Chapter 679: The Secret of Demons

Without entering demonhood, one cannot completely eliminate demons.

Entering demonhood will ultimately result in becoming a new 'Demon'.

This is the desperate plight faced by the lifeforms of this world.

So far, the only explored way to erase demons is to completely devour them.

However, a 'Demon' is composed of endless Devilish Qi, and devouring a 'Demon' is equivalent to entering demonhood. While this can temporarily eliminate some 'Demon's, the one who entered demonhood will ultimately become an even more powerful 'Demon'.

"Li Qing is completely dead."

Lin Yuan watched quietly, knowing that the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master did not hold back.

As the senior brother of the Qingyun Saint Sect, Li Qing definitely left behind numerous life-saving trump cards.

But these trump cards were all left in the Qingyun Saint Sect. The moment the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master made a move, he likewise erased those life-saving trump cards of Li Qing.

Currently, Li Qing was still in the initial stage of entering demonhood and did not yet possess the ability of immortality.

This was also the reason why the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master wiped out Li Qing without hesitation. If it dragged on any longer, the consequences would be even more severe.

Swoosh!

The Qingyun Sacred Sect Master turned around and brought Lin Yuan back to the main hall.

"Thanks to you regarding the matter of Li Qing this time."

Although saddened, the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master also knew how much loss would be caused to the Qingyun Saint Sect if Li Qing were allowed to continue entering demonhood.

Any person who entered demonhood would feel that they could resist the influence of Devilish Qi before entering it.

But what about in the end?

Instead, it created extremely terrifying 'Demon's, making the situation of the practitioners in this world increasingly difficult.

"It is only right."

Lin Yuan nodded.

Reporting to the Sect Master about Li Qing entering demonhood was primarily out of his own selfish motives.

If he were the only one who knew about this, he would definitely become a thorn in Li Qing's side.

He did this to protect himself.

"Regardless of whether it should be done or not, it is a merit."

The Qingyun Sacred Sect Master looked at Lin Yuan and said, "What reward do you want?"

"A reward?"

Lin Yuan fell into deep thought, then said, "Sect Master, I was eroded by Devilish Qi. Even though I managed to survive by a stroke of luck, it is very difficult to fully recover. Next, I want to serve as an official in the Qingyun Institute."

"That is true."

The Qingyun Sacred Sect Master nodded.

Suffered erosion of mental will by Devilish Qi? With the original body's strength, surviving was simply a miracle, so it was normal to suffer serious hidden dangers as a result.

Regardless, Lin Yuan was also a Disciple of the Qingyun Saint Sect, and he had promptly informed them about Li Qing entering demonhood, so the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master naturally would not treat him unfairly.

"Very well, from now on you will serve as an official in the Qingyun Institute, and you can enter and exit all courtyards of the Qingyun Institute," said the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master.

"Thank you, Sect Master."

Lin Yuan immediately acknowledged.

The Qingyun Institute housed all the Cultivation Technique legacies and secret records of the Qingyun Saint Sect since its establishment, and even a large number of Cultivation Technique legacies and secret records from before the great upheaval of heaven and earth.

Being able to freely enter and exit the Qingyun Institute was of great benefit for Lin Yuan to understand this world. Understanding this world and comprehending its original cultivation system could similarly increase Lin Yuan's Foundation accumulation.

"Right, there is one thing you need to pay attention to."

Seemingly thinking of something, the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master looked at Lin Yuan and said, "Do not spread the matter of Li Qing entering demonhood."

When he suppressed Li Qing earlier, it was completely silent, without attracting the attention of any Disciples or Elders of the Qingyun Saint Sect.

"Understood."

Lin Yuan nodded.

After all, Li Qing was the leading Disciple of the Qingyun Saint Sect and could be considered a leading figure of the younger generation.

If the matter of him entering demonhood spread out, it would definitely cause an extremely negative impact.

Lin Yuan left the main hall and quickly arrived at the Qingyun Institute.

The Qingyun Institute had a total of eight branch institutes, housing a massive number of ancient books and records.

For Disciples of the Qingyun Saint Sect wanting to enter the Qingyun Institute to read, there were many restrictions and conditions.

But as an official of the Qingyun Institute, Lin Yuan could naturally browse everything housed within the institute at will.

"It seems the matter you reported to the Sect Master was quite important." Elder Fang stood nearby, looking at Lin Yuan with some surprise.

Wanting to serve as an official in the Qingyun Institute was no easy task. The Qingyun Institute was located deep within the Qingyun Saint Sect, and unless the mountain gates were breached by demons, there was no danger at all. Serving as an official here was leisurely and comfortable, and the treatment was not low either.

Normally, the official positions in the Qingyun Institute were reserved for Disciples who had made great contributions to the Sect.

"Thank you, Elder Fang, for saving my life," Lin Yuan laughed and said.

"You being able to survive has nothing to do with me. I was about to give up on you back then, hahaha."

Elder Fang did not hide it. Under the erosion of Devilish Qi on the mental consciousness, being able to survive made him almost think he had seen it wrong at the time.

"However, what on earth did you report to the Sect Master? Can you tell me?" Elder Fang was slightly curious.

"Elder Fang will know if you just ask the Sect Master," Lin Yuan said with a smile.

Regarding the matter of Li Qing entering demonhood, the Qingyun Sacred Sect Master had instructed that it must not be spread, so Lin Yuan naturally would not run his mouth.

"Forget it, forget it."

"I suppose this matter has nothing to do with me either."

Elder Fang shook his head. If it had anything to do with him, he should have known by now.

"Then you just serve as an official in the Qingyun Institute. If you are bored, you can come chat with me." Elder Fang finished speaking and turned to leave.

As an Elder of the Qingyun Saint Sect, Elder Fang needed to be responsible for healing the injuries suffered by the Disciples within the Sect, especially injuries related to demons.

"Qingyun Institute."

Lin Yuan walked into the Qingyun Institute, looked at the densely packed Jade Slips housed all around, and immediately set about organizing them.

While organizing, he was also quickly browsing through them.

Lin Yuan focused on the records before and after the great upheaval of heaven and earth.

"Before the great upheaval of heaven and earth, the practitioners of this world were divided into the Nine Realms of Life Refining, the Six Realms of Longevity, the Three Realms of Leisure, and the Single Realm of Eternity."

Lin Yuan quickly absorbed a large amount of information.

According to the descriptions of the power divisions for each level, the Nine Realms of Life Refining should correspond to the first to eleventh tiers of the Chaos Void.

As for the Six Realms of Longevity, they corresponded from the Twelfth Order Dao Realm to the Chaos Realm.

Practitioners at this level had eternal Lifespans, which was equivalent to shaking off the restrictions of the River of Time.

As for the Three Realms of Leisure, they should be the division of the Great Saint level, with the third realm of leisure being equivalent to the level of the Strongest Celestial Venerable and the Invincible Great Saint.

As for the Single Realm of Eternity? It probably belonged to the Thirteen Step Time Life level.

"After the great upheaval of heaven and earth, terrifying 'Demon's appeared."

'Demon's were divided into Demon Spirits, Great Demons, Source Demons, and Demon Gods.

"Every level of 'Demon' was directly equivalent to the top Experts of the corresponding practitioner level. For example, a Demon Spirit could compare with an expert of the Ninth Realm of Life Refining, a Great Demon even possessed strength close to the Perfection of the Chaos Realm, and a Source Demon? Its upper limit of strength was unknown, but every time it appeared, it would bring the deepest despair to countless lives in this world."

Lin Yuan's thoughts churned.

"As for Demon Gods? They had never appeared, but at the very beginning of the great upheaval of heaven and earth, the practitioner forces of this world were still at their most prosperous period, and once a Demon God had made a move, directly assimilating more than half of the most powerful practitioners."

"According to the speculations of later practitioners, the so-called Demon God was the source of the great upheaval of heaven and earth, as well as the source of all Devilish Qi in the world. The so-called Devilish Qi originated from the breathing and exhaling of the Demon God, and the endless demons were also products nurtured by the Demon God's aura."

The more Lin Yuan looked at the records and accounts inside the Qingyun Institute, the more shocked his heart became.

Demon Gods?

If compared by strength, wouldn't that be equivalent to the existence of the Single Realm of Eternity? That was the Thirteen Step Time Life.

But how could a Thirteen Step Time Life degenerate into a 'Demon'?

Lin Yuan found it hard to believe.

After the great upheaval of heaven and earth, through continuous contact with 'Demon's, practitioners also obtained a lot of information and intelligence about 'Demon's.

All 'Demon's acted purely on instinct, having no likes or dislikes, no self, and resembling walking corpses.

This was also the reason why countless living beings in this world survived to this day, because demons did not have the concept of uprooting the grass and eliminating the roots. They would only wander wantonly in this world. If they discovered practitioners, they would make a move; if practitioners stayed far away, they would continue wandering.

With the pervasive spread of Devilish Qi, the number of demons was increasing more and more, and one day they would flood this world.

That would be the day of extinction for all living beings.

"Devilish Qi."

Lin Yuan raised his right hand, a wisp of profound aura flowing at his fingertips.

At the beginning of his awakening, Lin Yuan's own mental will forcibly expelled the Devilish Qi that was eroding him, and during that time he deliberately left behind this tiny wisp.

At that time, he intended to study it carefully. After all, being able to suppress his mental will for such a long time, this kind of Devilish Qi could not be underestimated.

"This power."

Lin Yuan observed carefully. The profound power at his fingertips twisted constantly, wanting to continue eroding Lin Yuan's Physical Body, but it was all suppressed between his fingers.

"It is quite extraordinary."

Lin Yuan's mind moved slightly, dispersing the wisp of Devilish Qi on his hand, and he fell into brief contemplation.

According to his observation just now, the so-called Devilish Qi should be an extremely advanced power or even a rule.

Because of its bizarre characteristics, this power rule was called a 'Demon' by the lifeforms of this world.

"This world is an Origin World; it should have birthed Thirteen Step Time Lifes. Where are they? Were they blocked by Demon Gods?"

Lin Yuan pondered. The Origin World level was extremely high, no less than the Chaos Void. As long as the elapsed years were long enough, it was still very possible to birth some Time Lifeforms.

In the records and accounts housed in the Qingyun Institute, the Single Realm of Eternity above the Three Realms of Leisure corresponded to the Thirteen Step Time Life.

This meant that Time Lifeforms did exist in this world.

But now 'Demon's were still running amok, and Time Lifeforms had not intervened at all.

"Demon Gods."

Lin Yuan thought silently in his heart. This was the known source of all Devilish Qi, and even he felt quite a bit of pressure when facing such an existence.

"No wonder when I first entered the Twelfth Order and wanted to explore the Second Source World, the Gate of Myriad Realms would issue a warning. This kind of Devilish Qi eroding the mental will—with my mental will at the Twelfth Order back then, I really might not have been able to resist it."

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

Having one's mental will eroded was a very serious consequence and would even affect the true body in other dimensions.

Between different dimensions, causal fatal moves could be isolated, but mental will erosion involved memories; as long as Lin Yuan remembered, he would be affected.

"Now, regardless of how terrifying demons are, my priority remains recovering my strength."

Lin Yuan let out a light breath. No matter what danger one faced, strength was the Foundation.

With Lin Yuan's methods, as long as he recovered to his peak state, there shouldn't be too much danger in this world as long as the Demon Gods didn't make a move.