Chapter 131: Is This the Legendary…?
Xu Xiaoyan, wearing a simple blue dress with pink floral patterns, had gone to “The Dregs” to gather information.
The martial world was changing so rapidly that it felt like a different world every day.
The rise and fall of gangs within Dàxīng City was one thing.
But the news from outside the city was even more chaotic and often contradictory, making it difficult to distinguish truth from rumor.
She returned to the manor as evening approached.
The air, after days of rain, was cooler now.
She entered the back garden and saw Dragon Girl and Huan Tingting still on guard.
The two, one from the Black Lotus Realm, the other from the Moon Lotus Pavilion, weren’t on good terms, so they stood in silence, ignoring each other.
Xu Xiaoyan was close to Huan Tingting, having spent time with her as a child.
She hadn’t met Dragon Girl before, but Dragon Girl was the talkative type, and having spent the entire day with the quiet and aloof Huan Tingting, she was eager for conversation.
Seeing Xu Xiaoyan, she immediately greeted her, “Xiao Yan, what news did you find?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “I heard Peng Tianwang, the leader of the Ghost Extreme Sect, is dead, killed by one of his own, although the details are unclear. The Invincible Sect changed its name to the Not Invincible Sect, apparently after paying a fortune teller a hundred taels of silver.
“The Hegemonic Blade Sect is rapidly rising and will likely replace the Leopard Gate as one of the three gangs and six societies. And the new accountant of the Heaven and Earth Gang’s Flood Dragon Branch was assassinated again.
“There’s also a rumor that the Heartless Young Master slept with a woman connected to Xuandu, the Perfected One of the Mystic Capital, and is now being pursued by the Chongxian Sect…”
Dragon Girl said, “Xuandu is one of the Perfected Ones, isn’t he? Aren’t they supposed to be celibate?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “That’s why it was ‘a woman connected to him,’ not his wife.”
Dragon Girl said, “Even if Xuandu himself is after him, why is the entire Chongxian Sect involved?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “That’s what I heard. I don’t know the details.” She looked towards the pavilion, “Is he still in seclusion?”
Dragon Girl said, “The Young Master has emerged. He’s inside with the three Branch Leaders.”
Xu Xiaoyan asked, “Branch Leaders?”
Huan Tingting whispered, “The three factions have merged. The former Sect Leaders are now Branch Leaders. The Young Master gave orders that no one besides you and that Yuejiao girl is allowed inside tonight.”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “Du Yuejiao is here?”
Huan Tingting shook her head, “No.”
Dragon Girl whispered, “That Du Yuejiao is from the Chongxian Sect, isn’t she? Can she be trusted?”
Xu Xiaoyan shrugged, “I’m not from the Evil Lotus Sect either. I’m a Daoist cultivator.”
She was straightforward. Since she was allowed inside, she entered the garden without hesitation.
The moon, a pale crescent, hung in the sky, the sun setting rapidly. The shadows lengthened across the pavilions and ponds, the water shimmering with a golden light.
Xu Xiaoyan walked around the garden but didn’t see Shi Hao or the three leaders.
She headed towards the pavilion where Shi Hao was staying. Reaching the first floor, she heard strange sounds coming from above.
Curious, she tiptoed to the closed door and peeked through a crack.
Her eyes widened. This… this… this… was this the legendary… orgy?
Her mouth hung open, speechless…
Xu Xiaoyan knew she shouldn’t be peeking, or rather, even if she accidentally saw something, she should have left immediately.
But she couldn’t resist.
She had always seen those three “Branch Leaders” as powerful, fifth-rank experts, formidable figures in the demonic sects.
Seeing them like this, with that young man… made her question everything.
She thought, maliciously, He didn’t allow anyone else inside, only me and Du Yuejiao. Is he trying to tell us something?
But as she continued watching, nothing… untoward happened.
Although the three Branch Leaders were clearly being… manhandled, it didn’t go any further.
She felt a slight pang of disappointment… although she wouldn’t admit it.
But she was clever and quickly figured it out.
Even with the three canons combined, it wouldn’t help Xuan Feng Huanzhi, Yue Yaotai, and Sha Lingshan, who were all stuck at the peak of the fifth rank.
They needed the Secret Canon to advance further. And Shi Hao, as the true inheritor of the Evil Lotus Sect, naturally possessed the Secret Canon.
Was this… the secret method described in the Secret Canon for helping them advance?
They’ll never be able to marry now… she thought, sighing inwardly.
Since there was nothing more to see, she lost interest and quietly left.
She wandered around the waterside gazebo in the back garden. The sky darkened, the moon, now a fuller crescent, hanging high in the sky, the night air cool.
After a while, she felt a gust of wind and turned to see Shi Hao landing beside her.
He was in his true form… There was no need for disguises in front of Xuan Feng Huanzhi, Yue Yaotai, and Sha Lingshan.
Looking at Xu Xiaoyan, he said, “Don’t misunderstand…”
Xu Xiaoyan waved her hands dismissively, “I didn’t! I really didn’t!”
Shi Hao asked, “You know?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “If it was just one or two, it might be something else. But with all three of them… it must be related to their cultivation. I just took a peek. It wasn’t very interesting.” She had been expecting something more… exciting. She had been both embarrassed and thrilled, anticipating a scandalous scene.
Shi Hao couldn’t explain.
If Su Mei were here, it wouldn’t be so complicated. She could simply use the Demonic Lotus Heavenly Yin to enhance their cultivation without any physical contact.
But he didn’t have that kind of power.
He was only sixth-rank, a newly advanced sixth-rank at that. He couldn’t manipulate their energies remotely; he had to do it manually.
My skills are still lacking… he thought wistfully. If I were more powerful… I wouldn’t have such opportunities.
He took out a jade book and handed it to her. Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head, “What’s this?”
Shi Hao smiled, “The Night Charm Demonic scriptures.”
Xu Xiaoyan’s eyes widened, “The Night Charm Demonic scriptures? For me?”
Shi Hao said, “For you to read.”
Even so, Xu Xiaoyan was still surprised, “Are you sure? I’m not a member of the Evil Lotus Sect. You’re just giving me their secret scriptures?”
Shi Hao said, “You’re a dual cultivator now. Besides your Daoist techniques, you’ll need to choose a demonic cultivation method and its corresponding martial arts. You’re already familiar with the Evil Lotus Sect’s techniques, so I won’t make any recommendations.
“Choose what suits you.”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “You’re giving this to me willingly, right? I didn’t force you. I don’t owe you anything…”
“I know, I know,” Shi Hao said, placing the scriptures in her hands.
He had already read the Night Charm Demonic scriptures and had also asked the Emerald Beauty for clarification on some details.
His own next demonic advancement ritual was… the Dawn Slaughter.
Although it only had one requirement, it was an extremely troublesome one: he had to create a conflict at dawn, resulting in at least one hundred deaths on each side.
And he had to perform the ritual amidst the carnage.
This was far more complicated than finding a “weapon that has killed a thousand people” or a “matricide’s heart.”
Although just one condition, it was an incredibly difficult one. The timing was specific, it required a large number of deaths, and he couldn’t participate directly. If one side didn’t have enough casualties, he couldn’t just join the fight and kill more.
Demonic rituals were truly bizarre.
Shi Hao looked at Xu Xiaoyan, “The demonic essence within you is still relatively pure. The Emerald Beauty infused both you and Yuejiao with True Dragon energy, which, combined with the demonic essence, formed a demonic energy that’s currently balanced with your Daoist internal energy.
“But this balance is unstable, so you need to start cultivating demonic techniques soon. The Evil Lotus Sect has three cultivation paths: Black Erosion, Lunar Divinity, and Prismatic Illusion. The rituals for advancing to the fourth rank are different for each path. Choose whichever suits you.”
Xu Xiaoyan, holding the scriptures, glared at him, “Shouldn’t the sect leader control the scriptures, making disciples earn the right to learn them, and only teaching them their own specific path’s techniques? Why are you just giving me the entire thing?”
Shi Hao leaned closer, looking at her beautiful face, and smiled, “We’re… close, aren’t we?”
Xu Xiaoyan blushed and lightly kicked his foot, “Close? Don’t compare me to that other girl.”
Shi Hao stepped back and smiled, “Although we’re dual cultivators, it’s best to choose Daoist and demonic techniques that complement each other. I don’t know your Daoist cultivation method, and I don’t want to choose for you. Decide for yourself.”
“So far, only the three of us are dual cultivators. Once you start down this path, your progress will be much faster than you expect, so you’ll need to gather both immortal ingredients and ritual materials quickly.”
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