Chapter 56

"Big Brother, Second Brother has been found..." The cultivator who had rushed in bowed his head, not daring to look at Su Yihong.

"Bring him up."

Su Yihong's expression did not change, but those familiar with him could see the barely suppressed killing intent in his eyes.

A cultivator standing beside him waved his hand, and two strongmen nervously walked forward. One held a severed limb, while the other carried a head.

Su Yihong's gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed on the head, sending a chill through the hearts of those around him. At this moment, only He Gu could speak, and he whispered, "Big Brother, the bodies of Second Brother and the others are incomplete, clearly tampered with. It's hard to tell what kind of weapon caused the damage."

Su Yihong snorted coldly, "Have you found out who escaped?"

He Gu replied in a deep voice, "Zhang Yan."

The coldness in Su Yihong's eyes intensified, and the people around him instinctively took a few steps back.

He Gu, however, looked ashamed and said in a low voice, "Big Brother, how should we handle this place?"

The Feiyao Tower had been destroyed by a Heart-Crushing Hammer, a mark that was not hard to identify. A quick check would reveal it was He Gu's magical treasure, and given his close ties to the Su family, they needed to clean up the scene to avoid implicating the Su family.

He Gu had left with the hammer, and his fate was unknown, leading to this outcome. He Gu felt ashamed to face Su Yihong.

Su Yihong looked down at the rubble at his feet and waved his hand irritably.

He Gu understood and sighed, turning to say, "Everyone, as we discussed, clean up this place first. Remember to arrange the bodies of the demon cultivators properly, leaving no trace."

Although they had originally planned to frame the water demons of Jiuxiqu Palace, they now had to clean up the mess themselves, which left everyone feeling stifled.

Su Yihong turned to a thin, short cultivator with fine features and said, "Mr. Yang, I seek your advice. What should we do next?" Zhang Yan's sudden move had disrupted his original plan, and he was still hesitant about what to do.

Mr. Yang tugged at his sparse beard and said slowly, "Big Brother, use Second Brother's death as an excuse to launch an immediate attack on Shenzhijian."

Su Yihong frowned, "Using Second Brother's death as an excuse is a personal matter, not a public one. It would be unjust, and the Sect Master might hold the Su family accountable."

The Su family was not yet ready to confront the Lingcang Sect. If they acted on personal vengeance, neither Ji Jushang nor the Lingcang Sect would choose to restart the conflict at this time, and the Su family would have to bear the consequences alone, inevitably suffering some losses.

Mr. Yang, however, said seriously, "Big Brother, by occupying the True Dragon Manor, the Su family will have a solid foundation. Then, we can advance or retreat as needed, with the benefits outweighing the losses. The arrow is on the string, and we cannot hesitate."

Su Yihong thought for a moment but slowly shook his head, "Mr. Yang, your words are reasonable, but you forget that we can attack Shenzhijian first and then find an excuse." He paused and said, "He Gu!"

He Gu stepped forward and bowed, "Big Brother, what are your orders?"

"Take a few more people to patrol around the Lingcang Sect. Within ten days, if anyone suspicious approaches the mountain gate, kill them without mercy!"

He Gu accepted the order solemnly, "Understood!"

Su Yihong looked around and asked, "Where is Miao Kun?"

"Here!" A short, sturdy cultivator stepped forward, but his expression was relaxed, unlike the tense faces of the others.

Su Yihong glanced at him and frowned, "I give you ten days. Take a few people to search in the direction of the Water Kingdom. If you encounter this person, kill him!"

Miao Kun casually clasped his hands and said with a smile, "Understood."

After making the arrangements, Su Yihong stepped onto the golden steps of the Jade Hall, swung his qilin cloak, and shouted, "The rest of you, follow me to attack Shenzhijian and avenge Second Brother!"

The crowd responded with a loud assent, and dozens of beams of mystic light rose into the air, following the Jade Hall toward the direction of Jiuxiqu Palace.

...

Three months later.

At the border of the Water Kingdom in Dang Domain.

Zhang Yan's sleeves fluttered as he flew through the air. Two streams of energy circled his body, accompanied by clouds and mist, making him look like a crane or a celestial being. However, Luo Xiao, who was flying ahead, frequently turned back and said, "Daoist Zhang, this technique is too slow. I can carry you with my mystic light, and it would only take a few days to reach the Water Kingdom."

Zhang Yan replied calmly, "The Water King's birthday is still nine months away. This is a rare period of peace. I might as well refine myself for a few more months and reach the third level of Ming Qi before going."

Half a month ago, he had used the煞气 (negative energy) in his qi acupoint to reach the second level of Ming Qi. This was largely thanks to the "Chunyue Jade Pendant," which allowed him to practice at night far more effectively than usual, doubling his refinement speed. In the later stages, he almost refined a mouthful of turbid qi each day.

Now, he was advancing toward the third level of Ming Qi, "Tianlin Jiangding," with three mouthfuls of clear and turbid qi in his chest. Once this tangible and intangible qi merged, it would undergo a transformation of yin and yang, allowing him to perform more complex spells.

Luo Xiao asked, puzzled, "If so, why must you go to the Water Kingdom?"

Zhang Yan did not answer.

He knew that if he wanted to return to the Lingcang Sect in the future, he had to visit the Water Kingdom, at least for a brief trip. Otherwise, as a member of the envoy, if he was alive but did not attend the birthday celebration, Ji Jushang might use it as an excuse to challenge the Lingcang Sect.

As for returning to the sect to explain, that was just a joke. He had no such loyalty to the Lingcang Sect.

Moreover, even if he risked his life to return to the sect and thwart the Su family's plans, they would only redouble their efforts against him, which would be counterproductive.

Luo Xiao's eyes twinkled, and she said, "Since you are close to the third level of Ming Qi, have you decided which path to take?"

Zhang Yan pondered for a moment and said, "I have seen some descriptions in the Daoist texts, but they are vague. I hope Daoist Luo can provide some guidance."

Luo Xiao smiled and said, "Daoist Zhang, human cultivators often indulge in these mysteries. I will tell you that after reaching the third level of Ming Qi and forming the mystic light seed, cultivators must decide their future path. There are three main paths to immortality."

Zhang Yan's attention was immediately captured, "Which three paths?"

Luo Xiao gathered her sleeves and extended three fingers, each as delicate as green onions, "The first is the 'Path of Strength.' Those on this path use external medicines and internal elixirs to refine an indestructible golden body. At its peak, one can overturn rivers and seas, and swallow the earth and sky. The second is the 'Path of Qi.' Those on this path focus on breathing and refining qi to achieve harmony with heaven and earth. At its peak, one can transform into countless forms and achieve immortality. The third is the 'Path of Law.' Those on this path understand the principles of the universe and can perform countless transformations, moving stars and changing the moon."

Zhang Yan thought for a moment and nodded, then asked, "Which path have you chosen, Daoist Luo?"

Luo Xiao smiled bitterly and sighed, "Demon cultivators lack texts and profound techniques, so most follow the 'Path of Strength.' I happened to find a Daoist text and am now on the 'Path of Qi,' but I don't know what the next step will be."

Although the three main paths to immortality converge, those on the 'Path of Qi' need high-level techniques, which are difficult to obtain outside of major sects and noble families. Among demon cultivators, only a few choose this path.

As for the 'Path of Law,' it is usually a secondary practice for most cultivators because achieving enlightenment through it is extremely difficult, requiring a deep understanding of the principles of the universe. Even among human cultivators, only a few can achieve this.

The Daoist texts say, "Sixteen numbers make one law."

This means that a cultivator needs sixteen mouthfuls of qi to perform a spell. If your technique is inferior and you cannot reach sixteen, you will never be able to perform spells unless you find a better technique. Those who can perform spells with one mouthful of qi are only heard of in legends.

Therefore, most cultivators only dabble in the 'Path of Law,' with most choosing the 'Path of Qi,' and even fewer among demon cultivators.

The 'Path of Strength,' on the other hand, focuses on refining the physical body, allowing demon cultivators to leverage their natural advantages and become immune to magical treasures and flying swords, making it their best choice.

As Zhang Yan's cultivation advanced, he would also face this choice, so he had to consider it in advance. He stood on the cloud, deep in thought.

Luo Xiao's mystic light spread, connecting to the thick clouds under Zhang Yan's feet. She walked over and waved her hand in front of his eyes, smiling, "Daoist Zhang, you don't need to worry about your cultivation when you go to the Water Kingdom. Do you know that the Water King's birthday celebration includes a pill-making competition, with the 'Yuanjin Mingguo Book' as the prize? This is a high-level technique on the 'Path of Strength'..."

Zhang Yan's expression changed slightly, "Is there more to this?" He sensed something amiss. Pill masters are usually human cultivators, so if they were to set a prize, it would be for the 'Path of Qi' or 'Path of Law,' not the 'Path of Strength.'

Luo Xiao, surprised by Zhang Yan's quick reaction, nodded after a moment, "Exactly. The Water King has a young son named Ji Zhang. His mother is a human cultivator who refined most of his demon blood while he was in the womb. Although he is a demon, he has a human body. He learned alchemy from a high-level master and is participating in this competition..."

She paused, smiling but saying nothing more.

Zhang Yan, understanding her meaning, smiled, "I see. It's not that the Water King is boastful, but that he is building momentum for his young son. The others are just supporting roles."

Luo Xiao covered her mouth and laughed, "Exactly. Do you find this uninteresting, Daoist Zhang?"

Zhang Yan smiled, "Why would I find it uninteresting? Since the Water King has announced it to the world, all pill masters will gather. Each will use their own skills and strategies. Who will ultimately win is still unknown."

Luo Xiao's eyes widened, and she took a step back, looking Zhang Yan up and down, "Daoist Zhang... Do you intend to win the competition?"

...

...

PS: This chapter involves setting, so it took a bit longer to revise. I will still update twice tonight, and if it's late, I will update one more chapter.