They weren’t the only ones to be having such a reaction. Throughout the Spirit Stream Sect, virtually all hearts were pulsing with killing intent. Some chose to hold it in, some gave voice to it. Either way, a spirit rose up that could shake heaven and earth, filling all of the mountain peaks that made up the sect.

Bai Xiaochun had just returned, and hadn’t been present for all of the Spirit Stream Sect’s war preparations. However, he could well imagine what had gone on. As of this moment, everyone in the sect was completely united in their desire to fight!

Hou Yunfei turned to Bai Xiaochun and said, “Xiaochun, considering you’ve been gone for a while, you might not have heard the news from the Blood Stream Sect. A terrifying Chosen rose up there, someone named Nightcrypt. He was even promoted to be the blood master of their Middle Peak!”

“What?” Bai Xiaochun had been in the middle of worrying about the war between the two sects when Hou Yunfei’s words struck his ears, causing him to narrow his eyes.

“That’s right. Beihan Lie, Ghostfang, Shangguan Tianyou, and I all made an agreement. If we catch sight of this Nightcrypt, we’ll all join forces to kill him immediately. Xiaochun, when the time comes, you have to help too, alright?!” Hou Yunfei’s eyes flickered with the desire to kill. After reaching Earthstring Foundation Establishment, he had changed in fundamental ways. He was now his own man. However, in the end, he continued to value his friendships more than anything else.

Bai Xiaochun’s heart was pounding. Licking his lips, he was just about to reply, when the killing intent around him erupted at the mention of Nightcrypt’s name. Even Xu Baocai was gritting his teeth in anger.

Big Fatty Zhang’s eyes burned as if with fire, and of the group, only Hou Xiaomei seemed to look a little frightened.

“That Nightcrypt is completely vicious,” someone said, snorting coldly, “and has killed too many people to count. Based on the news I heard, he loves to drink human blood. In fact, if he doesn’t drink blood on a daily basis, he goes on a rampage. I heard it has something to do with the techniques he cultivates.”

“He drinks human blood?” Bai Xiaochun said, eyes going wide. It seemed completely incredulous. As far as he could remember, he had never done anything even similar to that.

“I heard that Nightcrypt has a completely twisted personality,” someone else said. “He’s a total pervert! He even has a bad reputation in the Blood Stream Sect. However, he’s so ferocious that nobody there even dares to stand up to him.”

“He’s a pervert? He has a twisted personality...?” Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath. For some reason, these descriptions didn’t seem like him at all....

“That’s nothing,” Xu Baocai said with a growl of hatred. “I heard that he’s addicted to refining corpses. How terrifying!!”

Bai Xiaochun’s eyes went even wider.

Everyone seemed to want to top the others in terms of what they knew about Nightcrypt.

“In the end, though, he’s truly a Chosen. At first nobody knew who he was, and he was only in Mortal-Dao Foundation Establishment. Despite that, he actually defeated Xuemei and the Middle Peak grand elder. He even crushed Song Que! That’s how he became the blood master!”

“I even heard that one of the Blood Stream Sect’s patriarchs took him as an adopted son....”

“Nightcrypt’s Dao of medicine is completely devilish. That’s why they call him Plaguedevil....”

As soon as people brought up the Dao of medicine and the Plaguedevil moniker, people began to look over at Bai Xiaochun. His heart was now racing.

“Is this Nightcrypt really so bad?” Bai Xiaochun blurted subconsciously. “Those are all probably just rumors....” However, as soon as he finished speaking, Big Fatty Zhang clenched his hands into fists.

Worried that Bai Xiaochun might not take the matter seriously, he said, “Xiaochun, you have no way of knowing this, but Nightcrypt’s most terrifying aspect isn’t his brutality, but his augury magic. There’s nothing he can’t figure out! With the snap of his fingers, he can come to know anything in the heavens or on earth. In fact, he divined everything there was to know about you! We absolutely have to wipe this guy out of existence!”

Everyone around him nodded gravely.

Bai Xiaochun looked at Big Fatty Zhang with wide eyes, thinking back to everything that had occurred when he came back as Nightcrypt....

Xu Baocai gritted his teeth and said, “That’s right. We can’t let that bastard live. Dammit! If I could have divine abilities like his, I could die without regret. Based on what I’ve heard, there are already about ten different cliques in the sect which have formed, all devoted solely to killing Nightcrypt.

“The legacy echelon cultivators released a statement that they vowed to kill him, and even the prime elders have plans in place. I also heard that the sect leader offered a big reward for his head!

“Once the fighting starts, Nightcrypt is going to be killed beyond the shadow of a doubt!”

The closer Bai Xiaochun and his friends got to Mount Daoseed, the more beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead. He felt wronged, of course. During his time as Nightcrypt, he hadn’t done anything to offend so many people to the point where they should want to kill him.

That was especially true when he heard that the legacy echelon and the prime elders were planning to kill him, and that his own Elder Brother sect leader was offering a reward for him. Bai Xiaochun’s heart was pounding, and even as he prepared to say something, a voice suddenly echoed out from Mount Daoseed. It was none other than Sect Leader Zheng Yuandong.

“Bai Xiaochun, come see me immediately!”

“What?!” Bai Xiaochun immediately got nervous and jumpy, and even reached up to rub his own face and make sure he wasn’t wearing the Nightcrypt mask. To the surprise of all his friends, he nervously bid them farewell and then flew toward the hall where Zheng Yuandong awaited him.

After arriving, he hesitated outside for a moment before taking a deep breath and then entering the hall. After looking around, he saw Zheng Yuandong standing with his back to him, hands clasped at his waist.

Flickering lamplight lit the hall, which also seemed to be filled with a pulsating pressure. Bai Xiaochun had been a bit guilty before, but now started to get more nervous.

“Sect Leader, Elder Brother....”

“Bai Xiaochun, what gall you have!” Zheng Yuandong said, spinning in place, his eyes flashing like lightning. His voice boomed like thunder, and his cultivation base flared, emitting the pressure of the great circle of Foundation Establishment. He was only a hair away from the Core Formation stage!

If it had been a mere matter of cultivation base pressure, Bai Xiaochun wouldn’t have been worried at all. But he already feared both Zheng Yuandong and Li Qinghou, and to hear his Elder Brother berating him angrily caused Bai Xiaochun to immediately leap to the conclusion that he knew about the Nightcrypt situation....

“Elder Brother sect leader, I know I made a mistake....” he said, looking like he was on the verge of tears. In his mind, if the sect leader knew that he was Nightcrypt, then the best thing to do was admit fault.

“You’re quite the daredevil aren’t you?” Zheng Yuandong said furiously. “Do you even think before causing so much trouble? You asked to go out and gain experience, and that was fine, but then you went so far as to hide your aura? Do you know how many villains are out there looking for you? Did you know that the four blood masters of the Blood Stream Sect swore an oath to kill you? If they found you, you would never have been able to escape!!

“The only thing the sect could do was spread word that you were in secluded meditation, and secretly search for you. We turned the whole Eastwood Continent upside down trying to find you!”

Bai Xiaochun blinked a few times, then breathed a sigh of relief. Moved, he bowed his head meekly and admitted the error of his ways.

Zheng Yuandong scolded him a bit more, and when he was satisfied with Bai Xiaochun’s expression, he snorted coldly. By this point, he could see that Bai Xiaochun’s cultivation base was already in the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and his eyes softened a bit. However, he still seemed angry.

“Fine. I’m not going to ask about why you concealed your aura, or where you went. You’re not a kid anymore, and you know how to behave yourself.... The real reason I called you here was to assign you a mission!”

Bai Xiaochun could tell from the sect leader’s body language that he’d gone a bit too far by leaving and concealing his aura. Trying to look stalwart, he slapped his chest and growled, “Elder Brother, just say the word. Even if it involves climbing mountains of blades and swimming through seas of burning oil, I won’t even frown, no matter what you say!”

Bai Xiaochun wanted to put on an impressive show, but he also didn’t want to commit to anything specific. Although his words were impressive-sounding, he hadn’t actually said that he would accept the mission.

Zheng Yuandong swished his sleeve dramatically and said, “The Spirit Stream Sect is about to go to war with the Blood Stream Sect. Your mission is, should you encounter the chance on the battlefield, you are to cut down the weakest of the Blood Stream Sect’s four blood masters, Nightcrypt!”

“Huh?” Bai Xiaochun thought. He felt like he was about to go crazy. The Blood Stream Sect wanted him to kill Bai Xiaochun, and the Spirit Stream Sect wanted him to kill Nightcrypt....

The idea of trying to figure out a way to kill himself was so puzzling that Bai Xiaochun couldn’t help but frown.

Zheng Yuandong could see the odd expression on his face, and looked at him suspiciously.

“What’s wrong? All of the Blood Stream Sect blood masters deserve to die!”

More nervous than ever, Bai Xiaochun thumped himself on the again and said, “Elder Brother sect leader, don’t worry. This Nightcrypt has a twisted personality, and loves to drink human blood. He is vile beyond description. Completely deranged, and deserving of punishment by all living beings. I heard that he seduced the grand elder of Middle Peak, and somehow won the favor of most of the patriarchs of the Blood Stream Sect. A person like that is someone I definitely must exterminate!” Although he looked like the picture of righteous fury, inside, he was more anxious than ever.

“So, it turns out you know quite a bit about this Nightcrypt.” Zheng Yuandong looked a bit surprised.

Bai Xiaochun howled inwardly. It seemed that nothing he said today was coming out right. More nervous than ever, he continued, “I, Bai Xiaochun, am devoted to righteousness. During my wanderings outside the sect, I heard of this maniac Nightcrypt. Elder Brother sect leader, don’t worry. I, Bai Xiaochun, guarantee that I will accomplish the mission!”

Zheng Yuandong’s gaze slowly softened.

“With your Heaven-Dao Foundation Establishment cultivation base, and the fact that you’re already in mid Foundation Establishment, you shouldn’t have any trouble cutting down Nightcrypt on the battlefield. I’ll assign some people to work with you, some of the prime elders and legacy echelon cultivators. They’ll make sure you get your chance!

“Remember, you must accomplish this mission and kill Blood Master Nightcrypt. If you do, then you’ll be able to join the legacy echelon even without reaching Core Formation!

“The legacy echelon is the true foundation of the Spirit Stream Sect. No matter how bad things get, all of the sect’s resources will be focused on preserving the echelon!" The implication behind those words spoken caused Bai Xiaochun to feel shaken, and yet, also caused warmth to rise up in his heart.