Emperor Formation Repels Demons

Golden patterns, like living things, coiled around Ren Xiaoyao's body, sometimes transforming into sparkling fireflies, gracefully weaving between his ink-black hair and moon-white robes, leaving fleeting golden glimmers; at other times, they condensed into pillars of light over ten feet long, seeping into his meridians like warm streams, even gently smoothing away the curse marks remaining on the meridian walls wherever they passed. Finally, all the patterns transformed into strands of warm jade-like light, slowly flowing into his sea of consciousness and dantian along his meridians, as if countless fragments of Emperor's Might were gently trembling within them.

As the final Emperor Mark mark perfectly aligned with his soul, the array on the bluestone platform, which had shone as brightly as the sun, suddenly dimmed. Three Emperor Mark Jade, like birds returning to their nests, slowly descended, hovering three inches above his palm, radiating a warm golden light. The jade pendants resonated perfectly with the Emperor Power flowing within his dantian, causing even the surrounding air to tremble and ripple with fine golden light. These ripples swept over the spiritual herbs, intensifying the spiritual light on their leaves.

Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes. A dazzling golden light flashed across them, like a star falling into his eyes, before settling into a heavy and steady Emperor's Might. It was as if the will of Ancient Great Emperor had briefly descended, giving him an air of majesty that surpassed all living beings. He raised his hand and clenched it, feeling the flow of spiritual energy around him. He felt that the spiritual energy, which had been stagnant like a dried-up river, had now become as lively as a rushing spring. Each cycle carried the steady power originating from the Emperor Array. Although the Emperor Power in his dantian was not immediately full, it was several times purer than before, as if it had been tempered by the power of the Emperor Array, becoming more condensed and profound.

The last trace of cursed chill that had lingered deep within his meridians was transformed into wisps of white mist carrying a fishy odor, quietly dissipating into the air through his pores under the nourishment and cleansing power of the Emperor Array. To his even greater surprise, the unhealed, minute cracks deep within his sea of consciousness were now radiating a tingling, itchy sensation, as if invisible Emperor Power was flowing along the edges of the cracks, gradually repairing the damaged barrier of his soul. Even his perception was much sharper than before, allowing him to clearly detect the subtle movements of the Spirit Fish swaying their tails in the Spirit Spring.

He raised his hand and grasped the three jade pendants, his fingertips lightly tracing the uneven imperial Emperor Mark on them. The warm touch he felt contained a vast yet understated power—a power as heavy as the earth, yet as agile as a gentle breeze, originating from the Origin Power of Ancient Great Emperor. Although he had only grasped a corner of the Emperor Array and hadn't yet seen its entirety, he could already mobilize thirty percent of its power. This thirty percent power, seemingly limited, was enough to crush ordinary late-stage Earth Immortal cultivators. Even against the unfathomable Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, who possessed the Soul Devouring Curse Killing Technique, he was no longer in a passive, perilous situation, but rather had gained more confidence and a better chance of victory in a direct confrontation.

Just as he was about to sit cross-legged on the bluestone platform, using the spiritual energy gathering power of the Emperor Array to absorb the Spiritual Qi of the Blessed Land and replenish the depleted Emperor Power in his dantian, a piercing Demonic Roar suddenly came from the sky. The howl, carrying a thick stench of blood and Bone Erosion ferocity, exploded from the depths of the clouds like a thunderclap, instantly piercing through the white mist barrier of the Blessed Land and spreading throughout the entire spiritual land.

The pure Spiritual Qi that had been lingering among the spiritual herbs was suddenly thrown into chaos by this malevolent energy, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, churning with a pungent demonic aura; the Spirit Fish swimming leisurely in the Spirit Spring were startled and scattered, their silver tails hitting the blue stones at the bottom of the spring with a soft "thump-thump," and the splashes of water that landed on the shore carried a faint trace of demonic energy; the spirit birds that roosted in the tree cave were even more terrified, flapping their wings that shimmered with spiritual light, and flying in flocks into the depths of the dense forest, their clear chirping filled with panic, as if they had an instinctive fear of the demonic aura.

Ren Xiaoyao's expression suddenly darkened, and his spiritual energy instantly tensed, like a fully drawn bowstring ready to be released. He lightly touched the surface of the blue stone platform with his toes, and his figure, like a pale blue stream of light, instantly leaped to the top of the platform. He looked up at the sky outside the Blessed Land. There, at the barrier where white mist and Golden Light Net intertwined, a black demonic figure was suspended in mid-air, its body wrapped in surging dark demonic flames. The demonic flames were also mixed with the faint howls of vengeful spirits. These vengeful spirits seemed to be burned by the demonic flames, emitting wails one after another. It was none other than the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm whom he had previously repelled in the Black Miasma Mountain Range.

At this moment, the Ninth Ancestor's aura was even more violent than before, and the Demon Realm's Origin Power, he happened to sense the High Antiquity aura of the Emperor Array in the Blessed Land, and did not hesitate to sacrifice 30% of his own original demonic Demonic Power to forcibly tear apart the Space Barrier between the Mortal World and the Demon Realm realm, crossing the boundary. The killing intent surging in his eyes was almost tangible, locked tightly on Ren Xiaoyao, clearly determined to completely annihilate this "major threat" and never give him the opportunity to control the complete Emperor Array and grow into a threat.

"Ren Xiaoyao, you little brat, what a masterful art of concealing your abilities!" The Ninth Ancestor's voice was like iron tempered with ice, carrying a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine even from miles away. The spiritual herbs on the edge of the Blessed Land trembled slightly from the cold. "You actually managed to find fragments of Ancient Great Emperor's array and even resonate with it in such a short time! If I don't eliminate you today, once you've gathered the complete Emperor Array and achieved mastery of your cultivation, you will surely become the greatest obstacle to my Demon Realm's invasion of the mortal world, ruining my Demon Realm's millennia-long plan!"

Before the words were even finished, the Ninth Ancestor suddenly raised his right hand, and the pitch-black Demonic Runes wand in his palm, engraved with eerie demonic patterns, instantly glowed with a ghostly light. The skull decoration at the top of the wand opened its mouth, and a dense stream of demonic energy surged out, instantly condensing into a huge demonic sphere with a diameter of over ten feet. Countless twisted vengeful spirits surged within the demonic sphere, each with a ferocious face, struggling wildly within the sphere and emitting shrill howls that pierced through the sphere, making one's soul tremble.

The oppressive force emanating from this "Soul Devouring Demonic Orb" was enough to crush an ordinary mid-stage Earth Immortal cultivator. Even the surrounding space was distorted by this pressure, and the clouds were shattered, revealing the dark demonic shadow below. "This time, I'm activating the Soul Devouring Demonic Orb with one-third of my original essence," the Ninth Ancestor's voice carried a cruel laugh, "I will ensure your Soul Annihilation, leaving not even a trace of your spirit. Even with the protection of the Emperor Array, you cannot be saved!"

Having said that, the Ninth Ancestor suddenly exerted force in his arm, hurling the Soul-Devouring Soul Devouring Demonic Orb towards the barrier of the Blessed Land land as if throwing a boulder. The demon orb, carrying World-Ending Aura, left a dark trail as it tore through the sky. Wherever it passed, even the air was scorched by the demonic flames, making a "sizzling" sound, as if even heaven and earth were about to be devoured by this power, as it crashed fiercely towards the barrier woven from white mist and Golden Light Net.

The seemingly sturdy white mist barrier, capable of isolating external evil spirits, rippled violently under the impact of the Soul Devouring Demonic Orb. The white mist was scorched by the demonic flames, turning into wisps of green smoke and dissipating. The golden light patterns flickered violently, their light flashing on and off, as if they were about to collapse at any moment. Even the spiritual herbs in the Blessed Land were bent over and lay flat on the ground by the impact, their leaves clinging tightly to the ground, as if they would be uprooted at any moment. The remaining spirit bird feathers in the tree hole were also swept up by the shockwave and flew everywhere.

Ren Xiaoyao's expression was solemn, his fingertips tightening slightly, while the Emperor Mark Jade in his palm grew even warmer, as if actively radiating a soothing power after sensing its master's crisis. Although he could clearly feel the terrifying power of the Soul Devouring Demonic Orb, he felt no fear whatsoever—at this moment, he held the Emperor Formation Fragment in his hand and possessed Ancient Emperor Power; he was no longer the cultivator who could only passively defend himself with the Carefree Sword. "Improve the Emperor Array, Defend Against the Demon Ward!"

As the deep, resolute shout fell, Ren Xiaoyao's fingertips rapidly formed intricate Emperor Array hand seals, tracing golden marks across the void. The Emperor Array imprint in his sea of consciousness was instantly activated, transforming into a golden stream of light that flowed along his meridians to his palm, merging with the light of the jade pendant. The Emperor Mark remaining on the bluestone platform also awakened, golden lines breaking free from the platform and soaring into the sky like agile golden dragons, swirling and merging with the white mist barrier of the Blessed Land, instantly strengthening the barrier several times over. The Emperor Mark on the light screen flowed with an inviolable majesty.

Above the light screen, Emperor Mark flowed slowly, emanating an High Antiquity Emperor's Might that surpassed all demonic energy. This Emperor's Might was pure and profound, carrying the will to Protecting All Living Beings, forming a stark contrast to the ferocity of the demonic flames. When the black Soul Devouring Demonic Orb collided with the golden light screen, it was abruptly blocked in mid-air, unable to advance even an inch. The demonic flames and Emperor's Might collided and devoured each other, emitting a piercing "sizzling" sound. Countless black demonic fragments were burned by the Emperor's Might, turning into ashes and dissipating in the wind. Even the wails of the vengeful spirits within the demon orb weakened, as if intimidated by the Emperor's Might, no longer daring to roar wantonly.

"What?" A look of disbelief and anger flashed in the eyes of the Ninth Ancestor. His face darkened instantly, and the demonic flames around him became restless. "You have only just mastered a corner of the Emperor Array, and haven't even seen the whole Emperor Array, yet you can mobilize such a powerful defensive force!" He clearly hadn't expected that Ren Xiaoyao could perfectly fuse the power of the Emperor Array with the barrier of the Blessed Land in such a short time, forming such an indestructible defense that even his Soul Devouring Soul Devouring Demonic Orb, which he activated with three-tenths of his own essence, could not break through. This made his killing intent even stronger, and he also felt a little more uneasy.

Enraged, the Ninth Ancestor gritted his teeth and once again unleashed his primordial demonic Demonic Power. His demonic flames surged, and his aura, which had weakened somewhat from activating the Soul-Devouring Soul Devouring Demonic Orb, instantly returned to its raging intensity, like a volcano about to erupt. The tip of his wand shone brightly, and three black pillars, each over a foot thick, suddenly condensed. These pillars contained Curse Killing Power even more concentrated than the previous Soul Devouring Curse Killing Technique. Wherever the black pillars passed, even the space itself cracked, and a nauseating stench filled the air. "Since the defense is so strong, then I will break it with brute force! Today I will shatter this barrier, take your dog's life, and seize this Emperor Formation Fragment!"

Having said that, the Ninth Ancestor waved his arm, and three black beams of light, like three bolts of pitch-black lightning, with World-Ending Aura, blasted towards the same spot on the light barrier. He knew the Principles of "single-point breakthrough" and wanted to use the insidious Curse Killing Power and the vast Demonic Power to concentrate his strength to break through the double protection of the Emperor Array and the barrier, giving Ren Xiaoyao no chance to breathe.

Seeing this, Ren Xiaoyao Emperor Mark Jade shone even brighter, a golden halo enveloping his entire hand. He gripped the hilt of the Carefree Sword at his waist with his left hand, his fingertips tracing the warm, smooth paulownia wood and flowing cloud patterns on the scabbard, a familiar power welling up within him. "Clang—" A clear, resonant Sword Hum echoed throughout the Blessed Land, like jade striking stone, piercing through the roar of demonic flames. The instant the scabbard separated from the sword, a warm, azure -Golden Spiritual Energy rushed towards him, carrying the unique Spiritual Qi aura of Qingfeng Valley. However, upon contact with the power of the Emperor Array, it was tinged with a thick layer of gold, gaining a touch of Emperor's Might chill and majesty.

He leaped into the air, his figure like a streak of azure rainbow, hovering before the light screen, his robes fluttering in the Spiritual Qi. Right hand held the sword, left hand continued forming hand seals, channeling the remaining Emperor Power and Emperor Array power from his dantian into the sword. The Carefree Sword was instantly enveloped in golden light; ancient Emperor Mark and vibrant sword patterns intertwined on its blade, forming a profound pattern. The oppressive aura emanating from it caused the surrounding Spiritual Qi to stagnate, and even the flow of water in the Spirit Spring ceased. "Emperor Array - Demon Slaying Sword!"

As the last word fell, Ren Xiaoyao swung his arm out suddenly. Golden Sword Light, carrying the immense power of the Emperor Array, streaked across the sky like a shooting star, carrying an unstoppable momentum, and slashed towards the three black pillars of light. Where the sword light passed, the air was cleaved into a thin golden trajectory. The Emperor Power remaining in the trajectory caused the surrounding demonic energy to dissipate instantly.

The moment the sword light collided with the pillar of light, a powerful shockwave swept outwards from the point of impact. The spiritual herbs in the Blessed Land were violently shaken by the shockwave, and the spiritual light on their leaves dimmed. Many Spirit Flower were broken by the shockwave, but they did not wither on the ground, as if they were protected by the Emperor Power and had a trace of life. Ripples were stirred up in the Spirit Spring, and water splashed, creating small pits on the ground. Faint golden Emperor Power remained in the pits.

This time, however, the power of the Emperor Array was clearly superior— the Golden Sword Light sliced through the first black pillar of light as easily as cutting tofu. The Curse Killing Power within the pillar instantly turned to ashes and dissipated under the scorching Emperor's Might. Its momentum continued unabated, severing the other two pillars of light in succession, leaving not a trace of demonic energy. After shattering the pillars, the sword light's remaining power remained undiminished, hurtling towards the Ninth Ancestor in mid-air. The golden light illuminated the Ninth Ancestor's face, a mixture of shock and rage, and for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"Not good!" The Ninth Ancestor's expression changed drastically, a strong sense of crisis surging in his heart, as if he were being watched by the Death God. He hurriedly activated all the demonic flames around him, condensing a thick demonic flame shield in front of him. This shield was formed by his own demonic energy, and the outer layer was also wrapped with the Power of Grudges, enough to withstand a full-force attack from a late-stage Earth Immortal cultivator. It was one of his means of survival. However, facing the sword light wrapped with the power of the Emperor Array, this shield seemed so fragile, as vulnerable as paper.

The moment the Golden Sword Light struck the demonic flame shield, it tore the shield into countless fragments like fire melting ice. The demonic flames and vengeful spirits, scorched by the Emperor's Might, let out mournful screams before vanishing completely. The sword light, its power undiminished, slashed fiercely at the Ninth Ancestor's left shoulder. "Ah--!" A piercing scream erupted from the Ninth Ancestor, echoing through the heavens and shaking even the distant dense forest. The Demon Beast dwelling there all cowered, daring not to utter a sound.

The sword light slashed a deep wound, over an inch deep, onto the Ninth Ancestor's left shoulder. Black demonic blood gushed out like a fountain, dripping into the demonic flames in mid-air, sizzling and accompanied by wisps of white smoke. Even more deadly was the residual Emperor Array power within the sword light, which, like a bone-deep affliction, seeped into his wound, constantly burning his Demon Body and primordial Demonic Power. This prevented the wound from healing as quickly as before; instead, under the erosion of the Emperor Power, tiny golden lines spread outwards. Each burn caused him excruciating pain, as if his very soul was being torn apart.

The Ninth Ancestor staggered back several steps, the demonic flames around him instantly dimming by more than half, and his originally violent aura became weak and listless, like a candle flickering in the wind. He clutched his bleeding left shoulder, his eyes filled not only with intense killing intent but also with a hint of undisguised fear and apprehension—he hadn't expected that Ren Xiaoyao could injure him so badly with just a corner of the Emperor Array. If this dragged on any longer, he feared he would truly perish here today.

"Ninth Ancestor, you have repeatedly crossed realms to invade, attempting to kill me, destroy my sacred lands, and slaughter innocent lives. Today, I have only severed your shoulder, showing mercy as a lesson." Ren Xiaoyao hovered in mid-air, his Carefree Sword pointing diagonally at the ground. The golden light remaining on the sword slowly dissipated, yet a faint Emperor's Might still lingered. His figure appeared even more imposing in the golden light, like a war god protecting the mortal realm. "If you remain obstinate and dare to Sky-Rending Strike and invade again, next time I will unleash the full power of the Emperor Array, ensuring your soul is annihilated and you are never to be reincarnated!"

The Ninth Ancestor clutched his bleeding left shoulder, feeling the demonic Demonic Power draining from his body and the Emperor Power burning his wound. He glanced at the golden Emperor Mark Jade in Ren Xiaoyao's hand and knew that there was no chance of victory today. If he continued to entangle himself, not only would he fail to kill Ren Xiaoyao and seize the Emperor Formation Fragment, but he might also be severely damaged by the power of the Emperor Array, or even perish here—the consequences of which he could not bear, and it would also affect the Demon Realm's grand plan to invade the human world.

He glared at Ren Xiaoyao with a sinister look, his teeth grinding together, black demonic blood even spilling from the corner of his mouth. His tone was full of resentment and venom. "Ren Xiaoyao, I, the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, will remember this humiliation! When I return to the Demon Realm, I will gather the power of the other eight Devil Ancestor, forcefully break through the Space Barrier, and raze this Blessed Land to the ground. I will tear you to pieces and then slaughter all living beings in the mortal world to avenge this day!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the demonic flames around the Ninth Ancestor surged once more. He recklessly expended his remaining Origin Power, forcibly tearing apart the space before him, creating a pitch-black Space Cracks over ten feet wide. From within the rift emanated chilling demonic energy, mixed with the howls unique to the Demon Realm. He staggered into the rift, his figure quickly transforming into a black streak of light, fleeing into the depths of the rift, fearing that Ren Xiaoyao would pursue him. As the Ninth Ancestor's figure disappeared, the Space Cracks slowly closed, leaving only faint demonic energy and spatial fluctuations in the air.

The chaotic Spiritual Qi above the Blessed Land gradually calmed down, and the golden light curtain slowly withdrew its light, merging back into the blue stone platform and Ren Xiaoyao's sea of consciousness, leaving only faint traces of Emperor's Might and demonic energy in the air, reminding people of the thrilling battle that had just taken place.

Ren Xiaoyao landed slowly, his body swaying slightly as his feet touched the bluestone platform. A strong sense of exhaustion surged into his heart, and he quickly grabbed the hilt of the Carefree Sword to steady himself. He sheathed the Carefree Sword and the Emperor Mark Jade, his face turning slightly pale and his lips paling. Just now, he had mobilized 30% of the power of the Emperor Array to activate the "Emperor Array - Demon Slaying Sword," which had almost exhausted the remaining Emperor Power in his dantian. His meridians also felt a slight soreness and swelling due to the intense flow of Emperor Power, as if they had been forcibly stretched open.

But when he looked in the direction where the Ninth Ancestor had fled, there was no trace of weariness in his eyes, but rather a hint of determination and sharpness. "Ninth Ancestor, today is just the beginning," he murmured to himself, his voice soft yet carrying an undeniable resolve that echoed throughout the silent Blessed Land. "In the future, I will travel the world, search every famous mountain and river, gather all the Emperor Formation Fragment of the Emperor Array, completely master its power, sever the connection between the Demon Realm and the Mortal World, protect my fellow disciples in Qingfeng Valley, protect every inch of this sacred land, and prevent the evil spirits of the Demon Realm from harming another single person."

Having said that, Ren Xiaoyao turned and walked towards the Spirit Spring. The Emperor Mark Jade in his palm swayed gently, drawing upon a faint yet pure Emperor Power to create a layer of pale golden protection around the Spirit Spring. This protection not only isolated external evil spirits but also gathered the Spiritual Qi of the Spirit Spring, preventing Spiritual Qi from leaking out. He then sat cross-legged on the blue stone beside the Spirit Spring. The blue stone, nourished by the Spirit Spring, was as smooth and warm as jade, and carried a faint Spiritual Qi.

He carefully took out the Soul Condensing Grass he had picked earlier—the grass was pale gold, and on its three narrow leaves, spiritual light flowed slowly like water. The pearl-sized fruit at the top radiated a soft halo, emitting a warm and peaceful aura. Inhaling it made one's soul feel soothed, making it more refined and resilient. Even the sea of consciousness, which had been slightly agitated due to the test of the Emperor's Might, completely calmed down. Ren Xiaoyao closed his eyes, letting this Soul Power flow through his sea of consciousness. Every inch of his soul was being nourished, and he could clearly feel it. It was as if even the boundaries of his perception were quietly expanding, and he could vaguely detect the subtle tremors of the Spirit Vein flowing several miles away.

At the same time, he activated the Qingfeng Valley's ancestral <Flowing Cloud Art>, drawing upon the rich Spiritual Qi within the Spirit Spring. Ripples spread across the surface of the Spirit Spring, and wisps of pale blue Spiritual Qi leaped from the water like swimming fish, flowing through his pores into his meridians and then converging into his dantian along the path of the Cultivation Method. The remaining Emperor Power within his dantian seemed to sense the "shared origin" and stirred slightly, actively guiding the Fortune, gradually transforming it into pure Emperor Power.

The spring in the center of the Spirit Spring continued to gush forth bubbles shimmering with blue light. The Spiritual Qi released when the bubbles burst was even purer, and drawn by the residual spiritual gathering power of the Emperor Array, it all surged towards Ren Xiaoyao's body. The Emperor Mark Jade with Emperor patterns in his palm also began to warm slightly, and a delicate pattern of the Emperor Array extended from the jade pendant, winding around his dantian like a miniature Spirit Gathering Formation. This accelerated the conversion of Spiritual Qi into Emperor Power, and also made the flow of Emperor Power within his dantian smoother, no longer feeling sluggish as before.