Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 139 - 135: Daoist Bailong
The two sides of the door were like two different worlds.
A curious smile appeared on Zhou Yuanjue's face.
He stepped fully into the courtyard, and the gate slowly closed behind him. When he turned to look back, there was no gate. In its place was a garden overflowing with the breath of life.
He knew everything around him was fake, but that only made it more astounding. To his eyes, the false scenery was virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
The warmth of the sun, the sweet fragrance of the flowers, even the gentle breeze—it all felt so real.
This was an illusion that could pass for reality!
Everything here must have been specially crafted, emitting a peculiar magnetic field. These objects, through their specific arrangement, had drastically altered the surrounding magnetic field, exerting a powerful influence on both the minds and bodies of living beings.
It was only because he had reached Saint Awakening, possessing an incredibly powerful Life Magnetic Field and terrifying physical constitution, that he could perceive the "false" aspect of the scenery. Had a top-tier Martial Artist or an ordinary person entered the courtyard, they likely would have been completely deceived, both mentally and physically, believing everything around them to be real.
The Peach Blossom Spring, a Demonic Mirage, an Immortal Cave Heaven—they could hardly be better than this.
This was "Magic."
He walked deeper into the courtyard and rounded a corner, soon seeing an azure pond. A pavilion stood in its center, wreathed in mist. Golden Lotuses, radiating a sacred light, floated on the water's surface. It was just like an Immortal Realm.
At that moment, an old man with white hair, dressed in a Daoist Robe, sat in the pavilion with his back to him.
The table before him was laden with all sorts of delicacies, and the enticing aroma of wine wafted from a Jade Bottle.
Just then, his arrival seemed to startle the old Daoist in the pavilion. The Daoist's neck twitched as he turned his head.
However, what made Zhou Yuanjue's pupils shrink was that the old Daoist's face was not human.
It had pale, wrinkled skin, a mouth full of fangs, and blood-red eyes. It was ferocious and terrifying.
It was, unmistakably, the face of a Celestial Demon.
The very instant he saw that face, the warm, bright sun in the sky suddenly dimmed. Everything full of Vitality around him rapidly aged and withered. The azure pond turned into a pool of blood, and the Golden Lotuses floating on the water became terrifying Black Lotuses.
Insects flew through the air like desiccated specimens, and birds were reduced to skeletons, their calls like a funeral dirge.
One thought, paradise. The next, Hell.
At the same time, his body began to undergo a tangible change.
He felt his clothes and hair rapidly decaying. Large patches of his skin and flesh rotted away, and his whole body grew numb, withering bit by bit. A thick, nauseating fluid trickled from his armpits, and a foul stench emanated from his entire being.
One second, his body was bathed in a jade-like light, pure and flawless, transcending humanity like a Bodhisattva, a perfect union of strength and beauty. But the next, it had become this hideous form, causing even him to feel a surge of revulsion toward himself.
Filthy garments, a withered crown, pus from the armpits, a stinking body, and discontent with one's own form.
These were the Five Declines of the Celestial Being.
Even a Celestial Being could not escape the fate of decay.
"Form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and even the Spirit. To think it can affect all six senses... impressive indeed. But all illusions are ultimately just that—illusions."
"Strip away the five senses, and finally, discard thought. That which remains in the heart is the 'Dao.' I have already found my Dao. No illusion can fool me."
Zhou Yuanjue spoke faintly. At the very moment his body was about to decay, without any conscious control from him, the flame of transcendence—deeply imprinted upon his "self," ever-present in the depths of his consciousness, the very flame that had once pulled him back from the brink of death—slowly ignited, burning fiercely through his body.
All filth was purged by the flames. His body became full and strong once more, the jade-like light blazing. A powerful Life Magnetic Field spread out, dispelling the illusions around him.
"Impressive indeed. It seems Liehong Mountain was right. I can no longer treat you as a newcomer to Saint Awakening. With that, this old Daoist can rest easy."
The old Daoist chuckled, waving his hand. The pervasive magnetic fields in the area instantly dissipated, revealing the courtyard's true appearance.
Moonlight spilled into the dim, sprawling courtyard. Stuck in the ground were numerous small yellow banners, swaying gently in the night breeze. On the palm-sized surfaces of these banners were crimson markings that looked like fresh blood.
Zhou Yuanjue had felt something similar from the Demon-Catching Bottle. These items... they seemed to be "alive."
On the plane, Zhou Yuanjue had taken the time to read a great deal of classified data from the Secret Inspection Bureau concerning Saint Awakening and Spirit Guardians, so he already had some understanding of such things.
These were so-called "Dharma Artifacts." They were created through special methods, and their purpose was to extend and amplify the strength of one's own Life Magnetic Field to a certain degree, or even cause it to undergo a kind of mutation.
This technique was quite common among Spirit Guardians. The banners were stained with the blood of a Saint Awakening practitioner—and not just ordinary blood, but "Essence Blood."
So-called Essence Blood was blood separated from the body after a Saint Awakening practitioner had closely integrated their mind and body. This blood possessed extreme activity and an intense Life Magnetic Field. However, each separation caused considerable damage to both body and mind.
"Come, have a seat."
The white-haired old Daoist's voice reached Zhou Yuanjue's ears. He looked toward a corner of the courtyard. There was no pond, no pool, no pavilion—only a simple stone table.
A white-haired old Daoist with the ruddy complexion of a young man sat at the stone table, his eyes narrowed into a grin as he looked at Zhou Yuanjue.
"Weren't there supposed to be a 'few' of you? Are you the only one here?"
With a calm expression, Zhou Yuanjue walked over and sat down on the other side of the stone table.
"Hehe, they saw only what I wanted them to see. The other two are already on their way into the Kunlun Mountain Range," the old Daoist said with a chuckle.
"It seems even the Secret Inspection Bureau can't be fully trusted," Zhou Yuanjue said thoughtfully.
"The Celestial Demons' abilities are bizarre. Some things are impossible to explain. Take the Haisa Island incident, for example. The infiltration by multiple Celestial Beings says a lot. In short, it's best to be cautious. The fewer people who know about certain things, the better."
"Allow me to introduce myself. You can call me 'Daoist Bailong,'" the old Daoist said with a smile.
'Daoist Bailong?'
Zhou Yuanjue raised an eyebrow.
From the data he had read, he knew this man's identity was far from simple. He was one of the first Spirit Guardians to cooperate with the higher-ups and was now the leader of the Spirit Guardian forces within the Secret Inspection Bureau.
It was said that he had inherited the bloodline of the ancient hero "Xi."
