Blind Ghostwriter: Starts with the full level of Nine Yang Magic Skill

Chapter 266 The Powerful Lingxiao (1.3 words long chapter, please vote!)
Longhu Mountain is becoming increasingly lively. As the deadline for the Luotian Grand Ceremony draws ever closer, people from all sects and factions are gradually arriving. Meanwhile, the Taotie Divine Skill continues to frequently absorb internal energy at the foot of Longhu Mountain.

However, as Wang Zhengge's actions accelerated and he captured many of Gongsun Jue's men, things gradually calmed down on Longhu Mountain, and the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony began to proceed smoothly. This was probably the first time the various sects had looked forward to the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony so eagerly, as they were all determined to use it as an opportunity to form an alliance against Gongsun Jue.

This time, Gongsun Jue released far too many practitioners of the Gluttonous Divine Art. Although his purpose was to disrupt the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, it actually put immense pressure on all sects and factions. Just one practitioner of the Gluttonous Divine Art, Gongsun Jue, had already turned the Qian Kingdom's martial arts world upside down. If dozens or even hundreds of practitioners of the Gluttonous Divine Art appeared simultaneously, not only the Qian Kingdom's martial arts world, but the entire martial arts world would be unable to withstand it.

Before we knew it, it was the tenth day of the fifth lunar month, the day for the Luotian Grand Ritual.

The Fairy Valley of Longhu Mountain is shrouded in mist and ethereal atmosphere, and it is here that the Luotian Grand Ritual is held.

A nine-palace, eight-trigram-shaped altar rises from the ground, with the "Three Pure Ones Altar" in the center solemn and majestic, surrounded by altars of deities such as the Thunder God and the Big Dipper, with incense smoke rising from the altars.

Before dawn, many Taoist priests began to enter the venue to make preparations. After all, this Luo Tian Grand Ceremony was not just a Taoist event, but also a martial arts gathering. If there were any slight errors in etiquette, it could offend people or even make Longhu Mountain a laughing stock.

As the opening ceremony draws closer
The crowd inside the altar grew larger and more lively, and the atmosphere became increasingly intense. Wang Zhengge led the Six Doors constables, weaving through the crowd with great vigilance. At three-quarters past Chen hour, Zhang Xisu, the head of the Celestial Master's Mansion, led a group of Taoist priests around the altar, chanting scriptures to begin the welcoming ceremony for the gods.

But what the many martial arts practitioners present were more eager to see was Zhang Daoyi, the former number one in Qian Kingdom, now number two in Qian Kingdom and number three in the world, the leader of the Taoist sect.

However, Zhang Daoyi failed to appear for a long time.

Because at this moment, Zhang Daoyi was in the Ascension Platform Canyon of Tiandu Peak.

"Chu Dong, what do you think is going on with your brother right now?" Zhang Daoyi sat on the grass, holding a large chicken leg in his hand.

Gu Chudong, holding a large chicken leg, looked up at Gu Mo on the ascension platform and said, "I don't know what's going on either. It's been several days, and he's been like he's asleep!"

“And you,” Zhang Daoyi asked, “you haven’t seemed as diligent as before these past few days.”

“I’ve broken through the bottleneck,” Gu Chudong said. “I came here mainly to cultivate a sonic martial art. I’ve already reached the minor success level, but I can’t achieve the major success level in a short time. Staying on the Ascension Platform is not very meaningful.”

“Sonic martial arts,” Zhang Daoyi raised an eyebrow and said, “could it be your brother’s piano playing skills?”

Gu Chudong nodded and said, "That's right!"

Zhang Daoyi gave a thumbs up and said, "Impressive! That martial art is truly powerful. You little girl, even if you don't follow your brother anymore, you can still roam the martial world on your own!"

Gu Chudong pouted and said, "Why wouldn't I follow my brother? I'm going to follow my brother forever!"

Zhang Daoyi smiled and said, "If I had a brother like that, I would be willing to follow him. I would have great opportunities by my side every day."

"Hehe," Gu Chudong grinned and asked, "Hey, Old Celestial Master, isn't the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony supposed to start today? Why aren't you going to Immortal Water Valley? What are you doing here?"

Zhang Daoyi sighed and said, "I've come to see you, your brother, and that kid Shen Yao!"

Gu Chudong frowned and said, "Old Celestial Master, why do I feel like you have something on your mind? Are you still worried about the divination Shen Yao did before? Didn't Shen Yao say that he was influenced? His cultivation is not enough, and what he saw was all fake!"

Zhang Daoyi chuckled and said, "That kid's gone mad. Now he even doubts the validity of physiognomy. However, my worry isn't because of that divination he did, but because I've had a premonition for a long time that I'm about to face a calamity!"

Gu Chudong said, "Old Celestial Master, how about we hide for a while?"

Zhang Daoyi chuckled and said, "Cultivation involves three calamities and nine tribulations; there's no escaping them. Alright, I won't say any more; I'm off..."

"Old Celestial Master, wait for me!"

Just then, on the ascension platform halfway up the mountain, Shen Yao, who had been in a daze for several days, suddenly shouted and quickly flew down from the mountainside. However, his lightness skill was really average, and he could not fly down directly like Gu Chudong. Instead, he jumped around between the mountainside paths.

When Shen Yao came down, Zhang Daoyi asked in surprise, "Kid, have you finally achieved enlightenment?"

"Just a little bit more, just a little bit more!" Shen Yao bowed deeply and said, "Thank you so much, Celestial Master, for helping me cultivate these past few days and for allowing me to come to this Ascension Platform to comprehend the Dao. I am deeply grateful!"

Zhang Daoyi asked with a smile, "You no longer doubt that physiognomy is fake?"

Shen Yao smiled slightly and said, "When falsehood is taken for truth, even truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, even existence becomes nothingness. Old Master, the distinction between truth and falsehood is no longer important."

“Hey,” Zhang Daoyi pointed at Shen Yao with interest and laughed, “That’s the taste! Looks like you’ve gained a lot and made a big breakthrough this time. You’ve got the air of your old charlatan master!”

Shen Yao was taken aback, then smiled slightly.

Gu Chudong hurriedly asked, "Patriarch Shen, now that you have broken through, could you please cast another divination? Is the Old Celestial Master truly facing a calamity?"

Shen Yao slowly said, "I can't see it. There's no cause or effect, so I can't pry into it. Hmm... Would Miss Gu like to go and see the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony?"

Gu Chudong shook his head and said, "No, the old celestial master said he might face a calamity. You also predicted that today's Luo Tian Grand Ceremony might not go smoothly. Although you later said you might have been wrong, I'm still worried. My brother is currently in seclusion. If I go and encounter danger, it will definitely distract him. So I won't go!"

“Very well,” Shen Yao said, “Today, there are countless experts at the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, including the Old Celestial Master, Headmaster Zhang, Wang Zhengge, and experts from various sects. If a crisis still arises, even if you, Miss Gu, are there, you will not be able to reverse the decline. If there is no crisis, your absence will have no impact.”

immediately,

Shen Yao then left with Zhang Daoyi.

As they walked, Zhang Daoyi chuckled and said, "Kid, it seems your predictions were indeed inaccurate."

"Why do you say that, Celestial Master?" Shen Yao asked.

Zhang Daoyi said, "You calculated before that Liu Congwen and Gu Chudong would both be there, but Liu Congwen died a few days ago, and Gu Chudong didn't go either. So your prediction was wrong."

Shen Yao chuckled and said, "But, from another perspective, didn't I also calculate that Master Gu wouldn't be present? You see, Master Gu is still in seclusion, just as I predicted?"

"So you're just guessing?" Zhang Daoyi laughed.

Shen Yao did not answer, but instead brought up a somewhat abrupt topic: "Actually, these past few days at the Ascension Platform, I've been thinking about something my master once told me."

"What did you say?" Zhang Daoyi asked.

Shen Yao calmly said, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. Minor trends can be altered, but major trends cannot! I asked my master back then, what are minor trends and what are major trends?"

"What did your master say?"

“Master said ‘Act within your means.’” Shen Yao said in a deep voice, “These past few days, I have been trying to understand what ‘Act within your means’ means.”

"Have you figured it out?"

"Almost," Shen Yao said with a smile. "Once I truly understand it, my physiognomy skills will be fully mastered."

While chatting, the two descended Tiandu Peak and headed to Xianshui Valley to enter the altar city.

After entering the mandala,

Shen Yao and Zhang Daoyi then parted ways.

Shen Yao went straight to the observation deck, while Zhang Daoyi went to a large hall to prepare for his appearance.

As one of the seven great families of the martial arts world, the Shen family naturally had a very prominent position on the observation deck. As Shen Yao walked over, he ran into Wang Zhengge, who was leading a group of people on an inspection tour.

The two looked at each other,

In an instant, the Shen family members and the constables from the Six Doors became alert, and the atmosphere instantly became oppressive.

Unexpectedly, Shen Yao bowed to Wang Zhengge and said, "Officer Wang, thank you for your guidance a few days ago. I have benefited greatly from it."

This scene left the Shen family and the Six Doors constables completely astonished, unable to determine for a moment whether Shen Yao was genuinely thanking them or being sarcastic.

After sizing up Shen Yao, Wang Zhengge smiled slightly and said, "Congratulations to Patriarch Shen on your great progress in cultivation. You have made further progress and your future is limitless!"

Shen Yao said, "If it weren't for Constable Wang's timely rebuke, I don't know how many more years I would have wasted!"

Wang Zhengge said in a deep voice, "If Patriarch Shen is not busy, you might as well have a chat with me. These past few days, while you were in seclusion, I was patrolling Longhu Mountain and noticed some unusual things. However, as the saying goes, those involved are often blinded by their own interests. I would like to ask you to help me analyze these things, would you be so kind as to do so?"

Shen Yao quickly replied, "Of course!"

Wang Zhengge immediately invited Shen Yao to walk aside, saying as they walked, "In the past few days, I have captured more than a dozen people who practice the Taotie Divine Skill in Longhu Mountain, and I have obtained some clues from them."

However, I always felt something was amiss. Like that day I said you might rely on physiognomy; if someone knew the patterns in your physiognomy, they could easily exploit them. But then it suddenly occurred to me, my investigations also have patterns. If someone else found those patterns, they could also use them. And coincidentally, the person in this world who understands my investigation patterns best is Gongsun Jue!

Shen Yao said in a deep voice, "Officer Wang, do you mean you suspect that you've been led by the nose?"

"..."

The two began to discuss it in a corner.

The Shen family and the Six Doors constables were left looking at each other in bewilderment. They had just been at each other's throats, but the two parties involved had suddenly put their arms around each other, leaving them all feeling extremely awkward.

However, the awkward atmosphere did not last long. Suddenly, a commotion arose in the mandala, and the atmosphere instantly became lively because Zhang Daoyi, the national teacher of the Qian Kingdom, the third best expert in the world, and the leader of the Taoist sect, made his appearance.

He appeared dressed in a purple Taoist robe embroidered with the sun, moon, and stars. His aura was as deep and still as an ancient pool. He sat on an altar in the center of the mandala, gently struck a bell, and then began to preach:
"At that time, the Heavenly Venerable was in the land of Chanli, together with the Great Dao True Immortals and countless great gods. All the Heavenly Venerables and all the heavenly dragons and spirits gathered here and were subject to my command. If there are any good men or good women in the world..."

Zhang Daoyi was speaking of the "True Scripture of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable of the Spiritual Treasure on Averting Disasters and Overcoming Calamities." His voice was very calm, yet it could be heard throughout the entire altar, and people from all sects and schools listened quietly.

Just as Zhang Daoyi was saying, "I only wish to repent before the Jade Emperor and the Great Dao Saint, to be freed from the calamities that befall me. May all be dispersed and not be…", the sky suddenly cracked with ink-like patterns.

A bolt of purple lightning, like a golden dragon tearing through silk, struck the precious umbrella atop the altar, but shattered into countless fireflies upon touching the banner. A torrential downpour followed, and a terrifying aura descended.

Zhang Daoyi suddenly looked up and saw that the raindrops had condensed into a water curtain three feet away from the altar, without a single drop touching the altar.

Before the thunder subsided, amidst the torrential rain, golden light surged like boiling water, and the faint sound of cranes flapping their wings could be heard. A figure appeared in the light, clad in a purple Taoist robe, holding a jade whisk, his face partially obscured by the tassels of his crown, barefoot, stepping on a lotus platform, slowly descending from the lightning and rain.

At this moment, everyone in the entire mandala was stunned and looked up at the Taoist who had suddenly appeared in the sky.

He was a young man who looked to be around twenty years old. He was extremely handsome, and it was impossible to tell whether he was male or female. He had neither the sharpness of an ordinary man nor the gentleness of a woman. His skin was as smooth as snow bathed in moonlight. Even a strand of dark hair hanging down by his temples seemed to have been washed by celestial dew, outlining a cool and beautiful profile at his temples. His features were truly picturesque.

The young Taoist priest arrived on a lotus, slowly landing on the altar. He spoke, his voice like an echo in an empty valley: "Dao Yi, it's been a long time."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar.

Although everyone was stunned by the young Taoist's magnificent appearance, they never expected that he would dare to address the contemporary Taoist leader in such a way. It should be noted that Zhang Daoyi is the current Taoist Celestial Master, one of the most senior members, and many Taoists even have to call him their patriarch.

The young Taoist priest now looks to be no more than twenty years old.

however,
Those Longhu Mountain disciples who were standing close to Zhang Daoyi on the Dharma platform noticed that Zhang Daoyi's expression was very strange, and his body had become extremely stiff.

"Ling Xiao, it really is you!"

Zhang Daoyi looked at the young Taoist priest in front of him with boundless horror in his eyes. He recognized him as Ling Xiao, who had been lured into the Immortal Slaughtering Formation and killed by him thirty-three years ago.

The person before me now is exactly the same as Ling Xiao back then, not only in appearance, but also in aura, demeanor, and even eyes.

Ling Xiao had such a profound and amazing impact on Zhang Daoyi back then that even after thirty-three years, he had never forgotten a single detail about Ling Xiao's voice and appearance.

Ling Xiao slowly spoke, saying, "Dao Yi, you have the destiny of a Celestial Master for thirty-three years. Now, the world has come to this. Although you killed me back then, I have never blamed you, and you have never let me down. So, today, let us continue the debate from thirty-three years ago. If you lose, you will become my disciple. If you win, I will never again concern myself with the troubles of the world. What do you say?"

Zhang Daoyi took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and said, "Okay!"

Ling Xiao smiled slightly and said, “The way of heaven and earth is based on nature, without favoritism or estrangement, without attachment or desire. However, the Celestial Master’s Mansion has been in charge of talismans and talismans, acting on behalf of heavenly laws. They use cinnabar and yellow paper to write talismans and chant incantations to drive away gods and ghosts, pray for rain and ward off disasters. Is this not ‘active’? Is this not ‘using human hearts to replace the heart of heaven’?”

Zhang Daoyi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Non-action is the essence of the Dao; omnipotence is its function. Heaven and earth, seemingly inactive, nurture all things; this is 'non-action yet omnipotence.' Talismans and rituals..."

now,

The mandala was in an uproar, a cacophony of voices, with everyone discussing the matter. The older generation of martial artists all wore expressions of fear, because although many years had passed since the massacre at Longhu Mountain thirty-three years ago, many of those who had personally experienced it were still alive, and some were even still at the scene.

Ling Xiao's oppressive aura reappeared once again.

Amid the noise, Wang Zhengge and Shen Yao stood together, leaning on the railing, both looking terrified.

Wang Zhengge took a deep breath, turned his head to look at Shen Yao and asked, "Patriarch Shen, is Ling Xiao really here?"

"It's him, it's him!" Shen Yao swallowed hard, but couldn't help but show joy on his face. He said, "It's him. I saw him a few days ago when I was divining and trying to understand the secrets of heaven... But, no... Liu Congwen is dead, Gu Chudong didn't come, and I made peace with Constable Wang. The scene wasn't deserted at all..."

"No, no, no..."

"Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed; minor trends can be altered, but major trends cannot be changed..."

Shen Yao squatted on the ground and began to think.

Suddenly, he looked up at Wang Zhengge and said, "Officer Wang, do you think it's possible that the death of Liu Congwen, which you instructed me on the spot... was also arranged by Gongsun Jue? He took advantage of your habits and case-solving patterns, and there was also a highly skilled physiognomist who knew the patterns of my physiognomy. By combining the two, he deliberately created the death of Liu Congwen!"

"What's the purpose?" Wang Zhengge asked.

Shen Yao pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Because I successfully cast a divination using the influence of Master Gu, thus disrupting their original plan, they need to get back on track. The difference from the beginning is that I developed suspicions about the higher-ups at the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain, and I was preparing to investigate... But at this point, when they used the principles of physiognomy to break my mental state, I abandoned the investigation and even began to doubt physiognomy..."

While muttering to himself,

Shen Yao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood up, shouting, "I understand, I understand, act according to your ability... Hahaha... Act according to your ability. My cultivation is not enough to change the formation of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony. Therefore, even if I reveal the secrets of heaven, I will only change the minor situation, such as Liu Congwen's death and Gu Chudong's absence... The major situation is not the death of the old Celestial Master, but the convening of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony."

My investigation of the Celestial Master's Mansion's higher-ups could potentially alter the course of events. So, whether it was deliberate or coincidental, my visit to the Ascension Platform didn't affect the holding of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony. Then, who could possibly influence the holding of the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony?

Wang Zhengge said in a deep voice, "Unless it's the Grand Preceptor or Zhang Xisu, the head of the Celestial Master's Mansion, who has a problem..."

Shen Yao's pupils contracted, and he said, "If it were the real Ling Xiao, he wouldn't need those methods. Therefore, Ling Xiao is fake, and the one cooperating with Gongsun Jue is Zhang Xisu, and their purpose is... to disrupt the Old Celestial Master's state of mind..."

Immediately,

Shen Yao unleashed his inner power and roared, "Old Celestial Master, Ling Xiao is an imposter! Zhang Xisu colluded with Gongsun Jue! The death I witnessed in the Old Celestial Master wasn't caused by Ling Xiao, but by an unexpected sneak attack..."

He roared as he flew down from the observation deck.

Wang Zhengge reacted immediately and flew towards the altar.

With a loud roar from Shen Yao
On the altar, Zhang Daoyi, who was discussing the Dao with Lingxiao, suddenly froze.

And at that very moment,

Zhang Xisu, who had been standing three steps behind Zhang Daoyi, suddenly unleashed a clear, resonant dragon's roar from the sword hidden in his sleeve. The moment the frosty white blade tore through the air, the runes on its spine glowed with an eerie red light, striking straight at Zhang Daoyi's heart like a venomous snake's tongue. The sword's power, concealing decades of ruthless restraint, shattered the rain within a three-foot radius the instant it was drawn.

Zhang Daoyi's purple Taoist robe fluttered without wind. He quickly turned around, his two fingers forming a sword-finger gesture to meet the blade. The moment his fingertips touched the cold blade, a crisp "crack" rang out—his protective true energy shattered like glass, and the sword tip pierced through the purple light, reaching about an inch from his heart. His pupils contracted slightly, and he suddenly exerted force with his index and middle fingers, gripping the spine of the sword. His knuckles turned white from the exertion, forcefully locking the sword's momentum in front of his robe.

"Senior brother, my mental state has not been broken yet."

Zhang Daoyi spoke in a deep voice, and the moment his fingertips grazed the blade, the Qinggang longsword suddenly curved into a full moon. As he released the pressure with his fingertips, the blade erupted with a buzzing sound, and the violent rebound force caused Zhang Xisu's tiger's mouth to crack. When the Dao sword flew out of his hand, the blade drew a spiral of light in the air.

Before Zhang Xisu could retreat, Zhang Daoyi had already condensed a pale golden aura in his palm, and the palm wind, accompanied by a gale and torrential rain, slammed out.

Zhang Xisu crossed his arms to block, but was thrown several meters away by the enormous force before finally coming to a stop.

At this moment, there was utter silence.

In that brief, fleeting moment, so much happened that everyone present, from the various factions observing the ceremony to the disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion, was bewildered. In particular, Zhang Xisu's sudden attack on Zhang Daoyi shocked everyone.

"It's been changed! It's been changed!"

When Shen Yao saw the sword being knocked away, and that Zhang Daoyi did not suffer a fatal wound to his chest, he exclaimed with delight, "Master, the situation can be changed! I understand! Act according to your ability! I get it!"

He quickly flew to the altar, pointed at Zhang Xisu, and said, "I understand, I understand everything. Zhang Xisu, from the beginning, it was you who colluded with Gongsun Jue. Back then, the Old Celestial Master repeatedly failed to kill Gongsun Jue, not because Gongsun Jue was so strong, but because you were the one who tipped him off."

Later, the imperial court searched for many years without success, which was also because you were protecting Gongsun Jue. This was because the old Celestial Master was in charge of the Imperial Observatory, but he had no interest in power and his disciples from Longhu Mountain always did it for him. So, it wasn't that the imperial court was incompetent, but that there was a traitor within the court!
Your identity is perfect. Whether in the martial world or the imperial court, you can cover for Gongsun Jue. The old master thought no one knew about the thirty-three-year reincarnation, but you, Zhang Xisu, happened to be among those who fainted under the Zhuxian Formation back then. You were just pretending to be unconscious.

"And today, you intend to use this Luo Tian Grand Ceremony for some kind of conspiracy, but you can't bypass the Celestial Master. As long as the Celestial Master is around, you can't succeed. So, you're using the theory of reincarnation every thirty-three years to cultivate a fake Ling Xiao to shake the Celestial Master's resolve. Once the Celestial Master loses his composure, he will be killed by you, the one who knows his martial arts best!"

Wang Zhengge also said in a deep voice: "Gongsun Jue sent people to commit crimes on a large scale at the foot of Longhu Mountain in order to lure away the vast majority of disciples of Longhu Mountain. In this way, the Celestial Master's Mansion will not have enough manpower, and the monitoring of Longhu Mountain will not be strong enough, which will make it easy for other people who cultivate the Taotie Divine Skill to hide!"

"Your plan went smoothly until the arrival of Master Gu. Shen Yao, taking advantage of Master Gu's influence, tried to glean some secrets of heaven, almost ruining your plan. Then, Gongsun Jue used his familiarity with me to orchestrate Liu Congwen's death, which allowed me to break Shen Yao's composure and put your plan back on track. What exactly do you want to do today?"

Zhang Daoyi took a deep breath, looked at Zhang Xisu, and asked with great confusion, "Senior brother, what are you doing this for? Do you want to dominate the martial arts world? We're both so old, we don't have many years left to live, is it really necessary?"

Zhang Xisu shook her head slightly and said, "Of course not."

"Why is that?" Zhang Daoyi asked.

"In order to fulfill the great wish of Master Lingxiao and eliminate the suffering in the world!" Zhang Xisu said, "After today, Gongsun Jue's Taotie Divine Skill will be perfected, and he will unify the demonic path. I will no longer hide my strength and will use the excuse of resisting Gongsun Jue to gradually unify the righteous path."

Zhang Daoyi suddenly realized and said, "You became Ling Xiao's disciple back then?"

Zhang Xisu nodded and said, "The Holy Master is great. I agree with his ideas. I also think that in the final analysis, all the suffering in the world comes from martial arts. Because martial arts are extraordinary and can be above the law, the world will never be at peace."

If martial arts disappeared from the world, and everyone's strength was equal, then everyone would obey the law.

Zhang Daoyi said, "But then, wouldn't the law become the new martial art? Those who wield the law will still be unequal to ordinary people, and suffering will still exist."

“No,” Zhang Xisu said, “Without martial arts, everyone is an ordinary person, everyone will be educated, there will be less conflict, humanity will return to peace, there will be less killing in the world, the law will suppress life to the same level, and true equality for all will be achieved!”

Zhang Daoyi shook his head and said, "Senior brother, human nature is different." "Human nature can be educated, and thoughts can be unified," Zhang Xisu said. "When we unify the martial arts world, we will go a step further and unify the world. At that time, we will burn all martial arts and then unify and educate the world. The world will become harmonious and equal."

Zhang Daoyi sighed helplessly and said, "Senior brother, you've been obsessed for decades, and I can't persuade you. The only way to stop you is by force."

Zhang Xisu chuckled, looked at Shen Yao, and said, "Young man Shen, you're right. Small trends can be changed, but big trends cannot. And today, I am the big trend!"

Zhang Xisu's voice was vast and powerful, like thunder.

At this moment, the rain curtain in the sky is like a slanting weave of the vastness between heaven and earth.

Zhang Xisu stood on the altar, his Taoist robe fluttering in the cold, damp wind. Suddenly, he flicked his snow-white whisk upwards, the force surging like a tide in his wrist.

"Array up!"

In an instant, the pattering rain stopped abruptly—thousands of raindrops hung suspended in mid-air, like solidified crystals, and even the water vapor floating in the air seemed strangely stagnant.

"Change!"

He gave a low shout, and the silver threads at the end of his whisk burst forth with a faint light. The light and shadow that had been floating above the mandala, outlining the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, suddenly trembled violently. The intertwined runes twisted and moved like living things, transforming into tangible golden chains of light that roared together to form a massive array that blotted out the sky.

At the edge of the array, the trigrams Qian, Kun, Zhen, and Xun lit up one by one, their bursting light dyeing the clouds dark purple. A mountain-like pressure surged down from the array's eye, pressing down so hard that the bones of everyone inside the altar cracked and their blood surged like boiling water.

"Ugh—I can't move!"

"What kind of formation is this?"

Someone screamed and knelt down, as if their inner energy was being gripped by an invisible hand, and even the strength to lift their hand was drained away.

The entire mandala was like being stuffed into a shrunken cage. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was forcibly torn apart and shredded by the great formation, turning into fierce winds that swept across everyone's skin. Most people were pressed to the ground, and only a few could move, but even they were greatly restricted.

Just as the extreme oppression became suffocating, the Tai Chi diagram in the center of the mandala suddenly cracked open, and one hundred and eight dark figures emerged from the fissure. They were dressed in uniform black tight-fitting clothes, but their chests were embroidered with ferocious Taotie beast heads in crimson silk thread. Their eyes gleamed with an inhuman eerie green, and wisps of black energy swirled around them, making them look like hungry ghosts crawling out of the underworld.

The 108 figures simultaneously spread their arms, emitting inhuman, grotesque noises. Even more terrifying, the taotie embroidered on their chests seemed to come alive, their gaping maws snapping open, unleashing an irresistible suction force from within the formation!
"laugh--"

Visible light was forcibly extracted from everyone within the mandala, transforming into wisps of colorful light that shot towards the Taotie warriors like iron filings drawn to a magnet. Some, with weaker abilities, had most of their true energy drained instantly, collapsing to the ground with screams, their hair and beards turning white; others attempted to resist by channeling their energy, but were firmly suppressed by the formation, their true energy torn to shreds by the suction force as soon as it reached their dantian, flowing into the mouths of the Taotie along the light wisps.

"Taotie...Taotie Divine Skill!"

At this moment, everyone felt the terror of the Taotie Divine Skill.

"Roar……"

Those martial artists who cultivated the Gluttonous Divine Art absorbed massive amounts of internal energy, letting out satisfied growls from their throats. Their bodies swelled slightly amidst the swirling black mist, and it seemed as if living beings were wriggling beneath their skin. The green light in their eyes grew increasingly greedy and violent.

The suction force and the oppressive power of the formation complemented each other, like two invisible giant nets, trapping everyone in the center, forcing them to watch helplessly as their life's hard-earned cultivation was plundered and devoured.

Screams, bursts of true energy, and the frantic swallowing sounds of the gluttonous warriors mingled together within the mandala, creating a desperate and evil symphony.

In the sky, the still raindrops, imbued with the malevolent aura of the great formation, faintly tinged with blood, hanging in mid-air like thousands of sharp blades lowered by the Grim Reaper.

"Everyone, help me break through the formation!"

As the person present with the highest martial arts skills besides Zhang Daoyi, Wang Zhengge did not lose face as the fourth best martial artist in the Qian Kingdom at this moment. Although he was suppressed by the Taotie Formation, it did not affect his actions.

Immediately, he took down two fist-sized hammers hanging from his waist and flew into the air, smashing them towards the center of the formation. At the same time, many other skilled individuals present who were able to move also flew into the air with Wang Zhengge, attacking the formation's shield.

However, just as it was about to touch the golden light of the array wall,
"Om-"

A heavier and more malevolent aura than the pressure of the great formation suddenly descended.

The aura was unlike any ordinary power; it was more like a torrent of resentment surging up from the bottom of the Netherworld. As soon as it appeared, it caused the blood-red raindrops suspended in mid-air to tremble violently and turn into dust.

Wang Zhengge and the others felt an invisible mountain pressing down on their heads, their bones making a muffled "crack" sound as they couldn't bear the weight. Their true energy, which had just reached its peak, instantly dissipated, and their bodies were slammed to the ground like kites with broken strings!
"Pfft—" Several people crashed onto the edge of the mandala, and the blood they vomited congealed into a purplish-black color when it touched the ground.

Before the dust had settled, a figure had already silently appeared in the void.

The man wore a tattered blue robe, the embroidery on the hem seemingly dripping blood. The left half of his face was hidden in shadow, revealing only a pale, paper-like jawline. The right half of his face, however, was eerily exposed in the distorted light—his skin was an inhuman bluish-black, his eye sockets were deep-set, his pupils were a vertical, eerie green, and his eyes were covered with spiderweb-like blood vessels. The corners of his mouth were stretched into a mad grin. His half-human, half-ghost appearance sent chills down one's spine.

He was surrounded by thick, impenetrable black mist, and within each wisp of mist seemed to be countless wailing souls; he was none other than the ghost messenger Gongsun Jue.

"Gongsun Jue, you're going to die!"

Wang Zhengge's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he raised his double hammers to smash towards Gongsun Jue.

"My good disciple, you've overestimated yourself."

Gongsun Jue's voice was hoarse, with a harsh, metallic quality. He didn't even look down at Wang Zhengge, who had fallen to his feet; he simply lifted his foot casually, the sole of his boot exerting a sticky suction, and precisely stepped on the back of Wang Zhengge's head.

"Uh-"

Wang Zhengge, the fourth strongest fighter in the Qian Kingdom, had no room to struggle at this moment, as if his skull was about to be crushed.

The next moment, Gongsun Jue flicked his toe sharply!
"boom!"

Wang Zhengge's burly body was struck as if by a giant hammer, crashing to the ground with a shrill screech. After a deafening roar, a deep, dark crater several meters deep was smashed into the ground, with rubble and blood splattering dozens of meters high, lingering for a long time.

"It's your turn."

Gongsun Jue licked his bluish-black lips, his eerie green vertical pupils sweeping over the terrified crowd within the altar. He no longer concealed himself, his hands suddenly opening wide, two endlessly spinning black vortexes instantly appearing in his palms, the center of which was a hideous phantom of a Taotie head!

"Roar--!"

A suction force a hundred times stronger than that of the previous 108 people suddenly erupted! The martial artists inside the altar, who were already suppressed by the great formation and whose power had been partially absorbed by the 108 people, felt a chill in their dantian. Their lifelong cultivation of internal energy surged uncontrollably out of their bodies through their meridians like a floodgate opening!

"No—my internal energy!"

"Help me! Gongsun Jue—!"

Amidst the panic, visible bands of light of various colors converged from all directions, no longer shooting towards the 108 people, but all rushing towards Gongsun Jue!
The 108 martial artists who cultivated the Taotie Divine Art knelt on one knee as if under an invisible command. The Taotie embroidery on their chests burst forth with dazzling red light. The power they absorbed and the evil power that was originally in their bodies transformed into beams of scarlet light, which were precisely injected into Gongsun Jue's body, forming a terrifying scene of "stars surrounding the moon".

Gongsun Jue stood in the center of the formation, letting a massive amount of internal energy surge in like a river overflowing its banks.

His body swelled and twisted amidst the interplay of black and red light. Beneath the bluish-black skin of his right cheek, countless living creatures seemed to writhe wildly, while the shadow on his left cheek deepened, with pale, bony claws faintly visible emerging from it. His aura surged at a terrifying speed, each breath disrupting the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The clouds above the mandala were stained inky black by this malevolent energy, and lightning bolts danced wildly, yet dared not strike, as if even they feared this demon god of the mortal realm.

The entire altar, along with the struggling martial artists within, the operating array, and even the 108 gluttonous believers, had become a massive furnace for Gongsun Jue to cultivate his evil arts. The black hole-like suction force was all-pervasive, even causing the air to shriek as it was pulled apart.

Gongsun Jue raised his head and let out a wild laugh that was a mixture of human roars and ghostly howls. His laughter was filled with greed for power and contempt for all living beings, and it echoed for a long time in the world shrouded in blood and black energy.

"Shut up, that sounds awful!"

Zhang Daoyi raised his head and shouted, his purple Taoist robe fluttering in the bloody rain and wind. He looked up at Gongsun Jue, who was laughing wildly in the center of the formation. His pupils reflected the twisted figure of the half-human, half-ghost, and the cold light in his eyes seemed to freeze the air.

Before the words had even faded, his right palm had already struck out with an overwhelming and unstoppable wave of energy. Before the palm wind even arrived, the air in front of him was already compressed and exploded into a muffled sonic boom, heading straight for Gongsun Jue's face!

However, just as the palm print was about to touch the black aura surrounding Gongsun Jue—

"Zheng!"

A curtain of light woven from silver threads suddenly appeared in mid-air. Zhang Xisu's whisk burst forth with thousands of silver threads, each wrapped with a blood-red raindrop suspended in mid-air. Driven by his inner force, the silver threads transformed into a flowing galaxy, carrying the sound of murmuring water, precisely entangling Zhang Daoyi's palm print. Ripples surged across the surface of the galaxy, dissipating the violent palm force layer by layer.

“Junior brother, why be so impatient?” Zhang Xisu’s voice was calm, but a complex light flashed in his eyes. “I have played the role of a gentle senior brother in front of you for decades. Perhaps I am no match for you in a one-on-one fight, but I can still stop you. Gongsun Jue’s divine skill is about to be completed, so you should not disturb him.”

With a sudden flick of his wrist, the silver threads of his whisk instantly surged dozens of feet, the raindrops it entwined instantly vaporizing into billowing white mist that intertwined with the silver threads, forming a turbulent "silver sea" around Zhang Daoyi. Countless water arrows and silver threads wove together into an impenetrable net, carrying a bone-chilling cold, surging towards Zhang Daoyi from all directions.

"break!"

Before Zhang Daoyi could even open his eyes to look closely, a strange aura suddenly swirled around his body. The aura seemed gentle, yet it carried a profound rhythm of "formless and calamityless." Any silver threads or water arrows that touched the aura disintegrated inch by inch in mid-air, turning into the most primordial water vapor and spiritual light, and dissipating into nothingness.

He took a step forward, and the silver sea instantly retreated to both sides. In a flash, his figure appeared in front of Zhang Xisu.

Zhang Xisu's pupils shrank suddenly, filled with terror. Just as he was about to raise his whisk again, he saw Zhang Daoyi's palm already pressed against his chest.

The palm seemed ordinary, but the moment it touched his protective true energy, it unleashed an irresistible and immense force—not a brute impact, but a "differentiation" force like the beginning of the world, which instantly disrupted the internal energy he had cultivated for decades!
"puff--"

As if struck by a tremendous force, Zhang Xisu was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. He crashed through several array walls and light chains before slamming heavily onto a blue stone platform dozens of feet away. The platform shattered with a deafening roar, and the blood he spat out stained his Taoist robe. He struggled several times but could not stand up, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.

“Senior brother,” Zhang Daoyi withdrew his hand, his tone as indifferent as ice, “a frog in a well has no place in the sky.

Ignoring the fallen Zhang Xisu, he leaped into the air with a light touch of his toes, heading straight for the core of the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation. At this moment, Gongsun Jue was immersed in the frenzy of absorbing immense internal energy; his bluish-black right cheek had swelled to the point of being almost deformed. When he sensed the threat, he opened his mouth to roar, but it was too late.

Zhang Daoyi stood in mid-air, clasped his hands together, and then suddenly pushed them out!
"boom--!"

A massive, sky-covering palm print appeared out of thin air, its lines flowing with the runes of the Eight Trigrams, carrying an earth-shattering pressure as it slammed into the core of the great formation. The once indestructible golden chains of light shattered like glass under the palm print, and the runes of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams burst forth with blinding light, only to be crushed into dust by the force of the palm.

"Crack——!"

The core runes that were maintaining the operation of the grand formation shattered completely, causing the entire altar to tremble violently, and the blood-red clouds that had gathered in the sky to explode. Gongsun Jue, who was frantically absorbing power, was struck as if by lightning. The violent energy within his body instantly lost the guidance of the grand formation and surged backward like a flood bursting its banks, impacting his meridians!

"Ugh—!"

He let out a horrific scream, and a cloud of blood mist suddenly exploded from his bluish-black right cheek. The immense power that had been absorbed turned into a torrent of backlash, surging wildly out from the gluttonous vortex in his seven orifices and palm.

Gongsun Jue's massive body was struck as if by a heavy hammer, crashing down from mid-air and creating a bottomless black hole in the center of the altar. He coughed up several liters of purplish-black blood, and his bones made a teeth-grinding cracking sound. His ferocious half-human, half-ghost appearance was now reduced to a wretched state on the verge of death.

And at this moment,

Those martial arts practitioners who had been suppressed collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath after surviving a calamity; very few were able to stand up.

"No...impossible..."

Zhang Xisu held a whisk in his hand, leaning against the stone wall with one hand, and said in a deep voice, "Junior brother, it's impossible. I know your cultivation level better than anyone else. You can't be this strong..."

Zhang Daoyi sighed slightly and shook his head, saying, "Senior brother, I don't know what you're thinking. After failing to ambush me, you didn't even run away immediately. Although I'm not a Qi cultivator, Longhu Mountain is where I've cultivated my Dao. I've spent my whole life here."

You need to understand, on Mount Longhu, I was even confident I could fight Gu Mo one-on-one and escape unscathed. Why would you think of confronting me head-on on Mount Longhu?

Zhang Xisu spat out a mouthful of blood and muttered, "See? Junior brother, this is why the Holy Master wants to destroy the martial arts world. When someone's personal martial power is this strong, what's the difference between them and a god? How could they possibly care about the law or the suffering of humankind?"

Zhang Daoyi sighed softly, not wanting to argue with Zhang Xisu any further, and slowly said, "Senior brother, let's leave it at that. This farce should end!"

After saying that, he prepared to attack Zhang Xisu.

But at this moment,
A voice rang out: "Dao Yi, our discussion on the Dao is not over yet!"

For a moment, everyone looked over.
Surprisingly, the fake "Lingxiao" walked onto the altar again, still looking like a celestial being, very peaceful and calm, as if he couldn't see the scene in front of him at all.

Looking at the young Taoist priest who looked exactly like Ling Xiao, Zhang Daoyi understood that this was a trap specifically set for him. It was a "Ling Xiao" that Gongsun Jue and Zhang Xisu had cultivated for many years, just to shake his mind.

To fool him, the fake Ling Xiao must have absolutely no doubt about his identity.

Therefore,
Zhang Daoyi knew that this "Ling Xiao" was probably really brainwashed to the point that he firmly believed he was the real Ling Xiao.

"Infinite Heavenly Lord!"

Zhang Daoyi bowed slightly and said, "Daoist, the situation is already very clear. Please don't be so stubborn. You are not the real Lingxiao."

Lingxiao shook his head slightly and said, "Daoyi, you are attached to appearances. What is real and what is fake? If you think it is real, then it is real; if you think it is fake, then it is fake. So, if you think I am real, then I am real."

Zhang Daoyi said, "That makes sense, but I never wanted to discuss the Dao with Ling Xiao. If you don't have Ling Xiao's methods, you can't force me to discuss the Dao with you."

Lingxiao chuckled and said, "Then I will first use demon-subduing techniques before pursuing the path of enlightenment."

After all,

Lingxiao smiled and casually pointed out each point to Zhang Daoyi.

That's really nothing special.

There was no whistling sound of wind breaking, no dazzling light, and not even a slight airflow was stirred up when the fingertips brushed against the air.

Sunlight filtered through his fingers, casting a clear shadow on the ground, as if it were just a casual gesture between old friends, carrying a hint of nonchalant instruction.

However, in that instant when the fingertips twitched slightly—

Zhang Daoyi's cold expression suddenly changed, and extreme terror suddenly erupted in his eyes that seemed to see through yin and yang! He did not see the sharp finger wind, but he glimpsed a chaotic scene at the end of his vision.

In that chaos, the vast world cracked inch by inch like fragile glass, the sun, moon and stars fell into dust, and what terrified him even more was that the Dragon Tiger Mountain he had protected all his life was being gently pressed down by an indescribable giant finger. The mountain collapsed, the palaces and temples turned to ashes, and even the Xuanhuang Banner that had suppressed the area for thousands of years was reduced to nothingness under the force of the finger!
"This is……"

The scene before his eyes suddenly vanished, and what he saw was still that ordinary finger. His protective true energy collapsed on its own the instant the illusion was created, and the innate energy in his dantian was like a young beast encountering a natural enemy, cowering and unable to circulate.

There was no excruciating pain, only an indescribable "power of existence" that passed through the void and landed precisely on his chest.

"puff--"

A dazzling blood flower suddenly bloomed on the purple Taoist robe.

The blood splattered out unlike the usual spurts from a wound. Instead, it was as if an invisible force had ignited it from within the body, with flesh, bone fragments, and true energy shooting out in a horrific arc through the air.

Zhang Daoyi's massive body seemed to have been stripped of all support, flying straight backward. His back slammed into a broken stone pillar, cracking the thousand-year-old mysterious stone with spiderweb-like fissures. Blood gushed from his mouth, staining the Bagua pattern on his chest red, and his eyes were filled with disbelief and horror.

Lingxiao withdrew his finger, his smile remaining gentle.

This scene,
Everyone was stunned.

The most shocked were Gongsun Jue and Zhang Xisu.

Ling Xiao so casually injured Zhang Daoyi with a single finger, just as Zhang Daoyi had casually injured the two of them before.

However, this "Lingxiao" was created by the two of them; it was clearly fake.

Ling Xiao smiled and looked at Gongsun Jue and Zhang Xisu, then chuckled and said, "Truth and falsehood are just a matter of a single thought. I am Ling Xiao, and that is who I am!"

The two of them understood immediately.

He immediately knelt down and shouted, "Holy Master!"

now,

On the execution platform, Shen Yao looked at the dying Zhang Daoyi, and at the wound on Zhang Daoyi's chest. He was suddenly shocked and said, "It matches...it all matches..."

He looked around the mandala at this moment. Ninety percent of the people were lying on the ground, just as desolate as the scene he had seen when he peered into the secrets of heaven. Zhang Daoyi was also like the scene he had seen, slumped against a broken pillar, blood gushing from his chest, barely breathing.

"The general trend... cannot be changed... the general trend cannot be changed... but the secrets of heaven... the secrets of heaven have no dead end..."

Shen Yao's face was deathly pale. He knelt on the ground, trembling, and took out copper coins to put on the ground. The rain was pouring down, and he was soaked to the bone. His hair was a mess, and he looked like a madman.

As the three copper coins landed, he stared intently at them.

At this moment,
Ling Xiao walked to Shen Yao's side and said softly, "Child, do you see a way out?"

"It's a dead end."

Ling Xiao chuckled and said, "Then there's no solution."

However, Shen Yao suddenly raised his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, then another, followed by a burst of laughter, shouting, "Hahahaha... Gongsun Jue... I predicted Gongsun Jue... He's doomed today... Hahahaha..."

Ling Xiao's expression remained gentle as he asked, "Then, what is his path to death?"

Shen Yao said in a deep voice, "The number one in the world is Gu Mo!"

At this moment, Zhang Xisu shouted, "Impossible! Gu Mo can't even leave the Ascension Platform. The Immortal Slaughtering Formation has already been repaired and strengthened. He can't come here. Even if he manages to break the Immortal Slaughtering Formation by chance, he will definitely be seriously injured and on the verge of death. How can he fight against the Holy Master?"

Shen Yao retorted irritably, "How should I know? This is what I see. The trend is irreversible, hahaha. I can't change the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, I can't change the ending, and neither can you. Gongsun Jue is doomed, but we have a way to live!"

Ling Xiao smiled slightly, patted Shen Yao on the shoulder, and said, "I am also a fortune teller. Small trends can be changed, but big trends cannot. What this means is actually to act according to one's ability!"

"Ok?"

Shen Yao was stunned, because this was exactly what he was trying to understand.

Ling Xiao said, "What is a minor trend and what is a major trend? The standard for measurement is to act according to one's ability. If one has enough power to change something, it is a minor trend; if one cannot change something, it is a major trend."

For example, if I kill Gu Mo now, it means Gongsun Jue will die, which is a minor consequence. Conversely, if you had been powerful enough to kill Zhang Xisu directly, there wouldn't be the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony today. That's also a minor consequence. Conversely, it's a major consequence!

After saying that, Ling Xiao looked up at Tiandu Peak and whispered, "That child named Gu Mo has woken up!"

(End of this chapter)