Chapter 130: The Brand
Only one born with innate demonic nature can wield such violent power! The endless aura of deathly silence resembles demonic essence, bringing despair to the world! It suppresses any flicker of rebellion in the hearts of men! Beyond fear, there is only fear!
“Come see me.”
Li Changsheng’s expression remained calm, as if utterly uninterested in the matters at hand. As the River of the Underworld faintly manifested around him, a translucent thread of causality appeared, stretching directly to the main hall atop the peak. Silently chanting in his heart, a flash of light flickered along the thread before gradually fading away.
His gaze once more fell upon Xiao Tianding, who was pressed to the ground, struggling to rise.
“River of the Underworld.”
His voice was faint but piercing, and a glint of sharp intelligence flashed deep within Li Changsheng’s eyes. With a flick of his finger, a single drop of water from the River of the Underworld shot straight toward the center of Xiao Tianding’s brow!
In an instant—
“What is this!!!”
Sensing the chilling aura radiating from the drop, Xiao Tianding’s eyes widened in terror beyond all measure. His heart sank into boundless dread!
If the demonic nature on Zhao Wan’er’s purple-black slender blade had brought despair, then the single illusory drop flicked by Li Changsheng was enough to drive all living beings mad! The aura contained within that drop was unlike the violent and deathly demonic essence; it did not bring desolation but instead bore the ultimate control over the fate of all life!
Violent demonic nature could still be confronted with desperate gambles, but if one’s fate was held tightly in another’s hand, how could one resist?
Not to mention fighting back, at this moment, Xiao Tianding could barely summon even a trace of defiance. Once the initial shock was gone, all that remained was infinite fear.
As thoughts spun wildly in Xiao Tianding’s mind, the drop of River of the Underworld’s water had completely merged into his body, intertwining continuously with his spirit and vitality. A flood of information surged forth.
“Lord of the River of the Underworld…”
“The only deity in the world…”
A trembling murmur escaped his lips, and his gaze gradually turned vacant…
What was a god? How noble and exalted they must be! No matter how much he had tried to conceive it, he could not have imagined that before him stood a god.
And yet, he had dared to offend such a being!
If the pinnacle of shock and fear was bewilderment, Xiao Tianding was now utterly lost in that state.
He no longer had the slightest thought to question why Li Changsheng had become a deity, nor did he care about being bound earlier.
His mind was blank, only endless stupor remaining.
“Ding~ Host has subdued the Underworld slave; fate points have merged. Current fate points:”
“No way, he’s really stunned…”
Yet when Li Changsheng noticed Xiao Tianding’s condition, a strange gleam flickered deep within his eyes.
Demonic nature, demonic blade, River of the Underworld, deity.
For the vast multitude, regardless of cultivation level, these were unreachable realms.
Even when he had first encountered them, he had struggled to remain calm.
If this person was truly frightened into numbness, his future plans might need adjustment…
Troublesome indeed.
Thinking thus, Li Changsheng’s brow lightly furrowed, eyes clouded in contemplation.
But what followed was something even Li Changsheng had not anticipated.
“Master! Please don’t kill me!”
“Your servant knows his mistake! I should not have defied you!”
A terrified, piercing cry rang out as Xiao Tianding’s face twisted with panic. His body trembled uncontrollably as he frantically kowtowed repeatedly before Li Changsheng, as if he had committed an unforgivable sin.
This…
Seeing this, Li Changsheng felt a growing sense of bewilderment within.
He had done nothing at all…
Could he really be that frightened?
Zhao Wan’er and Elder Jian simply watched the scene calmly, as if it were to be expected.
“Could it be because of just now…”
Li Changsheng pondered briefly, recalling the slight furrow of his own brow earlier.
Could a single gesture have scared him so deeply?
Yet aside from that, nothing else seemed amiss…
With that thought, Li Changsheng’s gaze toward Xiao Tianding grew strange, and a faint smile played at the corner of his lips.
He could see that the man was still honest and straightforward…
“Master.”
Suddenly, the void before Li Changsheng trembled, and a voluptuous, exquisitely beautiful woman stepped forward. She knelt on one knee, speaking with utmost respect.
This was Liu Ruyan.
“Arrange for this person to join the sect tomorrow.”
Li Changsheng’s expression did not change in the slightest; his voice was calm and detached.
“Yes.”
Though puzzled, Liu Ruyan dared not question further. She bowed again, respectfully acknowledging the command.
“Offense was committed first; your cultivation power is taken as punishment.”
“If this is done well, I shall grant you Ancient Realm cultivation.”
His gaze swept over Liu Ruyan, then turned toward the trembling Xiao Tianding not far away. A glint of brilliance flashed deep within his eyes, and he spoke faintly.
“Slave, submit to master’s arrangement!”
Xiao Tianding’s courage had already been shattered; how could he dare to think otherwise now? His body shuddered; with eyes full of respect, he kowtowed deeply.
His hoarse voice slowly echoed out.
He knew that in front of the current Li Changsheng, any resistance was futile.
Indeed…
Seeing this, Li Changsheng said no more.
A wave of his hand, and the River of the Underworld behind him trembled. A supreme controlling force over all living beings spread out!
Xiao Tianding’s cultivation visibly dropped before their eyes!
His vitality withered steadily!
Within mere breaths, Xiao Tianding’s power fell to the peak of the Core Formation stage!
His previous cultivation condensed into a pure force, stored within the River of the Underworld!
“Take this jade slip; you two may leave.”
At this, Li Changsheng wasted no time.
With a wave, a cyan-blue jade slip quickly formed before Xiao Tianding, floating gently.
Li Changsheng’s voice passed out faintly.
“Obey master’s order.”
Liu Ruyan was as devout as ever.
Her respectful voice carried a hint of fervor.
“Respect master’s command.”
Xiao Tianding dared not delay either.
He clasped his fists respectfully and bowed deeply.
Without lingering, the two turned and stepped away, their figures soon vanishing!
Only Zhao Wan’er gazed toward their departing forms, her eyes faintly revealing a hint of contemplation.
“Now that matters are settled, let us return to the Immortal Tomb for a visit.”
Noticing Zhao Wan’er’s silent pondering, Li Changsheng’s thoughts stirred, and he spoke abruptly.
The Azure Spirit Realm was divided into four domains: East, South, West, and North. Beyond these lay several extraordinary regions.
Among the Three Tombs and Six Seas, the Chu Tomb was one such place.
The place where he had met Zhao Wan’er was the Immortal Tomb.
Counting the years, Zhao Wan’er had accompanied him for eight years.
This time, it was fitting to return for a visit.
“Master, I…”
Hearing this, Zhao Wan’er’s heart trembled; the gleam in her beautiful eyes shifted, betraying a subtle, unfamiliar emotion.
As a servant, she should discard the past and be loyal to her master.
Yet the Zhao family of the Immortal Tomb had not only raised her but also taught her the path of cultivation.
Such great kindness remained forever unrepayed.
Over time, it became a knot in her heart, difficult to unravel.
Master, you are so considerate…
With these thoughts, the unnamed emotion within Zhao Wan’er deepened.
“You have suffered these years.”
“We cultivators follow our hearts.”
“If, in the end, cultivation brings no fulfillment, what difference does it make whether we cultivate or not?”
Li Changsheng naturally sensed the peculiarity in Zhao Wan’er’s heart.
His eyes softened, and his voice came slowly.
His gaze also turned toward the distant horizon.
Time passed gently; night deepened.
At this moment, Li Changsheng sat quietly drinking tea in a secluded spot south of the Immortal Forest.
Beside him was a graceful, beautiful woman serving him respectfully.
Her eyes gentle, she remained silently by his side, nodding without a word.
It was Zhao Wan’er.
Meanwhile, to the east of the Immortal Forest Sect, within an exquisite cave dwelling, a white-clad youth sat cross-legged with eyes closed, cultivating.
Suddenly, the entire Immortal Forest Sect trembled violently!
A heavy humming sound instantly echoed across tens of thousands of miles!
The white-clad youth’s expression changed drastically.
“Impossible! How could anyone in the entire Eastern Domain surpass me in alchemy?”
Chu Tian’s eyes snapped open; his face darkened like still water.
His hoarse voice sounded as he rose abruptly, stepping forward and flying off toward the distance!
At the same time, the entire Immortal Forest Sect shook as the heavy hum resounded.
Countless disciples poured out, eyes filled with shock.
Several powerful elders broke through their barriers and rushed toward the sect’s center!
“Let’s follow and see who broke Senior Brother Chu’s record!”
“What are you looking at? It must be Senior Brother Chu breaking through again, reaching a new height in alchemy!”
Noisy voices rose around, and many eager disciples hurried after the elders.
Others shook their heads with self-mockery and returned to their secluded cultivation.
Saint Son Chu Tian was unrivaled in alchemy; no one in the sect had not heard of him.
In recent years, any shocking event in the sect was attributed to him.
The disciples had become accustomed.
Meanwhile, in a quiet spot south of the sect, Li Changsheng sat quietly drinking tea, a strange gleam flickering in his eyes.
When the hum sounded earlier, he had sent his divine sense sweeping across the entire sect.
It turned out that after Xiao Tianding’s reordering, he had wasted no time and was already attempting to break Chu Tian’s record as instructed!
Sects like the Immortal Forest Sect, specializing in alchemy, had various methods to test their disciples’ strength.
The Immortal Forest’s method was to challenge the Pill Tower and pass through the Pill Gate!
The Pill Tower tested disciples’ understanding of flora and fauna, while the Pill Gate tested their alchemical skills!
Anyone who surpassed the previous record would trigger a phenomenon, announcing it sect-wide.
Just now, it was Xiao Tianding who broke the first-layer record of the Pill Tower, causing the commotion!
“Ding~ The fate child’s mental state impaired, fate points reduced by 200, host rewarded with an additional 2000 fate points.”
Is it beginning?
Li Changsheng’s face remained calm as he murmured to himself.
According to his estimation, unless something unexpected happened, Xiao Tianding would overwhelm all others.
And this was when his own fate points would steadily increase!
Humming…
Indeed, as Li Changsheng finished speaking, the heavy hum sounded again!
Above the Heavenly Realm Sect, a faint red glow appeared.
“Ding~ The fate child’s mental state impaired, fate points reduced by 200, extra reward to host 2000 fate points.”
The system’s voice rang out, but Li Changsheng’s expression did not change as he quietly sipped his tea.
Xiao Tianding was recognized throughout the Azure Spirit cultivation world as the top alchemist; if he lacked such skill, it would be shameful.
However, the origin of this ancient alchemic demon warranted attention…
After some contemplation, Li Changsheng looked at Zhao Wan’er beside him, a smile curling at his lips.
“Come, I’ll show you the sights.”
With a smile in his eyes, Li Changsheng rose, gently embraced the beauty’s waist, and stepped forward, suddenly vanishing!
When he reappeared, they were at the very center of the Immortal Forest Sect, high above!
Looking down, hundreds had already gathered below.
Some elders floated in the air, their eyes fixed intently on the dark wooden Pill Tower not far away.
The disciples below wore various expressions, whispering among themselves, discussing who might be inside the tower.
Most believed the record-breaker to be Saint Son Chu Tian.
At this moment, the bottom two layers of the black Pill Tower shone with intense light!
The first layer glowed red, the second orange.
As the two lights intertwined, a faint heavenly melody echoed, ethereal and lingering, soothing the soul.
Humming…
When the third heavy hum sounded, the faces of many disciples changed again.
How long had it been? Chu Tian had broken his own record once more?
This was beyond defiance of the heavens!
“This person is not Senior Brother Chu…”
Suddenly, a timid voice spoke.
Everyone looked up, and a long rainbow shot toward this place!
Within the rainbow was Chu Tian himself!
His expression was terrible, bloodshot eyes veiled in shadows.
Humming…
The heavy hum sounded again, and silence fell upon the place.
Above the nine-layer Pill Tower, the bottom four layers now shone red, orange, yellow, and green in order.
The lights merged and intertwined.
The crowd was utterly shocked!
Only a few breaths had passed!
Someone had broken Senior Brother Chu’s record again?
This was no mere defiance of the heavens!
Chu Tian’s face darkened further as the hum sounded again.
Landing slowly, he remained silent.
Bloodshot eyes fixed tightly on the Pill Tower ahead.
Who was this person?
Breaking four layers of records in a row—such alchemical skill could not belong to an ordinary Immortal Forest Sect disciple!
Perhaps it was related to that earlier feeling of heart palpitations!
“Ding~ The fate child’s mental state impaired, fate points reduced by 300, host rewarded with an additional 3000 fate points.”
As the system’s voice sounded, far above, Li Changsheng raised a brow and focused his thoughts.
Behind him, the River of the Underworld faintly shimmered, and a thread of causality appeared, leading straight to the Pill Tower!
“Hasten the breakthrough.”
A profound gleam flashed in his eyes as he silently commanded.
The faint light along the illusory causal thread flickered and gradually faded.
Humming…
Almost the moment Li Changsheng’s words left his lips, the heavy hum echoed throughout the Immortal Forest Sect once more!
The Pill Tower’s fifth layer glowed prominently blue, and disciples who had returned to seclusion emerged again, breaking through their barriers!
This was highly unusual!
They exchanged glances, all sensing the gravity in each other’s eyes.
After a brief pause, all rushed toward the scene!
At this moment, Chu Tian’s expression was extremely dark.
If someone had merely broken his record by chance, that would be one thing, but to break several layers in succession?
Did it mean that his alchemic demon bloodline was inferior to that of a mere human?
Thinking so, a murderous intent slowly rose within Chu Tian’s heart.
Those who humiliate me cannot be left alive…