Chapter 864
The Land of Extreme Yang, The Shadow Demon Cult
"Next, next." Chen Tianxing's tone was full of impatience. As the group gradually shrank, his expression also became somewhat unpleasant. He had looked at hundreds of people, but not a single one of them could catch Song Changsheng's eye.
"That's enough." Song Changsheng reached out to stop him. He had already used his divine sense to investigate them one by one. Most of the remaining people had mediocre talents, and the proportion was even worse than that of the current Song family. This was mostly due to the incomplete Heavenly Dao rules of the small world.
This was actually within his expectations. Although the Chen family had a population of one million here, the proportion of cultivators was not high. The base was not large enough, so the chances of producing geniuses were naturally small.
If geniuses were as common as cabbages, they wouldn't be geniuses.
Actually, it's not like she has no choice at all. As someone with an ice spiritual root, Chen Lingxiu's aptitude is quite good, and she has the hope of breaking through to the Golden Core stage. If she can cultivate to the Golden Core stage, she might have a chance to master the three great skills of the Chen family.
By then, his deal with Haoyang Zhenjun will be complete.
However, it's only hope.
The advantage of a unique spiritual root is often exhausted before reaching the Golden Core stage. Her current rapid progress does not mean that she will be able to cultivate quickly when facing the Golden Core bottleneck; it simply means she has the opportunity.
"Sir, don't you take a look? There are still quite a few people behind us."
"I have already looked through them all, but there is still no suitable candidate. Let's leave it at that for now. Have you all taken care of what needs to be done?"
"Reporting to True Lord, everything has been taken care of. The clan's elites have been mobilized as you wished. Including myself, there are four Purple Mansion cultivators and twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, ready to serve you at any time."
"In that case, let's prepare to return to the Eastern Heaven Cultivation World."
"Yes, ma'am." Chen Tianxing quickly agreed, his joy evident in his expression.
The group gathered at the exit of the small world. Song Changsheng turned back to the earth spirit, which had turned back into a stone mound, and said, "Fellow Daoist, are you really prepared to spend your whole life guarding this place?"
"The name of the sovereign must be respected."
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng completely gave up any thought of continuing to persuade him.
The power of the [Spirit Control Manual] was far greater than he had imagined. Even though the person who made the contract had perished many years ago, the contract from back then remained unaffected.
It is a tremendous waste to have such a powerful force confined to a small, isolated world.
Turning around, Song Changsheng took out his waist token and opened the spatial portal of the small world. In just a moment, everyone returned to the Eastern Heaven Cultivation World.
The feeling of suddenly returning to the vast world from a small world where the rules of Heaven are incomplete is quite noticeable, and the longer one stays, the more pronounced the effect becomes.
Most of the Chen family members were visiting the Purple Imperial Realm for the first time, so their feelings about it were undoubtedly more pronounced.
Chen Tianxing was so excited that he shed tears. After more than two hundred years, he finally set foot on this land again.
Unfortunately, things have changed.
The Eastern Heaven cultivation world is no longer the territory dominated by the Chen family; they are "remnants" wanted by the Eastern Heaven Alliance.
Song Changsheng said in a warning tone: "Nowadays, the entire Eastern Heaven cultivation world is under the control of the Eastern Heaven Alliance. This place has been fortunate enough not to be discovered yet, but nothing is absolute. You must be careful with your words and actions. Once you are discovered, you know the consequences."
Next, I will take you to Rock City. You will settle down in Rock City from now on and serve as my eyes and ears, using Rock City as a base to gather intelligence on the surrounding cultivation world.
As long as you perform well, you will have everything you need.
Conversely, if you are passive and lazy, don't blame me for showing no mercy!
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and quickly echoed in unison.
Now that their entire family is under Song Changsheng's surveillance and control, how could they dare to raise any objections? Besides, it's just asking them to gather intelligence; it's not like they're going through fire and water, so there's nothing they can't accept.
Song Changsheng formed a hand seal and placed a restriction within each person's body to prevent anyone from discovering their true identities using the bloodline tracing method. He then took out a flying boat and took them to Panshi City.
This treasure hunt was undoubtedly a huge success for him. Unfortunately, the Chen Clan's small world only contained scriptures, classics, and a medicinal garden. The rest of the resources had been depleted after two hundred years of consumption, so he simply left them all.
This trip had some unexpected surprises, but also some disappointments that fell short of expectations.
If he could, he would rather exchange some of his rare spiritual plants for a piece of [Deep Sea Crystal].
Having four fourth-tier puppets at hand, but lacking the energy to power them, is like entering a treasure mountain and leaving empty-handed, which is truly frustrating.
Fortunately, he had gathered the spiritual plants needed to refine the Golden Core in advance, which gave him more options when he returned to the Myriad Manifestations Palace.
The Eastern Heaven Cultivation Realm and the Chaotic Ancient Domain are far apart; it would take at least several months to reach their destination by airship alone.
Therefore, after escaping the influence of the Eastern Sky Alliance, they used a space teleportation array and traveled several times before finally arriving at Rock City.
His arrival was warmly welcomed by Master Mingtai and the elders of the City Lord's Mansion.
"Fellow Daoist Mingtai, how have you been lately?"
"Everything has stabilized now. Fellow Daoist, your kindness in saving me is truly difficult to repay." Master Mingtai couldn't help but feel a little emotional. What was supposed to be a certain death situation had actually been saved by Song Changsheng.
Eager to return home, Song Changsheng didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "What have you thought about the matter I mentioned to you earlier?"
Master Mingtai bowed deeply to Song Changsheng with a solemn expression: "Fellow Daoist has done me and Panshi City a great favor. It is the simplest principle to repay kindness. From now on, from me onwards, everyone in Panshi City will obey my command without any disloyalty."
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist has indeed come to his senses." Song Changsheng was overjoyed and quickly reached out to help him up, saying, "Since Fellow Daoist trusts me so much, then I will tell you the truth today."
The future development and management of Panshi City will remain the same.
Fellow Daoist, you only need to share the intelligence network of Rock City with the Song Clan. During this period, the Song Clan will also provide corresponding assistance if Rock City needs it.
"This is a minor matter. Sect Master, just give the order. Rock City has stood firm in the Chaotic Ancient Domain for so many years, it still has some foundation and connections."
Song Changsheng chuckled and said, "Let's address each other as fellow Daoists, otherwise it would be too formal."
I currently possess the precise location of an extremely yang land, but it's quite old, and I'm unsure if it's still usable. Fellow Daoist, please quickly hand over the affairs within the city, and we'll depart as soon as possible."
"Since I was infected with the corpse poison, I have not interfered in the affairs of the city, and I can set off at any time."
However, what should be done with the subordinates you brought, fellow Daoist?
"Their identities are rather special and cannot be easily exposed. They are only temporarily staying with you, fellow Daoist. Just give them any identity you like, and it would be best if they were not given any real power."
They are also gathering information for me, but their focus is slightly different. Fellow Daoist, feel free to use them if needed, without any reservations.” Song Changsheng’s few words directly dispelled Mingtai Zhenren’s doubts.
These people are here to work, not to monitor Rock City, and certainly not to act like royalty. Don't worry about being hindered by them.
This is enough for Master Mingtai.
In fact, Song Changsheng brought Chen Tianxing and the others here because Panshi City is currently in a neutral position, and it is indeed inconvenient for them to show their faces when it comes to certain matters. This is where Chen Tianxing and the others can be used.
They were all unfamiliar faces, making it easier for them to act, and they wouldn't implicate Rock City afterwards.
As the Song family's only stronghold north of the Tianshan Mountains, Song Changsheng had paid a heavy price for it, so naturally, stability was the top priority.
As long as this base exists, it can gradually expand outwards like a spider weaving a web. Once the intelligence network is established, all kinds of intelligence will be available.
This also corresponds to the promise he made to Master Mingtai: he would not let Panshi City take any risks.
Without further delay, the two set off for the Land of Extreme Yang. Although the corpse poison had been brought under control, there was a risk of complications if left untreated, so it was best to eradicate it as soon as possible...
This extremely yang place was discovered by the Reincarnation True Lord in his early years. At that time, he set up restrictions and formations. With the Reincarnation True Lord's abilities, there were very few who could see through them throughout the entire southwest.
Unless a major geological event causes the land of extreme yang to dissipate, their chances of success on this journey are still very high.
The two carefully concealed their whereabouts and finally arrived at the border between Nanchuan Wilderness Continent and Xisha Han Continent.
What comes into view is a boundless Gobi Desert, where howling winds carry sand across weathered rocks riddled with holes, producing a chilling "whooshing" sound.
The Southern Continent is mostly hilly with few spiritual veins. Apart from the prime areas within the Tian Shan Mountains, its resources are relatively scarce. However, it has taken the lead in developing the East Sea, which is why it is now a prosperous place for immortals.
In contrast, Xisha Hanzhou appears somewhat desolate. Apart from the most scenic part near Zhongsheng Shenzhou, the rest of the area consists of endless seas of sand and Gobi desert, with only patches of oasis like emerald gems inlaid on this yellowish canvas.
Logically speaking, such a place should be extremely barren, but the reality is quite the opposite. The overall strength of the Xisha Hanzhou Immortal Path is almost the same as that of the Nanchuan Wilderness.
This is because, although only oases are suitable for survival in Xisha Hanzhou, there are spiritual veins wherever there are oases, so resources are not scarce. There are also abundant monster resources in the desert, and there are also a large number of mineral veins under the Gobi Desert.
Many of these are unique local specialties, which greatly promoted the development of cultivation arts and trade.
A small oasis can often meet the development needs of a small Foundation Establishment family, which is something that the Southern Continent cannot match.
Especially in remote areas like the Great Qi cultivation world, it is very normal for there to be no people for thousands or even tens of thousands of miles. Because of the scarcity of resources, a Foundation Establishment family must occupy a very vast territory. The lack of concentration of resources severely hinders development.
The Xisha Hanzhou is also uninhabited for thousands of miles, but its resources are more concentrated.
Right now, Song Changsheng and Mingtai are on the edge of the desolate Nanchuan Island. Behind them are layers of verdant peaks, but in front of them is a barren Gobi Desert. The green and yellow seem to repel each other and never blend together, forming a natural dividing line.
Song Changsheng stood atop the clouds, gazing into the distance, trying to make the surrounding environment overlap with the memory he had seen inside the evil lord's body.
Although there were some discrepancies, since there hadn't been any major geological changes during that period, they were basically consistent, so he nodded and said, "This is it."
"This place is all yellow sand and Gobi Desert, how could there be a land of extreme yang?" Master Mingtai looked around, his heart filled with doubt.
"On the surface, that is indeed the case, but there is a canyon here, which is called Demon Hidden Canyon in the local area. Legend has it that it is the place where a demonic giant fell, and died by the sword of a human powerhouse. Before his death, his own Dao aura burst forth, turning that place into a demonic domain, which is still filled with dense demonic energy to this day."
Cultivators whose cultivation level is below the Purple Mansion stage will have their bodies and wills eroded by the demonic energy within the canyon, even if they only approach it, their reason will be devoured and they will eventually turn into demons who only know how to kill.
Only those who have reached the Golden Core stage can calmly resist the demonic energy within.
After countless explorations and searches, it was eventually proven that there was nothing inside. Over time, few people dared to risk entering it, and it has now become a forgotten forbidden place.
However, what the world doesn't know is that beneath this demonic realm lies a place of extreme yang energy.
The human powerhouse's choice to kill the demonic giant on the verge of death in this place was purely accidental; this was a grave he had carefully chosen for him.
The demonic giant he was facing cultivated a special demonic art, which made his demonic energy extremely strange. Once you were tainted by it, it was difficult to dissipate and would continuously destroy the local life force.
If it were killed in the Southern Continent or somewhere else, once the demonic energy accumulated within its body were unleashed, the surrounding area of at least ten thousand miles would be transformed into a demonic realm, devoid of any life.
Therefore, he chose this place as the battlefield. The canyon could effectively reduce the spread of demonic energy, while the extremely yang land below the canyon could slowly wear down this demonic energy until it finally vanished without a trace.
Master Mingtai suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. It's said that it happened ten thousand years ago. It turns out that it contains such a secret."
At the same time, his gaze toward Song Changsheng became increasingly puzzled. According to the information he had gathered, Song Changsheng was indeed from a remote border region. This was the first time he had crossed the Tianshan Mountains, but the knowledge and demeanor he displayed were completely inconsistent with this. Just how many secrets was he hiding?
"Now it's time to find out the truth. I hope we didn't make a wasted trip." Song Changsheng could clearly sense the change in Mingtai Zhenren's expression, which was exactly what he wanted.
To gain the willing submission of a Golden Core cultivator, mere favors are not enough; one must also maintain an air of mystery. Mystery breeds admiration, allowing the other party to see hope for the future and firmly believe that you can lead them to create glory.
Only in this way would he be willing to follow them forever. The two arrived at the top of Demon Hidden Gorge. The deep and narrow gorge was filled with eerie demonic energy, which had eroded the surrounding area for hundreds of miles. No trace of life could be seen, and this was the result of the gorge's restriction and the continuous weakening effect of the Extreme Yang Land over tens of thousands of years.
When the True Monarch of Reincarnation just killed that demonic giant, the overwhelming demonic energy was on a completely different level from what it is now.
"【Eye of Illusion】, activate!"
Eerie patterns appeared in his eyes, and in an instant, the extremely yang land at the bottom of the canyon, shrouded by restrictions and formations, was clearly displayed in front of him, appearing to him like a long river of lava that was constantly flowing.
It must be said that the True Lord of Reincarnation is also quite accomplished in the art of formations. He combined the isolation formation with the demonic energy in the extreme yang land and the canyon, completely concealing the aura of the extreme yang land while achieving a perfect cycle.
Over the years, instead of revealing any flaws, it has become difficult to distinguish itself due to its continuous integration with the surrounding environment.
Unless one is a cultivator like Song Changsheng with special pupil techniques, or a powerful figure whose array formation skills surpass those of the True Monarch of Reincarnation, almost no one below the Nascent Soul Supreme level can discover the Extreme Yang Land below.
Of course, using demonic energy as a cover is itself a rather sophisticated disguise.
After all, demonic energy and yang energy are naturally opposed.
When the True Lord of Reincarnation was at his peak, his original intention in doing this was to prevent others from discovering and destroying the Extreme Yang Land, which would make it impossible to eradicate the demonic energy there. That's why he set up restrictions and formations.
Once the demonic energy is completely dispelled, this layer of formation will naturally be broken, and the land of extreme yang will be left to the destined one.
It's a pity that fate is so cruel; in just a few hundred years, this extremely yang land has become the most important part of his technique of restoring yang from extreme yin.
But soon, Song Changsheng discovered that besides the extremely yang land, there were other things hidden in this canyon.
"The land of extreme yang still exists, but before that, we need to clean it up first."
"Should we clean it up first?" Master Mingtai seemed a little confused.
“This place has been forgotten for too long, and now it has become a den of evil.” A cold light flashed in Song Changsheng’s eyes. Now that they had stumbled upon it, there was no reason for them to let it go.
"The den of demons." Master Mingtai also spread out his divine sense, but it was blocked by the demonic energy gathered inside, and he could not see the situation below at all.
"Their strength is not great. We should finish this quickly and try not to alert anyone else."
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Changsheng transformed into a wisp of green smoke and silently merged into the space, heading straight to the bottom of the valley.
As soon as they entered, the demonic energy in the canyon surged forward like sharks that had smelled blood, but they couldn't get close at all.
There were only a few simple houses at the bottom of the valley, and only three people, all of whom were Purple Mansion cultivators, and all of them had special black emblems on their bodies. It should be a stronghold established by a certain demonic sect. At this moment, they were cultivating in their respective houses and did not notice the approaching danger at all.
What really interested Song Changsheng was that the canyon walls on both sides, which shouldn't have been inhabited by any life, were now covered with a kind of dark green vine. The leaves were very large, the flowers were as white as snow, and the fruits were as black as ink.
"It seems we still have to keep one alive to question him."
Song Changsheng flipped his hand and took out a golden disc. A lifelike three-legged golden crow was flapping its wings and soaring inside. The demonic energy surrounding him seemed to have encountered its nemesis and dissipated. This object was the low-grade law treasure [Night-Shining Divine Bird] that he had subdued earlier.
"[Shining in all directions]!"
"Wow—"
The disc floated in the very center of the canyon, and the three-legged golden crow soared into the sky, letting out a long cry, and then bursting out with dazzling golden light, just like a great sun in the sky.
Wherever the golden light passed, the demonic energy retreated in all directions.
Several houses turned to ashes in the golden light. Two demonic cultivators at the Purple Mansion stage hadn't even realized what was happening before they were reduced to wisps of black smoke and vanished under the golden light. Their painful screams echoed throughout the canyon.
Upon seeing this situation, the only remaining late-stage Purple Mansion demon cultivator did not hesitate at all and immediately used a secret technique to burn his own life essence to escape at the fastest speed.
Little did he know that the only reason he was still alive was because Song Changsheng wanted to leave someone alive.
In just a few breaths, the escaped demonic cultivators were captured and imprisoned by Mingtai Zhenren, who was lying in wait outside, and thrown in front of Song Changsheng like dead dogs.
Song Changsheng looked at him leisurely and said, "You ran fast. Let me ask you, what are these spiritual plants you planted called, what are their uses, and which demonic sect do you belong to, where is your headquarters, and what is your strength?"
"If I tell you, will you let me go?" The demonic cultivator tried to buy himself a chance to survive.
"You've cultivated to the Purple Mansion stage, you must have had your hands stained with blood, yet you still ask such a childish question."
"If you don't answer, I have plenty of ways to find out. The reason I'm asking you now is to give you a quick and dignified death. Take this opportunity seriously, or I have plenty of ways to make you regret it." Song Changsheng's expression was calm, but his tone was icy, making even a demon feel a chill.
His expression kept changing. Just as he was considering what kind of death he should choose, Song Changsheng made the decision for him.
"Since you don't want to confess yourself, I'll take it myself." With that, he placed his large hand directly on the demonic cultivator's crown.
A look of extreme terror flashed in the demonic cultivator's eyes: "No...don't..."
"what--"
In less than a quarter of an hour, the demonic cultivator collapsed to the ground, his expression becoming sluggish and foaming at the mouth, barely breathing.
In order not to miss any important information, Song Changsheng used the Soul Searching Technique on him multiple times, almost pushing the other party's soul to its limit. Collapse was only a matter of time.
"How is it?" Master Mingtai asked hurriedly.
After gathering his thoughts, Song Changsheng said, "This group belongs to an organization called the Shadow Demon Cult. I don't know where their headquarters is, but their power is extremely large, and they probably have a Nascent Soul True Monarch in charge."
The spiritual plants they planted here, which they called "Holy Spirit Fruits," were nourished by the rich demonic energy of the place and the essence of human cultivators. They would mature in just sixty years.
The specific purpose was unknown; all they knew was that it was a mission from the main headquarters, requiring them to submit five hundred [Holy Spirit Fruits] within two cycles of sixty years. Completing the mission would grant them a chance to be infused with demonic energy.
"【Holy Spirit Fruit】? How laughable! How can such a filthy thing be worthy of the word 'Holy Spirit'?" Master Mingtai scoffed at this.
In contrast, he was more curious about where this [Shadow Demon Cult] came from.
Shadow Demon, Blood Demon, Succubus... these are all branches of the demonic path, and they actually have many similarities with the laws of the human cultivation system.
The most common one at present is actually the Blood Demon. It was the number one sect of the demonic path. Even though it was destroyed later, its followers and lineage are still spread all over the world, one wave after another, and they can never be killed off.
Shadow Demons are extremely rare; even during the most prosperous period of the demonic path, they were only a very small branch.
Their most prominent characteristic is speed; they have no other skills. They were easily wiped out when the demon was exterminated, but unexpectedly, they have risen from the ashes and their power is not small.
Unfortunately, these demonic cultivators are becoming increasingly cautious. Even their followers don't know the exact location of their headquarters, or even the details. They have very little useful information.
At this moment, Song Changsheng couldn't help but think of the demonic Nascent Soul cultivator who ambushed the Hundred Cauldrons Pavilion during the Five Academies Grand Competition. Could there be some connection between the two?
"I wonder what they want these fruits for." Master Mingtai casually picked one and found nothing special about it. If he had to say, it was that it didn't have any demonic energy and its fragrance was very tempting.
It is truly unbelievable that there is no demonic energy in such an environment.
"They're demanding 500 fruits just for this. If you add them up from other places, that's a huge number. Could they be used to improve cultivation?" Song Changsheng looked at the fruits hanging on the vines, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Master Mingtai shook his head and said, "I'm afraid it's not that simple. There are far too many ways for demonic cultivators to improve their strength. There's no need to go to such great lengths. Most of them probably have some special functions."
"How about this, we each take some for our own investigations, and the rest we'll just destroy."
“Alright.” Master Mingtai readily agreed. Since it involved the Demonic Sect, and a Demonic Sect that might even have Nascent Soul True Monarchs, no one dared to take it lightly.
They uprooted all the vines and then burned them along with the already dead demonic cultivator.
After confirming that there were no omissions, Song Changsheng followed his memory to the specific location, took out the waist token of the Reincarnation True Monarch, and opened all the restrictions and formations at the bottom of the valley.
In an instant, a well with a diameter of more than ten feet appeared in front of them. The well radiated a scorching heat, and a liquid that looked like magma flowed inside. The moment he touched it, Master Mingtai felt a slight itch in his bones and internal organs, and felt uncomfortable all over, as if many insects were crawling inside his body.
"Fellow Daoist, do not underestimate this small well opening. Below it lies an extremely yang lake, a place where the essence of the sun gathers. It is extremely yang and strong, and is the nemesis of the corpse poison in your body."
It can be completely eradicated without going deep into the affected area. Although the process may be somewhat painful, the results are absolutely immediate and can be completed in just a few days.
Upon hearing this, Master Mingtai solemnly cupped his hands and said, "I will forever remember the Sect Master's kindness!"
Extremely yang places are hard to find in the world, and Song Changsheng's willingness to share them is an immense favor.
He reached out and helped him up, saying, "I was going to come anyway. Removing the corpse poison from your body was just a side thing. Fellow Daoist, there's no need for that."
He wasn't lying about that.
Although he is transitioning from the Yin-Yang Way to the Boundless Way, his Boundless Way is still far from perfect. Before that, he still needs to continuously promote the Yin-Yang Laws and elevate them to the level of "Dao". This is one of the prerequisites for him to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Extremely yang and extremely yin places greatly promote the cultivation of the Yin-Yang Law.
The same applies to the [Night-Shining Divine Bird] that belongs to Yin and Yang in his hand.
In addition, the True Lord of Reincarnation discovered some things in this extremely yang place, but since they were just beginning to develop, he did not use them.
Now, ten thousand years have passed, and it must have been conceived by now.
Therefore, no matter how eager he was to return to his clan, he had to come here before leaving. Master Mingtai was just passing by, but the other party thought he was being modest.
Since the two had different goals, they naturally had to act separately.
Master Mingtai stayed on the periphery to remove the corpse poison from his body, while he needed to go deeper into the lake of extreme yang below.
Instead of using his magic to protect himself, Song Changsheng jumped straight in.
For a moment, he felt as if he were in magma, the terrifying temperature threatening to melt him completely.
But this was just a feeling. Although the temperature of the surrounding liquids was high, it could not cause him any real harm. Instead, a scorching and pure power was constantly flowing into his body.
The dantian felt like a dried-up sponge had been thrown into a water tank, frantically absorbing this power.
"This is... the purest and most refined Yang energy." Song Changsheng felt as if all the pores on his skin had been opened, and his whole body felt warm and extremely comfortable.
For cultivators who practice the Pure Yang Law or the Yin-Yang Law, this place is simply paradise.
This extremely yang land has existed for tens of thousands of years, and its pure yang energy has been refined many times, making its effects more direct than any pure yang treasure.
He didn't linger on that feeling, but continued to descend, reaching the depths.
There, he felt an extremely strong attraction...
……
P.S.: Today's chapter is 8,000 words long, finally paying off the debt I owed at the beginning of the month. Work has been going badly lately, and the progress and time of the extra chapters have been postponed again and again. I really feel sorry for my fellow Daoists. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the fellow Daoists who have been silently supporting me.
The original plan for this month was to add 16,000 words, but the actual addition was 21,000 words. I will definitely speed up the pace in the future.
It's almost the end of the month again. I hope fellow cultivators can support me with more monthly tickets. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! (End of this chapter)