Volume 1, Chapter 112 – Senior Sister Liu Cultivates Demonic Arts?

“Ahhh!”

“No!”

Another bloodcurdling scream rang out, even more short-lived than Huo Wushuang’s.

The two cultivators’ vitality and cultivation base poured frantically into Liu Ruyan like floodwaters through a broken dam.

Their faces aged before everyone’s eyes, their auras withered, and their Golden Cores dimmed and shattered…

Within two or three breaths, nothing remained but two desiccated corpses that looked as though they had been left to dry for centuries.

Liu Ruyan’s aura surged once more, then stabilized firmly at the middle stage of Golden Core!

Once it was over, she slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, and the runes in her palm faded completely.

The “Samsara: Imprisonment” that had enveloped the surrounding thousand feet quietly dissolved as well.

The disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace stood rooted to the spot.

What they had just witnessed was too shocking, too utterly at odds with everything they knew!

Senior Sister could actually absorb an enemy’s lifespan and cultivation to achieve a breakthrough?

Such a method was unheard of!

It even seemed… somewhat like the demonic arts and sinister techniques of legend!

Ye Ling’er, in particular, clutched the wound beneath her ribs, her eyes fixed on Liu Ruyan.

She stared at her senior sister’s face, now restored to a healthy glow and even more radiant than before, and sensed the aura emanating from her, far more powerful than it had been.

Her heart began pounding uncontrollably.

A chill mingled with indescribably complicated emotions slowly rose from the depths of her heart.

Lingering fear.

Yes, fear after the fact.

She had never imagined that her usually gentle and serene Second Senior Sister, as poised as a well-bred young lady, possessed such an… uncanny divine ability.

The sight of her stripping away lifespans and devouring cultivation had seared itself deep into Ye Ling’er’s mind, making her shudder involuntarily.

What if… What if she ever became Senior Sister’s enemy…

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The instant the thought arose, she ruthlessly crushed it.

No, that would never happen. Senior Sister had done it to save them, to protect her fellow disciples.

But… that method…

Ye Ling’er’s thoughts descended into turmoil.

Liu Ruyan seemed to notice the strange looks from her fellow disciples, particularly the fleeting alarm in Ye Ling’er’s eyes.

The faint radiance brought on by her breakthrough slowly receded from her face, leaving her as gentle and composed as ever.

She walked over to Ye Ling’er, checked her injuries, then glanced at the other wounded disciples before quietly instructing them:

“Treat your wounds first, then clear the battlefield. Collect all the enemies’ Storage Pouches and artifacts.”

“Yes… Yes, Senior Sister.”

Zhang Cheng and the others snapped out of their daze and hurriedly acknowledged the order before setting to work.

Yet they moved with noticeably greater caution than before.

The way they looked at Liu Ruyan now also held a fear they could not quite conceal.

Liu Ruyan sighed inwardly.

She had never wanted to use “Samsara Draw” in front of her junior brothers and sisters.

She remembered when she had first begun cultivating the Samsara Dao Scripture and discovered the divine ability recorded within it.

She, too, had been deeply shaken, believing the technique far too domineering and ruthless, almost demonic in nature.

She had even hesitated over whether to cultivate it.

It was her Master, Gu Han, who had summoned her to the main hall when she began to waver and spoken those words to her:

“Ruyan.”

Gu Han had sat upright on the cloud couch, gazing at her with clear, tranquil eyes.

“Cultivation techniques and divine abilities are neither righteous nor evil in themselves. Used righteously, they are righteous. Used for evil, they are evil.”

“The Samsara Dao Scripture is a supreme Great Dao technique. Its essence lies in ‘samsara’: comprehending the cycle of life and death and transcending the shackles of fate.”

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“Remember, power is merely a tool. What matters is the cultivator’s heart.”

“There’s no need to burden yourself. Disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace need only act with a clear conscience. Mercy toward your enemies is cruelty toward yourself.”

Her Master’s words had steadied her like an anchor in turbulent seas, completely calming her mind.

That was right. How could a cultivation technique itself be at fault?

The fault lay with those who abused their power and harbored malicious intentions.

If Huo Wushuang and the others had not relentlessly pressed her today, why would she have been forced to use such a taxing forbidden technique before she was ready?

Using “Samsara: Imprisonment” had already pushed her to her limit. If she had not immediately replenished what she had expended with “Samsara Draw,”

she would likely have fallen into a weakened state at once, and the situation would have spiraled completely out of control.

She had no other choice if she wanted to protect her fellow disciples.

Liu Ruyan gathered her thoughts, walked over to Ye Ling’er, who was silently bandaging her wound, and crouched beside her. Her voice was gentle.

“Fourth Junior Sister, did I frighten you?”

Ye Ling’er stiffened slightly and looked up, meeting Liu Ruyan’s eyes, which remained as warm and peaceful as ever.

There was no murderous hostility from the slaughter, no sinister gleam from devouring another’s cultivation. There was only familiar concern and a trace of helplessness.

“Senior Sister… I…”

Ye Ling’er opened her mouth but did not know what to say.

“You think Senior Sister’s method resembles an evil art?”

Liu Ruyan voiced the thought directly, her tone candid.

Ye Ling’er flushed. She did not deny it, but quickly shook her head.

“No. I know Senior Sister did it to save us…”

“It’s all right.”

Liu Ruyan gently patted the back of her hand, then swept her gaze over the junior brothers and sisters around them. Though they appeared busy, they were all listening intently. Her clear voice reached every one of them.

“This divine ability is called ‘Samsara Draw.’ It is a secret art from the cultivation technique I practice.”

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“It can indeed temporarily seize part of an enemy’s cultivation and life essence for my own use.”

Seeing the doubt and alarm on her fellow disciples’ faces, Liu Ruyan continued calmly:

“When I first comprehended this technique, I also hesitated, believing its nature to border on the demonic.”

“It was Master who opened my eyes.”

She briefly recounted what Gu Han had told her at the time.

“…Cultivation techniques and divine abilities are merely tools. Used righteously, they are righteous. Used for evil, they are evil.”

“If they hadn’t come here intent on killing us and pressed us at every turn, I would never have used this technique.”

Liu Ruyan’s gaze sharpened.

“Since they intended to kill us, they had to bear the consequences. I used this technique to kill them, took their cultivation to replenish what I had expended, and protected my fellow disciples. My conscience is clear.”

Her voice was not loud, but it carried an unshakable conviction and the calm assurance born of complete faith in her Master’s principles.

As everyone listened, the doubt and faint fear on their faces gradually faded, replaced by realization, understanding, and even a trace of shame.

That was right. If Senior Sister Liu had not turned the tide, they would already be cold corpses on the ground.

Mercy toward one’s enemies was cruelty toward oneself.

If both the Palace Master and Senior Sister said so, then it had to be right!

Zhao Ling’er was the first to react, declaring loudly:

“Senior Sister Liu is right! They were the ones who tried to kill us first! If Senior Sister hadn’t arrived, we would all be dead by now!”

“Exactly! Senior Sister did it to save us!”

Wang Zhaojun softly agreed.

“Who cares whether it’s an evil art? Any cultivation technique that can kill our enemies and protect us is a good one!”

Liu Lie declared in his booming voice, his eyes filled with admiration.

The other disciples nodded one after another, their gazes once again brimming with gratitude and trust as they looked at Liu Ruyan.

The lingering unease and chill in Ye Ling’er’s heart also vanished under Liu Ruyan’s candid gaze and clear explanation.

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In their place came deeper understanding and even greater respect for their Master.

“Senior Sister, I understand now.”

Ye Ling’er spoke softly, her ice-blue eyes clear and resolute once more.

“My knowledge was too limited.”

Liu Ruyan smiled faintly.

“You haven’t been cultivating for long, so it’s only natural to have doubts. Just remember Master’s words.”

By then, the battlefield had been cleared.

The collected Storage Pouches and artifacts formed a small mountain.

The possessions of the three Golden Core cultivators alone were worth a considerable fortune.

And that did not even include the accumulated wealth of dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples.

It was unquestionably an enormous windfall.

“Keep everything safe. We’ll distribute it all together after we return,”

Liu Ruyan instructed.

“Yes!”

Everyone acknowledged the order and swiftly sorted and stored the spoils.

Liu Ruyan once again used her identity jade token to sense the others.

“Luoli and the others seem to be heading in our direction, and… it looks like they’ve already joined up with quite a few fellow disciples.”

A trace of joy flashed through her eyes.

“We’ll move toward them first. Everyone, remain vigilant and advance at full speed!”

“Yes!”

With Liu Ruyan, a personal disciple whose cultivation had soared to the middle stage of Golden Core, there to lead them, everyone felt greatly reassured.

Those with more serious injuries were supported by the others, and the group quickly and methodically set off in Gu Luoli’s direction.