"Ordinary Demon Scriptures, I can fend off myself. But the ’Saint Thief Scripture’ created by Qin De is different."

"It draws upon Confucian classics, uses Confucian principles, and debates the foundations of Confucianism. If you don’t understand Confucianism, you’ll find it baffling; if you are well-versed, reading it will feel like drinking wine—spicy at first, but with a deep flavor over time."

"I even begin to feel that the ’Saint Thief Scripture’ makes sense now!"

Kong Ran’s pupils shrank heavily.

Song Taosheng gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "In the past, although this scripture was evil, I could resist it. But this time, in the scripture debate, the new version of the ’Saint Thief Scripture’ exposed by Qin De is more profound and terrifying! It has been completely transformed, becoming an extremely superior Evil Scripture."

"This Cultivation Technique, or this discipline, if allowed to develop further, could very well become... a Confucian Enemy!"

Kong Ran’s heart was greatly shaken.

A Confucian Enemy, an enemy of all Confucian Cultivators, the entire Confucian community!

How highly Song Taosheng regards Qin De, regards the ’Saint Thief Scripture’, indeed.

Song Taosheng believes that, if not taken seriously, a fully grown Qin De, with his ’Saint Thief Scripture’, could greatly damage the Vital Energy of the entire Confucian Cultivator Group, even shaking its foundations.

"Senior..." Kong Ran’s voice trembled slightly, "What was discussed in that scripture debate...?"

Song Taosheng shook his head: "It’s better you don’t know."

"Even I am affected, my daily cultivation severely disrupted. Chu Xuangu, Situ Gu, and others are likely faring no better."

"Gu Qing is in even worse shape."

"If he cannot overcome this challenge, his cultivation level will have difficulty advancing, if not regress."

"Little friend Kong Ran, how do you compare to Gu Qing?"

Kong Ran’s face turned pale, quickly shaking his head: "Daoist friend Gu Qing is a national talent, I can’t compare."

"Not listening, not listening!"

"My cultivation is still shallow, my foundation unsteady, I can’t listen to such Demonology!"

"Senior, I will write to my father now."

Song Taosheng nodded: "Thank you, little friend Kong Ran, for your assistance!"

Kong Ran showed a troubled face: "It’s just that I’m not sure how my father will decide."

Song Taosheng smiled slightly: "Though I have never met Mr. Kong once, I am confident in this matter."

Cloud Prison.

Qin De sat cross-legged against the wall of the cell.

His hair was disheveled, his eyes closed, breathing steadily.

His hands and feet, even his neck, were shackled, with the shackles and chains carved full of runes, constantly suppressing his Mana and body.

Yet strands of withered yellow air emerged from within his body, permeating, and lingering.

The ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ was in operation!

Qin De’s Divine Sense sank into his Dantian, carefully sensing his own changes.

In his Dantian, the once pure Golden Core was now covered with dense yellow-brown lines. The lines spread like a web, corroding the essence of the Golden Core bit by bit.

Mana circulated in his meridians, also tinged with a hint of brown.

Fallen Demon!

"The ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ is indeed an Ultimate Grade Cultivation Method, the suppression and constraints of Cloud Prison cannot completely prevent this Demon Skill from operating."

Qin De was racing against time!

He was very aware of his situation: the upper echelons of the Myriad Images Sect are no fools. Zhao Hansheng’s defeat means they will surely investigate the cause. Soul Search—always the most direct method.

"Perhaps at the next moment, a strong cultivator from the Myriad Images Sect will appear before me."

"I have to save myself, escape this cage!"

"Once I’m free, I must also propagate my doctrine. If Wang Xinyue can create Heart Learning, why can’t I establish the doctrine of the Saint Thief?"

"I’m not a Demon Cultivator."

This thought lingered in Qin De’s heart.

Xiao Juxia gave him an opportunity, also helped him win in the scripture debate, but Qin De never truly trusted Xiao Juxia, and he only regarded the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ as a stepping stone, or a tool to help him escape the cage.

"Though the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ is an Ultimate Grade, Xiao Juxia turned a blind eye to me. I can enter the Demon Path with it, but I should not fully become a Demon!"

Demon Path?

Qin De didn’t want to become one; he always considered himself a Righteous Cultivator and always wanted to walk the Righteous Path.

He created the ’Saint Thief Scripture’ because he felt this was also essential for Confucian Cultivators.

He wanted to carve out a path of his own.

He always wanted his name preserved in history, not to become a wanted Demon Cultivator, living precariously, fleeing everywhere.

Therefore, at the core of his Confucian Golden Core, Qin De always maintained purity, he wouldn’t give it up unless absolutely necessary.

Xiao Juxia had already returned within the gate of the Myriad Images Sect.

Although far from Cloud Prison, every move of Qin De was under his surveillance.

Xiao Juxia was aware of Qin De’s persistence and knew what he deliberately preserved on the Golden Core.

"A good family’s child..." Xiao Juxia murmured softly.

Qin De was indeed from a good family, studying since childhood, following the rules. Cultivating the Righteous Path, his journey had been smooth.

He loved reading, was quick-thinking, and a deep thinker. He read extensively, remembered countless Confucian classics, and after reaching the Golden Core Stage, he pioneered a new path.

After creating the ’Saint Thief Scripture’, he began to practice theft, to verify his learning.

Before this, he had not killed or set fires, had not bullied or committed numerous vile deeds.

After decades of imprisonment, experiencing endless solitude and torture, he still wished to maintain his Righteous identity.

"But, just because you don’t want to walk the path, doesn’t mean you won’t walk it?" Xiao Juxia laughed.

This smile was complex, containing coldness, understanding, sighs, pity, and mockery.

"From the moment you learned the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique,’ you have already been engulfed by the Demon Path Qi Fortune."

"The more you cultivate, the deeper you delve, the more you are engulfed!"

"The Demon Path Qi Fortune wants to nurture a complete ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique,’ you will inevitably be arranged by fate to cultivate your own version of the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique.’"

"All your struggles, unwillingness, are naive and useless!"

With this thought, Xiao Juxia’s expression subtly changed.

He looked afar towards Cloud Prison and sensed a powerful presence rapidly flying in that direction.

His mind was touched, and he quickly calculated: "Oh, it’s Danxia Peak Master Wang Yu. He’s going to the underground dungeon this time, supposedly to investigate Qin De."

"Ha ha, watch, Qin De, it’s not whether you want to hold on, you can."

"Fate will keep driving you forward, regardless of the direction not being your desire."

Xiao Juxia immediately transmitted a message to Qin De, informing him of Wang Yu’s situation.

Qin De, alerted by this message, suddenly became nervous.

"To think it’s alarmed the current Peak Master of Danxia Peak! This person is deeply scheming, quite adept at negotiation; I absolutely must not let him see through me."

"I hope the ’Ten Thousand Methods of Falling Demon Technique’ can once again display the miraculous uses of an Ultimate Grade Cultivation Method!"

The time was still too short.

Qin De’s transformation of the Demon Skill, the accumulation of Magic Power was too little, far insufficient for self-extrication, let alone fighting others.

He could only continue to disguise.

Wang Yu descended on the cloud’s edge, was led, and entered Cloud Prison.

He walked leisurely, gradually advancing, and soon stood before Qin De’s cell door.

Qin De leaned against the corner, resting with closed eyes, upon hearing the commotion, slowly opened them.

They met eyes.

"Qin De." Wang Yu spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly resonating in the silent cell, "I must congratulate you on winning the scripture debate."

Qin De sneered: "How fortunate I am, Mr. Wang Yu himself investigating me?"

Wang Yu quietly stared at Qin De and directly said, "I will perform a Soul Search on you."

Qin De snorted coldly: "Then come on."

Wang Yu lightly waved the horsetail whisk, drawing Qin De’s body to the cell door.

He said no more, raising his right hand, spreading his fingers, suspending them three inches above Qin De’s head.

Soul Search!

Qin De’s body shuddered violently, his eyes rolled back, his limbs twitched fiercely. The pain of Soul Search far surpassed any worldly torture. All of a sudden, Qin De’s soul was forcibly torn, his memories browsed by Wang Yu at will.