Turtle Spirit’s rhetoric cuts off the Western path,
As clouds and mist herald the Saints’ arrival.
Originally, the Western Sect had followed their predetermined strategy, repelling the Severing Sect’s first wave of attacks. The Golden Immortal they killed wasn’t truly their Western Sect disciple, thus denying the Severing Sect a chance to interrogate.
At this point, the initiative had slightly shifted to the Western Sect’s favor, with Duo Bao about to appear and then use his divine abilities to force out the opposing Saints.
But Turtle Spirit Immortal, working from her special script, fully utilized her outward appearance advantage and innocently asked several questions…
[Standing from the Western Sect’s perspective to speak some ‘fair words’, thereby becoming their representative;
Taking the opportunity to admit the Western Sect’s crime of intending to destroy the Dao School for their rise, thus completely stoking the flames and forcing the Western Sect into a thoroughly passive position.
Then pretending to belatedly discover the Western Sect’s darkness, turning to nail them to the pillar of shame.
‘Oh my, they were this despicable!’]
This was purely Li Chang Shou’s planned strategy. Turtle Spirit didn’t fully understand it, but it seemed quite effective.
The Western Sect fell into a complete disadvantage. The many elders and immortals on the mountain faced a great enemy. Some pessimistic cultivators had already prepared to maintain a surface-level defense before allowing themselves to be ‘scattered’.
As the Severing Sect’s experts pressed forward together, the Western Sect’s experts immediately activated layer upon layer of formations, their expressions extremely grave.
At this moment, a Saint’s dao rhythm suddenly became apparent, causing the advancing Severing Sect experts to become somewhat wary.
When Saints appear, all immortals withdraw!
The peak of living beings, the order of the primordial world!
In this instant, not only did the Severing Sect immortals around Spirit Mountain become extremely serious, but even Great Master, Kong Xuan, and Li Chang Shou, sitting before the pill room on Little Qiong Peak, all stood up.
Great Master frowned slightly and said softly: “Why? Why is he the first to appear?”
Kong Xuan smiled: “It’s quite a brilliant move.”
Li Chang Shou remained quite calm, staring at the scene in the bronze mirror.
The Saint’s image within was somewhat blurry but showed a somewhat burly elder, with a dignified divine countenance and a golden light wheel flickering behind his head. The dao body beneath his broad robe seemed to lack physical substance.
His dao was imposing, containing the meanings of emptiness, clarity, release, exhaustion, and finality;
His rhythm extended endlessly, like the long river of heaven and earth rushing forward and surging back, both containing and merging, nurturing infinite vitality and destructive silence as one.
Careful consideration would reveal infinite wonders; even a cursory glance could detect its boundless mighty force.
A poem in praise says:
Dao rises from primordial chaos illuminating Chan’s principles,
Great vows achieve sainthood as merit descends.
The West’s difficulty in rising brings helplessness,
A heart holding heaven and earth wastes away in vain.
Meeting me all enter the trap,
Forcefully speaking of karma to snatch with skill.
Past causes determine today’s fruit,
Ten thousand years of busy work can’t escape evil.
The Severing Sect’s side never imagined that of the Western Sect’s two Saints, the first to appear would be Saint Jieyin!
Though this move was simple, it caused most of the Severing Sect’s calculations to fail, making today’s situation once again unclear and confusing.
Why was this so?
It was still about this sect having two Saints, and the insurmountable gulf between Saints and ordinary supreme beings of the primordial world.
The Severing Sect’s hoped-for script was for Saint Zhunti to appear and be immediately suppressed by their Master without breaking the primordial world, forcing Jieyin to come to the rescue.
Patriarch Tong Tian indeed had such strength, merely repeating their previous battle with the Western Sect’s two Saints in the Chaos Sea.
The Severing Sect’s confidence when facing the Western Sect stemmed from this ‘logic’.
But how could the Western Sect Saints be so easy to deal with?
Just with this simple change – Saint Jieyin coming out to handle matters while Saint Zhunti remained hidden – even if Patriarch Tong Tian had the Four Demon-Slaying Swords and the Demon-Slaying Sword Formation Diagram, he still couldn’t completely suppress Jieyin, whose dao realm was close to his own.
Next, Jieyin only needed to lead Patriarch Tong Tian outside heaven, while Saint Zhunti guarded Spirit Mountain along with the Western Sect experts who had been called back earlier…
The siege of Spirit Mountain could largely be resolved.
The Severing Sect had considered this possibility, but Duo Bao and several great disciples hadn’t worked out any solution. They decided to try anyway – at worst, they would return empty-handed.
They were gambling on luck!
Grasping for that fleeting chance!
So they came, without hesitation and filled with righteous indignation, and encountering this situation, showed no intention of retreat.
Before the pill room on Little Qiong Peak, Li Chang Shou’s mouth twitched slightly.
He didn’t know if this was truly the Severing Sect’s style, or if their calculations had reached such a divine level that they had considered all the ways he might help them.
For this situation, Li Chang Shou had his methods of response – why else had he asked his senior brother and sister-in-law to return earlier?
Then from the bronze mirror came Saint Jieyin’s ethereal voice:
“Friend, do you truly mean to destroy our Spirit Mountain faction today?”
At these words, no one dared respond.
Then came a light laugh, as rays of rosy clouds appeared in the sky, and a figure materialized out of nowhere, outside Spirit Mountain, before all the disciples!
Holding the Green Pine Sword, wearing cyan-blue Daoist robes, his long hair dancing in the wind, and his handsome face showing a slight smile.
The Upper Clarity Saint, Patriarch Tong Tian.
“Friend, you and I both know what your Spirit Mountain faction has done. Now that the great tribulation has arrived, it’s time to settle old accounts.”
Jieyin remained silent, seemingly acknowledging Patriarch Tong Tian’s accusations.
At this level of existence, schemes, and machinations became peripheral – everything returned to the foundation of strength.
Spirit Mountain fell quiet everywhere, from the Spirit Mountain elders to the Severing Sect immortals, their moods inexplicably dropping.
Saint Jieyin slowly sighed: “Everything has ultimately become different from ancient times.”
Patriarch Tong Tian smiled, his Green Pine Sword unsheathed by half an inch.
“Battle outside heaven?”
“I shall certainly oblige.”
Hum—
The Great Dao trembled, heaven and earth shook. One moment the two Saints were standing and sitting in the air, the next they had vanished.
Jieyin’s auspicious cloud collapsed, and Patriarch Tong Tian left only a faint phantom image.
Two brilliantly shining shooting stars shot up against the sky, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving only the lingering effects of their clashing Saint dao rhythms slowly spreading through heaven and earth, dispersing clouds and mist for unknown distances.
The Saints, battling outside heaven!
“Long Shou, does Uncle Master Tong Tian have any backup plans?”
Great Master asked with a frown, his eyes showing some confusion, “He’s so carefree, leaving all his sect’s disciples at Spirit Mountain.”
Li Chang Shou pondered for a moment, thinking of some possibilities.
Kong Xuan said gently: “Perhaps there’s something like the Heaven Concealing Great Formation that can be used to oppose Saints. The Severing Sect’s current number of experts probably far exceeds that of the ancient Demon Court.”
Ling E muttered softly: “Could it be that Saint Uncle-Master thinks my Senior Brother is the Severing Sect’s backup plan?”
The three Great Dao School members all started, and then each smiled lightly.
Li Chang Shou said: “There’s another possibility – that Uncle Master Tong Tian entrusted important treasures to Senior Brother Duo Bao.”
“Sigh, whatever the case, we can’t just ignore it.”
Great Master’s eyes flashed with a slight gleam, his whole person changing from his original comfortable, lazy state to show some sharpness.
Great Master said:
“Today isn’t just the Severing Sect against the Western Sect – ultimately it’s the Dao School against the Western Sect.
Long Shou, help your senior brother think of a suitable excuse. If things go wrong later, I’ll go risk my life to block a Saint.”
Li Chang Shou hummed a few times: “The Sixth Saint probably won’t easily leave Spirit Mountain.”
“If necessary, we’ll request Master to use some methods in secret.”
“This… is that appropriate?”
“It’s fine, Master did this often in ancient times! Did you think your senior brother could match East Emperor Taiyi wielding the Chaos Bell in his first battle with the Demon Emperor?”
Great Master’s eyes crinkled in a smile, full of reminiscence.
Li Chang Shou: …
It seemed Great Master’s relationship with Sister-in-law Kong had indeed stabilized – he could speak words that damaged his heroic image so carelessly.
In the bronze mirror, today’s third Saint dao rhythm had already manifested.
…
‘Master left so confidently…’
In the void earth cave, Duo Bao’s face was full of worry as he scratched his head and paced about, his heart even sprouting several bold thoughts.
Should they just give up for today?
What did Master mean by that transmitted message before rushing to battle Jieyin outside heaven?
‘Use this to hold back Zhunti, I’m counting on you, Bao.’
Bao? Please don’t Bao!
Why did Master have this misunderstanding, thinking he could have the power to battle a Saint just by activating the famous Chaos Bell?
He wasn’t the Dao School’s “cultivation maniac” Senior Brother Xuan Du, who nearly became the Great Dao itself through cultivation!
He just had a few more treasures, slightly stronger personal strength, and cut off his three corpses a bit earlier…
What, should he do about this?
Ding ling ling~
A sudden urgent ringing came from above his head – the small bronze bell trembled continuously, sending a spiritual awareness into Duo Bao’s heart.
“What are you waiting for? Your junior brothers and sisters are about to attack again! Now, the great senior brother of the Severing Sect, with such profound dao realm, talking confidently before your master about how today is the perfect opportunity to destroy Spirit Mountain – how can you wilt when the moment comes?”
“Sigh… the logic is one thing, but the mindset is another matter entirely.”
Duo Bao shook his head and stood up, cupping his hands toward the Chaos Bell before gripping this ‘bell’ in his palm.
“Very well, since things have come to this, we must give it our all!”
He then chuckled and muttered softly: “Senior, please protect this junior later. I have some Chaos Essence Fluid here, a treasure that has soaked in the Thirty-Six Grade Chaos Green Lotus – I’ll certainly offer it to you after the battle.”
“Hmph.”
The Chaos Bell’s spiritual awareness was full of disdain:
“This bell has been in the Chaos Sea for so many years – what haven’t I encountered, what haven’t I tasted? How could these little things of yours be worth my attention? Remember to keep your word. Your master promised me that if we win this battle, he’ll set me free.”
Duo Bao was startled again, but being well-versed in treasure temperaments, he knew such supreme treasures couldn’t be forced. He could only offer a few placating smiles as he gripped the Chaos Bell and stepped out of the void cave, appearing directly in the sky above Spirit Mountain.
His slightly plump figure emanated a faint majesty, instantly giving confidence back to the Severing Sect immortals who had just been ready to fight Spirit Mountain to the death.
Just then!
Layers of clouds and mist surged from all around Spirit Mountain, transforming into the form and face of a hundred-zhang-tall elder, his Saint dao rhythm reaching peak intensity.
Saint Zhunti finally appeared again, and his mere appearance brought immense pressure to the assembled Severing Sect immortals.
Jieyin had been engaged by Patriarch Tong Tian.
This Zhunti would naturally have to fight with them.
It would be a lie to say they weren’t nervous, but half of the Severing Sect immortals had a kind of desire, a kind of surging excitement growing in their hearts!
One was the persistence that even a Saint couldn’t look down upon their Severing Sect!
One was the spirit to dare to fight for a chance of victory even when facing a Saint!
Zhunti spoke: “If any Severing Sect member dares step half a step into Spirit Mountain today, don’t blame this poor dao for bullying the small with the great.”
Qiong Xiao laughed instead of getting angry, directly cursing: “Western Sect today, if your Saint wants to directly compete with us juniors, then don’t blame us small ones for offending the great!”
Golden light flashed through the eyes of Zhunti’s dharma body, and suddenly a golden star flickered beside him, from which came a faint light laugh:
“The Severing Sect immortal maiden truly shows too much disrespect for others. Perhaps this is how you speak to your own master in the Jade Void Palace?”
As the voice fell, a tall figure appeared from within the golden star, floating beside Zhunti’s dharma body – a young cultivator.
This youth’s background and origin were unknown, seemingly never having moved through the primordial world or appeared before others before, but at this moment, he could display his own dao under Saint Zhunti’s dao rhythm.
He smiled while holding a flower, his eyes showing some disdain.
Jieyin’s disciple, Kasyapa.
Another light laugh was heard as a second golden star flickered on the other side of Zhunti’s dharma body, revealing an elder wearing loose robes who came from deep within Spirit Mountain.
He chanted: “What is dullness, what is wisdom? Vainly lamenting desire, for the sake of equal resolve.”
His dao rhythm spread out, showing him to also be a supreme being of the primordial world, a rarely seen expert.
A third golden star immediately flickered again!
One after another, disciples of Jieyin and Zhunti who had never appeared before, experts who didn’t participate in Western Sect affairs but only quietly awaited the Western Sect’s great rise.
In the blink of an eye, fourteen people had emerged!
These were Ksitigarbha, Maitreya, and Empty Bodhi – the true senior and junior brothers!
They appeared one by one beside Zhunti, pushing Spirit Mountain’s momentum to its peak.
Those Spirit Mountain elders who had previously only been there to make up numbers and pass time now held their heads high, flying together into the hundred-zhang-high sky, surrounding Saint Zhunti.
How could a Great Saint Sect be taken lightly?
The word “foundation” was displayed by Spirit Mountain to the fullest!
Dong—
Suddenly a bell toll was heard, and heaven and earth became abruptly clamorous.
Duo Bao held a three-chi-tall ancient bell in his palm as he slowly descended from the sky, ripples appearing in heaven and earth wherever the bell sound passed.
Zhunti’s dharma body’s gaze focused, as Duo Bao held his head high, one hand behind his back.
The Severing Sect immortals no longer suppressed themselves, traces of countless great daos revealed themselves and the heaven and earth around Spirit Mountain suddenly turned pitch black!
The sky had no color, the earth no trace!
The Severing Sect immortals’ qi mechanisms linked together, like a high wall standing on all sides of Spirit Mountain.
The great battle was about to erupt!
The Severing Sect disciples were ready to face a Saint directly!
At this time, the only absent Severing Sect great disciple Zhao Gong Ming was near the Jade Void Palace, frowning as he watched its movements.
The Enlightenment Sect had no response.
Indeed, they didn’t need to take any action.
Saint Zhunti plus the Spirit Mountain disciples were enough to resist the Severing Sect’s offensive – there would certainly be heavy casualties among the experts on both sides.
They only needed to sit back and watch the tigers fight.
Throughout heaven and earth, countless gazes watched the darkened Spirit Mountain, from the Dragon Palace to the Heaven Palace, from the Five Elements Observatory to the Fire Cloud Cave.
The emaciated old cultivator above the Nine Heavens slowly opened his eyes, while the Jade Emperor in the Upper Heaven Palace slightly frowned in thought.
In this heaven and earth, who knew who revealed a faint smile, or whose gaze was so greedy and expectant for the great battle to erupt within Spirit Mountain’s black curtain…
At Spirit Mountain, between the Severing and Western Sects, they only waited for one beam of light to streak across for thousands to shoot forth!
They only waited for one kill order to be given for who knew how many experts to fall in the Western Continent!
Even supreme experts like Duo Bao and Golden Spirit Immortal had their heartstrings stretched almost to breaking.
Right! At! This! Moment!
“The dao has pure wonder within, where does one speak of naturalness?”
A light laugh came from high in the sky, and in this darkness that could almost devour everything, a faint white light suddenly appeared. Looking carefully, it was the phantom image of a Taiji Diagram, just with its ‘black fish’ merged into the darkness.
From within the Taiji Diagram stepped out a cultivator whose face appeared ordinary at first glance, with the Primordial Yellow Tower above his head and the Heaven and Earth Ruler in his hand, while the primordial supreme treasure Taiji Diagram gently circled behind him, and a Departing Fire Banner transformed into a fire azure dragon coiling around him.
Great Master Xuan Du!
With the Great Master’s appearance, all smiles vanished from the Western Sect’s side.
Saint Zhunti spoke directly: “Does the Human Teaching also want to come here to bully?”
“Uncle Master’s words are too heavy,” Great Master laughed lightly, but no longer made a Daoist salute to Zhunti, only saying: “We are merely disciples of the Dao School – how could we bully Western Saints? We just feel something isn’t right and wish to come here to uphold justice. The karma the Western Sect owes the Dao School from the past should be repaid today.”
Zhunti remained silent, while the Western Sect’s great disciples faced a powerful enemy.
What they feared was naturally the strongest Saint in the primordial world, and the Great Master was one of only two spokespersons for that Saint.
Great Master calmly stepped forward, the Severing Sect immortals’ eyes full of light.
And when Great Master walked to Immortal Yun Xiao’s side, gesturing for her to step back a bit, he said gently:
“Chang Geng said to tell you not to take risks – bring out those little trinkets he gave you and first break Spirit Mountain’s great formation. I’ll protect you.”
Yun Xiao nodded slightly without hesitation, flipping her delicate hand to produce a jade statue of herself, which she threw behind her. As she drew various seal symbols with one hand, the jade statue suddenly grew larger.
Three chi, three zhang, thirty zhang, three hundred zhang!
The Severing Sect immortals and Spirit Mountain crowd were all stunned – they had truly never seen such a scene.
Was this dharma body manifestation, or a mustard seed treasure?
Just as Zhunti was about to take action, he saw Great Master with the Taiji Diagram on his back and Duo Bao holding the Chaos Bell, one on the left and one on the right, protecting Yun Xiao and that jade statue’s sides.
Behind the jade statue appeared streams of seven-colored spiritual rivers, with eighty-one vortices appearing on its back, almost instantly draining this area’s heaven and earth spiritual qi!
It even triggered a spiritual qi upheaval in the Western Ox Continent, surging toward Spirit Mountain like mountains collapsing and seas roaring.
Those spiritual rivers were like seven-colored light wings spread by the jade statue, with such mystical dao rhythm upon them!
At this moment, Yun Xiao’s eyes were full of cold detachment, showing no unusual reaction to the jade statue using her appearance. The Primordial Golden Dipper circled her as her figure floated directly in front of the jade statue, their movements almost synchronized!
Raising her hands, both palms aimed at Spirit Mountain’s great formation!
The difference was that in the jade statue’s palms appeared a black hole.
Yun Xiao’s long hair floated gently, her face coldly beautiful, her eyes showing a touch of reluctance before finally only cold remained.
She was a Severing Sect disciple.
Bearing the rise and fall of the Severing Sect.
Today borrowing your weapon to carry out killing, also bearing the evil fruits of killing herself.
If this body could cross the Investiture of God’s great tribulation, she would accompany you body and heart, inseparable and never abandoning in difficulty.
Tracing Origin – Hundredfold Spirit Crossbow!
“Break.”