Chapter 161: Chapter 158: Cunningly Dodging the Thunderstorm Chapter 161: Chapter 158: Cunningly Dodging the Thunderstorm It was said that various great saints expressed their intentions to help the Jade-faced Fox seek revenge by slaying the Yamata no Orochi in Yingzhou. The brothers could discern Old Bull’s thoughts, knowing it was a lifelong matter for the Ox Demon King, they ought to help.

The Macaques King knew that those with nine heads were no trivial beings, so this journey must be treated with utmost care, and it was best if all the brothers went together.

After a feast, the Ox Demon King said, “Brothers, shouldn’t we set off now?”

Enlightenment Dao teased, “Bull can’t wait any longer; he’s eager to have Hu Li make him into a bull!”

Hu Li couldn’t help but spit, “Daoist, don’t talk nonsense, or I’ll get angry.”

The brothers burst into laughter, and the Ox Demon King, furious, was about to settle the score with Enlightenment Dao.

“Brothers, don’t rush; let me eat a few Peaches of Immortality, seclude myself for two days. I see that sister Hu Li also has injuries, let’s give her two peaches to eat as well. Once we have recovered, we can head to Yingzhou and slay the Yamata no Orochi,” said Enlightenment Dao seriously.

Since his departure from Shushan, Enlightenment Dao felt ready to send his Primordial Spirit into the Heavenly Thunder for refinement. Purifying the Primordial Spirit into Pure Yang would allow stepping into the Immortal Realm. As long as a trace of the Primordial Spirit wasn’t destroyed, he could be revived, a truly terrifying divine skill.

Lion Camel King said, “Could it be you are about to make another breakthrough?”

Enlightenment Dao nodded, “Hmm… My Primordial Spirit can now undergo refinement in the Heavenly Thunder, but now is not yet the time. Once the refinement is complete, I can step into the Immortal Realm. However, the other two must also undergo a Heavenly Thunder refinement, which is a downside of splitting into three.”

Having three Primordial Spirits naturally meant each had to take their turn for refinement, otherwise the other two would only possess the power of the Immortal Realm without the divine skills of that realm. Purifying the Primordial Spirit is beneficial, as a pure and flawless Primordial Spirit comprehends principles and absorbs True Qi much faster than ordinary people. The next step would be to merge the understood principles with True Qi to forge a Primordial Dao Fruit. Once the Primordial Dao Fruit is formed, one achieves the rank of Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal, only second to Saints in the Dao of Immortals.

During his time in Shushan, Enlightenment Dao had comprehended the true essence and core of the Old Ape Swordsmanship from the Patriarch Song Lun, and his Primordial Spirit had grown very powerful, imbued with the sword Dao’s firmness and tenacity, making it very suitable for Heavenly Thunder refinement. Once refined, with impurities removed, he would reach the Immortal Realm.

Although he was eager to ascend and refine his Primordial Spirit, he still felt it was not the right time. Recently, the weather had been stormy, and the Sea of Thunder in the sky was unprecedentedly powerful. These thunders, the Heavenly Dao’s thunders, were not emitted by immortals and using such thunders to refine the Primordial Spirit was extremely dangerous. Without full preparation, one must not attempt it lightly, lest they be turned to ash in an instant

During this seclusion of a few days, Enlightenment Dao mainly aimed to digest the essence of Song Lun’s swordsmanship further, perfect his divine skills, and also, it was time to study the “Old Ape Swordsmanship” manual.

Since the Yamata no Orochi was in Yingzhou and couldn’t escape, arriving a few days later wouldn’t be a big issue.

Enlightenment Dao took some Peaches of Immortality for seclusion, and Hu Li also received two of the peaches. After eating them, she immediately felt much rejuvenated, and after circulating her energy, her injuries were nearly half-healed.

“What kind of peaches are these, that they are so effective?” exclaimed Hu Li.

“These are Peaches of Immortality from the Heavenly Court! Our Seventh Brother snatched them from heaven, hehe!” laughed the Ox Demon King.

Hu Li said, “There are countless masters in the Heavenly Court. The Monkey King has such abilities? He could actually snatch so many peaches from them.”

Lion Camel King said, “Of course, which one of us seven brothers is a coward?”

Hu Li then asked, “I wonder what background that Daoist has, yet he’s also called ‘brother’ by you great kings?”

Peng Demon King replied, “He’s also a good brother who shares our same spirit of righteousness.”

The origin of Enlightenment Dao could not be easily revealed. His physical body, originally the Red-Buttomed Horse Monkey Wuzhiqi, had been transformed through the Fetal Transformation and Easy Shape-Shifting technique by the Daoist Equal to Heaven, who implanted the third Primordial Spirit into him. This matter was significant, and even though the Ox Demon King was quite outspoken, he wouldn’t divulge such information to a newcomer.

The essence of Song Lun’s sword dao needed to be thoroughly digested, as he was the patriarch of the Shushan Sword Sect, and his mana incredibly powerful even among the Mixed Yuan Golden Immortals. Digesting his sword dao essence would take no minor amount of time.

In his enlightenment seclusion, he consumed one Peach of Immortality each morning and evening, and before he realized it, a week had passed. After seven days, it was time to emerge from seclusion; his True Qi was plentiful, and his Primordial Spirit had grown immensely powerful, reaching a zenith. If he did not enter the Heavenly Thunder for refinement, no matter how much further he cultivated, his cultivation level could no longer advance. The Third Level of Great Luo Golden Immortal inevitably required refinement through Heavenly Thunder, unless one was born with terrifying good fortune, directly becoming a Saint, or cultivated the Human Path to sainthood. Apart from possessing some secret technique for refining the Primordial Spirit, it was essential to rely on thunder and lightning to purge impurities from the Primordial Spirit, only through which could the Primordial Spirit be sublimated and advance further.

Meanwhile, in a Buddhist temple in West Cow He State was Non-Empty Attainment Buddha, who emerged. This Buddha, like the Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light, originated from the Sect of Interception disciples who later joined Western Religion becoming Buddhas.

“Why hasn’t Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light come back? It’s been seven or eight days already; could something have happened?” Non-Empty Attainment Buddha quietly furrowed his brows.

He and Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light were close friends. The latter had invited him to meet at the temple in five days, claiming he was close to a breakthrough and planned to seek a Green Hill Fox Demon from Green Hills Country in Yingzhou for dual cultivation. However, he hadn’t returned since he left.

Vairocana Buddha arrived at that time and asked upon seeing Non-Empty Attainment Buddha, “Eh? Why hasn’t Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light arrived? Do you know how long you’ve been here?”

The three of them were known in the Sect of Interception as those who feared death. During the Middle Ancient Times, Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light warned of the impending calamity, so they jointly cultivated a magical treasure just before the great calamity erupted, enhancing their cultivation and hence escaped it. As for their fellow sect brothers who remained, many lived through the great wars of the Middle Ancient Times and ended up resting and recuperating in the South Sea Ruins.

Non-Empty Attainment Buddha couldn’t help but frown as his eyelids twitched. “Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light told me his breakthrough was imminent. He went to seek a demon fox in Green Hills Country to dual cultivate with her, exploiting a secret technique to transfer impurities from his Primordial Spirit into the demon fox’s body, thus bypassing the agony and danger of the Heavenly Tribulation. The demon foxes of that nation are naturally seductive and born with immense spiritual energy, which is why he went all the way to Yingzhou. Yet, it only takes two days to travel; he even arranged to meet us here five days later. It’s been seven, and he’s still not shown up.”

Vairocana Buddha said, “Could something have happened?”

Non-Empty Attainment Buddha replied, “You also arrived two days late… let’s wait a bit longer. If he doesn’t show up, we might as well go to Yingzhou to see what’s happened. His secret technique could help us avoid the torment of the Heavenly Tribulation, making stepping into the Immortal Realm almost a certainty.”

In the war of the Middle Ancient Times, many were left as seeds of potential. Only great mystics and masters from ancient times remained, such as the Four Great Bodhisattvas of the Buddhist sect who did not partake, whereas nearly all the Three Thousand Buddhas did, meaning the Buddhist sect was effectively replaced. Those who remained hardly noticed. However, they sensed something peculiar, feeling that the current Buddhist sect was somehow different, never suspecting that even the Buddha Ancestor had been replaced.

Non-Empty Attainment Buddha and Vairocana Buddha waited another two or three days in the temple, yet Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light was nowhere to be seen; little did they know that he had already been beheaded by a sword of enlightenment and was then beaten into a pulp by the Ox Demon King.

Non-Empty Attainment Buddha declared, “No matter what, we still must go to Yingzhou. I fear he’s been enchanted by a demon fox from Green Hills Country and doesn’t wish to return. Let’s claim his secret technique and while there, capture a demon fox for dual cultivation ourselves. Otherwise, the Heavenly Tribulation in the Immortal Realm will likely claim our lives.”

The Primordial Spirit, being the most fragile, composed of spirit and soul, is Yin in nature. Only after refining into Pure Yang following cultivation as a Taiyi Golden Immortal can one attain immortality, then reaching the Third Heaven of Great Luo Golden Immortal, one must cleanse the impurities using Heavenly Thunder, to potentially advance further. Refining the Primordial Spirit with Heavenly Thunder is extremely perilous; countless have perished through the ages. Having lived so long, their courage had only diminished, and this risk was simply too great. Hence, upon hearing that Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light had safely bypassed the Heavenly Thunder through dual cultivation, they were overjoyed.

However, Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light had been killed, but they were unaware, anxiously waiting for him. They resolved to seek him in Yingzhou.

Vairocana Buddha said, “Indeed! The Heavenly Tribulation is terrifying. I’m not sure I can survive it. Whether Delighted Buddha of Fixed Light’s fate is good or ill, we should head to Yingzhou and see.”

Yingzhou is a barren land, considered a paradise for those who enjoy tranquility, though it often experiences earthquakes, which pose no issue for the People of the Immortal Path. The Green Hill Fox Demons suffered heavily during the Divine Enthronement, hence to avoid further calamities, they relocated their entire clan to Yingzhou.

Non-Empty Attainment Buddha felt somewhat helpless, pondered internally, “Was that lascivious monk bewitched by the demon fox or killed by someone? I hope it’s the former, otherwise if we can’t get that secret technique, being stuck in the Second Layer of Heaven of Great Luo Golden Immortal forever would truly be unfortunate!”

Being fearful of death, these men naturally lacked the boldness of great mystics. Should they enter the Heavenly Thunder for Primordial Spirit refinement, they would likely be struck to death.

Refining the Primordial Spirit with Heavenly Thunder is crucial not for mana but for willpower, indestructible, without which one deserved to perish!

One must possess an undying will and an indomitable spirit, and certainly, a strong Primordial Spirit. The three constantly thought of cutting corners; to them, entering the thunder meant a certain death.

After all, how the journey will unfold remains uncertain, please tune in to the next episode to find out.