Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 616 The Three Talents Refine Fire to Prove Immortal Arts, The Crane's Cry for a Thousand Years Plots Heaven's Punishment (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

On Mount Taiqing, where winds and clouds gather, deep within the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, in the Tu Shuai Jing Shi (Quiet Chamber of Dou Shuai).

This place is where the successive leaders of the Taiqing Sect have secluded themselves for cultivation, and it is also the core of this blessed land. Now, it is further blessed by the ancient sages of Lucheng, making the ever-flowing immortal energy as misty as rain, and the innate Daoist charm flowing endlessly.

Lu Cheng Daoist sat cross-legged on the Yin-Yang Futon, his simple Daoist robe concealing the fierce power he had displayed not long ago when he ventured alone into the Netherworld to suppress the ghostly calamity. Only a trace of weariness remained between his brows, and the profound Daoist intent in his eyes.

He single-handedly suppressed the chaos of the Myriad Manifestations Palace and forcibly sealed the Netherworld passage, causing the membranes of the two realms to close. This almost exhausted the Samadhi True Fire that Lu Cheng had accumulated for thousands of years and greatly damaged his three treasures: essence, energy, and spirit.

However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. The path of cultivation is inherently like cutting and polishing jade, like carving and grinding. If one is a rough jade, one will naturally shine; if one is a brick or stone, one will naturally be shattered. This battle is also a crucial opportunity for tempering and breakthrough on Lu Cheng's path.

With favorable timing, geographical advantage, and harmonious relationships, everything was perfectly aligned.

Lu Cheng's mind was clear, and he clearly sensed that these three overwhelming and irresistible forces were surrounding him, forming a wondrous "Daoist aura":
The timing of Heaven is a tremendous act of merit, suppressing the Netherworld and saving the Immortal Realm from annihilation. This merit was felt by the Heavenly Dao of this place, which bestowed upon it an invisible blessing, cleansing the malevolent energy and karmic obstacles tainted by repeated battles and bloody carnage, removing the obstruction of murderous intent from the void, and allowing its mind to become clear and its resonance with the laws of Heaven and Earth to reach an unprecedented height.

The advantageous location is the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, a sacred land of Taiqing. This place was originally a Daoist temple left behind by the founder of the Taiqing Immortal Sect. Living here for a long time can even enhance one's destiny. It is incredibly miraculous. After being supplemented by several generations of powerful Taiqing cultivators, it has long been a top-tier blessed land in the Earth Immortal Realm.

Now, with the blessing and enhancement from Lu Cheng's Great Thousand World Grotto-Heaven, the immortal spiritual energy is so rich as to be almost tangible, and the innate Daoist rhyme flows through the void. At this moment, it is spontaneously active because of the return of Lu Cheng, the sect leader. Strands of immortal spiritual energy and earth vein spiritual energy flow like rivers flowing into the sea, silently nourishing the Daoist's parched and damaged meridians and dantian, repairing the tiny cracks.

The one who is human is the one who single-handedly fought and won in the Netherworld, achieving a perfect unity of man and skill. The Taoist transformation and ascension techniques are profound Taoist arts that require practitioners to hone them through countless trials and tribulations to reach their peak. To single-handedly fight against dozens of Great Ascension cultivators from the Ghost Realm would have been almost certain death for Lu Cheng given the circumstances at the time.

If the membrane between the two realms had not opened, forming a special boundary passage that left those dozens of Mahayana cultivators from the Ghost Realm with no room to maneuver, even Lu Cheng's Samadhi True Fire could not have burned to such an earth-shattering degree.

"Now that the three powers have returned to their proper places, the time is ripe."

Lu Cheng silently recited the general outline of the Taoist Transformation and Ascension Technique in his mind. His breathing gradually synchronized with the tide of the primordial energy in the cave. With each inhale and exhale, he stirred up the chaotic airflow within the cave to form a visible vortex that surrounded him in the center.

Lu Cheng did not rush to heal his injuries, but instead focused his mind on the depths of his dantian. There, a seemingly weak wisp of flame, yet containing the power to burn the heavens and boil the seas, and to refine all things with fire, was quietly suspended. This was the foundational fire of his life cultivation, originating from his understanding of his three natal treasures and the laws of heaven and earth: the Samadhi True Fire!

Previously in the Netherworld, the Samadhi True Fire, which was generated by the Purple Gold Red Gourd and the power of heaven and earth (earth vein flames), was incredibly powerful, but it was like borrowing an external technique, ultimately not under one's own control. It was extremely costly and difficult to fully unleash its mysteries.

It is simply magnificent and awe-inspiring, boundless and abundant.

Now, taking advantage of the perfect momentum of the Three-Three Perfection Dao, it is the perfect opportunity to elevate it from "technique" to "law," and to push it from the peak of the ninth-order Dao technique into the realm of the tenth-order immortal technique.

At the beginning of cultivation, one should return to one's original nature.

With a slight thought, Lu Cheng felt the Samadhi Fire in his dantian suddenly flicker, no longer violent and intense, but instead revealing a gentle, jade-like texture, containing the essence of heaven and earth.

He did not directly absorb the primordial energy of the cave, but instead used his own depleted essence, energy, and spirit as a guide, like lighting a faint wick.

"The heart is the sovereign fire, also known as the divine fire, and its name is Supreme Ignorance!"

Within Lu Cheng's sea of ​​consciousness, his primordial spirit sat cross-legged in the Purple Mansion, his hands forming profound Dao seals.

The light of the primordial spirit was dazzling, and the will was as pure as crystal. The grand will to suppress the Netherworld and protect the Immortal Realm, as well as the heart to endlessly seek the Great Dao, were transformed into the purest divine firewood and slowly poured into that wisp of fire.

The Heart Fire is the master of the spirit. When this fire is lit, the light of the flame is contained, but it gains a sense of agility and dominance, as if it has come to life.

"The kidneys are associated with the ministerial fire, also known as the essence fire, and its name is Zhongmei!"

His Qi Sea surged, and his blood and Qi flowed like the Yangtze River. Lu Cheng activated the "Mysterious Heaven Divine Art," gathering all the vast life essence lost in suppressing the Ghost Saint and sealing the Netherworld passage, as well as the earth vein spiritual energy nourished by the Mysterious Origin Cave and the pure primordial energy transformed from the Netherworld Yin Origin, into his Kidney Palace and Mingmen.

A rich, enduring, and vibrant primordial energy was extracted, flowing like amber nectar and merging into the spark.

The essence of fire governs life. When the fire seed receives this power, its form suddenly becomes solid and stable. At the core of the flame, a barely perceptible flame heart even appears.

"Qi Hai Min Huo, also known as Qi Huo, is called Xia Mei."

Finally, Lu Cheng took a deep breath, and the incredibly rich immortal spiritual energy and the energy of heaven and earth within the Xuan Yuan Cave seemed to be drawn by an invisible hand, forming a huge funnel-shaped vortex that poured into his Baihui acupoint on the top of his head.

These abundant primordial energies did not directly replenish magical power. Instead, they were repeatedly refined, purified, and compressed by the supreme fire control technique in the limbs, bones, and acupoints of the body, eventually transforming into the purest and most refined "original Dao energy," which sank into the dantian and completely merged with the fire seed.

With the support of this vast Dao energy, the fire seed, though not growing in size, emitted a deep purple-gold hue from within, exuding a majestic heavenly might that could command all fires and burn away all evil.

Samadhi returns to its proper place, fire refines the true form!
At this moment, the fire of the heart (upper level), the fire of essence (middle level), and the fire of qi (lower level) blend perfectly, becoming indistinguishable from one another.

That wisp of Samadhi fire completely transformed, turning into a slowly rotating, purplish-gold lotus flower that existed between reality and illusion.

The lotus has nine petals, each naturally imprinted with complex and profound Daoist runes, expounding the supreme truth of "burning," "purifying," "birth," and "death"!

At the center of the lotus, a primordial fire of chaotic color pulses ceaselessly, as if it can communicate with the first flame at the beginning of the world!
The Earthly Immortal Realm itself is only a middle-thousand world. At the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, its primordial fire was probably only at the tenth level.

"Om-!"

The moment the Purple-Gold Fire Lotus took shape, the entire Tushita Meditation Chamber and even the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven resonated with it.

Auspicious clouds rose from the void, a thousand streams of auspicious energy appeared, and the sound of the Dao resounded, like the grand bells of a great bell, resonating throughout the mind and spirit.

Within the grotto, countless spiritual plants and immortal flowers bloomed in competition, exhaling rosy light; the earth's spiritual energy leaped and throbbed with joy, as if instinctively celebrating the birth of this tenth-order Samadhi True Fire Immortal Technique.

When human effort and skill are in harmony, and human beings are in harmony with heaven and earth, and when one's efforts are perfected, such extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth will naturally occur.

If Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven had not been covered by Lu Cheng's Great Thousand World Cave Heaven Secret Realm, the extraordinary phenomenon of such profound cultivation would have shone brightly for thousands of miles at this moment, and would have been impossible to conceal.

In an instant, Lu Cheng felt an overwhelming yet effortless power rise from his dantian, instantly flowing through his limbs and nourishing his primordial spirit and physical body.

The hidden injuries and depleted essence left from the great battle were being healed and replenished at a visible speed under the tempering and nourishment of the newly created ninth-tier super-level Dao technique, "Samadhi True Fire".

Not only was the magic power restored to its former state, but it also became more refined and concentrated. The physical body was not only repaired, but also faintly carried a trace of the immortal Daoist charm that could annihilate all laws.

With a slight thought, Lu Cheng Dao Ren sent forth a wisp of purple-gold flame from his fingertip. This flame was no longer violently unleashed; instead, it became exceptionally gentle, as agile as a spirit.

It can transform into a protective light shield at will, pure and flawless, impervious to all evil; it can also condense into a fine needle, piercing through the void and burning away the soul; it can even spread out into a sea, purifying a region and refining the earth, fire, wind, and water.

It can be controlled at will, operating with perfect ease, truly reaching a certain supreme state. Its essential power is infinitely close to the legendary tenth-order immortal techniques, or even the tenth-order Dao power!

...

The Taiqing Sect did not completely exterminate the Wanxiang Senluo Palace.

Destroying the clan and annihilating the family? It's not that we can't, but that we won't.

Although Azure Water Heavenly Lord and Bone-Eating Yin Venerable were also culprits, the Myriad Manifestations Palace had a long history and many disciples, so they were not entirely deserving of death.

More importantly, although the Netherworld Passage is sealed, the nine Netherworld Eyes were forcibly broken open and burned by the Samadhi True Fire, leaving them severely damaged. Low-level Yin spirits and ghosts will inevitably sneak in through them. A force is needed to suppress and manage this area for a long time to prevent the Netherworld calamity from resurfacing.

Sealing the mountain for ten thousand years, isolating it from the outside world, is not only a severe punishment for the Myriad Manifestations Palace, but also a way to leave it a glimmer of hope. Furthermore, it uses the sect's foundation and heritage to become a natural barrier guarding the Netherworld Rift.

Although the Taiqing Immortal Sect seized the treasury collection accumulated by the Myriad Manifestations Palace over tens of thousands of years, Lu Cheng did not kill the Azure Water Heavenly Lord and the Bone-Eating Yin Venerable. He promised them that as long as they did not leave this place for the rest of their lives, Lu Cheng would not interfere even if they cultivated to become immortals and ascended to the upper realm.

"Within the sealed realm, the primordial energy is even purer than before, but it lacks a trace of yang energy and vitality. If you can learn from this painful experience, abandon the evil ways and demonic arts, and comprehend the mysteries of life and death in this desperate situation, you can create another Great Vehicle Dao Lord who upholds righteous thoughts and understands yin and yang within ten thousand years. At that time, you will break out of the seal and revitalize the Dao lineage, thus demonstrating your good fortune. Otherwise, you will only end up with your sects dying out and only old people guarding the tombs."

The reason why Bishui and Shigu were not killed was because the area beneath the Nine Earths had become a special realm, located between the Earth Immortal Realm and the Netherworld Ghost Realm. A special boundary membrane had formed around it, which was fine for Mahayana cultivators, but for ordinary cultivators to forcibly cross it would almost certainly result in death.

The remaining tens of thousands of disciples of the Myriad Manifestations Palace will be trapped in this area of ​​tens of thousands of miles for the rest of their lives. Moreover, the environment here is extremely harsh. Those who are lucky enough to survive this calamity are no different from prisoners.

If Bishui and Shigu are not spared, Lu Cheng will have to leave a Dao Lord from the Taiqing Sect to suppress them. Keeping these two alive, on the contrary, allows the Taiqing Sect to continuously obtain special resources from this place by taking advantage of their skills, cunning, and remaining influence.

Of course, this is also a fair trade. It is believed that from now on, the ordinary spiritual resources here will become extremely rare and special in the outside world, and vice versa.

Lu Cheng devoted himself to cultivation in the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven of Taiqing Mountain, accumulating true fire to refine his Dharma body and restore his divine consciousness and magical power. Time flies in the mountains, and several decades passed quickly.

On this day, after receiving a message delivered by a flying sword, Lu Cheng left his secluded meditation room alone and met with a certain innate true spirit who was furious.

"Sect Leader Lu, you've really gone too far! Suppressing the Netherworld and burning the Nine Hells are certainly meritorious deeds, but the commotion you've caused is far too great. Those old guys have already been alarmed, and several elders in the Spirit Venerable Society are furious, considering you a major threat to the society and wanting to get rid of you as soon as possible. All the excuses I used to cover for you and delay things are now of no use."

The newcomer was none other than Crane Lord, the true spirit transformed from the first white crane in the world, a core member of the Spirit Lord Society, and also the father of the Netherwing Envoy Ji Ming.

Today, the Crane Lord has lost his usual peace and composure, and is filled with obvious anxiety and anger.

If it weren't for his concern for his only son, Crane Lord would have cared about the deaths of this human race. However, his only son is now under Lu Cheng's control, and if Lu Cheng dies, his son will likely be buried with him. That's why he had no choice but to come quickly and speak frankly with him.

Lu Cheng listened calmly to He Zun's complaints.
"Fellow Daoist Crane Venerable, please have a seat." Lu Cheng waved his hand and laid out a cup of tea. The aroma of the tea wafted up, but it could not dispel the gloom on Crane Venerable's face.

“Sit? How can I sit still now? Those old guys in the Spirit Venerable Society aren’t stupid. They see the Earth Immortal Realm as their own, how could they allow such a variable as you? If it weren’t for my cover and the fact that this is Elder Tianzhu’s territory, they would have already arrived!”

Lu Cheng picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and smiled:

"I appreciate your protection, fellow Daoist. Furthermore, your son, Jiming, is currently cultivating within my natal magic treasure. Thanks to the blessings of your bloodline and his own accumulation and comprehension, your son Jiming recently successfully passed the Heavenly Tribulation and attained the Great Vehicle Dao Fruit!"

"What?!" Upon hearing this, Crane Lord, who had just sat down, suddenly stood up, his expression changing from gloomy to ecstatic.

The main reason he was willing to serve Lu Cheng and maneuver for him within the Spirit Venerable Society was for the sake of his only son.

The higher a cultivator's cultivation level, the more difficult it is for them to have offspring. This is a law of nature. Of course, many cultivators simply believe that children are just debt collectors, and they only care about their own cultivation and longevity, so they are unwilling to have children.

However, Crane Lord is clearly not among them.

He risked great danger for his only son, Jiming, which shows his deep love for his child.

“Not bad.” Lu Cheng nodded slightly. With a wave of his hand, a water mirror appeared, reflecting the vibrant world within the purple-gold-red gourd:

At the summit of a celestial mountain amidst a sea of ​​clouds, Ji Ming sat cross-legged, his aura as deep and unfathomable as the ocean. The Daoist charm unique to Mahayana cultivators flowed ceaselessly around him, making him more than ten times stronger than when he was suppressed. The sinister look between his brows had lessened, replaced by a sense of composure and reverence for the Dao.

Seeing his beloved son safe and sound, and with his cultivation greatly improved, Crane Lord was so excited that he could hardly contain himself, and his eyes even reddened slightly.

He took a few deep breaths, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and sat down again. His gaze towards Lu Cheng became incredibly complex, containing gratitude, apprehension, and a deep sense of helplessness.

The reason he let Ji Ming work for the Spirit Lord Association was partly because Ji Ming himself was unwilling to be lonely, and partly for the sake of his own path.

Although the True Spirit Bloodline is powerful, it also presents a much greater chance of encountering a powerful Heavenly Tribulation than ordinary cultivators.

Indeed, this is true. If Lu Cheng hadn't been able to move people freely between several worlds within the Purple Gold Red Gourd, even if the Heavenly Tribulation had already been generated, Ji Ming wouldn't have dared to undergo the tribulation to break through, even now.

Now that Ji Ming has broken through and triggered a heavenly tribulation, Lu Cheng has moved several times to allow Ji Ming to choose the heavenly tribulation he is most confident in overcoming. If he still cannot overcome it, it means that this person is not suitable for cultivation at all.

"Sect Leader Lu, your methods are truly remarkable." At this point, Crane Venerable sighed deeply.

"Now that things have come to this, even if I wanted to refuse your conditions, I have no choice. Tell me, how long do you want me to stall this time? And what do you need me to do this time?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng smiled slightly, knowing that the time was right: "A thousand years, please grant me another thousand years of time, fellow Daoist."

“A thousand years…” Crane Lord frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the stone table.

“This will take a considerable amount of time. The commotion you’ve caused this time is too great. To buy you another thousand years, I will have to pay a huge price to maneuver, and I may even have to use some important personal connections and interests.”

“A thousand years from now, no matter what the Spirit Venerable does, I, Lu, will definitely release Ji Ming and let him return safely to his fellow Daoist so that father and son can be reunited.” Then, Lu Cheng offered Crane Venerable a bargaining chip that he could not refuse.

Back when the Nine Li Cauldron was in existence, Ji Ming would have to stay inside it for his entire life, never even considering the possibility of escaping.

However, times have changed. The Nine Li Cauldron has vanished, and Lu Cheng's magical power has increased daily, having cultivated a tenth-order immortal technique. He is now confident that even if Ji Ming escapes his tribulation, he will never dare to disobey him in this lifetime. Otherwise, the restriction planted in Ji Ming's body would instantly obliterate his soul. With Lu Cheng's current Samadhi True Fire cultivation, unless an immortal descends to earth, in the vastness of the Immortal Realm, it is likely that no one can break his restriction.

The words "father and son reunited" struck the softest spot in He Zun's heart like a heavy hammer.

He remained silent for a long time, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, clearly weighing the pros and cons rapidly. Finally, Crane Lord slammed his hand on the table, picked up the teacup in front of him, and drank it all in one gulp. The tea was cold, but he didn't care at all.

“Alright, a thousand years it is.” Crane Lord put down his teacup, his gaze sharpening.

"I promise you. For the next thousand years, I will protect you from the Spirit Venerable's group. But you must remember that once the thousand-year period is up, no matter your cultivation level, you must release the person. If you dare to break your promise..." A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, "Even if I have to give up my cultivation, I will drag your Taiqing Sect down with me."

"It's a deal." Lu Cheng calmly agreed and drank his tea in one gulp.

Crane Lord gave Lu Cheng a deep look, and then seemed to look through the void at Ji Ming in the gourd world. His figure gradually faded away, leaving only a whispered message drifting in the wind:

"Lu Cheng, a thousand years is not a long time for us. I hope you will take care of yourself and not let this old man regret his promise today." Before the words were finished, the person had already disappeared without a trace.

Lu Cheng stood alone in his small abode, gazing calmly in the direction where Crane Venerable had disappeared. This thousand years would be a crucial window of opportunity for him to heal his internal injuries, rebuild his true fire, and finally completely resolve the hidden dangers of the Spirit Venerable Society.

Time flies, and a thousand years is but a fleeting moment in the long life of a Mahayana cultivator.

Under the rule of True Man Lu Cheng, the Taiqing Sect flourished, with a vast territory, abundant resources, and a constant stream of talented young cultivators.

Lu Cheng himself, deep within the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, used the Taoist Transformation Ascension Technique to alter his innate aptitude, and had already advanced this skill to the forty-second transformation realm. His "Seventy-two Heavenly Powers" supernatural ability was becoming increasingly perfect, and his cultivation was becoming increasingly unfathomable.

As for the Ninth-Order Samadhi True Fire Immortal Technique, it has been refined to perfection, almost reaching the tenth order.

A thousand years of preparation, all for this moment.

On this day, the atmosphere inside the Divine Craft Cave of the Taiqing Sect was solemn yet enthusiastic.

Led by Master Lu Cheng, the head of the Taiqing Sect, the group gathered dozens of the sect's top weapon-refining grandmasters and formation masters.

Deep within the Taiqing Mountains, in the center of a secret realm, lies the massive Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship, as large as a floating continent. Its hull is jet black, covered with profound magical runes, and exudes a terrifying pressure that makes one's heart tremble!
Lu Cheng looked around at everyone and said loudly:

"After ten thousand years of accumulation, the time has come. Today, I will use the fragments of Buddhist treasures obtained from the Western Regions as the core, supplemented by rare and precious treasures accumulated in the sect's treasury, such as the 'Star Essence Gold Mother,' 'Chaotic Breath Soil,' and 'Ten Thousand Year Azure,' to perform the final refinement of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship, helping it break through the barriers and achieve the power of a pseudo-immortal artifact."

Although they were aware of this matter, the moment the sect leader uttered these words, all the weapon refiners present were excited and invigorated.

Upgrading the sect's flagship to a pseudo-immortal artifact is of paramount importance. To be able to participate in it would be an unparalleled honor.

At this very moment, the true spirit consciousness of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship (currently disguised as a peak eighth-order cultivator) was also secretly emanating an irrepressible surge of ecstasy and greed. It had waited far too long for this moment. Although it had already advanced to a tenth-order true spirit, it did not want to be driven around by the Taiqing cultivators to fight and risk its life, yet it also desired the full support of this sect. Over the past ten thousand years, the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship had secretly done many things, and even the fact that no Mahayana cultivator had advanced in the Taiqing Sect for ten thousand years was partly due to its methods.

As if sensing something, Lu Cheng turned back to look at him, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, before turning back to continue speaking:
"However, this refining process is extremely dangerous, with incredibly violent vital energy that no ordinary person can withstand. To ensure absolute success, all cultivators and mortals aboard the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship must disembark. The flying ship must be completely handed over to all the weapon refiners and formation masters within the Divine Craft Cave Heaven to complete this task."

This makes sense. Although the previous sacrificial rites did not involve evacuating the population, they also did not involve such a large scale or the presence of spiritual objects.

As the sect leader seeks to achieve perfect enlightenment, it is natural for him to undertake some significant actions.

The Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship already housed hundreds of millions of people, and this migration alone took several months.

Fortunately, whether it was Lu Cheng or the top-notch weapon refiners and array masters in the Divine Craft Cave, even the weakest among them were at the Nascent Soul realm. For them, a few months was nothing more than a period of meditation and cultivation without much commitment.

After all mortals and low-level cultivators withdrew from the Divine Craft Cave Heaven.

Suddenly, a purple-gold-red gourd appeared in Lu Cheng Dao Ren's hand, and then it shone brightly. A vast and boundless suction force that encompassed heaven and earth instantly enveloped the entire Shen Gong Cave Heaven.

The numerous weapon refiners and formation masters felt a blur before their eyes, and the next moment they found themselves in a strange space filled with purple aura and clear laws (a middle-thousand world inside the purple-gold-red gourd), completely isolated from the outside world.

This was partly due to the vast difference in magical power between the two sides, and partly because these cultivators trusted Lu Cheng and did not put up a full-scale resistance, which is why the fight was so smooth and easy.

The vast Divine Craft Cave was instantly deserted, leaving only Lu Cheng and the massive, mountain-like Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship.

"Things have come to this point, so there's no need to pretend any longer, Elder Tianzhu of the Spirit Venerable Society," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"boom--!"

In an instant, the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship unleashed a deafening roar.

Countless runes on the ship's hull flashed wildly, and terrifying energy surged out like a volcanic eruption, instantly shattering the layers of defensive restrictions surrounding the Divine Craft Cave. At this moment, it no longer needed to disguise itself.

With the spread of immense magical power, the entire cave seemed to transform into a starry universe, with faint starlight twinkling in the boundless darkness.

The surface of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship twisted and changed with flowing light, and an enormous phantom condensed and took shape in the void above.

It was the figure of a woman whose beauty defied description. Her body seemed to be constructed from billions of glittering stars; the Milky Way was her long hair, the swirling stars her eyes, and the swirling nebulae her flowing, magnificent gown. Her features were blurred behind the starlight, yet she possessed a supreme divinity that looked down upon all living beings and disregarded everything.

At the same time, a powerful pressure belonging to a tenth-order true spirit descended as if the universe itself had come down, pressing down hard on Lu Cheng.

"Lu Cheng, you are a good sect leader. The offerings you have made over the years have been considerable. Why not focus on cultivating your Dao and managing your sect?"
"This way, we can live in peace. You will ascend to the heavens in the future, while I will continue to guard the mortal realm and ensure the continued existence of the Taiqing Sect." The voice of the Heavenly Punishment Spirit was grand and cold, filled with the fury of being fooled.

At this point, she understood that Lu Cheng's display of those enticing spiritual objects was a prelude to evacuating the population and minimizing losses.

Therefore, as she transformed and opened her mouth, she also gently raised her jade hand, as if to draw upon the power of the stars in the heavens to crush Lu Cheng into dust.

However, faced with the Starfall and the Wrath of the Tenth Order, which were enough to shatter the souls of ordinary Mahayana cultivators, Daoist Lu Cheng did not even lift an eyelid.

Even within the same tenth-level realm, there are vastly different levels of strength and weakness.

The Blood River Banner and the Netherworld Banner are considered relatively weak among tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifacts because they cannot perfectly complement Lu Cheng's Dao techniques. In the previous battle to suppress the Netherworld Ghost Kingdom, Lu Cheng didn't even use these two tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifacts much.

At the same time, there are also creatures like the Xuan Yin Demon-Suppressing Corpse-Suppressing Rope and the Eight Heavenly Dragon Pagoda, which, although possessing spirituality, have not yet given birth to their own true spirit.

Tianzhu and Huolin are among the stronger ones in the tenth rank. One is a flying ship of the cave heaven that the Taiqing Sect has supported for tens of thousands of years with the power of the entire sect, and the other is the mount of the first Human Emperor. They also have a higher status in the Elder Council of the Spirit Venerable Society, far above Crane Venerable.

The strongest true spirit in the Earthly Immortal Realm may already possess magical powers and abilities close to those of the immortals in the Upper Realm. Of course, there are also strong and weak immortals in the Upper Realm; this refers to the average level.

In terms of cultivation level, even if Lu Cheng advances to the Mahayana stage or even cultivates the Samadhi True Fire tenth-level immortal technique, he would probably only be on par with Tian Zhu at most, or even weaker.

However, Lu Cheng was an ordinary person who cultivated step by step to reach his current level, and he is the most powerful genius cultivator of this era. If the True Spirit Fire Scale who accompanied the first Human Emperor in his campaigns were here, Lu Cheng might be more respectful.

But facing a Heavenly Punishment True Spirit who was born at the tenth level and hid in the shadows due to his own fear and greed, and had never even seen blood a few times, Lu Cheng came alone. He didn't even inform the several elders in the sect, because there was no need.

He remained standing in the same spot, his Taoist robe unmoved amidst the raging storm of primordial energy. He did not activate the Purple-Gold Red Gourd, nor did he summon the Five Elements or Blood River Flying Sword, nor did he even circulate his myriad celestial powers.

He just stood there quietly, and then slowly raised his eyelids.

Their eyes met, and the Heavenly Punishment True Spirit, who seemed like a phantom of the universe, froze in an instant.

"I'm going to die! I ...!"

The attack in his hand naturally dissipated, and the cosmic phantom stood frozen in place. At this moment, the star vortex in his hand was caught in a dilemma: whether to swing it down or put it down.

It's like a spoiled little daughter seeing her angry father...

“You…this, this is impossible! You…your cultivation level cannot be so much higher than mine. I am a primordial spirit, I was born with knowledge.”

The voice of the Heavenly Punishment True Spirit was no longer grand and cold, but carried an incredulous tremor that it itself was unaware of.

In that instant, she felt as if she had become a small boat in a raging storm, and Lu Cheng in front of her was the chaos that devoured everything!

The opponent didn't even actually make a move; just by this "momentum," her pride and power as a tenth-level True Spirit were made to crumble like a sandcastle, and she felt a sense of trembling and submission from the depths of her soul.

"Thoughts that have not been reflected upon and questioned are not firm enough. Those who are born with knowledge do not reflect upon it, and those who have always possessed it have never questioned it."

Lu Cheng finally spoke, his voice as calm as if stating a very simple truth:

“Actually, I was confident that I could subdue you by force thousands of years ago. The delay until now was just out of caution. Now it seems that I was overthinking it. You are weaker than I thought. What you thought was the tenth level is nothing but a castle in the air in my eyes.”

He took a step forward.

boom!
The phantom of the Star Goddess, condensed from the spirit of the Heavenly Punishment Weapon, was like glass struck by a heavy hammer, instantly covered with dense cracks!
The terrifying pressure that overwhelmed her body and mind suddenly intensified, making it extremely difficult for her to even maintain her illusory form.

"Ah!" The spirit of the Heavenly Punishment artifact let out a painful scream, the starlight exploded, and the goddess image could no longer be maintained. It was forced to shrink and condense, turning back into a white ball of light that fluctuated violently and exuded fear.

Lu Cheng's eyes were indifferent, and he pointed his fingers like a sword, then gently tapped the paper.

This time, he used his power.

From the fingertips, a wisp of seemingly weak, yet imbued with the power to incinerate the heavens and purify the universe, leaped forth. There was no earth-shattering display, only a return to simplicity, yet one that made the very essence of all things tremble: annihilation!

A ninth-order transcendent Dao technique, touching upon the path to tenth-order immortal arts—the Samadhi True Fire!
The moment that wisp of purple-gold flame appeared, all the remaining violent energy, metallic dust, and array light in the entire Divine Craft Cave Heaven were instantly purified and annihilated, turning into the most primordial nothingness. The space became "clean" like never before, leaving only that wisp of flame, and in front of it, the white orb of Heavenly Punishment artifact spirit, which had shrunk violently due to extreme fear and whose light had dimmed!

The flames did not actually touch the sphere of light; they merely locked onto it from a distance.

But the spirit of the Heavenly Punishment weapon felt its own origin, consciousness, and even the foundation of its existence burning and wailing violently under the "gaze" of the flames!
It's as if they'll be completely wiped off the face of the earth in the next second, leaving not a trace!

At this moment, the pride of a tenth-order true spirit, the grand ambitions of the Spirit Venerable Society, and the ambition to seize and devour the Taiqing Realm all become utterly laughable and pale in the face of this absolute power disparity and the threat of annihilation.

"No...no!" The Heavenly Punishment Weapon Spirit screamed in terror and despair from within the white sphere of light, its previous arrogance, reminiscent of a cosmic goddess, completely gone.

"Spare me! Master Lu! Master! Spare me! I know I was wrong! I surrender! Please, Master, spare my life!"

Lu Cheng paused slightly in the flame at his fingertips, and the terrifying aura that could incinerate everything subsided a little, but the lock remained.

He calmly gazed at the trembling ball of light, and slowly spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable will:
"Since you are willing to surrender, you should know my rules. When you first appeared, your aura was too fierce, your divinity too strong, and you were too unruly. I do not like that, so I will change your appearance."

The sphere of light flickered violently a few times, clearly indicating that the spirit was struggling. But sensing the dangerous aura emanating from the purple-gold flames once again, all its struggles vanished instantly.

The radiance flowed and quickly converged and solidified.

After a few breaths, the light faded.

In the vast emptiness of space, a petite and delicate figure stood there timidly.

It was a beautifully sculpted little girl, who looked no more than seven or eight years old. She wore a miniature version of an exquisite brocade robe embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns. Her smooth, black hair was tied into two cute buns. Her face was round and fair, and her large, watery eyes resembled those of a frightened fawn, with long eyelashes still glistening with tears. Her pink lips were slightly pursed, and her chubby little hands nervously clutched the hem of her robe.

Where is the shadow of the cosmic goddess from just moments ago? She is clearly an adorable little girl with a slightly aggrieved look on her face.

She timidly raised her small face and looked at Lu Cheng, her big eyes filled with awe, fear, and a hint of resigned obedience.

She seemed to be trying to put on a serious expression, but combined with her youthful appearance, it only made her look even cuter.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she trotted up to Lu Cheng with her short legs, awkwardly and respectfully performed a traditional Chinese bow, and called out clearly and forcefully in her clear, childish voice:

"Disciple greets Master!"

(End of this chapter)