Chapter 713: Lei Chi, Sword God Tomb Gathering, Wei Tian Martial Exhibition (Combined)

Beneath the Mysterious Vine Tree.

The Candle Dragon rose upright, its snake-like body sheathed in scales gave a light lash, two slit pupils flickering with a deep, somber light.

In the air, the Peng bird beat its wings, drawing water from Wang Yang.

Li Yuan was condensing the Mysterious Yin Lei Chi.

The Mysterious Yin Lei Chi was similar to the Fire Phoenix Furnace, a construct only cultivators who practiced the Mysterious Yin Thunder Scripture could condense; he had not cultivated this scripture, so he had to resort to a workaround.

"Buzz~"

Streams of demonic shadows flowed out from the tree's shadows, weaving together into a perfectly square black Lei Chi—this was the Mysterious Yin magic power accumulated by Ying Mo Shen.

Using this magic power as a medium, he could knead the various divine patterns and evolve the divine prohibitions required by the Lei Chi.

"Splash~~"

Columns of water came from Wang Yang, guided by the Kun Peng, and plunged into the Lei Chi; as steam rose, the various wondrous sights gradually began to appear.

These were the divine patterns needed to condense this Lei Chi.

"Hiss~"

The Candle Dragon opened its mouth and spat out a ray of grey light, which fell into the Lei Chi, forcefully driving the Mysterious Yin magic power to circulate and condense the corresponding divine prohibitions.

The Candle Dragon possessed both yin and yang transformations, and could wield Mysterious Yin magic power.

"Buzz~"

Under the combined efforts of the two great true forms, this somewhat blurry Lei Chi gradually became clear, its divine patterns flickering in and out of view, already taking rough shape.

"The Lei Chi stores thunder and transforms it into water, which has the effect of nourishing spirit plants. Perhaps I can condense several more different Lei Chi later—even if I don't plant a spirit field, I can still use them to water the Mysterious Vine Tree."

Li Yuan gently stroked the Mysterious Vine Tree, sensing the tremendous life force within its trunk.

He could feel the Thunder Pool's attraction to the Mysterious Vine Tree; in the cultivation of spirit plants, thunder was an indispensable element, and the metamorphosis of the vast majority of spirit plants could not be separated from the baptism of the Thunder Tribulation.

But Lei Fa Jie was violent; transforming it from Lei Chi into Lei Shui greatly reduced the danger.

"Whine~"

Sensing Li Yuan's will, the Mysterious Vine Tree swayed gently, as if in delight.

Li Yuan looked up.

The Mysterious Vine Tree still had not broken through the thousand-zhang limit, but it was far more luxuriant than before; thanks to the nourishment of countless demons, those eight purple flower buds had also undergone considerable changes.

One of them even showed signs of opening.

"Bloom, bear fruit, and afterward, I can raise a second Mysterious Vine Tree."

"The demons of Tian Mo Fa Jie are truly wondrous in their myriad uses!"

Li Yuan was very satisfied with this, and he slowly walked into the tree's shadows.

Within the shadows, the Yuan Shadow Pure Yang Tree was even more towering than the Mysterious Vine Tree; even though it was doing its utmost to contract its branches and leaves, it still stood several thousand zhang tall.

This Pure Yang Tree gathered the essence of a cultivator at the peak of Yi Zun Wu Jing; even though it had suffered considerable damage, its grade was still higher than that of the current Mysterious Vine Tree.

The reason the Mysterious Vine Tree could, year after year, ceaselessly devour the blood qi of various demons, was also related to the Yuan Shadow Tree.

Normally, the demons of Tian Mo Fa Jie also contained impurities; devouring too many would require refinement and washing, but the Yuan Shadow Pure Yang Tree absorbed all the filth and impurities entirely.

This tree was an extreme yin tree, and accepted any murky thing that came its way; not only was it unharmed, it actually had Zhi Gong in bolstering itself.

"Whoosh~"

Beneath the Pure Yang Tree, Ying Mo Shen sat cross-legged; ten thousand demonic shadows swirled around it, breathing in and out magic power, aiding it in cultivating the 'Great Sun Divine Ape Transformation.'

"Demonic shadows are also of considerable help in cultivating spells, but compared to devouring strange lands, it's far too slow."

Li Yuan assessed inwardly.

Ying Mo Shen's spell cultivation was not slow; with the aid of ten thousand demonic shadows and focusing on only one spell, its speed was only slightly slower than his own.

But compared to the terrifying progress of the previous exploration, it was hardly worth mentioning.

"The Sword God Tomb is far more precious than any strange land; this time, I must still focus on this tomb."

Li Yuan also sat cross-legged, sorting through the things he needed to do on this trip.

Going to the Sword God Tomb with Master Master Fufa, attending the gathering was the first priority.

Whether it was spirit treasures that stacked talent, or the wielding objects related to the Five Extremes Great Scripture, the star cores needed for the promotion of the Sovereign Weapon Record, or the divine patterns needed to cultivate the Origin Divine Fist—he needed them all.

The second, naturally, was the Sword God Tomb itself.

"Sending Ying Mo Shen into the Sword God Tomb is truly suitable; using demonic shadows as anchors, if I encounter any extremely rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, I can just cast the hook and reel them back!"

Li Yuan calculated inwardly.

He had originally intended to dispatch Ying Mo Shen into the Sword God Tomb; after discovering the correct usage of 'heavenly tribulation,' his thoughts became even more active.

In the previous half-li or so, he had tried using demonic shadows as anchors, casting the rod to fish.

The result was also as he had expected: only heavenly tribulation could accurately fish for objects; the randomness of the human tribulation rod was far too great, and it simply could not lock onto an anchor point.

"Heavenly tribulation charges can only be accumulated once in a hundred years; ordinary items aren't worth wasting charges on."

Li Yuan sensed the Human Tribulation Platform.

【Heavenly Tribulation Count: 10】

"Buzz~"

At this moment, Li Yuan heard a trembling hum, walked out of the tree's shadows, and found that the Mysterious Yin Lei Chi had already been successfully condensed.

With a 'hiss,' a demonic shadow sacrificed itself, transforming into a drop of Lei Shui that rolled within the pool.

"Can the remains of demons be transformed into Lei Shui?"

The thought arose in Li Yuan's mind; in the distance, the Nine Infants had already sensed it, its neck suddenly stretching for thousands of li, bringing back a large pile of demonic corpses—all left behind by third-realm demons.

"Hiss~"

Li Yuan tossed one in directly; the Lei Chi trembled violently, countless divine patterns circulating within, enveloping the demonic corpse like a net.

Before long, a corner of the demonic corpse melted, transforming into drops of black Lei Shui.

"The speed is too slow; the grade of this Lei Chi is too low. To accelerate refinement, we'll need to offer demon shadows as sacrifice…"

Li Yuan was not stingy either. One by one, demon shadows sank into the Lei Chi, and before long, the demon body completely melted, leaving a thin layer of Lei Shui spread across the bottom of the pool.

"During the Lei Chi's refinement of Lei Shui, there is also a slight enhancement, but the magnitude is less than that of the Fire Phoenix Furnace. After all, the Yin Thunder Lei Chi is not the finest grade Lei Chi."

Li Yuan sensed it carefully and was not particularly surprised.

Mount Mount Dongxuan was by no means lacking in thunder-type great scriptures, nor in various methods for condensing Lei Chi. In fact, among the Five Extremes Great Scripture there was also a method for condensing the 'Five Extremes Lei Chi,' but that required the simultaneous cultivation of all Five Extremes Great Scriptures.

And the Five Extremes Divine Thunder it nurtured not only possessed the power to shatter myriad dharma, but also the ability to strengthen the cultivation of the Five Extremes Great Scripture. In the future, he would certainly have to condense it as well.

"The Fire Phoenix Furnace can rest for now. First, devote full effort to condensing the Lei Chi and the Yin Divine Thunder—at the very least, I must condense one fifth-realm grade Yin Divine Thunder!"

Li Yuan's mind stirred, transmitting his will to the nine true forms.

The various fierce forms had been completed and condensed with metal-nature; what now urgently lacked the nourishment of slaughter qi was the 'Sun Nest' and the ten Golden Crows within it, but there was no rush for the moment.

As for the Fire Phoenix, the Solemn Qianshan Qilin, and the Candle Dragon, they did not receive the nourishment of slaughter qi.

"Condensing metal-nature is not urgent; it is not too late to accumulate magic power."

Li Yuan Tui Chu Shen Jing.

The great boat formed by the Nine-Smoke Gauze still cut through the darkness, its speed extremely fast.

"Hiss~"

When Li Yuan opened his eyes, he saw Master Master Fufa suddenly raise his hand. The Demon-Subduing Immortal-Slaying Sword before his knees trembled once and vanished without a trace; when it returned, a hundred-zhang-tall ape demon had appeared on the great boat.

"Senior brother?"

Li Yuan was startled in his heart, realizing that this demon resembling a violent ape was not an ape demon, but a Soul-Chasing Demon!

This was a demon found only in Tian Mo Fa Jie. According to the demon classification, it belonged to the mid-grade demons, and its realm had already reached the fifth realm.

"In years past, to reverse my Mu Mu Xiantian Dao Body, I slaughtered my way into Ru Tian Mo Fa Jie. Although I relied on the 'Hidden Spirit Talisman' bestowed by my master to deceive those Demon Lords and Demon Kings, I was still targeted by a demon."

Master Master Fufa wiped the Demon-Subduing Sword: "That demon is called Five Declines, already at Jin Ba Jing. If it were only that, I would not fear it either, but unfortunately the divine ability it cultivates is truly ferocious."

"Five Declines?"

Li Yuan's heart shook.

The Five Declines are: the decline of magic power, the decline of outward appearance, the decline of wisdom, the decline of comprehension, and the decline of dharma splendor.

He had once seen this in a certain scripture.

After one's lifespan ends, cultivators who lift the Dharma Heaven and retreat into the Opening Gui Xu will inevitably encounter this tribulation in some Dao tribulation. It is said to be extremely terrifying; even deities who touch it may perish on the spot.

Seeing his interest, Master Master Fufa went on to explain.

Tian Mo Da Fa Jie, its subordinate minor worlds far exceed those of any other great world, nurturing countless demons. Tian Mo Fa Jie is the holy land of these demons.

That Five Declines Daoist was a demon who had fought its way from a minor world into a great world, extraordinarily ferocious. It once used its nurtured great divine ability, the 'Five Declines of Heaven and Man,' to Ge Kong Zhou kill the 'Bone-Locking Bodhisattva.' Though it did not succeed, it still escaped the latter's furious killing strike!

"The Bone-Locking Temple is one of the six temples of Taihuang Heaven. In terms of realm cultivation, the Bone-Locking Bodhisattva is no inferior to Zhao Zhao Xuanyuan Bodhisattva, but being tainted by that Five Declines nearly rotted even his Golden Body and his very dao-field…"

Mentioning this demon, Master Master Fufa's expression also grew quite Solemn. After a moment's thought, he flicked a finger and tapped Li Yuan's brow:

"Back then, I once witnessed a fragment of it…"

"Hum~"

Li Yuan did not dodge or evade, allowing the finger to tap his brow. Immediately he heard a trembling hum, and the divine light before his eyes flared intensely; then various light-shadows began to flow.

In a daze, he seemed to have arrived at the depths of Opening Gui Xu.

He saw a magnificent, mysterious, sacred dao-field, as if formed by the convergence of Qun Xing.

Within that dao-field, temples stood in clusters, incense smoke poured like a waterfall, countless spirit beasts played and frolicked within. Bodhisattvas preached dharma, vajras guarded the Dao, and gandharvas attended.

From time to time, celestial flowers rained down, and Brahma sounds echoed.

And in a certain instant, that faceless bodhisattva seemed to sense something. As it raised its head, firelight sprang up in its gaze.

"Crack!"

The next instant, the light-shadows shattered.

But at the instant of shattering, Li Yuan's heart violently trembled. In that fleeting glance, that sacred dao-field seemed to suddenly be shrouded in a layer of black mist,

Within the black mist, it seemed as if time itself flowed away at ten million times the speed. Those bhikshus, monks, even the vajras and gandharvas, all instantly showed signs of old age, as if their lifespans were about to end!

"But those struck by this divine ability will have their magic power ceaselessly drain, their natal spirit treasures rot, their natal spirit plants wither, their thoughts unable to turn, their comprehension of dharma—even the Dao itself—slowly forgotten by themselves, until the Dao perishes and the spirit dies!"

Master Master Fufa spoke at the right moment.

"That ferocious?"

Li Yuan only felt a chill run down his spine, grateful that he had been steady enough. The demons in Tian Mo Fa Jie were truly far too brutal.

"Tian Mo Fa Jie has more than just fortune; it also has ferocious demons like that Five Declines Daoist. When junior brother cultivates the Demon-Subduing method in the future, you must also be extremely cautious."

Master Master Fufa admonished.

"Junior brother understands!"

Li Yuan nodded repeatedly.

"Among the myriad worlds of Opening Gui Xu, those more dangerous than Tian Mo Fa Jie can be counted on one hand."

Master Master Fufa said, pausing slightly:

"Junior brother, do you know why I am telling you all this?"

Li Yuan shook his head.

"Because of the Weitian Martial Display."

Master Master Fufa was not one to keep people in suspense: "What is the Martial Display? Why hold a Martial Display?"

"For no other reason than everything is for the sake of opening up Opening Gui Xu!"

Master Master Fufa was concise.

"Opening up Opening Gui Xu…"

Li Yuan was not surprised.

Over the years of listening through the Ling Yin, he had heard no shortage of the killing and strife between the alien dimensions and the Wei Tian Dao Sect—the grudge between the two sides could be traced back to the Primeval Era, and had never ceased.

Within the Ling Yin, it was not only Dao Sect disciples exploring the Opening Gui Xu; cultivators of the Ten Thousand Realms of Opening Gui Xu were also constantly exploring the present world.

"In past iterations of the Wei Tian Martial Exhibition, it was mostly chosen to be held in some alien dimension under the jurisdiction of the Nine Great Realms of Opening Gui Xu. For example, the last one was held in Yong Ye Fa Jie, and the one before that was 'Lan Lin Fa Jie'…"

Daoist Master Master Fufa glanced at him.

"So this time, the Wei Tian Martial Exhibition might be held in a small realm under the jurisdiction of Tian Mo Fa Jie?"