Chapter Ninety-Nine: Martial Way—The Return of All Things to the Origin [Please Subscribe]
“Commander, I am already eighty years old,” Oriental Yao said with emotion. “I have shed blood for the Demon Suppression Division; I have sweated for the Demon Suppression Division. How can you assign me to watch over the cremation furnace? Aren’t you afraid I might burn myself? I am still capable of wielding my blade on horseback, fighting demons with my last breath.”
His voice grew increasingly passionate, and even his white beard seemed to bristle with pride.
“Everyone knows I can’t read a single character. You want me to manage the library? Commander, the library is now nothing but a few mice. Do you want me to teach them to read?” Qin Tiesheng stood with perfect posture, pointing at Baili Feihong. “Don’t even mention Zhennan City; within the Demon Suppression Division itself, apart from you, Commander, I can take on three opponents alone. Why would you deny me the chance to slay demons?”
“I have no objection to the assignments for the two of you, elder brothers,” Baili Feihong said, “but asking me to take care of the stables is too much. Everyone knows there’s only one donkey in the entire Demon Suppression Division.” Chen Shanling waved his one remaining arm, almost tipping over the table.
“That’s a horse,” Hu Zuowei muttered timidly.
“Shut up, you junior, what do you know?” Chen Shanling glared fiercely, and Hu Zuowei held his tongue.
The other four elders folded their arms, protesting their assignments silently.
Baili Feihong sat back in his chair, quietly watching the elders’ display of frustration.
What kind of situation was this?
Because there was little work, these positions were assigned to them.
And they were not satisfied?
At their age, if something happened, I would have to pay compensation out of my own pocket.
“I’m giving you two choices: dismissal or compliance.”
Baili Feihong did not mince words.
They remained only because they had once fought loyally for the Demon Suppression Division.
This time, no one spoke; they sat in silent protest.
“I understand your desire to go to the front lines, but according to the division’s rules, you must retake the martial assessment. If you pass, I will honor the opinions of senior members.”
Baili Feihong unleashed his trump card.
Hu Zuowei suddenly became anxious. “Sir, I am willing to work in the stables and even assist with the cremation furnace.”
Immediately, the seven elders shot him angry glares.
Was someone trying to outdo the others?
Baili Feihong breathed a sigh of relief.
These seven elders were difficult to arrange work for.
“Hu, your task is important. You need not trouble yourself with the stables or the cremation furnace.”
Baili Feihong refused.
“Focus on building the intelligence network for this station and gathering information.”
“Yes, sir.”
Baili Feihong looked around. “This meeting is adjourned.”
With that, he left the conference room and returned to his office.
“We must recruit more people,” he said firmly.
“If we don’t, the Demon Suppression Tower will truly become a retirement home.”
“Also, arrange a visit to the Chief of the Patrol Division.”
“Though, it’s nearly impossible to bring the Patrol Division under the Demon Suppression Division’s banner.”
Being a leader for the first time, especially as a commander, Baili Feihong realized how difficult management was.
Previously, his approach was simple: charge ahead and remove those who displeased him.
Now, as Commander, there were countless responsibilities.
His luggage had been brought to the Demon Suppression Tower by Hu Zuowei.
He laid out the martial arts books he had brought from Dongbin City on the desk and began to study them carefully.
Having reached his level of martial cultivation, his spiritual awareness was strong. Skimming through each book lasted only seconds.
A box contained roughly sixty volumes of supreme martial arts classics—he had essentially emptied Dongbin City’s library.
However, these were all copies.
Some were hand-copied manuscripts with elegant handwriting that made Baili Feihong pause.
Amid the faint scent of the books, he immediately recognized it—the essence of Yan Ruyu’s calligraphy, transcribing secret martial techniques for him.
Years ago, the imperial court had ravaged the Jianghu, massacring sects and seizing countless martial secrets.
The Demon Suppression Division followed suit, destroying countless sects and confiscating their martial classics.
At that time, Luo Qingshan’s status in Dongbin City allowed him full access to all the library’s martial arts.
Adding the ten books Baili Feihong had previously redeemed, he had taken seventy volumes in total.
“Miss Yan, you are thoughtful,” Baili Feihong smiled broadly. Being cared for like this warmed his heart.
He had long sensed that Yan Ruyu’s family background was extraordinary.
But what did it matter?
As long as one was strong, one need not fear the powerful.
Baili Feihong began to study these martial classics.
He only needed to memorize them to use skill points to enhance these techniques.
Each technique required relatively few skill points—ranging from dozens to a few hundred.
They were more powerful than the Blood River Blade Technique.
Though he worked through the night, Baili Feihong felt exhilarated.
At this moment, he examined his body’s condition again.
The human body was like the universe; acupoints were stars; the bindings were the Milky Way.
Blood energy flowed through the stars, forming a vast galaxy.
The primordial embryo seed was interspersed with mysterious runes, each representing a principle, a cosmic mystery, a supreme martial ideal.
Even more astonishing was his spirit sea, golden and brilliant like a radiant sun illuminating the darkness.
Powerful streams of will converged into a river, piercing the spirit sea and manifesting at the third eye point, resembling a vertical divine eye.
He circulated the All-Things Return to Origin cauldron technique, gathering his essence, energy, and spirit.
Simultaneously, he activated the Demon Suppression Six Paths Scripture, transforming the chaotic internal energy into the Six Paths Demon Suppression Energy.
“Skill book: fusion skills.”
“Please select primary cultivation technique!”
“All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron as the main technique; except for divine powers, all other techniques will be fused.”
Baili Feihong narrowed his eyes, making his decision.
The Demon Suppression Six Paths Scripture was powerful, one of the strongest arts of its time.
Yet Baili Feihong did not choose it.
Instead, he selected the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron technique.
This art originated from the Blood Essence Technique, evolving into the Blood Refining Return to Origin Technique, and further into the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron.
If he cultivated the Six Paths Scripture, Baili Feihong would become the mightiest demon suppressor of the era.
“The Gu Liang royal family’s techniques counter the Six Paths Scripture.”
The Six Paths Scripture, while formidable, had a flaw—the distinction between ruler and subject.
Baili Feihong was born rebellious; he would never leave a tail for others to seize.
[Skill points deducted: 50,000. Technique fusion and evolution in progress…]
Suddenly, Baili Feihong’s entire body was wracked with pain.
His meridians twisted, acupoints shattered, bones fractured, flesh separated, soul fragmented...
At some unknown moment, his vision blurred as if chaos itself was unfolding before his eyes.
A strand of primordial energy emerged, enacting yin and yang, division, and the genesis of all things.
Scripture flowed like a golden river, transforming into a primordial cauldron suppressing countless great paths, embodying boundless mysteries.
Countless insights surged into his mind.
[Congratulations, host. Fusion and evolution of technique “All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron” successful.]
Opening his eyes again, the world remained the same.
Nothing had changed.
Baili Feihong was still Baili Feihong.
Yet the world he saw revealed its true essence.
Everything had color, vitality, and life.
A dazzlingly colorful world appeared before him as rivers of primordial energy.
The divine vision soon faded.
Looking at the skill book again, it had transformed significantly.
Host: Baili Feihong
Martial cultivation level: Primordial Cauldron
Body refinement level: Tenfold Blood Refinement (16,300/2,000,000)
Talent: Divine Eye (weak level, cannot be cultivated)
Skill points: 30,000 (available for upgrading, synthesizing, and evolving skills)
Technique: All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron [Stage Two (Entry, 1/100 experience)]
Divine Power 1: Roc Flight Technique: Supreme Divine Power, Stage One: Mastery of Nine Heavens Wing Flapping (999,000/1,000,000 experience)
Divine Power 2: Blood Suppresses Mountains and Rivers (Divine Power Stage Three, 320/800 experience)
Martial Arts: Six Ultimate Techniques [First Ultimate Blade, Divine Power Stage One (1/200 skill points), Sweeping Thousands of Armies][Second Ultimate Fist, comprehension of profound truths, not yet qualified for divine power advancement][Third Ultimate Palm, comprehension of profound truths, not yet qualified for divine power advancement][Fourth Ultimate Sword, comprehension of profound truths, not yet qualified for divine power advancement][Fifth Ultimate Sound, comprehension of profound truths, not yet qualified for divine power advancement][Sixth Ultimate Divine, comprehension of profound truths, not yet qualified for divine power advancement].
The martial arts he studied converged into the Six Ultimate Techniques.
Regarding their power, Baili Feihong had not tested them fully, but the transformation of Sweeping Thousands of Armies into a supreme blade technique and its advancement to divine power hinted at the formidable strength of the others.
“The experience required for the entry level of All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron has decreased.”
The amount of experience needed does not measure the technique’s strength.
It reflects the cultivation difficulty for Baili Feihong personally.
This meant cultivating the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron would be easier for him and he would advance faster.
“What is this ‘Divine Eye’ talent?”
The skill book’s layout had changed drastically.
Skills had reduced.
But the absence of explicit information did not mean Baili Feihong could not use them.
Rather, these were integrated into other techniques.
These arts contained the essence of other martial arts.
Oriental Yubai.
Morning light streamed into the office.
Baili Feihong stood by the window, calmly gazing at the distant sea.
The Demon Suppression Six Paths Scripture had been fully integrated into the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron.
“My martial path has become conical.”
All things return to the primordial cauldron.
Refining countless scriptures propelled him to the level of a martial master.
“From now on, even without skill points, given time, I can ascend to Martial Saint using the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron.”
This was Baili Feihong’s greatest transformation.
As for strength, it was needless to mention.
Great power returned to the primordial cauldron; he was the cauldron, and the cauldron was him.
Every breath moved the acupoints, harnessing the world’s primordial energy, converging into the All-Things Primordial Cauldron within his dantian.
This refined the purest primordial energy, convertible into blood energy and primordial embryo power.
“Not enough yet. I sense the cauldron’s hunger.”
“It needs to absorb more martial will, more techniques.”
“Wisdom is like an ingredient; only by placing it into the cauldron’s culinary fire can its essence be restored.”
The culinary skill vanished.
Baili Feihong finally understood the strange secret of the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron—it had incorporated the seemingly inconspicuous art of cooking.
Yet the Way’s return to simplicity had long been fused into all things and all paths.
True Tao was not merely fists and kicks.
He extended his spirit outside, engulfing a large tree outside the window.
He activated the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron technique.
The century-old tree, vibrant and full of life, withered rapidly before his eyes.
The lush green leaves turned yellow and fell to the ground.
The massive tree, embraced by ten men, was losing life force.
Eventually, it dried and died.
Strands of life force were gathered by his spirit into the cauldron, transformed into the essence of life, merging with his own vitality and flowing through his blood, quickly converting into blood energy.
Baili Feihong’s Tenfold Blood Refinement gained over three thousand experience points from absorbing this life essence.
Such terrifying efficacy meant that by converting the life essence of over six hundred century-old trees, Baili Feihong could ascend to Eleventh Blood Refinement.
More frightening was his robust vitality.
Based on the body refinement stage’s lifespan limit, his maximum life expectancy was two hundred years.
Yet Baili Feihong estimated that even without cultivating the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron, or eating and drinking, merely by meditating, he could live eight hundred, perhaps a thousand years.
Blood energy determined vitality’s strength, and vitality determined lifespan’s length.
“A thousand-year tortoise, ten-thousand-year turtle. If this spreads, the Gu Liang royal family might mobilize their entire forces to have my head blossomed and seize the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron.”
Besides the Gu Liang royal family, other sects and overseas religious leaders would never let him go.
The skill book, after fusing countless scriptures, had evolved into a monstrous-level technique.
He resembled nothing of a demon suppressor; rather, he was the greatest demon in the world.
Seizing the heavens’ power to strengthen his flesh and blood?
It was both terrifying and exhilarating.
“From now on, killing demons and ghosts will be like double harvesting.”
Baili Feihong laughed.
Washing away the old dust, welcoming rebirth.
He would walk his own path. This was the right step.
All were overpowered individuals; why follow behind others?
Ridiculous.
He would forge his own way.
“My provisions, no—my enemies—don’t keep me waiting too long.”
“No, I am a demon suppressor.”
“The ultimate goal of a demon suppressor is to ensure the people live in peace and prosperity.”
“All unrest originates from demons, fiends, and the demons within men’s hearts.”
“I sacrifice myself for the common folk, suppressing all demons with the primordial cauldron.”
Baili Feihong suddenly comprehended.
Whether self-hypnosis or excuse, this was his grand ambition, his creed as a demon suppressor.
He donned the white six-clawed python robe.
Looking in the mirror, he saw a dignified and commanding figure.
He slung on his demon-slaying sword and descended the stairs.
“Commander, here is the seafood porridge from Feiyuan Island,” Hu Zuowei said, having brought his breakfast.
The meal was simple—mostly because Hu Zuowei was poor.
This pot of seafood porridge was purchased on credit after Hu Zuowei pressed the restaurant owner with a knife.
“How thoughtful.”
“Consider this meal your welcome feast from me, Hu Zuowei.”
“When we have money and establish our own canteen, you’ll be in charge.”
Hu Zuowei’s eyes sparkled with delight at the prospect of a cushy position.
“Thank you, Commander.”
Baili Feihong sat down to enjoy the food.
After the seafood porridge, even the dregs were digested, converted into primordial energy to nourish his body.
Since cultivating the All-Things Return to Origin Cauldron, he no longer needed to eat to satisfy hunger.
Eating was more for the pleasure of taste.
“Has the Feiyuan Trading Company’s compensation arrived?”
Baili Feihong did not look up, drinking the porridge heartily.
“Sir, not yet.”
“If the money hasn’t arrived by noon, notify the Patrol Division in the name of the Demon Suppression Division to seal off all Feiyuan Trading Company stores, warehouses, banks, and docks.”
“Claim that the Commander is investigating the large opium case in Dongbin City and has discovered the Feiyuan Trading Company colluding with numerous maritime merchants in smuggling opium.”
“Sir, this plan is brilliant!”
Hu Zuowei exclaimed excitedly.
“Do you think this is a scheme?”
Baili Feihong said calmly.
Feiyuan Island was a crucial supply and transit point for sea vessels passing through the Devil’s Strait.
The Feiyuan Trading Company monopolized all overseas trade on the island.
Even without evidence, it was easy to deduce its involvement in the opium smuggling chain.
Just because Feiyuan Trading Company did not do it themselves did not mean others did not use their channels.