Tianyi Demon Sect

Most of the children could not tell, but An Jing saw it clearly. Suspended Fate Manor hunted ferocious beasts regularly, and even apprentices like them were given beast meat to supplement their meals. Compared to ordinary hunting parties, the manor clearly possessed specialized techniques. A battle formation designed specifically against ferocious beasts was likely the foundation. Yet with An Jing's foundation in martial arts, he could also vaguely tell that this formation was not merely aimed at ferocious beasts—it was designed for monsters that were far larger and vastly more savage. Furthermore, the formation was meant for beasts trapped in a single location. Logically speaking, however, they should also be training against beasts that launched sudden raids. Could Suspended Fate Manor possess some means to lure ferocious beasts into traps? He could not figure it out, but practicing it would never hurt. Right now, doubts churned in An Jing's mind. He had prepared everything and was merely waiting for an overcast night. That day did not keep him waiting long. Time slipped by unnoticed in the mountains, but the changing seasons were unmistakable. Lately, the weather had grown increasingly sultry as summer drew near. As strong winds blew across the land, thick clouds began to blot out the sky and earth. Gazing out at the distant mountains, the ink-black contours of storm clouds surged and expanded with the wind like living creatures, radiating a somber, heavy oppression. A storm was brewing. "That will be all for today." Even an instructor of Suspended Fate Manor would not force people to train under such conditions. He dismissed the youths, telling them to return to their dormitories to wait out the storm. "Yeqi, Ah Cang, hold on a moment." As the group dispersed, An Jing signaled his two closest friends to stay behind. Gu Yeqi gladly agreed, while Cang Linzu was initially curious. But upon considering a certain possibility, he could not help but shudder. "Wait, Brother Jing, you're not going to make us practice martial arts in the pouring rain, are you?" "I know it's effective, but I'm afraid the chill might seep into my body..." "Do I really seem that terrifying?" An Jing blinked in confusion. "Aren't you two thinking the worst of me? I take good care of my brothers and sisters." He had completely forgotten that the leg days he scheduled for his squad left the other eight members in such agony that they claimed stomachaches the moment they heard the words mentioned. Gu Yeqi and Cang Linzu, serving as his seconds, were even dragged along for extra training on a regular basis. The youth straightened his expression. "You've misunderstood. I just have a few things to entrust to you." Saying so, An Jing handed two small booklets to them. "These are my insights on the Abyss-Facing Qi-Nourishing Stance and Armor-Penetrating True Jin. Among them are a few martial techniques... from a source you both already know." Meeting their pleasantly surprised gazes, An Jing took on a solemn expression. "The Manor Lord told me not to pass them on, and I don't want to break the manor's rules either. But you've probably realized it by now, haven't you? The battle formation the Manor Lord has us learning... our initiation trial might very well involve hunting ferocious beasts." "Mm... that's true." Gu Yeqi nodded slightly in agreement. Having spent plenty of time around Zhang Ying, they naturally knew how terrifying ferocious beasts could be. After a moment's hesitation, Cang Linzu added, "I actually suspect they might not be ordinary ferocious beasts. The thing that formation is designed to fight is either enormous or exceptionally dangerous." "It might even be a beast carrying demonic bloodlines." "Yes, that's precisely what I'm worried about." An Jing did not dismiss the speculation. "No matter what, it's extremely dangerous." "To be honest, I really don't want either of you to die. So even at the risk of breaking the rules, I'm passing my insights on to you." "Wait." Sensing something amiss, Gu Yeqi furrowed her brows. "Big Brother An, are you... about to do something dangerous?" Cang Linzu was not nearly as sharp as Gu Yeqi, but upon hearing her words, he realized it as well. An Jing's attitude was practically that of someone putting his affairs in order—no, it had not reached that point, but An Jing's worry was palpable. "Is there anything we can do to help?" "If you two grow a bit stronger and protect yourselves, that will be help enough for me." An Jing sighed. If not for their slower progress in cultivating Armor-Penetrating True Jin, he would have handed over his notes long ago; when one's level was insufficient, practicing his techniques would only lead to self-inflicted injury. "People I know have been leaving one by one. I don't want the two of you to suddenly disappear one day, too." He patted their shoulders. "Work hard." Rumble. A brilliant streak of lightning descended from the distant heavens into the mountains, linking sky and earth, blanching the entire world in pale light. The deluge poured down. The two looked at An Jing, then nodded in silence. Time passed. Late at night. Inside the pitch-black dormitory, a flash of lightning flared and vanished, leaving behind only a pair of open eyes in the darkness. An Jing rose and changed into a spare set of clothes he had prepared beforehand. He piled his original garments beneath the blanket, roughly shaping them into the form of a sleeping figure. With his strength, he could easily shake damp clothes dry, but to be safe, it was better to wear a separate set for his scouting. Slipping silently from the dormitory, An Jing moved through the torrential downpour. The rain masked his footsteps, and the storm clouds concealed the stars and moon, cloaking his silhouette. He skirted past the Medicine Pavilion at top speed, heading straight for East Mountain Farmstead. Inside the Medicine Pavilion. Manor Lord Yao—or rather, Deputy Envoy Yao. The white-haired elder squinted, the eerie green flames within his eyes narrowing as he clearly watched a faint crimson silhouette of Blood Qi leave the dormitory and speed toward East Mountain Farmstead. "Heheh..." he murmured under his breath, his tone gentle. "Just as Lord Northern Circuit Envoy said, the cleverer a child is, the more fond they are of probing into secrets." "A good thing!" A broad smile spread across his face. "Those who blindly follow rules are of the lowest caliber." "Only those who can shatter the awe within their deepest hearts—awe of authority and rules, of gods and life and death, even of heaven's will and destiny—and seek out the answers they desire for themselves are true members of our Tianyi Divine Sect!" "An Jing... will you be a Constellation Heavenly Official, or an All-Fiends Divine General? A Mystic Yin Divine Maiden is naturally impossible, but if you become a Seven Fiends..." Shaking his head slightly, Deputy Envoy Yao seemed to feel his speculations were growing too outlandish, and fell silent. Yet he kept his gaze fixed in An Jing's direction before smiling, turning around, and sitting back in his chair. Checking the time, the old man picked up an hourglass, turned it upside down, and began timing. Deputy Envoy Yao picked up his tea and took a sip, the eerie green fire in his eyes flickering erratically. "Let's set a limit—we can't let him wander about unchecked and make too great a scene." "Still, I'm truly curious to see how he feels once he discovers the truth." Meanwhile. *You have already been discovered.* A mysterious, ethereal voice rang out. Running through the night, An Jing showed no surprise. "I know. Thank you for your help last time, but I am well aware that Manor Lord Yao has already spotted me." *Oh?* Hearing An Jing respond so calmly, the voice sounded somewhat surprised. *Not bad. Worthy of one possessing Innate Wisdom. In that case, how do you intend to handle this?* "If my guess is correct." An Jing did not immediately answer the mysterious voice's question, speaking instead to himself: "The entirety of Suspended Fate Manor belongs to that famous sect renowned across the Northwest—the Heaven-Revering Divine Intent Sect, known to the world as the Tianyi Divine Sect." "And the Tianyi Divine Sect has another rather well-known moniker." "The Tianyi Demon Sect."