Record of a Demon's Cultivation

---

The blood-colored formation only operated for a brief moment before it fell silent once more.

Tai He’s previously calm expression turned grave.

In that instant when the formation activated, he keenly sensed a trace of danger.

He understood well that if Xue Mei could fully unleash the formation's power, he would be utterly defenseless against it.

Yet he couldn’t fathom why Xue Mei hadn’t attacked him.

Was she merely bluffing, unable to actually trigger this ancient formation?

Or was there something restraining her, making her reluctant to engage him in combat?

Gazing intently at Xue Mei, he slowly spoke, “This hall has been abandoned for tens of thousands of years, yet you can still activate the formations here. Clearly, you must have quite the remarkable background.”

Xue Mei replied, “It would be best if you didn't pry into my origins. Let’s focus on capturing the Nether Fox.”

“Fine! What’s the plan?”

“As long as I and this boy both enter the Nether Shrine, I have a way to capture the fox.”

Tai He said, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but given how much you know about this place, what if there’s another exit? You could catch the fox and slip away. I’d be left with nothing.”

Xue Mei responded, “If that’s your concern, feel free to accompany me and enter the temple together.”

Tai He, however, hesitated, wary that the temple might contain even more powerful formations. He didn’t dare enter so rashly.

Shaking his head, he said, “The Nether Fox is highly cautious. Too many people entering would only scare it off. You should go alone.”

Noticing his reluctance, Xue Mei smirked.

“In that case, I’ll take this boy and enter the temple.”

“Hold on!”

With a wave of his hand, Tai He summoned a chain that wrapped around Song Wen, binding his hands and torso tightly, though leaving his legs free.

Song Wen’s heart sank.

From the moment Tai He appeared, he was already trapped.

The formidable aura emanating from Tai He was like an invisible mountain, pinning him in place, even blocking the flow of spiritual energy within him.

Initially, he had resigned himself to being captured by Tai He, yet he hadn't expected Tai He and Xue Mei to reach an agreement, using him as bait to lure the Nether Fox.

His only hope now was to find an opportunity within the Nether Shrine.

However, Tai He’s extreme caution left no room for error.

He even bound Song Wen with a magical chain, further reducing his chance of escape.

Quietly, he tested the flow of spiritual energy.

Fortunately, the chain didn’t entirely suppress his energy.

“Don’t worry, friend. This boy is important to me. I intend to take him back with me. Should danger arise, this chain will save his life.”

Tai He had calculated carefully; as long as he could capture Song Wen, he would not have made the trip in vain.

The Nether Fox was merely an added bonus — useful if he captured it, but not essential.

Xue Mei glanced at Tai He but said nothing in objection.

She gestured to the lizardman king lying on the ground.

“With this boy, these creatures are unnecessary. Please, do me the favor of disposing of them. I’ll bring their bodies into the temple to increase the blood energy and attract the fox.” ʀΑNȏВÊṨ

Tai He nodded and, with a wave of his hand, dispatched the lizardman king and the nine lizardmen with a burst of energy.

Xue Mei took out a large coffin and loaded all the lizardman corpses into it.

She struck Song Wen with a burst of force on his back.

“If you cooperate, I can spare you some suffering,” she said.

Song Wen stumbled forward a few steps.

Outmatched, he could only follow Xue Mei’s orders and march toward the Nether Shrine.

The temple loomed twenty feet tall, grand and imposing.

The doors were ajar as Song Wen stepped inside.

Inside the temple, a faint mist of ghostly energy lingered.

Song Wen noticed that the ghostly energy in this mist was subtly different from regular ghostly energy.

The typical ghostly aura has a sinister and eerie feel, but the ghost energy inside the Nether Shrine has an added sense of chaotic aggression.

This ghostly energy seemed like a beast that had been starving for ages, constantly surging and trying to invade Song Wen's body.

The spiritual energy he cultivated from the Corpse King Blood Refinement Technique within his dantian suddenly began to circulate automatically, rushing through his meridians.

Almost instantly, corpse-like changes appeared in Song Wen’s appearance.

He felt a flicker of joy in his heart and immediately forced the Corpse King Blood Refinement Technique to stop circulating.

This cave had a suppressing effect on spiritual power. Though it didn’t entirely restrict his spiritual energy, the rate at which he could circulate it was extremely slow.

However, upon contact with the ghostly mist, the Corpse King Blood Refinement Technique began to run on its own.

This indicated that the technique and this place shared a profound connection.

It might be his only hope for escape.

Meanwhile, Xue Mei scattered the lizardmen’s blood and flesh throughout the hall, filling it with a thick, bloody scent.

“Kid, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Nether Shrine is divided into an outer and inner hall. You’ll be fine in the outer hall, but the inner hall is filled with turbulent ghost energy. With your human body, you wouldn’t last more than a few breaths before the ghost energy erodes you, turning you into a mindless creature, neither ghost nor human.”

“Even I, with my silver corpse body, wouldn’t dare to set foot in the inner hall easily.”

Song Wen’s face darkened as he looked at Xue Mei, his eyes full of hatred and anger. But secretly, he was pleased.

The Corpse King Blood Refinement Technique seemed to counter the ghostly mist, so he was not as fearful of it as ordinary people.

If he could escape into the inner hall, he might have a chance at survival.

The only obstacle was the enchanted chain Tai He had bound him with, which he’d need to unlock first.

The chain was crafted from unknown spiritual materials; it made no sound even when it scraped against the ground.

As Song Wen wandered through the outer hall, he examined its layout while devising an escape plan.

Between the inner and outer halls was a stone door about three feet tall, slightly ajar.

He realized that simply pushing it open would grant him access to the inner hall.

Casting a glance back, he noticed that after spreading the lizardmen’s blood, Xue Mei had hidden herself in a corner of the hall, making no move to interfere with his exploration.

Song Wen approached the stone door and gave it a gentle push.

To his surprise, it wasn’t heavy and opened easily.

“Don’t touch the door, or you’ll disturb the Nether Fox.”

Xue Mei’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Withdrawing his hand from the door, Song Wen shifted his focus to unlocking the chain.

The chain was a magical item, and despite his strength, he couldn’t damage it.

One end of the chain was held firmly in Tai He’s grasp.

To free himself, he would either have to untangle the snake-like chain or have Tai He release it.

Looking back at the inner hall’s stone door, he came up with an idea.

Sitting cross-legged a few feet from the door, he feigned submission, appearing to cooperate with Xue Mei’s plan to lure out the Nether Fox.

And so, he waited for days.

“Squeak…”

The stone door creaked, filling the silence with a grating sound.

Both Song Wen and Xue Mei in the outer hall were immediately alerted.

They fixed their gazes on the inner hall’s stone door, which was slowly opening.

A spirit fox appeared at the entrance.

The fox was over ten feet long, with three large, pitch-black tails trailing behind it.

It emitted no aura, resembling a ghost concealed in the shadows, moving soundlessly.

The hall was shrouded in darkness and black ghostly mist, making it difficult to discern the fox’s presence without careful observation.

Its nose twitched, and its cold, dark eyes locked onto Song Wen’s position.

It had sensed the living aura on him!

However, instead of rushing at Song Wen, it sniffed around with its nose before settling at the doorway of the inner hall.

Opening its mouth wide, the fox revealed inch-long, sharp fangs, and its crimson tongue slithered between them, licking and flicking as though preparing its mouth for a meal.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!