The Demon Fiends have retreated!

The entirety of Ten Directions City had been under siege. Now, countless Demon Fiends were receding like the tide, departing as swiftly as they had come, leaving behind only devastation and deep scars.

The city walls had crumbled into jagged, broken ramparts. Rubble lay scattered across the ground, and a thick pall of dust filled the air.

The surrounding vegetation had been trampled into a desolate wasteland, the plants withered and dead.

Bloodstains were everywhere, and shattered weapons littered the ground. The acrid smell of blood assaulted the nostrils, chilling one to the bone.

The sky remained oppressively dark, choked with black clouds, as lightning tore through the gloom.

A cold wind howled, whipping up the dust from the ground and making the chaotic world seem even more barren.

Looking back into the city, even the outskirts of Ten Directions City had been reduced to utter ruins.

Buildings had collapsed, and dust choked the air. The streets were dilapidated, and the ruins reeked of decay.

And yet, from the city's core to its outer limits, there were few corpses of Cultivators or Demon Fiends to be seen—only endless destruction.

Why were there no bodies?

If any flesh and blood remained, Cultivators and Demon Fiends who had achieved Immortality could potentially resurrect. Therefore, to truly kill a Cultivator at the Visceral Stone Realm or higher, one had to ensure their complete and utter annihilation.

Once they were confirmed dead, no body would be left behind.

This was perhaps the only benefit that Cultivators and Demon Fiends brought to the world.

Most Cultivators and Demon Fiends left no corpse upon death to pollute the environment. They came with nothing, and they left with nothing.

Inside and outside Ten Directions City, the number of Cultivators was now far fewer than before the Demon Fiends' assault.

The remaining Cultivators were now cheering, venting their pent-up fury while also enduring the painful price of their survival.

Without exception, all of them had used Pain Amplification during the great battle, delaying its cost.

But it wasn't just their power that was amplified; the price was as well.

One Cultivator, laughing, suddenly collapsed to the ground. He began frantically clawing at the dirt with all his might, trying to dig a hole to bury himself in as his body continuously festered, oozing yellow pus.

Another Cultivator's body fell to pieces, and countless black insects crawled out from within, devouring his flesh and blood.

Another, originally a man, felt his flesh and blood begin to twist and contort until, moments later, he had transformed into a woman. Bleeding from all seven orifices, she collapsed and began making strange movements, stirring lust in the eyes of many nearby Cultivators.

Many more suddenly lost control, recklessly attacking anyone nearby.

Though the Demon Fiends had retreated, the Cultivators, now suffering their various prices, began to act like madmen. They looked no different from the Demon Fiends themselves.

Of course, quite a few Cultivators, completely losing their minds, gave chase to the retreating Demon Fiends.

But no one tried to stop them. If they wanted to die, let them. It was no one's business but their own.

Ten Directions City had been defended. This was a great merit! A great merit for everyone! As the ruling power, the Golden Thread Pavilion would not be stingy.

Though they were suffering, they were also ecstatic. They laughed one moment and cried the next, paying no mind to matters of life and death.

Inside the Ten Directions Palace, it wasn't long before a stream of people began to enter one after another.

Without exception, Yang An couldn't see through their Cultivation Levels. Every person who could enter this place had a higher Cultivation Level and was stronger than him.

However, their expressions weren't entirely natural, and their behavior was somewhat odd.

Perhaps because they had taken action earlier, they were now also enduring the consequences. But with Elder Zhuan Yu present, they all chose to forcibly conceal their suffering.

And naturally, Yang An, at only the Middle Stage of Corpse Transformation, standing behind the main seat, behind Elder Zhuan Yu, immediately drew a great deal of attention.

But with Elder Zhuan Yu in attendance, he was naturally the center of attention. They all just gave Yang An a questioning glance before looking away and bowing respectfully to the Elder.

All except for one man, a hunchback with a full head of white hair.

It was the man who had previously seen Yang An use Light Magic to exterminate the Demon Fiends entering Ten Directions City, the one who had met him once before.

He was, in fact, Ding Luo, the State Lord of Celestial Wei State, which neighbored Celestial Jing State.

His gaze toward Yang An was filled with shock. He never imagined Yang An would be here, much less standing in that position!

'This is bad,' he thought. 'From the looks of it, Yang An's relationship with Elder Zhuan Yu is anything but ordinary. I sent him to guard the city wall, putting him in mortal danger. Elder Zhuan Yu isn't going to blame me for that, is he?'

Ding Luo's mind raced, trying to figure out how he would exonerate himself if Elder Zhuan Yu did decide to blame him.

Yang An, meanwhile, noticed him but paid no mind to their previous encounter.

'Back then, I was disguised and had infiltrated the city to fish in troubled waters. It's not unreasonable for an ordinary Cultivator to be sent to the walls to fight Demon Fiends.' He naturally didn't dwell on such a thing.

If Ding Luo knew what Yang An was thinking, who knows what he would have felt.

"I came this time solely for the matter of the demon scourge. Now that the Demon Fiends have retreated and Ten Directions City is safe, the remaining affairs are, of course, for you to handle.

However, I will report everything that happened here, including the casualties, to the Pavilion Master in full detail. He will be the one to pass judgment, so there is no need for any of you to make excuses."

As Elder Zhuan Yu spoke slowly, everyone below—be they Elders, State Lords, or members of other great powers—dared not even breathe too loudly.

Upon hearing Elder Zhuan Yu's words, their expressions all grew incredibly tense.

Originally, resisting the Demon Fiends should have been a meritorious deed for them. If they had managed to find and control the Immortal Origin Land, it would have been an even greater one.

But the Demon Fiends had attacked in overwhelming numbers, far exceeding everyone's expectations and plunging Ten Directions City into peril. If Elder Zhuan Yu hadn't intervened, the Demon Fiends would likely not have retreated so easily.

For them, this matter was a failure—and a major one at that!

If Elder Zhuan Yu truly reported this to the Pavilion Master, then those in charge would suffer. The best possible outcome would be for their merits and demerits to cancel each other out, leaving them with nothing.

But just then, Elder Zhuan Yu suddenly chuckled and changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, this trip to Ten Directions City wasn't a total loss. I am quite pleased to have taken on a very talented disciple. That has been the one thing that has made me happy."

Elder Zhuan Yu set down his cup, casually gestured toward Yang An behind him, and smiled at the crowd.

The beaming smile on his face all but screamed, 'This is a joyous occasion! If you have anything to say, say it now. You still have time before I return to the Golden Thread Pavilion.'

Everyone below looked at Yang An in unison, then back at Elder Zhuan Yu's expression, and instantly understood.

One sentence, he was talking about reporting matters to the Pavilion Master upon his return to the Golden Thread Pavilion. The very next, he had pivoted to his newly accepted disciple.

'This isn't an introduction of his disciple; this is him giving us a chance!'

"Congratulations, Elder, on accepting a beloved disciple! This is the Demon Heart of a six-hundred-year-old Sugi Demon. Please accept it as a congratulatory gift."

The quickest to react had already retrieved a valuable item from their Storage Magical Artifact and presented it with a look of delight.

Elder Zhuan Yu laughed heartily and pointed to a side table, motioning for the person to place it there.

Where there was a first, a second soon followed. Even a fool would know what to do at a time like this.

"A gift for the Elder. This is an ancient artifact I obtained from Tripod Martial Divine Mountain. This item is quite wondrous..."

Someone took out a palm-sized Jade Slab, its luster translucent and clearly extraordinary.

"In my early years, I obtained a painted scroll. One can enter it and witness an earthly paradise..."

Someone presented a vividly lifelike painting.

"This is the Fairy Bihan, which I spent two years refining from the flesh and blood of countless young maidens. She can change size, has never been sullied, and I have been waiting for this day to present her to you, Elder..."

This person then took out an exquisite, tiny figure from his Storage Magical Artifact.

The tiny person was only the size of a finger, dressed in an antique-style long dress, her posture light and graceful, her figure lithe and enchanting.

Her features were well-defined on her oval face, her skin snow-white, giving her a bewitching and moving appearance.

A cascade of black hair was coiled at the back of her head, outlining a delicate neck and a noble, dignified aura. Her slender eyebrows were like brushstrokes, and her pair of limpid eyes seemed exceptionally bright, as if they could see into a person's heart.

She truly looked like a fairy descended from the heavens, a beauty not of the mortal world.

'Can you even do that?'

'Is that a doll?'

Standing behind Elder Zhuan Yu, Yang An was dumbfounded. Everyone else was offering gifts, but this guy was special—he was offering a person.

'Tch! Shameless!'

Before long, a small mountain of gifts had piled up on the side table next to Elder Zhuan Yu, overflowing with all sorts of Spiritual Objects and Magical Artifacts.

And Elder Zhuan Yu was all smiles, showing considerable interest in these items.

At that moment, Ding Luo, one of the State Lords, slowly stepped forward. He first presented an item to Elder Zhuan Yu, but then his gaze shifted to Yang An as he offered another object from his hands.

It was a black Scale Armor Arm Guard, covered in countless fine, blood-red threads. It appeared to be a Magical Artifact.

"This Magical Artifact is one I refined in my earlier years. As long as it is fed Spiritual Objects to devour, it can unleash a single strike with power comparable to the Early Stage of Zombie God. It is a fitting gift for the Elder's Disciple's protection."

'Huh?'

The item was being offered to Yang An. He gave Ding Luo a surprised look. He remembered the man, but he didn't understand why Ding Luo was trying to curry favor with him as well.

'Could it be because he sent me to the city wall earlier, and he's afraid Elder Zhuan Yu will hold it against him?'

It was the only reason he could think of, and he couldn't help but glance at Elder Zhuan Yu.

"Since it was given to you, just accept it. While we're at it, if there's anything else you want, speak up. Today's occasion is worth celebrating. Just consider it a welcoming gift from your master."

Elder Zhuan Yu said with a smile, clearly in a very good mood.

Yang An was happy to accept Elder Zhuan Yu's magnanimity, even if it was with others' gifts. It would be a waste not to take what was offered.

Since he had accepted the status of a disciple, it was only right that he enjoy the corresponding benefits.

He was a little surprised, though. This new master of his seemed to be pretty decent.

He accepted the Magical Artifact from Ding Luo and confirmed from the information box that popped up before his eyes that it was indeed a fine item. He placed it in his Meat Burial Talisman and then looked toward the crowd below.

"I wonder, which of the State Lords present is the State Lord of Zichuan State? My Sect is newly established within the jurisdiction of San Valley City and requires a Golden Thread Sect Seal. Would the honorable State Lord of Zichuan State be able to grant my request?"