Chapter 539: True and False Hard to Discern, All Spirits Compete for Immortality

The other party paused briefly before truthfully stating his name. "Long Chan." Wang Yu's brow furrowed even deeper; he thought, "This person holds a prejudice against demonic cultivators..." To his surprise, just as he was thinking this, Master Long Chan's voice continued.

"The world misunderstands this humble monk. Fellow Daoist, you need not worry that I am unreasonable."

While that was indeed what he was thinking, having it stated so directly was rather awkward.

Moreover, Wang Yu had already intended to visit the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea.

He would have to confront Long Chan eventually; there seemed to be little difference between sooner and later. With this thought, the Chains of Heaven in the void rapidly receded.

And so, the spatial fluctuations intensified, quickly forming clear ripples, like fish leaping from water. Master Long Chan, who had instantly teleported using the Buddhist divine ability *Within a Hair's Breadth, the End of the World*, swiftly bowed to Wang Yu and said, "Thank you for your trust, Fellow Daoist. May I ask your name?"

Wang Yu observed Long Chan.

Long Chan had a bald head and white eyebrows, lacking the typical ordination scars on his scalp. White whiskers from his brow line reached his cheeks, though they weren't excessively long. He possessed a kind and benevolent face, and his earlobes, clear as precious jade, were particularly striking.

His skin was smooth and taut; were it not for his mature facial features, he would not appear old at all.

From any perspective, he possessed a remarkably virtuous appearance, a stark contrast to Wang Yu, whose demeanor was forged by years of combat. Even a naive mortal could immediately discern the difference: Wang Yu was fierce and sinister.

After a brief pause, Wang Yu cupped his hands and spoke. "I am Extreme Law Profound Pill Demonic Venerable, from Scarlet Kite."

Wang Yu was highly renowned in Scarlet Kite, but the name "Extreme Law Profound Pill" was known to very few, only to those who had specifically delved into such matters.

Master Long Chan quickly nodded. "Fellow Daoist Extreme Law, may this humble monk examine the item you just acquired from the ruins?"

"You may look, but taking it is not an option for now."

Long Chan, seeing Wang Yu's resolute reply and lack of hostility, simply waited for him to reveal the item to confirm if it was indeed what he sought.

Soon, the ice box, recently placed in the Sea Heart Ring, was retrieved. The moment the grotesque head was exposed to the air, Master Long Chan's aura wavered for an instant. This was clearly a chain reaction brought on by his tumultuous emotions.

He took a deep breath and explained, "Alas... Fellow Daoist Extreme Law, have you heard of the Ancient Buddhist Sect?"

"Naturally. This Venerable One has quite a connection to it, having cultivated the inherited traditions of the Buddhist Sect and acquired its unique spiritual items on multiple occasions. I believe I have a fair understanding."

Master Long Chan's eyes lit up. "Then are you familiar with the Buddha's enemies?"

"Is this head connected to the Buddha's enemies?" Wang Yu countered with a question, only for the other party to nod directly in response.

"The so-called Buddha's enemy is Mara, also known as Papiyas. Under his command are eight billion Undying Devils. According to investigations and explorations by generations of our sect's predecessors, it is highly probable that the Ancient Buddhist Sect was destroyed by these Undying Devils."

Undying Devils... Wang Yu's brows furrowed slightly. Based on his knowledge, the Buddhist Sect's destruction was a backlash caused by its own arrogance, with the Asura Sword Venerable being the catalyst. There were no records of any Undying Devils in between. Furthermore, eight billion is an enormous number; it doesn't sound like a truly formidable entity.

"Master, you're saying this head belongs to an Undying Devil?"

"Yes."

"Undying Devils are like fleas parasitic on Ancient Devils, arriving in this realm alongside their hosts' physical bodies. Most were dealt with by the cultivators from the upper realm who escorted the Ancient Devils. Only a very small number remain. These creatures are virtually immortal and indestructible; as far as I know, cultivators below the Refined Void stage cannot fully destroy them. As for why it appeared in the Gui Ming Ruins, this humble monk is currently investigating that as well."

After hearing the explanation, Wang Yu immediately returned the Undying Devil's head to his Sea Heart Ring. "Master, you want this head?"

"...Yes."

Master Long Chan, seeing Wang Yu's enigmatic smile, felt a surge of unease and quickly added, "This item, once it comes into contact with living flesh and blood or demonic power, will recover at an extremely rapid rate until it regains its peak strength. It is exceedingly dangerous. This humble monk desires it, in truth, to suppress it within the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea, preventing this demonic creature from emerging and causing harm."

"Master, I, Wang, deeply understand your compassionate desire to eliminate demons and save the world. However, according to the rules of our demonic path, everything has its value; there is no such thing as taking something for nothing."

"In that case, Fellow Daoist Extreme Law, please name your price."

"Simple." Wang Yu said with a subtle smile. "I've heard that the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea inherited the Buddhist body refinement path. A fifth-tier body refinement cultivation method would suffice as an exchange. I can swear an oath to guarantee that I will not transmit it to anyone else."

"What?" Master Long Chan's astonished expression did not seem feigned.

"Fellow Daoist Extreme Law, you might be overestimating our sect. Our most profound body refinement inheritance is only fourth-tier, called the 'Flood Dragon Soaring Cloud True Art,' which is quite suitable for cultivation at sea. Moreover, since you have embarked on the demonic path, you must know that Buddhist body refinement cultivates Buddhist essence, which fundamentally conflicts with demonic cultivation and cannot be practiced concurrently."

"You need not concern yourself with that, Master. A transaction is a transaction; how this Venerable One utilizes it is my own affair. Since you have no bargaining chips, I shall take my leave."

Wang Yu immediately made a gesture to leave. Master Long Chan did not stop him, clearly not wishing to engage in a battle in these ruins.

However, Wang Yu doubted that Long Chan's true nature was as gentle as he appeared. Considering past rumors, even if some were exaggerated, it was an undeniable fact that he had clashed with the Heaven Refining Demonic Sect. This alone revealed a volatile side to his character; he shouldn't have been so gentle. Furthermore, Wang Yu didn't believe a single word of his explanation.

As for Mara or Undying Devils, such specious concepts were too distant for him; it was better to focus on immediate gains. Rather than relying on others' accounts, he trusted the intelligence he had personally uncovered from his multiple visits to Dongji Capital and information acquired from Miaoshan. This intelligence clearly indicated that the Buddhist Sect was annihilated alongside the Ancient Immortal Dynasty. He had also briefly conversed with the Crown Princess, who had never once mentioned any Undying Devils.

Therefore, it was more probable that Long Chan was simply fabricating stories. Fabricating a false narrative was merely an attempt to trick him out of the head. As for why he didn't make a move... naturally, he dared not! As he had said earlier, the name "Extreme Law Profound Pill" held far less influence than Wang Yu's personal name. Coupled with his exceptionally skilled concealment techniques, how could Long Chan dare to attack directly without knowing his full background? Long Chan had already experienced a setback in this very regard before.

The brief first encounter concluded with both parties unmoved. Before visiting the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea, Wang Yu planned to first go to Jinman Tower in the South Sea Islands to contact Miaoshan for information.

As one of the largest merchant organizations in the Ice Prison Realm, the South Sea Islands also housed branches of Jinman Tower and Wanbao Tower. Since Jin Miaoshan became the successor to the tower master, they had not been in contact for a considerable time. Presumably, she now held greater authority, so asking her about any uncertainties would be perfectly fine. Jinman Tower boasted a long history and was a merchant organization that spanned the entire realm. Through its buying and selling operations, it naturally amassed a vast amount of hidden knowledge and historical records.

Meanwhile, after watching Wang Yu depart, Master Long Chan's eyes quickly turned cold, and he cursed under his breath. "That damned demonic brat, his mind is more intricate than the sands of the Ganges! I explained it to him so thoroughly, yet he didn't believe me..." Yes, he could tell Wang Yu hadn't believed his nonsense at all.

Not long after waiting, the four "Qiu"-generation wanderers from the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea arrived, and Qiu Mi immediately asked, "Grand-uncle Master, may I ask if everything went smoothly?"

"Hmph, you were too slow! The precious skull that was within our grasp was snatched away by someone else. How much effort did this Venerable One expend to find it? — All ruined by you! Upon returning, each of you will face ten years of confinement on Skeleton Mountain."

At the mention of "Skeleton Mountain," all four trembled. They all showed signs of fear, clearly dreading this punishment. Qiu Mi, being the only Nascent Soul disciple, held a distinctly different status. He frowned and retorted, "Grand-uncle Master, this isn't right. That person mentioned he would personally visit the sect soon; he clearly has something to ask. The matter of the precious skull might not be without a turning point."

Master Long Chan raised an eyebrow, recalling the condition Wang Yu had just proposed. Could it be... he had been serious about his condition? To be frank, the Buddhist sect's fifth-tier body refinement inheritance wasn't absent from the sect; it was just that no one had ever achieved anything significant with it, and it had gradually fallen into obscurity. He had just assumed Wang Yu was making a casual offer.

"We'll discuss this later. For now, all of you go to the Eight Fingers Headquarters and investigate the origins of the title 'Extreme Law Profound Pill Demonic Venerable.' The more details you can gather within three days, the better. If you succeed, the confinement on Skeleton Mountain may be rescinded."

The three Core Formation cultivators exchanged glances. Immediately bypassing Qiu Mi, they eagerly agreed and departed to gather information. This elicited a soft sigh from Qiu Mi. He didn't know when it began, but problems had arisen within the Ancient Sect of Heavenly Sea. This current atmosphere, in particular, had completely eroded the harmony and friendliness he remembered from his initial entry into the sect. The changes were so profound that even he found it increasingly difficult to adapt.

Subsequently, Master Long Chan once more departed using the *Within a Hair's Breadth, the End of the World* divine ability, his destination unknown.

***

South Sea - Purple Bamboo Island - Spirit Pearl City.

Jinman Tower – South Sea Headquarters! This was considered the largest spiritual island among the South Sea Islands, boasting eight fourth-tier spiritual veins and attracting the highest concentration of Nascent Soul cultivators in the South Sea cultivation world. As it was located in a sea region difficult to cultivate, the local currency was spirit pearls, cultivated in specialized pearl farms. Once mature, these pearls could be extracted from spirit clams. Their grade roughly corresponded to spirit stones, but their value fluctuated more significantly.

Upon arriving, Wang Yu wasted no time. After displaying his Nascent Soul cultivation, he was immediately escorted as a VIP to the top floor. Once he presented the token given by Jin Miaoshan, the local tower master led him directly to the communication chamber. Because of its remote location, ordinary communication artifacts could not span such a vast distance, so a special long-range projection array for communication had been set up. By embedding a communication jade slip, one could connect with every other jade slip recorded on the array. Wang Yu had used this device rarely, but upon activating it, he quickly received a response.

A transparent image, composed of spiritual power, quickly materialized. Compared to her previous appearance, Jin Miaoshan now looked more imposing and authoritative. However, her strained smile made Wang Yu's heart skip a beat.

"Miaoshan..."

"Tsk, tsk, who do we have here? It's you. After so many years, I thought you'd died in some secret realm. Have you broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage yet? Does your big sister need to lend a hand?"

"Thank you for the kind offer, but there's no need to trouble yourself."

Wang Yu seemed to ignore the sarcasm in her words, responding earnestly, which only further irritated Jin Miaoshan. "I know you wouldn't bother me unless you needed something. Tell me, what's on your mind that requires your big sister's counsel?"

In truth, it hadn't been that long since they last met—perhaps only sixty years, or even less. But to get to business, Wang Yu took a few steps back and retrieved the mysterious skull from his Sea Heart Ring. He allowed the array to project it entirely to Jin Miaoshan's side.

"Help me find out what kind of creature this is. It should be related to ancient history, or perhaps... to the True Spirit Realm."

"True Spirit Realm?" After becoming the tower master, Jin Miaoshan's authority had reached its highest level; there was virtually no information within the tower that she couldn't access. After briefly noting the skull's features, she said, "Wait a moment, I'll go look it up."

The wait lasted a full half-day. When Jin Miaoshan returned, Wang Yu eagerly inquired, "Well?"

"Indeed, I found something. Wang Yu, have you heard of the Myriad Spirits Contending for Immortality?"

"What does that entail?"

Jin Miaoshan sighed and said, "According to records, humans are not the dominant power in the True Spirit Realm. Therefore, both righteous and demonic cultivators can serve the Immortal Palace. Beyond humanity, countless other races also tread the path of cultivation. And attaining immortality, the ultimate pursuit on this path, requires contention with all other races. The heavens are without constant, but immortals are finite. Immortals are said to be coeval with heaven and earth, proclaimed eternally undying. Their numbers are constrained by the Grand Dao; one could say there's a limited number of slots. Unless death is caused by external forces, the same immortals will always exist."

Wang Yu's pupils constricted. Although the immortal realm was still distant for him, such a profound secret was not something just anyone could know. With countless Great Daos and myriad spells, what people sought was eternal life. However, eternal life was not the ultimate goal; it was merely a byproduct of attaining the Dao. The true essence of seeking the Dao lay in comprehending the world's true nature, breaking free from life's shackles, transcending heaven and earth, and acting with complete freedom. While learning this news in advance was indeed a shock, it was not enough to shatter his fundamental pursuit of the Dao.

"So... this head is from an exotic race in the True Spirit Realm?"

"Indeed." Jin Miaoshan nodded and continued, "This should be a creature from the Demonic Race. It is said that humans and demons are sworn enemies, and the origins of demonic cultivation initially sprang from imitating the cultivation methods of the Demonic Race. The Ancient Demonic bodies suppressed in the Ice Prison Realm are, in fact, the immortal ancestors of the Demonic Race from the True Spirit Realm."

"So that's how it is." If that's the case, the idea of the Demonic Race tracking their ancestors' bodies to find and enter the Ice Prison Realm makes more logical sense than Master Long Chan's fabricated story.

"Then what's its use?"

Hearing Wang Yu's question, Jin Miaoshan's gaze suddenly became peculiar. She said, "For ordinary cultivators, this item is a source of disaster, but for demonic cultivators, it's a great tonic. The simplest use is to refine it into a medicinal pill, which can significantly enhance a demonic cultivator's foundation and has miraculous effects in breaking through realms. However, its primary purpose is actually to contain Outer Demons..."

Wang Yu suddenly understood. So, Venerable Demonheart had used it to contain the Outer Demon's larva back then. No wonder it was found in the Gui Ming Ruins; this explains all the lingering questions.