Chapter 27: The Subtle Art of Earthly Transformation

However, observing the Old Demon Qiong, it seemed the opening of the Yellow Springs Path would still take quite some time. Xu Cheng decided to seal the magical seals within Qing Shu’s core with the Chains of Netherfire.

Within this serpent demon’s core were three magical seals. Taking no chances, Xu Cheng wrapped the Chains of Netherfire around the demon’s core, layer upon layer, making it impenetrable. Thus, the serpent demon could not summon even the slightest bit of magic.

He needed to interrogate this serpent demon further, to see what schemes the monsters and demons were plotting.

Lü Tai’s mansion was quite large. Xu Cheng, dragging Qing Shu along, circled several times but found no hidden chambers or prison cells.

Finally, with some reluctance, he called Lü Tai out again, asking him to lead the way to a secluded spot.

After much searching, it turned out the entrance to the hidden chamber lay amidst a cluster of artificial rocks in the backyard. Following the pebbled path around four or five times, they finally found the door.

Descending together, they discovered a water prison below, with four or five prisoners locked inside.

Xu Cheng chose a sealed cell and dismissed Lü Tai, then stared at the beautiful yet monstrous Qing Shu, pondering how best to interrogate her.

After a moment’s thought, Xu Cheng recalled from his previous life various methods of interrogation, like in that drama where a certain old woman named Madam Rong liked to use needles or pinchers on her victims.

He grabbed a basin of water and poured it over Qing Shu’s head. She woke abruptly, waving her hands frantically, only to realize she could not summon any magic.

The woman was already scantily dressed; drenched, her curves were fully exposed. If Xu Cheng were still flesh and blood instead of a skeleton shaped from molten rock, any ordinary man would have felt his blood surge at the sight, unable to resist his base instincts.

“Who… who are you?” Qing Shu pointed at Xu Cheng nervously.

“Let’s not dwell on who I am. Tell me what you came here to do! If you don’t talk, don’t blame me for destroying your magical seals!” Xu Cheng spoke coldly, at the same time tightening the Chains of Netherfire within Qing Shu, compressing her magical seals and causing her to cry out in pain.

“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” she gasped.

The magical seals were closely bound to her soul, so the pain was soul-deep—unbearable for any ordinary being.

“Hurry up! The sooner you speak, the less you’ll suffer,” Xu Cheng said, crossing his legs and sitting to the side.

“You… you mean you don’t know?” Qing Shu stared in surprise. “Aren’t you Lü Tai’s hired help?”

“Let me reintroduce myself. I am the Right Envoy of the Yellow Springs Holy Sect. Lü Tai is already under our control, so you’d best tell me everything you know, or I’ll send you straight to the Yellow Springs!” Xu Cheng paused; this Qing Shu was indeed sharp. He shattered the disguise crafted by the Little Earth Shaping Art, revealing his skeletal form wreathed in black flames.

Death, terror, and despair swept through the cell. Xu Cheng released the Yellow Springs Gate Technique, which now manifested as a nearly one-meter-tall gate adorned with two skulls flanking its top, with a black dragon coiled between them.

In this form, the technique closely resembled Old Demon Qiong’s, though his gate could reach dozens of meters, while Xu Cheng’s was only one square meter. He reached out, and Qing Shu was lifted into the air.

Grasping her by the neck, he placed her beside the Yellow Springs Gate, letting her feel its chilling aura.

“Let’s talk! Please, let’s talk! Don’t throw me in there! Please don’t throw me in there! Lord Right Envoy, clearly you’ve been in seclusion for years and don’t know what’s happening in the world!” The serpent demon pleaded, fear-stricken.

“What I know is this: after the Great Heavenly Demon Holy Sect helped Martial Emperor Xia unify the realm, Xia Hao somehow acquired the Dragon Transformation Immortal Technique as well as the legendary Dragon Sparrow Blade that is said to break all magic. With these, Xia Hao’s ambition grew, and he sought to destroy the Daoist sects, Buddhist orders, and all spirits and monsters.

We were originally allied, but the Martial Emperor used the Dragon Sparrow Blade to ambush Lord Yunsheng, gravely wounding him. From then on, the alliance was shattered. We later learned that Lü Tai knew the origin of the Dragon Transformation Immortal Technique. We intended to take him back to the Holy Sect for questioning, but ran into you instead!”

Qing Shu recounted everything in detail. Xu Cheng mused that there was much more to this tale than he’d realized. Now that Lü Tai was under Old Demon Qiong’s control, it was unclear if he still held the secret to the Dragon Transformation Immortal Technique.

So, what should he do with Qing Shu?

Should he sacrifice her to the Yellow Springs, or keep her alive for a while longer?

“Lord Right Envoy of Yellow Springs, your bones are so impressive, so stylish! Surely you won’t kill me!” she pleaded, hoping to escape now that she had no further value.

“Stay quiet for now. I’ll decide your fate later,” Xu Cheng replied, then left the cell. This world was far more complex than he’d imagined, with tangled factions: Daoists, Buddhists, spirits, monsters, and even many experts in the royal court.

Returning to Old Demon Qiong’s residence, Xu Cheng decided it was best to focus on cultivation and see if he could further develop his Little Earth Shaping Art.

Seated quietly, Xu Cheng activated his Yellow Springs Eye to its utmost, beginning his deduction.

The runes of the Little Earth Shaping Art flashed rapidly before him.

He scrambled the runes, then reorganized them.

After the time it takes for incense to burn, Xu Cheng was drenched in sweat; the Little Earth Shaping Art was indeed more complex than he’d imagined.

Even after deducing over three thousand runes, he hadn’t reached the end, but pressed on.

When he reached six thousand runes, his vision filled with boundless earth, its pressure suffocating him—an oppression that struck the soul.

At last, the advanced version of the Little Earth Shaping Art emerged: the Minor Xu Earth Shaping Art, containing eight thousand one hundred magical runes.

Because this spell was painstakingly deduced by Xu Cheng, the moment it appeared, he grasped the profound principles of Earth Shaping’s heavenly laws. From now on, the boundless earth would obey his will—so long as the earth endured, his magic would not cease.

He rested for a moment; the deduction had taxed his spirit enormously.

Only when his mind and energy were fully restored did Xu Cheng begin to condense the magical runes of the Minor Xu Earth Shaping Art.

The entire night passed as he condensed all eight thousand one hundred runes.

Meanwhile, from the room behind him, Old Demon Qiong still brewed a terrifying aura.

Who knew what scene would unfold once the Yellow Springs Path was fully opened?

“Earth, come!” Xu Cheng stretched out his hand. The magical runes of the Minor Xu Earth Shaping Art connected with the outside world; yellow earth coiled itself around him, transforming Xu Cheng back to his former appearance.

This reminded him of a character from an anime in his previous life—a man with a giant gourd of sand on his back who could control sand at will. Amused, Xu Cheng tried it himself, and indeed, his appearance resembled that character quite closely.

With a gourd of earth nearly as tall as himself strapped to his back, he needed to test this new spell’s effects.

Immediately, an earth dragon formed beneath his feet. Xu Cheng stood on its head, feeling a carefree sense of riding the dragon.

Dismissing the earth dragon, he dropped from the sky to the ground without injury. The Minor Xu Earth Shaping Art not only controlled the earth, but also harmonized and shaped it.