Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 529 Dao Palace Performs Techniques to Subdue True Blood, Immortal Body Achieved Through Dao Cultivation (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

After dealing with the various matters outside the heavens, Lu Cheng broke through the void and, in just one step, returned to the main hall of the Dao Palace in the Tongxuan Dharma Realm, a place filled with spiritual energy.

As the jade-like hues shifted, Yun Yuzhen and Yun Ling'er were already waiting in front of the palace.

Yun Yuzhen's demeanor remained unchanged, her bright eyes carrying a gentle grace and a hint of worldly wisdom.
Yun Ling'er smiled charmingly, her whole being brimming with spiritual energy, her liveliness revealing an ethereal grace cultivated over a thousand years of Taoist practice. Time seemed to have left few marks on their exquisite faces, instead adding to their otherworldly beauty.

"Welcome back, Divine Lord." The two women bowed gracefully, their voices like heavenly music. Lu Cheng nodded slightly and flew in on a cloud.

The light of the lotus blossoms cascaded down from the dome, wisps of pure energy descending, and the Daoist aura subtly permeated the main hall of the Heaven and Earth Dao Palace, the most spiritually refined place for preaching.

The Daoist Lu Cheng, wielding the Tongxuan Sword, now sits high on the naturally formed Yin-Yang altar, the main seat.

Below him sat his direct disciple, a direct descendant of his lineage:

Miao Chuyun was dressed in an elegant Taoist robe, with a calm and composed demeanor; Youming Daoist, dressed in a gray robe and carrying an ancient sword, resembled a peerless and fierce blade sheathed.

The Taoist Shisheng had a kind and honest appearance, profound magical power, and a deep and long aura. Yunhuang'er wore a plain robe and brocade, and her appearance was as cold and aloof as if carved from ice and snow.

Further behind, two figures drew attention. The Crimson Dragon, Crimson Sun, transformed into a tall and imposing red-haired youth with a resolute face. Deep within his pupils, crimson-gold dragon flames flickered, and a vast, pure yang dragon might emanated from him without being revealed. His reverence for Lu City was heartfelt.

On one side, the Divine Dog Devouring the Moon had already restrained its ferocity as a great demon, transforming into a young man dressed in black with sharp eyes. Although he was slightly thin, his aura was deep and abyss-like, as if he harbored some kind of great terror within him, and he had a faint feeling of devouring the void.

Behind Chi Yang and Tun Yue, there were nine small dragons who had shed their beastly forms after a thousand years of cultivation, transforming into nine dragon princes and princesses dressed in colorful robes, with temperaments that were either heroic or ethereal.

The dragon energy within them was concealed to its extreme by profound techniques, their bloodline was magnificent yet their spirituality was profound. From the moment they chose to transform into human form and seek the Great Dao again, their foundation was destined to be pure and their potential for the Dao was profound.

There are two paths for demons to cultivate. One is to first cultivate into a human body. After cultivating into a human body, it is much easier to cultivate the Dao. The speed of progress is much faster than when they are in a demon body. However, because most of their energy is spent on cultivating into a human body in the early stages, even with a thousand years of cultivation, their combat ability is still weak.

The other path is to first cultivate a demonic body, which makes one more powerful in combat and easier to protect oneself and find food. However, the overall cultivation speed is slower, and the worse one's innate bloodline, the slower the cultivation speed. Some people may even cultivate for a thousand years and still not be able to awaken their own intelligence.

These nine dragon princes and princesses, under the protection of the Heavenly Palace, were safe and sound, so they naturally chose to cultivate their human forms first, even though the innate bloodline of the dragon race was already extremely strong.

The hall was silent; the aftershocks of the primordial spirit battle that had shaken all realms were still lingering.

Especially those in the palace, who were closely connected to the situation, used their magical treasures to observe and investigate from as far as possible. At this moment, however, the Dao Palace was completely silent and solemn.

Lu Cheng did not speak immediately, but glanced at the disciples below him.

Youming's aura surged, and meeting his master's gaze, he could no longer suppress the murderous intent surging within him. He looked up at his master on the altar and spoke:
“Master, in the previous battle in the void, more than a dozen primordial spirit ancestors from the seven great worlds joined forces to intimidate us. Their arrogance was beyond just being arrogant.”

They treated the cultivators of our realm as nothing, and regarded everyone in our realm as fish on a chopping block! Since Master's supernatural powers are unparalleled, and he wields his sword with unparalleled ease, defeating enemies is as easy as whisking away a feather! Their defeat, their panic like stray dogs, presents the perfect opportunity to swiftly and decisively eliminate their evil and intimidate all! Why...why did Master let them leave so easily? If they return in the future, they will likely cause even greater harm than they have today!

This straightforward question instantly captured everyone's attention.

Miao Chuyun and Shi Sheng frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought; the others also inquired.
On the high platform, Lu Cheng's face was as calm as an ancient pool, his deep gaze sweeping over Youming and Shisheng, and landing on the slightly bewildered faces of the nine dragon princes and princesses behind him.

Having cultivated for thousands of years, even with minimal involvement in karma, he has still taken in many disciples and followers, their karma intertwined and entangled.
Therefore, when Daoist Lu Cheng spoke, his voice, though not loud, resonated like a great bell, echoing in the hearts of every disciple:

"Killing is not difficult, but killing without leaving behind karma is difficult. Even if I could sweep away all demons with a single sword strike, making those seven villains bow down or even turn to ashes, it would indeed be exhilarating. However, the cycle of heaven and earth continues, and karma is intertwined. Today, you may enjoy the pleasure of subduing the dead and their souls, but in the future, this immeasurable karmic burden will entangle the fortune of my Heavenly Palace and haunt your path."

Lu Cheng sat upright on the jade futon on the altar, with an invisible divine wheel slowly turning behind him, drawing in the vast yet gentle spiritual energy of the entire Dao Palace and even the surrounding millions of miles of Ling Mountain, transforming it into wisps of primordial yellow energy that fell into the hall, making his dignified and profound appearance even more solemn and deep.

“I am not concerned with immeasurable karmic obstacles. Ascension is not an unattainable end for me, but an inevitable path.”

"But after I ascend to immortality, who will support the safety and path of this vast Heavenly Palace, the primordial spirit lineage, and all my disciples and grand-disciples?"

"This blessed land and opportunity are like a child carrying gold through a bustling market to you! How can you be at ease? Furthermore, as cultivators, each realm we cultivate has its own destiny and fortune. Many of those primordial spirits of the seven realms are not destined to die, and their destiny has not yet run out. If I were to forcefully kill them all with my magic power, it would be you who would lose your destiny."

"After I ascend to heaven, I fear that demons from beyond the realm will come and corrupt this world. At that time, my Heavenly Dao Palace may perish after only two generations."

Why did Lu Cheng invite the Abbot of Qinghong Temple, one of the Eight Scenic Spots of the Valley, to come seventeen years ago?
It should be noted that Gu Qinghong did not participate in this battle at all.

Lu Cheng intends to use the methods of this Master of the Book of Changes to resolve today's situation. Among those Nascent Soul cultivators from the Seven Realms, there must be some with shallow virtue who have fallen into Gu Qinghong's calculations. Taking advantage of their low fortune, he will send his disciples to eliminate them. This would be far less costly than killing them by force today.

On the other hand, these Nascent Soul cultivators can also be used to force the disciples to make progress in their cultivation, putting pressure on them so that when they ascend to immortality in the future, they will not have no one to support the sect and will have to choose a demon king from the Nine Li Cauldron to descend to earth and protect the Dao.

As Lu Cheng's own cultivation and magical power have improved day by day, his control over the Nine Li Cauldron has also increased. Now, if he doesn't take action, he can even stay in the outside world for a long time, free and unrestrained.

"It is easy to slay external demons, but it is truly difficult to slay the inner demons of laziness, confusion, and restlessness within our hearts! Diligently cultivate the Daoist arts, comprehend the profound mysteries, solidify our foundation, seek transcendence within, move with vigor and strength, and strive unceasingly. This is the foundation for the eternal prosperity of our Daoist Palace lineage!"

The lingering echo of his words resonated throughout the hall like an ancient bell, striking the hearts of every cultivator present.

The murderous intent that had been flickering in Youming's eyes quietly faded, leaving only deep contemplation.

Miao Chuyun's aura grew increasingly calm and resolute; the slight frivolity in Shi Sheng's eyes completely vanished, replaced by a focused gaze of contemplation.

The preaching did not stop; the voice, imbued with the profound wisdom of the Dao, continued for an unknown period of time, elucidating the deepest principles in the "Collection of Yin-Yang Dao".

The sound flowed through the various halls of the Taoist palace, eventually fading away into the depths of the clouds.

……

As time passes and light and shadow intertwine, time seems to lose its boundaries in this ancient Taoist temple.

Lu Cheng Daoist's figure had somehow moved to an extremely secluded and heavily guarded secret chamber for refining magic.

The life of a Taoist practitioner is an endless process of cultivation and progress spanning thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

On the altar, Lu Cheng sat cross-legged, his body radiating no light, only a faint, dark yellow hue flowing deep within his skin.

However, if any powerful being above the Nascent Soul Realm were to use their Dharma Eye to perceive his inner world, they would be terrified by what they saw:

At this very moment, Lu Cheng's body had transformed into a chaotic and violent inferno!

The twenty-four clusters of precious blood, each with a different shape and color, were no longer in liquid form. Instead, they had each transformed into a stream of true spirit phantoms, some arrogant, some violent, some tyrannical, and some unruly, but all filled with the aura of ancient primordial wilderness!
The dragon's shadow surged and stirred the Purple Mansion, the Ice Phoenix spread its wings and tore apart the Sea of ​​Consciousness, the Qilin's four hooves trampled the vital Dantian, the Kunpeng's wings stirred up a gale strong enough to tear apart the meridians, and there was also the White Tiger that shattered the void, the Black Tortoise that coiled around the stars, the Teng Snake that hid in the Nine Netherworlds, and the Golden Crow that melted away all the gold... The true blood of twenty-four ancient gods and demons went berserk and backfired at the same time!

"Roar--!"

A dull roar, seemingly from the depths of the underworld, resonated deep within every strand of Lu Cheng's bloodline.

"Hoo..." That Dharma body, tempered and forged by the Samadhi True Fire to near indestructibility, was now undergoing a calamity more terrifying than any external attack:

Muscles, bones, skin, internal organs, and even the most subtle spiritual particles that constitute the primordial spirit are all being frantically fought over and forcibly distorted by these violent true spirit imprints.

The left arm swelled several times, with black and red dragon scales piercing through the flesh and growing and hardening wildly; the right leg suddenly withered and elongated, transforming into a pure white and slender phoenix claw shape.
The muscles on his face were twisted and contorted under the control of the phantom of the Qilin, instantly becoming as majestic and powerful as a rocky mountain; the next moment, they seemed to be torn apart by the will of the Kunpeng, suddenly becoming thin and narrow, with his eyes pulled to his cheeks... In just a few breaths, Lu Cheng's body was frantically switching, overlapping, and twisting among these twenty-four completely different True Spirit forms.

Even the toughest skin cannot withstand this endless transformation and tearing. It cracks inch by inch, and before the blood can seep out, it is burned into wisps of blood smoke by the boiling heat on the skin's surface, and then sucked into the cracks in the flesh.

The friction of muscles and bones produced a tooth-grinding groan, and streams of chaotic energy, powerful enough to burst open a starry sea and freeze the yang flames, burst forth from every orifice and every broken wound in the body, transforming into twenty-four kinds of intertwined, fighting, annihilating and regenerating magical storms, stirring up monstrous waves in this secret chamber!

The star core ground, reinforced by numerous restrictions and capable of withstanding a battle between powerful cultivators, also trembled under the strain, its restrictive runes flickering uncertainly.

Lu Cheng's foundation was violently shaking, like a candle flickering in the wind.

The root of this backlash lies in the indomitable original mark of the ancient great beings imprinted in every drop of true spirit blood!
The deeper Lu Cheng cultivated the Xuan Tian Divine Art, the more vibrant they became, and the less willing they were to be completely tamed and refined by mortal cultivators.

The Taoist art of transformation and ascension exhausts the mysteries of Taoist cultivation of life and nature. By simulating the powerful true spirit bloodline of the primordial world, it aims to learn from others' strengths and make up for its own weaknesses. The ultimate goal is to use a human body to rival or even surpass the innate deities.

A thousand years ago, Lu Cheng had only advanced this technique to the fifteenth level of transformation, fusing fifteen kinds of true spirit blood, which already touched the limit of his physical body at that time.

The vast primordial energy brought by taking the Myriad Calamities Divine Pill and the "calamity damage" poison that erodes one's foundation are like a double-edged sword. The foundation is greatly damaged, but in the later stages, it is refined and subdued by Lu Cheng through his thousand years of arduous cultivation and the profound foundation of the Taiqing Sect. He even uses poison to fight poison, reversing the calamity power into fuel to expand his own potential on the path of cultivation.

More importantly, after joining the Taiqing Sect, he was able to access the essence of the Daoist canon, accumulated over countless years by this great human religion.

Those precious classics that expounded the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and the origin of all things were like a road leading to the ultimate heaven laid out before him.

This allowed Lu Cheng to draw on the strengths of many, fuse all techniques into one, and continuously revise and improve his own "Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill." Until today, with a complete theory and a solid foundation, he finally has the confidence to complete this skill with relative perfection!

"Certainly!!"

The void above their heads spun silently, and the phantom of an ancient, dark yellow pagoda suddenly solidified.

The pagoda's shadow was no more than three inches long, exquisite and translucent, yet it exuded the supreme power to suppress the four corners of the universe and to untangle the chaos of the primordial world.

A dense aura of primordial yellow energy cascaded down like a waterfall, instantly enveloping an area of ​​about ten feet in radius around Lu Cheng.

The twenty-four chaotic true spiritual energies that soared into the sky were suddenly suppressed by the profound and powerful Xuanhuang force, and the void groaned under the unbearable burden.

The true spirit continued to roar, but the manifested form was forcibly compressed back into the body and struggled.

The primordial energy seeped into every inch of his flesh, blood, muscles, and bones, like the most resilient net, reinforcing his Daoist body and Dharma body that were on the verge of collapse.

With the pressure slightly reduced, Lu Cheng dared not relax his mind in the slightest, and his ten fingers suddenly conjured up countless afterimages.

A Daoist shout originating from the deepest part of the soul, like the first ray of light after the creation of the world, suddenly exploded within the chaotic sea of ​​Daoist consciousness!

At the same time, a wisp of pure Samadhi Fire, containing the essence of creation and destruction, slowly rose from the Baihui acupoint on the top of Lu Cheng's head.

This wisp of true fire was pure gold in color, but at its core, a point of crimson essence and a trace of pure, azure flame pulsed.

It is no longer just a violent force that burns mountains and boils seas and refines all things, but also the creation fire that Lu Cheng managed to control with half a lifetime of cultivation, which is the fusion of his natal essence, primordial energy, and primordial spirit!

"The Great Dao Millstone, True Fire Shapes!"

boom!
The Samadhi True Fire suddenly transformed into a massive vortex of flames enveloping Lu Cheng, and at the core of the vortex was none other than Lu Cheng's Dao Body, which had been tempered and refined over countless trials.

At the outermost edge of the vortex are the twenty-four most violent, unruly, and constantly conflicting true spirit essences and blood.

Lu Cheng could certainly use the five elements within his chest to guide and suppress them, causing them to attack and trap themselves, and to restrain themselves. Even if he couldn't suppress them all, he could still greatly reduce his own pressure.

However, Lu Cheng cultivates the Great Dao of Innate Power. If he chooses to do so, he will choose to use his immense power to forcibly suppress it, which also has its advantages.

If the suppression is successful, it can greatly weaken the divine will of the twenty-four true spirits.

Whoosh... hiss... The true fire, like the most rigorous divine craftsman, began its incredibly painful, complex, and precise forging process.

The terrifying burning power that Chi Long Chi Yang experienced when he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, which could incinerate the primordial spirit, was now being fully applied to Lu Cheng himself!
Every inch of skin, every bone, every drop of blood, every meridian, and even the essence in every acupoint of the body is being mercilessly melted by this true fire. The muscles disintegrate and reorganize under the high temperature, becoming more resilient, covered with mysterious runes, and shimmering with a jade-like luster.

The bones were as if they had been cast in a divine furnace, becoming translucent and emitting a lustrous light, with a significantly increased density and a hidden vitality.

The blood vessels turned a deep gold color, and the flowing blood contained starlight-like brilliance, heavy yet brimming with vitality.

The internal organs are transformed into crystal, containing divine treasures, corresponding to the five elements, resonating with the acupoints throughout the body, forming a small world of its own!
The twenty-four forces on the outer edge, under the dual effects of the Samadhi True Fire's burning and the powerful suction of the central Dao body, were forcibly stripped, shattered, and scattered, leaving only the purest fragments of laws, the source of power, and innate attributes. It was like throwing a stubborn stone into a millstone, crushing the impurities and leaving only pure gold!
This process is like scraping the bone and washing the marrow, it is like having your soul extracted and your spirit refined, it is the terrifying pain of having your life form completely shattered and reshaped!
Lu Cheng's body trembled violently, his mind being assaulted by an extreme pain that surpassed all tortures in the world.

However, his Dao heart remained as still and ethereal as ever.

The vast collection of Taoist classics accumulated by the Taiqing Sect, along with its understanding of the laws governing the universe, has been transformed into an invisible rule that runs throughout the entire process, becoming the supreme guiding principle for this body-refining process.

Time loses its meaning here. Perhaps it's ten days and nights, or perhaps a hundred years.

Like divine iron thrown into a furnace, Lu Cheng endured unparalleled torment. His Dao body evolved towards an unknown and perfect direction through repeated disintegration, burning, and reorganization.

The Samadhi Fire circulates endlessly, meticulously crafting this unparalleled "Taoist artifact".

Finally, when the twenty-four rays of light completely transformed into pure primordial Dao traces and innate runes, no longer possessing the roaring will of any single true spirit.

Lu Cheng suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, and two beams of divine light, as solid as tangible light, shot out from his eyes, piercing through the void!
He remained seated, but an overwhelming aura emanated from him. The next moment, Lu Cheng moved!

There were no fancy movements, just the simplest thing—clench your fist, raise your arm, and thrust it forward! The movement was extremely slow, yet extremely heavy, as if propelling a nascent world forward!
"All phenomena are empty, only the true self remains!"

This fist imprint contains the true meaning of Lu Cheng's thousand years of tempering and a lifetime of cultivation of the Dao! It is not only aimed at the external void, but also at the internal, at the twenty-four strands of original essence that have been stripped away and scattered and returned to the most primitive chaotic state!

"Boom!"

A soft sound, like the rupture of the womb, emanated from Lu Cheng's body. The Taiji Jade Platform shook violently, and the surrounding chaotic primordial energy exploded. At the point where he delivered the fist imprint, the void shattered inch by inch like glass, revealing spiderweb-like black cracks. At the same time, the twenty-four strands of true spiritual will within his body, whose original imprints had been scattered and refined to the limit by the Samadhi True Fire, roared and cried out in unison, as if struck by a heavy blow, dissipating into nothingness.

After years of diligent study and practice, Lu Cheng can now clearly sense that he is only one thin, almost imperceptible barrier away from the Daoist immortality technique, which has not been seen in the Upper Realm for thousands of years.

(End of this chapter)