm."
Ning Qi was very satisfied.
By then.
He would still be under nine years old.
Sensing the Qi in his body—already strong enough to unleash the Heavenly Sword Technique twice—
Ning Qi was eager to see what strength he'd have upon entering the Jade Liquid Realm.
Perhaps, by then, he wouldn't even need the False Core's help to match those on the Heaven-Man Ranking—or even surpass them.
Ning Qi's strength had already begun skyrocketing—
A result of the unmatched foundation he had laid before.
Now, he was unlocking treasures one step at a time.
His combat power far exceeded his realm—beyond what ordinary people could fathom.
Ning Qi was filled with joy.
He stepped outside and glanced at the direction of the rattan chair.
Or more precisely, beneath it.
His eyes filled with surprise.
He could sense that the Enlightenment Tea Tree Seed had begun to sprout—
Pushing through the earth, it wouldn't be long now.
After absorbing the body of a Heaven-Man Realm martial artist, the seed had undergone a wondrous transformation.
A double blessing.
Ning Qi couldn't help but feel emotional.
The dead seed had sprouted.
The shadow the Demonic Sect cast over him had slowly lifted.
Give him a little more time—
And he would surely give the Demonic Sect a good shock.