Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 540 The Twenty-Four Gods and Demons Raise the Calamity, the Seven Realms Draw Their Light to Determine the Final Fate (Seeking Donations and Subscriptions!)

Rumble, rumble!

The murky, still-unclear river water, carrying broken rocks and crumbling soil, cascaded down, forming a desolate, apocalyptic swamp at the once sacred source of the ancestral vein.

Although the demonic energy was cleansed by the pure Yang energy of the Xuanhuang Pagoda, the ferocity and resentment originating from the demon god Jialuo reached their peak at this moment.

"Lu Cheng—!!!"

A roar filled with endless resentment and rage, like the blood-soaked howl of a dying beast, suddenly exploded from the deepest part of that filthy swamp.

Wherever the sound waves reached, the remaining mountain peaks around them silently turned into dust and scattered, revealing the underground river flowing deep within the earth's veins.

Wow!

The mud was pushed aside by an invisible force, and a hideous demonic shadow soared into the sky!

It was none other than the demon god Gara.

But at this moment, he no longer possesses even a trace of the arrogant composure he had when he first arrived.

Its entire body was covered in scales with spiderweb-like cracks, from which oozed thick, dark purple demonic blood. Its aura fluctuated violently, rising and falling like a candle flickering in the wind.

But deep within his demonic eyes burned an unprecedented, insane flame, powerful enough to incinerate the heavens and the earth!

His gaze was fixed on Lu Cheng Daoist, who was suspended high in the sky, bathed in the pure yellow energy and the faint golden glow of merit.

The other party's robes fluttered, his expression was calm and profound, and the Xuanhuang Pagoda floating beside him had grown to a height of about ten feet. The pagoda was radiant with light, and countless illusory images of sentient beings appeared and prayed, exuding a sacred majesty that was overwhelming and could suppress all laws.

"Lu Cheng! You hypocrite! You despicable villain!" The voice of the demon god Jialuo was hoarse and distorted, each word as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

"What protection of all living beings! What accumulation of merit! From beginning to end, all of this... this is all a scheme you secretly designed! From the moment I descended to the mortal realm, you regarded me as a pawn and this monstrous calamity as an opportunity! You used me to lure out all the hidden old ghosts of the Seven Realms' demonic path, using me as a whetstone for your disciples! You used me to create boundless slaughter, all to gather the power of these damned beings' wishes and create your own treasure of merit!"

"You even calculated that I would be unwilling to accept defeat, and that I would unleash this 'Filthy Water Calamity' with all my might at the last moment, ultimately failing and becoming the final spark for your pagoda to reach its full potential and advance your merits! What cunning! What a scheming, vicious, and hypocritical scoundrel!!!"

These words were like a thunderclap, causing even the disciples of the Heaven and Earth Dao Palace and the leaders of various sects in the Seven Realms, who were watching the battle from thousands of miles away through the Water Mirror Technique, to feel a sudden tremor in their hearts.

However, faced with this tearful accusation and overwhelming ferocity, Lu Cheng remained calm and composed, showing no emotion whatsoever. Only in the depths of his deep eyes, a strange vision of fading stars and shifting time seemed to flash by.

He neither refuted nor admitted anything, but spoke softly, his voice not loud, yet it clearly pierced through the frenzied demonic sounds and howling winds and thunder, resounding throughout the heavens and earth:

"Demons arise from the heart, and calamities originate from sins. Jialuo, you regard all living beings as sustenance, committing boundless slaughter—this is the cause. The Xuanhuang Pagoda suppresses demons and evil, protects all living beings, and gathers the will of all beings—this is the effect. Cause and effect are cyclical, and retribution is inevitable. As for the rest..." He paused slightly, his gaze falling on Jialuo, whose aura was becoming increasingly chaotic.

"It's nothing more than following the will of Heaven and the will of the people, and setting things right. Today, the calamity of this world will be settled with you."

"Following the will of Heaven and the will of the people? Restoring order? Hahahaha!" Galo laughed wildly, looking like a madman. Countless rays of demonic light burst forth from the wounds that tore open all over his body, like a giant lantern riddled with holes.

"Very well! What a fine end! Then let this 'pawn' you've meticulously planned for a thousand years become a flying stone, shattering your entire game! Lu Cheng! Prepare to die!"

boom! ! !
As Galo's maniacal laughter subsided, he suddenly stretched out his neck and let out a long howl!
This time, the howl was no longer a simple sound wave, but contained the ultimate demonic mantra he had activated by exhausting his magical power and even sacrificing his essence and spirit!

With thousands of years of cultivation in the mortal realm, the demon god Jialuo's cultivation and magic power have also greatly improved. Although he can be considered a master among the Void Returning cultivators in the Upper Realm, how can it compare to the pleasure of almost using the power of an entire realm to sustain himself in the Lower Realm?
Although the Demon God Galo had not yet returned to the Void Returning Realm, he believed that his supernatural powers were almost as good as his own at his peak.

Previously, if those righteous cultivators hadn't been so numerous and powerful, they would have been no match for him.

At this moment, in the eyes of the Demon God Jialuo, he was indeed a step behind Lu Cheng Daoist in terms of cunning and cultivation, but in terms of magical power, he was still a step ahead.

If you kill the other party before the merit pagoda is fully completed, then even if the pagoda is finally completed and the fire is repaired, what does it have to do with the other party?
Gara's figure suddenly expanded. He no longer maintained his human form, but manifested the true meaning of the Six Extreme Demonic Forms. However, it was not six clones, but the ultimate six demonic paths—the Soul Devouring God, the Nine Netherworld Vengeance, the Touch of Corruption, the Edge of the Rift, the Spirit Devouring Demonic Flame, and the Undying Blood Calamity—ultimately fused into one!
His demonic body suddenly became incredibly large and twisted, even no longer human-shaped, like a demonic agglomeration formed from countless concepts of hatred, pain, and destruction!

Six demonic eyes lit up on his chaotic body, each one locking onto Lu Cheng and shooting out destructive demonic light powerful enough to pierce through the void!

"Lu Cheng! Let's see if your schemes can match fate, and let's see if my divine skills can defy fate!"

The first level of the Six Extremes Demonic Form: Chaotic Demonic Sea - Erosion of All Origins!

The Six Extremes Demonic Form, activated at full power, is already a demonic technique at the Void Returning level. This also proves that the demon god Gara, who burned his essence, energy, and spirit, has indeed possessed the power of the Void Returning level, even if it is only temporary.

The surging sea of ​​demons seemed to come alive from all directions, spreading boundlessly and devouring not only the material space, but also light, spiritual energy, and even the laws themselves, causing them to decay and dissolve!
The chaotic demonic sea surged with towering waves, transforming into billions of writhing demonic arms that twisted and entangled space and time, rushing towards Lu Cheng and the Xuanhuang Qingguang around him. This was an attempt to drag Lu Cheng and his merit treasure into the abyss of chaos from which there is no return!

"He does not understand the constant principles of heaven and earth, nor can he comprehend the truth and illusion of the law. He disregards opportunities and opportunities, and only indulges in fierce and barbaric courage, stirring up a bloody storm. He deserves to perish in this calamity. If he acts in this way, who can he blame?"

Lu Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, a sense of感慨 (gan3 kai3, deep emotion) running through his mind. Facing the powerful demonic technique that Jialuo had risked everything for, he remained calm. With a thought, the Xuanhuang Pagoda hanging beside him suddenly shone with dazzling light!

"The primordial chaos reigns supreme, impervious to all laws!"

Om-!
A deep, ancient, and desolate hum resounded throughout the universe.

The Xuanhuang Pagoda swelled in the wind and instantly transformed into a towering peak that reached the heavens and the earth. The pagoda radiated boundless pure light of merit, layer upon layer, as if it were formed from the purest righteous energy of heaven and earth and the wishes of all living beings. Wherever the light shone, the filthy chaotic demonic sea evaporated and melted violently, like snow being poured into boiling water.

The demonic arm that lunged at the Qingguang Barrier struck the barrier, making a terrifying hissing sound, billowing black smoke, and then breaking apart and dissipating inch by inch.

The Pagoda of Merit, like a stabilizing pillar, firmly anchored this space that was about to turn into complete chaos, constructing an indestructible pure land for it. Standing beneath the pagoda meant invincibility.

The second level of the Six Extremes Demonic Form: The Six Extremes Demonic Eyes - Annihilation of All Realms!

Seeing that the Demon Sea was blocked, the six demonic eyes on Gara's huge and twisted demonic body suddenly shone brightly!

Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
Six beams of annihilating demonic light, each with a different color and completely opposite attributes, yet perfectly blended together, tore apart the stable space formed by the clear light of the pagoda and shot out from six mysterious and unpredictable angles!

The Soul-Eating Light defiles the primordial spirit, the Nine Netherworld Vengeance freezes life force, the Corruption Touch disintegrates matter, the Rift Edge cuts through space, the Soul-Devouring Demon Flame burns away energy, and the Undying Blood Calamity pollutes the origin!
Six lights emanated simultaneously, their trajectories mysterious and unpredictable, seemingly containing the ultimate mystery of the destruction of the Great Dao, their target being the very body of Lu Cheng.

This was a deadly attack unleashed by Galo at the cost of burning his own divine consciousness and physical body, a power that gathered the essence of his demonic cultivation!

Wherever the six demonic lights went, even the clear light hanging from the pagoda was forcibly distorted and annihilated, creating voids and gaps!

This treasure of merit was cultivated and nurtured by Lu Cheng bit by bit until now. He was very clear about the limits of this treasure, so his eyes were sharp and he was not panicked at all. He no longer relied solely on the pagoda.

The Taoist priest held the hand seals and used the Five Elements Escape Technique to take a step forward, causing the void around him to ripple wildly!
"The Twenty-Four Transformations of the Mysterious Heaven, Transformations that Protect the Dao!"

As the magical incantation was cast:

Roar—! Howl—! Hiss—! …

Twenty-four different yet equally awe-inspiring roars erupted from the void surrounding Lu Cheng, some like dragons' roars, some like monkeys' howls, some like phoenixes' cries, some like turtles' cries, some like demons' roars, some like the sacred, and some like monsters...

The next moment, twenty-four towering, majestic figures, like ancient gods and demons reborn, suddenly descended upon this world!

Bifang flaps its wings, unleashing a raging inferno that sweeps towards the Soul-Devouring Demon Flame! The Dragon Turtle carries a mountain, pouring forth boundless Xuan Water to cleanse the corrupting influence! The Demon Sword roars to the heavens, its chilling golden aura slicing through the air, striking the edge of the rifting realm! The Kunpeng soars, its indestructible green wood power protecting it and resisting the erosion of countless souls!
The Sun-Devouring Divine Ape, wielding a giant club, smashed away the tainted light of the Undying Blood Calamity with a single blow!
With a gentle sweep of its icy phoenix wings, pure spiritual energy purified the resentment and evil spirits of the Nine Netherworlds! Furthermore, Xiang Liu used poison, Da Peng spread its wings, the Crimson Dragon opened its eyes, Zhu Yan broke the army... the twenty-four divine demons each displayed their supernatural powers, either confronting it head-on or using profound Dao principles to resolve it, thus receiving and shattering the power of the six Paths of Extinction Demonic Light.

Using the Taoist transformation and ascension technique to transform and protect oneself is one of the essences of this profound art. Lu Cheng is currently only just beginning to understand it, and what he transforms into are still illusory divine and demonic forms. If he cultivates to a truly profound level, with a flick of his body, hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of his own forms will fly out, each possessing the power of the divine and demonic forms he has cultivated. That would be truly earth-shattering!
In an instant, this strange world, where the chaotic demonic sea and the primordial light confronted each other, transformed into the ultimate battlefield of ancient primordial beasts!

The twenty-four phases surged and roared, demonic light crisscrossed and cut, the power of laws clashed wildly, light and shadow, life and death, Tao and demon intertwined to create an unprecedentedly magnificent picture!
Each collision caused the surrounding space to crack like fragile glass, and each burst of annihilated energy seemed to push this void back into chaos!

"What kind of cultivation technique is this?"

The two sides have been fighting for a thousand years. The demon god Gara knows that his enemy is skilled in swordsmanship, profound in talismanic arts, and has an unbelievably high level of Taoist cultivation.

However, they had never seen the true trump card of this Taoist Lu Cheng: the Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill, the Mysterious Heaven Twenty-Four Transformations.

This fundamental technique can be considered the foremost protective divine skill in Taoism. Therefore, in this respect, Lu Cheng is actually closer to physical cultivation, while also practicing swordsmanship and talisman techniques.

Lu Cheng stood at the center of the twenty-four auspicious signs, his Taoist robe fluttering in the turbulent energy currents.

He wasn't passively defending; his hands were forming hand seals at a speed beyond the reach of divine sense. Each hand seal caused a violent tremor in the天地元气 (heaven and earth's energy), condensing into a vast magical power capable of shaking an entire region! Suddenly, his left hand reached out and grabbed at the void, and a precious pearl radiating a chilling aura, a fusion of boundless vitality and extreme demonic intent, appeared out of thin air!
It is the Seven-Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl, a powerful demonic artifact that Lu Cheng Daoist refined for a thousand years using secret methods, and which incorporated the souls of four Primordial Spirit Ancestors and the Returning Void Wild Beast!

This is also the cause of the demon god Gara's descent into this world, and today it will also have to fulfill the consequences of this calamity.

"Use demons to subdue demons, and all demons will be subdued! By decree!"

Lu Cheng shouted and without hesitation poured all the divine and demonic power of the Xuan Tian Twenty-Four Transformations that he had activated into the Seven Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl!
This demonic bead, which was already ferocious and thirsty for blood, suddenly let out a shrill and excited shriek, and seven pitch-black cracks appeared on its body, like seven insatiably greedy demonic mouths!
Om-! ! !
A terrifying demonic power, far surpassing that of the Six Hells God-Slaying Diagram, erupted!
This is not the weakened demonic nature of Garona, but a supremely refined demonic power, originating from a secret technique from the upper realm and fused with a powerful soul, born solely for destruction!

Seven vortexes, like black holes, spun wildly on the surface of the orb, generating an irresistible force that devoured and pulled at all demonic power!

The moment this power appeared, it was like the arrival of a monarch, directly suppressing the original laws of the Six Hells God-Slaying Diagram!
The surrounding space twisted and collapsed wildly!
What terrified Galo the most was the aura emanating from the Seven Refinements Primordial Spirit Pearl, which even made this demon god feel a fear and a devouring desire originating from the depths of his bloodline!
A thousand years ago, Daoist Lu Cheng used the Nine-Tailed Soul Technique to devour one of his clones with the Seven-Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl. As a result, although the Demon God Jialuo later re-cultivated the Six Extreme Demon Form, there was naturally a flaw in his technique.

The Demon God Gara thought no one in the world could see through and break this flaw. But she never expected that Lu Cheng would be waiting for her here.

The Seven-Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl, infused with powerful magic, clashed head-on with the Six Extremes Demon Eye Demon Art, which should have been a fierce battle.

However, a flash of spiritual light appeared in the Seven Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl, and a flaw appeared in the originally flawless Six Extremes Demonic Light. One of the demonic lights was weak, while the other five were strong, and the supernatural power was immediately broken.

"No—!" Gara roared in despair, frantically channeling his magic power in an attempt to turn the tide, but it was too late!

Under the combined effect of Lu Cheng's own profound power of suppression and the absolute restraint of the Seven Cultivation Primordial Spirit Pearl, the Six Extremes Demonic Light collapsed and vanished instantly!
puff!

As if struck by a massive hammer, the demon god Gara suddenly spat out a mouthful of filthy demonic blood. His demonic body swayed violently in the air, and the demonic flames covering his body were like candles flickering in the wind, almost about to be extinguished.

Gara was disheveled and stained with demonic blood, no longer resembling the demon god whose flames raged.

Seeing the Six Extremes Demonic Light broken and the demonic body injured, and the Chaos Demonic Realm forcibly suppressed and purified by those damned primordial god and demonic phantoms, Galo went completely mad. He was no longer seeking victory, but rather, even in death, he wanted to devour a piece of flesh from his mortal enemy!
Hysteria, utter madness!
"Lu Cheng! Even if it costs me my soul and my very being, I will drag you down with me... into chaos!!!"

The third level of the Six Extremes Demonic Form: Primal Demonic Seal - Chaos Returns to Nothingness!

The Demon God Gara's originally enormous demonic body suddenly collapsed inward, abandoning all forms, all differentiated demonic energy, and even the laws and Daoist principles of the Six Extremes Demonic Form!

Only the most core, purest, and most representative of the origin of his Dao fruit—that chaotic demonic seal symbolizing endless chaos and the end—is retained, which is also the void demonic seal!

The demonic seal was as black as ink, resembling an eyeball or a rune. The moment it appeared, the surrounding space no longer distorted or shattered, but simply... vanished!
Returning to utter nothingness!
It transformed into a beam of dark light that transcended the limitations of time and space, ignoring the suppression of the primordial phantom, the clear light protection of the Xuanhuang Pagoda, and even the obstruction of the twenty-four phases of gods and demons, and shot straight towards Lu Cheng's brow!

This is the final curse that Gara unleashed when she abandoned the path and burned everything—to return to nothingness!
That attack was too fast! Too unpredictable!

Its power was contained to the extreme, yet it carried an ultimate terror that would make even a cultivator at the Void Return stage tremble with fear and feel their soul about to perish with just a glance! It represented the destruction of the demonic path, the return to nothingness, and the reversal of time and space!

The fact that the demon god Gara was able to become the protagonist of this millennium is due to her remarkable destiny and skill.

Therefore, at this moment, a trace of solemnity finally flashed in the eyes of Lu Cheng Dao Ren, who had been calm and composed throughout the battle!
He could sense the absolute void power contained within this demonic seal, a power powerful enough to truly threaten his life!
However, he did not back down, nor was he afraid!

Just as the chaotic demonic seal was about to touch his forehead, a strange smile appeared on Lu Cheng's lips.

"Fellow Daoist Jialuo, thank you for the seal." His lips moved slightly, his voice almost inaudible.

At the same time, he slightly flipped his left hand, which was pressed against his chest!
hum!
A clear, resonant sound, like the first chime of a jade chime from the heavens, suddenly rang out! A point of pure light, containing the supreme will of the Great Dao of Profound Yellow, shone from Lu Cheng's palm!

The light was not dazzling, but it carried an unparalleled weight that suppressed all heavens and the universe and determined the past and the future! At the core of that mysterious yellow light, a small, ancient, pale gold pagoda was clearly suspended.

Two chosen ones, facing life and death in a split second, their destinies reaching their peak, were finally watched by the Heavenly Will of the seven great worlds: Tongtian, Liehuo, Xuankong, Jumang, Yuqing, and Yinyang.

They also feared the death of Lu Cheng Daoren and the final victory of the demon god Jialuo.

When that time comes, this old demon will unleash a world-destroying flood, destroy the seven realms, reopen the world, and change the laws of heaven, and they too will perish and perish.

Lu Cheng has been cultivating in the Tongxuan Realm for many years. The Heavenly Dao of the Tongxuan Realm knows the level of Lu Cheng's Xuantian Divine Art, but the Heavenly Dao of the other seven realms cannot detect cultivators, especially cultivators of Lu Cheng's level who have reached this level.

Therefore, the power of the Seven Realms' Heavenly Dao converged and condensed on the Xuanhuang Pagoda—a good game of chess requires a formidable opponent to complete.

That chaotic demonic seal, capable of obliterating all things, crashed violently into this wisp of primordial yellow light!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no collision of energy torrents.

There was only absolute silence.

Where the demonic seal collided with the mystical light, time and space seemed to freeze and solidify.

The dark light and the mysterious yellow light silently eroded, merged, and annihilated each other.

The chaotic primordial energy within the demonic seal surged wildly, attempting to completely assimilate the primordial light representing order and protection into nothingness.

The dark yellow light remained unmoved, like an eternal monument standing at the end of time. Despite the chaos, it remained steadfast and even eroded the last madness in the demonic seal!

This is an ultimate battle at the level of mind and will, far more dangerous than the energy clashes in the outside world!
Lu Cheng's face paled slightly for a moment, and deep in his eyes seemed to see countless scenes of time and space coming and going, which were the erosion illusions brought by the demonic seal.

However, his Dao heart was clear and his primordial spirit was as clear as crystal, firmly guarding the small space of his spiritual platform. No matter how many illusions arose and how many demonic thoughts eroded him, he was left to his own devices and could not shake his fundamental nature in the slightest!
"No! How is this possible!" The last vestige of consciousness of the demon god Gara roared in despair and disbelief.

He had almost sacrificed all of his power to unleash a deadly demonic seal, a final strike that would make even Void Returning cultivators in the Upper Realm extremely wary, yet it was blocked by the opponent in such a way?!

Click!

A soft cracking sound rang out. On that frozen point in time and space, a tiny yet alarming crack appeared on the surface of the dark magic seal! Immediately, the crack spread rapidly like a spider web!
As the cracks appeared, the terrifying aura of the return of all things to nothingness receded and dissipated like a tide.

puff!
Outside, Gara's demonic body completely collapsed, leaving only a phantom demonic shadow. Its core essence suddenly trembled violently, like a phantom candle flame being blown by a gale, and suddenly dimmed, unable to even maintain its form!

If he succeeds in this attack, he can continue his life and path by relying on the life force fed back from the Demon Seal Devouring Body.

However, the Demonic Path leaves no room for others nor for itself, and in this move, it has lost all its chips.

The Chaotic Demon Sea completely collapsed and disappeared due to the disintegration of its core.

The phantom images of the twenty-four divine demons slowly faded away, and the phantom image of the primordial world also gradually disappeared.

The turbulent energy currents that had raged across the world subsided, leaving only collapsed mountains and rivers, and dried-up, twisted riverbeds, silently testifying to the brutality of this great war.

The Xuanhuang Pagoda dimmed its light and remained quietly suspended behind Lu Cheng. The golden light of merit on the pagoda flickered, as if it were undergoing some kind of transformation.

As for the demon god Gara, he lost all his support and his last bit of power.

The illusory demonic figure drifted and fell like willow catkins in the wind, finally crashing heavily onto a patch of scorched, rocky ground. At this moment, where was even a trace of his former supreme demonic authority?

Its aura was as faint as that of an ant in the mortal world. Its indestructible demonic body, forged through countless trials, had long since vanished, leaving only a tattered and extinguishable primordial demonic soul attached to a small ball of dark red, dim blood light.

Lu Cheng's figure flickered, and he appeared above Jialuo's remnant soul, looking down at him. A gentle breeze stirred his Daoist robe, which remained spotless.

Galo's demonic soul fluctuated violently, struggling to break free, but he couldn't even muster a wisp of demonic energy. He stared at Lu Cheng with utter venom, his gaze, if it could materialize, capable of piercing through the deepest hell.
“…cough cough…Lu Cheng…you’re ruthless…kill me…give me a quick death…haha…use your hands…to personally send this ‘pawn’ on its way!” The voice was broken and filled with the emptiness that followed despair and madness.

Lu Cheng looked at him, his eyes calm and unwavering, showing neither the triumph of a victor nor pity for a loser.

He did not act immediately as Galo had suggested. Instead, he raised his right hand and slowly began to form a fist with his five fingers. A mysterious halo surrounded his fingertips, as if he were deducing some great secret of heaven, or as if he were sensing something.

After a moment, the hand gestures stopped. A look of understanding flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes, like the moon being seen after the clouds had parted.

Then, with a single swing of the invisible sword, the demon god Gara was utterly killed, ending this great calamity between good and evil that had lasted for a thousand years.

“After I kill you, my fate will be exhausted. Great kindness will turn into enmity. If I don’t leave now, there is nothing in the Seven Realms to repay me. They can only hope that I will disappear soon.”

(End of this chapter)