Tianyin Sect of the Demon Path
At the bottom of the Heartless Cliff, a tranquil river wound through the mountains. The water’s surface gleamed under the clear sky, flowing gently and serenely.
Bang!
A muffled sound broke the peace, emanating from a small wooden cabin near the riverbank.
The cabin had two floors, surrounded by a simple wooden fence. Inside the fenced area, spiritual herbs thrived, their subtle fragrance wafting into the air.
Second Floor
Jiang Hao was flung against the wall. A stunning woman clad in translucent silk appeared by his side in an instant, pressing a sharp sword to his neck. The blade nicked his skin, and crimson blood slowly seeped out.
At this moment, Jiang Hao felt as if he were staring death in the face.
It was an unwarranted disaster.
Last night, after pruning the spiritual herbs and preparing to cultivate, a woman had suddenly descended from the sky. Her face was flushed, and her aura chaotic.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, with an unparalleled figure. However, her mind appeared muddled, likely due to poisoning or cultivation deviation.
Though Jiang Hao had no intention of intervening, the woman, whose cultivation was unfathomable, forcibly dragged him to the second floor and unleashed her wrath.
For the first time, he experienced such an ordeal. While the sensations were not unpleasant, he had no choice but to endure passively.
The woman was flawless, her beauty almost divine. If not for the murderous intent in her eyes when she awoke, she would have been perfect.
At dawn, when the woman regained her senses, she unsheathed her sword against him, leading to the current standoff.
From her cold, humiliated gaze, Jiang Hao deduced she remembered the events of last night.
She seemed to be debating whether to kill him.
"Senior, perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding," Jiang Hao stammered, trying to say something—anything—even though he himself was unsure what misunderstanding could have occurred.
"Are you a disciple of Tianyin Sect?" the woman asked coldly.
With the sword at his throat, Jiang Hao could only croak, "Yes."
"Swallow this," she commanded, handing him a pill with an expressionless face.
"What is it?" Jiang Hao asked instinctively.
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Bang!
Her long leg kicked him squarely in the stomach, forcing him to open his mouth. The pill was shoved down his throat.
Without another word, the woman grabbed her fallen robe. Shrouded in a pink mist, she leapt out the window and vanished.
"Huuh..."
Confirming her departure, Jiang Hao let out a heavy sigh of relief. He touched his neck and felt the scab forming over the wound, his thoughts racing.
"Her arrival must’ve been an accident, but her killing intent was real. I almost had to use my only life-saving chance. That woman’s power is terrifying."
He stepped onto the balcony and gazed at the surrounding cliffs, still shaken.
Though the woman’s beauty was beyond mortal comprehension and they had shared an intimate moment, such things held no sway in a world of cultivation.
Especially not in a demonic sect.
One careless move could lead to death—or worse.
"Life was much better in the peaceful modern world," Jiang Hao sighed, shaking his head.
He had been transmigrated to this world for 19 years.
From being abandoned by his family to being sold by a scheming stepmother into the Demon Path, his early years were full of hardships. If not for his innate talent for cultivation and the timely recruitment of the sect, he might have already perished as a sacrificial offering.
If he could choose, he would have joined a righteous sect, like the prestigious Haotian Sect, renowned as the strongest in the immortal world.
Unfortunately, luck was not on his side, and he was forced to eke out an existence within the Demon Path.
Luckily, his cultivation had brought some changes to his life.
He had gained... something extra.
Focusing his mind, Jiang Hao summoned a panel visible only to him:
[Name: Jiang Hao]
[Age: 19]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Refinement Stage 9]
[Techniques: Tianyin Hundred Transformations]
[Abilities: Ninefold Substitute Death (Unique), Daily Appraisal (Locked)]
[Vitality: 100/100 (Trainable)]
[Cultivation Points: 100/100 (Trainable)]
[Abilities: 1/3 (Fragments Required)]
Seeing the panel, Jiang Hao let out a breath of relief. His vitality, cultivation points, and ability fragments had been painstakingly gathered over time.
By cultivating spiritual herbs, slaying beasts, and roaming the land, he collected mysterious bubbles containing these resources, along with treasures and cultivation aids.
It wasn’t easy to accumulate enough points to reach a hundred; he had spent years gathering them for the second time.
The first accumulation had tempered his body, elevating him from Qi Refinement Stage 3 to Stage 8.
Now, he dared not hide his progress too much—it was better to appear talented in this ruthless sect than to act mediocre.
Here in the Demon Path, even minor mistakes could result in death.
Last night was proof enough.
As for abilities, unlike vitality and cultivation points, they required three fragments to form one complete skill.
So far, he had unlocked only one ability: Daily Appraisal.
The Ninefold Substitute Death was his innate talent.
Jiang Hao returned to his room, his gaze falling on the blood-stained sheets. With a heavy sigh, he decided to change them.
"The bloodstains probably saved me from further harm. Who knows what she might’ve done otherwise."
"I don’t even know who she is. I just hope she isn’t part of Tianyin Sect."
If she sought him out to exact vengeance, it would be disastrous.
Abused and killed—how unfair would that be?
Feeling a deep sense of inadequacy for failing to protect himself, Jiang Hao tidied up the bedding and left for the herb garden to tend to the Severance Grass.
"Tonight, I’ll attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. I’ll also visit the library to figure out what pill she fed me," Jiang Hao murmured, formulating his next steps.
"The woman’s appearance was far from normal. I’ll need to stay vigilant in the coming days."
The Tianyin Sect was a top-tier sect. While it was unlikely to be attacked by righteous sects, he couldn’t rule out the possibility entirely.
Caution was a virtue in the world of cultivation.