The Path to the Innate Realm, the Fire Worship Cult's Recruitment

"Run, quickly!"

The two Red Wolf Deputy Commanders jolted awake and turned to flee into the distance.

They knew full well how terrifying Zhou Qing was. Even Fang Yuan, who had comprehended a Sword Intent Seed, had not been his match. If they stayed, they would immediately follow in Fang Yuan's footsteps.

The two used their lightness skills and fled in separate directions.

"Only thinking of running now? Too late!"

Zhou Qing's gaze was cold. With a flicker of his body, he appeared behind one of the Red Wolf Deputy Commanders like a ghost. The Mysterious Iron Saber in his hand slashed out, and a wave of icy power instantly enveloped him.

The Red Wolf Deputy Commander felt only a bone-piercing chill descend upon him. His entire body seemed to have fallen into an ice cellar, and even his movements as he fled became sluggish.

As the slash fell, Freezing Momentum invaded the Red Wolf Deputy Commander's sea of consciousness as well, freezing even his thoughts in that instant.

The Red Wolf Deputy Commander's reaction was half a beat too slow. It was as though he stood there without moving, allowing Zhou Qing's saber to come down upon his head.

Zhou Qing's perfected Freezing Momentum had not been a match for Fang Yuan's Sword Intent Seed, but against an ordinary First-rate Martial Artist, it was more than sufficient.

Though this Red Wolf Deputy Commander was fairly capable, he was merely at the Houtian Eighth Layer, not even a Peak First-rate Martial Artist. Before Zhou Qing, he was like an ant, utterly unable to withstand a single blow.

With one slash, his head was severed and sent flying high into the air. Terrifying cold instantly froze the wound shut, and not a drop of blood splashed out.

The other Red Wolf Deputy Commander was frightened out of his wits at the sight, and his fleeing speed increased by several degrees.

Yet Zhou Qing followed him like a shadow and caught up in an instant.

Pfft—

With one slash, one of the fleeing Red Wolf Deputy Commander's legs was cut off. His body instantly lost its balance, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

"Do you know why I didn't kill you?"

Zhou Qing walked up before the Red Wolf Deputy Commander and looked down at him.

"You want to know how to enter the Innate Realm!" A glimmer of hope flashed in the Red Wolf Deputy Commander's eyes, like a drowning man clutching at a life-saving straw. His voice trembled as he said, "I'm willing to tell you, as long as you don't kill me."

"At least you know what's good for you." Zhou Qing said blandly, "Speak. How does one enter the Xiantian Realm?"

"Y-you have to promise not to kill me first."

The Red Wolf Deputy Commander said this tremblingly.

"Hmph, you aren't qualified to bargain with me. It doesn't matter even if you refuse to tell me. The Red Wolf Commander is already dead by my blade. No one in the Eagle Wolf Guard office of Taining Prefecture can stop me now. I'm sure the office's martial arts archive contains records on how to advance to Xiantian. At most, I'll have to make the trip myself." Zhou Qing said coldly, "Now, will you speak or not?"

The Red Wolf Deputy Commander's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

He knew Zhou Qing was telling the truth.

Commander Fang Yuan was dead. There truly was no one in the Eagle Wolf Guard office of Taining Prefecture who could contend with Zhou Qing. He could come and go as he pleased.

"Since I'll die either way, why should I tell you!"

Knowing his death was certain, the Red Wolf Deputy Commander stopped begging for mercy. He knew begging would be useless anyway.

Rather than that, he might as well preserve his last shred of dignity.

"Then die!"

Zhou Qing raised his saber and chopped off the man's head.

Since this Red Wolf Deputy Commander would not speak, Zhou Qing would make the trip to the Eagle Wolf Guard office in Taining Prefecture himself.

However, Zhou Qing turned his head slightly and looked ahead, saying indifferently, "Have you seen enough, sir?"

"Mad Blade Zhou Qing, your reputation is indeed well deserved. Even Fang Yuan, the Void-Splitting Sword ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Ranking, became a ghost beneath your blade."

As a voice of praise rang out, a figure emerged from the shadows. He was a middle-aged man in a black robe, wearing a half-mask that revealed only the lower half of his face.

"Are you a Blade Catcher?"

Zhou Qing looked at the man with vigilance.

The other man had witnessed him kill the Red Wolf Commander, yet had not chosen to leave immediately. Clearly, he possessed no weak means.

At the very least, his strength should not be inferior to the Red Wolf Commander who had died beneath Zhou Qing's blade, so Zhou Qing did not rush to make a move.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The masked man smiled. "I am Wang Yan, Black Lotus Emissary of the Fire Worship Cult."

"The Fire Worship Cult!"

Zhou Qing was slightly startled upon hearing this.

Naturally, he knew of the Fire Worship Cult. It was the ringleader of rebellion within the Great Xuan Dynasty. On the wanted list issued by the imperial court, the Fire Worship Cult Leader ranked first. Whoever could kill the Fire Worship Cult Leader would be directly granted the title of King of a Different Surname.

However, the Fire Worship Cult had always been mainly active in the southern provinces of the Great Xuan Dynasty, while Wanzhou was located in the eastern region.

Zhou Qing had not expected to encounter someone from the Fire Worship Cult. He said, "So it is Emissary Wang. What brings you here?"

Wang Yan laughed heartily. "Brother Zhou, there is no need to be nervous. I bear no ill will. On the contrary, we share a common enemy—the Great Xuan imperial court.

"Brother Zhou, you killed Fang Yuan, the Red Wolf Commander ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Ranking, all by yourself. Even I am impressed by such strength. Great Xuan can no longer contain you. Why not join our Fire Worship Cult?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, Emissary Wang, but I have long been accustomed to drifting like an idle cloud and wandering crane. I do not like being restrained, much less becoming entangled in disputes."

Zhou Qing politely declined.

"Brother Zhou, there is no need to refuse so quickly." Wang Yan said, "Resources in this world are limited. If Brother Zhou wishes to step into the Innate Realm, you must have sufficient resources to support you. Being an idle cloud and wandering crane will not do. Our Fire Worship Cult happens to possess everything you need."

"How does one enter the Innate Realm?"

Zhou Qing asked.

"Entering the Innate Realm is not some particularly secret matter. There is no harm in telling Brother Zhou." Wang Yan smiled. "In this world, there are only two ways to enter the Xiantian Realm.

"One is to refine Spiritual Matter containing Heaven and Earth Origin Qi.

"The other is to cultivate an Embryo of Artistic Conception and use its power to blast open the Gate of Heaven and Earth, thereby absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to advance to Xiantian.

"Fang Yuan, the Red Wolf Commander who died beneath Brother Zhou's blade, had transformed his perfected Sword Momentum into a Sword Intent Seed. One step further, and it would become a Sword Intent Embryo, capable of breaking open the Gate of Heaven and Earth."

"Refining Spiritual Matter containing Heaven and Earth Origin Qi, cultivating an Embryo of Artistic Conception..." Zhou Qing murmured softly, then asked, "There are only these two methods?"

"That's right. Whether in the Great Xuan Dynasty or the neighboring nations, everyone enters the Innate Realm through these two methods." Wang Yan continued, "However, neither method is easy. Spiritual Matter containing Heaven and Earth Origin Qi is exceedingly rare. Many people search their entire lives without obtaining any.

"Our Fire Worship Cult has accumulated resources over several centuries. We do possess some Spiritual Matter, as well as Divine Intent Diagrams left behind by Innate Grandmasters.

"If Acquired Realm martial artists wish to grasp an Embryo of Artistic Conception, bitter cultivation alone will not suffice. Even after spending decades, they may not be able to condense a Seed of Artistic Conception, let alone grasp an Embryo of Artistic Conception.

"If Brother Zhou joins our cult, then so long as you render meritorious service, whether you wish to exchange for Spiritual Matter or comprehend Divine Intent Diagrams, neither will be a problem."

"Allow me to consider the matter."

Though Zhou Qing said he would consider it, he had already refused in his heart.

Although the Fire Worship Cult was powerful, it was a mixed bag of fish and dragons. Once he joined, he would inevitably be drawn into all kinds of disputes. There was no need to take such a risk.

"No problem. Brother Zhou, consider it carefully. This is a Fire Worship Cult Token. If Brother Zhou has made up his mind, bring the token to the Black Market in Qingyan Prefecture to find me. I will be there for some time."

Wang Yan took out a token from his robes and tossed it to Zhou Qing.

"Very well." Zhou Qing wrapped his palm in inner force and caught the token, then said, "Then I'll take my leave first."

With that, Zhou Qing used his lightness skill and swiftly departed.

After traveling more than ten li and confirming that no one from the Fire Worship Cult was following him, Zhou Qing threw away the token Wang Yan had given him, lest the Fire Worship Cult possess some secret technique that could use it to track him. Throughout the entire time, he had kept the token wrapped in inner force and had not touched it with his hand.

A quarter of an hour later.

Wang Yan arrived at the place where Zhou Qing had thrown away the token.