I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 851 The Time Has Come to Settle the Karma

The officials from the Great Hao Dynasty's Celestial Inspection Bureau scattered demonic soil to search for the source, and the site of Gu Yuanqing's great battle came into their view.

All kinds of intelligence were gathered in Yujing.

Emperor Xuan Haoji of the Nine Realms Divine Continent summoned the Three Ministers and Three Sects to gather in the main hall.

Xuan Hao sat high above, speaking calmly: "As you all know, high-ranking Heavenly Demons have almost all withdrawn from the perimeter of our human defenses and returned to the depths of the Demon Realm. What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Li Yanshen said, "Judging from the time before and after the Heavenly Demons retreated, firstly, it was the area near the Nine Heavens Domain, which is the area ruled by the Xuan You Demon Lord. Then it was the southern part of the Demon Land occupied by the Myriad Evils Demon Lord. The time point was from the Battle of Yan Nan Pass. At that time, Shen Tingxu, the general guarding Yan Nan Pass, sent a message to Yujing that Gu Yuanqing from another world had appeared outside the pass, killed a Chaotic Undying Demon, and forced the Taotie Demon King to retreat."

Then, another great battle at the level of a Void Immortal took place deep within the Demon Land, after which all the high-level Heavenly Demons near the Southern Region withdrew into the depths of the Demon Land.

The Palace Master of Zhou Tianxing Palace said, "I also sensed something in these two battles. It seems that the Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Evils personally participated in the last one?"

Li Yanshen said, "The specific details should be more detailed than I am."

Pei Duan, the head of the Celestial Observatory, took over the topic, nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice: "After the great battle, the Celestial Observatory sent experts to secretly investigate the Demon Land. Judging from the residual supernatural powers and magic at the scene, Wan Nie personally took action on the side of the Heavenly Demons, while the other side had traces left by a large seal, which should be Gu Yuanqing. The magic weapon he used in the final battle against Wugou Chanlin and Taishang Wangqing Sect was a large seal."

“In that case, Gu Yuanqing must have won, otherwise the Heavenly Demons wouldn’t have consolidated their power,” said Zhan Shengjie of the Heavenly Craft Pavilion.

Pei Duan nodded and said, "Judging from the speculation, that is indeed the case. Moreover, there are large traces of demonic blood corroding the earth at the scene. Although the demonic blood was obliterated by the sword and fire magic, it can still be roughly determined that it was left by the Lord of Ten Thousand Evils."

Upon hearing this, everyone present's eyes lit up slightly.

Yue Qianfeng, the Grand Master of the Demon Suppression Division, sat up straight: "Wan Nie, that beast, has his demonic body injured?"

It's no wonder everyone reacted this way. The Demon Lord is at the peak of the Void Immortal realm, and his demonic body is a condensation of his power. Ordinary injuries will heal in a short while, and even if limbs are severed, they can be dispersed into demonic energy and return to his body.

Not to mention the Heavenly Demon, even the Undying Chaos could do this.

The fact that the demonic blood dripped onto the ground and corroded the earth meant that it had lost control of this part of its power, and that it had truly been injured.

Pei Duan said, "Judging from the traces at the scene, that is indeed the case."
"Great, that's really exhilarating!" Yue Qianfeng laughed.

“No wonder the Heavenly Demon retreated, and even Wan Nie was injured. How can these demon bastards still be so arrogant?” Ling Yi smiled.

The recent events are arguably the best news in decades, and even the gloom that had been hanging over us seems to have dissipated considerably.

“In addition, in the past three months, the Celestial Observatory has found several traces of the great battle between the Undying Chaos Demons in the Demon Land. These Undying Chaos Demons have likely been killed as well. Even if they were not the original beings, they must have been severely injured and their strength greatly reduced,” Pei Duan added.

Smiles returned to everyone's faces. The more the Heavenly Demon's strength weakened, the less pressure there was on the Nine Realms Divine Continent.

“This is indeed a good thing.” Xuan Haoji also showed a smile, but after a pause, his tone changed, and his smile gradually disappeared. He sat up straight and said with some seriousness, “However, it is unknown whether the Heavenly Demons have all retreated out of fear or are waiting for an opportunity to brew an even greater demonic calamity.”

Furthermore, you should all be clear about the biggest difference between us humans and the Heavenly Demons!

"The biggest difference?"

The group exchanged glances, unsure of what Xuan Haoji meant.

Xuan Haoji's gaze swept over everyone, and he continued slowly, "We humans, even if we are Void Immortals, can only live for ten thousand years at most, while the Heavenly Demons have no worries about lifespan. In recent years, the Heavenly Demons have been afraid of Gu Yuanqing, or the person behind him, and have had no choice but to withdraw their forces back to the Demon Abyss."

However, the Heavenly Demon could rely on the Demon Abyss and quietly wait for his opportunity.

We await the decline of our human race's power. Moreover, Gu Yuanqing is not a cultivator from our Nine Domains Divine Continent, so it is unknown how long he can stay here.

Perhaps the Heavenly Demon saw this and that's why it temporarily retreated to avoid its sharp edge; once it leaves, it might immediately make a comeback.

"But we can't touch the Demon Abyss. Continuing like this is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. The demonic calamity will eventually return. We can't just sit and wait to die. Now that the Heavenly Demons have retreated, we have a chance to catch our breath. We must seize this opportunity to plan carefully!"

Upon hearing this, everyone became serious.

Although the situation is slightly better now, as long as the Demon Lord is still alive, the demonic calamity is like a sword hanging over our heads, and it could come at any time.

Ling Yi suddenly said, "When Fellow Daoist Gu Yuanqing left the Nine Heavens Domain, he left behind a token, saying that he could help my Nine Domains Divine Continent once. But you should all understand that after this, all past relationships and karmic ties will be settled. Therefore, this matter should be carefully considered!"

……

In a dimensional void, the demonic thoughts of the three demon lords converged and manifested.

The Seven Emotions Demon Lord, dressed in a moon-white robe, was handsome and otherworldly, like a refined gentleman.

The Demon Lord of the Dark Abyss was shrouded in a black robe, his figure blurred, and his aura ancient and cold.

The Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Evils had an evil look in his eyes. As soon as he manifested, his face turned gloomy, and he broke the silence first: "Xuan You! When you fought that person from another world, why didn't you reveal all his secrets? If I had known he had such methods and reliance, I wouldn't have suffered such a loss!"

The black-robed phantom of the Demon Lord of the Dark Abyss rippled slightly, his indifferent voice tinged with sarcasm: "When did I conceal anything? I already mentioned it that day. It was you who, relying on your superior skills, failed to heed my warning! Now that you've suffered a loss, you blame me for not 'telling everything'? What a joke!"

"You!" The Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Evils' avatar faltered, his demonic thoughts churning. The other party had indeed given him a warning, but he hadn't taken it seriously enough at the time.

The Seven Emotions Demon Lord chuckled lightly, smoothing things over, and said lazily, "Alright, there's no point in you two arguing. What's important right now is how to deal with that human surnamed Gu, and the person behind him."

The Demon Lord of the Mysterious Netherworld said indifferently, "Solve it? If he came to the Demon Abyss, I would have a way to kill him. But now the old monk from the Immaculate Zen Forest is causing trouble, and this guy surnamed Gu isn't coming at all. What can I do? Why don't you, Seven Emotions, go out and try it yourself?"

The Seven Emotions Demon Lord raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly: "Then forget it, I'm not in a hurry anyway."

Seeing the two men shirking their responsibilities, the Demon Lord of Ten Thousand Evils grew furious and coldly said, "Are you just going to sit idly by and watch this human race act so arrogantly? I think the longer you live, the more cowardly you become. Do you think the three of us can't do anything to him if we join forces?"

The Demon Lord of Xuanyou sneered: "Wan Nie, I see you've lost your composure due to anger and frustration."

Humans either ascend to the Immortal Realm as immortals, or they are stuck at the level of a mere mortal. Even with extraordinary talent and heaven-defying power, their lifespan will ultimately be limited to no more than ten thousand years.

We, on the other hand, are almost as old as the world and as long-lived as heaven and earth.

Ten thousand years is but a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of our long lives.

Even if he protects humanity and maneuvers freely now, what can he do? When his lifespan is exhausted and he perishes, this world will still be under our control, and all living beings will ultimately be ours.

As that human said, why fight over a mere clash between rubble and precious jade?

……

As Gu Yuanqing and Li Miaoxuan traveled through the Demon Land, their gains became increasingly scarce, and even Heavenly Demons at the Heavenly Transformation level became rare.

Having reached this point, the two of them no longer find hunting in this demonic land of great significance, and it is even less meaningful than the battlefield outside the spirit realm.

Gu Yuanqing and Li Miaoxuan stood side by side on a mountaintop.

"That's about it. Unless we go to the Demon Abyss, we're unlikely to gain anything significant," Gu Yuanqing said.

Li Miaoxuan nodded slightly: "I have gained a lot in the past six months, and it is time for me to go back and meditate for a while."

"Then let's go!" Gu Yuanqing said.

Li Miaoxuan suddenly looked into the distance, where the people from the Great Hao Dynasty's Celestial Inspection Bureau were clearly located. She asked, "Don't you want to see the people from the Great Hao Dynasty again?"

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "If you want to travel around the Nine Realms Divine Continent, then you can meet him."

Li Miaoxuan shook her head and said, "Never mind, let's come again another time." Gu Yuanqing chuckled and contacted his true self. The Heavenly Fishing Technique was activated, and the two of them disappeared from the spot.

……

Within the North Spring Cave.

Li Miaoxuan went into seclusion to cultivate and solidify her cultivation level.

Gu Yuanqing then took stock of what he had gained from the Heavenly Demon over the years.

All the avatars of the three-headed demon lord of the Nine Realms Divine Continent world have been gathered.

In addition, the Heavenly Demons at the Immortal level include the Taotie Demon King in his true form, most of the original demonic thoughts of the Netherworld Demon King, and the avatar of the Boundless Demon King.

He hasn't yet reached the point where he can use these primordial demonic thoughts. He has only recently become a Void Immortal, and his cultivation progress is extremely rapid; he has not yet reached a bottleneck.

He planned to leave one of them to Li Miaoxuan in the future, to help her achieve the status of a virtual immortal as soon as possible.

The matter concerning the Nine Realms and Divine Continent has now come to an end.

Perhaps there will be further involvement in the future, either requiring another demon hunt or resulting in the destruction of that token, but Gu Yuanqing has already put all of this out of his mind and no longer cares about it.

The clone that went to the Nine Realms Divine Continent returned to the original body, but there are still two clones outside.

One is in the Wuliang River, and the other is the forbidden land of the Dao Source.

Wulianghe's clone was there to search for the Myriad Paths Stone again. He had made a deal with the Underworld King. Perhaps the Underworld King's original intention was not for the Myriad Paths Stone, but since there was a cause and effect involved, Gu Yuanqing did not want to break his promise.

Even if one achieves the status of a Void Immortal and can search in the Boundless River, there is still a significant element of luck involved.

Fortunately, after Gu Yuanqing's strength improved, he was able to travel a considerable distance further towards the source of the Wuliang River.

The higher you go, the greater your chances of finding the Myriad Stones.

As for the forbidden land of Daoyuan, it is for experiencing the power of the Taixu Creation Wheel.

After achieving the status of a Void Immortal, once the Dao Source True Seed is fully nurtured and perfected, and the Void Immortal body is complete, what one needs to comprehend is the Dao of Creation, which is the foundation for attaining the Dao and becoming an Immortal.

It is also a prerequisite for the final transformation of the celestial and human world.

Within the Taixu Creation Wheel lies the Dao of Creation Rules. Although the power from the rule artifacts is very different from the power of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, it can still serve as a reference for Gu Yuanqing.

He cultivated in the forbidden land of Daoyuan with his clone, transforming the power of the Taixu Creation Wheel into rune seeds through the method of cultivating supernatural powers. At this time, he had already comprehended its power to the fourth level.

As one cultivates, one can naturally comprehend the various wondrous uses brought about by the power of this divine artifact of rules.

As far as Gu Yuanqing is concerned, if he were to use this talisman, he could utilize four great supernatural powers.

One is the bestowal of spiritual energy, the transformation of Yin and Yang, which briefly bestows spiritual energy upon other things to help them transform, or it can extract the life force of other things to repair itself.

Secondly, the Zhou Tian Yi Xing (周天易形) is the way of change within the body, and externally it is the ability to change the form and even the properties of external objects, which can turn stone into gold.

The third is the light that shatters the heavens, capable of destroying yin and yang and distorting the laws of nature.

The fourth is the Undying Reincarnation, which is more domineering than the ordinary Chaotic Undying Recovery. It can set an anchor point and restore the user to their original state.

Each of these supernatural powers appears somewhat domineering, as they all manipulate the rules themselves, allowing one to achieve far more than what a cultivator could do.

All these supernatural abilities bear the shadow of the Way of Creation. As Gu Yuanqing continued to cultivate, his understanding of the Way of Creation deepened.

Although relying on external objects is ultimately different from self-sensing, at least one can grasp the underlying principles.

Gu Yuanqing wasn't in a hurry. He was only at the early stage of the Void Immortal realm, and he had plenty of time.

While the clones toiled away in the outside world, the true self remained leisurely in the mountains.

Rise with the sunrise and rest with the sunset.

Enjoying tea and reading every day, fishing on the cliff, and occasionally playing with mythical beasts.

At his level, apart from certain special occasions, whether or not he goes into seclusion makes little difference.

The circulation of all his skills was natural and spontaneous, requiring no mental effort whatsoever.

Perhaps the gains from an occasional flash of inspiration far exceed those from arduous practice.

It is worth mentioning that many of the books he read came from the evil sect masters he had suppressed.

Some of them came in their true forms, their storage bags destroyed in the great battle, but their celestial worlds still existed, and the truly valuable items were stored in their respective celestial worlds.

For others, things in the celestial world are extremely difficult to obtain, but for Gu Yuanqing, who possesses the art of manipulating objects in Beiquan Cave Heaven, it is as easy as taking something out of a bag.

The only pity is that these heretical cultivators all have sect restrictions in their divine senses, making it difficult for even the Divine Intent Analysis Technique to read the sect secrets in their souls.

But even with these other things, Gu Yuanqing had already benefited greatly.

Although these people are all immortal beings, they all hold high positions within their respective sects, far beyond what ordinary immortal cultivators can regard. There are some things that even Gu Yuanqing couldn't help but notice when he saw them.

Two months later, Li Miaoxuan emerged from seclusion.

Gu Yuanqing found a suitable time to bring Li Chengyi back. After spending three days together, they were sent back to their respective homes.

Time flies, and more than ten years have passed.

That day, Gu Yuanqing was fishing on the edge of a cliff when he suddenly showed a look of joy.

The next moment, he raised his hand, and a Myriad Path Stone appeared in his palm.

He shook his head and chuckled softly.

The second piece seemed even more difficult to find than the first. However, it was finally found, so that when they encountered Hades again in the future, they would have something to say.

After finding the Myriad Paths Stone, he retrieved all his clones, unified his soul, and merged all his memories and insights, eliminating any hidden dangers.

After cultivating for more than ten years in a state of spiritual unity, he finally felt that his progress in power had completely slowed down.

"Some grudges have come to an end!"

He created another clone and sent it directly to the spirit world.

Back then, evil sects such as Jiuli Mountain, Bliss Sect, Netherworld Sect, and Holy Heaven Sect all came to obstruct the path. Although all those who came were killed, it was confirmed from Li Miaoxuan that almost every one of them was still in their respective sects.

These causes and effects naturally need to be resolved; otherwise, one will not feel at ease!
As Gu Yuanqing sent his clone to the Spirit Realm, the long-dormant Mountain-Bearing Divine Turtle slowly awoke, carrying Qian Yuan Island directly towards the Void Sea, as if it intended to travel directly to the Spirit Realm from beneath the sword mark in this vast ocean...

(End of this chapter)