Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi

"Boom!"

The extraordinarily heavy metal cover fell onto the blue brick floor, causing the entire Changle Palace to shudder.

At this moment, the edge of the dark well was emitting golden light, with layers of secret mantras entwining like chains, sealing off the overflowing demonic energy to the greatest extent.

Yet despite this:

Zhang Yao stood by the Demon Suppression Well’s edge, still able to feel the awe-inspiring power surging beneath the earth.

Spiritual Qi and Muddy Qi are inherently at odds, and the magical power within him sensed the unrest of the Muddy Qi, spurring it into high-speed operation.

"Boom!"

Without hesitation, Zhang Yao activated his magical power, shielding himself, and a brilliant flame rose around him as he dashed toward the well mouth like a meteor.

Instantly:

Zhang Yao felt a blur before his eyes, as though he had entered a rampaging flood amidst the chaos of mudslides, surrounded by an ocean of surging Muddy Qi, completely obscuring divine thought and vision, making it impossible to discern direction.

The Demon Suppression Well, ostensibly a well, actually connects to an enormous underground world, where millions of years of Earth’s miasma from the Mani Kingdom have accumulated, giving birth to dreadful Golden Core level Yin Demons.

In the Muddy Qi-dominated underground world, Golden Core Cultivators are at a distinct disadvantage, while Yin Demons thrive, gaining substantial advantages in all aspects.

This shifting scale directly reverses the strengths between the two sides.

Typically, slaying a Golden Core level Yin Demon requires at least three to four Golden Core Cultivators working together; those who can independently defeat such a demon are renowned Golden Core Powerhouses.

"Swish..."

The surrounding Muddy Qi vibrated intensely, like boiling oil encountering icy water.

Yet something astonishing happened:

The surging Muddy Qi halted abruptly three feet from Zhang Yao, transitioning from extreme movement to extreme stillness in an instant.

This sensation was akin to a furious tiger leaping forth suddenly turning into a gentle, tame lynx, creating a jarring sense of incongruity.

"What’s going on?"

Even Zhang Yao was taken aback.

Muddy Qi and Spiritual Qi are incompatible; ordinary cultivators operating in the underground world experience rapid depletion of their magical power, unable to replenish with Spirit Pills or absorb Spirit Stones fast enough.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator could not withstand but a moment; even the immensely powerful Golden Core Ancestor could not linger.

Originally, Zhang Yao was prepared to face rapid magical power consumption and hence fortified himself with magical power, preventing contamination by Muddy Qi, but unexpectedly the Muddy Qi simply stopped three feet around him, a situation akin to that of water and oil not mixing.

"What exactly is happening?"

"That Elder Monk Tongguang from Mani Temple, Ancestor Heze, Lady Baiyu, and others have never mentioned such a change..."

Zhang Yao keenly sensed this situation was not ordinary; surely there was some hidden secret behind it.

Yet right now, he could already perceive the astonishing force of the Muddy Qi vortex swiftly approaching, promptly extinguishing any thoughts of investigation.

"No matter what, not being tainted by Muddy Qi is a tremendous blessing!"

"First extinguish this demon, quell the unrest of Muddy Qi, then explore the mysteries later."

Upon reaching this thought, Zhang Yao steadied his mind, readying himself for battle.

Muddy Qi and Spiritual Qi clash with each other, he could sense the Muddy Qi vortex’s movement, which means the Golden Core level Yin Demon could also sense his presence.

But in this area dominated by Muddy Qi, if the opponent chooses to conceal itself with single-minded focus, their advantage becomes overwhelming, while his prideful divine thought is suppressed, with no confidence in quickly detecting the opponent’s tracks.

Yet he just happened to have an Ancient Spiritual Treasure in hand that could greatly restrain Yin Demons.

"Swish!"

Zhang Yao took out the Lamp of Truth, holding it aloft in his left hand. With a thought, he transferred his magical power into it, instantly igniting the lamp flame.

As the Lamp of Truth’s flame burst forth, a piece of pure land ten feet around was immediately opened up, dispelling the divine thought covering and revealing the true form of the underground world.

"Rumble..."

The majestic currents of dark-yellow mixed Muddy Qi, surged through the vast space in sight, akin to countless torrents merging into a flooding river.

Beside Zhang Yao, appeared a distinct boundary layer, as though some invisible force was safeguarding him from Earth’s miasma.

Underneath the heart lamp’s illumination:

The turbulent river-like Muddy Qi, didn’t undergo significant change, but the kind of oppressive, unsettling feeling shaking one’s spirit had dissipated like melting snow in the warm sun.

"The effect of the Lamp of Truth is indeed astounding, suppressing even the power of the Muddy Qi!"

"With this, the strongest means of the Golden Core Yin Demon is essentially nullified!"

As Zhang Yao held up the Lamp of Truth, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Though the Muddy Qi hadn’t dispersed, its effectiveness in merging with Demonic Thoughts and corrupting the mind was clearly suppressed by the Lamp of Truth.

The strength of the Golden Core level Yin Demon itself did not worry Zhang Yao much, but its ability to corrupt the mind and entice cultivators to fall into demonhood was a far greater threat than simple demonic energy, which was what Zhang Yao feared most.

But now with the suppression of the Lamp of Truth, the Golden Core level Yin Demon’s strongest ability was no longer to be feared, at least it was unlikely to penetrate the Array of Ten Thousand Souls’ Thoughts protection.

"Buzz..."

The surrounding Muddy Qi vibrated violently, yet the imposing Muddy Qi vortex gradually dissipated in Zhang Yao’s perception.

Even though the torrent of Muddy Qi around didn’t change in presence within Zhang Yao’s perception, he knew—the Golden Core level Yin Demon had arrived!