Heavenly Demon Tempering Art?
Upon reading the text, Old Master Zhong's eyes sparkled with keen interest.
The Heavenly Demon Tempering Art spanned over thirty thousand characters. Drawing on his earlier experience memorizing the Hongluan Scripture, he devoted five days in the mountain cave to commit it to memory.
This art was not a traditional cultivation method but a supplementary technique that stimulated latent potential. Depending on the strength of one's internal energy or essence, practitioners could unleash explosive power within a single hour, amplifying their abilities severalfold based on their level of mastery.
The technique consisted of twelve levels. Reaching the twelfth level would grant a staggering thirteenfold enhancement in strength—a truly monstrous capability. However, after utilizing the technique for an hour, the practitioner would endure a period of debilitating weakness, lasting one to five days. During this time, their strength would plummet to less than half—or even as low as ten percent—of its usual capacity.
Despite this drawback, the energy consumed during its use was not entirely lost. Instead, it transformed into a force that refined the body, enhancing its physical resilience. Like a fiendish beast, one's body grew increasingly formidable—a revelation that filled Old Master Zhong with excitement.
The Heavenly Demon Tempering Art did not conflict with other techniques and could be practiced alongside them. Having memorized every word of the manual, Old Master Zhong pondered the black cloth upon which the text was inscribed. Should he pass it on to future generations? Ridiculous! It had to be destroyed.
But how? The cloth resisted even the corrosive power of yin energy. He lit a firestarter and tentatively brought it close.
"Ssssss…"
To his surprise, the cloth ignited.
Mouth agape, Old Master Zhong watched as the black cloth, impervious to yin energy, succumbed easily to the small flame. As it burned to ash, a sense of relief washed over him.
Glancing around the cave, he removed a fist-sized luminous pearl, untouched by dust—a clear sign it had been brought here by others. Stepping outside, he surveyed the cave one last time. He knew he could not linger; if others arrived, his life would be forfeit.
He sealed the cave entrance with stones and committed its location to memory before crossing the mountain ridge and continuing northward.
In a secluded valley, Old Master Zhong buried the luminous pearl. Regardless of its value, he dared not keep it, fearing future recognition. He resolved to retrieve it only when he had gained sufficient strength.
Seeking a quiet place, he practiced the Heavenly Demon Tempering Art for the first time. Like the Hongluan Scripture, the initial level proved the easiest to master. Within a month, he grasped its essentials. Yet, caution stayed his hand; he refrained from testing its effects. A single misstep during the subsequent weakness period could prove fatal if confronted by a beast.
For now, reaching the Sect of Kaiyang remained his priority.
Traversing mountains and rivers, he pressed on with urgency. Along the way, he encountered numerous demonic beasts, his survival owing as much to luck as skill. On one occasion, a panther-like beast nearly ended him. Only by using the Heavenly Demon Tempering Art to double his strength and deploying the Hongluan Miasma to poison the creature did he escape alive.
Afterward, his body endured a day of weakness but recovered quickly, becoming noticeably more robust.
A month and a half later, wearing tattered clothes and carrying a small bundle, Old Master Zhong finally arrived at the gates of the Sect of Kaiyang.
The sect resided within mist-shrouded mountains, exuding an ethereal presence. The terrain revealed the workings of a powerful formation protecting the site.
At the mountain's entrance stood a celestial stele—a massive stone cleaved in two, its smooth face inscribed with three domineering characters:
"Kaiyang Sect."
The surroundings were desolate, even high-level demonic beasts refraining from approaching. Aside from the stele, a humble straw hut and vegetable garden came into view.
As Old Master Zhong's gaze fell upon the hut, its door creaked open. An elderly white-haired man, appearing older than Zhong himself, emerged. His cloudy eyes briefly flashed with an inscrutable gleam before he shuffled forward.
"What business do you have here?" the elder asked indifferently.
"Junior Zhong Shan greets the senior," Old Master Zhong replied respectfully.
"Zhong Shan?" The elder paused, as if searching his memory, before his gaze returned to Zhong.
"May I ask, Senior, if you belong to the Sect of Kaiyang?" Zhong inquired with deference.
"I do. I am the sect's gatekeeper. What brings you here?" the elder replied, his tone unmoved, as though Zhong's sudden appearance held no significance.
Sensing the elder's aloof demeanor, Zhong furrowed his brows. A flood of thoughts raced through his mind. Though his cultivation might pale in comparison to these practitioners, his years of worldly experience gave him insight into human nature.
This man's attitude seemed inconsistent with his claimed role as a mere gatekeeper.
"May I ask for Senior's name?" Zhong ventured.
"A name? What use is a name to someone like me? A failed cultivator nearing the end of my days, assigned here to guard the gate in solitude. Call me 'Keeper.'" The elder chuckled faintly.
"Senior Keeper, this junior was entrusted by a senior of your sect to deliver this jade slip to your sect master, along with a message," Zhong explained.
"A jade slip?" Keeper's cloudy eyes sharpened briefly before he composed himself. "Hand it over. I will notify the sect."
Zhong carefully retrieved the jade slip, protected by a restrictive seal. Keeper's gaze flickered again as he reached for it. Though he quickly masked his reaction, Zhong noted the momentary change and silently recorded it in his mind.
Taking the slip, Keeper ambled toward the mountain's base before vanishing into the grand formation.
Zhong waited patiently outside. After an incense stick's time, three figures emerged from the formation, gliding on clouds.
The central figure, an elder clad in Daoist robes, appeared to be around sixty. He held the jade slip in his hand. To his left was an elegant yet mature woman, while on his right stood a stern-looking middle-aged man.
The trio regarded Zhong with furrowed brows.
"Junior Zhong Shan greets the three seniors," he said, bowing deeply.
"You delivered this jade slip?" the central elder asked.
"Yes," Zhong replied.
"Very well. Follow me to the Hall of Kaiyang," the elder commanded.
With a wave of his hand, a cloud materialized beneath Zhong's feet, lifting him to follow the trio into the formation.
The cloud weaved through a labyrinthine path before revealing the sect's interior. The landscape within was a stark contrast to the mist-veiled exterior, featuring verdant valleys, cascading waterfalls, serene lakes, and elegant structures.
Before long, they arrived at a mountaintop plaza, crowned by an imposing palace.
As they entered, Zhong glanced at the plaque above the entrance:
"Hall of Kaiyang."
The grand hall was eerily empty.