Seeing Ding Hao in an awkward situation, Feng Xingran was extremely elated, her delicate body shaking with mirth. When she noticed the three elders looking at her in astonishment, she seemed to realize her lack of propriety. After composing herself, she said to Ding Hao once more, "Since I've promised to let you go, I will never renege on my word. However, our excursion this time is clandestine. If we simply let you depart like this, and you accidentally disclose the information and put me at a disadvantage, where could I find you to settle the score? To be safe, you'd better stay put."
Knowing that she was merely fabricating an excuse to be capricious, Ding Hao had no alternative. When one is weaker than others, one has to submit!
Ding Hao considered it. He had nothing particular to do anyway. Since he was going to train himself down the mountain, and they had already assured his safety, and he was still a novice in cultivation. Looking at them, they were all wily oldsters with many years of cultivation. Staying with them might bring some hardships, but having them as companions also had its merits. So he refrained from further comment. He was just contemplating how to devour the person in his custody as quickly as possible.
Seeing that Ding Hao seemed to have acquiesced, the woman was even more jubilant. Her beautiful form exuded infinite allure. Had Ding Hao's will not been so steadfast, he might well have been entranced by her. No wonder the younger - generation disciples in the Duanhun Mountain all coveted her. Cultivators did not eschew dual - cultivation. Moreover, dual - cultivation bestowed great benefits upon both cultivators. Hence, dual - cultivators were common in the cultivation realm.
Even so, Ding Hao still felt beleaguered. He cursed inwardly, "You little minx, just revel in your triumph. I'll make you rue the day you crossed me!"
Seeing that Ding Hao remained mute, Feng Xingran appeared to lose interest. She made several hand gestures to halt the Slaughtering Demon Array and instructed the three elders to collect the materials for setting up the array one by one and deposit them into her storage ring.
Ding Hao eyed those materials and mused to himself. How splendid it would be if these materials were in his possession. The Hell Demon Sect was truly affluent. Without several centuries of accumulation, it would be impossible to assemble these materials. But even so, there were still over a dozen of the most precious materials lacking in this array. He didn't know if the setter lacked these materials or was ignorant of the setup method. However, Ding Hao had five or six materials in his storage ring that could be utilized for this array. If these materials were added, and he set up the array himself, it could surely unleash sixty percent of the array's power.
Contemplating this, Ding Hao couldn't help but regard Feng Xingran covetously.
"Little thief, if you dare to ogle me with such lascivious eyes again, believe it or not, I'll gouge your eyes out this instant!" Catching sight of Ding Hao's gaze, Feng Xingran was enraged.
Ding Hao snorted disdainfully and ignored her. He simply sat cross - legged to regulate his breath and endeavored to recover from the internal injuries sustained during the recent skirmish. The miraculous aspect of the Wuji Demon Skill was immediately manifested. Relying on his body's extraordinary recuperative ability, his injuries were significantly improved after half an hour, and his body also regained thirty percent of its true essence.
Gazing at the captured person beside him, Ding Hao could scarcely restrain his urge to devour this person immediately. As long as he consumed this person, not only would his injuries be completely healed, but his cultivation would also make great strides. It was truly tantalizing to think about it.
But he could only think about it and not actually act on it. Not to mention that if they discovered the secret of his Wuji Demon Skill, they would surely not let him off easily. Considering this person's mid - Divided Spirit - stage cultivation, Ding Hao wasn't even certain if he could completely devour him. Mid - Divided Spirit stage! The leader of the Wuji Demon Sect was only at the early - Divided Spirit stage.
Now, in Ding Hao's eyes, this person was no longer a human being, but a colossal elixir capable of significantly augmenting his cultivation!
Noticing Ding Hao's increasingly peculiar eyes, Feng Xingran's countenance grew increasingly somber. She fumed at Ding Hao, "Little thief, so you had me capture this person with such effort just to satiate your lust. It's truly revolting!"
Ding Hao smiled wryly. How could she make such an accusation? Was his gaze truly that lewd just now? He chose not to argue with her and simply closed his eyes to avoid her harangue.
Seeing Ding Hao close his eyes, Feng Xingran glowered at him a few more times and then addressed the three elders earnestly, "Do the three elders know the origin of this person? Judging from his late - Divided Spirit - stage cultivation, he doesn't seem to be an unknown entity."
Elder Wu scrutinized the captured person on the ground repeatedly and said, "This person's attire and appearance suggest that he is the leader of the Western Mysterious Five Ghosts. The Five Ghosts are unaffiliated with any sect or faction. They usually only haunt the Western Mysterious Mountain region and have no connection with our sect. Why did they assail us? I'm truly baffled."
Feng Xingran's expression was inscrutable. After a while, she said to them, "Since we know their provenance, it's much more manageable. First, confine this person. We can interrogate him when he awakens." The three of them fell silent.
After a while, the group tidied up the nearby battlefield. Feng Xingran said to Ding Hao, "I don't care which sect or faction you belong to. During this period, you must accompany us. With your Kaiming - stage cultivation, if you dare to play tricks, don't blame me for disregarding the oath."
Ding Hao sneered, "When did you, miss, ever honor an oath? Saying this only elicits my derision."
"You... I don't wish to quarrel with you. We are descending the mountain this time to attend the once - in - a - hundred - year trading convention hosted by the Treasure - Gathering Sect. Now your identity is that of an ordinary third - generation disciple of our Hell Demon Sect. You must act under my command hereafter!"
Knowing that he couldn't oppose her, Ding Hao said to Feng Xingran, "In that case, I hope you'll allow me to take a short respite. I must use my sect's secret method to heal my wounds with this person."
When Feng Xingran heard that Ding Hao was only using this person to heal his wounds and not for something immoral, she was relieved and asked Elder Wu to take him to a cave for healing.
Elder Wu led Ding Hao to the entrance of a cave and said, "Brat, I'll safeguard you at the entrance. You're really lucky, lad. If you dare to play any tricks, I won't show mercy!"
Thinking that he could soon recover his true energy and even make great progress in his cultivation, Ding Hao paid no heed to him. After entering the cave, he placed the person in his hands on the ground, placed his hands on the top of the person's head, and a vast and thick stream of true energy flowed in along his hands. Ding Hao was overjoyed. After all, he was a mid - Divided Spirit - stage expert, which was worlds apart from those at the Kaiming stage.
After half an hour, Ding Hao had completely healed his bodily injuries by borrowing this person's true essence, yet he continued to devour. Another half an hour later, Ding Hao realized that his body's absorption had reached its limit and ceased devouring. Looking at the person again, his body was only slightly thinner and hadn't shriveled into a mummy. It seemed that he hadn't fully consumed the essence of this person's true essence. Considering that he still had three days at his disposal, Ding Hao was in high spirits.
Just when he intended to digest the true essence he had just absorbed, he suddenly felt something amiss. Last time, he had only absorbed the true essence of two cultivators at the Kaiming stage, and it had taken him half a month to digest it. This time, although he hadn't completely drained this person, the essence of the true essence was more than ten times that of last time. Elder Wu was still outside the door and wouldn't afford him the time to fully devour. What was he to do?
At this time, he began to feel troubled. But thinking about the consequences if he didn't digest it promptly, Ding Hao was even more horrified. Anyway, the several people had sworn a solemn oath to spare his life. Ding Hao wasn't afraid that they would harm him. The true essence in his body had already begun to flow chaotically.
After pondering, Ding Hao decided to take a risk and absorb it first. He used a secret technique to extend this person's comatose state indefinitely. Ding Hao sat cross - legged on the ground, and the Wuji Demon Skill erupted with all its might.
When Ding Hao reopened his eyes, he was in an indescribably good mood. With the aid of this true essence, he had broken through to the early - Fusion stage in one fell swoop. At the Fusion stage, one could form an inner core. When the inner core was initially formed, an enormous amount of true essence was required. It just so happened to provide an outlet for the absorbed true essence. This vast amount of true essence rendered Ding Hao's inner core extremely abnormal. The black and lustrous inner core was like a second heart in his body, ceaselessly supplying him with abundant true essence energy!
Owing to the existence of the inner core, Ding Hao's cultivation speed was significantly accelerated. Moreover, after the Fusion stage, the five internal organs also demanded a huge amount of true energy. At this time, not only had he assimilated the essence of the true essence he had just devoured, but his body also seemed to yearn for more. Looking at the person on the ground who hadn't awakened yet, Ding Hao had an impulse to completely devour all the true essence in this person's body. But considering the current situation, he temporarily abandoned this notion.
At this time, Ding Hao began to wonder why Elder Wu hadn't come for him. Logically speaking, a long time had elapsed. Looking at this person, he didn't seem to be a particularly patient sort.
After rising, he walked to the entrance of the cave and discovered that a small illusionary array had been set up there, which was far more advanced than the one he had constructed himself.
At this time, Ding Hao was actually flattered. These people were so kind - hearted, which greatly puzzled him. Just as he entered the illusionary array, several sounds of something breaking through the air rang in his ears. In an instant, the illusionary array vanished, and Feng Xingran's angry and delicate voice reached his ears.
"Little thief, you said you'd only cultivate for a moment, yet you made me wait for three days. I thought you'd been slain by the person you captured. You've only emerged now and wasted so much of my time. How are you going to compensate for my loss?"
As the voice ceased, the person appeared. At this time, several exclamations were heard, "Brat, who are you? What kind of diabolical cultivation method are you practicing? Why in just a few days have you not only fully recovered from your injuries but also broken through to the Fusion stage? Such a diabolical cultivation method is unheard of. Miss, don't be soft - hearted. You must thoroughly interrogate this person about his origin. Otherwise, in time, who among the demonic cultivators could be his match?" After Elder Wu's exclamation, he enumerated several facts that were highly detrimental to Ding Hao.
Ding Hao sighed. Misfortune always arrives eventually. There's no escaping it.