Chapter 817: Chapter 522: Demon Tao Qian, Boiling Star Aperture
Xuan Yuan True Monarch possesses extraordinary divine skills and can naturally discern the abnormal state of Tao Qian in an instant.
What shocked this True Monarch even more was the constant outflow of invisible aura from Tao Qian’s body, below Ultimate Happiness. Because of this, the void surrounding him twisted, and that small realm changed color as if great terror was brewing.
Tao Qian, of course, knew this better, and after passing over the mountain, he didn’t even have time to salute.
He simply left a sentence, "The disciple understands," and immediately performed the Great Method Escape Technique heading to Ascending Immortal Island.
There was no time to bid farewell to anyone!
First, he activated his thoughts to open the bronze portal at the highest palace of the Spiritual Resonance Cave Mansion atop Yunhua Mountain.
Then, he transformed into a stream of light, rushing into the Star Membrane Secret Technique.
Watching Tao Qian’s departing figure, Xuan Yuan True Monarch, one hand holding Heavenly Mother Mountain, had a face full of solemnity and thought to himself:
"An Ultimate Happiness cultivator who breaks through the ’Absorb Lifespan’ barrier inevitably grows Nightmare Energy within, which is the price of seizing the Heavenly Dao spirit mechanism for their own lifespan extension."
"Different cultivators have different types and strengths of Nightmare Energy."
"I originally thought my senior brother’s Ten Thousand Treasure Nightmare Qi was the most terrifying, but didn’t expect my nephew’s Nightmare Energy to be even more overwhelming. Just one look gives me chills, as if touching a thread would cause even me to mutate and be severely injured."
"What kind of Dao? What origin?"
"The stronger the Nightmare Energy, it also indicates the post-Daoist transformation cultivator will be stronger."
"But the Daoist Transformation Tribulation brought by such terrifying Nightmare Energy is undoubtedly extremely difficult to break."
While Xuan Yuan True Monarch worried about Tao Qian’s future Daoist tribulations, Tao Qian had already entered the secret aperture and collided into the secret path guarded by Spirit Marrow Lady with the Crystal Demon Clan.
He was already at his limit in this state.
Various strange "side effects" Tao Qian never considered emerged completely, ignoring his Spirit Treasure Sublime Body and special soul, continuously surging forth.
The crimson Record in his mind burst forth:
[Currently invaded by Nightmare Energy, divine soul inverted, heart soul dust-covered... inevitable.]
[Currently invaded by Nightmare Energy, mana exhausted, Dao Heng declining... inevitable.]
[Currently invaded by Nightmare Energy, spirit blood defiled, viscera decayed... inevitable.]
...
Even knowing it’s temporary, the inevitability before his eyes still shocked Tao Qian greatly.
Equally unable to speak much to Spirit Marrow Lady, Tao Qian’s body staggered out from the stream of light, stumbling towards the star aperture filled with pure Source Qi.
Fortunately, Spirit Marrow Lady, as an alien species, with endless lifespan, cultivated with Duobao, naturally had exceptional insight.
Seeing the Young Master’s state, she immediately issued an exclamation.
Manifesting her form, she supported him without delay.
The next moment, only hearing "hissing" sounds, Spirit Marrow Lady actually emitted painful moans.
Her crystal-clear body seemed to be corroded, emitting foul black smoke rolling forth.
Thankfully, it’s only the last stretch, with Tao Qian borrowing a final clarity, hurriedly pushing the lady away, tumbling into the star aperture like a heart lake in the ocean.
Whole body filled with Nightmare Energy, Tao Qian plunged headfirst into the star aperture.
No strange sounds transmitted, only starry sky Source Qi surging, submerging his body within.
Witnessing this scene, Spirit Marrow Lady standing in the passage sighed in relief, then looked at her hands and chest, her crystal-clear Dharma Body corroded with multiple pits, black mud flowing within, pungent and unbearable.
She immediately performed techniques, removing the filth from the sores, her complexion instantly softening.
In her eyes, she became worried about her Young Master.
"With the resilience of my true form, even the Master’s Ten Thousand Treasure Nightmare Qi finds it hard to harm me."
"Young Master, what kind of Dao has he found?"
"This kind of Dao Nightmare, can he withstand it?"
External situation, Tao Qian was completely unaware.
His body plunged into the star aperture, instantly enveloped by infinite pure Source Qi, including his eyes, ears, mouth, nose.
In an instant, all those extremely terrifying side effects greatly subsided, his chaotic, dead heart soul also gradually felt warmth again.
With the clash of two states, Tao Qian slowly sank into slumber.
Though he attempted to struggle slightly, it was ineffective.
As if billions of "sleeping bugs" drilled into his ear acupoint, even Tao Qian could not resist, falling asleep after a few breaths.
Within the star aperture, it seems to be such a scene, but for Tao Qian.
It was merely a momentary blur, soon realizing he seemed reborn again.
Before him, were incredibly familiar scenes:
"They’re all top-quality youths, running to rebel against the court, ending up betrayed by traitors, and taken down by corrupt officials."
"Did mother bring the buns?"
"If anyone has extra money, please help collect their bodies afterwards."
...
Listening to these voices, Tao Qian realized he had again become a prisoner bound at the market square, about to be beheaded, even his tongue was similarly cut halfway.
In his mind, rapidly surged the memories of the original host.
Then, after being beheaded, reciting the fragmented formula of the Seven Secret Chapters of Mysterious Corpse, reincarnating into the body of Tao Qian who died by suicide.
Yet the following scene was entirely different.
The newly revived Tao Qian looked in the mirror, suddenly discovering the "self" in the mirror had a sinister smile, indescribable, making one’s hair stand on end.
The next moment, he actually rushed out of Chengyou Bookstore, using the night’s cover to pounce towards neighbor Li Sanyu’s house, throughout this Tao Qian felt something amiss, trying to stop, but now he was merely a spectator housed within the body, able to feel everything, the body’s actions also faithfully fed back.
Yet he couldn’t change, couldn’t stop, as if all this was... the past?
Already happened, became reality.
More accurately, it is reality.
So what follows next drives Tao Qian nearly insane, nearly nauseous.
He seemed like a soul corpse crashing into that yard, brutally biting to death the still sleeping owner, Li Sanyu, devouring his corpse completely from head to toe. After being satiated, he then violated Li Sanyu’s wife and daughter and subsequently devoured them as well.
As if not enough, he wickedly laughed as he rushed into another neighbor, Jia Qiang’s yard, repeated the same process, eating him and violating his wife and daughter.
"Dao Nightmare?"
"This is the Dao Nightmare?"
"A mere fabricated illusion can defeat an Ultimate Happiness Cultivator?"
Tao Qian’s heart and soul roared with anger.
At the same time, he also tried with all his strength to channel the mana within his body, casting the Three Meridian Divine Abilities he learned to break free of this illusion.
He repeatedly checked his mind to see if he could trigger the Record and find the words "immune."
However, nothing.
Whether it’s mana or the Record, or those divine skills, they all seemed to be illusory.
And what he could feel tangibly was almost instant insanity for Tao Qian.
At this moment, what could he feel?
The sweet blood and flesh in his throat, the fullness in his belly, the strands of meat between his teeth, and the wonderful aftertaste below...
Tao Qian wanted to retreat, wanted to sit down and meditate, wanted to muster the power of his heart and soul to forcefully break free... but all of this was in vain.
It seemed that this "Tao Qian" is actually his true self.
Spirit and body united!
Everything before him was just the revival of past real memories.
Tao Qian endured the disgusting aftertaste with difficulty, but soon the second wave came.
He began to wreak havoc across Seeking Immortal County, he seemed to treat this county town as a toy, the father and son fighting at the docks were originally good, but he deliberately inflicted corpse poison, causing the father to eat the mother and then the son to kill the father... the Four Beasts of She County were actually four innocent county folks who accidentally glimpsed his conspiracy... Devils like Three-headed Monarch, Gourd Demon, Selling Chestnut Woman, were all ordinary neighbors he transformed into monsters to play with.
Nongyu Immortal Pan Hongniang was originally a kind Peach Blossom Cultivator, but upon meeting Tao Qian moved into worldly desires, played by him, abandoned, and deliberately lured to fall into demonhood.
Beautiful Corpse Bodhisattva was originally a good Bodhisattva at Guanyin Temple, deceived by him, she thought he still could be saved, sacrificed herself to a tiger, but ultimately was forced by him into that terrifying appearance.
The world in Tao Qian’s eyes was turning upside down, his memories were becoming chaotic.
If it were just the forceful imposition of hallucination scenes, it wouldn’t matter.
But peculiarly what "he" did is all real.
All the sensations, bit by bit, fed back incredibly clearly.
And even more deadly, all these reversals are without any mistakes.
Even as Tao Qian committed evil while desperately picking at errors, trying to prove the world and his memories before him were false, he couldn’t find a single mistake.
Real and brutal memories, madly reviving:
Tengshe Square, Iron Buddha Temple, Seeking Immortal County... all disputes and wars were stirred up by him.
The Fragrant Meat Collection massacre, Meiling massacre, were also his doing.
He also took advantage of Infant Sect Master Xiao’s trust to drug and violate him, toyed with him a whole night, the Devil God Army turned into the rebel army, even Bai Qin also became a monk, originally intended to save him, but was deceived, dying and fading away.
Completely reversed world, utterly overturned memories.
At this moment, Tao Qian could no longer distinguish reality from illusion.
"Is this Dao Nightmare? Trying to tell me."
"This world was originally normal, without mutation, no distortion and fall, it’s all my fault."
"I brought the filth, I polluted everything."
From these thoughts, it is evident that Tao Qian’s Dao Heart remains steadfast.
The real feedback only makes him immensely troubled, gradually engendering mad thoughts.
He and this "Tao Qian" spirit and body united, yet unable to control his actions.
Despite his repeated struggles, it was of no effect, he could only let Tao Qian continue.
Thus, the pleasure in killing, the ease in playing with people, the fullness in eating human flesh, the wonderful aftertaste of violating the fairies... these, he experienced them all.
His heart and soul were somewhat madly asking himself:
"Even if it is proven afterward that all of this is fake."
"Am I still clean?"
...
While Tao Qian’s heart and soul were tormented by real memories and gradually going mad.
Inside the Star Aperture, standing at the secret path, the Spirit Marrow Lady, was looking with a worried face at the source qi ocean ahead.
The vast and deep starry lake, unexpectedly, was boiling.
With gurgling sounds, visible wisps of black qi forcibly broke through the pure source qi, surging up.
Not to mention the nauseating stench, the originally beautiful and wondrous Star Aperture had signs of distortion.
"Star Aperture boil over?"
"How could this happen?"
"Though the Dao Nightmare has the extraordinary power to distort reality and illusion, it only spreads when externalized, causing major disasters."
"The function of the Star Aperture was to dissipate and disperse these overflowing nightmare energy, allowing cultivators trapped in the Nightmare to pass through safely."
"The nightmare energy within the Young Master’s body can actually boil the Star Aperture, if he can’t break free, wouldn’t it be..."
As if already foreseeing an ominous outcome, the Spirit Marrow Lady’s face was full of anxiety, for a moment not knowing what to do.