Following the map step by step, Zhang Yan explored several marked locations but remained unsatisfied. Either the spots were too conspicuous, or the demons too formidable, making entry unwise. At last, he discovered a suitable cave hidden in an unremarkable ravine.
The location was secluded, with two exits, and an underground dark river running through the cave provided an escape route. If any unforeseen change occurred, he could swim along the river and retreat in time.
After tidying up the cave, he mentally estimated the current time.
Although he lacked a sun dial, a cultivator could sense the specific time by observing the rhythm of their Qi Mechanism within the five internal organs. It was now nearing the end of the You hour on the second day since entering the demon cave.
In other words, he had spent an entire day searching for this haven for cultivation.
Sitting on a leveled stone platform, Zhang Yan finally had the leisure to inspect the sleeve bags of the two Blood Essence Sect disciples. Most of the contents were common items used in cultivation, with nothing particularly noteworthy. However, a small bottle of elixir pills caught his attention.
As a disciple of Zhou Chongju, he was naturally well-informed. With just one glance, he identified the pills as "Qi Blood Essence Pills."
A knowing expression crossed his face. As expected, the Blood Essence Sect had indeed been secretly refining these elixirs.
The pills emitted an irresistible fragrance that tempted one to consume them immediately. Yet, these elixirs were refined using the essence of slain cultivators. Each pill required the death of five cultivators to produce. To fill two entire bottles with these pills, the toll must have been in the hundreds.
Upon closer inspection, each pill retained a faint trace of blood-red hue. Zhang Yan nodded slightly. It seemed that these Demon Sect disciples had yet to become brazen enough to hunt human cultivators directly. These pills were likely refined from the essence of slain demon cultivators.
Over the past several centuries, under the suppression exerted by the Ten Great Daoist sects, the Six Great Demon Sects had been compelled to act discreetly. Openly hunting cultivators to refine pills or practice cruel and sinister techniques had become forbidden. Consequently, a relative peace prevailed. Whenever the cultivation sects of East Splendor Continent were mentioned, the Sixteen Great Sects were always referred to collectively.
However, this change did not mean that the Six Great Demon Sects had genuinely turned over a new leaf. Many cultivation techniques demanded the use of strange demonic entities, but such entities were now rare. Competition for resources forced Demon Sect disciples to often clash violently for the capture of these demons. Ironically, when demonic creatures caused trouble in an area, Demon Sect disciples were often more proactive than Xuanmen disciples in confronting them.
As a result, a tenuous balance had been maintained over these years between the two factions of immortals and demons.
Recently, however, Zhang Yan had heard rumors circulating within the sect. It was said that the thousand-year-old demon calamity was approaching. As the demon caves churned, demonic entities would proliferate, and the remaining Four Great Demon Caves, whose locations were still unknown, would gradually reveal themselves. In preparation, the Sect Leader had resolved to seize the Three Pools to expand their sect’s strength to face this calamity.
If this were true, it would irreversibly shatter the current equilibrium in East Splendor Continent. Widespread conflict between the Daoist and demon factions would simply be inevitable.
Zhang Yan smirked faintly. A Demon Tribulation is also a human tribulation. The heart of demons is no different from the heart of humans. The slaughter to come would be an opportunity for cultivators like him. When that time came, those truly trembling in fear would likely just be the noble families of the Xuanmen, who clung desperately to the status quo.
Casually stowing away the two sleeve bags, he shifted his focus inward, sinking his awareness into the Qi Sea within him, where a single droplet of You Yin Heavy Water quietly hovered. He gazed at it with a mix of awe and reflection.
According to the Lan Yun Secret Volume, the more You Yin Heavy Water one possessed, the greater its destructive potential. Initially, he had not paid much attention to this single droplet. However, during the confrontation with the male Blood Essence Sect disciple, its power had exceeded expectations. If he had possessed two or three more droplets at the time, he might have slain his opponent outright in a single strike.
The deeper one ventured into the demon cave, the colder the Earth River’s air became. This provided an ideal environment for condensing more You Yin Heavy Water. If he could focus on refining it undisturbed, he estimated he could forge eight to ten droplets in two months. At that point, even without relying on Dharma Treasures, he would be unmatched among his peers.
Regrettably, with the enemy looming, Zhang Yan did not believe the Blood Essence Sect would allow him such peace. To safeguard the secrecy of their entrance into the demon cave, they would undoubtedly seek to eliminate any disciples of the Mingcang Sect they encountered here.
Most likely, on the fifteenth day, they would send people to guard the Sea Eye’s exit. By then, a bloody conflict would be unavoidable.
Thus, Zhang Yan had no other choice. He could only strive to elevate his cultivation as quickly as possible.