Time flowed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, eight months had passed. After comprehending the Five Elements Yin–Yang One Path Myriad Phenomena Returning to Origin Art, Li Xin had severed himself from worldly distractions like a hermit, devoting himself solely to talisman crafting.

  At first, he could not even properly draw a four-stroke talisman. Now, he could skillfully handle six-stroke and even seven-stroke talismans. The number of completed talismans had already surpassed several thousand.

  Perhaps it was due to such relentless effort—though the proficiency of the Guiyuan cultivation method advanced slowly, it continued to rise steadily. Unlike Li Xin’s monotonous routine, however, the atmosphere within Qingshan Valley was no longer peaceful. The forest’s aura twisted at times, and inexplicable presences brushed past unseen. Ominous rumors began circulating among the Demon Hunters, and tension quietly spread. At last, the rumors materialized into reality.

  One dawn, the roars of demonic beasts shook Qingshan Valley. It was not a few stray creatures. A coordinated herd of demonic beasts had appeared near the valley.

  An alarm rang through Qingshan Valley, and all Demon Hunters within the Immortal City were summoned. Li Xin was among them. Through the dark forest, ranks of Demon Hunters advanced. The senior Demon Hunter at the front shouted.

  “Three li ahead—demonic aura detected. Confirmed herd of Black-Scaled Bulls!”

  Between the dense trees, massive shadows loomed. Their savage aura pressed heavily upon the air.

  “Waaah!”

  The roars of demonic beasts and the battle cries of Demon Hunters collided as the battle erupted.

  A massive Black-Scaled Bull charged straight toward Li Xin. He drew upon the energy of Guiyuan, intending to unleash a technique.

  Damn it, why is it so slow!

  He cursed inwardly. Techniques that once activated in the blink of an eye now felt complex and sluggish after being integrated into the Guiyuan method. The enormous horns of the Black-Scaled Bull were already upon him. There was no time to evade. No time to complete a technique.

  Instinctively, Li Xin twisted his body and intercepted the charge with his bare form. The Black-Scaled Bull was a late Tier One demonic beast. Its charge could send most Demon Hunters flying in a single blow.

  Yet Li Xin did not retreat a single inch. Having embodied hundreds of talismans, he had tempered his body relentlessly. Moreover, his Demon Blood Tempering Steel Art had reached Six Stars. Though his realm was only Tier One, Sixth Layer, his physical strength was comparable to a late Tier One body cultivator.

  The overall situation...

  Even while grappling with the beast, Li Xin surveyed the battlefield. Though only a mid-ranked Demon Hunter, his strength rivaled that of a senior one. For him, the current situation was not overly dangerous. For others, however, it was different.

  “Urgh!”

  Some were injured mid-battle. Others were impaled upon the Black-Scaled Bulls’ horns. The sight of Demon Hunters falling with screams pierced his vision.

  Still… we can endure.

  Though casualties mounted, the overall tide still favored the Demon Hunters. Yet as time dragged on, the battle gradually shifted.

  The endless waves of demonic beasts prolonged the fight beyond expectations.

  “Haa… they truly are endless.”

  Li Xin swiftly withdrew a talisman he had prepared in advance. It was one of his seven-stroke talismans—Lightning Radiance Talisman. Possessing the attribute of lightning, it unleashed a powerful current upon a single target, capable of paralysis or internal destruction.

  A bolt of lightning struck the massive body of the Black-Scaled Bull. With a short, anguished cry, the beast convulsed violently before collapsing.

  “Good work. It is time to rotate.”

  The man who spoke bore dark shadows beneath his eyes. Li Xin had relied primarily on talismans and conserved his strength, but the other Demon Hunters were already nearing their limits.

  We may have to retreat.

  As he caught his breath, unease gnawed at him. Then, from afar, a tremendous surge of spiritual power erupted. A chilling sensation spread across the battlefield.

  One Demon Hunter shouted, “Reinforcements! It is Grandmaster Liu Haozhen!!”

  Relief flooded his voice. A Demon Hunter Grandmaster who had finished another battle nearby had joined the field.

  Demon Hunter Grandmaster...

  For the first time, Li Xin witnessed the true power of a Tier Two cultivator.

  Liu Haozhen merely walked into the midst of the herd.

  And yet, the Black-Scaled Bulls that had charged ferociously moments ago collapsed all at once, like puppets with their strings severed.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Li Xin stared in disbelief.

  That… is divine sense.

  The greatest difference between Tier Two and Tier One cultivators was precisely the presence of divine sense. No matter how powerful a Tier One cultivator’s techniques or body, without divine sense, they could never contend against Tier Two.

  “We won!!!!”

  “Waaah—!”

  With the Grandmaster’s arrival, the demonic herd was annihilated in moments. Li Xin stood still, feeling the lingering pressure of that overwhelming power. No matter how great the potential of his Guiyuan method, his current self did not even measure up to the tip of a Tier Two cultivator’s toe.

  ***

  That evening, after repelling the invasion, Xu Yul came to his residence. Unlike usual, Xu Yul’s expression was grave.

  “Li Xin, the time to leave Qingshan Valley is approaching.”

  Though he had expected this, hearing it aloud stirred complicated emotions.

  “So, to what level of talisman can you draw now?”

  “I can attempt seven-stroke Movement Talismans.”

  “Seven strokes in merely a year… your talent is truly astonishing.”

  Admiration flickered across Xu Yul’s face—along with something more complex, perhaps even pity. For someone from the mountains to reach such a realm in so short a time proved that Li Xin’s talent surpassed imagination.

  “Before we begin crafting the Demonic Beast Talismans in earnest, it would be best for you to meet Xu Hui one last time.”

  Li Xin’s brows twitched slightly. When he saw Xu Hui again after so long, she seemed like an ordinary old woman. Her aura flickered weakly, like a lamp on the verge of extinguishing. At a glance, Li Xin discerned that her Origin True Qi—the lifeblood of a cultivator—was nearly depleted.

  “You’re here.”

  “It has been a long time, Senior.”

  Xu Hui had not summoned him merely to exchange pleasantries. Before he began crafting the Demonic Beast Talismans in earnest, she wished to reveal their true situation.

  “Li Xin… you are our hope. That is why I believe you deserve to know everything.”

  Her gaze toward him was filled with emotion. That Li Xin had advanced from Tier One, First Layer to drawing seven-stroke talismans within a year far exceeded her expectations.

  Once he sat, Xu Hui spoke first.

  “You likely already guessed. Xu Yul and I are siblings. And the Clan Head of the Xu Clan was our father.”

  Li Xin nodded. He had long suspected as much.

  “After the Clan Head was abruptly slain by the Demon King, chaos descended. Seizing that moment, a man named Xu Renlu began consolidating control of the clan.”

  Xu Renlu. While staying within the Xu Clan, Li Xin had heard the name often, though he had never met him.

  “He is my grand-uncle. Once an ordinary figure, yet his ambition exceeded all others.”

  Bitterness colored her voice.

  “After Father’s death, he persuaded and coerced the elders, expanding his influence. On the surface, he claimed to restore order. In truth, he conducted a thorough purge of dissenters.”

  Li Xin asked carefully.

  “Then… were you among those purged, Senior?”

  “Yes. I handed over the complete Talisman Method to Xu Renlu. Since the clan’s master had changed, I believed it proper. Yet he did not trust me. He suspected I had concealed the core secrets and deliberately prevented the Demonic Beast Talisman from being completed.”

  Her voice trembled.

  “As you know… the Demonic Beast Talisman cannot be completed through talent alone. I conveyed everything truthfully. Yet he branded me a liar and began tormenting those around me.”

  Painful memories flickered across her face.

  “In the end, I had no choice but to personally craft the Demonic Beast Talismans required by the Xu Clan.”

  Perhaps that choice momentarily halted Xu Renlu’s rampage, but it left her with irreversible wounds.

  “Why did you not flee?”

  “Where in this place could I flee to?”

  Xu Hui gave a bitter smile. Ordinarily, escaping Xu Renlu’s grasp would have sufficed. But given the peculiar state of Daejin Domain, fleeing was not so simple. The Domain, occupied by the Demon King, was cut off from the outside. Leaving the Immortal City itself was a gamble with death. Worse still, Xu Renlu had attempted a Tier Two breakthrough prematurely—and succeeded. Using that qualification, he secured the position of Demon Hunter Grandmaster and maintained favorable relations with the Daejin Sect by offering the Demonic Beast Talismans she created. Even if they escaped Daejin Domain safely, the situation would hardly improve. Thus, the Xu siblings devised a new plan.

  “Our goal is to use the Demonic Beast Talismans you draw to infiltrate the ruined Daejin Immortal City.”

  “Why Daejin Immortal City…?”

  “Within it lies the entrance to a secret realm guarded by our Xu Clan for centuries. A place unknown to Xu Renlu—and even to the Daejin Sect.”

  A faint glimmer of hope surfaced in her voice.

  “According to Father, the exit of that secret realm lies near the border of Daejin Domain.”

  Only then did Li Xin fully understand. They did not seek to reclaim power. They sought only survival—a desperate escape from both the Xu Clan and Daejin Domain.

  In the end, even these seemingly formidable siblings are merely weaklings in this world…

  Compared to the fears he once harbored, their ambitions were almost modest. The realization that the Demonic Beast Talismans he would craft were their final hope weighed heavily upon his shoulders.

  What should I do…

  He now had two choices. The first was to join the Union forces led by the Daejin Sect. The Union possessed formidable strength and could likely break through most threats. Yet such a path would inevitably place him amid grave dangers. A low-tier cultivator like himself could perish from mere aftershocks of battle.

  The second choice was not entirely safe either. If discovered by a Tier Two demonic beast, he would face immediate peril. Having never witnessed the full might of a Talisman Array centered on Demonic Beast Talismans, he could not easily predict its success rate.

  Li Xin weighed the two options. Considering his abilities, he judged the latter far more favorable. He possessed a hidden trump card—the Five Elements Yin–Yang One Path Myriad Phenomena Returning to Origin Art. After reaching Guiyuan, he could completely conceal his aura. He could even imitate demonic energy and disguise himself as a demonic beast. And there was another decisive reason.

  Having learned such secrets, I have no true choice left.

  Would they truly allow him to walk free after learning their escape route? For now, the Xu siblings treated him well because of the Demonic Beast Talismans. But once he lost his usefulness, would that remain the case? Li Xin did not wish to become a hunting dog boiled once the hare was dead.

  As long as no Tier Two cultivator appears, I can manage somehow.

  In this harsh world, the only one he could truly rely upon was himself.