Almost the moment the words were spoken, an unrivaled will descended once more, manifesting within the Gate of Disciple. At the same time, a giant green lotus bloomed into existence. Opposite it stood a towering figure shrouded in boundless darkness, with countless pitch-black tendrils writhing and exuding a terrifying aura.
To gaze upon her was to face the endless Abyss, to feel one's soul involuntarily begin to sink.
Sink into the depths.
Never to rise again.
Immediately, the two supreme wills clashed—an exchange beyond mortal comprehension. Yi Tianxing could feel it, but could not fathom it. Time and space lost all meaning. Within his consciousness, only the two towering silhouettes remained.
They were Tao itself.
They were origin.
Words could not describe what he sensed.
He didn't know how long had passed.
When he finally awoke, the two wills had already vanished. The Abyssal Demon Mother's imprint within the Blood Moon Demon Bull General had also disappeared—completely erased.
The Gate of Disciple, in turn, had transformed—its form becoming solid and real, manifesting as an ancient pitch-black gate.
The demon general's Dao aura and essence had been fully absorbed, forging this ancient gate.
"Disciple Gate has absorbed the Blood Moon Demon Bull General. There is no greater embodiment of demonic power—it shall be called the Demon Gate. What it will produce… are more Blood Moon Demon Bull Generals."
Yi Tianxing was inwardly shocked. The aura radiating from the gate was no weaker than that of any Innate Spirit Treasure—perhaps even more terrifying. The Disciple Gate was a summoning gate, capable of nurturing the most fearsome demons.
"Disciple—Demon Gate!"
With a thought, Yi Tianxing activated the gate.
Instantly, a massive pitch-black Demon Gate appeared before Xuanhuang Immortal City, as if it had always been part of the city itself.
Roar!!
From the Demon Gate came an ancient, bestial roar. Waves of seven emotions and six desires were drawn into the gate. Then, a towering Blood Moon Demon Bull General stepped out.
It looked nearly identical to the original—just as savage and menacing. The only difference was its height: just a hundred zhang tall.
Yet its presence was immense.
"Peak third-tier combat strength… possessing the full abilities of the original Blood Moon Demon Bull General. And within it lies a soul imprint of loyalty to Great Yi—making it the most faithful of guardians."
Yi Tianxing could sense it clearly: this demon general's strength was formidable, and could even defeat some fourth-tier enemies. Ferocious and dominant.
More importantly, this was just the beginning.
With enough willing power and emotional energy, the Demon Gate could nurture even stronger generals—reaching the fourth, fifth, sixth, even seventh tier.
And they didn't need to always be outside.
The gate itself contained an independent inner realm, a world suited to the demons it bred. They could be stored and cultivated within—allowing their numbers to accumulate over time.
Eventually, Great Yi could unleash an overwhelming demon army, bolstering Xuanhuang Immortal City's might exponentially.
"Congratulations, Master! You've acquired a truly formidable Disciple. From today on, the title of Disciple Gate finally lives up to its name."
Ruyi Fairy beamed with excitement.
To turn the Blood Moon Demon Bull General into a Disciple was a groundbreaking feat.
This was a Heavenly Demon God Weapon. Without the intervention of the Eternal Green Lotus, it would've been impossible to erase the Abyssal Demon Mother's imprint. Just gazing at her nearly doomed one to eternal descent into madness. Without the lotus's help, Yi Tianxing might never have regained consciousness.
That was how terrifying the opposing will had been.
"Midnight has arrived. Let's see how powerful the Moonshade Demon Eye truly is."
Yi Tianxing looked to the sky. The appointed time had come.
A silver demonic eye appeared in the void, connecting to Great Yi's national fate. The empire's qi was now infusing and refining it, placing the demon eye under strict control.
Children under nine years of age had the curse forcibly suppressed—they would not suffer its effects. Only those beyond a certain age would bear the burden of the curse.
"It's starting."
Whoosh!!
At the stroke of midnight, Yi Tianxing instantly felt the curse ignite within him.
The once-dormant Eye Totem Mark reappeared at his brow, forming a silver vertical eye. It established a mystical link to the Lunar Star in the void.
A stream of Taiyin (Yin) force flowed from the heavens into the Moonshade Demon Eye, then dispersed across every citizen of Great Yi, diluted into billions of strands.
Each person received only a faint wisp—greatly weakened, but still potent.
Ding!!
The Yin force pierced directly into their souls, bypassing the physical body entirely.
At contact, a piercing cold gripped the soul. Ice crystals began forming on its surface—cold beyond imagination.
Countless citizens felt this frigid pain—but thanks to the dilution, it was survivable. Without it, they would have frozen solid in an instant.
Then came the real agony.
A silver crescent blade appeared within their souls and slashed them.
The blade didn't leave after a single cut—it remained embedded in the soul, slashing repeatedly, doing ever-increasing damage. Ruthless and brutal.
With each strike, the blade dimmed, shrinking as its energy was spent.
Finally, it disappeared.
But by then, the soul was riddled with wounds.
Then the Moonshade energy began to seep into the damaged soul, healing it. Despite the chilling pain, it strengthened the soul.
The Moonshade essence had a tempering and nurturing effect.
As midnight passed, the Moonshade force dissipated naturally.
The once-shattered soul began to recover, and in that process, the lingering Moonshade power was absorbed, integrated into the soul, strengthening it even further.
This transformation was clear and tangible.
"My soul has become stronger. So this is the power of Taiyin… how marvelous."
"Painful, yes, but even my Dharma Aspect and Nascent Soul were refined by the curse. The impurities in my soul shattered—this feeling of growth is real."
"As long as we grow stronger, who cares about a little pain? As long as we don't die, it's all worth it. Solar fire for the body, lunar force for the soul—refining flesh by day, soul by night. Even those with ordinary talent can go far on this path!"
Countless citizens, once the curse ended and they felt the benefits, no longer feared the pain.
In fact, they welcomed it.