Chapter 427: Chu Long

Inside the stone chamber.

Fang Xing flipped through the *Qinghua Scroll·One* with his claws, continuously pondering:

"In this world, combat power—excluding external tools—depends on three things: foundation, law comprehension, and techniques…"

Foundation consists of two parts. The first is realm; realm suppression still dominates. As long as you don't encounter an unparalleled prodigy who can fight across major realms, you always hold a decisive advantage.

Even if you face an unparalleled prodigy who can cross one major realm, can they cross two or three?

Commoners defeating Nascent Soul cultivators? That's possible for elite true disciples of the Seven Kill Demon Palace or demonic princes.

But Nascent Soul defeating Heaven Immortal? That's the domain of Nascent Soul tyrants—fewer in number than Heaven Immortal elders.

As for commoners defeating Heaven Immortals? It has never occurred in the history of the Qingyuan Great Realm!

The second part is the quality of spiritual energy: from Common, to Middle, to High, to Immortal grade…

Under the same realm, Immortal-grade spiritual energy will inevitably crush High, Middle, and Common-grade energy…

"In other words, foundation is the quality and quantity of spiritual energy…"

"Then law comprehension—needless to say, the higher, the better… Higher law comprehension brings greater power amplification."

"Finally, techniques include various explosive methods, secret arts that burn spiritual energy to instantly surge its 'quality' and 'quantity'… and techniques that harness laws, allowing low-level law comprehension to unleash high-level law power!"

"To some extent, this third category—'technique secrets'—is even more valuable than the first two… Only the strongest among Heaven Immortals, or even Chaos Realm elders, can create them…"

After pondering the opening of the *Qinghua Scroll·One*, Fang Xing gained a profound understanding of the power structure in the Qingyuan Great Realm.

"Now, returning to my own demonic foundation: first comes cultivation technique, second comes bloodline… Some truly powerful bloodline demons can, merely through instinctive breathing, achieve Middle or even High-grade spiritual energy!"

That's bloodline talent—completely unenviable.

Fang Xing could only admit: he truly was 'Common Blood,' not noble demonic lineage.

"Among demons, bloodline tiers are divided into 'Common Blood, Royal Blood, Imperial Blood, Divine Blood'… Common Blood demons, without cultivation techniques, rely solely on instinctive breathing of heavenly qi—resulting in Common-grade spiritual energy… Royal Blood demons possess inherited memories; merely through instinctive breathing, they cultivate Middle-grade spiritual energy… Imperial Blood are born with High-grade spiritual energy; with advanced Chuancheng, they can reach Immortal-grade!"

"As for the final 'Divine Blood,' also called 'Chaos Divine Demon Blood'… born with Immortal-grade spiritual energy—too cheating…"

"Of course, this is merely a superior starting line. In demonic history, Common Blood demons who eventually became Heaven Demons or even Chaos Realm Dao Lords are not unheard of!"

Fang Xing's own instinctive breathing yielding only Common-grade spiritual energy proved everything.

"No… as long as you have Chuancheng and perseverance, Common Blood can surpass Divine Blood—it's just a longer path…"

"Even so, Common Blood is terrible—but compare it to whom? Human cultivators without Chuancheng, relying solely on instinctive breathing, can't even achieve Common-grade spiritual energy…"

In Western terms, demons are inherently transcendent races; humans are not.

Yet humans, though blank slates, possess infinite potential.

"Forget it… first, cultivate the techniques in the *Qinghua Scroll*."

The *Qinghua Scroll·One* contains several breathing techniques, the highest capable of cultivating High-grade spiritual energy.

At the very least, it's better than my current Black Dragon spiritual energy.

Fang Xing immediately stretched his limbs, scales fluttering, wings trembling.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the void echoed with the sound of flowing liquid.

"Black Water True Secret… Rune seeds forming!"

As Fang Xing roared, countless Black Water seed runes materialized.

One… two… seven… eight…

In an instant, they surpassed the seven seed runes of the Seven Kill Secret.

Even surged to seventy-seven—fourty-nine!

Vast numbers of Black Water seed runes circled, forming a dark circle, within which Black Water churned, merging with heavenly qi to condense into a single drop of Black Water.

This was the most basic spiritual energy structure!

Once this drop underwent spiritual transformation, Fang Xing used it as his foundation—each breath converted a portion of his energy.

"Too slow! Too slow!"

He flicked his claw, pulling out a beast-skin pouch and spilling out a mountain of spirit stones.

Though the hardest first step—transforming the foundational spiritual structure—was complete, relying solely on his own absorption of heavenly qi would take forever.

Fang Xing thus chose the rich man's cultivation method—spend money, pay to win!

Spirit stones are crystallized heavenly qi; drawing power from them cultivates far faster than painfully absorbing heavenly qi yourself.

These spirit stones were, of course, loot and spoils from past battles.

Crack! Crack!

The Black Dragon opened his massive jaws, swallowing the spirit stones like a whale drinking water, chewing and devouring…

Whoosh!

The sound of Black Water grew louder, surging through Fang Xing's blood, bones, scales… elongating his form, his scales radiating a dark luster.

"Black Water spiritual energy… no wonder it's High-grade! So strong! I feel at least a hundred times stronger than my previous Common-grade, impure energy… So does Middle-grade surpass Common by tenfold? And Immortal-grade by a thousandfold?"

"In other words, my current self, with transformed energy, could fight a hundred of my former selves? Even more…"

"If I had Immortal-grade energy, I could fight a thousand… but that's clearly untrue, because law comprehension and technique secrets also amplify power—the larger the base, the more terrifying the multiplicative gap!"

"This is a world where winners take all—between upper and lower tiers, the difference is like heaven and earth…" In the main universe, though hierarchies and power gaps existed, humanity's ultimate strength was still technology.

Top-tier professionals reached Level 11, yet with forbidden tech, could briefly unleash Level 12 power!

But in the Qingyuan Great Realm, the strongest utterly dominate.

"Though I've obtained the Chuancheng for High-grade spiritual energy… if I fail, will I be erased?"

"No wonder the Chuancheng is left unguarded…"

Fang Xing shook his head. Though his true soul could escape, that would be too much of a loss.

Better to first attempt completing the trial and becoming a disciple.

A hundredfold increase in spiritual energy brought undeniable boosts.

At least now, when Fang Xing reread the *Qinghua Scroll·One*, previously obscure and difficult passages suddenly became clear.

"Life Law? It includes aspects of Water Law, Wood Law, Earth Law…"

"So Qinghua Lady attained Dao through Life Law? Completely incompatible with me… Wait, there is one point of connection."

Fang Xing's 'Death God Mech' was a creation of Death Law.

Starting from Death, comprehending its opposite—Life Law—perhaps eventually he could touch the 'Dao of Life and Death'…

Well… thinking of this now is premature.

But approaching Life Law through the concept of 'Life-Death opposition' should not be difficult.

Once initiated, he could grind it via the attribute bar.

The mystery of the attribute panel remained unknown to Fang Xing even now.

But its effect was astonishing: 'effort yields results!'

No matter how difficult the law, once it appeared on the panel, daily contemplation would slowly increase it.

'With this cheat, I must plan my law path carefully… I must choose an extremely powerful Dao, ensuring I maintain advantage even in the Chaos Realm—the Dao Lord realm!'

'Too bad… Qinghua Lady's collection has no method for forming the Qiankun Nascent Soul—even the Qiantian Nascent Soul method is absent…'

Fang Xing sighed.

The *Qinghua Scroll·One* encompassed everything, including numerous Nascent Soul methods collected by Qinghua Lady, the Heaven Demon elder.

Unfortunately, none matched what Fang Xing sought.

Not even the Void Nascent Soul method.

There was one—'Fire Spirit Nascent Soul Method'—which, upon breaking into Nascent Soul, could condense a 'Fire Spirit Nascent Soul,' greatly enhancing one's understanding of Fire Law.

"The complete *Qinghua Scroll* should have three scrolls. The first records methods for cultivating spiritual energy and forming Nascent Soul, touching slightly on law comprehension… The second should delve deeply into Life Law, including fully comprehending a law and achieving Heaven Demon status… The third contains secret arts for burning spiritual energy, survival and escape techniques, alchemy, arrays, and other miscellaneous arts… All mentioned in the first scroll."

"You give me the first scroll—what am I supposed to learn? To what level? No hints at all?"

Fang Xing felt targeted—or discriminated against…

"I wonder what treatment Song Zhong and Ning Qian received?"

He continued reading. Indeed, after the spiritual energy section came the Nascent Soul formation section.

The bulk described Life Law and the most suitable method for comprehending it: the 'Nüwa Nascent Soul Method.'

"Damn, this isn't for me…"

Fang Xing grumbled, realizing not all Chuancheng suited him.

Moreover, this Heaven Demon Chuancheng was extremely dangerous.

"Does that mean… I must initiate Life Law, even achieve the 'Nüwa Nascent Soul,' and break into the Nascent Soul stage to meet the requirement?"

"No… countless cultivators exist—no one can be forced onto Life Law… the Snake Woman World Spirit isn't that foolish."

"Perhaps… merely initiating Life Law, or forming any one Nascent Soul, suffices?"

Fang Xing speculated.

Soon, he reached the final section of the *Qinghua Scroll·One*.

Beyond the extensive Nüwa Nascent Soul Method, Qinghua Lady, as with the spiritual energy foundation, recorded several High-grade Nascent Soul lineages she had gathered.

Those placed here were at least as good as the 'Fire Spirit Nascent Soul Method.'

One even seemed superior to the 'Nüwa Nascent Soul Method!'

"Hmm?"

Fang Xing turned to the last page of the scroll and saw an indescribable scene.

There was a dragon, coiled atop Zhong Mountain.

It had a single eye, a human face, a serpent body; its gaze was day, its sleep night, its breath winter, its exhale summer, its respiration wind…

Named the "Candle Dragon Soul Method"!

(End of Chapter)