Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Liu Kaiyang paused for a moment before continuing, "However, not all humans resisted the oppression of the demon race. Many mortal cultivators, either voluntarily or involuntarily, became slaves of the demon race."

“Eight royal families each established a demonic sect, regarding their bloodline ancestors as gods and immortals, calling themselves messengers of demon gods, and forcing the human race to offer sacrifices and worship them at all times.”

"They also fabricated doctrines and rules that were strict and demanding, with every word, action, and movement subject to fixed regulations."

“Anyone who disobeys will be executed immediately, or made into a blood offering, euphemistically called a ‘sacrificial messenger’.”

"The demonic sect also holds regular festivals, ostensibly to serve the divine messengers, but in reality, they are used as servants to serve the demon race."

"The blue-robed cultivators who attacked the city today were members of the Dragon Demon Sect established by the Jiaolong Clan. Xing Qianyue, who was killed by the senior, was an elder of the sect."

Chen Yuan asked, "Why did these eight royal families establish a demonic sect instead of directly planting a soul-binding restriction to enslave humanity?"

Liu Kaiyang said, "This junior is also unaware of this matter. However, it is said that in ancient times, all humans had a soul restriction within their bodies, and their life or death was only a matter of a single thought from the demon race."

"But later, the human race broke free from the restrictions on their souls and were able to resist the bullying of the demon race and establish cities."

"Even the elders of the Demon Cult nowadays only plant Blood Vein Gu. Only servants favored by the Demon Cult and living with them day and night will have their souls restricted."

Chen Yuan asked, "What is this Blood Silk Gu?"

Liu Kaiyang said, "This junior doesn't know either. I only know that this Blood Silk Gu is a kind of Gu worm. After the elders of the Demon Cult take it, their lives will be controlled by the Demon Clan, and they will not dare to betray them."

"However, the city lord should know a great deal about this Gu. If you would like to learn more about it, you might as well ask the city lord."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly: "Young friend Liu is in this Ping Le City, but he seems to know quite a bit about this demonic sect."

Liu Kaiyang gave a wry smile: "Senior, you may not know this, but the city lord often orders people to spread rumors about the brutality of the demon race and the demon cult. The cultivators in the city are all very aware of this."

"Moreover, I was not born in Ping Le City, but grew up under the rule of the Demon Sect. Later, I escaped to Ping Le City and joined the city after being examined by the city's pacification department."

"Twenty-three years have passed since then, so I have a deep understanding of the matter of the demonic cult."

Chen Yuan was quite surprised: "Young friend Liu has such a complicated history?"

Liu Kaiyang's voice lowered: "There are quite a few cultivators like me in Ping Le City."

"The demon race regards humans as slaves and food, and the members of the demon cult use their doctrines and rules as an excuse to oppress mortals at will."

“Living under the rule of the demonic sect, there was no light of day, and the people suffered greatly.”

"Among mortals who possess spiritual roots, they must join the demon cult, but they are still considered inferior. They often suppress human resistance against cultivators and fight with other demon races and demon cults, living a precarious existence."

"My parents were both cultivators of the Demon Sect, and both had Foundation Establishment cultivation. I was quite carefree when I was young."

"But my mother was later targeted by a low-level demon general of the Illusionary Heart Python clan, a demon clan affiliated with the Blood Pupil Spirit Serpent. He killed my father and wanted to take my mother as a concubine."

"But my mother was forced to join the demon cult because she possessed spiritual roots. She did not agree with the doctrines of the demon cult, and because she had a deep affection for my father, she would rather die than submit."

"She first calmed the Illusionary Heart Python Demon General with words, and secretly led the junior to escape from the Demon Sect. However, they were caught up by the people of the Demon Sect. She told the junior to escape first, while she stayed behind to hold off the pursuers."

"At that time, I was only at the Qi Refining stage. Although I was heartbroken, there was no point in staying. I could only follow my mother's instructions and flee for my life."

"By sheer luck, I escaped the demon race and the demon cult, fled to the Iron Mist Mountains, and joined Ping Le City."

"But whether my mother is alive or dead, I still do not know."

Chen Yuan sighed softly, "My condolences, young friend."

Liu Kaiyang clasped his hands in a bow: "Thank you for your comfort, senior. However, twenty-three years have passed, and there has been no news of my mother. I am afraid she has already met with great misfortune."

"This junior has long since let go of his resentment. He only wishes to kill more demonic beasts to avenge his father and mother."

Chen Yuan nodded, then asked, "The demon race has enslaved the human race for tens of thousands of years. Has it always been like this since ancient times?"

Liu Kaiyang shook his head: "The events of ancient times are ancient, and my cultivation is shallow and my knowledge is limited, so I do not know much about them."

"However, the city lord once compiled ancient tales into a book and ordered storytellers to widely broadcast them in restaurants, taverns, and streets throughout the city. He may have some knowledge of these matters, but..."

He looked hesitant, as if he had some concerns.

Chen Yuan said, "Young friend Liu, please speak freely."

Liu Kaiyang then said, "It's just that the book written by the city lord is too bizarre. It must have been fabricated by him to boost the morale of the city and fight against the demon race. I don't know how much of it is true and how much is false."

"Ordinary people may not have much experience and might believe it, but the cultivators in the city have quite a few doubts."

A hint of curiosity flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes: "I wonder what the contents of Fellow Daoist Zhang's writings are?"

Liu Kaiyang said, "According to the city lord, the human race was not originally native to this realm, but came from the Tai Xuan Realm and conquered thirteen realms, of which this realm was just one..."

Chen Yuan's eyes flashed: "The Tai Xuan Realm?"

Liu Kaiyang was taken aback: "That's right, it is indeed the Tai Xuan Realm."

Chen Yuan nodded slowly: "Please continue, young friend."

Liu Kaiyang said, "There are dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators, thousands of Core Formation cultivators, and countless Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Tai Xuan Realm. They roam the heavens and are invincible."

"At that time, this world had just been opened. The demon race was primitive and no match for the cultivators of the Tai Xuan Realm. They were defeated and their blood flowed like rivers. They had no choice but to serve the cultivators of the Tai Xuan Realm as their masters."

"But the demon race sought help from the demons in the upper realm. One day, a demon army suddenly descended upon the world. Although the cultivators of the Tai Xuan Realm tried their best to resist, they were no match for the demon army and had to withdraw from this realm."

"But not all cultivators retreated to the Tai Xuan Realm. Some were trapped by the demon army and remained in this realm. They had no choice but to surrender to the demon race."

"This group of people are the ancestors of the human race today. They were all enslaved by the demon race because their souls were forbidden by blood."

"When the demon army returned to the upper realm, the human race, by some unknown means, broke free from the divine soul restriction and rose up in resistance, which continues to this day."

“In ancient times, the demon race had fourteen royal families, but now only eight royal families remain. The other six royal families were destroyed by the human race.”

"And one day, the cultivators of the Tai Xuan Realm will return to this world, annihilate the eight royal clans, and restore a bright and clear world to humanity..."

Liu Kaiyang paused for a moment, then added, "This is what the city lord said. I am merely relaying it. I do not know the specifics."

"However, there are indeed only eight royal families in the Myriad Demon Continent at present."

"But whether any members of the royal family were truly destroyed by others, I have no idea."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment and then asked, "What is Fellow Friend Liu's opinion on Fellow Daoist Zhang's words?"

Liu Kaiyang hesitated for a moment before saying, "A friend of mine once said that if our ancestors could have truly wiped out the six royal families, why are we in such a difficult situation now?"

"Moreover, that soul blood restriction is directly planted within the soul, making it extremely secure. Without external assistance, it is very difficult to break on its own."

"The existence of the Tai Xuan Realm is even more incredible and truly hard to believe."

"This junior believes that the city lord's words are half true and half false."

"Now the demon race is powerful and the human race is weak. They can only struggle to survive between the eight royal families. It is extremely difficult for them to destroy the demon race by their own strength. Their hope is very slim."

"The city lord then used the pretense of the ancient Tai Xuan Realm to boost morale."

"Just like how the demonic cult preaches that as long as one sincerely worships the demon god, one can be reborn in the immortal realm after death, giving people a glimmer of hope..."

Liu Kaiyang sighed: "Actually, the city lord doesn't need to be like this. He is fair and kind, and has always been respected by the cultivators in the city."

"Moreover, like the younger generation, there are quite a few cultivators who have fled from the Demon Sect's rule to Ping Le City."

"The people in the city are well aware of the brutality of the demon race and the demon cult, and their determination to resist the demon race is very strong. There is no need to further boost their morale."

"This measure only works on mortals and will instead damage the city lord's prestige."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Young friend Liu, you have been in Ping Le City for twenty-three years. Do you have a Daoist partner or children?"

Liu Kaiyang was taken aback, then shook his head: "After arriving in Ping Le City, I devoted myself to cultivation and have no Daoist partner or children."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly: "Fellow Daoist Zhang just said that when the beast tide came, Fellow Daoist Liu still took action to save mortals, showing his kindness. Now that I have seen it, it is indeed true."

"Moreover, young friend, you are not only kind-hearted, but also quite thoughtful, which is very rare."

"I am new to this place and have no one to serve me, which is quite inconvenient. Would you be willing to stay by my side from now on?"

Liu Kaiyang was stunned for a moment, and only then did he realize why this Senior Chen had asked him if he had a Daoist partner or children.

He quickly clasped his hands and bowed: "What virtue or ability do I possess to have earned the favor of you, senior? It would be my great fortune to serve you."

"But as a steward of Ping Le City, I dare not make decisions on my own when faced with such an important matter. I must ask the city lord for permission and obtain his approval. I hope you will forgive me, senior."

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Young friend Liu has seen things through to the end and acted in a methodical manner. What is wrong with that?"

"Since you have no objection, I will discuss this matter with Fellow Daoist Zhang. I think he will not refuse."

Liu Kaiyang's expression was somewhat complicated as he said, "I leave everything to Senior's discretion."

Chen Yuan said, "Young friend, you have been fighting fiercely with the demonic beasts for several days and are exhausted both physically and mentally. Go and rest. If anything happens, I will summon you by telepathy."

"Please accept this token, young friend. If anyone comes to visit, please go inside and announce their arrival."

After saying that, he took out the token that controlled the cave's formation and handed it to Liu Kaiyang.

The array set up in this cave is quite simple, at most it can only withstand the attacks of Core Formation cultivators and resist the probing of the divine sense of early Nascent Soul cultivators.

After Chen Yuan entered, he had already refined it and could control it at will without needing a token.

Liu Kaiyang bowed slightly, accepted the token with both hands, and bowed deeply: "This junior takes his leave."

He turned and walked out of the cave, closed the stone door, entered the two-story building, went up to the second floor, entered a quiet room, and sat down to meditate and cultivate.

Chen Yuan followed Liu Kaiyang with his divine sense until Liu Kaiyang had been in meditation for a quarter of an hour before withdrawing his divine sense.

"This is definitely not the spirit world..."

Chen Yuan muttered to himself, his brows furrowed.

When he woke up, he saw that the spiritual energy in Ping Le City was thin and that a beast tide was attacking the city, wantonly slaughtering cultivators and mortals, and he felt that something was wrong.

Although he had never been to the Spirit Realm and knew nothing about it, in ancient times, cultivators at the Void Refinement stage had descended from the Spirit Realm to help cultivators in the human realm resist the invasion of demons. How could they tolerate these low-level demons wantonly slaughtering humans?
When Liu Kaiyang revealed the matter of "Tai Xuan Realm conquering thirteen realms," he finally confirmed that this realm was definitely not the Spirit Realm, but a realm that the Human Realm had once conquered.

As for "Tai Xuan Realm", it is probably because among the various sects in the human realm, Tai Xuan Sect is the most powerful, and the demon race in this realm uses this name to refer to the human realm.

The cultivators of Ping Le City all thought that this was fabricated by Zhang Xuancang to boost morale, but it was actually a true ancient secret.

Although this person only has the cultivation level of the early Nascent Soul stage, he knows even such ancient secrets very well.

The city of Ping Le, which they established, withstood dozens of beast tides without being destroyed, demonstrating their remarkable abilities.

I need to cultivate a good relationship with him and try to learn about the affairs of this realm from him...

Chen Yuan's thoughts were in turmoil, and his expression was quite unpleasant.

He had finally cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm, but he still had to feign compliance with Nascent Soul cultivators, enter the spatial passage, and endure many hardships, yet he failed to ascend to the Spirit Realm and instead ended up in this realm, so his mood was naturally extremely bad.

When he encountered the Void Cicada, he was very close to the exit of the spatial passage. Before he lost consciousness, he should have already entered the spirit world through the exit. Why then did he end up here?

Could it be that he was misled by the influence of the Void Cicada, or that he misperceived spatial fluctuations while seriously injured and unconscious, and that he did not actually enter the Spirit Realm, but instead passed through the barrier of another interface?

However, the interface barrier is extremely sturdy, and it is very difficult to pass through unless it is worn away by a spatial storm or a spatial passage is created by human intervention.

Chen Yuan was already seriously injured at that time, and he had not taken out the skin of the Refined Void Kun Fish. How could he pass through the solid interface barrier?

Chen Yuan was filled with doubts, and an unbelievable idea slowly emerged from the depths of his mind.

Could it be that this spatial passage... was originally meant to lead to this world?

Chen Yuan's eyes narrowed, and his heart sank.

The four Nascent Soul cultivators, Qin Wuyai, Lu Wangquan, Cangsong Daoren, and Ren Laomo, went to great lengths and spared no expense to support him in achieving Nascent Soul status, presumably in order to ascend to the Spirit Realm.

But they may mistakenly believe that this spatial passage leading to this world leads to the spirit world.

Perhaps the four of them already knew that this spatial passage did not lead to the spirit world.

This is not impossible. The path to ascension in the human realm has been severed, turning it into a prison. Those trapped in the human realm will inevitably die.

Perhaps the four knew that this spatial passage did not lead to the spirit world, but in order to escape the prison of the human world, they were still willing to take the risk.

However, Chen Yuan reconsidered and rejected the idea.

Doing so is too risky. The two realms have been separated for tens of thousands of years. This realm is dominated by the demon race, and the situation is unclear. Moreover, it is not connected to the spirit realm.

The four of them went to great lengths to come to this realm, but their hopes of ascending to the Spirit Realm remained slim, making it seem like a losing proposition.

As Chen Yuan's mind raced, a series of guesses surfaced in his heart, only to be erased from his mind as well.

"Since things have come to this, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. Let's first find out what's going on in this world..."

Chen Yuan shook his head, suppressing his many thoughts.

In any case, he has escaped the prison of the human world, which is ultimately a good thing.

Chen Yuan entered the cultivation room, sat cross-legged, circulated his cultivation technique, absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and nourished his physical body.

After the spiritual energy enters the body, it flows through the severely damaged meridians. As it passes through the wounds, waves of slight pain come and go.

It felt as if insects and ants were crawling inside my body, their legs and limbs like sharp swords, piercing deep into my meridians.

Chen Yuan felt such pain, and although he could bear it, he couldn't help but frown, completely putting the matter of the spatial passage out of his mind.

The most urgent task is to heal the injuries and regain strength.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth can nourish the physical body and soul, and repair the subtle meridians, but it cannot completely heal the injuries; other methods must be found.

As Chen Yuan's thoughts raced, he activated his cultivation technique, focused his mind, and absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, gradually restoring his true essence.

……

Wanyao Continent, East Sea.

Beneath the sky, a colossal island, like a sleeping dragon, lies across the turbulent ocean.

This giant island spans a thousand miles in circumference. The island is covered with undulating mountains, and the azure mountain ridges rise up like the spines of a dragon. The highest point is over three thousand feet high, piercing the clouds. The peaks are covered with snow all year round, reflecting a dazzling golden light under the blazing sun.

The scenery on each of the four sides of the island is different. The eastern mountains are densely forested and lush, with a towering tree that rises from the ground, reaching a height of a hundred feet, standing out like a mountain among chickens.

A deep blue dragon coiled around a giant tree, its four claws gripping the trunk. It had a horse's head and ox's ears, with two faint bumps on its forehead. Its eyes were closed, and its whiskers fluttered. With each breath, wisps of blue energy swirled around it, as if a true dragon had descended to earth.

The northern region is dotted with lakes and deep fjords, which bring seawater into the islands. Occasionally, a deep blue dragon will soar into the sky, letting out a long, earth-shattering roar that changes the color of the world and brings down a torrential downpour.

In the south, volcanoes rise one after another, the earth is cracked like a spider web, thick smoke billows, and every now and then a long tail covered with red scales suddenly emerges from the crater and falls heavily back down.

Then lava gushed out, flowing down the hillside, steaming hot.

The western peaks are the steepest, like sharp swords piercing the sky, with jagged rocks and little vegetation. Occasionally, there are thorny shrubs with sharp, needle-like leaves that are hard to resist.

Wherever you go, there are palaces and pavilions everywhere, some grand and imposing, others exquisite and elegant, all of them extremely luxurious.

Two hundred miles away from the towering trees on the eastern side of the giant island, in a dense forest, stands a grand hall covering several acres.

A beam of light landed at the entrance of the main hall, revealing the figure of a middle-aged man who hurriedly entered the hall.

This man, dressed in blue, had a handsome and extraordinary appearance, yet his expression was extremely respectful as he entered the depths of the main hall.

The hall was dark and gloomy, with no lights or candles, making it impossible to see what was inside.

Just before stepping into the darkness, the middle-aged man stopped, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "Master, half an hour ago, Ao Lin's life lamp suddenly went out, and he seems to have died."

After he finished speaking, he remained in the bowing posture, motionless.

The hall was silent. A quarter of an hour later, two points of blue light, each the size of a large bowl, suddenly appeared in the darkness. A deep voice slowly said, "Send someone to find out who did this."

"Yes."

The middle-aged man responded and bowed as he withdrew.

The blue light slowly faded, as if someone had closed their eyes, and the hall returned to silence.

……

In the southern part of Wanyao Continent, a vast mountain range stretches for hundreds of miles, resembling a giant python winding across the land.

The mountain range is high and densely forested at both ends, and colorful miasma permeates the air.

There were spiders as big as oxen and horses, covered in fine hairs, that moved silently through the forest with their eight sharp legs.

A monitor lizard the size of a lion or tiger, with its long tongue lolling out, gracefully approached the stream, bent down to drink, and the water level suddenly dropped without a sound.

Deep within the mountains, pavilions and towers are built according to the terrain, with flying eaves and brackets all carved from the finest spirit wood. Clouds and mist swirl around, water vapor rises, condensing into a rainbow, white cranes spread their wings, and apes climb rocks.

Streaks of light flashed across the sky, carrying handsome men and beautiful women, all with smiles on their lips, serene expressions, and flowing robes, exuding an ethereal aura, as if they were in a blessed land, a scene of celestial beauty.

Upon closer inspection, however, one can see that the eyes of these men and women are somewhat dull, with two points of blood-red light gleaming deep in their pupils, giving them an eerie feeling.

A beautiful woman arrived at the foot of a mountain, descended in a flash of light, and arrived at the mountainside.

Here stands a three-story building with blue lacquer and gray tiles. A brass wind chime hangs from each of the eaves. When a breeze blows, it rings out like shattered jade striking each other.

The woman walked quickly and silently into the small building and went straight to the second floor.

The window was open, and a young scholar knelt on a cloud-patterned cushion, dressed in purple. In front of him was an ancient zither, which lay across the zither table. He gently plucked the strings, and the clear, melodious sound of the zither lingered.

The woman stood to one side, hands clasped, her expression docile, and remained silent.

Half an hour later, the music finally stopped. The young scholar raised his head. He was handsome and dashing, but his eyes were blood red, which looked extremely frightening.

He spoke calmly, "What is it?"

The woman bowed gracefully and said softly, "An hour ago, She Mo's life lamp went out, and I have come to report this to you, young master."

The young scholar frowned and said calmly, "I understand."

The woman bowed again and withdrew.

The young scholar pondered for a moment, then slowly rose and walked down the stairs.

……

“Master, Ao Lin, She Mo, Xing Qianyue, and Lang Mou’s Mustard Seed Rings are all here. The bodies of the three demon generals are at the foot of the mountain, untouched.”

On a cliff, an old man with white hair clasped his hands in a salute, took out four mustard seed rings, and handed them to Zhang Xuancang.

Zhang Xuancang glanced at the Mustard Seed Ring, its divine sense imprint intact, and nodded slightly: "Well done, Fellow Daoist Chen has killed three demon generals and one Nascent Soul cultivator today, so it's inconvenient to disturb you."

"Tomorrow at 9:00 AM, you must personally deliver these items to Fellow Daoist Chen without fail."

The white-haired old man retrieved the four mustard seed rings, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and respectfully replied, "Disciple obeys."

If Zhang Xuancang could keep these four mustard seed rings and obtain the treasures from the three demon generals and Xing Qianyue, he might be able to break through the bottleneck of the mid-Nascent Soul stage and reach a higher level in his cultivation, which had stagnated for decades.

But the white-haired old man also knew how these four people had died, and no one dared to covet the four mustard seed rings.

Zhang Xuancang slowly walked to the front of the cliff. Below him was a sheer cliff hundreds of feet high. Looking down, he could see the entire city of Ping Le.

The city was brightly lit, with wisps of smoke still rising into the air. The faint sound of weeping could be heard, but there was also a great deal of laughter and joy. Sorrow and happiness were intertwined and echoed over the ruined city of Ping Le.

Having just experienced a calamity, many people lost loved ones and friends, and are in unbearable pain.

But many more people were celebrating, feeling fortunate to have survived and releasing their fear.

Zhang Xuancang's gaze slowly swept over Ping Le City, and he sighed softly, "Fortunately, with Fellow Daoist Chen's help, Ping Le City escaped this calamity, but the next beast tide is probably not far off." (End of this chapter)