Heaven Refining physique-Chapter 117: The Price of Allegiance

The reply was from an unknown cultivator. His voice seemed a little coarse and heavy as he continued.

"By your logic, I saw you first when your attention was on the herb. You belong to me now, right?"

The disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect gritted his teeth.

"You devilish cultivators don’t have even an ounce of shame, do you?"

"What’s the point of having shame? Would it help me cultivate better? Forget about me, you righteous cultivators are far more shameless than us.

At least we attack openly unlike you bastards. If I were weaker than you, then you wouldn’t be saying all these things, and I might have died already.

So stop preaching and let’s see who has the right to take this herb."

Jiang Hao listened to them and looked towards the small pond. There was a single lotus inside it. The way water swirled around it proved that it was a pure water-type spirit herb. It was a late-stage Soul Sea Realm spirit herb—no wonder they didn’t want to give up on it.

For a Core Formation Realm cultivator, it was very valuable. Unlike him. If it was Grade 6, then he might have taken it from them, but for a single Grade 4 spirit herb, he wasn’t keen.

He wasn’t a saint, nor was he a devil. Unless necessary, he wouldn’t kill anybody without a reason, nor would he help anybody.

In this world, everyone acts for some kind of benefit. Even the righteous cultivators help others only to improve their image.

He was just about to leave when the eyes of the Mountain Sword cultivator fell on him. They were fighting, so while changing direction, he saw Jiang Hao by chance.

"Friend, help me against this devil! We should get rid of these vermin!"

When the devil cultivator heard him, he also looked towards Jiang Hao. Although devil cultivators were afraid of death, they were not as fearful as others. It was because all those killings and atrocities, even within their own sects, had tempered their will, so they could definitely face death more calmly than normal cultivators.

He looked at Jiang Hao warily but didn’t run away yet. He was confident he would be able to escape. Although he was certain that Jiang Hao would side with the Mountain Sword Sect if he was righteous, there was still the possibility that he was a devil cultivator too, so he waited for his response.

Jiang Hao wasn’t surprised. He wasn’t hidden well anyway. He also knew what this guy meant—it was an unspoken rule to join forces to kill the evil, even if you were enemies.

This was how the world worked—killing devilish cultivators was the utmost priority. If you didn’t do it, then you would be termed one yourself.

He didn’t care for the label of being called a devilish cultivator, but Senior Huan had some kind of deal with the Mountain Sword Sect, so he would give this disciple a chance. It was up to him to take it.

"How many spirit stones would you pay for your life?"

Jiang Hao asked simply. If he was going to help, he would get something in return.

The disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect became stunned but still spoke to clarify.

"Fellow friend, this is a devilish cultivator!"

"So?"

This statement stunned the disciple even more. He couldn’t see any badge on Jiang Hao. Top sects didn’t hide their identities—only small sect disciples and itinerant cultivators did.

A small sect disciple or itinerant cultivator was being cocky with him. This didn’t sit well with him. He gritted his teeth but didn’t show any anger, as he really was in need of help.

He had fought with this devil and come to terms with the fact that he was slightly weaker than him, so getting help was important.

The devil cultivator was also stunned.

"Two hundred spirit stones," he said while feeling sour inside.

"So your life amounts to two hundred spirit stones? Are you that worthless?"

Jiang Hao shook his head while saying that.

This angered the disciple even more. He looked towards Jiang Hao while keeping an eye on his opponent.

"Two thousand three hundred spirit stones. That’s all I have. How about it?"

While saying this, he vowed not to give a single spirit stone to Jiang Hao. He would, in fact, kill this bastard after he was done with the devil cultivator.

"Friend, if I pay you more, would you help me?"

It was said by the devilish cultivator.

Jiang Hao looked towards the devilish cultivator. He wouldn’t have listened to him because he had decided to help the disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect due to some relationship.

But just a moment ago, he had sensed killing intent from this disciple when he said he would give him 2,300 spirit stones, so he nodded.

"Of course."

The disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect became shocked, while the devil cultivator laughed out.

"Hahahaha... Friend, you really are an amazing person. Very well, I will give you three thousand spirit stones—not to mention all the treasures this guy has. I just need his heart blood. How about it?"

"You can’t do this! He’s a devil! Siding with him will make you one too!" the disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect exclaimed.

Jiang Hao shook his head. He wasn’t fond of explaining or talking much. First, he didn’t care about his image—right now, he might already be one of the most wanted criminals in the world. Would becoming a devil change anything?

Second, after this guy was dead, who would spread this information?

Third, he was wearing a mask—on what basis was he going to expose him? Jiang Hao didn’t even consider the devil cultivator. How could a cultivator who used heart blood to cultivate let him go?

Although this devil cultivator hadn’t shown any killing intent towards him, the moment this disciple fell, it would be his turn, unless he was stronger than the devil cultivator.

This was what made devil cultivators dangerous. They looked harmless and friendly, but they could kill you without any prior indication.

He looked towards the devilish cultivator and nodded, accepting his offer.

"Good... good. Friend, hold him and I will finish him off."

The disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect knew the situation was tough, but escaping didn’t seem an option. His speed was definitely slower than the devilish cultivator.

He didn’t even have any protection talisman with him. His blood ran cold inside, thinking about his eventual death if nothing happened.

Jiang Hao didn’t wait for him to think of countermeasures and attacked, bringing his sword out from his storage bag.

The disciple squinted his eyes and blocked the slash with ease.

The devil cultivator smiled at this. The strength of Jiang Hao was even weaker than the disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect. They all were at the peak stage of Core Formation Realm, but the Mountain Sword Sect disciple was also in a grade 2 of body cultivation, so his physical strength was greater than Jiang Hao’s.

Mountain Sword Sect disciples were advised to follow body cultivation, but very few reached Grade 3 while also being Core Formation cultivators.

It was different with him. Although he himself wasn’t a body cultivator, he could increase his strength to Grade 2 by burning his blood. It didn’t even leave any aftereffects on him if he refined blood, and after killing these two, he would have plenty of it.

"Very good," he commended Jiang Hao and moved immediately. Both Jiang Hao and the disciple of the Mountain Sword Sect were exchanging sword blows, with the disciple having the upper hand.

When the disciple saw that, he became agitated and used more strength, pushing Jiang Hao away with a strong slash.

Jiang Hao stumbled and took three steps back. He was almost disoriented, and just as the devil cultivator was about to pass him, a sword came behind his head. It was an attack done by none other than the devil cultivator.

Seeing him disoriented was the perfect time to attack him, so instead of attacking the disciple, the devil cultivator chose the easiest target. He could easily take out that disciple, so there was no need for an order of killing.

He had won the moment Jiang Hao agreed to side with him. If he had sided with the disciple instead, then it would have been troublesome for him. But now, even without Jiang Hao’s help, he could achieve what he wanted, so there was no need to take any help.

Jiang Hao was still in his disoriented state, but instead of panic, there was a little smile on his face. He had already expected this. The moment the sword was about to pierce his head, he disappeared.

It wasn’t teleportation but simply his speed. His speed was comparable to that of a peak stage Grade 4 spirit beast, and that was unimaginable for a peak stage Core Formation Realm cultivator.

He appeared behind the devil cultivator, and before the devil cultivator could even become shocked, Jiang Hao pushed his sword into his heart.

Dark red blood blossomed out from the sword tip.

The disciple became stunned at the turn of events. The most shocking was the speed of the person whom he had just pushed aside like nothing.

The devil coughed a mouthful of blood. His vitality was quite high, so he didn’t die immediately, but his death was certain now that his heart was pierced.

He turned his head and looked towards Jiang Hao. He could only see his eyes behind the mask.

But those eyes were calm, like this person hadn’t killed a human, but a bug that had just come under his feet by mistake.