Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don't Call Me a Demon!

"Brother Su, Master Zuo invites you."

After parting with Ning Xinyue, Su Jie had just returned to his own residence when he saw a disciple come over to relay a message.

Originally planning to have lunch, Su Jie could only pat his belly and proceeded to the room on the second floor of Command Hall to meet Zuo Xiping.

"Su Jie, take a seat."

Zuo Xiping was hunched over a table, a map of Ghost Ridge Palace spread out before him. He busily scribbled and sketched on it, apparently working on some tactical arrangements for the defensive teams.

"Master Zuo, is there something you need me for? Are you sending me out to defend against enemies?"

Su Jie found a chair and sat down, unclear on the purpose behind Zuo Xiping's summons.

Logically speaking, because he had been injured during his last fight with Du Shaochang, Zuo Xiping had personally granted him a week off, and it wasn't yet time for him to head out again.

"There's a piece of bad news and a piece of good news. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Zuo Xiping looked up and teased with a smile on his face.

Su Jie shrugged and said with a laugh, "Then I'll hear the bad one first. When I eat, I like to save my favorite dishes for last."

"The bad news is, you've become famous. And not just within Ghost Ridge Palace, but in the righteous circles as well," Zuo Xiping said as he passed a paper over.

Upon receiving it, Su Jie saw his own portrait drawn on it, with a line of text below.

[Red Level Wanted Order: Criminal Su Jie, a demon cultivator of Ghost Ridge Palace, about eight feet tall, in his early 20s, skilled in insect control, soul driving, and flying sword, possessing a mid grade Four Refinement poisonous insect.

The individual is cold-blooded and heartless, sly and crafty, fond of extracting living souls and feeding live people to insects, has committed numerous heinous and blood-soaked crimes, and is an extremely vicious and dangerous demon cultivator.

Guan Chao Pavilion is issuing a red level wanted order, calling upon all heroes of justice to actively provide clues and assist in the capture of this demon cultivator.

For those who provide important information and participate meritoriously, a reward of 10,000 low grade spirit stones will be given.

If one successfully kills or apprehends and delivers him to Guan Chao Pavilion, a reward of 100,000 low grade spirit stones will be issued.]

In the wanted poster, Su Jie was portrayed as extremely bloodthirsty and cruel, and the portrait featured an eerily menacing smile that immediately associated him with evil, terror, brutality, and homicide.

Zuo Xiping tapped his index finger on the table and chuckled, "What do you think after seeing this? Such treatment isn't something ordinary demon cultivators get to enjoy."

"Who drew this? They've made me look too sinister, and I'm not as bad as the wanted poster says," Su Jie complained while touching his own cheek, criticizing the righteous sects for their lack of propriety.

"Aren't you surprised?" Zuo Xiping asked in astonishment. Su Jie's reaction was much too calm.

"When I killed Du Shaochang, I had anticipated that this day would come, after all, he proclaimed himself a disciple of Zhuang Liangru."

Su Jie shrugged. After his joke, his expression turned less spirited as he said with a bitter smile, "I just didn't expect them to issue a red-level wanted order with 100,000 spirit stones as a bounty. That's how much they hate me, eh!"

In the cultivation world, righteous sects issue wanted orders against traitors, demon cultivators, loose cultivators, etc., with varying levels of threat determining the nature of the order.

Generally, a red-level wanted order is associated with criminals of Secret Realm level. For someone in the Yunling Realm like Su Jie to be featured is quite a rare occurrence.

"To be honest, with that price, I'm even considering catching myself to claim the reward, 100,000 spirit stones is really quite a high valuation!"

"Considering Du Shaochang's reputation in Qingzhou, a bounty of 100,000 spirit stones and a red-level wanted order is a bit excessive, but still reasonable. Think about it, with that face of yours from now on, whoever sees you will have to show you some respect."

Zuo Xiping comforted Su Jie at this moment, but Su Jie always felt that there was something odd about his reassurance.

"Those Righteous Disciples stimulated by the bounty reward now look at me like I'm a prized trophy. If my identity is exposed, I'll immediately be besieged by a large number of them."

"Stay inside the Mountain Gate for now. Those Righteous Sects might have sent specialized teams to assassinate you, or even Secret Realm Elders to infiltrate and come for you. Let's wait until this storm blows over."

Su Jie heaved a sigh of relief. Walking out now with a bounty of 100,000 Spirit Stones on his head was truly too much pressure.
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"Elder Zuo, may I know what the good news is?"

"You're worried about these things because you're not strong enough, and the good news is related to that," Elder Zuo said, pulling something out of his Storage Bag.

It was a fist-sized object, pitch-black with carbonized cracks on its surface, resembling a burnt sweet potato.

"What is this?"

Su Jie curiously examined the item, unable to understand what it was.

"The Sect Master has heard of your deeds and specifically rewarded you with Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit," Zuo Xiping said, solemnly handing it over to Su Jie.

"A reward from the Sect Master."

Su Jie was initially stunned. Although he still didn't understand what the object was, he quickly reached out with both hands to accept it.

"This fruit is from a spirit plant called Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood that grows in the core area of Insect Valley. It comes to maturity only once every hundred years and is the most beloved by countless poisonous insects.

Just because after a poisonous insect consumes it for the first time, it will be able to master an additional new ability after its Spirit Refining breakthrough. In other words, it can achieve two abilities with one round of Spirit Refining."

As Zuo Xiping explained the workings of the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit, Su Jie immediately became excited.

"There's such a treasure in the world?"

Su Jie held the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit in his hands. What he had originally considered ordinary now seemed more precious than Spirit Stones.

To know that a poisonous insect gaining a new ability could only happen through Spirit Refining. Even as a poisonous insect advanced from Low Grade to Middle Grade, or from Middle Grade to top grade, it would only enhance its existing abilities, not bestow new capabilities.

One might say that the appearance of the Heavenly Poison Treasure Wood Tree Fruit was akin to offering a free round of Spirit Refining for the poisonous insect.

"This item is extremely rare. Every time we collect it, we have to gather the power of the Sect Elders to break through the blockade and scrambling of infectious insects to get it. Generally speaking, it's only given to disciples after they break through to the Secret Realm by order of the Sect Master.

This time the Sect Master has heard you possess a Mid Grade Four Refinement poisonous insect, so he has given it to you in advance, hoping it will encourage you to move forward and break through to the Secret Realm as soon as possible," said Zuo Xiping, stroking his beard with a chuckle as he relayed the story.

"The Sect Master's great kindness will never be forgotten, disciple. I will take down more enemies in the future, to let those hypocritical Righteous pretenders know. One must not insult a demon, and anyone who offends Ghost Ridge Palace will be punished, no matter how far they flee," Su Jie declared, pounding his chest with determination, ready to take risks for this reward.

It was just a bounty of 100,000 Spirit Stones; once the Thousand-Handed Centipede completed its next Spirit Refining and gained two new abilities, it wasn't certain who would kill whom.

"Well said, as Demon Cultivators, we should have this spirit. If the other disciples all thought like you, we as Elders would have such an easier time," Zuo Xiping replied with a warm smile, his look upon Su Jie growing even more gentle.

Truly a seedling valued by the Sect Master, with such high awareness.