I, the myriad beings of beasts, demons, and sprites, cultivate through ten distinct phases leading to the position of Divinity. Each continent boasts its own span of longevity.

Mortals and beasts possess the shortest lifespans, barely exceeding a century or a century and a half before they must release their hold and head toward the Yellow Springs; demons and monsters, depending on their species, also have finite lifespans. Ancient divine beasts, even without cultivation, possessed lifespans reaching ten thousand years.

A cultivator's life is tied to their level of cultivation; for instance, a disciple in the Qi-Induction stage lasts roughly two to three hundred years, and then their time is up.

If one is fortunate enough to establish a Dao Foundation, their lifespan is guaranteed to stretch at least five hundred years; those in the Core Condensation stage are limited to a millennium, and the further one ascends, the longer their life becomes.

However, the cycle of birth and demise remains the immutable law of the Heavenly Dao.

Where there is birth, there must be extinction; never mind ordinary cultivators—even those who successfully pass the Tribulation, the Mahayana cultivators, face their day of eventual silence.

Without taking that final step, true eternal life remains unattainable.

This Heavenly Emperor was a great demon from forty thousand years ago; disgusted by the filthiness of the mundane world, he expended immense effort to construct this very realm, the Profound Realm, naming it the True Person Realm, gradually inviting all the good and righteous people of the world to cross over. He established rules, and indeed, he forged a world of harmony and peace.

Alas, good fortune was not long-lived. The next generation of these people was a mixed bag; the wicked deeds and nefarious thoughts were learned without instruction, requiring no teaching to manifest. In the span of just a few decades, this True Person Realm once again devolved into a chaotic mess.

The Heavenly Emperor flew into a rage, unleashing thunder and floods to exterminate the current age, then painstakingly found a new batch of good people to rebuild the True Person Realm. This time, he dared not be slack, diligently watching over them every moment, purging any wicked person immediately, and governing the world through absolute faith in the Heavenly Emperor. This managed to sustain the realm for a bit longer.

Who knew that not long after, among these good people, some became wise and enlightened, grasping the Great Dao, understanding the principles of immortal freedom and Nirvana rebirth. Although this was not an evil thing in itself, it shook the very foundation of faith in the Heavenly Emperor. Even if some benefited from this understanding, their absolute faith in the Heavenly Emperor was naturally broken.

"As long as the Sages live, the great thieves will never cease!"

The Heavenly Emperor was furious beyond measure. He executed all these Sages who had realized the Great Dao themselves, then brainwashed the people whose faith had wavered, rebuilding their absolute belief in him. From that point on, he established a system of governance centered on temples and worship.

As a result, for over ten thousand years, things were peaceful, and nothing untoward occurred.

He grew increasingly convinced of his immense divine power, believing himself to be a true Heavenly Emperor. His mind began to swell with arrogance, and he spent his days indulging in pleasure and slumber, paying no mind to worldly affairs.

Until recently.

He suddenly realized that he was about to die.

The great demon had lived for forty-eight thousand years and had never once considered the possibility of his own demise. After all, his cultivation had consistently increased his lifespan; he could never have imagined that, in the end, time could pass so swiftly.

Forty thousand years vanished in the blink of an eye. By the time he realized it, his lifespan was nearly exhausted.

Impossible!

He was the Heavenly Emperor, the sovereign of this True Person Realm, the source of merit for this beautiful world—how could he die? How could he allow himself to die?

He felt his power weakening frantically, and in his terror, he finally conceived of devouring others.

He was, after all, a monster at his core; monsters eating humans was only natural according to the laws of heaven and earth.

The taste of blood gave him strength, providing the illusion that his life force was not draining away. Once this door was opened, it could never be closed again.

Initially, he only consumed one or two people; later, it escalated to a dozen, then dozens. Finally, it reached the point where he now needed to devour eight hundred people daily just to barely maintain his strength.

"They are all my subjects! They are all destined to die; what sin is there in me consuming a few hundred of them!"

The Heavenly Emperor shrieked wildly, his voice piercingly mournful.

"To this day, in the True Person Realm, the Great Han Dynasty has sixty-three thousand households, totaling three million four hundred and twenty thousand people. You consume eight hundred every day. While this might seem negligible compared to the total number, how can it withstand your consumption year after year?"

Luo Lianxin chuckled coldly, "Do you know that ten years ago, the Great Han Dynasty still had a population of five million? You have consumed so many people; this True Person Realm is gradually disintegrating. Do you truly believe this is not a monstrous sin?"

The Heavenly Emperor froze for a moment. "Indeed... consumed so many? No, that's wrong!"

He waved his hands frantically. "In the True Person Realm, people can reproduce. If I eat a few hundred people, a few hundred new ones are born daily. How could the numbers decrease?"

"Hahahaha!" Even Feng Zikang couldn't help but laugh. "You monster, you are truly foolish. Those you consume are the prime young adults who shouldn't have died yet. Moreover, they are precisely the ones who should have been bearing children, but you ate them—where are the newborns? The elderly pass away naturally, so of course, the population of the True Person Realm is shrinking!"

The Heavenly Emperor stood stunned for a long moment, his expression gradually darkening.

"I care not! This place was created by me, and these living beings are my subjects. Now that I am about to die, it is only fitting that they be buried with me, becoming my flesh and blood! You two are outsiders; why should you meddle?"

"Nonsense!"

Luo Lianxin cut him off. "The beings in this realm were not created by you either. What great power do you possess to create life? Are they not just souls from the outside world you beckoned over? Your current slaughter violates the Heavenly Dao; you deserve death on that count alone!"

She looked down at the Heavenly Emperor. "Of course, this originally wasn't our concern, but the Heavenly Dao is using the Great Cycle Disk to send us to eliminate you. Just accept your fate!"

"I refuse to submit!"

These words seemed to deeply provoke the Heavenly Emperor. He roared in anger, and the lower half of his body suddenly morphed into a fish tail, which swept violently, knocking away all of Luo Lianxin's treasures. He opened his mouth and spewed forth a vast torrent of bloody mist that surged toward them, engulfing both Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin.

Feng Zikang felt a violent gust rushing toward his face. As he raised his sword to defend, the scenery before his eyes abruptly changed, transporting him to a desolate, blood-colored wasteland, filled with an endless crimson fog where nothing else existed.

By his side stood Luo Lianxin, her brow furrowed. She nodded and said, "So it is this power. I wondered how he managed to structure an entire Profound Realm so completely..."

"Oh? Senior Sister has discerned his origin?"

Although Feng Zikang was filled with doubt and uncertainty, seeing Luo Lianxin so composed, he too remained calm. Hearing that she seemed to have grasped the crux of the matter, he asked for clarification.

"If I am not mistaken, this monster is a Puyu Spirit. The shenqi (mists/vapors) within its body have condensed, allowing it to create an infinite illusionary realm. Right now, he has drawn us into the illusion within his belly." Hmph, he must have used this very method to bewitch the populace of the True Person Realm, otherwise, with the variability of human nature, how could he have controlled them so uniformly!"

"Puyu Spirit?"

Feng Zikang had also heard of the Xian Yu (Clam Fish/Mussel Fish Spirit) being adept at creating illusions, spitting out shenqi to confuse people. This so-called Heavenly Emperor, with his long cultivation, was certainly capable of fabricating such a massive illusionary space. He looked intently but could discern not a single trace of artifice.

"Originally, he used blood-colored energy to mesmerize people, which caused me doubt and prevented certainty. Only later did I recall. He has consumed countless people over these past decades. Naturally, his original pure white shenqi has transformed into this current appearance..."

Having devoured so many people over these decades, the Puyu Spirit had dyed the shenqi within its body entirely red—a weight of accumulated sin and karma.

"What should we do now?" Xun Fan spoke, asking the question aloud. Luo Lianxin shook her head. "Even I am uncertain for the moment. However, ancient texts on the bizarre mention that within the belly of the Bangyu (Clam/Mussel Fish), there is no inherent danger; it is merely an infinite illusion meant to deceive sentient beings. As long as we can break free of this illusionary realm, we can naturally slay the monster."

"But where do we break free from, in this endless blood-red wasteland?"

As Feng Zikang pondered this, a sudden gust of wind swept up ahead, revealing a city.

"Senior Sister, there is a city ahead. Perhaps we should go inquire there; we might find some clue."

Luo Lianxin pondered for a long time, then nodded. "But we must guard our true hearts strictly, lest we be misled by external things. Otherwise, once trapped within this fish-belly illusion, there will be no hope of escape."

Feng Zikang nodded, activated his sword light, and together with Luo Lianxin, they soared toward the city gate.

"Halt!"

Just as they reached the gate, a petty officer shouted loudly, "Where have these demons come from? Approaching the outskirts of our Yuèshì City and daring to flaunt their divine powers!"

Feng Zikang frowned, initially intending to slay the insolent man, but remembering Luo Lianxin's warning not to rashly initiate killing lest it trigger the illusionary array, he merely cupped his hands and descended from his sword light.

"I am a disciple of the Military School from Dragon Tiger Mountain, and this is my Senior Sister. We are not demons. We are merely passing through and wish to inquire about the path."

His words were very appropriate; Luo Lianxin smiled without speaking.

"Oh!" The petty officer's expression changed. "So, esteemed immortals. I beg your pardon for my earlier rudeness. However, our Yuèshì City has always been a solitary outpost amidst this vast desert; there is no clear path, which I, being ignorant, do not know."

This was within Feng Zikang's expectations. "Then please grant us the convenience of entering the city to ask around; perhaps we might find something."

The petty officer nodded, opened the city gates, and allowed them entry.

"This illusionary realm is truly strange." Every object on the street appeared entirely real, including the passersby, who seemed genuine, showing none of the signs of being within an illusion. Feng Zikang pondered for a long time without grasping anything. Inquiries with the locals also yielded no results.

"The fish-belly illusion is like this. All sorts of peculiar things might be encountered here. As long as our true hearts remain unmoved, we will surely find a way to break free from the illusion."

Luo Lianxin looked around but saw no clue. Suddenly, she heard a frantic, loud shout coming from up ahead.

"Disaster! Disaster! Demonic beasts are attacking! Everyone scatter quickly!"

Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin started, looking up to see a massive flock of ugly, three-headed giant birds blotting out the eastern sky, squawking monstrously, spewing foul saliva, and swooping down toward the city.

"What are those things?"

Even the knowledgeable Luo Lianxin failed to recognize them. Seeing the ferocious onslaught, her beautiful face paled slightly.

"Senior Sister, do not worry. This is merely an illusion; it cannot be real!" Feng Zikang, being an incarnation of the Formless Heavenly Demon, was adept at controlling the Six Desires and Seven Emotions, possessing sharp senses. Firmly holding onto his true heart, he quickly spoke to reassure her.

Luo Lianxin seemed to grasp something. She watched as the flock of strange birds plunged into the city. Citizens shrieked and fled, and the sounds of doors slamming shut echoed incessantly.

Feng Zikang shifted aside, sending out a sword light that sliced down several monstrous birds. Their blood was yellowish-brown and viscous, exceedingly nauseating. Luo Lianxin chided him, swiftly moved aside, and unleashed silver light from her sleeves, desperately hacking at the attacking birds.

The monstrous birds were numerous, and the two were gradually separated. Feng Zikang, growing anxious, summoned thousands of sword lights, felling countless creatures. The remaining ones let out a mournful cry and fled. As a rain of feathers descended, Luo Lianxin was nowhere to be seen.

"Senior Sister Luo..."

Feng Zikang's heart tightened. He looked around. It was completely empty; he was truly alone here.

As he grew wary, a squad of golden-armored guards suddenly rushed around the street corner and surrounded him. The leader bowed respectfully. "Young hero, your might is unmatched! You have removed a great menace from our Yuèshì City. Please accompany us to the Royal Palace; the King will surely reward you handsomely..."

"Oh?" This city had a King? Feng Zikang surmised this might be the path to breaking the illusion, so he remained calm. Although Luo Lianxin was missing, seeking answers from these golden-armored guards would likely be fruitless anyway. It was better to take things one step at a time and meet this King first.

He nodded. The captain of the guards was overjoyed and led the way, escorting him deeper into the city.

The Royal Palace was magnificent, topped with a blood-colored crystal that radiated a peculiar light. The golden-armored guards brought him to the palace gate and asked him to wait briefly while they announced his arrival.

A short while later, musical fanfare drifted out from within. The golden-armored guard rushed back out, his face beaming with joy. He beckoned Feng Zikang inside.

"Young hero, His Majesty the King is extremely grateful and has specially prepared a banquet in the palace to entertain you. This is an unprecedented event in Yuèshì City!"

Beaming with delight, he led Feng Zikang inside, where he saw a King seated upon the Golden Mirror Hall. His features bore a slight resemblance to Ye Tiansheng. Feng Zikang smiled faintly, thinking, It is indeed an illusionary reversal.

A grand feast was laid out in the palace. The King solicitously urged Feng Zikang to take the seat of honor. Countless exquisite dishes and rare wines were present, but as Feng Zikang was a cultivator, these things held little appeal, and he barely touched his chopsticks. The King was in high spirits, inquiring about his origins and name. Feng Zikang did not conceal anything and told him frankly.

After all, it was an illusion; what harm was there in speaking?

Upon learning he was a cultivator, the King grew even more excited, urging him to drink more wine, and even commanded his concubines and princesses to come out and offer toasts. Singing and dancing continued nonstop in their enthusiastic hospitality.

After three rounds of drinks, the King, with drunken, peculiar eyes, laughed heartily at Feng Zikang.

"Immortal Master Feng, you possess such divine power. Would you be willing to remain in my Yuèshì City? I would gladly appoint you as the Imperial Celestial Master and share wealth and glory with you—would that not be wonderful?"

"If you find this life too lonely and bleak, though I am untalented, I do have several daughters who are quite beautiful. If Immortal Master does not disdain them, I can offer them all to you as wives and concubines."

The princesses, hearing these words, were overwhelmed with shame, yet their beautiful eyes flickered between delight and coyness as they gazed at Feng Zikang's face.

Feng Zikang roared with laughter, shaking his head as he refused.

"Your Majesty, I am a cultivator. These worldly affairs cannot move me. I must return to my path of cultivation. No need to speak of it further!"

The King's expression shifted, but then he smiled, nodded, and sighed. "Immortal Master’s heart is set upon the Dao; it seems my daughters are not blessed..." "Since that is the case, Immortal Master has removed a great hidden danger for our Yuèshì City, and we must not be discourteous. There must be a reward. I happen to have several volumes of cultivation techniques and divine methods here. Since we cannot understand them anyway, we might as well offer them to the Immortal Master!"

He clapped his hands, and a young eunuch dressed in purple slowly stepped forward, carrying a sandalwood tray. On the tray lay several books. Feng Zikang glanced over them and saw clearly, instantly turning pale with shock!

On the cover of the first book were clearly written six large characters:

"Formless Heavenly Demon Heart Method!"

Twenty-two thousand words for this month, soliciting monthly votes!