54: The subordinates were demonized

"The Detoxification Pill has already reached Great Master level proficiency."

"The quality is better than before; it seems the price should also go up."

For the past few months, the price of the Detoxification Pill has remained high.

Every month, by relying on refining the Detoxification Pill, he could earn twenty or thirty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Even though the income wasn't as much as before, his life was still quite comfortable.

After more than three months of Cultivating, his Cultivation progress hadn't fallen behind, already reaching 31/100, though his other techniques hadn't increased much.

After all, he needed to go work on reclaiming wasteland during the day and didn't have that much time to practice techniques.

After refining two more batches of the Detoxification Pill, Zhang Qingxiao finally came to the cultivation room to begin Cultivating.

The next day, after arriving at the wilderness, He Mei replenished the Cultivators for them, gave a few simple instructions, and then let everyone start working.

Zhang Qingxiao and his group were responsible for the follow-up work of reclaiming the wasteland today, which was much easier than yesterday.

"Brother Zhang, yesterday I took my subordinates to inquire about some news regarding the Devil Head and Demonic Path Cultivators."

Luo Fei leaned close to Zhang Qingxiao and whispered the news he had gathered yesterday.

A demonicized Cultivator is no different from an ordinary Cultivator at the beginning.

As time passes, these demonicized Cultivators will become cruel and bloodthirsty, and in the end, they will completely lose their sanity, turning into a Devil Head that only knows how to kill.

These demonicized Cultivators are subtly influenced by the demonic insects that enter their bodies, which is different from Demonic Path Cultivators and true Devil Heads.

There is no Devilish Qi in their bodies, and even they themselves do not know that they have been demonicized.

Besides this, when these demonicized Cultivators attack other Cultivators, they may continue to demonicize the Cultivators being attacked.

This is also the reason why the Golden Core Old Ancestor personally issued an order for everyone to supervise each other and to report immediately to a Foundation Establishment Elder once someone is found to be demonicized.

"During this recent period, tell the subordinate Cultivators to be more careful."

"If you discover any abnormalities, you must flee in time and report to a Foundation Establishment Elder at the first opportunity."

"Do not try to act tough and attempt to kill these demonicized Cultivators alone to earn contributions."

After listening to Luo Fei, Zhang Qingxiao instructed him in a serious tone.

The situation was even more serious than he had imagined; fortunately, the Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman he bought had a restraining effect on these demonicized Cultivators.

If he happened to encounter one, as long as he carried the Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman with him, he wouldn't need to worry about being demonicized himself.

Now he truly understood why the price of the Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman doubled as soon as this matter spread.

"Rest assured, Brother Zhang, I have already reminded the subordinate Cultivators."

After receiving the news, Luo Fei immediately notified all his subordinates and told them to be vigilant.

After discussing this matter, everyone continued working, and no accidents occurred that day.

In the following days, another Second-Grade Tree Devil was discovered and was killed by several Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators who joined forces and used the Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman.

At the same time, two Cultivators were killed by patrolling Cultivators of the Xiaoyao Sect while they were murdering people at night.

Ever since the Tree Devil was discovered, the Sect Leader of Carefree Sect ordered the Outer Sect Disciples and Utility Disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect to form patrols to patrol the residential areas of the Utility Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples every day.

With the patrols, the public order had improved a lot.

One morning, just as Zhang Qingxiao was about to go out to the wilderness, he saw Luo Fei rushing to his house.

"What happened?"

After letting Luo Fei enter the courtyard, Zhang Qingxiao asked with a frown.

"Brother Zhang, a Cultivator under me named Wang Wu disappeared last night."

"The other two Cultivators who lived with him were likely killed by him."

"When I entered their courtyard today, although I didn't see the other two, I smelled a scent of blood."

"For the past two days, I noticed that Wang Wu seemed a bit strange, but I didn't pay too much attention..."

Luo Fei quickly recounted the matter, his expression looking exceptionally ugly.

If he had reminded those two subordinates earlier, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened.

"Has this matter been reported to a Foundation Establishment Elder?"

Zhang Qingxiao took a deep breath, calmed himself down quickly, and asked.

Based on Luo Fei's description, he could basically determine that this subordinate named Wang Wu had definitely been demonicized.

And it was very likely not an ordinary demonicized Cultivator.

Two days ago, he went to the Li family and learned more about the situation of Cultivators being demonicized.

One situation is that when a demonicized Cultivator has not completely lost their sanity, they know in advance that they have been demonicized.

In this case, the demonicized Cultivator, in order to survive, is very likely to take the initiative to kill and consume the blood essence of other Cultivators to fuse with the demonic insects in their bodies.

Then, as long as they find a Demonic Path Cultivation Technique, they can become a true Demonic Path Cultivator.

"Not yet. Once I discovered something was wrong, I immediately came to Brother Zhang."

Luo Fei had gone to call Wang Wu to go to the wilderness early in the morning and inadvertently discovered that Wang Wu and the other two subordinates had disappeared.

"Report this matter to a Foundation Establishment Elder immediately."

"Never mind, I will go do it; you go check on the situation of the other subordinates."

"Besides the subordinates here in the Outer Sect, you also need to check on the situation of the Utility Disciples and prepare defenses."

"It is best to buy one or two Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talismans."

Zhang Qingxiao could be certain that Wang Wu was definitely not demonicized because of the Tree Devil incident last time.

At that time, Wang Wu was with them, and the spiritual energy shield of the Body Protection Talisman did not have any problems, nor did any demonic insects approach.

Since it was not because of the demonic insects from the Second-Grade Tree Devil last time, it must have been demonicized by another demonicized Cultivator.

This is even more serious than being demonicized by the demonic insects released by the Tree Devil.

"Alright, I will go do that now."

After Luo Fei finished speaking, he turned and ran towards the courtyard where the several Outer Sect Disciple subordinates lived.

"Zhou Yun, Liang Qiaoer, you two should take out your Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talismans, stay at home today, and do not go anywhere."

After Luo Fei left, Zhang Qingxiao called Zhou Yun and Liang Qiaoer out and instructed them solemnly.

"Husband, you must also be careful outside."

Seeing her husband so serious, Zhou Yun also knew the seriousness of the situation and nodded quickly.

"Alright, I will be careful. You don't need to worry about your father. I gave him a Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman a few days ago; after I report this matter to the Foundation Establishment Elder, I will go see him."

After Zhang Qingxiao finished speaking, he turned and walked outside.

He soon arrived at the location of the Foundation Establishment Cultivator He Mei, who was leading them to reclaim the wasteland, and explained the situation in detail.

"Alright, I know about this matter."

"You don't need to worry about the matter of demonicized Cultivators appearing in the Outer Sect Disciple area; a Foundation Establishment Elder will handle it."

"Go do what you are supposed to do."

He Mei appeared very calm, said a few words lightly, and dismissed Zhang Qingxiao.

Zhang Qingxiao was just an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple and was not familiar with He Mei, so naturally, he could not say much, but he did not dare to be careless about this matter at all.

He respectfully said goodbye and left, immediately found Zhou Quan, and instructed him to carry the Celestial Dipper Positive Thunder Talisman with him and to be careful when going out during this recent period.

After saying goodbye to Zhou Quan, he joined up with Luo Fei and the others and came to the wilderness to continue reclaiming the wasteland.

...