Chapter 92: The 72 Transformations, Nine Revolutions of the Primordial Merit

  The 72 transformations of the Earth Demon are complete, and after mastering them, if the practitioner transforms, even their original spirit will change along with it. It's not something that ordinary people can discern, so it can be said that this set of techniques is truly a top-notch technique. However, except for certain innate tribes, cultivating this technique requires too much from the body and soul, making it unbearable for anyone to endure, thus rendering it somewhat useless.

  This land has seventy-two changes, and it is called the Seventy-Two Changes of the Earth because this set of techniques was originally discovered on the spine of Pangu, the Great God, on Mount Buzhou. It was first discovered by the Wu tribe and spread during the Honghuang years. At that time, the discovery of the Seventy-Two Changes also caused a great sensation.

  However, the experience of countless people practicing afterwards has proven that this set of techniques, except for a few special physiques that can be practiced, is tantamount to slow suicide for others. As a result, it was shelved, and later, due to the characteristics brought by this technique being too tempting, the Taoist ancestors studied and created an imitation of the 72 transformations, the 36 changes.

  These thirty-six transformations are relatively simple to practice, much simpler than the seventy-two transformations, and there is no risk of death or destruction. After its creation by the Taoist ancestors, it was widely spread among the most powerful practitioners and is now considered a orthodox method of transformation. Unlike the seventy-two transformations, these thirty-six transformations only change the physical body, using the immortal energy within to mask the fluctuations of the soul, mimicking the soul of the transformed object, but unable to directly transform the soul. This greatly reduces the burden on the practitioner and also lowers the requirements for the physical body. It is now a required transformation technique for high-ranking individuals in various major powers throughout the universe.

  Due to the innate nature of the 72 Changes and its unparalleled characteristics, as well as the widespread acceptance of the 36 Changes, the name "Earthly Fierce" was added to the front of the 72 Changes, while the name "Heavenly Fierce" was added to the 36 Changes. To a certain extent, this can be seen as people flattering the Taoist ancestors, but it has been passed down with this name ever since.

  The two monkeys consulted and Monkey King Sun Wukong stepped forward, bowing and saying "I wish to learn the Earthly Fiend's transformation technique." After the monkey king finished speaking, he saw his master looking at him, so Sun Wukong couldn't help but step forward as well, saying "I also want to learn a few more transformations, so I'll have more methods in the future."

  "Alright!" Bodhi Ancestor nodded and waved his hand, indicating "Since it's so, it's also the will of heaven. You two must not regret it afterwards! Come forward, I'll transmit the oral secrets to you."

  "We won't regret it, we won't regret it!" The two monkeys both bowed to thank him and then leaned in close. Patriarch Bodhi immediately told them the secret of transformation, and after they had memorized it, he explained it again. However, since he himself didn't fully understand the 72 transformations, he only gave a general explanation before sending the two monkeys on their way.

  So smoothly obtained the seventy-two changes, Sun Yuan's heart was both happy and worried, in short, it was a mixture of five flavors, and he couldn't say what kind of feeling it was. At this time, an idea gradually expanded in his mind, "Could it be that this Bodhi old ancestor is deceiving me with fake goods?"

  After leaving the cave, Sun Yuan found an opportunity to verify with Sun Wukong, and the result made him very happy, but also more suspicious. This set of earth-killing changes was actually true, and Bodhi treated him and the Monkey King equally, without any bias, which made a strange thought rise in Sun Yuan's heart.

  After verifying that what he had learned was genuine, Sun Yuan gradually set aside the thread of doubt in his mind and began to focus on this set of changing techniques. Through long-term research, Sun Yuan found that this set of techniques was actually of the same type as the Heaven-Splitting Divine Palm, both being a kind of physical training technique, and this set of techniques had extremely abnormal requirements for the body.

  The so-called 72 transformations are actually the 72 forms of the Yuanshen's manifestation between heaven and earth. After achieving great success in cultivation, each form will have a Yuanshen imprint. It is said that mastering the 72 Earthly Fiend Transformations can grant one 72 lives. This is because as long as one is not defeated by an enemy who scatters their bones and destroys their soul, these 72 imprints can bring the practitioner 72 chances of rebirth.

  Apart from some specific people, gods and ghosts between heaven and earth, for other ethnic groups to cultivate the 72 transformations is a great burden on their bodies. Although the 72 transformations can also be considered a physical exercise, its focus is not on physical training, but rather on tempering the soul, shattering the flesh, reorganizing the soul body, and changing in countless ways. It just so happens that after cultivating it, there are also physical benefits.

  The earliest Wu tribe's great ability to obtain this set of skills, due to not cultivating the divine soul, only had a physical body, so they could only practice these 72 transformations. However, as a result, it lacked the effect of the divine soul manifesting and contrasting with the physical body, making the 72 transformations somewhat unnatural and losing its ability to deceive heaven and earth.

  In disappointment, after the research of the Wu Zu Da Neng, a practice method that evolved from the 72 transformations but also had its own development was born, which is precisely the Eight-Nine Xuan Gong, or also called the Nine-Turn Yuan Gong. Although they have different names, in essence, they are all derived from the 72 transformations of the earth's changes, and in essence, they are the same. Later, this set of methods gradually spread to the Hong Huang world and became the top practice method for physical training among various tribes.

  The seventy-two changes should change the seventy-two categories of heaven and earth, gods and souls. Corresponding to it is the seventy-second heavy pass card. In this set of methods, every twelve heavy pass cards are a big category. The change method in each category has a great connection with the soul's fantasy, so it is classified as one category. The seventy-two heavy changes are divided into six major categories, which are the six layers of the seventy-two changes. These six layers have no distinction between high and low, but only different categories. When the six layers are practiced, all things in heaven and earth can be changed, and it can be said that the seventy-two changes are greatly accomplished.

  The Nine Turns Primordial Merit is derived from the six categories of changes, but it only takes the method of kneading the physical body in the midst of change, excluding its tempering of the spirit and soul. It combines with the witch tribe's intention to forge the body, transforming the 72 transformations into the Nine Turns Cultivating Body Merit Method. Each turn takes the eightfold refinement of the physical body, totaling 72 small stages and nine large stages, known as the Nine Turns Primordial Merit, also referred to as the Eight-Nine Mysterious Merit.

  Although the Eight-Nine Xuan Gong was derived from the 72 Transformations, it is entirely different from the latter. If one does not know its methods and techniques, it would be impossible to deduce it from the 72 Transformations. After all, the Eight-Nine Xuan Gong has integrated the essence of the Wu Tribe's physical training as well as the tempering methods of the 72 Transformations. Without prolonged contemplation, even a genius would find it difficult to create.

  So Sun Yuan got the 72 transformations method, but he couldn't use it to temper his body. On the contrary, these 72 transformations were a great test for his body.

  After trying, Sun Yuan found that with his current demon body, he could cultivate a kind of transformation. However, when he actually put it into practice, what awaited him was the miserable sight of his muscles and veins bursting, and blood flowing from his seven orifices. Fortunately, due to the hardness of his divine soul core, his divine soul successfully transformed without suffering any harm. However, as a result, he would occasionally fall into a coma.

  After the initial failure, Sun Yuan nursed his wounds for several days before fully recovering. However, he never dared to attempt it again and instead focused on thinking of ways to strengthen his demonic body cultivation. As a result, Sun Yuan began to practice the Heaven-Cleaving Divine Palm with all his might in order to increase his demonic body's strength. Within just one month, the highest peak of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain disappeared without a trace, completely erased by the aura that was dispersed during Sun Yuan's practice of the Heaven-Cleaving Divine Palm.

  On this day, two visitors came down from the mountain cliff. They were Sun Wukong and Long Shu Zi. The two of them saw that Sun Yuan had been standing on the mountain cliff for over a month, and they were worried about him, so they came to visit him. At this time, Sun Yuan slowly struck out with his palm, and the air was suddenly filled with a loud whistling sound. In an instant, a huge palm print appeared in the air, and it fell down with a loud crash, deeply imprinting itself on the rocky layer below the mountain cliff. A cloud of dust rose up, leaving behind a deep palm print that was two meters deep.

  "Ah!" The two people under the cliff were so frightened that they trembled all over, "Is this kid crazy? Is there such a way to practice the Heavenly Fist? It's simply courting death! Ah!" Long-whiskered old man's whiskers quivered and were blown upwards by the strong wind, and it took a long time for him to calm down. At the same time, his face was covered with a layer of dust, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat exhausted.

  "Hmph" Monkey King wiped his face, spat out a mouthful of dust, and opened his bright big eyes, curiously saying "Is this the Heaven-Cleaving Divine Palm? It looks quite powerful now! But I seem to recall that others' aren't like this. Why do some people's Heaven-Cleaving Divine Palm only chop firewood and cut trees?"

  "Chop, ignorant!" Long Xuzi curled his lip and said "What do you know? Do you know what it means for a master to be nameless? I'll tell you, don't look at that move, it seems powerful but its power is all scattered during the process, not even gathering a bit. Now take a look at old Long's, although silent and unnoticeable, but its wonder lies in not wasting any of its power."

  "En, yes." The monkey king nodded slightly and said, "This principle is indeed true. Think about it, holding a stone and dragging a mountain range are quite different when swung around. Those who hold small stones can play freely and concentrate their strength on one point, while those who drag mountains can only let their power surge forth. What do you say, Big Brother?"

  "Hmph, no need to explain it to you." Long Xuzi's lie was exposed, but he didn't seem to care. He looked up at the figure still standing quietly on the mountain ridge and said, "Monkey, I've heard that your kind has mastered the 72 transformations. How's your cultivation going? We're so familiar with each other now, today's a good opportunity for you to show off your skills to your senior brother."

  After hearing Long Xuzi's words, the Monkey King scratched his head and laughed, saying "Now I've only completed one category, since my senior brother wants to see it, then I'll show off."

  "Hurry up, hurry up! I've long heard that this is a great divine ability. Alas, we are not fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn it. Now that I'm lucky enough to witness it, it's indeed rare." Long Xuzi's whiskers fluttered as he clapped his hands and laughed loudly.

  Good Monkey King, not a bit intimidated, he stood still at the foot of the mountain cliff, reciting incantations, his body suddenly shrinking, and under Long Shouzi's eyelids, he disappeared in an instant. In his place was a yellow-haired wild rabbit, which looked emaciated, with a skeletal appearance, its bright red eyes fixed on Long Shouzi.

  "Big brother, how are you?" Wild rabbit sat on the ground with a thud, its three-lobed mouth open, and to his surprise, it spoke human language.

  Although he had already guessed in his heart, but suddenly seeing this scene, Long Xuzi still couldn't help shrinking his body, and cautiously approached, saying "Brother, is it you?"

  The wild rabbit heard this and stood up on its hind legs, saying "Isn't it me? Brother, how's my transformation?"

  "It's really you!" Long Xuzi's two eyeballs bulged out, as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. After a few moments, Long Xuzi let out a long laugh and said, "But I've been tricked! I should have thought of it earlier. In this world, except for your wild rabbit transformation, there doesn't seem to be anyone else who is as weak as you are. You can really transform into anything, even this skull rabbit. That's indeed a great skill."