The Heavenly Demon's Nine Phases
Returning to the Zhen Gong Ju, Li Ye brewed himself another cup of tea and began carefully reflecting on how he'd handled the day. Looking back, he couldn't help but inwardly gripe about how formidable the demon consort (Yaofei) was."
First came a gentle warning to test his loyalty, followed by a reward to win his heart. The key was how skillfully she exploited her beauty—drawing subtly close to him with her body, pulling him into her favor...
Thinking of Xue Yunrong's alluring jade feet wrapped in silk stockings, Li Ye—eunuch though he was—felt a stir in his heart.
He shook his head to dispel the fanciful thoughts. Forget it. What's done is done; he'd just have to meet soldiers with soldiers and generals with generals.
Right now, the most important thing was that manual in the Huang Gong Mi Cang: Tianmo Jiuxiang. Everything else was trivial. Worst case, he could flee during an outing. With the vast world out there, where couldn't he find a place to stay?
With that thought, the heavens and earth seemed to widen before him. All he had to do was enter the Huang Gong Mi Cang.
Xue Yunrong worked fast. The next day, the Siligongjian's head eunuch, Gao Gonggong, arrived to proclaim the emperor's decree.
After reading the decree aloud, Gao Gonggong chuckled warmly. "Little Li Zi, you've struck gold, latching onto the noble consort's branch."
Li Ye didn't dare let his guard down before Gao Gonggong's kindly smile. He handed over a few banknotes he'd been saving and flattered, "You're too kind, Supervisor Gao. I only begged Her Ladyship for mercy. You've troubled yourself coming all this way—my thanks."
Gao Gonggong's smile grew even kinder. "Enough of that. Let's go."
"After you, Supervisor."
Three steps, a sentry; five steps, a post. After layers of guards, Li Ye finally reached the Huang Gong Mi Cang. Once Gao Gonggong flashed the emperor's token, the old gatekeeper waved him through, and Li Ye entered the place he'd dreamed of for five years. The manuals weren't numerous—only a few dozen—but Tianmo Jiuxiang sat prominently in the most eye-catching spot.
Ignoring Gao Gonggong's gaze—mixed with mockery and pity—Li Ye hurried over. He didn't rush to open the manual itself but first flipped to the introductory pamphlet.
Tianmo Jiuxiang, one of the demonic outer-path techniques. The lower three realms cultivate the self: Benxiang, Xinxang, Moxiang. The middle three bring myriad changes: Chushengxiang, Eguixiang, Diyuxiang. The upper three seek transcendence: Renjianxiang, Xiuluxiang, Tianrenxiang. This art transforms one true self into countless forms, then uses a spark of heart-phase to hook into demonic thoughts, Shifting endlessly in treacherous and unpredictable ways. Cultivators become like extraterrestrial demons—traceless and elusive. Drawbacks: weak in direct combat, requires external aids for practice, and risks demonic corruption: bloodlust, lust, combat frenzy, gambling addiction... and more. Exercise utmost caution.
Reading this, Li Ye's heart trembled slightly, but he flipped open the manual without hesitation. Demonic corruption be damned—it beat being less than a man.
The first page was an profoundly arcane visualization diagram, ethereal and treacherous, as if it could toy with the mind. Just one glance seared it into Li Ye's brain. It took him a while to recover. He knew the manual and diagram had to be studied together—this was one way to prevent the art from leaking out.
Once he'd etched it firmly in his mind, he turned to the actual cultivation method.
Gao Gonggong, standing aside, watched the little eunuch silently, his eyes holding mockery, pity... and perhaps a touch of sympathy.
Only when Li Ye's face turned ashen and he set the book down did Gao Gonggong speak. "Finished?"
Li Ye's cultivation let him only glimpse up to the fourth realm, but he already knew there was no point reading further.
Indeed, the first realm of Tianmo Jiuxiang could restore a broken body. Benxiang formed the foundation for all myriad changes—no flaw allowed.
But no one had told him that achieving the first realm truly required an extraterrestrial demon.
Extraterrestrial demons were at least sixth-realm existences, dwelling beyond the Nine Heavens' gale winds. From the sixth realm up, every breakthrough brought encounters with them—formless, shapeless, they hooked into heart-demons.
Only sixth-realm powerhouses could withstand the Nine Heavens' gales, venture to the outer heavens, and risk death to possibly capture one.
Five years of dreaming shattered. Even Li Ye's unyielding spirit faltered, tempted to give up entirely. Swallowing nameless rage at Gao Gonggong's words, he forced a strained smile. "Supervisor Gao, can I look at others?"
Gao Gonggong smiled. "One at a time. That's the rule."
Li Ye fell silent, then replied, "Then I'll look again."
Gao Gonggong watched with amusement as Li Ye reopened the manual.
Only after imprinting the first four realms of Tianmo Jiuxiang firmly in his mind did Li Ye set it down. He paused, then said, "My thanks, Supervisor Gao."
"Let's go, then."
Leaving the secret vault, Li Ye returned to the Zhen Gong Ju in a foul mood. Gao Gonggong, passing through layers of palace halls, reached the emperor. Ji Xuan appeared only in his forties, his focused review of memorials exuding stern authority.
The Da Zhou emperor, Ji Xuan, had unified the Nine Provinces, subduing the world. A sixth-realm expert himself, he wielded seventh-realm power in the capital via dragon qi.
"Your Majesty, I've escorted Zhen Gong Ju's Li Ye, Chief Eunuch Li, to the secret vault."
"Rise." The emperor set aside his memorials and eyed Gao Gonggong. His imposing aura eased into a sly grin. "Did he pick Tianmo Jiuxiang?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Hahaha..." The emperor roared with laughter.
"Heh heh..." Gao Gonggong chuckled along.
"You chose Tianmo Jiuxiang back then too," the emperor recalled with amusement.
"Yes, Your Majesty's memory is sharp." Gao Gonggong looked embarrassed.
"Once I break through to the seventh realm, shall I fetch you an extraterrestrial demon?"
"Your Majesty's golden body mustn't risk it. This old slave's long grown accustomed."
"Hahaha, Gao Banban, oh Gao Banban." The emperor shook his head with a smile.
"Oh, right—this old slave looked into the little eunuch's background and found something odd."
"Oh?" The emperor's laughter faded.
"He was found at twelve in a suburban grove, sold into the palace by a broker. All clear after that, but nothing before age twelve."
"What does he say?" The emperor's tone was unreadable.
"Attacked in the wild, head injury—lost his memory."
"Lost his memory?"
"Yes."
The emperor said nothing.
Gao Gonggong glanced up furtively, then hesitated. "Reportedly, when found, his hair was cut short, clothes strange... peculiar."
"Short hair, strange clothes... southern barbarians?" The emperor pondered, then chuckled. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. The brokers were checked—no issues. Why sell an unknown into the palace?"
Gao Gonggong smiled. "Your Majesty toils wisely; the people live in peace. Lately, fewer families sell children into the palace."
"Hahaha, true enough." The emperor laughed again, then added, "Fine, let it be. He's just a little eunuch. His inventions are amusing, at least."
"Yes."
The emperor shook his head with a smile. "That Shangqing Sword Sect—either that old forget-emotions fool or sword-mad lunatics. Why the interest in such trifles?"
"Chief disciple Xing Chushuang inquired."
"The girl who reached fourth realm in a year?"
"Yes, just down the mountain. Perhaps smitten with a lover, taking interest in such things is normal."
The emperor nodded. "Very well. If he brings back the Zhen Yan Dan for the noble consort, let him enter the vault again."
Gao Gonggong hesitated. "If he brings it back... for the noble consort?"
The emperor fell silent, then said after a moment, "A few extra days of life, at most. We were husband and wife, after all. Enough."
"Yes." Gao Gonggong said no more.
...
Back at the Zhen Gong Ju, Li Ye remained dejected. He reviewed Tianmo Jiuxiang in his mind again, confirming there was no way around it. The first step, Benxiang, fused body with formless demon-body in ethereal haze, fixing the one true self-image. Without an extraterrestrial demon, the whole art was impossible.
Li Ye was confident in reaching the seventh realm—transmigrator's pride. But he lacked special talent. Five years on ordinary arts had only gotten him to the third realm; fourth was distant. Seventh? Decades away, if ever. By then, who knew if he'd even care for women.
Was he doomed to eunuch-hood for decades?
Li Ye sighed. He wasn't afraid of much, but turning into a psychological freak? That scared him.
Surrounded by palace beauties, yet impotent... who wouldn't warp?
After sighing it out and calming down, a little eunuch summoned him. "Supervisor Li, the noble consort calls."
You're the gonggong, your whole family's gonggong... Li Ye cursed inwardly but grinned. "Right away. Lead on, brother."
Entering Xingqing Palace again, he saw Xue Yunrong sipping tea with a young woman in her twenties. Plain Daoist robes, longsword at her waist—her delicate face was stunning, rivaling the demon consort's allure. Pity her expression was so icy, killing any interest.
As Li Ye entered, Xue Yunrong sighed in relief. Heaven knew, she was skilled at socializing, but today she learned there were heavens beyond heavens. Facing this iceberg, her talents were useless. "Miss Xing, this is the man you wanted."
Xing Chushuang turned, curiosity finally flickering in her cold eyes. "You invented those... silk stockings?"
"Yes."
Li Ye sensed she wasn't easy to deal with.
"Fine. Come with me." Xing Chushuang rose, grabbing Li Ye to leave.
"Farewell, Your Ladyship." Li Ye hurriedly cupped hands to Xue Yunrong.
Xue Yunrong seethed inwardly. Rude girl—I'm a noble consort, yet this fourth-realm brat struts before me. Without the Zhen Yan Dan and Shangqing Sword Sect backing, she'd have been dragged off and beaten.
But she swallowed her anger, flashing Li Ye a gentle, encouraging look.
Li Ye nodded imperceptibly and followed Xing Chushuang out. Silent to the palace gates, she summoned a flying sword, stepping lightly onto it. "Get on."
Li Ye hesitated. How? He knew immortals at fourth realm could sword-fly impressively, but carrying someone?
Xing Chushuang eyed his uncertainty. "Behind me."
"But... men and women shouldn't touch so intimately."
"You're a eunuch." Her voice was clear and cold, devoid of warmth.
Hard to imagine such chill from someone in thirty-degree heat.
Li Ye hopped on decisively, pressing against her back, hands boldly encircling the slim waist beneath her Daoist robes.
"Too close." Her cold voice drifted from ahead.
"I'm a eunuch. No issue."
Out of the palace at last, even an iceberg couldn't dampen his youthful mischief.
Xing Chushuang paused, then nodded. "True enough."
With that, the sword soared into the sky, carrying Li Ye upward.
Skies vast, clouds boundless, wilderness endless. Five years transmigrated, Li Ye's first flight thrilled him. Hugging the icy beauty, five years of palace caution scattered in the sword-flight's freedom.
The aerial views palled quickly; his attention shifted to the beauty in his arms. Beneath the loose robes, her figure was stunning—wasp waist he could grasp fully, plump, perky rear pressed against him. Without his missing tool, he'd have pierced that perfect ass long ago.
"Miss Xing, may I have your name?"
"Xing Chushuang." Still cold and detached, indifferent to all.
The name rang familiar. Then it hit: Human List fifth, Forgetful Sword! Shangqing Sword Sect's chief disciple, wandering the world for the sect. Li Ye reined in his playfulness. "The Human List's fifth, Forgetful Sword?"
"Mm."
No big reaction. Forgetful Sword meant she forgot all upon drawing blade, aligning perfectly with supreme forgetfulness—ideal for Taishang Sword Canon. Only fourth realm now, but that foundational art was sect-exclusive; geniuses like her entered easily, seventh realm in sight.
Recalling Xue Yunrong's frustrated face earlier, it clicked. "What do you need me for?"
"Not me. Sect elders."
Question, answer. No initiative, no refusal.
Seeing no impatience, Li Ye pressed. "Any idea why?"
"No."
Li Ye sighed inwardly. Still clueless, just silk stockings-related. He'd play it by ear.
If no Zhen Yan Dan, best to join Shangqing Sword Sect—even Emperor Da Zhou couldn't touch him then. Failing that, flee for his life.
Heart anxious yet hopeful, the sword finally descended. Shangqing Sword Sect—arrived.