A thick cloud of smoke instantly rose into the air, and before it could disperse, it was engulfed by a massive wave of water vapor that swept in from behind.
After the body of the Dharma Body stepped out of the water, it crashed straight into the giant sword and halberd in front of it, and the giant sword and halberd standing on the ground broke apart under the enormous force.
The rushing water from behind carried a powerful surge, instantly flowing into the path opened up by the Dharma Body. Xu Long's figure bobbed in the river; the river's force had lessened considerably. The water followed behind the Dharma Body, traveling along the newly opened path. The bend formed by the giant sword and halberd did not hinder Xu Long.
The muffled thuds echoed within the barrier. After shattering the falling giant swords and halberds, the Dharma Body charged towards the horizon, carving a deep path through the solid ground beneath its feet. A terrifying aura emanated from it. Its enormous eyes were fixed on the distant horizon, its galloping gait straight ahead. In this space filled with swords and halberds, its massive body had already carved a straight path through the surging river. Xu Long felt a lightness wash over him in the current. With the path cleared by the Dharma Body, he was now leading the water towards the horizon, no longer being swept along by it.
With a series of clanging sounds, Xu Long decided to bypass the bend and open a new passage. Then, the giant swords and halberds on the ground rushed towards the river. Their purpose was to block the river and to extinguish Xu Long.
Now that Xu Long had broken free, he was no longer bound by the giant swords and halberds. He knew these swords and halberds were the biggest obstacles; if he got caught in the bends they formed, he would be in danger again. Xu Long's eyes were sharp as he watched the current, urging his Dharma Body to move forward quickly while he guided the rushing river from behind.
Previously swept along by the river, Xu Long now realized the immense energy contained within it. Watching the heavy swords and halberds fall, Xu Long neither dodged nor avoided them. Instead, he gathered a surging momentum within the river, determined to break through the obstacles in his path in one fell swoop!
The Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon shone brightly overhead, its stars growing larger and brighter. Xu Long's magical Magic Power surged from his sword light, and a streak of light followed his Dharma Body from the sky. As the Dharma Body ran, it raised its arm, and the sword light landed in its massive hand. At that Space-Time had already locked onto the Dharma Body. The sharp Geng Metal Qi raged in the air, creating a whistling sound that grew louder and louder, seemingly about to pierce through the Dharma Body in an instant. But the Dharma Body ignored it. It gripped the sword light and fiercely raised it, causing the sword light to instantly increase in size dozens of times. A long, sharp edge emanated from the small sword light, and endless Power of Oblivion swept across the edge. The Dharma Body's gaze sharpened, and the raised edge suddenly fell, slashing fiercely at the giant sword-halberd attacking from the front.
Rumble!
A deafening roar echoed within the barrier, tearing apart the darkness of the sky in an instant by a burst of fire. The raging energy surged skyward with the flames, Xu Long sensed a slight condensation of energy within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, as if the rules of the world had ceased to exist. Under the surging energy, everything shattered, and wave after wave of sword light scattered in the air, stirring the remaining Geng Metal Qi. After the sword and halberd were shattered by the Dharma Body, countless fragments of stone mixed with dust rose into the air, then plummeted downwards amidst the sword energy. With a series of "plop" sounds, the boulders were completely submerged by the rushing water.
After shattering the incoming swords and halberds, the Dharma Body released the sword light in its hand, letting it swirl away into the sky. Amidst the thick dust, it twisted its body, using its robust waist to clear a path in front of it, and then, with a somewhat ethereal step, moved forward again, creating a passage for the surging river behind it.
At this moment, a giant surged across the earth, pulling a long earth dragon with its own body. The dragon's winding body was cut in two by swords and halberds, yet, pulled by the giant, the earth dragon rose straight towards the horizon.
The whistling sound in the air continued. After dodging the curve formed by the swords and halberds, the giant swords and halberds on the ground moved and quickly attacked the Dharma Body and Xu Long.
The horizon was now clearly visible ahead. After colliding with several massive swords and halberds that had been blocking his path, the Dharma Body shattered with a deafening roar. Xu Long's advance was abruptly halted. The incoming giant swords and halberds, no longer under the Dharma Body Body's control, toppled on both sides of the river, creating sharp bends. Xu Long was in the middle of the river; if the current crossed the bends, he would surely perish.
Seeing the approaching swords and halberds, Xu Long stopped in his tracks in the water.
Then the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon above their heads dimmed slightly, and the array behind them suddenly stopped, releasing an extremely violent energy.
A deafening roar erupted as chaotic energy surged from the water's depths. Curtains of water were torn apart by the " Spiritual Qi Bombardment," and wave after wave crashed against the sword and halberd. As water splashed, wisps of mist rose, from which a bolt of lightning shot forth. A chilling sword light burst forth, instantly piercing through Xu Long's defenses and carrying him away with the river.
The whooshing sound still echoed overhead. Swords and halberds continued to attack through the path torn open by the " Spiritual Qi Bombardment." The rushing river whipped up a thick mist, enveloping the incoming swords and halberds. The sword light, already visible through the mist, spun fiercely against the attacking weapons.
With a clang of metal against metal, a spark flew between the sword and the halberd Power of Laws and the Geng Metal Qi clashed and dissipated in the air. The streak of light flashed and swirled, its long trajectory missing Xu Long's figure. The halberd above his head then plummeted downwards. Xu Long was now close to the horizon, with a rushing river behind him. Yet, the halberd in his eyes was rapidly magnifying, its fierce power locking onto him. Watching the horizon draw ever closer, in desperation, he uttered a single word to the falling halberd:
"Seal up!"
The moment the word was uttered, the operation within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram abruptly halted, as if the world's rules within it had been instantly suspended.
An extremely ancient energy manifested within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, and this invisible energy forcefully imprisoned the incoming swords and halberds.
The swords and halberds in his eyes finally stopped enlarging, and Xu Long's figure was swept away by the surging water and rushed past them.
The moment he passed by, the binding force within the barrier was instantly dispelled. A sharp Geng Metal Qi surged from behind him, poised to pierce the river below. Xu Long, however, acted on a sudden thought, unleashing a thunderous roar above the river. The sword light that had just circled the sky slashed down towards the halberd, which crashed beside him. Xu Long surging energy crashed against the river below, creating waves that churned and rippled. Xu Long's figure rose and fell within these waves. The river flowed beyond the horizon, its rushing waters surprisingly melodious. The ceaseless flow ceased here, the river calming and losing its powerful momentum. Xu Long finally stopped within it. The surging river ultimately flowed into the darkness, endlessly cycling within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, like the ceaseless path of a cultivator's practice!
After breaking through the onslaught of the giant sword and halberd, he led the great river to change course, eventually traveling in a straight line to the horizon.
As Xu Long gazed up at the sky, a streak of light vanished, leaving a long trail in the air. The Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon above his head lit up, and the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram began to shift again, releasing a vast and mysterious energy.
His nearly depleted Magic Power was being filled by a surge of immense energy. He carefully sensed the Magic Power gradually filling his body, and the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon continuously guided the energy to flow into him.
The Sixth Gate has reached the core of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, where there is clearly more mysterious energy.
Having just experienced a fierce battle, Xu Long had to control himself to avoid being submerged by the river while also dealing with numerous giant swords and halberds, leaving him with almost no Magic Power.
Under the Celestial Phenomenon, he felt his Magic Power rapidly recovering, and with the influx of mysterious energy, the energy condensed within his body began to challenge his realm again.
The blockages in his meridians had been largely cleared, and a continuous stream of energy flowed into his body through the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon. The Magic Power condensing within his meridians surged like a mighty river, driving a powerful surge straight through his limbs and bones. Xu Long stood on the horizon, gazing up at the sky. In the deep darkness, it seemed as if someone was watching him. Waves of immense energy manifested within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram —the energy generated by the changing Bagua formation. Xu Long sensed an unparalleled aura within the Sixth Gate.
This is the world inherent in the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram; it imitates all the phenomena of the heavens; it deduces the Great Dao; it operates the rules of the world.
This is a myriad of things derived from a single array diagram, encompassing the most exquisite elements of heaven and earth. Its operation within it embodies the Reincarnation Temple of Heavenly Dao, and its manifestation within it reveals the laws of heaven and earth. It is only because of this Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram in the Land of Exile that Phoenix City enjoys stability.
This is the origin of civilization, the beginning of order, the inheritance of cities, and the spark of cultivation. In the Land of Exile, it carved out a world for cultivators, a world that encompassed all things and preserved things that had vanished countless years ago.
Only after passing through the Sixth Gate of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram today did Xu Long truly grasp the antiquity and vicissitudes this formation embodies, its grandeur and profound weight, and its encompassing of the Dao of Heavenly Dao and Reincarnation Temple.
It was because of it that the flame of life was ignited in the Land of Exile, that the indomitable cry arose, and that the furious roar that pierced the heavens was heard!
"Imperial Edict!"
Xu Long stood atop the great river, raising his head and roaring towards the heavens above. Rolling sound waves, infused with magical Magic Power, reverberated within the barrier. He did not bow his head under the overwhelming might of heaven, nor retreat amidst the chilling lightning. He stubbornly embarked on the path of cultivation, desperately struggling and surging in the Sea of Suffering and Calamity. He followed the path trodden by countless ancestors, inheriting the ancient legacy. After traversing countless swords and spears, he led the surging river to its end.
The energy within his body surged violently, the condensed Magic Power like a raging river, constantly impacting the blocked meridians. A violent magical Magic Power filled Xu Long's limbs and bones, drawn by the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon. This continuous energy supply made the Magic Power within his body like a raging river, possessing the power to break through everything. The condensed Magic Power spread through his meridians, clearing away the tiny meridians in his limbs and bones. Xu Long's long-suppressed Magic Power level trembled slightly; it was like a formidable fortress, an obstacle on Xu Long's path of cultivation, possessing a powerful... The Magic Power Magic Power surged within him, finally opening a crack in the long-sealed barrier. A trickle of Magic Power flowed through, then, with the influx of immense energy, the formidable barrier was completely breached. The Xu Long Magic Power coursed through his limbs and bones, emanating an inexplicable aura. The flowing Magic Power, like a rushing river, produced a muffled rumbling sound as it circulated throughout his body. His body was a precious raft in the Sea of Suffering and Calamity, an indispensable part of the Great Dao. Now, under the influence of the energy flow within the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon, the Magic Power within his body seemed to possess a sense of inexhaustible vitality.
As Magic Power surged into those meridians that had never flowed before, Xu Long's aura showed signs of slight disorder. This was a precursor to a rise in cultivation level; the Magic Power within his body caused an anomaly after impacting his cultivation. Once the disordered aura subsided, his cultivation level would stabilize.
But at this moment, his will had already spotted a light curtain on the horizon. This was the exit of the Sixth Gate. After the light curtain appeared, Xu Long would have to choose whether to enter the Seventh Gate. As the light curtain appeared, the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram also gradually changed. Everything within the Sixth Gate's barrier began to be swallowed by darkness, a sign that the Seventh Gate was about to open. Xu Long was attracted by the mysterious energy. He wanted to explore the core of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, but at this moment, he was about to break through, and his own aura showed signs of disorder. The changing array made him hesitate. When his immense will expanded within the barrier, he also sensed the danger within the Seventh Gate. Xu Long's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of crisis rose in his heart. Feeling the changes in the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram and looking at the light curtain that had already solidified, he predicted that this Seventh Gate was definitely not simple!
Xu Long always trusted his sense of crisis. Within the barrier of the Sixth Gate, he had already used all his methods and was barely able to get through unscathed.
However, once the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram transforms into the barrier of the Seventh Gate, the potential crisis there cannot be estimated based on the present situation.
While the mysterious energy within the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram can help people break through their cultivation levels, the potential dangers it harbors can also be fatal.
The closer one gets to the core of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram, the more ferocious its killing intent becomes.
Xu Long had already exerted all his strength within the first six layers of barriers. If it weren't for the Milky Way Celestial Phenomenon absorbing energy to nourish itself, those heavy giant swords and halberds would have worn him down to death.
Therefore, although this passage tests cultivators, one cannot be careless; the core of the Eight Trigrams Formation Diagram should not be underestimated.