Chapter 118: Chapter 102: The Second Assessment

Time flowed like water, autumn came and went several times, and in the blink of an eye, several years had passed.

It had been a full ten years since the last assessment task was completed.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed, and Yang Ji's Dao Sect Command Token suddenly began to vibrate.

Clearly, the second assessment task had arrived.

If successful, one could continue to cultivate within the Dao Sect for a hundred years, enjoying an endless supply of Medicine Pills.

But if one failed, that person would be parted from the Dao Sect forever, the purple robe stripped away, the disciple's name erased, the path to immortality cut like with a knife, making the road ahead difficult to cross.

Therefore, this second task was just as crucial, and even Yang Ji dared not take it lightly.

The Dao Sect was fairly humane, issuing assessment tasks linked to one's own strength and realm. If one couldn't even pass this, then they had no destiny to remain in the Dao Sect.

Yang Ji reached out and took out the Talisman Command, which displayed a string of small characters, "Northern Abyss Sea, Yunhua Sea Area, the young master of flowers and willows, Huo Luan, has violated innumerable female cultivators, and has then secretly refined them into evil human Demon Pills to enhance his cultivation, an extremely heinous crime, and must be executed."

[Note: The young master of flowers and willows, indulging in pleasure and neglecting cultivation, though in the Nascent Soul Realm, he has a father in the Void Refinement Realm, and disciples executing the task must be extremely careful.]

"A father in the Void Refinement Realm?" Yang Ji frowned slightly, then relaxed, murmuring, "Since the Sect issued such a task, there clearly must be room to maneuver; it's not necessarily a dead end."

At this moment, his attention was mostly focused on the "Human Demon Pill."

It was recorded in books that this kind of Medicine Pill was a common method used by Outer Realm Demons who consumed human cultivators.

They often refined living human cultivators whole into Medicine Pills to ensure that the soul did not disperse and the pure magical power within remained.

Such refined Medicine Pills could not only nourish the soul but also enhance cultivation.

But human cultivators, in such a process, would suffer double the torment of both body and soul, a pain worse than death, extremely cruel.

Some human evil cultivators revered the Heavenly Demons as masters and also learned such evil methods, often causing harm and mischief among the cultivators.

The Demonic Path often mentioned by people has its origins from these Outer Realm Demons.

Nevertheless, the Demonic Path ultimately contains the word "Dao," picking up the nuances of the Heavenly Demons' technique but not losing their nature, not becoming puppets of the Heavenly Demons.

In the end, it's humans who practice the demonic arts, and although the Cultivation Techniques come from other races, their actions and affairs still retain human nature.

This is why the Ten Great Dao Sects in the Taichu World turn a blind eye to the Ten Great Demon Sects, as long as their actions don't get too out of line, then it's fine.

Like Di Xuansha, the Dao Child of the Demon Sect, who cultivates the "Heavenly Demon Alien Heart Technique" using cultivator flesh and blood to nourish Divine Medicine to enhance cultivation, also only dares to act stealthily and not too blatantly.

Once exposed, he will be executed by the Dao Sect. This is the underlying struggle between righteousness and evil.

This young master of flowers and willows, having neither the background nor the strength of a Dao Child of the Demon Sect, still dared such arrogance. Who gave him the courage? He was simply courting death.

Following the principle that exposure means death, the Dao Sect listed him for a mandatory death mission.

Thus, he must die; even if Yang Ji couldn't kill him, his "death" was already decided.

Tasks from the Dao Sect generally have no time limit; as long as you can kill him within the specified cultivation realm, it doesn't matter whether you take one year or ten years.

However, during this period, one wouldn't enjoy the Dao Sect's cultivation resources.

Time is equivalent to lifespan; typically, no one would waste so much time, unless the situation was special.

After confirming he would accept the task, Yang Ji put away the Dao Sect Command Token.

Soon, a flash of light appeared on the Myriad Treasures Mirror, which was a message from Yan Zhan.

[Yang Ji, I've heard about the Hell Arena incident. I didn't expect you to use a Humanoid Weapon; it seems that the person who took the heritage in advance must have been you. Tell me, were you secretly watching us make fools of ourselves then?]

Yang Ji smiled slightly and replied, [You've discovered that too. I should have gone down with all of you then to keep up appearances; that way, you might not have found out about me.]

[Humph! Anyway, what is your second assessment task?] Yan Zhan sent another message.

[To go to the Northern Abyss Sea and execute a wicked cultivator. What about you?] seaʀᴄh thё Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

[To hunt a Demon King in the Training Ground of the Heavenly Demons.]

[I've never killed a Heavenly Demon and don't know how powerful they are, so you need to be very careful.]

[I hope we can both pass this assessment.] Yan Zhan replied.

[We will.] Yang Ji replied.

Seeing that Yan Zhan wasn't sending more messages, he also put away the Myriad Treasures Mirror and walked out of the hall.

Outside, Chong Yuan and the others were whispering with smiles on their faces.

"You seem very happy; did you receive some good tasks?" Yang Ji asked with a smile.

"Honored Master, we have received the same task again. The Sect has discovered an unexplored Secret Realm within a space rift, and our mission is to join the Sect's high-level officials in exploring it and to survive," Chong Yuan laughed.

"Exploring a Secret Realm?" Yang Ji pondered aloud, "This task seems easy, but it's full of many unknown dangers; you must be careful."

"We'll be careful. Don't worry, Honored Master," Chong Yuan and the others nodded.

When the next day arrived.

Everyone dispersed to begin the second assessment.

Yang Ji also took Buddha Child and Shen Yin to the Northern Abyss Sea.

After eight days of transmission, they finally arrived at the Northern Abyss Sea, in the Yunhua sea area.

The purple robes of the Wuji Dao Sect were too eye-catching, so Yang Ji changed into a set of white robes.

After some investigation, he learned that this Young Master Huahui's real name was Liu Yuan, who resided on Emperor Liu Island.

Emperor Liu was his father, the sole overlord of the Yunhua sea area and the only Void Refining Cultivator.

At that moment, under the blazing sun, Yang Ji hid within a cluster of white clouds, gazing from afar at Castle of Emperor Liu on Emperor Liu Island.

Some information appeared like game tips, [Castle, constructed of White Radiance Stone, engraved with the Four Palace Defense Array, impregnable by Void Refining Cultivators once activated.]

[One early-stage Void Refining Cultivator is lightly cultivating and can wake up at any moment.]

[Three early-stage Divinity Transformation Cultivators are leisurely indulging themselves inside the castle.]

[Eight Nascent Soul Cultivators are leisurely indulging themselves inside the castle.]

...

Then the display showed a series of messages about the various guards.

With one glance, Yang Ji acquired the current behavioral status and basic information of everyone in the castle and its grounds.

Without a doubt, that Void Refinement Realm individual must be the master of Castle Emperor Liu, and those three Divinity Transformations should be Emperor Liu's subordinates, the Three Evil Gods.

As for the eight Nascent Soul Realms who were enjoying themselves, it seemed likely that Young Master Huahui was one of them.

"Dealing with one Void Refining and three Divinity Transformations isn't going to be easy," said Yang Ji, his brow slightly furrowed. Suddenly, he chuckled mischievously, "Buddha Child, you've metamorphosed into Divine Medicine, precious beyond measure. How about you draw away the master of the castle and those three Divinity Transformation Cultivators? I'll mark down a great achievement for you."

"Master, just kill me," Buddha Child rolled his eyes, laying flat on his back in the sleeve, adopting an utterly disheartened expression.

"You little child, you have no spirit of fearless sacrifice," Yang Ji said with a laugh, gently scolding him. He wasn't truly sending Buddha Child to his death; he was just teasing him, having temporarily run out of other ideas.

"Master, when you were inquiring earlier, didn't that man grit his teeth and say that this boy often goes out to harm young women? We can take the chance to eliminate him when he does," Buddha Child said with a strange laugh.

"That guy usually brings a Divinity Transformation guard with him when he goes out... Divinity Transformation!" Yang Ji pondered, recalling the clash with the eminent Bai Mei and weighing the power gap between them.

"How impressive can a Divinity Transformation from such a small place be? They probably don't even possess a complete set of Great Divine Abilities. If I, Buddha Child, reached the Nascent Soul Realm and cultivated the Buddha-Demon Dharma Form, I could definitely take on the three Divinity Transformations alone.

Using my Demon Devouring Technique, I'll munch them down one by one and show them what I'm made of, gaga," the Buddha Child said with a strange laugh.

"Master, someone with your talent, capable of slaying a Dao Child's clone, could definitely trade a few blows with these third-rate Divinity Transformations across a major realm. Even if you can't beat them, you could still make a safe escape with the Treasure Sword Wings," Buddha Child added.

Yang Ji mused, "A Nascent Soul Cultivator purifies the Primordial Spirit, while a Divinity Transformation cultivates the Great Dao Body, starting to create a nascent world within their body and wielding the World Force to restrain others. One must not be careless."

"However, you're not without reason. These three are only at the early stages of Divinity Transformation; the discrepancy in strength won't be significant, and they won't be much faster than a Nascent Soul Cultivator."

"If I deploy the Treasure Sword Wings, I can achieve swift divine movement, easily breaking through their restraints."

"When the time comes, as long as I find an opportunity to swiftly kill Young Master Huahui, I can make a quick escape."

Reflecting on the battle with Bai Mei, Yang Ji felt confident about his strength comparison and quickly formed a plan in his mind.

"Master, let's stake out here; this kid is as good as dead," Buddha Child said with a smirk.

Yang Ji nodded, settling himself within the clouds, simultaneously cultivating and closely observing the situation at the Castle of Emperor Liu.

But...

A month passed, and although people came and went from the castle, Young Master Huahui seemed not to be coming out at all.

"How can he not come out looking for girls if he's known as Young Master Huahui? That doesn't make sense," Buddha Child frowned, suddenly laughing strangely, "Could it be that this kid's suffered a breakdown? Convalescing? What unfortunate timing to become impotent."

"Instead of heading for his death, he managed to cling on to life for a few more days. You have to admit, the guy's got some luck,"

"We'll continue to wait; he'll eventually come out," Yang Ji said, his eyes opening and closing, maintaining a remarkable level of patience, as he spoke indifferently.

"Big brother, I'm hungry," suddenly Shen Yin's voice came from within the Mountain Sea Pearl to Yang Ji's ears.

He sent his Divine Sense inside to check and saw that Shen Yin had eaten all the Wood Attribute Spiritual Materials he had previously given her.

Looking at the Castle of Emperor Liu, Yang Ji thought for a moment, then conveyed through a telepathic message, "Let's go, I shall take you to feed on a mountain first."

Many islands in this sea area were rich in lush forests, and selectively consuming some would allow them to recover after a couple of years.

Being cautious, Yang Ji quietly instructed Shen Yin to extract only a tenth of the essence from each tree.

After such an extraction, the mountain would still appear verdant, unlikely to catch anyone's attention.

Thus, Yang Ji took Shen Yin, flying swiftly for hundreds of miles, embarking on a journey of island exploration and consuming mountains.

As it was the turn of spring and summer, making it the peak season for flora, and with the sea's humid climate in the tropics being conducive to vegetation growth.

Some uninhabited islands were vibrantly green, with an unimaginable concentration of spiritual energy in their vegetation, harboring some rare and precious trees.