Late at night, the moon hung high in the sky.
His companions from the Demon Disciple Dormitory had yet to return from their mission to hunt the Cyan Moon Demon Wolf.
Qin Xuan sat on his bed, engrossed in studying the red Blood Crystal.
The Blood Crystal was crimson through and through, with what looked like blood faintly flowing within. Although he didn't know what kind of creature's blood it was, the trace of frenzied Demon Power emanating from the crystal suggested it was from a Demon Beast!
Without hesitation, Qin Xuan took out his Lifebound Iron Sword and plunged it directly into the red Blood Crystal.
Deep red blood slowly flowed down the groove of the blade.
HUM!
The Iron Sword trembled lightly, letting out a hum of delight.
A vast power surged into his Dantian.
Qin Xuan's face flushed red, but his eyes were filled with delight.
His Cultivation continued to climb...
CRACK! It felt as if something inside him had shattered.
His qi and blood churned, and the Demonic Essence in his Dantian nearly doubled.
Qi Cultivation Second Layer!
Qin Xuan felt refreshed and invigorated. His whole body was at ease, brimming with power.
"Awesome!"
'This is the advantage of being a Demon Cultivator. As long as you have enough resources, your Cultivation can just keep charging forward with no bottlenecks to speak of!'
He looked down and saw that a three-and-a-third-inch section at the tip of his Lifebound Iron Sword had transformed from a steely blue to a bronze color, and it now emitted a faint glow.
The Blood Demon Sword Scripture focused on cultivating one's Lifebound Longsword. The so-called gold, silver, copper, and iron were just designations referring to the different colors the blade took on after being tempered with blood and Demonic Essence.
Steely blue indicated an Iron Sword, mainly used by Qi Cultivation Demon Disciples.
When a Lifebound Iron Sword turned bronze, it meant the owner had officially advanced from a Demon Disciple to a Demon Cultivator and could descend the mountain to slaughter the masses!
Before he knew it, one-tenth of Qin Xuan's Lifebound Iron Sword had already transformed into a Copper Sword.
The red Blood Crystal in his hand turned to dust and slipped through his fingers.
Just as Qin Xuan was wondering why the effect of a Seventh-Grade Opportunity was so poor, he suddenly heard the rustling of footsteps outside the door. It seemed someone was back.
He quickly turned over and pretended to be fast asleep, snoring loudly.
"Brother Qin Xuan, move over. Make some room for me," said the Demon Disciple named Qian Kai in a weak, listless voice.
"You're back..." Qin Xuan said, deliberately acting as if he had just woken up, his eyes heavy with sleep.
But when he focused his eyes, he got a huge shock.
Qin Xuan shuddered. "What happened? How did you all end up in this ghastly state?"
The Demon Disciple companions before him were all pale-faced with purple lips.
Their appearance was terrifying.
A few others had been carried back on stretchers. They looked as if all the blood had been sucked from their bodies—gaunt and skeletal, nothing but skin and bones. They were practically dead, only breathing out but not in.
Qin Xuan instantly recalled his Golden Finger's warning. 'June Valley really was dangerous!'
Then, one of the Demon Disciples, a young man named Zhao Youliang, spoke through gritted teeth, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
"Brother Qin Xuan, you were right not to go to June Valley to hunt the Demon Wolf. We were all tricked by Steward Wang!"
"To think we were laughing at you during the day... It turns out we were the biggest jokes," a Demon Disciple said, wiping away a tear and nearly bursting into sobs.
Steward Wang was that green-robed Demon from before, a Copper Sword-level Demon Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.
Among the Qi Cultivation Disciples of the Blood Demon Sword Sect's Outer Sect, there were five major ranks based on Cultivation: Demon Disciple, regular Demon Cultivator, Instructor, Steward, and Elder's Direct Inheritance.
Steward Wang's status in the Outer Sect was second only to those with an Elder's Direct Inheritance.
Through this Demon Disciple's description, Qin Xuan finally understood why his Golden Finger had warned him not to go to June Valley.
It turned out that the Cyan Moon Demon Wolf Steward Wang had spoken of was a lie.
His real goal was to break through to the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, but he lacked a large quantity of blood rich in Demonic Essence.
And they, Demon Disciples who had just entered the Qi Cultivation First Layer, were the perfect resources!
To avoid killing the Demon Disciples and violating the Sect's rules, each one who went to June Valley had at least a third of their blood drained.
As for the unlucky few on the stretchers, they had disobeyed and tried to escape June Valley, only to be brutally suppressed by Steward Wang.
"We were too naive! This isn't a Holy Sect, it's a Demon Sect! The hearts of men are a ghostly realm, and danger lurks everywhere!"
"I'll never be greedy for small advantages again."
"If you ask me, Xiao Ran is the lucky one. Not only did Steward Wang not drain his blood, but he even gained a huge benefit!"
Everyone chattered on, full of regret.
But Qin Xuan picked up on the key point.
"Xiao Ran?"
"What benefit did he get?"
Xiao Ran was apparently also one of the new arrivals in their batch.
Qin Xuan just didn't know him.
One of the Demon Disciples answered, "Xiao Ran was originally heading to June Valley with us, but halfway there he carelessly fell into a deep, watery ravine."
"We all thought he was a goner. But not only was the kid tough to kill, he was also incredibly lucky. In that ravine, there was a naturally growing red fruit tree!"
"Xiao Ran ate one of the red fruits from the tree. It was a blessing in disguise. His Cultivation broke through to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, and nearly two inches of his Lifebound Iron Sword's tip turned bronze..."
A red fruit tree?
'The Middle-Upper Draw the Golden Finger mentioned also came true!'
Qin Xuan silently made a comparison in his mind.
Although they had both broken through to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, after Xiao Ran ate the red fruit, only two inches of his Lifebound Iron Sword had turned into a Copper Sword.
His own, however, had transformed by three and a third inches.
'It seems Xiao Ran's opportunity wasn't as good as mine.'
'Plus, he's been exposed to everyone. The risks for him in the future will be huge.'
Sure enough, another Demon Disciple spoke up, "Hah, we don't need to be too envious of him. Xiao Ran just got lucky, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse."
"Even though his Cultivation broke through to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer, he also earned Steward Wang's displeasure."
"Don't be fooled because Steward Wang was all smiles on the surface and even congratulated Xiao Ran on his breakthrough. Who knows what he's actually thinking deep down..."
The group discussed this animatedly.
Qin Xuan chimed in from time to time to appear sociable.
Gradually, the sound of snoring began to rise.
But mixed in with the snores was a new thread of vigilance.
'In the Demon Sect, you can't trust anyone!'
Qin Xuan personally felt the undercurrents swirling within the Demon Sect.
Outside, the Righteous Sects were preparing a joint attack.
Inside, danger was everywhere.
Fellow disciples schemed against each other, seeing one another as nothing more than nourishment for their own Cultivation.
In a place like this, the slightest misstep could lead to eternal damnation!
But on second thought, it made sense.
If everyone followed the rules, was brotherly and respectful, and all the disciples loved each other, how could it be called a goddamn Demon Sect?
'Good thing I have a Golden Finger that helps me seek fortune and avoid calamity.'
'The greater the risk, the greater the opportunity... This Demon Sect, which others avoid like the plague, is actually the perfect paradise for me to grow stronger!'
In the dead of night, Qin Xuan's eyes shone brightly.
...
Early the next morning, the few Demon Disciples who had been carried back on stretchers had already stopped breathing.
The other Demon Disciples hastily dug a pit, perfunctorily wrapped the bodies in straw mats, and buried them.
One Demon Disciple named Li Fan couldn't bear it and even went out of his way to erect a wooden tablet for them.
After returning to the Demon Disciple Dormitory, everyone looked at each other, the vigilance in their eyes inexplicably stronger than before.
Who knew when they too might end up like those bodies, becoming nourishment for their fellow disciples' cultivation?
At that moment, Steward Wang, dressed in his green robes, walked back into the Demon Disciple Dormitory with a wide smile.
He looked radiant.
Clearly, yesterday's Bloodthirst Array had benefited him greatly.
"Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to receive everyone's Spiritual Blood. To repay you all, I have prepared twelve Qi Blood Pills, all made from High-Tier Demon Beasts. After you take them, you will certainly rise to the Qi Cultivation Second Layer!"
"This way, you will all be able to go to the Scripture Pavilion and select a Divine Power Technique, and I will not have broken my word."
Looking at Steward Wang's beaming face, the disciples trembled, silent as cicadas in winter.
It was as if beneath his smiling human skin hid a Demon who devoured people whole, leaving not even the bones.
It's not like they were fools.
'Repay us, my ass! You nearly screwed us to death yesterday, and now you're back for more. Who would dare believe you?!'
Just then, a giant ball of light flashed in Qin Xuan's mind, and three bamboo slips flew out one after another.
[Middle-Middle Draw: Proactively request to go to the Scripture Pavilion. Be cautious, polite, and complimentary. You can avoid taking the Qi Blood Pill. Outcome is stable and harmless. Neutral.]
[Middle-Lower Draw: Passively go to the Scripture Pavilion. Act neither servile nor overbearing. You will be forced to take the Qi Blood Pill, resulting in an unstable Realm and planting a hidden danger. Ominous.]
[The Worst Draw: Refuse to go to the Scripture Pavilion and refuse to take the Qi Blood Pill. You will be killed on the spot, your life lost to the Nether. Greatly Ominous.]