Primordial Era: Refusing Hongjun's path to sainthood, I attained the Dao of Hunyuan.

Chapter 171 The Sages Reunite in the Myriad Immortals Formation

However, having defeated Lao Tzu, Tongtian was genuinely pleased, secretly thinking how fortunate he was to have had the foresight to borrow the Qiankun Cauldron from Nuwa.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult to achieve this merit.

"But he already knows about this formation change, so it will be difficult to win again. We need to finish the job in one battle. Why not set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation and settle the score with the two of them? I have the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the Qiankun Cauldron, while they have the Pangu Banner and the Taiji Diagram. It's fair!" After thinking it over, Tongtian ordered Duobao Daoren to issue a command to summon all the disciples of the Jie Sect.

For a time, the Three Realms were bustling with activity, as countless disciples of the Jie Sect gathered from all corners of the world.

What a magnificent sect the Jie Sect is! It's truly a gathering of immortals. Although it's a mixed bag, it shows the transformative power of the Tongtian Sect Leader. He is indeed the best in the Three Realms.

Under the orders of the Tongtian Sect Leader, the immortals of the Jie Sect mainly used the Zhuxian Sword Formation, and added many other formations of all kinds, numbering about ten thousand, hence the name Wanxian Formation (Ten Thousand Immortals Formation).

The formation contains both ten thousand immortals and ten thousand formations.

In fact, this formation was created by the Eastern King Duke. However, even with the Eastern King Duke's abilities at that time, the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation only had five hundred large formations and three thousand small formations. Although its power was great, it was far less powerful than it is now.

The current Ten Thousand Immortals Formation is based on the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation, supplemented by thousands of other formations of varying sizes, layered upon each other, encompassing everything. In addition, the Tongtian Sect Master personally oversees the formation, with all ten thousand immortals under his command participating in it.

When the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation was activated, its ferocious power was so great that even the Three Realms trembled, and all the powerful beings from all sides changed color.

Only then did I truly realize the terrifying nature of this Investiture of the Gods calamity. It wasn't about the calamity of the gods and immortals, but about the struggle among the saints.

If this great formation were only used for internal fighting, it would be fine, but once it is broken, its power will spread to the three realms, which would probably be a catastrophic disaster.

At this moment, the only ones in the Three Realms who could still laugh were probably the fellow disciples Jieyin and Zhunti on Mount Sumeru in the West.

Upon seeing the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation appear, Zhunti smiled and said to the guide, "Senior Brother, the opportunity for our Western Kingdom to prosper has finally arrived."

Jieyin smiled and nodded, saying, "However, things are not yet accomplished, so we must be cautious."

Outside Jiepai Pass, beside the Xiqi military camp, in a reed hut, Laozi escaped from the Zhuxian Sword Formation and returned to see Yuanshi, telling him about the situation inside the formation.

Yuanshi also became serious and was discussing how to break the formation. He could either have Nuwa retrieve the Qiankun Cauldron or enter the formation with Laozi and forcefully break it.

Unexpectedly, Tongtian changed the formation before they could, turning it into the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.

The two were even more alarmed when they saw the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. Yuanshi Tianzun said to Laozi, "The only way to break the formation now is probably to ask for help again."

Lao Tzu frowned and asked, "What help do you have?"

The Primordial Celestial Venerable said, "Apart from my two junior brothers from the West, the others are all outsiders and cannot be invited here."

Upon hearing this, Laozi sighed and said, "East and West are inherently incompatible. Moreover, everyone in the Three Realms knows what Zhunti is thinking. I'm afraid my junior brother's actions will have dire consequences."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable said, "We are now forced by circumstances and have no other choice, which shows that it is also the will of Heaven."

"Yes, it is the will of Heaven!" Lao Tzu sighed again, but did not object.

Therefore, the Primordial Celestial Venerable sent a message inviting the two Western Saints to come.

When Jieyin and Zhunti received the message, they were overjoyed. They saw a strange phenomenon in the Western Heaven: golden lotuses bloomed, emitting golden light. Above the golden light, more lotuses bloomed, layer upon layer, creating an intense spectacle that filled the sky.

Two Taoist priests, both withered and thin, slowly walked down from the lotus flower and descended at the reed hut in front of the boundary gate. They were indeed the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti.

Laozi and Yuanshi welcomed the two into the thatched hut, where they sat down. Laozi said, "My two junior brothers, this time we have gone against the will of Heaven to set up this evil formation for our junior brother Tongtian. Although it is also the will of Heaven, we still have to trouble you two."

Upon hearing this, Zhunti said, "To be honest, when I came here with Senior Brother Jieyin, I saw hundreds of red wisps of energy rising into the sky from the southeast and two other places. This indicates that we are destined to be connected with the West and will help it prosper. We also encountered Senior Brother Tongtian setting up this great formation, so we made the long journey to come here with Senior Brother Jieyin, hoping to meet with those in the Jie Sect who are destined to meet us."

When Zhunti said this, it was clear that he wanted to share the benefits. Among the ten thousand immortals of the Jie Sect, at least several hundred people would be saved.

Laozi fell silent upon hearing this. Yuanshi Tianzun thought for a moment, but since he was also a disciple of the Jie Sect, he didn't feel any heartache. Besides, Tongtian had killed four of his disciples yesterday, so he steeled his heart and agreed.

"The immortals are destined to suffer calamities; this is their fate, and it is all due to predestined circumstances. This is precisely the time for the three religions to convene a grand assembly of ten thousand immortals to distinguish between the jade and the stone."

For a moment, everyone was overjoyed. The four saints left the reed hut together and went to the front of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.

However, Tongtian did not appear this time. He knew that Jieyin and Zhunti had come, but he was even more annoyed by Laozi and Yuanshi. Relying on the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, he was not afraid of the four saints and wanted to compete with them.

Upon seeing this, Zhunti waved his sleeve, creating a gust of wind that dispersed the clouds and mist surrounding the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, revealing its formation.

There were people of all shapes and sizes, gathered in large groups, including immortals from the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks and guests from the Five Lakes and Four Seas. They were all different in appearance and kind, and at a glance, there were at least several thousand Taoists.

The immortals of the Chan Sect gasped in shock upon seeing this. Even with four sages on their side, they felt their scalps tingle and their hearts filled with unease.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable said, "The core of this Ten Thousand Immortals Formation is still the Immortal Slaughtering Formation. To break the Immortal Slaughtering Formation, the four of us can enter from the four gates and break it separately."

Lao Tzu nodded.

Jieyin and Zhunti also said it was very good. Yuanshi Tianzun then looked at his disciples and instructed, "Yun Zhongzi, Taiyi, Huanglong, Qingxu, come forward."

The four disciples whose names were called—Yun Zhongzi, Taiyi Zhenren, Huanglong Zhenren, and Qingxu Daode Zhenjun—all stepped forward immediately upon hearing this.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable bestowed a talisman upon each of them, saying, "After you enter the formation, you need not concern yourself with anything else. Just wait for the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation to be immobilized, then rush in and remove the four swords. You will then have rendered meritorious service!"

The four immortals quickly agreed.

Immediately after giving the orders, the four sages entered the Myriad Immortals Formation. The formation began to roar, and all the formations operated together, instantly transforming into a boundless universe, with countless formations faintly displayed on it.

As soon as the four saints entered, they vanished without a trace, and no one knew where they had gone. The remaining immortals couldn't help but look at Yun Zhongzi and Grand Master Xuandu.

The Grand Master Xuandu, the sole successor of the Eight Views Palace and the eldest disciple of the three religions, appeared rather dull. At this moment, he slowly took out a lamp from his sleeve.

This lamp is the Heavenly Lamp, one of the three lamps of heaven, earth, and man, which Lao Tzu obtained from the Treasure Dividing Cliff. Because it was placed in the Eight Views Palace, it is also called the Eight Views Palace Lamp.

Grand Master Xuandu remained silent, and lit the lamp. Instantly, the light shone brightly, and purple flames filled the air, obscuring the sky and the sun.

This purple flame was extremely strange. When the immortal from the Chan Sect behind it saw it, he touched it out of curiosity, but he felt that it had no temperature at all. It was neither hot nor cold, as if it had no killing power whatsoever.

However, Grand Master Xuandu, carrying the lamp, stepped into the formation, and the purple fire followed closely behind. All the immortals witnessed an extremely tragic scene.

However, the cultivator guarding the formation was touched by the purple flame and was instantly burned to ashes, without even having time to scream.

It is clear that the purple fire was not without destructive power; it was just that Grand Master Xuandu had not used it against them.

(End of this chapter)