The moment they stepped into the Western Realm, all six mighty cultivators frowned. Even Yang Mei, who was always aloof, flashed a hint of disgust in his eyes. The Blood Fiend Energy here had grown so dense it had turned black, filling every inch of space like thick ink. A vile stench, mixed with blood, decay, resentment, and countless other negative auras, rushed at them and struck directly at their primordial spirits, making them nauseous. Fairy Wang Shu, in particular, was naturally pure and most sensitive to such filth. Her face turned pale from the fumes, and she nearly retched. Only after circulating Star Immortal Light around herself did she feel somewhat better.
At the summit of Mount Sumeru Demonic Palace, Luohu stood with his hands behind his back, his crimson cloak snapping in the Demonic Energy. He watched the six figures coldly, a cruel sneer curling across his lips. Sword shadows flickered behind him. He had been waiting here for a long time!
Meanwhile, Li Cha, whose aura was perfectly concealed by the Chaos Pearl, had silently trailed behind the group like a ghost. At the instant the six mighty cultivators drew all attention and officially entered the Western Realm, drawing Luohu's notice, he quietly activated the Spirit Vine Boundless divine ability.
Using the Spiritual Tea Trees scattered around Mount Sumeru as "watchers," he ignored the distance of space and appeared at the foot of Mount Sumeru, where the fiendish energy was even denser, in the very next moment.
The sight before him made his heart sink. The Cloud Mist Spirit Tea Trees formed from his origin seeds were in terrible condition. Their once-lush green leaves had yellowed and curled over vast areas, their spiritual light had dimmed, and wisps of black energy had even emerged from their branches. They had clearly suffered prolonged corrosion from the Demonic Energy permeating this Western land. Their origins were slowly being worn away by the demonic energy. At this rate, in a few more years, these Spiritual Tea Trees would wither completely and lose all spirituality.
"You have suffered." Pity and anger surged in Li Cha's heart. He swiftly took out the pure Spiritual Spring water stored in the Chaos Pearl and carefully watered every Spiritual Tea Tree on the verge of withering. Then, with his own gentle Wood Spirit Vitality, he cleared and nourished their channels, temporarily stabilizing their injuries. "Hold on a little longer. Once this matter is settled, this land will change." He spoke softly in reassurance, and the Spiritual Tea Trees gently swayed their branches and leaves in response.
Just as Li Cha secretly treated the Spiritual Tea Trees, the earthshaking battle before Mount Sumeru erupted!
"Zhu Xian Sword Formation, rise!"
At Luohu's command, four entirely different yet equally incomparably vicious Sword Intents tore apart the heavens in an instant! The Zhu Xian Sword was ferocious, the Lu Xian Sword domineering, the Xian Xian Sword elusive, and the Jue Xian Sword annihilating! The four swords hung in the four directions, their sword qi weaving into a net that blanketed heaven and earth, drawing all six mighty cultivators into the formation! The formation diagram rotated, drawing upon the fiendish energy of the Western Earth's Veins and making its power even greater!
Within the sword formation, killing intent was boundless. Sword qi ran rampant, evolving Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind before returning them to Chaos! The six immediately felt the pressure multiply, and even the Dao Rhymes around them were suppressed by the razor-sharp sword qi.
Relying on her exquisite understanding of formations, Wang Shu tried to discern the sword formation's patterns and break apart the connection between the four swords. Starlight flickered in her eyes as she calculated the formation core. Yet the Zhu Xian Sword Formation had endless transformations. The instant she advanced too rashly, a Zhu Xian Sword Qi condensed to the utmost extreme stabbed toward her back, so fast that there was no time to react!
"Watch out!" At that critical moment, Yin-Yang Ancestor shouted. The Taiji Diagram behind him abruptly unfurled, Yin Yang Energies circulating as they formed a massive Taiji shield, barely blocking that fatal strike! Even so, the aftermath of the sword qi sent Wang Shu's blood and qi churning, and her lovely face turned even paler.
"Do not act rashly! This formation is perilous; we must join forces to break it!" Hongjun shouted gravely and swiftly assigned their tasks. "The four of us will each choose a sword and restrain its power! Fellow Daoist Yang Mei, please provide support!"
With the plan decided, the six immediately moved.
Hongjun held the Pangu Banner. Above his head, the Fragment of the Jade Disc of Creation released countless streams of purple qi to protect him, while the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus of Merit beneath his feet bloomed with immeasurable golden light. Holding the center steadily, he directly confronted Demon Ancestor Luohu, who wielded the God-Slaying Spear, had the Ten Thousand Souls Banner unfurled above his head, and stood upon the floating World-Destroying Black Lotus! The life-and-death battle between two Peak Quasi-Saints instantly reached a fever pitch.
On the other side, the four Quasi-Saints faced the four swords respectively:
Yin-Yang Ancestor had the Taiji Diagram at his back and held the Yin Yang Mirror in his hand. The Great Dao of Yin Yang manifested, and black-and-white divine light swept forth, fixing a region of void in place. Following Wang Shu's guidance, he confronted the most elusive of the swords, the Jue Xian Sword.
Qiankun Ancestor had the Qiankun Cauldron above his head, Profound Yellow Qi descending from it and rendering him impervious to all techniques. Holding the Hongmeng Measuring Heaven Ruler, he unleashed countless ruler shadows that measured heaven and earth, intercepting the most ferocious Zhu Xian Sword with unmatched force.
Ancestor Five Elements was surrounded by the Five Spirit Pearls, which evolved into a world of the five elements, mutually generating and restraining one another. He swung the Five Elements Whip, drawing upon the elemental qi of heaven and earth as he battled the incomparably domineering Lu Xian Sword.
Fairy Wang Shu had the Star Seal above her head, drawing in Stellar Power. With the Star Sword in hand, her sword light poured down like an overturned galaxy. From time to time, she also flung out Star Crystals, striking precisely at the Xian Xian Sword's operational nodes to disrupt its sword qi gathering and prevent it from fully displaying its power.
Great Immortal Yang Mei held a Willow Branch, Space Laws manifesting around him as he stood ready to provide aid at any moment.
All four were top mighty cultivators of the Primordial Wilderness. Each employed their own methods, and they truly managed to temporarily restrain the four vicious swords, preventing them from responding to one another. The core of the Zhu Xian Sword Formation lay in the formation diagram linking the four swords to create a domain of absolute slaughter. Now that the four swords had been separated, the formation diagram's power was greatly weakened, and the sword formation's might immediately dropped by an entire level!
Wang Shu's beautiful eyes lit up. She knew the opportunity had come! Using her understanding of formations and her resonance with the Star Crystals, she had already secretly laid down a Grand Celestial Stars Sealing Formation!
"Grand Celestial Stars, heed my command! Seal heaven and sever earth, cut off its roots! Qi!"
With a clear cry, the Star Crystals she had scattered earlier and her own vast Star Immortal Power erupted at the same time! Dazzling starlight forcibly pierced the dense blood-fiend demonic clouds, connecting with the stars beyond the heavens and transforming into streams of Star Light Ropes. Like a net spread across heaven and earth, they fiercely wrapped around the Zhu Xian Formation Diagram floating at the center of the sword formation!
Buzz!
The formation diagram shook violently. Its connection with the four swords was forcibly disrupted and severed by the power of the stars! Without the formation diagram's coordination, the four vicious swords were still Top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures, but they could no longer form that peerless killing sword formation which none but four saints could break!
The sword formation was broken!
The Zhu Xian Formation Diagram dimmed and was forcibly suppressed and collected by Wang Shu with the Star Seal! Without the formation diagram's enhancement, the four vicious swords greatly weakened. Before long, Qiankun, Yin Yang, Ancestor Five Elements, and Wang Shu, who were each fighting one, joined hands to capture and seal them!
"No!" Luohu saw the sword formation destroyed, and his eyes nearly split with rage as he roared madly! His greatest reliance had actually been broken by them in such a manner!
Despair and fury completely swallowed his reason. His attacks became even more frenzied and reckless! The God-Slaying Spear moved like a mad demon, abandoning all defense and attacking without restraint. Enduring the Star Sword light Wang Shu sent at him, he viciously drove his spear into Hongjun's Dao body!
Squelch!
The God-Slaying Spear's sharpness pierced through the Merit Golden Lotus's defensive light barrier. Though its power had been greatly weakened, it still left a gruesome bloody hole in Hongjun's shoulder, and Demonic Energy began to corrode him madly!
"Now!" Luohu's body stalled from Wang Shu's attack, and the others immediately seized this fleeting opportunity!
The Qiankun Cauldron descended overhead! Black-and-white divine light swept down from the Yin Yang Mirror! The Five Elements Whip tore through the sky! The radiance of countless divine abilities and spirit treasures poured down upon Luohu like a torrential storm!
Boom! Boom! Boom! ...
Luohu was struck until his demonic body cracked apart, demonic blood scattering across the sky as his aura instantly weakened.
"You forced my hand!!" Luohu let out a hysterical roar, the last trace of reason in his eyes completely vanishing. He abruptly spread his arms, and across the Western Land, Blood Fiend Energy so dense it had reached the extreme, along with the Resentment Power of countless fallen demonic soldiers and living beings, surged toward him like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea!
A terrifying energy fluctuation that made souls tremble erupted from him. Space shattered inch by inch like fragile glass, forming a massive black-hole vortex! Even the attacks of several Quasi-Saints were intercepted and diverted by the violent energy currents!
He intended to forcibly absorb this immeasurable Karma and blood fiend energy to break through into the realm of a Primordial Grand Unity Golden Immortal! Breaking through in such an evil manner would inevitably leave his Dao foundation unstable. He could fall at any moment, or even have his mind forever sink into a demonic abyss. But as long as he could temporarily obtain the power of a saint, it would be enough to crush the enemies before him! Afterwards, sacrificing the entire Primordial Wilderness in blood would be enough to restore his foundation!
His plan was vicious, yet effective. The expressions of the six mighty cultivators changed drastically. Feeling that terrifying pressure rise higher and higher until it had already touched the threshold of sainthood, they knew things had gone badly!
"Stop him!" Hongjun shouted, swinging the Pangu Banner with all his strength as Chaos Sword Qi tore through the void!
Qiankun, Yin Yang, Ancestor Five Elements, Wang Shu, and Yang Mei did not hesitate either. Each unleashed their ultimate divine abilities, and torrents of multicolored destructive energy blasted toward the center of the energy vortex!
However, the power Luohu had gathered was too immense. The combined attack of the six was like a clay ox entering the sea. Though it made the energy vortex shake without end, it was still short by the slightest margin and could not completely interrupt his breakthrough!
In the sky, the Heavenly Dao sensed it, and pitch-black Tribulation Clouds began to gather. This was the Primordial Tribulation for proving the Dao! Once the lightning tribulation descended, regardless of success or failure, it would mean Luohu had already taken that half-step!
Just as Luohu's aura was nearly complete and a savage, frenzied smile appeared on his face, the Primordial Thunder Tribulation was about to strike--
Suddenly, an elegant, rich, and lingering fragrance spread from nowhere. This fragrance carried a mysterious power that soothed the mind, cleansed restless thoughts, and enlightened wisdom. On this battlefield filled with endless stench and brutality, it seemed utterly out of place, yet it was incomparably distinct!
It was precisely a cup of specially prepared Calming Enlightenment Tea that Li Cha had secretly brewed with the Five Elements Furnace, Shouyang Pot, and Sacred Spirit Table, then sent its fragrance from afar with a divine ability!
This seemingly insignificant wisp of tea fragrance was like a clear spring falling into boiling oil, like a spring breeze brushing over solid ice. Luohu, standing at the edge of his frenzied breakthrough, was stirred by the tea fragrance containing Purity Dao Rhyme. His spiritual platform, clouded by endless slaughter and hatred, unexpectedly gained a trace of clarity!
"What... am I doing?" That trace of clarity flashed through his chaotic mind like lightning.
That single trace of clarity caused a tiny yet fatal crack to appear in his Saint-Breaking Heart, which had been determined to break through at all costs and let him alone stand as the sole demon! His Dao Heart instantly became unstable!
During a breakthrough, the greatest taboo was wavering of the mind! Much less when forcibly breaking through in such an evil way!
"No!" Luohu roared in terror, but that crack had already widened. Endless illusions of inner demons erupted from the depths of his heart and instantly devoured him! The terrifying energy he had gathered began to spiral out of control and backlash against him!
"A fine opportunity!" How could the six mighty cultivators let such a heaven-sent chance pass? They unleashed every method at their disposal, bombarding Luohu, whose energy had run wild and who had fallen into illusions of inner demons, like Heavenly Punishment!
Boom!!!
This time, the attacks struck without any obstruction!
Luohu's demonic body shattered inch by inch beneath the violent energy blast. The False Saint Realm he had forcibly gathered vanished like a bubble, and his aura plummeted like a cliff, falling back into the Quasi-Saint realm. Worse, he was now a gravely wounded Quasi-Saint whose origin had been severely damaged!
The energy vortex dispersed, revealing Luohu's broken body. He knelt on one knee, coughing up great mouthfuls of black demonic blood. Raising his head, the madness in his eyes had faded, leaving only endless resentment and a trace of... strange enlightenment. That tea fragrance which had briefly awakened him had allowed him, in a daze, to see the possibility of another path.
He coldly swept his gaze over the six who approached him, lingering especially on Hongjun's face. A mocking yet resolute sneer rose at the corner of his mouth.
Li Cha saw it clearly from afar, alarm bells blaring in his heart. He immediately transmitted his voice to Wang Shu. "Fairy, retreat quickly! He is going to self-destruct his origin!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Shu did not hesitate. Transforming into a Star Rainbow, she instantly retreated tens of thousands of miles! Yang Mei also seemed to have sensed it beforehand. Space ripples spread before him, and with a single step, he vanished.
Hongjun was even more cunning. The instant Luohu's aura stirred again, he had already quietly retreated, hiding behind the others.
Only Qiankun, Yin Yang, and Ancestor Five Elements, whose eyes were bloodshot with killing intent and who swore to eliminate evil completely, saw Luohu severely wounded and charged forward without regard for anything else, intending to deliver the final blow!
"Let us... perish together!" Luohu gave his final roar. His remaining demonic body swelled abruptly like an inflated balloon, and in the next instant--
BOOM!!!!!!!!!
A destructive force beyond description erupted from Luohu's center! It was as though hundreds of millions of suns had exploded at once! Light swallowed everything, sound was annihilated, and space was ground entirely into dust, forming an ever-expanding domain of absolute Void!
The figures of Qiankun, Yin Yang, and Ancestor Five Elements were instantly swallowed by that destructive tide. Even their primordial spirits could not escape. Every trace of their existence was utterly erased amid that ultimate light and heat. Their bodies and Daos perished!
The terrifying energy shockwave swept across the entire Western Land. Mountains collapsed, rivers evaporated, Earth's Veins broke apart... The West, already gravely weakened by blood sacrifice, had its Spiritual Energy almost completely drained by this explosion. It became a barren land of death that would not recover for ten thousand years!
The light of the self-destruction slowly faded, leaving only rampant energy currents and shattered space in that region.
At the center of the explosion, an incomparably weak, nearly transparent Demonic Soul had not completely dispersed. It still stubbornly floated in the void. It was Luohu!
Before Hongjun could strike again and completely erase him, the Demonic Soul abruptly raised his head toward that supreme existence hidden in the unseen. In an incomparably solemn voice that stirred echoes from the Great Dao, he made the grand vow destined to be inscribed in the history of the Primordial Wilderness:
"Great Dao above! I am Demon Ancestor Luohu. Today, I perceive that the Great Dao of the Primordial Wilderness is incomplete, that all living beings bear attachments within their hearts. I wish to establish a path called 'Demon'! As the Dao wanes, demons rise; when the Dao rises one foot, demons rise ten! When there is injustice in the heart, Demonic Thoughts arise of their own accord! Once the Demonic Path is established, all living beings may enter demonhood! May the Great Dao bear witness!"
The moment the grand vow was made, the Great Dao resounded in harmony! Boundless fortune of the Demonic Path began to gather. Though Luohu's Demonic Soul completely dispersed between heaven and earth because of this grand vow, the Demonic Path formally completed the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial Wilderness from that day onward. It became a path that coexisted with the Immortal Path, intertwined with it and rising and falling in opposition!
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