Xiuxian: When you do things to the extreme

Chapter 721 Ruthless
A single sentence drew everyone's attention, making the old ape feel extremely uneasy.

Lift the ban?

This is exactly what I wanted!

But thinking is one thing, doing is another.

If he agrees under the watchful eyes of everyone, there will be no turning back.

Feeling the gazes of everyone, especially the icy stare from the demonic immortal, the old ape felt as if he were being scorched by flames.

Seeing this, Xu Yang didn't say anything more and quietly waited for him to make a choice.

These celestial beings from the upper realms are quite powerful, especially those few earth immortals. If we could recruit them to our side, it would be much easier to attack the various forbidden zones.

If not... that's okay too.

Xu Yang had no expectations of them; success would be a bonus, failure wouldn't affect the overall situation.

They are different; they have reached a critical juncture.

Their lives and survival depend on this moment; Xu Yang could not possibly keep them, much less lead them to attack the forbidden zone.

After all, the ultimate goal of attacking the forbidden zone is to eliminate that supreme being of the Underworld Cult. Even if the Heavenly Immortal is seriously injured and half-dead, it is still an extremely dangerous thing.

A slight error can lead to a huge difference. In such a major battle, even the slightest influence can determine victory or defeat, or even life or death.

Therefore, he cannot take these people with him, as that would become a burden, nor can he leave them behind, as that would be setting himself up for disaster. If they take the opportunity to cause trouble, or if he is defeated by the Underworld Lord and returns in disarray, these people will become the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

Uncontrollable forces and unstable factors must be eliminated.

Even if Xu Yang didn't say it, they all knew it.

After all, which of those who can become immortals or gods is not wise and insightful?
and so……

"This old servant is willing to abandon darkness and embrace light, and from now on serve the Lord of the Way, going through fire and water, and serving him faithfully!"

Having grasped the advantages and disadvantages, the old ape simply knelt down and pledged his allegiance.

"it is good!"

Xu Yang smiled, then waved his hand, and a divine light swept out, landing on the old ape's body. Instantly, it became dazzling and radiant, with yin and yang and the five elements interacting and changing, removing the restrictions on his physical body and even his primordial spirit one by one.

Because of the Underworld Lord, those who ascend from the lower realms have never been trusted by the various Dao lineages, and have even suffered suspicion and fear. People like the old ape have been placed under restrictions, made slaves and servants, and driven around at will.

This restriction was created by celestial immortals and imposed by terrestrial immortals; it is extremely difficult for ordinary people to break.

However, Xu Yang was clearly no ordinary person. With his extremely perfect foundation and cultivation, as well as his mastery of the Supreme Dao, unless it was a restriction personally placed by a Celestial Immortal, it would be impossible to stop his Supreme Dao technique.

Does the old ape have some kind of celestial restriction on him?

Of course not. Celestial immortals are busy with countless affairs of state and often need to go into seclusion to comprehend the Great Dao. They don't have much free time to impose restrictions on these ascended human immortals. They basically leave it to the earth immortals under their command.

and so……

Divine light shines brightly, Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, all laws return to their origin.

In just a moment, the restriction and the radiance vanished, leaving the old ape feeling relieved and reborn.

"I have no way to repay the great kindness of the Dao Lord. I can only offer my remaining body and my life in gratitude!"

Having been relieved of an immense burden, he felt as if he had been reborn. Even a true immortal who had seen many things in the world couldn't help but shed tears and bow deeply once again.

"Go back!"

Xu Yang said little, waved the old ape away, and looked at the crowd again: "How is it?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and in the ensuing silence, their defenses began to crumble.

Throughout history, those who understand the times are considered wise!

Besides, such a tradition and such treatment are not worth swearing loyalty to to the death.

and so……

"We are willing to abandon darkness and embrace light, to serve the Lord of the Way, to go through fire and water, and to serve Him faithfully!"

One group of people bowed down, and another group followed suit. In the blink of an eye, most of the dozens of True Immortals from the Upper Realm knelt down.

Only a dozen or so people remained frozen on the ground, staring at the few Earth Immortals in front of them, unsure of what to do.

These dozen or so True Immortals were from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Although their situation in the Upper Realm was also quite awkward, it was not as miserable as that of the Demon and Monster sects. Therefore, they were still somewhat hesitant at this moment.

Right here...

"Amitabha!"

As the Buddhist chant began, Manjushri bowed, setting an example among the earth immortals: "Since Your Excellency is not the master of the Underworld Sect, and the survival of the people depends on this matter, then our Buddhist sect naturally has an inescapable responsibility. Manjushri is willing to lend Your Excellency a helping hand."

Upon hearing this, the immortals of the Buddhist sect behind them felt a great weight lifted from their shoulders and all knelt down in unison.

Manjushri set an example, and the other earth immortals wavered upon seeing this, eventually gritting their teeth and bowing their heads.

Where there is life, there is hope!

Although these Earth Immortals are merely incarnations and their lives are not in danger, these Dao Soldier incarnations are the result of painstaking effort. If they are damaged, not only will their more than 100,000 years of hard work be in vain, but their Earth Immortal Dao Fruit will also be incomplete, leaving them no hope of becoming Celestial Immortals, and they will be inferior to others in the same realm.

This is something that is very difficult for them, as they are high-ranking officials and pillars of their respective fields, to accept.

Therefore, they decided to remain patient for the time being.

Since Xu Yang has made it clear that he is not the supreme leader of the Underworld Sect, and is even going to send troops to attack the forbidden zone and suppress the unrest, which is consistent with their purpose of descending to the mortal realm, it is perfectly acceptable to feign compliance with him for the time being.

however……

"Human hearts are unpredictable; mere words are insufficient evidence!"

Xu Yang shook his head, his true intentions revealed: "To safeguard the overall situation and ensure absolute safety, I have no choice but to do this!"

After saying that, he waved his sleeve again, and five-colored divine light shone out again, enveloping the group of true immortals. Even Manjushri and several other earth immortals were unable to escape.

Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the generating and restraining relationships, the Supreme Daoist methods reappear, removing the restrictions on the immortals and transforming them into layers of shackles.

"This……"

Within the divine light, Manjushri's expression changed, and he saw that Yin and Yang and the Five Elements transformed into seven hoops, which landed on her head, limbs, body, waist, abdomen, and primordial spirit's sea of ​​consciousness.

It is precisely a Taoist restriction!

"A thousand pieces of gold to buy a horse's bones"—the old ape had been captured by him for a thousand years and was previously a servant of the Heavenly Demon Palace, of low status and extremely poor treatment. Now that he had pledged allegiance, he must be sincere. Even if he wasn't, it wouldn't matter much. Therefore, Xu Yang could leave him without imposing any restrictions.

However, this was not the case for these Earth Immortals and the rest of the True Immortals. Xu Yang did not have enough time to completely convert them to his heart, nor could he place the outcome of this battle, or the safety of his side, on their sincerity.

Therefore, they must be prohibited, especially the several Earth Immortals; none of them should be let go.

"You madman, how dare you insult me!"

But a terrestrial immortal is still a terrestrial immortal. As high-ranking figures in various Daoist lineages, second only to the emperor, when have they ever received such treatment?
The moment the restriction was applied, a man rose up in anger. It was the Earth Immortal of the Demon Sect who completely disregarded the Yin-Yang Five Elements Seven Paths Rings on his body and fiercely urged his demonic energy to perish together with Xu Yangyu.

result……

"boom!!!"

Xu Yang remained unmoved, simply waving his sleeve, and five-colored divine light swept out, directly knocking this demonic sect earth immortal to the ground. The seven hoops of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements then took effect, instantly severing his head and limbs, destroying his physical body and primordial spirit, leaving only a bronze ancient tower, which was the true form of the earth immortal's Dao soldier.

His primordial spirit was destroyed, and he transformed into a soldier, a seven-story bronze ancient tower, bound by seven hoops that never loosened.

Xu Yang remained silent, only intensifying his Daoist magic, tightening the seven hoops of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, causing the ancient bronze pagoda to succumb to the pressure, sparks to fly, and cracks to appear everywhere.

finally……

"boom!!!"

With a deafening roar, the ancient tower shattered, and countless rare treasures forged into supreme weapons were destroyed.

Xu Yang sat high in the hall, his expression indifferent, his gaze calm and undisturbed. Five-colored divine light shone before him as he refined the fragments of the Dao weapon, not only without attempting to recover them, but also refining them all into nothingness.

An ultimate weapon was reduced to ashes! "..."

"..."

"..."

Upon seeing this, all the immortals fell silent. Several earth immortals looked cold, while the true immortals were horrified.

Xu Yang remained expressionless, looking down at the immortals, then raising his gaze: "Able to restrain others, yet unable to withstand restraint from others, such a temperament is not worth mourning!"

"What the Daoist Master says is absolutely right!"

Upon hearing this, all the immortals fell silent, except for the old ape, who spoke up indignantly: "That demonic sect and the Heavenly Demon Palace treat us ascended cultivators like pigs and dogs, as slaves and servants, and drive us around at will. Now that we are in their place, and they are the ones being imprisoned, they will understand that this is a great humiliation. Such scoundrels deserve to die!"

His words were filled with great satisfaction, venting a great deal of pent-up resentment.

Xu Yang smiled, said nothing more, and turned his gaze back to the group of people, especially the Earth Immortals such as Manjushri: "If you do not wish to be restricted, you may speak up now, and I will grant your request to avoid trouble later!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, all the immortals fell silent.

A combination of kindness and severity, with the power of life and death!

Xu Yang's attitude has shown that he will not leave any hidden dangers that could affect his battle with the Underworld Lord. He will kill even Earth Immortals without hesitation, and he will not even hold back his ultimate weapons, destroying them directly to show his determination.

This was a great shock to Manjushri and other earth immortals.

They originally thought that even if Xu Yang were to take drastic measures, he would at most erase their primordial spirits, and the Dao weapon should be preserved. After all, it was a treasure that a terrestrial immortal had painstakingly refined over 100,000 years by collecting countless rare treasures. Even if it could not be immediately used for their own purposes, it was still worth preserving.

But unexpectedly, Xu Yang was so ruthless that he not only destroyed the primordial spirit, but also destroyed the Dao soldiers, leaving no room for anything else!

What does this indicate?
This showed his intention: to burn his boats and fight with his back to the wall!

These earth immortals and their Dao soldiers are like vessels in his hands. If he cannot immediately turn them into his own, then he must destroy them and sever all thoughts of them.

The reason why that demonic immortal rose up in resistance was twofold: first, he could not bear the humiliation, and second, he believed that the other party would keep his Dao weapon, so that when the celestial immortal descended to the mortal realm in the future, he could take it back and reforge the Dao weapon.

However, Xu Yang directly blocked this path, so even if the Heavenly Immortal Dao Lord descends to the mortal realm in the future, he will not be able to reclaim the Dao Weapon and make up for the deficiency.

The resulting awe and fear among the immortals was considerable.

"Amitabha!"

Manjushri clasped his hands together, his face filled with compassion: "To safeguard the overall situation and protect all living beings, Your Holiness the Buddha has shown compassion and holy conduct. Manjushri prostrates himself in gratitude."

"..."

"..."

"..."

These words and gestures left the Earth Immortals speechless for a moment, and they eventually bowed their heads in acceptance.

As the saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.

Let's be patient for now and settle things later!

The Earth Immortal bowed his head, silently accepting the restriction, while the remaining True Immortals could only resign themselves to fate.

"After this battle, if you have rendered meritorious service, you will be freed!"

"On the contrary... I would have no regrets even if it meant death!"

Xu Yang stood up: "I will be giving a sermon in the palace. If you are interested, you may come and listen!"

Having said that, he vanished without a trace, disregarding everyone's reaction.

The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment. In the end, it was the old ape and Manjushri who took the lead, stepping out of the Zhenwu North Hall and heading straight for the Qilin Central Hall.

……

The Heavenly Palace of Ten Thousand Paths, with the Qilin in the center, stands according to the layout of the former Jade Capital.

Now, the Qilin Hall is filled with thousands of people, all of whom are immortals. The lowest level is Mahayana, and the highest level is True Immortal. They sit on futons, listening to the Daoist teachings, as if intoxicated.

The land of China is blessed with unique advantages, with thousands of true immortals, tens of thousands of illusory immortals, and nearly a million who have cultivated immortal power.

Although the darkness and turmoil raged for a thousand years, causing calamity to all living beings and drastically reducing the number of cultivators, half of them still survived and are now flocking to the Dao Domain.

There were thousands upon thousands of true immortals and illusory immortals gathered together, yet the place did not feel crowded. Instead, they were clearly distinguished and arranged in an orderly manner.

Above the main hall and on the high altar, the leader of the Human Sect proclaimed the scriptures, and the Supreme Being expounded the Dharma. The principles of the Great Dao were manifested in reality, causing heavenly flowers to fall and golden lotuses to spring from the ground. Even true immortals were captivated at this moment, listening with rapt attention.

Some people suddenly realized the truth and understood.

Some people were puzzled and scratched their heads.

Some even had a sudden enlightenment, and were startled to rise from their bodies, rushing out of the Taoist palace to face the heavenly tribulation.

And so it went, for an unknown period of time...

The chanting gradually ceased, and the strange phenomena gradually disappeared.

The crowd, no longer hearing the Daoist chant, finally awoke as if from a dream, and looked up with a sense of loss. They saw the Daoist Master sitting high in the hall, gazing into the distance, saying nothing more.

"This……"

"Daoist Master?"

The crowd was filled with doubt and uncertainty, but they dared not say much and could only remain silent and observe.

However, after watching for a long time, there was still no movement, which made everyone even more suspicious, and they couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"Dao Master..."

"What's going on here?"

"Could something have changed outside that has disturbed the Dao Lord?"

"What unexpected event has occurred at this time?"

"The turmoil has subsided, what other changes might occur?"

"What? The unrest has subsided?"

The immortals exchanged a thought and then exclaimed in astonishment.

When did it disappear?

How could we not know?

"Time stands still in the mountains, and no one knows the years within the cave. You have been here for a thousand years, immersed in the Tao, enjoying supreme bliss, and naturally unaware of the changes in the world."

"The Daoist Master has been preaching for a thousand years!"

"The darkness and turmoil dissipated five hundred years ago, and the land of China returned to peace, which is why we were able to cross thousands of mountains and rivers to come and hear the Dao."

"This is also the work of the Dao Lord. After the Dao Lord proved the Dao and established the religion a thousand years ago, the turmoil began to subside. It gradually weakened and finally came to a complete end five hundred years later."

"Such a thing is true..."

The group exchanged glances, trying to gather information, and then looked at each other in bewilderment.

The sermons have been preached for a thousand years, and the turmoil has finally subsided?
This development was truly unexpected.

After all, as everyone knows, the first priority of the People's Teachings after its establishment was to quell the unrest, and this preaching was also for this purpose, to prepare for war in full force.

Now that the Dao has not yet been fully explained, the turmoil has already subsided on its own. Does this mean that everyone's efforts have been rendered useless?
Just as everyone was stunned...

"The time has come!"

A single voice startled everyone back to reality. Looking up, they saw the decree of the Master of the Human Sect being proclaimed from the high altar.

"Conquer the Six Realms and eradicate the root of all evil!"

(End of this chapter)