Primordial Era: Reborn as a Qi Immortal, Steadily Cultivating

Chapter 11 The Plague of Evil Fire
A decisive victory was achieved, and the wicked guest was slain.

Ma Yuan's figure returned once again to that secluded White Bone Cave.

He did not immediately examine the spoils of war, nor did he revel in the joy of first experiencing the divine power of the treasure.

Instead, he immediately sat down cross-legged, his expression solemn.

He had his eyes slightly closed.

The giant, dark blue hand, imbued with the principles of cause and effect, silently emerged from behind his head and hovered above it.

This time, the giant hand did not exude any pressure; instead, its five fingers were slightly spread, and its palm faced upwards.

A mysterious thread of cause and effect extended from the depths of Ma Yuan's true spirit.

Through the giant hand, it connected to somewhere in the darkness.

At the other end of that thread of cause and effect.

A faint phantom of a ferocious horned serpent could be seen roaring and dissipating in resentment.

This is the karmic consequence of his killing that demon cultivator.

In the primordial world, the laws of Heaven are clear.

Slaughter inevitably creates karma and brings about consequences.

Even if the other party was a rogue cultivator from the demon race who took the initiative to provoke him, and even if Ma Yuan was in the right.

But once bloodshed occurs, one cannot escape the bondage of this web of cause and effect.

Ordinary cultivators can only passively endure it.

But for Ma Yuan, who was just beginning to understand the principles of cause and effect, there was a glimmer of hope to defy fate.

"Cause and effect are cyclical; every cause has an effect. Today's effect is yesterday's cause... However, as I cultivate the Great Way of Cause and Effect, I must also sever this effect!"

Ma Yuan uttered a low shout, his mind and spirit in perfect harmony.

The giant, dark blue hand suddenly clenched, like an invisible pair of scissors, and fiercely cut down on the causal thread connecting the horned serpent's phantom!

"Crack!"

A soft sound, seemingly emanating from the depths of the soul.

The thread representing the cause and effect of the killing snapped instantly!

The illusory image of the horned serpent completely vanished.

Ma Yuan himself felt a strange sense of relief.

It was as if an invisible shackle had been removed, and the primordial spirit became more transparent.

This is the terrifying aspect of cultivating the Great Dao of Cause and Effect!
As long as one's cultivation level is high enough and one's understanding is deep enough.

This would allow one to interfere with the supreme laws of heaven to a certain extent, severing unfavorable entanglements between oneself and the outside world.

Of course, Ma Yuan knew in his heart that with his current meager cultivation, he could only sever his karmic ties with ordinary Golden Immortals like the Horned Serpent.

If he had killed a Grand Luo Golden Immortal today, or even someone with deep ties to a powerful figure, the causal bond would be as thick as a pillar of heaven, something his cultivation level simply couldn't shake.

Even so, it was enough to make him live a more relaxed and carefree life than 99% of the cultivators in the prehistoric world.

After doing all this, Ma Yuancai let out a long breath and looked back on the battle just now.

"The Sea-Stabilizing Pearl truly lives up to its reputation as a top-tier innate spiritual treasure."

He was filled with emotions.

They now had a direct understanding of the power of this treasure in their hands.

If it weren't for this treasure, today's battle would never have been so easy and effortless.

That horned serpent demon cultivator possessed a powerful physical body, comparable to a spiritual treasure.

Its innate devouring ability is even more bizarre and domineering.

If he gets bogged down in a prolonged fight, even if he wins, he will probably have to pay a heavy price.

However, faced with the overwhelming power of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, all of the opponent's advantages vanished.

The benefits of magical treasures are worlds apart from those of cultivators.

However, while satisfied, Ma Yuan also keenly perceived a huge hidden danger within himself.

In the brief moment that he activated the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, his magical power surged, and he fought against the horned snake demon cultivator.

A sense of heat and violence emanating from the depths of one's bloodline and true spirit quietly rose once again.

Although he quickly suppressed it.

But that feeling was still something he couldn't ignore.

He looked inward and could clearly feel that the evil fire that had been entrenched deep within his Dao foundation had become several times more active than before after the battle.

The three Pure Heart Crystal Bamboos in one corner of the cave were still dutifully emitting a cool aura, soothing his primordial spirit.

But Ma Yuan knew perfectly well that "the Glazed Bamboo treatment is ultimately only a temporary fix, not a cure."

Although this treasure is an innate spiritual root, it can help him to calm his mind and cultivate in seclusion, suppressing evil fire.

But once he fights with someone, his blood and qi surge, and his magical power surges. The evil fire originating from his body of malevolent energy will burst into flames like a pile of firewood doused with hot oil.

Today we are only dealing with an ordinary Golden Immortal, and the backlash from the evil fire is still within a controllable range.

If he encounters a formidable enemy in the future, requiring him to go all out, or even fight to the death, then...

This evil fire may become the most fatal flaw.

A slight misstep could lead to the loss of reason during a major battle, with inner demons invading and turning one into a monster who only knows how to kill.

"The fundamental problems of this body must be addressed at their root!"

A resolute glint flashed in Ma Yuan's eyes.

If this problem is not solved, one's path will not be smooth and secure.

He once again considered all possible solutions in his mind.

There are only two ways to completely eradicate this evil fire.

Firstly, it is to acquire a massive amount of Heavenly Merit.

The golden light of merit is an unparalleled power that is impervious to all laws and wards off all evil spirits.

If one can attract the protection of merit, not only will a mere evil fire be something to be wary of, but even a saint would have to be cautious in front of them.

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he immediately dismissed it.

How difficult it is to gain merit!
Unless he can emulate Houtu's reincarnation or govern the human race like the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, but that would mean going deep into the heart of the Great Calamity, which would run counter to his prudent original intention.

"The path to merit is something that can be encountered but not sought, and cannot be forced."

Ma Yuan shook his head and turned his gaze to the second path.

That is to use the principle of mutual restraint of the five elements to find a top-level treasure with the most yin and cold properties, or the water element, to suppress oneself and balance the unbalanced fire element in the body.

The laurel tree, the Xuan Yuan Water Control Flag, and the Water and Fire Gourd that he had previously thought of all belong to this category.

However, these treasures are mostly protected by powerful beings.

With his current strength, it's still wishful thinking.

"We shouldn't be too ambitious. We can't pursue those top-tier innate spiritual treasures for the time being, but there may be other options."

Ma Yuan's mind raced as he went through his memories of the prehistoric era once again.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened.

A vast and boundless region came to mind.

East China Sea!

A glimmer of light gradually appeared in his eyes.

Since the great calamity of the ancient Dragon Han Dynasty, the dragon race, which once dominated the world, has long lost its former glory.

They followed the decree of the Taoist patriarch, retreated to the four seas, and were responsible for controlling clouds and rain and managing water veins.

Although he gained a trace of Heavenly Merit as a result, he also completely lost the qualification to contend for supremacy in the primordial world.

The dragon race still appears to be the rulers of the four seas.

In reality, they had long since fallen to a second-rate power, struggling to survive between the Lich and Demon races.

But a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.

The Dragon Clan rules over countless eras across the four seas, and their profound foundation is beyond imagination.

In particular, its collection of various water-based spiritual treasures and water-controlling techniques is unparalleled in the primordial world!
"Among the dragons, there may be treasures or techniques that can suppress the evil fire within me!"

Ma Yuan suddenly felt enlightened.

He certainly wouldn't dare to steal anything from the dragon's treasury.

However, the dragon race is now in an awkward position and urgently needs external allies and support.

Having wielded the powerful weapon of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl and being a Golden Immortal cultivator himself, if he were to visit the cultivator on an equal footing and propose a trade, he might have a chance to obtain what he needed.

He also remembered that in the East Sea, besides the Dragon Palace, there were many ancient caves and secret realms left behind.

For example, the legendary cave where Zhao Gongming, the chief disciple of the Jie Sect, once cultivated—Luofu Cave—is located near the East China Sea.

The Sea-Stabilizing Pearl was originally Zhao Gongming's magic weapon. Now that he has obtained this treasure, he might be able to connect with the Luofu Cave in the East Sea and find some other opportunities.

With this in mind, Ma Yuan's plan became clear.

"It seems we absolutely have to make a trip to the East China Sea."

Ma Yuan thought to himself.

(End of this chapter)