Chapter 255

A short while later.

The great battle came to an end. The heavens shifted from day into night, and a waning moon hung high overhead, faintly tinged with crimson.

Streams of Taiyin qi drifted through the air, condensing into all kinds of spiritual treasures that scattered across the ground.

The Demon King Shu Zhu returned to human form and casually tossed aside half of a shattered horsetail whisk.

"Courting death..."

"Tsk... the flesh of a Taiyin Purple Mansion cultivator truly is delicious."

Beside him stood a young man in a green robe with long, narrow eyes. He licked his lips as though savoring the lingering taste.

"I only managed one bite. Didn't even get to appreciate the flavor..." another Demon King said regretfully. He was short in stature, dressed in an earthy yellow robe, his face covered in bumps. "I've heard that the Great Spiritual Master Yaoyue had already reached the late Purple Mansion stage with three divine abilities. I wonder where she escaped to?"

"If a Great Spiritual Master wishes to leave, who among us could stop them without activating our Golden Core foundation?"

Demon King Shu Zhu sighed.

"The Nation of Women has always maintained friendly ties with the Eight Tribes of our demon race. The last time the Azure Bird Tribe marched south, they even invited Spiritual Master Yaoyue to fight alongside them. Unfortunately, an order came down from above. We had no choice but to carry it out."

"I've heard, this matter is related to a Dao lineage?"

The narrow-eyed Demon King suddenly spoke.

"Could something have happened within the Taiyin lineage? Our demon race has deep ties with [Bi Moon]. Those connections cannot simply be severed."

"I don't care about any of that. I just want another satisfying feast."

The short Demon King nearly drooled.

"The Nation of Women only has a million inhabitants. Far too few. I've heard that to the south, White Luminary Heaven has opened. There are tens of millions of people inside, along with a single Golden nature. If I could devour them all, my 'Primordial Refining Cauldron' would finally reach perfection. Then my chances of attaining Golden would be within reach!"

"Our Lady truly possessed remarkable foresight."

He continued excitedly.

"The one occupying [Stomach Earth] only concerns himself with humanity, not the demon race. Recently both Cloud Grazing Cliff and the Yin Corpse Sect have grown much weaker. This is the perfect chance to seize a huge advantage."

"Hmph. You spend every day eating and every night eating. Aren't you afraid of bursting to death?"

Shu Zhu snorted.

"That Golden-nature aberration could crush the three of us with a single slap."

"Hehe... I think Senchen simply wasn't ruthless enough."

The green-robed Demon King laughed.

"Our demon race once experimented with the Divine Path as well. Its foundation lies with the people. As long as every mortal inside that Grotto Heaven is slaughtered, the Divine Path's great network will completely collapse. Every incense deity will perish, and the Emperor of Underworld will regress into nothing more than a single strand of Golden nature. That makes things much easier."

"Compared to that, those monks of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain are far more troublesome. Even if all their incense worshippers are exterminated, their Duzi and Dumu still won't lose their positions."

"The Esoteric cultivation methods have always contained traces of the Divine Path."

Shu Zhu nodded.

"But the one atop the Great Snow Mountain is extraordinary. He absorbed the strengths of both paths while discarding their weaknesses."

"Those Duzi and Dumu truly are troublesome. Their method of conversion, however, has one fatal flaw. If they convert too many disciples, they eventually become no different from the Divine Path. At that point, their own weakness becomes completely exposed."

The Esoteric conversion method, if used to convert every living being, would in essence create another world governed by the Divine Path.

Yet the Divine Path bore enormous karmic burdens. Receiving the worship of all living beings meant they were obligated to protect them. Even their own existence became influenced by the thoughts and beliefs of the masses.

For this reason, the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain emphasized quality over quantity when converting disciples.

Even a Great Dharma King usually accepted only a handful of disciples beyond the five designated positions, fearing the immense karmic burden.

"Fortunately, this time the Esoteric Domain clashed head-on with the Blissful Union Sect. Both sides suffered tremendous losses."

"I've heard... the Esoteric Domain still came out slightly ahead."

"Sigh. Why couldn't those Esoteric monks simply all die together?"

The three Demon Kings sighed repeatedly. Each harbored deep wariness toward the Esoteric Domain before stepping into the void one after another, disappearing without a trace.

...

Ancient Shu.

Xituo Commandery.

Within Wusheng Temple.

Sangji sat cross-legged upon a white bone lotus throne.

Of the five former Duzi and Dumu beneath him, only Moonlight White and Peacock remained.

"Each of you shall return to your assigned posts. Pay no attention to outside affairs. Simply guard the borders of Xituo Commandery."

A short while later, the White Bone Dharma King opened his eyes from meditation and spoke calmly.

"We obey the Dharma decree!"

Moonlight White and Peacock had wanted to inquire about the Vajra Strength Duzi, but seeing that the Dharma King had no intention of elaborating, neither dared ask further. They bowed respectfully and withdrew.

Sangji swept his divine sense across the surroundings, sealing the cave abode's array.

Only then did he speak inwardly.

"Venerable One... the monk soldiers stationed in the Eastern Water lands have already returned under Bai Ziye's protection. This humble monk intends to abandon Wushan Commandery and the surrounding territories, concentrating solely on defending Xituo Commandery."

...

Within a cave dwelling on a deserted island in the Qi Refining world, Fang Qing listened to Sangji's report and nodded.

"Very well. Proceed as planned."

Not to mention the Central Plains, even controlling the two commanderies of Shu would be beyond the White Bone Dao's current capabilities without the support of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain.

If they shamelessly attempted to occupy more territory, did they truly think the Great Spiritual Master Senchen atop Cloud Grazing Cliff was dead?

"This is the correct course."

"The strength of our White Bone Dao is sufficient to rightfully occupy a single commandery. Besides, the previous agreement still stands."

Fang Qing approved of Sangji's decision.

Although somewhat conservative, it was steady and reliable. Advancing step by step ensured that his own forces would never suddenly suffer catastrophic losses.

Sangji pressed his palms together. “Venerable One, there is one more matter. This humble monk has learned from the Great Snow Mountain of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain that a decree was recently issued from Descending Phoenix Mountain. The Eight Demon Tribes joined forces to annihilate the Nation of Women. The Great Spiritual Master Yaoyue has disappeared without a trace. Apart from that, nearly everyone from top to bottom became food for the demon race.”

“The Nation of Women? [Wei Moon]? Wasn't the Golden Core True Lord upon the [Wei Moon] Position always an ally of the demon race? Why have they suddenly turned against each other? Could it be that the demons have fallen into internal conflict?”

At first, Fang Qing was surprised. Then he immediately connected the matter to the Esoteric Domain's assault on the Blissful Union Sect.

'Could it be the actions of [Wei Moon] this time exposed certain information that I still cannot understand? Yet the master of [Yi Fire] at Descending Phoenix Mountain saw through it clearly, which is why they made their subsequent move?'

Recalling Dharma King Pilu's words, 'This was a question, and Chi has given its answer,' Fang Qing became even more certain that the Esoteric Domain's actions would have consequences reaching far beyond what he had originally imagined.

'No... it is not merely the eastward advance of the Esoteric monks.'

'The true beginning of everything was [Stomach Earth] successfully attaining the Golden Position!'

'Ever since the first person in more than eight thousand years became a True Lord, the great currents of the world have begun changing at an astonishing pace.'

'Unfortunately, I am still standing too low. I cannot see through the fog shrouding the various Dao lineages, nor can I understand the true meaning behind every move made by figures such as the Great Sun Tathagata or the Phoenix...'

To ordinary cultivators of the Eastern Supreme Unity Mysterious Gate, these events appeared to be nothing more than another bout of infighting among demons.

But Fang Qing knew better.

Beneath the surface lay an even deeper struggle, one involving the highest powers.

'I truly wish... I truly wish I could search the soul of a True Lord.'

'Unfortunately, I simply cannot do that yet.'

'The only thing I can do is continue observing major events through my chess pieces, watching the Golden Core True Lords make their moves, observing the nature of their Golden attainment... then endure the infusion of their Dao attainment and search for clues hidden within their every word and action.'

'Compared to Sangji and the others... I am already far more fortunate.'

Sangji no longer remembered the final battle at the Blissful Union Sect.

Even if he somehow recalled it, the memories would only bring harm rather than benefit.

Only Fang Qing was capable of enduring and digesting such forbidden knowledge, thanks to the protection of the Grotto Heaven and the miraculous power of the Dao-Genesis Pearl.

If Purple Mansion cultivators of the Qi Ingestion path forgot everything after witnessing a Golden Core True Lord take action, then they would almost never obtain even the slightest clue. They would never seize the key that allowed them to grasp their own fate.

After instructing Sangji to continue following his conservative strategy, Fang Qing ended the connection and silently considered the current situation.

'From now on, I need to pay even greater attention to the Qi Ingestion world.'

'After all, this is the main world.'

'Even my golden finger, and perhaps the Grotto Heaven itself, seem deeply connected to it...'

'Breaking through to Purple Mansion has become unavoidable.'

'The Qi Refining path is ultimately only one experiment, one possible branch of the ancient Qi Ingestion Dao. In the end, everything still leads toward the path of attaining the Golden Position.'

Fang Qing carefully reviewed the current state of the Qi Ingestion world.

Ever since the Kitchen Lord ascended to his position, the earth-virtue demonic cultivators among humanity had suffered tremendous losses. Both the Yin Corpse Sect and Cloud Grazing Cliff had quieted considerably.

The Esoteric monks had crossed eastward, and the Blissful Union Sect had been all but destroyed.

The demon race had experienced the replacement of the Azure Bird Tribe, fought against Cloud Grazing Cliff, and now united the Eight Demon Tribes to wipe out the Nation of Women.

One could say that every major demonic sect and power had recently endured constant warfare and upheaval.

They were all at their weakest.

The period ahead should finally be relatively peaceful.

'The timing could not be better for my Purple Mansion breakthrough.'

Fang Qing felt his heart stir with excitement.

His [Wind-Positioned] Dao Foundation had already reached perfection. There was no longer the slightest uncertainty regarding how to advance into the Purple Mansion realm.

'Breaking through to Purple Mansion consists of two major steps...'

'The first is refining one's Dao Foundation into a divine ability. Then, using one's nature to seek life, the fate itself is elevated. During this stage, Purple Mansion spiritual treasures can be used to increase the chances of successfully refining a divine ability.'

'The second step is for the true spirit to merge with that divine ability, becoming one while enduring the boundless tribulation of inner demons.'

'Once the heart demons arise, one may sink into endless cycles of reincarnation. The duration is unpredictable. It could last several years, several decades, or one might simply perish while sitting in meditation.'

'As for preparing against heart demons, I possess several secret techniques from the Nascent Soul chapter of the Devouring Sea Art, along with tribulation treasures such as the Abstruse Dark Mirror, the Clearheart Meditation Cushion, and the Soul-Nourishing Prayer Beads.'

'Even a Nascent Soul-level heart demon tribulation would give me a reasonable chance of success, much less the heart demon tribulation of an early Purple Mansion cultivator.'

A Nascent Soul-level heart demon tribulation was comparable to the difficulty faced by at least a late Purple Mansion Great Spiritual Master.

Therefore, Fang Qing remained highly confident about overcoming his own Purple Mansion heart demon tribulation.

After all, he possessed an entire Grotto Heaven.

His cultivation resources were practically limitless.

'Now I finally understand why cultivation resources are so abundant in the Qi Refining world. Within Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, heavenly treasures naturally grow everywhere.'

'Besides that, I also possess the Abyss Eye Pearl. My divine sense is exceptionally powerful, which should also prove beneficial against heart demons.'

After carefully reviewing everything, Fang Qing concluded that his remaining preparation was simply to upgrade the Abstruse Dark Mirror to middle-grade third-rank.

After that, he could begin searching for a suitable place to attempt his Purple Mansion breakthrough.

'Breaking through to Purple Mansion is a lengthy process. It requires careful preparation.'

As memories of the past surfaced one after another, a thought suddenly arose within him.

'Perhaps... it is time for me to return.'

'To return to the place where everything first began.'

The Nascent Soul chapter of the Devouring Sea Art also mentioned this.

Before a Core Formation cultivator at the peak stage condensed a Nascent Soul, if they could eliminate all lingering regrets and settle the unfinished ties of the mortal world, it would likewise increase their chances of overcoming the heart demon tribulation.