Chapter 260: Human Seed, Zodiac, and the Demon Aspect

The wind arrives suddenly, blood drifts and scatters, life and death are already divided. After years of climbing to the absolute peak, one wanders the Sea of the Underworld, having abandoned soul and spirit. The Human Seed Zodiac evolves into a Demon Aspect; it is naturally the finest of the mortal world.

Within Fangya Mountain, that figure in green robes burst through the wall, killing like reaping hemp, shocking heaven and earth. In that single thought, in that marvelous void, he killed Qin Ming, leaving him in a dilemma between life and death, his body and head separated.

"Human Zodiac!" Zhang Fan's expression was solemn. Standing ten paces away, he met the gaze of that human figure.

Black Qi surged around his body, covering the sky and blocking the sun. In a trance, there were countless changing light and shadows, obscuring his true face.

These light and shadows seemed to come from the human world, appearing like layers of demon shadows.

Within the ancient Daoist sects, when human desires are indulged to the extreme, that is a demon.

The obstacles on the path of cultivation are demons.

The mutations of the sentient beings in the mortal world are demons.

Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the cliff, and one could faintly see that the walls of the place of seclusion were carved with all sorts of facial masks, like talismans outlined and brought to life—bizarre, grotesque, and eerie...

They were this myriad of phenomena.

They were these demon aspects of all living things.

"The Human Seed Zodiac, yet giving birth to a Demon Aspect..."

He is both the purest human in this mortal world and the greatest demon in this human world.

The path that every generation of the Human Zodiac must traverse.

Rumble...

The Great Ferocious Fangya let out a mournful cry. The ferocious and violent Qi of the entire Fangya Mountain boiled and clamored. However, amidst the eerie black Qi of those thousands of demon aspects, it could not even get close, all of it extinguished like dust.

"What kind of Daoist art is this? He can actually suppress the Great Ferocious Qi of Fangya Mountain with a human body?"

In the distance, Song Yunqi looked at that bizarre and terrifying figure, his face twitching, his eyes filled with shock and fear.

Fiercer than the mountain Qi of Fangya Mountain—is such a person still human!?

"Ah, ah, ah..."

Suddenly, amidst the scattered blood light, a Nascent Soul shot into the sky, emitting a painful hiss.

Qin Ming's Nascent Soul abandoned the headless physical body, intending to flee and escape to find a glimmer of survival.

Whoosh...

That bizarre figure did not even look. The eerie demon Qi around his body surged like tentacles, tightly entangling Qin Ming's Nascent Soul, imprisoning it like a rock.

"No... don't kill me... ah, ah, ah..."

Qin Ming's Nascent Soul let out a painful roar. He felt the greatest fear of his life—not the fear of life and death, but the fear that everything would become void after life and death.

How much effort had he expended, how many opportunities had he obtained, to have the achievements he had today?

The Great Being Realm—how many people sought it but could not obtain it? In his lifetime, he even had the possibility of reproducing the glory of his ancestors and peeking into the mysteries of the Three Tian Shi Realm.

The Qin family had to shine brilliantly in his hands; how could he die here!?

Whoosh...

The eerie black Qi tore his Nascent Soul apart alive. In the end, he did not even have time to let out a scream.

The fragments of Qin Ming's Nascent Soul turned into strands of scattered Qi, which that bizarre figure lightly inhaled, swallowing them into his belly and refining them in an instant.

"Harvesting and supplementing the Nascent Soul—a member of the Wu Wei Gate!" Fang Changle's expression was solemn, filled with deep wariness.

The cultivation and strength of the person before him simply exceeded his imagination. Bursting through the wall to end his seclusion, killing Qin Ming with a flip of his hand, and swallowing the Nascent Soul—it was violently hair-raising.

Whoosh...

The mountain wind blew, and stone chips flew.

That bizarre figure slowly turned around. Ten paces away, he met Zhang Fan's gaze.

This distance seemed to be a tacit understanding between the two.

Zhang Fan looked at the other party, looking at the only eye exposed to the air under the cover of the eerie demon Qi.

This feeling was exactly the same as when the other party killed Meng Qinghuan and Hua Yanqiu that day.

Without a doubt, the person before him was the Human Zodiac who had once appeared in Yujing City.

Counting it up, this was already the third time Zhang Fan had faced him.

However, this time, he felt something different; he always felt that this person seemed familiar...

Just like under the lamp, an old friend from ten thousand miles away, returning to face their shadow.

Whoosh...

Just at this moment, Song Yunqi launched his figure and turned to run.

He knew that whether it was the Human Zodiac or Zhang Fan, either was enough to kill him here without any suspense.

At this moment, apart from running, perhaps he still had a glimmer of survival; there was no other way.

Zhang Fan turned to look, the Human Zodiac's gaze cold and sharp.

Eerie demon Qi shot into the sky like a great dragon coiling, killing toward the human world.

Black and white Qi turned into the Pill Mother, spreading from Zhang Fan's palm, formless and shadowless, covering the front.

Bang...

The next moment, Song Yunqi's body deformed rapidly to an exaggerated degree, flesh and blood disintegrated, white bones separated, and finally, a Nascent Soul shot into the sky, carrying deep fear and anger, but under the collision of two completely different forces, it turned into ashes and returned to heaven and earth.

This heaven's pride of the Supernatural Association did not even know who he died at the hands of, or under which Daoist art he was extinguished.

"Dead!" Fang Changle let out a breath.

Looking at the mess everywhere, looking at the flowing blood, who could have thought that three powerhouses of the Great Being Realm would die in this Fangya Mountain, silently?

However, at this moment, his tense nerves did not relax; instead, he looked at the Human Zodiac vigilantly.

The mountain wind blew leisurely, and that figure turned around again, looking at Zhang Fan.

"You..." Zhang Fan was thoughtful and spoke slowly.

Whoosh...

Before the words fell, that figure turned around without hesitation, leaped, and jumped off the cliff.

"Wait!"

Zhang Fan's expression changed slightly, and he rushed forward. Below the cliff, green shadows swayed—where was there any trace of a figure, where was there any eerie demon Qi?

"He's gone!"

Fang Changle caught up, looked below the cliff, and could not help but say.

"Yes, he's gone." Zhang Fan's expression was complex, murmuring softly.

"Are you alright?"

Fang Changle looked at Zhang Fan's pale face and asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Zhang Fan waved his hand and slowly sat down to regulate his breath slightly.

The Pill Mother had just been formed; this kind of power was still quite dangerous for him.

Initially, he had only comprehended a little of the method of using the Divine Demon Sacred Fetus through the imprint left by Zhang Lingzong. This Pill Mother he had condensed also placed a not-insignificant burden on himself and still needed to be perfected.

"If the Soul-Merging succeeds, I should be able to perfect this method." Zhang Fan had already had calculations in his heart.

After returning this time, he had to find Zhao Jiexuan first. He did not know if there was any news from Lin Jianyue's side.

"This time, things have blown up..." Fang Changle looked at the remains everywhere and could not help but say.

Qin Ming was dead, and he was a successor of Qiyun Mountain.

As for Song Yunqi and Ji Huanshan, they came from the Dao Alliance Headquarters and were themselves members of the Supernatural Association.

Any existence capable of awakening supernatural powers—which one was not a precious treasure? Now that two had died at once, he feared that even Shangjing would be shaken.

"Look at what you're saying—when has it not blown up?" Zhang Fan said indifferently.

"Then how will you clean up the mess?" Fang Changle rolled his eyes and said.

"Clean up? Clean up what? They were killed by the Human Zodiac; what does that have to do with us?" Zhang Fan glanced sideways and said as a matter of course.

Fang Changle was stunned, and his expression toward Zhang Fan became gradually strange.

"It has to be you." "Pity the three fellow Daoists who died on the path of eliminating demons and defending the Dao." Zhang Fan sighed with emotion.

"When we go back, we must apply for three silk banners from the Dao Alliance Headquarters and burn them for them."

"..."

Fang Changle curled his lips and looked at Zhang Fan with deep meaning: "You have an obsession with silk banners."

Zhang Fan chuckled without a word, playing with the black iron piece in his hand while regulating his breath. After a moment, he finally recovered.

"Let's sweep the battlefield."

Zhang Fan stood up, looking at the mess everywhere.

Ji Huanshan had been turned to ashes, not even leaving any residue. Song Yunqi could still have a dustpan of residue swept up.

As for Qin Ming, he was left with a headless corpse.

"Is this Qiyun Mountain... phew... is this my Demon-Reflecting Mirror?"

Zhang Fan walked to the pool of blood and picked up the ancient bronze mirror. The back was filled with clouds, mountains, and mist, with mysterious talismans around it, while the front was a smooth mirror surface.

【Note: The source text here contains a garbled/repeated string of characters, likely a typo in the original. I will translate the context.】

This treasure was a Green Feather magic treasure. Zhang Fan had just witnessed its power; even the Weiling Demon-Suppressing Golden Seal could not compare to it.

"Qiyun Mountain's incense has been offered for over three hundred years." Fang Changle walked over and could not help but say.

Although he was a successor of Maoshan, his sect had only given him two Yellow Feather magic treasures for self-defense.

A Green Feather magic treasure, offered and refined for at least three hundred years, was generally not allowed to be brought out of the mountain gate casually. It was only this time, to find the place of the Human Zodiac's seclusion, that Qiyun Mountain had broken the rule.

"Good stuff, I'll study it later."

Zhang Fan grinned and stuffed the Demon-Reflecting Mirror into his pocket. This treasure was only the size of a palm, making it convenient to carry.

"Hmm!?"

Just at this moment, Zhang Fan caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye and saw the Great Ferocious Fangya lying on the ground.

This exotic treasure, following Qin Ming's death and the Human Zodiac breaking the mountain's charm, had also shattered, with cracks clearly visible.

"What a pity." Zhang Fan felt a bit of heartache.

The value of this treasure was no less than that Demon-Reflecting Mirror.

Whoosh...

Suddenly, the black iron piece Zhang Fan was playing with began to vibrate gently. Strands of red Qi actually seeped out from the cracks of the Great Ferocious Fangya, slowly merging into the black iron piece and being absorbed by it.

"Hmm!?"

Seeing such a scene, even Fang Changle could not help but show a strange expression.

This thing was something Zhang Fan had bought in the black market when he was looking for the Yin Tiger. The stall owner kept saying it was a magic treasure fragment, asking for three hundred thousand, but in the end, Zhang Fan bargained it down to one hundred and fifty yuan.

"Is this thing really a magic treasure fragment? It can actually absorb the remaining power of the Great Ferocious Fangya?" Fang Changle asked in surprise.

Ordinary magic treasures could not withstand this kind of power.

"Before this magic treasure shattered, it might have been a Green Feather magic treasure." Fang Changle speculated.

"There's an unexpected harvest."

Zhang Fan looked at the black iron piece in his hand, his eyes flashing with a different kind of brilliance. After a moment, the essence of the Great Ferocious Fangya was completely dissipated, and it itself gradually weathered, cracking with the wind.

As for the black iron piece, it was actually a bit heavier, and the rust on the surface had fallen off quite a bit, emitting an oily luster, like a patina.

"This trip was not in vain." Zhang Fan thought to himself.

On this trip to Fangya Mountain, he not only cultivated the Triple Origin Light and raised his realm, but also comprehended a little of the marvelous use of the Divine Demon Sacred Fetus. The Pill Mother was initially formed, and he even obtained a magic treasure like the Demon-Reflecting Mirror and discovered the strangeness of the black iron piece.

Beep, beep, beep...

Just at this moment, Fang Changle's mobile phone rang. He looked down and could not help but show joy.

"Our Maoshan forces have arrived."

Long before coming to Fangya Mountain, Fang Changle had notified the sect and mobilized the forces in Huizhou Province to provide support. Now, they had finally arrived.

"You go and welcome them quickly." Zhang Fan urged.

At present, they were not completely safe.

"Alright, you wait here." Fang Changle nodded, turned, and left, going down the mountain.

Zhang Fan watched his retreating back, then slowly turned and walked toward the ancient cave where the Human Zodiac had been in seclusion.

"Hmm!?"

He swept his gaze and saw Qin Wangdu not far away, clutching his chest, staring at him fixedly. Finally, he swallowed his last breath.

This Qin family head had his heart dug out and could actually hold on until now; it could be considered a great life.

Pity, no matter how great the life, it had to stay here.

"The Qin family is finished." Zhang Fan sighed.

Qin Wangdu was dead, and the Qin family was leaderless.

Qin Ming was also dead, and the Qin family's future hope was completely severed.

Most importantly, this time the Qin family's experts had all come out, and most of them had died in Fangya Mountain.

A dignified Xuan Sect family that had produced a Three Tian Shi-level existence—twenty-some years ago, they were slaughtered by Zhang Lingzong, which had already damaged the clan's fortune.

Now, repeating the same mistake, they were ultimately declining, and their collapse was only a matter of time.

At this moment, Zhang Fan suddenly remembered the judgment Zhang Wang had calculated before he left.

He had said at the time that the Qin family had a great calamity ahead, and their destruction was only a matter of time. The person who could continue the Qin family's incense in the future was likely that foolish child.

"Qin Daoyuan!?" Zhang Fan vaguely remembered the child's name.

"Brother Wang still has some methods." Zhang Fan could not help but sigh lightly.

Thinking of this, he stepped into the place of the Human Zodiac's seclusion. This ancient cave was extremely small, only able to accommodate one person. The surrounding walls were carved with strange faces, like human faces twisted, transforming into demon aspects.

Demons are formed by humans, and aspects are born from the heart.

In this world, there are as many demon aspects as there are human hearts.

"Is this the Human Zodiac's cultivation method? To become the Human Zodiac, one must first cultivate the Demon Aspect?"

Zhang Fan was thoughtful. He could imagine how terrifying and horrific this cultivation method was. Just stepping into this ancient cave made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Better not leave it behind."

Zhang Fan whispered, flicked his finger, and a strand of True Fire shot into the sky, setting off waves of dragon roars, burning the Human Zodiac's place of seclusion clean, leaving nothing behind.

"Time to go."

Zhang Fan looked back, turned, and was about to leave.

However, he had only taken one step when he stopped. Within his line of sight, a figure was standing there alone, looking at him coldly.

Qin Wangsun!?

This person fought Yuan Lingguan—he actually came back?

At this moment, his clothes were stained with blood, but his aura was still powerful, filling the mountains and rivers.

This former genius of the Qin family, returning from breaking the calamity, naturally had great fortune and was unhindered by anything.

"Senior..." Zhang Fan hurriedly steadied his mind and squeezed out a smile.

"You are Zhang Lingzong's son!" Qin Wangsun whispered, making Zhang Fan's nerves tense up instantly.

"Senior, I..."

"No need to explain; you look five or six parts similar to how he looked when he was young." Qin Wangsun said coldly.

"The rest looks like your mother."

As soon as the words fell, a complex luster flashed in Qin Wangsun's cold eyes. He hesitated slightly before asking.

"Is your mother doing well!?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 261 =====