Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 434 Catching a Turtle in a Jar, Huang Tinghua's Feast

The gallbladder orifice manifests as the Thunder General Commander; the nasal orifice manifests as the Water Thunder Summer Palace; the Yintang acupoint manifests as the Divine Thunder Autumn Palace; and the Tianshu acupoint manifests as the Thunder Law Command Mansion.

The Demon-Subduing True Lord roared, the Summer Official General beat the drum, the Autumn Official General displayed his mirror, and the Great God of Laws spread his wings.

Then came the thunderous roar and the thunderclap.

Four thunder chariots, carrying thunder essence, departed from four thunder palaces, each following a different route, speeding along amidst flashes of lightning and thunder, their afterimages swirling in the air. Whenever a thunder chariot passed by any thunder palace, it would trigger a surge of thunder, the thunder essence on the chariot transforming into thunder energy, flowing through the meridians of the body like silver dragons and purple pythons darting about.

Each thunder chariot, when it circulates through the heavens, inevitably passes through the Heart Palace. Upon reaching the Heart Palace, the thunder stirs up the raging fire, which is about to ignite. This ignites the heart fire, which surges out of the Palace of Light, refining the thunder. The thunder then further forges the flames, and thus the thunder and fire intertwine, spreading across the void like fluttering banners.

Throughout the inner world, lightning and firelight mingled and flickered. The fiery energy and thunderous energy traveled through the meridians and flowed through the blood vessels, shattering the demonic energy and blood light clinging to the blood.

In the inner world, Usaqi watched as thunder chariots raced across the sky and fiery banners trembled, feeling utterly absurd that he was truly just in the body of a fourth-realm Taoist.

This is not right. This is very wrong.

This is not the first time that Usaqi has used the Blood Shadow Divine Light. The first time after he mastered it was when he seized a fifth-realm body with the help of his master, the Blood God Child, and only then did he gain the strength of the fifth realm. The second time was when he seized Jiangnan Jing, who came to attend the Cloud Ladder Mountain banquet, without breaking a sweat. Now it is the third time he has seized a body.

Leaving aside the second time, when he was merely a minor cultivator, even the first time, at the fifth level of body seizure, he hadn't felt it was this difficult. Although he had his master's help, his master only sent him to the front to complete the close-range sneak attack; the subsequent body seizure was still his own doing. Blood light entering the body is like maggots clinging to bone, like evil spirits blocking the orifices, rendering the person's physical body completely immobile. He could eat their heart and suck their marrow as he pleased. How could it be like this person's body being so active, causing him to be restrained at every turn?

It was as if, even without the intervention of the primordial spirit, this physical body was like a living person. No, it wasn't just a living person; it was as if countless powerful beings resided within it, each guarding a major aperture. How strange!

This kid's Purple Palace, Crimson Palace, Yellow Court, and all his vital points are not normal! There's not a single place I can bring myself to touch!

At this point, we have to give it our all.

This person's physical body is different from others; even after the blood light enters his body, it remains under his control and is still his training ground. To seize his body, one must first transform this place into one's own training ground.

There is only one way: the Nascent Soul Dao Domain.

Within this boy's physical body, he unleashed his Nascent Soul Dao Domain, re-established heaven and earth, and transformed his body into his own.

However, using this technique will rapidly deplete one's magical power. Since one is inside another's body but has not actually taken over the body, once the magical power is depleted, it can never be replenished. If this technique is useless, one's situation will only get worse.

Thinking about this, Usazi hesitated again.

"Crack!"

A bolt of lightning struck, hitting the blood-red figure squarely.

The demon lord hesitated, but Cheng Xinzhan wouldn't wait for him forever.

Usaqi cried out in pain, but this also made him determined. He never expected to return alive after this possession, and he knew that his blood aura was being constantly worn away and consumed by this strange world. In time, it would be completely worn away. He might as well take advantage of the fact that he still had most of his power and unleash it all at once. If he failed, he would die trying.

Usaqi made up his mind and used his magic. He emitted a burst of bloody light, and his entire blood shadow began to melt and drip, like a wax figure being cooked in a raging fire. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a pool of scarlet blood. The blood boiled and surged, like a living spring, continuously gushing out blood, which spread rapidly.

The blood emitted a blinding crimson light, which flickered and leaped like flames, surging into every corner of Cheng Xinzhan's inner body, like a mountain torrent sweeping across the land, or like blood clouds burning the sky.

The demon's technique is called "Netherworld Blood River Sky Curtain".

The process of mastering the Blood Shadow Demon Art is extremely painful. One must soak in an extremely filthy sea of blood, then peel off one's own skin, drawing the filthy blood into the body as a guide. Then, one must dissolve all the physical components of the body, except for the primordial spirit, including the nascent soul and golden core, and refine them all into blood. Finally, one must condense the essence of the entire body into a blood shadow. Only in this way can the technique be mastered.

Within the Blood God Palace, countless experts perished in the blood transformation process.

This is why those who have mastered the Blood Shadow Divine Light do not possess the Golden Core Dharma Form or the Nascent Soul Dao Domain. However, within the Blood Shadow Demon Art, there are two other techniques that can be used after fusing the Golden Core and Nascent Soul. One is called "Formless Blood Magic Body," and the other is called "Netherworld Blood River Sky Curtain." Their functions are similar to the Golden Core Dharma Form and the Nascent Soul Dao Domain, but their power is superior.

At this moment, Usazi used the latter method.

A sea of blood surged into Cheng Xinzhan's body, accompanied by a foul, bloody stench.

However, at that moment, in the inner world, the Purple Palace, suspended high in the dome, suddenly emitted light, which turned into three colors: gold, silver, and purple.

The three-colored divine light emanated from the three primordial spirits, cascading down like a waterfall, then entering the "Chengjiang" (a point on the body), passing through the "Twelve-Story Tower," entering the "Tiantu" (a point on the body), crossing the "Huagai" (a canopy), passing through the "Yutang" (a hall), crossing the "Zigong" (a palace), and finally reaching the Jianggong (a palace on the body), illuminating the inner world with a bright light.

"Dong dong!"

A strong fetal heartbeat resounded from the Crimson Palace.

Immediately afterwards, the three primordial spirits within the Purple Palace chanted scriptures in unison, their chanting echoing the sounds of the fetuses and reverberating throughout the inner world.
"Before the Supreme Purple Cloud Emperor, the Jade Morning Lord of the Great Dao."

Leisurely, Ruizhu composed seven-character poems, which scatter and transform into five forms and myriad spirits.

This is the inner chapter of the Yellow Court Classic, where the heart of the zither dances three times to the celestial fetus.

......"

As the chanting began, divine light emanated from each of Cheng Xinzhan's acupoints.

"Humph!"

With a resounding thud, the gates of the Water and Thunder Summer Palace swung open, revealing the Heavenly Venerable's Left Attendant, General Xia Guan, striking a drum with a mallet. Each time the mallet struck the drumhead, countless bolts of lightning erupted, cascading down like a silver waterfall onto the surging blood river sky.

At the same time, thunder rumbled, echoing the sounds of fetal breathing and chanting, calling the gods to awaken.

"What kind of monster dares to overthrow the heavens?!"

The Heavenly Venerable's Right Attendant, General Shen Lei Qiu Guan, stepped out from behind his forehead like a shooting star, holding the Divine Mirror high above his head. The Divine Mirror shone brightly, scattering endless lightning, firmly locking onto the demonic spirit hidden within the Blood River Sky Curtain.

"Those who defy their superiors shall be punished! Those who rebel shall die!"

Commander-in-Chief of the Thunder Department, Huo Huolu, commanded Deng Tianjun to ride a dragon out of the Tian Shu Palace. He pointed his halberd at the demon's primordial spirit, his mouth unleashing thunder and lightning. The thunder dragon beneath him spewed lightning and flew into the Blood River, cleansing the demonic aura.

"The evil has run rampant; they should be burned at the stake!"

The rooster crowed at dawn, and the Pleiades star strode out of the heart palace, stepping on the river of fire. He gave a command, and then fire rained down from the sky, scalding the river of blood.

"Be punished!"

The Three Mountains Marshal, who commands the Five Sacred Mountains, and the Benevolent Emperor Bingling emerged from the Earth Palace, stood with his hands behind his back, glared at the demons, and coldly uttered two words. Immediately, illusory images of towering mountains flew out of the Earth Palace and plunged into the Blood River.

"He should be executed!"

Empress Taiyin, the Holy Empress of the Shangqing Moon Palace, emerged from the water palace with her sword drawn, pointing it at the demons. Behind her, a vast celestial river surged forth, crashing against the blood-red curtain.

"Execute them!"

Donghua Mugong Qingtong Dadaojun walked out of the Mu Mansion, a blue radiance mirror wheel appeared behind his head, and wherever the light of the Dharma shone, the blood light instantly disappeared.

"punish!"

The Thunder God, the Demon-Subduing True Lord, emerged from his gallbladder and gave a command. The thunder chariot rolled and surged into the blood river, the thunder surging with blood-red light. Wherever the thunder chariot passed, the blood river and sky were shattered into countless pieces.

"punish!"

The Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower, Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, stood atop the twenty-four vertebrae of the spine, riding a lion, and uttered a decree. Then, sweet rain fell from the sky, transforming into a blue curtain of rain that directly knocked down the Blood River canopy.

"Execute!" "Execute!" "Execute!"

After the Celestial Venerable gave the order, all the gods in the inner world roared in anger.

Within the vibrant, colorful inner world, the surrounding Blood River Sky Curtain was ablaze with light. The Water Thunder Summer Palace, the Divine Thunder Autumn Palace, the Thunder Law Office, the Great Bright Palace, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Palace, the Upper Clarity Moon Palace, the Guanghan Palace, the Fangzhu Purple Palace, the Thunder General Headquarters, the Eastern Extreme Wonderful Palace, and other celestial palaces and divine halls shone brightly. Divine beasts such as the Golden Qilin, the Wind Bird, and the Teng Snake also appeared. The Crimson Sun and the Azure Sun emerged, hanging high to either side of the Purple Palace. All the mystical phenomena and wondrous scenes manifested, as if the ancient Heavenly Court had descended to earth. However, under the suppression of this ancient divine and immortal map, the newly expanded Blood River Sky Curtain Dao Domain rapidly shrank, reverting to its original blood-shadow human form.

Usaqi looked up at the countless gods emerging from the celestial palace, his Dao heart nearly shattered, and he trembled with fear.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Meanwhile, outside, at the top of the Heavenly Ladder.

Cheng Xinzhan's physical body burst forth with seven-colored precious light, actually suppressing the blood light. The ethereal and indistinct chanting echoed around him, and the Shangqing Biluo Mirror shone brightly, illuminating the top of the Heavenly Ladder as if it were daytime.

"The Yellow Court Dao Embryo?!"

Master Chengchu cried out in surprise.

Immediately afterwards, the mirror flashed with light, transforming into a stream of light that flew directly from the forehead into Cheng Xinzhan's body.

"what happened?!"

Ji Hehe asked repeatedly, looking at Master Chengchu, and exclaimed in surprise,
"Why did you put the Immortal Mirror in there too? Is there something wrong with Xinzhan's body?"

At this moment, Master Chengchu appeared even more shocked than Ji Hehe. She stared intently at Xinzhan for a long while before slowly shaking her head, her tone filled with undisguised excitement, and smiled broadly.

“Don’t worry, Master, I didn’t put it in. This time, it was truly Master Guangfa’s exposition of the Dao that attracted my Shangqing Treasure Mirror to spontaneously appear and look upon it.”

The Supreme Clarity Azure Mirror transformed into a stream of light and flew into Cheng Xinzhan's inner world, hanging high in front of the Purple Palace.

In the mirror, the phantom images of ancient gods flew out, intertwining with the divine realm within Cheng Xinzhan's physical body. Each god was positioned in its own direction, arranged according to their lineage, and ranked according to their rank, their divine light shining brightly, their starlight glittering, as if they were about to hold a grand celestial banquet in his inner world.

As soon as this strange phenomenon occurred, divine light illuminated every corner, every acupoint, and every meridian of his inner world. Originally, his Yellow Court Inner World Dharma Body was removing the blood-red light clinging to various parts of his body. At this moment, the precious mirror displayed its power, pushing the divine light of his Dharma Body to an even higher level. In an instant, all the blood-red light on his body was forced out and burned into nothingness by the mirror light, leaving not even a trace of its aura.

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan was able to move his body freely again.

At this moment, he felt utterly astonished. He had never seen this mirror before, which had suddenly appeared within him and spontaneously rescued him, yet he recognized it at a glance as the Shangqing Sect's most prized treasure—the Shangqing Biluo Mirror. He could feel that he was now completely in sync with the mirror, able to command it as easily as his own arm. All the wondrous techniques and mysteries within the mirror were fully revealed to him, and he understood every restriction and function of the precious mirror perfectly.

Meanwhile, Usaqi was terrified. He realized that this boy's physical body was truly bizarre and that he should never confront him head-on. So he quickly used another technique to condense the blood shadow of his entire body into a tiny, almost imperceptible, dim blood bead. Then he suddenly escaped and hid in a certain part of Cheng Xinzhan's body, mixing into the blood, intending to lie in wait and make his move.

This Blood Shadow Divine Light technique is indeed extraordinary. When it is activated, it is earth-shattering, but when it is concealed, it is completely silent. It is hidden in Cheng Xinzhan's blood, and even he himself is unaware of it. It is really hard to find it for a while.

However, if it came to hard work, Cheng Xinzhan naturally had his own methods. With his [Zhao] incantation for self-examination, Yin-Yang Dharma Eye, Thunder Chariot patrolling the realm, Yang Fire burning the body, and physical body purification altar, he could quickly come up with many methods worth trying. But at this moment, he had a faster, more direct method.

He pointed his hand at the Azure Mirror above, formed a hand seal, and chanted an incantation.

"Even in the darkness, there is a radiant light!"

Thus, the Shangqing Biluo Mirror shone brightly, its power even stronger than when it was in the hands of Cheng Chu Zhenren. The mirror light burst forth and quickly scanned Cheng Xinzhan's body. In less than two breaths, it locked onto a spot, and a strange drop of blood appeared on the mirror surface.

"Photography!"

Cheng Xinzhan issued another incantation, and the blood bead hidden in his flesh was sucked out by the mirror light and flew towards the mirror surface along the beam of light.

In the mirror's light, human features could be seen emerging on the surface of the blood bead, howling in agony. But at this moment, under the shimmering light of the celestial mirror, the Blood Demon couldn't even destroy itself.

Soon, the blood shadow was captured on the surface of the Immortal Mirror. Then, a flash of light appeared on the mirror, and the blood droplet was drawn back into the mirror. No matter how much it struggled and changed, it could no longer come out.

Outside, at the top of the Heavenly Ladder.

Cheng Xinzhan opened his eyes and moved his body.

"How are you? Are you alright?"

Ji Hehe quickly stepped forward and asked.

The onlookers also inquired and showed their concern.

Cheng Xinzhan looked at the large group of people surrounding him and waved his hands repeatedly, saying,
"Nothing, nothing."

He looked around and saw Eleventh Sister, her face streaked with tears. He nodded to her, but didn't see the person he was looking for, or the corpse. So he asked...

"Where is Nan Jing?"

After a brief silence, Ji Hehe finally answered.
"The Blood Demon hollowed out his body; his husk has turned to ashes. What a pity for that child."

Although he had expected it, Cheng Xinzhan still felt very bad when he heard such a reply. Nan Jing was the first friend he made after he came down from the mountain to cultivate, but he ended up like this because of him.

"The dead are gone, the living remain. In the fight against evil and the defense of justice, there is no sacrifice without bloodshed. You too were using yourself to lure the enemy, but we could foresee it with you and take precautions in advance. As for that child, we couldn't foresee it, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Wen Sukong wasn't good at comforting people, but at this moment, as Cheng Xinzhan's closest person in name, she still spoke up and offered a few words of comfort.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded upon hearing this, and then said,
"They traveled a long way to the banquet, arriving in high spirits, only to have their bodies vanish in an instant. How can we explain this to their families?"

"Don't worry about it. Jinxiangzong is the lineage of my Lingbao Sect. We will give his family a respectable explanation."

Rongyi Zhenren said.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, then flipped his hand, revealing a spiritual mirror in his palm. He handed it to True Person Chengchu and said,

"With the help of the treasure mirror, we captured the Blood Demon alive. He is Wusaqi, the eldest disciple of the Blood God Cult. Interrogate him carefully, and do not let him die easily."

"Is it Usachi? The Fifth Realm?"

Master Chengchu was surprised to hear this.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look, utterly shocked. To capture a fifth-level cultivator while only at the fourth level? Even with a celestial artifact in hand, this was truly astonishing!

Cheng Xinzhan nodded and asked,

"Is there anything wrong with it? He said it himself."

Master Chengchu chuckled silently.

"No, nothing's wrong. I misjudged. I thought it was just a fourth-level demon. Luckily you're unharmed, or I would have felt terribly ashamed. But I can tell that this demon must have suffered a lot inside you, otherwise it wouldn't have been so dejected as to only show the aura of a fourth-level demon."

The immortal went to receive the precious mirror and said,
"Don't worry, even if you don't tell me, I definitely won't let him get away with it. A fifth-realm demon can definitely find out a lot of things from him, and he won't be able to die even if he wants to."

But at that moment, Master Chengchu reached out his hand to Cheng Xinzhan, but the latter refused to let go of the precious mirror in his hand.

Seeing this, Master Chengchu understood Baojing's intentions perfectly well, and said helplessly,
"Please, Baojing, return to the mountain with me to refine the demon. Master Guangfa is too busy to do this. Once the demon is refined, if you wish to come and see him, I will not stop you."

Upon hearing this, the precious mirror slowly flew back to Cheng Chu Zhenren's hand.

At this very moment, the autumn wind rustled, the bright moon shone as always, and the grand banquet continued as usual. Guests were either drinking and making merry while admiring the lanterns, or racking their brains for beautiful verses; some had already composed their favorite lines and were using their flying swords to inscribe them on the cliff face. They were unaware that an unseen and perilous battle was brewing amidst the lively feast that night.

This is exactly:
The autumn wind is clear, the autumn moon is bright.
Poetry and wine were shared to express the autumn mood, and the guests were all smiles.

This feast is held on this night and at this time, without a sound or a trace.

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(End of this chapter)