Battle Against the Pure Firmament Palace Emperor Shadow
Ren Xiaoyao gazed at the Pure Firmament Palace, its full form slowly unfolding before him. Drawn by the surrounding celestial energy, the palace doors seemed to be lifted by an invisible hand, gently pushing them open. The heavy wooden doors, crafted from High Antiquity Gloomy Wood, though the protective array patterns once carved on their surface had faded, still exuded a rustic weight. The doors creaked and groaned as they rubbed against the hinges, a long and resonant sound, as if an High Antiquity sacred site, slumbering for millennia, had finally opened its sleepy eyes to welcome its first worthy visitor.
The moment the door opened, a gust of air carrying a thousand years of chill rushed out, filled with pure and unadulterated High Antiquity energy—this energy was unlike the crispness of the Kunlun Cloud Sea or the warmth of the crystals of the Myriad Evil Cave. Instead, it carried a solemnity that had been tempered by time. It touched his skin like cool spring water, causing every pore on his body to unconsciously open. Even the dust from the mountains and forests that had settled on his temples from three days of rapid travel was gently enveloped by the immortal energy, turning into fine dust that drifted down his clothes and landed silently on the bluestone slabs in front of the door.
The shimmering white crystal at his fingertips seemed to sense the High Antiquity aura of the same origin within the hall, its light growing softer and warmer, like a small, lit Glazed Ice lamp suspended in his palm. The warm white light seeped in through the cracks in the hall's doors, intertwining with the lingering immortal energy within, outlining countless tiny trails of light dust in the air. These light dusts seemed to possess sentience, first gently swirling around the crystal, emitting a soft "rustling" sound, then climbing up Ren Xiaoyao's wrist, skimming over his forearm and shoulder, finally settling on the tips of his hair, transforming into fleeting specks of light, enveloping him in a faint glow, echoing the immortal energy within the hall, making him appear as if a banished immortal had descended to earth.
He stepped into the hall, his feet clattering softly on the pristine white floor. The sound echoed repeatedly in the empty palace, where even the dust seemed to settle, striking the broken jade pillars and mottled walls, its faint echoes returning to his ears, so clear that one could almost count the points where each sound landed. The furnishings inside had long since decayed under the combined erosion of a thousand years and the rich Spiritual Qi —the dragon-carved Coiled Dragon Jade Pillars that once stood on either side, supporting the towering roof, now stood forlornly in half, their auspicious cloud and dragon carvings mostly faded and peeled away, revealing the dark, black stone beneath. Yellowed dust was embedded in the cracks, but only a corner of the Dragon Head still hinted at its former majesty, the lines on its whiskers still clear, silently recounting its past glory.
The offering table had long since shattered into three or four pieces. The scattered wood chips, soaked in immortal energy over the years, had long lost their wood's resilience; a mere touch from a fingertip would turn them into powder. Embedded among them were several jade stones that had long since lost their luster. The luster that once reflected one's image had completely faded, leaving only a grayish shell covered in a thick layer of dust, making it impossible to discern their original form. The High Antiquity landscape scroll that once hung on the wall had long since turned into fine dust. The wind blew in from the palace door, swirling the dust down and leaving only faint, mottled marks on the pristine white jade floor, like a faded silhouette, silently recording the former glory and bustle of the Pure Firmament Palace.
Only a half-zhang-high White Jade Platform in the center of the palace remains intact, as if it were the only gift that time had left for this palace. The platform is carved from a single piece of warm White Jade Stone, as smooth and translucent as solidified mutton fat. Sunlight shines through the holes in the broken Glazed Ice of the palace roof, turning into a golden beam that falls on the platform. One can even vaguely see the faint light flowing inside the jade platform, as if there is Spiritual Qi within it that is constantly thriving, without the slightest crack of the erosion of time. A faint golden light lingers on the platform, flowing endlessly like the thin mist in the mountains at dawn. Upon closer inspection, one can discover High Antiquity array patterns as fine as spider webs hidden in the golden light. The lines of the array are intricate, each one exuding a faint Spiritual Qi. With each rotation, it draws a trace of power from the remaining immortal energy in the palace, maintaining its own spiritual energy fluctuations and keeping the White Jade Platform unchanged for thousands of years, like an eternal protective barrier.
Beneath the plaque of the Pure Firmament Palace, an invisible pressure slowly spread out. This pressure was neither the chilling, bone-chilling force of Evil God and demons, nor the sharp, intimidating aura of high-level cultivators. Instead, it was as heavy as a thousand mountains and rivers pressing down, carrying the unique majesty and solemnity of High Antiquity emperors, inspiring awe from the depths of one's heart. Ren Xiaoyao felt a sudden heaviness throughout his body. The spiritual energy that had been flowing smoothly within his dantian subconsciously slowed, becoming stagnant like frozen water. Even his breathing became heavier than before, as if a heavy boulder was pressing on his chest. He had to secretly circulate the Qingfeng Valley Heart Sutra, mobilizing his internal spiritual energy to resist, just to barely maintain a steady breath and avoid bowing down under this pressure.
"Who goes there? How dare you trespass into the sacred Qingxiao Land and disturb my slumber?"
An aged yet majestic voice suddenly resounded within the hall. Without any spiritual power amplification, it exploded like thunder in the empty space, causing Ren Xiaoyao's eardrums to tremble and his mind to ripple subtly. It was as if countless fine needles were gently probing his mind, attempting to penetrate his defenses and probe his true purpose and inner obsessions. He felt a chill run down his spine, instantly calming his mind, banishing all distracting thoughts, and swiftly gripping the hilt of the Carefree Sword on his back. The cloud patterns of Qingfeng Valley carved on the hilt had become smooth and warm after years of wear, emitting a familiar cool touch. That touch, like a clear spring, soothed the restlessness in his heart, calming his disordered breathing and gradually settling his mind.
Looking to the side, one could see the void in front of the White Jade Platform gradually distorting, like the surface of a calm lake tossed with a pebble, rippling with pale golden waves. The light and shadow at the center of the ripples grew increasingly intense, gradually solidifying from its initial transparency. A phantom clad in Mysterious Black Emperor Robe was slowly taking shape from the ripples. The material of that Emperor Robe was far beyond anything found in the mortal world. Even though it was merely a phantom formed from a remnant soul, one could still discern the sun, moon Star Patterns embroidered upon it—the sun pattern was embroidered with crimson gold thread, its lines seemingly overflowing with intense light, as if capable of dispelling all darkness; the moon pattern was outlined with cool silver thread, radiating a soft, watery glow that contrasted with the intensity of the sun pattern; the Star Patterns were adorned with fragmented golden light, swaying gently with the phantom's breath and movements, as if an entire vast starry sky was slowly rotating on the robe's surface, magnificent and awe-inspiring.
The illusory figure wore Twelve-Tassel Emperor Crown, the jade tassels carved from thousand-year-old warm white jade. Each jade bead was warm and translucent, and the hanging jade beads obscured most of his face, only vaguely revealing the resolute lines of his jaw and his lips pressed into a straight line, exuding an undeniable majesty. Even without seeing his full face, it was impossible to conceal the imperial aura surrounding him, which looked down upon the Three Realms and all living beings. It was as if he possessed the power to control the life and death of all things simply by standing there. Although the spiritual energy surrounding him was not physical, it carried a world-destroying power. Wherever it passed, the dust floating in the palace was completely dispersed, and even the air became stagnant and heavy. Even Ren Xiaoyao, standing several feet away, could clearly feel the suffocating pressure brought by that aura, as if he would be crushed into ashes without leaving a trace if the other party so easily moved.
Ren Xiaoyao already understood that this illusory figure was none other than the remnant soul of the ancient Great Emperor who guarded the Qingxiao Sacred Land and protected the High Antiquity treasure, the Pure Firmament Jade Tablet Disc. He bowed again, his back still straight, not bending in the slightest despite the emperor's imposing aura. His tone was respectful yet firm, each word clear and without a trace of timidity. "This junior, Ren Xiaoyao, is a disciple of Qingfeng Valley. Today, I have ventured into the sacred land without any intention of coveting the treasures, but only to seek the Pure Firmament Jade Tablet."
He paused, his gaze growing even clearer, as bright as washed Glazed Ice, and continued, "Deep within the library of Qingfeng Valley lies an ancient book recording the great war of High Antiquity. It details the chaos that gripped the Three Thousand Years Jing Realm — the Evil God ' Xuan Ye ' awakened with Primordial Chaos evil power. Wherever he passed, vegetation withered and turned to ash, and living beings were corrupted by his evil power, becoming puppets. Even mountains and rivers were stained dark purple, turning the Three Realms into Mortal Realm Hell. Now, I sense that Xuan Ye's evil power is about to resurface, and the desolation and carnage of the past may be repeated. I wish to take the Pure Firmament Jade Tablet to purify the Primordial Chaos evil power and protect the myriad beings of the Three Realms. This is not for my own selfish desires, nor is it an act of trespassing for the sacred treasures of this place. I hope Your Great Emperor will understand."
"Protecting all living beings?" The illusory figure of the Great Emperor chuckled lightly, a hint of scrutiny and detached indifference in his laughter, as if he had heard too many similar excuses over the past three thousand years and no longer easily believed in people's hearts. "In the past three thousand years, there have been at least eighty to a hundred cultivators who followed the immortal Ancient Emperor Power to improve their cultivation, or the ambition to control the Three Realms with the treasure."
He raised his hand, and the air in the hall suddenly turned cold. The previously gentle, immortal aura seemed to have gained a chill, and his tone became more authoritative and unyielding. "But none of these people can pass the test of the Holy Land's array. They either lost their minds in the illusions or abandoned their path and retreated in the face of calamity. In the end, all of them became nourishment for the Holy Land's array because of their weak Dao Heart and excessive selfish desires, and are trapped here forever to guard this last barrier for the Qingxiao Holy Land. Today, I will use my lingering image as a test. If you can defeat me, it will prove that you have the well-being of all living beings in your heart and your Dao Heart is firm, and you are qualified to receive this fortuitous opportunity to protect the world; if you cannot, then stay here and pay the price for your words of 'protecting the world' along with those cultivators."
Before the words were finished, the illusory figure of the Great Emperor said no more. He raised his hand and waved, his Mysterious Black Emperor Robe fluttering under the impetus of pure Emperor Power, creating a golden aura. The aura was extremely fast, swirling half a circle in the air before being drawn by an invisible force, instantly condensing into a golden palm print over ten feet wide. The palm print contained pure and unadulterated Ancient Emperor Power. The Emperor Power seemed violent, yet it was extremely refined, like a volcano poised to erupt, ready to burst at any moment. With a world-destroying force, it struck straight at Ren Xiaoyao's chest, giving him no room to dodge.
The palm strike was so fierce that it compressed the air in the hall, creating a hissing sound and forming tiny trails of air. These trails left shallow marks on the hard White Jade Stone, demonstrating the immense power of the strike. Ren Xiaoyao felt a tremendous force rush towards him, his chest tightening instantly, his breathing becoming labored and difficult, as if even the air had been sucked away. Even the hard white jade beneath his feet trembled slightly under the impact of the palm strike, developing fine lines that spread out like a spiderweb.
Without the slightest hesitation, he slammed his toes into the ground, using the force to retreat rapidly. His body moved as lightly as a leaf in a gentle breeze, instantly retreating several feet away, slightly avoiding the core area of the palm strike. At the same time, he circulated the spiritual energy in his dantian, pouring all the "Return All Things to Origin" sword intent, which he had painstakingly cultivated throughout his life, into the Carefree Sword on his back. That sword intent was created by him by fusing the Qingfeng Valley mental cultivation method with the power of heaven and earth. Now, at the critical moment of life and death, it became even more refined, carrying a tenacious spirit of "going with the flow and endless life".
"Clang--!"
A crisp Sword Hum rang out in the hall, as clear as a crane's call in the sky, piercing the stillness within. The Carefree Sword was instantly drawn, its blade tightly enveloped in spiritual power and sword intent, bursting forth with a dazzling azure light. That azure light was clear and pure, without a trace of impurity, carrying the purest Dao Qi of heaven and earth. It faced off against the Emperor Power in the palm print from afar, and even before they collided, they stirred up layers of spiritual energy ripples in the air. The ripples spread out, blasting away all the scattered wood chips and flying ash, which crashed against the broken walls, making a "crackling" sound, adding a touch of tension to the impending duel.
"Slash!" Ren Xiaoyao roared, his voice filled with a do-or-die determination, leaving no room for retreat. With a flick of his wrist, the Carefree Sword drew a sharp arc, the azure sword light like a shooting star piercing the long night, carrying a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the stagnant air, precisely striking the center of the golden palm print—the most concentrated and weakest point of the palm print's power, the breakthrough he had found based on years of combat experience.
With a crisp, yet deafening, crack, the sound was exceptionally clear in the empty hall. The golden palm print was cleaved open by the sword light, leaving a deep fissure. The Emperor Power emanating from the fissure transformed into countless tiny specks of light, flickering in the air for a moment before dissipating. The illusory figure of the Great Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly not expecting this cultivator to be able to break through his palm print. With a light touch of his fingertip, the fissure instantly spread out like a spider web, and the entire palm print shattered with a deafening roar, transforming into countless tiny golden rays that shot towards Ren Xiaoyao.
Each of those golden rays contained pure Emperor Power, carrying enough force to penetrate the spiritual energy shield of an ordinary cultivator. They densely enveloped Ren Xiaoyao's entire body, from head to toe, leaving no gaps and making it impossible for him to avoid them. Ren Xiaoyao's pupils contracted slightly, and he dared not be careless in the slightest. He immediately swung his sword to block, his wrist rotating at an extremely fast speed. The sword light intertwined in front of him to form an impenetrable azure light curtain, protecting his entire body completely without leaving even a crack.
"Jingle bells--"
The golden light struck the light screen, producing a dense, rain-like sound, as if countless small hammers were simultaneously striking the sword. The violent force traveled along the blade into his arm, making it numb and causing a dull ache in his shoulder, as if his bones were about to shatter. The wound on his hand, which had just healed in the ancient forest and treacherous swamp, reopened under the continuous impact of this force, oozing a trickle of bright red blood that slowly dripped down the grooves of the sword hilt, spreading into a small patch of crimson on the pure white jade ground, particularly glaring against the pure white backdrop.
Upon seeing this, the illusory figure of the Great Emperor flashed a cold glint in his eyes, clearly unwilling to give Ren Xiaoyao a chance to catch his breath. He suddenly moved forward, his Mysterious Black Emperor Robe sweeping across the ground, the golden aura he brought up stirring up the jade fragments on the ground. With the enhancement of the Emperor Power, those jade fragments became as sharp as arrows, shooting towards Ren Xiaoyao's limbs, attempting to restrain his movements and prevent him from wielding his sword flexibly.
At the same time, a Golden Spear materialized from his fingertips. The spear, formed entirely of pure Emperor Power, was intangible yet more substantial than any physical weapon. Its Battle Markings was engraved with intricate High Antiquity Battle Markings —protective patterns used by emperors in Ancient Times during their conquests. These runes glowed slowly with the flow of Emperor Power, radiating a chilling killing intent. The spearhead gleamed with a cold light, moving with lightning speed, aiming straight for Ren Xiaoyao's heart. This strike embodied the essence of the Great Emperor's illusory image's lifelong combat skills; its angle was cunning, its power immense, and it was unavoidable—clearly intended to decide the outcome in one strike.
Ren Xiaoyao knew that if he were pierced by this spear, even with a spiritual energy shield protecting his body, his meridians would be shattered by the violent Emperor Power, and the spiritual energy in his dantian would instantly dissipate. At that time, not only would he be unable to retrieve the Pure Firmament Jade Tablet, but he would also be unable to save his life, let alone uphold his original intention of protecting the beings of the Three Realms.
He had no time to dodge and could only forcefully circulate the last of his spiritual energy, pushing his protective shield to its limit. The Green Shield glowed faintly under the enhancement of his spiritual energy, but trembled slightly under the pressure of the Emperor Power, as if it would shatter at any moment, as fragile as a candle in the wind. At the same time, he gritted his teeth and swung his sword horizontally in front of his chest, his arm tense from the effort, his muscles slightly bulging, ready to withstand this fatal blow.
"Clang--!"
The moment the sword and spear tip collided violently, a deafening roar exploded within the hall. The sound shook the dust off the ceiling, and even the golden light swirling around the White Jade Platform the center of the hall trembled violently, nearly dissipating. The violent Emperor Power surged into Ren Xiaoyao's meridians along the sword, scorching his flesh like a raging fire. His meridians instantly felt like they were being torn apart, as if countless sharp knives were churning inside him simultaneously. His vision blurred, his blood surged, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
A mouthful of blood uncontrollably spilled from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin and staining the blue Daoist robe on his chest crimson. The embroidered cloud patterns of Qingfeng Valley on it turned a dark red, creating a stark contrast with the blue of the robe, making him look particularly disheveled. He gripped the sword hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force and even trembling slightly. The veins on his arms bulged, and his body was forced back several steps by the force of the impact. His feet carved two deep marks on the white jade ground before he barely managed to steady himself and avoid falling.
Just as he was about to collapse, his spiritual energy about to dissipate, and his consciousness beginning to blur, a series of images flashed through his mind—in the Myriad Evil Cave, the green sprout that had survived the calamity growing tenaciously in the cracks of the Black Stone, nourished by the immortal energy of the crystals, never giving up on life even in a place of evil; in Qingfeng Valley, the smiling faces of the disciples diligently cultivating in the courtyard, their eyes filled with longing for the righteous path and expectation for Protecting All Living Beings; on Jingxin Cliff, his master holding his hand, earnestly teaching him, "Entering the path means protecting the world; if your heart is righteous, what fear is there of hardship?"—his expectant eyes held trust in him and a yearning for peace in the Three Realms.
"I can't lose!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted in his heart, his voice firm and powerful, dispelling the blurriness in his mind. If he fell now, no one could take the Pure Firmament Jade Tablet, and after the Evil God Xuan Ye was resurrected, there would No Life the living beings of the Three Realms to survive. Those expectant eyes, those vibrant lives, would all become sacrifices to the evil power, and his "protecting the Dao" belief, which he had held for many years, would completely collapse. A strong will to survive and a sense of mission to Protecting All Living Beings surged from the bottom of his heart, like a warm current, supporting him through the excruciating pain in his meridians and allowing him to regain his consciousness.
"Return All Things to Origin, transforming the Emperor Power into one's own!" A resolute glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He no longer clung to forcibly resisting the Emperor Power —he knew that with his current cultivation level, confronting the Emperor Power head-on would only lead to his own destruction. He concentrated all his mind, guiding the sword intent of "Return All Things to Origin," using this violent Emperor Power as nourishment for himself. That sword intent was based on "following the trend and transforming the power of all things into one's own." It had previously been able to transform lightning and fire and cold energy; perhaps it could also work against the Emperor Power now.
He slowly relaxed his tense meridians, no longer resisting the Emperor Power surging into his body. He allowed the violent force to flow through his meridians, and then, using the sword intent of "Return All Things to Origin" as a guide, he gradually stripped away the violent aura from the Emperor Power, purifying it into gentle spiritual energy. At first, the violence of the Emperor Power caused his meridians to ache again, as if they were about to burst. However, with the continuous guidance of the sword intent, the Emperor Power that was burning his meridians gradually became gentle, like a tamed beast, slowly flowing into his dantian along his meridians, intertwining and merging with his own spiritual energy, nourishing each other.
The once empty dantian gradually filled under the nourishment of the Emperor Power, and the pain in his meridians was relieved somewhat. Ren Xiaoyao could clearly feel that his spiritual power had become more mellow and enduring, no longer as thin as before, and even its circulation speed had increased. What surprised him even more was that the sword intent of "Return All Things to Origin" had quietly transformed under the influence of the Emperor Power —the sword intent that originally carried a touch of elegance had gained the unique weight and majesty of High Antiquity emperor, as if it could contain more power of heaven and earth. His understanding of "going with the flow" had also advanced from "passive transformation" to "active attraction." With a light movement of his fingertips, he could feel the immortal energy in the hall gathering along with the sword intent, becoming part of his own power.
Taking advantage of the brief pause in the Great Emperor's phantom image due to the conversion of Emperor Power, a glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. This was his only chance to counterattack. He touched the ground with his toes, his body suddenly spinning up, his cyan Daoist robe drawing a graceful arc in the air, like a cyan whirlwind circling behind the Great Emperor's phantom image, perfectly avoiding the opponent's frontal pressure and attack.
The moment he landed, he took a deep breath and mobilized all the spiritual power fused with the Emperor Power in his dantian, channeling it into the blade of the Carefree Sword through his arm. In an instant, a faint golden light gradually appeared within the azure light of the Carefree Sword. The two powers intertwined and entwined, forming a halo of azure and gold, radiating a power far exceeding that of before. Even the surrounding air was distorted by this power, and all the remaining ashes in the hall were shaken away, falling several feet away.