Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 210, page 209: Boundless Qi Sea, Dragon Flower Treasure Tree (6,000 words)

"It's only been a few days, and another martial art has been perfected."

"Back when I was learning martial arts at Qinglong Temple, I mastered a superior-level martial art in just six months, which amazed Master Zhenjing so much that he kept asking me to teach him the 'Great Sun Tathagata Sword Seal.' If it weren't for the grudges I still had with the Pure Land School, I might have agreed back then."

Taiyi scoffed disdainfully at the monk's words.

"Stop patting yourself on the back. Every single one of those who became a Grandmaster possessed exceptional talent."

"If you're truly a genius, why don't you break through the primordial embryo and create a grotto-heaven to show us?"

Qi Ci was taken aback and too lazy to argue with this old Taoist priest. He simply stared at the young man sitting cross-legged in the Jade Pool not far away.

A three-headed dragon—one blue, one black, and one red—slowly danced up and down around the ivory-like, clean, and delicate body.

Sometimes they close up, transforming into a giant golden wheel that carries the four continents of Sumeru, and the elements of earth, water, wind, and fire.
Sometimes they separate, coiling around the dark blue-green body of the Asura, trembling along with the giant's scorching breath.

Three ferocious heads appeared on the neck: one angry, one greedy, and one obsessed.

The fifth and sixth arms are condensing at a visible speed on the left and right sides of the torso, shoulders, and armpits.

Li Cunxiao lowered his eyes, sat cross-legged, hovering on the water's surface. With each rise and fall of his chest, he inhaled the milky-white spiritual essence and swallowed it into his stomach.

At these times, Asura's arm would solidify even faster.

The corresponding changes also occurred in his dantian.

Beneath the golden lotus and lotus leaves, on the face of the lotus incarnation, seven orifices radiate five colors of light: blue, white, black, red, and yellow, corresponding to the Horned Wood Dragon, Golden Wheel, Asura, Fire Serpent, and Kurikara Great Dragon, respectively.

Of the five colors, the black light representing the water element at the ears was the most dazzling at this moment.

At the same time, countless illusory lotus leaves and roots emerged, connecting all twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians.

The Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming, the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming, the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin, the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin, and the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang.
Chong Meridian, Dai Meridian, Yang Wei Meridian, Yin Wei Meridian, Yin Qiao Meridian, Yang Qiao Meridian
The crimson arms of true energy extended from the six main meridians, leaving only the Ren and Du meridians remaining.

The Governing Vessel (Du Mai) originates at the perineum, ascends along the spine to the top of the head, and governs all the Yang meridians of the body, hence it is known as the "Sea of ​​Yang Meridians".

The Ren meridian originates at the perineum, ascends along the midline of the abdomen to the lower jaw, and governs all the Yin meridians of the body, hence it is called the "Sea of ​​Yin Meridians".

The Ren and Du meridians, located on the exterior and interior of the body respectively, run towards each other and converge at the Baihui point, thus achieving the unity of Yin and Yang.

The collision and fusion of Yin and Yang is like the creation of chaos, naturally giving rise to the Five Elements, generating creation, and nurturing the boundless sea of ​​Qi.

"Refining!"

Li Cunxiao's heart stirred. After failing to break through the Black Dragon Sword, the remaining demons were all refined and transformed into countless golden lights that added to the dim Vajra Pestle.

Qici and Taiyi were still puzzled by their disciple's extraordinary wisdom, but the person in question knew that his so-called enlightenment, which far surpassed that of ordinary people, was actually the result of a demon's sacrifice.

Now that he is only one step away from the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court and the condensation of the Qi Sea, Li Cunxiao certainly won't be stingy.

Once the vajra is fully inflated, a shout breaks the stillness, and a familiar, refreshing sensation washes over you like a sudden awakening, bringing countless insights and experiences to your mind.

In an instant, the Great Asura Weapon Technique held no secrets for him; he was as familiar with it as if he had been cultivating for decades and then dispelling his cultivation to start over.

The surging Flaming True Qi climbed up the Ren and Du meridians, appearing from a distance like two lines of fire, burning from the perineum to the chest, abdomen, neck, and top of the head.

"To attempt to attack two extraordinary meridians simultaneously, isn't that a bit too overconfident?"

Taiyi nervously pinched his beard.

It's not entirely due to being overly concerned; the meridians are like a large net, becoming more and more complex as you go further, where a small change can affect the whole body.

The Ren meridian runs along the midline of the abdomen, and its meridians intersect with the three Yin meridians of the hands and feet and the Yin Wei meridian multiple times; the Du meridian runs along the midline of the back, and its meridians intersect with the three Yang meridians of the hands and feet and the Yang Wei meridian multiple times.

Because they connect the central points of the Yin and Yang meridians respectively, the Ren and Du meridians can be called the Yin and Yang meridian seas.

In other words, if anything goes wrong, at such a sensitive time, all previous efforts could be wasted.

"With the presence of nectar and marrow, coupled with Cunxiao's strong will, there is no risk of him falling into demonic possession."

Compared to the old Taoist priest's tension, the senior monk seemed much more relaxed, even having the leisure to make jokes:
“Our disciple possesses a great treasure and has an extremely solid foundation. He has had a smooth journey, so it’s not a bad thing for him to suffer some hardships.”

"Anyway, with the Seven Treasures Lotus, at most it will only damage the meridians, which is a minor problem. At worst, we can rebuild the Yellow Court."

"You make it sound so easy!"

Taiyi snorted coldly, expressing his dissatisfaction, but the hand that was holding his beard began to stroke it again.

However, his relaxation was not an endorsement of Qi Ci's method of teaching through setbacks, but rather because the eight crimson true energy arms on Li Cunxiao's body had been fully condensed.

A powerful will to fight against heaven and earth emanated from him, which was the true meaning of Asura's innate love of war.

Of the eight arms, which resembled crimson lava, it was impossible to tell which one was originally Li Cunxiao's fleshy arm.

His eyes were still closed, but he had already stood up, like a majestic mountain pressing down on the vast ocean.

Within the three-zhang-square spirit pool, countless streams of spiritual energy, like swallows returning to their nests, entered his body, rapidly outlining and weaving together into a complex network of emerald green meridian lines.

Finally, when the network becomes so dense that even gaps are no longer visible, all that remains is a vast blue sea.

Strangely, the blue sea occasionally tinges with red, intertwining with the original emerald green, giving people a sense of vigorous vitality.

Just like this vast ocean, which is formed by the convergence of countless towering ancient trees, whenever the wind blows, the branches and leaves shake out streaks of crimson light under the golden sun.

hum~~
The verdant breeze spun rapidly beneath Li Cunxiao's feet, transforming into a flying wheel.

The flywheel spun rapidly, as if rubbing against the air, and ignited a raging fire.

When Li Cunxiao opened his eyes and looked at the spirit pool beneath his feet, the clear water mirror reflected a handsome young man with three heads and eight arms, riding on wind and fire wheels.

"Now he really is Nezha."

Sensing the surging, abundant true energy within his body, Li Cunxiao felt better than ever before.

When he had mastered all twelve meridians, he felt like he was driving on a highway.
But now that he has truly reached the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court, with the Extraordinary Meridians, the Ordinary Meridians, and even a part of the Seven Treasures Lotus integrated into it and intertwined to form the Sea of ​​Qi, he feels that the power of his previous output of true qi is really not worth mentioning.

To use an inappropriate analogy, it's like transforming from a listless, powerless middle-aged person into a vigorous young person with abundant energy, even feeling as if their true energy is inexhaustible.

This is, of course, an illusion.

After opening his Qi Sea, Li Cunxiao's internal "river channels" became wider, "rainfall" became faster and more abundant, and he could store more true Qi and recover faster, but he was still far from the level of a grandmaster who achieved oneness with heaven and man and could use the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for his own benefit.

If he were to fully activate a divine weapon like the Wind and Fire Wheels, he could only unleash three moves at most. However, flying would be much less strenuous, and a few hours would still be quite easy.

However, if he were to fight using only the Purple Flame Serpent Spear and the Dragon Sparrow Blade, his true energy might not be exhausted even after a day and a night of fierce fighting.

"Thank you both for protecting me."

With his hands clasped together, all the strange phenomena on his body disappeared. Li Cunxiao walked barefoot on the ground, yet he was spotless. This was the effect of his true energy spontaneously protecting his body.

With a casual gesture, Taiyi transformed the jade pool into a water ladle, which fell into his palm.

The old Taoist priest did not put it away, but instead smiled and handed it to the disciple who walked up to him.

"As a teacher, it is only right to protect the Dharma and spread the teachings. Keep this spiritual pool safe and use it by activating your true energy when needed."

"Consider this a gift from your teacher to you as the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court."

"Thank you Master!"

Li Cunxiao was delighted and took it with both hands. After examining it carefully, he realized that it was more like a wine vessel than a ladle.

The jade lid on top is a lighter color, and it seems to be an addition rather than part of a set. It is probably the work of Taiyi Zhenren.

"Could this be a magical artifact?"

"Spiritual weapons are divine weapons, but how many divine weapons in the world are there?"

Before the old Taoist could even speak, Qici abruptly interrupted him when his disciple asked the question.

'They didn't even discuss giving me a gift beforehand, deliberately trying to embarrass me in front of my apprentice?'

'So what if it is? This kind of thing is nothing but a trinket to this old man.'

'You son of a bitch'

The monk and the Taoist priest glared at each other for a few moments before the former continued the conversation:

"The biggest difference between divine weapons and magical artifacts and demonic treasures is whether they contain malevolent or demonic energy."

"While the item in your hand is indeed pure in aura, it has a single function. Once the spirit pool has absorbed it all, it can only be used to store things."

"These are neither divine weapons nor magical treasures; they are mostly remnants from ancient times. They are generally standardized tools that were uniformly crafted by various forces for the convenience of their disciples."

"Compared to such external tools and objects, martial arts cultivation is the foundation. Since you have already reached the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court and several high-grade martial arts have also been perfected, I will pass on the Dragon Flower Great Handprint to you."

Is the head monk jealous?
The sourness in Qi Ci's words was almost overflowing. Li Cunxiao muttered a few words in his heart, but when he heard that he was going to pass on his skills, he couldn't help but smile.

The scene of his opponent unleashing the Sumeru Seal and empowering himself with the power of the Jambudvipa world to repel Sima Fufeng was still vivid in his mind, so he naturally coveted this ultimate technique of hand seals.

'Damn it, that bald monk.'

Taiyi was immediately annoyed, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Being penniless was Qici's Achilles' heel, while the true skills of the Taoist school were the old Taoist's Achilles' heel.

Although he has had the lotus incarnation for some time, Li Cunxiao's main cultivation method and the martial arts techniques he practices are all Buddhist.

At this point, even if he wanted to pass on his skills, he couldn't, because Li Cunxiao didn't have a corresponding original body, so he couldn't unleash the power of the martial arts at all.

However, the current situation in Songzhou is urgent, and it is not a good time to switch to repairs.

Taiyi grew increasingly displeased and, before Qici could transmit the Dharma, he reached out and stopped him.
"Wait a minute, Sanlang, try to remove Jiaomu Jiao from the Buddhist deity first."

"If possible, then we can start cultivating the Azure Dragon True Technique of the Wood Yi Wood from the Horned Wood Flood Dragon Demon at the Yellow Court Realm, which will be much smoother than starting from scratch."

Li Cunxiao was taken aback upon hearing this. He glanced at Qi Ci, who was trying to suppress a laugh, and the latter nodded with difficulty.
“The Buddhist and Taoist schools have different approaches to building their divine palaces. The Horned Wood Dragon is relatively stable in your Buddhist kingdom, but this Dragon Flower Great Handprint is also a Wood-element True Technique. If one or two of them could be replaced, that would be even better.”

"Let me try."

Li Cunxiao had no doubts and immediately closed his eyes to focus his mind on his dantian.

There are nine holes in the golden lotus on the top of the lotus root.

Centered around Nezha, surrounded by the Black Dragon, Asura, Fire Serpent, Golden Wheel, and Horned Wood Dragon. With a thought, the Horned Wood Dragon roared and, like a dragon emerging from the abyss, soared out with a "pop" and entered the liver of his body.

The instant the Horned Dragon left, Li Cunxiao clearly felt a brief disturbance in his internal energy, especially in the circulation of the five elements within his lotus incarnation, which became sluggish.

Just a quarter of an hour later, after the body had adapted, the lotus incarnation began to absorb the wood element energy of the Horned Wood Dragon to replenish itself.

This method is certainly less efficient than before, but it does not cause any rejection or damage.

"Incredible!" The monk and the Taoist priest, seeing this scene through the Bone-Illuminating Mirror, were both deeply moved.

"It is said that there is no regret in the Xuan Guan, but in fact, the foundation of most martial artists is already set before the true form, and it is almost impossible to change."

“Cunxiao possesses the Seven Treasures Lotus, which allows him to freely manipulate the demons within him. He is truly blessed with unparalleled advantages in building his divine palace in the future.”

As Qi Ci spoke, he couldn't help but reveal a hint of envy, and Taiyi had a similar expression on his face.

"Is that right?"

Li Cunxiao, having the Vajra Pestle in his body and being used to controlling demons, didn't really feel much of a difference; he just found it convenient.

If he can freely combine demons, then could he also try to build his own unique divine palace in the future?
On the other hand, he is now at the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court, and the boundary of the True Form is extremely fragile in front of him, and can be broken at any time.

If we follow the pattern of the Vajra's upgrades, each transformation of the demon is a time of change.

The second stage of muscle development marks the beginning of a martial artist's demonic cultivation. The vajra changes from a single prong to a three-pronged prong, increasing the number of times one can break through barriers, and it can also replace the demon-attracting elixir.

The second point alone helped Li Cunxiao cultivate eight demons and complete the transformation from heaven to man, which can be described as having a great effect.

The fifth realm, True Form, is another crucial juncture in the path of demonic martial arts. The martial artist transforms into a demon, enters the demonic realm, and then transcends it, never again becoming an ordinary person.

If he's right, the vajra may be about to undergo its second transformation, but it's unknown what new functions it will gain this time.

And further on, we might have to wait until the seventh realm.

As Qi Cifang just said, there is no regret once you pass the threshold. Once you pass this threshold, your foundation is set and there is no possibility of change.

From then on, the human body's microcosm connected with the external macrocosm, and it began to possess all sorts of incredible supernatural powers and abilities like gods and Buddhas, and its lifespan reached 150 years.

In my previous life, I could have watched the dynasty rise from its peak and begin its decline.

“Cunxiao, it’s a good thing that you are able to cultivate both Buddhism and Taoism, but this will also take up almost all of your energy.”

"Others can still find time to relax and enjoy themselves while studying one subject. If you are studying two subjects at the same time and want to make progress in both, I'm afraid even sleeping will become a luxury."

Qi Ci unconsciously straightened his expression. He had wanted to say these words for a long time, but he had never found the right opportunity.

It's good for a disciple to have talent and opportunities, but Li Cunxiao's talent and opportunities are far too abundant, so much so that turning them into strength requires several times the effort of an average genius.

As someone who's been through it all, I need to offer some sobering advice to my students, letting them see the two sides of the coin.

"Not only that, besides martial arts, you will also have to refine pills in the future."

When Taiyi got down to business, he lost his usual amiability and uttered terrifying words in a flat tone.

"He has to practice Buddhist martial arts and learn Taoist martial arts, a whole set at once, and he still has to find time to refine pills. If I were just an ordinary genius, I'd probably be so worried I wouldn't even be able to eat."

Li Cunxiao agreed earnestly on the surface, but inwardly he couldn't help feeling fortunate.

Thankfully, we had the Vajra pestle.

People often say that luck is also a part of strength. I'm afraid I've used up all the luck I accumulated in my previous life by transmigrating here.

However, I've just used up all my vajra and have nothing left. I'd better rely on myself to learn the basics of the Dragon Flower Great Seal first.

Receiving a heart-shaped, emerald-green Bodhi leaf from the abbot, and bringing it close, one can almost hear the deep, solemn chanting of Buddhist scriptures—this is the secret manual of the Longhua Mahamudra.

Buddhist scriptures say that in the future, Maitreya Bodhisattva will be born from the Tushita Heaven, attain enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Longhua, preach the Dharma three times, and deliver all sentient beings to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Its branches twist and turn like a dragon, its flowers resemble dragon heads, and its fruits are like pearls, symbolizing "dragons and gods protecting the Dharma and the solemnity of the Buddha's teachings".

"You have just completed the Qi Sea cultivation, so don't rush to break through to the True Form. At least consolidate it for a few more days."

"When you break through, the two of us must protect you. You cannot be careless, understand?"

Seeing the solemn expressions on his two masters' faces, Li Cunxiao naturally couldn't bring himself to refuse.

Although he believed he had the Vajra to protect him, it was always better to be a little more cautious.

Moreover, there have been many defeated soldiers and refugees near the city recently, and the atmosphere in the city is becoming increasingly tense.

He's been in Pingdingshan for over half a month; he should go back and spend time with his family and friends. It's time to balance work and rest.

"Red Horse!"

With a shout, a crimson meteor streaked towards Pingdingshan.

Its trembling mane and long tail shone like torches, and its dark eyes were full of affection.

"How did you get so strong?"

Li Cunxiao grabbed the horse's thick, long neck, leaped onto it, and clamped his legs around its belly. He could even feel the horse's fleshy body, and his expression became strange.

What exactly did you eat on this mountain?

The red steed snorted happily, and before its master could ask any questions, it took off running and disappeared into the mountaintop as a red meteor.

"A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star, what a fine figure!"

Taiyi Zhenren couldn't help but stroke his beard, a strange light appearing in his eyes.

"If I could have another son or daughter, this old man would..."

"Ok?"

Qi Ci raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you had such a simple wish."

The old Taoist priest coughed lightly, changing the subject:

When will the secret realm open?

"No rush. Yang Ying and her group of demons will only get weaker in the secret realm. The longer it drags on, the more advantageous it will be for us."

"Otherwise, how could you or I possibly contend with a Grandmaster?"

"Anyway, Zheng Lang and Yang Lingjun don't seem to be leaving. It would be best to stall them until the Ming Cult's rebel army arrives in the city, then drag them into the secret realm and deal with them together."

The monk's words contained a hidden murderous intent, and Taiyi nodded approvingly.

"good."

"Yang Lingjun is here to scout out the situation for the person behind it. As long as Luoyang is not captured, she probably won't leave."

“Zheng Lang is from a prominent family, and he’s cunning enough to have multiple escape routes. With him here, many people have probably already taken the opportunity to leave the old Zheng family residence in Xingyang.”

"The whole world is hoping for the fall of the imperial court; without destruction, there can be no construction. In this chaotic world, who will be the ultimate winner?"

"Good horse, go faster!"

A crimson meteor sped along the mountain road, with clouds the size of human heads clinging to its hooves like cotton.

At top speed, the red horse barely touched the ground, truly galloping at a low altitude.

Whether it was a rugged mountain road, a forest overgrown with vines, or a flat loess official road, its speed did not decrease at all; on the contrary, it became faster and faster.

Its crimson fur gleamed like a burning flame, and the few drops of sweat, like fresh blood, reflected the dazzling golden light from the sky.

Riding on such a spirited horse is a completely different feeling from flying on a fiery steed.

Looking at the scenery on both sides that had completely transformed into flying streaks, Li Cunxiao somewhat understood Yuwen Jian's method of riding a fat horse with a slingshot through the bustling city.

Arrogance is certainly not a good word, but the unbridled joy is also captivating.
"Xu~"

When they were still a mile from the city gate, Li Cunxiao slowed down.

He knew that Songzhou City was under martial law during this period, and apart from a few merchants certified by the government, there were very few carriages and horses coming and going.

If they were to rush to the city gate at breakneck speed, they would surely scare the soldiers guarding the city half to death.

Sure enough, once Li Cunxiao reached the foot of the city wall and his face could be clearly seen, the fully armed soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

"I told you long ago, in the entire Songzhou City, only Young Master Li's horse is such a magnificent steed!"

"Young Master Li, please don't be offended. The brothers are just following orders. The governor specifically instructed them to treat you as they would Abbot Dezheng."

"You've all worked hard," Li Cunxiao said. He knew that with his current status, staying any longer would only make these soldiers uncomfortable, so he only exchanged a few polite words before riding into the city.

The city was far less bustling and crowded than when he first arrived; he could only see a few pedestrians occasionally.

Many shops kept their doors and windows tightly shut, not because they were afraid of being robbed, but because they simply had no business.

During times of war, food and medicine are the most expensive and essential items. Ordinary people have neither the time nor the money to buy these miscellaneous things.
Bai Xiangshan was quite ruthless; if anyone deliberately inflated grain prices, he would send the city guards to ransack their homes that very night.

In times of peace, such actions would quickly attract the support of powerful figures in the gentry, and perhaps within ten days or half a month, an imperial edict would be issued, either demoting or relocating Bai Juyi, who had "indiscriminately killed innocent people," and removing him from office.

But now we live in a chaotic world, with different prefectures isolated from each other, the imperial court's authority swept away, and the old power order long since destroyed.

With his army in hand, Bai Xiangshan had effectively become a warlord and the master of Songzhou.

Even if Huang Chao comes to attack, if he is willing to surrender, this place will most likely still become Bai Xiangshan's private territory, only it will require a considerable amount of food and military supplies.

Li Cunxiao's mood became heavy when he thought about these things.

It had only been half a year since he came to the state capital from Chuqiu, but the war had been chasing him relentlessly, never leaving his side for a moment.

When chaos descends, the world descends into turmoil, and none of the sixteen circuits and three hundred prefectures can escape unscathed.

Are we supposed to keep running and running until we're out of the dead and back to peace and tranquility, and then come out of the mountains again?

A strange emotion was brewing in Li Cunxiao's heart, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind:
Why can't I be the one to restore order to the world?

(End of this chapter)