A Single Sword Strike Settles the South Pole

After leaving Qixia Mountain, Su Yao headed towards the South Sea. This journey lasted for three years.

Over the course of three years, he did not move quickly; one could even say he deliberately slowed down.

Whenever he encountered Devil Cultivator along the way, whether they were at the Purple Mansion, Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refinement, he didn't even bother to say a word.

Great True Person would have a proper fight; a mid-stage Grandmaster would exchange a few blows; Purple Mansion Early Stage Grandmaster would be slain Pear Blossom Return a single sword strike; and those below Foundation Establishment would simply cast a Law Technique, a flash of lightning, a swift dart of Fire Sparrow, and those Devil Cultivator cultivators would be obliterated, soul and all.

Over the course of three years, he decimated the Devil Cultivator in the South Sea. Eventually, whenever those demonic cultivators sensed Su Yao's aura from Xiuyuan, they would become like frightened birds, not daring to even leave their cave abode. The entire Demonic Dao in the South Sea was thus cleansed.

Su Yao knew in his heart that he killed these Devil Cultivator not entirely to act on behalf of Heaven.

His method of seeking gold, "Cloud-Rainbow Heavenly Order Mysterious Method," follows the path of "Rainbow Clouds Standing in the Sky." If the path of Rainbow Clouds is to stand above the celestial light and patterns, taking the sky as its framework and using Rainbows and Clouds as its tool, it must first suppress all directions and incorporate the "power" of heaven and earth into itself. Going south, turning west, going north, and going east, it must travel to each place and suppress each direction in order to accumulate the intention and spirit of "standing in the sky."

The South Sea was the first stop on his trip.

During this time, the Dragon Palace of the South Sea invited him to a banquet, Su Yao, unable to refuse, went and sat there for half a day.

The Dragon King subtly inquired about Su Yao's purpose, but Su Yao only said that he was traveling through mountains and rivers, so the Dragon King did not ask any further questions.

After leaving the Dragon Palace, Su Yao continued his journey south.

After traveling for several more days, Su Yao passed by an archipelago.

The archipelago consisted of numerous sandbars, stretching for thousands of miles, roughly the size of Great Qing Province. Su Yao stood in the Great Void, looking down, and saw wisps of smoke rising from the sandbars, a scene typical of ordinary fishing villages. But upon closer inspection, his heart sank.

The barbarians living on those sandbars would slaughter livestock and even offer human flesh and blood as sacrifices to evil gods and shrines on the night of the full moon. These shrines were mostly inhabited by lowly mountain spirits, water monsters, vengeful ghosts, and evil spirits. In return for the blood offerings, they would give the barbarians some small favors, which the barbarians would then regard as gods.

Su Yao frowned slightly, and with a flick of his right hand, the Pear Blossom Return to his palm.

He swung his sword several times towards the area where those licentious shrines were concentrated. The sword light was like Rainbow Clouds piercing the earth, uprooting dozens of evil god altars. The clay and wooden statues of mountain spirits and water monsters shattered inch by inch under the Sword Intent, and the evil spirits and their remnants were also reduced to nothingness.

The barbarians scattered in terror. Su Yao did not harm the innocent, but simply destroyed the shrine to the wicked and casually set up a Rainbow Clouds barrier to purify the remaining Evil Qi before sheathing his sword and leaving.

Not long after Su Yao left, divine light shone brightly on the sandbar, and a huge figure stepped out from within the light.

The figure had a human face and a snake's body, with two green snakes hanging from its ears and two red snakes under its feet. Its divine power was as vast as the sea.

He gazed at the shattered remains of the licentious shrine, his face ashen.

Then, in a flash, He entered the Great Void.

At this moment, the Great Void was filled with Purple Qi, and yellow talismans scattered around like flying birds, which were the traces of True Lord Zique and the Celestial Master.

He said coldly, "Does the Mysterious Gate really intend to exterminate us all? I have already retreated to the Savage Wilderness South Sea, no longer involved in the affairs of the Central Plains, nor going to the West to meddle with those madmen who dream of becoming God Emperors again, nor going to meddle with Witchcraft Dao and Demonic Dao paths. Even so, do you still want to exterminate me all?"

The Purple Qi paused slightly, and the yellow talisman froze in mid-air.

Zique's figure materialized from the Purple Qi. He took out a jade bottle and tossed it to Buting Huyu, his voice calm and unhurried. "Senior Buting Huyu, I have indeed caused you trouble. Su Yao, the Qixia Temple of Qixia Zhongnan Dao Lineage the Mysterious Gate Jade Pure One Great Dao, is about to seek gold and is currently traveling the world. I have offended you in passing by this place. This bottle of pills is a gift from Qixia Temple to apologize."

Buting Huyu took the jade bottle with a gloomy expression, opened it, and took a sniff. His expression gradually softened, and even a smile appeared on his face.

"The few ordinary things in the mountains are not worth mentioning."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flickered and disappeared.

The Celestial Master's voice came from the yellow talisman:

"Zique, I think the Abbot of Qixia Temple is acting somewhat rashly and extremely. Although this Senior Buting Huyu is a master of Divine Dao Divine Core, he is an ancient figure who is devoted to worldly affairs. He comes from Qixia and should know that this is Senior Buting Huyu's Daoist temple."

Zique said calmly, "I suppose knowing someone is secretly protecting you is just a way to boost your own prestige."

The Celestial Master remained noncommittal, his tone carrying a hint of ambiguous amusement:

"I believe this Abbot Su will one day be one of us."

Zique simply nodded upon hearing this.

The Celestial Master then said:

"I see he's heading south... Isn't the southernmost point the South Pole, the sacred site of the True Lord of Summer Solstice, who attained Balmy Wind through gentle breezes?"

Zique nodded and sighed, "I just hope Su Yao doesn't provoke this True Lord. After all, this True Lord has a bad temper. He's ruined the peaceful Changyang Balmy Wind like this... Besides, that True Lord is a disciple of Biyou Sect, a descendant of the lineage of Bright Yang Heavenly Venerable, who was defeated by Yun Zhongzi Heavenly Venerable back then..."

He paused, then continued:

"If I remember correctly, that person was stuck in South Pole..."

Before he could finish speaking, Celestial Master Xuanyin flew out from the yellow talisman:

Fellow Daoist, please be careful with your words.

Zique said no more.

Another half month passed, Su Yao, after a long journey, finally arrived in South Pole.

The further south you go, the thinner the spiritual energy between heaven and earth becomes, as if this world itself is a piece of cloth that has been wrung out, leaving only the purest emptiness and desolation.

The seawater changed from deep blue to grayish-white, and then from grayish-white to an indescribable light blue, as if it had been scorched by the long summer sun in the south all year round, and even the water vapor had lost its color.

Occasionally, enormous sea monsters would rise from the water, revealing only a scale or claw, but after sensing Su Yao's presence, they would silently sink back into the deep sea, not even daring to splash.

Su Yao slowed his escape speed and looked around.

South Pole is different from Guanzhong, Nanzhao, and the South Sea. There are no layered mountains, no winding rivers, and no villages with smoke rising from their chimneys.

The earth seems to have reached its end here; all barriers have been removed, leaving only pure emptiness and openness.

That emptiness is not desolation, but a kind of openness where nothing exists, as if at the beginning of time, before all things had sprouted, only the most primitive earth, water, fire and wind remained.

Su Yao said softly:

"So this is what the ends of the earth look like."

Su Yao continued his journey for several more days, and a mountain rose from the sea ahead.

The mountain was not high, but it was enormous, stretching between the sea and the sky like a natural boundary marker.

The mountain is grayish-white, devoid of vegetation and soil, with exposed rocks riddled with wind-eroded holes, resembling a giant bone gnawed by time from afar.

At the foot of the mountain, waves crashed, and the spray condensed into a faint rainbow in the sunlight before quickly dissipating in the wind.

Su Yao activated his escape technique and landed in front of the mountain.

He recalled that the Classic of the Great Wilderness records, "In the Great Wilderness, there is a mountain called Quchi. The fruit of the South Pole cannot grow in the North, but the fruit of Quchi."

This is the first Daoist Gate of South Pole, the Mountain of Quchi.

Beyond this mountain, the usual order of mountains and rivers ceases to exist.

Su Yao slowly stepped into the mountain.

The mountain path is extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time, with the stone walls on both sides as if cut by a knife and axe, going straight up and down.

The stone steps beneath his feet were polished smooth as a mirror by the wind and sand, and each step reflected his slender figure in Qingyi.

The higher you go, the stronger the wind becomes. It blows down from the mountaintop with a strange dryness, not cold, but a force that "scatters" everything, scattering the clouds, the moisture, and all unnecessary thoughts.

Su Yao felt the wind peeling away the chaotic thoughts in his Spirit Platform, layer by layer.

First came trivial matters, then distracting thoughts, and finally even the anxiety about seeking gold and the longing for Zilin were somewhat diluted, leaving only a clear and empty space.

He was slightly startled and immediately focused his mind on guarding his Spirit Platform.

But the wind meant no harm; it came gently and went gently, as if telling him: Now that you're here, you don't need to think about those things anymore.

Su Yao suddenly realized, and nodded slightly towards the mountaintop:

"Been taught a lesson."

After speaking, he continued forward. The stone steps under his feet gradually widened, and the holes in the stone wall became more and more numerous. When he reached the top of the mountain, it seemed as if half of the entire mountain had been hollowed out, leaving only a thin stone shell.

At the very center of the mountaintop stands a natural stone platform, completely empty except for two ancient seal characters: "Quchi".

Su Yao stood on the stone platform, looking back at the path he had come from. The South Sea was already in the distance, turning into a blurry blue line.

Further ahead lies the direction of the Fantian Mountain.

He took a deep breath, stepped over the stone platform, and continued south.

After Quchi Mountain, the world changed once again. The sea disappeared. Beneath their feet was no longer seawater, but an endless expanse of grayish-white land, like a dried-up seabed or a giant, weathered rock.

The earth was empty; even the wind had stopped, and even sound was dead.

The sky was extremely high and far away, with no clouds or birds, only a monotonous gray-white.

Su Yao walked on this land, his footsteps were swallowed up within three zhang, as if even sound had been "exhausted" by this world.

After traveling for another three days, a mountain appeared ahead. The mountain was entirely red, as if it had been scorched by a raging fire. There were faint red watermarks between the rock layers, but those watermarks had long since dried up, leaving only vein-like patterns winding across the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, there was a broken stone tablet with blurred characters. Su Yao bent down to make out the characters "Fantian".

The Classic of the Great Wilderness states. "At the end of the South Sea, there is a mountain that Fantian, where the Red Water ends."

At the end of the Red Water, water vapor and earth vapor rise together, and are evaporated into a warm mist by the long summer sun in the south.

Su Yao looked up and saw warm mist swirling above the mountain peak, with a faint light shining through it. The light field hung above the clouds and water, seemingly suspended in mid-air, with no ground below and reaching the heavens above.

He climbed the steps.

This time, the mountain path was steeper and narrower than the Quchi Mountain. The stone steps were covered with a layer of fine red sand, which made a slight rustling sound when stepped on.

The higher you go, the thicker the warm fog becomes, and the air is filled with an indescribable warmth, like the gentle, slightly sweaty feeling that comes with the passing of spring and the approach of summer.

When Su Yao reached the halfway point of the mountain, he suddenly stopped. An old woman was sitting on the stone steps ahead.

The old woman was hunched over, dressed in a drab gray hemp garment, with a faded blue cloth wrapped around her head. She was leaning on a bamboo cane, squinting in the Great Yang.

As Su Yao approached, she opened her eyes, her cloudy gaze lingering on him for a moment before she suddenly smiled:

"Young man, are you from the north?"

Su Yao cupped his hands and said:

"Yes."

The old woman pointed to the mountaintop with her bamboo cane:

"The person upstairs has a bad temper. If you're just passing by, please take a detour. If you're here to pay respects, did you bring any gifts?"

Su Yao said, "I brought it."

The old woman nodded, then squinted her eyes and said no more.

Su Yao bowed to her and continued up the mountain.

After walking a few steps, he looked back. The stone steps were empty; the old woman had vanished, leaving only a shallow crease on the ground.

Su Yao's heart stirred slightly, but he did not linger and continued towards the mountaintop.

Upon reaching the summit, the warm mist suddenly dissipated, revealing a platform suspended in mid-air.

The platform was naturally formed from red rock, with edges as clean as if cut by a knife. There was nothing on the platform except for two huge ancient seal characters engraved on it: "Fantian".

Su Yao stood on the platform, looking south.

The southernmost point of the world is right before our eyes.

Su Yao spent another three days traveling to the end. Here, there was no land, no sea, and no mountains.

There was only a very thin cloud beneath my feet, which felt like walking on cotton wool or solidified smoke.

Below the clouds, the depths are unfathomable; above the clouds, the light of the sky is boundless. The entire world is reduced to a single wisp of wind.

The wind hung in the center of the Great Void, slowly rotating, carrying neither heat nor cold, nor discerning direction; it was merely a warm, lingering breeze that seemed to last forever.

The Balmy Wind is one of the Four Winds, a wind that nourishes and nurtures, the summer wind. "It can relieve the people's anger" -- the south wind dispels people's grievances and relieves their depression and worries.

When Su Yao arrived here, all his troubles vanished. The heavy burdens he had brought from the Spirit Platform —the pressure of seeking gold, Qingzhu's expectations, Zilin's concerns, and his anxieties about the future—faded and dissipated with a gentle breeze, leaving only a warm feeling.

Su Yao stood in the wind, silent for a long time, then suddenly whispered:

"Once I got here, I didn't want to think about anything anymore."

Suddenly, a mysterious sound rang out:

Who dares to trespass upon my territory!

Su Yao clasped his hands and said:

"Su Yao of Qixia Temple, traveling the world, often disturbed people when passing through this place."

The mysterious voice continued to resound:

"I've heard of you; you've been quite impressive lately. Now that you're here, fight my messenger."

Before Su Yao could speak, another mysterious voice rang out:

"Senior, why make things difficult for a junior?"

The mysterious voice from before said again:

"Since we're here, we might as well give it a try."

Later, the mysterious voice said again:

"Senior, why deceive yourself?"

At this moment, another mysterious sound rang out:

"Yinyinhu, your messenger is a fragment of your soul; why make things difficult for this junior?"

The first one, Xuan Yin, said:

"It's alright. I'll hold back a bit. Rainbow Clouds's path is close to the Immortal Path, while my path is close to the Human Dao. We can still compare. Rest assured, I will not allow my divided soul to borrow my power because of past grudges."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao's heart stirred.

His trip south was to cultivate an image of "dominating all directions".

If Rainbow Clouds wants to stand in the heavens, it must first leave its mark on the earth.

His three-year campaign to eliminate demons in the South Sea was the first step in his "southward journey." The True Lord's fragmented soul before him was the most suitable touchstone on his "southward journey"—it must be Five Laws Perfection, strong enough, and not interfering with the power of his original self. It was the perfect opponent for him to test his own Daoxing and accumulate the spirit to "stand in the heavens."

Su Yao immediately interjected:

"In that case, this junior will accept."

Two exclamations rang out simultaneously. "Su Yao, you mustn't!"

The first mysterious voice burst into laughter.

Balmy Wind suddenly blew up, sweeping across the entire area.

Then, a middle-aged man dressed in the clothing of High Antiquity people appeared.

The middle-aged man said:

"Rest assured, I will not use my power to manipulate or draw upon the power of my true self. I will fight you with the Five Laws Perfection of Balmy Wind."

As soon as he finished speaking, Balmy Wind swept through the air, carrying waves of summer heat towards Su Yao.

The Divine Ability power of the Balmy Wind Technique: "Scorch Metal and Stone"!

"Scorch Metal and Stone" refers to the extreme heat that turns metal and stone into scorch. Su Yao was very familiar with this Divine Ability; the Vermilion Brightness Sword he used back then was precisely based on this wondrous Divine Ability power.

Su Yao dared not be negligent.

With a flick of his left hand, the Nine Heavens Auspicious Cloud Banner unfurled, its Hazy Clouds and rosy light intertwining to gather and dispel the oppressive summer heat.

At the same time, he Pear Blossom Return his right hand, and the "Heaven-Weaving Shuttle" was unleashed. Thousands of rays of light shot out like silk threads, weaving a net in the sky and dividing and blocking the Balmy Wind layer by layer.

But the envoy merely smiled slightly upon seeing this, and with a flick of his right hand, a green bamboo folding fan appeared in his palm. The fan surface shimmered with a very faint warm yellow halo, and depicted a scene of a southern breeze blowing through wheat fields. It was none other than the Balmy Wind Spirit Treasure of the Southern Wind, the Southern Balmy Wind Fan.

He gently fanned the fan towards the Heaven-Weaving Shuttle's net of light, and the fan surface shone with a burst of warm light. A gentle southern breeze wafted out from the fan, like the wind blowing across a wheat field during the Lesser Fullness of Grain season, neither hurried nor slow, just right. This was the Divine Ability of the Command the Southern Balmy Wind Balmy Wind.

The wind falling on the rosy net was like a pair of skillful hands caressing silk strings, straightening, smoothing, and disassembling the warp and weft of the rosy net one by one.

Although the netting was tough, it was gradually melted away by the "Command the Southern Balmy Wind" (a type of herbal incense).

Su Yao's expression remained unchanged. Hand Seals with his left hand, and the rainbow light of "Color Pierces the Thoroughfare" burst forth from his palm, illuminating and penetrating the Balmy Wind inch by inch.

The rainbow light collided, intertwined, and entwined with the Balmy Wind; the splendid sunset glow and the warm yellow south wind collided fiercely at the mouth of the sea like two rivers, yet neither could swallow the other.

A hint of approval flashed in the envoy's eyes, and with a flick of his left hand, he took out another small Azure Jade seal.

The seal face is engraved with the Southern Dipper, and the seal body exudes a restrained warmth; it is indeed the Balmy Wind Spirit Treasure, the Southern Dipper Seal.

He tossed the small seal into the air, and the seal expanded in the wind, transforming into a giant Azure Jade seal about ten feet wide, which hung above Su Yao's head and slowly pressed down.

The six stars of the Southern Dipper on the seal face lit up simultaneously, each star casting a warm southern breeze. The six southern breezes intertwined like a net, peeling away the layers of rosy light surrounding Su Yao.

Su Yao's brow twitched slightly, and he immediately activated "Clear the Source and Discern the True".

A cyan talisman lit up deep within the Qi Sea, its penetrating power revealing the spiritual energy flowing within the Southern Dipper Seal.

With a swift, Pear Blossom Return slash, a clear sword light, like the breaking of dawn, precisely struck the weakest point in the Southern Dipper Seal Seal's spiritual energy.

"Zheng!"

The sword light struck the seal, causing the Southern Dipper Seal to tremble slightly, and the six southern winds to pause simultaneously. Taking advantage of the situation, Su Yao flipped his left hand, and the Autumn Steed Sword was already in his palm. The power of the Fu Water poured out from the tip of the sword, suppressing the warm light of the Southern Dipper Seal layer by layer.

He clashed his two swords, with the Pear Blossom Return taking the offensive and the Autumn Steed Sword taking the defensive, dissolving the six south winds of the Southern Dipper Seal one by one.

Seeing this, the envoy's expression of approval deepened. Southern Balmy Wind Fan again with his right hand, and this time the wind was different from before, carrying an extremely somber twilight, like the rising heat of summer, like the arrival of dusk. This was the Divine Ability of the Balmy Wind Technique, "Morning and Evening Differ and Evening."

The wind is warm during the day and cool at night, changing drastically throughout the day, making it difficult to guard against.

Su Yao felt the Balmy Wind was sometimes cold and sometimes hot, as if he were constantly switching between the heat of summer and the coolness of autumn, causing a turmoil in his Spirit Platform.

He immediately activated "Clear the Source and Discern the True" to clearly see the fickle nature of human relationships, which Morning and Evening Differ.

Immediately afterwards, he flipped his left hand, and the Transforming Azure Bracelet lit up. The phantom of the Qingyang Sheep leaped out, and the "Dispel Calamity" power of Qingxuan gradually diminished the sharpness of the intertwined heat and cold.

But the messenger did not stop. He clasped his hands together, simultaneously activating the Southern Balmy Wind Fan and the Southern Dipper Seal, and a purer and more powerful Balmy Wind rose from his body.

That wind was no longer just wind; it was the joys and sorrows, the grievances and resentments of hundreds of millions of living beings, like a long river formed by the convergence of all living beings in the mortal world, slowly pushing towards Su Yao.

It was the Balmy Wind that Fate Divine Ability to "Dispel the People's Resentment"!

As soon as this Divine Ability was unleashed, the Balmy Wind between heaven and earth suddenly became extremely clear, like the wind blowing through the wheat fields during the Grain Rain season, carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible, sense of cutting through the clouds.

Su Yao could see clearly that the wind of "Dispel the People's Resentment" actually contained a wisp of extremely thin and sharp wind blade. The wind blade was very similar to the Cut the Cloud Veil of Xun Wind, but it was not Cloud- Cut the Cloud Veil itself. Rather, "Dispel the People's Resentment" borrowed part of the wonder of Cut the Cloud Veil by using the authority of its Fate Divine Ability.

Because of the transformation of the Five Virtues into human Human Dao, Dui Metal lost its autumn, Bamboo-Bookcase Wood lost its spring, Fu Water lost its winter, and Radiant Fire lost its summer. Moreover, the Cold Qi in High Antiquity seized part of the power of Fu Water. Later, the Four Winds emerged and re-established the order of the four seasons.

At the end of Grain Rain, the Cut the Cloud Veil almost gone, and the south wind is already stirring to dispel the heat; the two are inherently intertwined and mutually reinforcing.

Su Yao felt that the wind carried countless subtle thoughts—the sighs of farmers, the sorrowful faces of fisherwomen, the cries of children, and the grief of the elderly.

Those thoughts, though harmless and non-life-threatening, weigh heavily on the Spirit Platform, causing an inexplicable weariness and sorrow to arise from the depths of one's heart.

That wisp of cloud-cutting intent was like an extremely fine pair of scissors, cutting away layer by layer the protective aura surrounding him.

Su Yao took a deep breath and raised the Pear Blossom Return high above his head, and "Rosy Clouds Red City" rose from the ground behind him.

The city walls are like Rainbow Clouds piled up, the city gates are like the morning glow opening wide, and the glow on the city towers flows like banners fluttering.

The entire city was half real and half unreal, suppressing the surrounding hundreds of miles of land and sky within its walls.

Beneath the Rosy Clouds Red City, the Balmy Wind that "Dispel the People's Resentment" was suppressed layer by layer by the city's Rainbow Clouds power, but it did not dissipate. It was merely suppressed beneath the city, like a flood being held back by a dam. Although it did not break through the dam, it was poised to burst forth.

But the messenger did not stop.

With a flick of his wrists, he simultaneously summoned the Southern Balmy Wind Fan and the Southern Dipper Seal. The warm breeze from the fan and the starlight from the seal intertwined, and driven by the power to "Dispel the People's Resentment," the intent to cut through the clouds suddenly surged, transforming into an extremely thin and sharp wind blade that slashed towards the city wall of Rosy Clouds Red City.

Su Yao's expression changed slightly.

With a flick of his right hand, the Pear Blossom Return shone brightly, and countless cloud patterns on its blade lit up simultaneously, Crimson Dawn Unstained Night-Illuminating Clear Light Sword "!

This sword strike was extremely fine, extremely still, and extremely clear, like the quietest ray of light before dawn, silently slashing at the cloud-slicing wind blade.

The Sword Intent collided with the wind blade silently, yet the entire space trembled slightly at that moment.

The Cloud-Cutting Wind Blade was shattered by the Sword Intent, but the broken blades did not dissipate. Instead, they transformed into countless fine threads that coiled around Su Yao from all directions.

Su Yao flipped his left hand, and the Nine Heavens Auspicious Cloud Banner unfurled again, the Hazy Clouds and rosy light intertwining to capture the countless fine threads layer by layer.

At the same time, he used his right hand to unleash a series of Pear Blossom Return with the Sword Intent of a rainbow, annihilating the remaining fine threads one by one.

Seeing this, the envoy finally showed a hint of seriousness. He clasped his hands together, retracting the Southern Balmy Wind Fan and the Southern Dipper Seal at the same time. Then, he unleashed all the power of the Balmy Wind, which Five Laws Perfection, transforming it into an extremely pure warm yellow wind pillar that pressed down on Su Yao.

This attack no longer relied on Spirit Treasure, but was purely a forceful suppression based on the Five Laws Perfection cultivation, making it more powerful and ferocious than any of the previous attacks.

Seeing this, Su Yao took a deep breath, knowing that the time to fight to the death had come, and seven talismans lit up simultaneously deep within his dantian.

"Consume the Sun and Dine on Rosy Clouds" caused his Law Power to surge by 30%, and his body was enveloped in an intense, almost tangible, radiant glow.

"Luminous Sword Heart," the Sword Intent ascends to a higher realm, the Azure Firmament aura and the Rainbow Clouds light intertwine and flow.

"Drinking from the Marsh and Bearing the Abyss," the Law Power Qi in the sea expands several times over, becoming as profound as the abyss and the sea.

"Raise Wood to Reach the Heavens," a verdant green emerges beneath the body of the Dharma, like the roots of Jianmu deeply planted in the earth, indestructible.

"Clear the Source and Discern the True" reveals its penetrating insight, allowing one to clearly see the spiritual flow of the wind pillar.

"Gather the Myriad and Return Them to One," the scattered spiritual energy throughout the body is gathered into one, and every bit of Law Power is used on the blade.

"Purple Ultimate Immortal Clarity" uses Purple Qi as a guide, pushing each Divine Ability to its extreme, imbuing it with immortal intent.

With the seven talismans activated simultaneously, Su Yao's aura surged dramatically.

He raised the Pear Blossom Return high above his head, and the Rosy Clouds Red City bloomed once more. The rosy light on the city wall flowed like fluttering banners, and the city gates opened like the first rays of dawn. At the same time, he slashed with the Pear Blossom Return in his right hand, Crimson Dawn Unstained Night-Illuminating Clear Light Sword transformed into an extremely thin and still sword light, which met the warm yellow wind pillar at the same time as the Rosy Clouds Red City.

The sword light collided with the pillar of wind, without a sound.

But in that collision, the entire space trembled violently, the walls of Rosy Clouds Red City shattered inch by inch, yet they reformed in the instant of shattering; the Sword Intent was worn down layer by layer by the wind pillars, yet it was re-condensed in the instant of being worn down.

Two forces were strangling, entangled, and tearing at each other in the Great Void, like two Dharma Form rivers colliding fiercely at their estuary.

However, the messenger was ultimately just a fragment of a soul. Although the Five Laws Perfection was powerful, it ultimately did not rely on the status and power of the True Lord's true self.

Under the dual suppression of Rosy Clouds Red City and Sword Intent, the warm yellow wind pillar gradually dimmed.

The envoy's expression changed slightly, and he gritted his teeth, channeling the last bit of the Balmy Wind into the wind column.

But this was the moment Su Yao had been waiting for.

He Pear Blossom Return his right hand, and his Sword Intent surged suddenly. The Crimson Dawn Unstained Night-Illuminating Clear Light Sword, pierced through layers of wind pillars and went straight for the messenger's face.

The envoy's pupils contracted sharply, and he simultaneously held up the Southern Balmy Wind Fan and the Southern Dipper Seal in front of him.

But the Sword Intent was too still and too clear, like a ray of morning light shining through the window lattice, silently passing through the gap between the fan and the seal, and stopping three inches in front of his brow.

Su Yao sheathed his sword and stood there, bowing respectfully to the envoy.

"Thank you for your kind offer."

The envoy gazed at the clear sword light three inches in front of his brow, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter:

"Good, good! I cannot withstand this sword strike; you win."

He looked at Su Yao, his gaze carrying a deeper meaning:

"Your moves just now— Sword Intent, Divine Ability, and Spirit Treasure —were layered and meticulously planned. Although my divided soul is only at the Five Laws Perfection stage, my Southern Balmy Wind Fan and Southern Dipper Seal are both Spirit Treasure, yet you managed to break through them one by one. You, young man, are far stronger than I expected."

Su Yao said:

"Senior was merely sparring; there was no connection to the power of your true self. Otherwise, with just a blink of an eye, I fear I wouldn't even have had a chance to make a move."

The messenger laughed loudly:

"Well said, 'just a friendly spar'! You're a sensible young man. Now, you can come to South Pole anytime."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure transformed into a Balmy Wind and vanished before Su Yao's eyes.

From within the Great Void, the Celestial Master's voice rang out, his tone carrying an unusual solemnity:

"This Abbot Su is indeed quite interesting. Balmy Wind's split soul, which has reached the Five Laws Perfection and is wielding two Spirit Treasure, was actually defeated head-on. His moves just now, with Sword Intent, Divine Ability, and Spirit Treasure, were layered and executed flawlessly. This is not a leisurely stroll; he is clearly using this place as a whetstone."

Zique remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, her voice carrying a hint of complexity that even she herself might not have noticed:

"This mindset, this method..."

The Celestial Master picked up the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of ambiguous amusement:

"I've said it before, this Abbot Su will one day be one of us."

Zique didn't reply, but just looked in the direction Su Yao had gone, thinking to herself: Zilin, your husband is quite an interesting person. He came to South Pole today, probably with the intention of finding a strong enough opponent.

I just hope you won't blame me for not bringing you along. This trip is truly dangerous. Not to mention that the Yuanjun who is secretly guarding this place recently, even this True Lord Balmy Wind... he has probably already become an immortal. Even if he and the Celestial Master join forces, they probably wouldn't be enough to defeat him...

His three years of fighting demons in the South Sea were merely preparation for this battle.

Below, Su Yao stood still, bowed once more in the direction where the Balmy Wind had dissipated, and then turned and headed into the depths of the Great Void.

He knew in his heart that although he had won this battle, it was because his opponent was only a split soul and had not connected with the power of the main body. Moreover, he had used all seven talismans and unleashed his Sword Intent to defeat him.

Even so, this battle pushed his Daoxing to its peak, and his ambition to "dominate all directions" was completely solidified in this exhilarating battle.

This battle in South Pole marked the end of his "southward journey." Sweeping away demons in the South Sea was to "establish his authority," while defeating Balmy Wind in South Pole was to "set his mind in motion."

From this point on, his intention to head south was made.

Next, the journey turned west, then north, then east, finally reaching Zhongnan.

With this, the path to gold has become even more secure.

There is a word cloud:

For three years, he swept away demons in the South Sea; with a single sword, his frost chilled the waves for ten thousand miles. His ambition was to suppress all directions, Devil Cultivator fled at the mere sight of him.

Quchi the mountain, the wind strips away my thoughts; on the celestial platform, the clouds grind against the Heavenly Terrace. At the South Pole point, I encounter Balmy Wind; I try the Five Laws in turn.

Scorch Metal and Stone, Ride the Southern Transformation, Command the Southern Balmy Wind, Morning and Evening Differ, Dispel the People's Resentment. The Southern Balmy Wind Fan fan first stirs, the light in the Southern Dipper Seal has not yet faded. There is also a wisp of cloud cut, borrowing the Grain Rain to add sharpness.

Seven talismans shine brightly, and the Sword Intent is finally unleashed. The Rosy Clouds Red City has endured countless tribulations, and the crimson sun illuminates the emptiness of all laws. The Sword Intent, hidden deep within, is now put to use; with just one sword, the South Pole will be secured.

The Celestial Master sighed, Zique lamented in secret, for this man would soon be among the ranks of the nobility.

Once the elixir has been refined through nine cycles, and the celestial order of the rainbow has been established, a new chapter will begin.

Do not ask when I will return; across ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers, a single sword amidst frost and snow.