Chapter 358: Consciousness Struggle

In an instant, the black hurricane filled the sky and earth, leaving nothing else in existence.

Though the hurricane appeared fierce, it was insidious and filthy in nature, seeping through every crevice.

What about Yuanmo? Was this a normal occurrence, or had Bixia Yuanjun done something? Meng Qi’s body surface emitted a pale golden glow, resembling an immortal or Buddha, keeping the black hurricane at bay. However, his vision and hearing were blocked, unable to see his companions. Even his outward-projected consciousness was directly severed and shredded by the black wind, causing painful backlash.

Two streaks of blood flowed from his nose as Meng Qi steadied his mind. While recalling where his companions had been standing moments ago, he took out the Buddha Before Lamp, preparing to activate it, hoping it could dispel the demonic winds.

Just then, a face without features suddenly emerged from the black wind. Before Meng Qi could react, it transformed into a black breeze, an intangible force that pierced through the pale golden glow and entered Meng Qi’s forehead.

The lamp on Meng Qi’s chest activated automatically. Its flame, like a tiny star, shone inwardly, enveloping him completely without any light escaping. Especially at his forehead, it illuminated a flickering flame, warm and pure, as if guarding his spiritual core.

As the black wind entered his forehead, Meng Qi felt as though struck by lightning. A torrent of desires surged from his heart—lust, greed—but the strongest were hatred, bloodlust, and an urge to devour flesh.

Hatred towards the Dao of Heaven, hatred towards humanity, hatred towards everything. He wanted to kill every living being in front of him and devour their flesh.

This impulse was overwhelming. The mental discipline Meng Qi had painstakingly cultivated was like a beach before the tide, rapidly submerged by the sea, nearly turning dark and murky.

A single point of flame illuminated his heart. Meng Qi’s remaining rationality clung to his mind like a rock, refusing to retreat.

The flame drove away the darkness, and a spiritual sea appeared before Meng Qi’s “eyes,” deep and dark, filled with fragments of memories.

How did my consciousness enter my spiritual world… Meng Qi felt slightly puzzled as he floated above the “sea.”

But he soon understood when a black shadow floated before him, pale and faceless, sneering from within: “Think a Buddha treasure can resist my possession?”

With every inch it drifted forward, the spiritual sea darkened further.

“Yuanmo?” Hearing the word “possession,” Meng Qi immediately thought of Ji Tian Yuanmo. He had been possessed by a fragment of Yuanmo’s consciousness. Was he now facing a similar situation?

Yuanmo chuckled faintly: “Your talents are quite good. Once you fully transform into my vessel and grow stronger, from within to without, you will finally escape that old monk’s suppression completely.”

So that’s how you fully escape suppression? Meng Qi suddenly felt Yuanmo’s words contradicted the main quest’s description. But he quickly realized—the main quest only aimed to prevent Yuanmo’s full awakening and descent, not mentioning restoration or escaping suppression. In other words, even if the main quest wasn’t completed, the Yuanmo that descended wouldn’t be the complete one.

“Your Yuan Shen hasn’t yet harnessed the power of heaven and earth. It’s weak and feeble. Surrender and merge with me. Then, you’ll awe the world, free to do as you please.” Yuanmo approached Meng Qi, exuding confidence.

Meng Qi said nothing, seemingly silent.

Yuanmo chuckled: “That’s more like it. The wise know when to yield.”

Sighing suddenly, Meng Qi said, “Ah.”

“What are you sighing for?” Yuanmo hesitated.

Meng Qi smiled: “I sigh that you’ve been suppressed for so long, your vision has narrowed. Danger looms, yet you’re oblivious.”

“You…” Yuanmo’s anger flared.

Before it could finish speaking, Meng Qi suddenly stepped midair, his aura becoming vast and boundless, like the heavens themselves, resembling a deity or Buddha, exuding an ancient, detached calm:

“This is my domain!”

The “Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shattering Method” activated. The Buddha Before Lamp’s light shone through, countless golden fragments rising and merging with Meng Qi, transforming him into a celestial deity clad in golden armor, bathed in rosy glow—majestic and sacred.

A palm overturned the sky, piercing through space and time, striking Yuanmo’s consciousness directly on the forehead.

“You!” The fragment of Yuanmo screamed in agony before being swallowed and consumed by golden flames.

With the Buddha Before Lamp guarding my spiritual core, suppressing evil, and the Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shattering Method affecting the spiritual sea and Yuan Shen’s will, how could I fear a mere fragment of your consciousness?” Meng Qi scoffed, staring at where Yuanmo had vanished.

If Yuanmo had truly possessed him, Meng Qi would certainly have been powerless. But now, Yuanmo remained suppressed, not fully awakened. How strong could this precious fragment he had managed to extend be? Ji Tian Yuanmo was likely vulnerable only because his demonic cultivation offered no resistance, or perhaps even deliberately allowed possession to gain power.

Meng Qi didn’t gloat, worrying instead about Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, and Qi Zhengyan’s conditions.

As the spiritual sea dissipated, Meng Qi slowly opened his eyes. The black hurricane had vanished, and he found himself in an unfamiliar place. Above him hovered a golden swastika, while nearby, the radiant Vairocana Buddha Light descended, accompanied by the continuous chanting of Buddhist scriptures, purifying the soul.

Had he been pulled directly into the suppression core the moment he was possessed? Meng Qi took a deep breath, calming his mind.

First, he checked himself. The Eight-Nine Mystical Art circulated, the pale golden glow reappearing. Then he noticed filth within his body, attempting to assimilate his true energy.

Although the Eight-Nine Mystical Art could resist and slowly dissolve it, Meng Qi dared not waste time, fearing for Jiang Zhiwei’s safety. He took out a “Purify Filth Pill,” combining its power with his own. Within moments, the demonic energy was expelled through his nose and mouth.

Since the beginning of this cycle’s mission, through cultivation and battle—particularly the insights gained from the “Sky-Turning Seal’s” surface energy pathways and aura-concentration techniques—Meng Qi successfully refined the acupoints related to the eighth aperture after resisting demonic infiltration. Only half a step remained to open the anterior yin acupoint.

Surveying his surroundings, Meng Qi’s “Heaven’s Wound” crackled with silver-white lightning, while “Flowing Fire” flared with red flames, melting the creeping filth.

“If they were possessed, they should also have been pulled here.” Meng Qi strode forward, searching the area.

This was the core of the seal, where the Buddha’s radiance was most intense and the chanting of scriptures most potent. Almost no evil could tread here—all were compelled to crouch at cave entrances or riverbeds, ceaselessly undergoing purification. Were it not for the lingering presence of Yuanmo, these demons would have long been converted. Even the contorted black mountains and blood-red rivers shimmered with a glazed light, emanating purity.

Of course, at the very core, where Yuanmo resided, demonic energy remained thick, and roars echoed continuously.

Meng Qi dared not head in that direction, instead searching the mountains and rivers for Jiang Zhiwei and the others.

…

Near Jitian Peak, a high mountain stood, lush and verdant, its ravines like intricate patterns.

In a hidden cave, Beidou Xingjun swallowed a crimson pill the size of a longan, sat cross-legged, and desperately suppressed his injuries, trying to recover quickly. Otherwise, the demonic realm passage would be destroyed, rendering all previous efforts futile.

Even if the Three Treasures of Fate could suppress Yuanmo, what use were they if he couldn’t even enter the demonic realm fragment?

Damn it! How could that guy mimic the “Sky-Turning Seal” so perfectly, capturing every nuance of its aura? Could it be he cultivates a technique similar to the “Gui Cang Myriad Things Art”?

I’ll have to ask Queen Mother Xiwangmu later how they fought at the ruins of Changchun Monastery, to see if I can identify their real identities.

If I don’t settle this grudge, I’m not a man!

—At that time, he had been searching nearby for Bixia Yuanjun and hadn’t watched the battle, only noticing distant purple lightning falling. But many Revenants had exchanged techniques similar to the Seven Strikes of Purple Lightning, such as the “Nine Heavens Thunder God” within his own organization.

Xiwangmu stood at the cave entrance with her hands behind her back. Her dark robe, embroidered with golden threads, swayed with the mountain breeze, highlighting her slender, graceful figure.

Suddenly, Xiwangmu’s right hand moved, drawing a talisman. It burned slowly, emitting a green flame without any heat.

“What’s wrong?” Beidou Xingjun managed to divert his attention slightly.

Xiwangmu’s voice was melodious like a phoenix’s cry: “Wuqu Xingjun is approaching. I must go to the meeting place.”

Wuqu Xingjun, ever cautious, would first confirm the situation to avoid falling into a trap set by immortals at Jitian Peak. As for not contacting Beidou Xingjun, it was because he had to guard the demonic realm passage.

“Then go quickly.” Beidou Xingjun relaxed slightly. With Wuqu Xingjun entering, Bixia Yuanjun couldn’t destroy the passage. He could focus on healing.

Xiwangmu glanced at him but said nothing, immediately riding the golden wind down the mountain.

As a half-step Master of the Outside, she could actually ride the wind—though she couldn’t fly very high, it was still astonishing!

Could it be she possesses a secret treasure or has a special cultivation method?

…

Meng Qi moved swiftly like a phantom, his feet barely touching the ground as he soared through the air.

He worked to calm himself, analyzing the current situation. If Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and Zhao Heng had also been possessed by Yuanmo’s fragments, without the Buddha Before Lamp, they might be temporarily controlled.

Of course, they might have treasures bestowed by their masters or exchanged protective items that either blocked Yuanmo’s consciousness or destroyed it outright. Still, Meng Qi had to prepare for the worst.

If that were the case, he hoped to find the “possessed” Ruan Yushu first. He would endure her qin music and strike her down, then use the Buddha Before Lamp, the Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Shattering Method, and the Purify Filth Pills to eliminate Yuanmo’s consciousness and restore her sanity.

After that, with her qin music controlling the situation, whether it was Qi Zhengyan, Zhao Heng, or Jiang Zhiwei, Meng Qi would have the confidence to knock them out and eliminate Yuanmo’s consciousness. Otherwise, against Qi Zhengyan, it would still be manageable, but Zhao Heng would be a toss-up, and Jiang Zhiwei was even more unpredictable.

Of course, the more possessed allies he freed, the easier the rest would become.

As these thoughts passed through his mind, Meng Qi suddenly sensed danger. Without thinking, he dove aside and swung his long blade, forming a perfectly circular defense.

A sword beam pierced the center, instantly shattering Meng Qi’s blade formation.

At that moment, Meng Qi saw his opponent clearly—it was Jiang Zhiwei, dressed in a pale yellow dress. Her eyes were red, her lips like blood, her once radiant beauty tinged with eerie allure.

Indeed, things didn’t go as I had planned…

Could it be that our long-awaited “sparring” must happen now?

A bitter smile tugged at Meng Qi’s lips.