The few Grand Elders chuckled quietly among themselves.
One of them said, "Indeed. We are a sect of cultivators. The path of cultivation is long and arduous. We've never imposed overly strict rules on our disciples. Many of them have encountered fortuitous encounters out in the world. Since Yun Jin has found one, naturally, we're happy to see her thrive."
"Exactly. Wuji, don't get so hung up on the minor details."
"Lin Ya, bring out some good wine. Let's keep watching. I want to see what kind of background this Wushuang Sect really has."
"Alright," Lin Ya replied with a grin, retrieving a jug of fine wine. The elders sat back, sipping and watching the projection above as if enjoying a leisurely afternoon.
But not a single one of them invited Zhao Wuji to sit.
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened slightly.
He let out a cold laugh.
So it was true—there was no longer a place for him in the Tianxing Sect.
Just a minor incident on his father's side, and these people were already treating him as if he didn't exist.
Fine, then.
It would make things easier when the time came to act. He wouldn't need to hold back due to lingering sentiment.
Zhao Wuji let out a low snort and left Tianjian Peak without another word.
Still, there was an underlying sense of urgency churning in his chest.
What exactly was Yun Jin up to now?
So many of his plans had crumbled because of her. This time, with Yun Jin away from the sect, he had to make his move before she returned. He needed to deal with Lin Ya and the others once and for all.
A cold glint flickered in Zhao Wujing's eyes.
Good thing he hadn't tied himself down to a single path. At least now, he still had options. Otherwise, he truly would have been cornered.
He didn't even bother watching the sky projection. Instead, he returned to his room, changed into a fresh set of robes, and quietly departed from the Tianxing Sect.
Everything was in place.
It was time to act.
A hundred li from the Tianxing Sect—
Deep within a mountain range.
Zhao Wuji circled the mountain once before stopping in front of a sheer stone wall. He performed an unknown action upon the surface. With a faint rumble, the stone wall split open, revealing a dark tunnel within.
Zhao Wujing entered.
A short distance in, a staircase led downward.
Expressionless, he descended.
Until he reached the bottom.
A wave of thick, metallic blood-scent hit him square in the face. Faint red light flickered throughout the cave, casting eerie shadows.
Before him stretched a massive open space. Countless pillars were planted into the stone floor. And each pillar had someone bound to it.
Some were writhing in pain, veins bulging unnaturally across their bodies. Others were dyed in crimson, twitching and howling uncontrollably. Though they were all human, not a single one resembled a human anymore. They looked more like monsters—grotesque, half-formed things.
On the open ground—
Several dozen cultivators were cultivating something unknown.
Each one wore a tormented expression, occasionally letting out cries of pain.
But—
If any of them dared to stop—
A whip would crack down without warning from the hands of a nearby black-clad figure.
"Keep cultivating! Who told you to stop?" the black-robed man barked.
The cultivators had no choice but to continue.
Whenever their eyes landed on the wretched, twisted forms strapped to the pillars, their fear only deepened.
They all understood—
That was their future.
"How are the results of this batch?" Zhao Wuji asked, his voice cold and detached as he walked in, clearly used to the horrific scene.
"Deacon Zhao," several of the black-robed men bowed respectfully before replying, "The Blood Qi Art is extremely difficult to cultivate. The one who lasted the longest on the pillar only made it three days. Most die within a few hours. This batch is fresh. They've just begun, but the outlook... isn't promising."
Zhao Wuji sneered. "Their aptitude is still far too poor."
He did have one success case.
Gu Jinghong.
Gu Jinghong's talent far surpassed these randomly captured loose cultivators.
That had been Zhao Wuji's first time experimenting on a sect disciple. To maintain secrecy, he had even personally accepted Gu Jinghong as a disciple.
And Gu Jinghong hadn't disappointed. He had actually succeeded in cultivating the Blood Qi Art.
Zhao Wuji had carefully recorded the entire process and ultimately discovered—
Though Gu Jinghong didn't die from bodily explosion, the technique had caused serious psychological side effects. The further he progressed, the harder it became to improve.
Far from the perfect result Zhao Wuji was hoping for.
He had originally intended to continue using Gu Jinghong as a research subject. But then Yun Jin had appeared and wrecked everything. Zhao Wuji had exposed Gu Jinghong's cultivation of the Blood Qi Art, intending to use the fallout as a chance to eliminate the test subject and tie up loose ends.
Unexpectedly—
Yun Jin had intervened with a master-servant contract and saved Gu Jinghong's life.
Even so—
It didn't matter anymore.
Gu Jinghong had already ruined his foundation with that demonic method. His lifespan would likely be shortened. It was just a pity that Zhao Wuji had lost a valuable test subject.
Compared to Gu Jinghong, these loose cultivators were miserable failures.
Though Zhao Wuji had spent centuries secretly researching the Blood Qi Art and accumulated some insights, not a single one of his test subjects had succeeded—except Gu Jinghong.
"These loose cultivators are useless," Zhao Wuji said flatly. "Since Gu Jinghong succeeded, the next step is to find disciples with better talent for research. That's the optimal approach."
The black-robed men hesitated.
One of them said, "Deacon Zhao, the Lord wants to establish Canglan Kingdom as our stronghold. He advised that all operations remain discreet. If things get out of hand, we may attract attention from the Demon-Slaying Alliance. Capturing loose cultivators is still safe, but taking disciples from sects... that could expose us."
Zhao Wuji let out another cold laugh. "Did the Lord not also say that I have full authority over this region? Relax. I know what I'm doing. I won't touch disciples from other sects—for now. But don't forget what my identity is."
The black-robed men blinked.
Of course they remembered.
Zhao Wuji was also the sect master of the Tianxing Sect.
Over the years, they had gained significant convenience thanks to that identity.
Zhao Wuji's eyes gleamed with a frigid light. "This time, I will offer the entire Tianxing Sect as a sacrifice. There are only two mid-tier sects in this region, and they're far apart. As long as we act quickly, the others won't have time to respond. We'll sacrifice part of the Tianxing Sect and take the talented ones for research. After that, I'll abandon this place and head directly to headquarters to meet the Lord.
With an entire mid-tier sect as a gift, I doubt the Lord will mind me acting on my own."
His aura turned utterly cold.
The black-robed men exchanged wary glances.
They were demonic cultivators too.
But their descent into the demonic path had been driven by the pursuit of power. They felt no guilt harming strangers, yet none of them had dared show their faces before old friends.
Zhao Wuji, though—
He was truly ruthless.
He was going to use the Tianxing Sect—his own sect—as a stepping stone.
"Any objections?" Zhao Wujing asked coldly.
The men quickly shook their heads in unison.