Recruit demons to become heroes, hunt demons to become gods

Chapter 312 Epilogue: The Former Master of the Immortal Abode, New Entanglements of Cause and Effect, Only Love Remains Eternal

Dou Eqing's consciousness, like a kite with a broken string, broke free from the shackles of the Kunlun Heavenly Dao and fled towards his distant homeland, Earth.

The Kunlun Realm then entered a period of quiet recuperation, and all living beings began a new cycle of reincarnation in oblivion.

However, beneath this seemingly settled surface, a cause and effect story originating from an even more ancient era has only just begun to be quietly rewritten.

The moment Dou Eqing's consciousness left his body, the perfect yet empty immortal embryo, which had already grown and was suspended in the sky above the Ziwei Immortal Mansion, suddenly produced a subtle fluctuation.

When the Heavenly Dao fully invaded and stripped away Dou Eqing's human consciousness, the violent fluctuations in the rules actually shook out an even more ancient and hidden remnant true spirit that was hidden deep in the origin of the Heavenly Dao—that was a fragment of the true spirit of the Ziwei Dao Venerable!

This ancient being, who once shared similar ambitions with Dou Eqing's previous incarnation and sought to control Kunlun, perished in failure. Yet, with a lingering resentment, his profound spiritual power allowed him to quietly merge with the Heavenly Dao, awaiting the opportunity to make a comeback.

Dou Eqing's rise, his attainment of the Dao, and even his final fierce confrontation and separation from the will of Heaven created an unprecedented opportunity for this sleeping true spirit to awaken and escape!
Following the profound causal connection between Dou Eqing and the Ziwei Immortal Mansion, and between Dou Eqing and this immortal body formed from his own origin, it instantly plunged into it like a bird returning to its nest!
The celestial embryo opened its eyes.

His eyes no longer held the sharpness or indifference of Dou Eqing, but rather a sense of vicissitudes that had been tempered by the passage of time, carrying a hint of weariness and endless calculation.

The Purple Star Daoist has quietly returned in this way!
He slowly moved this body, which was even more perfect than he had imagined, and his divine sense swept over the Purple Star Immortal Mansion.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every pavilion, and every building here was a carefully laid plan he devised to steal the Heavenly Dao and circumvent the rules.

This immortal abode itself was a "divine immortal abode" that he prepared for himself, independent of the Kunlun Heavenly Dao.

His gaze finally fell on the woman standing quietly to the side, who had always been guarding this celestial body—Shen Yirong.

She was originally the most loyal follower of the Ziwei Daoist, but was transformed into a spirit-like being of the Ziwei Immortal Mansion. She was arranged to create opportunities for his return, and after countless reincarnations, she finally met Dou Eqing.

Deep within her consciousness lay the imprint of absolute loyalty to the Ziwei Daoist.

However, in this reincarnation, during her Foundation Establishment stage, she was coincidentally implanted with the Demon Slave Mark by Dou Eqing. As a result, after returning to the Ziwei Immortal Mansion and merging with her immortal body, she was unable to escape the influence of the Demon Slave Mark because she herself did not resist its presence.

When the Ziwei Daozun restored his physical body to his own appearance, he attempted to connect directly with Shen Yirong's mind with his domineering will, as he had done in the past, to read her memories of the years she had guarded, and to regain control of her as if she were his own arm. However, he encountered an unprecedented and intense resistance!

Shen Yirong's delicate body trembled slightly as she raised her head to look at that familiar yet unfamiliar face.

The absolute obedience of the past was gone from his eyes; instead, they were filled with complex emotions—shock, confusion, but more than anything else… a sense of alienation and resentment from the bottom of his heart.

Throughout the long years of guarding her, she accompanied Dou Eqing as he gradually grew and conceived this physical body, watching the process of its growth.

She witnessed Dou Eqing's struggles, his ruthlessness, and his schemes, and also... felt the intense and real emotional entanglements between him and the women.

Even unknowingly, her own consciousness, which was set as a "protective tool," was rippled by Dou Eqing's vibrant soul, giving rise to a genuine feeling that she herself was not fully aware of.

At this moment, facing the suddenly returned "true master" Ziwei Daozun, who carried ancient majesty and cold calculation, she felt not joy, but a sense of resistance as her territory was disturbed and something precious was forcibly covered up!
The image of Dou Eqing clashed fiercely with the will of the Daoist master before her.

The brows of the Purple Star Daoist were slightly furrowed.

He sensed that the strong imprint of "loyalty" deep within Shen Yirong's consciousness remained, but it was blocked by a barrier formed by the mysterious contract of "Dou Eqing".

However, he thought it was because she had developed feelings for Dou Eqing.

“Appearance,” the Purple Star Daoist Master spoke, his voice carrying an ancient Daoist rhythm, trying to soothe the resistance, “You’ve worked hard in your long protection.”

Now that the true self has returned, the old order should be restored. Dou Eqing is merely a passerby, an interlude; do not let fleeting emotions cloud your timeless duty.

He needs to completely control Shen Yirong, not only because she is the key to knowing all the secrets of the Immortal Mansion, but also because he needs to use her power and all the accumulation of the Immortal Mansion to become stronger again!

Just as he was about to absorb the energy of the Immortal Abode to stabilize his consciousness and strengthen his soul, Shen Yirong intervened and severed his deep connection with the core of the Immortal Abode. She was still as beautiful and otherworldly as ever, but the look in her eyes as she gazed at this familiar body no longer held the submissiveness and anticipation of the past.

Deep within that gaze lay a near-obsessive resolve, forged through a long period of waiting, and a hint of… barely perceptible, cold scrutiny of the former master's "return."

“Daoist Master,” Shen Yirong spoke, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power, “You have just returned, and your true spirit has not yet fully merged with this transformed body. You are currently weak and it is not advisable to rashly disturb the foundation of your Immortal Abode.”

The Purple Star Daoist (new consciousness) attempted to use his former authority to oppress:
"Your appearance is that of the true self. This mansion was established by the true self. Quickly open your mind and help me recover!"

Shen Yirong shook her head slightly, her fingertips forming a hand seal. Countless hidden runes within the immortal mansion lit up instantly. They were not used for attack, but rather formed invisible shackles that gently yet firmly wrapped around the newborn Dao Venerable's immortal embryonic body, restricting his ability to mobilize greater power.

"Precisely because you are the Daoist Master, you should understand that times have changed."

Shen Yirong stared at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, but more so a clear desire for control. "This body has carried Dou Eqing's consciousness and has undergone the tempering of the Realm Lord position. It is no longer as pure as you originally imagined. Forcibly controlling it may lead to unforeseen consequences. In your current state, you need 'guidance' and 'protection'."

Her words were like an intricately woven net.

The so-called "guidance" and "protection" are actually control!
Over the long years, she has long since ceased to be the obedient spirit or guardian.

The existence of Dou Eqing and the demon slave mark he planted on her were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, stirring up ripples of "self" and "emotion" outside of her programmed loyalty to the Ziwei Daozun.

The inexplicable feelings she had for Dou Eqing, and the independent will that arose after witnessing his eventful life, led her to make her decision.

She wants to take control of this newly born, weak Ziwei Daozun!

It wasn't out of betrayal, but out of a much stronger obsession—she was going to find Dou Eqing!

How could that man just disappear like that?
Whether she is alive or dead, a god or a mortal, she demands an answer!
Completely controlling the Ziwei Immortal Mansion and using this "Daoist Venerable" who is familiar with the secrets of all realms is undoubtedly the best way to find Dou Eqing.

The Purple Star Daoist felt the invisible restraint and the unwavering resolve in Shen Yirong's will, and was both shocked and furious.

He never expected that his biggest backup plan and most trusted protector would "turn against" him at the most critical moment!
He tried to break free from the constraints, but found that his nascent consciousness was indeed hindered in its fusion with this powerful body. Moreover, Shen Yirong's control over the Immortal Abode was far deeper than he had anticipated.

"What...do you intend to do?"

The voice of the Ziwei Daoist Master carried suppressed anger and a hint of disbelief.

Shen Yirong slowly approached, looking down at the seated "him." Her fingertips lightly caressed the cheek of the immortal body, the movement carrying a hint of tenderness, yet her eyes were as cold as frost.
"Daoist Master, rest well and get used to this new body as soon as possible."

"Then... help me find him."

"This is the only value you have after your 'return'."

Within the celestial abode, power shifts.

The former master has become a prisoner, and the spirit of the artifact has become the one who plays the chess piece.

Everything is for the sake of finding that figure that has vanished into the depths of the Milky Way.

A quest that transcends boundaries and connects cause and effect quietly begins after this seemingly final chapter.

Whether the future of Kunlun Realm will be stirred up again by this pursuit remains to be seen.

As the saying goes, some people die, but live on in the hearts of others; some people live, but are as dead as they are, reduced to walking corpses, servants and slaves!
Three thousand years later, Su Muwan, who completely controlled the Purple Moon Divine Disc, did the same thing.

Unfortunately, the Purple Moon Divine Disc is more deeply connected to the Kunlun Realm, and she doesn't have a puppet like the Purple Star Daoist to use, making her path to find Dou Eqing even more difficult!
(End of this chapter)