Chapter 224: Heavenly Book Anomaly, Heavenly Dao Merit!

"Fellow Daoist, be careful."

Seeing this group of corpse birds, Qin Ruoning's expression immediately turned grave:

"These are corpse ghosts transformed from the Tier 2 demonic beast, Ghost Rock Owl. The leader of such demonic beasts was, in all likelihood, a Demon King while it was alive!"

The spirit beasts and strange beasts of Yuanling Heaven have their intelligence fully awakened once they reach the Tier 3 Demon King level, capable of speaking human language, with cultivation strength equivalent to a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

Once a Demon King of this level transforms into a Corpse Demon, it naturally becomes a Corpse King level entity, sufficient to pose a threat to Golden Core cultivators.

Compared to Qin Ruoning's caution, Lu Yuan felt a sense of delight at the hunt upon seeing this group of incoming demonic beasts; he immediately flew forward and opened his mouth to spit.

Clang.

A streak of sword light suffused with a crimson hue shot out, a scorching intent of incineration sweeping across the firmament. Qin Ruoning felt her heart jump violently, her pupils constricting.

What entered her vision was a majestic, overbearing, and ruthlessly cold sword Qi that had descended upon the mortal world.

As she turned and looked, Qin Ruoning's senses became exceptionally sharp; everything around her seemed to slow down. The corpse Qi rippling through the wild winds flashed before her eyes like a passing scene, as if time itself had slowed.

In her eyes, only that sword strike remained, severing the long sky. Carrying a destructive momentum that swept away and despised everything, it traversed the firmament; even the sky-filling dark clouds and corpse Qi could not block that sharp, bone-deep intent of extinction.

In an instant, the sword light swept across the horizon. The massive corpse bird in the lead let out a sharp and miserable cry, seemingly sensing a great threat, and suddenly spat out a streak of pitch-black flame to meet it.

Then.

Ch-ch-ch—!

The scorching sword light shredded the light flame spat out by the Corpse King like dry wood and rotten grass, then swept past its body and behind it like a thunderous storm.

High in the sky, dozens of hideous corpse birds were directly shredded into pieces by the incomparably sharp sword Qi without any resistance. Broken bones and flesh fell from the sky like a scattering rain, completely pulverized into sky-filling fragments while still in mid-air.

The massive Ghost Rock Owl Corpse Demon leading them fared no better. Demonic beasts already possess powerful physical bodies, and after being corroded by corpse Qi, their defenses become even more formidable. Such a Tier 3 Corpse King would normally require a Golden Core cultivator of the same rank to exhaust all their strength to slay, but now, under Lu Yuan's sword light, it was as fragile as tofu, instantly hacked into eight pieces, its scattered corpse falling rapidly through the air.

The sword Qi swept past, the sound of the wind ceased, and the world was cleared. Before Lu Yuan, there was not a single Ghost Rock Owl left.

From beginning to end, he had only unleashed a single sword strike.

Opening his mouth to spit, the sword light swept through, killing everything until the world was vast and truly clean.

Corpse Demons are strange existences, yet the vast majority still possess a head as a vital point; as long as the skull is completely destroyed, they can be thoroughly killed. Qin Ruoning looked at the corpse birds falling from the sky, slightly silent:

"Such sword technique is terrifying and awe-inspiring. Fellow Daoist Lu has likely not yet shown much of his true ability, has he?"

Lu Yuan retracted his Sword Pill and was about to speak, but suddenly sensed a slight anomaly from the Heavenly Book in his mind, as if some change had occurred in the dark after he slew these Corpse Demons.

Hm?

His thoughts stirred, and he immediately communicated with the Heavenly Book, receiving feedback:

【Supernatural Power Master】: Lu Yuan

【Mastered Arts】:

【Earthly Fiend】: -

Ingestion (Earth: 31%); - Guidance (Divine Communication: 9%); - Invisibility (Earth: 7%); -

Staff Sending (Divine Communication: 8%); - Medicine (Earth: 23%); - Earth Travel (Earth: 10%); -

Generating Light (Earth: 11%); - Sword Technique (Divine Communication: 3%); - Cooking Stones (Earth: 17%); -

Pot Heaven (Earth: 3%); - Great Strength (Earth: 2%); - Sprouting Head (Divine Communication: 6%); -

Wind Control (Earth: 7%); - Obstacle Clothing (Divine Communication: 3%); - Dream Grafting (Earth: 1%); -

Body Immobilization (Divine Communication: 3%); - Nightmare Prayer (Earth: 3%); - False Form (Earth: 1%): -

Cloning (Earth: 1%); - Soul Absorption (Earth: 1%); - Disaster Ward (Earth: 1%); -

Rain Prayer (Earth: 1%); - Stone Penetration (Human: 1%); - Array Formation (Divine Communication: 1%); -

Violent Sun (Earth: 1%);

【Heavenly Gang】: Nine Breaths Serving Qi (Divine Seed: 7%); Fetal Transformation (Divine Seed: 4%); Flying Body Tracing (Divine Seed: 1%)

【Qi Luck Power】: 46,831 units

【Heavenly Dao Merit】: Five wisps

Among the feedback information from the Heavenly Book, a new item, 【Heavenly Dao Merit】, had appeared, causing Lu Yuan's heart to shake violently, leaving him momentarily dazed!

Seeing Lu Yuan stunned, Qin Ruoning did not know the reason:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

Lu Yuan immediately came to his senses, suppressed the shock in his heart, and said calmly:

"It is fine. With Fellow Daoist Qin's discernment, the sword light transformed by my Sword Pill is somewhat similar to the Red Fire Burning Heaven Sword wielded by Bai Qianfeng. Can it deceive those three Golden Core cultivators from the War Hall?"

When he was in the lower realm, he had made many preparations to replace the identity of Bai Qianfeng, including practicing the other's sword-wielding arts and having the Sword Pill melt down the essence of the Red Fire Burning Heaven Sword, simulating the characteristics of a fire-element magic sword.

Qin Ruoning pondered:

"Fellow Daoist Lu's sword light reveals fire-element power and is very similar to Bai Qianfeng's Red Fire Burning Heaven Sword. As long as you do not display overly astonishing sword technique methods, it should not be noticed by cultivators who are not familiar with him.

However, having stayed at this frontline position for so long, we will inevitably encounter some crisis situations. If you were to use your full cultivation and methods, Fellow Daoist, it would be hard to guarantee that you wouldn't attract the attention of other cultivators."

Lu Yuan was not surprised and nodded:

"Fellow Daoist Qin's words are very true, so I am considering that there might be an opportunity to shed this identity at this frontline position."

Qin Ruoning could not help but be startled: "What opportunity, how to shed it?"

Lu Yuan smiled slightly and transmitted his voice via divine sense:

"It is simple. Just during a bloody battle resisting a Corpse Demon assault, 'Bai Qianfeng' charges at the front, fights with blood and sweat, but ultimately is no match for the Corpse Demons and leaves no bones behind. What does Fellow Daoist think?"

After hearing this, Qin Ruoning could not help but show a strange expression:

"Fellow Daoist Lu has a good plan, but after shedding the identity, you will become a person without a record. What identity will you use to return to Longshan Immortal City then?"

Under the catastrophe, the various defensive Immortal Cities on the front line implement a wartime system. Even rogue cultivators who come from the rear to seek a future in the Immortal City need to declare their origins if they want to join.

Generally speaking, low-level Qi Refining cultivators, no matter where they come from, as long as they obey orders and do not commit crimes within the city, the Immortal City is too lazy to investigate their origins. But for the level of Foundation Establishment masters or even Golden Core Real Persons, one must have a reasonable identity that can withstand investigation to enter the Immortal City.

Like Lu Yuan, who ascended from the lower realm and has no foundation in Yuanling Heaven, unless he keeps disguising himself as a low-level cultivator and maintains a low profile in the Immortal City, he will inevitably face the problem of identity verification.

"Fellow Daoist Qin's words are reasonable."

Lu Yuan did not commit, pondering:

"This is just a sudden thought of mine; whether it can be implemented later still requires careful consideration. Let's talk about it later."

"I only came here to see the Corpse Demon with my own eyes. Now that I have seen it, I can go back."

With matters weighing on his mind, he had no heart to continue wandering in this area, so he immediately found an excuse to end the trip and returned to the camp with Qin Ruoning.

He returned to the simple cave dwelling he had chosen.

After simply setting up an array that could warn of and isolate divine sense probing, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, communicated with the Heavenly Book again, and then stared tightly at the newly added entry in the information, his thoughts flashing rapidly:

"It actually added an item: Heavenly Dao Merit. What does this refer to?"

"Merit is good deeds; virtue is a good heart. When heart and action are one, persuading people to be good—this belongs to the merit often spoken of by Buddhists. Daoist merit is similar, but this so-called Heavenly Dao Merit..."

"The Daoist saying is: man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature; the Heavenly Dao is natural. Following the reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao, cherishing all spirits of Heaven and Earth, and doing things beneficial to Heaven and Earth—this should be Heavenly Dao Merit."

"Before the Heavenly Book had an anomaly just now, the only thing I did was kill that group of Ghost Rock Owl Corpse Demons. In other words, by holding the Heavenly Book and Slaying Demons in this realm, I can obtain Heavenly Dao Merit!?"

Lu Yuan's eyes were incomparably bright, and he made an inference in an instant.

After all, when he had just ascended to the Upper Realm, there was absolutely no mention of this so-called Heavenly Dao Merit in the Heavenly Book's information feedback.

And it was only after he finished slaughtering that group of Corpse Birds just now that the Heavenly Book had an anomaly.

"Never mind that for now."

"Qi Luck can directly light up or even upgrade Dharma Techniques and Supernatural Powers; this Heavenly Dao Merit power seems to have the same effect."

Knowing the function of this Heavenly Dao Merit through the Heavenly Book's feedback, Lu Yuan moved his mind and immediately tried to use it.

As his mind moved, the Heavenly Dao Merit power suddenly consumed a small portion, changing from five strands to four.

At the same time, the Heavenly Book shone brightly, and a brand-new Earthly Fiend Art, 【Slaying Demons】, suddenly emerged in Lu Yuan's mind, which he quickly mastered.

However, unable to spare time to experience or try out the newly lit Earthly Fiend Art, his eyes shone with intense brilliance at this moment:

"Sure enough, the effect of this Heavenly Dao Merit power is consistent with the effect of Qi Luck, but it is clearly much higher in quality. Just one strand of Heavenly Dao Merit power is equivalent to 100 units of Qi Luck!"

"In other words, killing that group of Corpse Birds just now accumulated five hundred units of Qi Luck for me!?"

Lu Yuan's heart was filled with surprise mixed with a trace of uncertainty.

It was very simple to verify this. He immediately cast the Flying Body Tracking Supernatural Power, and his whole person merged into and crossed the void like a water droplet merging into the sea. In an instant, without anyone in the camp noticing, he appeared again on the outskirts of the Yin Corpse Mountain Range, twenty or thirty miles away.

In the dead-silent mountain range, heads of human corpses and beast corpses were hiding in the shadows of trees and rocks, swaying and roaring incessantly. Lu Yuan did not reveal his figure; instead, he descended, selected more than ten beast corpse demons that looked quite strong, and pointed his finger. A sword-like Sword Qi burst out, piercing and shredding their heads.

After killing them, the next moment the Heavenly Book sent a slight anomaly again, and it seemed as if some invisible power was being collected by it in the dark.

Lu Yuan communicated with it immediately and obtained feedback:

【Heavenly Dao Merit】: Five strands

Sure enough, after he killed three demon corpses, the Heavenly Dao Merit power had indeed increased by one strand!

"Good fellow, I am directly a good fellow."

Lu Yuan's eyes became exceptionally bright:

"I actually get experience for hitting monsters; this is simply..."

When he was at the bottom in the lower realm, it took a lot of effort to acquire Qi Luck; he had to show off in front of people in various ways and create large-scale sensations and influence.

Unlike now, it's just like playing a game, hitting monsters to level up; by directly slaughtering the demon corpses all over the mountains and plains, he could obtain a steady stream of Heavenly Dao Merit power!

However, because of this, Lu Yuan also had a trace of doubt, looking up at the dark Heaven:

"Heavenly Dao Merit, Heavenly Dao Merit; there is no such saying in the lower realm. Could it be that only this Upper Realm Yuanling Heaven possesses the Heavenly Dao?"

In his understanding, the so-called Heavenly Dao is the rules of all things, the principles of all things, and the laws of movement and change of the universe.

That it can allow the Heavenly Book to acquire mysterious merit shows that there may be unspeakable Heavenly Dao rules or even a will in the dark of Yuanling Heaven, and this will may regard the corpse tide raging in the world as a virus, so eliminating these viruses will produce a tiny bit of Heavenly Dao Merit.

Of course, Lu Yuan had no evidence for this; it was just a pure guess.

And at this moment.

Gazing at the vast Yin Corpse Mountain Range and the countless Corpse Demons that might be hidden within, his eyes flashed with light, as if he were looking at an endless treasure:

"Just killing a Corpse King-level Corpse Demon plus dozens of Corpse Birds yielded five strands of Heavenly Dao Merit. If I were to clear out this entire Yin Corpse Mountain Range, wouldn't I be able to obtain at least a thousand strands of Heavenly Dao Merit?"

"A thousand strands of Heavenly Dao Merit is equivalent to 100,000 Qi Luck, which could light up one or two Heavenly Gang Great Divine Abilities... If I had the great Dharma Power to clear out all the high-level or even top-level Corpse Demons like Corpse Kings, Heavenly Corpses, and even Heavenly Corpse Kings in other regions or even the entire Yuanling Heaven, the Heavenly Dao Merit power obtained might even be able to light up 【Mediation of Creation】, the number one Heavenly Gang Great Divine Ability... Wait, I'm thinking a bit too far ahead."

Thinking of this, Lu Yuan couldn't help but laugh at himself.

After all, the Corpse Demon Catastrophe in Yuanling Heaven is a great catastrophe of heaven and earth that even those Transformation Spirit Giants and Return to Void Great Abilities are helpless against. For him, someone not even at the middle stage of Spirit Severing Refining Qi, to want to sweep away all the Corpse Demons in the entire Yuanling Heaven is truly wishful thinking.

However, the discovery of Heavenly Dao Merit is still a big benefit. He can fully exert his subjective initiative to obtain Merit power without having to passively wait for the supply of Qi Luck from the lower realm.

After all, his Qi Luck harvest when he was in the lower realm had long reached its limit and had been going downhill, and after ascending to the Upper Realm, the decay of Qi Luck was even more severe, with only about a thousand units a month.

Now that there is a method to acquire Heavenly Dao Merit, it can be considered an excellent supplementary option.

"In this way, getting rid of this identity of Bai Qianfeng is imperative."

Sighing in his heart, Lu Yuan turned and left without hesitation, leaving only a ground of hideous corpses on the edge of the mountain range.

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