nyslfriends Chapter 17 Mirage
Chapter 17 Mirage
The Black Wind King surveyed the scene, his grin stretching almost to his ears. His aura grew increasingly solid, and nourished by the overwhelming demonic and malevolent energy filling the cave, it seemed poised to surge even higher.
It raised its hand and pressed down again, and a heavy demonic power spread down like a tide, suppressing the noise in the cave inch by inch.
"Gentlemen," the Black Wind King's voice was deep and slow, "now that you know of this heaven-sent opportunity, I would like to ask you a question."
It took a step forward, and the entire cave trembled slightly with that step.
"Are you going to Qinghe County or not?"
The cave was silent for a moment, then a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami breaking through everything.
"go!"
"We'll trample Qinghe County!"
"Eat them all!"
The Black Wind King laughed loudly, his voice like muffled thunder. He turned around and strode towards the menacing throne, his black cloak fluttering behind him.
The moment it sat down, its eyes flashed with a sharp light, and its aura suddenly surged.
Xu Changqing saw this and his suspicions were confirmed.
The cultivation method practiced by this black bear spirit is probably some kind of unorthodox approach that uses warfare and conquest to break through barriers.
This Blood Apricot Feast was not only for gathering people to attack the city, but also for using the demons to complete a certain ritual to help it break through the Foundation Establishment stage in one fell swoop.
Seeing this, the Black Wind King waved his hand with satisfaction, his voice resounding through the stone wall: "Good, now that the plan is set, we shall eat the blood apricots together to bolster our spirits."
Before he finished speaking, several alluring female demons gracefully stepped forward, carrying jade platters.
The blood apricots presented were of three colors and varied in size. The worst ones were the size of pigeon eggs, with dark red skin and sparse fine lines, and were what ordinary demon soldiers ate.
The medium-grade ones are like chicken eggs, entirely red, and are given to prominent leaders and figures in the cave.
The top-grade coins, numbering a dozen or so, were as large as fists and as red as congealed blood. They were placed in the center of a jade plate and presented to the distinguished guests.
Xu Changqing, as a distinguished guest, also received one.
A strange, sweet, and slightly fishy aroma then filled the air, mixing with the foul smell in the cave to create a captivating and alluring temptation.
The demons' gazes were instantly captured, greed and desire surging in their eyes.
Black Wind King grabbed one, opened his huge mouth and swallowed it whole, letting out a comfortable low growl from his throat, and his demonic aura visibly swelled up.
"Try it, everyone. This is a rare treasure that I created by watering it with the essence and blood of a thousand people and nourishing it with black wind and miasma. It is of great benefit to cultivation."
Just as the demons were scrambling for the blood apricot and the atmosphere inside the cave was noisy again, Xu Changqing stood up.
He stepped forward, his fire-avoiding robe shimmering with a warm glow under the green flames, and his clear voice drowned out the clamor of the cave.
"Amitabha. Since I have been treated with such hospitality by Your Majesty and am here to celebrate this grand occasion, how can I stand idly by? I would like to offer a stick of my Qingyang Temple's secret-made incense to help my fellow Daoists with their cultivation and to express my sincere gratitude."
All eyes in the cave instantly converged on each other.
Old Huang was embracing the fox demon when he heard this. He narrowed his dim old eyes, his nostrils twitching slightly as he stared at the jade incense holder that Xu Changqing took out from his sleeve.
Although his cultivation was weak, he was most sensitive to matters of divine incense offerings. At this moment, he sensed a faint fragrance emanating from the contents of the tube, and his heart skipped a beat. He blurted out, "Could this be... the famous Youlian Miaoxin Incense of Qingyang Temple? It is said that this incense has the miraculous effect of tempering the mind and enhancing spiritual awareness..."
Xu Changqing had already opened the incense holder and taken out a stick of incense. The incense stick was slender and long, its color as dark as ink, with faint golden specks flowing around it, and a dark red dot at the tip resembling a bead of congealed blood.
Before it is lit, the exotic fragrance is completely gone, but as soon as it appears in the world, it stirs people's hearts.
"Fellow Daoist Huang has discerning eyes." Xu Changqing nodded, holding the incense stick between his fingertips, his voice steady. "What I hold in my hand is the Mysterious Lotus Incense. Moreover, this stick is made primarily of the 'Human Lotus' lotus marrow, cultivated using secret methods of my temple and formed from the essence of resentment and fear. It took seven days to refine it repeatedly with the radiance of the Void Star, and it has a unique and miraculous effect on tempering the mind and nourishing the spirit."
On the main seat, a hint of satisfaction flashed in the eyes of Black Wind King Tong Ling.
"This pale-faced abbot certainly knows how to behave," it sneered inwardly. With a wave of its hand, it said, "Master Xuming is very kind. In that case, light some incense so that all of you fellow practitioners can share in the benefits of the Dharma."
Having received the Black Wind King's approval, Xu Changqing dared not delay, lest he cause more trouble. A wisp of illusory destiny energy shot out from his fingertip like a spark and lightly touched the incense stick.
"laugh--"
A very faint popping sound.
The dark red tip of the incense suddenly shone, transforming into a golden-red spark. Immediately afterward, a wisp of extremely thin, jet-black smoke rose gently. At first, it was only a thin line, but after rising a foot or so into the air, it suddenly dispersed, transforming into a thin veil of pale ink-colored mist that silently spread in all directions. A unique fragrance also blossomed.
Xu Changqing flicked his fingertips, and the smoke split into several streams as if they were alive, silently drifting to various tables and chairs.
Old Huang took a deep breath, and a sudden glint of light appeared in his dim old eyes. He felt his long-dormant consciousness begin to stir slightly, as if a clear spring had seeped into a dried-up riverbed, so comforting that he almost groaned out loud. He inhaled even more deeply, his body steaming with energy, and his yellow skin twitched incessantly.
Jade Fairy sat upright as usual. When she saw the smoke surging in like a tide, she did not push it away, but instead drew a wisp of dark smoke to entwine around her fingertips.
"Indeed, it nourishes the spirit. Although it contains a slight amount of toxicity, it is still a fine product."
The demons in the cave also gradually noticed the abnormality, and they all stopped tearing apart the bloody food, closed their eyes and took deep breaths, their faces showing a look of intoxication.
Xu Changqing stood before the table, holding incense sticks in his hand, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire area. Seeing that the smoke had already filled half of the cave, and the exotic fragrance permeated the souls of the demons, he suddenly spoke loudly.
"Just now, Fellow Daoist Centipede Boy mentioned observing my magic. Now, with the incense smoke rising, it is the perfect time. I will make a fool of myself and use this incense as a catalyst to perform a 'Mirage Illusion' to entertain you all, and consider it a rehearsal for conquering Qinghe County."
After speaking, without waiting for the demons to react, he held incense in his left hand and held his right hand with fingers pointing like a sword, hovering it in front of his chest.
The vital energy within his body quietly circulated, fully activating an illusion technique recorded in the "Heavenly Void Nourishing Life Scripture".
His fingertips shimmered with starlight as he gently touched the dark, billowing smoke in the air.
In an instant, the light ink-like mist that had been slowly spreading seemed to be infused with life, and suddenly surged up.
Wisps of smoke twisted and swirled, intertwining and spreading, instantly filling the entire cave with a dense, dark cloud overhead.
The fragrance surged, a blend of crisp lotus scent, deep sweetness, and soul-stirring warmth... a magnified and intertwined sensations that surged like a tidal wave over the souls of every demon.
Xu Changqing muttered incantations, seemingly activating illusion spells, but in reality, he was drawing in his inner life force, guiding the essence of the incense to combine with the illusion.
"I...I saw it..." A tusked boar demon was the first to be mesmerized. It threw away the blood-soaked bone club in its hand, its eyes glazed over as it stared at the swirling smoke and clouds in the sky, muttering, "The Ancestral Beast...it's the Ancestral Beast manifesting! It's passing on the true scriptures to me...yes, it's the 'Heavenly Gang Mane Armor Technique'! Hahaha, I'm going to become a demon king!"
It danced wildly, its demonic aura surging erratically, as if it were truly receiving a supreme inheritance.
"Master... Master, you've finally agreed to see me..." In another corner, a fox demon, tears streaming down her face, knelt and kowtowed to the air. "Disciple knows her mistake and will never again steal seductive arts... Please, Master, grant me... grant me again..."
It was incoherent, its cheeks flushed, its body writhing, lost in a terrible hallucination.
"Ancestor! It's the Ancestor bestowing upon us power!" A bull demon suddenly stood upright, roaring to the sky, its palms clasped together as if receiving a surge of demonic energy. "I feel it... the Foundation Establishment barrier is loosening! I'm about to break through! Hahaha!"
More demons and monsters became trapped in their own inner demons and illusions.
Some laughed wildly upon seeing their enemies executed; others danced and gestured wildly upon discovering secret texts; still others revealed their ugly side when entwined with their dream lovers.
Some with weak minds even believe they have become the masters of heaven and earth, commanding mountains and rivers, and spouting nonsense...
Inside the cave, the chaos of demons was even greater than before, all immersed in the mirages created by the fragrant illusions, which directly attacked their deepest desires.