The Grey Rat's Demon Path

The tribulation clouds in the sky quickly dissipated, as if they had never been there at all.

The Thunder Tribulation passed, and Spirituality was born!

The Spirit Infant inside Xu Chang’an seemed to come alive.

The Spirit Infant slowly opened its eyes, its face bearing a striking resemblance to Xu Chang’an.

Name: Xu Chang’an

Bloodline: Purple-striped Thunder Rat (Upper-class Bloodline)

Lifespan: 3,612 Years

Realm: Early-stage Nascent Soul (Spirit Infant)

Skills: Alchemy (Tier Three Middle Grade)

Energy: (89/300,000)

...

’My lifespan increased by twenty-four hundred years!’

Breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm caused Xu Chang’an’s lifespan to skyrocket, directly surpassing three thousand years!

As his Bloodline’s quality continued to improve, the increase to his lifespan after each breakthrough was no less than that of an ordinary Human Race Cultivator—in fact, it was even greater.

’Some members of the Demon Race with powerful Bloodlines can live for seven or eight thousand years after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm. A mere three thousand years... I still have a long way to go!’

The increased lifespan gave Xu Chang’an a greater sense of ease.

’My Demon Body is as tough as a Top-Grade Magical Treasure, and my claws and spikes are like the finest of them!’

’My Demon Sense can cover a range of over thirty miles!’

’My Spirit Infant is formed, and my combat strength is on par with a Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!’

Instead of leaving immediately, Xu Chang’an took his time to savor the sensation of his recent breakthrough.

The huge commotion had certainly attracted the attention of some Cultivators in the desolate mountains, but the disturbance had been too great and the display of power too terrifying. Almost no one dared to approach.

After entering the Nascent Soul Realm, the Nascent Soul can leave the body.

But the Nascent Soul is extremely fragile. Generally, it would not leave the body unless one was a Great Cultivator in the Late-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, aided by a Nascent Soul Spirit Armor.

Still, no matter how weak the Nascent Soul might be, it was essentially a second life.

Even if his physical body sustained an incurable wound, he would not be utterly helpless.

The Nascent Soul could leave the body and seize another to be reborn. Although this would sever one’s future path to the Great Dao, at least one’s life would be preserved!

Besides, to the vast majority of Cultivators, the Nascent Soul Realm was already an unreachable height.

If entering the Core Formation Realm marked one as a true High-Tier Cultivator, then reaching the Nascent Soul Realm meant joining the absolute pinnacle of the Cultivation Realm.

No matter the Cultivation Realm, a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator was a true strategic deterrent.

Even in a world as prosperous as the Canglan Cultivation Realm from Xu Chang’an’s past life, Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators still held enormous sway.

He continued to experience the recent changes, sensing every subtle shift within his body and perceiving the difference in his Demon Power...

After a full several hours, Xu Chang’an transformed into a streak of light and departed.

...

The Cyan Yang Secret Realm opens once every four hundred and eighty years.

For the Cultivators of the Qingyang Cultivation Realm, every opening was a grand event that sent shockwaves through their world.

Although the Secret Realm belonged to the Cyan Yang Immortal Sect, the sect would still release a number of entry slots, allowing other factions to participate in the exploration.

The Secret Realm was filled with countless Heavenly and Earthly Treasures.

For every expedition, as long as one made it out alive, the rewards were guaranteed to be substantial.

The Cyan Yang Secret Realm was not located within Human Race territory, but inside the Netherworld Mountain Range. However, it was not far from human lands, only a hundred-odd miles away.

Given the Cyan Yang Immortal Sect’s might, it didn’t matter whether the Secret Realm was within Human Race territory.

Before every opening, the Demon Race in a radius of a hundred miles around the Secret Realm would be completely cleared out. Any that were missed were merely Little Demons at the first or second layer of Qi Refining.

...

This was a lush forest.

Within this forest stood an Ancient Wood, hundreds of feet wide. It towered into the clouds like a pillar connecting heaven and earth, looking completely out of place among the surrounding trees.

A large area around the Ancient Wood had long been cleared, forming an open space.

Near the Ancient Wood, a sparse scattering of Cultivators hovered in the air.

Among these Cultivators, the weakest was a True Man at Early-stage Core Formation. Even Great Cultivators at Late-stage Core Formation were not an uncommon sight.

Spreading out from the Ancient Wood, a large crowd of Cultivators had gathered several miles away.

These were also Cyan Yang Cultivators preparing to enter the Secret Realm, but their Realms ranged from Early-stage to Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Farther out still were the Qi Refining Stage Cultivators. They were even more numerous and were mostly on the ground.

Core Formation Zhenren, Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and Qi Refining Junior Cultivators each kept to their own circles. The hierarchy was distinct!

The higher one’s Cultivation, the closer one stood to the Ancient Wood!

In addition to the Cultivators who would be participating in the Cyan Yang Secret Realm, many others had rushed here from all over just to witness the grand occasion.

The entry slots for the Secret Realm were limited; not every Cultivator could take part.

Xu Chang’an had taken the form of a middle-aged Cultivator, displaying the Cultivation of a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. He was leaning back against the branch of an ancient tree.

He was a good seven to ten miles from the massive Ancient Wood at the center. Among the Foundation Establishment Cultivators, this was considered a rather distant spot.

’A lot of Cultivators showed up!’

Xu Chang’an didn’t use his Demon Sense, observing his surroundings with his naked eyes instead.

So far, no Nascent Soul True Monarchs had appeared. The highest Cultivation level among those present belonged to a Cultivator at the Peak of Late-stage Core Formation.

In any faction, a Nascent Soul True Monarch represented its true foundation, a pillar that could hold up the heavens. With the Secret Realm still several days from opening, they naturally wouldn’t be so eager to make an appearance.

’Then again, perhaps they’ve already arrived! They just haven’t revealed themselves yet!’

Without using his Demon Sense to probe the area, it was difficult for Xu Chang’an to get an accurate grasp of the situation.

His purpose in coming here was to seize the Great Sun Essence, a treasure produced within the Cyan Yang Secret Realm.

Great Sun Essence contained immense Energy and could also improve a Cultivator’s Spiritual Root.

’Since it can improve a Cultivator’s Spiritual Root, it can most likely improve my Bloodline’s quality as well. Even if my guess is wrong, the immense Energy it contains will be a huge boost to my panel’s Energy reserves.’

’This time, whether I succeed or fail, as soon as this is over, I’m leaving the Qingyang Cultivation Realm immediately.’