Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 617 A Thousand-Year Imprisonment Finally Ends, Samadhi Heavenly Punishment Refines the True Form (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

The Immortal Realm is vast and boundless, with abundant spiritual energy that nourishes all things and gives birth to countless mysterious realms and various grotto-heavens.

All the major sects in the Immortal Realm possess a considerable number of blessed lands and grotto-heavens, which serve as the foundation and basis of their sects.

As the leader of the orthodox religions of the human race, the Taiqing Sect has accumulated an unparalleled wealth of knowledge about cave heavens and secret realms.

There are countless grotto-heavens and secret realms rich in minerals, places where spiritual herbs grow, and places where spiritual beasts and even spiritual insects breed. Beyond these myriad grotto-heavens, there exists a special kind of existence called the "Boundless Prison".

Wuji Prison is neither a naturally blessed land nor was it created by ancient sages and great beings.

It was formed by a spatial rift that naturally arose between the heavens and the earth, which was not yet stable. It was guided, gathered, and accumulated by the supreme power of the cultivators and was a newly born cave heaven that was being nurtured with great difficulty.

Its internal laws of heaven and earth are chaotic, its space is fragile and unstable, and its spiritual energy is violent and boiling. If it is handled carelessly, even a trace of the spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could trigger a chain of collapses, causing this nascent secret realm to be completely annihilated into the chaotic void.

Throwing Mahayana cultivators who have committed serious crimes into the Wuji Prison is the most severe punishment the Taiqing Sect can impose on Mahayana cultivators.

Its cruelty lies not only in depriving freedom, but also in imprisoning great power. The condemned must use their own mind as an anchor and their magical power as fuel, carefully managing the earth, fire, wind, and water over a long period of time, guiding this unstable space toward evolving into a stable cave world.

Living there for a long time, yet being unable to use one's magic to avoid causing spatial ripples, is undoubtedly a form of torture for high-level cultivators with the ability to move mountains and fill seas.

At this moment, deep within this Boundless Prison named "Frosty Realm," a nascent secret realm is slowly expanding.

The mountains and rivers began to take shape, the rivers flowed ceaselessly, and villages of ordinary people were scattered across the mountains and plains.

In one of the ordinary villages built against the mountain, a man dressed in coarse cloth and short brown clothes is working in the fields.

His movements were simple and unpretentious, even slightly aged and slow, and the rhythm of his hoe-turning was no different from that of a real old farmer.

Sweat soaked his temples, and his bronze skin was stained with dirt. Only in the depths of his eyes, which he occasionally raised, lay a profound and desolate stillness, like that of an ancient glacier. He was none other than Minghe Daojun, who had been banished to this place for over a thousand years.

He restrained his supernatural powers of moving mountains and filling seas, and his magical power of swallowing the sun and moon, locking all his earth-shattering cultivation within his sea of ​​consciousness and meridians, using only his mortal body to feel every pulse of this new world.

Working at sunrise and resting at sunset, my mind is immersed in the laws of this world that are struggling to grow. Is it painful?

It is naturally painful.

A prisoner for ten thousand years, confined to a circle, but a thousand years is enough to wear away the initial resentment and unwillingness. When Minghe Daojun calmed his mind and looked back, he was able to understand the good intentions of the sect leader.

The rules and regulations of a major orthodox sect are difficult to establish and maintain, but it is not difficult to destroy their prestige, and I just happened to run into them.

If I were in that position, I might not necessarily refrain from doing the same thing.

Moreover, through a thousand years of daily labor, Lord Minghe gradually came to understand another profound meaning behind this punishment:
In the midst of extreme confinement and fragility, he comprehended the principles of the creation and destruction of space and the evolution of chaos, which also served as an unprecedented tempering of his own Dao heart. His mind gradually calmed down, like a deep pool of ancient water, undisturbed by any ripples.

However, the tranquility of this day was shattered by an abrupt arrival of an aura.

The old farmer working in the field paused slightly. Minghe Daojun raised his head, his gaze piercing through the sparse fence and looking towards the path at the village entrance.

There, space silently cracked open, and a lean and upright figure stepped out, his Taoist robes fluttering, his demeanor profound and imposing. The newcomer was none other than Xuanqing Daojun.

His arrival caused a slight ripple in the surrounding space, like a pebble thrown into water. Fortunately, Xuanqing had complete control over his magical power and quickly managed to revert to his human form.

Xuanqing Daojun stepped into the village, his gaze fixed on Minghe Daojun in the fields.

"Brother!"

Seeing his senior brother's state today, Xuanqing Daojun called out to him, but said nothing more. He simply flicked his sleeve, and two streams of light flew out from his sleeve and hovered in front of Minghe Daojun:
One is the Profound Yin Demon-Suppressing Corpse-Suppressing Rope, with runes flowing across its black chains, radiating a chilling aura capable of suppressing all evil; the other is the Spinning Yuan Tortoise Shell Shield, with swirling vortexes appearing on its ancient tortoise shell, containing an immovable and formidable defense. These are the two magical treasures that Daoist Minghe once relied on to dominate the world.

At this moment, both of these magical objects were covered with a talisman shrouded in purple mist, with vermilion runes flowing on it, tightly sealing off the magical treasures' spiritual light and oppressive power.

Daoist Minghe put down his hoe, his rough fingers tracing the cold chains and tortoise shell. Then the Daoist raised his head, his face showing little emotion, only a faint, almost self-deprecating smile tugging at the corner of his lips:

"What? Junior Brother Xuanqing has come to this prison of death. Surely you haven't come to visit me, a convict, to reminisce? But it's only been a thousand years. With the Sect Master's temperament and methods, and his ability to plan and strategize, my Taiqing Sect shouldn't have reached the point where it needs me, a convict, to go out and resist external calamities. So, what brings you here, Junior Brother?"

Although Minghe Daojun's words still carried a hint of resentment, even after being imprisoned for a thousand years, the rise and fall of his sect still weighed heavily on his mind, a fact that Xuanqing could sense.

Perhaps Senior Brother Minghe still harbors some resentment towards the Sect Leader's treatment back then, but he remains loyal and concerned about the sect.

"Senior Brother, you are wise. The sect has been doing very well these past few years. The Sect Leader is a man of great talent and vision, who has cleansed up long-standing problems, rectified the sect's conduct, and nearly doubled the sect's territory. Its prestige has spread far and wide, attracting countless cultivators to pay homage. It has become the undisputed leader of the righteous sects of the human race! Its grandeur and prosperity are awe-inspiring, even among Earth Immortals. And that's not all..."

“A thousand years ago, the sect leader personally led us to suppress the Myriad Manifestations Palace, one of the nine sects of the human race. We broke its Myriad Souls Senluo Prison Suppression Formation, severed the Netherworld passage, and beheaded its Ghost Saint, accumulating immeasurable merit. The Myriad Manifestations Palace has now closed its gates and remained sealed for ten thousand years, and has withdrawn from the ranks of the nine sects of the human race.”

As he spoke, a hint of pride flashed across Minghe Daojun's face.

"The Myriad Manifestations Palace, sealed for ten thousand years?" A hint of surprise finally flashed across Daoist Minghe's usually placid face.

Minghe was well aware of the profound depth and unpredictable methods of the Myriad Manifestations Palace, and she also understood what this move meant for the status of the Taiqing Sect and for the structure of the human race.

"Then why did you come here today, Junior Brother?" Upon hearing this, Daoist Minghe asked with some confusion.

If that's the case, and it's not that the sect needs me, a person with a criminal record, to go out and resist external calamities, then why did Junior Brother Xuanqing come here?

It's impossible that he would release himself ahead of time; such an action would damage the prestige of the sect leader, so it's out of the question.

Daoist Xuanqing quickly replied, his tone sincere:
“Senior Brother Minghe, I am here today not because the sect is in trouble. Rather, it is because my fellow disciples and I have repeatedly petitioned the sect leader to consider your past contributions to the sect and to show compassion for your suffering here. The sect leader, out of consideration for our fellow disciples, has already agreed and allowed you to leave this Wuji Prison.”

"Senior brother can go to the Myriad Manifestations Cave Heaven to guard it. Compared to Bishui and Shigu, the sect leader undoubtedly trusts senior brother more. In addition, although the Myriad Manifestations Senluo Palace has been tainted by the Netherworld Qi, its foundation is solid. Although the environment is harsh, it is still ten thousand times better than this place."

Senior Brother can regain control of the spiritual treasure there, and for ten thousand years, he can both guard it and refine this tenth-tier immortal artifact. This is not only a fortunate opportunity for Senior Brother's personal path, but also a great blessing for our Taiqing Sect.

There is another point that Daoist Xuanqing did not mention: the Myriad Manifestations Cave Heaven is connected to the Netherworld Rift, where the earth's energy surges. Although it has been sealed, it still produces countless rare Netherworld spiritual objects, the value of which is far beyond what Minghe could achieve by creating a new cave heaven here.

This is also of great benefit to the sect as a whole.

Xuanqing Daojun is a true cultivator of morality, but he would not utter these words aloud.

Besides, there's no difference between guarding the place for ten thousand years and guarding it here for ten thousand years, since neither of them will be free. This matter will not harm the sect's rules or the authority of the sect leader.

Xuanqing Daojun's words were detailed, sincere, and heartfelt, explaining the interests, camaraderie, and benefits of the sect.

Minghe Daojun remained silent for a long time. His rough fingers once again stroked the cold Xuan Yin Chain, feeling the call of the primordial source that had been dormant for thousands of years beneath it.

Leaving this realm? To guard the Myriad Manifestations Grotto-Heaven? To refine a ten-thousand-year-old immortal artifact? To acquire Netherworld spiritual treasures for the sect?

The Netherworld Qi of the Myriad Manifestations Cave Heaven is far superior to that of his former Nine Netherworld Cave Heaven. With the earth's Qi merging, and after accumulating cultivation for another ten thousand years, he will wield the Profound Yin Rope and become one of the most powerful Dao Lords in the sect.

Minghe Daojun slowly closed his eyes, as if listening to the breath of this fragile world, or as if saying goodbye to his past self.

When he opened his eyes again, it seemed that a faint flame had been rekindled in those deep eyes, beneath the silent glacier.

"Good!" The single word was crisp and decisive, carrying immense weight. He raised his hand and absorbed the Profound Yin Demon-Suppressing Corpse-Suppressing Rope and the Spinning Yuan Tortoise Shell Shield into his body. The two purple talismans shimmered, firmly locking in the aura of the magical treasures until he safely left the place.

Xuanqing Daojun's face showed a relieved smile, and he cupped his hands and said, "Senior brother, please come with me."

The spatial rift opened silently once more, and two figures stepped into it one after the other, completely leaving this Boundless Heavenly Prison.

Only a lone hoe remains in the field, witnessing the thousand-year mortal life and rebirth of a Mahayana Daoist master.

Meanwhile, deep within the Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven of Taiqing Immortal Mountain.

The Tushita Heaven's Quiet Chamber remains unchanged through the ages.

This place is where the successive leaders of the Taiqing Sect have secluded themselves for meditation and contemplation, and it is also a place where the sect's fortune gathers.

At this moment, the quiet room was not empty; instead, it was filled with a terrifying heat that was enough to scorch the heavens and boil the seas, yet was extremely restrained.

The source of the heat was not the earth fire furnace, but the figure sitting cross-legged on the lotus platform in the void, the head of the Taiqing Sect, Daoist Lu Cheng.

He knew and sensed that Xuanqing and Minghe had left the Wuji Heavenly Prison. After all, Minghe was currently the only cultivator imprisoned in the Wuji Prison. Transferring Minghe to the Myriad Manifestations Cave Heaven was more in the overall interest of the sect, not just for him alone. In the future, many disciples of the Taiqing Sect who had committed offenses could choose to enter the Myriad Manifestations Cave Heaven to perform hard labor in exchange for punishment.

However, the benefits that most disciples would receive would not be as great as those received by Minghe.

“Xuanqing is truly a virtuous gentleman. Even when faced with a tenth-tier immortal artifact, he chose to suppress his personal desires and prioritize the interests of the sect. However, such a temperament is not very suitable for cultivation.”

With a tenth-tier immortal artifact in hand, not to mention the various benefits in cultivation and protection, the fact that he could easily pass through the previous Mahayana Heavenly Tribulations alone would make countless Mahayana cultivators envious.

If Lu Cheng were Xuanqing, he would definitely suppress Minghe Daojun and imprison him in the Wuji Prison for ten thousand years, and then compete with him for the Xuanyin Rope after ten thousand years. This would be in the best interests of his own path.

Lu Cheng quickly composed himself, his eyes slightly closed, his face returning to its usual calm as ancient jade. Floating before him was the Taiqing Sect's most prized treasure, the renowned "Heavenly Punishment" flying ship, which had once instilled fear in many elders of the Spirit Venerable Society.

At this moment, the massive ship was compressed to a size of several meters, its entire body flowing with a dark and cold metallic luster. Countless complex and mysterious runes flickered on the surface of the ship, faintly revealing an unruly and ferocious aura.

Its name is Tianzhu, and it was originally a weapon of slaughter when it was first refined, so it naturally has a fierce aura. As for its unruly nature, it has never been subdued by cultivators since its spirituality was formed, so it naturally has this kind of temperament, but it is only at this time.

"call…"

A long, drawn-out breath seemed to stir the very breath of heaven and earth.

A point of purplish-gold light suddenly shone from Lu Cheng's ancestral aperture between his eyebrows. Then, an exquisite purplish-gold lotus flower, formed from pure flames, slowly rotated and appeared.

This is the Samadhi True Fire, a tenth-order immortal technique unparalleled in Lucheng. After venturing alone into the Netherworld, suppressing ghostly calamities, receiving blessings from the Heavenly Dao, being nourished by the Grotto Heaven, and comprehending it in a desperate situation, it was sublimated from a ninth-order super-order Dao technique, and its power is now infinitely close to that of immortal techniques.

Some immortals in the celestial realm who are not proficient in fire magic, and whose skills are below average, may not be as skillful as Lu Cheng when using Samadhi True Fire.

The appearance of the golden lotus did not cause the temperature in the quiet room to rise; instead, it gave people a profound sense of the return of all things to stillness and the manifestation of the origin.

Above the lotus petals, there are subtle chaotic currents of energy, which seem to be able to burn everything, or create life.

This is because Lu Cheng cultivated and tempered his own body with the Samadhi True Fire, thus, for thousands of years, the power of annihilation and the power of creation are all contained within it.

"go with!"

With a slight thought, Lu Cheng caused the purple-gold lotus to fall silently and hover steadily above the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship.

The lotus petals slowly rotated, and strands of exquisitely condensed purple-gold flames descended, like billions of fine golden needles, precisely piercing every rune, every structure, and every spiritual energy node of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

First, a faint, almost inaudible sound rang out. The ship's hull, which was strong enough to withstand the bombardment of Mahayana divine powers, began to become translucent under the scorching of the purple-gold flames.

It is not melting, but rather the most fundamental structure of its constituent matter being analyzed, tempered, and purified by the Samadhi Fire containing the energy of chaos.

Lu Cheng placed his hands on his knees to form a profound hand seal. He pushed the Xuan Tian Divine Art within his body to its limit, and the incomparably powerful "Forty-Two Heavens Magic Power" surged out like a vast galaxy. However, it was controlled by his exquisite divine sense, transforming into countless invisible carving knives, forging hammers, and array patterns. Following the burning trajectory of the purple-gold true fire, they were simultaneously engraved, forged, and reconstructed.

Refining its form: The purple-gold true fire, like the hand of a god, smoothed out all the redundant edges and structures on the ship's hull. The massive ship slowly "melted" and "deformed" in the flames. This was not a physical melting, but rather its spatial structure collapsing and condensing into a form more in line with the true meaning of the "sword" under the dual effects of true fire and magical power.

The coldness of steel gradually fades, replaced by a sharp aura that possesses inner strength and can swallow the stars.

The massive structures on the ship's hull, designed for ramming, defense, and load-bearing, were ruthlessly refined by the Dao Fire, leaving only the most core, resilient, and aggressive essence.

Lu Cheng intended to refine it into a Taoist flying sword, and the remaining parts were naturally unnecessary.

The ritual of refining its spirit: This is the step most likely to provoke resistance throughout the entire process. The core of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship, that unruly and ferocious "Heavenly Punishment True Spirit," sensed a fatal threat.

Although it had been subdued and intimidated by Lu Cheng's Samadhi True Fire, transforming into the appearance of a young girl to feign weakness, its essence was that of a tenth-tier immortal artifact spirit, and its ferocity was ultimately hard to suppress. Now, at this critical juncture of life and death in the refining process, it finally unleashed an unprecedentedly frenzied resistance.

"Stay away from me, don't touch me!"

"Roar!"

An invisible mental storm exploded in the quiet room. The girl's illusion instantly twisted, transforming into a ferocious beast composed of countless weapons, star fragments, and spatial rifts, roaring as it pounced on Lu Cheng's primordial spirit sea of ​​consciousness.

This impact was enough to instantly tear apart the soul of an ordinary Mahayana cultivator.

However, Lu Cheng remained calm, and in his sea of ​​consciousness, the illusory images of the forty-two heavens suddenly appeared.

Each of the myriad heavens seemed to be a real microcosm in operation, with the immense power of the world forming an indestructible barrier. At the same time, the purple-gold lotus flower that floated outside shone brightly, and a beam of pure purple-gold light condensed from the lotus's heart shot out, ignoring physical obstacles and directly shining on the core of the giant beast formed by the Heavenly Punishment True Spirit.

In a single move, two innate divine abilities were unleashed, making both offense and defense mysterious!
"what!"

The piercing screams echoed in the spiritual realm, and the ferocious beast, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, rapidly melted and purified under the purple-gold light.

The negative consciousness associated with divine punishment, such as ferocity, greed, and fear, was forcibly stripped away, categorized, and incinerated. Only the purest and most essential "spiritual essence" remained, which represented concepts such as "annihilation," "extinction," and "protection."

Refining the Dao: Lu Cheng's hands moved with lightning speed, his mouth chanting ancient Daoist sounds, each syllable resonating with the laws of heaven and earth within the Tushita Heaven Meditation Chamber.

He drew upon his profound understanding of the sword arts of killing, such as "slaying," "slaughtering," "trapping," and "annihilation," and further integrated it with the magnificent artistic conception of his "Forty-Two Heavens Magic Power" suppressing the universe and evolving the world. He transformed it into rune imprints containing the true meaning of the Great Dao, using magic power as a guide and Samadhi True Fire as a furnace, and fiercely engraved them into the core of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship that was undergoing transformation, as well as into its purified spiritual origin.

hum! !

The entire Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, and even the entire Tai Qing Immortal Mountain, began to tremble slightly. It was not a destructive earthquake, but a grand resonance in which the laws of heaven and earth were activated and infused with new life.

Countless spiritual energies spontaneously converged, forming a massive vortex outside the Tushita Heaven's meditation room. At the center of the vortex, a sharp and incomparable sword aura pierced the sky, stirring up the heavenly winds.

Inside the quiet room, the brilliance of the Purple-Gold True Fire reached its peak. The massive form of the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship had completely vanished. In its place was a sword embryo floating above the Purple-Gold Lotus Platform.

This sword is only three feet and seven inches long, and its entire body presents a deep and restrained dark gold color. It is neither gold nor jade, but seems to be formed by the fusion of the solidified core of a star and the ultimate tempered sharpness of space.

The sword is straight with extremely smooth lines. It has no superfluous patterns or decorations, yet it naturally exudes a sharp and powerful Daoist charm that severs cause and effect and destroys all laws.

Inside the sword, countless tiny, dust-like purple-gold runes flowed and disappeared, forming a mysterious and unpredictable celestial array, faintly echoing the forty-two layers of celestial power within Lu Cheng's body.

The sword hilt was ancient and simple, seemingly coiled with dragon scales or patterned like tortoise shell. At the center of the hilt, a faint yet incredibly pure purple-gold light pulsed slowly, like a sleeping heart—the Heavenly Punishment Sword Spirit, completely refined, reshaped, and imprinted with the mark of Lu Cheng's Great Dao. Its ferocity had vanished, its sharpness concealed, leaving only a pure will to protect and annihilate, resonating with Lu Cheng's will.

"Congeal."

Lu Cheng Daoist's words thundered as he unleashed his final hand seal. The boundless purple-gold true fire within the Doushuai Meditation Chamber, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, receded completely and merged into the dark gold sword embryo.

Thus, their sword energies merged.

Clang! !

A clear and resonant sword cry, penetrating straight to the soul, suddenly rang out.

In an instant, all was silent, and the world lost its color. Above the entire Taiqing Immortal Mountain, a dark golden sword light, condensed to its extreme, shot into the sky, not tearing apart, but rather "separating" the heavens in an unstoppable manner.

Where the sword light passed, a straight chasm, stretching for thousands of miles, silently split open in the vast sea of ​​clouds, a chasm that could not be healed for a long time. The sharp sword intent permeated the surrounding lands, shaking the eight wastelands, announcing that a Taoist flying sword, powerful enough to terrify all the heavens, had been successfully completed.

This was only because Lu Cheng deliberately restrained himself, preventing the sword energy from spreading freely. Even so, it still attracted the attention of countless cultivators around Mount Taiqing, who knew that the Taiqing Immortal Sect had another unparalleled ninth-grade high-quality immortal sword!

As time passed and he exhaled and recovered his breath, Daoist Lu Cheng slowly opened his eyes on the Yin-Yang Fu cushion. Countless Daoist intents seemed to rise and fall within his eyes, eventually settling into a profound tranquility.

He reached out, and the dark gold flying sword, like a fledgling returning to its nest, landed lightly in his palm with a touch of intimacy and unparalleled sharpness. The sword was warm to the touch and cool to the touch, yet it contained a terrifying power capable of incinerating the netherworld and cleaving through the heavens.

"From now on, you will be called the Heavenly Punishment Flying Sword. However, this sword is too fierce. Taoists have the virtue of cherishing life, so you should use it sparingly and refrain from using it." Lu Cheng gently stroked the sword, feeling the immense power and spirituality within it that was connected to his bloodline and the Great Dao.

Inside the quiet chamber of Doushuai Temple, the shadow of the purple-gold lotus slowly dissipated, leaving only a person and a sword, standing silently in the void.

The Samadhi Fire refines the heavens and punishes all, a single sword sweeps across the nine heavens.

With Lu Cheng's swordsmanship and such a flying sword in hand, ordinary external tribulations are nothing to him.

(End of this chapter)