Chapter 547: They’ve Come
Chapter 549: They’ve Come
The golden-body dharmic manifestation appeared, spiritual energy surging with unparalleled momentum. Its expressionless face betrayed neither sorrow nor joy. With a single finger, it pointed toward the terrified Holy Son.
The power of that finger was astonishing.
The Holy Son’s features twisted under the force, limbs bending, flesh and blood blurring.
Yet in the next instant, he was intact as before.
A blood-colored mark on his brow shone, radiating a deep, pitch-black light.
At the same time, behind him, a massive blood-red figure emerged.
This figure looked as if it had been soaked in tainted blood—its aura surged with life and death, soul-stealing and terrifying in its oppression.
It was a blood-colored dharmic manifestation!
The Demonic Dao Ancestor’s Profound-Hollow Blood Shadow.
It was also a talisman!
A powerful life saving talisman, similar to the “Life-Preserving Talisman of One’s True Fate”!
Taking advantage of the Holy Son’s distraction, Bai Zisheng approached stealthily, then shattered his own Life-Preserving Talisman to trigger the golden-body dharmic manifestation, intending to annihilate the demonic Holy Son completely!
The dharmic finger put the Holy Son’s life on the line.
The talisman on the Holy Son’s brow was forced to activate, countering the golden-body manifestation and safeguarding his life.
One “life” exchanged for another.
One talisman shattered for another.
In the Great Li Mountain, the righteous golden-body manifestation clashed with the demonic blood-colored manifestation, fingers meeting in a cataclysmic collision.
Golden and blood-red spiritual energy swept across heaven and earth.
Mountains crumbled, trees were uprooted, soil and stone turned to dust, and beasts were crushed into nothingness.
Bai Zixi still stood in front of Mo Hua, shielding him.
The residual power of the Life-Preserving Talisman, following Bai Zixi’s will, protected Mo Hua and Xue Yi nearby.
Mo Hua was unharmed.
He stood stunned, staring at the two dharmic manifestations, feeling a strange awe in his heart.
“So this is… a true cultivator…”
“Moving mountains and overturning seas, destroying heaven and earth…”
“This is what true, all-encompassing cultivation looks like…”
“Profound-Hollow Realm…”
In Mo Hua’s eyes were shock and admiration, and he unconsciously clenched his small fists.
One day, he too would hold the power to reverse heaven and earth, to cover the sky with one hand, flatten the earth with the other.
Then no one would dare plot against his master, or bully his junior brother and sister! No one would dare harm those he cherished!
…
The clash of dharmic manifestations lasted but a moment, yet it shook heaven and earth.
Moments later, storm clouds returned on the horizon.
The Heavenly Tribulation struck a second time.
Crimson thunder descended, cold and furious, aiming to annihilate both the righteous golden-body manifestation and the demonic blood-colored manifestation.
And yet, all returned to calm…
…
Earlier, when the first Life-Preserving Talisman shattered,
the heavenly mechanisms here had already been stirred.
The sealing of the Underworld Dao’s Celestial Lock was erased by the tribulation, heavenly secrets leaked, and causality became discernible.
The tremendous spiritual fluctuations generated by the golden-body manifestation spread outward from Great Li Mountain, alerting nearby cultivators.
A thousand miles away, in Li Yuan City,
a middle-aged white-robed cultivator sensed the first Life-Preserving Talisman shatter, and also the vibrations of the Profound-Hollow manifestation. Trembling, he accidentally crushed the teacup in his hand.
“Life-Preserving Talisman of One’s True Fate?”
“Shattered… shattered?!”
Even with his late Golden Core cultivation, two centuries of experience, and deep political acumen, his face instantly went pale.
He was the Supervisor of the Dao Court Division of Li Yuan City.
Li Yuan City, the largest Immortal City in the entire Great Li Mountain Prefecture,
and its Dao Court Division was the largest, most heavily populated, and most powerful in the entire prefecture.
As Supervisor, he bore responsibility for the safety of the entire region.
Great power, great responsibility.
And now, during a simple tea break, with no warning, he sensed the fluctuations of a Profound-Hollow manifestation.
And a Life-Preserving Talisman had shattered…
A chill ran through his heart, his mouth bitter.
“What kind of young master just casually comes to Great Li Mountain and shatters his own Life-Preserving Talisman…”
A Life-Preserving Talisman… is that an ordinary talisman?
Who can plant a Life-Preserving Talisman? Must be no ordinary family.
Who can possess a Life-Preserving Talisman? Surely no ordinary disciple.
Without mortal danger, can a Life-Preserving Talisman shatter?
What does it mean?
It means the Great Li Mountain Prefecture’s security is seriously lacking!
If anything happens, as the regional Supervisor, he would be held responsible!
Black iron lumps pounding the head—guilty or not, the blame falls!
The great families wouldn’t listen to excuses; someone must bear the consequences and their anger.
And this is just the Life-Preserving Talisman shattering.
If the young master with the talisman suffers even a slight misfortune…
The white-robed cultivator’s face went pale. He stood and commanded sternly:
“Summon people!”
An officer came forward, bowing respectfully: “What are your orders, Supervisor?”
The white-robed cultivator glanced toward the source of the spiritual fluctuations, roughly calculated against the layout of Great Li Mountain Prefecture, and after a long moment recalled a name:
Li Shan City…
“Send a message to the Dao Court Division in Li Shan City. Ask what happened there.”
“Yes.”
The officer hurried away and returned after the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, his expression grave:
“Supervisor, Li Shan City hasn’t replied…”
The white-robed cultivator frowned. “No reply?”
Anger rose: “Negligence? Such laxity…!”
Then he froze, a chill running through him.
No reply…
Is it deliberate, or… can no one reply?
Could something have happened to the Dao Court Division in Li Shan City…?
Under the Dao Court, in the bright world, impossible…
Who could dare do this?
His expression darkened, and he commanded:
“Order all deputy Supervisors and officers of Golden Core rank in Li Yuan City to assemble within one incense stick’s time!”
“All of them! No excuses!”
“If anyone doesn’t come within one incense stick’s time, immediately expel them from the Dao Court Division!”
The officer was shocked, realizing this matter must be serious.
He had never seen the normally impassive Supervisor display such severity.
The order was sent immediately.
Within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, all Golden Core cultivators of the Li Yuan City Dao Court Division had assembled before him.
Their expressions were solemn, mixed with confusion.
“Supervisor, what happened?”
The white-robed cultivator waved his hand: “We leave at once, all of us, to Li Shan City!”
“All of us?” a deputy asked, startled.
The Supervisor considered briefly, then singled out a Golden Core cultivator: “You stay and guard. Everyone else, come with me.”
The group exchanged glances.
The deputy still asked hesitantly: “Supervisor, what exactly happened?”
The Supervisor, frustrated, replied succinctly:
“A Life-Preserving Talisman has shattered. We’re going to see.”
“A Life-Preserving Talisman?!”
Shock rippled among them:
“What is that?”
“A talisman?”
“So important?”
“Warranting such mobilization?”
The Supervisor froze for a moment, speechless.
Li Yuan City was relatively remote; most of these Golden Core cultivators came from minor families or small sects, and knew little of such a major legacy.
“Supervisor, isn’t this a bit… overreacting?” someone asked politely.
One talisman, how could it cause the entire Dao Court Division of the Great Li Mountain Prefecture, all top Golden Core cultivators, to mobilize?
The deputy continued, puzzled:
“Supervisor, is this talisman really that important?”
The Supervisor clenched his teeth in frustration and shouted:
“You don’t know a damn thing!”
“All I can tell you is, one Life-Preserving Talisman is more precious than my life! More! Damn! Precious!!”
At this, everyone turned pale.
Only now did they realize this matter might be far graver than they imagined.
“Enough talk!” the white-robed cultivator commanded. “Dress in your Dao robes, take your treasures, prepare your elixirs. We leave immediately!”
“Yes!”
Everyone’s expressions turned grim, voices low.
The Supervisor nodded, about to speak, then sensed something. His heart skipped a beat, eyes wide with alarm.
The deputy hesitated, pointing ahead:
“Supervisor, the Life-Preserving Talisman shattered—was it like that…?”
The Supervisor turned sharply. One look, and his legs went weak, almost unable to stand.
Far away, golden light filled the sky, terrifying in aura.
“Another… one shattered?”
No, not just one…
The Supervisor focused.
Far on the horizon, a golden light and a red light stood opposed.
Though distant, the aura was unmistakably… two dharmic manifestations?
And among them, that blood shadow… Profound-Hollow Void of the Demonic Dao?!
Demonic Dao’s…
Immortality Talisman?!
In such a short time, two Life-Preserving Talisman shattered, and one Demonic Immortality Talisman as well?
“What… is happening?”
The white-robed cultivator’s eyes went wide.
…
Farther away, in Dao Prefecture, the Central Dao Court.
Heavenly Pivot Pavilion.
The Grand Elder and the Pavilion Supervisor were playing chess.
The Grand Elder’s hair was white, face aged, eyes deep; the Supervisor’s hair partially white, face refined, eyes humble.
They took turns placing pieces.
Soon, anxious footsteps sounded outside.
A Heavenly Pivot Pavilion disciple ran hurriedly to the door, stopping abruptly, suppressing his urgency, and knocked respectfully.
The Grand Elder ignored him, focused on the game.
The disciple burned with impatience but could only wait respectfully.
The Pavilion Supervisor whispered: “Grand Elder…”
The Grand Elder finally looked up, sighed slightly, eyes leaving the board: “Come in.”
The disciple entered lightly, presenting a jade slip with a bow:
“Grand Elder, the calculations are done. In the Third-Grade Great Li Mountain Prefecture, Li Shan City…”
“Mm.”
The Grand Elder nodded slightly, giving no further instructions.
The disciple paused, unsure.
The Pavilion Supervisor shook his head, taking the jade slip:
“The Grand Elder knows. Pass the word: this has been planned long ago. Follow the regulations, do as required…”
The disciple exhaled in relief, bowed, and departed.
The Pavilion Supervisor studied the jade slip, moved slightly:
“Underworld Dao Celestial Lock…”
“Blood banners sealing the city, demonic sword endangering life?”
“Life-Preserving Talisman… shattered…”
“Immortality Talisman… demonic Holy Son?”
…
The Supervisor muttered silently, his expression shifting, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Grand Elder…”
“Mm,” came the calm reply.
The Supervisor glanced at him, eyes wide with surprise. “You knew all along?”
The Grand Elder focused entirely on the chessboard, not moving his gaze or responding.
Cautiously, the Supervisor asked, “The Shangguan family, the Yun family, the Dao Xuan Sect… a while back, when you were asked to calculate for them, you said you couldn’t. Were you just placating them?”
“And the matter of Lishan City… you… you already knew?”
“You…”
The Grand Elder lifted his head, displeased. “Why aren’t you concentrating on your game?”
The Supervisor froze, forcing a wry smile.
Wind rose, clouds surged, celestial mechanisms fluctuated. Now was the time for chess?
The Grand Elder shook his head and sighed. “This won’t do. Restless and unsettled, with no calmness, you’ll never improve at chess in your whole life…”
The Supervisor quietly looked at the board.
On the board, the Grand Elder’s pieces had already been mostly “captured” by him. And even then, he had held back out of courtesy, letting the Grand Elder keep many pieces.
Though saying this sounded disrespectful.
Everyone knew the Grand Elder of the Tian Shu Pavilion was notorious as a “terrible chess player.”
Now he was telling him he’d never improve in chess his whole life—he honestly didn’t know what to say…
The Supervisor felt a bit weary, but still asked helplessly, “Aren’t you at all anxious?”
“Anxious about what?” The Grand Elder looked indifferent.
“Of course… the Dao Xuan Sect and the others…”
A trace of cold light flashed in the Grand Elder’s aged eyes.
“Anxious to have them die?”
The Supervisor stiffened, his gaze growing serious. “You… you’ve calculated something?”
The Grand Elder had completely lost interest in the game, placing a piece and “sacrificing” a large section of his pieces, his voice cold:
“I haven’t calculated. It’s for their own good.”
“If I calculate, they won’t die.”
“Calculate slowly, and they’ll just die more slowly.”
The Grand Elder’s words were heavy with meaning.
The Supervisor’s eyes narrowed. “Is it truly that dangerous?”
The Grand Elder gave no answer.
The Supervisor asked, puzzled, “Did you tell the Shangguan family or the Dao Xuan Sect about this?”
“No need…”
The Grand Elder shook his head, idly moving pieces on the board. “Even if I told them, they wouldn’t believe it. They’d probably think I was exaggerating or had ulterior motives, and might even blame me.”
“So I delay as much as I can…”
The Grand Elder sighed. “Old age makes one muddled. How can I calculate quickly, or accurately?”
“And they…”
“Life and death are fate. Let it be.” The Grand Elder said calmly, then looked at the Supervisor, slowly adding, “A moth flying toward a flame doesn’t think it will die before it goes.”
“Can you stop the moth from flying into the fire?”
The Supervisor frowned. “Is it really that dangerous?”
The Grand Elder silently collected his pieces and reset the board. “Chess isn’t for everyone. This game… isn’t for everyone to play.”
The Supervisor’s gaze grew serious, nodding.
The Grand Elder meant that this matter was tied to the celestial mechanisms, too significant to meddle in lightly.
Yet the Supervisor sensed the Grand Elder’s words carried a double meaning—an implied slight toward himself.
As if he considered the Supervisor unworthy to play chess with him.
Even though the Grand Elder himself was notoriously bad at chess…
The Supervisor shook his head, pondering, then said, “The Dao Court has countless geniuses. Surely it can’t be…”
“Geniuses?”
The Grand Elder’s gaze turned cold. “What do you call a genius?”
The question stopped the Supervisor.
He had wanted to say, “Excellent spiritual roots, extraordinary intelligence, exceptional talent, breathtaking aptitude,” but at the last moment, it felt too shallow.
This clearly wasn’t the meaning the Grand Elder implied.
The Grand Elder didn’t seem to want an answer, only letting his gaze drift as he sighed softly:
“Seizing all benefits for oneself, scheming for one’s own gain—no matter how talented, what use is it?”
“The more ‘geniuses,’ the more corrupt the Dao Court, the more the cultivation world collapses…”
The Supervisor didn’t understand, but the Grand Elder said no more.
Silence lingered in the pavilion.
The Supervisor hesitated, then asked, “Grand Elder, I still don’t understand. If we truly meddle in this, where lies the danger?”
The Grand Elder’s gaze darkened. “Who are we calculating against?”
The Supervisor hesitated. “Master Zhuang?”
“You think that Zhuang boy is so easily calculated?”
The Supervisor’s heart thudded. “Even if he was remarkable back then, after all these years, his Dao foundation broken, can he still be so troublesome?”
The Grand Elder sneered. “He is at the end of his limit. All the celestial mechanisms have been exhausted. There’s no turning back. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be at an impasse. And…”
A flicker of gravity passed through the Grand Elder’s eyes.
“The most terrifying isn’t him—it’s his senior brother.”
The Supervisor’s heart sank. “You mean… the Strange…”
He bit back the name, shaking his head. “It’s just a Dao-heart corrupted by demons. Not a top-tier demonic lineage, right?”
The Grand Elder glanced at him. “If you’d stop talking big, I’d have less worry.”
The Supervisor pouted.
The Grand Elder sighed, memories flickering in his deep eyes, a trace of awe hidden within:
“The whole family… they’re all prodigies.”
“That Zhuang boy is. And naturally, his senior brother too.”
“One thought, two methods, cunning beyond reckoning…”
“Compared to calculation, you cannot out-calculate the Zhuang boy. But if it’s playing… you cannot outplay his senior brother.”
“If you target the Zhuang boy, he considers face, won’t strike deadly…”
“But his senior brother? That’s another matter…”
“If you truly encounter him, nine times out of ten, you’ll all be played to death…”
The Grand Elder’s gaze grew obscure.
The Supervisor’s expression gradually tightened…
…
In the Great Lishan Mountains.
After the heavenly tribulation, golden light and bloodlight vanished together.
The Holy Son’s face was full of disbelief:
“My Immortality Talisman… shattered?!”
That little White brat, trading a ‘life’ for a ‘life,’ actually destroyed my true Immortality Talisman?! Who the hell are these people?
The True Immortality Talisman—this is how you use it?
This is a Longevity Talisman! One life!
The Holy Son’s anger surged; blood choked his throat. He couldn’t spit it out, couldn’t swallow it down.
The forest was in chaos, overturned.
White Zisheng regretted not killing the Holy Son.
Only now did he realize this damned Holy Son had a Life-Protecting Talisman like everyone else.
But all balanced out—no loss, no gain.
White Zisheng moved back to Mo Hua and White Zixi’s side.
The Holy Son glared venomously at the three, rage boiling. “Damn it! You shattered my Immortality Talisman. I won’t let you go!”
White Zisheng snorted. “Your lackeys are dead. What can you do to us?”
White Zixi’s Longevity Talisman shattered, and her golden form killed five Golden Core demonic cultivators.
White Zisheng activated his Longevity Talisman. Though he didn’t deliberately kill, its spiritual force swept through the remaining Golden Core demonic cultivators, leaving them either dead or crippled.
A few others were killed by the Holy Son’s own ‘Immortality Talisman.’
Over a dozen Golden Core demonic cultivators were nearly all eliminated.
Two or three remained, collapsed on the ground, life uncertain.
When White Zisheng approached the Holy Son, he noticed the spiritual fluctuations he emitted were only late Foundation Establishment level—not even Golden Core.
Without his demonic lackeys, a lone Holy Son—what could he do?
Thus White Zisheng felt confident, even wanting to curse the Holy Son further.
Mo Hua, however, immediately said, “Go!”
White Zisheng froze, then realized—now was not the time for words.
White Zixi nodded.
The three exchanged a glance and were just about to move when they heard the Holy Son sneer coldly:
“Trying to leave? Do you think you can?”
Before his words even faded, the aura in the forest shifted violently.
Waves of powerful demonic energy suddenly descended, surrounding the Holy Son.
As the demonic aura dissipated, a variety of demonic cultivators appeared, their gazes fierce and menacing.
And, they were all Golden Core demonic cultivators!
They wore identical blood-red Dao robes, clearly from the same demonic sect.
At the forefront was an old demon, in the late stage of Golden Core, his face wrinkled, body hunched, bowing to the Holy Son:
“Your humble servant has come too late to aid you. Please forgive me, Holy Son!”
Da Li Mountain was now completely sealed off by demonic cultivators.
The massive disturbance from the earlier divine manifestation had also attracted reinforcements.
Over twenty powerful Golden Core demonic cultivators now stood behind the Holy Son, all waiting for his command.
The Holy Son let out a vicious laugh, then his expression turned cold as he looked at Mo Hua and the others:
“Today, none of you will escape!”
“You shattered my Immortality Talisman; I will make you pay for it!”
He glanced at Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, sneering:
“Before, I gave your Bai family face and let you go, yet you arrogantly defied me…”
“Now that your longevity talismans are gone, with no power left to protect yourselves, you are nothing but fish on my chopping board!”
“I wonder, how will you escape now?”
His eyes burned with anger, hatred, and a subtle hint of greed.
The demonic cultivators around him glared fiercely, eyes like predators circling prey.
Snow Aunt grit her teeth, shielding the three children behind her.
But her figure seemed frail, and her beautiful eyes could not hide the despair within.
In front of the Golden Core demonic cultivators, Mo Hua also pressed his lips tightly, feeling utterly powerless.
The cultivation gap was far too great!
Furrowing his brows in deep thought, he suddenly froze, slowly turning his gaze toward the western path. His eyes trembled, and goosebumps rose all over his body.
Bai Zixi noticed Mo Hua’s unusual reaction and also turned to look, but the path was empty and desolate—nothing at all.
The Holy Son sneered, about to speak, when the old demon in the blood robe behind him, with a grave expression, warned:
“Holy Son, someone is coming…”
The Holy Son’s expression immediately stiffened, his gaze darkening.
Silence fell across the surroundings.
After several breaths, the other Golden Core demonic cultivators sensed something amiss and turned their heads toward the western path.
The path remained empty.
Soon after, the sound of footsteps reached them—alternating between heavy and light, as if unevenly treading.
A figure gradually appeared at the entrance.
He was disheveled, caked in mud, filthy, with a stiff expression. His robe hung awkwardly on him, like it had been ripped from a corpse!
(This chapter is six thousand characters long; rounding up, it’s almost like I’ve added an extra chapter, hehe~)