I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 236 Land Gods
After a flurry of whispers among the various factions, both in the sky and on the ground, most of them finally understood where Jiang Xingyun had come from.

But he was still under twenty years old, and no one would believe that he had entered the Nascent Soul realm.

After a brief silence, the demons of the Demon Alliance erupted in a deafening chorus of boos.

The Cold Nightmare Suanni glanced at Jiang Xingyun and sneered, "Is the human race truly devoid of talent, sending over such a mere virgin?"

"Why even bother fighting? I could blow him to pieces with just a gentle breath."

Jiang Xingyun seemed not to hear him, only looked at him quietly, and calmly extended her hand, "Please."

As soon as he finished speaking, he closed his folding fan and took a step forward.

This kick was extremely light, leaving no sound in the air, and the energy of heaven and earth trembled slightly.

The onlookers only saw a blur before their eyes.

Jiang Xingyun had already arrived in front of the Cold Nightmare Suanni.

There was no build-up, no dazzling light, no earth-shattering roar.

A hand emerged from the wide sleeve.

That hand was very white and thin, and looked weak, but the palm seemed to be covered with an invisible layer of ink and gold patterns, the lines were too clean.

As the palm struck, a faint aura of literature arose, condensing into an image: a person in the air turned a page of a scripture and softly read, "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement."

The imagery followed the intent of the palm, and this palm struck the left shoulder of the Cold Nightmare Suanni. The Suanni swayed its body repeatedly, but it could not dodge it no matter what.

But then there was a soft "plop," like knuckles tapping on the table.

The next instant, a hole the size of a bowl exploded in the silver armor on the left shoulder of the Suanni, the armor plates flipped up, and demon blood and shattered ice sprayed out together.

Half of the Cold Nightmare Suanni's body suddenly sank, and its entire body fell to the side.

boom! boom! boom!
The gasps of alarm coalesced into a storm, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing.

"Only one palm strike..."

"This is the Three Powers Returning to Origin Palm! He received the true teachings of Master Guanhai!"

"It's the Heavenly Palm from the Three Powers Returning to Origin Palm!"

Wei Xiang exclaimed in surprise, tears streaming down his face, "Today I have witnessed the Heavenly Palm again! When this palm strikes, the principles of Heaven, the power of thunder, and the order of rites and laws are all combined into one, which is the supreme and wonderful method of our Confucian school!"

How could such a lowly demon possibly stand a chance?

The Cold Nightmare Lion roared in pain, trying to forcefully gather its energy, but the wound suddenly exploded again, and its entire upper body was almost completely destroyed.

"Do not act rashly. The Heavenly Palm is fierce and its intent penetrates the flesh and lingers for a long time. If you dare to gather your energy again, it will be regarded as an offense against the Heavenly Palm, and the palm intent will be detonated again."

A powerful demon shouted a warning, "There is no other way but to nurture it gently."

Another collective gasp filled the room.

Before the demon blood had even dried, the Frost Nightmare Lion was dragged back into the Demon Alliance formation, its roar echoing in the air.

The great demon in the center, named Langri Giant Kun, is the demon leading the demon alliance this time.

He thought that the Demon Alliance would make a name for itself in this campaign against the Crown Prince's residence of the Great Zhou, but he never expected to be exposed so badly. How could he tolerate such a disgraceful situation?

With a light clap of his hand, the three great demons simultaneously formed a battle array.

The one on the left has broad shoulders like a mountain range, is covered in rock armor, and carries the aura of muffled thunder from a collapsing mountain.

The one in the middle has a winding snake tail below its waist, its scales shimmering with a green hue.

The one on the right has feathered bones growing on its back, its bone crown looking imposing, and the tips of its feathers fluttering slightly.

The three-headed demon had just stepped forward when the people in the Crown Prince's residence objected.

"To bully the few with numbers, how shameless."

"Aren't demons supposed to be the most shameful? What, have they abandoned it now?"

The Crown Prince's faction erupted in thunderous taunts.

The white-robed cloaked man sneered, "Ning Boqian, if you feel it's unfair, you can add more people."

He was certain that the Crown Prince's residence wouldn't be able to add any more people.

Jiang Xingyun waved his hand calmly, "No need, I'm fine on my own."

Enraged, the three-headed demon attacked simultaneously without further ado.

The Rock Armor Demon raised its arm with immense force, and a massive pillar of rock flame, as thick as a person's embrace, condensed in the void and crashed down towards Jiang Xingyun.

A ghostly light splattered from the snake-tailed demon's sleeves, transforming into indistinct, wispy shadows that targeted the acupoints of the spirit's consciousness.

The Feathered Bone Demon flapped its wings, and hundreds of feather blades wove into a pitch-black net. Wind and thunder rolled within the net, and when it descended, it easily blocked all of Jiang Xingyun's escape routes.

In an instant, the sky darkened, and flames, poisonous light, blade flashes, and thunder roared in layers.

Wei Xiang's fingertips trembled slightly as he whispered, "This is a combined attack technique, young friend Jiang, be careful."

Jiang Xingyun did not retreat or dodge, but slowly extended his right palm, palm facing up.

A thin ring of clear light condensed around the edge of his palm. He suddenly swung his palm out, and the sound was extremely soft as the wind from his palm fell, as if something had been gently touched between heaven and earth.

In an instant,

The giant pillar of rock flames unleashed by the Rock Armor Demon suddenly stopped a few feet above the ground, as if it were entangled by an invisible net. In an instant, it reversed direction and blasted towards the Rock Armor Demon's chest.

His breastplate caved in with a thud, a bloody hole running from front to back.

The ghostly light and shadows unleashed by the snake-tailed demon suddenly stopped as they approached Jiang Xingyun's brow, as if they had hit an invisible wall. They then turned back and rolled into the snake-tailed demon's chest and abdomen.

He was suddenly jolted, felt a sweet taste in his throat, and spat out a mouthful of dark blood mist.

Almost simultaneously, the feather net unleashed by the Feather Bone Demon suddenly lost its support, and hundreds of feather blades deflected by half an inch, grazing past Jiang Xingyun and slashing diagonally at the Feather Bone Demon's body in the opposite direction.

Feathers and bones fell, and a horrific wound appeared between his chest and abdomen.

The entire room was silent, save for three muffled thuds.

The three great demons staggered backward at the same time, each one a bloody mess.

"The power of a single palm strike!"

"He...he precisely hit the spot where the three demonic energies converged!"

"What a magnificent Three Powers Returning to Origin Palm! What a Confucian supernatural power!"

The Crown Prince's faction was in an uproar.

Conversely, the five assassin factions fell silent.

If Jiang Xingyun were just powerful, that would be one thing, but now, we can neither discern his cultivation level nor understand his techniques, which sends chills down our spines.

Within the Demon Alliance formation, Langri Giant Kun pulled his cloak back and took a half-step forward. "Our Demon Alliance has fought two battles in a row, and we have exerted all our strength. Now it is up to you all to show your strength. Of course, if there are any tough nuts to crack, I will personally step in."

The Demon Alliance is not a charitable organization; they charge into battle only for the rewards from the white-robed, cloaked figure.

With the Path of Destruction as its safety net, the Giant Kun of the Bright Sun is not worried that the White-Robed Man will not keep his promise.

"Gentlemen, who will come forward?"

The man in the white robe and cloak spoke loudly.

There wasn't a trace of anxiety in his voice; in fact, he didn't need to be anxious at all.

He invited far too many powerful figures this time. Although Jiang Xingyun is strong and mysterious, he is not worth the trouble of those old monsters.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, a member of the Cangqiu Spirit Clan stepped forward.

Liu Zhiwei, who had been observing coldly, felt a sudden jolt in her heart. The person who appeared was none other than Chi Jiuyin, the former young master of the Cangqiu Spirit Clan and the great-grandson of the Cangqiu Spirit Clan's Grand Priest.

He landed gracefully, his long black robe trailing on the ground. Wherever he passed, chilling flames rose from the ground and slowly coiled around the edges of his boots.

Dark red runes, like snakes and vines, meandered across the exposed skin.

"I will fight this battle."

Chi Jiuyin stood firmly in the arena, his voice as cold as ice.

Jiang Xingyun didn't waste any words. The clear light on his palm reappeared, and his energy rose and fell, just like his previous palm strike.

As the palm strike landed, an invisible killing intent swept down from above, directly engulfing Chi Jiuyin's chest.

Chi Jiuyin remained unmoved, letting the palm shadows envelop him, his black robes fluttering in the wind.

"He didn't even flinch!"

"That's courting death!"

"Who does he think he is!"

The instant Jiang Xingyun's palm strike landed, a golden dharma image twelve feet tall suddenly ignited behind Chi Jiuyin, with yin flames swirling around it. The golden image's face was blurred, but its arms were as strong as mountains and its ten fingers as strong as pillars, catching the palm strike completely.

A thin ripple spread across the surface of the Dharma image, which was quickly swallowed up by the dark flames surrounding it.

"it is good!"

The five assassin factions erupted in thunderous cheers.

Everyone in the Crown Prince's residence gasped in shock.

Jiang Xingyun's usually icy face finally showed emotion.

He let out a deep shout, and golden light emanated from his body. He pushed forward with both palms, and a burst of clear light flashed from his palms, achieving the perfect unity of the three realms.

Just as Jiang Xingyun was about to unleash his ultimate move, Chi Jiuyin also made his move.

A green light shone from between his brows, penetrating the thick cloak.

As soon as the green light appeared, everyone felt that the world before them seemed different.

The connection of force between Jiang Xingyun's shoulder and elbow suddenly faltered, almost imperceptibly, as if half a word had been missed in his breath.

It was a fraction of a breath, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but the pupils of two or three old monsters outside the formation shrank.

"Spirit Clan Secret Technique, Spirit Stabilization Technique."

Wei Xiang recognized the green light and cried out in alarm.

However, it was too late. In a battle between the strong, even a delay of a fraction of a second, let alone a mere second, can determine the outcome.

It was this one-thousandth of a breath of delay that allowed Jiang Xingyun's Three Talents Returning to Origin Palm, which should have flowed smoothly, to be abruptly cut off just as it was about to return to its original state, creating a gap.

Before the palms could even close, the different forces that were channeling their supernatural powers began to clash with each other.

At the same instant, Chi Jiuyin raised his palm, and the Yin Fire in his sleeve surged out along his palm, grazing Jiang Xingyun's still unfinished palm force.

The entire balance of the three powers was skewed, and the Yin Fire seemed to seep in through the cracks, rushing along the river and clouds, straight up the arm bones and meridians to the chest.

A muffled thud exploded in the air.

Jiang Xingyun was thrown backward by the shock, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Brother Jiang!

"Brother Xingyun, be careful!"

The people in the Crown Prince's residence cried out in alarm, as if they had lost their parents.

After landing a successful blow, Chi Jiuyin did not pursue. His golden avatar gradually disappeared behind him, as if the previous palm strike was merely a dusting away.

The white-robed cloaked man glanced at him and nodded slightly, "I will remember your great merit."

Chi Jiuyin smiled slightly, his eyes hidden beneath his black robe looking at Liu Zhiwei, his heart surging with emotion. "I wonder what your innate divine power is? Today I'll show you my power and see if I'm worthy of you."

"The day you marry me, I will ultimately be the master of this Cangqiu."

In an instant, Jiang Xingyun was connected to the protective formation.

He raised his sleeve to wipe the blood from his lips, his breathing slightly disordered, but his eyes remained cold. "My skills are inferior to yours, I apologize for making you all laugh."

The Crown Prince stepped forward, placed his hand on his shoulder, and said with a look of pity, "Back then, it was nothing more than a small favor for your teacher. You and your teacher still remember it to this day. The one who should feel truly ashamed is me."

Jiang Xingyun cupped his hands in greeting, "Your Highness is too kind. Even if my master were still alive, he would certainly not be absent today."

"His Majesty is no longer here, but Xingyun is willing to die for you."

The Crown Prince, his voice choked with emotion, gently patted Jiang Xingyun's shoulder.

High in the air, the white-robed cloaked man chuckled, "Ning Boqian, you'll never change your ways."

I'm too lazy to watch you showcase your stage talent. The bet is made, and it's time for someone from the Crown Prince's Palace to take the stage.

If no one dares to fight, then you shall commit suicide as agreed, and not waste everyone's time.

The crown prince turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Everyone stepped forward, eagerly volunteering for the battle.

The crown prince gestured with his hands, saying, "I appreciate your kindness and generosity."

But you have all done your best; the rest of the journey I must walk alone.

Jiang Xingyun couldn't help but take a half step forward, but before he could speak, the Crown Prince raised his hand and pressed him back down.

Wei Xiang strode forward and said, “I am willing to fight. Although my body and bones cannot destroy the enemy, I still have a noble spirit and can always splash the enemy’s blood.”

"Old Wei, please rest well. My eldest brother and second brother are stationed far away on the border, but Father still has his daughter."

Ning Shu stepped forward and said, “As the saying goes, father and son go to war together. Since my two elder brothers are not here, I, Ning Shu, will act as your son. As long as the son is alive, the father can rest in peace.”

Though brief, the words were filled with a sense of tragedy.

With tears in his eyes, the Crown Prince gently hugged Ning Shu, saying, "Since ancient times, only fathers have protected their children; how can it be the other way around?"

Rest assured, your father has not neglected his spiritual practice over the years.

As the prince was about to step out of the Golden Palace Heavenly Wall Formation, a song suddenly rolled down from the roof ridge: "Sing when you gain, rest when you lose; much sorrow and hatred are also fleeting."

"Drink today, for tomorrow we may die."

This sound, though not loud, overwhelmed all the noise and echoed along the array patterns.

"It's a poem by a melancholy autumn traveler!"

someone exclaimed.

But then a voice said, "It's a poem by the Lamenter of Autumn. The old madman likes it, but why does he need the Lamenter of Autumn's permission to recite it? Absurd!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a person swaying down from the central roof ridge.

He was forty-five or forty-six years old, with a stubble beard, his blue robe was faded, one button of the collar was undone, revealing a section of his collarbone, and his hair was half-loose, fluttering in the wind.

This man wore a tattered boot on his left foot and a straw sandal on his right, the soles of which were worn down to the point of showing the stitching.

A black lacquered gourd hung from his waist; its outer shell was mottled from its age.

The man, holding a gourd in one hand, swayed and staggered into the arena after landing.

His every step resembled that of a drunkard, yet his body was inexplicably in harmony with the energy of heaven and earth.

"Who are you? State your name."

The man in the white robe and cloak shouted loudly.

The man chuckled, pulled off the gourd lid, and said, "Aren't you going to talk? You old madman."

"Hiding one's head and showing one's tail doesn't make one a hero."

The man in the white robe and cloak, of course, didn't believe it.

"Heroes? What kind of bullshit is that? Winning a fight makes you a hero."

The old madman sauntered up to Chi Jiuyin's feet, looked up at him, and asked, "Want to fight you?"

Chi Jiuyin's eyes, hidden behind his cloak, flashed with disdain. "You dare to challenge me!"

The old madman laughed heartily, "You came from Cangqiu, didn't you? Is that old codger Chi Wuming dead yet?"

Chi Jiuyin was startled. Chi Wuming was the name of the Grand Priest of the Cangqiu Spirit Clan.

There are not many people in this world who know this name anymore.

The old madman casually uttered the name of the Grand Priest, and Chi Jiuyin suddenly felt uneasy.

Wei Xiang thought that Chi Jiuyin was about to unleash a powerful move, so he hurriedly reminded him, "Young man, don't be careless. This person is most likely a member of the Spirit Clan and possesses an innate divine ability that can stabilize one-thousandth of a breath of the spirit."

"most?"

The old madman laughed and said, "The Spirit Race is easy to identify. The men are handsome and the women are beautiful. When their blood and qi surge, their faces have fine scale patterns."

Wei Xiang sneered, "What's the use of saying all this? They're all wrapped up in cloaks, so be careful."

It was rare for someone to step in during a crisis, and Wei Xiang was deeply worried that the old madman might be tricked again due to a lack of understanding of the enemy's situation.

"Wrapped in a cloak?"

The old madman laughed loudly, "Why don't we just peel it open and take a look?"

As he spoke, he took a sip of wine, opened his mouth and spat it out, the wine turning into droplets that floated in the air.

"go with!"

In an instant, the wine droplets drew out a line of cold light, instantly condensing into swords.

The next moment, a rain of swords shot out, like dragons soaring through the sky.

In the blink of an eye, thousands of swords unleashed sword beams several feet long, shaking the heavens and earth.

"This, this is a terrestrial immortal!"

"This, this is also..."

Everyone present was stunned; they were all worldly people.

You can distinguish between illusion and magic.

This old madman in front of me can actually turn a thousand swords into a sip of wine, each sword spitting out a sword light. It's a technique I've never heard of before.

The rain of swords, like dragons, roamed the void, then scattered in an instant, shooting in all directions.

The five assassin factions changed color simultaneously, all facing a barrage of swords.

In the ensuing chaos, everyone rushed to help.

Someone raised a single palm, and spiritual energy surged into a light shield;
Someone flicked their sleeve and threw out a string of talismans, which ignited and formed a talisman array;

Some people simply met the attack head-on, their magical weapons flying and crashing into the rain of swords.

Demonic energy, gale-force winds, and thunder and fire exploded in mid-air, while protective light merged into one.

Rumble!
The rain of swords shattered.

"Haha, all show and no substance."

"I knew it, what power could this possibly have?"

"That scared the hell out of me! So this is what it is."

The five assassin factions roared like thunder, their cheers echoing throughout.

The cheers vanished in an instant, replaced by gasps of surprise.

The rain of swords shattered, as if an indescribable, chaotic force surged into the attacks unleashed by the crowd.

In an instant, the spiritual energy was stirred up, the talisman array reversed, and the gale swirled back.

Their attack was instantly disrupted by this mysterious force, and instead turned against themselves.

In an instant, one cloak after another exploded open.

Everyone's true appearance was revealed.

A sliver of light flashed on the side of the Elven scales;

Blood-red patterns quietly crept out from the necks of the followers of the Witch God Cult;

The demons were all blue-faced, fanged, and of strange and imposing size.

The sky and the ground were deathly silent.

(End of this chapter)