novelraw Chapter 237 : Invasion of the Demonic Path!
Chapter 237 : Invasion of the Demonic Path!
Chapter 237: Invasion of the Demonic Path!
Nascent Soul Old Monster, Situ Feng?
This damn guy came to find me—a Foundation Establishment cultivator…
Ji Yuan instinctively had this thought arise in his heart, but Han Feiyu immediately continued:
“He was a Nascent Soul cultivator before possession. Now he must start over and is occupying the body of Feng Yichen, who was only at the Qi Refining Stage. So, I estimate his cultivation, at best, is only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. He definitely couldn’t have reached Golden Core. I’m sure, with Ji Brother’s abilities, taking him down… wouldn’t be difficult.”
“A reincarnated Nascent Soul cultivator, and one who came out of the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven—Ji Brother, how many benefits and treasures do you think he might be carrying?”
“Of course, you’re cautious by nature, and may not act. In that case, you could ask your master, Real Person Wangyou, to handle it.”
“But remember this… the Sect Master is not to be fully trusted.”
“That’s all I’ll say. Regardless of whether you act or not, please keep this confidential.”
The voice faded away, and the Voice Recording Talisman burned up.
Ji Yuan fell silent.
Sitting quietly nearby was Dong Qian, who had already donned the earrings and bracelet Ji Yuan had given her. She obediently remained silent, not asking a word about what was in the talisman.
Dong Qian had always known when to advance or retreat—always this understanding.
With her presence, Ji Yuan could relax his mind to contemplate… Feng Yichen had already been possessed by a Nascent Soul old monster. This outcome was indeed somewhat beyond Ji Yuan’s expectations.
But not entirely.
Because when he first heard that Feng Yichen had returned from the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven, Ji Yuan had suspected he might have been possessed. But then he heard Feng Yichen went to meet the Sect Master.
Real Person Xuan Shui personally stood behind him, saying he was fine.
So Ji Yuan let go of his suspicion.
Everyone knew, once a matter involved the Nascent Soul Stage, Real Person Xuan Shui had no authority—neither did the Elder Hall. The only one who could make such a call was the Supreme Elder.
So if the Supreme Elder said Feng Yichen had no issues, then it must be true.
But now?
Han Feiyu gave a different answer—he said Feng Yichen had been possessed.
Given that, perhaps Han Feiyu truly went all out in the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven and killed the real Feng Yichen, which is why he was so certain the current one had been possessed?
No—if that were truly the case, he wouldn’t know the name of the Nascent Soul old monster who had possessed Feng Yichen… For him to know that…
Could it be that Han Feiyu was also possessed?
Ji Yuan recalled Han Feiyu’s behavior after returning from the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven—he’d become more arrogant and overbearing. Not quite domineering, but he did look down on some old friends.
Yet, thinking back to his original personality… it wasn’t that much of a change.
More likely, it was because he’d successfully reached Foundation Establishment, and was now a disciple of a Golden Core master. Naturally, his status had risen.
So, that point couldn’t be used to judge.
But Han Feiyu had also mentioned another thing—that the Sect Master, Real Person Xuan Shui, could not be trusted… Was that due to being expelled from the sect and holding resentment, or was it because Real Person Xuan Shui was also possessed?
The possibility of the Sect Master being possessed was slim—but not impossible.
For a moment, Ji Yuan felt his thoughts were too many and too chaotic.
There were several matters he couldn’t determine. The only thing he knew for sure was this—Han Feiyu knew many things, but was hiding many more.
‘It’s like he desperately wants to tell me something, but doesn’t dare to say it… he’s scared. Who is he so afraid of?’
Ji Yuan couldn’t figure it out. He also felt that, as a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator, his shoulders shouldn’t bear such a heavy burden. So he stood up from his seat.
“Junior Brother, what’s wrong? Need my help?”
Dong Qian looked up at him, then lightly raised her hand. The six-tailed fox on the mountaintop turned into a streak of blood-colored light and landed on her shoulder.
“No need. Han Feiyu’s message is serious. I have to go to Forgotten Worry Island to find Master. Remember to keep this secret.”
Since this involved a reincarnated Nascent Soul old monster, Ji Yuan naturally had to consult another Nascent Soul old monster.
“All right. Be careful, Junior Brother.”
“Mm.”
After their exchange, Ji Yuan immediately summoned the Fenghuai Flying Boat and departed, sending messages along the way.
The already-formed Nascent Soul cultivator Hua Yaoyue seemed to have no other matters, so she remained within the sect.
By the time Ji Yuan found her, she was no longer tinkering with her wind chimes. The chime’s sound was no longer its natural melody, but something more like a tune personally played by Hua Yaoyue.
Ji Yuan had never heard this tune before, so upon arriving, he quietly listened for a while.
The melody… had a flowing rhythm. It wasn’t like the delicate tunes of the water villages—it felt more like a ballad of the vast grasslands.
Hua Yaoyue liked such music?
“Is it urgent?”
Hua Yaoyue asked casually.
She’d naturally heard that Ji Yuan had been sending messages while en route. In such cases, it was certainly something urgent.
“Master.”
Ji Yuan snapped to attention, stepped forward, and then relayed everything Han Feiyu had said—without the slightest omission. Even his own suspicions were fully shared.
As for Han Feiyu’s request to keep it secret—Ji Yuan held nothing back before his master.
Hua Yaoyue reclined silently on her soft chair, listening without a word. Not even a single expression crossed her face, even when Ji Yuan clearly stated that within the sect, it was likely not just Situ Feng who was a reincarnated Nascent Soul old monster.
She remained the same.
When Ji Yuan finished speaking, he sat obediently at the side, awaiting Hua Yaoyue’s instructions.
With Master present, never mind a mere reincarnated Nascent Soul—Ji Yuan felt that even if the sky were falling, Master would hold it up for him.
“You don’t need to worry about the affairs within the Water Dragon Sect. With me and Kong Xifeng here, they won’t be able to stir up any trouble.”
Hua Yaoyue’s calm words immediately reassured Ji Yuan.
“As for your suspicions…”
Only now did Hua Yaoyue slightly turn her head to look at her most beloved closed-door disciple and asked, “Do you think the Shang Court can still unify the Cangluo Continent?”
“Master, do you want my honest opinion, or…”
“Speak freely.”
“Yes.”
Ji Yuan slightly cupped his hands, then replied, “I don’t think so. But I believe the current balance of righteous and demonic forces on the Cangluo Continent is bound to collapse. I suspect the future of this land will be one of utter chaos.”
Hua Yaoyue looked at him approvingly.
“Not bad.”
“Then think about it—since even you can see that, do you think the Six Immortal Sects of Eastern Shang and those demonic cultivators of Western Shang haven’t seen it too?”
Hua Yaoyue continued to enlighten him.
The fog in Ji Yuan’s heart seemed to lift a little. It felt like a ray of light had shone down from the heavens—but just as he tried to reach for it, he couldn’t grasp it.
So his brows furrowed deeper.
“Everyone can see clearly. The only ones still blinded are those fools still immersed in the so-called Shang Court golden age.”
Hua Yaoyue’s words struck the very essence of the coming righteous–demonic war, and Ji Yuan’s mind suddenly became clear.
His eyes sparkled with excitement and thrill. “So… so the remnants of the Shang Court are using the Six Immortal Sects and Three Demonic Sects—but in reality, these three demonic sects and six sects are also using the Shang Court remnants?”
Hua Yaoyue squinted at Ji Yuan and answered with a question of her own:
“Do you know why I’m telling you all this?”
Ji Yuan calmed down and gave a respectful bow, “Because I am your disciple—and you are my most beloved master.”
Hua Yaoyue: “……”
In the end, she ignored Ji Yuan’s flattery. Instead, she opened her eyes and looked at the surrounding wind chimes, speaking softly:
“You are smart—but this world never lacks for smart people. In fact, the smart ones tend to die faster, because they love being too clever for their own good.”
“What sets you apart from them is that you’re clear-headed.”
“So do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
Ji Yuan replied softly, “Never treat anyone like a fool.”
“Especially those old monsters who have reached Nascent Soul and lived hundreds or even thousands of years… Even if they started off stupid, as long as they’ve lived this long, they’ve all become cunning like demons.”
“The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Shang Court are the same. Right now, it may look like they’re using each other, but those people… having lived their second lives—whether they plan to rebuild the Shang Court or seek their own gain—no one knows.”
“On top of that, the Shang Court isn’t a monolith. Everyone has their own agenda.”
“Yes, Master. I understand.”
“Good. Go back and cultivate well. If my guess is right, that demonic group in Western Shang won’t stay quiet for much longer.”
“Yes.”
With this confirmed news, Ji Yuan finally let go of all his worries. “Disciple takes his leave.”
He had arrived burdened with anxiety, yet returned with peace of mind.
So, upon returning to Fox Moon Island, Ji Yuan once again engaged in joyous dual cultivation with Dong Qian, day and night without pause, until his cultivation could improve no further.
During that time, Ji Yuan also reminded Dong Qian to cultivate diligently, as the Righteous–Demonic War would begin before long.
Dong Qian naturally agreed.
Afterward, Ji Yuan first made a brief trip back to Forgotten Worry Island, tidied up a bit, and then headed together with Dong Qian to Everything Island.
There was no other way—Ji Yuan had accumulated quite a number of resources, and carrying them on his person served little purpose. He needed to sell them off.
So, the two of them first arrived at the “Miraculous Medicine Shop.”
Shi Xiu’er was still there. However, she was already quite used to seeing Ji Yuan and Dong Qian arriving together.
Ji Yuan, of course, was focused on business. After checking the spirit stones earned from his previous sales, he handed over another batch of goods.
In the process, he also noticed that the shop now stocked significantly more items than before.
Whether pills, magical artifacts, or spiritual artifacts... there were even some rather familiar items among them.
Most likely, Dong Qian had obtained these from the Wei Family at the ancient battlefield.
Ji Yuan had far too many goods to sell this time. The small Miraculous Medicine Shop couldn’t possibly absorb them all, so after leaving one batch there, he went to other shops to sell the rest.
For things like Spiritual Wheat and Spiritual Grain, Ji Yuan had to go all the way to Hundred Treasure Pavilion before he could find a buyer.
Although there was a large quantity of those two, they weren’t worth much. Even after selling them all, he only earned 12 middle-grade spirit stones.
Not worth much, but considering it came from farming, it wasn’t too bad.
After spending several days selling everything off, Ji Yuan returned to Fox Moon Island with Dong Qian.
The two of them cultivated together joyfully for a few more days. When Ji Yuan began to feel he was indulging too much, he mustered great willpower, bade Dong Qian farewell, and headed straight for Misty Island.
By the time he returned again, the Great Toad and the Ice Flood Dragon had already finished their fight. Both lay motionless in the dense forest like dead dogs, bodies still covered in wounds.
Ji Yuan swept his divine sense across them.
Two Spiritual Pigs were missing, and among the Tier Two Spiritual Fish that had consumed Flood Dragon blood, one was also gone... Oh ho, no wonder they were playing dead.
Ji Yuan scrutinized the two rascals for a while, and realized that although the injuries looked serious, they were all superficial wounds—there were no internal injuries at all.
“Not bad... you two actually know how to team up and put on an act now.”
Ji Yuan clicked his tongue in admiration and raised his hand to store the Ice Flood Dragon into the Spiritual Beast Pouch.
With the brain of the Great Toad, there’s no way it could scheme like this. Clearly, the Ice Flood Dragon was the mastermind.
Having inspected the area, Ji Yuan naturally headed to the 【Fish Pond】 to check on the second Ice Flood Dragon.
As it turned out, the one that was still at Tier One Early Stage a few days ago had now broken through to Tier One Mid Stage.
He examined it more closely and soon understood what had happened.
Most likely, the other Ice Flood Dragon had shared a small piece of the Tier Two Spiritual Fish it ate, which allowed this one to break through.
But now that there were two Ice Flood Dragons, Ji Yuan figured he should name them to avoid confusion later.
He didn’t dwell on it too long. He simply named the larger one “Monday” and the smaller Silkworm Dragon “Tuesday.”
If there’s another one in the future, then it’ll be “Wednesday”!
Everything on Misty Island was going well, and with Tu Yue managing things, all the buildings were operating smoothly and in order. Ji Yuan could now cultivate in the 【Spirit Vein】 with peace of mind.
Ji Yuan’s current cultivation had just reached the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. To progress further, he needed to comprehend the 《Sword Manual》 and strive to condense the sixth sword embryo of his Life-Bound Flying Sword.
But the further into the 《Sword Manual》 he went, the harder it became to comprehend.
Fortunately, Ji Yuan had some assistance from the 【Enlightenment Room】, so the difficulty wasn’t too overwhelming—he just needed to be persistent and patient.
Since improving his cultivation was hard, Ji Yuan decided to completely refine the incomplete magical treasure—Heavenly Poison Needle—that his First Senior Brother Ran Kui had given him. Once it was fully refined, even when he reached Peak Foundation Establishment, the Heavenly Poison Needle could serve as a major trump card.
Moreover, whatever poisonous creature had been used to forge this needle, it carried an extremely potent toxin. Although not instantly lethal upon contact, getting pierced even once would essentially ruin someone’s life.
When Ji Yuan first received it, he had only lightly refined it and hadn’t had time to become familiar with it.
Now was the perfect time. While staying in the 【Spirit Vein】, he had an endless supply of spiritual energy.
That night.
Ji Yuan summoned the Heavenly Poison Needle, letting it float before him. He formed hand seals with both hands, spiritual energy flowing through his hand signs to continuously refine the magical treasure.
The process was ultimately tedious, involving nothing more than using his own spiritual energy to nourish every part of the artifact until it reached perfection and could be wielded like an extension of his body.
Moreover, the deeper the refinement, the less energy it would cost to activate.
Once the refining was complete, Ji Yuan climbed to the highest point on Misty Island, atop the mountain peak, to test his compatibility with it.
During this time, he also used the five sword embryos of the Canglan Flying Sword to attempt forming the Canglan Sword Formation.
Unfortunately, the result was unsatisfactory. If it were to restrain someone with lesser cultivation... the formation was overkill. Against someone of equal strength, it wouldn’t have much effect either.
Ultimately, it was due to the lack of sword embryos. If he had seven, perhaps it could be used in battle.
Its power should be quite formidable then.
For now, it could only be used for solo attacks.
But even using it solo, Ji Yuan’s divine soul had to undergo meticulous tempering to manipulate five flying swords simultaneously in combat.
For most Foundation Establishment cultivators, being able to control just two flying swords at once was already considered an exceptionally strong divine soul.
Just like when Ji Yuan fought Jiang Hong previously—how could Jiang Hong lack spiritual artifacts and magical treasures?
So why did he only use one or two each time?
It was all because his divine soul wasn’t strong enough. The more he activated simultaneously, the more flaws he exposed.
After completely refining the Heavenly Poison Needle, Ji Yuan spent another month refining the Heavenly Net magical treasure.
Unlike the incomplete Heavenly Poison Needle, the Heavenly Net was a “complete magical treasure.”
Even with Ji Yuan’s deep reservoir of mana and his cultivation at Late Foundation Establishment, activating the Heavenly Net once would consume half his total mana.
So unless absolutely necessary, this treasure couldn’t be casually used.
If he failed to win in one strike, he’d end up being captured himself!
After refining both magical treasures, Ji Yuan began to set aside time to draw talismans and refine pills. Starting this time, he planned to stockpile all talismans and pills for himself.
With the demonic path’s invasion imminent, no one knew whether tomorrow or disaster would arrive first.
Of course, the main reason was that Ji Yuan now had a Level 3 【Spirit Vein】.
Producing 100 middle-grade spirit stones per day—no matter how much he used them for cultivation, he couldn’t spend them all.
Since spirit stones were no longer scarce, there was no reason to sell them anymore.
So, for most of the next half year, aside from occasionally visiting Fox Moon Island and Forgotten Worry Island, Ji Yuan didn’t go anywhere else.
He focused entirely on cultivation.
And with the modest help from the 【Enlightenment Room】, Ji Yuan managed to comprehend another portion of the 《Sword Manual》.
In other words, he could continue advancing his cultivation.
Ji Yuan originally intended to go out again and find a place to condense a sword embryo, but the news he received from Li Changhe made one thing very clear—
The demonic forces on Shang Mountain were frequently mobilizing troops. A large-scale invasion was likely imminent.
Ji Yuan relayed this news to Dong Qian and asked her to help analyze the situation.
Steady as ever, Dong Qian advised Ji Yuan to wait a bit longer, until the situation became clearer.
The addition of one sword embryo wouldn’t significantly affect Ji Yuan’s cultivation level.
There was no need to take such a risk right now.
Ji Yuan agreed, so after another dual cultivation session, he returned once more to Misty Island.
Feeding the Spirit-Devouring Bees, the Ice Flood Dragons, and the Great Toad, he also made a few trips to nearby cities to attend some auctions and purchased more protective items.
That day.
To the west of the Shang Mountain Range, above the dark cloud-covered peaks, a figure suddenly appeared.
He wasn’t tall, cloaked in a wide, black robe.
The moment he appeared, the clouds above his head began to churn violently, black smoke spiraling around the mountain range.
He sat back.
A throne of bones rose into a mountain. A True Lord took his seat as King.
At that moment, from an unknown peak of Shang Mountain, a sword light soared into the sky, heading straight westward, cutting through countless clouds.
The sword light stopped before the throne of bones and transformed into a green-robed man, sword in one hand, staring at the figure before him, asking:
“May I ask, White Bone Demon Lord, what brings you from afar?”
The Demon Lord upon the bone throne leaned forward slightly and smiled. “Two things.”
“One, to open the mountain. Two... to kill!”
As his words fell, the surroundings instantly turned into a white-bone purgatory.
The green-robed man said nothing—he simply slashed the purgatory apart with a single sword. Then, his calm voice echoed across the entire Shang Mountain.
“In the year 2172 of the Sword Ruins, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month... the demonic path... invades.”