Empress Ma opened the box as instructed. The box had two layers. The first layer was lined with soft brocade, on which sat a round, peculiar bead that emitted a hazy, crystalline light.
A pearl covered in dust and placed in a box, once exposed to the light of day, will surely move people's hearts.
The assembled courtiers stared wide-eyed at the strange, bright pearl, their minds in turmoil.
What is this? It looks like a pearl, but even the most beautiful pearls in the world are not this magnificent.
Minister A: It must have been some kind of precious pearl belonging to the Dragon King, which was snatched away by this reckless demon and given to our benefactor.
Minister B: Elixir! Elixir, it must be elixir! Immortal Liu is going to bestow upon Empress Ma a great fortune!
C: Maybe it's just an ordinary pearl...
These three ideas summarize the thoughts of most people, although the last one is in the minority.
No way, Liu Xian would actually give away only one pearl? That's too shameful.
Empress Ma was also somewhat surprised. She looked up at Liu Xian and saw Liu Xian reach out and pick up the bead. A dazzling halo was projected onto her snow-white skin, making her inexplicably beautiful and radiant.
"Ding!" Liu Xian gently tapped the bead with her fingertip, producing a clear, tinkling sound like jade shattering. She said:
"Does my benefactor know how many trials and tribulations demons must overcome in their cultivation?"
She clearly wasn't really going to ask; the next second, Liu Xian answered her own question, softly reciting:
"Enlightenment is the first hurdle, transforming from an ignorant beast into a being with wisdom. Only one in ten thousand beasts has this opportunity."
Everyone present listened intently, not daring to utter a word or disturb them. The way the demon cultivated itself aroused great interest among them.
"After gaining wisdom, one must be guided by the moonlight and embark on the path of cultivation. This is a gradual process that no one can avoid."
However, those with exceptional talent or extraordinary bloodlines can overcome this in a short time; the rest can only hope that time will pass and their accumulated wisdom will allow them to comprehend the method of guidance.
Many people felt a pang of sympathy upon hearing this, wondering how becoming a monster also depended on talent and bloodline, just like humans.
Bad review!
Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself, both humans and demons have seven emotions and six desires, so of course there will be a hierarchy. It seems absurd, but it is actually reasonable.
However, he looked at Liu Xian and wondered what these had to do with the beads she had given to Empress Ma.
Ling Xiao didn't keep anyone in suspense and quickly continued:
"Those who can draw in moonlight and cultivate magical power can be called minor demons. The next step is to continue cultivating magical power and spells. The most crucial step is to undergo the tribulation of lightning to cultivate human form."
"Passing the tribulation of lightning is extremely difficult, with only one chance of survival out of nine deaths. Therefore, many demons refuse to transform into humans, stubbornly delaying the arrival of their tribulation and accumulating magical power. Such demons are nothing but fools."
Liu Xian made a sarcastic comment about the demons who dared not undergo tribulation, to which Empress Ma gently replied:
“Liu Xian is definitely not one of these kinds of people.”
"certainly."
She casually affirmed Empress Ma's words, as if she thought this proud experience was insignificant.
"Once a demon cultivates into human form, it is considered a significant figure. At this point, it may either revert to its ancestral bloodline, become a disciple of Buddhism or Taoism, cultivate immortality, or even seek divine power."
It turns out that there are so many paths for monsters to take. Liu Xian has now chosen the path of divine survival, but I wonder which path it took before.
The thought flashed through Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.
Suddenly, Liu Xian propped her face up with her hand, her voice like a distant breeze, ethereal and tinged with melancholy:
"We demons cultivate along the way, and every step is a tribulation. After passing the tribulation of lightning, there are still all kinds of strange tribulations. Countless people have fallen on the way."
This bead is the inner core left behind by one of my predecessors who failed to transcend his tribulation!
The concept of monsters possessing inner elixir only emerged in the modern Republic of China era. In the early Ming Dynasty, this term could only evoke thoughts of Taoism.
Taoism has an internal alchemy school, which is a method of cultivation for Taoist disciples. It regards the human body as an indestructible golden elixir to be cultivated and refined.
In contrast, there is external alchemy, which is the common practice of setting up a furnace to refine elixirs.
Therefore, it's not hard to understand the inner core of a demon. Even if you don't understand anything else, you'll know one thing—this inner core is a good thing!
Willow Immortal's predecessor must have been a powerful demon who had transformed into human form. Could the inner core it left behind be an ordinary thing?
The hundreds of people in the hall, from the emperor to the minor official sitting at the door, all had their eyes lit up, staring intently at the beads that Liu Xian was rolling with her fingertips.
Perhaps Liu Xian noticed their predatory gazes, for she handed the "inner elixir" to Empress Ma and waved her hand dismissively.
"Keep it safe."
Empress Ma possessed the demeanor of an empress, unlike her anxious and troublesome husband, and held it in her hand with a smile.
"I am too kind to give me such a precious heirloom from my predecessor."
"Oh, I don't recognize this senior either. The relic was found in the treasure vault of a demon king I killed before. I call him senior because we are both white snake demons, and he died early."
Liu Xian said to Empress Ma in surprise, noticing that she seemed to choke, as if she had remembered something:
"This inner elixir doesn't have much effect, but after wearing it, one will be immune to all poisons, snakes, ants, and poisonous insects will stay away from one's dwelling, and one's body will be warm in winter and cool in summer."
Moreover, wearing it for a long time can improve one's appearance and perhaps even prolong life?
Finally, a question arose, because Ling Xiao himself wasn't entirely sure if this "inner core" truly came from the snake demon.
It was that white snake.
The scales that Ling Xiao shed contained the power of her previous demonic and heretical forces, and these scales could not be discarded casually.
Otherwise, many years later, the style of the Ming Dynasty might change drastically...
Heaven issued an urgent warning to Ling Xiao not to litter. Okay, Ling Xiao started sorting the trash, keeping the good stuff and discarding the bad.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
