Sect Master’s Immortal Journey

Chapter 549: Trace of the Demonic

Numerous cultivators began to grow lax, and their willingness to fight was naturally affected.

The other three forces were slightly better off. However, not long after the cultivator army from the Huang Family left Black Wind Grave, there were evident signs of battle-weariness among them.

Although they didn’t openly oppose the Huang Family patriarch, Huang Tannian, there were many instances of passive resistance and lack of effort, which left Huang Tannian rather helpless.

Thus, Huang Tannian paid a visit to Daoist Master Jin Li, stating that the Huang Family's cultivators needed to stay behind. They required some reorganization before they could rejoin the battlefield.

Since their entry into the Deadly Sea of Sand, among the four cultivator armies, Taiyi Sect and Flying Swan Sect had relatively fewer casualties. In contrast, the Northern Desert Qi Family suffered the most due to a surprise attack. Now that the Huang Family's cultivators wanted to break away, Daoist Master Jin Li was somewhat reluctant.

However, the Huang Family's cultivators had brought their provisions to the battle and weren't her subordinates. Her command, under True Monarch Tian Zhu's orders, was only over forces like the Taiyi Sect.

Not wanting to pressurize the Huang Family unduly, Daoist Master Jin Li agreed to Huang Tannian's request.

Thus, the cultivator armies of Taiyi Sect, Flying Swan Sect, and Northern Desert Qi Family pressed on, while the Huang Family’s cultivators stayed behind, under the reorganization of Huang Tannian.

The armies of the four forces had been fighting in the Deadly Sea of Sand for quite some time now. Each force made efforts to maintain contact with their rear lines to receive updated intelligence.

Although Taiyi Sect’s Secret Hall was relatively new, Meng Zhang was willing to invest resources, and An Moran genuinely had a knack for this field. In terms of intelligence capabilities, the Secret Hall was now on par with the seasoned Flying Swan Sect.

Especially with the Jiuqu League, Taiyi Sect currently had a good relationship with the Gu Yue Family, enabling them to constantly receive information about Great Wind City through them.

Though the intelligence was general and was first screened by the Gu Yue Family, it expanded Taiyi Sect’s horizons.

Because of Daoist Master Luo Ye, Taiyi Sect had several collaborations with Jiuqu League’s black market. Paying a high price could fetch valuable information.

Recently, a crucial piece of intelligence reached Taiyi Sect’s Secret Hall. Shortly after True Monarch Mountain Peak led his cultivator army into the Deadly Sea of Sand, they were intercepted by a vast army of sand monsters.

These sand monsters, led by Third Rank sand monsters and aided by Demonic Cultivators – including some at the Gold Core stage – were relentless. And True Monarch Mountain Peak was notably absent, causing the cultivator armies of Yellow Lotus Sect’s Mountain Branch, East River Branch, and Crane Song Sect to engage in intense battles.

By the time Meng Zhang received this information, the fierce battle was still raging, causing heavy casualties.

To acquire this intelligence from the black market, Taiyi Sect had paid a hefty price. The information was of great significance to Meng Zhang.

Indeed, the enemy was formidable. Had it not been for True Monarch Mountain Peak drawing most of the enemy's attention first, Taiyi Sect and the others would have been the ones mired in the grueling battle.

Meng Zhang grew particularly wary with the emergence of the Gold Core stage Demonic Cultivators.

After some contemplation, Meng Zhang shared this intelligence with Daoist Master Jin Li instead of keeping it to himself.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Master Jin Li's reaction mirrored Meng Zhang’s. She too was wary of the Gold Core stage Demonic Cultivators.

According to her, the previous Fifth Order Great Power had allowed Demonic Cultivators and ghost cultivators in the Deadly Sea of Sand's An Family, probably as a backup strategy. Out of caution and respect for True Monarch Tian Zhu's potential reaction, these cultivators were suppressed, ensuring none reached the Gold Core stage.

Now, it seemed they couldn’t withstand True Monarch Tian Zhu’s pressure any longer. The Fifth Order Great Power had made a choice to fully ally with the Demonic Cultivators.

Allowing Demonic Cultivators to assimilate the ghost cultivators and break through to the Gold Core stage was all in a bid to swiftly bolster their strength.

Before this incident, True Monarch Tian Zhu, as the Primordial Spirit True Monarch, never paid attention to a group of Foundation Building cultivators. He tolerated the existence of Demonic Cultivation and ghost cultivators.

But now, the emergence of a Gold Core-stage Demonic Cultivator was his oversight, unexpectedly creating a formidable adversary for his subordinates.

Meng Zhang understood that the Fifth Order Great Power hailed from extraterrestrial Fifth Rank Earth Spirits. Moreover, the heritage of Demonic Cultivation wasn't birthed in this world, but also originated from beyond the stars.

Meng Zhang was unclear on how the Demonic Path took root and flourished in this realm, let alone the nature of those otherworldly dimensions.

Nevertheless, he speculated that there must be hidden secrets behind the collaboration between the Fifth Rank Earth Spirits and Demonic Cultivation.

After discussing with Jin Li Daoist Master for a while, the two went their separate ways.

Upon rejoining the main force, Meng Zhang settled his mind and began his divination using the Grand Evolving Fortune technique.

He wasn't trying to decipher the dealings between Demonic Cultivation and Fifth Rank Earth Spirits. He wasn't foolish enough to seek trouble for himself. Instead, he focused on the situation of Huang Tannian.

Using the Heavenly Calculations method, it was challenging to obtain clear insights for higher-level divinations. Given that Huang Tannian was also a Gold Core-stage cultivator like Meng Zhang, it took considerable effort to derive a general conclusion.

After some contemplation, Meng Zhang summoned Yang Xueyi and instructed her to lead the troops onward, while he would secretly depart for a while.

With the enemy's main forces absent, and the actions of the various factions being merely time-consuming distractions, there was no need for a Gold Core Daoist Master to constantly monitor the situation.

With Yang Xueyi, a Gold Core Daoist Master, in command, they were more than equipped to handle unexpected developments.

Having made his arrangements, Meng Zhang stealthily left the Taiyi Sect's army and hurried alone towards the location where the Huang Family cultivators were stationed.

Meanwhile, at the Huang Family's side, following Huang Tannian's orders to rest, the flying ships of the Huang Family descended onto an open field. They quickly set up a temporary camp, setting up various protective barriers around.

On Huang Tannian's command, most of the family cultivators remained within the makeshift camp, forbidden from leaving casually.

Huang Tannian's leniency in recent times was largely intentional. His orders were absolute, and no member of the family dared to defy them.

After waiting for several days, presuming that the cultivators from the other three families had already distanced themselves, Huang Tannian led a group of family cultivators under the cover of night, heading north.

After flying about three hundred miles, they landed.

Huang Tannian emerged from the crowd, stepping forward onto an empty plot of land. He took out half a stick of signaling incense from his bosom, lit it, and planted it into the ground.

Without uttering a word, Huang Tannian patiently waited.

The half-sized incense, surprisingly long-lasting, burned slowly. As time passed, after more than three hours, accompanied by the sound of wind, a dark silhouette quickly approached from a distance.

With the wind, the shadow landed, revealing the figure of Ye Feifan.

"So it is you. I can't believe you're still alive," said Huang Tannian, his expression complex and his tone somber.

"Years ago, I thought you had fled early. Unexpectedly, you dared to take the greatest risk in the world, using the Blood Parasite Technique to reincarnate in your descendants."

"You should be grateful. Out of old affections, I didn't exterminate your Ye family, cutting off your bloodline."

Ye Feifan, after hearing Huang Tannian's words, displayed a disdainful expression.

"You old ghost. It wasn’t out of sentiment, but because you were uncertain of my fate. You kept my Ye family alive hoping I would reveal myself."

Huang Tannian did not continue on that topic, but directly addressed the main issue at hand.

"Let's not bring up the past. Since you've answered my summons, I presume you still wish to communicate with me."

"How about this? As long as you hand over the item, I can swear an oath to the spirits, settling our scores and debts, and I will no longer pursue you."

Ye Feifan couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter. Huang Tannian's seemingly magnanimous words were just nonsense to him.

"It's amusing how you, this old ghost, have held onto the incense we used to contact each other back in the day."

"Huang, old ghost, did you think that just because I sensed the incense and came immediately, I intended to make some deal with you?"

"You old fool, I'm after your life."

This time, it was Huang Tannian's turn to laugh heartily.

"You reckless fool, thinking that just because you've sided with the ghost cultivators and learned some inferior Ghost Path techniques, you can challenge me."

After Ye Feifan escaped from the Great Wind City, Huang Tannian had thoroughly investigated. A cultivator initially at the beginning stages of Refining Qi showing combat capabilities to kill a Foundation Building cultivator was not simply due to some fortuitous event or a case of playing dumb to outsmart the tiger.

The cultivation process has its course, and even the most unorthodox methods can't be achieved in one go, especially not advancing one's Cultivation Base so rapidly.

After news spread that Ye Feifan had fled to the Deadly Sea of Sand and joined forces with the ghost cultivators, Huang Tannian pieced together various pieces of information and deduced that he most likely used a bloodline parasitism technique.

Almost two hundred years ago, when Huang Tannian had yet to form his core and was still a Foundation Building cultivator, the Ye Family was a vassal clan to the Huang Family, and the ancestor of the Ye Family was one of his most capable cultivators.

However, the two fell out over an elder's cave dwelling. The Ye Family ancestor fled with severe injuries, but he took the key to the cave dwelling with him.

Huang Tannian used various means to cause the decline of the Ye Family. He closely monitored the Ye family members, hoping that the fleeing ancestor would contact them.

What he never expected was that the Ye Family ancestor would be so ruthless as to use the bloodline parasitism technique to reincarnate in his descendants.

Although he knew Ye Feifan was hiding in the Deadly Sea of Sand, Huang Tannian dared not enter. Only when Jin Li Daoist Master rallied several powers to launch a major attack on the Deadly Sea of Sand did Huang Tannian, against his clan's wishes, forcefully take command and lead the Huang Family cultivators into battle.

Unable to find any traces of Ye Feifan in the Black Wind Grave, he resorted to the incense they once used to contact each other, hoping to reach out.

To his surprise, Ye Feifan appeared before him without much effort.

Huang Tannian was unaware that Ye Feifan had later fallen into the Demonic Path, colluding with Demonic Cultivation, betraying the ghost cultivators.

In Huang Tannian's eyes, even if Ye Feifan had learned some techniques from the Ghost Path, it didn’t matter. As long as Ye Feifan didn't break through to the Gold Core stage, he would never be a match for him.

Given the conditions of the Deadly Sea of Sand, it was rare for a ghost cultivator to reach the Gold Core stage.

Huang Tannian couldn’t be bothered to waste words on Ye Feifan, who seemed to have a death wish, and directly gave the order.

"Seize him, but spare his life."

As soon as the order was given, seven cultivators from the Huang Family, positioned behind Huang Tannian, stepped forward. They arranged themselves according to the seven-star formation.

The Huang Family, having a long lineage in Great Wind City, undoubtedly possessed a profound heritage.

The seven Foundation Building stage cultivators formed the Seven-Star Soul Locking Formation. This formation could fully amplify the strength of the cultivators within it. Moreover, this formation was especially designed to restrain ghost cultivators. Even when up against a Gold Core stage ghost cultivator, they could still hold their ground without being at a disadvantage.

Huang Tannian watched intently from the side, ready to intervene at any moment.

In his view, even if Ye Feifan was incredibly lucky, he was at best a pseudo-core realm ghost cultivator. Huang Tannian didn’t need to act himself; his subordinates alone would overwhelm Ye Feifan.

Despite being outnumbered, Ye Feifan didn't show the slightest fear. Instead, he shot Huang Tannian a sly smile.

Then, the unexpected happened. The seven Huang Family cultivators, who had set up the Seven-Star Soul Locking Formation, suddenly began to quarrel among themselves.

Two of the Huang Family cultivators suddenly ambushed their companions.

When the seven cultivators set up the formation, they were united in purpose, and being close kin, they were very familiar with and close to each other. They never imagined they would face betrayal and ambush from their own.

Caught off guard, five of the cultivators were knocked to the ground, too injured to get up.

Huang Tannian, who was initially at ease, couldn't help but drastically change his expression. Pointing at Ye Feifan, he demanded, "What are you up to? What have you done?"

In a mix of shock and fury, he refrained from attacking immediately.

Ye Feifan paid no attention to Huang Tannian. With a casual flick of his hand, a dark mist swept over the five cultivators of the Huang Family lying on the ground.

These five cultivators weren't heavily injured, not because their assailant showed mercy, but because Ye Feifan had other plans for them.

At this moment, realization struck Huang Tannian.

"Demonic energy? You practice Demonic Cultivation?"

In the Cultivation World, most cultivators harbor an inexplicable dread, if not outright fear, of Demonic Cultivation. Huang Tannian, being a Gold Core Daoist Master, was no exception.

Seeing Huang Tannian showing signs of hesitation, Ye Feifan seized the opportunity and lunged at him.

Dark energy surged all over him, turning into countless tentacles in the air, constantly writhing and surging toward Huang Tannian.

However, Huang Tannian was a Gold Core Daoist Master after all. His initial panic quickly subsided, and he reacted, launching an attack.

But as they engaged, he realized how formidable Ye Feifan was.

The opponent was clearly a Gold Core phase cultivator, but with profound techniques and mysterious skills. The spells cast by Huang Tannian seemed to have little effect on him.

In a short span of their skirmish, Huang Tannian was already at a disadvantage.

As a seasoned Gold Core cultivator, he had never been in such a precarious situation.

As Ye Feifan pinned Huang Tannian down, two members of the Huang Family under his control began to incessantly strike the other five Huang Family cultivators on the ground.

In just a moment, dark energy emerged from the faces of these five Huang Family cultivators, their eyes turning blood-red.

Huang Tannian, catching a glimpse of this, grew even more enraged.

"You audacious fiend! How dare you turn my Huang Family members into demons!"

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