The Seven Disciples of the Blood Demon

Led by Ling Yue Shan, Yang Fan followed him into the towering wooden structure, densely woven with restrictive barriers. The building was divided into several sections, each room surrounded by specific formations. The strength of these formations was so imposing that Yang Fan dared not extend his spiritual sense. His perception could only stretch faintly to his surroundings.

Upon entering this area, a sudden and overwhelming demonic aura pressed against Yang Fan, making his heart race. Occasionally, a spiritual sense swept by, making his soul tremble. "It seems the cultivators residing here are all at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, and they're all demonic cultivators," Yang Fan thought. He slightly restrained his own demonic energy, though his cold, expressionless face remained unchanged.

Before long, Ling Yue Shan brought Yang Fan to the door of one of the rooms. Even before approaching, a faint but piercing scent of blood emanated from within, chilling the bones and striking dread into the heart.

At the door, Ling Yue Shan knocked lightly and respectfully said, "My lord Blood Demon, I am Ling Yue Shan. Today, I bring another demonic rogue cultivator who is considering joining our ranks."

"Bring him in," a deep, emotionless voice responded, echoing like it came from the abyss of the deep sea.

"Yes," Ling Yue Shan acknowledged and pushed the door open, gesturing for Yang Fan to follow him inside.

Yang Fan's gaze quickly scanned the room's interior. The layout was simple, with a few meditation mats and some jade slips scattered on a wooden table. Various materials were piled on the floor—some of them, shockingly, were the bones of human cultivators or demonic beasts. The bloody stench inside the room was even more potent than outside, and at the center sat a man dressed in blood-red robes. He had hawk-like eyes and appeared to be in his thirties. His appearance was not handsome but rather emitted a sinister and cruel aura.

"Junior Stone Qianhan greets Senior Blood Demon," Yang Fan said calmly, bowing with a formal courtesy.

In the world of cultivation, the strong ruled, and one's position was determined solely by power. This principle held even more true within the demonic sects, where raw strength dictated all.

"Stone Qianhan? You must be a newly advanced Concentration Stage cultivator," the man in blood-red robes said indifferently, though a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.

"Yes, Senior. This junior recently broke through to the Concentration Stage. I heard rumors of many fellow cultivators gathering here and came out of curiosity to witness the excitement," Yang Fan replied, unperturbed by the oppressive gaze cast upon him. His face remained icy cold, unmoved by the pressure.

The blood-robed man was slightly surprised. He took another closer look at Yang Fan before asking with mild curiosity, "Though your cultivation level is low, your demonic aura is pure—far more so than the typical rogue cultivator. I wonder, where did you learn your arts?"

"My master is a reclusive figure, and before I completed my training, he made me swear an oath never to reveal his name," Yang Fan answered, flawlessly spinning a tale.

Thanks to his mastery of the "Withered Wood Technique," Yang Fan had honed his control over his body to an almost terrifying degree. Even when facing cultivators several stages stronger than himself, he could lie with ease, without the slightest change in his heartbeat or expression.

"Oh? I see," the blood-robed man's interest grew, and some of his earlier disdain faded. He introduced himself, "I am the seventh of the Seven Disciples of the Blood Demon. We have recently called upon demonic rogue cultivators to unite under one banner, so we may vie for the opportunity to enter the 'Nine Hells Secret Realm.'"

"The Seven Disciples of the Blood Demon?" Yang Fan's heart skipped a beat, though he quickly composed himself and replied, "I have long heard of your esteemed name. To join your ranks would be an honor beyond words."

Back in Yangjia Fortress, Yang Fan had already heard rumors of the infamous Seven Disciples. These seven brothers, all demonic cultivators, had no sect or master but practiced the deadly arts of blood magic. It was said that in their pursuit of power, they had slaughtered countless lives, extracting the blood and souls of both humans and beasts alike. Despite their cruel and nefarious reputation, their strength was undeniable, with the weakest among them being in the Foundation Establishment stage. Even when righteous cultivators banded together to fight them, the Seven Disciples always emerged unscathed.

Seeing the awe in Yang Fan's eyes, the seventh disciple laughed heartily, "Hahaha! Joining our ranks will not disappoint you. If the opportunity arises, we will bring you into the Nine Hells Realm to broaden your horizons."

"Yue Shan, take Stone Qianhan to register," the blood-robed man ordered, waving his hand dismissively.

After Yang Fan and Ling Yue Shan left, the seventh disciple's expression grew solemn as he spoke into the empty air, "Sixth brother, what do you make of him?"

A flash of red light shimmered in the air, and from the void appeared a young woman dressed in a crimson gown. Her figure was enchanting, her eyes filled with a seductive and mature charm. Smiling softly, she said, "Can't you tell this boy's true identity?"

"I sense a familiar aura but dare not jump to conclusions. Are you suggesting…" The seventh disciple's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hmph. Isn't it obvious? This boy is most likely a disciple of the 'Old Demon of Three Abysses,'" the woman replied indifferently.

"The Old Demon of Three Abysses!" The seventh disciple's body trembled, and his face paled. "Does that mean the Old Demon intends to target us, the Seven Disciples of the Blood Demon?"

The Old Demon of Three Abysses was a figure of legendary renown, having terrorized the Yu Yang cultivation world for centuries, universally acknowledged as the foremost demonic cultivator of his time. His very name struck fear into the hearts of all who heard it.

"Are you certain this boy is the Old Demon's disciple?" the seventh disciple asked anxiously.

"I'm about seventy percent sure. I've met Chu Yunhan, the Old Demon's most recent disciple, and the demonic energy radiating from this boy is strikingly similar. According to Chu Yunhan, his master gathers demonic prodigies from across the land to aid in perfecting the 'Three Abysses Divine Demon Art.'"

"The Three Abysses Divine Demon Art? Isn't that just an incomplete version of the 'Nine Hells Divine Demon Art'? It's said that the most powerful technique of that art is the 'Three Abysses Demonic Flame,' which terrorized the Yu Yang Kingdom for centuries."

The seventh disciple's face grew even more solemn. "What could the Old Demon's disciple be doing here? I'll have to interrogate Ling Yue Shan later and find out how he came across this Stone Qianhan."

"No need to worry too much," the young woman said nonchalantly. "The Old Demon of Three Abysses sits high above in the cultivation world and wouldn't stoop to target us. Moreover, our master and the Old Demon were once peers, both grandmasters of the demonic path. Their relationship has always been good."

"I hope that's true. Someone of the Old Demon's caliber could be making moves that we can't even begin to fathom," the seventh disciple sighed.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ling Yue Shan led Yang Fan into another room, where he was handed a black jade pendant.

"As long as you infuse this identity pendant with your demonic energy, it will recognize your aura. Afterward, as long as you're within a thousand miles, we'll be able to sense each other's location. If you exceed that range, the connection weakens, but we can still determine a general direction," Ling Yue Shan explained.

The person handing out the pendant was a gaunt, elderly cultivator at the late Concentration Stage, who barely glanced at Yang Fan.

After receiving the pendant, Ling Yue Shan took Yang Fan around the camp to introduce him to a few other demonic rogue cultivators of similar strength. Strangely, Yang Fan noticed that Ling Yue Shan's attitude toward him had grown more respectful and cautious.

"By the way, Brother Stone, I'll be heading out soon to handle some business. Do you think that will interfere with the opening of the 'Nine Hells Secret Realm'?" Yang Fan asked.

His original reason for leaving Fog Willow Town was to head to the capital to meet with **Xi, with this detour to the Nameless Abyss simply being a stop along the way. However, this diversion had granted him valuable knowledge and insights.

"The exact timing of the Nine Hells opening is hard to predict, even for high-level cultivators, but it's believed it will occur sometime in the next few years. If you need to leave, you can inform Lord Blood Demon in advance," Ling Yue Shan replied.

"High-level cultivators? If they enter the Nine Hells as well, what chance do we stand?" Yang Fan asked in confusion.

Ling Yue Shan laughed, "No need to worry about that. I've never heard of high-level cultivators entering the Nine Hells. Haven't you noticed? Only those below Foundation Establishment gather here. You won't find any high-level cultivators around."

"I see," Yang Fan nodded, confirming his own suspicions. If there were no limitations on cultivation, low-level cultivators like him would have no chance of entering the Nine Hells.

Ling Yue Shan then helped Yang Fan set up a tent within the rogue cultivators' camp. "Brother

 Stone, if you ever need assistance in the future, don't hesitate to find me," Ling Yue Shan offered with a sly smile.

Yang Fan nodded and exchanged a few more pleasantries before settling into his new temporary quarters. As he sat cross-legged in the tent, he couldn't help but muse over the day's events.

"The Seven Disciples of the Blood Demon, the Nine Hells Secret Realm, and the possibility of high-level cultivators lurking in the shadows…"