Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Blood Shadow Art, Martial Uncle Xuansha

After drinking half a bowl of Spirit Liquid, the Corpse Puppet Su Mo wore a satisfied expression. The pallor from bloodletting gradually faded, replaced by a healthy flush.

Li Yan stroked his chin, observing the scene. “She can convert yin-tainted substances into blood. This Corpse Puppet is truly extraordinary.”

“Well, I’ll study it further later.”

Su Mo had spilled Death Yin Blood across the floor earlier, and Li Yan had no intention of wasting it. He lit a candle, casting his shadow onto the pool of blood. Securing the candle, he began practicing from the Su Clan Secret Manual.

He formed the Blood Lotus Finger Seal with his ten fingers and stilled his mind.

“Shadow devours blood, blood nourishes shadow, Death Yin entwined with the roots of the soul.”

As Li Yan recited the incantation, he channeled his Blood Qi to guide the Death Yin Blood on the ground. Simultaneously, the System’s voice echoed in his mind:

System Alert: Host detected cultivating a sinister art. Negative side effects are being neutralized and converted to beneficial effects!

The cultivation process proved arduous, requiring him to visualize his shadow as an extension of his own body in order to coax it into devouring the blood.

Li Yan stared intently at his shadow on the ground, his nerves taut.

Su Mo, the female Corpse Puppet, stood silently guard beside him. Time passed slowly, the candlelight flickering, wax tears dripping down the sides of the candle.

The Corpse Puppet didn’t disturb Li Yan’s cultivation, simply remaining by his side. When the blood on the ground began to dry, she proactively added fresh corpse blood.

Visibly, Li Yan’s shadow began to emit a faint golden glow.

The Cave Mansion was filled with serene tranquility, but the scene in Broken Sword Valley was a stark contrast.

Old Daoist Xuanwang and his disciples had been squatting there for nearly ten shichen (approximately twenty hours). Over those ten hours, Xuanwang’s patience had worn thin.

“That damned traitorous disciple! Why hasn’t he emerged yet?”

“It’s a pity the Tracking Restriction I placed on him is blocked by this dense mist.”

Old Ghost Xuanwang paced back and forth at the entrance to Broken Sword Valley, refusing to believe Li Yan wouldn’t come out, refusing to believe he could hide inside indefinitely.

Nearby, Eldest Senior Brother Mingshan cautiously spoke up: “Master, could Li Yan already be dead inside?”

Second Senior Sister Mingyue echoed her brother’s concern. “Indeed, Master. Broken Sword Valley is fraught with danger, and this dense mist interferes with our Divine Sense, limiting our vision to a mere dozen or so steps.”

Faced with his two personal disciples’ doubts, Xuanwang snorted coldly and swept his sleeve. “He’s not dead!”

“If he were, this Soul Lamp would have extinguished.” The Old Daoist produced a Soul Lamp engraved with Li Yan’s name.

“Moreover, the brat hasn’t triggered any Formation traps or been besieged by the corpse horde. This is highly irregular.”

“He’s hiding something. Once we uncover his secrets, this old one will roam Broken Sword Valley as freely as a bird in the sky!”

Xuanwang wasn’t a fool. Li Yan’s extraordinary behavior proved he could see through the mist, unaffected by its restrictions.

This made capturing Li Yan even more imperative. Xuanwang resolved to guard the valley’s exit, waiting for the boy to walk into his trap.

Seeing their Master’s unwavering determination to capture Li Yan, Eldest Senior Brother Mingshan ventured another question: “Master, what if Li Yan climbs the cliff face and escapes?”

“Climb the cliff walls? Ha!” Xuanwang burst into laughter, as if he’d heard the most ridiculous joke. He pointed to the cliffs on either side. “Do you know what’s buried inside those walls?”

“The corpses of ancient cultivators! Dare to climb them, and you’ll be dragged inside!”

The Old Daoist raised his lantern, and the disciples finally noticed the distorted faces embedded in the stone walls.

Hiss!

They recoiled in horror, never imagining Broken Sword Valley was filled with so many corpses.

“These cliffs are part of the Ancient Changyuan, the ancient city walls of the Demonic Sect Holy Land.”

“Ancient texts record that countless Immortal Cultivators perished here. After death, their bodies were mixed with bricks and used as fill!”

“What you see as cliffs are actually the Formation Changyuan, built by ancient cultivators.”

Listening to their Master’s explanation, the disciples couldn’t help but imagine the ferocity of that ancient battle.

Enemies, both dead and barely alive, were buried together within these walls, forging ramparts imbued with Immortal Power.

Now, after countless years, the Changyuan walls are covered in moss and overrun with vines.

If someone were to pull back the Green Vine, they would see a wall of stone plastered with faces contorted in despair and horror.

This ancient Changyuan, this relic of a bygone era, was built using stones mixed with the corpses of Immortal Cultivators!

Just as Xuanwang was explaining the history of the place to his disciples, a burst of applause echoed from the distance.

“Junior Brother Xuanwang, how refined!”

“To think you still have time to tell stories to your disciples here.”

Xuanwang’s ears twitched as he recognized the familiar voice. The one-eyed old Daoist frowned and snorted coldly. “Xuansha! How dare you follow me?”

The Eldest Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister bowed respectfully as the figure emerged from the mist.

“Greetings, Martial Uncle Xuansha.”

The Daoist Priest who stepped out of the mist was the complete opposite of Old Ghost Xuanwang.

Xuanwang was a hunched, lecherous old Daoist, while Xuansha was a burly, bearded man with a bandit-like aura about him. He looked less like a Daoist and more like a bandit in disguise.

Xuansha showed no pretense of courtesy. He strode forward and clapped Xuanwang on the shoulder.

“Junior Brother! What’s this talk of ‘following’? Must we be so distant?”

“Yours, mine—it’s all ours!” Xuansha roared with laughter, his thick arm nearly crushing the frail old Daoist.

The Old Ghost Xuanwang snorted disdainfully, but Martial Uncle Xuansha smirked slyly.

“I heard everything you were saying out there.”

Old Ghost Xuanwang glared at Xuansha, his eyes bulging. “You! Hiding in the mist to eavesdrop? Is that all you’re capable of?”

“Now, now, Junior Brother,” Xuansha drawled, his voice thick with false humility. “That traitorous disciple of yours, Li Yan, moves freely through Broken Sword Valley. If we joined forces to capture him, wouldn’t that be…”

Intrigued, Old Ghost Xuanwang raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Once we have Li Yan, we can make him guide us through Broken Sword Valley. We’ll split any treasures from its depths fifty-fifty.”

“As for me, Senior Brother, I’ve gathered a flock of Two-Legged Sheep from beyond the mountains. These poor wretches will track Li Yan for us.”

With a flourish, Xuansha snapped his fingers. A large group of men emerged from the mist behind him, Xuansha’s disciples herding a massive crowd of Two-Legged Sheep.

The so-called Two-Legged Sheep were actually innocent civilians, cursed and branded with talismans before being dragged to this place against their will. Their eyes were vacant, white talismans plastered to their foreheads. Like puppets jerked by the rhythmic clang of a Daoist’s bell, they lurched forward, their movements stiff and unnatural.

Clang! Clang!

Compelled by the hypnotic ringing, the civilians hopped forward in unison, scattering to scout the way ahead.

As the chime of the bell echoed into his cave mansion, Li Yan’s eyes snapped open. “What’s that ringing? Probably more of Old Ghost Xuanwang’s antics.”

“Looks like that old devil won’t rest until he finds me.”

Li Yan stood up and glanced at his shadow.

Beneath his feet, his shadow radiated a golden, sacrificial glow.

Blood Shadow Art mastered. Dharma Idol complete!