Are You a Demonic Path Cultivator?

The next day.

Lu Ze got up early.

For some reason, there were far more people on Glazed Fire Peak.

On the way to the Artifact Forging Hall, countless disciples whispered among themselves.

"Did you see it last night? Who knew which expert broke through in the Back Mountain and actually triggered such a heavenly phenomenon!"

"Even if I didn't want to see it, I had no choice... The sky was so bright that I couldn't sleep at all."

"I heard that the various elders went to the Back Mountain overnight to look for them, but they couldn't find a single trace."

"I really don't understand—what are they hiding for?"

"I heard from a senior brother that no one actually broke through. It was the lingering spiritual energy left behind when three True Disciples sparred on Glazed Fire Peak yesterday. Under some strange opportunity, it transformed into phantoms that filled the sky."

"That does make some sense... No wonder those three phantoms looked somewhat like the three True Disciples!"

"What were three True Disciples doing on Glazed Fire Peak?"

"Apparently, they went to try out 'Demonic Path Escape.'"

"Seriously? Even True Disciples like playing it?"

"Not exactly. It seems only Senior Sister Li gave it a try, and she broke the record on her first attempt—five thousand steps!"

"How much?? Our Inner Sect spent five whole days on the Trial without rest and still didn't reach four thousand steps... Senior Sister Li surpassed that in a single day?"

"Let me remind you, not a day—an afternoon."

"Hiss! As expected of a True Disciple!"

"What happened to those people who said cultivation level had nothing to do with results? Why aren't they talking now?"

"Huh? Senior Sister Li isn't even at the top of the Leaderboard? Why did the top-ranked person use a nickname instead of their real name?"

"Probably another True Disciple who doesn't want to reveal their identity."

"Then where's the other True Disciple? Why aren't they on the Leaderboard?"

"It's only an Illusion Realm Trial. It's normal for True Disciples to look down on it. They probably never even entered."

"That makes sense."

Lu Ze listened with great interest.

Good lord, they were talking about him.

He could barely suppress the grin spreading across his face.

So this was what it felt like to show off in secret!

As for the phantoms, he had no clue either.

But according to the ancient texts' description of the Myriad Manifestations Xuan Demon Immortal Physique, all things in the world could be transformed into Dao Power. That was probably the reason.

But he had never observed the three Inner Disciples cultivating either?

Could it be...

Lu Ze suddenly understood.

Perhaps their deaths in "Demonic Path Escape" had automatically become nourishment for his cultivation of the immortal physique.

That made sense.

The phantoms of flowers, grass, insects, and beasts were likely left behind by Outer Disciples and Outer Disciples.

As for that immortal demon who commanded thunder across the sky...

He was probably that mysterious Grandmaster who gave him 10 Demonic Value every time.

Although Lu Ze did not know what these phantoms were specifically useful for, they probably would not be useless.

The surrounding disciples were still discussing the True Disciples playing "Demonic Path Escape."

One disciple claimed he had personally seen Senior Brother Zhong Yi's name appear one rank above his yesterday, while another criticized him, saying that a True Disciple could never be on the same level as an Inner Disciple.

The two argued endlessly over it.

Most of the disciples supported the latter.

They felt that with Senior Brother Zhong Yi's standards, he probably would not think much of such entertainment.

Lu Ze could not help but laugh.

The diligent and upright Senior Brother Zhong they spoke of was probably having the time of his life playing "Demonic Path Escape" in his own loft right now.

Why?

Because ever since he woke up, the notification of Demonic Value +1.2 had kept ringing in his ears. If it was not Zhong Yi, then who could it be?

An entire night had already passed.

Not only had this Senior Brother Zhong's enthusiasm not faded, but the speed at which he sent Lu Ze Demonic Value had not slowed either.

All he could say was that he had truly struck gold this time.

The Outer Disciples' illusion training period had ended, and Lu Ze returned to the Artifact Forging Hall's external repair station.

He was usually responsible for repairing ordinary Artifacts.

But ordinary Artifacts were generally quite durable and rarely broke, so he had always had plenty of free time.

Otherwise, he would not have had so much time to serialize so many novels at once.

Now, there was no need for him to keep writing novels. He had long since finished the latter half of The Return of the Condor Heroes and only needed to publish it on schedule.

He was no longer a useless cultivator, so naturally, he had to cultivate.

Although the system had raised his cultivation realm, cultivation was not merely about one's realm.

The cultivation granted by the system was not unstable, but it still lacked some of the foundation and techniques one ought to possess at that realm.

He still needed to cultivate on his own and stabilize his foundation before he could truly stand firm.

Lu Ze closed his eyes and slowly circulated the spiritual energy within his body, beginning to cultivate according to the Basic Cultivation Method taught to Outer Disciples.

He began to look forward to some senior or junior brother dropping a higher-tier cultivation method for him...

"Lu Ze! What are you doing?!"

Before he had cultivated for long, Lu Ze was forcibly interrupted.

Lu Ze opened his eyes in considerable annoyance and looked at the newcomer.

It was Wang Tai, the Artifact Forging Hall's second senior brother.

"Senior Brother Wang, what can I do for you?"

Lu Ze asked politely.

After all, they were fellow disciples. Basic courtesy still had to be maintained.

"You? Cultivating? Hehehe..."

Wang Tai made no attempt to hide his disdain and loudly rebuked him:

"Has the sun risen in the west? Don't you know what kind of aptitude you have? You're still at Qi Refining Initial after three years, yet you're putting on this act of working hard!?"

"Cultivation is the duty of every Spirit Cloud Sect disciple. What is wrong with that?"

Lu Ze shot back coldly.

Wang Tai had always disliked him.

During his time studying at the Artifact Forging Hall, Wang Tai had made things difficult for him more than once.

Though Lu Ze was careful and cautious in all things, he had never deliberately flattered anyone.

Whenever he did not need to indulge someone, he had always stood his ground.

That had been true when he had no system;

now that his fate had changed, it was even more so.

"You..."

Wang Tai was about to flare up when he seemed to suddenly remember something and ultimately did not continue.

"Forget it, forget it... Oh, right. A few days ago, I had you take charge of the Outer Disciples' movement technique illusion Trial. Who gave you that Illusion Crystal Stone?"

"You mean Demonic Path Escape?"

"Yes, yes, that one."

"I made it myself. Is there a problem?"

"Y-You made it!?"

Wang Tai stared at him as though he had seen a ghost, his face filled with disbelief.

He did not believe it one bit.

The Second Elder, who had asked him to investigate the matter, had said that the person who created that illusion possessed exceptional mastery of Spells and was skilled at bewitching people's minds. They were very likely a demonic path cultivator.

Are you exceptionally skilled in Spells?

Are you a demonic path cultivator?