Chapter 297

Zhang Jian glanced at Jingming Daoist; he was not unskilled in spatial arts, and that cry actually came from quite near this ruin.

But what kind of extraterritorial ferocious beast it actually was remained unknown.

Zhang Jian roughly knew something about the extraterritorial environment.

Compared to within heaven and earth, the extraterritorial void environment is more barbaric and primitive; those extraterritorial ferocious beasts and extraterritorial evil gods are extremely numerous.

They roam the void like wandering through a barbaric marsh, mostly following the law of the jungle, and indeed even more savage than the law of the jungle.

If one encounters these ferocious beasts and extraterritorial gods and demons in the extraterritorial realm, it will depend on one's own abilities.

If one's strength is sufficient, these ferocious beasts and extraterritorial gods and demons are merely a small dish; if one's strength is insufficient, one becomes the other's small dish...

Seeing that the beast's roar sounded a few times and then ceased without further issue, the five people's expressions relaxed slightly; that beast's roar was extraordinary, likely a god-beast-level ferocious beast king.

If it actively attacked the ruin, whether the ruin's defensive power could withstand it was uncertain.

Huangzhen Zhenren also said at this moment: "The Beichen Pass ruin is currently still stable; it should not encounter trouble!"

Zhang Jian silently thought in his heart: What I fear most is precisely that it should.

The group hurried forward; Xingyao Zi occasionally formed hand seals, opening one after another of the access gates formed by rune chains.

After a moment, the group arrived around a magnificent pavilion.

Around this pavilion, the sky was filled with star lanterns; these remaining star lanterns resembled clusters of bright sparks, within which surged the destructive true intent of rune collisions.

From those rune fire rings, Zhang Jian seemed to hear the wailing of countless remnant souls.

Just a glance, and Zhang Jian knew this was likely the problem that Jingming Daoist's group had invited him to solve.

Jingming Daoist gazed at the destructive power in the void, his countenance solemn, then looked at Zhang Jian and said:

"Master Zhang, this is the place!

This prohibition is called the Xiao Zhutian Wheel of Reincarnation Law Ban; it is said to have been established by an ancient mighty one who was a close friend of the Dongdi Emperor, containing the supreme mystery of life and death reincarnation; any slain god, demon, ferocious beast, or evil god will not be freed after death; their remnant souls will be swallowed by this prohibition, their power absorbed by it, transformed into the prohibition's protective power!"

"We wish to take the treasure; first we must resolve this ancient prohibition. Previously, we two sects also invited a master proficient in runes and prohibition, a grandmaster of rune studies, to come inspect it; that grandmaster also said, to solve this prohibition, one must first liberate the many god and demon remnant souls within..."

Jingming Daoist also felt somewhat helpless.

In heaven and earth, those skilled in redemption and liberation mantras are many, but most are within the Buddhist Dao tradition.

The relationship between Dongguan Guan and the Buddhist Dao tradition's cultivators is not good.

Of course, most importantly, we also do not trust them.

At this moment, Xingyao Zi did not speak, merely directing his gaze over.

This female cultivator of the Xingxiu Palace had a calm expression, merely gazing indifferently.

Dongjue Daoist, seeing this, said: "Master Zhang, do you have confidence in liberating these god and demon remnant souls?"

Zhang Jian's gaze fluctuated; after a brief contemplation, he stepped forward!

He did not act directly, merely condensing spiritual power in his hand, forming a Taiyin Mirror Moon that illuminated the void, projecting the runes around this pavilion's void.

In his hand's Mirror Moon Shape-Containing Dao method, the hidden Xiao Zhutian Wheel of Reincarnation Law Ban in the void gradually revealed its full form.

It was layer upon layer of dense ancient Yin script.

These ancient Yin scripts resembled writhing invisible golden tadpoles transforming into long rivers flowing, finally condensing into a ring-shaped hollow.

It was vast and magnificent, enveloping this pavilion and connecting with the void above the ruin!

Stand firm between heaven and earth!

From within, Zhang Jian felt a sense of endless cycling, the heavenly and earthly wonder of life and death reincarnation.

"A truly formidable prohibition!"

Zhang Jian silently thought, knowing that such a profound prohibition, if relying solely on the Qinglian Purifying Soul Mantra, might not necessarily be dispelled.

Yet Zhang Jian still decided to try.

Moreover, he was extremely interested in this prohibition.

As he focused his mind, Zhang Jian condensed spiritual power in his hand into a Purifying Soul Qinglian Lotus, which instantly drifted toward the depths of the prohibition.

Jingming Daoist, Huangzhen Zhenren, Dongjue Daoist, and Xingyao Zi stared intently at this scene.

Yet they saw the Purifying Soul Qinglian Lotus drift out, formlessly sinking into one of the gray sparks; the Purifying Soul Qinglian's light flowed, and visible to the naked eye, in the spark enveloped by the Purifying Soul Qinglian, the remnant spirits' eyes lost their ferocity, as if gradually regaining spirituality, transforming ferocity into harmony, and began silently reciting the *Ten Directions Redemption True Scripture* in place.

"Is it useful?"

Gazing at this scene, Xingyao Zi's clear, cold pupils faintly gleamed with brightness.

Jingming Daoist and Dongjue Daoist's expressions also relaxed slightly; it seemed the Beichen Pearl would soon be in hand.

Zhang Jian, however, slightly furrowed his brow.

His Purifying Soul Qinglian had indeed successfully liberated the several god and demon remnant souls within, but he felt no indication that these remnant souls had escaped and entered reincarnation.

Even if liberation succeeded, these several remnant spirits remained trapped within that dreadful prohibition, their power used by the prohibition.

"Let us try purifying them all; can we then dismantle this prohibition's foundation from within?"

Zhang Jian turned his thought; the Qinglian seal merged into the Yangshen depths, his entire body bursting forth with a vast heavenly sovereign spiritual radiance, the void filling with a layer of purity, compassion, and the magnificent spiritual light of redeeming all beings.

This layer of spiritual radiance bursting forth even caused Huangzhen Zhenren to glance sideways.

He sensed the power of heavenly and earthly authority and law.

This vast divine power had already surpassed the Yin God Zunzhe realm.

"This Master Zhang's Dao cultivation is indeed unfathomable; are those cultivators who have walked the sage's path truly this formidable?!"

Huangzhen Zhenren's heart was shaken.

In his view, Zhang Jian had already walked the path of the sages.

Since Zhang Jian had disseminated improved vegetable and melon seeds, even some grain seeds, among the populace, he had already gained the reputation of a sage.

To say he is a sage is indeed not excessive.

Zhang Jian remained calm; raising his hand, he saw the boundless Purifying Soul Qinglian Pure Land Dharma Realm unfold in the void; if he wished, he could even, with a single thought, communicate with the Ten Directions Redemption Pure Land in the unseen depths and draw down heavenly sovereign spiritual light.

This Dharma gate is called Yao Ren.

In the cultivation world, many who succeed in cultivating primordial spirit immortal arts can 'shake people'!

But if one does not wish to become the other's 'obsessed fan', it is still best not to shake recklessly!

At this moment, Zhang Jian casually pointed, and within the countless forbidden law sparks, he saw countless fierce and howling divine demon remnant souls suddenly tremble in spirit; even the most ferocious beast remnant souls now had pure soul blue lotuses blooming deep in their brows.

The so-called 'flower blooming, I am seen'—upon seeing the soul-capturing, whatever the mind perceives, it can give rise to boundless compassion and boundless wisdom.

This is the marvel of the pure soul blue lotus.

As long as the Dao heart is not yet perfected, it is possible for the pure soul blue lotus to arise in the heart, placing one under the control of the Pure Lotus Heavenly Venerable.

Of course, Zhang Jian has not yet cultivated to the point of being able to freely control souls and seize bodies.

This is merely a primordial spirit immortal art of the Pure Yang realm, but to several other figures present, it still appears irresistible.

Even the Yellow Crane True Person felt his Dao heart tremble faintly.

But he is a primordial spirit true person, his Dao heart is perfectly round and smooth, and he was not deliberately targeted, so he was not greatly affected.

Yet he also felt a shock in his heart.

Such primordial spirit immortal arts concerning the Dao heart are exceedingly rare and also most strange.

If during a great battle, the opponent displays such a dharma gate, it is truly impossible to guard against, very easy to fall victim to, and to die resentfully at the hands of the enemy.

Moreover, those who can usually display this kind of Dao heart primordial spirit thought typically have extremely profound Dao heart cultivation.

As the Yellow Crane True Person thought.

Wherever Zhang Jian's gaze fell, he saw within the forbidden law countless divine demon remnant souls continuously wailing; a portion of the weak, deficient remnant souls were immediately ferried across.

A portion attempting to resist, Zhang Jian employed a thread of blue lotus spiritual light to shine upon them.

Then he heard these divine demon remnant souls involuntarily emit wailing sounds; streams of spiritual light flowed from their bodies, the pure and holy radiance of the blue lotus, and their remnant souls were gradually consumed by the pure soul blue lotus.

Even the most formidable few towering divine demon phantom warships gradually had their eyes become peaceful, revealing a sense of tranquility.

Yet deep within this tranquility and peace, there filled a mechanical icy coldness.

Most of the spiritual intelligence of the divine demon remnant souls within this Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden had already collapsed, leaving only the original obsession to wreak havoc.

At this moment, the obsession collapsed and dissolved, leaving only emptiness.

If Zhang Jian needs it, these remnant souls can be transformed into puppets, or even reforged into guardian divine generals, or directly turned into commanding yin soldiers within the pure land, which can be forged into a Dao army, forming an existence similar to that of the Yellow Turban Warriors.

Within the forbidden.

Many divine demon remnant souls were ferried across, but as Zhang Jian had anticipated, the Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden did not collapse; it continued to operate.

Within it lies a thread of reincarnation truth penetrating the void and dharma realm—round, solid, and indestructible.

Within it lies a circulating rune.

Upon seeing this scene, the Yellow Crane Daoist's face sank, a hint of harshness flashed in his eyes, he raised his hand and pointed, and countless great cavern thunders condensed in his hand.

The sound of thunder rumbled.

Yin and yang flowed and turned, as if within it lay a vast divine power capable of destroying heaven and earth, void, and all dharmas.

Boom—boom—boom!

Around the Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden, bursts of roaring sounds erupted, yet the Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden in the void trembled slightly, and in an instant condensed and manifested as a huge pure white white hole ring rushing toward the crowd to devour them.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian's face sank, and he shouted a warning aloud.

"Retreat, cannot hard-resist!"

At this moment, the Yellow Crane True Person's eyes flashed with a hint of brutality, but he still quickly suppressed the anger in his heart.

His form turned into a yellow light and retreated, until he had retreated far beyond the range of the Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden's influence before the pavilion, where he stopped.

After the crowd departed, the Minor Heavens Reincarnation Law Forbidden seemed to have lost any spiritual sensitivity, and thus gradually faded into nothingness.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian said.

"This forbidden law should follow a special ancient rule: all things conserved, any spiritual fluctuation will trigger its marvel!

The stronger the spiritual fluctuation, the stronger its power!

Things neither increase nor decrease, reincarnation never ceases!"

Upon hearing this, the Yellow Crane True Person furrowed his brows and said.

"So saying, we have been fooled by that old fellow; even if we have ferried across the remnant souls of divine demons in the forbidden, we still cannot break this forbidden?"

Upon hearing this, Jing Ming Daoist, Dong Jue Daoist, and Xing Yao Zi exchanged glances, their expressions all somewhat grim.

Zhang Jian's gaze fluctuated, and after a moment he said: "That is not necessarily so!"

He slowly stepped forward into the forbidden, at this moment within his eyes seemed to flow a layer of milky white flame.

The Righteous Flame.

He was not attempting to break the formation with this fire.

Merely using it to resist his own Yang Spirit spiritual awareness, briefly enhancing his Yang Spirit's focus.

In this state, his comprehension was maximally stimulated.

In his view, ferrying across those divine demon remnant souls was not in vain; at least he could use those irredeemable divine demon remnant souls to observe this formidable ancient forbidden law from within, in order to break it.

But at this moment, Zhang Jian was not in a hurry to break the forbidden!

He was very interested in this ancient forbidden!

Especially the authority over life and death contained within, the authority over reincarnation, and even the rule of conservation of all things—all of these stirred his heart.

To Zhang Jian, this forbidden law was a living treasure trove.

To miss it would be a pity.

This idea is obviously completely different from that of ordinary cultivators.

In the imperial examinations, Zhang Jian was a top scholar born among the town's exam-takers.

After stepping into the cultivation world, he undoubtedly remained a 'top scholar', and indeed one of the outstanding ones.

Zhang Jian sat cross-legged, his Yang Spirit spiritual awareness mostly aided by countless divine demon remnant souls, began to continuously contemplate this forbidden law's power; although he was contemplating, he still kept a portion of his Yang Spirit spiritual awareness attentive to changes around him.

It is not that I distrust Pure Bright Daoist, Yellow Crane True Person.

This is the instinct of a strong one.

A cautious and careful heart cannot be lacking.

"Is Master Zhang directly comprehending this minor heavenly reincarnation law prohibition?"

Seeing Zhang Jian's current demeanor, Dong Jue Daoist's eyes flickered slightly; she and Pure Bright Daoist exchanged a glance, and both could see the surprise in each other's eyes.

Before, they had 'praised' Zhang Jian as well-learned and widely experienced, which was indeed just unintentionally or intentionally boosting the atmosphere, also 'drawing closer' their relationship, but they did not truly believe it.

But this posture before them is somewhat exaggerated.

An ancient prohibition that has existed since antiquity is not so easily penetrated.

If that were the case, the Primordial Spirit True Person earlier hailed as a 'Rune Expert' and 'Rune Grand Master' would have long since attempted to crack it.

However, now everyone is also helpless and can only let Zhang Jian contemplate.

Yellow Crane True Person's gaze fluctuated, and then he said: "This seat will go look around!"

His figure flashed, and in an instant he turned into a yellow stream of light and vanished from the spot.

Xing Yao Zi, seeing this, stepped forward and walked toward another direction.

This ruin is vast; the two sects' cultivators may not have searched every corner cleanly, and there may be no escaped fish; Xing Yao Zi is not without the thought of picking up omissions.

Beside, Pure Bright Daoist looked toward Dong Jue Daoist and asked: "Martial Aunt, are you not going to take a look?"

On Dong Jue Daoist's beautiful jade-like countenance appeared a hint of helplessness, and she said: "Pure Bright Martial Nephew, I have always not deeply studied rune learning and prohibition learning; in such a place, I am better off staying quietly, lest I later need you to come rescue me!"

Pure Bright Daoist, hearing this, was speechless.

Dong Jue Daoist has these years wholeheartedly cultivated within the Dong Shen Guan; the effort she has put into rune learning is insufficient, and indeed it is not good for her to walk in such ruins.

Pure Bright Daoist then advised.

"Martial Aunt, rune learning is vast and profound; whether for technique cultivation or artifact refining, going out is greatly helpful; you still need to put in some hard work!"

Dong Jue Daoist nodded slightly.

She knows her own affairs; because the foundation of rune learning is not solid, her cultivation of several layers of techniques is indeed quite strenuous.

When discussing combat power, she is even the tail end among her peers of the Dong generation.

But just as the two were discussing waiting and exchanging, suddenly both of their expressions moved, and their gazes turned toward the prohibition.

Yet they saw that around Zhang Jian, a layer of faint mysterious Dao resonance had suddenly spread.

That layer of Dao resonance appeared, and yet they saw Zhang Jian's body surrounded by a layer of black-and-white mysterious light, as if penetrating life and death, severing the mundane.

Countless runes appeared behind him, and his spiritual power circulated, gradually revealing a life-and-death wheel formed by black-and-white runes.

"Prohibition runes containing the authority of life and death!"

"This is already an initial comprehension of part of the life-and-death laws, condensing the life-and-death mark!"

Seeing this, Pure Bright Daoist and Dong Jue Daoist could not help but turn their gazes; at this moment, both could see the tremor deep in each other's eyes.

"Such a perverse comprehension?"