The overwhelming golden light stole the destiny of all gods, yet none dared to object. They could only bow their heads and chant scriptures, continuing to listen as the foremost Primordial Heavenly Venerate ceaselessly narrated the scriptures, and then, in a continuous flow, manifested the golden light that filled the heavens.
The Lingbao Heavenly Venerate pushed the golden light towards Ji Xiang, aiding in his transformation. Ji Xiang’s three flowers manifested above his head, only to be consumed by divine fire.
His physical body ascended to the Eighth Divine Fire Realm.
At this moment, the divine fire refined his body, and the embryonic saint emitted qi, advancing towards the next stage of Five Qi Towards the Origin!
The Heavenly Demon’s form and spirit were bestowed upon Ji Xiang. The stimulation from the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate caused the illusory figures of the Four Sacred Ones of the North Pole to continuously manifest on Ji Xiang’s body.
The Heavenly Demon extinguished the form, the second lesson, Heavenly Demon’s Incarnation, complete!
The first lesson forged the form, the second lesson incarnated demonic qi. At this moment, the qi of ten thousand demons around Ji Xiang gradually dissolved. This demonic qi originated from the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture, transformed from classics. Legend had it that the Primordial Heavenly Venerate once transformed into a great ghost-slaying general, annihilating the fierce demons of the ancient Eight Heavens. This demonic qi stemmed from these fiends, after which the Five Heavens and Eight Emperor Great Demon Kings appeared as tribulations for those attempting the Dao to ascend, overseen by the North Emperor Demon-Dispelling Great King.
Ji Xiang’s demonic qi carried a solemnity. The secret transmission of Jade Purity Heaven’s classics manifested a unique power at this moment, much like when Ji Xiang had spied upon the Azure Sky Demon King and seen a divine king’s mark alongside the great demon’s tag.
That indicated the opponent’s true identity. The trial-attempting great demons were also divine kings, listed among the myriad gods. This demonic qi originated from the heavens, untainted by worldly malevolence, grand and magnificent in its righteousness. It was vastly different from the insidious and malevolent qi of worldly demons and ghosts.
“Demonic qi is complete!”
Donghua Fairy Yan Jingzhu stared blankly at this scene. The Lingbao Heavenly Venerate had helped Ji Xiang overcome the second step, the incarnation of demonic qi, meaning he could truly cultivate this Heavenly Demon cultivation technique!
Furthermore, she had not expected to witness the appearance of a Jade Purity Heaven cultivator here again!
At this moment, Yan Jingzhu suddenly recalled Ji Xiang’s previous words – “I have some acquaintance with the Primordial Heavenly Venerate.”
“It can’t be true, can it? He claimed to have offended a Primordial Dao Son and also said he had some acquaintance with the Primordial Heavenly Venerate, and now he can cultivate the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture. His so-called acquaintance is likely another Primordial Dao Son.”
This was the best explanation Yan Jingzhu could conceive. Just like the Green Boy Lord, they were both true inheritors of the Primordial, belonging to Jade Purity cultivators. Hence, their conflicts were more intense, which also explained why he possessed the Tai Xu Treasure Light.
Yan Jingzhu couldn’t help but feel a bit worried for herself.
Initially, she thought this person was merely peculiar, impetuous, and fond of touching things everywhere. She had thought that finally, a powerful young prodigy from the Shangqing Sect had arrived, through whom she could gain complete control of this True Spirit Registry Diagram. However, it turned out not to be someone from Shangqing.
Thus, she lost interest in him at first. But who could have imagined it would turn out like this?
The Lingbao Heavenly Venerate, rather than obtain the Spiritual Book Scripture for himself, was willing to give the scripture to this person. What kind of situation was this? It seemed her struggle with the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate would have to continue.
And…
“Whether he can cultivate the Heavenly Demon scripture is due to the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate’s help, or if there’s something inherently wrong with him? Or… is there something wrong with the scripture?”
“Could it be that the complete Heavenly Demon Scripture can be cultivated by mortals? Is there a deficiency in the part of the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture passed down by the Primordial Heavenly Venerate that pertains to the human world?”
For immortal scriptures, even a single missing character could lead to vastly different cultivation methods, or even complete cessation and self-inflicted damage to one’s cultivation. Therefore, while cultivating a portion of an immortal scripture could yield great benefits, if the scripture was incomplete, it was best not to cultivate the missing parts.
“Shall I try too?”
Yan Jingzhu retreated a considerable distance, creating space between herself and the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate. Then, recalling the Heavenly Demon scripture she had just witnessed, she began to cultivate the first lesson of the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture.
She circulated her power according to the scripture. Lacking direct transmission of the immortal scripture, the speed at which she condensed the form and spirit of ten thousand demons was much slower. After a while, Ji Xiang had already completed the third lesson, Heavenly Demon’s Manifestation, where phenomena were born from qi, further enhancing the compatibility between the immortal scripture and the cultivator.
Meanwhile, Yan Jingzhu here had also completed the prerequisite for the first lesson. The illusory forms of ten thousand demons manifested repeatedly upon her body. She felt a surge of joy, believing this time it might work.
“Could it be that the previous Jade Purity Hidden Scripture was indeed incomplete?”
The first lesson began to condense, and the form and spirit of ten thousand demons started to merge with her. But in the next instant, before her joy could fully register, the demonic qi entered her soul, nearly tearing her entire soul apart!
“Haa!”
Yan Jingzhu violently spat out a breath of soul qi. Her form became somewhat illusory and filled with alarm. She hurriedly began to disperse her cultivation, but the accumulated demonic qi within her was on the verge of severely tearing her soul apart!
“This, this still cannot be cultivated! Could it be because I lack a physical body?”
“Not good, fire, demonic fire has incarnated!”
Puzzled beyond measure, she could only abandon her cultivation, realizing her condition had become dire. Faint wisps of demonic fire appeared on her soul and body – this was the price cultivators paid for practicing the Heavenly Demon scripture!
Of course, her curiosity towards Ji Xiang grew even more intense!
Just then, the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate suddenly appeared before her, striking her unexpectedly for the first time!
In an instant, Yan Jingzhu didn’t even have time to raise the Xi Ying Bell to resist. The next moment, she was seized by the throat by the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate and then thrown towards Ji Xiang!
During this process, the form and spirit of ten thousand demons she had condensed suddenly disintegrated, and she herself was absorbed into Ji Xiang’s form and spirit!
Jade Purity Hidden Scripture, Fourth Lesson, Heavenly Demon’s Yin Embrace!
The form and spirit of ten thousand demons re-entered Ji Xiang’s body, completing the fourth lesson of the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture. Extreme yang met extreme yin, and ten thousand demons melted into primordial chaos, then entered the fifth lesson!
Jade Purity Hidden Scripture, Fifth Lesson, Heavenly Demon’s Clarity!
Upon completing the fifth lesson, Yan Jingzhu transformed into a wisp of spiritual smoke from Ji Xiang’s body and floated out, returning to her original form. However, her soul now contained something extra. It turned out she had gained the substantial yang qi and the five elements power from Ji Xiang’s body, allowing her to reconnect her form and spirit, and even strengthening them.
“It dissolved and devoured the demonic qi that caused my qi deviation, and then, then…!”
Yan Jingzhu touched her body. Although she was a soul manifestation, she had never felt so good before!
Yin and yang were balanced, the five elements appeared, signifying that she only needed to leave the True Spirit Registry Diagram, find a corpse or a physical body, to return to the mortal world. Her soul would be immensely powerful, capable of using the powers contained within her soul to transform that body, thus giving birth to the root of the five elements – a qualification sufficient for immortality!
“This… who, who exactly is he?”
Yan Jingzhu was overjoyed. This meant she finally had the conditions to return to the human world. But immediately after, as her joy subsided, all that remained was shock and a hint of fear.
The five elements were complete, yin and yang coexisted, even the qi of the Three Talents and Three Treasures had appeared. Furthermore, two residual divine fires intertwined within the opponent’s body, both being immortal fires, not the kind achievable by earthly immortals.
Among all the people she had met, even the Green Boy Lord did not possess such a formidable physical body. What was going on?
The Lingbao Heavenly Venerate stood not far away, quietly observing her, and also observing Ji Xiang.
It seemed that at this moment, the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate also noticed the abnormality in Ji Xiang’s body. The qi brought out by Yan Jingzhu and that which had dispersed into the heavens and earth were absorbed by the Lingbao Heavenly Venerate. These breaths flowed into his eyes, as this form and spirit lacked a mouth or nose.
Subsequently, he made a new move: continuing to write the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture for Ji Xiang!
New lessons had appeared!
And with Yan Jingzhu’s “help,” the demonic fires were consumed by Ji Xiang, and ten thousand demons melted into himself. Thus, the sixth lesson’s cultivation was also completed.
Simultaneously, the Divine Fire Realm, after repeated compression of the primordial qi, achieved a breakthrough!
Another scene that made Yan Jingzhu feel incredulous unfolded!
“He, he’s regressing?!”
Ji Xiang’s realm began to fall. He regressed from Five Qi Towards the Origin to the Divine Fire Realm, then broke through to Five Qi Towards the Origin again, followed by another regression, repeating this cycle nine times, as if an immortal elixir was undergoing nine revolutions.
After the nine revolutions, the Divine Fire Realm finally broke through to Five Qi Towards the Origin for the last time. At this point, he was only one step away from condensing the Golden Core and entering the ranks of earthly immortals who could command wind and thunder with a mere gesture.
Yan Jingzhu stared blankly, having witnessed the entire process. Her face was filled with disbelief.
This was too absurd.
“Entering the next stage of cultivation signifies the completion of the previous stage. Without completion, one cannot enter the next stage. How is it possible to break through after completing cultivation in the current stage and then regress back?”
“This, this means if one is dissatisfied with their cultivation, they can start all over again???”
This was a very serious question.
The opponent’s physical body was undoubtedly extraordinary.
“This physical body is truly unusual!”
Yan Jingzhu moved further away from Ji Xiang and no longer looked at the Jade Purity Hidden Scripture.
As for Ji Xiang, his consciousness remained clear, but he could not afford to be distracted during the cultivation process.
Similarly, Yan Jingzhu’s questions also sparked some doubts in Ji Xiang’s mind.
Although the Jiajing Emperor’s elixirs were effective, they were only one-twentieth of their potency. Moreover, the Jiajing Emperor’s elixirs were equivalent to only Moon Radiance Heavenly Marrow. Even with the constant refinement of his body by the two divine fires within, it was impossible for them to bring about such extraordinary changes.
Previously, he had thought that the Jiajing Emperor was more outstanding in alchemy than others.
But Donghua Fairy, if her words were true, existed in the Jin Dynasty, an era when alchemy was prevalent. Many great alchemists emerged from that era. Even the physical changes she praised – were they truly brought about by the Jiajing Emperor?
Solely based on that one-twentieth of the elixir’s potency?
If such potent elixirs existed, wouldn’t the Jiajing Emperor keep them for himself instead of using them to win him over?
“It seems that a part of the reason might lie in this young Daoist’s own physical body.”
This added to the doubts in Ji Xiang’s mind.
The young Daoist’s physical body was weak, and his cultivation talent was not high, this was undeniable. However, that person had opened the door to the lower realm for him. The Primordial Heavenly Venerate had sent him down to the mortal world through the Du Ren Scripture, and subsequently, he had undergone a rebirth of flesh and blood…
“It’s the Du Ren Scripture, that Du Ren Scripture.”
Ji Xiang had recited the Du Ren Scripture once himself. The young Daoist had only recited it for the first time, merely enough to summon his soul. To regenerate from withered bones, one needed to recite it ten times. Therefore…
“The voice I heard back then, could it have been not that young Daoist, but the Primordial Heavenly Venerate, reciting the scripture for me?”
Although this idea was somewhat bizarre, it might not be untrue. In any case, there shouldn’t be any major issues with this body. Ji Xiang still trusted the Primordial Heavenly Venerate; he was like a divine plaque, and they had a long-standing acquaintance.
What harm could he do to himself again? At most, it would be death. But the Primordial Heavenly Venerate did not have such hobbies, unless it was his Primordial Dao Son, then it would be a different matter.
At this moment, Ji Xiang broke through the cultivation of the Seventh Lesson.
Subsequently, the Eighth Lesson, Ninth Lesson, Tenth Lesson.
The classics of the Heavenly Demon.
The first lesson was forging form; the second was incarnating qi, the third was manifesting phenomena, the fourth was embracing yin, the fifth was clarity and enlightenment, the sixth was projecting luck and willpower, the seventh was possessing an unyielding heart, the eighth was hearing all spirits, the ninth was enchanting people, and the tenth was birthing the three corpses of man.
With the completion of each lesson’s cultivation, the Heavenly Demon form and spirit obtained from the first lesson became more refined, and their power increased significantly, integrating more perfectly with Ji Xiang himself. Moreover, each lesson represented something the Heavenly Demon was meant to learn.
After breaking through the tenth lesson, the subsequent cultivation suddenly became more advanced, departing from the foundational stages!
“Eleventh Lesson, Chapter of Subduing Demons!”
From the eleventh lesson onwards, one possessed the power to capture all directions and subdue external demons and heretical paths!
Ji Xiang suddenly opened his eyes and recited the Chapter of Subduing Demons. At this moment, the true demonic qi surged from his body, giving birth to a crimson divine banner!
“The Dust-Filth Great Sin Subduing Demon Banner, capable of subduing ninety kinds of external paths and one hundred and eighty categories of demons in the human world!”
“Once the Subduing Demon Banner is unfurled, any individual whose name is recorded on this banner will automatically drop three realms upon encounter, and all demonic qi will be subject to its control. Any technique that summons impure spirits, unless the summoner is three realms higher than the banner holder, cannot be executed!”
Ji Xiang was overjoyed. This was precisely the weapon needed to deal with the Song Dynasty. Although he had not obtained the killing formations at Maoshan, with this treasure manifested from the Heavenly Demon lessons, it was equally comparable to those killing formations!
Ji Xiang tightly grasped this crimson divine banner. It bore the qi of the sun, moon, stars, and clouds. The heavens were inscribed with the Heavenly Venerate, signifying Heaven, and the banner’s belly was inscribed with the name of the Heavenly Emperor, signifying Earth!
The Heavenly Venerate represents Heaven, and the Heavenly Emperor represents Earth!
Demonic qi coiled around Ji Xiang. The Heavenly Demon form had completely merged with Ji Xiang’s own form and spirit, refined into primordial power. With the unfurling of this banner, all gods bowed their heads and chanted the holy name of the Primordial Heavenly Venerate.
“Before raising the banner, let the heavens be heard, proclaim to all spirits, the hidden and the manifest shall witness, ghosts and gods shall gaze from afar!”
All gods played in unison, creating a magnificent spectacle. Yan Jingzhu was once again filled with awe. She recalled when her teacher had obtained the divine position of the Primordial Heavenly Venerate and become a true inheritor of the Primordial, and how all immortals had come to congratulate him!
“A Jade Purity Heaven cultivator, reappearing in this era, is truly astonishing.”
The Donghua Fairy was lost in exclamation, while Ji Xiang dared not delay and continued cultivating the twelfth lesson!
Among the remaining lessons, the twelfth was the Chapter of Annihilation, the thirteenth was the Chapter of Majestic Spirit, the fourteenth was the Chapter of Illumination, the fifteenth was the Chapter of Reception, and the sixteenth was the Chapter of Trial!
This meant that only by cultivating to the sixteenth lesson would one possess the qualification to guide others in trials as a Heavenly Demon!