Having resolved the demonic energy, Long Xiao knew these cultivators were of the demon race and absorbed the residual demonic energy that permeated heaven and earth. He decided to stay put for a while, to cultivate with them for a few days.
The following days were peaceful, filled with eating and chanting scriptures.
Every time the Divine Son saw Long Xiao, he would observe him secretly and meticulously. He noticed that Long Xiao only exhibited an anomaly once; after the blush on his face disappeared, everything returned to normal, which he found very strange.
The Divine Son once again proposed to take Long Xiao as a disciple, but this time Long Xiao refused even more readily. He had grasped the principles of chanting and cultivation, as well as numerous cultivation techniques from various demon races. To become a disciple of this Divine Son now would be sheer foolishness.
Every day, Long Xiao absorbed a large amount of demonic energy, and the speed at which his demonic energy grew became increasingly rapid. During the day, he absorbed demonic energy; at night, lying in bed, Long Xiao began to practice various other demon race cultivation techniques, most of which involved methods of using demonic energy.
After practicing dozens of techniques that utilized demonic energy, Long Xiao gained a comprehensive understanding of demon race cultivation methods. He felt capable of devising a practical demonic energy-based cultivation technique himself.
Just as Long Xiao's cultivation was progressing smoothly, the Divine Son informed him that people from the Daoist Academy had arrived, demanding his return.
"Divine Son, are you planning to hand me over?" Long Xiao asked.
The Divine Son shook his head and said, "Hand you over? Why would I? I am a Divine Son, and that fellow from the Daoist Academy is also a Divine Son. If I hand you over, it would be equivalent to admitting I fear him."
"If you don't hand me over, won't they cause you trouble?" Long Xiao inquired.
The Divine Son chuckled and replied, "What is there to fear? If I were afraid of trouble, I wouldn't have taken you in. Rest assured, they wouldn't dare to cause trouble."
As Long Xiao thanked the Divine Son and prepared to leave, the Divine Son said, "Long Xiao, while they may not dare to openly cause trouble, they might try to capture you when I'm not paying attention."
Long Xiao smiled and said, "I'm not afraid of them capturing me. I, Long Xiao, am not made of clay. Besides, even if I can't defeat them, as long as I can hold them off for a few minutes, you'll find out."
The Divine Son nodded and said, "You are correct. As long as I am willing, I can perceive everything that happens within the castle."
Long Xiao returned to his quarters, lay on his bed, closed his eyes, and began to ponder the demonic cultivation techniques within the "Dragon Repository."
Long Xiao, along with other cultivators, resided in a large stone house. He occupied a spot closest to the door.
As Long Xiao was cultivating, a sudden feeling of unease washed over him, prompting him to quickly cease his practice and open his eyes.
In the darkness, two figures cloaked in burlap, their faces obscured by half-drawn hoods, silently pushed open the ancient wooden door and entered the stone house.
The two scanned the room filled with sleeping figures and soon their gazes fell upon Long Xiao.
One pointed at Long Xiao, while the other produced a golden rope from his embrace. They slowly approached Long Xiao's bed.
The two exchanged glances. The one holding the golden rope chanted something and threw it towards Long Xiao.
Long Xiao suddenly rolled to the side, evading the thrown rope. The rope then snaked out like a spirit serpent, coiling towards Long Xiao.
Long Xiao reached out and grabbed the rope. The rope automatically wound around Long Xiao's hands, tightly binding them.
"Don't make a sound. Come with us, or we'll kill you right here," said the person who had thrown the rope.
Long Xiao nodded slightly, jumped off the bed onto the floor, and gestured with his chin towards the door, indicating his willingness to follow the two men.
As Long Xiao stepped out, the bearded man sleeping not far from Long Xiao opened his eyes and looked towards the door that had just closed.
The bearded man leaped to the floor, rushed to the door, and opened it a crack, peeking outside at Long Xiao and the others.
Long Xiao followed the two figures in burlap cloaks through a long corridor, across a stone bridge, and towards the outside of the castle.
After Long Xiao and the others had left, the bearded man emerged from the house and hurried towards the Divine Son's chambers.
"Divine Son, Long Xiao has been taken away," the bearded man reported.
The Divine Son, who had been writing, looked up at the bearded man and said, "I know. Go back to sleep."
"Divine Son, didn't you say that Long Xiao is very important? He can help us coexist harmoniously with humans," the bearded man asked.
The Divine Son nodded and said, "Long Xiao is indeed crucial. However, Long Xiao's strength is not to be underestimated. For him to be captured so easily, he must have his own intentions. Let's not interfere with his plans."
"Divine Son, since Long Xiao will be of great help to us in the future, why don't you help him directly?" the bearded man inquired.
The Divine Son shook his head and said, "There's no need. Everything is predetermined. We are merely going with the flow."
"Predetermined? Who predetermined it?" the bearded man asked.
The Divine Son shook his head and said, "It's not something that can be explained in a few words. It would be useless to tell you. Go back to sleep."
Since the Divine Son had said so, the bearded man believed that Long Xiao had been deliberately captured and returned to his room to sleep with peace of mind.
Long Xiao followed the two figures in burlap cloaks, traversing the stone bridge and exiting the castle. They proceeded along a small path leading up the mountain.
Long Xiao did not wish to act here, fearing that if the Divine Son discovered his intentions, he would forcibly detain him.
Although the Divine Son treated him well, Long Xiao did not want to remain in such a desolate place for an extended period. He had a beautiful wife back home, his own businesses in the Eastern Sea, and a group of friends.
Following the path halfway up the mountain, about four to five kilometers away from the ancient castle, Long Xiao stopped.
"Why aren't you moving?" one of the figures in burlap cloaks nudged Long Xiao's back.
Long Xiao chuckled and said, "I'm not moving anymore. There are no outsiders here. I want to ask you a few questions, and I hope you'll answer truthfully."
The two figures in burlap cloaks exchanged glances. They both found Long Xiao somewhat peculiar. It was they who had captured Long Xiao, yet Long Xiao's tone suggested he was the one holding them captive.
"Long Xiao, you need to understand the situation. We captured you, not the other way around..."
Before one of the figures in burlap cloaks could finish speaking, he was astonished to discover that the golden rope had automatically loosened its grip.
"You, how did you unlock this 'Dragon Constricting Lock'?"
Long Xiao chuckled and replied, "This 'Dragon Constricting Lock' is a magical artifact refined by humans. I am human, so of course I have a way to open it."
The two men did not believe Long Xiao's words. One of them said, "Impossible! This 'Dragon Constricting Lock' has been in our Divine Son's possession for over a hundred years. You couldn't possibly know the Dragon Constricting Art."
"You don't need the Dragon Constricting Art to command this 'Dragon Constricting Lock.' Try it if you don't believe me," Long Xiao said.
The two men still did not believe Long Xiao. Since Long Xiao was no longer restrained, their only option was to forcibly take him back.
One of the men in burlap cloaks made a strange gesture with his hands and lunged at Long Xiao.
Long Xiao sensed a surge of demonic energy emanating from him, clearly indicating that his opponent intended to overpower him by virtue of his superior demonic energy.