The next morning, after five consecutive days of travel,
Chu Lu finally arrived at the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect. Standing in the void, he looked toward the mountain gate before him.
As the foremost immortal sect of the Righteous Path, the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect was more than twice as large as the Inquiry Sword Sect.
Endless mountain ranges crisscrossed one another, forming a cross when viewed from above.
At their intersection stood an immortal mountain radiating five-colored rosy light. It was the core of the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect, where spiritual veins converged and where the sect master and many elders cultivated—Golden Summit Peak.
With a rough visual estimate, Chu Lu found that Golden Summit Peak was nearly three thousand li away from him.
He could not help inwardly marveling once again at the sheer enormity of this sect.
He then flew toward Golden Summit Peak, but the instant he set off, he heard a thunderous shout.
"Stop right there!"
A group of people immediately flew over. The man at their head had the bearing of an immortal sage; he was clearly another elder.
"And you are?" Chu Lu asked.
"This one is Zhang Yukou." The elder said, "Greetings, Sect Master of the Inquiry Sword Sect."
"The Inquiry Sword Sect is gone. Do not call me Sect Master." Chu Lu said, "Since you recognize me, then you should know why I am here, yes?"
"Fellow... Fellow Daoist Luo has naturally come for revenge. But this one has a few words and asks that you hear them." Zhang Yukou said, "I believe they can change your mind."
"Oh? What are they?"
"That is correct. Although our sect repeatedly sent people to ambush you in secret and tried to kill you." Zhang Yukou said with a grief-stricken expression, "But even if our sect was ninety-nine percent at fault, could it be that you were not one percent at fault yourself?"
Chu Lu froze for a moment.
Then he took out his sword from his Storage Ring and, without the slightest hesitation, unleashed Phoenix Arrives on the spot, directly cutting off his head.
"Lunatic." Chu Lu cursed. "Spouting such incomprehensible nonsense and insulting my intelligence!"
The elder's corpse fell, and the disciples behind him immediately wore expressions of grief and indignation.
"Elder!"
"Luo the Demon! I'll fight you to the death!"
They drew their weapons and charged at Chu Lu with tears streaming down their faces.
Chu Lu struck out with his palm, and his immense magical power swept forward like monstrous waves reaching for the sky.
The dozens of disciples exploded with a bang.
Bang bang bang bang! More than a dozen blood-colored fireworks bloomed in the air.
Chu Lu sped onward.
But in the next moment, several more roars rang out.
"Overestimating yourself!"
"Luo the Demon, do you truly think my Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect has no one left?"
"Everyone, form the sword array!"
The northward branch of the four mountain ranges suddenly lit up with dazzling golden light.
On a training platform, several hundred cultivators stood in orderly ranks, dressed in identical azure Daoist robes. Their gazes were resolute and focused as they jointly faced the immense crisis about to descend.
At the leading elder's command, everyone moved at once. Their hands formed seals, their mouths chanted incantations, and the spiritual power within their bodies surged forth like a tide.
Streams of light shot from their fingertips, linking to the Spirit Swords hanging at their waists. The Spirit Swords flew from their sheaths one after another and hovered in the air, their blades trembling slightly as they gave off crisp chimes.
Drawn by spiritual power, the several hundred Spirit Swords began moving in orderly fashion. Like a flock of well-trained birds, they swiftly formed all manner of intricate formations. Some swords interwove to form dense sword nets; others linked head to tail like circling dragons.
In the end, they became a colossal sword that blotted out the sky and covered the earth, tearing through the heavens as it struck toward Chu Lu.
This was the Seven Stars Shine Upon the World Sword Array, one of the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect's four great sect-protecting sword arrays, its might boundless. Back then, the Blood-Melting Great Demon had led the Heavenless Demonic Sect in an assault on the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect, their momentum so overwhelming that demonic flames seemed to reach the skies. The Blood-Melting Great Demon himself had been a great demon of the age, and his extraordinary body-tempering art had reached unfathomable heights. In terms of physical strength alone, few in the world could rival him.
Yet when the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect deployed this sword array, a single strike had killed them all.
But at this moment, Chu Lu merely gave the enormous sword a light wave of his hand.
Bang!
The colossal sword shattered with a crash, and the backlash from the broken sword array rapidly spread to the cultivators.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!
Several hundred people exploded at once.
Even from Chu Lu's distance, he could see the cloud of blood mist.
Yet it was not over. Sword light rose simultaneously from the other three mountain ranges.
"Demon, we are not finished yet!"
"Primordial Limitless Sword Array!"
"Ethereal Soul-Devouring Sword Array!"
"Nine Yangs Burning Heaven Sword Array!"
Three supreme sword arrays of the present age activated at once.
At that instant, the cultivators within the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect felt as though they could scarcely breathe.
It was an illusion caused by all the surrounding spiritual power being completely drained away.
At this moment, the skies above the vast Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect were entirely covered by the spiritual radiance of sword arrays.
Even the ordinary living creatures nearby died one after another beneath the sword arrays' might.
"Die!"
Amid hoarse, heart-rending roars, the sword arrays struck toward Chu Lu.
Faced with an attack far greater than before, Chu Lu's response remained the same as ever.
Phoenix Arrives!
Bang bang bang!
The three sword arrays shattered at once, and blood mist erupted simultaneously from the three mountain ranges.
At the same time, the scattered spiritual power spread madly outward, actually forming a tangible storm.
With an indifferent expression, Chu Lu continued onward. He reached Golden Summit Peak and headed toward the Heavenly Profound Palace at its summit.
"Alas." At that moment, a sigh suddenly sounded.
An old man whose long beard dragged upon the ground abruptly blocked Chu Lu's path.
Chu Lu said, "And you are?"
"This old one is Li Jiu," the old man said.
Chu Lu said, "?"
Luo Qingdie explained at this moment, "He is the Limitless Sword Immortal of the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect, a Tribulation Stage cultivator. However, he has not been seen walking the world for three thousand years. I did not expect him to still be alive."
Li Jiu sighed again. "I never expected that a single mistaken thought from the sect master would bring such a calamity upon our sect. Fellow Daoist Luo, you have killed so many people today. Your anger should have subsided by now, should it not? For this old one's sake, could you withdraw?"
"What if I say no?" Chu Lu asked.
"Then do not blame this old one." Li Jiu said, "Although Fellow Daoist Luo is at the Mahayana Stage, you have traveled all this way and just forcibly broken our sect's four great sword arrays. You must have consumed quite a bit of magical power already, yes? This old one is foolish and incompetent, though I am merely..."
Bang.
Li Jiu's head suddenly fell to the ground.
Chu Lu walked forward slowly. At some unknown moment, the sword in his hand had been stained with another streak of blood.
"Thank you for your concern." As he stepped over Li Jiu's corpse, he said, "But I'm not tired."
Chu Lu continued onward.
It had to be said that the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect's foundations were indeed profound.
Along the way, seven or eight Tribulation Stage cultivators appeared one after another, hoping to force Chu Lu back.
Unfortunately, not a single one could withstand even one strike of his sword.
A short while later, he finally arrived at the Heavenly Profound Palace.
He looked ahead, examining the incomparably luxurious palace before him.
The main structure of the Heavenly Profound Palace was built from precious white jade stone. Every piece had been meticulously carved, its surface smooth as a mirror and radiating a gentle luster.
The palace doors were made from millennium-old agarwood and embedded with countless dazzling gemstones, glimmering with dreamlike light. The door knockers were cast from pure gold and engraved with exquisite auspicious patterns, lifelike in every detail.
Chu Lu pushed open the doors and walked inside.
Upon reaching the main hall, he saw someone seated in the seat of honor.
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