After seven days of preparation, a mighty force of five thousand Cangshui County Soldiers, fifteen hundred Noble Family Guards, and numerous masters set off for Sheep Head Mountain to suppress the bandits.
Meanwhile, Han Yuan officially entered secluded cultivation to practice the Innate Great Demon Skill.
He swore he would not emerge until he broke through to the True Qi Realm.
This time, Han Yuan did something rare and took an elixir pill to aid his cultivation.
The Purifying Heart Pill.
This was a special elixir pill refined from Clear Heart Grass, capable of quickly calming the user’s mind and helping them maintain a tranquil mental state.
Once he had adjusted his mental state and Inner Breath, Han Yuan began to circulate his Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi.
His first task was to follow the circulation path laid out in the Innate Great Demon Skill and complete one full cycle.
This would slowly transform the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi into the more ferocious Innate Great Demon True Qi.
It was a meticulous process that could not be rushed.
Han Yuan meticulously guided the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi through the meridians in his body.
A short while later, the vast Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi surged toward his brain.
This was, of course, a great test for Han Yuan.
Even the slightest mistake would, at best, leave him a drooling idiot.
As the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi flowed into the meridians of his brain, Han Yuan felt an excruciating, swelling pain in his head.
He knew this was normal and felt no alarm. Enduring the throbbing pain, he continued to meticulously control the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi.
The Purifying Heart Pill also took effect, preventing any major fluctuations in his mental state.
After several dozen breaths, the Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi finally finished circulating through his brain.
Han Yuan did not relax.
He had only completed half the path; there was still another half to go.
A long time passed before he finally completed a full circulation of the Innate Great Demon Skill, and when he did, he discovered his Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi was faintly tinged with a black light.
Clearly, this was a sign of its transformation into Innate Great Demon Qi.
Han Yuan summoned the Skill Proficiency Panel.
Host: Han Yuan
Innate Great Demon Skill: Uninitiated (1/300)
Black Whale Oversea Skill: Perfection (Transformed Whale)
Giant Spirit Monument-Opening Hand: Minor Success (300/1800)
Seven Stars Step: Minor Success (1128/1500)
Eight Extremes Demon-slaying Saber: Minor Success (1330/1500)
’Three hundred proficiency points just to become Uninitiated?’
Han Yuan was a little surprised.
All his previous cultivation techniques, including the Black Whale Oversea Skill, had only required one hundred proficiency points to become Uninitiated.
The difficulty gap had only appeared after initiation.
He hadn’t expected the Innate Great Demon Skill to require so many proficiency points just to get started.
Moreover, because the circulation path for the Innate Great Demon Skill was so complex, it already took longer to practice than his other techniques.
He also had to maintain intense concentration to avoid any mistakes.
Han Yuan estimated he could only practice it about ten times a day.
At this rate, it would take about a month to become initiated and break through from the Inner Breath Realm to the True Qi Realm.
’A month it is, then.’
’Besides, the mission to suppress the bandits on Sheep Head Mountain probably won’t be over so soon.’
Han Yuan took a deep breath, settled his mind, and once again began cultivating the Innate Great Demon Skill.
.....
「That night.」
A figure in a black hood moved briskly through the streets and alleys.
He stuck to the shadows the entire way, moving like an eerie phantom, his presence completely unnoticed.
Before long, he stopped in front of an ordinary residence.
The figure stepped forward and knocked gently on the door.
CREAK~
The wooden door scraped open, as if someone inside had pushed it.
But the mysterious person standing outside saw no one in the doorway.
It was as if the door had opened on its own.
Seeing such a scene, an ordinary person would have thought they’d seen a ghost.
But this mysterious person was remarkably bold and entered the residence without a change in expression.
The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a brass oil lamp and a sallow, divine statue.
This statue was none other than the Yellow Springs Saint Mother.
Her hands were formed in a seal technique, her expression a mixture of compassion and solemnity.
A withered old man in yellow clerical robes sat cross-legged on the floor. He spoke in a faint voice, "Patriarch Bai, I am the new Priest sent by the Wangling Sect to Cangshui County Town."
The mysterious person pulled back his hood, revealing his true face.
It was none other than the Patriarch of the Bai Family, Bai Muxin.
He stared at the withered old man and said coldly, "I never expected it was your Wangling Sect that approached me for cooperation last time."
The withered old man raised a pair of cloudy, grayish eyes and said faintly, "Patriarch Bai, why play dumb? You must have guessed back then."
Bai Muxin narrowed his eyes. "But I never thought that with all your careful planning, you’d fail to kill one measly Han Yuan."
"He even turned the tables on you, and Du Qiuxu ended up wiping out your entire nest."
"And now you have the gall to return to Cangshui County Town? Aren’t you afraid the Observatory will have your head too?"
The withered old man said softly, "Nie Jing has gone to Sheep Head Mountain to suppress the bandits. Naturally, he has no time to worry about the likes of us."
Bai Muxin shook his head. "I’m afraid not."
"I have no intention of cooperating with your Wangling Sect this time."
The withered old man smiled. "You have no choice."
"If you don’t agree, I’ll tell the Jianghe Celestial Observation Bureau about our previous cooperation."
"Considering how our Wangling Sect is treated these days, I’m afraid your entire Bai Family will be put to the sword."
Bai Muxin laughed in disdain. "Mere words are no proof. What makes you think the Observatory would believe you?"
The withered old man said faintly, "Do you think Nie Jing would pass up this opportunity?"
"He’s been itching for an excuse to move against you Five Great Noble Families."
"With the Bai Family as a pretext, he’ll naturally seize the opportunity to make his move."
"When that happens, the foundation your Bai Family has built over the years could very well vanish into thin air."
Bai Muxin fell silent.
He knew the withered old man was right.
Some matters don’t really require proof.
"Patriarch Bai, I won’t lie to you."
"The Wangling Sect’s next target is Cangshui County Town."
"If you assist us, your Bai Family will become the most powerful family in all of Cangshui County Town."
"This is your chance."
the withered old man began to entice him again.
Bai Muxin’s brow furrowed as he thought of the news about the fall of Tongming County Town.
He realized he had no choice.
The Wangling Sect was like a giant, invisible hand, determined to pull the Bai Family down into this vortex of mud.
Compared to the Wangling Sect, the Bai Family was powerless to resist or escape.
Worse, they had him right where they wanted him.
At that moment, Bai Muxin was filled with immense regret. He lamented his decision to give the Wangling Sect information on Han Yuan, which had led to him being dragged into this vortex.
.....
After a long while, Bai Muxin finally pulled his hood back on. With a dark and gloomy expression, he left the residence.
’Han Yuan... you truly deserve to die!!!’
Thinking of his conversation with the withered old man, Bai Muxin’s hatred for Han Yuan reached an unprecedented height.
’If it weren’t for that bastard, how could the Wangling Sect have gotten their hooks into me?’
The thought that the Bai Family could be destroyed because of this made his resentment toward Han Yuan run even deeper.
But when he thought about how Han Yuan would soon die by his own hand, he let out a strange laugh.
’So what if you’re hiding in the Observatory?’
’This time... let’s see how you’ll escape!’
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