The Wind Calamity of Xuanhuang

"This formation..." "Just who could it be?!" Shock and fury surged within the Holy Emperor's heart. Chuanfa, the Heavenly Physician, and even the Xuan Celestial Vessel on the far side of the starry sea clearly were not the ones setting this formation. Who else in this starry sea could possess such power—enough to lay down a grand formation that struck terror even into him?! And what on earth was that newly descended Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, who had yet to show his face, actually doing?! Countless thoughts flashed through the Holy Emperor's mind in an instant. Outside in the starry void, the golden needles continued to stream down without end. Alternating between void and reality, dense and swift. The Holy Emperor was already unable to block all of these golden needles, and now he perceived that the Xuanhuang Realm seemed to have fallen inexplicably into peril. Yet the Heavenly Physician appeared completely oblivious to this. "Heavenly Physician! The Xuanhuang Realm!" Left with no choice, the Holy Emperor roared a warning toward the starry sky outside. The ceaseless rain of golden needles seemed to pause ever so slightly, but it did not cease. However, the positions where the golden needles landed upon the Xuanhuang land shifted subtly compared to before. Evidently, the Heavenly Physician had also discerned the hidden upheaval within the Xuanhuang Realm and was attempting to reverse it through a formation of his own. Yet... "It's useless!" The Holy Emperor saw that this only slightly delayed the arrival of the cataclysm. That invisible, unknown formation was still in the midst of descending. His instinctive spiritual perception sent an inexplicable chill racing down the Holy Emperor's spine. Suppressing the unease in his heart, his thoughts spun rapidly, and in the end, he decided to ignore the Heavenly Physician's golden needles for now and return to the Xuanhuang Realm. "Find Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang!" The Holy Emperor's voice resounded everywhere. Now, the Xuanhuang heaven and earth were bristling with golden needles. The vast majority of living beings had fallen into a deep slumber. Tianyang, who had previously obstructed Chuanfa, was already battered and broken. Yet he still stood resolutely before Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa. However, Chuanfa had also gradually sensed the imminent crisis facing the Xuanhuang Realm, and the movements of his hands slowly halted. Otherwise, Tianyang's immortal puppet body might have been utterly destroyed. Vast divine sense swept over the Xuanhuang Realm again and again, but could not find a trace of that Great Heavenly Venerable. "Ruomu! Earth Vein! Stone Slab!" The Holy Emperor attempted to communicate with them through the connection of the Source Power essence net. Yet all of them seemed to have vanished collectively; none responded. Before his eyes, the Xuanhuang Realm was like a pot of water about to slowly come to a boil. The Holy Emperor could only watch helplessly as all of this unfolded, unable to find the heat source boiling the water. In the sky, a phantom of Chuanfa suddenly manifested, dispelling all the clouds. With Heaven and Earth Manifestation, he looked down upon Xuanhuang, his gaze burning like torches as it swept back and forth. Across the earth, streaks of golden light constantly emanated from the golden needles, spreading into their surroundings. With each pulse, the golden needle pulses circled the Xuanhuang Realm. This wondrous spectacle was the combined effort of Chuanfa and the Venerable, scouring heaven and inspecting earth, striving to pinpoint the mastermind behind the scenes. Yet an unbelievable scene occurred. Two Supreme cultivators—the strongest beings in the starry sea—had joined forces, and though nearly half a day passed, they still failed to find the slightest clue. It was as though that presence did not exist at all. ... Just as the three supreme powerhouses of the starry sea had gathered yet remained utterly helpless... Deep beneath Tongyan Province. The secret chamber, originally excavated to a mere ten feet square, had now turned into an endless void. At the boundary of the void lay the site of the ritual that had originally granted entry to the Fallen Immortal Realm. Now, it was shrouded in an indescribable, mysterious power. It was precisely that existence which drove all cultivators to frenzy: the power of immortal spirit. Like trickling brooks and shimmering threads of light, the power of immortal spirit circled the ritual perimeter, carving out an endless void. The Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang whom Chuanfa, the Holy Emperor, and the Heavenly Physician were searching for so desperately—as well as the mastermind behind all this turmoil—was right here! Never mind that Li Fan here was merely a divine clone; even if Li Fan's true self were present, with his current strength, he would still be incapable of manipulating the power of immortal spirit. He could not even touch or comprehend it, able at best to quench his thirst by looking at plums. And the reason why the power of immortal spirit could blend into the immortal formation deduced by the Terminal Dissociation Disc... Within the void, Sun Tianci still maintained the posture he had assumed before entering the trials of the Fallen Immortal Realm. From his body surged two completely opposing auras: one sacred, and one soaring with demonic fiendishness. Although the intensity of the sacred aura far surpassed the grim demonic qi, the sacred aura merely yielded again and again in the face of the encroaching demonic qi. Even though a slight flare of power could thoroughly eradicate the persistent demonic qi, Sun Tianci never did so. His brow was tightly furrowed, his face filled with sorrow. 'Good thing I kept a card up my sleeve beforehand...' Sensing Wu Ninglu, whom he had released, wreaking havoc in Sun Tianci's Sea of Consciousness, Li Fan sneered inwardly. Thousands of demonic thoughts gnawed relentlessly at Sun Tianci, while howling venomous curses in unison: "I carried you in my womb for three years and gave birth to you. How did you treat me?" "Not only did you snatch away the Soul of Heaven and Earth for my Dao Integration, you stood by and watched me die!" "What a dutiful son of your mother!" "Everything you have today was stolen from me! You shouldn't have lived from the very beginning!" "Come on! Kill me again! Scatter my soul to the winds completely!" ... Faced with his mother's vengeance, Sun Tianci chose to endure in silence. He naturally felt his mother devouring his power, but this was precisely what he wanted. In Sun Tianci's perception, though Wu Ninglu had splintered into thousands of demonic thoughts, they were merely chaotic consciousness filled with madness and destructive intent. If not for him serving as the primary subject anchoring her lust for revenge, it would not take long before these demonic thoughts dissipated completely into heaven and earth. And if that happened... He, Sun Tianci, would truly never see his mother again. Retaining memories from infancy, having witnessed with his own eyes on the day of his birth how he had "killed" his birth mother, Sun Tianci had harbored guilt all his life, and this time, he resolved to save her. In Sun Tianci's perception, as those demonic thoughts devoured more of his energy, their degree of chaos was gradually decreasing. So long as he fed them more, his mother would eventually calm down completely. Though it appeared akin to carving flesh to repay one's mother, in truth it was nowhere near so extreme. After all, the power of a Great Heavenly Venerable was vast as a boundless ocean, without end. Compared to that, his mother's thousands of demonic thoughts were merely a school of fish in the vast sea. It simply required some time for Sun Tianci to finish this feeding process. Naturally, Sun Tianci was aware of all the upheavals occurring in the Xuanhuang Realm. That Holy Emperor of Mandate, Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa, and finally the countless golden needles that had appeared—even to Sun Tianci, the newly succeeded Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, they posed an immense challenge. Yet bound by his duties, he had to save the Xuanhuang Realm. Truth be told, carrying this out on his own was rather difficult. Fortunately, however, he had the help of his master. After enduring trial after trial in the Fallen Immortal Realm based on stories he had heard since childhood, and seeing the true face his master had revealed before sending him into the Fallen Immortal Realm, how could Sun Tianci still fail to understand the true identity of this supremely mysterious master of his? It was none other than a remnant thought left behind by Su Bai, the previous Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, after his demise. Bound by the subconscious obsession to save the Xuanhuang Realm, he had attached himself to Sun Tianci, training and instructing him since childhood, and ultimately helping him succeed to the position of Great Heavenly Venerable. Though his master had never stated this outright, it was a conclusion Sun Tianci could easily infer based on numerous details from daily interactions with his master, as well as his experiences inheriting the title of Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang in the Fallen Immortal Realm. After all, besides the previous Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, who else could know the details and even the answers to the succession trials so thoroughly? Having just succeeded, a massive influx of complicated memories flooded his mind, which he had not yet had time to sort through. Yet his master was already able to utilize the power of immortal spirit with practiced ease to lay down a formation... Words his master had spoken to him earlier could not help but surface in Sun Tianci's mind. That was when he had successfully inherited the position of Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang and awoken from the Fallen Immortal Realm. His master had looked at him with gratification: "You truly have not disappointed this master. Good child." Then he had instructed him with earnest gravity: "Ten thousand years have passed, and the Xuanhuang Realm is no longer the realm of old. Since the immortal path is severed and the Immortal Realm exists no more, from now on, the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang should only be the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Xuanhuang Realm, not of the Immortal Realm..." "Now, as the only pure land in the starry sea, outsiders all eye the Xuanhuang Realm like hungry tigers. Since you have succeeded, you must shoulder the responsibilities of the Great Heavenly Venerable and protect Xuanhuang." "Chuanfa, the Heavenly Physician, the Xuan Celestial Vessel... I fear only that Holy Emperor might stand with us." "The time left to us is too brief. After all, you have only just succeeded; you might not even be a match for Chuanfa..." "The only chance to turn defeat into victory lies in the world-guarding formation of antiquity!" Vague memories instantly flashed in Sun Tianci's mind. "Master, you mean..." "Upon succeeding as Great Heavenly Venerable, you should have simultaneously inherited the power of immortal spirit left after detonating the immortal artifacts, correct?" Li Fan had asked. "Yes," Sun Tianci nodded. His master was merely a remnant soul, and so many years had passed; some gaps in memory were completely normal. Knowing about the Great Heavenly Venerable's legacy only further proved his master's identity. Hearing Sun Tianci's affirmative reply, Li Fan looked toward the Xuanhuang Realm below, his eyes glinting. "The world-guarding formation has been abandoned for ten thousand years. In between, it even underwent repairs by the Xuantian Sect..." "Even so, as long as it is activated, it can successfully keep these invaders at bay. It is not even impossible to slay them." "We need only mobilize a fraction of that power of immortal spirit, like this, and like that..." The images of the formation Sun Tianci received from Li Fan awakened some of the memories he had inherited. The depictions of the formation traces aligned almost perfectly, though just as his master had said, certain parts had changed with the passage of time. An immortal formation was boundlessly profound; Sun Tianci, as the newly succeeded Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, was not yet capable of fully mastering it. Just as he was about to ponder further, Sun Tianci sensed that Chuanfa had already returned to the Xuanhuang Realm, seemingly searching for his whereabouts. Sun Tianci's heart chilled. The strength of this Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa was only greater than his own, not weaker—unless he utilized those immortal artifacts. Yet within the boundaries of the Xuanhuang Realm, immortal artifacts could not be used lightly. In particular, he was not yet familiar with employing the four immortal artifacts bequeathed by the Heavenly Venerable. If a single misstep caused harm to the Xuanhuang Realm... That would be an unforgivable sin. The situation was urgent, so Sun Tianci followed his master's advice and decided to activate the ancient world-guarding formation to deal with Chuanfa. With near-absolute trust in his master, and lacking proficiency in formations himself, Sun Tianci did whatever Li Fan instructed. Originally, everything had progressed very smoothly. Unexpectedly, just as the formation was beginning to take rudimentary shape, his mother, who had already perished, suddenly appeared in Sun Tianci's Sea of Consciousness for reasons unknown. Manifesting into thousands of demonic souls burning with the flames of vengeance, she instantly overwhelmed Sun Tianci's mind. That familiar, intimately warm aura, that face existing only in memories and dreams, had now turned into a vengeful soul demanding his life. Sun Tianci's thoughts were thrown into utter disarray. Noticing that something was amiss with Sun Tianci, Li Fan promptly sent a stern voice transmission: "This is where your own karma and karmic sin lie; you must resolve it with your own heart." "Back then, though you were born integrated with the Dao, you incurred a blood debt as a result. The inner dread and unease it brought could not be quelled even with the Immortal Heart Incantation." "It has stayed hidden deep within your heart, accompanying you as you grew. When you succeeded as Great Heavenly Venerable and inherited power vast as the sea, she transformed accordingly and finally manifested. However, for you, this is also a rare opportunity. As long as you dissolve this inner demon this time, from now on you will possess no flaws..." While swiftly advising Sun Tianci, Li Fan added, "As for the formation's changes, simply continue doing as I instructed. Focus entirely on weathering your own mental tribulation." One had to realize that Sun Tianci was, after all, a child not yet ten years old. Though blessed by fortuitous circumstances to successfully succeed as the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuanhuang, facing the birth mother he yearned for day and night inevitably threw his mind into chaos. Li Fan's years of continuous teaching and conditioning also caused Sun Tianci to subconsciously obey his orders. Thus, a terrifying immortal formation based on the Xuanhuang world-guarding formation slowly took shape. Sun Tianci, providing the immortal power, remained unaware. Seeing the Heavenly Physician use golden needles to forcibly interrupt and reverse the progress of Xuanhuang's assimilation only strengthened his resolve to execute the immortal formation. Li Fan's divine clone looked upon the nearly completed immortal formation, his eyes filled with obsession. Inwardly, there were no dark thoughts of slaughter or ruin, only the awe and marvel of witnessing the Grand Dao. 'This is a true formation.' 'What was deduced, in the end, still has subtle differences compared to what is seen in reality.' 'I'd like to see whether the likes of Chuanfa and the Heavenly Physician can survive in this immortal formation...' As the saying went, spilt water could not be gathered again. Once this grand formation was completed, even if Sun Tianci, the "power source," discovered it and wished to stop it, he would be powerless to do so. Only Li Fan, the setter of the formation, would be able to make slight, subtle adjustments to the formation during its activation. Yet even he could not reverse the process. Sensing Chuanfa and the others still searching for his traces in the Xuanhuang Realm, Li Fan sneered inwardly, ready at any moment to trigger the formation. ... After several fruitless searches, the Holy Emperor released the Daoyi spiritual energy he had swallowed back into the Xuanhuang heaven and earth, pondering a solution. The unease in the Holy Emperor's heart had reached its zenith. The same was true for Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa. At last, as if having made up his mind, Chuanfa's figure vanished briefly, then reappeared. With a solemn expression, he held an archaic bronze mirror. The Holy Emperor's pupils contracted slightly; from this mirror, he sensed a faint, ethereal aura of immortal spirit. "The true body of the Heavenly Profound Mirror?" Chuanfa tossed the Heavenly Profound Mirror high into the sky. The archaic bronze mirror swelled against the wind, its ethereal form expanding in an instant until it shrouded the entire Xuanhuang Realm. The canopy of heaven was gone; instead, a mirror surface covered everyone overhead. Beneath the Heavenly Profound Mirror, even the Holy Emperor felt as if he had been seen through completely. Subconsciously, starlight enveloped him, blocking the Heavenly Profound Mirror's gaze. Two lines—one black, one white—intertwined and shot forth from the surface of the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Extending infinitely, they encompassed the Xuanhuang Realm in an instant. Then came a ceaseless sweep of black and white lines. The black and white lines swept across, merging into the Xuanhuang heaven and earth. Within the Heavenly Profound mirror plate looming above, the scenery of the Xuanhuang Realm gradually emerged. Not only its mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, but also all the myriad living beings within. Only the likes of the Holy Emperor and Chuanfa were not shown inside. However, as the black and white lines continued their sweep, the Holy Emperor's figure eventually began to appear in the Heavenly Profound Mirror. Looking up, the Holy Emperor gazed at his blurred reflection in the mirror surface. For some reason, he felt that figure differed subtly from his true self in reality. The Xuanhuang Realm seemed frozen in stillness, awaiting the results of the Heavenly Profound Mirror's search. Only the Heavenly Physician's golden needles did not cease, shuttling through the Xuanhuang land as if intent on fully restoring the Xuanhuang Realm to its state prior to the war. Within the Heavenly Profound mirror plate, the scenes grew clearer and clearer. Numerous locations and coordinates were ruled out. Chuanfa had already begun searching the remaining areas. So had the Holy Emperor. The former foes now reached a tacit cooperation once more. After all, whether things evolved toward the Xuanhuang Realm or the Tianfa Realm, the continued existence of the world beneath their feet was the prerequisite for everything. Just as Li Fan's hiding spot beneath Tongyan Province was on the verge of being exposed... A figure quietly appeared outside the Daqi pocket world without anyone noticing. In the void, layers upon layers of formations had been laid down by the Holy Emperor. What had been sealed and carefully placed inside by the Holy Emperor was... The ruins of the Yishi Sect, enveloped in an obliterating wind calamity and the remains of the Archmage. As well as a faceless stone statue. That figure was precisely another divine clone of Li Fan. After parting ways with the simulated personality of the Boundless Mirror and finishing stirring up turmoil within the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals using the Dao Integration cultivation technique deduced by the Dharma Formulation Jade, this divine clone had hidden away ever since. Silently awaiting an opportunity all along. Now, he had finally found his chance. 'After planning meticulously for so long, how could I let them disrupt it at the final moment?' 'You lot had better come right back...' Ignoring the obstruction of the layered formations entirely, Li Fan's clone flickered straight into the formation's interior. At the same time, the Holy Emperor within the Xuanhuang Realm suffered a drastic change of expression. He had already noticed that figure quietly appearing outside the Daqi pocket world. An inexplicable sense of familiarity made his heart tremble violently! Caring for nothing else, starlight tore through the sky, plunging straight into Sacred Dynasty Daqi, then streaked outward into the void at top speed. Yet it was already too late. A moment before, Li Fan's divine clone had already broken all the formations in an instant. The items flanking both sides were brought together as a result. The divine clone detonated, leaving not a single trace. Using the final force of the clone's explosion, he hurled the faceless stone statue violently toward the Yishi Sect ruins. Just as the stone statue was about to collide with the Yishi Sect ruins, the remnant will of the divine clone transformed into a sharp sword, slashing directly at the head of the faceless stone statue! Boom! Boom! Boom! Though it appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary stone statue, the moment the sword of the divine clone collided with it, something seemed to descend in an instant. It did not stop the desecration of the statue, seemingly only casting a casual, distant glance. Yet precisely because of this action, it disturbed what lurked within the Yishi Sect ruins... The obliterating wind calamity. The entity that had descended into the stone statue vanished in a flash. However, that terrifying obliterating wind calamity did not cease because of it. A storm slowly took form in the void outside the Daqi pocket world. The Holy Emperor's figure arrived a step too late. The storm had already engulfed the entire Yishi Sect ruins. Even blowing from afar, those horrifying energy fluctuations gave this Supreme realm powerhouse a sense of boundless peril. Like a frail mortal facing a cataclysm that destroyed heaven and earth, he had no choice but to watch helplessly. Cold sweat dripped from his brow as the Holy Emperor swiftly came to his senses. Holding nothing back, he mobilized all of his Golden Source Power, attempting to halt the spread of this obliterating wind calamity. At the same time, countless Realm-Rifting Whales emerged from the Sacred Dynasty, severing the void containing the wind calamity from Sacred Dynasty Daqi. Source Power essence, infinitely close to the power of a True Immortal, was completely vulnerable before this obliterating wind calamity, crumbling on contact. Yet the Holy Emperor could not retreat, forced to keep doing his utmost to plug the wind calamity with Source Power essence. A ray of white light likewise blocked the path of the spreading obliterating wind calamity. The newcomer wore a tall crown and long beard, holding a bronze mirror—it was none other than Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa. Chuanfa's complexion was also unprecedentedly grim, no longer calm. The Heavenly Profound Mirror in his hand flashed repeatedly in warning, as if having glimpsed some extraordinarily horrific existence. The Holy Emperor transmitted the scene he had just sensed of the Yishi Sect ruins being triggered to Chuanfa. Chuanfa said little, merely manipulating the Heavenly Profound Mirror to project archaic green beams, attempting to seal the obliterating wind calamity. Even with two Supremes working in unison, they still could not completely contain the obliterating wind calamity. This horrifying wind calamity seemed capable of swallowing all things; even the void itself was a target of its obliteration. Slipping through the gaps in Chuanfa and the Holy Emperor's defensive line, the wind calamity surged like a rolling tide, swallowing everything in its path as it advanced toward the Xuanhuang Realm. Once the wind calamity erupted within the Xuanhuang Realm, all living beings within—including the Xuanhuang Realm itself—would likely be destroyed by this tribulation originating from the Immortal Realm. Right at this moment, several golden needles suddenly arrived from afar. Like ocean-calming pillars, they formed an impregnable dike, firmly blocking the stray gusts of the obliterating wind calamity that had slipped through! The wind calamity howled, dimming the light of the golden needles. Soon the dike collapsed, and the wind calamity continued rolling forward. Yet before it, countless more golden needles soon arrived, forming continuous windbreak dikes that hindered the terrible wind calamity's progress. An elderly man with compassionate eyes appeared in the void alongside the arrival of the golden needles. As though treating some intractable illness, the old man wore a solemn expression, his needles falling incessantly. At the same time, he cast out flashes of radiance into the obliterating wind calamity ahead. From a distance, the Holy Emperor saw that those radiances seemed to be extremely old objects. The auras attached to them were extinct and ice-cold. After they fell into the wind calamity, they seemed to draw the calamity together in siege, thus forming small vortexes. The emergence of these vortexes absorbed most of the energy of the obliterating wind calamity. Consequently, this terrifying disaster erupting from the void outside the Daqi pocket world showed signs of gradual decay. The compassionate old man did not relax because of this; instead, he grew increasingly cautious. The golden needles never stopped in his hands, shooting forth in succession to seal those vortexes completely. With a slight exertion of force, following a tug, the wind calamity vortexes were drawn along golden threads and captured by the old man. Opening his mouth slightly, he actually swallowed the golden-needle seals containing the obliterating wind calamity straight into his stomach! Chuanfa seemed already accustomed to this. The Holy Emperor, however, wore a look of shock. It seemed the strength of this Heavenly Physician was superior even to his and Chuanfa's. In the Heavenly Physician's eyes, there seemed to be nothing other than the wind calamity. He turned a blind eye to Chuanfa and the Holy Emperor. One golden needle after another descended, gradually sealing all of the obliterating wind calamity and swallowing it into his belly. Such actions were by no means easy even for the Heavenly Physician. Every so often, he had to rest for a brief spell. Fortunately, with the three Supremes joining forces, they finally managed to nip this world-ending calamity in the bud. Looking at the void that had returned to calm, the Holy Emperor, feeling somewhat exhausted, still harbored lingering dread. Had this obliterating calamity erupted directly within the Xuanhuang Realm rather than in the void, they might not have had time to salvage the situation. Just as the Holy Emperor was thinking this, he suddenly realized that Chuanfa and the Heavenly Physician, having resolved the disaster, still stood in the void with expressions of utter solemnity. The direction they were gazing toward was neither the Xuanhuang Realm nor where the Holy Emperor stood. Rather, it was... An ethereal phantom of a Daoist boy that had appeared at some unknown moment! Eyes closed, the Daoist boy stood quietly. He seemed not to register anyone else present. Yet Chuanfa and the Heavenly Physician looked as if facing a mortal foe. "Archmage Tiandu?" The Holy Emperor felt a shudder of shock. He recalled the Archmage's remains from within the Yishi Sect ruins earlier, which had now completely vanished within the obliterating wind calamity. Who would have thought... It would actually draw out the appearance of this legendary Archmage Tiandu! The Archmage's realm had already transcended the limits of the current starry sea. Transcending the so-called Supreme realm. Though it was merely a standing phantom, the Holy Emperor could not tell whether it was real or illusory. Judging from the expressions on Chuanfa and the Heavenly Physician's faces, the sudden appearance of this Archmage had shaken them profoundly as well. The Archmage did not move, and the three of them did not dare act rashly. For a time, an impasse ensued. Yet the Holy Emperor sensed that in the not-far-off Xuanhuang Realm, the formation's steady progression toward completion was still continuing. Just as the Holy Emperor resolved to disregard the Archmage before him and return to the Xuanhuang Realm to continue searching for the mastermind, a voice suddenly rang out from the Archmage's phantom. All three Supremes felt their hearts tighten, listening with rapt attention. "Dao, of remote antiquity. Xin, of extinction." "Practice thought cultivation, open intention, direct spirit." "..." When first heard, it seemed incomprehensible, making no sense at all. Yet as he continued to listen, a flash of enlightenment suddenly struck the Holy Emperor's heart. This was actually an immortal art!