Primordial Era: A brick knocks Hongyun unconscious, and he seizes the throne at the start.

The Ten Deadly Formations were completely broken, and although the backlash caused some minor losses to the Xiqi generals, it failed to reverse the overall situation. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Wen Zhong could only gather the remaining troops and retreat to the pass, while urgently requesting reinforcements from Jin'ao Island.

The atmosphere in Biyou Palace was extremely oppressive. The Ten Deadly Formations had been broken, several Heavenly Lords had perished, and even Zhao Gongming was missing and his magical treasures had been stolen (the Three Immortals of Sanxiao had received a message from Lu Chen that their elder brother was not dead, but his whereabouts were unknown). The Jie Sect had suffered a great loss of face, and its disciples were filled with indignation.

The disciples of Duobao Daoren, Jinling Shengmu, Wudang Shengmu, Guiling Shengmu, and others gathered in the main hall, their faces filled with grief and indignation.

"Teacher! The Chan Sect is going too far! Please, Teacher, do justice!" Daoist Duobao knelt down and pleaded.

On the high platform cloud bed, the Tongtian Sect Leader slowly opened his eyes. His eyes no longer held his usual carefree attitude, but only a cold sword intent.

"Yuanshi... since you show no mercy, don't blame me for showing no mercy in return." Tongtian's voice was deep, yet it carried a resolute determination to sever all ties. "Duobao, take my decree and deploy the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation!"

These words shocked the entire hall! Even Daoist Duobao was taken aback. The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation could not be broken by anyone less than the Four Sages. The activation of this formation meant a complete break with the Chan Sect and even the entire orthodox Xuanmen!

"Teacher, please reconsider!" Golden Spirit Mother hurriedly advised, "The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation is the supreme formation of our Intercepting Sect, and it cannot be used lightly. Once it is set up, it will lead to a life-or-death struggle with Jade Void Palace, and may even attract the intervention of the Dao Ancestor and Grand Master Uncle..."

"My mind is made up!" Tongtian waved his hand to interrupt. "Since Yuanshi has already made his intentions clear, wanting to use the Investiture of the Gods to send my Jie Sect disciples to the list of successful candidates, how can I sit idly by and wait for my doom? Set up the formation! I want to see how Yuanshi will break my Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation!"

The decree of the Sage is not to be questioned. Daoist Duobao said no more, respectfully accepting a jade talisman imbued with a chilling sword aura, and rose solemnly, saying, "Disciple obeys!"

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation requires four innate killing swords—the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, the Immortal Slaying Sword, the Immortal Trapping Sword, and the Immortal Severing Sword—to be deployed in conjunction with the Immortal Slaughtering Formation Diagram. The four swords and the formation diagram have always been personally kept by Tongtian. Now, he bestows a decree and a fragment of the formation diagram, ordering Duobao to lead his four close disciples (Duobao, Jinling, Wudang, and Guiling) each wielding a fragment of the killing sword (not the original sword, but possessing some of its power) to the Jiepai Pass to set up the formation!

The news spread like wildfire throughout the land!

The Tongtian Sect Leader of the Jie Sect actually intends to set up the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation at Jiepai Pass, a formation that only the Four Sages can break! This is no longer a simple sectarian dispute, but an act that is almost like overturning the table!

Upon learning the news, Yuanshi Tianzun at Yuxu Palace on Kunlun Mountain turned ashen-faced.

"Tongtian! You dare to use the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation? Do you really think I dare not break your great formation?!"

He immediately burned incense and prayed, contacting Laozi of the Eight Views Palace on Shouyang Mountain, as well as the Western Spirit Mountain's guides and deities.

"My junior brother Tongtian is stubbornly clinging to his delusions, recklessly activating the ominous formation, obstructing the Investiture of the Gods, and defying the will of Heaven. I beg my elder brother and the two fellow Daoists to assist me in breaking the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation and restoring order to Heaven!"

Although Laozi was a man of tranquility and inaction, as the senior disciple of the Xuanmen sect, seeing Tongtian set up such a formidable formation, he knew the situation was serious and could no longer remain uninvolved. He had no choice but to agree to go. The two Western Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, were secretly delighted. They had been hoping for internal strife within the Xuanmen sect so they could take the opportunity to convert those with affinity and expand their power. How could they miss such a golden opportunity? They immediately agreed.

The Four Saints gather at Jiepai Pass!

In an instant, the primordial world trembled, and the eyes of all powerful beings were focused on this. A sage personally engaging in combat—unprecedented since the conflict between the Dao and Demonic Realms and the great war between the Lich King and the Demon King!

Before Jiepai Pass, a murderous aura soared to the sky, and the sound of swords rang out. Daoist Duobao and his companions had already set up a grand formation. Although the power of the formation was slightly reduced because the four swords were separated from their original forms, it was still terrifying beyond compare. Four killing swords hung above the formation gate, their sword energy stretching for tens of thousands of miles. Inside the formation, chaos reigned, with earth, water, fire, and wind surging, extinguishing all life.

The four saints descended, their holy power overwhelming.

Laozi rides a green ox, with the Xuanhuang Pagoda of Heaven and Earth on his head and a flat cane in his hand; Yuanshi Tianzun sits on a nine-dragon sandalwood chariot, protected by auspicious clouds and golden lamps, and holds a jade scepter with three treasures; Jieyin steps on a twelve-petaled golden lotus of merit and holds a Jieyin banner; Zhunti rides a peacock and holds a seven-treasure tree.

"Junior Brother Tongtian, why haven't you withdrawn the formation yet? What are you waiting for?" Laozi spoke first, his voice calm yet containing the power of the Great Dao.

Within the formation, the figure of the Tongtian Sect Leader appeared, standing on the high platform at the formation's core, surrounded by the illusory images of the Four Immortal Execution Swords, his face icy cold: "Eldest brother, are you also going to join Yuanshi in deceiving me?"

"It is not to deceive you, but that is the will of Heaven." Laozi sighed. "The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation is too ferocious and violates the harmony of Heaven. Quickly withdraw it, return to Biyou Palace to quietly recite the Yellow Court Classic, and do not go against Heaven's will again."

"The will of Heaven? He, Yuanshi, determined the will of Heaven?" Tongtian laughed in fury. "Today, with me here, let's see how you break this formation!"

If we don't see eye to eye, there's no need for further words.

The four saints exchanged a glance and simultaneously entered the formation!

Laozi entered the Immortal Slaughtering Gate, Yuanshi entered the Immortal Slaughtering Gate, Jieyin entered the Immortal Trapping Gate, and Zhunti entered the Immortal Extinction Gate. According to the method of breaking the formation, the four sages must simultaneously remove the killing swords hanging at the four gates in order to break the formation.

Within the formation, chaos churned, and sword energy rained down. Though the four killing swords were merely shadows, they were still incomparably fierce, driven personally by Tongtian. Furthermore, the Immortal Slaughtering Formation Diagram underwent endless transformations, with earth, water, fire, and wind surging together, and bursts of annihilating divine lightning erupting.

Lao Tzu protected himself with the Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda of Heaven and Earth, impervious to all magic. Even when sword energy struck him, it only caused ripples. He walked calmly toward the Immortal Execution Sword, lightly tapping his cane in an attempt to dispel the restrictions on the sword.

With the auspicious cloud golden lamp protecting him, Yuanshi waved the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi and dispersed the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Qi one by one, and steadily moved forward.

Golden lotuses bloom beneath the feet of the guide, untouched by any magic. The guide's divine banner casts rays of Buddhist light, dissipating the primordial sword energy, though at a slightly slower pace.

Zhunti's Seven Treasures Tree swirled repeatedly, clearing away the Immortal-Slaying Sword Qi, but he also felt considerable pressure.

The four saints each displayed their supernatural powers, engaging in fierce battle within the formation.

This battle raged so fiercely that the heavens and earth were plunged into darkness, and the sun and moon lost their light. The clash between sages sent shockwaves through the primordial world; had the four sages not intentionally controlled it, the entire primordial world would likely have been shattered.

Lu Chen remained hidden in the far distance, his concealment talisman activated to its maximum, while his Primordial Divine Sense remained firmly locked onto the battlefield. The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation! Only the Four Sages could break it! This was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity to observe and learn! His understanding of formations was already extremely profound, and now, witnessing firsthand (though from a distance and interfered with by the formation and the sages' Daoist aura, making it difficult to see the whole picture) the sages breaking the formation and its operation, he still gained immensely. Many previously obscure principles of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation suddenly became clear!

"So that's how it is... The four swords work together, the array governs, forming a killing realm... This way of operating, this energy conversion... Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Lu Chen was completely absorbed, forgetting the danger, frantically absorbing and deducing what he saw and heard.

The battle was fierce, but the four sages were ultimately superior in strength and were well-versed in breaking formations. After three days and three nights of intense fighting, Laozi was the first to remove the Zhuxian Sword (Shadow Split), Yuanshi removed the Luxian Sword (Shadow Split), and Jieyin and Zhunti also successively removed the Xianxian Sword and the Juexian Sword (Shadow Split).

With the four swords removed, the power of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation was greatly reduced, and the formation's operation became stagnant.

The Tongtian Sect Leader stood at the center of the formation, his face pale, his eyes filled with resentment and grief. Even with the four saints joining forces, he was ultimately no match.

"Junior Brother Tongtian, the formation has been broken, why don't you wake up?" Laozi said in a deep voice.

Tongtian looked at the dimly lit Zhuxian Formation Diagram (main image) in his hand, then at the four sword shadows held by the Four Sages, and laughed loudly, his laughter filled with desolation and arrogance: "Good! What a fine Four Sages meeting Tongtian! I will remember this humiliation! I will no longer concern myself with the Investiture of the Gods! But my disciples of the Jie Sect will each rely on their own abilities and accept their own destiny!"

Having said that, he retrieved the array diagram and no longer wanted the four sword shadows (sun shadows are of little significance to a saint). He transformed into a streak of azure sword light, broke through the air, and returned directly to Golden Turtle Island, sealing the mountain gate.

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation has thus been broken.

The four sages stood rooted to the spot. Yuanshi remained expressionless, Laozi's expression was complex, while Jieyin and Zhunti's eyes flashed with joy. Internal strife within the Xuanmen sect had severely damaged the Jie Sect's fortunes; this was a golden opportunity for their Western Sect!

Just as the four sages broke the formation and Tongtian departed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their attention momentarily diverted—

A sudden change has occurred!

The four killing sword shadows that had been taken down by the four saints and temporarily suppressed in their respective hands suddenly trembled violently at the same time. Inside the swords, extremely obscure chaotic runes that had been buried at some unknown time suddenly erupted!

These runes were not an attack, but rather a process of disintegration and assimilation! The four killing sword shadows were originally condensed energy, but now, being eroded by the chaotic runes, they began to rapidly disintegrate and vaporize, transforming into four incomparably pure chaotic sword energies that contained the killing intent of immortals. They suddenly broke free from the suppression of the four saints, and then... simultaneously changed direction and shot towards the same target—the direction where Lu Chen was hiding!

"What?!"

The four sages simultaneously realized what was happening, and were both shocked and furious! Who dared to tamper with things right under their noses and even try to steal the Immortal Execution Sword Intent?!

However, those four chaotic sword energies were too fast, and the Immortal Slaying Sword Intent they contained were fused with the power of chaos, making them extremely strange. In an instant, they broke through space and disappeared into the void!

Lu Chen knew something was wrong the moment the rune was activated, and cursed inwardly, "Which bastard tricked me?!" He reacted quickly, activating his full Brick Escape technique and simultaneously summoning the Chaos Brick and the Qiankun Diagram for protection.

But the four chaotic sword energies, infused with the intent of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, seemed to have identified him and relentlessly pursued him! To make matters worse, the divine senses of the Four Saints also instantly locked onto him, this "audacious" thief!

"It's you! Lu Chen!" Yuan Shi was the first to recognize the familiar power and chaotic aura, and he was furious.

"Misunderstanding! This is a setup!" Lu Chen tried to explain as he fled, but four sword energies were already behind him!

He had no choice but to turn around, and the Chaos Brick transformed into a ten-thousand-foot-long object, smashing it with all his might towards the sword energy!

Boom—!

A terrifying energy explosion erupted in the void, causing Lu Chen's blood to churn and sending him staggering back tens of thousands of miles. The four sword energies were also mostly shattered, but the remaining Immortal Execution Sword Intent, like a persistent, lingering infection, continued to erode him along the connection between the Chaos Brick and Lu Chen!

"Hmph! You dare to steal the intent of the Immortal Execution Sword? Leave it here!" Yuanshi sneered, and the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi struck from afar!

At the same time, Jieyin and Zhunti also made their move, their Buddha light shining everywhere and sealing off the void!

Even Lao Tzu frowned, and released a beam of Taiqing Immortal Light, stabilizing the area.

The four sages simultaneously launched a coordinated attack to capture him!

Lu Chen was suddenly plunged into an unprecedented predicament!

"Damn it! Who tricked me?!" he roared inwardly, but he had no choice but to be on high alert, facing what was perhaps the most formidable "hunt lineup" in the history of the world!

Run! We have to run! If we get caught, we're finished!