With the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer Demon Disciples no longer around to "dynamite fish," the assessment's progress slowed.
A full two and a half days later, the second layer of Protective Golden Light on Luo Ze vanished, and the top fifty for the [Fierce Soldier] assessment were finally decided!
First: Hou Qi
Second: Jing Quan
Third: Luo Ze
Fourth: Liu Chun
...
Seventh: Xiao Ran
...
Twenty-eighth: Yin Tu
Twenty-ninth: Wanyan Feng
...
Fiftieth: Tang Tianhe
"Congratulations, everyone, on passing the Sect's [Fierce Soldier] assessment!"
Wang Jian clapped lightly.
"I trust you have all experienced the appeal of a [Fierce Soldier]. Now, for the rewards for the top ten."
Specks of starlight flared. Qin Xuan picked up his Identity Token and saw that the words "Demon Disciple" on its face had shimmered and vanished, replaced by "Fierce Soldier"!
His Contribution Points also increased by 100!
[Contribution Point Balance: 107]
What gave Qin Xuan a headache, however, was that because he had snatched five Protective Talismans in one go, he was now 190 Contribution Points in debt.
[Demon Disciple Qin Xuan, owes Instructor Li Cang 10.51 Contribution Points. Countdown: 39 days. Interest accruing.]
[Demon Disciple Qin Xuan, owes Zheng Qi of the Ten Thousand Laws Altar 190.11 Contribution Points. Countdown: 87 days. Interest accruing.]
'Good thing I still have two Protective Talismans left. They can probably withstand two attacks from a peak Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer cultivator. I need to be frugal with them. Staying alive is what's important.'
...
Yin Tu looked at Hou Qi, Luo Ze, and the others with a venomous expression.
He could have placed in the top ten. However, because of Hou Qi's [Dark Poison] Secret Technique, the moment his Protective Golden Light shattered after twenty hours, he was ganged up on and eliminated by several Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer Demon Disciples, losing his eighth-place spot.
"Hou Qi! Xiao Ran! I swear I will have my revenge for this, or I am not a man!"
Yellowed sheepskin scrolls descended from the sky.
They floated down before the top ten Demon Disciples.
[Holy Sect Divine Technique Reward Guarantee Certificate]
[Blood Soul Contract Seal: Forbidden Oath for the Transmission of "Ghost Shadow Seven Kills"]
[Price: Free]
[Recipient: Qin Xuan]
[Intra-Sect Patent Usage Fee: 10 Contribution Points per use]
[Terms of Guarantee: This Cultivation Technique is a free reward from the Holy Sect Saint Venerable to the top ten finishers of the [Fierce Soldier] assessment. The signatory must swear upon their Heart Demon to never actively divulge any of its Dharma Gates—including technique incantations, Qi Flow Charts, Visualization Secret Techniques, Forbidden Acupoints, etc.—to any living being other than themselves.]
[Note 1: "External transmission" specifically refers to recording, transcribing, creating images, or placing a Spiritual Imprint in any form outside of the Sect's forbidden grounds. All that is seen and understood may only exist within one's own heart and be sealed within the sea of consciousness.]
[Note 2: "Living beings" includes humans, gods, yao, demons, immortals, ghosts, sprites, Outer Domain evil spirits, and even the spirits of any flora, or the souls of any metal or stone, regardless of whether they possess consciousness or act with intent.]
[Note 3: First offense: The Saint Venerable will be alerted and the Cultivation Technique will backlash. Second offense: The Soul Lamp will claim your life and the Holy Sect's Law Enforcement Team will hunt you down. Third offense: You will be branded with the mark of disloyalty, which will not fade for ten lifetimes, even through Reincarnation!]
(Disclaimer: This Forbidden Oath is adjudicated by the will of the [Supreme Venerable of the Nine Prisons Soul Hall] of the Holy Sect, witnessed by the ten thousand swords of the [Blood Pool Sword Tomb]. The signatory enters this contract willingly and without regret...)
A long string of text was densely packed onto that small, yellowed sheepskin scroll.
After hastily reading through the Forbidden Oath, Qin Xuan was completely stunned.
It wasn't just Qin Xuan. The other Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer Demon Disciples were, to a man, shocked stupid.
'Damn it, this is clearly a free Cultivation Technique reward, so why does it feel like I'm signing myself into indentured servitude?'
'And what the hell is this "patent usage fee"?'
If their Divine Sense weren't strong enough, they wouldn't have been able to read it at all.
For example, the three Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer Demon Disciples, because their Cultivation wasn't high enough, were directly struck by the vast Blood Oath Contract Power contained within the sheepskin scroll, toppling to the ground and fainting.
Wang Jian said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and that's even more true in our Holy Sect."
"Rest assured, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Cultivation Techniques you've received. This time, I can stake my personal integrity on it. It's absolutely the real deal."
Qin Xuan's mouth twitched. He really wanted to ask, 'How much is your integrity worth?'
However, Qin Xuan had also discovered the Holy Sect's third unwritten rule.
In the Demon Sect, the easier something was to obtain, the greater the danger. Conversely, the more restrictions there were, the fewer tricks were hidden within.
Wang Jian continued, "Also, I must remind you again, the reward each of you received is different. Do not use it casually within the Holy Sect's grounds. Otherwise, if your balance is insufficient, you will automatically be issued a loan!"
GULP.
The Demon Disciples' throats bobbed as they couldn't help but swallow hard. Their eyes were vacant, already numb to the shock.
'Automatic loans.'
'Just the kind of thing those animals from the Holy Sect would come up with.'
After making the Blood Oath to never transmit the technique.
Qin Xuan immersed his Divine Sense into the Divine Ability Jade Tube, and his eyes instantly lit up again.
'Signing that Blood Oath wasn't a bad deal at all!'
HUM!
A brilliant radiance descended from the sky and poured into Qin Xuan's body.
The reward was a direct infusion!
Countless insights emerged from nowhere, and he mastered the technique without a teacher.
The Eighth Mystic Gate and Ninth Mystic Gate, which he had been searching for in his body for so long without success, suddenly appeared.
The Spiritual Mist in his meridians billowed, growing ever more intense.
Fog-Locked Mystic Gate, Nine Stars Linked Pearls—his Cultivation Realm had invisibly climbed to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer!
"So this is a Star Technique! My cultivation has risen again!" Qin Xuan was overjoyed.
[Star Technique · Ghost Shadow Seven Kills: A Mystic-tier Top Grade Divine Technique, sourced from the Nine Nether Soul Abyss. In its ideal state, it can overload and burn through the body's Demonic Essence seven times in an instant, consecutively creating seven ethereal ghost shadows equal to one's own strength.]
[Use the "Ghost Shadows" to create chaos and traps, and use the "Seven Kills" to deliver pervasive, fatal strikes. It is the apex of speed, and a rending shadow!]
He spent the better part of another day consolidating his new power.
Qin Xuan had already committed this Mystic-tier Top Grade Divine Technique, usable all the way to the Purple Mansion Realm, to heart.
He didn't even need to practice; he knew all its secrets like the back of his hand.
"Based on my current Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, I can probably only manage to summon one ghost shadow... When I have more Contribution Points, I'll definitely have to try it out."
Qin Xuan looked forward to it.
...
He returned to the Demon Disciple Dormitory under the cover of darkness.
Courtyard B1, which had been empty just a few days ago, was now crammed with new Demon Disciples.
The bunk that had originally belonged to Qin Xuan was already occupied by another Demon Disciple.
Qin Xuan didn't mind and turned to find a different courtyard, but just as he reached the door, he heard people whispering inside.
"Did you hear? Steward Wang's Lifebound Copper Sword is already seventy percent converted. He's reached the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer and is about to become a Foundation Establishment Elder!"
"Should... should we go pledge our loyalty to him?"
"Are you an idiot? We're in the Demon Sect! Wasn't the lesson with Steward Huang a few days ago enough? Those Copper Sword Demon Cultivators are all Demons who devour people whole and don't even spit out the bones."
"But once Steward Wang advances to Foundation Establishment, he'll be an Elder. Would he really stoop to our level? We're just small fry."
"Heh, there was this dimwitted Demon Disciple who arrived a few days before us. I heard his name was... Xuan or something."
"He used to think just like you, trying to show off in front of Steward Wang at every opportunity. I heard he didn't even take the precious Pill that Elder Sun gave him, and secretly gave it to Steward Wang instead."
"And then what?"
"Then he got tricked into participating in the [Fierce Soldier] assessment. By now, the grass on his grave is probably twenty feet tall."
"If you want to go pledge your loyalty, you go right ahead. I'm not going."
The Demon Disciple was shocked. "Ah, it's that terrifying? No, I'm not going. I'd like to live a couple more days."
"Actually, if you really want to pledge loyalty to someone, I suggest you go directly to Senior Brother Xiao Ran, one of Elder Sun's Disciples. He's an upright person with an excellent reputation..."
Listening from outside, Qin Xuan's face darkened.
'I've only been gone for a few days, and I'm already a "dimwit"?'
He deliberately released the pressure of his Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer Demonic Essence, coughed lightly, and pushed the door open.
The Demon Disciples inside paled. They scrambled to their feet, their faces filled with terror as they broke out in a cold sweat.
"Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Qin Xuan glanced over and saw they were all Qi Cultivation First Layer Demon Disciples who had just joined a few days ago.
"We didn't know Senior Brother would visit so late at night. D-do you have any orders for us?" one of the bolder Demon Disciples asked, trembling.