A Crude Martial Brute

Cangling Nan Household.

Daylight broke.

The ruins of the collapsed pavilion have been cleared away, and charred lightning marks have covered the altar below. The lingering Nine Netherworlds mist of the Netherworld has also been cleansed by the lightning.

Nan Zhongwei's face was as cold and stern as iron.

Beside her was Nan Feng, who rushed back to the clan as soon as she received the intelligence.

"Along with Yu Tunzhou are An Ruyu of the Incense-Smelling Cult and Xuanfa Daoist Xuanfa of the True Martial Sect?" Nan Feng asked, her eyes filled with an unyielding chill. "Both the Incense-Smelling Cult and the True Martial Sect are top-tier sects in the world. Are they also going to interfere in the situation in the Eastern Wilderness?"

"It's unclear at the moment, but most of the missing External Scenery were likely destroyed by these juniors," Nan Zhongwei said in a somber tone. "What's even stranger is that we only received news when they were already at our doorstep, and there's absolutely no word from Floating Hill Mountain. The worst-case scenario is that those Daoist sects in the mountains have already decided to part ways with us."

"Parting ways?" Nan Feng's expression was cold. "It seems the incident at Fallen Soul Ravine wasn't an accident."

"I have already sent people to investigate the situation of the other sects," Nan Zhongwei said slowly. "If they have indeed found a way to suppress the sects, then it would not be surprising if they betray us."

"We were used as pawns."

Nan Feng remained silent for a moment, then looked at this junior who had managed the Nan Household's affairs for decades with utmost dedication:

What are your next steps?

There's no way out!

A desperate, mad look gradually surfaced on Nan Zhongwei's usually cold and stern face.

"Since aligning themselves with that Devil Lord, the Nan Household has no other path to take. If they continue to waver, they will only be abandoned by both sides!"

He looked up at the ancestral hall a hundred meters behind the altar; its vermilion roof ridge remained solemn and dignified in the morning light. He said in a deep voice:

"I understand your and the elders' concerns. But after all these decades, how much of the Nan Household's glory, built over thousands of years, remains? It's time to discard those outdated rules and regulations and embrace the new life of the Nan Household."

"Do you think the Nan Household can be reborn?" Nan Feng asked calmly.

"Of course!" A ruthless glint flashed in Nan Zhongwei's eyes. "If Floating Hill Mountain can't contain us, then we'll welcome the Devil Lord's arrival! At that time, Floating Hill Mountain, the Incense-Smelling Cult, Yu Tunzhou... they will all die! The entire Eastern Wilderness will fall into the hands of the Nan Household! The Nan Household will usher in a new future!"

Nan Feng remained silent for a long time. She didn't ask about the price to be paid behind this seemingly glorious future, but simply nodded and said:

"If it is confirmed that Floating Hill Mountain has abandoned us, then do as you wish."

Nan Zhongwei said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your support!"

His gaze fell deep into the ancestral hall. The memorial tablets of the ancestors stood silently, the incense offerings cold and desolate.

The descendants are unworthy; today we must take a risky step.

If successful, the Nan Household will rule the Eastern Wilderness and eye the Central Plains!

If we lose...

"Can the portal where the Human Emperor's Three Corpses reside be considered the Human Emperor's ' Immortal Realm,' or the place where he Nether Passage?"

Yu Tunzhou asked again.

Only now has the chaos in the Eastern Wilderness truly unfolded.

To alleviate the crisis facing the Fallen Immortal Sect, Floating Hill Mountain offered the Heavenly Origin Pill, which temporarily halted the Fallen Immortals's uprising but also triggered another crisis.

The Nan Household used a bloodline secret technique to make contact with the Devil Lord, becoming a springboard for his descent. Coupled with the Human Emperor's Three Corpses sleeping at the bottom of the mountain, the three deadly traps were intertwined, forcing Floating Hill Mountain to take a Zhang Buyu gamble, hoping to use Immortal Cauldron's Reincarnated Spirit Physique to bring down the spirit of the Immortal Cauldron, in order to solve the problem once and for all.

Unfortunately, in An Ruyu's own account of the future, the Immortal Cauldron not only failed to suppress the Human Emperor's Three Corpses, but might even have facilitated his escape.

At this point, Floating Hill Mountain was completely trapped in a dead end.

What lies before them now is to persuade the Immortal Cauldron to suppress the Devil Lord first, so as to prevent the Eastern Wilderness from falling.

As for the calamity of the Three Corpses, for the time being, the only remaining option is to close the mountain and imprison oneself.

An Ruyu chuckled lightly, "Young Hero Guo is indeed astute, but this time..."

"Actually, even I am not sure."

She looked somewhat helpless.

"The Luo River Diagram is limited by the constraints of this world, and also by my own cultivation level. It cannot fully comprehend anything involving Immortals and Gods or higher beings."

With the Primordial Spirit Contract as proof, Yu Tunzhou temporarily disregarded her lie, only giving her a deep look before stepping forward:

"Let's go in and see what this immortal Immortal Cauldron looks like."

The two entered the Daoist temple one after the other.

The Daoist temple was small, with no statues or tablets of deities; only a large bronze cauldron stood alone in the center.

With three legs and two handles, its shape is simple and ancient. The body of the cauldron is engraved with patterns of the rising and setting of the sun and moon, as well as mountains, rivers and seas, making it look like an ordinary High Antiquity sacrificial vessel.

Yu Tunzhou's gaze first fell on the front of the large cauldron.

Zhang Buyu sat cross-legged three steps in front of the Immortal Cauldron, his eyes closed, his breathing steady, and his aura calm, seemingly unaware of their arrival.

He frowned as he looked at Zhang Buyu, somewhat worried.

Fortunately, Zhang Buyu regained consciousness after only a short while.

"Brother Yu." He wasn't surprised by their appearance; instead, he gave a wry smile. "The Ancestral Artifact has told me the details. It gave me a choice."

"The Ancestral Artifact... is this immortal Immortal Cauldron?" Yu Tunzhou then took a closer look at the Immortal Cauldron.

The immortal Immortal Cauldron was clearly not "completely unaware" of Floating Hill Mountain's request, yet it offered no response.

What choices did it give you?

"... I voluntarily entrust my physical body to the spirit of the Ancestral Artifact. Thirty years later, it will return my body to me. In return, it will resolve a crisis for Floating Hill Mountain, after which it will leave Floating Hill Mountain."

Zhang Buyu whispered.

"And if I am unwilling, it will not force me; however, it will absolutely not intervene in this great calamity."

"Leave the mountain gate?"

The Shouguan at the door gasped in shock, rushed in, and said incredulously,

"Senior, has Floating Hill Mountain done something wrong?"

Yu Tunzhou's gaze toward the Immortal Cauldron also held a hint of doubt.

This immortal Immortal Cauldron...

Is it truly a remnant of the Human Emperor?

This choice, supposedly given to Zhang Buyu to make his own decision, Zhang Buyu any real choice at all.

To be honest, he hadn't quite understood it before.

Why would the Immortal Cauldron left behind by the Human Emperor be so indifferent to the survival of the Eastern Wilderness and the lives of its people?

If the Devil Lord of the Nine Netherworlds were to descend upon the Eastern Wilderness, would there be any need to persuade or beg him to take action? If it were truly a celestial weapon left behind by the Human Emperor, it would have already taken the initiative to fight back.

"You want to agree?" Yu Tunzhou looked at Zhang Buyu.

Zhang Buyu remained silent for a few moments, then nodded and said:

I'd like to agree.

"I am an orphan. I was taken in by my master at a young age and have lived in the sect ever since. Floating Hill Mountain is my home. Besides, I have heard about the sect's original plan, and compared to the original outcome, this is already the best solution."

"Only..."

He paused, looked at Shouguan, and said with a hint of pleading, "But before handing over my body, I want to see my master one last time."

"Junior Brother Long Yan is far away in the Western Desert. It would take at least half a month for a message to travel back and forth." Shouguan suppressed the shock in his heart and shook his head.

Zhang Buyu was silent for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "Then let me see Senior Brother Jin."

Shouguan said solemnly, "I will go to pick him up myself. He should be back by tomorrow at the earliest. Don't make a hasty decision."

Then, she looked at An Ruyu and Yu Tunzhou, her expression complicated, and whispered:

"Gentlemen, things are about to get complicated."

Rather than having Zhang Buyu sacrifice himself to exchange for the Immortal Cauldron, she now hopes that these two outsiders, the successors of the Human Emperor, can persuade the Immortal Cauldron to change its mind.

If the price of taking action is the complete loss of this Ancestral Artifact, it would be a significant blow to Floating Hill Mountain, a pain no less than having one's heart ripped out.

An Ruyu nodded slightly. "Please, senior, take Young Hero Zhang to safety for the time being and lend us this Daoist temple for a short time."

"Alright." Shouguan didn't hesitate for a moment, picked up Zhang Buyu, and walked out.

She dared not leave Zhang Buyu here any longer, fearing that he might impulsively agree.

Only two people and a cauldron remained in the Daoist temple; for a moment, you could hear a pin drop.

"I've heard that only those at the pinnacle of cultivation can catch the eye of this immortal Immortal Cauldron and be chosen to accompany it." An Ruyu turned her head with a smile, "Now Zhenyan Senior Zhenyan and Shouguan are both absent, Young Hero Yu, why don't you give it a try?"

"You go first."

Yu Tunzhou was not in high spirits and was not optimistic about the situation ahead.

The reason is simple: this immortal Immortal Cauldron clearly possesses an independent and conscious consciousness. It gave Zhang Buyu a choice between two options, its purpose almost obvious, knowing that Zhang Buyu would sacrifice himself for the sake of the sect.

Now that it has found the optimal solution to regain its freedom, why would it be easily swayed by others?

Yu Tunzhou thought for a moment. He was currently protecting himself with the Vajra Bracelet and the River Diagram was in his Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, but the spirits of these two divine weapons were both asleep and had never come into contact with him.

The immortal Immortal Cauldron before him was the first divine weapon he had ever encountered that possessed a clear and independent consciousness and was comparable to Immortals and Gods.

"Then I shall make a fool of myself."

An Ruyu slowly walked to the front of the cauldron, and her aura subtly changed.

The Yu Tunzhou technique seemed strangely familiar; was it the Spark Instruction?

She gently pressed her delicate hand against the cool cauldron, closed her eyes, and focused her mind, her Primordial Spirit slowly sinking into it.

The Daoist temple was completely silent; the Immortal Cauldron remained unresponsive, not even the patterns on its surface lit up.

One man and one cauldron, silently facing each other.

A dozen or so breaths later.

An Ruyu opened her eyes, her gaze deep and unfathomable.

Yu Tunzhou had been waiting nearby, taking in every change in her expression—from astonishment to confusion, then to a furrowed brow, and finally, she forcibly suppressed her emotions.

"You're surprised?" Yu Tunzhou said with a smile. "It seems its attitude towards you has exceeded your expectations. Tell me, what's going on?"

An Ruyu didn't try to hide anything and said bluntly, "It didn't respond to me."

Yu Tunzhou raised an eyebrow. "You mean, he completely ignored you?"

"Exactly," An Ruyu said frankly. "This is indeed beyond my expectations and defies common sense. Even if the Immortal Cauldron is difficult to control, it shouldn't have ignored me. It seems there's a problem somewhere."

Yu Tunzhou falls into deep thought.

Although An Ruyu had previously claimed that controlling the Immortal Cauldron was almost impossible, and that only the method of Nether Passage could truly wield it, he was certain that this demoness had come prepared and had other things to hide.

But judging from her current appearance, it really seems like she's hit a wall, something she herself didn't expect.

"I'll give it a try."

Yu Tunzhou stepped forward. He activated the Spark Instruction and the One Qi Breaks Ten Thousand Methods, pouring his energy into the Immortal Cauldron, but it sank like a stone into the sea, without causing a ripple.

He then activated the fragments of the Human Emperor Seal in his Dantian once more.

The latter responded in kind, though not as loudly as before, it was still enough to demonstrate its presence.

The Human Emperor Seal is here; if this immortal Immortal Cauldron truly remains from the Human Emperor, it shouldn't be ignored...

"A vulgar brute!"

The next moment.

A cold and arrogant voice suddenly rang out, tinged with impatience at being disturbed.

Yu Tunzhou stood there, stunned.

A faint blue light emanated from the cauldron, repelling his hand. It seemed forced to respond, hence its extremely harsh tone, even bordering on scorn.

"Their choice of you two is due to their poor judgment; it doesn't mean I would also be interested!"

"I've seen far too many so-called geniuses in the long course of my life, and I'm no longer interested in them. Besides, there are crude fools like you who abandon the righteous path and stray onto the wrong path of Martial Dao!"

"Step back! Do not disturb my peaceful cultivation any longer!"

Yu Tunzhou turned to look at An Ruyu, his expression grave, and said, "It seems that the immortal Immortal Cauldron passed down by the Human Emperor has had its mind corrupted by the Nine Netherworlds. The mastermind behind this might just be that Devil Lord."

An Ruyu chuckled and nodded in agreement, saying, "Young Hero Yu is right. Otherwise, how could this cauldron ignore us and act so superior?"

"Snort!"

The cauldron hummed, its azure light flickered, and its tone grew even colder.

"Two ignorant brats dare to slander me."

An Ruyu stepped forward, her smile gentle, "Since you recognize the Heaven and Earth, Mountains and Rivers Seal, Senior, you should know that we are not bothering you without reason. The Eastern Wilderness is in imminent danger, and the Human Emperor of the Nine Netherworlds Devil Lord is about to arrive. Senior bears the last mandate of the Human Emperor; you cannot simply sit idly by and watch the people suffer, can you?"

"The Human Emperor's dying wish?"

The voice of the Immortal Cauldron remained completely unmoved.

"What does this tiny, insignificant place matter? I have my own mission to fulfill. Compared to that, what is the Devil Lord's descent? If my plans are disrupted, that would be true annihilation!"

An Ruyu's eyes flickered as she said, "Since you agreed to Zhang Buyu's request, it proves that suppressing the Devil Lord is not a burden or an obstacle to your mission, so you are simply unwilling?"

"You little brat, you've got quite the sharp tongue," the Immortal Cauldron sneered, then said impatiently, "I have protected Floating Hill Mountain for thousands of years, and it's time for my time to go. Do you really think I'm the guardian deity of Floating Hill Mountain? For their sake, I'll remind you: don't meddle in this matter!"

The humming of the Immortal Cauldron echoed in the empty hall, then fell silent again in an instant, as if it were too lazy to say another word.

The faint glow emanating from the surface of the cauldron also faded, and the verdigris once again covered the faint inscriptions.

The Immortal Cauldron fell silent once more.

Yu Tunzhou and An Ruyu exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

The two communicated through their Primordial Spirit.

"Does this guy truly have another mission, or is he actually more inclined towards the latter when he's on Floating Hill Mountain and among the Human Emperor's Three Corpses?"

Yu Tunzhou gradually began to understand; this person didn't seem to care much about Floating Hill Mountain.

He then asked, "In the future you see, after Floating Hill Mountain sealed its gates, where is this Immortal Cauldron?"

"After the Human Emperor's Three Corpses erupted, this Immortal Cauldron did not assist Floating Hill Mountain; on the contrary, it seemed to be letting things run their course. As for anything else, I haven't seen any more."

An Ruyu explained,

"This is also why I urged the Nan Household to submit to the Devil Lord early. Otherwise, if the Human Emperor were to rebel, there would be no chance of persuading the Immortal Cauldron. One of these two troubles had to be dealt with first."

Yu Tunzhou said, "Then now, we can only pin our hopes on the portal where the Human Emperor's Three Corpses reside?"

"Not bad." An Ruyu looked outside the Daoist temple. "As expected, the mountain lord should be prepared as well."

Outside the Daoist temple.

Nan Guan's body trembled violently, as if an invisible hand had gripped his heart, and his face instantly turned ashen.

He groaned, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. His right hand was pressed tightly against his chest, and fine black energy seeped out from his pores, meandering and flowing under his skin like countless tiny black snakes darting along his veins.

The commotion was small, but it did not escape the notice of Yu Tunzhou and An Ruyu.

Yu Tunzhou strode out of the Daoist temple to check on the situation, while An Ruyu only glanced at him before saying:

"Bloodlust erupts."

"This traces back to the source of our bloodline. The Nan Household acted faster and more decisively than we anticipated."

As soon as he finished speaking, Nan Guan let out a low, inhuman roar. His inner Gang Qi broke through the seal instantly. The Gang Qi was corrupted by the deep demonic intent, and its power and speed more than doubled.

"This level of power boost... is this the bloodline of Immortals and Gods?"

Yu Tunzhou frowned, raised his hand and pressed down from a distance to suppress and examine the changes within Nan Guan's body, finally reinforcing the seal on Nan Guan.

An Ruyu said softly, "We need to speed things up."

Just then...

A calm and composed voice reached their ears from afar. "Young friends, please come here for a chat."

Yu Tunzhou looked up towards the main mountain, where a thatched hut seemed to be hidden among the pines amidst the swirling clouds and mist.

He exchanged a glance with An Ruyu, then immediately leaped up, transforming into two streaks of light, and flew towards the main mountain.

Upon arriving at the main mountain, we discovered that the Zhenyan Master Zhenyan was already waiting there.

He stood in front of a thatched hut and gestured for the two of them to come here.

The thatched hut was small, with a few withered vines hanging from the eaves. Once they entered, the hut felt somewhat crowded.

The Daoist Shouzheng, Heaven Ranking ninth on the Heavenly Ranking, sat cross-legged on the futon in the center of his thatched hut and laughed loudly:

"One is currently ranked first on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, and the other is ranked second. I never expected that they would both be descendants of my Human Emperor lineage!"

He first looked at An Ruyu, and said with great interest, "Could you show me the power of the Luo River Diagram?"

An Ruyu smiled and gently raised her hand. An ancient book appeared out of Void and hung quietly in the hut.

This was also the first time that Yu Tunzhou had seen the true form of the Luo River Diagram.

It did not exhibit many miraculous manifestations. Was this because the divine object concealed its power, or An Ruyu unable to unleash the full potential of this divine weapon?

Then, the Daoist Shouzheng raised his hand and guided the Luo River Diagram into his palm.

In an instant, golden hexagrams rose from between the pages of the book, flowing and changing endlessly, as if they were trying to break free from their constraints.

He chuckled softly, and with his other hand, he reached out and grasped at the Void, conjuring wisps of pure, ethereal energy that he then channeled into the Luo River Diagram.

"Immortal Spirit Qi?"

Huntian's slightly surprised voice rang out.

"This guy actually has Immortal Physique? What a pity, what a real pity. Such a promising talent for Immortal Dao, yet he chose the path of Martial Dao, ruining his future."

"Immortal Physique?" Yu Tunzhou's thoughts stirred slightly.

He had heard of the roots of Buddha and the bones of Tao, but he had never heard of the concept of Immortal Physique.

"Those with Immortal Physique are born with Nether Passage profound understanding of the mysteries of the Heavenly Court, able to sense the Immortal Realm realm's gateway where the Heavenly Court resides. This physique almost guarantees immortality, comparable to the powerful bloodlines of our Demon Race, and can be considered one of the top physiques among Human Race."

Huntian was slightly Outer Dao.

"This Floating Hill Mountain has quite a foundation. One Immortal Physique and one Reincarnated Spirit Physique —in the Primordial Era, that would be roughly equivalent to two Immortals and Gods."

As Immortal Spirit Qi entered the Luo River Diagram, the Luo River Diagram slowly turned its pages, and the surrounding golden trigrams grew wildly like vines, instantly spreading across the Void and evolving into a grand Innate Eight Trigrams Grand Formation.

The array patterns caused the Void to tremble slightly, and in the blink of an eye, they had completely enveloped the entire Floating Hill Mountain!

In the Daoist temple deep within the mountain gate.

The silent Immortal Cauldron emitted a faint glow, but ultimately only let out a cold snort.

The pages of the Luo River Diagram flipped rapidly, and the layers of trigrams pressed down, the immense power of the Dao of Changes contained within them making Yu Tunzhou's eyelids twitch.

He had a feeling that if the Daoist Shouzheng wanted to kill him at this moment, a single thought would suffice.

Is this the power of the Dharma Aspect Realm expert wielding a supreme divine weapon?

It feels like he's already mastered the awakened Vajra Bracelet in Dragon Gate!

At this moment.

The Daoist Shouzheng holding the Luo River Diagram glanced at Yu Tunzhou, then looked at An Ruyu. In his eyes, an illusory river appeared, reflecting countless lights and shadows.

Yu Tunzhou a beat. Could this person be using the power of the Luo River Diagram to glimpse their fate and future?

The Daoist Shouzheng withdrew his gaze, his expression thoughtful.

He looked out of the hut and slowly stood up.

The void behind him Void cracked open, and a misty portal slowly opened, seemingly connecting to the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm. Endless immortal Immortal Spirit Qi surged out and poured into the Luo River Diagram.

In an instant, Luo River Diagram shone with golden light, as if it had truly awakened. The Innate Eight Trigrams Grand Formation surged like a raging tide, breaking through the clouds on the mountain peak and spreading towards the distant Void!

Cangling Nan Household.

Nan Feng suddenly looked up, staring in horror at the sky.

Above the clouds, a corner of the Innate Eight Trigrams Grand Formation slowly descended, its Dao of Changes power like the Heaven's Collapse, enveloping the entire Nan Household.

"This is... the Great Array of Dao of Changes?!"

Her expression changed drastically, and she leaped into the air, using all her cultivation to try and stop the formation from falling.

But in the next instant, an overwhelming force pressed down on her, and she was struck hard, crashing back to the ground and creating a crater tens of feet deep, spitting out blood.

Despair instantly enveloped her.

Faced with such immense power, she didn't even have the right to resist!

Just as she was waiting to die, the slowly rotating golden Bagua array above suddenly stopped, then receded like a tide, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye, as if it had never existed.

"Phoenix Ancestor!"

A voice called out, and several figures rushed over from the surrounding area. Nan Zhongzhongwei, his face filled with shock, helped her up.

For a fleeting moment, he had the illusion that the entire Nan Household was about to be wiped off the face of the earth.

Nan Feng struggled to her feet, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, but her eyes held only ruthlessness. She gritted her teeth and said, each word distinct:

"No need to wait... Activate the Blood Array to summon the Devil Lord!"

Inside the thatched hut, Yu Tunzhou was immersed in the Dao of Changes as interpreted by the Luo River Diagram).

Suddenly, his hair stood on end, and he abruptly looked up at Shouzheng's back.

At the same moment, An Ruyu and the Zhenyan priest Zhenyan both changed color.

"Careful--"

The Zhenyan priest looked horrified. Before he could finish speaking, a withered, gray, and deathly hand suddenly emerged from the portal behind the Immortal Realm Daoist Shouzheng and pressed down on his back!

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, and the three of them could only watch helplessly as this unfolded. Even the Zhenyan Master Zhenyan, who was almost Immortals and Gods, was powerless to intervene.

At the critical moment, the golden hexagrams flowing around Shouzheng suddenly contracted inward, changing rapidly.

The withered hand seemed to be blinded by the divination array, its orientation suddenly shifting. The strike that should have pierced his heart instead slammed heavily onto the futon beneath him with its five fingers.

Crack--

The futon shattered instantly, and the cattails, which had been imbued with the Spiritual Qi over the years, turned to ashes.

A sealing array platform was suddenly revealed below.

Below the array platform, an ancient, ferocious aura, filled with endless malice, suddenly awakened, as if it had been thoroughly enraged by this sudden offense.

The will to die clashed violently with ferocity.

There was no loud noise, only a muffled hum, like a giant hammer crashing into a bottomless abyss.

A terrifying aftershock exploded from the platform, its power so great that it could crush the entire thatched hut and its inhabitants into dust.

Just as the aftershocks began to spread, an invisible and intangible Inner Heaven and Earth suddenly unfolded, like an inverted jade bowl, encompassing all the violent power without allowing any residual force to leak out.

The Daoist Shouzheng spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale.

Before the three could speak, he raised his hand to stop them from saying anything:

It's alright.

He coughed a few times, his voice still relatively steady, though his face was much paler, but his eyes still held a smile as he remarked:

"I just attempted to use the power of the Luo River Diagram to directly eliminate the Nan Household, but the Luo River Diagram attracted the attention of a hidden powerhouse in the Immortal Realm, interrupting my attack."

"Indeed, the process can change in countless ways, but the outcome is irreversible."

One sentence was enough to make the old Zhenyan master tremble.

Even if Shouzheng to take control of the Luo River Diagram and try to Miemo's descent in the bud, the Luo River Diagram would still attract the attention of other Immortals and Gods...

This is destiny!

Shouzheng turned to look at An Ruyu, gently returned the now-calm Luo River Diagram to her, and smiled:

"Thanks to you, the power of the Luo River Diagram has delayed the Three Corpses ' rampage. When the Devil Lord descends, I should be able to spare some strength. Your exploration of the sealed portal later will be much safer."

An Ruyu curtsied, her eyes filled with genuine respect. "Senior, your actions are truly decisive and extraordinary."

In a short time, he used the Luo River Diagram to interpret the secrets of heaven and found the optimal solution. Without even the slightest hesitation, he decisively took action, drawing powerful beings from the Immortal Realm to fight against the Human Emperor's Three Corpses... Although he was ultimately injured, he clearly achieved the greatest benefit at the lowest cost.

This mindset and courage are truly astonishing!

Shouzheng shook his head, looked in the direction of the Daoist temple, and showed a hint of helplessness:

"It won't be easy for you to persuade the Ancestral Artifact to intervene. You've probably already seen it; it has a deep-seated prejudice against Martial Dao... To be honest, this is partly my fault."

He sighed softly, his tone tinged with melancholy:

"In the past, the Ancestral Artifact had offered to accompany me. However, at that time, Floating Hill Mountain was in a period of decline, and no Immortals and Gods had emerged for hundreds of years, while the Three Corpses were becoming increasingly active."

"If I were to pursue the Immortal Dao of immortality, I might hope to ascend to the Immortals and Gods after the great upheaval of the world, but that would be a distant solution to my immediate needs. Therefore, I have closed myself off from the path of immortality and switched to the Martial Dao, hoping to take charge of the sect as soon as possible."

"That is precisely why Ancestral Artifact harbored some disappointment towards me, and even towards the entire Floating Hill Mountain."

"I hope you can truly find a reason to persuade the Immortal Cauldron from behind the door."

He waved his hand, making way for the middle of the thatched hut, and walked outside with the old Daoist priest, leaving the space to the two younger people.

This time, An Ruyu didn't stand on ceremony. "Young Hero Guo, please let me go first."

Yu Tunzhou nodded, his thoughts communicating with Huntian in his Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth.

"Now the situation in the Eastern Wilderness is clear at a glance. How does the Great Sage think it should be resolved? It involves the future of Immortals and Gods. Is it really impossible to reverse?"

"Are you referring to the rebellion of the Human Emperor's Three Corpses or the descent of the Devil Lord?" Huntian pondered. "If it's the rebellion of the Three Corpses, then it's indeed troublesome, and I can't think of any solution. But if it's just the descent of the Devil Lord, then you might be able to break the deadlock."

"Oh?"

"Doesn't that broken cauldron look down on Martial Dao?" Huntian said confidently. "Fellow Daoist, you can go see it again and circulate the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art. This is a supreme-level immortal technique. To be able to cultivate the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art in this world is something only you can do right now. It's enough to scare that broken cauldron to death."

"If the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art don't work, then we'll unleash the Vajra Bracelet. Even if it were finished, so what? It would still be captured!"

Yu Tunzhou exclaimed, "Great Sage, you are indeed resourceful. However, I'm afraid the Vajra Bracelet cannot be used for the time being."

The Vajra Bracelet still suppresses the Demon-Summoning Banner; if he were to activate the Vajra Bracelet, it would trigger a violent uprising of the Demon-Summoning Banner.

"Hmm..." Huntian suddenly said, "After several great battles and having absorbed all sorts of fortune through the Heaven, Earth, and Human Ranking, you should have made a small breakthrough by now, right?"

Yu Tunzhou nodded. "The Middle Divine Ability Stage is easily attainable; it's not difficult at all."

Huntian said earnestly, "Once you have forged more than half of the Eight Sceneries within your Inner Heaven and Earth, you should be able to vaguely sense the location of the portal. If we can't find the portal of the Human Emperor, can't we find the portal of Xuandu Heaven?"

Yu Tunzhou said knowingly, "Fellow Daoist means that if you can't activate the Immortal Cauldron, then activate the Vajra Bracelet, so that the latter can suppress the former?"

Huntian folded his wings and chuckled, "That Immortal Cauldron is a bit special. The power it unleashed in this world far surpasses that of you and the Vajra Bracelet. Directly confronting it would be dangerous, but we can scare it."

The Yu Tunzhou and immediately understood.

There are still some risks involved in implementing this, but with the Human Emperor Seal backing it up, there's no need to worry about the Immortal Cauldron turning its back on us!

At that moment, he and Huntian made a plan: if they couldn't get through this doorway, they would have to take their own path.

Huntian spread his wings, looking spirited, and said, "To be honest, my condition has improved recently. If it really comes to a critical moment, I can try to suppress the Demon-Summoning Banner to lend you a hand."

Just as Yu Tunzhou was about to praise Huntian for becoming more and more reliable, a familiar yet unfamiliar aura came from ahead.

This is...

The ancient human emperor!

Unlike the previous fierce and malevolent aura, this time the aura surging from behind the sealing formation was majestic, righteous, and imposing—it was the way of the king and the way of the saint!

This demoness actually awakened the Human Emperor's Three Corpses?