Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 602 The Nine Li Cauldron Embraces Three Thousand Realms, A Single Thought Controls Life and Death in the Netherworld (Seeking Donations and Subscriptions!)

"I really didn't expect that you only have the cultivation level of the peak of the Integration Stage."

Lu Cheng's voice was calm and even, but it was filled with extreme exhaustion. After fighting with all his might, he was too tired to say another word.

His Taoist robe was now covered in blood; his pale skin and crimson robe gave him an eerie charm.

He unleashed another sword strike, the Profound Sword.

A sword aura, as if penetrating the void, easily shattered the layers of array power barriers of the Ghost Spirit Secret Array.

I have been trying to figure out this person for a long time using the Tongxuan Sword Technique, but the difficulty lies in the ghost spirit secret array set up with the Netherworld Flag as the core.

Once the formation is understood, the sword intent will reach the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming in an instant, allowing for a swift and decisive strike.

Lu Cheng casually held the head of the Heavenly Eye Venerable, whose three eyes were still wide open and filled with endless horror and resentment, in his left hand.

No more blood was dripping from the severed neck, sealed by a pure essence of blood and fire. Only those eyes, which had once pierced the netherworld and held the power of punishment for the spirit race, were frozen in disbelief at the last moment of life.

Venerable Tianmu is the High Priest of Punishment of the Spirit Clan, a cultivator at the peak of the sixth level of the Mahayana realm, and has already taken a half step into the late Mahayana stage.

He possesses immense magical power, and his dual cultivation of magic and body has reached a state of perfection. He possesses several treasures inherited from the Spirit Clan, and has secretly succeeded in cultivating the secret technique of immortality. With profound foundations, he stands out among his peers and is a true seed of immortality.

Lu Cheng had previously killed Qingming Daoist and forcibly executed Master Wujian, but the price he paid was merely his own death thirteen times over.

However, in order to completely kill this Venerable Tianmu, Lu Cheng died in battle twenty-three times in this world.

This Venerable Tianmu also cultivated an immortal body, but he could only be resurrected three times.

If it weren't for the Void Prison, constructed by the Ghost Spirit Secret Array and the tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact Blood River Banner, which isolates the inside from the outside, even with his extraordinary abilities, Lu Cheng would have had a hard time killing him.

As for the one with the weakest magical power, the Forget-Worry Hermit?

In the aftermath of the life-or-death battle between the two Mahayana experts, he had already been crushed to the point of being annihilated, and Lu Cheng didn't even notice which move he had used to kill him.

At that time, most of my attention was focused on Venerable Tianmu. This Mahayana cultivator of the Spirit Clan was indeed incredibly powerful!

At this moment, the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming, the esteemed "envoy" of the Spirit Venerable Society, was deathly pale. The layer of magical power and spiritual energy that had once made him seem unfathomable, supported by the ghostly aura of the Netherworld Banner, had long since been shattered.

"Your insight is truly remarkable. You have discerned that my magical power is entirely due to the Netherworld Flag bestowed upon me by my father..."

Despite the surging emotions and fear within him, Youyi still tried to grasp at the last straw:
“My father, Crane Venerable, is a core elder of the Spirit Venerable Society, holding a highly respected position. If… if you, True Person, are willing to show mercy today and spare my life, I swear on my entire life's cultivation that I will do everything in my power to mediate between you and the Spirit Venerable Society. The Spirit Venerable Society's power and foundation far exceed your imagination, and it is something that neither the Taiqing Sect nor even the human race can contend with. If you, True Person, do not believe me, I can make the most severe oath of inner demons, and have the Heavenly Dao bear witness!”

He spoke rapidly, attempting to use the name of Crane Lord as a bargaining chip to exchange for a glimmer of hope for his own survival with the immense power of the Spirit Lord Society. It must be said that this person's character was indeed remarkable.

"No need for that trouble, I can come and see for myself."

Before he finished speaking, Lu Cheng slightly raised his right arm, and his wide sleeves moved without wind. A point of dark golden light suddenly appeared from his sleeve, instantly transforming into a dazzling halo like a blazing sun. A terrifying aura, vast and boundless, seemingly capable of encompassing all the heavens, erupted and instantly filled the entire crumbling Ghost Spirit Secret Array space.

"No. Immortal, wait! I am willing!" Ji Ming was terrified, thinking that the other party was going to forcibly capture him and use the cruel method of soul-searching and soul-destroying.

Feeling the irresistible pull emanating from that dark golden light, it roared madly, desperately channeling the remaining magical power within its body towards the Netherworld Flag it gripped tightly in its hand, attempting a final act of resistance.

However, Lu Cheng used his Mahayana cultivation to activate the Nine Li Cauldron to subdue the demon race at the Integration Realm, leaving the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming with absolutely no chance to resist.

The dark golden light descended like a reversed Milky Way, overwhelming and unstoppable.

Ji Ming felt the space around him freeze instantly, and all the magical power he had painstakingly cultivated over the years melted away like ice and snow under the scorching sun.

The Netherworld Flag in his hand emitted a sharp, mournful cry, its surface trembling violently. Yet, it was still forcibly pulled from Ji Ming's hand by that immense suction force, and together with its master, they transformed into two twisted streams of light, which were completely swallowed by that dark golden sun.

As the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming was taken into the Nine Li Cauldron, the Netherworld Flag was also taken in. The Ghost Spirit Secret Array dissipated on its own. Then, Lu Cheng shone his dark golden light downwards and activated his Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze Divine Power to search for the Devouring Yuan Centipede and Lady Nether Shadow, who had been trapped in the Ghost Spirit Secret Array and had not been able to escape.

Lu Cheng's gaze swept across the collapsing array with lightning speed. He activated his Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze Divine Power to its limit, with two golden-red flames seemingly burning within his eyes. His gaze pierced through layers of dissipating ghostly energy and spatial ripples, instantly locking onto two frantically fleeing figures.

It was the Devouring Centipede and Lady Shadow, who were terrified and had long lost their will to fight.

If these two Mahayana cultivators were at their peak, they could still struggle against the pressure of the Nine Li Cauldron if they joined forces, and might even have a chance to escape through the void.

However, at this moment, their initial vigor had been completely shattered by Lu Cheng's previous fierce aura, and they were also carrying serious injuries.

Seeing that it really was that fierce god who survived to the end, and that even the Netherwing Envoy who wielded the Netherworld Banner had been easily suppressed, how could they possibly have any will to resist? They only wished they had more legs and wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

"Photography!"

As Lu Cheng spoke the truth, the Nine Li Cauldron in his sleeve shone brightly once more, even more intensely than when it had absorbed Ji Ming earlier.

Two condensed, almost tangible, dark golden beams of light, like ancient divine spears, ignored spatial distance and shone with unparalleled precision upon the Devouring Centipede and Lady Shadow.

"Ah!!" The Devouring Centipede let out a desperate cry. Its thousand-foot-long, ferocious centipede body was illuminated by the dark golden divine light. Its shell, which was harder than gold, melted and twisted like wax. The huge demonic body shrank and deformed rapidly in the light. Finally, it was beaten back to the original form of a palm-sized, ferocious centipede covered with mysterious purple-gold patterns. It was then swept up by the beam of light and disappeared into the mouth of the cauldron.

On the other side, Lady Shadow was in an even more miserable state. Her true form was that of an outsider demon, known for her ability to transform into shadows and become invisible. Yet, she was powerless to resist under the dark golden pillar of light that offered no escape.

Where the beam of light shone, her illusory figure hissed and emitted black smoke, like ice and snow being thrown into boiling oil. After letting out a sharp, piercing scream filled with pain and fear, she was forcibly refined into a wisp of pure, struggling, and writhing black shadow, which was also drawn away by the beam of light and sealed into the cauldron.

Thus, the six Mahayana masters led by Lingzun Huiyouyi Shijiming—Tianmu Venerable, Wujian Xiansheng, Qingming Daoren, Wangyou Sanren, Tunyuan Tianwu, and Youying Furen—along with Jiming himself and his Youming Banner, were all either suppressed or annihilated by Lu Cheng in this world.

After completing this task, Lu Cheng's face turned somewhat pale. The Heavenly Eye Venerable's last-ditch counterattack had also severely damaged his life force.

Fortunately, it is believed that Venerable Tianmu's storage ring will provide reasonable compensation to its owner.

This place is not safe to stay for long. The Spirit Lord's methods are astonishing, and there is no guarantee that he will not have other tricks up his sleeve, or that he may attract even more terrifying enemies.

"Three flowers unite as one, the four-nine escape method, return, return."

Lu Cheng let out a low shout, his magical power surging, and profound incantations drew upon the mysteries of heaven and earth. In an instant, his figure became illusory, as if he had merged into an invisible trajectory of heaven and earth, his speed exceeding the limits of a Mahayana cultivator's divine sense.

Only a scene of devastation remained; Daoist Lu Cheng had vanished completely from this bloody battlefield. Only towering pillars of spiritual energy remained, resembling pillars of heaven.

Taiqing Mountain, outside Guangming Cave.

The sea of ​​clouds surged, and the cranes cried out. The mountain-protecting formation operated as usual, breathing in and out the vast spiritual energy of heaven and earth, enveloping the majestic and precipitous immortal mountain in a peaceful and auspicious atmosphere, as if from another world than the hellish scene of the Western Regions.

Although the battle was fierce and the cost was heavy, the gains were considerable: two fragments of Buddhist treasures containing powerful energy, the Netherworld Banner, a tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, and even the storage treasures of six Mahayana cultivators.

At the entrance to the cave, subtle ripples appeared in the space, and a figure in a blood-red robe silently emerged. It was Lu Cheng, who had returned in an instant using the Four-Nine Escape Technique.

His aura of bloodlust had not yet completely dissipated, and his appearance immediately triggered the divine sense of the elder guarding the mountain gate.

"It is the return of the Sect Leader! This disciple respectfully welcomes the Sect Leader. Quickly, go and inform the three elders." The elder guarding the mountain gate bowed as he instructed his disciple.

Although Lu Cheng is young, he has only been in charge of the sect for a short time.

But under his leadership, the Taiqing Sect quickly recovered its strength and even regained its prestige, surpassing its former glory.

Therefore, Lu Cheng enjoyed prestige and authority within the Taiqing Sect, and was respected by everyone in the sect.

Soon, as Lu Cheng returned to Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, three powerful and familiar auras followed closely behind, arriving quickly. They were none other than the three Mahayana Dao Lords, Ming Que, Ming He, and Xuan Zhen.

"Master Sect Leader".

"It's good that you've returned to the mountain safely, Master!"

When the three entered the cave and saw Lu Cheng's appearance, their expressions changed slightly, and they could not hide their surprise.

At this moment, Lu Cheng was dressed in a blood-red robe, his skin was as white as paper, and his bloody and murderous aura was so strong that it seemed to be real. How could such an image resemble a true Taoist cultivator?
However, this only demonstrates the profound calamity the Sect Leader has encountered. Mingque Daojun, with his white hair and beard and gaunt face, stepped forward first and asked in a deep voice, "Judging from the Sect Leader's aura, he has clearly just experienced a series of bloody battles. Could it be that traitor from the Spirit Venerable Society?"

The attack on the sect leader is a momentous event in any sect or faction, and the three elders naturally could not remain indifferent.

"It's all over now. All those who attacked me have been captured. How are your injuries? You three still have ghostly energy clinging to you. Were you ambushed by the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan?"

"Your Excellency is wise. After the battle in the Western Regions, when we withdrew from the Great Zen Temple, we were ambushed by that old ghost from the Yellow Springs, who led the Mahayana cultivators of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan. If we hadn't been prepared, we would have almost fallen into their trap."

Both parties briefly recounted what they had experienced.

After the battle in the Western Extremity proved unwinnable, the three Dao Lords, Ming Que, Ming He, and Xuan Zhen, chose to retreat. They were ambushed by the Yellow Spring Elder and the Mahayana cultivators of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan.

However, the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan's clan-protecting pseudo-immortal artifact, the Longevity Tribulation Wheel, had once fallen into the hands of Lu Cheng and others from the Taiqing Sect. The three of them had some understanding of this terrifying spiritual treasure. In addition, they had already formed a grudge with the Yellow Spring Elder, so they all made some preparations against the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan.

Daoist Minghe used the Peach God Puppet to greatly increase his lifespan in a short period of time, breaking the Yellow Spring Elder's lifespan tribulation wheel. Daoist Mingque and Daoist Xuanzhen prepared many powerful thunder pearls and talismans to restrain the ghost race. As a result, the three of them successfully repelled the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan and even killed two Mahayana cultivators of the ghost race. The Yellow Spring Elder was forced to flee in a sorry state. From then on, the power of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan was greatly damaged, and they could only eke out a living for ten thousand years.

"The Spirit Venerable Society plotted to seize the fragments of the Buddhist treasure and sent a Netherwing Envoy and six Mahayana cultivators to set up a Ghost Spirit Secret Array, intending to kill me. Fortunately, thanks to the sect's fortune, the protection of the patriarch, and the timely defeat of the powerful enemies by the three elders, I was spared the worry of being attacked from both sides. In this battle, all six ambushers were killed, and the capture of the Netherwing Envoy can be considered as a form of retribution."

Lu Cheng then recounted his experiences in detail.

Daoist Minghe clapped his hands in praise: "The divine might of the Sect Master is unparalleled throughout history. This battle has enhanced the prestige of our Taiqing Sect and should be enough to make the Spirit Venerable Society tremble with fear."

"However, the matter of the Western Buddhist Kingdom has already caused quite a stir in the outside world. The Eight Heavenly Dragon Pagoda has collapsed, the fragments of the Seven Treasures have been scattered, the Western Great Zen Temple has been severely damaged, and Master Lianshan... is probably dead. Now the Western Regions has become a place of trouble, and all forces will surely be frantically searching for the fragments of Buddhist treasures. What exactly is the purpose of the Spirit Venerable Society's years of planning?"

Xuanzhen Daojun frowned slightly and said, "That's right. Since Ji Ming is an envoy of the Spirit Venerable, he must know a great deal about the secrets of the society. Now that the Sect Leader has suppressed him, it is a golden opportunity to obtain the secrets of the Spirit Venerable Society. The Spirit Venerable Society is mysterious and lurks in the shadows. Now that we have torn off the mask, knowing ourselves and our enemy is the best strategy."

Lu Cheng nodded in agreement: "Elder, you are absolutely right. I will enter the cave immediately and use my skills to pry this person's mouth open. As for the sect and its surroundings, the three elders will need to put in extra effort and be on high alert to prevent the Spirit Venerable from resorting to desperate measures and launching another sneak attack."

"Rest assured, Master." Inside the cave, the three Dao Lords solemnly agreed.

Seeing this, Lu Cheng said no more. With a flicker, he transformed into a beam of light and disappeared into the depths of the Xuan Yuan Cave, returning to his meditation room, which was filled with spiritual energy and dense array patterns.

Two months later, Lu Cheng gradually recovered from his deep meditation. The previous battle had exhausted his mental strength, and it was only today that Lu Cheng felt he had recovered somewhat.

Inside the quiet room, within the Jiuli Cauldron.

Lu Cheng did not enter with his true body, but instead separated an extremely condensed wisp of his primordial spirit, which shimmered with a faint dark red and golden light, and descended into a chaotic space within the Nine Li Cauldron that had been temporarily created by his will. This space was ethereal yet exceptionally stable.

This place has no sky, no earth, no light, no darkness, and not even the concepts of time and space; there is only pure nothingness.

The Winged Envoy Ji Ming was now suspended in this void, looking utterly disheveled.

The ghostly aura emanating from him had almost completely dissipated, revealing his pale and sinister true form. His peak cultivation level at the Integration Stage was insignificant under the suppression of the Nine Li Cauldron, and his eyes were filled with despair and fear. The Netherworld Banner that had once given him almost Mahayana power now floated dimly beside him, its spirit silent, as if it had also lost all power to resist.

Using one's combined cultivation level to communicate with a tenth-tier immortal artifact is an extremely profound secret technique. Lu Cheng had once used his combined cultivation level to activate the Blood River Banner, so he was well aware of its difficulty.

The secret technique itself is worth no less than a top-tier ninth-order magic weapon.

Lu Cheng's primordial spirit manifested, like a towering deity, indifferently looking down at the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming.

There was no torture, no soul-searching or spirit-refining; Lu Cheng merely had a slight thought.

Om-!
The surrounding chaos suddenly shifted:
First, a world appeared in a chaotic space. Then, at the junction of the azure void and the boundless earth, a point of light would occasionally rise and then rapidly expand.

After reaching the size of a palm, they transformed into endless, indescribable mysteries, spheres that resembled neither words nor patterns, as if they were the embodiment of the Tao.

Then the pure energy rose and the turbid energy descended, transforming into rotating black and white runes.

Yin and Yang began to intertwine, igniting countless vital energies that spread and intertwined like a net, giving life and spirituality to this world.

Earth, heavy and solid. Water, flowing and gentle. Fire, scorching and intense. Wind, light and invisible. They constantly increase and evolve, gradually filling the once barren world.

Under the influence of these black and white runes, many rudimentary laws appeared in the void. As the space stabilized, the black and white runes and countless laws slowly merged into the space, and lightning began to appear. The shapes of these lightning bolts, blooming and flashing, were the origin of cloud-script thunder runes. Afterward, life appeared, rain fell, rivers, lakes, and seas formed, towering mountains appeared, and snow blanketed the land for miles... The laws of the world became more and more refined and perfected.

Within this cauldron, there are countless points of light; upon closer inspection, one can see countless worlds arising and ceasing within them.

"You are the second person besides me to see this."

The incredibly shocking scene before him forced a glimmer of life and spirit into the eyes of the Winged Envoy, Ji Ming.

He originally thought he was possessing a powerful spiritual treasure, at most a tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact, much more powerful than the Netherworld Banner. This was nothing unusual, as the power difference between pseudo-immortal artifacts was already enormous.

But at this very moment, looking inside the Nine Li Cauldron, countless worlds are being created and destroyed, evolving into the primordial chaos.

The more one understands, the more one realizes the horror and the meaning of the Dharma within.

Some of those worlds are even larger than the Earthly Immortal Realm, and their spiritual energy is even purer!
"This...this is a rare treasure from the celestial abode, a supreme treasure of the heavens! I never imagined you would have such an opportunity. My defeat was not unjust, not unjust at all!"

"Whether it's the Spirit Word Pill, the Divine Inquiry Talisman, or the Soul Searching Technique, you can obtain some information, but you will also inevitably lose some information."

Therefore, I want you to willingly tell me that all the spells the Spirit Lord cast on you, whether to save you or kill you, are useless here.

If you cooperate, I will send you to a more comfortable world where you can start your life anew. Although you can't get out, believe me, you will find that this world is ten thousand times more vast than the Immortal Realm.

If you don't cooperate with me, I'll only know less, but you'll have to spend thousands upon thousands of years in that void.

There are intelligent beings inside the Jiuli Cauldron.

Nuwa, the most benevolent of the six supreme saints, brought many ancient races and demons, who were not suited to live in the outside world, into the Nine Li Cauldron.

The reason Lu Cheng hasn't seen many of them is because there are too many worlds within the Nine Li Cauldron. Even with his current cultivation level, he can only utilize one or two ten-thousandths of this treasure.

Even if one cultivates to become an immortal in the future, it will be difficult to use even a fraction of the power of this treasure in a short period of time.

Ji Ming didn't hesitate for long before telling everyone he knew.

Even so, Lu Cheng used all the Spirit Word Pills, Divine Inquiry Talismans, and Soul Searching Techniques on him. Although they caused some harm to his soul, with the other party's full cooperation, the harm could be minimized. In addition, he would not encounter any danger inside the Nine Li Cauldron, so Lu Cheng still kept his promise.

Several days later, a golden-red light flew out from the body of a Taoist priest who was sitting cross-legged and returned to his forehead.

The next moment, Lu Cheng opened his eyes, and in his palm appeared a blue-black flag:
A tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, the Netherworld Banner.

Along with it came the method for refining this treasure.

"I never imagined that the Spirit Lord would be such a being..."

In the past few days, Lu Cheng also learned the truth about the Spirit Venerable Society from Ji Ming, the second generation of the Spirit Venerable Society: the Supreme Being of the Spirit Realm is only one aspect of it.

The more accurate meaning is: an organization composed of spirits from various races who were unwilling to ascend to immortality.

Most powerful races in the Earthly Immortal Realm, like the human race, reach the Great Ascension Realm, where their potential is almost exhausted, and they can hardly advance further unless they ascend.

True spirits inherit the blood of ancient gods and demons, and their power far exceeds that of ordinary Mahayana cultivators. Therefore, although they also face tribulations, their actual lifespan is much longer than that of ordinary Mahayana cultivators, lasting tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years.

Compared to ascending to the Immortal Realm, these true spirits of the Spirit Venerable Society believe that enjoying life in the Earthly Immortal Realm would be far better. Who knows what the Immortal Realm is like? There are good Immortal Realms and there are probably bad ones. Rather than gamble on such uncertainty.

Becoming the ruler of the Immortal Realm, enjoying one's life, and continuously accumulating strength seems to be the wiser course of action.

Therefore, Lu Cheng, Ming Que, and Ming He previously thought that the Spirit Venerable Association was incredibly powerful. This was an objective fact. As a gathering of ancient monsters who had lived in the world for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, their power was naturally enormous. Moreover, they had spies in almost every power in the Earthly Immortal Realm, and they themselves were even high-ranking members of this power.

Even within the Taiqing Sect, there is one. The Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship within the Taiqing Sect, which has been refined for over 100,000 years, has actually already developed sentience and advanced to the True Spirit level. However, it has been enjoying the Taiqing Sect's sustenance and even secretly influencing the Taiqing Sect's destiny.

(End of this chapter)