The Demonic Way possesses its own Dao; the cultivation of demons and fiends emphasizes the concept of defying the Heavens. They believe that yielding is base, while resistance is noble. Those who yield are trapped in the endless cycle of birth and death, ultimately unable to break free from the shackles of nature. Only those who resist can reach the far shore of transcendence, surpassing all limitations of the natural world to attain eternal life.

The Dao of the Demonic Way does not speak of conforming to Heaven; it is ruthless to the outside world and unforgiving within its own ranks.

Among those of the Demonic Way, even fellow disciples, engaging in slaughter is utterly commonplace.

Fellow sect members turning on each other, fathers slaying sons, masters using disciples as cauldrons for refinement, disciples murdering their masters—such occurrences are rife.

To dwell within the Demonic Way means trusting no one.

The Demonic Way is a path without rules.

For the cultivation of the Demonic Way, while Spirit Stones can be utilized, often it involves demons and fiends devouring one another for sustenance. The flesh and blood of cultivators and the essence of other demons are treated merely as materials for advancement. The path of the Demonic Way is one of gore and terrifying methods. Rumor has it that within the Demonic Way exists the Blood Transformation Great Art—a technique that completely consumes the flesh and blood of an enemy, leaving nothing behind, all transformed into one's own mana.

Of course, the Blood Transformation Great Art is considered the supreme divine skill of the Demonic Way.

Once mastered, one need not labor painstakingly in cultivation; simply draining the flesh and blood of adversaries suffices.

The Blood Transformation Great Art, hailed as the foremost demonic technique of the Demonic Way, is certainly not an unearned title.

Naturally, the secret manuals for such dark arts are held by very few, and mastering them is exceedingly difficult. For every ten individuals attempting such a profound demonic skill, perhaps nine would perish. This stands in stark contrast to the steady, step-by-step progression of the Righteous Path's techniques.

Having discussed the Demonic Way, let us turn to the Righteous Path.

The Righteous Path also experiences strife and conflict, but their disputes are constrained within certain bounds; everything must operate within established rules. Each Immortal Sect has its own regulations, generally forbidding internecine slaughter or wanton killing of mortals. Violating these rules makes it nearly impossible to maintain standing within the Righteous circles.

In the Righteous Path, even when conflict arises, an outward appearance of harmony must be maintained.

The Righteous Path places immense importance on respecting one's teachers and honoring the Way. Once a disciple commits patricide against their master, no Immortal Sect will tolerate such an individual.

The Righteous Path is the path of Immortals, the path of Chivalry.

Lu Yuan’s disposition was relatively neutral.

However, after years of tutelage at the Huashan Immortal Sect, Lu Yuan's nature had gradually inclined toward benevolence. Within the sect, he had been taught much, coming to understand what it meant to be an Immortal and what it meant to be a Chivalrous Hero.

To sit amidst the swirling mists and clouds, holding a bottle of wine, watching the clouds gather and disperse across the horizon—this is the way of the Immortal.

What is Chivalry? Not killing without cause, possessing one's own principles, upholding justice, and stepping forward personally to eliminate malevolent demons that plague the world.

In the education provided by the sect, some inclined toward the Immortal aspect, choosing solitary seclusion and achieving profound mystical realization. Others leaned toward the Chivalrous, acting to save the masses and slay demons—each person adopting their own attitude.

Lu Yuan, however, preferred the path of the Immortal, primarily because that path allowed for an easier life. Rushing about performing acts of heroism was too tiring, too taxing on the body, and ill-suited to his temperament. Leaning toward the Immortal side offered leisure and ease. Nevertheless, having been so deeply influenced by the sect, he retained a certain degree of the Chivalrous spirit.

Upon seeing a demon, he drew his sword without hesitation.

Slaying demons, vanquishing evil, acting on behalf of Heaven's will.

It was time to enact Heaven's will.

Lu Yuan gently turned the hilt of his sword. He had already defeated the Earth Demons and the Flame Yakshas. After crushing these foes and their accompanying hordes, the gazes of countless demons turned toward this youth. They could not fathom how this young man in green robes possessed such skill and swordsmanship at such a tender age!

Having broken through so many demonic ranks in succession, Lu Yuan was now finding his rhythm. He pulled out his wine gourd and took a deep swig, feeling his martial spirit swell: "Excellent! Who wishes to challenge me next?..."

Several Great Asuras surged forward. The Asura race is renowned for its formidable combat prowess; they possess an innate instinct for battle. The Great Asuras unleashed their Asura Bone Blades, launching fierce assaults upon Lu Yuan. Facing such challenges, Lu Yuan merely laughed. His left hand still held the wine gourd, while his right executed a series of exquisite sword techniques, one after another.

The fierce wind swept by, winds rose and clouds churned, the breeze lingered then dissipated...

Clouds formed then vanished, clouds unfurled then retreated...

The heavy rain fell in pillars, the fine mist hovered, the evening drizzle wept softly...

He wielded the One Hundred and Eight Swords of Wind and Cloud, alongside the Seventy-Two Swords of Rainfall, a style he had created himself, employing every movement and stance with effortless mastery.

The techniques of the Great Asuras were products of their innate instinct and their long-inherited combat forms. But as for techniques—the plain truth is this: if you do not grasp the underlying intent, you can never perfect a technique to its peak; every move will inherently carry a significant flaw.

Essentially, the battle between the Great Asuras and Lu Yuan pitted:

The Great Asuras relied on innate instinct and inherited forms. Lu Yuan relied on his comprehension of the Great Dao's Sword Intent drawn from Heaven and Earth.

In a clash like this, the victor was already obvious. The Asuras, heralded as the strongest fighting race beneath the earth, appeared riddled with weaknesses against Lu Yuan. Their swift and decisive defeat stunned the remaining demons; they had never anticipated Lu Yuan to be this powerful.

The subterranean demons were diverse. One such type was the Blood Mother Demon. In the water, there exists a creature called the jellyfish. Similarly, within pools of blood, there exists a creature—the Blood Mother Jellyfish—born from the vapor of the Celestial Pool. Heaven and Earth were originally without intelligence or wisdom, and the jellyfish shared this lack of sentience. The Blood Mother, however, was different. The underworld was perpetually filled with slaughter and gore. As bloodshed and killing coexisted, coupled with frequent murders and vendettas, the blood pools accumulated the ichor of the deceased. Various dark emotions lingered there, eventually giving rise to the Blood Mother Demon. This entity differed significantly from other demons, possessing an innate element of destruction toward all things.

Furthermore, the Blood Mother Demon is naturally potent in Sorcery cultivation, but they do not cultivate the standard seven elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, or Thunder. Instead, they specialize in the unorthodox Blood Element magic—spells that cultivators cannot learn. Nearly every technique cast by a common Blood Mother Demon carries the effect of invading the mind; once enveloped by their magic, negative emotions are infinitely amplified.

Many beings of the Righteous Path have been led astray into the Demonic Way while trapped within the aura of a Blood Mother Demon.

It is whispered that far away, there exists an ascended powerhouse born from the Blood Mother lineage, known as the Blood River Ancestor, a being who commands authority over a domain.

At this moment, several Blood Mother Demons attacked Lu Yuan, surrounding him with a variety of Blood Element spells. These spells did not need overwhelming raw power; merely touching Lu Yuan was enough to unleash his submerged negative emotions, easily leading one to fall into the (Evil Path). These innumerable, multidirectional magical attacks converged upon Lu Yuan, ensuring even he would be tainted to some extent.

Seeing that their blood had made contact with Lu Yuan, the Blood Mother Demons smiled faintly. They were not using ordinary blood, but the most vital, evil ichor from their very essence—a substance they reserved only when facing truly difficult opponents. Now that the enemy had seemingly succumbed, they awaited the outcome and prepared to depart.

But then, a flash of sword light appeared. Before they could react, several Blood Mother Demons lay dead beneath Lu Yuan’s blade. The reality was that most beings harbor negative emotions, but Lu Yuan happened to possess very little of it. Of course, as a person, Lu Yuan could not be entirely free of negativity, yet the sword in his hand was the Nourishing Sword (Yang Wu Jian).

The Nourishing Sword was forged by Li Yuanbai specifically for his disciple. This sword carried Li Yuanbai’s hopes for his student: "Nourish the vast, righteous energy of Heaven and Earth within myself." This sword possessed none of the characteristics of the Five Elements magic—it offered no bonus fire damage like the Rainbow Sword, for instance. Instead, it was imbued with numerous factors designed to repel evil. Lu Yuan naturally carried minimal negative emotion, and coupled with the Nourishing Sword in his grasp, the effects of the Blood Mother Demons' vital evil blood proved ineffectual against him. Naturally, if the Blood River Ancestor were present, with his supreme might, perhaps even Lu Yuan would fall to the Demonic Way under the influence of the Ancestor’s intrinsic evil blood.

"Exhilarating!" Lu Yuan downed another swig of wine and unleashed a flurry of sword moves, simultaneously drinking and gesturing with his blade. The wine grew richer, the swordplay more refined. He smashed through countless demons, gaining an increasingly profound sensation—an ineffable feeling of being immersed in a state of sublime mystery.

The more he drank, the more exhilarating it became; the faster he fought, the sharper his swordsmanship grew.

Heroic wine and fierce battles—what ecstasy! To have stayed confined in a corner for so long, only to engage in such a glorious fight—what unparalleled thrill this was.

He recalled a famous saying from the cultivation world of the Great Jin Kingdom: “He seeks to drink the strongest wine, to embrace the fairest women, to ride the fastest steed, to wield the finest sword, to find the most powerful opponent, and to engage in the most cathartic battles.” Wait, that famous figure wasn't from the Great Jin Kingdom, but from the Great Qin Kingdom—named Ye Huan. Like a leaf carried on the wind, Ye Huan found joy wherever he landed; he was one of the Grandmasters of the Great Qin.

Lu Yuan had heard that saying, though he had no interest in becoming a man like Ye Huan, adding the word "most" to everything. Wouldn't that make life unbearably tiring? Still, indulging occasionally—drinking the fiercest wine, fighting the most satisfying battle—was indeed a rather interesting and utterly exhilarating experience.

Such as this moment.

Lu Yuan's performance effectively shattered the organizational structure of the demons. Their initial plan relied on two subordinate wings attacking the Tenth Wing rapidly to gain an advantage, then using superior numbers to overwhelm the other two wings. Everything had been meticulously calculated: the two Wing Commanders were assigned to deal with the Tenth Wing Leader, Song Jianjiu, while the rest, using double strength, were supposed to swiftly neutralize the rest of the Tenth Wing personnel.

Who could have foreseen the sudden appearance of this young man in green robes?

This young man in green, one hand grasping his wine gourd, the other gripping his sword.

Sword in hand, wine in hold.

He was utterly unstoppable.

Earth Demons defeated, Flame Yakshas vanquished, Great Asuras crushed, Blood Mother Demons routed.

This series of swift defeats resulted in the death of countless demons. Even their previously advantageous troop numbers had been decimated by Lu Yuan’s rampage, leaving them without numerical superiority. Moreover, their morale was utterly broken by this seemingly invincible youth who fought with wine and a sword.

For more novels, visit storyread.net.