Chapter 1342: Fellow Sect Members at the Ends of the Earth

If someone were to stand in this space, they would feel for a moment as if a great mountain was pressing down on their head, while their feet felt utterly ungrounded. Strength is born from the earth, yet with their feet feeling like rootless duckweed, they would be crushed to dust in an instant by this powerless, immense force. But if one had just managed to adjust the magical power in their body, sinking their qi to their dantian and seeking to stabilize their lower body, in the next moment, as the colors of heaven and earth instantly shifted, the suction force from the ground below would nail them firmly to the earth. With the force in their upper body suddenly sinking, their innards would feel empty and uncomfortable, as if they had just swallowed an iron ball that was plummeting through their stomach, creating a violent, tearing sensation of descent. Yet, if one tried to adjust this floating and sinking state again, heaven and earth would change once more. Anyone within would be in a constant state of chaotic inversion and misapplied force. Even a cultivator with magical power, after entering this space, would find their magical power thrown into utter disarray in no time. With their qi and blood churning, their very bones would become a scattered pile.

At this moment, two figures stood silently in this space. They were several thousand zhang apart, facing each other from a distance. One was a tall, grey-robed elder. His aged eyes looked forward, his pupils as black as ink, like an endless abyss. To meet his gaze was to risk losing one’s mind in an instant, to lose all sense of self.

Several thousand zhang away stood a man as burly as a small mountain, his hands clasped behind his back. A head of long purple hair cascaded down to his waist, and a long, scarlet cloak draped down from his back. On his square face, a pair of tiger-like eyes held an endless, icy chill, majestic and murderous. These two men stood in this constantly inverting space, yet they seemed completely unaffected, like ancient mountains and giant pines, firmly rooted in place, letting the winds and clouds change as they may.

“So you are Dong Fuyi. I have long heard of your great name. A pity you all have been hiding and skulking about. To finally see you today, it truly is a case of the reputation not living up to the reality!” the purple-haired man said, his eyes filled with mockery.

“What can I do? Everyone wants to get their hands on good things. It’s not like you lot. Even after constantly branching out and spreading your leaves, in the end, you still haven’t managed to unify and rule the cultivation world, have you?” The deep, indistinct light in Dong Fuyi’s eyes slowly faded. All these years, he had hidden his tracks and searched relentlessly, finally locating the other party’s old lair on the North Ice Continent. Afterward, he and Pei Buchong had slipped inside. They quickly found a place with abnormal spatial fluctuations. They had intended to sneak in quietly, but the formations here were also extremely troublesome. When they were breaking the restrictions, they alerted the other party.

Looking at the burly man before him, Dong Fuyi reviewed some information in his mind. This person had also suppressed his powerful cultivation to come to the lower realm.

“Good things? How laughable. It’s merely the scattered power of Yin and Yang, self-proclaimed as the so-called Five Elements. By that reckoning, your cultivation methods are our heritage, and you’re not even fit to be called grandsons!”

“Hehehe, you must be Xiao Yunzong of the Yin-Yang Chaos Sect. When I was still in the Upper Realm, I heard of your fearsome reputation. Have you been exiled to this tiny place, the North Ice Continent? You’ve already teleported me here, yet you’re still spouting so much nonsense. Aren’t you afraid your disciples and grand-disciples outside will all be killed?”

As Dong Fuyi spoke, a long, sharp spike suddenly appeared at the back of the purple-haired man’s head, flashing like lightning as it stabbed toward him. It was none other than a Gui-Yi Water-Parting Spike. The purple-haired man merely gave a cold snort, but his body didn’t move an inch. The space here, however, suddenly distorted with his snort. The Gui-Yi Water-Parting Spike passed through silently! But the spot it pierced was no longer the back of the purple-haired man’s head; it appeared three hundred zhang away from him. It was as if, with his snort, the scope of the space had instantly expanded several times over, the original position having shifted far away.

“The Gui Water Immortal Sect? A bunch of petty thieves. Still fond of sneak attacks, but is it any use?” the purple-haired man sneered.

However, in his heart, he was also somewhat anxious. He had been meditating when the entrance formation to that secret space had actively warned him. This had given him a huge fright. Someone had managed to sneak into the sect without his knowledge and had come right under his nose. If not for the layers of restrictions set at the entrance to that secret space—a multi-layered restriction, the “Luo Tian Grand Formation,” that he had purchased from the Immortal Spirit Realm at great cost—the other party might have truly slipped into the forbidden ground unnoticed.

That formation had up to eighty-one layers of restrictions, all interconnected, with the inner restrictions growing progressively stronger. Not even a Body Integration cultivator could hope to break through it with brute force in a short time. Moreover, with his own careful arrangements, he had left an even stronger backup plan: he could use the operation of the Luo Tian Grand Formation to connect with a child formation he had set up. Just like that, he had teleported Dong Fuyi, who was in the middle of breaking the formation, into this very child formation. In this child formation, all power was in a state of chaotic Yin-Yang inversion, and here, he could exert one hundred and twenty percent of his strength.

Even so, he was not confident he could take down Dong Fuyi. He couldn’t see through Dong Fuyi’s specific realm; it seemed as if an extremely terrifying power was hidden within his body. He also knew that in the lower realm, neither of them could use cultivation above the Spirit Transformation realm, which made it even more a matter of who had a more thorough mastery of their respective, innate laws of heaven and earth. Xiao Yunzong’s cultivation of the Yin-Yang Heaven and Earth Art had only just broken through to the third layer, putting his actual strength at the mid-stage Body Integration. He had to comprehend both the extremes of Yin and Yang simultaneously to maintain balance, which required much more cultivation time. Dong Fuyi, on the other hand, specialized in the water-attribute laws—summoning wind and rain, suppressing with heavy water, and so on. In terms of a single law, his comprehension was purer, and the power he could unleash was greater.

Therefore, Xiao Yunzong was waiting for another person to arrive, hoping the two of them could join forces to kill Dong Fuyi. But whether that person was currently on the North Ice Continent, Xiao Yunzong himself didn’t know. He could only try his best to stall for time. Previously, having spent too long in the lower realm and with no one left to threaten the two of them, they had never imagined someone could sneak in. The other person had left this place four years ago to search for a certain type of ore for artifact refining and had yet to return.

What Xiao Yunzong didn’t know was that this was a ruse by Dong Fuyi, who was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine. Once Dong Fuyi had guessed who was targeting his sect, he had also secretly spread rumors on the North Ice Continent, just as the other party had done to deceive them. Although Dong Fuyi didn’t know which members of the Yin-Yang Chaos Sect were on the North Ice Continent, he did know some of the crucial materials their sect needed for cultivation. So, he spent a large amount of Spirit Stones in various markets, letting informants spread the news like wildfire…

At this moment, outside this Yin-Yang child formation, a bloodbath was already raging like a tide. Although Dong Fuyi’s Divine Sense couldn’t penetrate outside, he trusted in Pei Buchong’s abilities. If he couldn’t win, Pei Buchong would escape at the first opportunity. Having spent these years with Pei Buchong, Dong Fuyi was even jealous of his Senior Brother Qianchong. Pei Buchong not only had high cultivation but, more importantly, was alert, cunning, and experienced. His calculations at certain times were something even he greatly admired. Unlike his own disciple, who was foolishly tricked by others and, even after he had pointed it out, stubbornly refused to believe it.

When the two of them had entered the enemy sect, Dong Fuyi had already checked. Besides this purple-haired man, there were six other Spirit Transformation cultivators, as well as some Nascent Soul and mid-to-low level cultivators. This was the investment the Yin-Yang Chaos Sect had made to deal with the Five Immortal Sects, having netted many high-level cultivators in the lower realm, giving them generous rewards to make them temporarily give up ascension and fight for them. But in Dong Fuyi’s eyes, none of these people should be a match for Pei Buchong.

After exchanging a few words of nonsense with Xiao Yunzong, Dong Fuyi probed briefly and, seeing that the other party was indeed alone, he immediately chose to act. His combat experience was rich; he had no desire to follow another’s rhythm. He would fight if he could, and leave if he could.

‘Old monster Qianchong, it seems you’re just behind that entrance!’ Dong Fuyi thought, yet his heart grew even calmer. Seeing his attack miss, there was not a trace of surprise on his face. This place was a world of inverted Yin and Yang, a small space set up by the enemy. Naturally, they had the advantage of time and place. But he would also fight for a quick resolution…

Wherever Pei Buchong passed, the cultivators below Spirit Transformation trembled, their faces filled with disbelief and deep fear. They didn’t know where this white-robed youth, this demon, had come from. Not only were his movement skills incredibly fast, but his combat experience was profound. He fought in a completely fluid, hit-and-run style, engaging with his opponents for a moment before disengaging, never getting bogged down. If a strike missed, he would immediately retreat, leaving the six Spirit Transformation cultivators fuming with rage, yet their speed was far inferior to his.

Pei Buchong roamed about, completely ignoring the attacks from the Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators in the distance. Amidst the explosions that filled the sky, even when various arts landed on his body, he looked completely unfazed. Layers of yellow light continuously erupted from the surface of his body, as if he were the sturdiest shield in the world. He displayed the unbreakable defense of the earth element to its fullest extent.

And in just thirty breaths of time, only three of the six Spirit Transformation cultivators remained. Of the other three, one had his physical body directly blasted apart by Pei Buchong, and even his Nascent Soul had no time to escape before he perished on the spot. The other two, in the running battle, were forced to release their Spirit Transformation realm cultivation. In an instant, amidst roars of indignation and unwillingness, they were squeezed out of the North Ice Continent by the tyrannical power of the world. Yet even as they left, the desperate final blows they unleashed with their Spirit Transformation cultivation were still blocked by Pei Buchong. His defense had reached a terrifyingly abnormal level.

“What… what is his cultivation realm? Why can he take a blow from Daoist Master Wushan and Fellow Daoist Quanming at their Spirit Transformation cultivation level, yet he is still here, not being repelled from the North Ice Continent…”

“Fellow Daoist Wu’s physical body and Nascent Soul were shattered by a single blow from him. Shouldn’t his strength be above the Spirit Transformation realm?”

The remaining three Spirit Transformation cultivators communicated secretly, their eyes betraying their fear. It had only been thirty breaths, yet this white-robed youth had single-handedly suppressed their side. They were already thinking of fleeing, but the thought of Xiao Yunzong and the other’s even more terrifying methods made them even more afraid of them. They could only hesitate, not daring to run.

But after another seven breaths, the physical body of another Spirit Transformation cultivator fell to the ground like a broken sack. A Nascent Soul instantly escaped into the void, fleeing in a panic. The remaining two Spirit Transformation cultivators, no longer caring about their fear of Xiao Yunzong, immediately fled into the distance. The cultivators below stood stunned for several breaths before realizing something was wrong. Terrified out of their wits, they scattered like birds and beasts. Each one thought that with so many people fleeing in all directions, and with only one opponent, they might be lucky enough to escape with their lives.

A vicious light flashed in Pei Buchong’s eyes. He didn’t want to let a single cultivator here escape, lest they summon powerful reinforcements before his Martial Uncle emerged…

Half an incense stick later, Pei Buchong was hiding in the shadow of a rock formation. Around him, there was no longer any sound of killing. Even the thick stench of blood had become faint and almost nonexistent. After killing the people, he had actually begun to meticulously clean up the area. If anyone were to look at the ground now, a chill would run down their spine. The entire grounds of the hidden sect, except for the rock formation in front of Pei Buchong, were silently writhing as if they were made of flowing water. The very earth was under his complete control. The corpses and bloodstains on the ground were like a small boat on the waves; one wave crashed over, and in the next moment, not a trace was left, only a clean stretch of earth…

As Pei Buchong stood in the shadow of the rock formation, a certain spot in the space before the rocks suddenly fluctuated, and then a blinding white light erupted. As the light dimmed, a figure shot out like a bolt of lightning. Pei Buchong’s eyes widened in shock. It was a person whose body was half-shrouded in darkness, yet still recognizable as a physical form. The other half of this person’s body was nothing but a few supporting bones. The organs and flesh on that side were gone, completely vanished, so much so that one could see the scenery behind him through his body.

The moment that person appeared, an eerie light pursued him from behind. The first person to emerge didn’t pause for even a moment, let alone look at Pei Buchong. The instant his figure appeared, he shot into the sky with utter desperation, tore open the void, and dove inside. The rift then sealed shut in an instant.

“Hmph, count yourself lucky!”

As Pei Buchong stood on alert, a familiar voice came from the eerie light behind. Then, the eerie light dissipated, revealing Dong Fuyi’s tall figure. But Dong Fuyi now had his left shoulder almost completely caved in, his left arm hung limply, and half his body was covered in blood.

“Martial Uncle!” Pei Buchong quickly stepped out from the shadows.

“Everything is fine. Hurry and break the formation, we need to get that old ghost, your master, out of there. If Xiao Yunzong calls for reinforcements, we’ll be in real trouble. Damn this lower realm! You have to be so careful with every single art you cast. It makes me feel so constrained. I really want to punch a hole in this damn sky!” Dong Fuyi said hatefully, looking at his blood-soaked left hand.

…

Half a year later, Li Yan, who was in seclusion, was roused by the constant vibration of the token on his person. Afterward, Yu Banjiang handed him a bottle of Immortalization Liquid. In the past six months, Li Yan’s Divine Sense had finally recovered a sliver, but it was still not enough to support him in opening the Earthen Patch space. The moment he tried to use the power of his Divine Sense, his Sea of Consciousness would become extremely unstable, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

Under these circumstances, after soaking in the Immortalization Liquid, Li Yan’s divine soul within his body completely stabilized after just one day. Having completed this most urgent task, Li Yan once again hurried back into seclusion, continuing to nourish his Sea of Consciousness.

Time flew like a fleeting glimpse. Day after day, night after night, they cycled and rotated. Li Yan, the cultivator who had ascended from the lower realm, had not set foot outside the Broken Army Sect since he arrived, except for his time unconscious on the Heavenly Demon Prairie. In fact, he was still unclear about the overall layout of the Broken Army Sect. Only three people in the entire sect knew of his existence…

One day, in a shattered void, three figures were flying at high speed, weaving through the chaotic flow of space. The black holes and spatial cracks that appeared from time to time were like gaping, abyssal maws, yet the three of them seemed completely unafraid, their speed not decreasing in the slightest.

Among the three, one was a tall, grey-robed elder. Beside him was a yellow-robed Daoist in his thirties. The two were conversing in low voices. Behind them was a white-robed youth with a face as fair as jade. He watched the two conversing in front of him with a smile, his eyes sparkling with life.

“Senior Brother, are you planning to come back to the North Ice Continent later?” The tall, grey-robed elder frowned. He had urgent matters to attend to and wanted to get to the Desolate Moon Continent as soon as possible to find that blockheaded boy.