Merit for Demerit! Human Feelings Lead to Clear Thoughts, Adaptability Secures a Foothold

The fall of a Nascent Soul True Lord is an extremely significant event for the Outer Domain Evil Cultivators.

It should be known that there are countless Qi Refining cultivators in the Cultivation World. Foundation Establishment cultivators are already considered elites, and Golden Core cultivators can become patriarchs, protecting a region. Those who can break through from Golden Core to Nascent Soul are even more exceptional, one in a thousand.

Which Nascent Soul True Lord hasn't gone through countless trials and tribulations, fought their way to the top? Coupled with their long lifespans and rich experience, each of them is shrewd and resourceful. It's truly difficult for such powerful individuals to fall.

"So, Tan Xiangkun, the Saint Son of the Three Saints Palace in this Outer Domain Evil Cultivator camp, was killed because he was not wary of the Longevity Sect Leader, and with the Dragon Venerable of Dragon Spirit Island providing full assistance, he was killed and perished?"

A dozen days later, in the Border Town that had been transformed into a stronghold of the Four Seas, a Nascent Soul elder of the Four Seas Cultivator Alliance tapped on the table with a suspicious expression and asked.

Sitting opposite them were Su Yan Yan, Chen Dengming, and a Nascent Soul Ancestor from Dragon Spirit Island.

When questioned by the elder of the Cultivator Alliance in charge of this incident, Su Yan Yan calmly nodded and said, "That's how it is. Tan Xiangkun was somewhat exhausted and suffered some minor injuries during the melee at Luoyueping."

But the main problem was carelessness, and the Dragon Venerable arrived in time to catch him off guard.

As she spoke, Su Yan Yan looked at Chen Dengming.

Chen Dengming immediately smiled and said respectfully, "The fact that I was able to kill a Nascent Soul from outside the realm this time is mainly due to Senior Dragon Venerable's efforts. I mainly provided support from the side."

If we're really talking about rewards and honors, I think Senior Dragon Venerable should take the lead. Our Longevity Sect should also thank Senior Dragon Venerable for his timely rescue during this dangerous adventure."

Upon hearing this, Chai Shun, the Nascent Soul Island Master Dragon Spirit Island who was representing the dragon beasts to participate in the exchange, softened his expression slightly and couldn't help but glance at Chen Dengming again before snorting.

"Then, Sect Leader Chen, how do you explain deliberately luring our island's Dragon Venerable out of his guarded area?"

After you saved Fellow Daoist Su from my island's Dragon Venerable, you then fought with him. Is this true? Isn't this repaying kindness with enmity?

Chen Dengming's smile faded slightly, and he looked at Chai Shun with a solemn expression, bowing respectfully. "Senior Chai, regarding the matter of me deliberately drawing out Dragon Venerable, I admit that I had selfish motives at the time, trying to use Senior Dragon Venerable's power to save Martial Aunt Su."

However, the situation was critical at the time, and I was actually gambling.

If Senior Dragon Venerable no grudge against me, even if I had deliberately tried to entice him, I would not have been able to get him to leave with me.

Conversely, it would prove that Senior Dragon Venerable still harbors resentment towards the junior.

Chai Shun's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he said coldly, "You mean mosquitoes don't bite eggs without cracks? My island's Dragon Venerable is narrow-minded. His departure from his post was due to personal grudges and dereliction of duty, not your responsibility."

Of course not.

Chen Dengming smiled and shook his head, then said seriously, "What I meant to say was that at the beginning, Senior Dragon Venerable Lord might have had some grudges with me and my uncle, which is why he was lured out of the place he was guarding."

The responsibility naturally lies with the younger generation, since it was the younger generation who took the initiative to seduce them.

However, what is truly commendable is that, faced with matters of great importance, Senior Dragon Venerable Lord ultimately chose to set aside his personal grudges and eliminate the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Three Saints Palace Nascent Soul settling his personal score. This demonstrates his clear distinction between public and private matters and his noble character.

Chen Dengming looked on with admiration, but under Chai Shun's surprised expression, he said with shame, "It was I who was too young and didn't know my place. I should have apologized immediately instead of repeatedly contradicting Senior Dragon Venerable and even fighting with Dragon Venerable."

Afterwards, having received instruction from Martial Aunt Su, I realized my mistake and deeply reflected on it. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize and admit my error to Senior Chai."

After speaking, Chen Dengming stood up and solemnly bowed to Chai Shun, whose expression had completely changed from gloomy to sunny, and who was even quite surprised. "In this incident, I am willing to take responsibility for Senior Dragon Venerable. The fault lies with me, and I hope Island Master Chai will forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Chai Shun was about to get up and return the greeting to Chen Dengming with some polite words. After all, Chen Dengming was a sect leader, and his attitude was beyond his expectations, which dissipated most of the dissatisfaction he had been harboring.

However, Chen Dengming did not give Chai Shun a chance to respond immediately. Instead, he bowed to the elder of the Four Seas Cultivation Alliance, who also looked surprised, and said respectfully with a smile, "Please, Elder Zuoqiu, understand."

The saying goes, "If you make a mistake, admit it; if you're going to get punished, stand up straight."

Chen Dengming had made preparations long before he arrived.

If Dragon Spirit Island were to hold him accountable, he would take the initiative to assume responsibility.

Such a generous and sincere attitude will likely make people more forgiving, and may even turn enemies into friends.

If you don't do this and insist on arguing your case, it's difficult to achieve a better result.

Because from the beginning, he really wasn't in the right. He was the one who provoked and lured the dragon beast away. With the Golden Core Elder and others from Gourd Sword Island as witnesses, he couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.

Even when you argue logically, he's in the wrong; after all, the one who starts it is the one who loses.

Even if the dragon beast had selfish motives and a desire for revenge, it was the latter.

However, his voluntary admission of wrongdoing, coupled with his embellishment of the dragon beast's image, was enough for the Dragon Spirit Island Master to sense his sincerity.

Elder Zuoqiu of the Four Seas Cultivator Alliance was no fool either. He knew perfectly well that with the dragon beast taking the initiative to settle a personal score, Chen Dengming couldn't possibly refrain from fighting back and risk his life to gamble that the dragon beast would show mercy.

Just as they're saying now, everyone sat down amicably to talk and he apologized.

If apologies were truly effective, why would there be any need for physical violence?

Therefore, given the circumstances at the time, Chen Dengming's actions were the best way to ensure his own safety, and his current words are also the best rhetoric under the current circumstances.

A true man can bend and stretch, and Chen Dengming is not like Dongfang Huayuan, who prefers to take the straight path rather than the crooked one; he naturally knows how to adapt.

After pondering for a moment, Elder Zuoqiu stared intently at Chen Dengming and said, "Alright! Since you, Sect Leader Chen, have taken the initiative to take responsibility, I will not be lenient with you."

The incident of the Dragon Venerable abandoning his post was mainly caused by you, but fortunately it did not lead to any bad consequences and even led to a good thing.

I will proceed according to the established rules. Your merit in assisting the Dragon Venerable in eliminating the extraterrestrial Nascent Soul True Lord Tan Xiangkun will be considered to offset your fault. Sect Leader Chen, do you have any objections?"

Chen Dengming immediately bowed and said, "It is only right. This credit belongs entirely to the Dragon Venerable. I am unworthy of it. I would feel ashamed if the credit were to offset my own."

Having said all that, Chai Shun, who had been preparing to respond to Chen Dengming, couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up, coughed lightly, and shook his head, feigning magnanimity.

"Enough, enough, Sect Leader Chen, you're taking this too seriously. What I said earlier was just a few angry words. Sect Leader Chen, your attitude is sincere, and my anger has subsided."

"You shouldn't bear all the blame, and the credit certainly won't all belong to our island's Dragon Venerable."

As the saying goes, it's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester.

After this incident, Su Yan Yan of the Longevity Sect would have owed the Dragon Venerable of Dragon Spirit Island a life-saving favor, and the value of this favor would have been immense.

Therefore, the relationship should not be allowed to become too strained. Chai Shun's previous questioning was actually just to force out more benefits and avoid some trouble.

Now that Chen Dengming is so adept at handling things, taking all the credit for Dragon Venerable while taking all the responsibility for himself, there's nothing more to say about his attitude. Chai Shun naturally has to go along with it, at least to save face.

At this point in their conversation, the two sides had essentially settled the matter.

After that, despite the polite formalities, the final outcome was as announced by Elder Zuoqiu: Chen Dengming's merits outweighed his faults, and the Dragon Venerable of Dragon Spirit Island was without fault.

After this resolution, everyone was happy, and both parties were satisfied.

Half an incense stick later.

Chen Dengming saw off Chai Shun, the Island Master Dragon Spirit Island, outside the council hall of the stronghold.

The two were much more polite to each other than before, as if there had been no unpleasantness between them.

Chai Shun stopped, smiled, and bowed. "Sect Leader Chen, I hope that the matter of the Dragon Venerable will not affect our two sects, especially the relationship between us."

Chen Dengming laughed heartily, "Island Master Chai, please don't think like that anymore. I am truly grateful for Senior Dragon Venerable's kindness."

As the saying goes, "No fight, no friendship." My relationship with Martial Aunt Su and Dragon Venerable can be considered a bond forged through fighting. Now, not only have we reconciled, but I also owe them a debt of gratitude for their righteous help.

"Excellent!" Chai Shun nodded in satisfaction, greatly pleased with Chen Dengming's attitude. He invited Chen Dengming to visit Dragon Spirit Island again before departing.

Su Yan Yan approached after Chai Shun left, glancing at Chen Dengming indifferently.

"Social skills are truly your forte, even more outstanding than your talent for cultivation. I reckon if you weren't still struggling to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, Chai Shun would already be calling you brother."

"It's just that we all have something to use from each other. Otherwise, we wouldn't be so easy to talk to, and we wouldn't even have the chance to sit down and talk now."

In this world, ultimately, only those with might have the right to speak.

Chen Dengming smiled, shook his head, looked at Su Yan Yan, and spread his hands, saying, "I'm much better now. I've solved another problem, and I have one less thing on my mind."

To cultivate our minds, we need to have fewer worries so that our thoughts can be clear.

"Is this your guidance to me as the inheritor of the immortal's spiritual legacy?"

Su Yan Yan rarely made a playful teasing remark, but then felt it would be beneath her dignity as a senior uncle, so she put her hands behind her back and said in surprise, "Actually, you deserve at least 40% credit for defeating Tan Xiangkun this time. If you give in like this, you'll lose a lot of merit."

Even if we don't back down, the end result will simply be a falling out with Dragon Spirit Island. Dragon Venerable's dereliction of duty didn't cause any major mistakes, and you don't need to compensate with forty percent of your merit."

Chen Dengming laughed and, like Su Yan Yan, put his hands behind his back, saying casually, "Merit and such don't matter. Uncle-Master, I am now the Longevity Sect Leader. Apart from some top-tier members or those related to the Dao lineage, I don't seem to be lacking many resources."

On the contrary, being able to save you, my uncle, is already the greatest reward. Rather than arguing with Dragon Spirit Island over such trivial matters, we should broaden our perspective and completely turn enemies into friends.

Besides, I was indeed in the wrong from the beginning, so I'd rather not take the credit.

Su Yan Yan turned her head and looked at Chen Dengming, who was standing beside her with a dashing and refined demeanor. A faint smile appeared in her calm and composed eyes as she spoke.

"You really do look like a sect leader now. How long has it been? Your growth rate seems to have always been very fast."

She naturally understood the reasons Chen Dengming was giving, but the reason she still asked was because she didn't want her Nephew Disciple to be implicated because of her.

Based on her understanding of Chen Dengming, this Nephew Disciple was usually very steady and methodical in his work, well-versed in the ways of the world, and rarely did anything risky or reckless.

This time, however, he took an outrageous action because of her, which almost goes against his own style of conduct.

Otherwise, why would they provoke the dragon beast?

That is why she felt pity and shame.

However, Su Yan Yan's self-perceived understanding was actually not deep enough.

Chen Dengming's prudence and cautiousness are characterized by knowing when to be cautious and when not to be cautious, he will act decisively and without hesitation.

Just like when Li Yue betrayed the Evergreen Sect, he struggled and hesitated, but in the end he still acted decisively. In the face of danger and storms, true fire tempered his mind and made his thoughts clear.

He is flexible and adaptable in his actions, and is also a person of strong emotions. This is his character, and his bottom line of principles is based on human touch.

If that's not being cautious enough, then being cautious to the end means giving up everything and sacrificing everything.

As long as he can survive, it doesn't matter if the world perishes or everyone connected to him perishes. This kind of survival-oriented cultivation method is not in Chen Dengming's eyes, nor does it conform to his human immortal spiritual path.

After dealing with the matters concerning the dragon beast and Tan Xiangkun, the Outer Domain Evil Cultivator the Three Saints Palace, it was already half a month since the outbreak of that battle.

Chen Dengming's injuries from that battle have been fully healed. Not only that, the fourth Human Immortal Way Script was also mostly refined due to the pressure brought by that battle.

If we also consider his mastery of the strongest human immortal Physical Body Divine Ability — the Ancient Human Immortal Physique —he is indeed as Su Yan Yan said, quite fortunate, and not entirely without gain.

At this moment, within the Border Town renovation base, a quiet courtyard with three entrances and three exits is nestled amidst the hustle and bustle, with long, antique-style glazed eaves extending outwards, and golden roof ridges carved with gracefully flying swallows.

In the center of the courtyard stands a small, exquisite waterside pavilion, surrounded by artificial hills and ponds. The rocks are rugged, and the water flows gently. The pond is filled with seawater, from which several colorful and spirited sea fish swim.

Chen Dengming casually sprinkled some fragments of Spirit Herb used to feed spirit beasts, creating ripples on the water's surface.

Immediately, several sea fish in the water began to compete for food, even colliding with each other, creating a 'bang bang' sound and the strange phenomenon of jets of water.

"As expected of a fish that has withstood some Dragon Blood."

Chen Dengming admired the few sea fish he had selected from the sea that day, a smile playing on his lips as he nodded.

These few sea fish are genuine dragon fish that have already possessed a trace of Dragon Blood. If they were given to Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivators of some beast-taming sects, they would cause a frenzy of competition.

However, for Chen Dengming now, these few sea fish are nothing more than ornamental fish.

Sea fish possessing Dragon Blood have a slim chance of eventually transforming into powerful creatures similar to dragon beasts.

However, it requires at least several thousand years of cultivation and transformation, which is even more difficult than a normal Qi Cultivation Cultivator cultivating to become Nascent Soul Cultivator. How easy is it to truly leap over the dragon gate and transform into a dragon?

However, for low-level cultivators, these dragonfish are precious because of their Dragon Blood, something that low-level cultivators simply cannot access, making them extremely valuable.

"It's difficult for a fish to leap over the dragon gate, and it's also difficult for a person to become an immortal. The Ancient Human Immortal Physique I've come into contact with are powerful, but it's very difficult to wield them freely and strengthen them."

Chen Dengming scattered the last fragments of Spirit Herb and paced back and forth in the waterside pavilion, his brows gradually furrowing as he pondered the difficulties he had encountered recently in re-examining and comprehending the Ancient Human Immortal Physique. He couldn't help but sigh at the difficulty of cultivation.

He had already used the Ancient Human Immortal Physique once, thus stepping into the threshold.

However, its profound mysteries require more practice and experience to gradually become familiar with, and even to strive to become stronger, gradually approaching the level of the Ancient Immortal who could pluck stars from the sky and seize the moon, and create heaven and earth.

Theory on paper is ultimately superficial; true understanding requires personal experience.

Chen Dengming suddenly stopped, looked up at the Sky Dome, and soared into the air, arriving at a deserted valley in the wilderness. He tried to re-enter the state of the Ancient Human Immortal Physique and experience the exhilarating feeling brought by the invincible power of that gigantic Physical Body.

In the valley, Chen Dengming quickly set up the [Star-Covering and Moon-Closing Formation] for concealment, then returned to the center of the valley, breathing in the fresh air and the scent of flowing water, calming his mind, and gradually ascending to a state of perfect State of Mind Unity of Heaven and Man immortals and martial arts.

This is just the most basic first step in mastering the Human Immortal Way Power.

However, wielding the Ancient Human Immortal Physique is not so simple. One must have State of Mind close to the Man Conquers Heaven fighting spirit of "man will conquer nature" and the indomitable fighting will of the Ancient Immortal to dare to fight against the heavens before one can mobilize the Human Immortal Way Power and condense the Ancient Human Immortal Physique.

Chen Dengming's mind calmly explored and cultivated that feeling, and the ancient Mnemonic of the Ancient Human Immortal Physique from his previous memories echoed in his mind.

"Heaven and earth are one Taiji, and the human body is one Taiji. Taiji is originally one, but it becomes large and small because of the small, and it becomes inside and outside because of intention. If one can get rid of this intention..."

The human body has inexhaustible potential, the human heart is limitless, and human power is inexhaustible.

Soon, the Ancient Immortal figure of an ancient immortal, as imposing as a colossal mountain, appeared in his mind.

The Human Immortal Way Power within his Sea of Consciousness rapidly circulated throughout his body, seeping into his Flesh and Blood, bones, and even his internal organs.

'Crackling'--

Human Immortal Way Power, as thin as silver arcs of electricity, began to roam across his body.

As the power within him circulated, it seemed to form a Tai Chi symbol composed of 'Human Immortal Way Power,' 'Mental Strength,' and 'human power.' With each breath, he seemed to transform into an ancient immortal, inhaling and exhaling a large amount of Spiritual Qi.

Call--

Suck--

A surge of abundant Spiritual Qi suddenly flowed into Chen Dengming's body, combining with the Human Immortal Way Power to strengthen his muscles, bones, skin, internal organs, and even his hair, causing his body to gradually grow larger and full of power.

With a single breath, the Spiritual Qi within the valley surged over the mountain like rolling clouds, cascading into the deep valley like a waterfall, its powerful force rushing towards his rapidly growing, magnificent body.

In an instant, half of Chen Dengming's body disappeared into the cloud of Spiritual Qi.

Countless silver arcs of electricity writhed and twisted like dragons and snakes within his body, moving swiftly. A dark, oppressive, and terrifying aura seemed to make the air itself restless and began to permeate the valley.

(5k votes needed, bro)

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