Third-Corner Emperor Formation
Ren Xiaoyao gripped the Carefree Sword tightly, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the extreme force. His fingertips traced the fine lines on the sword 'Sword Spine, the familiar warm touch masking the icy chill in his palm. Under the glow of the eerie green demonic fire, the sword's originally flowing azure-gold spiritual light trembled slightly, as if also intimidated by the Sha Qi behind the Rift. Fragments of light rippled at the edges, contrasting sharply with the stagnant demonic energy around it.
Beyond the Rift, the five-zhang-tall black figure became increasingly clear. The black mist swirling around it surged like a living thing, sometimes coalescing into grotesque Devil Creature phantoms, sometimes transforming into sharp bone spikes. Each Root Bone gleamed with a chilling dark light, as thick as an adult's arm, its tips still dripping with undried Black Blood, as if a gentle stab could pierce through hard rock. Most terrifying were its scarlet eyes, their gaze like poisoned blades, fixed intently on Ren Xiaoyao. Greed and killing intent intertwined, like a tiger eyeing its prey. Even the surrounding demonic energy was frozen by this gaze, transforming into an invisible pressure that weighed heavily on Ren Xiaoyao's chest, making his breathing difficult.
He knew all too well that every moment he lingered was an increase in danger. The Demonic Might of Late Heavenly Immortal was like a collapsing mountain, layer upon layer, looming over his head. The pale golden Emperor Power shield around him trembled violently under this pressure, the fine ripples on its surface growing increasingly rapid, like a lake in a storm, as if it would shatter completely at any moment. What made him even more apprehensive was that the pure demonic energy constantly overflowing from the Rift, carrying a devastating corrosive force, was frantically seeping into the gaps in the shield. Even though he was desperately circulating the <Flowing Cloud Art> to purify his pale blue spiritual energy within his meridians, wisps of Black Demonic Qi, like a bone-deep affliction, still clung to the inner walls of his meridians, bringing sharp, stinging pains, and even slowing down the flow of Emperor Power within his dantian.
"We absolutely cannot wait for him to break through the Rift." The thought had barely formed in Ren Xiaoyao's mind when he slammed his toes into the ground. Emperor Power erupted from his feet, instantly shattering the piled-up bones beneath him into dust. White bone fragments filled the air, only to be dispersed by the gust of wind generated by his rapid movement. Using this momentum, he transformed into a streak of azure-gold light, speeding towards the outside of the cave. His robes fluttered, and pale azure spiritual energy intertwined with golden Emperor Power, forming a thin veil that completely protected his body.
As they passed through the sea of bones, the remaining skeletons beneath their feet cracked and shattered underfoot, the crisp sound particularly jarring in the deathly Bottom of the Abyss. However, it was quickly drowned out by a low, furious roar emanating from the Rift behind them. The roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the cave walls and causing large chunks of black rock to fall from the top, scattering bone fragments and even causing the ground to tremble slightly. Black Demonic Qi surged wildly outwards from the Rift, like an enraged tide, creating Demonic Waves several meters high within the cave. Wherever these waves passed, the eerie green demonic fire on the rock walls instantly flared, only to be swallowed whole by the Demonic Waves, turning into specks of black light and dissipating into the air, leaving only the pungent smell of burning flesh.
Ren Xiaoyao dared not turn back, focusing solely on activating the <Flowing Cloud Art> to its fullest extent. His pale blue spiritual energy, like a mountain stream, enveloped in rich Emperor Power, surged through his meridians to his limbs and bones. Every muscle was nourished by the spiritual energy and Emperor Power, making his movements increasingly swift. He moved nimbly through the sea of bones, avoiding the mountains of giant Demon Beast skeletons—each skeleton ten zhang long, its thick leg bones thicker than an adult's waist. The claw marks and bite marks on the bones were still clearly visible, as if one could glimpse the ferocity of the Devil Creature battles of yesteryear. The gusts of wind generated by his fluttering robes dispersed the Black Demonic Qi clinging to the bones, leaving clean bone surfaces, only to be quickly covered by new demonic energy.
In just a few breaths, Ren Xiaoyao burst out of the cave and soared upwards from the Bottom of the Abyss. As he ascended, the surrounding demonic energy gradually thinned, and the Demonic Waves and roars behind him were drowned out by the howling wind. However, the oppressive aura emanating from Late Heavenly Immortal Demon General general clung to him like a leech, preventing him from relaxing even for a moment. He could clearly feel that the oppressive aura was like an invisible chain, tightly binding him. If he slowed down even slightly, his opponent would detect his presence, and escaping would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
After Ren Xiaoyao's figure completely disappeared into the Bottom of the Abyss, the black figure behind the Rift slowly raised its hand covered in bone spurs. The hand was over ten feet wide, with dense Black Demonic Qi swirling in its palm. Within the demonic energy, countless tiny Demonic Runes Demonic Runes could be vaguely seen writhing wildly, each exuding an aura of world-destroying power, corroding the surrounding air with a sizzling sound. With a deafening roar, the giant hand formed from demonic energy slammed into the edge of the Rift. The pale golden traces of the Emperor Array instantly lit up, like flames burning in the dark night, attempting to block the impact of the Demonic Palm. However, facing the Demonic Might of Late Heavenly Immortal, the golden light flickered violently like a candle in the wind, its radiance constantly dimming. In just a few breaths, only a faint halo remained, and the width of the Rift actually widened by half a foot. More pure demonic energy surged out through the crack, accumulating into black mist within the cavern.
"A mere mid-stage Earth Immortal cultivator, yet he possesses Emperor Formation Fragment and dares to destroy three of my Demon General!" A hoarse roar echoed through the cavern, carrying a Bone Erosion cold that shook the bones on the ground. Small bone fragments slid off the pile of bones, making a soft, rustling sound. The figure slowly retreated, then slightly tilted his head back, and a sharp whistle escaped from his mouth—a whistle that sounded neither human nor demonic, but rather like the howl of Devil Creature, piercing through the thick demonic energy and traveling along the Rift into the depths of the Demon Realm realm, echoing across the dark land of the Demon Realm realm.
In less than half an incense stick's time, dozens of demonic figures of varying heights emerged from the Rift, densely occupying most of the cavern space. Among them were Demon Soldiers, two zhang tall, covered in dark black scales, from which seeped Ink Green Venom that dripped onto the ground, instantly scorching small pits into the rocks. They held rusty demonic spears, the tips gleaming with a chilling dark light and exuding a bloody stench. There were also gaunt Demonic Master, their bodies wreathed in eerie green demonic flames. Their skin was bluish-black, and the demonic fire dancing at their fingertips could easily scorch hard rocks into black ash. Their eyes were filled with violence and cruelty. Leading them were two warriors of the same rank as the previous Demon General. They were three zhang tall, and although their Demonic Might was not as strong as that of the dark figure, they still possessed the oppressive aura of early-stage Immortal Realm Heavenly Immortal, enough to intimidate ordinary cultivators in the Immortal Realm. The spiked demonic blades in their hands still bore traces of the blood of cultivators who had not yet dried, indicating that they had previously killed many cultivators who had ventured into the Demon Abyss.
"Follow me to reinforce the demonic energy and break through the seal! Today, we must tear open a gap to pave the way for the subsequent invasion of the Demon Realm army!" The leading Demon General raised his spiked demonic blade, and the hideous Demonic Runes on the blade instantly lit up. Black Demonic Qi spread wildly along the blade, wrapping around it like vines, intertwining with the demonic energy of the surrounding Demon Soldiers and Demonic Master, and gradually condensing into a huge black Demonic Pillar with a diameter of three zhang. Within the Demonic Pillar, countless phantoms of Devil Creature could be vaguely seen roaring madly. Each phantom carried a bloodthirsty aura and exuded a heart-palpitating sense of oppression. Then, under the control of the Demon General, they were launched like cannonballs and slammed into the traces of the Emperor Array at the edge of the Rift.
The sizzling sound of corrosion instantly echoed throughout the cavern, like strong acid splashed on metal, stinging the eardrums and distorting the air itself. The pale golden Emperor Mark dissipated under the impact of the Demonic Pillar, turning into specks of golden light that merged into the air. The rocks at the edges of the Rift began to peel away, revealing the dark inner rock walls. But whenever the Emperor Mark were about to completely extinguish, the fragment of the "Boundary Sealing Gate," already integrated into Ren Xiaoyao's body within his dantian, would sense the danger posed by the Emperor Array's traces across the vast distance, sending a faint resonance. That resonance, like a warm stream, flowed into the Emperor Mark along the spatial fluctuations, causing the dim golden light to rekindle, barely managing to deflect the Demonic Pillar's impact and holding the last line of defense.
Seeing this, the Demon General's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He gritted his teeth and once again urged the demonic energy within his body—the black mist around him instantly surged, and the power of the Demonic Pillar also increased. The Devil Creature phantoms on its surface became clearer, and its roars grew louder as it once again charged towards the Emperor Mark. In the following hours, the Demonic Pillar became more and more violent. The rocks at the edges of the Rift peeled away more and more severely, and on the dark rock walls inside, the originally dormant Demonic Runes, nourished by the demonic energy, began to slowly writhe, spreading towards the Emperor Mark 'Emperor Mark like living things, attempting to devour its power.
This stalemate lasted for about an hour. The Demon General ' demonic energy gradually diminished by more than half. The leader's aura became noticeably disordered, his face grew increasingly pale, and the demonic blade in his hand trembled slightly. The light of the Demonic Pillar also dimmed considerably, and the force of its impact weakened. Although the traces of the Emperor Array remained faint, and the golden light flickered like a candle in the wind, it never completely shattered, like a warrior holding firm to his position, stubbornly blocking the advance of the demonic energy.
"Damn it! This Primordial Emperor Formation still possesses such residual power! It's just some remnant patterns, yet it can withstand our combined attack!" The leading Demon General roared in fury, slamming his demonic blade heavily into the ground. With a deafening crash, a Bottomless Ravines was cleaved through the hard rock, Black Demonic Qi spreading along it and staining the surrounding rocks black. He knew very well that if he continued to forcefully charge forward, his Demon Soldiers and Demonic Master would be completely wiped out. Not only would they fail to break through the Rift, but they would also weaken the Demon Realm's fighting strength. More importantly, the Demon Realm was not yet ready for a large-scale invasion. Exposing too much of their strength now would only give the Immortal Realm cultivators time to prepare their defenses. He would never do something so counterproductive.
Finally, the Demon General could only grit his teeth and order, "Retreat! Leave ten Demon Soldiers to guard this place, using their own Demonic Qi Erosion the seal day and night. We must not allow this remnant formation to regain even a trace of power! The rest of you, retreat with me to the Demon Realm. Once we have gathered more demons and demonic energy, we will break through this broken formation completely!" As soon as he finished speaking, two Demon General turned around first, leading the remaining demons into the Rift. Their black figures quickly disappeared into the darkness of the Demon Realm. Only ten Demon Soldiers remained, holding demonic spears, sitting cross-legged around the Rift, slowly closing their eyes, and continuously pouring their remaining demonic energy into the traces of the Emperor Array. Under the continuous erosion of the demonic energy, the light of the pale golden patterns grew weaker and weaker, as if it would be completely extinguished at any moment.
At this moment, Ren Xiaoyao had already broken out of the Demon Abyss and stood halfway up the Black Miasma Mountain Range. The miasma in the mountains was much thinner than at the Bottom of the Abyss, but it still carried a faint chill, blowing against his face like ice silk, making him shiver involuntarily. He raised his hand to brush away the bone fragments and demonic energy on his clothes, and turned his gaze to the giant abyss behind him shrouded in Dark Purple Miasma —the miasma churned like a living thing, and one could vaguely see black demonic energy rising from the Bottom of the Abyss, intertwining with the miasma to form swirling vortexes.
Through the resonance with the fragments of the "Boundary Sealing Gate," Ren Xiaoyao could clearly feel the bursts of violent Demonic Might emanating from the Bottom of the Abyss, as well as the faint resonance of the Emperor Array —a resonance tinged with weakness and trembling. Clearly, the Devil Creature were frantically attacking the remaining seal of the "Boundary Sealing Gate," and the seal was on the verge of collapse.
A chill ran down his spine, reaching his dantian, causing Ren Xiaoyao's Emperor Power to falter slightly. He finally understood that the threat from the Demon Realm realm was far more urgent than he had imagined: Late Heavenly Immortal Demon General lurked behind the Rift, ready to break Rift with even more demons at any moment; a constant stream of Devil Creature could infiltrate the Immortal Realm and immortal Mortal World through the rifts, wreaking havoc on living beings; and the remnants of the "Boundary Sealing Gate" were already overburdened, unable to sustain themselves for long with just the resonance of the fragments. If he couldn't gather all the Emperor Formation Fragment as soon as possible, once the seal was completely broken and the Demon Realm army poured into both realms, it would inevitably unleash a catastrophe of immense suffering, and then trying to salvage the situation would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
"I must improve my strength as soon as possible and completely integrate the two fragments of the ' Immortal Suppressing Seal ' and the ' Boundary Sealing Gate ' in order to barely cope with the subsequent crisis," Ren Xiaoyao muttered to himself. His gaze quickly swept across the surrounding mountains and forests, and soon he found a hidden cave in the dense forest not far away. The entrance to the cave was covered by dense vines, which still carried a faint Spiritual Qi, indicating that few Devil Creature or cultivators had passed through. He pushed aside the vines and entered the cave. The interior was dry and clean, and the air was filled with the fragrance of rocks. There was no trace of demonic energy left, making it an excellent place for cultivation.
Ren Xiaoyao raised his hand and waved, sending pale golden Emperor Power flying from his fingertips to set up a simple defensive array at the entrance of the cave. The array consisted of dozens of Emperor Mark; although not complex, it effectively isolated external auras, preventing Devil Creature or other cultivators from noticing it. At the same time, the array also had an early warning mechanism; as long as any being with a cultivation level exceeding the early stage of Earth Immortal approached, it would emit a pale golden spiritual light to alert him to danger.
Then, Ren Xiaoyao sat cross-legged on the blue stone in the center of the cave, slowly closed his eyes, formed a fusion hand seal with his hands, and focused his mind into his dantian. Inside his dantian, the pale golden fragment of the "Boundary Sealing Gate" and the pale blue fragment of the "Suppressing Immortal Suppressing Seal" floated in the center. The spiritual light of the two fragments intertwined, like two intertwined serpents, slowly rotating within his dantian, emitting their own unique auras—the "Boundary Sealing Gate" fragment carried a heavy sealing power, while the "Immortal Suppressing Seal" fragment exuded a steady defensive power. However, at the core of the two fragments, there was an invisible barrier, as hard as thin ice, preventing the fragments from completely merging, causing the two Emperor Power to be unable to flow together and only able to circulate separately.
When he previously obtained the fragments of the "Boundary Sealing Gate," the information transmitted by the Primordial Emperor Formation contained a method for fusing some of the fragments. However, at that time, his cultivation was still shallow, and he was eager to leave the Demon Abyss, so he was unable to attempt the fusion immediately. At this moment, Ren Xiaoyao circulated his Emperor Power, and the Emperor Mark on his fingertips instantly lit up. A pure, light golden stream of Emperor Power flowed along his meridians into his dantian, as if building a golden bridge, attempting to connect the two fragments and break down the barrier at the core.
At first, the gap between the fragments was like a thousand-year-old solid ice. When the Emperor Power shone into it, it was violently bounced back. A violent backlash spread rapidly along his meridians, causing his arm to sting slightly and his meridians to ache. A trace of blood even spilled from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the bluestone and blooming into a small red flower.
Ren Xiaoyao remained calm, slowly adjusting his breathing and activating the <Flowing Cloud Art>. The pale blue spiritual energy, like a gentle spring, flowed slowly through his meridians, intertwining with the Emperor Power within his body, transforming into a gentle yet resilient dual-colored power—this power possessed both the mellowness of Emperor Power and the agility of spiritual energy. Unlike pure Emperor Power, it was no longer as forceful, making it more suitable for dissolving barriers. He controlled this dual-colored power, no longer forcibly impacting the barrier, but rather, like spring rain nourishing a field, gradually seeping into the fragmented barrier, nurturing the invisible "thin ice," attempting to slowly melt it away.
Time passed slowly, the miasma outside the cave gradually dissipated, and the sky began to lighten with the first Light Spots of dawn. Soft morning light filtered through the gaps in the vines, scattering into the cave and turning into dappled spots of light that fell on Ren Xiaoyao, giving him a golden halo. Inside the cave, only Ren Xiaoyao's steady breathing and the faint sound of the two fragments rotating within his dantian could be heard.
Within the dantian, the spiritual light of the two fragments shone even brighter. The pale gold and pale blue light intertwined, illuminating the entire dantian as if it were daytime. Even the meridians were made exceptionally clear by these two kinds of light. The barrier at the core gradually became transparent under the continuous nourishment of the dual-colored power, like thin ice about to melt. Finally, with a "crack", it completely dissolved into the spiritual light.
The pale golden fragment of the "Boundary Sealing Gate" slowly accelerated its rotation, carrying a heavy sealing power, and approached the pale blue fragment of the "Immortal Suppressing Seal." The fragment of the "Immortal Suppressing Seal" seemed to sense the summons, and its rotation direction aligned with that of the "Boundary Sealing Gate" fragment, eventually gently merging together. The instant the two fragments completely touched, a powerful High Antiquity Emperor's Might suddenly erupted, like a colossal beast awakening after ten thousand years of slumber, instantly sweeping across the entire dantian, then rapidly spreading along the meridians to every part of the body, even enveloping the sea of Emperor's Might.
Ren Xiaoyao felt as if his meridians were being tempered by raging fire and nourished by clear springs. The fiery Emperor Power surged through his meridians, constantly widening them and repairing the minor damage caused by Demonic Qi Erosion, making them more unobstructed. Meanwhile, the clear spring-like spiritual power soothed the inner walls of his meridians, relieving the burning sensation from the fiery tempering and increasing their resilience several times over. Even if he were to withstand even more violent Emperor Power, he would not be easily damaged.
The Emperor Power Emperor Power within his dantian surged wildly, more than doubling in size. Pale golden and pale blue spiritual light intertwined, transforming into a two-colored stream of light that circulated repeatedly through his meridians. With each cycle, the Emperor Power became purer, and his aura grew increasingly profound. His cultivation also broke through the bottleneck, steadily climbing from the mid-stage Earth Immortal, to the peak of the mid-stage Earth Immortal, the early stage of the late-stage Earth Immortal, the mid-stage of the late-stage Earth Immortal... Finally, his cultivation stabilized at the peak of the late-stage Earth Immortal, and his aura became increasingly calm and composed. He was only one step away from the early stage of the Heavenly Immortal; as long as he found the right opportunity, he could successfully break through.
At the same time, Ren Xiaoyao's sea of consciousness expanded, and his previously vague perception became exceptionally clear. Even from dozens of miles away, he could vaguely sense the movements of the Devil Creature in the Black Miasma Mountain Range, and even distinguish the differences in aura between Demon Soldiers and Demonic Master. Deep within his sea of consciousness, he also gained a trace of insight related to the Primordial Emperor Formation, making his control over Emperor Power even more proficient.
More importantly, after the two Emperor Formation Fragment were completely fused, a new method of control surged into his sea of consciousness like a tide, clearly imprinting itself on his mind—he could not only use the power of the "Immortal Suppressing Seal" to condense a defensive shield several times stronger than before, but also inject Emperor Power into the shield, radiating High Antiquity Emperor's Might to intimidate powerful enemies with lower cultivation levels than himself, preventing them from easily making a move; he could also mobilize the residual power of the "Boundary Sealing Gate," and through the resonance of the Emperor Array, transcend spatial distance to temporarily reinforce the seal of the Demon Realm passage, buying himself more time to find the next fragment.
As Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes, a two-colored spiritual light flashed within them. The light, like a shooting star, disappeared in an instant, yet carried a chilling power that caused the air in the cave to ripple slightly. He raised his hand and waved, and the Carefree Sword at his waist instantly unsheathed. A clear, resonant Sword Hum pierced the silence of the cave, flowing like a spring and dispelling the last trace of chill. Within the flowing cyan -Golden Sword Light sword light on the blade, a faint golden Emperor Array pattern appeared, moving slowly as if alive, radiating a profound High Antiquity Emperor's Might, making the sword even more dazzling in the morning light.
Ren Xiaoyao gently raised his hand, manipulating the Carefree Sword. A streak of azure -Golden Sword Light, infused with pale golden Emperor Mark, cleaved towards the rocks within the cave. Without a deafening roar, the sword light easily severed the hard rock, leaving a clean, smooth cut without a single fragment flying. The cut surface still retained a faint aura of Emperor Power, thoroughly purifying the impurities within the rock, leaving it with a warm luster. Ren Xiaoyao reached out and grasped the hilt. The touch from his fingertips felt even more harmonious than before, as if the Carefree Sword, through the fusion with the Emperor Formation Fragment, had become even more intimately connected to him. "After fusing with the Emperor Formation Fragment, not only has my cultivation broken through to the peak of the late-stage Earth Immortal, but my combat power has also increased several times over. Even when facing cultivators at the early-stage Heavenly Immortal realm, I now have the confidence to crush them." He was overjoyed. With a slight exertion of force, the Carefree Sword transformed into a stream of light, returning to its sheath, leaving only a lingering "hum" echoing within the cave.
This joy didn't last long. He gently stroked his chest—where his dantian was located—and could clearly feel the faint pulsation emanating from the fragment of the "Boundary Sealing Gate." The pulsation carried a barely perceptible weakness, clearly indicating that he had exhausted his strength during the previous remote resonance and reinforcement of the seal. Ren Xiaoyao instantly recalled the threat behind the Demon Abyss Rift: Late Heavenly Immortal Demon General was still lurking in the shadows, and ten Demon Soldiers were using Demonic Qi Erosion the seal day and night. The Rift would only widen under the erosion of the demonic energy; and even if he broke through, the gap between him and Late Heavenly Immortal was still enormous. If the Demon General were to break through the Rift with his army at this moment, he would be powerless to stop him.