Chapter 1265: Dao Dies, Demon Grows

"Calamity Frost Blade!"

Upon hearing about this demonic treasure, Tu Ming's eyes lit up. He had just lost the Underworld Disk, depleting his reserves of a sixth-tier demonic treasure. Although he could temporarily feign strength using the power of a demon god, his true weakness would eventually be exposed when the cycle of reincarnation reorganized. If he could refine the Calamity Frost Blade before then, he would be able to maintain a superficial balance of power with the Lord of the Central Demonic Path and True Monarch Tianling. Therefore, as soon as he heard of this, he immediately took full responsibility, stating that he would definitely hold back the Three Great Sacred Lands of the Eastern Lands in Dongli.

Wandering Mountain.

Chen Mobai was attempting to comprehend the Underworld Disk. Although this Six Paths Sub-Disk had been refined by the Black Fly Demon God, its essence was a part of the innate spiritual treasure, the Life-and-Death Disk, containing the profound mysteries of life, death, and reincarnation. It was precisely for this reason that the always-effective "Tri-Union Harmony Pact" had little effect when facing the Underworld Disk. Of course, this was primarily due to Chen Mobai's insufficient cultivation. The Underworld Disk had been largely permeated by the demon god's power, making it impossible for him to contend for control. And in areas not permeated by the demon god's power, there was the power of the seventh-tier Dao of Life and Death, rendering him, a mere Spirit Transformation cultivator, utterly helpless.

As time passed, Chen Mobai's mind was suddenly pulled into a desolate, dark starry sky. Everything he saw was gnawed empty, ruinous and desolate. Amidst a buzzing sound, countless dense swarms of flies unfurled their wings in the darkness. It turned out that the so-called darkness was merely an endless cloud of flies, obscuring all light. However, Chen Mobai could perceive that the darkness was only superficial; deep within it, there existed a Great Dao that could not be obscured or gnawed away. That must have been the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation.

With this thought, Chen Mobai's mind stirred, and he wanted to wave his hand to part the dark cloud of flies, hoping to glimpse the essence of the Underworld Disk. His consciousness transformed into a blazing sword, slashing into the cloud of flies. However, the cloud's thickness far exceeded his imagination; no matter how deep he cut, he could not break through it. Moreover, his action provoked the wrath of the flies. More, larger, and even more terrifying flies began to pour in from all corners of this desolate starry sky, sweeping towards Chen Mobai, who stood suspended in mid-air, with fierce roars, like dark tornadoes.

At the same time, Tongtian Zhi began to issue violent warnings. Chen Mobai was about to withdraw this wisp of his divine sense from the Underworld Disk when he witnessed a shocking sight. A gigantic shadow emerged from the edge of the starry sky, transforming into an enormous fly that seemed to fill the entire universe. Its mouthparts were so vast that with a single intake and exhalation, an entire galaxy would vanish. Its blood-red, bulging eyes, filled with chilling ruthlessness, fixed upon Chen Mobai. In that instant, Chen Mobai felt that no matter what methods he employed, he would be unable to break free. Is this a demon god! Horrified, Chen Mobai instantly severed this wisp of his divine sense.

His true body, seated atop Wandering Mountain, simultaneously opened its eyes. He saw a deep, dark power, akin to that of a demon god, gushing from the Underworld Disk. It manifested as countless flies, like a dark cloud, enveloping his entire body. The Haotian Mirror glowed with Profound Yang Divine Light, descending from above and enveloping Chen Mobai. All the dark flies that approached him turned into sparks and fell away upon colliding with the radiance. However, the demon god's power within the Underworld Disk seemed endless, growing increasingly dense and dark, causing even the Profound Yang Divine Light to waver.

Seeing this, Chen Mobai immediately severed his connection and comprehension with the Underworld Disk. Although the Haotian Mirror, augmented by the Sky Veil Earth Network Array, was extremely powerful, there was no need to waste spiritual veins in such a manner. Furthermore, cleansing the demon god's power from the Underworld Disk would likely consume the majority of the spiritual veins in the three border regions of Dongzhou and take centuries. Chen Mobai would certainly not do something so unprofitable.

After he ceased his attempt at comprehension, the Underworld Disk no longer emitted more demon god power. The Haotian Mirror's radiance ignited and purified all the flies, then continued to shine for a period, illuminating various parts of Wandering Mountain for a long time, only slowly receding after confirming no flies remained. However, this attempt also made Chen Mobai realize how terrifyingly powerful these transcendent demonic cultivators from beyond the realms were. The Black Fly Demon God truly lived up to its name as a True Spirit that had existed since the dawn of creation. Its strength might not be limited to the Void Refinement stage. From this perspective, having the Underworld Disk in his possession was more like a hot potato. With this thought, Chen Mobai fell into contemplation.

Currently, he already had an Evil Ghost Disk as a fallback. Taking another Underworld Disk to the Purple Cloud Universe would be somewhat redundant. Rather than that, it would be better to trade it for things he needed. This way, he could also get rid of this Underworld Disk that had been refined by a demon god. Among other things, the Millennium Calligraphy and Ink Forest had offered a reward of at least sixth-tier resources for demonic treasures. Chen Mobai's Tushita Eight Scenery Lamp, though he had nurtured and refined it whenever he had time over the years, had remained stuck at the fifth-tier due to the grade of its materials. If he could seize this opportunity to exchange for the corresponding resources, he would gain another sixth-tier magical artifact.

Once the Tushita Eight Scenery Lamp reached the sixth-tier, it would form the divine ability "Tushita Heaven," which was also a Dharma Realm. However, unlike the Dharma Realm Chen Mobai cultivated using the Six Imperial Sutras, "Tushita Heaven" was primarily based on the Great Dao of Life, capable of connecting the vitality of all realms and nurturing all creation. For example, a spiritual plant placed within Tushita Heaven would grow to its highest grade and complete its maturation in the shortest possible time. For Chen Mobai, the utility of Tushita Heaven was not particularly great, but for alchemists like Qing Nü, it would be an unparalleled treasure. With this, the Five Elements Sect, building upon its foundation of high-grade medicinal ingredients and after several generations of effort, could easily catch up to the Daoist Sect, and over time, perhaps even surpass Du Guangye of the Southern State. Additionally, there were the sixth-tier spiritual items needed for the Spirit Venerable's recovery. If an Underworld Disk could be exchanged for these items, Chen Mobai felt it would be worthwhile.

However, if he actively approached the Millennium Calligraphy and Ink Forest, his price would surely be driven down. It would be best if Central State somehow inadvertently learned that he possessed an Underworld Disk. Chen Mobai pondered for a moment, considering who would be best to leak this information. Should he approach a Spirit Transformation cultivator from the Daoist Sect, or one from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace?

Before he could act, True Monarch Wuchen and True Monarch Dakong's urgent messages, having traveled great distances, had already arrived at Wandering Mountain. Upon sensing them, Chen Mobai activated the grand formation, allowing the two message talismans to enter and land before him. After reading them, he couldn't help but frown slightly. Although the two venerable Spirit Transformation cultivators reported different matters, the underlying cause was the same: Wen Buyue of the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect.

After receiving the information from Chen Mobai, Wuchen and Dakong believed that capturing a mere Nascent Soul cultivator would be an easy task for them. Among them, True Monarch Wuchen, possessing the Heavenly and Earthly Xuanji Instrument, quickly located the hidden lair of the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect. He confidently charged in, intending to act on behalf of heaven, destroy this demonic lineage, and seize the Calamity Frost Blade. Little did he know, as soon as True Monarch Wuchen entered, he fell into an ambush. A Blood God was waiting for him inside. This Blood God was the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect's Grand Elder, Diao Xianlan. After the last battle between righteous and demonic forces, she had attempted Spirit Transformation through a Blood Moon Sacrifice but was confronted by True Monarch Dakong, who shattered her physical body with his Golden and Silver Twin Rings, leaving only her spiritual consciousness to be taken by the blood moon in the sky. At the time, everyone thought Diao Xianlan's Spirit Transformation had failed and that she had been devoured by an ancient demon. Who would have thought she was still hidden in Dongli, and had even achieved Blood God status?

Although this Blood God was a puppet of an ancient demon, it possessed the combat power of a Spirit Transformation cultivator. However, in terms of actual strength, it certainly couldn't compare to True Monarch Wuchen. But wielding the Calamity Frost Blade, things were different. If True Monarch Wuchen hadn't brought the Heavenly and Earthly Xuanji Instrument, that single blow would likely have taken half his life. Since both Wuchen and Dakong had intended to monopolize the demonic treasure, they did not travel together. Without True Monarch Dakong's Void Secret Arts, True Monarch Wuchen couldn't escape. He could only confront the Blood God within the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect's trap, seizing an opportune moment to send out a message talisman, seeking aid from the righteous path of Dongzhou. Besides Chen Mobai, the other Spirit Transformation cultivators should have also received his message talisman.

After reading True Monarch Wuchen's message, Chen Mobai was also slightly surprised, not expecting the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect to have such a trick up its sleeve. True Monarch Dakong's message, on the other hand, stated that he had found Wen Buyue, but the latter had been possessed and controlled by an ancient demon from beyond the heavens, causing his strength to skyrocket. Although he could rely on his Void Secret Arts to gain the upper hand in their clashes, he was unable to defeat Wen Buyue, who had already mastered an immortal body. During their encounters, True Monarch Dakong discovered that each time he defeated Wen Buyue, the latter would improve and transform, gradually making the fights more difficult over time. However, he dared not let Wen Buyue out of his sight, so he also sent a message talisman to Chen Mobai, hoping he would come to lend a hand and break Wen Buyue's immortal body with his sixth-tier Primordial Yang Sword.

Both these messages made Chen Mobai perceive the shifting balance in the Tianhe Realm, where the Dao was waning and demonic forces were growing. The demonic forces, which had originally been suppressed by the righteous path and merely clung to survival, were now showing signs of resurgence, capitalizing on this great upheaval in the world. Besides the inherent foundation of the demonic path, the main reason was that the Heavenly Demons from outside the realms were closer to descending upon the Tianhe Realm. However, Chen Mobai's stance was undoubtedly with the righteous path. Therefore, upon receiving these two messages, his first thought was to take action. Not to mention his good relationship with Wuchen and Dakong, there was also an unresolved matter between him and Diao Xianlan. During the original war between righteous and demonic forces, on the Eastern Wu battlefield, Diao Xianlan and the Desolate Sea demon race had allied to cause significant trouble for the Five Elements Sect. However, the demonic scoundrels had been quick to flee, escaping the fate of being annihilated by the Primordial Five Elements Extinction Divine Thunder. But with the advent of the great tribulation, this debt would eventually have to be settled.

Just as Chen Mobai was preparing to depart, Tongtian Zhi began to issue a warning. This caused his expression to turn solemn. Was the Jade Mirror Demonic Sect in Dongli more powerful than he had imagined? That shouldn't be the case. Demonic Spirit Transformation cultivators should not be able to resist the Pure Yang Scroll! Just as Chen Mobai was wondering, he sensed a bearer of a Primordial Demonic Talisman speeding towards the Dongyi coast from above the Profound Sea. As it drew closer, its aura also expanded, seemingly undergoing continuous breakthroughs and advancements.

Upon realizing this, Chen Mobai focused his mind, activated the Power of Final Karma, and investigated what was happening. Soon, he realized that this was an inner demon avatar of an alien creature, a powerful True Spirit with a fifth-tier immortal body. However, one thing was extremely peculiar: this True Spirit's bloodline was continuously undergoing atavism. One must know that the cultivation of a True Spirit involved purifying and ancientizing its bloodline. And this process was atavism. However, over ninety percent of alien cultivators in the Tianhe Realm might not see any improvement in their bloodline even after centuries, or even a millennium, of cultivation. Yet, this inner demon avatar approaching Dongyi was extremely strange; it seemed to have no bottlenecks, and its True Spirit aura was continuously rising without end. Chen Mobai even suspected that if not for the fact that Void Refinement still required ascension, it could directly advance to the sixth-tier, achieving the realm of rebirth from a drop of blood.

Could it be that Tongtian Zhi's warning was about this? Chen Mobai felt something was off at this thought. After all, no matter how powerful the Lord of the Central Demonic Path's inner demon avatar was, even if an alien True Spirit was not within the Pure Yang Scroll's restraining capabilities, it couldn't be stronger than the old Flood Dragon from the Profound Sea. If he could slay the old Flood Dragon, he could slay another fifth-tier peak True Spirit, and perhaps even more easily. After all, the Lord of the Central Demonic Path couldn't possibly possess a treasure like the Deep Stabilizing Sea-Suppressing Pearl. So, what could it be?

Thinking this, Chen Mobai tried to stop his intention to go to Dongli and assist True Monarchs Wuchen and Dakong, but Tongtian Zhi continued to warn him. With Dongli ruled out, given the current information, the only remaining possibility was the Lord of the Central Demonic Path. Unable to fully understand the situation, Chen Mobai could only adjust his state, preparing to 'reap' this fifth-tier peak inner demon avatar that was heading his way. However, he was always cautious. He had already made preparations that, should the situation turn dire, he would immediately pull the Lord of the Central Demonic Path into his Dharma Realm and let the Spirit Venerable deal with him. He refused to believe that there could be a master in the current Tianhe Realm whom a Void Refinement cultivator couldn't handle.

As he thought this, Tongtian Zhi's warning, as expected, began to subside in intensity. But if it persisted at all, it meant this opponent was extremely powerful. Chen Mobai activated the Sky Veil Earth Network Array to ensure that the aftermath of the battle would not affect the three border regions of Dongzhou. Then, he dispatched his second primordial spirit to intercept the inner demon avatar over the Profound Sea and assess its condition. Meanwhile, considering that the Dongyi coast was the closest area to the battle, and knowing that Zhuo Ming had personally cultivated many spiritual fields in the sea there, Chen Mobai notified her to prevent her from leaving the array's protective range at this time.

After completing all this, his second primordial spirit had already teleported above the sea, witnessing the colossal True Spirit that was churning up huge waves as it approached. This was... a Kunpeng! Chen Mobai was slightly startled to see the massive alien creature in the sea, resembling a moving landmass. The Tianhe Realm still had such a True Spirit?