Xie Linlang regained consciousness to the sound of a somewhat shrill voice chattering incessantly.
“…Upon entering our Demonic Sect, cultivating our Demonic Qi, and becoming Demonic Cultivators, the first thing you must do is grow a brain.”
The voice carried an inherent seductive quality, as if it sought to deeply imprint itself into the listener’s mind, becoming an ironclad rule beyond doubt or refutation.
“The greatest difference between us Demonic Cultivators and Orthodox Cultivators lies in how the Demonic Qi we absorb naturally amplifies negative emotions, plunging cultivators into unstable states where they commit utterly foolish and irredeemable acts. One misstep, and you fall into the demonic path, becoming a wanted criminal that everyone yearns to slay. This is one reason why, among all cultivation paths, Demonic Cultivators have the most bounties on their heads.”
Xie Linlang instinctively resisted the voice, but he quickly realized something.
Wait, he should have failed his Tribulation Transcendence and perished. How was he awake again?
“The primal chaos energy of heaven and earth divides into clear and turbid. The clear energy forms the foundation for those immortal sect cultivators, while the turbid energy serves as our root for Demonic Cultivators. The two harmonize like yin and yang, black and white. But our greatest advantage as Demonic Cultivators is our lightning-fast progress—we can achieve rapid success by plundering vitality, harming others to benefit ourselves, the exact opposite of immortal sect cultivators.”
The speaker let out a cackling laugh. “Don’t feel guilty about it. It’s like big fish eating small fish, small fish eating shrimp. Heaven and earth’s spiritual energy is finite. With immortal sect cultivators multiplying like cockroaches, we Demonic Cultivators are needed to maintain the Dao of Heaven, balance the seasons, and send those with shallow fortune, insufficient ability, and hypocrites to report to the Underworld.”
Xie Linlang felt somewhat speechless at this.
As a cultivator of Jiuxia Mountain’s immortal sect, Xie Linlang had known one or two Demonic Cultivator friends, but he was unfamiliar with the specifics of their cultivation and growth. This was his first time hearing such secrets of Demonic Sect practices.
Yet compared to Demonic Sect cultivation secrets, Xie Linlang cared more about figuring out his current state.
He seemed to lack a body, left only with a wisp of Remnant Soul, his spiritual power reduced to less than a tenth, apparently residing within a Jade Pendant.
The Jade Pendant’s owner appeared to be a novice disciple who had just joined the Demonic Sect, currently attending a sect-wide lecture.
“But who are those with shallow fortune and lacking ability? That requires you to observe more, learn more, and select good targets. Avoid those with close ties to masters or family—that invites chains of retaliation. And don’t target Loose Cultivators who clearly have no money; with scant resources and no guidance, those who reach high realms must be schemers, possibly even your seniors.”
The sect elder lecturing the new disciples boomed, “Since we Demonic Cultivators can achieve rapid success, there are drawbacks too—like unstable foundations, easy falls into the demonic path. Our Heavenly Tribulations across realms are twenty percent more difficult than those of immortal sect cultivators. Got it? If you go too far, Heaven won’t remember how much trash you cleared for it—it’ll sweep you away in one go. To safely pass your Heavenly Tribulation and extend your lifespan, use your brain.”
His voice rang firm and resounding. “Demonic Cultivators don’t tolerate fools! Cheer! Celebrate! Rejoice! You’ve entered our Demonic Sect, already far superior to those rigid, stupid immortal sect cultivators. It proves your intelligence surpasses theirs!”
Xie Linlang stayed silent. He sensed the Jade Pendant’s owner breathing quicken, evidently excited by the sect elder’s encouragement.
Truth be told, Xie Linlang hadn’t expected to become a wisp of Remnant Soul in a Jade Pendant.
He had once perused ancient texts, learning that after a cultivator fell, their soul would descend to the Underworld for judgment by its divine lords.
Those with Merits enjoyed fortune, longevity, and prosperity in their next life. Great villains repaid their sins through endless reincarnations until karma cleared, granting rest.
Cultivators generally sought the Dao in good faith; even Demonic Cultivators had ways to resolve karmic obstacles. Thus, true souls rarely entered the Underworld upon death.
Those with obsessions lingered as Portable Grandpas for juniors, striving to recreate past glories.
Those without scattered into natural spiritual energy between heaven and earth, traceless.
Xie Linlang believed he had no obsessions, nor confidence in ascension. So he was stunned to find he hadn’t vanished completely.
No way—he’d given up, yet was forced into being a Portable Grandpa?
For a cultivator craving true rest, nothing was more annoying than inexplicably entering a cultivation artifact, becoming some junior’s golden finger, and accompanying them in reforged struggles.
Redoing what he’d already done once—exhausting, wasn’t it?
Xie Linlang simply adjusted his mindset, treating the sect elder’s words as a lullaby.
The sect elder seemed to have nearly finished, reaching the Q&A segment.
A disciple raised a hand. “Uncle-Master, could you give a specific example of how seniors select targets?”
The sect elder drawled, “Very well. I’ll share a tale of a fallen senior named Ruyue. He loved Human Cauldrons and unwittingly hooked an immortal sect cultivator, thinking it a fleeting tryst. But that cultivator had a minor realm; outwardly proper, he secretly imprisoned numerous talented young men and women as Human Cauldrons for his amusement. After Ruyue drained him dry, he earned a wave of Merits, safely passing his Soul Transformation Tribulation. Many peers envied him, hoping to find similar fat sheep among the immortal sects.”
Xie Linlang had been dozing to the lullaby but startled at the example.
He knew that immortal sect cultivator—one of the Tianling Sect Master’s three great disciples, powerful, innovative in spells, ferocious in combat. Who’d have thought he committed such heaven-defying acts in secret.
Xie Linlang’s version was that the Tianling Sect Master had keen insight, discovered the issue, upheld justice by slaying his own kin, and purged the sect of this fallen heretic.
So the Demonic Sect had a different tale?
The disciple exclaimed he’d learned much and asked, “How did Senior Ruyue fall?”
The sect elder replied, “Last year, he heard our Silent Night Palace Palace Lord, the Silent Night Demon Lord, had lost his beloved. Wanting to help our lord reclaim bliss, he got skewered like barbecued pork by him.”
The disciple fell utterly silent.
Xie Linlang drew a sharp breath. So he was in Silent Night Palace.
Rumor held Silent Night Palace as a major Demonic Sect on the southern coast of the Demon Domain, obscure to immortal cultivators due to the Boundary Gates separating Demon Domain from the True Domain. Its only fame came from the Palace Lord, the Silent Night Demon Lord.
The Silent Night Demon Lord was ruthless, capable of wiping out a mid-tier sect alone. Immortal sects had once organized hunts, only for him to counter-kill a group of elites, proving his might.
Some said he’d entered the Tribulation Transcendence Realm; one final Heavenly Tribulation, and he’d ascend as a true immortal.
Hmm, Ruyue courting death—hardly surprising.
Another disciple raised a hand. “Since we Demonic Cultivators harm others for gain, why do Demonic Sects exist? Theoretically, seniors founding Demonic Palaces and taking disciples just splits their resources, no?”
“Good question!” The sect elder beamed as if these disciples were exceptionally bright. “Fat sheep are too few. Lecturing you is also enlightening the masses—one way to accumulate Merits over the past century, weakening our Heavenly Tribulations.”
“Silent Night Palace is the great Demonic Sect for thousands of li around. Our lands brim with Demonic Qi over spiritual energy, birthing natural Demonic Root prodigies. To prevent Demonic Qi eroding your reason into folly, Silent Night Palace must guide you to understand the Dao of Heaven. The ignorant aren’t guilty—if you err from ignorance, it’s our Palace’s fault. But if you know and still err, it’s your shallow fortune and lack of Dao affinity.”
A cold stance: your self-inflicted doom, not the sect’s problem.
“Oh, and outside, unless you can face mass hunts like our Palace Lord, don’t reveal your sect or master’s name.”
The sect elder spoke rare truth. “You never know if your master’s Karmic Obstacles or bad luck will drag you down. Right now, Silent Night Palace tops the immortal cultivators’ hate list. Don’t want the Palace Lord’s pursuit? Keep your mouth shut.”
All disciples nodded deeply in agreement.
Xie Linlang was greatly shocked. No wonder his Demonic Cultivator friends never mentioned their origins.
They feared being forced to take the fall, settling debts for masters and sects!
