Chapter 215: Divine Anomaly

Vegetation burst into bloom, lush and verdant.

This place was originally a mountainous region dense with branches and leaves, where ancient trees nearly a hundred zhang tall soared toward the sky, piercing the rosy clouds.

Countless flying birds and walking beasts dwelt within, running and chasing one another, emitting whistling cries that rose and fell in succession.

Green fields and misty winds, mountains echoing with valleys, revealed a vigorous, thriving vitality that was exceedingly abundant.

But soon, as a sudden streak of blood-colored light tore across the sky and arrived here.

This natural scenery was instantly shattered, followed by the tragic wailing and fierce sounds of killing that erupted violently.

High above, a hundred zhang in the sky.

Xie Rui flicked his sleeve, releasing the five head of his innate Blood Souls that had been residing in his five viscera, then stood with his hands behind his back, expressionless; he did not leave, merely watching the scene below with cold eyes.

Those several Blood Souls were but faint, hazy silhouettes.

They appeared as though a single gust of wind would dissipate them like smoke and clouds, yet in truth, their power was formidable!

Whether flying bird or walking beast, once pounced upon by them, their entire essence blood would be instantly sucked away, leaving behind only a thin layer of outer skin, rotting and mushy like wet paper.

And though these Blood Souls moved with the speed of light and lightning, mundane objects were utterly unable to resist them.

However, since this mountainous region was vast after all, containing a multitude of living creatures, wanting to easily slaughter them all was not a matter achievable in the snap of a finger.

After approximately the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn.

At this moment.

The mountainous region beneath his feet had fallen into complete silence; not even the rustling sounds of insect chirps or bird calls could be heard.

A thick, fishy stench of blood diffused outward, lingering for a long time without dispersing, making anyone who smelled it feel like vomiting...

Seeing this scene, Xie Rui remained unmoved; he simply pointed a finger, using his magic power to forcibly carve out a cave dwelling in the mountainside opposite, then immediately leaped forward, bringing the five heads of his innate Blood Souls as they all dashed inside.

"Let it consume them, not me!"

As soon as he sat down, those five Blood Souls swarmed over, circling up and down around Xie Rui like docile family dogs seeking favor and acting cute, emitting strange laughing sounds.

Seeing them about to throw themselves into his body's five viscera to return to their original residence.

Xie Rui impatiently scolded once, then immediately pointed a finger at his face, lowly shouting.

At this moment.

His face had gradually begun to form a mouth and nose, more than half of it now condensed and solidified.

And although there were still quite a few of those jade-like crystal vertical pupils remaining, arranged horizontally and vertically, they were no longer as numerous as at the very beginning, obviously having hidden away many.

"..."

Those five Blood Souls appeared extremely fearful of the Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye; they shrank back for a long time, not daring to approach.

Finally, only under Xie Rui's repeated urging did they helplessly throw themselves forward, pouring the essence blood they had absorbed into the Dharma Eye.

This action took merely the time of a few breaths, vanishing in an instant.

Yet in just this short span, those five Blood Souls, originally extremely turbid and fishy, had shrunk by more than half in size; they hurriedly drilled into his body, returning to the five viscera, and no matter how Xie Rui shouted afterward, they did not dare to show their faces.

"..."

And with the nourishment of this countless essence blood, Xie Rui finally felt a thread of satisfied thought slowly transmitting from the Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye.

He did not dare to be negligent; quickly seizing this opportunity, he activated his Xue Xuan Gong, entering meditation to regulate his breath.

Without the obstruction of the Dharma Eye, this time proceeded surprisingly smoothly.

After merely three hours, Xie Rui's injuries had healed, his magic power had fully recovered to its former state, returning him to his peak condition.

"This Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with... If I continue to use it, I will inevitably have my mind manipulated, fall into the path of the Great Heavenly Demon, and have my entire cultivation devoured by the Dharma Eye."

"I wonder if the clan has any Xie Fa regarding this matter?"

Xie Rui slowly opened his eyes; there was no trace of relief on his face, only an even more gloomy expression.

And when thinking of Wei Wei Wanhua and Liu Liu Zhengyan's deaths, and that Chen Heng had clearly escaped, today's affairs had already collapsed into a ruined situation.

His pupils constricted, and his expression grew several degrees colder.

Regarding the matter of Chen Heng, his intent to kill was even as firm and solid as it was toward Wei Wei Wanhua.

Only by killing Chen Heng would he have fulfilled the clan's entrustment.

Only then could he change his appearance and identity, returning to Changyou legitimately from being a hidden agent, and from then on firmly secure his status as a noble scion!

The path of cultivation.

Teacher, Partner, Land, Wealth.

If one wishes to achieve the Dao, these four categories are indispensable; lacking even one is impossible.

Only with the strong assistance of the clan can he suppress the abnormal state of the Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye, cultivate the "Five Movements Mutual Decline" Primordial Spirit Dharma Image, and gain a slight chance to glimpse the Dao!

And the clan has ordered him to eliminate Chen Heng; only then can he be considered to have completed his full merit.

Thus.

For Xie Rui, Chen Heng.

Must die; he has no choice but to die!

"Several small clans around Heming Mountain have received instructions; I heard that the Qi Wu Yin clan even specially dispatched a great True Person to secretly guard the area. If Chen Heng goes to Heming Mountain now, he would be walking straight into a trap, actively seeking death!"

Xie Rui's thoughts turned with lightning speed, speaking silently to himself.

"Although this would be best, if he keeps an extra eye open, it will still be troublesome; we cannot guard against it enough!"

Divine light bloomed in his pupils; without hesitation, he immediately took several bamboo tally sticks from his sleeve, spread them on the ground, and began calculating Chen Heng's whereabouts.

But Xie Rui did not know that Chen Heng possessed the Zhan Yan Fa Yu protecting his body, which could shield his heavenly secrets and specifically deceive diviners' calculations.

This item was a secret artifact specially requested for him by the old clan head of the Mishan Master Qiao clan after the monster Yin Xing, Master Qiao Master Qiao Zhijie, had formed his Jin Dan.

Not to mention one Xie Rui; even if ten more came, none would be able to calculate the slightest clue.

And seeing that the calculation failed, while half of the bamboo tally sticks snapped and exploded from the middle, Xie Rui's heart startled; he quickly circulated his energy to suppress the surging blood and qi in his chest, his gaze complex.

"Damn it, what kind of background does he have to actually possess a secret artifact capable of obscuring heavenly secrets? Could it be that he has already secretly pledged allegiance to Chen Chen Yushu to obtain such a treasure?"

After sweeping his sleeve to collect the remaining bamboo lots.

Xie Rui slowly rose to his feet, paced a few circles within this cave he had personally excavated, and finally let out a sigh, making up his mind.

Back then, when he requested Shou Fa from the Changyou Xie clan, he received two great divine abilities in total.

The first was the Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye.

Although Xie Rui had gone all out back then, he ultimately only achieved Elixir Achieves Fourth Grade and did not attain a superior Jin Dan; consequently, he lost the destined opportunity to rightfully return to Changyou.

His choice of the Yang Demon Wuying Dharma Eye was not merely because this great divine ability possessed formidable power, but also because he intended to use this eye as a Dharma foundation to cultivate the superior Dharma image known as "Five Movements Mutual Decline," thereby compensating for the deficiencies in his roots.

As for the second divine ability, it was a technique for nurturing heavenly odd insects, belonging to the category of driving insects and controlling beasts.

This odd insect was called the Kunyuan Insect, possessing the abilities to grow by devouring blood essence and to track qi mechanisms.

Not only was it fierce in killing, but it was also a first-rate scout, specializing in identifying and capturing qi; in this regard, it could be said to be absolutely foolproof!

Therefore,

In general, for preserving life, one must first regulate the primordial qi; the body possesses four qi, which most people do not understand, and within these four qi, each governs life and death.

The first is called Qianyuan Qi, the second Kunyuan Qi, the third Shu Qi, and the fourth Zhong Qi.

The name Kunyuan Insect was also derived from the Kunyuan Qi among these four qi, thus earning its title.

This qi transforms into blood, and blood reverts to qi; qi and blood circulate within the body: when blood is robust, the body is plump; when blood is solid, the complexion is flourishing; when the complexion is flourishing, life is complete; but if blood declines, the hair changes, and if blood rots, the chest becomes hollow.

When the chest becomes hollow, death is not far off, and even great elixirs cannot save one...

Since the Kunyuan Insect identifies targets based on the Kunyuan Qi existing within the human body and acts according to this principle, it is naturally difficult for it to fail; it can truly be called an expert in tracking qi and seeking people!

However, the birth of this odd insect was not a result of natural creation or being nurtured by heaven and earth.

Legend has it that ten thousand years ago, Xudu Xudu Tianyu and a certain Xudu Xudu Tianyu of the Demon Clan clashed over a spiritual elixir, sparking a dispute.

Within that Xudu Xudu Tianyu, there bred a strange race whose wings could naturally obscure heavenly secrets; being quite extraordinary, they were used as surprise vanguard troops by that Demon Clan's Xudu Xudu Tianyu to carry out raids everywhere, causing no small amount of trouble for Xudu Xudu Tianyu's advance.

Upon seeing this and feeling delighted by the prospect of a hunt,

Master Master Tongxuan, a Daoist Lord of the Yu Yuchen Sect, and Daoist Lord Hunzhe of the Xuehe Sect joined forces, jointly deduced the method for refining the Kunyuan Insect, this heavenly odd insect, and bestowed this divine ability upon everyone.

With this insect providing assistance, the battle situation was no longer deadlocked, and the tide turned...

Although Xie Rui had obtained the method for nurturing this odd insect, he suffered from a lack of resources and failed to fully nurture the Kunyuan Insect, leaving its innate nature incomplete.

Once released from his Purple Palace, although it would be able to locate Chen Heng's whereabouts,

the insect would also suffer severe damage to its primordial qi; it was even possible that it would die prematurely.

However, matters had already reached this point.

There was no longer any room to worry about such losses.

Once he could return to Changyou, it would be an entirely different world.

The loss of a mere Kunyuan Insect, though painful to the heart, counted for nothing!

Just as Xie Rui raised his hand to form a seal, intending to summon the Kunyuan Insect,

he suddenly heard what sounded like a heavy object hitting the ground not far away, making a very dull thud, followed by a series of ingratiating and fawning voices rising up.

"Oh, what a merciful and good family!"

"Great Master, have mercy! Great Master, have mercy!"

"This old servant, upon going out this time, will surely turn over a new leaf, accumulate virtue and do good deeds, and never again indulge his own temper! I beg the Great Master to withdraw your honorable gaze, rest well, rest well; as for looking after the Young Master's affairs, leave it entirely to this old servant!"

"Ah... yes, yes, this old servant will not follow, will not follow, and absolutely will not reveal his identity!"

"If the Young Master detects any clue, even if you peel off this old servant's skin to use as a mattress, I shall not have a single word of complaint!"

These words were spoken so inexplicably that Xie Rui, as the listener, could make no sense of them.

Moreover, the extreme degree of fawning in the voice made Xie Rui frown continuously, feeling annoyed and disgusted in his heart.

It was like an old dog vigorously wagging its tail at its master, begging for a leftover meat bone.

Before he could even move to go out and investigate, the wind sound suddenly grew urgent, and a living creature leaped inside.

Xie Yu fixed his gaze to observe.

He saw that the living creature walking toward him was clearly an old yellow dog.

Its snout was pointed, its forehead flat, its tail cocked high upwards, and its fur was very coarse and utterly messy.

It was simply no different from those dog breeds raised by farmers in the mortal world to guard homes and courtyards.

After entering the cave, the old yellow dog sniffed excitedly, barked twice, then placed its two front legs forward, stretched lazily at an unhurried pace, and only then lifted its head to look at Xie Rui.

In its gaze existed a ferocity and cunning that it made no effort to conceal.

It did not resemble a beast.

It was more like an aged demon who had committed countless murders and possessed sinister, treacherous thoughts!

"Dog demon?"

Xie Rui shouted in a deep voice.

This old yellow dog before him was obviously no ordinary creature.

From its ability to speak human language to its leap into this cave, one could see a glimpse of its nature.

This cave, which he had personally excavated, was located within the mountain's belly, nearly fifty zhang high; with neither a small path nor stairs, unless one possessed some means, it was absolutely impossible to reach.

However, even guessing that this old yellow dog might be a Demon Clan cultivator, Xie Rui did not feel particularly apprehensive.

Long before Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun governed Xudu Xudu Tianyu, these demon cultivators had already lost their prestige, forced to huddle in the Western Erzhou, unable to venture out even a single step.

And when Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun abdicated, leaving the Bapailiu Sect to govern this world,

those demon cultivators could not even hold onto the Western Erzhou; their ancestral court was broken, and they could only flee into the South Sea to linger on in a precarious state.

At that critical juncture.

Had the Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun not finally intervened to plead on their behalf, and had the Dragon Clan not secretly exerted its efforts, these non-human races would likely not have secured even this remote corner of the South Sea; they would have been utterly driven out beyond the Xu Capital's heavens, doomed to become wandering, lonely ghosts...

"A dog demon?"

The old yellow dog chuckled darkly, instinctively scratching at the earth with its claws.

"Wrong! I am that great grandfather of yours whom you have never met!"

Xie Rui's gaze darkened; he was just about to flare up in anger.

Yet he saw only that old yellow dog bare its teeth in a cackling grin, its tendons and bones surging outward, its skin and membranes tearing apart as its form instantly expanded!

The next moment.

This mountain peak, a hundred zhang tall, was forcibly burst open from within!

Shattered rocks flew wildly, splashing down like rain!

At this moment, the sky above was as if dyed with ink; black clouds pressed down upon the earth, blocking the sun and obscuring the light, vast as an ocean, truly magnificent.

And there, within that heavy, dark canopy, a colossal beast a thousand zhang tall stood treading upon the cloud qi, crushing mountain ridges, rivers, and lakes beneath its feet.

Xie Rui looked over in panic.

He saw that this colossal beast possessed the body of a sheep and the face of a human, tiger claws and human teeth, with a pair of crimson eyes located in its armpits, resembling two vast lakes of blood.

As its massive mouth opened and closed, it seemed capable of swallowing the sun, moon, and stars from beyond the heavens in a single bite!

"A Tao... Taotie?!"

Xie Rui was terrified out of his wits.

"Wang Wang!"

Seeing Xie Rui in this soul-stricken state, the colossal Taotie beast felt quite satisfied; it narrowed its eyes and instinctively let out two barks.

Then it suddenly came to its senses, feeling utterly embarrassed, and awkwardly turned its head aside.

"Damn that old scoundrel Master Tongxuan! Grandpa here, a magnificent Taotie, was trained by you like a dog! Just wait until you die and your spirit sits in meditation; be careful with the offerings on your grave!"

He cursed silently in his heart.

"Senior."

At this moment, a voice suddenly arrived; turning his gaze, he saw Xie Rui, who had barely suppressed his terror, speak up:

"I wonder if there is some misunderstanding? In this humble one's..."

"You're in big trouble this time; that old scoundrel has the narrowest heart of all. Having offended him, you're finished!"

The Taotie chuckled strangely in its heart, yet its face remained expressionless; it merely shook its head.

"Since we're at the final stage, I'll let you die with understanding: Grandpa's name is Zhou Ji, born as an innate divine marvel; I once roamed the cosmic void raiding everywhere, even visiting the Yuqi Heaven and the Changwen Heaven!

That Dao-Rebel Lu Lu Yusheng was formidable, wasn't he? A fierce figure who moved the entire Zhong Langzhou; yet how did his fourth and fifth disciples die?"

The Taotie, Zhou Ji, smiled proudly and licked its lips.

"It was Grandpa who eliminated them!"

"Zhou Ji..."

Xie Rui's pupils contracted, sweat pouring from his temples like rain; he was just about to say something when he saw Zhou Ji growing somewhat impatient, gently blowing a breath toward him.

The next moment.

He suddenly felt his body become light; after a dizzying spell where heaven spun and earth turned, darkness engulfed his vision, and he lost all consciousness.

Two days later.

Eastern Mi Province, Northern Region.

Chen Heng placed the spirit-money, now devoid of spiritual energy, to one side.

He exhaled deeply, rose from the meditation cushion, and clenched his fists slightly; he felt his skin, membranes, tendons, and bones filled with strength, his entire body as if bathed in warm water.

Warm, moist, unobstructed, and exceedingly comfortable.

"Finally, I have fully recovered from my injuries and returned to my peak condition..."

He relaxed his fingers, carefully inspected the landscape within his body, and thought silently.

(End of Chapter)