The Truth

"A month... three thousand people to be our rations... we give ten jin... of essence blood... for cultivation, you... want to go back on your word?"

The demonic beast spoke intermittently.

Its physiological structure made it difficult for it to use language fluently like humans, but Gu Jinlai still understood.

"We give you three thousand people every month? And you provide ten jin of essence blood as cultivation resources?"

Gu Jinlai's gaze immediately shifted to Zhao Fan.

Zhao Fan froze, flustered, and said, "Sir, your subordinate was unaware of this. This might be the demonic beast's attempt to sow discord."

"Sow discord?"

Gu Jinlai turned his gaze to the other Meteor Guards. "Is it really just sowing discord?"

Zhao Fan gritted his teeth. "Sir, I... I only know that Wang Dongyu had dealings with the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect, handing over criminals, refugees, and vagrants to the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect in exchange for profit. I knew nothing about the demonic beasts, sir."

"Crimson Blood Demonic Sect."

This was a considerable force active within Xingzhou, with many Demonic Body Cultivators.

The Four Fiends of Xingzhou hailed from the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect.

Considering the nature of this sect, coupled with Zhao Fan's and the demonic beast's words...

The truth was becoming clear.

"Even if we assume you knew nothing, the best-case scenario is that the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect traded with the demonic beasts, you handed people over to the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect, and the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect handed them over to the demonic beasts..."

Gu Jinlai said.

It had become a whole industry!

No wonder he had always felt something was off about Lingxiao City.

Peaceful?

It could indeed be called peaceful!

But it was also unnervingly stagnant.

Furthermore, while demonic beasts plagued the areas around Starlight City and Changjun City, Lingxiao City, which was weaker than Changjun City, had the nearest demonic beasts three hundred li away?

Now it seemed it wasn't that Lingxiao City had good public order, but rather that Lingxiao City, the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect, and the demonic beasts, these three factions were colluding, using "people" as a means of transferring benefits, thus maintaining Lingxiao City's superficial peace and harmony.

"Indeed, each taking what they need."

"Whoosh!"

At this moment, the demonic beast seemed to realize that this group of people was not the same as the ones it usually traded with. It struggled and tried to break free.

Before it could disengage and leap away, Gu Jinlai had already lunged forward. He formed a hand seal, and with power no less than its own, he struck down, instantly crushing the demonic beast's head to dust.

After killing the demonic beast, he flicked the blood from his hands and uttered a word: "Refine!"

Zhao Fan's face turned somewhat pale.

He quickly gathered the Meteor Guards and consciously retreated.

For over a month, although Gu Jinlai had always had Gu Chaoyang exclude the Meteor Guards, the changes in the physique and aura of the thirty people, including Gu Chifeng, Gu Qingmei, and Gu Luochen, had led these Meteor Guards to guess what Gu Jinlai was doing.

Cultivating Demonic Body Cultivators!

Truly worthy of being a demonic prodigy.

However, even if they knew about such matters, they could only pretend not to. Otherwise, given the ferocity of the Old Demon Gu, it wouldn't be difficult for him to silence them all and kill them in the wilderness.

Three hours later.

Two more among the thirty had condensed demonic physiques.

With this, a total of eight people could be considered true Demonic Body Cultivators.

Each of these eight possessed combat power comparable to peak Qi Refining. If Gu Chaoyang, Nian Buwang, and a few others hadn't refined some pills and broken through to the Gang Condensation realm, they would have been slightly inferior to Gu Chifeng and the other eight in a one-on-one fight.

It was precisely because Demonic Body Cultivation yielded results so quickly that, despite the side effects like loss of control, spirit devouring, and even sudden death, people still flocked to the path of Demonic Body Cultivators.

"Return to the city,"

Gu Jinlai said.

He had to investigate this matter thoroughly.

What roles did the Meteor Guards, the major families of Lingxiao City, the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect, and the demonic beasts play in this?

The reason?

There was no grand, noble reason.

Handing over "people" to demonic beasts in exchange for Lingxiao City's peace?

He found such behavior intolerable!

That was all!

Lingxiao City.

It still possessed that air of tranquility, tinged with a certain desolation.

Even the main street rarely saw pedestrians coming and going.

Occasionally, carriages would pass by, belonging to the great aristocratic families, with over a dozen, or even dozens, of people escorting them as they paraded through the city.

When Gu Jinlai returned, the West City branch had essentially undergone no changes.

He paid no mind to others and immediately gathered the files pertaining to the Crimson Blood Demonic Sect.

The Crimson Blood Sect was one of the emerging forces, first appearing twelve years ago, founded by the Blood Refining Elder.

Shortly after its establishment, due to its excessively brutal methods, the City Lord of Changjun City suppressed it. Three thousand iron cavalry directly crushed the Crimson Blood Sect, and even the Spirit Refining realm Blood Refining Elder perished in that extermination campaign.

Since then, the Crimson Blood Sect transitioned from operating openly to covertly. In recent years, they had been active in cities like Changjun, Lingxiao, and Luori. Recently, they had embraced the path of Demonic Body Cultivators, and their influence had gradually grown.

Its sect leader, it was rumored, was the junior brother of the Blood Refining Elder from back then, who called himself the Scarlet Saber Ancestor. His physique had become so powerful that it was comparable to that of a Great Demonic Beast.

Precisely because of its formidable strength, and the fact that it rarely approached major cities like Changjun City and Baihe City, the Crimson Blood Sect had managed to evade punishment despite committing numerous atrocities in recent years.

"Sir, Zhao Fan requests an audience."

At this moment, a voice came from outside.

"Enter."

Gu Jinlai replied.

Soon, Zhao Fan pushed the door open and entered.

He looked at Gu Jinlai and asked, "Sir, are you planning to take action against the Crimson Blood Sect?"

"Shouldn't I?"

"If you truly intend to deal with the Crimson Blood Sect..."

Zhao Fan produced a document. "The matter of the Crimson Blood Sect is a complex web; I implore you to consider it carefully."

"Hmm?"

Gu Jinlai briefly perused the document.

This file actually involved the Crimson Blood Sect and the various major powers within Lingxiao City.

"This matter... is not as simple as it seems," Zhao Fan said, his tone heavy. "It's not just the Meteor Guard who are involved in dealings with the Crimson Blood Sect; the Wang Family, the Fang Family, and the Zhao Family are no exception."

"So, the entire Lingxiao City is implicated?"

"Yes."

Zhao Fan nodded gravely. "Even the City Lord's Mansion is no exception."

Speaking of which, he seemed to have made up his mind. "I heard a rumor that the reason the Crimson Blood Sect was able to rise from the ashes and cooperate with the three great families is related to the Second Young Master."

"The Second Young Master? Which Second Young Master?"

"Within Xingzhou, who else could be honored as the Second Young Master besides Qi Fenglei, the second son of the Provincial Lord Qi Zhongsheng?"

"Oh?"

"In this current era, the world is in chaos. Governing a province and commanding tens of millions of people is no different from being an uncrowned king. How could the Second Young Master be willing to hand over such great authority to the Eldest Young Master? He urgently needs to rally a powerful force to gain a voice in the impending changes."

Zhao Fan explained.

And when it came to rapid advancement...

What system could compare to the Demonic Body Cultivator path?

"Therefore, if you truly intend to investigate this matter, you must be prepared not only to offend the Meteor Guard and the Wang, Fang, and Zhao families, but also... possibly the Second Young Master."

Zhao Fan's tone grew increasingly grave.

Gu Jinlai roughly understood Zhao Fan's intention for coming.

He leaned back slightly. "So, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"Sir, please heed my advice," Zhao Fan said, looking at Gu Jinlai. "The waters in Lingxiao City run very deep; you cannot grasp them."