Speaking of this “Invisible Needle,” the two Taoists had long heard of its great reputation!
This treasure was forged using the essence of the five metals and fused with a unique invisible escape technique created by its maker. It comes without a trace, leaves without a shadow, and harms others imperceptibly—truly an extremely formidable weapon.
It is said that even cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage find it extremely troublesome to deal with, which is one of the reasons this old man can act so arrogantly and domineeringly.
Even if what they obtained was only a talismanic treasure version of the Invisible Needle, its miraculous stealth effects still made it an extraordinary life-saving treasure. At the very least, Core Formation stage cultivators would be unable to handle such a peculiar object.
“Alright, we’ll follow Senior Qiong’s suggestion. I’ll take the bet!” After a quick calculation and finding no issue with it, the Taoist agreed.
As for Ancestor Li, the thought of the immense benefits from winning the bet made him grit his teeth and acquiesce silently.
*Slap*
*Slap*
The three of them exchanged hand slaps, formally sealing the bet.
“Senior, why have you come here? Could it be that you are leading the Masked Moon Sect’s team?” Just as the three were about to part ways, the Taoist suddenly thought of something and asked.
“Would they trust me to lead the team? This time, the sect’s leader is that girl Nichang. I just came to take a look and see if any of the sects have produced remarkable new talents.” Senior Qiong glared at him and spoke irritably.
“After looking around, they seem quite average! I suspect that if any sect actually has a disciple with decent talent, your fellow juniors would be too protective to let them out. They’d probably keep them hidden like precious treasures. But they never stop to think! Without experiencing a few major trials, what use is talent? If they encounter those wicked heretics, they’d be slaughtered like lambs!”
This old man seemed highly critical of the practices of the various sects, wearing an expression that screamed, “You are all terribly wrong.”
Ancestor Li and the other showed no outward reaction, but inwardly, they were grumbling.
“Old monster, you make it sound so easy! How difficult is it for our sects to recruit a talented disciple? Sending them to participate in this near-suicidal trial—do you think we’re idiots? Besides, there are plenty of other places to gain experience. Why does it have to be this Bloody Forbidden Land?”
Of course, these words could only remain unspoken in their hearts. They would never dare say them aloud in front of this person. Otherwise, wouldn’t they be inviting trouble? The two Taoists knew better than to provoke him.
Naturally, this once again illustrated the simple principle of the cultivation world: those with the strongest fists make the rules.
The disciples from both sects overheard every detail of the wager the three had made about their journey into the forbidden land. They couldn’t help but grow restless, their expressions shifting dramatically and appearing utterly peculiar.
Of course, no one was foolish enough to openly accuse the three of wrongdoing. Even if someone wanted to, they could only seethe in silence, not daring to speak up. Otherwise, the slightest move from these experts could easily claim the lives of these novice cultivators.
Seeing the other two leave, Ancestor Li turned and swept his gaze over the disciples of Yellow Maple Valley. He then coldly delivered a speech that left Han Li and the others utterly stunned.
“I know you might feel that betting on your life-and-death journey shows a lack of respect for you. Others might offer countless excuses to justify themselves, but I, Li, have always disdained such hypocrisy! I will plainly tell you the true nature and brutality of the cultivation world. Consider this my advice to you.”
“Listen carefully. In the cultivation world, whether among righteous sects or wicked heretics, the pursuit is to defy the heavens and survive the fittest. The only difference is that righteous sects emphasize gradual progress and natural development, with relatively milder techniques. However, they often use the banner of eliminating evil and upholding righteousness to commit petty, hypocritical acts—most are sanctimonious pretenders. On the other hand, wicked sects and demonic paths focus on rapid advancement in magical power, relentlessly pursuing powerful techniques, often through cruel and vicious means. While they claim to follow their desires and reveal their true nature, as their skills improve, they gradually become extreme, lose their humanity, and may even turn extremely bloodthirsty and cruel.”
“Regardless of what righteous and wicked factions or other cultivation sects claim, they all practice the law of the jungle. We cultivators are not ordinary mortals! High-level cultivators view those of lower levels as ants. It’s common for them to annihilate others with a single strike over the slightest disagreement.”
Here, Ancestor Li paused, his tone seeming to dismiss both so-called righteous and wicked factions. This attitude left the disciples somewhat confused. One bold disciple couldn’t help but ask, “Ancestor, is our Yellow Maple Valley a righteous sect or a wicked one?”
“Heh! Neither righteous nor wicked. The same goes for the other six sects in Yue Country.” He curled his lip and sneered.
“You are young and new to the sect, so you haven’t been told about the history of the Yue Country cultivation world!”
“A thousand years ago, Yue Country was like other places, divided between righteous and wicked factions. At that time, the seven major sects were nothing but insignificant minor sects. To survive, they had to play both sides, leaning toward whichever faction was stronger. They were utterly despised by the major righteous and wicked sects of the time! However, later, the righteous and wicked factions engaged in an extremely fierce war, deploying all their experts. The aftermath left both sides severely weakened and unable to suppress minor sects like Yellow Maple Valley. After some time, our seven sects joined forces to eradicate both factions, wiping out their traditions entirely to prevent any resurgence.”
“Many of the techniques you learn today are actually spoils from that war between the righteous and wicked factions. This established the dominance of our seven major sects in Yue Country. If any righteous or wicked sect tries to invade, our seven sects will immediately unite to repel them, never giving them a foothold. Therefore, the techniques taught by our seven sects include those from both righteous and wicked factions, as well as some unique to ourselves. In terms of alignment, we belong to neutral sects.”
As he spoke, Ancestor Li couldn’t help but show a look of pride.
“You’ve always been secluded in the valley, focused on cultivation. Even those who have left the mountain have only wandered within the small confines of Yue Country. You’ve never truly experienced the real cultivation world, let alone witnessed its dark and bloody side. But in other places, righteous and wicked factions, as well as the five major cultivation traditions—Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, Demonic, and Monstrous—coexist. The chaos far exceeds your imagination. Acts like killing for treasure or exterminating clans and sects are commonplace. In many places, wicked and demonic factions even hold the upper hand, often killing to establish authority, drenching everything in blood.”
At this point, his expression turned solemn and grave. But then, his demeanor softened slightly as he coldly added, “Alright, I’ve given you this brief warning to keep you from becoming arrogant. Remember, in the cultivation world, if your strength is inferior to others, don’t spout foolish words about earning respect. So-called respect only exists among cultivators of similar strength. Otherwise, you’re just seeking death! Heh, I wonder how many of those who survive the next few days will truly understand these words.”
Han Li and the others were already listening with their mouths agape, utterly shocked. All of this was completely unexpected for the disciples.
“Now, let’s talk about the bet. You’ve heard that this bet is very important to me! If we win, I will not treat you poorly. Those who contribute to my victory will be heavily rewarded. The one who contributes the most will be taken as my disciple after building their foundation.”
Before the Yellow Maple Valley disciples could fully digest the previous “advice,” they were immediately stirred by this super promise, growing excited.
What did it mean to be taken as a disciple by a Core Formation stage cultivator? In the entire Yellow Maple Valley, only a dozen or so had been so fortunate. This was absolutely a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!
Seeing the crowd before him growing excited and eager, Ancestor Li smiled slightly, greatly satisfied.
As long as he won the bet, taking in three or four nominal disciples was a trivial matter. At most, he could just assign them to some remote place, teach them some superficial techniques, and easily be done with it.
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