Chapter 73 – Seated, One Becomes Immortal; Standing, One Becomes a Demon
Beside the shores of North Luo Lake, a gentle breeze whispered through the dusk. The last rays of the setting sun had completely sunk below the horizon, leaving a streak of pale grey across the sky. A slender crescent moon quietly emerged, hanging high in the heavens.
Lu Fan withdrew his thoughts, no longer concerned with Xiang Shaoyun's condition. Having succumbed to demonic cultivation, Xiang's Qi Core had now birthed a demonic seed. His spiritual energy had transformed into demonic force, and his combat prowess was no weaker than a peak-stage Qi Core cultivator. There would be no issue resolving the current crisis.
Demonic cultivation—a new path, a new profession, perhaps—held immense potential. In the grand tapestry of cultivation, there were immortal paths, demonic paths... and Lu Fan believed that others could also emerge in time—evil paths, Buddhist paths, and more. Only through the clash of diverse Daoist disciplines could sparks ignite, fostering a flourishing cultivation world.
Reclining in his wheelchair, Lu Fan gently tapped the armrest, his mind probing the rewards granted by the recent transformation.
"[Undying Demon Body – Beginner]... Could this be related to the demonic path?" he murmured.
His consciousness fell upon the displayed reward—[Undying Demon Body]—but no further explanation surfaced. This was the first time he had encountered such an anomaly.
"What's going on?" Lu Fan furrowed his brows, silently querying the system.
"[Undying Demon Body] is a special-type transformation reward. No description is currently available. The host may activate it by consuming Physical Strength points."
The system's reply made Lu Fan raise a brow in surprise. So it can be activated by consuming Physical Strength?
At present, Lu Fan had 6 points in Physical Strength. He had assumed these were meant solely for enhancing his constitution, never expecting such utility.
His consciousness delved into [Undying Demon Body].
In an instant, his Physical Strength dropped from 6 to 1.
Buzz…
In that moment, everything around Lu Fan changed.
The ethereal spiritual energy within his Qi Core morphed violently into dark, ferocious demonic energy. Above his head, black clouds surged, rapidly converging and intensifying. Faint thunder rumbled within, as if heralding the world's destruction.
In the heart of North Luo Lake, a tempest erupted. Black demonic energy coiled upward. The cultivators training on the island were shaken, rising in fear and confusion. They had no idea what had occurred—only that, suddenly, the world itself felt suffocating.
Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing turned toward the terrace of the White Jade Capital Pavilion, shock flashing in their eyes.
"Such... overwhelming power!"
On the island, ten upward-facing chrysanthemums shriveled like frightened creatures, petals curling inward.
Yet darkness came swiftly, and vanished just as fast. The oppressive aura dissipated, and at last, everyone let out a breath of relief.
On the terrace, Lu Fan deactivated [Undying Demon Body], his expression laced with astonishment.
The might of the Undying Demon Body had exceeded his expectations. The moment it activated, he felt as though he could shatter the entire island with a single palm.
Once activated, all his spiritual energy transformed into demonic power, vastly increasing his destructive capabilities. However, this transformation rendered ordinary spiritual techniques unusable—only the Undying Demon Body could be wielded in combat.
In short, it was a means of bodily combat—and one that grew stronger as his Physical Strength increased.
"This is merely the beginner stage... yet it already feels stronger than the peak of the Hidden Spirit Realm."
On a whim, Xiang Shaoyun had begged to become a demon, and Lu Fan had granted it. Unexpectedly, it had brought him this delightful surprise.
"Seated, I control fate as an immortal. Standing, I become an indestructible demon…" Lu Fan leaned back in his chair, a faint smile curling on his lips.
Wolong Ridge.
The battle had ended.
Cold moonlight bathed the blood-soaked land, corpses strewn in every direction.
Xiang Shaoyun stood motionless. Before him lay Liu He, Prefect of Pingyang, his neck twisted by Xiang's own hands.
Luo Mingsang staggered forward and clutched his waist. The crimson glow faded from Xiang's eyes. The dark markings across his body, along with the violent demonic aura, dissipated.
Weakness surged through him, and a splitting pain pierced his skull. He had sacrificed a fragment of his soul to the demon in exchange for survival—becoming a demon to slaughter and endure.
"Mingsang... let's go home." Xiang Shaoyun turned, using his bloodstained hand to gently caress her cheek. Seeing her safe, though frail, a faint, weary smile graced his pale lips.
Tears welled in Luo Mingsang's eyes—they had survived. They wouldn't have to die.
She didn't understand what had happened to Xiang Shaoyun—but to her, he was still the Conqueror.
Long after they left, a creaking carriage arrived.
The curtain lifted, and an elderly, stooped figure emerged slowly.
Mo Beike gazed upon the field of corpses and sighed.
Several figures dashed out, searching among the bodies. After a time, they returned.
"Elder, we did not find the Conqueror's remains—only the body of Prefect Liu He."
One disciple of the Mo Sect bowed deeply.
"One against five thousand... The Conqueror of Western Province truly lives up to his title."
Mo Beike's aged, hunched form looked frail beneath the moonlight. His voice held no emotion.
"Let us go. If the Conqueror lives, then fate has spared him. Spread the word—tell the world that with just a hundred men, he slew Pingyang's Prefect and five thousand troops. The land... must tremble."
"Yes, sir."
The Mo Sect disciples bowed. Mo Beike climbed back into the carriage. The driver cracked his whip, and the cart rolled away.
"Elder, where to next?" one disciple asked.
Silence reigned for a moment inside the carriage.
Then, an aged voice responded.
"North Luo City."
Luo Cheng had returned alive to North Luo City.
Lu Changkong and Luo Yue rushed to meet him, eager for news of the Immortal Palace secret realm.
Pale with lingering fear, Luo Cheng gulped water and recounted what he had seen.
"Before the palace… Dantai Xuan, in a fit of rage, led an army of ten thousand to breach the gates. But the palace seemed to contain a true immortal—within seconds, tens of thousands turned to ash…"
Even now, the memory made Luo Cheng's soul tremble.
Lu Changkong and Luo Yue gasped.
Could it be true? Though fantastical, Luo Cheng's tone made it hard to doubt.
"Oh, and the young master also sent his people into the palace! They stole an immortal elixir from an ancient cultivator, pursued Mo Shou Gui, and severed his arm!"
Luo Cheng's excitement spilled over, words tumbling from his mouth.
Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao fought through legions, white robes soaked in blood—the image had left a lasting impression.
"Fan'er joined the immortal chase too?" Lu Changkong's eyes narrowed.
"I thought he was uninterested, staying on the island all this time. Turns out... while mantises hunt cicadas, a sparrow lurks behind."
The night grew deep.
Lu Fan did not remain on the island. He had Ni Yu push him onto a boat and return to the Lu Residence. Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing remained behind to continue cultivating.
Back at the small courtyard, Lu Fan washed and changed under Ni Yu's care, then sat upright on his bed. Moonlight streamed in through the carved wooden window, casting a serene, tranquil glow.
On this day, the Grand Zhou had experienced great upheaval.
Though Lu Fan had orchestrated it all from the shadows, to outsiders, none of it had any connection to the young master of North Luo City—save for Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao, whom he had sent to seize the immortal opportunity.
The spiritual chessboard was laid out.
Lu Fan, playing both black and white, engaged in a game of "Mountains and Rivers."
Each move subtly restored his soul force and spiritual energy. While playing, he silently cultivated the Creation Profound Qi Technique, its effects as gentle and pervasive as spring rain.
After one game, the hand that held the white piece froze.
He paused.
A system prompt had appeared—under the [Permissions] tab, [Platform of the Dao] was flashing with brilliant light.
His mind turned toward it.
Suddenly, lines of text appeared before his eyes:
"Kong Nanfeng (Identity: Confucian disciple) has entered the Platform of the Dao.""Tang Yimo (Identity: Illegitimate son of South Prefecture Governor) has entered the Platform of the Dao.""Bai Qingniao (Identity: Chicken-keeper of Drunken Dragon City) has entered the Platform of the Dao."