Chapter 381: Hammered and Forged by Fire

"Hmm, something is indeed very wrong. Let's head back to the sect first."

"Alright."

The two then returned to the Fifth Peak of their sect, and arrived at Jiang Ying's pearl-adorned thatched cottage.

The space expanded instantly, becoming incomparably vast, as if they had arrived in another world.

"Come, let me see your current condition."

Jiang Ying simply nodded, then activated her physical body.

Boom— rumble, her Qi and blood surged like a great river, endless and rolling, accompanied by the sound of metal and stone clashing; it was not crisp, but rather appeared somewhat noisy, due to the turbid sand and impurities within.

Unsurprisingly, consuming the Diamond Hegemon Body directly like that would only add impurities to her Supreme Physical Body.

"Have you started practicing the Body Refining Canon?"

"Do you take me for you, able to switch practices so quickly?"

Jiang Ying couldn't help but glare, muttering as she added, "However, it has indeed exceeded the content of the Dharma Canon; you could say I've already entered the gate."

Saying this, she couldn't help but look a bit smug.

Although she wasn't like Du En, who upon breaking through to the Spirit Severing stage, immediately switched his practice to a level that normal strong geniuses would need an entire major realm to polish before they could reach, she had managed to rely on her physical body to enter the gate of the Canon before even breaking through to the Spirit Severing stage!

Although the subsequent progress would actually be slower, because she wasn't confident she could reach the level of a Minor Success and ascend to the rank of a weak prodigy immediately upon breaking through, she at least hadn't been left too far behind...

"In that case, the situation is somewhat clear."

"What is the reason?"

Originally, she had only been holding onto the idea of finding a temporary straw to clutch at for survival; she hadn't expected that he would actually be able to see the cause, and Jiang Ying was immediately overjoyed.

"Your physical constitution's origin must have been tampered with; there is no other possibility besides True Monarch Buyi. At the same time, the Body Refining Canon should be fine, but when applied to this current origin, such anomalies appear."

"Ah?"

"Supreme Physical Body, Supreme Hegemon Body—so that's it. He had actually laid his cards on the table long ago; he is not at all satisfied with your original constitution, and wants to fuse and absorb the strengths of all constitutions and related Daoist arts to make your constitution truly reach the pinnacle, or even a further level."

Du En had now generally figured out what True Monarch Buyi had planted in Jiang Ying.

"Ah? Is there a constitution even stronger than the pinnacle-level Supreme Physical Body?"

"Of course there is, the Immortal Body..."

Speaking to this point, Du En paused slightly, his eyes closing a little.

"Hmm? Why the silence? What is an Immortal Body? Judging by the name, it should be a constitution possessed only after becoming an immortal, right? But, I've never heard of it before. Eh? What is going on?"

"I'm actually not very clear myself; it's just that this thought suddenly popped up. Either my constitution has reached a certain critical point and naturally knows the road ahead, or it is a hint from the dark, conveyed by the Divine Venerable's gift."

Hmm? Jiang Ying's small mouth opened slightly, words failing her.

How could it be that they hadn't seen each other for only a period of time—just two or three years—and yet, she felt they were already completely on different levels?

Great cultivators can begin to comprehend the Dao, and prodigy great cultivators are even like little Void Refinement experts, but it shouldn't be such a massive gap, as if one were in the sky and the other on the ground, right? After thinking about it, she decided to speak her mind and ask her questions directly.

"What is the Divine Venerable's gift?"

"Just now in the Falling Heaven Fire Valley, by a stroke of luck, I triggered three faint glimmers of light left behind by the Phoenix Divine Venerable in the deep darkness. It has no obvious use yet, but since the level is high, it is very normal for it to give me a sense of intuition from the dark."

"Uh, don't you think it's a bit too coincidental?"

"I know your concerns, but firstly, the only one who can tamper with matters concerning the Divine Venerable is the Sect Master Supreme. Given his grandeur, there is no need to be so circuitous in targeting me; otherwise, the last time at the Dragon Palace, that would have been enough of a lesson for me."

Du En also had his own considerations, "Of course, there will inevitably be a 'what if', but if there really were a 'what if', wouldn't the Vermillion Bird Secret Art I am about to learn have such a 'what if' as well? Moreover, what the Phoenix left behind should be the Seed of the Five Virtues. To be honest, I don't think the Supreme can truly master that; that should be something very few Supremes cannot master, or rather, cannot fully master."

After all, he is the one who stirred up things like the Immortal Sect Hegemony, and has taken action against the Star Realms in various ways; it can be said he is poisoning all living beings under heaven, and has even exterminated the vastness of all spirits!

"Got it, it means don't overthink it."

Jiang Ying nodded. Since the problem wasn't major and was being considered, there was no need to worry. She then asked, even more concerned: "Your Spirit Body has changed again, right?"

"Yes, just now."

Hmm? Ah? I originally thought that the gap between us was a matter of the past few years, but now you tell me it all happened just now? Her little head felt a bit buzzy all of a sudden.

So she simply stopped thinking about it and said with a subtle tone: "Then, that Buyi scoundrel is just after this constitution of mine, because the foundation is big enough and hard enough, and he wants to forge me into some kind of Immortal Body. Hmm, can there really be an Immortal Body in the human world?"

"Perhaps it is a great violation and a great taboo; when the time comes, there might be a calamity descending again? Then, whether an Immortal Body can truly appear in the human world or if it will bring about the return of disaster, it can actually achieve his intent, can't it?"

The biggest problem facing cultivators now is that the Immortal Path is broken and disasters no longer appear in the world. If he can make them descend again, it would certainly count as fulfilling that True Monarch's vision.

After all, the Great Vehicle stage is not something unreachable for True Monarch Buyi, and he clearly won't be satisfied with just that. Planning and plotting for the further Tribulation Transcendence stage, or some other substitute, at this moment is a matter of course.

Perhaps even other Immortal Sect True Monarchs have similar plans! The Resentful Evils, as strange and disparate existences, might be one of the handles!

Relatively speaking, just tinkering with an Immortal Body, which is the kind of thing that looks relatively grand at first glance, is already considered a quite normal line of thinking.

Of course, there is no doubt that his calculations surrounding this are definitely filled with blood and cold cruelty!

For example, when the disaster really descends, what will happen to Jiang Ying? The answer is simple: even if she dies, no one will care; she is just a solid stepping stone!

"Scoundrel! Your heart to harm me never dies!"

Jiang Ying, her small face pale, could only curse in anger, her heart filled with fear and unease.

Because she knew very well that nine times out of ten, she would not be able to catch up to True Monarch Buyi! Then, when the time comes, if she relies only on herself, she will never be able to escape the Five Finger Mountain of that True Monarch, and will ultimately have to obediently serve as his stepping stone!

However, this world is not True Monarch Buyi's one-man show, so she immediately looked at Du En with full expectation again.

If Meng Changqing were here, she would definitely look at him; after all, this poker-faced guy in front of her, to be honest, is actually quite a pitfall too...

"Your current situation is actually also within the True Monarch's expectations. Do you remember what you said that made him promise to let you go?"

"Uh, it seems the key was when you mentioned that you would have another transformation, um..."

"Right, in his arrangements, this stage of yours is indeed meant to incorporate other factors. The Diamond Hegemon Body, or something else—even if you hadn't won the championship, he would have used a similar internal tearing breakthrough method to give you the corresponding Daoist art in a way that appeared normal."

"So you mean, as long as I... no, should I say, I only have this path of breakthrough?"

"Yes, and obviously, this path requires the necessary auxiliary means." "..."

Jiang Ying is not a fool; since things have been said to this point, how could she not understand?

True Monarch Buyi's consistent cultivation method: using external force to ruthlessly remove impurities!

Now it is just taking it a step further! And the reason why the other party backed down as soon as Du En mentioned it previously actually has another important reason!

"Before and after the transformation of my physique, I want you to experience it clearly, to observe it clearly, and to let your instinct and origin remember it; it would be best if it were directly blended in. After all, this is a newly born physique. If his goal is to aggregate all the powerful and strange physiques in the world, then he certainly cannot let go of such a new thing that is not recorded in the classics."

Therefore, True Monarch Buyi was probably considering how to get close at the time. After all, given Meng Changqing's high regard, Du En generally would not walk around outside casually during the Spirit Severing stage, remaining in a state of semi-seclusion.

Then, since such a development happened to occur, it was just right to push the boat with the current! It was not a loss at all!

It was determined that this side would definitely help remove the impurities!

"..."

Jiang Ying stepped back silently, her gaze shifting uncertainly.

One look was enough to tell that she was searching for an excuse.

Can you not hit me? "Don't be naive. I'm afraid once it starts, you won't be able to stop; otherwise, your origin will likely collapse very quickly."

Du En said words she had actually realized, but, but, you cold-blooded and heartless person, you are already a Great Cultivator, and at the level of a Heaven's Pride, and you just looked like you had a breakthrough... I am not someone who likes to be beaten!

Jiang Ying revealed a pitiful look, but Du En simply rolled up his sleeves.

"Rest assured, I won't use other techniques, only in the category you are most proficient in. After all, I happen to need to test the actual situation of my Undying Yaohua Physique."

"... Undying? Do you have to be so arrogant?! How can there be anything truly undying in the world!"

Seeing that she could not avoid this beating, Jiang Ying gave up on herself and started to retort, wanting to win back a little in terms of words.

"Indeed, it is hard to have anything truly undying in the world, but the embryonic form of the truly undying is also truly undying, isn't it?"

"Ha! What a big mouth! Let me test your quality!"

Jiang Ying intended to strike first, let out a loud shout, and urged the power of her physical body, as if it could shake the void; if it were not for the fact that they were currently on the grounds of her own sect, the surface space would indeed have begun to shatter.

She had become stronger!

She rushed up! And then.

"Ah!"

"Can you not hit the face?"

"... You are truly bloodless and tearless!"

In short, she was ruthlessly beaten, completely a crushing trend! Diamond Essence, Samadhi Unmoving, Blood God Great Might, Inexhaustible Undying, Yaohua Shining Through...

Anyway, facing Du En, who had no shortcomings and was already the most superior spiritual body with the most terrifying physical body, Jiang Ying had no power to fight back at all, and could not even break through the simplest first layer of Undying! So her end was imaginable; she felt as if she had been hammered into meat paste, lying limp on the ground.

"One step still remains."

Huh? There is still one step left!

Sure enough, I just jumped into another pit!

Jiang Ying could not even scream at this moment, watching the sky full of True Flame falling, her heart filled with grief and indignation. She regretted coming to find him; couldn't she have waited a day or two, waited for Meng Changqing? Although the result would likely be similar in the end, that Quasi-True Monarch was not as bloodless and tearless as this!

Du En did not care and maintained the means of urging.

Using hammering and fire forging to make the impurities disappear! As the Diamond Essence was swallowed by the origin, and it was necessary to stimulate potential to deal with the dangerous situation, that supreme physical body was currently instinctively strengthening itself...

"Still not seizing the time to break through?"

"... Oh."

I still have to thank you! Jiang Ying's current emotions were very complex, but the breakthrough was very smooth. Even before the Spirit Severing barrier, she actually seemed to see two guys; the one in front was the hateful dog thief Buyi, and the one behind was Du En, whom she wanted to beat back.

She was entangled for a moment, not knowing which one to choose, froze there, and then passed the Spirit Severing barrier.

This difficult hurdle, because her resentment towards True Monarch Buyi was extremely deep, would have originally been a big problem, easily confused by the true appearance of heaven and earth that suddenly appeared in her eyes, and thus sinking and assimilating into it in order to seek excessive power.

And now, this problem was not solved, so Du En temporarily added an option for her, attracting a portion of hatred by stimulating her resentment, thereby distracting her attention at this moment.

—True Monarch Buyi and Du En, in her eyes, actually had a qualitative difference, so the "temptation" manifested in response was also completely different, which is why it was in the form of one after the other.

Anyway, as long as she didn't think she could master heaven and earth, reach out to it, and end up dying, that was enough...

"Wah wah wah!"

"I am already invincible in the world!"

"Du En, go die!!!"

The Primordial Spirit appeared in the air, woven with light and soft lines, and the Natal Artifact also merged into it, becoming the outline of that green lotus dress. However, this petite and lovely woman was still as lively and brisk as ever, and the foundation of the Body Refining Classic was still in the physical body, so she jumped back into her body while speaking.

And listening to her words, Du En felt a little speechless.

However, the Primordial Spirit's great might drove the violent blood energy; she had already stepped out of it, completely recovering from her injuries. The scarlet dress armor was cast from diamond, truly a Valkyrie, holding a Great Might Blood Pestle in her hand, and smashed it fiercely towards Du En.

He was not afraid either; after all, this Jiang Ying was his whetstone! He raised his hand to meet it, covered in diamond; because of its steadfastness, all things could not break it, so it could break all things!

It was also the power of diamond, the steadfastness of diamond, truly a strong-on-strong attack!

Hum~ The pestle and hand met, erupting with a humming sound, setting off an invisible wave! "Hmm? What's going on? Who tore their face and attacked!?"

Meng Changqing, who was busy practicing and strengthening the city with full concentration, felt a trace of the aftermath and immediately became alert, hurriedly letting his clone go to check the situation.

Then, he saw the fierce infighting happening here.

"Ah?"

This Quasi-True Monarch was a bit stunned for a moment.

(End of this chapter)