He drew the vast power of merit from within himself. After circulating it through 108 cycles, it transformed into Pure Yang Magical Power and flowed into the Purple Mansion World.
Again and again, until at last the Purple Mansion World gave a resounding tremor. The One Hundred and Eight Heavens began to expand wildly, absorbing boundless spiritual energy from heaven and earth, until they finally settled into their proper form.
Donghua's magical power and cultivation also reached the Mid Quasi-Saint stage. Afterward, he continued drawing on merit to cultivate the Pure Yang Profound Technique and refine his body.
He didn't want to be just a "mage." He absolutely couldn't neglect physical cultivation. Cultivating all three paths was the right way.
Time passed just like that!
While Donghua cultivated, the others also made breakthroughs of their own.
After this battle, Tongtian finally reached a realization. He began slaying his corpse, wandering through the River of Destiny and gathering his desires and obsessions.
"Slay!"
At his cry, Tongtian cut away his Evil Corpse.
"Hahaha!" Tongtian burst into laughter.
"Second Brother, this time I've gotten ahead of you."
The three brothers had all been formed from Pangu's Primordial Spirit combined with the Great Dao of the Three Pure Ones. Ever since taking shape, they had discussed and compared their cultivation, each refusing to be outdone by the others.
Taizhen and Fuxi also successfully advanced to the Mid Quasi-Saint stage, but they still had no idea how to slay their corpses. They had yet to find a way.
The place where Nuwa cultivated was also filled with considerable fluctuations.
If Donghua and the others had been able to see it, they would have been stunned. Nuwa was at the Mid Quasi-Saint stage, and, more importantly, she had already cut away both her Good and Evil Corpses.
A Dao Realm cultivation capable of slaying two corpses—something even Taishang hadn't accomplished—had been achieved first by Nuwa.
As mentioned earlier, the most difficult part of slaying a corpse was the "slaying" itself. One had to use one's own Dao cultivation to sever one's desires.
One's desires were also a part of oneself, and they too possessed an understanding of the Dao. They simply leaned toward different aspects, such as benevolent or malevolent obsessions. Successfully slaying a corpse meant surpassing oneself time and again.
Donghua's success the last time he slayed a corpse had also been a matter of fortunate coincidence.
With memories from a later age, once Donghua had fully mastered his Quasi-Saint cultivation, he was very familiar with his memories of Earth. He could recall some of the classic Daoist and Buddhist scriptures.
Donghua had constantly studied those scriptures, which explained the principles of the Great Dao. Even then, it had taken a fortunate coincidence, a rise in his state of mind, and the upheaval of his three corpses for him to succeed in slaying one.
Nuwa's ability to slay two corpses meant her Dao Realm cultivation was certainly formidable. It was no wonder she would become the first to attain sainthood in later generations.
About eight hundred King Pan Memorial Days passed before Donghua and the others emerged from seclusion one after another.
"Emperor Lord, congratulations on your great advancement in cultivation."
After leaving seclusion, Donghua ran into Jin Feng—or, more accurately, she had been waiting for him.
"You've done well too. Your strength has improved considerably."
Jin Feng smiled ruefully. "Phoenix Ancestor didn't use her own merit. Instead, she gave it to us. I received a share as well, which is why I made some progress."
Donghua fell silent for a moment, but didn't comment on it. Everyone had their own choices to make.
"Don't dwell on it. Improving your strength is a good thing. Greatness Returns to Oneself; in the end, that can never be wrong."
Jin Feng nodded. "Emperor Lord, our Great Elder would like you to come see her."
"Have Fellow Daoist Taizhen and the others emerged from seclusion?"
"Reporting to you, Emperor Lord: the seniors have all emerged."
Donghua didn't know why Yuan Jin wanted to see him, but he followed Jin Feng all the same.
He met Yuan Jin in a palace.
"May I ask what you wished to see me about today, Fellow Daoist?"
Yuan Jin didn't answer at once. Instead, she activated a formation, sealing off and isolating the space around them. Only then did she speak.
"Please forgive me, East King. What I have to say today concerns the survival of my clan, so I must be cautious."
Donghua was quite puzzled. What does my business have to do with your clan's survival?
"This old woman has heard that His Majesty King Dong has already formed an alliance with the Dragon Clan..."
Before Yuan Jin could finish, Donghua heard those words and released his aura. His Dharma Eye locked directly onto Yuan Jin, as if he were about to attack.
In truth, that was exactly what he was thinking. His alliance with the Dragon Clan was secret. How had the Phoenix Clan learned of it?
Yuan Jin hurriedly said, "Please calm your anger, His Majesty King Dong. Allow this old woman to explain."
"Speak!"
Yuan Jin said, "His Majesty King Dong, our clan and the Dragon Clan formed an Offensive and Defensive Alliance after the Dragon Han era."
"Though our two clans once fought to the death, the threat of our clans' annihilation forced us to ally. Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon told us about your alliance with the Dragon Clan. No one else knows."
Upon hearing Candle Dragon's name, Donghua finally withdrew his aura. He said angrily, "How could Candle Dragon do such a thing? He dared tell your clan without my permission. He's practically asking to die."
Yuan Jin didn't know what to say. Better for a fellow Daoist to die than for oneself; she certainly wasn't a match for Donghua.
The gap between Quasi-Saints could sometimes be vast as heaven and earth. That was precisely the kind of gap between her and Donghua.
"Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon only told us out of regard for the friendship between our two clans. Please calm your anger, His Majesty King Dong."
Donghua ignored Yuan Jin's plea for leniency. Candle Dragon could be dealt with later; for now, he wanted to know what the Phoenix Clan meant by this.
He asked in reply, "Then why has your Phoenix Clan summoned me here today?"
Yuan Jin sighed inwardly. Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon, this is all I can do for you today.
"Our Phoenix Clan wishes to place itself under the Purple Mansion East King and heed the Emperor Lord's teachings."
Donghua was taken aback. He couldn't quite understand. His alliance with the Dragon Clan was a simple one, formed as a precaution. If the Monster Clan got it into their heads to attack the Purple Mansion, the Dragon Clan could help.
But the Phoenix Clan wanted to place itself directly under the Purple Mansion. He truly couldn't make sense of it.
"Your clan has supreme inheritances, and you have two seniors, Yuanfeng and Vermilion Bird. What do you have to worry about? Why place yourselves under me?"
Yuan Jin shook her head helplessly. "His Majesty King Dong, Phoenix Ancestor cannot leave the Volcano of Immortality. Even with power that reaches the heavens, there is nothing she can do."
"As for Senior Vermilion Bird, strictly speaking, she is no longer a member of the Phoenix Clan. What's more, she must guard the South Pole and cannot act unless a matter concerning the Heavenly Dao arises."
"Our Phoenix Clan has now withdrawn to Southern Heaven, so we are no longer a thorn in the side of the Witch and Monster Two Clans."
Donghua asked, "Then why place yourselves under me?"
Yuan Jin let out a sorrowful sigh. "But our Phoenix Clan Warriors are affected by Heaven and Earth Karma. Forget becoming Quasi-Saints—even breaking through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal is impossible. They will spend their lives achieving nothing more than the Grand Unity stage."
"This, this, this—how is that any different from the destruction of our clan? I now lead the Phoenix Clan. I simply cannot stand by and let this go on."
Donghua was also taken aback when he heard this. He had never expected such a thing.
The Dragon Clan's fate might not be enough for them to break through to the Quasi-Saint stage, but reaching Grand Unity Golden Immortal was still possible.
Why couldn't the Phoenix Clan even break through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal?
"Back when the Three Clans War caused Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind to run rampant, the Volcano of Immortality was the worst affected. If Venerable Vermilion Bird hadn't intervened, the Southern Primordial World and Western Continent might have ended up just like it is today."
"What's more, our Phoenix Clan is now small in number. Even if the same amount of karma were to fall upon us, each person would bear far more of it than a member of the Dragon Clan."
Yuan Jin sighed over and over. She could see the Phoenix Clan's current predicament and was anxious about it, yet she had no idea how to resolve it.
After receiving Candle Dragon's telepathic message, she discussed the matter with Yuanfeng. Only after careful consideration did they decide to follow the Purple Mansion.
Having experienced the Three Clans War, they had little faith in the current Witch and Monster Two Clans.
They had watched how Donghua conducted himself these past few days. Following a virtuous lord with grand ambitions didn't seem like a bad choice.
Even if Donghua lost the struggle for supremacy in the future, they could accept that. The worst outcome would simply be retreating to the Volcano of Immortality. Surely the Witch and Monster Two Clans wouldn't dare risk the wrath of heaven and earth by wiping out the Phoenix Clan?
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