I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 364 A Net of Heaven and Earth, Sages and Immortals

Xu Qing never expected Zhu Huai'an to have such courage. Regardless of whether the matter of demons was true or false, if the other party had consulted the Celestial Master's Mansion or other experts, he would know what price this action would mean.

Nearby, a fox was still somewhat bewildered.

Why would a human emperor actually send a large army to help?
The Gu family's Four Symbols Army specializes in military aura.

At this moment, with Baiyun Cave as the center, the faint phantom images of the Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger appear in all four directions.

Looking at the soaring soldiers, Xuan Yu felt a little uneasy.

The emperor spared no effort in helping Xu Xianjia exorcise the evil spirits. Given Xu Xianjia's nature of always seeking revenge and repaying kindness, wouldn't he be expected to go to the capital with the emperor to serve as an official afterward?
Xu Qing had no idea what the fox and cat behind him were thinking. He had only one thought in mind: to find Wang Liang and the Four Symbols Military Master as soon as possible and teach them a more complete battle formation.

The military formation that Wang Liang had set up was still the Eight Gates Formation created by later generations. While this formation could be used in modern battle formations, Xu Qing could not unleash even half the power of this 100,000-strong military formation!
When Xu Qing performed the ritual to help Ji Lingzhou pass on in the Yinhe Ancient Road, he obtained two methods: one was the Qimen Dunjia of the Human and Earth categories, and the other was a battle formation method of the lower grade of the Earth category, called the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation.

This formation combines offense and defense. It was created by Ji Lingzhou's ancestor, the master of Qishan Tomb, during his lifetime. It can be said to be the master of human formations, bringing together the best of battle formations. Once it can be used, it can achieve battle formation power that surpasses the ordinary.

Other formations such as the Eight Gates Formation, the Qimen Formation, and the Small Ten Formation all evolved from this formation.

Unable to refuse Zhu Tianzi's hospitality, Xu Qing knew he couldn't decline. Rather than wasting time thinking about the aftermath, he decided to focus on improving the immediate workforce.

As for the rest, we can discuss them after this matter is over.

Xu Qing instructed Bai Qiuyu to maintain the formation, and at the same time patiently reminded Xuan Yu to meditate and cultivate properly, and not to be affected by the outside world.

He then darted down the mountain alone and arrived at the midst of a hundred thousand troops.

In the main camp, Wang Liang was sitting with the four generals Shang Shaoyang, Gu Yanshan, Gu Ziqian, and Gu Cheng, discussing matters.

Gu Ziqian is a direct descendant of the Gu family and can be described as both scholarly and martial. However, he has always been dismissive of the rumors about demons in Yunmeng Mountain.

He was born in Zongwu Mansion. From a young age, besides studying, he spent his time in the military camp. With the fierce aura of a soldier, how could he have encountered any demons?

Even minor demons and ghosts would be instantly annihilated by the sheer force of the army!

Gu Ziqian followed his uncle-in-law Shang Shaoyang on a southern expedition, driving the Nancuo barbarians six hundred li south and recovering the lost territory of three prefectures in just a few years.

Even with such achievements, His Majesty would not have valued them as much as he does today.

What virtues and abilities does this so-called Holy Teacher of the Emperor possess that would allow His Majesty to dispatch 100,000 elite troops to Yunmeng Mountain to assist him?

And then there's his uncle, Shang Shaoyang, a man who broke with his family for the sake of the safety of the common people and married into the Gu family. He also made a decisive move and persuaded the head of the family to submit a memorial to the emperor, bringing in the Four Symbols Army, the foundation of their Zongwu Mansion, to help them.

What exactly were the achievements of this holy teacher?
Gu Ziqian was not the only one who thought this way; many generals in the army also had doubts.

Wang Liang looked around the tent and finally spoke:

"The Emperor's Holy Master is also my teacher, but I am the Holy Master's worst student, and I have not even been accepted into his sect."

“I know what you are thinking, but I can tell you that the Holy Master’s talent is by no means inferior to that of Grandfather Taigong, and the harm caused by demons is by no means as simple as we think.”

"Gentlemen, we must all work together with you, and with the same fighting spirit we had when we conquered the world for His Majesty, to fight this battle!"

"This way, the world will know that the might of our Great Yan Army is unstoppable, even by immortals, gods, demons, and monsters!"

Everyone echoed in agreement, but just as Wang Liang was boosting morale, a soldier suddenly came to report from outside the tent.

"Reporting to the Marshal, there is a man outside the tent who claims to be Mr. Xu and requests an audience."

"Mr. Xu?"

Wang Liang suddenly stood up, overjoyed, and said, "Quickly! Everyone, follow me to welcome the Holy Master!"

Outside the military tent, Xu Qing was observing the changes in the military formation. However, just as he was pondering, dozens of generals suddenly walked out of the large tent behind him.

Immediately afterwards, he saw Wang Liang, the commander-in-chief, bow deeply to him and address him as 'Holy Teacher'.

Meanwhile, Shang Shaoyang, who was standing by, couldn't resist the commotion and even bowed and called out "Holy Master."

Xu Qing froze, he really hadn't expected this move.

"What is this all about? I am but a humble mountain dweller, how dare I accept such a grand gesture from you generals?"

Looking at Xu Qing's shocked expression, Wang Liang was somewhat speechless.

When the gentleman slapped him in the face at the coroner's shop, he wasn't this humble.

Wang Liang wanted to invite Xu Qing into the tent for a discussion, but the gentleman refused by raising his hand.

Having no relatives in the army, Xu Qing knew that he might not feel very comfortable interacting with the marshal after entering the tent, so he might as well explain everything outside the tent.

The matter of the demons in Baiyun Cave has been revealed, and Xu Qing no longer conceals it. He immediately ordered his soldiers to break off a tree branch, and then, in the open space in front of the camp, he began to draw the formation of the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array.

"Marshal Wang, generals, this is the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, created by King Wen in ancient times. If you want the military formation to unleash its full power, you must use this formation!"

The Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation is extremely difficult to learn. Xu Qing did not expect anyone to be able to comprehend this formation. He broke down each key formation of the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation and made each of the generals learn only one of them.

Wang Liang possessed the talent of a general, Shang Shaoyang was also a quick-witted person, and even Gu Ziqian, who had been observing Xu Qing coldly from the beginning, was now single-minded and obedient like a child entering school for the first time, without the slightest negligence.

These generals were mostly well-versed in military strategy and could understand ten things from one piece of knowledge. Even if there were things they didn't understand, they would immediately understand once Xu Qing pointed them out.

However, some dull-witted officers simply couldn't learn no matter how much Xu Qing tried to teach them.

Xu Qing had never seen such stupid people. This wasn't asking them to use the complete Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, but only the simplest combination formation. How could they not learn it?

Even if you're stupid, can't you learn to deduce the most basic formations?

Xu Qing finally lost his temper and had no choice but to take out the Sacred Ruler and tap these blockheads on the head.

As generals, how could they have ever suffered such humiliation in front of so many soldiers?
But after seeing that Shang Shaoyang, who had previously led the chanting of "Holy Teacher," had also been reprimanded, the generals became obedient and listened attentively, like children in a school.

After the formation was taught, the generals each led their own troops and, using flags as signals, began to practice and refine their formations.

These soldiers were all veterans of countless battles, and in less than ten days, the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, which had been lost for a thousand years, reappeared in the world.

At a high point in the camp, Wang Liang and Shang Shaoyang were talking with Xu Qing.

"Why must you risk your life alone to deal with that demon? If we follow the advice of the Celestial Master's Mansion, my 100,000-strong army is enough to suppress that demon once again."

Xu Qing looked up towards the direction of Baiyun Cave and smiled gently:

"I did not come here to suppress the demons here."

"Not to suppress demons?" Wang Liang asked, puzzled. Shang Shaoyang was equally taken aback.

Xu Qing turned around and laughed, "It's not easy for you to go to such lengths to set up this inescapable net. If 100,000 men are only here to suppress a single demon, then you are overestimating it."

"What do you mean, sir?"

Xu Qing composed himself and said solemnly, "That demon has been suppressed in Baiyun Cave for a thousand years, yet it can still bewitch others and perform blood sacrifices. If we cannot completely eradicate it this time, it may cause even more trouble in the future."

"Moreover, I have a long-standing grudge against it that has not yet been settled. If I do not take advantage of this moment when everyone is united to completely eliminate it, how can I face these soldiers who have helped me?"

There will always be a time when the suppression ends. These 100,000 soldiers will also have descendants. Once the Heavenly Fox, who has mastered the Nine Heavens Secret Technique Earthly Fiend Method, is freed, it will surely go on a killing spree and refine the Ghost Head Divine Blade in its hand to make up for the many years of cultivation it has delayed.

Whether it was for his own revenge against Xuan Yu, or to live up to the expectations of the soldiers who fought for him, Xu Qing was determined to fight with all his might and not give the old vixen any chance to catch her breath.

Seeing that Xu Qing was about to take his leave, Shang Shaoyang hurriedly asked, "Brother Xu, please wait!"

Seeing Xu Qing turn to look at him, Shang Shaoyang finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind for a long time.

"Brother Xu, are you truly a cultivator of immortality? Is it possible that immortals really exist in this world?"

Xu Qing asked with a smile, "Doesn't the Celestial Master's Mansion also claim to be a place for cultivators? Why are you asking me?" Shang Shaoyang frowned and shook his head, "In my eyes, those people who are obsessed with money are not even worthy of being called seekers of immortality. They are not even as good as some of the wandering knights I know. If I were to say who is most like a seeker of immortality, in my eyes, I would probably only be Brother Xu."

"."

Xu Qing chuckled and shook his head.

"What immortals or gods are there in this world? Even if they were, would you really abandon your wife and children to go and seek immortality on your own?"

Shang Shaoyang was speechless.

He has always valued loyalty and righteousness more than mountains, and he would never abandon all his attachments to seek the fruitless path of immortality.

"Yes, if you're not going to seek immortality, why bother asking about it?"

Shang Shaoyang smiled with relief, but just when he thought he had seen through everything, he saw Brother Xu suddenly stand up and leap into the clouds.
When he opened his eyes wide and looked up, Brother Xu's figure had already disappeared into the towering mountains.

"."

Wang Liang, standing nearby, was equally shocked and bewildered.

This leap, without any fluctuation of internal energy or leakage of any protective aura, could only have been accomplished through sheer physical strength.

Even celestial beings shouldn't be so easily swayed.
Could Mr. Xu really be a cultivator of immortality?

Three days later, outside the Illusionary Heaven Array.

Bai Qiuyu stared at the trembling entrance of Baiyun Cave with the look of someone facing a formidable enemy.

"Sect Leader."

Xu Qing raised his hand to stop him. His expression was solemn, and his right hand moved quickly. When a large ominous character appeared in the Qimen Dunjia divination, he instantly looked up.

The mountainside in front of Baiyun Cave, riddled with holes, cracked open once more, unleashing a fierce and malevolent aura that had been accumulating for thousands of years.

Xu Qing heard a sinister laugh coming from deep within the White Cloud Cave.

Even through the barrier, Xu Qing could feel the sinister smile of the old witch inside the cave.

This person truly felt that their luck had turned around and they could do whatever they wanted.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and decided to take the initiative.

He planted the Demon-Slaying Sword in the center of the array plate, making it the eye of the Demon-Locking Array, and at the same time took out the Shouyang Great Axe with both hands. He turned his head and said to the black-clad girl who was meditating not far away, "Xuan Yu!"

With a tense expression, Xuan Yu, who had been suppressing her own cultivation level by relying on the Dharma Realm, finally stopped holding back.

Eight wisps of black mist suddenly swept out from around Xuan Yu's body, converged and circled several times above his head, and then transformed into eight black cat clones, before finally returning to Xuan Yu's body.

At this moment, Xuan Yu's black clothes and skirt fluttered in the wind, and her long hair, which was bound by ropes, broke free and flew like a waterfall!
A soaring demonic aura enveloped the White Cloud Cave. The next moment, the pale blue sky was suddenly stained with a layer of crimson silk, as if the clouds in the sky were made of cotton wool, and someone had set a huge fire in the sky.

When the fire engulfed an area of ​​ten miles, countless fire dragons wove together a huge fire net, which instantly covered the direction of Baiyun Cave.

Ten miles away at the foot of Baiyun Cave Mountain, Wang Liang, who was leading the Great Yan army, finally understood why his master had asked them to build a Heavenly Net formation instead of going into the mountain to fight demons.

This heavenly fire is something no ordinary person can handle.

Before Baiyun Cave, the mountain that had not yet crumbled instantly collapsed the moment it came into contact with the heavenly fire.

Inside the White Cloud Cave, the celestial fox was overjoyed, thinking it had a fellow traveler to help it escape its predicament. However, when the old woman, leaning on her cane, strode out of the White Cloud Cave, she was met with a river of fire hanging upside down.

As the Holy Aunt who wreaked havoc on the human world a thousand years ago, how could she, with her ten thousand years of cultivation, not see that this was a natural disaster?

The Holy Aunt was indeed the Holy Aunt; with a glance from the old woman's gloomy eyes, she spotted the little girl in the black dress undergoing tribulation not far away.

It recognized the girl; she was the Nine-Lives Black Cat with whom it had a grudge years ago.

But no matter how great the grudge is, why would you come to someone else's doorstep to undergo a tribulation?

Furthermore, does this little cat really think that a senior practitioner of the Earthly Fiend Secret Technique would be afraid of a little bit of heavenly fire?
The Holy Aunt sneered and was about to step out of the cave to seek revenge on the little wildcat when she suddenly realized that the scene before her eyes had changed. The area around White Cloud Cave had instantly transformed into the scene where she had worshipped the moon and sought enlightenment in front of the lonely grave in the wilderness.

The old woman frowned, and then saw her children, who had died tragically in their youth because of their evil deeds, in the distance.

Its son, shot in the leg by a hunter, was clutching his wound and calling out loudly for his mother to save him.

On the other side, the youngest daughter, Hu Mei, was also forced to reveal her true form by a Zen master, who was about to execute her on the spot.

The Holy Aunt's expression shifted, and she knew that she had fallen under someone else's illusion, and that everything here was a result of her inner emotions.

The old woman's resolve was firm. After understanding her situation, she immediately spoke with a thunderous voice, "You two sworn enemies are better off dead than trying to distract me! How could I fall for your trick? Rest assured, once I find the one who has mocked me, I will surely punish him!"

Before the Holy Aunt could finish speaking, she discovered that another eight-year-old child had appeared in the illusion. The child was wearing a small bib and holding a small toy axe, which was about twenty feet away, and was about to chop it down.
This child?
At first, the Holy Aunt was somewhat puzzled, but when the axe grew in the wind and transformed into the Shouyang Great Axe, the Holy Aunt's expression changed drastically.

This is no seven or eight-year-old child; it's clearly a nemesis that wants to take its old life!
Outside the White Cloud Cave, bursts of thunder echoed as the Heavenly Gang Axe Technique, stacked to twenty-six layers, tore through the illusion array and completely engulfed the old female fox.

However, amidst the lingering dust and powder, a ghost-headed divine blade flew out, pointing directly at Xu Qing, who was wielding the Shouyang Great Axe!

Xu Qing frowned. The twenty-sixth level Heavenly Gang Axe was still not enough to deal with this Heavenly Fox with ten thousand years of cultivation.

The four flags that had been planted around the illusion array flickered, and Xu Qing's figure disappeared.

Just then, the Ghost Head Divine Blade struck down, and its bloodthirsty aura carved a trench more than ten feet deep into the White Cloud Cave, a prison built by the upper realm.

Even though he knew that the White Cloud Cave was less than one-tenth of its original strength due to the broken seal, Xu Qing was still amazed by the old female fox's profound magical power.

This Earthly Fiend attack technique is indeed powerful.

"So it was you! I didn't bother to seek revenge on you, but you delivered yourself right to my doorstep!"

When the old woman saw Xu Qing, her entire face visibly darkened. This kid was just as cunning as she had been back then.

However, the difference in their realms was as vast as heaven and earth; even if the other possessed the divine power to create the world, he could not cross this chasm.

Xu Qing chuckled, and the Demon-Slaying Sword standing in the center of Baiyun Cave suddenly began to tremble.

At the same time, the array plate produced by the Five Elders Temple and supervised by the head of the Jingxu Temple shone brightly.

Golden Light Formation, Nine Luminaries Demon-Subduing Formation, Five Thunder Evil-Slaying Formation
The formation that specifically countered demons exploded like fireworks during the Lunar New Year at the old fox's feet.

"."

The Holy Aunt had never seen such shameless tactics before. This was a trap laid all the way to her doorstep. In all her years of life, she had never seen anything so immoral!
"Five Thunder Orthodox Method, Taoist Golden Light Formation, who exactly are you?"

Xu Qing chuckled but did not respond.

At this moment, Xuan Yu had already used the incense from the Cat Immortal Hall to survive the Heavenly Fire Calamity, and the Yin Fire that had surged from the soles of his feet had also been completely extinguished by it.

Looking at the array plate in front of him, which was about to collapse, Xu Qing finally stopped concealing his aura.

The bone-integrated circulation of energy caused the perfectly formed zombie aura to soar into the sky, while heavenly fire, hundreds of times stronger than Xuan Yu, surged down instantly.

At the same time, a purplish-black yin fire poured into Xu Qing's body from the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of his foot.

Xu Qing groaned, nearly losing his balance. Was God drunk again today and no longer recognizing people?

The Holy Aunt sensed the aura of the Thousand-Year Corpse Monster. While avoiding the formations that couldn't fundamentally harm the fox, it chuckled strangely:
"So you're a corpse monster. Was this formation set up by your master? Your master dares not confront me directly, instead sending a corpse monster like you to cause me trouble."

The old female fox cultivated the secret arts of the Earthly Fiends, and was not afraid of evil magic or mere corpse monsters.
However, before it could settle down, the young man standing on the ground in the distance was suddenly enveloped in a holy light.

The vast Blood Lake, with its millions of incense offerings, was now enveloped in a cloud of incense smoke. Xu Qing, standing on the incense smoke, had transformed into the deity of life protection, wearing a five-phoenix crown, a colorful silk fairy robe, and a jade-like cloud-like shoulder cape.
(End of this chapter)