The Eternal Way-Chapter 199: A New Dao Resonance

Li Qi's heart tightened, and he hastily said in a panic, "I don't know, perhaps Master saw it wrong? I'll bare my Spiritual Essence for you to examine me!"

He looked genuinely worried, as if truly concerned about his Spiritual Essence being damaged.

Chan Zhi was taken aback.

Previously, Li Qi had seemed sharp and brave; why was he suddenly so panicked now?

And he was willing to bare his Spiritual Essence to him?

Wasn't he afraid of death?

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Wu Dao techniques were numerous and magical, filled with wondrous methods, but they relied on the frailty of their bodies and the fragility of their Spiritual Essence.

The small world within a Wu Dao practitioner could be considered among the most vulnerable paths.

To willingly offer one's Spiritual Essence was to completely place one's life in another's hands, making it even harder to guard against others tampering with one's essence.

Unless forced, such actions were typically reserved for those of utmost trust.

Chan Zhi frowned, uncertain of Li Qi's intentions.

But for Li Qi, this wasn't an issue at all.

Wasn't his life already in Chan Zhi's hands without revealing his Spiritual Essence?

Ridiculous. Every second spent in this tower meant his life was in Chan Zhi's control.

So, he straightforwardly bared his Spiritual Essence and did something Chan Zhi never would have imagined.

He incorporated demonic thoughts into his Spiritual Essence!

As Li Qi exposed his Spiritual Essence, countless ghosts and demons roamed freely within it, enveloped by dark miasma that was gradually consuming his essence.

After seeing this, Chan Zhi's expression tightened. "Young friend, you've studied demonic thoughts for my sake, yet ended up infected yourself. I can't handle these things, but I can help suppress them."

Chan Zhi hadn't expected Li Qi to lack self-protection and become infected by demonic thoughts!

No wonder his Spiritual Essence was damaged.

He hoped this young man wouldn't die here, preferably after completing the study of the technique.

Chan Zhi immediately made a decision, clasping his hands together as a halo of Buddha light surrounded him. "Young friend, you will enter the Raksha Ghost Kingdom, where temptations of sound, color, food, and drink await. Be cautious not to fall for them. Amidst various demonic obstacles, forge ahead undeterred. If you encounter a treasure pool and drink its nectar, your strength will double. Even in beautiful realms, do not linger. Focus solely on advancing to suppress demonic thoughts and maintain mental clarity. I will perform the ritual for you."

Li Qi nodded repeatedly, appearing extremely anxious and absent-minded.

Then, Chan Zhi sat down to chant scriptures, envisioning a dignified figure in white, reciting: "From hearing, contemplating, and practicing enters the state of Samadhi, from hearing flows out to nowhere, both movement and stillness cease, neither arises clearly. Gradually increasing, hearing itself ends, beyond hearing lies awareness, awareness itself empties, emptiness reaches ultimate roundness, emptiness extinguishes, birth and extinction end, Nirvana appears before us. Suddenly transcending worldly and otherworldly realms, Li Qi's enlightenment unites with the Buddhas' sublime hearts, sharing compassion, uniting with all beings in the six realms, sharing empathy!"

Hearing the Buddha's voice, Li Qi's consciousness uncontrollably dissipated!

It was as if he were hypnotized, his Spiritual Essence shaken into sleep.

In a daze, he seemed to fall into a mysterious realm.

There, he experienced countless events...

He journeyed with a group through mountains and rivers.

They traversed basins, hills, gorges, plains, deserts.

In basins, there were fruits and hungry ones who left to find food, never to return.

In hills, there were golden deer and greedy ones who left to hunt, never to return.

At the bottom of gorges, there were herbs and sick ones who left to gather, never to return.

On plains, there were bonfires and weary ones who left to rest, never to return.

In deserts, there were oases and thirsty ones who left to drink, never to return.

Li Qi let them go.

He vaguely remembered someone warning him.

Demonic temptations of sound, color, food, and drink should be avoided.

Amidst various demonic obstacles, forge ahead undeterred.

If strength doubled, do not linger in beautiful realms.

He kept this firmly in mind.

Walking for what felt like years, his anxiety grew.

Perhaps ten years, perhaps a hundred, Li Qi couldn't remember.

His consciousness blurred, even the sense of time shattered.

Completely unaware of how long it had been.

Despite feeling empty, exhausted, drained, and bitter-mouthed, he continued walking with all his might.

Truly exhausting every bit of energy, even the slightest movement brought endless pain.

True suffering, like whispers and screams filling his ears, things hopping around him.

His soul was being erased.

Spiritual Essence oppression surpassed any physical torture.

This suffering lasted... countless years?

How long exactly?

Unknown.

But it didn't matter.

Ten thousand years or a hundred thousand, even a million, eventually, he would reach the end.

Eventually...

Li Qi's mind blurred, only a sliver of persistence driving his actions.

Now, his behavior couldn't be called "conscious action," more like a frog's instinctive kick after being skinned, a primal insistence.

Then, he arrived.

Something pulled him.

Countless demons grabbed his heart, tearing it apart!

Intense pain struck!

Every nerve screamed!

Unbelievable agony swept over him, shaking him like a shrimp just plucked from water, barely able to move!

In such agony, Li Qi abruptly regained consciousness.

Then, he saw—

An incomparably grand existence.

A Demon.

A true 'Demon.'

Through genuine Dao Resonance's new senses, he saw in the boundless void a colossal black sphere.

A black sphere of unimaginable size.

It extended countless tentacles.

Truly countless.

Like grains of sand in the Ganges, incalculable.

Even stars seemed like dust beside it.

Galaxies appeared like caterpillars.

Its countless tentacles pierced countless worlds.

Li Qi realized, six words emerged:

'Heavenly Demon of Self-Creation.'

Just glimpsing it and thinking of those words, Li Qi felt crushed, as if something pierced his heart!

Then, like rapidly surfacing from deep waters, he opened his eyes wide, gasping for breath!

His breathing sounded like bellows, lungs and heart pounding loudly!

After inhaling deeply, he collapsed coughing: "Cough! Cough! Damn!"

Even Li Qi couldn't hold back, cursing.

"What... is that?" Li Qi lifted his head, drenched, every nerve trembling, body bruised purple, nearly exploding.

Chan Zhi's voice came: "Young friend, your will is strong. Unexpectedly, you endured the pain of suppressing demonic thoughts. You visited the Raksha Ghost Kingdom, experiencing the torment I faced when consuming demonic thoughts."

"I used this method to seal your demonic thoughts, preventing further influence. However, your Spiritual Essence damage is certain. After leaving here, you can heal using Wu Dao techniques, likely without lasting effects."

Li Qi struggled to stand, hands clasped, weakly saying, "Thank you... Master."

"No problem, you were infected studying for me. Rest assured, I won't disturb you. No need to research techniques for two days, focus on stabilizing your spirit to avoid irreversible damage." Chan Zhi nodded and went upstairs.

After Chan Zhi left, Li Qi wiped sweat.

Drenched, he summoned water vapor, forming a large water ball, smashing it onto himself, refreshing him.

Then, he stumbled to bed, unable to move.

Finally... fooled everyone.

Earlier, to cover up distraction, he deliberately infected his Spiritual Essence with demonic thoughts, creating the illusion his damage was due to demonic thoughts!

Though unsure if it worked, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Fortunately, it worked.

And—

"What... is that? Heavenly Demon of Self-Creation?" Lying in bed, Li Qi remained astonished.

Incomprehensible, indescribable.

What kind of existence?

Li Qi sensed.

That demon hinted at something crucial to Li Qi.

Urging him.

Causing an indescribable emotion.

Hard to express, like conveying spiritual meaning through tangible things, very strange, any intelligent being could only roughly describe it.

Li Qi found a pattern belonging only to him, described by thought.

But the pattern was too delicate, any clumsy attempt to depict it foolish.

Seeing the vast black sphere, Li Qi oddly felt his body's weight lighten, filled with pure spiritual nature.

A curious spirit guiding him to unprecedented paths, bringing him to a hazy void, exploring novelty, eternal stars shining, his soul unburdened, experiencing adventures.

"Can't think... can't think, bury it, bury it..." Li Qi muttered, burying his head in the pillow.

This was a heavenly demon.

Devouring human virtue.

Absolutely cannot take it seriously.

These feelings.

False.

But...

Li Qi raised his hand.

Suddenly.

Demonic thoughts entwined in his Spiritual Essence vanished.

Those he deliberately infected to deceive Chan Zhi instantly left.

Even nearby demon heads changed posture from suppression to fearful kneeling.

Even Chan Zhi didn't notice.

As if all demonic thoughts, demons, bowed to Li Qi.

But Li Qi knew they bowed to the Dao Resonance in his hand.

Manifestation of that strange feeling, spiritual meaning.

Dao Resonance granted by the Heavenly Demon of Self-Creation!

For some reason, after seeing the black sphere, it gave him Dao Resonance!

With just this trace, easily suppressing all heavenly demons, removing all demonic thoughts, solving Chan Zhi's stubborn ailment in a day.

Seemed fake.

Li Qi wanted to dismiss it, but its existence was undeniable.

Huddled in bed, covering himself.

Li Qi hid the Dao Resonance.

Closed his eyes.

Elsewhere, his clone opened its eyes.

Shouting: "Miss Shen! Miss Shen!"

When in doubt, seek Shen Shuibei!

——————————

Two hours later.

In a secret room beneath Nine Gates.

Shen Shuibei looked serious, eyes filled with distress.

She took a deep breath, finally spreading her hands. "I don't know, what you described differs greatly from recorded descriptions."

"Miss Shen doesn't know?" Li Qi was stunned.

First time she admitted ignorance.

Shen Shuibei explained,

"Based on your description, it greatly differs from recorded heavenly demons."

"Luo Fu Niangniang mentioned the Heavenly Demon of Self-Creation, reaching first rank, its followers spread across endless worlds, causing great calamities, luring several Bodhisattvas to the demonic path, even attacking Vairocana Buddha. Later suppressed, expelled from Tianxia, affecting only outer realms. Some remnants became today's demonic path."

"So, I haven't seen a heavenly demon myself... Honestly, I think Li Qi shouldn't survive after seeing a first-rank entity."

Shen Shuibei carefully chose words, telling Li Qi, "First rank... unimaginable level. Moreover, the Heavenly Demon of Self-Creation is known for confusing minds. Not doubting you, but if you truly saw it, you'd be destroyed instantly."

Though impolite, Li Qi agreed.

Nodding, "Indeed, facing a sixth-rank demon king nearly killed me. Facing first rank, surely obliteration."

"But I didn't directly see it, indirectly through Dao Resonance," Li Qi said.

"That's unclear. Your Dao Resonance is strange, never seen anything similar. Maybe Grand Invoker knows," Shen Shuibei shook her head, admitting inability to help.

Li Qi speculated, "Could it be a trick? This Dao Resonance is fabricated by Chan Zhi to deceive or monitor me?"

Shen Shuibei remained silent, inept at intrigue, lost in thought.

Li Qi understood, smiling bitterly, pondering alone.