Gone?

That massive Mountain Protection Formation from earlier… just disappeared like that?

They had roamed the primordial world for so many years and considered themselves widely experienced, but such a small display…

They’d truly never witnessed anything like it…

The mountain assault battle hadn’t even begun when the opposing side had all fled, their formation had vanished, and only a Water God from the Heavenly Court had briefly shown himself before disappearing as well.

A younger Demon King asked foolishly:

“With Crossing Immortal Sect now empty of people, what are we even fighting? The mountain itself?”

“Don’t fall for the Water God’s schemes! He wanted to drive a wedge between us and… that Dao friend earlier. Now he’s trying to frighten us away with these unusual tactics! The Water God is full of cunning plots. We absolutely must not be deceived!”

“The Crossing Immortal Sect has thousands of disciples and followers. How could they withdraw so easily? Who could have leaked our plans?”

“Time is of the essence! Why are we still hesitating here? Can the soul of Demon Ascension Mountain rest? Can our demon race’s fury be appeased?”

The few elder demons in charge nearly started arguing over this.

Since Small Jade Peak had too many formations, Li Changshou simply lit a cloud mirror in the pill room, allowing Ling’e and Youqin Xuanya, who were playing chess, to also see the situation outside. He also casually summoned a palm leaf fan and gently waved it…

“Senior Brother,” Ling’e pointed at the figures in the cloud mirror and asked with slight surprise, “What kinds of demons are these? They all look so frightening.”

Youqin Xuanya, as the top disciple of their generation who had ventured out several times, was somewhat more experienced. She delicately held her chin and commented seriously:

“According to the texts, the more physical traits demons retain from their original forms after transformation, the stronger their ferocious nature.”

Ling’e sat kneeling there, shifting her posture to look left and right at the cloud mirror. “How many demons have come?”

“Over a hundred thousand,” Li Changshou replied calmly with his eyes closed.

“Hun-!”

Ling’e, who had previously had complete faith in her Senior Brother, couldn’t help but purse her lips. “Senior Brother, ninety-eight percent sure?”

“Why not?”

Li Changshou opened his eyes and asked in return, “Are you doubting your Senior Brother’s escape techniques?”

Ling’e giggled, “I wouldn’t dare! Senior Brother’s escape techniques are unmatched! Unbeatable at running away!”

Li Changshou smiled with satisfaction, flicked his palm leaf fan, and the ground began to tremble slightly. Immortal light flickered around them as the entire pill room slowly began to sink.

While Small Jade Peak appeared calm on the surface, various grand formations quietly operated beneath, formation bases gradually lighting up one by one, as the Five Elements’ spiritual energy generated and enhanced each other…

The pill room descended straight into the mountain, connecting to the cave-dwelling at the top of the mountain body. The gourd-shaped pill room fit perfectly into the mountain’s cavity, with the passages it passed through being tightly filled with rock.

With another rumbling sound, the bookshelves around the pill room slowly rotated, revealing the cloud-wreathed glazed mirrors hanging on their backs.

Li Changshou waved his fan, and these magical glazed mirrors displayed all the ‘ten directions’ outside Small Jade Peak.

Real-time synchronization, without any blind spots – in some ways, achieving a state of unity between mountain and person!

[The Ancient Cultivator Mecha is not far off.]

Seeing these flashy operations, Ling’e remained quite calm, as she had witnessed most of her Senior Brother’s renovation projects.

Youqin Xuanya was truly having trouble processing it all. After a moment’s daze, she couldn’t help but ask: “What are all these?”

“Formations, restrictions, merged with some spells,” Li Changshou replied calmly. “Remember not to mention this to others.”

“Yes, Senior Brother Changshou, rest assured,” Youqin Xuanya pressed her thin lips together, and Li Changshou responded with a smile.

Although she often had unexpected behaviors when handling interpersonal matters, she was reliable when it came to keeping secrets –

After all, she had already taken several Great Dao oaths related to confidentiality.

Ling’e called out nervously: “Senior Brother, they’re coming!”

“Mm,” Li Changshou responded calmly, then closed his eyes and muttered: “What needs to be done now is to delay slightly. We can’t kill all the demons here, we need to leave some powerful demons alive to spread the word.”

Then, his consciousness settled on more than ten paper avatars, managing the Immortal Bean Soldiers in sections.

One could only say that demons truly lived up to their nature as demons…

For today’s battle at Crossing Immortal Sect, Li Changshou had prepared three contingency plans, having made preparations for the worst-case scenario where half of the sect’s mountain gate would be destroyed.

But demons were incompetent at everything except being considerate to him, ranking first in that regard;

At this moment, these demons neither retreated nor launched a strong attack, but instead sent thirty percent of their forces, along with a few powerful fighters, to first enter the mountain gate area…

Well, killing demons was secondary today; the main task was to deal with Ksitigarbha from afar.

Li Changshou issued simple commands in his heart, and the Immortal Bean Soldiers on more than ten peaks stood up simultaneously. The ‘Heavenly Soldiers’ holding large shields and spears rose into the sky row by row, while the ranged immortal soldiers had already drawn their bows and nocked their arrows.

Arrow rain flew wildly, drum sounds thundered like lightning, demons howled, and the heavens and earth were dyed red.

Figures fell in quick succession, and those powerful Demon Kings directly pounced toward various peaks. Li Changshou’s more than ten Heavenly Immortal realm paper avatars went out to meet the battle, and as soon as they engaged in close combat with the demon soldiers, they directly detonated themselves!

Three relatively weak Demon Kings were directly torn apart by the paper avatars’ self-destruction, and several more Demon Kings were severely injured!

The roars of the elder demons spread everywhere:

“It’s still the beans-to-soldiers technique! These are all Water God’s avatars, his true form must be here!”

“Hahaha! Stop searching aimlessly.”

Laughter rang out in the high sky, and a figure mysteriously appeared in the air directly above Breaking Heaven Peak. Dressed in white robes with white hair and beard, above his head spun a small pagoda, dropping streams of primordial yellow energy.

He stood with his hands behind his back, having exchanged his fly whisk for a golden gleaming long sword, standing proudly in the air, his pressure covering all corners of heaven and earth.

“This god is right here, what can you do about it?”

Many powerful demons’ eyes directly turned red, and several elder demons gnashed their teeth.

An elder demon with a childlike face but crane-white hair cursed loudly:

“Water God! You cruel, heartless, despicable, and shameless creature! Slaughtering our demon race, destroying our demon race’s destiny – what grudge did our demon race ever have with you before?”

Li Changshou’s lips curled as his calm voice spread throughout heaven and earth:

“So, when the demon race nearly exterminated my human race in ancient times, that doesn’t count as a grudge?”

“Your human race is already the protagonist of heaven and earth, while our race retreats to the cracks of the Five Continents – isn’t that enough?”

Li Changshou calmly said: “Demon who speaks these words, do you perhaps think that the Ancient Demon Court being overthrown by my human race was something your demon race granted to my human race? Or are you saying that when the Demon Emperor fell in those days, it was because he developed a conscience when facing humanity and died by his hand?”

Another elder demon roared: “The human race merely took advantage when our demon race and the shamanic race fought to mutual destruction, what valor is there to speak of!”

“Enough,” Li Changshou coldly laughed, “In those days when the human race was still weak, only knowing reproduction but not the methods of cultivation, the already prosperous demon race slaughtered humans en masse – what valor is there to speak of?

The human race’s incense did not extinguish, we strived for self-improvement, generation after generation of ancestors stood up, explored the great Dao of heaven and earth, and protected humanity’s completeness!

Your demon race failed to recognize the mandate of heaven and was arrogant and conceited. Since there was an evil cause, there must be an evil effect. The human race struck from a position of weakness, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors solidified their foundation step by step, achieving today’s position as protagonists of heaven and earth through strength alone!

You lot are nothing but defeated dogs of ancient times, your evil thoughts do not extinguish and good thoughts are hard to generate, karma entangles your bodies and you can hardly stand firm in heaven and earth. You even didn’t forget to harm the shamanic race, refining the Human Extermination Sword!

How could those who went to protect that Human Extermination Sword at Demon Ascension Mountain that day not deserve death?

Today you still dare to come and make an issue of this, yipping and howling wildly in my Human Dao immortal sect, it’s simply absurd and preposterous!

They say demon race members grow thicker-skinned with age, you lot truly live up to being demon race elders, the height of shamelessness!”

“You-!”

That crane-haired child-faced elder demon’s face turned red, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

Another elder demon jumped up and cursed loudly: “Water God! You act willfully alone, intending to provoke another great war between the two races. You should bear all the karma of this matter!”

“You still don’t understand even now,” Li Changshou said calmly: “Demons are a race formed from the gathering of all beings, with good and bad mixed within, without any bloodline foundation!

From my perspective, I’ve never considered the demon race to be humanity’s enemy.

The greatly virtuous and compassionate Sacred Mother similarly once joined the demon race;

That Nine-tailed Fox clan which upholds love and equality is also a branch of the demon race.

Only those evil beings who eat humans, kill humans, view living beings as grass, and attempt to control and bully other races, as well as those who aid tyrants- ahem, those who assist tigers in causing harm, whether demon or human, are the enemies of all living beings in the entire primordial world!

Such demons, this poor Daoist can kill, and will kill without mercy!

Such beings, the Heavenly Court can eliminate, and naturally will not leave behind any future troubles!”

As Li Changshou’s words fell, heaven and earth fell into complete silence, with doubt flickering in many demons’ eyes.

After a while, finally, a bear spirit muttered: “What do we do if we can’t win the argument?”

“Why does it feel like what the Water God says… makes so much sense.”

“Don’t listen to his nonsense! The human race will not accommodate us!”

An elder demon roared, and several elder demons rushed more anxiously toward Li Changshou’s form in the high sky!

“Kill the Water God, and our sacred race can still rise to greatness!”

Then dozens of Demon Kings moved simultaneously, using divine abilities and throwing magical treasures, transforming into streams of light that smashed toward Li Changshou’s form.

However, primordial yellow energy fell, and Li Changshou stood calmly in the air, allowing the demon crowd to attack while his form remained motionless as a mountain.

Even the previously very excited Lord Pagoda now seemed lacking in interest, appearing somewhat wilted…

“So weak… no excitement… did these guys not eat? “

“Getting hit by them feels like a complete disgrace to the world of magical treasures.”

“Little disciple, quickly display your divine powers and eliminate these fellows.”

Li Changshou agreed inwardly, waiting for the moment when the opponents attacked together, and waved his hand to scatter two handfuls of black silver needles.

These silver needles were poisoned, and the poison was extracted and refined from the extreme poison that had once nearly taken down the Western Sea Dragon King. The ‘silver needles’ themselves were made from precious ‘Black Immortal Stone’ that specifically broke through protective immortal light.

What seemed like a casual attack had quite a high cost, and was difficult to use repeatedly.

However, the effect was truly excellent.

Almost in an instant, half of the great demons who had surrounded and attacked were struck by the silver needles.

The great demons initially didn’t feel there was any power to them, but as soon as they circulated their immortal power, they suddenly blacked out.

Several great demons whose cultivation was barely at the Heavenly Immortal realm slowly transformed back to their original forms in mid-air, died on the spot, and their demon souls directly dissipated into black smoke.

This scene caused the demon crowd’s expressions to change dramatically.

An elder demon roared, calling for all demons to attack together. Countless demon shadows pounced toward Li Changshou, soon surrounding him, with divine abilities and magical treasures deployed simultaneously.

But just as the demons completed their encirclement, streaks of lightning illuminated the sky, directly scattering the demons who had come to kill!

The Immortal Bean Soldiers on various peaks also launched their attack. The demons who were originally around the mountain gate had now received orders to advance, initiating the prelude to an intense battle within the Crossing Immortal Sect.

Li Changshou, with the Primordial Yellow Pagoda above his head, charged left and right, casually spreading lightning techniques, poison powder, and True Samadhi Fire. Demon soldiers fell to the ground in waves, crashing down across various parts of the Crossing Immortal Sect.

Inside Small Jade Peak, in the pill room.

Youqin Xuanya and Ling’e watched the scenes in the glazed mirrors, at a loss for words.

Seeing that old immortal kill across the battlefield as if walking through unpopulated territory, they even had the mistaken impression that they could do it too.

Youqin Xuanya said softly: “This senior is…”

Ling’e muttered: “From the Heavenly Court, probably, not sure though.”

Li Changshou calmly said: “Don’t underestimate these demons. They could destroy our Crossing Immortal Sect without any effort. Those few elder demons here have strength comparable to slightly weaker Great Luo Golden Immortals among humans.

The reason you think they can be easily handled is only because of the pagoda above.

This pagoda is called the Heaven and Earth Exquisite Primordial Yellow Pagoda, bestowed by the Sage Lord to help me deal with these powerful enemies.”

Ling’e and Youqin Xuanya exchanged glances, both at a loss for words.

“But Senior Brother,” Ling’e asked quietly, “isn’t that outside one your paper person?”

“You could tell,” Li Changshou smiled, “From today on, you two must not part with the jade talismans I gave you before. If someone were to probe your consciousness, my background would be directly exposed.”

At this point, Li Changshou changed his tone and said seriously:

“Letting you two encounter these things today wasn’t just to show you some excitement.

Ling’e, can you now glimpse a bit of the danger in the primordial world?”

Ling’e’s small face was full of solemnity as she nodded slightly.

“Junior Sister Youqin,” Li Changshou said, “I hope you keep what happened today in your heart. After you break through to the Heavenly Immortal realm, if you wish to slay demons and eliminate evil, to give your sense of justice a place to rest, I will arrange a clear path for you.”

Youqin Xuanya clasped her hands and bowed her head, “Xuanya will not disappoint Senior Brother’s expectations!”

Ling’e weakly raised her small hand from the side, “But Senior Brother… having a paper person carry our Human Dao’s supreme treasure like this, what if it gets taken?”

Li Changshou couldn’t help but laugh, saying: “This treasure belongs to our Human Dao’s Supreme Clarity Lord. Even other Sage Lords couldn’t take it away if they tried.

Hmm? A powerful expert has arrived. Watch everywhere carefully, I will return my consciousness to my main body to deal with them for a bit.”

With that, Li Changshou stopped waving the palm leaf fan in his hand, closed his eyes to concentrate, and fell silent.

Youqin Xuanya asked softly: “Where is Senior Brother Changshou’s main body?”

“That, I’m not sure,” Ling’e muttered, “but usually, Senior Brother would be in the safest place… Look!”

Ling’e called out softly, and Youqin Xuanya also looked up. This sight made them somewhat anxious.

In one glazed mirror’s display, a vortex appeared in the high sky, and over ten streams of light shot out from within, their auras fierce and their pressure intense!

The Western Teaching’s Primordial Fierce Beasts had arrived to attack!

Li Changshou, who was in a fierce battle with the demon experts, brightened up at this moment, because hidden among these incoming Primordial Fierce Beasts was an aura most familiar to him.

Hum~~

Wenjing Daoren’s voice sounded in Li Changshou’s ears with a coquettish laugh, “My lord is truly valiant, this servant’s heart is blooming with joy watching.”

Li Changshou calmly said: “The Great Dharma Master might be watching.”

“Although my lord is handsome and dashing, this servant still holds more respect than anything else for you.”

“Stop joking around, act according to what I said. Was it Ksitigarbha who made his move this time?”

“Indeed.”

As they spoke, over ten handsome men and beautiful women joined the battle, shouting for the demons to retreat while each launching fierce attacks.

Li Changshou remained fearless, relying on the Primordial Yellow Pagoda’s formidable power. He held his sword and counterattacked against the more than ten people, but the strength he displayed was only at the Golden Immortal realm, posing no threat to these Primordial Fierce Beasts.

The Fierce Beasts’ minds were greatly settled!

Seeing this, those elder demons on the side also deployed magical treasures, demon pearls, and divine abilities, bombarding Li Changshou wildly.

Thus, Lord Pagoda yawned, indicating things were starting to get interesting.

As figures crossed and the battle situation became increasingly deadlocked, after just a brief intense fight, Li Changshou seemed to be already unable to keep up…

The paper avatar’s immortal power was nearly exhausted.

Several Fierce Beasts forcibly controlled Li Changshou and the Primordial Yellow Pagoda. A black-light shot from the side – it was a black jade ox horn, striking directly against the Primordial Yellow Pagoda.

The Primordial Yellow Pagoda shook, actually being pushed back half a foot, and half of Li Changshou’s body separated from the primordial yellow energy.

In an instant, several streams of light shot toward Li Changshou’s exposed body, but a flash of blood-colored light swept by extremely quickly. That graceful figure mysteriously appeared in front of Li Changshou, a slender finger pointed out, instantly striking Li Changshou’s shoulder.

The Fierce Beasts’ eyes brightened as Li Changshou’s body rapidly shriveled!

Only now did Wenjing Daoren reveal her complete true form, her lips curled in an enchanting smile, her nose making a comfortable humming sound.

However, Wenjing Daoren’s expression suddenly changed. Her form hurriedly flashed backward, as a drop of cyan-blue ‘water’ had already struck the skin of her chest.

This water drop suddenly expanded, transforming into a water azure dragon ten zhang long, containing vast divine might, directly smashing Wenjing Daoren flying!

A flash of resentment passed through Wenjing Daoren’s eyes as her form flashed in mid-air and vanished again.

Look below the Primordial Yellow Pagoda!

The shriveled ‘Li Changshou’ had turned into a wrinkled paper person, now consumed by flames, with the ‘Golden Core’ within it flying back to the Primordial Yellow Pagoda.

A tiny figure walked out from the Primordial Yellow Pagoda, instantly growing to normal human size, still with a white beard and hair, looking the same as before;

But now the pressure emanating from his entire body was more than ten times more intense than before!

Then came the roar of water, as a water diagram slowly unfurled before him, dragons flying out from it roaring and howling at the surroundings;

A water-blue banner also floated behind him, dense divine power reinforcing his heaven and earth might.

He held the water diagram’s vertical axis in his left hand and raised the Merit Demon-Slaying Sword high in his right hand. As his beard and hair fluttered, he shouted:

“Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, where are you? Surround this place! Don’t let a single demon escape!”

Suddenly thunder rumbled overhead – thick dark clouds had rolled in at some point, and from within these clouds came the thunder of countless voices united:

“Yes!”

Streams of golden light penetrated the dark clouds, with figures of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals charging down filling the sky.

Dragon roars suddenly came from the east and south, as hundreds of azure dragons flew over rapidly, each carrying an ancient battle shaman overflowing with blood energy on its back!

An elder demon roared: “Outrageous, today’s situation was plotted by that Ksitigarbha and the Water God! Using our kind to fill their merit!”

“Stop spewing vicious slander!”

Another Primordial Fierce Beast angrily rebuked: “How could we possibly work with the Heavenly Court!”

“Today’s matter, only Ksitigarbha knew! If he didn’t betray us, who did?”

“You exposed yourselves by being careless in your troop movements!”

“Heh,” Li Changshou’s cold laugh spread throughout heaven and earth, “It seems today I cannot let even half a wisp of your remnant souls escape.”

As he spoke, a brilliant blue lightning ball gathered at his feet. This lightning ball gently exploded, blasting out lightning that filled the sky and illuminated the entire world!

Lightning Teleportation!

Li Changshou dove into the lightning, and where the lightning filled the sky, sword light flashed and water dragons surged;

He seemed to transform into thousands, suddenly striking, but in reality, he was just moving too swiftly, traveling by lightning!

In the blink of an eye, over ten Demon Kings were slain, and two Primordial Fierce Beasts were severely injured. Li Changshou’s figure shuttled through the lightning at will, none of the Fierce Beasts or elder demons able to catch his form!

This was a Heavenly Court civil official’s…

Hard power trump card.

…

Meanwhile, in a corner of Spirit Mountain, that young Daoist sat with closed eyes and a smile, listening to Sudhana report on the battle situation at Crossing Immortal Sect.

Everything was happening according to his design, and no matter how many casualties the demon race suffered, it didn’t matter…

At this moment, just as Sudhana was saying that Wenjing had decisively struck to assassinate the Water God but was injured when the Water God proved one step ahead, the young Daoist slowly nodded.

“This Wenjing is eager to establish merit, just showing some minor cleverness, unsuitable for great use.”

Sudhana suddenly assumed a listening posture, listened for a while, then muttered softly:

“Master, you’re in big trouble this time.”

Ksitigarbha couldn’t help but slightly furrow his brows.