Yun Che stopped midair. His gaze swept across the token in Qian Kun’s hand before settling on him coldly.

  Su Wanqing froze when she saw the token. She examined it again carefully, and her expression changed dramatically.

  Lowering her voice, she said, “That is the Hundred-Day Pursuit Token. I never expected such a magical treasure to exist in the Demon Sea. I’ve only read about it in ancient texts.”

  In just a few sentences, she explained everything she knew about the Slaughter Token—its advantages and dangers alike. By the end, her tone carried unmistakable caution.

  Qian Kun had actually been afraid Yun Che wouldn’t recognize the token. If Yun Che didn’t know what it was, then no matter how much he explained, the other party might still doubt him. If Yun Che killed him despite the warning, it would backfire terribly.

  But now that the girl had already introduced the token’s terrifying nature, Qian Kun no longer believed anyone would dare kill him while knowing its consequences.

  He finally relaxed a little and said,

  “Fellow Daoist, what do you think of my proposal? Don’t act recklessly. If you truly kill me, the Slaughter Token will mark you. Once that happens, endless trouble will follow. Even the woman beside you will be implicated. Why go that far? Isn’t it unnecessary?”

  Yun Che ignored him completely.

  Instead, he turned to Su Wanqing and asked slowly, word by word:

  “You’re certain… that if one survives the hundred days, they obtain the sacrificer’s entire cultivation?”

  Su Wanqing took a deep breath and nodded.

  Qian Kun’s heart trembled.

  Something was wrong.

  He was about to retreat when Yun Che’s eyes flashed with killing intent.

  “Die.”

  Qian Kun let out a miserable grunt. Blood sprayed from his nose and mouth. Blood also poured from his eyes and ears as his gaze lost focus.

  His divine sense collapsed instantly.

  He fell dead.

  At the very moment of his death, the token in his hand silently shattered. A crimson light burst out and condensed in midair into a massive character:

  诛 — Slaughter.

  The character was blood-red, as if freshly lifted from a pool of blood. It hovered high above Yun Che’s head, glaring and impossible to ignore.

  Yun Che looked up at the enormous character without expression.

  Behind him, a branch of the dragon tendon lashed out, binding Qian Kun’s corpse and dragging it to the rear.

  He then carried Su Wanqing and flew back, returning to Wuding Peak in moments.

  Mu Nan and Mu Bei stared blankly at the giant red character in the sky.

  For a brief instant, greed flickered in their hearts.

  But it vanished just as quickly.

  The two stood respectfully on Wuding Peak, silent as frightened cicadas.

  Yun Che swept them with a cold glance.

  “Does the headquarters of the Douxie Sect have any Nascent Soul cultivators?”

  Mu Nan hurried to answer first.

  “No. Not just the Douxie Sect—within a million li of Nandou City, there isn’t a single Nascent Soul cultivator. Those seniors wouldn’t bother with such a place. They usually appear only in the Inner Sea.”

  Yun Che stared directly into Mu Nan’s eyes.

  The man’s legs began trembling.

  Only then did Yun Che continue.

  “What cultivation level is the sect master?”

  Mu Bei quickly stepped forward.

  “Senior, our sect master is at the mid-stage Core Formation, though he has already reached the peak and may break through to the late stage at any moment.”

  A cold smile appeared in Yun Che’s heart.

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  His eyes flashed with killing intent.

  “You two. Lead the way to the Douxie Sect headquarters.”

  Neither dared refuse.

  They immediately bowed and began guiding the path.

  As they flew, their eyes occasionally glanced toward the giant “Slaughter” character above Yun Che’s head.

  Secretly, they prayed that someone would come kill him.

  Along the way, thunder roared in Yun Che’s wake.

  Cultivators below looked up in shock, only to suck in cold breaths.

  The most eye-catching sight was the blood-red “Slaughter” character floating above his head.

  The second was the ten corpses trailing behind him like meteors across the sky.

  Anyone who saw the scene would instinctively assume that those corpses had tried to kill the wanted man—only to become victims themselves.

  The message was obvious.

  A warning.

  Soon, everyone who witnessed it hurriedly pulled out communication jade slips, spreading the news to friends and sectmates.

  The Hundred-Day Slaughter Token had appeared once more in the Demon Sea.

  The news spread rapidly.

  If someone killed the marked target, they would gain the entire cultivation of the sacrificer—at minimum a Core Formation cultivator.

  The temptation was enormous.

  For Foundation Establishment cultivators, it was heaven-sent fortune.

  For Core Formation cultivators, success could raise their cultivation by an entire realm.

  Even mid-stage Core Formation experts might break into the late stage.

  More mysterious still was the sacrificer’s level.

  If the sacrificer had been late-stage Core Formation, the entire Demon Sea would erupt.

  As Yun Che flew, the former pseudo-core embryo within his body had transformed into a golden core the size of a fist.

  Spiritual energy surged through him continuously.

  The power of Core Formation was more than one hundred times stronger than Foundation Establishment.

  Looking toward the Inner Demon Sea, Yun Che’s gaze seemed to pierce across the ocean and land upon the Zhao Kingdom.

  A cold smile appeared.

  “Teng Huayuan…”

  “I, Yun Che, have formed my Core.”

  “The day I form my Nascent Soul… is the day I return to kill you.”

  “You’d better not die too early.”

  “I will make every person bearing the surname Teng in Zhao Kingdom… be buried with you.”

  Mu Nan secretly glanced at Yun Che.

  Seeing that terrifying smile, his body shivered uncontrollably.

  He cursed inwardly.

  Why hasn’t anyone come to kill this monster yet?!

  That huge Slaughter mark is right above his head!

  Hurry up and kill him already!

  If we really lead him to headquarters, we’ll be killed either by him or by the sect master!

  Just as he prayed desperately—

  A figure stepped out from the distant mist.

  His aura was overwhelming.

  The fog rolled aside as he walked.

  Black hair.

  Black eyes.

  Black robes.

  Black sword.

  Dark energy surrounded him.

  If his face had been sharp and cold, the aura would have been terrifying.

  Unfortunately…

  The man was middle-aged.

  His belly bulged outward, his face was round, and a cheerful smile sat on his lips.

  The murderous aura disappeared entirely.

  Instead, he looked oddly ridiculous.

  Yet when Mu Nan and Mu Bei saw him, their expressions changed.

  Then joy flashed across their eyes.

  “Heh heh… the Hundred-Day Slaughter Token! Excellent! Excellent!”

  The fat man in black stared greedily at the red character above Yun Che’s head.

  “Youngster, I’ll give you half an incense stick’s time to arrange your last affairs.”

  “Don’t try to resist.”

  “With your mere early Core Formation cultivation, I, the Black-Clothed Demon Lord, don’t even consider you worth my attention.”

  After speaking, he placed his hands behind his back and raised his chin proudly.

  Su Wanqing covered her mouth, unable to suppress her laughter.

  She glanced at the arrogant fat cultivator, then at Yun Che.

  Her smile grew even wider.

  Mu Nan grew excited.

  Now this is a real expert.

  This was the wandering demon cultivator Shangguan Mo, whom even the sect master treated with respect.

  He was said to be peak mid-stage Core Formation, nearly late stage.

  Even stronger than Qian Kun.

  Yun Che frowned.

  “Courting death.”

  Shangguan Mo blinked.

  “You ignorant brat! I’ll show you what a mid-stage Core Formation peak really—”

  Before he could finish speaking—

  Yun Che pointed at him.

  “Die.”

  The moment the word left his mouth—

  A jade pendant suddenly flew out of Shangguan Mo’s chest.

  Crack!

  It split into two pieces and released a wisp of smoke before vanishing.

  Yun Che raised an eyebrow.

  With a wave of his hand, the broken jade pieces fell into his palm.

  After scanning them with divine sense, surprise flashed across his face.

  He casually stored them away and looked back at Shangguan Mo.

  The fat cultivator stood frozen.

  Cold sweat poured down his face.

  “D-Death Curse Technique!!”

  His voice trembled.

  The jade pendant had been his master’s final gift before death.

  It could block a full-power attack from a Nascent Soul cultivator.

  For years, he had relied on it while roaming the Demon Sea.

  If he encountered stronger cultivators, he hid.

  If he met weaker ones, he robbed them mercilessly.

  That was how he built his reputation.

  But now—

  The jade had shattered instantly.

  And Yun Che’s terrifying gaze made his heart pound wildly.

  Afraid Yun Che would say “die” again—

  Shangguan Mo’s legs went soft.

  He dropped to his knees immediately.

  “Senior spare me! Senior spare me! This junior knows his mistake! Please forgive me!”

  Mu Nan stared blankly at the scene.

  His heart filled with fear.

  Mu Bei quickly lowered his head as well.

  Seeing Yun Che remain expressionless, Shangguan Mo panicked even more.

  Finally he gritted his teeth.

  “Senior! I am willing to become your disciple!”

  “From now on I will obey every command!”

  “Master, please accept me!”

  Then he turned toward Su Wanqing and begged desperately.

  “You must be Master’s Dao companion!”

  “Senior Sister-in-law! Please help persuade Master to accept me!”

  Su Wanqing blushed slightly.

  She secretly glanced at Yun Che.

  Seeing his cold expression, she sighed softly and lowered her head.

  Yun Che stared coldly at Shangguan Mo.

  Within his sea of consciousness, the Extreme Divine Sense surged.

  Red lightning flickered faintly in his eyes.

  Shangguan Mo sensed the danger immediately.

  His heart nearly exploded with fear.

  Knowing escape was impossible, he hurriedly pressed a finger to his forehead.

  A drop of golden soul blood floated out.

  The moment it appeared, his aura weakened drastically.

  His cultivation even showed signs of declining.

  The stronger a cultivator was, the more precious their soul blood became.

  Once offered, their cultivation would inevitably suffer damage.

  And the stronger they were—

  The greater the loss.