Ruo Xianxue floated down from the branch with demonic elegance. Her nine tails swept across the ground of the Sea of Consciousness without a sound, and she stood before Zhi Xuan, radiating an aura of calm darkness yet filled with the promise of thirst.

  "You wish to carve more Slaughter Seals within a single lunar cycle, in a Plain filled with the eyes of the Ancient Clans?" Ruo Xianxue asked, her tone laced with challenge. "Are you certain you want to drown your body in endless blood, letting your Demonic scent waft through the air and causing people to lose their admiration for you?"

  Ruo Xianxue’s spiritual body floated around Zhi Xuan, her nine tails coiling about him as if to whisper promises of blood and endless pleasure that would blind even Zhi Xuan himself. Forging the Slaughter Seals, even though Zhi Xuan already possessed sixty-one of them, felt like an impossible task while he was currently under the scrutiny of the Imperial cultivators.

  "What if the Hongmeng Emperor considers you an Eternal Evil? What if everything you have now vanishes simply because you chose the Path of Slaughter?" Ruo Xianxue asked in a subtle whisper, her breath like the plucking of a guqin on a bloody moonlit night. "You have already killed to obtain the Heavenly-Blood Body Law, yet you feel it is not enough..."

  Zhi Xuan, standing tall in his Sea of Consciousness, allowed Ruo Xianxue’s temptation to seep into his soul. Within his mind, he let her Demonic aura entwine him without resistance. The Weight of the Sacred Passage left by Patriarch Zhu Tian Sheng felt like a faint shield around him, but the Demon within his soul was far more familiar than mortal Order.

  Zhi Xuan knew the danger of the Slaughter Path would weigh heavier on his karma, potentially eroding the Heavenly Path he had carved into his body to balance his journey. However, the Heavenly-Blood Body Law had become his physical foundation, and he could not stop now. Not when the Demonic Seed would become a great challenge for him later during Soul Transformation.

  "I do not fear loss; I only fear that I can no longer move forward," Zhi Xuan replied coldly, gently holding one of Ruo Xianxue’s tails, feeling the piercing dark spiritual energy. "Who will blame me, and who will care about my Path, if I bring victory to Xing Luo in this Competition?"

  "I only burden Zhu Qinglan," Zhi Xuan continued, staring at the fur of the tail he held softly in his hand. "She is the only one who looks at me with concern. I will not fall into Wild Slaughter if I keep a glimmer of my awareness on her."

  Ruo Xianxue laughed, a hoarse and coarse sound like the rustling of golden leaves falling in a cold autumn. She released her tails from Zhi Xuan’s body and floated before him, her double pupils radiating a flame of adoration and interest in the path he had taken.

  "Ah, a Demon bound by mortal threads. How touching," Ruo Xianxue mocked, yet her tone carried deep acknowledgment. She understood. Zhi Xuan was not a pure Demon, but an ascetic using the Demonic Path as a ladder to the Heavens.

  "If you are bound by that disgusting promise, then you must hide your intentions from her," Ruo Xianxue continued coldly, staring into Zhi Xuan’s sapphire blue eyes. "Blood is easy to find; you only need to locate the right source. Seek out those who can give directions to a place where mortals kill each other with cruelty."

  Zhi Xuan released her tail and nodded vaguely. The calm weight of his Dao immediately stabilized the vortex in his Sea of Consciousness. He knew that to find a place of slaughter, he could not rely on the Imperial Elders or even the Ancient Zhu Clan. He had to find a reason to leave the Imperial sphere for a moment and search.

  "I will find someone for that," Zhi Xuan replied coldly. "I will retrieve Ao Sheng and depart once I have recovered."

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes, ending his meditation. He felt the Spiritual Essence in his body had fully recovered, and the spiritual weight of the Spirit Pill given by Patriarch Zhu Tian Sheng had completely merged, making his foundation more stable than ever.

  He rose from the silk cushion, his upright body radiating a calm spiritual aura that hid the storm of slaughter he had just decided upon. However, the aura he released faintly carried a dark desire so strong it could not be entirely suppressed. He saw Zhu Qinglan still sitting cross-legged, her eyes closed in cold meditation. Her aura was now stable, with no more ripples of anger.

  "Qinglan, I have recovered," Zhi Xuan greeted, his voice returning to a formal tone, all elements of mischief gone, replaced by a piercing seriousness.

  Zhu Qinglan opened her eyes, her light gray pupils emitting a sharp light. She nodded vaguely, letting the aura of anger around her subside. She knew that although Zhi Xuan appeared recovered, the storm of destruction he had triggered in her Sea of Consciousness would not vanish so quickly. Yet, what disturbed her most was the faint glimmer from Zhi Xuan that carried a dark thirst.

  She rose from the silk cushion, her robes fluttering noiselessly, reflecting perfect posture and self-control. She stared at Zhi Xuan, observing every detail of his silver hair bound by the Snow Phoenix Jade, searching for a gap in his newly restored composure.

  "I see a greater storm in your eyes, Zhi Xuan," Zhu Qinglan replied, her tone cold and calm, but her gaze piercing through the veil of lies. "You have secured your place as an Envoy. Why does your Dao now feel sharper, as if you have just made a decision that will bring disaster?"

  Zhi Xuan smiled thinly, a smile that this time contained not mischief, but the exhaustion of fate's burden. He exhaled, his voice sounding hoarse, like the rustling of falling leaves.

  "The Yao Gu Plain demands a perfect foundation, Qinglan," Zhi Xuan replied. He was not lying, merely disguising the truth. "I must accelerate my cultivation. My Five Element foundation has just been forged; it needs tempering. I will go and return before the Heaven Star Gate is opened."

  Zhu Qinglan narrowed her eyes. She felt the truth in his words, but she also sensed a hidden vortex. She knew that tempering the foundation for Zhi Xuan was not the same as it was for other mortal cultivators. It meant a more brutal destruction and rebirth.

  "You are not going into closed-door cultivation," Zhu Qinglan stated; it was a declaration, not a question. "If you need tempering, the Zhu Clan can provide the densest Spiritual Essence Valley. Where will you go?"

  "I must seek the Dao path that suits me," Zhi Xuan replied, walking toward the Pavilion door. He knew he had to leave quickly before Zhu Qinglan entangled him with deeper questions. He clasped his hands and bowed slightly. "I will take Ao Sheng, and we will return once I am satisfied. Thank you for the Zhu Clan’s hospitality, Holy Fairy."

  Zhu Qinglan did not move. She let Zhi Xuan step away, but the weight of her Soul Transformation realm pressed against the air around him, stalling his steps. Zhi Xuan stopped, his hair fluttering behind him, only his back facing her.

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  "Zhi Xuan," Zhu Qinglan called, her voice now carrying a deeper coldness, like the sound of an iceberg moving in the ocean. "You will not run from the bond you planted. If you go, tell me exactly where you will seek the Dao that suits you."

  The weight of her Soul Transformation did not harm him but bound him with a subtle force. Zhi Xuan knew he could not leave the Pavilion without giving her a reason that could be accepted by the logic of an Ancient Clan. He turned, a thin smile on his lips—a smile full of exhaustion, yet also certainty.

  "I need to take Ao Sheng to increase his strength with his inheritance," Zhi Xuan replied calmly, the thin smile remaining. "He is still at the Azure King level as a beast. He is much weaker and not equal to my Heavenly Moth. I will take him to strengthen himself as well."

  Zhu Qinglan narrowed her eyes. The reason was logical. A weak Ancient Golden Dragon, only at the level of a Consciousness Transformation cultivator, would be an easy target in the Three Plains Competition. Strengthening Ao Sheng was Zhi Xuan’s karmic duty. However, Zhu Qinglan still sensed the hidden deception.

  Zhi Xuan simply stared at her, waiting. He knew she was cornered by the logic of Order. she could not forbid him from leaving to fulfill a karmic promise to the Ancient Golden Dragon, especially after Patriarch Zhu Tian Sheng had publicly praised his actions.

  "Ao Sheng's inheritance, the Black Dragon Tomb," Zhu Qinglan murmured, crossing her arms, her eyes flashing with cold calculation. "You have already taken what you wanted from there. Where else can a Golden Dragon find enough strength within one lunar cycle without entering a dangerous realm?"

  Zhi Xuan sighed softly; he could not keep answering her questions and wasting his time. He walked closer, his steps making Zhu Qinglan’s eyes widen. Her crossed arms unraveled, and she found herself raising her hands to stay his approaching chest.

  "Qing'er," Zhi Xuan called again as he reached for her waist, his tone softer and hoarser this time. He could not convince this woman with a cold face. "Just trust me; I will return safely."

  That touch, combined with the intimate name he threw back at her, instantly paralyzed her Soul Transformation defenses. The ice coiling around her aura rippled, but this time not from anger, but from an unexpected turmoil. She looked into his sapphire blue eyes, searching for a clue, but found only a deep calm mixed with a palpable exhaustion.

  "You," Zhu Qinglan hissed, her voice catching. Her knees felt weak, and she gripped the fabric of his robe for support. "You are always out of control, shameless, and never satisfied. I hate you."

  Zhi Xuan smiled thinly, a silent little laugh creeping onto his face. He pulled her slightly closer. In his Sea of Consciousness, he heard Ruo Xianxue’s sneer, but he ignored it. The warmth he gave Zhu Qinglan was the truth she needed.

  "If you hated me, I would have died every time we met," Zhi Xuan replied, his tone hoarse and faintly soothing. He gently stroked her slender back. "The Great Path—naturally, anyone would use any means to reach it. Only those who dare to stain their Path with destruction are capable of being reborn as the Heavens."

  Zhi Xuan released her, his touch gentle yet lingering. He stepped back, creating a sudden distance that allowed Zhu Qinglan to regain control over her Dao. He knew that the brief intimacy had severed her line of anxiety and given her space to act without being burdened by doubt.

  Zhu Qinglan, who staggered but regained her footing, turned away without a word, hiding her flushed face which was now enveloped in a thick aura of Pure Ice. She no longer tried to stop him. The intimate name and warm touch were a mortal promise stronger than the weight of her Soul Transformation.

  "Thank you for the Holy Fairy’s Dao guidance. This Zhi takes his leave," Zhi Xuan concluded, clasping his hands before turning and walking out of the Imperial Pavilion. His steps were light, but the weight of his resolve felt like a moving mountain.

  Zhu Qinglan stood stiffly in the middle of the room, which now felt cold. She did not turn around until the sound of his footsteps faded. She touched her waist, where she still felt the warmth of his touch, then took a deep breath, returning the tranquility of Pure Ice to her aura.

  "I can never hold you back, Zhi Xuan," Zhu Qinglan whispered, her tone full of controlled frustration. She knew she had let the wilderness Demon loose, and she would have to bear the chaos he would bring.

  Zhi Xuan walked toward the Side Pavilion. There, he saw Zhu Yanghai chatting cheerfully with Ao Sheng, serving expensive spiritual wine and several Divine Jades. Zhu Yanghai saw Zhi Xuan appear and immediately stood up with a wide smile.

  "Brother-in-law! Your recovery is so fast! You truly are a tough Demonic Descendant," Zhu Yanghai greeted cheerfully, ignoring the lethal glares he received from both Zhi Xuan and Ao Sheng.

  "I must go, Holy Son Zhu," Zhi Xuan replied coldly, not hiding his intentions with Zhu Yanghai. "I am taking Ao Sheng; I need to do something to strengthen myself before the Competition. We will return before the Heaven Star Gate opens."

  Zhu Yanghai narrowed his eyes, the cheer on his face fading slightly. He glanced toward the main Pavilion, as if sensing the cold Soul Transformation pressure that had just subsided. He exhaled and nodded vaguely.

  "Father will not be happy if you leave without saying anything," Zhu Yanghai said, his tone more serious. He reached out his hand, and a jade medallion appeared in his palm, radiating the dense aura of the Ancient Clan. "Take this. The Zhu Clan Blood Medallion. If you are in danger, crush this medallion. The Zhu Clan Elders will feel it, and at the very least, it will buy you time."

  Zhi Xuan looked at the jade medallion. It was not just a token, but a life-saving talisman forged by a Sacred Passage cultivator. He knew that accepting this meant accepting an even deeper karmic bond with the Zhu Clan, a rope that might choke him in the future.

  However, refusing the protection of Patriarch Zhu Tian Sheng was foolish, especially as he was about to step onto the Path of Slaughter. Zhi Xuan reached out and took the jade medallion. The coldness of the jade felt like a warning in his palm.

  "Thank you, Holy Son Zhu," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice sincere. He knew Zhu Yanghai gave him this not just because he was a brother-in-law, but because he valued Zhi Xuan as a Heavenly Kindness that would bring honor to the Zhu Clan.

  "Bring back victory," Zhu Yanghai said, patting Zhi Xuan’s shoulder. "The Xing Luo Plain has borne shame under the Yao Gu and Feng Mie Plains for too long. We are waiting for you."

  Zhi Xuan nodded. He turned toward Ao Sheng, who stood tall, holding his Dragon King Spear. His golden eyes flashed with burning resolve, but also a hint of confusion.

  Ao Sheng did not ask where they were going. He had seen the destruction his Senior endured and the majesty that descended from the Sky. He knew the next journey would surely be forged in cruelty to obtain a rapid increase in strength. He bowed vaguely to Zhu Yanghai, then stepped beside Zhi Xuan.

  Zhi Xuan and Ao Sheng walked out of the Imperial Pavilion, ignoring the inquisitive looks of the Imperial Elders who were still busy stabilizing the Jade Plaza. They walked across the vast Plaza. When they reached the boundary of the Imperial City, Zhi Xuan turned to Ao Sheng.

  "We are going to find something out," Zhi Xuan began calmly. He held out his hand, and the Divine Cauldron of Three Eras appeared. "Go inside. There will be danger from rats after seeing you appear in the Hongmeng Empire; you and Xiao Die will be safe within me."

  Ao Sheng did not hesitate. He knew his Senior had a plan. With a respectful nod, his young dragon body shrank, turning into a streak of golden light that shot toward the Divine Cauldron. Zhi Xuan felt the presence of Ao Sheng and Xiao Die; the little dragon immediately settled himself near the Heavenly Moth at the bottom of the cauldron, shielded from mortal spies.

  Zhi Xuan hid the Divine Cauldron back in his Sea of Consciousness. He stood outside the gates of the Hongmeng Empire, where dense stone roads stretched toward the outside world. His silver hair fluttered slowly, contrasting with his simple black silk robe with red trim. He had to find someone who could give directions to a place that justified slaughter—a place that was morally decayed enough to be worthy of cleansing.

  Before him lay the sprawling Imperial City, glittering under the twilight, carrying a scent of grandeur and the undeniable prosperity of a center of power. The hustle and bustle of cultivators and whispers of the events at the Hongmeng Empire still echoed, as did whispers of rejection toward the Demon who brought the Dragon youth.

  He ignored the whispers circulating among the Imperial guards—whispers about the Demon saved by the Sacred Passage Patriarch, whispers about the Golden Dragon, and whispers about the fall of the Shi Clan. To him, those mortal whispers were merely the meaningless rustling of leaves.

  "The Imperial City," Zhi Xuan murmured hoarsely, sharpening his divine sense to search for a place that sold information. "Perhaps I should go buy a disguise. I cannot walk safely without hiding this hair and face."