C2 Vast Qi Heavenly Monument.

An hour slipped by, then another, and Loong Jiaoyang was jolted awake by the excruciating pain emanating from his Sea of Qi Pubic Region and his fractured meridians.

"Ah... It's so painful..." Loong Jiaoyang winced, grinding his teeth. "Why does it hurt like this after death?"

Cradling his Qi Sea, he groaned for what felt like an eternity before a troubling thought struck him. His body was drenched in blood, and the sword cuts on his arms and legs were still oozing, not yet fully scabbed over.

"Ghosts don't have bodies, so... am I actually not dead?" Loong Jiaoyang had a sudden realization. He looked up to see sheer cliffs surrounding him, daunting and devoid of any vines to climb.

"Even though I'm not dead, my cultivation is ruined, and there's no food. I'm bound to starve," Loong Jiaoyang lamented, the initial elation of survival now extinguished by the bleakness of his predicament.

Surveying his surroundings, Loong Jiaoyang noticed the ground littered with sharp rocks and wondered aloud, "How did I survive a fall from such a towering cliff? Could there be someone else here?"

With a mix of hope and desperation, Loong Jiaoyang dragged his wounded leg around the small, enclosed valley, but his search only led to disappointment—there was no one else.

Moreover, the absence of other people was compounded by a lack of animals, flowers, grass, or trees. It was barren.

"How is this possible? If no one rescued me, how am I not dead from the fall?" Loong Jiaoyang was baffled.

As the sky's light faded and day gave way to dusk, the Stele at Loong Jiaoyang's back intoned with a resonant voice: "Heaven and Earth breathe forth Vast Qi, all beings breathe forth Vast Qi, spiritual entities breathe forth Vast Qi, and the human heart breathes forth Vast Qi. The way of heaven is to follow the earth, the way of earth is to follow humanity, the way of humanity is to follow nature. Keep benevolence ever-present in the heart, and let righteousness envelop you..."

"Who's there?" Long Jiaoyang whirled around, his voice a mix of pain and alarm, and he lifted his gaze to the massive stele behind him. In the fading light of the world, the inscriptions on the stele shone with a golden radiance.

Long Jiaoyang studied the four large characters at the top of the stele and whispered, "Vast Qi Heavenly Monument."

"Could it be... This Vast Qi Heavenly Monument is the lost treasure of our sect, missing for a millennium?" Long Jiaoyang was utterly astounded. He had never imagined that he would encounter this legendary monument, a divine object said to have descended from the heavens.

Standing beneath the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, Long Jiaoyang listened intently to its recitation of the Righteous Qi Art. He couldn't help but question, "Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, was it you who saved me?"

The monument, of course, offered no reply, continuing its steady chant of the Righteous Qi Art. After a moment, Long Jiaoyang murmured to himself, "Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, are you aware that nowadays in the Righteous Qi Sect, there are hardly any who truly possess the heart of vast qi? Sinister individuals have taken control of the sect, and countless good-hearted men and women who join are turned into schemers and backstabbers!"

As night enveloped everything, the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument ceased its chanting of the Righteous Qi Art, and a surge of demonic energy burst forth. Long Jiaoyang was taken aback. How could demonic energy be emanating from the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument?

"Young man, there are few in the Righteous Qi Sect who still harbor a heart of righteousness. And you? Does your heart still harbor vast and mighty qi?" An eerie voice suddenly emanated from within the monument.

"Are you the spirit of the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument?" Long Jiaoyang asked, a mix of surprise and confusion in his voice. "Was it you who saved me?"

"Are you a fool? With my demonic qi enduring, how could I be the spirit of the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument? Besides, I wouldn't bother saving a simpleton like you—it was this Dead Monument that saved you!" the sinister voice retorted angrily.

Long Jiaoyang, puzzled, pressed on, "If you're not the spirit of the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, then why are you within it?"

"You're really dense, can't you see? I've been sealed by the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument. Do you think I enjoy being trapped in here?" the sinister voice snapped in irritation.

"Are you a fiend from the Devil Dao?" Long Jiaoyang challenged, his voice laced with suspicion and hostility.

"Kid, your Qi Sea and Pubic Region have taken a serious hit. Without treatment in the next 24 hours, you'll be crippled for life, unable to cultivate ever again," the malevolent voice said, chuckling darkly, unfazed by Long Jiaoyang's animosity.

"You... You're sealed by the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, and yet you can discern my injuries?" Long Jiaoyang was taken aback.

"By day, the Monument seals me tight, but at night, it's powerless. How else could I let my demonic energy slip out and converse with you?" the voice boasted arrogantly.

Long Jiaoyang, driven by desperation, inquired, "Is there a cure for wounds like mine?"

"Hehe, you've come to the right person, boy. Others might be clueless, but to me, your injuries are trivial. Heh, heh, need my assistance?" The voice now took on a mockingly benevolent tone.

"I do, desperately!" Long Jiaoyang admitted, nodding instinctively.

"Hahaha, weren't you just cursing me as a Devil Dao demon? And now you're seeking help from one? Is this the so-called integrity of the Righteous Path?" The voice roared with laughter.

"Curse you, you're toying with me!" Long Jiaoyang seethed with anger.

"Indeed, I've played you! Come on then, shatter this stele and finish me off!" The voice taunted.

Long Jiaoyang's fists clenched, aggravating his arm wound and the ensuing pain brought him back to a calmer state. He huffed coldly and settled himself slowly to the ground.

"What's the matter? Lost the urge to thrash me?" The voice cackled with glee.

"Trapped in the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, and I'm stuck in this valley. We're both in dire straits. No food, no water, and I'm nothing but a wounded cripple with not long to live. Go ahead, have your fun at my expense," Long Jiaoyang said, his voice tinged with defeat.

"Tsk tsk, kid, you're somewhat intriguing. I'm not messing with you—I truly have a way to heal your wounds!" The sinister voice chuckled darkly.

"What good is being healed? I'm trapped here with no way out," Long Jiaoyang replied in a defeated tone.

"Hehe, lad, this isn't a dead end. Beneath the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument lies an ancient formation. If you can manage to move the Monument, you'll have a shot at escape."

A spark of hope flickered in Loong Jiaoyang's dim eyes, but he tempered his excitement, wary of being toyed with by this Devil Dao trickster once more.

"Is what you're saying true?" Long Jiaoyang asked, his voice edged with caution.

"Why all the skepticism? You're in a dire situation; do you really think I have anything to gain by deceiving you? If you want to live, just follow my instructions," the evil voice replied, clearly annoyed.

"What must I do?" Long Jiaoyang, driven by a will to survive, asked through clenched teeth.

"Come here and lean against the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument," the voice commanded ominously.

Without a moment's hesitation, Long Jiaoyang turned and backed against the Monument. In this moment of desperation, he had no other options.

As he pressed against the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument, Loong Jiaoyang felt a surge of Spirit Power flood into him, bringing with it a searing pain from his Pubic Region and the acupoints along his meridians.

"The pain is unbearable!" Long Jiaoyang exclaimed, his face contorted as he bore the agony.

"Suck it up. If you can't handle this much pain, what kind of man are you?" the voice retorted coldly.

Long Jiaoyang's jaw clenched tight, his teeth rattling, yet he dared not voice his pain aloud. This Devil Dao fiend was indeed aiding his recovery; he could sense the diminishing pain in his meridians.

Half an hour later, Loong Jiaoyang was thrust away from the Vast Qi Heavenly Monument by an unseen force, and the weary voice of his enigmatic savior intoned, "Kid, you're lucky you stumbled upon me. Otherwise, your Pubic Region and meridians would've been utterly ruined."

"Senior of the Devil Dao, have you truly finished healing me? Why can't I channel my Spirit Power? My Pubic Region feels like a void," Loong Jiaoyang said with a furrowed brow after his failed attempt to circulate his power.

"Kid, your Pubic Region is damaged, and with it, your previous level of cultivation has been wiped out. I can mend your meridians, but I can't restore your lost cultivation. What you need to do now is start from scratch, rebuild your foundation. And with your injuries, you'll need to concoct a batch of Life-Prolonging Pills once you're out and take them for a while before you're fully healed," the sinister voice instructed sternly.

"Thank you, Senior Devil Dao, for saving me. I'll start rebuilding my foundation right away," Loong Jiaoyang expressed his gratitude.

"Senior Devil Dao? Nonsense! You should address me as Lord Pill Demon!" the voice corrected with a wicked sneer. "Besides, I haven't imparted the Great Devil Heart Sutra to you. How do you plan to rebuild your foundation without it?"

"The Great Devil Heart Sutra? The Devil Dao's spell? Senior Pill Devil, I cannot practice such arts," Loong Jiaoyang resisted.

"Why can't you practice it?" Pill Devil demanded, clearly displeased.

"I am a disciple of the Righteous Qi Sect, a follower of the righteous path. How could I possibly engage in the cultivation of Devil Dao spells?" Loong Jiaoyang declared with fervor.

The Pill Demon's malevolent laughter echoed, "Gagaga... Cast down from the Righteous Qi Sect's cliffs, you say? Unless the sect has fallen, it must be the result of internal strife. How exactly did you end up down there?"

"Regardless of how I arrived here, I refuse to practice the Devil Dao spells. In life, I am a man of the Righteous Qi Sect; in death, I'll be its spirit!" Loong Jiaoyang declared resolutely.

"Such pride! But are you truly prepared to die this way? Have you no lingering attachments?" Pill Devil prodded after praising him, his voice dripping with temptation.

A struggle flickered across Loong Jiaoyang's face, yet he remained unwavering as he shook his head, "I will never practice the Devil Dao Heart Manual."

"Pah! How damn irritating! How have you not managed to get yourself killed with that thick skull of yours? I told you to practice the Great Devil Heart Sutra so you could mend the Pubic Region in your Qi Sea. Once your Qi Sea and Pubic Region are restored, you can simply abandon it and start over with the orthodox Magic Spell. Isn't that straightforward?" Pill Devil snapped in frustration.

"Is that even possible? Then why can't I just use the Righteous Qi Art to rebuild my foundation from the start?" Long Jiaoyang asked, bewildered.

"The force that's wrecking your Pubic Region and meridians is the Vast Qi Spirit Power. If you try to lay your foundation with the Righteous Qi Art, you're bound to suffer a backlash, and the old wounds in your dantian and meridians will act up. Knowing this, do you still want to proceed with the Righteous Qi Art to establish your foundation?" Pill Devil inquired, his voice laced with a sinister chill.

Feeling cornered, Long Jiaoyang could only humbly request, "Senior Pill Devil, I seek your guidance."

"Pay close attention. This technique is known as the Great Devil Heart Sutra. In the universe, everything is bound by stillness, except for the eternal devil Qi. Harness the Devil Dao Heart, transmute the Devil Blood, and lay the foundation that connects heaven, earth, and the Qi Sea..." Pill Devil instructed earnestly, emphasizing each word.

Long Jiaoyang had an excellent memory. After hearing it twice from Pill Devil, he had committed the Great Devil Heart Sutra to memory. Despite this, he couldn't shake his unease and questioned, "Senior Pill Devil, after using the Great Devil Heart Sutra to establish my foundation, can I truly discard it and start anew?"

"Are you spouting nonsense? Aren't you currently in the process of having your cultivation destroyed so you can begin anew? Whether you choose to practice or not is of no concern to me!" Pill Devil retorted, his patience wearing thin.