Chapter 454 - 234: Invitation from the Lu Family, Outer Path Hidden Demon Sect

With the Three Karmic Demon ahead, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator could only obediently hand over Spirit Stones, not daring to hesitate in the slightest.

Seeing this, Chen Li didn’t say much, only asking: "How should I address you, fellow Daoist? If you have no place to go, how about joining my Lu Family? As long as you serve for thirty years, the Lu Family can provide you with a Barrier-Breaking Pill or a Realm-Breaking Pill to achieve Foundation Establishment Perfection. If you serve for a hundred years, even a Tier Three Celestial Yin Pill might not be out of the question."

"No, I’ve grown accustomed to a free life." Wen Jiu refused via voice transmission.

Chen Li was not in a hurry, continuing to say: "You might not be aware, fellow Daoist, that Loose Cultivators in the West Mountain Floating Domain struggle to move. High-grade resources are all controlled by Golden Core Influences, and if you don’t have Tier Two Top Grade skills, life will be even harder than in Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks. Besides, since you are a Heterodox Ghost Cultivator, as a Loose Cultivator you will surely be frequently inspected by the Domain Lord’s Mansion, and might even be forced onto the battlefield."

"Battlefield?"

"The West Mountain Floating Domain and the Lifeless Abyss’s Heterodox Evil Sect have long fought over the Heaven-Reaching River in constant wars, where many cultivators perish. So, Loose Cultivators are often forced onto the battlefield. Although the rewards are extremely generous, those items are mostly things one has life to acquire but no life to use... Therefore, fellow Daoist, why not join my Lu Family for a period to rid yourself of Loose Cultivator status. Our Lu Family treats outsiders indifferently, but is extremely generous to family members."

"Allow me to consider it."

Wen Jiu decided to delay, wanting to see if there was any issue with the Three Karmic Demon. As for joining the Lu Family, that was impossible, because his destination this time was the Lifeless Abyss, aiming for Heterodox Core Formation.

After Core Formation, he would likely let East Spring Undying Bone return to the Little Demon Realm, protecting the other Three Corpses and Five Ghosts to also reach Tier Two Peak. After all, the Little Demon Realm was a rare place for Corpse Nourishing and Ghost Cultivation.

Once he reached this level, threats above Golden Core would no longer be fatal, allowing him to remain in the Little Demon Realm, and leave only once the Divine Fall Mountain Range and the Little Demon Realm were in complete chaos.

...

Led by the Lu Family members, Wen Jiu arrived at the ancient tower on the deck, being arranged a small cabin room to reside in.

After settling in, Wen Jiu had no desire to go to the deck for a view, as he had already seen it when going up.

The Heaven-Reaching River stretched boundlessly, with clear waters in which Spirit Fish could be seen swimming. But its depth was unfathomable, with a rather unique energy surging within, restricting the flight of Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Just as in the memories of Demon Soul; even mid-to-late stage Foundation Establishment Body Cultivators could not withstand the waters of Heaven-Reaching River, needing either Fake Pill Body Cultivation or true Golden Core Cultivators to traverse safely.

Upon closing the room door, and setting up a Sound Insulation Array, East Spring Undying Bone sat cross-legged, remaining motionless.

But Wen Jiu still didn’t cultivate Three Souls Flawless, instead releasing Divine Sense, keeping a close eye on the movements of the Three Karmic Demon.

However, with nothing stirring from the Three Karmic Demon, Wen Jiu saw the Lu Family members begin visiting new cultivators who had just spent two million Spirit Stones for residency.

It was still Lu Fang’s rhetoric; the Lu Family seemed aware that these second-generation immortals had brought assets to the Hundred Floating Domains intending to spearhead, establish firm footing in the Floating Domain. Thus, when they can’t remain in the Divine Fall Mountain Range anymore, they would retreat to the Floating Domain. Therefore, the Lu Family began enticing them to cooperate, providing Spirit Stones, while the Lu Family, a Golden Core Influence, would provide manpower, ensuring they establish a foothold in East Pole City where the Lu Family is based.

East Pole City, one of the ten Immortal Cities in the Hundred Floating Domains, hosts multiple Golden Core Level influences, with the Lu Family being one of the top presences. Furthermore, the Lu Family controls many Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands, Acquired Death Lands, and possesses two Tier Three Spiritual Veins and one Tier Three Yin Vein in the West Mountain Floating Domain, boasting deep foundations.

Within mere days, over a dozen people were persuaded into cooperation with the Lu Family, signing Spirit Contract agreements, with minimum investments being three million Low-grade Spirit Stones, leaving Wen Jiu uncontrollably sighing in admiration.

The Lu Family hadn’t come for him, but Lu Fang made an appearance, bringing wine, conversing with East Spring Undying Bone about West Mountain Floating Domain matters. He constantly implied that Wen Jiu should join the Lu Family and assist them in the future.

Wen Jiu casually deflected those attempts while inquiring about the West Mountain Floating Domain, Hundred Floating Domains, and Lifeless Abyss.

Lu Fang frequently mentioned the disputes between West Mountain Floating Domain’s Domain Lord’s Mansion and Lifeless Abyss’s Heterodox Evil Sect over the Heaven-Reaching River. The river is divided into Yin and Yang sides; the Yang side produces Spirit Stones, and the Yin side produces Yin Spirit Stones.

Yet regardless of Yin or Yang, it represents resources, and hence disputes persist.

Even though a balance can be maintained, whenever a large influx of Spirit Stones or Spirit Plants appears in the Heaven-Reaching River, a major battle could erupt. Aside from this, neither side attacks local inhabitants, as the strongest possesses Golden Core Peak capabilities, their power evenly matched, and so they coexist in peace.

Wen Jiu took the opportunity to inquire about the Golden Core influences within the West Mountain Floating Domain and under the West Mountain Floating Domain’s Lifeless Abyss, curious rather than pursuing particular knowledge.

According to Lu Fang, in the West Mountain Floating Domain, aside from the most powerful Domain Lord’s Mansion, there are thirteen Golden Core Level influences.

Below in the abyss, there are only three Heterodox Evil Sect Golden Core influences, and above them lies a single Demon Sect.

Its name: Outer Path Hidden Demon Sect.

Allegedly originating from Divine Fall Mountain Range. Whether true or not remains unknown, as they have never returned to Divine Fall Mountain Range.

"Outer Path?"

Wen Jiu suddenly recalled something familiar.

In both Three Wonders Blood Corpse Sect and Blood Corpse Mushrooms, the Outer Demonic Pregnancy Demon True Technique exists, pointing toward a certain Golden Core Cultivator from Three Life Gates, who is likely utilizing this technique.

What connection might the Outer Demonic Pregnancy Demon True Technique have with the Outer Hidden Demon Sect?

What relation does that Golden Core Cultivator at Three Life Gates have with Outer Path Hidden Demon Sect?

Wen Jiu contemplated for a long while, deciding not to further consider it, as any connection was irrelevant to him.

Regardless, simply keeping distance from them would suffice.

As a Corpse Cultivator, nurturing corpses was paramount.

Engage less with Demon Cultivation.

...

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, a month had flown by.

The fishing boat meandered along the Heaven-Reaching River, with Wen Jiu occasionally sending East Spring Undying Bone to the deck to observe the scene of catching Spirit Stones and Spirit Pearls. Top-grade Spirit Stones and Spirit Pearls drifted in the waters of Heaven-Reaching River, densely packed, and upon discovery, the fishing boat would lower several nets woven from Tier Two Top-Grade Spiritual Artifacts.

Simple, yet crude.

As for the two Fake Pill Cultivators, they remained stationed at the top level, unmoved even when the fishing boat and the Spirit Fish below pulled frantically, akin to a tug-of-war with a Fake Pill Cultivator, indicating they were poised against something more lethal.

After the fishing boat had sailed for over a month, the Three Karmic Demon, who had been reclusively cultivating indoors, suddenly became active. Utilizing hand seals and incantations, he released a wisp of Demonic Qi, perceivable only by Golden Core Divine Sense, which flew far northeast, connecting with a potent and highly concealed Divine Sense.

Even if only weakly sensed, Wen Jiu quickly discerned this wasn’t a single person’s Divine Sense.

But rather that of multiple individuals.

Yet not of the Heterodox Dao.

Instead, they were Demon Cultivators.

Fake Pill Demon Cultivators!

"Interesting, another chance for fortune." Currently, East Spring Undying Bone feared not True Pill, easily leaving, and moving freely within Heaven-Reaching River. Regardless of the Three Karmic Demon’s motive in summoning Fake Pill Demon Cultivators, Wen Jiu could use this opportunity aboard the fishing boat to make a fortune.

Corpse Nourishing and Ghost Cultivation consumes much, without finding ways to gather Spirit Stones, how could one manage?

A moment later.

A Black Sail Demon Ship entered the Divine Sense range of a thousand miles around East Spring Undying Bone, with the presence of three Fake Pill Demon Cultivators entering view first. The Black Sail Demon Ship rapidly approached the fishing boat, with great speed, closing to within just five to six hundred miles in no time.

And as the distance reached five hundred miles, the two Fake Pill Zhenren on the fishing boat finally reacted.

"The Outer Path Hidden Demon Sect’s Black Demon Ship, everyone prepare to fight!" An elderly woman with Fake Pill cultivation rushed out of the cabin, shouting while simultaneously activating multiple Tier Two Top-Grade Defense Arrays and Attack Arrays aboard the fishing boat.

[See you all tomorrow.]