Five Directions Emperor Formation

After leaving the Two Forms Boundary Gap, Ren Xiaoyao followed the faint Spirit Vein of heaven and earth, passing through a misty forest, and found a secluded valley surrounded by a light veil of spiritual mist. Ancient trees towered in the valley, their trunks so thick that several people would need to encircle them, their branches and leaves spreading like umbrellas, obscuring most of the sky. Spirit Spring gushed forth from the cliff face, its crystal-clear water reflecting the surrounding scenery. Tiny Spirit Fish swam in the water, releasing strings of Spiritual Qi energy bubbles. The air was filled with Spiritual Qi so dense it was almost tangible; inhaling even a single breath caused a slight surge of Emperor Power in his dantian. This was the perfect place to comprehend the formation. He sat cross-legged on a smooth, jade-like blue stone, nourished by the Spirit Spring. The stone's surface was covered with fine Spirit Patterns, radiating a faint spiritual light. With a thought, he slowly summoned the complete illusory image of the Emperor Array from his dantian to before him. The Emperor Array floated in mid-air, about ten feet in diameter. Its purple-gold Emperor Mark flowed ceaselessly like living beings, sometimes transforming into agile dragons that darted through the formation, their scales clearly visible; sometimes condensing into ancient seal characters that shimmered, exuding an aura of vicissitudes. A majestic High Antiquity Emperor's Might spread from the Emperor Array, as if it were tangible. The towering mountains pressed down upon the valley, causing the surrounding air to stagnate slightly. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within the valley was drawn by the Emperor's Might, forming tiny, visible vortexes that slowly rotated around the Emperor Array, emitting a soft "humming" sound, like the whispers of heaven and earth. Ren Xiaoyao concentrated his mind and gently stroked the surface of the Emperor Array with his fingertips. A vast, Star Sea- like Information Stream instantly flooded his mind—this Emperor Array was named "Zhenxuan," one of the five High Antiquity Five Directions Emperor Formation, primarily for defense and purification. The array contained the profound principles of stabilizing space and cleansing evil spirits; deep within the array patterns... It records the insights of High Antiquity cultivators into formations and the Heaven and Earth Laws. The Five Directions Emperor Formation are "Zhenxuan," "Evil-Breaking," "Void-Traversing Emperor Formation," "Nether-Penetrating Emperor Formation," and "Heaven-Burning Emperor Formation," each with its own unique function: Zhenxuan is for defense, Evil-Breaking, Void-Traversing Emperor Formation for speed, Nether-Penetrating Emperor Formation for concealment, Heaven-Burning Emperor Formation destruction. If all five formations can be gathered and Unity using a special method, one can invoke the fundamental Principle of heaven and earth, possessing the power to penetrate the heavens and the earth: above, it can shake the foundation of the Nine Heavens Immortal Court; below, it can suppress the myriad vengeful spirits of the Netherworld Ghost Domain; it can even reverse the River of Time and Space, reshape the order of heaven and earth, and rewrite the cycle of cause and effect.

"So what I've mastered is only one of the Five Directions Emperor Formation..." Ren Xiaoyao's heart was filled with shock. He had previously thought that the complete Emperor Array was an insurmountable peak on the Cultivation Path, but he never expected that such a grand secret was hidden behind it. The power of the Five Directions Emperor Formation far exceeded his imagination. He took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and tried to activate the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation. His fingertips surged with Emperor Power like Golden Stream, slowly pouring into the Emperor Array Formation. The Emperor Array instantly burst forth with dazzling golden light, the light soft yet not glaring. A semi-transparent Golden Shield rapidly expanded from him, tightly enveloping a three-zhang radius around him. The runes on the shield flickered erratically, like stars dancing in the night sky. Upon closer inspection, the runes formed miniature spatial barriers, nested and layered upon each other, making the surrounding space exceptionally stable because of this shield. Water droplets from the Spirit Spring fell onto the shield and were instantly bounced off, making a crisp "ding-dong" sound, like jade. The chains clashed. He then infused a wisp of condensed Emperor Power into the Emperor Array Emperor Array, from which several arm-thick Golden Chains flew out. The chains were inscribed with intricate Purification Runes, which shimmered with holy light and carried an aura that prevented evil spirits from approaching. They flew towards a faint trace of demonic energy remaining in a corner of the valley. This was the aura left behind by a low-level Devil Cultivator had mistakenly entered the valley earlier. Although weak, it still carried a trace of evil that corroded the soul. The Golden Chains, upon touching the demonic energy, tightly bound it like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey. The demonic energy sizzled painfully under the chains' purification, melting away rapidly like snow meeting the scorching sun, instantly devoured without leaving a trace. The air in the valley became even fresher and purer. Feeling the immense power of the Emperor Array, Ren Xiaoyao was filled with unprecedented confidence. His clenched fists loosened slightly. With this Profound Suppression Emperor Formation in hand, even facing a Late Heavenly Immortal, he had the confidence to confront and even crush them head-on, no longer as passive as before.

However, this rare tranquility did not last long. Just as Ren Xiaoyao was immersed in the profound mystery and vastness of the Emperor Array, closing his eyes and concentrating his mind to try to comprehend more of the principles of array formations and make his own Emperor Power more compatible with the Emperor Array, a series of sharp and ear-piercing sounds suddenly came from the distant sky. The sound was dense and rapid, like countless sharp swords cutting through the sky, carrying an undeniable killing intent, rushing towards the valley like dark clouds pressing down, instantly making the atmosphere in the valley heavy. Ren Xiaoyao suddenly opened his eyes, a glint flashing in them. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and the Spiritual Qi around him instantly became restless due to his alertness— the Immortal Alliance's pursuit had arrived so quickly. It seemed that the undercover Elder "Shadow" had noticed him as soon as he left the Two Forms Boundary Gap- Yang Rift and had already laid a trap, determined to silence him and give her no chance to report the truth to the Alliance Leader. He rose and stood on the blue stone, his robes fluttering slightly in the spiritual wind. Looking up at the sky, he saw a dozen figures on the distant horizon, enveloped in red, blue, and purple spiritual light, flying towards him like arrows released from a bow. With an imposing aura, the leader was dressed in a purple Daoist robe embroidered with intricate lightning patterns. These patterns subtly flowed under the spiritual light, as if lightning itself were weaving within them. His face was sinister, his eyes narrow and serpentine, filled with coldness and killing intent. He exuded the heavy pressure of Late Heavenly Immortal, like a mountain pressing down, making it hard to breathe. This was none other than Elder Zi Xu, renowned in the Immortal Alliance Elder Council for his ruthless and swift methods. Beside him were two Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal cultivators with refined and profound auras. The one on the left was burly and carried a... A massive, jet-black shield, its surface carved with ferocious beast heads, each eye inlaid with two red spirit orbs, exuded a heavy aura. To the right stood a slender figure wielding a Blood-Red Long Saber, its blade gleaming with an eerie red light and emanating a faint, pungent scent of blood. Both men wore solemn expressions, their eyes warily fixed on Ren Xiaoyao. Behind them followed ten early-stage Heavenly Immortal enforcement officers clad in silver armor, the armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight. They carried standard-issue longswords, their ranks perfectly aligned, their steps synchronized—clearly an elite hunting squad honed through long-term training.

"Ren Xiaoyao, you traitor! You are incredibly audacious! You dared to steal the Emperor Formation Fragment of the Immortal Alliance's supreme treasure, the Emperor Array, and even colluded with evil immortals from the Demon Realm to harm fellow cultivators! Your crimes are heinous! Today, I will tear you to pieces, reclaim the treasure, uphold the Immortal Alliance's discipline, and reward those you have harmed!" Elder Zi Xu hovered above the valley, shouting sternly from above. His voice boomed like thunder, shaking the surrounding leaves and causing ripples to spread across the surface of the Spirit Spring. He had already received a secret message from his spy, "Shadow," knowing that Ren Xiaoyao had mastered the complete Emperor Array. If he were allowed to grow unchecked, not only would his position in the Elder Council be in jeopardy, but he might even lose control of the entire Immortal Alliance. He was determined to eliminate Ren Xiaoyao, leaving no room for future trouble, since the enemy had fallen into enemy hands. Before he finished speaking, Elder Zi Xu stopped wasting words, a ruthless glint in his eyes. With a sudden wave of his right hand, Purple Lightning surged around him, countless tiny bolts of lightning converging like snakes to form a gigantic purple Lightning Palm. The Lightning Palm was over ten feet in size, its lines clearly visible, its surface crackling with violent arcs of electricity, emitting a piercing "crackling" sound. The surrounding air was ionized, hissing, and with a world-destroying force, it crashed down on Ren Xiaoyao like Mount Tai Crushing Down, distorting the space in its path.

Faced with such a fierce and swift attack, Ren Xiaoyao's eyes remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic. Having experienced numerous life-or-death crises, he had long since cultivated a calm and collected mindset. He gently raised his right hand, and the Zhenxuan Emperor Array, which had been floating in front of him, instantly moved to his front. The Emperor Runes flowed rapidly, like a golden river surging endlessly, radiating a heavy, mountain-like pressure that collided with Elder Zixu's thunderous might, stirring up ripples of energy in the air. "Boom--!" A deafening roar echoed through the valley, as if the heavens and earth had collapsed. The purple thunder palm slammed heavily onto the Emperor Array's protective shield, erupting with a dazzling purple-gold light, so bright that it was impossible to look directly at it. Within the light, the Emperor Array's protective shield only trembled slightly a few times, the runes on its surface flickering erratically, like a tenacious guardian, before completely dissolving the violent power contained in the thunder palm. The purple lightning receded rapidly like the receding tide, eventually dissipating into the air, leaving only a faint smell of ozone. Elder Zixu's pupils constricted sharply, his sinister expression replaced by utter shock. He stared intently at the Zhenxuan Emperor Formation, his fingers trembling slightly, his voice shaking with disbelief: "This... what kind of formation is this? It possesses such terrifying defensive power! My thunderous power couldn't even scratch it!" "This is the ancient Zhenxuan Emperor Formation, a supreme formation created by an ancient great being. You lowly scoundrels, aiding and abetting evil, are you worthy to witness its true power?" Ren Xiaoyao coldly... He spoke in a voice tinged with disdain and mockery. As soon as he finished speaking, he activated the Emperor Formation again, unleashing countless condensed golden Emperor Runes. These runes rapidly coalesced in the air, transforming into countless sharp golden blades. Each blade was three feet long, gleaming coldly, and inscribed with tiny purification runes, carrying an aura that could purify all evil. They rained down upon the Immortal Alliance members, completely obscuring their escape routes.

Before the Emperor Mark -Emperor Mark sword blades, the early-stage Heavenly Immortal enforcement officers were like lambs to the slaughter. Their silver armor was as fragile as paper. Screams of agony rose and fell, piercing and shrill. In an instant, five officers were struck by the blades. One was pierced through the chest, the golden Emperor Mark erupting within him, instantly purifying his soul. Another had his arm severed, blood gushing forth; before he could even scream, a second blade cleaved him in two. The remaining three also met their fates, their bodies sliced into pieces, blood and flesh splattering onto the surrounding trees and rocks—a gruesome scene. Their souls, purified by the Emperor Mark, vanished instantly, even their reincarnations... They didn't even have a chance to be reincarnated. The remaining five team members were terrified, their faces ashen, their legs weak, trembling on the spot, barely able to hold their longswords, their eyes filled with fear, all their previous arrogance gone. Seeing this, the two Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal cultivators' expressions changed drastically. Knowing they could no longer remain passively defensive, or they would be crushed by the Emperor Mark sword sooner or later, they quickly summoned their respective natal magic weapons. The cultivator wielding the giant shield held the black shield in front of him, infusing it with Emperor Power. The beast's head on the shield let out a low roar, radiating an even heavier aura; the cultivator wielding the longsword brandished his Blood-Red Long Saber, drawing streaks of crimson light, attempting to block the Emperor Mark sword's attack. However, they... Their resistance was barely holding on; the black giant shield was quickly covered with fine cracks, within which the golden Emperor Mark shimmered, and the beast head pattern dimmed, as if it would shatter at any moment. The Blood-Red Long Saber, though wielded, could only shatter some blades; more blades continued to surge towards them like a tide, leaving them constantly on the run. Seeing this, Elder Zi Xu roared, veins bulging on his face, and Purple Lightning surged around him once more. This time, he held nothing back, pushing his Late Heavenly Immortal cultivation to its limit. His lightning-attribute Spirit Root circulated wildly, and the lightning coalesced into a several-zhang-long Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon bared its fangs and claws, its scales clearly visible, spewing purple lightning from its mouth, carrying destructive power. All the energy surged towards Ren Xiaoyao, the Dragon Might's might spreading outwards, making the Spiritual Qi within the valley violently turbulent. Ren Xiaoyao remained calm, his eyes narrowing as he manipulated the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation. A massive surge of golden Emperor Power erupted from the Emperor Array, like a rushing river, forming a raging golden torrent. The torrent collided with the Thunder Dragon, golden and purple light intertwining to form a massive energy sphere, emitting a deafening roar. The shockwave spread outwards, causing the surrounding trees to sway wildly. Under the impact of the golden torrent, the Thunder Dragon let out a mournful roar, struggled for a moment, and was completely swallowed up, transforming into specks of lightning that dissipated into the air without leaving a ripple.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! You're just a cultivator in the early stage of the Heavenly Immortal, how could you possibly control such a powerful formation! This defies common sense!" Elder Zi Xu panicked completely, his shock turning into deep fear. He simply couldn't accept this fact. He, a powerful cultivator in the Late Heavenly Immortal realm, a figure of considerable stature in the Immortal Realm, had been suppressed to the point of being powerless against a cultivator in the early stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm. If word got out, he would lose all face. Ren Xiaoyao gave him no chance to react or catch his breath. His eyes turned cold, a hint of killing intent flashing within them. He activated the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, forming a gigantic Golden Great Hand. The hand was condensed from pure Emperor Power, its palm covered with complex Emperor Mark, radiating a vast and boundless power. Like the hand of a god, it carried an irresistible aura, grabbing the panicked Elder Zi Xu was trying to retreat. With a slight exertion, the Golden Great Hand slammed Elder Zi Xu against the rock wall of the valley. With a deafening roar, a massive, human-shaped crater was smashed into the rock wall, sending debris flying like rain and dust billowing everywhere. Elder Zi Xu coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining his purple Daoist robe crimson. His aura instantly weakened to the extreme, his face turned ashen, and his eyes were filled with despair. He struggled to get up, only to find his body bound by countless golden Emperor Mark. These Emperor Mark, like intricate chains, tightly bound him, rendering him immobile and unable to even circulate his Emperor Power, leaving him like an ordinary person. The two Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal cultivators, seeing their commander captured, were terrified and lost all will to fight. They turned to flee towards the valley's edge. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes flashed coldly. He manipulated the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, unleashing two Golden Chains that coiled around their ankles like nimble venomous snakes. The chains suddenly tightened, dragging the two back and slamming them heavily to the ground with a dull thud. The two instantly lost consciousness, blood seeping from their mouths.

Looking at the chaotic and heavily wounded Immortal Alliance members scattered on the ground, Ren Xiaoyao slowly walked up to Elder Zi Xu, looking down at him with icy cold eyes, devoid of any warmth. "Speak! Who sent you? Who exactly is 'Shadow,' the spy in the Immortal Alliance? What position does he hold in the Immortal Alliance? How many others are his accomplices?" Elder Zi Xu gritted his teeth, his face contorted with pain and fear, fine beads of cold sweat beading on his forehead, yet he still refused to speak—he knew all too well that Elder "Shadow's" methods were extremely cruel. If he revealed his secrets, even if he were to survive by chance, he would suffer torture worse than death, and even his family would be implicated. However, under the continuous pressure of the immense Emperor's Might emanating from the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, his body trembled incessantly, his bones... It creaked and groaned, as if it might shatter at any moment. His soul was pierced by the oppressive power of the Emperor's Might, as if by thousands of steel needles. Finally, unable to withstand the torment of the Emperor's Might and the threat of death, his mental defenses collapsed completely. His voice trembled as he confessed, "It was... it was Elder 'Shadow' who sent us! He said you already knew his identity and that you must be silenced as soon as possible, otherwise it would ruin his important cooperation with the Demon Realm! I... I really didn't know his true identity. I only knew that he held a very high position in the Elder Council, one of the core elders, and even the Alliance Leader had to give him some face. He participated in many core decisions regarding the defense of the Boundary Sealing Gate and the allocation of resources within the Immortal Alliance! He... he also controlled part of the enforcement team!"

Upon receiving confirmation from Elder Zi Xu, Ren Xiaoyao's anger intensified. He hadn't expected the undercover agent "Shadow" to hold such a high and central position in the Elder Council, wielding considerable power. This meant that many of the Immortal Alliance's secrets, including the Defense Deployment of the Boundary Sealing Gate, might already be known to the Demon Realm. The Boundary Sealing Gate's defenses were already on the verge of collapse, and the sacrifices of countless cultivators might be in vain. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging anger within him. He deactivated the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation and then unleashed several Emperor Power runes. The runes, like golden shackles, firmly sealed the cultivation levels of Elder Zi Xu and the others—he wanted to keep these people as crucial evidence to implicate Elder "Shadow," completely exposing "Shadow's" conspiracy. Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar, the "clatter-clatter-clatter" growing louder as Zhao Lie led... Ten Immortal Alliance Leader, clad in golden armor, galloped in, their horses kicking up clouds of dust. It turned out that Ren Xiaoyao had contacted Zhao Lie via Message Jade Slip before Elder Zi Xu and the others arrived at the valley, informing him of his location, the pursuit he was facing, and clues about the undercover agent "Shadow." Upon arriving at the valley, Zhao Lie was shocked and incredulous at the sight of the casualties, shattered armor, and the sealed Elder Zi Xu. He quickly approached Ren Xiaoyao Ren Xiaoyao, bowed deeply, and said sincerely, "Fellow Daoist Ren, we were misled by treacherous individuals and misunderstood you, even attacking you. We are truly ashamed! If it weren't for your timely message, not only would you have met with misfortune, but the Immortal Alliance would have strayed further down the wrong path, with unimaginable consequences."

After hearing these words...

Ren Xiaoyao didn't care at all.

After all, for Ren Xiaoyao...

He only wanted peace of mind.

He didn't care about anything else.

Ren Xiaoyao waved his hand and said calmly, "This matter is not Commander Zhao's fault. You were also doing your duty. It was the undercover agent 'Shadow' who interfered and confused the public, causing this series of misunderstandings. The most urgent task is not to assign blame, but to escort these people back to the Immortal Alliance and hand them over to the Alliance Leader for personal interrogation. We must find out Elder 'Shadow''s true identity as soon as possible, sever his connection with the Demon Realm, and stop him from continuing to harm the Immortal Alliance and the Sealed Realm Gate's defenses." Zhao Lie nodded, a hint of solemnity and determination flashing in his eyes. He waved his hand, signaling his guards to carry Elder Zixu and the others onto the prepared prison cart. The cart was made of special spirit wood and engraved with sealing runes to prevent their escape. He then solemnly promised Ren Xiaoyao, "Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I will immediately report this matter to the Alliance Leader and request that the Alliance Leader convene an Elders' Council immediately to thoroughly investigate every elder in the Elder Council. We will not allow the undercover agent 'Shadow' to continue to roam free and harm the Immortal Alliance!" After saying this, he led his guards and the prison cart away hastily, the sound of hooves echoing. They gradually disappeared into the distance. Ren Xiaoyao watched their departing figures, then slowly raised his head to look at the sky. The spiritual mist in the sky gradually dissipated, revealing the azure sky. He pondered the secrets of the Five Directions Emperor Formation—the Zhenxuan Emperor Formation was already so powerful, so what unimaginable power would the Poxie Emperor Formation (primarily for attack), the Yuxu Emperor Formation (primarily for speed), the Tongyou Emperor Formation (primarily for concealment), and the Fentian Emperor Formation (primarily for destruction) possess? How many hardships and perilous places would it take to gather all five Emperor Formations? He knew that gathering all five... The path to becoming an Emperor is bound to be long and arduous, and even greater challenges and crises await him ahead. The threat of the Demon Realm army and the counterattack of the undercover agent "Shadow" are not to be underestimated. But he is fearless. Holding the Zhenxuan Emperor Array in his hand and with the belief in protecting the billions of living beings in the Immortal Realm in his heart, he is confident that he can face all difficulties. Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire, dragon's dens and tiger's lair ahead, he will forge ahead and completely shatter the conspiracy of the Demon Realm and the undercover agent, protect the peace and tranquility of the Immortal Realm, and let the sun shine on every inch of the land again.