Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

This demon creature named Master Lingxu actually took the initiative to reveal his demon identity, which left Jiang Liu feeling astonished, as he seemed different from other demons.

Since he invited Jiang Liu to stay, this played right into Jiang Liu's hands; naturally, there was no intention of refusal.

If Master Lingxu did not attack him, then Jiang Liu could buy some time; if he coveted Jiang Liu's Tang Monk's Everlasting Flesh, then Jiang Liu could let Sun Wukong deal with him, earning himself some Contribution Points and Experience Points and possibly even good loot.

No matter how one looked at it, Jiang Liu wouldn't be at a loss, so when Master Lingxu warmly invited him, Jiang Liu did not give it much thought before accepting.

Atop Wolf Dwelling Mountain, there was a cave abode, clearly where Master Lingxu resided. Under his enthusiastic invitation, Jiang Liu and Sun Wukong entered.

Inside the cave abode, it truly was a gathering of demons, Jiang Liu saw no fewer than ten Demon Marshals with beast heads and human bodies, which greatly alarmed him.

The Blood Tiger King from Foutu Mountain had only three Demon Marshals at his disposal; judging from this strength, Master Lingxu was undeniably more powerful than the Blood Tiger King.

"Servants, quickly prepare a feast; I will host the Holy Monk from Great Tang!" exclaimed Master Lingxu enthusiastically as he welcomed Jiang Liu into the cave.

Following Master Lingxu's command, the demon creatures in the cave quickly busied themselves, and soon, fruits and fine wines were laid out on the tables.

Seeing how efficiently the demon creatures in the cave worked, it was clear that Master Lingxu was no stranger to hosting banquets.

Upon entering the demon's cave abode, Jiang Liu and Sun Wukong took their respective seats, while the White Dragon Horse was left outside.

For one, it wouldn't be fitting for him in horse form to attend the banquet, and secondly, he had been sticking around uninvited, naturally having no intention of joining the bustling event and quietly waiting outside instead.

"Come, Holy Monk, let me first offer you a drink as an apology," Master Lingxu said, raising his cup to Jiang Liu after they were seated.

"Holy Monk, when you were passing through my Wolf Dwelling Mountain, you clashed with some of my incompetent subordinates. It was my negligence in hospitality," Master Lingxu said.

With those words, Master Lingxu drained his cup.

"It's nothing," Jiang Liu also drank his wine and replied.

Instead of getting angry for killing his subordinates, he apologized to Jiang Liu? Master Lingxu truly was a bit different.

"May I ask, Great King, do you always treat guests this way? Forgive my frankness, but a demon kind like you is a rarity I've seldom encountered," curious and puzzled, Jiang Liu directly voiced his question.

"Ah, Holy Monk, you're asking why I'm different from my kin," Master Lingxu sighed and replied, his expression wistful.

"Indeed, I am curious," Jiang Liu nodded and said.

"Holy Monk, you may not realize this, but the Human Clan possesses Innate Taoist Bodies, which are gifted by nature. Their cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds, far beyond what other species can compare with. We of the Demon Clan need to go through hundreds and thousands of years of cultivation just to transform into Taoist Bodies.

Yet even so, without guidance and Cultivation Techniques, we can only grope for the Immortal Path, treading on thin ice, and a single misstep may lead to death and the end of our path," Master Lingxu explained.

"Therefore, over the years, if I encounter monks or Taoists coming to Subdue Demons and Eliminate Evil, even if I defeat them, I do not slay them. Instead, I host them with good food and drinks, seeking to discuss philosophical matters that might benefit my search on the Immortal Path," Master Lingxu continued.

"I see," Jiang Liu realized as he listened to Master Lingxu's explanation, appreciating that he was a demon earnestly in pursuit of the Immortal Path.

"By the way, what exactly does 'Innate Taoist Body' mean?" Jiang Liu, curious, looked at Master Lingxu and asked.

He had encountered the Demon Marshal Level Electric Light Leopard in the Demon-Suppressing Hall before, which mentioned that the Little Witch was an Innate Taoist Body. Now hearing Master Lingxu bring up the same term, Jiang Liu asked him about it.

"Hmm, Holy Monk, don't you know what a 'Taoist Body' is?" Jiang Liu's question left Master Lingxu taken aback for a moment, as he thought it was basic common knowledge in the cultivation world.

"Master, I, Old Sun, know this," Sun Wukong, who was holding a wine cup by the side, interjected upon hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry.

"It's said that in the ancient times, when numerous clans stood tall, competing for living space, naturally, they had to diligently cultivate. In the end, all races reached a consensus on one form—that the form of the Taoist Body is the most compatible with the Heavenly Dao.

Therefore, no matter the race, when one's cultivation reaches a certain stage, they will transform into the form of a Taoist Body. This method has been continued to this day."

"Continued to this day, you mean? As in demons transforming their shape? Transforming into humans?" Jiang Liu suddenly understood upon hearing Sun Wukong's explanation.

Sun Wukong nodded and answered, "Indeed, the human form is actually the shape most in harmony with the Heavenly Dao. That's why in ancient times, all races would transform into this form to align with the Heavenly Dao."

"It was later when Goddess Nvwa created humans from clay that she directly fashioned the Human Clan after the model of the Taoist Body. Since then, as the human race prospered, they were born in this Taoist Body form, which is called the Innate Taoist Body."

"I see, no wonder throughout history, countless demons have sought to transform into human form. It turns out it's not that they wanted to become human, but rather that this form was the most compatible with the Heavenly Dao right from the start of humanity's existence," Jiang Liu realized after Sun Wukong's explanation.

Other races need to cultivate strenuously to reach a certain realm in order to transform into a Taoist Body, such as demons needing to achieve the status of a Demon King.

Yet humans, though weak at birth, are born in the form of a Taoist Body, thus it's no wonder Master Lingxu said the Human Clan is a race blessed by the heavens.

No wonder the legends say that many humans who have cultivated for decades could contend with demons who have cultivated for hundreds or even thousands of years.

So, the Little Witch from the Demon-Suppressing Hall, although a member of the Demon Clan, was also an Innate Taoist Body?

Thinking about it carefully, the Little Witch indeed looked just like a human, with no discernible difference. No wonder that Electric Light Leopard said she was of the Innate Taoist Body form.

It seems that in the Demon Clan, her talents were also extraordinary, which is why her father gave the seed of the Samadhi Demonic Fire to the Little Witch?

"Someone come here, fetch the two Spirit Elixirs I refined today," Before Jiang Liu could dwell further on his thoughts, Master Lingxu suddenly spoke up and ordered a Demon Marshal beside him.

"Great King, you, you mean to fetch the Spirit Elixirs?" The Demon Marshal expressed surprise upon hearing this and asked as if seeking confirmation.

Though it wasn't unusual for the Great King to host Taoists and monks, offering his own refined Spirit Pills as hospitality was a first.

"Yes, aren't you going yet?" Master Lingxu nodded and glared with his eyes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Demon Marshal quickly nodded and left, returning in a moment holding a tray.

On the tray were placed two pills radiating a luminescent glow, about the size of longan fruits.

"Holy Monk, I saw you seemed to be practicing alchemy just now? You must be well-versed in the art of pills. I've just refined two new Spirit Elixirs today, and I'd like you, Holy Monk, to appraise them," Master Lingxu said as he had the Demon Marshal bring the Spirit Pills before Jiang Liu.

Observing Jiang Liu's actions of purifying salt earlier, Master Lingxu had apparently mistook it for a novel alchemical technique.

Spirit Pills!? In this mythical world, the existence of Spirit Pills was naturally a great thing, but Jiang Liu had never seen one before and was curious, his gaze fixed on the Spirit Pills before him.

As Jiang Liu's gaze lingered, the data related to the Spirit Pills appeared in front of him.

Spirit Elixir (Consumable): Created from heavenly materials and earthly treasures using a secret technique. Upon consumption, one can gain 500,000 Experience Points. Subsequent uses halve the effect, and one must be no higher than Level 60 to use.