Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 458: Chapter 307: 3 Flowers Gather at the Crown, Deities Consume Qi and Do Not Die (Part 2)

Yi Beidou also remarked with some awe.

A Saint Expert has a will of steel and True Intent that pervades their entire body. They can control their body down to the finest detail, even using their True Intent to alter their physique and forge a Dharma Body. But to say that every single one of their cells could think for itself and react even when separated from the body... even to a Saint Expert, that would sound like a fairy tale.

And this was precisely the first powerful characteristic of Earth Immortal Cells.

This small clump of flesh and blood, if stimulated by danger, could probably slaughter a hundred fully-armed soldiers.

It was hard to imagine just how powerful a truly complete Earth Immortal was.

"Perhaps this is also why some Ancient Ones, despite acquiring a large number of Earth Immortal Cells over the long years, still can’t break through the limits of the human body. The Earth Immortal Cells they obtained weren’t complete. Instead, they were a mishmash of remains from different Earth Immortal individuals. The True Intent contained within the cells varied, and although the Ancient Ones forcibly devoured and performed Refinement on them, their essence could never be perfectly integrated."

"What do you guys think? If we could get our hands on a relatively complete Earth Immortal physique and devour it whole, could we directly break the limit, supplant it, and achieve the Earth Immortal Realm?"

Zhou Qingchen suddenly voiced a whimsical thought.

"I’m afraid even if such an Earth Immortal physique existed, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to devour it. Even if it was just half a body, the self-defense instincts demonstrated by the Earth Immortal Flesh and Blood would likely be stronger than any opponent we’ve ever faced."

Ding Huiyuan said, shaking his head.

The group discussed the characteristic of the "Hidden God in the flesh" for a while longer before preparing for the next phase of testing.

"How about we test its durability?"

Huang Tianhu suggested.

"We won’t destroy it in one go, will we?"

Zhou Qingchen asked, a skeptical look in his eyes.

This clump of flesh was crystalline and jade-like. It looked soft and limp, not like something with strong defenses.

Besides, Earth Immortal Cells only granted Longevity, not immortality. They had all just seen it. From the moment Destruction Heaven flung out this clump of flesh to when Yi Beidou fully subdued it, nearly half of its mass had been depleted.

"Let’s give it a try," Yi Beidou said. He retracted his Demon Flame. Without the stimulus of his hostility, the jade-like glow and various phenomena on the Earth Immortal Flesh and Blood dissipated on their own, returning it to a calm state.

But the next moment...

CRACK!!

A ring of air suddenly exploded as Yi Beidou’s fan-like palm slammed down, striking the clump of Earth Immortal Flesh and Blood.

He hadn’t used his full strength in the strike, worried he might actually smash the thing to pieces with one blow.

BOOM!!

But even with him holding back, the entire ground shuddered, and dust billowed up, filling the surrounding area.

BANG!!

Huang Tianhu swept his palm, and a wave of Qi cleared away the dust and smoke.

Beneath Yi Beidou’s hand, spiderweb-like cracks had appeared on the ground. He slowly lifted his palm, and the others saw that the clump of flesh had undergone a strange transformation.

Its overall volume had shrunk as if it had undergone some kind of compression. It no longer looked like translucent, reddish, jade-like flesh but had taken on a deeper, richer jade quality.

Then, as Yi Beidou continued to lift his hand, the compressed jade-like mass relaxed, returning to its previous fleshy appearance.

Compared to before, its volume was unchanged, and it showed no signs of damage.

"Jadification?"

Huang Tianhu murmured.

"Don’t you guys think it’s actually more like some kind of ossification? Jade bone? There’s something I’m confused about. The Ancient Ones seem to have used Earth Immortal Cells to form organs with different functions. But they collected the remains of various Earth Immortal individuals. Those remains couldn’t have all been from the same body parts, could they?"

"In the human body, bone cells, muscle cells, cardiac cells, organ cells, and so on all have clear classifications and different properties. They’re difficult to make compatible with one another. Some cells can’t even regrow after they die. This is a key shackle that limits the development and shaping of the human body."

"But Earth Immortal Cells don’t seem to work that way. They seem to be universal and transmutable. They can be muscle cells or heart cells. They can become flesh, bone, nerves, or internal organs. It’s simply unheard of."

Ding Huiyuan said in a low voice.

The others immediately understood the meaning behind his words.

Even a Saint Expert, who uses True Intent to modify their body and achieve a Dharma Body, cannot escape the confines of being human. They can’t completely change a fundamental function of the human body, only modify it to a certain extent.

But Earth Immortal Cells were different. If all the cells in the body were universal and interchangeable, it meant an Earth Immortal could modify their body to the greatest possible extent, and their physique would have virtually no obvious weaknesses.

For example, internal organs and the brain are weak points in the human body, and even Saint Experts are no exception. The cells in these areas are difficult or even impossible to repair, and any problems with them can have severe consequences.

But Earth Immortals were different. The cells throughout their bodies could be converted at will. A damaged heart, or even a necrotic brain, could be restored.

"Three Heads and Six Arms, the Seventy-Two Transformations?"

Zhou Qingchen couldn’t help but say.

Three Heads and Six Arms was an ancient legend, but if a real Earth Immortal existed, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to transform their body into such a form.

Take the Ancient Ones who had condensed an Immortal Soul, for example. Their Immortal Soul acted as an extra organ, which already showed similar characteristics. A true Earth Immortal would only be stronger than them.

It was a Divine Power that humans couldn’t even begin to imagine.

The legendary Seventy-Two Transformations might even be possible for an Earth Immortal.

It could be said that such a life form was fundamentally different from a human.

"If that’s true, an Earth Immortal’s body is practically immortal. This piece of flesh doesn’t seem to have regenerative properties, but a complete Earth Immortal certainly would. How would you kill something with that kind of regenerative ability?"

Huang Tianhu couldn’t help but ask.

"That’s beyond our current understanding. Perhaps by attacking them on a spiritual level?"

Ding Huiyuan guessed.

"Let’s continue the tests. I want to see where this thing’s limit is. Everyone, please step back."

Yi Beidou said.

The others nodded and all retreated into the distance.

BOOM!!

Yi Beidou activated Celestial Demon Dissolution, instantly boosting his power to the Sixth Layer of Reverse Chaos, and once again slammed his palm down on the clump of flesh.

The ground boomed and trembled violently, but when he lifted his hand, the jade-like, ossified flesh was still completely unharmed.

Seventh Layer of Reverse Chaos.

Eighth Layer of Reverse Chaos.

The entire building was rumbling and shaking, with large chunks of the walls crumbling away.

At this very moment, outside the building, local official troops from Jun City were stationed. They didn’t dare get close, only observing from a great distance, their hearts pounding in their chests at the commotion.

’What in the world are these Donghua People trying to do?!’

Empowered by the Eighth Layer of Reverse Chaos, Yi Beidou’s attacks could dent the armor plating of a tank, but the clump of flesh remained completely unscathed.

’Yi Beidou already had a good idea. To physically damage this clump of flesh, he would likely need to use his Perfect State, at the very least.’

’With this level of durability, even humanity’s most powerful thermal weapons would probably have no chance of harming its body without a direct hit.’

’But getting a direct hit on such an existence? How could that be easy?’

’Its terrifying magnetic field would cause all remote targeting systems to fail. As for a close-range, manual deployment?’

’Just entering a one-kilometer, or even a multi-kilometer, radius of such a being would require even a Saint Expert to risk their life.’

’It was simply terrifying. A body of flesh and blood, yet even stronger than steel.’

"This level of durability... and it was achieved without a primary consciousness controlling it, operating purely on instinctual counter-attacks. This is just..."

Huang Tianhu was at a loss for words.

The easiest way to destroy these Earth Immortal Cells would probably be to perform Refinement on them, then manipulate them into self-stimulating and, consequently, self-destructing.

"Actually, there’s something I wonder if you’ve all noticed. This clump of flesh, after these few rounds of exertion, shows no signs of its power diminishing at all."

"Living beings need to eat to replenish energy, but this flesh has no digestive system to supply it. It has existed for such a long time, so where does it get the energy it needs?"

Yi Beidou said in a low voice, the Demon Flame on his body receding.

"The Hidden God in the flesh—that is the power of ’God.’ Three Heads and Six Arms, the Seventy-Two Transformations—that is the power of ’Essence.’ And needing no food yet retaining its initial energy—that must be the power of what’s called ’Qi.’"

"Ancient texts say, ’Qi Eater Immortal.’ When Essence, Qi, and Spirit are perfected, it leads to the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, the realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal. It seems that the so-called Earth Immortals are beings who have broken the limits in all three of these aspects."

Zhou Qingchen said.