Demonic Cultivation: Devouring Ten Thousand Demonic Beasts-Chapter 52: A Saint’s Last Words

By the time you hear this, I may have long since passed away.

How long have I been here...? Five years? Twenty years?

In truth, I no longer remember.

Time has no meaning in this place. The sun does not rise, and the moon does not fall. The air itself is stagnant, thick with ancient malice. The longer one remains here, the more the mind begins to slip, and memories dissolve like mist. Even my own sense of self has grown faint.

I was not always like this.

Years ago, though how many, I can no longer say, I had just broken through to the Saintly Body Realm. My body overflowed with strength, and my heart brimmed with purpose and fire. Like a young dragon freshly awakened, I longed to test the limits of my new power.

And so, when I heard whispers of this cursed valley, of this forbidden place said to lie hidden in the mountains of the Heavenly Dragon Kingdom, I felt an irresistible pull drawing me to it, like a moth to flame. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

It was said that this valley was filled with demonic energy of ancient origin, sealed by an unknown formation left behind by a figure no one dared name. Those below the Saintly Ascension Realm who entered never returned. Even those few saints who came back... did so half-mad, half-dead, unable to speak of what they had seen.

But I... I was proud. No, to be more precise, I was arrogant!

I believed that I myself was different.

After all, My Dao—the Lotus Heart of the Tranquil Dao—thrives not in peace, but in evil and chaos. I had trained it to its highest form. My mind was calm as still water, my soul like a lotus in bloom. I thought the demonic energy within the valley would pose no threat to me. But on the contrary, I thought it would help me temper my will, strengthen my body, solidify my foundation.

And so, I entered alone.

I still remember that first step. As soon as I stepped into the mist, my body froze stiff for a second, as though the world sighed in warning. Something inside my soul kept telling me to go back, that this was a bad idea, but I kept ignoring it.

As I ventured deeper, the air grew heavier, laden not merely with killing intent, but with raw emotions. Despair, hatred, regret, and wordless screams permeated the atmosphere. Ghostly faces flickered at the edge of my vision, and phantoms of ancient demonic beings, which initially haunted my dreams, began to manifest even in my waking hours.

Despite the challenges, I pressed on. Eventually, I found it: that place. It lay beneath the lava, deep underground. There, an ancient ruin was hidden beneath the earth, and it seemed to be the source of the demonic energy.

Driven by curiosity, I ventured inside. Within the ruins, I found them. I cannot say what they were; even now, I lack the words to describe them. They were neither beast, nor man, nor ghost, but rather presences of pure darkness and malice. Formless and ancient, they felt like fragments of something long forgotten by the heavens.

And I... I was not ready at all.

But by the time I understood this, it was already too late.

I fought and bled, but my Ten Thousand Brilliant Lotus Palm shattered against their overwhelming power. My very soul trembled. In the end, I was defeated, crushed like an insect before a storm, and forced to flee like a dog. I survived, somehow... barely. But my injuries were far too severe, severing my connection to the outer world. Marked by evil and with my saintly embryo broken, the valley would not release me.

And so, I remained.

I lived in this tomb of shadows, slowly wasting away. Until finally, my body could endure no more. And now, all that remains... is this voice.

If you hear this...

Perhaps you, too, are trapped.

Perhaps... fate has entwined my destiny with yours.

If so... listen closely.

Do not venture deeper.

No matter how curious you are, no matter how strong you believe yourself to be... Let it go.

The things hidden in the depths... are not meant for mortals, nor for immortals.

Instead, just stay here.

Stay here and cultivate under the lingering light of this broken Saintly Body.

The residual power in these bones is enough to protect your path.

The herbs here, the elixirs here, the spiritual energy here... are sufficient to nourish your spirit and temper your essence.

Cultivate slowly.

Ten years. A hundred years. A thousand years, if need be.

As long as... you do not abandon your heart of the Dao, the demonic aura here... cannot invade you.

And then, when you finally reach the Saintly Embryo Realm, the valley’s barrier will no longer bind you.

You will be free.

To that end, I have left behind all that I could, including the full manual for the Lotus Heart Sutra of Tranquil Dao. I have also included the Ten Thousand Lotus Palm, my supreme palm technique, and the Crimson Lotus Body tempering technique—a unique body-forging secret art I devised in my final days. Finally, my scattered notes, etched upon the cave’s stone walls, are here for you.

Learn from them, comprehend them, and live.

But... above all, heed this:

Do not repeat my mistake.

Do not seek the end of a path when you have yet to steady your steps on its beginning.

Let the lotus in your spiritual sea bloom slowly, petal by petal.

And may your steps... be steadier than mine.

____________________________

"So that’s how it is... So this is how you found the Lotus Heart Sutra of Tranquil Dao..." Lang Tian murmured, his voice low, his eyes tinged with contemplation. "It was Elder Guo who left it for us."

Having heard all of Elder Guo Lanfeng’s instructions, a boundless sense of gratitude surged within his heart. Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t help but tremble with fear.

For it turned out...

This place was a sacred land of demonic aura, and deep beneath the earth lay an ancient power capable of crushing even a powerhouse of the Sacred Body Realm.

Fortunately... Elder Guo had warned them in advance. Otherwise, he might have recklessly ventured deeper.

"But," he said slowly, "does that really mean we’re stuck cultivating here until we reach the Saintly Being Ascension Realm before we can leave? Will that take forever?"

But Yue Ling let out a soft laugh, her voice carrying a hint of self-mockery:

"Do you really think so? Little Junior Brother? Did you forget something?"

"Huh?" Lang Tian blinked.

"Look." Yue Ling pressed her hand on Lang Tian’s abdomen. "Your Golden Core was stolen. Without this Golden Core, what hope is there of breaking through to the Saintly Being Realm?"

"Oh, right..." Lang Tian snapped back to reality.

He let out a deep sigh.

"Senior Sister, you are right..."

Yue Ling shook her head gently, her gaze now fixed on the Nine-Petals White Spirit Flower

"If I hadn’t lost my Golden Core... perhaps I would have heeded Elder Guo’s words, secluding myself here in quiet cultivation, awaiting the day of breaking through into Saintly Being realm. But with my Golden Core gone, the path of orthodox cultivation is closed to me... I can only choose the demonic path."

Lang Tian fell silent.

"And... so must I..." he whispered, his voice echoing into the void.