Transcending two realms to become an earth immortal

The three people sat down in the pavilion, and a boy served them tea.

The tea soup is clear, which is a rare find in this turbid world.

Master Youxuan of the Soul-Capturing Sect took a sip from his cup and said in a gentle voice:

"The affairs of the sect have been delayed for too long, and I apologize for keeping you two waiting."

Yin Gu Gongsi, the Jade Bone Master, waved his hand and laughed:

"It's alright. There's quite a commotion over Zhengyangdao. I was just discussing this with Fellow Daoist Lianxing."

The True Man of Animal Refinement nodded, his face as gentle as a spring breeze.

"I've heard that those younger generation members have caused quite a stir and attracted a lot of attention."

"Just a junior, nothing to mention," Jade Bone True Person smiled. "But Fellow Daoist Lianxing has recently shown an inner radiance; it seems your cultivation has made progress?"

Master Lianxing smiled modestly:

"It's just a rudimentary cultivation technique from my sect, far inferior to the authentic lineage of you two fellow Daoists."

Master Youxuan smiled enigmatically.

"Fellow Daoist Lianxing is too modest. The lineage of Animal Creation originates from ancient times, subtly aligning with the wondrous transformation of heaven and man. How can it be compared to ordinary unorthodox methods?"

Master Lianxing stroked his beard and chuckled:

"Fellow Daoist Youxuan, your insight is truly profound. The lineage of our Animal Creation Sect is the ancient Yellow Emperor's True Scripture, which pursues the principle of using form to nourish form. People only know that eating animals strengthens the body, but they do not know that the form and spirit of humans and animals can be interconnected. Our ancestors comprehended this mystery, which is why they developed the method of creating animals... This is the righteous path beyond the mundane world, and it is truly a benevolent act in accordance with the Way of Heaven."

His voice turned deep and serious:

"Now the heavens and earth are crumbling, and turbid air pervades. The lives of the common people are as worthless as grass. Rather than die in despair from hunger and cold, it is better to temporarily transform into animal form, which will give us a glimmer of hope. Our souls will remain in animal bodies, which will protect us from the erosion of turbid air and preserve our intelligence. When the turbid world is cleared in the future, we will have a chance to transcend. What we do is merely acting on behalf of Heaven to help us overcome this calamity."

Jade Bone Immortal nodded upon hearing this:

"Fellow Daoist's words are truly insightful. Many people misunderstand the cruelty of our Yin Bone Workshop, unaware that what we inherit is a fragment of the ancient [Primordial White Bone Demon God Great Art], the [Yuan Chen White Bone Method]. This is not an evil art, but rather the key to unlocking the mysteries of life and death. Bones are the essence of man; fire is the primordial energy of heaven and earth. By using bones to ignite fire, and fire to refine form, by tempering the bones of countless people who have died violent deaths, one can forge the foundation of golden skin and jade bones, the supreme method for immortality in the Dao."

Master Youxuan clapped his hands and laughed:

"What you two fellow Daoists say is absolutely true. Alas, the world is ignorant, unable to recognize the true face of the Great Dao; it is truly lamentable!"

He put down his teacup, his expression solemn.

"Our Soul-Capturing Sect lineage inherits from the ancient sorcerers' righteous method of worshipping wandering spirits. In ancient times, worshipping wandering spirits was an act of benevolence. However, now that the turbid world has descended, wandering spirits and ghosts are scattered everywhere. If they are not gathered and collected, they will surely cause chaos. Our sect's act of taking in remnant souls is truly a way to save all living beings. This method—"

A look of compassion appeared in his eyes:

"That is an even greater act of kindness and compassion. Fellow Daoist, do you know that those souls entered my alchemy furnace, were refined by the Nine Revolutions True Fire, and ultimately returned to my body?"

"I, a humble Taoist, bear the suffering of this turbid world with my own body, while they, residing within me, enjoy the bliss of family life, free from the worries of hunger and cold. This is truly a great merit..."

"Fellow Daoist, you are truly virtuous!"

The two Xuanmen masters were moved and praised him.

"No, no..."

They flattered and complimented each other, smiled at each other, raised their glasses and drank together, all saying they had found kindred spirits.

Jade Bone Immortal put down his teacup, his expression gradually becoming solemn:

"There have been many rumors in the city recently that the [Dao Realm Demonic Tribulation] is coming. Under this tribulation, all living beings will suffer, and even with our cultivation, it is probably difficult to remain unscathed... Therefore, we have no choice but to take action against the Zheng Yang Dao lineage, and we are truly ashamed."

Master Lianxing nodded and sighed softly:

"I've heard that their sect possesses a body of pure Yang energy. If I could have it, it might help me break through my bottleneck. For the sake of the people in my sect, I have no choice but to endure this painful act of righteous infighting."

Jade Bone Immortal smiled:

"If his innate Daoist essence were in my hands, I could refine it into profound skills, which would be of great help in subduing demons and suppressing evil."

Master Youxuan pondered and said:

"That bright Yang-type soul... shall be received by my Soul-Seizing Society. With it, a Yuan-Soul Pill can be refined, which will help my profound skills reach perfection sooner."

Having said this, the three looked at each other and laughed, and then drank heartily.

In an instant, the Mysterious Immortal looked around and sighed softly:

"I have failed to provide adequate hospitality this time. The sky is already dark, which has disturbed the enjoyment of you two fellow Daoists."

He then reached out and beckoned, and something appeared in his palm.

Its shape is round and large, like a bucket, with clear eyebrows and eyes, black hair like a waterfall, lips adorned with cinnabar, and eyes slightly closed. It is a human face, with a hint of sorrow in its eyes and brows.

Upon closer inspection, the area below the neck was a bloody mess... it was actually a severed head!

He tossed his head upwards, raising it to a great height. Suddenly, the head opened its mouth and emitted a faint, bright light, as radiant as the moon, its clear brilliance spreading everywhere.

In an instant, the entire courtyard was bathed in the light of the bright moon.

"With the bright moon, how can there be no dance?" Jade Bone Immortal clapped his hands and laughed.

After he finished speaking, his right arm was severed from his shoulder and fell to the ground.

The severed arm cracked and sprang to life, stretching and transforming like a withered tree coming back to life. In no time, it turned into a stunningly beautiful woman.

The woman had a graceful figure and a face like a lotus flower, possessing the bearing of a princess. Her dance was elegant and graceful.

However, when the dance reached its most exquisite point, as it spun around, its skin and flesh peeled off piece by piece, like a molting shell, and drifted away!

In a short while, only a skeleton wrapped in tattered palace attire remained, spinning on its own. Only that beautiful face, like a lotus blossom, hung alone atop the skull, its crimson lips still softly singing:

"The bright moon shines over Cangzhou, the Yangtze River flows on with unwavering will. Who else plays the flute on the high tower?"

"How many things have happened in the rise and fall of heaven and earth? Three hundred thousand years, eight thousand autumns."

"Fallen leaves on the parapet, the bronze camel remains unharmed. Look at the green hills, piled high with white bones, a scene of sorrow."

"Apart from the moon palace and its flowering trees, where else can one wander amidst this dusty, chaotic world..."

Inside the pavilion, a woman with bones sang, her voice mournful, filled with endless hatred and boundless suffering, sending chills down the spine of anyone who heard it.

However, the three Taoist priests in the courtyard clapped their hands in admiration.

Jade Bone Immortal explains with a smile:

"Back then, seeing her unparalleled beauty and the sorrowful countenance of a fallen kingdom, I summoned demons to destroy her capital, forcing her to witness the deaths of her loved ones and the destruction of her country and family. As she lay dying, I used yin fire to refine her flesh and blood, leaving only her jade bones, forever sealing within them the pain of the destruction of her country and the loss of her loved ones. Now, every night she dances and peels her skin, reliving the agony of that day, and this mournful sound is the most moving."

Master Lianxing clapped his hands in praise:

"Wonderful! I recently acquired something that can certainly enhance the experience."

After saying this, he took out a slightly smaller head, held it firmly in his hands, and muttered incantations.

A moment later, strands of golden liquid, crystal clear and with a fragrant aroma, seeped from the seven orifices of the head.

"This is the Golden Elixir, refined using the secret method of animal creation," the Refining Form Master explained with a smile. "It is made by taking a living being and nourishing it with secret medicine for a hundred days, so that its qi and blood are abundant. On the day of completion, it is suspended upside down in a cauldron and slowly roasted over a gentle fire. The essence of the person's body will then flow out from the seven orifices, and this process will continue for a hundred days. This single drop of the Golden Elixir is the essence of all the essence, blood, and soul of a person in their lifetime. Consuming it can strengthen the foundation and nourish the vital energy."

He dripped the golden liquid into the teacup, and the three of them drank it together, praising it as wonderful. For a time, the guests and hosts were all very happy, and the atmosphere was lively.

This scene resembles a discussion of the Dao by true cultivators, yet upon closer inspection, it is chilling.

These three Taoist priests are less like Taoist immortals and more like... old monsters of the demonic sect!

Outside the pavilion, the gloomy atmosphere remained.

Outside this manor lies the training ground of the Soul-Stealing Cult.

The place was dimly lit and filled with the stench of blood. The Soul-Seizing Cult cultivators slaughtered livestock, their knives flashing as heads rolled into pools of blood.

Fresh blood gushed forth, forming a crimson pool, which was then refined into specks of life essence. Living souls were extracted alive, their screams condensing into soul beads that floated like eerie green fireflies, continuously radiating pure soul energy to nourish this spiritual garden…

Clearly, this so-called paradise in the turbid world is formed from the flesh and blood of living people, and nourished by the souls of the living!

Outside the Soul-Seizing Sect's dojo, many areas have been transformed into battlefields of Asura blood.

Limbs and remains were scattered everywhere, and the cries of the living were incessant. The overwhelming stench of blood condensed into dark clouds that lingered over Dao City for a long time. The scene was horrific, almost like a slaughterhouse in the underworld.

Yet, in the distant, broken remnants of the old world, countless refugees, clinging to a sliver of hope, stumbled into this city of blood tax... unaware that they were about to be devoured by demons from all sides.

This scene truly showcases a group of genuine cultivators, a magnificent sect, a splendid Dao city, and a truly remarkable place—

A den of demons!!!