Above, a short old man slowly appeared, his face withered and looking like he was in his twilight years, but a spiritual pressure like the might of heaven emanated from him.
The black robe had interwoven gray patterns embroidered on the chest, resembling a blurry demonic image.
This is... a Golden Core cultivator from the Yin Demon Sect!
"How could this be... Could it be that the evacuation plan of Beihefang City has been exposed? But how could it have reached the point of deploying a Golden Core cultivator?!"
"No wonder we didn't encounter any demonic cultivators along the way, nor did we see any pursuers. So that's why..."
Lin Xiuyuan's thoughts were fleeting. Although his face showed increasing fear, he couldn't help but be moved by the sight of the sword light that was imprisoned in mid-air and the situation in other directions.
It seemed that only the sword light in front of him was stopped in time, while the sword light that struck the others was...
Qin Suwan, her face streaked with tears and panic, looked at the dying Qin Lao in her arms and kept reaching into her Qiankun bag, pulling out pills one by one.
"Father, are you alright? Quick, swallow this pill..."
And then there's the Fire Talisman Master... The fire python she transformed into had one of its scales, which she had previously used for protection, knocked away. It was no match for the power of the Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the sword light pierced through its belly. Now it is seriously injured, seemingly unable to move, and its mind is unclear.
Thinking of what the Golden Core cultivator had said earlier, Lin Xiuyuan seemed to have grasped the key point and couldn't help but turn to look at Liao Cai'er.
At this moment, the short old man also turned his gaze to Liao Cai'er and slowly said, "Little girl, what is your name? Do you have a master?"
Liao Cai'er seemed to be frightened, or perhaps unable to withstand the pressure, and stood there in a daze.
Upon seeing this, Lin Xiuyuan became respectful and cupped his hands, saying, "This is my younger sister, Liao Cai'er. We are both independent cultivators from Beihe Market and have no sect affiliation. We beg you, senior, to show mercy and spare our lives. We will forever remember your great kindness."
"And that Foundation Establishment cultivator is a disciple of the Golden Sea Sect..."
However, before Lin Xiuyuan could finish speaking, the short old man glanced at him and said indifferently, "Did I ask you a question? Do you have the right to speak?"
In that instant, as if a gaze could truly kill, an invisible, terrifying power, along with those eyes, crashed down upon Lin Xiuyuan.
Even a wisp of divine thought possesses immense power.
Before Lin Xiuyuan could react or struggle, he was struck as if by lightning. With a "bang," he was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air before crashing heavily to the ground.
"Brother Xiuyuan."
Liao Cai'er exclaimed in surprise and rushed over anxiously. She knelt down to check Lin Xiuyuan's injuries and, finding that he was not seriously hurt, breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back to look at the short old man and said with a hint of resentment:
"Thank you for your mercy, senior. But, senior, my brother was just replying to you. What is the meaning of this? I also don't know what ability I have that could catch the eye of a Golden Core cultivator like you."
"Cai'er, don't talk nonsense." Lin Xiuyuan struggled to his feet, grabbed Liao Cai'er, stood in front of her, and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your mercy, senior. I was ignorant and hope you will forgive me. I misspoke and had thoughts that I shouldn't have had."
The short, old man looked at them with a cold gaze, a hint of cruelty flashing across his face. However, for some reason, he ultimately made no move, simply saying:
"A mere Qi Refining stage cultivator dares to borrow the blade of a Golden Core cultivator? You truly have no sense of mortality. Since I haven't killed you, it's out of consideration for you, a little girl."
"If anyone speaks to me in this tone, no one here will survive, understand?"
The short old man looked coldly at Liao Cai'er. The latter was not a reckless person. She was just too worried about Lin Xiuyuan and blurted out her words without thinking. She immediately lowered her head and followed Lin Xiuyuan in a respectful bowing posture.
Seeing this, the short old man continued, "Since you have no master, you will join my Yin Demon Sect and cultivate under my guidance. With your Yin Sha Body, you have the potential to master the supreme magic of my sect. This is a great opportunity for you."
A Yin-evil body?
The thought crossed Lin Xiuyuan and Liao Cai'er's minds, but they had no clue whatsoever and no time to ponder it.
As soon as the short old man finished speaking, he waved his sleeve, creating a gust of wind that swept Liao Cai'er into the air and brought her to his side.
"Wait, there's also Brother Xiuyuan. If you really want to bring me into the Yin Demon Sect, bring my brother along too."
Liao Cai'er was not opposed to going to the Yin Demon Sect to cultivate. What did it matter if she became a demon cultivator? Of the three thousand great paths, as long as one could ascend to become a celestial immortal, they were all righteous paths.
Right now, a Golden Core cultivator has shown an intention to take on a disciple, and she can even cultivate that supreme magic. Naturally, as the short old man said, this is an incredible opportunity for her.
However, Lin Xiuyuan was naturally not spared from such an opportunity.
The short old man smiled and said, "He has all five elements of spiritual roots, which would be considered excellent talent in the Upper Realm. But unfortunately, this is the mortal realm. His cultivation here relies entirely on elixirs, resulting in too many impurities in his body, commonly known as elixir poisoning. This not only impures his magical power but also affects his foundation. Reaching the perfect state of cultivation is almost the end for him."
"Each advancement to the next level will become increasingly difficult. Even with high-grade Foundation Establishment pills, the probability of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage is uncertain, perhaps even reaching 20%!"
"With such talent, joining my Yin Demon Sect would only make him fertilizer for the outer disciples; it would be a curse rather than a blessing. Staying outside might give him a chance to establish his foundation."
Seeing that Liao Cai'er showed no resistance, the short old man was in a better mood and said a few more words.
Upon hearing this, Liao Cai'er's face immediately showed hesitation and resistance, as if she wanted to say something more.
But seeing Liao Cai'er's expression, and the way she seemed to want to bargain, she was surprised.
The short old man's face turned cold. Just as rumored, demonic cultivators were unpredictable. He said in an icy tone, "Don't think that just because I've granted you this opportunity, I'm a great benefactor. We Golden Core cultivators act according to our will, and you juniors should simply obey. Why all this nagging? Or do you think you have a choice?"
"You either submit to me now, or I'll use him as a guinea pig. Do you think a mere Yin Sha body is so precious? I only took you as my disciple because of a stroke of luck. If you fail to reach the Foundation Establishment stage in the future, I'll be the first to tear you apart. How laughable!"
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