Chapter 127: Mystic Art of the Primordial Spirit

Confident, the dark red mountain demon, with countless rocks covering an area of two to three *li* around him, declared, "Once you're in my territory, you won't escape."

Meng Chuan, however, remained still, calmly watching as the countless rocks enveloped him. His gaze was fixed on the dark red mountain demon.

"Go!" With a mere thought, the dark red mountain demon's demonic power surged, manipulating the myriad fragmented rocks that formed its outer body, directing them all towards Meng Chuan.

Meng Chuan still did not move.

Only at the precise moment the countless rocks completely engulfed him did he finally make his move.

"Roar!" A furious roar, like that of an ancient beast, seemed to echo through the dark red world. Streaks of terrifying blade light erupted. In an incredibly short time, Meng Chuan unleashed nineteen consecutive 'Tiger Roar' strikes. This was the most fearsome burst technique among the moves he had mastered from his *Heart Intent Blade* martial art. Employing these ultimate techniques from the Black Iron Sky Book with his current Great Sun Realm God-Demon power, their destructive force far surpassed his previous uses.

Each streak of blade light swept across hundreds of *zhang*, pulverizing countless rocks. In an instant, only a cloud of fine dust was seen dispersing, leaving an area of over one *li* around Meng Chuan completely devoid of any substantial rocks.

That entire area, spanning over one *li*, had just been subjected to a series of terrifying explosions!

Even if not directly struck by the blade light, anything within range was shattered by the residual shockwaves of the 'explosions' it generated.

"What?" The mountain demon, which had been diving at high speed, suddenly decelerated, staring ahead in astonishment.

Fifty to sixty percent of the countless rocks comprising its shattered outer body were utterly annihilated in a single encounter! An empty zone formed around Meng Chuan. Standing there, Meng Chuan looked up, long saber in one hand, and gazed coldly at the demon. "Is *this* your territory?" he challenged.

"How did he become so much stronger?" the mountain demon wondered in shock. Even when an Undying Realm being advanced to the Great Sun Realm, their power typically only increased severalfold. Yet, at this moment, the demon felt a shiver of dread.

"Truly weak," Meng Chuan sneered. In an instant, he transformed into a flash of lightning and lunged forward.

"This isn't good," the dark red mountain demon exclaimed, startled.

Since there were no longer any external rocks within a one-*li* radius of Meng Chuan, the mountain demon was temporarily unable to impede him.

"Close-quarters combat? That's what I like best!" Despite being startled, the dark red mountain demon showed no fear. It ferociously manifested eight arms and charged directly at the flashing lightning.

"Die!" As it neared the lightning-fast figure, six of the dark red mountain demon's arms swung — some as claws, others as palms, still others as fists — all simultaneously striking at the electric form. Each arm erupted with terrifying power; a single blow was enough to pulverize an ordinary Great Sun Realm God-Demon. Meng Chuan, appearing as a flash of lightning, frowned slightly, unwilling to engage in a direct confrontation.

The lightning flickered, leaving a zigzagging trail, effortlessly evading the dark red mountain demon's six-armed assault.

"What?" All six of its arms missed their mark, leaving the dark red mountain demon visibly annoyed.

Blurred images of Meng Chuan appeared around the dark red mountain demon at various positions, each unleashing a blade strike. Every strike traced an eerie arc, accompanied by a terrifying, piercing dragon's roar.

The dark red mountain demon tried to use all eight arms to block, but it was astonished to discover that each blade, as soon as it thrust forward, emitted a dazzling flash of lightning. Instantly, the blade plunged into its body as space twisted, effectively shortening the distance. The dark red mountain demon had no time to mount any defense.

Twelve consecutive strikes!

The trajectory of each blade was bizarre, and combined with the space warping to shorten the distance, the dark red mountain demon failed to block even a single strike.

Accompanied by the dragon's roar, twelve gaping holes appeared on the dark red mountain demon's body, each one piercing straight through. Even its head was impaled with a large hole! Yet, with a mutilated face, the dark red mountain demon still stared at Meng Chuan. "Human God-Demon, I truly underestimated you," it growled. Immediately after, a terrifying surge of demonic power erupted, and the dark red mountain demon's aura swelled dramatically. It transformed into a crimson phantasm and lunged at Meng Chuan.

Although its power had surged, the twelve penetrating holes on the dark red mountain demon's body healed at an excruciatingly slow pace.

"To kill a mountain demon, I must destroy its true body and eliminate the core within it," Meng Chuan understood. Great Sun Realm God-Demons possess incredibly tenacious vitality; they can survive even if their heart is pierced. However, demon kings of the demon race, who primarily cultivate their physical bodies, generally possess far greater vitality than humans.

Cultivators of the True Essence lineage possess more intricate techniques and more terrifying burst power.

Demon race cultivators, conversely, boast stronger physical bodies and an array of strange techniques rooted in their physiology.

"Die!" The dark red mountain demon, now maddened by its forbidden techniques, lunged at Meng Chuan.

The lightning-fast figure blurred and effortlessly evaded the demon, whose attack missed its mark.

Meng Chuan appeared behind the dark red mountain demon. His blade light transformed into a dazzling flash of lightning, warping space, and struck directly into the depths of the hole in the demon's back.

This was the 'Heart Blade Form' from the *Heart Intent Blade*.

"Boom." After the 'Heart Blade Form' was unleashed, its Yin-Yang explosive force easily transmitted through the dark red mountain demon's rocky body, rapidly reaching its core, the 'Life Stone'. The Yin-Yang force detonated! The Life Stone violently shook and shattered completely into dozens of fragments.

"No—" The dark red mountain demon's eyes widened. It wanted to speak, unwilling to accept its fate, but its vitality rapidly drained away.

It then crashed to the ground. As its vitality ebbed, and with Yuanchu Mountain's control over it lifted, the demon began to regain consciousness.

"So, I was captured alive long ago? Brought here to be a sparring partner for human God-Demons?" The mountain demon felt a sense of relief. Regardless of whether this blade-wielding human God-Demon existed, its fate had been sealed long ago.

Meng Chuan slew the mountain demon, observing its surface dull in color as it transformed entirely into lifeless rock.

He felt no sense of accomplishment killing a demon king within the Nine Mysteries Cavern, knowing the opponent had been under control all along.

If he was to truly kill, it had to be on the battlefield!

"Hmm?" Meng Chuan noticed the dark red world's void ahead begin to twist, revealing a cave exit.

"The Nine Mysteries Cavern exit? I finally cleared the Nine Mysteries Cavern," Meng Chuan murmured, striding towards it. According to Yuanchu Mountain's rules, a defeat would always send one back to the entrance. Only upon successful completion would the Nine Mysteries Cavern reveal its exit on the other side.

He walked out through the exit tunnel.

He immediately saw a sea of flowers. It was late autumn, making such a vibrant floral display remarkably rare.

It was a sea of small purple blossoms.

"A-Chuan," Liu Qiyue called from within the flower sea, smiling as she watched Meng Chuan approach.

"I've made it through," Meng Chuan said with a laugh. "Tomorrow, it's your turn."

He remained very confident in Qiyue.

Yuanchu Mountain also meticulously prepared the demon king opponents for its disciples.

Take the mountain demon, for instance: its body was incredibly formidable, far surpassing that of an ordinary Great Sun Realm God-Demon. However, once Meng Chuan reached the Great Sun Realm God-Demon stage, his superior speed became a complete counter to the opponent! No matter how immense the mountain demon's strength, it couldn't lay a hand on Meng Chuan, while Meng Chuan could relentlessly assault it. The outcome was predetermined: he was bound to win. Had he not broken through to the Great Sun Realm, damaging even the demon's outer body would have been exceedingly difficult, let alone its true form.

Destroying the core 'Life Stone' within its true body would have been utterly impossible.

Yuanchu Mountain had two objectives: first, to let Meng Chuan experience the formidable power of a Triple Heaven demon king; and second, to compel Meng Chuan to reach the Great Sun Realm before he could leave the mountain.

Xue Feng, too, had followed this path; he only cleared the Nine Mysteries Cavern and descended the mountain after his Sword Soul had fully matured and he became a Great Sun Realm God-Demon.

The following day, Liu Qiyue also succeeded.

Both of them then proceeded to the Hall of Teachings.

"Elder Yi," Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue both greeted respectfully.

Elder Yi, seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, smiled at the young pair before him. He greatly admired these two, who were truly top-tier genius God-Demons cultivated by Yuanchu Mountain. Though still nascent in experience, their strength was already formidable. He believed that once they had endured the crucible of battle, they would swiftly mature enough to safeguard a region.

"Congratulations to both of you for clearing the Nine Mysteries Cavern," Elder Yi advised. "Once you descend the mountain, you will truly face life-and-death battles. You must support each other. When you first step onto the battlefield, be careful and cautious; never be reckless. Your combat experience is still very limited."

Liu Qiyue smiled. "Elder, we will be very careful. I'll make sure to keep an eye on A-Chuan as well."

Meng Chuan simply smiled.

"You two must watch out for each other," Elder Yi said, smiling as he retrieved three books. "This is the second volume of *Thunder God-Destroying Demon Body*, this is the second volume of *Phoenix Divine Body*, and this last one is a secret cultivation art for the Primordial Spirit."

Elder Yi handed one of the God-Demon cultivation manuals to Meng Chuan and the other to Liu Qiyue.

Upon reaching the Great Sun Realm, disciples were eligible to receive the complete God-Demon cultivation manuals, as well as secret arts for Primordial Spirit cultivation.