Recruit demons to become heroes, hunt demons to become gods

Chapter 276 A miraculous escape from death, unexpectedly gaining Fu Renying
"Kun Sou, everyone is still waiting for your order!"

A newly-entered expert from the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand clan jokingly said to Kun Ghost.

This multi-armed, demonic man is named Gui Taiduo, and is Gui You's uncle.

The ghost, Taiduo, had a blue face and fangs, with eight arms twisted like gnarled branches. At this moment, he was grinning with a blood-red mouth, looking at Kun Sou with a forced smile.

His voice was hoarse, like the scraping of rust, and he said in a strange, sarcastic tone:
"Old man Kun Sou, your Kun Bone Demon Bull clan has always touted fairness. Today, don't imitate the behavior of human officials and show favoritism!"

As he spoke, his third arm intentionally or unintentionally caressed the skull artifact at his waist. The ghostly flames flickered in the artifact's eye sockets, clearly emanating the pressure of a powerful cultivator at the Integration Realm.

Although this Ghost Taiduo had only recently entered the Integration stage, his body was already shrouded in a blood-red aura, clearly indicating that the "Blood Fiend Demon Art" of the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand Clan had reached its pinnacle.

Upon hearing this, Kun Sou's expression darkened, and a faint purple light emanated from the single horn on his forehead.

He recalled that moonlit night fifty thousand years ago—at that time, that brat Gui You was only at the peak of the Void Refinement stage, yet he broke through three trials in the Demon Abyss Trial, causing the demonic energy of the Nine Netherworlds to flow back three thousand miles.

That very night, he personally drove the bone spurs, crafted with secret techniques for a thousand years, into Gui You's collarbone.
"Brother Ghost Dao is joking."

Kun Sou suddenly clapped his hands and laughed loudly, his voice like a booming bell, causing the demonic bats on the cave ceiling to fall in a flurry. "Our clan has united with you all to rule the Ten Thousand Demon Cave for ten thousand years, and has there ever been the slightest favoritism?"

He slammed his bullwhip heavily on the ground, creating ripples of black energy, a phenomenon reminiscent of the "Shaking Mountains" divine power of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

This bullwhip was originally the tail of the bull he was born with, and was later refined into his natal bullwhip.

Seeing this, the other demons retreated. Everyone knew that when these two joined forces to slaughter the Blood Dragon Clan, Gui Taiduo's six arms tore the Dragon King apart, while Kun Sou, with the help of the Great Elder of the Ghost Hand Clan, used his horn to pierce through the protective formations of three human cities.

Originally, the two races were allies, with the Kun Gu Demon Bull race as the main force and the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand race as the auxiliary force.

However, the multi-armed ghost hand clan produced a peerless genius named Gui You, who cultivated to the Integration Realm in just 50,000 years, causing the multi-armed ghost hand clan's strength to subtly surpass that of the Kun Gu Demon Bull clan.

Thus, Kun Sou refined Gui You into his own substitute, causing a deep enmity between the Kun Gu Demon Bull Clan and the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand Clan, ending the alliance between the two clans.

Neither of them are easy to deal with; they prefer action to words, and are even less likely to openly break off relations. Once relations are broken, the ensuing battle is unpredictable.

Now, old grudges and new hatreds will likely be settled in this Demon Cave.

It turns out that the Kun Gu Demon Bull clan not only limited themselves to having only one subordinate, the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand Clan, but also aimed to dominate the entire Ten Thousand Demon Cave.

It turns out that the Kun Gu Demon Bull clan was not satisfied with having only one subordinate, the Multi-Armed Ghost Hand Clan, and also attempted to dominate the entire Ten Thousand Demon Cave.

The creation of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave was actually a calculated move by the Kun Gu Demon Bull clan to weaken the power of other races by using the human race. This clever scheme of using one enemy to devour another was truly ingenious.

It just so happens that Li Xianchan expanded the entrances and exits of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, allowing demons at the Integration Realm to easily enter and exit the cave.

Thus began the war between humans and demons at the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons.

Kun Sou continued in a nonchalant manner:

"The matter has not been fully investigated, so it's too early to draw conclusions!"

It was precisely because the two factions were surrounded and bickered, and no immediate action was taken, that Dou Eqing was given a chance.

The members of the demonic sect never expected that Dou Eqing would still be able to escape from this seemingly inescapable encirclement.

He made hand seals and chanted incantations, then unleashed a magic spell on the headless demon.

In an instant, demonic energy surged, and he actually borrowed three-tenths of the Minotaur's cultivation level, which was at the Void Refinement Realm.

A glint flashed in Dou Eqing's eyes. He first scanned his surroundings with his divine sense, and then the illusory image of the Purple Star Immortal Mansion emerged from the Purple Mansion in his chest and spun around in the air.

Do not resist!
He said in a deep voice, clearly addressing Fu Renying.

Zhou Yutong had already witnessed the wonders of this immortal abode, and at this moment she simply smiled, her eyes revealing a hint of understanding.

In the blink of an eye, Dou Eqing pushed with both palms, and the Ziwei Immortal Mansion suddenly burst forth with ten thousand rays of light.

A curtain of light, as blue as glass, poured down like flowing water, completely enveloping Zhou Yutong and Fu Renying.

The faint outlines of celestial pavilions could be seen within the light screen, as ethereal as a mirage.

The minotaur suddenly let out a deafening roar, his demonic energy surging as he tried to break free from the restraints of the magic.

Dou Eqing snorted coldly, and a line of blood shot out from his fingertip. The demon was struck as if by lightning, and his body froze.

In the blink of an eye, the two figures in the light screen gradually faded away and disappeared without a trace.

After Dou Eqing teleported the two women into the Ziwei Immortal Mansion, his own body quickly disappeared from the spot, and outsiders could not see how he disappeared.

Dou Eqing and his two companions escaped, but the unlucky one was the Minotaur.

Seeing the formidable array of Dou Eqing's forces, the demon generals no longer cared that this bull-headed demon was a prodigy of the Kun Gu Demon Bull clan.

But then he saw countless magical treasures raining down on him, all aimed at him.

Dou Eqing originally intended to take the bull-headed demon into the Ziwei Immortal Mansion, but found that this plan would be difficult to succeed.

Since the magic power that activates the Immortal Abode is borrowed from the Minotaur, if the Minotaur is taken into the abode, this power will be immediately cut off.

If it gets stuck halfway, it might backfire.

What they feared even more was that this would expose the secrets of the Purple Star Immortal Abode, which would be a complete loss.

The minotaur roared repeatedly, wielding its pair of iron horns with ferocious force, deflecting all the incoming magical weapons.

However, outnumbered by the enemy, he was covered in wounds in no time.

Fortunately, the demon among them, whose cultivation had reached the Integration Realm, did not launch an attack, giving Kun Sou some face; otherwise, the Minotaur's fate would have been uncertain.

The Minotaur's eyes were bloodshot, and he suddenly roared to the sky, his voice shaking the heavens, as if he were ready to fight to the death.

Kun Sou watched as the Minotaur was surrounded and attacked for nearly a minute before roaring angrily:
"Enough! Leave them alive and find out why those three human cultivators came here and where they went."

He found a plausible reason to indirectly save the Minotaur.

After the demons took the minotaur away, they left three Void Refinement Realm demons behind to guard the place in case Dou Eqing and his two companions reappeared.

According to the preliminary assessment of the Demon Realm experts, Dou Eqing, you must have hidden inside the treasure cave.

However, the treasures of the cave have the characteristic of turning into tiny mustard seeds, making them difficult to find even though they are in the same place.

Unless a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who is proficient in spatial manipulation refines this area, even if they find that speck of dust, they won't be able to detect it.

Dou Eqing discovered that one of the three demons had reached the late stage of the Void Refinement realm, while the other two were at the mid-stage. Naturally, he dared not make any rash moves and had no choice but to hide in the Ziwei Immortal Mansion for a while.

He couldn't care less about the Minotaur's life or death.

Therefore, she has been waiting for Dou Eqing to arrive so that she can go out and undergo her tribulation.

Xiao Yuzhu and Ji Xi sensed someone teleporting in and rushed over, where they saw Dou Eqing's figure.

With her almond-shaped eyes sparkling with spring, Xiao Yuzhu disregarded the people watching and immediately took light steps, like a swallow returning to its nest, and rushed into Dou Eqing's arms. Her slender hands held Dou Eqing tightly, as if she wanted to melt her whole body into his chest.

Ji Xi stood to one side, her crimson lips slightly pursed.

Since her previous dual cultivation with Dou Eqing, her cultivation has reached the peak of the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage.

Some time ago, after consuming a fifth-grade top-quality breakthrough pill refined by the Heavenly Origin Liquid, he broke through the shackles and faintly touched the threshold of the Void Refining Realm.

At this moment, spiritual energy surged within her dantian. She only needed to find a secluded place to undergo the Void Refining Tribulation so that she could truly join the ranks of Void Refining experts.

For the past two weeks, she has been calculating the time every day, hoping that Dou Eqing will come to open the secret realm's restrictions.

Seeing him finally appear, her eyes shimmered with a gentle light, and even the jade pendant hanging at her waist swayed slightly.

Dou Eqing coughed twice, his old face turning slightly red, and he awkwardly introduced Ren Ying:

"This is Fairy Ji Xi, the Deacon of the Judgment Hall, and she is my Daoist partner, Xiao Yuzhu."

Fu Renying was taken aback upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Ji Xi calmed herself slightly, her gaze sweeping lightly over Xiao Yuzhu as she pondered to herself:

"How come this guy is surrounded by such stunning beauties? I wonder how many romantic entanglements he's accumulated."

When Dou Eqing introduced them, she caught a glimpse of Zhou Yutong and the other person out of the corner of her eye.

A half-smile played on her lips, but her heart was a jumble of emotions.

"This rascal is certainly blessed with good fortune; every girl around him is more beautiful than the last."

Thinking of this, she unconsciously bit her lower lip, and her slender white fingers twisted the hem of her clothes again and again.

The difference in treatment Dou Eqing gave her compared to Xiao Yuzhu stirred up some subtle feelings in her.

While she might say she doesn't care at all, her heart feels as if it's been gently brushed by a feather; yet, if she does care, her feelings are quite different from those of an ordinary woman who gets jealous.

This neither-here-nor-there feeling is like swallowing a raw plum, with a sour taste mixed with an indescribable sweet aftertaste.

In contrast, Xiao Yuzhu remained calm, which was somewhat different from her usual demeanor. She merely nodded slightly to Zhou Yutong and the other woman.

Her eyes were cold and clear, like a pool of autumn water, revealing no trace of emotion.

For a moment, each of them had their own thoughts, and the scene became somewhat delicate.

After Dou Eqing finished his introduction, he frowned slightly, secretly calculating the predicament he was facing.

He unconsciously stroked Xiao Yuzhu's back with both hands, his gaze falling on Zhou Yutong and Fu Renying.

Both Zhou Yutong and the other person have reached the Void Refinement Realm. If they want to teleport out of the Ziwei Immortal Mansion again, they may have to use the Magic Control Technique again, or wait until he breaks through to the Void Refinement Realm.

"Refining Void Realm"

He murmured to himself, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

Recalling the Minotaur's agonizing and contorted appearance, his heart tightened—such magic was probably three times more unbearable for a demon slave than being stabbed with swords.

He suddenly clenched his fist, and his knuckles made a crisp sound.

Although I'm only one step away from breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm, how can such a realm be broken through so easily?
If Fu Renying and Zhou Yutong are trapped here for too long, it will be a great loss of combat power for both the entire Hezong clan and Dou Eqing himself.

Thinking of this, Dou Eqing's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Moreover, he is currently trapped in the Ten Thousand Demon Cave and needs Void Refinement Realm warriors to protect him.

Although Xiao Yuzhu could not see Dou Eqing's face, she could tell from his heavy aura that he seemed to have encountered a thorny problem.

Her eyes flickered, and suddenly she smiled, her voice soft and sweet like honey.
"Dou Lang, Yu'er has been missing you terribly these past few days."

After saying that, she twisted her body in Dou Eqing's arms, clearly trying to entice Dou Eqing to arouse his interest in pleasure and relieve his worries with the pleasure of dual cultivation.

However, Dou Eqing was engrossed in his own thoughts and had no interest in engaging in dual cultivation and pleasure with Xiao Yuzhu.

Dou Eqing initially seemed not to hear, his brow furrowing deeper. After a while, he said to Xiao Yuzhu, "Yu'er, please entertain them for me and show them around. I need to sort things out properly."

Zhou Yutong gestured to Xiao Yuzhu with her eyes, instructing her to receive Fu Renying, while she took Ji Xi away.

At the same time, she telepathically described Fu Renying's situation to Xiao Yuzhu.

"Fellow Daoist Ji, let's go soak in the Nourishing Essence Spring."

So, Zhou Yutong and Ji Xi went to Yangyuan Spring, while Xiao Yuzhu pulled Fu Renying toward the Jade Buddha Peony Flower.

As they walked, before Xiao Yuzhu could speak, Fu Renying spoke first:
"Is your Dou Lang's harem always this harmonious?"

She made a pointed remark.

Because she saw that Zhou Yutong and Ji Xi seemed to have hit it off before, she suddenly realized that Zhou Yutong's hobby was unusual, and that it was not simple for them to be dating Yang Yuanqun together.

Fu Renying especially understood the look in Xiao Yuzhu's eyes when she and Dou Eqing had engaged in dual cultivation ahead of time, which piqued Ji Xi's interest.

That's why she has this harmonious statement now.

Logically speaking, it would be good enough if Ji Xi and Zhou Yutong didn't fight over a man, but instead, they developed feelings for each other that cannot be described.

"Human emotions are complex. As far as I know, they had only just met. However, after following Dou Lang, neither of us is dissatisfied, and there is no need for us to compete with each other."

After a moment's thought, Xiao Yuzhu gave her opinion.

Although she didn't observe as closely as Fu Renying, she understood perfectly what the other person meant by harmony.

After all, the dual cultivation techniques in the [Imperial Nourishment and Yin-Nourishing Scripture] that she comprehended included all sorts of special auxiliary methods for dual cultivation.

For example, the "Mixed Yin and Yang Technique" requires two or more Yin individuals to reach the level of being like twin lotus blossoms in terms of emotions in order to achieve the effect of flying together as a pair of birds in flight through dual cultivation.

Since the topic had come up, Xiao Yuzhu took the opportunity to share the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique with Fu Renying.

After listening to Xiao Yuzhu's description of the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique, Fu Renyin felt a sudden resonance, but he suppressed this feeling and could only sigh:
"Ah! In the end, it's all for the sake of the Great Way, so why not do it?"

Because she suddenly discovered that she had that abnormal tendency, but she found it hard to accept it.

There is a dark memory within this that Fu Renying is unwilling to unravel.

She once encountered a special emotional tribulation, and the extreme lust of her body overwhelmed her, making her feel as if she had been poisoned by a potent aphrodisiac. In her blurred consciousness, she sought help from Fu Shaoyun, who surprisingly helped her break free from the demonic influence very quickly.

Although it happened only once, Fu Shaoyun buried it deep in her heart, treating it as a last resort to save Fu Renying, and was never affected by it.

But Fu Renying regarded that incident as a thorn deeply embedded in her memory, one that was difficult to remove.

Whenever this incident comes to mind, she sees herself as a devil and finds it hard to forgive herself.

Although Fu Renying witnessed Zhou Yutong and Ji Xi's affair, it did not awaken that "dark memory." However, Xiao Yuzhu's vivid description of the "Mixed Yin and Yang Technique" stirred excitement in her soul, thus awakening the "dark memory."

However, through her understanding of the "Mixed Yin and Yang Technique," she instinctively wanted to find peace by following the principle of "Tao follows nature."

After all, Fu Shaoyun, as the victim, did not suffer serious harm or impact because of that incident.

"Yes! Happiness is the most important thing. Cultivation is arduous and cruel. Without some beautiful companions, one can easily fall into the demonic path and be lost. On the long road of cultivation, only by filling one's heart with joy and hope can one resist external temptations and inner struggles."

Beautiful things are like guideposts, pointing us in the right direction and helping us find light in the darkness. Whether it's the beautiful scenery along the way, the companionship of family and friends, or the peace of mind, they are all indispensable nourishment for our spiritual practice.

Without these beautiful companions, once lost in inner demons, turning back becomes incredibly difficult, and one may even lose their way. Therefore, cherish every joyful moment, and even create pleasant times, letting them become the most solid support on our spiritual path.

Xiao Yuzhu stopped and pointed to the jade Buddha peony in front of them, continuing:
There's a saying in the world of men: "To die beneath a peony is to be a romantic ghost!"

"Could this be the Jade Buddha Peony, a sacred object for dual cultivation in the Joyful Buddhism?"

Fu Renying's pupils suddenly contracted, and her fingertips trembled slightly as she pointed at the jade Buddha and peony flower.

The jade Buddha peony was translucent and pure, with petals overlapping like clouds. The jade Buddha in the center of the flower possessed both a sacred image and a fiery passion, subtly revealing a touch of enchanting spring. It was truly a masterpiece of nature.

She gasped, rolled her head back twice, and suddenly felt her ears burning.

"It's actually... a divine artifact for dual cultivation from the Joyful Buddha lineage?"

She murmured to herself, her voice filled with a mixture of surprise and doubt.

He unconsciously took half a step forward, then abruptly stopped.

The jade Buddha peony flower shimmered with a rouge-colored halo under the light, and one could almost smell its faint, warm fragrance, which made Fu Renying's heart flutter. It reminded her of the scene of fragrant boudoirs and silken curtains described in the secret method of dual cultivation, and the loving and intimate relationship between Daoist partners.

Fu Renying bit her lower lip, and tears welled up in her eyes.

My left hand unconsciously went to my chest, and I felt my chest pounding.

In a daze, I seemed to see the ethereal image of a flower spirit swaying, and it whispered tenderly in my ear.

A strange feeling spread throughout her body.

She suddenly became alert, quickly pinched her waist, and cursed herself inwardly:

"I'm possessed!"

But the smiling Buddha-like woman among the flowers was clearly tempting her.

Such temptations seem to invade directly at the level of the soul, causing endless annoyance.

It turns out that this was the awakening of the Jade Buddha Peony's invincible consciousness, which initiated a mental attack on its own initiative, and Fu Renying was caught off guard.

Xiao Yuzhu, standing to the side, was completely unaffected. Seeing that Fu Renying had regained her senses and was free, she continued:
"Yes, this is a sixth-tier Jade Buddha Peony. I have something even more astonishing to tell you. By the way, Sister Fu, may I call you that? Sister Fu, do you know how long I've been cultivating?"

It was only then that Fu Renying realized what she had overlooked.

Whether it's Xiao Yuzhu, Ji Xi, or Zhou Yutong, they all look no older than Fu Shaoyun, yet their cultivation levels have all reached such a high level, which is truly unbelievable.

"I have been cultivating for less than ten thousand years. Once I leave this place to undergo tribulation, my cultivation level will reach the Refining Void Realm. Half of the credit goes to this Jade Buddha Peony flower, and the other half to Dou Lang's Pure Yang Dao Body."

So, I told Sister Fu frankly, meeting Dou Lang was fate, following Dou Lang was opportunity, the greatest opportunity of my life. Aside from his luck with women, Dou Lang is good in every other way…”

As Xiao Yuzhu spoke, she seemed to have become Dou Eqing's matchmaker, praising Dou Eqing incessantly in every aspect.

Xiao Yuzhu, with her silver tongue, finally persuaded Fu Renying to fall for Dou Eqing.

With a flicker of her eyes, she casually brought up the matter of the Demon Slave Seal at just the right moment.

In reality, all her efforts were simply to persuade Ren Ying to willingly accept Dou Eqing planting the Demon Slave Mark on her.

Having entered this Purple Star Immortal Abode, the Demon Slave Seal is an inescapable calamity for Fu Renying.

But this Ren Ying is no ordinary person.
She is a true expert in the Void Refinement Realm, and she also has an extraordinary daughter—a renowned Void Refinement Realm prodigy in the Demon Hunter Sect.

If we can get her to accept the seal willingly, that would be the best course of action.

Knowing that Dou Eqing was deeply troubled by this matter, Xiao Yuzhu immediately put all her effort into saying every word that resonated with Fu Renying.

A faint smile played on her lips, but a glint of light flashed in her eyes. The thought of being able to help Dou Eqing relieve his worries brought her a sense of comfort.

Seeing Fu Renying frown at the matter of the Demon Slave Seal, Xiao Yuzhu quickly changed the subject.

"Sister Fu is not far from the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm, is she?"

"It's far from enough; it would take at least 20,000 years of cultivation to improve."

"Really? Since you have time now, perhaps Dou Lang can help you increase your cultivation speed. This Jade Buddha Peony Flower can't be used all the time. Besides, let me tell you, the experience of dual cultivation with Dou Lang is something you'll never forget..."

……

While Xiao Yuzhu was working on Fu Renying's mindset, Yangyuan Spring was filled with the joy of spring.

They seemed to have been a pair of twin lotus flowers in their past lives, and now they met again to rekindle their love, helping and loving each other in harmony.

Dou Eqing snapped out of his thoughts and subconsciously used his divine sense to investigate where the four women had gone.

I witnessed that unique scene by chance, and passion was instantly ignited.

Having just experienced the torment of distress, Dou Eqing naturally didn't want to suppress himself too much, seeking solace in happiness.

He immediately recalled Xiao Yuzhu's earlier call of love to him.

In a flash, he pulled the jade Buddha peony flower here to find Xiao Yuzhu.

It was only then that he realized Fu Renying was beside him, and his awkward, lustful expression was illuminated by the gazes cast by the two women.

Dou Eqing, like a little boy, tried to cover his unsightly lower body with his hands, when suddenly a fragrant breeze wafted over.

He looked up and saw Xiao Yuzhu with her robe half-undone, her snow-white skin partially revealed, her slender hands gently stroking her hair, her eyes full of alluring charm.

"Dou Lang~"

Her lips parted slightly, her voice soft and sweet, "Yu'er feels that I am still lacking in the skills to transcend tribulation. I wonder if Dou Eqing would be willing to lend me the Jade Buddha Peony to help me improve my cultivation?"

As she spoke, she moved with light steps, her waist swaying gently, like a willow in the wind.

Her slender, white hand had already quietly rested on Dou Eqing's shoulder, her breath as fragrant as orchids.

Dou Eqing felt a faint fragrance enter his lungs, and his heart and mind were stirred.

Upon closer inspection, Xiao Yuzhu's almond-shaped eyes were filled with spring-like warmth, and her rosy cheeks blushed, which truly aroused Dou Eqing's pity.

She lightly bit her lower lip, her eyes slightly upturned, a gesture rarely seen on her face, clearly a deliberate invitation to him to show her love.

"I'm still a bit short of being ready to transcend my tribulation. Could you help me improve my cultivation here?"

As Xiao Yuzhu spoke, she pretended to seduce Dou Eqing by mentioning Fu Renying's presence.

The two were already an old married couple, so Dou Eqing didn't need to hold back. At this moment, he couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her.

Their kiss was exceptionally passionate from the start, until they became so engrossed in each other's actions that they naturally progressed to dual cultivation...

No one knew when Fu Renying had quietly disappeared.

……

It all seemed like a dream. Suddenly, the Jade Buddha Peony flowers burst forth with holy light, enveloping them all.

When Fu Renying awoke from her blissful state, she realized that she had truly become Dou Eqing's woman, because the two were now so intimately connected that they were like one.

In her heart, besides secretly discerning the authenticity of the previous bliss, she was also estimating how much cultivation time this dual cultivation had saved her.

"It should be true, after all, his Fire Dragon Diamond is a legendary item. With the Pure Yang Dao Body and the holy light of the Jade Buddha Peony Flower, my cultivation level this time is equivalent to the result of a normal thousand years of cultivation."

Just as Fu Renying was happy about this, Dou Eqing said something that dampened her spirits.

(End of this chapter)