Daqin Zhentiansi

Xuanqing's finger traced across the map of light and shadow: "Over the past million years, the number of magical beasts has increased so much that we can't kill them all, not because we haven't killed enough."

"It's because every time we kill a batch, that Supreme Demon King recovers a bit of power."

Zhang Yuan frowned: "So you've been on the defensive the whole time?"

“It’s not about suppressing, it’s about controlling,” Xuan Qing corrected. “Controlling the concentration of demonic energy.”

“Every now and then, we deliberately vacate a Sky Continent that is on the verge of collapse, allowing a group of demons to leave the continent and enter the depths of the void.”

"They cannot survive in the void for long; most will eventually die in the spacetime turbulence."

"But the demonic energy within them will dissipate into the void after their death, rather than being absorbed by that Heavenly Demon Supreme."

He looked up at Zhang Yuan.

"This is how we've survived for millions of years. Not by winning every battle, but by letting them disappear on their own."

Zhang Yuan stood in front of the light and shadow mural, looking at the dark red areas.

Silent for a long time.

Then he said, "In other words, if we really want to fight a war of annihilation, we must first solve the problem of that Supreme Heavenly Demon before we start the war."

"Otherwise, the harder we beat him, the faster he will recover."

“That’s right.” Xuan Qing nodded.

Zhang Yuan's gaze fell on the map, on the point of light representing the Seventh Celestial Continent.

Yue Qing is there.

The military flag of the Yue Battalion is still standing.

He held the Zhenyue Token, feeling the pulsation of the sleeping souls deep within it.

He suddenly spoke, uttering a seemingly unrelated question: "Senior Xuanqing, have you ever considered this question: why is the Great Qin's legacy based on martial arts?"

Xuanqing was taken aback by his question: "What?"

"The martial arts of the Great Qin Dynasty," Zhang Yuan said softly, but a light was slowly shining in his eyes, "does not require much spiritual energy to cultivate."

"It does not rely on rare and precious materials, nor on the grade of spiritual veins, nor on the concentration of the origin of heaven and earth."

He raised his head and looked at Xuan Qing.

"Refine yourself with external forces. Demonic energy, spiritual energy, bloodline, and baleful energy are all external forces. In the end, they will all be melted into your own power."

He raised his right hand and opened his palm.

A very fine, silvery-gray power flowed in his palm, as quiet as a sleeping river.

Xuan Qing's gaze fell on the silver-gray power, and his pupils contracted slightly.

"When I first met Senior Di Jun on the ninth floor of the Demon Suppression Tower, he told me a principle: Chaos and order are not superior or inferior to each other; it all depends on who dares to combine them."

Looking at the flowing power in his palm, Zhang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Isn't this what my Primordial Dao is all about?"

Xuanqing's eyelid twitched.

"Demonic energy, spiritual energy, stellar energy, chaos—these are all external forces. As long as they are properly refined, they can all be turned into our own."

"For years, I've believed I was cultivating a unique path. But now I understand—"

He clenched his fist and withdrew the power from his palm.

"The martial arts of the Great Qin Dynasty were prepared for this path from the very beginning."

Xuan Qing remained silent for a long while before saying, "You mean—"

Zhang Yuan's eyes gleamed: "After the collapse of the primordial world, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was cut off, and the laws of heaven were shattered. What enabled the human race to survive at that time? It was the martial arts."

Zhang Yuan's voice carried a kind of unwavering determination that emerged from the depths of time: "No need for spiritual energy, no need for precious medicines, relying on flesh and blood, relying on willpower, relying on the hard bones honed by generation after generation in desperate situations."

He looked at Xuan Qing. "Therefore, it is no coincidence that the human race's inheritance will ultimately be based on martial arts. It is because after the collapse of the primordial world, only martial arts can allow the human race to survive."

Xuan Qing pondered for a moment: "But what does this have to do with the current situation?"

Zhang Yuan did not answer.

He looked down at the Zhenyue Token in his hand.

The patterns on the token gleamed with a dark luster in the candlelight.

He could sense the souls slumbering deep within the token, the remnant souls that had died in battle millions of years ago but still remained within it.

An idea slowly took shape in his mind.

If spiritual energy can be refined, then bloodlines can be refined—

Why can't demonic energy be used?

He struck out with his palm and seized the target.

This action happened in an instant.

Zhang Yuan's figure disappeared from the hall and appeared almost simultaneously in the sky a thousand feet above the city lord's mansion.

He stood in the void, looking down at the vast wilderness outside Feihong City.

On the wasteland, a lone Ironback Bull was wandering.

The bull was as big as a mountain, its body covered in jet-black scales, and the breath it exhaled from its nostrils corroded the ground, leaving one charred pit after another.

Its cultivation level is equivalent to a half-step saint realm.

It might not have been anything special on the battlefield of Xuntian Continent a million years ago, but in the Qingsong Realm today, it can be considered a regional overlord.

Zhang Yuan made his move.

There was nothing earth-shattering about it, and it didn't even trigger any celestial phenomena.

He simply raised his right hand and made a fist towards the Iron-Spine Bull.

The hand that held the knife, the instant it closed in mid-air, caused the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of dozens of miles to suddenly contract violently, as if gripped by an invisible giant hand!
Before the Iron-Spine Bull could even roar, its massive body was lifted into the air by an irresistible force!

It struggled desperately in the void, its four hooves kicking wildly in the air, and dark demonic energy surged wildly from its body, trying to break free from the restraints.

But the restraint remained motionless, like an invisible iron clamp holding the bull firmly in mid-air.

The Iron-Spine Bull's struggles grew increasingly violent.

Its eyes turned blood red, its demonic energy burned wildly, and its body expanded rapidly.

It's going to self-destruct!

Zhang Yuan pressed down slightly with his right hand.

The surging aura of the Iron-Spine Bull dissipated with a deafening roar, as if struck by an invisible iron hammer.

The demonic energy that had just surged forth was forced back into its body by an even more powerful force before it could spread.

He held the Zhenyue Token and gave it a gentle shake.

"Om-"

A silver-gray light flew out from the token and condensed into a semi-transparent phantom in mid-air.

The illusory figure was tall and wore an ancient black armor with the character "Yue" engraved on its chest plate.

His face was indistinct, but as he stood there, a deep, imposing military aura emanated from him.

The remnant soul glanced down at its translucent hands, then looked up at Zhang Yuan and knelt on one knee. "This humble general, Yue Tieshan, Left Army Colonel of the Yue Battalion, pays respects to Lord Commander."

"Commander Yue," Zhang Yuan said calmly, looking at the remnant soul, "I ask you, do you dare enter this demonic beast's body and subdue it for me?" (End of Chapter)