Recruit demons to become heroes, hunt demons to become gods

Chapter 290 Three Phoenixes Compete for the Dragon, the Dragon Benefits
Above the canyon, the dark clouds were torn to shreds by the violent spiritual energy, only to be swallowed up by a new vortex of energy in an instant.

The world seemed to have transformed into a boiling furnace, where three distinct Mahayana pressures collided wildly, causing the air to distort and tremble, emitting a piercing buzz.

"Imperial Path to the Celestial Realm - Mountain and River Town!"

Liu Shuhuang's phoenix robe fluttered in the wind, and her nine-phoenix crown, adorned with pearls, emitted a dazzling golden light.

Her eyes flashed with a chilling light, and her fingers moved in a series of hand seals, causing a majestic phantom of a divine mountain to descend with a thunderous roar.

The surface of the mountain was covered with dense golden runes, each one as heavy as a thousand pounds, causing the surrounding space to groan under the unbearable pressure.

Narcissus Rong's black hair flew in the wind, and her white dress fluttered like butterfly wings in the raging air.

She looked up at the majestic mountain pressing down upon her, a hint of solemnity flashing in her eyes. With a slight lift of her slender fingers, countless azure light spots appeared around her, like an inverted galaxy, weaving into an intricate array before her.

The moment the two forces collided, the rock walls on both sides of the canyon collapsed with a deafening roar.

Amidst the flying debris, Liu Shuhuang's lips curled into a cold smile. Her hand seals changed again, and the runes on the surface of the sacred mountain suddenly lit up with a dazzling blood-red light.

“A trifle!”

Shui Xianrong gave a cold laugh and lightly raised her delicate hand.

Nine Ice Soul Needles formed a mysterious array in the air, and the extreme cold instantly froze the space within a hundred feet.

The phantom of the divine mountain collided with the icy domain, producing a deafening explosion, and countless ice crystals and golden light scattered everywhere.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a shadowy figure silently appeared behind Liu Shuhuang.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

A soft laugh rang in her ears, and twenty-seven stunningly beautiful faces appeared simultaneously.

A jet-black moon, sharp enough to cut through space, materialized at her fingertips, aiming straight for Liu Shuhuang's back.

"snort!"

Liu Shuhuang didn't turn her head, and the jade belt at her waist suddenly lit up.

A three-clawed golden dragon flew out from the jade belt and collided violently with the black moon wheel.

The violent energy fluctuations blasted the three of them back dozens of feet at the same time, and the rocks beneath their feet cracked inch by inch.

This confrontation has lasted for three full days.

The canyon has been completely transformed.

The cliffs on both sides were mostly sheared away, and the turbid stream at the bottom of the valley was frozen and thawed repeatedly before finally drying up.

The air was filled with the aura of shattered laws, and spatial rifts appeared and disappeared like hideous wounds.

Dou Eqing was placed on a relatively intact boulder by Liu Shuhuang, and his body was shrouded in a golden light.

He remained unconscious, but the three illusory images of blazing suns on his chest were clearer than before, radiating an alluring aura of pure yang.

"enough!"

Shui Xianrong suddenly stopped, her ice-blue palace dress already torn in several places, revealing her fair and jade-like skin.

"If this continues, both sides will only suffer heavy losses!"

The figure of Youyingyue emerged from the shadows, and all twenty-seven faces looked weary.

"The Ice Beauty is right, neither of us can really defeat the other."

Liu Shuhuang narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, and imperial dragon energy flowed around her.

Her condition wasn't much better; three of the pearls on her crown had already shattered.

"What do you two think?"

The three of them looked at Dou Eqing, who was unconscious, without prior agreement.

The canyon fell silent for a moment, with only the residual energy hissing in the air.

"actually."

Youyingyue suddenly chuckled, and ambiguous expressions appeared on all twenty-seven faces simultaneously. "Why should we fight to the death? The Three Yang Gathering Dragon Dao Body is a peerless furnace, not some rare treasure that can be divided."

Shui Xianrong's cold eyes flickered slightly: "You mean..."

"shared."

Liu Shuhuang suddenly interjected, her eyes gleaming, "We'll take turns using his Dao body for dual cultivation breakthroughs. Besides, with our primordial yin assisting him, his primordial yang will grow more easily, endlessly..."

The proposal struck like lightning across the canyon.

Narcissus Rong's breathing quickened almost imperceptibly.

She has been stuck in the middle stage of Mahayana for a long time, and the Ice Law needs the balance of Yang to advance further.

Youyingyue licked her lips, her twenty-seven eyes gleaming with desire.

As a member of the Soul Clan, she now possesses a Dao Body. If she were to pursue the path of dual cultivation, she would have such a vessel to assist her.
Liu Shuhuang took in their reactions and continued, "I can set up the 'Three Talents Returning to Origin Formation' to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, maximizing the effects of the Dao Body. After we all make breakthroughs with the help of the Three Yang Gathering Dragon Dao Body, we can have even more plans..."

"Chuckle, chuckle"

Youyingyue laughed heartily, "Your Majesty the Empress is indeed far-sighted. But... who goes first and who goes last?"

A cold glint flashed in Shui Xianrong's eyes: "Naturally, strength reigns supreme."

The atmosphere became tense again.

Liu Shuhuang smiled slightly: "Why distinguish between first and last? The three of us cultivating together will yield better results."

"What?!"

Shui Xianrong, unusually, lost her composure, a blush appearing on her icy face.

Youyingyue was also stunned, and all twenty-seven faces showed an expression of disbelief at the same time.

Liu Shuhuang remained composed: "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. With the Celestial Dynasty on the verge of collapse, how can we afford to be concerned with such empty formalities?"

She paused, then added, "Moreover, the three of us cultivating together can form a cycle, harmonizing yin and yang, achieving twice the result with half the effort."

On the dried-up riverbed of the turbid stream, a pebble suddenly rolled down, making a crisp sound.

Shui Xianrong remained silent for a long time before finally nodding almost imperceptibly.

The shadowy moon's eyes gleamed with interest: "Interesting. Very interesting!"

Liu Shuhuang let out a long sigh of relief, and the imperial dragon aura slowly receded. "In that case, we..."

Her words were abruptly cut off. All three turned their heads simultaneously, looking towards the giant rock—

Dou Eqing had opened his eyes at some point and was staring straight at them.

Dark golden flames burned in those eyes.

"Have you... reached an agreement?"

His voice was hoarse yet clear, carrying an indescribable sarcasm.

The three Mahayana female cultivators changed color simultaneously.

They didn't even realize that Dou E had woken up. What's even more terrifying is that the aura emanating from him at this moment doesn't resemble that of a Nascent Soul cultivator who has just recovered from serious injuries!
Liu Shuhuang was the first to react: "Fellow Daoist Dou, let me explain."

"No need."

Dou Eqing slowly sat up, his body shimmering with golden light.

The three illusory suns on his chest suddenly accelerated their rotation, forming a perfect triangle.

“I heard everything.”

The atmosphere in the canyon instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Shui Xianrong's Ice Soul Needle silently appeared, Youyingyue's myriad shadows began to writhe, and Liu Shuhuang's Imperial Dragon Qi rose once more.

Dou Eqing laughed.

That smile carried a hint of wickedness and a touch of domineering arrogance.

"You want my Three Yangs Gathering Dragon Dao Body?"

He slowly stood up, and the golden light shield shattered. "Alright."

Under the shocked gazes of the three Mahayana female cultivators, Dou Eqing's aura rose steadily.

Mid-stage of Fusion, late-stage of Fusion, peak, until reaching the threshold of Mahayana!
No one knows what happened to Dou Eqing, that he could so strangely and quickly raise his cultivation to such a level!

"but."

He cracked his neck, making a snapping sound. "I'll be leading this dual cultivation."

Before the words were finished, the three illusory images of blazing suns suddenly burst forth with dazzling light.

The entire canyon was bathed in a dark gold hue, and an ancient and majestic aura awakened within Dou Eqing's body. Liu Shuhuang's expression changed drastically: "This is no ordinary Three Yang Gathering Dragon; this is the embryonic form of the Nine Yang Sacred Body!"

"You only realize it now? Too late."

Dou Eqing laughed loudly, spreading his arms wide. "Since you've delivered yourselves to my doorstep, I'll gladly accept them! The primordial yin of three Mahayana female cultivators is enough for me to break through to the Mahayana stage!"

The raging yang energy transformed into three golden dragons, which pounced on the three female cultivators respectively.

The ice wall hastily summoned by Shui Xianrong instantly vaporized, and the myriad shadows of Youyingyue were like snow meeting boiling water. Liu Shuhuang's imperial dragon energy was actually assimilated and absorbed!
"Oh no! We've fallen for their trap!"

"He's been awake for a while now, waiting for us to fight amongst ourselves!" Youyingyue shrieked.

Liu Shuhuang made a decisive decision: "Form a formation! The three of you work together!"

At the critical moment of life and death, the three Mahayana female cultivators held nothing back.

Under Dou Eqing's pressure, three completely different forces—the extreme cold law of Shui Xianrong, the illusory demonic light of Youyingyue, and the imperial dragon aura of Liu Shuhuang—began to strangely merge.

In the center of the canyon, a huge energy vortex gradually took shape.

Four forces intertwine, collide, and merge within it.
The dried-up riverbed began to crack, and countless streams of spiritual energy gushed out from the cracks, as if the earth itself was providing nourishment for this unprecedented dual cultivation feast.

Dou Eqing's laughter echoed through the canyon: "Now that's more interesting!"

The energy vortex grew larger and larger, eventually forming a cocoon of light with a diameter of a thousand feet, completely enveloping the four of them.

On the surface of the cocoon of light, three illusory images of blazing suns and three kinds of female cultivators' primal power chased each other, forming a perfect cycle.

Outside the canyon, the dark clouds in the sky were illuminated in a dazzling golden-red hue, and spiritual energy from all around began to converge in this direction.

This unprecedented four-person dual cultivation has officially begun.
Sixty years is half a lifetime for ordinary people, but for Mahayana cultivators, it is but a fleeting moment.

However, for Liu Shuhuang, Shui Xianrong, and You Yingyue, these sixty years were a long and bizarre period of decline.

They were trapped in a dual cultivation illusion from which they could not escape.

Sixty years ago, when Dou Eqing suddenly awoke and displayed power beyond the realm of fusion, Liu Shuhuang and Shui Xianrong should have been immediately alert.

But they didn't.

Because as early as when the three were fighting over Dou Eqing, You Yingyue had already secretly made some moves.

—The supreme secret technique of the Illusionary Desire Demon Sect, "Nine Netherworld Soul-Destroying Spell".

This supernatural power is formless and intangible, and can silently erode a cultivator's soul, causing them to lose control of their desires and making their yearning for dual cultivation even stronger.

Youyingyue was skilled in illusion and soul manipulation, and with her late-stage Mahayana cultivation, even powerful figures like Liu Shuhuang and Shui Xianrong failed to realize that they had already been planted with the seed of love.

Therefore, when Dou Eqing used the Three Yang Gathering Dragon Dao Body to take the lead and forcibly guide this dual cultivation, Liu Shuhuang and Shui Xianrong's resistance was much weaker than expected.

In fact, without even realizing it, they became addicted to it, and their bodies and minds underwent tremendous changes.

This practice of dual cultivation lasted for a full sixty years.

Dou Eqing's Three Yang Gathering Dragon Dao Body was already the world's top-tier dual cultivation vessel. Coupled with the nascent Nine Yang Sacred Body hidden within him, the effect of this dual cultivation far exceeded expectations.

Liu Shuhuang's imperial dragon energy, Shui Xianrong's mysterious female pure yin, and You Yingyue's illusory desire soul essence were all harmonized by Dou Eqing with the power of the three yangs, and then fed back to himself.

His cultivation level rose steadily, soaring from the early stage of the Integration Realm until he touched the threshold of the Mahayana Realm!
What's even more terrifying is——

During this long period of dual cultivation, Dou Eqing's spiritual power quietly seeped into the Dao hearts of the three women, causing them to gradually become dependent on him amidst the ultimate pleasure and the increase in power, and even... develop deep feelings for him.

Liu Shuhuang, the once high and mighty empress of the Han and Tang dynasties, now looks at Dou Eqing with a gaze that is no longer cold and calculating, but rather carries a hint of tenderness that is hard to conceal.

Shui Xianrong, the controller of the Frost Law, whose face was once as cold as ice, now often has a faint blush on her face, and her heartbeat even quickens slightly when Dou Eqing gets close.

As for Youyingyue... she was the mastermind behind this scheme, so she had already submitted.

However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.

Within a span of sixty years, Dou Eqing's cultivation level rapidly increased, leading to an imbalance of power within his body. Just as this strange dual cultivation was about to end, an unexpected change occurred!

The power of the Three Yangs within Dou Eqing's body began to spiral out of control after absorbing too much of the Yin essence of Mahayana female cultivators!
"Oops……"

He groaned, and golden light erupted around him. Three illusory images of blazing suns spun wildly, almost tearing his body apart.

Liu Shuhuang immediately sensed something was wrong. She placed her jade-like hand on his back, trying to use the imperial dragon energy to help stabilize the rampaging spiritual power within him.

"no!"

Shui Xianrong's expression changed slightly. "His Three Yang Power is too violent. Although our Yuan Yin can harmonize it, it's still a little lacking..."

"What's wrong?"

Youyingyue frowned.

"We're missing... a vessel that can fully withstand his power!"

Liu Shuhuang said in a deep voice.

Just when the three were at their wits' end—"Boom—!"

The entire canyon's protective barrier was brutally torn apart!
A streak of pinkish-purple magical light crashed down like a meteor. After the dust settled, a stunningly beautiful figure slowly emerged.

The wisteria petals, suspended in mid-air, lingered in the void, while dust floating in the twilight condensed into glistening particles.

A silvery halo emanated from the void, gilding the long, dark blue hair that cascaded down to her waist with a star-like luster.

Those eyes, shimmering with the golden luster of tourmaline, swept across the heavens and earth. The left eye reflected the shattered light and shadow of the thirty-six heavens, while the right eye held the crimson undercurrent of the deepest abyss.

Her pale gold eyebrows slanted towards her temples, subtly echoing the vermilion incantation mark that appeared on her little finger.

The twenty-seven dharma forms floating behind him are both real and illusory, sometimes appearing as celestial maidens from the Jade Pool veiled in light gauze, and sometimes as Asura warriors bound in black iron.

Whenever his eyes moved slightly, three layers of radiant light would surge out from the gilded dragon scale mark on his collarbone, and the light patterns that moved among his features would appear as if they were alive.

Intertwined streams of light linked together to form an inverted galaxy. The moment her bare feet lightly touched the dust, seven hundred and twenty tassels woven from the feathers of a black bird fell from the void, transforming into fluttering fire butterflies upon touching the ground.

The pale purple divine patterns at the corners of his eyes flickered with his breath, turning into a dazzling gilded gold the instant he gazed at the setting sun in the west.

The black gold sword sheath, suspended in mid-air, oozed wisps of dark red liquid, which evaporated into a blood-red mist before it even fell.

As the last grain of dust fell to the ground, the entire twilight suddenly shrank into two rhomboid amber beads hanging by its ears. Only the clear, melodious sound of silver ornaments colliding remained in the world. The dragon scale chain wrapped around its neck rippled with light, as if it were a living creature slowly swimming.

Her hair was as black as a waterfall, with dark blue tips. Twenty-seven stunningly beautiful faces swirled around her, and the golden scale mark on her collarbone shone brightly.

—Yena, attendant!

Her red lips curved slightly, captivating all who beheld her. Her gaze was fixed intently on Dou Eqing, her voice sweet and seductive:

“Master… Na Shi, you’re late.”

The newcomer was none other than Ye Na, who possessed the Spirit Peach Honey Pot Dao Body and was already at the Mahayana stage.

Liu Shuhuang, Shui Xianrong, and You Yingyue all changed color at the same time!

Yena, the Extreme Desire Demon, possesses the cultivation of the Great Ascension Realm and the legendary Spirit Peach Honey Pot Dao Body—the most perfect dual cultivation furnace in the world!
Her appearance was like the final piece of the puzzle that fate had prepared for Dou Eqing!
Originally, the four of them were inside the barrier, making them difficult for even ordinary Mahayana cultivators to detect.

Yena was being pursued by all sides. When she passed by, Dou Eqing sensed her presence because of the connection of the Demon Slave Seal.

Therefore, Dou Eqing subconsciously summoned her over.

To escape her pursuers, Yena even turned around and fought a fierce battle with them before arriving.

Otherwise, she would have arrived long ago.

"you……!"

Shui Xianrong was about to stop him, but Dou Eqing grabbed her arm.

He stared at Yena, his eyes burning with golden flames, his voice hoarse and domineering:
"Just in time."

Yena smiled sweetly, and all twenty-seven faces simultaneously showed expressions of infatuation. She slowly stepped forward and whispered:

“Master, Na Shi… take whatever you like.”

Before he could finish speaking, Dou Eqing had already pulled her into his arms, and the power of the Three Yangs and the primordial Yin of the Spirit Peach Honey Pot Dao Body instantly merged!

"boom--!"

The entire canyon was pierced by a golden beam of light that stretched from the sky to the ground!
Liu Shuhuang, Shui Xianrong, and You Yingyue were forced back by this force, and could only watch helplessly as Dou Eqing's aura...

I am about to embark on the Mahayana path!

He only needs to use Yena's Spirit Peach Honey Pot Dao Body to break through to the Mahayana realm, and then stabilize the Mahayana realm through dual cultivation to make up for the backlash caused by the imbalance of power in his body.

However, breaking through to Mahayana will inevitably lead to the Mahayana tribulation.

To undergo the Mahayana tribulation without any preparation is practically suicidal.

This made the three women standing nearby very worried.

(End of this chapter)