95: Chapter 95: Possession of Demonic Power!

A biting cold wind howled, whipping withered leaves against Chen Ye's blood-stained face.

The towering mountain gate of Qingxin Palace had completely vanished into the depths of the clouds and mist, replaced by the desolate and rugged mountain path beneath his feet.

Chen Ye lay slumped in a pile of rubble like a stray dog.

The aching pain radiating from his limbs and bones served as a constant reminder—he was crippled.

His Dantian was shattered, and his Spiritual Root was withered. The once high-spirited Genius youth was now nothing more than a piece of trash who couldn't even defeat a Mortal Martial Artist.

"Heh... hehe..."

Chen Ye gazed at the gloomy sky, his lips pulling into a smile that looked more painful than crying.

This was the world of cultivation, cruel enough to make one's heart turn cold.

"Elder Ming?"

He called out tentatively in his heart, his voice as faint as a gossamer thread.

In truth, he no longer held any hope.

When he needed him most, that old fellow who had always been silent hadn't appeared.

Calling out now was merely a desperate last resort.

However, just as Chen Ye was prepared to completely let go of his consciousness and let himself die in this wilderness, an indifferent voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Kid, giving up already?"

Chen Ye's whole body jolted, and his pupils constricted sharply.

It was Elder Ming!

But an uncontrollable surge of grief and indignation immediately welled up within him.

"You still have the face to speak?"

Chen Ye roared in his heart, "Where were you when my cultivation was being abolished just now?! Where were you when I was thrown out like a dog?! You only show up when I'm about to die; are you here to mock me?!"

"Get lost! I don't need your hypocritical comfort!"

Chen Ye closed his eyes and ignored the voice in his head, his heart as cold as dead ashes.

"Hehe, wet-behind-the-ears brat."

Elder Ming's voice remained calm and unhurried. "If I had acted just now, you would surely be dead."

"Although Palace Master is only at the Core Formation stage, I couldn't see through that Wang Ming. I remained silent to save your pathetic life."

Chen Ye froze. Though he was suspicious, his reason told him that Elder Ming's words held some truth.

"So what? I'm a cripple now. What's the point of living?" Chen Ye said dejectedly.

"A cripple?" Elder Ming sneered. "Who said your path has ended? If I wish it, let alone restoring your cultivation, making you even stronger than before would be as easy as turning over my hand!"

Boom!

These words were like a clap of thunder, instantly exploding within Chen Ye's stagnant heart.

He snapped his eyes open, and two frantic flames instantly ignited in his originally dull eyes.

"What did you say?! You can restore me? And make me even stronger than before?!"

Ignoring the pain in his body, Chen Ye trembled with excitement. "Elder Ming! No... Senior! If you can truly help me, I, Chen Ye, am willing to serve you like an ox or a horse, to go through fire and water for you!"

"There's no need to serve like an ox or a horse." Elder Ming's voice suddenly became somewhat playful. "However, this old man has one condition."

"What condition? Just say it!"

"Acknowledge me as your foster father. From now on, your life belongs to me."

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Ye kowtowed heavily toward the void. His forehead bled again, but he didn't care at all.

"Foster Father! Please accept your son's bow! As long as you can give me a new life, let alone being my foster father, I would even dig out my heart for you!"

At this moment, dignity, bottom lines, whatever—it could all be thrown away!

He only wanted power!

"Good, good, good."

Elder Ming said the word 'good' three times, his tone carrying a strange excitement. "Since you are willing, then as your father, I shall grant you a great fortune."

"However, listen closely."

Elder Ming's voice suddenly became low.

"Orthodox cultivation can indeed make you strong, but that requires accumulation, Comprehension Ability, and long years. Can you afford to wait? Will Palace Master and Wang Ming give you time?"

"No! I can't wait!"

Chen Ye gritted his teeth. "I want to become strong immediately! I want to make them regret! I want to take back everything I've lost!"

"Then there is only one path."

Elder Ming said slowly, "I have a method that can grant you power several times beyond your peers in an extremely short time, but... this path is very dangerous. One slight slip and you will be beyond redemption. Do you dare to try?"

"I dare! Why wouldn't I dare!"

Chen Ye roared, "My life is already worthless! As long as I can kill my way back, I'm willing to even make a deal with the devil! Tell me quickly!!"

Elder Ming fell silent for a moment before uttering two words.

"Enter Demonhood."

Chen Ye was stunned.

Enter Demonhood?

But he was only stunned for a second before a ferocious expression appeared on his face.

"If the Righteous Path has no room for me, then I shall become a demon!"

"I will enter demonhood! I will make this Qingxin Palace pay the price!"

"Come! I'm not afraid!"

"Good! You've got guts!"

Elder Ming shouted, "Follow me. Let's find a place with heavy Yin Qi, and I will help you undergo a complete transformation!"

...

Half an hour later, in a deserted, withered valley deep within the mountains.

Ancient trees reached for the sky, blotting out the sun. Sunlight never reached this place, making it a land of extreme Yin.

Chen Ye sat cross-legged on a massive black stone, his eyes tightly shut.

"Concentrate, calm your breath, and give up all resistance."

With a low shout from Elder Ming, a mass of ink-black energy condensed from the void and surged frantically into the crown of Chen Ye's head.

"Aaaah—!!"

Pain!

Excruciating pain!

A pain a hundred times more agonizing than having his cultivation abolished instantly swept through his entire body!

That black energy was like countless venomous snakes, rampaging through his Meridians and tearing apart his already broken channels.

A violent, frenzied power filled with the aura of destruction began to grow within him—Devilish Qi!

Chen Ye's skin began to crack inch by inch. Blood seeped out but was instantly evaporated by the black energy.

His body contorted, and his originally handsome face became hideous and terrifying. Within his eyes, the clear distinction between black and white completely vanished, replaced by a deep, crimson blood-red!

"Roar—!!"

Chen Ye let out a long howl toward the sky. His voice was no longer clear but carried a hair-raising hoarseness and madness.

Boom!

A towering wave of black energy erupted outward with him at the center!

Within a ten-mile radius, the originally lush vegetation instantly withered and turned black. Birds and beasts fled in terror, and even the mountain streams instantly became turbid and foul-smelling.

The entire valley was instantly reduced to a silent demonic domain!

After a long while, the black energy slowly retracted, burrowing back into Chen Ye's body.

Chen Ye slowly opened his eyes, and a terrifying cold light flickered in those crimson pupils.

He clenched his fists, feeling the surging power filled with destructive desire within him. A sinister curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

This kind of power... was simply addictive!

"How do you feel?" Elder Ming's voice sounded a bit weak, but it was mostly filled with satisfaction.

"Very strong," Chen Ye said in a low, raspy voice. "Foster Father, I am now..."

"Shut up!"

Elder Ming suddenly cut him off sharply, his tone more severe than ever before.

"Withdraw your aura! Immediately! Now!"

Chen Ye was taken aback and subconsciously restrained the outward-flowing Devilish Qi.

"Do you have any idea how much of a commotion you just caused?"

Elder Ming said solemnly, "If this Devilish Qi were sensed by those old monsters, Soul Transformation Stage experts within a hundred miles would descend instantly! By then, not even your ashes would remain!"

Chen Ye was startled. "Soul Transformation experts? It's that serious?"

"After entering demonhood, your cultivation speed is ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times that of an ordinary person!" Elder Ming warned. "But your power is too overbearing. If you don't control it, you will become a disaster for the entire Ancient Desolate Continent. Until you can rival the Soul Transformation Stage, you must act in the shadows. You must never let anyone discover your true identity!"

"In the shadows..."

Chen Ye licked his dry lips, the red light in his eyes flickering unsteadily.

"Fine, I will listen to Foster Father."

He stood up and transformed into a streak of dark light, swiftly departing.

...

Inside Palace Master's bedchamber.

Palace Master stood behind Wang Ming, her soft, boneless jade-like hands kneading his shoulders with just the right amount of pressure.

Wang Ming leaned back on the soft couch, holding a cup of spirit tea that Palace Master had treasured. He took a light sip, enjoying this rare moment of ease.

"Wang Ming," Palace Master's voice suddenly sounded, carrying a hint of weariness. "In a few days, I might have to leave the Sect for a while."

Wang Ming set down his teacup and turned to look at her. "Oh? Where to?"

Palace Master's hands paused for a moment, then she gave a bitter smile and slowly walked around to sit in front of Wang Ming.

"To the Upper Sect of Qingxin Palace, the Liuyun Sect."

"Liuyun Sect?" Wang Ming's brow furrowed slightly as his finger lightly tapped the table. "That is..."

"It's to hand over this year's tribute." Palace Master sighed, her tone full of helplessness. "To put it bluntly, it's protection money."

Wang Ming's frown deepened. "Protection money? That's a very direct name for it."

"Direct, but it's the reality." Palace Master shook her head, her expression grave. "Who told them to be stronger than us? If we don't pay, Liuyun Sect would only need a single Decree to make my Qingxin Palace vanish from the map."

She paused, her gaze drifting into the distance as if reminiscing. "In this Ancient Desolate Continent, Sects are numerous and the hierarchy is strict. Qingxin Palace, Lingjian Pavilion, and even that Xuantian Sect you destroyed are nothing more than vassals in the eyes of Liuyun Sect. Our territory, our resources, even our lives and deaths are all determined by their whim."

Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Wang Ming's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

"How is the strength of the Liuyun Sect?" he asked nonchalantly.

At this mention, Palace Master's expression became even more serious.

"The Sect Master of Liuyun Sect is a powerhouse at the Late Nascent Soul Stage."

"Late Nascent Soul Stage?!"

Wang Ming's heart tightened.

This was likely the strongest person he had learned about since his memories awakened.

One should know that the Old Ancestor of the Xuantian Sect was only at the Early Nascent Soul stage, yet he could already make the Xuantian Sect dominate the surrounding thousand miles.

And the Late Nascent Soul Stage meant that one was about to step into the Soul Transformation Realm, a truly top-tier existence on the pyramid of the Ancient Desolate Continent.

"What? Scared?"

Palace Master looked at Wang Ming's expression and advised softly, "I know you are exceptionally gifted and have high spirits, but in the face of absolute strength, talent sometimes doesn't mean everything."

"You must remember, never be impulsive, and certainly don't provoke the people of Liuyun Sect like you did with Xuantian Sect. That would be seeking your own death."

Wang Ming didn't speak, only nodding silently as his fingers continued to tap rhythmically on the table.

Late Nascent Soul Stage...

It was indeed a bit tricky.

However... it wasn't as if there were no countermeasures at all!

"When do we depart?" Wang Ming raised his head, his face having returned to its calm state. "I wish to go with you. It's a good chance to see the grandeur of the Upper Sect."

Seeing his normal expression, Palace Master felt slightly relieved, thinking he had taken her advice to heart.

"In half a month," she said. "At that time, I will open the teleportation array to go directly to the foot of the Liuyun Sect's mountain."

"Alright, I understand."

Wang Ming nodded and stood up.

"Since there's still half a month, I'll go back and make some preparations, and handle some trivial matters while I'm at it."

"Go ahead," Palace Master waved her hand. "Get some good rest, don't overwork yourself."

Wang Ming bowed and walked out of the Lanxin Courtyard.

Watching Wang Ming's departing back, the tenderness in Palace Master's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a deep sense of worry.

"Half a month..."

She murmured to herself, "I hope nothing goes wrong on this trip to Liuyun Sect."

Walking out of the bedchamber, the submissiveness on Wang Ming's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile.

"Late Nascent Soul Stage, huh..."

He looked up at the sky, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Perfect. I also want to go and see just how much capability this so-called Upper Sect truly has."

"The God Devouring Art has already reached a Bottleneck. Once it breaks through, my Divine Sense power will be able to enter the Late Nascent Soul Stage."

"And this Liuyun Sect... perhaps it will be the first whetstone for my Demonic Technique's Major Achievement."

...

"I'm going into seclusion. No one is to disturb me."

In the shadows, You Rong's figure quietly emerged, respectfully taking the order.

After arranging everything, Wang Ming quietly left Qingxin Palace.

He didn't fly on a sword but chose the most ordinary way—walking.

A few days later, a city named Huadu appeared before him.

By this time, Wang Ming had already changed his appearance.

He wore a well-tailored brocade robe with a high-quality jade pendant hanging at his waist, looking every bit like a wealthy merchant.

The only thing that didn't fit this outfit was the long sword slung at his waist.

The scabbard was simple and entirely pitch-black, without a single pattern, yet it emitted a heart-palpitating sense of stillness.

He just brazenly hung the king artifact, wait a minute, at his waist and walked into the busiest street of Huadu.

"Yo, brother, that's a fine sword you have there!"

Not long after entering the city gate, a young man dressed in purple, fanning himself with a folding fan, blocked his path with a group of servants.

This person's face was oily and his gaze was frivolous; at a glance, he was the type of playboy who bullied others by relying on his Family's influence.

He sized up Wang Ming, his gaze finally settling on the black sword, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes.

"This sword looks extraordinary. This Young Master has taken a fancy to it. Name a price; however many Spirit Stones it costs, this Young Master will buy it!"

Wang Ming stopped in his tracks, the merchant's smile still on his face, though the depths of his eyes were icy cold.

"This sword is a Family heirloom. It's not for sale."

"Not for sale?"

The purple-clad youth sneered, snapping his fan shut and pointing at Wang Ming's nose. "In this Huadu territory, there is nothing this Young Master wants to buy that he can't! You'd better be sensible, otherwise..."