Demon cultivators embody their most natural instincts. Their greatest instinct is to survive.

From the very beginning, survival instinct is deeply rooted in the bones of every living being, immensely strong. In other words, to survive, all living beings do their utmost, and even after becoming demon cultivators, they often resort to anything.

Propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame do not exist. As long as it can secure a chance for survival, demon cultivators often pay any price.

This is vividly demonstrated by Pan Si Niangzi. After realizing her advantage in beauty, she also changed her cultivation method, repeatedly leveraging this特长 (tècháng, special skill) to seduce others, allowing her to live better.

Is what she did wrong? From Ning Zhuo’s perspective: If there is no life, what reason is there to speak of? Survival is not about right or wrong!

As for sacrificing one’s life for righteousness? Ning Zhuo has recently been studying Confucianism and is aware of this, but deep down, he cannot fully agree with it.

“I can totally sacrifice myself for my mother and my elder brother. But no one else, or any other reason, is enough for me to sacrifice.”

Without life, how can one seek the Dao? With life, everything is possible. The greatest reason is to stay alive!

Therefore, Ning Zhuo felt no aversion to Pan Si Niangzi’s sudden change from deference to supplication. He readily accepted her change in attitude.

“My cultivation and age are not enough to command respect from others.”

“If my achievements were exposed, the world would not view me with conventional thinking.”

“Pan Si Niangzi learned about me from Ban Ji. And Ban Ji’s knowledge is also partial. In fact, the one I dealt with when confronting Pi Fu Jie was not Pi Fu Jie himself, but the tiger demon he had just recruited.”

“Pan Si Niangzi has a late Foundation Establishment cultivation, and is quite strong. Although she is a rogue cultivator, she has had many opportunities in her life. For such a renowned cultivator, the first choice is not to surrender, but to compete.”

Pan Si Niangzi being able to “play” with Ban Ji, and being heavily paid by Ban Ji this time, naturally means she is not weak.

Ning Zhuo watched Pan Si Niangzi slump on the ground, begging for mercy, his face expressionless. He secretly pondered her character, and by extension, the entire group of demon cultivators.

Pan Si Niangzi pleaded for a while before Ning Zhuo finally spoke, “Alright, I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me everything you know about Ban Ji’s plans against me.”

Pan Si Niangzi immediately showed surprise and joy, nodding repeatedly. She revealed the truth to Ning Zhuo, indeed holding nothing back. She not only detailed Ban Ji’s current plans to deal with Ning Zhuo but also informed Ning Zhuo of her previous collaborations with Ban Ji.

Ning Zhuo looked at Pan Si Niangzi: “So, you and Ban Ji didn’t sign any confidentiality agreements?”

Pan Si Niangzi nodded: “Please forgive me, Young Master. That was a false threat I made earlier out of fear for my own safety.”

“The four of us are equals with Ban Ji; there’s no reason for us to sign any confidentiality agreements for him.”

“If we were to violate it, we would suffer, but Ban Ji wouldn’t lose a single hair.”

Ning Zhuo nodded slightly, gaining a bit more understanding of the nature of these demonic cultivators.

“Pan Si Niangzi, Xiu Zai Jiang, Wang Yan Seng, Liu Qing Yan—”

“Ban Ji found these four, hired them with heavy rewards, and tried his best to entangle me. He then seized the opportunity to participate in the Xing Yun Xiao Shi that suited him—this is undoubtedly the most correct tactic.”

Since Ning Zhuo had already demonstrated his proficiency in Soul Searching arts, Pan Si Niangzi’s frankness this time was largely credible.

“This time it’s Che Zhu Zi, who, according to Pan Si Niangzi, is Ban Ji’s next target.”

“Adding that to the previous Qing Huang Zi, I’ve already foiled two of his plans.”

“This grudge is growing deeper and deeper.”

Although Ning Zhuo had the upper hand twice in a row, he did not underestimate Ban Ji in the slightest. Ban Ji’s choice alone revealed his excellent qualities of forbearance and strategic thinking. Ning Zhuo’s current favorable situation is also partly due to Ban Ji being too busy to deal with him.

Moreover, Ban Ji has never been a rogue cultivator; behind him stands the Ban family!

“Ban Ji cultivated demonic Dao cultivation methods, not the Ban family’s ancestral techniques. He is an anomaly. How much support would his family likely give him internally?”

Ning Zhuo must consider the Ban family if he wants to deal with Ban Ji!

“The Xing Yun Xiao Shi is very important for newcomers. I need to actively sabotage Ban Ji’s plans, so that even if he joins the Wan Xiang Sect, he will have fewer footholds.”

“The best scenario would be to directly exclude him, preventing him from joining the Wan Xiang Sect.”

“But that possibility is too low.”

Ning Zhuo secretly assessed the difficulty and found that the most likely outcome he could achieve was to suppress Ban Ji.

Ning Zhuo entered the main mountain gate of Wan Xiang Sect, and the Xing Yun Xiao Shi had already been held many times. A true enemy had appeared.

The previous Yu He Ye, Lin Jing Long, Che Zhu Zi, and even the current Pan Si Niangzi, were not true enemies. Their conflicts with Ning Zhuo could be resolved. Ban Ji was not like that, at least not at present. He was a Mechanism cultivator, and the Xing Yun Xiao Shi he wanted to participate in were also the ones Ning Zhuo wanted to participate in. This deeply illustrates the saying, “competitors are enemies.”

Ning Zhuo asked Pan Si Niangzi: “Do you know if Ban Ji has any other schemes against me, besides hiring the four of you with heavy rewards?”

Pan Si Niangzi shook her head, sincerely stating that she did not know, fearing Ning Zhuo’s suspicion, and even swore an oath that it was true. Ning Zhuo made no comment, falling into thought for a moment.

“Pan Si Niangzi’s words are likely true. I have the means of Soul Searching and can easily verify it on her.”

“Now, she is the fish and I am the butcher. There’s no need for her to risk lying to me here. It’s pointless!”

“It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t know Ban Ji’s next moves.”

“Firstly, I can send others to keep a close eye on Ban Ji and gather intelligence. Secondly, I can gather information on all the Xing Yun Xiao Shi throughout the Wan Xiang Sect; anything related to Mechanism arts could be Ban Ji’s target.”

Ban Ji secretly plotted against Ning Zhuo, and Ning Zhuo was naturally not one to passively accept it, immediately thinking of a counterattack.

“Doesn’t Confucianism also emphasize, ‘to not reciprocate is against propriety’?”

“Ban Ji’s matter, on the surface, is trouble, but in reality, it’s an opportunity.”

Ning Zhuo, supported by his strength, analyzed for a moment and found that countering Ban Ji had more significance.

“My real test will be when the high-ranking officials of the Wan Xiang Sect, Lord Kai Bai Zhi Cheng, make a move against me.”

“Wen Ruan Yu protected me and kept my secrets, but that can’t last long. She also entrusted the Confucian cultivators to help me gain fame.”

“The Confucian cultivators’ Xing Yun Xiao Shi has already had two rounds, but there should be more to come.”

“With the help of Confucian cultivators, I can gain fame and make a brilliant debut in the Wan Xiang Sect. On this basis, if I can strongly suppress Ban Ji, it will undoubtedly be icing on the cake, and further establish my deterrent power to the outside world.”

Originally, Ning Zhuo could only defend passively. But his rapid progress in Soul Searching arts led to a dramatic increase in his learning ability, by dozens of times, an extremely exaggerated improvement. This meant he had a lot of spare capacity, not only to handle the current Xing Yun Xiao Shi well but also to exert power outwards for conquest.

“The Ban family is famous in Fei Yun Guo.”

“Defeating Ban Ji will be the best way to establish my authority!”

Thinking of this, Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Pan Si Niangzi, who had been observing his expressions, keenly noticed the fierce fighting intent in Ning Zhuo’s smile, and couldn’t help but feel flustered and nervous, fearing that he would use the Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu (Burning Boat Soul Crossing Art) on her.

Ning Zhuo, having considered everything thoroughly, turned his gaze back to Pan Si Niangzi.

Pan Si Niangzi dared not meet Ning Zhuo’s eyes, quickly lowered her head to look at the floor tiles. At the same time, her posture had changed from slumping to kneeling on both knees, appearing weak and ready to be dealt with as he pleased.

Ning Zhuo said indifferently: “Pan Si Niangzi, you are a demonic cultivator and carry sin. But your attitude of repentance is good, so I will give you a chance.”

“You have some array-laying ability. Go to the cabin and set up a magic array. I want to plant Wen Song and Wu Song there.”

This was a development plan Ning Zhuo had after learning the Song Tao Yang Qi Gong (Pine Wave Qi Nurturing Skill). Among Ning Zhuo’s current subordinates, Qing Chi suffered amnesia and was skilled in military formations. Chu Lao was loyal and good at cooking. Gong Sun Yan sought Ning Zhuo’s help and was a skilled artifact refiner. He lacked a capable expert in formations.

Pan Si Niangzi immediately filled this void after her surrender. Pan Si Niangzi sighed in relief, immediately stating that she would do her utmost to complete the task. Ning Zhuo then put her into the Wan Li You Long (Ten Thousand Li Roaming Dragon) around his waist, carrying her with him and monitoring her at all times.

After arranging Pan Si Niangzi, Ning Zhuo slowly rose, surveying the empty space within the array.

Mana Threads.

The next moment, ten Mana Threads extended from his fingertips. They were all condensed from Five-Element mana, appearing as swirling, multi-colored strands. Ning Zhuo’s divine sense entered his storage bracelet, and with a casual wave, he conjured a large number of small bamboo puppets. As the bamboo puppets scattered in mid-air, Ning Zhuo’s Five-Element Mana Threads, like nimble snakes hunting, precisely attached themselves to the puppets, one by one. The rest of the bamboo puppets fell to the ground, but ten of them were suspended in mid-air, held by the Mana Threads.

Each of these small bamboo puppets carried a Yuan Yin reed, which Ning Zhuo had prepared for Qing Huang Zi’s Xing Yun Xiao Shi. Ning Zhuo used the Mana Threads to control ten puppets simultaneously. The ten small bamboo puppets hung in mid-air, performing various movements.

After a dozen breaths, their movements became faster and more precise. “Easy, much easier than before!” Ning Zhuo carefully savored the feeling, a faint joy bubbling in his heart.

Just now, he had extracted three souls from Pan Si Niangzi, made a soul fabric, and then used the Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu to burn the soul fabric, acquiring many memories. Under the Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu, Ning Zhuo felt as if he had become Pan Si Niangzi, and his experience in controlling spider silk suddenly surged. Pan Si Niangzi’s original form was a spider; using spider silk was like how humans use their legs, feet, and fingers.

Ning Zhuo immediately benefited from using Mana Threads this time! The slightest hook, flick, twist, or press of his fingertips felt like moving a part of his own body’s nerves. The Mana Threads seemed to have become an extension of his body, giving him a sense of effortless control. And the ten small bamboo puppets also benefited from this, allowing Ning Zhuo to control them as if they were alive, their agility far surpassing before, and their movements could be made rich and delicate.

“This level of control, for an ordinary person, would require at least ten years of arduous practice, wouldn’t it?”

“I achieved it with just one session of cultivation!”

“The Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu—this is the advantage of demonic cultivators. They always take unconventional paths, with many side effects, but their cultivation is truly fast.”

Each tug of the suspended threads changed with Ning Zhuo’s thoughts. Different levels of lightness, heaviness, speed, and slowness were all reflected in the Mana Threads. Controlling them felt as natural as breathing for Ning Zhuo.

“Then, next—”

Ning Zhuo’s ten fingers trembled slightly. The single Mana Thread extending from each fingertip suddenly branched, splitting into two. In an instant, Ning Zhuo had twenty Five-Element Mana Threads. The extra ten Mana Threads also connected to the small bamboo puppets on the ground, manipulating them to stand up and move around. The small bamboo puppets seemed to come alive, running, rolling, and playing on the ground. Ning Zhuo’s fingers occasionally trembled, curled inward, and retracted, subtly and swiftly directing the twenty suspended threads.

“One use of Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu, simply burning a section of soul fabric, saved me at least five years of hard training!” Ning Zhuo assessed, growing even more joyful. His ten fingers danced, and the small bamboo puppets interacted naturally, like playful children gathering and dispersing in a game.

Whenever Ning Zhuo’s manipulation became intricate, the little fingers of his left and right hands would subtly curl upwards. This frequent small action caught Ning Zhuo’s attention. After a moment of thought, he realized the reason: “This is Pan Si Niangzi’s habit when manipulating spider silk, a small ‘orchid finger’ gesture.” This gesture, when performed by Pan Si Niangzi, had a seductive charm. But on Ning Zhuo, it was a bit awkward and peculiar. Ning Zhuo also felt a bit uncomfortable.

“It’s alright, these small habits can be corrected.”

“The method of correction is also simple. Find a spider demon, then extract and burn its soul. Wouldn’t that quickly reduce the influence?”

“Even relying solely on my own will, given some time, I can get rid of this bad habit.”

Ning Zhuo put away all the bamboo puppets and then took out the Cang Tie Han Jia · Jin Yan (Azure Iron Cold Armor · Golden Swallow), putting it on. He activated this mechanism armor, causing its twin wings to extend from its back, circling and flying in the air. This time, his attention was focused on the glittering golden wings. Each flap, devoid of the previous mechanical feel, became soft, smooth, and full of a natural grace, as if they were truly a bird’s wings.

“Good!” Ning Zhuo silently praised. His previous soul search of a spirit sparrow was also helpful. After all, flight is essential for a bird. “If I had used Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu, the extent of improvement would be even more significant!”

Ning Zhuo had learned Soul Searching arts and used them in practice, benefiting greatly. In comparison, Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu was undoubtedly the most effective. Other Soul Searching arts were, at most, supplementary. For example, the San Hun Fang Che Shu (Three Souls Spinning Wheel Art) was designed to complement Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu, allowing a soul to repeatedly provide experience and memories.

Ning Zhuo decided to make extensive use of Fen Zhou Du Hun Shu!