In Li Muyang’s understanding, demon cultivators from the old era matched the stereotypical image of demonic beings from the Demon Path.
However, starting from a certain period, there was a technological explosion in the cultivation system of the Demon Path.
Sects like the Refinement Demon Sect continuously introduced new demon cultivation techniques, replacing the old methods that relied on killing and blood consumption—practices that exhausted resources.
For instance, the bipedal goats under Li Muyang’s previous care were a high-class substitute for ordinary humans.
The soul of a bipedal goat could equate to ten ordinary humans in the demon cultivation world.
Moreover, the blood of the bipedal goat was demonic blood, which could be used both for demon cultivation and Artifact Refining.
The flesh and bones of the bipedal goat could also be used for Artifact Refining, truly making it a treasure all around.
Beasts like the bipedal goat were extensively bred within the Refinement Demon Sect.
Discarding traditional methods like killing for cultivation, demon cultivators began to enclose territories and rule over ordinary people, interacting with them in more mundane ways.
This also resulted in a lower threshold for becoming a demon cultivator and an overall increase in their number.
After all, the current cultivation system mainly relied on resources.
With sufficient resources, while it might not be possible to cultivate a peerless expert, it could certainly produce a large number of weak cultivators.
As a major faction of the Demon Path, the Refinement Demon Sect naturally had plentiful resources for demon cultivation.
In the bustling marketplace of the outer sect, amid an array of stalls, Li Muyang quickly found the demonic blood he needed.
The resource division in the cultivation world was crude and simple: ordinary, low, medium, high grade, and the legendary immortal grade.
And the jar of demonic blood that Li Muyang found was of the lowest ordinary grade, blood from low-level beasts like the bipedal goats.
The vendor was a middle-aged man with a rigid expression and a body reeking of blood, clearly someone involved with pastoral work in the outer sect.
Disciples tasked with menial jobs like this easily had access to cultivation resources such as demonic blood, skin, bones, or even souls.
Li Muyang casually asked for the price, and purchased the jar of demonic blood without any haggling.
The vendor, surprised by his swift payment, raised an eyebrow.
“Young brother, you’re not bargaining?” the usually expressionless vendor finally showed a change in expression.
Li Muyang smiled cheerfully and said, “Your price is quite fair, not expensive, and there’s no need to bargain.”
Li Muyang took all the money out of his purse, quickly counted it, and then paid in full with Silver Tael.
After paying for the jar of demonic blood, Li Muyang was left with only two coins of Silver Tael.
The vendor gave him a deep look and then glanced at Li Muyang’s nearly empty purse, and said, “Young brother, that was very straightforward!”
“If you need more demonic blood or other cultivation materials in the future, you can come to me. I like dealing with straightforward people and will definitely give you a discount,” offered the vendor.
The vendor added, “I am called Tie Qifeng.”
Li Muyang nodded cheerfully, “Alright, I will definitely come to you, brother, if I need something next time.”
Without giving his own name, Li Muyang took the demonic blood he wanted and walked away, clutching the jar.
The marketplace was bustling with noise, as disciples of the Refinement Demon Sect’s outer sect gathered in droves, creating a cacophony.
Among the loudest spots were the colorfully decorated brothels.
Even from a distance, one could see the lightly-dressed girls on the upper floors boldly flaunting their figures to attract clients.
Li Muyang took a long look from afar, then looked again.
As a normal man, to say he was uninterested would be untrue.
But he didn’t plan to go.
Perhaps it was just a roadside stall, looking dirty and cheap, but irresistibly tempting, always catching his eye as he passed by.
Li Muyang, holding the freshly bought demon blood, left the market and quickly returned to his little hut.
The setting sun’s afterglow spilled over the mountains as Li Muyang filled a bucket with water in his room and then poured a third of the demon blood from the jar into it.
As the demon blood blended into the clear water, a pungent, intense smell of blood instantly permeated the room.
Li Muyang covered his nose and frowned, the smell was even stronger than he had expected.
Still, he gritted his teeth, stripped off his clothes, and lay down in it.
Practicing the Remnant Cloud Movement Technique was not difficult, the challenge was the process of cultivation, as the pain during the demon blood body refinement was intense, causing significant damage to the body. Most people, after one session, needed a long break to recuperate before they could continue their cultivation.
However, as Li Muyang lay in this diluted demon blood, channeling the spiritual energy in his body, he found that the anticipated intense pain throughout his body did not occur.
Guided by the spiritual energy, the demon blood threads soaked into Li Muyang’s flesh without the acute pain described in the secret manuals, instead it felt cool and quite soothing.
This blood, seeping into his body, did not damage Li Muyang’s physique either.
It seems that the system’s exemption not only covered usage costs but also exempted the costs of cultivation.
Li Muyang lay in the stinky, pungent demon blood, and took a long breath of relief.
In his previous life, he was not exactly diligent, his ultimate goal being to live a life free from worries about food and clothing.
But now transported to another world, he had the chance to change his fate, and Li Muyang didn’t mind becoming a true striver, to put in a burst of effort.
With such an advantage attached to him, only a little more effort could equate to the achievements of many years, or even decades for ordinary people, why then should he not strive?
Soaking in the stinky, pungent demon blood, Li Muyang tightly closed his eyes and fully concentrated on operating his demon skills.
The spiritual energy within him continuously drew the essence of the demon blood, and faint demonic patterns began to emerge on his skin.
The Remnant Cloud Movement Technique required three training sessions to succeed—the higher the grade of demon blood used, the more severe the damage to the body, but the greater the increase in speed.
Normally, for someone at the Qi Cultivation Realm, using ordinary-grade demon blood for body refinement was already the limit.
But now that the system had exempted Li Muyang from the costs of cultivation, perhaps he could consider using higher-grade demon blood for refining?
However, before that, he couldn’t waste the jar of ordinary-grade demon blood.
Li Muyang sat in the wooden barrel for a full three hours, while outside the sky transitioned from a sunset glow to deep night.
Only after three hours did Li Muyang exhale deeply and stood up from the barrel.
By then, the water in the barrel was clean and clear, all the demon blood absorbed.
But Li Muyang didn’t plan to rest.
His eyes gleaming, he directly got up and poured more demon blood from the jar into it.
Ordinary people needed a long recovery after one session of demon blood body refinement before they could undergo a second session.
But Li Muyang was different; having finished refining with demon blood, he felt no discomfort in his body at all.
Thus, Li Muyang decided to continue with the second demon blood body refinement session, hoping to complete the Remnant Cloud Movement Technique that very night.
He could handle staying up all night!
Before, Li Muyang thought Guan Xiaoshun was a hard worker, but now he seemed to be the same.
But it didn’t matter, both could strive!
Now striving to be the best, so he could later comfortably laze around like a salted fish!