"Ill intent is what makes someone an enemy." Xigua's voice remained soft as her gaze traveled up and down, sizing up Li Xingtian, who was brimming with killing intent.
Truly a Blood Qi demonic cultivator—his murderous aura radiated from within. Even his calm expression couldn't conceal that surging hostility that seemed ready to spill from his face.
Xigua felt the pure blood qi constantly transmitted through the flexible bone sword.
"I've come to deliver a great gift. Is the Cult Master interested in hearing more?"
Li Xingtian's expression remained calm, but behind him, Yu Jing and Wen Zuo couldn't hide their shock.
They couldn't determine whether this was an enemy drawn by the Cult Master's overly aggressive conduct, or whether the fish the higher-ups had been trying to hook had finally taken the bait.
"As a cultivator like me, I only believe that disaster falls from the sky. I don't believe in free favors." A sliver of pure killing intent showed through Li Xingtian's eyes.
Xigua tightened her grip on the flexible bone sword. "When destiny arrives, how could there not be?"
"Then release your sword, and I'll give you a new opportunity—reincarnation."
"I wouldn't dare. What if you're planning to send me to my next life?"
"You dare to come here alone, so you must be confident in your cultivation. Or perhaps you've arranged backup outside."
Li Xingtian narrowed his eyes. "What, you think you've got me cornered today?"
Xigua slowly unwound the flexible bone sword from the blood blade. "I'm certain the Cult Master wouldn't miss this heaven-sent opportunity."
Li Xingtian didn't raise his blade to strike again. Instead, he looked at her sideways.
"Then you'd better produce something that interests me... If you think you can fool me and still walk away safely, by all means, try."
"The Cult Master's renown shakes the four directions. I'm not tired of living—how could I dare deceive you?" As Xigua spoke, she used some unknown technique to conjure a rhombus-shaped crystal tinged with grey from thin air.
Li Xingtian's eyes widened in an instant.
Master's predictions were truly uncanny. The fish they'd been angling for had finally bitten. But whether they could reel it in depended on his acting skills.
Li Xingtian decisively reached for it, but Xigua shifted her body slightly and dodged his hand.
Xigua waved the crystal in her hand.
"Don't be so hasty, Cult Master... Since I've brought it out, naturally I'll hand it over to you."
"What is that thing?" Li Xingtian demanded.
"Something that defies heaven and earth, of course."
Xigua raised the crystal slightly so Li Xingtian could see it more clearly. "We discovered it in an ancient relic. A cultivator who could steal the very creations of heaven and earth left behind something powerful enough to change the world."
"With this, who can say our path isn't the righteous one?"
"This is something recognized by heaven and earth itself—the ultimate path forward for us."
Xigua looked toward Li Xingtian, only to find his expression unchanged—no excitement whatsoever. He was as calm as before, as if the hand that had just reached for the crystal belonged to someone else.
Li Xingtian's gaze shifted away from the crystal.
"Are there many of these? Otherwise, why would you be willing to give one to me?"
"Not many—perhaps four or five."
Xigua gently turned the crystal in her hand. "But researching it thoroughly with just our people would be too slow. No matter how vast the treasure, only what lands in your hands is truly yours."
"The Cult Master has been making quite a name for himself lately, so naturally we felt you deserve a share."
Li Xingtian's expression grew wary. "And how does one research this thing?"
"Based on our deductions, this heaven-forged treasure can only be used in one of two ways—either corrupt it, or purify it."
Xigua extended her hand holding the crystal. "Your choice."
Li Xingtian stood in silence for a moment before asking.
"And the price? What arrangements do you want to make?"
A genuine smile appeared on Xigua's face. Dealing with smart people was always easy—so many words could be skipped. She spoke.
"If we could have our people follow up on this..."
"No need." Li Xingtian cut her off decisively.
"Trying to put a leash on me before we've even done anything? If we actually worked together, I'd end up as your dog."
"Keeping this thing might bring more harm than good."
"That girl who called me her savior after we wiped out those demonic cultivators last time—she was one of your arrangements too, wasn't she?"
"Since you want to conduct some experiment in this area, you must think I'm in your way. I'll pack up and leave in a couple of days."
"Pretend we never met, and I never saw this thing."
Li Xingtian's refusal was decisive.
His Master might not have taught him much about cultivation, but when it came to handling affairs and playing the long game, it was true instruction by word and deed.
Just watching his Master at work was enough to learn plenty, not to mention that there wasn't a single pushover in their own sect.
The only truly harmless person was perhaps San Dong alone.
Even the ever-good-tempered Cui Hao had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Even the only genuinely righteous direct disciple among them—the Fourth Junior Sister—showed signs of being led astray recently.
If he took the bait too quickly, the other side would just grow more suspicious. Only by refusing and making them come to him—playing hard to get—would it work.
If nothing else, Li Xingtian himself had fallen for that trick before, and it had been a painful lesson.
Besides, he truly did have a real identity that couldn't be discovered.
Even if the feint failed, it didn't matter. They'd already revealed their hand—reporting back to his Master to arrange a heaven-and-earth net to capture them was also a viable plan.
Xigua's expression remained calm, but deep inside, she found it somewhat hard to believe.
A demonic cultivator who could actually resist this thing?
And he'd connected the previous incident to her so quickly, deducing that she wanted him gone from this place?
What a... talent.
Was this man truly a Blood Qi cultivator?
It was a shame, really—such a mind wasted.
But having seen this thing, having seen her.
Either he joins them, or he stays silent forever.
Xigua gently stroked the crystal, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Li Xingtian, pondering what choice to make.
Better to avoid trouble, or recruit such talent to their side?
But in the next instant, a crimson blood qi slashed toward Xigua from within Li Xingtian's narrowed gaze.
This time it was no gentle probe—it was a full-strength strike.
Xigua reacted swiftly. The flexible bone sword at her waist wrapped around her in a flash.
Terrifying blood qi tore forward, its horrifying power grinding everything in its path to dust before devouring it mercilessly.
The blood qi erupted from the modest cave dwelling, impartially obliterating the few demonic cultivators still inside going about their business.
Xigua was also sent flying by the blow.
The flexible bone sword slowly retracted, revealing Xigua's figure. She looked down at the Nascent Soul realm Blood Qi demonic cultivator unleashing his full might.
What sharp perception.
Xigua raised her sword slightly, pointing it at Li Xingtian. "Why does the Cult Master attack without provocation?"
Li Xingtian hovered in the sky, his blood qi spreading outward in all directions, the energy behind him surging endlessly. He answered in a cold voice.
"Next time you plan to spew nonsense and deceive someone, try hiding the killing intent in your eyes."
Xigua's expression showed a flicker of surprise, then her face twisted into a ferocious smile. She raised her flexible bone sword and swung it, her full pressure bearing down without restraint.
An arrogant one—she'd have to beat him into submission before they could talk!
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