Chapter 1706: Heavenly Demon Illuminates the Gods

Enveloped in hazy mists.

The avatar stopped before the temple gate, his gaze sweeping past Abbot Xingji and other eminent monks. Apricot-yellow temple walls, grey hall ridges, and ink-black mountains formed the ancient temple, appearing like a shimmering silhouette amidst floating clouds, serene and solemn.

Monks emerged in single file and stood by the path. Inside and outside the temple, there were also many non-Buddhist individuals. Everyone was scrutinizing the avatar, trying to discern who this Xie family ancestor truly was. Naturally, there were also those eyeing the Five Elements Pills, harboring ill intentions.

As the avatar conversed with Abbot Xingji, some individuals impatiently sent sound transmissions. The conversation between the avatar and Abbot Xingji surprised everyone, and then enlightened them. No wonder Saint Huiguang had specially clarified his identity; it turned out he had become a lackey of Buddhism.

This was Qin Sang's intention. He himself held no sectarian prejudices, treating Taoist and Buddhist sects equally. By publicly announcing his residence at Ganlu Zen Temple this time, binding his avatar to the Buddhist sect, and establishing a righteous stance, his safety could be somewhat guaranteed, at least within Ganlu Zen Temple.

After the transaction, the avatar would not leave for the time being, intending to remain at Ganlu Zen Temple to break through his bottleneck. Thereafter, if all went smoothly, the avatar would leverage Ganlu Zen Temple's conveniences to collect items required by the main body in Central Plains, while the main body would solely focus on cultivation in Luye.

Before arriving, Qin Sang had carefully filtered the avatar's memories and placed restrictions on its body. Should things go awry, he would decisively abandon the avatar!

The avatar and Abbot Xingji conversed congenially, which, in the eyes of those with malicious intent, smacked somewhat of collusion.

After the pleasantries, both parties entered the temple together. Ganlu Zen Temple had prepared a grand reception, fully honoring Saint Huiguang's promise. Qin Sang, by nature, disliked such fanfare, but could only cooperate. The avatar, like a marionette, was busy from dawn till noon, putting on a thorough performance for the guests.

The guests dispersed. Abbot Xingji personally led the avatar to a cave dwelling for rest. It was clear the preparations had been somewhat hasty; they hadn't expected the avatar to settle down at the Zen temple indefinitely. The cave dwelling was located on a back mountain of Ganlu Zen Temple, secluded and elegant, truly a first-rate cultivation ground. The avatar was extremely satisfied with it, thinking to himself, "It truly lives up to its reputation as a sacred cultivation site." In the North Sea, perhaps only Lingxiao Peak of Xuantian Palace could definitively surpass such a cave dwelling, yet this specific dwelling was certainly not the best within Ganlu Zen Temple. The only drawback was that he didn't have exclusive access to this mountain; another eminent monk from Ganlu Zen Temple was cultivating on the mountain.

Declining other arrangements, the avatar saw off Abbot Xingji. As he settled down to ponder, the guest-attending monk brought in Xie An, the couple Zhou Ruan, and others who had been waiting elsewhere.

"Greetings, Old Ancestor!""Greetings, Senior!"

The several individuals knelt and kowtowed, their voices and expressions filled with undisguised excitement. They still felt as if they were dreaming.

The avatar said indifferently, "Xie Yi and Zhou Li have already been accepted as disciples by Shen Chen. As for you, simply do as you should after returning. The Xie family and Loutai Temple must work together to govern the three commanderies. This old man will no longer concern himself with worldly affairs in the future. Should you encounter any trouble, just go to Ganlu Zen Temple and appeal..."

After dismissing them, the avatar sat quietly for a while, then walked out of the cave dwelling. The guest-attending monk had been waiting outside the door.

"This humble Taoist wishes to visit the Saint at Lesser Fangcun Mountain. Venerable Master, could you lead the way?" the avatar asked casually.

The guest-attending monk nodded, asked no further questions, and silently led the way. The two walked one after another, strolling through the mountains, admiring all the beautiful scenery. This area was already the core, heavily guarded region of Ganlu Zen Temple. The defenses were strict. Along the way, the avatar felt powerful auras from hidden places more than once. However, these individuals must have received instructions; no one came out to question them. Their path was unobstructed.

Until they reached the foot of a green mountain, the guest-attending monk stopped there and pressed his palms together in a respectful gesture. The avatar thanked him, approached the mountain, and suddenly heard, "Patron Qin is invited." Immediately, a stone path appeared amidst the trees. This mountain did not appear particularly mystical; only upon entering did one realize its hidden splendor. Compared to this place, his cave dwelling seemed humble in comparison, truly befitting a Divine Transformation cultivation ground.

The stone path was hidden within the mountain forest, where birds chirped. The avatar saw no traces of Buddhist statues or stone carvings. Upon reaching the end of the stone path, he arrived at the mountaintop. Surprisingly, there was no temple on the mountaintop. Only two meditation cushions were placed on a rock, Saint Huiguang and Saint King Green Fox each occupying one, with a ritual altar nearby. They were sitting in silent meditation with their eyes closed, and both simultaneously opened their eyes to look at him.

Under the gaze of Divine Transformation experts, the avatar's expression remained unchanged. He noticed that three fluffy fox tails had grown behind Saint King Green Fox, though they appeared somewhat illusory.

"Greetings, Saint Monk, Saint King." The avatar saluted.

"Patron Qin, your manners are impeccable," Saint Huiguang slightly bowed, and with a gesture, manifested a meditation cushion, inviting him to sit.

Saint King Green Fox smirked, "You actually have some guts!"

The avatar sat down without hesitation and immediately put forth his demand, "You two won't interfere with the transaction between myself and Fellow Daoist Mo, will you?"

"We will not interfere in any way," Saint Huiguang promised.

The avatar nodded, then took out a jade slip and handed it to Saint Huiguang. "I trouble Saint Monk to arrange a spirit formation according to the requirements on this jade slip."

After reading it, Saint Huiguang flicked his finger, and the jade slip transformed into a streak of light, shooting out of the mountain. "This formation is quite intricate and will require some time."

"No matter."

The avatar secretly breathed a sigh of relief; at least the first step was smooth. This formation was called the Myriad Miles Azure Nether Array, a type of communication spirit formation. Since the avatar was residing at Ganlu Zen Temple and the main body found it inconvenient to approach, they would use this formation for communication from now on. Ganlu Zen Temple certainly had similar secret arts, but he could only trust his own. This formation was obtained by Qin Sang in Xuantian Palace. Due to the extremely intricate requirements for its arrangement, the spiritual materials needed were too valuable, yet it only served a communication function and even had usage limits, making it rather useless. Only Ganlu Zen Temple could afford such extravagance.

Next, the three began to discuss the matter of Karmic Oaths. The main debate was between the avatar and Saint King Green Fox, with Saint Huiguang occasionally interjecting to maintain fairness. Qin Sang's goal was to ensure his self-preservation. Saint King Green Fox could generally accept the avatar's demands, but argued strongly for one condition: any promises made to him would be limited to this realm, and she guaranteed not to use her superior power against him until Qin Sang broke through to the Divine Transformation realm.

The oath was agreed upon. An altar was set up, and they swore the oath. The ritual for the Karmic Oath was complex, taking three days to complete.

Three days later, Saint King Green Fox's lips curled into a slight smile. "Have you decided what you want?"

The avatar said in a deep voice, "I would like to examine the Saint King's treasures more closely."

"Very well!" Saint King Green Fox smiled brightly, immediately exuding an enchanting charm. With a pat of her jade belt at her waist, streaks of light shot out like flowing water, hovering in the empty space between the three of them, allowing the avatar to pick at will.

The avatar quickly scanned them, revealing a puzzled expression. There was no Spirit Gathering Array.

Saint King Green Fox lazily explained, "The ancient Spirit Gathering Array is hidden in a secret realm in the East Sea. Whether to move it out from the secret realm, or for me to tell you its location, I must first inquire your preference. Forcibly moving this array carries a risk of damage. Of course, if the Spirit Gathering Array is damaged, I will provide alternative compensation."

The avatar nodded. Though he didn't answer, he had already made his decision. He would definitely have Saint King Green Fox move the Spirit Gathering Array out. Otherwise, wouldn't that be giving her an opportunity to trap him easily?

He then looked at the treasures before him. Various immortal trees, rare flowers, jade slips, ancient texts, elixirs, and treasured artifacts were displayed, a dazzling array. Their values varied, but each was an extraordinary item in the world. The avatar secretly sighed at the wealth of Divine Transformation cultivators. With a raised hand, he beckoned, the spiritual light before him trembled, and an item flew out, landing in his palm. This was a spirit bamboo, like green jade, only three feet tall, resembling a long flute. Its stalk was straight, with seven sections in total, each section uniform in length and thickness. Even the lowest root section was the same, only slightly pale. Strangely, there were no bamboo leaves on the stalk, only a crystalline flower blooming at its very top.

It was indeed a Seventh-Grade Azure Spirit Bamboo! Flowering without leaves was a sign of a mature Seventh-Grade Azure Spirit Bamboo. The spiritual flower could be used in medicine, but if the spirit bamboo was used for artifact refinement, the flower would be refined along with it, to enhance its power.

The avatar carefully examined it, primarily checking if the bamboo was damaged. This was a requirement of the 'Postnatal Wood Human Tablet': the spiritual wood used for the spirit medium had to be complete.

After checking, the avatar sent the spirit bamboo back. He then summoned a silver flower as large as a disk, a crescent-shaped green fruit, and a tree root covered in knots... Saint King Green Fox had preserved them well; they all looked as if they had just been picked, vibrant and fresh. These spiritual herbs and the elixirs in the bottles had varying effects. For instance, that green fruit could enhance divine sense, its medicinal potency no less than that of the Azure Falls Ginseng Fruit. The avatar held the green fruit in his hand, seemingly reluctant to let it go, and only returned it after a long while.

Then, he targeted the several jade slips. They contained the secret manuals for post-Divine Transformation cultivation mentioned by Saint King Green Fox, as well as other secret arts. The Ancient Splendor Scripture, Hundred-Fold Yin Thunder, Four Secret Divine Records... Indeed, each was a superior human cultivation method. Especially the Hundred-Fold Yin Thunder, it was a top-tier secret art of the Profound Water path, cultivable only after reaching Divine Transformation. Once cultivated, it could form Profound Water Yin Thunder, layered multiple times. Not only was its power terrifying, but when unleashed, it could draw upon the power of heaven and earth, making it difficult for enemies to evade. It required cultivating Water-element techniques, supplemented by the purest Water-element True Essence, otherwise, achieving mastery would be extremely difficult. It was perfectly suited for the avatar. However, Qin Sang's main body was still uncertain if he could advance to the Divine Transformation stage, and the avatar's advancement was even more distant. No matter how tempting the secret art, he could only reluctantly give it up.

He sent back the Hundred-Fold Yin Thunder, and picked up another jade slip. Upon seeing the name on it, his spirits immediately lifted. Ultimately, it was this technique that convinced him to take the risk.

The Heavenly Demonic Reflection Scripture!

The five large characters entered his vision. Following was the outline of the secret art. The jade slip had restrictions, so he could only see a portion of the content, but he understood the key to this secret art. It was actually about proactively inviting a wisp of demonic nature from an Outer Realm Heavenly Demon, drawing the external demon into the body to illuminate the primordial spirit.

Finally, he looked at the several artifacts. Though there were no true spirit treasures, there were pseudo-spirit treasures. After examining each one, the avatar found himself in a dilemma. He wanted the ancient Spirit Gathering Array, the Heavenly Demonic Reflection Scripture, and the Seventh-Grade Azure Spirit Bamboo. Additionally, there was the Seven-Star Root section, which could serve as a primary ingredient to refine a pill recorded in the 'Panhu True Scripture' to enhance the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. However, Saint King Green Fox's compensation, plus the Spirit Suppressing Incense formula, was not enough to acquire everything. As for the Spirit Suppressing Incense stick itself, he intended to keep it for Liu Li.

Saint King Green Fox had been rude first, so he could demand an inflated price. But since she had offered compensation, and he also had to consider Saint Huiguang, who had mediated, he couldn't push too far.

After a moment of thought, the avatar said, "I, Qin, obtained the Water Aspect Palace's alchemical inheritance from the Boundless Immortal Sect. The senior who created the Spirit Suppressing Incense might also have come from the Boundless Immortal Sect. This might be helpful in refining the Spirit Suppressing Incense."

Saint King Green Fox's beautiful eyes flickered, watching the avatar choose with great interest. Upon hearing this, she didn't even blink, saying, "Traded."

"And the primary ingredients for the Spirit Suppressing Incense, including two Myriad Spirit Fruits..." Only three Myriad Spirit Fruits remained. He was prepared to offer two.

Before the avatar could finish, Saint King Green Fox decisively said, "Trade all."

Both sides were inclined towards the transaction, so the subsequent process went very smoothly. The avatar took the Heavenly Demonic Reflection Scripture and the Seventh-Grade Azure Spirit Bamboo, and requested Saint King Green Fox to move the ancient Spirit Gathering Array. He also used the Myriad Spirit Fruits and other spiritual herbs previously collected to trade for the Seven-Star Root, and had Saint King Green Fox search on his behalf for the various spiritual herbs and core spiritual materials required for the 'Panhu True Scripture' and the Taiji Immortal Platform. As for the Ice-Fire Token, the avatar could collect it gradually.

This action carried the suspicion of aiding an enemy, but Qin Sang didn't care how strong his opponents were. As long as he could keep advancing, he would eventually catch up and surpass them!

"Once the Myriad Miles Azure Nether Array is refined, I will inform my main body to send the pill formulas and treasures," the avatar slightly bowed, and floated down the mountain, returning fully laden.

They watched the avatar's back disappear among the mountains. Saint King Green Fox smiled playfully, "I thought I would have to put in some effort to subtly pass him the Heavenly Demonic Reflection Scripture, but I didn't expect him to choose it directly. It saved me the trouble."

As she spoke, she turned her head and glanced at Saint Huiguang. "They say Outer Realm Heavenly Demons are external evils lured by the strong tribulations and cosmic tremors when cultivators undergo the Void Refinement Heavenly Tribulation, and they invade during the inner demon tribulation. Cultivators invariably pale at the mention of Heavenly Demons. Yet someone actually dares to proactively invite a Heavenly Demon. Old Monk, you really didn't tamper with anything, are you not afraid he'll notice something amiss and put it aside?"

Saint Huiguang replied, "This technique is a secret art for the Divine Transformation stage; this humble monk does not yet possess the ability to alter it. Any alterations would have flaws and be easily detected. In ancient Buddhist sects, there were ascetic cultivators with wills as firm as iron, who dared to proactively use Outer Realm Heavenly Demons to seek out their own spiritual weaknesses, hoping to achieve perfect completeness without flaws. This scripture was born from such practices. However, this scripture focuses more on strengthening divine sense. Because one dares not truly invite a Heavenly Demon, the effect of tempering one's nature is greatly diminished."

"You suspect the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound is related to Outer Realm Heavenly Demons?" Saint King Green Fox clicked her tongue in admiration. "What a vicious scheme! That person's divine sense far surpasses others at his level, even stronger than his own cultivation base. If he's not a spirit cultivator, he must still have profound attainments. Perhaps his divine sense could leap ahead and rival that of Divine Transformation cultivators. From what I see now, the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound seems to be compatible with the Heavenly Dao. Unless he breaks through to the Divine Transformation realm and achieves the connection between heaven and man, even a significant increase in his divine sense won't allow him to perceive the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound. If he breaks through to Divine Transformation, he will inevitably die during the inner demon tribulation. If he fails to break through, trapped by the bottleneck and with nowhere to turn, he will surely think of the Heavenly Demonic Reflection Scripture to continue strengthening his divine sense and seek an opportunity for breakthrough. At that time, if he invites a Heavenly Demon, and if your guess is true that Outer Realm Heavenly Demons are the source of the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound, what he'll draw in won't be a wisp of demonic nature from a Heavenly Demon, but the gaze of a Heavenly Demon itself! If he suddenly dies, you can then confirm the source of the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound based on that. Even if the changes in this realm are unrelated to Outer Realm Heavenly Demons, this person will have the demonic nature of a Heavenly Demon accompanying him. If the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound continues to strengthen in the future, he will certainly be the first to be affected, his demonic nature erupting, and he will undoubtedly die. Spirit cultivators are rare in this world, and those who know about the Heavenly Dao Demonic Sound dare not cultivate this technique. Someone like him is extremely rare. Indeed, no one is more suitable than him. Old Monk, you truly harbor deep apprehension towards him. If he can't break through Divine Transformation, you don't intend to let him live either!"

Saint Huiguang fingered his prayer beads, lowered his gaze, and remained silent.

Saint King Green Fox sighed, "In the past, although I found you disagreeable, I saw you act with magnanimity and grandeur. When have you ever stooped to such petty, treacherous, and underhanded tactics?" Finally, Saint King Green Fox shook her head and commented, "Being anxious about gains and losses, it's just like that. Having too many attachments truly isn't a good thing."

Far away, in Luye of the Northern Wilderness, Qin Sang's main body was not cultivating at this moment, but was constantly deducing something. The 'Seal of Non-Life Demonic Imprint' that Senior Sister Qing Jun had given him appeared in his mind. Since obtaining this secret art, Qin Sang had always harbored an idea, but despite searching throughout the North Sea and Central Plains, he had never found a cultivation method or secret art that could corroborate this idea.

Outer Realm Heavenly Demons, also known as External Form Heavenly Demons, are terrifying existences capable of transforming into a cultivator's inner demons, and killing people invisibly.

If inner demons don't arise, what then of external demons?