Scheming

The human body had three dantians: upper, middle, and lower. A deity resided in each, and together they were known as the Three Corpses. They represented the three thoughts of living beings: goodness, evil, and attachment.

The upper corpse was named Peng Ju and dwelled in the head. It attacked the upper part of a person, causing dim vision, hair loss, bad breath, wrinkled skin, and falling teeth. The middle corpse was named Peng Zhi and dwelled in the abdomen. It attacked the five viscera, making a person short on ambition but full of energy, prone to evil deeds, and likely to eat things that harmed their life force or have disordered dreams. The lower corpse was named Peng Qiao and dwelled in the feet. It made the lower joints itch and the five openings restless, leaving a person unable to restrain their lustful desires. (Quoted from the Scripture of the Three Corpses in Volume 81 of the Seven Slips of a Cloudy Satchel.)

Thus, those who sought the Dao first had to cast off the Three Corpses, remain calm and free of desire, and cultivate a tranquil spirit and clear nature.

Essence, Qi, and Spirit sustained the body's life activities. Those who cultivated the Dao refined the essence of all three, allowing them to form the Three Flowers. These Three Flowers could nourish the Three Corpses, and were also crucial to their cultivation.

The Golden Crow and the other Four Spirits of Heaven and Earth quietly meditated on the mysteries of the Three Flowers and the Three Corpses. Bit by bit, their Essence, Qi, and Spirit transformed and ascended within them.

Streams of essence gathered in their bodies. Though they were at the level of Saints, this new method of cultivation was like starting over. Refining Essence and Transforming Qi was the first step.

Hence the saying, "When a person is first born, essence forms first." These beings born in Chaos possessed innate essence from birth, also known as "Primordial Essence."

Primordial Essence needed no nourishment and could be directly refined into Qi, the inexhaustible driving force of life.

Thus, many Dao cultivators refined the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth to nourish themselves, cultivate their five viscera and six bowels, and temper their bodies and bones.

By continually refining it into their own Primordial Qi, they gained the driving force of life. This Qi could cleanse their meridians and marrow, strengthen their bodies and bones, and refine their five viscera and six bowels.

Generally, constantly refining essence into Qi could change one's constitution, allowing one to absorb and store the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth more effectively. But for these Chaos God Demons, their innate constitutions already conformed to the Great Dao, and they absorbed only Chaos Spiritual Qi.

The Golden Crow and the others refined their own essence. The essence within Chaos Living Beings was innate, and possessed tremendous power. Every strand could bring all things to life—otherwise, later generations would never have said that Pangu had transformed into all things.

They drew in Chaos Qi, as if swallowing the heavens. Boundless Chaos Qi swirled like a vortex. From afar, the Four Spirits of Heaven and Earth seemed to have been swallowed by the vortex of spiritual energy, which was nearly solid.

The Golden Crow drew in a breath, and the Chaos Qi around him dispersed in great swaths. The vortex abruptly stopped spinning. A thick mist of spiritual energy clung to a blurry figure. Around it, the spiritual energy formed auspicious clouds. Within them, shapes resembling the Three-legged Golden Crow's true form also breathed in and out spiritual energy, while its scorching heat remained unchanged.

The other three spirits were in the same state. The spiritual energy Long Ming breathed in and out carried a touch of coolness, along with a welcoming sense of life. The dragon within his auspicious clouds seemed to summon clouds and rain, nourishing all things beneath Heaven.

The spiritual energy around E Xiao was sharp as the wind. It was like a tornado, ready to blow away and destroy everything in its path. Roars rang out from the tiger within the auspicious clouds, and gusts of wind churned, buffeting the clouds in every direction.

Xuanwu remained as steady as ever. A subdued, earthy yellow spiritual energy gathered around him without leaking out, forming a misty layer like a shell of earth.

They absorbed and breathed out this spiritual energy to condense their natal flowers, forming three lotuses in colors close to their own elemental hues. Then they would refine their Three Corpses into Corpse Clones.

Dao Lord Lu Ya watched the four cultivators and nodded repeatedly. The Four Spirits of Heaven and Earth were indeed extraordinary. They had only just entered meditation, yet had already grasped the basics of cultivation. If they kept at it, they had a good chance of severing a clone before Great Immortal Yang Mei finished crafting the ritual implements for the formation.

Dao Lord Lu Ya nodded to himself and sent out one final strand of Spiritual Sense, transmitting all the cultivation secrets before turning to leave.

The Golden Crow had also been watching everything in silence. He had been suppressing the essence within him all along, afraid that letting it spill out would arouse Dao Lord Lu Ya's suspicions and reveal that he was holding back.

He knew that he had a unique advantage over the others. Within him was a portion of spiritual power in which Yin and Yang accompanied each other. Unlike the other Supreme Yang powers, it was Yang within Yin. This spiritual power carried more of the Great Dao's aura and was more vibrant.

He had Long Ming to thank for it. What a good-hearted Chaos God Demon. Long Ming had the clarity of water, but not its changeability.

That day, the Golden Crow had tricked Taiyin into giving up her Supreme Yin power, only for Pangu to ruin everything. He had even lost some of his own origin. Afraid that Pangu would pursue him, he fled deep into Chaos. In a wretched state, he stumbled into a barrier. It was a vast sea, its waves surging. Damp air rushed toward him, but a cool, life-giving force kept nourishing his wounded origin.

The Golden Crow sat above the seawater, drawing in that life force. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Pangu... Pangu!"

His eyes bulged, and his entire body trembled each time he shouted. By the end, he was practically screaming with all his might.

As he fled, he had constantly circulated the power of the sun to suppress his injuries. Now that he had found peace, he began healing in earnest, absorbing the life force of the vast sea bit by bit.

His injuries gradually improved. Though he had failed to seize Taiyin's Supreme Yin origin, he had gained deeper insights into his path of Extreme Yang and the balance of Yin and Yang. As he meditated in silence and continued refining the boundless life force, he sensed a Yin energy unlike the Supreme Yin origin.

The Golden Crow was overjoyed. He desperately sought the source of that energy, shouting inwardly, The Great Dao is fair! Pangu, just you wait. Once I obtain this origin and perfect Yin and Yang, you will be reduced to ashes!

The Golden Crow dove into the boundless sea and swam through its blue waters. Sometimes, when he came across a stubborn stone, that Yin energy intensified, and he immediately refined it. But, unfortunately, he obtained only a faint trace. After examining it carefully, he found that it was far from the source he had sensed. Sometimes it was a patch of sea sand, but it was never the thing he was looking for.

The Golden Crow floated in the seawater and pondered. These grains of sand must have something to do with that origin, but at most, they had merely been near it.

There must be a powerful being here, one connected to this sea. Could it be...?

The Golden Crow shot upward and burst out of the water. Behind him, a giant hand made of countless streams of seawater pursued him and swung down.

The hand carried immense pressure. The sea was no longer calm. It roared and churned, as if cheering the hand on.

The Golden Crow knew that if the hand struck him, his recently stabilized injuries would worsen again. That would be bad for him, so he transformed into his true form: a Three-legged Golden Crow covered in flames. He raised his head and let out a clear, piercing cry, spitting out a sea of fire that burned through the void.

The two forces met and held each other in a stalemate. At their edges, hissing clouds of steam rose.

The Golden Crow was startled. This water was no ordinary water. Only the water of one of the Four Spirits of Heaven and Earth could stand against his origin. He shouted, "Water Spirit, is this how you welcome a friend?"

A dragon-shaped Chaos God Demon appeared in the seawater. He thought to himself, I have few friends. I've cultivated here ever since I was born and have never met anyone. How could he be my friend? Perhaps he met me before I developed Spiritual Sense. Otherwise, how would he know I attained the Dao as a Water Spirit? I've been terribly rude.

"You strange bird, I've lived in seclusion here for a long time. I didn't realize you were an old friend. Please forgive my offense."

The Golden Crow sneered inwardly. So he's a fool with no guile and no manners. But he also took the chance to sound him out. "We are all divine beings born of Heaven and Earth. If you have such great powers, you must have cultivated for a long time. Why do you still cling to your original form?"

The dragon said, "In this boundless sea, this form suits the water best." As he spoke, he swung his tail and raised a tremendous wave.

The Golden Crow said, "You may live in comfort here, but you don't know that a calamity is coming. We divine beings of Heaven and Earth are all doomed to perish."

The dragon said, "Then please tell me everything."

After hearing the Golden Crow's account, the dragon roared, "To bully us Four Spirits of Heaven and Earth like this! Pangu is truly hateful. He even wants to wipe out the Chaos Living Beings. I'll make him Soul Scatter! Brother Golden Crow, don't worry. I'll lend you my origin to heal your injuries. Together, we'll rid the Great Dao of this menace."

The Golden Crow was secretly delighted and quickly replied, "Pangu truly is hateful. Many thanks, fellow Daoist."

Golden Crow Daoist recalled the scene and still snickered to himself. Long Ming had no idea that he had not only helped heal his injuries, but had also given him a portion of his origin. The Golden Crow had comprehended Yang within Yin and advanced another step toward the Great Dao.

Golden Crow Daoist stirred up that trace of Yang Qi, rapidly drawing together the essence of Heaven and Earth. A dazzling little sun floated above the boundless auspicious clouds, gilding their five-colored edges. He then used the Three Corpses method to refine it.

A trace of essence within the sun quickly took shape. He continued refining it until it formed a primordial spirit, shaped like a three-legged golden crow. But it was stiff and lifeless.

Golden Crow Daoist spat out a mouthful of his natal essence, along with a strand of Spiritual Sense and some Essence Blood, and continued refining the little sun. A miniature Golden Crow flapped its wings and circled him, occasionally rubbing against him affectionately.

Golden Crow Daoist pointed at the little Golden Crow. "Go. Find out whether there's any chance of claiming this world for me."

Golden Crow Daoist thought he had acted discreetly, but someone had already seen everything.

This world had been created from Great Immortal Yang Mei's Chaos Bead and infused with his primordial spirit. Nothing that happened within it could escape his Spiritual Sense. Besides, Golden Crow Daoist had been rather careless.

Great Immortal Yang Mei sent out a strand of Spiritual Sense. On the other side, Dao Lord Lu Ya couldn't help feeling overjoyed. This was a rare opportunity. It seemed that at last, his Three Corpses would all appear.

Dao Lord Lu Ya bowed toward the sky. "Thank you, fellow Daoist, for granting me this opportunity."

He pursued the little Golden Crow, which had only just been born. Within Great Immortal Yang Mei's world, he could do anything with a mere thought. Finding the little Golden Crow was simple.

Dao Lord Lu Ya took out his companion spirit treasure: four ancient, unadorned swords. He set up the Four Symbols Array and trapped the little Golden Crow.

The little Golden Crow shrieked again and again, then roared, "Aren't you afraid that we Four Spirits will withdraw and you won't be able to form the Grand Formation of the Myriad Stars?"

Dao Lord Lu Ya laughed loudly. "In this world, my fellow Daoist can easily bewitch your true form. He's more than capable."

The little Golden Crow shouted furiously, "You're despicable! I'll self-destruct and make sure you get nothing!"

Dao Lord Lu Ya replied indifferently, "In this world, sometimes you have no choice. Don't believe me? Try it."

After dealing with the little Golden Crow, Dao Lord Lu Ya casually created a small sun. He altered the memories in the Spiritual Sense taken from that Golden Crow, then placed it inside the Golden Crow he had created.

He murmured to himself, "I'm also one of the innate fires of Heaven and Earth, yet I still can't compare to this Fire Spirit. Now, I too have a chance to become a Fire Spirit. Hahaha, the Great Dao is fair!"