While Han Li was contemplating, the black-faced old man continued to speak incessantly:
"...We can't determine the true cultivation level of the leader of the Black Fiend Sect. He also has powerful guards like the four Blood Envoys we encountered today. With just us, we are definitely not their match. So, I suggest Senior not to provoke them actively. It's best to wait for reinforcements..."
"Don't worry, the leader of the Black Fiend Sect is at most at the late Foundation Establishment stage and not a Nascent Soul cultivator."
Han Li suddenly interrupted the old man's words, speaking with absolute certainty.
This statement caught the black-faced old man off guard, instantly filling him with joy, while the others also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they didn't understand why Han Li was so certain, they trusted his judgment. If Senior Han said so, then it must be true! They had been discussing earlier what to do if the enemy was a Nascent Soul cultivator. If that were the case, they would have to flee in embarrassment, even if reinforcements from the seven sects arrived.
Now, with Han Li's statement, the Four Friends of Mount Meng felt reassured.
"Senior, could you please enlighten us? The steward we interrogated knew nothing about the leader of the Black Fiend Sect's cultivation level!" The young man, who had recovered somewhat from the blow dealt by Fifth Sister, spoke up, wanting clarification.
"Fourth Brother, what nonsense is this? Since Senior Han said so, he must be fully confident." The black-faced old man reprimanded the young man sternly.
Han Li smiled faintly at their exchange and calmly said, "There's nothing to keep secret about this! This information comes from the leader's need to judge Foundation Establishment cultivators for blood sacrifices."
Han Li's voice was steady as he began to explain.
"Although our Yellow Maple Valley doesn't delve deeply into demonic arts, we still have some understanding of blood sacrifices, a wicked technique used to absorb the essence and blood of other cultivators to enhance one's own cultivation. While this method can greatly increase a cultivator's power in a short period, it comes with fatal flaws. It only works on cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage, and once the blood sacrifice is performed, the cultivator is doomed to remain in the Foundation Establishment stage for life, unable to advance to the Core Formation stage. Moreover, there's a high risk of backlash, and practitioners often fall into demonic cultivation and die. Consequently, practitioners of this method have been gradually eliminated by both the righteous and demonic factions."
"However, I've heard that some practitioners of the demonic path were reluctant to give up this rapid method of cultivation. They developed a variation of blood sacrifice that targets the souls of cultivators rather than their blood essence. This method, known as Soul Sacrifice, is not as rapid in cultivation speed as the original blood sacrifice, but it avoids the risks of being stuck at Foundation Establishment and backlash. This method is kept secret among high-ranking members of the demonic path to avoid detection by the cultivation world. And it's said that there are many restrictions on its use."
Han Li revealed these hidden secrets about blood sacrifices in one breath, broadening the horizons of the Four Friends of Mount Meng. They also understood why Han Li was so confident; the leader of the Black Fiend Sect was only at the Foundation Establishment level. Clearly, the Black Fiend Sect practiced the original form of blood sacrifice.
"We have uncovered the general details of the Black Fiend Sect, but that bald brute managed to escape. The Black Fiend Sect might be aware of our situation now and could abandon their stronghold. If that happens, they'll go from being in the open to hiding, which would be disadvantageous for us," the second among the group suddenly recalled, expressing concern.
