Unlimited priesthood

Chapter 172 Heavenly Kill
And so it went, three months later.

On a barren mountain, Shen He stood with his eyes closed, his demonic blade held horizontally across his knees, exuding a chilling killing intent amidst the silence.

Besides the weapon master's own refinement, the demonic sword and the Dao sword also require the tempering of bloody slaughter.

The Demon Blade is here, needless to say. After all, it is a demonic cultivation method. In addition to the blade owner's own flesh, blood, essence, magic power and true essence, it also needs to absorb external power to meet its growth needs and accumulate the power of the Three Calamities and Four Tribulations. Therefore, it needs to be fed with a lot of "blood food".

In this respect, the Dao Sword also has its needs. Although it only relies on the power of the sword master's "sacrifice to the Dao" to grow, its sharpness still needs to be honed by "slaughter". The more slaughter, the more it is honed, and the sharper it becomes. Its nature is the same as the power of the three calamities and four tribulations of the Demon Blade.

In short, they are all foodies.

But it doesn't matter, right now the Taiyuan Realm has plenty of resources, except for food supplies.

From the Calamity of the Demonic Heaven to the spread of the Demonic Path, more than a hundred years have passed.

If things were normal, a mere century would be nothing, hardly enough to cause any significant change to the world.

But this is not the norm. With the widespread transmission of demonic cultivation techniques and the looming threat of a great calamity like the Demon Heaven, the entire Taiyuan Realm has entered an era of "great breeding of Gu" (a term referring to the cultivation of powerful and influential beings).

At home and abroad, demonic cultivators run rampant, leaving nine out of ten houses empty and countless lives lost.

Such development, let alone a century, could cause tremendous changes even in just a few decades.

Now, the situation has developed to the point where "Foundation Building is everywhere, but Core Formation is worse than a dog."

Even the concept of Nascent Soul is becoming increasingly prevalent, especially those Nascent Souls from unorthodox sects.

Unorthodox practitioners and heretics are numerous, accounting for 70% to 80% of all cultivators. Among them are many who have reached the Foundation Establishment or Core Formation stage, but are unable to break through due to a lack of cultivation techniques and resources.

The transmission of demonic arts solved this problem for them and also improved the quality of many unorthodox cultivators who switched to the demonic path. Qi Refining and Foundation Building, Foundation Building and Core Formation, Core Formation and Nascent Soul were commonplace.

Therefore, Shen He has no shortage of blood and food resources if he wants to refine the demonic sword and the Dao sword.

The current Taiyuan Realm is full of blood offerings and resources!

The demonic path is like this, and so is the righteous path; a great calamity befalls all living beings, and the world suffers calamity.

In just three short months, Shen He had killed four unorthodox Nascent Soul cultivators like the Crimson Corpse Daoist, not to mention countless Core Formation demonic cultivators and Foundation Establishment minions.

The slaughter was immense!

But this still couldn't stop the growth of the demonic path's power.

There are still a large number of demonic cultivators who, through raising Gu and fighting, as well as plundering in all directions, are constantly breaking through their cultivation realms and improving their abilities. Core formation and foundation building are springing up like mushrooms after rain, and although Nascent Soul cultivators are few, they have also appeared.

This is only inland; overseas, where spiritual energy is even stronger and there are more cultivators, the situation is likely several times, or even ten times, worse.

Therefore, it is no wonder that the righteous sects have fallen into decline. Two fists cannot fight four hands, and even a tiger cannot withstand a pack of wolves. Faced with the swarming number of demonic cultivators, even the orthodox sects are in a difficult situation.

……

Let's leave the overseas affairs aside for now.

Shen He sat atop the barren mountain, his demonic blade held horizontally across his knees, waiting silently.

It's March, and still no fish are biting.

Those Nascent Soul cultivators from the orthodox demonic path seemed determined to surround and kill the Xuanxu Secret Realm. Even though he used his sword to kill five Nascent Soul demonic cultivators from unorthodox sects and slaughtered many Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators, disrupting their Gu-raising plan, they remained unmoved.

But as a fisherman, Shenhe has plenty of patience.

He believed that the demonic path wouldn't endure indefinitely.

Because this matter of raising Gu poison is the opportunity for the demonic path to break the deadlock.

They might tolerate my behavior for a while, but not forever.

It doesn't matter if he can endure it. Once the Demon Blade and Dao Sword are forged and he has the strength to break the deadlock, Shen He can still go to Hidden Sword Mountain to fight them.

If you can't catch fish, cast a net.

It can attack and defend at will, and advance and retreat freely.

He now holds the initiative. Unless the opponent can mobilize their Nascent Soul power or a large number of Nascent Soul cultivators surround and kill him, it will be difficult to contain him.

Just as Shenhe was waiting...

A figure approached from afar, stepping through the void.

Shen He sensed the aura and raised his eyes. He saw a young man with striking black clothes and white hair. His handsome face revealed a bewitching and demonic quality, and there was a red dot between his eyebrows, as red as blood, which was eye-catching.

He shrank the distance to an inch, stepped into the void, and arrived at the mountain peak in an instant.

Looking at Shen He, who had the Demon Blade across his knees, he remained calm and even sat down as if they were old friends. Only then did he lower his gaze to the Three Calamities of Karmic Fire, which was sheathed deep inside, and exclaimed in admiration, "What a fine blade!"

Seeing this, Shen He did not make a move, but simply looked at him indifferently.

He didn't seem to care much, raised his eyes to meet Shen He's gaze, and then got straight to the point, introducing himself: "My name is Tianlu, and I come from the Western Sea Heavenly Demon Palace. You are neither a member of my demonic path nor a member of the righteous path. Why are you killing my demonic disciples like this?"

Shen He's expression remained unchanged: "What do you think?"

"For this demonic blade?"

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord smiled and then turned his gaze down to the Three Calamities Demon Soldiers.

"The three calamities of karmic fire, slaughtering all living beings, destroying the world to become a Buddha, such a method is reasonable, but since you have cultivated my demonic sword technique, you should know the current state of the world. If you continue like this, you will not be able to cultivate this demonic sword, and even if you do, you will be suppressed by the Xuanmen Heavenly Mandate!"

"Oh?"

Shen He didn't care at all: "Then what do you want?"

"Help me break through the mysterious realm!"

The Demon Lord of Heavenly Slaughter smiled and said, "You and I are both demonic cultivators. After all our disputes, we can resolve them ourselves. However, the Xuanmen wants to fulfill the Mandate of Heaven and eliminate my demonic path. It is a life-or-death struggle with no turning back. If you help me eliminate them, I will give you 50% of the resources in the inland area after the matter is accomplished!"

"what!"

Shen He sneered, "How can I trust you?"

"I swear a solemn oath to my inner demons!"

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord remained unmoved: "I am different from those mediocre people. Advancing to the Nascent Soul stage is inevitable for me. I would never ruin my path or scheme against you. You can rest assured!"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and demonic light flashed: "There are six Nascent Souls here. Although they are from unorthodox sects, they are still quite pure. They will serve as a deposit. After the matter is completed, apart from my orthodox demonic sect, the Nascent Souls from the Xuanmen sect and the resources from the unorthodox sects will all be divided among you, each receiving 50%!"

"As expected of a Demon Lord's seed, his courage is truly extraordinary."

Shen He remained expressionless, ignoring the six Nascent Souls and focusing solely on the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord: "If I do not respond, then what shall I do?"

"You have no reason not to respond!"

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord remained calm as he gazed at him and the Three Calamities Demon Blade: "Unless you are not a demonic cultivator."

"what!"

Shen He smiled, neither confirming nor denying: "Does the Demonic Path truly believe that there is a way out from beyond the heavens?"

"Ancestor Demon Cloud was the previous patriarch of my Heavenly Demon Palace. He perished in the great war between the righteous and the demonic forces 1,300 years ago due to the machinations of the Xuanmen. Now he has returned to avenge his death at the hands of the Xuanmen!"

The Demon Lord Tianlu said in a deep voice, "Our ancestor has made a great oath to the demons, promising that any demonic cultivator will have a chance to live outside the realm and that we will not cause them any trouble. That is why we have made this grand plan for the demonic path, to advance our primordial spirit and seek life amidst death!"

Having said that, he looked at the demonic blade on his lap: "You have cultivated this method of the Three Calamities of Karmic Fire, which is already intolerable to the righteous path. Apart from my demonic path, who else can give you a chance to live?"

"I had no choice in the matter, I was just deceiving myself!" Shen He shook his head: "Is there anything else you want to say?"

"Um!?"

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord's eyes narrowed, revealing murderous intent, but he suppressed it: "If you don't trust me, you don't have to come to Hidden Sword Mountain. There is another powerful figure in the inland cultivation world, known as the Azure Nether Sword Master, who is the master of one of the Two Heroes. He is hidden in Dongting Lake in Chen Kingdom. If you can go and kill him, then my promise will also be valid."

"The Master of the Azure Sword?"

"I will go myself."

Shen He smiled, his hand resting on the demonic blade: "But I don't believe in the demonic path, nor in the mystical sects. I only believe in the blade in my hand. You all use all living beings as your resources, so why not also be my whetstone!"

The Demon Lord of Heavenly Slaughter remained indifferent, seemingly unsurprised by these words: "We'll see if you have the ability!"

"Then let's take a look!"

Upon hearing this, Shen He didn't say much, but clenched his fist with the hand holding the knife.

Suddenly...

"boom!!!"

The demonic blade swept across, leaving a mark in the void. The person before him was instantly reduced to ashes by karmic fire, and vanished with a gust of wind.

Vulnerable!
Shen He was not surprised at all upon seeing this, but simply shook his head: "He is indeed cunning."

Having said that, he closed his eyes and said no more.

……

Hidden Sword Mountain, within the Heavenly Demon Formation.

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord opened his eyes, and a cold light flashed within.

"how?"

There were several other people around, all of whom were at the Nascent Soul stage. They asked him questions as soon as he opened his eyes.

"Indeed extraordinary!"

The Demon Lord of Heavenly Slaughter shook his head: "He has mastered the Three Calamities of Karmic Fire, no wonder those unorthodox methods are no match for him."

"The Three Calamities of Karmic Fire?"

Several people's eyes sharpened: "That demonic Buddha cultivates magic?"

"Not bad!"

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord nodded: "And it has already been initially completed. It has obtained two of the three calamities and is only one step away from completing the three calamities. If I had not set up the Heavenly Demon Platform, this heretical Nascent Soul would probably not have been able to return."

"So powerful?"

Several Nascent Soul cultivators narrowed their eyes, all showing disbelief.

As Nascent Soul cultivators who also came from the orthodox demonic path, they were very familiar with the strength of this Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord.

After the Taiyuan realm was downgraded, the primordial spirit of heaven and earth became scarce. Even in the overseas cultivation world, those who could become Nascent Soul cultivators were exceptional individuals and the pride of heaven.

This Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord is the most outstanding among the prodigies. He has only cultivated for three hundred years, yet he has already broken through the Core Formation and formed the Nascent Soul. Moreover, his foundation is solid, and both his Nascent Soul and Golden Core are of the highest grade. He is hailed as the most outstanding successor of the Heavenly Demon Palace since the ancient times.

The Heavenly Demon Palace is an ancient heritage, and together with the Black Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Path, it is known as one of the Three Fiends of the Western Sea. The previous ancestor, Mo Yunzi, was even known as the Demon Lord of the Western Sea. He cultivated unparalleled demonic skills with the palace's secret manual, "The Great Demonic Art of Ten Thousand Paths of the Myriad Paths," and led the demons with unparalleled prestige.

This Myriad Paths of the Heavenly Demons technique emphasizes using demons to control demons and subdue demons. One must first cultivate a natal divine demon, and then use extraterrestrial demons, human demons, and other demons as resources for cultivation. After cultivation, one can transform one path into myriad paths, becoming proficient in everything and knowledgeable in everything. All demons will bow down, and even immortals and Buddhas will be astonished.

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord, having cultivated this method, has surpassed even the Demon Cloud Child of yesteryear. He is known as the number one Nascent Soul cultivator in the Western Sea, and his advancement to the Primordial Spirit realm is a foregone conclusion. He may even become the restorer of the demonic path, much like the Taihua Mountain Master, Master Miaoyi Qi Yunming, who led the Xuanmen sect and decisively defeated the demonic path.

Such a person, facing an unknown demonic cultivator, actually had to rely on the pre-arranged Heavenly Demon Platform to escape.

Some of them could hardly believe it.

The Heavenly Demon Palace uses demons to control demons, often devouring and refining extraterrestrial demons as resources. As a result, it has mastered various supernatural powers of extraterrestrial demons and has a huge advantage in the void. The Heavenly Demon Platform is one of its achievements.

This is a secret void technique passed down by the Heavenly Demon Palace. It allows one to traverse and teleport like a demon from beyond the realm. If it is pre-arranged and activated, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would find it difficult to detect.

The former patriarch of the Heavenly Demon Palace, the previous Western Sea Demon Lord Mo Yunzi, relied on this to roam the world, unstoppable by anyone.

If it weren't for the fact that the Seven Masters of Taiyuan later lacked martial ethics and plotted to trap him in the "Two Elements Dust Array" and refine him to death, then the outcome of the battle between the righteous and the demonic would have been uncertain.

The Two Elements Dust Array is the supreme array of Mount Taihua. It is said that once the array is completed, the Yin and Yang realms will be reduced to dust, capable of refining heaven and earth. Even if immortals or demons enter, they will be reduced to dust, their forms and spirits annihilated, and they will vanish into thin air.

Faced with such an invincible formation, Mo Yunzi was defeated and even his primordial spirit was scattered. However, with the power of the Myriad Paths of the Demonic Heaven and the power of the extraterrestrial demons, he managed to escape with a sliver of his spirit and ascend to the upper realm to rebuild his primordial spirit. In the end, he made a comeback and set up the Demonic Heaven Formation to avenge the karma of the past.

This demonstrates the power of the Demon Heaven's inheritance.

This Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord, as the most outstanding successor of the Heavenly Demon Palace since ancient times, is even better than Mo Yunzi in his Nascent Soul stage. Yet he still claims that he needs the Heavenly Demon Platform to escape from that person's clutches.

Is it an exaggeration?
Or is it true?

The group frowned, then looked at the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord: "If the Demon Lord himself were to make a move, are you confident you can capture him?"

The one used by the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord this time was not his true form, but a heretical Nascent Soul.

This external nascent soul is also a great technique of immortals and demons. One must achieve a high-grade core when forming the inner core in order to have the means to cultivate it. After it is refined, one can use rare treasures of heaven and earth to refine another fake core outside the inner core, which is called the external golden core.

If this heretical Golden Core is further cultivated, it can break through the core and form an infant alongside its master, creating a heretical Nascent Soul that is almost identical to the original body. In the future, it can even become a second primordial spirit, like a second life, with many wonderful uses, and can even be used to take the place of death in the face of calamity.

This time, the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord's true form was stationed at Hidden Sword Mountain, while an outsider Nascent Soul cultivator went to make contact with that person.

Although, generally speaking, the combat power of an external nascent soul is about the same as that of the original body, for someone like the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord, the combat power of the original body is still superior.

Facing the gazes of several people, Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord shook his head: "His power is already established. Even if I go in my true form, the odds against him will be even, and the outcome will be uncertain, with life and death uncertain."

"What should we do?"

The men frowned deeply: "Shall we join forces to kill him?"

How to eradicate them?

The Demon Lord of Heavenly Slaughter's expression was indifferent: "Abandoning Hidden Sword Mountain?"

"This……"

Several people were speechless and unable to answer.

"At this point, there is no other way."

The Demon Lord of Heavenly Slaughter shook his head: "Immediately close the net and summon all demonic cultivators back. Whether they are at the Core Formation stage or the Foundation Establishment stage, they must all come to Hidden Sword Mountain. We cannot allow him to slaughter them at will and refine his demonic blade. Otherwise, we will raise a tiger that will become a menace, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the group hesitated: "If we close the net now, the task will not be completed, and we will not have the strength to finish it."

"It's better to have an unfulfilled mission than to try to achieve nothing."

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord remained unmoved: "With this supply of resources, I will surely become a Nascent Soul within a hundred years, and then I will settle accounts with him."

"That's...okay!"

The group hesitated for a moment, but when they met the gaze of the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord, their hesitation was completely suppressed, and they could only nod in agreement.

(End of this chapter)