Demon or Buddha?

"Mandala?"

Upon seeing the name of this secret technique, Luo Qing's heart was startled again.

He was no stranger to this term; it was the name for Buddhist altars in his previous life.

Taoist temples, Buddhist mandalas, and other such places of worship shared a common name: "altar."

"At this time, the Two Saints of the West should not have appeared yet. Buddhism is even farther from its emergence."

Without needing to think further, Luo Qing immediately knew that the mandala appearing now must be related to the Demon Ancestor Luohu.

Buddha and demon were two sides of the same coin. Buddhism was born from the remnants of the Demonic Path, making it difficult to separate the two.

"I suppose the Holy Ancestor must be Luohu, the Demon Ancestor!"

Having understood the origin of this secret technique, Luo Qing did not feel fear just because it was passed down by the Demon Ancestor.

Instead, his interest grew even stronger.

This was a Taoist technique passed down by a supreme being. How could Luo Qing not be interested?

A moment later, the entire content of the secret technique entered Luo Qing's mind.

"So 'Holy Ancestor's Descent' means this!" Luo Qing muttered.

Behind the jade slip was a comment left by a predecessor, though he didn't know if it was the one who had died at Luo Qing's hands.

The comment read: "The Holy Ancestor's divine might is vast, and this technique is exquisite, allowing one to borrow the Holy Ancestor's power. However, wielding this technique also brings endless future troubles!!"

Luo Qing nodded, strongly agreeing with these words.

Could the power of a supreme cultivator be borrowed just like that?

In Luo Qing's opinion, this technique was similar in principle to Hun Xing of Hundred Gods Mountain's method of assimilating divine spirits' energies by using treasured artifacts.

However, compared to Hun Xing's crude methods, which required the use of the Spiritual Treasure Five Source Spirit Disk, the Demon Ancestor Luohu's method was far more ingenious, merely spreading a secret technique.

While some might resist the temptation and not use it, Luo Qing imagined that more people, when facing dire straits, would grit their teeth and employ this technique.

"I didn't expect that at this time, the Demon Ancestor Luohu would classify himself within the Immortal Path."

Seeing the words "Immortal Law" at the end of the secret technique's name, Luo Qing chuckled.

If one were to truly compare them, the cultivation of the Immortal and Demonic Paths were indeed extremely similar.

Both focused on the duality of spirit and energy.

The difference was that the Immortal Path cultivated pure and ethereal energy, while the Demonic Path refined turbid and malevolent energy.

After carefully studying the Holy Ancestor's Descent Immortal Law, Luo Qing began to make connections.

The super-powerful beings like Ancestor Dragon, Ancestor Kirin, Hongjun, and Luohu should all be at the peak of Grand Unity cultivation at this time.

Their most pressing concern would be breaking through to Primordial Chaos cultivation.

Thus, the Demon Ancestor Luohu's purpose in passing down such a secret technique became self-evident.

"Stealing from all sentient beings to empower oneself?"

Luo Qing muttered to himself, his expression shifting between uncertainty and clarity.

Although he wasn't entirely sure, Luo Qing had already roughly guessed the path the Demon Ancestor Luohu intended to take.

This also aligned with the Demonic Path's philosophy of transforming all things for one's own use.

Luo Qing had previously been contemplating how to achieve his next root transformation.

Should he find another place where Fire Element Spiritual Treasures or divine spirits were gestating?

That seemed difficult.

To undergo another Revert to Innate transformation based on his intermediate Innate God foundation, he would need to find a nascent embryo of at least a top-tier Innate God or a high-grade Innate Fire Element Spiritual Treasure.

But when it came to top-tier Innate Gods or high-grade Spiritual Treasures, each one was highly sought after.

Furthermore, restricting himself to the Fire Element, there wouldn't even be twenty such opportunities in the entire Primordial Era.

Either of these would be a slim hope for Luo Qing, who was currently at Golden Immortal cultivation.

However, what the Demon Ancestor Luohu was planning now offered Luo Qing a new idea.

Yet, Luo Qing also had his reservations. Stealing from all sentient beings to empower oneself was not the minor skirmishes of killing a few divine spirits he had engaged in before.

Competing for opportunities, facing tribulations, and the battles between Immortals and gods – killing them was just that, killing.

But if it involved large-scale slaughter or intentional harm to all living beings, as far as Luo Qing knew, such individuals did not fare well in the Primordial Era.

In any case, those in the Primordial Era who were excessively bloodthirsty and brutal ultimately met unfortunate ends.

This was also something Luo Qing was hesitant about.

Even with Hundred Gods Mountain, with whom he was at odds, Luo Qing had not troubled the low-level cultivators when he left.

After much hesitation, Luo Qing ultimately did not make a firm decision.

"Perhaps I should gather more secret techniques passed down by the Demon Ancestor to study!"

Luo Qing pondered.

Unlike other Golden Immortals of the Primordial Era, he possessed the Eye of the Great Dao.

Luo Qing could easily analyze the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the intricacies, of various cultivation methods.

It wouldn't be impossible to improve upon the Demon Ancestor's methods and make them suitable for himself.

Furthermore, the Southern Region was becoming increasingly restless, with more and more cultivators fleeing there.

Falling Spirit Mountain would soon descend into chaos.

With Luo Qing, a grandmaster of Artifact Forging, present, he was like a beacon, constantly attracting those with ill intentions.

If a Grand Unity Golden Immortal were to be drawn here, it would be troublesome.

Coupled with the need to search for the Dao methods passed down by Demon Ancestor Luohu, Luo Qing already had the intention to leave.

Ten years later.

A small mountain collapsed with a roar, and a spiritual light rapidly flew away from Falling Spirit Mountain, heading towards the depths of the Western Continent.

In the Southern Region, Eastern Region, and Canghai of the Primordial Era.

The Flying Birds, Beasts, and Dragon Clan, the three major races, almost simultaneously completed the task of purging the remnants of the Fierce Beasts.

With the external enemy eliminated, the three races began to focus inward.

Those willing to cooperate and submit could continue to live in their original territories.

The stubborn ones who were at odds with the various races were driven to remote and barren lands.

The three races were strong and overbearing, but the gods and mighty beings in various regions were not to be trifled with, and they would not be manipulated by the three races.

Many gods also rose up in resistance.

Over twenty to thirty thousand years, both the Southern Region, the Eastern Region, and Canghai were plagued by constant turmoil.

Taking advantage of the time when the three races were preoccupied, whether it was the central region where the vast Mount Zhou of the Primordial Era was located, or the Western Continent that had suffered great calamities.

The Immortal Path had already begun to flourish, and gods unwilling to be disturbed by the three races also gathered in these two regions.

The Western Continent and the Southern Region were adjacent. The large influx of gods from the Southern Region brought vigorous vitality to the weak Western Continent.

Over thirty thousand years, the Western Continent was already dotted with Immortal's Cave Mansions, with divine mountains and immortal cities stretching endlessly.

It was on the verge of catching up to the prosperity of the time when the Wind Spirit Clan still existed.

Wind Spirit Mountain, located in the core ancestral vein of the Western Continent where the Wind Spirit Clan resided.

Although this mountain range was affected by the battle of the Fierce Gods back then, and its spiritual veins were severely damaged.

However, this mountain range stretched for tens of millions of miles and was located near the center of the Western Continent.

In recent years, this place had become prosperous again, attracting countless Immortals and gods.

On this day, Luo Qing, who had left Falling Spirit Mountain thirty thousand years ago, arrived at Wind Spirit Mountain, riding a spiritual boat.

"This spiritual vein is vast and boundless, with abundant spiritual energy. It is indeed an excellent place for cultivation."

Luo Qing gazed at the Wind Spirit Mountain range below, unable to help but exclaim.

Over the past thirty thousand years, he had traveled far and wide, covering more than half of the Western Continent.

He had not seen any mountain range comparable to the Wind Spirit Mountain range.

"It's a pity that this mountain was severely damaged. Otherwise, it would not be much different from the legendary immortal mountains."

The places that could give birth to the four primordial races were not simple. Whether it was Canghai Gui Xu or the Undying Volcano, they were all top-tier treasures in the Primordial Era.

However, Wind Spirit Mountain had been ravaged by two wars, and its core area, the Wind Spirit Clan's territory, had been razed to the ground, causing this mountain to be downgraded.

Luo Qing did not venture too deep into the Wind Spirit Mountain range.

Although the number of powerful cultivators on the Western Continent had decreased significantly, there were still quite a few Grand Unity Golden Immortals.

There should be many Grand Unity Golden Immortals in the core area of the Wind Spirit Mountain range.

Luo Qing did not want to court disaster.

After wandering around the outer areas of the Wind Spirit Mountain range for nearly half a year, Luo Qing finally chose a peak with a vigorous underground fire vein as his next cultivation site.

Over the past thirty thousand years, Luo Qing's main task had been to secretly collect the Dao methods passed down by Demon Ancestor Luohu.

However, his cultivation had not been neglected. At this moment, Luo Qing was already at the late stage of Golden Immortal cultivation.

Due to the limitations of his cultivation and his comprehension of the Great Dao, Luo Qing was still unable to forge high-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasures.

But over the years, Luo Qing's artifact forging skills had not stagnated.

In the branch of artifact forging, the Puppet Technique had already been born in Luo Qing's hands.

After opening up his Cave Mansion, Luo Qing flicked his sleeve, and two puppets that looked like real people immediately appeared before him.

"Luo Yi, Luo Er, I will be going into seclusion for a period of time."

"You two, go to the front mountain, establish a sect, and build your Cave Mansions to prepare for the upcoming establishment of our sect!"

"Yes, Master!"

Luo Qing gave the order, and Luo Yi and Luo Er responded and left.

Luo Yi and Luo Er were puppets meticulously crafted by Luo Qing.

Unlike ordinary puppets, these two were puppets with their own lives and thoughts.

Their bodies were indeed refined by Luo Qing using precious herbs and spiritual materials, but their primordial spirits were natural spirits awakened by Luo Qing with great magical power.

The combination of the two resulted in these puppets that were like living people.

They shared a similar principle with the Daoist Soldiers of the Daoist Sect.

Luo Qing referred to them as Puppet Dao Soldiers.

Luo Yi and Luo Er consumed quite a bit of spiritual material for Luo Qing, but they possessed the cultivation and strength of Golden Immortals.

They had their own thoughts, perceptions, and loyalty to Luo Qing. In a sense, they were more akin to Daoist Boys.

"With this Puppet Dao Soldier technique, I won't have to personally handle trivial matters anymore!"

Closing his Cave Mansion, Luo Qing temporarily handed over external affairs to Luo Yi and Luo Er.

A flash of light appeared before Luo Qing, and over a hundred jade slips materialized out of thin air.

"Now I can focus on deducing the transformation methods with peace of mind!" Luo Qing's eyes gleamed.

"The Demonic Path can also be used by me!"