126: A Hundred Years of Demon Hunting: The Threshold of Mystery
A hundred years, to the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, is but a fleeting moment. But for some existences, it is a long period filled with bloodshed, plunder, and frenzied transformation.
Liu Qingtian, or rather, the existence that should now be called “Myriad Bone Demonic Willow,” is precisely such a case.
Since the day he completely tore off his mask of hypocrisy and acknowledged his Demonic Path nature, he had no more qualms. Relying on the power that had initially recovered and broken through to the Sea Overturning Realm, as well as the 'vengeful spirit willow' that had absorbed trillions of vengeful spirits and whose power was growing daily, he began a frenzied hunt across the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, especially countless Minor Thousand Worlds.
His innate Divine Ability, Myriad World Roots, not only didn't disappear after he became a demon, but instead underwent a strange transformation. The roots, originally used to connect to specific worlds and draw relatively gentle Origin, now turned into countless dark red, terrifying tentacles covered in suckers, becoming even more aggressive and penetrating. They could more easily tear through the fragile Realm wall of Minor Thousand Worlds, like greedy leeches, precisely piercing into the location of the world's Origin.
Over the past century, his demonic shadow traversed through the shadows of the star sea, and his roots touched countless vibrant Minor Thousand Worlds.
Wherever he went, it was like a plague had passed.
He no longer personally descended to slaughter as he did in the first spirit-depleted world. It was too inefficient. He learned a more “efficient” method.
Thousands of dark red roots, like the veins of death, directly pierced into the core of Minor Thousand Worlds. The devouring runes on the roots shone, not only frantically absorbing the world's Origin, but also acting like invisible straws, drawing the blood and vitality of billions of living beings in the world directly across thousands of miles of Void Realm!
Countless Minor Thousand Worlds, in a short time, experienced incomprehensible horror. The sky was stained with blood, the earth instantly dried up, rivers turned into blood streams, and forests withered in swathes. Billions of living beings, whether Mortals or low-level Cultivators, and even the birds, beasts, flowers, and trees in those worlds, had their life force drained in an instant, turning into withered bones or dust. Their Souls wailed, forcibly stripped away and merged into the 'vengeful spirit willow' at the core, making the color of that willow branches even deeper, the resentment almost solidifying, and the sounds of wailing capable of shaking one's Divine Soul.
Liu Qingtian's true form also underwent terrifying changes during this century of endless devouring.
On his trunk, above the original dark red Demonic Markings, countless twisted, pale bone patterns began to appear! These were not decorations, but real, tangible bone essences from the Prodigies or powerful beings with special Physiques and extraordinary talents from the various Minor Thousand Worlds he had devoured. He refined them with his Demonic Technique, branding them onto his body, forming natural bone armor and power amplifiers. These bones contained fragments of different Laws, strengthening his resistance to and understanding of various Laws.
And the thousands of willow branches around him were no longer simply dark red. Every 'willow leaf' had transformed into a miniature, constantly rotating Grotto-Heaven! This was his Myriad Eyes Demonic Leaf Grotto-Heaven, cultivated by combining his 'willow leaf grotto-heaven' Divine Ability with the Demonic Path!
Within each Grotto-Heaven, instead of peace, countless 'eyes' containing special pupil techniques or insight-type Divine Abilities that he had plundered were imprisoned and refined! These eyes came from Prodigies of various worlds; some could see through illusions, some could stir up Heart Demons, some could release destructive beams... They floated and wailed within the Grotto-Heaven, their power continuously extracted and Fused by Liu Qingtian, causing his Eye of Delusion Breaking to undergo a terrifying mutation. Now, with a single glance, he could not only see through weaknesses but also stir up the opponent's Heart Demon, and even directly cast curses and destruction with his gaze!
A main willow branch, entwined with trillions of vengeful spirits, with resentment soaring to the heavens, was his core for unleashing Soul attacks and corrupting Magic Treasures.
Upon his trunk, myriad bones floated and sank, condensing the essence of countless Prodigy skeletons, providing terrifying defense and affinity (or rather, predatory understanding) for various Laws.
Thousands of Demonic Leaves, transformed into Grotto-Heavens, imprisoned myriad eyes, granting him the eerie ability to discern all Laws, stir up Heart Demons, and kill all beings with his gaze.
A century of hunting and the annihilation of countless Minor Thousand Worlds provided him with a massive amount of Origin and vital essence. His cultivation soared like a rocket, having long been stabilized at the Peak of the Sea Overturning Realm! His Demonic Essence was far more abundant than others at the same Realm, and with every move, his demonic might was enough to cover star rivers and overturn hundreds of Minor Thousand Worlds!
However, an invisible yet indestructible chasm lay before him—the Profound Void Realm!
To reach the Profound Void Realm, one must comprehend the mysteries of space and reality, merging one's Dao Domain with the Void Realm. With a single thought, one can influence the boundary between reality and illusion. This is not merely an accumulation of energy, but the ultimate test of the Great Dao and one's Heart-Nature.
Liu Qingtian's energy accumulation was already more than sufficient, and his comprehension of space Laws, having plundered and absorbed countless related Law fragments over a century of plunder, was theoretically already enough.
But he couldn't Breakthrough.
The reason, he knew well—the Heart Demon tribulation.
His Dao Heart had already shattered when he first entered the Demonic Path. What sustained his existence now was the demonic seed that had completely Fused with him and continuously grown, as well as endless resentment, greed, and obsession. The Heart Demon was no longer an external entity he needed to fight; it was him! He was the Incarnation of a Heart Demon!
How could an existence plagued by Heart Demons and driven entirely by negative emotions and predatory desires pass the Profound Void tribulation, which required clarity of mind and unity with the Dao? That tribulation was not just a test of energy, but a tempering and interrogation of the Soul's essence. A Soul as defiled and heinous as his, once it triggered the Profound Void tribulation, would likely instantly invite the most violent backlash from the Laws of the Myriad Heavens, leading to complete annihilation of body and spirit!
"Profound Void... Profound Void..." Liu Qingtian stood on the remains of a Minor Thousand World that he had just drained of its Origin and was slowly disintegrating. His dark red Demonic Pupils were filled with frustration and brutality. He could feel the thin membrane of that Realm, within reach, yet infinitely far.
He knew that unless he could “solve” the Heart Demon problem, or find a Heaven-Defying method that could deceive and blind even the Heavenly Dao tribulation, he would be stuck here for life.
"Luo Jiuxuan..." This name was like a nightmare, constantly stimulating him. After a century of frenzied improvement, he was confident that if he were to fight Luo Jiuxuan at the same Realm (Sea Overturning Realm Peak), with his bizarre Divine Abilities plundered from all over and his monstrous Demonic Essence, he could definitely withstand a hundred moves from Luo Jiuxuan! This was already a feat that would shock the Myriad Heavens, considering that was the past Incarnation of an Eighth Realm Supreme!
But... it was only a hundred moves. If Luo Jiuxuan wanted to kill him, he would undoubtedly die within a thousand moves. Moreover, Luo Jiuxuan was already in the Fourth Realm, or perhaps even higher! The gap was still enormous.
"Not enough! Still not enough!" He let out a low roar, Demonic Qi swirling around him, shattering several desolate star remnants nearby into dust. The wails from the vengeful spirit willow became even more shrill, the myriad bones on his trunk made strange grinding noises, and the countless eyes within the Myriad Eyes Demonic Leaf Grotto-Heaven opened simultaneously, emitting maddening evil light.
He needed stronger power! He had to Breakthrough to the Profound Void Realm! Otherwise, he wouldn't even have the qualifications to stand before his opponent, let alone seek revenge, although he himself couldn't describe what form this notion of revenge had twisted into.
He cast his gaze deeper, towards the Middle Thousand Worlds that exuded a more powerful and alluring aura. The Origin of Minor Thousand Worlds was becoming increasingly limited for his current advancement. Only the abundant Origin of Middle Thousand Worlds could potentially provide the massive energy needed for him to forcibly assault the Profound Void Realm or find a way to circumvent the Heart Demon tribulation!
However, the Realm wall of Middle Thousand Worlds was far more robust than that of Minor Thousand Worlds, and their world consciousness was also stronger, often harboring existences at the Sea Overturning Realm or even Profound Void Realm. For him to rashly interfere in his current state would be extremely risky.
"I must... find a way..." In his dark red Demonic Pupils, a crazy and calculating light flickered. A century of demonic hunting, he had not only plundered power but also countless worlds' knowledge, secret arts, and forbidden techniques. Perhaps, within these chaotic and mottled memories, he could find a glimmer of opportunity?
A century of slaughter, he had completely transformed into a cancerous tumor of the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, a mobile disaster. And now, this tumor felt a Bottleneck, and was about to cast a more greedy gaze upon more powerful prey.
The threshold of the Profound Void Realm, like a Sword of Damocles, hung over his head. Would he find a way to cross it, or would he be utterly destroyed in a frenzied assault? His Demonic Path had reached a critical crossroads.