Chapter 626: The Path to True Immortality Lies in Embracing All Rivers

Over the years, Master Tushan Xiancheng has undergone many changes.

The streets have become chaotic, with shops like Chunfeng Tower, Lianhun Tower, Skinning Hall, Blood Pool, and Yin Corpse Cave—names that send chills down the spine—scattered everywhere.

Corpses, hearts, and bloody bones are carelessly placed at doorways, deliberately enchanted with living spells to attract customers with thick, reeking blood odors.

Jiang Ding's spiritual sense swept across the surroundings.

Aside from the city center, which remains clean and orderly, numerous slums have sprung up throughout the streets, mostly inhabited by Qi Condensation cultivators.

Haphazardly built shacks, streets clogged with feces and urine, reeking of stench, and occasionally, a rotting corpse could be found in the filthy ditches.

The Qi Condensation cultivators here live harder than the poorest commoners.

"Is this really possible? Cultivators' productivity can't be this low."

Jiang Ding was momentarily stunned.

Forget Foundation Establishment cultivators who fly through the skies and sever rivers as if it were nothing—even Qi Condensation cultivators can easily wield water, fire, earth, and wood spells.

Cultivators can easily build houses, repair streets, and weave magical robes; they may not be beautiful or artistic, but they are certainly sturdy and durable.

When something is unclear, ask someone.

Jiang Ding paced for a moment, then arrived at a deep, dark cave entrance, where yin energy assaulted the nose and foul winds blew in waves.

This was a hole dug into the ground, with wind inside and what seemed like a vast interior; white short hairs clung to the edges of the entrance, scattered everywhere.

Thump, thump!

Jiang Ding lightly tapped the cave entrance, producing a thudding sound like knocking on a wooden door.

"Hail, Master Tushan Ancestor!"

After a moment's wait, a cute, short-haired girl timidly stepped out, knelt on the ground, her eyes filled with terror.

Her pointed ears trembled, her body convulsed repeatedly with violent muscle spasms and rigidity; her skirt was soaked, dampening her short tail and two white-furred hind paws.

Her cultivation was low—Qi Condensation Fifth Layer.

"You're a rabbit demon?"

Jiang Ding said with interest.

This was extremely rare in Master Tushan Xiancheng under his rule; at the city's founding, some unpleasant events occurred, and demonic races were nearly nonexistent.

General General Heishi's rule was different—rabbit demons, bird demons, tiger demons, and others were present, and they remained quite loyal; many of the most resentful and hateful Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation cultivators were among these demonic races.

Keep in mind, this occurred despite their tiny population ratio, and their resistance was fierce.

"Hail, Ancestor!"

"I… I I I…"

The rabbit demon girl grew even more terrified, stammering helplessly, unable to speak; her ears turned red, her convulsions intensified, tears dripped steadily, soaking a large patch of ground.

The young man before her,

Among demonic races, was called the Demon Butcher!

Hundreds of millions, even billions of demonic beings died because of him, driven from their homelands, their races pushed to the brink of extinction—until the Longsheng Tian sent emissaries with black wings, allowing the demonic races to survive.

Though they must annually offer blood sacrifices and countless furnace vessels to the black-winged emissaries, this is already considered rare benevolence; the clan elders say they've received the favor of the Demon Gods, and they worship the long-life tablets of the Black Angels day and night.

The rabbit demon girl, Yu Bai, trembled uncontrollably, her ears quivering as her clan elders' teachings echoed in her mind; boundless despair rose within her heart.

She wanted to fight, to charge forward like the clan's warriors—even if it meant death, she must splatter her enemy with blood, never letting the rabbit clan's spirit fall.

But her body refused to obey!

It kept shaking, kept shaking—she couldn't do anything, faced with an absolute superior predator.

Past predators like tiger demons or bear demons meant nothing before this young man in blue robes.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not a bad person."

Jiang Ding, seeing her state, soothed her: "You carry no scent of human blood offerings—I won't harm you. Not only me, but anyone who harms you, as long as you obey Master Tushan Xiancheng's laws, will be severely punished under Master Tushan Law."

The further one advances in cultivation,

the more he understood the truth behind the saying: "The sea embraces all rivers, for its greatness lies in its capacity."

Immortality. True Immortal.

What a vast goal is that?

In this journey, one must be meticulous, gathering every possible ally—ten billion spirit stones are never too many, even a single spirit stone dropped on the ground must be picked up and put in one's pocket, to give the Dao one more boost.

Day by day, year by year, soil accumulates into mountains, droplets gather into seas.

Demonic races might be a spirit stone fallen on the ground—capable of becoming a foundation stone on the path to True Immortality.

Of course, unity does not mean unconditional unity.

Everything has a beginning, a root.

Jiang Ding believed his Dao's root lay in the human race; the human race's root lay in the Immortal Sects.

This is a matter of sequence, of hierarchy.

This distinction is so vital that once the root is lost, rebellion across the world can erupt in an instant.

Demonic races can be united.

But they must be united around humanity, around the Immortal Sects—on the foundation of human and Immortal Sect interests, then seek their own personal and racial gains, striving for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Those who cannot achieve win-win,

such as those who insist humans taste delicious, must eat them daily or feel unwell—

these must be decisively eradicated.

"You carry no scent of human blood offerings—I won't harm you."

Seeing the rabbit demon girl still doubted him, Jiang Ding emphasized again, then activated the Shen Hun De Fa to soothe her spirit.

A faint, clear light spread; her convulsing body softened, the tears in her large eyes slowly ceased, the redness on her pointed ears faded slightly, and her short tail behind no longer trembled violently.

"Tell me, why are the slums around you so filthy, with feces and urine flying everywhere?"

Jiang Ding asked, "Is it the Gong Fa's influence, or what? Could it be that the cultivators here actually like this stinking environment, practicing spells like 'Filthy Baleful Spirit Light' or something?"

"Old Ancestor,"

The rabbit demon girl Yu Bai took quite some time to regain her composure, shaking off the instinctive trembling of her body, her pointed ears drooping as she said carefully, "The Black-Winged Messenger decreed it. The architectural styles of each place aren't allowed to be changed. Whatever rank you are, that's the environment you get. Unless you buy a cave dwelling, paying spirit stones every year."

"So that's how it is."

Jiang Ding suddenly understood.

This was artificially manufacturing hierarchical differences, destroying the self-respect of bottom-tier loose cultivators, making their lives extremely difficult, and then providing a steady stream of manpower and materials for places like Spring Breeze Tower, Soul Refining Tower, and Corpse Pit — no place was wasted.

"I understand. Thank you, Daoist friend."

Jiang Ding left ten low-grade spirit stones and turned to leave.

It wasn't that he couldn't give more; rather, the help the other party provided, even with a premium added, was only worth this much. Any more would be inappropriate. Saving starts now.

Don't look at saving just a few spirit stones at a time — over several hundred years, it adds up to a considerable sum.

"Th-th-thank you, Old Ancestor!"

The rabbit demon girl Yu Bai stammered, a sudden surge of joy rising in her heart.

It wasn't just the ten spirit stones — more importantly, she saw hope that she and her clanspeople could survive.

(End of chapter)