The Demonic Sect's Secret Manual: Heavenly Demon Zen Seal Method

Su Mansion

Inside the secret chamber.

Su Chen was swallowing enhanced Qi and Blood Pills to increase his blood qi and temper it.

Beneath his loose robes, Su Chen's muscles twisted and collided before settling back into stillness.

Vajra Primordial Force strengthened the body without changing its shape. Vajra Demon Splitter Cultivation Method, on the other hand, caused the body to swell with muscle as the blood qi collided. It involved blood qi, using it to drive the bones and alter one's physique.

That was why his muscles twisted and changed beneath his clothes.

Vajra Primordial Force had reached the fifth layer and was tempering his flesh and blood. At this stage, even small, superficial wounds could rapidly scab over.

As for Vajra Demon Splitter Cultivation Method, he was still practicing the first layer, but he could already perform the Vajra Shattering Form technique.

Without using blood qi or inner force, the strength of his palm alone could crush hard stones into powder.

After a while.

Su Chen slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

"My physique hasn't changed much, but my strength has increased considerably. Without relying on martial arts, just with the force of my fists, I could kill an Early Innate Stage opponent with one punch if they didn't dodge."

Su Chen thought to himself.

Then he rose to his feet. It was late, and he still had to meet Shangguan Ziyun.

Inner-force cultivation made time pass too quickly, so he decided not to practice any longer.

He opened the stone door.

A young man was dozing outside. At the sound of the door opening, he immediately came to.

"Xiao Wu, what are you doing here?"

Su Chen asked, puzzled.

"Steward Fu told this servant to wait here. If Young Master came out of seclusion, I was to report to him immediately."

The young man answered at once.

"Good. Go tell Steward Fu to come to the study. I'll wait for him there!"

Su Chen headed toward the study.

Having someone stand guard here meant something must have happened.

Before long.

Steward Fu arrived at the study.

"Young Master, people from Zitan Palace have arrived in Qingcheng City. There are three of them."

After entering, Steward Fu spoke up.

"People from the Mu Family of Zitan Palace have arrived in Qingcheng City. Have they come to our Su Mansion?"

Su Chen asked.

In the past, people from Zitan Palace had always stayed at Su Mansion, so he had to ask.

"They haven't come to Su Mansion this time. They rented a small courtyard not far away. While you were cultivating, they sent someone to say they'd visit our mansion tomorrow morning."

Steward Fu replied.

"Who are these three?"

Although Su Mengbai had ties to Zitan Palace, Su Chen's memories held little information about its people.

"Mu Chenfeng, the Mu Family's third master. It's said he's at the middle stage of the Refining Soul Realm. Then there's the legitimate daughter, Mu Qingxue, and Du Feiwu, the Iron-Armed Vajra."

Steward Fu explained.

"Middle stage of the Refining Soul Realm. Could he be the person Bai Tianyu encountered today?"

Su Chen wondered.

When Bai Tianyu had destroyed Lei Hall earlier that day, he had sensed a Refining Soul Realm expert.

From the looks of it, that must have been the Mu Family's third master.

"But they said they'd visit tomorrow. What are they after?"

Su Chen furrowed his brow slightly.

He was no longer the leader of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower.

By rights, he should be of no value to Zitan Palace. There was no reason for them to visit him.

"I know about this matter. Steward Fu, you handle the arrangements. Use the same reception standards as before?"

Su Chen nodded.

If he could establish contact with Zitan Palace, he was willing to do so.

Elsewhere.

Qin Hao and the others left the inn and returned to the courtyard where they had been staying.

Qin Hao and Qin Tianhan, their injuries somewhat recovered, sat in the main hall.

"Second Young Master, Bai Tianyu was invited down from the mountain by Ling Tianhe. As for the attack on the Lei Family, Su Chen paid for Bai Tianyu and Ling Tianhe to destroy the Lei Family and Lei Hall with his position as leader of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower."

"I haven't been able to find much information about Bai Tianyu so far."

"But word of the Blood Demon Flower has spread, and members of the Yang Family have appeared at Gathering of Sages Hall."

The sinister old man bowed as he spoke.

"The Yang Family has appeared at Gathering of Sages Hall. Looks like I'll have to visit Canteen Hall!"

Qin Tianhan said.

Aside from the official forces, Qingcheng City had five major factions. Vajra Temple, the Buddhist sect, was a special case.

Of the other four factions, Lei Hall had already been destroyed by Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower, and Gathering of Sages Hall had made contact with the Yang Family. If he wanted more information about Qingcheng City, he could only try to make contact with Canteen Hall.

"Second Brother, the Blood Demon Flower still needs a large amount of Voidspace Ore to ripen. Right now, the Voidspace Ore in Qingcheng City is in the hands of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower. You should get in touch with them."

Qin Hao said.

"Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower. I'll go see them after I visit Canteen Hall."

Qin Tianhan replied.

"Elder Lu, stay here and protect Third Brother. I'm going to Canteen Hall now!"

Qin Tianhan stood up.

Then, with a quick grab, he pulled the flag from the hands of the man behind him.

He strode out of the hall and vanished into the night.

"Third Young Master, take me to the secret chamber. I'll investigate while I'm there and see if the culprit left behind any clues."

The sinister old man bowed.

"Come with me."

Qin Hao nodded.

His face was still pale, but his expression had recovered somewhat.

Late at night.

The moon shone bright in a star-sprinkled sky. In the bamboo grove behind the rockery in the rear courtyard.

When Su Chen entered the bamboo grove, Shangguan Ziyun—or rather, Zi Hanyue—was already waiting there in purple.

Under the mottled starlight, a faint breeze stirred her purple robes.

From behind, her slender figure drew the eye.

But her build was somewhat different from Shangguan Ziyun's when he had seen her earlier.

Could Shangguan Ziyun and Zi Hanyue be different people?

Su Chen wondered, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

She must have had a way to change her figure. Otherwise, she wouldn't have openly posed as Su Mengbai's Second Madam.

Her face must have been different as well.

Su Chen steadied himself and stepped forward. Stopping a short distance from the figure, he addressed her back. "Should I call you Second Madam, or Zi Hanyue, Saintess of the Cold Moon Sect?"

"So it really was you with Liu Wumei in Qin Cui Mountain. You've made everyone underestimate you."

Zi Hanyue turned around.

A thin purple veil covered the lower half of her face.

Her features didn't look like Shangguan Ziyun's.

As for whether this was Zi Hanyue's true face, Su Chen couldn't be sure.

Still, her words confirmed his earlier suspicion: the Northern Commandery's plan had been set in motion for Zi Hanyue.

"May I ask why you summoned me, Miss Zi?"

Su Chen asked directly.

They weren't close, and there was no need for small talk. He went straight to the point.

"Su Chen, do you know why the Great Zhou has been hunting my Cold Moon Sect all this time?"

Su Chen wanted to get straight to the point, but Zi Hanyue didn't. Instead, she brought up this matter.

"The Cold Moon Sect was founded by an Imperial Daughter of Great Chu. Isn't it only natural for the Great Zhou to hunt you down?"

Su Chen asked.

"Great Chu fell three hundred years ago. My Cold Moon Sect poses no threat whatsoever to the Great Zhou today."

"They're still hunting us, not to wipe us out, but to seize the five secret sites left behind by the Great Chu Empire and held by our sect."

"The five secret sites contain the wealth and treasures left behind during the thousand years of Great Chu rule."

"Martial arts, pills, money, and everything else! Anyone who obtains even one site could rise to the top in a single leap!"

Zi Hanyue looked at Su Chen and spoke softly.

Her voice carried a bewitching charm, meant to disturb Su Chen's soul.

Without realizing it, Su Chen saw Zi Hanyue change before his eyes. Her figure grew alluring, her purple robes turned black, and she seemed poised to dance.

[Host has learned of the Great Chu Empire's secret sites. Reward: Demonic Sect Secret Manual—Heavenly Demon Zen Seal Method, 5 White Draw Cards.]

Just as his mind began to drift.

The reward notification sounded.

Su Chen's mind jolted back to clarity, and shock appeared on his face.