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"Ah…Dirty fellow. Never mind, just die."

The Nascent Soul cultivator contorts his face and gestures with his hand.

With all my might, I step back, activating both my vision of intent and demon senses.

A crimson mass of spiritual energy grazes the spot where I had been.

A faint admiration flickers across his face.

‘No, is that really his face?’

The Nascent Soul cultivator wears a translucent black mask.The mask looks like fog or writhing liquid, with only the contours of his face visible within, and no clear expression.

So, I have to guess his mood solely from his intent.

"Surprising. It wasn’t meant to be dodged... How did you evade? It shouldn't be detectable at the Qi Building stage..."

He looks at me curiously from behind his black mask.

Blood light flashes in his eyes for a moment.

‘Here it comes again!’

I hastily move aside once more.

Another bloody something sweeps past where I stood, and the Nascent Soul cultivator opens his mouth.

"Ha, it wasn't just luck. Your eyes were 'watching' my move all along. Yes, not ordinary eyes. Have you mastered some unique spiritual eye technique? An eye skill at the Qi Building stage that can see and avoid my move... What can it be..."

He mumbles to himself, stroking his hair behind the translucent black mask.

His black mask and long black hair outside the mask. His hands, pale as a corpse, his robe red as blood.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The mysterious Nascent Soul cultivator continues unleashing his blood spells at me as he speaks, determined to capture me.

‘I can't detect it with normal vision. It doesn't even appear in the normal consciousness domain.’

Only with the colors of intent and the demon senses can I discern his spell.

‘How can a spell be undetectable even to the consciousness domain?’

Is this a Nascent Soul cultivator's ability?

After several evasions, he claps his hands.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

"Excellent. Running around like a monkey. Despite being at the Qi Building stage, you've mastered a quick and unique skill. I've decided. I'll capture you and refine you into my blood corpse."

Swoosh!

A crimson Pure Spiritual Force gathers in his hand.

The Pure Spiritual Force swirls like real blood, forming a large blood claw.

Swoosh!

With a flick of his hand, the blood claw shoots towards me.

‘Damn it!’

I grit my teeth and draw out the Formless Sword.

Boom!

The surroundings quake.

My hand trembles.

"Ugh..."

A single impact makes my bones rattle.

Even though my consciousness expanded as I ascended to the middle stage of Qi Building and my strength increased.

Still, blocking even a playful strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator is difficult.

"Ah... you."

And, my drawing of the Formless Sword seems to have piqued his curiosity even more.

"What is that technique? I've lived for over 900 years and never seen it before. You're not a typical Qi Building cultivator, it turns out you’re a junior at the Core Formation stage.

But it seems you haven't actually formed your Golden Core... Hahaha!"

He laughs, holding his black mask.

His voice is eerie, sometimes almost like a woman’s, yet also like a man’s.

If White Bone Ghost Devil sounds neither entirely male nor female, a middle ground, then this person sounds like a chaotic mix of both masculinity and femininity.

"Yes, I've decided. It's a waste to refine someone like you into a mere blood corpse. I'll make you my blood follower. It's essentially an offer to be my disciple. Will you continue to run even now?

I'm generously offering to accept you, who vomited in front of me, as a blood follower, almost like my disciple."

Zzzz...

The Nascent Soul cultivator's surroundings fill with a crimson blood mist, beginning to dominate the space.

The blood mist soon blocks the gate of Serving Command Palace, completely cutting off my escape route.

‘Damn it…’

I bite my lip.

"...I fear that as a junior, joining you might bring shame to your esteemed name.

Wouldn't it be improper for someone as lowly as me to tarnish your great name?"

"Haha, do you even know what my esteemed name is?"

"......"

"Interesting. You don't even know who I am, yet you're here and have managed to survive until now."

He clicks his tongue, then scatters something from his pocket into the air.

Chuwawawak!

Thousands of blood-colored banners spread throughout the first floor of Serving Command Palace.

'A formation banner?'

Countless crimson lights scatter in all directions.

He is laying a formation on the first floor of Serving Command Palace.

"First, let me introduce myself. I am the Bloodwood Practitioner, Yuan Li,"

Yuan Li speaks as he strokes his translucent mask.

"Have you ever heard my name?"

"...I lack knowledge as a junior..."

"You wouldn't have. Don't worry. I've been deliberately hiding my identity for hundreds of years. Besides, to you, I am just hidden loose cultivator, so it's normal for you not to know me.

Even the many cultivator clans currently waging war against me only knew me as a Core Formation hermit living in the desert. Those who truly know about me are now long gone Nascent Soul cultivators."

Yuan Li laughs wickedly.

I watch warily the formation he is laying on the first floor of Serving Command Palace, looking for an escape.

'Do I need to break through the walls of Serving Command Palace? No, to break the city's barrier, I need the scroll that Seo Ran created to break the barrier.

I remember the contents of the scroll, so I can make it, but it will take some time.'

"...I would like to know what senior desires from this junior."

"Didn't I tell you? Become my blood follower. As I explained, no one knows about me. But I can tell you who I am."

He taps his chest, grinning with pleasure.

"Even when the Heavenly Being cultivators led by the Sea Dragon King swept away everyone in the continent at Nascent Soul or above, or those Core Formation cultivators with the potential to reach Nascent Soul, or those with unique constitutions among Qi Building and Qi Refining cultivators, I was hiding in this desert as a Nascent Soul cultivator.

That's who I am. Haha, I'd rather be the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon, so I've been lying low for hundreds of years. Now that the dragons have all ascended, I'm the top cultivator who has reached the highest realm. If you follow me, you can gain all sorts of wealth, honor, numerous spiritual medicines, and power. Become my blood follower."

He grins behind his semi-transparent mask.

My head starts spinning. Suddenly, the Bloodwood Practitioner Yuan Li seems majestic. I feel an urge to kneel and kiss his feet.

"Three cultivator clans in the west of the Heaven-Treading Desert have sworn allegiance to me. Four tribes of the Northern Grasslands have prostrated before me. Five lords of the Eastern States have declared they will follow me.

Now, this great Bloodwood Practitioner, who has reached Nascent Soul, will take you as a servant. Become my blood follower. I will value you highly..."

And then, I open my mouth.

----!

A dark curse appears out of my mouth and hits me.

"Argh!"

A tingling pain strikes my whole body, and my cloudy mind clears.

"Ah, ugh... Senior, why do you go to such lengths to obtain someone as lacking as me, even resorting to enchantment?"

Whoosh, whoom!

I swing the Formless Sword, cutting down shadow-like things that had approached me, and again move away from him.

"Hmm..."

The atmosphere changes.

I can see Yuan Li's intent turning to annoyance.

"You should have wisely become my slave. I thought to integrate you alive into my Blood Body since you possess many unique abilities, but you keep resisting."

Chill!

His voice is no longer warm but cold.

Apparently, realizing that enchantment like seduction doesn't work on me, he shows his true colors.

Rumble!

The entire first floor of Serving Command Palace turns blood-red.

"Well, fine. I was going to kindly make you a blood follower and allow you to enjoy life a bit more... Die torn apart by the Blood Shattering Formation."

"What...!"

The next moment, the spiritual energy of the entire first floor of Serving Command Palace starts to boil, covering all four directions with blood.

The blood subsides.

"Cough...! Huff..."

I stand there bleeding from all over, barely holding onto the Formless Sword.

Looking around.

The first floor's dividing walls and barriers have crumbled, resulting in the unified merging of the entire first floor. Additionally, the ceiling has entirely collapsed, creating a direct connection to the second floor.

Bodies of Core Formation cultivators who have been hiding all over the first floor are revealed.

Their remnants, hands, feet, flesh, are scattered around.

"Cough, ugh..."

I spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Hah, not bad. You withstood the Blood Shattering Formation?"

I had to continuously fend off, deflect, and counter the energy of the formation that surged from all around with the Formless Sword, using the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

But as a consequence, I am now on the brink of collapse.

Step, step...

Yuan Li walks towards me.

'Damn...it'

I have no strength left to resist.

"I've decided. You'll become my disciple. The fact that you initially vomited is forgivable considering you withstood the Blood Shattering Formation once,"

Yuan Li declares as he approaches me, the pressure emanating from him intensifying.

Unable to withstand it, I collapse to the ground.

Quaaak!

Yuan Li grabs my hair and lifts my face.

Chuaak!

In his left hand, he holds a semi-transparent flag-like object, made of faint spiritual power and consciousness, with a ghostly figure etched on it.

Kuaaak!

"Ah...Aaaahhhhh!"

He drives the flag straight into my head. It seems to pierce through my spirit, embedding itself in the core of my consciousness, my soul.

"Having implanted my Blood Curse Banner in you, if you try to rebel against me, you will experience the agony of your soul being torn apart. It's a pain that can't be overcome by ordinary willpower, so I advise against harboring any rebellious thoughts."

Snap!

Yuan Li snaps his fingers, and the banner in my soul activates, engulfing me in excruciating pain.

"Ahh...Aaaaahhhh!"

I scream and writhe in agony, feeling the banner fuse into my entire body, restricting my actions.

Snap!

He snaps his fingers again, easing the pain. Yuan Li then drags me along, taking me somewhere.

I barely keep my mind focus amidst the turmoil.

'Where is he taking me...?'

Soon, I feel grass and soil under me.

'This is... the arboretum?'

Has it survived the earlier destruction?

"Hmm, the greedy Heavenly Being cultivators gorged themselves. They took all the good stuff. Not that I expected much... Hm? Oh..."

A familiar spiritual energy gradually becomes apparent.

"Ha, there's still a young Longevity Tree left? And the Longevity Fruit is almost ripe..."

Whoosh!

Thump!

After dumping me nearby, Yuan Li forms hand seals.

Swoosh!

From the first floor of Serving Command Palace, white light emerges from the remnants of the Core Formation cultivators who had hidden in every corner.

Rumble!

The lights gather from all directions, forming a river of light above Yuan Li.

'Life force...?'

He is extracting the remaining life force from the bodies of the Core Formation cultivators killed by the Blood Shattering Formation.

"Bloom."

Swoosh!

With a gesture from Yuan Li, the river of life force is absorbed by the Longevity Fruit.

Swoosh!

'...Ah.'

The decades of my cultivation poured into it pale in comparison as Yuan Li infuses massive amounts of life force from the cultivators he killed, causing the Longevity Fruit to ripen rapidly.

Other flower buds near the Longevity Fruit also swell rapidly, beginning to transform into Longevity Fruits.

He is using blood to fuel the growth of the tree.

'Devilish arts are convenient, indeed.'

Taking from others and pouring it in yields quick results. They can easily create something beyond one's own power.

Watching Yuan Li's actions, I feel a sense of futility.

'Does what I've done have any meaning?'

Then, Yuan Li glances at me.

"Have you come to your senses? Don't worry. With so many Longevity Fruits ripened, I can spare one for you."

"...N, no,”

"Hmm?"

"I…won’t…eat it."

I force my paralyzed mouth to move.

"I won't. Put…a fruit. Made by…sacrificing. Others. Into. My mouth."

"Hmm... Funny guy. Like it or not, I'll shove it into your mouth. And what's this about sacrificing others?"

Ke Ke Ke Ke

He chuckles and laughs.

"You're wrong. It's not about sacrificing others. It's about the strong devouring the weak. Survival of the fittest is the truth of this world. What's wrong with a stronger being devouring a weaker one?"

"...The world isn't made up of just the strong and the weak."

Wuduk Wududk

I wriggle my fingers.

Yuan Li's will is suppressing my soul and body. His banner embedded in my soul tears at me, causing unbearable pain.

Yet, I endure the pain and stand up.

"This world is made of people, and people should not devour each other, regardless of strength or weakness!"

"Huh, you overcame that?"

Yuan Li seems more surprised that I could move despite his banner than interested in my words.

"Remarkable. You stand even in the midst of soul-tearing agony..."

And then.

Pop!

He forms another flag and embeds it in my head.

"Arghhh!"

I fall again, the pain exponentially greater.

"Amazing willpower. I can't help but admire it. But I have no interest in your naive philosophy.

Survival of the fittest is the truth, the reality. Look, it's being proven right now."

Rumble!

The formation flags Yuan Li scattered ascend from the first floor of Serving Command Palace, piercing through the gaping ceiling to the second floor.

"Blood Shattering Formation, activate!"

Rumble!

Once again, the second floor of Serving Command Palace is engulfed in blood, crumbling down. The Core Formation cultivators hidden there are reduced to bloody fragments, falling down in heaps.

Under Yuan Li's command, the formation flags move towards the third floor.

He methodically destroys Serving Command Palace, floor by floor.

As numerous pieces of flesh and blood rain down, Yuan Li extracts the remaining life force from them, gathering it above his head.

"Why... are you doing this?"

I ask, enduring the pain.

My body is restrained again by the banners, but I feel I can move if I gather a bit more energy.

'Buy time.'

Yuan Li collects life force in front of him, murmuring to himself.

"To obtain Serving Command Palace."

"...Serving Command Palace?"

Is this some artifact someone can possess?

'Is there a reason the Heavenly Being cultivators didn't take Serving Command Palace as a whole?'

Yuan Li continues with a chuckle, sharing unsolicited knowledge.

"Do you know the structure of Serving Command Palace?

The first floor corresponds to the Wood element, symbolizing the Azure Dragon and seven stars of Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket .

The second floor represents Water, corresponding to the Black Turtle and seven stars of Ladle, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Chamber, Wall.

The third floor corresponds to the White Tiger and the seven stars of Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Beak, Triple Star.

The fourth floor corresponds to the Red Vermillion and seven stars of Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wing, and Chariot.”

Yuan Li, seemingly eager to flaunt his knowledge, goes on even about information I haven't asked.

"The fifth floor represents the Supreme Palace Enclosure, the sixth for Purple Forbidden Enclosure, and the seventh for Heavenly Market Enclosure.

Do you see what the structure of Serving Command Palace, corresponding to the constellations of the heavens, symbolizes?"

"...Does it correspond to the stages of cultivation?

Supreme Palace Enclosure, Purple Forbidden Enclosure, and Heavenly Market Enclosure could represent the stages of Core Formation.

The 4 Constellations and 28 Stars correspond to Qi Building, and the Three Enclosures to Core Formation. Perhaps Serving Command Palace is related to the journey of a cultivator.

Yuan Li shakes his head.

"Sure, you can see it that way, but that's incorrect. The creator of Serving Command Palace simply embodied ' The Heavens.'"

'The heavens?'

"What lies beyond the heavens? The sun, the moon, more stars?"

"No. Beyond the heavens, there is nothing. Emptiness... That's also why Serving Command Palace floats in the void. A void, empty heaven. That's what the creator of Serving Command Palace wanted to express."

Boom!

Eventually, all floors of Serving Command Palace from the first to the seventh have collapsed.

All layers of Serving Command Palace are integrated.

"By integrating all floors of Serving Command Palace and reproducing the void, the 'real' Serving Command Palace reveals itself..."

And then.

In the heart of the completely integrated colossal Serving Command Palace, a blue light emanates, revealing something brilliant.

"Ha ha ha, that's the real Serving Command Palace. Or more accurately, the Serving Command Seal."

Yuan Li stretches his hand towards the floating blue light.

The light falls onto Yuan Li's hand, revealing a miniature model of Serving Command Palace made of jade.

"It symbolizes the fate of the continent, the Serving Command Seal! Ha ha ha! The fate of the entire continent has fallen into my hands!"

I squint at the light and ask.

"What is that? If such a treasure exists, why didn't the Heavenly Being cultivators take it?"

"They didn't need to take it. The Serving Command Seal is bound by a strong gravitational attraction of fate to this world.

The Serving Command Seal is used for getting blessings before ascending. Taking the seal pointlessly during ascension can lead to failure due to the attraction of fate contained within the Seal..."

"Blessings...?"

"But, you've become quite talkative."

Yuan Li glances at me.

Wuduk Wududuk…

I gather my strength again, standing up.

"Huh, the more I see, the more I like you. How strong is your willpower? It must be beyond the size of your consciousness to endure such pain..."

"...I apoglize, senior."

I glare at Yuan Li, opening my mouth.

"I refuse to consume fruits cultivated from human lives."

I have come to think of human life as akin to flowers during my time with the Longevity Tree. Life blooms and bears fruit through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

"Arbitrarily cutting down human lives, I cannot follow someone like you."

Cheok!

I grab my Formless Sword and glare at Yuan Li.

"Please kill me."

"Obtaining the Serving Command Seal and gaining an extraordinary disciple with boundless willpower, what a joyous day..."

Swoosh!

He forms another Blood Curse Banner in his hand.

"Indeed, obtaining the Serving Command Seal truly brings one's fate!"

Yuan Li activates his banner.

I charge at him with the Formless Sword.

And then.

Whoosh!

I quickly pass Yuan Li, soaring towards the distant outer wall of Serving Command Palace.

Flash!

In my hand, a barrier-breaking charm for Serving Command Palace's prohibition that I secretly created, emerges.

Boom!

The Formless Sword pierces through Serving Command Palace's outer wall, creating a hole, while the barrier-breaking charm disperses the prohibitions beyond the wall, creating an escape route.