Chapter Ninety-Two: Southern Chan Prefecture and the Layer of Yang Energy

The Martial Dao Heavenly Eye.

Capable of piercing through all falsehoods in the world—

Legend has it that if these eyes follow the owner's cultivation progress and are refined to an extremely profound level, rarely can any of the myriad heavens and myriad paths deceive their perception. They can survey countless boundless worlds in all directions, illuminating the true forms and radiant light of all sentient beings.

This is a transcendent divine ability comparable to the Buddhist "Heavenly Eye Clairvoyance," the Taoist "Fiery Golden Eyes," and the "Heavenly Eye" techniques—remarkable and unparalleled!

Though the demonic aura clinging to the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto was well concealed by his secret arts, not even the Dongxuan Refiners from the Five Lights Sect and the Flower Deity Mansion could detect a trace.

Even the Golden Core immortals could not penetrate his movements.

But his true nature—

Could not deceive the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye of Yuan Yangsheng.

"If he merely carried some demonic aura, I could dismiss it as that old fellow practicing some secretive dark arts, absorbing a bit of it. But before the leaders of the great immortal sects come to witness the ceremony, I, Yuan, saw with my own eyes a few of his direct disciples in the gambling hall…" Yuan Yangsheng fell silent for a few moments, then slapped his thigh and shook his head:

"To be honest, they were nothing but beings wearing human skin; beneath the facade, they were no longer human at all."

Several days prior.

At a gambling hall in Floating Jade Bay,

He had initially intended to gamble a little, planning to quit while ahead. Unexpectedly, instead of winning, he lost everything, nearly losing even his trousers.

If he hadn’t painfully withdrawn in time, he might have been detained in the gambling hall.

Though Yuan Yangsheng lost miserably, his playful nature kept him from leaving. He lingered around the table, arms folded, watching the commotion.

Just then, two Taoists of grand demeanor descended from upstairs. Everyone around bowed and greeted them with utmost respect.

Yuan Yangsheng’s curiosity got the better of him. Circling behind them, he instinctively activated his Martial Dao Heavenly Eye and glanced at them.

What he saw shocked even him beyond expectation.

Long, coarse spikes and knotted deep gray scales formed a bizarre, monstrous body. Countless pupils covered both arms, blinking like flickering fireflies, oozing thick black pus with a foul stench.

Through the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye’s vision, these were two strange beasts covered in scales, with eyeballs deeply embedded in hands. Their entire bodies reeked of filth, and when they spoke, their mouths were filled with blackened teeth writhing with squirming black maggots that rolled off their gums. When pressed by the tongue, they burst, releasing a foul, bloody pus.

Yet when he closed the Heavenly Eye with amusement and looked again, he saw instead two dignified Taoists wearing ancient crowns, resplendent robes, skin shining like jade, clearly masters skilled in energy cultivation.

The fragrant pouches at their waists emitted an orchid-like scent, refreshing anyone who breathed it in.

The two Taoists paused briefly before bidding farewell and departing.

Yuan Yangsheng, tapping nearby, learned these were the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto’s direct disciples, privileged to enter without formal notice, highly trusted.

…

"After that, I secretly investigated several times, deliberately seeking out the Master’s direct disciples, shining the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye on them. Without exception, they all appeared as monstrous ghosts…" Yuan Yangsheng leisurely picked up his tea cup, not savoring it, but gulped it down like a cow chewing peonies.

The strong bitterness made him grimace and spit several times.

"Those direct disciples of the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto have all been transformed into flesh-armored demons, low-level demon kinds among the Heavenly Demon race!"

He coughed a few times, shaking his head dismissively.

"Flesh-armored demons? It seems you’re quite familiar with the Heavenly Demon race, Yuan brother, able to distinguish their types so clearly?" Chen Heng asked.

"Brother Chen, I’m from Southern Chan Prefecture, a vast land of demons! Growing up surrounded by this, although I was once a beggar feeding on others’ teachings, I have heard of these things! My knowledge is quite broad."

At this point, Yuan Yangsheng seemed a bit embarrassed, as if he had boasted too much, and hurriedly added:

"Moreover, Brother Chen has taught me some cultivation principles, so I understand enough to immediately recognize them as flesh-armored demons."

The nine continents and four seas of Xudu Heaven—

Divided into Eastern Mi, Eastern Hun, Eastern Huan, Southern Qian, Southern Chan, Western Su, Western Yi, Northern Lu, Northern Hao, nine continents in total, plus the four seas of East, West, South, and North.

Southern Chan Prefecture differs from their current location, Eastern Mi Prefecture.

Eastern Mi Prefecture holds eight sects and six clans, among which three are major—Yuchen Sect, Chiming Sect, and the Hu Zhao Clan.

Two major Daoist sects and one type of demonic clan.

This balance maintains the equilibrium between the Daoist and Demon factions…

But Southern Chan Prefecture is a vast mainland solely dominated by the Innate Demon Sect, leaving no room for others near their throne!

This great demon sect has long been the leader among the six major demon clans.

In recent tens of thousands of years, it has shown signs of dominating the entire eight sects and six clans.

Under such a formidable presence, the landscape of Southern Chan Prefecture has naturally become one where demons flourish and Daoist influence wanes.

The Innate Demon Sect’s stronghold in Southern Chan Prefecture is like an earthly empire’s supreme monarch, wielding royal authority and heavenly law, deciding life and death with a word. Countless smaller demon sects under its sway are like dukes and generals who must pay tribute and bow to it to survive.

Even if others want to establish sects or set doctrines in Southern Chan Prefecture, they must submit official letters to the Innate Demon Sect and register. Only with its approval can they open their gates and recruit disciples.

Without permission, acting on their own invites immediate extermination by surrounding demon sects vying to curry favor.

In Southern Chan Prefecture, not only spiritual veins and grottoes, but even a city, a pond, a blade of grass, or a tree—all belong to the Innate Demon Sect!

…

"Brother Chen, you’re from Eastern Mi Prefecture and may not know how harsh Southern Chan Prefecture is…" Yuan Yangsheng’s face twisted into a bitter smile as he sighed.

"But when it comes to Heavenly Demons, there’s hardly anyone in the nine continents and four seas more familiar than I."

He continued.

Some of the demon sects’ exotic methods and divine abilities often require the bones and blood of Heavenly Demons as bait, or even need the demons themselves to assist.

Hence, the practice of demon pets arose.

These are nothing more than treating Heavenly Demons as spiritual pets or beasts to be raised and nurtured. Over years and decades, this became a widespread custom, common not only among the six major demon clans but also in weaker demon sects.

So much so that some precious royal bloodlines of Heavenly Demons, when auctioned, can fetch prices comparable to innate giant beasts like the Western Metal White Tiger, Soaring Snake, or Azure Bird.

…

"I can only guess the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto’s intentions, but that Heavenly Demon behind him must be one he refined himself, without the official seals of the eight sects and six clans… Once exposed, he’d be like a rat crossing the street, beaten by everyone, barred even from entering the Sacred Energy Layer!"

After enthusiastically sharing this, Yuan Yangsheng raised his eyebrows confidently and clapped his hands:

"What do you think, Brother Chen?"

"It should be so," Chen Heng did not oppose this resolute conclusion. After a moment’s thought, he nodded slightly.

Regarding the demon sect’s “Summoning Sacrifice” of Heavenly Demons, such acts must first send a message via a golden sword to the Sacred Energy Layer to notify the array spirits there, who open a safe energy vortex to attract the demon into Xudu Heaven.

Without the array spirits’ consent, no matter how hard the demon sect cultivators try, they cannot summon a Heavenly Demon inside.

Given the dangers of the Sacred Energy Layer,

Without the array spirits’ guidance, even a Buddha who attained the Vajra Immaculate Glazed Body can be trapped and die there.

Over countless years, this has happened more than once.

Not to mention those Heavenly Demons, derisively called the great swarms of locusts on the Dao…

Only those Heavenly Demons who pass through the energy vortex and descend into Xudu Heaven may roam freely within the nine continents and four seas, traveling beyond the void.

Because their masters are orthodox disciples, elders, or great divine practitioners of various sects, their bloodlines and nature are all recorded by the array spirits of the Sacred Energy Layer.

If others do not inform the array spirits and privately refine and raise demons, it may be a minor matter if they belong to great clans or sects—at most a notification to the array spirits suffices.

But if the person is just an ordinary solitary cultivator,

Merely the crime of privately raising a Heavenly Demon without the array spirits’ permission is enough to cause their death hundreds or thousands of times over.

Even the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto, a Dongxuan Refiner, is no exception.

The Sacred Energy Layer is a creation jointly formed by the eight sects and six clans to defend against various great external enemies, Heavenly Demons included.

What the Master did has broken long-standing regulations of over a million years. Even if the eight sects and six clans do not intervene, others would compete to take him down.

Furthermore, Heavenly Demons are calamities by nature; these evil beings can endlessly ascend and reproduce as long as they have blood and spiritual energy. Without superior Daoist methods, they cannot be restrained.

…

"Then why, if you already sensed the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto’s abnormality, would you risk entering his grotto? Snatching food from the tiger’s mouth? Are you really that short on vital energy? Forget the Heavenly Demon—" Chen Heng said calmly,

"Just the Master alone is not someone you can fight; your Ten Directions Defilement-Purging Eye alone might not be enough to hold back a Dongxuan Refiner’s lethal strike."

"How could I miss out on such an entertaining matter? Besides, the grotto surely holds many heroes. Fighting them would fulfill my spirit of challenging the world!" Yuan Yangsheng laughed dismissively.

"Moreover, Brother, before you left home, you gave me many protective methods. Though I can’t beat the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto, escaping from him? That’s not something a mere Master can stop me from doing!"

He promptly took a lump of pine resin from his sleeve, slapped it on the table, making the tea cup clink loudly, and pushed it toward Chen Heng.

"What’s this?"

"My elder brother gave me this Flying Prosperity Fruit before leaving. Once activated by secret blood energy techniques, it can instantly transport me over a hundred thousand miles! This Flying Prosperity Fruit was freshly picked by him—you see, it’s still the size of a fist, enough for me to use a dozen or so times!"

Yuan Yangsheng put his hands on his hips proudly:

"With this, forget a Dongxuan Refiner like the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto, even a legitimate Golden Core immortal from the orthodox Daoist path wouldn’t be able to find my trail!"

"Such a thing, wasted on such a place?"

"Anything that can save my life isn’t wasted," Yuan Yangsheng glared.

"That old Master surely planned to strike me during the upcoming preaching. Without the Flying Prosperity Fruit, I might have been turned into a flesh-armored demon!"

Chen Heng looked at him deeply.

After a few moments, he said:

"Brother Yuan, you’d better be more cautious in the future. Don’t show everything in front of others. That can be a path to disaster."

"You’re not a stranger; why would I fear you stealing from me?" Yuan Yangsheng waved casually.

"Brother Chen is a good man, and the fact you warned me to avoid trouble proves I don’t have to guard against you!"

"Good man? That’s the first time someone’s called me that."

Chen Heng couldn’t help but smile wryly.

The next moment, Yuan Yangsheng pushed the Flying Prosperity Fruit on the tea table again and earnestly said:

"Brother Chen, I came looking for you today to invite you to escape together. You said yourself the Master of the Enlightenment Grotto is a Dongxuan Refiner with a Heavenly Demon behind him, beyond our strength."

He continued:

"We’ve taken his things and had a good fight, already reaped the benefits. If we don’t leave now, then when?"

"I still have important matters and cannot leave," Chen Heng said, meeting Yuan Yangsheng’s gaze.

After a few moments of silence, he shook his head lightly:

"Thank you for your kindness."

"Is it because of your sister-in-law?" Yuan Yangsheng scratched his head in puzzlement, then suddenly seemed to realize something.

"It seems the virtuous couple have other plans for that old Master. Can you kill him?"

"It’s my senior sister, don’t spread romantic rumors," Chen Heng said.

"I understand, I understand," Yuan Yangsheng chuckled.

"However,"

He felt a bit regretful:

"The things my elder brother left me do not include reliable protection methods. I’m afraid I won’t get to see this lively event unfold…"

The two talked further about insights on energy and blood movement.

When the moon rose to its zenith, Yuan Yangsheng saw the night was late, exchanged a few parting words with a sigh, and took his leave.

"Brother Yuan, I have something unclear," Chen Heng called after him before he left.

"You said your elder brother Chen Xuanwu taught you the Fierce Killing Martial Dao to help him against his own father?"

Chen Heng’s eyes flickered as he asked a doubt that had lingered in his heart, though it sounded like nosy gossip:

"What kind of deep hatred exists between Chen Xuanwu and his father? Has Brother Yuan ever heard the reason?"

"…That?"

Yuan Yangsheng, already rising, froze upon hearing this question, as if not expecting it.

"There must be hatred; otherwise, with my elder brother’s energy cultivation, he wouldn’t lose his composure whenever mentioning his father… But the exact grudge and his father’s name, my elder brother hasn’t told me, fearing it might harm me through resonance."

Though surprised, Yuan Yangsheng thought for a moment and spoke truthfully:

"But my elder brother’s father must be a great master in the legitimate Daoist path!"

"A great master?"

"He once reached the primordial spirit realm in the orthodox Daoist path, then scattered his Dao fruits to start anew on the Fierce Killing Martial Dao. As for the reasons—"

Yuan Yangsheng shrugged:

"My elder brother said, since this life was destined not to catch up on the Daoist path,

To surpass his father,

He must try the Martial Dao, forging a new path…"

Chen Heng was momentarily speechless.

After Yuan Yangsheng left, Chen Heng silently stood to see him off.

Suddenly, the Spirit Ancestor in his cosmic pouch burst into laughter.

"Martial Dao? A new path? Ha ha ha! That kid hides well and even reached the primordial spirit realm—a fine character! But even if he becomes a Martial Dao Sovereign, his chances are slim; survival itself is difficult! Ha ha ha!"

"What inside information does the ancestor know?"

"Don’t know, don’t know. Don’t ask me, don’t ask me."

"Then why are you laughing?"

Chen Heng’s expression remained calm.

"My wife just gave birth! I’m happy!"

The Spirit Ancestor dodged further questions and refused to speak.

Having spent days with him, Chen Heng knew his absurd fondness for entertainment. His eyes darkened, and he chose not to waste words.

He returned to his meditation cushion and closed his eyes again.

After discarding all distractions from his mind, he opened his eyes.

His sleeves fluttered as he suddenly produced several cosmic pouches.

"Don’t you want to ask me? Aren’t you curious?"

Seeing Chen Heng counting his spoils quietly, the once-feigning-dead Spirit Ancestor suddenly grew curious.

"Asking the ancestor won’t get an answer."

Chen Heng said calmly:

"Better to stop wasting energy on you and solve the matters before me."

(The End of this Chapter)