Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1256: Forced Invitation

Song Wen’s gaze drifted over the jade slip, which detailed the insights for his breakthrough, his mind a whirlwind.

It became evident that Bai Wei’s invitation to the Turbid Spirit Realm was not a trap but a genuine offer.

The Pure Origin Heavenly Dew was something he absolutely required.

For someone like him, a practitioner of the demonic path with only a mid-grade spirit root, this treasure was critically important.

Yet, the path to the Turbid Spirit Realm was certain to be fraught with dangers, even greater than those within the realm itself.

The Turbid Spirit Realm permitted entry to cultivators at the Body Integration Stage and below. The three great sects would undoubtedly dispatch their own Body Integration Stage cultivators. If his identity as a demonic cultivator were revealed, he would immediately become a target, pursued by everyone.

Furthermore, the three great sects would surely position guards at the realm’s entry point. Even if he managed to acquire the Pure Origin Heavenly Dew and emerge from the Turbid Spirit Realm with the prize, evading these sentinels would pose another significant hurdle.

By bypassing the Turbid Spirit Realm, these risks could be completely avoided.

However, according to the breakthrough insights, the Pure Origin Heavenly Dew was exceptionally rare—a treasure that could only be stumbled upon by chance, never actively sought.

As Song Wen contemplated this, his divine sense explored his storage ring, cataloging his life-saving artifacts.

Substitute Puppets: thirty-twoCosmic Transformation Incarnations: twoFifth-tier Earth Evasion Talismans: twoMinor Teleportation Talismans: twenty-eight* One Profound Thunder Nine Heavens Talisman

These should suffice to guarantee his survival during the exploration of the secret realm. Should they prove inadequate for extricating him from peril, he would likely find himself in an inescapable quandary where no amount of life-saving items would matter.

After extended deliberation, Song Wen remained undecided. He stood abruptly, exited the pavilion, and ascended into the sky, making his way towards Great Tan City.

Upon arriving in Great Tan City, his first stops were several shops to procure various spiritual items. He then journeyed to the area where itinerant cultivators had set up their stalls, his gaze sweeping over the vendors until it landed on a female cultivator selling formations.

Though her appearance was ordinary, she possessed a distinctive aura. Remaining still before her stall, she appeared like a tranquil, deep pool, untouched by any disturbance.

Song Wen briefly observed the female cultivator before directing his attention elsewhere. He continued walking past her stall, merging with the throng of people.

As the sun descended beyond the western mountains, dusk settled.

The female cultivator packed away her stall, ascended into the sky, and headed westward, rapidly departing the city and venturing into the expansive wilderness.

After traversing tens of thousands of miles, she abruptly stopped, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the rolling mountain range to her left.

“Who is there? Show yourself!”

Before her words had fully faded, nine formation flags materialized around her, spinning in a defensive orbit. As their rotation intensified, they gradually formed a golden barrier, enclosing her within its protection.

At that precise moment, a figure emerged from the distant mountains, gliding steadily towards her until he was hovering approximately a mile away.

The female cultivator watched him with apprehension, refraining from any hasty moves. She could not ascertain his cultivation level, indicating it far exceeded her own.

“Who are you, sir? Why do you obstruct my way?”

The approaching figure was none other than Song Wen, his expression placid, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

“I am not obstructing your path, little friend. I have been following you all the way from Great Tan City.”

The female cultivator’s heart skipped a beat, her demeanor becoming even more serious.

Just then, Song Wen continued, “Do not be alarmed, little friend. I intend no harm. I merely wish to request your assistance with a matter.”

“What guidance do you require, Senior?” The female cultivator remained cautious, retrieving another array disk and keeping it at the ready.

“I wish to enlist your help in setting up a formation, little friend,” Song Wen stated.

“I appreciate your consideration, Senior,” the female cultivator responded. “However… my grasp of formations is limited. I fear I am unequal to such a task.”

The edges of Song Wen’s lips curved into a cold smirk, his smile twisting into a chilling expression.

“Allow me to offer a piece of advice, little friend: do not sell yourself short! The formation you currently possess would likely shatter under a single casual blow from me.”

Sensing the frigid aura radiating from Song Wen, a spark of fear ignited in the female cultivator’s eyes.

Momentarily regaining her composure, she effortlessly channeled a trace of spiritual power. The golden barrier dissolved in an instant, and with it vanished the nine formation flags and the array disk she held.

The female cultivator cupped her hands into a fist salute, offering a slight bow.

"What sort of formation does Senior desire me to establish? I shall do my utmost to assist."

Song Wen nodded with satisfaction, his tone softening.

"Follow me."

With that, he turned and began to walk away.

The female cultivator had no recourse but to follow behind.

The two figures soon faded into the encroaching twilight.

As they continued their flight, the female cultivator grew increasingly apprehensive. The surrounding Spiritual Qi became noticeably thinner with every passing moment.

She couldn't help but ponder the destination this enigmatic figure was leading her toward.

After approximately two hours of travel, Song Wen finally halted their journey above a desolate desert, utterly devoid of even a single blade of grass.

The Spiritual Qi in this desolate place was extremely sparse, almost nonexistent.

Abruptly, a surge of dark corpse qi erupted from Song Wen's body.

The corpse qi churned and reformed, coalescing into a colossal corpse python that plunged toward the ground below.

The earth, as yielding as soggy mud, was effortlessly rent asunder by the Fiend Python, revealing a chasm thirty meters wide.

The corpse python burrowed deep into the earth, descending over fifty kilometers before abruptly expanding outwards in all directions.

The solid rock was instantly pulverized by the sheer force of the corpse qi, slowly yielding to its power.

Moments later, the corpse qi retracted back into Song Wen's body, leaving behind a vertical shaft extending fifty kilometers deep. At its base lay a vast underground cavern, spanning more than three kilometers in width.

Song Wen commenced his descent down the shaft.

The female cultivator watched him disappear into the shaft, her heart pounding with sheer terror.

He's a corpse cultivator!

This journey is almost certainly doomed to end in tragedy.

She cast a glance around, yet dared not attempt an escape. Her sole recourse was to follow Song Wen into the depths of the shaft.

Upon reaching the underground cavern and observing the female cultivator's entry, Song Wen promptly retrieved a sixth-tier defensive formation and a sixth-tier concealment formation, setting them up without delay.

As the two formations erected their respective barriers, Song Wen flipped his palm and unleashed a palm strike toward the cavern's ceiling.

A dark cyan palm print shot forth, precisely piercing the automatically parting gaps within the two barriers. It surged upwards through the vertical tunnel, ultimately striking the rock wall near the tunnel's apex with immense force.

Rumble!

The earth convulsed violently as the rock wall collapsed with a deafening roar. Countless boulders cascaded down, crashing upon the already sealed barriers.

As the debris piled higher and higher, the entire vertical tunnel was effectively buried. From the surface, no sign of the man-made tunnel remained.

"Little friend, may I inquire your name?" Song Wen asked.

"Junior Kang Ling," the female cultivator replied. She had discarded all other concerns, her focus now solely on ensuring Song Wen adhered to his promise. She ardently hoped that once the formation was successfully deployed, he would grant her permission to depart.

"And from which sect or school do you hail, little friend?" Song Wen pressed further.

"Junior is merely a rogue cultivator, unaffiliated with any sect or school," Kang Ling answered truthfully.

"Then how did you acquire your mastery of formations?" Song Wen persisted in his questioning.

"Junior has always possessed a deep fascination with formations," Kang Ling explained. "I later stumbled upon a Formation Inheritance and diligently comprehended it through self-study."

A knowing glint flickered in Song Wen's eyes.

He had long harbored suspicions regarding Kang Ling's true background. Otherwise, he would never have resorted to forcibly abducting her to this location.

During his period of observation in Great Tan City, Song Wen had noted that despite her cultivation at the late Divine Transformation stage, she was actively selling fifth-tier high-grade formations. This clearly indicated exceptional innate talent.

Such a prodigy, if affiliated with a prominent family or sect, would likely not be personally peddling wares in the common market.