Li Pinghu smiled, lifting his teacup in a mock heroic gulp. “You’re in luck. Once you absorb the curse, you’ll gain an enemy’s soul power mask to cover your dantian Purple Mansion. Even a Mahayana Cultivator probing you won’t recognize your true face.”
Xie Linlang was overjoyed. “Thank you, Brother, for your help.”
“Don’t thank me yet. This secret art is Sunset Death Gate’s closely guarded secret. Since you’ve become a Demonic Cultivator, why not join our Sunset Death Gate?”
“But I’ve already received an invitation from Silent Night Palace and promised to join them.”
Li Pinghu laughed heartily. “No matter. Silent Night Palace loves taking disciples—everyone in the Demonic Cultivation world knows it. You can join with your existing skills; they won’t mind.”
Since Silent Night Palace had come up, Xie Linlang’s eyes flickered. “I happened to meet a Silent Night Palace disciple in a secret realm. I heard they guide their disciples extensively, caring for them in a way that doesn’t seem demonic at all—more like an orthodox immortal sect. That piqued my curiosity, so I agreed to join.”
Li Pinghu frowned slightly. He glanced around, then flicked his finger. The flowing black-purple demonic clouds responded with intelligence, weaving around them to form a complex Restriction barrier.
Only then did Li Pinghu lower his voice. “Joining Silent Night Palace is fine, but whatever you do, don’t become a True Transmission Disciple.”
Xie Linlang’s heart tightened. He recalled that Silent Night Palace and Nine Spirits Sect had once been allied sects, Pei Ji’s disappearance at Nine Spirits Sect, and Silent Night Palace’s assault on Nine Spirits Sect over thirty years ago. Vague connections began to form in his mind.
“Is there some story behind this?”
“Few Demonic Cultivators who join with prior skills become True Transmission Disciples. So, pass through our Sunset Death Gate to change your identity first, then join Silent Night Palace safely.”
Li Pinghu explained slowly, “Silent Night Palace has a long history as a major sect in the Demon Domain South Sea, controlling tens of thousands of li—all their territory. How could other Demonic Cultivator sects not covet such a vast domain?”
Xie Linlang nodded silently. As expected, such secrets could only be learned from native Demon Domain cultivators—and only because he had converted to Demonic Cultivation did Li Pinghu share them.
“Silent Night Palace True Transmission Disciples rarely travel outside. Even when they do, it’s once every century or so.”
Li Pinghu elaborated, “Silent Night Palace has a secret method that absorbs the Merits accumulated by disciples during their travels outside, forming a unique Protective Formation. It helps sect disciples resist Heavenly Tribulations and boosts their advancement chances.”
Xie Linlang’s expression grew subtle. He recalled Le Qingping saying she owed the sect massive resources, her credibility in the negative. Could Silent Night Palace actually be exchanging the Merits accumulated by their disciples?
“Demonic Cultivators’ Heavenly Tribulations are thirty to fifty percent harder than orthodox cultivators’. Across the Demon Domain, most Demonic Cultivator sects have few disciples—resources are limited, and not everyone can compete with immortal sect cultivators in the True Realm. But Silent Night Palace alone has the highest Tribulation Transcendence survival rate among all Demonic Sects and the most unity, allowing them to hold such vast territory.”
Li Pinghu shifted tone. “Yet after teaching so many disciples and helping countless Demonic Cultivators survive their tribulations over the years, the number of high-level cultivators in Silent Night Palace hasn’t grown much.”
“Where did they all go?”
Li Pinghu’s voice dropped low. Just then, a wisp of yin-cold demonic cloud drifted into the pavilion, passing through Xie Linlang’s body and leaving a chill.
Xie Linlang was stunned. Indeed, for a major sect that had existed for over ten thousand years and focused so intently on nurturing its disciples, had they all ascended to immortality?
Where had they gone?
Xie Linlang remained silent for a long time.
“But according to our Sunset Death Gate predecessors’ observations, as long as you don’t become a Silent Night Palace True Transmission Disciple, those confident in withstanding their Heavenly Tribulations live quite comfortably.”
Li Pinghu reminded him, “Before you break through to Nascent Soul, it’s best to leave Silent Night Palace.”
Xie Linlang thanked him softly, then hesitated before asking, “Do other Demonic Cultivators know about this?”
Li Pinghu shook his head, then nodded. “Older sects might suspect something. But for Demonic Cultivators, does it matter? To have a future, first survive the present. If Silent Night Palace helps them through their immediate tribulations, what’s wrong with selling themselves to the sect?”
Xie Linlang was speechless. True enough—most Silent Night Palace disciples thought that way. Even Le Qingping unhesitatingly borrowed from the sect, converting it into her own power, pills, talismans, and artifacts.
Strength was theirs; debt was the sect’s.
But they didn’t know Silent Night Palace might use a secret method to take something else vital from them, while the disciples remained blissfully ignorant and proud.
Silent Night Palace also had no fear of disciples leaving for good, as Heavenly Tribulations settled all karma. Demonic Cultivators’ tribulations were far fiercer than orthodox ones. To ensure survival, Silent Night Palace disciples would likely return for sect aid.
This led to ever-growing debts and returned Merits. Even if some Silent Night Palace cultivators saw through it, they were already inseparable from the sect’s help.
Who, free to roam the mortal world, would choose to be struck to ashes by Heavenly Tribulation?
“True ascendants are rare in the end. For many cultivators, reaching Soul Transformation with a thousand years of life is a fine goal.”
A wild, carefree glint crossed Li Pinghu’s ordinary face.
“Anyway, this old man already feels this life worthwhile. I’ve cursed an emperor, haunted a regent as a ghost, met judges in the Underworld, returned to the mortal world amid legends of my tales, and stepped onto the cultivator’s path with my current freedom. As for enlightenment… Ha, first, let me drain this cup of tea.”
