Vile Dominion

Chapter 62: The Gathering Storm

1 Week Later, Heavenly Dragon Sect, Eastern Continent

1st April, Year 15 of the Great Emperor Era

The Heavenly Dragon Sect was particularly lively today. Countless young men were gathered here and there, as it was time for the selection of new disciples.

The Heavenly Dragon Sect accepts disciples from all over the continent. It is well known that although spiritual imprints and talent depend on bloodlines, commoners often have a higher chance of possessing top-notch talent and spiritual imprints due to their larger population.

Among the crowd, a young man stood in an unremarkable area. He looked neither special nor shabby.

He glanced at everyone and murmured inwardly, "I must secure the first rank and rise to a higher position as soon as possible. Only then will I be able to have contact with the saintess!"

As he thought this, he recalled his master's words.

"Ye Fan, I have taught you many things and also given you a high-rank cultivation technique. Now, I will give you some advice. Go to the Heavenly Dragon Sect and get close to the saintess named Wang Xiaoyan. She possesses a Crystal Clear spiritual imprint, which will be very helpful for you in the future. Revenge is a double-edged sword; she might become a shield for you!"

He continued, "Don't forget to keep cultivating the Ten Thousand Venom Manual, especially the Eternal Nightshade mentioned in the last section! Even I have never been able to create Eternal Nightshade. It has the capability to kill even me!"

In this era, many young talents are emerging, and no one knows where hidden gems might be found. Ye Fan kept looking around and glancing at everyone. After studying for 15 years under the young man named Timeless, he had matured significantly and become much more cautious. He wouldn't underestimate his opponents, and thus he is keeping an eye on any possible candidate who could threaten him!

Northern Part of the Cloudy Plains, Western Continent

A black-robed man appeared out of thin air in front of He Fan. He bowed and then said slowly, "Leader, the preparation of the dead bodies is complete!"

Su Mei, who was nearby, asked, "Husband, what will you do with these hundred thousand dead bodies?"

He Fan smiled—a cold, calculating smile that barely reached his eyes. "These hundred thousand dead bodies belonged to warriors with at least Rank 3 cultivation. Their journey has ended, but their essence still remains, waiting to be harvested. There is a formation called the Heavenly Ascension Formation, a powerful formation that requires the aid of three Rank 7 warriors to set up. It sacrifices dead bodies, converting the latent potential left in their bloodlines to increase the blood power within us."

He paused, his gaze distant as if looking beyond the present moment. "Talent is nothing more than the reflection of the harmony between soul and body. The blood flowing within a warrior possesses a special essence that interacts with their spiritual imprint, strengthening the connection between body and soul and thus enhancing talent. This Heavenly Ascension Formation sacrifices the dead bodies to refine this essence and transfer it to the person in the formation. It will amplify their blood essence and, consequently, their talent."

As He Fan spoke, Su Mei sensed something deeper, something unspoken yet unmistakable in the space between them. There was more to his plan than he revealed.

He Fan murmured inwardly, "When I was a child, I sacrificed my natural talent and spiritual imprint to boost my archery skills using a forbidden technique. I shattered the natural order, breaking the balance between body and soul for power. This Heavenly Ascension Formation will allow me to reclaim what I lost. I will regain my talent. Yet, once I regain my true talent, I will sacrifice it again to restore my original spiritual imprint. The cycle will continue... an endless pursuit of power. For that, I will need more dead bodies to fuel this unending hunger."