The Dao Path and Demon Path were never as simple as good versus evil. In ancient times, the boundary between the two was far less rigid. Cultivators of that era often explored both traditions, and among the elites, dual-path cultivation of Daoist and Demonic arts was not considered taboo but rather a mark of mastery.
The so-called "orthodox" and "demonic" paths were merely two approaches to the same destination. The former cultivated spiritual energy, rooted in clarity and order. The latter refined demonic energy, often more forceful and unrestrained. While demonic techniques were more aggressive in nature, both systems pursued transcendence. Beyond ascension, such distinctions held little meaning.
That said, the two energies were not easily compatible. Spiritual energy and demonic energy functioned like opposing forces—light and shadow, yin and yang. For most Dao cultivators, allowing demonic energy to enter their body was like being poisoned. The same was true in reverse. Their opposing natures could wreak havoc on the meridians and spiritual foundation. Only in rare circumstances could this boundary be crossed.
Jian Dan was one such exception.
Born with five-element spiritual roots of such high purity that they bordered on primordial chaos, her foundation defied conventional classification. These "Chaos Spiritual Roots" allowed her to harmonize with both Daoist and Demonic forces. With the Primordial Chaos Art, a Daoist technique aligned with her nature, and the Heavenly Demon Art, a rare demonic manual that complemented it, she was able to balance both energies within her. In her case, what would poison others became fuel, and the duality that fractured others instead became her strength.
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Once she'd fully steadied herself within the overwhelming strength of the Mahayana realm, Jian Dan didn't hesitate. She shifted her focus straight into the Heavenly Demon Art, letting its brutal, domineering power surge through her meridians. At the Mahayana stage, the technique revealed its true nature. It wasn't merely fierce, it was terrifying, capable of refining and awakening demon bloodlines that should never have belonged to humans.
She'd long known that the so-called demon cultivators of the Lingyun Continent were, in truth, human cultivators who practiced techniques modeled after the demon race. They weren't real demons. Real demons possessed bodies forged for war and evolution, bloodlines brimming with instinctive power, and innate abilities that humans could only dream of.
The Heavenly Demon Art, however, was different. It was a technique the demon race had once created specifically for humans, a path designed to compensate for their inherently weaker physiques. It allowed the practitioner to gradually transform their flesh and bones, and when cultivated to its pinnacle, it birthed a strand of true demon blood. With that transformation, the body would undergo an earthshaking reforging, strength rising at a pace that defied imagination.
No wonder it demanded the Ice Crystal Jade Bone Demon Body Art to achieve its greatest potential. The two techniques weren't simply compatible, they were inseparable halves of the same origin. The Heavenly Demon Art served as the gatekeeper to the Heavenly Demon Palace, the qualification to even be acknowledged, but she had never surrendered the Ice Crystal Jade Bone Demon Body Art to them. That manual was her trump card, the last card she'd kept hidden no matter how dire things became.
And now, as the demonic energy roared through her veins like thunder rolling beneath her skin, she finally understood the true meaning behind pairing these two arts together. Their fusion wasn't merely powerful, it was transformative, a path that could rewrite destiny.
She stood in silence, eyes half closed, breathing steady as she felt her meridians hum with both Dao and Demon resonance. If she handed over the Ice Crystal Jade Bone Demon Body Art, her path inside the Heavenly Demon Palace would open fully. But once it left her hands, there would be no turning back.
She weighed the choice carefully, a shadow passing across her expression.
To reveal it, or to guard it until the very end?
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On Naming Conventions and Taoist Names
In the world of cultivation, names carry significance beyond mere identity. Once a cultivator reaches a certain stage—typically the Nascent Soul realm—they often adopt a Taoist name. This name, usually a single meaningful character, symbolizes their path, aspirations, or core principles. It may be chosen by the cultivator themselves or bestowed by a respected elder. This Taoist name becomes part of their formal title as they ascend through higher realms.
1) Example: Dan Yang Zhēnzūn and Tian Hong Zhēnzūn
- "Dan" and "Tian" indicate sect affiliation:
- Dan Sect (Pill Sect)
- Tianjian Sect (Heavenly Sword Sect)
- "Yang" (阳) and "Hong" (鸿) are Taoist names:
- Yang (阳): sun, positive force, male principle, vitality
- Hong (鸿): grand, swan goose, message/letter
- "Zhēnzūn" (真尊) is a formal title used for Mahayana stage cultivators. It is a respectful, neutral honorific indicating their high status.
This structure—[Sect Name] + [Taoist Name] + [Formal Title]—is a standard naming convention among established cultivators, especially in formal or public contexts.
2) Unique Conventions in Heavenly Sword Sect
Some sects adopt personalized naming traditions that reflect their lineage. For example, the Heavenly Sword Sect seems to use the following progression:
- Nascent Soul to Unity Stage:
- [Jian] + [Taoist Name] + [Formal Title]
- "Jian" (剑) denotes the sword lineage of the sect.
- Mahayana Stage:
- [Tian] + [Taoist Name] + [Formal Title]
- "Tian" (天) reflects their status within the Heavenly Sword Sect's core legacy.
This system highlights both cultivation realm and sect identity. While the pattern of [Taoist Name + Title] is widespread and begins from the Nascent Soul realm, the use of sect-specific prefixes like "Jian" and "Tian" is a distinctive trait of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Formal Title in the Cultivation Hierarchy:
1 | Golden Core (金丹, Jīndān): "Real Person" (真人, Zhēnrén)
2 | Nascent Soul (元婴, Yuányīng): "True Monarch" (真君, Zhēnjūn)
3 | Divine Transformation (化神, Huàshén): "True Sage" (真圣, Zhēnshèng), or "High Lord" (君上, Jūnshàng) For Demon Cultivator
4 | Divine Soul (分神, Fēn shén): "Venerable" (尊者, Zūnzhě)
5 | Returning to Void (渡劫, Dùjié): "Exalted Lord" (尊主, Zhūnzhǔ)
6 | Unity (合体, Hétǐ): "Exalted One" (尊上, Zūnshàng)
7 | Mahayana (大乘, Dàchéng): "Great Ascendant" (大乘天尊, Dàchéng Tiānzūn) or "Supreme Ancestor" (太上祖师, Tàishàng Zǔshī) or "True Venerable" (真尊, Zhēnzūn)
Cultivation Stage in this novel:
~Nether realm- Cultivation Realm
Qi Refining—> Foundation Establishment —> Golden Core —> Nascent Soul → Divine Transformation —> Divine Soul—> Void Refinement—>Unity —>the pinnacle: Mahayana.
-Immortal Realm
Dixian—> Tianxian—> , Jinxian—> , Daluo Jinxian,—> Jiutian Xuanxian,—> Luotian Shangxian,—> Xianjun,—> Xianwang,—> Xiandi