Translated by: Ea

　　Edited by: Zryuu and Atsam

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　　Duan Yuyang clearly remembered Ling Chigu, who suddenly appeared and startled him that day. That scene was still fresh in his memory, and he couldn’t help getting goosebumps as he motioned with his hand, “Go by yourselves and remember to be careful. There are quite a few of the city lord’s patrol groups near the vicinity of Sky Peak City, so it’ll be bad if you’re caught.”

　　Yan Tianhen reassured him with full confidence, “Ah Gu is not me. He’s so smart, so he definitely won’t be caught so easily.”

　　Duan Yuyang’s lips twitched as he thought in his heart, this kid can really elevate others while simultaneously deprecating  himself so carelessly.

　　Just after Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen parted ways with Duan Yuyang, a group of people appeared in the spot where they had just stood before.

　　One of them said, “Boss, they took four kinds of treasures with them. If we can rob them and sell those treasures, then we won’t have to worry about food and drink anymore.”

　　A vicious light appeared in the eyes of the man they called the Boss. He drew his lips, “Fuck, that Lin Xuanzhi brat actually dared to be so arrogant. Laozi will let him have it today then!”

　　“Come, let’s follow them and see where they’re going!”

　　Yan Tianhen walked along the road, troubled by the nagging sensation that someone was following them.

　　Yan Tianhen wanted to turn his head, but Lin Xuanzhi clasped his hand.

　　“There are indeed people following us, but we need not pay attention to them.” Lin Xuanzhi spoke in a light voice.

　　“Who could they be?” Yan Tianhen asked, frowning.

　　“He…Perhaps some greedy people who want to obtain some items from us.” Lin Xuanzhi was clear on this. He obtained so many treasures by himself today, so people will surely target him. However, the public order in Sky Peak City could be considered quite good, and under the strong pressure of the Huangfu family, no one dared to stir up anything inside the city. However, it was a different story if he went outside the city.

　　Naturally, most of the large aristocratic families cherished their wings, so they usually disdained doing things like tracking down and following someone in order to stab them in the dark. However, no one could guarantee what would happen when they could reap great benefits from doing so.

　　Thinking of this, Lin Xuanzhi’s heart felt cold, and he pressed the storage bag with his fingers.

　　Yan Tianhen sensed Lin Xuanzhi’s action and immediately became a little nervous, but he could still be considered pretty calm. He whispered, “Dage, when we reach Yudai Mountain, we’ll have Ah Gu to help us so don’t be afraid, Dage. I will protect you.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi didn’t expect Yan Tianhen to interpret his action of preparing to draw out a weapon at any instant as being afraid instead! However, Yan Tianhen’s words really warmed his heart.

　　“Then Dage will place his life in Ah Hen’s hands.” In spite of the situation, Lin Xuanzhi actually showed him a warm smile.

　　Yan Tianhen, who was entrusted with an important responsibility, nodded at once. “Don’t worry, Dage, leave everything to me. The current me is actually super strong!”

　　At that time, the atmosphere that was somewhat tense at first began feeling warmer as they bantered back and forth.

　　Not long after, the two exited from the city gate and arrived in the wilderness of Yudai Mountain.

　　Ling Chigu seemed to possess a natural-born talent for surviving out in the wild, so he was able to hide in Yudai Mountain for the past few days without anyone detecting his tracks, though this could also be due to Ling Chigu’s nocturnal habits.

　　Yan Tianhen quickened his pace. He had already begun to summon Ling Chigu through their contract as soon as he entered the Yudai Mountain range.

　　Shortly after arriving at the location where he and Ling Chigu agreed to rendezvous, Yan Tianhen and Lin Xuanzhi found themselves surrounded by the group of cultivators who had been hot on their tails.

　　Lin Xuanzhi narrowed his eyes as he thought, so they really did come. He had sensed their presence as early as when he was in Sky Peak City, but it was difficult to start a fight inside the city as he didn’t want to expose the magic treasures he had. Naturally, he was unwilling to let others witness this battle.

　　“Brat, you guys are very cocky. If you obediently take out those items that you had just obtained, then I can leave you all with intact corpses today!”

　　The cultivator who said this was blind in one eye, which was bound by a bandage. His other eye was blackish-yellow in colour. He had a fierce and savage gaze, and one could tell at a glance that he shouldn’t be provoked.

　　Yan Tianhen retreated two steps and stood beside Lin Xuanzhi. “We’ll die if we hand them over, but we’ll also die if we don’t. We’ll be dead either way whether we die a pretty death or an ugly one. In any case, I don’t want to give them to you, this isn’t a good deal at all!”

　　“He…” The man at the front only laughed contemptuously as lightning began to gather in his hands with crackling sounds, sounding very menacing.

　　“Lin Xuanzhi, your money or your life. Decide for yourself.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi looked as light as a cloud as he replied breezily, “My money, and also my life. I won’t give you either.”

　　“You’re seeking death!” A malicious expression suddenly appeared on the leader’s face; he raised his hand and swiftly rushed towards Lin Xuanzhi. The fierce and savage lightning crackled violently, causing Lin Xuanzhi’s clothes and long hair to billow behind him–

　　“Chaotic Sky Bell, close!” Lin Xuanzhi suddenly shouted, and one could only see that Lin Xuanzhi remained untouched, not having budged an inch from his location, while the majestic spiritual Qi gathering in that cultivator’s hands was suddenly swallowed whole by the Chaotic Sky Bell’s small opening!

　　“Yin Flame Palm!” Yan Tianhen’s spiritual qi suddenly exploded forth, and a great torrent of air began to spiral around him. Flashes of black fire was mixed into the air currents, resembling the ghost fire from hell.

　　A fire dragon rushed straight through the chest of a cultivator who had yet to react. The fire dragon twisted around and garroted the cultivator, and one could see his blackened and scorched head separating from his body before it burned up, leaving only white bones behind.

　　Hiss—

　　The other eight subordinates immediately sucked in a cold breath, frightened by Yan Tianhen’s technique.

　　“Demonic cultivator…This person, he’s a demonic cultivator!” One of the cultivators cried out, filled with horror.

　　Upon hearing that their opponent was a demonic cultivator, the other cultivators instantly lost all desire to continue fighting. Every single one of them couldn’t wait to escape from here as soon as humanly possible.

　　One should know that the existence of demonic cultivators was a fatal threat for any cultivator below the primary-level!

　　“Don’t let them escape!” Lin Xuanzhi responded quickly as he gave a cry and threw the Chaotic Sky Bell in front of him. The Chaotic Sky Bell hovered midair above the cultivators as it suddenly emitted a strong lightning circle. With a “pa” sound, it fell from the sky and enveloped the cultivators’ heads.

　　Yan Tianhen heard his words and once again released the Yin Flame Palm. The fire dragon opened its terrifying black maw as it passed through each cultivator’s chest. It actually wiped out this entire group of people in one fell swoop!

　　Yan Tianhen stared at the nine skeletal remains in front of him, somewhat stunned. He raised his hands and looked at them incredulously — for a reason unbeknownst to him, he had inadvertently released the power that seemed to be hidden deep within his soul.

　　Lin Xuanzhi evidently didn’t expect that such a powerful force could explode forth from within Yan Tianhen’s body either.

　　“When did you practice this skill?” Lin Xuanzhi finally asked after staring at the skeletal remains on the ground for a while.

　　“I’ve been practicing Yin Flame Palm continuously for the past two to three months.” Yan Tianhen gave an honest account.

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “Was it also the Ghost Masked Man who gave it to you?”

　　Yan Tianhen nodded, his hands trembling slightly in fear. He looked towards Lin Xuanzhi, “Dage, did I just…kill people?”

　　Compared to Yan Tianhen’s terror, Lin Xuanzhi appeared rather calm.

　　“Killing them is inevitable; they will kill you if you do not kill them.” Lin Xuanzhi said, “The skill you’re practicing now is also a demonic art. To be able to cultivate it to such an extent in a mere two-months’ time, it seems that you really are suited for demonic cultivation.”

　　Yan Tianhen bit his lower lip. “I know that demonic cultivators are not good.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi closed his eyes and said, “The majority of demonic cultivators are indeed not good, but my Ah Hen is good.”

　　So what if Yan Tianhen practiced the demonic arts?

　　Would Yan Tianhen not be his closest little brother anymore?

　　Would he abandon Ah Hen for this reason?

　　No, that’s absolutely impossible.

　　Lin Xuanzhi had already felt the terrible Yin Qi and demonic Qi emanating from Yan Tianhen when he released his spiritual Qi. As long as he fought against people, others could easily detect that he was not cultivating the proper Dao paths.

　　“Promise Dage one thing.” Lin Xuanzhi said.

　　Yan Tianhen obediently nodded at once.

　　Lin Xuanzhi swept a glance over him. “I have yet to say anything. What are you nodding for?”

　　Yan Tianhen scratched his head and smiled foolishly, “I will agree to whatever Dage asks me to do anyway.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi sighed in his heart. This foolish and silly Didi who trusted him with all his heart, how could he be willing to let him suffer even the slightest harm?

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “Ah Hen, from now on, you need to either kill anyone who witnesses your skill, or pretend to only be an alchemist so that no one can perceive your identity as a demonic cultivator.”

　　Yan Tianhen nodded vigorously as he gazed at Lin Xuanzhi. “Dage, I know what’s at stake. I won’t let myself be exposed so easily. I will never let anyone discover that I am a demonic cultivator, except when it will save my life.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi patted Yan Tianhen’s head and lifted his eyes to see Ling Chigu standing behind Yan Tianhen.

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “Go talk to Ah Gu for a while.”

　　Although Lin Xuanzhi didn’t know whether corpses could feel lonely or not, Ah Hen had always insisted that if he did not talk to Ah Gu face to face all the time, then Ah Gu would feel lonely and sad.

　　Yan Tianhen seemed to have already thrown the fact that he just killed that group of people to the back of his mind.

　　In order to figure out Yan Tianhen’s current cultivation level, Lin Xuanzhi stared at the corpses which, under the Yin fire, had their skin and flesh melted off to reveal white bones.

　　“This Didi of yours is not an ordinary person.” Soul Bead suddenly opened his mouth. His usual arrogant tone now contained traces of hesitance and astonishment. “Even though those people’s cultivation levels were at most Foundation Stage First Layer, the level that Yan Tianhen exhibited was already enough to suppress them.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi replied, “He is a genius demonic cultivator. In addition, the cultivation technique he obtained is also uniquely suited for him.”

　　Soul Bead pondered for a moment with an experienced mind. “The person closest to you is a demonic cultivator that everyone has the right to kill. He kills without even blinking an eye and holds no compassion for the deceased. Don’t you have any thoughts about that?”

　　“I’m just thinking about how to safely get him through this period of time that he’ll spend on the Five Continents.” A wild glint flashed through Lin Xuanzhi’s eyes. “As for those people, if they’re dead, then they’re dead. After all, they were not virtuous crops either.”

　　Soul Bead, “……”

　　Actually, compared to Yan Tianhen, who had no choice but to cultivate the demonic path, he felt that Lin Xuanzhi was a more ruthless person who had a heart as cold as stone.

　　However, such a person also happened to be a cultivator whose entire body brimmed with an immensely pure soul force.

　　Who knows if this was the proper Dao paths’ tragedy or its fortune?

　　Soul Bead said, “I have a crafting formula in my hands that can create a magic tool capable of covering up the entire body’s demonic Qi. This magic tool can be forged multiple times, and its level will rise along with the forging level. If Yan Tianhen wears it, then his Dao arts will seem like the proper Dao arts even if he attacks someone, as long as his cultivation is not higher than that of the magic tool.”

　　After he heard this, Lin Xuanzhi’s heart couldn’t help but beat faster and his eyes lit up. “What kind of crafting formula? May I take a look?”

　　“You can see it, but you must show your sincerity to exchange with Benzun.” Soul Bead played a trick: arousing Lin Xuanzhi’s urgent need, but then taking the opportunity to put forth his own conditions.

　　Lin Xuanzhi didn’t mind. “What kind of sincerity do you want?”

　　Soul Bead replied, “I won’t say any more with regards to the forging stones, they were originally your filial piety to honor me anyways. What I want to know even more is how exactly a little rascal like you knew about those ancient ingredients and materials from a foreign world?”

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