Upon arriving at the secret cave at the bottom of the pool, Ding Hao immediately sat cross - legged and operated the Limitless Devil Art with all his might. Both of the two people's cultivation levels were in the late stage of Kāiguāng. Although Ding Hao only devoured one - tenth of the true essence and essence energy of the two, he already felt that the true essence of the two was incredibly vast. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that, within the same realm, the difference due to different levels could be so huge.
It was slightly different from the feeling when he devoured the inner elixir of the eight - winged purple python before. Although the energy of the inner elixir of the eight - winged purple python was also extremely powerful, after all, it was cultivated from a foreign object, and there was a great difference from the life - bound true essence of a cultivator. When devouring it, not only was the speed slow, but the effect was also smaller. Even so, Ding Hao had benefited a great deal from it.
Both of the two people were devil cultivators. Although their cultivation methods were different from the Limitless Devil Art, the essence of their true essence was the same. When Ding Hao devoured them, he only needed to do a purification process, so the speed was much faster, and the benefits were even greater.
It only took half a month to completely devour the true essence and essence energy of the two. By this time, Ding Hao had also reached the late stage of Kāiguāng.
Only then did he start to examine the spoils of war he had obtained. He rummaged through the storage bracelets and storage bags of the three people, and he felt even more deeply about the situation of the Limitless Devil Sect.
Although all three of them were only third - generation disciples of their respective sects, they had abundant cultivation resources. Not to mention that they had all the basic cultivation materials, and each of them also had several medium - grade crystals for cultivation. Besides, just looking at the magic weapons they carried, they were all good. They were truly wealthy. It was really exasperating when comparing people. Thinking about the third - generation disciples in the Limitless Devil Sect, not to mention carrying magic weapons, they didn't even have many low - grade spirit stones for cultivation. The most common flying sword for each person was the entire equipment they had.
If these sects were like this, one could imagine how wealthy the most powerful Purgatory Devil Sect was. The people of the Limitless Devil Sect had already cultivated slowly because they mistakenly practiced the Limitless Devil Art. With this situation, it was even worse. It was really not unexpected that they had fallen to such a state today!
Ding Hao happened to find the several basic materials he lacked on the three people. With Ding Hao's current realm, he could cultivate several more items. He also selected a few practical cultivation methods and started to practice them.
After finishing these things, more than half a year had passed unconsciously. At this time, Ding Hao's cultivation method had greatly improved. He believed that among the third - generation disciples of the Limitless Devil Sect, he was invincible. Even if Zhang Li had made great progress, Ding Hao was confident that he could kill him.
After leaving seclusion, Ding Hao first went to Chen Ling's residence to pay a visit. He found that Chen Ling was not there. He must have been in seclusion. At this time, Ding Hao was very interested in the Soul - Refining Sect Assembly mentioned by the three people. Although this kind of assembly was full of dangers, it was also full of opportunities. If he could catch a few people and devour them, he could quickly break through again. However, he didn't have the qualification to participate since he hadn't reached the Fusion stage yet.
It seemed that opportunity waited for no one. Although he felt that his cultivation realm had improved fast enough, after all, he had entered the sect too late. If he missed this opportunity, he would have to wait another fifty years. He still needed to work hard. As a last resort, he had to take risks and find a few more people to devour.
Even if he devoured the third - generation disciples of the Limitless Devil Sect, it wouldn't be of much use. It seemed that he had to target the weaker second - generation disciples. However, if he did this in his own sect, with such a great progress, it would inevitably arouse suspicion, and the probability of being discovered would also be quite high. He swallowed this tempting idea and decided to figure out the specific situation of the Soul - Refining Sect Assembly before making a decision.
Apart from his master Chen Ling, Ding Hao only knew the senior brother in the library in the Limitless Devil Sect. When he arrived at the library, that senior brother was indeed still there, with his eyes slightly narrowed, seeming to be half - asleep.
Seeing Ding Hao come in, he looked up and was extremely surprised. "Junior brother, it's only been a few years! The last time I saw you, you had just entered the sect. I didn't expect that now I can't even tell what your cultivation realm is. Could it be that your cultivation is flying on a flying sword! It's really unimaginable! Well, that... I seemed to have answered a lot of your questions last time. Junior brother, don't forget your promise of giving me something good!"
Ding Hao couldn't help but secretly laugh. At first, he was persuaded by Ding Hao's a few nice words and said that he didn't want anything. Now that he saw Ding Hao had become prosperous, he brought it up again. Ding Hao was not a stingy person. He casually took out a few medium - grade crystals and handed them over. "How could junior brother forget senior brother's kindness of helping me back then? These are a few crystals that junior brother happened to obtain. I hope senior brother will accept them. To be honest, after so many conversations, Ding Hao still doesn't know senior brother's name. I hope senior brother can tell me."
This person was just saying it casually at first and didn't really expect Ding Hao to give him anything. The people in the devil sect were all selfish. If there was no conflict of interest, they would never give such precious items to others so easily. Although he had answered some questions about the sects in the Soul - Severing Mountain for Ding Hao, they were just common knowledge that everyone knew.
Thoughts aside, not taking the benefits was not the way the people in the devil sect behaved. After putting the things in the storage bag, this person's smile became even more brilliant. "Junior brother Ding, you're too polite. I'm Hu Shuo, and my master is Cheng Yuan. Unfortunately, thirty years ago, when my master went out to search for materials for refining weapons, the people of the Black Devil Sect found that he had the feathers of a poisoned bird on him and killed him outside! Since then, I've been staying in the Limitless Devil Sect and haven't left the mountain gate again! Unlike junior brother, you're so lucky. You not only have a lot of cultivation materials, but also the cultivation method passed down by Chen Ling is extremely powerful. Otherwise, junior brother wouldn't have reached such a high realm at such a young age. Unlike me, I've been cultivating the most useless Limitless Devil Art in the sect, and I'm still only in the middle stage of Bigu! It's really exasperating when comparing people!" Hu Shuo said with a series of sighs as he spoke.
"Senior brother, why be so pessimistic? The Limitless Devil Art is extensive and profound. It's just that you and I are stupid and haven't fully understood its essence. Let's put this aside. Senior brother, do you know about the Soul - Refining Sect Assembly? Has our sect achieved anything in this assembly in recent years?" Ding Hao asked.
Hu Shuo just thought that Ding Hao's words were to comfort him. He didn't know that every word Ding Hao said was true, so he didn't argue with him.
"Of course I know. But our sect has abstained in the last two sessions. What achievements can we talk about? In the previous few sessions, we did send a few disciples, but we couldn't even gather twenty people. They were also used as cannon fodder by other sects and ended up being completely wiped out! Our sect has few disciples. How can we withstand such折腾? It's wiser to abstain now. Otherwise, we don't even need others to take action, and the Limitless Devil Sect will be wiped out!"
Hu Shuo shook his head repeatedly. Seeing this situation, Ding Hao also felt disheartened. Although he knew that the Limitless Devil Sect wouldn't get any good results, he didn't expect the situation to be this bad.
After asking a few more questions, he learned that the current session of the Soul - Refining Sect Assembly would start in three years. So there was no need to rush to take risks and devour the elders in the sect. After returning to his room and staying for a few days, he was ordered not to leave the sect temporarily because the sect leader was about to leave seclusion. When that time came, the Limitless Devil Sect would hold a meeting, and all the disciples and elders of the Limitless Devil Sect had to attend.
A few days later, the elders of the sect left seclusion one after another.
Chen Ling also left seclusion before the meeting. When he found Ding Hao and saw that he had reached the middle stage of Kāiguāng, he couldn't help but praise him highly, saying that he was the fastest - improving cultivator since the establishment of the Limitless Devil Sect. He had never even heard of anyone in other sects improving so fast.
Ding Hao just grinned and repeatedly said that it was all because of the master's excellent teaching. Although Chen Ling knew it wasn't the case, he didn't expose it. The master and the disciple both knew it well and kept being polite.
Ding Hao led Chen Ling to his room and set up a sound - proof and illusion - proof array inside. This array was only used to prevent others from eavesdropping and peeping, and its effect was not great. Chen Ling watched with great interest as Ding Hao set up this array. Only then did he speak. "Good disciple, I don't remember teaching you this array, master. It seems that you've hidden a lot of things from your master!"
"Just a little illusion technique. It's not worthy of your attention, master. You've been in seclusion for a long time. I don't know what your realm is now. Last time, master told Ding Hao that you were in the early stage of the Nascent Soul stage. I wonder if there's any progress?"
"Hehe, thanks to my good disciple, I'm now in the middle stage. I've also started to practice the half of the Purple - Ink Poison - Yin Art you gave me. I wonder if my good disciple can also give me the second half of the art? When your master's cultivation level is higher, you'll also look good!"
Chen Ling looked at Ding Hao with a pleading look.
"Master, you're being too impatient. You've just started to practice the Purple - Ink Poison - Yin Art and you already want the second half. Well, wait until you've finished practicing the first half. By the way, do you know why the sect leader wants to hold a meeting? You were even called out during your seclusion. It's really strange!" Ding Hao asked.
"The once - in - a - hundred - year tribute of the sects in the Soul - Severing Mountain is coming. We're going to be asked to empty our pockets and give everything to the Purgatory Devil Sect. Last time, we used up the thousand - year collection of our sect to barely make up enough. This time, I don't know how we can get through this difficulty. Even if we take out all our possessions, it won't be enough. In the past hundred years, our sect members haven't even had spirit stones for their own cultivation, and they don't dare to go out to look for or mine them. It seems that this time, we're really doomed!" Chen Ling sighed repeatedly, but his eyes were fixed on Ding Hao, as if Ding Hao was the hope of the sect.
"Alas, it's so pitiful. I didn't expect that I, as a new disciple in the Limitless Devil Sect, would have to endure such humiliation. Well... Master, why are you looking at me like this? Although disciple has some possessions, they're not even enough for my own use. There's no reason to give them to others. As a last resort, I'll have to wander around and stop cultivating in the Limitless Devil Sect!" Ding Hao also sighed and showed great sympathy, but he was determined not to give in.
Chen Ling also knew that Ding Hao was not the kind of person who would care about the life and death of the sect. He secretly wondered if he should also find another way out. At this time, a bell rang in their ears. The sect leader, Li Nantian, had already left seclusion, and the meeting of the Limitless Devil Sect was finally about to begin.