Chapter 70: The Method to Break the Blood Oath

Let the Black Pond Master supervise Ji Feichen?

It wasn't his master, nor was it someone completely unrelated—rather, it was the Black Pond Master, who was secretly involved with Ji Feichen? Not only was Ji Feichen left completely bewildered, even the Black Flow Master felt something was amiss. But since the Palace Lord had given the order, he could not question it.

"Even if I have some connection with him, there's no way I could make him show favoritism in this matter."

The cohesion among the Demonic Sects was far weaker than that of the Daoist Sects. For a demonic cultivator at the level of Human Immortal, a demonstration of loyalty was crucial. If one refused to kill as a show of allegiance and the Black Pond Master became suspicious, Ji Feichen would hardly escape with his life.

"I'm newly ascended to the Human Immortal realm, not someone who's cultivated for many years like the others." Ji Feichen returned to his quarters in low spirits, pondering how to break free from this predicament.

Killing was out of the question. Once he killed, he could forget about ever leaving the Demonic Sect. Yet, if he didn't kill, how could the Black Pond Master cover for him?

Though Human Immortal and Earthly Immortal seemed only a step apart, the difference was as great as heaven and earth.

To reach the Human Immortal realm, one had to refine the Five Qi toward the Origin, and complete the Ninth Transformation of the Grand Dao Golden Core—so said the Daoist Sects. By the Demonic Sect's "Profound Nether Black Demon Codex," it meant transforming the White Bone Origin Core to manifest the Demon God body. In the "Profound Evil Devil Dragon Scripture," it was the evolution and sublimation of the Life Dragon Pearl, forging the Grand Dao Dragon Soul.

The Black Pond Master had already perfected his White Bone Origin Core, just a step away from breaking the shell and condensing the White Bone Demon God body. Ji Feichen, however, had only just entered this realm and hadn't yet truly chosen his path forward. If the two fought, Ji Feichen would lose within a few moves.

"Speaking of which, who exactly are these people I'm supposed to kill?" Taking out the Nine Clouds Profound Crystal Disk, Ji Feichen silently calculated the backgrounds of those on his list.

He Wen-kai needed no further thought: as a disciple of the Demonic Sect with far too much blood on his hands, Ji Feichen had no qualms killing him. But what about the other two?

That family of mortals was a household of four—parents and twin children—utterly ordinary folk living honest lives, never having committed any great wrongs.

Faced with such people, Ji Feichen could never bring himself to kill. It would violate the oath bound to his Dao Fruit. If he truly went through with it, the Demonic Sect wouldn't need to act—his own Dao Fruit would instantly collapse, and his cultivation would fall.

With the Jade Microcosmic Heaven Calculation Scripture, he deduced the secrets of fate, and suddenly a heavenly sign traced itself across the Profound Crystal Disk.

Brilliant light shimmered, and a line of characters, as vivid as flying dragons and dancing phoenixes, appeared: "Jade Marsh Sea, Land of Spirit, Immortal Ship and Flying Tower, Mirage Dragon Weeps Blood."

By combining two divinatory techniques, Ji Feichen gradually understood, sighing, "Though this mortal family is ordinary, their eldest son has joined the ranks of the immortals—he's a Daoist cultivator?"

If Ji Feichen killed his parents and siblings, wouldn't this Daoist come seeking vengeance?

"From the Eastern Sea Daoist Sects? Perhaps apprenticed to a wandering immortal overseas?"

Ji Feichen then divined the background of the other Daoist sect. Soon, he made another discovery: "This is a small sect inheriting the lineage of the Supreme Branch of the Daoist Sects. It was founded by a registered disciple of an Earthly Immortal from the Supreme Purity Sect."

Even a dog must be considered for its owner. To slaughter a sect founded by a registered disciple of an Earthly Immortal might provoke the master’s vengeance! Among the thirty-six highest sects, the Supreme Purity Sect was known as the ultimate "hawk," always taking a thunderous approach against the Demonic Sects.

"If it were a sect derived from the Non-Action School, it would be one thing. But an affiliated sect of Supreme Purity? Forget it, I can't afford to offend them."

But not killing wasn't an option either, with the Demonic Sect watching closely. The slightest slip and he’d be punished by the Blood Locust Curse.

Ji Feichen frowned in distress, secretly invoking the Drought Demon Divine Fire to contact the Lady Immortal.

At present, the Lady Immortal wasn’t at Nine He Mountains, but was making preparations for the Qi Cultivators, seeking advice from old friends.

A man and a woman sat beneath a phoenix tree, drinking tea. The great tree cast red shadows, rainbow phoenixes shimmered, and clusters of spirit flowers bloomed like cinnabar birds.

Once Ji Feichen explained his predicament, the Lady Immortal furrowed her brow and set down her cup in thought.

Seeing this, Wind Across the Miles also put down his tea. "What is it, junior sister? Something's troubling you?"

At the sight of Wind Across the Miles, the Lady Immortal was struck by an idea. "This concerns the future of the Qi Cultivators, senior brother. You mustn't stand idly by." She then explained Ji Feichen’s dilemma.

Both Wind Across the Miles and the Lady Immortal hailed from the ancient methods, and both were considered outliers: one a corpse turned demon after death, the other a monster of human-demon lineage. Both were masters of divine fire. They had supported each other for a long time before attaining the rank of Earthly Immortal. The Supreme Palace dared not push the Lady Immortal too hard, largely because her senior brother Wind Across the Miles was about to ascend to Celestial Immortal.

Hearing this, Wind Across the Miles laughed, "So you've come to your brother for reinforcements. From your description, this lad is somewhat fated with me. He switched to the ancient path, and under the name Clear Ripple, mingled among the Daoist Sects. My own disciple joined thanks to him."

It was Ji Feichen, along with Li Jingxun and others, who had helped Wind Across the Miles accept a disciple.

After pondering a moment, the old immortal said to the Lady Immortal, "He's bound by the Demonic Sect’s blood oath; I can’t easily help him. However, for this first demonstration of loyalty, you and I can assist. I’ll use great magic to cast an illusion, hiding the people he’s supposed to kill and concealing them from fate. The Yin Nether Sect won't notice. As for the blood oath, it’s not easily broken—he’ll likely have to remain in the Demonic Sect for a long time. Yet, staying there has its advantages. If he gathers intelligence early and saves a few Daoists later, it will build his reputation as Clear Ripple."

"But if the blood oath isn't lifted, he can never be truly safe. Must we really wait until he becomes an Earthly Immortal and breaks the curse himself?" As she spoke, the Lady Immortal lit a divine lamp before her, the wick blazing with Drought Demon fire, drawing Ji Feichen’s soul to listen in.

Wind Across the Miles spread his hands. "The Demonic Sect's blood oaths are myriad and strange. If it were the Burning Body Curse or the Frost Poison Curse, I might be able to help. But the Yin Nether Sect’s curses target the flesh; I can't break them. My Phoenix Fire wouldn’t burn away the oath—it would kill him first. Unless he cultivates the 'Phoenix Heaven Manual' and purifies the oath through nirvana."

But Ji Feichen's cultivation method was the antithesis of Wind Across the Miles'—how could he switch paths?

Still, hearing that the old immortal could break the blood curse of the Radiant Sun Demonic Sect, Ji Feichen’s mind stirred.

The Lady Immortal asked, "Among all the world’s cultivators, do you know anyone who can break a Demonic Sect blood oath?"

"The Pure World White Lotus Sect, at its highest attainment, claims to purify the world and can break such oaths. But they themselves are a demonic sect—why would they help this boy?"

"Wasn't the White Lotus Sect originally a fallen Daoist sect? Did they leave behind any other inheritances? If so, perhaps there’s a way."

"Not that I've ever heard of."

Unperturbed, the Lady Immortal continued, "If not through immortals, are there any treasures or spiritual artifacts that can undo a blood oath?"

"Not that I—wait—" Wind Across the Miles suddenly paused, his tone odd. "All things born of heaven and earth have their counterparts. Though blood oaths are formidable, surely there's a countermeasure. Do you remember, junior sister, when I studied the Radiant Sun Demonic Sect's blood oath?"

"Their oath is based on burning body and soul. You once said that stealing their Three Sacred Banners or using your Phoenix Heavenly Fire could break the oath."

"Exactly. Everything has its counter. If the oath relies on a particular object, then stealing that object will unravel it. Boy, how does your Yin Nether Sect cast its blood oath?"

Through the flames, Wind Across the Miles spoke to Ji Feichen.

"Gu worms!" Ji Feichen answered without hesitation. "In the Yin Nether Sect, there’s a mother gu worm. Whenever someone swears an oath, it’s in the presence of the mother worm."

Wind Across the Miles understood. "So the curse is laid through the mother gu, making the Blood Locust Curse essentially a kind of seed gu. If you extract the mother gu's blood and mix it with Heavenly Scented Jade Dew and other ingredients, that can purify the curse."

But the mother gu was hidden deep within the heavily guarded heart of the Yin Nether Sect, and treasures like Heavenly Scented Jade Dew were not things an ordinary person could obtain.

This dew was the concentrated essence of a hundred flowers, requiring special secret methods and the alternation of the four seasons, cold and heat, yin and yang, before a single drop could be formed. The Lady Immortal had once drunk a drop three thousand years ago to dispel the baleful energy within her. Where could she find it now?

Difficult indeed, but at least there was a sliver of hope.

Both the Lady Immortal and Ji Feichen took note, and Wind Across the Miles provided two more options.

"The White Lotus Sect won’t help, but if you can find a Pure World White Lotus forged by an Earthly Immortal of the sect in ages past, a single petal is enough to break the oath. The lotus is the Dao Fruit of an Earthly Immortal, containing a century’s worth of power and capable of dispelling curses."

"That’s not easy either. Any others?"

"Since it’s a vow, there must be something to replace it. If you can find a thing that inverts cause and effect, you can transfer the harm of the blood oath elsewhere—this is a temporary way to avoid its threat. Hide for a few centuries, become an Earthly Immortal, and break it yourself."

"Of course, if you can find a celestial artifact that severs karma, you can cut the blood oath directly—if so, forget everything I’ve said."

There were surely ways to break the oath; the key was to think of them.

Suddenly, Ji Feichen was struck by inspiration. "What if...what if I used some special elixir to forcibly boost my cultivation? Aren’t there pills that let ordinary cultivators temporarily wield power beyond their level? If I took such a pill to become an Earthly Immortal for a short time, broke the blood oath, and then let my level fall again, would that work?"

At his words, the Lady Immortal and Wind Across the Miles both brightened, simultaneously casting divinations to assess the plan’s potential.

After a while, Wind Across the Miles finished his calculations and looked at the Lady Immortal. Her cultivation was not as profound as his, so she took a little longer before speaking: "In the past, breaking through temporarily was always a last resort in battle—a self-destructive method to gain power, second only to self-immolation. Thus, many demonic cultivators who briefly wielded Earthly Immortal power were too rushed to break their blood oaths in time."

Thinking it through, this solution had never been popular because it was simply too risky. Only deeply cultivated Human Immortals could attempt it, and only by risking self-harm with special pills or secret arts. Moreover, the success rate was unclear, and it was hard to find an Earthly Immortal senior to help calculate the chances.

The Lady Immortal asked, "I judge this method feasible, but there are too many flaws. It would require an Earthly Immortal protector. What do you think, senior brother?"

"First, you’d need a pill to break through to Earthly Immortal. Second, you’d need two Earthly Immortals to assist and protect you, preventing permanent injury from the ordeal. Third, the success rate is only fifty percent. If you fail, your cultivation will fall."

"Fifty percent? That's not bad." Ji Feichen decided immediately. "We'll use this method and ask you both to protect me."

"Protection is no problem, but let me dampen your spirits a little. The pill to break through to Earthly Immortal—you’ll have to prepare it yourself. Neither my junior sister nor I are skilled in alchemy."

Ji Feichen was stunned. "Both of you are masters of divine fire, yet neither can refine pills?"

Wind Across the Miles was unconcerned. "The Dao of Alchemy is vast and profound. We two do not specialize in it. Ordinary pills are one thing; for this special elixir, we can’t make it. You’ll need a true master alchemist. But I’m eccentric and have few friends, and my junior sister is a fugitive from the Supreme Palace—not convenient for seeking help. So, you'll have to find it yourself. And let me make it clear: this pill is difficult to make, and only a grandmaster of alchemy could do it."

Challenging as it was, there was now a ray of hope. Ji Feichen thanked the two immortals, then prepared to "kill" as ordered by the Black Pond Master. Meanwhile, the two immortals descended from Phoenix Slope, first rescuing the intended victims, then disguising illusions as the targets to shield Ji Feichen.