Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 485 The Mysterious Pool Transforms into a Dragon, Finally Breaking the Tribulation; The Rise and Fall of a Realm Ends in One Game (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

The jade platform is covered with clouds and mist, and the spiritual energy flows silently like a thin veil, only rippling slightly when it touches the central star-shaped wooden chessboard.

Lu Cheng, dressed in a plain robe, sat upright on a stone bench, holding a white chess piece between his fingers, hesitating to place it.

Opposite him stood his master, Daoist Huanglongzi, with his hair tied in an ancient crown and wearing an apricot-yellow Daoist robe. His yellow hair fell loosely on both sides, and the deep mark on his forehead made his eyes appear as calm as an ancient pool.

Huang Longzi was a supreme elder of a prestigious sect, wielding immense power and authority. Therefore, he did not wish to alter his appearance much, and now he looked like an elderly Taoist.

The quiet room was silent, with only a wisp of incense slowly escaping from the gilded lion-shaped incense burner, silently spiraling upwards and finally merging into the rising spiritual mist.

Huang Longzi's voice finally broke the silence, speaking in a low and gentle tone: "The essence of chess lies in making choices. Advancing an inch has its own subtle beauty, while retreating a step has its own expansiveness. Just like the world reflected on this chessboard, complexity leads to chaos, and clinging to one's own ideas easily leads to harm."

After speaking, he slowly raised his gaze from the chessboard, his eyes reflecting the young and determined appearance of his apprentice and son-in-law, revealing a complex mix of emotions that were hard to describe: pride mixed with worry.

“Cheng’er, we have gone through countless tribulations and have now broken free from the shackles, climbing the ladder to immortality several times. The world is vast, where can’t we find the path to immortality? The chaos and turmoil of this Tongxuan Dharma Realm, the cycle of prosperity and decline, are simply the natural order of things, just like the game of chess before us. Small gains can be won, but if the big gains are reversed, what’s the point of giving up?”

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, this star field contained nine great worlds: Azure Nether, Crimson Sun, Cauldron, Heavenly Passage, Blazing Fire, Mysterious Void, Gou Mang, Jade Purity, and Yin Yang.

The evolution of Taoist principles has become incredibly diverse and flourishing.

A dimensional war broke out between the Crimson Sun Realm and the Azure Nether Realm, ultimately causing the near extinction of all life in both worlds and plunging them into destruction, thus returning the world to its primordial state of chaos.

When chaos reigns again tens of thousands of years later, the pure energy rises and the turbid energy descends between heaven and earth, with the primordial energy residing within, enabling all living beings to cultivate the Dao.

However, this time, the twenty-four demon gods led by Sheng Yang and Kong Ji dominated the world and seized the initiative. They divided the gradually recovering Crimson Sun and Azure Netherworld into hundreds of small fragments, stole the human kingdom, overturned the human world, and established the Heavenly Dao of Ten Thousand Demons.

The Tongxuan Realm is one of them. Twenty-four demon gods imprison humans within the world, imparting Taoist teachings and cultivating cultivators. Once a cultivator develops a nascent soul, they are devoured by these twenty-four demon gods, who consume their innate energy to purify their own ancient bloodline.

Whenever the laws of a world develop to a certain limit or time limit, it will be destroyed and devoured by demon gods, and this continues to this day.

During this process, human cultivators in the seven worlds of Dingzhang, Tongtian, Liehuo, Xuankong, Jumang, Yuqing, and Yinyang had several opportunities to annihilate the demon gods. However, due to internal strife among the human race or invasions by ancient demons, they missed several opportunities. By then, the twenty-four demon gods had established their dominance, and subsequent attempts by human cultivators to attack them were often futile.

"That Daoist Shengyang absorbed the primordial energy, and his true form has transformed into the Great Sun Golden Crow, its golden feathers burning the sky. His Dao foundation is deeply rooted in the ruins of the Eastern Pole Fusang Divine Tree, like an ancient blazing sun. With each breath, he mobilizes the true flames of the Great Sun to harmonize with the spiritual energy of all things in the world. His magnificent heavenly might cannot be forged overnight. Kong Ji and his ilk, the Five Elements Peacock, have attained the Dao. They are born with the control of the primordial five elements divine light. Each feather contains profound and mysterious principles. Their foundation is unfathomable, probably even more so than that of Shengyang."

"These two are not merely tigers crouching, but primordial behemoths lurking in the depths. Only by avoiding their fierce and man-eating edge can one preserve the fruit of longevity, ensuring it remains unblemished until the flower blooms and one attains sainthood, ascending to heaven amidst the rosy clouds. Cheng'er, with your aptitude for cultivation, the path to heaven is no longer a pipe dream, and breaking through to immortality is just around the corner. There is no need to abandon this path and jeopardize your future by venturing into this deadly calamity."

The white piece in Lu Cheng's hand remained suspended at his fingertips, not yet falling.

"Master, are you and your two uncles not planning to return to the Tongxuan Realm?" Lu Cheng's voice rang out as he asked.

"Back when we were still in the Tongxuan Realm, the three of us were indeed prepared to fight to the death, even if it meant mutual destruction. However, we have now left the Tongxuan Realm and have seen a much wider world."

The resolve to die has indeed weakened considerably.

"Compared to the billions of beings in the Tongxuan Realm, we have secured a thousand years of peace for this realm, which can be considered as repaying our karmic debts."

Before him stood his true disciple and the husband of his two daughters, so Huang Longzi had nothing to hide and spoke thus.

Snapped.

The collision of jade stones, though seemingly peaceful, contained a resolute force capable of cleaving through the chaos, creating a sharp slit in the stagnant air.

It was Lu Cheng who made the move.

"The path to immortality is one of struggle, but also one of carrying the Way."

Lu Cheng raised his head, his gaze leaving the crisscrossing chessboard and looking directly into his master's eyes, which seemed to hold the weight of a lifetime.

In the depths of those young eyes, there was only calm and unwavering resolve:

"This disciple has been blessed by the Great Dao, formed the Supreme Mystic Elixir, refined and perfected the Primordial Spirit, and obtained a miraculous opportunity from heaven and earth... Every drink and every bite is already a divine responsibility on my shoulders."

My very essence, spirit, bones, and blood, all my thoughts and insights, have grown by drawing upon the spiritual energy of this world. How can I speak of 'choosing' or 'rejecting'?

"Is it because of those ten volumes of the Heavenly Demon Strategy and the Refining God Technique?"

Huang Longzi also knew that Lu Cheng had once comprehended the Ten Volumes of the Heavenly Demon Strategy, cultivated the Refining God Technique, and absorbed the power of faith from all beings in the Tongxuan Realm to cultivate his own divine consciousness.

Such a technique that combines immortality and divinity would indeed suffer a severe backlash if it were to cause harm.

However, Lu Cheng shook his head and laughed when he heard this: "Master, you underestimate me. With my current cultivation level, even if the author of the Heavenly Demon Strategy appeared and debated with me, he might not be able to defeat me. Even if the Refining God Technique has some backlash, it won't be a big problem for me now."

Humans have their perspectives, and demons have theirs. Just like this Tongxuan World, which is currently insignificant to Shengyang and Kongji, if I make a move, they will inevitably make things difficult for me, because I am digging up the roots of the Heavenly Dao of Ten Thousand Demons. But I have my own stance.”

"Having obtained this opportunity, one can live a long and prosperous life... How can one stand alone and watch the world wither? Since the cause has been sown, the mysterious pool will naturally transform into a dragon."

The clear stream, like a jade ribbon, reflects the entire Taoist temple.

The chessboard was silent, the stars shone brightly, and the figures of master and disciple stood side by side reflected on the stream. From Huang Longzi's sleeve, a small, ancient, weathered sword silently slid out, its sharp edge barely an inch long. After a long silence, he spoke:
"Since Cheng'er, your mind is made up, I will accompany you to guard this part of the Dharma Realm!"

From the perspective of being a teacher and an elder, Huang Longzi certainly did not want his true disciple and son-in-law to experience such a dangerous calamity again.

But if Lu Cheng had already made up his mind, he would not let his disciple go alone.

Just as Chi Shenzi and Mie Hongzi originally had no intention of getting involved in this matter again, but seeing Huang Longzi go, they still went. All three of them were sword immortals, and sometimes, they valued certain things more than life and death.

...

The time limit of the Great Calamity hangs like a sword over the sky, and the heavens of the Profound Realm have gradually been tinged with an ominous dark red as time goes by.

The once clear and bright sky was gradually swallowed up by the swirling turbid clouds. From the depths of the earth came a tremor like the collapse of meridians. The spiritual veins wailed like the cries of dragons. The mountains and rivers that had stood for millennia began to crumble and disintegrate under the erosion of the turbid air.

Within the Tongxuan Realm, the higher the cultivator's level of cultivation and magical power, the more they can vaguely sense the gaze of a giant demon from beyond the heavens, naturally causing them to feel fear.

Just as the world was about to collapse, several powerful auras suddenly broke through the spatial barrier and descended upon the Tongxuan realm!

Although there were demon gods in the heavens blocking the way, they certainly couldn't stop the many well-prepared high-level cultivators.

By observing the situation from a distance, one can wisely avoid the situation.

Nine thousand-foot-long dragons dragged an enormous, unparalleled Xuanjin Cloud Palace, crashing into the shattered dome of the Tongxuan Realm.

The dragon's roar was long and ancient, shaking the void. The shadows that had been climbing along the edge of the boundary membrane, peering and licking, retreated with a shriek as if they had been burned.

Following closely behind were nearly ten demonic giants at the Nascent Soul level, each exuding a chilling demonic aura and radiating immense power.

They were either as gloomy as Lady Wanmiao, or as restrained and patient as Yang Xiao, the ancestor of the Chaotic Evils bound by the Netherworld Blood Pact of Lu City, or as complex and still arrogant old demons from various realms such as the Blood Skull Demon Lord, the Hundred Bone True Venerable, the Black Fiend Demon Lord, and the Poison Dragon Venerable.

This is not a matter of shared purpose and will, but a strange combination bound by magic and blood pact.

"The time has come." Lu Cheng's voice was not loud, but it was like the resounding of gold and jade, clearly echoing in the depths of the consciousness of every demonic giant.

His voice was devoid of emotion, yet carried an undeniable will:
"The Great Reincarnation Gang Sha He Zhen Formation is about to collapse. If the new formation is not completed, Tongxuan will become scorched earth, and all spirits will perish. At that time, you will also die without a burial place."

The demons surrounding the Dao Palace were terrified upon hearing this. They knew that Lu Cheng's words were true; this great calamity was no ordinary natural disaster, but a calamity of the realms, into which cultivators could not escape once they entered.

They were all under the control of Daoist Lu Cheng. Without strong protection, if the Tongxuan Realm were to fall, they would surely die.

"I will obey the divine command." Lady Wanmiao was the first to curtsy, her graceful posture revealing a genuine sense of humility.

The remaining demons, whether sincere or not, could only bow and accept their orders under the constraints of the blood pact and Lu Cheng's unfathomable pressure.

Lu Cheng nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to a corner outside the Dao Palace.

There, a weak yet incredibly refined pure and righteous light was struggling to resist the erosion of the surrounding chaotic demonic energy.

It was none other than Lin Xuance, the "Man of Sanyuan Mountain," a righteous rogue cultivator who, though not widely known, had genuinely attained the Nascent Soul realm through the art of array formations.

He had a gaunt face, white hair and beard, and wore a faded Taoist robe. His body was surrounded by intricate and complex star array patterns.

At this moment, his face was somewhat pale, and his eyes held extremely complex emotions—warning, worry, helplessness, and a trace of the instinctive persistence of a seeker of the Dao in the face of a cataclysmic disaster.

He was forcibly "invited" by Lu Cheng with unimaginable treasures of array formation scriptures. At first, he was extremely unwilling and almost resisted to the death.

But Lu Cheng only gave him two choices: either contribute to the formation, seize a chance to survive, and receive a hefty reward; or he would be annihilated right now, without even having the chance to try to stop the calamity.

Ultimately, the desire for life, the curiosity about the unknown calamity, and the dedication to the path of cultivation overcame the differences between the righteous and demonic sects.

"Regarding the seventh-order array flag arrangement requested by you, fellow Daoist, this old Daoist has been diligently studying it these past few days. However, when the Five Elements Reincarnation Sky-Piercing Array is fully unleashed, it requires an extremely deep understanding of the Five Elements and the Dao of Arrays to achieve the effect of stabilizing the universe. Right now..."

Compared to Lu Cheng, Lin Xuance still hoped that he would control this unpredictable seventh-order formation himself, rather than letting Lu Cheng control it, which would be a waste of its potential.

A seventh-order array diagram, its power is comparable to a sixth-order mountain-protecting array that connects to the earth's veins. There are probably not many of these in the entire mortal realm, so it is extremely precious. This is one of the reasons why Lin Xuance finally agreed to come.

“I am aware of this, there is no need for you to worry, sir.” Lu Cheng interrupted him and invited Lin Xuance and the Chaotic Ancestor Yang Xiao into the Dao Palace, where the three of them set up the formation together.

Regardless of his character, Yang Xiao, the Ancestor of Chaos, is indeed the most outstanding ally Lu Cheng could find. A prodigy, he has remarkable expertise in various fields, and has even mastered formations to the point of approaching the seventh rank.

Lu Cheng's Five Elements theory is righteous, Yang Xiao's Five Elements theory is evil, and Lin Xuance specializes in profound and mysterious formations.

However, Lu Cheng will neither let Lin Xuance nor Yang Xiao take charge of this Five Elements Reincarnation Formation. At the very least, he must keep the power of the main formation in his own hands, but he can let the two of them assist him from the side.

Lu Cheng combined the two men's suggestions and controlled the great formation.

"Set up the formation." Lu Cheng's words were concise and left no room for argument.

Upon hearing this, the old Daoist Lin Xuance took a deep breath, nodded solemnly, and then sat cross-legged in the Xuanjin Dao Palace. In an instant, his temperament changed, and his entire being seemed to transform into a hub connecting heaven and earth.

"Lady Wanmiao, you wield the 'Primordial Magnetic Star-Guiding Banner' and hold the 'Golden Absolute' position! You draw upon the sharp metal of the Western Venus, which governs ruthless cutting and suppressing spatial rifts!"

"The Blood Skull Demon Lord wields the 'Nine Netherworld Banner' and holds the 'Water Annihilation' position! He draws upon the True Water of the Northern Dark Netherworld, controlling extreme cold and freezing to dispel the calamity and defilement!"

"The True Venerable of Hundred Bones wields the 'Ten Thousand Bones Suppressing Mountain Banner,' establishing the 'Earth's Absolute position! Drawing upon the essence of the central Earth element, he is responsible for bearing heavy loads and stabilizing the earth's dragon veins!"

"Black Fiend Demon Lord, wielding the 'Netherworld Burning Banner,' and holding the position of 'Fire Extinction'! Drawing upon the essence of the Southern Fire, he is in charge of burning away evil and purifying the world, forging away the formless calamities!"

"Yincha Fairy, wielding the 'Xunfeng Dingshu Flag,' establishes the 'Wood Extinction' position! She draws upon the Azure Wood of the East, governing the growth and circulation of life, and guiding the raging primordial energy!"

Combining the two men's suggestions, Lu Cheng's voice was like the law of heaven and earth, each syllable causing the void to tremble, and countless array patterns flowed between his fingers, imprinting themselves on the void.

After a short while, the cultivators who had arrived at their positions took their places.

"Get into formation!"

The four seasoned demons who were named dared not be negligent in the slightest. At the same time, they summoned the array flags in their hands, which were shimmering with light, surging with runes, and exuding the terrifying magical power and spiritual pressure of a seventh-tier magic weapon.

In an instant!
Buzz—buzz—buzz—buzz—!
Four towering pillars of light erupted from the four directions at the edge of the Sea of ​​Thunder! The Geng metal energy transformed into dazzling, ten-thousand-foot-long white-gold pillars of light, soaring into the sky with a clanging sword sound, tearing apart and piercing through a patch of tribulation clouds above.

The Gui Water vein formed a deep blue and dark black river of light, surging and sweeping across the land. Wherever it passed, spatial rifts were frozen and filled by the Xuanming True Water, producing a cracking sound.

The essence of the Earth element condensed into a thick, ochre-yellow phantom of a mountain, deeply embedded in the earth, instantly stabilizing the previously trembling earth veins.

The essence of the fire transformed into a torrent of crimson flames that scorched the heavens and boiled the seas, roaring as it rushed toward the calamity in the sky. The foul calamity energy ignited upon contact, turning into wisps of green smoke and dissipating.

Yincha Fairy's hands moved like wheels, and from the Eastern Xun Wind position where she was located, a giant banner wrapped in azure light and runes fluttered in the wind. A dense azure light pillar rose up, its aura inexhaustible, as if communicating with endless life force. It actively met the other four violent light pillars, like mercury spilling onto the ground, exquisitely guiding the four fierce and unparalleled attribute forces. Under the guidance of the Five Elements Law Intent released by Lu Cheng, they began to slowly merge and rotate.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth went completely berserk, as if it had found a flood outlet, transforming into five visible rivers of spiritual energy, each with different attributes, which surged wildly into the five pillars of light.

In the sky, a huge, five-colored wheel phantom, covering the entire sky and much larger and more condensed than the Great Reincarnation Array, began to emerge.

The five fundamental elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are born, die, flow, and endlessly cycle within it.

A grand, stable, and ever-renewing aura emanated from it.

Lu Cheng stood below the center of the five-colored wheel phantom, like a pillar of strength. His hands were behind his back, and the halo formed by the five elements of immortal energy expanded to its maximum, faintly echoing the five elements reincarnation array above his head.

Lin Xuance, who was standing to the side, suddenly narrowed his eyes upon seeing this: he really did not expect that Lu Cheng could so easily influence and control the great formation.

The cultivation level and understanding of the Five Elements principles of the demonic master before us are probably far beyond what the "Nascent Soul" level can describe!
Lu Cheng's face remained calm and expressionless, but deep within his eyes, golden-red flames flickered intermittently as he silently circulated his magical power to coordinate every minute node of the entire formation's magical power operation.

As time went on, the large-scale activity here attracted many people to the surrounding area.

Sensing that this place had become the only possible "pure land" in the calamity, and that there seemed to be powerful beings with great magical abilities trying to resist the calamity, many Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators from this world who were originally hiding or wandering were surging towards this place like a tide.

For Nascent Soul cultivators, the Tongxuan Realm is not even that big; for Divine Spirit cultivators, it is almost cramped and small.

The cultivators who gathered from all sides dared not approach the core of the formation, but instead gathered anxiously on the periphery.

Lu Cheng's divine sense, like an invisible giant net, instantly covered the entire area. His voice was indifferent, yet it resounded clearly in the ears of every newly arrived cultivator:

"Those who wish to fight this calamity together, stay. Accept the decree, find your own positions, set up your own defenses, and do not interfere with the operation of the great formation or the position of the formation flags. Anyone who trespasses into the core of the formation flags will be executed without mercy."

“Those who harbor a cowardly heart, only want to avoid disaster, and are unwilling to exert themselves,” Lu Cheng paused slightly before continuing:
"You may leave on your own and find a place to live. Once this calamity is over, the Heavenly Demon Palace will naturally take action... to 'settle accounts'."

The last sentence hung like a cold guillotine over their heads. Many cultivators who only sought refuge turned pale, but many more, upon hearing the words "Heaven and Earth Demon Palace," felt their spirits lift and their morale soar.

"The Heaven and Earth Dao Palace! It's Tongxuan Sword! Lord Lu of the Heaven and Earth Dao Palace has returned."

"No wonder, no wonder there is such an earth-shattering phenomenon. The Tongxuan Realm is saved, saved!" Many cultivators even shed tears at this moment. Born and raised here, if they had any choice, who would be willing to abandon their home?

Even cultivators are human, and they also have things they find hard to part with.

After a brief commotion, the vast majority of the Transcendent cultivators chose to stay. They spontaneously gathered on the perimeter, each employing their own methods—some forming arrays, others setting up flags—to pool their meager strength and become the outer foundation supporting the massive Five Elements Array defensive system.

(End of this chapter)