Purple-Robed Demon Marquis Chu Tiandu sped through the air, leaving behind a blur of purple as he headed straight for the Dao Revelation Ground. He thought to himself, 'When Li Pingsheng lost to me last time, his cultivation was exceedingly formidable—he was merely slightly weaker in divine powers. Even then, defeating him was no easy feat. Now that he has come to challenge me again, he must have rectified his weakness! But...'
Purple qi swirled in his eyes as he looked toward the ruined Daoist monastery. 'I am here! The one inside the monastery is not me!'
"Since Li Pingsheng has come, then as the Purple-Robed Demon Marquis, I have no choice but to go out and meet him!"
Xu Ying sighed and walked out of the monastery.
Suddenly, he paused in surprise as a flood of information surfaced in his mind. Among it was the cultivation method for Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities.
Presumably, that eccentric Daoist had imparted it to him when tapping his forehead just now.
Earlier, when Xu Ying entered the Dao, his divine sense had merged into one with the worldly Great Dao of Dao Weeping Pass, giving him the sensation that the Dao was him.
That feeling of the unity of Heaven and man had been exceedingly subtle. Xu Ying had not thought anything was amiss about encountering that eccentric Daoist in his sea of consciousness at the time, but reflecting upon it now, he realized something was off.
'While I was in the midst of entering the Dao, in a state where the Dao was me, how did that eccentric Daoist manage to enter my sea of consciousness?'
This was the strangest part of all!
What had been connected to his divine sense was the worldly Great Dao around Dao Weeping Pass—in other words, the Demonic Dao.
Yet that strange Daoist had actually been able to divide one into three, transforming one qi into three purities, and connect with Xu Ying's divine sense in the very form of the Dao!
Only in this way could he have imparted Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities to Xu Ying while Xu Ying was in the state of entering the Dao!
'How bizarre! Could that Daoist be the Heavenly Dao of the Dao Revelation Ground, or something else entirely?'
As Xu Ying walked outside, he pondered the art of Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities taught by the Daoist.
To practice this technique, one first had to refine Innate One Qi. Pondering it carefully, Xu Ying realized this Innate One Qi seemed identical to his own Taiyi Yuan Qi—there was no difference at all!
"Chu Tiandu!"
Stepping out of the monastery, Xu Ying was startled by a young man's shout. A handsome, dashing youth in white robes stood outside, watching him with eager excitement. This had to be Li Pingsheng.
"What are you shouting so loudly for?" Xu Ying said crossly.
The white-robed youth Li Pingsheng laughed heartily. "To think the illustrious Purple-Robed Demon Marquis is nothing more than a wet-behind-the-ears boy!"
Xu Ying tested the waters. "If I tell you I'm not Chu Tiandu, you definitely won't believe me, will you?"
Li Pingsheng said indifferently, "Chu Tiandu, you and I have crossed swords before. Your Ever-Changing Demonic Art specializes in shapeshifting and disguises; don't think you can deceive me by masking your aura. Brother Shen Baiyu has already verified your identity. Chu Tiandu, there is one thing I've always been curious about, and I hope you can enlighten me."
He paused, then added, "You wore a mask before, never daring to show your true face. Could it be just to hide how dark your face is?"
Flustered and exasperated, Xu Ying replied stiffly, "Li Pingsheng, I am currently practicing a demonic technique. Wait a moment. Once I've mastered it, I'll deal with you!"
Li Pingsheng roared with laughter. "Who would have thought that even you, the Purple-Robed Demon Marquis, would fear me enough to need to sharpen your spear on the battlefield! Fine, I'll wait a moment! But only a moment!"
He produced a stick of incense, drove it into the bark of a nearby tree, and declared, "When this stick of incense burns out, I make my move!"
Xu Ying carefully contemplated Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities. Before long, he had thoroughly comprehended it, thinking in surprise, 'This demonic technique is actually a combat method, and an extraordinary one at that!'
He clicked his tongue in wonder.
He had initially assumed that any demonic art taught by that eccentric Daoist would be steeped in sinister demonic qi, bringing great terror when channeled, corrupting a cultivator's Dao heart, eroding their cultivation, and being utterly foul.
Yet Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities was an open, upright combat art. To cultivate it, one first had to refine yin and yang into Innate One Qi. Once Innate One Qi was mastered, activating the technique allowed one qi to transform into the three purities.
According to the scripture imparted by the eccentric Daoist, the so-called 'three purities' referred to the three types of qi born of Innate One Qi: the first was Taiqing Qi, the second Shangqing Qi, and the third Taiqing Qi.
Refining these three qi into worldly primordial spirits manifested the three great heavenly venerables: the first was the Taiqing Yuanshi Heavenly Venerable, the second the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Venerable, and the third the Taiqing Daode Heavenly Venerable.
This was Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities.
The Three Purities were, in truth, three worldly primordial spirits formed by the three qi.
'People of the demonic path certainly know how to pick names,' Xu Ying praised inwardly. 'The true names of these three great worldly primordial spirits should probably be Yuqing Yuanshi Heavenly Demon, Shangqing Lingbao Demon Venerable, and Taiqing Daode Old Demon. That would make far more sense.'
Focusing his mind, he circulated his Taiyi Yuan Qi according to Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities. Three bizarre streams of true qi rose from above his head, colored cyan, white, and yellow.
'This demonic technique doesn't contain a shred of demonic qi; it must be a supreme demonic art. Only a supreme demonic art could achieve such an effect of returning to simplicity and truth!' he thought.
Just then, Li Pingsheng's voice rang out: "Time's up! Time to fight! Chu Tiandu, for your sake, I mastered the Five Extremes Sky-Surpassing Skill!"
Xu Ying opened his eyes to see Li Pingsheng channeling his heavenly skill. Immortal light surged into the sky, transforming into five-colored qi that resembled five multicolored silk ribbons, each formed from Immortal Dao runes.
With a gentle whip of those five ribbons of qi, space shook violently, demonstrating their terrifying might!
Xu Ying showed an approving look. 'Li Pingsheng's skill is indeed formidable. I wonder if he has practiced the Nuo method?'
When Shen Baiyu had clashed with him, the moment Shen Baiyu was outmatched, he had immediately activated the Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body to manifest six cave-heavens, gaining an astonishing enhancement across all aspects.
However, back then, Shen Baiyu had struck a fraction of an instant too late and was instantly defeated by Xu Ying's divine power, the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace.
Li Pingsheng's aura skyrocketed wildly as six brilliant cave-heavens emerged behind him. Having seen Shen Baiyu's miserable defeat, he directly employed the Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body to confront the 'Purple-Robed Demon Marquis' at his absolute peak!
Seeing this, Xu Ying thought, 'It seems the Nuo method truly has spread throughout the myriad worlds of the heavens.'
Mount Kunlun was the Kunlun of the myriad worlds. If Qi Refiners of the Yuanshou world could obtain Kunlun's Nuo methods, Qi Refiners of other worlds naturally could as well.
What was more, the six Nuo ancestors were only too eager to spread the Nuo method so they could harvest more immortal medicines.
Having elevated his aura to its pinnacle, Li Pingsheng hovered in the sky, looking down like an immortal king.
Suddenly, the sounds of the Immortal Dao resonated powerfully as five multicolored ribbons lashed out toward Xu Ying. Li Pingsheng grinned excitedly and shouted, "Purple-Robed Demon Marquis, I want to experience your newly comprehended Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace!"
"Fine! I'll grant your wish!"
Hearing this voice, Li Pingsheng's face abruptly changed. He whipped his head around to see that Xu Ying had appeared to his left at some point. Blazing flames erupted from Xu Ying's hands with terrifying heat, and a great furnace sweeping across the eight desolations and swallowing the sun and moon hurtled toward him!
'Wasn't Chu Tiandu down in front of the monastery? How could he be so fast?'
Yet Li Pingsheng's adjustment was also unimaginably swift. He immediately redirected the five immortal ribbons, whipping them back to meet the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace.
'Though I had to alter half my move, I struck first and my timing is flawless... What?!'
His expression shifted drastically as he caught sight of another Xu Ying to his right, merely a few hundred zhang away, also unleashing the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace!
Monstrous flames capable of incinerating all things bore down upon him!
'Attacking both left and right isn't impossible for me!'
Li Pingsheng gritted his teeth, directing two immortal ribbons to the left and three to the right to meet both Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnaces. He thought, 'The power of my Five Extremes Sky-Surpassing Skill inherently surpasses other arts! This is the immortal art handed down by our Five Extremes Sect's founder, the Five Extremes Immortal King—'
Roaring furiously, he surged his cultivation to counter the two Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnaces flanking him.
Just then, a blinding radiance erupted behind him. Looking back in a panic, Li Pingsheng went pale.
A few hundred zhang behind him stood a fourth Xu Ying! The Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace blazed with dazzling brilliance, flying straight at him!
'That bastard Chu Tiandu is actually one of quadruplets!'
Li Pingsheng grunted, hastily pulling back all five immortal ribbons in a desperate defense, cursing inwardly, 'These motherfucking demonic path bastards are truly insidious...'
Boom!
The three Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnaces engulfed him. Whatever Five Extremes Sky-Surpassing Skill he possessed, whatever five immortal ribbons he wielded, all crumbled instantly!
Stars danced before Li Pingsheng's eyes as the world spun around him. When he came to, he found himself hurled hundreds of li away, slumped beneath the bronze bo bell.
He vaguely recalled that Shen Baiyu was somewhere nearby.
"Brother Li, you're awake?"
Hearing Shen Baiyu's voice, he opened his eyes blearily and indeed saw Shen Baiyu's face.
Shen Baiyu wore a beaming smile, holding a Shadow-Retaining Mirror pointed right at him, capturing who knew what.
Li Pingsheng struggled to raise a hand and touched his head, instantly grimacing in agony.
A massive lump had swelled on his head, roughly the size of a skull.
Shen Baiyu smiled warmly. "Brother Li, feel the other side."
Li Pingsheng touched his right side—there was another head-sized lump of flesh.
"Brother Li, feel behind you."
Li Pingsheng reached toward the back of his head and felt yet another head-sized lump.
Atop his single head sat three additional head-sized swellings, resembling three mutated mushrooms sprouting from the cap of a diseased mushroom.
"Brother Li, I've already captured it in the mirror!"
Shen Baiyu burst into wild laughter and limped off into the distance for fear of being pursued, shouting, "I will distribute this to cultivators across the myriad worlds of the heavens, so they can all see the Five Extremes Sect's most dazzling star, Li Pingsheng, with one head grown three sizes bigger!"
Li Pingsheng rose to chase him, but dizziness struck him and he collapsed to the ground. Severely injured, he felt his head was incomparably heavier than before.
"Come on then! Let's ruin each other!"
Unable to catch him, Li Pingsheng ground his teeth and sneered, "You think I don't have dirt on you? You were pinned under a mountain by the bronze bo bell with only your bare buttocks sticking out! If that recording gets out, your Sword Washing Valley will be disgraced for five thousand years!"
At that moment, he suddenly noticed a purple silhouette passing by. Hurriedly turning to look, he saw no one.
'Did I see wrong?'
Li Pingsheng was bewildered. 'Why did that figure seem familiar?'
In front of the monastery, Xu Ying recalled the Three Purities Primordial Spirits. They transformed into three streams of clear qi, flew over, converted into Taiyi Yuan Qi at the crown of his head, and sank into his body.
'After coming to the demonic realm, I seem to have become kind and benevolent. I actually didn't kill Li Pingsheng.'
He sighed with a melancholy expression. In the past, Li Pingsheng would already be a corpse.
He had merely tested the waters just now. He could easily have incinerated Li Pingsheng to ashes in an instant, but compassion had stayed his hand from striking the killing blow.
'Transforming One Qi into the Three Purities is indeed potent—it's equivalent to three of me joining forces! One of me is already extraordinary; three of me is even more so!'
Xu Ying thought, 'However, using this combat method takes an immense toll. It's like earning one wage for three people to spend; with the slightest carelessness, one's cultivation could be completely drained.'
He sighed inwardly. He needed to undo the seal on his first life as soon as possible to recall more ancestral methods, especially the ancestral method for the Jade Pool cave-heaven!
If he opened the Jade Pool Nuo ancestor cave-heaven, he would never have to worry about running out of cultivation!
With the Jade Pool Nuo ancestor cave-heaven, he could maintain his peak cultivation state at all times!
Just then, a purple silhouette caught Xu Ying's eye.
It was a young man clad in purple robes, handsome and refined, with eyes like the stars and moon, an elegant nose, fair skin, and an extraordinary presence that marked him as remarkable at a single glance.
Xu Ying sighed and asked, "Are you also here to challenge the Purple-Robed Demon Marquis, Chu Tiandu?"
That purple-robed youth was none other than Chu Tiandu. Hearing this, he smiled faintly. "Indeed. I too have come to challenge you."
Xu Ying frowned slightly. "Do you also wish to witness my demonic divine power, the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace?"
Chu Tiandu's smile remained unchanged as he nodded gently. "Indeed. I would very much like to see this divine power that no one has managed to master for over forty thousand years."
Xu Ying's frown deepened as he calculated inwardly, 'Is it because I, Chu Tiandu, haven't killed anyone that so many righteous path friends keep coming to challenge me? Should I kill a few to establish my authority? Might as well start with him...'
Then he shook his head inwardly. He had come to comprehend the Demonic Dao, not to become a demon head. How could he slaughter righteous figures who sought to vanquish demons and defend the Dao?
'Still, establishing authority is necessary, or else anyone will dare to challenge me!'
With killing intent sprouting in his heart, Xu Ying put on a genial smile and said, "Very well. If you can survive a single palm strike of mine, I will let you leave alive."
Chu Tiandu raised an eyebrow. He was a supreme expert renowned throughout the demonic realm who overwhelmed countless Qi Refiners from the myriad worlds of the heavens, yet someone actually dared to claim that surviving a single palm strike was the condition to leave alive!
Even more absurdly, this person was masquerading under his own title, the Purple-Robed Demon Marquis Chu Tiandu!
Xu Ying lifted his right hand. His palm shifted slightly, and a miniature great furnace appeared within it, only three inches in size. Sun and moon orbited inside, traversing through fire and void.
Chu Tiandu's expression turned grave—far graver than when he had first glimpsed the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace from afar.
Xu Ying pushed his palm forward gently. His movement seemed slow, yet it gave Chu Tiandu the sensation that surrounding space was continually collapsing into Xu Ying's palm!
He had nowhere to run, nowhere to retreat!
He felt the illusion that he was already inside Xu Ying's palm, tumbling down into the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace!
This palm strike vastly surpassed the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace that had defeated Shen Baiyu and Li Pingsheng!
Xu Ying's body swayed slightly. A streak of qi soared from his head and divided into three, becoming three Three Purities Xu Yings. They unleashed their magic power together, causing the might of Xu Ying's palm strike to skyrocket wildly once more!
Cold sweat rolled down Chu Tiandu's forehead. A sense of helplessness seized him, feeling that even with wings he could not escape, as he watched the Eight Desolations Sun Refining Furnace in Xu Ying's palm bear down upon him!
Snap!
The crown and ribbon binding his hair suddenly burst apart. His aura surged to its zenith in an instant, his imposing momentum driven to the absolute extreme. Letting out a thunderous roar, he met Xu Ying's palm with a simple, direct punch!
Buzz!
Behind him, a brilliantly blinding halo erupted, transforming into six great cave-heavens that whistled and whirled, driving his magic power, physical body, Primordial Spirit, divine sense, yin and yang, and physical strength into a frantic surge!
Blood sprayed from Chu Tiandu's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and his skin split open. Behind him, mountains and rivers erupted with deafening roars—peaks collapsed, waters halted, and the sky behind him fractured in an instant into web-like fissures!
He roared furiously, his legs trembling as the crushing force sent him sliding backward. He slid back dozens of li before crashing against an immortal artifact as massive as a mountain, finally coming to a halt.
"I have learned my lesson!"
Chu Tiandu gritted his teeth, forced up a breath of yuan qi, leaped into the air, and vanished into the horizon.
Xu Ying looked up in astonishment, watching the streak of purple qi depart.
From inside the monastery came Hu Zhuojun's dazed voice: "What happened outside? Why was there such a huge commotion?"
Without looking back, Xu Ying said, "A fellow named Chu Tiandu defeated three great experts here, causing all this noise."
From behind came Hu Zhuojun's startled cry: "Chu Tiandu? The Purple-Robed Divine Marquis Chu Tiandu? Where? Where is he?"
The look of shock on Xu Ying's face still had not faded. Gazing at the fading purple qi in the sky, he whispered, "An ancestral method! What he possesses is a Nuo ancestor cave-heaven of my Kunlun!"
Chapter 334