Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 575 Sword Cracks the Sky, Stars Grow Cold; Mysterious Herb Stirs Up the Nine Heavens' Remnants (One more chapter of 6,000 words tonight!)

Deep within the misty, secluded mountains, space twists and shatters like glass boiling at high temperatures.

The Nine Mysterious Herb's penetrating spiritual energy, capable of connecting the mortal and immortal realms, stirred up the most primal greed and killing intent in the world.

The destruction caused by the numerous Mahayana cultivators was like the collapse of the sky!
Four Mahayana cultivators and two strange beasts, each wielding earth-shattering power, collided in the desolate region formed by the Poisonous Abyss and spatial rifts, creating a destructive storm that shook the surrounding world!
The Chi Demon Clan's Mahayana warrior had a body as if cast from black iron, with crimson demonic patterns flowing like magma across his bulging muscles. Each strike of the mountain-splitting axe in his hand carried the savage power of a physical body capable of tearing through the void. His target was the Immortal Herb itself—if he couldn't have it, he would destroy it!

The noble and dignified cultivator of the Sea King Clan was like a monarch in the deep sea, surrounded by dark blue raging waves of magical power. The laws of water transformed into countless agile yet deadly tentacles and torrents, both to hinder the Chi Demon from destroying the grass and to try to take away this rare treasure of heaven and earth.

Minghe Daojun, clad in a billowing blue robe, unleashed a myriad of golden sword lights, sometimes swirling like a reversed galaxy, sometimes transforming into a resilient water curtain to protect the space surrounding the immortal herb, using the power of metal and water to resist the raging waves of the demonic axe; at other times, his sword light condensed into silk, cunningly and ruthlessly piercing the domain nodes of the Sea King Clan cultivators, each strike containing the abundant power of the "Primordial Chaos Technique".

As the Daoist Wuya's sleeves fluttered and his hand gestures changed, one powerful eighth or ninth-tier magic weapon after another flew out. Some transformed into the illusory image of a heavy mountain to suppress the hurricane and poisonous clouds stirred up by the Bone-Eating Golden Locust, while others condensed into a Xuanbing Dragon to entangle the terrifying evil light spewed by the Evil Spirit Crystal Dragon.

At this moment, although the Chi Demon and Sea King races are at war, and although Minghe Daojun and Wuya Daojun are both Mahayana cultivators of the human race, the former two will not be enemies, and the latter two will not be friends, each prioritizing their own interests.

The two ferocious beasts, the Fiend Spirit Crystal Dragon, had massive bodies composed of billions of sharply defined fiend energy crystals, and each time it swung its tail, it brought up a terrifying storm.

The Bone-Eating Golden Locusts range in size from as large as calves to as small as dust ants, all with a dark gold body. With each opening and closing of their mouthparts, silent sound waves mixed with poisonous mist capable of corroding spiritual treasures permeate the air, frantically attacking any living being that dares to approach the immortal herb.

The six forces clashed and their immense magical power intertwined, causing the space in the area to shatter. The earth and sky groaned, and the violent energy turbulence was enough to instantly injure an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.

Just as the Chi Demon General cleaved back the thousand waves stirred up by the Sea King Clan cultivators with a single axe, and was about to strike the location of the immortal herb with its remaining momentum, the sword light that Minghe Daojun had been protecting suddenly withdrew, as if it had lost its strength.

This extremely brief gap attracted the attention of everyone present!
"No!"

"The immortal herb must not be harmed!"

Both Wuya Daoren and the Sea King Clan cultivator's expressions changed drastically. They had originally planned to consume more of Minghe Daojun's magic power, but they did not expect that this Taiqing Mahayana cultivator would be so ineffective.

The Daoist Wuya unleashed a barrage of magical treasures, while the Sea King Clan cultivators surged forward with massive waves, arriving first despite being later, attempting to prevent the Chi Demon General from destroying the immortal herb.

However, the sword light that Minghe Daojun "retreated" did not dissipate, but instantly condensed into an extremely fine "sword thread" that almost merged into the void.

The sword flashed and disappeared without a trace of smoke or fire.

At the same time, a figure that had completely concealed its aura and seemed to blend perfectly with the surrounding environment appeared like a ghost directly below the Nine Mystic Ganoderma.

He was Tongzhen Daojun, who cultivated the Way of Wood, endured hardship and hibernated, and brought the ability of concealing breath and hiding form in the "Miraculous Secret of Primordial Qi" to its extreme!

Tongzhen Daojun held no sharp blade, only profound restrictive runes flowing from his fingertips. With a sweep of his fingers, an invisible space precisely encompassed the Nine Mysterious Ganoderma and the spiritual soil around its roots.

At the same time, the sword light that Minghe Daojun had just unleashed tore through the atmosphere, ripped apart the sky and clouds, and cleaved out a rift passage.

The next instant, a jade talisman, imbued with the trajectories of stars and containing immense magical power, shattered silently in the palms of Minghe and Tongzhen Daoist.

hum!
A sudden burst of brilliant starlight engulfed Tongzhen and Minghe, as well as the Nine Mysterious Herb shrouded in celestial light!
The Eighth-Order Celestial Constellation Escape Talisman is the Taiqing Sect's most treasured life-saving talisman. It was created by a Mahayana cultivator of the Taiqing Sect who was skilled in the art of talismans. Twelve of these talismans were drawn and left in the sect's treasury.

Over the years, only six remain in the Taiqing Sect. Each time a cultivator uses one, it is a precious treasure, as each one used reduces the remaining ones. Although it is only an eighth-order escape talisman, it can be combined with the escape techniques of Mahayana cultivators, making its practicality almost comparable to a ninth-order talisman.

The starlight poured down like a celestial river, instantly piercing through the chaotic energy field of the battlefield and even briefly calming the violent spatial ripples. It carried Minghe and Tongzhen into a streak of starlight that stretched across the You Mountain, disappearing into the horizon in an instant. The speed was so fast that even divine sense could not lock onto it!

"Roar--!"

Both the Fiend Crystal Dragon and the Bone-Eating Golden Locust roared and howled angrily as they gave chase.

"You dare!"

The Chi Demon General roared in fury, and the Sea King Clan cultivators shouted in shock and anger. Immediately afterwards, three streaks of light followed closely behind.

The three streaks of light chasing behind were all quite fast, at least much faster than the two strange beasts.

But they still watched the two streaks of starlight disappear into the distance, getting further and further away.

"This is outrageous! How could the Taiqing Sect have sent cultivators ahead of time and kept them hidden here all this time?" the Sea King Clan Mahayana cultivator shouted angrily.

"This place is relatively close to the territory of the Taiqing Sect. Perhaps the sect had some prior knowledge about this Nine Mysterious Herb. The Taiqing Sect's Zhou Tian Divine Calculation is quite famous."

The Daoist Wuya squinted and spoke slowly.

At this moment, the three Mahayana cultivators, Chi Mo, Hai Wang, and Wuya Daoren, were all vaguely considering giving up. Under the effect of that top-grade eighth-order escape talisman, Minghe and Tongzhen would probably escape back to their sect together and hide inside the mountain gate. At that time, no one would be able to do anything to them.

The reason we are still chasing after it with all our might at this moment is simply because we are instinctively unwilling to give up.

The star streaks flashed by, covering thousands of miles in an instant.

However, the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth when the Nine Mystic Ganoderma matured were too clear and intense, and the movements in this place had already been sensed and observed by powerful cultivators in the surrounding area.

Just as Minghe and Tongzhen were riding the Starry Sky Escape Light, trying their best to shake off the pursuers and return to the territory of Taiqing Sect, the void in front of them suddenly froze!
A long, slender hand covered in beautiful silver feathers suddenly emerged from the void and gently pressed forward.

The space a thousand miles ahead seemed to transform into an incredibly heavy and indestructible crystal wall, forcing the astonishingly fast Starlight to a halt, and Minghe and Tongzhen's figures appeared, staggering.

Then, a tall, handsome being with an otherworldly appearance slowly stepped out from the void.

He has a pair of huge, silvery-white wings that shimmer with a clear light on his back, each feather engraved with mysterious natural runes.

Dressed in an elegant cloud-patterned feather robe, spotless and with deep purple eyes, his aura was as profound as the sea. He was clearly a cultivator at the Mahayana realm, a powerful cultivator from the Flying Spirit Clan, renowned among the hundred races of the Spirit Realm for his spatial talent and unparalleled speed!
"Two fellow Daoists of the Taiqing realm, you seem to be in a hurry. The items you carry radiate spiritual light, truly rare treasures of heaven and earth, enough to make one forget worldly concerns." The Flying Spirit Clan Mahayana cultivator's voice was clear and melodious, his face bearing a seemingly gentle yet condescending and scrutinizing smile:
"Such a rare and precious treasure may be lost on a perilous journey. Why don't you two entrust it to me for safekeeping? This would be a way to fulfill the bond of friendship between our race and the human race."

Lord Minghe steadied his breathing, his green robe fluttering even without wind, his eyes as cold as ice:

“Fellow Daoist of the Flying Spirit Clan, this is something that my Taiqing Sect is determined to obtain, as it concerns the fate of our sect. We are reluctant to part with it. Please do us this favor. The entire Taiqing Sect will be eternally grateful.”

Minghe Daojun spoke politely, but the veins on his right hand, which was forming a hand seal in his sleeve, were slightly visible. The golden water Dao intent around his body flowed secretly, merging with the aura of Tongzhen Daojun, who was also on high alert beside him. It seemed that he might strike a fatal blow at any moment.

"gratitude?"

Upon hearing this, the Flying Spirit Clan Mahayana cultivator chuckled softly, his silver wings fluttering slightly, scattering specks of clear light. The pressure emanating from the surrounding space suddenly intensified several times.
“Empty words are not the way to treat guests. I observe the spiritual energy of that immortal herb, and it seems to be the legendary Nine Mystic Mushroom. This thing is also of some use to me. How about this, if you are willing to offer one ‘Return to Origin Pill’ as payment for passage, I will not only let you pass, but also protect you for a while and hold off the pursuers behind you. What do you say?” His eyes gleamed, clearly having long coveted this sacred alchemical artifact.

Minghe and Tongzhen exchanged a glance, both seeing the solemnity and unwillingness in each other's eyes. The Zuowang Guiyuan Pill was a ninth-order divine pill that was famous throughout the Spirit Realm. It could help Mahayana cultivators increase their cultivation and comprehend the mysteries of the Great Dao. It was extremely difficult to refine, so how could they easily agree to give it to someone else?
Master Tongzhen stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
“Fellow Daoist of the Flying Spirit Clan, you are mistaken. This immortal herb belongs to our sect, so how can it be considered ‘buying passage’? As for the Forgetfulness and Return to Origin Pill, it is a treasure of our sect and cannot be promised by us without authorization. If you are willing to be lenient, my Taiqing Sect will surely reward you handsomely. If the divine pill is successfully refined, it is not unreasonable to trade with the Flying Spirit Clan!”

"Oh? A generous reward?" Fei Ling Da Cheng's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Empty promises, utterly insincere. How about you two swear a solemn oath to your inner demons, promising to offer this pill afterward? I may then let you pass. Otherwise..."

As he spoke, the void around him began to twist violently, forming countless tiny spatial blades that emitted a sharp shriek:
"Don't blame me for asking you two to leave behind the immortal herbs! Given your current state, plus the pursuers behind you, I don't need to say more about the outcome."

Cultivators are not like ordinary people; how can they lightly make oaths or vows? Let alone vows of the heart!

Once the oath is made, there is no turning back. It is tantamount to handing over the sect's sacred elixir with both hands. Otherwise, Dao Lords Minghe and Tongzhen would be ruining their own path to immortality. Even if they obtained this Nine Mysterious Herb, it would be a loss that outweighs the gain.

"Fellow Daoist, you've gone too far!" Daoist Minghe roared angrily, his flying sword ringing in his sleeve. Daoist Tongzhen also looked grim, clutching a talisman in his sleeve, ready to fight to the death.

Just at this time,
Rumble!
The raging bloodlust, the surging tide, and the slightly dim, transparent escape light of the Boundless Daoist also arrived almost simultaneously.

Four cultivators—the Flying Spirit Clan's Mahayana cultivator and three other alien Mahayana cultivators—surrounded Dao Lords Minghe and Tongzhen. Minghe and Tongzhen's expressions suddenly tensed; facing four opponents, they had no chance of victory.

"My two fellow Daoists of Taiqing, what did I say before? If you had handed over the spiritual objects or sworn a great oath against your inner demons earlier, none of this would have happened. Why did things come to this?"

Before the Flying Spirit Clan Mahayana cultivator could finish speaking, he suddenly looked up.

Immediately afterwards, the world darkened, and two pillars of starlight, even more dazzling and magnificent than the star marks formed by Minghe and Tongzhen, tore through the void and descended suddenly!

The beam of light dissipated, revealing two figures.

The first person was dressed in a black Taoist robe, his posture upright like a solitary peak, his eyes sharp as lightning, with a faint golden-red light flowing around them, as if he could see through all illusions.

Although not a Mahayana practitioner, his aura was harmonious and unimpeded, and he was in close communion with heaven and earth. There was also a sharp and incomparable sword intent that could destroy everything hidden within him. He was none other than the current Taiqing Sect Master, Daoist Lu Cheng!
The man beside him, with white hair and beard, an ancient face, and deep, unfathomable eyes, was none other than Ming Que, the Great Vehicle Daoist Lord of the Taiqing Sect!

The ancient sword box behind Mingque trembled slightly, and a terrifying sword intent that seemed capable of cutting through heaven and earth was faintly revealed. It was the famous ancient immortal sword of the human race that was renowned in this world - Taiyi Dividing Light Sword!

As fellow disciples, they naturally possessed a secret method of sensing each other, and in order to arrive quickly, Lu Cheng and Daoist Mingque each unleashed their eighth-order Zhou Tian Xing Dou Escape Talismans.

For this battle, the Taiqing Sect's initial cost was four eighth-tier escape talismans. It could be said that they would either achieve great success or suffer a great defeat!

Even a typical ninth-tier spiritual item might not be worth four top-grade eighth-tier escape talismans.

At this moment, the situation instantly turned into a four-way standoff: the four from Taiqing (Lu Cheng, Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen) faced off against the Flying Spirit Clan Mahayana cultivator, the Chi Demon Warrior, the Sea King Clan cultivator, and the four from Wuya Daoren.

The two ferocious beasts, however, were slower than the cultivators present due to their divine sense and escape speed, and were still a step behind.

At this moment, the air seemed to have frozen into ancient ice, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the surrounding area, even the sound of the wind disappeared.

The Flying Spirit Clan's Heavenly Feather Daoist (whom Lu Cheng had dealt with before and naturally recognized) had a glint in his eye as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons.

The Sea King Clan cultivators watched Fei Ling and Chi Mo warily, and were even more wary of Tai Qing and his group of four. Chi Mo, the warrior general, stared intently at Lu Cheng, his eyes filled with undisguised ferocity and contempt—a Nascent Soul cultivator dared to stand on the battlefield of Mahayana cultivators?

Wuya Daoren's gaze lingered on Lu Cheng for a moment, then swept over the sword box behind Ming Que, his apprehension deepening.

Lu Cheng's gaze swept across the entire room in an instant, sharp as lightning.

At the same time, he could faintly sense the pure and violent killing intent of the Fiend Spirit Crystal Dragon and the Bone-Eating Golden Locust behind him. They had only one target—the cultivator who possessed the immortal herb!

The longer this drags on, the greater the unpredictability brought about by the two ferocious beasts!

The other side's alliance was merely a temporary union based on mutual interests, and they were suspicious and wary of each other, especially of Wuya Daoren, who was also a member of the human race.

In a flash, Lu Cheng made his decision. His lips barely moved as he instantly transmitted his thoughts to the three elders of his sect:
"kill!"

This cold, ruthless thought exploded in the minds of the Taiqing cultivators present:
This is precisely what makes Lu Cheng so formidable. Throughout history, there have been many shrewd and intelligent people, but those who can make accurate and swift decisions in the face of crisis and carry them out with all their might are rare indeed.

Because strategists and wise men are often not truly responsible for what they plan and scheme for. By stepping outside themselves, they naturally do not have to bear the pressure that those who make decisions must bear.

Among the four, Lu Cheng, Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen, Lu Cheng's magical power was the weakest, but he was the leader among them, and the three Mahayana Dao Lords, Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen, respected him.

therefore:

"Zheng——!"

A clear and melodious sword cry, seemingly capable of severing the river of time, resounded throughout the universe!

Mingque Daojun's hair and beard stood on end, and the ancient sword box on his back burst open with a bang! A sword light of utmost purity, seemingly containing the first ray of light that created the world, shot into the sky!

The ancient immortal sword, Taiyi Dividing Light Sword, is drawn with a clang!
Before the sword light even struck, the terrifying sword intent, seemingly indestructible and capable of splitting yin and yang, had already permeated the entire battlefield, causing all the enemies to instantly feel their hair stand on end, as if they had been locked onto by an unparalleled ferocious beast!

Ming Que pointed his fingers like a sword and gestured towards the seemingly strongest Flying Spirit Mahayana cultivator.

"Splitting light to pierce the void!"

The Taiyi sword light that was unleashed was not a single beam, but instantly transformed into billions of fine, hair-like rays of light, yet condensed to the extreme!
These billions of rays of light were not scattered, but formed a net of sword intent composed of pure laws of destruction that covered the heavens and earth. It almost ignored spatial distance and instantly descended upon Tianyu Daojun!

Tianyu Daojun was originally extremely confident in his own escape techniques and supernatural abilities. He believed that no matter what kind of crisis he faced, he could remain invincible. He would seize any benefits he could, and if necessary, he would simply fly away to escape, thus ensuring his own safety.

However, at this very moment, every ray of light from the Taiyi Dividing Light Sword carried a terrifying aura that could sever laws and annihilate all things!
Moreover, it was fast, ruthless, and exquisite to the extreme, almost subtly restraining the essence of his own escape technique.

Daoist Tianyu's expression changed drastically. He could no longer care about anything else. His massive silver wings flapped wildly, countless spatial runes lit up, constructing layer upon layer of kaleidoscopic, distorted spatial barriers around him. He dared not use his prized escape techniques at this moment, and could only focus on defense and self-preservation against the terrifying Taiyi Dividing Light Sword Net!

Because if you use all your strength to evade attacks, you will be able to evade them easily and without harm, but if you cannot evade them, you may not have time to defend yourself, and even if you don't die, you will be severely injured by the sword light.

At the same time, Daoist Minghe and Daoist Tongzhen merged their magical powers, seemingly transforming into a unified yin-yang vortex!

With the "Primordial Chaos Technique" fully activated, a vast and boundless azure water light appeared around Daoist Minghe, surging and surging like a vast expanse of blue waves overturning; while Daoist Tongzhen burst forth with endless verdant vitality, with billions of green vine phantoms intertwining and containing endless sealing power.

Water and wood complement each other, forming a unified whole!
The two energies of blue and green instantly merged, transforming into a "Primordial Qi Great Capture" that covered the sky. Like the palm of a primordial god, it carried the majestic Daoist charm of encompassing and crushing all things, and descended upon the Sea King Clan cultivator who was about to unleash an endless tsunami and the Chi Demon cultivator who was about to use his Dharma Body Technique!
"Fellow Daoist Wuya is also a Dao Lord of my clan, so why should you lower yourself to collude with these demons and monsters?"
"Why don't we join forces and slay these three demons? The benefits will be plentiful. Fellow Daoist Wuyai's alchemy skills are superb and renowned throughout the land; we can also refine this Forgetfulness Returning to the Origin Pill together!"

Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen intentionally bypassed Wuya Daoren and focused their efforts on attacking the three alien cultivators. This was also Lu Cheng's divine sense transmission. At the same time, Lu Cheng also transmitted his thoughts to Wuya Daoren, speaking earnestly and persuasively, appealing to his emotions and urging him to act in accordance with his interests.

However, Daoist Wuya still unleashed his magic weapon to attack the four members of the Taiqing Sect, but his attack was subconsciously three parts weaker.

"Fellow Daoist, you have a plan. Now that the immortal herb is in your hands, and you have also killed the cultivators of the Flying Spirit, Chi Demon, and Sea King clans, even though the Earth Immortal Realm is vast, I'm afraid there will be no place for me, Wuya, to stay. At that time, will you have to join the Taiqing Sect and ask the Sect Master to grant me a place to stay?"

Moreover, Mahayana cultivators are not so easily killed. Even with the current prosperity of the Taiqing Sect, I'm afraid you wouldn't dare to offend three powerful clans at the same time, would you?

"Hahaha, what you say is indeed true, fellow Daoist. Mahayana cultivators are not so easy to kill. So when we joined forces to kill one of Chi Mo's Mahayana cultivators, the Flying Spirit Clan's Tianyu Daoist and the Sea King Clan's Dao Lord naturally retreated. Everyone competed for the treasure based on their own abilities, so it can't be considered a feud."

During their spiritual exchange, Lu Cheng and Wuya Daoren were also exchanging blows.

Lu Cheng was a whole realm lower than Wuyai Daoren, and his spiritual sense and magical power were far inferior. Moreover, Wuyai Daoren was a ninth-level alchemist with extremely rich personal wealth. Although he was not good at fighting, he could use several ninth-level magic treasures when he made a move. The power of these treasures was earth-shattering and extremely difficult to resist.

However, Lu Cheng is the only cultivator in the Taiqing Sect's 140,000-year history to have cultivated the two fundamental true teachings of the Taiqing Sect to the highest level!

He simultaneously wielded the Five Elements and Blood Sea swords with exquisite sword light, and from time to time used the dual cultivation method of body and magic, which caused his sword speed, sword power, and sword energy to increase many times over in a short period of time.

In addition, with the chaotic battle between the two sides, Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen occasionally lend a hand. Although Wuya Daoren had excellent magic weapons, he could not gain any advantage in a short period of time.

At the same time, it wasn't just Lu Cheng trying to win over Daoist Wuyai; Tianyu Daojun of the Flying Spirit Clan and the Mahayana cultivator of the Sea King Clan were also simultaneously trying to win over Daoist Wuyai.

The Flying Spirit Clan's Heavenly Feather Dao Lord was one thing, but the Sea King Clan's Mahayana cultivator was incredibly wealthy, and the offer he made was truly tempting:
"Fellow Daoist, you should also know that our clan values ​​talent above all else when employing people. This Nine-Mysterious Herb is indeed rare, but I value your talent even more. If you help me obtain this immortal herb, the Dragon Palace of the Western Sea is filled with countless rare treasures, and we also have several ninth-grade pill formulas, all of which you may use. Furthermore, I promise to do my utmost to help you refine a ninth-grade immortal pill... Throughout history, there have always been many humans who have ascended to immortality with the support of our clan, as you are probably aware of. Now that a bright future is before you, what is there for you to hesitate about?"

The upper realm has the Immortal Realm, but there are also the Ancestral Dragon Immortal Realm, the Primordial Phoenix Immortal Realm, and even other Immortal Realm worlds. Therefore, many powerful races in the Earthly Immortal Realm know that the Human Race's Immortal Realm exists, but they are not afraid of the Human Race. Or rather, most of the powerful races with deep roots are like this. There are very few powerful races that are rootless and floating, only strong in the Earthly Immortal Realm.

(End of this chapter)