Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi

Changle Palace, inside the Sealed Demon Hall.

Zhang Yao rose from the meditation mat and walked to the left side of the hall.

The entire wall here was adorned with exquisite Buddhist murals, depicting scenes of universal salvation, the Bright Buddha Realm, and Bodhisattva Arhats.

"Buzz!"

Zhang Yao took out the Merit Token from his waist and gently shook it, causing golden text to appear on the murals:

Two hundred and thirty-five thousand.

"Just a mere two hundred thirty thousand merits, only just getting started..."

Zhang Yao sighed deeply.

Guarding Changle Mountain for over seven years, he had only accumulated seventy thousand merits, mainly due to the lack of opportunities to eradicate Yin Demons.

Although the various foreign Golden Core Cultivators in the Mani Kingdom were quite amicable, internally they were divided into several small circles, because disputes over interests and forming alliances were inevitable.

As for Zhang Yao, he was destined to be unable to join any small circle, because he was too powerful.

A fixed group of several Golden Core Cultivators was formed to share the profits brought by the Golden Core Level Yin Demons emerging from their guarded Demon Caves, adhering to the principle of keeping the wealth within.

But Zhang Yao, a formidable cultivator capable of independently eradicating Golden Core Yin Demons, had no inherent conditions or need to integrate into a small group.

"No rush, take it slow."

Zhang Yao calmed himself, put away the Merit Token, and sat back down on the meditation mat.

For two hours straight, he used magical power to refine the previously leaked and accumulated muddy qi, then stood up again and headed towards the Demon Suppression Well.

It was time to explore the secrets of this Demon Cave.

"Boom!"

A blaze of magical power surged around Zhang Yao, transforming him into a bright meteor, plunging into the unfathomable Demon Suppression Well.

Passing through the brief metallic shaft, in just the blink of an eye, he arrived in the underworld, where endless muddy qi flowed continuously, in a cycle.

As before, this muddy qi became as still as stagnant water, and unmoving within three feet of Zhang Yao, as if intimidated by some invisible force.

"What is the cause of this?"

Zhang Yao began to seriously contemplate.

This phenomenon, not only was it never encountered by other Golden Core Cultivators, but it was never mentioned by the many Golden Body Arhats of Mani Temple.

If it’s not openly discussed, it means this special reaction of the muddy qi might be unknown even to Mani Temple or is too significant for those who know it to speak about.

He couldn’t determine which yet, but Zhang Yao didn’t think he was particularly special, at least he was no different in essence from the other orthodox Qi Refining Golden Core Ancestors.

Not just him, even Demon Cultivators using muddy qi for cultivation would still be saturated and lose their sanity upon entering these Demon Cave lands.

Ultimately—Demon Cultivators are cultivators first; the cultivation foundation of Demonic Cultivators is still spiritual qi, only utilizing muddy qi to some extent.

"If it’s not because of me, it’s certainly due to some item I’m carrying..."

Having deduced this, Zhang Yao began to examine his magical treasures, spiritual objects, treasures, etc., meticulously selecting special items one by one to test the abnormal reaction of the muddy qi.

Fengxi Mountain Copper, Zhiyao True Gold, Taiyin Dew, and other Heaven and Earth Treasures, over a dozen various third-grade spiritual objects, along with magical treasures with different effects and attributes...

As Zhang Yao tried for half a quarter of an hour and took out a piece of light yellow irregular crystal from his Storage Bag:

"Boom!"

The surrounding earthy miasma surged outwards, creating a blank space about a square yard in area.

The outermost part of this blank space became particularly calm, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding earthly miasma, passively serving as a barrier.

"Earth Soul Crystal?"

Zhang Yao was surprised.

He had no idea that the Earth Soul Crystal, treasured in his Storage Bag, was the cause of the abnormality in the muddy qi.

"Earth Soul Crystal, earthly miasma... Could there be some connection between them?"

Zhang Yao studied the Earth Soul Crystal in his hand and looked around at the surrounding earthly miasma, a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Earth Soul Crystals come from a mysterious Earth Vein Node.

Thinking back, when he was just a Qi Refining Stage Junior Cultivator with limited vision and knowledge, he hurriedly toured the Earth Vein Node and emerged with the Earth Soul Crystal, barely noticing anything substantial.

A hundred years later, he became a renowned Golden Core Ancestor, his knowledge and vision expanded manifold.

Judging by his current understanding, the Earth Vein Node and Earth Soul Crystal were very likely related to the Desolate Zone, which separated the Central Plains Continent and classified spiritual energy levels.

If this hypothesis is true, then the Earth Vein Node is likely established by ancient sages who survived the Ancient Great Destruction, closely related to the Demon Race during its establishment.

As for the earthly miasma, Zhang Yao’s understanding was far from deep.

All things and the beginning of qi; qi is divided into pure and muddy; the pure rises to form heaven, the muddy sinks to form earth; pure qi as immortal, muddy qi as demon—thus known as the division result of pure and muddy qi.

Aside from some well-known common knowledge, Zhang Yao knew very little about how muddy qi operates, its specific attributes and mysteries.

Knowing too little, it’s quite challenging to derive an effective hypothesis.

"Is it possible that Earth Soul Crystals are composed of earthly miasma?"

In Zhang Yao’s mind, such a thought instinctively flashed by.