The mountain gate was open.
Two towering black iron gates, each three zhang tall, opened to the sides, the four gilded characters " Heavenly Evolution Mountain Manor " on the lintel appearing darkened by the mountain mist.
No one greeted them.
Zhao Chengkong dismounted from the Crimson-Maned Beast and stood in front of the door, his expression gradually darkening.
In the past, when he returned to the mountain to report on his duties, the sentry post three miles away would send a message back before he even reached the mountain gate. When he arrived at the gate, at least two stewards would be waiting with people, and tea and snacks would be provided without fail.
Now, only the wind blows through the doorway.
Su Yu led the Crimson-Maned Beast to his side without saying a word.
The two passed through the mountain gate and walked inward along the main bluestone path.
The spirit lanterns along the road were still lit, but every thirty feet there stood a black-armored guard. The guards' posture, the way they held their weapons, and even their breathing rate all carried a sense of deliberate uniformity. Su Yu's gaze swept over them.
They're not guards, they're on surveillance.
Zhao Chengkong noticed it too. His pace hadn't changed, but his right hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.
After walking along the main path for about half an incense stick's time, a stone bridge spanned the stream ahead, and three young disciples of about fifteen or sixteen years old sat in the pavilion at the head of the bridge.
One of them looked up, and upon seeing the newcomer's face, jumped up as if propelled by a spring.
"Young Master!"
The shout startled the other two as well. The three of them ran over together, their expressions a mixture of surprise and joy, along with a hint of inexplicable grievance.
"Young Master, you're finally back!"
The young man in the lead was named Zhao Ming, Spirit Realm Second Level cultivator, and belonged to the Soul Control Faction Sect. He was quick-witted, but before he could finish three sentences, his eyes reddened.
"Something terrible has happened at the manor! The Grand Elder has sealed off the main hall, and the manor lord hasn't shown up for seven days!"
Zhao Chengkong paused in his steps.
Seven days?
Zhao Ming nodded repeatedly, his voice extremely low. "The Manor Lord has been slow to show himself. The day before yesterday, the Grand Elder issued a decree, saying that 'for the sake of the Manor's long-term plan,' a vote will be held at the Elders' Meeting in three days to fully implement the Soul Fusion Technique and abolish all cultivation methods of the Soul Control Faction!"
Another disciple interjected, "That's not all, Young Master. The Grand Elder's men have also taken control of the communication array—not a single one of our distress talismans has gone through."
Zhao Chengkong's breathing became heavier.
He turned around and looked at Su Yu.
Su Yu's expression remained unchanged. However, he slightly tilted his head, signaling Zhao Chengkong to continue asking questions.
Zhao Chengkong looked at Zhao Ming again.
Where are my younger brother and sister?
Zhao Ming opened his mouth, then closed it again.
"Young Master Chengyu and Miss Nan..." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "... this morning at the martial arts training ground on the back mountain, they were ambushed by Zhao Chengxiong and his men."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengkong's pupils suddenly contracted.
"You're injured?"
Zhao Ming dared not speak. The youngest disciple beside him lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "Young Master Chengyu was struck in the chest by a Soul Lodging Palm and is still lying down. Miss Nan was slapped in the face... We wanted to help, but Zhao Chengxiong was accompanied by two people who had fused with demon souls, and our legs went weak as soon as their eyes swept over us."
There was silence for three breaths.
Zhao Chengkong did not fly into a rage.
He simply stood there, one hand resting on the railing of the stone bridge. The railing was carved from a single piece of bluestone, two inches thick.
"Click."
The bluestone railing has a crack in the middle.
Zhao Chengkong released his grip and turned to walk deeper into the manor. His steps were slow, but each step was heavy, causing tiny cracks to appear on the bluestone pavement from the impact of his qi and blood.
Su Yu followed him.
The three young disciples looked at each other in bewilderment and quickly followed after them.
On the way, Zhao Ming lowered his voice and recounted everything that had happened during this period from beginning to end.
Su Yu walked half a step behind Zhao Chengkong, without saying a word, taking in all the information.
The Spirit Refinement lineage of the Heavenly Evolution Mountain Manor is divided into two branches.
The Soul Control Faction uses spiritual power as its reins to control the remnant souls of demon servants. The controller and the demon servant are clearly distinct; a person is a person, and a soul is a soul, never to be confused. It requires an extremely high level of precision in spiritual power, has a long cultivation period, but also a high ceiling. The cultivator must always maintain human will and clarity.
The Soul Fusion Faction took a different path. They directly integrated the remnant soul of the demon servant into the cultivator's own sea of consciousness, allowing it to coexist with their own divine soul. The advantage was that it was fast-acting—the integrated demon soul could instantly amplify mental power and physical strength, resulting in a surge in combat power in a short period of time.
The downsides are also obvious.
The merged demonic soul is not an inanimate object; the lingering bestial instincts within the remnant soul will erode the cultivator's mind day and night. The more it merges, the deeper the demonization. The day the cultivator loses control, they will be reduced to a monster that is neither human nor demon.
Su Yu recalled a detail Zhao Ming mentioned when describing Zhao Chengxiong —vertical pupils.
The boundary between the iris and the pupil disappears, replaced by a vertical slit.
That wasn't some extraordinary talent; it was a sign of demonic transformation.
A nineteen-year-old youth has become so demonized that even his eyes are deformed.
The First Elder Zhao Y ehan, actually allowed his grandson to cultivate to this extent.
It wasn't just Zhao Chengxiong.
According to Zhao Ming, at least seven or eight of the core disciples of the Soul Fusion Faction have shown varying degrees of demonic characteristics.
Some people's fingernails turned into animal claws, and some people's skin grew scales.
This isn't a debate about cultivation paths; it's self-destruction.
Zhao Chengkong stopped in his tracks.
They arrived at a secluded bamboo courtyard. The gate was half-closed, and most of the paint on the gate had peeled off.
Zhao Chengkong pushed open the door.
In the courtyard, a boy in gray was leaning against a pillar, his chest wrapped in bandages, with a dark green stain showing through the bandages.
Beside him, a girl with a ponytail was carefully bringing a bowl of medicine to his lips.
"Big brother!"
Zhao Nan saw Zhao Chengkong first; he almost dropped the medicine bowl.
Zhao Chengyu struggled to sit up, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Big brother, you're back."
Zhao Chengkong strode over, squatted down, and ripped open the bandage on Zhao Chengyu's chest.
Beneath that dark green stain, the skin had rotted and turned black, and the outline of ribs was vaguely visible. The grayish-green Yao Qi was still slowly spreading around.
The aftereffects of the Soul Lodging Palm: the corrosive power of the remaining demonic soul is slowly devouring his brother's flesh and blood.
Zhao Chengkong's hand hovered above the wound, motionless.
He looked up.
Zhao Chengxiong.
The sound was very soft.
The whisper reached everyone in the courtyard, but no one dared to speak.
Zhao Nan bit her lower lip, her eyes red-rimmed, but not a single tear fell.
"Brother, don't be impulsive. The Grand Elder has four Earth Realm elders on his side, and for some reason, we can't even see my father now."
Zhao Chengkong slowly stood up.
"I know."
He turned his head and looked at Su Yu, who had been standing at the gate of the courtyard without taking a single step inside.
Su Yu leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. His gaze passed over Zhao Chengkong and landed on the dark green corrosion on Zhao Chengyu's chest.
"This injury," Su Yu said, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather, "If it's not treated, the Yao Qi will seep into his internal organs within three days, and he'll be crippled."
Zhao Chengyu's body stiffened.
Zhao Nan suddenly turned to look at Su Yu, her gaze filled with wariness and scrutiny.
"Who are you?"
Zhao Chengkong took a deep breath.
"My friend."
Su Yu stared at him for three breaths.
"Let's make one thing clear first," Su Yu said softly.
Zhao Chengkong nodded.
"Is your uncle really locked up, or did he choose not to come out?"
This question was like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone present.