Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Daoist Xuan Ye’s Silent Pursuit

When immortals clash, mortals suffer.

The Eldest Daughter faced the storm of insect egg powder with ease, but the others weren’t so fortunate.

While the powder had no effect on the Blood Shadow Eldest Daughter, it wreaked havoc on the Lantern Bearers.

These Lantern Bearers, of average strength, were engulfed by the flying insect egg powder. Instantly, their bodies erupted with writhing maggots, devouring their flesh.

Even the Shadows scrambled frantically, trying to pluck the maggots from their hosts. But some had already burrowed deep into the flesh, a truly horrifying sight.

Li Yan didn’t hesitate—he turned and fled. “Let them fight their own battles,” he thought. “What does it have to do with me?”

As he retreated, however, curiosity led him to reach out and touch some of the insect egg powder floating in the air. If there’s a side effect, maybe it’ll activate some hidden attribute?

The moment his fingers brushed the powder, the System’s voice echoed in his mind:

Host has voluntarily touched insect egg powder. This powder’s side effect is severe: inhalation will cause flesh to fester with maggots.

Side effect neutralized. Host has inhaled insect egg powder, converting it into Blood Qi.

Li Yan watched as the insect egg powder, which would be lethal poison to anyone else, was directly converted into faint traces of Blood Qi within his body.

Seeing this, he slowed his frantic escape.

As the white powder swirled in the wind, Li Yan inwardly sighed, “Daoist Tranquil Void’s technique is truly vicious. Scattering insect egg powder across the sky… how could ordinary cultivators possibly withstand it?”

“Unless they ignited their entire Blood Qi and used the Fire Summoning Art, they’d have no chance of dispelling it.”

“But this powder seeps into every crack and crevice. If ordinary cultivators inhale even a little, they’d have to immediately circulate their qi to resist it, suppressing the eggs from hatching, or face certain death.”

Just then, Li Yan spotted several Shadow Fiend maids fleeing past him.

A smirk crept across his face.

The maids scurried to safety, settling down to circulate their qi and expel the insect egg powder clinging to their bodies.

Their once pristine skin was now speckled with the white powder, and some of their wounds had become a bloody mess, a sight that sent shivers down one’s spine.

But for Li Yan, this was an opportunity.

He approached a lone maid with a cheerful smile.

“Big Sister, shall I help you dispel these pests?”

The Shadow Fiend maidservant lowered her guard when she saw Li Yan approaching. As a Lantern Envoy of the Shadow Fiend Clan, he was considered one of their own—a fellow malevolent spirit. This fostered a sense of trust, leading her to relax her vigilance.

“Thank you! I appreciate your help, little brother,” she said, settling into a cross-legged meditative posture, completely relaxed and focused on circulating her Blood Qi to repel the parasitic insects.

But Li Yan pressed his hand against her shadow.

Her delicate frame trembled. “Little brother, what are you doing?”

A blush crept across her face, but before she could react, Li Yan swept his hand across the ground, erasing her consciousness and transforming her into a Shadow Puppet.

Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “Retain your original memories, swear loyalty to me, and forget everything that just happened.”

“Y-yes, Master,” she stammered.

When the Shadow Fiend maidservant’s eyes regained their clarity, it was as if nothing had transpired.

Li Yan secretly branded these Shadow Fiends with his Shadow Puppet Technique, turning them into his puppets and positioning them near the Eldest Daughter.

With this network in place, he could monitor the Eldest Daughter’s every move in real-time upon returning home.

If the Eldest Daughter turned against him, Li Yan could always make a swift escape.

Exploiting the Shadow Fiend maids’ trust, Li Yan located several stragglers in the dense forest and implanted his Shadow Puppet Technique into their shadows.

As a result, six of the maids serving the Eldest Daughter had become his spies.

With this done, Li Yan soared away from the battlefield on his flying sword, seeking a safe vantage point to observe the unfolding conflict.

He planned to take advantage of the chaos, watching the Blood Shadow Eldest Daughter and Daoist Tranquil Void clash in a fierce battle.

“Keep fighting,” Li Yan muttered. “Ideally, you’ll cripple each other, leaving the scraps for me to pick up.”

But for now, the Eldest Daughter seemed to have the upper hand, suppressing Daoist Tranquil Void so completely that he could barely lift his head.

Just as Li Yan was gloating over their struggle, a seductive voice echoed from behind him.

“Martial Nephew Li Yan, the treacherous disciple who deceives his masters and forsakes his ancestors.”

“Oh my, who knew you’d be so fair-skinned? How truly detestable.”

A voluptuous female cultivator emerged from the shadows, her features mature and alluring. She wore the Daoist robe of the Tranquil Void Temple, and the memories of Xuanwang embedded in Li Yan’s mind confirmed her identity:

This was Xuansha’s paramour—Daoist Xuan Ye!

Li Yan hadn’t expected Old Ghost Xuanwang’s senior sister, Daoist Xuan Ye, to be lying in ambush here. She must have been secretly tailing him all along.

“So it’s Martial Aunt Xuan Ye. Your stealth techniques are truly remarkable; I didn’t sense you at all.”

Daoist Xuan Ye covered her mouth, emitting a series of coquettish giggles. “I was drawn by the sounds of fighting. When I saw you skulking about like a little ghost, I naturally followed.”

Judging by her tone, she hadn’t noticed Li Yan’s earlier actions.

Thank goodness…

Silently relieved, Li Yan raised an eyebrow and subtly began activating the Blood Shadow Art under his sleeve as he inquired, “Martial Aunt, your visit can’t simply be to exchange pleasantries, can it?”

This Daoist Xuan Ye had once been Xuanwang’s Dao Companion, only to secretly engage in dual cultivation with Xuansha later. Li Yan naturally held little respect for such a promiscuous Daoist.

Poor Old Ghost Xuanwang had been completely fooled by this woman in his youth—how pathetic.

Before him stood Daoist Xuan Ye, a voluptuous woman with a reputation for wantonness. She coyly hid her face behind a fan, emitting a series of lascivious giggles.

“Good Martial Nephew,” she purred, “just tell me what you discovered deep within Broken Sword Valley.”

“I wouldn’t want to make things difficult for you. Given how handsome you are, why not consider paying a visit to my Cave Mansion?”

Li Yan grinned widely. “Sounds delightful! Please lead the way, Martial Uncle. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting your abode.”

Daoist Xuan Ye froze for a moment, taken aback by Li Yan’s unexpected cooperation. He’s not resisting at all? Just obediently following my instructions?

Nevertheless, she kept her fingers poised over magical hand seals, ready to strike at any moment.

“Good nephew,” she cooed, “now tell me what you found deep within Broken Sword Valley.”

“And hand over all the Magical Treasures you retrieved from there.”

“If you cooperate, your Martial Aunt will grant you pleasures beyond your wildest dreams.”

“If you refuse, I’ll ensure your pain transcends even those heights!”

Daoist Xuan Ye’s seductive voice dripped with both allure and menace.

Yet the next instant, Li Yan turned tail and fled deeper into the mountains.

Seeing him run, Daoist Xuan Ye smirked. “Foolishly adorable. How could you possibly escape my grasp?”

“Be a good boy and hand over the Magical Treasures you found in Broken Sword Valley. Don’t resist!”

Overconfident, Daoist Xuan Ye underestimated the young man. She fancied herself the hunter, unaware that Li Yan had already activated the Blood Shadow Art, summoning three shadowy clones.

I need to lure her into the valley, Li Yan muttered inwardly. That’ll make it easier to strike without witnesses.

Daoist Xuan Ye pursued relentlessly, driving Li Yan into a dead-end valley.

Her laughter, tinged with madness, echoed through the ravine. “The treasures you stole from Broken Sword Valley are mine now!”

Cornered, Li Yan turned, his hands already forming the incantation seals. A scornful grin twisted his lips as he taunted, “Oh? Is that so!”