Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Chen Yuan was somewhat surprised and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Jin, there's no need for such formalities. We can simply address each other as fellow Daoists."

Jin Zhan Xiedao said, "Elder Ming has issued an edict that the senior has helped Heaven expel the demonic energy and has done a great favor to my Green Mantis Clan."

"This junior specifically asked the elder about the etiquette of the senior clan, but the elder only knows the etiquette of those demons, and doesn't know if it's right or wrong."

"I have been disrespectful to you, senior. I hope you will forgive me."

After saying this, he clasped his hands and bowed to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan didn't insist any further and went along with it, asking, "How long have I been in seclusion? Where is Fellow Daoist Fu?"

Jin Zhanxie said, "According to what you said, it has been more than three months since you went into seclusion."

"The elder ordered me to wait for the senior here. He is currently outside the cave, blocking those Green Mantis rebels who want to rush into the clan's territory."

Chen Yuan asked, "Why is that?"

Jin Zhanxie said, "The rebel leader Aqingna has not shown his face for a long time, which aroused the suspicion of the rebel army outside. They want to rush into the clan's territory to pay their respects to Aqingna."

“The elders would naturally not allow it, but Ah Qing was trapped in that formation and could not escape, so they had no choice but to go out and stop him personally.”

"Fortunately, with the decree issued by Aqingna and the elder displaying great power, killing more than a dozen Green Mantis rebels, they dared not charge forward."

"They've simply surrounded the entrance to the clan's territory and are constantly reinforcing their troops; it looks like they're about to make another move."

Chen Yuan frowned: "Since that's the case, why doesn't Fellow Daoist Fu summon me out of seclusion?"

Jin Zhanxie said seriously, "The elder instructed that the senior is currently comprehending the Dao of Heaven and should not be disturbed easily."

"Unless the Green Mantis rebel army storms into the clan's territory, we must not wake our elders, and we have specifically instructed our juniors to wait here."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly: "Fellow Daoist Fu is very kind, but the Green Mantis army is numerous and powerful, and there are quite a few Green Mantises comparable to the Divine Edge Realm."

"How can Fellow Daoist Fu keep them out of the clan's territory by himself?"

Jin Zhanxie said, "This is all thanks to the senior's help in expelling the demonic energy from the Heavenly Dao, which greatly increased the power of the divine stone in the elder's hand."

"With the protection of Heaven, the elder's strength is no less than that of the rebel leader A Qingna."

"Those Green Mantis rebels have betrayed the Heavenly Dao and absorbed evil energy. They have high cultivation levels but their strength is far inferior to that of Green Mantises of the same level. They are no match for the elders."

"If it weren't for their sheer numbers, the elders would have already led us in a massive counterattack, crushing the rebel army in one fell swoop and absolutely forbidding them from desecrating our clan's land!"

Chen Yuan said, "Now that I have emerged from seclusion, it is the perfect time to resolve this matter."

After saying that, he flew towards the place where the Green Mantis King was trapped, with Jin Zhanxie following closely behind.

Although the Green Mantis Clan in the underground caves regards the Green Mantis King as a traitor and hates him to the bone, his identity is still special.

The Green Mantis King was locked in a palace. Although an array was set up and the Five Ghosts Sealing Technique was implemented, he was still able to move freely.

After more than three months of imprisonment, Green Mantis King's arrogance had been greatly diminished. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, he was very respectful and dared not be arrogant in the slightest.

Jin Zhanxie was very disdainful and made sarcastic remarks from the side. It turned out that after the fragment of the interface's origin dispelled the demonic energy, the spiritual energy in the underground cave became much denser, and the Green Mantis King, whose body was full of pure death energy, was severely suppressed.

Moreover, the Green Mantis King was fully aware of the fact that the old Green Mantis had killed more than a dozen Green Mantis nobles.

Knowing that the old green mantis was now just as strong as him, it became even more terrified, fearing that the old green mantis would take its place, and no longer felt the resentment it had when it was first imprisoned.

Chen Yuan glanced at the dejected Green Mantis King and said indifferently, "I have come here specifically to borrow your head, Fellow Daoist."

The Green Mantis King was taken aback. Chen Yuan raised his sleeve and flicked it, causing a faint spatial ripple to spread out.

Several thin spatial rifts appeared, swallowing several restrictions, and the carefully laid array by the Demon General Qiyan was easily broken.

Chen Yuan flipped his hand and took out the Soul-Summoning Banner. With a gentle shake, five fierce ghosts flew out of the Green Mantis King's body and returned to the banner.

Green Mantis King was overjoyed, but the next moment, Chen Yuan ignited a ball of Vermilion Flame in his left hand and poured it into Green Mantis King's soul space.

After its fall, the Green Mantis Clan only knew how to absorb death energy and did not cultivate its soul. Its soul was quickly burned into nothingness by the True Fire of the Vermilion Demon, and it died on the spot.

Jin Zhanxie was taken aback. Although it was determined to take the Green Mantis King's life, it had become accustomed to being imprisoned here. Chen Yuan's sudden move was quite unexpected.

Without wasting any time, Chen Yuan carried the corpse of the Green Mantis King and flew towards the exit of the underground cavern, with Jin Zhanxie following closely behind.

When they encountered other green mantises along the way, they immediately stepped aside, raised their two bladed arms, and awkwardly clasped their hands in a respectful salute to Chen Yuan.

As Jin Zhanxie had said, the spiritual energy in the underground cavern had indeed become much denser, but it was still far inferior to that of the Burning Demon Realm, only comparable to a miniature spiritual vein in the human realm.

Before long, Chen Yuan and Jin Zhanxie flew out of the underground cavern and left the invisible barrier set up by the fragments of the interface's origin.

An old green mantis stood suspended outside the cave, holding a divine stone, its eyes closed, emanating an aura.

The emerald green spiritual light was extremely conspicuous in the dim world, and its pressure was comparable to that of a cultivator in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, covering a hundred miles.

The surrounding area was filled with simple camps, all built of lightweight and sturdy wood according to the Green Mantis tribe’s custom, stretching out and completely enclosing the cave.

Thousands of green mantises fluttered their wings and took to the air from all directions, seemingly confronting the old green mantis, but none dared to come forward and fight it.

After Chen Yuan and Jin Zhanxie flew out of the cave, the old green mantis seemed to sense something, opened its eyes, turned around, its mandibles opening and closing, its voice revealing a hint of joy: "Fellow Daoist Chen has emerged from seclusion? This is..."

It paused when it saw the corpse of the Green Mantis King that Chen Yuan was carrying.

The surrounding Green Mantis army also saw the Green Mantis King's corpse, causing a commotion.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "I have come here specifically to help Fellow Daoist Fu to set things right, so that after I leave, chaos will break out in the Green Mantis Clan, impacting the Origin Space, and even causing changes to the World-Destroying Giant Ship."

Having said that, he took out the Guanghan Bow, drew back the bowstring, and shot an arrow at the densest green mantis army.

The arrow of spiritual light arrived in an instant, and the Green Mantis Nobles had no time to dodge. They were all reduced to dust by the explosion of spiritual light.

The pure spiritual energy also caused the death energy to fluctuate, turning into a storm. The green mantis nobles who wanted to escape were also swept up in it, their bodies filled with violent death energy, and they died on the spot.

The Green Mantis army was thrown into chaos and scattered. Chen Yuan fired two more arrows, killing hundreds of Green Mantis nobles from the other two directions, and then commanded them to stop in the Green Mantis language.

The Green Mantis King was dead, and Chen Yuan killed hundreds of Green Mantises with a single arrow, completely demoralizing the remaining 20,000 Green Mantis soldiers.

Some terrified green mantises chose to stop, but many more fled for their lives, ignoring Chen Yuan's reprimands.

A cold glint flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes. He put away the Guanghan Bow, his eyes gleaming with silver light, and pointed to the sky.

Dark clouds gathered from all directions, covering thousands of miles in the blink of an eye, accompanied by thunder and flashes of silver light.

Countless bolts of lightning rained down, each one far weaker than the ones Chen Yuan used to unleash his lightning technique in the past, barely a fraction of them remaining, yet still enough to easily kill a demon general.

These Green Mantises are filled with mutated demonic energy, which is especially effective against thunderous divine powers. Once struck by lightning, they have no power to resist and are instantly turned into charred remains.

With thousands of green mantises dying under the lightning, no green mantis dared to escape anymore.

They all froze in place, their bodies almost hunched over to the limit, their mouthparts opening and closing rapidly, emitting sharp sounds.

This is the Green Mantis Clan begging for surrender. Chen Yuan slowly lowered his right hand and handed the corpse of the Green Mantis King to the old Green Mantis, saying indifferently, "These Green Mantises have lost their courage. It will be much easier for Fellow Daoist Fu to subdue them now."

"With the help of these green mantises, the royal city will not be difficult to conquer. At that time, Fellow Daoist Fu will be able to regain the throne and lead the green mantis clan."

"Now that the fragments of the Heavenly Dao have been freed from the erosion of demonic energy, the death energy in this fragment of the interface has become like water without a source, and will only gradually thin out."

“Those low-level green mantises are already oppressed. Their dependence on death energy will be reduced considerably, and they will definitely be loyal to Fellow Daoist Fu.”

"In this way, this fragment of the interface will not cause trouble before Chen returns."

The old Green Mantis paused for a moment, then took the Green Mantis King's corpse, placed one hand on his chest, and performed a Green Mantis salute: "Although I can use the power of the divine stone, it is like a child wielding a sledgehammer; I cannot wield it freely. At most, I can only block these traitors."

"Without your help, fellow Daoist, I don't know when I would be able to subdue these green mantises."

He then flew into the sky, lifted up the corpse of the Green Mantis King, loudly proclaimed his identity, and demanded that the Green Mantis army surrender.

These green mantises were already demoralized and only wanted to survive.

Upon learning that the old green mantis was a legitimate descendant of the royal family, even if they didn't know if it was true, it was still much easier than submitting to a different race. They immediately rushed to express their submission to the old green mantis.

The old green mantis was also cunning and treacherous. Chen Yuan was ruthless and merciless, slaughtering thousands of green mantises and leaving the opportunity to appease people to it. Naturally, it would not miss it.

The old green mantis announced to the surrendered green mantises that it could pass on to them a secret method to protect them from the corruption of death energy and to greatly extend their lifespan.

The Green Mantis army was skeptical, but the old Green Mantis calmly summoned the Green Mantis clan from the underground cavern.

None of them were tainted by any death energy, and they all displayed their supernatural powers, making them even stronger than the green mantises that absorbed death energy.

In this way, these green mantises, who were originally forced to surrender and had different thoughts, were immediately tempted.

Their power comes from death energy, but they are also controlled by it, so they both love and hate it.

The old green mantises can free themselves from the shackles of death energy, extend their lifespan, and enhance their strength.

In comparison, loyalty to the already dead Green Mantis King is utterly insignificant.

Thousands of Green Mantises immediately pledged their allegiance to him. The old Green Mantis seized the opportunity, declaring the abolition of the throne and proclaiming himself the Great Elder of the Green Mantis Clan. He claimed to have come from divine revelation to save the Green Mantis Clan from the corruption of death energy.

From then on, any Green Mantis who sincerely serves the gods is qualified to serve as the Grand Elder.

Below the Grand Elder are the Elders. It immediately appointed several of the first Green Mantises to pledge their loyalty as Elders, making the other Green Mantises envious.

The old green mantis further announced that the secret method to avoid being corrupted by death energy could only be practiced under the protection of the gods, and only those who sincerely believed in the gods could succeed.

Three days later, it will launch a counterattack on the royal city according to the divine revelation.

Those who make contributions in this battle will be given priority to be granted secret techniques, and those who make the greatest contributions will be appointed as elders.

Upon hearing this, most of the surrendered Green Mantises could no longer contain themselves and volunteered to fight. The morale that Chen Yuan had destroyed was largely restored in a very short time.

Chen Yuan watched the old green mantis's methods quietly from the side, feeling quite impressed, but also becoming more wary of it.

Before the invasion of the ancient demons, the Green Mantis Realm was far from the peaceful and tranquil place described by the old Green Mantis.

This is an alien race that has produced Mahayana cultivators. They feed on flesh and blood and are willing to sacrifice their realm to perish together with the ancient demon army. They should not be underestimated.

Chen Yuan did not linger. Seeing that the old green mantis had taken control of the situation, he bid farewell and left, returning to the underground cavern.

Within this fragment of the interface, only this place contains spiritual energy, allowing Chen Yuan to enter seclusion and recuperate.

Having just subdued an army of over 20,000 green mantises, the old Green Mantis was preoccupied with numerous trivial matters and had many things to attend to. He didn't try to persuade Chen Yuan to stay, only allowing Jin Zhanxie to serve by his side. Jin Zhanxie was in a difficult position, but Chen Yuan, seeing its desire to stay and assist the old Green Mantis, politely declined the arrangement.

Jin Zhanxie breathed a sigh of relief, but the old green mantis dared not neglect Chen Yuan and arranged for another green mantis to serve him.

This time, Chen Yuan did not refuse. He returned to the underground cave and came to a palace that was second only to the old green mantis. He set up an array to isolate the inside from the outside, sat cross-legged, and slowly closed his eyes.

He comprehended the original fragments of the interface in the original space, absorbed a wisp of original pure energy, and gained a great deal. His true essence was abundant, and he did not need to meditate or regulate his breathing.

But just now, Chen Yuan sensed a strange movement in the Xuan Yin Armor in his dantian. It was flashing with light, and the spirit connected to his mind was about to break free from its cocoon.

He looked inward at himself, focusing his consciousness on the spirit space of the Xuan Yin Armor, silently watching the giant cocoon of demonic energy that was gently pulsating.

But three days passed without any change in the giant cocoon of demonic energy; it continued to pulsate slightly.

However, through that close connection, Chen Yuan could clearly sense the increasingly clear thoughts emanating from the giant cocoon. The spirit of the Xuan Yin Armor could condense and take shape at any moment, truly advancing to the level of a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure.

Chen Yuan waited patiently for another three days, but the giant cocoon of demonic energy remained motionless. However, he felt a slight movement on his wrist.

Chen Yuan withdrew his divine sense, opened his eyes, and looked down.

The blood jade bracelet that she always wore on her left wrist swayed slightly, and a pair of dark, bright eyes slowly opened. She blinked twice in a daze, then recognized Chen Yuan, revealing a hint of joy.

The blood jade bracelet slowly opened, transforming into a small snake with translucent, blood-red scales. It flicked its tongue and climbed up Chen Yuan's arm.

Feeling the deep affection in his heart, Chen Yuan smiled.

The small red snake nimbly swam onto Chen Yuan's shoulder, raised its upper body, and gently rubbed against his cheek. The warm and delicate touch was like the finest jade.

Chen Yuan raised his hand, and the little red snake obediently landed in his hand, coiled its body, raised its head, and looked at Chen Yuan.

Those dark eyes shone with innocence and joy, like a child seeing his father after a long separation.

Chen Yuan smiled and asked, "How did you wake up?"

The little red snake could not speak human language, but it could understand Chen Yuan's words and conveyed a vague message to him.

Chen Yuan's eyes showed surprise: "You were able to comprehend the profound mysteries of the Great Dao contained within the fragments of the interface's origin while you were asleep?"

The small red snake swayed its upper body gently, as if it were shaking its head or nodding, and a hint of confusion appeared in its dark eyes.

Chen Yuan said helplessly, "You only feel the passage of time, but you don't have any real understanding?"

The small red snake swayed up and down. Chen Yuan asked a few more questions, and the small red snake answered them all with its mind.

It was originally meant to remain dormant for a hundred years, waiting for time to pass before it could fully control the power within its body.

However, after Chen Yuan comprehended the fragments of the interface's origin, it also awakened after several decades, and its control over demonic power was no longer rudimentary.

It even quietly absorbed a wisp of primordial pure energy, and its cultivation level reached the peak of a low-level demon general.

The crimson snake's innate ability, the Breath of Time, was originally limited to a radius of ten feet for three breaths.

The range has now been expanded to thirty feet, and when dealing with opponents of the same level, it can be used to banish them for four breaths.

Under these restrictions, the little red snake wouldn't dare say it's invincible among its peers, but it would be extremely difficult for a demon general of the same level to defeat it.

However, the stronger the opponent, the less effective the Breath of Time becomes.

If the difference in strength is too great, it may even become ineffective.

However, the Breath of Time involves the most mysterious power of time. Even high-ranking demon generals, unless they master the power of time, will be affected by the Breath of Time.
However, the time spent in exile will be greatly reduced, lasting only a moment.

Apart from that, the little red snake did not master any other innate supernatural abilities.

The power of time is too strong and too dangerous. Even the Candle Serpent, who possesses the bloodline of the Candle Nine Yin, dares not delve too deeply into the Dao of Time, otherwise it will surely suffer a backlash.

Before advancing to the rank of Demon General, the little crimson snake could only use the one supernatural power: the Breath of Time.

Only with sufficiently profound cultivation and a deeper control over the power of time can one unleash other innate divine abilities.

Even if it were to one day advance to the rank of Great Saint, it would only be able to unleash a handful of cosmic divine powers.

The power of time is a powerful law that only immortals can wield freely. Cultivators in the lower realms can only dream of immortality and can at most touch the surface of the law of time.

Even the true spirit of Zhujiuyin dared not claim to have completely mastered the laws of time, let alone the little red snake that had only inherited a portion of Zhujiuyin's bloodline.

Feeling the boundless joy and affection emanating from the little red snake, Chen Yuan sighed inwardly and reached out a finger to scratch its head.

The little red snake had its eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a comfortable expression; it didn't look like a cold, aloof little snake at all.

After it advanced to the rank of Demon General, its intelligence became no different from that of an ordinary person.

It's just that they spend most of their time sleeping after hatching, and their true age is no different from that of a human child, which is why they seem so innocent.

A smile appeared on Chen Yuan's lips, and a thought in his mind was quietly erased.

After playing for a while, the little red snake sent a thought to Chen Yuan, crawled back to his left wrist, intertwined its head and tail, and transformed back into a blood jade bracelet. It then closed its eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The lifespan of the Candle Serpent is many times longer than that of other demon races. It spends most of its time in slumber, and its cultivation level becomes more and more profound as the years go by.

The small red snake possesses true spiritual bloodline, has a longer lifespan than other candle snakes, and can draw more power from the passage of time.

This is a powerful race, but also a somewhat tragic one.

Although they possess formidable strength that other demonic beasts cannot match, they spend most of their lives in slumber.

The little red snake regarded Chen Yuan as its parent, and its affection for Chen Yuan was able to suppress its instincts, making it unwilling to be separated from Chen Yuan.

She can wake up from her deep sleep and play with Chen Yuan for a while, but it won't last long.

Chen Yuan gently stroked the blood jade bracelet twice, then closed his eyes again, focusing his inner vision on himself, waiting for the spirit of the Xuan Yin Armor to condense and take shape.

Seven days later, the giant cocoon of demonic energy finally stopped throbbing and slowly dissipated.

Under Chen Yuan's expectant gaze, a figure with its legs curled up emerged from the demonic energy, slowly stretching out its limbs.

Chen Yuan was stunned. It was a naked girl with a slender figure without an ounce of excess fat. Her black silk stockings cascaded down to her waist, subtly concealing her two breathtakingly round breasts.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn water, her gaze captivating, her nose high and straight yet gentle, her lips slightly parted as she gracefully bowed to Chen Yuan and timidly said, "This servant, Xuan Yin, greets my master."

Chen Yuan looked at her, a sudden surge of heat rising within him: "Why do you look like this?"

The young girl, Xuan Yin, bit her lower lip gently, her expression delicate: "Master is a man, and men like this appearance the most. That's why I catered to Master's preferences. Is Master not satisfied?"

Chen Yuan's desire burned even hotter, and he withdrew his divine sense: "Put your clothes on first."

The lustful fire was extinguished. Chen Yuan's heart stirred. His Dao heart was so firm. How could he have lustful thoughts just because he saw a young girl's body?
After a moment, the girl's soft, dark voice rang in his mind: "Master, I have already dressed."

Chen Yuan looked inward and saw that in his dantian, beside the Xuan Yin Armor, the girl's Xuan Yin was coalescing into a form. She was dressed in a light, thin black gauze dress, her graceful figure faintly visible. Her black hair was tied behind her head, still captivating.

Chen Yuan's desire rekindled, and he said in a deep voice, "It's too thin."

The young girl Xuan Yin pursed her lips, and a surge of demonic energy rose around her, transforming into a palace dress, but her breasts were still half-exposed.

Chen Yuan's desire subsided, but it didn't disappear completely: "It's still a bit too thin."

The young girl, Xuan Yin, refused to change her clothes. Her head was slightly lowered, and she looked as if she was about to cry: "Does Master despise me?"

Chen Yuan said, "It was clearly you who conjured this form to deceive my Dao heart."

The young girl, Xuan Yin, raised her head and said aggrievedly, "I was trying to please my master. Before I gained sentience, all the masters I served secretly liked this look..."

Chen Yuan asked, "Then why do I feel lustful thoughts whenever I see you?"

The young girl, Xuan Yin, beamed with joy: "Master still won't admit it, but he clearly likes me..."

Chen Yuan said, "Don't talk nonsense. I am single-mindedly pursuing the Dao, and I already have a Daoist partner. How could I be easily tempted!"

The young girl, Xuan Yin, lowered her head and said, "I don't know either. This is a supernatural power that I was born with."

Chen Yuan said, "Then change your appearance."

The young girl, Xuan Yin, said, "I have already taken on a physical form, so I cannot change it. Does Master really not like me...?"

She raised her head and looked cautiously at Chen Yuan, appearing pitiful.

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Fine, it's because your previous masters were all demonic cultivators..."

"Wow!"

Just then, a sharp cry rang out, interrupting Chen Yuan's words.

The Peng bird spirit of the Cangming Halberd flew in from afar, aggressively pouncing on the girl Xuan Yin with fierce eyes.

It had been flitting and playing around, absorbing the pure energy of the primordial spirit, but when it saw the girl Xuan Yin appear, it stopped and stared at her intently, its eyes filled with resentment and a hint of fear.

It wasn't until it saw the young girl Xuan Yin being scolded by Chen Yuan, and seeing her in such a weak and helpless state, that the Peng bird spirit's eyes flashed with a cunning glint before it pounced over, ready to teach this spirit that dared to compete with it for favor on Chen Yuan's behalf.

The Peng bird spirit had long harbored resentment towards the Xuan Yin Armor for diverting the primordial spirit's pure energy. Now that the Xuan Yin Armor had advanced to the level of a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure, it absorbed even more primordial spirit's pure energy.

It was even more envious, but it was no match for the Xuan Yin Armor, so it could only keep it in mind.

Seeing that Chen Yuan seemed dissatisfied with the young girl Xuan Yin, the Peng bird spirit immediately took advantage of its power and vowed to reclaim its master's position as the number one spiritual treasure.

When the young girl Xuan Yin saw the Peng bird spirit swooping down, her eyebrows furrowed, and she no longer showed any weakness. She sneered, "You wretched bird, you're asking for death!"

With a wave of her slender hand, several wisps of demonic energy flew out, transforming into a large hand that grasped the spirit of the Peng bird tightly in its grasp.

The Peng bird spirit's eyes bulged, and it let out a few mournful cries. Its eyes no longer held any ferocity, but only a plea for mercy.

The young girl Xuan Yin smiled smugly, revealing a row of neat pearly teeth. Her demonic hand tightened its grip, and the Peng bird spirit's mournful cry became even more pitiful as it hurriedly looked at Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan said calmly, "Alright, don't damage its foundation."

The young girl Xuan Yin waved her hand somewhat reluctantly, and the demonic hand slowly released itself, turning back into demonic energy and returning to her body.

The Peng bird spirit hurriedly flew to Chen Yuan's primordial spirit's side, constantly whimpering softly, its momentum greatly diminished, looking quite pitiful.

The young girl, Xuan Yin, glared fiercely at it, but when she looked at Chen Yuan again, her expression softened, and she said timidly, "Master, don't worry, I'm just disciplining this wretched bird. I won't delay your battle with others." (End of Chapter)