Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 674 - 563: Wounds of the Dao

"This must be the artifact spirit of the Flying Immortal Pot."

Hearing Xu Zhitian predict his death within ten years, Dongfang Xiong showed no surprise. Instead, he smiled and asked Qi Xiu.

"Yes, how did the Acting Sect Leader know?"

Not yet recovered from the shock of Dongfang Xiong having only ten years left, Qi Xiu nodded slightly.

"Before Qingchen left, he informed me that your return might bring back an Innate Dao Divine Artifact.

And this gentleman here can appear before me out of thin air; he must be in the Primordial Spirit Realm, which is self-evident in identity.

With this gentleman by your side, those entities in the Hell Forest truly cannot harm you."

Seeing Xu Zhitian's appearance, Dongfang Xiong's mind settled down.

The Innate Dao Divine Artifact is on par with a Primordial Spirit True Honor, or even stronger.

A divine artifact like the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City, which is primarily for battle and slaughter, even ordinary Primordial Spirit True Honor dare not touch its sharpness lightly.

Although Xu Zhitian is an alchemical Dao Divine Instrument, not as domineering as the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City.

He also has the methods of Primordial Spirit level strength.

With his protection, Qi Xiu will be safe and sound.

"Elder Xu, you mentioned that the Acting Sect Leader's lifespan is nearing its end, his fuel and oil exhausted. Is there any way to cure him?" Qi Xiu frowned as he asked, remembering Xu Zhitian's previous words.

No wonder he always felt there was something wrong with Dongfang Xiong's condition, but his cultivation was not deep enough to see through it.

Whereas Xu Zhitian, with the glance of an alchemical Dao Divine Instrument, discerned the key point.

"No, his condition is due to the injuries of the Great Path, different from the backlash I previously suffered.

His injuries are from repeated failures in attempting the Primordial Spirit Great Path,

accumulating injuries, experiencing the Five Decays of Heaven and Man.

Common medicines and longevity items cannot take effect.

The only way to save him is to break through the Primordial Spirit Great Path and attain that True Venerable position.

Otherwise, he can only await death."

Shaking his head, Xu Zhitian revealed Dongfang Xiong's grave injuries, and in his eyes appeared a trace of admiration.

"What keen insight from the elder. I secluded myself for over nine hundred years, attempting the Primordial Spirit Great Path forty-seven times.

Each failure left a scar on my body.

Now, my body is riddled with wounds, with only one more chance left.

If I cannot succeed this time, I will return to the Dao and ascend."

Removing his wide Daoist robe, Dongfang Xiong's thin upper body was covered with various shocking scars.

Some were like sword stabs, some like ax chops, some like whip lashes, and some like steel mace impacts...

Each scar exuded a bit of immense and frightening Dao aura, merely a glance felt like suffering the same attacks, indescribably painful.

These Great Path injuries remained on Dongfang Xiong's body, continuously eroding and worsening his flesh and soul.

Making his flesh and soul weaker day by day, worsening his condition.

That he could simultaneously endure forty-seven Great Path injuries, persisting to this day.

This is also why Xu Zhitian viewed Dongfang Xiong with high regard.

Forty-seven Great Path injuries, even one would be enough to scatter the soul of an ordinary being.

Dongfang Xiong has persisted for so long, evident of his formidable cultivation and unparalleled perseverance.

"You were damaged in your foundation when you attained Dao, and though you later remedied it, it never fully healed.

Without a perfect foundation, no matter how many times you attempt the Primordial Spirit Great Path, it will always end in failure."

A gleam of divine light passed through Xu Zhitian's eyes, his words stirred Dongfang Xiong's expression.

"I was indeed injured in my Dao foundation when I achieved Dao, but I have since used treasure medicine to heal it, never feeling anything amiss in cultivation thereafter. How did you notice, elder?"

"Broken porcelain glued back together—is it the same as before?"

Xu Zhitian's casual remark caused a sharp glint to flash in Dongfang Xiong's eyes. For nearly a millennium, he relentlessly pursued the Primordial Spirit Great Path, always ending in failure.

Even burdened with ever-increasing Great Path injuries, he never considered giving up.

Today, Xu Zhitian's words seemed to grasp a breakthrough opportunity for him.

Perhaps in this last decade, which even he saw as hopeless, there still lies a slender chance...

"Elder Xu, is there a treatment method you possess?"

Qi Xiu knew well that if Dongfang Xiong achieved Primordial Spirit True Honor, the Shenxiao Sect would leap to become a top sect in the Central Earth.

Two True Honors in one sect.

This is not merely a matter of Primordial Spirit Realm power.

But an unprecedented strategic improvement.

If any sect family possesses two Primordial Spirit True Honors, it means one True Honor can oversee the sect while the other goes to war.

With no concerns, a Primordial Spirit True Honor with free hands is like a dragon entering the sea, unstoppable.

So within the Great Xuan Realm, strengths of various Ancient Sect Noble families vary.

Yet the true decisive factor of strength lies in the number of Primordial Spirit True Honors.

"Me? Xu Zhitian? An alchemical Dao Divine Instrument!

Is there any medicine in this world that I cannot refine?"

Raising an eyebrow and glancing at Qi Xiu, Xu Zhitian slightly lifted his head, reciting a verse:

"Heaven's Dao, which lessens what is in excess and replenishes what is lacking, therefore the void defeats the solid, the lacking defeats the excessive...

This child's Dao foundation has been damaged for too long, with too many Great Path injuries.

It's adding insult to injury, worsening on top of already bad.

To restore him to peak state.

Only one medicine is most suitable."

"What medicine?" Qi Xiu asked.

Hearing Qi Xiu's inquiry, Xu Zhitian gave a mysterious smile and slowly uttered a name:

"Heavenly Patching Elixir!"

"This..."

Unexpectedly, after a big circle, it still circled back to the Heavenly Patching Elixir, causing Qi Xiu to smile openly:

"It seems Heaven assists my Shenxiao Sect indeed."

"What do you mean by this?"

Standing nearby, Dongfang Xiong, seeing Qi Xiu smiling so jovially, asked curiously.

Qi Xiu shared with Dongfang Xiong the task entrusted by Wealth God True Lord Shen Wansan of refining the [Heavenly Patching Elixir], with the additional fivefold medicinal ingredients he added.

At that moment, the Acting Sect Leader of Shenxiao Sect, Great Elder, also let out hearty laughter:

"Hahaha, Shen Wansan, who has engaged in commerce for over a thousand years, claiming himself the world's greatest merchant, never expected to find himself outwitted by someone."

"Currently, Wealth God True Lord is collecting immortal grass and treasure medicine for refining the Heavenly Patching Elixir. It's estimated to be sent soon.

According to the amount on the prescription, at least ten portions of the [Heavenly Patching Elixir] can be refined. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Give Shen Wansan one portion, and we can keep nine portions, more than enough."

Qi Xiu believed that with Wealth God True Lord Shen Wansan's methods, coupled with his eagerness for the Heavenly Patching Elixir, he would gather all the immortal grass and precious medicine within a year.

Once collected, he could entrust Elder Xu to first refine one portion. Although the elixir could not heal Dongfang Xiong's Great Path injuries nor break through the lifespan's ten-year limit.

It could repair his Dao foundation temporarily to peak state, allowing him to exert his full strength and attempt the Primordial Spirit Great Path one last time.

As for Shen Wansan's portion, it could be delayed. Otherwise, he would detect the alchemist was not him.

But just as everything was meticulously arranged.

A sudden loud noise erupted.

Suddenly, numerous giant black-red chains, tens of thousands of feet long, sprang out from Hell Forest, suspended above Shenxiao Sect Gate. The surging dark and ghostly energy from Hell raged recklessly, turning the entire sky dim.

Countless visible evil spirits and ghosts roamed the chains with icy, apathetic eyes watching everything around.

It was like a ghostly fiend manifested on earth!

...