Deep Abyss

Tiantuo and Xu Xuan settled their agreement, and both swore an oath before the White Jade Heavenly Palace.

Within Xu Xuan's Qi Sea, the White Jade Ancient Stele had transformed into an ethereal heavenly palace. Yet it had only the outward appearance of one, its entire form illusory. Clearly, something was missing.

Now that Xu Xuan had received the Seal Script, more of the ancient stele's functions had manifested within his Qi Sea.

First, it could conceal his mind, preventing others from searching his soul, seizing his spirit, and discovering anything unusual. Second, it could bind contracts. Once an oath was sworn before the stele and its clear qi descended, that oath could not be broken.

A strand of clear qi descended, linking Tiantuo and Xu Xuan. It faintly formed a passage of text containing the terms they had agreed upon. This, too, was a newly awakened function of the ancient stele: its clear qi could be used to bind oaths.

They had now agreed that Xu Xuan could help this demon find blood essence, but he could not slaughter indiscriminately.

Tiantuo, for his part, would do his utmost to help Xu Xuan reach Purple Mansion. His memory was currently incomplete, but once it recovered, he would teach Xu Xuan whatever cultivation methods and secret arts he recalled.

Once Xu Xuan reached Purple Mansion, he would give Tiantuo a Seal Script in exchange.

"That's all it takes?"

Xu Xuan still found it difficult to trust this old demon.

"I swore that oath on my life. With this immortal artifact as witness, it naturally cannot be false."

"Don't forget, I was the one who saved your disciple's life. Once you reach Purple Mansion and I receive the Seal Script, we can settle matters between us."

Tiantuo smiled sinisterly. It was hard to say how much of his words could be trusted.

Once I reach Purple Mansion, I'll give him a Seal Script. Even if he has other plans then, I won't be completely powerless to fight back.

Each harbored his own hidden agenda, but for now, they truly were grasshoppers tied to the same string.

"When you intervened that day, did you recognize the strange phenomenon in the Underground Palace?"

Recalling that phenomenon in the Underground Palace and what had happened to Xiao Cunsi, Xu Xuan still felt a lingering chill.

"I forgot."

Tiantuo sat back down on the bluestone, his interest flagging. Distressed by the gaps in his memory, he said quietly,

"But it should have been a method of the Shamanic Way. At the very least, a Great Shaman was involved. Perhaps they were trying to refine some Divine Ability."

Hearing this, Xu Xuan recalled the Wondrous Method of Observing Poison and Wielding Gu. With a thought, he summoned a strand of clear qi from his surroundings, which manifested as words.

"This is the cultivation method that phenomenon left behind. Take a look and see what you can deduce."

Tiantuo had once been a Purple Mansion cultivator, after all, and his breadth of knowledge was different. He immediately noticed a few clues.

"The Poison-Viewing Assembly? This Divine Ability sounds awfully familiar."

"This Divine Ability can branch into five immortal foundations. Is this...?"

Tiantuo scratched his head atop the stone. Although he looked every inch an immortal, his behavior was downright crude.

"I remember!"

Tiantuo laughed loudly and sprang straight off the stone, making the surrounding sea of flowers ripple.

"This Divine Ability was originally the true fruition of the poisonous insect path, called Origin Poison. Later, the shamans seized it and combined it with another art, Calamity Blessing, creating Calamity Poison. That's how it became something belonging to you humans."

"Some shaman must be trying to attain this path again, which is why they've been finding ways to lure people in."

Xu Xuan roughly understood. He also explained how this path had set its sights on him, but Tiantuo could not determine why.

"For now, you'd best reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible. Then, even if you have to run, at least you'll run faster."

Tiantuo's expression grew somewhat grave. The more people watching Xu Xuan, the greater the chance that this demon would be exposed. Naturally, he had to be cautious at every turn.

"I've examined your inner landscape. My memory is incomplete right now, so I'll teach you one secret art first. Cultivate it; it'll help you protect yourself."

With that, he curled a finger and pointed. A blood flower landed in Xu Xuan's palm and transformed into a jade slip.

Fifth-grade secret art: Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Art.

Xu Xuan examined it. This cultivation method belonged to the Blood Qi path and emphasized emulating the extraordinary manifestations of ancient sages. It used blood essence to condense another heart within the Qi Sea, strengthening spiritual perception, generating magical power, and accelerating the repair of the magical body. At advanced levels, one's vitality and strength would rival those of noble-blooded demons.

"This belongs to the Blood Qi path. I've heard that everyone who cultivates it is a demonic cultivator. Won't there be any harmful effects?"

After much consideration, Xu Xuan finally voiced the question.

"This secret art has an ancient lineage. It was already circulating in the world before Blood Qi became tainted. It's an orthodox wondrous art of the profound schools."

Tiantuo was disdainful and told Xu Xuan to hurry off and cultivate. He had only just awakened himself and still needed to stabilize his injuries.

With another gesture, he sent Xu Xuan out of the sea of flowers, depositing him beneath the thunder tree.

At last, I've settled matters with this demon.

Xu Xuan let out a long breath, his heart easing.

Just then, a chirping Thunder Sparrow flew out of his sleeve. With green feathers and violet plumes, it carried thunder as it flew. It was none other than Cinnabar Thunder.

The Dharma Sword's sentience had guided him to see Tiantuo, but the moment Tiantuo revealed his presence, the Thunder Sparrow had shrunk back in fear. It had absolutely no backbone.

Why does it feel as though Cinnabar Thunder has been growing more sentient ever since entering the Upper Firmament Thundercloud?

While Xu Xuan pondered this, Cinnabar Thunder flew over ingratiatingly and settled firmly on his shoulder.

With a shift of thought, Xu Xuan returned to his senses and found himself back inside True Abode Hall. He had no idea how much time had passed.

I should visit Rosy Dawn Peak. Qiyun's child is about to be born.

He immediately rode the wind to Rosy Dawn Peak and arrived at the side hall halfway up the mountain. There, Wang Qiyun was holding a child, his face radiant with joy. Wang Xiwei and Liu Xiaowen were also beside him.

Seeing Xu Xuan arrive, Wang Qiyun and Liu Xiaowen were about to bow, but Xu Xuan waved them out of it.

Xu Xuan stepped forward to look. It was a boy, with bright, clear eyes, neither crying nor fussing.

"Martial Uncle, I have a child now."

Wang Qiyun held his own flesh and blood, his expression tender.

Xu Xuan asked after them and learned that mother and child were safe. Wen Si'an was currently inside the hall, looking after Shen Shu.

This was a rare joyous occasion. The monastery already had few members, and now Senior Brother Xi Wei's line had a descendant. Moreover, children born to cultivators usually possessed spiritual roots, so the boy's aptitude should not be poor.

"Have you chosen a name?"

"Not yet."

Wang Qiyun turned toward Wang Xiwei, looking somewhat hesitant, and said softly,

"Father, could you think of a name for my son?"

At that address, Wang Xiwei trembled slightly.

Upon hearing that Qiyun's child was about to be born, he had hurried to this side hall, only to run straight into his own son. Things had been awkward until Liu Xiaowen arrived after leaving seclusion and eased the atmosphere somewhat.

Unable to conceal the excitement in his voice, Wang Xiwei smiled.

"How about Cheng Yan?"

Joy appeared on Wang Qiyun's face, and he agreed.

Some time had passed since Liu Xiaowen entered Qi Refining.

Wang Qiyun and Shen Shu now had a child. They stayed on Rosy Dawn Peak every day, seldom venturing out as they devoted themselves to caring for him.

Xu Xuan, meanwhile, was busy cultivating the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Art. This art was fifth grade and possessed an ancient lineage. As an ancient spell, it was quite difficult to comprehend.

The secret art required the practitioner to possess abundant blood essence and condense another heart, after which it would gradually strengthen their blood essence and make their vitality flourish.

Xu Xuan had obtained that ancient Seal Script. According to Tiantuo, his blood essence now resembled that of a flood dragon, so condensing this jade-blood heart took little effort.

As his blood essence flowed toward a single point, an exquisite jade heart condensed and settled within his Qi Sea.

His blood essence now served more purposes. It could increase his reserves of magical power, and the speed at which it repaired injuries to his magical body far surpassed what it had been before. If he encountered that mountain-imp beast gu again, Xu Xuan could easily subdue it.

As for the Upper Firmament Thundercloud, Xu Xuan was still exploring its functions. To strengthen this thundercloud, he needed to find enough thunder-path sentience, demons, or spirits to place within it and bolster its might.

That was rather difficult. The Jade Flow Mountain Range to the south teemed with demons, but it was not somewhere he could venture. He could only keep an eye out in the future.

Tiantuo suddenly spoke in his mind, his sinister voice carrying a note of surprise.

"You've mastered the basics so quickly. That's truly rare."

Xu Xuan had also considered why he had progressed so quickly with this secret art. It was likely the effect of that ancient Seal Script.

"I've been thinking. You possess Dark Flood Dragon Fortune. Heh, that does have some interesting uses."

Tiantuo sounded rather pleased with himself. Who knew what schemes he had come up with over these past few days?

"I can help you fabricate an identity among the Demon Race."

Tiantuo's voice carried a hint of temptation. Clearly, he very much wanted Xu Xuan to agree to his suggestion.

"Fabricate an identity? How could that work? I'm only at Qi Refining. If either the immortals or the demons discover me, I'll be dead."

Tiantuo merely gave a strange laugh and continued coaxing Xu Xuan.

"With me handling it, you can rest assured. I won't make you risk your physical body."

Not a single mistake, not a single debut, not a single piece of content-all on Yikan!

"If you reach Purple Mansion while possessing Dark Flood Dragon Fortune, you can become a flood dragon with a single thought."

"The place I'm sending you this time isn't somewhere a physical body can enter. Only your spiritual consciousness needs to go in. They absolutely won't discover you."

Before Xu Xuan could say anything more, Tiantuo gave another strange laugh and pulled Xu Xuan's consciousness back into his Qi Sea, depositing him in the sea of flowers.

This time, the demon had changed his attire. Dressed in cloud-green Daoist robes, he looked thoroughly like a lofty immortal. Even the bluestone beneath him had become a courtyard, complete with jagged ornamental rocks, flowers and grasses, and furnishings of every kind.

"Don't undertake grand construction projects in my Qi Sea."

Xu Xuan wanted to stop Tiantuo, afraid that the next time he came in, the place would have become an entire palace complex.

Tiantuo merely pretended not to hear him. He led Xu Xuan to a set of bluestone tables and chairs, and they sat down.

A Thunder Sparrow flew over. Tiantuo pointed, and the Cinnabar Thunder sparrow swiftly fetched a tea set in its beak and placed it before them.

Xu Xuan kept feeling that this little bird's movements resembled a person's. Even its expression seemed somewhat... obsequious?

Tiantuo was very pleased with Cinnabar Thunder. A petal drifted down, and the Thunder Sparrow chirped, swallowed it delightedly, then flew away without so much as acknowledging Xu Xuan.

Has this Dharma Sword defected?

Xu Xuan was already considering whether to cleanse away this sentience. The Thunder Sparrow seemed increasingly human, developing in a strange direction.

Meanwhile, Tiantuo finished brewing the tea and handed Xu Xuan a cup.

Inside the jade cup, the tea was clear and fragrant, its aroma lingering. Xu Xuan simply had no idea how Tiantuo had conjured it.

"I want you to visit a place that only members of the Demon Race with ancient lineages are qualified to enter."

Tiantuo leaned closer, looking furtive.

Xu Xuan could not be bothered with his antics. He told him to explain clearly before he would consider it.

"It's a grotto-heaven jointly created by ancient Great Sages. No, it should be called a realm. The spirit can enter it. It's called Deep Abyss."

"Once you enter, your spiritual consciousness will take external form and reveal your flood dragon fortune. With me concealing you, even a Purple Mansion cultivator won't see through it."

Xu Xuan was half convinced. Still, he and Tiantuo were in the same boat now, so the demon probably would not deceive him.

The only problem was that this demon's mind seemed damaged. If he forgot something, Xu Xuan would be in dire straits.

"Rest assured, I'm absolutely confident about this. If you're discovered, you can return with a single thought. It's perfectly safe."

Seeing that Xu Xuan still looked doubtful, Tiantuo grew somewhat anxious.

If it really is safe, this could bring quite a few benefits.

If Xu Xuan successfully maintained the disguise and gained an identity among the Demon Race, he could look beyond Red Cloud and obtain more information. Most importantly, he could investigate what was happening at Jade Flow Demon Mountain.

This was worth trying.

"Then let's try it your way."

Tiantuo laughed loudly. His figure blurred, and his golden eyes shone like fire.

He formed hand seals, summoning the blood flowers throughout the sea of blossoms. They gradually formed a doorway filled with a luminous blue.

Xu Xuan stepped forward and examined it, still somewhat hesitant.

Behind him, however, Tiantuo lost patience and kicked Xu Xuan straight through.

Before Xu Xuan could react, he was already inside. His form changed, green scales sprouting all over his body as his head became a flood dragon's. He had transformed into a green flood dragon.

"Take a humanoid form. Who wanders around displaying their true form like that?"

Tiantuo's voice rang out. Xu Xuan tried, and his form changed again, gradually becoming half flood dragon, half human.

He wore soft green armor, with scales still covering his face and a pair of horns sprouting from his head. He looked every bit a demon.

Before him stood a white jade stairway extending downward, surrounded by empty space.

Looking down, he could vaguely make out many other paths, all leading toward the same place: the mass of radiance before him, like a great sun.

"Just keep going forward."

Tiantuo urged him on. His changed appearance eased Xu Xuan's mind considerably, and he walked forward into that brilliance.

In an instant, Xu Xuan felt himself arrive somewhere else. The sun and moon hung together in the sky. The sun cast a bleak white radiance from the east, while the moon hung in the west, crimson as blood.

Beneath his feet was a white jade platform, its surface engraved with formation patterns that trembled continuously.

Xu Xuan stood on a pale stone mountain. His white jade platform was almost at its summit. Below lay countless stone and wooden platforms, where demons continually appeared from streaks of light.

A stairway ahead led down the mountain. Flight was forbidden here, so everyone had to walk. At the end of the stairs stood a black wooden gateway, through which newly arrived demons departed. Yet there were no demons around Xu Xuan near the summit. He found this puzzling, but Tiantuo merely urged him to descend.

As he followed the path downward, Xu Xuan saw many more stone platforms, some occupied by demons who had just arrived. Some had ox heads, others snake tails; some had wings, others horns. Seeing Xu Xuan descend from the highest platform, their expressions changed, and they knelt, repeatedly addressing him as "my lord."

"Did you mess something up?"

Seeing that something was wrong with this reception, Xu Xuan hurriedly questioned Tiantuo.

Tiantuo, however, sounded quite pleased with himself as he laughed.

"I'm a Heavenly Demon, of noble blood, only one step below dragons and phoenixes. Naturally, I control some of the most exalted paths.

"Since you emerged from one of them, they assume you're the offspring of some demon king. Of course they have to bow to you."

The commotion was considerable, utterly derailing Xu Xuan's plan to act covertly after entering. Many demons heard that someone of noble blood had arrived and came to welcome him. The place instantly grew lively.

Xu Xuan suffered in silence, while Tiantuo began appraising the surrounding demons from within him.

"That one's a Clear-Scented Deer. Eating it can dispel turbid qi and increase Dao essence."

"That one's a White-Feather Sparrow. At any banquet, you have to cook a few of them. That's proper hospitality."

"The ugliest one is a River-Flow Toad. Usually, you don't eat those. They're used in medicine."

Tiantuo truly lacked blood essence. Dizzy with hunger, he had begun talking nonsense, displaying none of a Purple Mansion cultivator's refinement.

Xu Xuan did not dare utter a word. He merely nodded and kept walking downward. The surrounding demons assumed this lord had a cold disposition and became even more afraid of offending him.

He was almost at the enormous black wooden gateway, just about to leave.

Just then, a hot wind rose behind him as a demon approached, and a sweet, somewhat puzzled voice rang out.

"May I ask where you come from, fellow Daoist?"

The surrounding demons stirred and turned to look.

(End of chapter)