Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

103: Information regarding the Holy Sect of the Demonic CultLin Jingyu returned to his small courtyard and immediately spotted his younger sister, Lin Jingxia, slumped over the cold stone table. The little girl’s head was tilted to the side, a few stray hairs sticking to her sweaty forehead, fast asleep.

His heart couldn’t help but ache as he sighed inwardly. There were too few people he could rely on right now, so he had no choice but to let this girl stay here and keep watch.

Little Ash, in her arms, was quite alert. Its small ears twitched, and it opened its eyes, baring its teeth at the approaching Lin Jingyu with a fierce, milky aggression.

Lin Jingyu was not at all polite, flicking its forehead with a finger. ”Wu...” The little fellow felt the pain and buried its head back into its master’s arms in grievance.

This also woke Lin Jingxia. She suddenly looked up and saw her brother right in front of her. Realizing she had fallen asleep, her small face instantly flushed red. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she shriveled her neck back: ”Brother... S-sorry! I... I accidentally fell asleep!”

Lin Jingyu saw her nervous look and felt both amused and pained.

He reached out and habitually rubbed his sister’s soft hair. His fingertips touched her cool skin, and his tone softened even more:

”Silly girl, how could you not fall asleep just sitting here? Where are the Medicinal Pills I gave you? It would have been better to sit and circulate your Cultivation Technique here.”

Lin Jingxia rubbed her eyes, her voice carrying the grogginess of someone who just woke up: ”I... I was afraid of being seen by others, so I didn’t dare use them...”

Medicinal Pills were extremely precious to low-level Cultivators like them. Especially now, with many people in the Family keeping an eye on the siblings, she was afraid of causing trouble for her brother.

”Alright, you don’t need to watch the Head of the Family’s side for now. You’ve worked hard; go back to your room and get some sleep.”

Lin Jingyu said gently. Then, his expression turned serious as he solemnly took out an unremarkable small jade bottle from his robes and poured out a round ”Medicinal Pill.”

The color of this ”Medicinal Pill” was deep, and it seemed to faintly emit an indescribable spiritual charm.

His voice was low and serious:

”Little sister, this Medicinal Pill is of no small matter. It’s something I accidentally obtained from the ruins of an ancient Cultivator’s Immortal Cave. It’s a genuine ancient Spirit Pill!

Go back, adjust your breathing, and consume it with a calm mind. It will be enough for you to easily achieve a Breakthrough to the Qi Refining Second Layer and build a more solid Foundation.”

To put it bluntly, this thing was just a pellet he had rolled from leftover dregs and scraps from Alchemy. However, the core was a seed from a Six-Tailed Foxtail Grass, which contained genuine Spiritual Qi. It was more than enough to fool his sister as a so-called ancient Spirit Pill.

Hearing ”ancient Spirit Pill” and ”easily achieve a Breakthrough to the Qi Refining Second Layer,” Lin Jingxia’s eyes went wide. She hurriedly waved her hands, her small head shaking like a rattle:

”No, no! Brother! You should eat such a precious Medicinal Pill yourself! Only when your cultivation is higher can you protect me...”

Before she could finish, Lin Jingyu caught the moment she opened her mouth and flicked his finger almost imperceptibly!

The ”ancient Spirit Pill” flew into her mouth with pinpoint accuracy and slid down her throat! It was so fast that Lin Jingxia didn’t even have time to react.

Lin Jingyu had already figured out his sister’s personality. She seemed carefree, but deep down, she was very insecure.

Whenever there was something good, she would always think of him, her brother.

One couldn’t really blame Lin Jingxia; the original owner and his parents were truly quite terrible people.

”Wu! Brother, what are you doing... I...”

Lin Jingxia clutched her throat, looking bewildered and panicked, her tongue tied. ”I... Ah! The Medicinal Pill! I swallowed it!”

She stomped her feet in anxiety, both shocked and afraid. As a Cultivator with Five Spiritual Roots talent, she was already satisfied with reaching the Qi Refining First Layer, which allowed her to tend to spiritual fields.

Previously, when Lin Jingyu gave her Medicinal Pills, she had carefully stored them away, intending to return them to her brother later.

Now that she had eaten it, wasn’t this ”ancient Spirit Pill” wasted?

”Hurry back to your room and sit in meditation to refine the medicinal power! If you dawdle any longer, this precious Spirit Pill will truly be wasted!” Lin Jingyu pulled a long face, his voice suddenly rising.

”Ah! Yes, yes, yes!”

Lin Jingxia snapped out of it. Ignoring everything else, she dashed into her room like a startled rabbit at her fastest speed. With a ”bang,” she slammed the door shut, nearly sending Little Ash flying.

Watching his sister’s panicked figure disappear, a successful smirk played on the corners of Lin Jingyu’s mouth, mixed with a hint of doting.

He turned around and leisurely sat down on the stone stool in the courtyard, letting out a long sigh of relief. At this moment, everything was silent, except for the occasional sound of insects in the distance. He steadied his mind, sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness, and silently called out:

”Check today’s information!”

[Information Refreshed!]

[Ten days later, deep within the Black Mountains, a certain hidden cave.]

[The internal structure of this place is like a labyrinth, extending in all directions with countless crisscrossing passages. Figures are constantly hurrying in and out, their movements mysterious.]

[At the lowest level of the cave, deep underground, several figures sit cross-legged. Powerful auras that make one’s heart tremble swirl around them, like dormant Vicious Beasts.]

[At this moment, a figure quickly walks into the bottom level. A few yards away from those beings, he respectfully kneels on one knee, his head buried deep.]

[The newcomer says loudly: ”Reporting to the Lords Protectors! Our Saint Cult’s Disciples are progressing smoothly. We have successfully infiltrated and occupied many core positions in six major market towns within the Tianlan Sect’s sphere of influence, including Southeast Market Town, Southwest Market Town, and Xinlan Market Town!”]

[”At the same time, dozens of large and small cultivation families in the surrounding areas have clearly expressed their intention to submit!”]

[”To further demonstrate the Saint Cult’s power and intimidate all directions, I have taken the initiative, according to instructions, to strike like lightning and wipe out several small families that didn’t know their place! Now, the entire region is in a state of high tension, people are unsettled, and panic is spreading!”]

[Seeing this, those fence-sitting families have begun to lean towards the Saint Cult! The situation is excellent!]

[However, the Demonic Cult Protector sitting in the lead, the one with the strongest aura, only slowly lifted his eyelids after hearing the report and spoke indifferently: ”Pass down the order for all dispatched Disciples to immediately contract and withdraw to the Black Mountain Headquarters! Those who have occupied positions in the major market towns are to hide their identities and remain in hiding.”]

[The kneeling Demonic Cultivator was clearly very surprised. He suddenly looked up, his tone full of confusion and urgency: ”Ah? Lord Protector! Why withdraw? Now is the perfect opportunity to expand and establish our Foundation! If we stop now, won’t our previous efforts be in vain? I... I really don’t understand!”]

[Facing his subordinate’s questioning, the lead Protector did not get angry. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled into a cold and cruel arc.]

[He casually raised his withered palm, and a thick, viscous black mist, like ink, instantly steamed up from the top of his head! The black mist churned, and within it, countless distorted, painful, and resentful faces wailed silently!]

[The next moment, that terrifying black mist, like a living creature, suddenly pounced on the kneeling subordinate! Before he could even let out a scream, only the tooth-aching sound of ”chi chi” and the slight noise of bones being gnawed could be heard.]

[In just two or three breaths, only a clean, pale human skeleton remained on the spot! The black mist seemed to have had a ”full meal” and contentedly shrank back into the Protector’s body.]

[The other Protectors nearby turned a blind eye to this bloody scene, not even lifting their eyelids, as if they had just crushed a few insignificant insects.]

[One of the Protectors, with a sinister face, looked at the leader and asked in a raspy voice: ”What exactly is the reason for His Highness the Saint’s sudden exit from seclusion? To think he would have us abandon a layout we’ve been working on for so long?”]

[The lead Protector retracted his gaze and spoke in a flat tone, yet with a hint of unquestionable authority: ”The True Disciple of the Qinglan Sect, Yun Xiangyao, has returned from the Ice Snow Spirit Palace.”]

[Hearing this, the sinister Protector’s eyes flashed with a hint of realization and surprise: ”Yun Xiangyao? Could it be that little girl fifteen years ago, for whom the Qinglan Sect did not hesitate to fall out with the Xuanling Sect and engage in a major battle just to snatch her away?”]

[The lead Protector nodded slightly: ”Indeed, it is her. A Heavenly Spiritual Root plus the ’Moon-Inviting Spirit Body’! With such talent, Core Formation is as simple as drinking water for her, and there is great hope for her to reach the Nascent Soul realm in the future!”]

[”Only a female Cultivator with such natural talent is worthy of catching our Saint’s eye and becoming a member of the Saint Cult Saint’s harem.”]

[The sinister Protector frowned: ”The Saint exited seclusion this time specifically for her? But... will the Qinglan Sect allow His Highness the Saint to get close to Yun Xiangyao?”]

[The lead Protector let out a low, disdainful sneer: ”Heh, a mere Qinglan Sect. How can they be worthy of clamoring before our Saint Cult? If it weren’t for our concerns about those few old fogies in the East Spirit Province who are about to kick the bucket, we would have just gone to their door and snatched her. What could they do? A bunch of motley rabble!”]

[...]