Chapter 782: Preparation (II)

"You'll be responsible for drawing the Redcloud Island Master's attention while I conceal myself and launch a surprise attack. As for Redcloud Island's island-protecting formation, I'll guide you through breaking it when the time comes," Lin Zheyu said.

"All right," Cao Hongchang agreed without hesitation.

Cao Hongchang had witnessed Lin Zheyu's ability to conceal his aura and presence many times. Just moments ago, Lin Zheyu had entered the hall without making a sound, and Cao Hongchang had failed to notice him until it was too late.

"Okay. Make the arrangements for the attack on Redcloud Island. Just notify me once everything is ready." Lin Zheyu waved his hand and rose to leave.

When he reached the doorway, he paused.

"By the way, do you know any other Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"I know a few. Are you planning to recruit them into the Evilheart Sect as well?" Cao Hongchang asked curiously.

"Let them know that there is a way to resolve the problem of erosion by yao will. Remember to choose people who can afford the price of three thousand high-grade spirit stones. I'll remain here for about a month, and for every transaction you arrange, you can take a commission of one hundred high-grade spirit stones," Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

With that, he waved and left. His purpose in coming here was to obtain spirit stones. In the Formation Hall, one high-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for two contribution points. The exchange rate was practically daylight robbery, and ordinary cultivators simply could not afford it.

However, the option of exchanging spirit stones for contribution points had never been intended for ordinary cultivators in the first place. It was specifically meant for those with deep pockets. The Directorate of Celestial Observation was no charity. Ordinary cultivators could only resign themselves to serving as workhorses, diligently accepting missions and accumulating points.

"You earn three thousand high-grade spirit stones and only give me a hundred? What am I, a beggar?" Cao Hongchang grumbled under his breath only after Lin Zheyu had left.

Cao Hongchang had kept quiet while Lin Zheyu was there because he suspected that if he complained, given that fellow's rotten personality, his commission might immediately be cut to fifty high-grade spirit stones. He knew all too well just how rotten that bastard could be. The man was practically his equal in that regard.

"Hmm... I'll use those fellows to meet more Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators, then inform each of them that we have a way to resolve the erosion of yao will," Cao Hongchang murmured to himself.

He had no intention of discussing the size of his commission with Xiao Zhe. Given the other man's rotten personality, it would be utterly pointless. In that case, he would simply find another way to earn more spirit stones from the arrangement.

To stay alive, those fellows would be willing to pay far more than three thousand high-grade spirit stones. I'll start with the most desperate ones, those willing to pay me a thousand spirit stones just for the information, and make a tidy profit first, Cao Hongchang thought to himself.

Cao Hongchang had expended vast amounts of resources and spirit stones to resolve the erosion of yao will within him. Most of what little remained afterward had then been fleeced away by Lin Zheyu. Even his position as sect master of the Evilheart Sect had been taken from him. Now he still had to toil away for the sect and do his utmost to accumulate enough contribution points. Only then could he use those points to ask Xiao Zhe to help resolve the erosion of yao will the next time the problem arose.

Cao Hongchang was currently in desperate need of spirit stones, a vast quantity of them. As a demonic cultivator himself, he knew perfectly well how much other demonic cultivators would be willing to pay to resolve the erosion of yao will and continue living.

Many demonic cultivators joined the Painful Holy Sect just to cling to life. Those fellows may be lunatics, but now they can bring me spirit stones. Hmm, I'll contact Li Xiang and ask whether there are any Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators near him, Cao Hongchang thought. With a thought, he took out a communication jade talisman and began contacting the Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators he knew.

***

In the depths of the Eastern Sea, immense quantities of demonic qi poured madly out of a space-time node alongside an army of yao. The roars of yao and the thunder of battle rose and fell throughout the deep sea.

A deafening roar rang out. "Break!"

A colossal humanoid figure more than ten meters tall swung an enormous battle halberd at the sealing formation outside the space-time node. Terrifying demonic qi swirled around him, and his entire body was hideously distorted, making him look no different from a yao.

As the colossal figure brought his battle halberd crashing down, cracking sounds rang out from the formation as the damage to it grew increasingly severe.

Suddenly, a silver needle radiating an astonishing chill shot out from the formation. It arrived in the blink of an eye and pierced the colossal figure between the brows with a soft thud. His enormous body instantly stiffened. With the point between his brows as its center, solid ice rapidly spread across his body. In an instant, the enormous, terrifying, yao-like figure was frozen into an ice sculpture, leaving only his pupils able to move. As his body froze, the madness and brutality filling his eyes swiftly receded, and a trace of clarity returned.

A terrifying burst of energy erupted from the man's body, and a mighty aura like that of a god or fiend spread outward. "Break!"

A terrifying boom rang out as the solid ice covering his entire body exploded apart.

The man's body rapidly shrank as he transformed into a streak of black light and sped away through the deep sea. "The formation is close to breaking. The mission is complete, so it's time to get out of here! Damn it, if I don't leave now, I'm going to die here."

As he sped away, the yao will and demonic qi within him churned. His eyes, which had regained a measure of clarity, were gradually overtaken by madness and brutality once more.

Suddenly, the man's expression changed slightly as the energy within him ran wild, sending him crashing heavily to the ground. A stabbing pain came from between his brows, and the terrifying chill spread once more, attempting to freeze him again.

Damn it! The fellow guarding this place is terrifying. Even the great power of the Mother of Pain failed to expel it completely! The man cursed inwardly.

He flipped his right hand and took out a translucent black energy crystal. He crushed it forcefully, releasing a vast surge of Demon God power that swept across his entire body. Under its force, the solid ice rapidly spreading over him swiftly receded. The yao will within him, which had been on the verge of running out of control, also gradually subsided.

A long while passed.

"Phew..."

The man slowly opened his eyes after letting out a long breath of turbid air. Madness, brutality, fanaticism, and agony alternated within his gaze.

The man took out a palm-sized, ice-blue spike and drove it into his chest with a muffled thud. His mind, on the verge of losing control, slowly stabilized. The various crazed emotions in his eyes gradually faded as reason regained the upper hand.

"This can't continue. Even if the yao will doesn't completely erode me and turn me into a demon puppet, the Mother of Pain's power will assimilate me and turn me into a deranged devotee of pain."

The man's gaze grew grave as he murmured to himself, yet this was a problem with no solution. For now, he was merely clinging to life.

After a long while, the man let out a deep sigh and shook his head slightly. His powerful spiritual sense spread outward. After confirming there was no danger nearby, he took out a formation disk, set up a formation, and immediately entered seclusion to recuperate on the spot. He had nearly died this time. If he did not recover quickly and suppress the yao will within him once more, he would completely lose control within days.

Once everything was ready, his thoughts stirred, and a trace of surprise appeared on his face.

A message from Cao Hongchang? Isn't that fellow close to losing control and barely clinging to life by sealing himself in life-or-death seclusion? Could it be that even this is no longer enough to sustain him, and he plans to join the Painful Holy Sect? These thoughts flashed through the man's mind the moment he saw Cao Hongchang's message.

The man's name was Li Xiang, and he was one of the demonic cultivators Cao Hongchang had befriended. With a thought, Li Xiang began reading Cao Hongchang's message.

"He wants me to introduce him to other Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators? Golden Core realm ones will do as well? What exactly is this fellow planning?" Li Xiang muttered in surprise.

Nearly all the demonic cultivators he knew were members of the Painful Holy Sect, and Cao Hongchang should have been well aware of that. Given the old fellow's temperament, he had always avoided the lunatics of the Painful Holy Sect like the plague. Cao Hongchang had even cut off all contact with Li Xiang after he joined the Painful Holy Sect, and the two had not spoken in ages. Unexpectedly, Cao Hongchang had now contacted him of his own accord and asked him to introduce other demonic cultivators.

What is that old fellow scheming in secret this time? Could that old bastard have found some method of using other demonic cultivators to alleviate the erosion of yao will within him? Li Xiang wondered inwardly.