Knife splashing

Chapter 765 The Divine Palace of the Lord of Mount Tai
A cold wind howled, and the world spun around.

Li Yan felt like a leaf thrown into a tornado, helpless and disoriented, almost to the point of mental collapse.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally regained his balance.

Once the restlessness in my soul subsided, the feeling of falling into an icy abyss surged up again.

Li Yan looked up and was immediately dumbfounded.

This space is very similar to the "Nine Gates Yin Ruins" in the capital, but it is much larger. It is dimly lit and dark, with gloomy black mist surging up and down like a sea of ​​clouds, leaving a trail of ice for miles around.

But what truly captivates is the vast, ethereal silhouette in the distance.

It blotted out the sky, hanging upside down from the horizon, occupying most of the field of vision, creating a strong sense of oppression that made one feel...

Look at the shape,
It's clearly an upside-down Mount Tai!
However, the light was dim, and only shadows could be seen.

Such a scene is truly horrifying.

It took Li Yan a long time to recover his senses before he looked around.

The illusory image of Mount Tai was too far away to reach in a short time, but the surrounding scenery was also somewhat beyond comprehension.

He was in a huge canyon, with straight, steep, ochre-black cliffs on both sides. The mountains were rugged and covered with frost, making them smooth as a mirror.

Beneath your feet is a passage made of square stone bricks, many of which are broken, as if they have existed since time immemorial, desolate and lifeless, leading along the canyon to the distant phantom of Mount Tai.

So this is the passage to the underworld...?

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and made a hand seal with his left hand, about to use the Divine Speed ​​Technique.

This place is clearly an interlayered space between the Great Luo Dharma Realm and the human world. He has seen quite a few such places before. The wandering spirits use magic much faster than in the human world.

"No, Gao! The Six Jia and Nine Chapters, Heaven is round and Earth is square, the Four Seasons and Five Elements, the sun and moon are the light..."

The incantation was only halfway through when an unusual phenomenon occurred.

The black mist that had been churning above the cliff suddenly swirled and roared down.

Li Yan's expression changed drastically. He immediately stopped casting the spell, pushed off with both feet, and shot out.

Instead of retreating, he sprinted deeper into the passage, barely dodging the surging black mist as it fell. With a quick turn, he hid behind the rocks.

Call ~
A cold, eerie wind howled, accompanied by icy mist.

It only stopped slowly after two breaths.

Li Yan then got up, walked around the rocks, and looked behind him.

But the passage behind had completely turned into an icy abyss, even covered with dense ice spikes.

Even with his exceptional skills and daring, Li Yanyi couldn't help but feel a wave of fear.

He looked up at the sky and already had a guess in his mind.

Mount Tai is an important node in the dragon vein of China, and it is no exaggeration to call it the central hub. In addition, as a passage to the underworld, it is rich in yin energy, which is itself a barrier.

Once the spell is cast, it will trigger a backlash.

Thinking of this, Li Yan shook his head, no longer thinking of taking shortcuts, but instead exerted force with his feet, rushing towards the depths of the canyon like an arrow released from a bow.

Although it is a wandering spirit, it is still affected by this place.

The wind howled in my ears, and my soul felt numb from the cold.

Just then, the faint sounds of sheng, xiao, gongs, and drums arose from ahead, along with the indistinct chanting of numerous Taoist priests: "In the past, she appeared as a jade maiden, her essence being that of an imperial true being. She received the nine qi and manifested compassionate form, she was the crown of all spirits and possessed perfect wisdom. Her deeds filled the ten directions, and her merits lasted for countless eons..."

Li Yan was startled and quickly slowed his pace.

He drew his Dust-Breaking Blade and proceeded cautiously.

Soon, a dense mass of human figures appeared in the dark mist.

It was a procession of Taoist priests carrying incense burners and prayer flags, followed by a large number of people, including shirtless porters, frail old women carrying blue cloth bundles, scholars, and wealthy merchants.

All the figures looked like faded, yellowed old photographs, obscured by thick fog, appearing old and worn, with a palace-like silhouette in the foreground.

Li Yan had seen it before; it was the Bixia Temple on Mount Tai.

What the Taoist was reciting was probably the Precious Proclamation of the Jade Maiden of the Azure Clouds!

Strangely, despite Li Yan getting closer and closer, and the figure in the thick fog becoming more and more solid, he paid no attention to him, as if he did not exist at all.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan immediately understood.

This place, like the "Nine Gates of Yin Ruins" in the capital, should be able to project events from the past in some way, like repeatedly enacting the ghosts of the past.

As long as we don't disturb each other, we can live in peace.

The belief in Bixia Yuanjun has existed for a long time. It was promoted when Emperor Zhenzong of Song performed the Eastern Feng ceremony at Mount Tai. From the previous dynasty to the present, the number of believers has gradually increased. Therefore, ten years ago, the imperial court allocated silver to build the Bixia Temple.

I heard that the scene was enormous at the time, and this must be what it looked like back then.

After guessing the reason, Li Yan looked around and found that the sacrificial procession had blocked the road, so he had no choice but to wait patiently for it to end.

Sure enough, as soon as the ritual ended, a strong, eerie wind swept through the passageway.

The figures and the phantom image of Bixia Temple were all blown away by the wind, turning into swirling smoke that blended into the stone walls on both sides.

Without further hesitation, Li Yan continued to move forward at a rapid pace.

Along the way, we were frequently interrupted by these old-fashioned light and shadows.

He saw Emperor Zhenzong's majestic entourage slowly ascend the winding path, the jade tablets proclaiming sacrifices to Heaven and Earth...

He saw Emperor Xuanzong of Tang standing before the Jade Emperor Temple atop Mount Tai, the golden light of the "Inscription on Mount Tai" piercing the clouds of the Fengshan ceremony, and the Buddha's light illuminating the meditation hall of Lingyan Temple, where the bells and chimes resonated peacefully...

He saw the mists of the Wei and Jin dynasties, Emperor Murong De of the Southern Yan bowing in reverence, and the white elephant of Langgong Temple carrying Buddhist scriptures along the mountain path…

He saw the majestic power of Emperor Wu of Han, his unrestrained spirit, the seven times Emperor Wu visited Mount Tai, the banners of his pilgrimage fluttering in the clouds, and the silent, wordless stele standing tall…

He even saw the First Emperor's azure dragon robe sleeves brushing against the carved stone, the majesty of the black dragon-patterned crown, the first time the Fengshan ceremony of the Taishan Empire was given an immortal mark...

These are just some of the historically famous scenes.

The deeper he went, the more astonishing what he saw became.

He witnessed the smoke of war during the Spring and Autumn Period, the land of Changshao filled with spears and halberds, shaking Mount Tai...

He witnessed the Zhou emperor's alliance meeting at the Mingtang Hall, with the feudal lords following behind...

Finally, upon reaching the foot of the upside-down Mount Tai, the phantom of the elephant-drawn chariot drove through the mist, the clear sound of horns resounding in all directions, seemingly communicating with the gods and spirits of heaven and earth, before finally dissipating into the clouds.

what is this?
Li Yan swallowed hard and turned to look behind him.

He had a premonition that what he saw was only a small part, and that if he cultivated in this place for a long time, he might be able to glimpse many secrets in the long river of history.

Unfortunately, the opening of the Netherworld passage was purely accidental.

Composing himself, Li Yan looked up and around again.

In the air, there was an upside-down phantom of Mount Tai, and even the Jade Emperor Temple on the summit could be seen. However, compared to the human world, this place was much larger and more ancient, and there were also sizable palaces in the background, as if carved from a single giant rock on the mountaintop, ancient and weathered, with wisps of dark yellow mist flowing around it.

That must be the condensation of incense and divine power; even from a distance, Li Yan could smell it.

Taishan Fujun Shenque!

His sharp eyes instantly spotted his target:

On the craggy cliff face of Mount Tai, two tiny figures struggle to climb like geckos. They are Shi Xuanming and Zheng Boyin, who have abandoned their physical bodies and wandered here as spirits!
Clearly, they were also aware of the restrictions placed on this place and dared not use any escape techniques.

The surrounding clouds were churning and swirling; any magic technique could bring about annihilation.

"Humph!"

Li Yan snorted coldly and immediately jumped onto the cliff next to him to climb.

He could see clearly that hanging upside down on Mount Tai, there were also vines hanging down like dragons, right on the cliff of the canyon, and one could climb up by following the vines.

Although the cliff face was covered in frost and extremely smooth, it was not a problem for Li Yan. Moreover, he was now wandering as a ghost and had almost no weight, so he easily climbed to the top of the mountain.

Upon reaching the top, the cold wind intensified.

But Li Yan also saw it more clearly.

Shi Xuanming held a withered pine and dragon staff in one hand, deeply embedding it into the rock to secure his body and gain leverage, while his other hand gripped a vine. With each effort to climb, his figure flickered unpredictably.

This is a sign of an unstable soul.

Clearly, it was under immense pressure in the strong winds.

Zheng Boyin was in an even worse state, his soul form was in a sorry state, only half of his face remained intact, and his whole body was emitting black smoke, indicating that he was probably injured.

It should be noted that both of them were Earth Immortals.

If their lifespan hasn't ended, they've already condensed their Yang spirit. Even for them, it's so difficult; one can only imagine how fierce the celestial winds are.

However, Li Yan gritted his teeth and, without any hesitation, jumped onto the vines to climb.

The climbing process was long and arduous.

The biting cold not only chilled the soul, but also seemed to freeze consciousness.

It seemed as if countless ancient, resentful spirits were weeping in Li Yan's ears, constantly assaulting his mind.

The upside-down Mount Tai brought an immense sense of oppression, as if it wanted to crush his soul.

Before he knew it, he had climbed halfway up the mountain.

Sure enough, the gale-force winds in the air were even more terrifying.

Li Yan felt as if he had been thrown naked into the Arctic, his whole body covered in frost. Fortunately, the dragon and snake plaque hanging at his waist was proving its power at this moment.

hum~
The slight tremor caused the surrounding gale force to weaken somewhat.

Even so, Li Yan's soul was already injured.

Cracks began to appear on his face, from which black smoke seeped out.

This is a sign that the soul has been injured, but the Great Luo Dharma Body within the body then exerts its power to quickly replace the damage and repair the soul.

Protected by the two magical artifacts, Li Yan's climbing speed did not slow down at all.

Zheng Boyin, who was above, seemed to sense something and looked down.

"Brother Shi, look!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Xuanming also looked down and saw Li Yan's figure. He said coldly, "Ignore him. Once he comes up, we'll have succeeded. Hurry!"

After saying that, the two quickened their pace.

hum~
As we approached the summit, a completely different aura emerged, accompanied by a slight tremor.

The omnipresent, deathly, cold, and sinister aura suddenly disappeared, replaced by a warm and profound energy containing the immense power of incense and the righteous energy of heaven and earth!

The two seemed to have penetrated an invisible membrane.

The world seemed to turn upside down, and the two fell from the sky toward the mountaintop.

This was naturally no problem for the two Earth Immortals.

They landed easily, their footing no longer on the cold rock face, but on a relatively flat, huge platform made of some kind of warm, jade-like material.

It was hanging upside down on the summit of Mount Tai!

In the distance, a magnificent palace, carved from a single massive stone, stands tall.

With its flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, its ancient and rustic style is unlike any palace on earth.

"Hahaha~"

The two couldn't help but burst into wild laughter and rushed towards the sacred gate...

…………

Not long after, Li Yan also experienced the same dramatic reversal.

Bang!
After all, his cultivation level was not comparable to that of an Earth Immortal. He fell heavily to the ground from the sky, kneeling on one knee. The ice that had condensed on his body shattered on the ground, and the cold air hissed and overflowed.

After catching his breath, Li Yan slowly stood up, the cracks on his face gradually disappearing.

He obtained several spiritual treasures in the capital, and after absorbing their spiritual essence, he repaired his Great Luo Dharma Body. Unexpectedly, he ended up with a body full of wounds here again.

Li Yan ignored him and looked up at the distant Divine Palace.

Upon closer inspection, although the divine palace is carved from a giant stone, it is not a solid object. It is more like it is formed by the sedimentation of Qi and clouds, with dark yellow mist flowing around it.

The divine light was solemn, dignified, and lofty, carrying the supreme majesty of ruling over yin and yang and suppressing all ghosts.

Taishan Fujun Shenque!

"not good!"

Upon seeing the gates of the Divine Palace, Li Yan's expression immediately changed.

The gates of the Divine Palace were wide open, and Shi Xuanming and Zheng Boyin were standing outside, staggering.

The two men were in a sorry state, but their expressions were greedy and fanatical.

They saw what was happening inside the Divine Palace.

The ancient stone shrine, ten zhang high, is carved with a hundred ghosts at the bottom, seemingly suppressing countless evil spirits on Mount Tai, or perhaps as if countless evil spirits are carrying the shrine.

Most importantly, the shrine was completely empty!
They gave up everything.
We've finally reached our destination!
"Hahaha~ The position of Prefect is definitely mine!"

Suddenly, a dark light shone brightly in Shi Xuanming's eyes. He raised the withered pine and dragon staff in his hand and thrust it backward.

"Traitor!"

Zheng Boyin's remaining half of his face was filled with panic and anger, and he suddenly retreated.

"What's your rush? You haven't even succeeded yet, and you're already in your lap..."

Before he finished speaking, a sudden change occurred!
As Shi Xuanming swung his staff, Shenque seemed to be awakened from a deep sleep!

boom!
The flowing divine light suddenly transformed into towering flames!
That is not a fire of the human world, but a divine flame of incense formed by the prayers and beliefs of countless living beings over thousands of years!
Extremely yang and righteous, shining brightly like the sun!
"Ah—!!!" Shi Xuanming let out a scream so shrill it was inhuman.

He raised his staff to resist, but the staff was instantly ignited the moment it came into contact with the divine flame, spreading rapidly like a withered pine tree meeting fire.

Before the incense and divine flames, the staff melted away as quickly as ice and snow under the scorching sun.

Even more terrifying was that the divine flames seemed to directly burn away the very essence of the soul.

Shi Xuanming's arm holding the staff, along with half of his shoulder, turned into a wisp of green smoke with a "poof." His soul body, as if struck by a heavy hammer, became almost transparent, covered with golden burn marks, and its edges continued to annihilate.

He retreated rapidly in terror, his eyes filled with disbelief and fear.

The withered pine and dragon staff that once helped him dominate the world has now turned into ashes.

Zheng Boyin was also shocked by the scene before him, and said hoarsely, "This Divine Palace, if it is not an imperial edict from the orthodox sects of the Xuanmen or a decree from the underworld, I'm afraid it would be difficult to pass through!"

As he spoke, a hint of despair appeared in his eyes.

He understood that the Divine Palace had its own rules, and only those who possessed legitimate authority recognized by Heaven and Earth or were authorized by the Underworld could enter safely.

Anyone who attempts to force their way in or carries an evil aura will suffer the backlash of divine fire!

Just as the two Earth Immortals were still in shock, a cold voice rang out from behind:
"You two old geezers, dreaming!"

Li Yan's figure appeared on the platform silently, like a ghost, his gaze fixed intently on Shi and Zheng.

Without giving the other party a chance to breathe, Li Yan directly took out the warrant and recited:
"Heaven has its rules, earth has its order; the underworld detains souls, and the living must avoid it!"

"You idiot, are you out of your mind?!" Shi Xuanming screamed frantically upon seeing this.

In this space, any spell will trigger a backlash.

The soul outside will be frozen and shattered by endless Yin Qi.

Inside, they will be burned by incense and divine flames.

Either way, it's a recipe for self-destruction.

Sure enough, as Li Yan chanted the incantation, the dark mist in the sky began to churn wildly.

"madman!"

Shi Xuanming cursed and tried to escape, but the aftereffects of the burning incense flames sluggish his soul, as did the earth immortal Zheng Boyin beside him.

Call ~
Finally, endless dark fog swept down with the darkness.

In the darkness, shadowy figures could be seen, accompanied by the sound of countless chains.

"No!"

Shi Xuanming and Zheng Boyin let out desperate roars before being completely engulfed by darkness.

However, Li Yan had no time to feel joy.

Summoning the underworld troops seems to have angered this sacred palace.

boom!
The flowing ethereal light at the gate of the Taishan Prefecture Lord's Divine Palace fluctuated violently the instant Shi Xuanming was strangled by the Soul-Binding Chains!
Countless golden flames roared towards the ghostly soldiers.

Even the formidable army of the underworld was forced to retreat rapidly...

(End of this chapter)