Shadow Serpent Pavilion's main altar, hidden deep underground in a dark palace complex of unknown depth. At its core was not an ordinary hall but a massive altar constructed from countless bones and resentful soul crystals. Above the altar floated a mass of constantly twisting, rolling dense black gas, emitting an evil and corrupt aura that made souls tremble. This was the remnant soul of the demon head sealed here—though far from recovered, its existence itself was the source of Shadow Serpent Pavilion's power and the totem of their faith.
Below the altar, a figure wearing elaborate black robes with his face hidden in a hood's shadow stood bowing—this was the current Shadow Serpent Pavilion Master. In his hands, he held a bone tablet that had just been transmitted through special channels, upon which ghostly light flickered—precisely the intelligence sent back by Auntie Su (Dark Moon Envoy).
"Qingxu Temple... Tang Xiaoqi... suspected Xu family orphan... purification technique..."
The Pavilion Master's low, hoarse voice echoed in the spacious altar hall, carrying a trace of barely contained excitement and greed. He carefully presented the bone tablet, respectfully saying to that mass of rolling black gas: "Demon Lord, Dark Moon sends word that the Xu family's escaped fry might have been found."
The demonic energy above the altar suddenly stagnated, then surged even more violently, like a startled ferocious beast. A massive and chaotic will swept over the bone tablet, carrying endless resentment and a trace of... fear?
"Pur...ification..." a broken, intermittent, hoarse voice as if from the nine hells directly rang in the Pavilion Master's mind, full of violence and desire, "The Xu family's... bloodline... that nauseating aura... indeed not yet extinguished..."
The demonic energy's fluctuations became even more unstable, wisps of black air spreading like tentacles in all directions, causing the bones below the altar to creak unbearably. Back then, when it plotted the extermination of Xulan Mountain Villa, the main target was to seize the "Source of Purification" passed down through generations of the Xu family—that was power sufficient to threaten its origin, even possibly completely purifying it. Unfortunately, it failed in the end, not only failing to obtain the complete Source of Purification, but also suffering heavy damage itself from Xu Zhan's final counterattack and sealing.
Now, sensing that power might appear again, and in a youth with low cultivation, how could it not be both hateful and joyful?
"Confirm him!" The demon head's will carried an unquestionable command. "At all costs... confirm his identity... seize the Source of Purification... if not... then destroy him!"
"Following the Demon Lord's decree!" The Shadow Serpent Pavilion Master deeply bowed his head, his face beneath the hood revealing a look interweaving fanaticism and cruelty. The Xu family's Source of Purification was not only key to the Demon Lord's recovery. If controlled by Shadow Serpent Pavilion, it would also be a supreme weapon against the righteous path, even for unifying the demonic path.
"Pass down the order," the Pavilion Master straightened, his voice returning to cold gloom and authority as he gave orders to the empty great hall, yet his voice seemed able to transmit to every corner. "Strengthen surveillance of Qingxu Temple, focusing on that disciple named Tang Xiaoqi. Mobilize the 'Dark Spiders' ' power, infiltrate. I want to know everything about him—his cultivation progress, his interpersonal relationships, his daily habits, especially... the detailed situation of his purification technique!"
"Yes!" Several faint responses came from the void, carrying ghostly chill.
"Notify Dark Moon to wait for an opportunity to approach and further confirm. But tell her, without my order, she must not act on her own and alert the enemy." The Pavilion Master added. For this capable yet hard-to-fathom Silver-Masked Envoy, he always retained a measure of wariness.
Invisible commands, like stones thrown into a calm lake, set off layers of ripples, rapidly spreading toward Qingxu Temple and its surrounding regions through Shadow Serpent Pavilion's hidden channels.
At the same time, far away in the back mountain of Qingxu Temple, at that forbidden place said to be where a predecessor had perished, deep in an ancient cave dwelling. Here, spiritual energy was disordered, space itself seeming somewhat twisted—ordinary disciples wouldn't dare approach.
In the deepest darkness, inside a seemingly ordinary, moss-covered giant boulder, an extremely thin, almost fused with the rock itself, trace of black mist, slightly wriggled. This remnant demonic energy had lurked here for who knows how many years, so faint that even Qingxu Temple's Nascent Soul cultivators could hardly detect it.
Just as the demon head's remnant soul at Shadow Serpent Pavilion's main altar violently fluctuated from sensing the Source of Purification, this lurking demonic energy, as if pulled by some distant, same-source power, also produced an extremely minute resonance. Like a dormant venomous snake disturbed, it quietly woke a trace of hunting instinct. It instinctively emitted a thread of almost imperceptible fluctuation carrying spying intent toward a certain direction—precisely the mountain slope area where Tang Xiaoqi lived—but then quickly went silent again, merging back with the rock as if nothing had happened.
Inside Qingxu Temple, all remained peaceful.
Tang Xiaoqi remained unaware of the surging undercurrents from the outside world. After formally becoming a disciple, his master's guidance toward him clearly became much more attentive. Not only did he explain in detail the cultivation essentials of the "Everlasting Spring Art," emphasizing that this technique focused on "nurturing" and "life," slow initial progress being normal, one must not be anxious, and must solidify the foundation well, he also bestowed some pills to assist cultivation and warm the meridians.
During the day, Xiaoqi meditated and cultivated qi on the platform outside his master's cave dwelling, feeling the "Everlasting Spring Art's" balanced, gentle, continuously existing spiritual power slowly flowing through his meridians, nourishing his physical body and spirit. Though spiritual power growth was indeed slow as the technique described, he could clearly feel his foundation bit by bit becoming more solid, and his meridians seemed to have become more flexible and broad. During cultivation, the jade pendant on his chest would emit more obvious warmth, complementing the Everlasting Spring Art's life-force spiritual power, making his cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.
At night, he returned to his own little courtyard. While using that frying pan to make himself some simple food (occasionally also leaving a portion for that rabbit spirit who would somehow slip over again), he studied that "Miscellaneous Discussions on Artifact Refining—On the Hypothesis of 'Heart-Refining.'" The unconstrained conjectures in the book greatly opened his eyes. Though many parts were obscure and difficult, combining them with the subtle connection between himself and the frying pan, he somehow gained some understanding. He began trying, during cultivation breaks, to divert a thread of mind and gentle Everlasting Spring Art spiritual power, slowly channeling into the frying pan, conducting the most preliminary "warming and nourishing."
Days seemed to return to before the secret realm—peaceful and fulfilling. But Xiaoqi still keenly sensed some differences.
Occasionally when walking on the mountain paths, going to the Merit Hall to exchange contribution points for pills, he would feel some faint, probing gazes from unfamiliar disciples. Those gazes no longer held just curiosity but seemed mixed with something else, more complex. Once, when collecting ordinary medicinal herbs in the back mountain, he vaguely felt someone was spying from afar, but when he alertly looked back, he only saw swaying tree shadows and empty mountain forests.
"Am I overthinking?" Xiaoqi frowned, attributing this feeling to his having become somewhat sensitive from exposing the purification technique. He remembered his master's warning well, becoming even more low-key. Aside from necessary cultivation and going to his master's, he almost never went out, also never mentioning any topics related to the purification technique.
However, the tree might wish to be still, but the wind wouldn't cease.
One day, just after finishing cultivation at his master's cave dwelling, on the way back to his little courtyard, at a secluded turn halfway up the mountain, three unfamiliar outer court disciples blocked his path. These three all had middle to late Qi Refining cultivation, their expressions arrogant, their eyes unkind.
"You're Tang Xiaoqi?" The leader, a tall, thin man, looked sideways at Xiaoqi, his tone frivolous.
Xiaoqi stopped, alert in his heart but showing nothing on his face: "What do you need, Senior Brothers?"
"Heard you had dog-shit luck in the secret realm and got quite a few contribution points?" Another grinned, his gaze sweeping over the storage bag at Xiaoqi's waist. "We brothers are short on funds lately—lend us some to spend?"
Xiaoqi's heart sank. Were they here to cause trouble? Or... simple extortion?
He didn't want trouble, trying to speak peacefully: "The contribution points were bestowed by the sect. This disciple needs them to exchange for cultivation resources—afraid I can't lend them out."
"Hmph, refusing a toast only to drink a penalty!" The tall, thin disciple's face darkened. "Don't think knowing some crooked techniques makes you something special! Today, these contribution points—you'll lend them whether you want to or not!"
Saying this, the three positioned themselves in a triangular formation, surrounding him, their spiritual power faintly fluctuating, clearly intending to use force.
Xiaoqi's eyes grew cold. He didn't want trouble, but that absolutely didn't mean he feared it. The Everlasting Spring Art's spiritual power slowly circulated within him. Though not skilled in attack, combined with his now much more solid foundation, he might not be without fighting power. He secretly gripped a low-grade "Repulsion Talisman" his master had given him for self-defense.
Just as the atmosphere became tense, a cold voice suddenly rang out:
"What are you doing?"
Everyone turned to see Third Senior Sister had appeared at some point not far away, arms crossed, coldly watching them. The Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure emanating from her made the three outer court disciples' faces instantly pale.
"Third... Third Senior Sister..." The tall, thin disciple stammered, cold sweat streaming.
"Get lost." Third Senior Sister only uttered one word.
Those three, as if granted amnesty, ran scrambling, not daring to look back.
"Xiaoqi, are you alright?" Third Senior Sister walked to Xiaoqi's side, asking with concern.
"I'm fine, thanks to Third Senior Sister for the rescue." Xiaoqi let out a breath, his heart warmed.
"These guys, definitely seeing you're in the spotlight now and got contribution points, want to take advantage." Third Senior Sister pursed her lips. "Be more careful in the future. If you encounter this kind of thing, just use my name, or go find the law enforcement disciples."
"Mm, I understand." Xiaoqi nodded.
Third Senior Sister gave a few more reminders, then left. Xiaoqi watched her retreating back, then looked in the direction those three had disappeared, his brows slightly furrowed.
Was it really just simple greed for wealth? Or... beneath this seemingly peaceful Qingxu Temple, had undercurrents already begun surging toward him?
He looked up at the azure sky. The sunlight was bright, but he felt a trace of chill. Clenching his fists, his determination to strive in cultivation grew even stronger. Only with personal strength could one fear no storm.