Not far from his cave, amidst a cluster of shrubs, Jiang Fenghuo had already located three stalks of second-rank red herbs, guided by memory.
Crimson Serpent Grass. It was the primary ingredient for Qi Nourishing Pills, which could stabilize the Qi within a cultivator's Dantian—a great boon for those in the Qi Condensation stage.
Moreover, these were second-rank Crimson Serpent Grass, their effects truly extraordinary.
He drew his sword and deftly loosened the soil around one of the stalks. But before he could uproot it, a sound rustled from behind—
*Swish, swish.*
Jiang Fenghuo turned to see a tall, gaunt cultivator with slightly prominent cheekbones emerge.
He Zhuo. The man who had slain him in his first life.
"Eh? Is that Crimson Serpent Grass! Brother, it seems our luck is quite good..."
A smile spread across He Zhuo's face as he took a few steps closer to Jiang Fenghuo.
Jiang Fenghuo smiled in return. "Yes, our luck is truly remarkable. It seems that whatever one desires, it simply appears."
He Zhuo's smile faltered slightly as he pondered for a moment. "Brother, if I recall correctly, you are at the Middle-stage of the first level of Qi Condensation. You won't have a need for this Crimson Serpent Grass anytime soon. I, on the other hand, am at the Peak of the first level and require it to break through to the second."
"Let's do this," he continued. "Once you've gathered them, just give me two stalks. We are all fellow disciples of the same sect. When I break through to the second level, I shall surely repay you with four second-rank herbs. What say you?"
Hearing the exact same words He Zhuo had spoken in his first life, Jiang Fenghuo nodded. "Since I have no use for them, you may have all three."
Just as in his past life, he turned to leave without a second glance.
And just as expected, in his peripheral vision, He Zhuo's hands were silently forming hand-seals.
*Om!*
The sigil of a Fire Curse spell manifested.
But it was not only on He Zhuo's hands; Jiang Fenghuo had completed his own hand-seals as well.
A chill ran through He Zhuo's heart. This Jiang Fenghuo, who appeared so timid and fearful, had been plotting a sneak attack all along!
With a cold snort, He Zhuo pointed two fingers at Jiang Fenghuo, and the Fire Curse shot forth.
"I am at the Peak of the first level! Who could possibly slay me?!"
With a resounding *bang*, the two flames collided, but the triumphant smirk on He Zhuo's face froze.
"How can this be!"
He watched in disbelief as his own flame was utterly shattered by Jiang Fenghuo's, which blazed with far greater intensity.
In an instant, Jiang Fenghuo's Fire Curse enveloped He Zhuo's head. He had no time even to cry out, only a hoarse, gurgling plea escaped his throat.
To cast a Fire Curse with the spiritual power of the Middle-stage of the second level of Qi Condensation… it is truly a world apart from before.
Jiang Fenghuo drew his sword and thrust it straight into He Zhuo's chest. After a few seconds of struggle, He Zhuo fell limp.
This was the first time Jiang Fenghuo had killed someone. A certain nervousness was unavoidable, so...
Unsure if He Zhuo had drawn his last breath, he plunged the blade into his body several more times.
"That should ensure he's thoroughly dead."
Only then did Jiang Fenghuo realize his forehead was beaded with sweat. He hastily wiped it with his sleeve, then crouched down. Suppressing a wave of visceral nausea, he quickly plundered the corpse.
He took the five first-rank herbs from He Zhuo's person. As for the robes and the sword, he left them untouched. Anything that might arouse suspicion was to be avoided.
After collecting the Crimson Serpent Grass, he carried He Zhuo's naked body back to the cave. Now at the second level of Qi Condensation, carrying a man was effortless; even the uphill climb felt easier.
Then came the process: open the furnace, light the fire, and begin the refinement of a human.
Refining himself had taken an hour, but refining He Zhuo was quicker. Soon, a Human Pill was in his grasp.
A voice resonated from the Golden Light Sutra.
"Refining the evil man He Zhuo—who, for the sake of second-rank herbs, ambushed and murdered a fellow disciple, and who stole money from his fellow villagers to fund his journey to the Righteous Heart Sect—has condensed a golden light of Merit for the Sutra's master."
So, He Zhuo had committed more than one evil deed, all exposed by the Golden Light Sutra.
Jiang Fenghuo closed his eyes. Beside the initial orb of golden merit, a new speck of gold had appeared. It had not yet taken form, suggesting more good deeds were needed to complete it.
It must be due to the difference in degree between an "evil man" and a "Devil Cultivator." I was classified as a Devil Cultivator, hence the greater reward upon my own refinement.
No matter. It was time to consume the Human Pill.
"Hm? A Human Pill? No, no, that's not right at all!"
"That sounds like the work of some vile devil. This is no Human Pill—it is clearly a Pill of Benevolence!"
"I slay the wicked to enhance my strength, and with that enhanced strength, I eradicate more evil. I am, in truth, a great benefactor of this world. This pill... *sinister chuckle* ... is a Pill of Great Virtue."
Jiang Fenghuo grasped the Pill of Benevolence and instantly began to refine it.
For an ordinary cultivator with sixth-grade pseudo spiritual roots, advancing from the Middle-stage to the Late-stage of the second level would take half a year, if not a full one. Yet, Jiang Fenghuo crossed this threshold in a single step.
"Hmm, the conversion rate is much lower, as expected. Still, to refine a Peak first-level cultivator with my Middle-stage second-level cultivation base... thankfully, he also possessed Fire Spiritual Roots. It was just enough to break through to the Late-stage of the second level."
A glint of delight flashed in Jiang Fenghuo's eyes. His hands flew through a series of seals, and he pointed his index and middle fingers forward.
A bolt of lightning struck a rock before him, charring its surface black. The electricity crackled over the stone for several seconds before dissipating.
"He Zhuo had dual Wood and Fire Spiritual Roots and had cultivated this 'Lightning Curse' spell. The refining process extracted his memories of the spell!"
*sinister chuckle*, this *The Human Refining Demon Art* is a wondrous thing!
With it, slaying demons and defending the righteous path shall be my duty!
I, Jiang Fenghuo, pledge to purge this world of all evil!
It is for no other reason, of course. I simply cannot tolerate the existence of evil men and Devil Cultivators.
He recalled that someone in this secret realm had discovered a tomb, said to contain a second-grade, high-tier Cultivation Method. However, it was fraught with peril, and several disciples from his sect had died there.
Thus, in his second life, though Jiang Fenghuo had found the tomb, he had merely committed its location to memory and never ventured inside.
In this life, with his cultivation at the Late-stage of the second level of Qi Condensation, it was time to go!
"With this Cultivation Method, I can better slay demons and defend the righteous path."
Without further hesitation, Jiang Fenghuo strode out of the cave.
He soon found the tomb's entrance deep within the dense forest. Two figures were already standing there.
Sima Ming and Sima Hui, two brothers. Both were considered among the most talented of the several hundred disciples who had entered the sect with him.
In his previous lives, it was they who had obtained that Cultivation Method.
Jiang Fenghuo sensed their cultivation base; both were at the Middle-stage of the second level of Qi Condensation, quite remarkable for their generation.
But compared to a Devil Cultivator like him, they were still wanting.
"Brothers, is this a tomb?" Jiang Fenghuo asked as he approached.
Sima Ming nodded. "Indeed it is. However, my brother and I are of a timid nature and dare not enter."
Beside him, Sima Hui gave an awkward, self-deprecating smile.
Jiang Fenghuo narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Are there dangers within? Traps, or perhaps guardians?"
Sima Ming shook his head. "We know nothing of what lies inside."
Jiang Fenghuo said no more. There were only eight hours left before the secret realm closed. In the end, a total of seven disciples had perished in this tomb.
He surmised they were all killed by the Sima brothers.
They were not merely after the Cultivation Method; they were leveraging their superior strength to murder everyone who ventured down to seek treasure.
That way, all the valuables others had found in the secret realm would fall into their hands.
Yet, Jiang Fenghuo acted as if he sensed no conspiracy. He nodded with a smile. "In that case, allow me to scout ahead. If there are any treasures inside, I will call for you to come down, and we shall share them equally."
"Is that not too much to ask?"
"Nonsense. We are all disciples of the Righteous Heart Sect. We should aid and support one another."
The Sima brothers nodded eagerly. "Excellent, excellent."
Jiang Fenghuo lit a candle and stepped into the tomb.
It was not large. In the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he had traversed the long, narrow corridor and arrived at the sole burial chamber.
The shelf where the Cultivation Method should have been was bare.
From within the stone coffin, however, emanated the faint scent of blood.
Jiang Fenghuo walked to the sarcophagus. The lid was incredibly heavy; if not for his current cultivation at the Late-stage of the second level, he would not have been able to move it.
He pushed it open. Inside, just as he expected, were five corpses piled together.
"It seems it is time once again for me, Jiang Fenghuo, to rid the sect of its vermin."
Outside the tomb, after about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Sima brothers exchanged a glance.
"Something is amiss," said Sima Hui.
"Indeed," Sima Ming agreed. "Why has he been inside for so long, yet none of the traps we set have been triggered? Could it be that he has discovered a secret passage?"
"It seems we've underestimated him. Only at the first level of Qi Condensation, yet he managed to avoid all our traps…" Sima Hui mused. "He must be too afraid to come out now. This complicates things. What if another lamb for the slaughter happens to pass by?"
Sima Ming's voice grew resolute. "Let's go in. He could not escape."