Chapter 87: Heavenly Demon Yama Swallowing-Essence Wai Dan Art

On Qingfeng Mountain, countless Captains guarded the area.

Several undercover demon hunters inspected the Qingfeng Gate disciples one by one.

Among them was the man who had earlier clung to Hong Lei’s thigh in desperation; now, his face still bore traces of terror, yet he showed no resistance during the inspection.

The moment they were forced to swing their swords at the Captains, they effectively launched a direct attack on imperial officials—surviving at all was already a stroke of luck.

Though joining the Demon Suppression Bureau came suddenly, binding them to imperial orders and turning them into the court’s hounds, stripping away the freedom they once enjoyed on Qingfeng Mountain, the thought of the ancestral sword and the Elder’s furious dying rage made their former “freedom” seem trivial.

Even the two elderly Golden Core Elders, their hair and beards white, now wore dark robes and stood silently behind Old Man Chen Qiankun.

Other Demon Suppression Bureau personnel carried boxes out from side halls, each filled with martial manuals and elixir formulas, transporting them orderly down the mountain.

The vast mountain gate, with fallen leaves drifting through, carried an inexplicable air of desolation.

Under Hong Lei’s guidance, Shen Yi returned to the Sword-Observing Gorge where they had previously camped.

“Shen brother, rest well tonight. Tomorrow we return to Qingzhou. Apply this elixir to your wounds—don’t skip any part of the flesh. It’ll heal fully in no more than three days. Qingfeng Mountain’s elixirs? Don’t waste them. Use them freely.”

“Thank you, Hong brother.”

Under his generous instruction, Shen Yi gained much.

Shen Yi bowed, accepted the vial, and stepped into the tent.

Twenty-odd Golden Eagle Captains glanced sideways, then rose silently, standing straight and still around him to guard through the night.

Seeing this, Hong Lei sighed with emotion. This was the first time he’d heard “Hong brother”—and likely the last. Once back in Qingzhou, even he would have to address Shen Yi as “Lord Shen.”

Deep into the night, the chaotic forest held only the rustle of wind.

Shen Yi sat upright inside the tent, his face illuminated by the flickering candlelight.

He shed his outer robe, revealing his muscular torso, where golden-tinged energy surged over the horrific wound.

He withdrew the black ointment from the vial, furrowed his brows, and smeared it onto the wound—then his eyelid twitched. He wasn’t immune to pain; he simply disliked showing it before others. After all, beasts that lick their wounds are easiest targets for hunters.

The old dragon was dead, but the Yangchun River Jiao clan still lived.

Perhaps other demons also harbored hatred toward him.

Even if nothing else, caution was always wise. Three hundred years of life—if he died carelessly, it would be a terrible waste.

“Besides the Golden Core method, I must learn more body-refining martial arts.”

Shen Yi calmed his mind. To say he wasn’t pleased with his promotion would be false—but the thought of spending three years at the General’s side made him reluctant.

That man was so formidable; demons bold enough to challenge such a master were far beyond his ability to handle. He couldn’t rely on luck forever, waiting to snatch kills.

Moreover, the Qingfeng Sect Master, confident with over a thousand disciples and Elders, believed they could trap this Demon Suppression General.

Yet he was slain so easily, merely because the General had broken through a slight barrier.

Shen Yi grew increasingly curious about this half-step realm. Three years was far too long—if his luck turned worse, another five or ten years might pass…

Besides, with a wealth of demonic lifespan in hand, it was time to test the so-called demonic essence crystals.

With this thought, he summoned his interface.

【Remaining demonic lifespan: 3,264 years. Can be condensed.】

【Demonic Essence Crystal: A substance formed from the fragmented malice and memories of a demon’s life. When infused into martial arts, it allows one to use the demon’s memories for deduction. Ingesting it extends lifespan.】

One thousand years to condense one crystal. Don’t let yourself down.

Even if I can’t deduce the Golden Core method, I must show tangible progress.

His spiritual sense stirred; in a breath, he consumed a thousand years, clenching his fists with a pang of regret… This Qingfeng Mountain elixir wasn’t even good—couldn’t even stop the pain.

【Remaining Demonic Essence Crystals: One】

After a brief hesitation, Shen Yi infused it into the Wind-Thunder Melt-Sun Scripture.

So far, whether from the court or the aristocratic sects, the most tightly controlled thing remained the Golden Core method—something nearly impossible to obtain in the short term.

Shen Yi remembered Hong Lei’s words, but didn’t take them too seriously.

Catching the sect’s hidden tail? If it were that easy, Qingzhou wouldn’t have the “Four Surnames, Six Sects” today.

Even if the Qingfeng Sect Master’s collusion with demons was undeniable, such an act would inevitably trigger covert retaliation from other factions.

The Demon Suppression General might withstand it—but Shen Yi might not.

…

【Year One: You ingest the Demonic Essence Crystal, simultaneously opening new acupoints and studying whether this method can be further developed.】

【Extended lifespan by twenty years.】

【Year Two: Clearly, you have no clue—but at this point, the fox demon’s lingering consciousness describes to you legends of Wai Dan from Qiuqiu. You gain a slight insight.】

【Year Five: You finally understand the so-called Wai Dan method—but since the fox demon was young, it knew no true explanation, leaving you unable to deduce the precise technique.】

【Year Thirty: The Jiao demon’s lingering consciousness grows slightly clearer, gradually recalling that aquatic clans possessed a sinister technique, highly compatible with this Wai Dan method. It informs you.】

【You successfully open one acupoint.】

【Year Ninety-Three: With the help of the demon’s lingering consciousness, you attempt to merge it with the Wind-Thunder Melt-Sun Scripture.】

【You open another acupoint.】

【Year Two Hundred Eight: The Jiao demon’s lingering consciousness helps you perfect the final step, naming it: Heavenly Demon Yama Swallowing-Essence Wai Dan Art.】

【Golden Core. Heavenly Demon Yama Swallowing-Essence Wai Dan Art (Uninitiated)】

【The Melt-Sun Furnace, formed from 275 acupoints, becomes increasingly flawless.】

【Remaining demonic lifespan: 2,056 years】

【Remaining lifespan: 316 years】

…

A cascade of gains flashed before his eyes.

Shen Yi’s palm cracked—the vial shattered unconsciously.

His pupils contracted, his breath grew hot, his mouth parched; long moments passed before he suppressed his shock.

Even though he’d anticipated its general function, the miraculous nature of the Demonic Essence Crystal remained incomprehensible—it could temporarily awaken the lingering malice of demons he’d slain, turning them into teachers who revealed secrets to him.

So, deducing a martial art didn’t require hundreds or thousands of years after all?

But… Shen Yi snapped back to awareness—why did the name of this Golden Core method sound so odd?

The next instant, a vast torrent of information slammed into his mind, forcing him to shut his eyes tightly; it took long moments to digest it.

When he opened his eyes again, his dark pupils glowed with an unnatural hue.

With the aid of the demon’s lingering consciousness, what he deduced was not a Golden Core method—accurately speaking, it was another deviant shortcut, forcibly breaking through the Jade Fluid realm!

Demons rarely cultivated martial arts; they relied on their innate demonic traits and dark arts. Blending these with the Wind-Thunder Melt-Sun Scripture could never yield anything orthodox.

The initial part matched his guess: through mysterious means, condensing bodily Jade Dew into a core.

But the latter part was entirely different.

The Wai Dan does not connect to one’s acupoints or meridians—it hovers above the dantian, suppressed by the Melt-Sun Furnace!

And since it is severed from the acupoints, it cannot draw energy from heaven and earth.

This Wai Dan feeds solely on devouring demonic beast cores, ruthlessly gathering all their ferocious demonic power into itself for the user’s use.

Once depleted, replenishment requires further plundering—an endless hunger for beast cores, demanding immense slaughter, truly befitting the name “Heavenly Demon Yama.”

One must admit—

Shen Yi strangely felt it suited him perfectly… slay demons to seize their lifespan, devour their cores to steal their cultivation—utterly consuming them, leaving nothing wasted.

He slowly withdrew the Tu Long core and the Jiao core.

If he understood correctly, swallowing the Jiao core would instantly elevate his entire cultivation to match that of a Golden Core Jiao demon—until its essence was fully exhausted?

With this thought, Shen Yi’s heart quickened.

It wasn’t fear of demonic arts—he’d once endured Blood Chaos entering his body, with no Melt-Sun Furnace to suppress it. Now, even Heavenly Gang Blood Chaos was nearly muscle memory.

If it was demonic, so be it—as long as it worked.

Shen Yi simply found it hard to comprehend.

If one Jiao core absorbed could grant such power, what if two were swallowed…? Could a single Heavenly Demon Yama Wai Dan overwhelm even Golden Core cultivators in sheer energy?

Using this method to break into the Wai Dan realm.

Even the sole flaw seemed like a joke.

The Heavenly Demon Yama Wai Dan requires devouring beast cores to replenish—so do Golden Core cultivators rely solely on meager heavenly energy? Both require beast-core elixirs; the latter merely adds an extra step.

(End of Chapter)