At the border between Jin and Liao, voices spoken in the human tongue and the Liao tongue echoed across the Immortal Heaven, each resonance shaking heaven and earth, carving into the laws of the Great Dao. The two languages differed, but their words were identical: "With Immortal Heaven as witness, both sides shall each field nine grotto-heavens to battle to the death; none other shall interfere. Whosoever violates this oath abandons their Dao path!"
Numerous gazes descended from every direction. Every grotto-heaven duel between immortals was a grand event.
This was because, by swearing a Dao oath, both parties staked their very paths of cultivation—there was no retreating, no running away. If one side resolved to fight to the bitter end, they could battle on until all of their opponent's grotto-heavens were shattered.
A grotto-heaven duel was exceedingly fair. With Heaven and Earth as witnesses, it could severely wound an opponent without claiming their life, making it a crucial means for immortals to settle major disputes. Moreover, the combat was waged open and aboveboard, bearing a certain resemblance to knightly duels or single combats between opposing generals in the world beyond the skies.
As for Wei Yuan slaying three immortals, only his method against Xu Shutong was somewhat respectable; his strike against Lu Changhe had been a complete ambush, while Liumiao had first been plotted against by others. In the eyes of high-ranking immortals, those had all been wretched, shoddy fights.
By now, both Yanshi and the Wise King of the Left had appeared. Standing behind the Wise King of the Left was the Great State Preceptor of the Great Liao, while Yanshi naturally had Zhu Yan watching his back. Everyone knew Zhu Yan had arrived, yet none knew where he hid.
The Great State Preceptor of Northern Liao fixed his gaze on Yanshi and saw no trace of the Patriarch's immortal sword. This was the first time in recent years that Yanshi had appeared without cradling the blade.
Yet Yanshi lacking his sword inspired even greater dread. The blade was surely in Zhu Yan's grasp now, and were Zhu Yan to wield that sword and land a single blow, even the Great State Preceptor would find it difficult to escape falling.
Above the Immortal Heaven, runic seals of the Great Dao surfaced in succession. This domain was isolated from the rest of the Immortal Heaven, becoming the battlefield for the duel.
At this moment, not only were the immortals of the Human and Liao races watching, but immortal ranks from other races—even the Ancestral Shaman, the Venerable Lord, and the Great Sun Tathagata—looked on from the heights above.
The Wise King of the Left stepped into the arena and spoke slowly: "Before the battle begins, there is a matter I fail to understand, and I must ask Fellow Daoist Yanshi to enlighten me."
"Speak."
"Why is Fellow Daoist so resolute, insisting on seeking me out for a duel of grotto-heavens?"
Yanshi said, "It is very simple. A short while ago, you cast aside your dignity and ambushed a dharma idol named Xiaoyu. Do you still remember?"
The Wise King of the Left froze, incredulous. "Just for that? Over a mere dharma idol? Even his Xiao family Immortal Ancestor said nothing, so why go to such lengths?"
Yanshi said word by word, "Why the Xiao family refused to step forward is none of my concern. But Xiaoyu is also a disciple of my Palace of Grand Beginning, and as Palace Master, I must see to it! Wise King of the Left, I know you have never been fond of playing by the rules. Therefore, destroying your grotto-heavens today is to make you know—and to let everyone under heaven know—the price of breaking the rules against disciples of my Palace of Grand Beginning!"
"He is nothing more than a mere dharma idol—"
Before the Wise King of the Left could finish, Yanshi cut him off: "A mere dharma idol, in my eyes, outweighs all nine of your grotto-heavens!"
The Wise King of the Left had his own temper. Cut down repeatedly by Yanshi, he sneered viciously. "If Fellow Daoist insists on throwing your life away, this king will gladly oblige! Enough idle chatter—let the battle begin!"
Both the Wise King of the Left and Yanshi manifested their dharma bodies. Each spanned the heavens and permeated the earth, standing opposite one another as they looked down upon the battlefield. Before them, great stars began to manifest one after another. Each great star was a grotto-heaven; once entering the field, they did not hang motionless, but slowly revolved through the void.
Although both sides deployed nine grotto-heavens, matching which grotto-heaven fought which required their own methods and tactics, marking a crucial phase of the duel.
If elemental affinities countered each other—such as a Fire grotto-heaven meeting a Wood grotto-heaven—one would naturally gain an immense advantage. In addition, there were all manner of battlefield stratagems, such as using a single grotto-heaven to hold off several of the enemy's, then concentrating one's powerful grotto-heavens to crush a weaker opposing one first, and so on.
There were even grotto-heavens designed for agile flight, darting across the field to draw opposing grotto-heavens into a wild pursuit on one hand, while watching for an opening to ambush grotto-heavens already engaged in combat on the other. At this moment, one of the grotto-heavens released by the Wise King of the Left was a mass of invisible wind. This grotto-heaven was quite famous, serving as one of his lethal trump cards.
Yanshi's grotto-heavens, however, were all suffused with five-colored immortal radiance, each identical to the next. Seeing these dazzling, radiant grotto-heavens, the spectating immortals could not help whispering amongst themselves.
"Such grotto-heavens... one cannot help but gaze upon them with envy!"
"Fortunately, Yanshi ascended to immortality in haste back then, falling short of perfection and halting at twelve grotto-heavens. If he had eight or ten more, who could possibly match him?"
"Oh, there are still opponents who could, just neither you nor me."
"Though the Wise King of the Left's grotto-heavens are uncanny, they cannot match the majestic grandeur of Yanshi's after all. In this fight, Yanshi should be able to press him with momentum and claim a modest victory—wh-what is that?!"
With a vicious laugh from the Wise King of the Left, a monstrosity floated up behind him. It possessed the head and bust of a woman and the skeletal frame of a beast. The moment it took the field, the entire battleground shook! Within every grotto-heaven, living beings—whether belonging to Yanshi or the Wise King of the Left—were gripped by the feeling of imminent doom!
Among those grotto-heavens, the larger ones did not even reach the monstrosity's waist, while the smaller ones barely came to its knees.
Above the Immortal Heaven, the Great Dao was absolute. It appeared that if this monster struck with all its might, any grotto-heaven would suffer devastating damage.
Yanshi's expression turned uncharacteristically solemn, even dark. "A Dharma God! Those fellows from the Esoteric Sect have emerged from seclusion?"
Hearing the name "Dharma God," the immortals blanched.
The Wise King of the Left roared with laughter. "When the Guru emerged from seclusion, the very first thing he did was cast a line to fish for karmic luck! Has he not reeled you right in? Fellow Daoist Yanshi, if you know what is good for you, it is not too late to concede. Just transfer two—no, three grotto-heavens to me, and how about I spare you?"
"In your dreams!"
The Wise King of the Left sneered, "Losing three grotto-heavens is better than having all nine destroyed!"
"If they are destroyed, then so be it. Surrender is out of the question—there is only battle!"
A ruthless glint flashed in the Wise King of the Left's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fine! Even if I must sacrifice several grotto-heavens, today I shall keep all nine of yours here! Huh?"
The Wise King of the Left's eyes widened as he realized there were only eight grotto-heavens before Yanshi. He counted again; still eight.
"Yanshi, what is the meaning of this? You cannot possibly think eight grotto-heavens are enough to defeat me, can you?"
Yanshi replied indifferently, "I would not belittle Fellow Daoist to such an extent. Thus, I came bearing nine grotto-heavens—it is merely that one among them is an ordinary grotto-heaven."
The Wise King of the Left counted yet again. There were clearly only eight.
Yanshi gave a faint, cold smirk and pointed overhead. "Fellow Daoist, do not fixate merely on the small plot before your eyes. You must take the long view—look forward, look higher, look farther."
Only then did the Wise King of the Left finally notice a faint, indistinct shadow behind Yanshi, boundless and endless!
Following the direction of Yanshi's finger, the Wise King of the Left looked up, looked higher, and kept craning his neck, until at last, at the very dome of the battlefield, he caught sight of the shadow's outer edge!
Under the Wise King of the Left's gaze, the boundless shadow finally manifested in full. Yet the moment it revealed itself, the entire battlefield of the Immortal Heaven distorted, with every tangible and intangible thing leaning toward that expanse of shadow.
Before this shadow, even the dharma bodies of Yanshi and the Wise King of the Left appeared delicate and petite.
The Wise King of the Left gritted his teeth and pointed at Yanshi, fuming, "Y-You call this a grotto-heaven?!"
Yanshi wore an utterly serious expression. "Recognized by the Heavenly Dao, this is indeed a grotto-heaven! An ordinary grotto-heaven, without rank."
Before the Wise King of the Left could utter another word, the shadow suddenly surged forward like a collapsing heaven and revolving world—the great battle had begun!
The Dharma God had long been locked on by immortal resonance. Ferocity erupting, it charged recklessly into the shadow, after which all sound ceased. But the shadow's surging momentum did not stop; in a single breath, it swept four of the Wise King of the Left's grotto-heavens into its depths before coming to a halt.
The Wise King of the Left felt waves of chill rise in his heart, impossible to suppress. He could only hope that the Guru's Dharma God truly lived up to the legends, unleashing its terrible might to tear through this unprecedented grotto-heaven.
Silence fell throughout the Immortal Heaven. This was the very first time Wei Yuan's mindscape world had manifested in the Immortal Heaven since reaching full completion.
However, the shadow's status was exceedingly high; though the immortals exercised their respective divine abilities, none could see through it. Moreover, with Wei Yuan holding the Evil Sun, none dared strain their vision to force a look—lest their gaze pierce the shadow only to meet the Evil Sun Heavenly Pillar, turning curiosity into calamity.
With eight immortal heavens in hand against the Wise King of the Left's remaining four, Yanshi was naturally poised and at ease. He smiled faintly. "How does Fellow Daoist wish to fight? Shall we duel one-on-one, or brawl all at once?"
The Wise King of the Left's face turned extraordinarily grim. Even if the Dharma God managed to overcome that terrifying grotto-heaven, by the time it broke free, his four remaining grotto-heavens would likely already be gone.
Right at that moment, an abrupt turn of events occurred!
The colossal shadow suddenly branched off a tendril like a massive tentacle, swept up another of the Wise King of the Left's grotto-heavens, and pulled it into the gloom.
Staring at his three solitary grotto-heavens, the Wise King of the Left had not even reacted before Yanshi lost his patience first, bellowing in exasperation, "Fellow Daoist! Your table manners are downright disgraceful!"
Chapter 1282