Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 246 255 Demon Orbs, Instant Kill (5,000 words, one update today)
“Cunxiao is being a bit too reckless.”

Taiyi Zhenren looked at the two smiling figures facing each other and sighed inwardly.

His disciple's talent was undeniable, but talent takes time to manifest, not to mention that he closely monitored his disciple's movements and was fully aware of his situation.

After arriving at Louguandao, Li Cunxiao visited the Sutra Repository quite a few times, but he rarely practiced alchemy himself, as evidenced by the consumption of various raw materials.

In contrast, although Li Siqi had various chores to do, he persisted in refining elixirs almost every day. The old Taoist priest was aware of his successful attempt at the Twenty-Four Qi Elixir some time ago.

Just as he commented, Li Siqi's martial arts talent might not be considered outstanding among the true disciples, but he put a lot of effort into alchemy.

"Although Cunxiao can choose which pills to refine, even if he can avoid the situation where high-level pills are too complicated to know where to start, it is still difficult."

"Even with the same low-grade pills, the results can vary greatly depending on the alchemist's skill level."

"It's very difficult to close the gap between the two in just one month."

Seeing the subtle expression on Taiyi Zhenren's face, Yan Daotong smiled and transmitted his voice:
"What, are you afraid Li Cunxiao will suffer a loss?"

"It's not necessarily a bad thing to suffer a loss. Since he's chosen to accept the challenge, he has to accept it whether he wins or loses."

"Ok?"

Seeing Yan Daotong's surprise, the old Taoist priest was somewhat displeased:
"A balance between leniency and severity is necessary. We cannot simply clear away all obstacles for him, otherwise it will be harmful. Don't you understand this principle?"

"Of course I understand. What surprises me is that my junior brother understands it too. If it were back then..."

Yan Dao stopped halfway through his conversation, but a hint of sadness still flashed in Taiyi Zhenren's eyes.

"If I had understood this principle back then, Qing Tong might not have been so arrogant and ruined his promising future."

"A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. Senior brother, when it's time to let go, I will naturally let go."

"As long as you can figure it out."

Yan Daotong patted his junior brother on the shoulder with satisfaction.

This knot in his heart had been there for countless years. In his view, it had even become an obsession, hindering Master Taiyi's progress in martial arts.

When the mind is blocked and thoughts are not clear, in the realm of physical and internal organs, it is merely a matter of being so angry that one cannot eat. However, for masters who have communicated with heaven and earth, the impact is much greater.

In today's turbulent world, if Master Taiyi can let go of the past and make further progress in martial arts, it would naturally be a great thing.

Even if it's not possible, at least my junior brother's remaining years will be more carefree.
Just as the two were talking, the commotion on Qinglong Peak spread throughout the sect. The sect leaders did not appear this time, but among the true disciples, Du Guanglei and Guo Zhao quickly arrived, with the former followed by the female Taoist priest Ye Shuyi.

"Junior Brother Li, why did you agree to Li Siqi's challenge? He's clearly taking advantage of your youth!"

After learning the whole story, Du Guanglei was first surprised by Li Cunxiao's speed in advancing to the Heavenly Ladder, and then became anxious when he learned that the competition was in a month.

“Junior brother, I am not exaggerating, nor am I trying to boost the morale of others while diminishing our own.”

"Li Siqi has been a true disciple for fifteen years. All the pills on Azure Dragon Peak that come and go must pass through his hands. The pill formulas and pill-refining experience he has accumulated are really quite something for you."

The words didn't need to be finished; the underlying concerns were already self-evident.

Li Cunxiao smiled calmly upon hearing this.

"I appreciate Senior Brother Du's concern, but there's no need to worry too much about the outcome."

"Just as my senior said, I'm the younger one. Shouldn't it be Li Siqi who's in a hurry?"

Du Guanglei was taken aback.

I almost forgot, this wasn't a contest between equally matched disciples from the other peaks. The real winner was already decided before the competition even began.

Even if Li Siqi wins this match, his situation will not fundamentally change. In the end, the one who will inherit the mantle of Taiyi Zhenren will be the young man in front of him.

As for the reason, it can already be seen from the fact that the old Taoist priest asked him to be Li Cunxiao's bodyguard when they were in the secret realm of Songzhou.

After returning to Louguandao, Du Guanglei did not utter a single word about the Dragon Boat Spirit Treasure.

Perhaps only a few sect leaders could get some information from Taiyi Zhenren, and only their own master could obtain definite news from him.

Li Siqi didn't seem like she had shared this secret.

Isn't it already very clear how close or distant they are, and what Taiyi Zhenren's thoughts are?
However, looking at Li Cunxiao's expression, Du Guanglei didn't seem to be fearless.

Instead, they were somewhat eager to try their luck and look forward to competing with Li Siqi.

He said with some emotion:
“Since you have this fighting spirit, whether you win or lose is really not important.”

"Oh? Since winning or losing doesn't matter, how about Junior Sister Ye joins you two in a friendly spar?"

With a hearty smile on his face, Guo Zhao stepped between the group, while Ye Shuyi moved gracefully behind him, attracting many glances.

"Sect Leader, Uncle-Master Taiyi, since this is a fellow disciple exchanging alchemy techniques, our Vermilion Bird Peak cannot stand idly by and join in the fun. What do you think?"

Seeing Yan Daotong's strange expression, Taiyi Zhenren revealed a warm and gentle demeanor.
"That's a good suggestion. The outcome of the competition isn't important; at least it's an opportunity for fellow disciples to get to know each other better."

As he spoke, his gaze darted between Ye Shuyi and Li Cunxiao, finally settling on Li Siqi, and he raised his voice slightly:

"Siqi, you're the senior brother, what do you say?"

"Of course there is no problem."

For some reason, Li Siqi felt a chill run down her spine and simply agreed.

He could tell that Guo Zhao was intentionally trying to curry favor with Li Cunxiao and had Ye Shuyi interfere, simply to distract him.

Even if Li Cunxiao loses, the "competition for the position of Pavilion Master" will turn into a "battle of alchemists among fellow disciples," and it won't be too embarrassing.

But it doesn't matter.

He wasn't blind; he could tell that the person Taiyi Zhenren favored wasn't him. This competition was solely to prove his skills.

As long as he can demonstrate his value, even if he cannot become the leader of the Azure Dragon lineage in the future, there will naturally be other important positions available for him.

This time, it was less about competing with Li Cunxiao and more about showcasing himself to Taiyi, the sect leader, and other high-ranking members of the sect.

"Ye Shuyi? She also broke through the Heavenly Ladder a few months ago, but her alchemy skills are only slightly inferior to mine."

"If I could defeat her, it would certainly elevate my reputation to a new level."

With the matter settled, no one had time for idle chatter, and they quickly dispersed. The news spread rapidly throughout Louguan Dao as disciples from each peak ran around telling each other.

"Junior sister, do you think Li Cunxiao has a chance of winning?"

Back at Zhuque Peak, Guo Zhao recalled what he had just seen and heard, and subconsciously asked a question.

"Senior brother has also studied alchemy, why ask a question you already know the answer to?"

"Alas, my skills have long since been wasted. Among Master's disciples, you are undoubtedly the best in alchemy."

"So, in your opinion, what's the outcome of this match?"

Ye Shuyi remained silent for a moment, then finally shook her head.

“Li Siqi’s more than ten years of cultivation has not been in vain. Li Cunxiao only hopes that he will not be discouraged.”

"Even you say that," Guo Zhao said with a nonchalant smile.

"I think he might win. After all, he's someone who rose from the Yellow Court to the Heavenly Ladder in just three months."

"In my thirty or forty years of life, apart from the sect leader, I have never heard of such an existence that defies common sense."

"My senior brother also said it's about martial arts cultivation," Ye Shuyi frowned, her expression unconsciously becoming serious when the topic of alchemy came up.

"The improvement of one's realm can rely on secret techniques or divine pills, but the method of alchemy cannot be faked in the slightest."

"Without accumulating a wealth of practical experience, it is impossible to make progress."

"Even my Uncle-Master Taiyi had his moments of exploding, let alone Li Cunxiao?"

“Back then, even Uncle Taiyi only received the basics of the divine skill from the patriarch, but Li Cunxiao received the complete manual.”

Guo Zhao smiled and said, "So, doesn't that mean Li Cunxiao's talent surpasses that of his master?"

Ye Shuyi wanted to refute, but when she thought of the scene of the four symbols appearing together, she swallowed her words.

After a long pause, he finally uttered a muffled sentence:
"In short, I refine pills only to improve my skills; the outcome of the contest between Li Cunxiao and Li Siqi is none of my concern."

"On the day of the competition, senior brother, don't do anything unnecessary."

“When have I ever forced you? Just show off your skills and let outsiders see the style of the alchemists of Vermilion Bird Peak.”

"Is there anything else besides this?"

There is nothing else.

Only after receiving the assurance did Ye Shuyi feel relieved, and her expression softened somewhat.

Originally, the competition between Li Cunxiao and Li Siqi was an internal contest within Qinglong Peak.

Guo Zhao asked Ye Shuyi for help. At first, she disagreed, but recently she had encountered a bottleneck in her research on elixirs and needed to communicate and exchange ideas with others.

After being persuaded, and feeling a sudden urge to try it out, he finally agreed.

After all, both are grandmasters, but Changsun Chi excels in combat, while in alchemy, to put it politely, Taiyi is slightly better. Participating in the competition would naturally allow him to receive guidance from this master of alchemy, a temptation that is hard to resist.

She didn't care about winning or losing the competition.

In a fight, there is not only victory or defeat, but also life or death.

However, alchemy is not a battle. For a qualified alchemist, there is no winning or losing, and there is no end point, only endless research.

Even if Li Cunxiao lost, it wouldn't matter to her. After all, her opponent was really young, and in ten years, he would naturally reach the level of Li Siqi, or even surpass him.

Both Li Siqi and she have reached a bottleneck, and it would take five or ten years of accumulation for them to make progress.

Only then will the three of them be on the same starting line, and only then can we start to talk about who is better.

As for what Guo Zhao said...
"Junior Brother Li, you've surpassed your teacher; hopefully you can bring some surprises."

"You've just emerged from seclusion and you're already challenging Li Siqi to a duel? You're certainly quite confident."

In Miaoyan Palace, Taiyi looked at his disciple with a half-smile. The latter met his gaze without flinching or avoiding it, showing no sign of guilt.

"Not many, but there is a little."

"Good lad," Taiyi laughed in exasperation.

"You think I'm praising you? Although I don't think much of Li Siqi's talent, his skills are by no means bad."

"You heard it too, he's already able to refine sixth-tier pills, while you? Back at Tiangu Temple, you hadn't even refined a third-tier pill yet, right?"

"Tell me, how do you plan to win in just one month?"

Li Cunxiao, of course, couldn't reveal his past secrets, so upon hearing this, he could only vaguely reply:
“I never do anything I’m not sure of. Don’t ask any more questions. I have a way.”

What could be the solution? Could it be that the Lingbao Dragon Boat contains the Dongxuan Scripture, which can enhance alchemy techniques?
The old Taoist priest's eyes flickered, but in the end he simply brushed it off and didn't investigate further.

"In short, now that you have begun to ascend the Heavenly Ladder, you should know that refining true essence is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Even with the Four Divine Pills, your cultivation speed will slow down in the future."

"This competition has come at just the right time, to show you the skills of the disciples in our sect, so that you won't become arrogant."

"Take this opportunity to focus more on alchemy. The Nine Revolutions Flowing Pearl Alchemy Scripture integrates alchemy and martial arts, so it won't interfere with your cultivation."

"For the next month, you will stay on the mountain and study, identify medicinal herbs, and refine elixirs. I will come to assess you from time to time."

"Here, these are the pills you need to refine over the next two weeks. Take the pill formulas and the pill book."

As the old Taoist priest spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and a large shadow descended from the sky.

A green dragon immediately burst forth from Li Cunxiao's body, supporting him—which turned out to be a mountain of books.

"You can start thinking about what kind of pills you want to refine a month from now."

"Losing is acceptable, but it shouldn't be a disgraceful defeat."

"I will never let you down!"

Li Cunxiao interrupted the old man, and with the book carried by his green dragon, he dashed out of Miaoyan Palace in a flash, the old Taoist's laughter and curses still lingering in his ears.

Once back in the courtyard, after placing the mountain of books there, the Azure Dragon flipped over and once again entered the dantian.

"Now that I've reached the Heavenly Ladder Realm, my control over it has become even more agile."

Pick up a book, open it to any page, and you'll see densely packed small print everywhere you look.

The annotations include summaries and commentaries on previous notes, as well as criticisms and corrections.

These characters are elegant and lively, and with the arrogance that flows between the lines, it's not hard to imagine that their owner must be a young man with exceptional talent.

"These are probably Master's notes from back then. Tsk tsk, annotations from a master of alchemy. This is like receiving special instruction, isn't it?"

Li Cunxiao felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that the old Taoist priest had good intentions.

Although I don't think I can win, I don't want to lose too badly and end up feeling discouraged.

"But Master, this time, you've miscalculated."

After tidying up the mountain of books and saying goodbye to Mucha, Li Cunxiao returned to the secret room without further delay.

Dragon boat

When I opened my eyes again, the magnificent caisson ceiling and beams of the Qianyang Palace came into view.

"Hot Wheels!"

The scorching heat was carried by the gale, and the palm-sized wind and fire wheels merged into one, shooting out rolling heat waves backward.

A low rumble echoed in the air. Li Cunxiao slashed with his sword finger, and in the next moment, he transformed into a fiery meteor, shooting into the sky from the Qianyang Palace.

"Faster! Faster!"

A strong wind swept across the face, rapidly raising the temperature of one's blood and involuntarily making one feel excited.

The existence of True Essence is far more abundant and profound than True Qi, making it easier to wield divine weapons.

Soaring freely through the sky, the suspended dragon boat palace shrinks in sight, and as far as the eye can see, there is a vast and boundless sky.

He also experienced a similar feeling when Taiyi Zhenren entered his dream to preach, but it was ultimately a dream and not reality.

Now that he has ascended the Heavenly Ladder, he can finally rely on his own strength to freely control his divine weapon and fly. This heartfelt joy and exhilaration is irreplaceable.

The speed continued to increase, and the altitude continued to climb until the top of the secret realm. Li Cunxiao's body spun 180 degrees from upright, and the Wind and Fire Wheels briefly stopped spinning, hovering in the air.

The sky is not above your head, but below your feet.

After ascending to the Heavenly Ladder, his five senses became more acute than before.

As they descended, the four palaces gradually came into view. The entrance to the second palace was also the end of the third palace. Outside the "Pavilion of Beauties," the familiar human and demon captain stood like a stone statue, holding a long spear.

But as Li Cunxiao drew closer, it seemed to sense the presence of a living person and finally roared angrily at the sky.

"The Spirit Pearl Technique is not needed for the time being, but the Demon Gathering Pill Technique is worth a try."

Li Cunxiao took out the Dragon Sparrow Blade, which he hadn't used for a long time. After he acquired the Purple Flame Serpent Spear, this low-grade demonic blade, which had accompanied him from Chuqiu to Songzhou, was left unused.

The original plan was to give the wooden fork to my younger brother after it grew up.

But now, it's the perfect time to give it a try.

"The Red Emperor's flowing mercury is the vital energy of Yang and life, good at nourishing life, but not good at killing."

"The Taiyin Flowing Pearl is a yin and deathly energy that absorbs evil thoughts and merges with killing intent, making it the most lethal!"

As the words were uttered, the Azure Dragon raised its head in the Dantian, shaking the Sea of ​​True Essence Mercury.

The true essence, tinged with transparent agate red amidst emerald green, rapidly deepened in color, resembling a mixture of jet black and dark green, exuding an aura that chilled one to the bone.

As the sword was drawn, the dark black and emerald green true essence flowed like viscous mercury across the silvery-white blade.

Under the long-awaited nourishment, the dragon-bird in the crimson-gold sword ring chirped merrily, its ruby-like eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.

Li Cunxiao held the knife in his left hand, but did not slash; instead, he ran his right hand over the blade inch by inch.

A strange sight occurred.

Wherever his right hand passed, the Taiyin Flowing Pearls rolled up like a carpet, carrying away the wisps of dark aura from the Dragon Sparrow Blade.

When the right hand leaves the blade and is raised in front of the chest, a thumb-sized, dark green round pill has appeared at the tip of the sword finger, expanding and contracting.

However, the fierce and bloodthirsty aura on the Dragon Sparrow Blade had visibly faded considerably.

Li Cunxiao recalled the methods in the "Nine Revolutions Flowing Pearl Nine Elixir Scripture". In his dantian, the Azure Dragon poked its head out and spewed a burst of life-destroying burning wood blade energy toward the demon pill at his fingertips.

The injection of the burning wood blade energy quickly stabilized the previously fluctuating demon orb.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that in this small, cloud-shrouded world, a poisonous dragon is churning and stirring up the underworld.

"Martial arts form the backbone, while demonic energy is refined into flesh and blood. When the two are combined, the Demon Pill is formed."

Li Cunxiao examined the demon pill in his hand, thought of Taiyi Zhenren's Qiankun Bow, and vaguely understood something.

"Heaven and earth are the bow, the demon pill is the arrow, and the divine mirror reflects the bones. So that's how it is."

"Once this matter is resolved, I will definitely obtain the divine bow and study it. As for now..."

The fiery wheels spun rapidly, and the fire dragon surged. In the blink of an eye, Li Cunxiao's figure streaked across the sky like a meteorite, only a few feet away from the demon in front of the Qunfang Pavilion.

With a flick of his wrist, the pitch-black demonic orb shot out like lightning. Just as the Human Demon Captain roared and thrust out his spear, the ferocious dragon head burst out of its shell, and the Yellow Springs surged forth.

Flesh and bones, demonic armor and weapons—almost instantly upon contact, seemed to be corroded, bursting into dark green flames.

After Li Cunxiao performed a backflip to dissipate his momentum, he landed lightly, hearing only a crisp impact and seeing only a human-shaped pile of ashes on the floor.

Cracked white bones rolled down the steps, their dark, empty eye sockets staring at the young man before them, watching him casually adjust his Taoist robe.

Invincible among those of the same rank?
(End of this chapter)