The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

The summer breeze stopped, and the cicadas' chirping abruptly ceased.

The sounds of the entire forest seemed to be instantly cut off, leaving a deathly silence. The jet-black butterfly hovering in mid-air above the cave, its wings as thin as gauze and its body without a single blemish, brought a chill far more real than any spying from the cliff top at night.

Previously, when Xuan Ye Zun looked down from afar, it was a superior and condescending scrutiny, a demon lord's indifferent observation of ants. But now, this soul-peeping black butterfly is close at hand, a close surveillance, a silent lock-on, meaning that all his and Wan Tang's movements, arduous cultivation, and obsessions are completely exposed to the demon realm's eyes, without the slightest secrecy.

Cen Jin's body tensed abruptly, every inch of his bones and every wisp of spiritual energy instantly receding into his body. He held his breath and focused his mind, his eyes flashing with a chilling light.

He finally realized.

Why has the deep mountain remained deathly silent all this time, free from the disturbances of demons and monsters? Why has the Demon Lord remained inactive after spying on him? It's not that he's given up or ignored him; rather, he has already planted spies, lurking and spying day and night. The Black Butterfly is silent and stealthy, hidden among the wind and vegetation, avoiding all senses, quietly recording his every breath, every battle, and every inch of his cultivation progress.

It is observing, it is waiting.

Waiting for the spiritual power of the wooden box to be exhausted, waiting for the seal to collapse, waiting for the demonic blood in Cen Wantang's body to go completely berserk, waiting for all his persistence to be destroyed.

The wind stopped in the woods, and the light and shadows seemed to freeze.

The black butterfly gently fluttered its wings, and fine black scales drifted down, landing on the bluestone at the cave entrance. Instantly, they corroded shallow pits, emanating wisps of cold, black mist. Such terrifying, sinister power from mere scales was enough to reveal the domineering and insidious nature of the Demon Lord's original power.

It did not attack, nor did it unleash any deadly moves; it simply maintained a wait-and-see attitude, like a cold recorder, stubbornly and silently guarding the cave entrance, locking onto the person and the box inside the cave.

A chill ran through Cen Jin's heart, but he forcibly suppressed all his agitation.

He knew that the Black Butterfly's value lay not in its combat prowess, but in its ability to spy and transmit messages. It was the eyes and ears of the demon realm, and if he acted rashly, it would alert the hidden forces behind it and attract even stronger demons. At this moment, the wooden box, whose seal was weakening, and his cultivation, which was not yet complete, were simply powerless to protect Wan Tang.

But letting it go would have endless consequences. Now that the Black Butterfly has returned to the realm, all of his trump cards, all his weaknesses, and all his ways of survival will be revealed to Xuan Ye Zun. The latter will then be able to precisely grasp his Achilles' heel, manipulate his destiny at will, and render all his arduous cultivation a joke.

There was nowhere to retreat, nowhere to avoid.

After a moment's deliberation, Cen Jin made up his mind and had no more hesitation.

He slowly raised his palm, and the restrained Azure Yang spiritual energy within it quietly revived, a warm and pure golden light subtly flowing around it. It was neither ostentatious nor overwhelming, yet it carried the primal pressure of the supreme Yang of heaven and earth, capable of suppressing all evil. After months of fighting in the desolate forest, his combat mental state had far surpassed that of a novice cultivator. He remained calm and composed in the face of enemies, his movements were entirely at his own pace, and even when facing the Demon Lord's spies, he remained steady and self-assured.

As if sensing the threat of the positive yang spiritual energy, the black butterfly's suspended body trembled slightly, its wings fluttered, and the surrounding cold black energy suddenly surged, transforming into a circle of pitch-black wind patterns, slowly resisting the pressure of the spiritual energy, but still showing no intention of retreating.

It obeyed its master's command to spy on fate, but without witnessing the final outcome, it would not return to the demon realm.

"Since you're here, stay."

Cen Jin spoke in a low voice, his tone calm and even, yet carrying an unshakeable resolve.

As soon as he finished speaking, his palm surged forth with pure, righteous yang spiritual energy, transforming into a gentle yet domineering wave of light that precisely enveloped the cave entrance, sealing off all of the black butterfly's escape routes. The Canglan Heart Sutra was inherently long-lasting, stable, and well-rounded in both offense and defense; now, with his perfect activation, the righteous energy flowed like water, layer upon layer washing away the sinister butterfly shadows.

The black butterfly was instantly startled, its wings vibrating rapidly. A burst of dark, malevolent energy erupted, transforming into several tiny black blades that pierced the air, aiming straight for Cen Jin's brow. These black blades carried the demon lord's original Yin energy, sharp and soul-corroding. Any ordinary cultivator who touched them would inevitably suffer a disruption of their spiritual energy and damage to their Dao heart.

But Cen Jin was prepared. He transformed his righteous energy into a shield, and a warm golden light surrounded him. All the dark blade energy that attacked him was instantly melted, disintegrated, and annihilated upon approaching him, and it couldn't even touch his clothes.

Good and evil are fundamentally opposed to each other. The purest yang energy is the natural nemesis of all yin evil spirits.

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The black butterfly's offensive was completely thwarted, and it fell into utter panic, circling and fluttering, eager to break through and escape, wanting to send the news back to the demon realm. However, the spiritual energy barrier set up by Cen Jin was airtight, like a water prison, trapping it tightly in a small space. No matter how it struggled and fought, it could not shake the barrier even slightly.

Looking at the struggling black butterfly in front of him, Cen Jin felt increasingly heavy-hearted.

A mere Fate-Gazing Butterfly, lacking formidable combat power, possesses an inherent binding force. Even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, if careless, could have their hearts disturbed by its Yin energy. The fact that a mere spy casually released by Venerable Xuan Ye possesses such power is enough to imagine the terrifying, world-shattering force of the Venerable himself upon his arrival.

He stopped hesitating, his palm suddenly tightened, and his righteous energy gathered and compressed inward.

hum-

Its golden light is contained within, suppressing all evil.

A mournful, shrill cry emanated from the black butterfly's body. Under the crushing force of the righteous energy, its pitch-black form crumbled and dissolved inch by inch, its chilling, malevolent aura rapidly dissipating. Within a few breaths, this spy of the demon realm, which had been lurking for days and spying for so long, completely vanished into the world, leaving no trace.

The eerie wind at the cave entrance dissipated, the cicadas' chirping in the mountains and forests slowly returned, and the oppressive atmosphere between heaven and earth completely faded away.

The crisis seemed to have passed, but Cen Jin stood still, not daring to relax his guard in the slightest.

He knew that killing a single black butterfly was merely stopping its spying temporarily, not the end. The demon realm had countless spies; the destruction of one butterfly today would only bring more spying in the future. The real crisis was never the black butterfly itself, but the dark hand that watched over all living beings and manipulated fate.

Even more fatally, the appearance of the Black Butterfly meant that Xuan Ye Zun had already regarded him as a controllable variable, and had begun to actively pay attention to and deliberately manipulate him. His struggles, growth, and redemption had all fallen into the opponent's game.

Time was running out, the spiritual energy in the wooden box was gradually depleting, and the outside world's spying never stopped. The six-month period was fast approaching.

He could no longer remain in the Body Tempering Realm; he had to break through immediately and enter the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Only when he has established his foundation, solidified his Dao heart, and possessed an inexhaustible supply of spiritual energy will he be qualified to protect the wooden box, resist demons and evil spirits, break through the perilous trials of exterminating evil, and escape this passive game of fate.

Cen Jin turned and went back into the cave, carefully sealing the entrance with withered branches and vines to block out all outside noise and prying eyes. After confirming that the cave was safe and the wooden box was intact, he sat cross-legged beside the box, closed his eyes and concentrated, completely eliminating all distracting thoughts, hatred, and anxiety from his mind.

When breaking through spiritual barriers, the most important thing to avoid is a disturbed mind and agitated spirit.

He suppressed all distractions, leaving only a pure thought, guarding his original heart, upholding righteousness, and condensing the universe.

After months of meticulous refinement, his physical foundation was already perfect and flawless. His meridians had been widened and stretched, his muscles and bones were refined and pure, all the mundane and impure energy had been purified, and his body was full of spiritual energy. He had already met all the conditions for Foundation Establishment, and was only one step away from breaking through the shackles.

My mind sank into the sea of ​​consciousness, and the Azure Wave Mind Technique circulated throughout my body, circulating at a steady pace, smoothly and continuously.

With each breath, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is drawn into the body, cleansing the vital energy gate; with each thought and movement, the essence of the whole body is concentrated into the bones, breaking through the shackles.

In the past, he deliberately suppressed his breakthrough opportunities, seeking only to perfect his foundation. Now, with his obsessions completely subdued and his Dao heart firmly established, his long-accumulated spiritual energy suddenly burst forth, flowing wildly along his unblocked meridians, and impacting the invisible barrier that was blocking his body tempering and foundation building.

click-

A silent, crisp sound resounded throughout the sea of ​​consciousness.

The barrier that separated mortal cultivators from orthodox cultivators shattered and dissolved instantly.

The next moment, the wandering spiritual energy in the world converged wildly, surging into the cave through the entrance and surrounding the boy, forming a visible pale white halo. The spiritual energy entering his body was no longer a trickle, but a torrent, washing over his limbs and bones, nourishing his muscles, bones, and internal organs, and condensing his dantian and sea of ​​qi.

The mortal body has undergone a complete transformation, and all mortal traits have been shed.

Once the body is fully tempered, the foundation is naturally established.

The young man sat motionless, yet his aura subtly transformed. His previous composure and restraint still bore traces of worldly life; now, all traces of youthful naiveté had vanished, replaced by a pure and enduring aura of cultivation, gentle yet dignified, peaceful yet imposing.

Once the dantian and qi sea are formed, the spiritual energy reserves multiply, and the energy circulates endlessly throughout the body, providing sustained power and allowing for both offense and defense.

He had fully mastered the Canglan Heart Technique, and the essence of flowing water and long wind was integrated into his bones and muscles. He could use it to kill and destroy evil when moving, and to calm his mind and suppress demons when still.

For three whole hours, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gradually calmed down, and all the phenomena of breaking through the realm were completely subsided.

Cen Jin slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright like a mirror, his righteous aura restrained, deep and steady. His muscles and bones felt light and transparent, his strength long and powerful, and his five senses surged once again. Within a radius of a hundred feet, the rustling of grass, the chirping of insects, the rustling of wind, and the rolling of stones were all clearly perceived.

With a simple gesture, the pure white spiritual energy in his palm was several times greater than before in thickness, purity, and explosive power.

He immediately channeled his newly formed Foundation Establishment spiritual energy into the dark wooden box.

The gentle spiritual energy seeped into the box, nourishing the withered wood and replenishing the depleted yang energy. The box, which had been slightly cool, gradually warmed up again, and the yang energy became thick and abundant once more, firmly sealing off the demonic energy inside and suppressing the demonic blood dormant within Wan Tang's body.

The decline of the wooden box's spiritual power was temporarily and forcibly delayed.

Although it could not completely eradicate the damage, it bought him a final buffer time, enough for him to rush to the Demon-Slaying Mountain, pass through three death trials, and seek the orthodox method of salvation.

Cen Jin breathed a sigh of relief, looked down at the wooden box, and his eyes regained their tenderness, his resolve as firm as ever.

"Wantang, wait a little longer."

"Your brother will take you away from the deep mountains soon."

Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was the first major hurdle on his path of cultivation, and also the first true ray of dawn on his path of revenge and redemption. From this moment on, he was no longer an ordinary ant, no longer a helpless mountain boy, but truly possessed the qualifications to step onto the righteous path, resist evil, and gamble with destiny.

The road ahead remains treacherous, with three deadly trials littered with corpses, and the Demon Lord's spying never ceases, the game of fate closing in step by step. But he has already broken through to a higher realm and grown stronger, with cultivation in his hands, unwavering resolve in his heart, and a vow to uphold his principles, showing no more fear or retreat.

After a day of rest, consolidating his Foundation Establishment realm, honing his new combat skills, and familiarizing himself with the circulation of spiritual energy, Cen Jin officially packed his bags.

He carried little luggage and possessed few extra items. A set of old clothes, a sharp blade, and a wooden box were all he had.

He carefully put the wooden box close to his body, protecting the only thing he cared about, and looked back one last time at the deep mountain cave where he had lived in seclusion for a year, which had tempered and reshaped him.

This place holds his most solitary ascetic practices, his most resolute obsession, and all the confidence he had to turn the tide in desperate situations.

Farewell to the empty mountains, goodbye to old dreams.

Next, he will leave Cangshan Mountain and head to the gates of the righteous path to face the most cruel trials in the world.

Just as Cen Jin was about to step out of the cave, the clouds on the distant mountain horizon suddenly surged and gathered, and the spiritual energy of the entire world instantly became turbid and oppressive.

High in the sky, a wisp of extremely faint, cold, and indifferent pitch-black demonic mist slowly unfolded and dispersed.

There was no overwhelming pressure, no murderous intent, but rather a chilling sense of amusement and scrutiny, as it quietly locked onto the path leading out of the mountain.

It was as if the supreme demon lord had finally grown tired of silently watching and decided to personally intervene, crushing all of his hopes on his journey to survival.