Chapter 6: Dragon Emperor Cang Yu
This person's spirit is also weak and feeble. After seizing the body, there is also a hidden ailment in the spirit, and soon it will be expelled by this flesh, making it difficult to escape the dismal fate of soul destruction and spirit scattering—he cannot even resist the lowest-level Rakshasa or otherworldly demons
The scions of aristocratic families and the core disciples within the sects rarely embark on the path of cultivation through martial arts; it is only the mid- to lower-tier disciples trained by the sect's Dao academies, primarily supplementing the grassroots military officers, who focus on martial cultivation.
But Chen Hai wondered if he could save his life, hoping to place his hopes on the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu and the old man, contemplating what words could persuade these two monsters
The voice, frail and aged, emanated from the grand hall, yet it carried an indescribable sense of sorrow
He originally thought that if he were to traverse, so be it; perhaps he could linger within the Taiwei Sect for a lifetime. Little did he expect that there would be such a turn of events
The colossal dragon, formed from the gathering of thunder and lightning, is indeed related to that black cauldron
Chen Hai stood there stiffly
"It is not possible now, but it may not be impossible in the future—having passed the snake bracelet to him, he has first settled the cause and effect for me. Even if my soul were to scatter, I would still be at ease..." said the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu
This will also be the first great realm of cultivation, the Realm of Profound Understanding
Chen Hai cursed the old man in his belly, saying, "You old dog, you are also in great trouble. Yet you still nitpick and complain. What makes you think I am not qualified to be that guardian? Hurry up and treat me as your last lifeline to hold on to
Martial Arts Body Refinement
The last remnant of the Dragon Emperor's soul has returned to the Nine Heavens!" A sorrowful voice from the left ear echoed from within the grand hall, "I will now send your soul back to the Taiwei Sect, hoping that you will not disappoint the Dragon Emperor...
Therefore, within the Great Yan Empire, martial arts practice is not highly regarded in Yan Prefecture, or it can be said that achieving significant accomplishments is quite difficult.
After a long time, Chen Hai had not heard any movement from the grand hall and could not help but call out: "Cang Yu, are you still there?"
However, in order for Chen Hai to overcome the spiritual affliction caused by the possession and to reforge the connection between his soul and the new body, he must solely pursue the path of martial cultivation
Regardless of whether it is profound cultivation, martial cultivation, or other extremely specialized forms such as ghost cultivation, weapon cultivation, yin cultivation, external alchemy practices, or dual cultivation of harmony, although ultimately one must still absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body and thereby directly grasp the immense and magnificent power of the universe, mastering great supernatural abilities, the foundation of cultivation still lies within oneself
Even though the practitioners of the Xuanmen possess numerous divine abilities and methods, their cultivation will significantly decline after seizing a body; and as for Chen Hai, being an ordinary person with an extremely weak soul, he has almost no possibility of fully adapting to a new body
Chen Hai inquired: "Senior Left Ear, what exactly are the temples and the Rakshasa Otherworld you mentioned? Why is Cang Yu on Earth, and why have I come from Earth to this place?"
If there are deities in the heavens, why is he singled out for their amusement
What is the situation with the Earth, and what is the nature of the chaotic void?
It is a desolate and bleak expanse of narrow land, where terrifying fissures are everywhere, dense as a spider's web, with hot lava boiling within the cracks, and the air is filled with the scent of sulfur
Chen Hai murmured to himself once again. Although the memories of Yao Xing within the Yao clan have become fragmented and difficult to piece together, Chen Hai still has a slight understanding of cultivation after sorting through the memories of Yao Xing.
Zuo Er does not mind what he is thinking, while Chen Hai feels a slight sadness in his heart, secretly realizing that Zuo Er truly regards him as an insignificant ant. How could they care about what an ant thinks?
"Are you also hiding in the Taiwei Sect?" Chen Hai asked cautiously
After Chen Hai awoke, the piercing, tearing pain in his mind was, in fact, a sign that his hidden affliction was about to manifest.
At this moment, the sky above the colossal palace underwent a sudden change, as countless bolts of lightning converged and struck down fiercely upon the palace. However, it seemed that an invisible force was present above the palace, condensing these numerous flashes of lightning into a gigantic dragon of thunder that was almost unimaginable in size
Chen Hai wished he could raise his middle finger to the blood-red clouds surging in the sky
What you think in your heart, we all know, but you are in a foreign land, with the righteousness of sacrificing yourself to save others. I, too, am borrowing your strength to return to the temple, and I must repay you for the consequences... The voice of the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu sounded as if there were thunder rolling deep beneath the earth
The realm where the Taiwei Sect resides is something he can comprehend; perhaps it is a world that exists parallel to Earth. However, what is the situation with the blood cloud wasteland before him
Is it really like this? The aging voice carried a hint of contemptuous laughter
The earth is extremely narrow and elongated, resembling a canyon, or perhaps a passageway, with no end in sight in either direction. However, above and on both sides, blood-red clouds are swirling, and countless flashes of lightning, like dragons and snakes, are writhing in the gaps of the blood clouds, continuously transforming into silver lightning pillars thicker than barrels, crashing down from the sky and shattering boulder-sized rocks into pieces
It turns out it was merely a coincidence. I was wondering how the Dragon Emperor could choose such a frail human to inherit your seat of guardianship. However, we truly cannot withstand it any longer; so many guardians have fallen, and I am left with only a wisp of my remaining soul. Yet, the rift connecting to the Rakshasa's fierce domain will soon reappear, and I can no longer hold on for a few more years
... ...
In discussing the realms of Spirit Separation and Enlightenment, there is a certain proportion of martial cultivators; however, by the time one reaches the Dao Dan realm, the proportion of martial cultivators sharply declines. Among the few remaining unparalleled masters in the Dao胎 realm within the Great Yan Empire, only one is a grandmaster-level figure in martial arts cultivation
My spirit is about to dissipate, and I can no longer assist you, Left Ear, in guarding these Nine Domains. However, this child may still be capable of taking on the duty of protection
The grand hall is ancient and crude, with glaring marks left by hacking, tearing, and biting all around, and one corner is also missing
The Thunder Dragon is so majestic and so fierce, as if it is the ruler of heaven and earth, circling above the grand hall, overlooking the elongated land.
"What, will I really be left soul-less?" Chen Hai was not concerned about matters such as temples or demons, which had nothing to do with him, but upon hearing that he would soon be left soul-less, his hair stood on end in fright
The blood-like clouds loomed behind him, yet he could not perceive his own existence, as if only his soul and consciousness were floating above this elongated expanse of land
How could a corner of a giant palace appear on Earth
Once the hidden ailment erupts, the only outcome is a complete loss of spirit and soul
It seems that this matter has been settled, as the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu has fulfilled his final wish. The colossal lightning dragon that had gathered in the air above the grand hall gradually dissipated, as if it had never existed.
Chen Hai listened to the sound that seemed to resonate directly in his mind, completely at a loss for words. Was it this giant dragon that had brought him into the otherworld where the Taiwei Sect was located, and had also transported him into this desolate, mysterious space shrouded in blood clouds
The entire desolate land resembles a graveyard, as if it had undergone an unimaginable, cataclysmic battle before becoming a land of corpses
Generally speaking, practitioners of the mysterious arts who cultivate their souls into primordial spirits may only seize another's body to preserve their souls from dispersing when their physical form suffers an irreversible injury.
In the center of the land of corpses, there stands a black temple structure resembling a towering mountain, rising majestically from the earth
Whether it is martial cultivation or mystical cultivation, as long as one possesses the aptitude for cultivation and has sufficient resources, entering the Transcendence Realm is not a difficult task. However, after reaching the Transcendence Realm, there are various levels of cultivation such as the Spirit Realm, Enlightenment Realm, Dao Pill Realm, and Dao Embryo Realm. At this point, the choice of which path to pursue in cultivation becomes significant.
Chen Hai's mind was filled with an overwhelming shock, nearly causing him to lose his ability to think. He found himself able to overlook the elongated blood-red wasteland from the sky, along with the magnificent palace that was unimaginably grand.
... ...
Ah, well then, now I can only hope that a blind cat can catch a dead mouse, the aging voice said, revealing that he had completely lost hope, yet could not resist the persistence of the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu, but did not mind what Chen Hai was thinking in his mind
The vital essence within the body, also known as Jingqi, circulates through the myriad channels and meridians. By cultivating it to fullness and clearing the obstructions in the meridians, and after merging it with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within the body, it transforms into true essence. Only then can one be considered to have truly embarked on the path of cultivation
Chen Hai was also not in the mood to think about anything else. Upon hearing that Cang Yu was about to fall into a deep sleep, he hurriedly asked:
These are things you cannot yet know; even if you did, they would hold no significance for you at this moment. You only need to understand that within the endless chaos, there exist countless spaces, of which Earth is merely one. Some of these spaces are completely separated by the chaotic void, and one cannot traverse them without true divine or demonic powers, or without the aid of divine artifacts. However, there are also some spaces that are connected by special passages—such as the Blood Cloud Wasteland, which serves as a passage between the Rakshasa Domain and the Nine Heavens Domain.
Cang Yu's voice grew increasingly weak as he spoke
He was clearly at Taiwei Sect just now, in Chen Lie's Splashed Cloud Cliff cave, how did he suddenly appear here again
Upon witnessing this scene, Chen Hai suddenly recalled the photographs of the excavation site of the black tripod that the middle-aged man had shown him on Earth. Wasn't the building, deeply buried in the mountains and resembling a ruined hall, just a fragment of the colossal hall before him?
What are the so-called Dragon Emperor, Temple, and Guardian?
Chen Hai felt as if he had been drawn into a space that he could no longer comprehend or imagine
Where is this place again
The Dragon Emperor has already returned to the heavens, and my remaining soul is extremely weak. I am about to enter the temple for slumber, and before the Rakshasa demons invade on a large scale again, I fear I may not awaken once more—if you have any questions, hurry and ask!
What should I do
You are currently in a state where your spirit and body are in conflict, and your soul harbors hidden ailments, making it impossible for you to calm your mind and delve into the profound practices of cultivation. You can only pursue martial arts; by refining your body through martial arts, you will facilitate the integration of your soul and physical form, ultimately preserving your life and allowing you to re-enter the path of cultivation
"Do you think seizing a body is an easy task?" a voice, frail and contemptuous, remarked
The vast majority of the skeletal remains are small, resembling those of dogs and horses, grayish-white, as if weathered rock, shaped like hunchbacked dwarfs; there are also some dark blue-black bones, some even larger than a ten-story building, either intact or fragmented; additionally, there are fragments that resemble gold-cast bones scattered among them, densely covering the ground.
There is no need for Cang Yu to explain further to this old fellow, as Chen Hai has already broken out in a cold sweat at this moment
However, not only does possession violate the natural order, but more critically, if the soul cannot fully integrate with the body that has been taken, it will result in a fatal hidden ailment.
I am still here; feel free to express whatever is on your mind, for I can certainly hear you. The aged voice in my left ear spoke again, saying, "At this moment, the Taiwei Sect does not have any Dao胎-level profound practitioners who can detect my presence, but you should still exercise caution."
Chen Hai was filled with an indescribable shock, staring blankly at everything, his consciousness and soul numbed.
Having cultivated to a certain level, one's divine consciousness can reach various realms. It matters not whether one departs or remains; it is merely that we are too far apart, and the consumption of divine consciousness for communication is also considerable
What was the voice that suddenly appeared in his mind just now
What if he can pass the trials of the temple's inheritance? said the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu
Chen Hai was in a daze for a while, and seeing that Zuo Er had not responded for a long time, he could not help but softly call out: "Senior Zuo Er, are you still there?"
Left ear, I, Cang Yu, have been trapped in a foreign land for thousands of years, my spirit has become weak and feeble. By chance, just before completely dissipating, I forcibly tore open the chaotic void to return, relying on the power within this child's bloodline. Unfortunately, I was unable to bring back the divine artifact, the Dragon Cauldron, to the temple
"Soul possession?" Chen Hailin was taken aback. Although Yao Xing's memories were fragmented, it was not difficult to find memories related to soul possession. However, he had not previously connected his own situation with this matter in such a short time.
The ground is strewn with corpses and bones, covering the earth completely. Even the remaining bones are exceptionally grim, as if countless terrifying demons are attempting to rush into the canyon, only to be mercilessly slaughtered.
"Lord Dragon Emperor, you wish to place the last hope upon this child. I shall naturally obey, but he suffers from this hidden affliction in his soul, making it difficult for him to cultivate, isn't it?" A voice, frail and aged, asked in astonishment.
Once again drawn into the invisible vortex, in the next moment, Chen Hai found his consciousness returned to the body of Yao Xing, still standing before the writing desk, with a faint, piercing pain in his mind as if thousands of needles were stabbing at him.
"Dragon Emperor, even if the Nine Heavens fall, we cannot allow the legacy of the Supreme Emperor to leak out..." Although the elder's status was lower than that of the Dragon Emperor, he insisted unambiguously at this moment
Perhaps due to the return of the Dragon Emperor Cang Yu's soul to the Nine Heavens, the voice from the left ear could not conceal its sorrow, and the attitude towards Chen Hai was no longer indifferent, as it made an effort to explain in detail as much as possible