Temporary Alliance, Sword Points to Blood Saber

"Not interested?"

Qin Wuya was stunned.

The old man in grey behind him nearly popped his eyes out.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Demon Suppressing Division!

That was a position countless people in Great Gan dreamed of obtaining! Wielding immense power, commanding all demon suppressors, how glorious, how honorable!

They had expected Lu Shaoyou might feign indifference, bargain, or even hesitate due to his naturally rebellious nature.

But they never imagined the answer would be such a crisp, decisive, and completely unhesitating three words.

Not interested.

Did this kid have a screw loose?

Qin Wuya gave Lu Shaoyou a deep look. In his clean and calm eyes, he saw genuine indifference, not a tactic of playing hard to get.

Suddenly, he let out a wry chuckle.

It was inherently ridiculous for him to try and recruit someone who disregarded rules, acted solely on impulse, and lived by a code of immediate retribution—a "demon"—with worldly power and status.

For someone like that, power and status were probably less appealing than a good bottle of wine or a cultivation technique that could make him stronger.

"Good, very good."

Instead of being angered, Qin Wuya's eyes showed even more appreciation.

Unmoved by external factors, solely focused on strengthening himself.

This was the mindset of a pure martial artist, someone qualified to reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

"Since you're not interested in joining the Demon Suppressing Division, I won't force you. The doors of the Demon Suppressing Division are always open for you."

Qin Wuya changed his tone, his voice becoming solemn.

"However, I wish to make a deal with you, or perhaps, a collaboration."

"Collaboration?" Lu Shaoyou raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed," Qin Wuya nodded and said in a deep voice, "To break this Sky Locking Array through external force alone is as difficult as ascending to heaven. The only way is to start from within."

Deep beneath the ground of Qingzhou, an ancient divine artifact named the Qingzhou Ding is suppressed. This Ding is one of the Nine Dings and is the core connecting our dynasty's fortune with Qingzhou's earth veins.

"It is precisely because of this Ding's existence that the Demonic Sect has been unable to completely turn Qingzhou into a land of demons within two hundred years."

"But now, under the constant erosion of the blood calamity's power, the Qingzhou Ding has lost much of its spiritual essence and is in a precarious state. Our objective is to find the Qingzhou Ding, use a secret imperial art to repair it, re-ignite the imperial fortune, and cooperate with the outside world to break through this Sky Locking Array!"

Lu Shaoyou listened quietly, without interrupting.

Qin Wuya looked at him and said word by word, "However, the Qingzhou Ding is hidden within the Qingzhou Secret Realm, and its exact location is unknown to anyone."

"To find it, one must find the Dragon Vein Earth Key. This item is most likely in the hands of the Blood Saber Sect."

"Blood Saber Sect?"

Hearing these three words, a glint of interest finally flashed in Lu Shaoyou's eyes.

Qin Wuya took in his subtle change in expression, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.

He knew he had found the right person.

"The Blood Saber Sect was one of the local forces that assisted the Demonic Sect in setting up the great array back then, and it is the Demonic Sect's biggest lackey in Qingzhou."

"My subordinates and I cannot reveal our identities when entering Qingzhou, making it inconvenient for us to act personally in many matters. Therefore, I need an ally who is sufficiently strong and acts without scruples to help us remove this thorn."

"And you, Lu Shaoyou, are the most suitable candidate."

Qin Wuya's intentions were already very clear.

He wanted Lu Shaoyou to be the sharpest knife, to lead the charge.

"You want me to be your pawn, to snatch the chestnuts from the fire for you?" Lu Shaoyou scoffed, cutting through the other's intention without politeness. "What's in it for me?"

He wasn't some saint who cared about the world.

Saving Qingzhou, saving the common people—such grand titles wouldn't stick to him.

Without sufficient benefits, you want him to risk his life?

Not a chance.

"There are benefits, naturally," Qin Wuya seemed to have anticipated his question and replied calmly. "First, you will gain the friendship of the Demon Suppressing Division. From now on, when you travel the world, the Demon Suppressing Division's intelligence network will be unconditionally open to you."

"Second, as long as you obtain the Dragon Vein Earth Key, I can guarantee that you can choose any cultivation techniques, secret arts, or divine weapons from the Demon Suppressing Division's secret vault."

"Third, and most importantly."

Qin Wuya's gaze became extremely imposing.

"This Sky Locking Array is a cage. It not only confines the martial artists of Qingzhou but also confines you."

"With this array in place, if you break through to the Transcendent realm, it will inevitably attract powerful experts from the Demonic Sect. You understand the consequences better than I do."

"By cooperating with us to break this cage, you will be breaking through your own shackles and opening a path to greatness."

"Is this reason enough?"

That last sentence struck Lu Shaoyou like a heavy hammer, hitting him right in the heart.

That's right.

Qin Wuya was correct.

He could disregard national righteousness and the common people.

But he couldn't ignore his own path in martial arts!

His purpose in coming to this world, with the system he carried, was to advance continuously, to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, and to see the scenery atop that mountain peak.

Now, a cage stood before him, blocking his path forward.

This was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

Trying to use me as a pawn?

Lu Shaoyou sneered inwardly.

They'd better be prepared to pay the price.

But…

This cage really needed to be broken.

After a moment of thought, Lu Shaoyou finally nodded slowly.

"Alright, I agree."

Seeing that he had agreed, Qin Wuya and the old man in grey exchanged a look and both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very good." Qin Wuya's face showed a sincere smile. "Pleasure working with you."

He took out a black token from his embrace, on which was carved the ancient character for "Suppress," and handed it over.

"This is a Black Iron Token from the Demon Suppressing Division. With this token, you can command all of the Demon Suppressing Division's hidden assets in Qingzhou. Inside the token, there is a spiritual imprint of mine. Once you obtain the Dragon Vein Earth Key, crush it, and I will arrive within half an hour."

Lu Shaoyou took the token. It was cool to the touch and had an extraordinary texture. He tossed it casually before putting it away.

"Lastly, one more reminder," Qin Wuya's expression turned serious again. "Before repairing the Qingzhou Ding, remember, no matter what, do not attempt to break through to the Transcendent realm. Otherwise, if it attracts the Demonic Sect's experts to descend regardless of the cost, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"I know," Lu Shaoyou waved his hand impatiently.

He didn't want to hear the same thing for a third time.

"In that case, we shall not disturb you further."

"Farewell!"

Qin Wuya said, then nodded slightly at Lu Shaoyou. With a flicker of their figures, he and the old man in grey once again vanished soundlessly from their original positions, as if they had never appeared.

On top of Soul Severing Cliff, Lu Shaoyou was once again alone.

The night wind blew, stirring his tattered clothes.

His world, in this single night, felt infinitely expanded.

From petty feuds of the martial world, it had escalated to the game of power between dynasties and the Demonic Sect, concerning the survival of an entire province.

Outer Domain Demonic Sect, Sky Locking Array, Qingzhou Ding…

"Heh, this world is getting more and more interesting."

Lu Shaoyou muttered to himself, but his face showed no solemnity. Instead, it carried a hint of excited fighting spirit.

He weighed the Qi Mei Cudgel in his hand, a cold smile curving his lips.

However, before diving into this grand game, he needed to settle the score with the Blood Saber Sect first.