Dao, Martial, Confucian, Immortal, Demonic, Ghostly

Xu Qing had no intention of answering the Blood Demon Desire Woman's question. If Xu Qing hadn't sensed the evil ghost mask's reaction to Yu Hu's aura beforehand and remained vigilant, Yu Hu would have likely died that night.

Moreover.

If Qing Lian absorbed the yin qi from the Extreme Yin Wood and then drained Yu Hu, she would definitely be able to escape Qingbei Town. At that point, the mastermind before him, this demoness responsible for the numerous casualties among the people of Qingbei Town, would escape justice and continue to roam free.

And also.

Xu Qing had encountered a lot of trouble recently, and all of it was inextricably linked to this Blood Demon Desire Woman. The two of them had actually been enemies for a long time.

"You don't want to die, do you?"

Xu Qing asked.

"Of course I don't want to die. Who in this world wants to die?"

Qing Lian responded quickly. "What exactly do you want?"

"Answer a few questions for me,"

Xu Qing said calmly. "I can consider not killing you."

"Ask away."

Qing Lian said.

"What's the background of the Blood Demon Cult?"

Xu Qing asked.

"You... you don't know about the Blood Demon Cult?"

Qing Lian was stunned for a moment.

"Speak."

Xu Qing's expression turned cold.

"The Blood Demon Cult is a well-known Demonic Cult throughout the entire Great Zhou Martial Kingdom, with influence spread across the entire Great Zhou Martial Kingdom. To the Blood Demon Cult as a whole, I can only be considered a mere underling." Qing Lian was answering Xu Qing's question.

"Oh."

Xu Qing mused, listening carefully to Qing Lian's description. The basic situation of the Blood Demon Cult was slowly taking shape in Xu Qing's mind.

If he had to describe it.

It was like the White Lotus Society on Earth, recruiting all sorts of capable people or those dissatisfied with the Great Zhou Imperial Court, believing in the 'Blood Demon,' and possessing vast influence.

The main tenet of the Blood Demon Cult was to overthrow the rule of the Great Zhou Imperial Court, establish a brand new dynasty, and ensure that the common people would no longer starve to death.

"Who else in Qingbei Town is a member of the Blood Demon Cult?"

Xu Qing asked.

"I... I don't know..."

Qing Lian shook her head. "The Blood Demon Cult has strict hierarchies. Lower-ranking members cannot contact higher-ranking members. Only when higher-ranking members contact lower-ranking members can contact be made."

"I just heard you mention Demonic Dao Ghost Cultivators."

Xu Qing said, "Tell me, besides the Martial Path, what other cultivation paths are there in this world? Like the Demonic Dao Ghost Cultivators you just mentioned."

"You..."

Qing Lian was stunned again.

Because.

The questions Xu Qing was asking were too simple, even basic. And Xu Qing controlled a true evil spirit, yet he knew nothing?

Or was it that.

These questions were just a test to see if she would tell the truth.

In the end.

Qing Lian still didn't dare to lie.

"In this entire world, there are a total of six main cultivation paths: Dao, Martial, Confucian, Immortal, Demonic, and Ghostly. The Blood Demon Cult primarily cultivates the 'Demonic Path'."

Qing Lian replied, "Within the Imperial Court, civil and military officials, and Confucian scholar-officials, primarily cultivate the 'Confucian Path'. Martial generals primarily cultivate the 'Martial Path'. The 'Daoist Sect' practices in seclusion, rarely seen in the world."

"The 'Ghostly Path' is mostly the 'Ghost Path'. The lost souls of the world cultivate the 'Ghost Path' and become 'Ghost Cultivators'. There are also 'Ghostly Oddities' born from tribulations, causing chaos in the world and difficult to eliminate."

"Finally."

"The 'Immortal Path' is also known as 'Qi Practitioners', those who eat qi, and immortal deities."

"Qi Practitioners claim that upon reaching the end of their cultivation, they can achieve 'eternal life'. Emperor Yuanwu, Zhou Di of the Great Zhou Martial Kingdom, listened to slander and, in pursuit of eternal life and the 'Immortal Dao of Immortality', caused the Great Zhou Martial Arts School and the Imperial Court to become corrupt, with treacherous officials in power, leaving the common people destitute and resorting to exchanging children to eat."

"You must know."

"There are no immortal dynasties in this world, and therefore no immortal emperors. Emperor Yuanwu, Zhou Di, was wrong from the very beginning."

"In the current era, we, the Blood Demon Cult, gather capable individuals from all over the world to overthrow the Great Zhou Martial Kingdom's Imperial Court and bring peace and prosperity to the common people."

"Heh heh..."

Xu Qing let out a cold laugh. "You built nine blood pools and refined Corpse Ghouls, killing so many innocent people."

"And now you tell me to let the people live and work in peace?"

"On the road to success, there will always be a certain amount of sacrifice. Their sacrifice is for future success, so their sacrifice is worthwhile," Qing Lian immediately retorted.

"So what is the true purpose of your Blood Demon Cult in Qingbei Town?" Xu Qing asked.

"This... I... I don't know..." Qing Lian shook her head.

In fact.

Qing Lian truly didn't know.

It was because she was merely following the orders of higher-ranking members, completing the tasks assigned to her.

"Are the six cultivation paths you mentioned the only ones under heaven?" Xu Qing asked again.

"These are the main cultivation paths. As for others, I'm not too clear. Even if there are, they definitely can't compare to these six," Qing Lian replied.

Afterward.

Xu Qing asked a few more questions, but he couldn't get any useful information from Qing Lian. She genuinely didn't know much.

He had initially thought Qing Lian was a big catch, but in reality, she was just a relatively special small fry for the entire Blood Demon Cult.

"C-can I leave now?" Qing Lian asked.

"Mm." Xu Qing nodded.

"..." Qing Lian's expression brightened.

Buzz!

She was about to transform into a wisp of smoke and escape.

Roar!

The next moment.

The Shaman Evil Ghost let out a roar, like a hungry tiger. It transformed into a cloud of gray smoke and pounced on Qing Lian.

"Ah!!!" Qing Lian let out a scream from the depths of her soul, glaring at Xu Qing with immense hatred. "You... you broke your promise! I curse you to a terrible death, a terrible death!!!"

However.

Qing Lian was quickly devoured by the Shaman Evil Ghost and could no longer curse.

Buzz!

With a thought.

Xu Qing controlled the evil ghost mask. The Shaman Evil Ghost turned into a wisp of gray smoke and merged into the mask. Xu Qing also quickly left the area.

Because.

The Shaman Evil Ghost had just informed Xu Qing that a powerful expert was rapidly approaching.

Just half a minute later.

Swish! Swish!

Two figures descended from the sky.

The scene zoomed in.

They were Deng Wanping, one of the nine commanders of the Yamen's Demon Extermination Agency, and Zheng Wanhai, the chief constable of the Yamen Agency. The two of them had arrived.

"We're late." Deng Wanping looked around, frowning. "The Chief Commander has been furious these past few days, scolding us for not finding anyone."

"Me too," Zheng Wanhai shrugged. "Can we be blamed for this? It's not like our two Chief Commanders couldn't catch that Blood Demon Desire Woman, and she got away."

"I heard that on the night of the incident, the county magistrate scolded the two Chief Commanders thoroughly."

Clearly.

Qingbei Town had been in a lockdown state, unable to enter or exit, for the past few days. If Xu Qing hadn't had the identity of a formal disciple of the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School, he wouldn't have been able to leave Qingbei Town.

Therefore.

The Demon Extermination Agency and the Yamen Agency had dispatched quite a few people to patrol at night during this period.

Zheng Wanhai and Deng Wanping were on patrol tonight. While on their rounds, they detected a strong surge of yin qi in this area, so they rushed over in a timely manner.

Unfortunately.

They were still a step too late.

By the time they arrived, the battle had already concluded, and Xu Qing had long since departed. Due to the concealment of the evil ghost mask, Zheng Wanhai and the others couldn't track Xu Qing's aura or trace his movements.

"Let's go."

Finally.

Zheng Wanhai and Deng Wanping exchanged a glance and could only choose to give up, leaving the area.

The scene shifted.

Inside Xu Qing's courtyard.

Bedroom.

At this moment.

Xu Qing had already removed the evil ghost mask and resumed his original appearance. He glanced at the sky, noting that it was getting late. He then lay down on the bed to sleep.

"Emperor Yuanwu, the Immortal Dao of Immortality, the Blood Demon Cult..."

Xu Qing mused, then shook his head. "Those are still too far from me; they're not things I can get involved with. Besides, I don't even know what's going on with all of this."

"The Blood Demon Desire Woman was just a small fry. Within Qingbei Town, there are definitely more deeply hidden members of the Blood Demon Cult. I just don't know what the Blood Demon Cult is trying to do?"

"Mm."

Xu Qing pondered, a decision already forming in his mind. "In a few more days, once Eight Extremities Fist is upgraded, I should be able to break through to the Transforming Force level."

"At that time."

"I can improve Azure Hawk Claw Force, bringing it to the peak Bright Force. That way, I can obtain more profound martial arts from Master."

The night passed without incident.

The next day.

Morning.

Xu Qing woke up early. As usual, after eating breakfast, he prepared to leave the city. Unexpectedly, Yu Chen and his wife, Wang Cuilan, rushed over holding Yu Hu.

"Brother Xu, you must save my child!!!"

"..."

Thump!

Yu Chen and Wang Cuilan knelt before Xu Qing. Yu Chen held Yu Hu in his arms. Yu Hu's face was pale, devoid of any color, his eyes tightly shut, and his brow furrowed.

Furthermore.

Yu Hu's hands and feet were ice-cold, as if they had lost their normal body temperature.

"This..."

Xu Qing pondered.

"What happened?"

Xu Qing asked.

"I... We don't know either!"

Yu Chen said, "Just this morning, when I called Hu Zi to wake up and entered the room, I found him in this state."

"Brother Xu, I... I don't know what to do, so I could only come find you. You must save Hu Zi! He... he is your disciple, after all!"

In fact.

The reason Yu Hu was like this was quite simple: it was because of what happened last night. Qing Lian's yin qi had entered his body, causing Yu Hu to become this way.

Since Yu Hu was just a child, he couldn't resist Qing Lian's yin qi invasion.

"Yu Chen."

Xu Qing pondered for a moment and then asked, "Doesn't this child Yu Hu always wear a wooden pai around his neck? Why isn't it there today?"

"Also."

"Where did the wooden牌 around Yu Hu's neck come from?"

The wooden sign.

Yu Chen was taken aback. He looked at Wang Cuilan and asked, "Cuilan, I remember you gave this wooden pai to the child on his tenth birthday, right? You said you got it from a temple for blessings. Tell me the truth, where did that wooden pai come from?"