Fellow Daoist! Why Is Your Human Emperor Banner Smoking Black?

Demonic cultivation + unscrupulous + profit above all + no female lead + devoted to the Dao + crafty schemer + slow burn + not a wish-fulfillment story + explosive late game Qi Tian transmigrated to another world, was captured by the Heavenly Demon Sect, and became a demonic cultivator undercover at a sacred land. He was branded a demonic cultivator just for stumbling upon the Sect Elder’s son in the middle of something. At the critical moment, the System descended. Cultivators: “Fellow Daoist, why is your Imperial Banner belching black smoke?” Qi Tian: “What would you know? It proves I’ve killed a lot of demonic cultivators!” Cultivators: “Qi Tian, you sucked the sacred land’s Holy Son into your banner, and you still claim you’re not a demonic cultivator?” Qi Tian: “Heh heh heh! Since you’ve seen it, you might as well all come inside too!” The forbidden zones stir, the demons strike back, and invaders from another world arrive! Watching the cultivators fight, Qi Tian calls out, “Fellow Daoists, get in my Imperial Banner!” Cultivators: “Qi Tian, whose side are you on? Why are you attacking your own people?” “As the saying goes, if you don’t work hard at cultivation, you’ll end up as brothers in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. You’re all useless, so how can you call yourselves my own people? Get in my Imperial Banner!” Years later, a handsome, dashing man travels through the myriad worlds with a Ten Thousand Souls Banner on his shoulder. The powerful beings of every world tremble at his approach. “Fellow Daoists, care to come sit inside my Imperial Banner?” The Great Emperors look at the demonic energy spreading across the heavens. You call that an Imperial Banner? Do you believe yourself? (Also known as: Carrying a Ten Thousand Souls Banner and steeped in demonic energy, why do I think he’s a good guy?)