Chapter 5: Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture

Having unknowingly accepted another's kindness, Su Yuanshan's tone grew considerably warmer.

"You little fox demon actually possess a trace of gratitude—truly rare.

Although the mountain spirits and wild monsters outside seem to have retreated, there's no guarantee that some brazen ones aren't still hiding in the shadows, unwilling to leave. You may rest here for the night and depart when daybreak comes!"

"Many thanks for the Lord Magistrate's grace!"

Perhaps because it was too exhausted, after thanking Su Yuanshan the little white fox curled up on the steps before the altar and fell into a deep sleep.

Gazing at the mountains outside the window settling into stillness, Su Yuanshan began to consider his next move.

This time he had luckily frightened the Demon King away, but next time it might not go so well. After all, none who become a Demon King are ordinary folk. From now on, he must focus on comprehending the ancient text within the Spirit Pearl, striving to refine a flesh-and-blood body as soon as possible—improving his strength was the proper course.

"Advance where there is the Dao, live where there is Qi; spiritual resonance pervades all things, cycling within oneself...."

"Gazing long at sun and moon, kindling fires to hunt spring..."

……

Golden characters kept surfacing on the Spirit Pearl.

【Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture Insight +1】

【Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture Insight +1】

【Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture Insight +1】

Su Yuanshan recited the ancient scripture within the Spirit Pearl over and over, concentrating fully, comprehending with his heart, carefully pondering the Great Dao within.

Over and over, again and again—nobody knew how much time had passed.

In a hazy state, Su Yuanshan, eyes closed, seemed to have a sudden awakening. He actually sensed thin threads drifting between heaven and earth—threads white as clouds, swaying with the wind, seeming to drift out bit by bit from all things in the world, frolicking in the streams, leaping among the grass and trees, floating above the birds in the sky, flowing through the clouds and mist that appeared and vanished among the mountains.

【Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture. Level 1 → Level 2】

【Acquired Scripture Special Effect: Doubled Comprehension (Mortal Grade)】

Su Yuanshan's heart jolted, and suddenly a feeling of clarity and openness welled up within him.

He could not help but sigh with emotion.

So this is the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?

The purest energy, existing within all things of the world!

When spiritual energy rises, all things are born; when it is exhausted, all things perish. The amount of spiritual power is never the same.

Small as an ant, spiritual energy is thin; large as an elephant, spiritual power is deep.

And those in heaven and earth who awaken spiritual intelligence and thereby walk this path may borrow the spirit of heaven and earth to extend their own lifespan, comprehend the divine powers of heaven and earth, and open the road of creation—this is cultivation!

A cultivator is one who borrows the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to temper themselves, breaking the old and establishing the new, constantly shattering their own limits in a grueling process. Those who achieve great success can fly through the sky and burrow through the earth, move the stars and shift the constellations, as easily as child's play.

Upon comprehending this, Su Yuanshan noticed the Spirit Pearl change once more, another line of golden, ancient, simple characters surfacing upon it.

【Spirit-Sensing Art Level 1 → Level 2】

The Spirit-Sensing Art had actually leveled up?

Could this be the effect of doubled comprehension? Does the Purple Mansion Immortal Scripture grant a special effect with every level?

Su Yuanshan truly wasn't certain about this point; doubt lingered in his heart, and he thought to himself,

Since he had now sensed the existence of spiritual energy, the cultivation that followed would come naturally.

He only needed to follow the cultivation method, absorb the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, gradually refine it, and merge it into his own flesh and blood—then his strength would grow ever greater.

This process was called Spirit Accumulation. Whether human or demon, the first step upon entering cultivation was Spirit Accumulation.

Spitting out one's Inner Core to absorb the spiritual energy of sun and moon was Spirit Accumulation; harming mortals by absorbing human essence was also Spirit Accumulation. Both were Spirit Accumulation—only distinguished by righteous and unrighteous paths.

"Although I have no flesh-and-blood body, being merely a clay statue, I can still absorb spiritual energy, but I must first transform into flesh and blood. Of course, there are advantages and drawbacks here—it all depends on how I look at the matter."

Su Yuanshan closed his eyes, began to cast aside the distracting thoughts in his heart, and following what the ancient scripture described, began to swallow spirit and refine Qi.

But this was an extremely tedious and dull process. At first he was somewhat restless, but gradually he calmed his mind, and within the swallowing of spirit and refining of Qi he gradually achieved some awakening.

It seemed every wisp of spiritual energy carried its own unique experience and story. After swallowing much of it, he actually felt a sense that all things were himself and he was all things—as if he had merged into one with the surrounding mountains, grass, trees, and spirits of all things. His heart suddenly opened wide, a wondrous experience of clarity and enlightenment.

Su Yuanshan's heart jolted, and he attempted to use his spiritual will to sense and communicate with the surrounding spiritual energy, making every blade of grass, every tree, every stone, every grain of sand, every bird, every beast around him into his eyes and ears, allowing him to see farther and sense more, more broadly.

Even the surrounding mountains, even the earth beneath his feet, seemed to form some miraculous connection with him, resonating with his heart—that feeling was utterly wondrous!

As the saying goes, in the mountains there is no sun or moon. Before he knew it, more than three months had passed.

The mountains were cloaked in gold, the autumn wind bleak! Yellow flowers covered the ground, fallen leaves piled high.

Su Yuanshan had been cultivating day and night. Now he could refine a single drop of pure essence-blood nearly every day.

And his hard work had been rewarded—his right hand's five fingers had already taken on the color of flesh and blood. It probably wouldn't be long before his fingers could move, and once successful, this hand of his would be far beyond what any ordinary person's right hand could compare to!

And as the spiritual energy within his body surged, his clay body had also become vastly different from before. The soul nurtured by spiritual power seemed to grow ever stronger, and the abilities of a Yin God he once wielded now seemed to carry far greater power when employed!

He had once tried to use his spiritual power to lift the stone lion before the temple gate. Though he failed, he could at least lift three bricks by the door!

Though it looked rather pathetic, compared to before it was already great progress—after all, a month ago he could only move a palm-sized stone with his spiritual power.

Regardless, he could finally be said to wield objects!

What surprised Su Yuanshan most was that, as the spiritual energy within him grew ever greater, his soul underwent a strange change. Within his Sea of Consciousness, a wisp of seven-colored light was faintly born. Though he didn't know what this light signified, he could sense within it an extremely faint divinity.

Could it be that because he had refined this statue of the Chenghuang deity, his soul had given birth to a wisp of divine light?

Su Yuanshan puzzled over it without answer. While pondering, he suddenly heard an earsplitting cry—it seemed to be that Demon King from before.

Its call was filled with rage and murderous intent, shaking the mountains, echoing long through the valleys.

Truth be told, this was the tenth time in three months he had heard this Demon King's cry, and he had also learned that this Demon King's true form was a white ape, known as "Bai Dawang"!

Su Yuanshan guessed that this Baiyuan Yaowang had most likely failed to survive that tribulation. Though it had luckily kept its life, it must have been seriously wounded and greatly weakened in strength. This might also be why that night it had not directly stormed the Chenghuang Temple, but instead chosen to retreat.

The old Demon King's strength had greatly diminished, and the other mountain spirits and wild monsters clearly saw their chance—battles broke out almost daily. This was likely why the white ape roared in anger from time to time?

Until the old Demon King fell and a new Demon King was born, this period was one of upheaval among the demon powers. It was best for him to remain cautious.