Demon Seduction Method, First Escort Mission

Filthy Heart Silver Fox? Enter the Dao with demonic essence?

Just looking at those words, Li Cunxiao felt an indescribable evil strangeness. Yet the further he read, the tighter his brows knit.

"The strength of man has limits, while Demonic Power is unfathomable as gods and ghosts, changing in ten thousand ways."

"Martial arts are the refinement of demon flesh and blood into medicinal guides, consumed to unite with the Demon in the Heart."

"Turning the void into reality, planting demons within the heart—this is the beginning of martial arts, not the beginning of mankind. Since martial arts were founded, it has always been thus."

Since martial arts were founded, it had always been thus?

Li Cunxiao looked at the oath-like certainty in the manual's author's words. The man clearly regarded this method of planting demons as orthodox. Thinking of his own reaction after consuming Demon Meat, Li Cunxiao immediately believed it seven parts out of ten.

At the same time, he vaguely understood why neither escort agencies nor martial halls ever spoke openly about realms above Blood Qi.

Because if this manual was right, then the only way for martial artists across the land to grow stronger was to consume demons, refine demons, and even plant demons in their hearts. Wouldn't stronger martial artists become more and more like demons?

If such a thing spread, how could ordinary people still live their days in peace?

He still remembered why Huang Chao, the Sky-Soaring General, had possessed such fearsome prestige that he could stop children from crying at night. Rumor had it that after every siege Huang Chao took, if provisions ran short, he would use living people as army rations.

Back then, Li Cunxiao had paid it no mind and had even considered it a rumor. But thinking of it now sent a chill through his heart.

"But if martial arts have only this one road to follow..."

"Alas, overthinking is useless. I can only take one step and see the next. At least I have the Vajra Scepter with me. I needn't fear truly becoming a Humanoid Demon."

Li Cunxiao knew that he was the sort to think too much while knowing too little. Perhaps those great orthodox sects possessed some Demon Subduing Method?

Blades and swords held no good or evil; people did. He could not condemn everything with a single stroke.

After steadying his mind, he looked again at the sixteen illustrations below. This time, instead of skimming them casually as before, he read them carefully with the intent to learn.

According to the book, this palm technique called the Pure Yang Sixteen Hands was Low-grade Martial Arts.

The manual's author did not elaborate, only emphasizing that any martial art without a Demon Seduction Method and a corresponding Great Medicine as a Guide was beneath notice.

The principle of the Demon Seduction Method lay in using all manner of extreme means to drive a martial artist's body and mind to the brink. Amid assault from within and without, the martial artist had to retain a thread of clarity and visualize a demon according to a Visualization Diagram.

The Demon in the Heart was a thought, not something real. A demon newly lured forth was only an illusory thing, poised somewhere between imagination and reality, incapable of affecting the martial artist's physical body in turn.

At that point, a Great Medicine as a Guide was needed to make the martial artist's body undergo mutation first—"using this extraordinary place as a dwelling for the demon."

Once the demon permanently resided in body and mind, the Demon Seduction Method was considered complete. The martial artist would then break through Blood Qi and enter the realm of Tendons, Bones, Skin, and Flesh.

The so-called Tendons, Bones, Skin, and Flesh was an abbreviation for tendons, bones, skin, and flesh. It meant that in this realm, a martial artist's body would be strengthened by Demonic Power. Or rather, mutated?

"The Pure Yang Sixteen Forms are secret arts of the bedchamber, a method of Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation."

"When luring the demon, one must find a virgin of sixteen whose Primal Yin remains unbroken. One must also consume Potent Aphrodisiacs oneself, letting the mind drift and the blood surge..."

The manual's author described it in painstaking detail. For a moment, Li Cunxiao nearly thought he was reading an erotic tale.

After finally finishing it with a critical eye, he summed it up in two words:

Stopping at the Brink.

At the limit of physical impulse, in the crack between heaven and hell, one repeatedly tested the boundary while visualizing the demonic aberration known as the Filthy Heart Silver Fox.

If successful, then from that day forward, Diao Chan would rest upon one's waist, and kidney water would flow like rivers. Ahem. As they said, Kidney Qi connected to the ears.

Once the great work was complete, the martial artist's hearing would nearly rival that of wolves and hounds. In addition, they would gain a trace of the Filthy Heart Silver Fox's Charm Power, while their features would become even more handsome.

But correspondingly, if one slipped up during the process of Stopping at the Brink and leaked even the tiniest bit of primal yang, then under the impact of raging Blood Qi and Tiger Wolf Great Medicine, one's most vulnerable part might explode outright.

With good luck, one could still become a eunuch. With bad luck, one would die on the spot.

"Hiss..."

Li Cunxiao sucked in a cold breath. Remembering Cui Yao's earlier warning, he immediately understood why Cui Yao had said that failing a breakthrough was worse than death.

It was either great success or utter defeat. This was a Demonic Art through and through.

He immediately grew even more eager to obtain an Internal Cultivation Method and cultivate Tiger Form Fist.

"So many descendants of inner-city lineages are rushing to learn it. That is enough to prove Tiger Form Fist's safety is unrivaled in Chuqiu County."

"It is only three escort missions. During that time, I can likewise accumulate the Vajra Scepter's Obstacle-Breaking Power. Once I obtain the method, I can break through immediately and should achieve a result that shocks everyone."

"At that time, even the Chief Escort ought to take my talent seriously, right?"

Thinking of the confidence the Vajra Scepter gave him, Li Cunxiao felt much more at ease. He had not had time to inspect it after dealing with the Green Snake Gang, so now was a good time to see how much the charge had increased.

Within his mind, the lower portion of the Vajra Scepter glowed faintly gold. It had risen to a point a little beyond one-quarter, nearly reaching the Lotus Seat.

One-quarter? Hm?

Li Cunxiao's brows suddenly furrowed.

Why was it only one-quarter?

Zhao Heishe alone had previously given him one-quarter of a charge. This time, he had dealt with five people. Why was it even less than before?

Five people were not worth one person? Could Zhao Heishe have been some Human-Demon Hybrid?

"No, I hadn't even practiced martial arts at the time. Zhao Heishe barely resisted before I ambushed and killed him."

A flash of insight suddenly crossed his mind.

That was right. When he killed Zhao Heishe, he had not yet practiced martial arts. Like Zhao Heishe, he had been an ordinary person.

The Green Snake Gang members he had killed today were also ordinary people. They had merely fought more often and knew a few clumsy tricks, while he himself was already a martial artist capable of manipulating Blood Essence.

Did killing low-level monsters after leveling up yield less experience?

Then what about Demon Meat?

Li Cunxiao did not dare delay. He hurriedly took out the two kinds of Demon Meat he had bought at the black market and sampled them one after the other. Half an hour later, feeling the Blood Qi surging through his body and the steadily growing golden radiance on the Vajra Scepter, he finally let out a breath.

After gaining the ability to manipulate blood essence, the charge contributed by Demon Meat had indeed decreased, but not by much.

The unprocessed Demon Meat gave a little less than one-eighth, close to one-ninth.

The Demon Meat bought from the Firewood Gang's shop gave roughly one-fourteenth, a little less than the previous one-twelfth.

Moreover, after advancing in Blood Qi, he could clearly feel that his body's capacity had increased. In other words, the vessel holding his Blood Qi had become larger and sturdier. The Demon Meat he could consume in a day had risen from one tael to two.

Actually, he had originally been able to eat two taels a day. But after consuming it, although his mind was unaffected, the Blood Qi within him was simply too abundant to dissipate. It would not do to work in the escort agency with a hard-on the whole time. That would be far too embarrassing.

"There are still one jin and four taels of Demon Meat from the stall, and another nine taels from the Firewood Gang's shop."

"...Hm, that should be about enough to fill it once more."

"I just wonder how much the Demon Meat's effect will weaken after the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi. Demon Meat... no, demons should have ranks too, shouldn't they?"

"The higher-ranking demons should have more Killing Intent in their flesh and blood. But that probably isn't something those street-stall vendors can get their hands on. Does that mean I still have to go to the Firewood Gang's shop? That price..."

Thinking of the price of thirty taels per jin, Li Cunxiao fell silent.

Looking at it this way, doing a few escort missions to save up some money was not a bad thing. Murder and arson might bring golden belts, but do it often enough and trouble was bound to come knocking.

He was only an escort master now, not an escort chief. It was better to keep a low profile.

Over the following days, everything remained peaceful.

During the day, Li Cunxiao practiced staff techniques and staff formations with the other escort masters at the agency. After they finished work, they would go for drinks together and become familiar with one another. They would be traveling on escort missions together, after all, so there was no harm in building good relations.

Li Cunxiao might have been beneath Cui Wei's notice, but among a group of escort masters in their twenties and thirties, he stood out like a crane among chickens.

He was not yet eighteen, yet he had learned to manipulate blood essence in less than a month of martial training. His companions were all exceptionally warm toward him.

After all, at their age, they were still circling around the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi and Major Circulation. They had long since given up hope of breaking through to Blood Qi Perfection.

Especially for those who had already started families, most wanted to forge a good bond for their children.

What if Li Cunxiao truly entered the Chief Escort's ranks?

Those young masters of the inner city were beyond the reach of these men, but was there not one within reach right before them?

Yet no matter how enthusiastic an escort master was, the moment the subject turned to Internal Cultivation Methods, he would immediately shut his mouth and keep his secrets with extreme care.

Li Cunxiao could not help secretly admiring Zhang Lishi. Governing an escort agency like this took more than brute strength.

Meanwhile, with the help of the escort agency's steward, Li Cunxiao successfully found a satisfactory residence on a street near the agency.

The house had one entrance and four rooms: a storefront, a reception room, a bedroom, and a kitchen. Considering that his younger brother Wood Fork would occasionally return home, Li Cunxiao added some silver and had a small room built between the bedroom and the neighboring kitchen.

Naturally, he also had to buy some furniture. All told, he spent around twelve or thirteen taels of silver. Thankfully, no one in this ancient dynasty speculated on housing, or Li Cunxiao had no idea how long it would have taken him to own a home of his own.

When Wood Fork returned home afterward, he was indeed overjoyed. After Zhang Yuelu learned of it, she even specifically allowed Wood Fork to return home three times a month. Compared with the other maids and servants, that was already quite generous.

Li Cunxiao still did not know that she intended to promote him to some extent. He simply continued practicing and eating meat, while the Vajra Scepter's charge steadily increased until only the final sliver remained before it was full.

Then, as the fifteenth day of the ninth month approached, his first escort mission finally arrived.

"...Brother Li may not know this, but the Wolf Gang men had barely found the Green Snake Gang's courtyard when they were immediately blocked by constables who had come out for drinks."

"It is said that every one of the Green Snake Gang members had been fed laxatives before having their throats slit. Sigh, these hooligans and ruffians truly are cruel and vile."

As He Bi spoke, lingering fear remained in his heart. Thinking of how he himself might have been decapitated while shit and urine flowed everywhere, with others witnessing such an ugly state, he felt he would rather end himself quickly.

Li Cunxiao listened without a change in expression and agreed aloud.

"Killing someone is no more than a head hitting the ground. Such methods indeed prove that the Wolf Gang is no good either."

"However, I heard that the reason these two gangs fought so fiercely was over some kind of manual. I wonder whether that is true?"

"Hard to say. This sort of thing is already commonplace. I would guess it came out of the black market. But even if the Green Snake Gang got a manual, with their level of illiteracy, they would probably be unable to understand it."

"Still, the Wolf Gang has fallen into the hands of those cruel officials this time. Unless they shed a layer of skin, they should not dream of leaving prison."

"The King of Hell is easy to pass, but his little devils are hard to deal with. Those petty county officials do not care about innocence or facts. Who knows how many people they have driven to financial ruin?"

Upon hearing that, the last trace of worry in Li Cunxiao's heart dispersed like smoke.

The two spoke as they walked. Once they crossed the training grounds and reached the escort agency's side gate, they saw carriages, goods, escort banners, loudly laughing and cursing escort masters, stewards shouting repeated urgings, and workers endlessly rushing about to load cargo. This escort mission was about to set off.

"Brother Li, travel safely."

He Bi cupped his hands. Li Cunxiao could not help laughing at his earnest manner and returned the gesture.

"Brother He, don't worry. It is only a short escort mission. I'll be back in two days, and then I'll tell you some interesting tales from the journey."

"I would be honored."

After exchanging a few more words, Li Cunxiao turned and went to the steward to collect his weapons and equipment for the escort mission.

Though the twilight years of the dynasty had arrived and chaos loomed across the land, with all manner of prohibitions gradually becoming empty words, the Flying Tiger Escort Agency was still not wealthy enough to equip every man with iron armor and a heavy crossbow.

It was not that Zhang Lishi did not want to. These military contraband items had always been exorbitantly expensive. Moreover, many ambitious men sought to carve out their own domains, and everyone was competing for craftsmen and mineral deposits. Chuqiu was, in the end, merely a small county town.

One set of half-body armor made from cured cowhide, one Ironwood Staff brushed with tung oil, and one Mountain-Cleaving Saber. That was everything.

Cowhide Armor was made by removing hair, hardening the leather, applying several coats of lacquer, then cutting and linking the pieces together. It was soft, fitted close to the body, and lightweight. Worn beneath a round-collared robe, it was concealed and did not hinder movement.

Though it was only leather armor, unless pierced by a spear or arrow, ordinary sword and saber strikes could not break it. Against fists and kicks, its cushioning effect was even stronger.

The staff was made from ironwood, a particularly hard wood. After being coated in tung oil, an ordinary person could not easily chop it apart with a blade. Both ends of the two-meter staff were fitted with iron sheeting and rivets. A blow to the head would certainly be fatal.

As for the Mountain-Cleaving Saber, it was not really a weapon. It was for clearing paths or chopping firewood. The Official Roads of an ancient dynasty were nothing like the asphalt roads of modern society.

Once the escort masters and escort chiefs were all ready, the carriages carrying the goods slowly rolled out of the escort agency.

For the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, this was merely an utterly ordinary cargo escort mission. Thus, no important figures came to see them off; only the escort masters' relatives gathered in twos and threes to bid them farewell.

Li Cunxiao carried his long staff as he walked beside the Escort Carts. Suddenly hearing someone call him, he turned and saw Wood Fork in the crowd, face flushed as he waved both hands vigorously. Not far behind him stood a bored Que'er and several maids.

Qin Yu was also among the crowd.

From afar, he watched his former roommate. A bright red headband was wrapped outside Li Cunxiao's black headscarf; a belt cinched his white narrow-sleeved round-collared robe; black leather boots covered his feet. He looked imposing and heroic.

Envy nearly overflowed from Qin Yu's eyes.

Once upon a time, they had eaten and lived together on the same communal sleeping platform. Yet now, someone else was already able to go on Escort Missions, while he could only load and unload goods from the Escort Carts.

Qin Yu secretly made up his mind. Once this escort mission returned, whether through treating him to a meal or giving him gifts, he would definitely ask Li Cunxiao to teach him his experience in manipulating Blood Essence.

But...

When his gaze inadvertently landed on the richly dressed He Bi, Qin Yu could not help growing uneasy again.

Did Li Cunxiao still think the things he could offer were worth looking at?