"Boss, there are four disciples from the Xuan Stone Sect, all in the Qi Refinement Realm, I think we're doomed..."
"Don't panic, the enemy is in the light, we are in the dark, they might not even know we are from the Blood Soul Valley..."
"Every time I lose, I threaten the other party fiercely, saying that our Blood Soul Valley will sooner or later wipe out your whole family."
Ding Zhen: "?"
The demon path trio, who had been having a good time for ten days, now felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.
"Damn this Demon Lord competition! Could this all be a trap set specifically to catch us three?"
"I really can't believe it, those three hidden members of the Xuan Stone Sect, every time they get the identity of someone on the demon path, they are as treacherous as can be, lying without even blushing, and they're actually disciples of a righteous sect!?"
"Shall we... find a chance to sneak away?"
Ding Zhen raised a finger and shook it, "No, the Xuan Stone Sect disciples are watching. If we don't participate in the next contest and suddenly run away, it will only draw attention... Right now, they may not think we are true demon path cultivators."
"Besides, the date for the Workshop opening is approaching, and these people are our targets. We haven't yet completed our task of recruiting talents for Blood Soul Valley. After we recruit the people we want... we'll lay down the Blood Explosion Landmine Array at the Workshop's opening location and destroy it."
After listening to the boss, his two subordinates stared at each other, wide-eyed.
"Recruit who?"
Ding Zhen: "Recruit the loose cultivators who lean towards the demon path, of course!"
"Boss, all the loose cultivators in this city... who isn't more like the demon path than us? Except for that Bai Heyu, the other three Xuan Stone Sect disciples have more tricks than us, and they are so filthy when it comes to deceiving people..."
"The three of us are as honest as disciples of righteous sects."
Ding Zhen: "..."
Good news: We are all seeds of the demon path.
Bad news: I've become righteous.
The three of them fell into a serious self-doubt.
Meanwhile, the entire plan proceeded smoothly, just as Yang Genshuo had designed it.
Because he could look at character cards, Yang Genshuo had long discovered the three individuals from the Demon Sect of Blood Soul Valley. He instructed Yang Shi to not get too close to the three, and took preventive measures in advance.
Yang Shi added black tea and premium white sugar to the pot, heated it on low heat until the caramel bubbled, then poured in fresh milk and brought it to a boil.
He then took out three strawberries, crushed them into a tall glass, lined the rim with a strainer, and poured in the freshly made caramel milk tea, skimming off the leaves.
"My lady, here is your Strawberry Floating Milk Tea, please enjoy."
Murong Ziyan nodded slightly, without saying much.
After Yang Shi left, she slightly wrinkled her pert nose, catching the unique aroma of the milk tea, and her face instantly brightened like spring, resembling a child who had found her favorite snack.
After taking a sip, the fragrance lingered on her lips and teeth, her eyebrows delightfully curving upwards.
She drank the entire cup of milk tea in one go, without taking a breath, Murong Ziyuan still wanting more.
She stuck out her pink tongue to lick the few drops of white from the corner of her mouth, revealing a sweet smile.
But this sweet smile only lasted for a moment before she reverted back to her aloof senior disciple persona.
"This mortal... does have some skill."
This freshly made milk tea naturally tasted much better than the ones made from milk tea powder, something Yang Genshuo learned from Douyin and taught to Yang Shi.
Even though Murong Ziyuan had set up arrays to prevent prying eyes, they couldn't prevent Yang Genshuo! Within a range of 100 meters from Yang Shi, he could watch any detail without blind spots!
If it weren't for Murong Ziyuan's tight-fitting clothes... huh~
Although he didn't get a full eyeful, Yang Genshuo naturally discerned Murong Ziyuan's preferences.
Just like the Qi Refinement Seventh Layer old beggar acting pitiful at the door every day, let Yang Shi feed him daily.
Even if it's not useful, it could still garner some good karma.
"Yang Shi, tomorrow is the final showdown of the Demon Lord competition. Tonight, let Brother Ni and his men move the item they've crafted over, so we can settle everything with one hammer strike tomorrow."
"Yes, my revered ancestor, Yang Shi will not let you down! This matter will surely succeed!"
After interacting with the loose cultivators for so many days, Yang Shi's reputation had been accumulating, and he had gained considerable influence.
His expertise in Three Kingdoms Kill and Werewolf Killing made him the highest authority in these two tabletop games. He resolved various disputes with clarity, never shying from the strong nor favoring the weak—his actions were seen as incredibly fair by the loose cultivators.
Many lamented that Yang Shi was a promising candidate for Immortal Cultivation, but it was a pity he had no Spirit Root.
As night fell, some mortals in Qingshi County were entering and leaving the streets, undergoing a major transformation.
The Loose Cultivators were not particularly interested in the matters of mortals, almost no one cared about what they were doing.
The next day, Yang Shi stood upon a stone table.
"I announce, today, the final battle for the title of Demon Lord in the Demon Path Kill tournament, officially begins!"
"During these days of battle, the top 12 scorers will compete for the title of Demon Lord!"
"Please, take your seats!"
The 12 strongest contestants took their seats, among them were Bai Heyu and Ding Zhen.
Bai Heyu had shamelessly secured one of the top 12 positions by relying on thick skin, as he was seen managing the stone table, making masks, and even using the Silence Technique for each round, keeping rather busy, which earned him some points.
Meanwhile, Ding Zhen had entered on true strength!
Because his voice was very magnetic, and he had that strange aura of someone from the Demon Path, his reading of the announcements was atmospheric, designated by Bai Heyu for the finals.
Ding Zhen was unlikely to make it to the finals, as their group of three, who randomly killed entire families, didn't accumulate enough points combined to make the top 12.
This made Ding Zhen very uncomfortable.
Originally, his plan was to go to the Loose Cultivation Market near White Water River today to set up explosive arrays for creating havoc tomorrow.
As a result, he was pulled over to be the host for one day, and he didn't dare to refuse.
As for the two subordinates he brought... Ding Zhen feared they might blow themselves up while setting up the array and send him into the Soul Refining Banner.
After an intense and exciting day of competition...
Bai Heyu, disciple of the Xuan Stone Sect, did not disappoint and attained a spot among the top 12!
But he was still bursting with energy and volunteered to present the prize for the final battle.
"I announce! The champion of the first Demon Lord Competition is... Jiang Xiaobai!"
"Congratulations! Little sister!"
"This Flowing Water Sword, I now bestow upon you."
A mid-grade Magic Artifact, the Flowing Water Sword.
Through the mist, one glimpses the sword flowers, ethereal and concealing the Sword Intent.
Upon receiving it, Jiang Xiaobai excitedly waved toward Yang Shi below the stage.
"Brother, I did it!"
Everyone looked at her as a young woman, but they forgot her true identity:
The shopkeeper of Yang's Tabletop Game Tea House, Yang Shi's senior disciple, a master who had practiced Werewolf Killing for two and a half years.
Her skill in Werewolf Killing was far superior to that of these Loose Cultivators.
Claiming the championship was expected by all.
There was no cheating in tabletop games; she won by skill, earning everyone's genuine approval and joyful acclaim.
And after the cheering and excitement, many Loose Cultivators couldn't help but sigh.
"From playing Demon Path Kill, I've learned a lesson: No matter how flowery others' words are, actions cannot lie. From today forth, I will only observe actions and not be swayed by words."
"I've been on the Immortal Path for 30 years, and this is the first time I've completely relaxed and truly enjoyed life."
"These half-month interactions have surpassed all cooperation with others in my entire life; the insights from my fellow Daoists are indeed enlightening, and I've learned quite a lot."
"It's a pity... all this is as transient as a bubble, bursting at the slightest touch. Tomorrow we'll meet at the Workshop again, and I only wish that after we've traded our Immortal Cultivation Supplies, we can all show some mercy and avoid conflict."
"The Immortal Path is merciless; these wonderful days are but an illusion for us. Once we leave this illusion, I'm afraid we will have to face the harsh truth with our own hands."
At this moment, everyone remembered that they were here for the Cultivation Supplies.
Trading in the Workshop, how can there be safety?
The Workshop Market is maintained by the master of the Workshop, where everyone remains dignified, but once outside of the Workshop, diving into the forest... anyone could turn to the Demon Path and commit acts of murder and robbery.
While everyone was reflecting, Yang Shi jumped onto the stone table.
"Senior cultivators, regarding this trading matter at the Workshop... may I say a few words?"