Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 307, Section 316: Interior and Exterior Scenes, Heaven and Earth Furnace

"Cunxiao, Master..."

"It's nothing serious."

As Taiyi Zhenren spoke, drops of sweet rain appeared all around, just as he had done to the Louguan Daoist disciples earlier.

However, Li Cunxiao was very close at this moment, and the amber light of his Pure Heaven Eyes was flowing in his eyes.

It can be seen that within a single drop of nectar, various spiritual particles, some spiraling, some like stars, are layered upon each other, scattered like stars in the sky, like looking up at the heavens on a summer day.

The universe possesses great beauty yet remains silent. Li Cunxiao was so captivated by what he saw that when he came to his senses, he was showered with sweet rain, and the old Taoist's complexion visibly returned to normal.

"How about it, do you want to learn?"

Looking at his disciple, Taiyi Zhenren's smugness was undisguised, but the former first nodded, then shook his head vigorously:

"No, Master, don't interrupt. What happened to you?"

"As you can see, your master has broken through the Earthly Fiends and Heavenly Dippers, advancing to the ninth realm of Dharma Manifestation. From now on, my body is one with Heaven and Earth, and my lifespan will be four Jiazi (60 years)."

Taiyi still wanted to get away with it, but seeing that his disciple still didn't believe him, he could only cough.

"but."

“The timing of this barbarian’s arrival is indeed unfortunate. And with that bald thief Qi and Senior Brother Qin being so incompetent, I was worried about the safety of my disciples and had no choice but to take action ahead of schedule.”

"So, there was a tiny problem."

As he spoke, the old Taoist priest extended his thumb and forefinger, making a gesture.

Li Cunxiao felt even more uncertain.

A tiny bit, or a billion bits?

"Hey, you timid coward, you won't listen to me anymore?"

When Taiyi Zhenren saw that his disciple was still like this, he couldn't help but speak in his local Longxi accent.

"Alright, alright, if I don't show you my skills, you won't know how to write the words 'Land Immortal'!"

As he spoke, he reached into his wide sleeve and pulled out something the size of his palm.

At first glance, this thing looked like a porcelain doll, but upon closer inspection, Li Cunxiao almost cried out:
White in color, with three eyes, a serene and refined face. His hair is styled in a high bun, his upper body is bare, draped in a deer skin, and a sash is around his waist. He sits on the back of a lion.

Isn't this the Lion's Roar Avalokiteshvara form of the Gelugpa master?!

However, compared to before, this palm-sized Dharma form now lacked any imposing presence, and its surface was covered with ice-crack-like patterns.

The old Taoist priest opened and closed his left hand, gathering spiritual energy, and the seven-colored light of Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the Seven Elements instantly outlined a pill furnace in the void.

With a flick of his right hand, the miniature Lion Roar Guanyin statue fell into the hole.

Even as the alchemical fire rose, Li Cunxiao clearly heard a scream coming from inside!
"Master, what are you doing?"

Li Cunxiao swallowed hard. If manipulating spirits and demons and turning them into pills was a supernatural power, then using the Dharma image of a grandmaster to refine pills was rather astonishing.

"Refining elixirs," said Master Taiyi as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Grandmasters, with the three elements united as one, are like returning to the primordial womb, transforming into the form of immortals and Buddhas."

"Nowadays, it's very difficult to find demons of the seventh rank and above. The skin, flesh, bones, and blood of an eighth-realm grandmaster are all rare and precious treasures."

"Furthermore, a Dharma form is merely an aggregation of spiritual power and true essence; it is not the same as cannibalism."

"If you think your master is cruel, you should think about it: if your master had not broken through today, how much better would Qici the bald thief and Senior Brother Qin Li have ended up?"

Li Cunxiao fell silent upon hearing this. Thinking of the Ming Cult's past crimes, he had to admit that his master was right.

"Chaos is coming; if your heart isn't hard enough, you won't survive."

Taiyi Zhenren shook his head inwardly. As he spoke, the screams and roars from the alchemy furnace grew more intense. When they reached their peak, he clenched his fist and pulled it away.

The pitch-black arrows tore at the malevolent energy condensing in the alchemy furnace, and the ferocious face of Master Gru could be faintly seen dancing and appearing on the arrow feathers before quickly subsiding.

"Is this the Heaven-Shaking Arrow that Master used when he fought them?"

Li Cunxiao quickly adjusted his mindset and sensed the astonishing demonic energy contained within the black arrow, which made him envious.

"The Qiankun Bow and the Zhentian Arrow. One spirit and one demon, one yin and one yang, the two energies collide, like the creation of heaven and earth, forming the universe. Their power is boundless and is the secret of our lineage."

"When I've gathered enough materials, I'll forge you a Qiankun Bow based on the blueprints."

Under his disciple's eager gaze, Taiyi Zhenren put away the black arrow, then tapped the alchemy furnace again, causing the Yin-Yang and Five Elements energies to condense and disperse back into the void of heaven and earth, leaving only a single pill.

Within this pill lies a myriad of things, its structure so complex that Li Cunxiao's current level of understanding is no longer sufficient to comprehend it.

The time it takes for such a pill to be formed, from the start of the furnace to its completion, is no more than a few casual words between master and disciple, not even the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

"Sigh~~"

The old Taoist priest flared his nostrils, and the elixir transformed into a stream of energy that flowed into his body, causing his skin, flesh, and bone marrow to glow.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that within the acupoints of Taiyi Zhenren's body, numerous spirits and deities are each in their proper places, arranged in perfect order, as if it were another world altogether.

Is this the interior view?
"Although these Tibetan monks have altered Buddhist teachings and failed to grasp their essence, and they prefer rituals and shortcuts, their spiritual cultivation is undeniable."

"I cracked this Dharma form, and even though I acted in time, only 30% of its essence remained. Fortunately, with this replenishment, as long as I recuperate for half a month and avoid fighting with Grandmasters, there should be no problem."

"Otherwise, how could that barbarian woman and the remaining Tibetan monks have left so easily?"

Li Cunxiao could only nod upon hearing this, but in his heart he thought that this promotion had indeed brought some hidden dangers.

He could easily defeat three grandmasters, but judging from his master's performance just now, killing him would likely result in serious injury.

The old Taoist priest's insistence on fighting at the time may have been partly an attempt to intimidate.

The deliberate display of arrogance later on was probably not only to show off, but also to prevent Sect Leader Qin and Qi Ci from noticing and adding to their worries.

However, if it were the sect leader Yan Daotong, who wields the spiritual treasure Liangyi Banner, he might have been able to easily keep the three of them here.

With the combined influence of the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm and the Earth Immortal Dao Field, it's likely that only a Grandmaster of the same level could break through this predicament.

In any case, the invading enemy has now retreated, and the crisis has been averted. Li Cunxiao relaxed and then asked about the matter he cared about most:

"Master, are the methods you use in alchemy supernatural?"

"Hmph, at least you have some good judgment."

Seeing his disciple regain his former sense of propriety, Master Taiyi's lips curled slightly, and he couldn't help but stroke his beard.

"My supernatural power is derived from the Nine-Turn Flowing Pearl Nine Elixir Scripture and the Donghua Wood Duke Book, which are sublimated and developed from this divine skill. It is called the Heaven and Earth Furnace."

"Heaven and earth are the furnace, and creation is the craftsman; yin and yang are the charcoal, and all things are the copper."

"Whether living beings or inanimate objects; whether plants or trees; whether metal or stone; whether pure or impure, it doesn't matter."

"Nothing in the world is beyond refinement, transformation, or alchemy."

"The wonders of heaven and earth are contained within the heart; the universe is at your fingertips!"

The Grand Master Taiyi was full of vigor and ambition, and his words and intentions were so powerful that he seemed like a celestial being hanging high above the three realms. Li Cunxiao was captivated by him.

"Well, on the other hand, this supernatural power is so powerful that you have to be a grandmaster before you can even begin to learn it."

"Before that, let's finish fixing up your entryway."

"Since you've brought it up, I'd like to ask you for your guidance."

Remembering the world within Taiyi Zhenren's body, Li Cunxiao quickly asked:

"I am confident that I can master the Twelve-Story Tower, but I have no clue how to construct the inner realm." "Is there any relationship between this small world within the human body and the great world of the universe, between the inner realm and the Daoist temple?"

"You've asked a very good question."

Taiyi Zhenren pondered for a moment, then said, "Very well."

"With my disciple's talent and fortune, he is destined to become a grandmaster. It's good to tell you in advance."

"In martial arts training, there is one level before the Xuan Guan (mysterious gate) and another level after the Xuan Guan."

"I won't go into detail about the so-called planting of demons, transformation of demons, and subjugation of demons."

"The seventh realm, the profound gate; the eighth realm, the primordial embryo; and the ninth realm, the Dharma image—all share a common thread running through them: the transformation between inner and outer landscapes."

Baima Post Station.

In the first month of winter, the sons of good families from ten counties died, their blood flowing into the waters of Chentao Marsh.

Painted ash, bone powder, cinnabar, water, and sand; ancient blood, sadly blooming like bronze flowers.

The stench of decaying corpses permeated the vegetation, and the blood, which had turned from red to a deep black, rippled and swirled at the silted-up dock, washing over the bluish-black skin of the dead.

Suddenly, a beam of true energy flashed, and the resulting turbid wave sliced ​​the crows that were pecking at the rotting corpses into pieces, demonstrating the terrifying power contained within.

What followed was a series of fawning and flattery:

"The Second Young Master is truly awe-inspiring!"

"Congratulations, Commander! You've broken through the barrier; you're now on your way to becoming a Grandmaster!"

"Yes, now that the Second Young Master is also a master of the Mysterious Passage, Zhu Yougui can only rely on his status as the eldest son."

"Shut up! Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about? Second Young Master, don't lower yourself to the level of this stinking soldier. They're all convicts, illiterate."

"We're all brothers-in-arms, no need for further words."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youzhen's expression softened slightly. He looked at his blood-stained guards around him, each with a fierce face and menacing brows, yet they were bowing and scraping before him, fawning and flattering him.

The spirit resides within the Niwan Palace. Although the divine palace is simple, true essence continuously washes over the body, bringing a sense of strength and security.

The power and strength brought a look of ecstasy to his face, but a thought quietly surfaced in his mind:

If it weren't for the many deaths in this chaotic world, where would I be today?
Those peasants are like sheep, afraid of war. When faced with weapons, they can only cry out, so they can only become food.
I am a wolf, and in this chaotic and bloody world, I thrive and grow stronger. I am destined to do great things!
Dead people are good!

Gao Pian died a good death.

With his death, Yan Daotong and Zhen Jing fled, and the imperial court completely lost its support!

The Shence Army and the Jinwu Guard deserved to die.

Those who live, and those who surrender, will all be transformed into demonic beings. Those who die, will be refined into elixirs to help me ascend to even greater heights!

In his reverie, Zhu Youzhen seemed to see the dragon throne, representing the supreme ruler, beckoning to him from the imperial city of Beijing, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You worthless brat! The young master is working himself to the bone to clean up the mess left by the army, and he can still laugh like that?"

Not far away, a soldier with a crimson raven tattooed on his forehead spoke angrily. His companion quickly bumped into him, and the soldier stopped speaking, taking a stack of documents and walking into the military tent.

Although this was not the central command tent, it was still quite spacious. Military officers and soldiers came and went, shoulder to shoulder, but their faces did not show the joy of ordinary soldiers; instead, they were all extremely anxious.

What these people have in common is that they all have tattoos on their foreheads; some are red crows, some are wild geese, but generally speaking, the former are more common.

In the middle of the main tent, towards the back, stood a man in plain clothes. His brows furrowed and relaxed at times, and those around him looked at him with awe and respect.

The Falling Goose Army, the Red Crow Army, and the Crane Control Army were the personal guards of Zhu Quanzhong and his sons, respectively controlled by Zhu Quanzhong himself, his eldest son Zhu Yougui, and his second son Zhu Youzhen.

The only person who could make the Red Crow Army and the Falling Goose Army show such a posture at the same time was Zhu Yougui, the heir apparent of the Prince of Liang.

"In this battle, Gao Pian was beheaded, and more than 10,000 soldiers of the Shence Army and the Jinwu Guard were killed. The remaining strength of the imperial court in the capital is now less than one-tenth."

"Once Father and the Grand Preceptor return, they will soon march on the capital. It is imperative to ensure the supply of provisions and provisions."

Zhu Yougui flipped through the documents, making annotations and issuing instructions intermittently. He worked like this for about half an hour before the Red Crow soldiers who had been secretly cursing Zhu Youzhen finally found a moment to approach him.
"Your Highness, those barbarians are demanding supplies. We are still allies, so why don't you give them some to appease them and prevent a mutiny?"

"No," Zhu Yougui replied without hesitation.

"I will personally explain to that princess; you don't need to worry about this."

"Yes," the soldier breathed a sigh of relief, but thinking about what had just happened, he couldn't help but say again:

"Your Highness, that servant boy—I mean the Second Young Master—aren't you going to do anything about him?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the tent stopped moving and quietly turned their gazes toward Zhu Yougui in the center.

"What's there to say? He's just a piece of trash who broke through with the Human Medicine Blood Pill. He'll never become a Grandmaster in this lifetime."

"Without the Ming Cult, he is nothing."

Zhu Yougui remained calm, and his words resonated with everyone present.

In their hearts, the eldest son was calm and meticulous in his work, and had served in the army for a long time, making great contributions.

The second young master, on the other hand, relies solely on his wife's connections to scheme and manipulate. His violent temper is one thing, but he has yet to demonstrate any outstanding abilities.

How can such a spoiled brat be compared to the eldest son? Yet the king has made him put in charge of the Crane Control Army; he must be out of his mind!

After a flurry of activity, as dusk approached, Zhu Yougui excused himself to take a nap and dismissed everyone. Only when he was alone did a somber expression appear on his face.

Three days ago, Gao Pian led his army to Baimayi, intending to rely on the help of the two grandmasters, Louguandao and Qinglong Temple, to make a decisive move. However, unexpectedly, his father invited Yelü Yi from the northern desert.

At that time, the two magical treasures, the Two Elements Banner and the Acquired Bag, sealed off the battlefield, and the details of the battle remained unknown.

After a day and a night of fierce fighting, the blockade was lifted, and it was learned that Gao Pian was dead, Yan Daotong and Zhen Jing were missing, and the King of Liang, Mingzun and Yelü Yi joined forces to hunt them down.

Zhu Yougui wanted to ask more questions, but faced with a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood that almost blocked the Baima Post Station ferry, he, as the heir apparent, could only sit in the central army and handle the aftermath.

In any case, with one Grandmaster dead and two others fleeing on the imperial side, victory for their side was already a foregone conclusion.

With the capital city in sight and the King of Liang's ascension to the throne perhaps not far off, the identities of the two princes are about to change, and the soldiers are naturally restless, which led to the scene just now.

What Zhu Yougui was worried about at this moment was not his half-brother threatening his position as crown prince, but rather a strange incident that had occurred two days earlier.

To be on the safe side, Grand Tutor Ge Congzhou did not follow the Prince of Liang to pursue and kill him, but instead stayed with the heir apparent to guard the central army.

It was the dead of night when this Grand Tutor Ge suddenly let out a scream, cursing "traitor Li Cunxiao" and "traitorous Taoist priest" and so on.

When Zhu Yougui approached to ask, he remained silent, appearing as if he were keeping something amiss. Even after repeated questioning, he said he would only be able to tell Zhu Quanzhong when he returned.

'Didn't Grand Tutor Ge go to Louguan Taoism with the three masters of Qida? How did it turn out like this?'

Princess Yue Liduo had also been staying at home for several days, refusing to receive any visitors, and had no idea what had happened at Louguan Road that day.

This is why Zhu Yougui rejected his ally's proposal to replenish supplies.

A vague sense of unease made him decide to investigate personally.

This is probably the real issue that will affect whether he can become the Crown Prince; compared to that, Zhu Youzhen is just a minor problem.

After all, the Ming Cult is so powerful that, given my father's personality, he will definitely suppress it once the Great Liang Dynasty is established.

This illegitimate younger brother was only able to enjoy the human pill made from the blood essence of a thousand people because the Ming Cult deliberately courted him.

What about the future?
While he was deep in thought, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the tent. Zhu Yougui rushed out and saw three streaks of light falling from the sky like meteors, slowing down as they approached the army.

The man in the center had a swallow-like jaw and a tiger-like beard, a dark red face, and triangular eyes that revealed a fierce and savage nature. In his hand, a gold-threaded pouch emitted a blood-red glow.
"It's the King! The King has returned!"

(End of this chapter)