Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

That power, like a hook or a lock, pierced straight into their sea of ​​consciousness, forcefully tearing out their original true essence, as if ripping out their bones and tearing at their souls.

The cultivators screamed in agony, their soul flames flickering violently, excruciating pain exploding from the depths of their souls, even their breaths tinged with blood. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, hundreds of people had bled from all seven orifices, collapsed backward, their bodies still warm, their souls already departed.

But the white-robed elder showed no mercy. If he couldn't kill Lin Daochen today, he would be nothing but an empty shell.

When the last bit of true energy was squeezed out, only a thousand of the more than three thousand remained, barely clinging to life, skin and bones, with sunken eyes, and no strength left to even lift their hands—this was not plunder, but the lifeless draining of their very being.

However, his own aura surged, his white hair danced wildly, his robes billowed like thunder, and the spiritual energy around him surged into a vortex, causing even the rocks a hundred miles away to tremble.

Lin Daochen's brow twitched, and a chill ran down his spine. He clearly felt that the oppressive aura was approaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, far exceeding the weight that an ordinary Body Integration stage cultivator should possess—this old bastard, did he really use the lives of three thousand people as firewood to feed himself into his furnace?

He dared not be negligent, his ten fingers flying as he formed hand seals, and a blue-gold dual-colored barrier rose from the ground, like a dome descending, sealing all the remaining cultivators and the white-robed elder within it. Once this barrier was formed, their opponents would find it difficult to maneuver, becoming like turtles in a jar.

Just as the barrier closed, the white-robed elder roared angrily, raised his right palm to the sky, and slashed down fiercely!

In the blink of an eye, the sea of ​​clouds suddenly split open—a gigantic hand that blotted out the sky descended from the sky, its five fingers spread out, covering an area of ​​tens of thousands of feet, making even mountains appear as thin as grass stems beneath its palm lines.

Lin Daochen's pupils constricted sharply. To take the hit head-on? That would likely exhaust eighty percent of his mana; to dodge? The barrier was unstable; once it broke, the remaining cultivators would immediately pounce and hack him to pieces. Even worse, there might be a third pair of eyes lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to collapse from exhaustion and cough up blood.

He looked up at the sky, his gaze sweeping over the slowly descending giant hand, then over the few hundred remaining, swaying cultivators in the arena—suddenly he let out a cold laugh, his voice like iron nails chiseling into rock:

"You want to kill me? Look down first, isn't the person you love most standing on the tip of my knife?"

The old man in white robes paused, his expression suddenly changing.

How could he know... that he had a daughter hidden in Qingwu Valley?

He was originally a Great Forest Immortal, a hunter in his youth, who spent his days climbing vines and treading through mist, inhaling the morning and evening dews among ancient trees. By chance, he opened the door to cultivation. After a hundred years of arduous training, he finally gained the recognition of the Great Dao and was given the title "Great Forest Immortal," ruling over a hundred miles of vast wilderness. The more lush the forest, the more resilient his energy became. As long as his feet touched the forest soil, a living spring would never run dry, and his fighting spirit would never be exhausted.

It would not be easy for Lin Daochen to kill him, but if he fought to the death, he might be able to destroy his Dao foundation. For this reason, the white-robed elder had already harbored a deep sense of apprehension.

"Fine! Ruthless enough!" he growled through gritted teeth, flicking his sleeves. "You use others as a shield, I'll expose your true colors—open your eyes and see clearly!"

Before he could finish speaking, two black-robed cultivators dragged one person out and roughly slammed him to the ground.

Lin Daochen froze.

The man had disheveled hair and a soul-suppressing chain on his wrist, but his brow bone, nose bridge, and stubbornly raised chin... were clearly Yang Kai!

"Master! Save me—" the boy cried hoarsely, blood trickling down his throat. "They broke into the medicine hut in the middle of the night, tied me up, and said... said they would chop me to pieces inch by inch right in front of you! Master—"

These people dared to use his descendants as bargaining chips to blackmail him, so they should understand that blood debts must be repaid with blood.

Without further hesitation, Lin Daochen flicked his sleeves, and a deafening explosion erupted! The hundreds of cultivators who were still panting were instantly blown into a cloud of blood mist, leaving not even a trace behind.

The white-robed elder's pupils constricted sharply, a chill running down his spine. Lin Daochen had already cast aside his last shred of restraint; if he hesitated even a fraction more, he feared even his bones would be crushed to dust. At this moment, only a desperate fight to the death, a swift and decisive victory, offered a sliver of hope.

"You madman! You discard the lives of your fellow disciples like trash, what kind of cultivator do you deserve? What right do you have to talk about the Dao Heart?"

The old man roared hoarsely, his fingertips trembling. He never expected Lin Daochen to actually dare to kill them all—but before his curses could even finish, a chilling intent had already pinned him to the top of his head, ready to shatter his skull inch by inch if he made the slightest movement. He looked around abruptly; the world was vast and desolate, the mountains and rivers crumbled, yet there was nowhere left for him to stand, hide, or even catch his breath.

Regret gnawed at his heart like a knife. He finally realized that the young man before him was no match for him.

He turned to flee, but the moment he moved, the binding force suddenly exploded, his meridians felt as if they were being tightened by iron clamps, and his internal organs almost dislocated! Fortunately, he had a solid foundation and gritted his teeth to hold on. A metallic taste rose in his throat, but he dared not spit out a mouthful of blood.

But this struggle is far from enough.

"Young friend, wait!" He forced a sigh, his voice weak. "If I were to be executed today, wouldn't all your efforts have been in vain? To tell you the truth—we were sent by the Immortal of Tianshan! It was not my intention! If you spare my life, you will surely be richly rewarded in the future!"

Lin Daochen's lips curled slightly, his smile icy. Did they really think they could fool him with such nonsense? The Heavenly Mountain Immortal was indeed the mastermind, but the greed and murderous intent in this old man's eyes had already betrayed his true intentions—what he wanted was far more than just an order. As for what that thing actually was, Lin Daochen didn't know yet, but he was clear on one thing: if this old man didn't die, he would be a constant threat.

"Senior?" His voice was as indifferent as the wind brushing past a blade. "Now that you've made your move, don't blame me for being disrespectful. You... go to hell and slowly contemplate your situation."

Before he finished speaking, his eyes sharpened, and hundreds of sharp sword energies suddenly burst forth from his body, like a torrential downpour, piercing straight into the major acupoints of the white-robed old man! The immortal power from before was still circulating in his body, and now, with attacks from both inside and outside, it was the perfect opportunity to kill him.

Unexpectedly, the old man retreated three zhang at the critical moment, and black flames suddenly rose from his body, thick as ink, engulfing his figure in the blink of an eye. When he looked up again, only a wisp of smoke remained where he had been, and under the empty sky, not even the hem of his clothes could be found.

Lin Daochen paused for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled: "Let him go if he's escaped. He's no longer a threat; pursuing him would be cliché."

He looked up at the trial platform—the golden-armored guard still stood at the edge, coldly looking down. But Lin Daochen had no intention of climbing any further. The Heavenly Mountain Immortal had sent several waves of men to intercept him, just to stop him from taking a single step, which showed that the promised thing was no small matter—an opportunity at the Integration Stage was no ordinary event.

Alright, since you value it so much, then I'll take it myself.

At this moment, the surrounding area was cracked, the mountains collapsed, and the earth was crisscrossed with spider web-like ravines. Corpses lay everywhere, and blood soaked the yellow soil.

Lin Daochen knew that he could not stay here for long.

He leaped into the air, about to leave, when he suddenly heard a weak, mournful cry from the ground in the distance: "Senior...save me! I...I'm falling apart!"

He stopped and turned his head to look—it was indeed Yang Kai. The boy lay slumped in the pile of rubble, his body covered with spiderweb-like cracks, and blood was slowly seeping from the cracks, staining half of his clothes red.

Lin Daochen's gaze darkened, and he flashed over. Light condensed in his palm, and a warm spiritual energy flowed into Yang Kai's body like spring water—the crack quietly healed, the bleeding stopped, the breathing stabilized, and a trace of life finally appeared on the boy's pale face.

The spiderweb-like cracks on Yang Kai's body were silently healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, disappearing without a trace in an instant. He immediately threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice clear and hearty.

Hahaha! You're incredibly lucky, you've escaped death again! Senior, you really pulled me back from the brink of death this time! From now on, no matter what hardships I face, I'm determined to follow you—I'll serve you tea and water, run errands, sweep the floor and wipe your sword, I'll do anything! I'll be your most diligent servant!

Lin Daochen slowly shook his head. He had no intention of taking on a disciple, and he didn't want Yang Kai to treat cultivation as something to be relied upon. The true path must be understood by oneself, through hardship, sweat, and setbacks.

Previously, he had been instructed on all the essential techniques of Qi Refining, Spiritual Vein Identification, and Heart Fire Condensation. Yang Kai's foundation was already solid; all that was needed were real, arduous training sessions. When the time came, he would naturally sprout branches and grow into a towering cultivator.

"No need. You should go your own way—whether it's seclusion and meditation, traveling in the mountains and fields, or even making a living in the marketplace and struggling in the market, it's all better than following me. Although I have many extraordinary encounters, I lack the tempering skills; if you just stand by and watch, even the best opportunities won't cultivate your true abilities."

"My advice is simple: go and try it out first. If you encounter difficulties, get stuck, or can't figure things out, then come to me. I will definitely help you solve the problem."

Yang Kai's throat tightened, but he ultimately remained silent. He bowed deeply, turned, and left, his back straight and resolute. Lin Daochen watched him descend the mountain until his figure disappeared into the vast forest mist before straightening his clothes and embarking on his journey home.

Intending to slowly descend the Tianshan Mountains along the winding ancient path, he was suddenly confronted by a vast crowd of people just around a rocky cliff—a dense mass of people lined both sides of the mountain path, wearing coarse cloth shirts and mud-caked straw sandals, their faces etched with anxiety and anticipation. The moment Lin Daochen appeared, the crowd erupted, shouts surging forth like a tidal wave:

"The immortals have emerged! Look—the immortals have descended the mountain!"

"Fellow villagers, hurry and pay your respects! Don't miss this opportunity!"

In an instant, a surge of people rushed toward him. Lin Daochen paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

Some people had already knelt on the ground, shouting hoarsely, "Immortal Master! Please teach us the methods of cultivating immortality! This world is too bitter; living one day is like enduring ten years!"

"Yes! Please have mercy!"

He was startled, both surprised and suspicious: How could these mortals he had never met before be here at such a precise time? Could it be that someone was secretly watching him and tipping him off?

Before the thought had even finished, several strong young men rushed forward, kowtowing with a thud, their foreheads touching the ground, their voices trembling: "Immortal Master, please accept our greetings! This disciple is willing to burn incense and kowtow, and serve you by your side for life!"

His expression was so devout it bordered on tragic.

Lin Daochen merely lowered his gaze coldly, his eyes like frost, sweeping over their flushed faces. His voice was low but undeniably authoritative: "Who told you I was here? Who leaked the secret?"

"If anyone is gossiping—leave now. This is not a place for you."

Mount Tian is the forbidden domain of the Heavenly Immortal. That person is unpredictable and has once sent three waves of pursuers to ambush him, demonstrating his ruthlessness and cruelty. In his eyes, ordinary people are nothing more than dust and ants, whom he would crush without batting an eye. If his henchmen were to discover this group trespassing on the mountain gate… Lin Daochen would not stand in front of them forever as a shield.

His voice deepened: "Listen carefully—the Tianshan Mountains are treacherous, fraught with hidden dangers. If you insist on staying, you'll lie dead in the wilderness tomorrow, and no one will even be able to collect your bodies."

Unexpectedly, everyone's expression changed drastically, their previous respect vanished, replaced by mockery.

"Hmph! What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? You're clearly just unwilling to give up your skills!"

"An immortal? I think he's just a miserly old man who's become a demon! Would teaching him how to cultivate internal energy kill you?"

"Bah! Lacking even this much kindness, you dare call yourself an immortal?"

Lin Daochen's fingertips twitched slightly, and a chill rose from his spine. He said no more, and with a light tap of his toes, his figure suddenly soared into the air—but just as he leaped, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly came from the end of the mountain path!

"Hahaha—it's truly an immortal! We've actually stumbled upon a living one! I've long heard that a highly accomplished master lives deep within the Tianshan Mountains, but who would have thought we'd actually run into one today! So the legends are true after all!"

The crowd erupted in excitement, a dense mass of people surging towards Lin Daochen.

But there wasn't a trace of respect in their eyes. It was clearly the look of someone looking at something rare—curiosity, scrutiny, and contemplation, as if examining a newly unearthed ancient terracotta figurine. Some people reached out and tugged at his sleeve, some tiptoed to touch his hairpin, and others magnified his wrist to examine his palm lines, marveling as if he weren't an immortal, but a newly arrived puppet in the market.

Lin Daochen felt a surge of anger rising in his chest, almost bursting out of his throat.

He was, after all, a cultivator who had achieved some success in his cultivation, yet he was being treated like a monkey, watched, poked, and defiled by people? He abruptly turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a knife, his voice clear yet frost-covered:

"As a hermit living in the mountains, how dare you behave so disrespectfully? Are you not afraid of the karmic consequences that will befall you and your descendants?"

"You have come here today to climb the mountain, seeking nothing more than a way to ascend and a gateway to enlightenment—but forgive my bluntness: with your restless and impatient nature, even if a divine opportunity were placed before you, you would not be able to seize it, swallow it, or walk steadily on it."

"Give up on this idea as soon as possible."

Before he finished speaking, the crowd below erupted in uproar.