[At any time, it’s essential to maintain a positive mindset. Even amidst great adversity, one must persevere!]
This was the motto Xiao Yinjian and Ma Jintian set for themselves.
These two unlucky brothers refused to be defeated by setbacks.
They were determined to establish their sect.
And since they had already gained some notoriety, they decided to stay true to themselves.
They wouldn’t change the name of Yellow Springs View.
If people called it a demonic sect, then so be it—after all, they were already walking further down that path.
Bad fame was still fame.
As for the sect's location?
They opted to temporarily leave the central battlegrounds.
After all, neither Ma Jintian nor Xiao Yinjian was particularly strong.
So, they moved to the fringes of the Northern Desolate Continent to establish their sect, hoping that one day they might soar to great heights!
However, there were both advantages and disadvantages to this decision.
The advantage was that the location was so remote...
Within several thousand kilometers, there wasn’t a single righteous sect in sight.
Actually, there wasn’t much of anything—no people, no towns, just a desolate wasteland.
This meant they didn’t need to worry about being pursued by righteous cultivators.
The downside, however, was also due to the location...
It was extremely sparsely populated.
Recruiting disciples for Yellow Springs View became a challenge.
And as for cultivation resources? They were pitifully scarce.
But it’s worth noting...
Occasionally, some demonic heads would join Yellow Springs View.
This only pushed them further down the path of a demonic sect!
But none of that mattered.
The demonic cultivators who came to such a remote place were usually those with nowhere else to go.
Xiao Yinjian and Ma Jintian found them easy to manage.
As the saying goes, “A weak army with a weak commander becomes a cohesive group.”
Under the guidance of Xiao Yinjian and Ma Jintian, though Yellow Springs View was indeed a demonic sect, it never committed senseless atrocities.
They focused on cultivation, keeping to themselves.
This was why Ye Yu’s parents, Ye Jing and Mo Haitang, could cultivate here almost like clockwork.
They had meals provided, accommodations covered, a stipend for cultivation techniques, and no quotas—an absolute paradise for cultivators.
It was perfect!
Originally, everything was going well.
But Xiao Yinjian never expected that his closest brother, Ma Jintian, would pass away, leaving only their sworn oaths behind.
As he recounted this, Xiao Yinjian sobbed like a child.
The pain of losing a close friend poured out all at once!
Ye Yu’s eyes reddened slightly.
He knew that as the current sect master, Xiao Yinjian had to maintain an authoritative demeanor in the hall.
But here and now, this was the real Xiao Yinjian.
Showing his vulnerable side to Ye Yu meant that Xiao Yinjian genuinely considered him one of his own.
In response, Ye Yu could only step forward and gently pat Xiao Yinjian’s back in comfort.
After all, losing a brother is a heartbreak like no other.
At eighteen, Ye Yu successfully advanced to the Golden Core stage.
Over the years, he had obediently followed orders on the surface...
But in secret, he had found the pill hall’s head, Qian Xingwan, and, under the guise of learning alchemy...
He had managed to craft the Nine Heavens Creation Pill himself.
If they wouldn’t give it to him, he’d make it himself—no problem there!
Thanks to this, Ye Yu had managed to reach the Golden Core stage.
But even this pace felt too slow to him.
He wasn’t satisfied.
However, he didn’t want to upset Xiao Yinjian or his parents.
So, he held back and left Yellow Springs View only at eighteen.
Upon leaving, Ye Yu flipped his hand, and a yellowed manual appeared.
Yes, this was the forbidden technique Ma Jintian had risked his life to retrieve.
In the end, Ye Yu had quietly taken it for himself!
Yes, taken it!
It was only natural for a disciple to take their master’s things, wasn’t it?
Even if the master didn’t know, it was still perfectly reasonable!
Two nights later...
In the middle of the Northern Desolate Continent, Ye Yu sat on a tree branch, his face filled with mixed emotions.
Now, he finally understood why Xiao Yinjian had been so adamant about keeping him away from this technique.
It turned out the side effects were truly extreme!
The technique allowed low-level cultivators to reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage at a rapid pace.
But the cost was this: first, this would be their absolute limit.
No matter the opportunity, they would never advance further.
This wasn’t too bad, though.
A cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage was already formidable.
In a major sect, they could even secure an elder’s position.
But the second cost was the truly horrifying one.
Gender swap.
As one’s cultivation advanced, male cultivators would gradually lose... certain parts, and gain others, transforming into female cultivators.
And the same applied to female cultivators—they’d transform into men.
Upon reaching the Nascent Soul peak...
The lost parts would reappear.
Both genders would coexist, with their lifespan drastically reduced to a mere two hundred years!
This technique completely drained the body and altered one’s identity.
No wonder Xiao Yinjian had kept it hidden for six years without releasing it.
It was absolutely appalling!
It was a matter of a man’s dignity!
Ye Yu glanced down at himself, feeling a shiver run down his spine.
This technique was the very embodiment of twisted fate!
But... it would make an excellent punishment.
Now, who would be the unlucky candidate?
Ye Yu rubbed his chin.
He had no intention of experiencing this technique’s effects himself, even for a second.
So, he planned to find an unfortunate soul to use it on...
Just as he was about to go out and search for the right person...
Luck delivered the opportunity straight to him.
A pair, a man and a woman, approached, arm in arm.
The man was of average appearance, while the woman was seductive, though her features carried a certain world-weariness that detracted somewhat.
The two were disciples from the nearby Jade Void Hall.
The man’s name was Jiao Feikuang, and the woman was Xia Mengcai.
Under the cover of night, they had come to this forest to engage in some “friendly competition,” as they called it...
Claiming they wished to “experience the moonlight in nature.”
However, they suddenly noticed Ye Yu’s presence.
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This made Jiao Feikuang rather displeased.
How could there be an outsider watching during a friendly match?
“Get lost! Don’t interfere with this young master’s pleasure!”
Hearing this, Ye Yu couldn’t help but smile.
“Pleasure?”
“Tonight’s pleasure... is best left undone.”
Xia Mengcai looked at Ye Yu’s handsome face, feeling a rush of heat.
If only her partner tonight were this young man instead.
But some things simply weren’t meant to be.
Handsome but poor, wealthy but unattractive, and those who were both wealthy and attractive... well, they were out of her reach!
Xia Mengcai sighed softly.
“Jiao, let’s find somewhere else... This place doesn’t feel comfortable.”
Although impatient, Jiao Feikuang had to placate his partner for a good match, lest it affect their “competition” experience.
He snorted coldly.
“You’re lucky, kid. Don’t let me see you again!”
With that, he turned and left.
Ye Yu, however, calmly took out the forbidden technique.