Though Xinzi guaranteed that this plan wouldn't affect the world at large, reluctance still flickered in Xue Yuanshao's eyes. In ancient times, the eccentric-alchemist turned crazed-emperor would have welcomed such plans, but after going through the Great Desolation war and escaping death by a hair's breath, his appetite for mayhem had shrunken to virtually nothing. And as he recalled that it was only thanks to an artifact bestowed by Qiu Meng that he managed to survive, Xue Yuanshao's reluctance turned into defiance.
Dongli was the place where his brother-in-law was born, the place where he met his sister, the place where they both partook in the shunned alchemist's experiments and learned his skills. How could he allow this place to get threatened by a rampant demonic creature? Tusha's thoughts were simpler. Xinzi wasn't in the business of doing unnecessary stuff. If he said that he didn't plan to ruin the state, then he didn't—at least not until stated otherwise. And in any case, unlike Xue Yuanshao, the nun had no love for the East—the East betrayed her lord.
"Abbot, as usual your...w-wisdom...knows no bound. By getting rid of the Thousand Road mountain, you can facilitate the takeover of Dongli's Lianist doctrines and spread the faith. I'm just wondering, will your master not investigate the origin of the demon? He has already noticed the existence of Xue Yuanshao, if he notices me as well..." Tusha's words trailed off. After a lifetime of aloofness, the nun had a hard time getting accustomed to the boot-licking skills required in a successful servant. Still, she did her best to learn, and thanks to all the souls that had been processed through her factories, had a decent understanding of the Dongli state.
In Purple Wind city, the Clear Heart monastery was the most influential force, with donors coming from all walks of life to listen to Abbot Qingxin's preaching. But beyond the state capital, it was the Thousand Roads mountain that held sway, setting and regulating all Lianist norms and practices to fit the White Immortal sect's needs. If Xinzi wished to capture the hearts of Lianist faithfuls, he first had to get rid of the Thousand Roads mountain—preferably in convincing fashion. And what more convincing way than having their headquarters get trampled by a demon?
The news alone could shake the citizens' beliefs, making them willing prey for new doctrines. But with Qingxin to watch over Dongli, at best, this move would end up boosting the Clear Heart monastery's prestige. At worst, it'd lead Qingxin to Tusha's door and reduce her lifespan to zero. Neither options appealed to the nun.
"No need to worry about the old man. Even if he walks the threads of Karma and let them guide him to us, he will only sigh in disappointment and return to his temple. In any case, I have bigger concerns to consider. Xue Yuanshao, if you feel that you cannot cooperate with us, well, it's fine, but let's just say that I haven't eaten a Supreme Clarity soul before—even an incomplete one," Xinzi said. In Divine Soul form, the monk's tone carried of the usual merriness—worse, his voice echoed like a cacophony of wailing angels, tearing through mortal ears while seducing them all the same.
Thankfully for them, Xue Yuanshao and Tusha didn't belong to the mortal brass, and could face Xinzi without having their minds turned upside down by his voice. Still, the threat didn't fail to snap Xue Yuanshao's defiance, reminding the old man that his willingness to cooperate had no impact on Xinzi's plans. Recalling the splendid Divine Light that he witnessed through Xiao Hu's soul, Xue Yuanshao shivered and lowered his head in submission. Satisfied, Xinzi shifted his attention back to his mortal body.
"Tusha, cast a concealment spell, then follow with a heaven-grade Qi Absorbing array. Xue Yuanshao, you will be the array's core. I will take care of the rest." Xinzi said, and all three got to work.
With Hengye elders that could arrive at any time, our monk couldn't afford to waste a second. Tusha made the first move, waving one hand at the ceiling. Scarlet veils took shape, expanding as they flew upward and covered the Dream Mountain in a shroud of spiritual concealment. The nun then turned into a flurry of red winds, drawing circles, setting nodes and arranging the layers to fit Xinzi's demands.
Resigned to his role, Xue Yuanshao jumped onto the central node and sat crossed-legged, letting thin blue filaments rise from the nodes and embed themselves in his soul. Lit up by the array, the old man glowed in sky-blue light—becoming a human-shaped vortex that sucked in all the Qi scattered throughout the Blood Spirit valley.
"Tusha, feed my mortal body with the accumulated Qi and pour your blood energy into it as well." As Tusha waved the array and Xue Yuanshao let it work through him, Xinzi aimed one finger at the Orb of Grace, and following his will, his mortal body did the same. At its back, Tusha readjusted the runic layers—shifting the nodes so the qi that she accumulated would flood Xinzi's meridians. Xue Yuanshao's Soul Force chimed in as well, followed by a rush of the nun's massive blood energy reserves.
Bombarded by this tri-colored energy wave, Xinzi's mortal shell shook, struggling to stay in control. The Divine Soul's light flashed, and again the mortal shell stood erect, undisturbed by the energy flow. In sync, the soul activated the Five Elements Transmutative technique while the body unleashed the Swallowing Skill, forcing the entirety of Heaven's Grace into Xinzi's mortal shell. But instead of enabling it to spread recklessly, the Divine Soul suppressed the grace in the body's bones—and through the transmutative technique, shaped it into a tempering flame that melted and recast the 206 bones in Xinzi's body.
White flames burst from the monk's form, his right arm, the mutant limb that he concealed thanks to his shapeshifting abilities, returned to its true shape before burning till nothing remained. Bright flames poured out of the armless shoulder, dangling even as the fiery grace remolded Xinzi's bones.
As the process carried on, the divine light that so far had been unique to Xinzi's soul, now oozed out of his body. The flames solidified, becoming a flawless arm from which overwhelming divine power poured out. Inwardly, 126 bones had been replaced by dazzling, rainbow-colored counterparts. Mystical Dao runes appeared beside the bones, merging with them even as the reconstruction went on.
Meanwhile, the Inverse Dao Seal on Xinzi's wrist fully congealed. More seals followed and by the time the grace had been fully transmutated, seven seals covered Xinzi's right arm—body and soul alike. But the monk didn't care, and without delay, returned the Divine Soul to the mortal shell.
A blast of mystical energies spread out, sending both Tusha and Xue Yuansha flying. The body's eyes opened wide, bright rays shot out, lighting up Tusha's dark cave with an eruption of divine power.
Xinzi raised his right hand, looking past the seven red eye marks that covered it to stare at the Dao Runes fixed on his upper-arm bone—his brows creased instantly. "I was just trying to recast my human bones into Celestial Dao Bones. I know the forging process by heart so why...what is this?" For the first time since he set foot in the Dongli state, Xinzi couldn't identify what he saw.. Yet in these new bones the monk felt a tyrannical divine power that seemed to challenge Heaven's Laws and spit on its authority.
