Infiltrating the righteous path? Just another place to be a sycophant.

"Thank you Master!"

Lu An poured the pills out of the medicine bottle and swallowed them without saying a word.

To become stronger, there can be no hesitation!

"Good lad, you swallowed such a big pill like that?" Li Podao looked at Lu An in disbelief.

A few seconds later.

"Water...I need water..." Lu An kept punching his chest, his face turning ashen.

Chapter Seven: My junior brother is actually this strong?

For several months in a row, Lu An stayed at his residence far from Po Dao, never leaving the house, all for the sake of practicing his skills.

The Heavenly Demon Art was the first cultivation technique Lu An learned, but it was clear that Lu An's aptitude was not very good. In the past few months, he had desperately been fed medicine and had the help of a Transcending Tribulation expert to cleanse his marrow and bones, but he had only barely broken through to the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Even an ordinary person should have reached the Golden Core stage by now, so how can they still be at the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage?! This is not normal.

Li Dao was starting to doubt himself. Was he no longer suitable to teach disciples?

Zhao Mengyuan is indeed exceptionally intelligent, and her cultivation is indeed twice as effective with half the effort. However, even a good-for-nothing shouldn't be like this, with my guidance.

This guy is suspicious!

However, Lu An didn't think that way. He thought that his master was indeed a tribulation-crossing expert, who had helped him go from the seventh level of Foundation Establishment to the eighth level in just a few months.

Wow! You really are a master. The treatment of a true disciple is truly different. You can drink any good pills you want, and someone even helps you cleanse your marrow and refine your bones. That's amazing.

One was overjoyed by his improved cultivation, while the other was questioning the meaning of life.

Seeing that there had been no movement from the mountain peak near the Broken Path during this period, Zhao Mengyuan also became curious.

Could it be that my junior brother is diligently practicing some new cultivation technique? Or is he really only at the Foundation Establishment stage?

Zhao Mengyuan carefully pondered what Li Podao had said to her back then.

Inquiring about his strength and then inviting Junior Brother Lu to his residence, intending to personally train him, seems rather bizarre.

If she remembered correctly, Junior Brother Lu had always been ignored by the master. Although he was a true disciple, he was not much different from an inner disciple, as if he had been left to his own devices.

Aside from making a fuss about liking her, Lu An didn't seem to have done anything earth-shattering in his cultivation.

His master suddenly wanted to teach him. Was it a genuine instruction, or...?

"Could it be that he's discovered his junior brother is more worthy of cultivation than me? And he wants to groom him to replace me?"

Zhao Mengyuan actually came to this conclusion.

Lu An was not at the Foundation Establishment stage, and Li Podao knew this too. He was just putting on an act in front of her. Li Podao had been training her for so many years and knew one of her most obvious traits: her strong competitive spirit.

It is this competitive spirit that has brought her to where she is today.

On the path of cultivation, talent alone is not enough; one also needs a stubborn drive that desires everything, and competitiveness is one of them.

"No, I am the best. Junior Brother Lu could never replace me."

Zhao Mengyuan shook her head, thinking that she was probably overthinking it.

With such great contributions to the Heavenly Demon Sect, how could she possibly allow Lu An to replace her? Moreover, at her age, her cultivation level was already that of a rare genius in both the righteous and demonic paths.

Impossible, yes, I'm just overthinking it.

…………

Li Podao sat on the chair, panting, and clenched his fists as he looked at Lu An below with a smug smile.

This guy's aptitude is one in a million! Not only is he incompatible with the Heavenly Demon Art, but he also has extremely poor adaptability to other cultivation techniques.

I risked my life to help him reach the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. How am I supposed to break through to the Golden Core stage?

The Golden Core cultivator needs to undergo a tribulation of lightning. With this guy's aptitude, can he withstand the Lesser Heavenly Tribulation of the Fourth Nine?

However, Lu An was completely unaware of what Li Podao was thinking. He only felt comfortable all over and had a faint urge to break through his current limitations.

Hahaha! I, Lu An, have already reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, and I will naturally be able to form the Golden Core in the future!

As expected, whether you're cultivating immortality or demonic cultivation, you have to find a powerful backer!

Thank you, Master! You must be proud of me, right?

"This guy is, after all, my true disciple. If all else fails, I'll just give him that technique."

"But very few people have ever mastered that technique. Can he really do it?"

"Damn it, the sect disciple competition is about to start again. He's definitely going to fight. Whatever, let's give it a try."

After a moment of internal struggle, Li Podao resolutely made up his mind.

"My disciple, seeing your extraordinary talent, I have decided to pass on to you an unparalleled secret manual. Once you master it, you will surely be able to shake the world!"

After taking a deep breath, Li Podao beckoned to Lu An, signaling him to come over.

"Thank you, Master, for nurturing me. I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Lu An was even happier. He really was a genius! Now his master was going to pass on an unparalleled secret technique to him! Hahahaha!

So Li Podao led Lu An to a room, took out a tattered scroll, and handed it to Lu An.

"Disciple, scan with your divine sense and you will learn this divine skill. Remember, this skill is quite special and must be kept secret. I haven't even given it to your senior sister!"

Damn it, this technique is only suitable for noobs like you. If I wasn't afraid you'd embarrass me, I really wouldn't have given you this technique.

"Disciple will remember! It must be kept secret! It must be kept secret!"

Hahaha! I really am a genius. It seems I must have some extraordinary talent to be so highly regarded by my master and to be passed on to me an unparalleled secret technique!

Even Zhao Mengyuan never gave it to me. How talented must I be to have my master pass on such an unparalleled secret technique to me?

So Lu An began to scan the ancient scroll with his divine sense and began to study the techniques inside.

Li Podao's residence is located on a solitary peak called Tianmo Peak, which is the location of the sect leaders of all generations. The solitary peak is surrounded by sheer cliffs and protected by restrictions, and is shrouded in clouds and mist, so few people come here.

In the following months, rolling dark clouds, terrifying thunder, inexplicable sword lights and shadows, and various strange phenomena always appeared on the mountain peak where Podao was located.

Originally, the aura of those strange phenomena wasn't particularly impressive, but as time went on, the aura of those strange phenomena became increasingly astonishing, eventually attracting the attention of many people within the Heavenly Demon Sect.

This also includes Zhao Mengyuan.

"What exactly happened to the sect leader? Why are there so many strange phenomena in the heavens and earth?"

"Is there any news from the sect leader?"

"He seems to be instructing his disciple at his residence, but judging from the situation, could it be that he has broken through?"

"If it were the sect leader breaking through, the commotion shouldn't be so weak. This commotion is more like the birth of some rare treasure."

The crowd watched the strange phenomenon above Li Podao's residence and discussed it amongst themselves, wondering what had happened.

Zhao Mengyuan couldn't sit still any longer. This strange phenomenon was powerful enough to make her, a cultivator at the Void Refinement stage, feel a faint fear, but it wasn't weak either, because it was far from being strong enough to intimidate cultivators at the Tribulation Transcending stage.

If this commotion was caused by her cheap junior brother, does it mean that this junior brother is exceptionally talented, even far surpassing her?

No, she absolutely has to go see!

So, on a dark and windy night, a red shooting star streaked across the sky, heading towards the Heavenly Demon Peak where Li Podao was located.

Because she was a true disciple, she had a token that allowed her to freely enter and exit Heavenly Demon Peak. The restrictions on Heavenly Demon Peak had no effect on her, and she easily arrived at Heavenly Demon Peak.

Although it was late at night, dark clouds still covered the sky above Tianmo Peak, and thunder rumbled overhead.

The blue lightning flashed across the sky from time to time, illuminating the Heavenly Demon Peak.

And that roar, like that of a giant beast.

Concealing her inner energy, Zhao Mengyuan arrived at the place where she had cultivated years ago. Her intuition told her that Lu An must be here!

Sure enough, after searching for a while, Zhao Mengyuan spotted Lu An.

At this moment, Lu An was sitting cross-legged on the ground, with a long sword floating behind him. The long sword emitted a faint blue light, and arcs of electricity flashed from time to time, as if it were echoing the thunder in the sky.

When Zhao Mengyuan saw Lu An, she couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

Such a powerful aura! This aura is probably no less than that of the seventh level of Void Refinement.

And this aura seemed to be rising even further.

Zhao Mengyuan was shocked.

My junior brother is actually that strong? He can actually summon heavenly lightning so consistently!?

Suddenly, Lu An opened his eyes, and a gust of wind swept around him, causing his long hair to flutter in the wind.

The thunder in the sky also emitted an even more terrifying aura, and the booming sounds from within the thunderclouds became even louder.

"This guy... could he be about to undergo tribulation?!" Zhao Mengyuan observed Lu An from the shadows, her heart filled with alarm.

Chapter 8 is all special effects.

Lightning flashed across the dark clouds repeatedly, but it didn't strike down.

Zhao Mengyuan was dumbfounded. What was going on? Was the heavenly tribulation gathering its power?

What kind of heavenly tribulation would take so long to accumulate power?

After waiting a while longer, the thunderclouds in the sky continued to rumble, occasionally flashing bright white and blue light, and it seemed as if a divine dragon was rolling within the thunderclouds.

Zhao Mengyuan held her breath, afraid of being exposed, as watching someone undergo tribulation at such close range was very dangerous.

It is said that if someone helps another during their tribulation, the power of the lightning tribulation will be doubled, because one should not interfere with the karma of others.

Someone once interfered with the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation during the Foundation Establishment to Golden Core stage, but who knew that the tribulation would actually be strengthened to the level of the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, which is the level that only Golden Core cultivators face when they are about to become Nascent Soul cultivators.

Therefore, helping someone overcome tribulation involves a huge karmic consequence. The tribulation lightning, which suddenly becomes more powerful, might become a deadly enemy the next time the person tries to break through.

After a while, the tribulation lightning still didn't strike, but gradually dissipated.

Zhao Mengyuan was stunned. Was that all? Why was it just sitting there in the sky, refusing to let out a few farts? Was there something wrong with this heavenly tribulation?

No, or perhaps this isn't a heavenly tribulation, but rather my junior brother's magic?

So Zhao Mengyuan continued to peek, wanting to see what her junior brother was really up to.

Lu An stood up, looking at the gradually dissipating lightning and dark clouds in the sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

The next moment, Lu An flew into the air, and the long sword behind him was instantly unsheathed, then transformed into thousands of sword shadows, surrounding Lu An.

Countless sword cries rang out at the same moment, accompanied by an unparalleled and terrifying sword aura, and a sword intent that seemed capable of destroying everyone's will.

It's too powerful. This aura, this ear-piercing sword cry, this terrifying sword momentum, this overwhelming sword intent—even Zhao Mengyuan, standing in front of Lu An, felt she would have to endure immense pressure.

This junior brother knows such a powerful sword technique, he's truly terrifying!

The next moment, the long sword behind Lu An was instantly sheathed, and Lu An instantly teleported back to his original position. Throughout the entire process, not even a slight spatial fluctuation was felt.

Seeing this, Zhao Mengyuan was even more shocked.

To be able to fly through the air without using a sword and to teleport instantly—this is definitely the work of a Void Refinement Grandmaster! Definitely the work of a Void Refinement Grandmaster!

Moreover, he was no ordinary Void Refinement expert. Zhao Mengyuan now believed that even she would have to show him some respect in front of Lu An.

With Junior Brother Lu's strength, could it be that he's about to break through the final bottleneck of the Void Refinement stage?!

However, the aura of this technique doesn't seem to be a demonic technique; it's completely different from the Heavenly Demon Technique on my body.

Could it be that his master taught him a secret technique?!

Master, you're actually keeping secrets from me?!

Thinking of this, Zhao Mengyuan felt a sense of crisis rise instantly.

No wonder his master wanted to teach him personally; it turns out that his junior brother is such a terrifyingly talented monster.

With such talent, becoming a demon and ascending to the Mahayana stage is probably just around the corner, right?

I'm so indignant! Why does my junior brother possess such terrifying talent?! Heaven is so unfair!

Just as Zhao Mengyuan was thinking that, a familiar aura flew in from afar, pulling her back from her rambling thoughts.

This aura is close to breaking through the Dao!

Sensing this familiar aura, Zhao Mengyuan immediately sensed something was wrong and fled, turning into a wisp of mist and disappearing.

Li Podao, however, seemed to sense something and glanced in the direction Zhao Mengyuan had left, but shook his head.