Ren Xiaoyao Is Framed

The instant the purple-gold Emperor Mark merged into his divine soul, Ren Xiaoyao felt a vast and boundless power surge from the depths of his consciousness, sweeping across his entire body like a volcano that had slumbered for millions of years suddenly erupting. The scalding energy spread wildly through his divine soul's meridians to every limb and bone—wherever it passed, every inch of flesh trembled violently, fine golden beads of sweat seeping from his pores; every meridian resonated joyfully, as if celebrating a long-awaited fullness. The Profound Suppression Emperor Formation within his dantian spun wildly, its rotation so fast it formed a dazzling golden vortex. Fine golden arcs of electricity crackled from the vortex's center, splashing onto the meridian walls and even stimulating subtle repairing light at the damaged areas. The purple-gold Emperor Power was no longer stagnant or blocked, surging forth like a river breaking free of its millennia-old shackles, fiercely impacting the Damaged Meridians —the meridians broken in the previous battle healed visibly under the nourishment of the Emperor Power, the tiny wounds on the meridian walls being repaired layer by layer by the Emperor Power. The surface smoothed out, becoming even more resilient and expansive than before, like a widened river channel capable of accommodating more Emperor Power. A faint golden halo emanated from his body, within which countless tiny Emperor Mark danced and swirled like fireflies, radiating a peaceful and holy aura that even purified some of the decaying demonic energy in the surrounding air. "Ugh--!" He suddenly roared, his voice like thunder that reverberated throughout the entire Demon Meteor City. Wherever the sound waves passed, the surrounding ruins and rubble trembled violently, and large stones rolled down, crashing to the ground with dull thuds. The binding force around him, like steel chains, shattered like fragile glass under the dual impact of the sound waves and Emperor Power, turning into specks of spiritual light that dissipated into the air. Even the cold demonic energy left by the Void Demon Ancestor was dispersed by the sound waves, revealing a clear sky. Sunlight shone through the sky, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The Void Demon Ancestor's pupils shrank to pinpoints, his face revealing shock and panic for the first time. His previously composed expression crumbled instantly, the cruel smile on his lips frozen on his face, and the intense greed in his Central Plains was completely replaced by disbelief. "How is this possible! You're just a junior at the early stage of Heavenly Immortal, yet you can actually draw upon the Origin Power of the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation? This is absolutely impossible!" He subconsciously frantically activated the Demonic Source within his body, his body beneath his black robe trembling slightly, his joints turning white from the exertion. He increased the suction force of his divine soul in his palm, and the Black Energy Ball instantly expanded to the size of a washbasin. The gray arcs on the surface of the ball became increasingly dense and violent, twisting and coiling like venomous snakes, emitting a "sizzling" sound. Wherever the arcs passed, the void rippled with subtle black waves, attempting to completely devour Ren Xiaoyao's divine soul. But Ren Xiaoyao was no longer the same as before. After the Emperor Mark merged into his divine soul, the connection between him and the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation seemed to... An invisible bridge was built, the connection becoming closer than ever before. The Emperor Array moved as freely as an extension of his body. His hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals, the Emperor Power flowing smoothly from his fingertips like water. Each seal was incredibly precise, leaving faint golden afterimages on his fingertips. A sharp, knife-like light flashed in his eyes, and a cold smile curved his lips, "Suppressing Profound - Break!" The Suppressing Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, suspended in his dantian, instantly flew out, rapidly expanding in front of him into a massive array plate three zhang in diameter. Purple-gold Emperor Mark on the array plate moved wildly, intertwining and swirling like living things, forming a complex High Antiquity array diagram. It emitted a majestic Emperor's Might that crushed heaven and earth. Wherever the Emperor's Might passed, even the air was compressed and frozen. The dust on the ground automatically parted to the sides, revealing the cracked yet still smooth bluestone pavement below. The ancient patterns on the stone slabs faintly lit up under the Emperor's Might.

As the Emperor Array Prograde rotated clockwise, countless streams of condensed golden Emperor Power surged forth from within, cascading down like a waterfall and converging before the formation. The Emperor Power first transformed into a liquid golden torrent, then, under Ren Xiaoyao's control, gradually took shape into a massive, ten-zhang-long Emperor Mark Battle Saber. The blade was broad and heavy, its back engraved with ancient cloud patterns, within which flowed fragments of Emperor Power. The blade itself was as sharp as a mirror, reflecting the surrounding scenery, and inscribed with densely packed Ancient Seal Script, which shimmered under the nourishment of the Emperor Power. Bathed in a dazzling golden light, it exuded a sacred aura capable of purifying all evil, even infecting the surrounding space with faint golden ripples. The battle blade slowly rose, the terrifying energy emanating from its blade causing the surrounding space to distort and wrinkle, like crumpled paper, with a "creaking" sound of spatial compression echoing in the air, as if it would shatter at any moment. The battle blade, carrying World-Ending Aura, slashed fiercely towards the Void Demon Ancestor. Wherever the battle blade passed, space was torn open with a thin golden rift, from which faint Space Turbulence emanated, emitting a "hissing" sound; the Void Demon Ancestor's dense, ink-black demonic energy, under the pressure of the battle blade, rapidly receded like snow meeting the blazing sun, forcibly dispersing into a circular vacuum area ten zhang in diameter, within which only pure Spiritual Qi remained. "Damn it! This is impossible! You must have used some kind of evil magic!" The Void Demon Ancestor's expression changed drastically, a strong sense of unease surging in his heart. He could clearly feel the terrifying power contained within the battle blade, a power that even he, a Devil Ancestor, had to fear. The High Antiquity Emperor's Might dared not be careless in the slightest. He quickly put away the energy ball and rapidly formed hand seals with a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. Demonic energy surged at his fingertips, forming black demonic seals. Demonic energy around him gathered wildly, forming a Black Demonic Shield that was five zhang high and three chi thick. The Demon Shield was covered with strange and ferocious skull patterns. Green ghost flames burned in the eye sockets of each skull, and its mouth opened and closed, emitting a silent roar, exuding a chilling and sinister aura. A faint Death Qi even lingered around the Demon Shield.

"Boom--!" The Emperor Mark Battle Saber collided with the Black Demonic Shield, a deafening roar echoing across the sky above Demon Meteor City, as if the heavens themselves had exploded. The shockwave from the sound wave caused distant broken walls to tremble precariously. The violent Energy Impact spread wildly in all directions like a tsunami, blasting up the ruins throughout the entire Demon Meteor City area. Large and small stones rained down, cratering the ground into numerous small pits of varying depths. Instantly, a large crater, tens of meters in diameter and several meters deep, collapsed into the ground. The hard rocks within the crater were shattered into dust by the Energy Impact, raising clouds of dust that blotted out the sun, plunging the entire Demon Meteor City into darkness. The skull pattern on the Black Demonic Shield emitted an extremely mournful howl under the impact of the Emperor Power, its sharp and piercing sound as if enduring endless pain. The surface of the Demon Shield was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, within which golden Emperor Power shimmered. Like a venomous snake, it spread rapidly, covering the entire shield surface in a short moment. "Crack--!" With a crisp cracking sound, the Demon Shield could no longer hold on and shattered, turning into countless Black Fragments that scattered in all directions. The fragments disappeared as soon as they hit the ground, like snow meeting the sun, leaving only a faint black mist. The Emperor Mark Battle Saber continued its momentum, carrying an unparalleled Emperor's Might, and slashed towards the Void Demon Ancestor. The Void Demon Ancestor could not dodge in time and could only forcefully turn to the side. The battle blade grazed his shoulder, and the Black Demonic Qi receded rapidly like a tide, leaving a deep wound on his shoulder that exposed the bone. The black flesh at the wound continued to melt and vaporize under the continuous action of the Emperor Power, making a "sizzling" sound and emitting bursts of pungent black smoke. The Void Demon Ancestor grimaced in pain, and black demonic blood seeped from his forehead. The demonic blood dripped onto the ground, corroding small pits, from which black bubbles were still rising.

"Ren Xiaoyao! You dare to hurt me! I will tear you to pieces and ensure your soul is never reborn!" The Void Demon Ancestor roared, his voice filled with resentment and madness, howling like a wounded beast. His eyes burned with murderous intent, and his demonic energy surged several times over, forming a massive Black Demonic Flame. The tornado's flames churned and leaped, containing the power to destroy everything. Wherever it passed, the rubble on the ground was swept up, crackling and popping, attempting to completely engulf Ren Xiaoyao. However, he knew that Ren Xiaoyao was currently unleashing the Origin Power the Emperor Array's Array, his strength far exceeding the Late Heavenly Immortal level, reaching the Early-stage Golden Immortal level. If he were to force a fight, even if he could defeat him... It would inevitably come at a heavy price, and might even expose the Devil Ancestor's true form; moreover, if the delay continued, once the other Immortal Alliance elders noticed the energy fluctuations here and arrived, seeing his Demonic Transformation appearance, his millennia of hidden efforts would be completely exposed, and his painstakingly Realm Breaking Plan would vanish. He glared venomously at Ren Xiaoyao, his eyes filled with resentment, killing intent, and a hint of barely concealed fear. With a flicker, he abandoned the fight, transforming into a black streak of light and flying swiftly towards the Demon Meteor City, leaving behind trails of black demonic energy. Before leaving, he uttered a chilling threat. "You wait! I will make the entire Immortal Realm despise you, making you a rat that everyone wants to kill, with no place to hide in the Immortal Realm!"

Ren Xiaoyao did not pursue. He could clearly feel his Emperor Power rapidly depleting; the previous attack had almost drained all his recovered Emperor Power. If he continued the fight, defeat would be certain. He panted heavily, his body swaying slightly. He quickly withdrew the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, his face still as pale as paper, fine beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. Just then, a series of booming sounds suddenly came from the sky, and countless Golden Message Talisman flew towards various parts of the Immortal Realm like snowflakes. The talismans emitted the unique, gentle spiritual light of True Human Lingxu —it was the proclamation issued by the Void Demon Ancestor in his capacity as the Immortal Alliance Leader. He intended to use his status to completely push Ren Xiaoyao into the abyss.

"Listen, cultivators of the Immortal Realm! Ren Xiaoyao harbors wolfish ambitions and treacherous Demon Realm. He has secretly colluded with the Immortal Alliance's supreme treasure, the Profound Suppression Emperor Formation, cruelly murdered Elder Zi Xu and other fellow cultivators, and even secretly communicated with the Nine Ancestors of the Demon Realm, the Void Demon Ancestor, intending to overthrow the Immortal Realm from within and without, turning billions of beings into slaves of the Demon Realm!" The proclamation echoed like thunder throughout the heavens and earth, the voice carrying the unique majesty and righteousness of the Immortal Alliance Leader, leaving no room for disbelief. Every word seemed to carry an undeniable fact, reaching the ears of every cultivator. "From this day forward, Ren Xiaoyao is the Immortal Realm Realm's number one traitor. Anyone who captures or kills him will be rewarded with one million Immortal Crystal, directly promoted to the Immortal Alliance Elder, and enjoy core resource benefits!"

The Immortal Realm instantly stirred up a massive uproar in the Immortal Realm. At the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, Elder True Human Xuanyang, the Law Enforcement Hall, personally led three hundred Law Enforcement Disciples on a sword-wielding expedition. The Law Enforcement Sword gleamed with a cold, sharp light, the runes on their tassels fluttering in the wind. The formation flew in a neat, orderly flock, their Killing Intent palpable as they marched towards the Demon Meteor City, the air currents they created scattering the clouds below. Meanwhile, the Danxia Sect Master, Daoist Master Chi Yan, in the Southern Region, issued a threatening statement: whoever could capture Ren Xiaoyao would receive the sect's most precious treasure, the "Danxia Heaven Burning Mirror," a mirror capable of attracting... The Southern Bright Li Fire, with its boundless power, drew out all the disciples of the sect. Their red robes spread across the sky like fiery clouds, and the flame-wielding magical artifacts in their hands emitted waves of heat. The Ice Plains Tribe of the Northern Border were also tempted. Several white-haired old shamans, dressed in animal skin robes, led a hundred tribal warriors, riding enormous Ice Plains Giant Bear, and came through the snow. The roars of the bears shook the heavens, and their paws left deep footprints on the ground. The surrounding air condensed into tiny Ice Crystals due to the bears' cold aura.

Even worse, some cultivators who were on good terms with Elder Zi Xu spontaneously formed an "Rebel Extermination Alliance," Alliance Leader by Elder Zi Xia of the Immortal Alliance. Wielding Elder Zi Xu's heirloom, the "Purple Lightning Whisk," she raised the banner of "avenging Elder Zi Xu" and spread rumors about Ren Xiaoyao Xiaoyao's "crimes," portraying him as a ruthless Demon Head who murdered his master and ancestors. The Emperor of Great Yan Dynasty in the mortal realm also issued a decree offering a reward of ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of silk for Ren Xiaoyao's capture. Suddenly, even martial Martial Artist among the Mortals took up swords and set up checkpoints at key city roads. Portraits of Ren Xiaoyao were posted on the city walls. He was depicted with a ferocious face, no different from Demon Head. The cultivators who had initially sympathized with Ren Xiaoyao because of Elder Zi Xu's bullying incident also switched sides under the double impact of the Alliance Leader's "ironclad evidence" and the generous reward. Some cultivators set up stalls in the market, posted Ren Xiaoyao's portrait, and wrote "Anyone who reports this will be richly rewarded." The stalls were surrounded by cultivators and Mortals who came to watch the spectacle. Some sects even engraved Ren Xiaoyao's name on the sect's "Traitor Stele," requiring disciples to spit on it every morning before practice to show their stance. The name on the monument was also smeared with Black Dog Blood, making it particularly glaring.

Within the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, seven forces had gathered within a hundred miles of Demon Meteor City, including many powerful figures at the Early-stage Golden Immortal —besides True Human Xuanyang of the Law Enforcement Hall, there were also top figures among the rogue cultivators such as the Quicksand Old Monster from the Western Desert and Bibo Fairy Rogue Cultivator from the East Sea. They formed a tight encirclement in the air, using their Soul Perception to conduct a carpet search. Their senses covered the entire Demon Meteor City like an invisible net, and they would occasionally shout angrily, "Ren Xiaoyao! Surrender immediately, or your divine soul will not be destroyed!" "Traitor! Come out and die! Don't hide!" Various spiritual lights intertwined above Demon Meteor City, the buzzing of Law Treasure, the shouts of cultivators, and the roars of giant bears were endless, and even the air was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder. The weeds on the ground trembled slightly due to the tense atmosphere. An Encirclement Net targeting Ren Xiaoyao had already shrunk to the skies above Demon Meteor City.

Hidden in the shadows of the ruins, Ren Xiaoyao listened to the growing clamor in the distance, his heart sinking as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He hadn't expected the Void Demon Ancestor's influence to be so astonishing; in just a moment, he had mobilized all the forces of the Immortal Realm. Those cultivators who might have once heard of his deeds were now enemies who wanted to take his life. What chilled him even more was that the Immortal Realm, which he had risked his life to protect, was now threatening to kill him, not even giving him a chance to defend himself.

"Whoosh!" A streak of azure sword light suddenly flashed past his head, the wind whistling past his hair and nearly striking his shoulder. Ren Xiaoyao quickly ducked behind a massive broken wall. He saw a Danxia Sect disciple, wielding a long sword, carefully searching the ruins. The disciple, dressed in a red Daoist robe, wore an angry expression and cursed, "Ren Xiaoyao, you traitor, where are you hiding? Come out and face your death! How dare you collude with the Demon Realm and tarnish the reputation of my Immortal Realm!" Immediately afterward, two more disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall arrived. They wore silver-white enforcement robes and carried standard longswords. The three of them formed a triangular formation and began searching the surrounding broken walls and ruins. The sounds of footsteps and the clanging of metal grew closer, and even their breathing could be heard.

Ren Xiaoyao held his breath, suppressing his aura to the extreme. He knew that once discovered, he would face an attack from countless cultivators, and in his current state, he would have no power to fight back. "I must find evidence to prove the identity of the Void Demon Ancestor as soon as possible, and at the same time, arrive at the Boundary Sealing Gate three days before the deadline to stop the Demon Realm army from attacking the city." He made up his mind, his eyes becoming increasingly firm. Even if the whole world misunderstood him, his belief in protecting the Immortal Realm would never waver.

Taking advantage of the moment when the searching cultivators turned to examine the ruins on the other side, he darted out of the shadows like a cat, his toes barely touching the ground as he sped towards the city center like a ghost. Behind him, a Danxia Sect cried out in alarm, "He's here! Ren Xiaoyao is here!" "Chase him! Don't let him get away!" Several beams of light instantly locked onto his back, followed closely by the sound of air being torn apart—a Danxia Sect disciple unleashed a fire talisman, sending several fireballs hurtling towards his back, leaving red trails in the air and radiating a scorching heat; Law Enforcement Hall disciple flung out Immortal Binding Rope, which transformed into a white light in the air, attempting to bind him. Ren Xiaoyao dared not look back, channeling his remaining Emperor Power with all his might, his figure nimbly weaving through the ruins, sometimes dodging fireballs, sometimes bending to avoid the Immortal Binding Rope. The fireballs struck the broken walls, scorching them black, while the Immortal Binding Rope wrapped around stone pillars, leaving deep marks.

Although the Demon Meteor City was deathly silent, an ancient and pure Spiritual Qi fluctuation faintly lingered in the air. This fluctuation was different from the sinister energy of the Demon Realm, and also different from the ordinary Spiritual Qi of the Immortal Realm, carrying a sense of High Antiquity vicissitudes. During the battle with the Demon General, he had sensed an abnormal energy area in the center of the city, but the battle was too intense at the time to pay attention to it. The closer he got to the center, the denser the ancient Spiritual Qi fluctuation became, and the surrounding ruins became more intact. The height of the broken walls gradually increased, and the magnificent outline of the city in its heyday could be vaguely seen. Some well-preserved shop foundations could even be seen on both sides of the street.

Upon reaching the city center, a dilapidated yet still solemn Altar comes into view. Constructed of pure white White Marble, Altar surface is covered with crisscrossing cracks, as deep as the wrinkles on an old man's face, yet it still radiates a faint spiritual light. Within the cracks, tiny wisps of Spiritual Qi even flow slowly, like a tenacious life force. The Altar has three tiers, each about three feet high, decreasing in height to form a regular trapezoid. Each tier is carved with different High Antiquity patterns—the bottom tier depicts swirling auspicious clouds in various cloud shapes. The stones are varied, some resembling galloping horses neighing, others like Immortal Crane spreading their wings and singing, each detail vividly depicted. The middle layer features mythical beasts in Divine Beast poses, such as the Qilin, Phoenix, and Azure Dragon. The Qilin rides on auspicious clouds, the Phoenix spreads its wings as if about to take flight, and the Azure Dragon coils and roars, as if they might leap from the stone surface at any moment and come to life. The top layer contains obscure and Ancient Runes, arranged in an orderly fashion, as mysterious and unpredictable as the starry sky. Faint energy threads connect the runes, as if they contain some profound truth of Supreme Principles of Heaven and Earth and Ancient Inheritance. In the center of the Altar, there was a crack that shimmered with faint spatial fluctuations. The crack was small, only wide enough for one person to pass sideways. A rich and pure Ancient Immortal Aura emanated from it, warm and profound, enveloping one like the winter Warm Sun, completely different from the decaying aura of Demon Meteor City. A single breath was invigorating, instantly dispelling some of the fatigue and pain of the past few days. Even the Emperor Crystal within his dantian trembled slightly, yearning for the nourishment of this aura. "This is... the entrance to the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm?" A glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. A flicker of surprise and hope filled him. He had seen related records in the ancient books of the Immortal Alliance. Ancient Immortal Secret Realm were relics left behind by Ancient Immortal after their passing. They often contained the inheritances of High Antiquity cultivators, powerful magical Law Treasure, and lost peerless Cultivation Method. There might even be treasures that allowed one to glimpse the past. If he could enter, he could not only quickly recover his depleted Emperor Power and injuries, but he might also find a powerful force to fight against the Void Demon Ancestor. He might even find ancient scrolls or stone carvings that recorded the Void Demon Ancestor's thousand-year-long lurking past and proved his true identity, thus clearing his name.

He carefully circled the Altar, his footsteps as light as a feline's, as if afraid of triggering some hidden mechanism. His fingertips occasionally touched the jade surface of the Altar, sensing the energy fluctuations. He finally discovered that the ground around the crack was engraved with an incredibly complex High Antiquity array pattern. The lines of the pattern were blurred and indistinct, clearly eroded by time, with some wear and tear at the edges, making it intermittent. However, it was still slowly operating, emitting faint energy fluctuations, which was the key to maintaining the stability of the Secret Realm Entrance.

At this moment, the pursuers behind him were almost upon him—the roar of Elder True Human Xuanyang of the Law Enforcement Hall could be clearly heard, "Ren Xiaoyao! The Altar is Ancient Ruins, sacred and inviolable. You dare to cause trouble here, your crime is doubled!" A golden Law Enforcement Chains came hurtling through the air, the words "Enforcement" engraved on it, exuding an aura of majesty, pointing straight at his back. Ren Xiaoyao could even feel the cold touch of the chain. He could no longer care about examining the details of the array patterns. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urgency and excitement in his heart, and circulated the last bit of Emperor Power in his body, carefully and slowly injecting it into the array patterns.

The moment Emperor Power touched the array patterns, they instantly lit up as if rain had fallen on a long drought, radiating a dazzling golden light. The light traveled rapidly along the lines of the array patterns, like tiny golden snakes crawling across the ground, enveloping the entire Altar. The cracks on the Altar became clearly visible under the light, even revealing the fine lines deep within them. Nourished and propelled by the light, the cracks slowly widened, gradually expanding from a narrow passage for one person to a portal about two zhang high and one zhang wide. The spatial fluctuations within the portal grew increasingly intense, and the Ancient Immortal Aura became even more concentrated. One could even vaguely see the hazy scenery of green mountains and clear waters on the other side of the portal—towering peaks in the distance, shrouded in mist, and clear streams nearby, their banks covered with unknown wildflowers.

The Law Enforcement Chains were already three feet behind him. Ren Xiaoyao suddenly dodged to the side, the chains slamming against the jade Altar with a clang, sending Mars flying and leaving a deep mark on the jade surface. He took one last look at the eerie and perilous Demon Meteor City, at the Killing Intent pursuers— True Human Xuanyang's face was full of rage, the Danxia Sect disciples' eyes were filled with greed, and the tribal warriors had fierce expressions, a hint of determination and unwillingness flashing in their eyes. He turned and resolutely stepped into the Secret Realm portal, his figure instantly disappearing into the Space Cracks. The rift slowly closed after he entered, the light of the array patterns gradually dimmed, and finally returned to normal, as if no one had ever been there.

When Elder True Human Xuanyang of the Law Enforcement Hall arrived, he only saw the closed crack and Mars on the Altar. He trembled with rage, his silver-white beard bristling, and roared, "Seal off Demon Meteor City! Investigate all exits! Lay a net of heaven and earth, he can't get far!" Demon Meteor City, more and more cultivators gathered, and various colored spiritual lights flickered and intertwined in the sky, as dazzling as colorful clouds. The discussions, shouts, and humming of Law Treasure treasures among the cultivators rose and fell. Some cultivators even began to dig through the ruins of Demon Meteor City, trying to find traces of the Secret Realm Entrance. A large-scale siege against Ren Xiaoyao, though temporarily unsuccessful, did not stop, but instead became more intense, and the gloom hanging over Demon Meteor City grew thicker and thicker.