A Mortal's Journey: Starting as the Young Master of Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 12 The Crimson Fire Monster

"Oh, fellow Daoists Han and Qu are also cultivating in the Holy Mountain Cave, and they're even on the lower level of my cave. What a coincidence that I've met two neighbors here."

"I must visit you in the future. At our level of cultivation, we must not work in isolation. We should exchange cultivation experiences and verify each other's findings so that we can make further progress." Wen Tianren's eyes lit up, and his tone was just right, warm and friendly.

Han Li replied politely, "Of course, my senior brother and I will be waiting for Fellow Daoist Xiao's arrival."

Han Li was surprised that this fellow Daoist Xiao was not only his neighbor, but also so enthusiastic. When Fan Jingmei mentioned that she and Qu Hun lived on the 39th floor below her and wanted to pay a visit, Han Li couldn't refuse.

However, he planned to close the cave and cultivate the Thunder Bamboo after this matter was over and he obtained it.

As for Wen Tianren's suggestion to visit him, let's wait until he has forged the seventy-two Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords before making a move. For now, it's better to avoid trouble.

After introductions and conversations, everyone found a place to sit and meditate to regulate their breathing. The atmosphere seemed calm, but undercurrents were surging beneath the surface.

As Wen Tianren turned around, he glanced at Han Li out of the corner of his eye without making a sound.

Han Li seemed to sense something, but when he turned around, he found nothing. He frowned slightly and thought to himself: Am I being too sensitive? But we really need to be careful in this situation. If things don't look right, I'll have Qu Hun cover our retreat immediately.

The group of people in charge of the Miaoyin Sect gathered together.

Fan Jingmei spoke first, her voice tinged with anxiety: "Junior Sister Wang, why hasn't the sect leader arrived yet? I think everyone invited has arrived."

Zhuo Ruting, who had always been at odds with Fan Jingmei, the Left Envoy, surprisingly chimed in, "Yes, Junior Sister, could it be that something has happened?"

Seeing that the two were pressing her for details about her mother's whereabouts, Zi Ling did not hide anything and said softly, "To be honest, my mother has not arrived yet. She went to invite the Crimson Fire Old Monster from Yuan Gui Island."

"The Crimson Flame Old Monster?!" Fan Jingmei's expression changed drastically. "That demonic cultivator in the late Core Formation stage? The sect leader actually went to invite him?"

Zhuo Ruting frowned and asked in a low voice, "Junior sister, is this really necessary?"

The two women were clearly terrified of the Crimson Fire Monster's fearsome reputation.

"Yes, that old monster is not someone to be trifled with. He's ruthless and doesn't hesitate to turn his back on you. It'll be easy to invite him in, but hard to send him away!"

Fan Jingmei's expression was grave, a hint of unease flashing in her eyes: "Besides, we have more than enough manpower right now, why invite trouble in?"

"Do you two really think that the cultivators who robbed the goods last time were all of their forces?" Zi Ling glanced at the two of them and said indifferently.

"Junior sister, what do you mean by that? Is there anyone else they're dealing with who's difficult to handle?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Ruting was startled and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Fan Jingmei, standing beside her, also looked surprised.

Zi Ling gave the two of them a deep look, then said casually:

"That's right. My mother and I received news that there's a late-stage Core Formation cultivator still guarding their lair. The Core Formation cultivators on the field are somewhat weak, so my mother went to Yuan Gui Island and persuaded Old Monster Chi Huo to take action!"

Upon hearing this, Fan Jingmei and Zhuo Ruting exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and worry in each other's eyes.

The two knew that the sect leader must have paid a considerable price to be able to get someone like the Crimson Fire Old Monster, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, to help.

At the same time, Zi Ling's gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Han Li and Qu Hun. "The two Core Formation cultivators you've invited are more than I expected, and there are even two Core Formation cultivators unrelated to our sect!"

Upon hearing this, Fan Jingmei immediately stepped forward, a slight smile playing on her lips: "I went to great lengths to invite them!"

Zhuo Ruting glanced at her sideways, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes.

In his view, Han Li and Qu Hun were nothing more than lecherous men who coveted Fan Jingmei's beauty.

After waiting for half a day, just as someone was about to ask a question, a sudden change occurred.

"Boom—!"

At the same time, a deafening roar of wind and thunder came from the horizon, and pitch-black clouds rolled in from afar at incredible speed, covering the entire top of the deserted island in the blink of an eye.

Only then did everyone get a clear look at the shadowy figure.

It turned out to be a large patch of dark cloud, fifty or sixty feet in diameter.

Its area was so vast that it almost covered the entire mountaintop. It surged like a living thing, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling inside, exuding an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that sent chills down one's spine.

"Fellow Daoist Chi Huo, I have some things to tell my disciples, so I'll take my leave now."

Just then, a clear and melodious voice came from the dark clouds; it was Zhou Yuan's voice.

"Hehe, Sect Leader Zhou, feel free to go, just don't forget the reward you promised me." A hoarse, grating voice, like the scraping of metal, replied, making one's teeth ache.

The crowd fell silent, swallowing their previous grievances.

Clearly, this "Senior Crimson Fire" was so renowned that even they, as Core Formation cultivators, dared not utter a single complaint.

"Wasn't the Miaoyin Sect supposed to have declined? How come they still have such great abilities, able to invite the Crimson Fire Old Monster from Yuangui Island!"

The cultivator surnamed Meng standing next to Wen Tianren muttered something to himself.

The next moment, Wen Tianren subtly noticed that Han Li's expression was somewhat gloomy. Clearly, he had heard what Han Li said and knew something about this Crimson Fire Old Monster.

He took a deep look at the dark figure in the clouds.

This Crimson Flame Old Monster has been famous for a long time and has reached the late stage of Core Formation. His Kui Water Demon Art is unpredictable and he is notorious in the Chaotic Star Sea for his ruthlessness and heartlessness.

Rumor has it that this person has a very good chance of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage and will one day become a demonic tyrant like the Extreme Yin Ancestor.

He can be considered a very famous person.

The Myriad Sounds Sect paid a heavy price to persuade the Crimson Flame Old Monster to cooperate, and they reached a secret deal with him.

The secret deal involved Zhou Yuan providing ten exceptionally beautiful female cultivators from the Miaoyin Sect to the Crimson Fire Old Monster in exchange for his intervention against the late-stage Core Formation cultivator on the other side.

Here we must mention the cruelty of the cultivation world. You never know when you might be traded away as a bargaining chip. This was the case for the female disciples of the Miaoyin Sect who were about to be traded.

If the disciples of Miaoyin Sect knew what Zhou Yuan had done, they would surely be heartbroken. After all, they had risked their lives for the sect, but as the sect leader, she had handed them over to the Crimson Flame Old Monster for her own benefit.

It's easy to imagine that they would suffer a tragic fate if they fell into the hands of the Crimson Flame Monster.

But that's the cruelty of the cultivation world; it's either you eat people or you get eaten. Wen Tianren had long since become accustomed to this.

However, Zhou Yuan miscalculated and invited the wrong people.

Originally, even if the Extreme Yin Old Monster appeared later, with two late-stage Core Formation cultivators, Chi Huo and the Yin Sha Sect Master, dealing with him wouldn't be a problem.

However, Zhou Yuan did not expect that the Crimson Fire Old Monster and Ji Yin had already joined the Reverse Star Alliance, and that Ji Yin knew the Crimson Fire Old Monster's master. This was all part of a pre-arranged scheme.

Speaking of which, he had met this Crimson Flame Old Monster once before. His master was a Nascent Soul demon cultivator from Holy Demon Island. When the monster visited the island once, the Six Paths sent him to receive him. Now that he was here, he could not be allowed to stay.

Meanwhile, dark shadows rolled and churned in the clouds.

Zhou Yuan gracefully descended from the sky, landing beside Zi Ling and the others, and they discussed something via telepathy.

Then, more than a dozen streaks of light shot into the sky from the deserted island, flying north under Zhou Yuan's guidance.

Han Li and Qu Hunfei were at the back of the group, observing everyone and using their divine sense to scan their surroundings. They kept their heads down and traveled without saying a word.

Wen Tianren did not go up to talk to the two, but the Meng surname cultivator was very familiar with Han Li and kept talking to him.