Asura Mad Emperor

"Let me go, release me at once!"

In Qinchuan's palm, a fist-sized, oddly-shaped object gleamed like jade atop which an old man with white hair and a youthful face, his beard fluttering, emerged. He glared with bulging eyes, small arms flailing, and roared continuously; it was the Medicinal Spirit that had been nurtured within the Elixir.

"You brat, release me this instant, or don't blame me for being impolite," the Medicinal Spirit glared furiously, angered by Qinchuan's disrespect.

"Stop your clamor! This Elixir has caught the eye of this young master, and now you have two choices," Qinchuan glanced at the fist-sized Medicinal Spirit and said indifferently, "First, submit to me, and I shall find you another dwelling. Second, cling to this Elixir and be refined alongside it by me."

This Medicinal Spirit, having cultivated from the Elixir, could already survive independently of the Elixir. The existence or non-existence of the Medicinal Spirit did not affect the Elixir's efficacy, and so Qinchuan gave it such options, a path to life.

"Hmph, I am naturally nurtured, a fusion of the essence of all things, spiritual energy, sun, and moon, seeing through the world's karma and clarifying the Great Dao Principles. How could I easily submit to your threats, you little stinker?"

"I was born of this fruit, and even in death, I shall not leave!"

The Medicinal Spirit frowned and glared, appearing ready to die rather than submit, quite resolute.

Without another word, Qinchuan's Innate True Qi surged tumultuously, burst forth from his body, enveloping the Elixir in a radiant divine light, ready to devour and refine it.

Seeing this, the Medicinal Spirit's face changed drastically; his old visage instantly turned green, and he shot out from the Elixir, hurriedly stating, "Cough, cough, suddenly I feel that changing residence might not be so bad."

He immediately cast aside his earlier grandiose declaration.

Qinchuan merely smiled indifferently, retracting the True Qi in his hand.

He naturally would not take offense at the Medicinal Spirit's rudeness.

Before him appeared a golden pillar, carved with a pair of dragon heads, and he said, "This Divine Pillar is an object from ancient times, capable of reaching the heavens and cutting through the earth, immensely indestructible, forged from true Divine Iron. Allowing you to reside in it is nothing but a privilege for you."

This Divine Pillar had been what he once used to suppress the area outside the Heavenly Demon Forest. Recently, on a whim, he retrieved it, planning to forge it into a Long Spear.

Having been exposed to both Demonic Qi and Spiritual Energy outside the Heavenly Demon Forest for many years without developing a spirit, it was now suitable to house the Medicinal Spirit of the Elixir. In time, it would serve well as a Spear Spirit.

"Doesn't that mean I'll have to follow you around forever?" Upon hearing this, the Medicinal Spirit immediately understood Qinchuan's intention. If he became Qinchuan's Spear Spirit, he would lose his freedom, and he complained with a crestfallen expression.

"Truly ungrateful. There are countless spirits nurtured by the world that are unworthy to follow this young master. I saw that you have a mind free from distractions and a pure origin, so I kindly spared your life. Otherwise, you would have been refined alongside the Elixir by now."

Qinchuan said coldly, as the True Qi within him began to circulate again, and the Great Dao Principles emerged, enveloping the Elixir.

"Fine! Fine! Fine! I accept!"

The Medicinal Spirit, seeing that Qinchuan was utterly serious and, although not agreeing with the first part of his statement, quickly floated out of the Elixir and then hid inside the Divine Pillar.

…

Refining karmic cause and effect did not require refining elixirs. Qinchuan, right then, simply crossed his legs and sat down, swallowing that karmic seed into his mouth.

As soon as the seed of karma entered Qinchuan's mouth, it instantly transformed into a stream of cool liquid, sliding down his throat into his stomach.

Then, a powerful presence burst forth inside his belly, an aura that was vastly desolate, mysterious, and sacred.

Qinchuan felt as though his entire being had fallen into a mysterious realm. Probing out with his Divine Sense, he saw the river of time flowing before his eyes. He could clearly see, within the river, countless beings struggling, floating, and sinking—a hurried existence that lasted no longer than a flick of a finger.

A lifetime passed in an instant, a youth grew to middle age, and then to old age, all in the span of a single thought, eventually turning into a mound of yellow earth.

Among the numerous beings caught in the world's vicissitudes, he could even clearly discern an inexplicable aura on people, guiding and controlling the beings within the river of time.

Initially unrelated individuals became entwined by this mysterious aura due to certain events, influencing each other inextricably.

"Is this the power of karma? Cause and effect are interdependent, not existing independently!"

This mysterious force would dissipate with certain events' occurrence, but most of the time, beings would carry the weight of their karma, entangled by Karmic Force, regretting their transmigration. During the process of reincarnation, most Karmic Forces would vanish, disappearing completely within the river of time.

Only on rare occasions, after countless cycles of reincarnation, would some beings in the river remain bound by karma, unable to escape the Karmic Forces they once provoked.

"Where there is a cause there must be an effect, where there is an effect there must be a cause. From cause arises effect, cause and effect are distinct. The confusion and enlightenment of the Ten Realms, are none other than relationships of cause and effect—is this what Karmic Force is?"

Qinchuan muttered to himself as if he had an epiphany.

Just at that moment, a violent aura burst forth from within him, his True Qi became chaotic, and the surrounding Qi violently erupted, sweeping up an endless, and at the same time, lonely and desolate aura.

It was a surge of pure Karmic Force that appeared out of nowhere, vast and formidable, raising a ferocious tornado around him, with him at the very eye of the storm.

Qinchuan's face changed drastically, "Such intense power of karma, countless Karmic Forces converging, have actually formed such a formidable superstorm!"

But he quickly realized, "Karmic Force, a cycle of retribution, in refining this seed of karma, I've fallen into this mysterious realm and have seen too many karmic ties of the world, now I'm suffering backlash!"

Next to him, Ling Xian'er and others sensed the strange changes happening to Qinchuan and exclaimed in unison, "What's happening? This aura is terrifying."

The old-looking Medicinal Spirit poked his head out from the Divine Pillar and clucked in amazement, "This kid really doesn't know whether to live or die, not only does he forcefully refine karma, but he also dares to peer into the countless beings' karma within the river of time, suffering from the backlash of Karmic Force."

"What should we do now? Is there any way to help him?" Ji Huo'er felt a certain fondness for Qinchuan, considering he had shared so many Spiritual Treasures, and asked worriedly.

"There's no way out. The power of karma is mysterious and unpredictable; once entangled, unless one resolves this segment of karma, one will always be bound by it, unable to break free.

This kid has the power of karma all over him, I don't know how many beings' karma he has peered into, such terrifying Karmic Force, even a saint would only await death."

Even as Medicinal Spirit spoke, there was a hint of schadenfreude. Qinchuan's death would be good news for him.

Ji Huo'er's face was filled with worry upon hearing this, but she was powerless, watching helplessly as the aura continued to assault and ravage Qinchuan at the eye of the storm.