Qing Yun looked at the little girl with cat ears before him and said, "From today onwards, you will cultivate Daoist magic with me."

The little cat-girl nodded obediently.

The big cat-girl beside them asked, "Chenyang, can Xiaohuan also cultivate Daoist arts?"

Qing Yun looked at the little girl and said, "If I can, then perhaps she, with her half-demon bloodline, can as well."

He thought to himself, 'My Primordial Spirit has been crippled, and I can no longer cultivate Daoist arts. But by observing Xiaohuan's mastery of Daoist arts, I might find a way for demon bloodlines to align with the Heavenly Dao.'

In the days that followed, the little girl diligently read the Daoist scriptures, practiced breathing exercises and meditation, communicated with the Heavenly Dao, and relentlessly honed her Daoist skills.

Yet her progress was slow, even slower than the most untalented human.

Qing Yun continuously adjusted the Daoist magic and methods she practiced, trying to accelerate her progress.

Until finally...

"This is the Nine Heavens Demon Clearing Thunder Technique. Starting today, you will cultivate this one."

Xiaohuan dejectedly said, "Father, am I very stupid?"

Qing Yun smiled and patted her head, "You're not stupid, it's just that some methods are not suitable for you."

Xiaohuan looked up and smiled, but her eyes turned pitch black, resembling the anomaly when Qing Yun wielded the power of the void.

Qing Yun: "Have you heard anything else recently?"

Xiaohuan nodded, "They said they want to teach me a swordsmanship technique, but I can't learn it."

Qing Yun touched Xiaohuan's head and said slowly, "Take your time, don't rush, you have the talent for it."

...

"The Heavenly Dao is rejecting the demonic part of Xiaohuan." Qing Yun observed the little girl in cultivation, and under the stimulation of the Nine Heavens Demon Clearing Thunder Technique, her cultivation speed finally sped up a bit, allowing Qing Yun to observe some differences.

He compared her differences with his own, his gaze passing over her cat ears. "Xiaohuan and I are both half human, half demon, but the demon bloodline she awakened is far more than mine. Is it because of this? Is that why other pure-blood demons can't cultivate Daoist arts?"

"Why does the Heavenly Dao not recognize demon bloodlines?"

"Yet in the mastery of the void, she is entirely no less capable than I am."

...

An accident led to the gathering place of Qing Yun and others being discovered by human cultivators.

Under a large-scale siege, Qing Yun's demon allies suffered devastation, and were ultimately rescued by the great demon Ying Long.

Qing Yun looked at Ying Long before him, puzzled, "Why did you save me? Hasn't Zhu Long always wanted me dead?"

"Zhu Long is too proud. He is naturally endowed with countless Divine Skills and can afford to be arrogant, but ordinary members of the Demon Clan cannot." Ying Long folded his wings and said from a more comfortable position, "The Xuan bird asked me to save you. It told me about your ideas, and I found them intriguing. I'm very interested."

"In fact, I've always wanted to try mastering what humans call Daoist arts."

Qing Yun frowned and said, "What are you trying to do?"

Ying Long: "I came to help you. I want the Demon Clan to also master Daoist arts. The power of demon bloodlines, I have researched far more deeply than you."

Qing Yun followed him outside the room and saw a large square filled with various half-human, half-demon beings.

Some had full demon bodies but a human head.

Some had full human bodies but grew a pair of horns or animal ears.

Others maintained a human form but were covered in dense dragon scales or thick beast fur.

Looking at the various half-human, half-demon beings with differing attitudes, Qing Yun's expression constantly shifted: "These..."

Ying Long smiled and said, "They are all my descendants created by combining demon bloodlines with human essence. Through generations of breeding, I continuously adjusted the fusion of their demon bloodlines and human bloodlines, allowing their demonic blood to continually evolve."

Seeing Qing Yun's furrowed brow, Ying Long smiled as he gestured, and the cat-girls ran over from a distance. Ying Long patted Xiaohuan's head with a dragon claw, as if a slight pressure would twist it off.

"Qing Yun, we both want to empower demons with the power of Daoist arts, just using slightly different methods."

"Although from your perspective, these half-human, half-demon beings may not align with your moral principles or aesthetics, in the world of demons, they take pride in being under my command."

Qing Yun calmly said, "I can cooperate with you, but your future research plans must follow my arrangements."

Ying Long's dragon eyes shifted, curiously asking, "What do you plan?"

Qing Yun: "Since the Heavenly Dao continually refuses recognition of demon bloodlines, then we should try if we can... deceive the Heavenly Dao."

Ying Long showed an interested gleam in his eyes, "Continue."

Qing Yun: "Demons have strong environmental adaptability, able to evolve with changes in the world. If we can evolve a bloodline able to deceive the Heavenly Dao, then Daoist arts can be used. The void powers I command can greatly influence the Heavenly Dao."

"The void?" Ying Long appeared pensive.

Qing Yun explained, "A power that demons can master."

In the days that followed, Qing Yun joined Ying Long's research. Together, they explored ways for demons to master Daoist arts.

Under their control, various demon bloodlines continuously evolved, adapting to produce demons with formidable abilities.

Through Qing Yun's deliberate dissemination, knowledge of the void and celestial powers spread among demons, more demons mastered the void, and their combat power surged.

But in Daoist arts, demon progress was extremely slow, and few demons persisted in cultivation.

Yet as more demons mastered the void, and its influence on the Material World increased, Earth's environment quietly began to change.

Finally, the spiritual energy began to disappear en masse, with no one understanding why at the time, merely believing it to be the onset of an apocalypse, causing a panic that spread across the planet among humans and demons alike.

Accompanied by the abnormal change in spiritual energy, many humans and demons began dying.

Even Ying Long's body grew weaker by the day.

...

Ying Long now appeared more than half as gaunt as before, his wings limp and listless.

He looked at the new generation of demons before him and frowned, "It's another failure. Most of this batch can't cultivate Daoist arts, and those who barely can are too slow."

Beside him, Qing Yun shook his head, "No... It's already a success."

Ying Long asked in confusion, "A success?"

Qing Yun looked at the demon before him, with no trace of demonic bloodline evident, looking almost identical to humans, and a smile of excitement emerged on his lips, "Do you know the best way for demons to gain recognition from the Heavenly Dao?"

Ying Long queried in puzzlement, "Didn't you say it was through comprehending or deceiving the Heavenly Dao?"

"No..." Qing Yun replied meaningfully, "Since as demons, there's no divine favor from the Heavenly Dao, then simply evolve into humans. Though they lack the Spiritual People's cultivation talent, they possess wisdom just as strong, and can be called Wise People."

Listening to these words, Ying Long was taken aback with mixed anger and disbelief, "Your true goal is to turn demons into humans?!"