Chapter 689: I Will Defeat You
Darkness was like the abyss. It could not see the end nor the light. Shen Lian was like a fish, moving in the dark, not knowing how many reefs there were.
The Primeval Demon, the variety of reefs or rushing water, wanted to eliminate him. However, Shen Lian did not have any thoughts and was able to avoid those reefs. He went with the flow and did not receive any damage.
The darkness was his heart. His heart was also occupied by darkness but his consciousness could move forward into the unknown and sinister darkness without any damage. It was not easy and he was not proud of his accomplishment.
Soon, it appeared a Daoist Palace. Its plaque was written 'Yuxu Palace'. Shen Lian never saw these three words before but he understood the meaning.
Any living being would be able to recognize these three words.
Shen Lian was in trance and he entered the Yuxu Palace unconsciously. The Yuxu Palace was also a world by itself and had no relation with the outside world. Compared with Biyou Palace, Yuxu Palace was more of a real Daoist Palace. High, vast, unknowable and all kinds of Dao rhythm flowed like the interpretation of the Great Way or the source of the Great Way.
Shen Lian was full of reverence and affection.
There was a man sitting in the middle of the hall. All black but looked solemn. His grandeur was better than anyone he saw in his life except the Daoist Master Shangqing.
The power of the Daoist Master Shangqing could make him despair but the man in front of him did not even give him that thought. Seeing him, he felt that he had seen the end of the road and his learning was a joke all this while.
It did not mean that the man in front of him was greater than Daoist Master Shangqing, but there was a huge difference between the man and the Daoist Master Shangqing.
As he opened his eyes, it seemed like the Formless Mass Before Creation had a breakout. The beginning of everything seemed to start in his eyes.
Shen Lian stared at him and later smiled, "Although you imitated Daoist Master Yuqing, you were still not Daoist Master Yuqing. You were merely the Primeval Demon."
"How did you notice," asked the man.
Shen Lian answered, "You did not have any leakage. However, if you were not him, you never be him no matter how much you tried to imitate."
The Primeval Demon responded, "You were right. No matter how much I learned I would not be the Daoist Master Yuqing, the Primeval Lord of Heaven. However, why he could detach but I was immersed?"
Shen Lian sighed and said, "I do not know as I was not the Daoist Master."
The Primeval Demon asked, "Do you want to be a Daoist Master?"
"I even dreamt about it," Shen Lian gazed at the Primeval Demon openly. That was his inner desire. He could not hide the fact even though he tried to bluff. Hence, there was no need to lie.
The Primeval Demon suggested, "I can help you."
Shen Lian rejected, "You can't help me."
The Primeval Demon questioned, "How do you know if I can't be of your assistance?"
Shen Lian explained, "Although I am not a Daoist Master, I know that this path needs to be traveled by myself."
The Primeval Demon commented, "Your words were too certain."
Shen Lian said, "The Daoist Master is certain."
The Primeval Demon stated, "You were better than I imagined. I thought I could reborn into the human realm after eating you. I did not want to be the Daoist Master but longed for the living world."
Seriously, Shen Lian answered, "I will defeat you."
The Primeval Demon scoffed, "Do you know how ridiculous you are now? Do not forget that I may not be the Daoist Master but I am the evil thoughts of the Daoist Master Yuqing."
Shen Lian lightly replied, "If you are the Daoist Master Yuqing, I have no chance to resist. However, you are not."
Shen Lian's body flowed out clear qi. It was the purest Daoist thought and it was his fundamental.
The Primeval Demon rose and with just a step, he stood in front of Shen Lian. Although he was only a wisp of demon thought, he had the essence of the Daoist Master. Hence, he had the inextinguishable characteristics. That was also the reason Shen Lian did not refine him.
As Shen Lian did not refine him, he had to defeat him.
This was hard. It was almost impossible.
The Primeval Demon had entangled with Shen Lian. This was the confrontation of the natural instincts. There was nothing to rely on, only oneself.
Shen Lian needed to overcome this demon thought with his heart of Dao. If he failed, Shen Lian would not exist. He was firm in this actions but he did not show it. Right until the confrontation, he was still very calm.
He had made it to a state of no fear and no worries.
In his heart, this matter was no different from eating and drinking.
The demonic Qi surrounded Shen Lian's instinct. The clear qi seemed fragile among the demonic Qi.
Countless evil and strange monsters emerged and fed on Shen Lian's instinct.
Shen Lian sat down, like the Buddha who sat below the Bodhi tree and allowed ten thousands of demons to harass him. If he had a sense of fear, it would be magnified. If he had a sense of anger, he would not be able to control himself.
The only thing he could do was to stay calm and accept the torture.
This was a dreaded test. It was testing the patience of the Primeval Demon and him.
If Shen Lian lost, it meant that his cultivation was not on par. Although he had the divine thought outside the Biyou Palace, it would disappear if he lost.
Shen Lian could feel the confrontation from the temple. However, he isolated that feeling. Hence, the result was not determinable from the body form. He had to do what he had to do.
Ah Lian took out the lotus lamp. The lamplight seemed to be able to penetrate through the darkness.
Shen Lian studied the lamp. It had received too many incenses that it could absorb. Therefore, remaining incense was accumulated to become lamp oil. The lamp oil was as clear as the water and it was not oily. It even had a hint of light fragrance. If the mortal smelled this, their wisdom would increase; if they studied, they could grasp the meaning easily; if they started a business, they could make a sound decision.
On top of that, the greatest advantage was during cultivation. If they had this, it would be easier to learn any Dao techniques or supernatural powers.
He said gently, "With this lamp, it would be able to subdue the monster. However, it needed a trigger to facilitate the full force."
Ah Lian asked, "What is the trigger?"
Shen Lian replied, "Noble Qi."
Noble Qi was the righteousness. Shen Lian had come across many people but there were only two persons with this trait. One was Lu Shouyi but he had passed away. The other one was Song Qingyi.
Noble Qi could not be obtained through cultivation. It was related to one's natural instinct.
A righteous person may not be very capable but they are noble. It would be reassuring to make friends with such a person.
Song Qingyi was one of Shen Lian's few friends.
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