After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Qin Xuan materialized silently on Yellow Demon Peak, unseen and unheard.
He arrived just in time to see Tang Tianhe locked in a fierce battle with a cyan-robed Daoist.
The cyan-robed Daoist's face was a sickly blue-black, as if afflicted by some pill-related poison. But with his Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, he forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his qi and blood.
He unleashed a flurry of dazzling Magic Talismans, keeping Tang Tianhe entangled in battle.
Tang Tianhe, however, was in much worse shape.
He was at the end of his rope, his body drenched in blood. His skin was charred black from severe flame burns, and he could barely keep a grip on his Lifebound Longsword.
A suspicious look crossed Qin Xuan's face.
'Didn't the Divination say he'd be able to just barely kill his opponent? From the looks of it, Tang Tianhe is about to lose.'
BOOM!
Another Fiery Flame Talisman suddenly exploded.
The powerful shockwave threw Tang Tianhe into the air, and he crashed violently through several ancient trees.
Tang Tianhe's head lolled to one side as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
A smile touched the lips of the cyan-robed Daoist. He hurried over to Tang Tianhe and began patting him down, searching for the antidote to the poison.
But as soon as he lifted Tang Tianhe's black robe...
The small, bulging black bumps under Tang Tianhe's skin suddenly ruptured. Foul-smelling pus and blood splattered everywhere as a dense swarm of Black Poison Worms burst forth.
"You animal! Despicable!" the cyan-robed Daoist shrieked in agony.
The splattering pus, along with the Black Poison Worms, swarmed over the cyan-robed Daoist in an instant, devouring him down to a skeleton.
Then, like a receding tide, they burrowed back into Tang Tianhe's purulent flesh.
It was an absolutely sickening sight.
Watching from the sidelines, Qin Xuan's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
'Damn it, where did this kid learn such a twisted technique? To raise a whole body full of this vile stuff.'
...
Only after confirming that Tang Tianhe was truly unconscious did Qin Xuan slowly approach.
Faintly, a rich, sweet fragrance tickled his nose, causing the Demonic Essence within him to stir. Qin Xuan caught the distinct, fresh scent of a rare plant.
'It's the Ninth-Grade Opportunity!'
He picked up a branch and began poking around the area.
Soon, under the chest of the Cyan Robe Cultivator's skeletal remains, Qin Xuan discovered a miraculous, untouched area. The flesh here was perfectly intact, showing no signs of being eaten by the Black Poison Worms, as if they had intentionally avoided it.
A closer look revealed a dark red branch, about half a foot long, wrapped in a cloth strip and clutched in the Cyan Robe Cultivator's embrace. The edges of its leaves had a metallic sheen, and three dates grew upon it. Each date was half fiery red and half coppery gold.
The rich, herbal fragrance emanated from these golden dates.
Li Fire Golden Dates
Its effects inexplicably appeared in his mind.
"No wonder those Black Poison Worms kept their distance. Turns out, consuming these Li Fire Golden Dates can dispel filth and evil, raising one's yang energy to break through malevolent forces."
Qin Xuan came to a sudden realization.
'If I hadn't come, this prize would have fallen into Tang Tianhe's hands. It would have been the perfect thing to balance the Poisonous Insects inside him.'
"Too bad, it's mine now."
Qin Xuan snatched the Li Fire Golden Dates along with the branch and stuffed them into his robes.
He felt no guilt about it whatsoever. 'This is loot I earned with my own skill. What's it got to do with you, Tang Tianhe?'
He had originally planned to finish off Tang Tianhe and drain his Essence Blood, but the sight of the nauseating pus and the Black Poison Worms immediately killed his appetite. Who the hell knew if that blood was poisoned? He wasn't about to lose a watermelon while picking up a sesame seed.
'Consider these Li Fire Golden Dates payment for your life. We're even.'
Qin Xuan headed down the mountain, feeling quite pleased with himself.
Just then, his Communication Jade Talisman began to pulse with heat.
"Senior Brother Tang... I can't hold on any longer! Help me!"
Hou Qi's urgent, hoarse voice crackled intermittently from the Jade Talisman.
'He's not dead yet?'
Qin Xuan was rather surprised. 'This guy's tenacious!'
'Just what you'd expect from the reincarnation of a Golden Core True Demon!'
'But what the hell does his life or death have to do with me?'
'The enemy is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If I go, I'll just be serving myself up on a platter.'
Qin Xuan was about to turn and leave, but at that exact moment, the massive sphere of light in his mind suddenly flickered. Two Ancient Bamboo Sticks flew out from it.
Top-Top Lottery: Proceed immediately to Celestial Demon Peak. You will encounter Chen Xuanba. Become acquainted with him by humbling yourself and acting subservient. You will obtain a Sixth-Grade Opportunity, gain a powerful backer, and your fortunes will soar. A most auspicious outcome.
Middle-Middle Draw: Return the way you came. No gains, no losses. A neutral outcome.
'There's more treasure?'
'And it's a Sixth-Grade Opportunity!'
Reading the Divination, Qin Xuan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
He immediately rubbed his hands together, buzzing with excitement.
As for the part in the Divination about "humbling yourself and acting subservient," Qin Xuan felt no pressure at all.
'In this goddamn, beastly Demon Sect, the ones who care about saving face are always the first to die!'
'Besides, Chen Xuanba is a Purple Mansion Daoist, while I'm just a Qi Cultivation ant. Trying to act all high and mighty in front of him? That would be genuinely insane.'
After tidying himself up and making it seem as though he'd never been there, he slowly backed away from Yellow Demon Peak and then sped off toward Celestial Demon Peak.
When he arrived at Celestial Demon Peak, the battle had long since ended.
"Senior Brother Hou, I've come to lend you a hand!"
Standing at the foot of Celestial Demon Peak, Qin Xuan shouted righteously.
"The fiend has been dealt with. You're late, kid," Chen Xuanba said. He stood tall, sword in hand, an air of wild arrogance about him. His face, however, was cold as iron, apparently still brooding over Chen Qingjing's recent scheme against him.
Nearby, Hou Qi lay unconscious.
Besides them, there was a fresh skeleton clad in a cyan robe. One could faintly discern the features of a middle-aged man. This must have been the Foundation Establishment spy mentioned in the Divination.
Seeing this, Qin Xuan immediately put on an expression of panic and confusion.
"Fierce Soldier Qin Xuan greets you, Master Demon Child!"
"I was not aware of your presence, Master Demon Child, and failed to receive you. Please forgive my transgression."
Qin Xuan bowed low, eyes downcast, his rear end stuck high in the air—a posture he had learned from Li Cang.
It was the spitting image of how Instructor Li had behaved when he met the Sect's Inspection Envoy, a perfect imitation—if not even more exaggerated.
Chen Xuanba couldn't hold back a chuckle. His anger dissipated somewhat; even someone as stern as him was amused by Qin Xuan's antics.
"Huh, you're the woodcutter who saved me that day?"
Suddenly, Chen Xuanba let out a small sound of surprise, having apparently recognized Qin Xuan.
"Not bad at all. To reach the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer in just two months... you truly are promising material for Demon Cultivation."
Even in the Demon Sect, where Cultivation could advance by leaps and bounds, Qin Xuan's progress was considered fast.
"Master Demon Child, you praise me too highly. It is clearly a sign of your own heavenly fortune. To be able to meet you, my lord, is this humble one's blessing. It is I who should be thanking you!"
Qin Xuan was the very picture of a palace eunuch from his previous life, his words sickeningly sweet. He remained bowed the entire time, seemingly afraid to even lift his head lest he offend the noble Demon Child.
His words were like a refreshing spring breeze to Chen Xuanba, who beamed with delight.
"You kid... I hadn't realized before what a smooth-talker you are."
Chen Xuanba roared with laughter.
As he carefully sized up Qin Xuan, the surprise on Chen Xuanba's face grew even greater.
"Wait... why do you carry the aura of the Ten Thousand Laws Altar's Nether Lotus Dharma Aspect?"
Hearing this, Qin Xuan's heart plummeted. His pulse began to hammer in his chest, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
'Shit, he can even tell?'
'I got careless. Everything's been going so smoothly that I subconsciously forgot... this is the treacherous, scheming Demon Sect.'
But...
'But... didn't the Golden Finger say this trip would be safe?!'