"Very good."
Yang Cheng gave a faint nod. "The first step—I'll teach you the cultivation art for suppressing inner demons, Refining Demon Furnace Divine Art. Take your time and practice it well. Refining the Black and White God won't be something that can be done overnight."
He raised his hand, his two fingers joined like a blade. A stream of pure divine intent—containing the profound meaning of smelting and suppression—shot into Jiang Li's forehead.
"Focus your mind. Comprehend it."
Jiang Li felt her mind explode like thunder. Endless methods and truths about refining the heart fire and erasing demonic desires surged into her consciousness like a roaring tide.
She immediately sat cross-legged, ignoring the blood-stained ground and filth around her, and began circulating the new technique with full concentration.
As she did, she could feel it.
The cold and evil consciousness deep within her body—the thing that had always lurked there—screamed in pain the moment it touched the will of the furnace. It shrank rapidly, retreating to the depths of her soul, trembling like prey before its natural predator.
Yang Cheng's lips curved in a faint smile. "And the second step," he said calmly, "is to prepare yourself, because we're going to…"
"Pay a visit to the Jiang Clan."
"What?"
Jiang Li's eyes snapped open. Her expression froze in horror as she looked up at him.
Go to the Jiang Clan? That was the tiger's den—the dragon's lair.
Yang Cheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze distant as if piercing through endless space, already locked onto the Jiang Clan of the Horn Constellation Realm. "If I'm to save you," he said slowly, "then of course, I must destroy both the Black God and the White God together."
For him, this was the perfect opportunity.
The Black God had only been parasitic within Jiang Li for a little over ten years. The White God within Jiang Bai had existed for only a few decades. Both were still at their weakest state.
If he waited too long, and allowed them to be nurtured by the Jiang Clan's vast resources, then once they regained even a fragment of their ancient divine power, eradicating them would become nearly impossible.
He knew this well—because the woman kneeling before him, fragile as she appeared now, would one day, after completely refining the Black and White God, become someone strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tang Xingyu.
That alone was proof enough of how terrifying the Black and White God's true origin was.
Ding!
[The host has subdued Jiang Li.]
[This is the infamous scheming goddess of the Horn Constellation Realm—and even the Divine Realm. For someone with your current strength to make her submit is… utterly outrageous.]
[The system's admiration for the host flows like endless rivers—unceasing, boundless.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained one Blood God Guard.]
[Follow-up mission issued: Jiang Li's body hosts the Heart Desire Heavenly Demon. Although she appears to have subdued it, its will is far more tenacious than she realizes—it remains hidden and dormant within her.]
[One hundred years ago, Jiang Li created the Refining Demon Furnace Divine Art. If this art had existed a century earlier, it might have destroyed the demon. But now, after more than five hundred years of evolution, the Heart Desire Heavenly Demon has nearly reached the Shattering God level. Its essence has already gained the traits of immortality.]
[Mission objective: Assist Jiang Li in completely eradicating the Heart Desire Heavenly Demon.]
[Mission reward: Two Blood God Guards. (Note: Blood God Guards are derived from the Blood God's origin. The maximum number obtainable is three; no further rewards of this type will be granted beyond that limit.)]
As the glowing lines of text faded from view, Yang Cheng's decision was as firm as iron—unyielding, absolute.
Though Jiang Li still felt fear at the thought of returning to the Jiang Clan's abyss of danger, the icy whisper deep in her mind had fallen silent beneath the Refining Demon Furnace's power.
And when she met Yang Cheng's calm, unshakable gaze, she understood—this was her only path forward.
Yang Cheng was never one for delay.
After a short rest, he and Jiang Li set out without hesitation.
They traveled through the realm passage toward the Horn Constellation Realm, their destination set straight for the central region.
To avoid attracting too much attention, they chose to board a grand, luxurious flying vessel bound for Jiang City.
The flying vessel glided smoothly through the thick layers of cloud, swift yet steady.
Inside the spacious cabin, they weren't the only passengers. Across the aisle sat another pair of young travelers—a man and a woman.
The man wore splendid robes, his bearing noble and proud, the kind of arrogance that came from being long accustomed to standing above others.
The woman beside him was the opposite—her charm wild and unrestrained. She wore a dark floral cheongsam cut daringly close to her curves, revealing a body that was both alluring and dangerously seductive. Her delicate face held a languid grace, and her eyes glimmered with teasing mischief every time they moved.
From their quiet conversation, their names could be discerned—Wang Xu and Bai Luoxi.
Bai Luoxi's gaze drifted toward Yang Cheng from time to time, clearly drawn to his cool, refined aura and the sharp, handsome lines of his face.
Yang Cheng, however, showed no reaction. He remained indifferent to everything around him, occasionally speaking in low tones to the silent Jiang Li seated beside him.
Being ignored by Bai Luoxi made Wang Xu's mood sour, his irritation faint but visible.
But Bai Luoxi paid him no mind. Her attention wandered again, her eyes finding Yang Cheng's profile, her lips curving with interest.
After a while, she couldn't hold herself back any longer. With a bright smile, she leaned forward slightly, her voice soft and deliberately sultry as she spoke across the narrow aisle.
"Sir, are you also heading to Jiang City? My name is Bai Luoxi, from Tianhu City in the central region."
Hearing her voice, Yang Cheng slowly drew back his gaze from the window. He glanced at her once, his eyes as still and deep as a quiet abyss. His reply was calm, detached—only one word.
"Mm."
That distant coldness didn't dampen Bai Luoxi's mood at all. In fact, it only made her more intrigued.
Wang Xu's expression, on the other hand, darkened instantly.
Bai Luoxi seemed not to notice. She even rose to her feet, her movements fluid and graceful as she walked to Yang Cheng's side. Leaning lightly against the partition, she bent closer.
Her crimson lips neared his ear, and her breath, carrying a faint, intoxicating fragrance, brushed against his skin.
"Sir," she murmured, "is the lady beside you your Dao companion?"
Yang Cheng's face remained unreadable. He didn't flinch or respond, as though completely unaffected by her forwardness.
Wang Xu's patience snapped. He shot up from his seat, his voice shaking with barely restrained fury.
"Luoxi, what are you doing? Watch your behavior!"
Only then did Bai Luoxi straighten. She turned her head and rolled her eyes at him, her tone full of open annoyance.
"Wang Xu, who I talk to and where I go has nothing to do with you. If you don't like it, stop following me."
Wang Xu's face flushed red with humiliation. His chest rose and fell heavily, but in the end, he didn't dare argue further.
Bai Luoxi ignored him again and turned back toward Yang Cheng. A playful smile lingered on her lips as she asked softly, "Sir, you still haven't answered my question."
Before Yang Cheng could respond, Jiang Li, who had been quiet this whole time, finally lifted her head.
Her expression was serene and perfectly composed, her voice clear and calm as she spoke.
"You're mistaken, Miss. I'm not my master's Dao companion. I'm merely my master's maid."
"Maid?"
The single word dropped like a pebble into still water. Bai Luoxi's alluring peach-blossom eyes widened in shock.
Even Wang Xu, still seething in silence, froze for a moment, staring at Jiang Li in disbelief.
Her aura was cold and refined, her clothes not extravagant but made from exquisite fabric, and her face—flawless and otherworldly.
Someone like her calling herself a maid?
A strange mix of envy and bitterness welled up inside Wang Xu.
He let out a short, mocking laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Heh, a maid, is it? You two sure know how to play."
The moment his words fell, an icy killing intent suddenly spread from Jiang Li's body.
It wasn't an overwhelming aura of power—but it carried a pure, suffocating chill, the kind that treated human life as nothing but dust. It locked onto Wang Xu like the gaze of a venomous serpent.
He felt the chill shoot up from the base of his spine straight to his skull. His body stiffened as instinct screamed that death was near.
In an instant, all of his pride evaporated. His face went pale as snow.