Possession was an exceedingly mysterious experience.
Mo Chuan could clearly sense that the body he inhabited did not belong to him.
The ever-present sense of estrangement and rejection was like a cage, making him desperate to break free!
Most unbearable of all, this body that was not his still instinctively fed sensory information back to the soul's core!
At this moment, Mo Chuan, possessing the Great Five-Armored Demon, was enduring the assault of those sensory impressions.
—He had to contend with the Great Five-Armored Demon's struggle of wills while enduring the Headless Ghost's agony of having its head torn away.
Yet he could not stop.
Because he knew that if he hurt, the Great Five-Armored Demon hurt even more.
If he could pull off the head, he could leave whenever he pleased, while the Great Five-Armored Demon would be utterly finished.
Come to think of it, it was strange. This vicious ghost had cultivated for three hundred years; by all reason, it should have refined its sun soul and cleansed its moon spirit.
Even if it could not precisely temper its Xian Body, that body should not have been weak, should it?
Yet in truth, the Great Five-Armored Demon was no match for Mo Chuan at all. If not for the advantage of occupying the body, it would likely have been defeated long ago.
Even so, it stood only a hair's breadth away from death and the dissipation of the Dao.
"I possess an Art of Soldier's Release that can cultivate a Ghost Body. If Your Excellency lets go, I am willing to surrender a hundred years of cultivation to reshape a soul body for you!"
The Great Five-Armored Demon was afraid.
At a certain moment, it suddenly swallowed its pride, offered lavish gifts, and begged for peace.
Mo Chuan said nothing. He focused all his attention on seizing the Ghost Body.
Hmph, did it take me for a fool?
Once I seize your Ghost Body, this Daoist master will immediately become the Great Five-Armored Demon. Why would I need any reshaped soul body?
"This technique is called the 'Great Yellow Record Fast.' Listen carefully... Cloud sigils fill the Great Void, at the beginning of the vast calamity. Now distant, now near; now sinking, now floating. Carve the cloud sigils, draw forth the heavenly qi..."
Ruthlessness flashed through the Great Five-Armored Demon's heart. It directly began reciting the main text of the technique, hoping to distract Mo Chuan and buy time!
Unexpectedly, Mo Chuan remained silent, not even listening!
Did it really think I was stupid? Who knew whether the technique it recited was real or fake? If truth was mixed with falsehood, would that not be poison?
"...Use the nose to draw eastern azure qi into the liver; southern crimson qi into the heart; western white qi into the lungs; northern dark qi into the kidneys... The organs of the soul body lie in visualization..."
Having finished reciting the technique, the Great Five-Armored Demon completely panicked. It could feel its body gradually slipping out of its control.
Its lower body especially had gone entirely numb, as though it no longer belonged to it.
"Stop! Stop! Immortal Master, stop! I, Lu Fengbei, am willing to serve Immortal Master as my master! Please show mercy!"
Between life and death lay great terror.
Before that great terror, Lu Fengbei could no longer care about his dignity. He begged for mercy and acknowledged a master, trying to muddle through somehow.
Yet, just like his earlier actions, his pleading earned only silence and an even more frenzied seizure!
"You forced my hand!"
"If you can become a Jie Immortal body, then I, Lu, can too!"
Humiliated into fury, Lu Fengbei suddenly unleashed the demonic art he had never dared to use!
He joined his index and middle fingers into a sword and slashed at his own neck through the air. A dark emerald sword radiance burst from his fingertips.
In an instant, it cleaved the Headless Ghost in two!
It also severed his own head!
Three hundred years of cultivation shattered with a thunderous crash, and countless streams of essence qi surged forth.
Freed from the restraints of physical form, Mo Chuan rose along with that billowing essence qi.
He secretly clasped a bronze Dharma Seal in his hand like a brick, ready to smash it at the Great Five-Armored Demon's Jie Immortal body at any moment.
Yet as his gaze swept around, where was there any Jie Immortal emerging?
Beneath its tangible form, the headless Great Five-Armored Demon had already completely collapsed along with the destruction of its body.
"It... died just like that?"
Mo Chuan stared at the soul body rapidly rippling away and dispersing, his face full of astonishment.
"Hm? What is this?"
Suddenly, several objects tumbled out amid the shattered soul body along with the rolling essence qi, about to scatter into the mortal world.
Mo Chuan's eyes flashed as he swept them into the Sacrificial Dao Furnace.
Just then, a dazzling, scorching beam of light fell upon him like aqua regia venom, nearly collapsing his Xian Body.
—It was unmistakably the blazing light of the Golden Crow!
In that fleeting glimpse, he saw that the black clouds pressing down upon the city had shattered and dispersed at some unknown moment, and rays of sunlight streamed into the city ravaged beyond recognition.
Looking out, it was as if the black sky had cracked apart and imperial nectar had poured down.
The vast black tornado that had swept through the entire city had likewise vanished into smoke.
Yi Qian's Residence still stood!
The courtyard remained full of Yellow-crowned Buddhist disciples.
Mo Chuan hovered in the air and looked down. A smile rested on his lips as he folded his hands and gave a carefree farewell salute.
"Fellow Daoists, if fate permits, we shall meet again!"
Amid the lingering echoes, a soft radiance fell over his body, much like heavenly rain descending upon dust, washing away his lingering outline and erasing the last trace of him.
Sunlight, no longer blocked, fell to the earth and spread across Chong Xuzi's face. Faintly, water glimmered in his eyes.
"Farewell, Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen!"
Chong Xuzi knelt and performed the grand rite of three kowtows and three bows!
Seeing this, the Yellow-crowned Buddhist disciples throughout the courtyard were deeply moved. All of them bent their knees and knelt, performing a great kowtow ceremony.
An indescribable shock reverberated through the courtyard.
Especially those who had mocked him before—they were so ashamed that they wished they could burrow into the ground.
If they possessed any conscience, this shame would surely become a heart demon, either obstructing their cultivation or helping them soar into the heavens!
"Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen acted with great righteousness. This is a blessing for the Daoist sect! This poor Daoist intends to build a temple and establish a sect upon Xinghuan Mountain. Beside the Bodhisattva Hall, I shall establish an incense hall for Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen, named Yan Zhen Hall, to enshrine the Righteous Spirit!" Note 1
Daoist priest Yi Qian looked at Yan Zhen's remains and suddenly announced in a loud voice.
The moment these words fell, everyone was startled.
To establish a hall and offer worship was equivalent in status to a patriarch!
For Yellow-crowned Daoists, it was the pursuit of an entire lifetime.
When old Daoist priest Yi Qian built a temple and founded a sect, was this glory for his school not, in some sense, exactly what he sought?
Of course, Yi Qian was also borrowing Yan Zhen's light by establishing a hall for him.
One could imagine that once the tale of old Daoist priest Yan Zhen "sacrificing himself for righteousness to suppress a fiend" spread, he would surely become a legend of his generation!
It was entirely possible that the common people would voluntarily mold a Golden Body in his image.
By inviting him into his Daoist temple, Yi Qian was effectively intercepting this incense offering. It was a win-win arrangement.
"Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen moved heaven and earth. This old monk is willing to establish a memorial tablet for his rebirth in the Great Treasure Hall of Tianbao Temple, chant scriptures and pray blessings for Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen. May Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen be reborn upon a virtuous path and enter the Land of Ultimate Bliss!"
Abbot Tianbao announced immediately afterward.
He had no choice but to make this declaration. By mentioning the Bodhisattva Hall, old Daoist priest Yi Qian had deliberately put him in an awkward position!
This was both to bestow blessings upon Yan Zhen and to expand the influence of the Daoist sect, offsetting the influence of the Bodhisattva Hall.
—It turned out that one of the conditions under which the two had joined forces yesterday was that Yi Qian must establish a Bodhisattva Hall within his Daoist temple.
"Esteemed Daoist masters, might you allow Luo to fulfill the promise of the Immortal Master?"
At this moment, Luo Feibai, Escort Leader Luo, whose presence had been nearly nonexistent, spoke up.
He wished to take Immortal Master Yan Zhen's remains to Yunji Temple of Xishan City. This was both the principle of an escort agency taking payment to handle matters and the righteousness of those of the Jianghu.
Hearing this, Daoist priest Yi Qian solemnly cupped his hands. "Fellow Daoist Yan Zhen's remains shall be entrusted to Escort Leader Luo."
Escort Leader Luo tucked his crutch beneath his arm and returned the salute. "It is my duty."
Daoist priest Yi Qian added, "Escort Leader Luo, please rest assured regarding your son's corpse. This poor Daoist will certainly do everything in my power to assist."
Escort Leader Luo's eyes reddened. His lips trembled as he wished to speak, yet grief choked his words. He could only clasp his fists in reply to express his gratitude.
Note 1: Some Daoist sects also worship Bodhisattvas. For example, Guanyin Bodhisattva is also called Great Master Cihang or True Person Cihang in the Daoist tradition.
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