Jingtu

"Brother Hu, what are you holding in your hand?"

After a day of recuperation, Xiao Yuanlian's condition improved significantly, especially after receiving Hu Mang's assurance, and she became more talkative.

"This one."

The Hu Mang gently fiddled with the object in its palm.

"This thing is called Foundation Establishment Device."

At first glance, this thing looks a bit like a large nightlight, except that it is covered with Law Power patterns.

Once activated, it can actively release the Foundation Establishment Divine Light. The life force contained in the divine light can resonate with the human body, thereby nourishing the body, strengthening the meridians and inner walls of the Dantian area, and helping the cultivator to completely open the Lower Dantian.

Of all the magical Law Artifact used in cultivation, it is not the most technologically advanced, but it is the most famous.

In ancient times, it was called the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Or rather, it is a cheaper alternative to Foundation Establishment Pill.

In fact, decades ago, Heavenly Gate had already mastered the technology of Foundation Establishment Pill achieved mass production of them, so that everyone had one.

These treasures, monopolized by major sects and acquired with great difficulty by Rogue Cultivator in ancient times, have long since become commonplace items.

Everyone can develop drug resistance from taking drugs.

However, with the advancement of Heavenly Gate pharmacology, it was gradually discovered that this thing wasn't so useful after all.

Leaving aside the issue of drug resistance, the key problem is that although taking the Foundation Establishment Pill can help break through the meridian barriers, the medicine's effects will slightly interfere with the cultivator's entry into a deep cultivation state.

This is why, even with a sufficient supply of Foundation Establishment Pill, the success rate of Foundation Establishment is not 100%, especially for mixed Spirit Root such as those with four or five Spirit Root.

There have been many news reports in the past about Qi Training cultivators taking drugs to the point of kidney deficiency and impotence, and there have been no examples of them successfully Foundation Establishment.

Things became simple after that.

The relevant cultivation departments of Heavenly Gate dismantled the formula of the Foundation Establishment Pill and replaced its function with Law Artifact. At first, this Foundation Establishment Device was the size of a house, then it was reduced to the size of a hibernation pod, and then there were home-use and handheld versions. The price was also driven down round after round.

The one Hu Mang has is the most advanced on the market. Not only does it have a battery life of up to seven days and seven nights, but it also comes with features such as Dantian vision, Divine Sense communication, and artificial intelligence guidance.

When you break through to the Foundation Establishment, you can receive manual guidance to choose the meridian breakthrough route with the highest success rate.

Therefore, in theory, within the Heavenly Gate, as long as you don't have a serious illness or your meridians are so old that you can't cultivate, Foundation Establishment is the standard requirement for adult cultivators.

That's why Brother Duanmu's mother was so surprised and beat him so badly.

"Oh right, you've Foundation Establishment... Oh, you haven't Foundation Establishment yet—so how do you Rogue Cultivator usually solidify your cultivation foundation to prepare for breaking through to the Flower of Essence?"

According to Hu Mang's understanding, the "Flower of Essence," a cultivation achievement related to foundation, physical body, and vital energy, is roughly equivalent to half of the Foundation Establishment plus a small part of the Golden Core.

Although the processes are slightly different, the underlying principles of cultivation are the same.

Even Rogue Cultivator wouldn't force their way through a barrier; it could kill someone.

Zhou Tong thought for a moment and said, "My brother said that when he was a child, his mother and father would often take him into the Old Mountain to collect living herbs such as human-shaped He Shou Wu and long-legged ginseng for nourishment. If they couldn't find them, they would go to the mountaintop to collect the 'essence of clouds and mist' and the 'spirit of immortal mist' to cultivate their qi."

These things sound like torture.

It absorbs the essence of humanoid plants and the spiritual Spiritual Qi of sentient beings, and may even have to hunt down a few protected-level Demon Beast.

The Hu Mang opened its mouth, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"If you were in my hometown, you'd all be stuck in place, turning your backs to the target."

"What does 'shooting targets with your back turned' mean?" Zhou Tong asked, puzzled.

"Practice sword control techniques."

"That's because the Buddhist temple where the young friend resides is kind-hearted and cannot bear to see any spiritual beings harmed."

Rogue Person Yun strode out of the room with his short legs, looking very proud and confident.

After finding the Mountain-Suppressing Seal, this guy seemed to have regained some of his former Divine Ability.

The Rogue Cultivator Daoist looked at Hu Mang with great appreciation.

"It is precisely because of your kind heart, young friend, that you were able to subdue demons with an unyielding heart, cultivate this heaven-defying ability to Buddha-Devil Transformation, and comprehend the power of wind, clouds, rain, and mist, and the form of mountains and the universe with just one opportunity."

So, after all this time, you think I saved you money, right?

Hu Mang smiled enigmatically, "No matter how much you praise me, all I've done is help you find Zhen'ezi. After that, you go your way, and I'll go mine. Don't try to cling to me later."

Rogue Person Yunxiu chuckled dryly, "Fellow Daoist, you jest."

"Also, I don't eat those things simply because they're not sold in my hometown. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether I'm kind or not."

Zhou Tong hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Brother Hu, don't you also have demon blood?"

"My pets are not like those wild animals."

Hu Mang flipped his hand and put away the household Foundation Establishment Device. He didn't mind showing off a bit in front of a newbie like Zhou Tong, but it was better to keep a low profile in front of this veteran rogue Rogue Cultivator. It would be troublesome if he noticed anything.

"So, Senior Rogue Person, is it alright if we go to the Demon-Subduing City Prison first?"

Rogue Person Yunxiu nodded, "To be honest, I don't know where Zhen'ezi is now either. He could be hiding anywhere in this city, so going there shouldn't be any problem."

"Alright, let's go then."

Hu Mang nodded. He was willing to make the trip, not only to get people out of trouble, but more importantly, because that place was also a "Tribulation Eye."

For Hu Mang now, he can locate the Tribulation Eye in the city at any time, which is much more effective than using the old surveying techniques.

However, through the Eye of the Tribulation Dragon," he could clearly see that the tribulation clouds in the Demon-Subduing City were growing increasingly dense, which was not a good sign.

The Demon-Subduing City is divided into four districts: East, South, West, and North.

Previously, the area where the Hu Mang was active was the western part of the city.

In fact, the Demon-Subduing City is extremely large; just one of its districts is comparable to an ordinary blessed land city like Heavenly Gate.

However, the Demon-Subduing Prison is not located in any of the four major districts, but rather in a sealed inner city in the center of the city.

This prison town was entirely constructed from black stone and cold iron tempered by the True Yang Heavenly Lightning. The city walls were 36 feet thick, dark and black all over, with frost seeping out from the cracks in the stones all year round. From a distance, it looked like a giant beast lurking at the foot of the mountain, swallowing Demonic Qi with its mouth closed.

Meanwhile, in this small, prison-like town, or rather, at the gates of the prison.

A large, fat, and fierce-looking monk with a face full of scars was sitting upright on a prayer mat, preaching the Dharma in a loud, booming voice.

Even more bizarrely, the audience sitting upright and listening intently were actually a group of ferocious-looking Devil Creature shrouded in Demonic Qi.

The head monk's Buddhist name was "Jingtu." He had a leopard-like head and round eyes, a face full of fleshy muscles, and a hideous scar that ran diagonally from his forehead to the corner of his mouth.

He wore an old monk's robe that had been washed until it was faded, and his right arm, which was bare, was muscular and covered with a dark blue tattoo of "Prison-Subduing Wisdom King". As his loud sermon swelled, the image of the King seemed to come alive, glaring angrily at the Devil Creature around him.

"As the Buddha said, killing is for eating meat, cutting off karma is for eating vegetarian food!"

Before him sat a dark, grotesque mass of Devil Creature.

There were "Rotten Devil Kind" covered in bone spurs and dripping with saliva; there were "Shadow Devil Kind" that twisted and turned like shadows; and there were "Pestilence Devil Kind" with bloated bodies and an aura of plague—each of them exuding a chilling Demonic Qi, yet they were now being confronted by an even greater force...

An even more violent, invisible force forcibly pinned them to their spot, only able to hear the bell-like sound striking their demonic thoughts.

"You demons feed on the blood, flesh, and souls of living beings, and take pleasure in spreading pain and despair; this is your karma!" It is the most filthy and vile karmic obstacle in the world!

He surveyed the demons below with lightning-fast eyes, and even the most ferocious Devil Creature trembled involuntarily wherever his gaze fell.

He grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth; his smile held no mercy, only a butcher's chilling coldness.

"This old monk's journey is for salvation," using supreme and fierce power to cleanse you of the karmic debts of killing! To utterly crush and devour your vicious and demonic nature! This is great compassion and great merit!

With each word he spoke, the tattoo of the Prison-Subduing Wisdom King on his body would faintly glow, the immense Buddhist power mixed with an extreme sense of physical oppression, baking and suppressing all the Devil Creature below.

Finally, the Prison-Subduing Wisdom King could no longer resist. He skinned the Devil Creature, grabbed one in each hand, stuffed them into his mouth, and chewed them voraciously.

The fat monk slumped to the ground, chanting sutras and praying.

"May the three virtues and six flavors be offered to the Buddha and the Sangha, and may all sentient beings in the Dharma realm be universally nourished. When eating, may all beings find sustenance in the joy of meditation and be filled with the bliss of Dharma."

As he chanted Buddhist mantras, beams of Buddhist light blessed him, making the robe made of Devil Creature blood shine even brighter.

When Hu Mang and his two companions arrived at the prison gate, they witnessed this bizarre and bloody scene.

A terrifying deity, a monk who peels off skin, and a blood-soaked human skin robe.

"You didn't see this when you ran away, did you?"

The Hu Mang's eyes narrowed slowly, revealing its Demon Eye.

The large monk in front of him gave him a rather dangerous feeling.

Zhou Tong was taken aback, then quickly shook his head.

If that big monk had been blocking the doorway when she tried to escape yesterday, she would never have been able to get out.

However, Rogue Person Yun, upon seeing the "Devil Blood Kasaya" from the Prison-Subduing Wisdom King's image on the other person's body, actually showed a hint of astonishment on his wooden puppet face and blurted out, "What is your relationship with that fake monk? How come you have his 'Prison-Subduing Wisdom King' on you?"

Fake monk?

Hu Mang licked his lips and smelled a metallic scent of blood.

According to what Rogue Person Yunxiu said before, there are four powerful figures from unorthodox sects in this Demon-Subduing City who are infinitely close to the Three Flowers and Five Qi Great Perfection: Mysterious Yin Old Daoist, Fake Monk, Thousand Poisons, Rotten Bones.

It was precisely these four who joined forces to trap Zhen'ezi of the Thunder Sect.

This fake monk was not a member of the Buddhist community, yet he worshipped a statue of a demon Prison-Subduing Wisdom King.

This "Prison-Subduing Wisdom King" possesses combat power approaching that of Yin Spirit ".

In Hu Mang's memory, within the demonic cloud that exploded back then, there were only three physical bodies torn to pieces, and there was no bald man among them.

In other words, the fake monk was not among them.