"Water and fire supernatural powers?"
Jiang Liu observed that the spells Xin Chenzi used were clearly the powerful demonic arts of the Demonic Sect: "Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind." However, he had obviously not mastered them to a high level, and could only use "Water and Fire," while he could not summon "Earth" and "Wind."
If others encountered these two dragons of water and fire, they could only break them using the principles of the five elements' mutual generation and restraint. But Jiang Liu had no such method; he relied solely on lightning magic. Any supernatural power or technique could be broken by striking with lightning, using the might of heaven. There were no special techniques involved, but it was extremely effective.
Just like the martial arts principle of "overcoming skill with force," one force can overcome ten techniques; it is the simplest and most brutal approach.
Jiang Liu grinned maliciously, stretched out his hand, and a lightning talisman appeared in his palm, as red as blood. He roared, "Nine Heavens Thunder, heed my command! Fall!"
A thunderclap boomed, and a lightning serpent suddenly appeared, slashing towards the two dragons of water and fire in mid-air.
Instantly, the vital energy sustaining the water dragon was shattered, and the water dragon collapsed into a stream, drenching Xin Chenzi completely. The fire dragon also turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared.
Just as lightning was about to strike Xin Chenzi, Jiang Liu glanced at the corner of his eye and saw several points of green light flying towards him. Those in the demonic path were fond of refining and using poisonous insects, and these green lights were undoubtedly Gu worms similar to the Green-Robed Ancestor's "Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu." While a bite wasn't as exaggerated as the Green-Robed Ancestor had described—"No matter how skilled a sword immortal, a bite from the Golden Silkworm Gu would lead to death within an hour from the poison attacking the heart"—it was still not to be underestimated; being bitten would certainly be unpleasant.
Lightning instantly enveloped his entire body, arcs of electricity shooting up a foot high. These poisonous insects were quite powerful, but their defenses were weak. Jiang Liu, protected by lightning, was naturally unafraid and rushed towards the Gu worms.
The Gu worms that crashed into him were struck by lightning and instantly charred black, falling off one after another, clearly unable to break through the lightning defense.
Seeing that all the Gu worms he had refined had died, Xin Chenzi became even more furious. He looked up to the sky and let out a long howl, which sounded like the howl of an owl and shook the forest. It was extremely shrill and unpleasant to hear.
After letting out a strange howl, it stretched out its thin, long, and wiry arm toward Jiang Liu, holding a three-pointed, double-edged dagger and a small banner.
In an instant, Xin Chenzi seemed to be shrouded in smoke, and he kept muttering incantations. Then he stabbed Jiang Liu, who was rushing towards him, with his three-pointed double-edged sword.
Although they were several dozen feet apart, Jiang Liu felt as if a sharp blade had struck him when the blade stabbed him. He flashed forward and saw a streak of red flames suddenly appear in the spot where he had just been standing.
Seeing his attack evaded, Xin Chenzi thrust repeatedly with his three-pointed double-edged sword, sparks flying. Jiang Liu was immediately flustered and unable to get close enough to attack.
Another thunderclap rang out. Upon hearing it, Xin Chenzi opened his mouth wide, bared his teeth, and with a face full of anger, waved his small banner. A silver light enveloped his body, protecting him completely from the lightning.
Having seized the opportunity, Jiang Liu immediately rushed to Xin Chenzi's side and threw a punch.
Xin Chenzi had never encountered such a battle before. In the world of Shu Mountain, life-or-death battles were either fought by sword immortals wielding their swords, flying across the land and slaying enemies in an instant; or by magical combat, where a single move of a magical artifact would summon several feet of demonic fire, unleashing overwhelming magical power against the enemy.
There was no beating or kicking like a street thug.
As soon as Jiang Liu got close, his fighting skills were immediately brought to their peak, giving him no chance to attack. With the Eighteen Divine Fists Touching Clothes and the Six True Words of Destruction, Xin Chenzi had no chance to fight back. He wanted to escape, but was entangled; he wanted to attack, but even his magic weapon was knocked away.
After a dozen or so breaths, Jiang Liu landed over a hundred punches on various vital parts of his body. When Jiang Liu withdrew his hands, Xin Chenzi was no longer human, slumped limply on the ground, his internal organs shattered into a bloody pulp. His cultivation had not yet reached the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation stage, and he could not yet separate his primordial spirit from his body. With his physical body collapsing, he naturally died.
He picked up the three-pointed double-edged sword and the small banner from the ground. The sword was a treasure-level weapon, and the banner was actually a low-grade spiritual weapon, the "Charming Maiden Banner," the Green-Robed Ancestor's treasure of a hundred poisons. Naturally, he took it. He then found a small pouch containing many tiny needles, shimmering with green light, clearly containing potent poison. These were Azure Phosphorus Needles, also a magical artifact crafted by the Green-Robed Ancestor, a mid-grade treasure-level weapon.
Following the screams of the Green-Robed Ancestor, they entered the cave and saw, on stone platforms, neatly arranged, half-bodied bodies and enormous human heads. Hair and beard were tangled into a messy clump, like a nest of weeds, and the eyes emitted a bright green light. Though only half a body remained below the head and neck, it was pitifully thin, disproportionate to the size of the head. The left hand was reduced to half an arm, while the right hand, like a bird's claw, was still intact.
The old patriarch in green robes grinned at Jiang Liu with a half-smile, his expression ferocious. His two purple eyebrows twitched upwards, and his hair and beard stood on end like hedgehog quills. At the same time, his eyes were wide open, flashing with green light, making him appear even more ferocious.
Suddenly, his anger vanished, replaced by a bitter laugh. He said, "You killed Xin Chenzi! Send me back to Baiman Mountain, and I will take you as my true disciple. When I become an immortal, you will be the master of Baiman Mountain and the leader of the Southern Demonic Sect!"
Chapter 91 The Mysterious Female Pearl (Bonus Chapter, Please Recommend)
With a sneer, a bolt of lightning struck down from the palm of his hand.
Jiang Liu is now aware of the drawbacks of the "Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Method". It is difficult to use heavenly thunder to defend against enemies inside such a cave. Only under a clear blue sky can the power of thunder magic be greatly increased.
However, the Green Robe Ancestor was ambushed and cut in two by the Blissful Child Li Jingxu, greatly reducing his strength. He was also tortured by Xin Chenzi for a day and a night, and his physical body and primordial spirit were fixed by eight Nine-Child Mother Yang Needles. Not to mention using supernatural powers, he couldn't even lift a finger.
Jiang Liu didn't speak. He raised his hand and unleashed a palm lightning bolt, striking three times in succession. Then, he took a step forward and landed in front of the Green-Robed Ancestor. His palm descended, and with flashes of electricity, it pressed down on the top of the old man's head. Strands of lightning continuously surged into his brain, causing his eyes to roll back in shock.
Then he spoke, saying, "I value my life highly and don't do things I'm not sure I can handle..."
"You...you want to...take my...Mysterious Female Pearl..."
Jiang Liu coldly watched the green-robed ancestor under his palm, as strands of lightning were controlled and drilled into his brain, instantly finding the Mysterious Female Pearl.
The main reason Xin Chenzi didn't violently seize the Divine Pearl was that the Green-Robed Ancestor had already cultivated a second primordial spirit, and given his abilities, he couldn't erase the primordial spirit from the Mysterious Pearl. If the Mysterious Pearl were to break free from the constraints of the physical body, it would escape under the Green-Robed Ancestor's control, find a new body, and then possess it. Therefore, although he tormented the Green-Robed Ancestor to the point of wishing for death, he dared not actually kill him.
The three immortals and two elders used fire to refine the Green-Robed Ancestor, finally slaying this early-stage boss of Mount Shu. Given the Green-Robed Ancestor's strength, Jiang Liu dared not claim he could destroy his primordial spirit with lightning magic. Sure enough, the power of lightning couldn't harm the primordial spirit within the Mysterious Pearl in the slightest.
"With your strength, you still want to seize my treasure... You overestimate yourself, how laughable! How laughable!" The green-robed ancestor seemed to have adapted to the lightning, staring at Jiang Liu with his big eyes.
"Can't I do anything to you?" Jiang Liu sneered and took out the Nine Cauldrons Fragment.
"I hope you can still smile after this!"
In an instant, Jiang Liu unleashed the "Power of an Entire Province," his palm trembling as an extremely violent force was generated within it. The Green-Robed Ancestor's massive head was instantly shattered into a bloody pulp, blood flowing from his seven orifices, his previously mocking eyes now displaying an expression of disbelief.
The ultimate destination of this power is the Mysterious Pearl hidden behind the head, the place where the second primordial spirit resides.
The spirit of the valley never dies; it is called the mysterious female. The gate of the mysterious female is called the root of heaven and earth; it exists continuously and inexhaustibly, and its use is never-ending.
Although the Mysterious Pearl is small, its interior is a world unto itself, a hazy, azure scene, as if it were a primordial chaos before the creation of heaven and earth. Empty and formless, it encompasses all things, like the mother of all existence. A wisp of the Green-Robed Ancestor's primordial spirit resides within it, making it impervious to any external force.
Unless the power exceeds the defensive limit of the Mysterious Pearl, just like the fate of the Green Robe Ancestor, it can only be completely destroyed by the Three Immortals and Two Elders using the true fire of the Two Elements Micro Dust Array.
Jiang Liu didn't yet know just how powerful the Nine Cauldrons fragments were. He used a single punch to kill that god, instantly blasting him into dust. When attacking Gui Li of the Ghost King Sect, he destroyed his protective armor and injured his ghostly body with a single punch, but that was the "power of a province" activated after his body was severely injured, not his peak state.
Jiang Liude, along with Zhima and Zhixian, not only reached his peak physical condition but also became even stronger than before. This activation of the "Power of One Province" caused a surge of power that directly pierced through the Xuanpin Pearl, shaking the chaotic and ethereal energy within into an even more disordered state.
The Green-Robed Ancestor's second primordial spirit let out a terrified scream. The power surged, and the Mysterious Pearl seemed to overturn the heavens and earth, destroying everything and turning it back into chaos. The second primordial spirit was no exception, and was instantly shattered into pieces by the power.
The ancestor had cultivated for countless years, and his primordial spirit was extremely powerful. After being shattered, he actually tried to reassemble it. Unfortunately, Jiang Liu, for safety's sake, risked further injury by continuously activating his supernatural abilities.
This second activation completely depleted the merit power within the Nine Cauldrons fragments, and the primordial spirit of the Green-Robed Ancestor within the Mysterious Pearl was also shattered into fragments, drifting in the chaos, unable to reassemble.
Jiang Liu swallowed a mouthful of blood, swept his divine sense across the area, and finally a smile appeared on his lips. His palm trembled again, and a shimmering blue pearl rose slowly from the mass of flesh and blood.
He held it with one hand and probed it with his divine sense.
Jiang Liu scanned the Mysterious Female Pearl with his divine sense and captured a fragment of his primordial spirit. This fragment contained the cultivation method of the "Hundred Poisons True Scripture." Jiang Liu naturally would not cultivate this evil and demonic art, but he had recorded it in detail.
Upon closer inspection, the methods of raising insects described within were quite interesting; raising insects is essentially raising Gu worms. According to the records, the way to raise insects lies in sincerity and righteousness, like a mother in pregnancy, like a child clinging to its parents. This means that raising Gu worms requires sincerity and righteousness; one cannot resort to crooked methods. The Gu worms within the body should be treated with the same care and love as a fetus in pregnancy, and the Gu worms should be made to cling to their parents like a child.
Therefore, the kingly way of feeding insects is not only not harmful to the body, but actually beneficial. The relationship between the two is like that of mother and child, mutually dependent, and absolutely not mutually harmful. Just like some pregnant women can even cure some gynecological diseases without medicine after giving birth, it is a mutually beneficial thing. It is definitely not a one-sided depletion of essence and blood to feed insects. That kind of method is a low-level method that leads to demonic possession.
Jiang Liu nodded inwardly. All supernatural powers in the world are either righteous or evil. Raising Gu with righteous methods is extremely slow, so most people in the world raise Gu by evil means. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu raised by the Green Robe Ancestor naturally also followed the evil path.
With his hand forming the control incantation from the "Hundred Poisons True Scripture," an emerald-like worm crawled out from the green-robed patriarch's shattered flesh—it was none other than the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu.
Picking the Gu worm into his hand, Jiang Liu laughed, "It's still alive? Then follow me!"
It took another three days to collect all the fragments of the primordial spirit in the Mysterious Pearl. The most rewarding part was half of it, which was a cultivation method for the primordial spirit. Jiang Liu naturally studied it diligently and entrusted a wisp of his divine consciousness to the Mysterious Pearl. However, he did not know how long it would take to form a primordial spirit.
There are also methods and techniques for refining magical treasures containing a hundred poisons, such as the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, the Hundred Poison Asura Banner, the Hundred Poison Cold Light Barrier, the Azure Phosphorus Needle, the Charming Maiden Banner, and the Glazed Palace.
Among them, the Hundred Poisons Asura Banner was destroyed in the previous battle, the Hundred Poisons Cold Light Barrier and the Glazed Palace were left in the Yin Wind Cave of Baiman Mountain, and the small banner and a bag of small needles obtained from Xin Chenzi were the Charming Maiden Banner and the Azure Phosphorus Needles refined by the Green Robe Ancestor.
In Taoist alchemy, mercury is used to create the "Charming Maiden." The Charming Maiden Banner can withstand magical attacks, so Jiang Liu naturally cast a spell to claim it for himself and carried it with him. The Azure Phosphorus Needle is a poisonous hidden weapon, which Jiang Liu didn't need for the time being, so he threw it into his storage space along with the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Sword.
The memories gained also included the restrictions and formations of the Yinfeng Cave in Baiman Mountain, and information about the disciples was also obtained.
Huge gains!
Jiang Liu used his vital energy to refine the Mysterious Female Pearl day and night, and also allowed the mother Gu to reproduce some offspring Gu. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
Stillness breeds restlessness. Jiang Liu tidied himself up, erasing all traces of himself, and headed towards Qingluo Valley, the place remembered by the Green-Robed Ancestor.
Chapter Ninety-Two: The Eight Demons of the Green Snail
Qingluoyu is located deep in the mountains and valleys of the Daxueshan Mountains in western Sichuan. If you are not familiar with the area, you will find it very difficult to get there.
With the memories of the Green-Robed Ancestor, Jiang Liu wouldn't stray from the right path. He saw only a vast snow-capped mountain, its peaks piled high with snow that wouldn't melt even in summer, barren of any vegetation, and extremely remote, completely devoid of human presence.
Looking at the snow that has remained unmelted for thousands of years, Jiang Liu found it difficult to see even birds or beasts, let alone human traces.
Qingluo is the name of a great snow mountain, and the Qingluo Demon Palace is located in a deep valley within that mountain. The great snow mountain stretches for over a thousand miles, almost entirely covered in ice and snow. However, the location of the Demon Palace is a warm valley, sheltered from the wind and gathering vital energy. Not only is the scenery beautiful and the vegetation lush, but its terrain is also the best in the entire snow mountain range.
Jiang Liu traveled at a leisurely pace on his sword, seemingly enjoying the scenery, but in reality, he was only a beginner in swordsmanship and could not fly very fast at all. He sheathed his sword and landed in front of Qingluo Valley. He saw that the valley was shaped like a spiral, with the valley entrance being the tip of the spiral's tail. It was winding and looping, and it took more than twenty miles to see the valley path.
To mortals, this place is a natural fortress, easy to defend and difficult to attack, a place where one man can hold off ten thousand. As long as a protective array is set up in the valley, the demon palace can be firmly guarded.
Ling Hun, one of the Three Immortals, Two Elders, One Son, and Seven True Men, a strange beggar named Qiong Shen, plotted to obtain the Heavenly Book Jade Box and occupy Qingluo Valley. This was not only for the Heavenly Book, but also because he valued the dangerous terrain and beautiful scenery of the place, and wanted to establish a sect there as the foundation of the Snow Mountain Sect.
Jiang Liu, shrouded in black cannons, nodded to himself and said, "This place is truly a blessed land. Compared to the Hundred Barbarian Mountains of the Green Robe Ancestor, it's just a desolate wilderness!"
As they strode forward, a magnificent palace came into view, rugged and dark, clearly the demon palace of the Eight Demons of the Azure Snail.
Not intending to force his way in, Jiang Liu cleared his throat, his expression changed, and a fierce look appeared between his brows. He then walked over with an air of nonchalance. Just then, three beams of light appeared from the horizon, and in no time, three people arrived before him on their swords.
"Who are you, trespassing into my Azure Snail Demon Palace!"
A short, sinister-looking man pointed at Jiang Liu and asked sharply, his left hand holding a Yin Wind Nail and his right hand a flying sword, ready to attack at any moment.
Jiang Liu glanced sideways and recognized one of them—it was Yu De, the fair-faced Buddha from Ciyun Temple, a disciple of the Tibetan Dulong Venerable. Without a word, he threw his head back and laughed wildly, then pointed at the three and said, "Little brats, I'm in a good mood, or else you'll be in trouble!"
Yu De, the handsome and imposing figure, scanned Jiang Liu with his eyes and frowned as he said, "It's you? Ding Yin from the South Sea. You've been missing since before the New Year. You were nowhere to be seen even when you were fighting with the Emei Sect. You're here now. I thought you were killed by the Emei Sect, but it turns out you were just a coward who ran away!"
"Hehehe... Don't you recognize your ancestor?" Jiang Liu mimicked the Green-Robed Ancestor's wicked smile, and a green Gu worm crawled out from his sleeve.
Upon seeing the iconic "Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu," Yu De gasped in shock, exclaiming, "Green Robe Ancestor? You...you've been reborn through possession! I was blind to your greatness, please forgive me!"
"Hehehe... I've been in seclusion for a month. How is Ciyun Temple doing? That Blissful Child wanted to kill me, but he actually helped me achieve my goal... Hehe, why don't you lure me into the Demon Palace!"
Yu De nervously recounted the magical duel on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in a concise manner, and then introduced the Green-Robed Ancestor to the two people beside him.
Jiang Liu glanced at the two men; they were none other than Qian Qingxuan, the third of the Eight Demons, and Li Hou, the sixth. Jiang Liu was extremely satisfied with his performance and secretly rejoiced.
Subduing the enemy without fighting is the highest level of skill.
The Eight Demons of the Green Snail Sect had also heard of the Green Robe Ancestor's name. The Poison Dragon Venerable of Western Yunnan and the founder of the Southern School, the Green Robe Ancestor, were both powerful figures in the demonic sects who were renowned throughout the world.
Jiang Liu sat arrogantly in the center of the Demon Palace's main hall, surrounded by wine and meat, with dozens of half-naked women serving him, seemingly at his beck and call. If the Green-Robed Ancestor were in his original form, these frail women wouldn't have dared to approach.
Looking at the large basin of fresh offal in front of him, Jiang Liu felt a pang of pain in his heart.
Seeing that Jiang Liu neither ate nor drank, and ignored the beauty beside him, the Great Demon Huang Su thought to himself: "The Ancestor loves to eat human hearts. If I use the internal organs of the Tianshan Yellow Goat to entertain my guest, will I anger him?"
Upon realizing this, he immediately bowed and said, "Ancestor, these are not to your liking. How about I fetch some human hearts for you now..."
“Brother Huang Su, you know what our ancestor likes…”
Before Yu De could finish speaking, Jiang Liu snorted coldly, gritted his teeth, and sighed, "You don't know, I love this delicacy the most, but this body can't handle it! A pure yang body, an innate thunder body, I, your ancestor, have obtained a fine physique that can help me become a celestial immortal, I can't just ruin it... Take it! Don't tempt me..."
"Congratulations! May the Ancestor achieve great supernatural powers and be the only one of supreme beings in the nine mountains and eight seas!"
The eight demons offered their congratulations and immediately removed the blood offerings, replacing them with fresh fruit and cooked meat.
Seeing that Yu De was acting strangely, Jiang Liu realized that this man was not easily fooled. He immediately chuckled and said, "I see that although you have some magical power, it's nothing special. Your master, Wei Fengniang, is already gone. Why don't you come to my Hundred Barbarian Mountain? I will teach you the 'Hundred Poisons True Scripture.' If you cultivate it successfully, you can also help me kill the Blissful Old Daoist..."
Upon hearing this, the eight demons were overjoyed. They had originally wanted to become disciples of the Venerable Poison Dragon of Western Yunnan, but they had only just started to associate with this Powder-Faced Buddha Yu De, and nothing was even going to happen. Now that the Green-Robed Ancestor, who was on par with the Venerable Poison Dragon, was willing to take them in, they naturally agreed immediately.