First, he removed the demonic sect’s Outer Core Golden Pill that had already been refined.
Then, he circulated the Supreme Primordial Scripture to dissolve the demonic roots and reverted to cultivating the original orthodox Daoist method.
Though there was some loss in the process, it was acceptable.
Next, he arranged the Jie Shen Self-Purification Formation to cleanse the strange aura lingering on his body.
After this entire procedure, a true and loyal disciple of the Three Mountains Sect’s Qingyang Sect Master—his sworn son—re-emerged, dignified, handsome, and elegant.
He left the cave abode, now somewhere remote in Central Province.
Over the past ten years, Su Xiaobei had caused no small amount of chaos throughout the Five Domains using the power of the Heaven and Earth Instant Talisman.
He had robbed the West Desert’s Universal Ointment, snatched the Northern Plains’ Khan Order, stolen the Southern Border’s Sky Azure Fruit, pilfered the essence of Scarlet Flame Dragon Blood from the East Sea’s Scarlet Flame Dragon Domain, and even within Central Province, he had siphoned the souls and refined the marrow of several Heavenly Palace prodigies from the Immortal Alliance under the guise of a Youlu Assassin.
With the old ghost from the Soul Prison, a master of defensive divinations, Su Xiaobei had truly offended every well-known power across the Five Domains.
Oh, no, that wasn’t quite right—offending the Five Domains’ forces was Zhou Xuan’s doing. What business did it have with Su Xiaobei?
Su Xiaobei arrived at a Lingfang, exchanged Lingstones, and purchased a large quantity of auxiliary Lingyao.
Then he returned to that remote location, methodically throwing the Lingyao he had gathered over the past few years into the Pill Furnace.
Alchemical refining commenced.
…
“Daoist friend, why has the price of Sky Azure Fruit risen again?”
“Isn’t it because that old demon Zhou destroyed my Bear family’s resource point? It still hasn’t been rebuilt. Annual production is pitifully low, so naturally fewer make it to market. That’s why the price’s gone up.”
“So, can you at least give me a little discount for being a loyal customer?”
“No discount, no discount. Any less and the Bear family’s at a loss…”
After some haggling, Su Xiaobai ultimately bought 500 pieces of Sky Azure Fruit at full price.
At this moment, she was not in Dao Tian but communicating with an outer domain via the Tongyu Spirit Mirror.
Tianxu was vastly different from Dao Tian. It was no longer the empty, chaotic void of Dao Tian; instead, shops stood in rows, crowds bustled, and scenic landscapes were artfully arranged—tall mountains, deep seas, breathtakingly beautiful.
In terms of prosperity, Tianxu far surpassed Dao Tian.
If Dao Tian was a marketplace, Tianxu was a modern, sprawling shopping mall.
Treasures from all over the Five Domains converged here.
Gleaming and dazzling at first glance, the radiant colors of these treasures almost blinded the eyes.
The shouts of vendors never ceased.
“Price’s up again!”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, who is this Zhou Xuan anyway? To have the Five Domains’ forces unite and set prices this high…”
“These resources are so abundant, even a pig could stack them up to make Golden Pills.”
The shouting nearby caught Su Xiaobai’s attention.
She glanced over and saw the bounty order on the Tianxu Zhu Mo Ranking, golden characters twisting and intertwining to form an image.
【Name: Zhou Xuan】
【Cultivation: Late Golden Core or Golden Core Perfection】
【Traits: Extremely skilled in defensive divinations, holds a mysterious Purple-Gold Talisman capable of teleportation, ignoring most formations and even Heaven and Earth’s restrictions; wields a Soul Refining Banner, addicted to soul extraction and marrow refining, possesses various methods, suspected of holding additional trump cards.】
【Former Zhu Mo Ranking: 9th place; Current ranking: 5th place ↑】
【This demonic cultivator is extremely dangerous, suspected to be a remnant of the righteous-evil war decades ago. Anyone who provides valid information will be rewarded with 10,000 Ling Crystals by the Central Immortal Alliance, permitted three picks from the Secret Treasury, and granted access to Changsheng Heaven in the Northern Plains…】
The Zhu Mo Ranking was a product of the Five Domains’ great powers’ total defeat of demonic sect forces, created to eliminate the remaining slightly powerful demonic remnants to prevent their resurgence.
Those listed ranged in cultivation from Foundation Establishment to Yuan Ying.
As for those in the Transformation Divine stage…
Most Transformation Divine cultivators were recruited, a point at which the Immortal Alliance excelled. Rumor had it the current chief of the Alliance’s secret department was once a demonic cultivator at that stage.
“Tsk~”
“A storm is coming.”
Su Xiaobai sighed.
Over the past decade, the entire Changsheng cultivation world had been unstable.
First, remnants of the East Sea’s aquatic race stirred trouble.
The Southern Border’s Blood Cultivators ran rampant.
Then the West Desert’s great families were locked in endless internal strife.
The Northern Plains’ Han Court’s twelve divisions neared the once-in-ten-thousand-years Khan Succession battle to rule Changsheng Heaven.
Each tribe was preparing for war, eager and restless.
Even Central Province had waves of White Bone Yaksha purges, with traitorous cultivators rising one after another, like wildfires that never fully burned out and spring winds that always made new growth bloom.
Carrying her 500 pieces of Sky Azure Fruit, Su Xiaobai exited Tianxu.
She had just paid the teleportation fee when a thought returned to Dao Tian, bringing news—
The little pet was coming back.
Su Xiaobai’s slender fingers gripped her magic tool, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Perfect timing to ask the little pet what it thought of its future wife.
…
Time flew, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
“Disciple pays respects to Master, wishing Master an early breakthrough to Yuan Ying and the hope of longevity.”
“Off exploring another cave abode again, huh.”
Su Xiaobai toyed with a jade bottle in her hand, inside which was the Wanling Pill.
Even through the jade bottle, the surging spiritual power of the pill could be felt, stirring an involuntary craving in her body.
Su Xiaobei obediently responded, then naturally moved behind Su Xiaobai, gently massaging her shoulders while speaking warmly, “Mother, this time I uncovered a Yuan Ying True Monarch’s inheritance cave. Inside, I found this pill—it’s just right to fully restore your Dantian.”
“Tsk~ playing the pitiful card now, huh? Tell me, who in the Five Domains doesn’t know you’re that big demon Zhou?”
“Heh heh heh, shh, don’t talk so much. Just enjoy this scene of filial piety and affection between master and disciple. I’m getting more and more excited to see Su Little Ghost officially become a disciple.”
“Shut up! Demon Lord Su, quickly defeat that girl and imprint the Yuxian Technique on her to turn her into your personal slave, got it!!”
Su Xiaobei’s brow twitched ever so slightly, then he immediately blocked out the voices of the old ghosts in the Soul Prison.
Zhou Xuan was a demon abhorred by all; he admitted that.
But Su Xiaobei only held pure admiration for his master, no thoughts of betraying or destroying her ancestors… well, probably?
Looking at the jade bottle in his hand, Su Xiaobai’s lips twitched as she remarked, “You really do have what it takes to be a Mo Jin Captain.”
“What is Master talking about?”
“Nothing. How long will you stay this time?”
“For a long time. At least a year.”
“That’s perfect. As the saying goes, a man should marry when grown, a woman should take charge when grown. I’ve found a match for you, similar age, similar cultivation, and the father is also a Golden Core True Monarch. In a few months, you’ll go meet them, deepening the relationship between our two sects…”
Before she finished, the hands on her shoulders suddenly squeezed harder.
Su Xiaobai winced in pain and gasped, her features scrunching.
Su Xiaobei snapped back to reality and quickly stopped, apologizing profusely, “Master, sorry, I was distracted.”
Su Xiaobai rubbed her shoulders, annoyed, “You brat, you nearly crushed my shoulder. What kind of luck did you get in physical training? Your strength rivals mine as a Golden Core.”
Su Xiaobei laughed awkwardly before composing himself.
“Mother, please don’t mention marriage arrangements anymore. This disciple is wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao and has no thoughts of marriage for now. Let’s just forget it.”
“Then who was that brat shouting before that he didn’t want to cultivate, had no Daoist ambition, and just wanted to lie down?”
“That was before. I now…”
“Parents’ words and matchmakers’ orders, that’s settled.”
Su Xiaobai cut off any objections with a firm decision.
Su Xiaobei’s gaze darkened, then he cupped his hands, “Even so, disciple takes leave first.”
Without looking back, he turned and left.
Su Xiaobai frowned as she watched his retreating figure.
Is the little pet hitting a rebellious phase? Unhappy about the secret marriage arrangement?
Forget it. Kids in their rebellious phases are always like this.
If necessary, I’ll just give him a good beating.
Having enjoyed the sect’s benefits, there’s no shirking the sect’s duties.
With these thoughts, the Qingyang Sect Master resumed handling today’s official affairs.
Haha, unknowingly pushed her disciple to do it