Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1063 Too Much Karmic Obstacle
"To go to the Yellow Springs together" is a phrase that carries a touch of poignant romance in poetry.

Xu Xuan never imagined that he would one day experience such "romance" firsthand, albeit in such a tragic way.

Holding his breath, he dragged the enemy into the water, then tumbled to the bottom of the river like a puppet with its strings cut, unable to rise again.

The Yellow Springs water seemed to have a life of its own, transforming into countless invisible hands that pressed firmly on his shoulders, determined to suppress this demon forever in the depths of the underworld.

As expected of the most terrifying punishment in this hellish place, the all-pervasive refining power attacks from all directions, frantically eroding every inch of flesh and blood, and every strand of soul.

This pain far exceeded any injury I had ever experienced before; it was not simply excruciating pain.

Logically speaking, Xu Xuan should also be a ruthless person who frequently faces death.

His entire body is prone to having his tendons and veins severed, his bones shattered, and his acupoints collapsed. He feels uncomfortable unless he is 99% dead. Ordinary pain has long since numbed him.

But this time was different.

It's a pain that's constantly "renewing." Whenever the body gets a little used to the current pain, the power of the underworld immediately changes its erosive methods, bringing entirely new torment.

This reminded him of what he had seen in the Avici Hell last year, where the sinful souls suffered the four torments, a cycle that also continued endlessly.

I used to think this polishing method was too primitive and crude, but I never thought I would experience it myself one day.

In the midst of extreme pain, one becomes acutely aware of the wondrous changes taking place in the body.

The newly formed flesh and blood are constantly fighting against the vanished flesh and blood. Each time it is corroded by the Yellow Springs and each difficult regeneration provides a more precise adjustment direction for the next rebirth.

If one senses it closely, one can clearly perceive that the regenerated body's resistance to the Yellow Springs is rapidly increasing.

Those newly generated cells seemed to have gradually learned how to coexist with the underworld through billions of deaths and rebirths.

Life's leap forward, under this most brutal trial, has begun once again.

The once extraordinary white lotus form and soul have now encountered their true nemesis.

Among the many wonders of the White Lotus Dharma Image, there is certainly no specific restraint over the waters of the Yellow Springs.

No matter how brilliantly the White Lotus Mother was, she could never have imagined that her successor would voluntarily jump into such a dangerous situation to temper herself in the most extreme way.

However, the essence of the White Lotus Technique is ultimately lofty and profound, especially since the technique incorporates the power of the Dragon Gate bestowed by the Dragon Lord of the Yangtze River.

That was originally a symbol of power to control the water veins of the world. Under the extreme pressure of the Yellow Springs, the evolution speed of the soul was much faster than that of the physical body.

At this moment, Xu Xuan was extremely weak, yet extremely resilient.

The impurities accumulated during past cultivation, the remnants left by inner demons, and the filth tainted by battles are all revealed under the cleansing of the Yellow Springs, and then forcibly stripped away and purified.

These obstacles that once hindered our progress have now become the best fuel, the most valuable resource, and the most solid stepping stones.

This process of "washing away karmic obstacles" is far too "fulfilling".

Xu Xuan may not be considered top-notch in other aspects of life, but the sheer number and variety of his karmic obstacles are unparalleled in an era.

It's not that he's inherently cruel; it's just that along the way, he's done so many things—slaying demons, defying fate, and so on—that he's unknowingly accumulated a massive amount of karmic debt.

Karmic obstacles, in essence, originate from the afflictions such as greed, anger, and ignorance caused by ignorance, and are the obscuring forces formed by evil karma.

It typically consists of three types of manipulative behaviors:

Physical karma: Evil karma resulting from physical acts such as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.

Speech offenses: transgressions caused by verbal expressions such as lying, frivolous talk, divisive speech, and harsh speech.

Mental karma: sins caused by thoughts such as greed, hatred, and ignorance.

Of course, these three categories are just a general classification; there are many other subcategories, but I won't go into them because it's meaningless.

Because these three major categories alone generate so much negative karma that it's impossible to wash it all away!
In terms of his life and career, the phrase "a sea of ​​blood" is truly apt.

On his first trip down the mountain, he killed several unorthodox cultivators who had not yet entered the Dao, and after that, he couldn't stop.

From the Taihu Lake basin to the banks of the Yellow River, from Guo Beicheng to the underworld, the number of demons, monsters, evil cultivators, and villains who died at his hands has long reached the level of "tens of thousands".

He even endured a genuine divine punishment and received the "karma standard met" honor personally certified by the Heavenly Dao.

In terms of verbal karma, it's even more formidable.

As is well known, the Pure Land Buddhist monk Fahai never practiced the precepts of speech, and he could scold and deceive people as easily and naturally as if he were hungry or thirsty.

Countless enemies have been fooled to death by words, and countless opponents have had their Dao hearts shattered by anger.

The most tragic evidence is that of Lord Black Mountain, who was still insane from the Sunfire God's Light in the Sixth Hell. The living overlord of hell has been reduced to his current state.

In terms of intention, before Xu Xuan entered the Dao, he had a heart-to-heart conversation with his senior brother.

That time, he set his initial cultivation goals—to cultivate boundless and unfathomable magical power, to develop astonishing supernatural abilities, to seize the most supreme divine weapons and magical treasures in the world, and to control the secrets of the ten directions and take control of his own destiny. Afterwards, he indeed did many major events that changed the landscape of the Nine Provinces. In terms of the strength of his desires and the breadth of his ambition, it was simply unbelievable.

Deep down, they can't stand the world as it is now; this discontent and persistence are the essential driving force behind all their actions.

So the Yellow Springs water washed over him very vigorously, and Xu Xuan cooperated by opening his heart and mind to receive the cleansing, but the progress was very slow.

They have such a strong foundation and so much inventory.

Countless dark red karmic obstacles, like filth, were forcibly stripped from the depths of the soul, then dissolved and dissipated in the spring water.

This process is indescribably painful, but with each bit of karmic burden removed, one feels a little lighter and more clear-headed.

Just as he was concentrating on evolving, he suddenly saw Yayu on the other side.

This ancient demon, whose name and identity are recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, has shown considerable resistance to the cleansing power of the Yellow Springs. At this moment, it is breaking through the waves and charging towards him with murderous intent.

What a demon! So eager to die!

What's most infuriating is that Yayu is laughing.
"What the hell are you laughing at!"

Xu Xuan's bloodied head immediately jerked up, so angry that several pieces of flesh were knocked off.

Ironically, in that moment of anger, he created even more fresh and tangible negative karma—anger arises, and sins follow.

Even more angry!
The will to survive and the will to kill the enemy were fully activated at this moment.

At the bottom of this netherworld, a figure that is almost melting away is charging forward step by step.

His flesh and blood kept dissolving and regenerating in the spring water, and his limbs, revealing bare white bones, struggled forward in the turbid water.

Every step represents a confrontation with death; every step taken is like the chariot of death galloping wildly through the heart.

First, he took a step with his left foot, and the Yellow Springs surged endlessly, trying to push him back to his original position; then he stepped with his right foot, and pure will forcibly took over his broken body, forcefully taking firm steps.

As he took the third step, Xu Xuan's eyes blazed with a fierce light that even pierced through the murky river water, illuminating two inextinguishable lamps in the depths of darkness.

Despite bearing the immense pressure of the Yellow Springs, heavier than mountains, they pressed forward relentlessly!
One step at a time, one before and one after, one yin and one yang, the beginning and the end are synchronized.

This is not a simple step, but the original Yu Step, which is in harmony with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and can connect heaven and earth and mobilize mountains and rivers.

Even the deepest hell cannot stop this spirit of conquering mountains and seas, this ambition to stand tall and upright!

The two sides came within three steps of each other.

Yayu's axe came down again, still with overwhelming power, still unavoidable, still with a flawless trajectory.

This axe strike contained all the power it possessed as an ancient, ferocious god, determined to utterly destroy this tenacious human race.

Xu Xuan's Chilong Sword had already been knocked away, and he was now unarmed.

But we still have a lot of backbone!
The mangled arm slowly retreated, gathering strength in the Yellow Springs. Although only the stark white finger bones remained, the will contained within this body was sharper than any divine weapon.

Black, gold, red, and white light appeared simultaneously on the broken body, representing the depths of the evil earth, the brilliance of Buddha's light, the intensity of blood and qi, and the purity of the white lotus.

Four distinct forces merged perfectly at this moment, and on that face that was now just a skeleton, one could see a solemn and sacred sense of holiness.

If there's no sword, then use these fists!

There's no way out, so I'll risk my life!

"Counting the past is in accordance with the natural order, while knowing the future is in accordance with the reverse order; therefore, the Book of Changes is based on counting in reverse."

At this critical moment of life and death, Xu Xuan inexplicably recalled this profound saying from the Book of Changes.

Stripped of all external reliance and discarding all fancy supernatural powers, only when one turns to one's own desires can one find the most core and essential power.

He slowly extended his palm.

This palm strike, though seemingly slow, actually contains a unique and profound mystery. Within its palm lies something so complex and indescribable that even the Yellow Springs cannot wash it away.

There is a deep attachment to the world, compassion for all living beings, anger at injustice, and above all, an indomitable spirit of resistance.

This palm strike defied reason, logic, and mathematics; it ruthlessly shattered the axe's perfect trajectory in accordance with the laws of nature, and landed squarely on Yayu's head.

Ding~~~~~
Like the resounding toll of an ancient bell echoing deep within the underworld.

Yayu's mind was buzzing, and at such a crucial moment, countless long-forgotten memories came back to her.

The desolate scenery of Shaoxian Mountain appeared before my eyes; back then, it was a sacred place nurtured by heaven and earth. The days of fighting alongside the human race were still vivid in my mind, and the glorious years under the Yellow Emperor seemed like yesterday.

The resentment and bitterness of dying surged back into his heart, the pain of being betrayed by his most trusted companion; the sorrow of gradually losing his mind after resurrection came like a tide, watching helplessly as he fell from holiness into monster; the despair of waking up in the underworld was still clear, finding that even death had become a luxury.
(End of this chapter)