Aksai’s mind raced as he processed Haitin’s words.
‘Heretic Dao had other parts?’
He hadn’t expected that. When he first got his hands on the Heretic Talismanic Inheritance, he knew it was profound but also deceptively simple—something that fit his cultivation style perfectly.
But this revelation was far bigger than he could’ve imagined. The idea that the Heretic Dao extended into alchemy and array formations was mind-blowing.
For a moment, he forgot about Haitin’s presence and let his thoughts run wild. The recent unlocking of various facilities within the Enchanted Everwood Farm had given him an edge, but Aksai hadn’t fully capitalized on them yet.
He was biding his time, waiting to acquire an Aether Beast and officially begin his Aether Cultivation Path. Once that happened, he planned to go into seclusion on Emerald Cove and make full use of the farm’s potential.
However, there was one glaring problem: a lack of 2nd-order inheritance in key cultivation fields like alchemy and array formations.
While the Heretic Talismanic Inheritance gave him everything he needed to master talisman creation, his knowledge in other fields was fragmented and shallow. The books and tomes he had collected on alchemy and array formations were either borrowed, bought, or looted—each one disconnected and lacking the depth he needed.
Worse still, they didn’t sync up, leaving Aksai unable to transfer expertise from one field to another. What he needed was something that could unify these fields and allow him to excel in them all.
The Heretic Dao!
Was this the answer he was looking for?
If this Dao really spanned across multiple cultivation fields, and Haitin’s sect held the missing pieces, then this was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Not only could he complete the Talismanic Dao, but he could lay a solid foundation for his progress in alchemy and array formations as well.
Once he established that foundation, his growth in these fields would be rapid, especially with the facilities in the Enchanted Everwood Farm enhancing his efficiency, productivity, and rate of skill acquisition.
He could almost see it—the talisman creation workshop overflowing with high-quality talismans, his alchemy skills skyrocketing, and complex array formations taking shape with ease.
This could be the key to unlocking his full potential, and Aksai wasn’t one to miss out on such an opportunity.
Haitin, of course, had been watching him closely. Aksai’s silence and the gleam in his eyes hadn’t gone unnoticed. With a knowing smile, Haitin leaned forward slightly.
“I can see you’re intrigued, brother Aksai. It’s not every day someone stumbles upon a complete Heretic Dao, after all.
But let me be clear: I don’t think what we have will give you a complete Heretic Dao, and the same goes for us. Your inheritance alone wouldn’t be enough for us to have a full Heretic Dao either.
However, by sharing what we have, we can bring ourselves closer to that goal. Perhaps we can both benefit from this exchange. This opportunity is rare, but I won’t press you. Think it over.”
Aksai couldn’t help but marvel at Haitin’s approach. Was this guy really a demonic cultivator? It was strange how easy it was to do business with him, even compared to the righteous sects.
Normally, people in Haitin’s position, with power and leverage, would have taken advantage of the situation by now—pushed Aksai into a corner or at least subtly threatened him.
But instead, Haitin had been nothing but polite, reasonable even. It made Aksai uneasy.
People who acted too politely, without any obvious reason, always put Aksai on edge. He would have preferred dealing with one of those arrogant young masters who only knew how to take without giving anything in return. At least they were predictable.
With them, he could always expect greed, force, and underhanded tactics. Haitin, on the other hand, was an enigma. Here he was, in his own territory, surrounded by Foundation Building experts who could spring into action at any moment.
Haitin himself was no slouch, undoubtedly armed to the teeth with artifacts and treasures that would ensure his safety even if Aksai were ten times stronger.
In every technical sense, Aksai was Haitin’s diplomatic prisoner. They were both fully aware of their positions despite the polite words exchanged. If Haitin really wanted to, he could have pressured Aksai to hand over the Heretic Talismanic Inheritance.
He had all the cards: leverage, power, and even blackmail material. Yet, Haitin chose not to exploit any of it. Instead, he had come forward with a genuine offer, treating Aksai like a partner in a mutually beneficial deal.
To most, Haitin would seem reckless, maybe even foolish. But to Aksai, it was clear he was a different breed entirely—a genius, perhaps. And geniuses like Haitin were exhausting to deal with.
Finally, after a long pause, Aksai leaned back in his chair, shaking his head slightly. “Brother Haitin,” he began, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “There can’t be many demonic cultivators like you in the Wild Devil Lands, right? In fact,” he added, his eyes narrowing with curiosity, “let me ask you—are you really a demonic cultivator?”
Haitin chuckled, the sound soft but filled with amusement. “That’s an interesting question,” he said, his fingers idly tracing the rim of his teacup.
“What makes a demonic cultivator, brother Aksai? Is it the techniques we practice, or the reputation that precedes us? Because if it’s the latter, then yes, I am very much a demonic cultivator in the eyes of the world. But if it’s the former…” He paused, his gaze drifting for a moment as if considering his own words.
“Well, let’s just say that demonic cultivation is merely one path of many, and I’ve never been one to limit myself to a single road.”
Aksai raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the response. “So, what is it, then? The techniques? The philosophy?”
Haitin smiled knowingly.
“Both, and neither. Demonic cultivation is simply a tool, just like righteous cultivation. What are demonic cultivation techniques and Spirit spells? And how are they different from righteous techniques and spells? The answer lies in the way they operate on those who practice them,” Haitin explained.
It seemed neither Aksai nor Haitin was in a hurry to conclude their business.
Both chose to understand each other’s perspectives instead of rushing to see what the other had in store.