Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 229 228 Hun Tian Ling? Imprisoning Dragon Rope?
Jiao is a type of dragon.

When the pond is full of 3,600 fish, a dragon comes and becomes its leader. It can lead the fish to fly and place them in the water, at which point the dragon leaves.

The so-called "walking dragon" is a type of snake or python with profound cultivation. In the past, it hid in lakes, deep pools, reservoirs, tributaries of rivers, and underground caves.

When the great floods of summer and autumn arrive, they seize the opportunity to rise up, travel through the waters to the sea, and transform into dragons.

In the present world, demons such as dragons and snakes also appear during the rainy season, stirring up storms and causing havoc; this is called "walking dragons."

But it's the dead of winter now, the Lantern Festival hasn't even passed yet, and the land is frozen solid. Even if there's no war, not many people will be out and about, so it's no wonder Qici is so surprised.

"You beast, you've got a stroke of luck today, better to arrive early than early!"

Before he finished speaking, the monk's figure had already disappeared from the spot, and the remaining few people hurriedly followed Taiyi in pursuit.

Not long after the former left, loud noises began to echo from afar, as if some enormous object was constantly crashing into the ground, followed by roars and howls of beasts.

The sound was initially filled with murderous intent and brutality, but it quickly turned into a wailing cry of fear.

"Such ruthless methods!"

Just by listening to the sounds carried on the wind, Li Cunxiao could imagine the scene of battle.

Without a doubt, the senior monk's victory was overwhelmingly one-sided.

But before they could get there, Taiyi suddenly raised an eyebrow.

"Guanglei, Cunxiao, there are still a few fish that have slipped through the net."

The old Taoist priest pointed with his finger, and the two looked at each other, nodded, and walked together towards the riverbank.

Sure enough, as I got closer, I could faintly smell a fishy smell mixed with a strange stench of saliva.

In Li Cunxiao's senses, these unusual smells seemed to become luminous indicators, guiding him step by step toward the dock by the river.

Several cargo ships were moored at the dock, but most of them looked as if they had been hit by some giant beast, with broken planks, exposed keels, and broken masts.

The mottled, blackened bloodstains stretched from the loess soil all the way to the dock and the ship's hull, confirming a tragedy that had occurred a few days earlier.

“With shipping routes frozen in winter and cargo transport impossible, these people are probably being hunted down, which is why they have fled here for refuge.”

Du Guanglei saw the mangled corpse on the ground, gently turned it over, revealing the wounds from the swords and knives.

"Huang Chao is far too cruel."

"Not only did they massacre entire cities at the drop of a hat, but they also harbored hatred towards powerful clans in various regions and sought revenge."

“I have also heard about this matter,” Li Cunxiao said, drawing his Purple Flame Serpent Spear, the Fire Dragon Rope drawing a stream of flames around him.

“The imperial examinations of the dynasty were not conducted anonymously. Before the examination, most candidates would visit the chief examiner, a process known as ‘warming the papers’.”

Huang Chao came from a poor family and repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, harboring resentment in his heart.

Li Cunxiao stopped there. To be honest, he was of humble origin, a landless vagrant who barely made a living by working as a waiter in a restaurant.

Du Guanglei comes from the Du family of Jingzhao. Although the family has declined in recent years, it is still far superior to those from humble backgrounds.

Seeing the fate of the Yang family of Hongnong evoked strong emotions, and one naturally felt a deep sense of empathy.

Taiyi also came from the Li family of Longxi. According to the old Taoist priest, there were quite a few sons of powerful and wealthy people in the Louguan Taoist community, and most of them had intricate connections with the powerful and wealthy people in Xijing Daxing City.
"With more people, the relationships become more complex, and Louguandao isn't exactly a perfect place."

Li Cunxiao followed Du Guanglei onto the deck.

Once on the ship, the way these people died was different from that on the dock, and there were fewer corpses. The wounds showed a torn shape, as if they had been forcibly ripped apart.

"I understand. It was probably Huang Chao's army that looted and chased them here, and their bloodlust awakened the hibernating demons."

Du Guanglei assumed a horse stance, his wrist guards and leg guards adorned with silver fish-scale armor covered in red leather, inscribed with talismans. At the intersections, golden-red flames rose in a heart-like pattern.

“Junior Brother Li, it is a type of dragon-serpent, which is particularly sensitive to temperature changes. I will lure it out before you make your move.”

Having said that, flames erupted from his limbs, transforming from the form of a Vermilion Bird into hundreds of real galloping horses, which surged forth like a torrent—

The heavenly horse soars into the sky!

The flaming warhorses galloped like a torrent, instantly setting the massive cargo ship ablaze from top to bottom.

The temperature of the ship rose rapidly, and even some of the swords scattered in the cabin showed signs of melting.

But not only was Du Guanglei calm and collected, Li Cunxiao was equally unperturbed.

With the fire dragon rope wrapped around me, I couldn't feel any heat at all.

Fire-repelling ability is also a characteristic of the Fire Dragon Rope, after all, it evolved from the Fire Prison Infinite Spear, a high-grade fire-element martial art.

In fact, the Fire Dragon Rope can absorb external heat, compress continuously, and finally burst out in one go while binding the enemy.

'Junior Brother Li clearly cultivates the Azure Dragon lineage's Wood Element True Skill, but his mastery of the Fire Element is...'

Only one thought flashed through Du Guanglei's mind before he immediately cut it off.

Some things are better left unsaid and unthought.

He was only sent by his master to find his uncle, and Taiyi happened to have taken in a disciple with exceptional talent.

He had no idea about anything else, whether it was practicing Buddhism or Taoism together, or the whereabouts of the spiritual treasure.

"coming!"

Li Cunxiao pointed his spear upwards, and the Fire Dragon Rope immediately seemed to come alive as it coiled around the Purple Flame Trident.

On the burning cargo ship, the flames seemed to come alive, completely engulfing the fire dragon's body.

When a loud bang came from the deck, a huge dragon's head burst out with water and wood chips exploded. A twenty-meter-long crimson fire dragon had lifted Li Cunxiao up, as if he were floating in the air, standing on the water, confronting the dark green dragon.

"A sixth-tier demon? No, its aura is somewhat unstable."

Du Guanglei frowned, then relaxed.

"Junior Brother Li, this demon probably consumed blood and barely broke through, and is currently recuperating."

"Many serpents are venomous, and their power lies in manipulating water. Be careful, lest you be ambushed."

“I understand,” Li Cunxiao said calmly, feeling the gaze of the scarlet beast’s eyes. Six more arms reached out from his shoulders.

Four arms formed a hand seal, while the other two arms clasped together, one clenching and the other pulling, and crimson flames burst forth. The second fire dragon rope immediately spiraled out, merging with the fire dragon beneath their feet and then separating.

"go with!"

The two dragons coiled around each other, like two golden collars, instantly binding the serpent.

Two circular depressions appeared instantly on the river surface, as if the waves were being pushed aside by an invisible behemoth, creating a mist that enveloped the battlefield for a moment.

"What a powerful binding technique! Judging by its strength, it must have reached the level of a supreme martial art."

"Oh? It not only possesses the fiery intensity and power of flames, but also the solid and imposing weight of mountains?"

"Even if we can't win, Junior Brother Li will still be invincible. Hmm, this hand seal?"

"Alas, a new generation surpasses the old."

Du Guanglei stood on the charred deck, sometimes sighing deeply, sometimes filled with excitement.

As far as the eye could see, roars echoed from the thick fog, and enormous black shadows writhed and struggled like earthworms turning over in the soil. Every now and then, circular flashes of light would appear, and occasionally, emerald green handprints would burst through the mist, stirring up the other boats on the river, causing them to bob and tumble.

Fifteen minutes later, the wails and screams gradually subsided.

Hooves clattered, and Taiyi, Qici, and the others rapidly approached.

Just then, Ye Chengxiao's pupils suddenly contracted as he watched a huge black shadow fly out of the mist and then crash down heavily—

"boom!"

With a loud crash, several ordinary horses reared up in fright, but they only calmed down after the blue lion glared at them.

As the group approached, they saw that all the ice on the river had shattered and was floating erratically on the water.

A serpent over twenty meters long lay in a large, overturned pit with its two horns broken off, its eyes lifeless.

"hiss"

Ye Chengxiao and Wei He, the siblings, had never seen such a giant beast before, let alone one that had died so tragically. They both gasped in shock.

"Isn't this dragon a prince of the water? How could it be killed like this?"

"It's just a demon that has just broken through to the sixth level, nothing more than a serpent or a snake. There are no real dragons in this world."

Qi Ci stepped forward, kicked the dragon, and flipped it over.

The corpse was subjected to force, and its head and middle part suddenly broke off cleanly, revealing a ring of roasted flesh, as if it had been forcibly severed by a red-hot iron ring.

"Master, just now..."

Li Cunxiao's body broke through the mist and walked step by step from the still-undisturbed water, making Li Mucha and the others stare wide-eyed.

The senior brother/elder brother who usually seems kind can be so ruthless when he gets into a fight. At this moment, he is moving with a graceful and otherworldly air, showing a complex temperament.

"That beast is cunning and only wants to escape. As a seventh-level demon, it is no longer at a disadvantage in terms of combat power compared to martial artists of the same level, but in terms of its ability to protect itself and its vitality, it is much stronger."

Qi Ci's brows furrowed slightly in displeasure. For a Grandmaster to wield true energy, to contend with heaven and earth, to soar through the void and divide thousands of miles—this was already a mythical feat.

But if we're talking about a single strike that can burn mountains and boil seas, altering the terrain, only a Grandmaster of the Ninth Realm, a terrestrial immortal, can accomplish that.

"Pull out the dragon tendon and let me see it. If the material is good, it should be no problem to forge a mid-grade magic weapon."

Upon hearing Taiyi's reminder, Li Cunxiao condensed his Azure Dragon True Qi into Burning Wood Blade Qi, which adhered to his five fingers and tore open the dragon's neck, producing a sound that made one's teeth ache.

A moment later, the arm with bulging veins slowly pulled back, and a pale gold tendon tinged with dark red was pulled out of the wound.

The forearm makes a circle, creating a rotation, causing the tendons to arch in the air before suddenly straightening—

Snapped!
The crisp sound was like a string of firecrackers exploding, with the sounds all rushing out at the same time.

The water in the riverbed suddenly split open from the middle, and the floating ice was instantly crushed into dust by the force of the waves.

"What a treasure! It even retains some of the dragon's water-controlling abilities?"

Taiyi was somewhat surprised. He took the dragon tendon from Li Cunxiao and stretched and contracted it in his hand.

This material has a crystalline texture and, upon closer inspection, resembles pale golden amber. When stretched, it is six zhang long, and when shortened, it is about one zhang long, exhibiting extremely high ductility.

It's about the thickness of two fingers, with a red line about the thickness of a toothpick running through the middle, giving it a liquid-like, dynamic feel.

The old Taoist priest pondered for a moment, then a flash of inspiration struck him. He extended his index finger and pointed:
"By the way, your Fire Dragon Rope is as heavy as a mountain and can also ward off fire. If you can refine this dragon tendon into a magical treasure and combine them, its power will surely be even greater."

"If we can find more dragon tendons and refine them into divine weapons, combining water and fire to stir up yin and yang, then we can call it the 'Chaos Ribbon'."

These words were transmitted to Li Cunxiao's ears, and upon hearing them, Li Cunxiao was somewhat tempted.

His true form is an ascended version of Nezha, who stirred up the sea and subdued the dragon, making them a perfect match.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master."

"No," Taiyi Zhenren unexpectedly refused him, and with a gentle toss, the crystal-clear dragon tendon returned to Li Cunxiao's hand.

"You must forge this magical artifact yourself."

I'll refine it myself?

Li Cunxiao was taken aback, and for a moment he was not quite used to it.

The old Taoist priest had always been like a nanny, anticipating and preparing for almost everything for him, practically feeding him.

Unexpectedly, just as they were about to arrive at Louguandao, the other party seemed to be influenced by Qici and began to adjust their teaching methods.

"As a sacred place of Taoism, the Louguan Sect's martial arts are undoubtedly exquisite, but compared to Maoshan and Magushan, we are actually about the same."

"If we really want to make a distinction, the Maoshan Shangqing sect focuses on talismans, the Magu Beidi sect focuses on thunder magic and swordsmanship, while our Louguan sect excels in alchemy and firework."

"Alchemy and weapon crafting are our specialties."

"The Vermilion Bird lineage excels in alchemy, the White Tiger lineage excels in weapon crafting, and our Azure Dragon lineage possesses both."

"The principles of alchemy and weapon crafting are the same, grasping the balance of Yin and Yang, and the creation of all things. The essence of the Azure Dragon True Scripture lies in combining alchemy with martial arts and weapon crafting."

"You have now perfected the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations True Technique. The next step is to condense the Azure Dragon True Form. Do you remember what I said?"

Li Cunxiao quickly adjusted his mindset and recalled:
"According to my master, the Azure Dragon is a star in the sky, the Eastern Wood on the ground, and true mercury in alchemy."

"The Azure Dragon is neither a beast nor a god, but rather pure mercury, the pivot of Yin and Yang."

Taiyi kept a close eye on his disciple's expression. Seeing that there was no restlessness or dissatisfaction between his brows, he felt a little more at ease.

"That's right, the Azure Dragon True Qi has three transformations in the three realms of True Form, Heavenly Ladder, and Profound Pass."

"The realm of true form, where essence and qi unite, is the small yin and yang, the small tai chi, which is the Azure Dragon Mercury Pearl."

"In the Heavenly Ladder Realm, true essence is differentiated. Yang becomes the Crimson Emperor's Flowing Mercury, and Yin becomes the Taiyin Flowing Pearl. One can freely switch between Yin and Yang."

"When the mysterious gate is reached, it is refined with the true fire of samadhi. Yin and Yang combine and then separate, separate and then combine, just like the refining of the golden elixir through nine cycles, and then the Azure Dragon True Mercury is obtained."

"Leaving aside distant examples, just considering the Azure Dragon Mercury Pearl, it possesses essence and energy, and is complete in yin and yang. It can no longer be discussed solely in terms of the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water."

Whether it's alchemy or weapon forging, I can operate with ease and skill.

"Conversely, alchemy and weapon crafting are also ways for you to refine your true form and temper your true mercury."

"Once we arrive at Louguan Dao and have the approval of our senior brother, the headmaster, I will pass on to you the 'Nine Revolutions Flowing Pearl Nine Elixir Scripture'."

"This secret art of alchemy and martial arts uses alchemy as its martial art, with nine stages as its realm, and is divided into the methods of refining spirit pearls and gathering demon pills."

"Once you've learned it, you'll naturally know how to apply alchemy techniques to martial arts and weapon crafting."

"Therefore, this dragon tendon will be your first magical treasure, and also the first task I give you. You will not be considered a master until you have forged it into a divine weapon."

"However, before the 'Heavenly Ribbon' is completed, this item should also have a name. You can come up with one."

Only after forging a divine weapon can one be considered a master?

Li Cunxiao clicked his tongue in amazement. Firstly, the old Taoist's requirements were extremely high, and secondly, it also indicated that this "Nine-Turn Flowing Pearl Nine Elixir Scripture" was extraordinary, probably not just a unique skill, but already at the level of divine power.

As for what name to choose...
He glanced at the dragon's corpse beside him, a wicked glint in his eye as he thought about how he would kill dragons and extract their tendons later.
"Let's call it 'Dragon-Binding Rope'."

(End of this chapter)