Chapter 1258: The Function of the Primordial Demon Symbol

When did Chen Mobai realize that Du Mengyun was no longer herself? He discovered it through three observations.

First, when he used the Void Transference Secret Art to move Du Mengyun, the power consumed far exceeded that required for a Nascent Soul cultivator. Second, when he captured Du Mengyun and brought her back, the Tongtian Zhi actually issued a warning. Although the warning was minor, even the most powerful Nascent Soul cultivator, or one wielding a heavy treasure, could not pose a threat to Chen Mobai. Third, the Primordial Demonic Talisman he had originally planted in Du Mengyun's Purple Mansion Consciousness Sea began to proliferate. From a single talisman, it multiplied into many, spreading across all Five Continents and Four Seas, every corner of the Sky River Realm.

Initially, Chen Mobai didn't understand what was happening. But after he finished reading the Demonic Incarnation Art, he instantly grasped it. Clearly, there was an existence with a higher mastery of the Demonic Incarnation Art who, through the art's hierarchical control, had refined Du Mengyun's inner demons and taken over her physical body. Du Mengyun had also stated that only the Lord of the Central Demonic Path could achieve such a feat. The proliferation of the Primordial Demonic Talisman from one to many, spreading throughout the Five Continents and Four Seas, indirectly confirmed Chen Mobai's conjecture.

He had always been a direct person, so he immediately asked about it. To his surprise, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path was equally straightforward, admitting and revealing his true nature in just a few words.

After confirmation, Chen Mobai looked at the lines extending from Du Mengyun's body, and his expression turned peculiar. The Lord of the Central Demonic Path, using the Demonic Incarnation Art, had swallowed Du Mengyun, but in doing so, he had also consumed the Primordial Demonic Talisman Chen Mobai had planted. It was clear that the talisman's rank far surpassed what Chen Mobai had imagined; he hadn't detected it at all. It even seemed to have directly spread and contaminated all the incarnations into which the Lord of the Central Demonic Path had planted inner demons. What kind of situation was this? For other cultivators in the Sky River Realm, the most challenging task was finding the true body of the Lord of the Central Demonic Path. Yet for him, not only could he find it, but he could even pinpoint all of his inner demon incarnations. It seemed that Heaven intended to use him to eliminate this supreme demonic expert of the Sky River Realm. Upon realizing this, Chen Mobai's expression became stern. Golden flames ignited behind his head, and his Second Nascent Soul, carrying a complete set of Pure Yang artifacts, firmly locked onto the Du Mengyun before him.

“I have just refined this disciple's inner demon, so I can only barely exert the power of a Soul Transformation cultivator. I should not be your match.” Facing Chen Mobai, who was ready for battle, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path calmly uttered these words. He then rose and sat directly in the chair to Chen Mobai's left, waving his hand towards Hong He beside him, “Pour some tea. Today, I wish to have a good chat with Fellow Daoist Azure Emperor.” Hong He looked at the "Du Mengyun" who had completely changed, his face a mixture of shock and terror. For demonic cultivators, the name of the Lord of the Central Demonic Path was simply too formidable. He was an undisputed supreme demonic expert, a powerful figure who could even contend for the title of the strongest in the Sky River Realm. Hong He had never imagined that this entity, occupying his Dao Companion's body, would one day become his own Dao Companion.

“Let's skip the tea. I am irreconcilably opposed to the Demonic Path, so I ask Fellow Daoist to die.” Chen Mobai, however, had no interest in conversing with the Lord of the Central Demonic Path. After all, his cultivation of the Grand Dao of Ill Fate required him to slay demonic cultivators, and the one before him was the 'fattest prey' in the Sky River Realm.

“Why so serious, Fellow Daoist? With your cultivation, I would need to bring my demonic treasures to suppress and kill you. If we can reach a consensus through discussion, I am willing to spare your life.” The Lord of the Central Demonic Path was even more arrogant than Chen Mobai, and these words made Chen Mobai scoff. With a hum! The Sixth-rank Primordial Yang Sword, under the control of the Second Nascent Soul, erupted with brilliant golden light, poised to strike. Yet, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path uttered a sentence: “Fellow Daoist, if I self-destruct directly, all living beings in your immortal city will likely be buried with this inner demon incarnation of mine.”

This was true. Even though Du Mengyun's strength had only risen to the Blood God level due to the passage of time, which was insignificant to Chen Mobai, if he were to disregard his own life and self-destruct directly within Yaoguang Immortal City, not only would the city be destroyed, but the spiritual veins could also be polluted, consequently affecting the interconnected grand formation. However, such a threat was only effective against others. Chen Mobai did not indulge the Lord of the Central Demonic Path in the slightest. With a cold laugh, he swept his sleeve, and the Dharma Realm unfolded, directly encompassing him. Furthermore, due to the warning from Tongtian Zhi, Chen Mobai did not enter with his true body. Instead, he sent his Second Nascent Soul, carrying the six Pure Yang treasures, to confront the Lord of the Central Demonic Path.

“Dharma Realm!?” Trapped within the Dharma Realm, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path recognized the divine ability at first glance. He tried several times to contact his true body using inner demons, but received no response, confirming his suspicions directly. His expression changed drastically. “Are you from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace? Or are you a Void Spirit Body!” In the Sky River Realm, the Dharma Realm divine ability was a symbol of the Grand Void Ethereal Palace. Even within the Grand Void Ethereal Palace itself, those capable of cultivating the Dharma Realm were few and far between. Even a Grand Void Immortal would require external foundational power to achieve it. After all, the Dharma Realm was the hallmark of Void Refinement cultivators from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace. If one wasn't a Void Refinement cultivator capable of cultivating it, then they could only be a Void Spirit Body.

“The Dharma Realm is a self-contained world. If I kill you here, no message will be sent back to your main body.” Chen Mobai brought the Lord of the Central Demonic Path into the Dharma Realm not only to prevent him from acting recklessly and self-destructing to destroy Yaoguang Immortal City, but also because he did not want to reveal that he possessed the Pure Yang Scroll, which had special effectiveness against demons.

“Then you underestimate my sect's Grand Dao of Inner Demons!” The Lord of the Central Demonic Path, however, was full of confidence. Chen Mobai bothered no further with words, and the Primordial Yang Sword descended directly.

“This inner demon incarnation of mine is the Dao Companion of your Five Elements Sect disciple. Won't you consider sparing her life? I can directly obliterate the inner demon I planted...” The Lord of the Central Demonic Path uttered this, but his movements were not slow. His entire body burst forth with crimson blood light, seemingly transforming into a blood moon. Yet, it also carried a chilling, freezing power that affected the void of the Dharma Realm, causing the Primordial Yang Sword's light to slow down. However, Du Mengyun's cultivation was too low. Even if the Lord of the Central Demonic Path used his essence to elevate the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect's legacy within her to the Blood God level, she still couldn't resist the Primordial Yang Sword, not to mention the Pure Yang Scroll's special effectiveness against demonic arts. Although the Primordial Yang Sword was affected by the freezing power, the moment it touched the blood moon, it instantly erupted with more than three times its power, directly cleaving the Lord of the Central Demonic Path in two.

“What kind of cultivation art is this!?” The Lord of the Central Demonic Path, cut in half, stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the wounds that were now ablaze with golden flames. He exerted all his might, trying to stop the flames from spreading and burning, but found that it only added fuel to the fire. No matter how powerful the demonic energy he poured onto it, it only intensified the flames. Only the freezing power had a slight effect. However, under the illumination of an ancient mirror resembling the rising sun, held in the Second Nascent Soul's palm, this resistance quickly dissipated. Soon, the lower half of the Lord of the Central Demonic Path, specifically targeted by the Haotian Mirror, began to turn to ashes inch by inch.

“In his early years, Hong He violated sect rules and was expelled from the Five Elements Sect long ago. And do you truly believe I'd be convinced that those two are Dao Companions with genuine affection?” Chen Mobai, expressionless, continued to wield the Haotian Mirror and Primordial Yang Sword, completely ignoring the latter question.

“Heh, consider this my miscalculation for today. But you'll only be able to scheme against me this one time. Just wait. Soon, my true body will arrive. At that time, you will find that your closest disciples, Dao Companions, fellow sect members, masters, and elders – anyone with inner demons – will all become my puppets. I will enslave them, make them stab you with their blades, and then watch the painful expression on your face as you are forced to slay them with your own hands...” The Lord of the Central Demonic Path knew that his inner demon incarnation could not be saved today, so he stopped resisting and wasting energy. As the golden flames were about to engulf his head, he glared fiercely at Chen Mobai with a pair of savage, malevolent eyes. If that were truly the case, it would indeed be a situation that would make any cultivator tremble with fear. Unfortunately, Chen Mobai's Primordial Demonic Talisman had already located him the moment the Lord of the Central Demonic Path consumed Du Mengyun. As soon as one of his inner demon incarnations approached, Chen Mobai would instantly perceive and know its presence.

“Before that, you will die by my hand.” Chen Mobai raised the surface of the Haotian Mirror, and its light fell upon "Du Mengyun's" face. Her entire head then began to burn fiercely, turning into a pile of ashes within a few breaths.

Outside the Dharma Realm, Chen Mobai's true body, who had been drinking tea, raised an eyebrow. The void opened, and a storage bag dropped out. “This is what she left behind. Since she was your Dao Companion, it's yours,” Chen Mobai said to the trembling Hong He beside him. “Thank you, Honored Ancestor.” Hong He dared not refuse. He walked over tremblingly, bent down, and picked up the storage bag. His spiritual sense probed it, finding that Du Mengyun's spiritual mark on it had been erased. Inside was nearly eighty percent of the Sun family's assets.

“I venture to ask, Honored Ancestor, how was the Lord of the Central Demonic Path dealt with?” After unexpectedly inheriting his Dao Companion's estate, Hong He felt a subtle surge of suppressed joy, but still felt uneasy and couldn't help but ask.

“Killed.” Chen Mobai uttered two words, then put down his empty teacup and stood up.

“Is Honored Ancestor leaving? I will see you off!” Hong He hung Du Mengyun's storage bag on his waist and immediately spoke.

“Since you have chosen the path of demonic legacy, then take care of yourself from now on.” Chen Mobai, out of consideration for past ties, left Hong He with these final words. He then performed a Grand Void Transference and went to Dongyi. The Primordial Demonic Talisman there also registered a sensation. This indicated that Du Mengyun's previous sensation was correct: the Lord of the Central Demonic Path had come to Eastern Continent. And the location of this Primordial Demonic Talisman greatly concerned Chen Mobai. Because it was located on the ruins of the former Golden Crow Immortal City.

When Chen Mobai instantly teleported there, he found that his disciple, Zhuo Ming, was also present. Beside her was an ordinary-looking female cultivator, and the Primordial Demonic Talisman reacted to her. The moment she saw Chen Mobai arrive, the female cultivator was startled, then quickly reacted, realizing she had been exposed. This was because the inner demon he had planted in Du Mengyun had vanished, and the last image transmitted before its demise was of being taken away by the figure before him with a sweep of his sleeve. However, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path did not know how Chen Mobai had located this inner demon incarnation of his.

“You destroyed one of my incarnations, so I'll kill one of your disciples.” The female cultivator sneered, raising her right index finger, as delicate as a jade scallion. A wisp of dark, profound demonic light burst forth, instantly striking Zhuo Ming's glabella beside her. This incarnation of the Lord of the Central Demonic Path originally had only Core Formation cultivation, so he could only elevate it to the Nascent Soul realm. However, with his essence, he could unleash the power of a Fifth-rank cultivator from Nascent Soul demonic energy. Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators could only be slaughtered by him!

But Zhuo Ming was no ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator! The instant the Lord of the Central Demonic Path attacked, her Earth Spirit Dharma Robe reacted, transforming into a dense, substantial yellow light. Faintly, the ethereal figure of the True Spirit Li Li could be seen opening its mouth, swallowing the profound demonic light to block it. However, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path's strength was truly extraordinary. The Earth Spirit Dharma Robe only managed to block half of it; the other half of the demonic light continued with his index finger, reaching Zhuo Ming's forehead. With a dull clang! The Lord of the Central Demonic Path felt as if his index finger had struck a wall of bronze and iron. Looking closely, he saw an apricot-yellow Earth Mother Seal emerge on Zhuo Ming's glabella, and within the seal was a stone cauldron. His finger had struck precisely on the cauldron's body. The Fifth-rank demonic light was unable to pierce the stone cauldron. In fact, his index finger bent directly, sending excruciating pain from broken bones and tendons. “A Fifth-rank Natal Artifact!?”

“How dare you! Who are you, to attack me!?” Zhuo Ming, whose forehead was slightly red and swollen from the strike, reacted at this moment. The joy of seeing Chen Mobai had not yet faded from her face as she furiously punched towards the Lord of the Central Demonic Path. Just as the Lord of the Central Demonic Path was about to activate his demonic art for protection, Chen Mobai had already unleashed the Dharma Realm, drawing this inner demon incarnation inside. At the same time, he aimed the Haotian Mirror at him. Under the pervasive divine light, combined with the demon-dispelling power of the Grand Dao of Nirvana, the vast and boundless demonic energy within this incarnation of the Lord of the Central Demonic Path began to melt like ice and snow. Without the demonic energy for protection, his incarnation couldn't withstand a single punch from Zhuo Ming. With a thud! His head burst apart like a watermelon smashed onto the ground, scattering into a red and white mess.