Chapter 1733: Clear Revelation (I)

Metallic Essence was originally the condensation of a cultivator's Dao Fruit of life and destiny. Supreme and exalted, it was a treasure coveted by all beneath heaven.

Given Lu Jiangxian's current Dao conduct and his understanding of the True Monarch level, Metallic Essence was something attained within oneself and truly belonged to the cultivator. A Fruition Position, by contrast, was a position ordained by heaven and earth. What cultivators now called seeking Golden Core actually consisted of two stages, attaining Metallic Essence and ascending to a position.

Most could only complete the first. In the past, Duanmu Kui, and Si Boxiu later, had both attained Metallic Essence. But once Metallic Essence became masterless, it would be inhabited by the qi of heaven and earth and become a demonic entity. In Lu Jiangxian's view, however, these demonic entities varied in strength.

Metallic Essence is fundamentally a cultivator's Dao Fruit of life. If that cultivator was the master of a Fruition Position, then the Fruition Position would recognize him. Naturally, it would also recognize his Metallic Essence. The Metallic Essence would thus inherit its master's authority...

Such demonic entities could innately sense their Fruition Position, and were therefore exceedingly difficult to oppose. Take the sinister bird formed from True Monarch Tianwu's Metallic Essence back then... Even a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator empowered by a divine ability was as fragile as a mortal before authority involving Fruition Attainment.

But were the demonic entities formed from the Metallic Essence left behind after Duanmu Kui, Si Boxiu, and others died while attaining the Dao much weaker? Lu Jiangxian had carefully calculated... and reached a very unexpected conclusion. The demonic entities formed after someone perished during a breakthrough... are actually not much weaker.

The key lay in dying during a breakthrough along the Purple Mansion and Golden Core Dao.

The instant Lu Jiangxian saw Wang Xun, who cultivated an ancient immortal art, he recognized that the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao was a shortcut. Rather than cultivating one's destined nature, a cultivator wagered a lifetime of cultivation on sensing a Fruition Position and aligning their destiny with it. Only at the moment they sought the Dao through the Purple-Gold Devil Dao would Metallic Essence come into being.

When a cultivator sought the Golden Core Realm and attempted to attain a position, they used their own Metallic Essence to petition for it. At the moment they sought the Dao, so long as the position was unoccupied, the Fruition Position would sense them... To use an imperfect analogy, the Metallic Essence left behind by this attempt at Dao attainment would have already made itself familiar to the position. It might gradually weaken with the passage of time, but at the instant the attempt to attain the position failed, the resulting demonic entity was no less powerful than those left from ancient times.

That is why the Underworld's judiciary must deploy dharma relics. First, those emissaries walking the mortal realm are not particularly powerful, so Metallic Essence with certain unusual abilities can easily escape them. Second, some people's Metallic Essence is simply that formidable.

Beyond these forms of Metallic Essence, however, there was another possibility. Ancient Dao lineages that cultivated both life and destiny, such as Spiritual Cultivation Dao, the Shamanic Talisman Dao, and the ancient Devil Dao, could condense Metallic Essence in advance without attaining a position. They could then use it to leave a legacy for their descendants or bribe underworld emissaries.

However, when such Metallic Essence occasionally fell into the world, the demonic entity it formed was far inferior to the former two kinds.

Having understood all this, Lu Jiangxian needed only a brief examination to know that the entity on Fuxun was something extraordinary.

It possesses the support of a stable and formidable position of authority. If it ever goes berserk, its destructive power will approach that of a True Monarch!

Logically, those great figures should all have known about such a critical matter. Yet Lu Jiangxian carefully surveyed the great void and then examined the manifest world... Aside from one or two Sea Patrollers serving the dragons, he found no trace of them whatsoever.

It is not impossible that they failed to notice it. After all, this entity was concealed so thoroughly that I only discovered it after Li Quewan activated the Immortal Mirror to investigate...

Lu Jiangxian had encountered many True Monarchs over the years, and his own divine sense was ultimately a cut above theirs. If even he had struggled to detect it, then it was only natural that the True Monarchs had failed to notice it.

Even so, this is no ordinary demonic entity. It must be some method employed by a True Monarch...

Lesser Yang...

At present, Devil Monarch Xiyan of the Great Western Plains was the prime suspect. That figure bore the title [West Eternal Loyal Pure Victory White Serene True Monarch]. As a fiend, he might well possess some insidious methods.

As Lu Jiangxian narrowed his attention, he saw that Fuxun had settled into the secret chamber, and was consuming spirit items to treat his injuries. The face on the back of his head rapidly contorted, sliding along his cheek to his chest, then down his waist to his ankle.

The golden lips parted slightly in a smile, then sprang from his ankle and landed on the formation-covered floor. Meanwhile, the pure white eyes remained on his thigh, peering downward as though guiding the way.

The thing was so sinister that it inspired panic. The golden lips appeared perfectly natural upon the floor and did not disturb the grand formation in the slightest. The lips and teeth dusted in golden powder twitched faintly, as though it might rise at any moment with the entire island as its body.

If this thing attached itself to someone from the Li Family, I could try fighting it without attracting attention. But if it devours Lulai Island, the resulting disturbance will leave none of us alive...

If this Metallic Essence demonic entity willingly transferred itself to Li Quewan, Lu Jiangxian naturally had a chance of subduing it. Even if it refused to transfer, he would still dare risk a battle if Fuxun agreed to enter the immortal formation. However, all of this depended on it truly being an ordinary demonic entity. Lu Jiangxian still harbored doubts. Who could say whether this demonic entity was some great figure's method or something sanctioned by a consensus among the True Monarchs?

It is entirely possible that a True Monarch separated a wisp of his own Metallic Essence to wander the world! If True Monarch Tianwu could leave behind three suits of armor to stand guard, why could the other True Monarchs... not do the same?

If that were the case, then having it disappear without a trace after entering Li Quewan's body would practically amount to exposing himself without being questioned.

Fortunately, the lips and teeth wandered around the secret chamber for a while before seemingly growing dissatisfied. They turned around and leaped back onto Fuxun, gathering behind his head and whispering among themselves. Their discussion soon became rather heated.

Lu Jiangxian lowered his eyes slightly and listened carefully, becoming even more certain of his conjecture. This entity possesses extremely high intelligence... and several distinct consciousnesses capable of arguing among themselves... It cannot possibly be an ordinary demonic entity!

Upon realizing this, Lu Jiangxian secretly breathed a sigh of relief instead, though he soon found himself in a dilemma.

Since it possesses such high intelligence, even if it does not understand the arrangements of the master behind it, it must at least know how to protect itself and will not go berserk without reason. Fuxun now wishes to seek refuge with the dragons... Perhaps this thing has been subtly influencing him.

This demonic entity might even be searching for the dragons... If the Li Family agrees, we will become embroiled in the matter. Yet if we ignore it, who knows what madness this demonic entity might unleash...

After considering the matter from every angle, Lu Jiangxian ultimately decided to wait and observe. He would first watch the entity's reaction, then let Li Zhouwei handle it and pass this ticking time bomb to the dragons.

As he continued monitoring the situation with part of his attention, the writing in his hand had long since stopped, and worry began to weigh on him.

Yang Tianya...

Li Zhouwei had gone to Simin Prefecture, where the Yang Family cultivators were holding a secret discussion in the hall. Although he had not entered the hall, the Immortal Mirror's probing light allowed him to hear their words clearly from afar.

The name [Xuan'an] mentioned in their conversation matched perfectly with the information Chi Buzi had obtained from Dingjiao!

The ones behind Mount Dali are remnants of the Origin Mansion, namely Xuan'an and the Azure Attainment Primordial Heart Instrument.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Jiangxian thought, Qingyu Qian and Xuan'an control an immortal formation and command the [Laurel-Derived Profound Light]. They also possess an Immortal Artifact, the very [Azure Attainment Primordial Heart Instrument] they spoke of...

This was an extremely important clue. The [Great Expansion Heavenly Plain Scripture] could neither calculate the schemes of Dao Embryo Realm cultivators nor account for Immortal Artifacts. During the calculations back then, the Immortal Mirror itself and many of the Dao Embryo Realm methods Lu Jiangxian suspected had been entered into the [Great Expansion Heavenly Plain Scripture] as known conditions...

Since the [Azure Attainment Primordial Heart Instrument] could be calculated, its existence could not be a secret. Many minor cultivators from Golden Core Realm factions must have known about this Immortal Artifact and mentioned its existence before.