Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Human cultivators do not cultivate their physical bodies but comprehend the laws of the Great Dao, and their advancement in realm is closely related to this.

When one's cultivation level is low, one only needs to follow the steps of cultivation techniques, accumulate spiritual energy, refine true essence, transform essence into qi, and form a core and condense an infant to improve one's realm.

However, the higher one's cultivation level, the more difficult it becomes to break through the bottleneck.

Nascent Soul cultivators refine Qi into Spirit, enabling them to mobilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, thus making initial contact with the power of laws.

At this stage, it's no longer as simple as just absorbing spiritual energy and pure true essence.

The next step is to refine the spirit and return to emptiness, to comprehend a trace of the power of the laws, and to advance to the stage of refining emptiness.

Next comes the Refinement of Emptiness and Integration with the Dao, where one gains initial control over a law of power and advances to the Integration Realm.

The term "union" refers to drawing the laws of heaven and earth into the body.

The final step is to master a law of power and advance to the Mahayana stage.

At this point, human cultivators who had never cultivated their physical bodies now needed to refine their spiritual bodies in order to bear the power of the laws of heaven and earth.

However, the physical bodies of human Mahayana cultivators are different from those of demons. They are not known for their immense strength or immortality, but rather for their perfect harmony with the laws of cultivation, which have various wondrous uses.

The cultivation of the demon race is also closely related to the laws of heaven and earth.

However, the power of the laws of the demon race is inherently contained within their bloodline.

By simply improving one's physical body and unleashing the potential of one's bloodline, one can steadily improve one's cultivation level.

Compared to human cultivators, the demon race has a simpler and more direct way to advance their cultivation level, and they don't need to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, which seems to give them an advantage.

However, this cultivation method has two drawbacks. First, the physical body must be strong enough to bear the powerful force hidden in the bloodline.

One must nourish the physical body with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, or temper the physical body with rare and precious materials, spiritual herbs and pills. This process either takes too long or requires extremely rare spiritual items for tempering the body, and is in no way inferior to the secluded and arduous cultivation of human cultivators.

Secondly, the power of bloodline has its limits, unlike the limitless potential of the human race, who can continuously improve their realm as long as they comprehend the laws of heaven and earth.

Even the most powerful bloodline of the Holy Race demon beasts can only cultivate to the Demon Saint realm at most before their potential is exhausted.

However, for the Demon Saint to advance to the Great Saint level, bloodline becomes a shackle.

This limitation must be broken, the physical body must be elevated to the level of a Great Sage, and a power of law must be comprehended.

The path of cultivation, though different, leads to the same goal. Whether human or demon, whether a cultivator of magic or a cultivator of body, the ultimate goal is to cultivate both magic and body, without neglecting either.

Even cultivators at the Integration Stage or Great Sages of the Demon Race might not fully understand the secrets of this cultivation, but Chen Yuan, having cultivated the "Nine Revolutions of True Spirit," was fully aware of it from a high vantage point.

The True Spirit is an extremely special existence. It is born in harmony with the Great Dao and has complete control over a law of power. Its physical body is also incomparably strong.

True spirits are not inherently superior or inferior, but their strength varies drastically depending on the laws they control.

Powerful true spirits such as the True Dragon, Heavenly Phoenix, Kunpeng, Kui Niu, and Zhu Yan are far beyond the reach of even human Mahayana cultivators or demon saints.

However, many true spirits are not good at fighting with humans, and can be easily defeated by Mahayana cultivators or great saints of the demon race.

Chen Yuan began cultivating the "Nine Revolutions of True Spirit" by refining the first type of True Spirit Blood, thus embarking on the path of dual cultivation of body and spirit.

Each time one refines a type of true spirit blood, one gains initial mastery of a law's power.

That is why Chen Yuan's strength is so formidable.

Other cultivators and demonic beasts either had to follow the established methods of cultivation or struggled to unlock the power within their bloodlines.

However, he directly mastered a kind of law power, although it was only a tiny wisp, and even cultivators of the same level were far from being his match.

However, this path of cultivating both body and Dharma is much more difficult than simply cultivating the body or Dharma.

Needless to say, the blood of the True Spirit is a rare and precious treasure.

From the Foundation Establishment stage onwards, Chen Yuan had to refine a type of True Spirit Blood for each advancement in his cultivation level.

If it weren't for the help of the jade pendant, and the fact that the human realm was once invaded by a demon army in ancient times, and that two demon kings with true spirit bloodlines left offspring in the human realm, Chen Yuan might never have been able to form his core.

In addition, if he wants to bear the blood of the true spirit, he must continuously strengthen his physical body.

His exceptionally pure and abundant true essence also required him to absorb more spiritual energy from heaven and earth and refine more pills than cultivators of the same level.

However, the benefits of cultivating the "Nine Revolutions of True Spirit" are also immense. When breaking through realms, the bottleneck is greatly weakened, and there is no need to comprehend the power of laws.

If Chen Yuan hadn't been so poor in aptitude, possessing all five elements of spiritual roots, the process of transforming into a deity wouldn't have been so difficult, requiring a massive amount of the five elements' essence to perform the Five Elements Spiritual Body Secret Technique.

Most importantly, those who cultivate the "Nine Revolutions of True Spirit" control far more power of laws than other cultivators.

If Chen Yuan can cultivate to the Mahayana realm, he will be able to master the power of nine laws. Not to mention being invincible among his peers, even a true spirit descending to earth would be no match for him!
Nine is the ultimate number, representing the power of nine laws, which is also the limit that Mahayana cultivators can control.

To advance further, one must ascend to the Immortal Realm to access even more immense power.

……

After seeing off the Heavenly Hou Demon General, Chen Yuan meditated and adjusted his breathing in his cave. Just a few days later, the Xiangqing Demon General sent a demon general to his door, inviting Chen Yuan to come and collect his reward.

The Thunder Mountain Demon King was very generous. Knowing that Chen Yuan lacked cultivation pills, he directly bestowed upon him a bottle of mid-stage Nascent Soul pills.

Chen Yuan removed the divine sense restriction from the Thousand-Eyed Pearl and returned it to Xiang Qing Demon General. This treasure could directly detect demonic energy and was extremely useful in this battle, so naturally it would not be left to Chen Yuan and the others.

Since this battle can no longer be won quickly, and we can only confront it head-on and proceed cautiously, there is no need to wait any longer.

Half of the demon generals remaining in the Xuanlin Mountains are going to guard various strategic locations, while the other half will continue to garrison the Xuanlin Mountains as a backup.

When Xiangqing Demon General gave Chen Yuan a choice, Chen Yuan naturally did not hesitate and chose to go to the First Line of Sky guarded by Iron Wing Demon General to resist the army of the Corrosion Cave.

Chen Yuan volunteered for the battle, and Xiang Qing, the Demon Commander, readily agreed.

He knew Chen Yuan's strength was immense; even the Void Refining Puppet couldn't defeat him. He was no less powerful than a high-ranking demon general and possessed the strength to stand alone.

Xiangqing, the Demon General, took out a blank jade slip, appointed Chen Yuan to take charge of the battle at Yixiantian, and left a divine imprint on his mind with the Demon General's token, so that none dared to disobey.

Chen Yuan immediately left the Xuanlin Mountains and spent five days arriving at the place guarded by the Iron-Winged Demon General.

This place is located in a remote canyon, with sheer cliffs thousands of feet high on both sides, stretching for thousands of miles.

This sheer cliff was not formed naturally. Instead, it was created by several demon generals from Thunder Mountain Cave after the last great battle with the Corroded Wood Cave. They spent decades moving hundreds of towering peaks, each a thousand feet high, and forcibly transformed it. It is a masterpiece of nature, and low-level demon beasts would find it extremely difficult to cross.

The only passable passage is a narrow canyon several tens of miles wide in the middle, which is called "A Line of Sky". It is heavily guarded by two demon generals.

The demon generals of the Northern Underworld Cave also guarded the First Line of Sky, obeying the orders of the Iron-Winged Demon Commander.

Outside the narrow pass, there was also an army of 100,000 demon beasts, led by three demon generals from the Wood Erosion Cave, but they did not launch an attack.

The terrain of the First Line of Heaven and Earth was too treacherous; a force of 100,000 could not be deployed. Even with a larger force, they could only be constantly replenished, with no chance of victory. Among the three demon generals of the Corroded Wood Cave, one was a high-ranking demon general, whose strength far surpassed that of the others.

However, the formation set up in the narrow passage was enough to withstand the siege of five or six demon generals. As long as they held their ground and did not come out, the army of the Wood-Eroding Cave would be helpless.

Along the border between the two major cave dwellings, there are many perilous places like the "One Line Sky".

Other places may not be as treacherous as the First Line of Sky, but they are equally easy to defend and difficult to attack. Only by launching a strong attack with several times the number of demon generals and low-level demon beasts can they possibly break through.

This is also why Xiangqing Demon General sent Chen Yuan and others to infiltrate the Corroded Wood Cave to investigate the formation of the demon army.

To achieve a swift victory, they needed to attack the enemy's weak points, but this plan was thwarted by Chen Yuan, who disguised himself as a man in black and secretly assassinated the five demon generals of the Corroded Wood Cave.

Iron-Winged Demon General was overjoyed to see Chen Yuan arrive and take charge of the battle at Yixiantian.

Previously, only two demon generals were stationed at Yixiantian, but the other side had three demon generals, including a high-ranking one. They could only hide in the formation and defend themselves.

However, with Chen Yuan's help, the chances of victory would be much greater, and they could fight to their hearts' content.

Iron Wing Demon General hosted a banquet for Chen Yuan, and another Wood Pig Demon General also attended.

This Wood Sea Demon General and Iron Wing Demon General were of similar cultivation levels and had a close relationship. They had also met Chen Yuan several times.

When Chen Yuan established his residence, he went to offer his congratulations. Later, he even participated in a trade fair with Chen Yuan, hoping to exchange for the Heavenly Demon Blood Purification Pill in Chen Yuan's possession. However, he could not produce the five-thousand-year-old body-tempering spiritual herb and the mid-stage Nascent Soul pill, so he had to give up.

Mu Hai, the Demon General, had never fought Chen Yuan, nor did he know that Chen Yuan had joined forces with You Ji, Tian Hou, and other Demon Generals to ambush and kill Tian Luo, the Demon General.

However, based solely on Chen Yuan's Kun fish bloodline, the Demon General Mu Hai dared not underestimate him and supported Chen Yuan in taking charge of the battle, showing a very friendly attitude.

The next day, Chen Yuan summoned the demon generals of the Northern Underworld Cave and inquired about their recent situation.

Since the army of the Wood-Eroding Cave did not attack, and the Iron-Winged Demon General took good care of them, the nearly 10,000 low-level demon beasts of the Northern Underworld Cave suffered very few casualties.

Only a few demonic beasts went out to scout for news and did not return.

Chen Yuan immediately decided to launch a counterattack in three days, with both Iron Wing Demon General and Wood Pig Demon General giving their full support.

Relying on the strategic location of Yixiantian and the defensive formations they had set up in advance, they could attack or defend as they pleased. Even if the enemy had a high-ranking demon general, they didn't need to worry too much.

Two days passed quickly. Just as Chen Yuan and his two companions were preparing to set off with their demon beast army, a demon general skilled in escape techniques arrived at Yixiantian with a letter from the demon general Xiang Qing, requesting Chen Yuan to return to Xuanlin Mountain Range.

Chen Yuan was quite surprised, but since Xiang Qing had given the order, he had no choice but to obey.

They had no choice but to temporarily halt the war, return the narrow passage to the Demon Generals Mu Hai and Tie Yi, and leave with the demon general.

……

A few days later, Chen Yuan returned to the Xuanlin Mountains. After waiting for half an hour outside the council hall, he finally met Xiangqing Demon General.

He clasped his hands in a bow and said, "I was ordered by you, fellow Daoist, to guard the First Line of Heaven. I have already persuaded fellow Daoists Tieyi and Muhai to lead their troops in a counterattack, but I was summoned back by a letter from you. I wonder what important matter it is?"

Xiangqing Demon General looked at Chen Yuan with a strange look in his eyes, stroked his beard and smiled: "I received a message from my sources that I have no choice but to recall you for your safety."

"May I ask, when you escaped from the puppet of the Wood-Eating Demon King, what methods did you use to anger him?"

Chen Yuan was taken aback: "What do you mean by that, fellow Daoist?"

Xiangqing Demon General said leisurely, "Shortly after you returned to the Xuanlin Mountain Range, the Wood-Eating Demon King issued an edict, offering a reward for your life, and was willing to offer a great treasure for it."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand and took out a jade slip, handing it to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes, took the jade slip, and probed it with his divine sense. His expression immediately turned gloomy.

Xiangqing, the demon general, sized up Chen Yuan with a glint in his eyes: "As long as you take my life, you can obtain an eight-thousand-year-old body-tempering elixir, a third-grade spiritual weapon, and a low-grade immortal spirit stone."

"These three treasures would even tempt a high-ranking demon general."

"It seems that the Wood-Eating Demon King hates you to the bone, but fellow Daoists Youji and Tianhou also participated in the siege of Tianluo."

"However, they were not put on a bounty by the Wood-Eating Demon King. Do you know why, fellow Daoist?"

Chen Yuan's thoughts raced, and he immediately thought of the Cangming Halberd and the Heavenly Demon Armor. He sighed and said, "It must be because when I took out my ancestor's life feather and used the teleportation technique, I shattered the void and injured the Wood Erosion Demon King's puppet, which is why he was so furious."

Xiangqing Demon General's eyes showed surprise: "It seems that the puppet is seriously injured. The Wood-Eating Demon King is always ruthless. He shouldn't be offering so many treasures as a reward for a minor injury."

Chen Yuan smiled proudly: "That puppet is only equivalent to the early stage of Void Refinement, while my ancestor Kun had already cultivated to the middle stage of Void Refinement before he passed away, and was only one step away from the late stage of Void Refinement."

"The life feather he left behind was naturally of extraordinary power, severing the puppet's left arm."

"It's a pity that my cultivation level is too low. If I were to advance to a high-level demon general, the puppet's injuries would be even more severe."

Xiangqing Demon General's eyes flashed and he laughed, "To be able to sever the left arm of a Void Refining Puppet is already extremely difficult. Your ancestor truly deserves to be called a Demon King of the Holy Clan; he is indeed extraordinary."

"Fellow Daoist Beiming has performed such a great service, why haven't you reported it to the King?"

"His Majesty is fair and just in rewarding and punishing, and if he knew of this matter, he would surely bestow more pills to help you improve your cultivation."

Chen Yuan said, "I was honored by Your Majesty's high regard, but I failed to complete the task assigned by Your Majesty and returned in a sorry state."

"His Majesty's decision not to punish but to reward is already incredibly magnanimous. How could I, Kun, dare to seek further credit and reward?"

"Moreover, this matter cannot be verified. It is only Kun's side of the story, and no concrete evidence can be provided, so it was not mentioned."

"Who would have thought that this Wood-Eating Demon King, a dignified demon king, harbored such deep hatred for me, Kun."

"However, we will meet force with force and water with earth. As long as the Wood-Eating Demon King and those few Void Refining Puppets cannot take action themselves, I will not refuse anyone who wants to take my life."

Xiangqing Demon General clapped his hands and praised, "Fellow Daoist Beiming is so bold, I admire him greatly."

"However, fellow Daoist, rest assured, the Great King is already aware of this matter and has specifically instructed that the Wood-Eating Demon King will not be allowed to succeed."

"Therefore, I summoned my fellow Daoist back to guard the Xuanlin Mountain Range."

"In this way, the Demon General of the Wood Erosion Cave will have no chance to make a move, and the bounty on the Wood Erosion Demon King will have to be nullified."

Chen Yuan frowned: "Then wouldn't I, Kun, have no chance to fight?"

Xiangqing, the Demon General, said, "This is also a last resort. The Wood-Eating Demon King hates you too much, and the treasures he has brought out are too precious. Even high-ranking demon generals would go crazy for them."

"As long as you go into battle, you will surely attract the siege and even ambush of the demon generals of the Corroded Wood Cave."

"Even the Void Refining Puppet might seize the opportunity to strike. As long as it doesn't kill you in full view of everyone, Your Majesty can't say anything."

"If you, fellow Daoist, were to die, my Thunder Mountain Cave would be unable to even protect a demon general whose bounty is on the head of the Wood-Eating Demon King. What face would we have then?"

"I hope you will consider the bigger picture and refrain from impulsive actions." (End of Chapter)