The formation and the strange phenomena alternated, but the flowing energy was perfectly integrated. The sound of wind and thunder echoed within the closing flags, as if a small Lightning Tribulation was brewing within them, and violent Magic Power was about to erupt after locking onto the sword light.
"Seal up!"
At that moment, a word suddenly rang out from the clouds. As soon as the word was uttered, the entire area trembled, and the world rules operating within the Jade Pivot Sect were abruptly halted.
A powerful cultivator in the valley suddenly opened her eyes. The small array flag spinning in her hand stopped spinning. She looked up at the sky with some surprise, as if some terrifying secret was hidden in the thick clouds.
The single word spoken from the clouds instantly manifested the ever-shifting banners, making the formation, both real and illusory, crystal clear in the mind. The sword light that had suddenly entered the formation had already surged with a new level of sharpness, and taking advantage of this momentary pause, the surging sharpness found an opening and swept to one side.
After a deafening roar, the oppressive atmosphere in the sky was broken once again. Following a flash of sword light, extremely sharp sword energy raged through the banner, shattering the banner formed by the strange phenomenon.
The sword light that pierced the flag instantly swirled in the air, twisting once with a strong wind. Only a trace remained at the end of the sheath, while a dense sword net had already spread out outside the blade. The twisting sword light swept through the sword net and whistled towards the flag formation in the air.
This time, the sword light will surround the flag!
The great cultivator in the valley clearly hadn't anticipated that the newcomer would act so swiftly, but she was still a great cultivator after all. She poured all her Magic Power into her palm, and the previously shattered strange banner condensed again.
A moment later, the small array flag in her hand broke free from the seal, and the world's rules began to operate again. Looking at the dense net of swords coming from the sky, she frowned, and the flowing flag quickly fell towards the blue waves.
With a thought, a surge of immense energy instantly condensed in the calm blue waves below. This resilient energy adhered to the flag in an instant, giving it a unique energy that permeated both the tangible and intangible aspects of the flag.
However, the Sword Net showed no intention of letting the flag formation go unpunished. With its surging sharpness, the Sword Net became even denser, and the flag formation on the blue waves, having no way to avoid it, swept upwards, creating a loud clanging sound of metal clashing.
The flag formation absorbed the energy from the azure waves, becoming more flexible. It was thought that the flexible flag formation could trap the fierce sword light, but the Magic Power emanating from the sword net was incomparable to that of ordinary cultivators.
As the supple flag and the spreading sword net connected in an instant, the energy emanating from the flag was about to envelop the sword light, but several fierce sword energies instantly shot out from within the sword net. The Power of Oblivion attached to the sword energies and swept out, breaking through the outer layer of the flag formation in an instant.
Before it could condense again, the sword net, like a giant hand, twisted fiercely within it, instantly gathering the scattered sword energy. The flag formation instinctively enveloped it, but then the Power of Oblivion within the sword energy suddenly surged.
With a deafening roar, the fiery red reflected in the azure waves below lingered for a long time. Sword energy emanating from the flag formation raged through the air, and surging Magic Power impacted a tattered flag, causing it to droop helplessly in the air. As a Power of Laws dissipated, the stillness of the world returned to normal.
Meanwhile, a powerful cultivator in the valley couldn't help but let out a muffled "groan." Her magical Magic Power was showing signs of disorder, and the array flag that had been spinning in her palm had fallen over. Looking up at the sky, she saw the person approaching from the clouds and her expression was full of worry.
Despite the best efforts of a powerful cultivator within the Jade Pivot Sect, the invading enemy could not be forced out, and the surging sword net did not retract. After breaking through the flag formation, it headed towards a mountain peak below.
What an arrogant thief! He intends to use his newly victorious power to destroy the great formation of my Jade Pivot Sect!
As the sword light struck, several powerful Magic Power also emerged from the valley. After a great cultivator was defeated by the thief's sword light, all the great cultivators of the Jade Pivot Sect rose up, determined to intercept the sword light and deter the thief's arrogance.
The energy fluctuations emanating from below did not affect the sword light. The surging sword net appeared to everyone as a streak of light, and the strong winds caused the trees in the mountains to bend over.
The array flags on the ground surged with powerful energy, and rounds of precious light flashed between the mountain peaks. The energy in the mountain-protecting array had condensed to its limit, and at this moment, the sword net arrived at the foot of the mountain.
Several divine senses attempted to track the trajectory of the sword net in the air, but the overwhelming will emanating from the clouds made them retreat instantly. With a muffled "bang," the dispersed sword net swept past the outer edge of the mountain-protecting formation.
A fierce sword aura suddenly erupted in a certain place, and the precious light was like needles piercing and swords stirring. After a tremor, the sword net was completely dispersed, and a tiny crack appeared in the mountain-protecting formation.
The great cultivators in the formation were all shocked. As great cultivators of formations, they naturally knew how sturdy the great formation in the mountain gate was, but under this sword light, it seemed to be broken with almost no effort.
It's not that Blood Alliance traitors haven't come knocking on our door for a thousand years, but this time, the arrival of these traitors sent a chill down everyone's spine.
The sword light that broke through the great formation condensed into a streak of light, and the previously rampant sword energy was instead gathered together. Before the doubts in everyone's hearts could dissipate, they saw that the precious light connecting the mountain ranges had all dissipated, and the energy condensed in the turbulent flow had all dissolved.
When the sword light transformed into a streak of light and swept into the Jade Pivot Sect's mountain gate, it encountered almost no obstruction. After layers of precious light opened and closed among the mountains, the verdant mountains also opened their barriers, and the Dharma Halls and array flags retreated one after another. The restrictions in the sky were also completely removed.
The bay of clear water instantly calmed down, as if a pair of hands had brushed across it, and the landscape scroll once again concealed the energy fluctuations beneath the water.
In an instant, the sword light parted the layers of mountains, revealing a fiery red peak amidst the verdant greenery. Maple leaves covering the mountains were stirred by the breeze, swaying as if they were a mountain range on fire.
Xu Long took a step out from the clouds, his aura instantly revealing itself between heaven and earth. The cultivators of the Jade Pivot Sect were all shocked when they caught it with their divine senses. Before they could react, they saw a figure standing in front of the fiery red mountain.
It appeared that the sword light broke into the formation first, but Xu Long's will remained closely attached to the sword. He and the sword light entered the formation almost simultaneously. However, these great cultivators and the true experts within did not provide strong resistance, so it seemed as if he entered the formation effortlessly, approaching from afar.
A few crimson maple leaves drifted down at Xu Long's feet with the mountain breeze. A flash of sword light swirled around him. He raised an eyebrow and looked towards the mountain peak, ignoring the shock of the Jade Pivot Sect cultivators at the Blood Alliance traitor. Xu Long took another step forward.
A straight path opened up from the dense maple forest on the mountain peak. As he stopped, Xu Long saw a crimson figure slowly walking out from under the fluttering maple leaves.
"Fellow Daoist Mo Yu, how have you been?"
The crimson figure in the maple forest possessed a beautiful face and fair skin. Her hair, which usually hung down, was now neatly coiled on her head, and a touch of cinnabar was used to mark a plum blossom between her brows.
A crimson veil draped lightly over her shoulders, subtly revealing her exquisite figure, with a large expanse of snow-white skin peeking out from her chest, a sight that was breathtaking.
Two silky satin ribbons encircled and tightened around her slender waist, where they were held in place by a long, emerald-green jade hairpin. Her skirt fell just above her ankles, and a pair of embroidered shoes sat on the maple leaves on the ground.
Xu Long's gaze swept over the figure from top to bottom, then lingered on her snow-white ankles. Two small silver bells adorned the ankles peeking out between her embroidered shoes and ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).
There's a certain significance to the appearance of these silver bells on a woman's ankle. Women from wealthy families, who were expected to uphold traditional virtues, would wear a pair of these silver bells on their ankles from a young age.
It requires women to walk very lightly without making any noise, such as striking the bells, as this tests whether the woman's temperament is calm and natural.
When Xu Long first noticed the pair of silver bells on her snow-white ankles, he couldn't take his eyes off them. Her ruqun dress fluttered in the breeze, and her embroidered shoes stepped on the maple leaves as she walked. The pair of silver bells on her ankles rose and fell with each step, creating a unique and charming effect.
Thinking back, the previous times I met Hong Gu, she was always sitting cross-legged, with the silver bells on her ankles deeply hidden under her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). When had she ever revealed them like this?
Xu Long's eyes were fixed on the pair of silver bells. As the bells on his ankles moved, his mind wandered, and for a moment he became somewhat Heart Ape.
"Rude!"
"Clam???"
A sudden, sharp rebuke interrupted Xu Long's gaze. The angry voice exploded in his ears, instantly snapping Xu Long out of his reverie. In a daze, he could only manage a bewildered reply.
Beside the crimson figure, he saw a female Daoist priest with raised eyebrows and a fierce expression glaring at him.
This female cultivator was the formation cultivator who had just fought against the World-Breaking Blade. She was shocked by how strange Xu Long's Power of Oblivion was, and after seeing Xu Long's current performance, she was filled with disgust for this Blood Alliance traitor.
Upon hearing this, Xu Long instantly stopped acting like a lecherous man. He rolled his eyes at the female cultivator indifferently, then coughed twice to appear calm, and casually wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.
When he looked up, he met a pair of eyes that seemed to be smiling but not smiling. Hong Gu's figure was standing on the mountaintop, her eyes flashing with an indescribable smile, as if she had been waiting for Xu Long here for a long time.
"What brings you here, Fellow Mo Yu?"
"Haha, Senior Hong Gu, you're too kind. I've come for the sake of the Jade Pivot Sect!"
Looking into those unfathomable eyes, Xu Long felt a sudden unease. He instantly abandoned his previous disrespectful attitude and responded to Hong Gu in a confident tone.
He spoke as if he had forcibly broken through the mountain gate formation to come here, wholeheartedly for the sake of the Jade Pivot Sect. After speaking, he glanced at the angry female cultivator beside him, his meaning very clear.
"My lady, this traitor of the Blood Alliance..."
" Huan'er! You go first."
When Xu Long's gaze swept over, Huan'er was about to lash out, but Hong Gu stopped her in an instant. Then, under Xu Long's smug gaze, Huan'er's figure disappeared into the fiery red mountains.
" Hong Gu has been studying scriptures diligently since childhood, but has wasted more than ten years in the mortal world without achieving enlightenment. At the age of fifteen, she was fortunate enough to enter the Jade Pivot Sect. Only then did she realize that the Reincarnation Temple heaven and Heavenly Dao is predetermined, and that all things in the world are created by the mind. She was once praised by the sect leader and managed to achieve some success in the art of formations. After experiencing tribulations, she had a chance encounter on the Great Dao. Now, she only wishes to guard the sect and live in seclusion."
Hong Gu didn't blame Xu Long for his previous disrespect. She seemed to know how attractive her outfit would be to men. Perhaps Xu Long's timing was just right, as Lady Hong hadn't yet changed back to her usual attire.
As she spoke, she slowly walked behind Xu Long, her eyes as calm as the blue waves before the mountain gate. The pair of silver bells on her ankles rose and fell on her snow-white ankle bones without making a sound. A fragrant breeze brushed past Xu Long's nose, Xu Long refrained from turning around to look at her back.
Before the spatial fragment shattered, Xu Long returned to the Legend of Mount Shu World from the Void Small World. With the existence of Haotian Mirror, Mount Emei would probably be difficult to deal with, and his original idea of using the power of a great victory to force the Jade Pivot Sect had failed.
Now, if he wants to go up Mount Emei again, he must kill the enemy with one blow. Xu Long thinks that the True Dragon Clone inside Chi You Blood Cave should have come out.
After returning to the Legend of Mount Shu World, he rushed to the Jade Pivot Sect, hoping to reopen the Chi You Blood Cave through Hong Gu. If Xu Long had displayed his powerful strength to annihilate White Eyebrows before, the Jade Pivot Sect would naturally have no choice but to obey him after such a great victory.
But now he and Mount Emei are locked in a stalemate, neither able to gain the upper hand. The way to break the deadlock lies in the True Dragon Clone, which requires Hong Gu to activate the formation outside Chi You Blood Cave.
Hong Gu naturally knew Xu Long's purpose, but the meaning behind her words seemed very clear: she didn't want to get involved in the battle between good and evil. Xu Long didn't believe her at all.
He hadn't spent much time with Hong Gu, but he knew her quite well. He knew that Hong Gu's thoughts were not simple when he set up the formation outside Chi You Blood Cave, and that her words now were just an attempt to sit on the fence and watch from the sidelines.
She even wanted Xu Long to take the initiative to win her over. In fact, even if Xu Long didn't come to the Jade Pivot Sect to ask her to activate the formation, she would have activated the formation herself to release the Blood Alliance cultivators after a while.
For a declining major sect like theirs, a chaotic situation is a necessary condition for their rise. However, Xu Long knows that his time is running out. If the righteous factions were to truly unite, the existence of the Haotian Mirror would make the situation increasingly unpredictable.
Therefore, he had no choice but to take the initiative to ask the Jade Pivot Sect for help. Although he was secretly anxious, Xu Long appeared to be completely unconcerned on the surface. He believed that Hong Gu and the Jade Pivot Sect were also anxious, because they might not have enough time either.
If we don't resolve this quickly, it could lead to serious trouble.