Chapter 485 - 463: Isn’t This Effect a Little Too Good?

Chapter 485: Chapter 463: Isn’t This Effect a Little Too Good?

You Gu stared at the face of the approaching person.

Dark brown scabs of blood covered their skin, pulling their features into a grotesque, distorted mask. With just one look, You Gu’s pupils contracted violently.

’It’s her?’

Fragments of memory instantly surged from the depths of his mind.

At that time, he had been a parasite in his disciple You Quan’s sea of consciousness. Through those eyes, he had once seen this very figure amidst the ruins of Anhe City.

On that day, surrounded by rubble and broken walls, she, with the mere body of a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, had gone head-to-head against a Core Formation Cultivator.

How much time had passed since the battle of Anhe City?! How had she rocketed from the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment all the way to the Fake Core Realm?

’How could she possibly have advanced so quickly?! Is she some kind of peerless genius, the likes of which appears only once in ten thousand years?’

But the moment the thought arose, You Gu stamped it out.

’Impossible!’

’What kind of place is Anhe City? It’s just a remote backwater the orthodox sects use for trade, good for nothing more than being a source of blood-food.’

’Forget a true dragon, that place probably couldn’t even raise a single decent spirit beast.’

If she truly possessed such world-shocking talent, the Celestial Furnace Sect, or even sects of a higher tier, would have stepped in to claim her at birth. Even the Ghost Spirit Sect would have revered her as their Holy Daughter. How could the previously unheard-of Guixi Sect have gotten so lucky and picked up such a treasure?

’Was it through demonic methods, then?’

Although You Quan had seen that this woman had the talent to be an Evil Cultivator, and You Gu had seen it too, You Gu’s perception went beyond mere aptitude.

While demonic cultivation offered a fast track and shortcuts, it couldn’t create something from nothing.

At its core, cultivating as a Demon Cultivator was about overdrawing one’s potential and squeezing out one’s innate talent in exchange for reaching one’s upper limit in a shorter time.

In other words, if one was rotten wood to begin with, they could not be carved into a masterpiece even if they turned to demonic cultivation. At best, they would just burn a little brighter.

But this Su Ling’er before him, while she cultivated as a Demon Cultivator and seemed to have a talent for it, could not possibly have been born with such peerless aptitude, not with Anhe City’s lack of resources!

’The Fake Core Realm already? In such a short time? That’s impossible! It’s beyond humanly achievable; it’s a direct challenge to the iron laws of cultivation under the Celestial Dao!’

You Gu focused his mind again, meticulously dissecting Su Ling’er’s aura inch by inch.

The more he observed, the more tempestuous the waves of shock in his heart became.

When ordinary Demon Cultivators forcibly raised their cultivation, their foundations were typically unstable, their auras impure and chaotic. The slightest misstep would lead to cultivation deviation.

But this woman before him, though overflowing with a monstrous, baleful aura like a fiendish asura, possessed Spiritual Power that was exceptionally condensed.

It was like refined iron hammered a thousand times, like a deep, tranquil pool in an ancient well.

’Perhaps that blood-curdling scream from just now was also from her. Was she in the middle of a breakthrough? Or had she already broken through and was just being punished?’

But regardless, one thing was now clear.

This was not due to exceptional talent, nor was it a simple case of overdrawing her potential using a Demon Forbidden Skill...

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how absurd, must be the truth.

It was because of this sect.

It was because of this Guixi Sect!

You Gu took a deep breath. His lungs filled with the stench of blood, yet it carried a strangely sweet taste.

This unfathomable Guixi Sect must possess some supreme Immortal Technique capable of turning the rotten into the miraculous!

It could ignore the shackles of innate talent and forcibly raise a common person’s limits!

Having figured out this crucial point, an unprecedented light burst forth from You Gu’s previously dim eyes.

If even an Evil Cultivator who should have wasted half her life in the Foundation Establishment Stage could be trained to the Fake Core Realm in such a short time...

’Then what about me?’

You Gu slowly lowered his head, his gaze falling upon his own hands, which were as withered as a ghoul’s claws.

Though this body’s Dao Foundation was shattered and its life was nearly at its end, it had once belonged to a bona fide Nascent Soul grandmaster!

If he could receive even a sliver of guidance from the Guixi Sect, even if it was just their table scraps...

Forget returning to the Nascent Soul realm, even ascending to the legendary, ethereal Divinity Transformation realm might not be just an idiot’s fantasy!

This was a heaven-sent opportunity for a new lease on life!

You Gu, who had been cowering in the corner feeling utterly humiliated, now felt nothing but awe.

’Dignity? Pride?’

’In the face of the Longevity Dao and a chance to defy my fate, they’re as fleeting as smoke.’

’I am absolutely going to join this Guixi Sect!’

As long as he could pass through these gates, he wouldn’t mind cowering with his head in his hands. He would gladly renounce his dark past for a brighter future, even if it meant groveling on the ground and serving as a guard dog!

You Gu struggled to control every muscle in his face, rapidly adjusting his demeanor.

’I must endure. I must lie low.’

’Because within the gates of the Guixi Sect lies a supreme Dao, one that can even deceive the Celestial Dao itself!’

...

But the others’ reactions were completely different.

The smell of blood was so thick it was suffocating. As the figure came to a stop, a fingernail-sized scab of blackish-red blood peeled off her cheek and fell to the ground with a PLOP. The sound was enough to make one’s skin crawl in the dead of night.

’This... is the legendary guiding Immortal Master?’ ℯ

The man in brocade robes, huddled at the very edge of the group, trembled uncontrollably.

He recalled the silver-tongued person who had recruited him, who had sworn that here on Luohai Peak lay a reclusive, supreme immortal sect, thousands, even tens of thousands of times better than the one he had originally intended to join.

They not only specialized in curing the world’s incurable ailments but also guaranteed a match for a dual cultivation partner. They even promised priceless treasures for marrow cleansing and bone refining just for joining. How wonderful, how free it was all supposed to be!

For this, he had traveled a great distance, all for the grand dream of attaining immortality and having a harem of wives and concubines.

But now, he had woken up.

This "Immortal Master" before him, forget having an ethereal, immortal bearing—at this moment, she barely even looked human!

Her hair was a tangled mess, with some unknown, murky liquid dripping from the ends.

This wasn’t a quest for immortality; this was clearly a case of stumbling into Senluo Hall, just waiting to be tossed into a wok of boiling oil and rendered down!

A strange sound escaped his throat—he was choking on his own spit in terror.

He wanted to scream for help, but no sound would come out.

’I came here to enjoy Cultivation, or at the very least, to enjoy a life of ease! Not to be used as someone’s human cauldron or medicinal dregs!’

’If I had known Cultivation would turn someone into this inhuman, ghoulish state, I would have just gone straight back home, inherited those thousands of acres of fertile land, and lived as a prodigal son! Anything would be better than dying here!’

Beside him, the young boy trembled.

’Mom... I want to go home...’

’The immortal ascension stairs, forgetting the mortal world... I no longer envy the stories of mortals being enlightened by Immortals and seizing a fate where "my destiny is my own, not for the heavens to decide"...’

’What kind of blessed grotto-heaven is this?’

’This is clearly one of those man-eating, bone-grinding demon lairs the Storyteller talks about!’

’That horrifying scream from before... maybe it was the dying wail of the last newcomer! Perhaps those little trinkets hanging from this demoness are the dismembered remains of the previous batches of "senior brothers"!’

In an instant, the mental defenses of the seven or eight newcomers huddled at the base of the wall had crumbled to dust with Su Ling’er’s arrival—all except for the old man at the end of the line, who was staring at the "demoness" with excitement.

If not for four identical figures blocking their escape from the shadows, they probably would have already scrambled and fled down the mountain.

’This is a complete and utter scam!’

The promised blessed grotto-heaven, the talk of defying fate—it was all just devil’s talk to lure them into a trap, a fatal pipe dream!

...

Su Ling’er nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the group of mortals.

Seeing their colorless, terrified faces, she breathed a silent sigh of relief.

’Eldest Senior Brother’s elaborate plan wasn’t for nothing, after all.’

’This ghoulish getup is certainly effective at striking fear into people’s hearts.’

’The path of immortality is treacherous; it’s not a place for ordinary folk. If I can use this to shatter their foolish fantasies, make them realize the difficulty and retreat to the mortal world to live out a peaceful life, it would fulfill both my and Eldest Senior Brother’s wishes.’

With this in mind, Su Ling’er tried to ease the tension, attempting to pull the corners of her mouth into a smile to begin her speech of dissuasion.

However, she hadn’t realized that the caked, dried blood had long since sealed her face like a mask.

The movement only served to tear the solidified scabs.

Dark red flakes of blood drifted down. Her upper lip, cracked and dry, curled back grotesquely, revealing a row of stark white teeth that was especially glaring against the bloody grime.

Paired with her eyes, which glowed with a faint red light due to her demonic transformation, where was even a trace of an immortal’s grace in her at this moment?

She looked exactly like a man-eating demon, carefully appraising the quality of the fresh meat it was about to devour.

"Everyone..."

Su Ling’er finally spoke.

Her voice was hoarse and raspy, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"Welcome to the Guixi Sect. Once you join our Guixi Sect, life and death... are all dictated by fate. You are responsible for your own gains and losses."

Before her words could fade, there was a dull THUD.

The man in the brocade clothes, finally unable to withstand the terror, rolled his eyes back and fell backward, stiff as a board.

Su Ling’er: "???"

Su Ling’er: "..."

She was at a loss for words.

’I was still setting the mood and hadn’t even really put any effort into it, yet someone already fainted from fright?’

’Seriously, I haven’t even started yet! If you’re that scared, can’t you just run away? Was my performance too effective?! A little *too* effective, maybe?’

’Ugh, this is awkward...’

Letting out a helpless sigh, she shook her head slightly.

The movement flung a few drops of thick, still-wet blood from the ends of her hair. With a SPLAT, they landed squarely on the cheek of the young boy beside her.

Slightly warm, cloyingly sweet—it was the touch of death.

"AHHH—!! I’m done! I don’t want to cultivate anymore! Let me go!"

The tightly wound string in the boy’s mind finally snapped.

He scrambled backward with his hands and feet, moving pathetically until his back hit the stone wall, leaving him with nowhere to retreat.

"I have money! My family is incredibly wealthy! I beg you, milady, don’t eat me! Please don’t eat me!!"

Watching this scene, a flash of satisfaction appeared in Su Ling’er’s eyes.

’Yes, just like this.’

’Scream, tremble, and then take this fear and run far, far away from this man-eating Cultivation Realm.’

’Although, you should really just be running. It’s not like I’m stopping you. Or have your legs given out?’

Just as she was about to add more fuel to the fire and completely shatter their fantasies of Cultivation, an ancient yet fanatical voice tore through the atmosphere of panic.

"Such divine might, Immortal Maiden!!"

"This is feeding the demon with one’s own body, attaining life by first walking into death! Such incredible courage to temper a demonic physique is truly a model for our generation, the ultimate attainment of the Great Dao!"

Su Ling’er froze, subconsciously looking toward the source of the voice.

She saw that the unremarkable old man was now standing.

The corner of Su Ling’er’s mouth twitched.

’Who is this old man... Did he get scared silly?’

’I look neither human nor ghost, yet he somehow derived the words "divine might" from my appearance?’

’How did another confused person get mixed into this batch of newcomers? Or is he just old, his life nearly over, desperately gambling for a path to longevity? But at your age, is there even time to start cultivating now?’

’No, I can’t think like that. Senior Brother Li Chunfeng is getting on in years too. I feel like that thought is a slight against Mr. Li. My apologies, my apologies.’

’Still, I have a feeling I’m going to have leftovers from the group Eldest Senior Brother assigned to me again...’

To show his sincerity, You Gu dropped directly to his knees before this junior, oblivious to the blood now flowing from him. "Immortal Master! You must accept this old one! I have sought the Dao for decades, endured endless contempt, and my time is short! Only my heart, which yearns for the Dao, has not yet died!"

Su Ling’er: "..."

’Old man, are you always this quick to kneel?’

’You’re old! You should be with your children, enjoying your final years in familial bliss! Why come to this demon’s den chasing a beautiful dream of longevity?!’

’I’m doomed. This guy feels even harder to turn away than the dozen or so before him who were already deeply entrenched in the demonic path!’

’Eldest Senior Brother, I’ve let you down!!!!’

...

「Meanwhile, inside Eldest Senior Brother’s residence.」

Eldest Senior Brother, who was in the middle of handling some internal messages, stretched lazily. He planned to check on how his little junior sister was doing with the welcoming process after he was finished playing.