The Great Xia Dynasty's Longevity Begins with Connecting to the Swallowed Starry Sky

Master Yunhua understood that this formation was extremely powerful.

"The Marquis of Lion Mountain has been preparing for so long, and it's hard to even say what state he's in right now. This formation is definitely the work of the demons, and we don't know how many demonic techniques it contains. There's definitely danger involved."

He walked forward silently. In fact, the Heavenly Refinement Valley also had its own methods for dealing with the demons.

The Demon-Slaying Token is the most powerful magic weapon of the Taoist sect in dealing with demons. Moreover, this Demon-Slaying Token is most sensitive to demonic energy and can detect which direction has the strongest tacit understanding.

Of course, there are also aspects that the demons can exploit.

Everything has two sides.

Be careful and cautious. Act boldly, but handle situations with care.

Feeling the shackles on his body growing heavier and heavier, the magical power within him also gradually became sluggish.

This demonic formation is indeed exclusive.

"Swallowing the Dao, indeed turning the Dao into demonic, is extremely evil."

Fortunately, he possessed extremely strong Daoist qualities and highly refined magical power. With just a slight shift in his magical power, he felt the binding sensation on his body lessen.

Only then did Master Yunhua step forward.

The invasion of the demon realm happened ten thousand years ago, although there are records of it.

However, only a small number of surviving elders have personally experienced this.

Everyone else grew up within these ten thousand years.

Therefore, one must be cautious when dealing with demons.

After slaying another group of demons, the Demon-Slaying Token absorbed demonic energy and became even brighter.

Some even seemed eager to try, which was the spirit of the Demon-Slaying Order pulsating within them.

"who?"

Master Yunhua reached out and touched the Demon-Slaying Token. The Demon-Slaying Light fell, and a group of simply dressed people ran towards them, carrying some simple farming tools.

Speaking of formations, especially large-scale formations like this one, which covered the entire Lion Mountain Forest, spanning hundreds of miles.

Perhaps others think that the cultivators who set up the formations could move mountains and fill seas with a wave of their hand, and chase stars and seize the moon with a glance back.

In reality, many times, even lower-level cultivators or ordinary people are needed to help dig with farming tools, change the terrain, and adapt it to the needs of the formation.

"Real person, don't do it!"

"Please spare my life, Immortal!"

A group of ragged people rushed over and arrived in front of Master Yunhua in the blink of an eye.

Master Yunhua did not make a move, because these people were the farmers.

At least most of them are farmers.

As for the person hiding there, Master Yunhua has not yet discovered them.

"Who are you people?" Master Yunhua spoke coldly, showing no sign of friendliness and not giving these farmers a chance to climb the social ladder.

In such a situation, even he himself cannot completely protect himself.

If they still fantasize that they can rescue everyone and bring them out of the Devouring Dao Formation.

That would be irresponsible to oneself and to the farmers.

"Report to the Immortal."

An older farmer immediately knelt down and said, "We were originally ordinary farmers in Chaozhou. Many years ago, we were conscripted by the Marquis of Shishan to work as laborers here in the mines."

Little did anyone know, this would last for many years.

It was fine at first; it was just digging up some soil and moving some stones.

Unexpectedly, in the past two years, demonic disasters have broken out in various places.

Here, even demons have appeared.

Sometimes, if you're not careful, someone will be captured by the demons and never appear again.

A few days ago, a group of outstanding cultivators from various sects came here. It was only after we reminded them that they became aware of the unusual nature of this place.

Before they left, they promised to report to the imperial court and the immortal sects, asking the immortals to come and save us.

"I wonder if the immortal has come to rescue us?"

This person speaks quite logically.

What he said also makes sense.

The noble titles conferred by the Great Xia Dynasty did indeed grant the holders the right to conscript laborers within their territories, and even included a certain degree of autonomy.

Local officials also had the opportunity to conscript laborers once every three years.

Whether the Danyang Sect disciples were reminded by them is another matter.

The very fact that they found this place is highly questionable.

Perhaps sensing Yunhua Zhenren's doubts, the village elder added, "We were already extra careful when we discovered the anomaly earlier."

After that, it hid in a cave nearby.

I heard the commotion here and rushed over. May I ask, Immortal, what brings you here?

Master Yunhua pondered that ignoring these people now wouldn't work either.

High-ranking Taoist practitioners are not necessarily required to save people and help the world.

However, if we turn a blind eye and offer no help, we will inevitably leave some loopholes, giving our inner demons an opportunity to take advantage.

This was the plan of Marquis Shishan and the Demon Clan.

If Master Yunhua walks the path of ruthlessness, then naturally there will be no hindrance.

But the other side didn't lose anything; they just had some meat that had been used up and was only left for sacrificial purposes.

At worst, it's just a useless setup; these people will simply turn into flesh and blood and be absorbed by the altar.

After a moment of contemplation, Master Yunhua said, "I have already entered the formation. If I do not break the formation, I will not be able to return."

You now have three paths to choose from.

Ignoring them is definitely not an option, as it would leave a flaw in Master Yunhua's mental state.

But it's not feasible to lead them out as well.

There is no turning back on this journey; if the formation is not broken, these people will die sooner or later.

If the entrance to the demon realm is opened, coupled with the large demon nest in Jinzhou, the consequences will be even more severe.

It could even lead to the complete destruction of the Qianyang Realm by the Demon Realm, and the Demon Realm swallowing this realm.

The entire human race will be wiped out.

Aside from a few who were corrupted and degenerated by the demons, becoming lower-level demons.

Others cannot even escape their souls.

Perhaps they were sensible, or perhaps they knew the difference between immortals and mortals. These ordinary people, although they also cultivated, only had some farming skills and some rudimentary martial arts.

In the eyes of these powerful "immortals," it has little value.

The village elder did not insist, but instead asked what the choice was.

Master Yunhua nodded and said, "Now that I have entered the formation, I have come here to break it."

It's not feasible to just lead you forward directly.

Once I fight the demons…

As he spoke, there were still some scattered demons around, and even quite a few nightmares of the third realm, all of whom were killed by True Person Yunhua.

Some of these things were low-level demons recruited from the Demon Realm.

The other part was formed by the absorption of the primordial energy of heaven and earth by this great formation.

That's what nightmares are like.

Master Yunhua said, "I can still maintain my magical power and protect you a little."

You can stay in the cave you were guarding before. I can set up a protective formation for you.

This choice is a bit conservative.
Nobody knows how things will develop here.

Staying doesn't guarantee safety either.

If the immortals and demons were to wage war and the cave were to be swept away, they might not even know how they died.

"My lord, what is the second option?"

The village elder did not rush to make a decision, but instead asked.

Master Yunhua nodded: "The path I came from is behind us. But the formations are ever-changing. You may be able to leave in the direction I came in, but you may not be able to."

"Can't the immortals send us out first?" one of the middle-aged men suddenly said.

Master Yunhua looked at him, and at first glance, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

But saying this usually indicates something is amiss.

This person is clearly human, not a demon, and has no demonic aura.

"That won't work; time is limited. The other routes are all breaking through the formation, so I need to hurry as well."

"But the immortals could have done so little, yet they refused to save us?" the man asked again.

Master Yunhua felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that this person had deliberately come to disrupt his state of mind.

But Master Yunhua quickly shook his head, saying, "Breaking the formation is more important right now. If too much time is wasted and we are unable to break it, the resulting disaster will be even greater. I cannot do that, nor can I spare the time. At most, I can only add a protective spell for you. As for anything else, please forgive me for being powerless."

"Can the immortals guarantee that sacrificing us will definitely break the formation?"

The man asked the soul-searching question again.

If not, then why sacrifice them?
This is similar to the choice between a train, two roads, and the option of one person dying or a group of people dying.

Master Yunhua was startled, and after much thought, countless ideas raced through his mind.

Finally, his thoughts cleared, and he even vaguely felt that his state of mind had improved considerably.

"No."

Upon hearing Master Yunhua's words, the man seemed to smile.

It was as if a conspiracy had succeeded and some great mission had been accomplished.

But then Master Yunhua said firmly, "But the choice is very important, although I cannot guarantee that I will be able to complete it."

I am keenly aware of the importance of this journey.

This journey is nothing more than making every effort and exerting all one's strength.

"For you all, I have another option to offer."

Before the other party could speak again, Master Yunhua said directly, "The Daoist sect has the secrets of the universe hidden in one's sleeve. In my sleeve, I can hide three thousand Daoist soldiers. If you do not wish to choose the first two options, you can enter my sleeve and leave with me after I break the formation."

Ok?
The middle-aged man was taken aback, seemingly not expecting that Master Yunhua would possess such supernatural power.

Buddhism speaks of countless worlds like the sands of the Ganges, and of a Buddha-land within the palm of one's hand.

The Taoist school has three thousand great worlds, and a universe within a sleeve.

The saying goes, "A universe is contained within a sleeve, and time is long within a pot."

This is a secret kept within the Taoist school.

"The choice is yours."

As Master Yunhua spoke, the demon-slaying light of the Demon-Slaying Order descended, enveloping everyone, but these people seemed to be unaffected.

"Hmm? So it's the Shadow Demon. I wondered who it was. And a bunch of uncouth farmers, yet they speak so logically. They're trying to seduce me and cloud my Dao heart."

"What are the immortals saying? We don't understand." The village elder was somewhat bewildered, his face full of doubt, but the corners of his mouth gradually curled up into a mocking arc.

But then he screamed, "What? A demon-revealing mirror!"

From between Master Yunhua's eyebrows, a precious mirror flew out, shining down its light.

The group of farmers, who had shown no abnormalities under the Demon Slayer Order, suddenly started screaming.

It wasn't just the middle-aged man; the village elders and others were the same.

The Demon-Revealing Mirror doesn't just reflect demons; it reflects all monsters and ghosts, except for humans.

As long as you are not human, even if you achieve immortality and become a demon immortal, your true nature will be revealed and you will be restrained by it.

Of course, if one changes their foundation, completely sheds their demonic form, and cultivates a human form, they can largely overcome the current situation of being restrained by the Demon-Revealing Mirror. The Shadow Demon of the Heart is formless and invisible, residing within the mind.

Even the Demon Slayer Order couldn't find it.

Of course, this should be a high-level Shadow Demon with the cultivation of the fourth realm.

But the Demon-Revealing Mirror is just what counters the opponent.

However, not all cultivators possess the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

The Demon-Revealing Mirror and the Demon-Slaying Decree are actually the two most widely circulated magical treasures in the cultivation world.

However, refining it into a treasure or even a Dao artifact is extremely difficult.

Not only are the materials hard to find, but the methods of refining them are also not passed down.

“The cultivators from Tianlian Valley are troublesome. Fine, I'll leave them to you.”

As he spoke, the Shadow Demon was completely refined by the Demon-Revealing Mirror's precious light and vanished without a trace.

Master Yunhua did not lower his guard. He knew that what had just happened was not the true form of the Heart Shadow Demon, but merely a projection residing in the hearts of the villagers.

These demons are extremely difficult to deal with; who knows if they still harbor demonic thoughts within their hearts?

If these villagers who have been projected onto the mind harbor any further delusions, the projection of the Shadow Demon will grow stronger once more.

These people will be manipulated again.

This is what makes the Shadow Demon so troublesome.

Even if you survive the ordeal briefly, you are not necessarily safe.

There are many ways to help and assist with such matters afterward.

But now, there's no time for that.

Master Yunhua cast purification spells several more times to cleanse the demonic energy, while the Demon-Slaying Token absorbed the surrounding demonic energy.

Afterwards, Master Yunhua went closer to check and found that the bodies of these people had all collapsed.

Even if he recuperates afterward, he probably won't live for many more years.

"It's infuriating and infuriating, the methods of the demon race are truly despicable."

Before leaving, the Shadow Demon also activated and absorbed the life potential of these farmers to resist the demon-revealing light of the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

This is what makes the demon race so hateful and detestable.

With a wave of his hand, he gathered all of them into his flowing cloud sleeve.

He hadn't perfected the technique of storing things within his sleeve; it could only store inanimate objects.

Master Yunhua cast a bubble spell on these people, causing them to fall unconscious inside his sleeve.

He will release the person after he defeats the opponent and breaks the formation.

Looking ahead, Master Yunhua became even more determined to slay demons and monsters.

Perhaps those demons didn't expect that what they originally intended to disrupt Master Yunhua's state of mind would instead make his mind even more resolute and elevate him to a higher level.

Afterwards, if he secluded himself for a period of time to cultivate, Master Yunhua's cultivation level would increase considerably.

The same applies to the other places.

Both Master Zhongli and Master Zhantai are people of unwavering resolve.

The demons' little tricks didn't have much effect.

General Qi is a military cultivator, decisive in killing, and extremely firm in his martial arts beliefs.

As for Qiu Shenbu of the Six Doors, his daily work involves dealing with demons and monsters.

He is a hidden force within the Six Doors, and his mind is even more resolute.

However, their arrangements for these farmers varied.

But the final result is almost always the same.

Finally, they arrived at Master Cen of Haoran Academy and Marquis Wuling, a newly promoted fourth-realm martial artist.

Along the way, the two fourth-realm cultivators were the strongest.

Moreover, the Confucian cultivators of Haoran Academy cultivate righteous energy, making their ability to restrain demons even stronger than the demon-slaying light of the Demon-Slaying Order.

There are two forces in the world that can restrain demonic forces. The first is the light of Buddha.

Secondly, it is about having a strong sense of righteousness.

Or rather, righteous energy is directed at all non-human demons and monsters, somewhat like the power of a demon-revealing mirror.

But it is more flexible than the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

With the support of Master Cen's righteous spirit, Marquis Wuling, despite having just broken through and being somewhat unstable in his state of mind, did not encounter any problems.

However, Master Cen valued these farmers more than others.

Haoran Academy is an orthodox Confucian academy that emphasizes the importance of the people over the ruler and the idea that water can carry a boat but also capsize it.

Therefore, there are a large number of people in this direction.

Master Cen did his best to protect these people.

He was more perceptive than Master Yunhua and discovered the traces of the Heart Shadow Demon immediately.

Then, his righteous energy erupted, instantly banishing the Heart Shadow Demon.

These people are in a much better situation than the others.

Marquis Wuling stood aside, seemingly unconcerned.

From the perspective of the elite elites, these commoners are nothing more than dispensable韭菜 (a metaphor for easily exploited people).

Anyway, as long as these people have a way to survive, they can all live.

Every few years, they can reproduce a large population.

In the fiefdom of the Marquis of Wuling, labor service was almost always required, causing great suffering to the farmers.

But they couldn't get rid of it.

Fortunately, he was wise enough not to criticize Master Cen's actions.

He clearly knew that Master Cen was in charge of this operation.

Ok?
Master Cen was treating these farmers when he suddenly looked up.

"Lord Lion Mountain, now that you're here, why hide?"

Marquis of Lion Mountain?
Marquis Wuling didn't care at all; the other party was only at the third realm.

Although he had just broken through and his realm was still unstable, he was not someone the other party could compare to.

"Haha, as expected of Master Cen, his perception is amazing."

A person dressed in black armor emerged from the mist.

Having traveled more than ten miles, we have reached the first checkpoint.

Master Cen frowned: "So that's how it is, Marquis of Lion Mountain. You've actually fallen into depravity in your pursuit of advancing to the fourth realm."

Marquis Wuling was taken aback. Upon closer inspection, he noticed many traces of demons beneath the other man's black armor.

For example, the horns on the top of his head, although not very obvious yet, have already started to grow slightly.

The keratinous skin on their bodies is also a characteristic of demons.

This is not a high-level demon, but merely the bloodline of some low-level demons.

Just like that?

"What do you know?" Marquis of Lion Mountain roared, "How can I disobey the orders of Prince Yong?"
Besides, you people with exceptional talent have already advanced to the fourth realm long ago. How could you possibly understand the despair of those of us who lack resources and talent, and have no hope of transcending this realm in our lifetime?

His jealousy was already quite obvious.

He looked at Marquis Wuling: "And you, a gigolo, only managed to earn resources by selling your daughter to catch up with us. You actually managed to advance to the fourth realm. It's truly an injustice of heaven."

Marquis Wuling was somewhat speechless. How did the conversation turn to him again?

He's so handsome that even the Dragon Princess from the Dragon Palace is throwing herself at him. Can you blame him for that?

Furthermore, arranging marriages between daughters is a long-standing practice of aristocratic families.

Didn't Chu Xiuying, their daughter, find her true love?

He didn't stop it, did he?
Yes, it was his brilliance and prowess that led to this.

"Shut up!"

Master Cen shouted, "For your own selfish reasons, you have fallen into the demonic path, yet you have made so many excuses."

Mr. Lu, despite having the worst aptitude, managed to become number one on the Heavenly Ranking.

I, Dean Zhou of Haoran Academy, have extremely poor aptitude, yet I have achieved the peak of the fourth realm by reflecting on myself three times a day and reciting the classics of sages every day.

There are countless things like this in the world.

"You don't cultivate virtue, you don't work hard enough, yet you blame God for not giving you good qualities?"

Master Cen detested this kind of person the most.

The person he admires most is Dean Zhou Haoran of Haoran Academy.

If you don't understand it the first time, then read it a hundred times.

If reading it a hundred times doesn't work, then read it ten thousand times.

Although his cultivation speed was slow, he made steady progress step by step, and the distance he covered far exceeded that of those with exceptional talent.

When Master Cen shouted at him, Marquis Shishan was taken aback and felt a little ashamed.

But then he became enraged and shouted, "Who said qualifications aren't important?"
Throughout history, including the founding emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, how could anyone have established the Great Xia Dynasty if they had not been exceptionally gifted?

And this Marquis of Wuling, his talent far surpasses mine.

correct……"

As if recalling something amusing, Marquis Lion Mountain said, "I remember, Marquis Wuling, your great-grandson was hailed as the person with the best chance of independently entering the Dao in the capital for hundreds of years. He now has a third-realm clone, and his main body is probably close to the third realm as well, right? How many years has it been? Is his aptitude insufficient? However, Marquis Wuling, compared to your grandson, your aptitude is insignificant. How many years has it taken you to barely advance to the fourth realm? I observe that your foundation is unstable, and I'm afraid you've used some external means. I'm afraid you'll never have a day of transcendence in this lifetime? When that time comes, won't you have to grovel before your own grandson?"

Qin Hao touched his nose; he hadn't meant to eavesdrop.

He was simply observing the entire formation.

Although it was a magic array, it also inspired him.

The demons, who had been lying dormant, have now been mobilized.

Qin Hao alone could not dismantle the demon race or break the formation.

However, he was also willing to help, so he paid extra attention.

He heard some unexpected things at that time.

He didn't have much contact with the Marquis of Wuling.

From a young age, he knew that his grandmother, Chu Xiuying, and the Marquis of Wuling's mansion were not actually close. Many of the problems that the Marquis of Anyuan's mansion encountered could have been solved simply by the Marquis of Wuling's mansion saying a word.

But my grandparents gritted their teeth and persevered.

It wasn't until he rose to prominence that the An Yuan Earl's Mansion had more resources and no longer seemed so strapped for cash.

However, he had heard some of the evaluations of Marquis Wuling.

Therefore, he never had any contact with the Marquis of Wuling's residence.

This was the first time I had ever met this so-called great-grandfather.

There was no real closeness, but he was, after all, my grandmother's father.

If possible, I'll lend a hand.

"Shut up!"

Master Cen shouted, his face showing a serious expression, and said, "Outsiders say that the young grandson of the Marquis of Anyuan has shown Daoist potential since childhood and is the most promising person in the capital for thousands of years to enter the Dao on his own. His future is limitless."

But who knew that he began to learn to read at six months old and started browsing classics at one year old? Confucian classics, Taoist scriptures, martial arts treatises—by the age of sixteen, he had already read every book available in the capital. Apart from the secret teachings of various sects, the number of books he had read far exceeded that of you, an old man who has lived for a hundred years.

People only see his Daoist nature, but they don't know how much effort he put in behind the scenes. In this world, where does one's cultivation increase for no reason? Isn't it all the result of individual effort?

Qin Hao touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed by the compliment.

"Who?" Master Cen frowned, not expecting anyone to be hiding in the shadows. (End of Chapter)