Demons Emerge

The moment Zhou Qing heard that Ling Fei was a Kunlun disciple, his eyes lit up. Thoughts turned over in his mind. Kunlun's cultivation secrets had been passed down since ancient times; obtaining them would bring Zhou Qing immense benefits. Cultivators were not immortal—unless they reached the supreme realm of Spirit Refining and Returning to Emptiness, reversing their physical bodies to attain everlasting life. Even reaching the Spirit Transformation stage would merely extend one's life by another two or three hundred years.

But how could reaching the Returning to Emptiness stage be easy? Over the past several centuries, quite a few had attained the Spirit Transformation realm, yet not a single one had reached Returning to Emptiness. Without some heaven-shaking fortuitous encounter, proper cultivation alone would take at least five hundred years. Humans were unlike demons. Demons were not immortal either, but their lifespans were at least more than ten times those of humans.

Zhou Qing's lifelong wish was to break through into the Returning to Emptiness realm while he still lived and seek immortality. This was every cultivator's dream. Cultivators fought Heaven for time.

As for Shu Mountain, Zhou Qing not only had no favorable impression of it—he even bore a grudge against it. Naturally, he could not get too familiar with Xu Jiankong. Zhou Qing had formed no small number of enmities with Shu Mountain, though the other side knew nothing of them. If they grew too close, it would be difficult to turn hostile later. Besides, Shu Mountain's path of sword cultivation progressed somewhat quickly, but breakthroughs became difficult in the later stages. It was not a path of gradual and orderly advancement. Zhou Qing had already lost interest.

From the three men's conversation, Zhou Qing also learned quite a bit about the cultivation world. For the first time, he gained a complete understanding of the distribution of forces and the various sectarian lineages in China's cultivation world. He had benefited greatly. When Ling Fei and Xu Jiankong asked about the Overseas Independent Cultivators, Zhou Qing brushed them off with, "Our Heavenly Dao Sect focuses solely on secluded cultivation and never associates with outsiders."

During the conversation, Zhou Qing deliberately revealed his admiration for the Kunlun Sect and his favorable impression of Ling Fei. He declared that he would certainly visit Kunlun Mountain, making Xu Jiankong secretly anxious while Ling Fei was overjoyed. Kunlun's reputation truly still overshadows Shu Mountain's. Even rogue cultivators from overseas know that Kunlun stands a notch above Shu Mountain. After all, all cultivators under Heaven came from the Chan and Jie Sects. Of course they know Kunlun's illustrious name!

Xu Jiankong suddenly pulled a command token from his robes. "Haha, Fellow Daoist Zhou! The Elders of Shu Mountain have long praised the profundity of the Heavenly Dao Sect's arts. Why not come stay at Shu Mountain for a few days? Our two sects can discuss the Dao together. Fellow Daoist Zhou's cultivation arts are profound, and Xu Jiankong happens to have a few things he wishes to ask you about. This is a token of Shu Mountain. If Fellow Daoist Zhou wishes to travel about, our Shu Mountain disciples are spread throughout the land. Should anything arise, simply show this token, and our disciples will be able to help. Fellow Daoist Zhou's cultivation may be profound, but having lived overseas for so long, you are surely unfamiliar with worldly affairs. I hope Fellow Daoist Zhou will not refuse!" Xu Jiankong handed over the token.

One who shows undue courtesy is either a traitor or a thief! Zhou Qing cursed inwardly. Seeing how exceedingly enthusiastic the two were, he knew neither harbored good intentions. Though he did not know precisely what they wanted, he vaguely understood that Xu Jiankong was trying to win him over. Zhou Qing had no fondness for Shu Mountain, but one did not strike a smiling face—and besides, the man was offering him a gift. Since he claimed to be an Overseas Independent Cultivator, he might as well put on a convincing performance.

Zhou Qing immediately smiled. "Fellow Daoist Xu is too courteous. Since you have invited me so sincerely, I would not be right to decline. I have a small matter to attend to on the mainland this time. Once my worldly business is settled, I will naturally go stay at Shu Mountain for a few days. Shu Mountain's sword Dao is earth-shaking; I have long wanted to broaden my horizons. Then this trip to the Central Plains will not have been in vain." Zhou Qing had thoroughly immersed himself in the role. Even he admired his own acting skills. So I actually have a talent for acting. Who knew what thoughts were turning in Zhou Qing's head? Reaching out, he accepted the strange palm-sized token, its silver light flickering and misty clouds faintly flowing within it. His hand sank. Good heavens! This must weigh nearly a hundred pounds. It was actually forged from black iron. Shu Mountain truly had deep coffers; even its tokens were made into magical treasures.

The front of the token bore the two characters for Shu Mountain, written like silver hooks and iron strokes, with iron bones standing proud. Yet it carried a touch too much dominance and lacked some of the Sword Immortal's airy grace. On the back was a pair of crossed swords, one azure and one violet. There was no need to guess—they had to be Shu Mountain's mountain-protecting treasures, the Violet Firmament Sword and the Azure Lock Sword. Zhou Qing was an expert in artifact refinement. With only a brief glance, he knew this token was a small demon-subduing magical treasure. It contained a unique strain of Sword Qi that could not be counterfeited.

While Zhou Qing marveled at Shu Mountain's grand display, Ling Fei was frantic. Xu Jiankong had given Zhou Qing a token, yet Ling Fei had nothing comparable to offer. Among Shu Mountain's younger generation, Xu Jiankong possessed the highest cultivation and was also the Senior Brother. In recent years, the older generation had successively entered seclusion for cultivation, and Shu Mountain's sect master had entrusted most mundane affairs to him, seemingly intending to pass the position on to him. It could be said that Xu Jiankong's status in Shu Mountain was second only to the sect master's. He could make the decisions in matters great and small. Once Xu Jiankong broke through into the Transformation Stage, it would not be impossible for Old Daoist Qingxu of Shu Mountain to immediately pass the position on to him.

Ling Fei's position in Kunlun could not compare to Xu Jiankong's. Yi Yunzi still stood above him, and Kunlun had a whole host of martial uncles. Even if the position were to be passed down, the sect master's seat would absolutely never fall to Ling Fei. He could ask his master and martial uncles for help with certain matters, but it was not his place to make decisions for Kunlun.

With Xu Jiankong making this move, Ling Fei had boundless strength but nowhere to use it. He panicked inwardly. If Zhou Qing is drawn over to Shu Mountain, I truly will have no chance to turn things around. With a Spirit Transformation expert helping Xiang Hui, he'll be like a tiger that has grown wings. Killing a few demons at Qi Induction Late Stage will earn him a great merit. Once his position is secure, bringing him down will become difficult.

Seeing his expression, how could Zhou Qing not know what Ling Fei was thinking? He still needed to coax Kunlun's cultivation formulas out of him. How could he let this willing sucker slip away? He immediately played both sides, and the three continued talking for a while. He agreed separately with Ling Fei and Xu Jiankong that once his business was complete, he would visit Shu Mountain and Ling Fei's Lineage as a guest. Seeing that the sky was beginning to brighten, Zhou Qing quickly took his leave, transforming into a streak of clear light and soaring into the heavens. With the main figure gone, Xu Jiankong and Ling Fei no longer had any desire to fight to the death. After exchanging a few polite words, they scattered like birds and beasts.

Though Xu Jiankong was dissatisfied that Zhou Qing had also agreed to visit Ling Fei, he reconsidered. There was no need to rush this matter. So long as Zhou Qing came to Shu Mountain, there would be plenty of time to keep him there. He absolutely could not be allowed to become close to Kunlun. Spirit Transformation experts were not lumps of mud that could be kneaded out at will. In all of China's Daoist Sect, including the older generation, there were only a few dozen at most. Having forged such a good connection today, there would surely be benefits someday.

The vast ocean stretched boundlessly. At times, the winds were calm and the sunlight bright; blue seas met blue skies, seagulls wheeled in flocks, and whales broke the water—a true painting of the immortal realm. At other times, dark clouds crowded overhead, dense fog coiled about, and one could not see one's own fingers. Then waves surged up, muddy billows filled the sky, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and all life vanished. In the blink of an eye, it became a hellish scene. With its endless changes, even in this age of advanced science, humanity had the will but not the strength to fully explore the ocean's secrets. Human power was finite, while the power of nature's creation was infinite.

In the heart of the Pacific Ocean lay a stretch of sea several hundred li across, shrouded in dense fog all year round, where nothing could be seen. Even fleets passing nearby would vanish for no reason. The governments of several countries whose vessels had met disaster had dispatched people to investigate, but the fog was too strange. No scientific instrument could detect what lay within. Anyone who entered became dizzy and disoriented, unable to distinguish east, west, south, or north, making it fundamentally impossible to investigate the activity inside. Over time, some scientists explained it away as the effects of Earth's magnetic field, cosmic rays, and the like, and no one paid it any further attention.

But at this moment, a thin streak of blood-red light shot down from the horizon and landed upon the sea. Standing atop the rolling waves, it revealed its form. Who else could it be but the Tianxuan Blood Demon Zhou Qing had encountered in the Monster Alliance?