Chapter 482: Continued Path of Wonderful Methods

Just as the cloud octopus was subdued, two demonic octopuses burst from the sea, flailing their tentacles aggressively. They slammed into Kong Heng's golden light, causing him to pause slightly. This gave the cloud octopus a chance to breathe, and it used its demonic power to block the lightning.

Kong Heng struggled slightly, yet his expression remained calm, even turning somewhat peculiar. Although he had mastered many spells over the years, he shouldn't be able to suppress three demons single-handedly. He found these two Foundation Establishment level minor demons unusually weak. He focused his gaze, and his eyes surged with magical insight: "These two demonic creatures seem odd, like clones... No wonder the two Huiyu fish weren't afraid at all..."

While Kong Heng suppressed the three demons, Li Qinghong in the air was not idle. Lightning gathered in her hand, her spear dyeing the surrounding spiritual energy a translucent purple. She twirled the spear, creating a sparrow's silhouette. Her spear launched purple, conical waves through the air, encircled by lightning. In response, seven or eight bolts of lightning struck from the sky. For a moment, her power was immense, startling the cloud octopus. It thought to itself: "This is terrible. She must be a disciple of an immortal sect. If she truly intended to kill me, with all this lightning, there would be no escape."

Finally abandoning the thought of escape, it bared its fangs, realizing there was no way out without a desperate fight. It extended its eight tentacles, weaving through the swirling mist and rapidly absorbing energy.

Huiyao, with his bun-like face, found himself and his brother unable to intervene for a moment, fearing they too would be suppressed by the golden light if they approached. He was inwardly astonished: "Having one monk is bad enough! But there's also a lightning cultivator... They say lightning eradicates evil, but what demon in this world isn't tainted by some wickedness...?"

While enduring the lightning, the cloud octopus rapidly absorbed the spiritual energy from its surroundings, causing the energy in the area to plummet instantly. The sea surface, which had been sealed into a flat landmass, also showed faint cracks, as if it wanted to leap up, stirred by its spellcasting.

Li Qinghong slightly parted her lips, intending to unleash the Profound Thunder from her Thunder Pool. A faint purple-white glow already emanated from her red lips, appearing quite mystical. With her breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, her Qi Sea Thunder Pool now contained two Profound Thunders. Additionally, she could temporarily condense one more using her magic power. If she were to unleash all three Profound Thunders without regard for cost, it would be enough to kill this cloud octopus, which had no significant lineage. However, she didn't trust the two demon fish, so she hesitated to use them.

Unexpectedly, Huiyao burst out laughing and shouted: "I can finally be of use!" He then blew and tapped again. The small emerald-green bell suspended in the air began to sway and vibrate. The incessantly surging spiritual energy immediately halted its flow, lingering hesitantly in the air.

The cloud octopus had never seen such a display. It was no spellcasting genius like Yu Muxian, and it frantically flailed its eight tentacles, constantly wriggling in the air to resist the lightning. As the cloud octopus's spell stalemated with the emerald-green bell, Li Qinghong put away her Profound Thunder. Her long hair streamed behind her, and she fought vigorously. Lightning and black smoke erupted everywhere as she wielded her purple lightning spear, moving freely amidst the attacks of the three demons.

Since arriving in the East Sea, she hadn't had a satisfying fight. Her opponents were either easily dispatched with two spear strikes or wouldn't fight her to the death. Finally, she had found a whetstone. The talismanic qi within her subtly circulated, and the more she fought, the fiercer she became.

The cloud octopus, caught in the midst of it, found it most troublesome. It felt the lightning in the female cultivator's hand growing more powerful and her spear-light becoming sharper. Sliced flesh and blood flew high, raining down like sprinkles, drawing schools of fish to feast on the surface of the sea. It had to abandon its spell, only to see the two despicable Huiyu fish already entangling its two subordinates. Meanwhile, the bald monk's palms glowed golden, striking it with powerful, fleshy blows.

The cloud octopus had lost the initiative and was suppressed by the magical artifact. Several of its spells were unusable, forcing it to fight Li Qinghong head-on, which was already challenging. With the addition of the monk, it was suddenly in great peril. This was almost a common failing among all cultivators, except for those of dragon lineage, direct disciples of immortal sects, or major powers. They only knew a limited repertoire of moves. Once they lost the initiative or were targeted pre-emptively, they would instantly fall into a disadvantage and be unable to sustain the fight.

It activated its immortal foundation and conjured several of its self-created spells, continuously releasing golden mist to defend itself. Against the combined attacks of the two, these defenses seemed weak and ineffective. The only thing that posed some threat was the occasional emergence of its purplish-black sharp beak. This sharp beak was incredibly tough and poised for attack. It could bite through lightning, and even Kong Heng, whose palms glowed like gold, had to temporarily avoid its sharp point.

After the two cultivators and one demon fought for a while, Kong Heng finally took out his ancient bronze staff. It clanged and swayed, striking the cloud octopus's flesh until it was mangled, leaving it teetering on the verge of collapse. The cloud octopus resisted stubbornly, but its cultivation was only comparable to that of Fu Daimu back then. Fu Daimu, at least, hailed from Mount Wu and possessed a Foundation Establishment magical artifact. This demon had neither of those advantages, so how could it withstand? It could only continuously throw out talismans and spiritual items to defend itself.

After all, being at the late Foundation Establishment stage, it had many treasures and talismans. The fight lasted all night, forcing the cloud octopus to flee hundreds of miles south. As they pursued, blood and golden mist scattered along the way, and pieces of its flesh continuously fell off. It fled all the way to the Cape. Li Qinghong finally severed its eighth leg, causing it to lose its ability to resist. She had fought all night, and although her magical power was greatly depleted, her aura grew stronger and stronger. Each spear strike was twenty percent more powerful than at the beginning. Coupled with Kong Heng, who specifically blocked the cloud octopus's escape routes, they finally defeated the demon.

Li Qinghong forced the demon to reveal its true form. The initially saddle-nosed old man was now just a head attached to a torso, eyes closed, begging for mercy. Li Qinghong sealed its immortal foundation and beak. Only then did the two Huiyao demons arrive. Both demons were carrying a cloud octopus, each half-dead. All eight tentacles had been completely eaten, clearly having gone into the two demons' bellies.

Seeing the two cultivators' power, Huiyao's previous arrogance vanished. He put away his bell, becoming humble and respectful, his attitude drastically changed. He exclaimed: "My lords... what magnificent lightning, my lord! What superb magic, master!" The demon had clearly never flattered anyone like this before; its praises were limited to repeated "good" or "magnificent." Demons were always like this, with no moral burden, changing their faces in an instant. Li Qinghong was not surprised. She pointed at the cloud octopus and said: "Let's set aside how the other spoils are divided for now. He belongs to me; I still have some use for him."

Huiyao nodded repeatedly. Kong Heng, however, looked at the cloud octopus heads in their hands with an apparent look of doubt and said: "These two beasts seem quite weak." Li Qinghong silently turned her head, secretly amused. She wasn't sure if Kong Heng's comment was unintentional, but the Huiyu brothers most likely didn't pick up on it. They quickly explained: "Master, you don't know, but this cloud octopus's Dao foundation is quite special. These two creatures aren't normal Foundation Establishment cultivators; they were formed by a fortuitous coincidence. Back then, he severed eight of his tentacles, each transforming into a cloud octopus. He used the cloud octopuses' inherent talent to link with his Dao foundation, then continuously nurtured them with magic power. Over the years, he truly managed to cultivate two Foundation Establishment subordinates... but they are inherently flawed and ultimately fall short. Your formidable powers, master, naturally mean these two creatures couldn't possibly affect you."

Huiyao boasted for a while, perfectly demonstrating the mindset of most demons who fear power but lack virtue. He quickly added: "This old fellow has many treasures. Please, both of you, follow me to take a look." The two demons transformed into their original forms and dove into the sea. Li Qinghong took a pill, calculating that none of the Profound Thunders in her Thunder Pool had been used. She effortlessly followed behind them.

After searching the seabed for a while, the demons emerged empty-handed. Huiyao looked somewhat embarrassed. He dragged the cloud octopus over and slapped it dozens of times, trying to force it to reveal its cave dwelling. However, the cloud octopus knew it was going to die and remained stubborn, refusing to reveal a single word. Huiyao and Hui Er exchanged a smile and said: "My lord, please allow us to deal with him." "Keep him alive; he still has some use," Li Qinghong commanded.

Li Qinghong gave the instruction, watching the two Huiyu fish dive into the sea. A thick mist rose from the surface, leaving only Li Qinghong and Kong Heng. Kong Heng clasped his hands together, hesitated for a few breaths, and even closed his eyes. Li Qinghong, meanwhile, gazed at the horizon, secretly observing. They had ventured several hundred miles deeper, reaching the Cape. The spiritual energy grew increasingly sparse, and the sky was an endless dim black. It was said that spiritual energy was thin here, and even the Grand Void was tattered. Even a Purple Mansion cultivator would have to periodically land and fly short distances here. Also, because the seawater plummeted down at the Cape, transforming into rising mist, the clouds and fog here were exceptionally dense. If a place with abundant spiritual energy could be found, it would indeed be a good location for cultivation.

Li Qinghong watched for a while. Kong Heng, standing nearby, began to sweat. Finally, the two Huiyu fish leaped up, handed over the cloud octopus, and led the way forward. The cloud octopus's eyes were tightly shut, its body covered in blood. It seemed to have lost consciousness, its lower half a limp mass of flesh, oozing blood drop by drop. The blood turned into golden mist as it rose and drifted everywhere. The group flew into the sea, quickly found a formation point, opened it with the cloud octopus's token, and entered.

The cloud octopus's cave dwelling was empty and sticky, more like a sea cave. Wet spiritual mud churned within it, truly a place favored by cloud octopuses. The group searched for a while and emerged with some spiritual items. This spiritual mud was unusual; not only did it reek, but it could also corrode the body through magical power. As Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were naturally unharmed, merely finding the smell unpleasant. Huiyao, disgusted by the environment, dragged the cloud octopus over and slapped it dozens more times to vent his frustration.

Most of these treasures were various kinds of broken magical artifacts, some refined by demons, others left behind by cultivators. Next were spiritual materials, including various spiritual waters and qi. Li Qinghong picked out some spears and swords. She looked through the spiritual qi, not recognizing any of them, so she casually chose a few. She also selected a few spiritual waters for her juniors to cultivate eye techniques. 'As for wealth... there's nothing truly impressive here... just taking some rare spiritual items back.'

Li Qinghong had not held much hope given the demon's strength. Huiyao's talk about its abundant treasures on the way was merely a ploy to stir greed. Now that their enemy was killed, Huiyao's grinning demeanor showed no embarrassment. After everyone had taken their share, Huiyao was in high spirits. He politely escorted the two back to the island, not only refraining from mentioning tribute but even offering to share the underwater mineral resources. Li Qinghong feared the fish's lack of foresight; speaking of sharing mineral resources was highly taboo among the dragon lineage. If it reached the Dragon Prince, they themselves would face great embarrassment. She politely declined and quietly entered secluded cultivation on the island.

***

**South Xinjiang, Yishan City.**

Li Xuanfeng had waited for over two years in South Xinjiang and was finally granted an audience with True Lord Yuansu. Returning to the cave dwelling, he carefully observed the spirit beast statue in front of it. Indeed, it bore a striking resemblance to the one he had seen in the grotto-heaven. With a sense of certainty, he stepped inside.

Yuansu was, as always, leaning against a jade platform. Below it, spiritual energy surged and white mist drifted. His gaze lingered on Li Xuanfeng's face for a moment, then he said softly: "You truly killed Yu Muxian."

Li Xuanfeng bowed and replied: "Your subordinate was reckless. I beg for your forgiveness, True Lord." Yuansu shook his head, sat up slightly, and his voice, very soft, drifted in the air. "It doesn't matter. Yuanwu will die before me. By then, I suppose even Tang Shedu won't be able to do anything to you." He completely ignored Li Xuanfeng's words and continued to himself: "Sui Guan has had heavy rain for two years with no sign of stopping, and Jin Yu won't remain idle either. It's truly a turbulent time..."

True Lord Yuansu spoke a few more sentences, then quickly fell silent. Li Xuanfeng stepped forward and said: "Your subordinate saw a beast statue in the grotto-heaven that closely resembles the one in your cave dwelling. I obtained a gemstone from that stone sculpture and brought it back to offer to you, True Lord."

"A Three-Eyed Qiaoshan Beast?" Yuansu showed some interest. As Li Xuanfeng presented the gemstone with both hands, Yuansu glanced at it. The stone was deep in color, and within it, faint ripples seemed to shimmer. He said disappointedly: "It's nothing good. Just a Female Water Stone, useless to me. You can keep it."

He leaned back against the jade platform, seemingly reminded of something by the topic, and said casually: "What cultivation techniques did you seek in the grotto-heaven?" Li Xuanfeng was prepared. He took out three jade slips from his storage bag and respectfully said: "The first is the 'Xilu Yuan Jue,' said to be a complementary cultivation technique practiced by you, True Lord. The second is the 'Chenxin Yin,' a complementary cultivation technique of Immortal Ning Wan. The third is your subordinate's own 'Mangjin Wen Xuan Fa.'"

Yuansu burst into laughter, stopping only after several breaths. He then said: "You were quite thoughtful. The 'Xijie Lu' of the 'Xilu Yuan Jue' is indeed the divine ability I lack, but unfortunately, the 'Three Drum Wall' only provides it up to the Foundation Establishment stage, making it completely useless to me!" He slowly sat upright and explained softly: "Once a cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage completes their first divine ability, they must cultivate a second from scratch. This also requires cultivation techniques that reach the Purple Mansion stage to develop a divine ability. If there is no complementary cultivation technique that extends to the Purple Mansion stage, then their path is cut off."

Li Xuanfeng frowned slightly. Yuansu propped his chin with his hand and casually replied: "Are you perhaps wondering why, of the Chi family's five cultivation techniques, three only reach the Foundation Establishment stage, yet Chi Wei could cultivate to the peak of Purple Mansion?" Li Xuanfeng already had an answer in his heart, but still bowed and said: "Please enlighten me, True Lord."

Yuansu shrugged and said: "If there's no Purple Mansion cultivation technique... naturally, you find a genius to cultivate it. Once they establish their Dao foundation and reach Foundation Establishment, you then consume them through various methods, supplementing with various Purple Mansion spiritual items to trigger the divine ability." He squinted and smiled, his voice echoing in the empty cave dwelling. He simply said: "There are many ways to do this, collectively known as 'Path-Continuation Marvelous Methods.' They save time and extend one's cultivation path... Naturally, people throughout the world flock to them. After all, most Purple Mansion cultivation techniques were lost during the southward migration. Each family now guards their remaining knowledge jealously. If one doesn't resort to consuming others, there's no path forward; one can only sit idly by in the frontier like me, with death fast approaching!"