Those not of our kind must harbor different hearts

After revealing their cultivator auras to the steward, the two were led to the White Household's residence.

Even ordinary county towns had Qi Refining cultivators coming and going. Yongning Commandery governed dozens of counties, and as a family based in the Commandery City, the White Household also had cultivators overseeing it.

One of the White Household's ancestors was said to be a Golden Core expert who had been in seclusion for years.

Moreover, many of the lineage's younger members had joined nearby cultivation sects, keeping the household flourishing and enduring.

These cultivation sects were small ones, though, their ancestors generally possessing only Nascent Soul cultivation.

Quite a few cultivators had already gathered at the Martial Arts Arena, all of them different.

Some kept their spiritual radiance concealed within, their extraordinary clothing suggesting they most likely came from a Great Orthodox Lineage.

Others let their auras radiate freely as they sat upon lotus platforms, like immortals banished to the mortal world.

Li Yang glanced at Ning Xinyao.

His eyes asked: Weren't you the only one who knew? Why does it look like everyone knows who your Household Ancestor Ning is?

"Qi Refining?" A Foundation Establishment cultivator glanced at Li Yang and kindly warned him, "My sword cultivator friend, this is no place for you. You'd best leave as soon as possible."

Li Yang looked around and realized he was indeed the only one at the peak of Qi Refining. Everyone else was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

There were even two at the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection stage.

The competition looked rather fierce.

"I came to slay demons and defend the Dao, nothing else." Li Yang cupped his hands slightly.

The other cultivator meant well, so courtesy was only right.

Just then.

Hearing Li Yang's declaration, a small group of sword cultivators walked over.

"Have you also come to slay demons and defend the Dao, fellow Daoist?"

Their leader carried no sword, but his presence was sharper than a blade. His eyes resembled two deep sword pools, capable of shooting forth swordlight.

These were six Foundation Establishment sword cultivators from the Sword Alliance.

The six came from different Sword Cultivator sects, or were rogue cultivators, but they all shared one identity—Sword Envoys.

Under the Dao Alliance were the Pill Alliance, Formation Alliance, Talisman Alliance, and others.

The Sword Alliance, however, was a special existence-

It possessed authority to enforce the law beyond its own ranks, granted by the Dao Alliance.

Its internal law enforcement system consisted of four great offices-the Sky Patrol Office, Evil-Slaying Office, Demon-Subduing Office, and Penal Law Office.

They were the four sharp swords with which the Dao Alliance maintained stability in the cultivation world.

The Penal Law Office, in particular, not only monitored Sword Envoys within the alliance but also investigated and judged cultivation powers for colluding with evil demons, failing to act during natural disasters and man-made calamities, and other offenses.

Li Yang offered a sword-hand salute, and the six returned it.

"I heard evil demons have been running rampant in Yongning Commandery lately, slaughtering innocents everywhere. That is why I came-to uphold righteousness, purge evil, and sweep away those demonic fiends!"

His words rang with righteous conviction, and a stern killing intent immediately spread.

The six dared not underestimate him.

As a fellow sword cultivator, the young leader saw at a glance that Li Yang's strength was extraordinary and immediately extended an olive branch:

"Since we share the same purpose, why not join us, fellow Daoist? We can form a sword array to kill our enemies. Even a Golden Core evil demon would have to face execution!"

Li Yang glanced sideways at Ning Xinyao and shook his head slightly.

"Let's leave that for later."

The young man was somewhat disappointed but said nothing more about it.

"Then let's exchange communication jade talismans. If anything happens, we can look out for each other."

Li Yang nodded and took out his communication jade talisman.

The two touched their talismans together.

The young man froze, then a smile curved his lips.

"Heh."

He had already recognized who the Li Yang before him was.

The two had exchanged communication jade talismans long ago.

Still, he did not expose him. Li Yang naturally had his reasons for keeping his identity hidden.

"You know him?" Ning Xinyao asked through voice transmission.

"We're friends, you could say. He was still at Qi Refining when I met him."

Li Yang felt a little wistful.

When he had been at Qi Refining, the other man had been at Qi Refining too.

Now the other man had reached late-stage Foundation Establishment, while he was still at Qi Refining.

But the other man was a prodigy of the Heaven-Earth Sword Sect, after all. How could Li Yang's cultivation speed compare?

"Relax. Cultivation can't be rushed. Once the water arrives, the channel will form," Ning Xinyao comforted him as his senior sister.

"I'm not in a hurry. Killing a few more evil demons would lift my spirits more than a breakthrough."

The corner of Ning Xinyao's mouth twitched.

Soon, dawn arrived the next day.

The night had been quiet.

Nearly a hundred cultivators had gathered at the Bai Residence Martial Arena.

There had been friction, but those involved had gone outside the Commandery City to settle their grievances.

The White Residence's servants brought out all sorts of spirit fruits and fine dishes, attending to their guests with great care.

In a crowd, Li Yang was practically invisible, silently watching these celebrated prodigies reveal their formidable talents.

He had little interest in socializing.

But he would never believe that no evil demons were hiding among nearly a hundred cultivators.

After a night of observation, Li Yang had singled out three people.

One wore luxurious robes and exuded demonic qi without any attempt to conceal it.

He was a devil cultivator, exceptionally handsome, yet he did not inspire revulsion.

From their conversations, Li Yang learned that he came from the Heaven-Devouring Devil Palace. His cultivation method was domineering, but it was not an evil art that devoured human blood essence or anything of the sort.

The boundaries defining Demon Cultivators had always been blurry. Unless they were wanted by the Dao Alliance or caught practicing evil arts, few people were willing to provoke them.

Instead, his outstanding looks, physique, talent, and background drew quite a few beautiful female cultivators over to strike up conversations.

But in Li Yang's eyes, this fellow was definitely no good, because not a single devil cultivator was any good.

The second was a cultivator wearing a feathered crown and brocade robes, seemingly a rogue cultivator.

Although he had no demonic qi, his gaze was intensely predatory and carried a lofty sense of superiority that made Li Yang instinctively dislike him.

The last had prominent horns and a striking pair of golden eyes.

Li Yang had noticed him because he carried an extremely strong demonic beast aura.

He was most likely a demonic beast in human form!

Normally, demonic beasts could only take human form upon entering the Nascent Soul Realm, but some pureblood demonic beasts with exceptionally powerful bloodlines could assume human form from birth.

The relationship between human cultivators and low-level demonic beasts was simply that of hunter and hunted.

Their relationship with demonic beasts of powerful bloodlines was far subtler. They would not offend them lightly, but neither would they become close.

There was nothing wrong with this individual himself. Li Yang's beliefs were simply extreme-

Those not of our kind must harbor different hearts!

In the blink of an eye, a wisp of purple qi suddenly appeared on the eastern horizon, roaming like a dragon as it spanned the sky.

Just then-

The Demon Scion from the Heaven-Devouring Devil Palace circulated his cultivation method and drew in a mighty breath.

The purple qi stretching across the sky was instantly torn apart, drawn in like water swallowed by a great whale, and transformed into a dense purple stream. In an instant, it vanished into his belly.

At this sight.

Li Yang instead shook his head.

He dismissed the notion that this man was an evil demon.

The man dared to reveal his identity and openly demonstrate the wonders of his cultivation method. Clearly, he was simply a devil cultivator, with no connection to evil.

"Young friends, you have traveled far to come here. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality."

A figure came walking through the air.

The White Household patriarch's token hung at his waist, and his Golden Core aura was fully revealed.

The old man had a dignified presence; one glance made it clear that he had long occupied a lofty position.

Yet before these young cultivators, he dared not show the slightest air of superiority.

"Considering that evil demons now surround Yongning Commandery, I will increase the original fifteen guards to thirty to ensure the wedding proceeds smoothly.

From the standpoint of actual combat, the selection rules should be more appropriate:

An ancestor of our White Household once obtained a treasure called the Asura Battleboard-"

As he spoke, the White Household patriarch held an iron board suspended above his palm. It was black all over, its color resembling something thoroughly soaked in blood.

Its surface was densely engraved with patterns. Upon closer inspection, they formed a battlefield map of mountains, rivers, cities, and wastelands.

Over a hundred little bronze soldiers were scattered across it, their armor clearly defined and their forms lifelike.

With a wave of the White Household patriarch's hand, the hundred-odd bronze soldiers flew out and landed before everyone on the Martial Arts Arena.

He then explained:

"The Asura Battleboard contains a battlefield realm. After refining a soldier, you can project your consciousness inside, retaining your full cultivation.

If you have a Magic Treasure, you can also send it into the space within your soldier. It is absolutely fair and impartial!

You will not die inside, but anyone who suffers a fatal injury will be forcibly expelled.

The battle will continue until only thirty remain."