https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-534-Xu-Yan-s-Understanding-of-Enlightenment-and-the-Opportunity-Bestowed-by-the-Founder/12535855/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-536-Blood-Extremity-Fights-the-Blood-Demon-Above-the-Laws-of-Nature/12535860/
Chapter 535: Gratitude to the Dao Ancestor, Blood Devil's Beautiful Aspiration
Chapter 535: Gratitude to the Dao Ancestor, Blood Devil's Beautiful Aspiration
Feng Yan was busy with the affairs of the Qimen Court and didn't have time to instill his ideology into Mu Zhu, so Shi Er, upon learning that Mu Zhu was a Heaven and Earth Lord-level expert, rushed over from Canglan Island.
Shi Er considered himself an expert at instilling the idea of "doing it for their own good." Although he had failed with Chi Mao in the past, he was confident that he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
After all, Chi Mao had cultivated into a demon and gained rationality, which was why Shi Er had failed before.
But Mu Zhu was different.
Although he was a powerful expert, he had been intimidated by the might of the Dao Ancestor. The Dao Ancestor was overwhelmingly powerful and unfathomably profound, his influence reaching deep into Mu Zhu's soul.
And yet, the Dao Ancestor hadn't killed him; instead, he had only punished him by making him sweep the floor to calm his murderous aura. This presented an opportunity to instill the idea of "doing it for his own good."
Moreover, although Mu Zhu was strong, his powers were currently restrained, and he was no longer in his peak condition. Both his judgment and the sharpness of his soul were diminished.
With his hands behind his back and a solemn expression, Shi Er watched as Mu Zhu swept the floor, gathering the fallen leaves into a pile.
The broom was heavy, and since Mu Zhu's strength was sealed, he was exhausted after just one sweep, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
This would have been unimaginable in the past.
However, Mu Zhu had gotten used to it. After putting down the broom, he prepared to take a break and recover his strength before collecting the leaves and taking them away.
He didn't know why there were so many fallen leaves every day, but he could only continue sweeping the floor repeatedly. As monotonous as the task was, it was still much better than being captured and dissected.
Huff!
However, when he saw Shi Er, he waved his hand, and with a whoosh, the pile of leaves he had just gathered scattered across the floor again.
"You!"
Mu Zhu immediately flew into a rage.
"Hm?"
Shi Er glared at him. "What? Are you going to complain? Do you think I'm making things difficult for you? If you don't sweep the floor clean later, there will be punishment!"
Snap!
Shi Er pulled out a whip.
Mu Zhu trembled with anger. At this moment, his old man appearance, coupled with the current situation, made it seem as if Shi Er, the bully, was humiliating an elderly person.
For several consecutive days, Mu Zhu was subjected to Shi Er's torment. He resented Shi Er to the core, and his angry glares earned him several lashes of the whip.
At this moment, Mu Zhu began to long for Feng Yan. In comparison, Feng Yan was indeed a good person.
Holding the heavy broom and sweeping the leaves into a pile, Mu Zhu glared coldly at Shi Er, waiting for him to scatter the leaves again and force him to sweep once more as a means of humiliating him.
However, to his surprise, Shi Er didn't do that today.
"Isn't it strange that I'm not making things difficult for you today?" Shi Er asked solemnly.
Mu Zhu paused for a moment and then nodded subconsciously.
"I'm teaching you a lesson!" Shi Er said, his hands still behind his back as he tilted his head slightly to look up at the sky.
His heart was filled with pride at the thought that he had even instructed someone at the Heaven and Earth Lord level. What a glorious achievement!
"You must think that Feng Yan is a good person, right?" Shi Er fixed his gaze on Mu Zhu, seeing the confusion in his eyes as he tried to understand what this despicable fellow was trying to say.
Shi Er looked down at him and said solemnly, "I'm trying to enlighten you and make you understand how much of a blessing the Dao Ancestor has bestowed upon you. You should be grateful!"
Before Mu Zhu could respond, Shi Er continued, "Feng Yan is strict with you, but he doesn't make things unnecessarily difficult. As for me, not only am I strict, but I also deliberately make things hard for you. Which of us do you think treats you better?
"Of course, you'd think Feng Yan treats you better, and you must be longing for him right now. This is the lesson I want to teach you; this is the truth I want you to understand.
"When you were in the Unchanging Temple, were you restrained? Were you occupied every moment, handling affairs and striving to achieve certain goals?
"Think about it. What's the difference between being here with the Dao Ancestor and being in the Unchanging Temple?
"Think about the kind of existence the Dao Ancestor is. Any other powerful expert would have killed you. For example, would the experts of the Unchanging Temple have spared your life?
"But the Dao Ancestor didn't kill you. Instead, he chose to guide you by making you sweep the floor and calm your murderous aura. Once that aura is gone, your mindset will improve, and your entire being will be elevated, bringing you closer to a breakthrough.
"Sweeping the floor is like sweeping away the dust in your heart and purifying the impure thoughts in your soul. By purifying yourself, you can take another step forward. Think about what a great opportunity this is.
"This is a grand opportunity bestowed upon you by the Dao Ancestor. You must seize it and be grateful. Countless powerful experts yearn for guidance from the Dao Ancestor but cannot attain it. You are incredibly lucky.
"I, Shi Er, cannot bear to see you squander the opportunity given to you by the Dao Ancestor. That's why I use this method to awaken you, so that you may attain enlightenment and not miss this chance, wasting the Dao Ancestor's good intentions. I'm doing this for your own good!"
Shi Er's expression was solemn as he spoke earnestly, leaving Mu Zhu stunned. After some thought, it seemed that what Shi Er said was true.
The Dao Ancestor was incredibly powerful, capable of crushing him like an ant, yet he chose not to kill him.
Had it been the person from the Unchanging Temple, Mu Zhu would have surely been suppressed and severely punished for his audacity.
"Is the Dao Ancestor trying to teach and enlighten me?" Mu Zhu wondered in astonishment.
Shi Er spoke in a deep voice, "Though the broom is heavy, it serves to temper your will and allow you to relax after exertion. Can you feel how satisfying it is to unwind after laboring?"
Mu Zhu paused, realizing the truth in Shi Er's words. Indeed, after toiling, he could finally rest and feel a sense of relief throughout his body.
"Could it be…?" Mu Zhu asked, finding it hard to believe.
"Indeed," Shi Er affirmed. "This is one way the Dao Ancestor teaches and guides you, helping you experience the vicissitudes of the mortal world, all to lay the foundation for your breakthrough."
"You should be grateful to the Dao Ancestor, truly appreciative of his teachings," Shi Er added solemnly.
Mu Zhu turned to glance at the courtyard, as if envisioning the enigmatic Dao Ancestor, guiding and instructing him. Could it be that he had been given an opportunity to break free from his shackles and enhance his power?
"Kneel and express your gratitude. Listen to me, for I have your best interests at heart," Shi Er urged, his voice now a whisper.
Mu Zhu knelt in the direction of the small courtyard and said, "Mu Zhu, thank you, Dao Ancestor, for your gracious teachings."
Shi Er nodded in satisfaction.
Li Xuan marveled at Shi Er's skill in persuasion, skillfully weaving his words to sway Mu Zhu.
Of course, it was also due to the fact that Mu Zhu's strength had been sealed, causing him to lose the sharpness and perception of a powerful being, which made it easier for Shi Er to influence him.
Nevertheless, Mu Zhu had been successfully swayed by both Shi Er and Feng Yan, and it wouldn't be long before he wholeheartedly appreciated Li Xuan as the Dao Ancestor, grateful for his teachings. He would admire the Dao Ancestor from the depths of his soul, and anyone who dared to show disrespect would immediately incur Mu Zhu's wrath.
"Focus on sweeping the floor, calming your mind, and reflecting on yourself," Li Xuan's voice, like the sound of a grand path, resonated within Mu Zhu's soul.
"Yes, Dao Ancestor!" Mu Zhu replied respectfully before rising to his feet. He scattered the pile of leaves and resumed sweeping with a steady pace.
From that moment on, Mu Zhu treated Shi Er with deference and heeded his words, no longer showing any signs of contempt due to Shi Er's weaker strength.
"The old man sweeping in front of the Dao Ancestor's door is a Heaven and Earth Lord-level expert. Only such a figure is worthy of my courtyard," Li Xuan mused to himself.
He glanced at Cai Ling'er and thought, "The maid's strength is lacking. How can the Dao Ancestor's maid be weak? I must guide her to improve her power."
And so, Li Xuan began to instruct Cai Ling'er in her cultivation, helping her enhance her abilities.
...
"It's almost time," Su Lingxiu said excitedly as she observed the cultivating Blood Devil.
"Has the Blood Devil's soul seed reached a point where it can contend with the Blood Devil's divine soul for dominance?" Tianzi asked, stroking his chin.
"Even if it can't replace the Blood Devil, it will be able to rival him. The Blood Devil will have no choice but to focus all his attention on dealing with the Blood Devil King. He won't have any spare energy to interfere with the affairs of the heavens," Su Lingxiu said confidently after some thought.
"But what if the Blood Devil seeks help from the person in the Unchanging Temple?" Tianzi worried.
If the truth about the Great Wilderness were exposed, the Blood Devil would undoubtedly seek revenge, and the Unchanging Temple would also become aware of the changes in the Great Wilderness. This would ruin their plan to strengthen quietly.
"Rest assured, I've asked my master to provide some insurance for the Blood Devil King. When the time comes for the soul to be drawn back, the Blood Devil King will take his place. The Blood Devil won't discover the truth at first and will assume that the child's soul has gone wrong and wants to betray and replace him," Su Lingxiu explained with a smile, having already made all the necessary arrangements.
"Moreover, to keep the secret safe, the Blood Devil won't seek help from others. Instead, he'll find a secluded place to deal with the child soul's problem on his own. By the time he realizes the truth, it will be too late for him to ask for help, and he won't dare to anyway."
"In that case, let's begin," Tianzi said, nodding in agreement. Now that the Dao Ancestor had guaranteed the Blood Devil King's safety, they could proceed without worry.
The Blood Devil King would quietly take the place of the Blood Devil.
"Now, the Blood Devil's child soul is just half a step away from standing above the mortal realm. And once that half step is taken, the child soul will transform and may be able to break free from the Blood Devil and exist independently," Su Lingxiu explained.
"So, before the child soul breaks through, the Blood Devil must pull the child soul back and merge into one again to break through and stand above the mortal realm.
"Let's create an opportunity for the Blood Devil to pull the child soul back."
In the consciousness of the Blood Devil's child soul, he had cultivated a great technique of the Dao Ancestor and his strength had broken through to the Founding Path Realm, surpassing even the Heaven and Earth Lord.
Now, he was just half a step away from standing above the mortal realm.
It seemed as if there was an awareness in the depths of his mind, telling him that once he broke through, he would become an independent entity, and this awareness was naturally also known to the Blood Devil's true self.
The Blood Extreme, which had been silently taking root and sprouting within the child soul, was now thrilled as the opportunity it had been waiting for finally arrived.
It was about to compete with a Heaven and Earth Lord for control, taking everything that belonged to the lord and replacing him! The very thought of it was exhilarating!
Indeed, the choice he had made long ago was incredibly wise; otherwise, where would such an opportunity come from?
In a certain place within the distant Unchanging Lands, within a mountain formed from the remains of a fallen True Spirit, a blood pool bubbled, and at one moment, the figure of the Blood Devil emerged.
His brow furrowed, and a grave expression appeared on his face.
"Once the child soul breaks through, it will become an independent existence, separate from me, and may even turn against me and try to destroy me."
Upon realizing this, the Blood Devil grew restless.
At the same time, he was shocked by the profoundness and power of the Founding Path Realm, which could allow a child soul to break free from its creator and become a being of its own.
"This won't do. Before the child soul breaks through, I must draw it back and merge with it to gain its power. Then, with its strength, I will break through as well. After that, I can return to the Unchanging Temple and take his place!"
The Blood Devil's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The thought of taking the place of the exalted being and making him grovel at his feet, reversing their positions, filled the Blood Devil with excitement.
"Witch Devil, once I take his place and become the master of the Unchanging Temple, you won't have to hide anymore. I am not like that other person; I don't need to devour the heavens and the earth, and I even wish for their continued existence.
"I am a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, not some narrow-minded, small-minded being like you!"
At this moment, the Blood Devil felt a surge of pride.
He was a disciple of the Dao Ancestor!
How could these frogs at the bottom of the well, who didn't even know about the Great Wilderness, compare to him?
"The child soul is me, and the merged child soul will still be me. My identity as a disciple of the Dao Ancestor will not change, and I will still be acknowledged as such."
The Blood Devil thought to himself.
Without further hesitation, he sat down with his legs crossed and began to channel his power. The blood pool churned and bubbled, and crimson qi surged forth, enveloping the entire area.
The Blood Devil's figure disappeared into the thick blood qi, and soon, a popping sound, like that of bubbling water, could be heard.
The Blood Devil formed a series of intricate hand seals and began to activate the art of merging his divided self, drawing the child soul back to him. After all, it was his child soul, so bringing it back to him should be effortless.
However, to his surprise, he encountered significant resistance. The child soul seemed to be resisting his pull, fighting against the fusion.
"Even before breaking through, the child soul has developed such a strong sense of resistance. Once it does break through, it will not only become independent but will surely find a way to turn against me and devour me!"
With this realization, the Blood Devil frantically channeled his secret art, knowing that he must draw the child soul back or face retribution.
As the secret art was channeled, the child soul's resistance began to weaken.
The Blood Devil breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could pull the child soul back, it wouldn't be able to resist, despite its slightly stronger strength. After all, the child soul was inherently under his control and suppression.
Finally, the child soul began to return, albeit slowly and with some resistance.
Drawing the child soul back was a gradual process, indicating the immense distance between the Great Wilderness and this place. Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken so long.
As the Blood Devil pulled the child soul back, his face lit up with excitement, and he began to fantasize about the power boost he would gain after merging with the child soul. He imagined breaking free from his shackles, returning to the Unchanging Temple, and ascending to the position of power that was rightfully his.
Time passed, and in an instant, the child soul seemed to break free from a quagmire, returning to him in the blink of an eye.
This led the Blood Devil to speculate that there must be a special place in the region where the Great Wilderness was located, and that the child soul had been able to return so quickly because it had left that area.
Boom!
The child soul re-entered his body, and blood light blossomed. Mysterious runes appeared within the child soul, filling the Blood Devil with excitement. His spirit stirred, and he prepared to merge with the child soul.
(End of Chapter)
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