Ao Jin continues looking out into the night, using his spiritual sense to do so. On my side, Im using my awareness to see within the treehouse and a small distance outside of it.
With this, Im able to see that a small creature has approached the side of the tree. Since this type of creature is a bird-like herbivore and wont be of any threat to the tree or us, I dont bother taming it.
Its clear that my companion in here also sees the sa. He seems to observe it, but sowhat lazily.
As theres still a bit of ti before they have to wake up, he seems pretty relaxed.
However, he does sothing strange. He actually starts extending out his spiritual sense to encompass this creature more.
I think he may use his hidden abilities. Should I retract my awareness? No, in case sothing happens, I need to be ready myself.
What I see next causes to go on high alert.
He circulates Qi sowhat openly around his body. Sneaking out of his outreached hand towards the creature is a wisp of demonic Qi. To be specific, this is Qi that has been circulated using demonic cultivation thods.
It reaches over into the creature, which resembles a colorful bird from my world, and pierces straight into its chest. It then quickly spreads across its body and turns it into a cauldron of so sort, feeding back into his body. This is an excruciatingly painful process for the bird. But one that silences it at the sa ti.
It is at this point that theres no question. Hes actually a demonic cultivator.
Different things co together for ; I should have noticed.
The Latent demonic Qi in his body when he was injured, wasnt just from creature bites from deep in the jungle
A person exiled from the clan only has a few ways to attain power quickly. Demonic cultivation is one. If there was no way to win back their loves unless by force, it would be the only way reliably do so.
For soone looking for revenge, demonic cultivation also gives so grueso ways to do so.
It also explains the reason he was using less of his normal thod. He was circulating so of that within himself to rebuild the usable demonic qi.
Admittedly, its very rare to be able to practice both a normal cultivation thod and a second one as well. Not only that, but being able to hide the demonic one.
Rare, but not impossible.
Likely, the one he practices is one that focuses on raising his cultivation base quickly. Its ant to support a primary cultivation thod rather than replace it.
The only downside is that most demonic cultivation thods all share a common characteristic. Theres an aspect of it that can be considered evil to society in so ways. Rightfully or wrongfully so.
And from what I can tell, the way He is circulating his ability inside the bird creature's body reveals that hes more used to using this ability within humanoids. And its definitely not the disputably evil kind of thod.
Unfortunately for us both, a sudden beep from his side shocks him into stillness. The reason its bad for , its because of what it represents.
His hand slowly goes into the pocket from which the beep cos from. From it erges sothing that looks similar to a compass. One which has an arrow pointing straight at my location.
This is what I feared for so long.
A Qi treasure that can detect information about a cultivation thod.
For any cultivator looking to hide their abilities or major aspects about their cultivation thods, an item like this is would be life-saving. Especially if they are hidden demonic cultivators.
To have sothing like this ans that he had to sacrifice a lot to get it.
Of course, this is still a low tier treasure which can only detect whether soone near to your location has detected you using a specific cultivation thod ability.
Here, it detected my awareness ability.
If I had used my scan, it would have never caught a thing.
A level of panic crosses his face, before slowly hardening into a hopeful one. As if hes thought of sothing.
Before I can even move, hes on and stars fill my eyes as he punches in the face, at seemingly half strength. Quickly after, I can see the bright letterings of a talisman and everything goes dark.
As my eyes open soon after, I can feel a slight blur in my mory.
He looks shocked at waking up, as if I wasnt supposed to at this ti, but he still puts on a kind face.
Just behind him, my scan detects the last wisps of a talisman that were used on the ground, disappearing into nothingness. A forgetfulness one.
A powerful one indeed.
Are you feeling okay? You suddenl
I rember.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
Before he can say more than a few words, hes quickly interrupted by the sound of a Qi treasure in his pocket.
Oh no.
My healing constitution restored my mory, removing the condition placed on it.
The Qi treasure detected that the person who witnessed it still knew. A setting like that wouldnt be cheap to have on such a treasure.
Tears fill his eyes and a look of deep sorrow covers his face as he realizes the talisman didnt work on .
He turns away. The room rings silent at the sudden action.
Slowly, but surely, a cold and committed gaze emanates from him towards at the wood opposite from him, almost as if piercing through.
Obviously, Im on full alert and already calling every creature I can nearby to be ready to attack. My healing is circulating through my body, ready for an instant revival. Combat scan is on and ready to position in the best way to evade and counter attacks.
The only issue?
In order to save on costs, Ive only been driving away creatures. I have already petitioned anything powerful enough to fight him or to get as far as way as possible.
Even the Panther isnt anywhere close for it to get here in ti.
I send out taming contracts to defend , anyway. Using most of my mana.
Not all of it, but most. I leave enough to heal myself and strong creatures that would defend .
The weak creatures around the area obviously accept. They dont know better and its their only chance of growing quickly.
The stronger spirit beasts know that Im potentially fighting a foundation establishnt specialist, as its a clear part of the contract.
Its suicidal if they dont attack together.
They dont trust each other, with or without a contract. These are creatures that have been battling for territory for a long ti.
The majority declines. The rest demand more to stay.
Im essentially forced to pour more into them.
The highest I can convince is a peak Qi Condensation spirit beast, with the majority being early and middle levels.
Not only that, but even as they hurry towards they are at least a day away.
For the creatures that are close right now, I have waiting for my signal. To attack at once and like I saw Gong do. To give an opening. It wont do anything but buy a few seconds, but even so Im in a prison of my own making with this treehouse here.
Theres nothing that can save if I fight right now.
Even with my cultivation enhanced body, Im facing an above average, middle stage, Foundation Establishnt cultivator.
To give context, the peak of Qi condensation gets in the territory of using being able to clear a building with an ability. With just their strength, they can easily play around with in a fight.
For a higher realm? Literal childs play. A lower foundation establishnt cultivator ability can repeatedly clear a building. And clear a city block if they push themselves.
Although I survived the spiritual pressure of Foundation establishnt realm, doesnt an that I can co anywhere close to fighting them.
But the fact Im still alive ans that there is sothing he wants from .
He turns back towards , almost as if reading my thoughts.
He says only a few words, but ones that will determine my life or death.
Beco a demonic cultivator.
I quickly check my scan to see if I can sohow get this thod back if I take on the demonic cultivation thod or possibly do it at the sa ti.
It wont and cant.
My current thod intrinsically opposes the one that hes offering and would not accept if I tried to switch back. There are aspects of my thod that I dont yet understand, but apparently it can easily discern such things.
Graciously, he is giving ti to decide, unlike the other demonic cultivator I t.
Unlike that ti, I dont have the ability to strength to stop him. Delay, maybe. But not stop.
Do I give up this thod?
My scan is telling it would be a terrible idea. But can I truly trust it? Its been vague and, despite getting to this thod, it seems to have many caveats.
sigh.
I already know that it is my best choice compared to other healing thods. No other healing thod has so little restrictions on this level of healing. And the fact that it can bring back people, even from ancient tis, is an ability that will be essential when I at higher realms. Sothing that no other similar thod can hope to match. Even if I attempted to synthesize sothing myself, I wouldnt be able to reach the level that this one achieves.
I get the feeling that I will need at least sothing of this strength when fighting the true cultivation monsters.
With fear deep in my heart, it is clear what my answer is. He seems to see it as well from the look on my face. As I focused everything on my combat scan, Im not trying to hide it using my scan.
He sighs.
I attempt to negotiate.
W-wait. I can help you with your wife and daughter! I know alchemy, and you already can see the healing capabilities of my thod.
If we work together, I could keep you going and heal them from whatever theyve gone through. Even the ntal aspects!
This actually makes him freeze in place.
He seriously seems to consider it. This buys another minute.
But then his face hardens, and he sighs again.
Im sorry. I cant risk it, since we dont have a contract here. Ive already been betrayed before. I just cant risk it.
He walks toward .
My body automatically slows down my ti perception to catch his movents in a life-or-death situation. I activate all nearby taming contracts to attack. My healing is all the way up. Combat scan fully engaged.
Its not enough.
Hes simultaneous seems to move quickly and slowly. I instantly dive into a backward roll to evade, but hes easily keeping pace. Getting up, I try to run towards an opening in the wall, but hes already there. Its almost as if hes trying to convince its useless rather than attacking .
My combat scan has been tracking and planning his movents for to evade, but at a certain speed, its like stepping around a stumbling child.
Discerning the future actions ans nothing if you cant physically react fast enough. It ans even less when they can do it better than you, because of the difference in ti perception.
The last thing I hear before I see my vision flying into the air is,
Ill make this quick. Its the least I can do for a friend.
Well, it would have been the last thing I heard if my body didnt instantly regrow a new head.
Even with his increased perception and speed, he stared dumbfounded between my back, as I sprinted away, and my first, now disembodied head, for a good 5 seconds.
Plenty of ti for to push open a hidden window.
And in that free ti, the swarm flooded the entire room.
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