Chapter 101

"Pfft!"

Shen Qingli, who had just spat out a mouthful of blood, immediately sat cross-legged to regulate her breath.

The scorching sensation, however, pierced her meridians in an instant, domineeringly seeking to expel the demonic qi within her.

Shen Qingli nearly had her meridians severed, but that scorching intent weakened in an instant, crawling within her body, as if it were also quite regretful.

Shen Qingli, unable to grasp the situation, dared not act rashly; instead, she used the Immortal-Demon Transformation to convert all the demonic qi within her into immortal cultivation power, and only then did the scorching sensation dissipate.

At the same time, Shen Kuo, sensing her injury, had already sent her a gentle healing power to help her mend her dry-and-cracked meridians.

As for Shen Qinghuang, who could not help, he had already stationed guards at the small courtyard, and he himself stood on high ground, vigilantly watching the movements of all sides.

However, at this moment everyone was prostrating themselves in worship of Hunyuan Peak, and hardly anyone noticed anything amiss with Shen Qingli's side.

"We, greet the divine envoy."

The sincere greeting did not draw special attention from the Vermilion Bird phantom.

It had already dissipated atop Hunyuan Peak, lying dormant back within that scroll of vermilion.

However, the people still bowing had not yet risen; they remained kneeling, trembling with fear.

"Vermilion Bird deity statue!"

"That is the Vermilion Bird deity!"

Everyone's hearts were still shouting.

After all, those born after that ten-thousand-year juncture have never seen the legendary divine emperor!

Although the records within Sheng Long Tian contain few concrete descriptions of the divine realm, most people are actually not familiar with it, but the Vermilion Bird deity is different!

They are known to all, clearly recorded in the texts, capable of dispelling evil and protecting the righteous, with unmatched combat power as the southern emperor deity of the divine realm.

After a while…

Only then did the people recover their senses.

What followed was the excitement of seeing the deity statue!

"The notice sent from the Hunyuan Sect is actually true."

"The divine realm's envoy has descended to the lower world!"

"We cultivators can now achieve divine transformation and ascend again!"

It is this last statement that most excites all cultivators.

Most of them had quickly sent reports to their respective forces, also giving their respective ancestors a dose of heartening stimulant.

Many old monsters were even already on the road, personally rushing to Hunyuan Peak!

Ten thousand years have passed.

Over the past ten thousand years, countless peak mystic sages have died because they could not achieve divine transformation and ascend.

You should know that even if one cultivates to the level of mystic sage, without divine transformation, their lifespan will eventually end.

Most mystic sages can live only a thousand years; the existing ten-thousand-year-old monsters are all those with special opportunities.

Ascension, to them, means continuing life!

But these are irrelevant to Shen Qinghuang and Shen Kuo at this moment! They are both worried about Shen Qingli—how did she vomit blood as soon as the Vermilion Bird deity statue appeared?

Could it be…

Shen Qinghuang gazed toward Hunyuan Peak, his eyes dim.

If Shen Kuo had not shouted 'A Li,' he might have done something gravely rebellious.

Shen Qinghuang turned around, saw that Shen Qingli had already opened her eyes, and immediately jumped down to ask, 'How are you?'

'I'm fine.' Shen Qingli's expression was quite strange.

'Then why this expression?'

'A bit strange.'

Shen Qingli felt that the scorching force that had wounded her seemed not to be a wound after all.

'My cultivation seems to have increased?'

Shen Qingli sensed her realm had risen from early-stage Profound Sect to peak Profound Sect?

This increase is so fast…

You should know that she currently cultivates three meridians simultaneously, her dantian and meridians being rather special, making advancement actually quite difficult.

According to convention, one usually needs a great opportunity, or else she herself must gain a new insight into the Immortal-Demon Transformation, with the method's advancement driving her cultivation forward.

'Indeed it has increased.' Shen Kuo also noticed, 'Your meridians' toughness seems to have grown a bit?'

'Indeed.' This is Shen Qingli's strange point, 'How strange.'

She probably just offended the 'other party,' belonging to being caught while spying.

She had thought she was being punished, yet it feels like she was being rewarded.

'And there's this.'

Shen Qingli activated that crawling scorching force.

Her fingertips instantly sparked a tiny flame.

'This is…'

Shen Qinghuang felt a bit of pressure.

Shen Kuo is more sensitive; he feels, 'It seems similar to the aura of the Vermilion Bird deity statue just now?'

'Just now, this thread of force entered my body; it's not— it seems like I have recovered this force within myself.'

Shen Qingli couldn't say; she herself hadn't even noticed that, when she evoked that tiny flame, a faint light hid at her forehead.

Because it hid too quickly, Shen Kuo and Shen Qinghuang also failed to notice, after all their attention was on that small cluster of flame.

'A good thing?' Shen Qinghuang mused, 'At least it's not a bad thing?'

Shen Qingli said it was not good, because this power gave her a feeling of extreme hatred for demonic qi.

Just now she almost fought her demonic qi to the death, which was truly fierce.

But her cultivation method must be immortal-demon dual cultivation, using the mutually grinding force of the two advancing side by side to temper her body and transform it into Hongmeng Purple Qi.

Put simply, she produces her own Hongmeng Purple Qi; after all, there is hardly any Hongmeng Purple Qi within the Sheng Long Tian realm, so she is self-sufficient.

This newly arrived power "hates demons as enemies"; what should she do about her main cultivation of immortal-demon transformation?

"Let's make do for now."

Shen Qingli couldn't think of a good solution for now, planning to ask her master when she gets the chance.

"I feel this power is quite strong; with you, it becomes a good match."

Shen Qinghuang expressed envy; anyway, the little sister looks fine.

"It's quite strong."

Shen Qingli watched the small flame, slowly retracting it.

Maybe this is an aid to her alchemy.

"I'll read a book for a while."

"Go ahead."

"Tell me when the senior sisters arrive."

"Okay." Shen Kuo cautioned, "Don't overwork yourself; take a rest."

"Young Uncle is right; our Changshui Shen clan doesn't rely on alchemy for a living, so winning or losing doesn't matter."

After saying that, Shen Qinghuang regretted it and quickly corrected himself: "No! Winning or losing is very important to me; I've bet all my capital on you, little sister, winning! You must win!"

Shen Qingli was somewhat at a loss for words, saying, "Can I say I've hardly ever practiced alchemy?"

"Huh?" Shen Qinghuang's face fell, "No way, did Young Uncle bet on you to win? And that much!"

Shen Qingli didn't know what to say, so she could only close the door and carefully read the Divine Medicine Classic given by the Medicine Valley Master.

Moreover, she actually understood it this time!

It's as if that wisp of power just now is the "key" to reading this classic.

"Strange, I recognized these divine characters before, but I couldn't understand what they meant when combined. Now looking at them, it's as if my Ren and Du meridians have suddenly been opened, and I can understand everything."

Shen Qingli held her forehead, unable to figure it out, and instinctively pinched the Nine Black sleeping in her arms like a piglet, "Black Black, wake up."

"Hah~" Nine Black rolled over, "Sleepy~"

Shen Qingli shook it again, but still couldn't wake it, so she gave up.

But if she looked in a mirror, she would find that her forehead again had a faint glow floating.

Faintly, it seemed to be the shape of a Vermilion Bird……