If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1380 The Roar on Mount Jiugong
The Nine Peaks Elder's realm was similar to Dong Ye's; both were quasi-Daluo.

Dong Ye was able to sense that his disciples had been invaded by external demons and reacted immediately.

Theoretically, even the Old Man of Nine Peaks could sense something.

However, the Dream Erosion Demon had become more and more skilled with practice, and at this point, he had probably cast the "Dream Erosion Spell" hundreds of times, truly achieving a subtle and silent effect.

There was not a single trace of magical or mental fluctuation.

The methods were exquisite and the demonic arts were profound, far surpassing what they had achieved at Zhongyuan Immortal Mansion.

Secondly, within the Tushita Heaven, no one with a sound mind would have the thought that "evil spirits have invaded."

I've never encountered anything like this before.

Immortals do indeed possess keen spiritual senses, but spiritual sense is not a constant value. It has a strong subjective agency—when one is vigilant, spiritual sense is particularly sharp; when one subjectively feels that the Tushita Heaven is absolutely safe and there is no possibility of demonic invasion, spiritual sense will become dull.

Finally, unlike Xiang Ji, who was "late to fall in love" and focused his attention on the Fairy of the Zither, the two quasi-Daluo, the Old Man of Nine Peaks and Yin Changsheng, were currently testing Xiang Lianggong and Xiang Ji.

They were so focused on the Xiang family uncle and nephew that they were secretly calculating the changes in their fate while talking, inevitably neglecting their surroundings.

However, once Xiang Yu reminded them, Jiu Dian and Yin Changsheng immediately realized that something was wrong.

"Like an extraterrestrial demon, its demonic thoughts devouring the heart? How vicious, it even gnawed through the Dao heart."

Jiudian decisively made hand seals and chanted incantations, successively casting more than a dozen "Great Divine Incantations for Exorcising Demons, Calming the Mind, and Protecting the Body".

In an instant, the Tushita Heaven Palace shimmered with golden light, and the sound of the Great Dao echoed in the void, rippling out wisps of void energy.

Xiang Ji, being there, directly experienced the immense power that could only be looked up to.

His face first showed shock, then his eyes lit up, and his gaze toward the Nine Peaks was filled with anticipation and longing.

—This is the true power of the immortal path! What I want to learn is this kind of "great knowledge that can defeat ten thousand men," which is countless times more powerful than any swordsmanship or military strategy!
In Xiaoyu's previous life, Xiang Yu was incredibly brave, but he looked down on individual bravery.

He said it himself: "A sword that can defeat one person is not worth learning; the only sword skill to learn is that which can defeat ten thousand people."

In this era, the ability to defeat ten thousand men is no longer a military tactic.

Military tactics and formations are merely "minor arts" within the realm of immortality.

From the very beginning, he had a clear goal: to learn immortal techniques and master great supernatural powers.

Yin Changsheng asked curiously, "Young Master Xiang, how can you see the outer demons?"

Xiang Ji released the zither player's left hand, sheathed his sword, and bowed deeply to him. His movements were fluid and graceful, and his demeanor was no less impressive than that of the Prince of Xianyang.

After bowing respectfully, he asked, "Great Immortal Yin, I truly do not know what an external demon is."

Where did that demon that tried to harm this fairy come from, and what was it?

His sudden change in attitude surprised Yin Changsheng.

After calculating for a moment, he said, "At this moment, within the cave, there is a great immortal undergoing tribulation. Hmm, he should be about to undergo tribulation."

At this moment, the aura of calamity spread, attracting a group of celestial demons to obstruct his path to enlightenment.

For some unknown reason, the Heavenly Demon actually came to my Tushita Heavenly Palace and even attacked the immortals inside.

The demon you just saw was probably a large-scale spell cast by the Heavenly Demon.

The curse must have triggered the power of the Heavenly Demon Path; it is a manifestation of demonic rules.

Xiang Ji exclaimed in surprise, "It's actually a small part of the power of a large-scale magic spell!"

He sensed that the demon he had just encountered was extremely dangerous, yet it turned out to be merely the aftereffect of a curse.

He was somewhat shocked, but this only strengthened his resolve to learn from the "enemy of ten thousand men".

Yin Changsheng said, "Even if it's only one-thousandth or one-ten-thousandth of the power of the entire curse, it's still the power of the Great Dao. You were able to destroy it with your sword energy, which is quite remarkable!"
Being able to see it directly is an even rarer superpower.

Young Master Xiang is exceptionally gifted; his future achievements are sure to be extraordinary.

He spoke with much more seriousness in his last sentence.

Upon receiving the old immortal's praise, Xiang Ji merely grinned and did not become complacent.

After all, he only destroyed one-thousandth of the power of the curse.

"If it is the power of the Great Dao, why do I see the image of a demon?"

Yin Changsheng smiled faintly, simply raising his right hand. A wisp of immortal energy appeared in his palm, transforming into a gently swaying blue lotus.

"What you see now is a blue lotus, but it is actually just the aftereffect of the 'Lotus Heart Mantra'."

The Lotus Heart Mantra draws inspiration from the idea that "the lotus emerges from the mud yet remains unstained, and is washed by clear ripples yet is not seductive."

Regular practice can prevent cultivators from becoming tainted by worldly desires and from having their humanity eroded by time.

Xiang Ji seemed to understand something and asked again, "What would be the consequences if someone were hit by the curse?"

Yin Changsheng looked at the Old Man of Nine Peaks.

After waiting for about half a cup of tea's time, the old man from the Nine Peaks finally finished casting the spell and returned to the pavilion with a livid face.

"Their magical power, energy, soul, and even their Daoist heart have been gnawed through by evil spirits."

Magical power can be cultivated back, but the soul and Dao heart need to be fully repaired. Don't even think about it without a hundred years of arduous effort.

Xiang Liang asked in surprise, "On my way to the Tushita Heaven Palace, I saw hundreds of immortals. Could it be that they were all devoured by evil spirits who ate their Dao hearts and souls?"
What kind of evil spirit is this, so terrifying? If it targets us mortal martial artists, how can we possibly withstand it?

The old man from the Nine Peaks looked even more grim, and hesitated.

Yin Changsheng secretly transmitted his voice: "Xiang Ji has an extraordinary destiny and amazing talent, but he is narrow-minded. If you have something to say, just say it directly. Don't hide anything, at least don't let him see it."

The old man at the Nine Peaks was slightly surprised, but he didn't show it on his face.

"The entire Tushita Heaven Palace, with its seven immortal mountains and a radius of two hundred miles, is home to a total of four Golden Immortals, twelve Celestial Immortals and Mysterious Immortals, two hundred and five True Immortals, and three hundred and forty-seven Immortal Boys and Fairy Maidens who were 'conferred immortality' based on their virtues."

Without exception, it was as if a piece of their heart had been gnawed out.

If you mortal martial artists were to face such a ferocious demon, you would probably be chewed up and not even a bone fragment would be left.

And it happened overnight, silently, without anyone noticing; they died without even feeling it.

"This, this is terrifying!" Xiang Lianggong was so frightened that his face turned pale.

Xiang Ji also looked surprised.

The zither player beside him was initially terrified, but then her eyes and expression as she looked at Xiang Ji were filled with gratitude and relief.

Yin Changsheng laughed and said, "What Brother Jiudian said is true, but there is a prerequisite - you mortals have offended the heavens and should be punished by the heavenly demons devouring you."

If one encounters such a demon in the human world, although it is difficult to deal with, it is not impossible to kill.

Without the extra blessing of the 'Heavenly Demon Realm', their spells are roughly equivalent to the great supernatural powers of Xuanmen cultivators.

At this time, in the Extreme Profound Great Yuan Heaven...

He turned to look westward.

The old man at the top of the mountain also looked west at almost the same time.

"You're in the attic having tea with Lord Xiang Liang and Young Master Xiang. Shall I go over and take a look?" Jiu Dian said.

Yin Changsheng turned and glanced at the Xiang family uncle and nephew, saying, "Why are we still drinking tea now? Let's go and take a look."

He greeted the Xiang family uncle and nephew, then with a flick of his sleeve, he led them across thousands of miles in an instant.

"Demon, how dare you run wild in my Jiugong Mountain!" As soon as he landed, Xiang Ji heard a furious roar that shook the universe.

Wherever the whistling sound passed, time and space rippled like water.

Blood-red chains appeared in the sky, surrounded by arcs of lightning.

Even just gazing at him from dozens of miles away, Xiang Ji, with his temperament, couldn't help but feel fear, awe, and a sense of worship that he found utterly shameful yet uncontrollable.

"The Great Dao has manifested!" Jiudian exclaimed in shock. "That demon is incredibly audacious to provoke Teacher Jiugong!"

Yin Changsheng said with a solemn expression, "You should say that the demon is very powerful, forcing a Great Luo Golden Immortal to manifest the Great Dao Shackles."

"A Grand Luo Golden Immortal?!" Xiang Ji's mind was shaken. "Is this the power of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal to control the Great Dao? It's truly powerful!"

"Jiejiejie~~~"

A demonic cloud appeared beneath the crimson chains, playing a dangerous game—speeding through the gaps in the chains while the chains behind it chased after it, trying to entangle and shatter it; the chains in front intertwined, forming a nine-palace eight-trigram formation, and once entered, one would be completely trapped.

"Master Jiugong, please don't be angry! Today, the aura of calamity permeates the Great Yuan Heaven of the Extreme Mystery. Heaven has arranged for me to come here to bring about this calamity."

Even though I have long admired and deeply revered the Nine Palaces Lord, I cannot defy fate and can only grit my teeth and fulfill the sacred authority bestowed upon me by Heaven.

The demonic cloud let out a sharp laugh, each time deftly avoiding the chains and slipping into the gaps.

It looks very dangerous, but its call is steady and full of pride and arrogance.

Moreover, after uttering those words, the demonic cloud vanished completely into the gaps between the chains of the Great Dao.

It wasn't a problem with Xiang Ji's vision; the demonic cloud had indeed dissipated.

The chains of the Great Dao in the sky quickly disappeared into the high heavens, revealing the azure sky.

Yin Changsheng and the Nine Peaks Elder exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and hesitation.

"Master Fuqiu has already passed by, and we have arrived outside Jiugong Immortal Mountain. Let's go and pay our respects to Teacher Jiugong!" Jiudian said in the end.

When they flew to Jiugong Immortal Mountain with the Xiang family uncle and nephew, several immortals had already arrived.

"Greetings, Master Jiugong (Senior, Great Immortal)!"

The immortal bowed deeply in worship.

Xiang Lianggong's knees were weak, and he wanted to kneel down, even intending to pull his nephew down to kneel down with him.

However, Xiang Ji had already followed the two immortals and performed the proper etiquette of meeting a respected elder.

Xiang Liang hesitated for a moment, then could only follow his nephew's example.

"Senior Jiugong, what evil deeds did that old demon commit on Jiugong Immortal Mountain?" Fuqiu Gong asked.

The Nine Palaces Master looked to be in his forties or fifties. He was tall and thin with prominent cheekbones. He wore a white Taoist robe with a nine-square grid on the chest and a yin-yang symbol on the back, embroidered with the winding Yellow River in delicate, subtle detail.

Recalling what had just happened, he felt deeply humiliated, and his expression became somewhat unnatural. "One of my young servants had his Dao heart corrupted by it."

It used its demonic power to control the child's body, impersonating him, and openly spied on the old man practicing the Nine Palaces Dao in the back mountain.

I simply mistook him for my own servant and didn't pay any attention to him at the time."

"Senior, this is our fault. We attracted the demon because we were about to undergo the Tribulation of Elixir." Fuqiu Gong looked apologetic and bowed to Jiugong Zhenren again.

"How did the calamity of Zhongyuan Immortal Mansion affect my Jiugong Mountain?" Jiugong Zhenren's tone was very unpleasant.

In recent years, he has rarely appeared in public and has been living in seclusion in Jiugong Mountain, studying the "Nine Palaces Formation".

As a Great Golden Immortal, the Nine Palaces Great Dao he possessed was derived from the "Nine-Bend Yellow River Great Dao" of Lady Yunxiao.

To put it nicely, it's about inheriting the lineage of Lady Yunxiao; to put it bluntly, it's about exploiting the Zhao family's extinction.

Now that he has attained enlightenment and become a Great Golden Immortal, he must innovate and develop new ideas in the "Way of Clouds and Sky".

While he was practicing his Nine Palaces Diagram, a demon possessed his Daoist disciple, who spied on him for an unknown period of time, giving him a vague sense of crisis about "losing the Dao".

The struggle for the Great Way is the most dangerous and the most ruthless.

Although he has already attained the Dao, theoretically it is impossible for anyone else to take away his Great Dao.

However, if someone creates a higher Dao than the "Dao of Clouds" before him, he will not fall in realm, but he will be suppressed and lose absolute control over the Nine Palaces Dao.

That is to say, it means losing a large part of the power over the Great Dao.

That's why he was so furious.

Jiugong Mountain was his own hometown. It was incredibly frustrating to have his main road stolen by "bandits" in his own backyard.

“Teacher, the demon has not only come to Jiugong Mountain, but hundreds of disciples of Doushuai Heavenly Palace have also been killed. Even Chongming and Muguang (Golden Immortals) were caught off guard and their primordial spirits were ripped out,” said the Old Man of the Nine Peaks.

“Our Wutong Ridge has also suffered a demonic calamity. Without exception, all eighty-five True Immortals had a portion of their primordial spirits extracted,” said another Golden Immortal with the Daoist name “Huiqing”, his expression solemn.

Fuqiu Gong said thoughtfully, "The Nine Palaces Immortal Mountain is about three thousand miles west of Zhongyuan Immortal Mansion."

The Tushita Heavenly Palace is located east of the Nine Palaces Immortal Mountain, 13,000 li away from the Zhongyuan Immortal Abode.

Wutong Ridge is located south of Zhongyuan Immortal Abode, a distance of four thousand li.

Therefore, that demon wasn't targeting any one person; it was targeting the entire Great Yuan Heaven of Extreme Profoundness.

Unbridled and arrogant, their demonic flames raging, they treated the grotto-heaven as a hunting ground, and all the immortals of the mystical sects as their prey.

The Nine Palaces True Man closed his eyes to sense the "Heavenly Heart" of the Extreme Profound Great Yuan Heaven, and said with an ugly expression: "That's right, the number of immortals, fairy maidens, and fairy children in the cave heaven is as high as 18,300."

Only three thousand five hundred 'True Immortals of Fortune and Virtue' were spared from the demonic calamity.

The remaining 15,000-plus people all had their heart orifices pierced, which damaged their primordial spirit and their Dao heart to varying degrees.

Jiudian cried out in shock and anger: "What a cruel heart, what a vicious method, what a terrifying old demon!"

Xiang Ji couldn't help but exclaim in horror, "How can the demon be so terrifying, capable of instantly wreaking havoc on celestial palaces and abodes spanning tens of thousands of miles?"

Master Jiugong glanced at him, raised an eyebrow, and then turned to Master Fuqiu, “In the past, the Great Yuan Heaven of Extreme Profoundness has seen the occurrence of the Pill Tribulation, but something similar has never happened before.”

Have you done anything outrageous?

"It concerns my own path of cultivation, how could I dare to overstep the bounds?" Fuqiu Gongxian shook his head and sighed, "Senior, you are knowledgeable and experienced. Has something similar happened in other places in the past?"

In any case, having lived for hundreds of thousands of years, this is the first time I've seen such an unbridled and overwhelmingly powerful old demon.

Master Jiugong pondered and said, "During the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ancient times, humans lived together with demonic cultivators and sorcerers, and similar things often happened."

However, the old demon of that time was only arrogant enough, but rarely possessed the power of this demon.

Although Dong Ye was undergoing the alchemical tribulation within the Great Yuan Heaven of the Extreme Profound Realm, the tribulation energy within his grotto was not abundant.

At least I, an old man, could not sense any calamity aura at all while I was on Jiugong Mountain.

But the old demon came and went as he pleased, as if the entire cave had become his backyard.

It should only possess this ability within a radius of several hundred miles around Zhongyuan Immortal Mansion.

Only the most ancient Demon Ancestor can extend the range to tens of thousands of miles away.

Such a demon, roaming freely throughout this vast grotto-heaven, is unheard of throughout history, if not unheard of, at least I have never seen anything like it.

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "Its fundamental spell is definitely related to dreams; it should be using the dream dimension to travel quickly."

(End of this chapter)