Xu Zimo returned to the True Martial Sacred Sect, but Shili Changkong did not come with him.
He was going to establish a faction for Xu Zimo—an intelligence network. Its strength did not necessarily need to be great, but its information had to be timely and accurate.
Its reach had to extend across the entire Yuanyang Continent as much as possible. Xu Zimo needed to learn of every major event on the continent at the very first opportunity.
This would be a long process, not something that could be accomplished overnight.
But Xu Zimo was in no hurry. He could wait, and he did not lack the money needed to establish a faction.
Leaving aside his status, the things looted from the Chang Family alone were enough for Xu Zimo to spend for a very long time.
The accumulated wealth of a lineage over five hundred years was too immense to imagine.
After returning to Yan Nan Peak, Xu Zimo went alone to the mountaintop.
A cold wind swept across the summit. The mountain rose several thousand zhang high, its surface covered in jagged rocks, winding paths, and overgrown weeds.
Xu Zimo slowly took out the three Prison Suppressing Pearls, the breeze scattering his loose hair.
"The Prison Suppressing Divine Body, the greatest body since time immemorial," Xu Zimo sighed. Even he did not know all the secrets of this divine body.
In his Previous Life, he had only watched Chu Yang use it, leaving behind nothing but regret and envy.
He slowly poured spiritual energy into the three Prison Suppressing Pearls, while the gale snapped his long robe with sharp, rapid flaps.
In an instant, the three Prison Suppressing Pearls shattered. Dark clouds suddenly blanketed the sky, lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and darkness pressed down in a vast expanse.
Silver dragon-like bolts of lightning darted through the dark clouds. Thunder rolled without end, as though heaven and earth themselves were about to collapse.
A ball of light flew from each of the three Prison Suppressing Pearls. The three light orbs formed a triangle and entwined with one another.
The lightning and thunder above seemed to grow ever more violent, as though the entire firmament had flown into a rage.
Dark clouds piled thickly together, yet rain refused to fall. A faint dampness hung in the air.
The three light orbs suddenly flared with brilliant radiance, and a skeleton flew out from within them.
Two arms flew out from one light orb, two legs from another, while the last contained the torso and skull.
When the entire skeleton fused together, demonic energy suddenly surged between heaven and earth. Strands of Black Mist emerged across the bones, while countless scriptures crawled around the skeleton like ants.
Pure black energy streamed from the skeleton's eye sockets. It turned its head mechanically and charged directly at Xu Zimo.
Just as the skeleton was about to rush into Xu Zimo's body, Xu Zimo hurriedly took out the Feather Emperor's Imperial Blood.
He dripped the Imperial Blood onto the skeleton. The entire skeleton suddenly trembled, then turned into a streak of light and flew into Xu Zimo's body.
Xu Zimo only felt as if the bones within his body were fusing with something. The pain sank deep into his soul, and he nearly fainted.
His heart beat much faster, and his originally red blood actually began turning black.
Xu Zimo only felt that his mind had become incomparably clear, as though not a single stray thought remained.
All his hair swept backward, curling up like an explosion of wild locks, and it turned fiery red.
Countless markings appeared on his face, all purple mixed with black. Some kind of power flowed through those markings.
Wisp after wisp of black energy rose from Xu Zimo's entire body.
He knelt on one knee, gritting his teeth as he endured the agony of this transformation remaking his entire body.
In a place exceedingly far away on the Yuanyang Continent, rolling demonic energy blanketed the heavens. Even the blazing sun could not pierce through it.
There was no distinction between day and night here, because it was eternally shrouded in darkness.
At the very center of this land stood a Round Bead-shaped pillar sealed beneath dust.
The pillar stood several thousand zhang tall and had remained silent for hundreds upon thousands of years.
Suddenly, the sealed fragments on the pillar began to fall away, and streaks of red light started flashing across its surface.
In this world that had been dead silent for countless years, someone finally spoke.
"The Sky-Piercing Halberd has sensed its master's power. The Devil Master has revived!"
"Where is he? Should we go find him?"
"We will not know—or rather, no one will know where the Devil Master is. Only because no one knows can the Devil Master grow and survive in peace."
"One day, that man will once again reign over this place. We need only wait quietly."
"But the path leading to the Ancient Demon Cave has already been sealed. Ordinary creatures cannot enter."
"The Devil Master is not an ordinary creature," a gentle female voice said slowly. "He will follow the Sky-Piercing Halberd's summons, like listening to a Battle Song drifting from the distant heavens.
Singing softly as he walks toward his weapon, the Sky-Piercing Halberd.
Nothing can stop him, because he is the strongest creature in this world."
Someone nearby laughed with frenzied wickedness, their laughter brimming with madness and excitement.
"Devil Master, welcome back!"
The instant the Prison Suppressing Divine Body fused into him, the second Meridian Gate within Xu Zimo's body was directly opened.
The opening of the Mystic Bone also meant that Xu Zimo had directly advanced to the Condensing Pulse Realm.
With the support of the Divine Meridian Realm power within the Round Bead in his body, his cultivation continued to rise bit by bit.
Condensing Pulse Realm, Level One, Condensing Pulse Realm, Level Two, ... Condensing Pulse Realm, Level Nine.
His cultivation stopped at the ninth level of the Condensing Pulse Realm, and Xu Zimo let out a long breath.
What surprised him even more was the state he had entered just now. His hair had all turned fiery red, and his face was covered in purple-black markings.
At that moment, Xu Zimo had felt as if a demon king had descended. His power had been unimaginably strong.
"Is this the power of the Prison Suppressing Divine Body?" Xu Zimo was somewhat astonished. In his Previous Life, he had seen Chu Yang use the Prison Suppressing Divine Body, but it seemed different from his own form.
Perhaps everyone had their own path to walk. It was normal for them to differ.
The increase in power made Xu Zimo's entire body crackle and pop. The dark clouds above gradually dispersed, and in the end, no rain fell.
The sunlight was bright. On Qingshan Peak, Xu Qingshan watched the strange phenomenon from earlier, his eyes filled with confusion.
"A great omen of calamity. I wonder whether it is good or bad." Xu Qingshan did not know where the calamity came from and could only shake his head, refusing to dwell on it.
Afterward, Xu Zimo found Lin Ruhu. Today was the day the True Martial Sacred Sect recruited new disciples, and Xu Zimo intended to participate and watch the excitement while he was at it.
According to the True Martial Sacred Sect's rules, Xu Zimo had not cultivated for long and had yet to pass the entrance examination, so he was not considered a disciple of the True Martial Sacred Sect.
At most, he could only be considered the family member of the True Martial Sacred Sect's Vice Sect Master.
By the rules, Xu Zimo had to pass the test alongside everyone else today before he could be considered a true disciple of the Sacred Sect.
But there was no absolute fairness in this world. Having power meant being free to do as one pleased.
With Xu Qingshan around, rules meant nothing at all.
Rules were made for the weak. The strong were responsible for making rules, but they never took them seriously anyway.
One update for today. I'll make up the other three updates for everyone tomorrow.
Before you continue