Chapter 74: Dragon Whiskers Summon the Wind to Subdue Malevolent Forces, Emerald Waters Stir Waves to Transform the Shadow Demon

The Jasper Tide Pearl was hidden beneath the water. Ji Feichen, utilizing a method he had prepared in advance, sent it into the Immortal Estate. Once inside, the precious pearl instinctively fell into the waters scattered throughout the estate. Separating from the demons, Ji Feichen, guided by his senses, made his way straight to the location of one of the Jasper Tide Pearls.

He arrived in a grove of jeweled blossoms, their leaves and flowers resplendent, as if crafted from gems. In the heart of the grove was a clear spring, where the pearl had landed, now gleaming brilliantly from within the water. Ji Feichen reached out, and the pearl floated gently into his palm. Closing his eyes in contemplation, he chanted a few incantations. The other twenty-three pearls, sensing his call, radiated dazzling light, reflecting the surrounding terrain within their luminous depths.

With the aid of these pearls, Ji Feichen surveyed the layout of the Immortal Estate. He then withdrew the Nine-Cloud Profound Crystal Disk for divination. On the disk, golden clouds rose up, representing the vast map of the estate. Amidst the clouds, twenty-four beams of emerald light parted the mist, revealing fragments of maps of various sizes.

The twenty-four map fragments were separated by golden clouds and could not be joined together, yet their relative distances allowed Ji Feichen to roughly discern the nearby pathways.

"From my current position, I'm quite close to two other pearls to the east," Ji Feichen mused. He looked down into the spring, and in its reflection, the baleful aura that had clung to him vanished, replaced by a shimmering water-light and a mist of pure, mysterious energy.

Once again adopting the guise of the wandering immortal Qinghong, Ji Feichen radiated an air of transcendence and serenity. He donned the Watermoon Robe, tied a simple headband, and, golden disk in hand, strolled through the estate, taking in the scenery.

Viewed from within, this estate surpassed not only Ji Feichen’s own but even the Ganyu Palace of the Demon Consort. Inside, auspicious clouds glowed faintly, spiritual energy billowed, golden halls and jade columns stood tall, pavilions of crystal, and stairways of precious stone. Above, the sun, moon, and stars were conjured by an earth-immortal’s art, while below, mountains and rivers were shaped by the workings of cosmic virtue—a world of its own, a true celestial paradise.

"Indeed, the grandeur of an Immortal Estate is unparalleled," Ji Feichen thought, gazing upon its solemn majesty. Suddenly, he noticed bloodstains and bones scattered on the ground.

There had once been a battle between immortals and demons here, with countless demons perishing. Though centuries had passed and the estate was now lush with jade trees and rare herbs, erasing most traces of conflict, bones still lay hidden among the flowers and grass, and magical artifacts lay scattered on jade steps and golden platforms—a silent testament to the battles that had raged here.

Standing nearby, Ji Feichen examined the remains and thought to himself, "This skeleton is thick with black energy, like ink jade—surely a disciple of the demonic sect."

The Daoist schools spoke of "immortal skin and jade bones." By cultivating spiritual energy, their bones became increasingly ethereal, refined by celestial essence, growing lighter in weight. In contrast, demonic cultivators accumulated baleful energy, forging bodies as hard as diamond, but their bones filled with that dark power, utterly different from those of immortals. This distinction was a key way to tell the two paths apart.

Ji Feichen looked more closely, rummaging among the fallen magical implements for formation talismans.

"This talisman is badly damaged, but looking carefully, it belongs to the Heavenly Heart Demon Sect, does it not?" Formation talismans formed the core of magical treasures; from them, one could often deduce the treasure’s nature.

"Illusion, mind control, confusion of the soul—without doubt, the crafts of the Heavenly Heart Demon Sect." As Ji Feichen studied the artifact, the sky above dimmed, and a wave of demonic fire swept down from the heavens.

A mocking laugh sounded from above, accompanied by the snapping of a demonic banner: "Daoist wretch, prepare to die!"

Ji Feichen, unhurried, continued to examine the bones, then lightly tossed out the Jasper Tide Pearl in his hand. Rippling water-light rose to form a round shield, meeting the demonic banner with a resounding clash.

Ji Feichen frowned, beckoning the pearl back into his hand. Compared to the full set, with only a single pearl to summon water vapor, its power was much diminished.

He looked up at his opponent—a ferocious demon in a scarlet robe, standing atop the clouds, wielding a banner and wreathed in demonic fire.

"Are you from the Western Demon Cult?" Seeing the banner, Ji Feichen instantly recognized his adversary’s allegiance. "So it was your cult that ambushed us at the estate’s entrance? Aren’t you afraid of harming your own kind among the other demon sects?"

"Hah! And you, a Daoist, are worried about them?" The demon’s expression was icy. "Your kind obsesses over lineage and tradition, but for us, since we serve different deities, why concern ourselves with their fate? Now that we’ve entered the estate, it’s every man for himself!"

He brandished the banner, unleashing clouds of fire. Red mist rolled out in a torrent, like ten thousand horses stampeding across the sky, engulfing not only Ji Feichen but everything within a radius of thirty feet.

This single strike forced Ji Feichen to focus intently.

"A mere human immortal is no match for one who has transcended the mundane realm. Before becoming an immortal, all spells draw solely from one’s own strength. But now, with a Dao Fruit, one can influence heaven and earth, forming a domain of their own."

Behind the demon, a blazing Dao Fruit floated, converting the surrounding energy into baleful force to amplify his magic. The demonic banner summoned poisonous flames and clouds of black and grey smoke; one pearl alone could not shield Ji Feichen. As the Jasper Tide Pearl’s light faded, Ji Feichen’s right hand opened, emitting a burst of golden light from his palm.

The brilliance shone like the sun, suppressing the demonic fire’s momentum. "Open!" With a twist of his hand, auspicious clouds rolled from the golden light, within which stood the Ninefold Celestial Dragon Tower, sweeping up all the flames.

Coiled around the tower was a divine dragon, its roars echoing endlessly.

"I hadn’t planned to use this, but there’s no help for it now," Ji Feichen muttered, raising the nine-tiered tower and looking at the demon.

The demon shook his banner, and three ghastly bone demons leapt forth, rushing at Ji Feichen.

"The Ninefold Bone Banner of the Infernal Nether Sect?" Ji Feichen understood at once. This artifact was crafted from the skins of slain immortals and demons, the pole made from bones, and soaked for forty-nine days in the blood of nine virgin girls born under the most inauspicious signs. Such items were common to the Infernal Nether Sect, though Ji Feichen himself had always deemed the practice too inhumane, preferring his own Demon Dragon Mace for defense.

"Still, its power is undeniable," Ji Feichen thought, warding himself with golden lotus light conjured by the Dragon Tower.

The three fiends attacked—every one formed from the bones of a human immortal, their strength reduced to less than half, but together they hemmed Ji Feichen in, leaving him little room to maneuver.

"If only I had the full set of pearls, I wouldn’t need to fear this man," Ji Feichen lamented. Since refining the Jasper Tide Pearls, this was the first time he'd found himself in such an awkward situation.

In the past, disguised as a Daoist, he always had the set with him. The pearls, aligned with the twenty-four solar terms, wielded tremendous power and seldom failed him. But now, with only one, and unable to reveal the Demon Dragon Mace, he could only rely on the Dragon Tower for defense.

Fortunately, the tower was formidable indeed. Golden light streamed from it, dragons dancing within, each one formed from the essence of the Dao. Twisting and turning, flying and coiling, they enacted the highest mysteries of the celestial dragons. Not only did it repel his foes, but as Ji Feichen held the tower, he felt himself on the verge of an insight.

Thunder crashed above his head, and purple energy surged from his crown. A majestic divine dragon, Ji Feichen’s own avatar, shimmered into existence. His cultivation of the "Supreme Jade Dragon Scripture" had borne fruit; now this dragon could serve as his spirit-form, able to roam the night, travel the world, and battle enemies.

At this moment, Ji Feichen split his consciousness—half remained with the tower, while the other half entered the dragon.

The giant dragon opened its eyes, twin beams of divine light pinning the demon in place. Its whiskers trembled, sending out two streaks of mysterious energy to strike at him.

This Dragon Whisker Art was the foundation of Cloudsky Pavilion’s magic. Ji Feichen’s mastery had advanced with his cultivation, and now it required no incantation—only a thought, and it would attack of its own accord.

The demon, a notorious killer of the Western Demon Cult, had honed his skills for three centuries. At first, the dragon's aura stunned him, his soul momentarily paralyzed. But he quickly bit his tongue, using a blood-curse to break the spell.

Seeing the dual beams descending upon him and recognizing their power, he drew forth a long-spouted silver flask—not a demonic treasure, but one that shimmered with immortal light.

"Absorb!" From the vessel streamed white mist, forming a crane whose wings concealed the forces of yin and yang. It soared to meet the twin beams, neutralizing them.

"This yin-yang magic… where have I heard of it before?" the demon thought warily, about to summon his bone fiends once more, when suddenly the sky darkened and the dragon tower descended to crush the land.

Thunder rumbled.

The Dragon Tower fell like a mountain. In panic, the demon revealed his own avatar, white fur sprouting over his body, hands morphing into tiger claws as he struggled to hold up the tower.

"The Fierce Tiger Avatar of the Western Demon Cult," Ji Feichen laughed, reversing his grip on the two dragon whiskers and waving them lightly. The whiskers transformed into a fan, summoning winds of yin and yang, harmonizing with the forces of heaven and earth.

One sweep dissolved the flesh, a second scattered the bones, a third erased the soul.

With only three strokes, the spot was void of all trace of the demon—only a withered stain of blood remained.

Ji Feichen, beholding the remains, could not help but shudder. "The foundational magic of Cloudsky Pavilion is indeed extraordinary."

He stood in contemplation, the divine dragon circling him, its whiskers agleam with mysterious white light, while its claws and scales shimmered faintly, their true form indistinct.

"When we immortals wield our arts, the highest form is guided by thought alone—intention summons all magic. Next is the spoken incantation, manipulating the elements and the vital energy. Hand seals take the longest, and so are least favored by immortals."

"My dragon soul is subtle and wondrous, but for now, it is but a single whisker. If I could imbue the claws and scales with their own magic, future battles would be even easier." Not to mention, two more techniques from the Supreme Scripture could serve as the dragon’s claws and orb.

"And the Demon Dragon Sutra’s dragon-scale technique could form scales, creating entirely new powers." He committed these thoughts to memory, collected the demon banner and the silver flask, and set off in search of another Jasper Tide Pearl.

This estate was the sacred ground of the Lingwei Sect. After only a few steps, Ji Feichen saw ahead a gate of hundred-foot azure radiance, beneath which blue lotuses formed a path. Clear water surged by the roadside, its depths concealing unknown secrets.

Ji Feichen paused in thought, then casually tossed the "Ninefold Demon Banner" he had just seized onto the lotuses. Instantly, the flowers withered, water rose in waves, and the banner was swallowed and dissolved in an instant.

"Just as I thought—no foreign demons may touch the legacy of the Immortal Estate."

In ages past, the Lingwei Sect, resolved on mutual destruction, had sunk the estate into the Valley of Floating Clouds. With nine ancient banners, they unleashed mighty arts, slaughtering all demons within and leaving a chance for their own sect to rise again. In the future, any disciple who came to claim the estate could inherit the Lingwei legacy.

Yet, as always, when the estate emerged, demon sects would try to interfere. Thus, the estate was filled with anti-demon wards, ready to destroy any who trespassed unwarily.

"Truly, claiming the legacy of an ancient immortal is no easy task," Ji Feichen thought, holding the Jasper Tide Pearl as layers of pure light enveloped him. He stepped onto a blue lotus.

Energy surged; the lotus wavered, then steadied, bearing his weight. He placed his other foot on the next flower, and so, step by step, made his way toward the gate of azure radiance.

Halfway across, a surge of blood-red light erupted behind him. Two demon cultivators appeared on the far side of the lotus path.

"The Blood Sea Sect?" Ji Feichen was startled. The pair produced a magical gourd, spraying bloodwater into the pool, corrupting the pure pond and transforming the blue lotuses into blood lotuses.

"Senior brother, I’ll handle the incantation—go kill him," one said. The division of labor was clear: one broke the anti-demon wards, while the other, stepping across the blood lotuses, advanced to kill Ji Feichen.