If you ask, they say they don't understand; if you ask, they say they don't know; if you ask, they just play dumb.

The changes in the world did not happen quickly; in fact, they were quite slow, spreading like a silent stain.

It was only when factions of demonic cultivators truly began to run amok, and the once-dormant monsters started baring their fangs and claws to devour people, and only when all of this was on the verge of becoming the new normal, that people would suddenly realize—the world had changed far too much.

The moment the curtain was raised on an era of chaos, turmoil and disorder would once again take the stage.

This was especially true in places far from the core regions, in the most desolate, godforsaken lands.

Disorder would breed chaos, and pure selfishness would run rampant.

In places like this, finding a demonic cultivator group was practically a guaranteed success, and joining an evil cult was as easy as shouting out your desire to do so.

Li Xingtian simply threw on a black cloak and wandered around a desolate hill for a short while. He did not even need to sweep the area with his divine sense before a young man wearing a similar black robe came over to make contact.

The black-robed youth spoke in bandit slang, his tone exceptionally arrogant:

"Which path do you tread, brother?"

Hearing just this one sentence and taking a single glance at the youth, Li Xingtian pretty much figured out his background.

Early Qi Refining stage. His aura was a chaotic, imperceptible mess, incredibly superficial, and carried a foul stench of blood.

If someone of this level could be called a cultivator, it would truly drag the reputation of all cultivators through the mud.

Li Xingtian genuinely felt that a burly man armed with a hoe would not necessarily lose in a fight against this black-robed youth.

He was probably originally just a bandit whose camp was wiped out by a demonic cultivator. That demonic cultivator likely needed to expand their power, and since this kid had the lowest grade of impure spirit root, the desperate demonic cultivator did not mind taking him in and teaching him some low-tier blood arts.

A real demonic cultivator would not strut out into the open and ask a brother what path they tread.

He was so amateurish that it made one too lazy to even converse with him.

Li Xingtian raised his gaze. The blood energy around him surged like a rainbow as he lowered his voice and spat out a familiar cult name:

"Evil Spirit Cult. Go report it."

Even though Li Xingtian had highly restrained his aura, the pressure weighing down on the black-robed youth felt like a small mountain. The illusion of his heart being squeezed by this pressure caused the youth to start breathing heavily.

His tone instantly became extremely humble, and his voice trembled with fear:

"Understood... This lowly one understands the Exalted Immortal's decree. Please wait a moment, Exalted Immortal."

Li Xingtian kept his aura concealed, his calm eyes sweeping over the black-robed youth.

Even though it was just a simple glance, it made the youth feel as if a layer of his skin had been scraped off by a knife. The sensation of pain was so real that it made his scalp tingle.

The black-robed youth scrambled away, practically crawling and rolling in his haste.

Li Xingtian shifted his gaze slightly to the west. If his Eldest Senior Sister had not tricked him, she should be watching his performance from that direction right now.

Sometimes, Li Xingtian suspected that his Eldest Senior Sister simply loved watching him play the role of a demonic cultivator, which was why she always made him execute these so-called damn plans.

Li Xingtian did not believe for a second that with Li Yingling's capabilities, this was the only trick she had up her sleeve.

However, there was nothing he could do. His Eldest Senior Sister not only had blackmail material on him but also used her status as the eldest disciple to suppress him.

Most importantly, Li Xingtian knew better than to argue with her, otherwise, he would definitely be the one to suffer.

After waiting for a short while.

The black-robed youth who had just scrambled away came walking back up all alone.

Li Xingtian glanced at him calmly, but his divine sense had already captured another aura—an early Golden Core stage demonic cultivator.

To find a Golden Core stage demonic cultivator in this godforsaken place was absolutely highly unusual.

The higher the realm of a demonic cultivator, the more they resembled a true cultivator. They would not run off to a desolate, godforsaken place just to play the tyrant for personal comfort.

Instead, they would resort to any means necessary, doing everything beneficial to themselves in order to climb to higher realms.

Some became demonic cultivators because of poor aptitude; seeing the dead end of orthodox cultivation, they forged a different path.

Others were simply laughably poor, turning to the demonic path to obtain cultivation resources by any means necessary, or they were cultivators who had been led astray by demonic cultivators from the very beginning.

But no matter which type they were, as long as they reached the Golden Core stage, that demonic cultivator was undoubtedly someone who had fought hard, put in immense effort, and had absolutely no bottom line.

"Ex... Exalted Immortal," the black-robed youth stammered, forcing a fawning smile on his face. "My master wishes to ask... do you... do you have some business to discuss with him?"

Hearing this, Li Xingtian did not answer. He merely reached out and pointed to a crimson pillar of light towering into the sky nearby.

Seeing this, the black-robed youth hurriedly nodded. Then he paused for a moment, as if recalling something, before continuing to ask in a trembling voice:

"Ex... Exalted Immortal... Does this matter have to involve my master? My master has been quite busy lately and finds it difficult to get away."

Li Xingtian lowered his eyes, the blood energy around him surging as he spoke in a cold voice:

"Tell your master that the business I am handling is bigger than his. Either we share a piece of the pie together, or I will eat your master as my piece of the pie."

"Furthermore, whether your master and I are working on the same thing does not matter. Tell him to handle my business first!"

Hearing this, the black-robed young man was stunned. He stood rooted to the spot, not daring to ask or leave. His face visibly paled, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead, soon covering his entire face.

Li Xingtian frowned slightly. "What, do you still have something to say?"

The black-robed young man stammered, "Exalted Immortal... if you want me to report back like this... I'm afraid... I... I will die... Could you let me improvise a little?"

"I can help you be free."

"No... Exalted Immortal... please don't!"

Seeming to hear the killing intent in Li Xingtian's words, the young man's legs gave way, and he hurriedly said, "Exalted Immortal, I will go report back right now!"

He quickly finished his words and was about to stumble down the mountain on weak legs to deliver the message.

Just because the Exalted Immortal said he couldn't didn't mean he truly couldn't. He could clearly distinguish between dying right now and dying later.

However, just as he turned his head, his footsteps instantly froze again.

He saw an extremely young and handsome youth, dressed in luxurious clothes and wearing a gentle smile, slowly walking up from the foot of the mountain.

"M-Master." The black-robed young man smoothly dropped to his knees once more.

The youth completely ignored the young man. His gentle gaze fell upon the top-tier Exalted Immortal—the one the young man had described as having heaven-reaching cultivation, a blood aura that blotted out the sun, and the ability to skin a person alive with a single glance.

His aura was profound, his cultivation level impossible to fathom.

His realm was likely above his own. His appearance was incredibly fierce, and his blood aura was unmistakably real.

At the very least, he was a genuine evil cultivator.

The youth walked up to Li Xingtian, then slightly cupped his hands in greeting. "Fellow Daoist, I wonder what troubles you that requires my assistance to resolve?"

Li Xingtian glanced at him twice, then bluntly asked, "First, tell me, what is your purpose for coming here?"

The youth pointed at the nearby crimson pillar of light and said, "I am watching this pillar for the people above. If it falls or is destroyed, I am to report the news."

"What is the benefit?"

"Nothing more than some spirit stones and blood-food cultivation techniques."

"A Golden Core realm cultivator... just to watch a pillar?"

Hearing this, the youth chuckled. "As long as the money is right, let alone the Golden Core realm, even if I were at the Nascent Soul realm, I would still come. Jobs that pay well for little work are hard to come by. If I finish this commission smoothly, I'd like to take on the next one."

Li Xingtian asked coldly, "This job could cost you your life."

The youth sighed softly. "For cultivators like us, what doesn't cost our lives?"

"Fellow Daoist, if you ask who sent me to watch it, I won't be able to answer."

"After all, one might think they have gazed upon the boundless ocean, yet they are merely a single drop within it."

"How could a cultivator like me ever truly see the heavens above?"

"Therefore, Fellow Daoist, could you tell me what it is you need me to do for you?"