Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1336 Turning Point (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 32113 for Hidden Dragon)

The flames raged in the sky, staining the horizon. The old master stood between heaven and earth, the azure light in his hand thick, like a waterfall formed from horn wood, resisting the flames one by one.

Wen Daoping felt a deep sadness in his heart.

The Wen family has a deep foundation. Wen Dao has cultivated the Horned Wood and is very famous in the north. Over the years, everyone respects him. After all, which family doesn't have a disciple who is on the verge of death or a supernatural being who is injured? But it is precisely because he cultivated the Horned Wood that he naturally falls behind in combat.

Qiao Sanyi, who was standing in front of him, was known for his formidable fighting skills and high level of cultivation. His "Lesser Yin" supernatural power was unpredictable. He could neither defeat him nor escape. He was blocked twice in a row. Knowing that his opponent was merciless and unwilling to let him go, he felt extremely frustrated.

He took a deep breath, only to see the four beams of sunlight appearing nearby, transforming into a black-clad youth with a calm expression. The halberd and battle-axe were gone, leaving him empty-handed, yet he exuded an even greater sense of oppression.

Without needing to say more, the old master felt a chill in his heart:

'Lu Fu is in trouble again! I wonder how he'll manage to clean this up this time!'

Wen Daoping raised his head and sighed deeply:
"Although Jiaoshan is an ancient sacred mountain, it is not a vital point. Why did King Wei go to such lengths?"

He really couldn't understand it.

'He came in person, with flames blazing, and not only did he bring Qiao Sanyi, the most powerful mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator... but he also brought the Xuanlei Drum!'

What does a Level 1 treasure like the [Annihilation Thunder Drum] mean? It was placed in the Thunder Palace by the Thunder Envoys who patrolled the world to slay demons—it refers to the current Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao! As long as one's supernatural powers are not fully developed, no matter what abilities one possesses, they will be obediently immobilized…

What's even more frightening is that he had never heard of Li Zhouwei using it.

If this were placed in a major battle, dispatching a lightning cultivator with supernatural powers to unexpectedly retrieve this item could even turn the tide of the war... Such a powerful treasure, which has always been hidden away, is being used in this small [Horn Mountain]!

He was utterly exhausted, bowed deeply, and said:
"I wonder what brings the King of Wei here from afar?"

Jiaoshan was captured in an instant, and the young man was in a good mood. However, the old man's words were not a simple matter. They not only caused the flames in the sky to gradually weaken, but also made Qiao Wenliu beside him ponder deeply.

The great formation of Jiaoshan has been destroyed.

"King Wei, seeking a swift victory, has already destroyed the grand formation here. Many array platforms have collapsed with a deafening roar. Although the array plates weren't completely destroyed, or entirely lost, rebuilding them... will certainly take more than a year or two."

This means that it is almost impossible for Li Zhouwei to use this place as a base!
But Li Zhouwei didn't seem to care and laughed:

"Transform into a real person!"

Liu Changdie quickly descended from the sky, the small drum still clutched tightly in his pocket, its light flickering. This middle-aged man, having finally obtained this treasure, feared a fight might break out immediately, so he maintained the spell's effect and responded, listening to the King of Wei say:
"Take the array plate."

Li Zhouwei certainly couldn't stay here for long.

'The Great Desire Path and Great Sheep Mountain are not far apart; these two are eager to hinder me. The True Immortals at the Southern Gate will surely come to my aid upon seeing the flames soaring to the east…'

Although Li Zhouwei possessed formidable supernatural abilities, he could not withstand the encirclement from three sides. Staying here would only lead to his demise. His violent destruction of the formation upon arrival was also to break through this eastern gateway so that he could move freely!
Upon hearing his words, Liu Changdie quickly calculated with his fingers and responded instantly, breaking through the void to enter the palace. Wen Daoping felt a chill in his heart, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He turned around and looked at Qiao Wenliu with pleading eyes.

Qiao Wenliu immediately understood and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
"Master Wen is a highly respected and virtuous man. The Wen family is a prominent clan in the various prefectures, one of the twelve most prominent families... If the King of Wei spares his life, I, Qiao, am willing to vouch for Master Wen and have him serve Mingyang!"

These words had not yet convinced Li Zhouwei, but they startled Wen Daoping, who thought to himself in alarm:
'How did I end up working for Mingyang?!'

Qiao Wenliu is right. Wen Daoping's Wen clan is one of the twelve clans in the world, and is a descendant of the [True Lord Chi Xiong], which is why he is among them... To put it bluntly, Wen Daoping has recovered now and is less afraid!
"I asked you to explain the background and the pros and cons, not to overstep my bounds and do it for me!"

Qiao Wenliu's words embarrassed him, but the King of Wei showed no significant change in expression, and said softly:
"Twelve families?"

Seeing that the old master Wen hadn't responded immediately, Qiao Wenliu became displeased, inwardly cursing him for being ungrateful. His tone shifted slightly, becoming a half-smile:

"He is a descendant of the True Lord. His ancestor was the Mysterious True Lord [Chi Xiong Zhen Jun], a disciple of Master Xu Xiang, and the junior brother of Er Lü."

"No wonder Lü Fu is here."

The third sentence failed to elicit a response, but the old man still stood there with his neck stiff—clearly, this Master Wen still maintained his composure and had his own reliance, and was absolutely unwilling to bow his head easily like that Daoist Lü.

Li Zhouwei's patience had reached its limit. After speaking the third sentence and receiving no reply, the smile on his face faded. With his palm facing upward, a small urn that resembled wood but was not wood appeared, and the light of the wood flowed down.

He said coldly:
"What twelve families—are you going in by yourself, or should I cripple your supernatural powers, destroy your physical body, and throw you in?"

Wen Daoping's face turned ashen instantly. His hands, clenched tightly in front of him, trembled, as if he wanted to angrily lash out, but he held back for the sake of the situation. His beard quivered as he said:

"The King of Wei has such great power..."

"Clang!"

Without warning, before his words could even resonate between the two, the magic sword at the waist of the young man in black suddenly leaped up, its spots of light, like bloodstains, shining out, and the world instantly became vast and desolate, all colors frozen in the night!
Wen Daoping, like a mosquito frozen in amber, his old face stiffened in disbelief, as the steel-like fist hurtled towards him and slammed into his face.
"Boom!"

Li Zhouwei was known among the cultivators as the Qilin of the human world. His Dharma body was incredibly powerful. When he was right next to Qiao Wenliu, he was caught off guard and his hair stood on end. Qiao Wenliu even had a momentary blank in his mind when Li Zhouwei rushed past.

The old man's entire head twisted and deformed in an instant, like a rotten watermelon, and then exploded with a bang!
Please have mercy!

Qiao Wenliu's terrified voice froze in the air. In the next instant, the second punch landed on the old man's chest. His thin chest, along with his shattered head, was instantly torn to pieces. Blood, glowing with a bluish light, gushed out, transforming into various bird shapes in the air, only to be torn to shreds by the brilliant flames!
"Your Majesty!"

Qiao Wenliu was filled with great panic!
What is Wen Daoping's cultivation level? The Wen brothers are useless in this generation. Only he, Zifu, has managed to reach the Three Divine Powers at such a young age thanks to the foundation of his ancestors. He is not a person who can fight. Compared with the Qilin, Jiaomu's physical body is as fragile as tofu. How can he withstand being hit twice by the White Qilin of the Great True Person at such close range?
He quickly withdrew his supernatural powers and restrained the horned wood, only to find the ground covered in greenish flesh and blood, with half an eyeball still rolling around on the ground. The old man had been beaten to a pulp!

But he wasn't exactly known for his good temper, so seeing it this way made him feel better:
'That old man is such a show-off… He deserves it!'

He then shouted:
"Your Majesty, calm down!"

Reason quickly prevailed, and Qiao Wenliu, disregarding everything else, flicked his sleeve and swept the ball of blue light off the ground like dust into the jar. Only then did he kneel down and whisper:

"Subordinates have neglected their duties..."

The young man, however, didn't seem to care, as if he hadn't been the one to throw those two punches. He casually put away the magical treasure and laughed:
"It's also one of the three supernatural powers of 'Hornwood,' so it's not like I could kill him with just two punches. He looks miserable, but once I go in and piece him together, it's not a serious injury."

Qiao Wenliu sighed repeatedly, glanced at the King of Wei's expression, and said:

"This old man has a long-standing reputation... He thinks that all descendants of the Lü brothers can have face with the King of Wei, and that his family, after all, are descendants of the True Lord of Chenghua... He also thinks that the King of Wei needs him to stabilize the situation..."

His analysis was spot on. Hearing someone approaching, he spat and sneered:
"What kind of person is this? We came from afar to treat him with the utmost respect! If he surrenders too slowly, let him taste whether his Dharma body is harder or his fist is harder!"

It was Liu Changdie.

Ku Jin was already skilled in this art, and Qiao Wenliu had mentioned that this array plate had been made with Geng metal. In the blink of an eye, Liu Changdie pried out the array plate. It was a clear blue-green color, but with faint gray scorch marks. He held it in his hands.

Unlike Qiao Wenliu, who was fond of fighting, this Yuanbian Zhenren was wholeheartedly devoted to the Li family, and was naturally delighted to see this scene.

Li Zhouwei didn't take this incident to heart at all, and casually said:

"Lu Fu is much more sensible than him..."

Upon seeing Liu Changdie arrive, Qiao Wenliu couldn't help but ask, and whispered:

"Fellow Daoist Liu, since you cultivate the Treasury... have you explored the treasure vault here...?"

Liu Changdie knew what he was thinking and hesitated:
"Of course there are... but my knowledge lies in understanding, not in deciphering. This is the Purple Mansion's backup plan, not something that can be done in a short time. I'm just afraid that if it drags on..."

"good."

Li Zhouwei raised his head and said:
"Let's leave these things here. Normally, the forces from Dayudao, Dayangshan, and Gujun will arrive shortly. If we leave these things here, those monks will definitely become greedy. If fewer people from Gujun come, it might even have a miraculous effect and delay things for us."

Qiao Wenliu nodded reluctantly, then asked doubtfully:
"At this moment..."

Li Zhouwei's tone was calm, yet it was astonishing:
"Head north first."

He soared into the air, silently joining the two in entering the void, and sped northward, his golden pupils blazing.

In Cha You's field of vision, supernatural beings had already taken to the air in the northern county city, heading south along the void, whether to investigate the situation or to provide rescue!

'Let's catch him red-handed.'

His supernatural speed was extremely fast, but Liu Changdie patted his sleeve, and the small drum disappeared, replaced by the [Huaijiang Map], which was rolling around in the rising sun, and the [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter] quietly appeared.

Liu Changdie looked somewhat lost, but Qiao Wenliu was equally impressed. He turned to look at him, his expression quite unusual, and said:
"I am not knowledgeable enough to recognize which thunder drum it is, but I see... Fellow Daoist Liu uses this thing with such ease?"

Li Zhouwei nodded in agreement.

This was also a question that arose in his mind.

Liu Changdie, who hastily acquired this artifact, was not particularly outstanding in terms of supernatural powers and magic, but the power of that drumbeat was immense, and its ability to sweep across the formation even surpassed that of Qi Lanyan back then!

Upon hearing this, Liu Changdie simply smiled and said:
"So that's what you were thinking about, fellow Daoist. That's not surprising at all. This item was obtained by exchanging the [Mysterious Treasury Request Token]. All its wondrous properties are activated through the Mysterious Treasury. I merely provided the magical power..."

"Otherwise, if I were to switch to the Fire Combination Divine Power, given the conflicting nature of metal and fire, and the most vicious Fire Combination, it wouldn't be as simple as I mentioned earlier about stepping down; I would die on the spot!"

Qiao Wenliu suddenly understood. Even though he was a dignified "Lesser Yin" True Person, he couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness as he sighed:

"That's really impressive... what a pity..."

The three of them naturally knew what he was regretting.

"It's a pity we switched to the [Annihilation Thunder Drum], but not in a direct battle... I wonder what we'll get next time..."

Li Zhouwei hadn't had high hopes for Liu Changdie, but now he had many thoughts on it. His mind was mostly focused on how to better utilize this item. He shook his head and smiled, saying:
"Fortunately, we arrived in time, so there's no need for regret. However... Senior Yuanbian, is the greatest improvement in the use of this [Mysterious Treasury Request Token] due to supernatural abilities? Besides the cultivation level mentioned, is there anything else that can be helpful?"

The most effective method is always to enhance one's abilities. Liu Changdie's path to enlightenment is blocked, and even the most direct route has been severed. He felt dejected for a moment, then said:
“King Wei is wise and insightful. If I possessed another supernatural power, I would have the potential to choose a general path according to my will. However, this path is currently blocked, and my cultivation is not much easier—the entire treasury of the world's treasures and Daoist scriptures are not even available in Gu County, so how could they fall into the hands of people like us? I can only rely on my own gradual comprehension…”

Qiao Wenliu was highly skilled; he understood the situation after seeing just two of Qiao's supernatural abilities. He listened attentively without uttering a word.

"Besides that, there is one thing that is most convenient...and also commonly seen."

Liu Changdie shook his head and smiled:

"life."

He said quietly:
"This item can only be exchanged for things of relatively lower quality and material. With my life as collateral, it will have a great effect, allowing me to exchange something of lower quality for something of higher quality, and even have various imperceptible wonders. However, no matter how much is exchanged, once it is pledged, there will be no return. Even if the pledged supernatural powers and spiritual treasures are returned, it will only be to get the original item back."

Li Zhouwei frowned immediately. He was silent for a moment, then said:
"Too heavy!"

For cultivators, life is of paramount importance; even the slightest injury is painful. Unless they are desperate, they would never waste their lives on such things, and they rarely have any means of doing so…

Qiao Wenliu hesitated, seemingly puzzled, and said:

"Is this true? The Mysterious Treasury is the Dao of Profound Mystery; how could it take a person's life? Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps mistaken...?"

Liu Changdie lowered his head and said:

"I have some understanding of the Mysterious Treasury, and I want to let you know—those cultivators who cultivate their Qi and nurture their nature can have their lives returned when they pledge them. But what kind of lineage do you and I cultivate? To put it bluntly, it's the Purple Gold Demonic Path. How can a demonic cultivator's life be returned once it's been put in? It's only because the Mysterious Treasury has been unattended for a thousand years, my life is pure, and I cultivate 'Treasury Gold,' that I can use this item in this way... Otherwise..."

"I'm afraid I'll be the one to die!"

He smiled and said:

"That's a simple truth. Haven't you ever wondered, fellow Daoist, where do these supernatural powers in the Xuan Treasury come from? If it's due to the influence of the Metal position, then only the supernatural powers of the Treasury's Metal should be there. Why are there so many spiritual treasures here, besides those belonging to Dou Xuan himself, there are all sorts of miscellaneous treasures, even those from the lowest rungs of society..."

"Fellow Daoist, where do you think all the supernatural powers in the Xuan Treasury came from? These were all demonic cultivators of the ancient Zijin Dao who were captured by Douxuan, had their clans wiped out, were stripped of their possessions, dismembered, and had their evil supernatural powers sealed inside!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Wenliu was startled and speechless for a long time. It was only after a moment that he snapped out of his daze and said:

"Thunder Palace... was it the Thunder Palace?"

Liu Changdie sighed:

"Maybe sooner."

Qiao Wenliu remained silent.

Although he was from Gu County and not accepted by the noble families, his ancestors were not of low status, and he had several close families. He was knowledgeable about the Daoist canon and classics, and knew a great deal. He listened to Liu Changdie say:

"Although the Purple Gold Path is now widely practiced throughout the world and is considered the orthodox lineage of immortals, with all the ancient sects, large and small, engaging in cultivation, in ancient times it was truly considered inferior. Although there were many cultivators, they were like weeds... The further back in time one goes, the more likely one is to be suspected of being a demonic disciple..."

Qiao Wenliu sneered and said:
"Isn't it the same now? Only those who haven't gained favor for ten years are sent down to the mountains to cultivate the Purple Gold Path in this mortal world, or perhaps they only turn to the Purple Gold Path after they've perfected their cultivation in this lifetime, seeking to fill in any gaps in their knowledge..."

He seemed to have stirred up some unpleasant memories within him, and said sarcastically:

"In their eyes, the Purple Gold Path is a shortcut, but it is a shortcut created by an unparalleled genius. It is derived from the principles and can complete the righteous path. After retracing the principles, one can review the inner and outer aspects and verify the Great Dao. However, if one cultivates the five supernatural powers in one lifetime, one will inevitably be unable to fight against others and one's cultivation will be far inferior... That is called a lucky-to-advance person, not worth mentioning."

Liu Changdie sighed, remaining silent until he saw Li Zhouwei shake his head, his gaze fixed on the deep darkness, and softly say:
"Someone is coming."

……

It was dazzling and precious.

In the eastern part of the Great Zhao, and slightly north of the Qi region, there is a vast desert by the sea. High mountains stand tall, and golden lotuses bloom in abundance. Silver water flows, encroaching on all sides. Countless people live at the foot of the mountains, rowing boats, enjoying themselves, eating, and having children, living a carefree life.

Above these towering mountains and deserts, there is a vast sea of ​​clouds that covers the sky and earth, radiating boundless precious light. The colors of the earth rise and fall within it, and one can vaguely see lotus ponds and glazed steps, truly resembling a boundless paradise.

The Buddha has seven aspects. His compassion is in harmony with the nation's power. He resides in the north, and the Dharma realm has established Mount Tai, which is vast in the center. The eastern sea is the Great Desire Paradise. He considers himself equal and calls it the Eastern Paradise.

Above the layers of glazed golden steps, one can see one golden statue after another, most of them smiling and enjoying themselves immensely. Thousands of monks are attached to the golden statues, each enjoying their own pleasure.

On the golden platform in the south, a person sat upright, extremely ugly, covered in golden skin, but with a head that was neither human nor non-human, large at the top and small at the bottom, with huge black eyes. He was holding a piece of glass-like stone in his hand, slowly putting it into his mouth, and the powder that he chewed spilled from his lips, causing the figures below to scramble for it.

But someone stepped forward and said:

"Great Master! Great Master! There's a fire in the west!"

Maha straightened up, used his supernatural powers to gaze into the distance, and frowned, saying:
"What kind of fire?"

But upon that one glance, his expression changed instantly, and he exclaimed in horror:
"Crows and fire?!"

He knows about this!
"Wangyue Lake! Li Ximing..."

Those three words were enough; a more terrifying name flashed through his mind:

"Li Zhouwei".

The name made Maha straighten up, his eyes shifting between light and shadow.

This person is none other than Tai Xi!
Since his defeat at Wangyue Lake, the Void-Way Maha had only managed to escape with a trace of his true spirit. He then hid in the Land of Bliss and never went out again. Unexpectedly, after many years, he realized that he had returned to the Land of Bliss and immediately expelled Maha, sending him out to deal with the Great Sheep Mountain.

After Tai Xi left, fearing he would be harmed, he pulled strings and managed to find a temporary place to cultivate in the Great Desire Path, the backing of the Void Path…

So news from the outside world kept reaching my ears.

'The Great Song Dynasty has crossed the river!'

'Li Zhouwei has arrived in Jianghuai!'

'Guangchan is finished!'

When he heard that Guangchan had fallen, Taixi felt remorse. When Qi Lanyan fell, his injuries had almost healed, but he was determined not to go out again.

Until the destruction of Dalingchuan, only a trace of the true spirit of the highly respected Buddhist monk Renshijia returned, bringing news that was like the collapse of the heavens and the earth.

'A Grandmaster?'

'A great master over a hundred years old!'

At this point, Taixi knew that something terrible was about to happen.

'Back then, that Li Xuanfeng... I couldn't take him in. I made sure he died a quick death. Li Zhouwei and Li Ximing have always held a grudge against me, and now that they've become Grand Masters, how could I let them off so easily!'

Seeing that the sky was already ablaze with fire, he felt a chill in his heart. But then he saw a golden figure emerge from the heavy clouds, looking down at him from above.

"Tai Xi? Can you see the colors in the west?"

Xiao Disa's face was stern, and he was holding an infant in his hands. The infant had thick eyebrows and big eyes and was none other than Ren Shijia, who had narrowly escaped with his life. He was sitting with his hands wrapped around his knees, head down, and no word in his voice.

He gritted his teeth:
"This humble monk has seen him..."

Upon hearing this, one would expect someone to step forward and curse the monster, but the sea of ​​clouds remained completely silent.

Xiao Disa then fell silent.

Yu Hai Maha Liangli Tian Langzhi, who was leading people to fight for the Golden Land, had not yet returned. The three most influential people in the Buddhist land watched as the fire reached the doorstep of the Buddhist land. They stared at each other, and each of them lowered their heads.

"Cough cough..."

Tai Xi could no longer remain silent, and understanding what the other person wanted to say, she could only say:
"My lords, this is a critical moment. The three disciples of Buddhism have been conceived for a long time. I only beg you two not to act rashly..."

Since escaping back from the west, Xiao Disa had been cursing Li Zhouwei day and night, hating him to the core. But now, however, he felt no hatred at all; his brows were relaxed, and unexpectedly, he expressed his approval of the Peacock Faction's plan, saying righteously:
"Fellow Taoist is righteous!"

Renshijia remained silent. He was much more straightforward than his junior brother, and it took him a while to finally manage to speak:

"The White Qilin is not human, we...we shouldn't provoke it...but how can we just do nothing..."

After thinking for a while, Tai Xi suddenly said:
"Why would it be in the east?"

He and Xiao Disa exchanged a glance, both seeing the joy in each other's eyes, and gritted their teeth:

"It's Lotus Temple again!"

"Those good-for-nothings who disregard righteousness and only seek personal gain!"

Xiao Disa raised his hand and cursed:

"This is clearly a deliberate act of leniency by Lotus Temple. Why should we be forced to go south to make amends? I will definitely write to Dayang Mountain and complain to them!"

"Yes! Yes!"

In an instant, the three men, some shaking their sleeves, others picking up their pens, each lost in their own thoughts. These three mighty figures, the great masters of the Great Desire Path, spoke freely, even the infant-like Rinchenja chimed in with their own words, saying only:
"Those Minghui and Mingmeng are the most dishonest! Since Jinlian is out, what are they doing? Sitting in the temple waiting idly? We... would never stoop to associating with such people!"