Within My Sect, All Realms Unite

As six months slowly passed, Han Leu stepped out of seclusion after his enlightenment had fully settled, his aura now stable and much deeper than before. Without wasting time, he left the sect to gather news and carry out disciple recruitment ceremony of the year also.

During this time, Lin Xiaotian sat calmly within the hall, brewing tea as he waited, his movements unhurried and his expression steady. The quiet atmosphere remained undisturbed until suddenly the doors were pushed open with force, breaking the calm.

Han Leu stepped in quickly, and Lin Xiaotian was just about to gesture for him to sit when he noticed the worried look on his face. Before he could ask anything, Han Leu spoke first, his tone hurried yet controlled.

"Sect Master, I recruited thirty-eight disciples as per your orders, all without background and with above-average talent," he said. "The only issue is their cultivation is low due to lack of resources."

Lin Xiaotian listened without concern, his expression unchanged as he nodded lightly. "That is nothing to worry about," he replied calmly, already thinking ahead.

He recalled the batch of menial disciples he had previously obtained through Han Leu, all of whom had already reached Foundation Establishment under the sect’s blessings. With such resources, even someone with no talent could progress.

"With what we have even pigs could cultivate."

Han Leu did not calm down even after hearing Lin Xiaotian, his face still carrying that uneasy look as if something far bigger was wrong. He took a slow breath before speaking again, his tone lower but clearly more serious than before.

"I know, Sect Master, and they are not the reason I am worried," he said steadily. "The whole Yangzhou region has been shaken, the Yan family has been completely wiped out, not even children or a single drop of blood left behind."

He paused slightly, his jaw tightening as he continued, his voice carrying a heavier edge now. "And all of it... was done by demonic forces."

Hearing this, Lin Xiaotian’s expression sharpened slightly, his fingers pausing over the teacup as his thoughts moved quickly. That thing is cautious... the deaths of Yan Chuan and the others must have alerted it enough to clean everything behind it.

He placed the cup down calmly, his expression returning to normal as he spoke without any visible urgency. "But this alone is not enough to shake Yangzhou to this extent," he said evenly, his gaze steady. "There must be something more behind all of this."

Han Leu nodded immediately, as if he had expected that response, his expression growing even more serious.

"The main issue lies with the ancestor of the Yan family, Sect Master," he said. "He has been taken over by a demonic cultivator and is now slaughtering across Yangzhou without restraint." he continued " and the scale of slaughter has already crossed hundreds of thousands across different Cities and Towns."

He paused for a moment before continuing, letting the weight of his words settle properly.

"He has already broken through the Transformation realm, and his strength is far beyond what most sects can handle," he added. "There are even rumors that Emperor Zhao and his royal guards fought him directly."

His tone dropped slightly. "But both sides withdrew after being injured, afraid of mutual destruction, and since then that thing has gone into hiding without leaving any clear trace behind."

The hall fell silent once again, the weight of the news settling heavily in the air.

Lin Xiaotian leaned back into his chair, his posture relaxed as his fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, his gaze calm yet clearly thinking ahead. "It seems our assumptions were correct," he said slowly, his tone steady without any trace of urgency.

"For now, we cannot take any direct action, and it is not entirely bad that the cultivator has withdrawn for the moment," he continued, his eyes lowering slightly in thought. "We should use this time to prepare properly for the Hundred Sects Tournament and wait for it to reveal its next move before we decide anything further."

Han Leu nodded at first, but the unease on his face did not disappear, as if something was still weighing on him deeply. After a brief pause, he spoke again, his tone more serious and carrying a faint sense of urgency.

"Sect Master, I believe that demonic cultivator will strike during the Hundred Sects Tournament," he said firmly, his gaze steady. "There will not be a better opportunity for it with so many geniuses from across the entire region gathered in one place."

He paused slightly, his expression tightening as he continued, his voice lowering just a bit.

"It cannot ignore such a concentrated feast of talent and blood, and if it appears there, the entire tournament could turn into chaos within moments," he added. "This time, the situation might become far more dangerous than anyone expects."

Lin Xiaotian listened quietly, then let out a faint chuckle, his expression not changing in the slightest as if the situation did not trouble him at all. So it plans to hunt in one sweep... bold, but also predictable.

"Don’t worry, Elder Han," he said calmly, his tone relaxed yet carrying a quiet confidence that naturally settled the atmosphere. "If things truly go out of control, we are not without methods to handle it."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharpening just enough to show intent. "Until then, we focus on cultivation and prepare properly, because rushing into this blindly would only create unnecessary risks," he added. "Let it move first, and we will respond when the time is right."

As he finished speaking, he casually took out a jade slip and extended it toward Han Leu, the faint aura around it different from the usual violent demonic fluctuations. It felt steady, controlled, and far more refined than anything commonly seen.

"Take this," Lin Xiaotian said calmly. "Demonic arts are not just about slaughter and blind consumption, that is the lowest way of using them."

Han Leu’s eyes flickered slightly as he accepted it, sensing the depth contained within the technique.

"This can be considered a premier demonic technique," Lin Xiaotian continued, his tone even as he explained further. "The demonic qi cultivated through this method is far purer and far more stable than what most demonic cultivators gain through killing."

He paused briefly before adding, his gaze steady. "And more importantly, it will not lead to heart demons or loss of control, so you can cultivate it without worrying about losing yourself."

Han Leu looked at the jade slip in silence, his grip tightening slightly as he understood just how valuable what he had been given truly was.