Six demonic stone pillars emerged from the red rune array beneath their feet. They were shocked, their faces turning pale as they hurried to escape the area.

However, the red barrier of the technique blocked their path.

One of the demonic cultivators turned and pointed harshly at Wang Qinghe. "How do you know the secret technique of our sect?!"

"You all... do not deserve to live long enough to know that!"

A crimson red laser appeared and shot toward the center of the red rune array.

A blood essence orb emerged and shook the entire place, accompanied by a terrifying explosion of dark red qi.

"Devour!" Qinghe shouted as he raised his hand.

From the blood essence orb, lasers burst out and struck the bodies of the twenty demonic cultivators trapped inside the red rune array.

They were not dead yet. Their souls were still connected to their bodies. However, the technique forcibly ripped their souls out.

It caused unbearable pain, destroying their minds, shattering their meridians, and collapsing their cultivation foundations.

"AAAKKKKKHHH!"

Gu Qingyin and the other elders watched what was happening. Their eyes widened, their mouths hung open, and their hearts pounded uncontrollably.

From what they saw, Wang Qinghe was far from ordinary.

"Who exactly is he?" one of the grand elders muttered.

He turned and looked toward Gu Qingyin. The Hall Master of the Pill Refinement Hall of the Tianzun Sect was Wang Qinghe’s younger sister.

"Grand Elder Gu. Did you know Wang Qinghe learned demonic techniques?" he asked.

Gu Qingyin glanced sharply to the side before turning back to look at her brother. Just like the others, she was also deeply shocked.

"I separated from him when I was ten years old. Do you really think I would know he learned the secret techniques of the Blood Sect at the age of twelve?" Qingyin asked.

At Wang Qinghe’s side, he continued absorbing the souls of those demonic cultivators. They screamed, groaned in agony, and begged Wang Qinghe to spare their lives.

But he had no intention of doing that. Truthfully, Wang Qinghe needed the blood essence orb filled with dark qi to help him fight against the powerful cultivators of the Demonic Alliance.

With Yue by Wang Qinghe’s side, he could suppress the turbulence of the dark qi whenever he chose to consume the blood essence orb.

The souls of the twenty demonic cultivators were absorbed into the blood essence orb.

The six demonic stone pillars returned into the red rune array and disappeared in an instant, gradually restoring calm to the area.

He extended his hand and grabbed the blood essence orb, letting it float above his palm.

Gu Qingyin sensed that the situation was safe now. She bravely stepped out from the Tianzun Sect’s barrier dome and approached Wang Qinghe.

"Brother?"

Wang Qinghe turned around. Yue flew over while carrying Elder Mo Li, who was trapped within natural qi. Now, she stood right beside Qinghe.

"When did you learn demonic techniques?" Qingyin asked.

"A lot happened while you were in Tianzun. I obtained this technique by chance after killing one of the Blood Sect disciples," Qinghe answered.

Gu Qingyin looked at the blood essence orb thick with dark qi. "Then what about that dark qi orb?"

"I need it. Consuming dark qi will fill my mind and heart with killing intent. But it also increases my cultivation temporarily."

"The war against the Abyss Demon Sect Alliance is complicated and brutal. We cannot fight them by relying only on spiritual qi," Qinghe explained.

Wang Qinghe stepped forward and stood right beside Gu Qingyin. "You’re an alchemist. You must have heard the saying that poison must be fought with poison."

"But this is clearly different. This is not pill refinement. This is cultivation."

The man nodded. It was indeed different, but the principle was still the same. "What I mean is, to fight dark qi, you must use dark qi."

Wang Qinghe looked toward the Tianzun Sect. The moment he tried to step forward, all the elders and disciples immediately became vigilant and hostile.

Their reason was simple: the holy Tianzun Sect could not accept a cultivator connected to the Demonic Cultivation Path.

"Do not enter our sect, Senior Wang!" Elder Wei said firmly.

"I don’t understand. Why did you learn demonic techniques? Doesn’t the Taoist path teach kindness and compassion?"

"This is not about kindness or compassion. This is about power."

Wang Qinghe turned to look at Qingyin once more. "You surely do not want to admit that the Zen Path is the most suitable path for fighting the Demonic Alliance." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Now tell me, how many kingdoms with Zen Cultivation Paths have fallen into the hands of the Abyss Demon Sect Alliance?"

Qingyin could not answer. Among all the kingdoms on the Yangguan Continent, none of the kingdoms with Zen Cultivation Paths had fallen under the invasion of the Abyss Demon Sect Alliance.

That was clearly not a coincidence. The foundation of their cultivation ran far deeper than mere kindness and compassion.

Wang Qinghe knew this because he had once studied the Zen cultivation path while he was Yun Tian, even if only briefly.

"The Tianzun Sect clearly will not accept me. It seems I have to leave," Wang Qinghe said.

His steps stopped when Gu Qingyin blocked his path, forcing him to pause for a moment.

"What are you planning to do after you leave?" Qingyin asked.

"My cultivation has reached Perfect Nascent Soul. To find my own dao concept, I must seek enlightenment from the heavens," Qinghe answered.

"You want to search for your concept?"

"That is the only way to defeat the Demonic Alliance."

Wang Qinghe let out a soft sigh. He raised his hand and gently patted Qingyin’s shoulder. "I may leave for a very long time. Maybe I will spend my entire life without ever finding my own dao path."

"You should stay in Tianzun and cultivate diligently. As for Mother and the Wang Clan, they are under my protection."

Gu Qingyin clenched her fists, lowering her head as she realized Qinghe’s changes over the years were far greater and more unexpected than she had imagined.

Wang Qinghe walked past Gu Qingyin. The woman turned around and stared at Qinghe’s back once more.

"Wait, Brother!"

The man stopped walking and looked back. "What is it, Qingyin?"

"What if I come with you?"

"Grand Elder Gu!" the Tianzun Sect elders shouted.

"I might be able to reach a higher cultivation realm if I follow you and learn from you," Qingyin explained.

"Are you really going to abandon the Tianzun Sect just like that, Grand Elder Gu?!" one of the grand elders shouted.

Gu Qingyin felt trapped in a painful dilemma, unsure of what to do in her current situation.

She feared the Demonic Alliance would attack again. At the same time, she also wanted to increase her cultivation and strength like Qinghe.

Wang Qinghe remained silent. He summoned a blank token and inscribed ancient characters onto it.

The token shot forward and landed in Gu Qingyin’s hand. Qingyin did not understand Qinghe’s intention.

"There is a dimensional teleportation technique inside that token. If something happens, crush the token and you will be transported to the Wang Clan Residence."

"I cannot allow you to come with me, Qingyin."

"You carry a great responsibility in the Tianzun Sect. They place their hopes on you."

"I will return here after reaching Soul Formation!"