Attaining True Personhood, a Deer Demon Gives Birth

Warm sunlight passed through gaps in the ancient trees' layers of foliage, casting dappled halos and dispelling the darkness.

Xuan Yang sat before a cliff face, his burly body blocking the cave behind him like a mountain. His expression was solemn, and he dared not let down his guard.

Lush vines climbed the cliff face. Inside the natural cave concealed behind that verdant growth, the white-haired old Daoist sat cross-legged, his expression intent. As he circulated his energy through a full cycle, the Magic Power within him was continually compressed, gradually condensing into a vortex.

The vortex grew larger and spun faster, like a tornado that had long been gathering strength. Guided by Xuanming, it finally erupted, surging skyward to form the magnificent spectacle of a dragon drawing up water.

Water clung to the vault of heaven, shifting with thunderous roars, its vast momentum rolling onward. His entire Lower Dantian shook with a boom.

Like a dragon, the vortex emerged from Guanyuan, the Lower Dantian, and traveled along the Ren and Du Meridians. Each circuit added another layer of Yin and Yang power. After nine circuits, the dragon of Magic Power returned to the Lower Dantian.

Nine times nine returned to one. The Yin and Yang qi returned to its roots and origin, merging into Primordial Chaos Qi. The dragon of Magic Power abruptly grew several times larger. With its might greatly increased, it pressed onward in one sustained surge, its target clear: the Shanzhong Acupoint in the Middle Dantian.

The five major organs rumbled, releasing Five-Element Thunder, which then clashed with the six hollow organs, giving rise to Yin and Yang Thunder.

The Five Phases united with Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang embraced the Five Phases.

Yin and Yang and the Five Phases merged into mighty thunder.

Lightning struck the dragon of Magic Power, bolt after bolt without end, weakening the vortex layer by layer. Like mountains blocking a raging torrent, it sought to diminish and obstruct the dragon until no path remained.

At this critical moment, Xuanming remained calm and unhurried. With a thought, eight illusory Divine spirits appeared within him.

He had long since mastered the Eight Outer Visions True Method. When he read the Jade Scripture of the Yellow Court's Outer-Scenery Yellow Court Qi a second time, he saw how the eight Divine spirits united with the Eight Trigrams to anchor the eight extremities of heaven and earth, and gained profound insights. Through secluded cultivation afterward, he had brought the Eight True Method to full mastery, wielding its immense power at will.

The eight true spirits moved together, forming an Eight Trigrams diagram that descended onto the dragon of Magic Power, as though clothing it in hard armor to ward off Thunderclap.

Thunderclap fell like rain; the Eight Trigrams stood like a mountain. One swept forward like a blade splitting bamboo, while the other remained indestructible.

The Great Evolution of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang unfolded, with heaven, earth, wind, and thunder shining together.

Yin and Yang and the Five Phases shifted, while water, fire, mountain, and marsh transformed.

The two forces were evenly matched, contending within his body and manifesting all manner of mysterious images of the Dao. With every Thunderclap he endured, its principles were branded into his flesh and bones, becoming part of his foundation.

At the same time, countless desires surged into his heart, and Xuanming fell into illusions where truth and falsehood were difficult to distinguish.

Within a magnificent palace, he became the supreme emperor. Awake, he held the power of the world; drunk, he rested on a beauty's lap. Life, death, rewards, and punishments all hung upon a single thought of his.

Within a towering, majestic Immortal Mountain, he became an Immortal who could Ride Clouds and Mist, wandering the Northern Sea at dawn and Cangwu at dusk. Carefree Wandering, he stepped beyond the Three Realms and stood outside the Five Phases.

In a Heavenly Palace Complex radiant with countless rays of rosy light, he became an undying celestial Divine, sharing the lifespan of heaven and earth and the age of the sun and moon. Myriad gods bowed before him as he gazed down upon all living beings.

The scene shifted again, and he returned to the modern world. With a hundred high-rises, a thousand properties, and hundreds of millions in wealth to his name, he was an outstanding figure valued by the Imperial Court and an honored guest sought after by wealthy merchants. He had stood at the summit from birth.

Wine, lust, wealth, and pride came crowding in.

Money, power, fame, and profit followed without end.

Amid it all, Xuanming's mind remained clear. He walked through a myriad flowers without a single leaf clinging to him.

A sword of wisdom arose from the Mystic Pass, descending to sever deluded thoughts.

The imperial palace collapsed, crushing the emperor to death.

The Immortal Mountain withered, and the Immortal entered the Return to Ruins.

The Heavenly Palace Complex split apart, and the celestial Divine was ground into oblivion.

The world ended, and the tycoon became a beggar.

Desires arose one after another, only to shatter.

Throughout this process, Xuanming's resolve to seek the Dao grew firmer, and his heart of devotion became ever clearer. It was as though, "Only when the painted veneer is washed away does gold appear; shedding hollow splendor, one returns to one's true nature."

Time flowed silently like water.

Six hours later, the setting sun sank, and the Bright Moon rose.

Heaven and Earth met in harmony, and the sun and moon swept away the murk.

Lunar and Solar Stars bestowed their transformative blessings, surrounding Xuanming in a Yin and Yang pattern. Solar Essence shed golden radiance, while Lunar Essence bloomed with silver light.

Gold and silver intertwined, nurturing and restraining each other.

Xuanming sat cross-legged within them, his beard and hair streaming, his Daoist robe billowing. He resembled a Divine being who held the sun and moon in his hands and plucked Stars from the sky.

At the same time, his body trembled slightly, and a rumbling sounded within him, echoing throughout the cave.

The dragon of Magic Power, having endured the trial and refinement of Thunderclap, made its ultimate leap. Bearing vast Magic Power, it blasted open the gates of the Middle Dantian in a single surge. Like parched earth welcoming sweet rain, the Middle Dantian rumbled, gaining life, boundless hope, and limitless potential.

It needed only the master of this land to tend and manage it properly, so it could gradually transform into fertile territory.

Magic Power entered through the Lower Dantian and emerged from the Middle Dantian, surging against the other meridians. The Belt Meridian opened, and the Penetrating Meridian was cleared.

Xuanming's aura soared. As his breakthrough reached its crucial moment, mountain winds suddenly rose, and vast quantities of spiritual energy from heaven and earth poured into the cave.

Across a hundred li, winds rose and clouds surged, while plants grew wildly.

Xuan Yang straightened his back. A small Bronze Cauldron appeared in his left palm, and he held a sword in his right hand. His eyes watched all six directions and his ears listened to all eight quarters. Not daring the slightest carelessness, he devoted himself to guarding the breakthrough, swearing that no living being would disturb his senior brother.

Rustling came from the bushes, which shook incessantly. Xuan Yang's expression turned grave, his gaze sharp as lightning.

A Sika Deer rushed out first, her coat stained with blood and her body covered in wounds. Her aura was unstable, and panic filled her eyes.

She was a doe.

And a pregnant doe at that.

Immediately afterward, a gray wolf sprang out.

As large as an ox, he bared his teeth, his face savage and his fangs sharp. Blood stained his face, though he had no wounds there. Clearly, it had come from hunting the doe.

Without hesitation, Xuan Yang struck first.

Both were demons. Though neither had taken human form and their demonic power was weak, his senior brother's breakthrough was at stake. He dared not risk the slightest chance of one careless move losing the entire game.

His right hand swung the sword, while his left cast out the cauldron.

The cauldron swelled in the wind and overturned, trapping the doe beneath it.

The sword slashed down fiercely, severing the gray wolf's head.

Blood sprayed, drenching the vegetation. The gray wolf fell into a pool of blood, his head separated from his body.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several more demonic beasts were drawn over.

Xuan Yang advanced with his sword, exerting all his strength.

Sword light surged, plants snapped, and demonic beasts lost their heads.

Killing intent seethed around Xuan Yang. From demonic beasts to partially transformed demons, any who dared intrude spilled their blood on the spot.

After slaying the third Mountain Demon in the fourth essence refining realm, no more demons approached for the moment, and he turned toward the great cauldron.

He raised his hand to recall the magic artifact and was about to lift his sword to kill the doe when he abruptly stopped, his expression momentarily stunned.

The doe was giving birth, struggling with great difficulty. Her wet eyes gazed at Xuan Yang, filled with pleading.

Her cries rang out, carrying pain, sorrow, entreaty, and despair.

Xuan Yang's sword hand trembled.

Faced with Deer’s pleading, he could not bear to strike.

Even a vicious tiger did not eat its cubs; even a fierce leopard did everything to protect its young.

No love under heaven surpassed that of parents.

This instinct to protect one's offspring had long transcended the boundaries between species. The deep affection of a parent licking its young was utterly genuine and sincere.

While he hesitated, two demons were drawn over. Xuan Yang breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand to deploy the cauldron. It abruptly enlarged and overturned again, enclosing Deer.

"I'm not taking pity on this mother and her child. This is to prevent accidents and keep them from disturbing Senior Brother's breakthrough."

Xuan Yang's words were tough, but his heart was soft.

He looked up at the two fiends before him, cursed angrily, and was about to raise his sword to kill them when an immense pressure erupted from the cave. The two fiends in the fourth essence refining realm were terrified. Before they could flee, the pressure crushed them until they burst.

The powerful aura swept through the mountain forest. Plants swayed and bowed toward the cave. The demons who had hurried over, believing a treasure had emerged, were stricken with horror and swiftly retreated.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Explosions rang out without end.

A rain of blood drifted down, staining the earth red.

Demons who were too close burst apart, and those who were too slow died. At this sight, beasts fled and birds scattered. The remaining demons wished they could grow extra legs and more pairs of wings. Terrified enough to piss and soil themselves, they scrambled away, afraid of following the others into death and the extinction of their Dao.

The pressure vanished as quickly as it had come.

The vines parted to either side on their own, and a white-haired old Daoist slowly emerged from the cave. His back was straight and his head held high as he strode forward, a longsword on his back and a Fly-Whisk in his hand. His hair was crane-white, his complexion youthful, and his long beard flowed as smoothly as satin.

Though he wore an ordinary gray cloth robe and plain cloth shoes without ornament, they could not conceal his transcendent, ethereal air. His broad sleeves drifted without any wind.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother, on becoming a True Person."

“From now on, your attainment in the Dao has greatly advanced, your Magic Power has greatly increased, and your lifespan has greatly expanded. You may enjoy three hundred years of springs and autumns.”

Excited, Xuan Yang bowed in salute.

An exaggerated grin spread across his honest face, his neat white teeth reflecting the moonlight.

From this day onward, the Truth-Seeking Abbey had a True Person of its own!

Once he returned, he would offer incense to all the ancestral masters, thanking them for their protection and asking for a little blessing for himself along the way.

"Thank you for guarding me, Junior Brother. Your contribution was indispensable to this old Daoist's successful breakthrough."

Joy blossomed in Xuan Yang's heart.

The smile on his face became even brighter and broader.

A painful cry from Deer rang out. Coming to his senses, Xuan Yang immediately withdrew the great cauldron.

The wolf demon's attack had grievously injured Deer. She had lost too much blood, and her vital foundation was damaged. Her labor was not going smoothly, and her strength was failing. In other words, she was suffering a difficult birth, and both mother and child were very likely to die.

Though Xuanming had been in seclusion, he had not been wholly unaware of the outside world. He had kept a sliver of his Divine awareness free throughout, guarding against accidents.

When away from home, caution came first.

Thus, Deer’s arrival did not surprise him.

Watching Deer, he formed finger gestures and performed a divination.

This was a Divination Art of the Truth-Seeking Abbey, though not a particularly sophisticated one. Xuanming had not practiced divination before, both because his cultivation was low and because the threshold for entering this path was high. Mastering it was harder still.

Now that he had become a True Person, the instant of his breakthrough had deepened his understanding of heaven, earth, and all things. His comprehension of previously learned principles had become more thorough, even giving rise to fresh insights. With sufficient accumulated understanding, he had entered the gates of divination naturally, like water flowing into a channel once it was ready.

Divining someone of equal cultivation might prove difficult, but divining a deer demon with shallow cultivation was effortless.

"So that is how it is."

"Heaven and earth are impartial, leaving a narrow opening for all."

"You are grievously wounded, with little time left to live, yet you overcame the fear in your heart and disregarded the danger. Guided by your instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm, you dragged your injured body here to find a thread of hope for the child in your womb. Motherhood lends strength, and such devotion deserves compassion."

"I will lend you a hand. Whether you can seize this chance and deliver your child will depend upon your will."

Xuanming waved his Fly-Whisk, sending a strand of Magic Power into Deer. As though she had taken a restorative medicine, she immediately gained more strength. She gave Xuanming a grateful glance, then endured the agony and focused on giving birth.

“Junior Brother, although we are at the boundary between the two mountains and have not ventured deep into Azure Dragon Mountain, my breakthrough caused quite a commotion. Just now, to intimidate the demons, I also stained the mountain forest with blood. This may well attract the attention of a Great Demon.”

"Go gather some usable materials. Once the deer demon delivers her child, we will leave."

Xuan Yang followed Xuanming's lead without question.

He acted swiftly, selecting materials.

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