Locked onto by two Deity Transformation experts simultaneously, no one wanted to provoke their wrath.
None dared openly defy the command. More importantly, none had the confidence to escape; not everyone possessed a Mind-Manifestation Yin Transformation Escape Talisman.
As for Saint Huiguang's promise, no one knew how trustworthy it truly was, but they could only comfort themselves with it.
Presumably to reassure everyone, Saint Huiguang had not spoken through secret voice transmission, but had proclaimed his promise publicly. With so many cultivators outside the mountain serving as witnesses, he would have to preserve the face of the Buddhist sects, and would likely not go back on his word lightly later on.
Old Devil Fan had stayed beside Saint Huiguang all along. Knowing Saint Huiguang would not let him go easily, he had never considered fleeing.
Yue Lingtian's expression flickered with hesitation. He bitterly regretted that after obtaining the Earth Phase inheritance, he had not quit while he was ahead, insisting on joining the fray instead. Resigned, he bowed to the monk's phantom before turning back up the mountain.
Daoist Hegao meticulously gathered Daoist Zilei's remains, returning to the mountaintop as commanded. He remained completely silent, leaving everyone uncertain of what he was thinking.
Hailing from prestigious sects, they were sect masters and Grand Elders of exalted status, possessing long-standing prestige in the cultivation world. Even when facing two Deity Transformation cultivators, they did not entirely lose their composure.
Qin Sang's avatar and Mo Xingdao were far less privileged in their backgrounds.
Fortunately, it was merely an avatar; as long as the true body remained unharmed, Qin Sang's foundation would not suffer.
With a calm expression, the avatar flew unhurriedly toward the summit.
Mo Xingdao was likely the most conflicted and uneasy. His sole consolation was that his puppet remained hidden in the shadows; should circumstances change later, he might still find a chance to escape.
If things went awry, ordering the puppet to flee far away with the Lingxi Immortal Fruit would at least serve as a bargaining chip.
Steadying his mind, Mo Xingdao turned back up the mountain.
Before long, almost all the cultivators on Dishou Mountain gathered atop the summit.
Daoist Hegao, Old Devil Fan, Yue Lingtian, Mo Xingdao, Qin Sang's avatar—and counting Qin Sang's true body hiding in the stone hut, the Poison King whose life and death were unknown, Master Huaiyin healing outside the mountain, and the missing Su Zinan—these were the only top experts remaining from those who had entered the Wuxiang Immortal Sect earlier.
They glanced at one another in silence. The schemes, intrigues, and open and covert struggles from moments ago now felt like nothing more than a joke.
"Silently circulate this Tranquil Spirit Incantation for three heavenly cycles. If you detect any abnormality, seal your thoughts at once. Do not hold any delusions of luck!"
Saint Huiguang sent out a stream of flowing light, conjuring radiant characters out of thin air that drifted in midair, sparkling like starlight.
Hearing this, everyone looked over and saw a rather profound secret technique. Its name was quite ordinary, and practicing it was not particularly difficult.
Saint Huiguang did not explain the origins of the Tranquil Spirit Incantation.
In truth, this secret technique originated from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, created by its experts during the ancient demonic catastrophe to counter demonic taint.
Cultivators who had only recently been tainted could, with high probability, detect abnormalities within themselves by activating the Tranquil Spirit Incantation, thereby resolving them in time. The higher the cultivator's cultivation base, the better the effect.
It was precisely the emergence of this secret technique that turned the tide of battle back then, allowing the demonic catastrophe to be contained within the two prefectures of Nan and Man.
Naturally, the Tranquil Spirit Incantation was not omnipotent. Demonic taint was said to vary in strength. If the demon planting it possessed profound demonic arts, used formidable secret techniques, and acted with careful scheming over time, embedding it deeply, the chances of detection were very slim.
The experts of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had placed too much trust in the Tranquil Spirit Incantation, only realizing something was wrong at the very end and being forced to seal themselves away.
Saint Huiguang already knew the general sequence of events from Old Devil Fan. Since the Demon Child had only just broken the seal and was heavily affected by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, he should have neither the opportunity nor the ability to enact such deep taint.
Those on the mountain were all top experts; the firmer one's mental fortitude, the stronger one's resistance to demonic taint.
The Tranquil Spirit Incantation was sufficient.
Saint Huiguang took this precaution just in case, lest any of them cause chaos during the forthcoming battle.
Having more or less heard of the demonic catastrophe and understanding the terrifying nature of demonic taint, everyone readily complied and began silently circulating the Tranquil Spirit Incantation, as did the others who saw it.
At the same time he transmitted the Tranquil Spirit Incantation to everyone, Saint Huiguang's chilling voice rang out once more, echoing across the inside and outside of Dishou Mountain:
"You are given three days to get out of the Central Plains, and you shall never set foot in the Central Plains again!"
In a certain secluded spot.
Su Zinan hid himself using his escape talisman. Gazing up at the mountaintop, his face was slightly pale.
In just a short span, two peerlessly powerful divine senses had swept across him dozens of times. Had it not been for the protection of the escape talisman, he would have been dragged out long ago.
Su Zinan knew full well that Saint Huiguang's warning was largely directed at him. Though there were no overt threats, the chilling killing intent in the monk's tone made his heart clench.
He snorted inwardly, yet ultimately dared not act rashly.
At this time, Saint Huiguang and the Azure Fox Saint King focused most of their energy on the demonic body.
Within the mountain hollow, strange lights of various hues flickered unpredictably.
The radiance of the five-colored crown grew increasingly blinding, completely submerging the demonic body beneath the five-colored spiritual light, and the gray cocoon formed by the Poison King was also nearly swallowed by it.
Only the silhouette of the gray cocoon could be discerned within the five-colored glow, forming a massive bulge.
None knew how much longer the gray cocoon could hold out.
Having received reinforcement from the Azure Fox Saint King, Saint Huiguang was finally able to divert a portion of his energy. The Dharma Flower True Wheel shifted slightly, aiming toward the gray cocoon.
Rings of silver wrapped around the gray cocoon—not to imprison it, but to help the Poison King resist the five-colored light.
Inside the gray cocoon, the Poison King must have sensed the fluctuations of the Dharma Flower True Wheel. The cocoon rose and fell in rhythm with the silver rings to resist the demon together, temporarily removing the danger of shattering, though this was the best that could be done for now.
Unable to rescue the Poison King immediately, Saint Huiguang knew he could not rush things, choosing to deal with the demonic body first.
Yet he did not realize that this action effectively severed the Demon Spirit's final hope, prompting the Demon Spirit to take the most extreme measure.
The Azure Fox Saint King appeared to the left of Saint Huiguang. Flicking her jade fingers repeatedly, thunderous sounds of surging waves echoed continuously within the mountain hollow, as if an ocean were being poured inside, stirring up a terrifying tempest.
Gazing downward, her eyes gradually turned pure white.
It was an unblemished white, devoid of pupils, and her eerie gaze pierced through the chaotic turmoil.
"Something seems amiss," the Azure Fox Saint King said in a solemn voice, her slender brows knitting slightly.
She had already learned what had happened and formed guesses regarding the origins and state of the demonic body. The demonic body was now clearly able to wield that five-colored crown. If the artifact spirit had already been subdued by the ancient demon, what they faced was far more than just an ancient demon—they would be in tremendous trouble!
No wonder Saint Huiguang had gone to the trouble of doing so many things, using coercion and inducement to forcibly retain these human Nascent Soul cultivators.
Taking into account every possible variable, Saint Huiguang had to divide his attention while simultaneously preventing the demonic body from escaping. In just a short time, the toll on his mental energy had been staggering.
His breathing settling slightly, Saint Huiguang was just about to speak when an abrupt change erupted within the mountain hollow!
Inside the demonic body, Zhu Wudao and the Demon Child had fused into a demonic soul, which was now being forcibly devoured by the Demon Spirit—tantamount to the Demon Spirit swallowing the two alive.
Although neither of them possessed any power left to resist, the fatal part was that this devouring was taking place amidst the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao.
A roar suddenly erupted from within the mountain hollow, piercing and agonizing. The shrill sound stabbed into the eardrums of Old Devil Fan and the others like steel needles, piercing even their minds with sharp pain.
Startled awake from their meditation, the crowd looked toward the mountain hollow in horror, just as the Azure Fox Saint King shouted a warning: "Watch out!"
Before her voice had even faded, a beam of five-colored light shot out from within the mountain hollow like a sharp sword, slicing across the sky like a rainbow. Sensing the terrifying momentum that promised to destroy everything in its path, everyone's expressions changed drastically.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The cultivators leapt into the air.
In the next instant, the cultivators outside the mountain heard a thunderous explosion and watched as the crater at the peak of Dishou Mountain shattered, sending shattered stones flying in all directions, followed by the entire ancient manor quaking violently.
What erupted from the crater was not magma, but an endless torrent of water, like an inverted waterfall.
Gushing forth alongside the water was a dazzling rainbow glow.
Yet this sight offered not the slightest beauty. Everyone could sense the horrific demonic qi; even those who were nowhere near Dishou Mountain could not help but shudder.
At the edge of the Metal Phase Palace.
The elderly nun's emotions had been a tumultuous rollercoaster. First she had witnessed Daoist Zilei failing his tribulation, but before she could breathe a sigh of relief, Deity Transformation cultivators had appeared one after another, startling her out of her wits.
The nuns of Yanyue Nunnery were still exploring different areas of the Metal Phase Palace and could not withdraw quickly.
Unexpectedly, monstrous demonic qi had surged, bringing twist after twist.
The elderly nun did not know whether the current situation was good or bad, but at least the two Deity Transformation cultivators were occupied, buying them some breathing room.
On the other side, Bai Xiao was leading the demon kings forward. Seeing the spectacle at Dishou Mountain from afar, he was thoroughly shaken. Yet with the Saint King's orders preceding him, he could only brace himself and press on, though he quietly slowed his pace to observe the situation first.
No one outside the mountain felt it as clearly as Old Devil Fan and the others.
The spirit jade belonging to the Azure Fox Saint King had already dissolved, and the vast waves formed a colossal whirlpool in the sky. When they saw what lay within the whirlpool, every one of them sucked in a cold breath.
A figure, crowned with the Five Elements Crown, hovered suspended in midair.
Beyond doubt, this was the demonic body Zhu Wudao had become.
Yet it was hard to describe the demonic body as a "person" anymore.
To be precise, it was merely a mass of flesh and blood holding a humanoid shape.
The skin of the demonic body was split and bloated everywhere. Its entire body seemed covered in fleshy tumors that had ruptured, drenched in blood with mangled flesh curling back, and in some places bone splinters were even exposed—a nauseating sight.
The demonic body could barely maintain a human shape. The facial features on its head were displaced, resembling a massive tumor, though a faint expression of agonizing torment and madness could still be made out.
It was impossible to imagine what Zhu Wudao had endured to end up in such a state.
Everyone stared blankly at this scene, their hearts turning cold.
Was this an ancient demon?
Was this the fate of suffering demonic taint?
It was ten thousand times more horrifying than what the ancient texts described.
Chills ran down their spines, and lingering fear gripped them all. Had Saint Huiguang and the Azure Fox Saint King not arrived in time, they would have stirred up a catastrophic disaster today, and whether any of them could have escaped in one piece would have been questionable.
"Old monk, this king has no desire to turn into such a monster!" the Azure Fox Saint King said solemnly.
In the demonic body, she seemed to glimpse her own future.
Being assimilated by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao clearly entailed far more than merely going mad; it ultimately manifested in one's physical form. Daoist Zilei had perished from his state of mind collapsing before his heart demon tribulation had even concluded; otherwise, had more time passed, he too would have devolved into an indescribable mass of flesh and blood.
The Demon Spirit had, in truth, underestimated the power of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Once begun, the devouring could not be stopped. As the devouring progressed, the demonic body and the Five Elements Crown grew increasingly attuned, and her strength rose. Yet throughout the process, her resistance to the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao grew ever weaker, her consciousness steadily corrupted by madness.
Her true form, the Five Elements Crown, was still intact, but it could not halt her descent into the abyss. The deeper the fusion went, the deeper the influence of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao became, until she was on the verge of losing her intellect entirely.
However, in this state, she was stripped of all restraint and hesitation. The madness born of instinct drove her to abandon all caution, seeking only to destroy and tear apart everything in sight.
The Demon Spirit's current condition grew closer and closer to that of the ferocious beasts in the Storm Belt.
They were about to fight a dress rehearsal of their beast hunt.
Keenly sensing the changes in the demonic body, the Azure Fox Saint King repeated, "This king will not turn into such a monster!"
Saint Huiguang understood the meaning behind her words.
They had to divide their attention to resist the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, preventing them from unleashing their true strength. Furthermore, his injuries had not yet healed, so he had to rely on the Azure Fox Saint King going all out to contend with the ancient demon.
Yet if the Azure Fox Saint King expended too much energy and allowed the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao to exploit an opening, she would follow in the Demon Child's footsteps.
Unlike him, who still cared for his sect, the Azure Fox Saint King carried no such burdens.
If things became untenable, the Azure Fox Saint King would undoubtedly pull away immediately and concentrate on seeking a way to ascend.
When one could barely save oneself, what did the rise and fall of the realm or the living beings of this world matter to her?
Besides, the human race would be the first to suffer.
"We do not necessarily have to slay this demon, but does the Saint King not wish to pry anything from its mouth? This poor monk suspects that the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao may be related to the Demon Monarch who was sealed within the Immortal Palace. Now that the Immortal Palace has ascended, there is only one in this world who knows the truth—him!"
Saint Huiguang communicated via voice transmission with the Azure Fox Saint King. "Though it is unclear why an ancient demon was likewise unable to resist the corruption of the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, if we can capture him alive and learn the reason behind the changes in the Heavenly Dao, we will have a clear target when seeking a solution."
Naturally, the Azure Fox Saint King understood these truths; it was merely that the shock of seeing the demonic body was too great.
"Form the Meditation Arhat Formation!"
Saint Huiguang shouted in a low voice, simultaneously sending out several beams of golden light toward everyone.
Catching the golden lights, a Buddhist formation was reflected in their minds.
The Meditation Arhat Formation was a Buddhist battle formation.
Ganlu Zen Monastery possessed an orthodox Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, which would have been ideally suited for dealing with an ancient demon.
Unfortunately, that formation was not here.
Earlier, when Saint Huiguang and the Azure Fox Saint King discussed hunting ferocious beasts in the Storm Belt, it required the coordination of the Saint King Palace's immortal formation and the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation. Saint Huiguang had instructed Master Xingji to contact the top experts of the various Buddhist sects, distributing the separated formation artifacts, the Vajra Beads, to them for comprehension in preparation for the hunt.
At this moment, Master Xingji and the others were still on their way, while several were meditating in their respective sects—they clearly could not make it in time.
Who could have foreseen that an opportunity to use the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation would arise today?
Before the beast hunt had even begun, an ancient demon had appeared first.
Of course, even if Saint Huiguang had brought the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, it would have been difficult to put to use. Comprehending a spiritual formation took time, and none of these cultivators were Buddhist disciples; no matter how high their cultivation, they could not master it overnight.
A battle formation, however, was far simpler: they only needed to obey Saint Huiguang's commands.
*Swish!*
Figures flickered, and the battle formation was established in an instant.
Without requiring effort on their part, a certain power flowed from Saint Huiguang. A circular halo of light appeared behind everyone's head, making them resemble sangharama guardians stepping out of murals, dignified and solemn.
With the battle formation formed, everyone's aura surged.
Yet looking at the demonic body, each of them calculated inwardly: the two Deity Transformation experts did not appear inclined to go all out. Were they truly expected to deal with such a terrifying demon themselves?
How many of them would survive in the end?
Chapter 1679