Appearance

Deep within the mountain hollow. Amidst the clear golden radiance, a golden-armored giant stood proud and tall. Though its figure appeared somewhat ethereal, every gesture commanded peerless might. Zhu Wudao's golden armor was a treasured suit crafted with meticulous care by the Quyang Mountain lineage after years of preparation. Inscribed all over with talisman formations, it integrated all manner of defensive talisman restrictions. The Demon Monarch was sealed deep within Tiantong Hall, and Zhu Wudao had to traverse the outer immortal restrictions to reach him; the treasured armor and the Spirit Calming Incense had both been prepared for this very purpose, and their power was naturally formidable. At this moment, Zhu Wudao threw all caution to the wind and activated every talisman formation upon the golden armor, willing to overdraw or even destroy the armor if necessary, all to ward off outside interference and buy himself time. The Demon Child had only just been unsealed and was at his weakest. If he missed this chance, there would never be another so good. Once the Demon Child regained his strength, Zhu Wudao would have no choice but to submit—something he was plainly unwilling to accept. The golden-armored giant separated from Zhu Wudao's body and took a stride upward. Endless golden light instantly transformed into a golden wheel, spinning with the golden-armored giant at its center. Within the golden wheel, densely packed runes formed an exceedingly complex talisman restriction, manifesting countless smaller golden wheels that stacked layer upon layer, incomparably solid and heavy. Zhu Wudao hid beneath the golden wheels. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* The clatter of metal colliding rang out in rapid succession as streaks of golden haze erupted from the wheel. The golden-armored giant was enveloped in dazzling golden radiance, as though ablaze with golden flames. Old Devil Fan and Daoist Hegao discovered the upheaval down below. Though they did not yet understand the full story, their instincts told them this was an opportunity, and they unleashed their magic treasures in rapid succession against the golden-armored giant. Just then, a figure descended from the sky. The newcomer was none other than the Poison King. The Gu King in Qin Sang's hands was of extraordinary significance to the Poison King, but he had unfortunately been entangled by Qin Sang's avatar. The avatar wielded a spirit treasure, and the Ice Soul Divine Light also made the Poison King quite wary, preventing him from breaking free immediately. The Poison King knew that he stood little chance of gaining any advantage over Qin Sang here. After learning of the mountain hollow's upheaval from Daoist Hegao, he did not hesitate for long and chose to deal with the thorniest trouble first. Myriad Poison Mountain was closer to the Ganlu Zen Monastery; though they had friction with the Daoist sects, there was no deep enmity between them. If Daoist Zilei achieved Deity Transformation, the Daoist sects would merely maintain their dominant position. The overall balance of power in the cultivation world would not undergo a drastic upheaval, and Myriad Poison Mountain was far away in Man Prefecture, meaning it would be even less affected. If the immediate trouble could be resolved, the Poison King was more than happy to see it happen. The Poison King knew how terrible a demonic calamity could be. Myriad Poison Mountain was situated in Man Prefecture, bordering South Prefecture; should a demonic calamity erupt once more, Myriad Poison Mountain and the Taiyue Sect would be the first top sects to suffer disaster. Old Devil Fan glanced left and right, letting out a soft sneer. Tianhao Tower was constantly locked in overt and covert struggles with the Daoist and Buddhist factions. He had no friendship to speak of with Daoist Hegao or the Poison King, only grudges, yet he never expected there would come a day when they would join forces against a common foe. Learning the current situation from Daoist Hegao, the Poison King struck immediately. Three great cultivators joined hands. Dense golden haze nearly erupted out of Dishou Mountain. Subjected to continuous heavy blows, no matter how formidable the golden-armored giant's defense was, it could no longer hold. Its knees buckled under the pressure, its stature sinking lower and lower. And right at this moment... Zhu Wudao had already stripped out the Demon Child's origin and swallowed it into his body! The moment the origin entered his body, Zhu Wudao suddenly froze. Within the origin was a demonic shadow—the remnant will of the Demon Child. In that instant of devouring, Zhu Wudao met the gaze of the demonic shadow, which predictably held the expected fury. The demonic shadow's mouth opened wide as if roaring, but Daoist Zilei was on the verge of completing his tribulation, and danger was imminent. Zhu Wudao was not about to give the Demon Child any chance to bewitch him. The Demon Child's origin entered his body. Zhu Wudao was dazed for a fleeting moment. Amidst the rage, did there seem to be a hint of mockery? He could think no further, for the surge of the Demon Child's origin came crashing in like a tsunami; his essence soul was on the verge of collapsing almost instantly. At this moment, he was employing an ancient demon's demonic cultivation technique—the crudest method to fuse with the other party's origin and strengthen himself, which could also be called devouring. This move was undeniably a gamble, but Zhu Wudao believed his chances of victory were high. The situation afforded him no time to make foolproof preparations; the opportunity was fleeting, so he had simply seized it. At this point, the efficacy of the Spirit Calming Incense became evident. The spirit incense burned. There was no fragrance, only a wisp of blue smoke that drifted toward Zhu Wudao's nostrils, entering his body and soaking into his essence soul. It was precisely this wisp of incense that allowed Zhu Wudao, while devouring the Demon Child's origin, to retain a shred of lucidity despite the Demon Child's stubborn counterattack, protecting his foundation and sustaining the secret technique. Before long, the origin merged with Zhu Wudao. He could sense the will within the Demon Child's origin gradually subsiding into a chaotic stupor. In truth, his own consciousness was somewhat blurred, his body swaying unsteadily, but the devouring proceeded very smoothly and irresistibly. The Demon Child's resistance was far weaker than Zhu Wudao had anticipated, showing how severely he had been worn down within the seal; in his earlier desperation to escape, he had likely exhausted all his strength as well. Facts proved that his strategy of luring Zilei over to wear down the Demon Child had been correct. The golden-armored giant took continuous heavy blows, and the golden wheel dispersed; it was clearly on the verge of collapse. Right as Daoist Zilei encountered his heart demon tribulation, the three attacking the golden-armored giant sensed the upheaval above, and their expressions all changed drastically. A crane shadow soared into the sky, letting out a shrill cry! Old Devil Fan and the Poison King exchanged glances, never imagining that Daoist Zilei would encounter trouble during the heart demon tribulation. Beneath the golden-armored giant. A similar tragedy was replaying itself. Just as the secret technique neared completion, and Zhu Wudao fused the Demon Child's origin and his cultivation realm began to surge, the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao had already poured through the Demon Child's origin straight into his brain palace, shattering his hopes of attaining the Dao! "Ah!" An intensely shrill howl rang out. Zhu Wudao snapped awake, blood pouring from his seven orifices. His eyes bulged, bloodshot veins spiderwebbing across his eyeballs, his face etched with agony. Although the Spirit Calming Incense had the effect of steadying the mind, its power was ultimately limited. Helping him ward off the Demon Child was already its limit; how could it possibly block the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao? He finally understood why there had been mockery in the Demon Child's eyes. The Heavenly Dao... had changed! In truth, the Demon Child had been enduring the torment of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao all along. When the Heavenly Dao changed, the demonic voice treated all alike. Back then, when the Demon Child had been tainting the Five Elements Crown, the sudden emergence of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao had interrupted the demonic taint. By the time the Demon Child secured his Dao heart and tried to continue, it was already too late—the Demon Spirit had already been born. He faced the direct suppression of the seal while the Demon Spirit watched like a hawk. His plight was even worse than that of Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu when they had been trapped in Wuwang Hall, and the harm inflicted upon him by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao was correspondingly greater. Earlier, in order to break free, the Demon Child had lashed out desperately, frantically battering the seal while simultaneously enduring the dreadful impact of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Surrounded by wolves, he could not afford to reveal his weakened state; otherwise, an ancient demon retainer like Zhu Wudao might also harbor treacherous ambitions. Little did he expect that even though he had shown no flaws, Zhu Wudao would be so audaciously bold as to strike against him under such circumstances. Struck simultaneously by the seal, the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, external foes, and Zhu Wudao, the Demon Child had ultimately been taken advantage of. At this critical juncture of fusion, Zhu Wudao's Dao heart shattered in an instant. He let out an inhuman howl, his facial features contorting hideously. Pitch-black demonic qi poured from his seven orifices, staining his blood black. His skin began to tear, and his entire body was engulfed in demonic qi. In a short span of time, Zhu Wudao nearly lost all human semblance, looking more like a demonic body corrupted by demonic qi. His roars distorted, gradually growing to resemble the Demon Child's voice. Right at this moment, another sudden change occurred. The seal abruptly caved inward, and a five-colored crown floated up from the depression. The five-colored crown shone with radiant, flowing brilliance; judging by its luster, there was not the slightest trace of defilement. *Boom!* The golden wheels shattered, and the golden-armored giant's body snapped into several segments, reverting to the form of golden armor. Its luster dimmed, its power completely depleted, and it was knocked flying away. Old Devil Fan and the Poison King descended, arriving just in time to see the demonic body sinking along with the indented seal. The five-colored crown flew over the demonic body's head, bearing down with the force of ten thousand jun, pressing the demonic body downward until it was swallowed by the seal! As the saying goes, a fall into the pit makes one wiser. Having suffered two failed schemes, the Demon Spirit had finally grasped the wisdom that stillness was better than action. She had pretended that her true body was severely contaminated, focusing on scouring away the Defiled Yin Phosphorous Sand. Watching the battle until now, she had finally found her opportunity. She had coveted the Demon Child, her creator, for a very long time! *Clap!* The Five Elements Crown settled squarely upon the demonic body's head. The crown quivered gently, its five-colored streams of light spilling downward like tassels, instantly suppressing the demonic qi. Then, a faint speck of shimmering light flashed forth and vanished between the demonic body's brows. At this time, within Zhu Wudao's purple palace, his essence soul had almost merged completely with the demonic shadow, becoming a demonic soul. By now, Zhu Wudao's consciousness was almost entirely lost, and the Demon Child held dominant sway over the demonic soul. However, having first been ambushed by Zhu Wudao and stripped of his origin, the Demon Child was virtually defenseless, enduring the onslaught of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao at his weakest. Tainted by the madness within the demonic voice, he had to steady his Dao heart first. If the Demon Child could withstand the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao and survive this trial, he could be reborn through Zhu Wudao. Yet right at this moment, the Demon Spirit arrived. *Boom!* The demonic soul suffered an invisible impact, originating from that drifting point of light. The demonic soul grew even more agonizingly contorted, emitting a silent howl. Its consciousness alternated between madness and fleeting moments of lucidity, seeming to say something in broken fragments. It was nothing more than telling her to look at what became of Zhu Wudao, and the like. Yet the Demon Spirit remained unmoved. For her, this was also a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. The strongest rival outside had failed his tribulation. As long as she seized the Demon Child's true nature, no one here could stand against her, and she could devour cultivators at will. Inside Zhu Wudao's purple palace, the shimmering light manifested into a petite phantom. Her appearance closely resembled the female Daoist of the Yutai Sect, only shrunk countless times over, watching the demonic soul with cold eyes. Waving her small hands repeatedly, wave after wave of invisible impacts battered the demonic soul. With the Demon Spirit's actions, the demonic soul grew increasingly ethereal, its moments of lucidity ever briefer. Its expression was almost entirely overtaken by madness and disorientation—a sign that it was about to be assimilated by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Until the Demon Child's consciousness descended into complete confusion. *Whoosh!* The Demon Spirit charged directly into the demonic soul. A piercing, shrill shriek suddenly reverberated throughout the mountain hollow. Above and below, crises erupted one after another. Before Old Devil Fan and the Poison King could figure out the cause, they watched the seal and saw with their own eyes that the sunken demonic body suddenly surged back out from the seal. It was the exact same demonic body, yet the feeling it gave off was completely different. Crowned with the Five Elements Crown, the body seemed to have fused into one with this spirit treasure. Moreover, the sealing power was also stirred by the demonic body; five-colored radiance encircled it like a robe of mist. *Swish!* The demonic body opened its eyes, its pupils half blood-red and half pitch-black. Filled with uncontrollable chaos and madness, its gaze fixed upon the two figures above. Then, a bloodthirsty hunger erupted from the demonic body's eyes! As an existence akin to an artifact spirit, she was unexpectedly also struck by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Fortunately, the Demon Child's true nature had lowered its defenses against her. Still, she hungered for cultivators' vital essence, eager to devour cultivators to nourish herself and accelerate the absorption of the true nature, making it easier to resist the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao! Unlike before, she had now returned to her true body, and her strength was beyond compare. Catching the baleful glare in the demonic body's eyes, Old Devil Fan inwardly cursed. Without hesitation, he shot upward. At the same time, the petals of the Myriad Phantom Nether Lotus beneath him snapped shut. Phantom lotuses bearing illusory demons returned one after another, instantly forming layered demonic shadows around him. At the same time, the demonic body raised an arm and pointed upward. The Five Elements Crown blazed with brilliant spiritual light. Five beams of light of varying colors surged into the sky, carrying not only the might of a spirit treasure but also the mobilized sealing power. Piercing through the layers of demonic shadows like crushing dry weeds, they crashed straight into Old Devil Fan's true body. The five-colored beams actually possessed imprisoning power, instantly forming a cage that locked Old Devil Fan in place. The next moment, an unexpected scene unfolded: the figure inside the cage underwent a drastic change, transforming into an illusory demon that had previously guarded Old Devil Fan's side. There was only one illusory demon of this kind, which never left Old Devil Fan's side. At this moment, the illusory demon took the disaster in its master's stead. Old Devil Fan's true body manifested outside the cage, his face deathly pale. The Myriad Phantom Nether Lotus also seemed to have grown somewhat fainter. Daring not linger, he fled toward the mountain exterior. As Old Devil Fan came under attack, the Poison King suffered alongside him. Taking on both at once, the Demon Spirit shot another ray of five-colored divine light toward the Poison King. The Poison King lacked Old Devil Fan's ability to shift between illusion and reality. Though he had gripped his sacred relic in hand early on, the demonic body's strike was simply too fierce; the sacred relic had no chance to unleash its divine ability. Before the sacred relic could poison the demonic body, he was already imprisoned by the five-colored beams! At this perilous juncture, the Poison King acted decisively, piercing his palm to force out essence blood and feed it to the sacred relic. Immediately afterward, the sacred relic let out a shrill screech and spewed billowing poisonous smoke. It resembled the Spirit Extinguishing Smoke he had used before, yet differed: the smoke was far denser, and instead of drifting toward his foe, it swirled around the Poison King. In an instant, the dense poisonous smoke completely enveloped the Poison King, forming the shape of a massive gray cocoon. The five-colored beams arrived in a flash and predictably imprisoned the Poison King, but with the giant cocoon in between, the light trying to penetrate the cocoon was actually repelled. This was not the Poison King giving up resistance and waiting to be slaughtered. Amidst the sudden crisis, he had sensed a familiar, mighty aura drawing near the mountaintop. Saint Huiguang! ... Outside the mountain. Saint Huiguang watched with his own eyes as Daoist Zilei perished during the heart demon tribulation, remaining silent. The situation was graver than they had anticipated. Daoist Zilei vividly demonstrated the compounded terror of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao and the heart demon tribulation, confirming their earlier judgment. Even an eminent Buddhist monk or the abbot of Ganlu Zen Monastery would not possess a Dao heart sturdier than Daoist Zilei's. It could be stated with certainty that no Deity Transformation cultivator would ever emerge in this realm again. Nor could they find any other helpers. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Saint Huiguang suddenly lowered his head and fixed his gaze upon Dishou Mountain. Within the mountain hollow, an exceedingly tyrannical demonic intent was brewing. Saint King Qinghu, rushing up from behind, sensed it as well. She immediately left the demon horde behind and sped over.