Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 598 Golden Rainbow Chasing Treasure Encounters a Robbery, Blood Stains the Wilderness and Shocks the Heavens (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

Lu Cheng Daoist's Golden Crow Transformation Rainbow Technique is unparalleled in the world!
Although its explosive power is not as strong as the Golden-Winged Roc's Escape Technique, and its adaptability for survival is not as good as the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Step, it is the most comprehensive escape technique, and is even slightly better than the former two.

Therefore, he first obtained a fragment of a Buddhist treasure, and then used his escape technique to fly and chase after another fragment of a Buddhist treasure.

These seven fragments of Buddhist treasures possess immense and incredible Buddhist power. Although their specific functions are currently unknown, they are undoubtedly rare treasures that should not be missed.

If it has no use, it can be returned to Xiji Zen Temple in the future. It would be easy to exchange one for a ninth-grade high-quality Buddhist artifact.

Buddhist ritual implements have unique advantages in areas such as deliverance and dispelling inner demons.

In the pursuit of the second fragment of the Buddha treasure, Lu Cheng's golden rainbow escape light even directly bypassed a Mahayana demon saint of the Sky-Splitting Dragon Roc clan, chasing after the second fragment of the Buddha treasure amidst the opponent's incredulous gaze.

His divine sense locked onto the fragment, and the golden-red flames on his body suddenly intensified, the rainbow light becoming even more dazzling as he chased after it, distorting space itself, and it seemed he was about to catch up—

scoff!

In the blink of an eye, a strange change occurred.

Without warning, a deep rift suddenly opened in the void ahead, and turbulent, viscous, pitch-black demonic energy surged out like murky ink, instantly spreading outwards.

Lu Cheng frowned slightly, the rainbow light dimmed, revealing his figure. He stood in the void, and golden-red flames flowed in his eyes, piercing through layers of demonic barriers.

At the center of the churning demonic energy, a fragment of a Buddhist treasure was firmly grasped by a slender, beautiful hand with distinct knuckles.

The owner of that hand was shrouded in an intense, impenetrable black aura, his aura obscure and difficult to discern. Only a pair of cold, arrogant eyes could be faintly seen within the black aura.

Beside this mysterious, shadowy cultivator stood a Taoist priest whom Lu Cheng was quite familiar with:

Holding a whisk, wearing a black crane cloak, and with a lean yet vigorous face, the old man was none other than the Forget-Worry Hermit, a Mahayana cultivator from the Spirit Venerable Society who had once ambushed him with the Heavenly Origin Limitless Immortal Pill.

His expression and stance at this moment, however, made him seem like an old servant.

"Master Wangyou, it's been a long time. Your reappearance this time is for the Spirit Lord to retrieve this Buddhist treasure?"

Lu Cheng's voice was not loud, but every word was clear, containing an overwhelming and unyielding fierceness that suppressed the surging demonic energy around him, causing the billowing black smoke to freeze for a moment.

Before the Hermit of Forgetfulness could answer, the mysterious black-clad cultivator holding the fragment of the Buddhist treasure spoke first, his voice hoarse and dry, like metal rubbing together:

"Master Lu Jingxu of the Taiqing Sect, your escape technique is truly swift, and your Dao power is formidable! It's a pity that this item has a deep connection with my Lingzun Society, so I cannot part with it to you, Master."

Lu Cheng's gaze was icy as he swept over the Forget-Worry Hermit and finally settled on the black shadow:

"I do not speak with cowards who hide their heads and tails. If you want to talk, reveal your true form; otherwise, let's settle this with a sword."

"Ah? Hahahaha, well said, well said!" Upon hearing this, the shadowy figure shrouded in black mist not only showed no anger, but instead let out a clear laugh that was completely different from its chilling aura:

"Indeed, for someone of Master Lu's status as sect leader to meet you in this manner is indeed impolite."

Before he finished speaking, the thick black aura surrounding him seemed to be torn apart by an invisible force, instantly collapsing and dissipating inward.

As the light and shadow shifted, a tall and handsome young man came into view.

He had a handsome face and fair skin like jade. What was most striking was the pair of huge, pure white wings that stretched out from his back.

Those wings were not those of ordinary birds; each feather was crystal clear, flowing with a milky white halo, creating an extremely eerie contrast with the ghostly aura from before.

"Let me reintroduce myself," the white-winged youth said with a gentle smile, but his gaze was sharp as a knife as he stared directly at Lu Cheng.

"I am Ji Ming, and I am honored to be a 'Youyi Envoy' of the Spirit Venerable Society. I have long admired the name of True Person Lu, and today I have finally met him. He truly lives up to his reputation. In the Western Buddhist Kingdom, True Person single-handedly suppressed two Mahayana cultivators, the Corrosive Realm Ant Clan and the Tree Demon Clan, in a short period of time. His Taoist skills are superb, and his demeanor is unparalleled. He is truly admirable."

The Messenger of the Silent Sea remained calm, as if the scene before him was not one of imminent conflict, but rather a reunion of old friends after many years.
“That fragment of Buddhist treasure is of great use to the elders of our association in their cultivation, so we took it first. We hope you will forgive us.”

Lu Cheng's expression remained calm and composed. He subtly circulated his profound internal energy, sensing an unfathomable killing intent emanating from the surrounding void.
"In that case, I shall take my leave."

The whole thing was about competing for treasures, so it's understandable that they're outmatched in skill.

If it were any other force, it wouldn't matter, but this Spirit Venerable is mysterious and powerful. Lu Cheng even suspects that the destruction of the Eastern Pole Creation Heavenly Palace and the current calamity of the Western Pole Great Zen Temple are related to it, so he doesn't want to provoke it too much.

“You are mistaken, Master.” The Ji Ming Envoy was unwilling to let Lu Cheng leave. His wings fluttered and glowed as he moved forward.

"As the saying goes, a chance encounter is worse than a planned meeting. The Heavenly Origin Limitless Immortal Pill that the Forget-Worry Immortal offered was powerful, but it also contained the essence of the ultimate Yang of heaven and earth. If it weren't for the Immortal's solid foundation and unwavering will, an ordinary Mahayana cultivator would probably have been reduced to ashes long ago. With this pill to temper the Immortal's body and soul, isn't this a great opportunity? As for that bit of residual Yang Fire poison, it is nothing more than a piece of cake for our Spirit Venerable Society to remove it."

The white-winged youth paused here, observing Lu Cheng's reaction. If it were a cultivator who had been tormented by the Limitless Yang Fire for a long time, most would have shown a slight change in expression and be somewhat moved upon hearing this. However, to his surprise, Lu Cheng's expression remained unchanged, forcing him to continue. His voice became increasingly seductive:

"If you, True Person, are willing to join my Spirit Venerable Society, I will not only immediately suppress the hidden danger of fire poison for you, but also open the society's secret treasures. With the Spirit Venerable Society's foundation that connects all realms and gathers knowledge from ancient times to the present, as long as you treat me with sincerity and make meritorious contributions, not to mention ordinary treasures, even ascending to immortality and entering the Immortal Realm will be a piece of cake. This is a ladder to heaven, do you really want to abandon it?"

The Heavenly Origin Limitless Immortal Pill can indeed greatly enhance a cultivator's magical power, but it contains the Yang Fire Pill Poison.

Throughout history, apart from that leader of the Pill Alliance back then, no matter if you are an ancient demon or a descendant of gods and demons, the final result after taking the Death Pill is the disintegration of your physical body and the burning of your primordial spirit!

The white-winged youth thought that Lu Cheng had been troubled by the Yang Fire Pill for a long time, only suppressing it with his powerful magic and willpower. Now that he heard about the solution, he should be very interested.

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together." However, Lu Cheng's answer was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. He turned and was about to fly away.

"Alas, Master Lu's strong and unyielding nature is truly admirable, yet also... regrettable. Since words are useless, then we can only ask Master Lu to witness the true power of the Spirit Venerable."

Before he could finish speaking, the Envoy of the Silent Sea suddenly raised his hand and pressed down.

"Buzz!"

A deep, muffled hum, seemingly emanating from the deepest depths of the netherworld, suddenly resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

It did not originate from the messenger of the silent sea, but from the earth beneath his feet.

The earth trembled violently, and countless bottomless cracks burst open. Endless Xuan Yin death energy, Nine Netherworld cold energy, and millennia-old corpse evil erupted from the depths of the earth like volcanoes suppressed for billions of years.

This aura was so cold, filthy, and heavy that it soared straight to the heavens, with rolling death energy and malevolent spirits frantically gathering, condensing, and swirling in the sky.

In the blink of an eye, a massive, suffocatingly large, dark black pillar of energy formed in the void spanning tens of thousands of miles!

Within the column of air, the cries of ghosts and gods resounded throughout the universe, and the faces of billions of twisted and tormented vengeful spirits rose and fell within it, roaring and wailing.

At the core of this pillar of energy, a pitch-black banner, seemingly formed from fragments of an endless underworld, slowly emerged.

The banner was neither silk nor leather, and was embroidered with countless strange and unpredictable runes. Each rune seemed to be writhing, devouring the light and life.

The moment the banner was unfurled, the sky darkened, the sun and moon lost their light, as if the dark laws of the entire world had been forcibly gathered and controlled by it.

Another tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, the Netherworld Banner!

The true power of a tenth-tier spiritual treasure, the moment it appeared, completely sealed and suppressed the space where Lu Cheng was located with its absolutely cold and deathly domain. "At this moment, True Person, your Samadhi True Fire has been exhausted. If you want to break my Netherworld Banner domain with the Golden Rainbow Sword Technique, you will inevitably be powerless."

"Moreover, Ji Ming is not the only one who asked the Master to stay today."

As he finished speaking, within the boundless black aura emanating from the Netherworld Banner, like ink dripping into clear water, five figures of different shapes, each exuding an abyss-like power, quietly emerged.

The aura emanating from each of them clearly indicated that they were at the mid-to-late stage of the Mahayana realm.

The wings of the Silent Envoy shimmered with a faint light, and his voice clearly reached Lu Cheng's ears:

"The True Man has been cultivating in seclusion in the mountains for many years, so he probably doesn't know these five great beings. This one is the Spirit Clan's 'Heavenly Eye Venerable,' who specializes in 'Demon-Slaying Divine Light,' which is particularly effective against all kinds of illusionary and mysterious supernatural powers. Of course, the True Man's Blood River Banner is also among them."

A cultivator dressed in a plain white robe with an ancient face stood in mid-air. In the center of his forehead, a tightly closed vertical line twitched slightly, as if it contained an eye of destruction. Just by glancing at him, Lu Cheng felt a chill as if his divine sense had been seen through and restrained.

"This is Lady Shadow of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Her inner demon illusion techniques have reached a state of perfection, formless and shapeless. She is most fond of beautiful women's bodies and the resilient Dao heart of the Xuanmen people." A woman draped in a thin black robe, with a graceful and exquisite figure, swayed uncertainly in the mist. Her face was shrouded in shadow, but her eyes shone astonishingly bright, as if they contained an endless abyss of depraved desires. Wherever her gaze fell, Lu Cheng's heart was stirred by a barely perceptible ripple.

"This gentleman is probably more familiar to you, Master Wujian. He is the Supreme Elder of the Juetian Sword Sect, one of the nine sects of the human race. Master Wujian has been in seclusion for thousands of years, specializing in deciphering the methods of swordsmanship in the world. He has spent countless days and nights deducing your 'Golden Rainbow Breaking Illusion Sword Technique' and 'Male and Female Dragon Tiger Refining Demon Sword Technique,' eager to verify them with you." An old man in a blue robe, carrying an ancient sword box, slowly walked out. His hair and beard were all white, his face was thin, and his eyes shone brightly when they opened and closed. His sword intent was contained but not revealed, yet it was so sharp that it seemed to be able to cut through space.

His gaze toward Lu Cheng was filled with an intense, pure fighting spirit and greed, as if he were looking at a peerless sword manual.

"As for these two... I won't say more about their identities. Didn't the True Person realize that no one was chasing after him? It must have been dealt with by these two fellow Daoists." The Envoy of the Silent Sea swept his gaze over the last two strangely shaped allies.

A gigantic centipede, a thousand feet long, covered in ferocious purple-gold bone armor, with a thousand writhing legs, coiled in the dark aura. Its menacing mouth opened and closed, emitting a hissing sound that made one's teeth ache, stirring up the space. It was the Devouring Yuan Centipede, a ferocious insect known for devouring the primordial energy of all things and possessing extremely strong defensive capabilities.

Its ferocious aura was in no way inferior to that of any Mahayana practitioner present.

Above the Devouring Centipede's head, the void slightly distorted, revealing a figure as short as a dwarf, dressed in a strange, brightly colored robe.

This man had an ugly face covered in bright paint. He toyed with several puppet cores that constantly changed shape and emitted powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, while emitting a strange "heh heh" laugh. Although he did not speak, the extremely pure divine power and the threads of law surrounding his body clearly indicated that he was an extremely powerful puppeteer.

Five Mahayana cultivators, plus the Silent Envoy of the Netherworld Banner suppressing the domain, and the Forgetful Hermit watching from the side.

The auras of the seven Mahayana cultivators, like seven demonic mountains, layered upon each other within the death domain formed by the Netherworld Banner, firmly locking onto the isolated Daoist Lu Cheng.

This power is enough to make most Mahayana cultivators in the world feel despair.

"By the way, the True Person was able to escape from the Nightmare Demon Ancestor with his Nascent Soul cultivation back then, so he must have been proficient in an extremely advanced escape technique. My Netherworld Flag can set up a Ghost Spirit Secret Array. Once it is set up, even I, the master, cannot dispel it for twelve hours. If the True Person is not familiar with arrays, he will not be able to escape for a while."

"..."

Looking around at the scene before him, Lu Cheng remained silent for a long time.

Upon seeing this, the Envoy of the Silent Sea's smile grew even brighter. With a flick of his hand, a scroll of magical artifacts—neither leather nor paper, flowing with a deep purple hue, and exuding an ancient aura—appeared in his palm.

“Master Jingxu, those who understand the times are wise. As long as you sign this contract and join my Spirit Venerable Society, all my previous promises will still stand. I will immediately suppress this Yang Fire poison for you. My Spirit Venerable Society will pave the way for your ascension.”

"Of course, if the Master insists on not allowing it, hehe, I'm afraid that the Master's capable assistants, along with Daoist Minghe's Xuan Yin Demon-Suppressing Corpse-Suppressing Rope, will never be able to return to Taiqing Mountain after today."

"...It seems I have no choice but to sign this humiliating treaty, whether I like it or not," Lu Cheng said with a wry smile as he looked around.

The Envoy of the Silent Sea then took the opportunity to push the scroll of magic in his hand in front of Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng reached out and took it, looking down to read it. Because of his powerful divine sense, he could read a thousand lines in an instant. Trying to delay time in this way was simply impossible.

Lu Cheng quickly understood the contents of the contract.

"...Did the fellow cultivators present also sign similar contracts?"

The design of the legal contract is extremely intricate, with a clear promotion mechanism, but the signatory must use their own essence, blood, and soul as a guide and make a vow of Dao heart.

Although he gained some freedom after achieving many merits, in general, he was taken in and treated like a dog.

If Lu Cheng signs this contract, the Spirit Venerable Society can indeed provide a lot of assistance on his path to ascension, but the entire Taiqing Sect of the human race will be sold to the Spirit Venerable Society.

At this moment, Lu Cheng vaguely understood what kind of organization the Spirit Venerable would be. It was composed of a group of powerful beings, hiding in the shadows, manipulating the enormous beasts of the entire Earthly Immortal Realm.

Incredibly powerful, and also incredibly greedy and terrifying!
"What are you still hesitating about, Master?" the Envoy of the Netherworld finally said impatiently.

He had been planning for many years, and now the overall situation was settled. He had made another great contribution to the Spirit Venerable Society by bringing the Taiqing Sect, one of the nine sects of the human race, under his command, and taking one of the most promising cultivators of the human race as his dog!

Ordinary contracts have various restrictions, such as requiring the signatories to be willing, or becoming difficult to enforce once their magical power exceeds a certain level. However, contracts from the Spirit Venerable Association are so binding that even if an immortal signs one, they cannot be released without being stripped of several layers of skin.

Given the current situation, what choice did the Taoist priest have?
"I'm wondering, who will take this fine head?"

Lu Cheng patted his neck with his right hand, then suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a fierce light!

For many years, Lu Cheng had been unwilling to exert his full strength, fearing that revealing the wonders and origins of the Taoist Transformation and Ascension Techniques would ultimately lead to his downfall, even the Taiqing Sect could not protect him.

Even those who have cultivated to the Mahayana realm and become the head of the Taiqing sect still maintain considerable caution... until this moment. There are also late-stage Mahayana cultivators who have cultivated for tens of thousands of years, and various ancient true spirits exist above them.

If only the terms of this contract were relatively fair and equal, Lu Cheng would have signed it, but with a dog leash around his neck.

Lu Cheng had no interest in this matter.

"Blood River Banner, come out!"

Lu Cheng Daoist's magical power surged, and a blood-red flag resembling a blood dragon suddenly flew out from behind him.

It transformed into a boundless river of blood, but instead of benefiting Lu Cheng, it resonated with the surrounding ghostly array, preventing anyone from escaping and making it difficult for any divine sense to probe.

"You dare to fight me to the death? Let's see how many lives you have left to fight!"

The next moment, Lu Cheng's head was severed by a sharp and unparalleled sword light.

However, the Supreme Elder of the Absolute Heaven Sword Sect, Master Wujian, had already drawn his flying sword. His sword intent, speed, and power were astonishing!
"What are you doing? I can persuade this person!" Envoy Jiming roared in anger, turning around to rebuke him.

Master Wujian ignored him.

But the beautiful woman in black beside him replied, "Envoy, you will not be able to persuade him... This person, this person is really prepared to kill us all right here."

The Envoy of the Silent Sea turned his head and saw that the headless corpse did not fall down. It held a blood-red banner in one hand, and dark red blood light gushed from its neck, landing on the Blood River Banner and attracting the Heavenly Calamity, which surged in like a tidal wave!

"Imitate my Golden Rainbow Piercing the Sun? How many strikes can you deliver with that kind of sword technique!"

The headless corpse used its nipples as eyes and its navel as a mouth, wielded a blood-red flag, danced wildly, and charged forward.

(End of this chapter)