Chapter 128: Chapter 110: I Urge Grandpa to Bestir Himself and Imitate the Ancient Demon Cultivators

“How about it? Bet you didn’t expect me to beat you to the threshold of the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, Ah Yi!”

Yang Xun sat sprawled in the Grandmaster’s Chair, brimming with vigor.

Because his Cultivation had advanced, his white hair was gradually turning black again. The mix made him look refreshed and energetic, no older than a man in his early fifties.

“Congratulations, Grandpa. Your cultivation has reached a state of perfection. You’re about to advance another step.”

Jiang Yi suppressed the doubt in his heart and spoke.

He had a steady supply of Nourishing Essence Pills and relied on the Bing Fire Qi Mechanism overflowing from the Demon Acupoint, allowing his Dao Embryo Prototype to constantly devour and absorb it. That was why his Cultivation was growing at a visible rate.

’Grandpa has been stagnant for years. It makes no sense for him to advance by leaps and bounds just because of a single Eighth-Grade Qi Cultivation Technique.’

Jiang Yi’s mind raced, but his expression remained impassive as he tried to probe indirectly.

“Grandpa, could it be you’ve had a new insight into the Fire Manipulation Technique?”

Yang Xun stroked his beard and said:

“Not quite. I’ve just been visiting Observing Fate Peak frequently lately. Elder Sui was injured due to the recent celestial shift and has been bedridden. I’ve been going over to talk with him, and whenever I manage to cheer him up, he bestows quite a few Spiritual Objects on me.”

’Sounds a bit like a young caregiver swindling an old man out of his pension.’

Jiang Yi grumbled to himself. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss.

’From Grandpa’s past descriptions, Sui Liushu was by no means a kind-hearted person. He was known for using a combination of rewards and punishments, always pondering ways to control his subordinates and maintain a balance of power.’

’It was precisely because his mind was so cluttered with schemes that he couldn’t win against Liu Huan, a man a generation his junior.’

’Liu Huan had bided his time for years, feigning compliance. The moment he broke through to the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer, he acted decisively, forcing Sui Liushu to retire to Observing Fate Peak, never again to meddle in the affairs of the Inner Peak.’

’Why get close to Grandpa for no reason? What’s his angle? Surely, he doesn’t genuinely want to be best buddies with Grandpa, right?’

Jiang Yi sat to the side, chatting and laughing with Yang Xun, but after just a few sentences, he sensed something was wrong.

Yang Xun wasn’t a pushover; he couldn’t have held his position as the Servant of the Red Flame Peak’s Quenching Room for so long if he were.

’Logically, he should be wary of Sui Liushu. How could he trust him so easily and accept those rewards without a second thought?’

’Grandpa’s behavior… it’s just like how Junior Sister Li acted after I used the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse on her…’

Jiang Yi’s Primordial Gate stirred. He activated the Seven Emotions Curse with his Divine Thought, and the form of Ding Fire immediately coalesced within his Inner Mansion. It was held aloft by gushing Spiritual Liquid, its faint reflection appearing in the depths of his eyes.

’Just as I thought! Grandpa fell for a trick without even realizing it!’

Jiang Yi’s brows furrowed deeply. He hadn’t expected Sui Liushu to actually make a move against Yang Xun.

“Grandpa.”

Yang Xun was getting animated, vividly describing how he had cheered Elder Sui up, when he heard Jiang Yi’s voice. He turned to meet a pair of dark eyes that seemed to hold a flickering flame within.

“I…”

Yang Xun shuddered violently, as if waking from a long dream. The excitement on his face vanished in an instant.

“Grandpa, you were hit by one of Sui Liushu’s Spells. He cultivates Ding Fire, so he must have mastered some sinister trick for stirring the heart and capturing one’s thoughts.”

Jiang Yi repeated what Yang Xun had just said, causing the older man to break out in a cold sweat as a chill ran down his spine.

“Old Dog Sui! He actually targeted me! Could he be trying to control me to get to you, Ah Yi?!”

Yang Xun was unable to contain his rage, his balding brows twisting into a knot.

Remembering how he’d been acting like a sworn brother to Sui Liushu these past few days, confiding everything in him, he flew into a rage, wishing he could grab a knife and chop that old dog into mincemeat.

“He probably isn’t coming for me.”

A glint of gold flashed in Jiang Yi’s eyes as he said in a low voice:

“I just entered the Merit Supervision Institute. Sui Liushu has no reason to target me out of the blue. The one he’s truly after… is probably you, Grandpa.”

Yang Xun was stunned, looking at him in disbelief.

“At my age, and having never offended Old Dog Sui… why would he target me for no reason?”

Jiang Yi recounted what he had learned when he sensed something was wrong with Yang Xun and had begged the Celestial Book for answers.

“I recall that Elder Sui’s lifespan was already short to begin with. During the recent celestial turmoil, those who Cultivate Ding Fire suffered the most damage. The higher their Realm, the more severe the loss.”

“I lost a great deal of my own Cultivation. You must have been affected too, right, Grandpa?”

Yang Xun nodded repeatedly.

“That day, my chest felt incredibly tight. It felt like smoke was about to pour out of every opening on my face, and I nearly suffocated to death.”

“If I hadn’t jumped into the water vat in time to suppress that searing fire, I’m afraid I would have been burned beyond recognition.”

“Is it possible that Elder Sui’s Primordial Essence was damaged and his lifespan shortened, and now he wants to consume a Daoist Can to extend his life?”

Jiang Yi reached the logical conclusion.

“He wants to eat me!”

Yang Xun realized what was happening. When he thought about how all the Spiritual Objects Sui Liushu had given him were for consolidating his foundation and advancing his Cultivation, he was instantly horrified.

“That’s right! In past years, many Disciples who joined Observing Fate Peak died under mysterious circumstances! That Old Dog Sui is a mere Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer cultivator, yet he has the gall to imitate High Cultivators and consume a Daoist Can!”

This “Daoist Can” method was originally a refined version of how Ancient Demon Cultivators consumed flesh and blood.

In the Qi Cultivation Realm, the later stages of Cultivation were increasingly difficult. Every sliver of progress required vast amounts of Spiritual Energy to be poured in and nourishment from Spiritual Objects.

Thus, some long-forgotten Demon Cultivator dug this method out of ancient texts. It used Lower Cultivators who practiced the same Secrets of the Technique as a supplement, extracting their Primordial Essence and refining it into a single stream of energy to enhance one’s Merit and bolster one’s life force.

Essentially, it was treating a person like a stalk of ginseng, consuming them completely as if refining Spiritual Energy.

The Daoist Can method spread far and wide, causing endless harm, yet it never drew the attention of the higher-ups in the Daoist Lineage.

“Ah Yi, now that you’ve broken the Spell for me, will Old Dog Sui notice?”

Yang Xun suddenly asked, his tone laced with ferocity.

Through his eyes, which contained the Ding Fire, Jiang Yi could faintly sense the cold killing intent surging in his Grandpa’s chest.

“He shouldn’t. This is merely a utility Spell that uses Ding Fire to illuminate the subtle changes in a person’s heart. It can only sense their joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, but it can’t discern their true thoughts.”

Yang Xun narrowed his eyes, looking like a vulture poised to strike.

“Good! If Old Dog Sui wants to eat me like a piece of ginseng, then even if I die, I’ll take a chunk of his flesh with me!”

Then, he turned to Jiang Yi, his tone softening slightly.

“Don’t get involved in this. You finally managed to find a peaceful place to focus on your Cultivation in the Merit Supervision Institute. There’s no need for you to wade into these muddy waters.”

“I’ll go get some more things from him, bleed him dry of his resources. That way I can at least save up some Cultivation resources for you…”

THUD!

The square table shook violently, and the teacups jumped into the air.

Yang Xun’s words came to an abrupt halt. He stared at Jiang Yi in astonishment.

For the first time, that usually calm face showed a fierce expression.

Yang Xun felt inexplicably unnerved and didn’t dare to meet his gaze.

“What do you mean by that, Grandpa?”

Jiang Yi’s voice was as heavy as iron, his face an icy mask.

“My surname may not be Yang, but I have never once treated you as an outsider, Grandpa. From a Mortal Servant on Red Flame Peak to an Inner Peak Disciple, it’s true that I’ve had to be cautious with every step, as if treading on thin ice, to finally get where I am.”

“But without your support back then, Grandpa, I wouldn’t have even been able to take the first step. How could I possibly be where I am today?”

“And now, Grandpa wants to take Sui Liushu down with him in mutual destruction, while I just sit by and do nothing in the Merit Supervision Institute.”

“Could it be that in your eyes, Grandpa, Jiang Yi is such a heartless and disloyal person?”

These words weighed on Yang Xun so heavily he couldn’t raise his head. He only mumbled:

“Ah Yi, you’ve misunderstood.”

Jiang Yi’s eyes were brimming with killing intent as he spoke to Yang Xun.

“Why are you so determined to die, Grandpa? I only call Sui Liushu an Elder to give him some face.”

“If I don’t give him face, he’s nothing but an old dog at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer!”

Ever since he learned that he would one day have to fight the Immortal Dao Emperor, Ji Fuyao, Jiang Yi’s ambition had risen to new heights.

’If he wasn’t even afraid of the world’s foremost manifestation, the Tai Yang, why would he fear a mere old thief at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer?’

“Ah Yi, you mean…?”

Yang Xun trailed off. ’How is this good grandson of mine even more ruthless than I am?’

Jiang Yi lowered his eyelids, hiding the golden glint in his eyes, and asked in a low voice:

“Grandpa, are you willing to imitate the Ancient Demon Cultivators? Are you willing to consume a Daoist Can?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep