Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

Chapter 249: Chapter 223: Foreshadowing 2

"Watch yourself, Daoist!"

With that, he prepared to leap away.

"Did I say you could leave?" Zhu Ju’s eyes gleamed as two inch-long glints of light appeared between his brows, aimed straight at Sunx Jiu.

Soul-Stabilizing and Soul-Slaying Divine Light!

His Divine Soul Power, a notch above that of a typical Early Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator, transformed into two blades of light that slashed out.

’What is this?’

Sunx Jiu’s heart lurched. He instinctively gathered his power, only to feel an excruciating pain erupt from All Over the Body.

The divine light was meant to only strike the Primordial Spirit.

But in this world, Martial Artists achieved a Unity of Spirit and Body. Thus, the divine light’s power slammed directly into his Physical Body, surging toward his organs, limbs, and bones.

The savage power rampaged wildly within him.

"ARGH!"

Like a balloon being overinflated, Sunx Jiu’s body swelled at a visible rate before exploding entirely.

SPLAT!

Flesh and blood flew everywhere.

"AHH!"

The scene made Xiaocui shriek, her hands flying to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, fixed on Zhu Ju in horror.

’Dead?’

’Sunx Jiu is dead!’

’Killed with a single glare!’

’How is that possible?’

’Sunx Jiu was a First-Grade Grandmaster! His lineage might have been mediocre, making him one of the weaker practitioners of the Middle First Grade...’

’...but still,’

’...he was First Grade!’

"Old Huang."

"Here."

A figure appeared silently in the hall. It was none other than the gatekeeper, Old Huang.

"Clean this up."

Zhu Ju waved his Duster and cast a Cleaning Spell. The splattered blood began to pool and flow out of the hall on its own.

In a few moments,

all that remained in the hall was a pile of fleshy pulp.

"Yes."

Old Huang’s cheek twitched. He had always known the Temple Master possessed great power, but what he witnessed today was far beyond anything he had ever imagined.

’The Temple Master...’

’What Realm is he truly in?’

"This Unity of Spirit and Body is truly troublesome," Zhu Ju mused with a soft sigh.

"When the Primordial Spirit is so deeply connected to the Physical Body, even a Divine Soul Secret Technique becomes a brute-force attack. With his body in this state, there’s no way to interrogate him."

He turned to face Xiaocui. With a gentle wave of his long sleeve, a human-skin mask was peeled from her face.

"Who are you, really?"

Her concealment techniques were no match for him, of course, but he had to admit the delicate features beneath the mask were a pleasant surprise.

......

The grand hall was brightly lit.

’Xiaocui’ knelt on the floor, her face pale with trepidation.

"I... I am Li Ningxue, the Saintess’s body double."

"Body double?" Zhu Ju frowned.

"Twin sisters?"

"Yes." The woman—who had called herself ’Xiaocui’ but was actually Li Ningxue—knelt on the floor and nodded obediently.

"I am the twin sister of the Ningzhen Saintess. We’re identical, so I can act as her stand-in at critical moments."

"Just like today."

Sunx Jiu had been hunting the heavily wounded Saintess, ’Li Ningzhen’, but he had found her double instead.

"Senior."

Li Ningxue’s body trembled.

"I’m not lying, I swear I’m not!"

Sunx Jiu’s death had terrified her, but not enough to overcome the fear of the Demon Sect that had been drilled into her for years.

Unfortunately for her, when Zhu Ju’s gaze fell upon her, Li Ningxue found herself involuntarily recalling memories from her past.

It was like...

...it was as if an invisible hand were reaching into her mind, rifling through her private thoughts.

Whenever he asked a question, the slightest hesitation would send a searing pain through her mind.

’What kind of technique is this?’

’He’s a Demon!’

And it wasn’t just that.

Li Ningxue discovered that she seemed to be ’falling in love’ with Zhu Ju.

Though they had just met and she was terrified of him, a strange ’affection’ began to bloom uncontrollably in her heart.

Because of the Unity of Spirit and Body, her body instinctively yearned to be closer to Zhu Ju, to smell the Daoist’s scent.

This feeling...

Shame, anger, terror.

The Daoist merely had to smile, and it was as if he had plucked her heartstrings, leaving her utterly intoxicated.

’A Bewitching Technique!’

As a Demoness of the Demon Sect, Li Ningxue naturally knew of Bewitching Techniques. She had even studied a similar Cultivation Technique herself to charm a Prince.

But the Bewitching Technique Zhu Ju was using could directly manipulate a person’s consciousness. It was simply unbelievable.

’What if he makes me sleep with him?’

At this thought, Li Ningxue felt her breath quicken, her face flush with heat, and her whole body go limp and weak.

’This devil...’

"So, what you’re saying is, unless one is the designated heir to the Demon Sect’s Leader, they can’t hope to learn the Celestial Intent Divine Skill?"

"...Yes." Li Ningxue suppressed her feeling of shame, turning away slightly as she nodded, unable to meet Zhu Ju’s gaze.

"However, the current Sect Leader is in his prime and has no plans to choose a successor yet. He is simply letting the Saintess and Saint Heir compete to prove their worth. In another ten years or so, he will see who is the most outstanding and bestow the Celestial Intent Divine Skill upon them."

"Ten years or so..." Zhu Ju murmured thoughtfully.

"That’s not too long."

"Li Ningxue."

He retracted the Joyful Sect’s Magic and looked her straight in the eye.

"Have you ever thought about becoming the Demon Sect’s Leader?"

"Huh?" Li Ningxue stared, stunned.

"Me?"

"Correct." Zhu Ju’s expression was calm.

"Do you want the position?"

"I... I’m just an insignificant disciple of the Demon Sect. I’m not the Saintess, just her double," Li Ningxue stammered.

"My... my talent for martial arts is also poor..."

"I’m only asking you one thing: do you want to be the Sect Leader of the Demon Sect?" Zhu Ju cut her off.

"If you want it, I can help you."

"..." Li Ningxue raised her head, her eyes meeting Zhu Ju’s. The panic and confusion in her gaze slowly gave way to a burgeoning desire, one so strong that it momentarily overpowered the Bewitching Technique. She bit her lip and nodded emphatically.

"I want it!"

"If Senior can help me ascend to the position of the Demon Sect’s Leader, then... I am willing to offer the Celestial Intent Divine Skill to Senior."

"Haha..." Zhu Ju roared with laughter.

"Excellent!"

"But before that, I need to place something in you."

SWOOSH!

He shot out his hand. An Invisible Power pulled Li Ningxue toward him, and his fingers clamped down on the crown of her head.

Forget Love Celestial Book!

Demon Seed!

With a flash in his eyes, a conceptual seed sank into Li Ningxue’s Sea of Consciousness, manifesting as an inconspicuous dark mole hidden within her thick black hair.

This was another technique from the Joyful Sect, a simplified version of the Yin Yang Seed, meant to ensure the subject’s loyalty.

*

*

*

A thousand miles of yellow clouds dimmed the day, as the north wind drove wild geese through swirling snow.

"It’s snowing."

Zhu Ju reached out, catching a few snowflakes in his palm. His eyes held a hint of confusion.

"The East Sea has a winter?"

"Of course not." The Drunken Daoist let out a boozy hiccup and explained,

"The region we’re passing through is called the ’Ice and Snow Domain.’ It’s a peculiar part of the East Sea, perpetually covered in snow and ice for thousands of miles. Yunjing Island has to smash through the ice sheets to proceed. If it weren’t a necessary part of the journey, the Commerce Association would never come this way."

"By the way."

"Did you read the invitation from Fellow Daoist Guu?"

"Read it," Zhu Ju nodded.

"Exploring some ruins. A dozen or so Dao Foundation Cultivators from the Commerce Association are going. It promises that the expedition will yield significant rewards."

"Indeed," the Drunken Daoist chuckled.

"Are you going?"

"I’m not," Zhu Ju shook his head.

"I only recently advanced to the Dao Foundation realm and still need to stabilize my Cultivation. This is no time for me to go looking for trouble."

"Worried about danger?" the Drunken Daoist laughed.

"Who would bother targeting you for the few scraps you’re carrying?"

It was true.

Zhu Ju had only been a Dao Foundation Cultivator for a few years, so his assets weren’t much greater than those of an ordinary Nine Acupoints Innate cultivator.

In theory, he shouldn’t attract any unwanted attention.

The reality, however, was quite different.

Zhu Ju possessed quite a few treasures. Not only did he have the Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Cross and Vertical Saber, but his Wind and Thunder Blade Wings were a Magical Treasure Embryo. With a few more years of nurturing, it would become a true Magical Treasure. On top of all that, he ran two shops that brought in a handsome income.

Thinking of his shops, Zhu Ju let out a soft sigh.

"Human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant."