Mount Sumeru

Li Xuan and the four men quickly flew into Black Marsh Mountain.

Under the watchful eyes of numerous demonic underlings of the Demon Cult, all at the Mystic Immortal level,

they entered a cave in Black Marsh Mountain.

The cave was brightly lit. The first thing they saw was a black banner bearing the words "Demon Cult Black Marsh Altar."

Seated directly above it was a lean man.

His face was cold and stern, his gaze exceptionally sinister as he wolfed down fresh flesh.

This man was the Black Marsh Altar Master.

He was a black serpent who had attained human form, and the fluctuations of his cultivation indicated that he was a Golden Immortal.

"Greetings, Altar Master!"

Li Xuan and the four men approached. The four of them bowed to the man first.

Seeing this, Li Xuan also bowed slightly. "I'm Huang Feihong. It's a pleasure to meet you, Altar Master!"

The Black Marsh Altar Master raised his head slightly and gave Li Xuan a sinister once-over.

"Altar Master, this fellow Daoist is Huang Feihong. He cultivates in Foshan and has come today to join our Demon Cult. What do you think?"

The leading cultivator among the four stood up and introduced Li Xuan with a broad smile.

The Black Marsh Altar Master studied Li Xuan for a while, then said coolly, "You've come at just the right time. The Cult Master's decree arrived today. From now on, every living being our Demon Cult encounters is to be slaughtered! We're no longer accepting recruits!"

"Altar Master, why is that?"

The four men were puzzled by the Black Marsh Altar Master's words and asked in confusion.

The Black Marsh Altar Master gave a cold laugh and glared viciously at Li Xuan. "The Cult Master has obtained a supreme treasure of heaven and earth. The Demon Cult is destined to flourish! The Cult Master has already ordered us to attack the east and bring the entire Primordial Wilderness under our rule! Those living beings will all become food for our Demon Cult's followers! Why would we let them join?"

Li Xuan seemed to have been frightened by the Black Marsh Altar Master.

He hurriedly bowed his head, not daring to meet the man's gaze.

But the corners of his mouth were practically curling up to his ears...

He was utterly disdainful!

There were countless beings in the Primordial Wilderness. You really think you can eat them all?

You're all doomed...

"Excellent! Excellent! Hahaha! The Demon Cult is finally going to war!"

The other four men were fired up, brimming with excitement.

"Enough. Let's get ready and set out."

The Black Marsh Altar Master nodded indifferently.

Then he looked at Li Xuan. "You're Huang Feihong, right? There's no need to worry. Since you came today, it must be fate! I, the Altar Master, will accept you into the cult. From this moment on, you're a follower of the Demon Cult's Black Marsh Altar!"

At that, Li Xuan quickly wiped the disdain from his face and replaced it with delight.

He looked up and called out, "This subordinate thanks you, Altar Master!"

"Good! Come with us, then!"

The Black Marsh Altar Master was pleased with Li Xuan's attitude.

He nodded, then stood up.

With an air of pride, he declared, "Today, the followers of the Demon Cult will gather at Mount Sumeru! We'll be inspected by the Cult Master! Then we'll attack the Mystic Gate!"

"Attack the Mystic Gate!"

The four men shouted excitedly.

Li Xuan had no choice but to raise his hand and join in the cheering.

Attack the Mystic Gate...

A short while later.

The Black Marsh Altar Master, accompanied by his four Grand Unity Mystic Immortal subordinates and his newly recruited Grand Unity Mystic Immortal subordinate, Li Xuan,

as well as dozens of lesser cultivators at the Mystic Immortal level,

left Black Marsh Altar in a grand procession and headed for the main branch of Magic Cloud Branch.

The Demon Cult's Magic Cloud Branch governed thirteen altars within a radius of thirteen million li.

Black Marsh Altar was one of the most remote and least populous altars.

If not for the Black Marsh Altar Master's Golden Immortal cultivation,

Black Marsh Altar might have been swallowed up by the other altars.

Because they were so far away, they were the last to arrive at Magic Cloud Branch.

As a result, the Black Marsh Altar Master was reprimanded by the Magic Cloud Branch Master, a powerful Grand Unity Golden Immortal at the third tier.

But soon, the branch master led his thirteen altar masters and several thousand followers toward Mount Sumeru!

Among those several thousand, Li Xuan was utterly unremarkable.

Grand Unity Mystic Immortal cultivation?

There were over a hundred cultivators at that level here!

Li Xuan was perfectly happy to go along with it, flying to Mount Sumeru with everyone else.

Surely that birdbrain Luohu won't spot me at a glance among millions of followers, right?

But as they flew,

an old man who looked like a Grand Unity Mystic Immortal quietly moved up beside Li Xuan.

Naturally, Li Xuan noticed.

But he could only pretend not to.

Once the old man drew near, he took the initiative and asked quietly, "Fellow Daoist, I don't recognize you. Did you just join Black Marsh Altar?"

Li Xuan didn't quite understand what was going on, so he replied, "Ah, I did indeed join only recently..."

"May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?"

The old man smiled again.

"Uh..."

Li Xuan wondered if the old man was a little too familiar.

But it would have been awkward not to answer, so he said, "This humble Daoist is Changshan Zhao Zilong..."

"Changshan Zhao Zilong... That's a fine name."

The old man nodded in approval when he heard it.

Then he introduced himself. "This humble Daoist is Ku Wa of Wushan Altar."

"Um... Fellow Daoist Ku Wa, is there something you need?"

Li Xuan felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, would you be interested in joining Wushan Altar? Our altar master is a Golden Immortal at the peak of his cultivation. We control many Spiritual Veins, and our territory is far better than the barren wasteland around Black Marsh Altar..."

Li Xuan finally understood.

So after all that, the fellow was trying to poach him?

Li Xuan immediately replied with righteous conviction, "I, Changshan Zhao Zilong, put loyalty first. Since I've joined Black Marsh Altar, I'm one of its followers. I appreciate your kind offer, but I, Zhao Zilong, will never betray my principles!"

Hearing such an impassioned speech, Ku Wa was momentarily at a loss.

He could only wave a hand and say, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, you truly are... loyal. Forgive me for disturbing you."

With that, he turned around and flew back to where he had been.

He began pointing at Li Xuan and muttering with a group of Grand Unity Mystic Immortal cultivators from Wushan Altar, occasionally letting out a snicker.

Clearly, they had already decided that this Zhao Zilong was a complete idiot...

They continued onward.

After flying for most of the day with this painfully slow group of Grand Unity Mystic Immortals,

a towering black silhouette suddenly appeared on the horizon ahead.

It was an incomparably enormous mountain!

In the ancient Primordial Wilderness, there were two great mountains, one in the east and one in the west. They were the tallest mountains in the entire Primordial Wilderness!

The eastern one was called Buzhou.

The western one was called Mount Sumeru.

Later, during the Mystic-Demon War, one mountain was completely destroyed in the fighting.

The other was broken in half by Ancestor Witch Gonggong.

Buzhou Mountain was steep, cold, and low in spiritual energy.

As a result, no powerful beings went there to claim it.

After all, aside from its height,

Buzhou Mountain didn't seem to have any other advantages.

So even Hongjun had chosen Kunlun Mountain as his cultivation site instead of Buzhou Mountain.

But Mount Sumeru was different.

Mount Sumeru was tall and stable, with an exceptionally rich concentration of spiritual energy!

And as it pierced heaven and earth, it was surrounded by countless laws of the Great Dao!

It was a supreme cultivation ground.

So it became the cultivation site of Demon Ancestor Luohu.

It was also the heart of the Demon Cult!

Li Xuan's group numbered several thousand, the followers of a single branch, and was considered one group.

But from all directions, there were countless more groups, numbering at least several thousand.

All were advancing toward Mount Sumeru in grand processions!

The Demon Cult had seven hundred and twenty branches!

Magic Cloud Branch was one of the weakest!

Looking at the enormous mountain, Li Xuan's lips curled up slightly.

Mount Sumeru. He had finally arrived.