Way of the Devil

Overseas, the Wood Martial Abode.

Lu Sheng handled the Earth Lake Sword in his hands and sized up the sour-looking Du Guangchi and Yao Lian nearby with unimpressed eyes.

“One of you has reincarnated and cultivated again. The other is half-human, half-demon… The two of you have quite a background there.” His expression was calm as if the people he’d just killed were not elites from the greatest sect of the Righteous Path, but two little insects that did not have eyes.

Although Du Guangchi and Yao Lian were firmly bound, other than some smudges on their robes, they were not subjected to any sort of torture.

This was exactly the same as when they showed mercy to the little demons of the Wood Martial Abode. They had only knocked the little demons out with the golden light, and did not commit any cruel slaughter.

This was also why Lu Sheng did not choke them to death immediately.

They seemed to be truly merciful. Lu Sheng reckoned that the ones who were truly merciless in their methods were Die Shazi and that brash, fearless hunch-backed old woman who hid in the shadows and cleaned up the scene.

They were in the chilly Wood Martial Abode’s vast and bluish hall. When the two of them saw Lu Sheng return, they straightened their backs and stared at him with unyielding gazes.

“Abode Master, you had the greater skill today, and the two of us accept our defeat gladly. However, we’re from the Vital Energy Sect. If we’re kept captive here, the seniors in our sect won’t let this matter lie,” said Du Guangchi with an impressing air of uprightness.

“I know.” Lu Sheng leaned half of his body weight on the ice-cold stone chair. His expression was casual and calm. “I, Mu Yun, have cultivated intensely for hundreds of years, and have seen many things. I’ve kept you alive because there’s value in keeping you alive. If the two of you cooperate, it’s not impossible for me to release you.”

Du Guangchi’s expression changed. He had initially thought that he would surely die, but he suddenly heard of hope right now.

“Abode Master, are your words true?”

“I do not speak lies.” Lu Sheng started drumming slowly on the ice-cold stone table before him.

The Vital Energy Sect was a huge organization. The first thing he had to do was to understand this great force the best he could. If he wanted to defeat the enemy, the first thing he had to do was to understand them.

Du Guangchi and his companion had special identities. Naturally, they became the best source of information for him. Besides, he might even be able to dig out some contents of the Vital Energy Sect’s main cultivation method from them.

“If the two of you answer me honestly, I can consider letting the two of you go.” Lu Sheng was not interested in this so-called Fated Child’s identity of Du Guangchi. The one who was actually breathing down his neck was not the Fated Child or Die Shazi, but the entire Vital Energy Sect.

Die Shazi and the Fated Child were but pawns on the Vital Energy Sect’s chessboard. The original Taoist Mu Yun was one of the sacrifices in this game of chess.

“As long as it’s not some top-secret information, I won’t hold back anything from you. My only request is for you to let my junior apprentice sister go.” Du Guangchi agreed to his terms forthrightly.

“Very well.” Lu Sheng shifted his gaze onto Yao Lian beside him. This girl was looking at Du Guangchi dazedly. It was apparent that her feelings for him ran deep.

“So, my first question is, what’s the structure of the Vital Energy Sect?” He directly picked a question with a wide scope.

“The sect master is at the top, and under him are Seven Peaks. The Seven Peaks are in charge of different aspects of the sect, and are led by Peak Masters, who are all old seniors. Some of them are Nascent Soul True Lords, I’m unsure of the cultivation bases of the rest. Then, under each of the Seven Peaks are various organizations and forces. Many Vital Energy Sect disciples founded their own minor sects, and all aligned themselves with the Vital Energy Sect. Once they make a move, they can possibly amount to an extremely large force…”

Du Guangchi started to introduce the entire Vital Energy Sect.

Lu Sheng had also roughly understood just how prosperous the central plains was.

The entire central plains was practically ruled by the greatest Righteous Path sect. The mysterious sect master aside, he could roughly confirm that the seven Peak Masters were all Nascent Soul True Lords with shocking supernatural power, while the Core Formation cultivators under their command numbered in the hundreds, and this was only the strength which the Vital Energy Sect displayed in public.

Lu Sheng had roughly calculated before this that the might of the Core Formation cultivators here was actually equivalent to Earth Prime Snake Level to lower Divine Weapon Master of Great Yin.

In other words, the gap between the different tiers of the Core Formation tier was great. A cultivator might be of the Snake Level or the Divine Weapon Master level.

It should be known that if a Divine Weapon Master were to unleash his strength freely, a slightly powerful skill would easily destroy a small city.

In this place, a cultivator would at least have to be at the Complete Core Formation tier or at the greatest Seventh Tribulation tier and rely on one’s Treasure to be able to unleash such might.

‘A cultivator at the Complete Core Formation tier is equivalent to a Divine Weapon Master already. As for the Nascent Soul True Lord after this… Judging from Mu Yun’s memories, the difference in power between a True Lord and a Core Formation cultivator is as great as between heaven and earth. There’s a high possibility that it’s equivalent to a Divine Lord’s level…’ Lu Sheng guessed in his heart.

The power system of this world was not inferior to Great Yin’s. At his current level, he had to plan each step carefully and cautiously.

The death of Die Shazi and the old woman was something that could still be overlooked. However, if he killed the Fated Child Du Guangchi as well, the impact on the Vital Energy Sect would not be small.

If he killed the Fated Child today, it would be highly probable for the seven True Lords to come to his doorstep to seek revenge tomorrow.

Throughout the process of interrogating Du Guangchi, Lu Sheng silently activated his main body’s Snake of Jealousy to confuse his mind. He learned about many cultivation methods of the Vital Energy Sect as well.

He was not able to obtain the main cultivation method. Restrictions had been put into place in their minds by some elite. Lu Sheng had made a few attempts, but he was unable to make them talk.

Hence, he could only settle for the second best. He had Du Guangchi tell him the other cultivation methods.

What surprised him was that not only did Du Guangchi told him about two sets of relatively complete Core Path skill formulas of other sects, the insignificant-looking Yao Lian even told him about a devilish cultivation method which could be improved to the Nascent Soul tier.

The three skill formulas had greatly expanded Lu Sheng’s understanding of this world’s Spirit Qi.

This also greatly helped his main body in adapting to the rules of this world.

After the interrogation ended, Lu Sheng spent a whole day organizing the new information, and finally improved his main body. He could now unleash twenty percent of his strength, albeit at a limited rate.

His own cultivation base’s tier had also moved on to the Seventh Tribulation tier without obstruction. After the cultivation derived by Deep Blue was combined with the new skill formulas he obtained, in line with Lu Sheng’s requirement of volume, the volume of Core Qi from the derived cultivation method was greater than Lu Sheng’s imagination.

The volume of the Core Qi he obtained was a few times greater than his current volume.

It should be known that his Core Qi volume was already a thousand times more than cultivators of the same tier. Then, it was increased by a few folds again. The amplification of this immense base volume practically made Lu Sheng unprecedentedly powerful.

It was even possible that no one in the entire Cultivator World had reached this level before.

Shortly afterward, the Black Cloud Pearls which Lu Sheng had waited a long time for had been delivered. Alongside the shipment of the pearls were various materials sent by the North Sea rogue cultivators as tribute. They were actively warming up to the Martial Wood Abode in the hopes of finding a powerful backer.

He placed the various materials into his Sea-overturning Orb as he started to study the technique behind seawater storage within it.

With the addition of the various elite rogue cultivators on the island, the Wood Martial Abode’s strength started snowballing.

It had been too long since the overseas cultivators’ realm had seen a Seventh Tribulation Taoist Master. True Lord Nine Dragon aside, the most powerful among the remaining rogue cultivators were of the Complete Core Formation tier. For the overseas region which was lacking in resources and lagging behind in skill formulas, it was already the limit.

Currently, Lu Sheng made an impressive entrance and defeated the Vital Energy Sect’s disciples. He even displayed his immensely tough and terrifying might. He immediately attracted many sea and demon clansmen wicked cultivators who liked to follow the powerful.

The Wood Martial Abode’s forces grew in strength constantly. At this moment, Lu Sheng started searching for the way to attain Nascent Soul.

….

Deep inside the Wood Martial Abode, within the secluded cultivation cave.

Lu Sheng wielded a fist-sized bluish-golden metal orb. He was contemplating on how he should break through to the Nascent Soul tier.

“Pcchht!”

He flicked a finger and a clump of blue Core Qi shot out from his fingertip. After making a circle around him, it plunged into his fingertip again with precision. It went back to where it came from and vanished.

‘Nascent Soul… according to the records of the Golden Clam Dragon Transformation Formula, I should convert my Core into a dragon. On the other hand, that Devil Path skill formula says that I should convert it into a nascent entity. The acutal steps seem to involve turning my Golden Core into the base, mixing it with various energies, and initiating a sudden and substantial change with a primer. I’ll produce vitality from the Golden Core and nurture it so that it becomes strong until it matures, cultivating my Natal Nascent Soul…

‘I know the process already, but why can’t Deep Blue derive it? There must be something missing in the middle.’ Lu Sheng fell deep in thought.

‘My Mental Energy can virtually replace a multitude of kinds of energy. Deep Blue can mimic various different environmental conditions. My Divine Lord-level spirit can guarantee that I won’t have too much of a problem on the quality of my spirit… Wait, that can’t be right.’ Lu Sheng suddenly paused.

‘A Divine Lord’s spirit is a spirit that has undergone substantial change, whereas the Nascent Soul is something transformed from the combination of Spiritual Essence and my Golden Core… In other words, a Nascent Soul isn’t a spirit, but a new form of energy which is produced with the combination of spirit.’

Lu Sheng immediately realized what his mistake was.

‘What requirements are there for me to carry out this nurturing?’ Lu Sheng recalled the contents of the various skill formulas. He seemed to be grasping at the edges of understanding.

‘…It’s a simulation of the creation of a life!’

He was hit with a sudden realization.

‘As expected, the Nascent Soul is wonderful. It’s the process of nurturing new life from oneself. This is no longer a mere improvement of one aspect, this is a complete evolution of life!’

Lu Sheng instantly understood all the theories. The basic objective of this world’s cultivation method immediately became clear in his eyes.

‘No wonder the Taoists here talk about crossing the sea with one’s body and cultivating the truth from lies. So that’s what they meant…’

When he understood the concept, Lu Sheng instantly knew what he was lacking in.

If he wanted to nurture new life, he had to mimic the environment and conditions of when life just started. Currently, his Golden Core was filled with Yin Chill Core Qi. He was lacking in Yang-attributed energy.

Naturally, an incomplete environment would not be able to give rise to new life. Although various unique life forms such as elemental beings and other extreme organisms would appear, the precondition was for the most basic life’s fire to be supplied for this unique framework to be produced.

The most basic sign of life had to be produced from the balance between Yin and Yang.

When Lu Sheng understood what he was lacking in, he left the Wood Martial Abode that very night, heading toward the nearest place where the Yang attribute was the strongest.

It was an active submarine volcano a few thousand miles away.

He believed that with the high temperature of the active volcano and the Yang energy mimicked by his Mental Energy, he should be able to attempt a breakthrough in his tier with the special skill formula he derived.

The greater the cultivation base he achieved in this life, the greater the improvement he would obtain when he assimilated it into his main body. Also, this cultivation method intrigued Lu Sheng very much.

What increased his anticipation was that this cultivation method could even be applied on his main body, which had already reached its bottleneck for quite some time.

His current actual body had already reached a bottleneck where he could no longer improve his strength a long time ago. This was because he had already attained the limits of hard body skills.

If he continued on, regardless of how optimal the condition was or how complete his cultivation method was, he could not improve a single step further.

However, the theory behind this world’s cultivation method allowed him to see a ray of hope.

If he nurtured new life with his main body and made that life evolve and transform, just how powerful of a body would he be able to create?