At the bottom of the Congyun Sea, where several vital earth veins converged.
The power of the earth veins surged turbulently, seeming far more violent than in the past.
Harnessing this force, Li Fan laid out the Earth Fire Origin-Returning Formation and placed the silent Tianyang in its center.
He then cast various materials—such as Eternal Calamity Fine Gold, Haotian Crystal Stone, and Purple Spirit Crystal Marrow—into the formation one after another.
Like a colossal furnace, under the smelting power of the earth fire radiating searing light, these materials gradually fused into Tianyang's puppet frame.
Over the countless years Tianyang had spent in deep slumber, it was precisely through this formation that he had broken through his own limits from a mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, advancing all the way to become a Soul Formation Immortal Lord.
Yet because the Path of Bodily Transformation had merely been an insignificant, minor sect back then, even though Tianyang inherited its entire legacy, his financial resources remained limited.
Across several millennia of drifting time, reaching the Soul Formation realm had already been his ceiling.
Moreover, the physical toughness of a puppet's body was constrained by its innate materials, with an upper limit that was none too high. While adequate when dueling opponents of the same realm, attempting to slay enemies across realms like a true prodigy was virtually impossible.
Now, however, with Li Fan's assistance, all of this would completely change.
Poured with so many heavenly treasures and earthly wonders, even a pure puppet forged from them would be sufficient to clash against an ordinary Dao Integration cultivator.
Coupled with Tianyang's unyielding spiritual willpower, it might not be impossible for him to survive at the hands of Mo Sha, that ultimate anima of Heaven and Earth.
The raging glow of the Earth Fire Origin-Returning Formation was reflected in Li Fan's eyes. Standing and observing for several days, he found that progress was a bit slower than anticipated.
"Little Junior Brother, your Senior Brother will add a little more fire for you."
With that, pile upon pile of supreme-grade spirit stones, brimming with immense quantities of pure spiritual energy, were tossed into the formation by Li Fan.
Like dry firewood meeting a blazing flame, or a raging fire catching an east wind.
The effect was virtually immediate; the Earth Fire Origin-Returning Formation's operational efficiency doubled on the spot.
Li Fan simply stared at Tianyang within the formation, his gaze deep and enigmatic.
-----
Ten days slipped by in a flash.
Before long, the Friendly Exchange Gathering in Tianling Province raised its curtain.
To prevent any unexpected incidents, all of Tianling Province had been sealed off, with even all teleportation formations disabled to keep unrelated individuals from intruding and causing disruption.
Thus, ordinary cultivators had no opportunity to witness the opening ceremony or the mutual exhibition of the world-suppressing supreme artifacts with their own eyes.
The term "world-suppressing supreme artifacts" was the collective moniker used by both the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association for those exceptionally powerful dharma treasures capable of swaying the tide of war between the two factions.
According to rumors circulating through the grapevine, each side had exhibited one world-suppressing supreme artifact this time. Everyone who had seen them was utterly shocked by the terrifying power they could unleash, extinguishing any thoughts of rekindling conflict. Due to secrecy requirements, however, no details could be shared regarding the specific capabilities of these two artifacts.
This only left everyone itching with curiosity.
The day after the opening ceremony, the eagerly anticipated competition phase officially began.
Dao, Martial, Artifacts, Formations, Alchemy, Talismans.
Only one event was held each day, with the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association each fielding three prodigies to compete.
The first to take place was also the most eye-catching: the Martial Bout.
At that moment, countless cultivators throughout the Alliance witnessed the appearance of the first representative through their Tianling Viewing Mirrors.
Looking at the person's appearance, it was a youth of merely around ten years old, of indistinguishable gender. Dressed in white robes with a red ribbon tied in the hair, the youth looked exceptionally handsome.
An accompanying description surfaced on the viewing mirrors right on cue.
"Di Luwu."
Such was the name of the youth before them.
A clamor instantly broke out among the cultivators.
Meanwhile, the delegation from the Five Elders Association looked equally displeased.
"What is the meaning of this? On such an important occasion, they send up a mere child?"
"Do they truly believe our Five Elders Association has no one capable?"
...
The cultivators present all possessed extraordinary cultivation; they could naturally tell that this youth named Di Luwu was not an adult who had maintained a child's physique, but genuinely a child under ten years of age.
No matter how much of a genius one might be, having lived for so short a time, how strong could he possibly be?
The Five Elders Association's cultivators looked exceedingly grim. Right then, a sword-bearing youth in azure robes stepped forward, filled with indignant anger and eyes glinting with murderous intent.
"Guzhi, do not be careless!"
Among the Five Elders Association cultivators, a middle-aged woman who looked no different from a mountain village peasant woman suddenly called out.
This woman's status seemed extraordinarily special; the azure-robed youth named Xu Guzhi nodded solemnly.
Only then did he drift before Di Luwu.
"Please enlighten me!" Xu Guzhi narrowed his eyes, pointing his sword straight at Di Luwu.
The clash was about to erupt, and the Alliance cultivators also saw the profiles of both participants.
Both were at the peak of the Soul Formation realm; Di Luwu was nine years old, and Xu Guzhi was fifty-six.
Witnessing this, cultivators across the world were stunned beyond measure.
"A nine-year-old Soul Formation? Am I seeing things?"
"Even if one started cultivating in the womb, it couldn't possibly be this fast!"
"Is this for real? Is this Di Luwu the fastest-cultivating cultivator in history? How did he do it?"
"To think I'm already three hundred and seventy-eight years old, yet still lingering in the Nascent Soul realm. The gap between people is truly despairing."
"Heh, you're at least in the Nascent Soul realm. What should a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me say?"
...
Before the duel had even begun, public opinion across the world exploded, with cultivators abuzz with speculation about Di Luwu's origins.
Even Li Fan felt a flicker of astonishment and surprise in his eyes.
For nothing else than the fact that a nine-year-old at peak Soul Formation defied all common sense.
"Could it be a reincarnation and re-cultivation method like Senior Brother Zhang's? Or perhaps the possession and rebirth of a Profound Heaven Sect Dharma King?"
"Or perhaps..."
Li Fan stared intently at the completely detached expression Di Luwu wore from start to finish, suddenly finding it somewhat familiar.
"A Heavenly Sorcerer?"
"Could this Di Luwu be from the Era?"
Amid Li Fan's conjectures, Xu Guzhi made his move.
Swinging the straight sword in his hand, a massive sword phantom materialized in an instant, crashing down from the heavens.
"A thousand unbroken blades, stretching endlessly like mountains."
A commentary synchronized on the viewing mirror at that exact moment.
Layer upon layer, thousands upon thousands of giant swords bore down from all directions, converging to crush Di Luwu.
There was no earth-shattering roar, only the mountain-like momentum of endless, unadorned sword shadows bringing an incomparable sense of oppression.
Surrounded by the sea of swords, Di Luwu seemed paralyzed with fright, standing motionless as though completely at a loss.
The hearts of the Alliance cultivators seized tight in that instant.
Just as the countless giant swords were about to strike, Di Luwu made his move.
A silver dragon, like a flash of sudden thunder, illuminated heaven and earth.
It darted swiftly through the encircling giant swords.
Before any cultivator could react, it pierced straight through Xu Guzhi's chest.
Chapter 623