Blood Sloughing and Preservation of Truth (Part 1)

Blood surged overhead, but the song had not yet ended.

Su Yao used the Ask Amid the Clouds- Piercing Barrier to block the flow of blood, Heaven-Piercing Pillar opened a curtain of earthen yellow light, keeping the blood ten feet away.

But the moment the wave of blood struck the light barrier, His true spirit suddenly felt a chill. A colorless and formless power, undetectable even by divine sense, was hidden within the blood and seeped in through the gaps in the light barrier, drilling straight into the depths of His true spirit.

That power was extremely strange and hidden. If Su Yao had not already ascended to the position of True Lord and his true spirit was not as clear as a mirror, he would have hardly been able to detect it.

A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, and his hand paused in the Ask Amid the Clouds.

"Su Yao!" Qizhenzi's voice rang out from below. Flying Cloud Crossing suddenly expanded, and five-colored smoke descended like a net, wiping away the layers of blood around Su Yao. "Stabilize your true spirit! This is the Illusory Slumber Path!"

Su Yao bit his tongue sharply, his mind clearing for a moment.

He saw countless fine, silvery-gray threads of light, as thin as hair, drilling into his brow from within the blood waves, each carrying a faint buzzing sound, like someone gently humming in his ear.

"Illusory Slumber?" True Lord Xicheng's expression changed drastically as he slashed back the blood wave with his sword. "The Path of Dreams? When did this Old Devil begin cultivating the Path of Dreams?"

Qizhenzi used the Flying Cloud Crossing to protect Su Yao and said urgently, "This Old Devil has been hiding his true power well. Even when he was suppressed by Yun Zhongzi back then, he didn't reveal this technique. Blood Qi, Hazy Clouds, and Illusory Slumber —this Old Devil has cultivated at least these three techniques. Illusory Slumber are formless and shapeless, and they specialize in attacking the true spirit. If Su Yao hadn't just ascended to the throne and his true spirit hadn't been clear, he would have been entangled by it just now."

The Dao Lord Zhizhuo, with unwavering resolve, swept his long staff across, dispersing the wave of blood rushing towards Su Yao. He said in a deep voice, "Back then, the Heavenly Venerable burned all the treasures on His body with Divine Fire Pillar. He hasn't shown this skill in over two hundred thousand years. This Old Devil has kept it well hidden."

From within the sea of blood came the Old Devil demon's deep laughter. "Qizhenzi has a good eye. No wonder you studied under Yun Zhongzi, rising from a barren mountain cypress to become an ancient Heavenly Immortal."

He paused, then continued:

"But what can you do even if you know? My Illusory Slumber is hidden within a sea of blood, where the blood waves never cease, and so does this Illusory Slumber. Can you guard against the blood, or against this dream within a dream?"

Before the words were finished, gray Hazy Clouds suddenly surged from the depths of the sea of blood.

The cloud-like mist, carrying a corrosive force, hissed as it landed on Purple Rosy Cloud Robe, leaving a thin scratch.

True Lord Xicheng's expression changed slightly. He thought to himself, "The Purple Rosy Cloud Robe is a high-level immortal artifact, yet it was corroded by this Hazy Clouds. Even in its current state of decline, the opponent's strength is still so terrifying."

This Old Devil also cultivates the art of Hazy Clouds. The corrosive power of the Hazy Clouds originates from him, and this gray cloud energy is specifically designed to counter the spiritual light of immortal objects.

Immediately afterwards, countless blood-red butterflies rose from the waves.

At first glance, those butterflies appeared to be formed from Blood Qi, with dark red wings like congealed blood. However, upon closer inspection, each wing edge was tinged with a very faint silver-gray halo.

When it flies, it doesn't produce the sound of wind, but rather a very subtle buzzing sound, like someone gently humming in your ear.

Blood Qi and Illusory Slumber intertwine on the butterfly's wings. The Blood Butterfly itself is formed from Blood Qi, but the silver-gray patterns on its wings are the power of Illusory Slumber. When the two are combined, they can harm the physical body and attack the spirit.

"The Blood Butterfly conceals the power of Illusory Slumber," Qizhenzi said sternly. "Touching it will send you into a dream! Xicheng! You've guarded this Old Devil for eight thousand years, yet you didn't know he had this hidden trick up his sleeve?"

Xicheng gritted his teeth. "I only know that His Blood Qi and Hazy Clouds are two paths, Illusory Slumber... has never revealed itself. After all, the Patriarch never left a single word, and moreover, the Heavenly Venerable of the Laurel-Breaking Household has also come to see Him, yet He still didn't discover it..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xicheng brandished his peach wood sword and slashed down several blood butterflies with a single strike.

What burst forth from the Blood Butterfly wasn't a blood mist, but a cloud of silvery-gray smoke. The moment that smoke touched Purple Rosy Cloud Robe, Xicheng's vision blurred, and he saw Gui Hong lying in front of the thatched hut, a peach wood sword stuck in his chest, while he himself was holding the hilt of the sword, blood still dripping from its tip. The scene was so realistic that his wrist trembled, and he almost dropped the Zhengji Ancient Sword.

"Illusory Slumber!" Xicheng shouted, and the crimson light of the Crimson Firmament surged, burning away the silver-gray smoke. His face was ashen, and his chest heaved. Just a moment ago, he almost thought he had really killed Gui Hong.

With Zhizhuo, the long staff swept across, scattering a shower of blood butterflies, but a few wisps of silver-gray smoke clung to the staff.

Suddenly He saw Jieshi Mountain, the Five Smoke Chariot shattered into pieces, the Heavenly Longevity Staff broken in two, and the disciples of the Jieshi Dao Lineage falling one by one into pools of blood.

Zhizhuo a muffled groan, the Wu Earth element trembled within the staff, dispersing the silver-gray smoke, but a hint of seriousness appeared in his eyes.

The three were forced to retreat step by step by Blood Butterfly and Hazy Clouds.

With the protection of Qizhenzi, Su Yao's true spirit stabilized somewhat, but the power of Illusory Slumber in the sea of blood continued to seep in.

He tried to connect with the Prism using his Law Power, but the forty-eight restrictions on the Prism remained unmoved.

After ascending to the position of True Lord, His connection with the Prism deepened. Previously, He could only borrow a fraction of the Prism's magic. Now, although He vaguely felt something loosening deep within the Prism, He was still lacking a layer and could not activate more. He could only keep pouring his Law Power into it.

Just then, True Lord Xicheng suddenly transmitted his voice secretly, the sound only reaching the ears of Su Yao, Qizhenzi, Zhizhuo:

"Su Yao, go to the cave heaven and have Ask Amid the Clouds the Jade Pillar Grotto-Heaven. Stand in the gate, and Ask Amid the Clouds and the Heaven-Piercing Pillar will be able to exert greater power, connect the formation, and control the Blood Sea. Qizhenzi, Dao Lord Zhizhuo, and I will hold it off head-on. When the Old Devil has used up all his trump cards and the Blood Sea is at its strongest, you only need to provide assistance."

Su Yao was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Xicheng spoke so decisively, as if he had already planned this step.

He glanced at Qizhenzi subconsciously, but Qizhenzi's expression remained unchanged; she simply nodded slightly.

Looking at Zhizhuo again, Zhizhuo for a moment, but said nothing more. His movements were unhurried, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Su Yao had a thought, but he didn't ask.

"Disciple understands," He replied.

"Go." As soon as Xicheng finished speaking, his Purple Rosy Cloud Robe shone with a dazzling light, and he crossed the Ancient Sword of Zhengji and the Peach Wood Sword, slashing fiercely down at the sea of blood.

Su Yao turned and flew into the air.

The sea of blood surged, and the Old Devil's voice came from the waves:

Do you think I don't exist?

No sooner had he finished speaking than True Lord Xicheng stepped forward to the sea of blood. His Purple Rosy Cloud Robe shone with boundless light, and his ancient sword Zhengji and peach wood sword crossed, forcefully blocking the sea of blood.

Qizhenzi Flying Cloud Crossing Rainbow Bridge unfolds, with five-colored smoke like a net covering it, and Flying Cloud Crossing carries Him through the sea of blood.

The Dao Lord Zhizhuo unwavering staff, swept across the area, scattering the wave of blood that surged toward Su Yao.

Taking advantage of this moment, Su Yao flew into the air, holding the Ask Amid the Clouds, and carefully sensed the Jade Pillar Grotto-Heaven.

A quarter of an hour later, relying on their the Unseen senses and the Ask Amid the Clouds, the two immortal artifacts, the Heaven-Piercing Pillar Jade Pillar Grotto-Heaven, finally sensed its location.

A moment later, He arrived before a void, Ask Amid the Clouds, an illusory doorway appeared out of thin air.

Su Yao stepped forward and landed in front of the cave entrance.

The cloud patterns on the hilt of Ask Amid the Clouds sword were exactly the same as the restrictions on the cave gate. He placed the tip of the sword against the crack in the gate and gently made a cut.

Where the sword tip passed, a crack appeared in the void, through which jade-colored light shone, and a grotto-heaven sealed for eight thousand three hundred years slowly opened.

Behind the gate lies a jade-colored world, with surging clouds and rosy light spreading across the ground. In the distance, a white jade Daoist palace and numerous jade pillars rise from the ground, standing tall above the sea of clouds.

Su Yao didn't look around much, but stepped across the threshold and stood in the doorway.

A sense of connection welled up within the Unseen. Ask Amid the Clouds and Heaven-Piercing Pillar moved with ease within the cave gate, their power surging several times over.

He swung his sword at the sea of blood, and a rainbow light surged from the tip of the sword, several times thicker than before. The blood wave was split in two and retreated ten miles.

The Heaven-Piercing Pillar rose again, its earthen-yellow glow like a giant pillar supporting the heavens, pushing the sea of blood back another ten miles.

At the same time, He used the Heaven-Piercing Pillar to activate the Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation. The dim chains in the array's base lit up again, and the earthy yellow glow spread layer by layer from the foot of the mountain to the mountainside.

He then channeled another burst of array power into the thatched hut. The Daoist aura left behind in the thatched hut where the Three Pure Ones once preached was stimulated by the array power, and a faint jade-colored halo rose from the ground of the thatched hut. Within the halo, several blurry figures could be vaguely seen sitting cross-legged and discussing the Dao.

As soon as the jade-colored halo appeared, the blood within a hundred feet of the thatched hut hissed and receded, and the silver-gray smoke was also worn away by the Daoist aura.

"The Daoist Aura of the Three Pure Ones!" For the first time, the Old Devil's voice in the sea of blood carried a hint of fear. "You actually managed to arouse the Daoist Aura of the thatched hut?"

Su Yao did not answer, but continued to use the Heaven-Piercing Pillar to draw upon the power of the formation to protect the mountaintop.

In the sea of blood, the Old Devil remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. The laughter was no longer as muffled as before, but instead carried a hint of inexplicable composure:

"Very well, very well, Xicheng. Do you think I've only figured out the Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation all these years? Do you think I don't know what you're up to?"

He paused, then continued:

"Ever since you Mount Zhongnan more than eight thousand years ago and became trapped there, I have known what you were planning!"

Xicheng's face darkened, and he did not reply.

The Old Devil continued, "But you've overlooked one thing: the gap in cultivation level cannot be bridged."

As soon as he finished speaking, the rhythm of the surging blood sea suddenly changed. It was no longer the ebb and flow of the tide, but a very regular, rhythmic pulse, like the beating of a giant heart.

With each leap, the sea of blood thickens and becomes more savory.

In the blood, millions of faces turned towards Su Yao, opening their mouths simultaneously and uttering the same sound—a very low and deep humming.

The melody gradually became clearer, and it turned out to be a folk song:

"The sea of blood sinks, the sea of blood sinks, for three hundred thousand years my body has been tempered. Today I break through the waves and drink in the sunset, leaving not a speck of dust in the world."

After he finished singing, Su Yao felt a sudden chill deep within his soul.

This time it was even more intense than before. In a daze, Su Yao felt as if he had returned to more than three hundred years ago, when he first entered Mount Zhongnan and mistakenly entered that dilapidated temple.

He saw it; a seed of Illusory Slumber had been planted deep within His true spirit.

That seed had been lurking deep within the true spirit all these years, and even when Su Yao ascended to the position, the Fruition Position did not notice it. This demon's mastery of the Illusory Slumber Dao was so great that it could briefly deceive the Rainbow Cloud Fruition.

At this moment, driven by the sea of blood, the seed must take root in Su Yao's true spirit.

Su Yao froze, his eyes becoming misty again.

In a daze, He saw Qixia Mountain, the morning mist over Lake Encompassing Emptiness, Qingzhu brewing tea by the lake, and Zilin playing the flute under the pear tree.

Those scenes were so real that He almost reached out to catch them.

From within the sea of blood came the Old Devil's laughter. "Did you think I've only cultivated Blood Qi and Hazy Clouds for hundreds of thousands of years? I've been cultivating the Illusory Slumber Path since I first attained Blood Qi. Over three hundred years ago, when you first ascended Zhongnan, I planted the Seed of Illusory Slumber within you. No matter how high your rank as True Lord is, once your true spirit is entangled by my Illusory Slumber, you'll still—"

Before he could finish speaking, Prism deep within Su Yao's dantian suddenly flashed.

One of the forty-eight restrictions, which was extremely dark, lit up for a fleeting moment.

The restriction was hidden deep within the Prism, which Su Yao had never noticed before. Now that it lit up, a ring of extremely fine runes appeared on the pillar. The runes turned like chains, and the power of Illusory Slumber dissipated silently, like snow meeting the morning sun.

The daze in Su Yao's eyes faded, and his gaze became clearer and colder than before.

Only He Himself knew about the existence of the Prism; Xicheng, Qizhenzi, Zhizhuo were unaware of its existence.

Just now, He didn't reveal anything, only pretending that He had quietly broken the Illusory Slumber on His own.

"How could this be!" The Old Devil's voice, filled with shock and anger, exploded from within the sea of blood, but that shock and anger lasted only a moment before being suppressed by an extremely cold calm. "Interesting. I cannot see through the trump card you possess. But so what? I have been suppressed by Yun Zhongzi for hundreds of thousands of years. I know every single array pattern and every node of this Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation clearly. Today, with thirty percent of the array's power absorbed by the Rainbow Cloud Fruition, it is precisely the moment when I am half free. Do you think that by inviting the Zhizhuo, you can subdue me?"

Before the words were even finished, the sea of blood surged.

It was no longer the tentative rise and fall of before, but rather the entire sea of blood surging simultaneously, converging on the mountaintop from all directions.

The waves of blood surged one after another, each higher than the last, like countless walls of blood simultaneously pushing towards Su Yao.

Gray Hazy Clouds surged from the depths of the sea of blood, carrying a corrosive power, and hissed as they landed on Purple Rosy Cloud Robe. Countless silver-gray blood butterflies swarmed in, each exploding into a cloud of silver-gray smoke.

True Lord Xicheng was forced back several steps by the blood wave, and his Purple Rosy Cloud Robe was covered with fine marks.

He gritted his teeth and said:

"Zhizhuo Daoist, why don't you reveal your trump card yet?"

The Dao Lord Zhizhuo remained silent for a moment.

He looked down at the long staff in his hand, then at the gray Hazy Clouds and silver-gray blood butterflies churning in the depths of the sea of blood.

After a moment, He spoke for the first time, His voice not loud, but deep and resonant like muffled thunder:

"Then this junior will not stand on ceremony and apologize for offending you, senior."

As soon as he finished speaking, his form dissipated.

A majestic Dharma Form, reaching to the heavens and the earth, rose from the Mount Zhongnan. The Qi of Wu Earth condensed into a ten-thousand-foot-tall Dharma body, its entire body earth-yellow, draped in a cloud robe woven from five-colored smoke, wearing a high mountain crown, and standing on Five Smoke Chariot, with five-colored smoke surging beneath the wheel like a sea of clouds.

The long staff in his right hand shimmered with earthy yellow light, while the wooden cane in his left hand had an ancient, rustic texture. At the top of the cane was a black bird poised to take flight; this was none other than the Celestial Artifact [Heavenly Longevity Staff] left behind by the South Pole Heavenly Venerable.

Dharma Form appeared, Wu Earth energy of Mount Zhongnan surged towards it, causing the mountain to tremble and vibrate.

Seeing that his Dharma Form Zhizhuo, True Lord Xicheng no longer concealed his true abilities.

Suddenly, a blinding red light shone where He was, as crimson as a furnace fire and as blazing as the rising sun.

The Purple Rosy Cloud Robe rose with a dazzling light, and the ancient sword of Zhengji and the peach wood sword appeared together. The Dharma Form image condensed from the red light: a male immortal wearing purple robes and a crown of Crimson Firmament clouds, his face was shrouded in mist, his figure was tall and slender, his body was surrounded by crimson light like burning flames, the clouds under his feet surged, and a phantom of the Crimson Firmament hung high behind him.

As soon as the Crimson Firmament Dharma Form appeared, the clouds above Mount Zhongnan were dyed crimson.

Seeing that both of them had revealed their true forms, Daozheng Qizhenzi no longer concealed his Dharma Form.

A Side-Cloud Cypress rose up from the ground in front of the thatched hut. Its trunk was earthy yellow like stone, and its branches were twisted like dragons. Five-colored smoke rose and swirled from among the branches and leaves.

Flying Cloud Crossing transformed into a Rainbow Bridge, winding around the cypress tree.

Dharma Form of Zhizhuo and the Dharma of Xicheng, the Dharma Form was much lower, but the Side-Cloud Cypress standing in front of the thatched hut exuded the Wu Earth as steady as a mountain.

The three Dharma Form attacked simultaneously. Zhizhuo a long staff and swept it horizontally, while the other pointed with the Heavenly Longevity Staff. The phantom of the Life-Governing Dark Bird flapped its wings and flew out, pecking straight at the depths of the Blood Sea; the five-colored smoke from the Five Smoke Chariot surged out like a tsunami.

Xicheng slashed with both swords, the crimson light of the Crimson Firmament burning through the blood waves, while the ancient sword of Zhengji cleaved through the gray Hazy Clouds. Qizhenzi stretched out the branches and leaves of the Side-Cloud Cypress, and five-colored smoke covered him like a net, while Flying Cloud Crossing the Rainbow Bridge to support the blood waves on the flanks.

But the blood butterflies in the sea of blood changed.

No longer the blood butterflies that scattered upon explosion, they now swarmed in layers, their silvery-gray aura several times denser than before. The Zhizhuo long staff hummed incessantly as it was struck by the blood butterflies, and illusions of Jieshi Mountain and shattered Five Smoke Chariot repeatedly surged before its eyes.

Xicheng's Purple Rosy Cloud Robe was covered with countless fine marks from the blood butterflies. Qizhenzi's Side-Cloud Cypress branches were soaked in blood and turned black.

Even with the three of them working together, they were still forced to retreat step by step by the sea of blood.

Just then, the Dao Lord Zhizhuo suddenly withdrew his staff and retreated. Gazing at the sea of blood, he said in a deep voice:

"If the Dharma Form continues to fight, even with the protection of the Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation and the Daoist Rhyme of the Thatched Cottage, Mount Zhongnan will first transform into a physical form."

As soon as he finished speaking, His Dharma Form suddenly dispersed.

The vast body of Wu Earth transformed into boundless Wu Earth energy and five-colored smoke, condensing into a thick, mountain-like Wu Earth light.

In the light, one can vaguely see high mountains, long rivers, and five-colored clouds rotating in Wu Earth. This is a strange phenomenon formed by the interweaving of multiple meanings of the Wu Earth, such as "Earth Virtue Nourishing Position, Master of Fate, High Mountains, Immortals, and No Leakage."

The strange phenomenon spread for thousands of miles, completely enveloping the Zhongnan Blessed Land, and then pressed down on the sea of blood, like an invisible mountain slowly sinking.

Before the mountain was even reached, the sea of blood had already been pressed down and sunken several feet deep. Where the blood waves were crushed by the light of the Wu Earth, the blood turned into yellow mud, Hazy Clouds were worn away layer by layer by the five-colored smoke.

Upon seeing this, True Lord Xicheng's Crimson Firmament Dharma Form also dispersed.

The ten-thousand-foot-tall Dharma body transformed into a sky full of crimson clouds. Within the clouds, there was no longer a specific form, only a phantom of the Crimson Firmament, a sky full of crimson clouds, and a very faint crimson line, like the first light of dawn illuminating the crimson clouds. This was the complete manifestation of the "Crimson Firmament" imagery of the Rainbow Clouds.

The crimson glow spread for thousands of miles, flanking the sea of blood with the strange phenomena of the Wu Earth on the left and right.

Wherever the crimson glow of Crimson Firmament passed, the blood was burned into white mist, and the silvery smoke was gradually worn away by the crimson patterns.

Daozheng Qizhenzi did not manifest any form. He remained the Dharma Body of the Side-Cloud Cypress, Heavenly Immortal being with a False Core. His manifested form was not as perfect as his Dharma Body. However, the Side-Cloud Cypress's branches and leaves stretched out to their fullest extent, and the five-colored smoke and the Rainbow Bridge of Flying Cloud Crossing merged into one, completely protecting the thatched cottage and the Jade Palace Lotus Pond.

The three extraordinary phenomena, together with the Dharma body, pressed down, and the sea of blood retreated three miles.

But the Old Devil just sneered when he saw this.

The sea of blood surged, and layers of gray Hazy Clouds and silver-gray blood butterflies gradually pushed back the strange phenomena of the Wu Earth element and the Crimson Firmament.

Qizhenzi suddenly transmitted a message to Zhizhuo: "Could the power of the Wu Earth Master of Fate purify Him and complete our agreement on ' Blood Sloughing and Preservation of Truth '?"

Zhizhuo replied resolutely, "Yes, but we need to get close. The Old Devil is hiding in the deepest part of the Blood Sea; we can't get close."

"I've come to clear the way for the Dao Lord."

Qizhenzi finished speaking, the branches and leaves of the Side-Cloud Cypress suddenly stretched out, and five-colored smoke condensed into an extremely thin bridge of smoke, which propelled Flying Cloud Crossing, under the blessing of the Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation, to shoot straight into the depths of the Blood Sea.

The Flying Cloud Crossing was originally a celestial artifact. Now, with the power of the great formation, the rosy light spread out like a bridge wherever the wheels rolled over it. The five-colored smoke and the rosy light of the Wu Earth intertwined, forcibly opening a three-zhang-wide road in the sea of blood.

Where the smoke bridge passed, the silver-gray smoke was worn away by the five colors, the blood was forced back by the Wu Earth, and the blood waves that crashed onto the bridge surface were held up, diverted, and unloaded, truly opening up a thoroughfare.

Zhizhuo without hesitation.

The strange phenomenon of Wu Earth suddenly contracted, condensing into a pillar of earthy yellow light, which rushed along the Smoke Bridge into the depths of the Sea of Blood.

The pillar of light Heavenly Longevity Staff leading the way, and the phantom of the Life-Governing Dark Bird flapping its wings and crying out, were accompanied by Five Smoke Chariot that enveloped the pillar. It moved at an extremely fast speed, and in the blink of an eye, it had already rushed into the depths of the sea of blood, a hundred feet deep.

Xicheng's Crimson Firmament phenomenon held them back from the flanks, while crimson rays burned through layer upon layer of blood waves, incinerating all the blood butterflies surging toward the smoke bridge.

The branches and leaves of the Side-Cloud Cypress of Qizhenzi stretched out to their fullest extent, and five-colored smoke continuously replenished the smoke bridge. Although the bridge surface was repeatedly washed by blood, it never collapsed.

The three worked in perfect harmony, and the smoke bridge inch by inch sank deeper into the sea of blood, less than three miles from the ruined temple.

With Zhizhuo focus on the imminent completion of their planned [Blood Sloughing and Preservation of Truth], even though he had already cultivated to the Dao Lord, his voice, emanating from the earthen pillar of light, carried a rare hint of exhilaration:

"If I get any closer, my power of Master of Fate will be able to touch the Old Devil's true form!"

Qizhenzi's face was pale. His body, Heavenly Immortal- False Core, was driving the Flying Cloud Crossing deep into the Sea of Blood. Even with the support of the formation, he was still greatly exhausted, but he gritted his teeth and refused to retreat.

"We can hold on."

Xicheng's Crimson Firmament phenomenon suddenly surged, burning back the blood wave surging from the left by several feet:

"I'll protect the flanks, Senior Zhizhuo, go quickly!"

The yellowish-brown beam of light advanced another mile.

Just then, a very soft laugh, like a bubble bursting, came from the depths of the sea of blood.

"Interesting."

The Old Devil's voice suddenly became extremely close, so close it seemed to be ringing in everyone's ears.

The voice was no longer muffled; instead, it carried a condescending ease, as if watching children play.

"You are all so naive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the rhythm of the churning sea of blood suddenly changed.

The previous heart-pounding fluctuations suddenly stopped, and the entire sea of blood fell silent for a moment, a terrifying silence.

Then, the sea of blood exploded.

Instead of surging upwards, it collapsed inwards from all directions, with all the blood, Hazy Clouds, and blood butterflies converging towards the location of the smoke bridge at the same instant. The power and ferocity of that attack far surpassed any previous one.

Yanqiao was the first to be hit.

Qizhenzi only had time to gather the branches and leaves of the Side-Cloud Cypress to protect himself before the five-colored smoke was dispersed by the blood wave, the wheels of the Flying Cloud Crossing Ferry sank into the blood mud, and the glow of the clouds flickered wildly.

Qizhenzi let out a muffled groan. His illusory body, which Heavenly Immortal False Core, was shaken, and a wisp of blood, resembling five-colored smoke, seeped from the corner of his mouth.

The yellowish-brown pillar of light was squeezed by the blood waves that surrounded it from all directions. The phantom of the Life-Governing Dark Bird on the Heavenly Longevity Staff let out a mournful cry, and the pillar of light was flattened and crushed inch by inch.

Zhizhuo a determined roar, the energy of the Wu Earth surged, but the blood waves were too thick and dense, and the pillar of light was completely submerged after only three breaths.

Xicheng 'Crimson Firmament extraordinary phenomenon was simultaneously attacked by gray Hazy Clouds and silver-gray blood butterflies. The crimson glow was peeled away layer by layer, and the phenomenon visibly dimmed.

"You three think you can get close to me?" The Old Devil's laughter echoed from the sea of blood, unhurried and calm. "You may not understand this formation as well as I do! If it weren't for the Divine Fire Pillar, I would have broken free long ago."

Before the words were finished, a dark blood-red light suddenly surged from the depths of the sea of blood, striking the middle of the smoke bridge.

The bridge surface snapped with a crash, Qizhenzi groaned as Flying Cloud Crossing was sent flying backward, dissipating most of the five-colored smoke.

The Zhizhuo, earthen-yellow pillar of light was engulfed by the blood wave, unable to advance or retreat.

Xicheng's Crimson Firmament phenomenon was riddled with holes by the silver-gray blood butterflies, and the crimson glow of the sunset was halved.

The three were separated by a sea of blood, each trapped in their own encirclement.

Qizhenzi used the Side-Cloud Cypress to protect himself, Flying Cloud Crossing barely managed to create a patch of rosy light. However, the Heavenly Immortal immortal's False Core body had already been severely damaged. The five-colored smoke tried to replenish it again and again, but it couldn't keep up with the speed at which the blood washed it away.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Fellow Daoist, Zhizhuo one! Retreat first!"

A Zhizhuo voice echoed from the depths of the sea of blood, muffled and filled with resentment:

"There's no way out! The sea of blood has blocked our path!"

Xicheng 'Crimson Firmament extraordinary appearance suddenly contracted, condensing back into his Dharma Form form.

His face was ashen, his Purple Rosy Cloud Robe were covered with fine marks, and the light of the Zhengji sword and the peach wood sword had dimmed.

"This Old Devil truly lives up to the patriarch's reputation as a troublesome person."

The Old Devil's laughter echoed from all directions:

"Xicheng, you have guarded me in Zhongnan for eight thousand years, and I have watched you for eight thousand years. I know your temperament very well. You came here so Zhizhuo, hoping that He would take credit for me, is that right? Alas, alas, you haven't gained any credit, and you're about to fall into my hands first."

A sea of blood surged, encircling the three.

Xicheng, Qizhenzi, Zhizhuo are each trapped, several miles apart, and none of them can save the others.

The Zhizhuo pillar of Wu Earth surged and thrashed through the blood waves, the Heavenly Longevity Staff striking repeatedly, and the illusory image of the Life-Governing Dark Bird scattering one blood butterfly after another. But there were too many blood butterflies and the blood waves were too thick, causing the pillar of energy to shrink smaller and smaller.

He suddenly looked in the direction of Qizhenzi and said in a deep voice:

"Qizhenzi, now that things have come to this, will you continue to hide?"

Upon hearing Qizhenzi, Qizhenzi paused slightly.

He certainly knew what Zhizhuo was talking about.

The Wu Earth Subsidiary Rank left behind by Yun Zhongzi has been hidden within Him. He originally intended to keep it hidden for a few more years, waiting for a major change in the future before using it.

But at this moment, the sea of blood is churning, and the three of them are trapped. If they don't use it now, they will lose their lives, let alone the merit of their Blood Sloughing and Preservation of Truth.

Hesitation can last only a moment.

A resolute glint flashed in Qizhenzi's eyes, and she said in a deep voice:

"Very well, I've kept this hidden for so many years, I'll stop today, so that outsiders won't say I'm mediocre."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Side-Cloud Cypress suddenly stretched out to their fullest extent.

Above the tree trunk, a layer of rosy light surged from between the branches and leaves, the Wu Earth element so intense it was almost tangible, noble, profound, and steady, like the first wisp of Earth Virtue when the earth was first created.

The moment that aura was released, the entire Mount Zhongnan trembled slightly.

Outside the mountain, the Dao Lord, immortals, and True Lord guarding the perimeter of Zhongnan were all astonished.

A Dao Lord's profound voice resounded:

"This is Wu Earth)! Who in the mountains is about to attain enlightenment?"

Before the words had even finished, thunder rumbled across the sky, and a profound voice descended from within the thunder—the voice of the Heavenly Venerable:

"It is Wu Earth Subsidiary Rank that Yun Zhongzi possessed back then, hidden within Qizhenzi."

As soon as he finished speaking, the aura of the Mountain Wu Earth True Lord surged forth, as heavy as a mountain and as steady as the earth.

Once that aura began, it didn't stop, but rose steadily, and in the blink of an eye, it exuded the aura of an immortal.

A mystical voice emanated from an immortal surrounded by Cold Qi:

"It is the Five Qi Converging to the Origin at the Origin, through which Qizhenzi directly achieved the Dao Embryo Immortal."

Yamauchi.

Qizhenzi's body radiated a burst of Wu Earth light, his Dharma body on the Side-Cloud Cypress grew taller inch by inch, and five-colored smoke transformed into auspicious clouds, with Flying Cloud Crossing Rainbow Bridge that stretched for thousands of miles.

He rose from Heavenly Immortal False Core with a false core to True Lord, and then, based on hundreds of thousands of years of accumulation, directly entered the Dao Embryo Immortal Realm.

The power of the Wu Earth Subsidiary Rank flowed into the Dharma body, instantly healing the previous injuries, and the five-colored smoke was several times denser than before.

Qizhenzi opened her eyes, her gaze as steady as the earth, without the slightest hesitation.

"Zhizhuo Daoist, persistent one," His voice was steady and powerful, "I will pave the way for you, let's do it one more time."

As soon as he finished speaking, the branches and leaves of the Side-Cloud Cypress suddenly stretched out, and the five-colored smoke condensed into a smoke bridge several times thicker than before. Under the control of the Dao Embryo Immortal Realm, the Flying Cloud Crossing's radiance surged, and the bridge surface became as wide as a road, shooting straight into the depths of the Blood Sea.

This time, wherever the smoke bridge passed, the blood was not forced back, but crushed by the power of the Wu Earth Subsidiary Rank. The silver-gray smoke was obliterated by the five colors, and the blood butterflies turned into nothingness upon hitting the bridge surface.

Zhizhuo and without hesitation, the pillar of light from the Wu Earth surged along the smoke bridge into the depths of the sea of blood.

Xicheng's extraordinary Crimson Firmament phenomenon also reappeared, with crimson rays spreading for thousands of miles, protecting the flanks of the Smoke Bridge.

But the Old Devil just sneered.

"Wu Earth Subsidiary Rank? Dao Embryo Immortal?" The sea of blood surged, and the Old Devil's voice was calm and unhurried, "Qizhenzi, do you think that by hiding a Dao of the Subsidiary Rank, you can turn the tide?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sea of blood surged once more.

This time, the blood was no longer just silver-gray blood butterflies, but countless blood-red tentacles imbued with the power of Illusory Slumber, wrapping around the Smoke Bridge from all directions.

The thick gray Hazy Clouds were almost solidified, and they hissed as they fell on Flying Cloud Crossing, gradually eroding the radiant glow of the immortal artifact.

Qizhenzi's smoke bridge was entangled by tentacles, and the five-colored smoke was worn away layer by layer and then wrapped up again.

The Zhizhuo pillar of light from the Wu Earth was shrouded in Hazy Clouds, and the illusory image of the Life-Governing Dark Bird cried out incessantly.

Xicheng's extraordinary Crimson Firmament phenomenon was nearly destroyed by the impact of the blood butterfly.

The three of them exerted all their strength, and the smoke bridge advanced inch by inch, but for every zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) they advanced, they had to pay ten times the price they had paid before.

Although Qizhenzi's Dao Embryo Immortal Realm was strong, the Old Devil unleashed the power of all three paths simultaneously, and the Sea of Blood seemed endless. When the Smoke Bridge was less than a mile away from the dilapidated temple, it could no longer be pushed forward.

The Zhizhuo pillar of Wu Earth Light was squeezed by the blood wave, and the phantom of the Black Bird on the Heavenly Longevity Staff dimmed.

He gritted his teeth and said, "I can't reach it, it's still half a mile short!"

Qizhenzi's five-colored smoke was nearly exhausted. Although he was strong at the Dao Embryo Immortal Realm, his foundation as Heavenly Immortal False Core with a false core was still there. He couldn't win a head-on battle of attrition against the Old Devil demon.

His face was ashen, yet he still held onto the smoke bridge, refusing to let it dissipate.

Xicheng's extraordinary appearance in the Crimson Firmament had been reduced to less than a hundred feet, his Purple Rosy Cloud Robe was covered with fine marks, and the ancient sword of Zhengji hummed incessantly.

The three men exerted all their strength, but the smoke bridge stopped a mile from the dilapidated temple, unable to move forward or backward.

The Old Devil's laughter echoed from the depths of the sea of blood:

"Since we're already here, let's all stay."

A sea of blood surrounded them, pressing down on the three.

Just then, Xicheng glanced towards the direction of the grotto-heaven, thinking to himself, "The Blood Sloughing and Preservation of Truth I originally intended for Su Yao, so he could quickly become an immortal, has not only failed, but he's likely to perish here today. If Su Yao were to open the formation now, it would be like letting outsiders reap the rewards, but it's still better than..."

He was about to speak...

Su Yao saw it from inside the cave entrance.

He saw Qizhenzi's smoke bridge stop in the depths of the sea of blood, saw the Zhizhuo pillar of light being squeezed by the waves of blood, and saw Xicheng's Crimson Firmament vision about to be extinguished.

Despite their best efforts, the three predecessors were still one mile short.

In His hand, there was only the first layer of restriction on the Prism that had just been loosened.

Su Yao took a deep breath and channeled his Law Power into the Prism.

The Prism trembled.

The first of the forty-eight restrictions lit up, and a ring of extremely fine runes appeared on the pillar. The runes turned like chains, and an unprecedented power surged out from the Prism, pouring into Su Yao's Law Power.

Su Yao raised his hand, swung the Ask Amid the Clouds and slashed it towards the sea of blood, pretending that he had received the effect of the Ask Amid the Clouds.

A rainbow light surged from the tip of the sword.

The rainbow light was several times thicker than before, and within it was wrapped a layer of extremely faint and fine patterns, like Prism. The patterns flashed by, and the rainbow light was no longer an ordinary rainbow light, but carried a hint of "barrier breaking" that was hard to explain.

The rainbow light slashed into the sea of blood.

Wherever it passed, the blood wasn't split open, but rather "broken" open.

The blood waves shattered layer by layer, the Hazy Clouds dissipated inch by inch, the silver-gray blood butterflies were silently annihilated upon colliding with the rainbow light, and even those Illusory Slumber tentacles melted away inch by inch, like snow meeting the sun.

That rainbow light slashed straight into the depths of the sea of blood from in front of the cave entrance, severing the blood waves that Zhizhuo the stubborn one, breaking through the blood wall that trapped Qizhenzi, and repelling the blood butterflies that were rushing towards Xicheng.

A path was forcibly "broken" open by the rainbow light.

The Old Devil's laughter suddenly stopped.

"How could this be?" His voice held genuine surprise and disbelief for the first time. "How could the power of the Wu Earth Cloud-Reception Formation be broken? What did you use?!"

Su Yao did not answer.

His Law Power Prism again, Ask Amid the Clouds.

Three rainbow beams of light slashed out one after another: one protected Qizhenzi, one supported Zhizhuo, and one opened an escape route for Xicheng.

As Xicheng's pressure eased, the red light of Crimson Firmament shone brightly again.

Without hesitation, He rushed toward the direction Zhizhuo.

"Zhizhuo senior! Now's the time!"

Zhizhuo break free from the blood-red waves, the earthen-yellow pillar of light solidified again and rushed towards the ruined temple along the path Su Yao had cut open.

Qizhenzi gritted her teeth and pushed up the Flying Cloud Crossing, replenishing most of the five-colored smoke, which followed closely behind.

The Old Devil's furious roar echoed from the depths of the sea of blood:

"What exactly is that trump card of yours! Was it left behind by Yun Zhongzi? Was it left behind by Caiche? Impossible! They don't have that kind of strength. It must be Zhegui, it must be that little devil Zhegui!"

Su Yao remained silent.

He poured his Law Power power into the first restriction of the Prism, and then slashed out with sword after sword in the Ask Amid the Clouds. Each sword carried the meaning of "breaking through barriers" from the Prism runes, breaking through the encirclement of the sea of blood layer by layer.

Xicheng and the other two took the opportunity to reunite.

The Zhizhuo pillar of Wu Earth Light rushed toward the ruined temple once again, this time several times faster than before, because the Sea of Blood had been cleared by Su Yao's rainbow light.

The Old Devil finally panicked.

Blood Sea abandoned its encirclement and retreated with all its might. All the blood, Hazy Clouds, and blood butterflies gathered towards the ruined temple, determined to Zhizhuo at bay for the last half mile.

But Su Yao's rainbow light relentlessly pursued, cleaving through the blood waves with each sword strike.

The last mile.

The Zhizhuo Heavenly Longevity Staff finally reached the bottom of the dilapidated temple.

The phantom of the Life-Governing Dark Bird flapped its wings and pecked down, the Wu Earth leaking through it, the power of calamity pouring into the ground. Following this, an unprecedented, sharp and piercing screech came from the ground.

"No!"