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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 167 (422): [One Against Four]
(167th of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The City-Protecting Formations of Lingxiao City was a complex tapestry of formation glyphs, Cloud Mist, Thunder and Lightning, and aurora-like energies, woven into nine layers.
These layers, spaced a hundred zhang apart, stretched from a hundred zhang above the ground to a thousand zhang, level with the Phoenix Pavilion, dividing the city into nine distinct Formation worlds, each layer reinforcing the others to create an impenetrable defense.
Currently, the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom and his group of Transcendents were positioned between the sixth and seventh layers of the Formation.
Zen Hai Guanwu couldn't truly disregard the lives of the city's ten million citizens. She understood that if she were captured, not only would the people of the city perish, but she herself would meet her end within its walls.
Therefore, she would never allow the enemies from Phoenix Terrace Mountain to return to the city below.
"Whoosh!"
Zen Hai Guanwu transformed into a crimson beam of light, soaring upward through the layers of the Formation Light Veil until she reached the same level as the Transcendents.
She immediately launched the first strike, unleashing a vast expanse of golden Rosy Mist.
The golden Rosy Mist flooded hundreds of li within the City-Protecting Formation, coalescing into a surging, tidal wave that swept across the sky and earth, crashing toward the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom, Crimson Phoenix, Li Longshu, the Transcendents of the Sacred Dark Family, and Madam Ye.
"Imperial Technique... Mist Sea Crushes the Star River!"
Someone recognized Zen Hai Guanwu's signature technique.
Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators gain a basic understanding of Imperial Techniques but primarily focus on cultivating Great Techniques.
Each layer of the Great Techniques - the fourth, fifth, and sixth - presents a formidable challenge to overcome.
However, once mastered, each layer often allows one to break through the Immortal Realm Shackles and ascend to a new realm of existence.
Only Transcendents, with their vast lifespans, dedicate significant time to studying Imperial Techniques, seeking higher levels of combat prowess.
Given Zen Hai Guanwu's mastery of the Martial-Mystic Dao, the level of Imperial Technique she could unleash was unimaginable.
The Transcendents standing atop the black stone structures of Qilin Terrace immediately activated their full-body defenses, casting Dao Techniques and activating Defensive Spiritual Artifacts.
Among them, the swift Crimson Phoenix transformed into a fiery streak of light, darting to the opposite side of Qilin Terrace to evade the attack.
Only the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom remained unfazed, his figure as immovable as a mountain, his gaze as calm as an ancient well.
He firmly believed that if Zen Hai Guanwu possessed the combat power of a Martial-Mystic Dao Heavenly Emperor, they would never have had the opportunity to stand on Phoenix Terrace Mountain today.
Almost simultaneously with Zen Hai Guanwu unleashing her Imperial Technique, the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom mobilized the power of the four Immortal Gates.
Four Immortal Gates, four distinct powers, converged and intertwined.
The air beneath his feet exploded as he unleashed a fist technique honed over millennia - an Imperial Technique, the Holy Fist Scripture - colliding with the overwhelming golden Rosy Mist surging like a tidal wave.
This golden Rosy Mist was no ordinary phenomenon; it could crush even transcendent physiques into crimson sand, representing the pinnacle of Imperial Technique's destructive power.
"Boom!"
The Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom's Blood Qi surged like a divine river. His fist strike shattered the space, dispersing the golden Rosy Mist within miles.
Instantly, the mist coalesced again, surging forward with renewed ferocity.
He spread his arms wide, and the luminous projections of the four Immortal Gates materialized before him, overlapping and merging.
With a surge of fist energy, they pierced through the golden Rosy Mist, hurtling toward the distant Zen Hai Guanwu.
The Zen Hai Guanwu shifted her position using a Spatial Escape Technique, appearing above the four Immortal Gate projections alongside the golden Rosy Mist, which now cascaded down like a golden ocean.
"Whoosh!"
Her hand gripped the sword hilt, drawing the Void Sword with a swift, rightward motion.
The blade sang as it left its sheath, its piercing resonance causing even the transcendent beings present to wince.
Her gaze sharp, the sword flashed horizontally, cleaving directly at the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom, utterly unafraid of splitting Qilin Terrace in two with a single strike.
A swordsman must never hesitate, nor allow their strikes to linger.
The Crown Prince had no intention of dodging.
With his millennia of Martial-Mystic Cultivation experience and keen insight, he had already grasped the Zen Hai Guanwu's state and power.
Standing at the pinnacle of transcendence, he would not yield a single step to anyone but the Heavenly Emperor himself.
Not even a single step!
"Cloud Concealment!"
His Ancestral Field trembled, and the space before him shattered like a bursting bubble.
A magnificent Immortal Gate materialized from his Ancestral Field, its material resembling both stone and jade, heavier than any mountain.
In an instant, it shattered three layers of the City-Protecting Formation.
The skies above Lingxiao City erupted in chaotic formation power, and destructive energy shook the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain for thousands of miles.
The Cloud Concealment Immortal Gate blocked the Void Sword's sword radiance.
The Crown Prince descended to the gate's summit, forming a hand seal: "Windthunder!"
A second Immortal Gate erupted from his Ancestral Field, its windthunderous roar reverberating across ten thousand miles.
Even those standing on Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain, within the Zuoqiu Sect in distant Qiu Prefecture City, could faintly hear its thunderous rumble.
Every Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the world could sense the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom's terrifying cultivation, his power pressing down on the entire Lingxiao Realm.
Some Great Powers and Transcendents who had intended to rush to the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain to provide aid were now frozen in their tracks, overwhelmed by his oppressive aura.
"Starlight!"
The Third Immortal Gate soared forth, transforming the three thousand li Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain into a sea of stars. Its starlight pierced through all formations.
Below, within the city, Martial-Mystic Cultivators below the Dao Seed Realm found it nearly impossible to circulate their Spiritual Qi, suppressed by the combined might of the three Immortal Gates.
Looking up, they saw three gates to the Immortal Realm opening, each unleashing a different energy that threatened to shatter the City-Protecting Formation.
Within the city, the Formation Light Veils of every ward activated.
Above each ward, a Prefectural Governor's Official Seal hovered, wielded by a Mist Shadow Army expert, while the Dao Seed Realm and Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators within each ward worked together to activate it.
Ge Xiantong raced through the ward streets, shouting, "Spiritual Masters and Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators in the city! Those unafraid of death, follow me to Qilin Terrace to take control of the formations!"
"If we can't defend Lingxiao City, we'll die anyway. Count me in!"
"Even if that damned Crown Prince is an invincible Demon God, we'll fight!"
"With the Mist Celestial, we'll wage war against the foreign invaders!"
.....
Figures surged forth from every ward, rushing toward Qilin Terrace with the fervor of those marching to their deaths.
The return of the Mist Celestial had given them a banner to rally under, dispelling their former disillusionment and hatred toward the Imperial Court.
Though they knew they could be reduced to ashes in an instant by the Transcendents' overwhelming power, someone had to reactivate the foundational matrix of Qilin Terrace's Formation, assisting Duke Tai Shi and the Third Palace Master.
Only by combining the City-Protecting Formation with the Nine Heavens Beyond the Clouds Grand Formation could they safeguard the entire city and potentially trap and eliminate the enemy within its walls.
When one wave fell, another would inevitably follow.
The battle to purge internal threats from the city gradually concluded, and the chaos began to subside.
Thirty-six Earth Vein Towers, connected to the thirty-six subterranean Earth Veins, simultaneously emitted beams of light from their peaks.
These thirty-six beams intertwined with the nine layers of the City-Protecting Formation, instantly amplifying the city's defensive power tenfold.
Zen Hai Guanwu, sword in hand, glared at the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom, who stood between the three Immortal Gates.
"Where is the fourth Immortal Gate, Heavenly Revelation?"
"The Mist Celestial dares not engage in close combat, revealing the fragility of his physical form. She refuses to wield the Heavenly Emperor's Willpower, proving she possesses none. A faint aura of death clings to you, intertwined with the Qi of life, betraying your rebirth after death. In your weakened state, I believe I can slay you without even resorting to Heavenly Revelation."
The Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom maintained absolute rationality, his mind clear and focused.
By shattering the enemy's confidence, he also sought to reassure Crimson Phoenix, Li Longshu, and the others not to be intimidated by their opponent's former glory.
Between the eighth and ninth layers of the Formation, Lord Lan remained enveloped by Duke Tai Shi's City-Protecting Formation.
Rather than immediately breaking free, he secretly observed, assessing the combat capabilities of Zen Hai Guanwu after her millennium-long absence.
If the situation turned unfavorable, he would flee without hesitation.
Madam Ye retrieved an ancient zither and began playing an elegant melody.
The zither's sound transcended all physical and energy barriers, attacking the Third Palace Master's psychic power and soul spirit, preventing her from activating the Nine Heavens Beyond the Clouds Grand Formation.
Crimson Phoenix and Li Longshu were ancient beings who had cultivated for two to three thousand years, far surpassing ordinary Transcendents and incomparable to the Forbidden One of Coffin Mountain.
The Coffin Mountain's Forbidden One, the strongest among the seven resurrected Monk Corpses from the Underground Immortal Mansion, had only reached the Transcendent realm a mere two hundred years ago.
Considering that the lifespan of a Great Immortal cultivator was only five to six hundred years, Crimson Phoenix and Li Longshu's two to three thousand years of cultivation in the Transcendent realm meant they had already traversed a vast distance within that realm.
Li Longshu's reputation for establishing the Ancient Myriad Sects was no mere exaggeration; he held a high position within the Demon Kingdom.
"So it was all a bluff! In that case, today the Heavenly Emperor shall fall, and this legend will meet its final end."
Seeing the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom capable of resistance, Crimson Phoenix relaxed, unfurling his massive wings and unleashing tens of thousands of spiritual artifacts from his mouth.
These artifacts transformed into a vast, swirling sea of spiritual implements, dancing within the fiery clouds overhead.
Li Longshu summoned his forty-meter-tall Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree, standing beneath its radiant canopy, his body enveloped in rainbow light.
"The Mist Celestial's Spiritual Qi indeed belongs to the Grand Palace Mistress. It's clear you haven't even cultivated the Other Shore Heavenly Pill in your second life. You shouldn't have revealed yourself. Had you remained hidden, diligently cultivating for a thousand years, you might have regained your former glory."
Zen Hai Guanwu, unwilling to waste words, raised the Void Sword above her head.
"Earth Vein Awakening of Arms!"
Below, in Lingxiao City, thirty-six earth veins surged with power, erupting into thirty-six rivers of Spiritual Qi that shot skyward, converging upon the Void Sword.
The sword trembled, its blade shimmering with densely packed, minute scriptures.
Awakening the full power of a Supreme Artifact was no easy task.
It required vast quantities of Spiritual Qi and considerable time.
But once awakened, its might could effortlessly annihilate even Transcendents.
Zen Hai Guanwu aimed to use the thirty-six earth veins to rapidly awaken the Supreme Scripture within the Void Sword.
This was her strategic advantage!
For the first time, a hint of solemnity appeared in the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom's eyes.
He sensed something was amiss.
Without a Transcendent overseeing the process, the thirty-six earth veins couldn't possibly unleash such immense power.
Zen Hai Guanwu must have secretly summoned other Transcendents into the city.
Duke Tai Shi and the Third Palace Master weren't the only Transcendents present.
"Attack!"
The Crown Prince mobilized the power of three Immortal Gates - Cloud Concealment, Windthunder, and Starlight - ancient forces swirling around him.
His steps were steady and deliberate.
With a single stride, he appeared before Zen Hai Guanwu and unleashed the Holy Fist, giving her no chance to activate the Supreme Artifact's full power.
Simultaneously, Li Longshu, the Crimson Phoenix, and Transcendents from the Sacred Dark Family launched attacks from three other directions, their Qi surging with earth-shattering force.
With someone taking the lead, they felt no fear.
A single solid strike against Zen Hai Guanwu would reveal her true strength and weaknesses.
Zen Hai Guanwu's physical body was fragile.
She retreated using the Spatial Escape Technique, covering a hundred miles with each step.
The Crown Prince followed like a shadow, matching her pace with equal strides.
Cloud Concealment Power coiled around her, Windthunder converged from all directions, and Starlight erupted alongside the force of her fist.
Zen Hai Guanwu formed a palm strike with her left hand, clashing head-on with the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom's Holy Fist.
Instantly, the skin of her entire arm split open, blood spraying everywhere.
The Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom's suspicions were correct. Her flesh and blood had only coalesced within the past two or three years, leaving her far weaker than ordinary Transcendents.
How could she possibly compare to these Transcendents who had cultivated their physical bodies for thousands of years?
"The Mist Celestial's physical body is indeed..."
The Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom trailed off, his triumphant smirk immediately fading.
Zen Hai Guanwu's blood-soaked fingers had seized his fist in an unyielding grip, making escape impossible.
How could such a powerful grip come from a fragile body?
Moreover, when Zen Hai Guanwu's arm had shattered, he hadn't seen any Meridian Veins.
This was utterly bizarre!
Undaunted by the sudden turn of events, the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom executed a Void Stepping technique, shifting his position to evade Zen Hai Guanwu's impending sword strike.
He then unleashed a palm strike, the space around his hand warping inward as he aimed to shatter her physical form and uncover the truth.
The palm strike missed its mark!
Zen Hai Guanwu seized his fist and hurled him flying.
Then, her arm crashed down, wielding the Void Sword with a fraction of its supreme power, and she slashed diagonally through the air.
The sword qi surged toward the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom, the air vibrating violently and crackling on either side of the blade's path.
Seizing this perfect opening, Li Longshu descended from the heavens, wielding the Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree.
Seven ancient spiritual artifacts hung from the tree, their combined power churning the sea of clouds and shattering Zen Hai Guanwu's Protective Spiritual Qi.
Meanwhile, Crimson Phoenix stood at a distance, manipulating over ten thousand spiritual artifacts that coalesced into a river of Spiritual Qi, launching a frontal assault to create an opening for Li Longshu's devastating strike.
The Transcendents of the Sacred Dark Family unleashed their Dark Domain, targeting Zen Hai Guanwu's vulnerable soul spirit and Willpower, seeking to extinguish her consciousness.
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END OF CHAPTER
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