Buddhist Cultivators
About half a day passed after Qi Yun left.
The sea area where Yellow Li Island is located, which was originally calm and shrouded in natural sea fog and turbulent ocean currents, was suddenly disturbed by a force moving from top to bottom...
A tyrannical and domineering will violently tore through.
"Sizzle-"
The sky seemed to have been torn open like a brocade, with a gaping hole thousands of feet long.
The true form of the Crown Prince of Crown Prince of Southern Yin, dressed in bright yellow robes and wearing a jade crown, descended with a roar.
The pale golden imperial dragon aura was no longer restrained, but flowed naturally like mist and clouds, weaving behind a faint phantom of the land and its people, with majestic palaces, rushing rivers, and the sounds of civilized music and rituals faintly audible.
Those deep eyes were now as cold as ancient ice, their gaze sweeping over the isolated island below, shrouded in a pale blue halo.
Yellow Li Island lies serenely on the dark blue sea, with clusters of verdant peaks, ribbons of streams, and ethereal mists, appearing no different from any other overseas island.
But the Crown Prince of Southern Yin's brows slowly furrowed.
His Divine Sense had long since become an invisible net, encompassing, investigating, and analyzing every minute trace of the entire island, from top to bottom, from the nodes of the earth's veins to the flow of Spiritual Qi.
No.
There was nothing there.
There was no trace of Qi Yun's remaining Law Power, no Daoist fluctuations left by the interaction between the Domain Heaven Realm and the Breakthrough Realm, no trace of runes used for setting up formations or Formation Deployment spells, and even the "presence" of anyone who had been active recently had been completely erased.
The island's spiritual energy cycle is natural and harmonious, the growth of vegetation follows the seasons, and the traces of birds and beasts' habitats are continuous, as if no cultivators have ever set foot on it for thousands of years.
It is simply a pure, untouched, isolated overseas island.
"The method of erasing traces is indeed ingenious," Crown Prince of Southern Yin murmured, his eyes growing even colder.
He slowly raised his right hand, which had been behind his back, his fingers spread out, palm down, pointing at the island that stretched for hundreds of miles below.
The movement seemed casual, but in the instant his palm turned downwards—
The plants and trees on the island, which had been swaying gently in the wind, suddenly froze, each leaf remaining perfectly still, unchanged from the moment before.
The stream had stopped, and water droplets hung suspended in mid-air.
A bird perches on a treetop, its flapping wings frozen in time.
"Since it's useless, what's the point of keeping it?"
He spoke softly, his five fingers slowly closing.
There was no earth-shattering roar, no violent burst of energy.
That hundred-mile-long Yellow Li Island, along with the deep-sea rock foundation beneath it, suddenly collapsed inward, as if it were dough being held by an invisible giant hand.
The rocky cliffs, beaches, and reefs at the island's edge were the first to turn into the finest dust particles, shimmering with a faint spiritual light, and drifted inward.
Ten breaths.
Just ten breaths later, the sea surface where Yellow Li Island was originally located was reduced to a slightly concave area of dark blue water with a diameter of a hundred miles.
The island, stretching for miles, vanished into thin air.
"[Great Luo]----"
The Crown Prince of Southern Yin stood in the void, his gaze fixed on the southeast.
That was the direction that Qi Yun's final causal thread pointed to, but it was now blurred and obscured by some clever means.
"To be able to slip away Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, steal my Dao intent, and vanish without a trace—this is certainly no ordinary, unorthodox Zen."
I will remember this cause and effect.
"We'll definitely meet again. Next time, you won't be able to escape!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and took a step, his figure disappearing into the void rift.
The cracks healed, and the sky returned to normal.
Only the sea breeze howled, as if whispering the horrifying way a sacred island had been silently and completely wiped from the world.
At the same time, tens of thousands of miles away from Yellow Li Island, high above the Vast Sea and sky.
A streak of bluish-gray light was moving steadily toward the northwest continent.
Amidst the rainbow light, Qi Yun stood with his hands behind his back, his dark blue Daoist robe fluttering slightly in the sea breeze.
His eyes were half-closed, as if he were comprehending the various profound changes brought about by the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. His aura was harmonious and restrained, yet there was a mysterious Daoist charm flowing through him that deeply resonated with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Suddenly, he sensed something and slightly raised his eyelids.
Looking to the distant horizon to the side.
There, a dazzling golden light shone, filling the sky.
It is composed of countless intricate and ever-flowing Sanskrit mantras, layer upon layer, interwoven to form a huge three-dimensional formation covering an area of tens of miles.
The formation resembles an inverted bowl, with the phantom images of eight treasures floating around its edge.
At the center is a giant swastika-shaped gold seal with a diameter of over 100 zhang (approximately 33 meters), which rotates slowly.
With each rotation of the golden seal, a vast and resounding chant arose from the void, sweeping across all directions like a tidal wave.
The sound resounded directly at the level of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the Divine Soul of all living beings, carrying the supreme power of salvation, suppression, and conversion.
"Shi Xiu's grand formation?" Qi Yun paused slightly, the rainbow light hovering between the clouds in the high sky.
His Divine Sense has now been refined by the [Double Light Qi], making it far more acute and expansive than that of True Person of the same level.
Although they were far apart, they could clearly "see" every detail of the grand formation.
Within the grand formation, golden power of vows filled every inch of space like a vast ocean, and countless tiny Sanskrit chains emerged from the void, entwining and binding a struggling figure at the center of the formation.
The figure was shrouded in a black and red aura, within which countless twisted and violent faces appeared and disappeared, radiating an extremely domineering and surging demonic energy.
At this moment, the demonic energy was being constantly washed away and worn down by the golden power of will, emitting a "sizzling" burning sound.
With each passing minute, the struggle of those within the formation weakened, while the chanting grew louder.
"Using the power of will as fuel, forcibly converting and transforming—" Qi Yun nodded slightly, discerning the origin of this grand formation.
"That's typical of Shi Xiu's methods."
He did not want to cause trouble. The Buddhist forces overseas were powerful, almost the largest overseas force, and only the Dragon Clan could rival them.
With numerous disciples and profound foundation, its overall power is in no way inferior to any major sect in the Central Land.
However, when his Divine Sense swept across the formation and he saw the figures and faces being converted by the group of Buddhist monks, he was slightly taken aback.
"This face----"
Qi Yun an eyebrow slightly, his fingertips unconsciously tapping his brow, quietly stirring up long-forgotten memories.
I remember now!
He was the Devil Cultivator who was suppressed and sealed off in the Yellow Springs Market back then.
Situ Huaji!
Back then, Qi Yun was just a minor cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage. He was ordered by the Holy Sect to raid the market and incidentally released this person to cause trouble.
At that time, Situ Huaji battle with the Qi Refining Great Perfection who was in charge of the market. Both were severely injured and fled far away, and there has been no news of him since.
Unexpectedly, times have changed, and that madman who was only at the Qi Refining Stage back then has actually broken through the barrier between life and death, condensed his Dao Foundation, and become a Foundation Establishment True Person.
"He was quite lucky; he actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment."
Qi Yun shook his head and chuckled lightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
"I just didn't expect that when I saw him again today, he would be trapped again—"
The Buddhist and Daoist formation was exquisitely arranged, with three Buddhist and Daoist practitioners stationed in each of the eight directions, their energy interconnected and their vows shared.
It is clearly a well-practiced combined attack Formation Art.
At the center of the formation, presiding over the golden swastika seal, was an Arhat dressed in a crimson-gold robe, with seven illusory halos of wisdom above his head.
Its aura is as solid as a mountain, and its power as vast as the sea.
Such a spectacle would likely result in most Foundation Establishment True Person being gradually Dao Foundation and ultimately forced to convert to another world.
Qi Yun watched quietly for a few breaths, and saw that the demonic aura around Situ Huaji in the formation dimmed a little more.
The chanting from the Arhat grew ever more magnificent, and the golden swastika seal in his palm slowly pressed down, about to completely suppress the divine Divine Soul in the Purple Mansion.
"This guy won't last much longer—"
Behind Situ Huaji, the strange phenomenon of the Dao Foundation, which was woven from countless ancient and ferocious demonic phantoms, was now swaying uncertainly like a candle in the wind, its outline becoming increasingly illusory.
Qi Yun withdrew his gaze, not lingering any longer. With a slight thought, the bluish-gray rainbow light beneath his feet turned and fled into the distance.
On the great path, each has their own destiny and path.
After their parting at Yellow Springs Market years ago, their karma was settled, and he had no intention of getting involved in this feud.
Just as the rainbow light was about to turn and Qi Yun's body was about to move, at that very instant...
Below, in the deep, inky sea, a faint, shadowy ripple spread out without warning.
The ripples were silent, yet they precisely pierced through the barrier of the hundred-foot-deep sea, suddenly rising into the air and reaching the three-foot-high void in front of Qi Yun.
The light faded, transforming into a palm-sized, bluish-gray, and neither-skin-nor-wood-textured, hideous face.
The face was distorted, the eyes were empty, but the corners of the mouth were strangely stretched into a smile that was not quite a smile.
As soon as it took shape, it "came to life," its lips opening and closing, uttering a rapid yet clear telepathic message: "Is that a fellow Daoist from the Northwest ahead?"
I, Situ Huaji, am Rogue Cultivator Situ Huaji from the Northwest. I am currently besieged by these overseas bald monks. I implore you, fellow Daoist, to consider our shared origins in the Northwest and lend me a helping hand!
The voice, coming through the mask, was clearly weak and anxious. "If you can escape this predicament, this humble Daoist will surely reward you handsomely!"
Qi Yun's figure stopped abruptly, and the rainbow light hovered between the clouds.
"They've got quite a few tricks up their sleeve."
Qi Yun's lips curled into a faint smile as he said calmly, "Tell me, what generous reward do you have in store for me?"
Upon hearing this, the masked figure's empty eyes seemed to flash with a ghostly light, and he spoke even faster, "To be honest, fellow Daoist, my journey across the ocean to this remote overseas land is not without purpose; I have come to search for an High Antiquity treasure!"
It paused slightly, and seeing that Qi Yun's expression had not changed, it continued, "As long as you are willing to help me get out of this predicament, I am willing to share the location of that treasure and the method of entering it, and take you there to explore for the treasure."
Fellow Daoist, you may take 30% of what you have obtained!
"High Antiquity relics?" Qi Yun raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes, but he did not immediately agree. He slowly said, "In this overseas land, there are at least eight hundred or a thousand places that are called relics or secret chambers. Eight or nine out of ten of them are either deliberate traps set by our predecessors or ruins that have already been looted."
What's so special about the "hidden treasures" you speak of that would make someone like you, a true Northwest True Person, travel across the ocean to find them?
Facebook was silent for a moment.
In the distance, within the grand formation, the golden tide of willpower surged even more.
The gray-white aura surrounding Situ Huaji body flickered erratically, and nearly half of the ferocious demonic phenomenon behind him had dissipated.
Clearly, this wisp of his divine consciousness that he had separated was also closely related to his original state, and time was running out.
The masked man's lips parted again, uttering soft syllables that seemed to carry a heavy weight, penetrating the sea breeze and reaching Qi Yun's ears clearly. "That relic is neither an ordinary High Antiquity cultivator's cave abode nor left behind by Rogue Cultivator from overseas."
Its name -
"Heavenly Court!"