Chapter 12: Kill Again

What Li Zhen didn’t realize was that when cultivators transformed into demonic beings, although their combat power increased significantly, their intelligence dropped dramatically. If they started with a mid-grade tier-one magical weapon in hand, they would continue using it during the transformation.

However, without any magical weapon initially, there was a high probability that upon transforming into a demonic state, one wouldn’t remember to use or acquire such a weapon for battle.

Li Zhen noticed the insignia of Nine Heavens Group on the mid-grade tier-one flying sword, along with its model number: Nine Heavens C045 type mid-grade flying sword.

This type of mid-grade tier-one flying sword was mass-produced, making them quite ordinary in quality. More importantly, these mass-market swords were crafted with minimal materials, utilizing the least amount of spiritual essence required for a mid-grade tier-one flying sword.

Despite this, Li Zhen couldn’t be picky about the Nine Heavens C045 model. It was still a genuine mid-grade tier-one flying sword, undoubtedly superior to his Xingrui Classic Three-Foot Practice Sword by many times over.

His current cultivation realm was too low to perform the binding ritual on the Nine Heavens C045 mid-grade flying sword. Nevertheless, even without binding, the inherent sharpness of such an attack-type magical item could provide formidable destructive power.

He then discovered a talisman case on the corpse. The case was made of metal and had inherent shielding properties, which explained why he hadn’t sensed the talismans inside earlier.

Talismans were spiritual artifacts crafted by Talisman Masters. Their efficacy depended on the magical techniques imbued within them.

The talisman case was a technological item. By binding it to one’s identity bracelet, one could command specific talismans to extend from the case via thought alone, making them readily available for use.

Although Li Zhen acquired the talisman case, his identity bracelet had been confiscated, preventing him from accessing the talismans.

Even if he could have retrieved the talismans, he wouldn’t have been able to activate them, as he lacked the necessary knowledge and training.

Apart from the Nine Heavens C045 mid-grade flying sword and the talisman case, there were no other valuable items on the cultivator’s body.

Li Zhen stored the talisman case in his Dragon Heart Space, declining its request to consume the contents.

The Dragon Heart Space sought to devour the talismans themselves, showing little interest in the case that held them.

In one hand, he held a rune dart, while in the other, a Nine Heavens C045 mid-grade flying sword. His plan was to use the flying sword as a close-quarters dagger.

As he entered the corridor, passing the first iron door, he glimpsed through the peephole above it. Inside, a gaunt young man lay slumped on the floor.

The youth’s eyes were vacant; even the din of battle hadn’t stirred him from his stupor.

Li Zhen couldn’t fathom what ordeal could have reduced this young man to such a state, but he knew that if he didn’t resist, this fate would be his own.

Behind the corridor doors lay many imprisoned individuals.

He caught sight of over a dozen people, most of them students.

Reaching the corridor’s end, he found a bend. Peering cautiously around it, Li Zhen realized that beyond the turn wasn’t an exit, but rather a vast hall spanning thousands of square meters.

A single figure lay prone on the ground, while another knelt before a menacing statue, murmuring something. From his vantage point, some distance away, combined with the speaker’s hushed tone, rendered their words unintelligible to Li Zhen.

Li Zhen recognized the two individuals in the hall. Kneeling before the menacing statue was Lu Xuechang, the senior who had captured him, while lying on the ground was his classmate Cheng He.

Cheng He appeared unconscious; both he and Li Zhen had been captured in a similar state. While Li Zhen had awoken some time ago, Cheng He remained unresponsive.

Li Zhen was well aware of Senior Lu’s capabilities—peaking at the second level of Qi Refining.

What made Senior Lu truly formidable was his web-like magical device for capturing people. As long as Li Zhen exercised caution, he shouldn’t have much to worry about.

He wasn’t sure about the range of the dragon’s influence, and his rune dart carried limited energy. If Senior Lu could also transform into a monster, a failed long-range attack might attract other enemies in the vicinity.

Noticing Senior Lu deeply focused on the hideous statue, an idea formed in Li Zhen’s mind.

He aimed his rune dart at Senior Lu’s back and quietly entered the hall.

Each step he took was deliberate, ensuring not to make even the slightest sound.

The short distance took him dozens of seconds to cover. Even when within five meters of Senior Lu, he remained undetected.

At this proximity, Li Zhen sensed the presence of numerous spiritual objects.

Li Zhen also clearly saw Cheng He in his unconscious state, lying atop a complex and eerie diagram. Nine crystalline gems were embedded within it, emitting an otherworldly green glow that flickered ominously.

Could this be some kind of sacrifice? he thought, considering the possibility.

If they indeed were performing a sacrifice, then disturbing Senior Lu would become even more critical.

Li Zhen refrained from using either his rune dart or dragon might. Each invocation of dragon might drained his spiritual energy, and besides, it was best reserved for dealing with Transfiguration—just in case Senior Lu truly possessed such abilities. It would be wiser to save it for when needed most.

Had he been facing Senior Lu directly in combat, Li Zhen would have employed all his strength without reservation. But now, with the element of surprise on his side, he had more options at his disposal.

With a swift motion, Li Zhen lunged towards Senior Lu, simultaneously thrusting his Nine Heavens C045 mid-grade flying sword at the man’s back.

Senior Lu remained unresponsive until Li Zhen’s attack made contact with his skin—but by then, it was too late.

Indeed, he had been performing a sacrifice, offering up a cultivator with a mid-grade fire elemental root to one of the great beings of the Yao Kingdom world—a deed that would surely earn him no small amount of merit.

This meritorious service would earn him substantial rewards, allowing him to break through to the second level of Qi Refining. It might even pave the way for future advancement to the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

The reason why the Demon-Worship Cult persisted like weeds despite relentless persecution from the Xian Nation was precisely because it offered hope to cultivators.

Many cultivators seduced by the Demon-Worship Cult were unwilling to accept their ordinary fate. They yearned to elevate their cultivation realm, seeking greater glory and status.

Consider this: Without an extraordinary stroke of luck, a pseudo-spirit root cultivator had virtually no chance of advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

However, by joining the Demon-Worship Cult, one could contribute and receive assistance from the Great Beings of the Demon Realm, thereby steadily enhancing their cultivation realm.

Senior Student Lu followed this path. Driven by ambition, he easily fell prey to the Demon-Worship Cult’s overtures when they approached him.

His approach to Cheng He was calculated; he sought an opportunity to capture him. In a small county like Yunxi, a mid-grade fire spirit root cultivator held considerable value.

Just as he was about to contact the Great Being of the Demon Realm—ready to sacrifice Cheng He for his reward—he sensed a disturbance in the air behind him, accompanied by a bone-chilling aura of lethal intent.

Senior Student Lu attempted to dodge, but his posture during worship was entirely defenseless—a vulnerability he’d cultivated to please the Great Being of the Demon Realm. Now, it proved to be his fatal flaw.

The Nine Heavens C045 mid-grade flying sword effortlessly pierced Senior Student Lu’s back. Li Zhen’s strike aimed directly for the heart.

The flying sword sliced through the spine, burying itself in the cardiac muscle.

Senior Student Lu’s hand had already reached for the magical artifact cradled against his chest, but the rapid drain of life left him powerless to make any move.

As he toppled sideways onto the ground, only then did he clearly see the assailant behind him.

His eyes betrayed an expression of sheer disbelief. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined being ambushed by a twelve-year-old first-year student.

It must be remembered that Li Zhen, like Cheng He, had been enrolled for barely more than a month. They hadn’t even begun their foundational combat training and were yet to learn a single spell.

Senior Student Lu parted his lips, but no words escaped before his head slumped to the side, extinguishing all signs of life.

“Got it!” Li Zhen exclaimed as his hands deftly searched over Senior Student Lu’s body. His fingers closed around the web-like magical artifact, extracting it from its resting place.

With a subtle shift of his focus, Li Zhen recalled the web-shaped magical device into his Dragon Heart Space.

Next, he turned his attention to the peculiar pattern beneath Cheng He. When he had first glimpsed the nine embedded gems on this strange design, a suspicion had stirred within him—could these be the legendary spirit stones?

In the Xian Nation, spirit stones were strategic resources. Even low-level cultivators rarely ever laid eyes upon them, let alone possessed any.

Based on the information Li Zhen had gleaned, the world of the Xian Nation was one that had been overexploited. As the number of cultivators in Xian increased, their resources dwindled further.

Spirit stones, in particular, were resources of spiritual veins. Mining spirit stones was akin to consuming the life force of these veins. Consequently, the Xian Nation strictly prohibited the extraction of spirit stones from spiritual veins. Even if dedicated spirit stone mines were discovered, their output would be prioritized for crucial departments, leaving none for ordinary cultivators.

This time, Li Zhen refrained from physically handling the gems. Instead, he utilized the Dragon Heart Space’s retrieval ability to collect all nine gems directly into his space.