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墨書 Inktalez
Human Sacrifice
Under the moonlit night, Song Yuan stood at the entrance of the Siheyuan, his face displaying disdain and impatience. I said, "You waited for me because you have something to say? I remember we don’t have any relationship, do we?"
Song Yuan replied, "Very good, you're quite confident. I had someone call you to clean my Cave, and you dare to refuse? You can hide from the First Year, but you can't escape forever."
I chuckled lightly and said, "You really are quite annoying. We are both in the Foundation Establishment Realm, yet I truly don't understand where your sense of superiority comes from. Your aggressive demeanor seems endless. I, Yang Hao, was born into poverty and have seen many faces like yours."
"Since you were born into poverty, then do what a poor person should do. Why pretend to be someone important?" A murderous glint flashed in Song Yuan's eyes.
I continued, "I’ve never understood why people like you develop such an arrogant nature. Why do you always think you can trample on others without considering their feelings? Is it because you haven’t experienced hardship or because you haven’t read enough? I genuinely want to know your thoughts."
"Idiot."
Song Yuan scoffed as he threw a punch at me. I countered with a palm strike and retreated. Seeing this, Song Yuan flicked his wrist, launching two Star Darts at incredible speed. I dove to the side and hid behind a tree. Just as I peeked out, Song Yuan kicked at me. I blocked with my elbow and was sent flying back several steps.
"You actually have some skill; no wonder you dare to challenge me," Song Yuan said with a hint of interest on his face. Noticing me standing near a tangle of vines, he smirked coldly and brought his right hand together with his index and middle fingers aligned, chanting softly before suddenly uttering one word: "Swift!"
The vines suddenly twisted like snakes, and I felt as if I had fallen into a snake pit. As I tried to retreat, one vine wrapped around my ankle. I struggled fiercely to break free from it, but in that brief moment of delay, other vines quickly ensnared me, making it nearly impossible to escape.
After all, Song Yuan was among the top ten experts on the Inner Sect Dragon-Tiger List; he certainly had some skills that allowed him to suppress many Divine Transformation Realm disciples.
"Now let me tell you this: for someone as lowly as you, if I allow you to live, then you may live; if I decide your death, then you shall not become Immortal!" Song Yuan revealed a beautifully patterned dagger from his sleeve. "I can't kill you, but do you think I wouldn't dare to cripple you?"
Just then, footsteps approached from the side as several Inner Sect Disciples happened to pass by. The young man from within the Siheyuan also rushed over and said, "Senior Song, please show mercy and spare Brother Yang; after all, he's just a newcomer who doesn't understand the rules."
Seeing the crowd gathering for the spectacle, the other Inner Sect Disciples also came over to watch. Realizing there were many witnesses present and fearing trouble, Song Yuan said, "Don't think that just because I'm being punished in the back mountains that you can act recklessly; as long as I'm here, you'll have no good days ahead."
With that, Song Yuan kicked towards my abdomen; the vine snapped as I was sent flying backward.
"Wait until I come back to deal with you; the fun is just beginning." Song Yuan snorted and turned to leave.
Seeing this, the young man hurried over to support me, asking how I was. I replied, "My internal organs have been severely damaged, and my ribs are broken. Song Yuan's power is too great; he truly deserves his reputation as a master on the Dragon-Tiger List."
The other disciples shook their heads at this. One of them said, "You're going to be nursing your injuries for a few months. Of all people to provoke, you had to pick a demon king. You're just asking for trouble!"
After they finished speaking, they left the scene. The young man stepped forward to help me untie the vines binding me, but I coldly said, "Step aside."
The vines on my body were like spider silk; they would break with the slightest movement. I patted the imprint on my abdomen and walked toward the Siheyuan.
Song Yuan hadn't actually caused me any real harm; my pretense of being injured was merely a ruse because I planned to take action today.
I called the young man into the room and instructed him, "If anything happens with the three people in the next room, act immediately. Don't hit them on the head; break their bones instead. They are Taoist practitioners and have Dao Qi in their bodies, making them quite resilient. Don't hold back, understand?"
The young man nodded nervously and replied, "Understood."
"Go now," I said, closing my eyes as I heard the door click shut behind him.
I swallowed a Foundation Pill, feeling its medicinal properties begin to dissolve. A powerful Spirit Energy instantly filled my entire body, causing me to feel a subtle swelling within. Spirit Energy even overflowed from my mouth; this was my first time taking a Foundation Pill, and it was at its most potent moment for the human body. So I settled down and focused on refining it.
The powerful Spirit Energy transformed into Dao Qi, flowing like a gentle stream into my Qi Sea. When I looked inward at my Qi Sea, I was startled to see that it had faintly turned golden, though its aura was still somewhat unclear and impure.
What amazed me even more was that my Qi Sea was slowly undergoing a transformation; the Dao Qi was fierce and pure. I could sense that it was more than double the strength of my previous Qi Sea.
Before his death, Yang Yan had used secret methods to condense his many years of cultivated Qi Sea into a Dao Dan and gifted it to me for revenge. Since I had received his favor and promised to help him—even against my own kin—I had to fulfill that vow.
I hadn't initially realized how powerful his Qi Sea would be; it effectively doubled my strength beyond normal circumstances.
"No wonder the Yang Family would resort to such methods, even at the cost of harming their own kin, just to collect Qi Seas and Dao Dans. If they could absorb ten or eight or even more, wouldn't they create masters who are invincible among their peers?" I murmured to myself.
The power of the Foundation Pill had not yet been fully refined, and my Meridians gradually opened under the expansion of Dao Qi. The flow of Dao Qi was smooth, unlike before when using Dao Qi felt laborious. Two or three blocked Acupoints were also opened, nourished by the strong and pure Dao Qi.
After several hours, all the pores in my body opened up, expelling the turbid air. I exhaled a breath of stagnant energy from my chest, feeling light and unburdened, as if I had broken free from some shackles and breathed in fresh air.
"Finally, I have progressed from the early stage to the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Next, I need to consume a large amount of elixirs and seek spiritual materials to stabilize my Foundation Establishment Realm," I thought to myself. The Foundation Establishment Realm is the true foundation for cultivators to step into the Entrance to the Dao. If this layer is solidified, future cultivation will come naturally.
Many people blindly pursue higher realms while neglecting the essence of cultivation. They even resort to consuming various treasures to quickly elevate their realms, hoping to become experts. However, such realms are extremely unstable; once they fall, it becomes even harder to cultivate again.
Previously, when I consumed the Seven-Colored Elixir during a month-long retreat, I advanced from the Entry-Level Realm to the Foundation Establishment Realm, crossing two significant realms. I could clearly feel that when using Dao Qi, there was a sense of inadequacy. It felt like having the strength to lift a sack of sand but being unable to maintain balance due to my short stature.
Now, after months of cultivation, along with consuming elixirs and practicing my heart techniques and Dao Dan obtained, my Foundation Establishment Realm has become as solid as a rock. There would be no lingering side effects from consuming precious materials.
It is worth noting that when I secretly placed my hand on the fate-testing plate, my talent was so exceptional that it shattered the beads in an instant. My aptitude was far superior to that of Elder Hong's disciple Lin Jingyu; it was just that my age limited me, having passed the optimal cultivation period.
Although I experienced some rejuvenation effects from consuming Millennium Medicine King Ointment and Seven-Colored Elixir, my appearance changed while my bodily functions did not alter significantly. Especially regarding bones—once a person reaches adulthood, their skeletal structure does not change. This is also why height growth stops after reaching twenty years old.
The Taoist Sacred Body Forging Technique can completely resolve this issue because it is a method for reshaping bones through muscle and bone transformation. A Holy Body is rarely seen in the entire Daoist World for hundreds of years; not only are the medicinal materials hard to find—requiring great luck and specific timing—but also due to its harsh conditions that necessitate a Narrow Escape to survive.
At the end of the Taoist Sacred Body Forging Technique, there is an account of an extraordinary Taoist talent during the Song Dynasty. Not only was he exceptionally gifted and known as the contemporary Word Sage, but he was also a future heir of a certain Daoist Sect. However, in pursuit of perfection to forge himself into a Taoist Sacred Body, he ultimately perished before reaching twenty years old under the care of dozens of elders from his sect, leaving behind endless regrets. Since then, although this book has circulated widely, it has become akin to tales within various sects' Outer Sect Scripture Repository; even elders disdainfully overlook it as impractical.
What I need to do now is seek a quiet Cave where I cannot be disturbed by anyone. There are too many disciples coming and going in this Inner Sect; during alchemy sessions, not only will the medicinal fumes be detected but any incident will quickly spread throughout Azure Cloud Mountain. The Cave on Birch Mountain is precisely where I have set my sights.
I changed into another set of clothes, donned a mask, opened my door, and stepped into the courtyard. Looking up at the position of the North Dipper's Seven Stars, I calculated that it was around two in the morning. Underneath the starlight, Azure Cloud Mountain lay in silence.
I had previously conducted a hasty investigation of the back mountain and found it desolate yet tranquil since it housed the Ancestral Grave of Azure Cloud Sect's ancestors.
The back mountain was quiet and served as a burial ground; thus, few daring disciples would venture there. The graves of our predecessors must be regularly tended to; often disciples are punished by being sent here for reflection while cleaning the Ancestral Grave.
In this back mountain stood a thatched cottage covered in cobwebs beside a Chinese Toon Tree.
I remember when my mother would make Tofu with Chinese Toon; it tasted so fresh and fragrant. Back then, whenever Huzi came over to play, we would climb into the woods on the west side of the village to pick tender leaves from the Chinese Toon Tree to take home to her.
Now that I think about it, that scene is still vivid in my mind.
“Who are you?” Song Yuan's voice came from behind me. He had heard some noise in the thatched cottage and stepped outside to check.
I picked a leaf from the Chinese Toon Tree and sniffed it. “This tree reminds me of my mother.”
Song Yuan snorted. “Did you come all the way out here in the middle of the night just to wallow in nostalgia with me?”
I sighed. “I'm a sentimental person and tend to be nostalgic. Seeing the trees from my hometown made me think of certain people; I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”
I turned around, and Song Yuan saw the mask on my face. “Looks like you're someone who can't be seen in public. Who sent you? The fluctuations of mid Foundation Establishment Stage energy—are you here to kill me? Ha ha.”
Suddenly, I slapped him hard across the face. Song Yuan looked astonished, covering his cheek with his hand. His eyes turned red, but he soon smiled and said, “No one has ever dared to slap my face. I’ll make sure to torment you slowly until you understand what it means to be unaware of your own insignificance!”
Whoosh!
A Star Dart shot out from Song Yuan's sleeve. I tilted my neck to dodge it, and in an instant, he appeared right in front of me, swinging a sword toward my face.
My agility had improved significantly since before, allowing me to easily evade Song Yuan's attack. He flew straight toward me, holding an ancient-patterned short sword. To me, his movements seemed slow; I shifted my feet and stood beside him, striking his back with my palm.
With a thud, Song Yuan fell to the ground with a muffled groan.
His expression changed dramatically as he realized I could see through his movements. He lay on the ground and slashed at my ankle with his sword. I stepped on his wrist, my fist enveloped in a yellowish glow, and punched down toward his back.
Song Yuan immediately spat out blood. He kicked forcefully with both legs, pushing me away from him as he rolled over and looked at me with suspicion.
“You saw it too; even if you're talented and think you're invincible at your level, against me, you're still not enough,” I mocked him.
Song Yuan roared, his Daoist robe billowing without wind. Gripping his sword as if in a frenzy, Dao Qi surged around him, causing the wild grass nearby to sway violently. With a leap, he swung his sword at me. I stood still, my mind focused, and the Dragon Abyss Sword appeared in my hand from the Qi Sea.
In an instant, I unleashed my strongest power, channeling Dao Qi into the Dragon Abyss Sword. I faintly heard the sound of a dragon's roar as I struck. Song Yuan let out a terrible scream as he fell beside the thatched cottage, his body cleaved in two.
Song Yuan cried out in agony; the Dragon Abyss Sword had merely sliced through him, splitting his short sword as well. However, the sword's energy did not damage his bodily tissues. He looked up at his lower half lying beside him and let out a mad scream. He struggled to rise, but his life force was rapidly dissipating, leaving him powerless.
“Shh—” I made a silencing gesture toward Song Yuan and calmly squatted before him. “I used to be an ordinary person. I've been robbed by thugs on the road and have endured much mistreatment. I've seen many people bully others repeatedly, and no amount of advice from teachers helped. I want to know what you really think, like why you always target me.”
Gasping for breath, Song Yuan heard my words and reached out to remove my mask. I slapped his hand away and said, “Don't be foolish.”
He raised his hand again, only to have it swatted away once more. Growing impatient, I asked, “Can you answer my question properly?”
Song Yuan was on the verge of death; his intestines spilled from his severed abdomen along with a pool of foul blood. I removed my mask and covered my mouth and nose in disdain.
Tears streamed down Song Yuan's face as he trembled and said, “How can this be? Who are you?”
I picked up the broken sword from the ground and suddenly plunged it into Song Yuan's throat. He let out a few whimpers before dying with wide-open eyes.
I lifted my head to look above the thatched cottage. In the nearby forest on the mountain, I heard faint breaths; clearly, someone hiding in the shadows had been startled when I removed my mask.
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