"Such a tremendous sound of thunder! What has happened at Leizu Peak?"
"Did I just see things? Is that Patriarch Dongyun!"
"Impossible, let alone the supernatural and supreme Zhenhun Palace formation, even if the Patriarch truly broke out of the palace, he wouldn't be able to be..."
"It... it really is the Patriarch!"
Amidst the clouds and mist of Wudang Mountain, old cultivators from various sects and factions arrived, riding the clouds. They saw Patriarch Dongyun, his demonic energy completely extinguished, lying in embarrassment at the foot of Leizu Peak, having smashed a large pit. The surrounding area was like a great wind reversing its course, a meteor falling from the sky, with plants... and even solid rocks, all turning their direction and lying prostrate in all directions.
"Patriarch!"
The old cultivators descended from their clouds, but dared not approach. Although they could no longer sense Patriarch Dongyun's demonic energy, the ferocity was still present. They clearly saw a bloody,烂烂, and seemingly unformed demonic eye on the Patriarch's forehead. Within it, veins and flesh were twisted into a mess, with a circular outline of a half-formed eyeball in the center, straining outwards and constantly rotating. It looked both evil and bizarre.
"Old Patriarch, can... can you speak?"
An old cultivator dared to ask. But upon slightly approaching, the demonic eye immediately fixed on him. The moment he was stared at by the demonic eye, the cultivator felt the demonic thoughts in his heart surge. All the most malicious desires and thoughts in the human world suddenly flooded in. His pure and tranquil Dao heart, cultivated for decades, almost broke. He immediately retreated more than ten steps before suppressing the surging evil thoughts in his heart.
Unexpectedly, this act of retreating seemed to make the demonic eye even more impatient.
It urgently needed someone to approach and be tempted by its demonic influence, so that it could recover quickly and break free from Zhenhun Palace. What was originally a good thing, it did not expect to be beaten into this state by a young Daoist in black.
What kind of power was that?
Was that also a demon?!
Why was the ferocity even greater than his own, yet without any trace of evilness?
All it possessed was immense ferocity and unparalleled domineering might!
Why... no evil thoughts!
It was impossible for a demon to have no evil thoughts, to be untainted by any evilness.
Even the Ten Demon Trials of the mortal world were chosen from those demons who acted more reservedly. In some places, the positions of the Demon Trial Masters were vacant, and monsters or ghosts had to fill in. The Ten Demon Trials were named as demons, but in fact, many were monsters and ghosts who were granted the demonic energy for trials and thus possessed the qualification for trials.
And this trial demonic energy often came from the blessings of heaven. It was said that in Da Fuli, there were eighty thousand heavenly demons, corresponding to eighty thousand demon trial masters in the mortal world. This was a fixed number, unchangeable, distributing eighty thousand trial demonic energies throughout the world, which could not increase.
Some of this demonic energy was kept in ancient sects with accomplished cultivation in their respective regions. At the opportune moment, it was bestowed upon some monsters and ghosts who had achieved cultivation and had not harmed anyone. After all, being a demon trial master was also an option for cultivation. Some demon trial masters and local sects even benefited each other, helping each other for hundreds of years.
However, even a demon trial master could not be without evil thoughts. It was just that they could suppress them with the trial demonic energy.
Let alone monsters and ghosts, even humans, even gentlemen, even saints! Evil thoughts would arise, even for a moment!
No...
The demonic eye realized a problem.
Perhaps it was not that the other party had no evil thoughts.
But that the other party, being a demon as well, was of a far higher caliber!
Rumble—
Thunderclouds descended, and Ji Xiang appeared alone. Zhang Sanfeng was still on Leizu Peak and had not come down, but he was observing the situation below from afar. After all, his identity as Zhang Dayuan still needed to be maintained, and he couldn't let the juniors of Wudang Mountain realize his true identity.
The existence of an immortal was the greatest guarantee for a mountain to continue its lineage. Overt immortals possessed powerful deterrence, but they also easily attracted attention. Hidden immortals, though lacking deterrence, were the strongest foundation accumulated by a mountain over hundreds of years.
As the saying goes, it is easier to dodge an open spear than a hidden arrow. Moreover, the imperial court was also coveting them.
Zhang Sanfeng did not want to work for the imperial court, which was why he had been hiding. Otherwise, he could have appeared during the reigns of Emperor Taizu or Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, and there would have been no need for Liu Bowen or Yao Guangxiao.
The imperial court had bestowed so many titles upon him. If he were to reveal himself, he would truly be working for the Ming Dynasty for generations. Such a thing should not happen. Some interfered in secular disputes for profit. The Hidden Immortal Sect did not want to do this, which was why they stayed away.
Staying away might not be a way to gain the favor of heaven, but the path of the dynasty had always existed, being the path that people pursued and were closest to.
Thump!
Ji Xiang's footsteps landed in front of Patriarch Dongyun. The demonic eye immediately fixed on Ji Xiang, but its power could not affect the black-robed Daoist in front of him. He still found it difficult to sense the other party's evil thoughts, let alone lure his inner demons.
Not only that.
Instead, an extremely fierce demonic might emanated from the other party!
At the same time, those old cultivators watched the scene, their hearts shaken.
Wasn't this the Daoist disciple from the Tongwei Sect who had entered the imperial family's gates!
"Is it... that kid who just arrived on the mountain a few days ago?"
"Daolvsi... this kid actually has such power, but Patriarch Dongyun is a cultivator of the Pure Yang realm!"
The old cultivators felt their eyes were going bad, seeing an unbelievable scene. Pure Yang cultivators were the peak of the mortal world, the foundation of various mountains. Now, he was beaten to the point of being unable to get up from the ground. The sound that shook the heavens and earth had only happened once, and this guess made them even more horrified.
One strike? Perhaps not! But it wasn't many moves either!
Within the demonic eye, the twisted flesh in the eye socket began to rot again, turning into pus and blood that flowed out, dripping onto the ground. If any monster drank a drop of this pus and blood, it would immediately become a killing demon king, a malevolent spirit, and the like.
"Luring inner demons naturally won't work."
"Humans, gods, ghosts, and demons all have inner demons. They are the demonic manifestations of the human body, the rulers of desire, the embodiments of evil thoughts in the heart, and obstacles that are difficult to overcome. However, a demon itself does not possess another demonic manifestation."
Ji Xiang walked forward slowly. The demonic energy of the demonic eye had been extinguished. Finally, under the pressure of Ji Xiang's gradual approach, it controlled Patriarch Dongyun to speak and issue a threat.
"I am a demonic obstruction."
"This person is your Patriarch. If you kill me, he will also die. We are now merged, inseparable. I am what he has nurtured."
"Even his flesh and blood have rotted into black charcoal. Even if the demonic energy is swept away, he cannot be restored to his original appearance. Are you going to betray your master and destroy your ancestors!"
Ji Xiang shook his head: "No, you don't need to lie to me. You are not a demonic obstruction."
"You... are something born from the Black Blight Qi, a demonic blood placenta. After you take shape, you will become a new type of malevolent spirit."
"A malevolent spirit that has never appeared in the world, not among the ninety-nine outer paths or the one hundred and eighty-three types of malevolent spirits."
Ji Xiang slowly revealed the other party's identity: "Starting with a demonic obstruction, like an insect egg parasitizing, grafting the Black Blight Qi onto a Pure Yang body, and someone helping you infuse it with supreme demonic techniques, causing the Patriarch to forcefully cultivate the Heavenly Demon technique, forcefully glimpse the path of heaven, leading to mental collapse, and finally being eroded and devoured by you. Ultimately, you can achieve a Pure Yang Demon. This demon feeds on the demonic thoughts in people's hearts. Anyone whose demonic thoughts are stirred by you will be infected and fall into evil spirits and demonic ghosts within twenty-one days, to be driven by you. However, these demonically infected individuals are no different from ordinary cultivators."
"Your origin... well, let's skip that for now."
He skipped it because that part was covered in black, and most of it couldn't be seen.
Ji Xiang's eyes flowed with dark light, and he blinked slightly.
Yes, most of it could still be seen, but it was somewhat interesting. The existence of this guy was related to Yuan Huang, but the one who let it enter Patriarch Dongyun's body, and even infused the Patriarch with demonic techniques, forcefully making him touch the path of heaven and become confused, was someone else!
Just like the suddenly appearing Song Shen Heavenly King, a mysterious figure, seemingly with a thousand threads of connection to the Yin world, and inextricably linked to Yuan Huang, but not a monster released by them.
【Evil Ghost】.
The only name seen was this extremely ordinary appellation. The other information that could be seen was that it was related to Yuan Huang.
Related to Yuan Huang, it must be related to the Yin world.
"Mingling Great Demon, the evil ghost you planted in the Patriarch's body, let's not mention it, but you..."
"When I eliminate you, your name will be on the Heavenly Demon Scroll, listed as the one hundred and eighty-fourth among the demons."
Upon hearing this, the demonic eye was greatly shocked!
"Who are you, to know my origin! Are you a sect leader of the Yin World Dharma Realm!"
"Who are you! Yama? Wheel-Turner? Zhong Kui? Dong Yue? Or Manjushri, Ksitigarbha, or the like?!"
The demonic eye was terrified!
However, although the Inner Scene Divine Tablet could see clearly, there were still many blurry areas, covered by black bars. Most things that had a deep connection with the Black Blight Qi were like this. Ji Xiang was already used to it.
If he couldn't see it, so be it, as long as there was a solution.
"You don't need to know who I am. It has nothing to do with you, as you are about to die."
The demonic eye writhed, fearful and threatening: "What are you going to do? What do you dare to do!"
"Heh heh! Let me tell you something else! Even if you dig me out of him, it's useless! The eye is just my external manifestation. Now your Patriarch is like a pupa, you know? When a worm turns into a pupa and then into a butterfly, there is no flesh inside the pupa, only a mass of rotten liquid."
"Gaining new life from this rotten liquid, reshaping your own body! Your Patriarch still has his Nascent Soul. If you kill me, his Nascent Soul will also cease to exist!"
"And I won't die! Those who have been to Zhenhun Palace have had their inner demons stirred by me! If you destroy this body, I can also be reborn through other demonic thoughts! Continue to gestate! You can't catch me! You can't destroy me!"
"Let me go. After I successfully gestate, I will no longer have the power to infect others. I will become an independent existence and integrate into your world as a human..."
"I also have something to escape from. I have spent immense effort to come to this world! My appearance is permitted by the Heavenly Dao! Look, the Heavenly Dao has not sent down any tribulations!"
The demonic eye shouted loudly, as if afraid the cultivators wouldn't hear. Indeed, the old cultivators of Wudang Mountain, the sect leaders of various factions, heard these words and showed expressions of shock, some looked troubled, and some looked anxious, shouting at Ji Xiang:
"Imperial Daoist of the Tongwei Sect, don't fall for its provocation and harm the Patriarch's life!"
Some were worried about Patriarch Dongyun, while others said:
"Although what the demonic eye says may not be true, the Patriarch's body has indeed been demonized and cannot be saved. It would be better to..."
It would be better to let the Patriarch die now, wouldn't it?
"It should be like this!"
Some people's faces darkened: "Patriarch Dongyun has been demonized for over two hundred years and cannot dispel his own wisdom. Now his body is being stolen by a demonic obstruction and will turn into a malevolent spirit. If not killed now, when!"
"If the Patriarch is not killed, and the world suffers disaster in the future, it is likely that all cultivators in the world will attack our Wudang!"
Quite a few people agreed with this statement.
"The demonic fetus has been formed, and it is beyond saving. Why not kill it?"
But some angrily objected: "More than one person entered Zhenhun Palace and had their inner demons lured. If what this thing says is true, if it is eliminated now, it will not be destroyed, but will simply find another person to repeat Patriarch Dongyun's fate!"
Human hearts are fickle, and naturally, some people thought that if they didn't kill it, Patriarch Dongyun could still hold on for a few more years, at least not making themselves a random vessel for this kind of monster. Thinking of this, they shivered.
There were many voices of contention, but Ji Xiang was unmoved. After all, even a robot performing scenario deduction might come up with three options, let alone humans with complex minds? Whether for the greater good, for their own safety, or for the reputation of Wudang, everyone had their own reasons.
Ji Xiang acted as if he were deaf, saying to himself:
"Don't mind the thoughts of outsiders. Only I can subdue demons. I will consider their opinions, but they are not important."
"Therefore, killing you will indeed cause the Patriarch's body and soul to be annihilated together, but that is also not important."
"I'm starting now."
Ji Xiang's words stunned the demonic eye!
Not important? Causing your Patriarch's body and soul to turn to ashes together is not important?
Then what is important!
"Your demonic energy is dense. As expected, you are not a true sect cultivator. Then come, let's see if you can truly destroy me!"
The demonic eye was furious and arrogant, not believing that Ji Xiang had the ability to completely destroy something that had never appeared in the world. This was absolutely impossible!
Ji Xiang nodded, then took out a blank talisman.
Incense and fire energy ignited on his finger, and characters appeared on the blank talisman. But these characters were very strange, not existing in the world. Even the scholars of Confucianism could not read them.
They did not know its pronunciation, nor how to recite it, and even its writing was seen for the first time.
What kind of writing was this?
When the demonic eye saw these characters, it was also bewildered. However, when the talisman was placed on its eye socket, its will was instantly locked onto by something, and it could no longer sense other demonic thoughts!
This!
What was going on!
雨. 言. 罔. 言. 王.
At this moment, three corpse spirits appeared on Ji Xiang's shoulders and head, and began to chant the incantation with Ji Xiang.
As the pivot of creation, the master of humans and gods—
Proclaiming might in the three realms, commanding all spirits—
Sharing the brilliance of Yang virtue in the two poles, operating the universe to nurture all beings—
Majestically, the Crimson Emperor divides his form, gloriously, the Crimson Spirit transforms its body—
Able to absolve all sins, subdue all demonic spirits—
Preserving the infinite heavenly destiny for eons—
Great Compassion, Great Vow, Great Sage, Great Mercy—
Great Compassion, Great Vow, Great Sage, Great Mercy—
The four voices were extremely piercing, but the distant cultivators could not hear them clearly. Only the demonic eye heard clearly, as if something was gripping it, suppressing all its might and preventing it from being used.
This is...?
The thing formed by those four characters.
It was the Jade Emperor's hidden name!
When used, it mobilized the divine proclamations of the northern and southern star lords!
The Jade Emperor was now plastered to the ceiling by Grandmaster Zhang. Although he was an empty shell, his basic might still existed. However, Ji Xiang himself did not know the Jade Emperor's hidden name until the Inner Scene Divine Tablet displayed it.
But the Heavenly Emperors all had hidden names. Reciting their hidden names could unleash various unimaginable powers, but they could not be used carelessly, otherwise, there would be repercussions.
With the demonic eye controlled, Ji Xiang then extended his hand, and a spell that had never been used before was about to be cast.
Because he had not yet cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm, this spell was temporarily useless, but he did not expect it to be cast now.
"I have a method that can reverse the destructive bodies of the world, the bodies of calamity!"
He pressed a palm outside the talisman, touching the demonic eye through the talisman.
In Patriarch Dongyun's body, a large amount of human essence, undamaged vital blood, and the not-yet-infected parts of the Nascent Soul, all violently reversed their course!
Humans take the body as the state, the spirit as the ruler, the essence as the minister, and the qi as the people. Qi turns into essence, essence transforms into spirit, and spirit transforms into an infant.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the body, rotten like black charcoal, violently shattered. A large amount of essence surged, gathering at a single point, and the demonic eye instantly dried up and withered, emitting a sound of extreme panic!
"My consciousness, my thoughts, my demonic intent... I... I am..... I....."
"You."
His consciousness was perishing, reversing, and dissolving into the Nascent Soul! Furthermore, due to the suppression of the Jade Emperor's hidden name, it could not transfer to other demonic thoughts. In fact, it was gradually degenerating!
"As you said, before metamorphosis, one must be like rotten water, but what is newly created from the surging rotten water may not be the same."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the black body was destroyed, and the cry of an infant sounded in the world.
An intangible being, using the remaining matter in the residual body, recombined, and an infant the size of a palm, like a ginseng fruit, was born into the world.
But this was no ordinary infant.
"What... what kind of spell is this!"
The Wudang cultivators were dumbfounded, watching everything reverse, the dead returning to the state of an infant. Someone at this moment had thought of something, their beard trembling, and an old cultivator tremblingly stepped forward, exclaiming in terror:
"This... could it be. Nascent Soul!"
The Nascent Soul is intangible, a sacred fetus before the birth of the Nascent Soul, not a specific cultivation technique, but a state.
That Nascent Soul was the pupa before the birth of the Nascent Soul!
Ji Xiang: "Dao Mechanism Scripture, reversing the Nascent Soul, returning the essence and qi, transforming into an infant, is the Nascent Infant technique."
"The infant is unharmed, and will return to the Heavenly Gate!"