Outside the ruined temple, Lu Benben's face was ashen. He lowered his head to look at the hideous wound on his chest and abdomen, his eyes dazed. Blood continued to seep out, yet he seemed completely oblivious to it. The young girl, barely in her teens, had inflicted such a severe injury on him—such humiliation hadn't appeared in his life for a long time.
A surge of rage swept over him like a flood, but he took a deep breath, forcing the fury down. Every second, he endured the burning desire for revenge, a desire to destroy the reckless girl who had dared challenge him.
"You... will die for sure," he whispered, his eyes filled with hatred, as if a raging fire was burning within him.
As he spoke his incantation, the wound on his chest began to pulse violently. Blood coagulated into a sphere, slowly floating up. Suddenly, a rift opened in the air, from which gray mist quietly emerged, rapidly enveloping the blood ball. The mist expanded quickly, emitting a low, whistling sound as it surged toward the girl.
The girl immediately became alert. Her sword swiftly swung, cutting through the surrounding void, creating waves of sword energy. Each wave of energy flickered like starlight, but her movements grew slower, and the sword's glow dimmed. A thick, ominous aura filled the air, so oppressive that her "Tianyuan Sword" seemed barely able to withstand it.
"Bhishajra Demon Soul," she said coldly, her eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and wariness. The "Tianyuan Sword" in her hand suddenly glowed with a ring of silver light, and the sword's aura became more solid.
The Bhishajra Demon Soul, a formless and intangible evil spirit from the outer demon realms, was usually controlled by the Yemoruo clan. They were greedy and vicious, preying on intelligent and spiritual beings, devouring their minds and spiritual essence. She had heard rumors that, despite their lack of a physical form, these demon souls could infect their targets with potent demonic energy, warping their minds and ultimately causing mental collapse.
"It seems you're nothing special after all. All you've cultivated is the magic path of the Asura Demon Technique," the girl said, unafraid. She swung her sword toward the void, the sword energy surging as if to tear the heavens apart.
"Heh, you think you can easily resist the power of the outer demon realms?" Lu Benben's face twisted into a sinister grin, and his killing intent grew. Despite his severe injuries, he was unwilling to let any opportunity slip by. The power of the Asura Demon Technique had made him realize that victory in this battle was within his grasp.
"This little wound means nothing," he sneered, releasing more demonic energy. Waves of gray mist flooded the void, distorting the surrounding air. In an instant, the entire space felt heavy and suffocating, making it difficult to breathe.
However, the girl's gaze remained steady. Her sword light grew ever stronger, capable of tearing the space around her apart. The "Tianyuan Sword" in her hand radiated a more brilliant light, and with each swing, a piece of the void was shattered.
At that moment, Lin Tian suddenly felt a faint vibration from the silk booklet on his chest. He was momentarily stunned, then realized that this booklet, which recorded mysterious cultivation techniques, seemed to be sensing something.
"It... it sensed something?" Lin Tian felt a sudden unease in his heart. Gripping the silk booklet tightly, two images suddenly appeared in his mind.
The first image was a complex landscape painting. Upon closer inspection, one could see fish swimming in the flowing water, birds catching insects in the trees, and even ants crawling on the ground. Every detail was vivid, as if the painting depicted not just a landscape but a vast world. The scenes within the painting constantly changed, as if it had no end.
The second image depicted a man and a woman lying side by side in a large, circular shape. The curves in the image were elegant, almost resembling the Daoist symbol of Yin and Yang. The two figures followed the dividing line, their forms blending seamlessly, as if the image was one unified whole. The lines were simple, yet they contained infinite possibilities.
A sudden realization struck Lin Tian.
"The Dao of Heaven and the Dao of Man, so this is it." He suddenly understood that these two images were not just simple patterns; they represented the essence of the universe, the existence of the Great Dao.
The complexity of the landscape represented the root of all things. Meanwhile, the man and woman symbolized the Dao of Man, the core of all existence. The two images complemented each other, revealing a profound truth—only by cultivating both the physical body and the spiritual soul could one truly walk the path to the supreme Dao.
"This is the true meaning of cultivation—cultivating both the body and the primordial spirit in tandem, in order to break through the void and become the master of the heavens and the earth." Lin Tian's eyes shone with clarity, and his heart gradually understood the path that lay ahead of him.
Meanwhile, outside, the clash of swords and magic raged on. Lu Benben's demonic energy surged like a violent storm, while the girl continued to clash with the magic soul, their struggle intensifying.
Lin Tian clenched the silk booklet tightly, his thoughts racing. His heart was still shaken by the revelations, but he knew his journey had only just begun.