Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 255 264 Grandmaster Power, Jade Light Sword Qi (5000)

I'm fighting a Grandmaster?

Li Cunxiao almost went numb.

"Senior, are you joking?"

"Young friend, don't be in a hurry," Wen Zhongzi said calmly.

"Of course I won't harm you. What I mean is, I will suppress my cultivation level and fight you at the Heavenly Ladder level."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxiao's eyes lit up, and his mind immediately became lively.

To be honest, if you want to truly master dragon boat racing, you must overcome the hurdle of Wen Zhongzi, a master who integrates the three religions.

Otherwise, even if the dragon boat's spirit were willing to acknowledge him as its master, he would never feel at ease knowing that his own magical treasure housed an eighth-realm expert on the verge of demonic possession.

On the side of the couch, how can you allow others to snore?
Moreover, the opponent is willing to lower their cultivation level to fight, which is very beneficial.

Firstly, having a sparring partner at the grandmaster level is unimaginable, practically unparalleled in the world. The combat instincts developed through such training are undoubtedly unique in the world.

Secondly, since we'll inevitably have to fight each other sooner or later, it's better to learn about the opponent's martial arts and gather information beforehand than to face them in the dark.

As for the possibility that his trump cards would be revealed during the fight—that's a joke. With the Vajra Pestle, his ability to deduce martial arts techniques is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

As long as his killing intent is sufficient, his trump cards and fighting style can be completely adapted to the situation and the opponent.

"Since that's the case, then this junior has nothing to worry about. It's just that senior has mastered the Three Realms as one, which is unprecedented and will never be surpassed."

"I wonder if there's any guidance I can offer to help me improve my strength more quickly, so that your wish can be fulfilled sooner?"

As Li Cunxiao spoke, his gaze drifted into the distance. After the fiery tornado dispersed, it revealed the man-demon general, his flesh torn and his appearance gruesome.

Unfortunately, although the other person looked disheveled, only his left arm was hanging limply at his side; the other exposed parts were just superficial injuries.

Even as it breathes, its injuries are visibly healing.

"The Xiaoguo Guard and the Zuowu Guard are the most elite soldiers selected by the Emperor of the Great Zhou from all the local militias to form the Imperial Guard to protect the capital."

"These lieutenant generals are the elite of the elite, many even hailing from powerful clans and sacred sects. Their inherited martial arts are top-notch, and they are veterans of countless battles."

"Although you relied on a divine weapon, it is already quite remarkable that you were able to injure Xuan Guan's arm at the Heavenly Ladder Realm."

Upon hearing Wen Zhongzi's words, Li Cunxiao thought to himself that this old senior was quite good at comforting people. However, the next moment, he saw the other party move his fingers, but the movement was completely unseen.

The next moment, dozens or even hundreds of crisscrossing sword marks appeared on the body of the Human Demon General, resembling a fishing net.

Before they could even scream, they were instantly reduced to pieces of flesh scattered all over the ground.

Li Cunxiao couldn't help but swallow.

He could only break one arm when he was exhausted, but Wen Zhongzi could kill him with a flick of his finger.

Such a nonchalant approach—even Yan Daotong's capture of Jingfeng from the Five Mingzi was no more effortless than this.
Were you just trying to comfort me, or were you setting the stage for showing off?

Could a master who integrates the three religions be comparable to a grandmaster?

"This is the Jade Light Sword Qi, which is the introductory chapter of my creation, The Middle Way."

Wen Zhongzi looked at the stunned young man in front of him and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Young friend, you helped this lonely ghost fulfill its wish; I have no way to repay you."

“In the future, every time you defeat me, I will teach you a part of my martial arts.”

"This dragon boat is filled with countless treasures, all guarded by demons. If it's convenient, I might occasionally lend a hand to you, young friend."

That old fox, he's got me cornered.

Li Cunxiao narrowed his eyes; everything the other person said hit his weak spot.

Whether it's the divine skill that combines the three religions, or the rare treasures in the secret realm, they are all things he needs.

This scholar is said to be a master of Confucianism, but in reality, he was quite knowledgeable in military strategy and deception.

A perfectly legitimate and open scheme that is impossible to refuse.

After all, if you listen to what the other person said in reverse, it's the same:
If you don't fight me, I might occasionally intervene when you're fighting the demons, preventing you from getting anything and making things difficult for you. That wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Since you've put it this way, I naturally can't refuse. But I do have a question that I have to ask."

"go ahead."

"Forgive my impertinence, but you seem to be of sound mind now. Even if things have changed and you do not wish to remain in this world, why do you insist that I take action?"

Li Cunxiao's question clearly hit the nail on the head. Wen Zhongzi remained silent for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

"To carry Mount Tai across the North Sea is not something I do not wish for, but something I cannot do."

"Yang Ying and I have been trapped in the dragon boat for hundreds of years, and we are already nearing the end of our lives,"

"Rather than saying that I couldn't suppress the demonic entity, it's more accurate to say that the demonic entity was never able to suppress me, allowing me to eke out a living."

"Now it is I who want to end this miserable life, but the demonic nature itself seeks to live and will never allow me to destroy my own path to survival."

"Therefore, if our master were to come, I could not predict the consequences of a fight."

"On the contrary, sparring with my young friend weakens my cultivation level and prevents my demonic self from reacting too violently."

"If you are really worried, young friend, you don't need to fight me in your true form. You can use the power of the spiritual treasure to transform into an avatar and fight me. It will be the same."

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxiao suddenly realized, but he didn't believe it completely. After all, the other party himself said that he was deeply demonic, so who knew when he would be normal?
He had previously speculated about using the power of spiritual treasures to create an incarnation, but had never actually tried it.

Theoretically speaking, spiritual treasures are born from nature, naturally compatible with heaven and earth, and even capable of nurturing a secret realm.

With such immense power, it shouldn't be difficult for him to condense an avatar using spiritual energy.

In the past, the dragon boat spirits were very rigid and had limited authority, which included only regular entry and exit and periodic bathing in spiritual liquid.

Perhaps this is an opportunity? After all, Longzhou himself has always wanted to eliminate the demon within him, wouldn't that be a win-win situation?
Thinking this, Li Cunxiao calmed himself and began to communicate with the spirit of the artifact. Unconsciously, the crimson dragon pattern on his forehead became clear, and then a wisp of crimson spiritual light leaped out from between his brows.

The figure, drawn by either true qi or spiritual energy, slowly emerged, with its muscles, bones, skin, flesh, and even the capillaries at the extremities all outlined.

It's intuitive and clear, like an anatomical diagram of the human body I've seen in a past life. But this vivid scene of "creating a human" is infinitely more shocking than a mere inanimate anatomical diagram.

"As expected of a primordial spiritual treasure, it contains profound Dao and boundless creation. Even with only a slight glimpse of its power, it is already beyond the reach of ordinary martial artists in their entire lives."

Wen Zhongzi sighed, but there was no greed in his eyes. He simply waited quietly for the incarnation that was identical to Li Cunxiao's original body to open its eyes.

During this process, the space rippled like water, and in the blink of an eye, the two had been moved to the square in front of Qianyang Hall.

Here, one can vaguely see a giant crimson dragon coiled inside the hall.

"That's quite thoughtful."

Li Cunxiao was very satisfied with the arrangement of the spirit vessel.

With avatars ready to fight and artifact spirits protecting them, they are practically foolproof.

"Although it is an incarnation, it feels no different from the original body, and even the original bodies of Buddhism and Taoism are all there. The spiritual treasure is indeed extraordinary."

After carefully experiencing it, I felt my true essence circulating and my blood and qi surging, and everything was as I wished.

Looking back, the "avatar" saw that Li Cunxiao's true form was sitting cross-legged in the Qianyang Palace, seemingly fast asleep.

The only pity is that the divine weapon cannot be used.

After all, the divine weapon is currently being refined through the fusion of essence and energy, and he has not yet opened the Xuan Gate, so he is still lacking in the "divine" aspect.

"I will first create a demonic body at the Heavenly Ladder Realm. Young friend, let's have a go."

As he spoke, the true figures of the three religions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—had already manifested.

After pondering for a moment, Wen Zhongzi waved his hand and slashed at the Buddhist general. One of the general's arms was severed and fell to the ground, transforming into the same form as the original.

However, in terms of imposing presence, it is far inferior to the Dharma forms of Taiyi and Qici, but it is comparable to those of Qin Sixing and Guo Zhao.

"This is my Buddhist deity, the Great Emperor of the Temple. The temple is called 'Galan'. This deity is especially skilled in the art of confinement, so young friend, do not be careless."

This Garan Emperor was a military general draped in a shawl, clad in full armor and helmet inlaid with Buddhist jewels, wearing a headscarf, stroking his beard with one hand and holding a long sword in the other.

Judging by his appearance alone, he has a dignified and solemn appearance, but his eyes are filled with a blood-red light, and there is not a trace of compassion in them.

Almost at the same time as Wen Zhongzi reminded him, the Demon Lord of Garan dragged his sword with his hand, and flames exploded behind him.

The blade flashed, transforming into a magnificent temple. Its speed was so great that Li Cunxiao had no way to dodge; instantly, he felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him, and even the circulation of his true energy slowed down.

"He actually managed to make a move before me? No wonder he's a Grandmaster's avatar. Even if we're at the same level, his combat experience is on a completely different level."

Although Li Cunxiao was startled, he remained calm. He clapped his hands together forcefully, and six crimson arms instantly emerged from behind him, each forming a hand seal.

The three fire dragon ropes instantly surged forth with the blue lion. At the same time, they formed a Dharma mudra to intimidate the mind, leaving the opposing Demon Lord Garan with no way to dodge.

"Well!"

The binding power of the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover and the intimidating power of the Dharma Seal took effect simultaneously. For a moment, it was the Demon Lord Garan who had attacked first who let out a muffled groan and froze on the spot, only to be pounced on by the Azure Lion.

In this way, the gap between the two sides was instantly wiped out. After a hundred moves, the eight burning wood blade energies merged into a blue dragon, turning the Demon Lord of Garan into ashes.

"Excellent!" Wen Zhongzi exclaimed in admiration.
"How about trying this one?" With a casual wave of his hand, the lotus crown on the head of the Supreme Emperor Xuanyuan, who held a jade ruyi in his hand, fell off and transformed into an old man dressed in a magnificent purple robe with an air of otherworldly grace.

"In my early years of study, I accidentally obtained a fragment of a manual and mastered this Supreme True Body Technique. Its true essence is pure and ever-changing, and it is especially skilled in the Taoist stepping and fighting steps."

After exchanging blows once, Li Cunxiao knew that although Wen Zhongzi had three original forms, none of them were mediocre.

Putting everything else aside, the suppression attack from the Demon Lord Garan just now was so fast that there was no way to dodge it. Since his debut, he had only encountered such a situation when fighting against opponents of higher levels.

They immediately took the initiative, each of their eight arms gripping a fire dragon rope, a burning wood knife, and a lion fist imprint, while the Flame-Touching Pearl under their feet simulated a fire wheel, instantly boosting their speed.

tread.

The Supreme Demon Lord's eyes were pitch black, like an endless black tide, devoid of joy or sorrow, utterly still. Upon being attacked, his body naturally began to move in the Yu Step.

As his steps changed, the true energy within his body subtly affected the surroundings.

Suddenly, the water elemental energy condensed into seven divine generals, resembling the seven stars, which perfectly trapped Li Cunxiao within them.

tread.

Taking another step, the platinum killing energy in the air transformed into a white tiger, riding on the divine general, and attacking back and forth in coordination.

This was not the end. As the opponent's steps changed, his true essence manifested in various forms, attacking from all sides.

Li Cunxiao was initially taken aback by their encounter, but after calming down and observing, he discovered that there was a pattern to the other party's movements.

Different steps correspond to different manifestations of true essence. Moreover, there is a clear interval between each step.

After becoming familiar with his opponent's tactics, Li Cunxiao wielded the Fire Dragon Whip and, with the power of the Yanfu Mountain and Sea, forcefully blew it apart after forty rounds of fighting.

"To defeat my Buddha and Taoist master in a hundred moves, he is indeed a hero worthy of being a peer."

Wen Zhongzi's admiration was stronger, but Li Cunxiao's expression was somewhat solemn.

The opposing Buddhist and Taoist deities are both very powerful, and it would take a lot of effort to defeat them, but they are not yet considered formidable opponents.

However, Li Cunxiao did not forget that he was only dealing with the Buddha and Taoist deities separately at the moment. If all three deities attacked at once, he would probably be plunged into a fierce battle in no time.

"The methods of Buddhist monks are powerful but singular, while the methods of Taoist masters are varied but traceable."

"I wonder what methods that Confucian scholar, the Uncrowned King, possesses."

"I, the true master of Confucianism, have no special skills; I simply uphold the Way from the middle, without bias or prejudice."

"Therefore, there's no need to try them one by one. Young friend, just go for it."

Wen Zhongzi seemed to be able to guess Li Cunxiao's thoughts. As he spoke, the scholar, dressed in loose robes and wearing a tall hat, threw out a bamboo slip.

The scroll flew over the spot where the two demon lords had died, and crimson and black light surged into it, transforming it into the appearance of Wen Zhongzi himself.

He wore a flat-topped turban and a black-edged robe, his eyes revealing a mixture of savagery and deathly stillness.

As soon as this three-in-one clone appeared, Li Cunxiao instantly felt a pressure completely different from before, and a phantom pain like needles pricking his forehead.

"Such intense pressure! I'll have to see what methods they use."

In a moment of distraction, Wen Zhongzi's clone suddenly moved a finger, and in an instant, Li Cunxiao's vision went black, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest—

"Grass!"

Inside the Qianyang Palace, Li Cunxiao suddenly sprang to his feet, looking around in alarm. He frantically patted his chest with both hands, but found no wound as he had imagined.

As I gradually calmed down and realized I was neither dead nor injured, a sense of disbelief overwhelmed me.
"I was actually killed instantly?!"

Previously, the two separate entities of Buddhism and Taoism didn't seem like much, but after they merged with the Confucianism of the Suwang School as a link, almost a complete transformation occurred.

In the previous two battles, he was able to think while fighting, and that moment just now was not even a moment of distraction.

However, the other party simply moved a finger, and he died inexplicably!
"Young friend, how is it?"

Outside the Qianyang Palace, Wen Zhongzi still wore that same smiling expression, but there seemed to be an indescribable sense of joy in it.

It's like an old smoker who's been living deep in the mountains finally managing to get out and being offered a cigarette by a chance encounter.

"Come again!"

Li Cunxiao sat down cross-legged again, the red dragon pattern on his forehead flashing, and soon a new figure was outlined on the square.

This time, he dared not be careless in the slightest. Crimson Flame transformed into three heads and six arms, while Azure Dragon coiled around his body.

The Three Dragons Divine Fire Cover protected his entire body, and the Lion Fist Seal was formed one by one.

At least this time, we need to see what methods they used!
"Not coming, not coming."

Li Cunxiao lay on the floor tiles of Qianyang Palace, struggling to raise his twitching fingers and wave them repeatedly.

After "dying" more than twenty times, even with mental hallucinations, his whole body felt as if it were disintegrating, as if no piece of flesh belonged to him anymore.

"The fusion of the three original bodies is terrifying!"

With each strike, as swift as a gazelle's horns, there was no trace to be found. In over twenty attempts, the clone didn't even move a foot; at most, it moved one finger, then five.

Having died so many times, he only vaguely sensed that every time the opponent made a move, it seemed to combine the techniques of Gangdou and Jialan.

They can only last about ten moves at most before being instantly killed.

Is this really something that the Sky Ladder can do?

Li Cunxiao even doubted himself. He felt that even with the three divine weapons—Azure Phoenix Armor, Wind and Fire Wheels, and Qiankun Bow—he probably still wouldn't be able to defeat his opponent.

He might be able to withstand a few more attacks, but with his current level of skill, it would be difficult for him to fully utilize the three divine weapons for an extended period of time. He would be completely exhausted before he could even fire two arrows.

Li Cunxiao unconsciously compared him to Qici and Taiyi, and the conclusion made him even more silent.

Grandmaster?

They're probably on par with the immortals on land, aren't they?

"This is true invincibility among those of the same level!"

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Li Cunxiao would never have imagined that someone of the same rank could instantly kill him.

The stark contrast between the rising star who was the center of attention in Louguandao and his current helplessness, unable to withstand even ten moves.

However, it didn't take him long to recover from his frustration.

Heroes are as numerous as carp crossing a river, let alone a master who has accumulated fame over hundreds of years. He has lived hundreds of years longer than me.

If I could beat him, then I could retire the Vajra pestle early!

"However, although sparring in avatars won't kill you, the mental strain is still very real."

Despite the dizziness and exhaustion in his head, Li Cunxiao forced himself to get up and walked to the front of Qianyang Palace.

Wen Zhongzi seemed to have been standing at the door the whole time, watching him come out, his eyes constantly scanning him up and down.

"Back when I was on the Heavenly Ladder, very few of my peers could withstand five of my moves."

"Young friend, you only have one true form at the Heavenly Ladder level, yet you've still managed to achieve this much. That's already quite impressive."

The old scholar suddenly spoke, his expression filled with reminiscence, as if recalling his glorious past.

"I apologize for the intrusion, but what happened after you became a Grandmaster?"

Li Cunxiao felt slightly relieved upon hearing this, but then couldn't help but ask a question.

"No rivals."

"what?"

"Didn't you hear me clearly?" The old scholar's face revealed that indescribable sense of satisfaction.

"I mean, among the grandmasters, I am invincible."

Damn, it's that old bastard Wang, isn't it?

Li Cunxiao was speechless for a moment.

"When your clone fought me, did you use the Jade Light Sword Qi?"

Wen Zhongzi smiled but didn't say anything.

So Li Cunxiao decided not to speak anymore.

The more questions I ask, the more my heart aches.

"Haha, young friend, don't be discouraged. Frequent battles have taken a toll on your spirit."

"Let's go. I know a palace with the corresponding rare and precious materials. It's perfect for exorcising demons. I'll give them to you, young friend, so as not to affect your cultivation."

A gift? Those are all clearly mine.

Li Cunxiao muttered to himself, but followed without hesitation.

'It seems that only by breaking through the Heavenly Ladder to the Buddha's own realm can we witness the true power of these three patriarchs.'

(End of this chapter)