Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 197, 196 Taiyi's Intentions, Golden Lotus (May not be available tonight, will be added tomorrow)

Asura means non-god, non-human, and unrighteous.

It is one of the six realms of reincarnation and one of the eight classes of beings.

In Buddhist scriptures, the Asuras are often enemies of the Devas, constantly waging war; they are undoubtedly evil gods and war gods.

It was conceived at the bottom of Mount Sumeru, a thousand yojanas below the ocean, and was born from seawater.

His appearance was coarse and vulgar, he harbored anger and malice, his sharp edges were terrifying, and his towering figure was astonishing.

It has three heads and eight arms, and can cross mountains and seas, holding up the sun and clouds.

Therefore, the "Great Asura Weapon Technique" takes its name from the Asura King's many hands and feet, and is a water-based martial art, as well as a secret method for transforming true qi into form.

The three heads and eight arms are its outward appearance, but its inner essence involves methods of cultivating the mind and spirit.

After all, ordinary people only have one head and two arms, and it is difficult to do two things at once, which is the so-called "drawing a square with one hand and a circle with the other".

For martial artists, multitasking is not an extremely difficult thing, but on this basis, having an extra arm adds another layer of mental burden.

If one has eight arms but can only use two arms flexibly, while the other six arms can only be used to swing fists or protect the head, then one would be unworthy of the reputation of this top-tier Tantric combat technique.

"The difficulty of this 'Great Asura Weapon Technique' lies not in opening the extraordinary meridians, but in generating three heads."

"Now that you already have a true self within you, you naturally cannot have any other thoughts. Instead, you must divide this true self into three parts."

"Greed, anger, and ignorance are the greatest poisons of man, and should be especially abandoned by martial artists whose inner demons are burning fiercely."

"But the Great Asura Weapon Technique requires you to condense these three inner demons in order to control the eight arms."

Li Cunxiao listened to Qici's explanation with great interest:

"Master, is this going against the grain to unleash your demonic nature?"

Qi was quite pleased that the young man was teachable.

He's talented, quick-witted, and thoughtful—the perfect apprentice you only dream of.

"This is also one of the benefits of cultivating the Three Heads and Eight Arms technique. We can actively divide our accumulated inner demons and then release them when we fight with others."

"As the saying goes, it is better to guide than to block. In this way, we can proactively adjust our mindset and prevent the problem from becoming too serious to be solved one day."

“Choose one of greed, anger, or ignorance as the main force, and each time a new one is generated, two extraordinary meridians can be opened, and two arms can be grown.”

"Although these arms are formed from true qi, they can be used at will, just like the original limbs."

"Imagine, if you were fighting someone, and they could only make one move at a time, but you could make four or six moves simultaneously, what would that be like?"

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxiao thought about it carefully and couldn't help but gasp.

His strongest move right now is undoubtedly the Fire Spear, but in fact, the Holy King's Wheel Fist and the Burning Wood Blade are also close to perfection, not to mention that he has just learned the Immovable Black Dragon Sword.

At present, he can only use two martial arts at the same time, but if he could have more hands, each hand could be a martial art, which would be equivalent to several Li Cunxiao launching an attack at the same time, and the explosive power would be greatly enhanced.

Of course, the corresponding consumption of true energy will also become extremely terrifying, which is why only those who have reached the Huangting Perfection level are qualified to cultivate this martial art.

"Wait a minute, Master. If one head corresponds to two arms, then after three heads and six arms, where are the remaining two arms?"

Li Cunxiao discovered the blind spot, and Qi Ci, upon hearing this, was somewhat moved:

"The last two arms did not grow from your true form, but directly from your physical body."

"These two arms are your Ren and Du meridians."

"The Du Meridian originates at the perineum, ascends along the spine to the top of the head, and governs all the Yang meridians of the body; it is the sea of ​​Yang meridians."

The Ren meridian originates at the perineum, ascends along the midline of the abdomen to the jaw, and governs all the Yin meridians of the body; it is the sea of ​​Yin meridians.

"When Yin and Yang unite, they form a vast ocean of Qi, much like the ocean beneath Mount Sumeru, which gives birth to the Asura King."

"I haven't even reached this level yet."

"Neither does Master?"

Li Cunxiao was genuinely surprised.

"But I see that Master's Yamantaka, with its six faces, six arms, and six legs, seems to be no less powerful than..."

“That is my Dharma manifestation, it’s different.”

"If I wanted to, I could transform into a hundred arms, let alone eight. But the eight extraordinary meridians are the foundation of the Qi Sea and the foundation of the microcosm of the human body."

"One is appearance, the other is essence. No matter how fancy the appearance is, if the essence remains unchanged, it is meaningless."

“The geniuses of the Holy Land all pursue the realm of having all eight meridians connected and true qi as vast as the sea.”

"But unfortunately, most people can only open four meridians, a few can open six meridians like I did, and those who have perfected all eight meridians are extremely rare."

"Disciple, you must remember, the Great Asura Weapon Technique is merely a martial art to assist you in opening your eight extraordinary meridians; the key lies in unlocking your potential."

"Once the potential is developed, the combat power will naturally increase; it's a natural progression."

"Don't get stuck in a dead end just to have more heads and arms; your level of understanding is what matters most."

The abbot spoke earnestly, and Li Cunxiao was naturally convinced and accepted his teachings.

Having a master as a mentor has many advantages.

If others have already paved the way for you in your cultivation journey, then walking through those pitfalls will be as easy as walking on flat ground.

"Alright, the Asura Weapon Technique isn't difficult to use. The key is controlling your inner demons, which is actually quite easy for you."

"Now that I am here, you may try to condense the first demon head."

"Master, of the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, which one would you choose as your primary focus?"

"Angry head," the monk Qici said, his tone changing slightly.

“In my early years, I was strict with myself and others. Seeing the world as a sea of ​​dung, I often felt resentment.”

"However, after cultivating the Three Heads and Six Arms technique, whenever I fought with others, I would turn my hatred into rage. Later, I cultivated the Great Vajrabhairava, which brought me many benefits."

"In a fit of rage, their combat power surged, and many other Buddhist masters also began to cultivate anger."

"No wonder there are so many wrathful deities in Buddhism."

Qici raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, but didn't say much. He simply gestured for his disciple to sit down and practice.

'Master's attitude towards gods and Buddhas doesn't seem like that of an old monk; it's more like that of a mad monk.'

The thought flashed by in an instant. Li Cunxiao sat down cross-legged, quickly calmed his mind, and his breathing became long and even.

The Great Asura Weapon Technique is a very peculiar martial art; it is more like a secret technique than a martial art.

By training the mind and manipulating true qi, the success rate of opening the extraordinary meridians is increased, and then the meridians are opened to transform true qi into form.

The first step is to visualize a vast ocean, an infinitely deep and dark place, with your mind and your true self as a fetus.

This practice is very similar to the state of true meditation.

Although the vajra was empty at this moment, Li Cunxiao was confident.

He is not a genius, but he has learned or seen dozens of martial arts. This kind of intangible accumulation is hard to notice in normal times, but it often comes in handy at critical moments.

Breathe
Between breaths, recalling the cool sensation of each initiation with the vajra, all the chaotic thoughts settle down like silt, leaving only a calm pool.

Breathing through the mouth and nose, the peristalsis of the internal organs, and the contraction and expansion of the skin—this is not quite the state of "nothing outside the mind" after entering meditation, but Li Cunxiao could clearly perceive that his physical body and spirit had become more closely connected for a time.

Calm your mind, and you can almost hear the sound of blood flowing, and see the crimson, flame-like True Qi gradually stimulating the vitality of your body.

"Good lad, you've already touched the threshold of meditation just by sitting down casually."

Qi Ci sensed the changes in his disciple and was secretly surprised. He quietly took out a bronze mirror from his bag.

Bone mirror.

The true form of Nezha within Li Cunxiao manifested on the mirror. At first, it was somewhat blurry, but somehow, it gradually became clearer. The young war god, with his flowing hair, sat cross-legged, his face as serene and peaceful as his physical body.

'That old Taoist priest was indeed spying.'

Qi Ci chuckled inwardly. Last time, because of the strange phenomenon in Pingdingshan Lake, he had specially borrowed the Bone-Illuminating Mirror to ensure that Li Cunxiao would not be corrupted by the evil energy.

However, after Taiyi's failed showdown last time, for some reason, he didn't seek to take back Qici's offer, as if he had forgotten about it.

At that time, the senior monk had a guess in his heart, knowing that Taiyi was definitely not giving up.

Now, with just a slight probe, the other party has indeed revealed their true colors.

After all, Taiyi was the true owner of this spiritual artifact, and in Qici's hands, it had never been able to fully utilize its potential.

Now that the mirror is clear on its own, it can only be seen by someone secretly peeking at it.

But no harm.

The master-disciple relationship is already established; this time, the advantage is in my hands.

Qi Ci's lips curled slightly as he began to instruct Li Cunxiao:

"The mind and spirit embrace each other, like an egg born in the sea. Anger is like a thunderbolt, turning into a head in shock and rage."

In the deep silence, the sound was like ripples created by fish swimming in the sea, natural and light, allowing Li Cunxiao to maintain a state of near-breathing without being disturbed.

Yet beneath the calm surface, the sediment on the seabed is quietly gathered and solidified by the eddies—negative emotions that are usually imperceptible. These are countless tiny yet real inner demons.

Under Li Cunxiao's deliberate control, the fragments of the inner demons representing wrath, like pieces of embers that had not yet been extinguished, or like lava bursting out of the mountain pass, surged out from the shoulders of the deity.

It slowly climbed and stretched, outlining sword-like eyebrows and eyes on Nezha's face, adding a touch of majesty to his heroic appearance.

Even his body was slowly growing, transforming from a boy's physique into that of a young man.

Li Cunxiao didn't know how much time had passed; in his perception, it felt like several months.

At the bottom of the sea of ​​the heart, those fragments of resentment and inner demons had completely formed an embryo, emitting a sound like a heartbeat.

It started out chaotic, but gradually became regular and kept getting closer to Li Cunxiao's own heartbeat rhythm.

Finally, complete synchronization.

"Roar!!!!!!"

The sea trembled, waves surged and clouds rolled, a pair of dark blue arms, like two giant warships, tore through the water, and a waterfall of water poured down its majestic body, its ugly head piercing through the sky, level with the floating clouds.

In the Bone-Piercing Mirror, the real Nezha suddenly opened his eyes, stood up and stepped forward. Dark blue Sanskrit characters, like layers of chains, covered his limbs and bones, finally encircling his neck.

This strange phenomenon simultaneously appeared on Li Cunxiao's body.

His originally ivory-colored skin instantly turned bluish-black, as if it were made of stone. His eyebrows and hair burned like flames, and while his face was ferocious, a contradictory aura of majesty and compassion was also revealed.

"Success on the first try?"

Qi Ci couldn't help but stand up, flicked his finger, and a popping sound rang out in the air. Li Cunxiao, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly let out a low shout, and flame-like dragons instantly shot out from his eyes.

An invisible clash erupted, sending shockwaves through the air and shattering the teacups on the table.

At this moment, Li Cunxiao's heart seemed to be filled with endless anger, which filled his body and made him feel like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.

But in stark contrast to his restless body was his mind, which was as clear as ice and snow.

"What a wonderful method."

Li Cunxiao looked at the fiery dragon that had materialized from his body. Its form was now more clearly visible, its scales and claws, compared to when it was barely formed before. He figured that once he opened two more extraordinary meridians, he could truly achieve the transformation of true qi into form.

"Hahahaha, as expected of my disciple, you gathered the anger head so easily."

Qi Ci was overjoyed, and then took out a nearly transparent porcelain bottle from his cloth bag, in which a milky liquid rolled and flowed:

"There's no time to lose, let's start opening up the extraordinary meridians now."

Li Cunxiao was taken aback upon hearing this, sensing that his master seemed somewhat anxious.

But when he looked up, he saw the monk with a wicked smile on his face, still offering him the porcelain bottle.

A thought suddenly struck him, "Then this disciple will..."

"Wait a minute!"

An exasperated voice came from the rooftop. The next moment, Li Cunxiao felt a blur before his eyes, and Taiyi Zhenren had already snatched the stone marrow away, glaring fiercely at the monk Qici:
"You bald thief! Are you in such a hurry to reincarnate? Opening the extraordinary meridians could easily cause your inner demons to stir. You need to proceed slowly. Don't you care about your disciple?"

Qi Ci was not angry upon hearing this, nor did he react much to the removal of the stone marrow; on the contrary, he remained calm and composed.

"Then what do you think we should do?"

"I," Taiyi was about to speak, but seeing the other party's smug expression, he immediately came to his senses.

"You lied to me?"

"correct."

"That bastard, you donkey-headed thief, I fucking..."

Seeing that a full-blown fight was about to break out, Li Cunxiao quickly stepped forward:

"Master."

"Huh?"×2
Qi was taken aback, while Taiyi was delighted, drawing out a long syllable:
"Eh~"

"That Taoist priest is shameless!"

Now it was Qici's turn to be furious, but Taiyi was all smiles, as if he had just drunk some chilled plum juice.

"Alright, I didn't come here to argue with you."

"Let Li Cunxiao take the golden lotus in my cave."

Qi Ci's anger vanished in an instant, as easily as turning the pages of a book.

"really?"

"Nonsense. But I have conditions. He can learn martial arts from you, but he also has to learn alchemy from me."

"Old Taoist, you must also be Li Cunxiao's master."

what?
Li Cunxiao didn't react for a moment, but Qi Ci was faster and pushed his apprentice behind his back, leaving the former somewhat amused and exasperated.

Are they selling their apprentices here?

However, the Taiyi alchemy was profound, and Li Cunxiao did indeed have the desire to study it. Connecting with the Louguan Daoist network was an even better thing.

Since Qici had no objections, he readily knelt down and kowtowed.
"Master!"

"Good disciple."

Taiyi's old face broke into a smile, and the turmoil of the past few days vanished with a single word: "Master."

"Brother Taiyi," Qi Ci said, his eyes crinkling with laughter on his chubby, white face, making him look like a fat fox.

The old Taoist priest was well aware of how devoted he was to his disciple.

Only a thousand days to be a thief, not a thousand days to guard against thieves.

As long as the true nature of the Taoist sect is not changed, what does it matter if there is another master of alchemy as a teacher?
With such a wealthy background, there's no need to worry about training disciples in the future; they might even be able to come and take advantage of you frequently.

This time, I profited, it was a win-win situation!
"Alright, alright, I'll owe you a favor this time."

Taiyi was in a good mood and didn't bother arguing with Qici, so he gently took Li Cunxiao's arm:

"The golden lotus is ripe. Let's go to Pingdingshan now to retrieve it and refine it."

"With this item protecting me, I will be able to tread upon the true form as easily as walking on flat ground in the future!"

(End of this chapter)