"The Demonic Path!"
The city emperor solemnly uttered two words, and upon hearing this, Feng Bingwen's expression immediately turned serious.
Feng Bingwen had some contact with and understanding of the demonic path. It was a branch of cultivation that appeared at the beginning of the rise of the human race. Because it was a cultivation method born in blood and fire, it could be described as cruel and bloody in every aspect.
Such actions often involve skinning, bone-removing, and soul-refining. In the early days of the rise of the human race, resources were extremely scarce, so naturally, they had to do everything they could to utilize all the resources they had, especially the various monster corpses they hunted!
However, once the human race gained a foothold in the world, some practitioners of this type of method turned their attention to those of their race who lacked the aptitude for cultivation.
No, in the eyes of those demonic cultivators, mortals who are unable to cultivate are just like pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep that are kept in captivity; they can be used as consumables and turned into resources for their cultivation path.
After all, slaughtering mortals is much simpler than hunting monsters, and there is almost no risk involved. Although the quality may be much worse, the advantage in quantity can make up for it.
It was precisely because of this concept that, during the Middle Ages, many powerful demonic sects finally angered some ancient human sages, who no longer cared about the many contributions the demons had made to the human race and began to settle scores with them.
There's not much to say about the war against demons that took place during the Middle Ages. The human race's demonic lineage was almost completely wiped out, leaving them with no place to stand on the Nine Provinces. Even those who were lucky enough to survive became like rats crossing the street, hated and killed by many cultivators.
However, within the human realm, there is no place for these demonic cultivators. But outside of the human realm, there are many other groups and forces willing to extend olive branches and accept these bloody and brutal demonic cultivators.
Feng Bingwen initially thought that those demonic sects that had escaped from the Nine Continents of Humanity and were barely surviving were nothing more than grasshoppers in autumn, unable to hop around for long. But judging from the current situation, it seems that this is not the case.
"really?"
"I only stumbled upon some remnants of demonic energy during that one exploration, and I also discovered some demonic blood sacrifice formations!"
He recounted the discoveries made by the County City Emperor during his only expedition, without any concealment. It was as if he had been waiting for a cultivator from a celestial sect like Feng Bingwen for a long time.
"They only discovered a blood sacrifice array?"
Feng Bingwen fell into deep thought. Although this could be considered evidence, it wasn't enough to definitively conclude that the drought was caused by the demonic path. After all, in Feng Bingwen's mind, those demonic cultivators couldn't possibly cause such a massive upheaval.
No matter what, Donghua Continent has divine emperors, and more than one. Although the divine path has many constraints, no cultivator from any system would be foolish enough to provoke a god in his territory.
If the demonic path really caused such a huge mess in Donghua Continent, it would be impossible for it not to attract the attention of those emperors.
Those emperors aren't blind. Even if they are high above and don't care about the lives of ordinary mortals, a drought affecting thousands of miles is a loss that even the divine emperors wouldn't want to see. In any case, the prosperity of humanity is closely related to the divine realm.
"I only went out to explore once, and I haven't left the Dharma Domain since!"
At this point, the city emperor was a little embarrassed and chuckled awkwardly, but then, as if he had thought of something, he straightened his back again and became confident and self-assured.
"Is that so!"
Feng Bingwen glanced at the incense-offering deity, his face expressionless, showing no extra emotion, but he couldn't help but make a judgment in his heart.
So stubborn!
The combat power of a deity can vary considerably in different regions. A deity outside its own territory is the weakest, while a deity based in the law domain is at its strongest, with a combat power difference of more than tenfold.
Having only detected a hint of danger, the county lord retreated into his domain and refused to emerge. Judging from the empty temples in other county towns, the choice made by this great god was wise, though somewhat inconsistent with his status.
"Does Your Majesty know the current situation of the other deities worshipped within your jurisdiction?"
"Know!"
The bright yellow divine light was vast and magnificent, but as the source of the divine light, this great god, whose divine body was several feet tall and could be manifested at will, had a deep fear in his eyes.
"They're all gone!"
"Have you reported these anomalies, sir?"
That's the question, but Feng Bingwen also knew that between a prefecture-level city emperor and a county-level city emperor, there was only a difference in the strength of their divine powers, and there was no real subordinate relationship.
Even the lowest-ranking county emperor, if truly stubborn, could simply ignore a state emperor according to his own will. Of course, the capital emperor is different—having a connection with imperial power, he can abolish the divine position through secular means.
"Of course I have reported it, but so far I have only seen you, Immortal Master!"
Upon hearing Feng Bingwen's question, the county magistrate, who lived in constant fear and endured hardship within the law domain, gave a bitter smile.
The immortal cultivator before me, with his pure aura and ethereal demeanor, was clearly not sent by those emperors, nor was it him who belittled and slandered those emperors. However, even if it were them, they would not have the right to order around the disciples of the Supreme Dao.
Conversely, it becomes clear from this result that all his efforts to send out the message were intercepted and never actually got through.
"Kid, if you don't want any trouble, you'd better stay here and not wander around until the Supreme Dao takes the time to send someone over. You might already be being watched!"
An aged voice rang out from Feng Bingwen. Amidst the puzzled gazes of the city's emperor and the various high-ranking officials, a celestial wheel bursting with five-colored immortal light emerged from behind Feng Bingwen.
"A magical artifact?!"
Even the great gods who stand atop the altar and have been worshipped and offered sacrifices by mortals for hundreds of years couldn't help but gasp in surprise when they saw the celestial artifact behind Feng Bingwen.
Although he lived for a long time, in terms of knowledge and experience, he couldn't compare to immortal cultivators. After all, whether in his previous life or in his mortal body, the areas he had visited were limited. After becoming a god, he could enjoy many things that mortals couldn't imagine, but the range of his activities was strictly limited to a certain area, making him less free than mortals.
"You little rascal, you do have some knowledge!"
Seeing that he had just appeared and had been recognized by the city emperor, the Five Elements Heavenly Wheel couldn't help but feel a little smug.
The kid he was protecting didn't take him seriously at all, and even ignored his good advice, which was a huge blow to him. The gazes of these dozens of gods in front of him were very pleasing to him, and it made him regain his pride as a spiritual artifact.
"Truly worthy of being called the Supreme Dao Immortal Master!"
With the presence of a magical artifact, the city emperor dispelled his initial doubts and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Given his composure and caution, he would naturally not casually receive an unfamiliar cultivator, even one who claimed to be from the Supreme Dao and whose cultivation level seemed to be fine.
Although he had just welcomed Feng Bingwen in, he had never stepped out of the Dharma Domain, and was able to unleash his strongest combat power as a local deity at any time.
Although he answered whatever Feng Bingwen asked, he was prepared to be tested. He felt he could handle any questions that arose.
After all, he hasn't gotten into any trouble yet, which means that the culprits who caused this barren land are still somewhat wary of him, the city lord who is hiding in the law domain.
Now, with the backing of a spiritual artifact, all his doubts vanished. Apart from the Supreme Dao, he couldn't think of any other sect that could be so arrogant.
The only major immortal sect in Donghua Continent that they can talk about is Jiuwei Mountain. It seems that the entire sect only has one spiritual artifact, which is treated like an ancestor. How can it be like the Supreme Dao, where a disciple carries it around everywhere?
"Are we really being watched?"
Upon receiving the reminder from the Five Elements Heavenly Wheel, Feng Bingwen showed no concern whatsoever; instead, his expression became visibly excited.
He had been holding back his anger all along the way. His earlier attack on the cannibals in that county town had not only failed to vent his rage but had only made him angrier.
What do you think?
Seeing the eager look on Feng Bingwen's face, Wu Xing Tian Lun felt a headache coming on, even though he didn't have a head.
"Hey kid, can you give me a break and behave yourself? You're really going to get into trouble if you keep wandering around outside like this. Once those demonic cultivators make their move, you might not come out unscathed either!"
Siluke
"You also think it's demonic?"
Feng Bingwen ignored the warnings and instead focused his attention on other things, such as the culprit behind this disaster.
"Most likely!"
The Five Elements Heavenly Wheel spoke with the tone and manner of a senior figure in the cultivation world, recounting things that Feng Bingwen did not understand.
"Although the once-powerful demonic sects of the human race were almost wiped out in the Middle Ages, the remnants that survived are like rats in a gutter, impossible to eradicate. Once they find an opportunity, they will wreak havoc across the Nine Provinces and reap the spoils of mortals!"
"Chance?"
Feng Bingwen immediately recalled the news he had received earlier: a large wave of extraterrestrial demons was attacking and spying on the world beneath his feet. In order to deal with the harassment of these extraterrestrial demons, the Dragon Clan had gathered a considerable number of members to respond.
Based on the time and location, and the somewhat unreasonable extent of the drought, everything seems to have an answer.
The remnants of the human race's demonic path learned of the extraterrestrial demons and seized the opportunity to unleash calamities and chaos across human territory.
The only thing that Feng Bingwen couldn't understand was that the timing was too tight; they were almost happening at the same time, and the drought had even started earlier.
"In short, whatever it is, you better behave yourself. Don't think that just because you've broken through to the Yuan Dan realm and become a Dong Xuan cultivator, you can do whatever you want. That's only if those old guys don't crawl out of their coffins!"
"Since similar things have happened before, do you know what methods those demonic cultivators possess that can interfere with or shield the senses of a divine emperor? Otherwise, there's no reason why this place would have become such a ghastly sight?"
Feng Bingwen asked with a frown.
"Who knows? Maybe those old guys are living too comfortably and are dozing off, not seeing this. Don't use ordinary people's perspectives to speculate about those old guys; their sense of time is completely different from yours!"
Wu Xing Tian Lun said nonchalantly that some things you get used to after seeing them a lot, or you become numb to them. Even if he had emotions and desires, he wouldn't have such intense emotional fluctuations as Feng Bingwen.
"Cough, it doesn't have to be that bad!"
Seeing how this magical artifact had arranged the names of those emperors, the county lord coughed lightly.
"Those emperors are not cultivators, so they certainly wouldn't go into seclusion for hundreds of years, ignoring the mortal world!"
"Hey!"
As for the Five Elements Heavenly Wheel, it goes without saying that those beings who have lived for a very long time, and even abandoned their flesh and blood, are incredibly cold-hearted in certain aspects. However, as a divine emperor, he certainly wouldn't pretend not to see it when there are vested interests involved.
"There are quite a few supernatural powers and magical treasures that can block perception, but there aren't many that can turn those old guys into blind and deaf people. I don't know much about supernatural powers."
As for magical artifacts, I do know a few. Our sect has the Hunyuan Bell, the Tianyan Dao has the Deceitful Heaven Compass, and the Youming Dao has the Chaotic God Six Soul Banner…”
The Five Elements Heavenly Wheel rattled off several magical treasures capable of disrupting divine perception, all of which were powerful artifacts that could interfere with the judgment of beings at the Emperor level.
"It's ready!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Bingwen interrupted the scientific examples. His doubts were now somewhat resolved, and everything seemed to have a reasonable explanation.
Just as Feng Bingwen had figured out the details of the drought, a hundred miles away from the county town where he was located, in the shadow of a barren mountain valley, several figures gathered together, figures that even cultivators would find difficult to detect.
"Have you found out anything about that kid?"
"Investigate my ass! In such a short time, where are we supposed to investigate? Do you think this is our Yin Kui Sect?"
"That kid looks like he comes from a respectable family, but when it comes to killing those people and animals, he seems to be more efficient than us. Do you think he might be one of us?"
"How is that possible? If they are truly like-minded, how could we not have received the notification?"
"Don't overthink it. That kid is obviously from some great immortal sect. He probably saw the horrific sight of people eating each other for the first time and couldn't help but kill him."
"Isn't this just a hothead?"
"I love hotheads! I adore these passionate disciples of major sects! Their blood and flesh are the most flavorful!"
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