PS: Three chapters combined, all posted together.
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"The True Scripture of Scarlet Blood"
These six ordinary-sounding words held no particular uniqueness in their name.
But for Meng Fan, he wasn't in pursuit of any high-level techniques.
Even a low-level demon cultivation technique would be like timely rain for him at present.
As long as he cultivated the demon technique and bolstered the demonic energy within him, he might be able to smoothly wield the "Seven Absolute Demon Swords" and the "Eternal Night Sword Technique."
Although there was still the risk of succumbing to demonic possession, after cultivating the demon technique, Meng Fan could essentially control this state!
The techniques in the Scripture Pavilion couldn't be taken out; registration was required to borrow them.
Meng Fan didn't want others to know he was studying demon techniques, so naturally, he wouldn't register!
Instead, he began studying the "True Scripture of Scarlet Blood" right there.
This wasn't a sword scripture, so Meng Fan couldn't memorize it at a glance, nor could he learn it immediately.
It took him three full days to memorize the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood.
***
After three days, Meng Fan returned to his room in the Sword Pavilion at night and began cultivating this demonic technique!
Although this could also be called a demonic technique, it was different from the demonic techniques cultivated by demonic sects. The techniques cultivated by demonic sects, though called demonic, were essentially human techniques.
However, the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood that Meng Fan had was a technique from the Demon Realm, tailor-made for the demon tribe!
Normally, humans couldn't cultivate demon tribe techniques.
But due to a fortuitous coincidence, Meng Fan had condensed a wisp of demonic energy within him, belonging to the demon tribe of the Demon Realm.
This gave him the opportunity to cultivate the demon tribe's technique!
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Meng Fan activated the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood, and the wisp of demonic energy inside him indeed reacted.
However, the spiritual energy stored in his body from consuming lotus petals was useless against the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood and couldn't strengthen the wisp of demonic energy.
Likewise, the spiritual Qi of the world was also ineffective for cultivating the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood and couldn't strengthen the wisp of demonic energy.
"Sigh…" Meng Fan took a deep breath, his brows furrowing.
He then got up from the bed, his expression somewhat helpless.
No wonder no humans cultivated demon tribe techniques!
First, it was impossible to get started.
Second, even if someone like him got started by chance and obtained the demon tribe's cultivation technique, there was still no way to continue the subsequent cultivation.
It was an insurmountable chasm!
The spiritual Qi of the Human Realm was different from that of the Demon Realm, and it simply couldn't be transformed into the demonic energy needed for the demon tribe's technique.
Thinking of this, Meng Fan couldn't help but smile bitterly, full of helplessness.
After all the trouble, it was all in vain!
It seemed he could only use the Pure Yang Thunder Cultivation Scripture to refine and devour the wisp of demonic energy within him.
Just as he was about to start, a sudden inspiration struck him.
He remembered something he had forgotten.
The Essence of the Sword
The reason he had managed to produce this wisp of demonic energy was closely related to the Bei Ming Sword and the Essence of the Sword.
The Essence of the Sword could enhance the Spirit Wind Profound Art and the Pure Yang Thunder Cultivation Scripture, and perhaps it could also enhance the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood.
After all, the Essence of the Sword couldn't be said to belong to the Human Realm, nor to the Demon Realm.
To be precise, both the Human Realm and the Demon Realm had the Essence of the Sword!
With this thought, Meng Fan sprang into action.
The Essence of the Sword within him had long been exhausted, and since he had the spiritual energy from the lotus petals to bolster his cultivation, Meng Fan hadn't absorbed the Essence of the Sword in recent days.
Meng Fan left his room and went to the first floor of the Sword Pavilion, casually picking up a longsword he hadn't touched before.
The sword was named "Tree of Mystery."
Meng Fan drew the sword, and a wisp of the Essence of the Sword surged into his body.
Then he returned the sword and didn't go back to his room. Instead, he sat down cross-legged on the spot and began cultivating the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood.
This time, it wasn't a futile effort like before.
The wisp of the Essence of the Sword was quickly refined by the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood.
The demonic energy within Meng Fan also increased a bit.
Success!
The Essence of the Sword was indeed effective.
Meng Fan opened his eyes, a hint of surprise on his face.
The Essence of the Sword was something others simply couldn't absorb. Meng Fan had this ability thanks to the supreme talent of Sword Dao Transcendence.
In the whole world, probably only Meng Fan had this ability.
Therefore, he should be the only human who could cultivate the demon tribe's technique!
But it's better not to expose this if it can be avoided. If people knew Meng Fan was cultivating a demon tribe technique, he might be suspected of being a spy for the demon tribe.
But this possibility was very low because, in a sense, it was an impossible thing, so generally, no one would think in this direction.
Fortune favors the bold!
Meng Fan wouldn't give up such a good opportunity just because of a little risk.
After refining and absorbing the wisp of the Essence of the Sword within him, Meng Fan began to continue polishing longswords.
From today on, he would continue to polish longswords, accumulating the Essence of the Sword.
The spiritual energy contained in the lotus petals could be used for cultivating the Spirit Wind Profound Art and the Pure Yang Thunder Cultivation Scripture.
The Essence of the Sword, however, was only for the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood!
Meng Fan polished thirty longswords in a row, four of which were Spiritual Swords.
A total of eight swords contained Sword Wraiths.
After absorbing and refining these Sword Wraiths, Meng Fan stopped polishing longswords.
Because he felt fatigue!
Refining and absorbing Sword Wraiths also consumed a lot of his energy.
However, after absorbing the Sword Wraiths, Meng Fan had an unexpected gain.
He discovered that the Sword Wraiths, like the Essence of the Sword, could also aid the cultivation of the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood.
With this, Meng Fan's demonic energy within him need not worry about being unable to grow stronger!
***
The next day, Meng Fan, as usual, went to the fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
Starting today, he would officially observe the sword scriptures of the fourth floor.
Once he finished observing the sword scriptures of the fourth floor, he would consider continuing to comprehend the Sword God Stele.
By then, his Sword Dao cultivation would surge again, advancing by leaps and bounds!
Of course, it would be best to reach the Heavenly Origin Realm before comprehending the Sword God Stele to maximize the benefits.
Time always flies when observing sword scriptures.
***
In the blink of an eye, the sun set, and Meng Fan prepared to leave the Scripture Pavilion and return to the Sword Pavilion.
But as he passed by the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, he overheard the conversation of a few people.
"The Princess of the Great Dragon Empire is coming to Shu Mountain to seek a sword!"
Hearing this news, Meng Fan's face showed a hint of surprise.
The princess of the empire, coming to the Shu Mountain Sword Sect to seek a sword?
At first glance, it seemed surprising, but upon reflection, it made sense.
The Shu Mountain Sword Sect, as a holy land of swordsmanship, naturally attracted the longing of the princess of the secular empire.
Although the princess was of noble status, the Shu Mountain Sword Sect was no ordinary sect.
However…
"Seeking a sword?" Meng Fan muttered to himself.
This would inevitably involve the Sword Pavilion.
Because most of the famous swords of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect were in the Sword Pavilion!
The Shu Mountain Sword Pavilion.
It was renowned throughout the world!
The Kunlun Sword Sect, the Limitless Sword Sect, and the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.
Each of the three great sword sects had their own distinct features. The Limitless Sword Sect liked to collect sword scriptures from all over the world, while the Kunlun Sword Sect liked to collect sword bones from all over the world.
However, these sword bones were extremely rare, nurtured only after the fall of a supreme sword master.
Just like the relics left behind after the passing of a high-ranking Buddhist monk!
It was said that sword bones could enhance others' swordsmanship talents through certain secret methods, but this was a secret of the Kunlun Sword Sect, and Meng Fan didn't understand it.
Different from the Limitless Sword Sect and the Kunlun Sword Sect, the Shu Mountain Sword Sect liked to collect famous swords from all over the world!
The swords in the Shu Mountain Sword Pavilion were many times more numerous than those of the Kunlun Sword Sect and the Limitless Sword Sect combined.
If this Princess Yuqi of the Great Dragon Empire really wanted to come to Shu Mountain to seek a sword, then she was obviously targeting the Sword Pavilion.
Meng Fan approached Senior Disciple Jin and asked, "Senior Brother Jin, is what those disciples said true? The Princess Yuqi of the Great Dragon Empire is coming to the Shu Mountain Sword Sect?"
Senior Disciple Jin, although a typical homebody and socially anxious, was surprisingly well-informed!
This was quite mysterious.
Senior Disciple Jin, who never left the mountain and never interacted with others, why did he give off the impression of being an all-knowing figure?
"Indeed, she's already on her way to Shu Mountain and should arrive in about three days," Senior Disciple Jin said without lifting his head as he was registering books.
Usually, when others chatted with Senior Disciple Jin, he would ignore them, so Meng Fan thought this guy was not only a homebody but also socially anxious.
However, strangely enough, every time he chatted with Senior Disciple Jin, Jin would respond to him.
Meng Fan didn't know why that was.
Perhaps he just found Meng Fan more agreeable.
"Senior Brother Jin, you stay in the Scripture Pavilion all day without going out, how can you be so well-informed?" Meng Fan couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Because I have many friends!" Senior Disciple Jin still didn't lift his head as he spoke.
Meng Fan could only smile; this answer was quite perfunctory.
Looking around the entire Shu Mountain, those who could barely be considered friends with Senior Disciple Jin probably didn't exceed the number of one hand.
Note the emphasis on "barely."
In that case, Meng Fan probably counted as one.
Meng Fan smiled wryly and shook his head, then walked out of the Scripture Pavilion.
Senior Disciple Jin looked up, glanced at Meng Fan's retreating figure, and muttered softly to himself, "Not only do I have many friends, but each and every one of them is exceptional!"
Meng Fan returned to the Sword Pavilion, chatted with Senior Disciple Luo for a bit, then went back to his room to continue cultivating.
He couldn't help but compare; Senior Disciple Luo of the Sword Pavilion seemed to fall short compared to Senior Disciple Jin of the Scripture Pavilion.
Fortunately, Master had taken him as a disciple; otherwise, wouldn't the Sword Pavilion be lacking successors?
With the boost from the Essence of the Sword, Meng Fan's cultivation of the True Scripture of Scarlet Blood wasn't slow, and the demonic energy within him was gradually growing stronger.
Given time, he would surely be able to activate the Seven Absolute Demon Swords!
At that time, Meng Fan would be able to integrate the Seven Absolute Demon Swords, the Eternal Night Sword Technique, and others into his Primordial Dao, into his Myriad Swords Returning to Origin.
Perhaps once he mastered the state of "demonic possession," he might even be able to integrate the Supreme Heartless Sword Technique!
The allure of the Primordial Great Way of the Sword was beyond Meng Fan's imagination, and the responsibility was heavy and the road long.
He could always maintain anticipation and surprise!
***
Three days later, just as Senior Disciple Jin had said, Princess Yuqi of the Great Dragon Empire indeed arrived at the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.
She came with a grand entourage, with carriages, maids, and guards.
There were more than a dozen maids and hundreds of guards.
There was also a general in armor leading the way, and this grand display instantly caused a sensation in the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.
Disciples who knew about this news in advance were fine, but those who didn't were frowning, feeling somewhat annoyed.
They wondered who was putting on such a grand show for.
Who was trying to show off?
When they learned that the princess of the Great Dragon Empire had arrived, their expressions changed, and their hearts filled with flattery.
It's not that cultivators are without desires; most people joined the Shu Mountain Sword Sect from ordinary backgrounds. Hearing about the princess's arrival, they were somewhat excited and wanted to catch a glimpse of her beauty.
Although the princess came with a significant entourage, the Shu Mountain Sword Sect's status was not diminished.
The person who came out to meet the princess was just a steward, and not even an elder was dispatched!
This indirectly showed that the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, even when facing the princess of the empire, was completely dignified and unyielding.
After arriving at the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, Princess Yuqi didn't rush to the Sword Pavilion to seek a sword. Instead, she strolled around the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, appearing to be sightseeing.
Most unexpectedly, the princess was also a cultivator, having already cultivated to the ninth level of the True Martial Realm, just one step away from breaking through to the Heavenly Origin Realm.
At her age and with her cultivation level, she could be considered a genius even in the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.
But then again, she was a princess of the empire, with no shortage of resources, so it was quite normal for her to have some cultivation.
Princess Yuqi's first stop upon arriving at the Shu Mountain Sword Sect was the Demon Locking Tower!
The Demon Locking Tower of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect was famous throughout the world.
Ordinary people had heard myths about the Demon Locking Tower, so it was no surprise that Her Highness was interested in it.
However, when she requested to visit the inside of the Demon Locking Tower, the Shu Mountain bluntly refused her!
The Demon Locking Tower was not only mysterious but also dangerous.
Even cultivators at the Summoning God Realm would find it nearly impossible to enter the Demon Locking Tower, let alone Princess Yuqi, who was only at the True Martial Realm.
After admiring the grandeur of the Demon Locking Tower, Princess Yuqi went to the Training Hall of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.
The Training Hall, more aptly called the Sword Testing Hall or Martial Arts Hall, was where disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect loved to exchange sword techniques.
After arriving at the Training Hall, Princess Yuqi, unpretentious, began to spar with the disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect inside the hall.
And once she started, she became addicted, refusing to leave the Training Hall.
For two consecutive days, she sparred with more than thirty disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect and won every single match.
She won over thirty matches in a row!
At first, everyone found it very interesting, as it was an honor to spar with a princess.
But as more and more people lost, they began to feel embarrassed.
Moreover, Princess Yuqi was someone who liked to stir up trouble!
She boldly declared that disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect below the Heavenly Origin Realm could spar with her.
Anyone who could defeat her would be rewarded with a Fish-Dragon Pill.
The Fish-Dragon Pill was precious, no doubt about it.
Cultivators at the peak of the Heavenly Origin Realm could increase their chances of successfully breaking through to the Condensation Pill Realm by at least fifty percent after consuming this pill.
Rich and imposing!
But from the perspective of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, this was a provocation.
It was almost an outright mockery, suggesting that the Shu Mountain Sword Sect had no one capable of being her match!
Could this be tolerated?
Even if you were a princess of the empire, such provocation also angered the disciples of the Shu Mountain.
Any disciple who had not reached the Heavenly Origin Realm was eager to teach the princess a lesson.
Teaching the princess a lesson!
The thought was thrilling, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Unfortunately, by the end of the third day, the disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect who sparred with Princess Yuqi still all lost.
Among them were many at the ninth level of the True Martial Realm, the same realm as Princess Yuqi!
This was quite embarrassing.
The Shu Mountain Sword Sect, known as one of the three great sword sects of the world and even enjoying the reputation of being the "holy land of swordsmanship," had its disciples of the same realm unable to defeat a princess from the secular empire. To be honest, it was somewhat shameful.
For a time, everyone was somewhat united in their resentment.
In the evening of that day, Meng Fan had just returned from the Scripture Pavilion to the Sword Pavilion when he encountered Liu Yanping at the entrance of the Sword Pavilion.
The young lady looked dejected, clearly feeling defeated.
"Why are you here? What happened?" Meng Fan asked with some surprise.
"With such a big event happening in the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, how can you still calmly read books in the Scripture Pavilion?" Liu Yanping looked at Meng Fan, somewhat speechless.
"What big event? The sparring between Princess Yuqi and the Shu Mountain disciples?"
"Yes!"
"It's just sparring, what's there to fuss about."
Meng Fan appeared indifferent; he wasn't interested in this. In recent days, many disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect had flocked to the Training Hall, but Meng Fan had been observing scriptures in the Scripture Pavilion without joining the crowd.
Of course, he was certainly curious about the princess.
But when Princess Yuqi was strolling around the Shu Mountain Sword Sect and passed by the Scripture Pavilion, Meng Fan had already seen the princess, satisfying his curiosity.
Although the princess was not unattractive, she was the type with a valiant and heroic bearing, not Meng Fan's preferred style.
So a glance to satisfy his curiosity was enough; he was no longer interested.
As for the sparring, Meng Fan had heard about it, but naturally, he wouldn't take the stage.
Although he was only at the seventh level of the True Martial Realm, which seemed two minor realms lower than Princess Yuqi, if he really made a move, it would be too much of a bullying!
Meng Fan at present should at least be on par with cultivators of the Heavenly Origin Realm.
"Although it's just sparring, this princess is too arrogant, not taking our Shu Mountain Sword Sect seriously at all!" Liu Yanping said indignantly.
Meng Fan didn't feel that way; if someone had the strength, you'd think they were arrogant.
That was the mentality of the weak!
However, seeing Liu Yanping so indignant, Meng Fan asked with some surprise, "You didn't go to spar with Princess Yuqi, did As soon as he asked, Liu Yanping's face turned slightly red with embarrassment.
Clearly, Meng Fan had hit the nail on the head.
And she herself felt a bit ashamed.
She had been defeated in one move, which was extremely embarrassing.
Meng Fan said with a wry smile, "You, at the fourth level of the True Martial Realm, where did you get the courage to challenge someone at the ninth level? And some disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect at the ninth level aren't even her match, so why join the commotion?"
That was called not knowing one's own limitations, pure and simple self-humiliation!
Liu Yanping retorted, "It's just sparring, why can't I participate?"
Meng Fan laughed, "Of course you can, it's commendable bravery!"
His tone was clearly mocking.
Liu Yanping could hear the sarcasm in Meng Fan's words, but with thick skin, she didn't take offense and said, "You haven't reached the Heavenly Origin Realm yet, but with your strength, you could definitely teach her a lesson."
"Are you here to ask me to take action? If you're idle and have nothing better to do, don't bother me. I'm not interested in such trivial matters."
"Don't you have any sense of sect honor?"
"No!" Meng Fan shook his head.
"Besides, I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. It's normal for there to be winners and losers in sparring; you're just taking winning and losing too seriously."
Hearing Meng Fan's words, Liu Yanping felt somewhat helpless.
She knew Meng Fan's temperament well and knew she couldn't persuade him unless she used money.
But she wasn't foolish enough to do that.
"If you don't want to take action, you could go watch her sword techniques, find the flaws in her swordplay, and then give me some pointers to see if I can…"
Meng Fan cut her off, saying irritably, "Stop right there. Why do I feel like you're getting dumber?
Even if her swordplay is full of flaws, even if I could point you to the heavens, you wouldn't stand a chance.
Just give up on that idea!"
He managed to persuade Liu Yanping to leave after some effort.
This girl, I don't know if she's too confident in herself or too confident in me!
Even if it's confidence in me, it's too much.
She thinks a few pointers from me would enable her, at the fourth level of the True Martial Realm, to challenge someone at the ninth level?
The True Martial Realm is not the Qi Refining Realm; the gap is huge.
Ridiculous!
***
Meng Fan returned to his room in the Sword Pavilion and resumed his sword cultivation.
During this time, the spiritual energy left in his body from the lotus petal had been almost completely absorbed and refined.
So tonight, Meng Fan took out the Jade Spirit Vase and plucked another lotus petal, swallowing it.
When he took out the lotus, Xiao Qing once again crawled out of Meng Fan's pocket, looking at him with pitiful eyes.
Meng Fan's heart was hard, unmoved.
"No matter how pitiful you act, it's useless. I've already said this lotus is very important to me, and you don't get a share. Once I cultivate to the Heavenly Origin Realm, if the lotus isn't as helpful to me, I might consider giving you a petal, but for now, forget it!"
Xiao Qing nodded sadly, showing a very human-like expression.
Meng Fan smiled; he had been in close contact with Xiao Qing lately, like keeping a pet, and inevitably developed some affection.
He patted the bump on Xiao Qing's head and said with a smile, "It's better to rely on yourself than to depend on others. You must also strive for self-improvement!
Here's what I'll do, don't say I don't take care of you. You're not far from reaching the boss-level entity realm. Once you step into that realm, I'll reward you with a lotus petal!"
For the demon tribe, reaching the boss-level entity realm marked the beginning of the path to transformation.
The process of transformation was extremely important and lengthy among the demon tribe.
Compared to human cultivators, transformation was akin to spanning both the Condensing Elixir and Summoning God realms.
Once the transformation was successful and one fully assumed human form, one would become a Demon King.
A demon of the Demon King level was undoubtedly terrifying, comparable to a human cultivator at the Primordial Spirit Realm!
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan