Chapter 7: The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram

Scattered across the low table before him were simple volumes bound in desert sheepskin. Ji Ning glanced at them; each bore the name of a divine demon body-tempering method.

The Demon Calamity Manuscript, The Blood Demon Indestructible Body, The Song of Blazing Fire, The Thunder Marsh Vajra Buddha Sutra, The Azure Spirit Body of如意, The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram, The Primordial Yellow Indestructible, The Spirit Fox Sutra, The Future Buddha Sutra... Each volume was inscribed with ancient, strange pictographic characters. Fortunately, Ji Ning had already learned these characters since coming to this world.

Ji Ning took a deep breath. This was a crucial choice! A choice of fate!

He then picked up the manuals and began to read them one by one.

The Demon Calamity Manuscript: At the beginning of cultivation, one must carve demonic patterns on the body, drawing forth netherfire to refine the flesh, causing excruciating pain. After undergoing nine layers of demonic patterns and eighty-one netherfire refinements, the body undergoes a complete transformation, becoming a先天 lifeform. With every move, one possesses boundless strength, can spew netherfire from the mouth, and severed limbs can be regenerated instantly. It is an extremely perilous yet extremely swift secret method; in theory, the fastest time required is merely eighty-one days to step into the先天 realm.

The Blood Demon Indestructible Body: Its cultivation pain surpasses even that of The Demon Calamity Manuscript. It requires a full three years of carving demonic patterns, as if being tortured in hell for three years...

The Song of Blazing Fire: One must cultivate beside a blazing bonfire, even be burned by the flames, and ultimately enter volcanic magma without harm, becoming one with the fire, able to control endless flames. Only then does one step into the先天 realm...

After reading three in a row, Ji Ning frowned.

Why are all these divine demon body-tempering methods so painful? Worse than torture!

“You child,” said Wei Chi Xue beside him, unable to help herself. “Among divine demon body-tempering methods, only a few are truly painful. Of these nineteen volumes, only five can be called agonizing ordeals. The others are not painful to cultivate. I didn’t expect you to flip through three in a row and all of them...”

“Ah!” Ji Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Yichuan beside him spoke coldly: “Divine demon body-tempering is more difficult than qi cultivation. For a mortal to become a先天 lifeform is already defying heaven; to take the most difficult path of divine demon body-tempering is naturally even harder! Though relying on suffering and tribulation for tempering is swift, it is also a shortcut, and its foundation is not as solid as other methods.”

Ji Ning nodded and continued to read.

The Thunder Marsh Vajra Buddha Sutra: A vajra method of the Buddhist school.

The Azure Spirit Body of如意: Requires an extremely long time to cultivate. Upon reaching the先天 realm, one can undergo a thousand transformations, possess endless vitality, and even if chopped into pieces, can quickly reassemble. It is a supreme life-preserving method among divine demon body-tempering techniques.

The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram: The foremost divine demon body-tempering method, indisputably number one!

“What!”

Ji Ning’s eyes immediately turned red, and he fixed his gaze on The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram, scrutinizing it closely.

The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram is divided into nine levels.

The first three levels are the后天 stage.

The middle three levels are the先天 lifeform stage.

The last three levels are the Zifu stage.

“Indeed, it’s different. The previous methods, even when cultivated to their peak, only reach the peak of the先天 lifeform stage. But this Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram can reach the peak of the Zifu stage.” Ji Ning was excited and read carefully.

Once one steps into the先天 realm, one can control water and fire, possess immense strength, have a light and agile body, heightened senses, and regenerate severed limbs.

Once one steps into the Zifu realm, one can even regenerate from a drop of blood and cultivate great divine abilities such as Heaven and Earth, Three Heads and Six Arms, Kuafu Chasing the Sun, and Candle Dragon’s Eye, provided one obtains the methods for these great divine abilities.

The divine demon body-tempering stream crushes the qi cultivation stream at the same stage.

And the Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram crushes other divine demon body-tempering methods at the same stage!

Acknowledged!

No dispute!

But its cultivation difficulty is also indisputably the greatest!

“This is the one!” After flipping through the remaining divine demon body-tempering methods, Ji Ning made his choice without hesitation. “The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram!”

“This one?” Ji Yichuan looked at his son.

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded.

Ji Yichuan said slowly: “The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram is recognized as the foremost divine demon body-tempering method on the endless earth. It is far superior to methods like The Song of Blazing Fire, The Thunder Marsh Vajra Buddha Sutra, and The Demon Calamity Manuscript. This is merely the version up to the Zifu peak; there are even more profound versions beyond. If you can become a Zifu cultivator, obtaining the higher-level versions will be very easy.”

“This is the most widely circulated and easiest to obtain divine demon body-tempering method,” Ji Yichuan looked at his son. “But it is also the most difficult!”

Ji Ning smiled.

In the two years since coming to this world, he had read many books and knew that cultivation methods are fundamental! The more profound the cultivation technique, the harder it is to obtain. And since the even more profound parts of The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram could be obtained easily, he should choose it all the more.

“Its power is the strongest! Indisputably number one!”

“It is the most widely spread!”

“It is also the easiest to obtain!”

Ji Yichuan looked at his son. “It has countless advantages, but only one disadvantage—difficulty! In the five prefectures of our Ji clan, no one has ever cultivated to the fourth level and become a先天 lifeform through it.”

“What? Not a single one in the five prefectures of the Ji clan has become a先天 lifeform through it?” Ji Ning was surprised.

Forget about reaching the Zifu realm.

Not even one先天 lifeform?

“Correct,” said Ji Yichuan. “Not a single one. Because it is too difficult, beyond your imagination. Yet I also admit that it is the most mysterious and powerful divine demon body-tempering method; even in divine demon legends, it is the strongest!”

“This is the one!” Ji Ning did not hesitate at all.

He was born with the supreme visualization method The Nuwa Diagram, and had distinguished himself among the heavenly soldiers and generals. With such a solid foundation, how could he not even try? Even if he failed, it was no big deal; he could always cultivate other methods.

“Good!” Ji Yichuan showed a rare smile, very satisfied that his son did not waver. “I will fetch The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram for you right away.”

“Thank you, Father.” Ji Ning was full of anticipation.

...

Late at night.

The hall doors were closed. Inside, arm-thick candles burned with a crackling sound. Only three people were in the hall—Ji Yichuan, Wei Chi Xue, and their son Ji Ning.

Ji Ning was holding a thick, crimson-red book and reading it. It was the legendary supreme The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram.

“Truly difficult.” Ji Ning frowned as he read.

The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram has several major barriers.

First is the entry. To enter, one must be able to sense the two supreme stars, ‘Taiyin’ and ‘Sun’. Many divine demon body-tempering methods absorb the world’s primal qi, or absorb forces like fire, water, thunder, etc. But The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram requires, from the very beginning, sensing those two supreme stars and absorbing the power of Taiyin and Sun.

Many cultivators simply cannot sense the Taiyin and Sun stars. This is only the first barrier!

After that, absorbing the power of Taiyin and Sun will automatically form divine patterns on the body. This is the second barrier! Only when both the Taiyin divine pattern and the Sun divine pattern are formed is the first level of The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram considered complete. From the first level alone, one can see the subtlety of this supreme method. For example, methods like The Demon Calamity Manuscript require carving demonic patterns.

But The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram naturally gathers and forms divine patterns, and they are both Taiyin and Sun divine patterns!

Once the first level is mastered, one can generally cultivate smoothly to the third level without obstacles.

But to master the fourth level and become a先天 lifeform is an even more difficult barrier.

One needs ‘the union of yin and yang, the fusion of water and fire’ to break through and become a先天 lifeform.

As for the later barriers... they are still far off, no need to worry.

“Hoo.” After finishing reading, Ji Ning let out a long breath.

Ji Yichuan and Wei Chi Xue both watched their son.

“Father, please guide me on the mysteries of the first level of The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram.” Ji Ning looked at his father.

“This Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram is easy to understand,” said Ji Yichuan. “You just need to cultivate according to the diagrams. The first level has nine diagrams; it’s very simple.”

Ji Ning nodded. Having read so many books in this world, he immediately understood how to cultivate when he flipped through it. But he was worried about missing some special subtlety, as cultivation methods cannot be taken lightly. Since his father said so, and the manual was very clear, he would begin.

Ji Ning closed his eyes, raised both hands high, then bowed forward... This was the first diagram—Worship the Sun and Moon!

He performed the movements one by one according to the diagrams, exuding a mysterious, ancient charm, like a strange ritual dance.

“Hm?” Ji Yichuan was surprised.

“His first attempt is already so standard, with even a divine rhythm,” Wei Chi Xue was also surprised. Normally, even if one thinks of the movements, the actual execution is not as standard as imagined. But Ji Ning had cultivated The Nuwa Diagram since birth, his soul was strong, and his control over his body was naturally very strong. Moreover, his body had long been washed by the world’s primal qi, as pure as a newborn baby’s, so it was not strange that he could easily make standard movements.

Whoosh!

Ji Ning’s final movement: he knelt down directly, hands held empty in front of him, as if holding the Taiyin in one hand and the Sun in the other.

Silence fell.

Ji Yichuan and Wei Chi Xue also held their breath. They knew this was the critical moment. The previous worship dance was meant to help him better sense the Taiyin and Sun. Whether he could sense those two supreme stars was the entry to The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram, and this entry alone had stopped countless people.

The couple also knew that The Crimson Brightness Nine Heavens Diagram was the most difficult among divine demon body-tempering methods, and that their son, only four years old, had an extremely low chance of entering. But parents always hope for their child’s success, and they too longed for a surprise.