Chapter 636: The Ultimate Martial Path: Encounter with the Five Poisons Sect Master

Wu Kingdom, Baidi City.

Ever since the Nascent Soul ancestor of the Ba Wu Sect passed away and the successor failed to ascend to Nascent Soul, chaos has engulfed the Wu Kingdom.

As the saying goes, ‘When gods fight, it’s the mortals who suffer.’

With Ba Wu Sect’s absolute rule gone, the neighboring Liang Kingdom has been stirring up trouble. Many demonic cultivators, rogue cultivators, and heretical cultivators have descended upon the Wu Kingdom, looting and causing destruction, leaving the local factions unable to fend for themselves.

In the end, it’s the common people who suffer the most in this turmoil.

In earlier times, martial arts thrived in Wu Kingdom, with even ordinary mortals having robust energy and vigor. But now, they’ve become nothing more than blood offerings for demonic cultivators, turning the land into a haven for dark arts cultivation.

The prolonged war between Liang and Yue has taken its toll. Unable to achieve victory, the Yue Kingdom now finds itself locked in a stalemate, while cultivators from the Liang Kingdom continue to wreak havoc in Wu Kingdom, resulting in widespread death and suffering.

But as there is darkness, there is also light.

Many righteous cultivators, moved by compassion and justice, have also stepped up, doing what they can to protect the innocent.

Baidi City is one such beacon of hope. Nine years ago, City Lord ‘Lu Bai’ founded this haven on Baihong Mountain in the southern region of Wu Kingdom, offering protection to the people.

Back then, a group of Core Formation-level demonic cultivators sought to conduct a blood sacrifice here. The City Lord directly killed them with a single punch, making Baidi City’s name resound far and wide.

Furthermore, the most astonishing feat was when martial artists began seeking refuge in Baidi City. Under the City Lord’s guidance, these mortals were able to hold their own against Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Though they could only barely do so, the news caused a huge sensation, even attracting the attention of a Core Formation expert.

When this expert came to investigate, the exact details of the encounter remain unknown, but Baidi City has since become a sacred ground for martial arts in the eyes of the common people, hoping to be guided by the City Lord in their pursuit of the highest martial achievements.

At this moment, atop Baihong Mountain in Baidi City, near a spiritual spring.

A tall, broad-shouldered man with a powerful physique sat cross-legged, deep in meditation.

As his cultivation technique flowed, his imposing form seemed to be surrounded by the shadow of a dragon, with each breath he took thundering like rolling clouds, power surging through him, steady as a mountain.

This man was none other than Lu Ping’an, the City Lord of Baidi City, currently traveling through Wu Kingdom.

“With Lin Po and the others watching over Baidi City, it’s time for me to move on,” he muttered.

After some time, Lu Ping’an opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

Ten years ago, he had come to Wu Kingdom on a personal journey.

Although he found their approach to martial arts intriguing, the exchanges and martial debates he had hoped for never materialized. What he saw instead was the collapse of order, with various factions locked in war and chaos reigning.

The demonic cultivators ran rampant while mortals suffered, struggling to survive in the wreckage of their once-stable world, yearning for hope and salvation.

This sight weighed heavily on Lu Ping’an’s heart, compelling him to contribute what little he could.

Yet there was only so much one man could do.

Unless he could eliminate the chaos plaguing Wu Kingdom entirely, the situation wasn’t going to change.

As the old saying goes: ‘Teach a man to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.’

During his stay in Wu Kingdom, he had learned much by observing their martial arts system.

He discovered that beyond ‘training strength’ and ‘honing force,’ there was another realm—’transforming force into true energy,’ known as True Gang! Once mastered, True Gang allowed one to harden their body into steel and unleash overwhelming power, rivaling late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and even body refinement cultivators at the same level.

It may not sound impressive.

However, among mortal martial artists in Wu Kingdom, a True Gang warrior could be revered as a Martial Saint! Far exceeding the limits of mortal warriors in Jiang Kingdom.

Based on what Lu Ping’an had learned, the stagnation in martial arts progression was due to the inherent limitations of the human body.

No matter how talented, breaking through this ceiling to undergo a transformation like cultivators was nearly impossible.

No matter how strong one’s force or Qi, it simply couldn’t compare to a cultivator’s mystical power.

Moreover, True Gang warriors might excel in preserving their health, but if they fought constantly, by the time they grew older, their deteriorating blood and flesh would be unable to sustain their True Gang, and they would waste away even faster than ordinary mortals.

In light of this, Lu Ping’an thought back to his Hundred Refinements Body Technique.

Where other techniques refined the body by using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the Hundred Refinements Body Technique allowed him to gain power automatically through the use of magical treasures, or by absorbing rare materials and resources.

If True Gang could be simulated with the Hundred Refinements Body Technique, and the power of rare treasures could be absorbed, could it allow martial artists to break their limits and rival a Tier 2 body refinement cultivator?

He had considered this idea in the past but hadn’t been able to implement it.

Or rather, his understanding of the Hundred Refinements Body Technique was still far from reaching the level required for such a breakthrough.

By saving several True Gang Martial Saints and combining his knowledge of martial arts and cultivation, Lu Ping’an had spent a great deal of time researching and came up with an additional approach: medicinal baths.

His own rapid advancements in body refinement were, in no small part, due to the medicinal bath techniques passed down by his father.

As the eldest son of his family, Lu Ping’an naturally knew the simpler configurations of these baths, so he attempted to use them to help the Martial Saints he had saved push past their limits.

However, a mortal’s body still has a fundamental limit.

Although these warriors, after consuming rare treasures, saw their vigor grow, their techniques lacked the foundation needed to refine the medicine’s full potential—it wasn’t enough to shatter the limits of the human body.

Despite this, Lu Ping’an continued living with these martial warriors on Baihong Mountain, refining both martial and cultivation techniques through constant study.

Through years of contemplation and his study of both martial and demonic techniques, Lu Ping’an had arrived at a possible solution.

If mortals couldn’t sense spiritual energy and cultivate like demons, and if demonic beasts could naturally cultivate through their bloodlines, what if martial artists replaced their bones with beast bones, swapped human blood for beast blood, and used the innate powers of a demonic beast to practice martial arts?

After all, his Hundred Refinements Body Technique, which refined the essence of magical treasures, wasn’t so different! Not to mention the Wild Dragon Spine he owned, a genuine example of such an approach.

Sharing his theory with his followers, Lu Ping’an’s True Gang Martial Saints trusted him completely and willingly volunteered to try.

But the price was steep.

Even after Lu Ping’an killed a Tier 2 demonic beast and used medicinal baths to stabilize their bodies, some couldn’t endure the process, while others experienced violent rejections that ended in death.

Each failure weighed heavily on Lu Ping’an’s heart. One small flaw in his hypothesis could result in a True Gang warrior’s death.

Yet, these martial artists didn’t see it that way. They believed that they were simply too weak to handle the transformation, not that Lu Ping’an’s method was flawed.

Becoming a Martial Saint required immense natural talent, and while continuing research based on Lu Ping’an’s theories, one martial genius named Lin Po finally succeeded!

By merging his True Gang essence with the demonic bone, Lin Po condensed his energy into a Blood Pill, breaking human limits and withstanding the demonic bone. He had become comparable to a Tier 2 body refinement cultivator!

The news set all of Baidi City’s martial artists ablaze with hope.

But Lu Ping’an remained rather pessimistic.

Lin Po was a once-in-a-generation martial prodigy. Not only was his talent peerless, but he also had fortuitous encounters in his early years, reaching the rank of True Gang Martial Saint by the age of thirty-seven.

Although Lin Po had fused with the demonic bone and broken through his limits, it came at the cost of a significant portion of his life force. He couldn’t expand his lifespan like a Foundation Establishment cultivator or a Tier 2 body refinement expert, and his life was actually cut short as a result.

“City Lord, at our level, of what use is a longer life? If I can burn brightly, even if it’s as short and fleeting as a meteor, I’m willing!”

Upon learning the consequences, Lin Po remained resolute, his voice firm.

As mortals, they had to put in exponentially more effort to even reach the late stage of Qi Refinement.

With Wu Kingdom in constant turmoil and mortals reduced to mere cattle for the demonic cultivators, they were willing to pay any price if it meant gaining greater power.

Lu Ping’an fell silent.

This wasn’t the path of mortal cultivation he had dreamed of, but it did offer Wu Kingdom martial artists a way to break through, giving True Gang Martial Saints a means to push further.

He spent more time refining the method based on Lin Po’s success and presented his findings to the martial artists of Baidi City for examination.

But even with Lin Po blazing the trail, the path remained difficult. Like Foundation Establishment, for many martial artists, attempting to break through was a risky venture, with most failing and only the exceptionally gifted succeeding.

Even after consulting other cultivators and alchemists to improve the survival rate, success was still rare.

Nevertheless, news of a new path for advancing martial arts spread from Baidi City, drawing waves of martial artists from all over Wu Kingdom, desperate to learn this breakthrough technique.

Meanwhile, those who trained in this extreme martial path became known as ‘Extreme Martial Cultivators.’ These warriors would push themselves to the limits of their bodies, breaking past the boundaries of ordinary human strength.

Thanks to Lu Ping’an’s efforts and guidance, Baidi City’s forces had grown strong enough to defend themselves.

It was time for Lu Ping’an to return to Jiang Kingdom and focus on improving his own cultivation, seeking to reach the ninth level of Foundation Establishment and prepare to break through to Core Formation.

After all, he had spent far too long wandering here in Wu Kingdom, already delaying his journey past its expiration.

“City Lord!”

Just then, one of his subordinates rushed over, reporting that the Demon-Slaying Guard had encountered trouble in Baihong Mountain and that their current status was unknown.

Lu Ping’an had chosen Baihong Mountain as his base simply because the chaos in Wu Kingdom led to rampant competition for spiritual lands. This mountain, possessing a high-grade Tier 2 spiritual vein, was both far from the Wu Kingdom’s heart and ideal for training his warriors.

His followers had taken to calling him ‘Lu Bai,’ renaming their new home to Baidi City and establishing a stronghold with nine commanders overseeing its defense units, such as the Azure Dragon Guard, Vermillion Bird Guard, White Tiger Guard, Black Tortoise Guard, and Demon-Slaying Guard.

“Missing?”

Standing up, Lu Ping’an’s towering figure, although lacking in display of spiritual energy, projected an overwhelming aura that left the reporting subordinate in awe.

Lu Ping’an had visited this mountain many times, and aside from venturing deep into the mountain range, there were few Tier 2 demonic beasts found here.

With a Tier 2 Extreme Martial Cultivator leading the Demon-Slaying Guard, it didn’t make sense for the situation to deteriorate suddenly. However, since a report was made, it signaled actual danger. Nodding in acknowledgment, Lu Ping’an indicated he’d investigate.

Meanwhile, deep within Baihong Mountain, a middle-aged man clad in a flowing black cloak stood with his hands behind his back, looking toward Baidi City. Murmuring to himself, he said, “A Foundation Establishment cultivator with the physique of a Tier 3 body refiner… Let’s see if the master takes an interest in this one.”

Had Lu Ping’an been there, he would have recognized this man immediately as the Core Formation cultivator he had once exchanged words with.

Though the man had concealed his cultivation and magical power with a mystical artifact, it hadn’t escaped Lu Ping’an’s sharp perception.

Meanwhile, after three long months of travel, Lu Changsheng approached the gates of the Five Poisons Sect, his figure cloaked by the powers of the Yin-Yang Glass Wall.

Considering he had offended both the Heaven Corpse Sect Master and the Five Poisons Sect Master, with previous enmity toward the Yin Ghost Sect as well, Lu Changsheng was extra cautious during this journey.

Especially after entering Jin Kingdom, he used the Yin-Yang Glass Wall to remain concealed throughout the trip.

Looking up at the sect gates, his form was soaked in swirling chaos energy infused with Core Formation pressure. Stepping forward, he tossed a token and said calmly, “Send word to your Heavenly Spider Emissary—an old acquaintance has come calling.”

Though the Five Poisons Sect was a Nascent Soul-level sect, they dared not treat a Core Formation cultivator like Lu Changsheng lightly. Respectfully, they invited him to rest in the Guest Pavilion.

However, Lu Changsheng declined, saying he would wait at the foot of the mountain instead.

Previously, when upgrading a formation from Tier 2 to Tier 3, Lu Changsheng’s understanding of formations improved significantly.

He could see that while this area was technically outside the range of the Five Poisons Sect’s grand array, the energy of the formation would still envelop him if it were fully activated—potentially placing him in danger.

The wise don’t stand under crumbling walls. While the array’s energy wasn’t likely to harm him, caution was always prudent.

After a while, a streak of purple light shot forth from the Five Poisons Mountain, breaking the sky.

Within the glowing light was a breathtaking woman, somewhere around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old—her figure lithe and graceful, her skin as fair as snow, adorned in a luxurious violet gown with a mature and enchanting allure.

Her beautifully captivating eyes held a mix of surprise and disbelief as she gazed at the tall, imposing figure of Lu Changsheng, still wrapped in his chaotic aura at the foot of the mountain.

“Mili, I’ve come,” Lu Changsheng said, his face revealing a sliver of his features through his dissipating chaos energy as he stretched out his hand.

“What are you doing here?”

Nangong Mili, though previously irritated, could hardly contain her delight as she saw Lu Changsheng arrive so quickly. Still, concern flickered across her serene features—she was wary of the danger he might face.

“Given my connection to Yaoyao, the Sect Master will likely leave me alone. At most, I’ll be placed under house arrest,” she said.

“But for you, things may not be so simple.”

“Mili, has the Five Poisons Sect Master troubled you or Minghuang at all lately?”

Stepping closer, Lu Changsheng tenderly held Nangong Mili’s soft, delicate hand, his voice full of concern.

Had it not been for his ancestral records providing a warning, he might not have been so worried.

But the records had indicated that after the Five Poisons Sect Master returned, they made a move against Nangong Mili.

And ten years had since passed. It was impossible not to be concerned.

“The Sect Master simply asked about us—about my relationship with you. She hasn’t really made things difficult for me.”

Nangong Mili bit her lower lip gently and murmured softly, “However, she did take a drop of heart blood from Minghuang years ago, so it’s difficult for him to leave the Five Poisons Sect.”

She had originally intended to confront Lu Changsheng about her son, Nangong Minghuang, but seeing how concerned he was about their well-being, her heart softened.

“Heart blood?”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, a chilling glint flashing within them.

In the cultivation world, a cultivator’s heart blood or essence blood could be used for many sinister purposes.

Especially after obtaining the ‘Ten Thousand Calamities Toxic Spirit Codex,’ Lu Changsheng had come to understand numerous ways that heart blood or essence blood could be used as a medium for curses.

For the weak, heart blood could even act as a catalyst to eliminate someone remotely.

“Notify the Five Poisons Sect Master that the one known as ‘True Yang Real Person’ has come to visit,” Lu Changsheng said, knowing full well that now wasn’t the time for idle chatter. There was no need for tender exchanges with Nangong Mili at this moment.

“The Sect Master mentioned before that when you intervened in the frontier war, preventing the Heaven Corpse Sect Master, it disrupted her plans…”

Nangong Mili hinted at potential dangers awaiting Lu Changsheng, her thoughts full of worry.

Certainly, with Nangong Yaoyao as leverage, the Five Poisons Sect Master might refrain from directly harming her, opting instead to keep her under pressure.

But Lu Changsheng was another matter entirely.

“Don’t worry. Since I’ve come, I’m prepared for anything that comes our way.”

Seeing the concern etched on Nangong Mili’s face, Lu Changsheng smiled softly, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Nangong Mili’s greatest grievance with Lu Changsheng was how he could easily charm other women, but what she loved most about him was his composed, confident demeanor, as though everything lay beneath his fingertips.

As she listened to his calm assurance, her heart fluttered, her eyes gleaming with admiration—she had no doubt that she had chosen the right man.

“Alright,” she murmured.

Their conversation cut short, knowing very well that now wasn’t the time for affection, Nangong Mili turned to leave, her heart brimming both with anxiety and trust.

But just as she reached the gates of the sect, a small, dainty girl with a strikingly flawless face, her hair adorned with a silver crown and clad in a luxurious red and purple gown, silently stepped forward, barefoot.

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

Seeing the child, Nangong Mili’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately bowed in respect.

“Mm.”

The Five Poisons Sect Master’s expression was cold, her eyes radiating an ancient weight that belied her youthful appearance. She gave a small nod before turning to leave.

Her delicate, porcelain-like feet briefly touched the ground with an ethereal grace as she vanished from sight, appearing moments later at the base of the mountain, where Lu Changsheng waited, gazing at him with a steady, inscrutable look.

“Since you’ve come, Daoist Yangming, why not come in and have a seat?”

The Five Poisons Sect Master’s eyes shimmered with five-colored light as she measured Lu Changsheng, her tone neutral and void of emotion, hiding any hint of her intentions.

Though she had her methods ready to eventually bring this man to heel, she suspected he was likely an ancient monster reborn, and thus took care not to betray anything that might reveal her hand prematurely.

“No need to enter. If the Sect Master has something to discuss, we can do so here—or perhaps over there, in that valley three hundred miles to the west. The scenery seems quite pleasant there, doesn’t it?”

“What do you say we head over there for a chat?”

Naturally, Lu Changsheng wasn’t about to step inside the sect. His expression remained calm.

The Five Poisons Sect Master thought for a moment before replying, “Fine.”

With a gesture, Lu Changsheng lightly patted his storage belt. A terrifying aura burst forth as a golden-winged roc emerged, its entire body shining with dazzling light.

Though it hadn’t reached the peak of Tier 3, the golden-winged roc he had nurtured over the years had grown significantly stronger and now radiated a fearsome presence.

With a light step, Lu Changsheng mounted the mighty roc, his robes flapping in the wind as they soared toward the distant valley.

The Five Poisons Sect Master surveyed the beast for a moment before flicking her wrist, summoning a five-colored banner. Her speed easily matched the golden-winged roc’s as they flew off together.

Moments later, they both descended into a picturesque valley.

Lu Changsheng didn’t bother setting up a formation.

After all, against a Nascent Soul cultivator like the Sect Master, a mere Tier 3 formation was hardly a deterrent.

Besides, his goal today wasn’t to fight but to negotiate, resolving old grudges and securing the safe departure of Nangong Mili, his son, Lu Minghuang, and dealing with Meng Xiaochan’s issue with her sect’s soul lantern.