The First Venerable of All Paths

"Snap!"

The array plate was very fragile; it shattered into dust with a single blow from the bone club.

However, before Gu Tang could show any joy, a murderous array pattern suddenly swept out from the broken array plate and engulfed Gu Tang and the purple-robed man.

"Elder Gu, retreat immediately!"

The purple-robed man's voice carried a hint of fear.

He never expected that this array plate would actually be the key to activating the second array.

The superposition of two formations is a technique that a fourth-grade formation master simply cannot possess.

Fifth-rank formation master!

Realizing this, the man in purple robes turned and fled without hesitation.

As a fifth-level Divine Intent Realm cultivator, Gu Tang's reaction was naturally not slow either.

But that array pattern moved even faster.

In just two breaths, the array patterns enveloped Gu Tang and his companion, and the fierce killing intent bombarded the Xuan Turtle phantoms on their bodies.

"Ding ding ding!"

A crisp sound rang out, and the illusory tortoise figures on the two people flickered, their shadows shimmering and shifting.

Even so, the killing intent array pattern did not pierce through the Xuan Turtle phantom.

Seeing this, Gu Tang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The phantom of the Xuan Turtle was tough enough that it was far beyond the ability of ordinary formations to break through.

"Hurry up!"

Gu Tang circulated his spiritual energy, intending to rush out of the cave with the purple-robed man and leave this place of trouble.

However, another unexpected event occurred.

The ground of the cave suddenly cracked open, and blood-red patterns emerged from it, directly binding the two people and rendering them unable to move.

"Damn it!"

Gu Tang's tone was somewhat irritated: "Wasn't the array's core broken? How come this thing has reappeared?"

Frustrated as he was, Gu Tang knew that if he didn't find a solution quickly, even if he didn't die, he would likely suffer a severe injury.

"Lingxi, strangle her!"

Gu Tang formed hand seals, and his spiritual power transformed into a tidal wave, frantically crushing the surrounding array patterns and blood-red chains.

"Snap!"

The blood-red chains, like fragile spider silk, snapped wildly.

The killing array patterns were also blocked by the spiritual energy tide.

Gu Tang glanced at the man in purple robes.

The opponent did not use any method to shatter the array patterns, but instead displayed an extremely skillful movement technique, nimbly avoiding the blood-red chains and the killing array patterns.

Just as the man in purple robes was about to step out of the cave, an even more shocking scene unfolded for Gu Tang.

Clusters of crimson-gold flames, like will-o'-the-wisps, floated in mid-air.

These flames transformed into tiny, crimson-gold birds, which flew straight toward the man in purple robes.

"This fire..."

The man in purple robes sounded somewhat surprised, and as he used his movement technique, he tried to dodge the crimson firebird.

However, these crimson firebirds simultaneously spat out a line of fire, which, as they intersected, transformed into a net of fire.

The moment the fire net appeared, it enveloped the man in purple robes.

"A mere trick, break it!"

The man in purple robes snorted coldly, formed a hand seal, and a fiery eagle instantly materialized behind him.

"go!"

The Flame Eagle let out a long cry and its sharp claws reached directly at the fire net.

"Sizzle!"

The Flame Eagle's claws are extremely sharp; they can easily tear the fire net apart with just a touch.

"Vulnerable."

The man in purple robes flicked his sleeves, trying to disperse the falling flames around him.

However, an unexpected scene unfolded once again.

The scattered crimson flames reassembled once again into a large net of fire.

In the eyes of the man in purple robes, this large net vaguely resembled the shape of a phoenix.

"this......"

The man in purple robes exclaimed in surprise, his voice trembling, "Condensed fire into a phoenix! This is... the Undying Phoenix Fire!"

While the purple-robed man was still in shock, the phoenix-like net ripped the head off the fiery eagle with a single claw.

Not only that, the Fire Phoenix Net suddenly pounced on the purple-robed man.

The scorching heat hit them head-on, melting the purple-robed man's hood and revealing a face covered in scars.

This face looks like it's been burned by flames.

Flesh and blood rolled up, grotesque and terrifying.

Make this person look like a demon.

"You, you are..."

Upon seeing the purple-robed man's appearance, Gu Tang's pupils contracted, as if he had truly seen a ghost.

"You are Bai Xuan!!!"

The purple-robed man's lips twitched, as if he were smiling.

This caused the scars on his face to writhe and twitch, making them appear even more horrifying.

"I didn't expect Elder Gu to still remember me. That's quite remarkable."

Bai Xuan said slowly, "However, now is not the time to talk about these things. Let's break the formation and leave this place as soon as possible."

You're right.

Suppressing his shock, Gu Tang said, "These two formations are not easy to deal with, and breaking through them to escape will not be a simple matter."

"Elder Gu, please buy me some time."

Bai Xuan said, "No need for more, a dozen or so breaths will suffice."

"good!"

At this moment, the Xuan Turtle phantom on Gu Tang's body was already somewhat tattered, and it seemed that it wouldn't last much longer.

After agreeing, Gu Tang stomped his foot on the ground.

The spiritual energy within his body surged forth like a tidal wave, condensing into a spiritual energy tide that protected him and Bai Xuan within it.

Lingxi's strangulation technique is both offensive and defensive.

However, with a gentle flap of its wings, the fiery phoenix melted a section of the tidal shield.

Compared to before, it is much weaker.

"Bai Xuan, hurry! I can't hold on much longer!"

Gu Tang's face was pale and his complexion was unpleasant.

Maintaining Lingxi's strangulation would consume far too much spiritual energy.

Adding to his woes, he was also entangled by the crimson array patterns, which continuously weakened his strength.

"Almost done!"

At this moment, in Bai Xuan's palm, a ball of black flame slowly changed shape, transforming into the form of a dragon-headed eagle.

A violent aura instantly swept out.

Although its power is not as great as the Undying Phoenix Flame, it is more violent, tyrannical, and insane.

"Dragonhawk Flamefire, kill them!"

Bai Xuan gave a low shout, and the Dragon Eagle Flame Fire let out a deep roar, flapping its wings and rushing towards the Flame Phoenix.

The dragon eagle and the phoenix engaged in a fierce battle.

After exchanging only a dozen or so blows, the Flame Phoenix was no match for the Flame Phoenix and began to falter.

"You dare to fight me with a mere wisp of heavenly fire essence?"

Bai Xuan stepped out of Ling tide's protective aura and looked at the fiery phoenix below, his eyes flashing with cold light.

"receive!"

Bai Xuan raised his arm and clenched his fist with his five fingers.

Dragon Eagle Flame opened its sharp beak and instantly absorbed the scattered Undying Phoenix Flame into its belly.

These crimson flames, though not as powerful as the original Undying Phoenix Flame, still contained a trace of primordial power.

If his Dragonhawk Flame were to absorb it, it might undergo some changes, increasing the power of the Dragonhawk Flame.

Soon, the Dragon Eagle Flame absorbed all the scattered crimson flames into its belly.

Sure enough, after absorbing the remaining flames, the dragon eagle grew larger and its aura became much stronger.

It shook its body and slowly preened its feathers.

"Come back."

At Bai Xuan's command, the dragon eagle flapped its wings and flew towards Bai Xuan.

Bai Xuan smiled slightly and reached out to catch the dragon eagle.

However, Bai Xuan's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly took a step back, as if to distance himself from Long Ying Yan Huo.

But it was all too late.

The dragon eagle's body suddenly swelled up wildly, then cracked open, releasing wave after wave of sword energy.

The number of sword energies was as high as tens of thousands.

Tens of thousands of sword energies shot towards Bai Xuan like a volley of ten thousand swords.

"Swords...sword formation?!"

Bai Xuan's pupils contracted, and a look of fear appeared in his eyes.

He would never have imagined this.

There's actually a third formation hidden here, and it's a sword formation at that.

The three formations were all more ingeniously concealed and more powerful than the last.

The way it was triggered was even more unexpected.

"Pfft pfft pfft!"

The sword energy shot out in a burst, easily tearing apart the Xuan Turtle phantom on Bai Xuan's body and piercing his skin.

In the blink of an eye, Bai Xuan and Gu Tang were engulfed by the sword energy.

......

"Do you think my formation is so easy to break?"

Deep within the cave on the mountainside, Fang Xuan sat cross-legged, forming hand seals, a cold smile playing on his lips.

A palm-sized fragment floated in front of Fang Xuan.

It was a fragment of the Three Thousand Formation Diagram.

At this moment, on the fragment of the array diagram, three arrays intertwined, sometimes transforming into chains, sometimes into flames, and sometimes into a sword array.

It was the array that Fang Xuan had set up earlier: the Mountain and River Locking Array, the Undying Fire Array, and the Returning Void Sword Array.

The fact that the formation locks down mountains and rivers goes without saying.

The Undying Fire Array was set up by Fang Xuan using a wisp of the Undying Phoenix Fire's original power, and it can release the original power of the Undying Phoenix Fire.

The Guixu Sword Formation is hidden within the Undying Fire Formation. Once the Undying Fire Formation is broken, the Guixu Sword Formation will be triggered.

Although this Guixu Sword Formation was not set up with the Phoenix Cry Sword and the Azure Lotus Sword, Fang Xuan still consumed tens of thousands of Guixu Sword Intents.

When all three formations erupt together, even a powerful expert at the Divine Intent Realm would be severely injured, if not killed.

"But I didn't expect that guy to possess the Dragon Eagle Flame."

Although I didn't see it with my own eyes, Fang Xuan's spiritual power had already broken through to the second rank.

Furthermore, by connecting three formations with three thousand array diagrams, he could see everything happening on Bai Xuan's side within a certain distance.

As for Dragonhawk Flame, it is a kind of beast fire.

Although it cannot compare to Master Jiang's flames, it is still extremely powerful.

However, this fire is extremely volatile and difficult to subdue.

The scars on Bai Xuan's face were likely left from the backlash he suffered when he subdued the Dragon Eagle Flame.

"Still resisting? That's interesting."

Fang Xuan suddenly noticed that the three magic arrays on the array diagram were trembling violently, as if they were about to crack. Fang Xuan then sneered.

He formed hand seals and infused his divine soul power into the array.

When the divine soul was injected into the array diagram, the three arrays stabilized and became even brighter.

Inside the cave, the array patterns surrounding Bai Xuan increased, trapping them completely.

"Here's another big gift for you!"

Fang Xuan pressed his finger against his brow and gently guided it.

He infused a wisp of sword intent into the array.

"cut!"

Inside the cave, ten thousand swords gathered and condensed into a giant longsword, which fiercely slashed towards Bai Xuan, who was trapped by the formation.

"Damn it, how can this formation have so many variations?"

Bai Xuan's face contorted with rage as he cursed.

"Elder Gu, let's attack together, or we'll all die here!"

Gu Tang, of course, was aware of the seriousness of the situation, so he mobilized his spiritual power and, together with Bai Xuan, forcibly stopped the giant sword from falling.

However, with the enhancement of the formation, the greatsword became even more powerful, directly breaking through the two's attacks and slashing down fiercely.

Bai Xuan and Gu Tang's expressions changed drastically at the same time.

If Fang Xuan were in front of them, even Bai Xuan could easily kill him.

However, the terrifying aspect of a formation master lies in their ability to use formations to draw upon the power of heaven and earth, unleashing power several times greater than their own cultivation level to defeat their opponents.

Even a skilled formation master can withstand an army of millions.

Just as the giant sword was about to fall on Bai Xuan's head, an old voice suddenly rang out.

"The profound secrets of heaven, the divine tortoise reveals its power!"

As the voice faded, a massive black tortoise burst forth from the void, easily tearing apart all the array patterns.

With a flick of its forelimbs, the Xuan Turtle blocked and shattered the giant sword.

Immediately afterwards, the Xuan Turtle opened its mouth and spat out a beam of light that shot out, disappeared into the void.

Fang Xuan, who was maintaining the formation, changed his expression and pointed out with a finger.

The sword energy burst forth and collided with a beam of light that came from the void.

"snort!"

Fang Xuan's body trembled, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Fang Xuan grinned maliciously.

"Old man, finally decided to take action? Then don't blame me for being impolite!"