Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Under the cover of night, Xingzhu City was brightly lit, and the sounds of bustling activity drifted on the night breeze, scattering throughout the streets and alleys, adding a touch of human warmth to this magnificent and fortified city. The menacing aura emanating from the dark red bloodstains on the city walls was also somewhat diluted.

Two years ago, a beast tide swept across the mountains and plains, and even more hateful than the monsters were the Snake God Cult cultivators who besieged Xingzhu City from all directions.

As the grand formation was activated, the entire army of cultivators and martial artists in the city surged onto the city walls. The sounds of battle raged incessantly, and the stench of blood filled the sky.

All the mortals in the city stayed at home, praying that the city lord could lead the immortal masters to defeat the ferocious demon army.

Fortunately, with the help of the city lord's friend, Master Zhang, as well as the immortal masters and soldiers who migrated from Ping Le City, Xing Zhu City's defenses were impregnable. The beast tide besieged the city for half a month, suffering countless casualties, but ultimately returned empty-handed.

But the blood they left behind stained the walls of Xingzhu City, and the stain has not completely faded to this day.

A faint aura of demonic and malevolent energy swirled above the city walls, causing all who approached to tremble involuntarily.

After this beast tide, tempered by blood and death, the cultivators of Ping Le City and Xing Zhu City, who fought side by side, no longer harbored any resentment towards each other.

Even when Xingzhu City was able to successfully resist the beast tide in the past, it could not avoid the deaths and injuries of hundreds of cultivators.

If the beast tide is fierce, thousands of cultivators may die in the mouths of the monsters, and the casualties of martial artists and soldiers will be several times greater.

However, with the help of the cultivators and soldiers in Ping Le City, only more than two hundred cultivators unfortunately perished.

The barriers between the mortals of the two cities have also been greatly reduced. The demon beasts have broken the fragile tranquility of Xingzhu City, and they have finally realized that in this world where the demon race is supreme, only by helping each other can the human race find peace.

Based on past patterns, once a beast tide has passed, it will not return for at least ten years.

The mortals in the city can enjoy this rare tranquility, and the number of low-level demonic beasts that disturb the surrounding area has also decreased significantly, making it easier for cultivators.

However, a month ago, the city lord, Master Zuiyun, suddenly issued an edict, ordering the cultivators in the city to be outwardly relaxed but inwardly vigilant, and to patrol the area.

The mountains south of the city are rich in spiritual energy, making them ideal places for cultivators in the city to establish their cave dwellings. However, the two most majestic mountains have been forbidden to be approached by True Person Zuiyun.

One of them, Quexing Peak, is the location of the city lord's and Zhang Zhenren's cave dwellings. For several years, low-level cultivators have been forbidden from approaching it.

However, those who were able to open cave dwellings on these two mountain peaks were all Core Formation cultivators. Lower-level cultivators were unaffected and, after discussing it for a while, no longer took it to heart.

But in the darkness of night, a streak of light arrived halfway down Quexing Peak and slowly descended.

Tonight, a full moon hangs high in the sky, its light illuminating the figure of this person. Dressed in a green robe, with a handsome appearance, he is none other than Liu Kaiyang, who once served Chen Yuan and accompanied him to Dragon God City.

He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the inky night sky, where two full moons were reflected in his pupils, and a hint of tension was visible in his bright eyes.

Before Liu Kaiyang were two heavy stone doors, with green vines hanging down, adorned with a few white flowers. A night breeze blew, causing the petals to tremble and releasing a delicate fragrance.

As soon as Liu Kaiyang took a step, the two thick stone doors, each a foot in diameter, opened silently without making a sound.

Liu Kaiyang stepped inside, passing through a passageway inlaid with luminous pearls on both sides, and arrived at a simply furnished stone hall.

Chen Yuan sat at a stone table, a smile playing on his lips, and looked over.

Liu Kaiyang took a deep breath, quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a bow, and said respectfully, "This junior has conveyed your message to all the seniors and has come to report back to you."

Chen Yuan nodded, flipped his hand to take out a jade bottle, raised his hand and pushed it, and it slowly flew over.

Liu Kaiyang took the jade bottle with both hands and asked in confusion, "This is..."

Chen Yuan said gently, "You have been very diligent in your work over the past two years, and I have seen it all."

“From today onwards, young friend, you no longer need to serve me. This bottle of pills is just right for you.”

"However, young friend, you have already broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage in just a few years. Your cultivation has grown too fast and is somewhat unstable. It is better to wait until you have a solid foundation before refining pills."

Liu Kaiyang put away the jade bottle: "Thank you for your gift, senior. I will follow your teachings and never dare to be greedy or reckless."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment, then added, "Young friend, you are kind-hearted, but the cultivation world is ultimately a dog-eat-dog world where strength reigns supreme."

"Young friend, when you travel in the world of cultivation in the future, you must not be soft-hearted like a woman."

Liu Kaiyang's actions in rescuing fleeing mortals during the beast tide and witnessing the evil deeds of the Dragon God Cult Foundation Establishment cultivator in Xiyang City impressed him greatly.

Chen Yuan also had compassion for mortals and never killed innocent people indiscriminately. He also took good care of low-level cultivators because of his previous life's learning, which gave him different perspectives.

However, cultivators who defy the heavens and believe in the power of cultivation are extremely rare, especially those with compassion like Liu Kaiyang.

Liu Kaiyang responded, straightened up, hesitated for a moment, and carefully asked, "Senior, are you a legendary Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Chen Yuan's eyes flashed, and instead of answering, he asked, "What makes you say that, young friend?"

Liu Kaiyang said, "Those Nascent Soul cultivators who came to Xingzhu City were all extremely respectful to you, senior."

“Even Master Cui, Master Yuanting, and Master Jiuyuan treat their seniors with the respect due to juniors.”

"If the senior is also a great cultivator, why are they so respectful?"

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Young friend, you guessed correctly. I am indeed a Nascent Soul cultivator." After Chen Yuan arrived in Xingzhu City, Liu Kaiyang continued to serve him as before, relaying messages.

Although his divine sense was extremely powerful, he could not forcefully break through the formation of the cave dwellings of Master Zuiyun and Zhang Xuancang to directly transmit his voice to them.

After Qin Wuyai arrived in Xingzhu City, Chen Yuan had to treat him with even greater courtesy.

A month ago, human Nascent Soul cultivators flocked to Xingzhu City, and it was Liu Kaiyang who relayed the message on behalf of Chen Yuan.

Although Liu Kaiyang would always leave before Chen Yuan spoke with Qin Wuyai, Cui Yuheng, Shen Jibai, and others, it wasn't surprising that he could see their attitude towards Chen Yuan and guess his cultivation level.

Upon hearing this, Liu Kaiyang became even more nervous: "In the tens of thousands of years of human history, there has never been a Nascent Soul cultivator. Could it be that you are from another world, having crossed over from another realm?"

Chen Yuan nodded: "Young friend, you guessed correctly."

Upon hearing this, Liu Kaiyang breathed a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders: "The Tai Xuan Realm that the City Lord spoke of actually exists..."

He then asked, "I've heard that cultivators who have reached the Nascent Soul stage can ascend to the upper realm. Since you've already reached the Nascent Soul stage, why are you still in this realm?"

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "Young friend, you seem to know quite a lot. Nascent Soul cultivators can indeed ascend to the upper realm, but they need to go through the ascension passage."

"The ascension passage to this realm is in the hands of the demon race. If I want to ascend to the upper realm, I must first find out where the ascension passage is and also destroy the eight royal families."

A hint of excitement flashed in Liu Kaiyang's eyes: "Senior, you've summoned these Nascent Soul cultivators to take action against the demon race?"

Chen Yuan said, "That's right. After this battle, young friend, you can return to your hometown and fulfill your wish."

"Go home..." Liu Kaiyang murmured, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan frowned: "Young friend, do you have something to say?"

Liu Kaiyang hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "This junior wishes you, senior, to annihilate the demon race and return in triumph."

Chen Yuan gave him a deep look: "Young friend, go and cultivate."

Liu Kaiyang clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, then stepped back.

Chen Yuan watched him walk out of the cave, then flicked his sleeve, and the stone door of the cave slowly closed.

……

At dawn the next day, as the sun rose, a line of orange-red sunlight pierced through the thin, fish-scale-like clouds on the horizon, slowly dissolving the fog that shrouded Xingzhu City.

Chen Yuan stepped out of the cave, his escape light flashed, and he arrived at the mountaintop, entering a grand hall.

Four grand master chairs were placed side by side in the hall, and dozens of cultivators stood to the side, talking in hushed tones, with a buzzing sound coming from them.

Upon seeing Chen Yuan enter the hall, everyone immediately stopped, turned around, clasped their hands in a bow, and said in unison, "Greetings, Senior Chen!"

Without stopping, Chen Yuan walked to the armchair, lifted his shirt, and sat down.

He looked around and saw four great cultivators: Cui Yuheng, Yuan Ting Zhenren, Jiu Yuan Shangren, and Zhu Xianzi.

The portly cultivator who had been marked with the Fire Lotus by Chen Yuan stood in the corner, cold sweat glistening on his forehead.

A muscular, black-clad cultivator stood beside Cui Yuheng, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his respectful expression unable to conceal his sharp eyes.

Chen Yuan's gaze lingered on the black-clad cultivator for a moment. This man was Ao Feng, the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who had betrayed the Flood Dragon Clan and was the city lord of Golden Scale City.

He withdrew his gaze and smiled, saying, "Young friends, there's no need for such formalities."

Everyone straightened up, their eyes filled with awe and excitement as they looked at Chen Yuan.

More than a year had passed since Chen Yuan and Qin Wuyai returned to Xingzhu City.

Lu Wangquan and Cangsong Daoren had fully recovered from their injuries and arrived in Xingzhu City a month ago.

Without wasting any more time, Chen Yuan followed the plan devised by the four and dispatched Cui Yuheng, Yuan Ting Zhenren, Jiu Yuan Shangren, and Zhu Xianzi to various cities of the human race to summon Nascent Soul cultivators to come and assist in the battle.

Shen Jibai, however, had another important mission and quietly left Xingzhu City to make preparations.

Chen Yuan had previously conducted a secret investigation and found three mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who had secretly defected to the demon race, thus eliminating the spies planted by the eight royal families among the human race.

Therefore, the gathering of human Nascent Soul cultivators in Xingzhu City was kept extremely secret, and the demon race is still completely unaware of it.

Three days ago, with the arrival of the last person, all the Nascent Soul cultivators of the human race gathered in Xingzhu City, totaling five Grand Nascent Soul cultivators, nine mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, and thirty-five early-Nascent Soul cultivators.

Compared to the eight royal families, this force seemed so insignificant.

Any single demon general could wipe out the entire human race, or the two royal families could join forces, or even just the dragon clan or the Kun fish clan could send out their demon generals and cultivators from the divine sect.

But these Nascent Soul cultivators, knowing they faced imminent annihilation, still built human cities, sheltering hundreds of thousands of mortals and fighting valiantly against the endless beast tides, instead of disappearing into the shadows like those reclusive cultivators, spending their remaining days in obscurity. (End of Chapter)