Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Just as Chen Yuan was about to answer, a voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard. It was Yuan Shuheng who had also come to visit under the cover of night.

The two rose and came out of the reception room to greet him. Han Xuan activated the array, and Yuan Shuheng was slightly taken aback to see Chen Yuan there. He then smiled and said, "I didn't know Junior Brother Chen was here. I've come at an inopportune time..."

Chen Yuan said, "Senior Brother Yuan, you've come at the right time. I was just about to discuss breaking the formation with Senior Brother Han. Please join me in discussing this matter."

Han Xuan said, "Junior brother, please come in."

Yuan Shuheng then entered the hall, and the three of them sat down again.

Chen Yuan said, "Just now, Senior Brother Han asked me how to break the Xuanli Realm Formation. I do not cultivate the Dao of Formations and do not know much about it, but I have asked Wu Xuan about this matter."

"This Xuanli Realm Grand Array uses 360 Dragon Breath Platforms as its base to support the grand array that covers the entire realm."

"To break it open, the thirty-six Dragon Breath Platforms at the core must be destroyed."

"Or break through the seventy percent of the Dragon Breath Platform outside the True Dragon Cave, and then set up an array to lure a Demon Saint or a Nascent Soul cultivator to descend."

Senior Brother Han nodded slightly: "That's right. Before we entered the Xuanli Realm, Protector Yu, who was an expert in array formations, said that this array was extremely mysterious and contained a destructive power, like a volcano ready to erupt."

"If we want to force it open from the outside, we need a Mahayana cultivator to take action, and there is a high chance that we will destroy this spatial secret realm as well."

"Therefore, we must expand the vulnerabilities from the inside out in order to preserve this realm."

"The demon race has wreaked havoc on the Dragon Breath Platform in an attempt to set up a luring array before human cultivators can enter the area, thus drawing the demon saint down."

"They just didn't expect that our sect had other methods and opened a spatial passage in advance."

“Junior Brother Chen just said to bring the elders down as soon as possible. We should do the same as the demons and destroy the Dragon Breath Platform.”

"The Dragonkin tribe regards the Dragon Breath Platform as its foundation. If we act in the same way, it will easily provoke the Dragonkin to resist and ruin our current favorable situation."

Yuan Shuheng frowned: "Then we will sit and watch the demon race destroy 70% of the Dragon Breath Platform, and then set up the attraction array before the demon race does."

"At the very least, our sect's elders and those six demon saints will arrive at the same time. If a fight really breaks out, the demon race will be no match for the cultivators of our Spirit Realm."

Han Xuan shook his head: "Junior Brother Yuan only came out of seclusion before his departure, so he is unaware of the mysteries of the Xuanli Realm Array."

"This formation is connected to the spiritual essence of the Xuanli Realm, and is extremely mysterious."

"Our master specifically instructed that if we want to set up the traction array, we must personally destroy the Dragon Breath Platform, otherwise we will never succeed."

Chen Yuan's heart stirred, and he said, "When I asked Wu Xuan, he gave the same answer, but he didn't mention 'spiritual essence.' May I ask, Senior Brother Han, what is this 'spiritual essence'?"

Yuan Shuheng's eyes also showed a look of doubt. Han Xuan glanced at him and said with a half-smile, "I don't know either. Master did not explain in detail. Junior brother, have you never heard Master mention it before?"

Yuan Shuheng looked somewhat embarrassed: "As you know, senior brother, I have been working hard and secluded myself for many years, completely oblivious to what is happening outside the mountain..."

Since his defeat at the hands of Han Xuan, he has worked extremely hard in his cultivation, often going into seclusion for years. As a result, his cultivation has progressed by leaps and bounds, reaching the perfect Nascent Soul stage earlier than Han Xuan.

The exploration of the Xuanli Realm was overseen by Han Xuan, so he hadn't paid much attention to it. Today was the first time he had heard the term "spiritual essence."

Han Xuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Chen Yuan again, saying solemnly, "No matter what this 'spiritual essence' is, Master's words are certainly not wrong."

"Although the demon race suffered heavy losses after Junior Brother Chen wiped them out, there are still two true spirit descendants left."

"Those six demon saints must have used some kind of methods; they should not be underestimated."

"Right now, dealing with the demon race is the priority. We must wipe out the remaining demon generals and completely control the situation in the Xuanli Realm."

"It won't be too late to persuade the dragon people of this world to destroy the Dragon Breath Platform and set up a traction array to bring down our sect's elders and those three seniors."

Chen Yuan said thoughtfully, "What Senior Brother Han said is absolutely right. I was not careful enough and almost ruined a great matter."

The word "spiritual essence" reminded him of the original fragments of the Green Mantis Realm.

Only the essence of the interface can be so mysterious.

However, this Xuanli Realm is not a interface, but a secret spatial realm. Could it be that it also has the origin of an interface?

Han Xuan smiled slightly: "Junior Brother Chen, you flatter me. You have traveled through the Three Realms and endured many hardships, yet you have still not entered the Spirit Realm. It is understandable that you are anxious."

"However, we cannot rush this matter. Junior Brother Chen has the Tai Xuan Token in his hands, and I, Han, will also speak on his behalf. If it is not foolproof, it is almost certain."

"But before that, I urge you to consider the bigger picture and deal with the demon race first. Otherwise, if the Demon Saint descends, everything will be over."

Chen Yuan said, "Thank you very much, Senior Brother. But I wonder if you have any ideas on how to eliminate the Demon Commander?"

Han Xuan pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Before we arrived, my junior brother was outnumbered and outmatched. Joining forces with the Ying Shan and Ying Qian tribes to search for the Demon General's whereabouts and slow down his destruction of the Dragon Breath Platform was a brilliant strategy."

"But now that we have come to this world, if we continue to act in this way, we will be more cautious than ambitious."

"The task of eliminating the demon general cannot be abandoned, but the True Dragon Cave cannot be ignored either."

"Han believed that they should split into two groups, one of which would go to the Wanyan Mountains and wait for the enemy to come to them."

"The other route is to continue hunting down the Demon Commander. What do you think, Junior Brother Chen?"

Chen Yuan replied without hesitation, "I will do as my senior brother says."

Han Xuan's eyes flashed as he stared at Chen Yuan: "Whether we go to the Wanyan Mountains or stay in Tielin City to wipe out the demon generals, we need someone to oversee things."

"Han will lead one group himself, and my junior brother will lead the other group."

"Han will allocate half of his manpower to his junior brother's command and lend him a hand."

Chen Yuan declined, saying, "I have just joined the Huayu Peak lineage and I am afraid it will be difficult for me to win over the masses. It is better to let Junior Brother Yuan or Senior Brother Zhang take the lead. I will do my best to help them."

Han Xuan smiled and said, "Junior Brother Chen is too modest. I heard from Elder Lin that Junior Brother is not only proficient in thunder magic, but also a body cultivator."

"With a powerful physical body and wielding magical weapons, he is invincible and unstoppable."

“Junior Brother Yuan is my junior brother’s defeated opponent. Our sect has always valued strength, not age or seniority. How can we allow my junior brother to obey Junior Brother Yuan’s orders?”

Yuan Shuheng also spoke up, saying, "Junior Brother Chen, please don't refuse. The three senior brothers are traveling with me, and I will be the one in charge."

“Junior Brother Chen’s thunder magic is so powerful that I, Yuan, am completely inferior and should take on this important task.”

Chen Yuan lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "In that case, I shall respectfully comply."

"The True Dragon Cave is too important; it will inevitably attract the demon race, disciples of the two lineages, and cultivators from the three sects."

"I have never dealt with them before, and I am not capable enough to handle this. I cannot let the overall situation be ruined, so I ask Senior Brother Han to go instead."

"I will remain in Iron Frost City to eliminate the demon generals and weaken the demon race's strength."

"Chu Weicai and Zhou Muyun have cultivated in the Wanyan Mountains for tens of thousands of years and are extremely familiar with the True Dragon Cave. They can lend you a hand, Senior Brother."

A glint flashed in Han Xuan's eyes, and he smiled, "Very well then. I'll leave the matter of Iron Rin City to Junior Brother Chen."

In a few words, the two decided on their next strategy without consulting Zhou Muyun and Chu Weicai.

They didn't need to consult with these two; Chen Yuan, alone, could persuade Chu Weicai and Zhou Muyun to join forces with him. Now that Han Xuan had brought the true disciples of Huayu Peak to the Xuanli Realm, the dragon-people, caught between the human and demon races, had even less room for choice.

Chen Yuan then spoke up, "I have another matter I would like to ask Senior Brother Han for help with."

Han Xuan smiled and said, "Junior Brother Chen, please speak. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse."

Chen Yuan said, "If Senior Brother Han encounters Zhong Ding and Ao Pan, could you please send me a message? Their demon cores would be of some use to me."

Han Xuan was taken aback: "Junior Brother Chen, are you after the true spirit blood within them?"

Chen Yuan nodded: "That's right. As Senior Brother Han knows, I am a body cultivator, and my foundation is my physical body."

"It just so happens that I once obtained a secret technique that can condense the blood of true spirit, temper the physical body, and greatly help me in breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm."

Han Xuan replied without hesitation, "This concerns Junior Brother Chen's path to enlightenment, so I will do my utmost to help."

"It just so happens that I have never fought against a descendant of a true spirit before. If I encounter Ao Pan or Zhong Ding, I will retrieve the demon core for my junior brother."

Chen Yuan was taken aback by Han Xuan's quick agreement, then clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Senior Brother Han. However, Ao Pan and Zhong Ding have extraordinary bloodlines and are highly regarded by the Demon Saint."

"Zhong Ding is the son of the Heavenly Pillar Demon Saint. We don't know what tricks he has up his sleeve, so he won't be easy to deal with."

"Senior brother, there's no need to take action personally; simply informing me is sufficient."

According to Yuan Shuheng, Han Xuan's strength was extraordinary and unmatched, and killing enemies of higher ranks was commonplace for him.

However, Chen Yuan still had some doubts. He had never seen a Nascent Soul stage sword cultivator before, and the Nascent Soul stage sword cultivators he encountered in the human realm were far inferior to him in strength.

Han Xuan himself admitted that he had never fought against the descendants of the True Spirit.

If he underestimates his enemies and is injured by Ao Pan and Zhong Ding, or even suffers some unforeseen mishap, Chen Yuan's entry into the Spirit Realm will encounter setbacks.

Yuan Shuheng seemed to see Chen Yuan's worry and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Chen, there's no need to worry. A mere descendant of a True Spirit is no match for Senior Brother Han."

Han Xuan also said, "Although I am a sword cultivator, my cultivation method is somewhat special, and I can also control other magical treasures."

"Before leaving, my master bestowed upon me a life-saving method, so even if I am no match for him, I will be safe."

Chen Yuan felt a little relieved and said, "Then I will have to trouble Senior Brother Han. I will not let you work for nothing. I will definitely reward you handsomely after the matter is completed."

Han Xuan looked displeased: "Since we are brothers, we should help each other. What is a demon core or two? Junior Brother Chen, please don't say anything more."

Chen Yuan was slightly taken aback, and immediately changed his words: "I misspoke. If Senior Brother Han brings back the demon core, I will owe Senior Brother a favor."

Upon hearing this, Han Xuan smiled again and nodded.

Chen Yuan stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to the two men: "Senior Brother Yuan's visit so late at night must mean he has important matters to discuss with Senior Brother Han. I will not disturb you any longer and will take my leave."

Han Xuan did not try to persuade him to stay, but got up and saw Chen Yuan out of his residence, with Yuan Shuheng following beside him.

The two watched Chen Yuan's figure disappear into the night before returning to the hall. Han Xuan then reopened the array to block divine sense from probing.

He looked at Yuan Shuheng and asked, "Junior Brother, what brings you here so late at night?"

Yuan Shuheng hesitated for a moment, then said, "I have nothing important to say, but I am worried about Chen Dao... I wonder what you think about Junior Brother Chen, so I came to ask you."

Han Xuan smiled and asked, "Junior Brother, is there anything you don't understand?"

Yuan Shuheng frowned and said, "I have fought with Junior Brother Chen before, and no one knows his strength better than me. The sense of pressure he brings me is no less than that of Senior Brother."

"This is only the Thunder Dao Divine Power. Elder Ruolin is not exaggerating. He also has an extremely sharp Fangtian Halberd and a battle armor with overwhelming demonic energy. Both are extraordinary spiritual treasures and divine weapons."

"But no matter how strong Junior Brother Chen is, his origins are still questionable."

"If my senior brother directly incorporates him into our Huayu Peak lineage, what if something goes wrong and the elders of the sect blame us?"

Han Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Junior brother, are you worried that I will be punished by the sect?"

Yuan Shuheng nodded: "Now, under the leadership of my senior brother, our Huayu Peak lineage has risen to prominence."

“The true disciples of the other peaks were forced to give up many benefits and had long been dissatisfied with their senior brother.”

“I’m worried they might use this as an excuse to their advantage, or even try to persuade the elders, which would be bad.”

Han Xuan said calmly, "It's a minor ailment, nothing to worry about. Master has instructed me to act as I see fit, and this matter falls within that scope."

Yuan Shuheng frowned even more deeply: "I know that Senior Brother wants to help Junior Brother Chen, and I also believe that what Junior Brother Chen said is true."

"But senior brother, there's no need to immediately accept him into the sect; the risk is still too great..."

Han Xuan said solemnly, "Although the risks are great, the rewards are also extremely high."

"As you know, our sect is at a critical juncture. The sect leader has established the 'Heavenly Ranking,' and the sect elders are waging war against all realms."

"The goal is to accumulate merits, obtain permission from the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion, and build a giant city on Turtle Island in preparation for the next invasion of the Demon-Burning Realm."

"Even the clues to this secret spatial realm were taken by the sect leader from the Great Sage of the Burning Demon Realm and bestowed upon Elder Su."

“Our Huayu Peak lineage has a shallow foundation, which is the perfect opportunity to rise up. That’s why I, your brother, am willing to show my brilliance and become the target of everyone.”

“Junior Brother Chen’s Tai Xuan Token is so realistic that it can be mistaken for the real thing. He even mentioned the sect leader in his words. If it were a lie, it would be easy to see through. It is most likely not a fake.”

"If he is truly a descendant of the Tai Xuan Sect in the lower realm, and knows the sect leader as an old friend, it would be a natural thing for him to join our sect. At that time, he most likely would not choose my Hua Yu Peak lineage."

"Junior Brother Chen defeated Ao Xuan with his strength. Ao Xuan also had the means of a Demon Saint to save his life. His strength is extraordinary. He should be able to compete for a seat as a 'Dao Seed Disciple' and break through to the Void Refinement stage."

"As your brother, the only way is to strike first and get him to join our Huayu Peak lineage, appealing to his emotions."

"If Junior Brother Chen truly joins our sect by then, he will already be calling us fellow disciples. Why would he choose another place?"

"Even if Junior Brother Chen's identity is truly suspicious, as long as I seize the True Dragon's Relic Treasure and make a great contribution to the sect, it will not be difficult to offset my guilt."

"That's why I didn't listen to Junior Brother Chen and was unwilling to bring the three elders down first."

"Jiang Wangchen and Lin Yuanzi want to seize the True Dragon's Relic Treasure to achieve great merit and increase their chances of winning the 'Dao Seed Disciple' position. How could I, as your elder brother, not have the same thought?"

Han Xuan's last few words were spoken casually, yet they contained a powerful confidence.

Yuan Shuheng had no doubt about what Han Xuan said. A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. He clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "It was my shortsightedness that prevented me from seeing the deeper meaning of my senior brother's words."

Han Xuan smiled slightly: "I value Junior Brother Chen's strength more than just his strength. Just now, I let Junior Brother Chen choose whether to go to the Ten Thousand Flame Mountains or stay in Iron Rin City."

"His decision to stay shows that he acted with great discretion, knew the importance of the True Dragon Cave, and did not harbor any delusions."

"With such a treasure before them, and the chances of finding it even more slim, how many people can remain clear-headed and free from greed?"

"On this trip to the Myriad Flame Mountains, I am determined to slay Ao Pan and Zhong Ding, retrieve their demon cores, and make Junior Brother Chen owe me a favor, thus truly joining the Huayu Peak lineage!" (End of Chapter)