This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 477 Black Myth

Shuangchaling.

At the mountaintop, a layer of scarlet poisonous miasma lingers year-round.

It was not ordinary clouds, but rather the stench of blood rising from the stream, turning into a foul odor in mid-air.

Through the swirling poisonous miasma, one can see the two jagged peaks of Shuangcha Ridge standing tall on the left and right. In the ravine between them, thick, viscous blood-like liquid meanders down like living things, soaking the surrounding mountains and soil for miles around, turning the soil and rocks a dark rusty red.

The plants growing on this mountain absorbed nutrients from the blood and water, and were transformed into demons that grew sharp teeth.

Thorns and vines are covered with fine, sharp teeth; tree branches are twisted and withered like dried-out corpse arms, dripping slime from their leaves, and the cries of babies come from tree hollows; even the moss in the dark corners has long since mutated into a dark purple, its surface covered with honeycomb-like holes, spewing out spores like smoke as the stench of wind passes by.

The mountain ridge was filled with thousands of demons, all of whom had become rotten things corrupted by demonic thoughts, showing no sign of life.

The wolf demon leader who patrolled the mountain was nothing but half a rotten piece of flesh, with his exposed ribs wrapped around his intestines, large intestine wrapped around small intestine, and dripping yellowish pus with every step he took.

A slender snake demon with its scales falling off and blood lines festering on its neck. Upon closer inspection, one can see that although it has a snake head on its head, the proportions are strange, and it is clearly not the original snake.

The lowest-ranking demons are even more deformed and terrifying; some are stitched-together monsters, while others are simply skeletons with rotten flesh sewn onto their bodies.

They knelt by the blood stream, drinking deeply of the filthy blood. Suddenly, a leader-level cadre passed by, grabbed the little demon's head, tore off its tongue, and stuffed it into his own mouth.

It wasn't eating; it just happened to be missing a tongue.

Zooming out further, we see a Blood Marrow Cave on Broken Heart Cliff, where blood vines drip bloody liquid, and the ground is covered in red mud with a foul stench. There are also unidentified black beetles burrowing in and out of the soil, making a rustling sound.

Outside the cave, hundreds of little demons beat drums, swaying their limbs and dancing bizarre steps that were incomprehensible to the audience.

Xiang Yuan: ∑(_;
What is this, some kind of Black Myth?

The atmosphere at the charnel ground was already quite eerie, and the atmosphere at Twin Fork Ridge was no less so. Xiang Yuan felt uncomfortable after just one glance, and his face turned pale as he looked to the left and right.

The Sword Master Su Ran was stunningly beautiful, with a serene and composed demeanor. Bai Wuyan was breathtakingly beautiful, with a graceful and charming figure. Xiang Yuan borrowed the two women's exquisite beauty and quickly emerged from the shadows.

"Strange, if it were just demonic pollution, this world shouldn't have become like this..."

Xiang Yuan murmured to himself, originally thinking that the phrase "every demon was entangled in demonic thoughts and had a ferocious appearance" from the Abandoned Corpse Lord was a rhetorical device used to describe the chaotic dance of demons in Shuangcha Ridge, but he did not expect it to be a realistic description.

The art style of the Corpse Forest and Twin Fork Ridge reminded him of the Demon Kingdom in Chongting Realm, but the two are not the same concept. They are just similar in appearance. Moreover, the disease in the Demon Ruins Realm is much more serious than that in Chongting Realm. It is definitely not just a matter of demonic pollution.

This question is not difficult; just ask the laws of heaven and earth.

Xiang Yuan, who was guarding the White Palace Master, was too lazy to find out the reason himself. He didn't say anything and just turned his head to look at Bai Wuyan.

The female guest of Han Tan Xiao Dong Tian and the technician Xiang were old acquaintances. They always asked him for help. Xiang Yuan didn't even need to say anything. Bai Wuyan understood his doubts and said calmly, "The laws of heaven and earth in this world are distorted and corruption is everywhere. All living beings in this world will inevitably have difficulty maintaining their physical bodies and fall into a blood and flesh hell where they are neither alive nor dead."

At this point, Bai Wuyan glanced at the distant sky.

Looking into the distance, he saw the bloody gash in the sky and nodded to indicate that he understood.

The Demon Ruins Realm has fallen to its current state due to two sources of pollution: one is the extraterrestrial demons, and the other is the corpses of those who died but did not fall from the heavens. The latter, in particular, withered away, dragging the entire Demon Ruins Realm with them.

It rots, and all living things rot along with it.

Such an overbearing manner could only be described by one specific term in Xiang Yuan's mind—the Heavenly Emperor!
Considering that this place is called the Demon Ruins Realm, a demon's tomb, the Heavenly Emperor who died but did not fall must have been of demon origin.

"As expected of the White House Master, even a small suggestion is like a wake-up call, making me see the light." Xiang Yuan said with admiration.

Bai Wuyan was overjoyed, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Normally, the White Palace Master is unpredictable, whether she is angry or happy, she always wears a cold and aloof expression. Apart from Xiang Yuan, only a few people who know her well, such as Xiao Lingyue and Su Ran Sword Master, can see the changes in her thoughts.

The White House is very arrogant. She takes flattery for granted, and expecting to get a good look from her by saying a few nice words is basically wishful thinking.

Today is different; the Sword Master Su Ran is here.

Xiang Yuan winked with an expression of admiration, which had the effect of putting someone down and highlighting the difference in their abilities. How could the White House not be pleased?

I like it, have some more!
"Huh, that's nothing special."

Sword Master Su Ran was unconvinced and did not want to be outdone by Bai Wuyan: "You didn't ask me. If you had, I could have enlightened you!"

"Oh."

Xiang Yuan spoke in a flat tone, rather perfunctorily.

It can be said that it was like stirring up trouble. By providing different emotional values, it got Su Ran Sword Master to get moving. Then, driven by a competitive spirit and a desire to win, Bai Wuyan also got moving and entered into a competition where she couldn't lose to anyone but a lowly servant.

It could also be described as a deep-seated disbelief.

Su Ran Sword Master is a riddle-maker. Starting from the Heavenly Emperor's Dao Seed, he has been hiding things from Xiang Yuan. Xiang Yuan was often annoyed by Hakimi at the Sword Heart Hall.

Bai Wuyan was different; she would rather cough up blood than become a riddle solver.

This alone established Bai Gongzhu's position in Xiang Yuan's heart. He cherished Bai Gongzhu so much that even if he had a hundred choices, he would only stand on Bai Gongzhu's side.

Those so-called "Sword Masters of the Doorway" should stay to the side and not interfere with someone's gestures towards the White House Master.

Come on, White House Chief Executive, lift it high!

A small act of putting someone down caught Bai Wuyan's attention. She was very satisfied with Xiang Yuan's attitude, and her gaze towards the pretty boy softened considerably. She thought about rewarding him when they got back.

I went a bit too far before, otherwise I'll stop stepping on his face in the future.

According to the law of conservation of smiles, for every person who enjoys happiness, someone else must bear an equivalent amount of pain.

Su Ran Sword Master immediately lost his temper, shouting that the adulterous couple had gone too far, his black hair cascading down like a waterfall, and the sword intent in his eyes almost solidified.

Clang!
With a flick of her jade fingers, she drew a line towards the sky, and the Dao Sword Realm unfolded with a roar. The entire sky seemed to be cleaved in two by a single sword strike, the clouds swirled and dispersed, revealing the phantom of a giant, blazing white sword behind it.

The sword was a thousand feet long and as wide as a mountain. Before the blade even touched the ground, its sharp sword energy had already caused the land veins of Shuangcha Ridge to collapse and the rock walls to crumble.

The demons looked up and saw that all the light of the sky had been extinguished, with only a sliver of white light appearing as if the sky were collapsing. Then everything went black, and about 90% of the demons fell into a deep sleep and never woke up again.

boom!
The Heavenly Sword precisely cleaved into the valley between the two peaks of Twin Fork Ridge, cutting the mountain open like tofu. Blood streams poured into the cracks, rising up a foul-smelling crimson mist.

The moment the giant sword dissipated, a white light shot into the sky, and the Blood Stream, the monsters, the demonized plants, and the two peaks of Twin Fork Ridge were all reduced to ashes in the soaring white light.

"Oh my god!"

"Your Majesty, spare my life!"

The lesser demons, who were a little further away, only saw the giant sword descend from the sky, causing the heavens and earth to shatter. They thought it was Princess Iron Fan attacking, so they rolled around in a ball and ran away in all directions, crying and begging for mercy.

With a single move, the Sword Master Su Ran erased Shuangcha Ridge from the map, and the owner of this place naturally would not let it go.

Meanwhile, back at the Three Demons of Shuangcha Ridge, a moment earlier, hundreds of lesser demons were beating drums in front of the Blood Marrow Cave. They weren't performing some strange sacrificial ritual, but rather a dance to warmly welcome the Second King's distant relative.

Deep within the secluded cave, four anthropomorphic monsters sat around a stone table, exchanging toasts.

The eerie will-o'-the-wisps cast four twisted, writhing shadows on the damp stone wall, sometimes elongating like snakes, sometimes swelling like tumors, as if a more grotesque true form was struggling beneath the skin.

On the table, there was a dazzling array of 'delicious dishes'.

The stone bowl contained boiled, rotting flesh, with a layer of greenish grease floating on the surface; the stone vessel contained thick, dark red wine, like congealed blood jelly; and on the ground lay a pile of gnawed skeletons, their species unidentifiable.

The banquet was not a good banquet, the wine was not good wine, and the monster was not a good monster either.

Demonic thoughts corrode the body, corruption seeps into the marrow!

The leader of the three demons of Shuangcha Ridge, Xiong Shanjun, was three zhang tall, covered in iron hairs like halberds, and was a black bear.

Because there was no Guanyin Temple next door, and his skills were slightly inferior, he wasn't offered the job of stealing robes, so he didn't get a permanent position.

On the large, black face, phosphorescent flames flickered in the eye sockets. The internal organs had long been devoured, and the abdominal cavity was filled with wriggling maggots. Rotten flesh and frozen blood sizzled in the mouth.

The Second King, a man of extraordinary talent, was two zhang tall. He was a wild ox spirit, with a body as robust as an iron tower. One half of his face was intact, with eyes as black as lacquer and quite intelligent. The other half of his face was like a boiled and gutted ox skull, with no skin or even a trace of muscle visible on the pale bones.

The Third General, Wang Yin, was also two zhang tall, transformed from a tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead. He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with sharp claws like hooks and fangs like blades. His entire body was covered with ghouls, which could move freely in and out of his body. They could be said to be acting as ghouls for the tiger, or they could be said to have used his lifeless body as their lair.

The fourth monster was in human form, disguised as a Taoist priest.

His Taoist robe was magnificent, his feet were spotless, and every gesture he made exuded elegance. Whether he was gently stroking his long beard or taking a sip of wine, his movements were extremely graceful. Even the delicate fingers he used to hold the cup conveyed a refined and scholarly air.

Unfortunately, this refined demeanor can only be admired from afar; up close, it's easy to lose weight just looking at it.

The Taoist's appearance was quite good, but his cheeks, neck, and the back of his hands were covered with a layer of bluish-gray corpse spots, and black veins spread out like a spider web around his eyes. His whole body exuded a cold and deathly aura.

He was a Taoist priest who had rotted corpses.

There aren't many demons in the Demon Ruins Realm whose names you can name. It's not hard to guess the identity of the Corpse-Rotting Taoist. He is none other than the famous Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Bull Demon King... and his younger brother, True Immortal Ruyi.

Younger brother is fine, but he's the younger brother of the Bull Demon King. Countless calves would kneel down and beg for a way in.

Take the Second King, for example. If it weren't for his own value, he would still want to be related to the Bull Demon King. It's laughable, since the Bull Demon King also eats beef.

"My three brothers are having a great time. Although Shuangcha Ridge is not a famous mountain or river, it is still a paradise of carefree joy, much more lively than my Jieyang Mountain." Ruyi Zhenxian picked up his wine cup, smiled slightly, and revealed two rows of deathly white teeth.

"Second Brother, why are you speaking so sarcastically today? Is it because I haven't treated you well?" Special Envoy mumbled, half his face expressionless, the other half honest and simple. Adding the word "I," he sounded like an honest ox.

On either side, Xiong Shanjun and General Yin were also quite puzzled and picked up their wine cups to apologize.

“What wrong have you three brothers done? My complaints are not directed at you, but rather at the fact that Jieyang Mountain and Jilei Mountain are right across from each other, and I am not very happy there.”

Ruyi Zhenxian shook his head repeatedly, saying that life was too difficult. Although he was the younger brother of the Bull Demon King, the family of three did not treat him as one of their own. Every time he came to their door, he was treated like a beast of burden.

If he doesn't go to their door, the other side will come knocking and treat him like a beast of burden.

Especially Red Boy, who was already a mischievous child, became even more unrestrained after being possessed by demonic thoughts, completely disregarding his second uncle and doing whatever he wanted.

Princess Iron Fan was protective of her child, and the Bull Demon King was afraid of his wife. In addition, the couple felt that their unruly child was too noisy and did not want to suffer themselves, so they tacitly allowed their ox-horse to suffer.

In short, being the younger brother of the Bull Demon King is really too difficult.

They were all old friends, so the three demons knew that the True Immortal Ruyi was just putting on an act. After pouring out his grievances to build rapport, they should talk about the relic and the Wind-Fixing Pearl next.

Keep spouting nonsense! If I believe even a single word of it, may Guanyin Bodhisattva slap me to death! x3
"True immortals eat meat!"

"Come on, let me toast my second brother again."

"Let's drink together."

After the four demons raised their cups, Ruyi Zhenxian squinted his bloodshot eyes and said, "My three brothers, I have come to discuss important matters with you today. Your act of pretending to be stupid only makes me look foolish."

The three demons looked honest and didn't understand what a big deal was. They felt things were fine as they were and didn't want to change anything.

"Everything's fine now?"

Upon hearing this, the True Immortal Ruyi laughed so hard that his mouth opened so wide that the corner of his mouth split open and broke off, startling him so much that he hurriedly covered his mouth to preserve the last bit of his dignity.

boom!
Ruyi Zhenxian slammed his hand on the stone table and roared, "We used to eat meat in big bowls and drink wine in big gulps, and I was able to make a fortune while guarding Juxian Temple. But now, we're neither demons nor ghosts, and everything tastes like cardboard. Even this rotten meat doesn't taste bad. We might as well be dead."

Then go ahead and die, nobody's stopping you. x3
The three demons of Shuangcha Ridge are at the bottom of the food chain among the great demons, and they can't be arrogant, so they all have good personalities. They believe that it's better to live a miserable life than to die. The special clerk hummed and said, "Second brother, don't be angry. If we could go back to the past, we would be happy to die. But Guanyin Bodhisattva's power is boundless. If we can't go back, we can't go back. What's the point of saying this? Let's drink some wine."

"Who says we can't go back?"

"..." x3
The three demons' hands, which were holding wine cups, trembled in unison. Even though they knew that the True Immortal Ruyi was exaggerating, they still couldn't help but listen to his charade.

"The one who tied the knot must untie it; the solution lies in the relics!"

Ruyi Zhenxian squinted and said, "Why does the Lord of Abandoned Corpses collect relics? Is it really just to offer them to Guanyin Bodhisattva? Is it true that seeing the Bodhisattva will restore his freedom?"

The three demons nodded subconsciously. Indeed, they couldn't even see the Bodhisattva, so how could they have a chance to regain their freedom? There should still be something to say about the relics.

“My three brothers, the other day when I was drinking with my elder brother, I heard some news. You should just keep what I have to say to yourselves and not spread it around. You must not say that I told you this.”

Ruyi Zhenxian lightly tapped the table with his fingertips: "My brother said that the relic is of extraordinary nobility, and is itself a gateway to this world. Unfortunately, the opportunity is not yet ripe, and he cannot comprehend how to use it..."

"Furthermore, if one wants to refine the relic for one's own use, one must have great magical power to suppress it. This skill is beyond my ability."

"He has found a way, which is worth a try."

"..." x3
Tell me how you tried it! x3
The three demons stared wide-eyed, and it was still the Special Envoy who, relying on their kinship, spoke up and asked, "Second Brother, drink this bowl of wine and tell me slowly."

"In the heavens of this Demon Ruins Realm, a great demon race master has fallen. Although we do not know who he is, the decay of his corpse can affect an entire realm. Even my brother could not escape it, which shows that this great master has an extremely powerful background..."

Ruyi Zhenxian continued, "There is no way to enter or leave the Heavenly Realm of the Demon Ruins. My brother has searched for a hundred years and barely found a clue."

"What clue is it?" Xiong Shanjun asked impatiently.

"The Yin-Yang Gateway!"

"how do I say this?"

"Since entering the Demon Ruins Realm, the Abortion Spring of my Jieyang Mountain has changed. Yin and Yang have reversed, and a portal has been faintly formed. My elder brother has gone to see it several times. He said that if we find the key that interlocks Yin and Yang, we can enter this portal and then find the body of a great supernatural being."

Ruyi Zhenxian lowered his voice: "At that time, by refining the relics from the corpse of a great supernatural being, one can leave this world and regain a carefree and happy life."

It sounded a bit complicated, and I didn't understand it very well.

The three demons stared at each other for a moment, and finally the special strategist said, "Second brother, even if there were such a good thing, it wouldn't be our turn. We know our own limitations. It should be the Bull Demon King who has eaten and drunk his fill, and then we can have some leftovers."

What if my elder brother goes and never returns?

"..." x3
"Hehe, so to speak, I don't even count on my own elder brother, let alone you three sworn brothers at the dinner table. Is my elder brother a monster who lacks followers?"

That's true. The Bull Demon King may lack something, but he certainly doesn't lack a worthy brother.

"I've come to see you three brothers today because I truly consider you one of my own. Otherwise, would I dare to say such things?"

The True Immortal Ruyi said, "Of the three relics, one is in the hands of the three brothers, one is in the body-abandoning master, and the last one..."

"Even if we all attack together, it won't make a difference against Brother Bull Demon King."

"No, it's inside my sister-in-law's belly."

"..." x3
How do you know you're a monkey too? x3
“As you three brothers know, my elder sister-in-law possesses the Banana Leaf Fan, which is why my elder brother rarely speaks at home. It is because of this that you three brothers have been able to guard the Wind-Fixing Pearl; otherwise, this treasure would never have been yours.”

With a single sentence, Ruyi Zhenxian offended the three demons, the Bull Demon King, and Princess Iron Fan. He didn't stop there and continued, "It is precisely because the three brothers have the Wind-Fixing Pearl and my sister-in-law has the relic that we were able to devise a plan with this relic."

"Second brother means..."

"Let's first sneakily snatch the relic from the hands of the abandoned corpse protector. Then I'll host a banquet for my elder brother and his son at Jieyang Mountain. At that time, you all go to Jilei Mountain, use the Wind-Fixing Pearl to destroy the Banana Leaf Fan, and seize that relic. Then we'll have collected three relics."

With a flick of his sleeve, the True Immortal Ruyi outlined a beautiful plan: "Afterwards, we will pass through the Yin-Yang Gate, use the great supernatural power to refine the relic from the corpse, and then we will regain our freedom and leave this hellish place. What do you three think?"

Not good! x3
“Brilliant! Second Brother is right. I understood it as soon as I heard it.”

The special official first offered a toast, then blinked his one eye and said, "But there's one thing I still don't understand. Even Brother Bull Demon King couldn't open the Yin-Yang Gate, so second brother... could it be that you already had the key?"

"hehe."

Ruyi Zhenxian smiled sinisterly: "If I had nothing at all, how would I dare to discuss business with my three brothers?"

Having said all that, regardless of whether it was true or not, the three demons admitted that their empty stomachs had been disturbed by the sudden, unresponsive beating of their hearts.

"Second brother, this is a very important matter, please don't lie to me."

Special Envoy widened his one eye: "It's not that I don't trust you, but... the risk is too great. Why don't you show me the key first, just to broaden my horizons?"

"Such a precious treasure would not be carried around. I was in a hurry to attend the banquet today, so I stored it in Jieyang Mountain."

Ruyi Zhenxian glanced at the three demons and, seeing their disbelief, said, "To tell you the truth, the key is none other than my Ruyi Double Hooks. It has changed with the Abortion Spring and is no ordinary object."

"That……"

"Don't hesitate any longer. I'll just ask you one question: are you three brothers going to do it or not?"

"Second brother, no, eldest brother trusts us so much, how can we let him down? We will do our best."

"Kumayama-kun did it too!"

"Me too!"

"Hahaha, that's really satisfying."

The True Immortal Ruyi was overjoyed, and the four demons raised their wine cups and clashed them together fiercely.

boom!
A clinking of glasses unleashed a burst of white light, and the entire Shuangchaling area exploded.

Four bewildered faces.JPG
The four of them combined are so powerful, how come they didn't know?
If I had known it was this powerful, my sister-in-law might have been a good choice too!
Amidst a deafening roar that shook the heavens and the earth, Shuangcha Ridge was swept away by a wave of white light that shot into the sky. Except for a few minor demons that were not within the range of the sword attack, everything else was evaporated.

The three demons and the True Immortal Ruyi were all highly skilled, and their physical bodies had already undergone changes. They survived the attack, and although they were in a sorry state, it was not a big deal.

They took out their weapons, and Ruyi Zhenxian indeed did not have the Ruyi Double Hooks, but only drew a long sword.

Upon closer inspection, there were two women and one man.

"Eh, surging vitality and blood energy..."

is alive!
It's still a human!
No, there are two true immortals.

"what?"

Xiang Yuan also let out a soft exclamation. There were four of the three demons of Shuangcha Ridge, and they weren't following the usual pattern...

Oh, when there are too many people who don't play by the rules, they end up playing by the rules.

Xiang Yuan narrowed his eyes, uttered no harsh words, and charged straight at the seemingly weakest Corpse Daoist, wielding the Jinglan Blade.

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.

10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)