Chapter 113: True Dragon Energy, Dao Body Demonic Seed
Shi Hao said solemnly, “I recall the Yang Dynasty only lasted two generations.”
Su Mei, swinging her legs, chuckled from the other side, “That’s right. We, the Evil Lotus Sect, and the Taisu Immortal Pavilion, destroyed it together.”
Shi Hao was stunned, “But…”
Su Mei said, “The Taisu Immortal Pavilion summoned the True Dragon, creating a dragon vein, hoping to ensure the Yang Dynasty’s long-term prosperity. But destiny is fickle.
“The second emperor of the Yang Dynasty, Emperor Yang, wasn’t the original crown prince. To seize the throne, he secretly became the disciple of a demonic cultivator. He was cunning and patient, hiding his true nature until he became emperor. By then, protected by the dragon vein, blessed by destiny, haha, the Taisu Immortal Pavilion’s immortals had shot themselves in the foot.”
Ye Zi Yin said calmly, “Destiny is unpredictable. The Taisu Immortal Pavilion’s ancestors simply did their best. Undeniably, the Yang Dynasty ended a century of war and brought a period of peace and prosperity.
“And even with Emperor Yang’s tyranny, the ensuing chaos didn’t last long.”
Shi Hao looked at Su Mei, puzzled, “If Emperor Yang was a demonic cultivator, why did the Evil Lotus Sect join forces with the Taisu Immortal Pavilion to overthrow him?”
Before Su Mei could answer, Ye Zi Yin sneered, “Infighting among the demonic sects is often more brutal than the conflict between Daoism and the demonic path. Although Emperor Yang was a demonic cultivator, he wasn’t from the Evil Lotus Sect. How could they tolerate that?
“And because he rose to power with the help of a demonic sect, he was wary of them. His first act as emperor was to try and eradicate them.”
Shi Hao thought about it. It made sense.
Su Mei rolled her eyes, ignoring Ye Zi Yin’s sarcasm, and looked at Shi Hao, “The sect that helped Emperor Yang seize the throne was the Yin Emperor Sect, a secretive and ancient demonic sect. But after becoming emperor, he betrayed them, destroying the Yin Emperor Sect and persecuting all demonic sects.
“Since he targeted the demonic sects, they naturally retaliated. Demonic techniques are unpredictable, and even with the dragon vein’s protection, Emperor Yang was afraid. Having received the Yin Emperor Sect’s teachings, he trusted no one but himself. But as emperor, he didn’t have much time for cultivation. So, to increase his power, he performed a dangerous demonic ritual, forcibly advancing several ranks, becoming one of the most powerful demonic cultivators.”
Shi Hao said thoughtfully, “Wouldn’t that lead to demonic affliction?”
Su Mei said, “Exactly! Emperor Yang’s forced advancement corrupted his soul, changing his personality. Although he had been ruthless before, he was also intelligent and patient. But after succumbing to demonic influence, he became arrogant, tyrannical, and cruel. The more corrupted he became, the more he harmed the world.”
She smiled, “Although it seems hypocritical for us, a demonic sect, to criticize such behavior, we value profit. If we controlled the world, we would want peace and prosperity to maximize our gains. But demons are different. They don’t care about the mortal world.”
“Emperor Yang’s corruption led to chaos and suffering, and because of those self-righteous ‘immortals’ meddling with destiny and summoning the True Dragon, both the Daoist and demonic sects, and even the entire world, were in grave danger.
“At that critical moment, our Evil Lotus Sect and the Taisu Immortal Pavilion were forced to join forces, our only cooperation in history. Together, we severed the dragon vein, ending the Yang Dynasty’s reign, and killed Emperor Yang.”
Ye Zi Yin said calmly, “After Emperor Yang’s death, the Taisu Immortal Pavilion and the Evil Lotus Sect naturally became enemies again. And although most of the True Dragon’s energy dissipated when the dragon vein was severed, a portion remained, sealed beneath Dragon Head Mountain. This was a secret known only to our two sects.
“We fought over it, but both sides had suffered losses in the conflict with Emperor Yang and couldn’t afford another major war. And the remaining True Dragon energy wasn’t enough to create a new dragon vein. Our priority was establishing our influence in the ensuing chaos.
“So, we both kept the secret of the True Dragon energy hidden beneath Dragon Head Mountain. And we both knew that if one side tried to use it, the other could easily dispel it. So, it remained sealed there.”
“But now, after three hundred years, the secret has likely been leaked, attracting the attention of the Ancestral Altar and the Ghost Extreme Sect.”
Shi Hao exhaled slowly. The situation was more complicated than he had imagined.
And it had all started with the Taisu Immortal Pavilion’s “mistake” three hundred years ago.
Everyone knew the Taisu Immortal Pavilion had played a role in the rise of the Sheng Dynasty.
But few knew they were also responsible for the rise and fall of the Yang Dynasty.
He asked, his voice filled with concern, “This True Dragon energy is so powerful. What do the Ghost Extreme Sect and the Ancestral Altar intend to do with it?”
Su Mei chuckled, “The Ghost Extreme Sect is an ancient demonic sect. Little Emerald just told us their plans. Since they’re risking their entire sect, it must be related to their ultimate goal: opening the gates of hell and transforming the mortal world into a ghostly realm.”
“As for the Ancestral Altar… hmm, you mentioned the barbarian court is constructing a grand canal?”
Shi Hao said, “That’s right! The barbarian Chancellor doesn’t seem foolish. He should know that with the current corruption and unrest, such a massive project will only hasten the barbarian court’s collapse. Even if the canal is completed, benefiting future generations, by then, the barbarian court might be gone.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
Ye Zi Yin said solemnly, “When the dragon vein was severed, Emperor Yang, in his final moments, also ordered the construction of a grand canal, a project that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. We thought he had gone mad, driven by demonic influence. But perhaps there was another reason?”
Su Mei, her legs crossed, said casually, “It’s possible.”
Shi Hao thought, This mystery needs to be solved.
But he had a more pressing concern. He looked at the Emerald Beauty, “Is there any way to stop the Dao Body Demonic Seed ritual for Yuejiao and Xiaoyan?”
The Emerald Beauty, prostrating itself before him, its voice trembling, said, “Well…”
Su Mei chuckled from the other side, “Once the Dao Body Demonic Seed ritual begins, it can’t be stopped.”
Shi Hao’s heart sank. This meant they would either die or sever their emotions, becoming demonic cultivators.
Su Mei’s voice softened, “But don’t worry. Normally, there wouldn’t be a solution. But with your… unique situation, perhaps there’s a way for them to cultivate both Daoist and demonic arts simultaneously, retaining both their internal elixirs and the demonic essence. But I need to… research this further.”
“Your own problem, however, is more serious than theirs.”
Shi Hao examined his internal state again and smiled wryly, “I feel like my Daoist and demonic foundations are about to collapse.”
Ye Zi Yin said slowly, “You’re not wrong. The demonic fire, created from the True Dragon’s energy, is eroding your body. Even if you didn’t have a Daoist foundation, which the demonic fire naturally seeks to destroy, such a massive influx of demonic energy would eventually cause your body to explode.
“Fortunately, you returned to the Primordial Grotto Heaven in time. I helped you transform half of the demonic fire into Daoist energy, strengthening your Daoist foundation. Now, both your Daoist and demonic foundations are at their peak, but this rapid advancement, fueled by the True Dragon energy, is unstable.
“You have two choices. You can either stay here and spend at least half a month completely absorbing the True Dragon energy…”
Shi Hao shook his head, “Time flows differently here. Three days here is a moment outside. If I stay for half a month, decades might pass in the outside world. I can’t abandon Yuejiao and Xiaoyan. And with the world in chaos, I have to do something.”
He looked at the Emerald Beauty.
The Emerald Beauty kowtowed, “It’s all my fault! I sensed your Daoist cultivation, and although I included you in the Dao Body Demonic Seed ritual, I focused the demonic fire on you, hoping to…”
Shi Hao sighed, “Hoping to kill me?”
Su Mei floated over and smiled, “Little Emerald has never encountered a situation like yours. She saw your talent and thought you would be a suitable inheritor of the Evil Lotus Sect’s true teachings, but she was also worried you were a disciple of the Taisu Immortal Pavilion. Her hesitation… well, this is the result.”
Su Mei sat beside Shi Hao and placed a hand on his wrist, “If you stay here, we can help you stabilize your Daoist and demonic energies during these ten days or so. If you leave, we can only suppress them temporarily, but you’ll have to advance to the sixth rank in both Daoist and demonic cultivation within two or three days.
“That way, having already formed your seventh-rank internal and external elixirs, the Daoist energy from the True Dragon will be harnessed by your external elixir. And your demonic foundation, after obtaining a higher level of demonic essence, will absorb the unstable demonic fire from the True Dragon energy.
“How is your progress in gathering the ingredients for your Daoist elixir and the materials for your demonic ritual?”
Leave a Reply