Why was the Secret Demon Sect able to challenge the Daoist and Buddhist Major Sects repeatedly with the power of one sect alone?
One of the reasons was this "Summoning Demon Technique."
Great Cultivators who had refined this method could, with a mere thought, summon All Heavens Demons to assist them, completely neutralizing the advantage that the Daoist and Buddhist grand temples had of summoning Exotic Realm Guardian Vajras, or even Arhat Bodhisattvas.
Although Tao Qian had not obtained the crucial Control Demon and Refining Demon Methods, this "Ten Thousand Demon List" was also extremely valuable.
Each of the All Heavens Demons had its uses.
The Substitute Demon was merely the first kind Tao Qian had chosen.
Following this Demon, he then saw "Empty Demon," "Illusion Demon," and "Star Zha Demon" emerge one by one.
These Outer Realm Heaven Demons were much more powerful and rarer than inferior demons, so rare that even luring them with Dao Seeds might not guarantee a sighting.
Their Divine Powers were rare and bizarre.
Like the Substitute Demon that saw "All Living Beings as Oneself," or the Empty Demon that could carry people through the Void and ignore constraints, the Illusion Demon that could create lifelike illusions, and the Star Zha Demon that could use the light of the zodiac stars as an Escape Skill.
"If I could wield these Demons at my will, not only could I handle the crisis at hand, but also greatly enhance my combat abilities and tactics."
"Although this would make me seem more like a member of the Secret Demon Sect, now that I've diligently cultivated the Cultivating Spirit Treasure Skill, and with Dao Seeds in me, plus having survived the Heart Inquiry Three Calamities, who could say I am not a Spirit Treasure Cultivator?"
These thoughts flashed through Tao Qian's mind.
Then, he started to ponder over the Control Demon Technique.
Having seen the successful example of Jade-faced Lady Lan Qing'er, Tao Qian didn't think that controlling Outer Realm Demons would be monopolized entirely by the Secret Demon Sect.
As long as he could follow the patterns, delve into the hidden secrets, he might also be able to uncover other Control Demon and Refining Demon Methods.
"Lan Qing'er, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator managed to do it, there must be many cultivators in the Cultivation World who could, to greater or lesser degrees, control Demons for their own use, though perhaps none could match the techniques of the Secret Demon Sect, especially the methods of Lan Qing'er, who used allure and body companionship with demons; despite eventually managing to manipulate them, she had little initiative."
"The fundamental method is still to gain control over these Demons."
"Outer Realm Heaven Demons are cunning and fickle by nature, even if they agree to serve you at one moment, they can't be guaranteed not to go back on their word halfway, ruining the grand plan, and what's most troublesome is them turning against and devouring their master."
"What method could make them obediently comply, just like my Puppet in the Iron Buddha Temple..."
When the last thought flashed through his mind,
Tao Qian seemed to gain an inspiration and abruptly came out of the meditative state.
He spat out a Mustard Seed Talisman Seed, which flashed anew, revealing a large quantity of Storage Treasure Bags, obviously carried by Evil Cultivators, including several dozen magic artifacts just collected by Little Sui and Lian Jing'er in Jinfu County.
If an outsider were present at this moment, they would surely be struck dumb.
Even the Joyful Treasure Pavilion didn't have such a rich and extensive stock.
Clearly, amassing Cultivation Resources through such violent means was the fastest way.
While Tao Qian appreciated the work of the two youngsters, he swiftly scanned each artifact with his Divine Thought.
For the past two days, being constantly pursued, Tao Qian had only a rough idea about the contents of these artifacts, which included exotic treasures and books, and hadn't closely studied most of them.
The inspiration he had just had brought some memories to the forefront, and he began searching quickly.
Before long, the quiet room lit up again, and all the Storage Treasure Bags were taken back into the talisman seed, except for two items purposefully left behind by Tao Qian.
These two items were:
A strange talisman paper made of an unknown creature's skin, covered in dense, scripture-like writings!
A bronze tripod only seven inches tall, exquisitely hollowed, emitting a weird, sharp, pungent and demonically chilling shriek.
"This talisman is indeed a 'Netherworld Demon Contract,' an extremely ancient contract used specifically for signing with Demons, demonic creatures, Fierce Ghosts, and other exotic beings, which binds them much more strongly than vows like Dao vows or heart vows; virtually guaranteeing their willing service once signed, while this Demon Contract also bears some of the costs of Outer Realm Demons and Netherworld Ghosts manifesting in this world, preventing them from dissipating too quickly."
"However, the cost of using it is also extremely high; although the Demon Contract does not limit the number, typically only one person and one Demon, or one person and one Ghost, will sign, binding their Divine Souls and sharing life and death."
"Of course, I can waive all costs and even erase the signed seal."
"The only issue is how to force a Heavenly Demon or Fierce Ghost to sign the contract?"
With this thought, Tao Qian reached out and grabbed the bronze tripod.
However, he didn't open the lid but scanned through each tiny hollow hole with his Divine Thought, probing the seemingly endless, incessantly screeching, invisible to the naked eye, a kind of red worm that exists between reality and illusion.
They were entirely blood-red, their surfaces smooth, numbering in the hundreds with hook-claw-like limbs, no eyes or nose, only possessing a sucker-like mouth, their form constantly shifting between solid and ethereal, emitting a horrifying screech that could shatter souls.
"This worm is known as the 'Corpse Evil Worm,' coming from the extremely mysterious and terrifying Hidden Sect 'Evil Sect,' and if I remember correctly, it was scavenged after slaying an unknown Evil Cultivator."
"This worm has only one function: parasitic control."
"Whether Human Clan, Devils, or Outer Realm Demons, intangible Alien Species, or ghostly Elves, this worm can parasitize them all, and once parasitized, even if one were to cut down their own corpse and grind their bones to dust, these worms cannot be removed, allowing the person who implanted them to manipulate at will."