Chapter 118: Source Divine Ability

Chapter 118: Primordial Divine Ability

The withered corpse was not truly substantial in essence.

Even the kasaya was but a manifestation of the soul.

The monk before Qi Yuan was in truth an aggregate of heart demons.

With each attack, it stirred the myriad demons within the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons—also known as the Gate of Ten Thousand Distinctions—gnawing and devouring Qi Yuan.

“You are like me, harboring the world’s ultimate evil.”

“Greed, pride, lust… all manner of sins, sink with me into blissful depravity!”

Qi Yuan’s body seethed with boundless blood aura, his blood-red robe billowing without wind.

A broken sword coalesced in his hand.

Upon its blade, the breath of every vile corruption gathered.

After slaying the demonic spawn, Qi Yuan’s source of sin had reached its zenith.

“Sink?” The malevolence within Qi Yuan was even fiercer than that of the myriad demons; he seemed a titan among them. “A bunch of experience packs, and you think you can drag me down with you?”

The blood-colored longsword in his hand was forged from his source of sin.

The evil aura it exuded was no weaker—only stronger—than that of these heart demons.

“Become my nourishment!”

Qi Yuan’s longsword quivered; every heart demon that bit at him shattered into fragments.

He gazed upon the Gate of Ten Thousand Distinctions, gaining the power of mutation. The sin-source he extracted from slaying demonic spawn was of the same origin as these heart demons, barely.

Killing heart demons turned them all into his sin-source.

He stepped forward, one pace at a time. Heart demons sprang forth, only to be slain by his sword and absorbed into his sin-source.

“No wonder the cultivation methods of the Canglan Realm all have flaws—cultivation becomes nourishment.”

“The feeling of extracting nourishment is truly exhilarating!”

Qi Yuan ignored the heart demons, slaying them without cease.

His sin-source grew wildly.

[You have comprehended the primordial source. Mutation ability +9999.]

[You have comprehended the primordial source. Charm +1.]

[You have comprehended the primordial source. Laziness ability +1.]

Qi Yuan ascended the steps. The withered corpse clung to his body, whispering in his ear.

“One step forward—an abyss of ten thousand zhang, the world of ultimate evil.”

“One step back—a boundless demon realm, the world of ultimate bliss.”

“Sink into this Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, and merge with me into the Gate itself!”

Qi Yuan trod upon the steps. Countless pale hands reached out from the pitch-black, bottomless abyss, gripping his ankles and tugging at his robes.

The corpse on his back continued its whisper.

As far as the eye could see, an endless sea of demonic spawn.

Suddenly, a line came to Qi Yuan’s mind.

“I am the sun!”

With his voice, his entire body blazed forth with ten thousand rays of light.

Qi Yuan resolved to purify this demon realm with his own great solar radiance.

The ten thousand rays swept across.

Qi Yuan thought that surely he could restore clarity to the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons and slay all these heart demons!

But… events took an unexpected turn—a small twist.

Those heart demons, upon seeing his ten thousand rays, were not afraid. Instead, like moths to a flame, their faces twisted with fervor as they charged into his blinding light.

“Hey, I’m not your father!”

Though they were fanatical, Qi Yuan showed no mercy.

The ten thousand rays swept through, and all heart demons turned into his sin-source.

“Clearly I am like the great sun hanging in the sky—why do the heart demons not fear me?”

“Is it only because my light… is blood-red?”

“You’re color-discriminating!”

Qi Yuan was furious.

These heart demons had no eyes, yet they still practiced color discrimination.

Endless light devoured the demonic spawn.

Qi Yuan, like a sovereign demon lord, walked along the endless corridor of steps, slowly ascending.

Countless insights, countless evils, filled his being.

If he wished, he could even directly condense his own primordial divine ability.

Gluttony—the Maw of Taotie.

Pride—the Eye of Heaven.

Lust—the Karmic Fire of the Red Lotus.

…

The Seven Deadly Sins, seven primordial divine abilities, then united as one.

Once the primordial divine ability emerged, it would seize the hearts of all, plunging them into the endless demon realm.

…

Shenguang Sect, Five Lights Peak.

Kang Fulu stood outside the cave dwelling, separated by a water curtain, his expression reverent.

Within the cave was the peak master of Five Lights Peak, Kang Fulu’s master, the Five Lights Peak Lord, True Lord Taiguang.

A hoarse voice came forth, as True Lord Taiguang imparted to Kang Fulu the essential secrets of condensing a golden core.

“To condense a golden core, one must first pass the heart demon tribulation, then the heavenly tribulation. With the carried treasure as the core, spiritual energy solidifies, and together they form the golden core.”

“Now that heaven and earth have changed, the heavenly tribulation does not manifest. One need only pass the heart demon tribulation to achieve the golden core.”

“The heart demon tribulation is difficult… yet not difficult.”

“The stronger one’s obsession, the firmer one’s nature, the fiercer the heart demon tribulation.”

“Acting freely, being open and sincere—one may instead have no heart demons and pass more easily.”

“Take that Qi Yuan of Seven Colors Peak, for example. Obsessed with a single thing, his mind has no distractions—he will likely pass with ease.”

"Remember, do not be seduced by the inner demon; you must slay it without fail!"

"The disciple understands." Kang Fulu stood before the cave dwelling, pondering his master's words.

The inner demon tribulation...

...

The Gate of Myriad Distinctions, also known as the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons in the mummy's mouth, now teemed with every conceivable inner demon.

Qi Yuan radiated a dense crimson light, countless inner demons piled upon his body.

He was like a man carrying a small mountain of inner demons, struggling to climb toward the highest gate.

Every second, tens of thousands of inner demons tumbled from the mountain and turned to ash.

Yet still more inner demons surged forward, scrambling onto Qi Yuan's back.

As if he were the most delicious food in the world—the Demon Lord himself!

"Now I look like a giant inner demon," Qi Yuan said with a light laugh.

The seven deadly sins formed countless emotions, all flashing through his eyes, turning them red.

He bore the endless inner demons, stepping forward one stair at a time.

These inner demons were his nourishment, destined to become the source of sin.

Suddenly, Qi Yuan felt a stirring and shouted loudly.

"All inner demons shall become my nourishment. I say... if I wish you to live, you live; if I wish you to die, you die!"

[You have comprehended the origin. Reincarnation power +1.]

The notification came, and Qi Yuan was stunned.

After comprehending in the Gate of Myriad Distinctions for so long, this was the first time he had grasped such a lofty ability.

Could it be... that a bit of bluster could lead to enlightenment?

Thinking this, he quickly spoke.

"I wield the Grand Void, omniscient and omnipotent, the origin of all things.

When I close my eyes, an epoch ends—all things perish, the universe shatters; when I open my eyes, an epoch begins—all things revive, the universe restarts!

Time is but a strand of my hair; space is the gap between my hair tips; the Heavenly Dao is my drowsy meditation; matter and spirit are mere figments of my imagination!"

Qi Yuan exhausted his vocabulary, painting himself as grand and lofty.

He was excited. If he could truly comprehend such powerful things, he would be immensely rewarded.

[You have comprehended the origin. Bluffing ability +1.]

Qi Yuan: "...That's it?"

Qi Yuan deeply regretted wasting so much time.

All he got was a useless bluffing ability.

The mummy's voice still echoed in his ears: "Turn back. Go further, and you will fall into an abyss of no return, utterly lost in the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons!"

The mummy's voice caused a flicker in Qi Yuan's eyes.

"Endless inner demons are my food—what have I to fear?"

"No living being can withstand the sin-force of a world!

Not even an arhat, not even a Buddha, can do it!" the mummy roared.

Endless inner demons crawled out from beneath the stairs, ceaselessly.

Qi Yuan's eyes had turned completely red.

Even his skin had become red.

He looked up at the Gate of Myriad Distinctions.

My path... is it the source of sin?

Should I condense the source of sin into a primal ability?

There is only one primal ability; once set, there is no regret.

Should he walk this path?

But the endless inner demons pressed down, and Qi Yuan felt immense pressure.

Even he found it hard to bear, urgently needing an outlet.

After all, this was a thousand, ten thousand times more terrifying than the divine reflection of before.

He took a step forward, pondering his own essence.

But he could not remember—could not remember at all.

Suddenly, he understood and broke into a smile.

"Since you all worship me so much, I'll be merciful and condense you into part of my ability!"

At that moment, Qi Yuan made up his mind and pressed forward without hesitation.

The stairs behind him began to crumble.

The mummy revealed a ferocious grin: "The way back is broken, hahaha! You will sink forever in the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons like me, becoming an inner demon!"

Qi Yuan paid no heed to the mummy's voice. An overbearing aura emanated from him.

He took a step forward, and a seventh of the demonic sins on the mountain dissipated.

"Pride—Eye of the Firmament!"

In an instant, he condensed the ability of pride.

In Qi Yuan's mind appeared the alluring curves beneath his junior sister Jiang Lingsu's loose gown, his master's cold and lonely silhouette, Ning Tao's seductive and charming long legs wrapped in black silk, and the delicate, coquettish figure of the golden canary.

He took another step forward, and more demonic sins vanished.

"Lust—Red Lotus Karmic Fire!"

Countless images surfaced in his mind as Qi Yuan advanced step by step.

The demonic sins on his body slowly faded away.

The mummy's voice came again, filled with boundless temptation.

"Do you think that by turning inner demons into abilities, they will disappear?

Wrong, utterly wrong—they will only draw closer to you!

They will become you, and you will become them!

The path I walked in my youth was the same as yours, haha... This path is the path to becoming a demon!"

Qi Yuan paid no attention.

He continued to gather his divine powers.

One by one, blood-red lotuses bloomed beneath his feet.

On his back, a blood-red radiance shone like a merciful light, as if he were a blood demon Buddha!

"Gluttony—the Maw of Taotie!"

"Envy—the Endless Blood Sea!"

"Sloth—the Dream of Inaction!"

"Greed—the Soul-Devouring Spirit!"

"Wrath—the Nine Heavens' Divine Thunder!"

The seven deadly sins coalesced into seven divine powers.

All the inner demons on Qi Yuan's shoulders vanished without a trace.

The dried corpse's eyes twisted into a ferocious grin: "Hahaha, you have become... an inner demon!"

With a savage roar, it too dissolved into one of the divine powers.

Endless inner demons flooded every corner of Qi Yuan's being.

Qi Yuan's face remained expressionless as the seven divine powers merged into one.

"Void Realm Master—Inner Demon Summoning!"

In that moment, countless inner demons surged into Qi Yuan's body.

His form began to mutate.

The dried corpse's voice echoed once more in Qi Yuan's mind.

"From the moment you slew your first inner demon, you set foot on a path of no return!"

"Arrogance fills your mind, greed robs you of reason, lust makes you crave every creature of the opposite sex!"

"Ha! Perhaps at first you held back, forcibly suppressing your desires!"

"But once you enter the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, all those desires will rush forth like a raging flood, pouring down from the heavens!"

"Your body, your soul—they are already turning into an inner demon! Ha! Even if the supreme Buddha himself reached out, he could not pull you from the abyss!"

"You will become one of us!"

As the dried corpse spoke, Qi Yuan's feet seemed nailed to the steps.

What the dried corpse said was indeed true.

Ever since he killed the demonic spawn and extracted the source of sin, Qi Yuan's nature had subtly shifted.

Unbidden, images he had never imagined before would flicker through his mind.

He had once shut himself in a city, rarely interacting with others—partly to guard the City of No Return, partly to keep inner demons from breeding.

He killed and killed, using slaughter to dissolve desire.

When he comprehended the origin again and came to this life, he killed and killed, never stopping.

When he saw the Golden Canary again, he sensed a charm in her he had never noticed before.

Was it from his true heart? Or was it the work of an inner demon?

It didn't matter. To Qi Yuan, the trace was the heart.

Suppress desire? Liberate nature?

What nonsense!

Kill, kill, kill—let rivers of blood flow, shatter everything with a single sword!

"Become an inner demon! Merge with us!"

The dried corpse's voice spread relentlessly in his mind.

"You have no way back!"

Qi Yuan sat motionless on the steps, his entire body drenched in blood. Inch by inch, he was turning into an inner demon, transforming into demonic spawn.

Within the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, a terrifying giant demon seemed to be taking shape.

Qi Yuan heard nothing. What was he thinking? He seemed unable to recall.

...

At the ends of the earth, the sea was a sheet of blood.

The Golden Canary stared blankly at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms: "When will the blood bead... come out?"

Eleven years had passed since the blood bead entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms.

For eleven years, she had waited outside.

Five years ago, the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms underwent a strange change—the surrounding sea had all turned red.

Now the red was spreading, reaching the Golden Canary's feet.

Shang Yanran appeared beside her, her face full of worry: "One day, he will come out."

They did not know what was happening inside the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms.

But Shang Yanran could already sense a monstrous demon brewing within.

Once it succeeded, the demon would emerge, and this world would be plunged into eternal ruin.

And that demon... was very likely the Blood Lord.

"Sister Yanran, you don't need to comfort me." The Golden Canary's delicate face remained beautiful, her makeup exquisite. "Whoever enters the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms will become... a demon."

Shang Yanran sighed softly.

The moment he entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, the Blood Lord's fate was sealed.

For the sake of all living beings, the Blood Lord had entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, sealed it shut, and offered himself to the demons.

...And became a demon himself.

"If he comes out, I'll wait for him here." The Golden Canary's face lit up with a bright smile. "Just like at Nine Coil Mountain—I want to be the first person he sees."

Shang Yanran said nothing.

The Blood Palace was already beginning to withdraw from the ends of the earth.

The people who lived here were also moving away, leaving this place.

"If he turns into a demon, I hope he still looks as handsome," the Golden Canary murmured.

At that moment, Bai Ze appeared beside them, his face etched with exhaustion. "I have found the Stone of Fate."

He reached out and produced the Stone of Fate.

Shang Yanran looked at it, but there was no excitement in her eyes. "It's too late."

Now that the Blood Lord had clearly become a demon, even the Stone of Fate could not save him.

If they had obtained it when he first entered, perhaps they could have found a way to rescue him.

At this moment, the Blood Lord had become a demon, and the Tablet of Fate revealed only the art of demon slaying.

Bai Ze was silent, his eyes filled with self-reproach.

Then Shang Yanran said, "Golden Sparrow, in a few days, we will leave this place."

"Mm." Golden Sparrow's voice was resolute. "Don't try to persuade me to leave, and don't knock me out and take me away, understand?"

Shang Yanran glanced at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, and finally nodded: "Fine."

Shang Yanran and Bai Ze departed, leaving only Golden Sparrow in the vast, desolate land at the edge of the world.

She sat on the great rock where she had once sat with Blood Bead, gazing at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms.

Her voice carried a hint of tears: "Blood Bead, everyone else won't wait for you, but I will!"

The world said that what emerged was a demon.

But he was still her childhood friend, her Blood Bead.

She looked at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, just as she had at Nine Coil Mountain, waiting for that childhood friend to appear again.

Time was fickle; now the Blood Palace and the surrounding cities were nearly empty.

The edge of the world had grown cold, with blood-red frost forming on the ground.

The sea had also frozen into blocks of blood-colored ice.

In the Blood Palace, a dozen or so people remained.

These were the last ones left in this place.

The old man had traveled a long way from Nine Coil Mountain, but he did not see the Blood Lord. He looked at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, disappointment in his eyes.

"Did my esteemed teacher never mention my name? Could it be because my name is too ugly?"

Foolish Daoist shook his head: "Nangong Big Dog, my teacher's heart is with the world; when would he have time to mention you?"

Nangong Big Dog felt a pang of loss.

They stood there, looking at Golden Sparrow in the distance, their expressions moved.

Tomorrow, they would leave this place for good.

Here, only Golden Sparrow would remain.

"Alas, my teacher put the world's people first, yet was slandered by Purple Heaven Goddess.

Purple Heaven Goddess had just been slain, and for the sake of the world, my teacher entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, offering himself to the demon." Bai Ze's eyes held both emotion and admiration.

Everyone present was moved to have such a teacher.

They gazed at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms, as if to take one last look.

Yet at that moment, a sudden change occurred.

"What's happening?"

Those present showed expressions of shock.

The endless sea of blood—the frost vanished, turning back into seawater.

The blood-red frost on the ground also disappeared.

Golden Sparrow felt a trace of warmth on her frozen red hands, but her face showed fear: "Blood Bead's... aura... how is it gone!"

The dozen or so people flew toward Golden Sparrow, looking at the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms with expressions of horror and deep complexity.

Now the blood-red frost had vanished, and the world seemed to return to clarity.

The great demon's aura within the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms was also fading wildly, as if that demon would vanish from this world forever.

Shang Yanran's face was sorrowful: "The Blood Lord... transformed into the supreme heart demon, yet could still awaken a trace of humanity, severing his own heart meridian, and perishing forever from this world."

The Buddha of old had become a great demon and entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Realms.

Even the Buddha had sunk, unable to awaken his humanity, and destroyed himself.

That the Blood Lord could do this—how could they not be moved?

PS: Have you guessed what Qi Yuan's original divine ability is?

(End of chapter)