This Grandmaster Grants You His Full Might

*Buzz...* A peculiar sound suddenly rang out, echoing across Netherworld Mountain. Granny Hongye turned pale as she tremblingly withdrew her hand. "It's broken!" Beyond her palpable relief, there was unmistakable joy in her voice. All because a Gu insect resembling a turtle shell now rested in her hand. It was none other than the peak Tier 4 Gu—the Myriad Formations Gu! This Gu did not occur naturally; it was artificially refined. Using Gu insects related to array paths as a foundation, supplemented by a Law-Deducing Turtle great demon, and engraved with the array path's Seven Fundamental Restrictions, it could only take shape after years of nurturing. With this Gu in hand, eight or nine out of ten formations in the world could be rapidly laid down. Furthermore, rumors claimed that mighty array masters could use it to comprehend law true intent related to array dao, thereby stepping into the Soul Formation stage. Granny Hongye had come on this journey specifically for this Myriad Formations Gu. Heavenly Master Li stared at the turtle shell in her hand, a flicker of greed flashing through his eyes, though praise still flowed from his lips. "To unravel even a formation left behind by an almighty being—Hongye, your attainment in the array dao has truly reached the pinnacle." Granny Hongye shook her head. "It is not that this old woman is so capable; Yin-Yang Zi simply didn't bother setting many traps in life. After all, who would litter their own cave abode with formations?" The logic was sound. The Yin-Yang Realm differed from conventional ancient secret realms. Those secret realms were often left by cultivators who had perished unexpectedly far from home; they had been forced to set up perilous obstacles to prevent enemies from intruding, or had established trials specifically to pass on their inheritances. The Yin-Yang Realm, however, was merely the mad endeavor of the almighty Yin-Yang Zi before his death. He had poured his heart and soul into researching all manner of Gu that could turn death into life—why would he waste energy setting intricate formations? Moreover, over the span of two thousand years, the formations here had long since decayed into ruin, which was what allowed Granny Hongye to unravel them so quickly. Even so, it still spoke volumes of her array mastery. With a mixture of curiosity and wariness, Granny Hongye gazed ahead. "A portion of the outer grand formation protecting the Yin-Yang Tomb has been broken. The rest will naturally collapse in due time. My task is considered complete. Next..." Heavenly Master Li, his eyes still glued to the Myriad Formations Gu, was about to say something when his expression subtly changed. Flipping his palm, he struck toward the right. *Boom!* The palm strike was astonishing, yet it struck only empty air. "Heavenly Master Li, quite the temper you have!" A figure slowly emerged, uttering words dripping with mockery. Gazing at the newcomer, Heavenly Master Li coldly spat out three words. "Meng Shentong!" Meng Shentong cupped his hands. "None other!" Then, looking at the formation steadily disintegrating before them, he marveled, "The Yin-Yang Tomb actually exists. And you truly found it." Heavenly Master Li took a deep breath and asked, "Instead of guarding outside for me, why did you sneak in here?" Meng Shentong gave him a contemptuous glance. "Don't take everyone for a fool. Do you truly think I don't know what lies within the Yin-Yang Tomb?" Beside them, Granny Hongye froze. "Didn't you say the tomb only held a recipe for refining a Tier 5 Gu?" Heavenly Master Li's face turned completely livid. "A Gu recipe?" Meng Shentong laughed heartily, ignoring Li's livid complexion as he continued on his own, "A mere recipe without the corresponding materials, without the right time, place, and people—could that ever produce a Tier 5 divine Gu?" Granny Hongye seemed to realize a possibility, her lips trembling. "Could it be that what was left inside is a Tier 5—" "That's right!" Meng Shentong was about to say more, but Heavenly Master Li cut him off directly. Solemn and speaking with a trace of reverence, he said, "From the various clues I gleaned in the ancient records of the Gate of Life and Death, the almighty Yin-Yang Zi's madness before death was not without purpose. He devised a method of feigned death and rebirth: when his companion desolate beast, the Nether Earth Dragon, reached the end of its lifespan, he would die alongside it. Yet with the aid of the Life-and-Death Gu, he could seize the body of another cultivator and be reborn, thereby evading the ultimate limit of life and death. Unfortunately, time was not on his side. When both passed away, the original Life-and-Death Gu collapsed with them. The newly nurtured Life-and-Death Gu was insufficient in tier and needed time to mature, leaving him with no time to feign death and be reborn. "And what was left inside this Yin-Yang Tomb is that very Life-and-Death Gu that never had the chance to mature into Tier 5!" At those words, a flush of color suddenly rose to Granny Hongye's pale face. Fervor burned in Meng Shentong's eyes as well. "It may not have reached Tier 5, but its foundation is Tier 5 after all! If one obtains it, nurtures it to Tier 5, and then ventures into the untamed wilderness to find a great desolate beast of matching attributes, our generation will have the opportunity to easily step into the Soul Formation stage!" Heavenly Master Li looked coldly at the two. "So, you want to compete with me?" Meng Shentong countered, "Faced with an opportunity for Soul Formation, would you let it go?" Heavenly Master Li turned to Granny Hongye. "Hongye, what about you?" Granny Hongye's lips twitched, at a loss for words. Right at that moment! *Swoosh!* A streak of black light shot up from the ground, plunging directly into the Yin-Yang Tomb before its grand formation had fully dispersed. Vaguely visible within the black light was a winged figure. "Damn it!" "Someone's trying to beat us to it!" "Pursue!" Three exclamations burst from their mouths in succession. The last exclamation came from Granny Hongye. As if seizing the perfect excuse, she charged into the Yin-Yang Tomb without hesitation—even though moments earlier, she had planned to leave once her task was complete. Meng Shentong followed close behind. Ironically, Heavenly Master Li, the one most obsessed with the prize, hung back in the rear. Watching the two figures ahead, his eyes narrowed slightly. His previously livid expression gave way to a faint curling of his lips, radiating extreme danger. *In the face of great fortune, truly no one can be trusted!* ... Crowned with the Pingshan Crown, its golden plumes swaying against the void, a black-armored man stood tall in the sky. A pair of eyes resembling a dark abyss looked down at the three below, coldly uttering murderous intent. "You wish to stop me?" Bai Xuanjun said nothing, but bone spurs sprouted one after another from his body, making him resemble a hedgehog from afar. Fan Wujiu, the Master of Hidden Sword Tower, patted the sword casket on his back, sending stream after stream of leaf-like sword light flying out. "Forgive me. Entrusted by another, I must see the matter through." Marquis Ziyi looked hesitant. He had not known Luo Chen for long—a little over a year. Yet they had hit it off well and gotten along comfortably. Crossing swords now was not what he wished. Yet as Fan Wujiu said, entrusted by another, one must see the matter through. Sighing, he drew a weapon from his waist with his right hand. A Purple Blood Soft Sword hung before him like clear autumn water. "Brother Qi... Brother Luo, this marquis also wishes to witness the exquisite Dao arts of the Eastern Desolation." "Brother Luo?" Surprise flickered across Luo Chen's calm face. "It seems you all already know my background?" Marquis Ziyi sighed. "Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen shook the Eastern Desolation by annihilating a great sect alone with his sword, only to vanish without a trace. Then an unparalleled powerhouse of unknown origin and background suddenly appeared in the Southern Border. Anyone would connect the two." "Is that so?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, not bothering to refute it. Drawing a connection was one thing, but proving they were the same person was another entirely. Since arriving in the Southern Border, Luo Chen had changed his usual manner: his natal magical treasure was sealed, his Nascent Soul dharmic power had never been revealed, and even his entire attire was made of items he had never used before. The Xuanchen Armor might be relatively conspicuous, but the treasure could freely alter its appearance. To identify him even under such circumstances took far more effort than a few casual guesses. "It was Heavenly Master Li, wasn't it?" The only person Luo Chen could think of who possessed such influence was Heavenly Master Li. Just as he himself had in the Eastern Desolation, leaning on his status as an Alchemy Grandmaster and his vast web of connections to uncover whatever he wished, Heavenly Master Li's standing in the Southern Border was no lesser than his. If Li set his mind to it, Luo Chen's secrets could never remain hidden for long. Without waiting for a reply, Luo Chen reached toward his ear. *Swish!* The Huntian Cudgel dropped into his right hand. "No matter. I will simply have to settle you three first before going in." Before his words finished echoing, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, appearing directly above Marquis Ziyi and bringing down a crushing blow! Since they were friends, he owed him a fight with all his strength. *Boom!* The cudgel crashed down, churning up violent purple light. The Purple Blood Soft Sword coiled around the Huntian Cudgel like a serpent, seeking to overcome firmness with softness. Yet with a flick of Luo Chen's wrist, the Purple Blood Soft Sword seemed to lose its bones, clattering loose and flying apart. Marquis Ziyi's face flushed red as he staggered backward. Just as Luo Chen was about to press his advantage, a torrent of sword light surged forward like a river from the distance. Without any grand movements, Luo Chen simply took a few phantom steps in midair, treading gracefully straight through the surging river of swords and pressing forward unhindered. Seeing this, the Master of Hidden Sword Tower's eyes widened. His Sword Leaf Gu numbered well over a thousand, which was why his treasure was dubbed the Thousand Leaf Sword Casket. Against such a dense barrage, Luo Chen had deftly evaded it all. What exquisite footwork! *No good, I must deploy the sword formation!* His heart sinking, Fan Wujiu's expression grew stern, and his sword fingers shifted abruptly. *Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* Countless sword leaves instantly dispersed. Ceasing their direct assault on Luo Chen, they transformed into a massive sword formation spanning three li, howling relentlessly. In the distance, Bai Xuanjun's face was cold and his pale eyes unblinking as he flicked his fingers repeatedly. Streams of bone spurs pierced the air, entering the sword formation and shooting straight for Luo Chen. Yet even as the bone spurs bore down on him, Luo Chen made no move to defend himself, nor did he dodge, allowing the bone spurs to strike his body. Once again, an unexpected sight unfolded. *Thud! Thud! Thud!* Every bone spur that struck before Luo Chen seemed to plunge into a quagmire, grinding to a halt. Bai Xuanjun's brows twitched. "Protective Qi Armor?" With a thought, the bone spurs ceased flying straight. Instead, they spun furiously, boring forward in a spiral. *Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!* The protective qi armor that had previously held them at bay shattered instantly. Yet once they reached his body, their momentum was spent, and they still failed to advance an inch. A halo of earthy-yellow light cascaded from the Pingshan Crown on Luo Chen's head, working in tandem with the Xuanchen Armor to intercept every single bone spur. Not only that, but the sword leaves shooting in from all directions were also held at bay. No one could have foreseen that the Xuanchen Armor combined with the Pingshan Crown of the ancient demon Di Tian would possess such terrifying defensive power! Right at that moment! "Swift!" Marquis Ziyi let out a shrill cry as a streak of purple light ripped through the air, shooting straight for Luo Chen's neck. Did he wish to replicate the decapitation that had slain the Golden Light Fourth Ancestor earlier? The purple light arrived with terrifying speed. Coordinated with the Thousand Leaf Sword Formation and the spiraling bone spurs, it finally breached Luo Chen's defenses. Yet Luo Chen abruptly reached out and snatched the Purple Blood Soft Sword right out of the air. Unwilling to be captured, the sword coiled around Luo Chen's arm, slithering upward. In the distance, Marquis Ziyi yanked hard, intending to shear Luo Chen's arm clean off. Yet the moment he pulled, an immense, boundless force traveled back across the distance. No matter how furiously he channeled his dharmic power, the Purple Blood Soft Sword could not budge an inch. Within the sword formation, Luo Chen surveyed his current situation and could not help but sigh. Body refinement was formidable, excelling in one-on-one combat and overwhelming dominance. Yet when pitted against multiple foes—especially Nascent Soul True Persons proficient in all kinds of long-range attacks—it inevitably lacked flexibility. Even with his exquisite Moon Steps allowing him to dodge numerous ranged strikes, two fists could hardly counter four or six hands. It was no wonder that in the modern cultivation world, the path of body refinement had fallen into decline. Suddenly! A peculiar humming sound resonated from within, spreading across all of Netherworld Mountain. Luo Chen started. This was a sign of a grand formation disintegrating! Had Heavenly Master Li and the others already unraveled the Yin-Yang Tomb's final defensive array? "You dare get distracted in the midst of battle?" The Master of Hidden Sword Tower was closest to him; noticing Luo Chen's lapse, he was overjoyed. Shifting his sword fingers, the myriad beams of sword light merged into a single thread that shot straight for Luo Chen's glabella. Bai Xuanjun and Marquis Ziyi sensed the opportunity as well, unleashing their secondary strikes in unison. Bone spurs bloomed like a lotus. Purple light sprayed down like rain. As the three attacks converged on him, Luo Chen's expression barely shifted; he merely let out a cold snort. "Since you wish to see my true strength, then this grandmaster shall grant your wish!" Gripping the Purple Blood Soft Sword with both hands, he twisted and wrenched—and snapped the True Artifact-grade sword straight into fragments! Then, his figure blurred. *Swish!* *Boom!* The single thread of ten thousand swords struck empty air, kicking up a flurry of white bones. The lotus bone spurs spun rapidly, hitting nothing. Even the airtight deluge of purple light failed to touch a hair on Luo Chen. In the blink of an eye, the three powerhouses were dumbfounded. All three had clearly locked onto Luo Chen with their divine sense; how could their attacks have missed, veering several inches off target? What they did not know was that in his earlier years, Luo Chen had created a soul technique called *Devils and Gods Disperse*, designed specifically to disrupt an enemy's divine sense and skew their attacks. Luo Chen rarely used this technique, as it required his soul foundation to completely overpower the enemy's. Most of the adversaries he had faced along his journey possessed soul foundations comparable to or exceeding his own, rendering the technique largely ineffective. Now, however, his *Soul Splitting Art* had reached great completion, establishing a tripod of three souls within him. In terms of soul foundation, few beneath Great Cultivators could rival him. Once *Devils and Gods Disperse* was unleashed, combined with the Xuanchen Armor, the Pingshan Crown, and his formidable physical body, he stood invincible among peers of the same realm even without striking back. "Courtesy demands reciprocity!" From within the smoke and dust came Luo Chen's clear cry. Infusing origin blood into the shattered fragments of the Purple Blood Soft Sword, he whipped them toward Bai Xuanjun with a specialized concealed-weapon technique. Then, pinching his fingers into sword stances, he slashed with both hands and pointed toward the ground. "Open!" The sword formation rose! The sword formation unfolded! Five swords in unbroken succession, severing all life! Boundless sword threads erupted from five sword pellets bursting out from the earth, transforming into myriad beams of sword qi that spread across ten li, a hundred li, with thunderous speed, enveloping more than half of Netherworld Mountain. Once the Great Five Elements Sword Formation unfolded, sword threads crisscrossed and sword qi gushed endlessly—some wild and frenzied, others ethereal and elusive, each move distinct, each pattern unique. Yet beneath the continuous cycle of the five elements, every move complemented the others, devoid of the slightest flaw! The current Great Five Elements Sword Formation was formed from five True Artifact-grade sword pellets! Moreover, Luo Chen had fused the finest peak-grade Nine Yang Gengmetal into these five sword pellets, rendering their sharpness peerless in the world! The Master of Hidden Sword Tower bore the brunt of the onslaught. The Thousand Leaf Sword Casket radiated brilliant light, transforming into a curved crescent sword-moon that circled his body. The sword-moon was fiercely sharp, frantically shredding the sword threads converging from every direction. Yet! There were vast differences even between sword formations. From afar, Luo Chen let out a low shout. "Die!" *Chii!* A flood of sword qi, carrying tens of thousands of sword threads, tore through the Thousand Leaf sword-moon with irresistible momentum. "Ahhh—!" A bloodcurdling shriek pierced the air. Countless sword qi washed over the Master of Hidden Sword Tower, riddling his entire body until it resembled a sieve. A Nascent Soul fled in panic. Yet before the Nascent Soul could merge into the void and escape thousands of li away, an inexplicable suppressing force instantly locked onto it, freezing it in place. Watching the sword qi flooding in from all sides, the Master of Hidden Sword Tower roared in despair. "No!" *Puff!* The Nascent Soul shattered, turning into a vast wave of spiritual qi that swept in all directions. Yet the Great Five Elements Sword Formation remained completely unaffected; cycling through the five elements, the formation surged anew and morphed into fresh sword arts! Marquis Ziyi retreated frantically, but amidst the torrential tempest of sword qi, there was not an inch of ground to stand upon. *Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!* A deluge of sword qi pierced through his defensive magical treasures and tore through his flesh, mincing him into a puddle of bloody water across the ground. Luo Chen glanced at the pool of blood, his sword fingers shifting to target Bai Xuanjun farthest away. "Your turn!" A flicker of fear appeared in Bai Xuanjun's eyes, yet facing the onslaught of myriad sword qi, he did not lose his composure. Forming an incantation gesture, he uttered a low cry. "Escape!" In the next instant, the myriad sword qi struck empty air, leaving behind only shreds of flesh giving off a bloody reek. A hundred li away, spiritual light flared atop a skeleton. With a flash, Bai Xuanjun stumbled out. More than half of the bone spurs across his body had been shattered. And this was merely from a single encounter, even with his bone escape technique prepared well in advance! "The might of the Alchemy Grandmaster is terrifying indeed!" With lingering dread, Bai Xuanjun cast a glance back at the area enveloped in sword qi, then departed the underworld realm without the slightest hesitation. *Phew...* Luo Chen exhaled a breath of turbid air and beckoned with his hand. The five sword pellets spun and flew back to him. The sword qi subsided, returning everything to tranquil calm. It was as though nothing had happened. Yet the record of three mid Nascent Soul powerhouses—one dead, one wounded, and one fled—could not be denied. Luo Chen glanced at the pool of blood on the ground, then flashed into a burst of firelight and vanished. After he departed. The puddle of blood on the ground slowly gathered and coalesced back into shape. Drained of all color, Marquis Ziyi trembled as he stared at the spot where Luo Chen had vanished. "Is this... his peak state?"