Senior Sister?! We're Evil Cultivators?!

Li Yingling's icy expression matched her merciless words.

Li Xingtian silently turned to look at Li Yingling. If the rabbit head on her plate hadn't been half-gnawed, he might actually have been overcome with shame.

But...

Still, Li Xingtian explained, "It's not that I don't appreciate your kindness. I simply have many things left to do and can't stay in a sect for long."

"Otherwise, I would have accepted your offer already, Senior. I understand you aren't after anything I have. You offered to take me as your disciple because you wanted to save my life."

Listening to Li Xingtian's sincere explanation, Chu Xingchen nodded in firm agreement.

"Most sects do like tying their disciples down."

Then Chu Xingchen changed tack and continued leisurely, "But our Heavenly Dao Alliance is different. As long as your heart remains with the sect, you're free to roam to the ends of the earth."

Hearing this, Li Xingtian looked at the rabbit before him, perfect in appearance, aroma, and flavor, and picked up his chopsticks without hesitation.

He understood the Senior's unspoken meaning. Fine, he'd become his disciple.

Repaying kindness was one of Li Xingtian's principles, anyway. Perhaps taking a master was his true stroke of fortune after being reborn?

If this turned out to be another worthless sect, he could just find a chance to run away again.

He took a small bite. Holy shit.

The moment it touched his tongue, Li Xingtian genuinely felt this was the best rabbit he'd ever eaten.

Sure enough, the more expensive the rabbit, the tastier it was. Li Xingtian couldn't shake the feeling that he'd sold himself for a rabbit dinner.

Li Xingtian smiled and praised him. "Master, whatever else, your cooking really is excellent."

[Disciple accepted successfully]

[Second disciple: Li Xingtian]

[Cultivation art issued: Primordial Chaos Demon Bone Body-Refining Divine Art]

[Please use in conjunction with the Heavenly Demon Dao Body]

[Task one completed: Spirit-Gathering Array awarded]

[All rewards have been placed in the system inventory]

Looking at the system's results screen, Chu Xingchen nodded in satisfaction.

"If you like it, have some more."

Li Xingtian replied respectfully, "Yes, Master."

Watching Li Xingtian become so deferential, Li Yingling gave a light cough and sat up straight, offering what sounded like encouragement.

"As Master's second disciple, you'll have to work hard."

Seeing the pose Li Yingling struck, Li Xingtian understood what his eldest senior sister wanted and promptly cupped his hands.

"Of course. I certainly won't disappoint you, Eldest Senior Sister."

A satisfied expression appeared on Li Yingling's face.

This new junior brother knows how to play along. I'll look out for him from now on.

After all, he went out for just one day and nearly got beaten to death. He probably isn't a very bright junior brother.

Who knows what Master saw in him? Though, come to think of it, perhaps this sect really is that short of people.

Still, this was Li Yingling's first time being a senior sister-and the eldest senior sister at that-and she was rather excited.

Her gaze drifted toward her master. Surely he would be smiling in relief now?

But the reality was the exact opposite. A trace of worry showed on her master's face...

What's going on?

Li Yingling wasn't the only one who noticed. Li Xingtian saw it too.

Li Yingling called cautiously, "Master?"

Hearing her call, Chu Xingchen closed the system panel before him and turned to Li Yingling.

"What is it?"

"Master, are you all right?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me?"

"If nothing's wrong, why did you look a little unhappy just now...?"

Realizing his expression had given him away, Chu Xingchen hurriedly replied.

"Oh... I was just studying your junior brother's cultivation art."

Li Xingtian hastily said, "Master, there's no need. I have my own cultivation art."

Chu Xingchen said nothing more and simply retrieved the Primordial Chaos Demon Bone Body-Refining Divine Art from the system.

A book with a bloodred cover appeared in Chu Xingchen's hand. He passed it straight to Li Xingtian and reassured him.

"It's fine. Take a look at this cultivation art first. If you don't think it suits you, you can practice your own instead."

Hearing that it wasn't compulsory, Li Xingtian inwardly relaxed and reached out to accept the book, which faintly exuded the scent of fresh blood.

After handing the book to Li Xingtian, Chu Xingchen silently got up, returned to his wooden plank, and lay down.

The two disciples gave their master a puzzled look, then silently exchanged glances.

Li Xingtian raised his eyebrows slightly, asking a question with his eyes.

[What's wrong with Master?]

Li Yingling understood his look, but merely gave a faint smile before returning to gnawing on her rabbit head.

If I knew what was wrong with Master, I wouldn't have asked why his expression looked off.

This second junior brother... isn't very sharp.

Li Xingtian was rather bewildered, but said nothing and lowered his gaze to the dark-red book in his hands.

The lettering on its cover was grand and imposing, with a faint air of murderous severity.

Curious, he felt the cover, only to discover that it was ordinary paper.

Is this a copy? But why would a copy smell of blood?

Without dwelling on it, Li Xingtian opened the first page.

Li Xingtian's mind jolted. He rapidly skimmed ten lines at a glance, then turned to the second page.

He'd had no idea until he read it. The more he read, the more alarmed he became.

Seeing his astonished expression, Li Yingling reassured him with the air of an old hand.

"Junior Brother, cultivation arts get revised all the time. It's perfectly normal for some of the writing to be blurry too. Don't worry, just practice it."

Li Xingtian silently looked up at Li Yingling, then glanced back at Chu Xingchen, who was lying on his wooden plank bed.

In disbelief, he lowered his voice. "Senior Sister... is our Heavenly Dao Alliance an Evil Cultivator?!"

Li Yingling frowned and rebuked him. "Evil Cultivator? What nonsense are you talking about? We all practice righteous cultivation methods. What's this about Evil Cultivators?"

Li Xingtian simply handed her the Primordial Chaos Demon Bone Body-Refining Divine Art.

Accepting the cultivation manual, Li Yingling curiously opened it to the first page.

The writing was clear, the brushstrokes strong and vigorous. Whoever wrote it was a master calligrapher, and the text was exceptionally neat.

What could be wrong with this book? Even at a glance, it looks far better than mine, doesn't it?

With that question in mind, Li Yingling read on. Soon, she too began trembling with alarm.

After flipping through several pages, she shoved the book straight back into Li Xingtian's hands.

Fuck! What kind of cultivation art is this bloody?!

"Senior Sister?!"

"Ahem, I'm sleepy. I'm going to bed. Find somewhere to lie down and rest."

Li Yingling didn't even finish gnawing her half-eaten rabbit head. She hurried to her bed, pushed aside the wooden board blocking it from view, stepped inside, and put the board back.

Chu Xingchen was a Golden Core True Person, so naturally he heard their conversation. "That book isn't an Evil Cultivator technique."

Li Xingtian looked down at the book again-when cultivating in the Foundation Establishment Realm, first slaughter one thousand blood offerings, dismember their bodies, and refine their root bones.

"Master... aren't your standards for what counts as an Evil Cultivator a little too lax?"

"Blood offerings don't have to be people. Just find some demonic beasts that haven't awakened their intelligence in the woods around Ten-Mile Slope to make up the numbers."

Hearing this, Li Xingtian looked at the book in his hands again. If his master was right, and that substitution really worked...

This cultivation art was actually far more powerful and effective than the one he'd practiced in his previous life.

It also suited the Heavenly Demon Dao Body he would possess after merging with the Millennium Bone Jade exceptionally well.

Li Xingtian wasn't one to agonize over things. In any case, he'd have to use blood offerings to cultivate even in the Qi Refining realm.

Once I've refined the Millennium Bone Jade, I'll try practicing this. If something feels wrong... I can just stop.

Li Xingtian's worries vanished.

Chu Xingchen's, however, did not. There had been a reason for his worried expression earlier.

The Spirit-Gathering Formation awarded by the system was only a blueprint...

It wasn't something he could retrieve and place wherever he wanted, without using materials or lifting a finger.

Nor was it something that would spring fully built from the ground.

This Spirit-Gathering Formation really was nothing but a blueprint!

Not only did he have to provide the materials and spirit stones himself, he also had to build it with his own hands.

All the blueprint did was carefully explain how to construct it.

Isn't this a fucking rip-off?!

Where am I supposed to get the money or spirit stones to build this thing?!

Don't tell me the True Martial Hall is just a blueprint too, and I'll have to build that myself as well?