Imperial Dao
New Star has undergone relatively reasonable planning during its development, and its natural resources have not been damaged. It boasts a variety of magnificent landscapes, including virgin forests, large lakes and marshes, Danxia landforms, majestic mountains, and desert sunsets.
Yet, the human settlements, the cities, appear so modern and technologically advanced, with many skyscrapers seemingly soaring into the clouds.
The cities are all very large, with wetlands, large lakes, and various small spaceships flying by in the sky, while hovercars travel on their established routes in mid-air.
Wang Xuan and the Sword Immortal arrived. After vaguely sensing the aura of the Body Slaying Banner, they immediately set off eastward to a coastal city in the east.
During the journey, when passing through Pingyuan City, he was slightly lost in thought. The Qin Family, one of the five super-rich families of New Star, was located here. They controlled a mothership dug from the moon and stored advanced technology that was ahead of its time.
"The Qin Family has evacuated as a whole."
Back then, this conglomerate was extremely powerful. It once bombarded the Transcendent Immortals in the Great Curtain with Super Battleship on the New Moon, causing a huge commotion.
"Qin Hong initially looked down on martial artists, but later became cautious and stopped talking about Transcendent Immortals. He was very lucky and managed to escape alive."
Wang Xuan did not stop and disappeared in an instant.
Jiang Qingyao took a few more glances because there were quite a few people with superhuman abilities in this city, and they had integrated well into the lives of modern people.
Wang Xuan didn't stop until he passed through Kangning City. Too much had happened there. The Sun family's stronghold was there, and Wang Xuan had fought them to the death, resulting in a serious conflict.
The enemy surrounded him with robots, bombarded him with warships, and sent experts to hunt him down with exotic treasures time and time again. For Wang Xuan, who had just entered the Supernatural Domain, this was indeed very deadly, and he experienced many life-and-death crises.
He also gained a great deal during this journey through the city, obtaining items such as a bright yellow Small Gourd, an ancient lamp, Soul Locking Bell, God Slaying Banner, and Golden Bamboo Slip from the Sun family.
"Those who were alive all escaped." Wang Xuan muttered to himself. He had never shown mercy to the Sun family, killing a large number of people, with the heads of the middle and upper ranks rolling on the ground.
But he was ultimately a modern man and couldn't just massacre an entire city and its inhabitants at will. There were a large group of unrelated people in the Sun family, and after they stopped causing trouble, he didn't pursue the matter.
He did not leave immediately. He looked towards the Sun family's secret base, which was dozens of miles away. The mothership was gone, and the Mech Number Five had also disappeared.
"There's a lingering aura of a ghost!" Jiang Qingyao exclaimed. With her semi-mature Spiritual Heavenly Eye, she possessed abilities far surpassing those of Transcendent Immortals, allowing her to detect the clues immediately.
"Yes, there used to be a nest of ghosts there. Now that we've left, let's not bother with it anymore," Wang Xuan said. Then, the two of them made their way to the east coast.
The aura of the Body Slaying Banner had flashed by here. Wang Xuan felt that someone had obtained it, discovered that it resonated with the God Slaying Banner in the distance, and then hidden it away.
He activated the God Slaying Banner again, but this time, he only vaguely sensed an elusive response from the sea, as if he were isolated from it.
"Impressive methods," the Sword Immortal commented. In this special era, being able to conceal one's aura requires either immense personal strength or the possession of Inner Scenery Treasure or other such tools.
"Could they be fishing?" Wang Xuan wondered.
There was no way around it; it was all instinctive. From Chen Yongjie at the beginning, to openly setting up fishing hooks on the moon, he encountered a group of old fishermen on his path of cultivation, leaving him no choice but to think things through.
He had some doubts; could it be the work of the evil dragon? Even now, Qi Tian hadn't made a move, keeping him constantly on his guard.
Fortunately, it can be confirmed that Qi Tian, who is holding the Ascension Banner, is still in the Immortal Land and has not gone far.
He and the Sword Immortal entered Tai City, Linhai, without making a sound. This was the Zhou Family's stronghold, where Ling Wei's cousin, Zhou Yun, lived.
"Zhou Yun, how have you been lately? Are you home?" Wang Xuan borrowed a passerby's phone on the street and dialed that long-unheard number.
"Who is this? Who is it? Oh, it's Little Wang!" Zhou Yun was initially confused when he saw the unfamiliar number, but he quickly recognized the voice.
At New Star, he, Zhong Qing, and the Zhong Cheng siblings were close to Wang Xuan. They had been to the secret place together and had a bond that could be considered a friendship forged through shared hardships.
In the early days, Zhou Yun was beaten twice by Wang Xuan in the Old Earth. Of course, during one of the times when they were fighting for the five pages of Golden Book in the underground of Qingcheng Mountain, Wang Xuan changed his identity, which Zhou Yun was unaware of.
Zhou Yun is still cursing and swearing, saying that there's a blue-eyed mixed-race guy in the Old Earth who's his enemy, a real scoundrel who went too far and broke his first bone there.
"Long time no see, Little Wang. I'm so bored. I can't see any of my old friends or familiar faces. They've either run away to some unknown place in space or are stuck at home like me, staying put. When will this end?"
At his manor outside the city, Zhou Yun was entertaining Wang Xuan and the Sword Immortal. Looking at Jiang Qingyao, he was a little doubtful of life. Was she really a fairy?
He once boasted that he would try to marry a fairy when the Transcendent Immortals returned, but his grandfather beat him for two days with a cane, almost breaking his leg, and wouldn't let him leave the house.
"I suddenly feel that even if I have three girlfriends, my life has lost its color. Compared to you, it's like living in a black and white world," he sighed.
Recently, he's been feeling really stifled being cooped up here. Hearing Wang Xuan recount some of his experiences made him both envious and helpless; they were just too thrilling.
As for the Immortal Land, the depths of the universe, the grand curtain of the Super Peerless realm, and the epic battles, he could only sigh that those were other people's stories, and he could only listen to them. If he were to experience them himself, he couldn't handle the kind of stimulation.
"Has anything unusual happened in the eastern sea recently?" Wang Xuan asked him. The Zhou Family was a local power and one of the few conglomerates that hadn't left, so they should be very well-informed.
"There's nothing major going on in the sea, just occasional big waves. I guess it's just the returning Supernatural Being sparring. It hasn't affected the lives of ordinary people," Zhou Yun reported.
Soon, he used his family connections to find out more details. The Zhou Family had a lot of detectors and other equipment scattered throughout the area.
"Not far out at sea, there is a deserted island that has reportedly glowed several times at night."
"Hmm, I see." Wang Xuan felt that he wouldn't learn much more from him. The returned Transcendent Immortals, the true powerhouses, had extremely strong counter-surveillance capabilities after integrating into modern society.
"Here, I'll give you some local delicacies." Wang Xuan took out a number of rare ingredients and fruits from the Immortal Realm.
"Wow, are these delicacies only served at celestial banquets? Little Wang, you're really something!" Zhou Yun was incredibly excited, especially after hearing those mythical names: Peng meat, Divine Clam... He couldn't believe it.
"If we can't finish it, we'll give it to acquaintances, like people I used to know. They'll give some of it away on my behalf," Wang Xuan said.
Back in the Old Earth, he distributed a portion of it. When he sent Chen Yongjie and Zhao Qinghan to that isolated planet, he left behind a large pile, but there's still a lot left in the gourd.
He believed that after the Supernatural Finale, the gourd might become unopenable. As for spatial containers like the Blessed Land Fragment, there was no point in even thinking about it; it would either shatter or become a mere mortal object.
"Don't tell anyone you've seen me. Keep a low profile these days," Wang Xuan instructed him. "Don't make a fuss. It's not too late to give these things to my old friend after things have calmed down."
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, and I won't show off. By the way, isn't Huang Ming and Kong Yun's Banished Immortal Tea House in Old Earth pretty good? I'm one of the investors," Zhou Yun said.
Wang Xuan was speechless. He had known that the weasel and his gang had been involved with New Star, but he never expected that the weasel was an angel investor.
Wang Xuan did not linger and left with Jiang Qingyao soon after.
Of the people I knew, only a few remained; most had chosen to leave.
"Professor Lin, Lele, let's go visit them again later." He and the Sword Immortal entered the sea, still very cautious, each carrying Peerless Exotic Treasure.
"It's actually a hidden paradise, Sea Sky Immortal Realm!" Even the Sword Immortal was surprised.
This is a place even higher than a blessed land; it belongs to a grotto-heaven, Super Material concentration is almost approaching that of the immortal realm, although its area is far less vast.
"Unfortunately, without the interplay of rules, it is destined to decay," Wang Xuan sighed.
The Sea Sky Immortal Realm is located next to an island in the sea. After entering the Mysterious World, you can go through a light gate and find beautiful mountains, Divine Bird soaring into the sky, Longevity Ape leaping, and Divine Wolf howling at the moon.
Some of the ancient trees have been growing for thousands of years, bearing all kinds of colorful fruits, all of which are spiritual beings.
But the entire Small World is declining and decaying, with Super Material decreasing every day, and the leaves of some divine trees beginning to wilt.
"This place is really nice. If it can remain stable and last, it would be suitable for seclusion and the life of Transcendent Immortals returning to their former glory. However, it cannot last. When the myths fade away, this place will collapse instantly." Jiang Qingyao felt sorry for the destruction of this pure land.
"The Body Slaying Banner is indeed here," Wang Xuan said, sensing it again.
Just before coming in, he specifically contacted the Demon Lord and Old Zhang in the depths of the universe, asking them to investigate and confirm that Qi Tian holding the Ascension Banner was still in the Immortal Land and had not returned.
So Wang Xuan entered calmly, not caring much about the fisherman present.
"There are some problems." Jiang Qingyao spoke, carrying her sword as she walked. Stepping on the pure land, looking at the lush green grass and lakes, she sensed a murderous aura.
"The Five Elements Killing Array, no, there's also the Anti-Five Elements Killing Array, Combination of Orthodox and Unorthodox." She became serious. This kind of killing formation was famous even in the Immortal Realm and could threaten peerless masters.
Wang Xuan's Spiritual Heavenly Eye was very sharp. Through the void, he saw the truth amidst the thick fog and said, "Interesting. There is still some power of rules. This is a bit outrageous. The present world is exhausted, and only the remnants of order remain. But this place can still be like this. It is indeed beyond expectations."
"There's even Yin-Yang Chaos Array! Is it concealing the secrets of heaven?" The Sword Immortal discovered another peerless array.
A hidden cave contained various amazing magic arrays, and the hunters were very well prepared.
At this moment, the God Slaying Banner in Wang Xuan's hand became scorching hot, automatically reviving, intertwining with golden patterns, and expanding forward.
He found his target, the Body Slaying Banner, which was planted on a low hill in the Pure Land. It was a small silver flag, about the size of a palm, and its shape was the same as the God Slaying Banner.
The two flags, one gold and one silver, resonated with each other, their gold and silver patterns spreading and interacting. Wang Xuan was certain that they were the Body Slaying Banner!
"You've finally arrived. If you hadn't shown up, I would have had to spread the word myself to lure you here." A Black Robe Man appeared, his face and head completely covered. The place was dark and desolate, filled with Death Qi mist.
"Who are you? You seem... familiar. Are you waiting here to lure me in?" Wang Xuan stared at him. There was no physical flesh and blood in his black robe, only fluctuating spiritual energy.
He calmly began, "I am someone whose physical body was destroyed by the Body Slaying Banner five thousand years ago. It's a pity that the peerless physical body I painstakingly cultivated in the mortal world was lost. After residing in the mortal world for so long, it was unexpectedly robbed. I could only enter the immortal realm with my primordial spirit to reshape my physical body and devour the flesh and blood of others to strengthen and restore myself."
"The creator of the Great Demon Fetus Technique?!" Wang Xuan, having discerned his true identity, was genuinely surprised.
His expression remained unchanged as he asked, "You want to capture me and seize the God Slaying Banner?"
The man in black robes spoke calmly, saying, "And your physical body is perfect. It's perfect for staying in the mortal world. I need a body like yours that possesses special Inner Scenery Realm."
Wang Xuan said, "I thought I had been quiet enough and hadn't provoked you, but I'm always being targeted. So I have no choice but to kill you monsters and send you on your way one by one!"
"Can the God Slaying Banner and the Body Slaying Banner truly be combined?" the Sword Immortal asked.
"It's possible." The man in black robes laughed and said, "I'm also looking forward to it. Today we can try to Fusion and Unity."
"I'm even more looking forward to it!" Wang Xuan smiled as well.
"Hmm? Here..." The Sword Immortal's expression suddenly changed as she scanned her surroundings. She was quite knowledgeable about magic arrays, all for the sake of surviving better in the Immortal Realm.
"The First Killing Array in the Immortal Realm?!" She could no longer remain calm.
The Black Robe Man nodded and said, "That's right, the Imperial Dao Array, or more precisely, the incomplete Imperial Dao Formation. There Are Supreme Treasures supreme treasure as the Formation Platform, it can only be considered an incomplete formation, but it is enough to kill one or two of the world's top experts."
There has only ever been one Imperial Dao Level magic array since ancient times. It was perfected by multiple civilizations one after another, but it is said to have been lost long ago. The Sword Immortal did not expect to encounter it here.
This supreme-level magic array requires a supreme treasure as its Array Flags to be fully activated before it can demonstrate its power to kill gods and Buddhas alike, and even annihilate those of the Super Peerless!
"What a wonderful name for this killing formation! Is it destiny?" Wang Xuan said.
The man in black robes nodded. "Indeed, it is the will of Heaven. If we obtain your physical body and fuse with the two flags to recreate the Dao Control Banner, it can perfectly complement this killing formation. Who can stand against it? It is the will of Heaven!"