True Name, Ancient Hidden Sect
The monster's heart tightened, and it immediately tried to use its escape technique to flee.
There was nothing else to it; he could tell he was no match for Li Yunjing.
If we don't escape now, are we going to offer ourselves up as a sacrifice?
In an instant, the monster unleashed its immense Law Power, shattering its own physical body.
The monster's lower body, specifically its snake tail, instantly detached.
At the same time, the monster's upper body seemed to be summoned in some way, its body gradually becoming ethereal, about to disappear in front of Li Yunjing.
With a faint smile on his face, Li Yunjing unleashed his powerful Law Power and surged forward.
In an instant, the powerful Law Power enveloped the monster layer by layer.
The monster was finally about to leave when it was abruptly stopped.
His body gradually returned to its normal state.
"How is this possible!?" The monster was terrified, waving its hands wildly.
How could his move possibly be countered?
As Body Casting Disciple, the snake tail he transplanted was no ordinary snake tail.
That snake tail contains the bloodline of an High Antiquity mythical beast called the Void-Escaping Snake.
The Void-Escaping Snake is born with the ability to traverse the void; the void is its home.
Those who possess the bloodline of the Void-Escaping Snake can also feel an affinity for the void.
The snake tail he obtained not only contained the bloodline of the Void-Escaping Snake, but also granted him a Divine Ability ability after transplantation— Void Escape.
Just like cutting off one's tail to survive, as long as he voluntarily abandons his lower body, he can use the Void Escape to enter the void and escape safely.
However, this Divine Ability can only be used once, and he had never used it before.
Even so, in his plan, the Void Escape shouldn't be intercepted.
Li Yunjing's actions shattered his expectations.
Li Yunjing didn't explain and went straight to searching the soul.
The monster seemed to realize something and began to struggle.
However, Li Yunjing used his powerful Law Power to suppress the monster, which was unable to struggle at all and could not move its body.
Li Yunjing easily pierced the monster's sea of consciousness and extracted its soul.
As Li Yunjing carefully examined the monster's soul, his brows gradually furrowed.
This soul-searching revealed many secrets to Li Yunjing.
This monster was named Dong Wu. He came from an ordinary background and had mediocre talent. After accidentally obtaining a cultivation method, he studied it for a long time and finally became a cultivator.
Logically speaking, there are many people like Dong Wu in the cultivation Immortal Realm, and most of them don't end up well.
Without a great fortuitous opportunity, Dong Wu's life could be seen to be over before he knew it.
But Dong Wu was lucky; he happened to encounter a dying Body Casting apprentice.
Dong Wu's murderous intent surged, and he immediately sent the Body Casting Apprentice on his final journey, subsequently obtaining all of the Body Casting's property.
This includes the Cultivation Method of the Body-Forging Dao.
Dong Wu had a good talent for Body-Forging Dao. After studying for a period of time, Dong Wu successfully entered the field and even had his stomach transplanted.
He replaced his own stomach with the stomach of a Demon Beast called the Empty Sac Beast.
This Empty Sac Beast is quite special; anything it eats is digested and converted into spiritual energy to nourish its physical body.
Therefore, the Empty Sac Beast has a very strong body, and ordinary magical Law Artifact cannot break through its defenses.
Moreover, the cultivation level of the Empty Sac Beast is also very high; apart from newly born Empty Sac Beast, it is almost impossible to find Awakened Intelligence Realm.
After Dong Wu received a stomach transplant from the Empty Sac Beast, he began his journey of revenge.
Through the stomach of the Empty Sac Beast, Dong Wu converted everything he ate into spiritual energy.
His physical strength was increasing, and his cultivation was also progressing rapidly.
It took Dong Wu only five years to go from the Early-Stage Qi Refining to the Qi Refining Completion.
Then Foundation Establishment, and from the initial stage to completion, it took thirty years.
It took Dong Wu over ten years to successfully Core Formation, but he only took fifty years to become Golden Core Perfection cultivator.
In less than a hundred years, Dong Wu accomplished what many cultivators could not do in their entire lives.
Dong Wu became increasingly reliant on the Body-Forging Dao and even searched for advanced cultivation methods of the Body-Forging Dao.
Unfortunately, nothing was gained.
But Dong Wu's luck turned again.
He happened to meet a fellow Daoist who was also a Body Casting Disciple.
Upon inquiring, they discovered that the person was actually a cultivator from a sect.
That sect was called the Ancient Hidden Sect. It didn't have many members, and they were all Body Casting Apprentices.
Through that person's introduction, Dong Wu successfully joined the Ancient Hidden Sect.
After obtaining more resources for Body-Forging Dao, Dong Wu's progress became even more rapid.
Before his death, he was even plotting to form Nascent Soul Condensation.
If Dong Wu hadn't met Li Yunjing, he might have actually succeeded.
"The Ancient Hidden Sect... has been rooted in the Annan Kingdom for a long time and has considerable influence..." Li Yunjing muttered to himself.
Because this Ancient Hidden Sect consists entirely of Body Casting Apprentices, they have no way of appearing before the world.
Once it appears, it will inevitably be regarded as a monster, thus attracting some righteous cultivators.
Therefore, the Ancient Hidden Sect employed many methods to ensure its safe concealment.
The first step is brainwashing.
The Ancient Hidden Sect deliberately instigated unrest within the Annan Kingdom.
They then sent people to suppress the rebellion, and then spread the story of the Ancient Hidden Sect.
The fooled citizens of the Annan Kingdom had no idea that the Ancient Hidden Sect had orchestrated their own scheme.
Therefore, they are easily deceived by the Ancient Hidden Sect.
Over time, the reputation of the Ancient Hidden Sect became increasingly sacred among the people of the Annan Kingdom.
Some cultivators from the Ancient Hidden Sect can also appear from time to time.
In any case, it will be treated as a sacred beast of the Ancient Hidden Sect.
Li Yunjing wanted to eliminate the Ancient Hidden Sect for no other reason than that Annan Kingdom was now the territory of the Luozhen Sect, and the Ancient Hidden Sect, a potential threat, naturally had to be removed.
With this thought in mind, Li Yunjing clenched his fist and crushed Dong Wu's soul.
In an instant, Dong Wu met his end.
Li Yunjing was about to leave when suddenly an aura appeared.
Li Yunjing looked over and saw that the void not far in front of him had suddenly cracked open.
A monster, no longer recognizable as human, strolled out.
This monster seemed to have forcibly welded together the remains of hundreds of Demon Beast, along with spirit iron and jade, into its bones and muscles.
The skull is inlaid with the curved Ink Qilin Rhinoceros, and a piece of soul-capturing Dark Glow Jade is set between its forehead. The spine of its upper body has been recast with millennia-old Xuantie, and eight Suanni spine spikes are attached to the protruding joints.
Its left arm is the giant claw of the Jade-Eyed Golden-Pupiled Beast, with the claw tip tempered in Cold Iron, while its right arm is a cannon barrel cast from refined spirit copper, with Fire Crow Demon Core core embedded inside.
Dozens of pieces of Spirit-Gathering Jade Marrow were densely sewn into his chest and abdomen, each piece connected to the tendons of a different Demon Beast. His legs were replaced with the long tail of the Dark Water Python, its scales gleaming with a dark light.
He was a madman forged from ferocity, spiritual materials, and flesh and blood, and his cultivation had been pushed to the critical point of the Nascent Soul Early Stage stage by this unorthodox method.
"You killed Dong Wu?" the monster asked in a human voice, its gaze cold and menacing.
Li Yunjing frowned as he looked at the monster. Through Dong Wu's memories, he knew who the monster was— He Xun, the Supreme Elder of the Ancient Hidden Sect.
Looking at He Xun's appearance, he couldn't help but wonder if these Body Casting Disciples really thought it was a good idea to make their bodies look like neither human nor ghost in their pursuit of the Dao.
Shaking off distracting thoughts, Li Yunjing nodded calmly. "Not bad."
"You dare kill Dong Wu? You're asking for trouble!" He Xun shouted sternly.
A hint of disdain flashed in Li Yunjing's eyes.
Stop talking big, let's see what we've got.
Upon He Xun this, He Xun suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hehe, fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I am not as stupid as Dong Wu, who would insist on opposing you."
Dong Wu has become arrogant and complacent in recent years, looking down on everyone. I've long wanted to find an excuse to get rid of him. It's too good for him to die at your hands, fellow Daoist."