The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Ye Qianqiu was undecided and his mind was in turmoil.

"Alliance Leader Lu, are you saying that kid has connections to the Demon Clan?"

"What do you think?" Lu Ya countered. "Master Ye, I advise you not to act rashly before you figure out that kid's background. You know how powerful the Demon Clan is. In that great war ten thousand years ago, the cultivation world was almost wiped out."

Ye Qianqiu didn't speak, but the flesh on his face kept twitching.

Of course he knew.

Ten thousand years ago, the demonic invasion wiped out seven of the ten major sects in the cultivation world, and the remaining three barely survived for over a thousand years before recovering. The Golden Crow Sect, the Ten Thousand Swords Manor, and the Profound Ice Palace are the descendants of those three sects.

That period of history was thoroughly familiar to the leaders of every major sect.

But Ye Qianqiu couldn't swallow this insult.

"Alliance Leader Lu, you're right, but I can't let this go." Ye Qianqiu's tone turned cold. "He crippled my son, which means the lineage of the Ten Thousand Swords Manor is cut off. If I don't avenge this, how can I face my ancestors?"

Lu Ya sighed, "Master Ye, it's not that I don't want you to take revenge. What I mean is, wait a bit, let me find out more about this kid before you make your move."

"Wait? Wait until when?"

"Three days."

"Three days?" Ye Qianqiu frowned.

"Three days." Lu Ya held up three fingers. "Within three days, I will give you an answer. Then, I will not stop you from taking your revenge however you wish."

Ye Qianqiu stared at Lu Ya for a long time before finally nodding. "Alright, I'll wait for you for three days. After three days, no matter what you say, I will take that brat's life."

After saying that, he flicked his sleeve and flew away with his men towards the Wanjian Manor.

Lu Ya hovered in mid-air, watching Ye Qianqiu's departing figure, the smile on his face slowly disappearing.

He rushed towards the Golden Crow Sect and soon caught up with the eight elders.

"Sect Master," Elder Zhu leaned closer, "Is what you said true? Does that kid really possess demonic energy?"

"When have I ever lied?" Lu Ya asked without turning his head.

"Then... what do we do?"

Lu Ya was silent for a while, then said, "Return to the sect. I need to go to the sealed area."

"The sealed land?" Elder Zhu's expression changed. "Sect Master, that place..."

"I know," Lu Ya interrupted him, "but this matter must be investigated thoroughly. If that kid really has something to do with the demon race, then the entire cultivation world will have to be reshuffled."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and flew towards the Golden Crow Sect. His speed was so fast that even the eight elders behind him could not keep up.

Behind the Golden Crow Sect lies a forbidden area.

This place is shrouded in a layer of gray mist all year round, preventing even sunlight from getting in.

The disciples of the Golden Crow Sect all knew this place, but no one dared to approach it. The sect rules clearly stated: anyone who trespasses on forbidden grounds will be executed.

Lu Ya stood at the entrance to the forbidden area, facing a huge stone gate covered with runes, so densely packed that it made one's eyes dizzy.

He took out a black token from his pocket and pressed it into the groove in the center of the stone gate.

The stone door slowly opened, and a chilling aura surged out, causing Lu Ya's robes to flutter in the wind.

He stepped inside.

The stone gate slowly closed behind him, and the runes lit up again, sealing the forbidden area completely.

Inside the forbidden area was a huge cave, with a well in the center. The wellhead was sealed by eight iron chains, which were also covered with runes.

This is a seal set up by powerful cultivators in the cultivation world ten thousand years ago, suppressing the last batch of demons that they failed to eradicate back then.

Lu Ya walked to the well, sat down cross-legged, formed a hand seal, and a vast divine sense probed down the well opening.

The well was very deep, so deep that it took Lu Ya's divine sense a full cup of tea's time to reach the bottom.

At the bottom of the well was a void of darkness, and in that darkness were a pair of scarlet eyes.

"Who goes there?" an old voice came from the bottom of the well.

"Lu Ya, the sect leader of the Golden Crow Sect, requests an audience with the senior of the Demon Clan."

The crimson eyes blinked in the darkness. "Lu Ya, what do you want?"

"A person has appeared in the cultivation world, imbued with demonic energy and accompanied by a thunder-devouring beast. I would like to know, is this person a pawn of the demon race?"

There was a long silence in the darkness.

"A Thunder-Swallowing Beast?" The aged voice suddenly became shrill. "Are you sure it's a Thunder-Swallowing Beast?"

"I'm sure."

Another silence followed.

"Impossible," the voice said. "The Thunder-Swallowing Beasts were wiped out in the great war ten thousand years ago. How could they possibly reappear in the cultivation world?"

"What I saw with my own eyes is absolutely true."

"Let me think about it..."

Another long silence followed.

Lu Ya remained calm and patient, sitting by the well and waiting. He knew that the worst thing to do when dealing with demons was to be hasty.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the aged voice rang out again.

"When the demons retreated, they did leave some things behind. But I can say with certainty that they did not leave behind the Thunder-Swallowing Beasts, nor any demon bloodline."

"Where did this person's demonic energy come from?"

"How would I know?" the voice suddenly became agitated. "I've been suppressed here for tens of thousands of years, and I know nothing about what's happening outside. You want to ask me? Who am I supposed to ask?"

Lu Ya was silent for a moment. "Senior, are you saying that this person has nothing to do with the demon race?"

"I didn't say there was a connection, nor did I say there wasn't." The voice paused. "But I can tell you one thing. If this person really does possess the Thunder-Swallowing Beast, then he is beyond the capabilities of your cultivation world. Even we demons don't know the origins of the Thunder-Swallowing Beast. That thing is more ancient than the demon race itself."

Lu Ya frowned.

"I advise you not to act rashly. The appearance of the Thunder-Swallowing Beast signifies something big. If you anger it, not only your Golden Crow Sect, but the entire cultivation world won't be enough for it to devour."

"Thank you for the reminder, senior." Lu Ya stood up and withdrew his divine sense.

He turned and walked out, but stopped after a few steps.

"Senior, this is the last thing I need."

"explain."

"What do you plan to do if this person is connected to the demon race?"

After a long while, Lu Ya was met with silence.

Lu Ya shook his head and stepped out of the cave.

The stone door slowly closed behind him, and the runes lit up again, sealing everything inside.

Lu Ya stood outside the forbidden area and took a deep breath.

The demons' attitude was strange. Logically, the appearance of someone with demonic energy in the cultivation world should have made the demons happy. But they weren't; instead, they seemed to be on high alert.

What does this tell us?

This means that even the demons felt something was wrong with the demonic energy emanating from that person.

Lu Ya thought about it more and more and felt that things were not so simple.

"Sect Master." An elder flew over from afar, "News has come from Wanjian Manor that Ye Qianqiu has led people to Cangwu Mountain."

Lu Ya was taken aback. "Didn't we agree to wait three days?"

"Ye Qianqiu couldn't wait. He said three days was too long, he couldn't even wait one day."

Lu Ya sighed, "That old man, he really won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin."

"Sect Leader, what should we do?"

"What to do?" Lu Ya sneered. "Let's wait and see. I want to see what kind of trouble that old bastard Ye Qianqiu can cause on Cangwu Mountain."