I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 798 Changes in a Heavenly Demon at the Void Immortal Level

The void was torn apart like shredded silk, and monstrous demonic energy surged out, only to instantly recoil and converge back towards the center, transforming into a human form.

He was dressed in a dark robe, his face was handsome to the point of being sinister, and his deep purple eyes faintly revealed a scarlet blood light.

"Ran away?" His voice was low and chilling. "You think you can escape?"

He extended his five fingers and gently grasped at the void, gathering all the remaining aura in the place.

The Heavenly Demon Secret Technique was activated, and divine senses attempted to follow certain traces.

After a moment, he frowned slightly.

"Did you run away?"

The breath at his fingertips vanished, his expression indifferent.

"Since it was the humans who made the move, then we should settle this score with them!"

The demonic body dissolved like ink, transforming from solid to ethereal, vanishing without a trace, leaving only ripples in space spreading silently in the deathly stillness.

Three days later.

The Divine Capital, Jade Capital, the Great Hall of the Azure Heaven.

The palace was tall and spacious, its dome hidden in the clouds.

This place is the center of power for the human race in the Nine Realms.

The ground was made of cold, bluish-green jade, and the entire hall appeared solemn and spacious.

Emperor Xuanhao of the Great Hao Dynasty sat high on the throne surrounded by nine dragons, his eyes as cold and clear as an ancient abyss, without the slightest ripple.

Below, the three leaders and the heads of the three major sects sat on either side.

On the upper left, the Heavenly Pivot Lord Li Yanshen's eyes seemed to hold the birth and death of all things between opening and closing;

In the second seat, Yue Qianfeng, the Grand Master of the Demon Suppression Division, sat imposingly, his body radiating a palpable aura of malevolence, faintly emanating the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses.

At the end of the table sat Pei Duan, the slender supervisor of the Celestial Observatory, whose aura was ethereal.

On the other side are Xingyan Daozun, the Palace Master of Zhou Tianxing Palace, Ling Yi, the Sect Master of Jiuxiao Sword Sect, and Zhan Shengjie, the Pavilion Master of Tiangong Pavilion. However, these three are all illusory divine souls. The three major sects of the Nine Domains Divine Continent are positioned on the three sides, and to some extent, they are monitoring the movements of the three Demon Lords. If the Demon Lord attacks, the three major sects will be the true barrier against the Demon Lord.

Because only experts at the Immortal level are qualified to stop a Demon Lord!

Xuan Haoji's gaze slowly swept over everyone, and he said slowly, "The Demon Lord Xuanyou has awakened ahead of schedule, and the ten thousand-year period has not yet arrived. What are your thoughts?"

Li Yanshen spoke first, his tone grave: "Your Majesty, the three Demon Lords are all top-tier Void Immortals, and they even have Void Immortal-level Demon Kings under their command. Although only Xuan You has awakened so far, it has far-reaching consequences. If the Seven Emotions and Myriad Evils were to awaken as well..." He took a deep breath, "The most urgent task is to defend with all our might and buy time to perfect the last three array points. When the Demon Tribulation arrives 130 years from now, we may have a better chance of winning."

Pei Duan, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory official, nodded slightly: "What Your Excellency says is absolutely right."

Xingyan Daozun slowly said, "According to ancient precedent, the Heavenly Demons only launch a demonic tribulation every ten thousand years, using our human race as resources to cultivate themselves. Their premature awakening must indicate something is amiss. If what the Palace Venerable says is true, the other two Demon Lords have also been alarmed..."

Zhan Shengjie, the head of the Tiangong Pavilion, sighed, "The Zhou Tian Star Tower will take three more months to be fully repaired, and the Tai Xu God-Slaying Crossbow is only 80% complete. If we start the great battle now, with our equipment incomplete, our chances of winning... are less than 30%."

"Are we just going to sit here and wait to die?" Yue Qianfeng's voice was like thunder, his body surging with murderous aura. "The Demon Lord has awakened, he must have something in mind. If he waits until he is fully prepared, won't we be even more passive? We should take the initiative and attack instead of defending! Our human race has accumulated strength for tens of thousands of years, I don't believe that we really can't overthrow these demon bastards."

Ling Yi raised his sword-like eyebrows and said in a voice like the clash of metal: "Commander Yue's words resonate with me! Even if all the Demon Lords were to arrive, my Nine Heavens Sword Sect's 100,000 sword cultivators would dare to fight with their blood! Moreover, as long as we can kill Xuan You, the balance of power between our human race and the Heavenly Demons can be reversed."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Everyone understood that Yue Qianfeng and Ling Yi's words were not without reason. However, how could a Heavenly Demon at the Void Immortal level be so easy to kill? Although the human race had accumulated strength for ten thousand years, it was still not ready to wage a full-scale war against the Heavenly Demons. If war were to break out now, it would be equivalent to bringing forward the great calamity by a hundred years, so caution was necessary.

Xuan Haoji tapped the armrest of the throne lightly with his fingertips.

"The awakening of Xuan You is no accident. Even if it is not the time of the Demon Tribulation, it will probably attack our human race to replenish its losses. Minister Li, immediately coordinate all regions and put them on high alert; Supervisor Pei, spare no expense to find a glimpse of the secrets of the Demon Realm; Commander Yue, prepare the army for war, but without my decree, they must not cross the border to attack."

His gaze swept over the three sects: "Fellow Daoists, the war between the Heavenly Demons is a matter of life and death, so I need not say more. The Star Palace must ensure the great array is safe, that is the bottom line; the Heavenly Craft Pavilion must work at full speed, I want to see the complete God-Slaying Crossbow array within thirty days; Sword Sect," he gave Ling Yi a deep look, "be prepared to draw your sword at any time."

Finally, he looked at Pei Duan and Yue Qianfeng: "Use the Dark Star Guards to infiltrate the Demon Realm. I need to know what caused Xuan You to awaken a hundred years ahead of schedule."

"I obey the Emperor's decree!"

"Your Majesty, don't worry."

……

Looking towards the hometown, the majestic city stands like a giant beast crouching on the western border of the Great Hao Dynasty.

The countless runes engraved on the city wall flickered and faded, converging into a massive light screen to resist the overwhelming demonic energy from outside the city.

Even in the era when the Demon Lord slept, things were not peaceful; this city has witnessed countless battles.

Now that the Demon Lord has awakened, the entire city is on high alert, and all the soldiers are ready for battle.

"what--!"

A shrill scream rang out from the city wall. A seasoned captain at the Heavenly Transformation level had his eyes instantly consumed by crimson, and a dark purple demonic fire suddenly ignited around his body!
The flames burned away the vital energy and soul, further igniting the deepest killing intent within, obliterating reason and consciousness.

He roared like a wild beast, turned around and slashed his sword at his comrade-in-arms who had shared life and death with him.

And this is not an isolated case!

In an instant, many defensive lines on the hundred-foot-high city wall were thrown into chaos, and hundreds of elite soldiers fell into demonic possession, becoming insane and turning on those around them.

The demonic thoughts that had been unknowingly planted within them were now stirred and ignited by an invisible force outside the city.

"Stay calm! It's the Demonic Induction! Cleanse Light Talisman, quick!"

A figure flashed through the city and landed directly on the city wall. It was Di Feng, the Hun Tian Undying Realm general who was stationed at this pass. His hair and beard stood on end, and he roared like thunder.

The cultivators practicing the Pure Heart Method in the rear exerted their full power, showering down countless rays of pure light to forcibly dispel the demonic thoughts.

But the souls of those soldiers who had been burned by demonic fire had long been completely corrupted by demonic thoughts.

After devouring the host's remnant soul, the demonic thought transformed into wisps of twisted black smoke, emitting eerie cackling laughter, and swiftly fled beyond the pass.

Beneath the dim sky beyond the pass, two enormous demonic figures slowly materialized in mid-air; they were the two Heavenly Demons at the Chaotic Undying Realm.

They absorbed the divine souls and vital energy that flew in, their faces showing expressions of utter enjoyment and intoxication.

"Human food is still the best!"

"You wretched creature! How dare you do this!"

Di Feng roared, his blood and qi connecting with the entire protective formation of Wangxiang Pass, and a vast power poured into him.

He stepped out of the gate, and the spear in his hand transformed into a golden light that tore through the heavens and earth for hundreds of feet. With a furious strike, he went straight for the two heavenly demons that were devouring soul power!

Di Feng fought two opponents alone, and with the support of the great formation, he held his own, but he still couldn't kill the Heavenly Demon.

Just then, the world suddenly went dark.

A chilling pressure descended suddenly! In the void, endless darkness surged forth, then receded, revealing a figure clad in a black robe—the Demon Lord of the Netherworld.

It made no move, but its mere presence seemed to cause the protective light barrier of Wangxiang Pass to groan under its strain. Suddenly, Di Feng felt the space around him solidify, and his own spear intent crumbled inch by inch, as if demonic thoughts were trying to engulf him.

The magical artifacts on his body that resisted the Heavenly Demons shone brightly, but they kept shrinking.

"Humph!"

A cold snort rang out, and the sound of a sword suddenly rang out.

A sword light came from the east, shattering the void and surpassing the concept of ordinary speed. As soon as it appeared, it arrived directly in front of the black figure.

The sword intent was sharp and boundless, its purpose seemingly capable of severing all false and demonic thoughts!
Where the sword light passed, the demonic energy dissipated.

The darkness surrounding the Demon Lord Xuanyou surged violently, as if countless vengeful spirits were wailing and being annihilated under the sword light.

It swayed slightly, and the sword light dissipated, but its body seemed to dim a little. Clearly, what came here was just a clone formed from demonic thoughts.

"Nine Heavens Sword Sect, Void Immortal..." The Demon Lord of the Dark Netherworld's voice carried a hint of amusement, "This generation of humans is quite interesting. It seems the fruit... has ripened."

Its gaze seemed to pierce through the void, sweeping across the faces of Di Feng and all the soldiers of Wangxiang Pass.

"No wonder the human race dared to lay a hand on my subordinates. It seems it's time to reap the rewards. Very good!"

Before the words were finished, the clone slowly dissipated into the air like a bubble, along with the two Chaotic Heaven Realm demons.

The next moment, Ling Yi appeared. He frowned slightly as he looked at the disappearing figure of the Xuan You Demon Lord. His sword strike had not even harmed the clone.

The power of these ancient demon lords is truly terrifying!

……

One day later.

Wangxiang Pass relayed the news back to the imperial court, and then used a teleportation array to send the information to the other two major sects.

Looking at the message, Zhan Shengjie, the head of the Tiangong Pavilion, sighed softly, "Is this really about to begin?"

"Master, the Demon Lord of Xuanyou has appeared. Is he going to attack us?"

“Yes, but what they want is not a field of corpses.” He looked up at his disciple, his gaze deep. “What they want is our fear, our anger, and our struggle between hope and despair.”

He got up and walked to the window, gazing at the faintly visible light screen of the Zhou Tian Star Array in the distance.

"They will be like the most patient hunters, making us endure a long period of torment, allowing every emotion to build to its peak. The best time for them to reap their rewards is when our resolve is on the verge of collapse and our hope is on the verge of extinguishing."

The Pavilion Master's voice was soft, yet it sent a chill down Qing Ning's spine.

The hall fell into a brief silence.

"But this is also our opportunity." Zhan Shengjie suddenly turned around, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Since they want to wait for their emotions to ferment, they give us a chance to catch our breath. Every oppression is a test of the resilience of human cultivators; every desperate situation may force out power beyond the limit."

……

Within the North Spring Cave.

Gu Yuanqing withdrew all his clones and was refining the demonic essence he had suppressed. The four Chaotic Undying Demons were enough to further enhance his divine soul power.

Even though his cultivation level is now a step higher than before, it will still take a lot of time to refine it.

For more than half a month, all the demonic thoughts were refined and transformed into his spiritual essence.

Gu Yuanqing's spiritual power surged once again, with every wisp of divine thought radiating light.

In another month, judging solely from his spiritual power, Gu Yuanqing's strength had already risen to a level close to the Great Perfection of the Chaotic Undying Realm.

However, what one obtains by refining demonic thoughts is ultimately not as refined as what one cultivates through one's own practice, and it still needs time to settle and mature.

The progress of the soul naturally accelerated the improvement of cultivation level.

With the support of Beiquan Cave Heaven and other blessings, the biggest limitation on Gu Yuanqing's cultivation progress is his soul.

The spirit is the condensation of the mind and will. Even with visualization techniques, every bit of progress is the result of painstaking effort.

In other aspects, such as spiritual energy, he has no shortage of it, and his understanding of the Great Dao far surpasses that of ordinary Chaotic Undying cultivators. Otherwise, he would not be able to control such a vast amount of primordial energy.

Through continuous cultivation, his Celestial World grew stronger and stronger. In addition to the space itself, all things formed by the Dao and its essence seemed to become physical entities through continuous sedimentation.

The entire Celestial World was engaged in cultivation, as if it were a real world where time had been accelerated, with countless mysteries being born every second.

These evolutions are directly reflected in the changes of the Dao's imprint, which in turn are reflected in the acupoints throughout the body, as well as in the illusory, tiny world of heaven and man formed by each particle.

In every world, there is an imprint formed from Gu Yuanqing's divine soul, sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, reciting the true incantation.

They resonate with each other and work together to propel themselves toward the ultimate state of immortality!

Three months later, the progress slowed down slightly, and Gu Yuanqing finally opened his eyes again.

His aura had already become calm and steady. After getting up, he glanced at the main hall where he usually cultivated, and Li Miaoxuan was still sitting in meditation.

Li Miaoxuan leaped directly from the early stage of the Shattered Heaven Realm to near the Great Perfection of the Shattered Heaven Realm, a leap that far exceeded that of Gu Yuanqing.

She also disregarded Gu Yuanqing's support from the magical artifacts in the Northern Spring Cave, and the time she needed to stabilize her cultivation level was naturally much longer than Gu Yuanqing's.

He did not disturb Li Miaoxuan, but summoned Li Chengyi and inquired about the current situation of the Linglong Realm. He spent half a day answering Li Chengyi's questions about cultivating supernatural powers. Afterwards, he walked in the mountains, looking at the scenery inside and outside the cave, and made his aura more stable in the process of non-action.

Then it created more clones and sent them to different places.

The main body then focused its attention on the avatar in the realm where the Heavenly Demon resided.

There is no danger in the other places, but there are Heavenly Demons at the level of Void Immortals in this realm. Gu Yuanqing has never truly fought against a Void Immortal.

Even if the power of the person in the painting might surpass that of an ordinary illusory immortal, the magic array in the painting was already under Gu Yuanqing's control, and its true power was suppressed.

Back then, the Divine Ruins and the Demon Lord, who was at the demigod level, only exchanged half a move.

The abilities of the Void Immortal surpass those of the Undying Chaos, so even he had to be cautious, otherwise, the loss of even one clone would have a great impact on his cultivation.

Gu Yuanqing frowned slightly upon arriving in the other world, because many of the jade tablets he left behind as anchors for the Heavenly Fishing Technique had been destroyed!
"It must have been the Heavenly Demon who found me by using some kind of secret technique to locate me, based on the residual aura I left behind when I made my move. What a clever method!"

He concealed his aura with a spatial barrier, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

An hour later, he arrived at the place where he had last left this world.

Looking down at the enormous palm print that covered thousands of miles.

Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, and the ground was covered with huge ravines that had been melted by extreme heat, then cooled instantly, and then turned into demonic soil by demonic energy. Sensing the remaining demonic thoughts in this place, his heart tightened slightly.

"When the Heavenly Demon reaches the Void Immortal level, it seems to have undergone a tremendous change. It no longer simply uses its own power, but begins to borrow from the Great Dao, exhibiting methods similar to those of a cultivator!"

(End of this chapter)