Chen Qingzhi stood before the altar, both excited and apprehensive.
He was excited because he had never expected that, after several failures, he would actually summon the legendary "Demon Lord" through an ancient form of witchcraft.
He was apprehensive because he did not know whether the "Demon Lord" was as evil as the legends claimed, or whether he would devour his summoner's soul.
But he could no longer afford to worry about that. A small portion of every Blood Sect disciple's "lifebound essence" was stored in the Dark Hut, allowing the Master of the Shadow Cottage to know their whereabouts at all times. There was no way for them to escape. They could only face the Qi Sect's attack head-on.
Perhaps a Demon Lord from another world could help fend off the Qi Sect. As long as this "Demon Lord" was present, the Master of the Shadow Cottage would surely reconsider how to deal with the Blood Sect disciples. Perhaps the Blood Sect disciples within the Dark Hut could escape this calamity.
So, after the Demon Lord asked his question, Chen Qingzhi hurriedly explained, "In this world, the 'Blood Sect' refers to those who cultivate by devouring 'inner cores,' while the 'Qi Sect' refers to those who receive an infusion of magical power from a 'True Lord's Jade Body,' forming a 'qi sea' similar to an 'inner core' within their bodies..."
Raphael was utterly bewildered. Did I fucking transmigrate into a cultivation world again?
Chen Qingzhi, who presided over the ritual, continued, "The advantage of the 'Blood Sect' is that anyone who obtains an 'inner core' of the appropriate level can quickly gain abilities at that level.
"But the drawback is that it drastically changes the cultivator's temperament, making them bloodthirsty and murderous. In severe cases, they become monsters devoid of reason..."
Raphael froze. That sounds a little like the consequences of drinking a potion the wrong way.
"The advantage of the 'Qi Sect' is its gradual progression. Accidents caused by improper cultivation are rare," Chen Qingzhi said. "But the drawback is that it depends on fortuitous opportunities. Not everyone can become a 'Qi Sect' disciple, and every advancement in realm requires an infusion of magical power from a 'True Lord's Jade Body.'
"As one's realm rises, receiving an infusion of magical power from a 'True Lord's Jade Body' becomes increasingly difficult. It requires dedicated cultivation, as well as sufficient opportunities.
"Many 'Qi Sect' disciples are even trapped in the early 'Mortal Realm' for their entire lives..."
At this point, he seemed to remember something. "The cultivators of this world are broadly divided into three realms. From lowest to highest, they are the 'Mortal Realm,' the 'Deification Realm,' and the 'Void Refinement Realm.' Each realm is further divided into early, middle, and late stages."
Raphael froze again. That's clearly Sequence 9 through Sequence 1! Doesn't that make the so-called early 'Mortal Realm' Sequence 9? Trapped at Sequence 9 for their entire lives?
Chen Qingzhi continued, "Although every major sect trains a group of 'Blood Sect' disciples, their standing is much lower than that of 'Qi Sect' disciples.
"Only in the two great Demon Cults and the Shadow Cottage do 'Blood Sect' disciples stand on equal footing with 'Qi Sect' disciples.
"For the Demon Cults, it is because they are inherently bloodthirsty and murderous. They even favor the 'Blood Sect' method of cultivation. For the Shadow Cottage, it is because a great cultivator at the middle stage of the 'Void Refinement Realm' emerged several hundred years ago.
"He was our founding master. Only then did the Master of the Shadow Cottage acknowledge the standing of 'Blood Sect' disciples. Even so, it took another century or two before the 'Blood Sect' and 'Qi Sect' attained equal status."
Raphael's mouth fell open. Incredible! Absolutely incredible! He swallowed Beyonder characteristics raw and still managed to advance to Sequence 2! And he even lived for several hundred years.
As far as he remembered, only the Beyonder creatures of the First Epoch and Second Epoch had done such things.
Chen Qingzhi said, "Throughout history, the 'Blood Sect' branches of various sects have produced many, many great cultivators of the 'Void Refinement Realm.' But very few retained their full faculties like our founding master."
At this point, Chen Qingzhi sighed before continuing, "But more than a decade ago, word began to spread that our founding master's lifespan was nearing its end and his condition was deteriorating. It is said that once he loses most of his reason, the Master of the Shadow Cottage will purge our ranks.
"Upon hearing the news, the Qi Sect disciples immediately contacted one another, planning to slaughter all the important Blood Sect figures within the Dark Hut and bring the Blood Sect back under their control. We have also heard that the Master of the Shadow Cottage has tacitly approved this."
Raphael had a rough idea of what had happened. Once the Blood Sect gained equal standing with the Qi Sect, it must have taken up a considerable share of the Qi Sect's resources. Now that the Blood Sect's Angel was in poor condition, the Qi Sect naturally wanted to reclaim those resources.
After a moment's thought, Raphael said, "A cultivator at the middle stage of the 'Void Refinement Realm' should have a lifespan of two or three thousand years. How could his lifespan be nearing its end after only a few hundred?"
That was a Sequence 2 Angel!
According to the knowledge Raphael had acquired in his mind after transmigrating, Beyonders at that level had lifespans of at least two thousand years!
Most of the Angels currently in the Churches, for instance, were Beyonders who had already risen to prominence in the Fourth Epoch.
Chen Qingzhi, who stood before the altar, had only learned that a cultivator's lifespan increased dramatically at the middle stage of the "Void Refinement Realm" after becoming a late-stage "Deification Realm" cultivator himself, the equivalent of advancing to Sequence 4. But he did not know precisely how long that lifespan was.
Hearing the "Demon Lord" casually state the lifespan of cultivators at that realm filled him with even greater awe. "We do not know the specifics either."
Raphael was just about to ask, Didn't you try praying to find out what was going on?
But then he remembered that the mysticism of this world might differ from that of the world where Loen was located. Although he had already explained that "this Demon Lord is neither omniscient nor omnipotent," asking too many questions would still damage his image as a "Demon Lord."
So Raphael decided to clarify those details when he had the opportunity.
For now, Raphael said, "I have a method that can restore your founding master's condition..."
He suspected that although the so-called middle-stage "Void Refinement Realm" cultivator had initially managed to retain sufficient reason, the distortion and chaos caused by swallowing Beyonder characteristics raw had accumulated over several hundred years and were now threatening to erupt. It was not that "his lifespan was nearing its end."
As long as there were no clear signs of losing control yet, immediately beginning to "act" would allow him to barely maintain his condition.
If he continued "acting" diligently for a long time afterward, his condition might even improve somewhat.
As long as this Angel backed the Shadow Cottage's Blood Sect, the catastrophe looming over Chen Qingzhi would be resolved.
And since this world's Beyonder powers were only roughly classified by cultivation realms, there were surely no potion names, and therefore no corresponding "Acting Method."
Upon hearing the "Demon Lord's" words, Chen Qingzhi immediately understood what he meant. Overjoyed, he said, "Chen Qingzhi bows in gratitude to the Demon Lord."
"Don't thank me just yet," Raphael said. "I have a condition as well."
Chen Qingzhi's heart lurched. "Please state it, Demon Lord. I will do everything in my power."
He had already made up his mind. As long as the Demon Lord did not want to devour his soul, he would supply as many other people's souls as the Demon Lord wanted.
Raphael said, "I am very curious about the circumstances of your world. Give me a thorough account of its history and lore."
Chen Qingzhi was taken aback. It's that simple?
Then he realized that the Demon Lord's objective surely could not be so simple. Most likely, he wanted to learn about this world to see whether there was an opportunity to invade it in force...
But naturally, Chen Qingzhi could no longer afford to worry about that. "I will tell you everything I know and hold nothing back."
Raphael nodded with an air of importance, then casually lied, "Mm. The method I mentioned is actually quite simple.
"However, only cultivators who have experienced the 'Void Refinement Realm' can appreciate its benefits."
Chen Qingzhi pressed his forehead straight to the ground. This 'Demon Lord' possesses a terrifying cultivation level of at least the middle 'Void Refinement Realm'!
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