Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 400 Demonic Consciousness, Profound Understanding
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A stone slab was removed from the base of the eleven-faced Guanyin statue, revealing a dark, hidden compartment.

Chu Tianshu made a grasping motion with his palm, using his internal energy to draw out the several scrolls inside.

They also sucked out dozens of poisonous insects the size of sesame seeds.

"Tsk!"

Chu Tianshu blinked, his pupils flashing red for a moment, using the mental power in his eyes to burn the poisonous insects to death.

The tiny poisonous insect, when it flashes in the air, is like dozens of tiny sparks, which then vanish in an instant.

Even though it was killed by the psychic power of a healer, this tiny poisonous insect still emitted a strong, fishy stench.

It is evident that these venomous insects, though small in size, possess an astonishingly potent toxicity when alive.

“The various courtyards of Qingsheng Temple are clearly divided and strictly hierarchical, and it was originally their stronghold.”

"What was the monk Qingsheng thinking? He actually went so far as to create hidden compartments and traps full of poisonous insects to hide these books here?"

Chu Tianshu muttered to himself, then opened the book and glanced at it a few times.

As expected, these are just some random notes and reflections, all about the research on the eighth consciousness.

"Perhaps that old guy was just bored and prepared this as a pastime for himself."

Xiao Liang leaned lazily against the wall beside him, arms crossed.

“When I was in Pengcheng, I would often hide my sword techniques in random places, and sometimes I would even carve them directly on stones in the water.”

“Sometimes my disciples are very happy when they get these things, much more excited than when they are reading books in the library.”

Xiao Liang shook his head.

"But in terms of content, some of the large volumes in the library contain similar notes and reflections that I left outside."

Chu Tianshu laughed and said, "If a book is too thick, it's inevitable that you won't be able to read it attentively."

This is not even because the disciples were not serious enough, but because human consciousness inherently has various shortcomings.

Even if you study a large book with great enthusiasm multiple times, you might suddenly remember it and reread it, and discover that there was a passage that you hadn't noticed before.

Chu Tianshu had been cultivating his character since childhood. His main textbook on witch medicine was just one book, but even as an adult, he would still occasionally flip through it, as if he had stumbled upon a wonderful discovery.

He also has a deep understanding of this.

Xiao Liang looked at him and said, "Speaking of which, when we were talking about martial arts before, I noticed that you have a wide range of knowledge and you always make very broad connections."

"But I didn't realize you also had knowledge of architectural layouts, mechanisms, and secret passages. How did you find the place where Qing Sheng hid his things so quickly?"

Chu Tianshu: "No, that's not it."

"My eyes are just special. Human vision can go further than spiritual sense, which allows me to easily get a general overview and see the aura left behind by masters."

The strict rules and clear class distinctions of Qingsheng Temple also helped a lot.

There were hardly any other monks who would wander around, practice their skills, or fight in the area where Qingsheng Monk lived.

Therefore, the atmosphere here is not as turbulent.

From high above, Chu Tianshu immediately spotted the key locations where the monk Qingsheng's residual aura was strongest.

The few books in the hidden compartment, which were the culmination of the old monk's hard work, are particularly eye-catching.

In this grand hall, only the sound of Chu Tianshu slowly turning the pages of a book remained.

After a moment, Chu Tianshu's somewhat strange voice rang out.

"To enter the eighth consciousness, one must have an empty and tranquil mind?"

The monk Wubei was clearly only guided and led into this state by the monk Qingsheng. He probably only entered the eighth consciousness realm for a short while, experiencing a brief period of mental emptiness.

But Monk Qingsheng figured it out gradually on his own.

He clearly needs to get into that state of mind many times.

When Xiao Liang defeated four powerful enemies with a single sword strike, only Monk Qing Sheng remained completely unfazed.

Most likely, the old monk subconsciously entered that state.

This mindset is actually a very good quality in combat, but the problem is...

【The Demonic Monk: His wisdom was broken, and he indulged in desires, thus falling into demonic ways.】

Half his life he desired the position of human ruler, the other half he coveted the dignity of the law lord. His wisdom was devoid of human sentiment, his greed burned him without his knowledge.

Characteristic: Reversal of demonic consciousness.

The Buddha said that when a person is first born, there is a little innate wisdom. When the consciousness descends, it is transformed into a human being, which is divided into the seven emotions and six desires, and countless miscellaneous thoughts.

The Demonic Monk, through the extreme transformations of the demonic path, comprehended the method of reversal. At the brink of life and death, he could ignite all seven emotions and turn the six desires back into fire, reversing and merging all his lifelong thoughts into innate wisdom and mental power, unleashing immense mental power.

The closer one gets to death, the stronger their willpower becomes!

The monk Mo Hui is none other than the monk Qing Sheng.

Chu Tianshu knew long ago that the demonic path might be adept at unleashing the potential of the mind.

However, of the few demonic spirits that have attained the Dao realm that have been slain so far, only Monk Qingsheng has directly condensed this demonic characteristic into his own evil spirit traits.

However, in reality, the monk did not have time to unleash his wisdom by stepping on the edge of life and death.

Chu Tianshu had already killed him completely in the accelerated sense of time!

The demonic consciousness reverses, leaving only emptiness and ruthlessness.

Both of these are excellent combat skills.

However, Qing Sheng followed the former path in the first half of his life, and in recent years he has followed the latter path. The two paths are intertwined and have become part of the factors that led to his downfall.

Otherwise, even if they couldn't withstand that sword strike, they would at least have a very powerful counterattack.

"The fire of greed does not know that it will burn itself... So that's what it means."

Chu Tianshu murmured twice, then his ears twitched as he heard a commotion outside the temple.

Xiao Liang also looked outside and stepped out of the hall.

Outside the main hall is a square, and in the distance, between the main hall and the side halls further in front of the square, you can see the corpses of some monks.

Most of the experts from Qingsheng Temple have already been sent to the battlefield.

However, when Chu Tianshu and his group arrived, they still killed a group of evil people who wanted to form an array.

A large number of constables are now carefully avoiding the corpses and rushing to this square.

"Ha, they didn't send the Imperial Guards to investigate, but instead sent constables from the yamen. It seems the leader is a civil official."

No sooner had Xiao Liang finished speaking than a middle-aged scholar in a tall hat and red robe rode up on horseback.

"Marquis of Pengcheng!"

The scholar's expression changed, and he dismounted, bowing respectfully with his hands clasped, saying, "This humble official, Gao Min, greets Your Excellency."

Xiao Liang was a marquis appointed by the Southern Dynasty.

But given his strength, even the civil and military officials of the Northern Dynasty would have to acknowledge his title upon meeting him.

"Gao Min?"

Xiao Liang studied it for a moment, then said, "So it was you."

Chu Tianshu asked, "The Gao family?"

"It's not that Gao family. Their family actually had some past conflicts with the Gao family, but Old Madam Gao admires him quite a bit."

Xiao Liang said, "This man once revised the laws and has a good reputation among the people. Don't kill him."

Chu Tianshu paused for a moment: "I'm not some kind of murderous demon..."

Xiao Liang knew that he had a clear sense of right and wrong, and his intention was just to remind him that the person in front of him was not a bad person.

However, saying it like that doesn't quite sound quite right.

"cough!"

Xiao Liang immediately shouted, "Gao Min, listen carefully!"

"Qingsheng Temple, in collusion with Dugu Jue, conspired with the Xiao and Hou families of the Southern Dynasty to launch a war and harm the people of Jiyin County. Their actions are outrageous and beyond description."

“When any of us, the people of the Nine Provinces, see this wicked villain, we cannot quell our anger without killing him.”

"Brother Chu Tianshu challenged us to a duel in Jiyin. Those five ringleaders went to the meeting and have all been killed by us. Now, how will the court deal with itself in the future? You should think carefully!"

His voice was so loud that not only Gao Min could hear it clearly.

Even outside Qingsheng Temple, people could hear it clearly. Everyone was stunned and bewildered by the news.

Gao Min's complexion was even more remarkable, fluctuating between blue and white, each color pure, revealing her profound internal strength cultivation.

"This...My lord, we..."

"It seems you need some time to process this news."

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "But if we let the businesses of Qingsheng Temple in various places digest this news first, it probably won't be a good thing for everyone."

Gao Min's expression tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm: "Please enlighten me, Your Excellency."

"I have no explicit or implicit requests, only one request."

Chu Tianshu's smile faded. "Although the two courts were not the main culprits in the disaster that befell Jiyin County, they also bear a great responsibility."

"I want you to distribute porridge first, and then distribute grain, so that everyone in the area can have enough to eat and settle down again."

"Moreover, I have friends in the Northern Dynasty. I don't want to hear that you are forcibly requisitioning grain from other people and sending it to Jiyin."

Gao Min quickly understood his meaning.

"I understand!"

Gao Min bowed deeply, "I humbly request that you two grace the court with your presence and instruct me on matters..."

"I only care about what you do; I don't care about your promises or guarantees."

Chu Tianshu moved swiftly and vanished into the distance.

Xiao Liang smiled, tossed Gao Min a small sword, about the length of a finger, as a token, and then slipped away.

The two returned to Jiyin County for a visit.

Although the war was over, many people had already left their homes, and there were still quite a few scattered and defeated soldiers in the area.

The swordsmen of Pengcheng, the members of the mountain villa and the disciples of the Deep Valley Sect were all willing to help out in the area.

Zhou Yuan said, "Master, there are more than a hundred of my fellow disciples who are seriously injured and nearly a thousand who are slightly injured. They are not suitable for long journeys and need to stay here to recuperate."

“They are worried about their relatives. Now that things are settled here, they all want to ask Master to go back and visit them, and also to help send them their best wishes.”

Chu Tianshu looked at the disciple.

He was already a skilled carpenter, and at this moment, there wasn't much change in his appearance, but he was calm and composed, and his every move exuded a more dignified and unassuming demeanor.

This was something the old carpenter, who had to bow and scrape to make a living, could never have dreamed of.

"Alright, then I'll leave this place to you. Don't be afraid of losing face. If you can't do something, be sure to ask for help."

Chu Tianshu patted Zhou Yuan on the shoulder.

Xiao Liang laughed and said, "I'll just rest here for a bit. I really don't have your stamina."

"The main difference is in the martial arts styles. For me, walking around more actually helps with the recovery from my injury."

Chu Tianshu laughed and looked into the distance.

"Besides, this world is so vast, and there are always new sights to see. As long as there's no chaos to disturb me, what's so tiring about taking a walk, enjoying the scenery, and having a good time?"

Xiao Liang laughed heartily.

They were probably laughing at his youth, at how interested he was in these mountains, rivers, towns, and villages.

Chu Tianshu genuinely enjoys traveling, as it boasts a distinctly ancient atmosphere yet exhibits a development quite different from his hometown.

He walked for more than half an hour, and when he returned to the valley, his eyes changed slightly, his steps quickened, and his figure blurred and disappeared.

The next moment, he appeared in front of the pine tree.

"Fellow Daoist Tree, what happened? Why do I sense the aura of a fierce battle between powerful figures in the valley?"

The pine tree swayed slightly.

The spirit of the pine tree sensed this and immediately flew over from afar.

This was the first time Chu Tianshu had ever seen a pine tree's soul leave its body.

She wore silver armor and a battle skirt, had one head and two arms, and was a normal human figure, exuding both heroic spirit and tranquility.

"You're back!"

The pine tree spirit said with distress, "Someone broke into the valley earlier, seemingly trying to steal your cultivation manuals, and even suddenly attacked Xiaolan and the others."

"I only tore a piece of cloth off him."

She handed over the piece of black cloth.

Chu Tianshu reached out and took it, carefully sensing the aura emanating from the black cloth.

"Demonic cultivation techniques? Taoist cultivation techniques?"

Chu Tianshu frowned, thinking of Hou Tianyuan and Shen Minglai.

However, the lingering aura on the black cloth was not entirely the same as the methods used by those two people.

laugh!
A soft rustling sound suddenly came from the black cloth.

A surge of azure-golden qi erupted from Chu Tianshu's hand, enveloping the black cloth as if it were frozen in crystal.

However, the black cloth had already turned into black powder.

"They actually dared to curse a piece of cloth to death right in front of me."

Chu Tianshu narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled.

Guilin's ten prefectures.

This place was formerly known as the Ten Thousand Mountains.

This place has treacherous and harsh mountains and rivers, arguably the worst in the world, but it also boasts beautiful and picturesque landscapes, unparalleled in the world.

The tranquil river is like jade, and the distant green mountains are like jade.

The Taoist priest stood on a cloud platform on a mountain cliff, his iron crown inlaid with jade like stars, his expression was elegant, his long black hair and beard flowed obliquely, exuding an air of otherworldly grace.

"Zhuang Zhi, why did you have to provoke Chu Tianshu?"

The man in black stood behind him and said respectfully, "I didn't expect that even though Chu Tianshu and Xiao Liang have already left, there is still a strange and enlightened person hiding in the valley."

"Since you know you don't know the full extent of the problem, can't you be a little more patient? The demonic path is only a part of the Dao. Don't focus solely on demonic arts and end up making yourself lose your mind!"

The Taoist priest said softly, "When I destroyed the cloth just now, I sensed a change in the aura surrounding it. The latter was even more refined than the former, and seemed to be no less than me."

"It seems Chu Tianshu has already returned. His aura is so strong; he must have returned victorious. I wonder how many of Qing Sheng's men died?"

Chen Zhuangzhi said, "I'll send someone to investigate."

The Chen family should have paid attention to this matter; it was not particularly noteworthy.

The Taoist priest nodded slightly.

"Don't act rashly recently. Not only should you not be enemies with someone like Chu Tianshu, but you also shouldn't try to use flattery to kill him. Stay away from him for now and we'll talk about it later."

The Taoist priest, however, seemed somewhat pleased as he stroked his beard.

“I was worried that after I achieve great success in my cultivation, there won’t be many talented people left. That old man Qing Sheng has already deeply cultivated demonic arts. When I went to secretly observe him, I saw that his state of mind has been unstable in the past two years, so he may not be of any use.”

"In that case, I would have to create some magical artifacts instead, which would take too long and the effect might not be satisfactory. Although it strengthens the enemy now, it might be a good thing."

The Taoist priest turned around.

"Let's go and see those two new friends we recently invited. I think they're probably not very well-behaved yet."

The two walked past several temples and monasteries, where many Taoist priests bowed to them.

At the center of this mountaintop platform, there are eight deep wells.

From one of the wells, a voice, both furious and weak, was emanating.

"I ask myself, in this world I have no enemies left, so who exactly are you?"

"Gao family girl, you didn't know his identity before?"

From another well came an old, peaceful voice.

"This man and Huang were both among the Six Sovereigns of the Southern Dynasty, but he lived a secluded life and rarely went out. Even I had very little contact with him, so it's no wonder you've never seen his true face."

Old Madam Gao was taken aback.

"The Southern Mystic Master, Zhang Tongxuan?!"

(End of this chapter)