A Desperate Plight! The Demon-Summoning Banner!
Zhenwu Mountain.
Incense smoke curled before the Dao Venerable. The Daoist Wolong sat cross-legged in meditation, when suddenly his eyes slightly opened.
He sensed his destiny line trembling in the the Unseen; its once clear trajectory flickered, as if some external force was forcibly manipulating it.
He frowned, gazing at the churning clouds outside the Daoist temple, and muttered to himself, "How has Fellow Daoist Yu's fate changed again?"
"Who made the changes in secret?"
Cold sweat dripped down his back.
Ning Li's offensive momentum came to an abrupt halt.
Having been in the External Scenery Fourth Layer for decades, he had never felt such horror as he did at this moment.
In that brief moment, he had no idea what had happened, but he instinctively sensed a deadly crisis.
The next second, Zhang Xuan in front of him was already decapitated.
His head rolled to the ground, his face filled with the ruthless killing intent of someone pouncing on Yu Tunzhou. There was no trace of surprise or pain in his eyes, which showed that Zhang Xuan had not realized that death was coming until his death.
This made Ning Li feel even colder.
Quasi-Grandmaster on the External Scenery Fourth Layer, a powerful figure in the Central Plains, yet at this moment he was as fragile as paper.
Even someone as powerful as Dharma Aspect would find it extremely difficult to take the head of a Quasi-Grandmaster in this way!
Even the Primordial Spirit didn't have time to escape!
Behind him, Liaowu suddenly stepped forward, his monk's robes fluttering without wind, his gaze fixed greedily and intensely on the broken sword in the center of the platform.
An image of a celestial artifact uncontrollably surfaced in his mind!
This is absolutely a celestial artifact from Heavenly Court!
Back then, Qingyang only needed to obtain a celestial sword to recognize him as its master, yet he was unparalleled in the External Scenery, reigning supreme on the Earth Ranking, and even dared to challenge Dharma Aspect.
Legend has it that the Heavenly Demon Kou Ziling went overseas and plotted for many years, but all he wanted was an High Antiquity artifact.
If I could obtain such divine weapons and magical artifacts—
Even if Liaose himself came after him, what did he have to fear!
Liaowu looked at the two people on the high platform and suddenly spoke, "Holy Maiden of the Incense-Smelling Cult, you have grown even more graceful and elegant in the years since I last saw you. This humble monk asks you, what is that broken sword?"
An Ruyu smiled gently, her voice soft and clear. "So it's Master Liaowu who has arrived. This place is the Immortal-Slaying Platform, where even True Immortal can be slain. The origin of that broken sword needs no further explanation. If Master is tempted, you must be careful; the immortal sword has no eyes."
Liaowu's gaze grew even more fervent. He took another step forward and said, "What method is there to collect it? Tell me, and I'll consider it a favor I owe you."
An Ruyu smiled and said, "The Immortal Blade thirsts for blood. If you, Master, can nourish it with sufficient Blood Qi, it will surely satisfy the Immortal Blade and temporarily quell its stagnation."
"Blood Qi?" Liaowu frowned.
This place is not the Central Plains, where you can arbitrarily capture ordinary people and extract their blood.
He circled around in the light, then suddenly stared fixedly at the tiger demon not far away.
The latter's expression changed, and he said with bluster but no fear, "Human, my Demon Race has brought countless experts this time, including several immortals Immortals and Gods! If you dare to attack me, you are courting death!"
Liaowu muttered to himself, "The physique of Demon Race far surpasses that of their peers, and their Essence Blood are even more so. Your Blood Qi alone is enough to rival that of tens of thousands. Moreover, this blade is a weapon for slaying immortals; mortal blood is probably beneath its notice."
Before he could finish speaking, he had already vanished from the spot.
When he reappeared, he was behind the tiger demon, lightly pressing a palm against the top of its head with a compassionate expression, as if performing a ritual of deliverance. "Benefactor, you have committed too many killings; let this humble monk deliver you."
"Get out of my way!" The tiger demon's Blood Qi erupted, and its Demon Power condensed into a white tiger phantom, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced behind it.
Ning Li, who had stopped on the iron chain, stared intently at the broken sword. After confirming that the sword was unresponsive, he roughly guessed the cause of Zhang Xuan's death.
A sudden wave of regret washed over me.
He finally witnessed the dangers of the Heavenly Court. Even Quasi-Grandmaster could die without even knowing how he died if he took one wrong step!
For a moment, his expression shifted between anger and uncertainty, leaving him in a dilemma.
If you retreat or stay put, once Liaowu has dealt with the tiger demon, he will most likely not let you go for the sake of the immortal blade.
If he advances, he will inevitably face off against Yu Tunzhou. Now that Zhang Xuan is gone, he may not be able to defeat Yu Tunzhou.
Suddenly, Ning Li gritted his teeth and strode towards the high platform, looking warily at Yu Tunzhou and the other man, but did not make a move. Instead, he quickly walked to the other side.
On the Immortal-Slaying Platform, a chilling, Sha Qi relentlessly eroded the bodies of the three of them.
Even though Yu Tunzhou's physical body was already quite strong, he still felt a tingling sensation in his meridians, and the flow of his Gang Qi became somewhat sluggish.
An Ruyu's face had turned pale, and her lips had lost their color.
"Walk!"
Yu Tunzhou glanced one last time at the battle behind him, thinking to himself that this demoness was indeed ruthless, killing demons without even lifting a finger herself.
And this Immortal-Slaying Platform is indeed the best place to shake off the pursuers behind, not only because fighting is not allowed on the high platform, but also because the immortal treasures are so captivating!
He and An Ruyu walked forward. When his gaze swept over the broken sword, his heart was stirred, but he knew that this was not the time to covet treasures, nor did he have the confidence to take such a vicious weapon.
On the high platform, all laws and regulations were forbidden, Blood Sha suppressed everything, making each step extremely difficult. The sounds of unwilling and desperate wails echoed in his ears.
The platform, which is only a few hundred feet long, feels like hundreds of miles long when you walk on it.
They moved with difficulty on the stage, while behind them, the battle between the Liaowu Demonic Monk and the tiger demon was still raging.
In order to end the battle quickly, Liaowu used a forbidden Shaolin technique, which quickly suppressed the tiger demon.
However, even with a difference in their cultivation levels, it would be extremely difficult to defeat the opponent in a short period of time.
So Liaowu seized the opportunity and suddenly struck the tiger demon with a palm, sending it hurtling towards the high platform, successfully forcing the tiger demon into the platform!
"You beast, get up there!"
The tiger demon was terrified. As soon as it stepped onto the platform, it hurriedly withdrew all its demonic power and blood energy.
But even Liaowu this, he didn't stop.
He stood on the iron chain, and with a palm strike from afar, his Gang Qi bloomed like a magnificent lotus flower, but with a blood-red base.
Click!
The sound of bones breaking was crisp and piercing. The tiger demon's bones broke inch by inch. Under the intense pain, it could no longer suppress its Demon Power, and its Blood Qi exploded instinctively.
A flash of insight appeared in his eyes upon Liaowu.
Really!
Fighting is forbidden on the high platform, but it can't stop people outside the platform from taking action!
At the critical moment of life and death, the tiger demon roared angrily, revealing an ancient white tiger behind him. It roared to the sky and was forced to use its Bloodline Divine Ability.
"Human Race, you—"
Before the harsh words could be finished, the illusory image of the White Tiger bloodline suddenly disintegrated.
A massive tiger's head shot skyward, its demonic blood gushing forth like a fountain, splashing onto the dark red platform and instantly being absorbed.
Seeing this, Liaowu's eyes burned with fervor as he stared intently at the broken sword.
A clear, resonant sound emanated from the blade, carrying a hint of satisfaction from a full meal.
Liaowu his head back and laughed loudly, his voice shaking the clouds. "Saintess An, thank goodness you didn't deceive this humble monk!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around abruptly and slapped Ning Li with his palm.
The latter's expression changed drastically, and he said sternly, "Liaowu, I am backed by the Great Immortal Qianyuan. If you dare to attack me—"
"Rest assured, Benefactor Ning." Liaowu's smile twisted into a sinister grin. "This humble monk is kind-hearted and never personally wields a butcher's knife. The one who will kill you is not this humble monk."
The palm strike hit him squarely in the face, his life hanging by a thread. Ning Li instinctively reached out to block, but the instant he made his move, all color drained from his face, leaving only despair.
The next moment.
The blade flashed and disappeared in an instant.
The world returned to peace.
Zhenwu Mountain.
The expression on Daoist Wolong's face subtly changed. He looked up at the celestial phenomena, as if he could see the ruins of the Heavenly Court beyond the heavens, and murmured, "Fellow Daoist Yu's fate has changed again, and his chances of survival have increased by another ray—"
The Yu Tunzhou was almost at its end, and a chill ran down my spine.
All three Quasi-Grandmaster were killed with a single strike, without any ripples or resistance.
He just Liaowu if such methods were used against him and An Ruyu, their fate would probably not be any better.
He believed that An Ruyu's Luo River Diagram and his own Vajra Bracelet could definitely withstand this Immortal-Slaying Saber.
But being able to block it doesn't mean he can stop it. The speed of this knife is too astonishing, exceeding his eyesight. A slight mistake could result in his head being separated from his body!
Fortunately, they were not far from the end.
After Liaowu the Immortal-Slaying Saber drink the blood of the three, Liao Wu, who was behind, felt increasingly "satisfied" as the blade rang out. He was overjoyed and immediately took out a relic from his robes.
He was wanted by the entire Shaolin Temple for trying to steal this relic.
He chanted Buddhist scriptures, and rays of radiant light emanated from the relics, swirling in the Void. The Golden Body of Arhats then appeared, and the ethereal Buddhist chants echoed throughout the heavens and earth, calming the murderous blade on the high platform ahead.
After confirming that the broken sword was not resisting, Liaowu slowly moved forward along the iron chain.
Even if the relics are useless, he still has another Buddhist treasure that he can try to collect!
He cautiously stepped onto the platform, continued chanting Buddhist scriptures, and only after confirming that the broken sword remained still did he continue forward, walking towards the broken sword. As the distance closed, the greed in his eyes became more and more intense, almost overflowing.
And just then...
A scorching wave of fire swept in from the end of the platform, turning the sky and earth crimson.
A wave of fire rushed towards them, forcing Yu Tunzhou and An Ruyu to dodge to the side!
A figure emerged from the sea of fire, his voice booming like a bell. "Liaowu, you traitor of Shaolin Temple, how dare you covet the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade?"
19
In an instant, a sea of fire surged and suddenly engulfed the high platform.
Liaowu's expression changed drastically. He decisively retreated, returning to the iron chains outside the platform before the flames engulfed him. Looking up, his gaze coldly locked onto the person who had come.
The newcomer appeared to be middle-aged, dressed in a black sable fur coat, exuding an imposing aura. After his gaze swept over the people present, his expression was full of amusement.
Liaowu suddenly frowned. "Xie Lihuo?"
"You actually managed to break through to the Grandmaster?"
His gaze suddenly fell on the gourd hanging at Xie Lihuo's waist, and his pupils contracted slightly.
The rolling waves of fire were erupting from the gourd, and their power had exceeded the limits of Grandmaster!
Could this also be a celestial artifact?!
Was Xie Lihuo having some extraordinary encounter while traveling, or was it due to the Xie Household's deep-rooted resources?
The sea of fire churned like an angry dragon, and the scorching heat seemed to evaporate some of the resentment on the Immortal-Slaying Platform.
Liaowu landed on the iron chain, squinted at the red gourd at Xie Lihuo's waist, and his expression darkened.
"The Xie Household is indeed well-established," Liaowu said coldly. "But if you think you can snatch a treasure from a mere monk just because you've just broken through to the Grandmaster, you're being far too arrogant!"
Xie Lihuo stood on the sea of fire, the flames forming a long, crimson staircase beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.
"That's a misconception," Xie Lihuo said calmly. "The Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade is a treasure left behind by the Heavenly Court, and only those with the right destiny will obtain it. You Liaowu, a mere Shaolin outcast, burdened with karmic debts and consequences, dare to speak of 'destiny'?"
Liaowu's gaze turned sinister. "This humble monk will see today what abilities you possess that dare to utter such arrogant words!"
The Buddhist scriptures were chanted again, and radiant light emanated from the relics, covering the high platform in front of them.
Xie Lihuo chuckled, and the crimson gourd at his waist shook, spewing out a vast expanse of crimson fire clouds that swept across the entire Immortal-Slaying Platform.
Yu Tunzhou and An Ruyu's expressions both changed, as the fiery cloud targeted them indiscriminately, enveloping them as well!
When Yu Tunzhou first heard that the other party's surname was Xie, he already had a bad feeling.
And now it's just as I thought!
A sea of fire and a beam of Buddha's light clashed fiercely above the high platform.
The temperature of the entire Immortal-Slaying Platform suddenly soared to an alarming level, pushing An Ruyu and Yu Tunzhou to the brink of despair!
Xie Lihuo wasn't directly targeting them, but if this continued, even if they did nothing, they would be roasted alive by the fire clouds!
"Charge!" Yu Tunzhou's eyes flashed decisively. "I'll lead the charge!"
Having said that, he took the lead and cleared the way ahead, trying to cross this final distance and reach the end of the platform.
However, the next moment, a fire dragon suddenly swept over them, forcing them back.
"Behave yourself."
Xie Lihuo's voice came calmly, his gaze not even glancing in their direction, as if he were casually dismissing two ants, "Dare to take another step forward, and the next blast of fire will not be just a scratch. Don't blame me for burning you to death on the Immortal-Slaying Platform."
"I'll deal with you after I've put away my throwing knives."
His tone was calm, yet it carried an air of absolute control, as if the two people on stage were already his for the taking!
Yu Tunzhou turned solemn, but he had no choice but to retreat. His right shoulder was scalded by the fire wave, and his skin was charred black. Clearly, the fire from his opponent was not ordinary.
An Ruyu's face was pale, and a sliver of light emanated from the Luo River Diagram in her hand, barely shielding them from the sea of fire.
Although An Ruyu didn't say a word, Yu Tunzhou knew she couldn't hold on for long.
While resisting the erosion of the Sha Qi on the Immortal-Slaying Platform, she was also maintaining the operation of the Luo River Diagram, which took a huge toll on her.
She had already tricked Liaowu into killing Ning Li and the other two, so now it was up to her.
Yu Tunzhou remained calm, quickly considering how to break the current predicament.
"Boom--!
The firelight and the Buddha's light collided violently in mid-air, and the aftershocks and the force of the impact caused the previously silent half of the immortal sword to hum.
Soon, the battle between Xie Lihuo and Liaowu was decided; the Buddha's light was defeated and ultimately could not withstand the overwhelming fire clouds.
Liaowu the iron chains beneath his feet were shaking violently, he stumbled back two steps before regaining his balance, his chest heaving with Qi and Blood and qi.
His face was grim, and his gaze was fixed on the red gourd at Xie Lihuo's waist.
"Liaowu, even if you were Shaolin Shaolin True Disciple, so what? How could you possibly compare to the Xie Household's profound heritage?"
Xie Lihuo spoke arrogantly, raising his palm to grasp the broken blade in the center of the platform. A crimson wave of fire transformed into a giant fiery palm, reaching out to grab the blade in mid-air.
He actually intended to forcibly retrieve the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade despite the barrier!
Liaowu quickly looked over and saw that as the fiery palm landed, the severed blade suddenly began to hum, but the reaction was not as strong as before, and was quite limited.
The invisible blade energy scattered and collided with the fiery palm, producing a "sizzling" sound.
The fiery palm was peeled away layer by layer by the blade's energy, but relying on the continuous flames, it tightly wrapped around the blade and dragged it out little by little.
Xie Lihuo's brows furrowed slightly in delight; it had indeed worked!
He activated the gourd at his waist, and the flames intensified, the fiery palm becoming even more solid and blazing.
Liaowu snorted coldly and immediately stepped in to stop him.
He was indeed no match for Xie Lihuo's fire gourd, but stopping Xie Lihuo would not be difficult!
The next moment, his light locked onto An Ruyu and Yu Tunzhou, finally landing on Yu Tunzhou.
The young saintess of the Incense-Smelling Cult still has many uses; it would be a pity if she were to die like this.
With this thought in mind, he suddenly struck Yu Tunzhou with his palm, trying to force Yu Tunzhou on the stage to make a move, triggering the Immortal Blade to erupt and thus break Xie Lihuo's fiery palm.
Xie Lihuo understood Liaowu's purpose, glanced at him indifferently, and a fire dragon swept out, blocking Liaowu's palm strike in mid-air, leaving only a portion of the aftershock to strike downwards.
Yu Tunzhou gazed at the remaining path in the sea of clouds at the end of the Immortal-Slaying Platform.
That was their only way.
But now, the sea of fire has covered most of the Immortal-Slaying Platform, and the entrance to the ruined path is also shrouded in flames, making it impossible to pass through.
He took a deep breath.
Wolves in front, tigers behind, and deadly blades at your feet.
Indeed, it was a dead end everywhere.
But if what An Ruyu said is truly a miraculous escape from a desperate situation—
Yu Tunzhou licked his lips. The more desperate the situation, the calmer his eyes became, as if a fire was quietly burning deep within.
He had already made up his mind.
Within the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth.
"Fellow Daoist, are you truly going to release the Demon-Summoning Banner?" Huntian asked solemnly. "Once it's released, we may not be able to retrieve it."
"Take care of the immediate situation first."
Yu Tunzhou without the slightest hesitation.
He used the Vajra Bracelet to trap the Demon-Summoning Banner in the Dragon Gate, gaining an extra Demon Race, which was a good thing in itself, but it also restrained most of the power of the Vajra Bracelet.
In this situation, the only option is to sacrifice the pawns to save the king.
Losing the Demon-Summoning Banner is certainly a pity, but compared to life, it all takes a backseat.
In this Life-and-Death Tribulation, Yu Tunzhou was prepared to give up certain things.
Huntian sighed. Although he was very reluctant, there was nothing he could do.
"Very well, I'll try to see if I can wield the Demon-Summoning Banner and lend you a hand, fellow Daoist."
now.
Xie Lihuo finally managed to drag the broken sword away from its original position, bit by bit.
As the blade left the central array point of the platform, the entire Immortal-Slaying Platform began to tremble slightly, and the Blood Sha aura began to run rampant, engulfing all living beings on the platform.
Seeing that success was imminent, Xie Lihuo loudly and increased the force of his palm by three points. He hadn't expected the trip to be so smooth!
Having just entered the Heavenly Court, he was about to complete the Immortal Ancestor's mission, storing the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade in the Immortal Gourd. He also blocked Yu Tunzhou, whose life and death were in his hands.
The Xie Household is indeed destined for greatness this time!
Just as he was feeling triumphant, an ancient banner unfurled between heaven and earth. Its surface was as black as ink, embroidered with thousands of Demon Beast, and boundless Yao Qi energy soared into the sky, carrying with it the fierce aura of ancient Savage Wilderness, directly shattering the fiery clouds in the sky!
Xie Lihuo's smile froze on his face.
What horrified him even more was that the broken blade, which he had been dragging, suddenly emitted an unprecedented clang!
The sound of the blade was clear, resonant, and violent!
With a sweep of the blade, the flames enveloping the sword were extinguished without a trace, and then it transformed into a silver-white streak, heading straight towards the direction of the Demon-Summoning Banner!
at the same time--
Throughout the Heavenly Court, all the Demon Race who sensed this Yao Qi simultaneously stopped in their tracks.
Even the Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird, which had been chasing Su Mang deep into the Heavenly Court, stopped at this moment. Its sharp light seemed to pierce through layers of Void, locking onto the source of the Yao Qi.
It took flight, abandoning Su Mang, and transformed into a golden streak of light, heading straight for the source of the Yao Qi.
Near the Southern Heavenly Gate, a powerful demon with Dharma Aspect head of a bull and the body of a human suddenly turned its head, its thick neck emitting a cracking sound as if its bones were grinding together.
It gazed at the soaring demonic Yao Qi not far away, its nostrils flaring, and its eyes flashed with disbelief. "---- The Demon-Summoning Banner?!"