I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely

The Celestial Cloud Sect had been timely in seeking aid from the Purple Mist Sect back then. Otherwise, the Celestial Demon Sect would have annihilated them by now.

After Pang Feng of the Demon Spirit Sect passed away, Cao Yuchen’s decision was implemented without the slightest hindrance.

The Demon Spirit Sect, which had been their most likely source of support, was no longer a viable option after Pang Feng passed away—the opportunity was lost before they could even act.

"Which one of us will go to the Black Dragon Hall to seek aid..."

As the Celestial Demon Sect Leader spoke, he noticed all the sect’s Supreme Elders were looking at him.

The implication was quite clear: they wanted him to make the trip to the Black Dragon Hall.

To be honest, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader was extremely reluctant to do it. This was a truly humiliating task.

Running to the Black Dragon Hall for aid... never mind whether he could even secure their help, the treatment he would receive there was guaranteed to be unpleasant.

"This was Supreme Elder Cao’s idea. I believe it would be better for Supreme Elder Cao to go to the Black Dragon Hall," the Celestial Demon Sect Leader said hastily.

Pushing this task onto Cao Yuchen was his best chance.

But Cao Yuchen just coughed lightly before giving a reason why he couldn’t go.

"Sect Leader, it’s better if you go. If the Celestial Cloud Sect launches an all-out assault while you’re away, our sect’s defenses will be stronger with me here."

The Celestial Demon Sect Leader was left speechless.

He knew the chances of the Celestial Cloud Sect launching a full-scale assault in the interim were minuscule, but as Cao Yuchen had said, what if?

Theoretically, the odds were incredibly low, but it was still a possibility that couldn’t be entirely dismissed.

That was Cao Yuchen’s argument, anyway.

The Celestial Demon Sect Leader knew that Cao Yuchen didn’t want to suffer the humiliation of going to the Black Dragon Hall either.

And the task of requesting aid from the Black Dragon Hall couldn’t be delegated to a Foundation Establishment Elder.

Under the circumstances, he, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader, had no choice but to accept the mission.

’It’s my own fault for being the weakest among the sect’s leadership.’

"Sect Leader, let me brief you on some things to keep in mind when you go to the Black Dragon Hall."

The meeting concluded with Supreme Elder Lu Yaoling giving instructions to the Celestial Demon Sect Leader.

「Not long after.」

His preparations complete, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader set off for the Black Dragon Hall.

As he left his sect’s territory, he had to be extremely cautious, fearing discovery by the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Spirit Refiners.

The more territory the Celestial Cloud Sect occupied within their domain, the easier it was for the Spirit Refiners in charge of intelligence to operate.

If news of his departure from the Celestial Demon Sect was discovered, his direction of travel would lead to many conclusions—the most likely being that he was heading to the Nascent Soul Influence, the Black Dragon Hall.

After leaving his sect’s territory, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader felt confident that he hadn’t been discovered. He had been very careful.

The Black Dragon Hall was a great distance from the Celestial Demon Sect, much farther than the journey from the Celestial Cloud Sect to the Purple Mist Sect.

On his way to the Black Dragon Hall, he tried to stick to the territories of Core Formation Demon influences.

Passing by the Withered Demon Sect, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader was somewhat surprised.

’When did the Withered Demon Sect become so chaotic?’

Demon Power and Yin Power were intertwined.

It seemed the Withered Demon Sect was fighting against the Ghost Cultivators from Mountain Ghost Valley.

The Celestial Demon Sect Leader didn’t get involved. For him, reaching the Black Dragon Hall was the most important thing.

As chaotic as the Withered Demon Sect’s territory was, it was still in far better shape than his own Celestial Demon Sect.

At least, from what he could see, the Withered Demon Sect’s territory near Mountain Ghost Valley hadn’t been occupied.

In contrast, the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory bordering the Celestial Cloud Sect had been completely taken over by Spirit Refiners from the Celestial Cloud Sect and its vassal Foundation Establishment Influences.

The Withered Demon Sect was far from his own sect. Although they both cultivated Demon Power, the two influences had few dealings with each other. As such, he, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader, knew little of their current situation. If they had interacted more, he would have been better informed.

This lack of interaction was another reason why he didn’t intervene.

He continued on his way.

With the passing of time, he successfully entered the Black Dragon Hall’s domain.

Having reached their territory, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader picked up his pace, eager to reach the Black Dragon Hall’s main sect as quickly as possible.

"Who goes there?"

"I am Lai Yunyi, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Demon Sect."

"Senior Lai, please wait a moment. I will go inform an Elder."

After arriving at the Black Dragon Hall and stating his identity, one of the disciples guarding the main gate vanished from his sight in a flash.

As expected of a Nascent Soul Influence, even the disciples guarding the gate were at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This was just one display of a Nascent Soul Influence’s profound resources.

"Senior Lai, our Elder Liu has agreed to see you. Please come with me."

"Very well."

The Celestial Demon Sect Leader nodded and followed the Black Dragon Hall disciple.

Since they followed the same cultivation path, it was fairly easy for a high-ranking member of a Core Formation Influence like himself to get an audience with an Elder from the Black Dragon Hall. Getting their help, however, was another matter entirely.

Among the instructions Lu Yaoling had given him was information regarding the Elder at the Black Dragon Hall responsible for receiving guests.

The Elder in charge of reception at the Black Dragon Hall was typically replaced only once every two or three centuries. Therefore, before leaving the Celestial Demon Sect, he had already gained some understanding of this Elder Liu.

Whether or not he could obtain the Black Dragon Hall’s support hinged on this crucial step: persuading the Elder who received him.

The Celestial Demon Sect did not have a clear vassal relationship with the Nascent Soul Influence of Black Dragon Hall. If such a relationship existed, securing their support would have been guaranteed.

Within the Qionglin Domain, Core Formation Influences and Nascent Soul Influences rarely had formal vassal relationships.

The relationship between them was more of an alternative partnership. Under this arrangement, a Core Formation Influence could potentially gain the support of a Nascent Soul Influence for a relatively small price, but it was also entirely possible they would receive no support at all.

This alternative partnership was fundamentally dominated by the Nascent Soul Influence; there was no notion of dialogue between equals.

"Fellow Daoist Liu."

Inside a dark hall.

The Celestial Demon Sect Leader met the Black Dragon Hall’s Elder Liu.

"Fellow Daoist Lai, spare me the pleasantries," Elder Liu of the Black Dragon Hall said, rising to his feet. "You’ve come representing the Celestial Demon Sect. For what purpose?"

As he spoke, he moved closer and closer to the Celestial Demon Sect Leader.

Elder Liu gave him no opportunity for polite talk.

Seeing this, the Celestial Demon Sect Leader decided against uttering the speech he had prepared.

According to his Supreme Elder, Lu Yaoling, when facing this Elder Liu, he was to simply go along with whatever the man said and never oppose him.

Following his lead was the most likely path to securing the Black Dragon Hall’s support.

"It’s like this, Fellow Daoist Liu. I have come to the Black Dragon Hall to seek aid."

"Aid?" Hearing this, Elder Liu of the Black Dragon Hall dug a finger in his ear. "Fellow Daoist Lai, you’re not misspeaking, are you? The Celestial Demon Sect needs *our* aid?"

Elder Liu felt as if he’d just heard a joke.

As the Elder in charge of reception for the Black Dragon Hall, he had a crystal-clear understanding of the power distribution throughout the Qionglin Domain.

The Celestial Demon Sect bordered not only the Demon Spirit Sect but also the Dragon Demon Palace—both of them Core Formation Influences of their fellow Demons.

The other two bordering Core Formation Influences were the Spirit Refiner sect, the Celestial Cloud Sect, and the Ghost Cultivator sect, the Black Ghost Cave.

From the Celestial Demon Sect’s perspective, this meant there were three Demon influences. The other two, non-Demon influences, were distinct from one another, creating a situation that looked more like three against one against one.

All things considered, it was an exceptionally advantageous geographical position!

In an environment like that, how could they possibly have problems?

Before the Celestial Demon Sect Leader could speak again, Elder Liu ventured a guess:

"Did your Celestial Demon Sect have a falling out with the Demon Spirit Sect? Or was it the Dragon Demon Palace?"

Currently, within the Qionglin Domain, the power of the Ghost Cultivators and Blood Demons was in no way inferior to that of the Demons. Therefore, one of the most fundamental strategies of both the Black Dragon Hall and the Demon King Valley was to ensure their fellow Demon Core Formation Influences did not fall into conflict.

Any conflicts could be brought to them for mediation.

"That’s not it." The Celestial Demon Sect Leader shook his head and explained, "The reason we need aid is because of the Spirit Refiner influence, the Celestial Cloud Sect."

"What?"