The High Cultivators Slay the Low, the Noble Cultivators Slay the Weak

Liu Chengfeng spoke calmly and gently.

His spirit is astonishing; he truly deserves to be the embodiment of the Dao Foundation Realm cultivator!

At this moment, Liu Chengfeng's gaze fell on Chen Lingxi, and streams of Dao Origin flowed out, permeating the world around Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi remained calm, but spiritual energy suddenly began to circulate within the Dao Platform, and a cloud of energy condensed beneath his feet.

This is truly the Wonder-Realm Cloud-Riding Method!

Escape!

Lightning flashed beneath Chen Lingxi amidst the clouds, and he almost transformed into a streak of light, about to break through the surrounding mist and disappear.

But at that moment, Liu Chengfeng shook his head.

With a flick of his finger, the long sword at his waist suddenly flew out, transforming into countless sword shadows, which then formed a sword array, trapping Chen Lingxi within a thousand feet!

Chen Lingxi was trapped by Liu Chengfeng's sword formation.

The sword formation spread out silently from the surrounding Void, as if hundreds of invisible swords were drawn from their sheaths at the same time. The Sword Qi was like silk threads, weaving into a net that completely blocked all his escape routes in all directions.

Liu Chengfeng's swordsmanship was exceptional. His sword formation appeared to be casually displayed, but in reality, every Sword Qi resonated with the Dao Origin around him, and a harmonious and unbreakable Dao rhythm flowed within it as it was exhaled.

Chen Lingxi activated the Longevity Bridge and the Heaven-Seizing Seal in succession, blasting towards the weakest corner of the sword formation, but only stirred up a few ripples of Sword Qi energy. The sword formation remained motionless, like a cage forged with invisible Sword Qi, trapping him inside.

"This sword formation... is so profound!"

"Liu Chengfeng... This person Dragon-Offering Sect. His swordsmanship is so profound that even among the noble sects and immortal schools in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm, he can be considered outstanding."

Chen Lingxi pondered in her heart, her eyes flickering uncertainly.

He tried it several times and became increasingly certain of one thing.

"If Liu Chengfeng wanted to kill me, he could have done so the moment he set up the sword formation."

Why would someone of such a Dao Foundation Realm need to trap me?

But Liu Chengfeng didn't make a move; he simply trapped me here with a sword formation..."

"It seems Bai Lingze will come in person to kill me," Chen Lingxi murmured to herself, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

He recalled the moment when Bai Lingze emerged from the Void in the Nanche Prefectural City and looked down at him.

Those eyes were filled with murderous intent... it seemed that Bai Lingze was determined to kill him.

If it weren't for Emperor Daye's Golden Finger Bone, he would probably have died from the sound waves of that Divine Hymn.

"Thinking back carefully, Bai Lingze has attacked me three or four times already, but I've never succeeded, and I've even suffered losses at the hands of Emperor Daye."

Such a person, how arrogant! Having suffered such a great loss at the hands of Emperor Daye, the anger and murderous intent in his heart must have already reached their peak.

Now that they've finally caught Chen Lingxi's trail, why would they leave it to someone else? They'll come themselves to thoroughly crush this ant that's getting in their way.

As Chen Lingxi pondered this, the light in her eyes grew even clearer.

"Liu Chengfeng's avatar is also at the Dao Foundation Early Stage, and his combat power is extraordinary."

Although I have now cultivated the Dragon-Stripping Dao Platform, and am only one step away from the Dao Foundation Realm, I am still not strong enough to directly confront someone at the Dao Foundation Realm."

He quickly calculated in his mind, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Sword Qi flowing around Liu Chengfeng, before sinking his Divine Sense into the Hongdong Bag and focusing on the Enemy-Slaying Spirit Jade.

The name and aura of Bai Lingze were already engraved on the Enemy-Slaying Spirit Jade.

The spirit wall had completely locked onto Bai Lingze's aura, and he only needed to make a thought to activate the power of the Cauldron Vessel within it.

"Bai Lingze's cultivation level may be stronger than Liu Chengfeng's."

But because of this Enemy-Slaying Spirit Jade, Bai Lingze is easier for me to deal with."

Once Chen Lingxi had settled her thoughts, she turned her gaze to Liu Chengfeng, who was suspended outside the sword formation.

In the few breaths of confronting Liu Chengfeng, he silently extracted a trace of Liu Chengfeng's aura from the Void, transferred it into the Hongdong Bag, and placed it on the Enemy-Slaying Spirit Jade.

"Since Bai Lingze is coming in person, I will wait here patiently."

However... this Liu Chengfeng is also a Dao Foundation Realm Incarnation, so we must be wary. We should gather his aura into the Enemy-Slaying Spirit Jade as soon as possible, just in case."

Thinking this, he remained expressionless, simply sitting cross-legged in the very center of the sword formation, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, just like a prisoner who had resigned himself to his fate and was waiting to be slaughtered.

Liu Chengfeng stood outside the sword formation, hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Perhaps they never expected that this insignificant ant, who had not yet reached the Dao Platform, could be so composed, neither struggling nor begging for mercy, but simply sitting there quietly.

A moment later, in the distance, the surging sea of clouds was suddenly cleaved in two by a beam of jade-colored light.

Within that radiance, the faint sounds of Divine Hymn echoed, each syllable containing profound and ineffable truths.

Bai Lingze descended from the sky.

He was dressed in spotless white robes, his steps were unhurried, and the sound waves of Divine Hymn around him flowed slowly around him like ripples, making him look like an immortal descended to earth.

A slight smile appeared on his lips. His gaze lingered on Chen Lingxi in the sword formation for a moment before shifting to Liu Chengfeng beside him.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, thank you for your trouble." He cupped his hands slightly to Liu Chengfeng, his tone gentle and polite.

Liu Chengfeng returned the greeting, his gaze sweeping over Chen Lingxi before settling back on Bai Lingze, a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Bai," Liu Chengfeng said, "I am quite curious, why are you going to such lengths for a local cultivator?"

Although this person has some foundation, he is ultimately only at the stage of Dao Platform, far from the Dao Foundation Realm.

Fellow Daoist, you summoned me with a single letter, just to trap him for a moment... Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?

Upon hearing this, Bai Lingze's smile remained unchanged, his gaze fixed on Chen Lingxi as if she were a plaything.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, you may not know this," he said, "This Weiji Grotto-Heaven is quite wondrous. It produced an extremely troublesome Emperor Daye Ying Xian the Daye Era, whose combat power is extraordinary. He is comparable to the geniuses of the Xuanmen Immortal Clan in the Great Xuanzhuo Realm."

"Ying Xian mortal from the local area, cultivated to the Dao Foundation Middle Stage. When he unleashed the Divine Ability Heavenly Decline Method Technique, even I suffered considerable losses."

He paused, then his gaze returned to Chen Lingxi: "And this Chen Lingxi is no ordinary person either."

In a short period of time, he had already crossed many realms, from the struggle for the Ancestral Mountain Mother Qi to the Battle of Seizing the Cauldron, and then to the death of the Daoist Fire Tuo in Nanche Province... All of his actions were not things that a mere ant from Qi-Less Grotto-Heaven could accomplish."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious. "The more someone is like this, the less we can let them go unchecked."

You must nip the weeds in the bud; if you let them grow, they'll only cause more trouble.

Moreover... for me, not killing this person would tarnish my Dao heart and be extremely detrimental to my cultivation of the Taiyu Mingwan Dao.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chengfeng raised an eyebrow slightly.

He turned his head and looked at Chen Lingxi, who was still sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed in the sword formation. After looking at him for a moment, he nodded slightly.

"Among Fellow Daoist Bai's Divine Ability, there is the Xianchan Dao, which requires the utmost clarity of thought... In that case, I will entrust Chen Lingxi to you." He bowed to Bai Lingze and said, "Liu Chengfeng will now take his leave."

After he finished speaking, the sword formation that had bound Chen Lingxi quietly disappeared with a flick of his sleeve.

The hundreds of invisible Sword Qi silently receded into his body like the receding tide, and the sharp, chilling aura in the surrounding Void also dissipated completely.

Liu Chengfeng said no more. A sword light suddenly appeared beneath his feet, propelling him into the sky. He transformed into a dazzling sword rainbow, breaking through the sea of clouds and flying rapidly into the distance, disappearing into the horizon in an instant.

As Liu Chengfeng departed, the sword formation quietly dissipated.

Bai Lingze stood on the cloud, looking down at Chen Lingxi.

Chen Lingxi slowly opened her eyes, raised her head, and met Bai Lingze's ethereal and otherworldly eyes.

He looked Bai Lingze up and down and felt that the sound waves of the Divine Hymn around this person were several degrees deeper than when they were in Nanche Prefectural City. The Dao Origin fluctuations contained in the sound waves were also purer and more domineering.

"It seems that Bai Lingze's avatar has made further progress in cultivation." Chen Lingxi thought to herself, but her face remained expressionless.

He remained seated cross-legged, raised his head, and said, "Your true form must have already reached the Dao Foundation Late Stage realm, or perhaps even higher?"

"By casting this avatar, one can attain the cultivation of the Dao Foundation Early Stage. Such a foundation would be considered exceptionally brilliant even among the noble sects and immortal clans of the Great Xuanzhuo Realm."

Bai Lingze remained silent.

He stood with his hands behind his back atop the cloud, looking down at Chen Lingxi.

His handsome, jade-like face revealed no emotion, except for a faint hint of murderous intent reflected in his ethereal, otherworldly eyes.

Chen Lingxi continued, "Just as Liu Chengfeng said, I am merely a Qi Circulation Realm cultivator, with my Dao Platform just established and my Profound Root not yet planted. I am still far from the Dao Foundation Realm."

Unexpectedly, Bai Family Guixiu was willing to go to such great lengths to kill me.

"You asked Liu Chengfeng to trap me with a sword formation, and you even came in person... What virtue or ability do I, Chen Lingxi, possess to deserve the efforts of two Dao Foundation Realm cultivators?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Lingze's smile finally changed slightly.

He tilted his head slightly, stood with his hands behind his back on the cloud, remained silent for a few breaths, and then slowly spoke.

"How vast is the Great Xuanzhuo Realm? The number of noble sects and aristocratic families within it is countless."

"Our Yutai Bai Family is incredibly powerful, able to stand firm in the Nine Que Great Domain for tens of thousands of years. This is not due to arrogance or haughtiness."

"Chen Lingxi." His gaze returned to Chen Lingxi, the two jade-colored lights in his eyes slowly swirling, like two cold moons embedded in the sky, radiating clear light, yet chilling to the bone. "I have already discovered that there is something strange about this Weiji Grotto-Heaven."

Although this realm is devoid of spiritual energy, it has produced two local figures, Ying Xian and you, and there are also Cauldron Vessel and mortal Immortal Husk existence, making it far superior to ordinary Cave Heaven.

"The fact that you two could cultivate to such a level in such a barren place means you must possess a great secret."

"Even though this Cave Heaven was personally chosen by the True Lord of the Quexing Xi Family, it will ultimately be transformed into World Essence within that World-Refining Furnace, and you will all become fuel for Xi Hengsu's Dao forging." His tone shifted, and the murderous intent in his eyes intensified. "Yet I will still kill you with my own hands."

"Cultivation is not easy." Bai Lingze's eyes flickered. "The probability of you escaping this Cave Heaven and getting that sliver of hope is one in ten thousand."

Even if they escape, the chances of them being able to contend with me Bai Lingze, are still one in ten thousand.

"You are exceptionally talented. Given the opportunity in the future, even if you were to surpass me, Bai Lingze, you would have little chance of competing with my Yutai Bai Family..."

"But..." he suddenly changed the subject. "There is always a slim possibility."

Given this possibility, and considering that you left a lingering obsession in my heart during that Battle of Seizing the Cauldron, I will not hesitate to expend more effort to destroy your Dao Platform and take your head."

As he said this, his gaze swept back and forth over Chen Lingxi.

"Therefore," he continued, "I specially manifested the clan's great Divine Ability tablet in my true form to guide people here, so that they can see the cause and effect in the the Unseen."

Using this spirit tablet, I have calculated three paths that you, Chen Lingxi, must take.

I took one path, and then invited two other Dao Foundation Realm Incarnations to each guard one path.

"I'm just waiting for you to fall into my trap!"

"Dao Foundation Realm expert went to such great lengths to kill my Qi Circulation Realm." Chen Lingxi's eyes flashed with surprise as she listened to his words.

He had met many cultivators from the Great Xuanzhuo Realm.

There was Lu Baizhong, who regarded ordinary people as ants; Xi Yuan, who gloated over others' misfortunes; and there were also upright and honest elders of the Dao-Below Academy, such as Daoist Shurong.

But this Bai Lingze was different from everyone he had ever met.

This person is extremely arrogant, but not the kind of foolish person who looks down on everyone.

He truly took every potential threat to him seriously, even if that "threat" was nothing more than a slightly larger ant in his eyes.

"This person should not be underestimated."

Thinking this over, he nodded slowly, then asked with some confusion, "Upon careful consideration, I don't think I had any major grudges with Fellow Daoist Bai during the Battle of Seizing the Cauldron."

At that time, Xi Yu pursued me with the Undying Willow Puppet and even came to the Zhuozhao River to take my life. I was merely responding passively.

At that time, Fellow Daoist Bai only protected her with a wisp of Bright Jade, and led her away in a tornado.

"We didn't develop any deep-seated hatred for each other in that battle."

He raised his head, looking directly at Bai Lingze, his tone tinged with confusion. "But I don't know, how did I become a thorn in your side? If you don't kill me, why can't you find peace of mind?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Lingze was slightly taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

He laughed for a long time before slowly suppressing his laughter and squinting at Chen Lingxi.

"Simply because you were too weak back then."

"I have never been pursued by a lowly cultivator like you." He said leisurely, "During the Battle of Seizing the Cauldron, you chased after me and Xi Yu by stepping on the Longevity Bridge."

You unleashed that Thunder-Wielding Heavenly King Sword at me.

That sword strike only cracked my Bright Jade Body Protection, which wasn't even a minor injury to me...

But that was my incarnation, Bai Lingze, and the first time I was injured by a nameless, lowly cultivator who appeared out of nowhere."

"If it were a Golden Grotto expert chasing me, I would certainly not hesitate to act."

It is only natural for superiors to suppress inferiors; it is equally natural for the powerful to suppress the weak.

He stood with his hands behind his back atop the clouds, his robes fluttering in the wind, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority. "Yet you, a person with neither background nor master, once injured my avatar and left me utterly humiliated under the Divine Ability of your protectors..."

As he finished speaking, his gaze fell on Chen Lingxi, the two jade-colored lights in his eyes slowly swirling, and a cold smile appeared on his lips, "For me, it naturally became a knot in my heart."

Chen Lingxi remained silent.

He sat cross-legged in the Void, understanding dawning on him.

The so-called upward revision...

Born into a superior position, he viewed ordinary people as ants and minor disciples as worthless weeds.

They can arbitrarily crush those they dislike, but they cannot tolerate the slightest offense from those "ants".

Even the slightest crack on an avatar is considered a great disgrace by them, and must be washed away with the life of that "ant".

"This Bai Lingze is different from Lu Baizhong," Chen Lingxi thought to herself.

Lu Baizhong was purely and innocently indifferent; he killed without hesitation, disdaining to explain or use any scheming.

Bai Lingze, however, insisted on finding a reason for his murderous intent to be "clear-headed," as if saying so would make the conflict, which he saw as "insubordination," seem reasonable.

"She's the kind of person who wants to be a prostitute while also maintaining a virtuous image," Chen Lingxi thought to herself with a cold laugh.

Seeing that he remained silent, Bai Lingze seemed to have lost interest in continuing to waste time talking to him.

He stood with his hands behind his back atop the cloud, his gaze lingering on him for a moment, before suddenly asking, "Do you know why I'm telling you all this?"

Chen Lingxi her head.

Bai Lingze suddenly turned his head and looked into the distance.

The jade-colored light in his eyes suddenly began to flow, piercing through layers of clouds and mist, piercing through all obstacles between heaven and earth, and looking towards the far, far horizon.

Chen Lingxi followed his gaze and turned her head as well.

Suddenly, his expression changed slightly.