Chapter 276 - 203: Old Friends Reunite (Part 3)

Wei Qingyi exclaimed in surprise, "Junior Brother Qin is actually using Demon Beasts as Incense Masters?!"

Wei Kongqing’s gaze was profound as he saw what was really going on. "These four Incense Masters under Junior Brother Qin... their potential is not to be underestimated!"

Bai Lingwei said with a gentle smile, "Master Qin is playing the long game..."

Qin Xuan smiled confidently. This was precisely the effect he was aiming for.

He scanned the crowd, his voice suddenly rising.

"The four altars have gathered! All Incense Masters, with me! We shall establish the altar, enact its laws, and offer a blood sacrifice to the heavens!"

WHOOSH!

The Longevity Spirit Turtle, the Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon, the Purple Extreme Thunder Eagle, and the Cyan-arm Stone Ape—the four great Demon Beasts—emerged together!

WHOOSH... WHOOSH!

In an instant.

A furious Yin Wind howled, and the Ten Thousand Souls Banner snapped and crackled.

An endless tide of Yin Evil Demon Qi converged upon Ten Thousand Poison Peak from all directions.

BOOM!

Countless Mountain-moving Warriors appeared.

From the distance, they lifted great mountains one after another and brought them to Ten Thousand Poison Peak.

The visiting Foundation Establishment Incense Masters observing the ceremony were all shaken to the core, finding the spectacle utterly thrilling.

"As expected of the one favored by the Venerable."

"This altar establishment by Master Qin is the grandest ceremony I have ever witnessed!"

It was an eye-opening experience for the many Foundation Establishment Incense Masters. None had ever witnessed such a stunning scene. They all expressed their shock and felt honored to be present.

As the ceremony neared its end, Qin Xuan raised a single hand and swung it down forcefully.

A stone monument fell from the sky, embedding itself deep into the edge of the newly formed land.

Inscribed on the monument were four large, blood-red words imbued with Magic Power.

Holy Sect – Huaizhong Altar!

At this sight, everyone rose to their feet. A tsunami of congratulatory shouts erupted, rising and falling in endless waves.

"Congratulations, Master Qin, on the formal establishment of your altar!"

"May it last for a thousand generations, and may your path to the Great Dao be boundless!"

...

In no time, word spread through nearly the entire Holy Sect that Qin Xuan had formally established his altar.

A recruitment notice for the Huaizhong Altar appeared in the Contribution Hall:

I, Shi Huaizhong, have newly advanced to the Purple Mansion realm and have just established my Magic Altar. I am now recruiting skilled Outer Sect Foundation Establishment experts to serve as Vice Incense Masters. Proficiency in arts such as Combat, Alchemy, or Talisman Making is required. Compensation is generous. The most exceptional candidates will be personally taught a Demon Skill by me.

Once the announcement was made, it caused quite a stir among the Outer Sect Elders.

"Holy hell, the Holy Sect’s Inner Sect has another Purple Mansion True Demon!"

"Huaizhong Altar? Just listen to that name—it sounds powerful!"

"Establishing an altar and recruiting disciples, and he’s only looking for Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators..."

"Anyone interested in trying their luck?"

A group of Outer Sect Elders gathered around, carefully reading the notice posted by Qin Xuan and discussing it animatedly.

Wang Jian and Sunx Yuan looked at each other.

"Senior Brother Sunx, Master Jiaang is dead, and the Plague Incense Master entered Reincarnation twenty years ago. We still have a loan of twenty thousand Merit Points. Should we go try our luck?"

Wang Jian, at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Level, looked at Sunx Yuan.

For Outer Sect Foundation Establishment Elders like them, an invitation from a new Purple Mansion True Demon was, without a doubt, a golden opportunity to climb the ranks.

Sunx Yuan nodded emphatically. "I lost my Pill Cauldron twenty years ago. This might be my chance to finally get a new one!"

...

Ten Thousand Poison Peak, Huaizhong Altar

Seated on his high throne, Qin Xuan laughed aloud as he looked through the list of applicants.

’I didn’t expect those two would still be alive after all this time.’

The seats for the four Incense Masters were arranged on either side of Qin Xuan.

When Zhao Youliang saw Wang Jian’s name on the list, his eyes lit up. He eagerly volunteered, "My Lord Altar Master, could you allow the Stone Ape to personally assess this Elder Wang?"

In the past, Zhao Youliang had suffered greatly at Wang Jian’s hands.

Now that he had a chance for revenge, how could he possibly let him off easy?

Qin Xuan laughed. "Haha, go on."

"Thank you, Altar Master!"

Zhao Youliang let out an excited growl and left, unable to wait.

...

The Huaizhong Altar was divided into four sub-altars.

Wang Jian chose the Cyan Talisman Ape Altar.

The recruitment trial was held at the newly built martial arts arena of the Huaizhong Altar.

The rules were simple: survive for the time it takes an incense stick to burn against a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cyan-armed Ape Demon, or knock it off the fighting stage. Success in either meant passing the trial.

Wang Jian stood on the stage, a ghastly green Poisonous Ghost Fire circling around him, and took a deep breath.

’Hmph, a mere Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Demon Pet dares to block my path? I have bitterly cultivated my Demon Skill for years, all for this day... Once I show what I can do, I’ll definitely catch the Altar Master’s eye!’

Wang Jian was full of confidence.

For this assessment, Wang Jian had nearly emptied his entire savings.

He had bribed the Qi Cultivation Steward in charge of the preliminary selection with three vials of precious Decaying Marrow Pills just to obtain this valuable opportunity.

’I consider myself one of the top combatants among the Outer Sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators. I’ll definitely pass.’

But when he actually faced the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Demon Pet, he was stunned.

This Demon Pet not only had a bizarre Cultivation Technique, but it was also especially skilled in Sonic Attacks.

Its face, covered in cyan fur, always wore a faint, mocking expression, as if it wasn’t using its full strength at all.

’Impossible! How can I be weaker than a mere beast?!’

Wang Jian gritted his teeth and forced out his Essence Blood.

"Hundred Ghosts Devouring Soul!"

The words had barely left his mouth when countless ghostly figures shot out with piercing shrieks.

"Hahaha, is that all you’ve got?"

The Cyan Ape Demon Beast let out a great roar, pounding its chest. THUMP! THUMP!

With a long shriek, a condensed wave of the Ape’s Wail Demon Sound blasted Wang Jian, sending him flying backward while spitting blood. He nearly fell off the stage.

When the incense stick had finally burned down, Wang Jian’s clothes were in tatters, and his aura was feeble.

’Alas... even the Foundation Establishment Demon Pets of this Huaizhong Altar are this powerful. I’m finished!’

Just as Wang Jian’s face turned ashen and he was about to fall into despair...

The Cyan-arm Stone Ape chuckled lightly, "Wang Jian, you pass."

"Ah? Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"

Wang Jian froze for a moment before it dawned on him. He began to kowtow repeatedly, overjoyed and immensely relieved to have survived the ordeal.

...

Sunx Yuan was skilled in Alchemy, so he chose to join the Wanshou Turtle Altar.

He was led to a gloomy and mysterious cave.

The test required him to use materials such as Rot Heart Grass and Yin Luo Flower to refine a batch of Heart-Eroding Pills.

Sunx Yuan looked at the Pill Furnace and began to scheme.

’This Altar Master named his altar ’Huaizhong,’ so he must prefer sinister and vicious Pills. If I add a trace of my unique Soul-Splitting Sand to this Heart-Eroding Pill to enhance its soul-destroying effect, I’ll surely win his appreciation!’

He carefully controlled the heat of the furnace, stealthily adding the Soul-Splitting Sand.

When the Pills were complete, black qi swirled around them, accompanied by the faint sound of wailing ghosts. The quality had shockingly reached Top Grade!

The one presiding over the test was a woman with a deathly pale, bloodless complexion.

He couldn’t discern her Cultivation, but her aura felt to be at the Foundation Establishment realm.

Sunx Yuan was certain she would be impressed by his superb Alchemy skills.

He even began to daydream about his future after joining the Huaizhong Altar.