Zhao Huai had heard quite a bit about the Hope Immortal Sect's renowned name.
The sect had roughly ten thousand members, divided into Inner Disciples and outer disciples. This Miss Lu Wanqiu was likely an Inner Disciple, because only those who broke through to Foundation Establishment could enter the inner sect, be called elites, become the sect's backbone, and formally step through the gates of immortality cultivation.
Unlike the fists and kicks of Qi Refinement, which could only grasp a portion of the arts, Foundation Establishment was not merely a realm—it was a change in one's very level. Only by possessing magical power could one cultivate a great many spells.
"Miss, you seem to hate demons and monsters deeply."
Zhao Huai noticed the change in Lu Wanqiu's tone and casually brought it up.
Lu Wanqiu took out a pill from her Storage Ring and swallowed it at once. As she circulated her True Qi, she said, "When I was young, my entire household was killed by demons and monsters, so I became an orphan. If my master had not saved me, I would likely have died long ago. That is why I cultivate so diligently—to grow stronger, learn spells, descend the mountain, slay demons, and defend the righteous path."
Lu Wanqiu's tone was very calm. Clearly, she had long grown accustomed to such things.
When someone could speak of such matters so freely, it meant she had already let them go.
What replaced them was an unbroken, decisive will to act.
Zhao Huai did not dare imagine how many demons and monsters this woman, who appeared so cool and aloof, had slain with her own hands.
Everyone faced varying degrees of hardship from the moment they were born. Every fall along the journey brought terror. Only by climbing back up on one's own and growing strong within could one cast all of it aside.
Zhao Huai considered himself rather fortunate. He had the Golden Coin to guide his path, so he would not fall in this man-eating world.
After taking the pill, Lu Wanqiu's complexion improved considerably, and her expression seemed much more relaxed as well.
"My senior brother has already led people to clear out Jingyang Town, so you need not worry. We will resolve Black Wind Cave soon enough. Black Wind Matriarch and I injured each other badly; she will not be able to stir up trouble for some time."
Zhao Huai nodded lightly. He knew that demon slaying was her profession, so he might as well use the opportunity to ask for more information in case he encountered such things in the future. Thus, he asked curiously:
"Miss Lu said demons and monsters are divided into three kinds, but it seems I have never seen the second and third kinds?"
Lu Wanqiu did not think much of it. These were merely matters of common knowledge, so she answered:
"The other two kinds are ghosts and monsters. Some ghosts are formed from the resentment left behind after a person dies; these are called Evil Spirits. Others are things of nature that have gained sentience. We generally call those Strange Tales."
"You have not seen them because ghosts fear living yang energy and generally do not appear in places crowded with people. But in deep mountains and ancient forests, you may occasionally come across them."
Zhao Huai listened attentively and committed it all to memory.
"As for monsters, they are rarer. Unlike demons and ghosts, they retain some semblance of a human appearance while being utterly different from humans. They are a rather miscellaneous category. For instance, you may think of a cultivator who has gone astray in cultivation, lost their human side, and turned into a skeleton."
"That's too abstract."
Ghosts were easy enough to understand, but Zhao Huai truly could not make sense of monsters. They sounded like fallen Demonic Path Cultivators.
Lu Wanqiu's condition continued to improve, and her voice became more forceful.
"What happened to this man?"
She looked toward Li Yanqing on the bed and could not help asking.
"Why is the Demonic Qi on him so heavy? He is about to be refined into a human puppet."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai frowned. "The demon has not come, and he is still alive. Can he still become a human puppet?"
Lu Wanqiu replied as though it were obvious, "Of course. Human puppets are divided into two kinds. The first kind is completely dead and becomes a puppet of demons and monsters—that is the situation you described. The second kind still has life, but their brain has been entirely replaced. They become a complete part of a demon or monster and can serve as a second incarnation."
"The second kind differs from Human Changelings. Human Changelings still retain their own consciousness; it is merely that the seed of a demon or monster has been planted in their minds. Human puppets, on the other hand, have no thoughts whatsoever."
"This man is probably the second kind."
Zhao Huai said in surprise, "You mean he is about to die?"
"You could say that."
Lu Wanqiu nodded and continued asking:
"What happened to him? Judging by this Demonic Qi, the demon is about to step into the Foundation Establishment level."
Zhao Huai explained, "He went to a brothel and was entered by a Fox Demon. Demonic Qi invaded his body."
"Can you save him, miss?"
Yan Jing asked from the side.
"Simple. Just slay the demon," Lu Wanqiu said dismissively.
"There is no time to lose. Let's go."
"Wait, miss—your injuries."
Zhao Huai remembered that both Lu Wanqiu's meridians and physical body had suffered severe damage.
"I have already taken the sect's Spring Return Pill. My injuries are of no consequence, and my meridians have been repaired. It is only a minor demon, something I can kill in passing. Compared to Black Wind Matriarch, it is like a firefly beside the moon."
Lu Wanqiu waved her hand, a sharp glint flashing across her face.
To her, slaying demons was a mission, a duty.
Every one she could kill was one less in the world.
Zhao Huai and Yan Jing looked at one another. Clearly, her confident words had moved them.
To be honest, with a Foundation Establishment cultivator clearing the way, they truly would be unstoppable.
No minor demon should be able to withstand a single strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
At the Drunken Flower Pavilion, songs and dances flourished, while cups clinked amid lavish feasting.
Inside a private room on the third floor, a bewitchingly beautiful woman wore an exceedingly grim expression.
Before her lay ten human-skin masks, yet more than half had already become tattered and ruined. Clearly, they were unusable.
Four whole times!
She had fallen upon that young man four times!
The beautiful woman ground her teeth. As a demon, she had never suffered such failure before.
If not for that man, she would have succeeded long ago. Whether luring wealthy young masters or dealing with the Jin Province Governor, her plans had proceeded smoothly.
Who knew where that man had come from? Again and again, he had ruined her schemes. Not only had he destroyed her human puppets, but he had also disrupted her plan to control Jin Province.
"What did Grandma say?"
The Fox Demon woman asked the woman beside her.
The entire Drunken Flower Pavilion was now her territory. The original prostitutes had long been replaced by a group of little foxes.
The other Fox Demons replied respectfully, "Reporting to Your Highness, there has been no news from Grandma. She is likely dealing with the Hope Immortal Sect's cultivators. It must be said, Jin Province really is a hard cake to chew."
The Fox Demon woman said flatly, "Grandma is likely in grave danger as well. It seems tonight has ended in failure. It is time to leave. We cannot remain in Jin Province for long; the reckoning at dawn is about to arrive."
"We are leaving tonight, Your Highness?"
"We leave now."
The Fox Demon woman gave the order decisively.
"Yes. I will notify the other sisters."
"Boom!"
Before long, a tremendous crash suddenly sounded from downstairs.
One of her subordinates immediately burst through the door in panic, dropped to her knees, and reported, "Your Highness! A terrifying woman in white has arrived outside! The True Qi around her is truly dreadful—she has already beaten several sisters to death!"
"She is even questioning us, saying something like, 'Where is my husband?'"
"Her?"
The Fox Demon woman's eyelid twitched, as though she had recalled some unpleasant memory.
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