Chapter 142: The Waxing and Waning of Qi and Blood Resemble the Moon's Soul

Every drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water sparkled crystal-clear, its crimson light shimmering brightly as it hovered and circled around Chen Heng, like countless tiny celestial stars orbiting Xudu Xudu Tianyu.

It illuminated all four scenes with a bleak, glittering radiance, making everything transparent inside and out, adding an extra layer of tragic horror to the atmosphere.

Ninety-nine drops of Yin-Eroding Red Water.

Minor Completion Realm—

Chen Heng gazed down at the scarlet blood river formed from the Yin-Eroding spiritual energy; more than half of it remained, still surging with a thunderous roar akin to earth-shaking Lei Ting, and he could not help but feel a pang of regret in his heart.

Having cultivated this divine ability, Yin-Eroding Red Water, to the Minor Completion Realm was already the ultimate limit; there was no further progress to be made.

As for the Medium Completion Realm.

One must first locate the "Three Primeval Qi," plant them within the body to merge with one's own qi meridians, and then use them to refine the Yin-Eroding Red Water once more, separating the origin and changing its substance, before one could achieve a breakthrough in quantity and refine a full Great Cycle's worth of Yin-Eroding Red Water.

But now, trapped within the Earth Abyss.

It was naturally impossible to find such a spiritual treasure as the "Three Primeval Qi."

All sorts of calculations and plans had thus become nothing but absurd nonsense.

"Let us first test this divine ability to see just how powerful it truly is."

Suppressing the thoughts in his mind for the moment, Chen Heng rotated his fetal breath, urged forward a single drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water hovering before him, and in an instant, it shot out like lightning!

It was as smooth as a sharp blade slicing through tofu.

Layer after layer of hard rock walls were easily pierced through as if they were nothing at all.

After the Yin-Eroding Red Water fled, the mottled, corroded wounds left on the rock walls rapidly expanded in all directions, soon eroding the entire stone wall into flying ash, turning it into a pool of fine dust.

Watching countless underground stone walls collapse one after another, raising vast clouds of dust and emitting continuous "Boom—" sounds, the momentum was tremendous.

Chen Heng was also slightly startled, his eyes lighting up, before he burst into loud laughter.

The soil and rock within this Earth Abyss, condensed and solidified by yin energy over years and months, could long ago no longer be categorized alongside the mundane mountains and earth outside the abyss.

Its hardness and density.

Could even be compared to metals.

He raised his hand to retrieve that drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water, pinching it virtually between his fingers, and fixed his gaze to examine it closely.

He saw that after this series of actions, the volume of that drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water had shrunk slightly.

Judging by such consumption, he feared that after another forty or fifty uses, its form would be completely extinguished.

To manifest it again, one could only gather Yin-Eroding type spiritual energy and refine it anew...

"Although it is not as convenient as the Innate Great Sun Divine Light, in terms of pure killing power, it is still a notch superior."

Chen Heng thought silently, nodding slightly, before drawing from the blood river once more to replenish the lost essence and form of that drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water.

Then he reached into his sleeve, gripped the Golden Cicada, and entered the True Yizhen Yizhen Fa Jie.

Only after personally testing it out.

Did he feel fully satisfied and cease, returning to the present world.

Even with his own cultivation of the Tai Su Yu Shen at the sixth layer of the Mystic Realm.

He could not withstand the combined force of ninety-nine drops of Yin-Eroding Red Water...

Within less than an hour and three quarters, that indestructible physical body would be corroded into ash, the internal organs ruined, turning into a pool of pus and blood as one died in agony.

Ordinary lower-grade talismanic treasures, facing just a single drop of Yin-Eroding Red Water, would have their spiritual light extinguished, reduced to scrap metal.

And even for something like the Qinglu Sword, the pinnacle of middle-grade talismanic treasures.

If the number of Yin-Eroding Red Water drops increased, it would not fare well either...

"Indeed, a fine divine ability; no wonder it is one of the three subsidiary waters of the You Ming Zhen Shui. In terms of defiling and rotting capabilities, it is surpassed only by the Yellow Spring True Water."

Chen Heng chuckled lightly, vibrated and shook the fetal breath within his body, and recalled all the Yin-Eroding Red Water hovering around him, seizing them and storing them within his various major apertures.

He cast his gaze outward.

At this moment, several hundred zhang above his head.

The circle of restrictions blocking the entrance to the cavern had also gradually diminished significantly, leaving only a thin layer of halo light, as if a mere raise of the hand could shatter it.

"First preserving a blood river formed from Yin-Eroding spiritual energy for cultivation needs, then arranging restrictions to prevent others from disturbing, allowing one to focus on the task? Whoever made these arrangements truly put their heart into it."

He lowered his eyelids slightly, slowly withdrawing his gaze to stare at the scarlet blood river beside him, a slight movement stirring in his heart.

In any case, the cultivation of Yin-Eroding Red Water had already reached a point where no further progress was possible.

And this hanging blood river was not like other things that could be loaded into a Qiankun Bag...

Only a specialized talismanic treasure designed to capture essence and spiritual breath could carry and store it.

But Chen Heng currently did not possess such an item.

Rather than sitting idly by and letting it go to waste.

It would be better to apply this remaining blood river, which still accounted for more than half, to the Tai Su Yu Shen.

"Although I cannot easily establish my foundation right now, elevating the Mei Mei Gongxing of the Tai Su Yu Shen is also a method to increase combat power."

With this thought in mind.

Chen Heng hesitated no longer, releasing his mind completely.

The massive amount of Yin-Eroding spiritual energy naturally flowed in without any obstruction, rumbling into his body and, following the guidance of the Tai Su Yu Shen method, filling his four limbs and hundreds of bones.

Just as the "Tai Shi Yuan Zhen" could govern one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred types of spiritual qi.

The Tai Su Yu Shen.

Was likewise a attribute that refused no one.

If not for the fact that the spiritual energy within the Earth Abyss had deeply attached itself to various principles of punishment, killing, gloom, and yin, becoming inseparable.

Swallowing it into the stomach would be no different than ingesting a fierce poison.

For Chen Heng, who was urgently lacking spiritual energy.

He even wished he could build a hut here to cultivate in seclusion, refining the Tai Su Yu Shen until there was no further room for improvement, before making plans to leave the seclusion...

Yet after cultivating for only six or seven hours, Chen Heng felt his blood and qi boil within his body, as if a great river and a vast sea raged and surged there.

With a single collision, a thunderous shock rocked the back of his head, clanging and ringing, as though some barrier had been shattered.

Tai Su Yu Shen — Mystic Realm, Seventh Layer!

All three hundred and sixty-five acupoints throughout his body leaped with joy and sang, resonating with his blood and qi, erupting with a booming sound like spring thunder breaking bamboo, making his breathing smooth and easy, as if his entire person had ascended into another layer of void.

The Yin-eroding spiritual energy within this river of blood was truly abundant.

The spiritual qi absorbed in just these six or seven hours equaled, or even exceeded, the combined spiritual breath of all the ghostly creatures Chen Heng had consumed over these past several months.

He was already just one step away from the Mystic Realm's Seventh Layer; thus, this natural progression was not unexpected.

He did not carefully examine the changes brought by the breakthrough in his physical cultivation.

Seeing that a considerable amount of the blood river remained.

Chen Heng steadied his mind, then continued to absorb and exhale the spiritual energy, refining it into his flesh and bones...

Three more days passed in this manner.

Within a deep, hollow cavern.

Deep beneath the earth.

Chen Heng, who had been sitting in stillness with his eyes closed, suddenly let out a loud laugh and rose abruptly!

He exhaled a long breath held in his chest toward the sky, like a white rainbow violently bursting forth; the surging qi force fiercely pushed aside the yin winds and turbid obstructions wherever it passed, blowing loose stones rolling everywhere! Thunder crashed suddenly!

As this long breath was exhaled from his chest, his spiritual intent also rose step by step, his bones and tendons resonating together!

A powerful spiritual pressure, comparable to a primordial deity, swept violently across the four directions, suppressing all that refused submission, spreading out like a rainbow; his physique trembled once more, and in an instant, he entered the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm of the Tai Su Yu Shen.

"..."

He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then reached into his sleeve, sinking his spiritual intent into the Yi Zhen Fa Zhi Jie.

Afterwards, he shone the Jin Jin Guang upon himself, manifesting a page of the Maha Golden Scripture.

【Maha Victorious Secret Light Samadhi】

【Name】: Chen Heng.

【Gong Fa】: Tai Su Yu Shen (Mystic Realm, Eighth Layer), Yin-Eroding Red Water (Minor Success), Primordial Great Sun Divine Light (Minor Success), Scattered Light Concealment Art (Minor Success), Motion-Stillness Thunder Sound Guiding Art (Major Success), Little Red Dragon Sword Sutra (Medium Success), Aurora Escape (——)...

【Treasures】: Green Rule Sword (Medium-grade Talisman Artifact), Purple-Gold Evil-Breaking Hammer (Medium-grade Talisman Artifact), Thunder-Fire Thunderbolt Origin Pearl (Medium-grade Talisman Artifact), Daojun Fu Yu Mirage Pearl (Medium-grade Talisman Artifact), Fire Crow Pot (Medium-grade Talisman Artifact), Dou Lu (Secret Treasure), Blood River Chariot Treasure Wheel (Secret Treasure)...

【True Scripture】: Purple-Clear High True Illuminated Secret Decree...

【Cultivation】: Qi Refining, Ninth Layer (as spoken by Shen Wu Shu Hua Dao Jun regarding the Tai Shi Yuan Zhen Scripture).

"Finally, I have cultivated the Tai Su Yu Shen to this state; barring accidents, the Ninth Layer of the Mystic Realm is the utmost limit achievable at present."

Chen Heng looked at the Maha Golden Scripture and thought silently.

The Tai Su Yu Shen is divided into three major realms: Mystic, Origin, and Beginning; each major realm contains nine layers.

When breaking through a major realm, such as from the Ninth Layer of the Mystic Realm to the First Layer of the Origin Realm, thunderous clamor and Lei Zhen will descend to prevent success.

Unless protected by one of great supernatural power.

One absolutely cannot pass through...

Naturally, one cannot find any great supernatural power to provide protection now.

Barring accidents.

The realm beyond the Ninth Layer of the Mystic Realm should be a long-lasting and formidable obstacle.

Regarding this current situation, Chen Heng merely sighed slightly and did not place much weight upon it.

Even if he pondered further, it would only be a waste of thought.

His breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm had already been achieved through a thousand difficulties and ten thousand hardships.

Consuming that Yin-Eroding Blood River completely was still insufficient; a thread was missing.

Only after throwing all the spiritual treasures and talisman money looted from Young Lady Lady Yue's residence into his physical cultivation, using them all up, did he barely pass that barrier and finally succeed.

It was the Yin-Eroding Blood River.

And it was Young Lady Lady Yue's accumulated wealth over many years.

Only the combination of these two allowed him to cultivate to the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm.

As for the cultivation of the Tai Su Yu Shen, the spiritual energy required for each layer multiplies exponentially; compared to the volume of the previous layer, the difference is almost like heaven and earth.

Having just achieved the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm, to advance to the Ninth Layer would require yet another Yi Fan Ku Gong.

Thinking thus.

Even if reaching the First Layer of the Origin Realm requires protection from one of great supernatural power to achieve success, it is not truly an urgent matter.

"At the Sixth Layer of the Mystic Realm, one can dominate among those at Foundation Establishment; at the Ninth Layer of the Mystic Realm, one would be hard-pressed to find an equal even among the myriad Zi Fu Gao Gong... With my current cultivation at the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm, I should be able to contend with cultivators of the Purple Palace Realm."

A thought stirred in his heart; with a swipe of his hands, he made the held Maha Golden Scripture vanish, and his mind returned to the present world.

It was still that scene of dark, gloomy yin qi raging.

He raised his gaze.

The formation circle sealing the cavern entrance, after the Yin-Eroding Blood River was completely refined, had also vanished entirely, leaving no trace.

Now, no spiritual energy remained stored within this cavern...

Thinking of this entire encounter.

Not only had he gained the great fortune of the Yin-Eroding Red Water, but he had also cultivated the Tai Su Yu Shen to the Eighth Layer of the Mystic Realm, enabling him to fight against Zi Fu Gao Gong; his combat power had increased by several times, and he had gained an extra ten percent of confidence in his ability to survive!

Chen Heng could not help but let out a long laugh, then shot upward in a beam of light, transforming into a streak of Bai Jin Guang breaking through the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Beyond the deep, hollow void.

Not far from where that sky-piercing Shi Zhu had shattered.

Having received his father's order and waited here in bitter endurance for many days, Ding Yu had just begun to let his attention wander.

When suddenly he saw a beam of escape-light shoot up into the heavens, like a long rainbow or flashing lightning; his heart gave a violent thump, and he snapped back to full alertness.

That beam of escape-light rose from below, coiling sinuously several times, scattering shards of radiant light, before finally halting amidst the clouds, as if dyeing the four vistas with a halo of rosy mist.

"Brother Chen, Brother Chen, pray stay your honored steps!"

Ding Yu hastily rode up on a gust of yin wind, caught up with him, and, cupping his fists, said:

"My father has urgent matters to discuss with Brother Chen; I wonder if you might grant him an audience?"

Gazing from afar.

He saw standing within that escape-light, white as flame, a white-robed Daoist of handsome bearing and lofty spirit; his brows and eyes were clear and distant, his stature tall and erect, like a fine tree before a courtyard, profound as a still pool and steady as a mountain peak, transcendent and free from the mundane dust.

Ding Yu was first startled.

Then he caught sight of that Daoist's gaze, which actually shimmered faintly with a blood-red hue, vivid as if dripping fresh blood.

That red gaze glanced lightly toward him, causing Ding Yu to instinctively feel an extreme sense of danger; his body tensed involuntarily, and the back of his neck stung sharply, as if pricked by needles.

"So this is the Yin-Eroding Red Water? Truly extraordinary; alas, I lack such great karmic fortune..."

Ding Yu sighed deeply in his heart, filled with intense envy.

At this moment.

Chen Heng also slightly reined in his gaze; his eyes returned to their former dark, sunken appearance. He performed a fist-and-palm salute and said:

"May I ask who your honored father is?"

"My father is Ding Xian, precisely the master of this Five Clouds Wilds..."

After Ding Yu recounted everything he knew, one by one, spilling it all out like pouring beans.

Chen Heng's expression tightened, and he too was surprised.

"Chen Yuanshu Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun of the Zhongyi Sword Sect actually wishes to see me?"

He thought to himself.

Five Clouds Wilds.

Within a stretch of endless, magnificent palaces.

Ding Xian was pacing back and forth in a round pavilion surrounded by lush vegetation, green willows, and red peach blossoms; his brows were slightly furrowed, and his demeanor quite solemn.

But suddenly, a large shell at his waist flashed.

Ding Xian grasped this ghostly artifact, sent his consciousness inside to probe, and then threw back his head and laughed aloud, clapping his hands in delight.

"I was wondering if some mishap had occurred; so the cultivation of the Yin-Eroding Red Water is simply this time-consuming?"

He gave an order, saying:

"Quickly prepare the carriage; I shall personally go ten li outward to welcome him!"

The servants attending from a distance responded and hurried to make preparations.

Before long, Ding Xian was seated in a precious carriage drawn by two nether-jiaos, hovering above a small hilltop; flanking him stood several hundred fierce ghost generals in strict armor, creating a magnificent spectacle.

All around, splendid canopies stretched across the sky, tall tents were pitched, and a group of maids stood gracefully on cloud-carpet, holding silver trays laden with various brightly colored fruits and wines.

Ding Xian swept a glance over the scene, found it still insufficient, and said to those beside him:

"Tell Yu'er to dress and adorn herself carefully in her chambers; she is to meet a guest shortly. Has she not been practicing dance recently? We might as well see the results now."

Hong Hong Guanshi, hearing this order, was startled.

Ding Yu was Ding Xian's most favored young daughter; because of her beauty, Ding Xian had always indulged and doted on her in every way, so why would he now command her to perform a dance?

Though filled with doubt, this was not a matter for a mere subordinate to question, so he hastily agreed with deference.

At this moment.

A sound of breaking the air came from afar; Ding Xian looked up, and in his heart silently thought:

"He has arrived."