Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

Something seemed amiss.

Qiu Zhen's gaze fell on the Immortal martial arts manual in his hand, and his confusion deepened.

Clearly, the Wood Puppet Sect's behavior was quite abnormal.

The 'Immortal martial arts' opportunity had likely been obtained a year ago. Carrying it around then would have been understandable, but a year later, for these two Wood Puppet Sect Yin Spirit cultivators to still have it with them was suspicious.

Even if this Immortal martial arts manual belonged to them, carrying it around made no sense.

Not to mention, the Immortal martial arts manual was extraordinary and easily discovered by those with ulterior motives, posing a threat to their own safety.

Furthermore, this "Lvzu Returning Elixir Walking and Sitting Thirty-Six Methods" possessed extremely heavy demonic nature, faintly emanating demonic energy, and required the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】 to suppress it.

It was not difficult to see that extraterrestrial demons had set their sights on the Immortal martial arts manual, using it as an anchor point to descend into the mortal realm.

"I wonder what tricks the Wood Puppet Sect is playing."

Qiu Zhen grew increasingly curious, his gaze falling on the book in his hand, especially the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】.

At first glance, this talisman resembled a Demon Suppression Talisman, but it seemed different from the common Demon Suppression Talismans.

However, he couldn't discern anything specific for the time being.

Immediately, golden light bloomed from Qiu Zhen's glabella, the spiritual platform of his Nascent Soul Dharma Body, and his Analytical Wisdom Eye landed on the Demon Suppression Talisman.

【Unknown Demon Suppression Talisman, analyzing talisman head, talisman feet, talisman apertures... Analyzing... This talisman conceals ingenious methods, the talisman apertures contain two deities, the Thunder God and the Six Desires Demon God, one righteous and one demonic, forming a delicate balance.】

"What an ingenious and exceptionally crafted Demon Suppression Talisman."

After analyzing the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】 with the aid of the Analytical Wisdom Eye, Qiu Zhen's expression changed slightly, his heart filled with astonishment.

Currently, he was no longer a novice in cultivation, and his attainments in the Dao of Talismans were considerable, yet he could still see the extraordinary nature of this 【Demon Suppression Talisman】.

Under normal circumstances, the 【Talisman Apertures】 of a 【Demon Suppression Talisman】 would contain a Thunder God or an immortal Buddha deity who subdues demons and eliminates evil, serving as the talisman core to suppress demons and evil spirits.

However, this 【Demon Suppression Talisman】's talisman aperture not only contained a Thunder God, but also a Demon God, a method that could be described as exquisite.

As the saying goes, one should not trouble two masters with one task.

Inviting two deities into one "Talisman Aperture" was already extremely difficult, and a slight conflict could cause the talisman writing to fail.

However, the talisman core not only contained two "Gods," but also one righteous and one demonic. Despite their inherently conflicting nature, they could still maintain a delicate balance and each发挥妙用 (each发挥妙用 - this phrase needs context to translate properly, but it generally means each发挥妙用 - each exert their wondrous effects/functions).

"The skill of the person who wrote this talisman is truly admirable."

Qiu Zhen sincerely sighed.

Setting aside his position, solely based on his attainments in the Dao of Talismans, the person who wrote this talisman was undoubtedly a grandmaster.

Creating spiritual talismans, wielding mystical methods, and displaying the demeanor of a grandmaster with ease.

However, what was the significance of writing this advanced spiritual talisman?

Qiu Zhen pondered to himself.

Writing "Thunder God" was a proper "Demon Suppression Talisman," and its purpose was self-evident, nothing more than protecting the Immortal martial arts manual and suppressing demons.

What about the "Demon God" in the talisman aperture?

What was its purpose?

Qiu Zhen was secretly curious.

The person had painstakingly created this spiritual talisman, so it must have a great purpose.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, wanting to know the specific wondrous effects of this "Demon Suppression Talisman" after seeing only a glimpse would probably be difficult, requiring constant guessing and indirect verification.

He was different.

No matter how much guessing and indirect verification one did, it was better to try it on the spot.

With a single test, the function of the "Demon God" would naturally be known.

Others feared the demon lurking in the book, but Qiu Zhen was not afraid. With the Wisdom Eye's observation, he understood the demonic nature of the book.

It was not his opponent, and he was confident he could suppress it.

As soon as Qiu Zhen thought of this, he did not hesitate, pouring the power of his divine consciousness into it, and adding the power of his mana to the spiritual talisman.

"Ding ~"

After his divine consciousness probed into the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】, perhaps triggering something, the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】 erupted with spiritual light, dazzling and radiant.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh ~"

Immediately following, gusts of yin wind suddenly arose from nowhere.

Streams of evil demonic energy rolled out from the Immortal martial arts manual.

Initially, it was as thin as silk, invisible to the naked eye, but as the evil demonic energy grew increasingly dense, it actually resembled rolling ink, rising up like inky black mushrooms, enveloping the surroundings.

"Constrain!"

Qiu Zhen formed a hand seal, visualizing the Yin Yang Thunder God, and using the power of his divine consciousness to condense a thunder barrier around himself, enveloping himself and the evil demonic energy.

His entire person was enveloped and swallowed by the evil demonic energy.

Bai Shu was extremely perceptive and also activated the power of wind and thunder to help Qiu Zhen strengthen the thunder barrier, so as not to allow the evil demonic energy to overflow, damaging the medicinal field and harming the Qiu family members outside the valley.

The evil demonic energy was extremely turbulent, not fearing the thunder at all, constantly impacting and shaking the barrier.

"Stupid tree, what are you spacing out for? Help Young Master suppress the evil demonic energy!"

"Oh, oh, Boss, I understand."

Xiao Zaozi, after hearing Bai Shu's urging, belatedly realized and quickly activated the thunder light from its branches and emerald leaves, reinforcing the thunder barrier.

As an evil-warding divine tree, Xiao Zaozi was the nemesis of evil demonic energy.

After its thunder power was added, the constantly surging evil demonic energy lost its arrogant aura, and the thunder barrier quickly stabilized, steadily suppressing it.

"As expected of an evil-warding divine tree, the effect is immediate."

Qiu Zhen couldn't help but praise.

Without the trouble of "evil demonic energy" overflowing, Qiu Zhen immediately focused his mind on the demon lurking in the rolling demonic clouds.

In fact, he didn't need to look for any demons.

Demons descending from the void Dharma realm into the human world, being repelled and suppressed, consuming their demonic nature, their instinctive reaction was to find a "host" to devour, or even replace.

In the confined thunder barrier, Qiu Zhen was the only living person, which was full of temptation for the demons.

In the black clouds condensed from rolling evil demonic energy, countless demonic thoughts surged towards Qiu Zhen.

Qiu Zhen remained calm, waiting for the little demons to enter his body.

In a short span of twenty or thirty breaths, fourteen demonic thoughts rushed into his body one after another, charging into his sea of consciousness.

The moment the little demons entered his sea of consciousness, the Nascent Soul Dharma Body showed its form in the layers of clouds, radiating boundless golden light.

The golden light shone through his body.

Instantly refining them.

Before the little demons could show off their power, they each turned into a ball of pure spiritual energy essence, quietly sealed in the depths of his sea of consciousness.

On the other side, the evil demonic cloud mass, without demonic thoughts, became water without a source.

Under the joint efforts of Qiu Zhen, Bai Shu, and Xiao Zaozi, mobilizing the power of thunder, in less than half an hour, the demonic atmosphere was cleansed.

In the valley, the scene of rolling evil demonic energy disappeared without a trace, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Another twelve spiritual energy essences obtained."

Qiu Zhen was very satisfied in his heart.

Naturally, the more spiritual energy essence, the better.

Of course, his mind was not focused on this at the moment.

Refining the demonic thoughts and eliminating the demonic atmosphere were all as expected and not surprising.

His mind was focused on the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】 from the hand of a talisman Dao grandmaster.

Without demonic nature, this talisman was more convenient to study, without needing to be restrained. The Analytical Wisdom Eye continued to analyze the use of the "Demon God" in the talisman aperture.

After about a quarter of an hour.

"Summoning, commanding, restriction..."

Qiu Zhen muttered to himself, falling into contemplation.

After analyzing with the Analytical Wisdom Eye, he caught a glimpse of the demon god's function in the 【Demon Suppression Talisman】, discovering three major uses.

Summoning demons, commanding demons, and isolating restrictions.

Summoning and commanding were easy to understand, as for "isolating restrictions"...

This talisman seemed to isolate demons above the level of "Demon General," only summoning and commanding the "little demons" transformed from demonic thoughts.

This also explained why all the demons he had refined earlier were demonic thought little demons.

"This seems to be..."

After analyzing, Qiu Zhen quickly thought of something, his face showing surprise.

How familiar.

Demonic disaster, a dozen little demons...

These days, he had been going to the Demon Suppression Division to exorcise evil every day.

Recently, similar small demonic disasters had been breaking out in the Green Wood Territory every day.

Initially, he hadn't forcibly connected them, but after analyzing this grandmaster's 【Demon Suppression Talisman】, he suddenly understood.

Perhaps the small demonic disasters that had inexplicably broken out in the Green Wood Territory recently were not coincidences, but the Wood Puppet Sect secretly playing tricks.

"So, these two Wood Puppet Sect cultivators didn't come to find me specifically to avenge Yuan Hua, but it was purely coincidental, intending to spread a demonic disaster in Qiu Family Village, but that Yin Spirit cultivator accidentally broke into my blessed land..."

Qiu Zhen suddenly understood, feeling strange in his heart.

The two Wood Puppet Sect Yin Spirit cultivators took action. With their cultivation and mana, if they were only doing the job of spreading "small demonic disasters," it would probably be a sure thing, yet they actually set their sights on him.

Heaven has a path, but you don't take it; hell has no gate, but you come of your own accord.

"I wonder what the Wood Puppet Sect is planning..."

Qiu Zhen pondered to himself.

From "Yuan Hua" to the middle-aged fat Yin Spirit cultivator buying young boys and girls from the Thief Sect's Sheep-Leading Hands, to the two of them spreading demonic disasters everywhere a year later...

Clearly, the Wood Puppet Sect's purpose was very clear, with a very strong plan.

Even if their fellow sect member died inexplicably, they seemed to have no time to care.

It was not difficult to guess that they must have something more important, and any hatred or entanglement was ranked behind this major event.

The 【Lvzu Nine Revolutions Returning Elixir Art】 was a proper Immortal martial arts manual. Even if it was just an Immortal martial arts entry, it was still an extremely precious treasure. As a result, it was not mastered by the Wood Puppet Sect's core high-level members, but was distributed to their subordinates.

Now, they were even letting two Yin Spirit cultivators use the 【Lvzu Nine Revolutions Returning Elixir Art】 as a medium to spread demonic disasters everywhere.

It could be said that they were willing to invest a lot of capital.

"Could it be that the Wood Puppet Sect discovered an astonishing Immortal opportunity, but they cannot take it down at the moment, so they use this grandmaster's Demon Suppression Talisman to lure demons with the 【Lvzu Nine Revolutions Returning Elixir Art】, transfer demons, and increase their chances of success?"

Qiu Zhen couldn't help but secretly guess.

The greater the origin of the Immortal traces, the easier it was to attract the prying eyes of heavenly demons. Wanting to cleanse the demonic atmosphere and take down the Immortal opportunity was not an easy task.

Relying on other methods to weaken the demons...

If he continued to think along these lines, it seemed that everything could be explained, why small demonic disasters had been frequently and inexplicably breaking out in the Green Wood Territory these days.

The Wood Puppet Sect's purpose was probably not to cause destruction, but purely to weaken the demon's power.

However, they were unwilling to pay the price of weakening and annihilating the demons, so they shifted it to innocent people.

This was in line with the consistent style of demonic and evil cultivators.

"Young Master, looking at it this way, did we unintentionally stumble upon the Wood Puppet Sect's secret?"

Bai Shu was always intelligent. After understanding the situation, it couldn't help but feel worried:

"Will this bring trouble?"

"Trouble is definitely trouble."