The Wild Path of Cultivating Demon Arts

The four treasures of cultivation were Dharma, companions, wealth, and land.

Land, namely a cave abode, was where cultivators lived and cultivated.

The highest-grade cave abodes were naturally blessed grotto-heavens.

A tier below that were mountains and rivers situated atop the main veins of spirit veins.

Ghost Demon True Person's Ghost Peak Mountain happened to have a spirit vein running beneath it, making it a genuine treasure land for cultivation.

However, the entire mountain was covered in formations that controlled the flow of spiritual energy.

The beginner disciples and outer-sect servants living at the foot of the mountain received none of its nourishing spiritual energy.

Only above the mountainside did spiritual energy drift out.

But powerful restrictions had been set at the mountainside, forbidding beginner disciples and servants from ascending to the summit.

At this moment, Lu Li held the Black Jade Token, passed through the restrictions, and finally set foot upon the mountaintop.

Spirit trees covered the summit, lush and emerald green.

Waterfalls cascaded from the mountaintop, their torrents plunging three thousand feet and carving out rainbow bridges one after another.

Beneath the sunlight, those rainbow bridges crisscrossed, linking palace after palace of white jade.

The sight resembled an immortal realm of the Heavenly Pool!

Standing here and gazing out at the rolling sea of clouds, the rising sun and falling moon, one instantly felt refreshed and at ease.

A trace of surprise flashed through Lu Li's eyes.

Living at the foot of the mountain, he had thought the summit, shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, was thick with ghostly qi. He had never expected such breathtaking beauty.

Still, choosing a cave abode came first!

Holding the Black Jade Token, Lu Li leaped into the air, bounding between branches as he shot toward a magnificent palace ahead where the spiritual energy was exceptionally dense.

But the moment he came within a hundred zhang of the palace, an invisible force struck him.

He was sent flying straight back.

At the same time, mysterious formation runes appeared before his eyes.

This cave abode already had an owner.

Lu Li did not mind. He turned and shot toward another palace.

But that one was occupied too!

After making a full circuit, he finally found an eight-story pavilion beside a waterfall and bubbling spring on the shaded side of the mountaintop.

The pavilion was not particularly large, only thirty zhang long and wide.

But after looking around, Lu Li discovered that the waterfall and spring had carved out a small pool below.

If he jumped from the pavilion window, he would land right in the pool.

The pool even held plump fish swimming within it.

This place was not bad.

Though the spiritual energy was a little thin, whenever cultivation left him tired in the future, he could jump straight out the window, swim in the pool, and catch fish to roast.

How delightful.

This was the one!

Lu Li did not hesitate further. After a few bounds, he landed before the pavilion, activated his mana, and poured it into the Black Jade Pendant in his hand.

Buzz.

The Black Jade Pendant trembled with a hum, flew from his hand, spun in midair, and emitted rings of black light that spread outward.

Soon, the pavilion's formation was activated.

The entire pavilion lit up.

The next moment, its doors and windows flew open with a crackling clatter, blasting out clouds of dust.

Even the leaves around it were swept away.

"Not bad. No need to clean."

Lu Li beckoned, retrieved the Black Jade Pendant, and pressed it to his forehead.

In an instant, the structure and functions of the cave abode before him became crystal clear.

The cultivation area was underground, where there was a Spirit Gathering Array.

The first floor was a reception hall, the second a Martial Arts Arena, the third a bedroom, the fourth a spirit pet room, the fifth an alchemy room, the sixth and seventh studies, and the top floor a Star Gazing Platform.

The entire pavilion was called the Star Gazing Tower.

Now, it was his!

The hundred zhang surrounding the Star Gazing Tower, as well as the mu of medicinal field behind it, were his as well.

"This truly is the difference between heaven and earth. Beginner disciples live in stone caves, while Core Disciples live in paradise!"

Lu Li secretly sighed in his heart.

Afterward, he walked inside and inspected it floor by floor.

Especially the studies!

It would be wonderful if I could find a Buddhist Sect cultivation technique!

Yet he found nothing at all.

Before leaving, the previous owner of the cave abode had taken everything that could be carried away, not even leaving behind a table, chair, or bed plank.

Forget it. Time to cultivate!

Lu Li went underground and entered the secret cultivation chamber.

Boom.

With a loud bang, the stone door of the secret chamber shut and the restrictions activated.

Then, he took out the Black Jade Pendant and placed it into a groove in the bluestone floor.

Buzz.

It gave a trembling hum.

Formation patterns across the floor lit up one after another, shining with five-colored radiance.

Afterward, wisps of spiritual energy rose from the Spirit Gathering Array.

Lu Li's expression turned solemn as he sat cross-legged.

"System."

With a silent thought, the system panel appeared.

Host: Lu Li.

Realm: First Layer Qi Refinement.

Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Third Layer (99%).

White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm: Fourth Layer (15%).

Spirit Ghost Phantom Step: Fourth Layer (2%).

His current task was to raise his realm and advance the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art to the fourth layer.

Then, he would devote himself wholly to cultivation.

Once he advanced to Golden Core, he could find an opportunity to escape Ten Thousand Demon Mountain!

At that thought, a sharp gleam flashed in Lu Li's eyes.

Right, the Ghost Raising Tower.

All of a sudden, he remembered the high-grade magic artifact Ghost Demon True Person had just given him and decided to refine it first, imprinting it with his own mark.

Thus, Lu Li took the Ghost Raising Tower from his sleeve and examined it carefully.

The Ghost Raising Tower was tiny, only half a palm in size. Its base was square, while its top came to a sharp triangular point.

It was also very light.

It weighed only about as much as a copper coin.

He had no idea what material it had been refined from. It was neither gold nor iron, neither stone nor wood.

"Can this thing really weigh thirty thousand jin when activated? And could there be something wrong with it?"

Lu Li was a little suspicious.

But on second thought, if Ghost Demon True Person wanted to harm him, there was no need to go through so much trouble.

So Lu Li directly bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed out tongue-tip blood. At the same time, he poured mana into the Ghost Raising Tower and began refining it.

Before long, his mana was exhausted.

The refinement process was only halfway complete.

The drawback of his low realm was immediately exposed.

Unable to do anything else, Lu Li could only absorb spiritual energy while taking out spirit stones to absorb, continuing the refinement.

Finally, two hours later.

The Ghost Raising Tower was fully refined!

A faint, nearly imperceptible connection linked him to the little tower.

If he continued refining it with blood in the future, he would soon be able to wield it as easily as an arm or finger.

But if he wanted to unleash the Ghost Raising Tower's full power, he would need to reach the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Refinement.

He still had to cultivate!

Lu Li's expression hardened. He took out Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art, along with its annotations, and began studying and contemplating them while recovering his mana.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, his mana had fully recovered.

Lu Li also completely understood the pros and cons of cultivating the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art.

This demon art was an advanced version of the Blood Devouring Demon Art. After cultivating it, one could condense a strand of Blood-Devouring Demon Light capable of devouring heaven-and-earth vital energy, five-element essence, and more.

Naturally, it could devour human blood as well.

At profound levels, it could devour everything.

But to cultivate quickly, one had to consume spirit blood. The blood of powerful cultivators or great demons was best.

Yet after devouring blood for a long time, a toxin would accumulate within the body, making one addicted to bloodlust.

In other words, the stronger the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art became, the stronger one's craving for blood would grow.

In the end, no blood, no joy!

"This demon art does not seem suitable for me either."

Lu Li frowned slightly.

But if he wanted to raise his realm, he could only rely on this demonic evil art. If he cultivated on his own and merely absorbed spiritual energy, it would probably take one or two months to break through to the second layer of Qi Refinement.

Too slow!

Hm? No, that was not right!

Devour heaven-and-earth vital energy?

Lu Li suddenly thought of something. His eyes lit up, and he rose to run out of the secret cultivation chamber and up to the Star Picking Platform on the top floor.

With practiced ease, he stripped off his clothes and lay down on an enormous jade bed.

Then, he began circulating the formula of the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture again, drawing in sunlight.

The system notification immediately sounded:

Because your entire body is in contact with Sun Essence, the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture is brimming with enthusiasm. Cultivation effectiveness has increased by another 100%!

Progress increased by 1%.

As the words fell, a stream of heat immediately arose from his dantian and circulated through his entire body.

Next, Lu Li withdrew his technique and switched to the formula of the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art.

Congratulations, Host. You have learned Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art.

In that instant, he successfully cultivated the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art.

A thread of cold, tyrannical yin energy also condensed within his Dantian Purple Mansion.

Without waiting for Lu Li's command, that thread of cold energy automatically caught up and devoured the thread of heat, strengthening itself.

Your Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art is delighted after devouring Five Elements Sun True Qi. Cultivation effectiveness has increased by 100%!

Progress increased by 1%.