Inquiry about immortality

Chapter 2402 The True Great Dao

"Immortal, what should we do now?"

In the void, fierce winds raged, and a crimson light and a purple light went side by side, enveloping some figures in the light, namely the demons Yuanluo and others.

Compared to the massive army that set out, very few remain now, with only the direct forces of Crimson Meteor Mountain and Moonlit Tundra remaining.

Even in front of their trusted confidants, the three demons of the Iris were still very cautious. They used a precious flag to isolate themselves from the outside world before activating the golden talisman to summon the immortal.

Just now, they led their demon soldiers to form a large array. As soon as they activated the array, they sensed a hidden spiritual array underground. The two arrays resonated with each other, and they immediately understood what to do. So they ordered their demon soldiers to operate the array with all their might.

This action indeed triggered a response from the underground spiritual array, and the two arrays were perfectly aligned, causing mysterious changes.

Their figures gradually faded in the purple mist, but they themselves were unaware of it, believing they were still in the same place. When they suddenly realized it, everything around them had changed.

The clear blue sky, the vast reeds, and the demons watching from the outside all disappeared.

Unaware that they had fallen into the earth, all they saw was an unknown void, in which clusters of gray shadows danced wildly, like demons in disarray, and terrifying gales raged everywhere.

This fierce wind, known as the Nine Heavens Profound Force, should exist in the highest heavens. The demon soldiers thought they had been transported to the heavens. Before they could react, the great formation began to collapse from its core, meaning that Yuanluo and the others had voluntarily disbanded the formation!

Even cultivators at the Void Refinement stage had to avoid the Nine Heavens Profound Qi. The demon soldiers, whose highest cultivation level was only at the Nascent Soul stage, were immediately swept into the gale after losing the protection of the great formation. Panic ensued, and chaos ensued. However, the demons like Yuanluo chose to watch coldly from the sidelines.

Who would have thought that Crimson Meteor Mountain and Moonlit Tundra would so quickly abandon their support? The demon soldiers were completely bewildered and could only struggle to protect themselves.

Therefore, without Yuanluo and the others taking action, these unrelated demon cultivators were all thrown away by the gale, and the scene just now occurred outside.

Of course, there are exceptions. The palaces of the White Dragon King and the Plague God can withstand the strong winds and travel against them.

In order to get the forces in the area to cooperate with them, the demons, including Yuanluo, had made a promise to the White Dragon King and the Plague Lord that they could not drive them away at this time and could let them follow behind.

However, in the fierce wind, it wasn't easy for the two palaces to keep up with Yuanluo and the others. Behind the two streaks of light, two inconspicuous dots of light could be vaguely seen. The two palaces tried their best to catch up, but could only barely stay at the very back.

Under the banner of the treasure tree, a kite-shaped basket held a golden talisman, seeking instructions from the immortal.

This vast expanse of the Nine Heavens Mystic Realm stretched endlessly before they reached its end. After disbanding their demon soldiers, they lost their connection to the underground spiritual array and now, like headless flies, they had no idea where to go.

Fortunately, the immortal responded quickly, "Hmm...you went in, did it go smoothly?"

"Fortunately, no unexpected complications have arisen, but I am not sure where I am now, and I do not know how to open the door that the immortal spoke of," Yuanluo briefly described her situation.

The immortal had anticipated this: "The star chart I had you refine can now be taken out."

Upon hearing this, the cousins ​​immediately took out a black square plate. The plate looked like it was forged from gold and iron, and at first glance it resembled a compass. However, instead of trigrams, the surface of the plate was marked with various celestial phenomena.

The stars in the astrolabe flickered slightly. The three demons deliberately avoided looking at the astrolabe. They had tried it before and felt that it could pull their minds into it, which was extremely dangerous.

All the stars in the heavens are contained within a small astrolabe.

"I'll teach you a technique, listen carefully..."

Next, the immortal taught them a wonderful incantation.

The incantation was not difficult to understand, but the three demons of the kite and the basket all showed deep doubts when they heard the last part.

"Immortal, this method seems to be..."

Yuanluo hesitated, as if she wanted to say something.

The immortal snorted, "This is the old method you speak of. If you weren't all practicing the minor path of body tempering, you wouldn't need to go through all this trouble."

"The immortal said that what we cultivate is only a minor path?" The three demons were astonished.

It is universally acknowledged that ancient demonic arts had major flaws, and the cultivation world had long since abandoned the old methods in favor of new ones. It is said that remnants of the old methods still exist in the Southern Territory, but as disciples of the Demon Saint, they certainly wouldn't choose the more distant option.

"Of course it's Little Doyle!"

The immortal said decisively, then sighed, "It's not your fault. Nowadays, minor paths are rampant in the outside world. When the Demon Court collapsed, our ancestors, in their panic, mistakenly took minor paths for the Great Way, blinded by a single leaf, and the consequences continue to this day! It's hateful that now that the true Way has been revealed, it should be the best time to set things right, yet some deluded fools, for their own selfish interests and the interests of their own clan, are eliminating dissidents and suppressing the true Way..."

What the immortal said next was detached from reality, leaving the three demons completely bewildered. They only understood a little bit: the immortal also had enemies in the outside world, and the matter involved a struggle over the Great Dao.

The crux of the dispute between the two sides seems to lie in the old law versus the new law!

However, it is generally acknowledged that the old methods have been severed, and none of the current demon saints have attained enlightenment through the old methods, including the two behind them. Why do the immortals keep saying that the old methods are the true path?

However, now was not a good time to ask for guidance. The three demons quickly grasped the contents of the incantation and then heard the immortal say, "Summon your Dharma forms."

The new method of the demon race uses the Dharma form to nourish the physical body, constantly absorbing the power of the Dharma form during cultivation. With the three demons' current level, their physical bodies are already close to their peak, and the Dharma form is already merely an empty shell. When the Dharma form completely merges with their physical bodies, it will mean that they have truly stepped into the realm of demon saints.

The three demons summoned their Dharma forms: a fiery spirit bird and two purple rhinoceroses, one large and one small. Although the Dharma forms were majestic, they were as illusory and ethereal as phantoms.

"Ka-ka-ka..."

The three demons mobilized their internal energy and blood, causing their bones to crack and their physical essence to flow into their Dharma forms. The Dharma forms immediately solidified and regained their divine power, while their true forms became much weaker.

The three Dharma images surrounded the star chart, eyes closed and mind focused, silently activating the incantation. Suddenly, they felt their minds being stretched infinitely, falling into the boundless starry sky.

Empty, secluded...

This feeling wasn't unfamiliar, because the new method also required the use of stellar power to temper the body, but it was a completely different experience compared to regular cultivation. This must be the feeling of cultivating ancient demonic arts.

The immortals instructed them to simulate ancient demonic magic using this incantation, and it proved effective; the celestial chart began to change and started to shine with starlight.

The three figures were bathed in starlight, but their minds wandered aimlessly and without bounds in the starry sky.

Suddenly, they sensed a mysterious power emanating from the star chart in front of them, guiding them toward a certain direction.

"found it!"

Yuanluo exclaimed softly, her tone filled with joy.

Before they finished speaking, the star chart in front of them shifted, and the pointer pointed directly at the direction behind Yuanluo.

'Shuh! '

Suddenly, the star chart emitted a beam of white light, which broke through the seal of the treasure flag and disappeared into the depths of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Gang.

The demons, including Yuanzhen, who were on guard, were startled. They looked up and saw that the Nine Heavens Mystic Gang was slowly separating to the sides where the white light was pointing.

Behind the gale was utter darkness, then an ethereal light emerged, reminding them of starlight in the night sky.

The starlight grew brighter and brighter, as if something was about to be born.

"past!"

The command from the treasure flag came from Yuanluo, and Yuanzhen and the other demons immediately flew towards the starlight with the treasure flag.

The swirling, mysterious energy of the heavens parted to make way for them, and gradually, they finally saw the scene deep within the starlight.

Two doors stood amidst the starlight, surrounded by no walls or pavilions. These doors stood abruptly, towering high, like a celestial gate. The demons before them appeared exceptionally small, only able to look up in awe.

The door was covered with messy scratches, as if left after a great battle. But the door was not damaged, and it was tightly closed at the moment.

Soon, the demons discerned some unusual patterns from the chaotic traces.

"This is a pig..."

"It looks like a swallow!"

……

Each demon made its own discovery: the patterns of mythical beasts originally painted on the door were now identified, including pigs, swallows, and bats...

"The Seven Mansions of the North!"

Yuan Zhen exclaimed softly, already realizing that the stars drawn on the star gate were actually the seven constellations of the North: Dou Mu Xie, Niu Jin Niu, Nu Tu Fu, Xu Ri Shu, Wei Yue Yan, Shi Huo Zhu, and Bi Shui Yu!

At this moment, the treasure flag in the middle of the demons suddenly rolled up, and the three demons, Yuanluo, appeared, holding star plates in their hands, facing the star gate.

The next moment, a dazzling starlight shot out from the gap between the star gates, and the star gates slowly opened.

The starlight was blinding, and even when the demons activated their spiritual vision powers, they could not see the scene inside, which surprised them all.

Once the star gate opened a crack, Yuanluo gave the order, and the demons filed in.

Shortly after they entered the star gate, the Crystal Palace and the Rainbow Cloud Pagoda were drawn by the commotion and arrived one after another. They paused briefly outside before entering the star gate.

At this time, all the demons outside had already entered the underground and were interrogating the demon soldiers about the movements of Crimson Meteor Mountain and Moonlit Tundra.

The boy in blue was the fastest and took the lead, but several streaks of light were also closely following behind him.

The blue-clad youth glanced upwards, his expression hardening slightly. He looked down, his vision filled with darkness, but a certain fluctuation lingered within the darkness.

'Shuh! '

The blue-clad youth abruptly stopped, then darted to the side, instantly appearing in another location. He raised his palm, and a faint blue light emanated from it, like ripples on water under sunlight.

As the blue light rippled, the blue-clad youth sensed the invisible barrier in the void. He then touched the barrier, and faintly felt the aura of the Nine Heavens Profound Qi emanating from the other side.

If he hadn't learned about the situation on the other side from the demon soldiers, the blue-clad youth wouldn't have dared to rush in, but now he didn't have so many concerns.

The blue-clad youth quickly glanced around and saw that several other demon cultivators were doing similar things. Without further hesitation, he stepped into the barrier.

'Hoo hoo hoo...'

The Nine Heavens Profound Qi swept in, causing the young man's robes to flutter. The blue robes were a magic robe, which, as they fluttered, deflected the impact of the Nine Heavens Profound Qi.

The blue-clad youth surveyed his surroundings and, seeing the omnipresent gale, frowned slightly. He then unleashed a supernatural power, his ears growing as large as palm-leaf fans as if he were blowing air into them. With a gentle flap, the blue-clad youth immediately understood and headed straight for the star gate.

Subsequently, more demon cultivators entered, each displaying their supernatural abilities, and they all discovered the location of the Star Gate.

Before long, the boy in blue arrived at the star gate and quickly recognized that the gate depicted the seven constellations of the Northern Stars.

"Huh? These constellations, could it be..."

The boy in blue hesitated.

In comparison, ancient demonic arts place more emphasis on celestial phenomena. This door does not appear to be a modern artifact. Could this be the ruins of an ancient demonic cultivator?

"Perhaps only such ancient ruins could have been hidden in the Lotus Crossing Swamp for so long! Could it be that the two Great Sages, Crimson Meteor Mountain and Moonlit Tundra, are trapped here?"

The boy in blue thought to himself, and his expectations immediately diminished.

The ancient ruins must contain treasures and inheritances related to ancient demonic arts, which are of little significance to them. Only by obtaining treasures of the demon saint level or even more precious can they gain some inspiration.

However, his real purpose was not there, and I believe the others behind him were the same.

The second demon cultivator arrived at the Star Gate just in time to see the blue-robed youth enter. Soon after, more and more demon cultivators arrived, all of them top-tier experts, who would observe the scene from the gate before going in.

However, after the first wave, the number of demon cultivators who arrived later decreased sharply.

It turns out that most of the demon cultivators were blocked by the Nine Heavens Profound Gang. For cultivators who have reached the Void Refinement stage, the Nine Heavens Profound Gang is also a considerable trouble.

They didn't possess the strength and supernatural abilities of the blue-clad youth, and they were completely lost as soon as they entered. Unable to sense the location of the Star Gate, they could only search around under the Nine Heavens Profound Qi. By the time they found the Star Gate, they were already far behind.

As for some overconfident Nascent Soul stage demon cultivators who dared to come in hoping to take advantage of the chaos, they simply couldn't stand firm in the fierce winds.

Almost all the demon kings who were attracted went inside. The demons outside were powerless to resist the Nine Heavens Profound Qi, and they were unwilling to leave. Many of them lingered there.

"This place is probably going to turn into a lake!"

The demons noticed that after the reed marsh collapsed, water from all directions was converging on it.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

‘Boom! ’

The water flowed into countless waterfalls, cascading down.

The Lotus Crossing Marshland has no shortage of water; it's a never-ending source. Don't be fooled by its enormous hollow; it can be filled in quickly. At this moment, a layer of water has already accumulated underground, and it's rising at a visible rate.

"Huh? The fluctuations of the Nine Heavens Profound Qi have disappeared..." a demon cultivator exclaimed in surprise.

"I've lost my senses too!"

"The secret realm is probably closed again. We can't even get in. It wasn't something we could even dream of in the first place!"

"pity……"

The opportunity was fleeting, and the demons had no choice but to fly out of the cave. Only then did they realize the extent of the damage they had caused, as a beautiful reed marsh had vanished without a trace.

Most of the demon cultivators knew they had no hope of finding an opportunity and were worried about being drawn into the war between demon kings, so they chose to leave the place of trouble. A few stayed to observe.

As time passed, the water level below continued to rise, eventually completely filling the cave and leveling with the surrounding water, turning it into a vast lake. The lake water concealed all traces, and everything seemed to have returned to calm. However, the demon kings did not emerge from below for a long time, seemingly having been swallowed up by the underground formation.

Some people, growing impatient, left one after another.

Some demon cultivators remained steadfast, but they were unaware that after the lake was filled in, occasional, subtle ripples would sweep across the area, as if someone had glanced at it from afar, but only observed and did not make a move. (End of Chapter)