Ming Xin stepped out of his secluded cave, his aura restrained as much as possible.
Yet after being tempered by the Five Elements origins, condensing the Emperor Origin Talismans, and completing the Chaos Five Elements Pagoda, the profound Dao aura that naturally emanated from him—
still spread like invisible ripples, instantly alerting the two Future Sages atop Mount Sumeru.
Jieyin and Zhunti appeared before Ming Xin almost at the same time. The two Future Sages scrutinized their disciple with blazing eyes, the sorrow and compassion on their faces long since replaced by immense surprise and disbelief.
"My disciple... you..." Daoist Zhunti's voice trembled with barely concealed excitement, and he had even forgotten to wave his whisk.
"The Five Elements Great Dao Origin Talismans... have actually been completely condensed? And that pagoda..."
He could clearly sense the five origin talismans within Ming Xin, each like the imperial seal of a Five Elements Heavenly Emperor, commanding the authority of one direction.
As well as the phantom of a Chaos pagoda deep within his brow, emanating an aura that made even him, a Quasi-Saint, feel faintly uneasy!
Daoist Jieyin slowly raised his gaunt hand, as though he wished to sense something, but in the end, it turned into a long sigh filled with boundless gratification. "Chaos Five Elements... returning to the innate... Good! Good! Good!
My disciple's Dao Foundation has become this mighty. Even in the ancient Primordial World, it is exceedingly rare! The Heavenly Dao favors us. The West is destined to prosper greatly!"
Facing his two masters, Ming Xin respectfully bowed, his tone calm yet filled with unquestionable confidence. "I have troubled my two masters with concern.
This disciple was fortunate enough to initially fuse the legacy of the Old Ancestor of Five Elements with the Five-Needle Pine Spiritual Roots, condense the Five Elements Emperor Origin Talismans, and preliminarily refine the treasure bestowed by the Dao Ancestor. I have gained a little."
He did not describe the specific abilities of the Chaos Five Elements Pagoda in detail, but what kind of insight did Jieyin and Zhunti possess?
They could naturally sense the terrifying aura currently emanating from that spiritual treasure, far surpassing that of an ordinary top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. It carried an oppressive force nearly equal to the origin of an Innate Supreme Treasure!
"Excellent! Truly excellent!" Daoist Zhunti clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "With such a foundation and such a supreme treasure at your side,
even if my disciple faces Styx River or the Demon Emperor, you will have the strength to fight! The West need worry no more!"
Daoist Jieyin nodded as well, his eyes full of expectation. "However, the Great Dao is boundless, and the path to Primordial Unity is even more perilous. Though your foundation is deep, you must not grow complacent or slacken."
Ming Xin solemnly replied, "This disciple understands.
Though the Five Elements path has only begun to take shape, the paths of Slaughter and Nirvana still require tempering. The path of Slaughter in particular is my foundation.
Only through actual combat can it be elevated to its utmost limit. Moreover, the transformations of the Five Elements and the wonders of generation and restraint must also be verified among all living things."
He paused, then continued, "Therefore, this disciple intends to descend into the Primordial World again. I will not enter the Mortal World, but will seek those burdened with immense karmic debt, or places where Killing Intent has gathered on the battlefields of the Witch-Demon War.
I will nourish battle through battle and comprehend the Dao through killing, while verifying the mysteries of Five Elements generation and restraint to perfect my Great Nirvana Killing Buddha Scripture."
Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance. Though their eyes held worry, they held even more support and trust.
They knew well that Ming Xin's path could never be achieved by shut-door cultivation. Slaughter and Nirvana had always needed to be tempered amid blood and fire.
"Since that is so, go, my disciple." Daoist Zhunti's expression turned serious. "The Primordial World is dangerous, and amid the Tribulation, killing intent lurks everywhere. You must be cautious.
If you encounter danger, send word immediately. Your master and second master will arrive in an instant!"
Daoist Jieyin added, "Keep benevolence in your heart. Killing life is done to protect life. Slaying Karma is not slaying people. This is the core of your Dao; never forget it."
"This disciple will heed the teachings of my two masters!"
Ming Xin bowed deeply.
Then, without further hesitation, his figure flickered and transformed into a streak of escape light flowing with five colors and containing Chaos. In an instant, he descended Mount Sumeru and vanished into the barren skies of the West.
After leaving the West, Ming Xin did not head directly for the main battlefield at Buzhou Mountain. Instead, following the senses of his own Killing Origin and the Karma Life-Death Eyes' insight into karmic debt,
he specifically sought regions where, beneath the Tribulation, karma soared to the heavens but which had not yet been heavily affected by the main war.
His first destination was an endless swamp in the southern Primordial World. Poisonous miasma filled the place, breeding countless sinister venomous insects and beasts.
An Ancient Poison Toad also dwelled there. It cultivated an evil art by devouring the souls and essence of living beings, and its karma had almost condensed into substance. Its strength had reached the middle stage of Great Luo.
Because of its perilous nature, this swamp had instead temporarily avoided the brunt of the Witch-Demon War.
Ming Xin descended above the swamp without concealing his majestic aura, which combined Slaughter and the Five Elements Emperors.
"Croak—!" A heaven-shaking croak rang out. Mud churned in the depths of the swamp as a colossal Poison Toad, as large as a mountain and covered in pustules, soared into the sky, radiating stench and deathly energy.
Its enormous scarlet eyes stared greedily at Ming Xin. "Such pure blood and vital essence! Such a powerful primordial spirit! If I devour you, this old ancestor will surely advance another step!"
His response was Ming Xin's icy gaze and a slash made with fingers joined like a sword!
He did not use the Chaos Five Elements Pagoda, nor did he even draw the White Bone Life-Death Sword.
It was merely the simplest application of a Five Elements Dao technique—White Emperor Golden Emperor Qi fused with the Killing Law! "Golden Emperor Karma Slaying Sword!"
A white Sword Light formed entirely from the austere killing energy of geng metal, its edges burning with dark-red Karmic Fire, tore through the poisonous miasma and instantly slashed toward the Poison Toad! It was fast to the extreme, sharp to the extreme!
The Poison Toad was horrified. It spat out its natal poison pellet to block the strike, while the pustules all over its body exploded, firing hundreds of millions of streams of filthy poisonous blood! Screech!
Like a hot knife cutting through butter, the white Sword Light effortlessly shattered the poison pellet, cleaved through the torrent of filthy blood, and passed across the Poison Toad's brow before its disbelieving eyes!
There was no bloody spectacle where the Sword Light passed, only the manifestation of the rule of "Slaughter"!
The Poison Toad's enormous body instantly stiffened. All life force, primordial spirit, and even the traces of its very existence were completely "slain" and annihilated by the ultimate metal-element killing force and Killing Law contained in that strike!
Its massive corpse crumbled inch by inch like weathered stone, turning into the most primordial Five Elements essence.
It nourished the land that it had polluted. Only the karma so dense it could not be dissolved was burned away by the fire of Slaughter within the Sword Light.
One sword, slaying a Great Luo!
Ming Xin remained expressionless. Feeling the perfect fusion of Five Elements metal energy and the Killing Law within that sword strike, he nodded faintly.
He raised a hand and summoned a bead left behind after the Poison Toad's death, containing pure Gui Water poison. Then his escape light rose again, and he left the swamp, which had swiftly begun to regain its clarity.
His next destination was a desolate mountain in the north, piled high with countless bones.
A group of White Bone Demon Kings had hidden there after escaping from the Shura Blood Sea. They took pleasure in devouring the flesh, blood, and souls of living beings.
The leader of the demon kings possessed cultivation at the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. With tens of thousands of demons under his command, he had turned the surrounding region for thousands of miles into a land of death.
Ming Xin descended directly upon the mountain's main peak. "Form the array! Myriad Demons Soul Devouring Great Array!"
The White Bone Demon Kings were shocked and furious. Leading countless demons into the air, they deployed a sinister dark-green demonic array. Countless resentful souls and vengeful spirits became savage giant maws that lunged toward Ming Xin.
Ming Xin merely stood still as Five-Colored Divine Light flashed behind him. "Five Emperors Cycle, purify this demonic land."
Azure Emperor Wood Emperor Qi swept through the air, and the resentment and viciousness within the Myriad Demons Great Array dissipated as though purified.
Red Emperor Fire Emperor Qi passed through, and countless White Bone demons screamed as they were burned to ashes.
Yellow Emperor Earth Emperor Qi suppressed them, causing the entire barren mountain of bones to tremble violently and begin collapsing into burial.
White Emperor Golden Emperor Qi swept across the battlefield, dismembering the remaining demon generals and demon kings with invisible sharp energy.
Black Emperor Water Emperor Qi spread out, devouring and dissolving all remaining Demonic Energy and filth.
The Five Elements cycled endlessly, yet contained the true intent of Nirvana and Slaughter!
In merely a few breaths, tens of thousands of White Bone demons, along with that barren mountain of bones, were completely erased from heaven and earth. Only a stretch of land purified by the Five Elements remained, somewhat desolate but no longer tainted by evil energy.
Ming Xin closed his eyes and sensed the mysteries of using the power of the Five Elements on such a large scale, especially the supreme power of Five Elements generation and restraint in group combat. His understanding deepened further.
Thus, he traveled and slaughtered all the way. He specifically sought those burdened with heavy karma, or evil demons born from gathered Killing Intent along the fringes of the Witch-Demon War.
At times, he used only a single sword strike to test the killing force of the metal element. At other times, he summoned heavenly fire to burn mountains and boil seas, tempering the destructive power of the fire element.
At times, he transformed into escape light and traveled through the earth, comprehending the earth element's capacity to bear and bury.
At times, he summoned Heavenly River Weak Water to wash away all things, experiencing the water element's ultimate softness and ultimate strength.
At times, he caused boundless forests to grow, trapping and killing evil beings while verifying the wood element's life force and stillness of death.
In his hands, the Five Elements Great Dao was no longer merely a path of cultivation, but the most terrifying weapon of slaughter! Combined with the core will of Slaughter in the Great Nirvana Killing Buddha Scripture, its power was boundless!
His path of Slaughter grew ever purer and more condensed through countless real battles, steadily advancing toward the threshold of fifty percent mastery.
His use of the Karma Life-Death Eyes became increasingly miraculous. With a single glance, he could often see the death lines of another's karma, and could even briefly disrupt their Five Elements connection with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
One day, he arrived at a vast canyon on the border between east and west. Killing Intent surged into the sky there; clearly, a brutal small-scale clash between the Witch Clan and demon race had just taken place.
The battlefield had not yet been cleared. Severed limbs lay everywhere, and the Witch Clan's Killing Intent mixed and tangled with the demon race's demonic energy, breeding countless resentful spirits and strange killing demons.
Just as Ming Xin was about to purify the place as usual, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly, and his Karma Life-Death Eyes looked toward the depths of the canyon.
He sensed an extremely hidden yet exceptionally pure and powerful... earth-element spiritual treasure aura. It seemed to have been shaken out from deep underground by the energy fluctuations of that battle.
At almost the same time, another tyrannical aura filled with greed and brutality rapidly approached the canyon from another direction. It had clearly discovered that spiritual treasure as well!
"Interesting." Five-colored light flashed in Ming Xin's eyes. He concealed his aura and silently vanished into the void.
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