Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
As the fierce battle raged on at Tongtian Peak, Silver Sword Peak welcomed two uninvited guests.
"Goodness," the Whale-Riding Immortal, who had taken the form of a woman, exclaimed with genuine admiration as she looked at Chu Liang's plantation. "I knew he must have planted a lot, but I never imagined there would be this much."
Meanwhile, Jiang Guo, who had transformed into a little boy, was going crazy, his eyes red as if he were Di Nvfeng spotting a demon cultivator. He squealed in excitement, eager to rush in and devour the plants.
This time, the Whale-Riding Immortal didn't stop him, merely saying, "Take a few bites while no one's around. Our main goal is to harvest some for transplantation."
After saying this, he turned to the Golden-Haired Taowu standing nearby with wide eyes and said, "Behave yourself."
When Silver Sword Peak was unattended, the Golden-Haired Taowu was usually responsible for guarding the place, and it had fulfilled its duty well, keeping a watchful eye on any intruders.
It wasn't that the Taowu didn't want to protect the orchard; it was just that the two intruders looked too fierce, and it didn't dare make a move. If it had been a common thief, the Taowu would have definitely shown them the true strength of a sixth-realm ferocious beast.
"Already at the sixth realm, and having consumed the Spirit Advancement Pill, its potential for further advancement is probably limited," the Whale-Riding Immortal commented as he approached the Golden-Haired Taowu, petting its obedient head. "I won't just take his fruits without giving something in return. I'll help you solidify your realm and leave behind seed of potential for future advancement. That's fair."
With that, his right hand shone with golden light, and he gently traced a line along the Taowu's spine, as if performing some kind of massage technique.
The Golden-Haired Taowu immediately lay down, closed its eyes, and let out a contented grunt.
"A seventh-realm Golden-Haired Taowu is quite rare. If you manage to advance, remember to thank me," the Whale-Riding Immortal patted its head.
When the Taowu opened its eyes again, it looked at him with gratitude and affection, almost as if it wanted to lick him in appreciation.
The Whale-Riding Immortal had just sorted out its chaotic energy channels and solidified its sixth-realm foundation, while also planting the seeds of the seventh realm. The cultivation system for spiritual beasts differed from humans; they didn't need the complex epiphanies associated with asking the Dao for advancement, just enough concentrated power. That tiny seed of power allowed it to sense what the true strength of the seventh realm was like, saving it a lot of effort.
This action indeed elevated its cultivation, which had almost no prospects of advancing from the sixth realm, and not only made it stronger but also opened up the possibility of further advancement.
Having finished his task quickly, the Whale-Riding Immortal was about to re-enter the plantation to transplant the Golden Patterned Flowers when he sensed the terrifying energy waves coming from Tongtian Peak.
It was Wen Yuan Senior reversing heaven and earth with his technique.
"Not bad," the Whale-Riding Immortal remarked as he watched the scene unfold. "If it weren't for the difference in divine artifacts, the sect leader could have won, but now… well…"
A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, as if he was wrestling with a decision.
Just then, a ray of dawn light suddenly brightened the sky, and he sensed that divine light, his eyes lighting up.
"Was there a plan in place after all?"
***
Boom—
The Taowu wreaked havoc on Tongtian Peak, leveling everything in its path.
"Disciples of Shu Mountain, scatter!" Elder Siliu, dressed in black, shouted as he flashed to the side of the Taowu, pressing his hand to the ground.
Instantly, a golden light encircled the Taowu, forming a ring beneath it. When the Taowu tried to move forward, it slammed into an invisible barrier!
The Immortal Technique, Circle of Confinement!
This technique was somewhat similar to the one used by Elder Fei, the Spoken Law Manifestation, in that it had more applications and could vary in its effects. But the Circle of Confinement was purely for imprisonment, making it stronger in terms of control.
However, when the Taowu's massive body collided with it, the golden circle still fluctuated violently.
Elder Siliu pressed down with both hands, his qi surging, and in an instant, countless golden chains sprang from the ground, entwining the Taowu's body and finally bringing the ferocious beast under control!
But judging by the extent of its struggle, the chains rattling and breaking, it would likely break free within three breaths.
But one breath was enough.
Yan Daoren, wielding the ancient Xiaoyun Sword, was already poised to strike.
Seeing the Taowu restrained, she immediately followed up with a powerful sword technique, the Sky-Piercing Sword!
Sssst—
A massive sword light fiercely descended, and the Taowu, sensing danger, began to twist violently! The golden chains around it started to burst!
But it was too late.
The sword light struck the Taowu's flesh, and there was a momentary delay. The Sky-Piercing Sword, which could easily penetrate Mount Bai, couldn't immediately cut through the Taowu's body!
Sssst, sssst, sssst—
Relying on the grinding force of the sword qi and the essence of the Dao, the sword light finally penetrated the Taowu's body, impaling its half!
But even this sword couldn't kill it outright; it only inflicted a severe wound, further provoking the creature's fierce and defiant nature!
"Roar—" The Taowu let out a heaven-shaking roar, shattering the sword light and spraying blood across the mountainside.
At that moment, a blue river snaked across the sky, with a solitary boat upon it, and a lonely figure within. As the river drew near, the figure raised a large brush and gently swept it across, causing a cascade of black water to splash onto the Taowu.
This only infuriated the Taowu further, causing it to swipe down a pavilion in its rage!
The black water circled the Taowu before departing, then miraculously reassembled into the shape of the Taowu. In a blink, the black light flickered, the water disappeared, and another identical Taowu stood in its place!
The Danqing Hall's technique was truly miraculous, creating a Taowu with equal combat strength, indistinguishable from the real one! For a limited time, it was as if another primeval ferocious beast had been created.
Such ancient beasts were extremely powerful in combat. Although they weren't at the level of controlling the primal elements, they posed a significant challenge to seventh-realm Dao-asking powerhouses, not something that could be easily faced alone.
Even with several seventh-realm cultivators working together, they might not be able to contain its destruction.
These beasts seemed to exist solely for slaughter and devastation!
Initially, Shu Mountain had the upper hand in the battle. With more than a dozen seventh-realm powerhouses, they were considered first-rate among the Nine Heavens Immortal Sects.
However, the Mingwang Sect had recently suffered a heavy blow, losing two major forces, the Left and Right Protectors, and only four Hall Masters from the Seventh Realm had descended this time. If it hadn't been for the White Bone Hall Master summoning several powerful golden corpses, the battle below would have been completely one-sided.
Those golden corpses were the powerful bones that the Mingwang Sect had taken from the Flying Immortal Tombs and refined into forces comparable to the seventh realm.
But as soon as these bones appeared, the watching cultivators from various sects were immediately outraged and joined the fray.
Although the Mingwang Sect had many disciples, their high-level combatants were few, and they were caught off guard by a surprise attack. Now in the midst of chaos, they couldn't distinguish friend from foe.
They were quickly being defeated.
If the Lord of the Mingwang Sect in the sky couldn't resolve the battle quickly, the disciples below would likely collapse soon.
Of course, the higher-ups of the demonic sects wouldn't care about the lives of their lower ranks. They had probably already received enough compensation for this trip. As for the lower-level demonic cultivators, they could simply recruit more if they died.
The demonic sects could allow many people with average talent to cultivate at the speed of geniuses and reach realms they otherwise couldn't. As long as these two points remained unchanged, there would always be those in the world who were eager for quick success and had crooked hearts.
As long as they could defeat Wen Yuan Senior, it didn't matter how badly they lost below.
Facing Wen Yuan Senior, who soared on a dragon, the Earth Store Bodhisattva's true form simply extended a finger, carrying with it the overwhelming aura of annihilation of the great Dao of heaven and earth!
With just this one finger, countless mountains could collapse! The surrounding void shattered in waves!
Wen Yuan Senior didn't confront the power directly but instead rode the white dragon to vanish in an instant. When he reappeared, he was already above the Earth Store Bodhisattva's head.
This move was similar to the "Shrinking Earth into Inches," but even more elusive, as if he had traveled through another world in the process.
It was the true "No Distance" Dao!
This was also why Wen Yuan Senior rode a true dragon as his mount. True dragons were genuine spirits of the world, allowing his Dao techniques to be executed more effectively.
After the traversal, he didn't attack the Earth Store Bodhisattva but instead pressed his hand down, and the entire space suddenly sank.
As if locked by something.
Then, a new dawn light shone from the sky.
At first, it was a single thread, but it quickly turned into a blaze of golden light!
A gigantic golden-winged roc, capable of carrying mountains and seas, appeared from the distant sky. On its back, besides many monks shining with golden light, there was also a vast lotus platform radiating with Buddha's light!
Atop the platform sat an old monk, chanting with eyes closed, his deep voice echoing through heaven and earth.
Ranked eighth among the treasures of the human world, the Lotus Platform of All Dharma!
It was the divine artifact of Yunque Temple, one of the Nine Heavens Immortal Sects.
Knowing that the Mingwang Sect would take action, Shu Mountain naturally had measures in place against the Earth Store Bodhisattva!
From another direction, the massive black beehive of Sanjue Valley also reappeared, and the support from the two allies arrived in an instant!
Previously, Shu Mountain had closer ties with the Tianwang Sect among the Nine Heavens Immortal Sects. If they needed help, they should have been the first to be contacted.
But this time, against the Mingwang Sect, Shu Mountain had already cooperated with Sanjue Valley and Yunque Temple, making it easier to ask these two allies for help. Moreover, rather than simply asking for assistance, this could be seen as a continuation of the previous siege of the White Bone Hall. The Mingwang Sect's attack could also be interpreted as a form of retaliation, raising concerns for both parties.
It wasn't entirely a friendly gesture, but at least it could reduce the cost.
The help from Sanjue Valley was secondary; the most important was the intervention of Yunque Temple. As part of the Nine Heavens Immortal Sects, Yunque Temple had a divine artifact at its disposal.
This provided a combat force on par with the Earth Store Bodhisattva.
This was crucial!
The Dharma image was majestic, the golden light dazzling.
The sea of clouds revealed the Golden Roc!