Legend of the Great Sage

Origin Soul could they break free from the body and live independently.
That was equivalent to developing the ability to breathe underwater.
No matter what they did, they would not drown to death.

As a result, when the situation during the tribulation became too dangerous, such as when the body had sustained wounds that were too severe or when the five skandha blazed beyond control, many cultivators would downright discard their bodies.

If they succeeded with the tribulation, they would not be Human Immortals, only Corpse Liberated Immortals, but they were still immortals.
Both their lifespans and strength would far surpass Human Sovereigns, which was countless times better than dying.

With no other choice, Chao Tianjiao decided to undergo corpse liberation.

But at this moment, she saw Li Qingshan again.
She knew that was only the kleśa-māra, but she still could not help but shudder inside.

“If I do this, wouldn’t I just return to my own path, and all of his sacrifices would be in vain? Even if I survive somehow, my personality will only become colder and harsher.
I definitely won’t remember him anymore.”

Thinking up to there, Chao Tianjiao made up her mind. So be it! Since I said I would not forget him, I definitely won’t forget him! At most, it’s just dying.
I can just die a lover’s death with him!

With a swing of her blade, she cut through the lightning and called out, “Come, lightning!”

Setting aside the thought of death, she engaged the armaments of tribulation lightning with courage and determination.

At that moment, great delight flooded her heart.
She experienced a sense of courage and excitement she had not experienced in a very long time.

Those who were truly courageous were not without fear.
Instead, they could defeat fear and advance resolutely.

At that moment, her newly-formed Origin Soul stabilised, and power became available to her.

The path of cultivation was never only a clash of strength.
It was also a contention of wills.

Trying to eliminate her fears and hesitation to become “courageous”, trying to cast aside her emotions and desires to become “determined”, was all the act of a coward.
It was like a deserter of the battlefield.

A cultivator like that would either become a slave to the power of others, or a slave to their own power.

She gazed at the kleśa-māra, and her lips curled into a smile.
She said quietly, “Thanks, kid! Come now!”

Even if she died, she definitely would not regret it.

However, for some reason, the kleśa-māra was instead slightly hesitant.
It never brought her death.

Was it because it had transformed into Li Qingshan that it had also become a “saint of love”, reluctant to sully a flower?

However, she instead heard the kleśa-māra mutter, “That’s strange… why does this woman… possess the aura of the lord?”

Chao Tianjiao realised what was going on.
She almost wanted to laugh aloud.

Li Qingshan practised the Heavenly Tome of Liberty.
The exact path he walked was Maheśvara’s.

Different paths received different treatment.
The path of xuanwu faced additional opposition, while the path of nature received no opposition, nor any special treatment.
His path of great liberty just happened to earn him special treatment in a place like this.

This could be explained as some sort of favouritism.
It could also be explained by the fact that cultivators who practised the path of great liberty usually faced more tests; as their usual performance was exceptional, they received bonus marks in the final exam.

Through dual cultivation, Li Qingshan truly witnessed the path of great liberty.
When it came to annihilation, he had achieved the Divine Fire of World Destruction.
When it came to creation, he had sacrificed himself to save Chao Tianjiao.

When he gave his Yin Soul to Chao Tianjiao, his aura lingered on her body, which was also the aura of Maheśvara.
The kleśa-māra obviously developed qualms as a result.

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And these qualms were not just respect towards its “great leader”, but also worries for its own safety.

Kleśa-māra were an extremely special existence.
They were neither human or daemon, neither god nor ghost.
They did not even fear heavenly tribulations.

No matter how powerful Chao Tianjiao’s xuanwu blade aura was, she would struggle to slay it.

However, if Li Qingshan had been undergoing the tribulation here instead with his Yang Soul refined into a Origin Soul, not only would the kleśa-māra be completely incapable of shaking him, but it would instead be twisted by his will.
If it dared to make a ruckus, a blast of the Divine Fire of World Destruction would be enough to reduce it to ashes.

Even māra feared death.
It was just that very few things could threaten them, which was why they seemed fearless and reckless.
Once they encountered a power that could overwhelm them, they would instead become particularly cautious.