Mysterious World: I Have a Lost Heavenly Court

night.

Inside the room, Lu Changqing opened his eyes, and the familiar bed ceiling came into view.

Tonight, he has already tried to enter the Town of Seven Emotions and Six Desires twice.

But they all died.

Right now, his mind is still replaying every round he fought against the Golden Foil Masked Demon in the Town of Seven Emotions and Six Desires.

The allure of blood and qi at the Blood Exchange Realm is far stronger when faced with dozens of mouths opening simultaneously on a demon.

The surge of qi and blood, like a mighty river, shut out most of the decadent music.

His fist was finally able to land on his opponent.

A punch landed squarely on the demon's chest, causing a dozen faces to contort in pain simultaneously.

But that's all there is to it.

That sorcerer's methods didn't rely on physical confrontation at all.

The faces on the body spoke and chanted incantations at the same time, and the power was completely unreasonable, drilling directly into the heart.

Qi and blood can withstand a portion of the burden, but not the entire burden.

As his mind is constantly disturbed by those sounds, his movements gradually become distorted.

Then the movement slowed down by half a beat.

In a battle between masters, the difference lies in the smallest of margins.

so...

"Relying solely on martial arts techniques is still too disadvantageous against this kind of demonic being manipulated by emotions," Lu Changqing muttered to himself.

He rolled over in the darkness, already plotting his next move.

The description of the Golden Foil-Face-Stealing Demon is very clear: "After sensing the cultivator's desire and greed, it will instinctively chase after them frantically."

In other words, as long as you have the thought of "wanting to kill it" or "wanting to take its drops," you're essentially giving it a back door.

This mechanism, relying solely on qi and blood to cope, only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.

"We still need to address the problem at its root." Lu Changqing closed his eyes. "Don't let your emotions show, or at least don't let them see them..."

"This is something that can probably only be done after reaching the Liquid Condensation Realm."

For Daoist cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, their spiritual power is still just "qi." They can control swords and cast spells, but it is not solid enough.

After reaching the Condensation Realm, spiritual energy liquefies, and the soul also becomes stable, increasing resistance to such mind-manipulating evil arts by more than one level.

He took a deep breath, turned over, and closed his eyes.

Not urgent.

My cultivation speed has increased significantly!

It's only a few days away from the condensation realm.

It doesn't matter how much time it takes!

Once he reaches the Condensation Realm, the first thing he'll do is go back and settle accounts with that demon.

...

Time flies, and ten days have passed.

During these ten days, Lu Changqing did not set foot in the Town of Seven Emotions and Six Desires again.

He focused all his energy on breaking through to the Condensation Realm.

He practices boxing and swordsmanship during the day and meditates and practices breathing exercises at night. Apart from necessary rest and supplements, he spends almost all his time in cultivation.

He consumed the pills and medicinal baths that Qingyun had prepared for him at an extremely rapid pace.

Alternating between Fire Tongue Grass and Blood Rust Grass not only strengthens the body but also replenishes Qi and blood, allowing the proficiency in stance training to steadily increase.

The biggest change comes from the Golden Skin and Jade Network.

Since his meridians were widened, Lu Changqing could clearly feel the difference from before every time he circulated the Qingfeng Technique.

[The subject has effectively cultivated the Qingfeng Technique, with proficiency increased by 32]

[The subject has effectively cultivated the Qingfeng Technique, with proficiency increased by 41]

【…】

Each time I finished meditating, the numbers flashing through the jade tablet in my mind were breaking previous records.

After ten days, his proficiency in the Qingfeng Technique had already surpassed the 2,000 mark!

【Gentle Breeze Technique (Proficient, 2091/2000)】

[Your mastery of the Qingfeng Technique is maxed out. Do you wish to advance further?]

Lu Changqing sat cross-legged in the room, looking at the characters dancing on the jade tablet, and took a deep breath.

"breakthrough."

The moment the two words were uttered, the vortex of spiritual energy that had been rotating day and night in the dantian suddenly began to contract violently.

The originally loose, nebula-like vortex seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Under extreme compression, the gaseous spiritual energy began to undergo a qualitative change.

One drop after another, solid as dew, slowly seeped from the core of the vortex, dripping onto the bottom of the dantian, splashing out ripples of spiritual patterns.

With each drop of spiritual liquid, the dantian trembled slightly.

The spiritual liquid accumulated more and more, from just a few drops at the beginning, to a small puddle, and then to the entire bottom of the dantian being covered by liquid spiritual energy.

The gas gathers into a vortex, and from the vortex comes the true liquid.

Condensation realm complete!

Lu Changqing suddenly opened his eyes.

He didn't need to look down to clearly perceive the flow of every bit of spiritual energy within his body.

The pool of spiritual liquid in the dantian lay quietly. It seemed to be several times smaller than the previous vortex, but the total amount of spiritual power contained within it was more than several times that of the previous one.

The compressibility of gaseous and liquid states is fundamentally different.

Even when his dantian is full, he would be exhausted after using all his strength to unleash a few high-level spells when he was in the Qi Refining stage.

Now, he is confident that he can unleash dozens of powerful wind techniques in a row without changing his expression.

What surprised him even more was the change in his soul.

There are three stages in Taoist cultivation: inhaling qi is the entry point, practicing qi is the accumulation, and condensing liquid is the true entry into the inner sanctum.

The moment his spiritual energy liquefied, his soul also solidified.

The perception of the surrounding world becomes clearer.

He could even hear the insects crawling on the big locust tree in the yard outside.

This enhanced perception is a more mysterious sense: "divine consciousness".

Even with his eyes closed, he could vaguely trace the flow of spiritual energy within a radius of several feet around him.

[Dao Realm: Qi Refining Realm → Liquid Condensation Realm]

[Taoist Techniques: Gentle Breeze Technique (Minor Success, 0/5000), Gale Technique (Proficient, 351/2000), Soul-Burning Great Sun Sword Technique (Beginner, 217/500), Mind-Disrupting Technique (Beginner, 183/500)]

Lu Changqing stood up from the bed and gently clenched his fists.

The blood and qi in his left hand surged like a pillar, while the spiritual energy in his right hand flowed like liquid.

Blood Exchange Realm and Liquid Condensation Realm, martial arts and Taoist magic, two completely different forces coexist within his body.

"The time has come."

A martial artist at the Blood Exchange Realm, a Daoist cultivator at the Liquid Condensation Realm.

Either of these two levels of achievement, if placed alone in Heishan County, would be considered a pillar of strength.

However, when they coexist in one person, their meaning becomes entirely different.

He glanced at the sleeping Qingyun.

Lu Changqing moved as gently as the wind, quietly got out of bed, pushed open the door, and a cool night breeze rushed in.

He closed his eyes, and his consciousness spread out silently in all directions like an invisible net.

Wu Lin sat cross-legged in the adjacent side room, regulating his breathing, his aura as steady as a mountain.

He extended his spiritual sense even further.

Then, he sensed a malevolent aura.

It was very faint, almost imperceptible, drifting in from outside the Lu family mansion, mixed with the night wind, almost completely obscured by the chill of approaching winter.

If his soul hadn't been stabilized and his perception greatly enhanced during the Condensation Realm, he would never have noticed this subtle anomaly.

Lu Changqing opened his eyes and looked in the direction from which the evil aura was coming.

Without hesitation, he stepped onto the roof and leaped towards the north of the city.

He had been preparing for this moment for so long!

...

...

In the north of the city, deep in an abandoned alley.

Zhou Wu's right hand was on the hilt of the knife, and fresh blood was dripping down the scabbard from the tiger's mouth.

His left hand was clenched into a fist, his knuckles turned white from the force, and the veins on the back of his hand stood out.

Of the two subordinates he brought with him who were at the Bone Refinement Realm, one was leaning against the wall, his chest soaked with blood, and his breathing was so weak that it was almost inaudible.

Another one was standing beside him, but his right arm was hanging down, the joint bent at an abnormal angle.

Across the alley, a man in a tattered gray robe was slowly withdrawing his fist.

He was thin and bony, with high cheekbones and sunken eyes, looking like a beggar who had been starving for a long time.

But the aura emanating from him was chilling.

The bloodthirsty aura, almost solidified, floated uncertainly in the night wind, carrying a cloyingly rotten smell.

Zhou Wu gritted his teeth, his heart sinking to the bottom.

wrong.

This is definitely not a cult follower!

He had dealt with Wan Xianjun for several years, and he knew the strength of the believers in the temple all too well.

Those lowly soldiers who quickly achieved their level through evil magic only possessed a physique at the Bone Refining Realm, along with some strange blood techniques.

Troublesome, but not fatal.

Once he draws his sword, ordinary believers cannot last more than three rounds.

But he couldn't cut into the person in front of him.

The first strike, the blade's edge slicing through the night sky, landed squarely on the opponent's shoulder.

But the man didn't even dodge; he simply raised his arm to take the blow head-on.

The moment the blade struck flesh, there was no blood, no screams, only a sickening metallic scraping sound.

When the blade's edge dissipated, only a very faint white mark remained on the man's arm.

Then, the man retaliated.

One punch.

It was just a seemingly light punch that landed on the arms of one of Zhou Wu's men, who were raised in defense.

That subordinate was also a skilled fighter who had honed his skills in the Bone Refining Realm for several years. He crossed his arms to protect his chest, his defensive posture impeccable.

But when that punch landed, Zhou Wu clearly heard two cracking sounds.

The person was sent flying backwards like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the wall and never being able to stand up again.

After three moves, Zhou Wu's tiger's mouth cracked from the shock.

"Heh... Constable Zhou Wu, right?"

The gaunt man suddenly spoke.

His voice was unpleasant, with a morbid hoarseness and a hint of pleasure. "You said before that you would make sure that everyone in my gang dies without a burial place."

"Now, I'm here."

He took a step forward.

His thin body stepped onto the bluestone slab, which cracked inch by inch, with the cracks spreading outwards like a spider web.

It's not a tremor caused by a burst of qi and blood.

It is pure physical strength!

"Ha! You came here just to find a way to lure me away from the county office and leave me all alone."

"You speak so fiercely, why don't you storm the county government office in broad daylight!" Zhou Wu's throat tightened slightly, but his tone remained steady.

The gaunt man tilted his head and thought for a moment, then grinned, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth stained with bloody saliva. "You've been an official for many years, but my mouth can't compare to yours."

"But after tonight, you won't be able to keep your word anymore!"

The next instant, the gaunt man made his move!

Like an arrow released from a bow!

Zhou Wu's pupils contracted sharply.

So fast!

He could only see the other person's afterimage!

Relying on his instincts honed from years of living on the edge, Zhou Wu suddenly leaned back.

A shriveled, bony fist grazed his nose and slammed into the wall behind him, creating a hole the size of a washbasin in the rammed earth wall.

Amidst the flying pebbles, Zhou Wu staggered backward, taking two steps with his left foot on the bluestone slab to try and steady himself.

But suddenly my ankle went weak, and a piercing pain shot from my shinbone straight up to my knee.

The aftermath of the previous battle injured his leg bone.

The gaunt man licked his lips. "How many more punches can you dodge?"

He raised his fist again.

This time, the bloodthirsty aura on his fist solidified, glowing with a dark red light under the moonlight, like a constantly writhing membrane wrapped around his joints.

Zhou Wu's hand tightened around the hilt of the knife, his knuckles turning white.

He has one more stab!

But after this sword is drawn, he can't guarantee whether he'll be standing or lying down.

Just as the gaunt man was about to throw his punch—

At the end of the alley, came the very faint sound of toes landing.

The gaunt man stopped what he was doing and tilted his head to look in that direction.

Zhou Wu also suddenly looked up.

At the alleyway where moonlight and shadows intertwined, stood a person.

He was tall and straight, with a handsome face, and his robes fluttered slightly in the night breeze.

On the fingertips of his right hand, a small sword, no bigger than a palm, was spinning silently, its blade gleaming with a cold light that reflected the moonlight, drawing a thin white streak in the night.

Lu Changqing's gaze passed over the gaunt man and landed on Zhou Wu. He asked in a calm tone:

"Brother Zhou Wu, I'll help you kill this fiend."