Chapter 100: The Secret Revealed

The "Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method" is a demonic technique used to connect with the Silent Heavenly Palace and become a disciple of the Demon Lord Chongyu. Once established, it serves as a ritualistic art of prayer and supplication to this Great Father God. By cruelly tormenting all living things, ravaging the heavens and earth, exterminating entire realms, and shattering lands and seas—engaging in constant acts of destruction, annihilation, terror, ruin, and darkness—one can continuously receive blessings from Demon Lord Chongyu.

These blessings are not fixed and can be chosen according to the disciple's own desires. They may manifest as a perfect, exquisite flesh-furnace for cultivation; a bizarre, heterodox venomous insect that swallows brains and consumes marrow; or a massive corpse-puppet capable of moving mountains, altering landscapes, and shouldering the weight of rivers and peaks. They could also be a genuine, high-level esoteric scroll from an orthodox sect, pointing directly to the Daoist fruit of the Primordial Spirit Returning to Emptiness; a magic flying sword left behind by a senior swordsman; or a Nine-Turn Dragon-Tiger Golden Embryo Pill. They might even be the hand-written notes of a sage of human cultivation, a fragment of the golden body of a Red-Log Orthodox Deity, the relic of a Great Arhat who has severed the "Fivefold Upper Division" and achieved pure practice, or the blood-soul of a True Hou, capable of rotting away life and spirit with its absolute, dark, and gloomy nature.

The Great Dao is vast and all-encompassing, inclusive of all phenomena. Some scriptures even claim that if the blessings are sufficient, one might transcend the cycle of life and death, bathe the sun to mend the heavens, or even summon Demon Lord Chongyu himself to act—and these are not necessarily empty boasts.

However, the most crucial aspect of the "Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method" is not the items gained through these blessings. It is that upon becoming a disciple of Chongyu, one transcends the afflictions of life, death, decay, and illness, and is freed from the suffering of a finite lifespan. One can live almost indefinitely. The moment a living being masters this technique, their fundamental essence is recorded in the true register within the Silent Heavenly Palace. Even if killed by an adversary, they can quickly awaken within the Palace and be reborn in the mortal world. Whether by blades, divine powers, curses, or arrays, even if they die a thousand or ten thousand times, they can be reborn just as many times. In reality, the moment one becomes a disciple of Chongyu, they are removed from the registers of the Underworld and possess no name in the ghost gates. Only Demon Lord Chongyu alone holds the power to decide the life or death of such a disciple.

Yet, while this great divine power is immensely superior, it is also exceedingly difficult to cultivate. As the saying goes, "Where the Dao appears, the Way is visible; where it is absent, it hides." Those capable of resonating with it are one in ten thousand. Even if one is lucky enough to achieve resonance, the subsequent trials of the "Skin-Peeling Blood Corpse" and the "Six-Dust Demons" are enough to break and destroy countless aspirants.

In the ancient era, Demon Lord Chongyu originated from the Great Enlightened Ones of the Buddhist faith. Later, he slaughtered his sect, betrayed his teachings, and killed all the Bodhisattvas and Great Arhats in the heavens, eventually unifying all demons and being revered as the "Sage Among Demons." The "Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method" he created naturally carries faint traces of the true meaning of the Shramana. The "Skin-Peeling Blood Corpse" serves as the gateway of form; once touched, one is stripped of the two aspects of manifestation, cast into the void of absolute emptiness, and meets a miserable end. Following this are the Six-Dust Demons: the human-faced snake represents the dust of form; the red-skinned dwarf, the dust of law; the headless corpse-lord, the dust of scent; the string music of the blood pool, the dust of sound; the wheel, the dust of touch; and the golden man, the dust of taste. These six trials cannot be overcome without great fortune, great perseverance, and great destiny. Failure results in the immediate destruction of body and soul.

Just as people choose their divine powers, divine powers choose their people. Demon Lord Chongyu is extremely strict in his selection of disciples. In the memories of Ancestor Fu Can, within the last hundred thousand years, only one person—Chen Yan—had managed to pass the trial of the Six-Dust Demons unscathed, as Chen Heng had just done.

"They are both offspring left behind by Chen Yushu; Chen Yan is this boy's older sister... Back then, the Golden Chapter of the Earth Palace containing the 'Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method' actually came to her of its own accord and landed in her arms. I saw it with my own eyes, and it shocked me!" Ancestor Fu Can muttered to himself. "It seems the Chen family is quite favored by Demon Lord Chongyu. How long has it been since a disciple of Chongyu appeared? Having Chen Yan was enough, but not long after she died, another one, Chen Heng, has appeared! But is Chongyu truly dead or not? Is the selection of a disciple his will, or is the Silent Heavenly Palace acting on his behalf? If he isn't dead, selling his information to that Progenitor of Calamity Immortals might actually fetch a huge price! I could make a fortune!"

With such thoughts, Ancestor Fu Can urged Chen Heng several times, but received no response. He remained puzzled for a long while. Finally, he suddenly recalled the instructions for silence he had given before entering the palace and couldn't help but grin.

"Very well, you can transmit your voice now. Do not worry about being detected; it is fine," Ancestor Fu Can sighed helplessly.

"Why is that?" After a few breaths, he heard Chen Heng's voice.

"Because the Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman has already been activated. Before the ash of this ginseng leaf is exhausted, the divine sense within it will naturally return to the original body from the void, and thus, I can borrow a sliver of the original body's magical power." Ancestor Fu Can said triumphantly. "Boy! Do not look down on this ancestor. I am the dignified Great-Prolonging-Ginseng, a genuine immortal herb of longevity! While the power I’ve borrowed cannot turn the heavens or change the earth, shielding against the divine sense perception of a Dongxuan-level master and a Heavenly Demon is certainly not difficult! If you encounter my leaves again in the future, you must show this ancestor some respect!"

"The Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman has been used? Since when?" Chen Heng was startled. "But I haven't even acted yet."

"...When that Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon appeared, heh! You young ones cannot handle this precious talisman; you still need this ancestor! If you hadn't recorded the scene, wouldn't my leaf have been wasted?" Ancestor Fu Can laughed sheepishly and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, you played your part very well just now. It is the first time I have seen so many expressions on your face. Well acted! Good! Very well acted!"

Chen Heng was not particularly surprised; he understood the nature of Ancestor Fu Can well enough. He simply chuckled and did not respond.

The Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman had no function in battle or trapping; it could only store a segment of sound and image occurring before it and transmit it to the minds of cultivators within a radius of ten thousand miles. Its activation was silent and stealthy, making it impossible for those present to notice anything amiss. According to the "cunning tricks" categorized by the major orthodox sects, this talisman barely qualified. In fact, according to Ancestor Fu Can, it was created by a master in the late ancient era, originally intended to expose illicit affairs and bring scandalous, lewd acts to light—willing to sacrifice one's own reputation to strike a blow at the heart. It only became widely known after it began to be used for other purposes.

"Using the Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman is fine; the Ancestor surely has his reasons. However, the talk of being a disciple of Chongyu is nonsense. Firstly, a human body cannot utilize this divine power, and secondly..." Chen Heng smiled. "I do not wish to discard my human body to pursue the path of a Heavenly Demon. The Great Dao of Longevity should ultimately lead to transcendence and freedom; how can I place my life and death in the hands of another?"

At this moment, the Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon, appearing as a beautiful woman, had already approached Chen Heng’s side. She leaned over slightly, revealing the smooth, snow-white cleavage at her chest, her gaze wandering over Chen Heng’s face as she scrutinized him carefully. The heat in her eyes was undisguised, as if she could not wait to flick her tongue out and lick his face from end to end.

"Little gentleman, you are so beautiful." After staring for a long time, the woman sighed softly. "You are truly beautiful, like a jade figure. I almost cannot bear to possess your body..." She raised a slender, jade-like finger to lift Chen Heng’s chin, her throat bobbing, her eyes seemingly glued to his features in a trance.

"The Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman can store one more segment of sound and image. You boy, hurry and sell a few more smiles, tease out her secrets, and best of all, confirm that this Cave Master Huaiwu is complicit with the Heavenly Demons. That will be the end of it." Seeing this, Ancestor Fu Can was nearly rolling with laughter. He suppressed his mirth and transmitted his voice to Chen Heng: "Smile, give her a smile, hurry and extract the information, quick! Quick!"

Chen Heng knew this old man was merely looking for entertainment, but he himself harbored doubts about the Heavenly Demons. After pondering for a moment, he spoke.

"My lady—"

"Little gentleman, my name is Chahe Naren." The woman interrupted him with a giggle. "You may call me Sister Liu."

"Have you and the Cave Master been committing murders under the guise of giving lectures for the past two hundred years? Has no one discovered this in all these years?" He asked. "If it was only to select those who could resonate with the 'Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method,' why the need for such lethal force? Or perhaps, was it I who implicated Lu Yu and that blood-lotus sect practitioner? If I had not resonated with the divine power, would they not have had to die?"

"...You are kind-hearted, little gentleman. It is a pity; even if you had not resonated with the divine power, they still would not have survived." The woman shook her head. "Those with higher aptitude, who have hopes of reaching the Dongxuan realm of the immortal path, naturally cannot be harvested to exhaustion. I would refine them into demonic thralls; as their cultivation increases, they can provide a portion of their power back to me. As for those with poor aptitude... do you not know? Heavenly Demons love the flesh and blood of cultivators; it is a great supplement." She licked her crimson lips, her expression full of charm. "As for being discovered? Rest assured. Firstly, we only target rogue cultivators whose lives are as cheap as grass; they are worth nothing. Secondly, I am the Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon, second only to the royal families among Heavenly Demons. My demonic thrall puppets are not so easily unmasked!"

"I have one more doubt. Rumor has it that Cave Master Huaiwu once went to the East Sea to seek dragons and eventually married the offspring of the Lingzhao Manifestation General under the East Sea Dragon King." Chen Heng sighed and said slowly, "I originally thought you were a dragon-woman; I did not expect you to be a Heavenly Demon... In that case, could it be that even the East Sea has entered into some alliance with you two?"

Upon hearing this, the woman’s smiling face stiffened for a moment, and the light in her eyes darkened. "The Dragon King of the East Sea is so arrogant; to him, Liu and I are but ants. An alliance? What wishful thinking."

On the altar, Cave Master Huaiwu glanced indifferently at Chen Heng and said, "I took Liu to the East Sea under the name of seeking a dragon-woman, intending to offer all my family’s wealth to pray for a quota to enter the Gangi layer and flee these Nine Provinces and Four Seas. But let alone the Dragon King, who couldn't be bothered with me, even the dukes and ministers treated me as a joke. Because Liu was an Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon, they even wanted to seize her as a demonic pet. It was the Lingzhao Manifestation General who accepted my wealth and used the name of a dragon-woman to disguise her, sending us both back to the Southern Region."

"Enough, you have asked everything you needed to ask. In return for the contribution you have made, I have already allowed you to be a well-informed ghost!" Cave Master Huaiwu gave a cold laugh. "Chen Heng, go to your death obediently!"

At this moment, the woman’s face was flushed, as if she had drunk fine wine, blooming like thousands of peach blossoms with her collar half-open. Cave Master Huaiwu’s shout finally shook her back to her senses, forcing her to withdraw her hand from Chen Heng’s face.

"Husband, I have lost my composure." The woman offered a grievance-filled bow toward the altar. Cave Master Huaiwu merely snorted, his expression quite unsightly, though he offered no further comment.

"A cave master with a lifetime of fame, a dignified master of refining, yet you are willing to be such a cuckold?" Ancestor Fu Can was laughing like a madman. Chen Heng ignored the noisy old man and simply looked up to ask.

"If it were not for Liu, I would have been a pile of rotting bones long ago. Between her and me, it is not for a child like you to judge!" Cave Master Huaiwu’s expression turned fierce.

"This old man is like a lovesick pimp," Ancestor Fu Can thought to himself.

The woman did not speak further. She withdrew her gaze with lingering reluctance, shook her body, and was enveloped in layers of demonic light and smoke. It was colorful and brilliant, like stars reflecting off the moon, while faint, piercing shrieks emanated from the void.

"Although I can resonate with the 'Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method,' if you possess my body, can you inherit this divine power as well?" Chen Heng asked with curiosity as he watched the bizarre scene.

"Little gentleman, are you trying to trick me into talking?" The woman gave a shy smile. "Let me tell you, this 'Two-Phase Transformation' technique is the innate divine power of the Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon. After rebirth, not only will I inherit the divine power, but also your life-pattern and destiny!"

Skin peeled from her body inch by inch, like yellow paper soaked in water. First the hair, arms, eyeballs, and toes, then the internal organs and blood. When everything had fallen to the ground, only a white skeleton remained in the center of the demonic light. The skeleton took a few trembling steps before collapsing into a pile of bones, leaving behind only a brilliant demonic light that flickered a few times and rushed straight toward Chen Heng’s heart!

"Tch! Her bragging is bigger than the sky. Shameless!" Ancestor Fu Can muttered, clapped his hands, and his entire body dissipated into a mass of spiritual light.

The Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman was activated immediately!

Within a radius of ten thousand miles—the Huanhua Sword Sect, Xiaogan Mountain, Dibei Ferry, Cloud Island, Wuqi Cliff, Danxun Great Abyss—countless sects and immortal cultivators, regardless of who they were or what they were doing, suddenly had a mysterious sound and image appear in their minds.

"Silent Heavenly Palace Saint-Making Prayer Method."
"Little gentleman, my name is Chahe Naren."
"The Dragon King of the East Sea is so arrogant; to him, Liu and I are but ants..."

The faces of Cave Master Huaiwu and the woman seemed to be right before their eyes, and their voices were clearly audible. Although some cultivators remained bewildered, not knowing how these two had suddenly intruded into their minds, many others turned pale, shocked and flustered. Especially in the area of Fuyu Lake, after a brief, deathly silence, a massive uproar erupted, boiling over with noise!

And at this moment, in the infinite distance, amidst thousands of mountains, amidst flowing clouds and reflecting mists, with waterfalls hanging down like crystal curtains, on the peak surrounded by these waterfalls, above a pavilion of orchids, a handsome man in fine robes was slightly stunned at first, then clapped his hands and laughed, his voice like a thunderbolt.

"Ten-Thousand-Mile Reflection Talisman? Good! Good! It is actually an Evil-Wrath Yin-Victorious Demon?" He raised an eyebrow. "I thought coming to the Southern Region would be a bitter chore, but I did not expect to encounter such a toy? Senior Brother Xie's furnace happens to be missing a key ingredient. This demon shall be taken by Sima Lingzhen of the Yuchen Sect!"