Chapter 405: Arrangement and Soul Searching

Xu Dewen quickly calmed his mind.

The next moment.

He made a decision.

He immediately commanded one of the peak second-tier blood corpses to self-destruct.

This sudden and unexpected move caught the gray-haired middle-aged man off guard, causing countless cracks to appear on his magic treasure's light screen.

Seeing this, Xu Dewen ordered several second-tier yin souls to self-destruct as well.

Since these were refined from the Xu Family's enemies anyway, Xu Dewen didn't feel the slightest bit of heartache.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

He continuously detonated the second-tier blood corpses and yin souls.

Magic treasure light screens were triggered automatically. Once shattered, they essentially could not be deployed again for a short time.

Xu Dewen faintly sensed someone approaching from fifty kilometers away. Without another word, he recalled his Soul Banner and blood corpses, conjured a streak of black light, and fled into the distance at top speed.

Seeing the light screen of his Bone Shield broken, the gray-haired middle-aged man actually didn't dare to pursue immediately.

He glanced into the distance, also sensing someone approaching.

Frowning, he promptly sped off in another direction.

After all, the demonic cultivators of the Blackwater Region were rivals to one another.

If the newcomers realized he was injured, they might very well strike him first to gain the upper hand.

A few minutes later.

Two early-stage Golden Core cultivators indeed arrived.

One of them, an ugly young man, sneered coldly, "He ran quite fast."

"Brother Hua, should we chase him?"

The ugly youth looked at the middle-aged man beside him. After pondering for a moment, he said, "There's no rush for now. Let's collect more essence blood and souls first."

"I'll listen to you, Brother Hua."

The two clearly followed the ugly youth's lead.

Although both were at the early-stage Golden Core, the ugly youth was at the peak of the early Golden Core stage. With his divine abilities, he could hold his own against a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Soon after, the two headed toward a nearby county town.

Jade Cold Pool.

Xu Chuan sent a sound transmission to all the Golden Core cultivators within Dongxi, including Xu Dezhao, Xu Deheng, and Xu Chonghui.

In just a moment.

They gathered there.

"Father, what did you call us here for?" Xu Mingwei was the first to ask.

"The Demon Tribulation has erupted."

These simple words caused everyone present to change their expressions drastically.

"So soon?" Xu Mingyuan's pupils contracted as he muttered softly.

"Great Jin has already been reduced to purgatory. I presume the Demon Tide from the Hundred Thousand Mountains has also appeared."

At this point, Xu Chuan paused, his gaze landing on Xu Mingyuan's face.

Sure enough, a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes.

"In half a day, or a day at most, the Demon Tribulation will sweep through Great Wei and the various commanderies of the Immortal Martial Alliance."

Hearing this.

The expressions of the crowd grew even more solemn.

"Father, then what should we..." Xu Mingwei asked.

"A great tribulation brings both disaster and fortune. Trapped in the Land of Imprisonment, everyone is a sacrifice. Only those who survive until the end are the victors. Therefore, I will go out to hunt some Golden Core cultivators and third-tier demonic beasts."

Xu Mingshu asked with concern, "Father, will Nascent Soul stage experts appear?"

"They might, or they might not. No one can guarantee it," Xu Chuan replied. "Mingwei, you and Mingxian will stay behind to guard Dongxi. Unless necessary, you do not need to go out."

"Yes, Father," the two responded simultaneously.

"As for the rest of you..."

"Honored Master, I would like to make a trip to the Great Liang Imperial City," Ye Fan said, clasping his hands and bowing.

"Grandfather, I will go with my husband," Xu Deyue added.

"Since you wish to settle this matter, I will allow it. However, you must disguise yourselves when you go out and wear Restriction Jade Pendants to prevent Golden Core cultivators from probing you."

"Thank you, Honored Master." Ye Fan's face lit up with joy.

"Father, I..." Xu Mingyuan began, but then abruptly stopped.

Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "I understand what you mean. If I encounter the Black Flame Sparrow, I will notify you.

After all, relying solely on myself, I might be able to kill it with good luck.

But if it senses danger and flees before I can severely injure it, I don't have absolute confidence in making it stay."

"Honored Master, I heard that Great Liang follows the path of a Qi Luck Imperial Dynasty. I shall go with Eldest Senior Brother; I should be able to help."

Xu Chuan thought for a moment, nodded, and chuckled. "It's rare for you to offer your efforts proactively."

Mei Yun rubbed the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"As for you, Deling..."

"Grandfather, I will stay and guard Dongxi. Apart from you, I have the highest combat strength in the clan. If we really encounter any strong enemies, I can hold them off and buy time for your return."

Xu Chuan nodded, then asked, "How is the magic treasure I asked you to refine last time?"

"I have managed to refine it."

With a wave of Xu Deling's hand, two streaks of light—one black and one crimson—flew out from her Storage Ring.

The crimson light was a bizarrely shaped bone blade.

The blade was over a meter long. It appeared to be polished from some unknown crimson bone. It was not a single solid color, but displayed a bizarre, intertwined pattern of light and dark, resembling flowing blood marrow.

Just hanging quietly in the air, the blade naturally emanated a fierce, bloodthirsty, and sharp aura.

The black light, on the other hand, was a hexagonal crystal shield.

The shield was not large, barely a foot across. It was seamlessly pieced together from countless fine, angular black crystals.

Xu Deling introduced them, "This blade is called the Blood Bone Blade. It has the effect of absorbing essence blood; the more people it kills, the fiercer it becomes. The shield is the Six Profound Crystal Shield.

When withstanding attacks from divine abilities and magical arts, it can disperse part of the force and also store a fraction of it, which can be unleashed at critical moments.

Both are Four-Pattern Mid-Grade Magic Treasures."

Xu Chuan inspected them and nodded slightly.

"Grandfather, who did you prepare these two magic treasures for?"

"Dewen," Xu Chuan said with a smile. "He reached Core Formation last month and even looted the Sima Family."

"Second Brother formed his core!" Xu Deling's face lit up with joy.

Xu Mingwei and the others also revealed smiles.

Xu Dezhao sighed with emotion, "I didn't expect Second Brother to step into the Golden Core stage so quickly."

The last time the two brothers met, Xu Dewen was someone who didn't even know what the true intent of a divine ability was.

Only a few years had passed, yet he had directly completed a Divine Ability Core Formation. It truly shocked Xu Dezhao.

After all, he himself was still stuck at eighty percent mastery of rudimentary true intent.

Being able to comprehend a nascent form of divine ability to such a degree before the age of a hundred could already be considered the mark of a prodigy.

Moreover, this was the expected progress for an ordinary prodigy comprehending a divine ability.

Xu Chuan took in his expression, thinking to himself that after this great tribulation, it was time to help some core descendants of the third generation step into the Golden Core stage as soon as possible.

Connate spirit objects were precious; they should be spared if possible.

However, the Xu Family had Spirit-Nourishing Pills. Furthermore, the early cultivators of the Xu Family had all developed divine sense during the Qi Refining stage, giving them an extraordinary soul foundation.

Moreover, these core members had basically all cultivated the "Profound Heaven Divine Refining Art". With the aid of High-Grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills, they all had a significant chance of undergoing a soul transformation, allowing their divine sense to advance to the third tier ahead of time.

With such a fortunate opportunity, it could be said that they all had the potential for Divine Ability Core Formation.

With a flick of his sleeve robe, Xu Chuan stowed the two magic treasures. Scanning the crowd, he stated, "This concludes the arrangements. Any other Golden Core stage cultivators who wish to go out must obtain Mingwei's permission.

Those in the Foundation Establishment stage have no need to leave.

During this great tribulation, our Xu Family will not fight to resist it, but solely to survive it completely intact.

You must understand that the more fiercely we resist, the more we will attract the greedy eyes hidden within the tribulation. I cannot be certain exactly how many Golden Core cultivators will appear this time.

But I presume there will definitely be dozens, perhaps even over a hundred.

There should also be quite a few in the late-stage Golden Core and Golden Core Perfection."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "If anyone carelessly saves others out of misplaced pity, thereby placing our Xu Family in peril, do not blame me for expelling them from the Xu Clan!"

Everyone's hearts jolted.

This was the first time Xu Chuan had ever spoken of expelling someone from the family.

"We shall engrave your teachings in our hearts!" They bowed in unison.

Xu Chuan gave a slight nod and turned to Xu Mingxuan. "Mingxuan, you will come out with me."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Mingxuan didn't dare to disobey.

Shortly after.

The two soared into the sky, turning into two streaks of light—one azure and one yellow—and instantly vanished into the distance.

About fifteen minutes later.

The disguised trio of Ye Fan and the others also left Dongxi.

Xu Deyue disguised herself as a young man, Ye Fan appeared as a middle-aged man with a bushy beard, and Mei Yun took the form of an old man wearing tight-fitting attire and a hood.

The Restriction Jade Pendants were personally crafted by Xu Mingxian. Unless one possessed Nascent Soul-tier divine sense, it was impossible to use spiritual sense probing on the three.

And without divine sense, relying solely on the naked eye, it was completely impossible to see through their disguises.

Another fifteen minutes later.

Xu Chuan and Xu Mingxuan had already arrived in Great Jin.

At this moment, both of them had taken on the appearance of white-bearded old men. Xu Mingxuan's face was so full of wrinkles that even Zhang Wanqing probably wouldn't have recognized him if she were there.

"Father, was it really necessary to make me disguise myself like this?" Xu Mingxuan complained. "Wouldn't it have been fine to just use a disguise magic tool and wear a Restriction Jade Pendant like Ye Fan and the others?"

"If everyone from our Xu Family who goes out does the same thing, it would be easy for others to link us together. Fortunately, there will be no shortage of Golden Core cultivators in the Land of Imprisonment this time.

An early-stage and a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator traveling together will actually draw less suspicion."

"Father is wise." Xu Mingxuan smiled and offered a cupped-fist salute.

However, his smile, plastered across that heavily wrinkled face, was truly horrifying. Xu Chuan couldn't quite get used to the sight and turned his head away.

"Stop kissing up and let's go. Dewen is fifteen hundred kilometers to the west."

"Father, are you disgusted?"

"No," Xu Chuan replied without a trace of emotion.

Less than seven minutes later.

They arrived within a couple of hundred kilometers of the location, yet they could clearly sense fluctuations of magical power from that direction, evidently indicating an ongoing battle.

The two exchanged a glance.

And promptly accelerated.

A couple of hundred kilometers away.

Xu Dewen was currently facing interception by a late-stage Golden Core demonic cultivator.

In terms of speed, since he hadn't practiced any evasion divine abilities, it was extremely difficult for him to escape from a late-stage Golden Core expert.

At this moment.

He was commanding a third-tier blood corpse and a third-tier ghostly creature to besiege the enemy, while he disrupted and supported from the sidelines.

But even so, Xu Dewen was still at a clear disadvantage.

The third-tier blood corpse and ghostly creature had both sustained significant injuries. They showed fear toward this late-stage Golden Core demonic cultivator and were even faintly resisting Xu Dewen's commands.

If this person hadn't wanted to claim this third-tier blood corpse and ghostly creature for himself, with his strength, he could have destroyed them long ago.

After all, the offensive magic treasure in his hands had reached the level of a mid-grade magic treasure.

The alluring youth possessed a feminine countenance. Two quaint-looking spiked awls, each over a foot long, hovered in front of him.

One awl was black, the other white, both covered in complex patterns.

With every breath, the two awls seemed to resonate with each other.

The power of a single awl alone reached the mid-grade magic treasure level. If this apparent combination magic treasure was activated with a secret method, it could even erupt with power approaching that of a high-grade magic treasure.

"Boy, my patience is limited. As long as you hand over the secret method to control the blood corpses and that Soul Banner, I can spare your life.

I could even let you stay by my side."

The alluring youth sized up Xu Dewen. After the brief battle just now, he could confirm that this person must possess a special physique.

Meanwhile, the cultivation method he practiced was primarily based on yin-yang joyous union.

If he could engage in the pleasures of the flesh with someone bearing a special physique and absorb their physique's origin, it would absolutely surpass dual cultivation with a dozen or even dozens of Golden Core cultivators.

As for the issue of gender, his cultivation method and physique were somewhat peculiar.

Despite looking androgynous right now, at the critical moment, he could be either male or female.

Hearing these words and seeing the way the youth was looking at him, Xu Dewen couldn't help but shiver.

'Why are there all kinds of freaks and monsters over in the Blackwater Region? I've survived in Great Jin for decades, yet I've never encountered a guy like this.'

He felt deeply disgusted, but this situation also gave him a headache.

The opponent's strength was too overwhelming; with the trump cards currently in his hand, he couldn't escape at all.

'Should I submit first and prioritize saving my life?'

'No, no, no! I can lose my life, but I cannot lose my dignity!'

Despite his inner struggle, Xu Dewen remained expressionless. He said flatly, "If I give you the Soul Banner and the secret method for controlling the blood corpses, are you truly willing to let me go?"

"I, surnamed Yun, never deceive people."

"Then swear an oath."

"Boy, figure out your own situation. Do you have the leverage to bargain with me?" The alluring youth naturally wouldn't allow Xu Dewen to seize the initiative.

"My patience is limited. I will give you a final ten breaths of time to consider."

Pausing for a moment, he continued disdainfully, "You don't actually think you can stop me with just an early third-tier blood corpse and a ghostly creature, do you?"

Xu Dewen's brows furrowed tightly. 'Must I make this blood corpse and ghostly creature self-destruct?'

Earlier, he had tried to detonate a second-tier blood corpse to injure the alluring youth, but it was obliterated in a single strike before it could even get close. He couldn't even manage a detonation in the youth's vicinity.

Those second-tier yin souls had also been completely exhausted.

He was left with only the third-tier blood corpse and the third-tier ghostly creature—two commanders without an army.

Xu Chuan's divine sense had discovered everything from a hundred kilometers away. Then, to prevent the opponent from escaping, he directly deployed the third-tier Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array, enveloping an area of a hundred kilometers.

Only after that did he and Xu Mingxuan fly over.

Seeing this, Xu Mingxuan secretly admired Xu Chuan's prudence.

If it were him, armed with Xu Chuan's combat strength, he would have charged over to help Xu Dewen long ago.

"Three, two, one!"

As the alluring youth finished his countdown and saw Xu Dewen remaining indifferent, his gaze turned icy cold. "It seems you treat my words like wind past your ears.

Were you just considering making the third-tier blood corpse or the third-tier ghostly creature self-destruct?

With this Five Clouds Shield in my hand, their detonation might injure me, but at such close range, you will likely suffer even heavier injuries!"

This was exactly why Xu Dewen was hesitating.

If he were severely injured, there would be absolutely zero chance of escape left.

Right at this moment.

Suddenly, a heaven-shaking blood fiend energy erupted. A total of five auras were rapidly heading this way.

In addition, an even more massive surge of yin energy shot into the sky, dyeing the firmament an inky black.

The aura erupting from the center of that yin energy was significantly stronger than the five streams of blood fiend energy.

They approached rapidly.

Such a development caused both the alluring youth and Xu Dewen's expressions to change.

"Peak third-tier corpse puppets?! And a yin soul army led by a peak third-tier ghost king?"

The alluring youth exclaimed in shock.

He immediately ignored Xu Dewen, turning around to flee.

However, the Profound Yin Blood Corpses were originally only a few dozen kilometers away from the alluring youth. They caught up to him in mere moments.

With just a slight interception...

The yin soul army also arrived, thoroughly encircling him.

'These corpse puppets are terrifying. They are significantly stronger than ordinary peak third-tier ones,' the alluring youth thought to himself.

And those giant, crimson eyes peering out from the black mist of yin energy gave him an immense sense of oppression.

It felt not the slightest bit weaker than a Golden Core Perfection expert who had achieved great accomplishment in a divine ability.

Coupled with this yin soul army, even someone who had achieved Divine Ability Perfection would probably flee in a panic.

"Could the newcomer be Fellow Daoist Wu of the Blood Demon Grotto?"

"I am Yun Huan of the Harmonious Joy Sect. Why not reveal yourself for a meeting?"

Seeing those peak third-tier blood corpses, the alluring youth's first reaction was to think of him.

After all, there were very few existences in the Blackwater Region capable of cultivating peak third-tier blood corpses. The most famous among them was the Blood Demon Grotto, a Nascent Soul power.

But he glanced at the dense swarm of yin souls on the other side.

"Wait, this yin soul army... could Fellow Daoist Rong Yang have come as well?"

Thirty to forty kilometers away.

Hearing this Yun Huan mention the Blood Demon Grotto and the Harmonious Joy Sect, Xu Chuan couldn't help but mutter these two names.

After all, this was his first time hearing about the factions from the Blackwater Region.

"It seems a soul searching will be necessary."

Too lazy to respond, Xu Chuan shifted his thoughts, and the Profound Yin Blood Corpses and the Blood Fiend Ghost King launched their siege.

Naturally, the goal was not to kill him, but to wear him down first.

A withered old man arrived in front of Xu Dewen and flashed him a toothy grin.

Xu Dewen had the blood corpse and the ghostly creature block his front, guarding himself carefully as he said, "Stinky old ghost, do you want to kill me too? If I make them self-destruct, you won't gain any advantage either."

He noticed a restriction on the other party, preventing his divine sense from seeing through their cultivation level. He assumed this was a demonic cultivator with even higher cultivation than Yun Huan.

"Grand-nephew, your words truly break your Third Uncle's heart."

Xu Mingxuan naturally didn't speak aloud, opting instead to use a divine sense transmission.

"Who are you calling grand-nephew? My Third Uncle is..."

Xu Dewen immediately blanked.

Wait, these blood corpses and yin soul methods... why did they look so familiar?

Weren't they exactly the advanced versions of what he had in his own hands?!

"Are you really my Third Uncle?"

Xu Mingxuan rolled his eyes. "You brat, come with me to see Father."

"Grandfather is here too!"

Joy instantly washed over Xu Dewen's face as he suddenly understood.

Of course, only Grandfather possessed such heaven-defying means.

He turned to look at the blood corpses and the yin soul army dozens of kilometers away, thinking to himself, 'Just how many people has Grandfather killed?!'

He immediately followed Xu Mingxuan to Xu Chuan and was just about to cup his hands in greeting.

"There is no rush. It won't be too late to talk after I capture him."

Xu Chuan leaped, turning into an azure streak of light, and sped away.

In the blink of an eye, he arrived near Old Demon Yun Huan.

At this moment, the demonic cultivator had long lost his previous wicked and calm demeanor.

His clothes were torn to shreds, and his body was covered in bone-deep claw marks and corrosive wounds from yin energy.

He was stained with blood, his aura sluggish, looking utterly pathetic.

If he were facing a single peak third-tier blood corpse, he could still put up a fight relying on his own cultivation and magic treasures.

But against five such blood corpses, plus an even more terrifying yin soul army...

Old Demon Yun Huan felt that the only reason he wasn't dead yet must be because the opponent was intentionally holding back.

Otherwise, if they went all out, he figured he wouldn't last ten breaths.

Xu Chuan stood suspended in mid-air, his gaze coldly sweeping across the battlefield.

Feeling that it was about enough, he immediately ordered the Blood Fiend Ghost King to lead the yin souls in unleashing a unified ghost shriek to stun his soul.

Receiving the command, the Blood Fiend Ghost King's crimson ghost eyes flared with intense dark light. It threw its head back and unleashed a silent, piercing howl.

Raising the ghost-head broadsword in its hand, it pointed straight to the sky!

In an instant, the thousands of vicious ghosts and yin souls, as if receiving a king's decree, completely ceased their attacks and movements.

The next moment—

"Woooo—!!!"

"Awooo—!!!"

"Heehee—!!!"

Ten thousand ghosts shrieked in unison!

An indescribably terrifying screech, like billions of poisoned ice needles, frantically pierced toward Old Demon Yun Huan's soul from all directions!

This shriek was not merely a sound wave; it contained a spiritual attack directed right at the soul!

Thousands of different agonizing, resentful, maddened, and despairing wills mixed within it, forming a chaotic and violent mental storm!

Even Xu Mingxuan and Xu Dewen, dozens of kilometers away, felt a chill in their hearts upon sensing this chorus of vicious ghost shrieks.

They felt that if they were facing it themselves, their souls would likely crack and suffer catastrophic injuries in a single encounter!

"Ah—!!!"

Caught off guard, Old Demon Yun Huan felt as though his head had been brutally smashed by an invisible sledgehammer, followed immediately by countless fine needles repeatedly piercing and churning inside!

His face instantly twisted to the extreme. His eyes bulged out, covered in blood vessels.

Dark red blood oozed simultaneously from the corners of his eyes, ears, nostrils, and the corners of his mouth, making him look tragically horrifying.

Clapping his hands tightly over his head, he let out agonizing roars. The protective demonic light surrounding his body flickered violently before thoroughly collapsing.

His body tottered in mid-air, his soul fluctuating violently like a dying candle in the wind, as if it might extinguish at any second.

However, this old demon's willpower was surprisingly resolute.

Under such a terrifying soul impact, he actually managed to maintain a sliver of clarity in his mind, preventing a complete breakdown and loss of consciousness.

Right at this moment.

A cold glint flashed across Xu Chuan's eyes. His vast, ocean-like divine sense suddenly condensed into a sharp needle, sinking directly into the demon's sea of consciousness and shattering his final defenses.

"Ugh..."

Old Demon Yun Huan's body stiffened abruptly, and his pupils instantly dilated.

After thoroughly losing consciousness, his body went limp and plummeted downward.

Raising a hand, Xu Chuan shifted the demon's body over to him. Tapping with his fingertips, streaks of azure light shot into the acupoints all over the demon's body.

Finally, he formed a hand seal and pressed it against the demon's Dantian.

In the blink of an eye, Old Demon Yun Huan's Dantian was sealed tight.

Following that.

Xu Chuan spread the five fingers of his right hand and gently pressed them onto the crown of Old Demon Yun Huan's head. Faint light circulated in his palm as he prepared to cast a soul-searching secret art.

But a moment later.

Xu Chuan frowned slightly and stopped his movements.

He sensed an extremely complex and sinister soul restriction deeply entrenched within the opponent's sea of consciousness.

If he forcefully broke through it to search the soul, not only would it be difficult to obtain complete information, but he would also immediately trigger the restriction, causing the opponent's soul to collapse and scatter into nothingness.

"It seems the Harmonious Joy Sect is a Nascent Soul-tier power. I just wonder if there is a Grand Cultivator presiding over it!"

Xu Chuan murmured to himself in a low voice and withdrew his hand.

Such restrictions were not uncommon among the disciples of sects and aristocratic families.

They were designed to prevent core secrets from leaking and to stop enemies from searching their souls.

The members of the Xu Clan and the disciples they had recruited also cultivated similar secret methods.

He made no further attempts and simply waved his hand.

He recalled the five vicious blood corpses back into the Yin Corpse Pouch.

Forming a simple hand seal, the Blood Fiend Ghost King and the sky full of yin souls turned into billowing black smoke. Like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, they merged into that massive Soul-Gathering Banner.

The spiritual light on the Soul-Gathering Banner receded, shrinking back to about a foot in length before sinking into the spatial ring on Xu Chuan's hand.

After finishing all of this.

Only then did Xu Chuan grab the unconscious Old Demon Yun Huan—whose cultivation was fully sealed—turn into an azure streak of light, and return to where Xu Mingxuan and Xu Dewen were waiting.

They landed in the forest below.

Xu Chuan shrank the range of the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array to roughly half a kilometer.

This was to prevent any passing Golden Core demonic cultivators from noticing anything amiss.

Not long after.

Old Demon Yun Huan groggily woke up.

The instant his consciousness returned, he noticed a violent, stabbing pain and a profound emptiness radiating from the depths of his soul.

He was even more horrified to discover that his Dantian was sealed. His once-vigorous magical power was completely gone, leaving him like a crippled mortal!

He snapped his eyes open, his gaze sweeping over the trio of Xu Chuan, Xu Mingxuan, and Xu Dewen who surrounded him, a mixture of shock and rage in his eyes.

"Who... just who are you people?!"

He asked hoarsely, his voice raspy and trembling due to the severe trauma to his soul.

Soon after, a flash of insight struck his mind, and he blurted out in disbelief, "You're related to this guy?! Could it be that you are also prisoners of this Land of Imprisonment?!"

This thought felt absurd even to himself, but the reality before his eyes left him with no other logical conclusion.

"But how is that possible?! The spiritual qi in this place is barren, and inheritances above the Golden Core stage are extremely rare! The living beings here are all meant to be sacrifices.

How could figures like you possibly be born here?!"

"Prisoners? I suppose that's fitting," Xu Chuan said nonchalantly. "Since I can't search your soul, there's no use keeping you alive."

"Whatever you want to know, I can tell you! I can even serve as your servant!"

In the face of life and death, Old Demon Yun Huan discarded all his pride, entirely devoid of the aggressive and overbearing attitude he displayed when facing Xu Dewen.

Xu Chuan looked at him with indifferent eyes. He raised his hand, just about to strike.

"Grandfather, wait a moment. I can devour his soul, which might allow us to learn his life's memories."

Xu Chuan looked at Xu Dewen, his eyes lighting up.

Right!

The "Heavenly Fiend Soul Devour" possessed the domineering ability to consume another's soul origin and strengthen one's own foundation. Extracting memories was merely a supplementary effect.

Since this was not a soul-searching secret method, there was a high probability that it wouldn't trigger the soul restriction.

"Excellent!"

Xu Chuan nodded, no longer hesitating.

He formed his right hand into a claw and suspended it over the top of the collapsed Old Demon Yun Huan's head.

A dark green spiritual light flickered in his palm, and a profound, tyrannical suction force suddenly erupted!

"Urgh ah—!"

Old Demon Yun Huan let out a brief, agonizing scream. His body convulsed violently, thrashing a few times like a fish out of water.

Soon after, he went completely limp. His eyes rapidly dulled into an ashen grey, bereft of the slightest hint of vitality.

A ball of soul light, roughly the size of a fist, materialized and floated above Xu Chuan's palm.

Within the ball of light, one could vaguely see the struggling, roaring soul of Old Demon Yun Huan.

Xu Chuan's expression remained calm.

It was as though what he held in his hand was just an ordinary object.

With a gentle flick of his wrist, he passed this cluster of soul over to Xu Dewen.

The blood fiend energy flashed momentarily in Xu Dewen's eyes. Without any hesitation or discomfort, he took a step forward, opened his mouth, and inhaled deeply!

The ball of soul light turned into a flowing streak, shooting straight into his mouth.

He then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.

A dark and gloomy fiendish aura began to diffuse around his body, and a faint blue light continuously flickered at the center of his brow.

Standing to the side, Xu Mingxuan felt a slight jolt in his heart.

It was his first time ever seeing someone consume a cultivator's soul raw.

And to think, this person was the nephew he had watched grow up.

However, despite his shock, Xu Mingxuan did not utter a word.

He merely stood quietly on the side, silently acting as a protector while staying alert to the surroundings, thinking to himself, 'It seems this is the innate talent Father bestowed upon Dewen.

Swallowing souls raw is undoubtedly an act of the Demonic Dao.

If he were discovered doing this in Dongxi, he would certainly be treated as an anomaly.

Given his condition, it is indeed better for him to be out here than within the clan.'

Time ticked by slowly.

In the mountain forest, only the rustling of leaves blowing in the wind and the increasingly powerful soul fluctuations surrounding Xu Dewen could be heard.

If not for the grand array protecting them.

These soul fluctuations would likely be detected by Golden Core cultivators dozens or even fifty kilometers away.

Over two hours later.

The surging, gloomy fiendish aura around his body slowly receded, and the flickering light at his brow completely settled.

Xu Dewen suddenly opened his eyes!

His originally profound eyes now appeared even darker. It was as if swirling vortices were turning deep within his pupils. The divine sense that seeped from his body was actually more tyrannical and condensed than before by more than just a notch!

Sensing it carefully, his divine sense strength had shockingly leaped from the level of a newly advanced early Golden Core all the way up to a tier comparable to the peak of the early Golden Core stage!

It even faintly brushed against the threshold of the mid-stage Golden Core!

Old Demon Yun Huan's robust late-stage Golden Core soul origin was practically an absolute tonic for him.

He stood up straight, cupped his hands toward Xu Chuan, and said, "Grandfather."

"Your divine sense has strengthened significantly," Xu Chuan said with a faint smile. "But you must not wallow in this. Once your disposition is affected, you may no longer be yourself."

"Your grandson understands."

A surge of vigilance rose in Xu Dewen's heart. The thrill of devouring the soul just now had been intoxicating.

Thinking back on it now, cold sweat broke out.

If he genuinely lost his mind to this, there might come a day when he would extend his demonic claws toward his own clan members.

"Thank you for the reminder, Grandfather. Unless it is absolutely necessary, your grandson will not use it lightly."

"Mm, as long as you understand the severity in your heart, that is enough. Tell me, what information did you obtain from this man's memories?"

"What would Grandfather like to know?"

"His origins, background, the distribution of powers in the Blackwater Region, its experts, and things of that nature."

"His name is Yun Huan, though he goes by the moniker Old Demon Yun Huan. He is one of the elders of the Harmonious Joy Sect, which is an overlord-tier faction in the Blackwater Region.

It is guarded by more than one Great Nascent Soul Cultivator.

Those who practice the demonic arts of joyous union in the Blackwater Region are led by the Harmonious Joy Sect.

Rumor has it that its founder acquired the inheritance of the ancient Harmonious Joy Sect, which led to its establishment.

Unlike the Heavenly South, which is divided into five great regions, the Blackwater Region is governed piece by piece, with individual factions ruling their own territories.

Of course, depending on their strength, the size of the territories they occupy varies.

On the surface, they do not violate each other's borders, but in reality, there are frequent trades of human resources."

"Trades of human resources?" Xu Mingxuan asked in surprise.

Xu Dewen explained, "For example, handsome men and beautiful women are sold to sects that practice the Joyous Union Dao. Others are sent to the Heavenly Fiend Sect to slaughter one another as a method for selecting disciples.

Human vital energy, pure yang, pure yin, essence blood, souls, and corpses—all of these are simply expendable materials to the demonic sects of the Blackwater Region.

But precisely because of such a treacherous living environment, those able to stand out from the crowd are mostly extraordinary individuals."

"Why does that sound so familiar?" Xu Mingxuan couldn't help but turn to look at Xu Chuan.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Xu Mingxuan immediately felt awkward, thinking to himself, 'When our Xu Clan kills an enemy, we spare nothing—not their corpses, essence blood, or souls.

Although we don't have methods to drain a person's vital energy, pure yang, or pure yin...

It really feels like our Xu Clan is incredibly similar to the demonic powers of the Blackwater Region.'

'No, no, that's not right! Our Xu Clan never murders the innocent. We only stain our hands with the blood of our enemies. Against them, no method is too ruthless!'

Xu Mingxuan immediately defended his Xu Clan in his mind.

'Our Xu Clan could absolutely never be a Demonic Dao family!'

"Tell me about the top-tier Nascent Soul powers," Xu Chuan prompted.

"Yes, Grandfather," Xu Dewen continued. "There are a total of four top-tier Nascent Soul powers in the Blackwater Region: the Harmonious Joy Sect, the Heavenly Ghost Sect, the Heavenly Fiend Sect, and the Corpse Yin Sect.

The Blood Demon Grotto, the Overbearing Saber Sect, the Puppet Taming Sect, and the Profound Yin Mountain also have Grand Cultivators presiding over them.

However, compared to the four top factions, their heritage falls short by quite a margin."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Are there any factions related to true demons?"

"Yes, the True Demon Palace," Xu Dewen replied. "However, Old Demon Yun Huan's memories only contain its name. Where is their territory? What is their heritage? Both remain completely unknown.

The only thing known to be connected to them is the True Demon Family.

Rumor has it that this faction was formed by the descendants of Ancient True Demons interbreeding with the human race.

It seems that the True Demon Family is second only to super factions like the Harmonious Joy Sect and the Heavenly Ghost Sect in the Blackwater Region."

"Is there any information regarding Divine Transformation powers?"

Xu Dewen shook his head.