Nirvana Devours Demons

Ren Xiaoyao slowly stood up, supporting himself on the shattered Immortal Statue Pedestal. As his fingertips rubbed against the surface of the White Jade Stone, he could clearly feel the residual warmth from the self-destruction—a temperature mixed with the Demonic Qi Erosion of demonic energy, much like clutching a piece of ice jade just taken from a charcoal fire in the dead of winter. Ice and fire intertwined violently at his fingertips, and even the tiny cracks on the stone surface seemed to carry a dual sensation of burning and cold, causing him to frown slightly. The metallic taste in his throat surged repeatedly like a tide, and each breath brought a sharp pain to his meridians, as if countless tiny ice needles were frantically swimming through his blood vessels. Even the slightest movement of wiping away the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth caused a dull ache in his chest. He even experienced brief moments of darkness before his eyes, and the buzzing of the self-destruction still lingered in his ears, like countless flying insects swirling in his ear canals.

He forced himself to lift his head and gaze into the depths of the Cave Heaven —a hazy mist drifted slowly through the air, like scattered cotton wool or a chilling wind carrying sand and dust. It was the chaotic Chaos Qi formed by the fusion of residual demonic energy and dissipated Spiritual Qi after the Incarnation -destruction of the three avatars. Although the demonic energy had lost the original control of the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, it still carried its unique cold origin, wandering in the air like rootless poisonous vines. When the vine-like mist entwined itself around the remaining fragments of the immortal statues, it made a faint "sizzling" sound, leaving faint black marks on the white stone surface. These black marks were like flaws on beautiful jade, slowly spreading along the stone's texture, some even penetrating deep into the stone, staining the White Jade Stone with varying shades of gray-black, a shocking sight.

"Rather than let this immense power dissipate in vain, I'd rather make it work for me." A resolute glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He slowly opened his right hand. The Tai Chi Pattern on his palm was dimmed from withstanding the self-destruction earlier, and the golden and silver spiritual light flickered weakly like a candle in the wind. Yet, a wisp of tenacious Pure Yang Immortal Energy Yin and Yang Energy still flowed slowly, like a flame unwilling to be extinguished, dancing slightly in the center of his palm. He concentrated and held his breath, deliberately dispelling the Purifying Power inherent in the Tai Chi Pattern, leaving only a wisp of pure Yang immortal energy lingering around his fingertips. As soon as that immortal energy left his body, it transformed into a small, crimson flame, dancing slightly in the damp air. The warmth it emitted contrasted sharply with the surrounding chill, even dispelling some of the chill left by the demonic energy on his fingertips in an instant, and the paleness at his knuckles gradually faded.

The next second, the surrounding Gray Mist seemed to be firmly attracted by an invisible magnet, no longer wandering aimlessly, but slowly gathering towards his palm, forming a thin gray current of air. This current also contained fine black Demonic Dust, like coal dust blown by the wind. The instant it touched his fingertips, an icy chill spread wildly through his meridians, like ice water in the dead of winter pouring into his limbs without warning. From his fingertips to his shoulders, and then to his dantian, every inch of his skin felt numb with cold. Ren Xiaoyao clenched his teeth, cold sweat trickling down his forehead and dripping onto the plain-colored lapel of his robe. The dark water stains seeped through his clothes, soaking them completely. They clung to his skin, sending chills down his spine, and even the hem of his robe stiffened from the interplay of cold sweat and demonic energy. But he did not flinch. The Pure Yang Immortal Energy within his dantian suddenly erupted—like a volcano dormant for a thousand years suddenly awakening, transforming into a raging crimson flame that burned from his dantian all the way to his palm. The moment the flame touched the demonic energy, it instantly expanded several feet, engulfing the gathered demonic energy like a wildfire. Even the air itself was slightly distorted by the heat, forming concentric heat ripples that swept across the pebbles on the ground, making the black marks on the pebbles appear slightly white.

"Sizzle--"

The instant the demonic energy collided with the Pure Yang Blazing Flame, black smoke shot into the sky, like ink poured into water, spreading into a massive black mist in mid-air. The air was instantly filled with a pungent, acrid smell—a mixture of burning, rotting flesh and sulfur, with a hint of metallic corrosion, choking and making breathing difficult. Ren Xiaoyao couldn't help but turn his head and cough twice; the vibration in his chest brought a metallic taste to his throat again, but he stubbornly refused to stop controlling the fire. He focused intently, dividing the blazing flames in his hands into countless fine threads—those threads... As fine as a hair, yet possessing astonishing resilience, it acted like an exquisite sieve, layer upon layer, meticulously filtering and enveloping clumps of demonic energy. Each wisp of fire carried an irresistible Purifying Power, like a sharp dagger, precisely severing and burning away the cold, sinister essence belonging to the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm realm within the demonic energy, leaving only pure Energy Factor. These factors, stripped of their demonic nature, transformed into transparent water droplets, gently dancing within the crimson flames, radiating a breathtakingly powerful energy fluctuation. Each dance caused the surrounding air to tremble slightly, even causing the pebbles on the ground to sway gently.

These Energy Factor were originally the core of the Origin Demonic Qi the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm. Although the cold and corrosive energy was gone, it still contained extremely powerful energy. Ren Xiaoyao dared not be careless in the slightest. He controlled the Pure Yang Blazing Flame, carefully enveloping these Energy Factor as if escorting a rare treasure, and slowly injecting them into his meridians. Without the interference of demonic energy, these energies flowed smoothly through his meridians like a warm stream. Wherever they passed, the meridians that had been tense due to the Demonic Qi Erosion became relaxed, and the black demonic spots remaining on the meridian walls gradually faded under the nourishment of the energy. Finally, they flowed to the dantian and met the remaining Yin-Yang Immortal Power in the dantian. The pale golden Yang Power and the silvery-white Yin Power seemed to have met their long-sought-after friends. They instantly intertwined, like intertwined serpents, absorbing all the external Energy Factor without wasting a single bit. Even the airflow in the dantian became more and more abundant, constantly churning like a boiling hot spring.

The Tai Chi Pattern within Ren Xiaoyao's dantian suddenly blazed with dazzling golden light. This light penetrated his body, forming a soft halo around him, like a golden veil shrouding him, shimmering with subtle silver light like starlight. His previously nearly depleted immortal energy, like parched land receiving rain, began to surge forth wildly: the pale golden Yang Power grew increasingly intense, radiating Dazzling Light like the midday sun, completely dispelling the last trace of coldness remaining in his dantian. The minute cracks on the dantian walls left by his previous resistance against the self-destruction slowly healed under the nourishment of the Yang Power; the silvery-white Yin Power became increasingly condensed, like the deep night... Like a cold moon, carrying a chilling aura, it counterbalanced the Yang Power, forming a perfect cycle. As the Yin Power flowed, a thin silver protective membrane formed within the dantian, shielding the ever-growing immortal power. The two intertwined and nourished each other, gradually digesting and absorbing Energy Factor, transforming them into pure Yin-Yang Immortal Power. With the continuous infusion of energy, the outline of the Tai Chi Pattern became increasingly clear, even giving rise to subtle Primordial Patterns on its edges. These patterns shimmered like stars in the sky. With each pulse, the immortal power within the dantian became increasingly pure and profound, and even the aura around him became increasingly steady, as solid as a mountain.

Ren Xiaoyao could clearly feel the changes within his body: his meridians, nourished by the immense energy, were becoming increasingly wider. Meridians that could originally only hold a wisp of immortal power could now simultaneously hold three wisps of immortal power. The Damaged Meridians by withstanding the self-destruction were now repairing at a visible speed, with a faint golden light emanating from the damaged areas, interspersed with subtle Silver Light. The previous stinging sensation gradually disappeared, replaced by a warm and comfortable feeling, as pleasant as soaking in a hot spring, as if his limbs and bones had been infused with new vitality. The capacity of his dantian also expanded accordingly, originally only able to hold the nascent Yin- Yin-Yang Immortal Power, but now it was completely filled. The quality of his immortal power was constantly improving, transforming from a faint, ethereal glow to a tangible, solid force. He could feel its weight in his palm, and even condense a tangible, inch-long strand of immortal energy within it. A faint golden-white halo gradually emanated from his body. Wherever the halo passed, the remaining demonic energy dissipated, and even the cracks in the ground seeped out subtle Spiritual Qi. This Spiritual Qi, like spring buds, slowly revived and grew within the cracks, giving the dilapidated Cave Heaven a renewed vitality. Tiny sprouts of spiritual herbs even emerged from the cracks, their tips glowing faintly with an ethereal light, as translucent as jade.

After an unknown amount of time, when the blazing, sun-like Pure Yang Blazing Flame completely subsided and the last transparent Energy Factor was steadily absorbed into his dantian, Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes. A dazzling golden light flashed in his eyes, like lightning piercing the darkness, fleeting yet carrying a sharpness that dared not be looked at directly. Even the surrounding air seemed to stagnate slightly under this light, and the lingering Gray Mist in mid-air instantly dissipated under its illumination. The Tai Chi Pattern in his palm was now solidified, with golden and silver spiritual light intertwining and swirling like two living serpents. With a gentle clench, a powerful Yin and Yang Energy flowed through his palm, causing even the surrounding air to ripple slightly, like water being... The pebbles stirred, creating ripples that shimmered with golden and white spiritual light. He stretched his limbs, the soreness from the previous battle No Existence, replaced by an unprecedented sense of power. He gently raised his hand and swung it towards a half-person-high piece of broken stone resembling a statue not far away. The Tai Chi Pattern in his palm flickered slightly, and a golden and white energy blast instantly shot out, accompanied by a slight whistling sound. With a loud "bang," the stone was instantly shattered, the tiny fragments scattering in the air without leaving a trace. Only faint Spiritual Qi fluctuations remained in the air, spreading slowly like ripples across the surrounding broken stone resembling a statue, even slightly fading the black marks on the surface of the stones.

"Finally... I've broken through." Ren Xiaoyao murmured to himself, his voice filled with undisguised ease and joy. He took a deep breath, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi converged on him like a tide, forming a faint Spiritual Energy Vortex behind him. The vortex shimmered with golden and white spiritual light. The Spiritual Qi flowed into his body through his mouth and nose, further nourishing his newly broken-through immortal power, making his aura more stable and powerful. Even the dust that clung to his plain-colored clothes slowly fell off under the surrounding Spiritual Qi, and the edges of the fabric that had been stained black by demonic energy gradually returned to their original white under the purification of the Spiritual Qi energy. As his clothes fluttered, they carried a faint fragrance of Spiritual Qi.

Meanwhile, deep within the Demon Realm, billions of miles away, nine majestic Devil Palace floated in the pitch-black void, like nine colossal beasts ready to devour their prey. They exuded a terrifying aura in the endless darkness, and black ripples occasionally spread across the void around the Devil Palace, like pebbles disturbing the surface of water, carrying with them a destructive force. Each Devil Palace was constructed from millennia-old, uncorrupted black Demon Rock Demon Rock, riddled with tiny holes from which thick, black demonic energy seeped, mixed with fine fragments of black Demonic Crystal, like ink mixed with coal dust. The palace walls were etched with grotesque Demonic Runes Demonic Runes, drawn with the blood and bone powder of Devil Creature, flowing with dense black Demonic Runes energy, radiating a suffocating pressure. The surrounding space distorted slightly due to this terrifying aura, as if it might be torn apart at any moment, plunging into Endless Abyss. Even the light dimmed under this pressure, flickering like a candle in the wind.

Inside the highest Devil Palace in the center, a figure sat enthroned on a throne constructed from the bones of countless living beings—bones of varying sizes, some human, some Demon Beast, and even some celestial beings. Some bones still bore lingering resentment, which manifested as faint black mist, flickering within the demonic energy like dancing will-o'-the-wisps. He was shrouded in dense, black demonic energy, like indelible ink, with tiny red specks of light floating like beads of blood, obscuring his features. Only a pair of scarlet eyes were visible—eyes like those of a demon from the abyss, radiating an icy chill and murderous intent. His eyes... As he moved, he left faint red trails in the air, and even the surrounding air became icy cold because of his gaze, as if it could freeze one's soul. The black mist suspended within the Devil Palace dared not approach easily under this gaze, and all retreated in all directions. Suddenly, he frowned slightly, and a fleeting look of surprise flashed in his scarlet eyes. That surprise disappeared quickly like ripples on the surface of water, and was then completely replaced by a strong killing intent. The demonic energy around him also became restless, churning like boiling black water, and the red light spots suspended in the demonic energy became more and more dense, like Volcanic Crater about to erupt.

"Hmm? My Origin Demonic Qi... has actually been refined by someone?" A deep voice echoed in the empty Devil Palace, carrying undeniable majesty and rage. The voice was also mixed with subtle vibrations of demonic energy, like muffled thunder exploding in a valley. As soon as the words fell, the surrounding demonic energy instantly surged, like boiling black water, forming black vortexes on the ground. The vortexes glowed with red light and made "gurgling" sounds, as if countless Devil Creature were roaring within them. Even the White Bone Throne of the Devil Palace trembled slightly, and the white bones on the throne collided with each other, making "crackling" sounds, like the whispers of Death God.

He slowly extended his hand, its knuckles distinct and pale as paper, devoid of any color. The skin clung tightly to the bone, revealing the clear joints. His fingernails gleamed with a jet-black sheen, like sharp blades, and lingering Black Liquid remained at his fingertips. When the liquid dripped onto the ground, it instantly corroded tiny Black Hole. Above his palm, a wisp of faint black mist slowly emerged—the mist being the Origin Imprint left behind after the self-destruction of the three Incarnation. Now, however, it was dissipating at a visible speed, its edges still gleaming with a faint golden light. Clearly, it had been completely refined and absorbed, leaving not even a trace of his aura behind. Where the mist dissipated, faint fluctuations of Yin and Yang Energy lingered in the air, as if a provocation to him.

"A Initial Immortal Power Insight, yet he dares to break through my demonic energy and even refine my Origin Power..." The figure on the White Bone Throne sneered, his voice filled with undisguised disdain, his laughter carrying a thick killing intent, like a cold wind blowing through bones. Yet, the killing intent in his scarlet eyes grew even stronger, like a volcano about to erupt, the red light in his eyes becoming increasingly bright. "An ant-like existence dares to lay a finger on what belongs to me, truly courting death! Does he really think that refining a wisp of source power makes him a match for me? Utterly delusional!"

Just then, from a slightly lower Devil Palace nearby, another hoarse voice came. The voice was like rusty iron scraping against each other, harsh and unpleasant, yet tinged with mockery, and contained subtle Demonic Qi Wave: "Brother, he's just an insignificant little cultivator. Why get angry over him? Just send a Demon General over, and he'll be crushed to dust. Why dirty your hands and waste your energy? We have more important things to do—the seal on that Ancient Secret Realm is about to loosen. It's not worth getting distracted by such a trivial matter, lest it affect the bigger picture."

"Hmph, what do you know?" The figure within the central Devil Palace slowly rose, the demonic energy around him growing increasingly dense, surging like a black tide, almost swallowing the entire Devil Palace. The black mist within the Devil Palace was pressed to the ground by this aura, and even the bones on the White Bone Throne were slightly deformed under the pressure of the demonic energy. "This cultivator, though as weak as an ant, possesses some strange methods—it's already an accident that he could break through my demonic energy, and he could even refine my Origin Power, which shows that he must possess special treasures or heaven-defying Cultivation Method. Today he was able to refine a wisp of my source power; if he grows stronger in the future, he might become a major threat to our Demon Realm. If he gains the strength to contend with us, it will be much more difficult to eliminate him! The seal of that Ancient Secret Realm is important, but if such a Hidden Danger is left, it might ruin our great plans in the future. We must eliminate him as soon as possible!"

He raised his hand and waved, and a jet-black demonic talisman flew out from the dense demonic energy. The talisman was about the size of a palm, drawn with the blood of Devil Creature. The talisman paper was made of the fibers of "Soul-Devouring Grass Demonic Runes," a plant unique to the Demon Realm realm, and was deep black in color. Dark red bloodstains remained on the edges of the talisman paper, with tiny black Demonic Runes patterns, outlined with the Origin Demonic Qi of the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm. Black light flowed within the Demonic Runes, radiating a terrifying aura of destruction. The air around the talisman was slightly distorted by this aura, forming tiny Black Vortex. As soon as the talisman appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, as if the air itself was about to freeze, forming tiny Ice Crystals that floated in mid-air. The black mist within the Devil Palace instantly condensed into ice particles, which fell to the ground with a soft patter. Upon contact with the demonic energy, the ice particles instantly melted into Black Liquid, forming tiny black streaks on the ground.

"Go, find this cultivator, and bring his soul back to me." The figure's voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion, like millennia-old ice, yet carrying an undeniable command. The demonic talisman seemed to understand the instruction, transforming into a jet-black arrow of light. The arrow flew with a faint whooshing sound, instantly piercing the hard walls of the Devil Palace. The Demonic Runes on the walls flickered violently as the arrow passed through, and the Demonic Runes energy flowing within them erupted in an instant, attempting to block the arrow, but to no avail. The arrow vanished into the dark void like a meteor, leaving only a faint black trail, like a scar piercing the darkness. That trail lingered for a long time, and the void around it continued to distort slightly, as if influenced by the aura of the arrow.

Having done all this, the figure on the White Bone Throne sat down again, the surging demonic energy around him gradually calming down like receding tides. The red specks of light suspended within the demonic energy dimmed, and the scarlet eyes regained their previous indifference, as if he had only done a trivial matter. In his eyes, Ren Xiaoyao was still an ant that could be crushed at will, but this ant had become tainted by something it shouldn't have, and possessed a potential threat, so it had to pay the price with its death—even if it meant using a precious "Soul Chasing Talisman," he absolutely could not allow this Hidden Danger to continue to exist in the world. He slowly closed his eyes, and the demonic energy around him became calm again, like a sleeping behemoth, but no one knew what terrifying killing intent was hidden beneath this calm.

Meanwhile, within the Ancient Cave Heaven, Ren Xiaoyao remained unaware of the approaching danger. He was immersed in the joy of his breakthrough, constantly familiarizing himself with the surging immortal power within his body—sometimes he would raise his hand and unleash a burst of Yang Power Blast, shattering distant rubble, feeling the surging power; when the energy struck the rubble, it would also emit a faint golden light, carrying a trace of Purifying Power, completely dispelling the black marks on the surface of the rubble; at other times he would condense Yin Power, forming a thin Ice Shield in his palm, observing the degree of Yin Power's refinement; the surface of the Ice Shield also shimmered with a subtle silver light, as smooth as a mirror, yet a light touch was piercingly cold. The chill lingered, and the Ice Shield effectively kept the surrounding demonic energy at bay. He carefully sensed the subtle shifts in the Yin and Yang Energy, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with anticipation for the future. The Tai Chi Pattern on his palm shimmered with golden and white light, breathing like a living being, continuously absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Qi into its body, preparing itself for exploring the depths of the Cave Heaven and finding a way out. Unbeknownst to him, a death command from the Demon Realm had transformed into a jet-black arrow of light, approaching him at an alarming speed, about to shatter this brief tranquility, and a new crisis was quietly brewing...