All of us are one

Chapter 137 The Terrifying Power of Devouring Dao Lineages

"Master Ding, I didn't mean to mock you." Qin Li noticed that Ding Hao's expression was off, so he explained, "The profound meaning that the young alliance leader comprehended through cultivating the Xuan Shui Visualization Method is similar to the sword intent in the alliance leader's handwriting, so he was able to try to comprehend the sword intent."

"Hmm." Ding Hao's expression improved slightly.

"Gentlemen, things have been quite turbulent in Bihai City lately. Various forces have secretly sent people here. Let's escort the young alliance leader to the Liang residence first," Jiang Zhi advised.

"Master Jiang's words make sense." Ji Fan nodded in agreement.

"Let's leave here first. I sense that quite a few people are watching us from the shadows," Chen Moqun said calmly.

"Let's go then." Jiang Yanming walked towards the nearest carriage.

"I'm traveling in the same carriage as the young leader," Jiang Zhi asked. "Are Elder Chen and Hall Master Ji traveling together?"

"I'll pass. With Master Jiang protecting me, that's enough." Ji Fan smiled and shook his head. The two uncles and nephews were probably talking in the same car, so what would it be of him, an outsider, to interfere?

"I'll cover the rear," Chen Moqun replied calmly. With Jiang Zhi, a top expert, providing close protection, he figured he wouldn't need to come along.

After all, his forte is fighting and killing, not protecting people.

"In that case, I'll trouble Hall Master Ji to lead the way," Jiang Zhi said, cupping his hands in greeting.

"No problem." Ji Fan returned the greeting with a cupped hand and then walked towards the carriage parked in front.

soon.

Everyone boarded the carriages, and the caravan departed from the port under the escort of the black-armored cavalry.

……

On a moving carriage.

Jiang Yanming and Jiang Zhi sat facing each other. The former's expression was calm and normal, while the latter's eyes showed a hint of guilt.

"How is Senior Liang doing?" Jiang Yanming asked first.

"We met with Senior Liang about half a month ago," Jiang Zhi said softly. "From what I can sense, Senior Liang's vital energy is not declining, and his complexion is just like that of an ordinary person. He doesn't seem to be nearing the end of his life."

Jiang Yanming pondered upon hearing this, when the inner demon spoke.

"Boy, you cultivate the martial arts of qi and blood, so you must have secret techniques to forcibly mobilize qi and blood and cover up their decline." The inner demon then transmitted a message in his mind, "Of course, the patriarchs of those three major families may also be trying to lure out the enemy by spreading the false news that their lifespan is about to end."

"If Senior Liang really used that secret technique of forcibly mobilizing qi and blood, he's probably not far from death," Jiang Yanming replied calmly.

"So, you prefer the latter?" the inner demon asked.

"No, I think the former is more likely," Jiang Yanming sighed. "Knowing Senior Liang as I do, he wouldn't want to prolong his own life in such a precarious state, rather than lure the enemy out!"

"That's not necessarily true," the inner demon argued.

"Senior Liang secured the most prestigious promises in Beiliu City for the three great families, and even attempted to arrange a marriage between me and the eldest daughter of a younger generation. He did everything he could," Jiang Yanming said calmly. "He has done more than enough for the three great families. Why can't he die with some dignity?"

"That makes some sense," the inner demon indicated in agreement.

The strong have their pride. For example, when the lifespan of a Void Returning Immortal or a Divine Transformation Immortal is about to end, they will definitely make arrangements for reincarnation and cultivation in advance, rather than quietly waiting to pass away.

Then there's Xinmo himself. Knowing full well that the Heavenly Demon Path's Nascent Soul Immortal would ambush him, and that the opponent must have made many preparations, even calculating his various escape methods, he chose to fight to the death and refused to retreat, causing the Nascent Soul Immortal to suffer severe injuries.

"Boy, you fell for the eldest daughter of the Zhen family back then, why didn't you take the opportunity to agree to the marriage alliance?" the inner demon suddenly asked.

"I may be tempted, but I have a lot to consider," Jiang Yanming said calmly. "The three major families of Jiangnan are a difficult group to deal with. With my father not back, the Great River Alliance can't suppress powerful forces like Beiliu City that have top experts in charge."

"Tsk tsk, the cultivation insights of a powerhouse above the pinnacle." The inner demon chuckled, "How similar this is to the lineage of cultivators who have lost the presence of Void Returning Earth Immortals, except that the struggle for the Great Dao is gone."

The path to immortality was severed, and the lifespan of those who returned to the Void was greatly reduced, causing many lineages to lose their inheritance. For example, after the destruction of the Formless Demonic Path, the Heart Demonic Path and the Water Moon Sect became involved.

"By the way, you mentioned before that the Devouring Daoist lineage was quite powerful, and that the body-refining methods it left behind were very useful to me. What's the reason behind that?" Jiang Yanming asked curiously.

"The Devouring Dao lineage—that's the powerful lineage that creates countless Celestial Immortals, True Immortals, and even higher-ranking beings," the inner demon remarked with some emotion. "However, the Devouring Dao is too terrifying and difficult to control. Those who comprehend it will eventually reach the extreme of feeding on all things in heaven and earth, thus incurring the joint siege of the righteous, demonic, and evil paths!"

"Oh, even the heretical sects have gotten involved?" Jiang Yanming exclaimed in surprise.

Righteous cultivators in the cultivation world take saving all living beings as their mission, and only in this way can they reap good results and accumulate merit.

The demonic path emphasizes freedom and self-discipline, is not bound by worldly ethics, and pursues the Great Way with a clear conscience; its path differs from the righteous path.

The evil path is intolerable to both the righteous and demonic paths in the cultivation world. Those who stop at nothing to cultivate the Great Dao, such as killing to seize souls and performing blood sacrifices to refine souls, are all considered to be on the evil path. The sects that follow this path include the Blood Fiend Path and the Myriad Souls Sect...

"The Devouring Daoist lineage loves to devour evil cultivators the most. They can both act on behalf of Heaven and increase their cultivation. How could the evil path not get involved?" The Heart Demon sneered.

"Eating cultivators can increase one's cultivation level, and devouring lineages is not considered an evil path?" Jiang Yanming asked in surprise.

"Not counting the beginning, the Devouring Daoist lineage developed rapidly, and quite a few of them turned into evil paths. In addition, for some reason, those powerful beings who ascended suddenly joined forces to besiege the Devouring Daoist lineage."

The inner demon said matter-of-factly, "Even the higher-ups have spoken, so the various lineages of cultivation naturally have to step in. As a result, the Devouring Lineage was destroyed, and the remaining lineages could not amount to anything."

"After I start cultivating the body-refining method that devours the Dao lineage, won't other cultivators consider me a heretic?" Jiang Yanming asked.

"Heh, the Devouring Dao lineage has been severed, and that method can only be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment stage at most. Otherwise, how could it have been allowed to circulate freely by various Dao lineages?" The inner demon changed the subject, "However, some rogue cultivators who obtain the body-refining method of the Devouring Dao lineage can easily fall into evil paths if they lack self-control."

"How so?" Jiang Yanming asked curiously.

"The Devouring Daoist lineage is all about eating!" the inner demon said solemnly. "Then the body-refining method is to enhance digestion and absorption. At first, eating ordinary grains can strengthen the physique, but later it requires the flesh and blood of wild beasts, spirit grains and rice, the flesh and blood of demon beasts, and so on. After that, it requires devouring rare and precious herbs..."

"Ordinary rogue cultivators have limited resources, far less than disciples of major sects. If they are not satisfied with their slow physical improvement, they can easily become tribulation cultivators, plundering resources and even devouring other cultivators to enhance their physique!"

Jiang Yanming remained silent upon hearing this. The Devouring Dao lineage was indeed terrifying; even if the inheritance was severed, it could easily lead cultivators to fall into evil ways.

"It's not a problem for you. After all, once you awaken a certain identity, your strength will increase significantly, much faster than devouring a lineage," the inner demon chuckled. "If the cultivators of the cultivation world knew about this, they would all be shocked."

At this time.

Seeing that Jiang Yanming remained silent for a long time, Jiang Zhi asked, "Aming, do you think Senior Liang is trying to lure the snake out of its hole?"