Early that morning, as sunlight first pierced the clouds, Jing Wen was already standing on the outskirts of Jia Yuan City.
He tilted his head toward the sky and took a deep breath. His hands rapidly formed a series of seals, and a flying sword gleaming with an eerie light shot from his storage bag with a whoosh, hovering steadily beneath his feet.
A gust swept past as Jing Wen rose on his sword, his figure vanishing into the horizon in an instant.
Several days later.
Jing Wen slowly lowered his flying sword and landed quietly in a secluded grove outside the city.
As the Black Fiend Cult's headquarters, the Capital was a place where fish and dragons mingled, and all of the Yue Kingdom's Seven Great Sects had planted informants there.
Jing Wen knew that, whichever faction he faced, revealing his strength too early would be no different from drawing fire onto himself.
He straightened his clothes and strode toward the Capital's gates.
"Candied hawthorn skewers!"
"Fine cloud brocade!"
Vendors' cries rose one after another. Jing Wen followed the stream of people
into the city, where bustling noise and prosperity rushed to greet him.
Carriages and horses crowded the streets, shops lined both sides, and vendors' calls mingled with the sounds of bargaining.
Jing Wen threaded through the crowd. Though his appearance was unremarkable, an uncommon air marked his every movement.
To passing pedestrians, he was merely an ordinary-looking traveler in blue robes, save for his astonishingly bright eyes.
Any qi refining cultivator who examined him would see only a cultivator at qi refining fourth layer-this was precisely the subtle power of the Breath-Concealing Art's first level.
If he mastered the Breath-Concealing Art's second level, even a foundation establishment cultivator would struggle to discern his true strength.
Unfortunately, cultivating that level required foundation establishment cultivation.
For now, with only the first level of the Breath-Concealing Art, Jing Wen could do no more than avoid foundation establishment stage cultivators as best he could.
As he pondered, he watched his surroundings warily and continued along the Capital's streets, where dark currents surged beneath a prosperous facade.
After he crossed a main street boiling with voices, an imposing residence appeared before him. Bronze knockers glinted coldly on its vermilion gates, and the words "Still Garden" were written in bold, vigorous strokes on the plaque above.
Jing Wen straightened his clothes and strode up to the guards, speaking steadily. "Please inform Steward Li that Red Rose's son has returned to report."
A guard looked him up and down, then turned and hurried into the residence.
Before long, a servant in gray emerged at a brisk pace and led Jing Wen through three courtyards.
Inside the main hall, wisps of sandalwood incense spiraled upward, lending the room an even more uncanny air in the light of gilded candleholders.
Dressed in a black brocade robe, Steward Li sat upright in a carved rosewood armchair, toying with a blood-red jade pendant that gave off a sinister crimson glow.
Mysterious runes flickered across the pendant's surface, as though countless wronged souls were struggling and wailing within.
At the sound of footsteps, Steward Li slowly raised his head. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, instantly piercing the dim light.
At the same time, a powerful wave of divine sense surged toward Jing Wen like a raging tide.
"Qi refining fourth layer?" Steward Li's pupils contracted, and the teacup in his hand stopped in midair.
Four years were no more than a white colt flashing past a crack in the cultivation world, yet this wastrel, who had once been unable even to use an object-manipulation spell, had broken through to the middle qi refining stage.
Steward Li's thoughts drifted involuntarily back to four years earlier. Jing Wen had been thin and frail as he stood before him, his eyes holding both defiance and profound helplessness.
To bury Red Rose, Jing Wen had resolutely set out for Jing Prefecture.
Thousands of miles separated the Capital from Jing Prefecture. Towering mountains filled the route, demonic beasts roamed unchecked, and cultivators with ill intentions prowled along the way.
After so many years without a word, Steward Li had long since decided that Jing Wen had died on the journey.
Under the pressure of that divine sense, Jing Wen remained outwardly composed while secretly activating the Heavenly Eye Technique.
A faint blue gleam flashed through his eyes, revealing Steward Li's cultivation and aura with perfect clarity.
Once he confirmed that Steward Li was only at qi refining tenth layer, Jing Wen silently considered, Within the Black Fiend Cult's forces in the Capital, someone at qi refining tenth layer can become a regional steward. It seems this organization only rose recently, and its foundations are still shallow.
As he thought, Jing Wen gathered himself and bowed respectfully, speaking in a steady voice. "Steward Li, it was only through your kind permission back then that I could return to Jing Prefecture to bury Red Rose.
Now that everything has been settled, I have come back to report to you."
Steward Li set down his teacup and snorted coldly. His gaze sharpened, as though he meant to see straight through Jing Wen. "You spent four years going to Jing Prefecture to bury one person? What exactly have you been doing all this time?!"
As his words fell, powerful pressure poured from Steward Li and enveloped Jing Wen as he tried to find a flaw in his reaction.
Jing Wen's heart tightened, but he feigned panic, lowering his head further as his voice trembled slightly. "Please calm your anger, Steward. There were circumstances behind this."
Steward Li said nothing, merely staring coldly at Jing Wen. The vast main hall was so quiet that the crackling of the candlewicks could be heard, and the oppressive atmosphere made it difficult to breathe.
Jing Wen drew a deep breath and tried to steady himself before speaking slowly. "After returning to my ancestral home in Jing Prefecture, I unexpectedly discovered a hidden herb garden, along with a final letter Red Rose had left behind.
In her letter, she instructed me to use the herbs in the garden to devote myself to cultivation and improve my strength.
The ancestral home was relatively safe, so I followed her wishes, refining pills while cultivating.
Only after using up all the herbs in the garden did I hurry back to the Capital."
Steward Li's brow furrowed into deep creases. His eyes blazed as he watched Jing Wen's every movement, seeking the slightest flaw in his words or expression.
As he listened to Jing Wen's account, he secretly circulated his cultivation art and released a barely perceptible strand of divine sense to probe around him. Yet Jing Wen's story was watertight, and nothing seemed amiss in his expression.
Steward Li knew very well how deeply Red Rose had cared for Jing Wen. She had even given him her own baleful bead.
It was therefore perfectly reasonable that she had left cultivation resources for him.
Although he could find no flaw, Steward Li's expression remained so dark it seemed ready to drip water.
Whenever he recalled how Jing Wen had given him only an ordinary flying sword and a dozen or so spirit stones last time, his anger surged.
In his eyes, most of Red Rose's possessions should have belonged to him. Jing Wen had deliberately concealed them and deceived him.
While Steward Li was turning this over in his mind, Jing Wen keenly caught the subtle shift in his expression,
and calmly took a dozen or so spirit stones and three bottles of Golden Marrow Pills from his storage bag. Raising them high in both hands, he respectfully presented them. "Steward, I was unable to cultivate from childhood, so I had more time to study the art of pill refining.
I truly had no choice but to delay my return and report to you.
Back then, I was only at qi refining, first layer, and knew no spells. The road from the Capital to Jing Prefecture was long and fraught with danger. Several times, I nearly lost my life.
To ensure my own safety, I could only improve my cultivation first, which delayed my return.
Red Rose left only a limited supply of herbs. After finally reaching qi refining fourth layer, I had no resources left to spare.
I set aside these bottles of pills and spirit stones especially for you, as a small token of my gratitude."
Steward Li snorted coldly and casually waved a hand. An invisible force swept up the pills and spirit stones, delivering them into his grasp in an instant.
He eagerly opened a stopper, and a rich medicinal fragrance rushed out. After examining everything carefully, he privately estimated their value at over three hundred origin stones.
These Golden Marrow Pills in particular were not only extremely complicated to refine, but also required very rare herbs. Even with enough spirit stones, they were difficult to buy on the market.
The anger in Steward Li's heart gradually subsided, and he began weighing the advantages and disadvantages anew.
With Red Rose's qi refining seventh layer cultivation, leaving Jing Wen these resources already meant she had done everything she could.
Even if Jing Wen still possessed other valuables, there could hardly be much left.
At this thought, he nodded slightly, though his voice remained cold. "Since you have been reasonably honest, I will not punish you this time.
But this must not happen again. If anything similar occurs, I will show no mercy!"
The great stone hanging over Jing Wen's heart finally fell. A grateful smile instantly filled his face, and he bowed with clasped hands, speaking earnestly. "Thank you for your generosity, Steward! From now on, whatever you command, I will brave boiling water and raging fire without hesitation. I will surely repay your kindness in recognizing my worth!"
He deliberately stressed the words "whatever you command," intending to make his loyalty clear to Steward Li.
Steward Li looked Jing Wen over, then suddenly asked, "You actually cultivate the Burning Blood Art?"
No sooner had he spoken than he seemed to recall something, and understanding dawned.
Jing Wen wore a puzzled expression and hastily followed up on his question. "Steward, is something wrong with the Burning Blood Art?"
Steward Li lifted his teacup, took a small sip, and said slowly, "The Burning Blood Art is an introductory cultivation art of the Black Fiend Cult. It is the simplest and easiest to learn.
Red Rose chose it for you because of your aptitude.
However, the Burning Blood Art has a major drawback. It can only take you as far as qi refining great perfection and cannot help you achieve foundation establishment.
Most members of our Black Fiend Cult cultivate the Fiendish Demon Art.
The Fiendish Demon Art is no ordinary technique. It greatly improves the chances of achieving foundation establishment. Even without a Foundation Establishment Pill, you have a fifty-percent chance of succeeding."
Understanding dawned on Jing Wen.
He calculated silently that even a cultivator with dual spiritual roots who took a Foundation Establishment Pill had only about a fifty-percent chance of achieving foundation establishment.
Yet the Fiendish Demon Art offered a fifty-percent chance at the very least.
Viewed that way, the Fiendish Demon Art was indeed formidable.
At this thought, Jing Wen asked eagerly, "Steward, how can I obtain the Fiendish Demon Art?"
Steward Li set down his teacup and regarded Jing Wen with a deep gaze. "According to the rules, only cultivators at qi refining seventh layer who join the Black Fiend Cult are qualified to receive the Fiendish Demon Art as a reward.
But your circumstances are special. Red Rose was a member of the Black Fiend Cult and had already learned the Fiendish Demon Art, so an exception could be considered to grant it to you early.
However, this must still be reported to my superiors."
Quick-witted as he was, Jing Wen instantly grasped the deeper meaning in Steward Li's words. His face filled with a humble smile, and his tone became especially warm:
"Steward, I must rely on you to take extra trouble over this matter. From now on, whenever I complete a mission, I will be sure to offer you the benefits I receive at the first opportunity.
I have some knowledge of pill refining as well. If you need anything, you need only give the word. I will brave boiling water and raging fire without hesitation."
A flicker of satisfaction appeared in Steward Li's eyes at these words.
His earlier stern probing had already established his authority over Jing Wen. Now was the perfect moment to bestow a favor and draw him in.
He abruptly stood and swept out a hand, declaring magnanimously, "Good! Since you are a member of our outpost, I certainly will not treat you poorly.
Take this Fiendish Demon Art and begin cultivating it. I will handle the report to headquarters."
With that, Steward Li flicked a finger, and a jade slip bearing an ancient air flew toward Jing Wen, wrapped in a faint glow.
Jing Wen hurriedly caught the jade slip in both hands and bowed, speaking earnestly. "Thank you for nurturing me, Steward! I will engrave your great kindness upon my heart."
Then Steward Li took a book bound with thin black-iron plates from his sleeve and handed it to Jing Wen. "These are the Black Fiend Cult's rules. Read them carefully."
Jing Wen accepted it with both hands and quickly skimmed through it. The rules detailed not only the procedures for obtaining advanced cultivation arts and exchanging pills, but also the duties assigned to each branch.
As for the actual rules of conduct, there were no tedious or harsh clauses. There was only one central requirement:
Actively capture the targets designated by the cult.
"Remember the rules, and don't cause trouble for me! If you perform well, you will have no shortage of rewards." Steward Li fixed Jing Wen with a lightning-sharp gaze, his voice carrying a measure of menace.
"Rest assured, Steward. I will engrave the rules upon my heart and spare no effort in serving the cult!" Jing Wen straightened his back and answered in a ringing voice, looking utterly devoted.
Before Steward Li, Jing Wen maintained a meek and humble appearance throughout, his lowered eyes deftly concealing the calculations churning within.
In truth, from the moment he entered this dragon's pool and tiger's den that was the Black Fiend Cult, he had possessed a very clear goal, and the Fiendish Demon Art was a crucial part of it.
Now that his wish had been fulfilled, his face remained calm, but towering waves had already risen in his heart.
Taking advantage of the moment when Steward Li turned away, Jing Wen quickly pressed the jade slip to his forehead. Streams of obscure cultivation instructions poured into his sea of consciousness like a tide.
After carefully sorting through them, he felt a surge of wild delight. The Fiendish Demon Art was truly extraordinary. Not only could it take him to qi refining great perfection, but according to the veiled hints within its instructions, a cultivator who fully mastered it would have an excellent chance of achieving foundation establishment unaided, even without outside assistance.
But foundation establishment alone is far from enough, Jing Wen murmured inwardly, his thoughts drifting involuntarily toward the mysterious Profound Yin Scripture.
According to the original work, many of the cultivation arts used by the Black Fiend Cult originated from fragments of the Profound Yin Scripture.
Only by obtaining this true scripture could he learn the direction his future cultivation should take and set his plan for revenge in motion.
No matter what, I must obtain the Profound Yin Scripture! Jing Wen silently vowed, a gleam of resolve flashing in his eyes.
At the same time, he quickly brought his emotions under control, resuming his meek, submissive demeanor as he awaited Steward Li's next instructions.
At that moment, he was like a leopard lurking in the darkness, quietly awaiting the perfect moment to strike.
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