Eternal Life Begins with Learning

Chapter 352: Chapter 323: True Demon, Half-Demon, Demon Cultivator

"After this is all over, I will fully compensate you for your losses!"

Chu Mu was surprised. He gave Xu Changqing a serious look, and after confirming he wasn’t joking, his own expression grew much more serious.

"This Demon Cultivator was at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. He could assume the True Form of the Bull Demon—sprouting two horns, his face turning green, with sharp fangs. He even transformed directly into a Demon Bull at the end."

Chu Mu pointed at the mangled Demon Body, which had reverted to its human form, and spoke slowly.

Based on his knowledge, such a transformation should be characteristic of a Bloodline Cultivator. However, this Demon Cultivator’s so-called True Form of the Bull Demon was somewhat beyond his comprehension.

That so-called True Form of the Bull Demon was even more powerful than a Demon Beast of the same realm. Its physical Defense was terrifying, with almost no weak spots.

If not for the Power amplification from his Moonlight Battle Armor, which allowed him to barely contend with it, that so-called "One Force Subdues Ten Techniques" would have truly suppressed him completely.

Moreover, the man’s appearance was baffling.

It was just a Soul Search, and Xu Changqing had been present the whole time.

The information he had obtained from the Soul Search wasn’t of much significance.

After all, in the current Chu Capital City, the so-called Jieyin Demon Sect had already seized the initiative.

The most important figure had only appeared for a fleeting moment, and he hadn’t managed to get much information about them.

’Given all this, even if it was to silence a witness, the target should have been Xu Changqing. Why target a mere Loose Cultivator like me?’

’Do they think I’m an easy target? Or are they trying to make an example of me?’

"The True Form of the Bull Demon?"

At this, Xu Changqing’s reaction far exceeded Chu Mu’s expectations.

"This Demon Cultivator used the True Form of the Bull Demon Divine Technique?"

Xu Changqing was practically horrified, his questions tumbling out one after another.

"Yes."

Chu Mu’s heart sank slightly. With a wave of his hand, he circulated his Divine Sense and projected a scene of the man transforming into his Demon Body during their battle.

"A Demon Body... How is that possible!"

"How can a True Demon still exist within the borders of Great Chu!"

Xu Changqing, rarely so pale with shock, muttered to himself.

"A True Demon?"

Chu Mu was puzzled.

"True Demons are the native Demon Race of the Demon Realm."

Xu Changqing’s voice was heavy. "Do you know why the Cultivation Immortal Realm is so vigilant against Demon Cultivators these days?"

Without waiting for Chu Mu to answer, Xu Changqing continued, "According to existing records, the war known as the Demon Realm’s invasion in ancient times wasn’t even a true invasion by the Demon Realm itself."

"The records state that every True Demon was exceptionally powerful, capable of crushing nearly any Cultivator of the same tier."

"However, not many True Demons entered the Cultivation Immortal Realm through the Spatial Rifts back then, so the resistance from the Cultivation Immortal Realm wasn’t particularly difficult."

"The reason that war dragged on for so long, and is even considered taboo by the major powers, is fundamentally because of the Demon Cultivators!"

"Although the Demon Dao has many drawbacks, the nature of Demonic Qi is tyrannical. With True Demons presiding, there was no shortage of True Demon Qi. When Cultivators fell to the Demon Dao, their Cultivation Progress would skyrocket, and their Combat Power would become formidable."

"When the Demon Realm invaded and Demonic Qi appeared in the Cultivation Immortal Realm, countless people fell to the Demon Dao!"

"Under these circumstances, the war of the Demon Realm’s invasion ultimately evolved into a war between Cultivators and Demon Cultivators..."

"The True Demons, for their part, remained aloof, controlling the True Demon Qi and the legions of Demon Cultivators. They used True Demon Blood as a reward to promote Demon Cultivators with outstanding military achievements. This reward of True Demon Blood would allow a Demon Cultivator to transform into a Half-Demon, thereby gaining some of the True Demons’ Divine Power. It could even, to some extent, help them avoid the negative erosion of Demonic Qi..."

"It’s even said that the True Demons of the Demon Realm can allow a Demon Cultivator to completely transform into a True Demon..."

Xu Changqing didn’t say much, keeping his explanation extremely concise.

But in just those few short sentences, a clear picture had formed in Chu Mu’s mind.

The so-called invasion of the Demon Realm was clearly not what he had previously imagined—an event where the entire Cultivation Immortal Realm united as one against a common enemy.

Instead, the invasion of the Demon Realm had given all Cultivators a brand-new choice.

It was just like the current Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World. Under the monopolistic control of resources and knowledge, countless Cultivators struggled bitterly in the Cultivation Immortal Realm.

But obviously, even those who were most resentful could only submit to this situation. Whether they wasted their lives away or became desperate fugitives was merely a choice within that system.

If the Demon Realm were to invade now, Chu Mu had no doubt that a large number of Cultivators would willingly serve as its vanguards.

It had nothing to do with any other factor; the root cause was simply self-interest.

The current chaos of the Righteous Alliance had, to some extent, redistributed some of the benefits. But compared to an invasion by the Demon Realm, which would completely smash the entire plate of interests for a total redistribution, it was a completely different concept.

And the True Demon Blood Xu Changqing mentioned... a Half-Demon...

Clearly, that man was a Half-Demon.

’Then... where did the True Demon Blood come from?’

Chu Mu didn’t dare to think about what that implied... It was a terrifying thought!

"This matter is of grave importance. Please, come with me to see the True Master and report this to him."

"Alright."

The isolating Restriction dissipated. The two of them leaped up almost simultaneously, treading on the wind as they flew straight toward the towering curtain of light.

In the air, Chu Mu asked, "Can you notify the outside world?"

"The Array is blocking all communication. I still can’t make contact with the outside."

"But with such a major event happening in the Chu Capital, the Sect should have already received news. If all goes as expected, seniors will arrive to provide support within a few days."

"You don’t need to worry. There’s still a True Master overseeing the city. Besides, the True Master’s Cultivation has reached the Late Stage of Golden Core. Unless the Demon Cultivators have a Nascent Soul Great Power..."

Chu Mu glanced at the terrifyingly powerful Cyan Bamboo Staff in front of the light curtain. Doubt surfaced in his mind again, but he ultimately suppressed it and didn’t ask any more questions.

After the report was made, it seemed to be just that—a report. Although they had learned of the so-called True Demon, as long as the City Defense Array remained, neither Xu Changqing nor the Golden Core True Master could do anything until the array was broken.

The only thing they could do was search for the hidden Demon Cultivators in the city, checking every Cultivator one by one.

"Why are they capturing Cultivators?"

Inside the light curtain, Chu Mu hovered in the sky, the scene of the North City almost completely filling his vision.

In the past two days, the North City, now under the control of the Demon Cultivators, had visibly transformed from its initial chaotic uproar into its current dead silence.

At least ten thousand Cultivators had been captured by the Demon Cultivators and sent into a grand hall behind the Imperial Palace Plaza.

The hall was a secular palace, not particularly large, and certainly couldn’t hold ten thousand Cultivators.

Obviously, there was more to that hall than met the eye.

Chu Mu couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled. He had once explored nearly every corner of Chu Capital City, and the secular Imperial Palace was no exception.

He had taken the Imperial Palace seriously, observing nearly every person inside, but had never detected the slightest hint of anomalous Demonic Qi.

He could understand that the Sorcerer’s Compass had difficulty detecting them under the Demon Cultivators’ Seal system.

But if he had personally sensed them one by one, as long as their Cultivation didn’t completely exceed his perception, it would have been impossible not to notice.

His Supreme Yang and Firmness arts were extremely sensitive to sinister things like Demonic Qi.

’These Demon Cultivators...’

’The Spirit Vein... underground?’

’Are these Demon Cultivators capturing so many Cultivators to demonize the Spirit Vein, or do they have another objective?’

’Or perhaps... a blood sacrifice?’

As these thoughts churned, Chu Mu’s gaze flickered thoughtfully. He then swiped his hand, and the Sorcerer’s Compass floated before him.

Judging from his recent experience of being ambushed again, the hidden Demon Cultivators in Chu Capital City were likely not limited to just those who had revealed themselves in the North City.

There were probably many more lurking in the South City.

Whether that Demon Pattern Seal system was good or bad was another question, but under it, the Demon Seeds were extremely difficult to detect. It was even easy for them to disguise themselves as Body Refining Cultivators.

He had initially felt that modifying the Compass was unnecessary, but given the current situation, it was clearly quite essential.

If nothing else, if the Compass could have detected the Demon Cultivator’s presence in advance, this ambush wouldn’t have happened.

If his trump cards hadn’t been so powerful, he might have really capsized in the gutter.

He pondered for a moment. Combining the information he had gathered about the Demon Patterns from his fight with the Half-Demon, his ideas for modifying the Sorcerer’s Compass became more and more refined.

A moment later, he took a leap. This time, he didn’t go too far from the light curtain, instead finding a room within the temporary camp of the Longevity Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall.

After setting up a simple Restriction, he focused all his energy on the Sorcerer’s Compass...

...

The truth was just as Chu Mu had guessed. Beneath the grand hall, there was indeed another world.

Beneath the Chu Capital lay a Tier Three Middle Grade Spirit Vein, which sustained the operation of the entire Chu Capital Inner City Marketplace and supplied the Cultivation on the Immortal Path for tens of thousands of Cultivators.

But now, this Spirit Vein, which once pulsed with vast amounts of pure Spiritual Qi, was already stained with a faint black halo. With every pulse, wisps of Demonic Qi made up an ever-increasing proportion of the energy.

Once it was completely polluted, this Spirit Vein would naturally and completely transform into a Demon Vein.

From then on, what the Demon Vein released would not be Spiritual Qi, but... Demonic Qi.

And the Demonic Qi would flow forth endlessly.

Unless this Demon Vein was utterly destroyed!

Beside the Spirit Vein, beneath the grand hall, was a massive cavern.

The cavern was now completely stained with blood, and a vast Blood Pool occupied its entire floor.

Around the cavern, on a series of spiral staircases, groups of black-robed Cultivators were continuously tossing captured Cultivators into the Blood Pool.

A living person, submerged in the Blood Pool, was devoured before they could even make a sound, merging completely with it.

This was true for those in the Qi Cultivation Realm and the Foundation Establishment Realm alike.

And beneath the Blood Pool, the core source of the Spirit Vein was already enveloped by the boundless crimson.

On a platform above the cavern, several black-robed Cultivators stood clustered around a young man.

The man’s face was pale, and a bull’s horn pattern was imprinted on his forehead. His expression was indifferent as he watched the Blood Pool churn. His gaze toward the consumed Cultivators showed no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, as if those being swallowed by the Blood Pool were not people, but insignificant ants.

"The blood-food is insufficient. Open the Array Prohibition and take the South City."

"Also, accelerate the Demonization of the Spirit Vein. It must be completely demonized within three days."

After a long moment, the man spoke calmly, as if he had sensed something.

"Sect Leader, that Golden Core from the Longevity Sect..."

A black-robed man asked cautiously.

"I will handle it."

The man’s expression remained indifferent.

"We obey the Decree."

The black-robed men prostrated themselves and respectfully accepted the order.

The man continued to gaze indifferently at the vast Blood Pool.

The Blood Pool churned, its waves surging in an extremely rhythmic pattern, as if some terrifying creature was gestating deep within its depths...

...

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