Are You a Demon Path Cultivator?

The next day.

Lu Ze rose early.

For some reason, Glazed Fire Peak had grown crowded.

On his way to the Artifact Forging Hall, he heard countless disciples whispering.

"Did you see it last night? Who knows which expert broke through on the Back Mountain and caused such a spectacle!"

"How could I miss it? The sky was so bright I couldn't sleep."

"I heard the elders searched the Back Mountain all night and couldn't find a soul."

"What's the point of hiding like that?"

"I heard from a senior brother that no one broke through at all. The three True Disciples sparred on Glazed Fire Peak yesterday, and the Spiritual Energy they left behind lingered until some chance occurrence turned it into phantoms across the sky."

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

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

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

"Really? Even True Disciples like playing it?"

"I wouldn't say they like it. Apparently, only Senior Sister Li tried it, and she broke the record in one go—five thousand steps!"

"How many?? We Inner Disciples spent five whole days on the Trial without sleeping and still didn't reach four thousand... Senior Sister Li beat us in a day?"

"Not a day. One afternoon."

"Whoa! That's a True Disciple for you!"

"Where are the people who said cultivation level had nothing to do with the score? Gone quiet?"

"Huh? Senior Sister Li isn't at the top? Why is there a nickname instead of a real name?"

"Probably another True Disciple who doesn't want their identity made public."

"What about the third True Disciple? Why aren't they on the Leaderboard?"

"It's only an Illusion Realm Trial. It wouldn't be surprising if a True Disciple thought it beneath them and never went in."

"Fair point."

Lu Ze listened with relish.

Well, would you look at that. It's all about me.

He could barely keep the grin off his face.

So this is how good it feels to show off without anyone knowing!

As for the phantoms, he had no idea what had happened either.

But according to the ancient texts on the Myriad Manifestations Xuan Demon Immortal Physique, all things under heaven could be transformed into Dao Power. That was probably the reason.

But I've never watched those three Inner Disciples cultivate, have I?

Unless...

Realization suddenly struck Lu Ze.

Perhaps their deaths in Demonic Path Escape had automatically become nourishment for cultivating his Immortal Body.

That would explain it.

The phantoms of flowers, grass, insects, and beasts were probably left by the Outer Disciples.

As for the immortal or demon who commanded lightning across the sky...

That was probably the mysterious Grandmaster who gave him ten Demonic Value every time.

He did not know exactly what the phantoms were for, but surely they could not be anything bad.

Around him, the disciples were still discussing the True Disciples playing Demonic Path Escape.

One disciple said he had seen Senior Brother Zhong Yi's name appear one place above his own yesterday. Another scoffed that a True Disciple would never score on the same level as an Inner Disciple.

The two argued without end.

Most disciples sided with the latter.

They felt that, given Senior Brother Zhong Yi's lofty perspective, he would hardly bother with such entertainment.

Lu Ze nearly laughed aloud.

The diligent, upright Senior Brother Zhong they were talking about was probably in his own loft right now, having the time of his life playing Demonic Path Escape.

How did Lu Ze know?

Ever since he had woken up, notifications of Demonic Value +1.2 had kept ringing in his ears. Who else could it be but Zhong Yi?

An entire night had passed.

Yet Senior Brother Zhong's enthusiasm had not waned, nor had the rate at which he sent Lu Ze Demonic Value.

I really struck gold this time.

With the Outer Disciples' Illusion Realm cultivation period over, Lu Ze returned to his repair station outside the Artifact Forging Hall.

He was usually responsible for repairing ordinary Artifacts.

But most Artifacts were sturdy and rarely broke, so he generally had little to do.

Otherwise, he would never have had time to serialize so many novels at once.

He no longer needed to write. He had finished the latter half of The Return of the Condor Heroes long ago; all that remained was to publish it on schedule.

Now that he was no longer crippled when it came to cultivation, he naturally intended to cultivate.

The system had raised his cultivation level.

But cultivation was not just about one's level.

The cultivation the system had given him was solid enough, but he still lacked some of the depth and techniques that should have come with that level.

He needed to cultivate on his own and solidify his foundation before he could truly find his footing.

Lu Ze closed his eyes and slowly circulated the Spiritual Energy within him, beginning to cultivate according to the Basic Cultivation Method taught to Outer Disciples.

If only one of my fellow disciples would drop me a higher-level Cultivation Method...

"Lu Ze! What are you doing?"

He had not been cultivating for long when someone forcibly interrupted him.

Lu Ze opened his eyes, thoroughly annoyed, and looked at the newcomer.

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

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

Lu Ze asked politely.

Wang Tai was a fellow disciple, after all. Basic courtesy still mattered.

"You? Cultivating? Ha ha ha..."

Wang Tai made no attempt to hide his contempt as he loudly lectured him:

"Has the sun risen in the west? Don't you know how poor your aptitude is? Three years, and you're still at Qi Refining Initial. Who are you trying to impress by pretending to work hard!?"

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

Lu Ze shot back coldly.

Wang Tai had never liked him.

During his time studying at the Artifact Forging Hall, Wang Tai had made things difficult for him often enough.

Lu Ze was careful in everything he did, but he had never gone out of his way to flatter anyone.

When it came to things he would not put up with, he had always had a spine of iron.

That was how he had treated Wang Tai before he got the system;

now that his fate had changed, it was more true than ever.

"You..."

Wang Tai was about to lash out, but he seemed to remember something and stopped himself.

"Forget it... Oh, right. A few days ago, I put you in charge of the Outer Disciples' movement-technique Illusion Realm 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?"

"You... you made it!?"

Wang Tai stared at him as though he had seen a ghost, disbelief written all over his face.

He did not believe a word of it.

The Second Elder, who had asked him to investigate, had said the creator of this Illusion Realm was highly accomplished in Spells and skilled at bewitching minds. He was very likely a Demon Path cultivator.

Are you highly accomplished in Spells?

Are you a Demon Path cultivator?