Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

Xuanbao immediately entered seclusion mode, using his treasure energy to power the Qiankun Cauldron and frantically "manufacture" innate spiritual treasures. At the same time, on the primordial land, the gears of the human race were also moving forward unstoppably under the impetus of the great trend of the Heavenly Dao and the game between various parties.

The growth of Shennong, the future Earth Emperor, in the Jiangshui tribe has attracted countless eyes. Xuandu, Guangchengzi, and Duobao, disciples of the Three Pure Ones, each display their abilities and talents before Shennong and his people, attempting to win the favor and recognition of this future Earth Emperor.

Shennong was kind-hearted, quick-witted, and eager to learn. He was interested in all knowledge that would benefit the tribe and the human race. He got along quite well with the three eccentric men, but he never explicitly expressed his desire to become their disciple. The three men, however, remained patient and kept their promise, guiding him slowly through "fate" and waiting patiently.

However, the development of the human race was far more than just the Jiangshui tribe, nor was it limited to just one Earth Emperor.

Since Emperor Xuancang ascended to the throne and established the foundation for human civilization, the entire human race was infused with boundless vitality, entering an unprecedented period of rapid growth. Population exploded, tribes continuously merged and expanded, and new tribes sprang up like mushrooms after rain in relatively safe areas of the eastern, southern, and even central parts of the prehistoric world. Farming, weaving, fishing, hunting, animal husbandry… the sparks of primitive civilization ignited in every corner, and humanity's thirst for knowledge, power, and a better life reached its zenith.

This is undoubtedly an era in which geniuses emerge in great numbers and outstanding figures rise together.

However, it was precisely in the midst of this "golden age" that the Western Sect's spies, who had quietly infiltrated the human race from the Spirit Mountain's Formless Cave, encountered an unexpected and extremely awkward situation.

Firstly, geniuses are hard to find.

The Western religion's criteria for selecting geniuses are undeniably stringent: exceptional aptitude and temperament, unique talents or unwavering beliefs, a sense of alienation from the mainstream or a feeling of unfulfilled potential, and a less illustrious background. According to the original vision of the Formless Demon King, with trillions of humans, even if only one in ten thousand met these criteria, there would still be tens of thousands to choose from.

But reality dealt them a heavy blow.

……

"Useless! All of you are useless!"

After searching for several days in nearby tribes, the group initially selected "promising talents".

But the result?

Even the most gifted are merely of average ability. To cultivate immortality and attain true immortality is a stroke of incredible luck, falling far short of the minimum threshold for genius in the Western Sect. As for temperament? Most are merely brave and aggressive, or slightly cunning, utterly devoid of any genius qualities.

In today's world, with humanity thriving and the general environment in which young men from ordinary tribes are either immersed in the joy of their tribes becoming increasingly prosperous, or yearning to join the Heavenly Court and make great achievements, or filled with reverence for the Heavenly Emperor and the Three Pure Ones, where do so many "cynical" "potential stocks" come from?

"My lord, this...this human 'genius' seems to be quite different from what we expected..." The spy, disguised as a human, cautiously transmitted his voice. Following their master's decree, they had toiled for months, traversing dozens of human tribes, only to find that most of the so-called "promising talents" they encountered were of this kind. Occasionally, they would discover one or two with slightly better aptitude and a more composed temperament, but upon closer inquiry, they discovered that these individuals had already been recruited by nearby sects.

"Sect..." The avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon chewed on this word, his eyes flashing with demonic light. He had already noticed it.

Long ago, disciples of the Three Pure Ones established various sects among the human race, creating a vibrant and diverse community.

Although each of the three sects has its own focus, they all use the name of the Three Pure Ones and the banner of spreading the Great Dao and protecting humanity, thus gaining a deep foothold among humans. The methods they teach may only be basic, but their strength lies in their complete system, their uprightness, and their perfect alignment with the current thriving mainstream atmosphere of humanity. Young people yearn for power to change their destiny, for knowledge to create wealth, and for recognition; joining these sects is undoubtedly their first choice.

In contrast, the "geniuses" that Western religions seek are extremely rare in this human context. Even if such talents do exist, the tentacles of the three religions often reach out to them just as they begin to show their talent or feel somewhat lonely and frustrated because of their "uniqueness".

As for why he wasn't accepted as a disciple, there's no need to elaborate.

The face of the Formless Demon was gloomy. He had just used his demonic senses to carefully sense the flow of fortune and the talent pool of several surrounding tribes. He discovered that any genius in the tribe who showed even a little brilliance and had a resilient character had their fortune threads more or less connected to certain sects in the distance.

"What a brilliant move by the Three Pure Ones! What a masterful strategy of undermining the enemy's strength!" The formless demon avatar gritted its teeth. Their Western Sect hadn't acted slowly, but the Three Pure Ones' arrangements were clearly many years ahead of theirs! They had already plundered all the talent; in other words, the core of humanity had been recruited by the Three Pure Ones. The Western Sect wanted to pick up the scraps now? They'd mostly end up with the leftovers that had already been sifted through, or even scoured, several times over!

"My lord, what should we do now?" Seeing the grim expression on the face of the Formless Demon's avatar, the spy cautiously asked, "Should we lower the standards? Or, turn to those more remote, more ignorant tribes that haven't yet been influenced by the three major sects?"

"Lowering the standards?" The avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon sneered. "What I want are geniuses who can secure a place for humanity in the future, geniuses who can acquire the merits and fortune of humanity, not trash who are just filling in! There may be some geniuses in those ignorant and desolate borderlands, but the people there are ignorant and have even worse aptitudes. It's much more difficult to cultivate them, and once they show their talent, they will immediately come into the sights of the three religions. The investment we have planned before may very well be wasted!"

He paced back and forth irritably, a calculating glint in his crimson demonic eyes: "It seems the previous strategy needs adjusting. We should start directly with which sects."

"What does the Lord mean?"

"Hmph! It's human nature to hate those who have, laugh at those who don't, and worry about inequality more than scarcity!"

The avatar of the Formless Demon King grinned coldly, its demonic thoughts sweeping over the peaceful, tranquil tribe below, where smoke curled from the chimneys. "Look at humanity now," it said, "under the rule of the Emperor, order is beginning to emerge, and everything seems peaceful, with everyone striving for the Dao. But beneath this peace, is there truly no turmoil? Are resources truly plentiful? Are opportunities truly equal?"

His bloodshot eyes reflected the mortals toiling in the tribe and the low-level cultivators flying overhead. His voice was like a venomous snake's hiss: "Those sects of the three religions seem to open their doors wide, teaching without discrimination. But what's inside? True disciples, inner disciples, outer disciples, registered disciples… the hierarchy is so strict! The allocation of resources is so severe! Those with exceptional talent naturally receive the sect's full support, with elixirs, magic weapons, cultivation techniques, and guidance from renowned teachers—everything they could need, rising to the top in one step. But what about those disciples with above-average talent, or even those of average talent? They fight tooth and nail to enter the sect, full of dreams, only to find that the best resources are never available to them. They can only do menial tasks, cultivate the most basic techniques, and struggle for meager cultivation resources. Watching their fellow geniuses progress by leaps and bounds while their own progress is slow, or even stagnant… how can they not feel resentment in their hearts? How can they not feel regret?"

The spy beside him gleamed: "My lord, you're brilliant! Instead of searching for undiscovered 'hidden gems' in a vast sea of ​​people, why not target those 'inner and outer disciples' already within the three sects, who are frustrated and resentful for various reasons? They already have a certain foundation, and may even possess special skills, but they lack opportunity and 'appreciation'! If we appear now, give them 'hope,' teach them 'stronger' methods, and supplement them with resource incentives... wouldn't they be grateful and willing to serve us? Moreover, being within the sects, they are familiar with the inner workings and may be of great use in the future!"

"Excellent!" The avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon nodded approvingly, a cruel yet gleeful smile on his face. "More importantly, these people often harbor doubts and dissatisfaction towards the sects, the Three Pure Ones, and even the current 'order' of humanity. We only need to water and fertilize them lightly, and this seed will grow into a towering tree! At that time, the merit and fortune they acquire will also be destined for our Western Paradise! Moreover, through them, we might be able to learn deeper secrets of the three sects, and even... deliver a fatal blow at a crucial moment!"

"Your Majesty is wise! I will do it immediately! Let's start by targeting the outposts of the three major sects in the vicinity and select suitable targets!" the spy said excitedly.

"No, no rush." ​​The avatar of the Formless Demon waved his hand, his gaze growing even deeper. "Direct contact is too risky; it would easily expose us. This matter needs to be handled more indirectly and naturally. Aren't we best at transformation, manipulation, and weaving dreams?"

Anzi bowed and said, "Understood."

"Very good. But remember," the avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon said grimly, "Never mention the word 'West.' The methods you transmit must be disguised and dismantled, making them appear as unorthodox practices, ancient mystical arts, or even your own 'sudden enlightenment.' Make him believe that this is his own 'opportunity,' proof of his 'uniqueness,' and a means for him to rebel against 'unjust fate'! As his cultivation deepens, his karmic entanglement with us intensifies, and he becomes dependent on the power brought by this 'opportunity,' his temperament becomes increasingly extreme and arrogant, and he even develops alienation or hostility towards his original sect... then slowly guide him to make a 'grand vow' connected to our West, or at key junctures such as his tribulation or treasure refining, secretly influence him with a 'demon seed' to completely bind him!"

The spy was both thrilled and chilled to the bone. This method was extremely insidious, killing the enemy and destroying their spirit. If successful, it would not only gain a group of spies with considerable potential who were "grateful" to the West, but also corrupt and divide the foundation of the three religions within the human race from within! Moreover, the process was covert, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, making it extremely difficult to detect.

"Understood, sir! I will not fail in my duty!" The spy solemnly accepted the ever-changing "Seed of Other-Transformation," his figure slowly fading away as he began to carry out this even more insidious plan of "undermining the enemy."

The avatar of the Formless Heavenly Demon stood alone on the hilltop, gazing at the faintly visible spiritual light gathering array belonging to a certain sect of the Three Religions in the distant sky. The eerie smile on his face, half Buddha and half demon, grew even deeper.

"You Three Pure Ones, you hold the reins and monopolize talent, do you think you can rest easy? The human heart is a treacherous place, and desires are insatiable. This world is never short of self-important people. I will play this game with you."

……

About 30,000 miles from the Jiangshui tribe lies a mountain range with relatively abundant spiritual energy, called "Qinglan Mountain." This mountain is occupied by a sect called "Qingyun Sect." Qingyun Sect is a branch of the "Human Sect," specializing in sword techniques and body refining skills. It is quite well-known in the eastern part of the human race, with a sect leader at the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm and several Golden Immortal elders, and over a thousand disciples.

On this day, in the back mountain of Qingyun Sect, in the miscellaneous service area.

A boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old, with an ordinary face and a somewhat thin build, was chopping a hard type of "ironwood" while sweating profusely. His name was "Lin Yan". Three years ago, he was taken into the Qingyun Sect because of his rudimentary cultivation talent and a fierce determination. However, because his talent was only the worst, he could only work as an outer disciple, responsible for the most arduous and unskilled labor every day, in exchange for meager contribution points, which could be used to exchange for the lowest-grade Qi cultivation methods and pills.

Three years have passed. The disciples who entered the sect at the same time, those with better aptitude, have already reached higher realms, some even being chosen as nominal disciples by an elder. Lin Yan, however, with his indomitable spirit and extraordinary diligence, has barely managed to cross the threshold of cultivation, ranking at the bottom among the outer sect servants. He works and cultivates relentlessly every day, but his progress is so slow it's despairing. Watching his more talented fellow disciples enjoy better treatment and faster progress fills him with resentment, frustration, and a deep-seated inferiority complex.

"Why...why are they born with superior talent and get everything? I work so hard, yet I can't even see their heels!" In the dead of night, Lin Yan often gritted his teeth and growled at the cold stone wall. He had no disrespect for the elder who taught him the basic techniques, but he was filled with unspeakable resentment towards the sect's blatant rule of determining resources based on talent. He craved power, craved to stand out, craved to make those who once looked down on him look at him with new eyes, but reality was like an iron wall, smashing him until he bled.

That day, Lin Yan was slightly delayed in completing his task and was punished by his senior brother in charge to go to the cold pool behind the mountain to collect a kind of cold and damp "Mysterious Ice Moss," with a tight deadline. He dared not delay and hurriedly arrived at the cold pool behind the mountain. The cold pool was icy cold, and the pool was surrounded by jagged rocks. The Mysterious Ice Moss grew in the deepest and coldest crevices of the rocks in the pool, making it extremely difficult to collect, and it also carried a cold and damp aura, which was quite harmful to low-level cultivators.

Lin Yan gritted his teeth, channeling his meager spiritual energy to resist the chill, and plunged into the icy pool again and again. Just as he was about to touch a particularly thick patch of Xuanbing moss on his third dive, the slippery stone beneath his feet suddenly loosened!

"Not good!" Lin Yan was startled and lost his balance, sliding deeper into the icy pool! The frigid water instantly submerged his head, and the biting cold and immense water pressure made his spiritual energy sluggish, his vision went black, and despair welled up in his heart.

Just when he thought he was going to perish in the cold pool, he suddenly felt as if he had stepped on something hard. With a push, he miraculously broke free from the slippery deep water and floated to the surface.

"Cough cough..." Lin Yan lay on the edge of the pool, coughing violently, his whole body shivering from the cold, his heart filled with lingering fear. After catching his breath for a moment, he suddenly remembered what he had stepped on. That feeling... wasn't like stone.

He hesitated for a moment, then held his breath and dived back down, reaching for the spot where he had stepped earlier. After a few moments, his fingers touched something cold, hard, and seemingly textured. He forcefully pulled it out of the mud, surfaced, and was immediately stunned.

In his hand was a palm-sized, black iron plaque, neither gold nor jade, with a dark luster and chipped edges. The plaque was extremely heavy, and it was engraved with some blurry, twisted, and completely incomprehensible strange patterns, emanating an ancient, cold, yet subtly stirring his blood.

"What...is this?" Lin Yan asked, puzzled. He had been in the Qingyun Sect for three years and had seen some spiritual treasures and talismans, but he had never seen anything so strange. Judging from its incomplete appearance, it seemed to be extremely ancient.

He tried to infuse a tiny bit of spiritual energy into the iron plate.

"Buzz..."

The iron plate trembled slightly, and the blurry patterns suddenly lit up with an extremely faint, dark red light! Immediately afterward, a strange flow of information—cold, violent, yet full of power—rushed into his mind along with his spiritual energy!

"Ugh!" Lin Yan groaned, clutching his head and crouching down, feeling as if his brain was about to explode. Countless fragmented images, strange syllables, and distorted energy pathways churned in his mind. After a moment, the pain subsided slightly, and a fragmented yet crystal-clear piece of information was imprinted deep within his consciousness—

Blood Fiend Body Tempering Technique (Fragment)!

This is an extremely ancient, domineering, and even somewhat sinister body-refining method! It doesn't involve drawing in internal energy, but rather forging a different path, using blood and qi as fuel to draw in malevolent energy, sharp metal energy, and even the energy of battle and slaughter, forging a terrifying physical body comparable to divine weapons through countless trials and tribulations! The method is incomplete, only containing the initial three levels, but the power described within makes Lin Yan's heart pound with fear and his blood boil! If he could master it, his physical body would be incomparably strong, possessing boundless strength, impervious to swords and blades, and even able to absorb metal and malevolent energy to strengthen himself! This is practically a "shortcut" tailor-made for someone like him with low aptitude but willing to work hard and risk his life!

Lin Yan was both surprised and delighted, but before he could examine it carefully, he heard his senior brother in charge shout angrily from the pool: "Lin Yan! What are you dawdling for? Where's the Xuanbing Moss you collected?" Lin Yan hurriedly hid the iron token in his robes and hastily scooped up some Xuanbing Moss to go ashore. Back in the servants' quarters, he hid in a corner under cover of night, took out the iron token again, and began cultivating according to the method. At first, his blood and qi surged, causing him immense pain, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. As time passed, he gradually felt his power increase, and a hint of madness flashed in his eyes. Meanwhile, the formless demon avatar had already noticed Lin Yan's unusual activity. A smirk appeared on its face as it secretly guided Lin Yan through the demonic seed. Lin Yan became increasingly extreme in his cultivation, and his dissatisfaction with the sect grew daily. Unaware that he had fallen into the trap of the Western Sect, he thought it was his own opportunity, single-mindedly hoping to rise above others through this method.

This also illustrates that everything comes at a price, and those who say there is no price only mean that the price they pay is much higher.