75: Chapter 75 The Great Sect of the Demonic Path

Yun Ming piloted the taiqing wanderer and soon found the mountain.

Beside Qingshi Town, the mountain slopes were gentle, and the woods were lush. If not for the clear path guidance in that demonic Cultivator's memory, no one would have guessed that this remote wilderness hid any secrets.

He landed beneath a concealed cliff, parted the dense vines, and revealed a deep, dark cave entrance.

The cave wasn't deep, about ten zhang or so, ending in a naturally formed stone chamber.

The stone chamber was empty, save for a withered skeleton sitting against the wall.

Yun Ming approached and looked down for a closer inspection.

The skeleton had been dead for who knows how long, its bones already a pale gray, ready to crumble at a light touch. The clothes on it had long decayed into mud, their original style indistinguishable. Judging by the posture of the bones, this person had died while sitting cross-legged, as if having passed away sitting in meditation here.

Yun Ming crouched down and searched carefully.

There was nothing.

No Storage Pouch, no Jade Slip, nothing that could indicate identity. Even that Wanling Guixu Scroll, picked up by the hunter, was nowhere to be seen—likely taken by the hunter and then casually discarded or destroyed.

Yun Ming stood up and let out a soft sigh.

A wasted trip.

He turned to leave but suddenly paused mid-step.

Wait.

All this time, he had been inquiring about Great Qian and the Sunset Glow Sect.

But the one that stirred up the cataclysm in Great Qian was the Heavenly Demon Hall.

The Old Ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Hall, that old Devil Head at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection Stage, was the true target he should be investigating. And the Heavenly Demon Hall's lair wasn't even within Great Qian's borders—he didn't even know where it was.

But since the Heavenly Demon Hall could cause trouble in Great Qian, they must have information about Great Qian.

A glint of light appeared in Yun Ming's eyes. Without further delay, he turned and left.

The taiqing wanderer shot into the sky, heading straight for the Cangxuan Immortal Sect market.

By the time he returned to the small courtyard, dusk was approaching.

Pushing the door open, Yun Ming's first act was to walk to the corner to check on that Crimson-Feathered Luan egg.

He took out those dozen or so Top-Grade Spirit Stones, placing them back one by one into the

His hand paused slightly.

The winding crack on the eggshell was gone.

He leaned in for a closer look, cradling the egg in his palm, examining it carefully by the twilight coming through the window. The eggshell was smooth and intact, its pale golden luster warmer and more lustrous than before, as if it had never been damaged. And the vitality emanating from within the egg was at least twice as robust as before he left.

Yun Ming gently placed his palm over the eggshell.

In that instant, he sensed it.

The tiny life within the egg, as if sensing his touch, gently, ever so gently, leaned towards the direction of his palm. Through the shell, he could feel the warm, faintly pulsing life snuggling against his hand.

Yun Ming was stunned for a moment, then a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"Hurry up and hatch," he said softly. "Let me see what you really are."

A faint, almost imperceptible chirp came from within the egg, as if in response.

Yun Ming smiled, carefully placed the egg back in its nest, added a few more Top-Grade Spirit Stones around it, and then stood up.

He glanced around the courtyard.

Although quiet, this courtyard's defenses were far too weak. That gray-robed man could scale the wall and enter as if it were nothing. If someone more formidable came next time, he might not be able to return in time.

He needed to buy a few sets of Formations.

After tidying up a bit, he turned and left, heading straight for Bao Dan Pavilion.

Bao Dan Pavilion was still bustling with people coming and going.

The green-skirted maid was sharp-eyed. Seeing Yun Ming enter, she greeted him with a beaming smile, "Senior is here again? Do you have Medicinal Pills to sell?"

Yun Ming shook his head, "This time, I'd like to buy some Formations."

The maid was slightly taken aback, then smiled, "Please wait a moment, Senior. I'll go fetch a Formation Master."

Before long, an old man with white hair and beard walked out from the back hall and cupped his hands towards Yun Ming, "I heard Senior wishes to purchase defensive Formations? May I ask if Senior has any specific requirements?"

Yun Ming said, "Concealment, capable of active defense, to prevent outsiders from intruding."

The old man nodded, waved his hand, and over a dozen Jade Slips materialized on the counter.

"These are all second and third-tier defensive Formations, each with different emphases in function. Senior can take your time choosing."

Yun Ming took the Jade Slips, probing each one with his Divine Sense.

These Formations had a wide variety of names and different effects. Some focused on concealment, some on defense, others on trapping enemies. After carefully looking through them all, he finally selected three.

The first Jade Slip dissolved into a stream of light, and the Formation's information appeared in his Sea of Consciousness—

"Third-tier Formation 'Mystic Light Element Hiding Formation', primarily for concealment, can obscure all aura and sights within the courtyard, undetectable by those below Golden Core Stage. Also has a warning function, alerting the Formation owner in their Sea of Consciousness when someone approaches."

The second one—

"Third-tier Formation 'Four Symbols Heavenly Gang Array', primarily for defense, forms a light barrier using the power of the Four Symbols, capable of withstanding a full-force strike from an Early Golden Core Stage Cultivator. Once the Formation is set, the light barrier remains invisible, only appearing when attacked."

The third one—

"Third-tier Formation 'Purple Lightning Net Formation', primarily for trapping enemies and counterattacking. Once triggered, it activates a purple lightning net to trap intruders while simultaneously releasing lightning strikes. The lightning's power is equivalent to a full-force strike from a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator and can be activated three times consecutively."

Three sets of Formations, each with its own merits.

Yun Ming pondered for a moment, then asked, "If I buy all three sets together, how many Spirit Stones?"

The old man stroked his beard and smiled, "The Mystic Light Element Hiding Formation is one hundred and twenty thousand Spirit Stones, the Four Symbols Heavenly Gang Array is one hundred and fifty thousand, and the Purple Lightning Net Formation is one hundred and eighty thousand. The total for all three is four hundred and fifty thousand Spirit Stones."

Yun Ming's mouth twitched slightly.

His current Spirit Stones, after selling the snake demon and Medicinal Pills, amounted to roughly five or six hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Buying all three sets would barely be enough, but that would truly set him back to square one.

Unless he used Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

But he had no idea if Bao Dan Pavilion could make change for those.

Moreover, flaunting wealth in front of others was no different from holding a knife to one's own throat.

"I'll take these two sets for now," Yun Ming pointed to the Mystic Light Element Hiding Formation and the Four Symbols Heavenly Gang Array. "And also get some maintenance Materials."

The old man nodded, swiftly calculating, "Two sets of Formations, two hundred and seventy thousand. Maintenance Materials for a three-year supply, one hundred and ten thousand. Total three hundred and eighty thousand Spirit Stones."

Wincing inwardly, Yun Ming took out the Spirit Stones to pay in full and stored the Formations and Materials in his naxu ring.

Looking at his deflated Storage Pouch, he silently sighed.

The number of draws he had saved up over the past few years... he'd use them all when he got back. Maybe he could draw something good to replenish his funds.

Just as he was about to take his leave, he suddenly remembered something and casually said, "By the way, I'd like to ask you about something."

The maid smiled, "Please go ahead, Senior."

"I have a friend," Yun Ming said casually. "A few days ago, he killed a demonic Cultivator. Before dying, that demonic Cultivator claimed to be from something called the Heavenly Demon Hall. I wonder if you've heard of the Heavenly Demon Hall?"

The maid's smile faltered slightly.

"Heavenly Demon Hall?" she repeated, her expression somewhat odd. "The demonic Cultivator your friend killed really claimed to be from the Heavenly Demon Hall?"

Yun Ming nodded, "What? Have you heard of it?"

The maid was silent for a breath, then slowly said, "I've heard of it. Not just heard of it. Any Cultivator in the East Xuan Region with some knowledge should have heard of the name Heavenly Demon Hall."

Yun Ming's heart skipped a beat.

The maid continued, "The Heavenly Demon Hall is a Demonic Path Sect from the Ximing Continent, with immense power. It's said their Hall Master is a peerless great expert at the Soul Transformation Late Stage. Under him are nine Executives, each at the Nascent Soul Stage. Countless Golden Core Cultivators serve under them, and Foundation Establishment Cultivators are as numerous as hairs on an ox. In the Ximing Continent, the Heavenly Demon Hall's word is law; even the great Sects of the Righteous Path have to avoid clashing with them."

Yun Ming was stunned.