The Dao-Demon Conflict Begins, Deep Schemes

Having attained the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm and transcended the river of fate, Xuan Wazi felt as though heaven and earth had suddenly opened wide before him. He did not linger. After familiarizing himself with his newfound power, he immediately set off for the western lands, where Calamity Qi and demonic intent were most concentrated. How could he, an old sixth who aspired to be the "fisherman" in the grand spectacle of the Dao-Demon Conflict, possibly miss it?

The farther west he traveled, the more desolate the landscape became. This had been the main battlefield of the Dragon-Han Calamity. Spiritual veins had collapsed, the earth lay cracked and split, and only demonic ferns and poisonous miasma flourished. The air was thick with heart-quailing Sha Qi and bewitching demonic thoughts.

Xuan Wazi circulated his profound art. With Primordial Dao Rhyme, no technique could invade him. The aura of the Chaos Bead shrouded his body, concealing him perfectly, like a ghost walking the seam between reality and illusion.

His divine sense stretched into the depths of the west. At the former site of Mount Sumeru, a towering wave of demonic qi shot into the heavens. At its core, four terrifying sword intents capable of slaying immortals and exterminating gods echoed from afar with a black spear that could slaughter all things!

"The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation! The God-Slaying Spear!" Xuan Wazi's heart tightened. "Luo Hou really has finished refining this vicious formation and established the foundation of the demonic path." He could sense that the sword formation had already become a domain of absolute death. The saying that it could not be broken without four Saints was no empty claim. As for Luo Hou himself, nourished by slaughter and resentment, his aura had reached the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm. His demonic might surged into the sky.

"Charging in headlong is suicide. I'll have to wait for an opportunity." Xuan Wazi was perfectly clear-headed, his objective unmistakable—rob a burning house.

Just then, immortal light surged across the eastern horizon, and purple qi came from the east for thirty thousand li! A figure strode through the air. It was Hongjun. Behind him followed three Daoists with formidable auras: Old Ancestor Yin-Yang, holding the Yin-Yang Mirror; Old Ancestor Qiankun, with the Qiankun Cauldron above his head; and Great Immortal Yang Mei, holding a hollow Willow Branch, his aura ethereal and elusive.

"Hongjun! Yin-Yang, Qiankun, Yang Mei!" Xuan Wazi's spirits rose. "Well, damn—this old earthworm Hongjun has talked every last one of them into coming!"

Hongjun arrived in the west and gazed calmly toward Mount Sumeru. His vast voice rang out, "Fellow Daoist Luo Hou, you have established your Dao through slaughter, thrown the Primordial World into chaos, and brought untold suffering upon all living beings. Your karmic debt towers to the heavens. This day, I have come especially to ask you to stop."

His voice was upright and tranquil, carrying the majestic might of Heaven.

"Ha ha ha!" Luo Hou laughed wildly. "Hongjun! You hypocrite! The strong devour the weak—this is the supreme truth of the Primordial World! I prove my Dao through slaughter; what is wrong with that? If you wish to stop me, then come and break my Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation!"

Sha Qi soared into the heavens as four beams of destructive sword light ignited. The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation unfolded in an instant! Infinite killing intent filled the formation, and its terrifying sword intent made even Xuan Wazi, concealed far away, feel stabbing pain.

Yet no one knew that Hongjun, seated atop the Nine-Dragon Agarwood Chariot, was harboring an entirely different calculation.

Hongjun calculated inwardly, Luo Hou, your Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation is indeed profound. It cannot be broken without four Saints. But how could you know that I have long since severed my Three Corpses of good, evil, and obsession? Together with my true body, that makes exactly four people! Though the Three Corpses' cultivation falls short of my true body's, with the Jade Disk of Fortune fragment and various spiritual treasures, it may not be impossible to try! Even if breaking the formation alone is difficult, it is hardly without hope.

But... this formation is exceedingly vicious. Luo Hou has laid it using the western land's remaining spiritual veins, even the foundation of his own demonic path, as its guide. To break it by force would inevitably bring backlash; the price would be far too great. Yin-Yang, Qiankun, Yang Mei—you too possess the origins of Chaos Demon Gods. Your fates in this great calamity have already been decided; you are meant to answer the calamity. You can just happen to shoulder the karmic consequences and risks of breaking the formation for me! If this can wear down your strength, or even... Hmph. When I unite with the Dao in the future, there will be fewer variables to contend with.

At this thought, Hongjun's expression remained as still as an ancient well. Turning to the three ancestors behind him, his tone carried a trace of "gravity" and "helplessness." "Three fellow Daoists, this formation is perilous. It is called Immortal-Slaying, the foremost killing formation under the Heavenly Dao. Unless four cultivators of equal realm each enter one gate and simultaneously remove the immortal swords suspended above the formation gates, this formation cannot be broken. I alone can do little against it. I can only rely upon the three of you to lend me your full support."

His words were utterly sincere, as though the formation could not be broken without them.

Old Ancestor Yin-Yang's expression grew solemn. Though he sensed that Hongjun's aura was unfathomably deep, seemingly already beyond his own, the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation's fearsome reputation was well known. He did not think much further and declared generously, "The Dao and demons cannot coexist. We must do all we can!"

Old Ancestor Qiankun stroked his beard in thought. He vaguely felt that Hongjun had not revealed his full strength, but four people were indeed needed to join forces at present. He said in a deep voice, "This fiend is vicious and has ravaged the west. Today, we must eliminate this great menace!"

Great Immortal Yang Mei, meanwhile, wore an indifferent expression, as though the vicious formation before him was beneath his notice. Yet a faint, nearly imperceptible doubt flickered through the depths of his eyes. He felt that Hongjun seemed to be concealing something, but merely nodded slightly and said no more.

"Since that is the case, I shall enter the Immortal-Slaying Gate in the due east." Hongjun stepped forward first. Half a fragment of the Jade Disk of Fortune above his head scattered clear radiance, making him appear to be giving his all. Yet inwardly, he sneered. Though the Immortal-Slaying Gate was formidable, he had his Three Corpses to protect his Dao; his true body would bear the least pressure.

"I shall enter the Lesser Immortal Gate." Holding the Yin Yang Mirror, Old Ancestor Yin-Yang headed toward the due west.

"Then leave the Trapping Immortal Gate to me!" With the Qiankun Cauldron above his head, Old Ancestor Qiankun headed south.

Without a word, Great Immortal Yang Mei took a single step and appeared directly outside the Absolute Immortal Gate in the due north, displaying his profound Spatial Divine Ability.

The four took their positions, and the decisive battle was on the verge of erupting!

From afar, aided by the mysteries of the Chaos Bead, Xuan Wazi vaguely caught the fleeting trace of indifference and calculation hidden in the depths of Hongjun's eyes beneath his nearly flawless disguise. He nearly burst out laughing and hurriedly covered his mouth.

"Good heavens! This old earthworm Hongjun really is sinister enough! He can clearly scrape together four people himself, yet he puts on this act like he can't manage without anyone else, tricking suckers like Yin-Yang and Qiankun into coming as cannon fodder to take the lightning bolts and carry the blame for him! Truly an old fox—Not Being a Person's son!" Xuan Wazi ranted inwardly. "But... I like it! Hehe, the messier this situation gets, the easier it will be for me, the true fisherman, to make my move!"

[ Ding! Detected that the host has deeply perceived Hongjun's scheme, matching the 'Not Being a Person' perspective. The main quest 'The Fisherman Profits' is ready and will be issued at a critical moment! Please keep close watch on the battle and seize the opportunity!]

At that very moment, Luo Hou's icy, bone-piercing shout rang out from within the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation: "Formation, arise!"

"BOOM—!!!"

Four heaven-shaking sword cries tore through the firmament as the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation fully activated! Boundless Sha Qi churned, destructive sword light filled every inch of space, and Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind surged wildly, as though everything were about to return to chaos! Hongjun and the three ancestors were swallowed in an instant!

The great battle had finally begun! And Xuan Wazi in the shadows, along with Hongjun high above the nine heavens, calculating coldly, each had their own abacus to settle.