I, the beasts, demons, and spirits number many, cultivating toward the Dry Stem positions of the Divine! Each continent’s denizens boast their own lifespan.

Humans and beasts have the shortest lifespans, barely reaching a century or two before they must surrender their souls to the Yellow Springs; demons and monsters, depending on their kind, also have fixed lifespans. Ancient Divine Beasts, even without cultivation, possessed lifespans reaching ten thousand years.

A cultivator's longevity is tethered to their level of practice. For instance, a disciple in the Qi Drawing stage might only have two to three hundred years of life remaining before their time is up.

Should one manage the fortune to establish a Dao Foundation, their lifespan is secured for at least five hundred years. Those at the Core Condensation stage are limited to a millennium, and the higher one ascends, the longer life extends.

Yet, the path of genesis and destruction remains the constant rule of the Heavenly Dao.

Where there is life, there must be demise; let alone ordinary cultivators, even cultivators who traverse the Tribulation or reach the Mahayana stage face an eventual day of stillness.

If one cannot take that final step, true eternal life remains unattainable.

This Heavenly Emperor was a great demon from forty thousand years ago. Disgusted by the filth of the mortal world, he expended immense effort to construct this realm, the Profound Realm, naming it the True Person Realm. Gradually, he guided all the good and virtuous people from the outside world here, establishing rules, and indeed, forging a world of peace and harmony.

Alas, such fortune was not to last. The next generation of these people proved mixed in quality; the wicked deeds and malicious thoughts were learned effortlessly, without instruction. In mere decades, this True Person Realm devolved back into a chaotic mess.

The Heavenly Emperor was furious, unleashing thunderous torrents and floods to exterminate that era’s inhabitants, then seeking out another batch of good people to rebuild the True Person Realm. This time, he dared not slacken; he watched diligently, moment by moment. As soon as a wicked person appeared, they were excised. Furthermore, he governed the realm based on absolute faith in the Heavenly Emperor, which managed to sustain the peace for a longer time.

Who knew that not long after, among these good people, some grew intelligent and enlightened, comprehending the Great Dao, achieving various insights into longevity, freedom, and nirvana. While this was not inherently an evil, it shook the very foundation of faith in the Heavenly Emperor. Even if some benefited from these insights, their absolute belief in the Heavenly Emperor was naturally fractured.

"As long as the Sages do not perish, the great thieves will not cease!"

The Heavenly Emperor became utterly enraged. He executed all these Sages who comprehended the Great Dao on their own, then brainwashed the people whose faith wavered, reinstating their absolute belief in him. From this point on, he established the management system of temples and worship.

As a result, peace reigned for over ten millennia, and nothing untoward occurred.

He grew increasingly convinced of his divine power, truly believing himself the Heavenly Emperor. His mind began to swell with arrogance, spending his days in pleasure and slumber, ignoring worldly affairs?

Until recently.

He suddenly realized he was about to die.

The great demon had lived for forty-eight thousand years and had never once considered the prospect of his own death. After all, his lifespan had continually increased throughout his cultivation; he could not possibly have imagined that time could pass so swiftly in the end.

Forty thousand years felt like the blink of an eye. By the time he sensed it, his lifespan was nearly exhausted.

Impossible!

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

He discovered his power was weakening madly. Terror gripped him, and finally, he entertained the thought of consuming people.

He was, after all, a demon originally; it was only natural for demons to devour humans.

Blood-food could grant him strength, offering him the illusion that his life force was not draining away. Once this floodgate opened, it could never be closed.

At first, he only ate one or two people. Later, he consumed a dozen, then dozens. Finally, it escalated to the point where he needed to devour eight hundred people a day just to barely maintain his strength?

"They are all my subjects! They were all going to die anyway. What sin is there in me consuming a few hundred of them!"

The Heavenly Emperor shrieked hysterically, his voice sharp with anguish.

"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. Even if you consume eight hundred every day, it seems insignificant compared to the total number, but how long can they endure your relentless consumption over the years?"

Luo Lianxin scoffed coldly, "Do you know that ten years ago, the Great Han Dynasty still had five million people? You have consumed so many; this True Person Realm is collapsing day by day—do you not consider that a monumental sin?"

The Heavenly Emperor blinked in confusion. "H-how many have I eaten? No, that’s wrong!"

He waved his hands wildly. "In the True Person Realm, people can breed. I eat a few hundred daily, and they birth a few hundred daily; how could the numbers decrease?"

"Hahahaha!" Even Feng Zikang couldn't help but laugh. "You demon are truly foolish. Those you consume are all prime young adults who shouldn't have died yet. Moreover, they were precisely the ones who should have been bearing children; since you ate them, where are the newborns? As the elderly pass away naturally, the population of the True Person Realm naturally dwindles!"

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

"It matters 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 meddle in what is not your concern?"

"Nonsense!"

Luo Lianxin interrupted him. "You did not create the beings in this realm. What great power do you possess that you can create life? Were they not souls guided over from the outside world? Your current slaughter violates the Heavenly Dao—you deserve death!"

She looked down upon the Heavenly Emperor. "Of course, this was not our affair initially. However, the Heavenly Dao used the Great Reincarnation Plate to send us here to eliminate you. 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 transformed into a fish tail, which swept fiercely, knocking away all of Luo Lianxin’s treasures. He spat open his mouth, and a vast tide of blood mist surged forth, engulfing both Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin.

Feng Zikang felt a violent gust rush toward him. As he raised his sword to defend, the scenery before him abruptly shifted. He found himself standing in a desolate desert bathed in crimson light, with only boundless red mist ahead, nothing else visible.

Beside him stood Luo Lianxin, frowning slightly, nodding as she said, "So, it is this artifact. I wondered how he managed to organize a Profound Realm like this..."

"Oh? Senior Sister has discerned his origin?"

Although Feng Zikang was filled with surprise and uncertainty, seeing Luo Lianxin so composed, he calmed himself. Hearing that she seemed to understand the trick, he inquired.

"If I am not mistaken, this demon is a Puyu spirit. The Miasma condensed within its body can create limitless illusory realms. He has currently drawn us into the illusory realm within his belly." Hmph, he must have used this very method to beguile the inhabitants of the True Person Realm. Otherwise, with human nature being so varied, how could it have been managed so uniformly by him!"

"Puyu spirit?"

Feng Zikang had heard of the Hanyu (a potential typo for Puyu contextually) being skilled at creating illusions, spewing Miasma to confuse people. This Heavenly Emperor, having cultivated for so long, could certainly craft such a massive illusion. He scrutinized the scene but could not detect the slightest trace of artifice.

"Originally, he used blood-colored energy to confuse people, which made me hesitant and unsure. Only later did I recall: he has eaten countless people over these decades. Naturally, his original pure white Miasma has transformed into this appearance..."

Over these decades, this Bangyu (another potential contextual reference) spirit had consumed so many people that even its internal Miasma had been dyed red, laden with immense sin.

"What should we do now?" Feng Zuthn (a likely typo for Feng Zikang) asked. Luo Lianxin shook her head. "I am unsure myself. However, ancient records of the strange and uncanny suggest that within the belly of the Bangyu, there is no real danger, only an endless illusory realm meant to confuse living beings. As long as we can break out of this illusion, we can naturally slay the demon."

"But where does one break out from in this vast, crimson desert?"

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

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

Luo Lianxin pondered for a long time, then nodded. "However, we must strictly guard our true hearts and not be swayed by external things. Otherwise, if we are trapped within this fish-belly illusion, there will be no day we escape."

Feng Zikang nodded. Raising their sword lights, they flew toward the city gate.

"Halt!"

As they reached the city gate, a small gate guard suddenly shouted, "Where have the demons come from? Approaching the outskirts of our Yuezhi City, you dare display your supernatural powers!"

Feng Zikang frowned, initially intending to kill this insolent fellow, but recalling Luo Lianxin's warning about rashly causing bloodshed that might trigger the illusion, he restrained himself. He cupped his hands and landed his sword light.

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

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

"Oh!" The guard's expression changed. "So you are cultivators. Please forgive my earlier rudeness. However, our Yuezhi City has always been a solitary fortress in this vast desert; there is no defined path, which I, perhaps, do not know."

This was within Feng Zikang's expectations. "Then please grant us passage so we may enter the city to ask around; perhaps we will gain some insight."

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

"This illusion is truly strange." Everything on the street appeared completely real, including the passing pedestrians, appearing utterly tangible—not at all like an illusion. Feng Zikang pondered for a long time without grasping anything. Conversing with people yielded no results.

"The fish-belly illusion is precisely like this. Strange things can be encountered everywhere here. As long as our true hearts remain unclouded, we will surely find a way to break free of the illusion."

Luo Lianxin looked around but saw no clues. Suddenly, she heard a frantic shout from ahead.

"Bad news! Bad news! A monstrous beast attack is coming! Everyone scatter!"

Feng Zikang and Luo Lianxin started, looking up to see a mass of dark, terrifying three-headed giant birds in the eastern sky. They were hideous, issuing guttural cries, their foul, stinking saliva dripping as they swooped down upon the city.

"What are these things?"

Even the well-traveled Luo Lianxin did not recognize them. Seeing the ferocity of the attack, her beautiful face paled slightly.

"Senior Sister need not worry; this is merely an illusion, certainly not real!" Feng Zikang, being an incarnation of the Formless Heavenly Demon, was most adept at controlling the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, his six senses perfectly clear. Firmly holding 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 screamed and fled, and the sounds of doors slamming shut echoed continuously.

Feng Zikang moved aside, his sword light flashing, severing several monstrous birds. Their blood was strangely yellow and viscous, nauseating to behold. Luo Lianxin let out a sharp cry, also moving aside, her sleeves whipping out silver light as she desperately cut down these birds.

The birds were numerous, and the two were gradually separated. Feng Zikang swung thousands of sword lights in anxiety, hacking down countless birds. The remaining ones let out mournful cries before fleeing. As a shower of feathers descended, Luo Lianxin was nowhere in sight.

"Senior Sister Luo..."

Feng Zikang's heart tightened. He looked around. The area was empty; he was truly alone.

As he felt apprehension, a troop of golden-armored guards suddenly rushed around the street corner and surrounded him. The leader bowed respectfully to him. "Young Hero, your might is impressive; you have eliminated a great threat to our Yuezhi City. Please accompany me to the Royal Palace; His Majesty the King will surely reward you generously."

"Oh?" This city had a King? Feng Zikang suspected this might be the path to breaking the illusion, so he remained composed. Although Luo Lianxin had vanished, seeking answers from these golden-armored guards was unlikely to yield results. It was better to take things one step at a time and meet this King first.

He nodded. The guard captain was delighted and led the way into the city.

The Royal Palace was magnificent, topped with a blood-colored crystal ornament that emitted a peculiar glow. 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, sounds of music drifted out from within. The golden-armored guard rushed out, face beaming with joy. He beckoned Feng Zikang to enter.

"Young Hero, His Majesty the King is deeply grateful and has specially prepared a feast in the palace to host you—this is an unprecedented event in Yuezhi City!"

Beaming with pleasure, he led Feng Zikang inside, where he saw a King seated upon the Golden Mirror Hall dais. The King's features bore a slight resemblance to Ye Tiansheng. Feng Zikang smiled faintly, thinking to himself that this was indeed the disorientation of the illusion.

A grand banquet was laid out in the palace. Naturally, the King eagerly urged Feng Zikang to take the seat of honor. Countless rare delicacies and fine wines were present, but Feng Zikang, being a cultivator, paid them little heed, barely touching his chopsticks. The King was in high spirits, asking about his origins and name. Feng Zikang did not conceal anything, stating them frankly.

It was just an illusion, so what did it matter if he told them?

Upon hearing he was a cultivator, the King grew even more effusive, urging him to drink. He even summoned the palace's concubines and princesses to come forward and toast him, with singing and dancing continuing late into the night, treating him with extraordinary hospitality.

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

"Immortal Feng, since you possess such great divine power, would you be willing to stay in my Yuezhi City? I can make you my National Guardian Celestial Master, and we can share prosperity and wealth. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

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

Upon hearing this, the princesses blushed intensely, their delicate eyes alternating between pleasure and flirtation as they gazed at Feng Zikang's face.

Feng Zikang laughed heartily, shaking his head and refusing.

"Your Majesty, I am a cultivator. These worldly matters cannot sway me. I must return to my cultivation. There is no need to mention this again!"

The King's expression shifted, then he quickly smiled, nodded, and sighed. "The Immortal is wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao; alas, my daughters are not blessed..." "Since that is the case, Immortal, for helping our Yuezhi City eliminate a grave threat, we must not be discourteous. You must be rewarded. I happen to have a few manuals on cultivation methods and divine techniques here. Since we cannot understand them anyway, it is better to present them to the Immortal!"

He clapped his hands. A young eunuch in purple robes approached slowly, carrying a sandalwood tray. On the tray lay several books. Feng Zikang glanced at them and recognized them clearly, immediately starting in shock!

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

"Formless Heavenly Demon Cultivation Method!"