The Heavenly Eye Butterfly landed upon Qin Sang's fingertip, her wings gently fluttering open and shut.
She had caught the fragrance of the Nine Apertures Primordial Pill and was growing somewhat impatient, trying to push aside Qin Sang's fingers. Alas, lacking the strength, her efforts were in vain.
Her wings quivered gently, and the heavenly eye upon them looked plaintive, misting over with a dewy haze as though about to weep.
With her rising cultivation, the patterns on her wings had grown increasingly lifelike.
Qin Sang smiled faintly and gently stroked the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, feeding her a Ziwu Pill.
Taking two pills a day like this for twelve consecutive days, refining the medicinal efficacy to stabilize her foundation, and then taking the Nine Apertures Primordial Pill to break through would allow things to fall into place naturally, smoothly advancing her to the late fourth metamorphosis stage.
Inside the cave dwelling, illusory streams of light danced as the silhouette of the butterfly fluttered through the air.
Qin Sang tilted his head up slightly, feeling the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's jubilant mood, a smile gracing his face.
After playing with the butterfly for a while, Qin Sang entered meditation once more to cultivate the Essence Cultivation and Sword Nurturing Chapter.
Sitting within the Four Sages Spirit Gathering Array and bathed in abundant spiritual energy, his cultivation speed was vastly faster than before.
His incarnation remained at his side throughout, guarding him.
At regular intervals, Qin Sang would pause his cultivation to inspect the heavenly demon's demonic will inside his body.
He observed it patiently like this for a year.
The demonic will underwent no abnormal changes, nor did Qin Sang sense anything amiss with himself.
Continuing to bide his time would likely yield nothing more, and since giving up this demonic will was out of the question no matter what, he decided to begin his attempt directly.
His incarnation stood beside him, vigilant on guard.
Qin Sang closed his eyes tightly and silently chanted the scripture. Forming hand seals to direct the heavenly demon's demonic will, he stirred the jade Buddha with a thought, lowering the barrier to guide the demonic will into his meta-soul.
Though the heavenly demon had not arrived in person, its demonic will could still arouse the desires of a cultivator, even constructing all manner of illusions. To temper oneself with the heavenly demon's demonic will—this was the true essence of Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination.
As the demonic will shone into his meta-soul, the meta-soul likewise felt that "chill."
Qin Sang paused briefly. Seeing nothing amiss, he followed the guidance of the scripture, completing one incantation after another, experiencing the operation of the Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination Scripture and its every minute shift.
An hour later, Qin Sang woke from his meditation. Opening his eyes, he wore a look of "just as expected."
The Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination Scripture did offer him improvements.
Yet during his cultivation, suppressed by the jade Buddha, his desires were never aroused by the demonic will. It was just like his experience inside Che Yutao's Red Dust Gourd back on Shaohua Mountain; no matter what illusion arose, he could always remain a detached observer with a mind still as water.
As such, in his case, the effects of the Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination Scripture were heavily diminished, actually falling short of the Fire Seed Golden Lotus.
Of course, the Fire Seed Golden Lotus had its own limitations: one had to find a suitable spiritual fire, the grade of which could neither be lower than one's own cultivation realm nor excessively high.
"Now to see if the heavenly demon's demonic will can replace an inner demon to form the Lifeless Demon Seal..."
Qin Sang's thoughts raced, feeling no discouragement, having anticipated this situation long ago.
Condensing the demon seal was his true purpose in cultivating the Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination Scripture.
Keeping the heavenly demon's demonic will in his meta-soul, Qin Sang split his focus and began circulating the incantations of the Lifeless Demon Seal. Having obtained the Lifeless Demon Seal from Senior Sister Qingjun many years ago, Qin Sang had tested it through various methods multiple times and was already thoroughly familiar with the art.
"Womb of the desire demon, a seal without life..."
Each word and phrase of the chant flowed through Qin Sang's heart.
Forming the Lifeless Demon Seal was not complicated in its initial steps.
The difficulty lay in how to locate one's own inner demon and successfully complete the incantation without being swayed or lost to its influence.
Then came the terrifying hazard of the secret art: once begun, it could not be halted.
Even someone like Senior Sister Qingjun, who had not used the demon seal when breaking through her realm, had been unable to fulfill her obsession in time and still could not escape the fate of her inner demon running rampant and her mind collapsing.
For Qin Sang, none of these were problems.
Another issue warranting careful deliberation was how to choose an obsession.
Once something became an obsession, it could not be easily accomplished, yet the difficulty varied.
A cultivator would inevitably weigh their own obsessions in their heart. The subtle wonder of the secret art lay in how the cultivator's instinctive assessment of the obsession would subtly influence the effect of the demon seal.
With which obsession to "water" the demon seal was a choice every cultivator had to ponder repeatedly and make with utmost caution.
Back then, Senior Sister Qingjun had chosen slaying Leng Yuntian and avenging her parents as her obsession. Had no unforeseen mishap occurred, slaying Leng Yuntian, condensing the demon seal, and forming her Nascent Soul would have flowed together in one continuous, seamless stroke.
Qin Sang thought of himself.
Now that Liuying had awakened, what obsessions did he still have?
There was a difference between an obsession and mere delusion; something known to be impossible could not be called an obsession.
Nurturing true nature within the sword embryo to resurrect Senior Yunyouzi was a karmic tie he had accepted from Yunyouzi, and it also stemmed from his own heart, so it could count as an obsession.
Furthermore, after everything that happened at the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, Qin Sang had entertained the thought more than once: to unravel Liuli's mental knot, or at least restore their relationship to normal, even if it meant returning to being mere strangers crossing paths.
Yet this was not something he could accomplish on his own. The crux lay with Liuli. Because of the brand from the evil cultivation technique, Liuli maintained an unyielding guard against him, leaving Qin Sang even more bound hand and foot.
As his thoughts turned, Qin Sang did not agonize over it for long.
For he had never intended to fulfill the obsession in the first place!
This secret art was perilous in the extreme.
Until the obsession was resolved, the seal could not be formed!
The true reason was that doing so would turn the obsession into a seed for an inner demon, instantly triggering the most horrifying inner demon imaginable—tantamount to seeking one's own death.
Qin Sang was entirely free of such worries. When the time was ripe, what could it do to him if he forcibly formed the seal?
"My only wish in this life is to once more speak my heart with Senior Yunyouzi, raising our cups against the wind!"
A low voice echoed in the cave dwelling.
The instant the words were spoken, Qin Sang felt a sudden tremor and keenly sensed a subtle shift occurring within the heavenly demon's demonic will in his meta-soul. Every sign pointed toward the incantation he was currently driving.
"There's a reaction!"
Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he devoted his full concentration to circulating the secret art.
As time passed, the connection between the demonic will and the secret art deepened.
Eventually, Qin Sang had already stopped circulating the Heavenly Demon Spirit-Illumination Scripture and could directly sense the heavenly demon's demonic will through the Lifeless Demon Seal!
This proved that the idea of substituting an external heavenly demon for an internal demon was feasible!
Qin Sang was overjoyed. Pressing on with unyielding momentum, he channeled the Lifeless Demon Seal with all his might.
As time went on, a vague sensation arose within him: if the demonic will were viewed as a cluster of strange qi, under the guidance of the secret art, this qi was spinning ceaselessly, with bizarre runes surfacing continuously at its center.
Once the runes emerged, they did not vanish. Instead, they drew upon the demonic will, forming the outline of a demon seal at the center of the qi—or rather, hardly even an outline, ethereal and diffuse.
Yet Qin Sang could distinctly feel its existence.
The embryonic form of the Lifeless Demon Seal was complete!
"It succeeded?"
Slowly bringing his cultivation to a close, he sensed the embryonic demon seal within him. Because the process had gone so smoothly, Qin Sang inspected it thoroughly several times before daring to confirm that it had truly worked.
"Watering" the demon seal with his obsession had also produced the changes described in the secret art.
Several days later, Qin Sang finished his work and murmured to himself, "Now it all depends on the effectiveness of this external demon seal, whether it can live up to expectations..."
With that, he glanced at the incarnation beside him.
Although an accident had occurred during the summoning of the heavenly demon's demonic will, the process had gone reasonably well overall, without degenerating to the point where he had to sacrifice his incarnation to shield his true body from disaster.
That his external incarnation remained safe and sound was naturally something to rejoice over. This incarnation was exceedingly rare, and its inherent strength was already no inferior to a genuine Great Cultivator.
In fact, wielding a spirit treasure and controlling Su Zinan's demonic soul, most Great Cultivators were no match for him.
Now, everything was ready, lacking only the final push.
Moving forward, Qin Sang had only one objective: to elevate his cultivation to the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage as quickly as possible, fulfill all necessary conditions, and assault the Deity Transformation stage!
His true body would inevitably enter an extended period of secluded cultivation.
The plan, then, was to leave his incarnation outside to command the Dark Moon Guards in scouring the world, gathering information on treasures while seeking out various opportunities related to Deity Transformation.
When it came to such opportunities, the more the better.
Even though Qin Sang already possessed the Lifeless Demon Seal and the Lingxi Celestial Fruit, he would never refuse more!
For instance, first helping the Heavenly Eye Butterfly break through to the fifth metamorphosis.
The Panhu True Scripture recorded an elixir capable of aiding one's natal insect parasite in breaking through to the fifth metamorphosis, known as the Qingshuang Pill.
However, the difficulty of concocting this pill far exceeded that of the Nine Apertures Primordial Pill. According to the information the incarnation had gathered during this period, the Grandmaster Alchemists had either never heard of the three main medicinal ingredients for the Qingshuang Pill or remembered them only as fleeting rarities that had once briefly surfaced in the cultivation world.
*Bang!*
The door of the cave dwelling shut.
Standing outside, the incarnation glanced back and waved his right hand lightly. Mystical light surged from both sides, forming a transparent barrier of light outside the cave dwelling that shut out all interference.
Then, the incarnation walked out of the bamboo grove and entered one of the bamboo buildings.
An array was installed within the bamboo building—one of Luye's original formations—through which he could contact various "anchor points" and funnel intelligence from across the cultivation world through these channels.
Coupled with the Dark Moon Guards under his control, even while staying in Luye, he remained fully abreast of the world's major events.
Right now, what interested him most was undoubtedly the outcome of the battle to hunt the fierce beast.
Based on the collected intelligence, filtered and scrutinized, the truth was close at hand.
The beast-hunting battle had ultimately ended in victory. Combining the forces of both races, the Deity Transformation powerhouses had personally intervened, not only defeating the fierce beast but even managing to capture it alive, with casualties kept within an acceptable range.
It was said the beast possessed overwhelming ferocity, refusing to yield even when facing defeat.
Out of necessity, they had been forced to continue their assault until the beast was beaten to the brink of death, almost entirely stripped of its ability to resist, before they finally succeeded in confining it.
The beast's injuries were grave. It had been taken to the Ganlu Zen Monastery by Saint Huiguang and Saint King Qinghu, and no one knew how much longer it could hold out.
However, news soon spread from the Ganlu Zen Monastery regarding the question that concerned all parties most: why, exactly, had the fierce beast run amok?
Since all factions had contributed to the battle and had agreed in advance to share findings, the news could not be concealed at all; once leaked, it was promptly learned by those paying attention.
Regrettably, the fierce beast was mad by nature, devoid of reason and utterly chaotic.
Pooling their wisdom, the two Deity Transformation cultivators employed various means, even paying a hefty price to forcibly perform a soul-searching technique on a beast whose realm exceeded their own, yet failed to obtain any valuable information.
The few memory fragments obtained from the soul search were mostly meaningless scenes. They could only painstakingly deduce that the fierce beasts were also slaughtering one another, and that the turmoil likely originated from their nest.
Among the prominent sects and great clans, the Eastern Sea Guixu was no secret. If Guixu became unstable, the path marker would inevitably be affected. Yet only Deity Transformation cultivators possessed the capability to enter and investigate, leaving all sides to quietly watch the movements of the two races' Deity Transformation experts.
The incarnation learned this intelligence through the Six Prefectures Hall.
After appearing at the Ganlu Zen Monastery, he had reestablished contact with Hall Master Mu. Because he was wary of Saint King Qinghu, they communicated only in secret.
Now that the true body had hope of Deity Transformation and knew the secret of Guixu, but fierce beasts had begun running amok, Qin Sang had not abandoned his search for the Ascension Platform, and the Six Prefectures Hall was an excellent assistant.
...
"Greetings, Lord!"
At an anchor point in the Northern Wilderness.
The incarnation manifested a phantom silhouette at the anchor point. Standing with hands clasped behind his back, he looked upon the three Dark Moon Guards bowing in homage, gave a low "Mm," and gestured for them to pick up the jade slip on the stone table.
Upon the jade slip was an assortment of rosters and lists.
Having read through it, the three Dark Moon Guards looked toward the incarnation, bewilderment etched on their faces.
"From now on, you need not concern yourselves with other matters. Lead your subordinates and scatter into the cultivation world to search for the treasures listed on the jade slip. If you can trade for them, do so. Furthermore, there is no need to secure them immediately; merely uncovering where a treasure is located will count as a merit," the incarnation said flatly.
The three Dark Moon Guards naturally understood what their lord wanted them to do; Su Zinan had done the same in the past. What puzzled them were the other contents inscribed on the jade slip.
"Are you content to remain Dark Moon Guards forever?"
The incarnation smiled faintly. "As long as you accomplish the various tasks listed on the jade slip, this old man will not only grant you your freedom, but also reward you according to your merits. If anyone can uncover information related to Deity Transformation opportunities, you shall be gifted exceptional treasures!"
Pausing briefly, the incarnation continued, "Spread word that the other Dark Moon Guards wandering abroad need not hide in fear, spending their days trembling and racking their brains to break the Dark Moon Seal. So long as you work diligently for this old man, you will never be mistreated. Once this old man reaches Deity Transformation, I shall undo all the Dark Moon Seals, leaving you free to come and go as you please."
The three Dark Moon Guards exchanged glances, finding it somewhat hard to believe.
They already knew this new master's true identity.
Their lord had forged an illustrious reputation at the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, shocking the realm, and over these years it had not waned in the slightest, only growing more resounding.
The cultivation world already regarded their lord as a formidable contender to become the next Deity Transformation cultivator, ranked alongside Master Xingji and Sect Master Yu, with some even placing wagers on the outcome.
Yet what outsiders did not know was that Daoist Qingfeng—the one who had obtained the Five Elements Pill and was also deemed to possess Deity Transformation potential—was merely an incarnation of their lord!
Toward this lord, they dared not harbor the slightest defiance.
The Dark Moon Guards knew even better that their lord's wealth had to be extraordinarily vast; the scriptures and secret arts he had gathered from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect alone could benefit them endlessly.
Not only granting them freedom, but offering generous rewards as well—such a thing was unimaginable back when they were under Su Zinan's control.
Noticing their hesitation, the incarnation snorted coldly. "What? Must this old man swear an oath?"
"Subordinates dare not!"
The three hastily begged for forgiveness in a panic.
Bearing the Dark Moon Seal, their lives and deaths rested in his hands; he had no need whatsoever to deceive them.
The Dark Moon Guards departed.
In Luye, the incarnation pondered for a while, then also entered deep meditation, focusing primarily on comprehending the spirit treasure and the Dao of alchemy.
In the years that followed, news continued to stream in from all directions.
Time flew like a white steed flashing past a crevice, and fifty years slipped by in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the incarnation walked out of the bamboo building and returned to the cave dwelling. Before long, he emerged once more and flew straight out of Luye.
Heading directly south, after fifty years of absence, he paid another visit to the Ganlu Zen Monastery.
Thereafter, the incarnation commanded the Dark Moon Guards to operate in the shadows while he took action himself, making open contact on the surface.
From beginning to end, the true body had not stepped outside the cave dwelling even once!
Chapter 1707