Elian's gaze turned cold upon hearing the words, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Having cultivated to his current level, even Purple Mansion cultivators treated him as an equal. This was the first time someone dared to threaten him so blatantly.
Across the nations of Ji Continent, Purple Mansion cultivators were considered high-level combatants wherever they went, and even Golden Core clans had to show them respect.
Although Deng Yuanwu relied on the backing of a Golden Core clan, he had yet to achieve the Purple Mansion stage. If he provoked a fearless Purple Mansion cultivator, his life could easily be forfeit.
For someone at the Purple Mansion stage, it wouldn't be hard to find another backer, or at worst, relocate far from Yan Kingdom.
Elian, being an outsider to Yan Kingdom, inherently represented the type of individual who wasn't intimidated by local powers. Deng Yuanwu's arrogance in threatening him was ultimately due to overconfidence—growing up in a sheltered environment without facing harsh realities.
Recognizing that Deng Yuanwu belonged to the powerful Deng Clan, Elian suppressed his killing intent and calmly said, "I advise you not to make a mistake."
Without further engagement, he turned and left with Yaya.
Deng Yuanwu's face turned ashen with rage, his expression icy as he considered attacking. However, the Deng Clan cultivator beside him stopped him.
"Yuanwu, this is Thousand Star Island," the companion said.
"This land is under the Yan Kingdom Cultivator Alliance. Acting here would bring trouble."
Deng Yuanwu's expression shifted, understanding the implications. The Yan Kingdom Cultivator Alliance was a coalition of two Golden Core clans and over twenty Purple Mansion clans. Though loosely organized, it was still more powerful than the Deng Clan.
If he started a fight within the marketplace of Thousand Star Island, the alliance wouldn't show his family any leniency.
The other Deng cultivator, though puzzled, understood that Deng Yuanwu wouldn't provoke someone without reason and asked, "Did you notice something about them?"
"That girl has an Ice Spirit Root," Deng Yuanwu replied gravely.
Deng Yuanwu had cultivated a rare divine ability, the Jade Spirit Eye, an auxiliary ability allowing him to observe the bone structure and aptitude of cultivators. It could also penetrate illusions, arrays, and see through the nature of opponents' techniques, granting a significant advantage in battle.
Eye-based divine techniques were incredibly rare. In Chu Kingdom, apart from the Tianxu Mountain lineage under Jiang Linglong, even the three great Golden Core sects lacked similar inheritances. Elian hadn't expected to encounter such a coincidence here.
With one glance, Deng Yuanwu had seen through Yaya's Spirit Root, igniting his malicious intentions.
"An Ice Spirit Root virgin. If I capture her and have her practice furnace cultivation techniques, once she reaches the late Purple Mansion stage, harvesting her could boost my chances of breaking through to the Golden Core stage by one or two percent."
Deng Yuanwu's gaze darkened as he watched Elian and Yaya leave.
"This girl is vital to my path. I must have her."
"Ice Spirit Root…" The other Deng cultivator frowned slightly but nodded. After a pause, he advised, "That person recently exchanged a third-rank treasure for a Water Element Crystal. He may have a significant background."
"Additionally, his aura was sharp and extraordinary—he's likely not an easy target. You may not be able to kill him."
"Whoever stands in my way must die," Deng Yuanwu said coldly. His arrogance and ferocity were evident, his face twisted with determination.
Elian's aura indicated he was an outstanding Foundation Establishment cultivator. Normally, Deng Yuanwu wouldn't provoke someone of that level, but opportunities in cultivation were too crucial.
Advancing in cultivation required countless resources, and conflicts over opportunities were inevitable. At higher levels, few cultivators could claim to have no enemies.
While some crossed moral lines, practicing furnace or even demonic cultivation, others maintained their humanity and ethical boundaries.
Deng Yuanwu, backed by the Golden Core Deng Clan, had practiced furnace cultivation techniques for years, fully entering the realm of heretical cultivation. Such techniques often introduced negative energies into the cultivator's mind, influencing their behavior.
Practitioners of heretical paths tended to be obstinate and reckless, frequently offending others with their brazen actions. This was the price of shortcuts in cultivation. Without sufficient backing, heretical cultivators who provoked the wrong people often ended up slain as demonic threats.
This was why heretical cultivators, despite their rapid progress, were often scorned by orthodox cultivators. They rarely overcame their internal demons, remaining mired in their flaws and barred from higher enlightenment.
Throughout recorded history in the Purple Cloud Realm, fewer than ten demonic cultivators had transcended their inner demons and ascended as true Demon Lords. Most of those had originally been renowned Dao Lords who succumbed to obsession and fell into demonic paths.
Deng Yuanwu, born with three spirit roots and thus mediocre aptitude, had resorted to furnace cultivation techniques to bolster his progress. Yet over time, the resentment and negativity in the stolen essence of his victims seeped into his psyche, warping his personality into one of increasing extremism and arrogance—bordering on madness.
Now blinded by greed and malice, Deng Yuanwu was beyond persuasion.
"I will have that girl at all costs. Elder Brother, your tracking abilities are exceptional. Assist me in this."
"Fine," the other Deng cultivator said with a sigh, knowing he couldn't dissuade Deng Yuanwu.
"Give me a few days to investigate his background."
Back at his cave, Elian soon received news that Wei Xuyuan had emerged from seclusion.
However, Wei Xuyuan's appearance shocked Elian. His once vibrant visage was now gaunt, his long hair had turned completely white, and he appeared aged far beyond his years.
Seeing him in this state, Elian's heart sank.
"Wei, what happened?"
Wei Xuyuan sighed heavily, his face full of regret and bitterness.
"My attempt to break through to the Purple Mansion stage… ended in failure."
He now looked frail, his once-straight posture bent as though carrying an unbearable burden.
"I gave it my all," Wei Xuyuan said with a mournful expression.
"I even burned my life essence in the final moments, pushing through nine-tenths of the Purple Mansion Dao Veins. But in the end, I fell short."
At 180 years old, Wei Xuyuan's vitality was already waning. If he had been ten years younger, burning his life essence might have allowed him to overcome the final barrier. But now, his failure meant not only severe damage to his life essence but also a reduction in his lifespan by four or five years—a devastating price to pay.
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