Chapter 159 - Slaying Demons in the Night!
Within the Dawn Pavilion of the Chen Heavenly Mansion, Yun Xiao had retreated into the guesthouse.
"You didn't bow and he still spared you?" Blue Star asked anxiously.
"Yup, he didn't do a thing." Yun Xiao replied with an icy stare. "He simply sipped his tea and gazed at the landscape outside."
"That Peacock's got some nerve, huh?" Blue Star quipped with a smirk.
"He's really strong," Yun Xiao admitted. His body double Moon Fairy had been immobilized, unable to lift even a finger.
"With 108 Demon Saints, the Demon Continent really does have a lot of strong demons, It's overwhelming!" Yun Xiao could feel the immense pressure bearing down on Chen Xi. She had to stand against these demons, and back in the Immortal Empire, there were treacherous factions like the Ye Royal Family and the Grand Temple waiting to stab her in the back. The last thing she wanted was enemies on all fronts.
Suddenly, Blue Star gagged, spewing forth a dark crystal bead.
"What's this?" Yun Xiao queried, catching it.
"A higher quality Heaven Dao Sarira! With your advanced cultivation and the Nine Dragons Dantian, the magic power you require for each advancement is enormous. The previous tiny pills are of no use now," Blue Star explained.
"Why not keep barfing them out then?" Yun Xiao retorted.
"That's it, just this one," Blue Star responded.
"Seriously?" Yun Xiao gripped their neck, "That was over 400 Million Spirit Stones, along with a bunch of Sovereign Dragon Pills and Immortal Meridian Pills! You've devoured them all, and this is all you produce? How much did you siphon off on the side? Even a corrupt official wouldn’t be as greedy as you!"
"Cut the crap!" Blue Star shot back, rolling its eyes. "With so many powerful beings in the Heavenly Realm, many of whom could obliterate you in an instant, shouldn't I learn from Ye Xingchen's lesson and provide you with full-fledged protection, boosting your base power? As long as you're alive, becoming awesome is just a matter of time."
"So, admit it! How much did you skim off the top?" Yun Xiao grumbled, still feeling the pinch.
"Somewhere between seventy and eighty percent," Blue Star admitted with a mischievous grin.
"So that's eighty percent! Damn it!"
Betting his entire fortune only to end up with a slightly superior Heavenly Dao Sarira? Yun Xiao did still possess a few Wind Fire Tribulation Pills. However, those were specifically for triggering and withstanding wind fire tribulation—a special type of pill and not of much use at the moment.
"You ought to be grateful," Blue Star scoffed. "This single black relic is sufficient for you to open your Immortal Meridians."
"Dammit! I'm broke and feeling vulnerable here!" Yun Xiao paused, gazing at the dark Heavenly Dao Sarira in his hand. "Are you certain just one will do?"
"Of course. I've spewed more nonsense than you've ever heard. Trust me," Blue Star chuckled.
Yun Xiao just sighed. A true hero fears not the sight of poverty. Without further ado, given his current low-ranking status in the Heavenly Realm and the associated pressures, he immediately swallowed the dark Heavenly Dao Sarira. Now, he was going to open his Immortal Meridians!
"Typically, when one opens their Immortal Meridians, they use the magic power from their Dantian, pushing through their entire body in five stages, unblocking one layer at each step. The magic power refines the meridians, transforming them into Immortal Meridians. This increases the capacity for magic power, allowing the Dantian and Immortal Meridians to operate in a cycle. This in turn lets them channel even more magic power."
However, Yun Xiao had seized the Nine Heavens Star Meridians from Ye Xingchen. This unique Seed of Creation was akin to celestial rivers, connected directly to the Nine Dragons Dantian, surging throughout his body. It bypassed the need to craft regular Immortal Meridians, requiring only a push with magic power.
As the dark Heavenly Dao Sarira dissolved, the primordial essence within began to circulate.
"This pill is potent!" Instantly, Yun Xiao recognized that the upgraded Heavenly Dao Sarira contained power compressed to its extreme. As it entered his Dantian and transformed into primordial void dragons, its force erupted in a flash, filling up his Dantian before exerting pressure to burst out in all directions.
"This upgraded Heavenly Dao Sarira is indeed perfect for opening my Immortal Meridians," Yun Xiao mused. With a sudden surge, the power of the dark bead blasted into the Nine Heavens Star Meridians, instantly unlocking the early stage of the Immortal Meridian Realm.
"I've entered the Early Immortal Meridian Realm!" Yun Xiao declared, suddenly standing upright. The dense magic power circulated seamlessly between his Nine Dragons Dantian and the Nine Heavens Star Meridians.
"Once the meridians are fully integrated, the speed and lethality of my Flying Sword should soar." After learning the essence of daoist spells, Yun Xiao had come to understand the distinctions between dao and sword techniques. While daoist spells boasted widespread attacks, diverse support, and a myriad of functionalities that often defied belief, it was even more potent when paired with a magic treasure. These top-notch treasures, once forged, could match the hardness of a Sword Soul.
"However, the property of Sword Soul sword techniques are irreplaceable for three reasons: its instantaneous killing ability, close combat proficiency, and mobility while riding the sword!"
A combination of daoist spells and sword techniques would undeniably yield superior results. With this realization, Yun Xiao's eyes sparkled with determination as he looked over in the direction of the Sword Dao Monument. "Now that I've got the Elemental Scripture, next comes Humanity's Supreme Sword!"
With Chen Xi engrossed in her private chambers cultivating, Yun Xiao, ever so stealthily, boarded his Sovereign Sword and flew off into the dark night, heading towards the Sword Dao Monument.
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Under the cover of night, shadowy figures lurked. The endless mist of the Heavenly Realm limited the vision of its cultivators, allowing them to see only a short distance around them. In corners where light couldn't reach, the darkness thrived.
A woman in a long dress hurriedly moved through this gloom. Panic etched across her face, her screams and shouts went unheard, as though swallowed by the engulfing silence. A sinister shadow streaked overhead, blacker than the night itself.
"Help me...!" The woman's cry barely escaped her lips when the shadow pounced. Its sharp talons gripped her shoulder blades, and its furry wings enveloped her face, obscuring her vision and silencing her screams. A grotesque, dark bat stood before her.
"Quiet now," it hissed with an unsettling, almost human grin. Dragging the bloodied woman, it retreated into the alley's embracing shadows.
The woman flailed desperately, her fingers scraping bloody trails on the ground, yet not a sound passed her lips. Despair and agony washed over her.
"There, there, my dear." The bat chuckled, baring its pointed fangs, ready to sink them into her pristine neck.
"Hel..." The woman's legs trembled.
WHOOSH! Suddenly, a crimson sword emerged from the shadows, piercing straight through the bat's head. Stunned, its gleam dulled. The bat's lifeless body was swiftly removed from atop the woman.
Gulping fresh air, her face pale and tear-streaked, the woman looked up, searching for her savior amidst the darkness. It took a moment for her to realize that she had been saved. When she turned back, the darkness behind her revealed nothing.
"Wretched demons running wild! People can hardly make a living!" The woman cried bitterly, clambering to her feet and stumbling her way home.
Several streets over, a slender figure clad in black, with a crimson sword in hand, pierced a bat's corpse. She dug the blade into its spine and absorbed its demon essence. Once done, she employed the Soul Ignition Art, turning the demon into a Blood Crystal and storing it in a Pouch of Holding.
In the night, the mysterious woman, draped in tight-fitting black clothes, moved gracefully, leaving neither a shadow nor trace. Her crimson sword left only death, with no blood to mark its path.
Having stored away the Blood Crystal, an old, hunched figure appeared at the corner of the street. The woman approached him, whispering, "Sword Saint."
"You Yue, how many have you dealt with?" The elderly figure, eyes reflecting a hint of red in the pitch-black night, asked with a raspy voice.
"1,003," You Yue replied. She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "And you, Sword Saint?"
The old man's eyes flashed with a tinge of sadness, "Been at it all day. A little over 13,000."
"That many?" You Yue paused, admiration evident in her eyes. "Truly worthy of a Sword Saint."
The old man shook his head with a sigh. "It's no honor. It only signifies that with the opening of the Heavenly Realm today, at least several million of these demons from the Demon Continent have infiltrated this place."
"What is the Divine Dawn Empress planning?" You Yue knew that all these events were triggered by that unparalleled young girl.
"We shouldn't doubt her," the old man replied, looking down. "She's only been in power for a few years. The state of humanity isn't her doing... At the very least, she wants to change it. Just for that intent alone, ever since ancient times, who among those in power, like Ye Muhao, dared to confront the Demon Continent? To achieve greatness, pain is inevitable. In this world, is there ever a perfect solution? So, the only thing we can do is support her. In these forsaken, dark corners, we can at least alleviate some of the world's pain."
"Indeed." You Yue nodded.
Together, they gazed upon the Heavenly Realm below, a world shrouded in darkness where spectral figures roamed freely.
The old man gritted his teeth, fire burning in his eyes. "This so-called peace treaty? It's nothing but the legal means of the mighty to oppress the weak. And if you dare defy it? They label you a warmonger, history's greatest villain!" There was a deep resentment in the old man's heart.
"Ever since the ancient Sword Realm was obliterated, generation after generation has hidden behind this peace treaty, like frightened turtles. Little do they realize that our world has been riddled with scars and wounds. Yet, in the Heavenly Realm, prosperity reigns, where they dance with the demons as if brothers. It's nothing short of mockery!" You Yue murmured.
Such occurrences weren't just limited to the Sword Realm; they were rampant everywhere in the Divine Continent. The Heavenly Realm was the epitome of it all.
"The people are suffering!" the old man lamented, bowing his head.
"But there's hope in Divine Dawn... She will change all this," You Yue said, hope shimmering in her eyes.
"Ah, not just her. There's also that young man. Today, in the Grand Temple, he mastered the Elemental Scripture in mere moments. Have you heard?" the old man asked.
"I have." You Yue nodded.
"Shielded by the Supreme Marshal of the Chen Heavenly Mansion, the lad's undoubtedly faring better than us. I just hope the Marshal has the mettle to protect him," the old man remarked.
"Yun Xiao, he's a good boy." You Yue concurred with a nod.
At this point, their eyes met.
"Let's press on." With that, the old man drifted into the darkness, leaving a trail of sword energy that danced devilishly behind him.
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The fog was thick and black as ink.
"Damn! There are demons everywhere!" As Yun Xiao fought his way through, his Sword Aura increased by three whole layers. Now it was at 184 layers. One should know that for him, enhancing his Sword Aura wasn't an easy task; ordinary demons barely made a dent.
"I'm in a pretty remote part of the Heavenly Realm. Just how rampant are the demons in these parts?" No wonder, when he had first arrived in the Heavenly Realm, the Nine Heavens Immortal Army was gearing up for a fight. Were these really esteemed guests? More like bandits gatecrashing a party!
"Blasted demons! If they're this audacious in the Heavenly Realm, I can't imagine how bad it is in the lower realms!"
Places like the thousand mortal nations in the Sword Realm were playgrounds for these demons, where they wreaked havoc and tormented humans. What on earth had the human world come to?
"Here in the Heavenly Realm, it's like the people are blind to the world below," Yun Xiao muttered. From here, the mortal world seemed like a very distant place. Yet, it was a mere day's journey aboard a divine vessel. "Is the distance truly vast, or do they simply choose to turn a blind eye?"
With anger burning in his heart, Yun Xiao reached his destination for the night. Looking up, he saw the towering Sword Dao Monument. A billion sword scars crisscrossed its surface, each one dripping with fresh blood. They sparkled ominously in the night, like stars lost in a sea of darkness.
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